1H-NMR metabolomic profile of healthy and osteoarthritic canine synovial fluid before and after UC-II supplementation

The aim of the study was to compare the metabolomic synovial fluid (SF) profile of dogs affected by spontaneous osteoarthritis (OA) and supplemented with undenatured type II collagen (UC-II), with that of healthy control dogs. Client-owned dogs were enrolled in the study and randomized in two different groups, based on the presence/absence of OA (OA group and OA-free group). All dogs were clinically evaluated and underwent SF sampling for 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR) analysis at time of presentation. All dogs included in OA group were supplemented with UC-II orally administered for 30 days. After this period, they were reassessed (OA-T30). The differences in the 1H-NMR metabolic SFs profiles between groups (OA-free, OA-T0 and OA-T30) were studied. The multivariate statistical analysis performed on SFs under different conditions (OA-T0 vs OA-T30 SFs; OA-T0 vs OA-free SFs and OA-T30 vs OA-free SFs) gave models with excellent goodness of fit and predictive parameters, revealed by a marked separation between groups. β-Hydroxybutyrate was identified as a characteristic compound of osteoarthritic joints, showing the important role of fat metabolism during OA. The absence of β-hydroxybutyrate after UC-II supplementation suggests the supplement’s effectiveness in rebalancing the metabolism inside the joint. The unexpectedly high level of lactate in the OA-free group suggests that lactate could not be considered a good marker for OA. These results prove that 1H-NMR-based metabolomic analysis is a valid tool to study and monitor OA and that UC-II improves clinical symptoms and the SF metabolic profile in OA dog

Wound Retractor Laparoscopic Port System for Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Panthera leo

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and intraoperative complications of performing ovariectomies in African lionesses (Panthera leo) using a wound retractor laparoscopic platform. Six lionesses (n = 6) were included. The surgical procedures were carried out through three portals, with a retractor platform positioned at the umbilical port and cannulas placed 3–4 cm from the cranial and caudal regions to the device at the level of the midline. An ovariectomy was performed with a vessel-sealing device. We evaluated the surgery time and the intraoperative and early postoperative complications. The mean weight was 172.83 kg. The total surgery time was 49.33 min. The installation step took a mean of 10.33 min to complete. The mean ovariectomy time was 20 min. Controlled bleeding was observed at the tip of the uterine horn in two cases due to excessive tissue thickness. The retrieval of dissected ovarian tissue and annexes was easily performed. No other complications were observed. The use of the laparoscopic platform during three-portal surgeries for laparoscopic ovariectomy in adult overweight lionesses is feasible and without intraoperative problems. The retractor meant that there were no entry-related issues due to the 25 mm mini-laparotomy. It also made it simpler to extract thick ovaries and promptly re-establish the pneumoperitoneum

Large expert-curated database for benchmarking document similarity detection in biomedical literature search

Document recommendation systems for locating relevant literature have mostly relied on methods developed a decade ago. This is largely due to the lack of a large offline gold-standard benchmark of relevant documents that cover a variety of research fields such that newly developed literature search techniques can be compared, improved and translated into practice. To overcome this bottleneck, we have established the RElevant LIterature SearcH consortium consisting of more than 1500 scientists from 84 countries, who have collectively annotated the relevance of over 180 000 PubMed-listed articles with regard to their respective seed (input) article/s. The majority of annotations were contributed by highly experienced, original authors of the seed articles. The collected data cover 76% of all unique PubMed Medical Subject Headings descriptors. No systematic biases were observed across different experience levels, research fields or time spent on annotations. More importantly, annotations of the same document pairs contributed by different scientists were highly concordant. We further show that the three representative baseline methods used to generate recommended articles for evaluation (Okapi Best Matching 25, Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency and PubMed Related Articles) had similar overall performances. Additionally, we found that these methods each tend to produce distinct collections of recommended articles, suggesting that a hybrid method may be required to completely capture all relevant articles. The established database server located at https://relishdb.ict.griffith.edu.au is freely available for the downloading of annotation data and the blind testing of new methods. We expect that this benchmark will be useful for stimulating the development of new powerful techniques for title and title/abstract-based search engines for relevant articles in biomedical research.Peer reviewe

