BackgroundA scale validated in one language is not automatically valid in another language or culture. The purpose of this study was to validate the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale (MCPS) to assess postoperative pain in cats. The English version was developed using translation, back-translation, and review by individuals with expertise in feline pain management. In sequence, validity and reliability tests were performed.ResultsOf the three domains identified by factor analysis, the internal consistency was excellent for ‘pain expression’ and ‘psychomotor change’ (0.86 and 0.87) but not for ‘physiological variables’ (0.28). Relevant changes in pain scores at clinically distinct time points (e.g., post-surgery, post-analgesic therapy), confirmed the construct validity and responsiveness (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.001). Favorable correlation with the IVAS scores (p < 0.001) and moderate to very good agreement between blinded observers and ‘gold standard’ evaluations, supported criterion validity. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia was > 7 (range 0–30 points) with 96.5% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity.ConclusionsThe English version of the UNESP-Botucatu-MCPS is a valid, reliable and responsive instrument for assessing acute pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy, when used by anesthesiologists or anesthesia technicians. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia provides an additional tool for guiding analgesic therapy.

Results provided initial evidence of construct validity and reliability of a multidimensional composite tool for use in assessing acute postoperative pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

SummaryLinear mixed effects models have been widely used in analysis of data where responses are clustered around some random effects, so it is not reasonable to assume independence between observations in the same cluster. In most biological applications, it is assumed that the distributions of the random effects and of the residuals are Gaussian. This makes inferences vulnerable to the presence of outliers. Here, linear mixed effects models with normal/independent residual distributions for robust inferences are described. Specific distributions examined include univariate and multivariate versions of the Student-t, the slash and the contaminated normal. A Bayesian framework is adopted and Markov chain Monte Carlo is used to carry out the posterior analysis. The procedures are illustrated using birth weight data on rats in a toxicological experiment. Results from the Gaussian and robust models are contrasted, and it is shown how the implementation can be used for outlier detection. The thick-tailed distributions provide an appealing robust alternative to the Gaussian process in linear mixed models, and they are easily implemented using data augmentation and MCMC techniques.

The mechanisms by which diet-induced obesity cause remodeling and cardiac dysfunction are still unknown. Interstitial collagen and myocardial ultrastructure are important in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy, and are essential to the adaptive and maladaptive changes associated with obesity. Thus, the accumulation of collagen and ultrastructural damage may contribute to cardiac dysfunction in obesity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate cardiac function in a rat model of diet-induced obesity and to test the hypothesis that cardiac dysfunction induced by obesity is related to myocardial collagen deposition and ultrastructural damage. Thirty-day-old male Wistar rats were fed standard (control [C]) and hypercaloric diets (obese [Ob]) for 15 weeks. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiogram and isolated left ventricle papillary muscle. Cardiac morphology was assessed by histology and electron microscopy. Compared with C rats, Ob rats had increased body fat, systolic blood pressure and area under the curve for glucose, leptin and insulin plasma concentrations. Echocardiographic indexes indicated that Ob rats had increased left ventricular mass, increased systolic stress and depressed systolic function. Analysis of the isolated papillary muscle was consistent with higher myocardial stiffness in Ob compared with C rats. The Ob rats had an increase in myocardial collagen and marked ultrastructural changes compared with C rats. Obesity promotes pathological cardiac remodeling with systolic dysfunction and an increase in myocardial stiffness, which, in turn, is probably related to afterload elevation and cardiac fibrosis. Obesity also causes damage to myocardial ultrastructure, but its effect on myocardial function needs to be further clarified.

