Bioactive metabolites of Asparagopsis stabilized in canola oil completely suppress methane emissions in beef cattle fed a feedlot diet.

Asparagopsis taxiformis (Asparagopsis) has been shown to be highly efficacious at inhibiting the production of methane (CH4) in ruminants. To date, Asparagopsis has been primarily produced as a dietary supplement by freeze-drying to retain the volatile bioactive compound bromoform (CHBr3) in the product. Steeping of Asparagopsis bioactive compounds into a vegetable oil carrier (Asp-Oil) is an alternative method of stabilizing Asparagopsis as a ruminant feed additive. A dose-response experimental design used 3 Asp-Oil-canola oil blends, low, medium, and high Asp-Oil which provided 17, 34, and 51 mg Asparagopsis derived CHBr3/kg dry matter intake (DMI), respectively (in addition to a zero CHBr3 canola oil control), in a tempered-barley based feedlot finisher diet, fed for 59 d to 20 Angus heifers (five replicates per treatment). On four occasions, live weight was measured and CH4 emissions were quantified in respiration chambers, and blood, rumen fluid, and fecal samples were collected. At the end of the experiment, all animals were slaughtered, with carcasses graded, and samples of meat and edible offal collected for testing of consumer sensory qualities and residues of CHBr3, bromide, and iodide. All Asp-Oil treatments reduced CH4 yield (g CH4/kg DMI, P = 0.008) from control levels, with the low, medium, and high Asp-Oil achieving 64%, 98%, and 99% reduction, respectively. Dissolved hydrogen increased linearly with increasing Asp-Oil inclusion, by more than 17-fold in the high Asp-Oil group (P = 0.017). There was no effect of Asp-Oil treatment on rumen temperature, pH, reduction potential, volatile fatty acid and ammonia production, rumen pathology, and histopathology (P > 0.10). There were no differences in animal production and carcass parameters (P > 0.10). There was no detectable CHBr3 in feces or any carcass samples (P > 0.10), and iodide and bromide residues in kidneys were at levels unlikely to lead to consumers exceeding recommended maximum intakes. Overall, Asp-Oil was found to be safe for animals and consumers of meat, and effective at reducing CH4 emissions and yield by up to 99% within the range of inclusion levels tested.

Red seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis (Asparagopsis), has been shown to be highly effective at inhibiting the production of methane (CH4) in ruminants. An alternative to feeding whole, freeze-dried Asparagopsis is steeping the biomass in vegetable oil to stabilize the bioactive compounds (Asp-Oil) and feeding Asp-Oil to ruminants as a component of their dietary intake. This experiment measured the CH4 reduction potential and safety of Asp-Oil in a trial with 20 Angus heifers, fed iso-fat feedlot diets containing one of the three levels of Asp-Oil, or a control oil. Compared to the control, bromoform inclusion levels of 17, 34, and 51 mg/kg of dry matter (DM; low, medium, high) reduced CH4 yield (g CH4/kg DM intake) by 64%, 98%, and 99%, respectively. There were no effects on animal production or carcass characteristics. There were no impacts on animal health, welfare, or rumen function. Carcasses were safe for human consumption, and there was no bromoform detected in any carcass samples. Overall, Asp-Oil was found to effectively reduce CH4 emissions and is safe for animals and consumers of meat and edible offal.

Immunohistochemical characterization of the immune cell response during chlamydial infection in the male and female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) reproductive tract.

