Evaluation of contrast enhanced ultrasonography (ceus) in canine mammary gland tumours

Contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is a non-invasive method of examination that surpassed the normal standard B-Mode and Doppler ultrasonography (US). The use of contrast agents (CA) allows the examiner to observe a more detailed map of the tumor vascularization. The aim of this study was to establish the advantages and disadvantages of this method. The study was conducted on 5 canine patients, different breeds with the the age between 8 and 12 years. Each patient was presented with a mammary tumor and evaluated through a standard US. The CEUS examination was performed after injecting intravenously, in bolus, 1 ml/10 kg of prepared UCA SonoVue (8 μl/ml sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles, Bracco, Italy). A 3-minute recording was saved after the administration and afterwards evaluated. The results were satisfactory, but the small mammary nodules were not only hard to examine but did not show a difference from the B-Mode US. The advantages were clear in the larger and more aggressive tumors and a layout of the neovascularization was quite clear. In conclusion, at this stage of the study the disadvantages outweigh the advantages and further investigations are needed

Anatomical aspects of the celiac artery in lamb

Among different species there are comparable structural characteristics in tissues and organs, but they also have different particularities responsible for certain functions. The components of the cardiovascular system should correspond to the solicitations given by the pressure and blood flow in a particular segment. If the solicitations exceed a particular threshold, the functional adaptation requires supporting morphological changes. The development of the circulatory system in lambs is correlated with the development of the digestive system, the type of nutrition and the characteristics of this species as ruminants. To capture the adaptive changes we resorted to anatomical investigations. The aim of this research was to identify and describe the particularities of the celiac artery in lambs. The study included 15 hybrid Merino lambs, 4-6 months old, sacrificed by the breeder. After removing the skin, the abdominal aorta was identified through stratigraphic dissection. Further on, latex and red coloring substance were injected. This facilitated the following stratigraphic dissection which worked towards the identification of the celiac artery with its collaterals and terminals. We identified that the celiac artery has its origin on the ventral wall of the abdominal in 3 terminal branches: the splenic artery, the hepatic artery and the left gastric artery. All terminal arteries give collaterals to the forestomach. On its trajectory the celiac artery gives only one collateral branch, the caudal phrenic artery. In conclusion, through the collaterals of aorta, near the diaphragm. From the origin, it has a ventro-caudal direction and after 2 cm it separates its terminal branches, the celiac artery is the main blood supplier to the forestomach. Furthermore, the collateral arteries present specific particularities due to the yet incomplete growth of young individuals that were taken into study

Inflammation and fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure: is there a need for rehabilitation?

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly prevalent among the general population as well as in those exhibiting heart failure (HF), and the symptomatology progressively worsens when both conditions are met. The aim of this study was to analyse the role of inflammation and fibrosis biomarkers in patients with AF and HF. Methods: 108 subjects with heart failure were enrolled in the study. All patients were evaluated clinically, biologically and echocardiographically. Plasma values of NT-proBNP, Gal-3 and sST2 were determined. Results: Out of all patients, 64.8% experienced at least one AF event. There were no differences in the mean left ventricular ejection fraction between the groups, which was 39.4 ± 11.2%. In terms of left atrium dimensions, the values in the AF group were significantly higher ( 51.19 ± 7.3 vs. 44.68 ± 7.16 mm, p<0.001). AF history was associated with a trend of decreased eGFR - 59,22±24,1 ml/min/1.73m3 vs 75,95±29,1 ml/min/1.73m3 (p=0.006). There was no statistically significant difference in the level of HF biomarkers (sST2, Galectin-3 and NT-pro BNP) between individuals with or without AF. Conclusion: Patients with HF are at greater risk to develop AF. HF biomarkers (sST2, Galectin-3 and NT-pro BNP) are not influenced by the presence of AF

Using contrast computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of some canine male genitalia disorders