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zoni DM, Padovani CR, Cicogna AC, Okoshi MP. Echocardiographic detection of congestive heart failure in postinfarction rats. J Appl Physiol 111: 543-551, 2011. First published May 26, 2011 doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01154.2010.-In studies of congestive heart failure (CHF) treatment, it is essential to select animals with a similar degree of cardiac dysfunction. However, this is difficult to establish without hemodynamic evaluation in rat postinfarctioninduced CHF. This study aimed to diagnose CHF in long-term follow-up postinfarction rats using only echocardiographic criteria through a J-tree cluster analysis and Fisher's linear discriminant function. Two sets of sham and infarcted rats were studied. The first was used to perform cluster analysis and the second to prospectively validate the results. Six months after inducing myocardial infarction (MI), rats were subjected to transthoracic echocardiography. Infarct size was measured by histological analysis. Six echocardiographic variables were used in the cluster analysis: left ventricular (LV) systolic dimension, LV diastolic dimension-to-body weight ratio, left atrial diameter-to-body weight ratio, LV posterior wall shortening velocity, E wave, and isovolumetric relaxation time. Cluster analysis joined the rats into one sham and two MI groups. One MI cluster had more severe anatomical and echocardiographic changes and was called MI with heart failure (MI/HFϩ, n ϭ 24, infarct size: 42.7 Ϯ 5.8%). The other had less severe changes and was called MI without heart failure (MI/HFϪ, n ϭ 11, infarct size: 32.3 Ϯ 9.9%; P Ͻ 0.001 vs. MI/HFϩ). Three rats with small infarct size (21.6 Ϯ 2.2%) presenting mild cardiac alterations were misallocated in the sham group. Fisher's linear discriminant function was built using these groups and used to prospectively classify additional groups of shamoperated (n ϭ 20) and infarcted rats (n ϭ 57) using the same echocardiographic parameters. The discriminant function therefore detected CHF with 100% specificity and 80% sensitivity considering allocation in MI/HFϩ and sham group, and 100% specificity and 58.8% sensitivity considering MI/HFϩ and MI/HFϪ groups, taking into account pathological criteria of CHF diagnosis. Echocardiographic analysis can be used to accurately predict congestive heart failure in postinfarction rats. myocardial infarction; echocardiography; cluster analysis CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Animal myocardial infarction (MI) models are considered highly relevant in pathophysiology studies and heart failure treatment, as myocardial ischemia and infarction are common causes of CHF in humans (24). The rat MI model has been extensively used in CHF experimental studies because it is practical and of relatively low cost compared with other animal models. However, rat coronary artery ligation leads to a wide range of infarct size, cardiac remodeling, and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (37, 44). As transition from compensated LV dysfunction to CHF mainly occurs in hearts with ...

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Objective: To measure and compare the activity of the masseter, temporalis and buccinator muscles in different infant feeding methods.Method: Cross-sectional study of 60 full-term infants with no intercurrent diseases, aged between two and three months, classified into the following groups: 1) exclusive breastfeeding; 2) breastfeeding plus bottle-feeding; and 3) exclusive breastfeeding plus cup feeding. Surface electromyography was performed during infant feeding. The Krushal-Wallis test was used, complemented by multiple paired comparisons of the groups. A 5% significance level was chosen for the tests.Results: Statistically higher results were verified in the breastfeeding group in relation to the bottle-feeding one, both in the range of movement and the mean contraction of the masseter. With regard to the temporalis muscle, statistically higher results were found in the breastfeeding group comparatively to the bottle-feeding one. As to the buccinator muscle, statistically higher results were observed in the breastfeeding group in relation to the bottle-feeding one, although in this case, the difference concerned only the range of contraction. Conclusion:The similarities between the muscle activity in the breastfeeding and in the cup-feeding groups suggests that cupfeeding can be used as an alternative infant feeding method, being better than bottle-feeding, due to the hyperactivity of the buccinator muscle, which could result in changes to the structural growth and development of the stomatognathic system functions.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2006;82(2):103-9: Electromyography, breastfeeding, facial muscles, sucking, infants. ResumoObjetivo: Mensurar e comparar a atividade dos músculos masseter, temporal e bucinador em diferentes métodos de alimentação de lactentes.Método: Estudo transversal, com participação de 60 lactentes nascidos a termo e sem intercorrências, entre 2 e 3 meses de idade, divididos em três grupos: 1) aleitamento materno exclusivo; 2) aleitamento misto com uso de mamadeira; e 3) aleitamento materno exclusivo com uso de copo. Foi realizada eletromiografia com eletrodos de captação de superfície durante a alimentação. O teste estatístico utilizado é o Kruskal-Wallis, complementado com as comparações múltiplas entre pares de grupos, e todas as discussões são realizadas no nível de 5% de significância.Resultados: Verificam-se maiores resultados no grupo de aleitamento materno em relação ao grupo de aleitamento por mamadeira, tanto na amplitude quanto na média de contração do músculo masseter. No que se refere ao músculo temporal, há resultados maiores na amplitude do grupo de aleitamento materno e na média de contração do grupo de aleitamento por copo, quando comparados ao grupo de aleitamento por mamadeira. Quanto ao músculo bucinador, observamse resultados maiores no grupo de aleitamento por mamadeira com relação ao aleitamento materno, sendo que tal diferença ocorre apenas na amplitude de contração. Conclusão:As semelhanças entre a atividade muscular do grupo de aleitamento materno e aleitame...