Search Results (55)

Synchronous low-grade alimentary lymphoma and gastrointestinal mast cell tumor have recently been described in cats. This report describes synchronous low-grade alimentary lymphoma and gastrointestinal mast cell tumor involving the jejunum in a cat. A 2.3 kg, 15-year-old, spayed female Chinchilla Persian cat presented with vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy. Ultrasonography and computed tomography demonstrated diffuse intestinal wall thickening and a focal jejunal lesion characterized by marked transmural thickening with loss of wall layering. Exploratory laparotomy and full-thickness intestinal biopsies were conducted. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination revealed two morphologically distinct neoplastic populations involving different jejunal wall layers. The two populations were anatomically adjacent but remained distinct without convincing intermingling in the examined histologic sections. These findings supported the interpretation of a lesion most consistent with a collision pattern. The affected intestinal segment was surgically resected, and chlorambucil and prednisolone were administered postoperatively. Clinical signs resolved, imaging abnormalities improved, and no evidence of local gastrointestinal mast cell tumor recurrence or progression of low-grade alimentary lymphoma was detected during the 14-month follow-up period. This case expands the currently recognized morphologic spectrum of synchronous feline intestinal neoplasia and highlights the importance of comprehensive histopathologic assessment and full-thickness intestinal biopsies for accurate diagnosis. Full article

Although renal disease in Syrian hamsters (SHs) has been reported, imaging studies of normal kidneys in this commonly used pet and laboratory species are lacking, despite the key role of imaging in diagnosis. This study aimed to examine kidneys of Syrian hamsters using radiographic and anatomical methods, focusing on kidney location, visibility, size, and its ratio to the second lumbar vertebra, along with the effects of sex, body size, side, and recumbency. Abdominal radiographs were obtained from 29 clinically healthy adult Syrian hamsters of both sexes to assess kidney visibility, position, and size as well as the length of second lumbar vertebral body on lateral and ventrodorsal (VD) views, followed by an in situ anatomical study for comparative analysis. The kidneys were typically located opposite the first to third lumbar vertebrae. On VD views, the left kidney was generally visible, whereas the right was identified in only 28%. The mean values of radiographic RKL, LKL, and 2LVL were 15.2 mm, 12.44 mm, and 14.27 mm, respectively, and the KL/2LVL ratio ranged from 2.66 to 4.00. No significant sex differences were observed in KL or the KL/2LVL ratio in either anatomical or radiographic measurements (p > 0.05). Sex had a significant effect on both radiographic and anatomical 2LVL measurements, with females generally showing higher values than males. Unlike the anatomical measurements, no significant differences between sides were found in radiographic KL and the KL/2LVL ratio. The radiographic RKL, LKL, and 2LVL were significantly larger than those obtained from anatomical measurements. No significant correlation was found between KL, 2LVL, or the KL/2LVL ratio and body length or body weight in either radiographic or anatomical measurements, except for a correlation between body weight and anatomical KL. Right and left kidneys were symmetrically placed, as in rats, but differed from rabbits and guinea pigs. Kidney visibility on VD views was similar to that reported in rabbits. Radiographic RKL, LKL, and 2LVL values differed from those of rodents and rabbits. The radiographic ratio was larger than the values reported in rats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, and rabbits. A single KL-to-2LVL ratio reference range applies to both kidneys and sexes, simplifying clinical assessment. Full article

