Ultrastructural features of supraspinal muscles in rabbits after long-term transcutaneous lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS)

Lateral electrical surface stimulation is one of methods used in the therapy of the progressive form of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) in children and youth. However, there are data suggesting that this method may lead to serious adverse side effects, when used for a too long period of time per day. To clarify this issue, the present study was aimed at disclosing possible changes in the ultrastructural appearance of rabbit supraspinal muscles undergoing long-term stimulation (9 h per day, 3 months), an animal model successfully used to mimic the situation in humans. In comparison to the control animals, muscles of "overstimulated" rabbits exhibited clear signs of microscopical lesions, including depletion and disintegration of myofilaments, proliferation, dilatation and, sometimes, swelling of sarcoplasmic reticulum and/or mitochondria, as well as signs of destruction of the Z line. The above-mentioned abnormalities, especially the signs of degenerative processes associated with the Z line and the observed microlesions strongly suggest that the failure of the long-term LESS therapy of the IS may be attributable to these ultrastructural lesions

Significance of cyclooxygenase-2 in oncogenesis

The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme catalyses the first stage of biosynthesis of prostanoids, proteins that are implicated in various physiological and pathological processes in humans and animals. The expression of COX-2 increases significantly during pathological processes accompanied by inflammation, pain and fever. Overexpression of COX-2 was determined in tumour tissues, which suggests that this enzyme participates in oncogenesis. In this paper the topics discussed are mechanisms regulating COX-2 expression, COX isoforms, their role in the body and the oncogenic mechanisms triggered by the overexpression of COX-2, including inhibition of apoptosis, intensification of neoangiogenesis, increased metastatic capacity, and weakening of the immune system. The significance of and the mechanisms by which COX-2 participates in oncogenesis have been studied intensively in recent years. The results are highly promising, and they expand our understanding of the complex processes and changes at the molecular, cellular and tissue level that promote oncogenesis and cancer progression. Notwithstanding the knowledge already gleaned, many processes and mechanisms have not yet been elucidated in human medicine and, in particular, in veterinary medicine. Further research is required to develop effective tumour diagnostic methods and treatment procedures for humans and animals

Cyclooxygenase-2 as a biomarker with diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic, and predictive relevance in small animal oncology

In canine and feline populations, the number of neoplasm cases continues to increase around the world. Attempts are being made in centres of research to identify new biomarkers that speed up and improve the quality of oncological diagnostics and therapy in human and animal tumour patients. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a promising biomarker with increasing relevance to human oncology, but as yet with less application in veterinary oncology. The expression of COX-2 increases significantly during pathological processes involving inflammation, pain or fever. It is also overexpressed in humans presenting various types of tumours and in selected types of tumours in animals, particularly in dogs. This article discusses the expression of COX-2 in canine and feline tumours, the importance of COX-2 as a biomarker with diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic and predictive relevance in oncology, and the clinical significance of inhibiting COX-2 overexpression in tumours

Research Directions in European Veterinary Pathology in 2010-2016 based on the Congresses of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology and the European College of Veterinary Pathologists

The objective of this paper is to depict the current research directions in veterinary pathology in Europe. The analysis was carried out based on the abstracts and agendas of the annual European Society of Veterinary Pathology (ESVP) congresses organised together with the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP) in 2010-2016. In total, 1444 presentations were evaluated, including 41 plenary lectures, 319 short oral presentations, and 1081 posters, and in 2016 also three science slams. It was found that infectious and parasitic diseases (467 presentations, 32.34%) and oncology (450 presentations, 31.16%) were the most commonly discussed topics. Organ pathology was also addressed (327 presentations, 22.65%), with the subsequent places taken by research on different topics (140 presentations, 9.70%) and toxicopathology (67 presentations, 4.64%). Among the most commonly presented issues, there was a substantial number of presentations on neurology (129 speeches, 8.93%) and mammary gland diseases (101 presentations, 6.99%). A downward trend was revealed for infectious and parasitic diseases and for oncology, and a positive trend for organ pathology, the first and the third being statistically significant

Ultrastructural features of supraspinal muscles in rabbits after long-term transcutaneous lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS)

