2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

There was a significant correlation at 6 months for BW-HW (P = 0.03), BW-HL (P < 0.001), HL-HW (P = 0.003), and at 12 months for BW-HL (P = 0.01). A significant relationship was found at 6 months for BW-LVWd_M-mode (P < 0.0001, R 2 = 0.51), and for growth rate of HW-LVWd_M-mode (P = 0.007, R 2 = 0.26). This is the first study describing morphometric and echo measures in cats in the 1 st year of life. Further research is needed to investigate a possible association between growth rate at young age and development of cardiac pathology later in life. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dantrolene (DAN) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Sixty three-months-old male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: MSCs; MSCs + DAN; DAN; positive control (PC) (trauma and placebo); and negative control (NC) (no trauma + placebo). All procedures were performed according to the principles adopted by the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use (CEUA-UFMG -protocol number 46/2012). Laminectomy was performed at T12 level in all animals, followed by a weight-drop model of SCI, except for the NC group. One hour later, the MSCs + DAN and DAN groups received 10 mg/kg of DAN intraperitoneally and after 7 days, the MSCs and MSCs + DAN groups received 1x10 6 MSCs intravenously. At those times, other groups received the same volume of placebo. Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) scale was performed for 30 days to access neurological status. Spinal cords were evaluated through H.E. histology, immunohistochemistry (anti-NeuN) and qRT -PCR to assess quantitative gene expression of neurotrophic factors (BDNF and NT-3), antiapoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl) and proapoptotic proteins (caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax), four milimiters rostral and caudal to the epicenter of the lesion. Traumatized animals showed paraplegia. There was a significant neurological recovery in groups CTM and CTM + DAN from the 22 th and 25 th days, respectively (p < 0.05) compared to CP. There was severe spinal cord injury characterized by axonal degeneration and neuronal loss, which extended rostrocaudally from epicenter. All groups showed average number of NeuN-positive neurons significantly higher when compared to CP (p < 0.05). The SCI in PC group resulted in reduced BDNF, NT-3 and Bcl-xl gene expression, and increased Bax and caspase-3 expression compared to non-traumatized rats (NC). After treatments, there was a significant increasing in BDNF expression in MSCs, MSCs + DAN and DAN groups compared to PC group (p < 0.05). The NT-3 expression was higher in MSCs + DAN and DAN groups in cranial segments (p < 0.05), and DAN group in the caudal ones (p < 0.01). The Bax expression was significantly lower in the MSCs + DAN (p < 0.05) and DAN (p < 0.001). The caspase-3 and 9 expression were significantly lower in DAN, MSCs and MSCs + DAN groups (p < 0.05). It was concluded that DAN, MSCs or both in association promote functional recovery and neuroprotection through neurotrophic and antiapoptotic effects. In the 1970s a syndrome of early onset weakness and exercise intolerance was described in Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) puppies by Palmer and Lennon. A positive response to an edrophonium chloride challenge was noted, a decremental response of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) to repetitive supramaximal nerve stimulation supported a disorder of neuromuscular transmission, and an end-plate deficiency of n