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is maintained in nature by complex interactions among wild vertebrates and triatomine insect vectors, yet the role of many introduced hosts remains poorly resolved. Here, we assessed natural T. cruzi infection in wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from central Chile, where introduced rabbits overlap ecologically with the sylvatic vector Mepraia spinolai. Eight free-ranging rabbits captured in Las Chinchillas National Reserve were evaluated using an integrative diagnostic approach combining xenodiagnosis with laboratory-reared, parasite-free M. spinolai nymphs, real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting T. cruzi satellite DNA in blood and 12–14 organs per animal, and histopathology with immunohistochemistry (anti-cruzipain) to identify tissue parasite forms. Blood molecular detection was positive in seven out of eight rabbits, while xenodiagnosis detected viable parasites in two out of seven evaluated individuals. Organ molecular screening detected T. cruzi DNA in at least one organ in all rabbits, with frequent positivity in the diaphragm, reproductive tissues, spleen, and kidney. Histopathology identified parasite forms in four out of eight animals, and immunohistochemistry confirmed hepatic amastigotes in one case. These findings provide multi-method evidence of natural infection in the sampled individuals, including evidence of parasite viability in some individuals, suggesting potential epidemiological relevance within this ecological context and possible utility for surveillance in Chilean sylvatic transmission settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alveolitis, or “dry socket,” is a common complication after tooth extraction, associated with pain, inflammation and delayed healing. Standard surgical treatments are often invasive and insufficient. Laser therapy offers antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of 980 nm monolaser therapy and 980 nm and 1550 nm dual-wavelength therapy on alveolar socket healing in a rabbit model. Methods: In vitro tests evaluated bactericidal effects of 980 nm laser exposure. Eighteen adult male chinchilla rabbits underwent the extraction of the first incisors with the prevention of clot formation to model alveolar socket healing. On day 3, animals were randomized to three groups: mechanical curettage and antiseptic irrigation, 980 nm diode laser therapy, or combined 980 nm + 1550 nm therapy. Clinical parameters (hyperemia, edema, pain, socket closure) were assessed up to day 7. Histological and microbiological analyses were performed on days 7 and 12. Results: Laser therapy showed superior outcomes compared to mechanical treatment. In vitro, 980 nm exposure eradicated microorganisms after 3 s. By day 7, hyperemia decreased to 0.7 ± 0.6 points in the dual-laser group, versus 2.0 ± 0.0 (980 nm) and 3.0 ± 0.0 (mechanical). Complete socket closure occurred in 33% with mechanical treatment and in 67% of sites in the dual-laser group. Pain was fully resolved only after dual-laser therapy. Histology confirmed more organized granulation tissue and angiogenesis in the dual-laser group. Conclusions: Dual-wavelength laser therapy demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and regenerative effects compared with diode monotherapy and mechanical treatment. These findings highlight its promise as a minimally invasive approach for managing alveolitis, warranting further clinical evaluation. Full article

Understanding trophic ecology is fundamental for the conservation of threatened species with specialist trophic strategies, such as the short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla), a critically endangered rodent whose diet in the wild is poorly understood. This study presents the first integrated annual characterization of the dietary habits, trophic niche, and resource selection patterns of a high-Andean population. Plant availability was assessed, and dietary composition was analyzed via seasonal microhistological analysis of fecal samples. Diversity (Shannon-Wiener, H′), overlap (Schoener, PS), and resource selection (Manly’s selection index) metrics were calculated. The results indicate a diet of very low diversity (H′ < 0.1), stable throughout the year (PS > 0.99), and dominated (>77%) by grass Pappostipa frigida, with significant positive selection in all seasons. Shrub species, such as Adesmia frigida, were consistently avoided. This high degree of specialization reflects low functional plasticity and highlights the high vulnerability of C. chinchilla to environmental changes and habitat loss, underscoring that the conservation and restoration of P. frigida grasslands are imperative for the species’ survival. Microhistological methodology is confirmed as a key tool for identifying critical trophic relationships and supporting conservation plans based on essential resources. Full article