Laparoscopic salpingectomy in Papio hamadryas for birth control in captivity

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic salpingectomy in baboons (Papio hamadryas). We hypothesized that laparoscopic salpingectomy could be performed in baboon species within a reasonable amount of surgical time, with minor complications occurring at low rates. Study design: Case series and technique description. Animals: Sixteen baboons (n = 16). Methods: The surgical procedures were performed using the 3-port technique, with 5 mm instruments and a telescope placed at the umbilical and hypogastric regions. A salpinx dissection was performed, using a radiofrequency bipolar vessel sealing device, from the fimbriae to the uterine attachments. We evaluated the surgical duration, learning curve, and intraoperative and early postoperative complications. Results: Ten adult and 6 subadult baboons with a mean weight of 9.32 kg, a range of 4-14.2 kg, and a standard deviation (SD) of 3.09 kg were included in the study. The total duration of surgery was 28.75 min (range, 16-50 min; SD, 9.60 min). The installation phase was completed in a mean time of 7.68 min (range, 3-15 min; SD, 3.43 min), and the time to complete the salpingectomy of both salpinges was 9.68 min (range, 4-20 min; SD, 3.97 min). No complications were observed in the postoperative period. Conclusion: Laparoscopic salpingectomy in Papio hamadryas was feasible, with an acceptable surgical time, low invasiveness, and only minor technical perioperative complications. Clinical significance: Laparoscopic salpingectomy could be a viable and safe therapeutic option in nonhuman primate birth-control programs

Evaluation of clinical efficacy of undenatured type II collagen supplementation compared to cimicoxib and their association in dogs affected by natural occurring osteoarthritis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 30 days treatment of undenatured type II collagen (UC-II (R)), compared to cimicoxib and to their combination, in osteoarthritic dogs. Client-owned dogs were enrolled in a clinical, randomized, controlled and prospective study. Posture, lameness, pain, range of motion and x-ray of affected joint(s) were evaluated and scored based on severity (CLINICAL score). The Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs survey was used to score the owner evaluation of dog's mobility (LOAD score and MOBILITY score). Osteoarthritis (OA) stage was defined through the Canine Osteoarthritis Staging tool (COAST). After diagnosis (T0), all patients were randomly assigned to different treatment groups: C group = cimicoxib 2 mg/kg/day orally OS, F group = UC-II (R) 1 tablet per day OS; C + F group = cimicoxib-UC-II (R) at the same previous dosages; CTR group = dogs who didn't received any treatment. All treatments were administered for 30 days. Seventy-six dogs completed the study. LOAD score was recorded significant lower after treatment for each group, with a reduction in percentage of 29.5% for C, 31.4% for F, 21.1% for C + F. LOAD score was lower in C(P = 0.04), F(P = 0.001) and C + F(P = 0.009) group at T30 than CTR group. MOBILITY and CLINICAL scores were significantly lower in all groups at T30, when compared to T0. MOBILITY score was lower than CTR in C(P = 0.02) and F(P = 0.01); CLINICAL score was lower in C + F(P = 0.016). The present findings prove that the treatment with UC-II (R), cimicoxib and their combination provide significant reduction in clinical signs associated with OA

Comparison of Two Radiofrequency Vessel-Sealing Device for Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in African Lionesses (Panthera Leo)

To evaluate two vessel-sealing devices with different jaw lengths for dissecting ovaries in adult obese African lionesses undergoing laparoscopic ovariectomy. Twelve lionesses (n = 12) were recruited. The surgical procedures were performed through three portals, with a retractor platform positioned at the umbilical port and cannulas placed 3–4 cm cranial and caudal to the device at the level of the midline. Ovariectomy was performed using a vessel-sealing device according to a randomization list. We evaluated the surgery time the intra- and postoperative complications. The total surgery time was 49.3 min (range 40–61 min) in the Atlas group and significantly lower in the Caiman group (mean 31.8 min, range 26–51 min). The installation phase was similar between the groups. The ovariectomy time was significantly lower in the Caiman group (mean 7.8 min, range 4–11 min) than in the Atlas group (mean 20 min, range 16–30 min). Controlled bleeding was observed at the tip of the uterine horn in two cases in the Atlas group. No other complications were noted. The results of our study confirmed the significant advantages of employing the Caiman 12 vessel-sealing device in comparison with the LigaSure Atlas in terms of the time needed to complete ovariectomy, although both instruments could be considered safe. The use of the Caiman 12 is recommended when performing laparoscopic ovariectomies in adults with obesity

Evaluation of the Effects of Undenatured Type II Collagen (UC-II) as Compared to Robenacoxib on the Mobility Impairment Induced by Osteoarthritis in Dogs

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease that requires a multimodal therapeutic approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of undenatured type II collagen (UC-II) as compared to robenacoxib in dogs affected by OA. Our hypothesis was that the two compounds would be similar (non-inferiority) in improving mobility. To test this hypothesis, a complete orthopedic examination, x-ray and the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) survey were performed in dogs affected by OA before and after the treatments. The study was designed as a clinical, randomized, controlled and prospective study. Sixty client-owned dogs were randomized in the R group (n = 30, robenacoxib 1 mg/kg/day for 30 days) and in the UC-II group (n = 30, UC-II 1 tablet/day for 30 days). Thirty days after the beginning of the treatment (T30), the dogs were reassessed for the LOAD, MOBILITY and CLINICAL scores. Based on the data obtained from the study, a significant reduction in LOAD and MOBILITY scores was recorded between T0 and T30 with a similar magnitude among the two groups (R = 31.5%, p < 0.001; UC-II = 32.7%, p = 0.013). The results of this study showed that UC-II and robenacoxib were able to similarly improve mobility of dogs affected by OA

