A NEW FIBRIN SEALANT FROM Crotalus durissus terrificus VENOM: APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE

Fibrin sealant, a widely available tissue adhesive, has been used since 1940 in a variety of clinical applications. Commercially available fibrin sealant products are synthesized from bovine thrombin and human fibrinogen, which may transmit infectious diseases, and recipients may also develop antibodies against bovine thrombin. Bearing these disadvantages in mind, a new fibrin sealant was developed in 1989 by a group of researchers from the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals, in São Paulo State, Brazil. The main purpose was to produce an adhesive fibrin without using human blood, to avoid transmitting infectious diseases. The components of this novel sealant were extracted from large animals and a serine proteinase extracted from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. The applicability of this sealant was tested in animals and humans with beneficial results. The new fibrin sealant can be a useful tool clinically due to its flexibility and diversity of applications. This sealant is a biological and biodegradable product that ( 1) does not produce adverse reactions, ( 1) contains no human blood, ( 3) has a good adhesive capacity, ( 4) gives no transmission of infectious diseases, and ( 5) may be used as an adjuvant in conventional suture procedures. The effectiveness of this new fibrin sealant is reviewed and its development and employment are described.

Cryptosporidium infection in Brazil: implications for veterinary medicine and public health

O objetivo deste trabalho foi relatar, por meio de revisão de literatura, os resultados de pesquisas sobre a criptosporidiose no Brasil, com ênfase em sua ocorrência em animais e suas implicações em medicina veterinária e em saúde pública. Um número crescente de trabalhos sobre a infecção por Cryptosporidium spp. no Brasil está disponível na literatura nacional e internacional. Nestes trabalhos, são abordados principalmente aspectos relacionados à ocorrência de Cryptosporidium spp. em alimentos, amostras ambientais, no homem e em diversas espécies animais, particularmente em aves, bovinos, cães e gatos. Por meio de técnicas de biologia molecular, a maioria das espécies e alguns genótipos identificados em outros países foram descritos no Brasil. em mamíferos, houve identificação de C. bovis, C. canis, C. felis, C. meleagridis, C. parvum e o genótipo cervídeo; em diversas espécies de aves, foi descrita infecção por C. baileyi, C. galli, C. meleagridis, C. parvum e pelos genótipos I, II e III de aves. Várias espécies foram descritas no homem, como C. parvum e C. hominis, além de algumas espécies adaptadas a hospedeiros animais, como C. canis, C. felis e C. meleagridis.

A review of antifertility folkloric plants tested in laboratory animals

The use of natural active principals is widespread among a great proportion of the rural population, or by people who do not have easy access to medical assistance. These active principles are used as food or medicines, and even for purposes of contraception. It becomes necessary to establish a relationship between the folklore habits and current information on the nature of anti-fertility substances, and knowledge of their mechanisms. Anti-fertility agents may exert their actions in a number of areas, (hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, oviduct, uterus, and vagina), inhibiting synthesis and/or liberation of hormones (follicle-stimulating, luteinizing, and steroid hormones), ovulation, ovum transportation, and implantation process. Therefore, a review of literature was carried out, including of several plants used by women as abortifacient and anti-fertility agents to compare their effects with those obtained among laboratory animals.

Mineral element and heavy metal poisoning in animals

Mineral elements are essential to animal health, survival and production because they are part of physiological, structural, catalytic and regulatory organism functions. Therefore, they should be present in diet. However, these minerals when ingested in excessive doses due to errors in balancing mineral supplements and/or complete ration, intake of plants with high mineral concentration, resulting from addition of fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides in pasture or tillage where plants and/or grains will be used to feed animals, decomposition of urban and industrial wastes, leaks and accidental spills of pollutants may result in accumulation of toxic mineral elements in the environment poisoning the animals and may lead them to death. However, toxic doses, physiological changes during poisoning, symptoms and mineral concentration in tissues of poisoned animals to confirm diagnosis are not completely known. Thus, this study reviews mineral element doses that some authors considered toxic for animals intake, as its concentration in tissues of poisoned animals and its physiological effects, symptoms, diagnostic procedures and treatment for poisoning by cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

The protective effect of Canova homeopathic medicine in cyclophosphamide-treated non-human primates

Background: Canova activates macrophages and indirectly induces lymphocyte proliferation. Here we evaluated the effects of Canova in cyclophosphamide-treated non-human primates. Methods: Twelve Cebus apella were evaluated. Four animals were treated with Canova only. Eight animals were treated with two doses of cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg) and four of these animals received Canova. Body weight, biochemistry and hematologic analyses were performed for 40 days. Micronucleus and comet assays were performed for the evaluation of DNA damage. Results: We observed that cyclophosphamide induced abnormal WBC count in all animals. However, the group treated with cyclophosphamide plus Canova presented a higher leukocyte count than that which received only cyclophosphamide. Cyclophosphamide induced micronucleus and DNA damage in all animals. The frequency of these alterations was significantly lower in the Canova group than in the group without this medicine. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that Canova treatment minimizes cyclophosphamide myelotoxicity in C. apella. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of the administration of pentoxifylline and prednisolone on the evolution of portal fibrogenesis secondary to biliary obstruction in growing animals: immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of TGF-BETA; and VEGF

