Foker's technique in oesophageal atresia with double fistula: a case report.

The authors' starting point is a new surgical approach described by Foker and performed by them on a newborn with long-gap oesophageal atresia. We discuss the possibility of obtaining rapid growth of the atretic oesophagus and performing a primary anastomosis in the case of long-gap oesophageal atresia. With this procedure, primary oesophageal repair could be performed without myotomies, without flaps and with the gastrooesophageal junction below the diaphragm. The need for gastrostomy would be also eliminated if the patient underwent the operation as a neonate.

Injeçäo epidural de morfina ou cetamina em cäes: avaliaçäo do efeito analgésico pelo emprego de filamentos de von Frey / Evaluation of epidural morphine or ketamine analgesic effect in dogs by von Frey filaments

Utilizaram-se 14 cäes mestiços, com idade inferior a cinco anos e peso médio de 12,5kg, com o objetivo de se avaliar os efeitos da injeçäo epidural de morfina ou cetamina sobre a dor pós-operatória. Os cäes foram anestesiados com sevoflurano por meio de máscara facial, e em ato contínuo, receberam injeçäo epidural de morfina (0,1mg/kg; G1) ou cetamina (0,2mg/kg; G2) diluídas em 0,3ml/kg de soluçäo salina. A incisäo experimental de 1,5cm foi realizada no coxim plantar e suturada com fio de náilon. Interrompida a anestesia inalatória e decorridos 30 minutos iniciou-se a avaliaçäo da dor peri-incisional, aplicando-se os filamentos de von Frey a 0,3cm equidistantes da incisäo. O procedimento foi repetido a intervalos de 30 minutos até 120 minutos, e posteriormente às 3, 4, 5, 6 e 24 horas do período pós-incisional. Os animais de G1 näo responderam à estimulaçäo com os filamentos e apoiaram o membro incindido normalmente durante todo o período de avaliaçäo. No G2 observou-se aumento progressivo da resposta à estimulaçäo pelos filamentos de von Frey desde os 90 minutos até 24 horas. A morfina reduziu a dor pós-incisional por 24 horas, mostrando-se mais efetiva do que a cetamina para o controle da dor

Behavior and cortisol levels of dogs in a public animal shelter, and an exploration of the ability of these measures to predict problem behavior after adoption.

Behavior and plasma cortisol levels were examined in puppies and juvenile/adult dogs admitted to a public animal shelter. A behavioral test was developed to assess the responses of the dogs to novel or threatening conditions. Factor analysis of the behavioral responses of 166 dogs on day 3 in the shelter yielded six factors (locomotor activity, flight, sociability, timidity, solicitation, and wariness) that accounted for 68% of the total variance. Among those dogs remaining in the shelter for 9 days, plasma cortisol levels declined from day 2 to 9. Cortisol levels were weakly related to factor scores. In order to explore the relation of measures in the shelter to later behavior, questionnaires assessing problem behaviors were mailed to new owners of dogs 2 weeks and 6 months following adoption. Among puppies, wariness scores were negatively correlated with behavior problems at 2 weeks and cortisol levels were negatively correlated with behavior problems at 6 months. These results suggest how measures of behavior and endocrine activity obtained in shelters might prove useful for screening dogs for adoption or targeting dogs for behavioral intervention.

Evidence that endogenous corticotropin-releasing factor suppresses behavioral responses of guinea pig pups to brief isolation in novel surroundings.

Guinea pig pups were injected subcutaneously with a corticotropin-releasing factor antagonist (CRF12-41) or saline vehicle and then placed into a novel cage for 30 or 60 min. Isolated 20- to 26-day-old pups vocalized more and exhibited more locomotor activity when given 15 to 150 micrograms of CRF12-41 than when given saline. The presence of the mother in the test cage prevented the antagonist from affecting behavior. The influence of the antagonist during isolation was not limited to guinea pigs near weaning age: CRF12-41 increased levels of vocalizing in isolated, 4- to 6-day-old pups, though no changes were seen in locomotor activity. Results support the hypothesis that endogenous corticotropin-releasing factor, perhaps acting at a peripheral binding site, suppresses the active behavioral response characteristic of pups during the early phase of isolation in novel surroundings.

The fate of filial attachment in juvenile guinea pigs housed apart from the mother.

Thirty-five-day-old juvenile guinea pigs exhibited higher levels of plasma cortisol following 60 min of exposure to a novel environment when tested alone than when in the presence of the mother. This effect occurred regardless of whether the offspring had been housed continuously with mother and littermates from birth until testing or had been rehoused with just littermates 1 or 2 days prior to testing. Offspring vocalized more when alone then when in the presence of the mother only if they had been housed continuously with her until testing. In addition, juvenile males reunited with the mother after 1 or 2 days directed sexual behavior toward her. The sexual behavior was not accompanied by a significant change in plasma testosterone levels, though there was an overall suppression of levels following isolation in the novel test environment. The results show that guinea pig mothers maintain the capacity to prevent their offspring from exhibiting a plasma cortisol stress response even when the offspring are well beyond weaning and have been housed apart from her for up to 2 days. This suggests the existence of filial attachment in juveniles under these conditions. Further, juvenile males appear capable of simultaneously directing filial attachment and sexual behavior toward the same female.

[A therapeutic protocol with cefoperazone in bronchopneumopathy in mucoviscidosis]. / Studio di un protocollo terapeutico con cefoperazone nella broncopneumopatia mucoviscidosa.

Cystic fibrosis, a hereditary chronically evolving disease, is characterized by special predisposition to bronchial infections, especially by Pseudomonas strains. In the present open noncomparative study, the therapeutic efficacy of cefoperazone in respiratory infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 25 children suffering from cystic fibrosis has been evaluated. Results were favorable, since both the specific symptoms of the infection and the general condition of the patients was markedly improved although the eradication of Pseudomonas was not achieved.