Chlamydiosis is one of the main causes of the progressive decline of koala populations in eastern Australia. While histologic, immunologic, and molecular studies have provided insights into the basic function of the koala immune system, the in situ immune cell signatures during chlamydial infection of the reproductive tract in koalas have not been investigated. Thirty-two female koalas and 47 males presented to wildlife hospitals with clinical signs suggestive of Chlamydia infection were euthanized with the entire reproductive tract collected for histology; immunohistochemistry (IHC) for T-cell (CD3ε, CD4, and CD8α), B-cell (CD79b), and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR markers; and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) for Chlamydia pecorum. T-cells, B-cells, and HLA-DR-positive cells were observed in both the lower and upper reproductive tracts of male and female koalas with a statistically significant associations between the degree of the inflammatory reaction; the number of CD3, CD4, CD79b, and HLA-DR positive cells; and the PCR load. CD4-positive cells were negatively associated with the severity of the gross lesions. The distribution of immune cells was also variable according to the location within the genital tract in both male and female koalas. These preliminary results represent a step forward towards further exploring mechanisms behind chlamydial infection immunopathogenesis, thus providing valuable information about the immune response and infectious diseases in free-ranging koalas.

An appraisal of lung computer tomography in very early anti-inflammatory treatment of two different ovine ARDS phenotypes.

Mortality and morbidity of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) are largely unaltered. A possible new approach to treatment of ARDS is offered by the discovery of inflammatory subphenotypes. In an ovine model of ARDS phenotypes, matching key features of the human subphenotypes, we provide an imaging characterization using computer tomography (CT). Nine animals were randomized into (a) OA (oleic acid, hypoinflammatory; n = 5) and (b) OA-LPS (oleic acid and lipopolysaccharides, hyperinflammatory; n = 4). 48 h after ARDS induction and anti-inflammatory treatment, CT scans were performed at high (H) and then low (L) airway pressure. After CT, the animals were euthanized and lung tissue was collected. OA-LPS showed a higher air fraction and OA a higher tissue fraction, resulting in more normally aerated lungs in OA-LPS in contrast to more non-aerated lung in OA. The change in lung and air volume between H and L was more accentuated in OA-LPS, indicating a higher recruitment potential. Strain was higher in OA, indicating a higher level of lung damage, while the amount of lung edema and histological lung injury were largely comparable. Anti-inflammatory treatment might be beneficial in terms of overall ventilated lung portion and recruitment potential, especially in the OA-LPS group.

A novel speckle-tracking echocardiography parameter assessing left ventricular afterload.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) and afterload-related cardiac performance (ACP) consider left ventricular (LV) afterload and could be better prognosticators in septic cardiomyopathy. However, their invasive nature prevents their routine clinical applications. This study aimed to investigate (1) whether a proposed speckle-tracking echocardiography parameter, Pressure-Strain Product (PSP), can non-invasively predict catheter-based LVSWI, ACP and serum lactate in an ovine model of septic cardiomyopathy; and (2) whether PSP can distinguish the sub-phenotypes of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with or without sepsis-like conditions. METHODS: Sixteen sheep with ARDS were randomly assigned to either (1) sepsis-like (n = 8) or (2) non-sepsis-like (n = 8) group. Each ARDS and sepsis-like condition was induced by intravenous infusion of oleic acid and lipopolysaccharide, respectively. Pulmonary artery catheter-based LVSWI (the product of stroke work index, mean arterial pressure and .0136), ACP (the percentage of cardiac output measured to cardiac output predicted as normal) and serum lactate were measured simultaneously with transthoracic echocardiography. Two PSP indices were calculated by multiplying the mean arterial blood pressure and either global circumferential strain (PSPcirc) or radial strain (PSPrad). RESULTS: PSPcirc showed a significant correlation with LVSWI (r2 = .66, p < .001) and ACP (r2 = .82, p < .001) in the sepsis-like group. Although PSP could not distinguish subphenotypes, PSPcirc predicted LVSWI (AUC .86) and ACP (AUC .88), and PSPrad predicted serum lactate (AUC .75) better than LV ejection fraction, global circumferential and radial strain. CONCLUSIONS: A novel PSP has the potential to non-invasively predict catheter-based LVSWI and ACP, and was associated with serum lactate in septic cardiomyopathy.

Anatomy of the Female Koala Reproductive Tract.

