Potentiation of epidural lidocaine by co-administering tramadol by either intramuscular or epidural route in cats

This study investigated the analgesic and systemic effects of intramuscular (IM) versus epidural (EP) administration of tramadol as an adjunct to EP injection of lidocaine in cats. Six healthy, domestic, shorthair female cats underwent general anesthesia. A prospective, randomized, crossover trial was then conducted with each cat receiving the following 3 treatments: EP injection of 2% lidocaine [LEP; 3.0 mg/kg body weight (BW)]; EP injection of a combination of lidocaine and 5% tramadol (LTEP; 3.0 and 2.0 mg/kg BW, respectively); or EP injection of lidocaine and IM injection of tramadol (LEPTIM; 3.0 and 2.0 mg/kg BW, respectively). Systemic effects, spread and duration of analgesia, behavior, and motor blockade were determined before treatment and at predetermined intervals afterwards. The duration of analgesia was 120 ± 31 min for LTEP, 71 ± 17 min for LEPTIM, and 53 ± 6 min for LEP (P < 0.05; mean ± SD). The cranial spread of analgesia obtained with LTEP was similar to that with LEP or LEPTIM, extending to dermatomic region T13–L1. Complete motor blockade was similar for the 3 treatments. It was concluded that tramadol produces similar side effects in cats after either EP or IM administration. Our findings indicate that EP and IM tramadol (2 mg/kg BW) with EP lidocaine produce satisfactory analgesia in cats. As an adjunct to lidocaine, EP tramadol provides a longer duration of analgesia than IM administration. The adverse effects produced by EP and IM administration of tramadol were not different. Further studies are needed to determine whether EP administration of tramadol could play a role in managing postoperative pain in cats when co-administered with lidocaine after painful surgical procedures.     

Ultrasound‐assisted periconal ocular blockade in rabbits

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the benefit and specifically the feasibility of using ultrasound in ophthalmologic periconal block, and the occurrence of complications.Study designProspective experimental study.AnimalsTen healthy New Zealand White rabbits (6–8 months of age), weighing 2.0–3.5 kg.MethodsRabbits were anesthetized by intramuscular injection of acepromazine (1 mg kg⁻¹), ketamine (30 mg kg⁻¹) and xylazine (3 mg kg⁻¹). Ultrasound-assisted periconal block with lidocaine was performed on 18 eyes. Intraocular pressure was measured by applanation tonometry whereas corneal sensitivity was assessed using an esthesiometer, before and after each periconal anesthesia.ResultsIn all 18 eyes, it was possible to adequately visualize the needle shaft within the periconal space, as well as muscular cone, optic nerve and local anesthetic solution spread. Lidocaine 2% without epinephrine (0.79 ± 0.19 mL) was injected into the periconal space. There was no statistical difference between the intraocular pressure (mean ± SD) measured before (10.9 ± 2.9 mmHg) and after (11.9 ± 3.8 mmHg) the periconal anesthesia (p = 0.38). The effectiveness of the ultrasound-assisted technique was shown according to the values for corneal sensitivity, assessed before and after periconal anesthesia (p < 0.0001). Complications were not observed in this study.ConclusionsEye ultrasonography allowed visualization of all anatomic structures necessary to perform a periconal block, as well as the needle insertion and anesthetic spread in real time. Further studies are required to prove the real potential of ultrasound for reducing the incidence of complications associated with ophthalmic blocks, especially when anatomic disorders of the eye could potentially increase the risk.Clinical relevanceUltrasonography is a painless, noninvasive tool that may improve safety of ophthalmic regional blocks, potentially by reducing the prevalence of globe perforation or penetration of the optic nerve associated with the needle-based techniques.     

Prognosis of aboveground woody biomass in a central Brazilian Cerrado monitored for 27 years after the implementation of management systems

Accurate estimation of biomass in natural vegetation sites remains a challenge. Modeling biomass growth and production in Cerrado areas is crucial to understanding the vegetation succession process, especially regarding the changes in biomass accumulation over time. Thus, our objective was to model the growth and production of woody aboveground biomass (living and total) in a cerrado stricto sensu monitored for 27 years after implementing management systems. As expected, the basal area (with a diameter taken at 30 cm from the ground level) is the most important predictor variable and showed a higher correlation with the biomass stocks and allowed accurate and consistent estimates of these accumulated stocks over time. Future estimates of biomass production, generated from growth models that estimate production as a function of parameters observed at previous ages, indicate that maximum stocks of living (25.86?±?0.15 Mg ha^?1 [mean?±?standard deviation]) and total aboveground biomass (26.11?±?0.15 Mg ha^?1) are expected for a period between 28 and 30 years after the implementation of the management systems, with maximum mean annual increment between 23 and 27 years. Furthermore, the systems of equations obtained simulated reductions up to 30% of biomass after the occurrence of a forest fire at 23 years. Thus, our study can be useful for the decision-making process and developing public policies and strategies for managing and conserving natural resources in the Cerrado biome.

     

Factor analysis applied in genomic selection studies in the breeding of Coffea canephora

Euphytica - Head splitting is a major physiological disease in cabbage. The most effective approach for controlling head splitting is to deploy genetic resistance by breeding cabbage cultivars with...     

Genetic diversity and population structure in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) based on molecular markers

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is an oleaginous potential, howetever, some studies report that there is low genetic diversity in Brazilian genotypes....     

