Right intercostal insertion of a Veress needle for laparoscopy in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate right intercostal Veress needle (VN) insertion for laparoscopy in dogs.

Study Design: Longitudinal cohort study.

Animals: Female dogs (n = 56).

Interaction between exercise, dietary restriction and age-related bone loss in a rodent model of male senile osteoporosis.

Background: The pathophysiology of age-related bone loss and whether age-related bone loss can be prevented by exercise are still a matter of debate.

Objective: It was the aim of this study to investigate the long-term effects of exercise and mild food restriction on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone geometry in the appendicular skeleton of aging male rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied from 5 to 23 months of age.

Decline of bone marrow-derived hematopoietic progenitor cell quality during aging in the rat.

Several studies have shown that aging is associated with quantitative and qualitative alterations of the stem and progenitor cell compartment. The current results indicate that there is a significant age-associated decline in the proliferative capacity of rat myeloid progenitor cells. In contrast, no difference was found in the frequency of myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow of young versus old rats.

Evaluation of healthy equine eyes by use of retinoscopy, keratometry, and ultrasonographic biometry.

Objective: To assess natural variations in degree of refraction, corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism, corneal radius, and intraocular distance of healthy equine eyes.

Animals: 159 horses with healthy eyes that were admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital for nonophthalmic surgeries.

Procedures: Eyes of horses were examined with a retinoscope prior to anesthesia and with a keratograph and A- and B-scan ultrasonographic biometers during surgery.

Laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs: comparison between single portal and two-portal access.

Objective: To compare surgical times and perioperative complication rates of single portal access and 2-portal laparoscopic ovariectomy (LapOVE) in dogs using a bipolar vessel sealer/divider device, and to evaluate the performance of novice laparoscopists for right ovariectomy.

Study Design: Controlled clinical trial.

Animals: Female dogs (n=42).

Prevention of glucocorticoid-induced bone loss in mice by inhibition of RANKL.

Objective: RANKL has been implicated in the pathogenesis of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of denosumab, a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against human RANKL (hRANKL), in a murine model of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Methods: Eight-month-old male homozygous hRANKL-knockin mice expressing a chimeric RANKL protein with a humanized exon 5 received 2.

Comparison of conventional and digital measurements of tibial plateau angle in dogs.

Objective: To compare values for tibial plateau angle (TPA) obtained in dogs by conventional and digital methods.

Design: Evaluation study.

Animals: 37 dogs with stifle joint abnormalities.

Long-term marginal zinc supply is not detrimental to the skeleton of aged female rats.

In this experiment, we investigated the long-term effects of a marginal zinc (Zn) supply on bone metabolism in aged rats. Nine-mo-old female Fischer-344 rats were divided into 8 weight-matched groups of 8 rats each. All rats were adapted for 1 mo to restrictive feeding (7.

Hippocampal metabolic proteins are modulated in voluntary and treadmill exercise rats.

Systematic protein expression studies in the brain of exercising and sedentary animals have not been carried out so far and it was therefore decided to determine differences in metabolic protein levels in rat hippocampus of sedentary, voluntary and involuntary exercising rats by a proteomic approach. Aged, male Sprague-Dawley rats, 23 months old, were used for the study: the first group consisted of sedentary rats, the second of rats with voluntary exercise from five to 23 months and the third group was performing involuntary exercise on a treadmill from five to 23 months. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with subsequent mass spectrometrical identification of spots followed by quantification of spots was carried out.

Running has a negative effect on bone metabolism and proinflammatory status in male aged rats.

Animal models for male osteoporosis are scarce. This study aimed at identifying the impact of different living conditions on bone structure and metabolism as well as the inflammatory status in a rat model of age-related male osteoporosis. Bone mineral density, bone histomorphometric data, ex vivo osteoclast generation, and bone metabolism serum marker as well as intracellular cytokine expressions were evaluated in 23-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to different housing conditions from the age of 5 months.

Modulation of the hippocampal protein machinery in voluntary and treadmill exercising rats.

Information about protein expression studies in the brain of exercising and sedentary animals is limited. Cognitive functions change during exercise and the aim of this study was to investigate rat protein levels of the protein machinery in the hippocampus, the main cognitive brain area for spatial learning and memory, in exercising rats. Protein fluctuations may reflect functional variation during exercise.

Influence of physical exercise and food restriction on the biomechanical properties of the femur of ageing male rats.

Background: Voluntary running in wheels as well as food reduction increase the life spans of rats. Disparate parameters such as the collagen biomarker of ageing and the development of kidney pathologies are decreased by voluntary exercise. There are few reports on the influence of physical exercise and food restriction on the skeleton of male rats.

Hippocampal signaling cascades are modulated in voluntary and treadmill exercise rats.

Systematic protein expression studies in the brain of exercising and sedentary animals have not been carried out for far. Signaling proteins are main structures regulating hippocampal function and we decided to determine differences in signaling protein levels in rat hippocampus by a proteomic approach. Aged, male Sprague-Dawley rats, 23 months old, were used for the study: the first group consisted of sedentary rats, the second of rats with voluntary exercise from 5 to 23 months and the third was performing involuntary exercise on a treadmill from 5 to 23 months.

Bone structure and metabolism in a rodent model of male senile osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a common and severe condition in elderly men, which is poorly characterized. In order to identify the hallmarks of age-related bone loss in the male mammalian skeleton, we studied several aspects of bone structure and metabolism in 23-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats and compared them to 5-month-old animals. Cancellous bone mineral density, bone volume and trabecular number were markedly reduced in the proximal tibia of aged rats when compared to the young rats.

Microvessel density in normal lymph nodes and lymphomas of dogs and their correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor expression.

