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Background: Psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease, involves the integration of biological and molecular events by hyperproliferation of the epidermal keratinocytes and generation of inflammation markers. Owing to severe complications of synthetic corticosteroids, there is a strong need for a potential and safe alternative. Babchi oil (natural essential oil; BO) may prove to be a promising natural agent for psoriasis. Objective: The aim of the present work was to investigate the safety and efficacy of cyclodextrin nanosponge based babchi oil (BONS) hydrogel on skin annexes. Methods: Babchi Oil Nanosponge Hydrogel (BONS-HG) was fabricated and evaluated. Cell viability studies have been carried out on THP1 cell lines to evaluate cytocompatibility. Irritation potential and in vivo visualization of cutaneous uptake of BONS-HG were carried out using Hen’s Egg Chorioallantoic Membrane Test (HET-CAM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), respectively. The nano hydrogel was tested in vivo using imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model. Results: The in vitro irritation potential of BONS-HG indicated no sign of erythema or irritation, suggesting the safety of prepared hydrogel as topical formulation. CLSM studies advocated targeting of BO to epidermis and dermis. Along with histopathological assessment, evaluation of oxidative stress markers revealed the significant antipsoriatic activity (p< 0.001) of the prepared BONS-HG. Conclusion: The present study amalgamated the advantages of natural essential oil with this approach for skin targeting and provided an effective and safe topical alternative for psoriasis.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains endemic in domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in India and elsewhere, with limited options for control other than testing and slaughter. The prescribed tuberculin skin tests with purified protein derivative (PPD) for diagnosis of bTB preclude the use of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-based vaccination because of the antigenic cross-reactivity of vaccine strains with Mycobacterium bovis and related pathogenic members of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC). For the diagnosis of bTB in domestic water buffaloes, we here assessed a recently described defined-antigen skin test (DST) that comprises overlapping peptides representing the ESAT-6, CFP-10 and Rv3615c antigens, present in disease-causing members of the MTBC but missing in BCG strains. The performance characteristics of three doses (5, 10 or 20 μg/peptide) of the DST were assessed in natural tuberculin skin test reactor (n = 11) and non-reactor (n = 35) water buffaloes at an organized dairy farm in Hisar, India, and results were compared with the single intradermal skin test (SIT) using standard bovine tuberculin (PPD-B). The results showed a dose-dependent response of DST in natural reactor water buffaloes, although the SIT induced a significantly greater (P < 0.001) skin test response than the highest dose of DST used. However, using a cut-off of 2 mm or greater, the 5, 10, and 20 μg DST cocktail correctly classified eight, 10 and all 11 of the SIT-positive reactors, respectively, suggesting that the 20 μg DST cocktail has a diagnostic sensitivity (Se) of 1.0 (95% CI: 0.72–1.0) identical to that of the SIT. Importantly, none of the tested DST doses induced any measurable skin induration responses in the 35 SIT-negative animals, suggesting a specificity point estimate of 1.0 (95% CI: 0.9–1.0), also identical to that of the SIT and compares favorably with that of the comparative cervical test (Se = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.55–0.98). Overall, the results suggest that similar to tuberculin, the DST enables sensitive and specific diagnosis of bTB in water buffaloes. Future field trials to explore the utility of DST as a defined antigen replacement for tuberculin in routine surveillance programs and to enable BCG vaccination of water buffaloes are warranted.

A 5 years old crossbred cow was brought to the Veterinary Clinical Complex of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Hisar with history of progressive weakness, pale mucous membrane, anorexia, high fever (105 °F), tachycardia, laboured breathing and coffee coloured urine. Analysis of haematological parameters revealed severe anaemia, leucocytopenia, marked poikilocytosis of erythrocytes. Blood smear examination showed presence of signet ring shaped Theileria organisms, Babesia piroplasms and condensed dot forms of Anaplasma marginale in the stained erythrocytes. Further animal was treated with buparvaquone @ 2.5 mg/kg b.wt deep I/M in neck region and long acting oxytetracycline at 25 mg/kg b. W. slow I/V daily in normal saline solution for 5 days. Berenil (Diminazene aceturate 5%) injection was also administered @ 1 ml/20 kg b.wt. I/M along with supportive therapy. Clinical signs started to subside 3 days post treatment. Complete recovery was achieved by 4 weeks post treatment however animal succumbed to death due to immunosuppression.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is one of the commonly used vehicles to dissolve water insoluble drugs, including used for wound healing purposes, for different experiments. The present study was aimed to investigate the gross effects and histopathological changes produced by topical DMSO on granulation tissue at wound site. Open excision cutaneous wounds were created on the back of ten male rats and equally divided into two groups. Distilled water and DMSO (10 %) were topically applied once daily for 21 days on wounds of Group I (control group) and Group II, respectively. Grossly, wounds revealed that DMSO facilitated wound closure on day 7 and 12. On day 21, the wound was still not closed in DMSO treated group in comparison to control group. The H & E stained sections of control group showed formation of complete, immature and thin epithelial layer, collagen deposition and infiltration of abundant number of mononuclear cells. Sections of DMSO treated group showed blood vessels, scattered infiltration of inflammatory cells, collagen fibers and partially formed epithelial layer. Semi-quantitative score for inflammatory cells and epithelialization was significantly lower in DMSO treated group. Picrosirius red stained sections showed dominance of orange-red (thicker) collagen fibers in control group and yellow-green (thinner) collagen fibers in DMSO treated group. DMSO treated group showed higher and lower thin collagen and thick collagen fiber fraction, respectively in comparison to control group. Thus, it might be concluded that DMSO facilitates wound closure during the early stages and delays the wound closure during at later stages of wound healing.