Lateral electrical surface stimulation is one of methods used in the therapy of the progressive form of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) in children and youth. However, there are data suggesting that this method may lead to serious adverse side effects, when used for a too long period of time per day. To clarify this issue, the present study was aimed at disclosing possible changes in the ultrastructural appearance of rabbit supraspinal muscles undergoing long-term stimulation (9 h per day, 3 months), an animal model successfully used to mimic the situation in humans. In comparison to the control animals, muscles of "overstimulated" rabbits exhibited clear signs of microscopical lesions, including depletion and disintegration of myofilaments, proliferation, dilatation and, sometimes, swelling of sarcoplasmic reticulum and/or mitochondria, as well as signs of destruction of the Z line. The above-mentioned abnormalities, especially the signs of degenerative processes associated with the Z line and the observed microlesions strongly suggest that the failure of the long-term LESS therapy of the IS may be attributable to these ultrastructural lesions

TRENDS IN VETERINARY EXPERT OPINIONS ON ANIMALS

This paper analyses veterinary expert opinions and determines the most common reasons for appointing veterinarians as expert witness in cases related to different animal species. The paper also summarises twenty one years of services provided by the Department of Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Administration, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in 1995 – 2015. The analysis was based on 319 expert opinions, of which 172 concerned various animal species and is presented in this work. Criminal judicial bodies were the most common ordering party, followed by civil judicial bodies, natural persons, public administration authorities and insurance companies. To determine the trends in conflicting situations in the expert opinions issued over 21 years, two periods of opinions were distinguished: the first period covering the years 1995 – 2005 (73 expert opinions) and the second one covered 2006 – 2015 (99 expert opinions). The authors demonstrated that in the second period, companion animals (mainly dogs) were far more often the subject of expert opinions than in 1995 – 2005 and the cases predominantly referred to animal cruelty issues. The second most common group were production animals (cattle, horses and pigs) followed by wild living animals. The expert opinions concerned the animals themselves but also animal products, particularly the observance of sanitary and hygiene measures at different manufacturing stages. The diversity of cases and conflicts in which a veterinarian acts as the expert witness is also increasing. Key words: veterinary forensic medicine; expert opinions; animals; conflicts; veterinary practice   TRENDI STROKOVNIH VETERINARSKIH MNENJ O ŽIVALIH Povzetek: Prispevek presoja veterinarska strokovna mnenja in določa najpogostejše razloge za imenovanje veterinarjev kot strokovnjakov v primerih, povezanih z različnimi živalskimi vrstami. V prispevku je povzetih 21 let službe Oddelka za forenzično veterinarsko medicino in administracijo na Univerzi Warmia in Mazury v Olsztynu, in sicer od 1995 do 2015. Analiza je temeljila na 319 strokovnih mnenjih, od katerih jih je 172 obravnavalo različne živalske vrste, ki so predstavljene v tej študiji. Najpogostejši naročnik so bili kriminalni pravosodni organi, nato pa so sledila civilna pravosodna telesa, fizične osebe, organi javne uprave in zavarovalnice. Za določitev trendov v konfliktnih situacijah v strokovnih mnenjih, izdanih v zadnjih 21 letih, je bila raziskava razdeljena na dve ločeni obdobji: prvo obdobje od leta 1995 do leta 2005 (73 strokovnih mnenj) in drugo obdobje, ki zajema čas od leta 2006 do leta 2015 (99 mnenj strokovnjakov). Avtorji so pokazali, da so v drugem obdobju ljubiteljske vrste živali (predvsem psi) veliko bolj pogosto predmet strokovnih mnenj kot v zgodnejšem obdobju (1995 – 2005), pri čemer so se mnenja v največ primerih nanašale na vprašanja krutega ravnanja z živalmi. Druga najpogostejša skupina so bile proizvodne živali (govedo, konji in prašiči), tem pa so sledile divje živali. Strokovna mnenja so se nanašala na same živali, pa tudi na živalske proizvode, zlasti na upoštevanje sanitarnih in higienskih ukrepov na različnih stopnjah proizvodnje. Raznolikost primerov in konfliktov, v katerih veterinar deluje kot izvedenec se je prav tako povečalo. Ključne besede: veterinarska forenzična medicina; strokovna mnenja; živali; konflikti; veterinarska praks