OBJECTIVE: During the neonatal and infancy periods, some chronic liver diseases may lead to progressive hepatic fibrosis, which is a condition that can ultimately result in the loss of organ function and severe portal hypertension necessitating hepatic transplantation. In a previous report, pharmacological interventions were demonstrated to modulate hepatic fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation in young rats. The administration of pentoxifylline or prednisolone, or the combination of both, resulted in reduced fibrogenesis in portal spaces. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the expression of transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor after bile duct ligation in young rats and to assess the effect of those same drugs on cytokine expression. METHODS: In this experimental study, 80 young rats (21 or 22 days old) were submitted either to laparotomy and common bile duct ligation or to sham surgery. The animals were allocated into four groups according to surgical procedure, and the following treatments were administered: (1) common bile duct ligation + distilled water, (2) sham surgery + distilled water, (3) common bile duct ligation + pentoxifylline, or (4) common bile duct ligation + prednisolone. After 30 days, a hepatic fragment was collected from each animal for immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies against transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor. Digital morphometric and statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: The administration of pentoxifylline reduced the transforming growth factor beta-marked area and the amount of transforming growth factor beta expressed in liver tissue. This effect was not observed after the administration of prednisolone. There was a significant reduction in vascular endothelial growth factor expression after the administration of either drug compared with the non-treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of pentoxifylline to cholestatic young rats resulted in the diminished expression of transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor in liver tissue. The administration of steroids resulted in the diminished expression of vascular endothelial growth factor only. These pathways may be involved in hepatic fibrogenesis in young rats submitted to bile duct ligation and exposed to pentoxifylline or prednisolone.

Hepatobiliary diseases in small animals: a comparison of ultrasonography and multidetector-row computed tomography

Ultrasonography (US) is an essential imaging tool for identifying abnormalities of the liver parenchyma, biliary tract and vascular system. US has replaced radiography as the initial imaging procedure in screening for liver disease in small animals. There are few reports of the use of conventional and helical computed tomography (CT) to assess canine or feline parenchymal and neoplastic liver disease and biliary disorders. In human medicine the development of multidetector- row helical computed tomography (MDCT), with its superior spatial and temporal resolution, has resulted in improved detection and characterization of diffuse and focal liver lesions. The increased availability of MDCT in veterinary practice provides incentive to develop MDCT protocols for liver imaging in small animals. The purpose of this study is to assess the rule of MDCT in the characterization of hepatobiliary diseases in small animals; and to compare this method with conventional US. Candidates for this prospective study were 175 consecutive patients (dogs and cats) referred for evaluation of hepatobiliary disease. The patients underwent liver US and MDCT. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed on all liver lesions or alterations encountered. As for gallbladder, histopatological evaluation was obtained from cholecystectomy specimens. Ultrasonographic findings in this study agreed well with those of previous reports. A protocol for dual-phase liver MDCT in small animals has been described. MDCT findings in parenchymal disorders of the liver, hepatic neoplasia and biliary disorders are here first described in dogs and cats and compared with the corresponding features in human medicine. The ability of MDCT in detection and characterization of hepatobiliary diseases in small animals is overall superior to conventional US. Ultrasonography and MDCT scanning, however, play complementary rules in the evaluation of these diseases. Many conditions have distinctive imaging features that may permit diagnosis. In most instances biopsy is required for definitive diagnosis.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) and induced Plutipotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) in Domestic Animals: Characterization and Differentiation Potential

Derivation of stem cell lines from domesticated animals has been of great interest as it benefits translational medicine, clinical applications to improve human and animal health and biotechnology. The main types of stem cells studied are Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs), induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) and Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs). This thesis had two main aims: (I) The isolation of bovine MSCs from amniotic fluid (AF) at different trimesters of pregnancy and their characterization to study pluripotency markers expression. Stemness markers were studied also in MSCs isolated from equine AF, Wharton’s jelly (WJ) and umbilical cord blood (UCB) as continuation of the characterization of these cells previously performed by our research group; (II) The establishment and characterization of iPSCs lines in two attractive large animal models for biomedical and biotechnology research such as the bovine and the swine, and the differentiation into the myogenic lineage of porcine iPSCs. It was observed that foetal tissues in domestic animals such as the bovine and the horse represent a source of MSCs able to differentiate into the mesodermal lineage but they do not proliferate indefinitely and they lack the expression of many pluripotency markers, making them an interesting source of cells for regenerative medicine, but not the best candidate to elucidate pluripotency networks. The protocol used to induce pluripotency in bovine fibroblasts did not work, as well as the chemical induction of pluripotency in porcine fibroblasts, while the reprogramming protocol used for porcine iPSCs was successful and the line generated was amenable to being differentiated into the myogenic lineage, demonstrating that they could be addressed into a desired lineage by genetic modification and appropriated culture conditions. Only a few cell types have been differentiated from domestic animal iPSCs to date, so the development of a reliable directed-differentiation protocol represents a very important result.

