Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with visceral metastases in a White Carneau pigeon and literature review

Cutaneous leiomyosarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumors of smooth muscle origin and are reported occasionally in avian species. A 14-y-old male laboratory White Carneau pigeon (Columba livia) was presented for surgical excision of a cervical soft tissue mass. Ultrasonography with color flow Doppler imaging revealed multiple cavitations of mixed echogenicity within the mass and vascularization. Histologically, the dermis and subcutis were expanded by a densely cellular multinodular mass comprised of fusiform cells forming haphazardly arranged broad streams and short interwoven bundles, often surrounding blood vessels and variably sized cavitations. Neoplastic cells were strongly immunopositive for desmin and α–smooth muscle actin, and negative for pancytokeratin, S100, and von Willebrand factor. Based on histopathology and IHC findings, the cutaneous mass was diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma (LMS). The pigeon died 312 d post-operatively. Postmortem examination revealed masses infiltrating the left and right pulmonary airways and one hepatic nodule, but no regrowth at the surgical site. Histologic and IHC evaluation of the pulmonary and hepatic masses were consistent with LMS, representing metastatic foci from the primary cutaneous LMS. Our case highlights the malignant behavior and histomorphologic features of cutaneous LMS in an avian species.     

Effects of season on the reproductive organs and steroid hormone profiles in guinea hens (Numida meleagris)

1. The study documented gross anatomical and histological differences in the reproductive organs of 28 breeding and non-breeding female guinea fowls. Peripheral progesterone and 17β-oestradiol concentrations were also compared in breeding and non-breeding hens.

2. In non-breeding females, all ovarian and oviducal gross anatomical features had significantly regressed. Histologically, some of the changes in a regressing oviduct include systematic changes in height and size of all epithelial cells in all regions of the duct, absence/sparse ciliation of portions of surface epithelium in the magnum, isthmian and uterine regions, general loss of cytoplasmic mass, reduction in size and degeneration of tubular glands. Mucosal folds in all regions of the oviduct except the infundibular lip were higher in breeding females.

3. No difference was found between the two groups in plasma progesterone concentrations. Breeding females, however, had higher peripheral oestradiol concentrations than non-breeding females. About 2 h prior to oviposition, plasma oestradiol concentrations peaked at 2.4-fold (230 pg/ml) compared with baseline concentration and plasma progesterone concentrations by nearly 9-fold (5.29 ng/ml) of baseline.

4. Significant regression and changes in the histological structure of the ovary and oviduct had occurred in non-breeding females, and lower peripheral oestrogen concentrations may be responsible for this phenomenon.

     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.     

Estimation of the standardized ileal digestible lysine requirement for primiparous pregnant sows

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimal standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) level in diets fed to primiparous sows during gestation. A total of 150 (Landrace × Large White) crossbred gilts (weighing 149.9 ± 3.1 kg) were fed gestation diets (12.55 MJ of ME/kg) containing SID Lys levels of 0.43, 0.52, 0.60, 0.70 or 0.80% respectively. Gilts were fed 2.0 kg/day from day 1 to 80 and 3.0 kg/day from day 80 to 110 of gestation respectively. Gilts were allocated to treatments based on their body weight on the day of breeding. Weight gain from day 80 to 110 increased with increasing dietary SID Lys levels (p = 0.044). Fitted broken‐line (p = 0.031) and quadratic plot (p = 0.047) analysis of body weight gain indicated that the optimal SID Lys level for primiparous sows was 0.70 and 0.69% respectively. During gestation, neither backfat thickness nor loin eye area was affected by dietary SID Lys level. Increasing dietary Lys had no effect on the litter size at birth or pigs born alive per litter. Litter weight at birth was not affected by dietary SID Lys level. The litter weight variation at birth quadratically decreased with increasing dietary SID Lys (p = 0.021) and was minimized at 0.70% dietary SID Lys. Gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet had the highest dry matter (p = 0.031) and protein (p = 0.044) content in colostrum. On day 110 of gestation, gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet tended to have the highest serum prolactin (p = 0.085) and serum insulin (p = 0.074) levels. The data demonstrate that the optimal dietary SID Lys was 0.70% for pregnant gilts, which is similar to the recommendation of 0.69% that was estimated by the NRC (2012).     

