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Mast cell tumour is one of the most common cutaneous neoplasms in dogs, ranging from well differentiated to aggressive tumors with metastases. Currently, prognosis and therapeutic definitions of canine cutaneous MCTs are based on the histological grade of malignancy. Clinical examination and treatment were performed in Dnipro veterinary clinics and pathological analysis in the Department of Animal Anatomy, Histology and Pathomorphology, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University (Dnipro, Ukraine). Thirty-six dogs with a history of skin neoplasia were examined. Skin MCTs were diagnosed in 23 males and 13 females, aged between 5 and 15 years. No breed predisposition was found out in tested cohort. MCTs were located on the trunk (44.4%), limbs (33.4%) and less frequently on the head and neck, axillary, inguinal and perineal areas (22.2%). MCT was detected in 8 animals where the malignancy was systemic and develops metastatic spread to internal organs. Pathological diagnosis included cytopathological examination of tumor material, pathological analysis of samples obtained by incisional biopsy using haematoxylin/eosin and toluidine blue staining. According to the diagnostic criteria (smear cellularity, presence of cells with basophilic cytoplasmic granularity, size and number of cytoplasmic granules, presence or absence of mitotic figures, nuclear pleomorphism, presence or absence of binucleations or multinucleations, anisokaryosis), benign mast cell tumour (high grade) was diagnosed in 23 animals and malignant mast cell tumour (low grade) in 13 animals. These results were confirmed by histopathological methods using haematoxylin and eosin staining. Additional staining of histological sections with toluidine blue allowed differentiation of benign mast cell tumours into high-grade (38.9%) and intermediate-grade (5%).

Calcium propionate, as an approved food additive, is widely used as a mold inhibitor in food and feed. It is recognized as safe, but when metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract, it can affect the body’s metabolism both directly and indirectly through the intestinal microbiota. The effect of various doses of calcium propionate on the body of model animals, with the study of the quantitative and qualitative composition of their intestinal microbiome, was investigated in this experiment. Four groups of male laboratory rats were formed, which for 20 days consumed: a high-fat diet with the addition of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% calcium propionoate. We determined changes in body weight, the condition and mass indices of the internal organs, biochemical blood parameters, the functional state of the nervous system using the “open field” method, as well as changes in the intestinal microbiota. Adding calcium propionate to a high-fat diet does not affect the rate of animals’ weight gain, nor the amount of feed and water consumed. High dose consumption of calcium propionate caused a decrease in the relative weight of the spleen and an increase in the relative weight of the kidneys, without affecting the functional state of the nervous system. With the addition of calcium propionate to a high-fat diet, only minor changes in some biochemical blood parameters were observed (increased De Ritis ratio and Ca/P ratio, moderate dyslipidemia). Calcium propionate had the most significant changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the intestinal microbiota in laboratory rats. Among the representatives of the microflora, the most sensitive to this substance against the background of a high-fat diet were obligate microorganisms from the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. The antimicrobial action of calcium propionate was also demonstrated by the pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Amid a deficiency of obligate microflora, proliferation of transient microflora was found – facultative anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms (bacteria of the genera Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Clostridium, fungi of the genus Candida). Further research will be aimed at studying the effect of calcium propionate in various doses on the biological systems of different age group laboratory animals in a long-term experiment.

Obesity is the accumulation of excessive adipose tissue in the body and is the most common nutritional disorder in pets. Obesity is one of the most prevalent health conditions in companion animals globally. It is associated with premature mortality, metabolic dysfunction, and multiple health conditions across species. Obesity is, therefore, of importance in the field of veterinary medicine. The regulation of adiposity is a homeostatic process vulnerable to disruption by many genetic and environmental factors. Among dogs, cases are found in 22–24 %, and among cats – in 20 % of animals that visited a veterinary clinic. Approximately one-third of cats older than 12 years of age may have a decreased ability to digest fat, whereas one in five may have a compromised ability to digest protein. More than 40 % of dogs between the ages of 5 and 10 years are overweight or obese. Among the risk factors that cause excessive fat deposition is noted: breed, age, sex, sterilization, lifestyle, endocrine diseases, drug treatment and contraception, feeding, social factor, and the number of animals in the household. Obesity, in turn, affects several metabolic processes and is a factor that affects the development of pathological processes: dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, type 2 diabetes, excessive deposition of fat in the liver and pancreas, coronary heart disease, disease gallbladder, osteoarthritis, urethral sphincter dysfunction, may increase the risk of certain types of cancer. For research, two groups of cats aged 3–7 years were formed, but breed data were not taken into account. Laboratory blood tests confirmed the clinical observations of specialists regarding overweight cats. The pathoanatomical autopsy with subsequent pathohistological studies made it possible to finally confirm the diagnosis of obesity, which was accompanied by fatty dystrophy of internal organs.