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), while being an iconic Australian marsupial, has recently been listed as endangered. To establish an improved understanding of normal reproductive anatomy, this paper brings together unpublished research which has approached the topic from two perspectives: (1) the establishment of an artificial insemination program, and (2) the definition of Chlamydia spp.-derived histopathological changes of the female koala urogenital system. Based on the presentation and histological processing of over 70 opportunistic specimens, recovered from wildlife hospitals in Southeast Queensland (Australia), we describe the gross and microanatomy of the koala ovary, oviduct, uteri, vaginal complex, and urogenital sinus during the interestrous, proliferative, and luteal phases of the reproductive cycle.

Application of anti-inflammatory treatment in two different ovine Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome injury models: a preclinical randomized intervention study.

Whilst the presence of 2 subphenotypes among the heterogenous Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) population is becoming clinically accepted, subphenotype-specific treatment efficacy has yet to be prospectively tested. We investigated anti-inflammatory treatment in different ARDS models in sheep, previously shown similarities to human ARDS subphenotypes, in a preclinical, randomized, blinded study. Thirty anesthetized sheep were studied up to 48 h and randomized into: (a) OA: oleic acid (n = 15) and (b) OA-LPS: oleic acid and subsequent lipopolysaccharide (n = 15) to achieve a PaO2/FiO2 ratio of < 150 mmHg. Then, animals were randomly allocated to receive treatment with methylprednisolone or erythromycin or none. Assessed outcomes were oxygenation, pulmonary mechanics, hemodynamics and survival. All animals reached ARDS. Treatment with methylprednisolone, but not erythromycin, provided the highest therapeutic benefit in Ph2 animals, leading to a significant increase in PaO2/FiO2 ratio by reducing pulmonary edema, dead space ventilation and shunt fraction. Animals treated with methylprednisolone displayed a higher survival up to 48 h than all others. In animals treated with erythromycin, there was no treatment benefit regarding assessed physiological parameters and survival in both phenotypes. Treatment with methylprednisolone improves oxygenation and survival, more so in ovine phenotype 2 which resembles the human hyperinflammatory subphenotype.

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) prostate: a comprehensive histological and immunohistochemical investigation.

The prostate of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), and of marsupials more generally, is the primary contributor of seminal fluid, yet comparatively little is known about its microanatomy or biochemistry. This study explored evidence of parenchymal segmentation of the koala prostate. The prostate of three sexually mature koalas were processed for histopathology, histochemistry (Masson's trichrome, Alcian Blue, periodic acid Schiff staining), and immunohistochemistry using basal (tumor protein 63, cytokeratin 14) and luminal (cytokeratin 8/18, prostate specific antigen, androgen receptor) markers. Results confirmed clear segmentation of the koala prostate into three zones, anterior, central, and posterior, characterized by differences in the proportion of glandular tissue, as well as the thickness of collagen fibers; there were also distinct differences in the secretions produced in each zone. Based on immunohistochemistry, the koala prostate showed evidence of both basal proliferative and luminal secretory cells. The ratio of cell types varied across the three segments, with the central segment housing the highest density of basal cells. Globular bodies produced in the anterior zone were shown to possess the same markers as those described for human prostasomes. This study is the first to comprehensively document the marsupial prostate in terms of microanatomy and corresponding immunohistochemistry. While further biochemical analysis, such as proteomics of each segment will better define the relative functions of each tissue, the data presented here are consistent with the hypothesis that the koala prostate potentially represents an example of an ontological stage in the evolutionary differentiation of male eutherian accessory glands.

