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Klotho is an antiaging protein, and its levels decline with age and chronic stress. The exogenous administration of Klotho can enhance cognitive performance in mice and negatively modulate the Insulin/IGF1/PI3K/AKT pathway in terms of metabolism. In humans, insulin sensitivity is a hallmark of healthy longevity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if exogenous Klotho, when added to neuronal and astrocytic cell cultures, could reduce the phosphorylation levels of certain insulin signaling effectors and enhance antioxidant strategies in these cells. Primary cell cultures of cortical astrocytes and neurons from mice were exposed to 1 nM Klotho for 24 h, with or without glucose. Klotho decreased pAKT and mTOR levels. However, in astrocytes, Klotho increased FOXO-3a activity and catalase levels, shielding them from intermediate oxidative stress. In neurons, Klotho did not alter FOXO-3 phosphorylation levels but increased proteasome activity, maintaining lower levels of PFKFB3. This study offers new insights into the roles of Klotho in regulating energy metabolism and the redox state in the brain.

Our aim was to evaluate the use and application of different nonlinear mixed models, as well as to compare them with approach in nonlinear fixed models, for describing the growth curve of meat-type quails according to gender. A total of 15,002 and 15,408 records of males and females were used, respectively. The body weights were regressed on age of the animals using nonlinear models (Brody; Gompertz; Logistic, Morgan-Mercer-Flodin, Richards and Von Bertalanffy). All model parameters were considered fixed, whereas parameters related to asymptotic weight and maturity rate were fitted as random effects. The Bayesian Information Criterion was used to find the model of best fit. For both genders, the model that used the Morgan-Mercer-Flodin function with the inclusion of asymptotic weight as a random effect was considered the best-fitting model because it reduced the residual variance and increased the accuracy. Based on the lower absolute growth rate and growth velocity of male quails compared to that of females, it can be inferred that males should be slaughtered later. Given the results of this study, it can contribute to the current knowledge about animal yield, specifically at the best moment to slaughter and, this sense, improv the quality genetic of the populations in time.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of B-mode, Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), and Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography in predicting malignancy in canine mammary masses. This was a prospective cohort study from 2014 to 2016, which included 153 bitches with one or more mammary masses. A total of 300 masses were evaluated by ultrasonography (B-mode, Doppler, CEUS, and ARFI) and subsequently classified as benign or malignant by histopathology. Each ultrasound parameters studied were compared between benign and malignant masses by Chi-square or Student tests and differences were considered significant when P < 0.01. For the variables that proved significant differences were estimated the cut-off point, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under curve (AUC) by receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis in a logistic regression model using histopathological classification as reference, to assess and compare diagnostic performance of each technique. Out of 300 mammary masses evaluated 246 were classified as malignant and 54 as benign. B-mode measurements showed sensitivity 67.9%, and specificity 67.6% as malignancy predictors on canine mammary masses; Doppler indexes systolic (>21.2 m/s) and diastolic velocity (>4.8 m/s) sensitivity 79.2% and specificity 70.8%; CEUS wash-out time (<80.5 s) sensitivity 80.2% and specificity 16.7%; and ARFI elastography shear velocity (SWV > 2.57 m/s) sensitivity 94.7% and specificity 97.2% In conclusion B-mode and Doppler ultrasound evaluations may assist in malignancy prediction of canine mammary masses with moderate sensitivity and specificity, already the SWV was an great accurate predictor. Therefore, ARFI elastography exam inclusion in veterinary clinic oncology and research is highly recommended, since it allows fast, non-invasive, and complication-free malignancy prediction of canine mammary masses.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of B-mode, Doppler ultrasonography and Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) elastography in the identification of axillary and inguinal lymph nodes metastasis in bitches with mammary neoplasms. The axillary (n = 96) and inguinal (n = 100) lymph nodes of 100 bitches were evaluated using B-Mode, Colour Doppler and ARFI-elastography. After this evaluation, mastectomy and lymph nodes excision were performed and these structures were histologically classified as free, reactive or metastatic. Ultrasonographic parameters were compared by Chi-Square or ANOVA tests and if they are significant, discriminative power analysis according to histopathological classification was performed (ROC analysis). The ARFI-elastography shear wave velocity (SWV) enabled metastasis identification in inguinal (sensitivity 95% specificity 87%) and axillary lymph nodes (sensitivity 100% specificity 94%). While B-Mode ultrasound Short/Long axis ratio evaluation of inguinal and axillary lymph nodes only resulted in a sensitivity around of 71% and specificity of 55%. In conclusion, B-Mode ultrasonography may contribute to diagnosis of metastasis in axillary and inguinal lymph nodes of bitches affected by mammary neoplasm with limited accuracy, while SWV evaluation proved to be an excellent diagnosis tool, which allows differentiation between free, reactive and tumour metastatic lymph nodes.

