Guaiphenesin-ketamine-xylazine infusion to maintain anesthesia in mules undergoing field castration.

Abstract Background: In order to determine whether a combination of guaiphenesin, ketamine and xylazine can induce safe and satisfactory anaesthesia in mules undergoing field castration, eight healthy adult intact male mules were employed. They were premedicated with intravenous (IV) xylazine (1.3 mg/kg); an additional dose of xylazine (0.3 mg/ kg IV) was administered in case of inadequate depth of sedation. Anaesthesia was induced with IV thiopental (6 mg/ kg). The quality of sedation and induction was recorded. Anaesthesia was maintained with an infusion of guaiphenesin (50 mg/mL), ketamine (2 mg/mL) and xylazine (1 mg/mL) (GKX). The spermatic cord of each testis was infiltrated with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine. During anaesthesia heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and haemoglobin oxygen saturation ( SpO2) were measured every 5 min. The data were analysed with simple one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Time of anesthesia, time of surgery and time of recovery were recorded. Results: Only one mule required an additional dose of xylazine to achieve a satisfactory depth of sedation. Thiopental at the dose of 6 mg/kg IV resulted in smooth induction and lateral recumbency in all animals. GKX provided adequate anaesthesia to perform castration in all mules. Muscle relaxation was deemed adequate and physiological variables remained stable and within references values during the anaesthesia and did not change in response to surgical stimulation. Time (mean ± standard deviation) from the end of the infusion to sternal recumbency and time from sternal recumbency to standing were 27.7 ± 4.6 and 30.1 ± 7.7 min, respectively. Conclusions: The combination of xylazine, thiopental and GKX provides satisfactory short-term anaesthesia in mules undergoing field castration

The GRAVITY+ Project: Towards All-sky, Faint-Science, High-Contrast Near-Infrared Interferometry at the VLTI

The GRAVITY instrument has been revolutionary for near-infrared interferometry by pushing sensitivity and precision to previously unknown limits. With the upgrade of GRAVITY and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in GRAVITY+, these limits will be pushed even further, with vastly improved sky coverage, as well as faint-science and high-contrast capabilities. This upgrade includes the implementation of wide-field off-axis fringe-tracking, new adaptive optics systems on all Unit Telescopes, and laser guide stars in an upgraded facility. GRAVITY+ will open up the sky to the measurement of black hole masses across cosmic time in hundreds of active galactic nuclei, use the faint stars in the Galactic centre to probe General Relativity, and enable the characterisation of dozens of young exoplanets to study their formation, bearing the promise of another scientific revolution to come at the VLTI.Comment: Published in the ESO Messenge

Charakterisierung der Sphingosin-1-Phosphat 1 Rezeptorexpression auf peripheren mononukleären Zellen bei septischen Patienten und gesunden Kontrollen