Aralia tincture (Aralia elata) is a well-known adaptogen, so most of its effects that influence the body are associated with the general properties of this plant's preparations. They are metabolic regulators that increase the body's ability to adapt to various environmental stressors and prevent occurring damage. The purpose of this work is to determine the effect of various doses of A. elata roots alcohol tincture on the liver morphofunctional state of laboratory rats that are receiving a diet with excess fat. From 28 young laboratory rats that consumed an excess fat diet for 35 days, four groups were formed. Animals of the first group (control) received pure water without restriction; the second group – 0.1 % ethanol, and the third and fourth – received 0.1 % and 0.01 % alcohol tincture of Aralia (A. elata), respectively. After the experiment's completion, the absolute and relative mass and liver histostructure of animals were determined, and biochemical blood tests were performed to determine the main indicators of this organ's functional activity. In rats that were kept on the excess fat diet, the replacement of water with 0.1 % ethanol solution and 0.01 % alcohol tincture of aralia caused a decrease in the relative mass of the liver, and 0.1 % aralia alcohol tincture – caused a significant increase. It has been demonstrated that 0.1 % ethanol causes a significant increase in the total protein level in the blood. An analysis of the blood enzyme activity has shown that ethanol consumption reduced the activity of AST and ALT from the value of the control group, and the Aralia alcohol tincture returned these indicators to the level of the control group. The liver histostructure of rats in the control group was characterized by the appearance of signs of fatty degeneration along the periphery of the hepatic lobules, with the consumption of 0.1 % ethanol in addition to the excess fat diet, the accumulation of fat droplets was detected in both perilobular (around lobules) zone and in the center of the lobule itself near the central vein. In hepatocytes located along the periphery of the lobules, mainly large fat drops have accumulated, and in the center – small ones. The use of Aralia alcohol tinctures improved the liver parenchyma's morphological state. Fatty degeneration of hepatocytes was less pronounced. Fat inclusions in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes were small, diffusely located in the cytoplasm, and did not show cell destruction.

Lymph nodes are peripheral organs of hemo- and lymphopoiesis, their parenchyma is formed by lymphoid tissue and is divided into separate structural and functional lobules, each of which, in turn, is formed by highly and low-specialized cellular zones. The dynamics of age-related changes in the relative volume of the structural and functional zones of the lymph nodes parenchyma lobules in newborn calves of 10-, 30-, 120-day-old was determined. There were examined: superficial cervical, axillary, iliac, popliteal, medial retropharyngeal, caudal mediastinal, medial iliac, iliocolic lymph nodes. The relative volume of the deep cortex central zones units, lymph nodules, interfollicular zone and medullary cords was determined on thin paraffin histosections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. In newborn calves, the lymph nodes lobules were formed, among the structural and functional zones the centers of the deep cortex units were most developed, the relative volume of which was 27–33% and the medullary cords – 21–31%, and the least ones were lymph nodules. The lymph nodules volume without light centers varied within 0.4–1.6%, with light centers – 0.3–1%. The interfollicular zone was 4–11%. During the first ten days of calf life, the greatest growth dynamics was observed in the deep cortex central zones units, the interfollicular zone, and the medullary cords. Until the age of 30 days, the dynamics of an increase in the relative volume of deep cortex units and interfollicular zone stabilized and showed a further tendency of insignificant growth. The most intense increase in the relative volume of lymph nodules was observed in 120-day-old calves. The volume of the medullary cords decreased in all the examined nodes in 30- and 120-day-old calves.

