Comparison of tramadol and morphine for pre-medication of dogs undergoing general anesthesia for orthopedic surgery

Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic with opioid and monoaminergic actions. Its clinical effects have been well characterized in humans, where it has been in use for many years, but little is known for veterinary species. This study evaluated the sedative, emetic, thiopental‐sparing and intraoperative respiratory and hemodynamic effects of tramadol in comparison to morphine for pre‐medication of dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery under halothane anesthesia. Sixteen adult, healthy, mixed breed dogs (8.0 ± 2.6 kg) were studied. Eight dogs were pre‐medicated with tramadol (1.0 mg kg^‐1 IM) and the other eight with morphine (1.0 mg kg^–1 IM). After 20 minutes, anesthesia was induced with thiopental and subsequently maintained with halothane in oxygen using a Bain system, with spontaneous respiration. Degree of sedation and occurrence of emesis were evaluated after pre‐anesthetic medication. Dose of thiopental necessary for tracheal intubation was compared between the two groups. Arterial blood gas analyzes were done before pre‐medication and at 60 minutes of anesthesia. Heart rate and noninvasive arterial blood pressure were recorded before pre‐medication and every 10 minutes during anesthesia. Observer was blinded of the treatment given for each dog. Tramadol produced no visible sedation and no vomiting, while morphine induced a moderate degree of sedation in all dogs and vomiting in 62% of them. Dogs pre‐medicated with tramadol required significantly more thiopental (17 ± 3.8 mg kg^–1) for induction of anesthesia than those pre‐medicated with morphine (12 ± 1.8 mg kg^–1). Pre‐medication with morphine was associated with significantly higher PaCO₂ and lower pH at 60 minutes of anesthesia. The remaining respiratory parameters and the hemodynamic variables were similar between the two groups. In conclusion, dogs pre‐medicated with tramadol at 1 mg kg^–1 IM do not become visibly sedated and require a greater amount of thiopental for induction of anesthesia than pre‐medication with morphine. As intraoperative respiratory function is better preserved with tramadol, it may be useful for pre‐medication of respiratory compromised patients.     

Potentiation of cell-mediated immune responses against recombinant HN protein of Newcastle disease virus by recombinant chicken IL-18

In this study, recombinant fowlpox viruses (rFPV/HN) expressing Newcastle disease virus (NDV) HN protein and rFPV/HN/chIL-18 co-expressing chicken IL-18 (chIL-18) and HN protein have been constructed and characterized. The co-expressed rHN/chIL-18 antigen or rchIL-18, expressed by our previous construct rFPV/chIL-18 and co-administered with NDV rHN, was assessed for its immunostimulatory activities and protection against NDV challenge in 2-week-old chickens. Chickens were vaccinated, intramuscularly, with various amounts of rHN or rHN/chIL-18 mixed with mineral oil. Production of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody depended on the concentration of the injected rHN or rHN/chIL-18. The lower HI antibody titers were obtained in chickens group rHN/chIL-18/6 and rHN/chIL-18/7, receiving 50 ng rHN/16.5 ng chIL-18 with mineral oil and 20 ng rHN/6.6 ng chIL-18 with mineral oil, respectively, compared to those in chickens rHN/6 and rHN/7, respectively receiving 50 ng and 20 ng rHN with mineral oil alone. However, the same protection rates were obtained from chickens in groups rHN/chIL-18/6 and rHN/6. Chicken groups rHN/chIL-18/7 and rHN/chIL-18/8 showed higher protective achievements than those in groups rHN/7 and rHN/8, respectively. When rchIL-18 was co-injected with 20ng rHN plus mineral oil, low level of HI antibody titer was produced; whereas, higher level of IFN-γ production and full protection rates were obtained. On the other hand, lower levels of IFN-γ production and lower protection rate (67%) were obtained in chickens injected with the same amount of rHN with mineral oil alone. Similar results were obtained when 10 ng rHN was used. Thus, when the concentration of rHN decreased to 50 ng or less, rchIL-18 reduced HI antibody production. The increase in IFN-γ production suggested that the enhancement of the cell-mediated immunity might confer the protection from NDV challenge, even accompanied with low HI antibody induction.     

Effect of dry period length on the effect of an intramammary teat sealant on the risk of mastitis in cattle treated with antibiotics at drying off

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate, under farm conditions, the use of a teat sealant in addition to whole herd dry cow antibiotic therapy on the risk of clinical mastitis in dairy cattle at pasture, and to evaluate the impact of dry period length on that risk and the impact of the teat sealant on that risk.