Urine proteome in animals of veterinary interest: species comparison and new biomarkers of nephropathy

Urine is considered an ideal source of biomarkers, however in veterinary medicine a complete study on the urine proteome is still lacking. The present work aimed to apply proteomic techniques to the separation of the urine proteome in dogs, cats, horses, cows and some non-conventional species. High resolution electrophoresis (HRE) was also validated for the quantification of albuminuria in dogs and cats. In healthy cats, applying SDS-PAGE and 2DE coupled to mass spectrometry (MS), was produced a reference map of the urine proteome. Moreover, 13 differentially represented urine proteins were linked with CKD, suggesting uromodulin, cauxin, CFAD, Apo-H, RBP and CYSM as candidate biomarkers to be investigated further. In dogs, applying SDS-PAGE coupled to MS, was highlighted a specific pattern in healthy animals showing important differences in patients affected by leishmaniasis. In particular, uromodulin could be a putative biomarker of tubular damage while arginine esterase and low MW proteins needs to be investigated further. In cows, applying SDS-PAGE, were highlighted different patterns between heifers and cows showing some interesting changes during pregnancy. In particular, putative alpha-fetoprotein and b-PAP needs to be further investigated. In horses, applying SDS-PAGE, was produced a reference profile characterized by 13±4 protein bands and the most represented one was the putative uromodulin. Proteinuric horses showed the decrease of the putative uromodulin band and the appearance of 2 to 4 protein bands at higher MW and a greater variability in the range of MW between 49 and 17 kDa. In felids and giraffes was quantified proteinuria reporting the first data for UTP and UPC. Moreover, by means of SDS-PAGE, were highlighted species-specific electrophoretic patterns in big felids and giraffes.

Brain tumors in children and adolescents and exposure to animals and farm life: a multicenter case-control study (CEFALO)

The etiology of brain tumors in children and adolescents is largely unknown, and very few environmental risk factors have been identified. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between pre- or postnatal animal contacts or farm exposures and the risk of childhood brain tumors (CBTs), since infectious agents may pose a risk factor and a proposed mechanism is transferral of infectious agents from animals to humans.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from the airways of animals with chronic respiratory disease

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a nonfermentative bacterium, which is naturally resistant against a panel of commonly-used antibiotics. It is frequently isolated from humans with chronic respiratory disease, e.g. cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In veterinary medicine S. maltophilia is perceived to be a mere coloniser. We herewith report 7 strains of S. maltophilia isolated from animals, of which 5 strains were harvested from 3 horses, a dog and a cat with chronic respiratory disease. The dog isolate showed resistance to trimethoprim / sulphamethoxazole, which was confirmed by detection of the sul 1 gene. Analysis with pulsed field gel electrophoresis revealed that 2 horses, which were boarded in the same clinic but two years apart, harboured the same strain of S. maltophilia. This is indicative of a hospital acquired colonisation / infection, which contradicts involvement in the pre-existing chronic disease.

CT myelography for diagnosis of brachial plexus avulsion in small animals

Avulsion of nerve roots of the brachial plexus can be diagnosed clinically, neurologically, radiographically and by electromyography. But like the myelography these techniques are inprecise for determination of the severity (partial or complete disruption) and the localization of the lesion. In human medicine the combination of computerized tomography with myelography shows high accuracy. Veterinary reports of experience in this field are not yet known. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate nerve root avulsions using myelography and computerized tomography. Three dogs and one cat with traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus were examined. The lesion could be seen in all patients. Thus CT-myelography results in an improved prognostic assessment of brachial plexus paralysis. Moreover, this technique could become one of the most important diagnostic methods for brachial plexus lesions involving nerve root reinsertion--neurotizations in veterinary medicine.

Estimating Diagnostic Test Accuracies for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae Accounting for the Complexities of Population Structure in Food Animals

For swine dysentery, which is caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infection and is an economically important disease in intensive pig production systems worldwide, a perfect or error-free diagnostic test ("gold standard") is not available. In the absence of a gold standard, Bayesian latent class modelling is a well-established methodology for robust diagnostic test evaluation. In contrast to risk factor studies in food animals, where adjustment for within group correlations is both usual and required for good statistical practice, diagnostic test evaluation studies rarely take such clustering aspects into account, which can result in misleading results. The aim of the present study was to estimate test accuracies of a PCR originally designed for use as a confirmatory test, displaying a high diagnostic specificity, and cultural examination for B. hyodysenteriae. This estimation was conducted based on results of 239 samples from 103 herds originating from routine diagnostic sampling. Using Bayesian latent class modelling comprising of a hierarchical beta-binomial approach (which allowed prevalence across individual herds to vary as herd level random effect), robust estimates for the sensitivities of PCR and culture, as well as for the specificity of PCR, were obtained. The estimated diagnostic sensitivity of PCR (95% CI) and culture were 73.2% (62.3; 82.9) and 88.6% (74.9; 99.3), respectively. The estimated specificity of the PCR was 96.2% (90.9; 99.8). For test evaluation studies, a Bayesian latent class approach is well suited for addressing the considerable complexities of population structure in food animals.