ESTUDIO PRELIMINAR DE COLECCIÓN DE SEMEN EN OSO DE ANTEOJOS (Tremarctos ornatus)

Semen was collected in a Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) reared in captivity using the electroejaculation technique. Four series of 6 volt discharges by 15 seconds each plus manual stimulation were carried out. An effective penis erection and small volume of ejaculate was obtained in the last series of electrical stimulus. Seminal motility was 50%. Further studies are required to optimize the use of the electroejaculator in order to obtain higher volumes and better semen quality.Semen was collected in a Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) reared in captivity using the electroejaculation technique. Four series of 6 volt discharges by 15 seconds each plus manual stimulation were carried out. An effective penis erection and small volume of ejaculate was obtained in the last series of electrical stimulus. Seminal motility was 50%. Further studies are required to optimize the use of the electroejaculator in order to obtain higher volumes and better semen quality

HEMATOLOGICALVALUES OF THE YELLOW-FOOTEDTORTOISE (GEOCHELONE DENTICULATA) RAISED IN CAPTIVITY

El estudio tuvo por objetivo obtener valores hematológicos de referencia de la tortuga motelo (Geochelone denticulata). Se utilizaron 44 individuos mantenidos en cautiverio en la ciudad de Iquitos-Perú. Se colectó la sangre por punción de la vena subcarapacial y se determinó recuento de glóbulos rojos (RGR), recuento de glóbulos blancos (RGB), hematocrito (Ht), hemoglobina (Hb), recuento diferencial de leucocitos e índices eritrocíticos. La temperatura cloacal y el peso corporal se emplearon como referencia del estado de salud. Los valores promedio fueron: RGR 0.44 x 106μL, RGB 7.82 x 103μL, Ht 20.3%, Hb 7.0 g/dl, VCM 502.7 fl, HCM 171.4 pg, CHCM 34.1 g/dl. El recuento diferencial de leucocitos fue: Heterófilos 55.6%, Linfocitos 25.5%, Eosinófilos 15.8%, Basófilos 1.5%, Monocitos 0.4%, Azurófilos 1.2%. Los resultados coinciden con los intervalos de referencia documentados para la especie.The objective of the study was to obtain hematological referential values forGeochelone denticulata tortoise. Blood samples of 44 tortoises, maintained in captivityin Iquitos city, Peru, were collected by puncture of the subcarapacial vein. Bloodparameters under evaluation were red blood cell number (RBC), white blood cell number(WBC), hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), differential leukocyte counts and erythrocyteindexes. Cloacal temperature and body weight were used as a reference for health status.The average values were: RBC 0.44 x 106mL, WBC 7.82 x 103mL, Ht 20.3%, Hb 7.0 g/dl,MCV 502.7 fl, MCH 171.4 pg, MCHC 34.1 g/dl. Leukocyte differential counts were:Heterophils 55.6%, Lymphocytes 25.5%, Eosinophils 15.8%, Basophils 1.5%, Monocytes0.4%, Azurophils 1.2%. Results were similar to values reported for the species