The growing production and use of silver nanoparticles continues to raise questions about their consequences for human and animal health. The method of production, particle stabilization, particle size, concentration, and duration of exposure to cells can affect their reactivity and, consequently, their toxicity. This study was conducted to determine the degree of harmfulness of colloidal silver compounds, including silver nanoparticles produced via the HVAD method, to mitotic chromosomes in chinchilla’s cells. Thanks to the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test, chromosome damage during cell division, i.e., the actual toxic effect of the tested compounds, could be assessed. For this purpose, whole peripheral blood from chinchillas was exposed in vitro to three colloidal silver compounds (unstable AgNP-HVAD, sodium citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles—[AgNP+C], and silver nitrate) for 3, 6, and 24 h. The toxicity of these compounds was assessed at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 µg/L and the occurrence of sister chromatid exchanges on chromosomes, resulting from double-strand DNA breaks, was analyzed. The studies revealed a notable increase in SCEs compared to the control group, suggesting the genotoxic properties of the examined AgNPs. The highest level of chromosome damage was observed following exposure to citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles. Further research is needed to better understand the toxicological mechanisms of AgNPs produced via the HVAD method and their effects on mammalian somatic cells. Full article

The Ecuadorian Tropical Andes serve as vital biodiversity hotspots, crucial for hosting and preserving unique endemic species. While numerous taxonomic groups within these hotspots have been extensively studied, microalgae remain relatively unknown. This study aimed to document the microalgal diversity of Tropical Andean lakes in Ecuador and its relationship with abiotic environmental factors. Water samples were collected from 28 lakes throughout 10 conservation areas, spanning different altitudes in the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes, along with water physical/chemical data. A total of 92 microalgal genera were identified, spanning Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Glaucophyta, Ocrophyta, Cyanophyta, and Euglenophyta. Lakes such as Rodeococha, Anteojos, Chinchillas, Toreadora, Magdalena, and La Mica exhibited the highest richness of microalgal genera. A positive association between temperature and the majority of microalgal phyla, except Glaucophyta, was observed. On the other hand, negative correlations were observed between total dissolved solids and water conductivity with microalgal biodiversity. Additionally, all groups displayed negative associations with pH, except Glaucophyta. The Jaccard similarity index was low among lake communities in agreement with the uniqueness of genera found in some lakes. This study represents a fundamental baseline for future investigations into Ecuador’s microalgal diversity and its relationship with abiotic environmental factors in the delicate freshwater ecosystems of Tropical Andean lakes. Full article

Background: Climate change threatens global food security, highlighting the need for adaptive traits in livestock to ensure sustainable production. Rabbits, known for their unique adaptability, require the preservation of genetic diversity to maintain resilience. The decline in genetic specificity among indigenous breeds underscores the urgency of conservation efforts to protect these critical resources. Objectives: This study investigates the genetic structure and diversity of indigenous rabbit populations, emphasizing genetic mapping as essential for sustaining adaptability. The findings aim to guide breeding programs that enhance biodiversity and support agricultural resilience. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed both native and exotic rabbit breeds. Native breeds included Black Baladi (BB), White Baladi (WB), Red Baladi (RB), and Jabali (JAB), while exotic breeds included New Zealand White (NZW), American Rex (AR), and Chinchilla (CH). Fourteen microsatellite loci were genotyped in 526 rabbits across all breeds. Results: A total of 467 alleles were identified, with an overall mean of 5.03. The expected heterozygote frequencies were medium to high. Polymorphism was high in BB, JAB, and NZW, and medium in WB, RB, AR, and CH. F_IS and F_IT values (−0.044 and 0.156) suggested possible non-intensive inbreeding. F_ST (0.220) showed breed differentiation and high within-breed variation. The gene flow averaged 1.872, indicating interbreed gene exchange. Neutrality and phylogenetic analyses revealed genetic reshaping; BB, WB, RB, AR, CH, and NZW showed overlap, while JAB retained high specificity. Conclusions: Urgent conservation strategies are essential to preserve native rabbit genetic diversity and unique traits, which are vital for sustaining biodiversity and livestock resilience globally. Full article