Spatially structured genetic diversity of the Amerindian yam (Dioscorea trifida L.) assessed by SSR and ISSR markers in Southern Brazil

Dioscorea trifida L. (Dioscoreaceae) is among the economically most important cultivated Amerindian yam species, whose origin and domestication are still unresolved issues. In order to estimate the genetic diversity maintained by traditional farmers in Brazil, 53 accessions of D. trifida from 11 municipalities in the states of São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso and Amazonas were characterized on the basis of eight Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) and 16 Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) markers. The level of polymorphism among the accessions was high, 95 % for SSR and 75.8 % for ISSR. The SSR marker showed higher discrimination power among accessions compared to ISSR, with D parameter values of 0.79 and 0.44, respectively. Although SSR and ISSR markers led to dendrograms with different topologies, both separated the accessions into three main groups: I—Ubatuba-SP; II—Iguape-SP and Santa Catarina; and III—Mato Grosso. The accessions from Amazonas State were classified in group II with SSR and in a separate group with ISSR. Bayesian and principal coordinate analyzes conducted with both molecular markers corroborated the classification into three main groups. Higher variation was found within groups in the AMOVA analysis for both markers (66.5 and 60.6 % for ISSR and SSR, respectively), and higher Shannon diversity index was found for group II with SSR. Significant but low correlations were found between genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.08; p = 0.0007 for SSR and r = 0.16; p = 0.0002 for ISSR). Therefore, results from both markers showed a slight spatially structured genetic diversity in D. trifida accessions maintained by small traditional farmers in Brazil.     

High K+ supply avoids Na+ toxicity and improves photosynthesis by allowing favorable K+ : Na+ ratios through the inhibition of Na+ uptake and transport to the shoots of Jatropha curcas plants

This study assessed the relationships between external K⁺ supply and K⁺ : Na⁺ ratios associated with Na⁺ toxicity in Jatropha curcas. Plants were exposed to increasing external K⁺ concentrations (6.25, 12.5, 25, 37.5, and 50 mM), combined with 50 mM NaCl in a nutrient solution. Photosynthesis progressively increased as the external K⁺ : Na⁺ ratios increased up to 0.75. The increase of photosynthesis and plant dry matter correlated positively with K⁺ : Na⁺ in xylem and leaves. The transport rates of K⁺ and Na⁺ from roots to xylem and leaves were inversely correlated. These ions presented an antagonistic pattern of accumulation in all organs. Maximum rates of photosynthesis and plant growth occurred with leaf K⁺ : Na⁺ ratios that ranged from 1.0 to 2.0, indicating that this parameter in leaves might be a good indicator for a favorable K⁺ homeostasis under salinity conditions. The higher K⁺ affinity and selectivity compared with Na⁺ in all organs associated with higher xylem flux and transport to shoots are essential for maintaining adequate K⁺ : Na⁺ ratios at the whole‐plant level. These characteristics, combined with adequate K⁺ concentrations, allow J. curcas to sustain high rates of photosynthesis and growth even under toxic NaCl levels.     

Standard area diagram set for assessment of severity and temporal progress of apple blotch

Apple blotch (Marssonina coronaria) is a foliar disease of increasing importance globally. Methods to quantify the disease and knowledge about epidemiology are required for new studies on the disease. The objectives of this study were to develop a standard area diagram set (SADs) to assess apple blotch severity and to describe the temporal progress of the disease under field conditions on older and younger leaves of two apple cultivars. For the development of SADs, symptomatic leaves were collected and scanned to obtain the actual severity. Based on the pattern of the disease, a SADs was elaborated and validated. Leaf severities were estimated without and with SADs by 12 raters to validate the tool. After validation, the SADs was used to assess apple blotch in older and younger leaves of selected shoots during the vegetative cycle of cvs. Eva and Gala. SADs severities ranged from 0.2 to 96%. Accuracy, precision, and reliability of the estimates were significantly improved when the SADs was used. In the field, the onset of apple blotch was in late spring and greater increases in severity occurred during summer. Rates of disease progress ranged from 0.09 to 0.13. Epidemics were different in older and younger leaves at the end of the apple vegetative cycle for both cultivars tested. Our work provided a tool for apple blotch quantification and described the disease progress curve under subtropical conditions, which can contribute as basis for future studies.

     

IGF-I,GHR and UCP mRNA expression in the liver and muscle of high- and low-feed-efficiency laying Japanese quail at different environmental temperatures

In this study, we analyzed insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), growth hormone receptor (GHR) and uncoupling protein (UCP) mRNA expression in the muscle and liver of high- (0.23 g/g) and low- (0.17 g/g) feed-efficiency (FE) Japanese quail at three different air temperatures: comfortable (25 °C), heat stress (38 °C) for 12 h or cold stress (10 °C) for 12 h. Total RNA was extracted from the liver and breast muscle of each quail, and cDNA was amplified using specific primers for the target genes. Expression was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). IGF-I mRNA expression was higher in the livers of high-FE quail than in the livers of low-FE quail under both heat and cold stress conditions. High-FE birds also showed higher GHR mRNA expression independent of temperature. UCP mRNA expression in the liver was lower in high-FE birds and higher under heat stress compared with the other conditions. IGF-I mRNA expression was higher in the muscle of high-FE quail under the three conditions tested, and UCP mRNA expression was higher under cold stress. Our results suggest that air temperature affects the expression of genes related to growth and mitochondrial energy production, and quail with different feed efficiencies respond differently to environmental stimuli.