Different fasting periods in tiletamine-zolezepam-anethetized cats: Glycemia, recovery, blood-gas and cardiorrespiratory parameters / Diferentes períodos de jejum em gatos anestesiados com tiletamina-zolazepam: Glicemia, recuperação, parâmetros hematológicos e cardiorrespiratórios

The effects of different fasting periods on glycemia levels and on cardiorrespiratory parameters in tiletamine-zolazepam-anesthetized cats were evaluated. Twenty one animals were randomly assigned to three groups: 8 hours (G8), 12 hours (G12) or 18 hours (G18) of the preoperative fasting. The tiletamine-zolazepam (2 mg/kg) was administered intravenously. The heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (fR), rectal temperature (T R), glycemia (G), laboratorial glycemia (Glab), venous oxygen partial pressure (PvO2), venous carbon dioxide partial pressure (PvCO2), venous hemoglobin saturation (SvO2), pH, base deficit (BD), bicarbonate concentration (HCO3- ) and haematocrit were evaluated at 90 minutes after the last meal (T0), immediately before anesthesia (T1) and at ten (T2) and thirty (T3) minutes after tiletamine-zolezepam administration. The time between the administration of anesthetic and the cat's trial to elevate head (Th) and the interval between drug administration and aniamal's quadrupedal position (Tqp) were recorded. No differences among groups were recorded for glycemia, HR, PvO2, SvO2, pH, BD, HCO3-, Ht and Tqp. In G12 from T2, glycemia increased and from T1 PvCO2 decreased. At T1, PvO2 increased in all groups. In G8 and G12, from T1, DB and HCO3- decreased. In G12 and G18, from T2, Ht decreased. In G12, the Th mean was higher than G8. In conclusion, in tiletamine-zolazepam-anesthetized cats, the different preoperative fasting did not influence glycemia, blood-gas and cardiorrespiratory parameters. Additionally, there was no relationship between glycemia and anesthesia recovery.

Avaliaram-se os efeitos de diferentes períodos de jejum sobre os níveis glicêmicos e os parâmetros cardiorrespiratórios em gatos anestesiados com tiletamina-zolazepam. Vinte um animais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em três grupos diferenciados entre si pelo período de jejum: oito horas (G8), doze horas (G12) e dezoito horas (G18). A tiletamina-zolazepam (2mg/kg) foi administrada por via intravenosa. A frequência cardíaca (FC), frequência respiratória (fR), temperatura retal (TR), glicemia, glicemia laboratorial (Glab), pressões parciais de oxigênio (PvO2) e dióxido de carbono (PvCO2) no sangue venoso, saturação de hemoglobina do sangue venosos (SvO2), pH, déficit de base (DB), bicarbonato (HCO3-) e hematócrito (Ht) foram mensurados 90 minutos após a última refeição (T0), imediatamente antes da anestesia (T1) e 10 (T2) e 30 (T3) minutos após a administração do anestésico. Foram avaliados os períodos entre a administração do anestésico e a tentativa dos gatos de levantar a cabeça (Th) e o intervalo de tempo entre a administração do anestésico e o posicionamento quadrupedal (Tpq) do animal. Diferenças entre os grupos não foram registradas para glicemia, HR, PvO2, SvO2, pH, BD, HCO3-, Ht e Tpq. No G12, a partir de T1 e T2, a PvCO2diminuiu e a glicemia aumentou, respectivamente. No G8 e G12, a partir de T1, DB e HCO3-diminuíram. No G12 e no G18, a partir de T2, Ht diminui. O Th no G12 foi maior que no G8. Conclui-se que, em gatos anestesiados com tiletamina-zolazepam, os diferentes períodos de jejum não influenciaram na glicemia, nos parâmetros hemagosométricos e cardiorrespiratórios. Adicionalmente, não há correlação entre a glicemia e a recuperação anestésica.

Fiber fermentability effects on energy and macronutrient digestibility, fecal traits, postprandial metabolite responses, and colon histology of overweight cats.