Hintergrund: Die Sepsis ist gekennzeichnet durch eine gestörte Immunreaktion, sog. Immunparalyse, die mit einer Lymphopenie einhergeht. Sphingosin-1-Phosphat (S1P) steuert als bioaktives Lipid gemeinsam mit dem S1P-Rezeptor 1 (S1PR1) die Lymphozy-ten-Migration, die entlang eines S1P-Konzentrationsgradienten zwischen lymphatischem Gewebe (niedrige S1P-Konzentration) und peripherem Blut (hohe S1P-Konzentration) stattfindet. Physiologisch findet bei niedriger S1P-Konzentration eine Hochregulation und bei hoher S1P-Konzentration eine Downregulation des S1PR1 statt, so dass die Lympho-zytenzirkulation zwischen Lymphgewebe und Blutzirkulation stattfinden kann. Ziel: Diese Dissertation sollte vier Fragestellungen beantworten: (1) Ist das Differential-blutbild von Sepsis-Patienten im Vergleich zu einer gesunden Kohorte verändert? (2) Ist die Serum-S1P-Konzentration in Sepsis-Patienten im Vergleich zu einer gesunden Kohorte verändert? (3) Ist die S1PR1-Expression in Sepsis-Patienten im Vergleich zu einer gesun-den Kohorte verändert? (4) Sind Serum-S1P-Konzentration und S1PR1-Expression in peripheren mononukleären Zellen (PBMC) miteinander assoziiert und lassen sich Verän-derungen im Differentialblutbild mit der Serum-S1P-Konzentration oder der S1PR1-Expression assoziieren? Methode: Diese prospektive Kohortenstudie schließt 45 Sepsis-Patienten mit einem Sys-temic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) und/oder Infektion (n=15), einer schweren Sepsis (n=15), einem septischen Schock (n=15) und 20 gesunde Kontrollen ein. Die Se-rum-S1P-Konzentration wurde mittels Tandem-Massenspektroskopie im Institut für Klini-sche Pharmakologie und Toxikologie des Universitätsklinikums Hamburg-Eppendorf (U-KE) durchgeführt. Die S1PR1-Rezeptorexpression in PBMC der Sepsis-Patienten wurde mittels Echtzeit-Polymerase-Kettenreaktion (qPCR) bestimmt. Laborparameter, insbeson-dere Zellzahlveränderungen im Differentialblutbild, wurden anhand von Routineverfahren gemessen. Ergebnisse: Sepsis-Patienten (vs. Kontrolle) zeigten erhöhte Leukozyten- (13 109/l (10-18 109/l), p≤0,05), Neutrophilen- sowie Monozytenzahlen und erniedrigte Lymphozyten-zahlen. Die Serum-S1P-Konzentration in Sepsis-Patienten (vs. Kontrolle) war signifikant niedriger, insbesondere im septischen Schock (278 nmol/l (229-302 nmol/l), p≤0,05). Die S1PR1-Expression in Sepsis-Patienten (vs. Kontrolle) war signifikant reduziert (1,40 ± 1,40 GAPDH %, p≤0,05) und korrelierte positiv mit der Serum-S1P-Konzentration. Die Se-rum-S1P-Konzentration korrelierte negativ mit der Leukozyten- (ρ=-0,44, p≤0,05) sowie der Neutrophilenzahl (ρ=-0,43, p≤0,05) und positiv mit der Lymphozytenzahl (ρ=+0,42, p≤0,05). Die S1PR1-Expression zeigte eine positive Korrelation mit der Lymphozytenzahl (ρ=+0,46, p≤0,05). Zusammenfassung: Die Serum-S1P-Konzentration ist in Sepsis-Patienten reduziert. Niedrige S1P-Konzentrationen sind mit niedrigen Lymphozytenzahlen im peripheren Blut septischer Patienten assoziiert. Diese Beobachtung stimmt mit der S1P/S1PR-vermittelten Lymphozyten-Migration in Richtung hoher S1P-Konzentrationen überein. Eine verminderte S1P-Konzentration in Sepsis-Patienten könnte somit zur phänotypischen Lymphopenie in der Sepsis beitragen. Die von anderen Forschungsgruppen beschriebene S1PR1-Hochregulation bei niedrigen S1P-Konzentrationen, konnte in den Sepsis-Patienten im Ver-gleich zu gesunden Kontrolle nicht bestätigt werden. Aufgrund der Expressionsanalyse in PBMC konnte die S1PR1-Expression nicht spezifisch für die Lymphozyten beschrieben werden, so dass eine Interpretation somit erschwert ist. Es werden weitere Experimente benötigt, um zellspezifische Veränderungen der S1PR1-mRNA und -Oberflächenexpression zu untersuchen. Nichtsdestotrotz, kann vorsichtig spekuliert wer-den, dass eine verminderte S1P-Konzentration und/oder eine reduzierte S1PR1-Expression in Zellen zur veränderten Zusammensetzung der Immunzellen in der Sepsis beitragen

Assessment of Ecosystem Services Provided by Macrophytes in Southern Baltic and Southern Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons

&lt;jats:title&gt;Abstract&lt;/jats:title&gt;&lt;jats:p&gt;The ecological importance of macrophytes is well known and reflected in nature protection law, for example, as a key biological quality element. However, the socio-economic role, such as the impact of macrophyte presence on recreational activities, is often overlooked. The purpose of this study was to assess the human benefits (or ecosystem services) provided by macrophytes. We developed a list of 25 macrophyte ecosystem services and 79 assessment indicators based on expert knowledge and literature data. First, hypothetical scenarios of coastal lagoons were developed to assess the impact of different ecological states (i.e., macrophyte coverage) and management measures (i.e., fisheries) on the ecosystem service provision. Scenario assessments were carried out by stakeholder workshops and literature search. Second, the ecosystem service potential of submerged and emergent macrophyte habitats were assessed by macrophyte experts and literature data. Results showed that cultural services are most important in terms of the overall actual provision of ecosystem services (scenario assessment) but also showing highest potential of the hypothetical ecosystem service provision (habitat assessment). Highest overall potential is shown for reeds and tall forb communities (83 out of maximum 125), followed by seagrass beds (71) and seaweed communities (61). Our ecosystem service assessment approaches (i.e., scenario and habitat-based) using socio-cultural data (i.e., stakeholders and experts-based) and biophysical data (i.e., indicators-based) can serve as supportive tools for coastal management and policy implementation visualizing the benefits of macrophytes to humans.&lt;/jats:p&gt

Guaiphenesin-ketamine-xylazine infusion to maintain anesthesia in mules undergoing field castration

Background: In order to determine whether a combination of guaiphenesin, ketamine and xylazine can induce safe and satisfactory anaesthesia in mules undergoing field castration, eight healthy adult intact male mules were employed. They were premedicated with intravenous (IV) xylazine (1.3 mg/kg); an additional dose of xylazine (0.3 mg/kg IV) was administered in case of inadequate depth of sedation. Anaesthesia was induced with IV thiopental (6 mg/kg). The quality of sedation and induction was recorded. Anaesthesia was maintained with an infusion of guaiphenesin (50 mg/mL), ketamine (2 mg/mL) and xylazine (1 mg/mL) (GKX). The spermatic cord of each testis was infiltrated with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine. During anaesthesia heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured every 5 min. The data were analysed with simple one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Time of anesthesia, time of surgery and time of recovery were recorded. Results: Only one mule required an additional dose of xylazine to achieve a satisfactory depth of sedation. Thiopental at the dose of 6 mg/kg IV resulted in smooth induction and lateral recumbency in all animals. GKX provided adequate anaesthesia to perform castration in all mules. Muscle relaxation was deemed adequate and physiological variables remained stable and within references values during the anaesthesia and did not change in response to surgical stimulation. Time (mean ± standard deviation) from the end of the infusion to sternal recumbency and time from sternal recumbency to standing were 27.7 ± 4.6 and 30.1 ± 7.7 min, respectively. Conclusions: The combination of xylazine, thiopental and GKX provides satisfactory short-term anaesthesia in mules undergoing field castration

Comparison of whole genome sequencing to restriction endonuclease analysis and gel diffusion precipitin-based serotyping of <i>Pasteurella multocida</i>

The gel diffusion precipitin test (GDPT) and restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) have commonly been used in the serotyping and genotyping of Pasteurella multocida. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis has become the gold standard for other organisms, offering higher resolution than previously available methods. We compared WGS to REA and GDPT on 163 isolates of P. multocida to determine if WGS produced more precise results. The isolates used represented the 16 reference serovars, isolates with REA profiles matching an attenuated fowl cholera vaccine strain, and isolates from 10 different animal species. Isolates originated from across the United States and from Chile. Identical REA profiles clustered together in the phylogenetic tree. REA profiles that differed by only a few bands had fewer SNP differences than REA profiles with more differences, as expected. The GDPT results were diverse but it was common to see a single serovar show up repeatedly within clusters. Several errors were found when examining the REA profiles. WGS was able to confirm these errors and compensate for the subjectivity in analysis of REA. Also, results of WGS and SNP analysis correlated more closely with the epidemiologic data than GDPT. In silico results were also compared to a lipopolysaccharide rapid multiplex PCR test. From the data produced in our study, WGS and SNP analysis was superior to REA and GDPT and highlighted some of the issues with the older tests. </jats:p