Copper and zinc hydroxychloride cosupplementation improve growth performance and carcass and reduce diarrhea frequency in grower-finisher pigs.

This study investigated copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) hydroxychloride cosupplementation on the growth performance, diarrhea frequency, carcass, meat quality, and antioxidant activity in grower-finisher pigs. A total of 256 pigs were used from 70 to 154 days (d) of age, distributed in four treatments, with eight pigs in each pen and eight replications per treatment. Diets were provided to grower pigs from 70 to 112 days old and in the finisher, 112 to 154 days old. Copper was considered the low level at 100 mg Cu/kg and 90 mg Cu/kg, respectively, and 150 mg Cu/kg in both periods as high in the grower and finisher periods. In the grower and finisher period, zinc was cosupplemented in the diet at 80 mg Zn/kg and 70 mg Zn/kg, respectively. In the diets, T1 and T2 groups are the traditional inorganic sources for minerals (copper sulfate, CuSO4; zinc oxide, ZnO) and T3 and T4 hydroxychloride sources (copper hydroxychloride, CHC, and zinc hydroxychloride, ZHC). The flavomycin was associated with treatments with low Cu content in the inclusion of 50 g/ton. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, the data were submitted to analysis of PROC MIXED in SAS, the PDIFF test analyzed the treatment effect. At the finisher period, pigs fed both minerals from hydroxychloride source had a higher BW 154 d, average daily gain (ADG) 70 to 154 d, the hot and cold carcass weight and frequency of normal feces than those fed 150 mg Cu/kg and Zn from a traditional inorganic source (P < 0.05). The animals fed low Cu levels of the sulfate source had a higher ADG 70 to 154 d than those fed high Cu levels of the same source (P < 0.05). Pigs fed 150 mg Cu/kg cosupplemented with Zn from a hydroxychloride source had the highest carcass length (P < 0.05). There was no difference among the treatments for meat quality (P > 0.05). Pigs fed 150 mg Cu/kg and Zn from a traditional inorganic source had a higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity than the other treatments (P < 0.05). Animals fed low Cu levels from hydroxychloride had a higher malondialdehyde (MDA) formation than those fed sulfate source, regardless of the Cu levels and those fed high Cu levels of hydroxychloride (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 150 mg Cu/kg as copper sulfate cosupplemented to zinc oxide in the diet of growing and finishing pigs impairs the growth performance, carcass and increases diarrhea frequency, and copper and zinc hydroxychloride cosupplementation improves these characteristics.

Radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the sulcus bottom in type II focal cortical dysplasia-related epilepsy with tapered implantation of electrodes: a case report.

We report a 15-year-old male patient with recurrent epileptic seizures for 12 years. Oral multiple drugs do not work well to his condition. MRI FLAIR scans revealed focal cortical dysplasia type II in the right parietal lobe. The diagnosis of the patient was drug-refractory epilepsy, FCD-related secondary epilepsy. According to the shape of the FCD lesion, electrodes were implanted in a tapered pattern along the bottom of the sulcus to completely destroy the focus. Magnetic resonance imaging at 6 months after surgery revealed that the FCD at the sulcus bottom was completely destroyed. After 26 months of follow-up, the patient had undergone no epileptic seizures, reaching Engel class I. For FCD that are located deep in the brain and adjacent to functional areas, craniotomy has a high risk. And stereoelectroencephalography-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation may be a preferred treatment.

Keyhole craniotomy for cholesteatmas in the cerebellopontine angle region presenting as trigeminal neural-gia / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical utility of keyhole craniotomy for Cholesteatmas in the cerebello-pontine angle region presenting as Trigeminal neuralgia by using keyhole craniotomy. Methods Clinical data of 35 pa-tients with Cholesteatmas in the cerebellopontine angle region presenting as Trigeminal neuralgia was analyzed retrospec-tively. All patients received suboccipital retrosigmoid keyhole craniotomy. Thirty cases who received conventional craniot-omy group were served as control group. A comparative analysis was conducted to assess the difference between these two groups in microsurgical methods, effects and complications. Results All patients were confirmed with MR diagnosis. In keyhole group, all patients had no pain symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia after surgical operation. The symptoms disap-peared immediately in 33 cases and gradually disappeared in 2 cases within one month following keyhole craniotomy. The tumors were totally removed in 25 cases and almost completely in 10 cases. The surgical duration was shorten in key-hole group than in conventional group (126±48 vs. 216±66 min;t=2.536, P<0.05). The amount of bleeding was smaller in keyhole group than in conventional group (91.3±52.2 vs. 186.3±65.4 mL;t=2.163, P<0.05). Postoperative neurologi-cal function was assessed in House-Brackmann. In keyhole group, there were 32 cases in class Ⅰ and 3 in grade Ⅱ. Two patients had hearing loss which was improved gradually in three months. In conventional group, there were 25 cases in class Ⅰ and 5 in grade Ⅱ (χ2=4.158, P<0.05). Postoperative hearing evaluation (AAO-HNS) revealed that there were 33 cases in grade A , and 2 in grade B in the keyhole group, whereas there were 27 cases in grade A and 3 in grade B in the conventional group(χ2=5.167, P<0.05). There were no relapse of tumors and death during 3 month to 5 years follow-up. Conclusions The suboccipital retrosigmoid keyhole craniotomy is a valid choice for Cholesteatmas in the cerebellopontine angle region presenting as Trigeminal neuralgia.