METHODS: Dairy cows in three herds which used routine whole herd antibiotic therapy were randomly assigned to receive either treatment with an internal teat sealant (n=322) or no additional treatment (n=313) at drying-off between March and May 2010. All clinical mastitis cases during the dry period and to the end of the subsequent lactation were recorded by farm staff; factors affecting risk of clinical mastitis were then analysed using a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS: Median duration of the dry period was 112 days with >25% of cows having a dry period >130 days. The incidence risk of mastitis during lactation for cows treated with teat sealant was 9.9 (95% CI=6.9–13.7) cases per 100 cows compared with 17.9 (95% CI=13.8–22.6) cases per 100 cows for cows treated with antibiotic alone. The addition of a teat sealant to dry cow antibiotic therapy decreased the risk of clinical mastitis only in the first 33 days after calving (Hazard risk 0.24 (95% CI=0.12–0.48)). Length of dry period did not significantly affect the risk of clinical mastitis, or the effect of adding teat sealant to dry cow antibiotic therapy on the risk of clinical mastitis.

CONCLUSIONS: In these herds where, based on the mastitis history, whole herd antibiotic therapy had been recommended, the use of a teat sealant significantly reduced the risk of clinical mastitis. This effect was limited to the first 33 days after calving; subsequently there was no significant effect of treatment. There was no effect of dry period length on risk of clinical mastitis, nor any significant interaction with treatment.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Combination therapy with teat sealant and antibiotic was effective under New Zealand conditions in herds using whole herd antibiotic treatment at drying off. Teat sealant reduced risk of clinical mastitis in cattle with dry periods substantially longer than 100 days, and there was no evidence that this effect changed as dry period length increased.     

Detection of a Babesia sp. genotype closely related to marsupial-associated Babesia spp. in male Haemaphysalis shimoga from Sarawak,Malaysian Borneo

In this study, Babesia screening was conducted in 55 rodents and 160 tick samples collected from primary forests and an oil palm plantation in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal DNA revealed the presence of Babesia spp. DNA detected in two questing male Haemaphysalis shimoga ticks collected from the oil palm plantation. Sequence analysis revealed that both sequences were identical and had 98.6% identity to a Babesia macropus sequence obtained from Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in Australia. Phylogenetic tree revealed clustering with marsupial-associated Babesia spp. in the Babesia sensu stricto clade. Whether or not H. shimoga is the competent vector and the importance of the Babesia sp. detected in this study warrants more investigation.     

Parathyrsoidins A–D,Four New Sesquiterpenoids from the Soft Coral Paralemnalia thyrsoides

Four new nardosinane-type sesquiterpenoids, parathyrsoidins A–D (1–4) were isolated from the soft coral Paralemnalia thyrsoides. The structures of parathyrsoidins A–D (1–4) were determined by extensive spectral analysis and their cytotoxicity against selected cancer cell lines as well as antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were evaluated in vitro.     

Growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in NB4 promyelocytic leukemia cells by trypsin inhibitor from sweet potato storage roots

The objective of this study was to investigate the antiproliferative effect and the mechanism of trypsin inhibitor (TI) from sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. 'Tainong 57'] storage roots on NB4 promyelocytic leukemia cells. The results showed that TI inhibited cellular growth of NB4 promyelocytic leukemia cells in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner, and treatment for 72 h induced a marked inhibition of cellular growth, showing an IC50 of 57.1 +/- 8.26 microg/mL. TI caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase as determined by flow cytometric analysis and apoptosis as shown by DNA laddering. TI-induced cell apoptosis involved p53, Bcl-2, Bax, and cytochrome c protein in NB4 cells. P53 and Bax proteins were accumulated, and antiapoptotic molecule Bcl-2 was decreased in the tested cells in a time-dependent manner during TI treatment. TI also induced a substantial release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. Hence, TI induced apoptosis in NB4 cells through a mitochondria-dependent pathway, which was associated with the activation of caspase-3 and -8. These results demonstrated that TI induces NB4 cell apoptosis through the inhibition of cell growth and the activation of the pathway of caspase-3 and -8 cascades.     

Briarenolides U–Y,New Anti-Inflammatory Briarane Diterpenoids from an Octocoral Briareum sp. (Briareidae)

Five new 13,14-epoxybriarane diterpenoids, briarenolides U–Y (1–5), were isolated from the octocoral Briareum sp. The structures of briaranes 1–5 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Briarenolides U–Y (1–5) were found to significantly inhibit the expression of the pro-inflammatory inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells.     

Briarane Diterpenoids Isolated from Gorgonian Corals between 2011 and 2013

The structures, names, bioactivities and references of 138 briarane-type diterpenoids, including 87 new compounds, are summarized in this review. All the briarane-type compounds mentioned in this review article were obtained from gorgonian corals including the genus Briareum, Dichotella, Junceella and Verrucella. Some of these compounds showed potential bioactivities.     

Krempfielins J–M,New Eunicellin-Based Diterpenoids from the Soft Coral Cladiella krempfi

New four eunicellin-based diterpenoids, krempfielins J–M (1–4) were isolated from the organic extract of a Taiwanese soft coral Cladiella krempfi. The structures of the new metabolites were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The structure of compound 2 is rare due to the presence of the highly oxygenated pattern. Anti-inflammatory activity of 1–6 to inhibit the superoxide anion generation and elastase release in FMLP/CB-induced human neutrophils was also evaluated, and 2 and 4 were shown to possess the ability to inhibit the elastase release.