Cross-species oncogenomics offers insight into human muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: In humans, muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is highly aggressive and associated with a poor prognosis. With a high mutation load and large number of altered genes, strategies to delineate key driver events are necessary. Dogs and cats develop urothelial carcinoma (UC) with histological and clinical similarities to human MIBC. Cattle that graze on bracken fern also develop UC, associated with exposure to the carcinogen ptaquiloside. These species may represent relevant animal models of spontaneous and carcinogen-induced UC that can provide insight into human MIBC. RESULTS: Whole-exome sequencing of domestic canine (n = 87) and feline (n = 23) UC, and comparative analysis with human MIBC reveals a lower mutation rate in animal cases and the absence of APOBEC mutational signatures. A convergence of driver genes (ARID1A, KDM6A, TP53, FAT1, and NRAS) is discovered, along with common focally amplified and deleted genes involved in regulation of the cell cycle and chromatin remodelling. We identify mismatch repair deficiency in a subset of canine and feline UCs with biallelic inactivation of MSH2. Bovine UC (n = 8) is distinctly different; we identify novel mutational signatures which are recapitulated in vitro in human urinary bladder UC cells treated with bracken fern extracts or purified ptaquiloside. CONCLUSION: Canine and feline urinary bladder UC represent relevant models of MIBC in humans, and cross-species analysis can identify evolutionarily conserved driver genes. We characterize mutational signatures in bovine UC associated with bracken fern and ptaquiloside exposure, a human-linked cancer exposure. Our work demonstrates the relevance of cross-species comparative analysis in understanding both human and animal UC.

Automated Analysis of PD1 and PDL1 Expression in Lymph Nodes and the Microenvironment of Transmissible Tumors in Tasmanian Devils.

The wild Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) population has suffered a devastating decline due to two clonal transmissible cancers. The first devil facial tumor 1 (DFT1) was observed in 1996, followed by a second genetically distinct transmissible tumor, the devil facial tumor 2 (DFT2), in 2014. DFT1/2 frequently metastasize, with lymph nodes being common metastatic sites. MHC-I downregulation by DFT1 cells is a primary means of evading allograft immunity aimed at polymorphic MHC-I proteins. DFT2 cells constitutively express MHC-I, and MHC-I is upregulated on DFT1/2 cells by interferon gamma, suggesting other immune evasion mechanisms may contribute to overcoming allograft and anti-tumor immunity. Human clinical trials have demonstrated PD1/PDL1 blockade effectively treats patients showing increased expression of PD1 in tumor draining lymph nodes, and PDL1 on peritumoral immune cells and tumor cells. The effects of DFT1/2 on systemic immunity remain largely uncharacterized. This study applied the open-access software QuPath to develop a semiautomated pipeline for whole slide analysis of stained tissue sections to quantify PD1/PDL1 expression in devil lymph nodes. The QuPath protocol provided strong correlations to manual counting. PD-1 expression was approximately 10-fold higher than PD-L1 expression in lymph nodes and was primarily expressed in germinal centers, whereas PD-L1 expression was more widely distributed throughout the lymph nodes. The density of PD1 positive cells was increased in lymph nodes containing DFT2 metastases, compared to DFT1. This suggests PD1/PDL1 exploitation may contribute to the poorly immunogenic nature of transmissible tumors in some devils and could be targeted in therapeutic or prophylactic treatments.Abbreviations: PD1: programmed cell death protein 1; PDL1: programmed death ligand 1; DFT1: devil facial tumor 1; DFT2: devil facial tumor 2; DFTD: devil facial tumor disease; MCC: Matthew's correlation coefficient; DAB: diaminobenzidine; ROI: region of interest.

Developmental vitamin D-deficiency produces autism-relevant behaviours and gut-health associated alterations in a rat model.

Developmental vitamin D (DVD)-deficiency is an epidemiologically established risk factor for autism. Emerging studies also highlight the involvement of gut microbiome/gut physiology in autism. The current study aims to examine the effect of DVD-deficiency on a broad range of autism-relevant behavioural phenotypes and gut health. Vitamin D deficient rat dams exhibited altered maternal care, DVD-deficient pups showed increased ultrasonic vocalizations and as adolescents, social behaviour impairments and increased repetitive self-grooming behaviour. There were significant impacts of DVD-deficiency on gut health demonstrated by alterations to the microbiome, decreased villi length and increased ileal propionate levels. Overall, our animal model of this epidemiologically validated risk exposure for autism shows an expanded range of autism-related behavioural phenotypes and now alterations in gut microbiome that correlate with social behavioural deficits raising the possibility that DVD-deficiency induced ASD-like behaviours are due to alterations in gut health.