Present report describes the immunohistochemical diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and involvement of papilloma virus in a mare. A five years old mare was brought to the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex with history of multi-lobulated haemorrhagic ulcerative mass in the vulvar region since last two months. The swollen region was aseptically prepared and the mass was resected out under local anaesthesia. Cytology of tumour revealed large cells with abundant basophilic cytoplasm and pleomorphic nuclei. Microscopically, presence of irregular cords of undifferentiated epidermal cells proliferating in downward fashion and invading dermis and subcutis were seen. AgNOR staining of section revealed 4 to 5 irregular, large dots or bizarre clusters in nuclei indicating malignancy. The PCR amplification was done by using specific primers for PVL1 gene of CPV that amplified a 480 base pair fragment of the Papilloma Virus L1 gene. Pancytokeratin immunolabeling was helpful in the diagnosing poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. PCR confirmation suggested role of papilloma virus in induction and progression of squamous cell carcinoma.

The aim of this project was to study the clinical manifestations, neurobehavioral, hematobiochemical, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and histopathological changes during acrylamide toxicity in rats. A total of 30 adult male Wistar rats were divided in 5 equal groups and received 0, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg body weight acrylamide as oral gavage, while group 5 was micronucleus (MN) control. Functional observational battery (FOB) parameters were studied at the 28th day of post treatment. Toxicological manifestations were evident in acrylamide-treated rats from 14th day onward. FOB revealed a significant change in central nervous system, neuromuscular, and autonomic domains. The hematological changes include significant decrease in concentration of hemoglobin, total erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, and mean corpuscular volume. The biochemical parameters aspartate aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin showed significant increase, while the levels of serum globulin and glucose were found to decrease significantly. The MN assay revealed the significant increase in frequencies of micronuclei and number of polychromatic erythrocytes. The oxidative stress parameters revealed no significant difference as compared to control rats. Histopathological changes observed in brain include neuronal degeneration, edema, and congestion, while spinal cord revealed demyelination in low-dose group and bilateral necrosis with malacia, liquefaction of white matter, and loss of myelin from gray matter in high-dose groups. The result indicates pathological alterations in brain and spinal cord and is responsible for neurobehavioral changes in rats. The FOB changes and histopathological alterations in spinal cord are in dose dependent to acrylamide intoxication. Various toxicological effects observed in experiment direct us to focus on a deep study and evaluate the possible causes pertaining to toxicity of this chemical. It would furnish the scientists with better options that would help them to search for a median path regarding the use of this chemical and take preventive measures to save the living beings from the hidden disasters of this chemical.

A ten years old black female Labrador dog was presented to Private Pet Clinics, Delhi with history of anorexia and swelling near right eye since 6 months. On clinical examination, it revealed a small round growth. The growth was surgically excised. Grossly, it was black in colour, approximately 3 centimetres in diameter and soft in consistency. Histopathologically, it revealed pleomorphic epithelioid and fusiform shaped melanocytes with some of these neoplastic cells contained variable amount of melanin pigment in cytoplasm. On immunohistochemistry, it did not reveal any immunoreactivity for anti-pancytokeratin and anti-Ki67 antibodies. Based on the above findings, it was diagnosed as melanoma.

The study was conducted on 40 clinical cases suspected of canine mammary tumours collected over a period of 2 years. Out of total 38 cases diagnosed as CMT, two (5.26%) cases were noticed in male Labrador dogs of 2.5 and 7 yrs age which were observed in the caudal abdominal and cranial thoracic pair of glands, respectively. The male dog exhibited generalized clinical signs with variability in size. Serum estrogen and progesterone levels in both dogs were higher than the basal normal values. High levels of heavy metals concentration viz. iron, zinc, mercury and cadmium were noticed in the mammary tissues and serum samples of tumour affected dogs. Grossly, growth was hard, firm lobulated pattern with ulceration in one case and soft diffuse round appearance in another case. Tumours were classified as carcinosarcoma and lipoma, respectively. Carcinosarcoma was classified as complex adenocarcinoma forming papillary growths with chondrosarcoma and myxomsarcoma components. Lipoma revealed adipocytes arranged in variable sized lobules separated by connective tissue septa. Immunohistochemical expression of p53 and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) gene was found to be negative in both cases. Epithelial component (complex carcinoma) in carcinosarcoma showed intense positive immunoreactivity for pancytokeratin in luminal epithelial cells and moderate cytokeratin-14 expression in proliferated myoepithelial cells forming papillary growth.

An outbreak of pasteurellosis with 15% mortality was recorded in buffaloes in central India. The presence of Pasteurella multocida in samples collected from dead buffaloes was detected by smear examination and isolation, and later by P. multocida specific polymerase chain reaction (PM-PCR). P. multocida was detected in all the samples. All the isolates were positive by PM-PCR, capsular type B (CAPB) and toxigenic gene (toxA). Histopathologically, sections from lung revealed severe pneumonia and deposition of fibrin in cardiac muscles. The PCR assay used in this study has been shown to be useful diagnostic tool for P. multocida detection.

A total of 20 urinary bladder (UB) samples were studied for presence of bovine papilloma virus (BPV) and evaluated the expression of biomarkers viz. PCNA, Ki67, c-Myc and c-ErbB2 in the tumours/lesions of cattle and buffaloes by immunohistochemistry (IHC). PCR revealed the presence of BPV-2 DNA in 11 UB samples. Among BPV-2 positive UB samples, 2 also showed the presence of BPV-1 DNA. IHC of UBT (papillary and non infiltrative TCC, papillary and infiltrative TCC, hemangiosarcoma, adenoma etc.) revealed that PCNA, Ki67 and c-Mycwere potent markers for assessing the proliferation status of cells in these neoplasms. Expression of the c-ErbB2 was observed mainly in the neoplastic cells of glandular and papillary areas of the urinary bladder tumours.