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Carotid bodies (CBs) are chemoreceptors that monitor and register changes in the blood, including the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH, and regulate breathing. Enhanced activity of CBs was shown to correlate with a significant elevation in the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. CB removal or denervation were previously shown to reduce hypertension. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of a dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) system to safely ablate the CB in vivo in a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of hypertension. DMUA imaging was used for guiding and monitoring focused ultrasound (FUS) energy delivered to the target region. In particular, 3D imaging was used to identify the carotid bifurcation for targeting the CBs. Intermittent, high frame rate imaging during image-guided FUS (IgFUS) delivery was used for monitoring the lesion formation. DMUA imaging provided feedback for closed-loop control (CLC) of the lesion formation process to avoid overexposure. The procedure was tolerated well in over 100 SHR and normotensive rats that received unilateral and bilateral treatments. The measured mean arterial pressure (MAP) exhibited measurable deviation from baseline 2–4 weeks post IgFUS treatment. The results suggest that the direct unilateral FUS treatment of the CB might be sufficient to reduce the blood pressure in hypertensive rats and justify further investigation in large animals and eventually in human patients.

Background Current animal models of glioma are limited to small animal models, which are less predictive of treatment of human disease. Canines often develop gliomas de novo, but the natural history of the disease is not well described. Objective We provide data for naturally occurring canine gliomas; evaluating medical and surgical therapies. Methods We reviewed medical records of pet dogs with a presumptive diagnosis of glioma from MRI imaging that underwent surgery as part of the Canine Brain Tumor Clinical Trials Program. Breed, age, sex, median progression-free, and overall survival times and cause of death were recorded for multivariate analysis. Results Ninety five dogs (56 male; mean age = 8.3 years) were included, but nine were excluded as final pathology was non-neoplastic. Gross total resection was reported in 81 cases based on postoperative MRI. Seventy had high-grade tumors (grade III or IV). Eighty three dogs presented with seizures, being the most common presenting clinical sign. Median survival after surgery was 723 days (95% CI 343-1103) for grade II tumors, 301 days (197-404) for grade III and 200 days (126-274) for grade IV (p = .009 Kaplan-Meier survival analysis; Log Rank test). Age (cox regression, p = .14) or sex (Kaplan-Meier test, p = .22) did not predict survival. Conclusions This study establishes normative data for a model exploiting dogs with naturally occurring glioma, which can be used to test novel therapies prior to translation to human trials. Further work will focus on the effects of different therapies, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.

The aim was to reveal the prevalence of post-mortem lesions in two large-scale bovine slaughterhouses found in Romania so as to point out the potential hazards for human health. The proper examination of animal carcasses and organs that are destined for human consumption is essential in order to ensure food safety but not all the time properly made due to lack of time during the process of slaughter. The results showed that the most frequent lesions found within the examined organs were caused by parasitic infestation (Echinococcus granulosus; Dyctiocaulus viviparus) and the highest prevalence was found in the lungs. The pathology of lesions found in bovine organs is very variable in the slaughterhouse, being able to report strange aspects such an ectopic liver in the lung parenchyma. Measures should be taken in the farms due to this high prevalence of parasites which causes both health problems as well as economical losses.

Anticoagulant rodenticides are widely used pesticides globally. They act by inhibiting vitamin K epoxide reductase in the liver, decreasing the synthesis of clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X. Sixty six cases of anticoagulant rodenticide toxicosis were found during a retrospective study conducted at the Veterinary Hospital and the Pathology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, in a period between January 2010 and June 2015.The inclusion criteria were: clinical signs of exposure, coagulation testing result and typical pathological findings characteristic for bleeding syndrome. History, clinical and pathological data were collected from the medical records of the dogs presented to our units. In the present study, 66 cases of anticoagulant toxicosis in dogs were described, the animals ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years. 31 dogs were male and 35 female. Two cases followed exposure to brodifacoum, 4 cases exposure to warfarin and in the other cases the type of anticoagulant was unknown. The most common clinical signs were dyspnea, lethargy, weakness, anemia/palor, melena, spontaneous subcutaneous and muscular hematoma, sublingual hematoma and ecchymoses. The most important lesions were represented by haemothorax, thymic hematoma in juvenile dogs, subcutaneous and muscular hematomas, hemoperitoneum, severe anemia, and ecchymotic hemorrhages in different tissues. In cases were coagulation testing was performed, prolonged partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and coagulation time were recorded. Anticoagulant rodenticide toxicosis is frequently found in our region, the most important diagnostic tools being coagulation testing and toxicological exam.

Aim: The aims of this study are the development of a contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) protocol for rats’ evaluation and the assessment of the potential benefits of CEUS in Walker 256 tumor rats. Material and method: In the study were used 36 albino Wistar rats grafted subcutaneously with Walker 256 tumor. The implementation of the ultrasound (US) guided injection technique (30 subjects – group A) was performed between 4 to 8 weeks after implantation. The contrast agent (CA) Sono Vue (Bracco) – was administered either into the lateral vein of the tail or directly into the heart under US guidance. The US validation, focusing on CEUS (6 subjects – group B) was realized at 4 to 6 weeks after implantation. The US procedures aimed to obtain morphological (2D), vascular (color Doppler and pulsed Doppler) and angiospecific functional data (CEUS). The Vevo 2100 equipment was used for US and Time Intensity Curves (TIC) were analyzed with Sonoliver (TomTec). The tumor specimens which were resected after the last study underwent a pathology exam. Results: A number of 23 successfully CEUS explorations were performed in 17 subjects (11 in group A and 6 in group B). Nineteen rats could not be evaluated (in 8 cases the tumor was not viable; 4 subjects died during CA administration; in 4 cases the administration line could not be obtained). In group B, CEUS was performed in 6 subjects at 4 weeks after implantation and in 5 subjects at 6 weeks. The statistical analysis of the TIC parameters identified significant differences between the Time to Peak, mean Transit Time and Rise Time parameters of the muscles and those of the tumor. Conclusions: CEUS was easily implemented on the studied tumor model and is adequate for the evaluation of tumor vascularity. US guided intracardiac administration of the CA is an easy and reproducible procedure. If the examination is performed at defined time intervals it detects the alterations within the tumor circulatory bed.