Clinical value of carcinoembryonic antigen in mammary neoplasms of bitches

This study aimed at evaluating the behaviour and understanding the diagnostic value of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in bitches with mammary carcinoma as a tool for monitoring and prognosis of canine cancer patients. Serum samples from 77 bitches were divided into four groups, G1 (n = 21), control group (healthy/neoplasia free bitches); G2 (n = 31), bitches with non‐metastatic mammary carcinoma less than 3 cm; G3 (n = 12), bitches with non‐metastatic mammary carcinoma greater than 3 cm; and, G4 (n = 13) bitches with mammary carcinoma and lymph node metastasis. The marker was dosed once in G1, whereas in G2, G3 and G4, CEA levels were determined before (M0) and 15 days after (M1) mastectomy, using the ELISA kit for humans while reading used ELISYS ONE human. A group of 11 bitches was followed up 45 days after mastectomy (M2). The results for the concentration of markers in blood serum samples at the evaluated times and their relationship with neoplasia biological behaviour and observed clinicopathological changes were evaluated by the Tukey test at 5% significance. The ROC curve was established to find the cut‐off value and calculate the test sensitivity and specificity, the multivariate matching analysis was performed to confirm the association between CEA values and clinicopathological variables. CEA values increased significantly in bitches with mammary carcinoma, metastatic tumours with a diameter larger than 3.0 cm and high grade, compared with healthy ones. In addition, mastectomy reduced the CEA concentration in the blood (P < .05) whereas high CEA levels were associated with unfavourable prognostic factors (P < .05). The biomarker presented good diagnostic value, especially for more aggressive tumours. In conclusion, CEA serum concentrations allowed to follow efficiently the evolution of mammary tumours in bitches, since CEA values increased in bitches with mammary gland tumour and decreased after mastectomy while correlating with prognostic factors such as tumour size, nodal metastasis and histological grade. Further studies are still needed to confirm its diagnostic value for follow‐up of relapse and early metastasis.     

Associations between postpartum diseases and milk yield and changes in body condition between drying off and parturition of dairy cows in Argentina

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina.

Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods.

Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p≤0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.     

Effect of hot-fat trimming on factors associated with the subprimal yield of beef carcasses.

Thirty-two crossbred cattle (steers = 17; heifers = 15) exhibiting an ultrasound fat thickness at the 12 to 13th rib region of at least 10 mm were selected from a slaughter shift at a commercial packing plant. After splitting, alternating sides of each carcass were trimmed of 1) subcutaneous fat in excess of 6.4 mm; 2) all kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; and 3) all cod or udder fat and fat in the flank region. Both sides of each carcass were fabricated into subprimals (final trim level of 6.4 mm) according to normal industry procedures. Effect of hot-fat trimming, yield grade (3, 4, and 5), and gender on hot-fat trim, fabrication fat trim, major subprimal, and total subprimal yield of untrimmed and trimmed carcasses were determined. Higher numerical yield grade (YG) corresponded with higher (P less than .05) percentages of hot-fat trim. Hot-fat trimming increased (P less than .05) the difference in fabrication fat trim between steers and heifers and between YG 3 and YG 5. Steers and heifers differed (P less than .05) in percentage of major subprimals and total subprimals when processed conventionally, whereas hot-fat trimming eliminated this difference (P less than .05). Untrimmed YG 3 carcasses had 3.1 and 5.0% higher major subprimal yield (P less than .05) than untrimmed YG 4 and YG 5 carcasses, respectively, whereas hot-fat trimming reduced this difference to 2.5% for YG 4 and to 3.7% for YG 5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ultrasonographic assessment of liver size in the dog

A simple ultrasonographic method of estimating liver size in the dog was evaluated in this study. A single linear measurement from the tip of the ventral liver lobes to the diaphragm was made, using both transverse and longitudinal planes of section, Assuming careful technique, this measurement proved to be highly reproducible. There was good correlation between the measurements taken on the two planes of section. This measurement was shown to provide a good indicator of liver mass, irrespective of the size or breed of dog. It was concluded that ultrasound provides a simple, quantitative method of assessing liver size in the dog.     

The immune response to anesthesia: Part 1

ObjectiveTo review the immune response to anesthesia including mechanical ventilation, inhaled anesthetic gases, and injectable anesthetics and sedatives.Study designReview.Methods and databasesMultiple literature searches were performed using PubMed and Google Scholar from spring 2012 through fall 2013. Relevant anesthetic and immune terms were used to search databases without year published or species constraints. The online database for Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care were searched by issue starting in 2000 for relevant articles.ConclusionRecent research data indicate that commonly used volatile anesthetic agents, such as isoflurane and sevoflurane, may have a protective effect on vital organs. With the lung as the target organ, protection using an appropriate anesthetic protocol may be possible during direct pulmonary insults, including mechanical ventilation, and during systemic disease processes, such as endotoxemia, generalized sepsis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Challenges for Multilevel Stakeholder Engagement in Public Trust Resource Governance

The trend in wildlife management over the last two decades has been to develop locally based approaches for responsiveness to local conditions, but some state wildlife agencies are finding the amount of staff time required to service this approach prohibitive. Although local engagement strategies have been lauded as assuring that public trust obligations of state government to citizens are met, we can expect that states with a local focus as their operational level of stakeholder engagement may opt to change their approach to reflect their resource limitations. We argue for comprehensive regional level effort to understand stakeholders augmented with local engagement processes where needed to deal with special circumstances in smaller areas within a region. Such an approach can be anticipated to have implications for stakeholder engagement and human dimensions research needs, which we discuss in the context of public trust resource administration and good governance of wildlife resources.     

Assessment of attenuated Salmonella vaccine strains in controlling experimental Salmonella Typhimurium infection in chickens

Salmonella hold considerable promise as vaccine delivery vectors for heterologous antigens in chickens. Such vaccines have the potential additional benefit of also controlling Salmonella infection in immunized birds. As a way of selecting attenuated strains with optimal immunogenic potential as antigen delivery vectors, this study screened 20 novel Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine strains, differing in mutations associated with delayed antigen synthesis and delayed attenuation, for their efficacy in controlling colonization by virulent Salmonella Typhimurium, as well as for their persistence in the intestine and the spleen. Marked differences were observed between strains in these characteristics, which provide the basis for selection for further study as vaccine vectors.     

3D Printing of Rat Salivary Glands: The Submandibular–Sublingual Complex

The morphology and the functionality of the murid glandular complex, composed of the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands (SSC), were the object of several studies conducted mainly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using a 4.7 T scanner and a manganese‐based contrast agent, we improved the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the SSC relating to the surrounding anatomical structures allowing to obtain high‐contrast 3D images of the SSC. In the last few years, the large development in resin melting techniques opened the way for printing 3D objects starting from a 3D stack of images. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of the 3D printing technique of soft tissues such as the SSC in the rat with the aim to improve the visualization of the organs. This approach is useful to preserve the real in vivo morphology of the SCC in living animals avoiding the anatomical shape changes due to the lack of relationships with the surrounding organs in case of extraction. It is also harmless, repeatable and can be applied to explore volumetric changes occurring during body growth, excretory duct obstruction, tumorigenesis and regeneration processes. 3D printing allows to obtain a solid object with the same shape of the organ of interest, which can be observed, freely rotated and manipulated. To increase the visibility of the details, it is possible to print the organs with a selected zoom factor, useful as in case of tiny organs in small mammalia. An immediate application of this technique is represented by educational classes.