Effect of gentle physical contact on behavioural indicators in sheep.

The available literature provides ample evidence for the importance of gentle treatment and handling of farm animals for the establishment of relationships with humans. The present study is an attempt to verify the assumption that massage can be a tool for building sheep-human relationships and to determine the impact of this technique on the behaviour of lambs. In total, 40 3-week-old lambs (20 ewes of the synthetic prolific-meat line (BCP) and 20 Swiniarka breed ewes) were assigned to two control groups (BCP, Swiniarka) and two experimental groups (BCP, Swiniarka). The lambs from the experimental groups received modified Shantala massage. During each session, the zoophysiotherapists massaged the chest, forelimbs, abdomen, hindlimbs, back, and face always in the same way and the same order. The massage was applied three times a day (at fixed times) for 21 consecutive days. Based on the behaviour manifested by the lambs during the massage sessions, a 2-point scale was developed for assessment of the animals from the research groups. After the massage, behavioural tests with the participation of a human, a dog, and a novel object were carried out for three consecutive days. Behaviours indicating curiosity (frequency of interaction, time of direct contact, latency) and fear (frequency of climbing and attempts to escape, duration of vocalisation) were assessed. The behavioural tests revealed significant differences in the behaviour of massaged and non-massaged lambs of both breeds, which confirms that the massage has a modifying effect on the behaviour of these animals. The influence of the applied technique was reflected by an increase in curiosity and a reduced level of fear.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for the Treatment of Anterior Cerebral Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: The overall safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy for anterior cerebral artery strokes remain unclear. PURPOSE: Our aim was to summarize procedural and clinical outcomes in patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for treatment of anterior cerebral artery ischemic stroke. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and the Web of Science from inception until March 4, 2022. STUDY SELECTION: We identified 9 studies with a total of 168 patients with mechanical thrombectomy-treated anterior cerebral artery occlusions. DATA ANALYSIS: Recanalization, procedural data, and clinical outcome at last follow-up were collected and summarized. Categoric variables were reported as proportions. The χ2 test of independence or the Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to assess the relationship between selected variables and the anterior cerebral artery embolus type (ie, primary isolated anterior cerebral artery, primary combined anterior cerebral artery, and secondary anterior cerebral artery occlusion) or the mechanical thrombectomy technique. DATA SYNTHESIS: For mechanical thrombectomy-treated anterior cerebral artery occlusions, recanalization modified TICI 2b/3 was achieved in 80%, postprocedural complications occurred in 17% of patients, and the 90-day mortality rate was 19%. The rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage varied depending on the anterior cerebral artery embolus type (χ2 = 8.45, P = .01). LIMITATIONS: This analysis did not consider factors such as small-study effects that affect reliability and limit interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical thrombectomy for the treatment of anterior cerebral artery occlusions is safe and efficacious, offering a favorable rate of recanalization and procedural complications. Mechanical thrombectomy-treated anterior cerebral artery occlusions appear to have lower rates of short-term good functional outcomes and an increased risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage compared with mechanical thrombectomy-treated MCA/ICA occlusions. Single and multicenter studies are needed to further examine the safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy-treated anterior cerebral artery occlusions.

How Do the Etching Mode and Thermomechanical Loading Influence the Marginal Integrity of Universal Adhesives?

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of etching mode and thermomechanical loading on universal adhesives. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two universal adhesives, Peak Universal and Adhese Universal, were used in two etching modes as the experimental groups: Peak Universal etch-and-rinse (PER), Peak Universal self-etch (PSE), Adhese Universal etch-and-rinse (AER), and Adhese Universal self-etch (ASE). Two adhesives considered gold standards were used as control groups: OptiBond FL (OER) was used as a control group for the etch-and-rinse (ER) mode, and Clearfil SE Bond (CSE) was used as a control group for the self-etch (SE) mode. Standardized class V cavities were created on the buccal and lingual surface in 30 extracted caries-free human third molars. Each adhesive and resin composite was applied according to the manufacturer's instructions. The specimens were subjected to thermomechanical loading (TML) immediately after the fillings were placed. Before and after TML, replicas and photographs of the fillings were performed and evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. The Mann-Whitney U-test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used for quantitative analyses, and Fisher exact test was used for qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Adhese Universal achieved a significantly higher percentage of continuous margin in the enamel than Peak Universal for the two types of etching both before and after TML (except for the SE group after TML). In dentin, the greatest percentage of continuous margin was achieved for Adhese Universal in the ER group (100%) before TML and for both universal adhesives in the SE groups (61%) after TML. For both etching modes and both time points, Adhese Universal had a greater percentage of continuous margin than Peak Universal for the whole margin. For the ER approach, significant differences were observed both before and after TML, and for the SE approach, significant differences were observed before TML. TML did not cause a significant decrease in the percentage of continuous margin in the enamel, but the results were the opposite in dentin. A qualitative assessment using World Dental Federation criteria did not show statistically significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Scanning electron microscope assessment of marginal integrity showed that the evaluated factors such as etching mode and TML significantly influenced the marginal integrity of the universal adhesives. The replica method shows that laboratory and clinical assessment methods complement each other and give a broader view of marginal integrity.