Detection, characterization, and persistence of Campylobacter hepaticus, the cause of spotty liver disease in layer hens.

A Campylobacter species was first described as the etiological agent of Spotty Liver Disease (SLD) in 2015 and subsequently named as Campylobacter hepaticus in 2016. The bacterium predominantly affects barn and/or free-range hens at peak lay, is fastidious and difficult to isolate, which has impeded elucidation of its sources, means of persistence and transmission. Ten farms from South-Eastern Australia, of which 7 were free range entities participated in the study. A total of 1,404 specimens from layers and 201 from environmental sources, were examined for the presence of C. hepaticus. In this study, our principal findings included the continuing detection of C. hepaticus infection in a flock following an outbreak, indicating a possible transition of infected hens to asymptomatic carriers, that was also characterized by no further occurrence of SLD in the flock. We also report that the first outbreaks of SLD on newly commissioned free-range farms affected layers ranging from 23 to 74 wk of age, while subsequent outbreaks in replacement flocks on these farms occurred during the more conventional peak lay period (23-32 wk of age). Finally, we report that in the on-farm environment, C. hepaticus DNA was detected in layer feces, inert elements such as stormwater, mud, soil, as well as in fauna such as flies, red mites, Darkling beetles, and rats. While in off-farm locations, the bacterium was detected in feces from a variety of wild birds and a canine.

Bridging clinic and wildlife care with AI-powered pan-species computational pathology.

Cancers occur across species. Understanding what is consistent and varies across species can provide new insights into cancer initiation and evolution, with significant implications for animal welfare and wildlife conservation. We build a pan-species cancer digital pathology atlas (panspecies.ai) and conduct a pan-species study of computational comparative pathology using a supervised convolutional neural network algorithm trained on human samples. The artificial intelligence algorithm achieves high accuracy in measuring immune response through single-cell classification for two transmissible cancers (canine transmissible venereal tumour, 0.94; Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease, 0.88). In 18 other vertebrate species (mammalia = 11, reptilia = 4, aves = 2, and amphibia = 1), accuracy (range 0.57-0.94) is influenced by cell morphological similarity preserved across different taxonomic groups, tumour sites, and variations in the immune compartment. Furthermore, a spatial immune score based on artificial intelligence and spatial statistics is associated with prognosis in canine melanoma and prostate tumours. A metric, named morphospace overlap, is developed to guide veterinary pathologists towards rational deployment of this technology on new samples. This study provides the foundation and guidelines for transferring artificial intelligence technologies to veterinary pathology based on understanding of morphological conservation, which could vastly accelerate developments in veterinary medicine and comparative oncology.

Donor heart ischemic time can be extended beyond 9 hours using hypothermic machine perfusion in sheep.

BACKGROUND: The global shortage of donor hearts available for transplantation is a major problem for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. The ischemic time for donor hearts using traditional preservation by standard static cold storage (SCS) is limited to approximately 4 hours, beyond which the risk for primary graft dysfunction (PGD) significantly increases. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of donor hearts has been proposed to safely extend ischemic time without increasing the risk of PGD. METHODS: Using our sheep model of 24 hours brain death (BD) followed by orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx), we examined post-transplant outcomes in recipients following donor heart preservation by HMP for 8 hours, compared to donor heart preservation for 2 hours by either SCS or HMP. RESULTS: Following HTx, all HMP recipients (both 2 hours and 8 hours groups) survived to the end of the study (6 hours after transplantation and successful weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass), required less vasoactive support for hemodynamic stability, and exhibited superior metabolic, fluid status and inflammatory profiles compared to SCS recipients. Contractile function and cardiac damage (troponin I release and histological assessment) was comparable between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, compared to current clinical SCS, recipient outcomes following transplantation are not adversely impacted by extending HMP to 8 hours. These results have important implications for clinical transplantation where longer ischemic times may be required (e.g., complex surgical cases, transport across long distances). Additionally, HMP may allow safe preservation of "marginal" donor hearts that are more susceptible to myocardial injury and facilitate increased utilization of these hearts for transplantation.

