A Biochemical and Histological Assessment of Postmortem Changes to the Eyes of Domestic Pigs: A Preliminary Study.

The Postmortem Interval (PMI) is the time from the death of an animal to its discovery. From a veterinary forensic standpoint, an accurate estimation of the PMI is of particular importance, especially with the observed increase in deaths of domestic and wild animals. A preliminary study was conducted using the eyes of domestic pigs. A biochemical analysis was conducted on the vitreous humor of the eye, whilst a histological analysis was conducted on the retina. The eyes were stored at +4 °C and changes were assessed at time intervals of 0, 12, 24, 48, and 120 h. The biochemical analysis during the PMI established a decrease in sodium, chlorine, and glucose concentrations, and a rise in potassium concentration. Accordingly, a simple linear regression showed a significant correlation between changes in concentrations of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), and glucose, in relation to the PMI. The histological analysis showed evident morphological changes in the retina, which included homogenization of the rod and cone cells, pyknosis of the outer nuclear layer, homogenization of the outer plexiform layer, pyknosis of the inner nuclear layer, homogenization of the inner plexiform layer, and pyknosis of the nuclei of the ganglion layer of the retina.

Eccrine carcinoma in the foot of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).

A case of eccrine carcinoma of the interdigital foot glands in a 39-yr-old female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) from Zagreb Zoo is described. The tumor between the toenails of the right forefoot was surgically removed 3 yr before postmortem examination (2003), and the histopathologic diagnosis was compound eccrine carcinoma characterized with glandular tubular and papillary proliferations, mild cellular pleomorphism, proliferation of the myoepithelial cells with mucoid secretions, and necrosis. Immunohistochemistry revealed strong immunoreactivity to S-100 protein, estrogen, and high-molecular weight cytokeratin. This elephant also had chronic renal fibrosis with uremia.

The impact of L-NAME and L-arginine chronic toxicity induced lesions on ascites--pulmonary hypertension syndrome development in broiler chickens.

The impact of L-arginine (LA), a precursor for synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), and N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, LN), a non-selective inhibitor of the enzyme producing nitric oxide (nitric oxide synthase; NOS) chronic toxicity induced lesions on Ascites - Pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) development was investigated in 140 one-day-old male broiler chickens (ROSS) during the first 5 weeks of life. Every second day the animals were treated intraperitoneally (ip) with L-NAME (10 mg/kg of body weight; BW), L-arginine (100 mg/kg BW), L-arginine and L-NAME in combination (100 mg/kg BW and 10 mg/kg BW respectively), and with physiological saline (0.90% w/v of NaCl; 0.5 mL/kg BW). Seven birds from each group were euthanized every week. The histopathological examination of the heart, the liver, the lungs, the blood vessels and the lymphoid organs, was performed. Also the organ index values were determined. At the end of the experiment the pre-ascitic condition or ascites - PHS was confirmed in five dead animals in the L-NAME-treated group. In the same group the edema was the most prominent histopathological change confirmed in the heart and in the lungs of the sacrificed chickens. In L-arginine-treated group the congestion and the haemorrhages were the striking changes in the same organs with the highest degree in the last two weeks of trial. While the focal disruption of myocardiofibriole and hepatocytes were predominant lesions in L-NAME-treated chickens (5th and 4th weeks, respectively), in L-NAME/L-arginine-treated group only the mild focal myocardial degeneration was seen. According to the most of the results of present investigation, it was concluded that the consecutive treatment with L-NAME provoked ascites - PHS, while L-arginine has protective effect in this animal model of disease.

Comparative analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma in men and dogs.

Concerning the important differences in the ethiopathology of hepatocelular carcinomas (HCC) in humans and dogs, our work describes the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), cytokeratine 19 (CK19), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor beta receptor (TGFbeta-r) in tumors arising in both species. Investigation included 25 cases of human and 8 cases of dog tumors. All human cases were noted in cirrhotic livers, while in dogs the tissue adjacent to tumor was not changed. In humans in two cases hepatitis B virus (HBV) and in one case hepatitis C virus (HCV) were determined. Investigation showed lack of TGFbeta-r reaction in six cases of canine HCC, while in humans only one case was negative. In most tumors specific hepatocyte antigen Hepatocyte Paraffin 1 marker (Hep Par 1) was mainly positive with markedly decreased reaction compared to the normal hepatocytes, while cytokeratine 19 for billiary epithelium was negative. The result of our investigation rise the question about the possible role of tumor suppressor gene TGFbeta-r in the development of HCC in dogs and in the same time emphasizes its importance in human diseases.

Mast cell tumor in dogs--incidence and histopathological characterization.

Incidence of mast cell tumors, their distribution according to sex, breed, age and localisation in Croatia is not established yet. Also, the statistical significance of the various histopathological parameters according to Patnaik's scheme, in the diagnostics of the tumor grade was not performed. Investigation analysed mast cell tumors histopathologicaly characterized at the Department of General Pathology and Pathological Morphology of the Veterinary Faculty Zagreb from January 1st 2002 to December 31st 2006. Sex, age, breed, localisation and tumor grade of each animal with tumor was recorded and statisticaly evaluated. Each histopathological variable was scored and compared with tumor grade. In the analyzed period, totally 1630 tumors were recorded, and mast cell tumors were found in 106 animals or in 6.5% of all cases. With statistically significant difference, this tumor was found in more cases in male dogs, and average age was 6.96 years. Boxers and retrievers were most frequent breeds, and localization was mostly on legs. Grade I tumor was found in 15.09%, grade II in 44.34% and grade III in 28.3% of animals. There were no significant correlations between tumor grade and age, breed, sex or localization. Considering the lesion scores compared with grade, statistically significant differences were found in cell shape, number of nucleoli, anisocytosis, anisokariosis, karyomegaly, mitoses, necroses, hemorrhages, cellularity, cell borders and collagenolysis.