LIVER BIOCHEMISTRY PROFILE IN WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS) REARED IN CAPTIVITY

El presente estudio se llevó a cabo con 23 venados cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus), de ambos sexos, y criados en cautiverio en la provincia de Lima, con el objetivo de determinar el perfil bioquímico sanguíneo hepático a través de los valores séricos de Bilirrubina Total y Directa, Proteínas Totales, Albúmina, Alanino Amino Transferasa (ALT), Aspartato Amino Transferasa (AST), Fosfatasa Alcalina (FA), y Gamma Glutamil Transferasa (GGT). Los animales (7 machos y 16 hembras), pertenecientes a tres zoológicos o zoocriaderos, fueron anestesiados con clorhidrato de ketamina o con la combinación de clorhidrato de ketamina y clorhidrato de xilacina. Se extrajo 7 ml de sangre por punción de la vena safena en tubos estériles sin anticoagulante, y los sueros fueron analizados con kits comerciales. Los valores encontrados (media ± DE) fueron para Bilirrubina Total: 0.6 ± 0.3 mg/dl; Bilirrubina Directa: 0.08 ± 0.06 mg/dl; Proteínas Totales: 6.6 ± 0.7 g/dl; Albúmina: 3.6 ± 0.5 g/dl; ALT: 26.0 ± 9.7 UI/l; AST: 87.6 ± 22.9 UI/l; FA: 73.9 ± 33.8 UI/l; y GGT: 42.5 ± 12.6 UI/l. No hubo diferencia estadística entre sexos con excepción de BT y albúmina (p<0.05).This study was carried out with 23 adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)of both sexes, kept in captivity in the province of Lima to establish reference liverbiochemistry profilevalues (Total and direct bilirubin, total protein, albumin, alanineamino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AF),and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT). The animals (7 males and 16 females) were from three local zoos and were anesthesyzed with ketamine hydrochloride or with acombination of ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine hydrochloride. Blood samples (7ml) were collected from the saphenous vein in sterile tubes and serum was analyzedusing commercial kits. The values (mean ± SD) were Total Bilirubin: 0.6 ± 0.3 mg/dl;Direct Bilirubin: 0.08 ± 0.06 mg/dl; Total Protein: 6.6 ± 0.7 g/dl; Albumin: 3.6 ± 0.5 g/dl;ALT: 26.0 ± 9.7 UI/l; AST: 87.6 ± 22.9 UI/l; AF: 73.9 ± 33.8 UI/l, and GGT: 42.5 ± 12.6 UI/l.There were no statistical differences due to sex except for total bilirubin and albumin(p<0.05

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Data-driven H∞-norm estimation via expert advice

H∞-norm estimation is usually an important aspect of robust control design. The aim of this paper is to develop a data-driven estimation method exploiting iterative input design, without requiring parametric modeling. More specifically, the estimation problem is formulated as a sequential game, whose solution is derived within the prediction with expert advice framework. The proposed method is shown to be competitive with the state-of-the-art techniques

Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Volumes and Cerebrovascular Events: One-Year Follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Declines in stroke admission, intravenous thrombolysis, and mechanical thrombectomy volumes were reported during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a paucity of data on the longer-term effect of the pandemic on stroke volumes over the course of a year and through the second wave of the pandemic. We sought to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of stroke admissions, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy over a one-year period at the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021) compared with the immediately preceding year (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020). METHODS We conducted a longitudinal retrospective study across 6 continents, 56 countries, and 275 stroke centers. We collected volume data for COVID-19 admissions and 4 stroke metrics: ischemic stroke admissions, ICH admissions, intravenous thrombolysis treatments, and mechanical thrombectomy procedures. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes or classifications in stroke databases. RESULTS There were 148,895 stroke admissions in the one-year immediately before compared to 138,453 admissions during the one-year pandemic, representing a 7% decline (95% confidence interval [95% CI 7.1, 6.9]; p<0.0001). ICH volumes declined from 29,585 to 28,156 (4.8%, [5.1, 4.6]; p<0.0001) and IVT volume from 24,584 to 23,077 (6.1%, [6.4, 5.8]; p<0.0001). Larger declines were observed at high volume compared to low volume centers (all p<0.0001). There was no significant change in mechanical thrombectomy volumes (0.7%, [0.6,0.9]; p=0.49). Stroke was diagnosed in 1.3% [1.31,1.38] of 406,792 COVID-19 hospitalizations. SARS-CoV-2 infection was present in 2.9% ([2.82,2.97], 5,656/195,539) of all stroke hospitalizations. DISCUSSION There was a global decline and shift to lower volume centers of stroke admission volumes, ICH volumes, and IVT volumes during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the prior year. Mechanical thrombectomy volumes were preserved. These results suggest preservation in the stroke care of higher severity of disease through the first pandemic year. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION This study is registered under NCT04934020