Hypertonic saline increases end-diastolic and stroke volume for approximately 1 h after completion of a 60 min infusion in euvolaemic horses. This adds to the evidence available to clinicians regarding the duration of action of hypertonic saline.

In this study, 10 male Shall sheep were used in two groups and bone marrow samples were collected and BM-MSCs isolated. Then experimental model of ARDS was induced by intrapulmonary injection of LPS to dose of 400 μg/kg. Twenty-four hours after LPS injection, 5×107 cells of BM-MSCs were autologous transferred in the group of treatment and 1ml PBS was infused in the group of control as intrapulmonary. Then, the symptoms of clinical, complete blood count, analysis of arterial blood gases and the concentrations of IL6,IL10,TNF-α,total protein, Ig M and albumin BAL were determined before and at times of 3,6,12,24,48,72, and 168 after transplantation/infusion. The results of the investigations 24 hours post-LPS injection(time 0) indicated the occurrence of acute inflammation which confirmed ARDS model. These changes included increase in RR, HR and RT, decrease in PO2 and SatO2 and increase in PCO2, WBC, neutrophils, macrophages, total protein, IL6, IL10, TNF-α, Ig M and albumin. But the stem/stromal cells transplantation reduced the severity of clinical signs induced by LPS, caused significant increase in PO2, SatO2 and IL-10 and significant decrease in PCO2, the total protein, TNF-α, IL-6, Ig M, albumin, WBCs, neutrophils and macrophages at different times of sampling both in compared with before transplantation(time 0) and in compared with the group of control. While in the control group, inflammation continued until the end of the study. These results showed that BM-MSCs are able to reduce inflammation and have an important role in reconstruction of the damaged lung.

Background: Efficient production of alveolar epithelial cells and achieving optimal functionality and maturity has presented a serious challenge in recent years. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a dynamic environment and mediates cellular responses during both development and tissue repair. Decellularized ECM (dECM) which retains its native-like structure and biochemical composition provides the signals needed to induce differentiation into tissue-specific lineages in vitro. Results: Here, we repopulated lung ECM-derived scaffold (scaffold) with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) derived lung progenitor cells and compared with the cells grown on either lung ECM-derived hydrogel (hydrogel) or fibronectin-coated plates in 2D cultures. We found that scaffold preserved its composition and native structures. All groups displayed progenitor cell differentiation as revealed by the expression of NKX2.1, P63, and CK5. Although no significant differences in cell viability between groups, cells differentiated on scaffold and hydrogel showed significant upregulation of SOX9 (a marker of the distal airway epithelium), cells differentiated on scaffold showed enhanced expression of SFTPC (AT2 marker), FOXJ1 (ciliated cell marker) and MUC5A (secretory cell marker). Conclusion: Overall, our results suggest that scaffold improves differentiation of progenitors into alveolar type 2 cells in comparison with hydrogel and fibronectin as well as efficient retention and homing to the alveolar region.

Summary Background Natriuretic peptides and endothelin‐1 are used as biochemical biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of heart diseases. Objectives This study aimed to investigate plasma ANP, BNP and endothelin‐1 in jumping horses with various manifestations of heart valve regurgitation and their association with echocardiographic variables. Study design Clinical evaluations including cardiac auscultation were performed in 198 jumping horses, and 30 horses were chosen. Methods Sixteen jumping horses with murmurs of grade 3/6 to 5/6 having various degrees of heart valve regurgitation with the severity of insignificant to moderate on colour Doppler echocardiography were considered as the valvular regurgitation group (average age 9.75 ± 3.28 years and weight 427.43 ± 82.22 kg, and consisting of 10 mares, three stallions and three castrated male horses with breeds of 12 Thoroughbred and four crossbred). Fourteen healthy horses were chosen as the healthy group (average age 8.64 ± 2.44 years and weight 462.14 ± 77.42 kg, and consisting of nine mares, three stallions and two castrated males with breeds of 12 Thoroughbreds, and two crossbred). Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein, and plasma concentration of ANP, BNP and endothelin‐1 was determined using Sandwich ELISA by a horse‐specific kit. Then, the plasma concentration of mentioned peptides and echocardiographic variables were compared between the two groups. Results B‐type natriuretic peptide was significantly increased in horses with valve regurgitation compared to healthy horses, but increases in ANP and endothelin‐1 were insignificant. Also, in the valvular regurgitation group, horses with a pulmonic valve disorder had a significantly higher concentration of BNP and endothelin‐1 than healthy horses. Assessment of the relation between ANP, BNP and endothelin‐1 with echocardiographic variables showed a significant correlation between ANP and right ventricle length (RVL) and left ventricle width (LVW) in systole and endothelin‐1 with right ventricle width (RVW) and left ventricle width in systole, but BNP had no significant correlation. Conclusion and clinical importance According to the study results, it can be assumed that the measurement of these cardiac biomarkers can be helpful in the diagnosis of the jumping horse with cardiac valvular disorders (especially pulmonic valve regurgitation) and changes in the dimensions of the heart ventricle.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of xylazine and acepromazine on the Doppler and M-mode echocardiography measurements in horses. Ten healthy crossbred horses were included in this study. Baseline echocardiography was performed in all horses. Xylazine (0.5 mg/kg IV) or acepromazine (0.01 mg/kg IV) was injected intravenously with a 4 week wash out period between drugs. Electrocardiogram was recorded simultaneously in the base-apex lead. The results showed that the heart rate in the xylazine group was significantly lower than in the control measurements (p = 0.021). In the xylazine group, there were 2 nd degree atrioventricular blocks in two horses. The diameter of the left ventricle at the end of diastole (LVID d) was decreased (p = 0.029) and the interventricular septum thickness at the end of diastole (IVS d) (p = 0.008) were increased in the xylazine group. Right ventricle internal diameter at the end of systole (RVID s) were increased in both treatment groups. Our results showed that acepromazine and xylazine have some detectable effects on echocardiographic measurements, but both the nature and the degree of these differences mean that they are unlikely to affect the diagnostic quality of the scan. Acepromazine at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg, used in horses undergoing echocardiographic examination, results in negligible changes in spectral and M-mode measurements.