Ovarian Torsion in a Pet Rabbit (): A Case Report.

Ovarian torsion (OT) is a condition that can affect both humans and animals, although it is less common in the latter, with very few cases documented in the literature. To our knowledge, no previous reports have documented the occurrence of this condition in rabbits. In this study, we present the first documented case of spontaneous OT in a 2-year-old female intact rabbit.

Prevalence and zoonotic risk of tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) in exotic companion mammals in southern Italy.

Background: Exotic companion mammals are popular pets worldwide. They are a potential source of zoonotic infections transmissible to their owners.

Hypothesis/objectives: To determine the prevalence and zoonotic risks of tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) in exotic companion mammals in Italy.

Sedative effects of intramuscular alfaxalone in pet guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of alfaxalone administered intramuscularly (IM) as a sedative agent in guinea pigs undergoing survey radiographs.

Study Design: Prospective clinical trial.

Animals: A total of 30 client-owned guinea pigs.

Survey of Baylisascaris spp. in captive striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in some European areas.

Skunks are popular carnivore species kept both in zoological institutions and in households where they are hand raised as exotic pets. These small carnivores are considered the main definitive hosts of the roundworm Baylisascaris columnaris. The purpose of this survey was to investigate the occurrence of Baylisascaris spp.

New Diagnostic Insights for Macrorhabdus ornithogaster Infection.

The aim of this study was to propose the use of a new rapid and user-friendly diagnostic tool for the detection of Macrorhabdus ornithogaster infection in birds. The current report focuses on the diagnostic feasibility of different methods, with particular emphasis on the application of the mini-Flotac technique for the diagnosis of M. ornithogaster infection.

Survey of Hymenolepis spp. in pet rodents in Italy.

We carried out the first survey of Hymenolepis spp. infection in pet rodents in Italy. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 172 pet rodents as follows: guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus; n = 60), squirrels (Callosciurus finlaysonii, Callosciurus prevosti, Tamias striatus, Tamias sibiricus, Sciurus calorinensis; n = 52), hamsters (Phodopus campbelli, Mesocricetus auratus; n = 30), chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera; n = 13), rats (Rattus norvegicus; n = 10), and mice (Mus minutoides; n = 7).

Survey of endoparasites in pet guinea pigs in Italy.

Little information is available on the occurrence of endoparasites in pet guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in cavies kept as pets in southern Italy. Fresh fecal samples were randomly collected from 60 guinea pigs housed in pet shops or privately owned.

Nerve stimulator-guided sciatic-femoral nerve block in raptors undergoing surgical treatment of pododermatitis.

Objective: To describe the nerve stimulator-guided sciatic-femoral nerve block in raptors undergoing surgical treatment of pododermatitis.

Study Design: Prospective clinical trial.

Animals: Five captive raptors (Falco peregrinus) aged 6.

First survey of endoparasites in pet ferrets in Italy.

Endoparasites are infrequently reported in ferrets. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in pet ferrets in southern Italy. Fresh fecal samples were randomly collected from 50 ferrets housed in pet shops or privately owned.

In vitro and in vivo antisense-mediated growth inhibition of a mammary adenocarcinoma from MMTV-neu transgenic mice.

Oncogene-bearing transgenic mice develop various kinds of tumors depending on both the regulatory sequences and the specific oncogene used. These mice not only help to clarify the pathogenetic pathways leading to tumor formation, but can also be useful as models to test novel therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy. We have previously reported the establishment of an MMTV-neu (ErbB-2) transgenic mouse lineage, in which 100% of females develop breast tumors with many features similar to their human counterparts; these tumors are due to the over-expression of the activated rat neu oncogene in the mammary gland.

Effects of Dex-Verapamil on Doxorubicin cytotoxicity in P388 murine leukemia cells.

Resistance-modifying agents (RMAs) such as Verapamil have been proved to be effective in reversing multi-drug resistance (MDR) in many in vitro assays. In this study we have investigated the efficacy of Dex-Verapamil, the R-isomer of Verapamil, as a chemosensitizer in a murine leukemia cell line (P388) and in its resistant counterpart (P388/Dx) expressing a typical MDR phenotype. We have examined in vivo the effect of the co-administration of Dex-Verapamil and Doxorubicin in mice transplanted with P388 or P388/Dx cells.

