Cyclooxigenase-2 expression in primary metastatic and non metastatic canine mammarian carcinomas

The aim of this study was to detect the expression of ciclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) in metastatic primary carcinoma and non metastatic carcinoma, taking into consideration the relation between COX-2 and the progression of cancer. Evaluation of the COX-2 expression was achieved by immunohistochemistry analysis, using the primary polyclonal antibody anti-PGHS-2, clone PG 27, (Oxford Biomedical Research). The number of marked cells by the COX-2 antibody was higher (P < 0.001) in the metastatic primary carcinoma (81.25%) than non-metastatic (60.3%). There was a positive correlation between the number of labeled cells.

Prostatic acid phosphatase in serum and semen of dogs

The incidence of prostatic malignancy has increased the use of tissue markers to detect cancer. Tissue specific antigens or differentiation antigens are found on the surface of normal cells. Clinically, these antigens are important to diagnose alterations in the tissues and for immunotherapy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prostatic acid phosphatase concentration in blood and seminal plasma of intact and healthy dogs at different ages. The evaluation was carried out by spectrophotometer, using a commercial kit. The prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) levels did not differ according to the age and did not correlate with age or prostatic dimensions verified by ultrasonography. The PAP concentration values varied greatly within each group. However, more studies are necessary to evaluate the role of prostatic acid phosphatase in the canine prostate and its importance as a diagnostic test for prostate disorders.

Different fasting periods in tiletamine-zolezepam-anethetized cats: Glycemia, recovery, blood-gas and cardiorrespiratory parameters

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Citoinclusão de capa leucocitária e medula óssea de cães: padronização da técnica

The cell block technique is widely used and recognized by health professionals, but lacks in information regarding the specific contribution of this method to veterinary medicine. The cytology of bone marrow and buffy coat (cellular portion of the hole blood) are widely used in the diagnosis of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases, and also for the detection of infectious agents. Although the importance of these samples is widely recognized, there is no information about the use of buffy coat and bone marrow samples in the cell block procedure among the research material used for this paper. This work aims for the cell block standardization for canine buffy coat and bone marrow samples. We collected 110 buffy coat samples and 44 bone marrow samples for the cell block preparation, and 68.2% of buffy coat and bone marrow proved to be viable at the end of the procedure. The 95% ethanol fixatives along with the 20 minute processing steps (absolute ethanol, xilol and paraffin, 3 of each) were crucial for the quality of the material both in microtomy and optical microscopy. Mechanical separation of the buffy coat proved to be easy and cheap and was used to compose the cell block technique. In this research we emphasized the importance of cell block standardization in order to develop and easy, inexpensive and reproducible method, regardless of any of the professionals' limitations.

Cryopreservation of bovine spermatozoa from the epididymal tail using conventional and automated methods

Cryopreservation of sperm is important to preserve the gerrnplasm from animals of genetic value, which can die unexpectedly. This study compares conventional and automated methods of cryopreservation of spermatozoa obtained from the epididymis of bulls post-mortem. Twenty-two epididymides were obtained from a commercial slaughterhouse. Spermatozoa were collected from the tail of the epididymis using the retrograde flow technique. Thus, the samples, which were diluted in 10 ml of extender without glycerol (Botubov (R) I, Botupharma, Botucatu, SP, Brazil), were evaluated on motility, sperm vigor, structural and functional (swelling hypoosmotic test) membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, sperm viability and ADN fragmentation. The samples were divided into two aliquots and diluted in extender with glycerol (Botubov (R) II, Botupharma, Botucatu, SP, Brazil) at a concentration of 50x10(6) motile sperm/0.5 French straws. One sample was frozen by the conventional method (4 hours at 5 degrees C, in a refrigerator and 20 min in nitrogen vapor) and the other by the automated method (Cryogen (R) Dualflex, Neovet, Uberaba, MG, Brazil). The parameters were higher in all the tests of fresh sperm samples, with the exception of the swelling hypoosmotic test, which showed no significant difference when the results were compared with sperm frozen by the conventional method. The average motility of fresh spermatozoa was 74%, and conventional and automated averages were 29 and 25%, respectively. Therefore, although cryopreservation techniques reduce sperm quality parameters, the viability of the sperm is maintained, and these methods can be used to preserve sperm.

Assesment of the TEI index of myocardial performance in dogs with doxorubicin-induced cardiomiopathy

The development of a dose-dependent cardiomyopathy is the main limitation for the use of doxorubicin in chemotherapy protocols in both humans and animals. In this setting, the global myocardial function may be compromised resulting in signs of congestive heart failure. In this study, we investigated the ability of the Tei index of myocardial performance to identify myocardial dysfunction in healthy dogs receiving doxorubicin to a cumulative dose of 210 mg/m(2) over 147 days, comparing it with other standard echocardiographic indicators of systolic and diastolic function. Our results indicated that the Tei index, the isovolumic relaxation time, pre-ejection period and the pre-ejection period-to-left ventricular ejection time ratio were able to identify the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin on cardiac function when only 60 mg/m(2) had been administered, while the standard systolic and diastolic parameters, including left ventricular diameter at systole, ejection fraction, and fractional shortening needed at least 120 mg/mg(2) to deteriorate. We concluded that prolonged anthracycline therapy compromises both systolic and diastolic functions, which may be documented earlier by including the Tel index evaluation to the standard echocardiographic assessment of animals receiving doxorubicin.

