Dolphins in a captive environment are exposed to various kinds of stresses. Handling and transportation are stressful events for terrestrial mammals, and such stress may affect immune system function ...and increase susceptibility to infectious diseases. The same phenomenon could occur in dolphins, however, few studies have reported this in dolphins. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between stress and polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell function of dolphins during transportation. Four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were transported for 6 hr by truck. Serum cortisol levels, leukograms, phagocytosis, and superoxide production of PMN cells were evaluated during handling and transportation compared to resting values. The mean serum cortisol level was significantly increased during handling and transportation (p0.05) when compared with the resting values. White blood cell (WBC) counts, eosinophil counts, phagocytosis, and superoxide production of PMN cells during handling and transportation stages decreased significantly in comparison with the resting stage (p0.05). The concentration of serum cortisol was significantly correlated with the results of the WBC counts, eosinophil counts, superoxide production, and phagocytosis (p0.01, p0.05, p0.05, and p0.001, respectively). The present results indicate that handling and transportation are stressful events for dolphins and could affect their PMN cell functions, thereby leading to the impairment of the immune system.
•Change in peripheral blood lymphocytes in dogs following adoptive immunotherapy using lymphokine-activated T killer cells in combination with surgery was evaluated.•A single administration of ...lymphokine-activated T killer cells combined with surgery may increase peripheral blood T lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ cells, in tumor-bearing dogs.•The sequential administration of lymphokine-activated T killer cells combined with surgery may keep increased count of peripheral blood CD8+ cells in tumor-bearing dogs.
We evaluated changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) count in dogs following adoptive immunotherapy using lymphokine-activated T killer cells (T-LAK) in combination with surgery. Fifteen tumor-bearing dogs treated with T-LAK therapy combined with palliative resection of tumors were enrolled in the present study. T-LAK were generated from autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by culture with recombinant human interleukin −2 (rhIL-2) and solid phase anti-canine cluster of differentiation (CD)3 antibody. T-LAK were administrated intravenously at 2–4-week intervals. After the first administration of T-LAK, counts of PBL and T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells) increased and the CD4/CD8 ratio decreased, with significant increases in CD8+ cells (P<0.05). In 8 tumor-bearing dogs that were administered sequential T-LAK, available data on changes in PBL and T lymphocyte phenotypes until the fifth administration were also analyzed. In tumor-bearing dogs administered 5 rounds of T-LAK, CD8+ cell counts were maintained high until the fifth administration of T-LAK. Moreover, the CD4/CD8 ratio remained low until the fifth administration of T-LAK. These results indicate that T-LAK therapy combined with surgery may increase peripheral blood T lymphocytes, particularly CD8+ cells, in tumor-bearing dogs.
A 5-month-old male Abyssinian presented with right hemiplegia. Cervical radiographs, haematology and serum biochemistry were normal. A foreign body was identified on computed tomography (CT) and ...magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Removal of the foreign body was carried out via a dorsal approach between the occipital bone and the C1 vertebral body using intra-operative CT. No complications were encountered. Thirty days after surgery, the cat was ambulatory.
Drip infusion cholangiography with CT in cats Tanaka, Toshiyuki; Akiyoshi, Hideo; Mie, Keiichiro ...
Journal of feline medicine and surgery,
12/2018, Volume:
20, Issue:
12
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Objectives
Ultrasonography can detect extrahepatic biliary obstructions. However, visualisation of part of the bile duct using ultrasonography can be technically difficult if there is overlying bowel ...gas. This study investigated the safety and value of drip infusion cholangiography with computed tomography (DIC-CT) in the visualisation of the bile duct in healthy cats and extrahepatic biliary obstruction in cats with cholelithiasis.
Methods
DIC-CT was performed in three healthy cats and two cats with cholelithiasis. Meglumine iotroxate was administered by intravenous drip infusion over 30 mins. The attenuation value was measured perpendicular to the lumen by a region of interest covering about 50% of the area of the lumen.
Results
The bile ducts were visualised successfully with DIC-CT in all healthy cats without any significant adverse events. The attenuation value of the contrast medium was 271 ± 37 HU. In the two cats with cholelithiasis, the presence or absence of extrahepatic biliary obstruction was determined using DIC-CT without any significant adverse events. The attenuation value of cholelithiasis in the cat with an extrahepatic biliary obstruction was 933 ± 119 HU. In the cat with no extrahepatic biliary obstruction, the attenuation value of the contrast medium was 249 ± 53 HU and the attenuation value of cholelithiasis was 167 ± 28 HU.
Conclusions and relevance
DIC-CT visualises bile ducts and detects obstructive biliary disease without significant adverse events. Therefore, it appears to be a safe procedure for visualisation of the bile duct in cats.
