peer reviewed | [en] OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility of ultrasound-guided intervertebral disc (IVD) injection of contrast medium and methylene blue to aid in intraoperative identification of cervical IVD spaces in dogs. METHODS: This was a single-center experimental cadaver study using randomly chosen skeletally mature dog cadavers from January 2, 2023, to March 23, 2023. For each cadaver, 1 cervical IVD was randomly selected. The ventral cervical region was ultrasonographically examined, pushing the trachea leftwards. A 50/50 contrast medium (iohexol, 300 mgI/mL) and methylene blue mixture was injected under ultrasound guidance in the IVD and ventral soft tissues. The x-rays and CT scans were performed before and after injection. Each cadaver was dissected using a ventral slot procedure. The cadavers and IVD characteristics, the success rate in ultrasonographically identifying the correct IVD space, time to injection, most caudal IVD space feasibly injectable, and semiquantitative imaging and surgical scores were recorded. RESULTS: 20 canine cadavers were used. The IVD injections were successfully performed in the correct IVD space in all cadavers. The median time to injection was 3.95 minutes (Q1 to Q3, 3.22 to 5.88 minutes). The contrast medium was clearly visible on at least 1 radiographic projection in all but 1 case and on the CT in all cases. During surgical dissection, the dye was clearly visible in all but 1 case. The dogs' weight was significantly different between most caudal IVD spaces feasibly injectable. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographical cervical IVD space identification and mixture injection are feasible and might help intraoperative cervical IVD space identification in dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This technique could be used presurgically in patients with cervical IVD diseases.

International audience | OBJECTIVE To report clinical signs, biological anomalies, treatment, and outcome in domestic ferrets with cholecystitis, describe the ultrasonographic features of cholecystitis, and compare the ultrasonographic appearance of the hepatobiliary system between diseased and healthy ferrets. METHODS 11 ferrets with confirmed cholecystitis and abdominal ultrasonography were retrospectively included. Ten healthy ferrets were prospectively recruited to undergo hepatobiliary abdominal ultrasonography. Comparisons of explanatory variables (group, age, body weight, and sex) were performed. RESULTS The most common clinical signs were nonspecific, and icterus was observed in 1/4 of diseased ferrets. Compared with healthy individuals, diseased ferrets showed a larger common bile duct (CBD; ≥ 2.8 mm), a thicker CBD wall (≥ 0.7 mm), a thicker gallbladder (GB) wall, more frequent echoic GB luminal content, visible intrahepatic bile ducts, and a greater GB volume. Bile culture was positive in 9/11 mostly for Escherichia coli (8/9). Bile cytology indicated septic purulent cholecystitis in 7/7 ferrets. Survival time after antibiotic treatment ranged from 6 to 104 weeks, with a median of 36 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Ferrets with cholecystitis presented with nonspecific clinical signs and frequently showed hyperbilirubinemia. Ultrasonography findings such as enlarged CBD, thickened CBD wall, thicker GB wall, GB sludge, visible intrahepatic bile ducts, and enlarged GB may suggest cholecystitis. Escherichia coli was commonly isolated from bile. The medium-term mortality rate was high despite targeted antibiotherapy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This is the first study describing the clinical signs, biological anomalies, ultrasonographic findings, and outcomes after treatment in a series of domestic ferrets with cholecystitis.