The supreme turbinate and the drainage of the posterior ethmoids: a computed tomographic study.

BACKGROUND: It is generally acknowledged that the posterior ethmoidal cells drain under the superior nasal turbinate (SorNT) or, rarely, under the supreme nasal turbinate (SmeNT), and the sphenoid ostium (SO) opens to the sphenoethmoidal recess. However, detailed relations between these structures are variable, complex and still not clear. There is no reliable data on the prevalence of SmeNT and drainage of the posterior ethmoidal cells under this structure. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the anatomy of the aforementioned region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstruction analysis of 100 thin slice paranasal sinus computed tomography scans. RESULTS: SmeNT was identified in 77 subjects (136 sides). It formed the ostium to the posterior ethmoidal cell adjacent to the skull base or orbit in 58 subjects (91 sides). This cell drained independently from the remaining posterior ethmoidal cells. The sphenoethmoidal (Onodi) cell drained to supreme meatus in 41 subjects (54 sides), and to superior meatus in 37 subjects (49 sides). SO was always located medial to the posteroinferior attachment of SmeNT, or SorNT (in absence of SmeNT). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with divergent drainage of the posterior ethmoids (with posterior ethmoidal cell draining to the supreme meatus) may require more extensive surgery to avoid persistence or recurrence of inflammatory disease. SmeNT is more common than thought, but due to its posterior and superior location to SorNT, it is rarely seen intraoperatively. If SmeNT is present, SO is always located medial to its posteroinferior attachment. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 110-115).

Rhinosinusitis in Acute Leukemia Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation-A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Although rhinosinusitis constitutes a major clinical problem in general population, data on rhinosinusitis in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) are scarce. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the frequency of rhinosinusitis, the impact of rhinosinusitis on post-alloHSCT outcome, and to analyze risk factors potentially predisposing to rhinosinusitis. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of acute leukemia patients undergoing alloHSCT. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients (49 male), with a median age of 36 years (range, 18-58), transplanted from 1999 to 2010, were enrolled; 61 patients suffered from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 26 of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Fifteen patients (17.2%) experienced rhinosinusitis before transplantation, among whom 5 (33%) experienced rhinosinusitis after alloHSCT; 22 patients (25.3%), 12 AML and 10 ALL, experienced rhinosinusitis after alloHSCT. The median time to rhinosinusitis was 200 days (range, 1-2,044). 11 patients experienced rhinosinusitis during the 1st 100 days after transplantation, 8 during the 1st 30 days. Post-alloHSCT rhinosinusitis did not affect overall survival of transplant patients (P = .35). In univariate analysis only total body irradiation as part of conditioning (odds ratio [OR], 2.78; 95% CI, 1-7.77) and previous nasal packing (OR, 5.18; 95% CI, 1.22-23.43) were associated with higher incidence of rhinosinusitis. In multivariate analysis, none of the analyzed parameters was shown to have an impact on rhinosinusitis development. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinosinusitis is a frequent medical condition in patients undergoing alloHSCT. The overall survival of patients developing rhinosinusitis after HSCT is similar to survival of patients who do not. No risk factors for developing rhinosinusitis could be identified.

The cultivable microbiota of primary and secondary infected root canals, their susceptibility to antibiotics and association with the signs and symptoms of infection.

