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Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Fungal PJI is one of the most feared complications after arthroplasty. Although a rare finding, its high associated morbidity and mortality makes it an important object...
Fungal PJI is one of the most feared complications after arthroplasty. Although a rare finding, its high associated morbidity and mortality makes it an important object of study. The most frequent species causing fungal PJI is . New technology to treat this type of PJI involves organic-inorganic sol-gels loaded with antifungals, as proposed in this study, in which anidulafungin is associated with organophosphates. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an anidulafungin-loaded organic-inorganic sol-gel in preventing prosthetic joint infection (PJI), caused by using an in vivo murine model that evaluates many different variables. Fifty percent (3/6) of mice in the -infected, non-coated, chemical-polished (CP)-implant group had positive culture and 100% of the animals in the -infected, anidulafungin-loaded, sol-gel coated (CP + A)-implant group had a negative culture (0/6) ( = 0.023). Taking the microbiology and pathology results into account, 54.5% (6/11) of -infected CP-implant mice were diagnosed with a PJI, whilst only 9.1% (1/11) of -infected CP + A-implant mice were PJI-positive ( = 0.011). No differences were observed between the bone mineral content and bone mineral density of noninfected CP and noninfected CP + A ( = 0.835, and = 0.181, respectively). No histological or histochemical differences were found in the tissue area occupied by the implant among CP and CP + A. Only 2 of the 6 behavioural variables evaluated exhibited changes during the study: limping and piloerection. In conclusion, the anidulafungin-loaded sol-gel coating showed an excellent antifungal response in vivo and can prevent PJI due to in this experimental model.
PubMed: 34204833
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060711 -
Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology 2022Considering that previous studies suggest that pesticides may cause hearing disorders in humans, as well as the lack of studies proving the specific mechanisms of injury...
INTRODUCTION
Considering that previous studies suggest that pesticides may cause hearing disorders in humans, as well as the lack of studies proving the specific mechanisms of injury and the difficulty of separating concomitant etiological factors of the hearing damage, such as noise and vibration, it is important to develop studies using animal models to elucidate the effects of exposure to those substances isolated from other hearing damage etiologies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate if the exposure to a dichlorvos based organophosphorus insecticide may induce ototoxicity.
METHODS
36 male Wistar rats were assigned to 3 groups (12 rats/group): control (exposed to water), positive control (treated with cisplatin to induce hearing damage) and experimental (exposed to dichlorvos based organophosphorus insecticide). The amplitude of distortion product otoacoustic emissions in the frequencies of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12kHz was evaluated before and after exposure, as well as systemic toxicity signs, body mass gain and plasma cholinesterase. Open field and plus maze tests were performed in 24 rats: experimental (n=8), control (n=8) and positive control group (n=8 introduced new rats to induce anxiolytic activity) to evaluate the locomotor activity and anxiety, respectively.
RESULTS
There was no significant change in body mass gain and plasma cholinesterase in the dichlorvos based organophosphorus insecticide group, however, the animals showed transient piloerection, depression and dyspnea during exposure. The behavior was not affected in any group. The frequencies of 8 and 10kHz were significantly affected bilaterally in the insecticide group, which also showed a significant difference of the control in 10kHz on the right and 8 and 10kHz on the left ear.
CONCLUSION
Subchronic inhalation exposure to dichlorvos based organophosphorus insecticide induced ototoxicity in the cochlear function of rats without relevant systemic toxicity.
Topics: Animals; Dichlorvos; Inhalation Exposure; Insecticides; Male; Organophosphorus Compounds; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; Rats; Rats, Wistar
PubMed: 32532628
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2020.04.005 -
Epileptic Disorders : International... Jul 2023Musicogenic epilepsy (ME), a peculiar form of reflex epilepsy, represents a neurological rarity and yet another demonstration of the extraordinary power of music on the...
Musicogenic epilepsy (ME), a peculiar form of reflex epilepsy, represents a neurological rarity and yet another demonstration of the extraordinary power of music on the human brain. Despite the heterogeneity of the reported musical triggers, the patients' emotional response to music is thought to play a crucial role in provoking seizures. Accordingly, the mesial temporal structures (especially of the non-dominant hemisphere) appear most involved in seizure generation, although a more complex fronto-temporal epileptogenic network was documented in some cases. Autoimmune encephalitis has been recently included among the many possible etiologies of ME thanks to few reports of music-induced seizures in patients with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 antibodies. Here we describe the case of a 25-year-old man, with long-term music education, who suffered from drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy following seronegative limbic encephalitis related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Along with spontaneous events, the patient also developed musicogenic seizures later in the disease course. After detecting five music-induced episodes via 24-h ambulatory EEG, we performed a prolonged video-EEG monitoring during which the patient presented a right temporal seizure (characterized by déjà-vu, piloerection and gustatory hallucinations) while listening to a hard-rock song (never heard before) through headphones. This observation allowed us to confirm the provoking effect of music on our patient's seizures, despite the lack of any emotional drive, which suggests that a "cognitive" trigger was more likely in this case. Our report further highlights that autoimmune encephalitis should be investigated as a novel potential cause of musicogenic epilepsy, regardless of autoantibody status.