A neoplastic nodular lesion, 2×3 cm in diameter, was found in the larynx of a 6-year-old spayed female dog. The tumor was ill-circumscribed, consisting histologically of large round cells with ...abundant cytoplasm interspersed with small round cells with less cytoplasm and occasional multinucleated cells (myotubes). Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for myoglobin, desmin and vimentin in varying degrees, but negative for S-100 protein, GFAP or cytokeratin. Cytoplasmic myofilaments/myofibrils with a dense Z-line-like structure were seen, the fine structures of which were complemented by PTAH stain. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare tumor in the larynx of dogs.(DOI:10.1293/tox.24.179;J Toxicol Pathol 2011;24:179.182)
This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs), platelet-rich fibrin releasates (PRFr), and chondrocyte transplantation in rabbit acute osteochondral ...defects.
Thirty rabbits were randomly assigned to five groups: untreated controls; ADSCs alone; PRFr alone; PRFr + ADSCs; and PRFr + chondrocytes. The critical size osteochondral defects in right knee femoral condyles were injected intra-articularly according to the groups, as listed. The experimental rabbits received treatments once a week for two weeks postoperatively. All evaluations were conducted for 14 weeks following surgery, and the regenerated cartilages were assessed by gross inspection and histological examination.
There were no complications encountered in any of the rabbits. The size of the defect decreased and the volume of repaired cartilage increased in the medial femoral condyles of the PRFr + ADSCs group. Relative to the ADSCs or PRFr group, histological examination demonstrated that the PRFr + ADSCs group had thicker hyaline cartilage-specific extracellular matrix. Grading scores revealed that PRFr + ADSCs injection had better matrix, cell distribution, and surface indices than other groups (P < 0.05). However, the histological scores reported for PRFr + chondrocytes on cartilage repair were similar to those of PRFr, and there were no significant between-group differences.
These findings showed that intra-articular injections of PRFr + ADSCs into the knee can reduce cartilage defects by regenerating hyaline-like cartilage without complications. This approach may provide an alternative method for functional reconstruction of acute osteochondral defects with an unlimited source of cells and releasates.
The accuracy of urine analyzers used for dogs and cats has remained uncertain. This study examines the agreement between results of urine analysis obtained using two devices marketed for animals and ...for humans and the results of quantitative biochemical analysis. The degrees of concordance for bilirubin and ketones in the same category were ∼80%, but for pH these were only ~60% in dogs and cats. Degrees of concordance for protein and the UP/C ratio clearly differed between the devices for animals and humans. We found that values for bilirubin and ketones obtained using urine analyzers may be reliable, but pH is unlikely to be accurate enough to be clinically useful for dogs and cats.
Slit, a secreted protein, functions as a chemorepellent factor in axon guidance and neuronal migration and as an inhibitor in leukocyte chemotaxis. In humans, slit2 protein attracts endothelial cells ...and promotes tube formation in the tumor angiogenic mechanism. In this study, we cloned a part of the canine slit subfamily and examined the expression of slit subfamily mRNAs in 3 normal canine mammary glands and 11 mammary tumor samples by RT-PCR. The cloned part of the slit gene sequences showed high similarity to those of the human, mouse, and rat. The mRNAs were expressed at low levels in the normal mammary gland. The expression levels of slit1 mRNA were low in both the normal and tumor tissues. In contrast, the expression of slit2 mRNA increased in most of the malignant mammary tumors, and an increase in slit3 mRNA expression was observed in 2 of the malignant mixed tumors. These results suggest that the expression of slit2 plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis in canine mammary gland tumors and that slit2 can be a putative marker for malignancy diagnosis of these tumors.
Human BRCA1 is familial breast cancer susceptibility gene. Recently, decreased BRCA1 mRNA and protein expression has been identified in sporadic breast tumors. In the reported human BRCA1 splicing ...variants, delta11b lacks the majority of exon11 and is suspected to have a distinct function in normal tissues. The splicing variants display a variety of expression pattern in breast cancer samples. Although mammary gland tumor is important disease in dog, there are few reports for BRCA1 in the canine tumors. In this study, we examined the relative amounts of BRCA1 splicing variants mRNA in canine normal and mammary tumor samples by RT-PCR to investigate whether there is the altered expression of variant mRNAs in the canine tumor as reported in human. The exon11b-defecting RT-PCR products were observed in all the normal tissues examined and the nucleotide sequence was quite similar to that of human BRCA1 delta11b. In some tumor samples, we did not detect the products targeted for exon10-13 and exon14-15, while these products were observed in all the normal samples examined. Especially, the relative amounts of the exon11-defecting products were remarkably decreased in most of the tumors (11/16).
A primary hepatic plasma cell tumor in a dog Aoki, M. (Osaka Prefectural Univ., Sakai (Japan)); Kim, T; Shimada, T ...
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science,
04/2004, Volume:
66, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
An 8-year-old female Shetland sheep dog had hyperproteinemia with a monoclonal gammopathy and a solid mass on the liver, which was histologically diagnosed as a plasma cell tumor. After the treatment ...of surgery and chemotherapy, serum protein level reduced to the normal range and the gammopathy was disappeared. These findings indicate the plasma cell tumor developed primarily from the liver.
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