Intraperitoneal and incisional ropivacaine did not improve postoperative analgesia after multimodal anaesthesia compared with saline in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Intraperitoneal administration of local anaesthetics may reduce postoperative pain after ovariohysterectomy in dogs. The aim of this prospective, randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to compare postoperative analgesia and opioid requirements after intraperitoneal and incisional administration of ropivacaine versus 0,9 % NaCl (saline). Forty-three client-owned dogs were enrolled in the study and anaesthetised using a standardized protocol that included premedication with acepromazine (0,03-0,05 mg/kg) and dexmedetomidine (0,01 mg/kg) intramuscularly. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol titrated to effect and ketamine (1 mg/kg) intravenously and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. The analgesic regimen included carprofen (4 mg/kg) subcutaneously and morphine (0,2 mg/kg) intravenously. Depending on group assignment, each dog received either an intraperitoneal and incisional splash with ropivacaine (2 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg, respectively) (group R), or an equal volume of saline (group S). Buprenorphine (0,02 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly once the uterus was removed. Sedation and pain were assessed 0,5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after extubation using a sedation scale, the short form of the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) and a dynamic interactive visual analogue scale (DIVAS). Postoperatively, buprenorphine (0,01 mg/kg) was administered intravenously if dogs scored 6/24 on CMPS-SF. The ordinal mixed model showed no difference in pain scores between groups. Fisher's exact test showed no significant difference in postoperative buprenorphine requirements between group S (3/22 dogs) and group R (1/21 dogs) at the doses used. In addition, lower sedation scores were associated with higher DIVAS scores. In this multimodal analgesic protocol, ropivacaine could not improve analgesia compared to saline.

INTRODUCTION: L'administration intrapéritonéale d'anesthésiques locaux peut réduire la douleur postopératoire après une ovariohystérectomie chez la chienne. L'objectif de cet essai clinique prospectif, randomisé, en aveugle et contrôlé par placebo était de comparer l'analgésie postopératoire et les besoins en opioïdes après l'administration intrapéritonéale et incisionnelle de ropivacaïne par rapport à du NaCl 0,9 % (sérum physiologique). Quarante-trois chiennes appartenant à des clients ont été enrôlés dans l'étude et anesthésiés selon un protocole standardisé comprenant une prémédication par acépromazine (0,03 - 0,05 mg/kg) et dexmedetomidine (0,01 mg/kg) par voie intramusculaire. L'anesthésie a été induite avec du propofol dosé à l'effet et de la kétamine (1 mg/kg) par voie intraveineuse et maintenue avec de l'isoflurane dans de l'oxygène. Le traitement analgésique comprenait du carprofène (4 mg/kg) par voie sous-cutanée et de la morphine (0,2 mg/kg) par voie intraveineuse. En fonction de son affectation à un groupe, chaque chien a reçu soit une injection intrapéritonéale et incisionnelle de ropivacaïne (2 mg/kg et 1 mg/kg, respectivement) (groupe R), soit un volume égal de solution saline (groupe S). La buprénorphine (0,02 mg/kg) a été administrée par voie intramusculaire après l'ablation de l'utérus. La sédation et la douleur ont été évaluées 0,5, 1, 2, 4, 6 et 8 heures après l'extubation à l'aide d'une échelle de sédation, de la forme courte de l'échelle composite de douleur de Glasgow (CMPS-SF) et d'une échelle visuelle analogique interactive dynamique (DIVAS). En postopératoire, de la buprénorphine (0,01 mg/kg) a été administrée par voie intraveineuse si les chiens obtenaient un score de 6/24 sur l'échelle CMPS-SF. Le modèle mixte ordinal n'a montré aucune différence dans les scores de douleur entre les groupes. Le test exact de Fisher n'a pas montré de différence significative dans les besoins postopératoires en buprénorphine entre le groupe S (3/22 chiens) et le groupe R (1/21 chiens) aux doses utilisées. De plus, des scores de sédation plus faibles étaient associés à des scores DIVAS plus élevés. Dans ce protocole d'analgésie multimodale, la ropivacaïne n'a pas permis d'améliorer l'analgésie par rapport au sérum physiologique.

Long-term palliation of right-sided congestive heart failure after stenting a recurrent cor triatriatum dexter in a 10½-year-old pug.

A 10½-year-old, male neutered, pug presented with increasing ascites over two months. Echocardiography revealed cor triatriatum dexter with no concurrent cardiovascular anomalies, subsequently confirmed by computed tomography angiography. Balloon dilation of the perforated intra-atrial membrane under fluoroscopic guidance resulted in the transient resolution of all clinical abnormalities, but six months later stenosis and ascites recurred. After repeated balloon dilation, a stent was placed across the membrane. The dog remains asymptomatic fourteen months after the second procedure. One noteworthy feature of this case is the onset of congestive heart failure due to a congenital defect only at more than 10 years of age.

