Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Induced Tendinopathy in Horses: Histologic Evaluation

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the treatment of tendinopathy induced in the superficial digital flexor tendon (TFDS) of horses, by using histologic evaluation. Six healthy crossbred geldings aged 8 to 15 years (12 ± 3) were used. The TFDS tendinopathy was provoked in both forelimbs, by intratendinous administration of 2.5 mg collagenase (2.5 mg/mL), and this procedure was considered as the beginning of the experimental phase. At 12 days after induction of the tendinopathy, the animals were subjected to the following treatments: (1) in the lesion caused in the right superficial digital flexor tendon (PRP-treated group), 2.5 mL PRP activated with calcium chloride at 0.0125 mol/L at concentrations from 320,000 to 500,000 platelets/μL, were injected; (2) in the tendinopathy of the left SDFT (control group), 2.5 mL 0.9% saline solution was administrated. Thirty-six days after the treatments, a biopsy of the injured area was performed for histologic evaluation. In both groups, the histologic analysis showed an increase in the fibroblastic density, as well as the presence of neovascularization, lymphocytes, and plasmocytes infiltrate and tissue organization at variable intensity. In the PRP-treated group, the SDFT was more organized, with the collagen fibers and fibroblasts being better arranged on the tendon matrix. The numbers of the fibroblasts and blood vessels did not differ between the groups. Histologic evaluation 36 days after tendinopathy showed that injuries under a single PRP treatment present a more uniform and organized tissue repair when compared with the control group.     

Effect of Sperm Cryopreservation on the European Eel Sperm Viability and Spermatozoa Morphology

The main objective of the present work was to study the effect of cryopreservation of European eel sperm both on the sperm viability and the spermatozoa head morphology. Spermatozoa morphology was evaluated with computer-assisted morphology analysis after collection in fresh samples, after adding the freezing medium containing dimethyl sulfoxide as cryoprotectant and, finally, after the cryopreservation process and thawing. Cell viability was assessed, in both fresh and thawed samples, by Hoechst 33258 staining. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) was used to determine the percentage of motile cells and to measure motility parameters in sperm samples. A significant decrease of head perimeter (12.56%) and area (17.90%) was detected from spermatozoa in fresh to thawed samples, indicating that cells do not recover the original size after the cryopreservation process. CASA was used to measure the percentage of motile cells (51.9%) and spermatozoa motility parameters such as curvilinear, straight line and angular path velocities, as well as beating cross frequency. This technique was employed in the fresh sperm samples but proteins present at the freezing medium (L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine) made impossible to use this last technique in thawed samples. When sperm viability was assessed by Hoechst staining, a significant decrease of approximately 15% (73.10 vs 58.26%) of alive spermatozoa was registered from fresh to thawed samples. The percentage of motile cells measured by CASA in fresh samples (51.9%) was lower than the percentage of alive cells determined by Hoechst stainning, suggesting the existence of different batches of spermatozoa in different stages of development, even during the eight to tenth weeks of treatment, when the highest sperm quality was found.     

Induction of Abortion with Aglepristone in Cats on Day 45 and 46 After Mating

The aim of this study was to test for the efficacy and safety of the use of aglepristone for pregnancy termination on day 45 in cats. Six healthy cats were treated with 10 mg/kg aglepristone sc on day 45 and 46 after mating; six other cats served as untreated controls. The effect of treatment was monitored by general examination, vaginal cytology, ultrasonography and blood sampling for haematology and progesterone determination. Besides, interoestrus interval and next pregnancy including litter size were recorded. The efficacy of treatment was approximately 67% (4/6) with abortion occurring 4–7 days after the first injection and a sanguineous discharge and erythrocytes in vaginal smears for at least 6 days afterwards. The two treated cats that did not abort gave birth to two kittens on day 67 and had a stillbirth of a single kitten on day 71, respectively. As expected enlargement of the mammary glands and lactation were observed in all treated cats. No other treatment‐induced side effects were observed. Progesterone levels at abortion were high (30–140 nmol/l), but were decreased on day 55. Aglepristone treatment did not affect fertility in following cycles. Finally, it can be concluded that late‐term pregnancy termination with aglepristone is possible but due to a success rate of 67% an ultrasonographical examination 7 days after treatment is an inherent necessity to control the effect of treatment.     

Electrochemical defect-mediated thin-film growth

An electrodeposition technique is described that produces atomically flat epitaxial metal overlayers of quality similar to that obtained by ultrahigh vacuum techniques at elevated temperature. In this approach, a metal of interest such as silver is co-deposited with a reversibly deposited mediator metal. The mediator is periodically deposited and stripped from the surface, and this serves to significantly increase the density of two-dimensional islands of silver atoms, promoting a layer-by-layer thin-film growth mode. In situ scanning tunneling microscopy was used to demonstrate the growth process for the heteroepitaxial system silver/gold (111) with either lead or copper as the mediator.     

Dietary management of renal senescence and failure in dogs

SUMMARY The need for dietary management of renal senescence and the beginning of chronic renal failure should be evaluated in all middle-aged dogs. One survey found that 35% were overweight and 10% underweight; another that 25% were mildly azotaemic, with 5% showing slight clinical signs of chronic renal failure. Dogs in prime condition or overweight are candidates for a diet low in energy (for example 3.0–3.3 kcal/g dry matter, DM), but thin dogs need a higher caloric density (such as 4.0–4.5 kcal/g DM). Healthy older dogs need higher dietary protein than the minimum for maintenance (about 20% on a metabolisable energy basis, ME) of young mature dogs. Thin older dogs showing signs of renal insufficiency may benefit from moderate protein and near-minimal phosphorus in the diet. In dogs with chronic renal failure, clinical, haematological and biochemical responses to the combination of low protein (13–16% ME) and low phosphorus (0.4% DM) were positive in one clinical trial but not in three others. Only beneficial responses, such as less proteinuria, less renal impairment and lower mortality, have been reported for diets containing low phosphorus and moderate protein (20–31% ME). Individual dietary goals for energy, protein and phosphorus should be chosen for each middle-aged or older dog; these goals may be met by a single product or mixtures of products.     

Comparative Development of Embryonic Age by Organogenesis in Domestic Dogs and Cats

The precise determination of the embryonic chronology is very important in reproductive biotechnologies, especially in estimating embryonic age. Thus, there is a need for greater knowledge and standardization for determining the chronology of embryonic development and functional morphology. We describe aspects of embryonic development in two domestic carnivores to add knowledge about organ peculiarities and for application in veterinary practice, in prenatal development and in the biotechnology fields. We found that the development of differential characteristics of embryonic organs occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy for both species. Thus, using the combination of the crown‐rump length, macroscopic analysis and optical microscopy, it is possible to predict gestational age more precisely in animals that lack a defined breed and establish an embryonic pattern.     

Borehole Temperatures and a Baseline for 20th-Century Global Warming Estimates

Lack of a 19th-century baseline temperature against which 20th-century warming can be referenced constitutes a deficiency in understanding recent climate change. Combination of borehole temperature profiles, which contain a memory of surface temperature changes in previous centuries, with the meteorological archive of surface air temperatures can provide a 19th-century baseline temperature tied to the current observational record. A test case in Utah, where boreholes are interspersed with meteorological stations belonging to the Historical Climatological Network, yields a noise reduction in estimates of 20th-century warming and a baseline temperature that is 0.6° ± 0.1°C below the 1951 to 1970 mean temperature for the region.