Neuroinflammation, often driven by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The susceptibility of the brain to oxidative stress is attributed to its high metabolic activity and limited antioxidant defense. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of Benzylidene Digoxin 15 (BD-15) following treatment and pretreatment in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation model. Additionally, we examined whether BD-15 enhances the generation of neurons from neural progenitor cells (NPCs).Male Wistar rats were used for acute treatment studies and divided into four groups: control (saline), BD-15 (100 μg/kg), LPS (250 μg/kg), and LPS + BD-15 (250 μg/kg + 100 μg/kg). Swiss albino mice were used for chronic pretreatment studies and divided into the following groups: control (saline), BD-15 (0.56 mg/kg), LPS (1 mg/kg), and LPS + BD-15 (1 mg/kg + 0.56 mg/kg). Behavioral changes were assessed using the open field test, and brain tissues were analyzed for oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), protein carbonylation, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). To assess neurogenesis, primary NPC cultures derived from the hippocampus of newborn Wistar rats were used, which led to reduced locomotor activity and increased oxidative stress, particularly in the cortex, as indicated by elevated MDA levels and reduced GSH levels. BD-15 treatment reversed these effects, notably by restoring GSH levels and reducing protein carbonylation in the cerebellum. Chronic BD-15 treatment in Swiss mice improved oxidative stress markers including MDA, SOD, CAT, and GST. Furthermore, BD-15 exhibits neuroprotective properties by alleviating oxidative stress and motor dysfunction, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for neuroinflammatory disorders. However, BD-15 did not affect NPC cell proliferation, indicating that this cardiotonic steroid did not alter the cell cycle of these progenitor cells.

The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of B-mode ultrasonography and ARFI elastography in detecting malignancy in canine splenic lesions. Thirty-seven spleens with abnormalities (16 benign and 21 malignant) from dogs of different breeds and ages were evaluated. Echogenicity, echotexture, organ length and height were evaluated using B-mode. By ARFI elastography, tissue stiffness was evaluated qualitatively (elastogram) and quantitatively (measuring the shear wave velocity—SWV). Lesions were classified as diffuse, focal or multifocal (cranial, medial or caudal portion) and comparisons of the SWV between the injured and non-injured areas were performed. In the B-mode, no features were associated to malignancy (P > 0.05). In the elastogram, 35 spleens were non-deformable and 2 deformable, having no association with malignancy. The greater SWV was observed in malignant lesions (3.4 ± 0.6 m/s), followed by areas free from alterations (2.1 ± 0.3 m/s) and benign lesions (1.7 ± 0.5 m/s), with difference between groups (P < 0.0001). It was found that a SWV > 2.6 m/s indicates malignancy of canine splenic lesions (sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100%, NPV of 94% and accuracy of 97%), concluding that ARFI elastography is a promising technique for differentiating malignancy in these lesions.

