Eletrocardiografia computadorizada em cadelas com tumores mamários / Electrocardiography in bitches with mammary tumors

The incidence of cancer has increased due to greater longevity of the animals as a consequence of better control of other diseases, improvement of nutrition and good practices in preventive medicine. Malignant tumors can cause paraneoplastic syndrome such as hypercalcemia, anemia, cachexia, among others and consequent cardiovascular disorders. The electrocardiography (ECG) is a complementary exam that can reveal with its traces these rhythmic disorders. Based on that, the objective of this study was to evaluate the ECG in bitches with mammary tumors in order to detect in which type of tumor would be found significant changes as in cardiac rhythm, ECG waves, segments or cardiac axis. Twenty-nine female dogs were used in this study, being 19 bitches with mammary tumor, and they were allocated in three groups: G1: control group (n = 10), G2: benign neoplasia group (n = 6) and G3: malignant neoplasia group (n = 13). The most prevalent type of neoplasia in G2 was the benign mixed tumor (83%), followed by adenoma (17%) whereas in G3: carcinoma in mixed tumor (61%); papillary carcinoma (23%). Regarding cardiac rhythm, it was found sinus arrhythmia (SA) and normal sinus rhythm (NS): G1: 50% SA and 50% NS; G2: 67% SA and 33% NS; G3: 54% SA and 46% NS. No ventricular or atrial arrhythmias were detected. For other parameters in G1, G2 and G3, respectively (mean ± Std error): FC (bpm): 110±9.2, 120 ± 8.5, 124±7,5; P (ms): 48 ± 1.6, 51 ± 1.8, 50 ± 1.2; P (mV) 0.19 ± 0.02, 0.2 ± 0.02, 0.19 ± 0.02; PR (ms): 94 ± 4.3, 93 ± 5.5, 89 ± 3.9; QRS (ms): 56 ± 1.54, 60 ± 4, 62 ± 1.2; R (mV): 1.1 ± 0.06, 1.2 ± 0.24, 0.9 ± 0.13; QT (ms): 203 ± 9.4; 204 ± 7.9; 182 ± 15.6; and cardiac axis (°): 66 ± 6.2, 61 ± 7.9, 70 ± 7.5. There were no significant differences for all cardiac parameters and also for ST interval and T wave morphology. All electrocardiographic parameters found are in accordance with other studies carried out in the canine species. The results regarding tumor types differ from what was found in another study, in which in 18 bitches with mammary tumors, 55% were benign, with prevalence of adenomas (38%) followed by benign mixed tumors, and 45% malignant, with adenocarcinoma prevailing (22%). In another study, it was verified in 63 bitches the predominance of tubular carcinoma (26.56%) and carcinoma in mixed tumors (23.44%). Diverging from the electrocardiographic parameters of this study, a significant difference was found in the R wave amplitude value in the research by Barros et al., (2015) who performed computerized electrocardiography in 50 dogs, not only with mammary neoplasms (55% mammary carcinomas), but also in mastocytomas, lymphomas, benign tumors and other sarcomas. This author found out that the R wave amplitude values of the neoplasia group were lower when compared to the control group. In addition, we suspect that other types of tumors could result in more paraneoplastic syndrome than the mammary neoplasms found in this research. Neoplasms as lymphomas (T cells), apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinomas, multiple myelomas and thymomas are known as a cause of hypercalcemia of malignancy and histiocytic sarcomas, myelomas, leukemia and lymphomas causing anemia. In conclusion, ECG has no changes in benign or malignant mammary tumors in dogs. However, this fact does not exclude the importance of its performance in pre-anesthetic evaluations. Further studies with a larger sample including the clinical staging of these bitches with a balanced number of animals with low and high staging are suggested.(AU)

Effects of dietary supplementation with a microalga (Schizochytrium sp.) on the hemato-immunological, and intestinal histological parameters and gut microbiota of Nile tilapia in net cages.

Nutritional improvements in intensive aquaculture production systems is necessary for the reduction of stress, maximum utilization of nutritional components, and expression of the genetic potential of fish. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hemato-immunological, and histological parameters and gut microbiota of Nile tilapia fed with the microalga Schizochytrium sp. Males of Nile tilapia were distributed among eight net cages (6 m3), and fed for 105 days with two diets: control (CON), without Schizochytrium sp., and supplemented (SUP), with 1.2% Schizochytrium sp. in the diet. The final weight, mortality, hematocrit, total erythrocyte count (RBC), hemoglobin, hematimetric indices, white blood cell count (WBC), total protein, and serum lysozyme were measured. Alterations in intestinal morphology were evaluated. The gut microbiota was evaluated with next-generation sequencing. No significant differences (p>0.05) were found in the final weight and mortality between diets. Regarding the hematological parameters, a difference (p<0.05) was detected only in RBC, with there being lower values in the SUP, although this group also showed a tendency toward having an increased mean corpuscular hemoglobin level. There were no differences (p>0.05) in total protein and serum lysozyme concentrations or in WBCs between diets, except for lymphocytes, which presented lower values (p<0.05) in the SUP, suggesting immunomodulation by the polyunsaturated fatty acids present in the microalga. There was no difference (p>0.05) in the intestinal morphology between diets. Metagenomic data indicated greater richness (represented by the Chao index) and a higher abundance of the bacterial phylum Firmicutes in the gut microbiota of the tilapia fed with the SUP diet, demonstrating that the digestion and use of the components of the microalga could influence the microbial community. The results indicated that the microalga had modulatory effects on blood cells and the intestinal microbiota, without affecting the structure and integrity of the intestinal villi.

Mensuração de hormônios andrógenos, estrógeno, fosfatase ácida prostática (PAP) e antígeno prostático específico (PSA) em cães adultos com próstata normal e hiperplásica / Androgens, estrogen, prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) measure in adult male dogs with normal and hyperplasic prostate

As doenças prostáticas constituem um problema comum em cães adultos e idosos. Uma das afecções mais freqüentes é a hiperplasia prostática benigna (HPB) que, tanto no cão como no homem, está associada ao avanço da idade e ao desequilíbrio hormonal. No presente trabalho foram mensurados hormônios andrógenos, estrógeno, fosfatase ácida prostática (PAP) e antígeno prostático específico (PSA) de 37 cães com idade superior a três anos, em função do aspecto microscópico da próstata. Encontraram-se baixos níveis de estrógeno e altas concentrações de PSA nos animais com algum tipo de hiperplasia. Os valores de PAP sérico e urinário também foram maiores nos cães com hiperplasia.

Prostatic diseases have been a common problem in middle age and older intact male dogs. Among these, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP) is the most frequent, age-related and hormonal-dependent condition of human and canine prostate. Blood samples were collected from 37 male intact dogs, tree years old dogs or more to determine androgens, estrogen, prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) according to histopathological aspects. Low levels of estrogen and high levels of prostatic specific antigen (PSA) were founded in dogs with BHP, respectively. Seric and urinary PAP levels were high in dogs with hyperplasia.