The ultrasound examination is a powerful tool in diagnosing canine male genital disorders, but presents some shortcomings in the exact localization of some intraabdominal masses and their vascularization. Some disorders, such as abdominal sertolinomas, atrophic testicle, persistent Müllerian ducts (PMDS) or testicle cord torsions, can be difficult to diagnose and pinpoint if the obvious symptoms (for example feminization, alopecia and skin hyperpigmentation) are not present. The purpose of this study was to test the accuracy of contrast computed tomography (CT) techniques compared to the ultrasound exam (US), in diagnosing some male reproductive disorders. The study was conducted on 7 male canine patients, pure breed, with the age between 3 months and 7 years old. After the patients were presented at the clinic an ultrasound in B-Mode and Doppler was performed using a Mindray DC3 Vet equipment. The CT contrast agent was Visipaque (iodixanol, 320 mgI/mL, producer Nycomed Amersham) using automated injection after the patient was general anesthetized, the dose being automated adjusted by the device. The results are inconclusive; the retained testicle ca be easily observed but the uterine artery as well as the reminiscent uterine horns are too small to visualize. The disadvantage of the CT is besides the radiation; the patient needs to be under general anesthesia. In conclusion, in some cases, such as cryptordism, sertolinomas, lymphnode metastasis or intraabdminal masses, the CT is very efficient in pinpointing the exact location, but in other cases such as PMDS the contrast CT is not recommended, but the US is

Incidental Discovery of a Cardiac Thrombus Mimicking a Right Atrial Myxoma in a Young Female Patient – A Case Report

Cardiac masses are at the attention of health specialists since the development of echocardiography. Even though imaging is an excellent tool for diagnosis, the clinical presentation, risk factors, and hemodynamic status of the patients are important in establishing the diagnosis and subsequent management. The purpose of this presentation is to assess the difficulty of diagnosis in the case of an intracardiac mass and its therapeutic management

Quality of the Teaching Process and its Factors of Influence from the Perspective of Future Business Specialists

In the context of the large number of Romanian economic graduates competing for a relatively small number of specialized positions, an increasingly dynamic environment that requires specialists and leaders with practical skills, internationalization and increasing competition among higher education institutions to attract both students and financing, it is necessary to evaluate the quality and performance of business educational programs. Periodic evaluation is the premise of improving and modernizing educational services, and students, as the primary beneficiaries of education, are the first to be included in this process. Therefore, the goal of this research is to identify the perceptions of students specializing in the financial management of European funds regarding the quality of teaching staff and the teaching process. This study takes a quantitative approach using a survey method and a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. The questionnaire includes a set of 11 specific items that are considered to be most relevant to the quality of higher education services and two related to overall perceptions of quality. Data were collected from a sample of more than 1,500 students enrolled in a new master’s program on the axis specified above. Analyses showed that three factors have a significant influence not only on the assessment of teacher performance during courses and seminars but also on the quality of the teacher involved in the process: the use of modern teaching techniques, the degree to which master’s students are trained and actively participate in teaching activities, and the presentation of quality and coherent information. A teacher’s performance is influenced to a lesser extent, but still a significant one, by other two items included in this study: delivering materials on time and efficiently using the time allocated to the discipline. However, professor performance is also negatively correlated with the relevance of the information offered to students and the difficulty of the assessment. This study offers a valuable perspective on the quality of the educational process as perceived by Romanian university students. It identifies the most relevant factors in ensuring the quality of a master’s program focused on providing practical skills and training international specialists in the area of international funds management

The Role of Circulating Tumor Cells in Chemoresistant Metastatic Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent form of cancer among women and is one of the leading causes of death. Two routes of the metastatic process have been described: linear and parallel progression. A key factor is represented by circulating tumor cells (CTCs). CTCs detach from the primary tumor or develop from cancer stem cells (CSCs) that undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CTCs migrate to the distant site where the reverse process occurs and a new tumor arises. One of the key problems of metastatic disease is chemoresistance, which leads to treatment failure and, eventually, death. The aim of this review is to present up-to-date data regarding the role of CTCs in chemoresistance in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. A search in Cochrane Library and MEDLINE databases was performed. A total of 125 articles were identified. The results of the final 12 eligible studies revealed that CTCs having stem cell features and those with mesenchymal features are aggressive subtypes of cells that survive chemotherapy, being responsible for chemoresistance and thus for disease progression in MBC patients. The hemodynamic shear stress, alongside dynamic changes among CTCs during the disease, is also an important disease progression factor