The influences of ambient temperature and crude protein levels on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broilers

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ambient temperature, crude protein levels and their interaction on performance and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 216 Arbor Acre broiler chickens (108 males and 108 females) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and randomly reared at two temperatures (normal temperature: 23 °C; daily cyclic high temperature: 28–32 °C) and fed on three diets with different crude protein levels (153.3, 183.3 or 213.3 g/kg, with constant essential amino acids) from 28 to 42 days of age. Daily cyclic high ambient temperature decreased final body weight, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and serum total protein contents (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008 respectively), but increased feed/gain, mortality, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, serum uric acid contents and serum creatine kinase activity (p = 0.008, p = 0.003, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.003 respectively), irrespective of crude protein levels. At the ambient temperature, reducing crude protein levels resulted in an increase in feed/gain (p < 0.001), but a decrease in serum total protein and uric acid contents. Only serum creatine kinase activity in broiler chickens was interacted by daily cyclic high ambient temperature and dietary crude protein levels (p = 0.003). These results indicated that daily cyclic high ambient temperature had a great effect on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broiler chickens, whereas dietary crude protein levels affected them partially.     

Effect of diet with thiram on liver antioxidant capacity and tibial dyschondroplasia in broilers

1. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of thiram on liver antioxidant capacity and incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia in broilers. 2. One hundred and twenty Avian commercial broilers were allotted at random to three treatments: control group, low thiram group (50 mg/kg) and high thiram group (100 mg/kg). 3. Blood samples were collected to determine the activity of AST (aspartate aminotransferase). At the end of the trial, broilers were killed and liver samples were collected to determine the activity of SOD (superoxide dismutase), GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase) and MDA (malondialdehyde) content, while the right proximal tibiotarsi were dissected in longitudinal section for assessment of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) incidence and TD score. 4. The results showed that thiram increased the incidence of TD and TD scores, increased serum AST activity and MDA content of liver, and decreased the activity of SOD and GSH-Px in the liver. 5. They suggest that thiram causes TD in broilers by reducing liver antioxidation capability and damaging liver function; this may be one of the mechanisms by which thiram causes TD in broilers.     

Characterisation of European varieties of triticale with special emphasis on the ability of plant phytase to improve phytate phosphorus availability to chickens

1. A total of 30 varieties and selection lines of triticale grown under similar conditions were characterised. Thousand grain weight, specific weight, Hagberg falling number and N were 50.2 +/- 5.0 g, 72.4 +/- 2.1 kg/hl, 96 +/- 48 s and 16.1 +/- 0.11 g/kg, respectively. 2. Mean phosphorus (P) concentration was 2.86 +/- 0.31 g/kg, of which 77% was of phytic origin. Mean phytase activity was 1018 +/- 319 phytase units (PU)/kg. A genotypic effect on phytase activity was detected amongst 5 varieties studied out of 30. Potential and real applied viscosities were positively correlated and mean values were 3.53 +/- 0.66 and 2.15 +/- 0.31 ml/g, respectively. 3. The efficacy of plant phytase in improving P availability was assessed in chickens up to 3 weeks of age. Growth performance and bone ash concentration were compared in birds given either a maize (450 g/kg) and soybean meal (230 g/kg) phosphorus deficient diet containing 3.5 g P/kg, this basal diet supplemented with 1 or 2 g P/kg as monocalcium phosphate (MCP) or triticale (450 g/kg) and soybean meal (230 g/kg) diets containing 3.2 to 3.8 g P/kg with no MCP. To achieve graded levels of phytase activity, 4 varieties of triticale, intact or in which phytase was denaturated by heat treatment, were used. Estimated metabolisable energy, protein, amino acids and calcium concentrations were similar in all diets. 4. Phytase activity in the triticale-based diets ranged between 135 and 1390 PU/kg. Growth performance and bone ash were responsive to plant phytase and to MCP. Non-linear models of these responses were adjusted with the best fit for bone ash parameters. The values of 250, 500 and 1000 PU of plant phytase were estimated to be equivalent to 0.46, 0.67 and 0.81 g P as MCP, respectively.