AIM: To examine the presence of microbial species in primary and secondary infections and identify the signs and symptoms associated with them. METHODOLOGY: A total number of 37 root canals from 33 patients undergoing root canal treatment were selected. Samples were taken using a sterile paper point following chemomechanical canal instrumentation. Microbiological identification was performed by macromorphological, micromorphological and commercial biochemical tests (ATB system). The antibiotic susceptibility profile of isolated Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Propionibacterium spp. was evaluated. RESULTS: A total number of 54 species were isolated. The most common was E. faecalis followed by Propionibacterium acnes and Streptococcus spp. Five multidrug-resistant enterococcal strains were isolated. However, resistance to linezolid or glycopeptides was not found. Radiolucency was observed significantly more often in symptomatic infections (P = 0.0061) caused by Actinomyces spp. than in asymptomatic ones. CONCLUSIONS: Enterococci and streptococci were the most commonly isolated bacteria from root canals. The resistance of enterococci to many antimicrobials may pose a problem in their eradication.

Modified resin-bonded design for stabilization of mobile teeth: technique and clinical observations.

A design modification of the tooth preparation and framework design is presented to further enhance stabilization of mobile teeth with resin-bonded splints. An appropriate shade of composite resin is placed to restore an esthetic contour, cover the incisal edge framework extensions, and provide occlusal function as indicated. Patient reviews are presented to demonstrate the principles of treatment, versatility, and limitations of this treatment modality.

Acid aspiration increases sensitivity to increased ambient oxygen concentrations.

Previously we have demonstrated that prolonged exposure to 100% ambient oxygen leads to a marked loss in functional lung volume and lung compliance, hypoxemia, and surfactant system abnormalities similar to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, 50% oxygen administration is believed to be safe in most clinical settings. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of a 24-h exposure to 50% oxygen in rabbits immediately following experimental gastric acid aspiration. Mild hypoxemia, but no changes in mortality, lung volume, lung compliance, surfactant metabolism, or edema formation occurred after 24 h of normoxia postacid aspiration. Conversely, a relatively short (24-h) exposure to 50% oxygen after acid aspiration results in increased pulmonary edema, physical signs of respiratory distress, and mortality, as well as decreased arterial oxygenation, lung volume, lung compliance, and type II alveolar cell surfactant synthesis. These results suggest that acid aspiration alters the "set point" for oxygen toxicity, possibly by "priming" cells through activation of inflammatory pathways. This pathogenic mechanism may contribute to the progression of aspiration pneumonia to ARDS.

The behavioral effects of sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine differ on the differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 72-second operant schedule in the rat.

RATIONALE: Recent evidence indicates that specific serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are not a clinically or experimentally homogeneous class of drugs. Because the differential- reinforcement-of-low-rates 72-second (DRL 72-s) operant schedule has been extensively used as a screen for antidepressant effects of drugs, different SSRIs were compared on the task to further examine their behavioral effects. OBJECTIVES: These experiments were designed with two main purposes in mind: first, to determine whether all three SSRIs tested would produce antidepressant-like effects on the DRL 72-s (as measured primarily by an increase in reinforcement rate) and, second, to identify differences between the drugs using peak-deviation analysis of inter-response times (IRTs). METHODS: Different groups of rats were injected with one of three SSRIs: fluoxetine, sertraline, or paroxetine. Following drug administration, rats were tested on the DRL 72-s operant schedule. RESULTS: All three SSRIs produced significant increases in reinforcement rate, but only sertraline and fluoxetine significantly decreased response rate. Additionally, paroxetine was observed to disrupt the pattern of responding as indicated by decreases in peak area (PkA). Sertraline and paroxetine, but not fluoxetine, produced increases in peak location (PkL). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that, although SSRIs are correctly identified as antidepressants by the DRL 72-s operant schedule, they may exert their effects in subtly different ways, as indicated by the differences observed to exist between the drugs. It appears unlikely that the behavioral effects of the SSRIs are attributable solely to 5-HT transporter binding. Instead, the differential behavioral effects may be the result of a combination of factors, including 5-HT transporter binding, 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor activation, and binding to other receptors.

Lung physiological and metabolic changes in lambs with congenital diaphragmatic hernia after administration of prenatal maternal corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Improved outcomes of preterm infants born to mothers treated prenatally with corticosteroids have been documented. The authors investigated the role of prenatal maternal corticosteroid therapy in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: Five CDH lambs of ewes given 0.5 mg/kg betamethasone intravenously 24 hours before delivery (single-dose), four CDH lambs of ewes similarly dosed at 48 and 24 hours before delivery (double-dose), five untreated CDH lambs and five control lambs were studied. After 2 hours of ventilation, compliance, arterial oxygen (PO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2) concentrations were recorded. Lavage protein and phospholipid levels were measured, and lung tissue was analyzed for antioxidant enzyme activity (AOE). RESULTS: No improvement in gas exchange was noted in either treatment group. Significant increases in compliance (P = .02) were noted in the double-dose steroid group, which were different from that of untreated CDH lambs or controls. Minimal changes in AOE activities were seen with steroid administration. CONCLUSIONS: Although the metabolic changes were not significant, the marked improvement in compliance seen in the double-dosed steroid group suggests a potential role for prenatal maternal corticosteroids in CDH. Further timing and dosage studies are warranted in this model.