ABSTRACT Laboratory animals have frequently been used in scientific and preclinical pharmaceutical drug safety and efficacy research. Although the introduction of new in silico assays and computer modeling for drug discovery has shown promise in reducing laboratory animal trials, there is still a need to develop in vitro alternatives to in vivo animal models. The in vitro spheroid wound model is one of the best options for developing alternative techniques to animal research as it is the most widely used laboratory animal model. The aim of the study is to using 3D in vitro wound modeling as an alternative to in vivo wound healing assays. In the study, a three-dimensional cell culture (organoid culture) with cell/cell and cell/matrix junctions was generated using the most common Fibroblast and HaCaT cell lines hanging drop technique to replicate the healing stages in the injured skin area. After spheroid epidermal structures were formed, inhibitors and activators were added to the culture medium and their effects on the wound line and 3D cells produced were determined. It was noted that the number of spheroid structures increased significantly and cell-cell interactions became visible in the additional activator groups compared to the control groups. When the inhibitor-treated group was compared with the control groups, it was observed that the formed structures completely disappeared or decreased in amount and cell-cell interactions could not be established. In conclusion, this study offers an alternative to using laboratory animals to evaluate potential medicines and/or extracts in wound healing experiments.

In this study, we aimed to assess the protective capacity of the eggshell against radiation and the impact of ionizing radiation on the embryonic development process in quail eggs exposed to varying doses of radiation during incubation. A total of 740 quail eggs were divided into six groups, each exposed to different doses of ionizing radiation. Throughout the incubation period, we monitored hatching rates and examined hatched chicks for potential pathologies. Additionally, over six months, we conducted routine weekly examinations and observed the sexual activity of mature quails. At the study's conclusion, clinical pathology was not observed, and there were no mass mortalities. Quails whose laying activities were monitored exhibited normal sexual behavior. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in hatching rates among the main study groups (p<0.001). Specifically, Group VI, exposed to the highest levels of X-rays, exhibited significantly lower hatching rates compared to Groups I and V (p<0.001). These findings suggest that the quail eggshell provides some protection against ionizing radiation, as evidenced by the absence of anomalies and the high hatching rates observed in the chicks.

The concept of hygiene has become more important today due to pandemic infections. Many products on the market have been licensed, but whose antibacterial effectiveness has not been checked later. For this reason, the study aimed to determine the antibacterial activities of surface disinfectants available in the market for public and personal use, based on the international standard. Eight different surface disinfectants, licensed from the authority and for public and personal use, were collected and processed without any dilution (100%). In the study, standard strains Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 10536), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeroginosa) (ATCC 15442) were used. Exposure conditions; it was done for 5 minutes and under clean conditions (0.3 g/L bovine albumin solution) at room temperature (22-24℃). It was determined that the eight surface disinfectants included in the study showed different levels of antibacterial activity. When the logarithm differences and antibacterial activities of surface disinfectants are examined as percentages; while the logarithm difference of three disinfectants against the three bacteria examined was ≥ 5; the logarithm difference of five disinfectants against two bacteria is ≥ 5; the percentage of those effective against all three bacteria was 37.5%; the percentage of those effective against both bacteria was found to be 62.5%. Due to the improprieties detected in the antibacterial activities of the surface disinfectants examined, when their antibacterial activities are examined, although they are licensed, it is seen that the products do not provide the specified antibacterial activity. The selection of disinfectants used to neutralize bacteria that cause infections, the determination of their antibacterial activities, and the sustainability of the determined antibacterial activity are of great importance. For this reason, it is necessary to check the antibacterial activities of disinfectants even after the registration stage and to select disinfectants according to their effectiveness to prevent infections.

The aim of this study was to report the contribution of different antiseptics to clinical improvement during intravesical lavage in cats with urethral obstruction problems. Urethral obstruction (UO) is a problem mostly encountered in male cats, requiring urgent intervention with a high success rate in the inferior urinary system. A total of 42 cats of different breeds and ages were evaluated, and the first medical treatment was applied, but no urine output was detected. All cases were randomly divided into 3 different groups and one-time intravesical lavage was performed with different fluids: GI (0.9% saline), GII (Dimethyl sulphoxide) and GIII (lugol’s solution). The controls performed on the 7th, 14th, and 30th days of the study showed similar results in all cases, and no statistically significant difference was determined. As a result, it was concluded that lugol’s solution can be used as a new alternative to DMSO antiseptic, which is the only agent approved for treatment by the US Food and Drug Administration, when performing intravesical lavage in cats with urethral obstruction.

