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Dantrolene has been shown to be neuroprotective by reducing neuronal apoptosis after brain injury in several animal models of neurological disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of dantrolene on experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). Forty-six male Wistar rats were laminectomized at T13 and divided in six groups: GI (n = 7) underwent SCI with placebo and was euthanized after 32 h; GII (n = 7) underwent laminectomy alone with placebo and was euthanized after 32 h; GIII (n = 8) underwent SCI with dantrolene and was euthanized after 32 h; GIV (n = 8) underwent SCI with placebo and was euthanized after 8 days; GV (n = 8) underwent laminectomy alone with placebo and was euthanized after 8 days; and GVI (n = 8) underwent SCI with dantrolene and was euthanized after 8 days. A compressive trauma was performed to induce SCI. After euthanasia, the spinal cord was evaluated using light microscopy, TUNEL staining and immunochemistry with anti-Caspase-3 and anti-NeuN. Animals treated with dantrolene showed a smaller number of TUNEL-positive and caspase-3-positive cells and a larger number of NeuN-positive neurons, both at 32 h and 8 days (P ≤ 0.05). These results showed that dantrolene protects spinal cord tissue after traumatic SCI by decreasing apoptotic cell death.

No abstract

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ω-conotoxin MVIIA (MVIIA) intralesional application in

A 13-month-old female domestic shorthair cat presented with a 10-month history of polyuria and polydipsia that began after having been hit by a car. Neurological examination revealed visual deficits and an absent bilateral menace response. Hematological and serum biochemical analyses were within reference values, but hyposthenuria was identified. Failure to concentrate urine during the water deprivation test followed by an increase in urine specific gravity after administration of synthetic antidiuretic hormone (ADH) suggested a diagnosis of central diabetes insipidus. Subcutaneous or oral administration of synthetic ADH was effective in central diabetes insipidus treatment during the 19-month follow-up.

Background: Surgical sterilization of male cats is one of the most commonly procedures in the small animals practice, used as a control method against the overpopulation of domestic cats. Orchiectomy also aims to prevent or treat hormone-mediated diseases, disorders of the reproductive organs, such as testicular cancer, orchitis, prostatic diseases, trauma or abscesses. In addition, it may be used to control undesirable changes in behavior in adult cats such as the case of territorial marking and aggression. Several surgical techniques are described for orchiectomy in cats using different methods of hemostasis and/or ligation of the spermatic cord. There is a paucity of scientific studies and comparative data that supports one technique over the other, so this experiment was conducted to compare the three major open surgical techniques of ligation of the spermatic vessels to perform orchiectomy in cats. Materials, Methods & Results:Thirty-nine young entire adult male cats, with an average weight of 2.7 kg, were divided into three groups. In group I, animals underwent orchiectomy using the suture technique to ligation of the spermatic cord. In group II, the spermatic cord was used to perform an "eight-knot" on itself. In group III, the vas deferens and spermatic cord were used together to make "square-knots". The outcome of surgical procedures was assessed by clinical examination, incidence of complications trans and postoperatively, duration of the procedure and ease of implementation. None of the animals had immediate or delayed bleeding after hemostasis. During surgery, there was no significant difference in procedure duration among the three different techniques. Postoperatively, the overall clinical evaluation was normal and there were no changes in behavior in any animal. It was noted a statistically significant difference in respiratory rate among groups, with the GI animals showing high frequency at the postoperative period when compared to animals from GII and GIII. There were no major complications in any of the techniques used and the parameters showed no significant difference among the groups. Discussion: The three most widely used techniques to perform orchiectomy in cats were evaluated in this study. Even though the respiratory rate has been shown to be statistically different among the groups, it was not a significant factor, because all other parameters were normal. These clinical data reflect the absence of major complications of surgery such as infection, pain, hypotension, hypovolemia or shock. In the current study, only adult cats were used and the structures of the spermatic cord showed strong and efficient ligation of testicular vessels with the techniques used. It was clinically observed that there was more edema in the group whose ligature employed was the suture technique. The catgut acts as a foreign body and interferes with the inflammatory reaction, the time of absorption and wound healing. The "eight-knot" technique is safe and effective, however, requires greater skill of the surgeon...

This study evaluates whether intrathecal MVIIA injection after spinal cord injury (SCI) elicits neuroprotective effects. The test rats were randomly distributed into six groups— sham, placebo, MVIIA 2.5 μM, MVIIA 5 μM, MVIIA 10 μM, and MVIIA 20 μM—and were administered the treatment four hours after SCI. After the optimal MVIIA dose (MVIIA 10 μM) was defined, the best time for application, one or four hours, was analyzed. Locomotor hind limb function and side effects were assessed. Forty-eight hours after the injury and immediately after euthanasia, spinal cord segments were removed from the test rats. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and glutamate release were investigated. To examine the MVIIA mechanism of action, the gene expressions of pro-apoptotic (Bax, nNOS, and caspase-3, -8, -9, -12) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-xl) factors in the spinal cord tissue samples were determined by real-time PCR, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were also investigated. Application of intrathecal MVIIA 10 μM four hours after SCI prompted a neuroprotective effect: neuronal death decreased (22.46%), oxidative stress diminished, pro-apoptotic factors (Bax, nNOS, and caspase-3, -8) were expressed to a lesser extent, and mitochondrial viability as well as anti-apoptotic factor (Bcl-xl) expression increased. These results suggested that MVIIA provided neuroprotection through antioxidant effects. Indeed, superoxide dismutase (188.41%), and glutathione peroxidase (199.96%), reductase (193.86%), and transferase (175.93%) expressions increased. Therefore, intrathecal MVIIA (MVIIA 10 μM, 4 h) application has neuroprotective potential, and the possible mechanisms are related to antioxidant agent modulation and to intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways.

O fígado, o maior tecido glandular do organismo, pode ser acometido por afecções localizadas, como neoplasias, abscessos e torção do lobo, onde é indicada a hepatectomia parcial ou a lobectomia. Nesse experimento, avaliou-se a aplicabilidade e segurança de uma forma modificada da técnica de sutura em guilhotina para a lobectomia hepática completa em gatos. Foram utilizados 13 gatos adultos jovens, sem raça definida, machos e clinicamente saudáveis. Empregou-se a técnica de sutura em guilhotina de forma modificada na base do lobo hepático lateral esquerdo, promovendo a hemostasia do órgão por meio de esmagamento dos tecidos. No período pós-operatório, foram avaliados diversos parâmetros clínicos por 10 dias consecutivos e aos 11 dias após a cirurgia realizou-se avaliação ultrassonográfica. Neste período, os parâmetros clínicos avaliados permaneceram dentro dos limites fisiológicos, demonstrando ausência de complicações importantes decorrentes da cirurgia. Na modificação da técnica de guilhotina utilizada, dividiu-se a base do lobo hepático em três segmentos, permitindo que a sutura promovesse um adequado esmagamento do tecido hepático e ligadura satisfatória dos vasos sanguíneos e ductos biliares, não sendo observada hemorragia ou ascite nos exames clínicos e ultrassonográficos. Aos 11 dias após a lobectomia, os fígados apresentavam-se ultrassonograficamente normais com pequena área de hiperecogenicidade no local da ligadura, sugestiva de tecido cicatricial. A técnica de sutura em guilhotina modificada foi considerada segura e com mínima morbidade para a lobectomia hepática em gatos.