This study investigated the cage size preferences of juvenile chinchillas using enclosures that allowed free choice between different dimensions. Three comparisons were tested: (1) small floor area (0.15 m²) vs. double floor area (0.30 m²) at constant height; (2) low height (0.4 m) vs. high height (1.0 m) at constant floor area (0.15 m²); and (3) small–low cage (0.15 m² × 0.4 m) vs. large–high cage (0.30 m² × 1.0 m). The juveniles consistently preferred the smaller or lower enclosures across all trials. In the floor area tests, chinchillas spent about 66–75% of their time in the small cage compartments (p < 0.001). In the height comparison, the low cage was preferred by 70% (p < 0.001). When both floor area and height were increased, the small–low cage was preferred by 79% (p < 0.001). Differences in preference were most evident during the daytime period. At night, however, cage utilization was more even. These results indicate that young chinchillas strongly prefer smaller, lower spaces. Based on these preference tests alone, simply providing larger cages (without other modifications) did not result in greater use by juvenile chinchillas. These unexpected results suggest that factors such as safety or familiarity drive juveniles to choose smaller enclosures. Further research is needed to clarify the motivation behind these preferences and to determine how best to incorporate them into improved welfare-oriented housing designs. Full article

The anti-inflammatory effect of trypsin in animals and humans is the basis for the development of new veterinary and medical drugs and alternatives to antibiotics. The current experiment analyzed the effect of pig pancreatic tissue lyophilizate and crystalline trypsin on the hemodynamic and morpho-biochemical parameters of rabbit blood. The experiments were carried out on 20 rabbits of the Soviet chinchilla breed of 6–8 months of age. Animals were intramuscularly injected with sterile solution of 0.9% NaCl in 0.5 mL (group 1, n = 5), sterile solution of crystalline trypsin in 0.9% NaCl at a concentration of 0.25 mg/kg body weight (group 2, n = 5), sterile solution of crystalline trypsin in 0, 9% NaCl at a concentration of 0.5 mg/kg body weight (group 3, n = 5), or sterile suspension of pig pancreas lyophilizate at a concentration of 1 mg/kg body weight (group 4, n = 5). Animals were injected once daily for five consecutive days. Significant changes in arterial blood pressure, serum enzymes activity, and the count of various blood cellular components were induced by the administration of different trypsin preparations. All data obtained indicate the presence of a biologically active substance in the lyophilizate, the effect of which requires further animal studies to create a prototype for the development of new drugs for human and animal use. Full article

Previous research on geopolymers has not fully established their porosity and its influence on the matrix structure, as well as its relevance to mechanical and durability properties, supporting the potential of this material as a sustainable alternative to traditional construction materials. In this study, three geopolymer mortar (GM) mixtures were prepared: the first was obtained with fly ash (FA) without mechanical grinding (GM_FA), the second with FA that required crushing and sieving through a #200 sieve (GM_FA_200), and the third was a GM with FA that required crushing and sieving through a #325 sieve (GM_FA_325). The main objective was to evaluate the porosity of the geopolymeric paste and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the aggregate and the geopolymerization products. Due to the susceptibility of this area to develop higher porosity, which leads to reduced mechanical properties and durability, it has become a significant focus of investigation in materials such as concrete and mortar. These analyses were carried out using physical adsorption of gases (PAG), and a methodology for image analysis of GM microporosity was implemented using micrographs obtained from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and processed with the NI Vision Assistant 8.6 software (VA). The results from both image analysis and physical adsorption demonstrated that the GM_FA_325 matrix exhibited 19% less porosity compared to the GM_FA matrix. The results confirmed that GMs are predominantly mesoporous. It was observed that GM_FA_325 has the lowest total porosity, resulting in a denser and more compact microstructure, which is a key factor in its mechanical performance and potential applications as an eco-friendly construction material for coatings and precast elements such as blocks, panels, and similar products. In addition, image analysis using VA is highlighted as an efficient, cost-effective, and complementary technique to PAG, enabling robust results and resource optimization. Full article