Considering the different potential benefits of divergent fiber ingredients, the effect of 3 fiber sources on energy and macronutrient digestibility, fermentation product formation, postprandial metabolite responses, and colon histology of overweight cats (Felis catus) fed kibble diets was compared. Twenty-four healthy adult cats were assigned in a complete randomized block design to 2 groups of 12 animals, and 3 animals from each group were fed 1 of 4 of the following kibble diets: control (CO; 11.5% dietary fiber), beet pulp (BP; 26% dietary fiber), wheat bran (WB; 24% dietary fiber), and sugarcane fiber (SF; 28% dietary fiber). Digestibility was measured by the total collection of feces. After 16 d of diet adaptation and an overnight period without food, blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride postprandial responses were evaluated for 16 h after continued exposure to food. On d 20, colon biopsies of the cats were collected under general anesthesia. Fiber addition reduced food energy and nutrient digestibility. Of all the fiber sources, SF had the least dietary fiber digestibility (P < 0.05), causing the largest reduction of dietary energy digestibility (P < 0.05). The greater fermentability of BP resulted in reduced fecal DM and pH, greater fecal production [g/(cat × d); as-is], and greater fecal concentration of acetate, propionate, and lactate (P < 0.05). For most fecal variables, WB was intermediate between BP and SF, and SF was similar to the control diet except for an increased fecal DM and firmer feces production for the SF diet (P < 0.05). Postprandial evaluations indicated reduced mean glucose concentration and area under the glucose curve in cats fed the SF diet (P < 0.05). Colon mucosa thickness, crypt area, lamina propria area, goblet cell area, crypt mean size, and crypt in bifurcation did not vary among the diets. According to the fiber solubility and fermentation rates, fiber sources can induce different physiological responses in cats, reduce energy digestibility, and favor glucose metabolism (SF), or improve gut health (BP).

Study of environmental burden of lead in children using teeth as bioindicator.

The south region of Sao Paulo city hosts the Guarapiranga dam, responsible for water supply to 25% of the city population. Their surroundings have been subject to intense and irregular occupation by people from very low socioeconomics classes. Measurements undertaken on sediment and particulate materials in the dam revealed concentrations of lead, copper, zinc and cadmium above internationally accepted limits. Epidemiological and toxicological studies undertaken by the World Health Organization in individuals exhibiting lead concentrations in blood, near or below the maximum recommended (10 microg dl(-1)), surprisingly revealed that toxic effects are more intense in individuals belonging to low socioeconomics classes. Motivated by these facts, we aimed at the investigation of chronic incorporation of lead, as well as the use of our BIOKINETICS code, which is based on an accepted ICRP biokinetics model for lead, in order to extrapolate the results from teeth to other organs. The focus of our data taking was children from poor families, living in a small, restrict and allegedly contaminated area in São Paulo city. Thus, a total of 74 human teeth were collected. The average concentration of lead in teeth of children 5 to 10 years old was determined by means of a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). For standardization of the measurements, an animal bone certified material (H-Animal Bone), from the International Atomic Energy Agency, was analyzed. The amount of lead in children living in the surroundings of the dam, was approximately 40% higher than those from the control region, and the average lead concentration was equal to 1.3 microg g(-1) approximately. Grouping the results in terms of gender, tooth type and condition, it was concluded that a carious molar of boys is a much more efficient contamination pathway for lead, resulting in concentrations 70% higher than in the control region. We also inferred the average concentrations of lead in other organs of these children, by making use of our BIOKINETIC code.

Effects of six carbohydrate sources on diet digestibility and postprandial glucose and insulin responses in cats.

The effects of diets with different starch sources on the total tract apparent digestibility and glucose and insulin responses in cats were investigated. Six experimental diets consisting of 35% starch were extruded, each containing one of the following ingredients: cassava flour, brewers rice, corn, sorghum, peas, or lentils. The experiment was carried out on 36 cats with 6 replications per diet in a completely randomized block design. The brewers rice diet offered greater DM, OM, and GE digestibility than the sorghum, corn, lentil, and pea diets (P < 0.05). For starch digestibility, the brewers rice diet had greater values (98.6%) than the sorghum (93.9%), lentil (95.2%), and pea (96.3%) diets (P < 0.05); however, starch digestibility was >93% for all the diets, proving that despite the low carbohydrate content of carnivorous diets, cats can efficiently digest this nutrient when it is properly processed into kibble. Mean and maximum glucose concentration and area under the glucose curve were greater for the corn-based diet than the cassava flour, sorghum, lentil, and pea diets (P < 0.05). The corn-based diets led to greater values for the mean glucose incremental concentration (10.2 mg/dL), maximum glucose incremental concentration (24.8 mg/dL), and area under the incremental glucose curve (185.5 mg.dL(-1).h(-1)) than the lentil diet (2.9 mg/dL, 3.1 mg/dL, and -40.4 mg.dL(-1).h(-1), respectively; P < 0.05). When compared with baseline values, only the corn diet stimulated an increase in the glucose response, occurring at 4 and 10 h postmeal (P < 0.05). The corn-based diet resulted in greater values for maximum incremental insulin concentration and area under the incremental insulin curve than the lentil-based diet (P < 0.05). However, plasma insulin concentrations rose in relation to the basal values for cats fed corn, sorghum, pea, and brewers rice diets (P < 0.05). Variations in diet digestibility and postprandial response can be explained by differences in the chemical composition of the starch source, including fiber content and granule structure, and also differences in the chemical compositions of the diets. The data suggest that starch has less of an effect on the cat postprandial glucose and insulin responses than on those of dogs and humans. This can be explained by the metabolic peculiarities of felines, which may slow and prolong starch digestion and absorption, leading to the delayed, less pronounced effects on their blood responses.