Grafts of porcine small intestinal submucosa seeded with cultured homologous smooth muscle cells for bladder repair in dogs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Assessment of postoperative pain after unilateral mastectomy using two different surgical techniques in dogs

Background: There are few studies reporting pain and postoperative analgesia associated with mastectomy in dogs. The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative pain after unilateral mastectomy using two different surgical techniques in the dog.Findings: Twenty female dogs were assigned (n=10/group) to undergo unilateral mastectomy using either the combination of sharp and blunt dissection (SBD) or the modified SBD (mSBD) technique, in which the mammary chain is separated from the abdominal wall entirely by blunt (hand and finger) dissection except for a small area cranial to the first gland, in a prospective, randomized, clinical trial. All dogs were premedicated with intramuscular acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) and morphine (0.3 mg/kg). Anesthesia was induced with intravenous ketamine (5 mg/kg) and diazepam (0.25 mg/kg), and maintained with isoflurane. Subcutaneous meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg) was administered before surgery. Postoperative pain was evaluated according to the University of Melbourne pain scale (UMPS) by an observer who was blinded to the surgical technique.. Rescue analgesia was provided by the administration of intramuscular morphine (0.5 mg/kg) if pain scores were > 14 according to the UMPS. Data were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups for age, weight, extubation time, and duration of surgery and anesthesia (P>0.05). There were no significant differences for postoperative pain scores between groups. Rescue analgesia was required in one dog in each group.Conclusions: The two surgical techniques produced similar surgical times, incidence of perioperative complications and postoperative pain. Multimodal analgesia is recommended for treatment of postoperative pain in dogs undergoing unilateral mastectomy.

Helminths of Steindachnerina insculpta in two distinct stretches of the Taquari River, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Monogeneans (Dactylogyridae) parasitizing gills of Salminus hilarii from a Neotropical reservoir, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Propriedades tensiométricas do peritônio da paca (Cuniculus paca) a fresco e conservado em glicerina 98%

In constant searching for alternative biological material to perform implants and new options of experimental animal models, the objective of this investigation was to describe the mechanical properties of the peritoneum paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766) fresh and preserved in 98% glycerin. Samples of fresh and preserved in glycerin for periods of 30, 60 and 90 days were subjected to mechanical tests. Four adult animals, male or female, with mean body weight of eight kilograms, were used for collecting samples of the peritoneum. All tissues preserved in glycerin 98% showed a decrease in stiffness and increase in ductility and toughness. Considering the maximum force applied to the peritoneum, significant increase was observed in values (p<0.01) of samples stored for 60 and 90 days when compared to fresh material. In relation to the stretch variable, an increase was observed in all storage time of glycerin samples, verifying significant difference (p<0.01) when compared with the fresh samples. The variable area also showed significance (p <0.01) between the values of the fresh samples (5.40 mm(2)) and preserved in the glycerin by periods of 30 days (4.50 mm(2)), 60 days (9.00 mm(2)) and 90 days (7.20 mm(2)), thus indicating that the area of this membrane increased by 0.033 mm(2) per day. Generally, it was concluded that the 98% glycerin is a substance effective for the preservation of the peritoneum of the agouti paca, therefore improves its mechanical properties allowing the support membranes greater deformation forces. Thus, the results obtained in mechanical tests of the peritoneum of paca suggest its use as an alternative biological material.

Assessment of experimental infection for dogs using Gallus gallus chorioallantoic membranes inoculated with Neospora caninum

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological changes and parasite load of the adrenal from dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acúmulo e desaparecimento de forragem e variações na estrutura de pastos de capim-xaraés submetidos a intensidades de pastejo em lotação intermitente

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of residual leaf area index (rLAI), years of evaluation and grazing cycles on the accumulation and disappearance of forage, and changes in the pasture structure of xaraes palisadegrass submitted to grazing intensities and intermittent stocking in two summers. The experiment was carried out at the Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinaria of Unesp, Campus of Jaboticabal, SP and the intensities of grazing were defined by four rLAI: 0.8, 1.3, 1.8 and 2.3. When the canopy intercepted 95% of incident light, the animals were placed on the pasture for grazing and kept until the rLAI target has been reached. Pastures were grazed by non-lactating Holstein cows (Bos Taurus Taurus L.), using the technique of mob-stocking. It was evaluated the canopy height, accumulation, disappearance and morphological components of forage and rest period. Residual leaf area index from 1.3 to 1.8 are the best in the accumulation and disappearance of forage and pasture structure. It is observed variability of the accumulation and disappearance of forage and pasture structure for years of assessment and grazing cycles within each year.

New host records and a checklist of fishes infected with Austrodiplostomum compactum (Digenea: Diplostomidae) in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)