The welfare of pet small mammals is an understudied, but growing research topic in the UK and Europe. We surveyed European veterinary experts who each rated severity and prevalence of a large number of issues in the eight most common species. Overall, 46 responses were obtained. We calculated the mean expert’s ratings for severity and prevalence of each issue, which were multiplied together to create an overall impact score. We then ranked issues from most to least impactful for each species. The most impactful welfare issue was perceived to be small housing for all the species apart from the rat where the main concern was respiratory disease. Where comparing veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, rating differed significantly on numerous issues. Veterinary nurses generally rated welfare issues as more prevalent than veterinary surgeons. UK respondents also rated numerous issues as more severe and prevalent than non-UK respondents. Better guidance on, and increased availability of, affordable large housing is likely to greatly improve small mammal welfare. Full article

Cementitious materials are indispensable in the construction industry and in urban development worldwide because cement pastes, mortars, and concrete provide mechanical strength, high durability, and excellent stability to various structures that are used in a lot of civil works. Owing to the impact and relevance of these materials, it is indispensable to frequently seek ways to improve their properties and characteristics. In recent years, the development of nanomaterials such as nanoparticles (NPs) and nanofibers (NFs) has allowed cementitious materials to improve their mechanical, thermal, chemical, and durability properties, among others. This can be associated with the fact that nanomaterials allow for improved cement hydration by retaining water in the mix, helping to define a more uniform microstructure and, therefore, significantly reducing porosity, which prevents contamination such as from the entry of external agents into the structure. In addition to providing an overview of the effects of using nanomaterials on enhancing the properties of cementitious materials, this review includes the most widely used nanomaterial synthesis methods in recent years and the contribution of these nanomaterials to sustainable and environmentally friendly construction. Full article

Aguama (Bromelia pinguin L.), a plant belonging to the Bromeliaceae family, possesses a rich content of organic compounds historically employed in traditional medicine. This research focuses on the sustainable synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via an eco-friendly route using 1, 2, and 4% of Aguama peel extract. This method contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the use of hazardous chemicals in nanoparticle production. The optical properties, including the band gap, were determined using the TAUC model through Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated using three widely studied organic dyes (methylene blue, methyl orange, and rhodamine B) under both solar and UV radiation. The results demonstrated that the ZnO nanoparticles, characterized by a wurtzite-type crystalline structure and particle sizes ranging from 68 to 76 nm, exhibited high thermal stability and band gap values between 2.60 and 2.91 eV. These nanoparticles successfully degraded the dyes completely, with methylene blue degrading in 40 min, methyl orange in 70 min, and rhodamine B in 90 min. This study underscores the potential of Bromelia pinguin L. extract in advancing sustainable nanoparticle synthesis and its application in environmental remediation through efficient photocatalysis. Full article

The study aimed to investigate adult chinchillas’ preferences when choosing between cages with different floor areas, heights, or both. The size of the cages with a larger floor area was double that of the standard-sized cages in the farms (0.25 and 0.50 m²), while their height was 2.4 times that of the standard-sized cages (0.4 and 1 m). The chinchillas (10–14 in each cohort) were housed in blocks of cages where they could move freely between the smaller and larger cages. The chinchillas’ location preferences were monitored continuously over five days using infrared video recording. The chinchillas were observed in the cages with smaller floor areas 1.9 and 2.7 times more frequently than in the larger ones (p < 0.001) during the dark (active) and light (resting) periods of the day, respectively. When the cage height was 0.4 m, they chose it 3.4 and 6.7 times more frequently, respectively, than the cage that was 1 m high (p < 0.001). When both the floor size and the height were increased, the chinchillas still favored the smaller and lower cages (p < 0.001). The study findings suggest that adult chinchillas show a preference for smaller and shorter cages when the small and large cages are not environment enrichment barren, especially during the rest period of the day, even when the floor area, height, or both are increased. In the future, it would be important to investigate different forms of cage enrichment. Full article