Infections with Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 can lead to severe health complications. This pathogen is commonly found in contaminated meat and fresh produce, posing significant public health risks. The Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method offers a rapid and accessible alternative to conventional nucleic acid amplification techniques, making it particularly suitable for on-site diagnostic systems. This study aimed to design a quick method using LAMP to detect the rfbE gene of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli ATCC 43888 was used as the positive control, while Candida albicans ATCC 10231, E. coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 served as negative controls. Positive and negative controls were tested 10 times each for both analyses. Following DNA isolation, real-time PCR and LAMP were performed and compared with culture methods. For the positive control strain (E. coli ATCC 43888) at 10 CFU/mL, positivity was detected in 8 out of 10 samples by real-time PCR and in 7 out of 10 samples by LAMP. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of LAMP and real-time PCR were 95.00%–96.67%, 100%–100%, 94.34%–96.15%, and 100%–100%, respectively. In conclusion, our study successfully developed a rfbE gene-specific LAMP kit for E. coli O157, demonstrating comparable sensitivity and specificity to real-time PCR and culture methods. This kit can be effectively utilized in resource-limited settings.

Ruminal acidosis is a metabolic disorder that affects ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats, due to a pH imbalance in the rumen. The rumen has a diverse population of microorganisms involved in carbohydrate metabolism, with anaerobic microorganisms in the rumen and cecum playing a crucial role. During healthy rumen metabolism, microbial fermentation produces volatile fatty acids, including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. Excessive intake of feeds with high soluble carbohydrate content can cause ruminal acidosis by altering the ratio of volatile fatty acids produced through microbial fermentation, which in turn changes the rumen pH. Acidosis is defined as a decrease in the alkalinity of body fluids relative to their acid content. The pH of body fluids may or may not decrease during acidosis, depending on the degree of bicarbonate compensation. Impaired central nervous system function can occur even if blood pH remains stable due to low bicarbonate concentrations, which are buffered by bicarbonate. While a blood pH below 7.35 is required for a clinical diagnosis of acidosis, other clinical signs such as ruminal pH, anorexia, variable feed intake, diarrhea, and lethargy are commonly used to diagnose acidosis in beef cattle.

This field study was designed as a cohort (prospective) and involved 71 calves within the borders of Aydın Province. Each calf in the study was from one of three different farms (Farm A with 12 non-infectious diarrheic, 15 infectious diarrheic, Farm B with 13 non-infectious diarrheic, 19 infectious diarrheic, and Farm C as the healthy control group n=12). Serum samples were separated into Eppendorf tubes after centrifugation and stored in a -80 °C freezer until analysis. The competitive enzyme immunoassay technique was applied using the Bovine Diamine Oxidase ELISA test. Diamine Oxidase (ng/mL) measurements in infectious, non-infectious, and healthy calves were determined to be 6.52 ± 2.85, 7.16 ± 3.40, and 17.05 ± 2.63 (p< 0.001), respectively, in terms of mean ± standard error. The data obtained suggest that determining circulating diamine oxidase enzyme levels under field conditions can support diagnosis as a biological marker of intestinal permeability, and more prominently, diamine oxidase activity may decrease in both non-infectious and infectious diarrheic calves in relation to small intestinal mucosal damage. This could represent a step closer to the diagnosis of leaky gut in calves.

Biocompatibility, which shows the compatibility between the host and the biomaterial, is very important for the reliability of a biomaterial. It is a must for a newly produced biomaterial to meet the biocompatibility criteria, which are bound to certain rules by international organizations. One of the criteria of biocompatibility is genotoxicity. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the genotoxicity of a commercial polyaxial pedicle screw in vitro. For this purpose, in vitro micronucleus test and bacterial reverse mutation test were performed. Extraction method was used for both tests. When the obtained results were compared statistically, it was concluded that the tested biomaterial was not genotoxic.