Establishment and characterization of three new cell lines derived from the ascites of human ovarian carcinomas.

Three human cancer cell lines (OC 314, OC 315, and OC 316) were newly established in permanent culture from the ascites of patients with serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary. OC 314 was derived from an untreated tumor presenting with ascites at diagnosis; OC 315 was isolated from a neoplasm progressing after cisplatin-containing regimen; and OC 316 was collected from a patient with pleural metastasis at diagnosis, resistant to different chemotherapeutic treatments including Taxol. These cell lines were repetitively subcultured once to twice a week through 75-80 passage generations.

Tumour necrosis factor enhances the therapeutic effect of mitoxantrone in human ovarian cancer xenograft.

The combination of Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) and mitoxantrone was evaluated for potential chemotherapeutic effect against a human ovarian cancer cell line A2774 hetero-transplanted in female nude mice. Both antitumour efficacy (relative survival and reduction of ascites) and toxicity (weight loss and liver toxicity) of TNF alone, mitoxantrone alone or TNF + mitoxantrone were evaluated. A significant difference (P < 0.

"Atypical" multidrug resistance in human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 selected for resistance to doxorubicin (A2780 DX3).

Human ovarian cancer cells A2780, selected for resistance to doxorubicin (A2780-DX3), are cross-resistant to various other topoisomerase-II-targeted drugs but not to vinblastine. The parental cell line was very sensitive to doxorubicin-, mitoxantrone- or etoposide(VP16)-induced DNA single-strand breaks, under deproteinizing conditions. In contrast, little or no DNA strand breakage was seen in resistant A2780-DX3 cells, even at very high concentrations, indicating a good correlation, with cytotoxicity.

Sister-chromatid exchanges, chromosomal aberrations and cytotoxicity produced by topoisomerase II-targeted drugs in sensitive (A2780) and resistant (A2780-DX3) human ovarian cancer cells: correlations with the formation of DNA double-strand breaks.

Doxorubicin, ellipticine and etoposide are antineoplastic drugs with topoisomerase II inhibitory activity. The relationship between drug-induced sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) or chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and cytotoxicity, or drug-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and cytotoxicity, or drug-induced SCEs and DSBs was investigated in human ovarian cancer cells sensitive (A2780) and resistant (A2780-DX3) to topoisomerase II inhibitors. 30-min drug treatments produced SCEs, CAs and DSBs in sensitive cells, doxorubicin being more potent than etoposide at equimolar concentrations.

Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on growth of a xenotransplanted human ovarian cancer cell line IGROV-1 in nude mice.

The clonal growth of cell lines derived from human ovarian tumours can be stimulated by GM-CSF in vitro. Among these cell lines one of the most responsive is the IGROV-1 cell line. This report describes the influence of GM-CSF on the in vivo growth of IGROV-1 cell xenografts in nude mice.

Potentiation of topoisomerase I and II inhibitors cell killing by tumor necrosis factor: relationship to DNA strand breakage formation.

Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rHuTNF) synergistically potentiates the cytotoxicity of the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin, and the topoisomerase II inhibitors epidoxorubicin, etoposide, mitoxantrone, ellipticine, actinomycin D and 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide on A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line. Similar synergy was not observed with a combination of rHuTNF and cis-platinum or mitomycin C. When A2780 cells were incubated with rHuTNF simultaneously with camptothecin or mitoxantrone or VP16, increased numbers of DNA single-strand breaks were produced.

Potentiation by tumor necrosis factor of mitoxantrone cytotoxicity to human ovarian cancer cell lines.

The cytotoxic activity of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor (rHuTNF) (from 0.01 to 10000 U/ml) was assayed on six human ovarian cancer cell lines and one human cervical carcinoma cell line using a crystal violet assay. rHuTNF was cytotoxic to four cell lines (A2780, A2774, SW626, PA1), while 3 cell lines (IGROV1, SKOV3, Me180) were marginally sensitive to its activity.