A feature of rabbit gut-associated lymphoid tissue is that its structure is more developed than in other animal species. In rabbits it is composed of sacculus rotundus, vermiform appendix and Peyer’s patches. These immune formations contain an organized component of lymphoid tissue – lymphoid nodules (B-cell zone) and interfollicular region (T-cell). Secondary lymphoid nodules with germinal centers presented in them are formed due to antigen stimulation. The caecum of Hyplus rabbits at the age of 30 -, 60 - and 90-days was investigated. Each age group consisted of 5 rabbits. Experimental rabbits are clinically healthy, unvaccinated and untreated against ecto- and endoparasites. Peyer’s patches of the caecum were selected for the study and fixed in 10% of formalin. Subsequently, the specimens stained with hematoxylin-eosin were prepared from the obtained samples. On the 30th day of life, Peyer’s patches in the cecum were detected by gross examination. On the histological level, they had formed interfollicular region and lymphoid nodules. In turn, lymphoid nodules were divided into primary and secondary ones. A well-defined mantle zone and germinal centers were observed in the secondary lymphoid nodules. The regularities of their area indicators increase (mean value, median and interquartile range (IQR)) and their correlation were studied. The most intensive growth of the mantle area and the germinal center was observed from the 30th to the 60th day. The relative area of the mantle zone and the germinal center as part of the secondary lymphoid nodule was determined. Its value did not change during the experimental period.

The morphological features patterns of the extra-organ and intra-nodal lymphatic channel in the domestic bull’s somatic lymph nodes were investigated. The method of indirect injection of lymphatic vessels a finely dispersed contrast mass (suspension of blue ink per 5 % solution (gel) gelatin) by interstitial administration was used. The distribution pattern of the contrast mass in the pre-nodal (afferent) lymphatic vessels, in the lymphatic intra-nodal collector and in the sinuses of the lymph nodes parenchyma was determined. It has been established that afferent lymphatic vessels on the surface of the lymph node capsule are divided into numerous branches that flow into the main lymphatic collector – the subcapsular sinus. The number of afferent lymphatic vessels branches corresponds to the number of the subunits of parenchyma’s lobules, the number of which is characteristic of each individual lymph node. Externally the parenchyma’s lobules in the lymph nodes of domestic bull are not visualized. In the middle of the lymph nodes parenchyma, its lymphoid lobules are bounded by large capsular trabeculae and peritrebecular sinuses. The parenchyma’s sinuses of the somatic lymph nodes in domestic bull are developed to varying degrees. The maximum capacity is characteristic of peritrabecular sinuses, which are filled with contrast mass firstly, and the minimum capacity is for cortical intermediate sinuses, which leads to uneven intranodal lymphodynamics, or different speed of lymph distribution inside the lymph node parenchyma. As a consequence of the uneven lymph distribution in the lymph node parenchyma’s sinuses is that antigen-presenting cells simultaneously «stimulate» different perisinusoidal sections of the parenchyma from the cortical plateau to the paracortical and medullary cords. The uneven intranodal lymphodynamics of the somatic lymph nodes’ parenchyma in the domestic bull is probably the main reason for the mosaic histoarchitectonics of the organ lymphatic lobules parenchyma with multilevel localization of the lymph nodes. The dynamics of lymph distribution in the lymph nodes parenchyma of a domestic bull has been established, which determines the simultaneous flow of antigens and antigen-presenting cells into different zones of lobule parenchyma, that can be ensuring factor for more effective implementation of the immunobiological function of these organs.

The author distinguishes two forms of corruption - market corruption and network corruption. The market corruption is the use of public office for personal gain, when every firm or individual who pays a bribe receives public services. The network corruption is the use of public office for personal gain, when only those firms or individuals who are in kinship, friendship or business relationships with public officials receive public services. The author believes that network and market corruption may have different causes and consequences, that is why they should be treated separately. Using Life in Transition Survey II from EBRD (2010) the aggregated level of the market corruption, network corruption and the mixed form of corruption was measured. The results showed that the market corruption and the mixed form are strongly positively correlated and are very sensitive to worsening of socio-economic conditions. The pure network corruption correlates negatively with two other forms and is more inert and stable. The pure network corruption is not associated with worsening of socio-economic conditions and is rather a reaction to the strict anticorruption measures in the poor institutional environment.