Use of Laryngeal Mask and Anesthetic Management in Hamadryas Baboons (<i>Papio hamadryas</i>) Undergoing Laparoscopic Salpingectomy—A Case Series

The study aims to describe the anesthetic and airway management of baboons (Papio hamadryas) undergoing laparoscopic salpingectomy with a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) device. Eleven baboons received tiletamine-zolazepam and medetomidine; anesthesia was induced with propofol. An LMA was positioned for oxygen and isoflurane administration in spontaneous respiration. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory rate (RR), end tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2), minute volume (MV), and peripheral hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2) were recorded before (PREPP) and immediately after abdomen insufflation (PP1), at 10 (PP2), 20 (PP3), and 30 (PP4) minutes during pneumoperitoneum, and after (POSTPP) pneumoperitoneum. The respiratory rate was significantly higher at all times compared to PREPP. The end tidal carbon dioxide concentration was significantly higher at PP2, PP3, PP4, and POSTPP, compared to the previous times. The higher values for RR and EtCO2 were registered at PP4: 22.7 (95% CI 17.6–27.8) breaths/min and 57.9 (95% CI 51.9–63.8) mmHg, respectively. The minute volume was significantly higher at PP4 and POSTPP compared to the other times. The higher value for MV was registered at POSTPP (269.1 (95% CI 206.1–331.8) mL/kg/min). This protocol is suitable for baboons undergoing laparoscopic salpingectomy. The LMA was easy to insert and allowed for good ventilation, gas exchange, and delivery of the anesthetic in spontaneous breathing baboons

CT Findings and Histological Evaluation of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) with Chronic Head Trauma Injury: A Retrospective Study

Large numbers of wild animals are injured every year in road traffic accidents. Scant data are available for rescued wild carnivores, in particular for red foxes. Cases of foxes with head trauma were retrospectively considered for inclusion in this study. Clinical examination, modified Glasgow coma scale (MGCS), computed tomography (CT) examination, therapy, outcome, and post mortem findings of the brain were investigated. In all foxes, cranial vaults lesion occurred in single (67%) or multiple sites (33%). Midline shift and hydrocephalus were observed in this population. The mean survival was 290 (±176) days. In our study, we performed CT scans on average 260 days after fox rescue, and we speculate that persisting clinical signs could be attributed to TBI. In our study, only two foxes were alive at the time of writing. Other foxes were euthanized due to the severity of the clinical signs. CT scans help diagnose chronic lesions and their effect on prognostic judgment for animals released to wildlife environments

Respiratory and hemodynamic effects of 2 protocols of low-dose infusion of dexmedetomidine in dogs under isoflurane anesthesia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the respiratory and hemodynamic effects of a low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion [1 μg/kg body weight (BW) per hour], with or without a loading dose (1 μg/kg BW), in dogs under isoflurane anesthesia. Thirty dogs were premedicated with methadone [0.3 mg/kg BW intramuscular (IM)], induced with propofol intravenous (IV) and maintained with isoflurane (1.3% to 1.4%) under mechanical ventilation. Animals were randomly assigned to 3 intravenous (IV) treatments (n = 10): 1 μg/kg BW dexmedetomidine, followed by 1 μg/kg BW per hour (group BI); or saline solution bolus, followed by either an infusion of 1 μg/kg BW per hour dexmedetomidine (group I) or saline solution (group C). The infusions were interrupted after 30 minutes. Respiratory system static compliance (Cstat) and respiratory system resistance (Rrs), partial pressure of oxygen/fractional inspired oxygen ratio (PaO2/FIO2), intrapulmonary shunt (Fshunt), and cardiac output (CO) were determined 5 minutes before the bolus (BASELINE), at the end of the bolus (BOLUS), and at 15 (T15), 30 (T30), and 45 minutes (T45) intervals. In group BI, Cstat and PaO2/FiO2 were higher at T15 and T30 than at BASELINE in the same group and than group C at the same times. In group I, the same parameters at T30 were higher than at BASELINE and than group C at the same time. In group BI, Rrs and Fshunt were lower than at BASELINE and than group C at the same time. In group I, the same parameters at T30 were lower than at BASELINE and those of group C at the same time. Cardiac output (CO) at T30 was higher in groups BI and I than in group C. The results of this study showed that low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion improves oxygenation and respiratory system mechanics and has a stabilizing hemodynamic effect in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane and mechanically ventilated