Microvessel density is a frequently used parameter of angiogenesis, which is a complex multistep process necessary for tumor progression. The aim of this study was to compare the microvessel density of normal lymph node biopsies with those diagnosed with lymphoma in dogs. Furthermore, we sought to determine if there was any correlation between microvessel density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in canine lymphoma, representing a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy.

Norepinephrine treatment and aging lead to systemic and intracellular oxidative stress in rats.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in cellular senescence and organismic aging. Furthermore, they have been implicated in some of the adverse effects of chronic stress due to elevated peripheral levels of catecholamines. Here, we applied three different techniques to individually compare the systemic and intracellular oxidative stress in aged (23 months) and young (5 months) Sprague-Dawley rats, and in young rats treated for 12 or 24 h with norepinephrine (NE).

Effect of different claw trimming methods on the pressure distribution under the bovine claw--an in vitro study.

This survey focusses on the effects of various claw trimming methods as well as the effect of the different resulting claw shapes on the pressure distribution under the sole. 64 bovine claws were trimmed according to 3 different trimming methods, the functional claw trimming method by Toussaint Raven and two other specially modified methods. The alternative methods resulted on the one hand in long and acute-angled claws, on the other hand in a very steep claw profile.

The impact of environment in comparison with moderate physical exercise and dietary restriction on BDNF in the cerebral parietotemporal cortex of aged Sprague-Dawley rats.

Background And Aims: Moderate physical exercise, dietary restriction as well as enriched environment in separate studies have been reported to delay some of the adverse effects of aging on brain function, parallel to an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In order to elucidate these influences in a comparative setting, we examined the tissue concentrations of BDNF in the cerebral parietotemporal cortex of old Sprague-Dawley rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into six groups, living from 5 months (baseline group BL) up to 23 months of age as follows: voluntary running in wheels (RW), food restricted by feeding to pair weight with RW animals (PW), forced running on treadmills (TM), and sedentary controls with ad libitum access to food, either housed individually (S1) or in groups of 4 animals (S4).

Impact of moderate physical exercise--in comparison with dietary restrictions--on age-associated decline in cell-mediated immunity of Sprague-Dawley rats.

Background And Aims: Moderate physical exercise and dietary restriction have both been demonstrated to delay some of the adverse effects of aging. In order to elucidate similarities or dissimilarities in their mode of action on the aging immune system in a comparative setting, we examined significant parameters of cell-mediated immunity in Sprague- Dawley rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, housed individually, were divided into four groups, living from 5 months (baseline group BL) up to 15, 19 and 23 months of age as follows: voluntary running in wheels (RW), food restricted by feeding to pair weight with RW animals (PW), forced running on treadmills (TM), and sedentary controls with ad libitum access to food (S1).

Impairment of water maze behaviour with ageing is counteracted by maze learning earlier in life but not by physical exercise, food restriction or housing conditions.

Spatial learning and memory decline with ageing in humans as well as rats. We examined the influence of different interventions on male Sprague Dawley rats with respect to learning ability and memory at the age of 5, 10 and 18 months. The intervention and control groups were: (RW) voluntary exercise in running wheels, (PW) sedentary, food restricted (by about 25%) to keep them at pair weight with RW, (S1) sedentary, fed ad libitum, (TM) forced training in a treadmill, and, (S4) sedentary, fed ad libitum.

Reliability of ground reaction forces measured on a treadmill system in healthy dogs.

The reliability of repeated measurements of vertical ground reaction force (GRF) variables was determined using 10 clinically sound adult dogs walking on a treadmill three times daily on three different days. Peak vertical force, vertical impulse and duration of stance phase of each limb were determined and analysed for significant differences within and between days and between dogs. Contributions to the variance of GRF were determined using a random effect model including dogs, different days, trials and extremities.

The effect of chronic physical exercise on succinic dehydrogenase activity in the heart muscle of old rats.

Succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, preferentially evidenced by cytochemical methods, has been measured by computer-assisted morphometry in the heart muscle of old sedentary and age-matched animals chronically undergone physical exercise (20 min, twice a day, 5 days a week). The area of the SDH-positive mitochondria (MA) and the overall area of the cytochemical precipitates due to SDH activity (PA) were semiautomatically measured and the ratios PA/MA as well as MA/overall myocardial tissue area analysed (MA/TA) were the parameters taken into account. No significant difference was found between the two groups investigated as regards PA/MA, whereas the MA/TA value is significantly increased in the animals undergone physical training.

Physical exercise retards the development of chronic nephropathy in the ageing rat as efficiently as food restriction does.

Background: Obesity combined with decreasing physical fitness in the ageing Western populations promotes a number of degenerative diseases, including chronic kidney disease. It has further been shown in rodent models that prevention of obesity by food restriction mitigates development of kidney lesions. Whether lifelong physical activity also has a positive effect is not known.

Effects of life-long exercise on circulating free fatty acids and muscle triglyceride content in ageing rats.

Regular physical exercise has emerged, together with dietary restriction, as an effective intervention in delaying degenerative diseases and augmenting life span in rodents. The mechanisms involved remain largely unknown, although a beneficial influence on the age-related alteration of insulin sensitivity has been hypothesized. As muscle triglyceride (TG) accumulation is considered a reliable index of muscle insulin resistance, in this study we explored muscle TG content in 23-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to life-long training.

Voluntary exercise and mild food restriction effectively retard the collagen biomarker of aging.

Background And Aims: Obesity and lack of physical exercise characterize increasing numbers of people in Western societies, resulting in increasing morbidity and mortality. Regular physical exercise, on the other hand, has been shown to be beneficial. Beneficial effects have also been shown in laboratory rodent studies--lifelong physical exercise increases the mean life span but not the maximum life span, while food restriction increases both life spans.