Tumour-derived transforming growth factor-β signalling contributes to fibrosis in patients with cancer cachexia.

Background: Cachexia is a paraneoplastic syndrome related with poor prognosis. The tumour micro-environment contributes to systemic inflammation and increased oxidative stress as well as to fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to characterise the inflammatory circulating factors and tumour micro-environment profile, as potentially contributing to tumour fibrosis in cachectic cancer patients.

Clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization of a novel equine ocular disorder: heterochromic iridocyclitis with secondary keratitis in adult horses.

Objective: To describe the clinical, histopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of an equine ocular inflammatory disease resulting in anterior uveitis and corneal endothelial inflammation associated with iris pigment dispersion and retrocorneal fibrous membrane (RFM) formation.

Design: Retrospective study.

Animals Studied: Sixteen horses with evidence of pigmented keratic precipitates (KPs), corneal edema, and/or iris depigmentation.

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography evaluation of the cornea, retina, and optic nerve in normal horses.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of using a handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) instrument to characterize normal corneal, retinal, and optic nerve head anatomy in vivo in standing horses.

Methods: Clinically normal horses under sedation, palpebral nerve blockage, and pharmacologically induced mydriasis were imaged with a SD-OCT instrument (Envisu SD-OCT, Bioptigen, Inc., Morrisville, NC).