Development and application of a new liver pathology recording system for use in cattle abattoirs.

Liver disease in beef cattle has a significant global economic impact on feedlot and abattoir industries due to reduced animal performance, carcase yield, and carcase quality. This study aimed to create a post-mortem data collection tool which could be deployed at chain speed on an abattoir floor, as well as to evaluate pathological findings in both normal and condemned livers from an Australian beef cattle population. The first 1006 livers were used to formulate a user-friendly, high-throughput liver grading tool for use in an abattoir setting and to evaluate the histological features of common liver abnormalities. Subsequently, over 11,000 livers from a Southeast Queensland abattoir were analyzed. The most observed defects in condemned livers were liver abscessation, fibrosis, adhesions, and liver fluke, with histological features similar to previous reports. Bacterial culture was performed in 29 cases of liver abscessation, revealing a different balance of flora to that reported internationally. This study has developed an easy to use, efficient data collection tool that enables rapid, highly detailed assessment of large numbers of beef cattle livers at slaughter. This tool will allow thorough investigation into the effect of liver disease on beef production, in both industry and research contexts.

Effect of flow change on brain injury during an experimental model of differential hypoxaemia in cardiogenic shock supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Differential hypoxaemia (DH) is common in patients supported by femoral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) and can cause cerebral hypoxaemia. To date, no models have studied the direct impact of flow on cerebral damage. We investigated the impact of V-A ECMO flow on brain injury in an ovine model of DH. After inducing severe cardiorespiratory failure and providing ECMO support, we randomised six sheep into two groups: low flow (LF) in which ECMO was set at 2.5 L min-1 ensuring that the brain was entirely perfused by the native heart and lungs, and high flow (HF) in which ECMO was set at 4.5 L min-1 ensuring that the brain was at least partially perfused by ECMO. We used invasive (oxygenation tension-PbTO2, and cerebral microdialysis) and non-invasive (near infrared spectroscopy-NIRS) neuromonitoring, and euthanised animals after five hours for histological analysis. Cerebral oxygenation was significantly improved in the HF group as shown by higher PbTO2 levels (+ 215% vs - 58%, p = 0.043) and NIRS (67 ± 5% vs 49 ± 4%, p = 0.003). The HF group showed significantly less severe brain injury than the LF group in terms of neuronal shrinkage, congestion and perivascular oedema (p < 0.0001). Cerebral microdialysis values in the LF group all reached the pathological thresholds, even though no statistical difference was found between the two groups. Differential hypoxaemia can lead to cerebral damage after only a few hours and mandates a thorough neuromonitoring of patients. An increase in ECMO flow was an effective strategy to reduce such damages.

Correlation of pituitary histomorphometry with dopamine and dopamine D2 receptor expression in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.

Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is an endocrinopathy commonly affecting old horses. It is a spontaneously occurring, progressive disease that is still poorly understood. Previous studies have observed neurodegeneration of the dopaminergic inhibition of melanotrophs, which leads to decreased dopamine (DA) in the pars intermedia (PI) and increased pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides circulating in plasma. However, rats knockout for the dopamine D2 receptor (D2r) similarly develop PI hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Thus, based on the current pathophysiological theory of PPID, whether the decreased DA or the D2r dysfunction leads to PPID is still unclear. To test this, a total of 28 retrospective cases of horses with PPID were collected, graded and the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and D2r in the PI were determined. The histological and immunohistochemical results demonstrated that horses with higher tumor histological grades had reduced TH expression with increased D2r immunoreactivity colocalized in the PI (p < 0.001, p < 0.05 respectively). This correlation supports the role of DA in the pathogenesis of continuous unregulated proliferation of neoplastic cells in PI and indicates the efficiency of D2r agonists as a treatment for PPID.

