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Quantificação do Dímero-D plasmático em potros hígidos

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Quantificação do Dímero-D plasmático em potros hígidos Abstract: D-dimer is a product of clot fibrinolysis and is widely used in human medicine as a marker of procoagulant disorders. In equine medicine, its use has been investigated in inflammatory diseases; however, standard values in healthy animals have not yet been established, nor has the influence of variables such as age and breed been evaluated. This study aimed to identify plasma D-dimer levels in healthy Quarter Horse and Mangalarga Marchador foals. A total of 94 foals from the Triângulo Mineiro region were evaluated between October 2025 and February 2026, undergoing clinical screening, complete blood count, and biochemical analyses (creatinine, urea, AST, GGT, albumin, and CK), as well as D-dimer measurement by immunoturbidimetry. After exclusions due to clinical or laboratory abnormalities, 90 animals remained in the study. The foals were allocated into four groups according to breed and age: G1MM (0–30 days, Mangalarga Marchador; n = 22), G2MM (>30 days–1 year, Mangalarga Marchador; n = 24), G1QM (0–30 days, Quarter Horse; n = 23), and G2QM (>30 days–1 year, Quarter Horse; n = 21), and into two age-based groups: G1 (0–30 days) and G2 (>30 days–1 year). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, along with the Shapiro–Wilk test and Mann–Whitney comparisons (p < 0.05). Marked individual variability, an asymmetric distribution, and the absence of statistically significant differences between breeds or age ranges were observed, with broad overlap of interquartile ranges among groups. Hypotheses that may explain these findings include a possible greater variability in D-dimer concentration in animals up to 30 days of age as a sign of system immaturity, rather than a standardized increase or decrease in this group. In addition, any differences in neonates may be restricted to the first days of life and diluted by the inclusion of these animals in a broader group (0–30 days), suggesting rapid system development.

Citotoxicidade da suplementação de β-NGF no meio de maturação ovocitária da produção in vitro de embriões bovinos

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Citotoxicidade da suplementação de β-NGF no meio de maturação ovocitária da produção in vitro de embriões bovinos Abstract: The in vitro production of embryos (IVP) has already been a widely used technique in Brazil applied to animal reproduction, standing out in the evolution of efficiency in cattle farming. However, this biotechnology still has low efficiency in the utilization of oocytes and, therefore, needs to be improved. There are already studies that have verified positive effects of supplementation with 100 ng/ml of the β-NGF protein in the in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) medium. However, on the other hand, there are studies that demonstrate possible cytotoxic effects with supplementation of 500 ng/ml of β-NGF protein in the same medium. Therefore, it is still necessary to determine the ideal dosage of β-NGF in the maturation medium. The present study aims to determine from which concentration β-NGF is cytotoxic to oocytes and cumulus cells through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The cytotoxicity of β-NGF was evaluated in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), and the concentrations of 50 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 200 ng/ml, 350 ng/ml, 500 ng/ml, and 1000 ng/ml were tested in the IVM medium. For the evaluation of cytotoxicity, the COCs were analyzed under an EVOs microscope with staining for reactive oxygen species (ROS). The highest concentration that is not worse than the values of the control group would, theoretically, be the most suitable to be used in IVP routines. It was possible to observe that concentrations up to 200 ng/mL do not show a statistically significant difference compared to the control group, thus being the highest concentration that still causes beneficial effects without resulting in a significant increase in ROS

Análise de malignidade de neoplasias mamárias em cães e da razão neutrófilos/linfócitos e albumina/globulina como fatores de prognóstico

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Análise de malignidade de neoplasias mamárias em cães e da razão neutrófilos/linfócitos e albumina/globulina como fatores de prognóstico Abstract: Canine mammary tumors (CMT) are the most common type of tumor in intact female dogs. Mammary neoplasms exhibit a high metastatic potential in organs such as lungs and lymph nodes, which significantly increases the chances of an unfavorable prognosis and possible death. In recent years, cellular and biochemical markers such as the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) have been investigated as prognostic factors. However, studies evaluating these markers and their prognostic accuracy in Veterinary Medicine remain limited. The present study aims to analyze the malignancy of canine mammary neoplasms and to evaluate, through hematological exams, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and albumin-to-globulin ratios as prognostic factors for CMT in female dogs treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia (HOVET-UFU). A retrospective survey was conducted on female dogs treated at HOVET-UFU between January 2022 and December 2024, with the objective of analyzing the malignancy of mammary neoplasms based on histological classification and grading systems, as well as evaluating the NLR and AGR ratios as prognostic factors for CMT. Animals were followed up through telephone contact with the person responsible and/or periodic consultations at HOVET-UFU, and survival was determined using Kaplan Meier survival curves. Patients were separated into groups according to the NLR and AGR values, and survival curves were compared using the Log-Rank test. In this study, AGR was identified as a potential independent prognostic factor, with lower values (AGR < 0.365) associated with reduced survival time. Dogs with AGR < 0.365 showed a mean survival of 385 days, while those with AGR ≥ 0.365 had a mean survival of 1101 days, with a significant difference between Kaplan–Meier survival curves (p < 0,001). In contrast, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) did not show a significant influence on survival in either univariate or multivariate analyses and was therefore not able to act as an independent prognostic marker. This study suggests that the AGR biomarker may be used as a prognostic factor for canine mammary tumors in veterinary clinical practice.

Suplementação com beta-NGF no processo de maturação ovocitária e seu impacto nas taxas da produção in vitro de embriões bovinos

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Suplementação com beta-NGF no processo de maturação ovocitária e seu impacto nas taxas da produção in vitro de embriões bovinos Abstract: In vitro embryo production (IVEP) in cattle in Brazil has become a prominent and effective technology for genetic improvement of herds. This process allows the production of embryos from the fertilization of oocytes collected from genetically superior cows, which are subsequently transferred to other recipient females. A positive correlation has already been identified between the levels of Beta-NGF (nerve growth factor beta) in spermatozoa and the cleavage and blastocyst development rates in the IVP process, indicating that this factor may play an important role in improving the efficiency of the technique. The objective of this study was to evaluate how supplementation with 100 ng/mL of Beta-NGF in the oocyte maturation medium influences the cleavage, embryonic development, blastocyst, and implantation rates of embryos in the in vitro production of bovine embryos. For this purpose, a commercial laboratory that performs hundreds of IVP procedures per year was used. After obtaining the owners' consent, part of the IVF cycles from 4 routines were performed with half of the oocytes using oocyte maturation medium without Beta-NGF and half using 100 ng/ml of Beta-NGF. At the end of the cycles, normal blastocysts were implanted into synchronized recipient cows. The results demonstrate that supplementation with beta-NGF resulted in notable increases in the embryonic development rate (70.9 vs 55.6) and blastocyst rate (38.6 vs 31.1) when compared to the control group. The conception rate showed a tendency to increase (52.5 vs 45.3). On the other hand, the cleavage rate remained practically stable between the two groups (55.2 vs 55.8). It is concluded that supplementation with 100 ng/ml of Beta-NGF in the oocyte maturation medium improves the efficiency of IVP (in vitro production), and may improve the conception rate after blastocyst transfer to recipient cows.