The role of lipoxygenase products on the endocytosis of yolk proteins in insects: participation of cAMP.

The participation of eicosanoids and second messengers in the regulation of endocytosis by the ovaries was investigated using the uptake of Rhodnius heme binding protein (RHBP) as an experimental model. The rate of RHBP uptake decreased up to 40% in the presence of BWA4C and NDGA, 5 and 12-lipoxygenase inhibitors, respectively, suggesting the involvement of lipoxygenase products in endocytosis regulation. Addition of Leukotriene B4 (LTB(4); one product of the 5 lipoxygenase pathway) increased in vitro the uptake of RHBP by 30%. The content of cAMP in the Rhodnius' ovaries were monitored after treatment with different eicosanoids and inhibitors of eicosanoids synthesis. The amount of cAMP decreased in the presence of indomethacin (by 50%), while treatment with PGE(2) induced an increase of 85% of this messenger in the ovaries. The presence of LTB(4) in the medium inhibited in 60% the content of cAMP in the ovaries, while BWA4C induced a 100% increase of this messenger in the ovaries. Addition of 1 microM DBcAMP in the medium resulted in a 30% decrease in the rate of RHBP uptake. Taken together, these data show that cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products participate in the control of protein internalization by modulation of cAMP levels.

Nitric oxide synthase-positive neurons in the rat superior colliculus: colocalization of NOS with NMDAR1 glutamate receptor, GABA, and parvalbumin.

We analyzed the potential input and output components of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing neurons in the rat superior colliculus (SC). To identify whether NOS-positive neurons receive glutamatergic input we investigated the colocalization of NOS with NMDA receptor subunit R1 (NMDAR1). In addition, to examine whether putative nitric oxide synthesizing neurons represent a neurochemically specific or distinct subpopulation of cells in the SC we studied the colocalization of NOS with the neurotransmitter GABA, the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin and with neuropeptides such as somatostatin, substance P and neuropeptide Y. We found that 90% of NOS-positive neurons in the superficial layers of the rat SC express NMDAR1. Nearly 20% of the population of nitridergic neurons also expresses GABA and 15% of them express parvalbumin. NOS-positive neurons in the superior colliculus did not contain calretinin, calbindin or either of the neuropeptides tested. The results of this study show that the capacity for synthesizing NO in the SC is largely restricted to neurons that receive glutamatergic inputs and that some of these neurons express GABA or parvalbumin.

[Molecular epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: effect of sex and sexual orientation on the distribution of gonococcal types]. / Molekulare Epidemiologie von Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Einfluss von Geschlecht und sexueller Orientierung auf die Verteilung der Gonokokkentypen.

Auxotype/serovar (A/S) classification enables precise characterisation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In the present study we evaluated whether sex and sexual preference of the patient influence the auxotype/serovar class of the infecting gonococcal strain. In male patients prototrophic/IB-3 was the most frequently isolated A/S class. By contrast, in female patients the A/S class (P)AH(U)/IA-1/2 was significantly (p < 0.005) more frequently isolated than in male patients. Analysis of our data according to sexual preference of the patients showed that in heterosexual patients the two mentioned A/S classes were leading, whereas in homo- and bisexual patients A/S classes prototrophic/IB-2 (p < 0.0001) and Pro/IB-2/16 (p < 0.0001) were isolated significantly more often. Our data are a strong indication that the host environment is also responsible for the selection of N. gonorrhoeae strains with certain typing characteristics.

[Molecular epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: typing with combined auxotype/serovar classification]. / Molekulare Epidemiologie von Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Typisierung mit Hilfe der kombinierten Auxotyp/Serovar-Klassifikation.

Auxotyping or determination of serovars of N. gonorrhoeae used separately can be for a limited differentiation of strains only. Combined auxotype/serovar (A/S)-classification was examined for its discriminatory ability on 360 gonococcal strains isolated over 9 years in the area of Heidelberg. The prototrophic, prolin requiring and (P)AH(U)-auxotype were the 3 most frequent auxotypes. 33 different serovars were identified. Protein-IB-serovars dominated by 75%. IB-3, IB-2 and IA-1/2 were the most frequent serovars. The (P)AH(U) auxotype is statistically significant associated with serovar IA-1/2, the PA(U) auxotype with serovar IB-2/16 and the prolin requiring auxotype with serovar IB-1. Combined typing resulted in 68 different A/S classes. The 3 most frequent classes were Proto/IB-3, (P)AH(U)/IA-1/2 and Proto/IB-2/16. The number of the A/S classes identified per year rose generally with the number of the isolated strains. Our data show the heterogeneity and dynamics of a gonococcal population. A/S classification permits the epidemiological differentiation of a gonococcal population in endemic, transient and microepidemic strains.