A microdialysis study of nucleus accumbens core and shell dopamine during operant responding in the rat.

This investigation examined dopamine release and metabolism in nucleus accumbens core and shell during three operant tasks in the rat. Rats were trained to lever press on a fixed-ratio 5, variable-interval 30 s, or a tandem variable interval 30/fixed-ratio 5 schedules; these three schedules were chosen because they generate a wide range of response and reinforcement rates. After several weeks of training, dialysis probes were implanted into nucleus accumbens core or shell subregions. A single 30 min behavioural session was conducted during the dialysis test session. Rats lever pressing on each of the three operant schedules showed a significant increase in extracellular dopamine relative to the food-deprived control group during the behavioural session. In addition, increases in dopamine in nucleus accumbens shell were found to be significantly greater than in the core during the lever pressing period. Across all three schedules, extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens was significantly correlated with the number of lever presses performed, but was not correlated with the number of food pellets delivered. Analysis of covariance, which used amount of food consumed as the covariate, showed an overall group difference, indicating that dopamine levels increased in lever pressing animals even if one corrected for the amount of food consumed. These results indicate that dopamine release was more responsive in the nucleus accumbens shell than in the core during operant responding, and that increases in extracellular dopamine in nucleus accumbens are related to response rate rather than reinforcement magnitude.

The role of accumbens dopamine in lever pressing and response allocation: effects of 6-OHDA injected into core and dorsomedial shell.

Three experiments investigated the behavioral effects of injections of the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the core or shell of the nucleus accumbens. In the first experiment, it was observed that injections of 6-OHDA into either core or shell had no significant effect on variable interval 30-s responding. In Experiment 2, responding on a fixed ratio 5 (FR5) schedule was impaired by 6-OHDA injections in the core, but not the shell. Rats with core injections of 6-OHDA showed significant alterations in the relative distribution of interresponse times, which were indicative of reductions in the maximal rate of responding and increases in the number of pauses. In the third experiment, rats were tested using a lever-pressing/chow-feeding procedure, in which a preferred food (Bioserve pellets) was available by pressing a lever on a FR5 schedule, but a less preferred food (lab chow) was also available concurrently in the test chamber. Untreated rats usually pressed the lever at high rates to obtain the food pellets and ate little of the lab chow. After training, dopamine depletions were produced by injections of 6-OHDA directly into the core or dorsomedial shell subregions. Injections of 6-OHDA into the core significantly decreased lever pressing for food pellets, increased lab chow consumption, and decreased the relative amount of food obtained by lever pressing. Dorsomedial shell injections of 6-OHDA had no significant effects on either lever pressing or lab chow consumption. Neurochemical results indicate that injections of 6-OHDA in the shell produced substantial depletions in the shell that were somewhat selective; however, injections of 6-OHDA into the core tended to deplete both core and shell. Correlational analyses revealed that decreases in FR5 lever pressing were associated with dopamine levels in the core, but not the shell. The present results indicate that substantial depletions of dopamine in the dorsomedial shell are not sufficient for suppressing reinforced lever pressing, and indicate that dopamine depletions must include the core area to impair performance on these tasks. The lack of effect of accumbens dopamine depletions on VI30 responding are consistent with the notion that accumbens dopamine depletions affect responding on schedules that generate a high rate of responding (FR5), but not those that generate a moderate rate of responding (e.g., VI30 s). The results of the concurrent FR5/chow-feeding experiment indicate that rats with accumbens dopamine depletions remain directed towards the acquisition and consumption of food. These results suggest that dopamine in the core region of accumbens sets constraints upon the selection of food-related behaviors, and that core dopamine depletions alter the relative allocation of food-related responses.

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase preserves surfactant synthesis after hydrogen peroxide exposure.

Exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decreases phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis in rabbit type II pneumocytes. Activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) may play a role in this process. Exposure of type II pneumocytes to H2O2 resulted in a 53% decrease in the rate of incorporation of [3H]choline into PC (P < 0.001). Cell NAD and ATP levels were decreased by 52% (P < 0.001) and 39% (P < 0.01), respectively, without significant changes in cell viability. Exposure to H2O2 also resulted in a 52% (P < 0.05) increase in the activity of PARP. Preincubation of type II cells with inhibitors of PARP (nicotinamide; 3-aminobenzamide) before H2O2 exposure prevented the increase in PARP activity, and blocked the decreases in ATP, NAD, and rate of PC synthesis. These results suggest that the energy depletion associated with activation of PARP contributes to the effects of oxidant stress on type II cell metabolic function and may be ameliorated by pharmacological agents in vitro.

The effects of nucleus accumbens dopamine depletions on continuously reinforced operant responding: contrasts with the effects of extinction.

Two experiments were undertaken to study the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine (DA) in instrumental lever pressing on a continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF). In the first experiment, the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine was infused directly into the nucleus accumbens to investigate the effects of DA depletion on lever pressing performance. DA depletion had only a modest effect on the total number of lever presses, and there was a significant effect on total lever presses only on the first test day (third day postsurgery). Analyses also were performed on responding across the 45-min session by breaking down the session into three 15-min periods. During the test session on day 3 postsurgery, there was a significant group x time interaction, with DA-depleted rats showing a significant reduction in the numbers of responses in the first 15-min period, but no significant effects over the second or third 15-min period within the session. Although control rats showed a within-session decline in responding, the DA-depleted rats did not. In addition, analysis of interresponse times (IRTs) indicated that accumbens DA depletions produced a slowing of the local rate of responding as indicated by a significant decrease in high rate (i.e., short-duration IRT) responses and an increase in low rate (i.e., long-duration IRT) responses. In a second experiment, the effects of extinction on CRF performance were investigated. Unlike the effects of nucleus accumbens DA depletion, extinction produced lower levels of responding throughout the entire test session.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of dopamine depletions in the medial prefrontal cortex on active avoidance and escape in the rat.

Dopamine systems have been implicated in the performance of avoidance behavior, and the dopaminergic innervation of medial prefrontal cortex is known to be responsive to stressful stimuli. In the present investigation, injections of 6-hydroxydopamine were used to produce moderate depletions of dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats trained to perform an active avoidance/escape task. In this task, 0.5 mA shock was presented for 5 s every 30 s, and the rat could escape shock presentation, or avoid the shock for 30 s, by pressing a lever. Depletion of dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex did not affect total number of responses, and did not impair avoidance responding (i.e. responding when the shock was off), and in fact dopamine-depleted animals tended to make slightly more avoidance responses than control animals. Prefrontal dopamine depletions did result in a significant decrease in the number of escape responses (i.e. responding to terminate shock when the shock was on). Moreover, dopamine depletions significantly decreased response efficiency, which is an index of the reduction of shock time produced per lever pressing response. Previous work has indicated that dopamine antagonists and accumbens dopamine depletions have dramatic effects on avoidance behavior; thus, the present results indicate that prefrontal cortex dopamine depletions do not mimic the effects of interference with subcortical dopamine systems. The selective effects of dopamine depletions on escape behavior in the present study suggest that rats with medial prefrontal dopamine depletions have an impairment in the ability to respond appropriately to the direct presentation of footshock.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of dopamine depletions in the medial prefrontal cortex on DRL performance and motor activity in the rat.

Two experiments assessed the behavioral effects of dopamine depletions in the medial prefrontal cortex that were produced by injection of the neurotoxic agent 6-hydroxydopamine. In the first experiment, rats were trained to respond on a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding-30 second (DRL30) schedule. On this schedule, rats were only reinforced if they withheld responding for 30 s. Rats with prefrontal dopamine depletions were found to be impaired in the DRL task. These animals responded more than controls, received fewer reinforcers, and were less efficient in their responses. Moreover, an analysis of interresponse times (IRTs) revealed that rats with medial prefrontal dopamine depletions made more responses with short-duration IRTs, and fewer responses with long-duration IRTs. In the second experiment, rats were tested on open field activity, amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and stereotypy. No increase in spontaneous locomotor activity was found following surgery; however, increases in amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and stereotypy were observed. These results are consistent with hypothesized role for the prefrontal cortex in behavioral inhibition, and indicates that prefrontal cortical dopamine is an integral part of the system.