The aetiology of septic acute kidney injury (AKI) is not completely elucidated. Early identification of AKI in septic patients is considered to improve survival rate since it allows rapid treatment onset. We evaluated clinical, haematological, urinary, B-mode, spectral Doppler, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound variables in 20 bitches with pyometra as sepsis models and 12 healthy controls. All animals with pyometra presented some degree of renal damage on histological examination; however, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) classified only 40% cases with sepsis. AKI derived from systemic infection was identified in 57% of cases with hypoperfusion and in 22% with inflammation, being an affection of multifactorial origin. Among the evaluated parameters, urinary protein/creatinine ratio >0.15, serum albumin <2.94 mg/dL, time-averaged minimum velocity <21.5 cm/s, renal length/aorta diameter ratio >5.93, pulsatility index >1.53, haematocrit <45%, time-averaged maximum velocity <45.7 cm/s, haemoglobin <16 g/dL, leukocytes >12.53 × 10 3 /uL, and cortical contrast peak intensity <69%, in the order of accuracy, are significant indicators of septic AKI with an accuracy >80%. Thus, AKI is a very prevalent condition in septic patients, derived mainly from changes in renal perfusion and inflammation. Additionally, reviewing the SOFA score parameters is suggested to identify renal failure.

The aim of this study is to describe the preliminary results on the accuracy of ultrasonographic techniques such as elastography, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and Doppler in determining pancreatic changes. Twenty-five dogs, males and females, aged 1-14 years, were studied. Sixteen animals had no clinical signs of pancreatic disease (GS) and nine presented signs of pancreatic disorders (GD). All animals from GD presented sonographic changes in B-mode and qualitative elastography, with shear-wave velocity (SWV) higher (2.4±0.5m/s) in GD (p=0.014) than GS (1.9±0.3m/s) resulting in 78% sensitivity and 69% specificity in the identification of pancreatic changes. Regarding Doppler mode, no differences were observed between groups with color mapping or pulsed wave Doppler. The values obtained with CEUS did not differ between groups. Elastography is a promising technique for differential diagnosis of pancreatic changes because of its sensitivity and specificity, while the other techniques did not show diagnostic accuracy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate renal hemodynamics, routine clinical and laboratory parameters used to estimate renal function, and clinical evolution during six months in bitches with mammary carcinomas that underwent mastectomy and were treated (TG) or not (CG) with carprofen for three months after surgery. Twenty-six bitches with mammary carcinoma were equally distributed into TG that received carprofen 4.4 mg/kg/day for 90 days and CG that did not receive anti-inflammatory medication. Renal artery Doppler flowmetry, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of renal parenchyma, haematological, biochemical and clinical analyses were obtained once a month. These data were compared between groups and time via analysis of variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design with repeated measures (P < 0.05). On B-mode ultrasound, the area of the renal artery was greater (P = 0.0003) in the TG. Regarding laboratory findings, haematocrit and haemoglobin were similar in both groups, showing a significant and gradual increase after three months of treatment; MCV, MHC, and MCHC were increased (P < 0.05) and lymphocyte and band counts decreased (P < 0.05) in the TG. Regarding biochemical tests, ALT was the only parameter with a significant difference, being higher (P = 0.0272) in the treated group. It can be concluded that the use of carprofen for 90 days causes minimal changes in renal perfusion, erythrocyte parameters and ALT activity, and reduces the proportion of blood inflammatory cells. Therefore, use of this medication can be carried out safely in patients who require auxiliary cancer treatment.

Anamnesis: A 5-year-old mixed breed entire bitch was presented with bloody vaginal discharge and abdominal distension. Clinical and laboratory findings: Physical examination and abdominal ultrasonography suggested the presence of a left ovarian tumor. At histopathological examination it was diagnosed as granulosa cell tumor. Treatment approach: An exploratory laparotomy was performed followed by ovariohysterectomy to remove the intra-abdominal mass. Conclusion: The clinical, ultrasonographic and histologic signs in this case support other literature reports. Ultrasonography, in combination with histopathologic analysis is a fundamental tool for detection of ovarian tumors, especially tumors of the granulosa cells.