Chlamydiosis and cystic dilatation of the ovarian bursa in the female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus): Novel insights into the pathogenesis and mechanisms of formation.

Infection with Chlamydia pecorum is one of the main causes of progressive decline of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in Eastern Australia. Pathological changes associated with the chlamydial infection in the genital tract of female and male koalas have been widely described with reports of acute and chronic lymphoplasmacytic inflammation and the description of the cystic dilatation of the ovarian bursa. Although these disease manifestations can result in severe chronic inflammation, structural changes and even sterility, only limited data is currently available on the organism's distribution and associated histopathological and ultrastructural changes within the upper genital tract of affected females. This study examined the pathogenesis of the most common pathological lesion associated with chlamydiosis in female koalas, the cystic dilation of the ovarian bursa starting from the evidence that Chlamydia spp. induces disruption of the intercellular junctions in the epithelium of the reproductive organs in humans. Histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed to evaluate the structural features and the expression of epithelial cell and cellular junctions' markers in affected bursae from 39 Chlamydia-infected female koalas. Epithelial cells from the ovarian bursae of one affected animal examined by transmission electron microscopy showed severe widening of the intercellular space, as morphologic evidence of disrupted permeability of the epithelial barrier. The epithelial cell-cell junctions markers E-cadherin, ß-catenin and ZO-1 expressions were significantly reduced in samples from cystic bursae when compared to normal tissue samples (P < 0.0001). On the other end, a significantly higher expression of the proliferation marker Ki67 was observed in cystic bursae compared to control samples (P < 0.0001). As these proteins are required to maintain epithelial functional integrity and cell-cell adhesive interactions, their loss may permanently impair and affect female koala fertility and suggest the molecular basis of the pathogenesis of the cystic accumulation of bursal fluid within this tissue.

A Review on Canine and Feline Prostate Pathology.

Prostatic diseases are very common in male dogs, accounting for 3-10% of cases submitted to the veterinary practitioners. Commonly reported canine prostatic disorders include prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, prostatic cysts and prostatic carcinoma. However, clinical signs may be non-specific, or many cases are asymptomatic, thus leading to a difficult estimation of the actual prevalence of clinical cases. On the other side, because of the rare occurrence of prostate disease in cats, very little is known about pathogenesis, diagnostic approaches and treatment. The goal of this review is to provide detailed clinical and pathological overview of the feline and canine prostatic pathology, including the most up-to-date classification systems and histological findings. Emphasis is places on gross, cytological and histological features that are critical to reach a definitive diagnosis for a proper treatment and prognosis.

Gender representation on journal editorial boards in the field of veterinary sciences.

Despite the increased entry of women into the veterinary profession over the past several decades, women remain substantially underrepresented in senior leadership positions. This may include editorial positions at veterinary sciences journals. This study examines the gender distribution of editorships of 143 journals from the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge Journal Citation Reports category of veterinary science. The gender analysis was performed by impact factor, editorial board role, country and publisher. Females were underrepresented in the group of managing editors (32.2% females vs 67.2% males), editors (34.5% females vs 65.1% males) and others (33.3% females vs. 65.4% males). The journal impact factor did not have a significant impact on the proportion of males versus females on the editorial board. The median publisher had 27.5% editorships belonging to women. North America Europe and Oceania showed the greatest representation of women on editorial boards. Our findings provide the first measure of gender distribution on editorial boards in the veterinary sciences and may stimulate a discussion on the current situation of women in academic positions and, in particular, on editorial boards. Further research should investigate the underlying causes contributing to this aspect of gender inequality and identify possible strategies to encourage a greater participation of women to editorial boards.