PubMed: 37430419
DOI: 10.1002/epd2.20111 -
Laboratory Animals Apr 2020In this study, the effect of four anaesthetic protocols that included the combination of xylazine (X) and ketamine (K) with acepromazine (A) and opioids (methadone (Me),...
In this study, the effect of four anaesthetic protocols that included the combination of xylazine (X) and ketamine (K) with acepromazine (A) and opioids (methadone (Me), morphine (Mo) or tramadol (T)) was evaluated in laboratory rats of both sexes. Ultrasonic vocalization (USV) was used as an indicator of pain during the recovery period. The objective was to evaluate the physiological parameters and the analgesic effect of each protocol to determine which protocol was the safest and fulfil the requirements of a balanced anaesthesia. The better protocols were the XKA protocol for both sexes and the XKMe protocol for females because the combinations achieve surgical plane of anaesthesia in rats. However, pain assessment during the formalin test revealed that rats anaesthetized with XKA produced more numbers of USV, suggesting that it is not a good protocol for the control of immediate postoperative pain. All protocols produced depression in body temperature and respiratory and heart rates, and had important effects, such as micturition and maintenance of open eyes. Only rats anaesthetized with XKA protocol did not present piloerection. These results demonstrated that good monitoring and care during anaesthesia must be included to prevent complications that compromise the life of the animal and to ensure a good recovery. The inclusion of analgesia in anaesthesia protocols must be used routinely, ensuring minimal presence of pain and thus more reliable results in the experimental procedures.
Topics: Acepromazine; Analgesics; Analgesics, Opioid; Animals; Drug Combinations; Female; Ketamine; Male; Rats; Ultrasonic Waves; Vocalization, Animal; Xylazine
PubMed: 31142228
DOI: 10.1177/0023677219850211 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2019The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a moxifloxacin-loaded organic-inorganic sol-gel with different antibiotic concentration in the biofilm development...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a moxifloxacin-loaded organic-inorganic sol-gel with different antibiotic concentration in the biofilm development and treatment against , , and , cytotoxicity and cell proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts; and its efficacy in preventing the prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by clinical strains of and using an murine model. Three bacterial strains, ATCC 35984, 15981, and, ATCC 25922, were used for microbiological studies. Biofilm formation was induced using tryptic-soy supplemented with glucose for 24 h, and then, adhered and planktonic bacteria were estimated using drop plate method and absorbance, respectively. A 24-h-mature biofilm of each species growth in a 96-well plate was treated for 24 h using a MBECTM biofilm Incubator lid with pegs coated with the different types of sol-gel, after incubation, biofilm viability was estimated using alamrBlue. MC3T3-E1 cellular cytotoxicity and proliferation were evaluated using CytoTox 96 Non-Radioactive Cytotoxicity Assay and alamarBlue, respectively. The microbiological studies showed that sol-gel coatings inhibited the biofilm development and treated to a mature biofilm of three evaluated bacterial species. The cell studies showed that the sol-gel both with and without moxifloxacin were non-cytotoxic and that cell proliferation was inversely proportional to the antibiotic concentration containing by sol-gel. In the study, mice weight increased over time, except in the -infected group without coating. The most frequent symptoms associated with infection were limping and piloerection; these symptoms were more frequent in infected groups with non-coated implants than infected groups with coated implants. The response of moxifloxacin-loaded sol-gel to infection was either total or completely absent. No differences in bone mineral density were observed between groups with coated and non-coated implants and macrophage presence lightly increased in the bone grown directly in contact with the antibiotic-loaded sol-gel. In conclusion, moxifloxacin-loaded sol-gel coating is capable of preventing PJI caused by both Gram-positive and Gram-negative species.
PubMed: 32010069
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02935 -
Behavioural Brain Research Feb 2023Depression and anxiety disorders overlap in clinical populations, suggesting common mechanisms that may be further investigated in reliable animal models. We used filial...
Depression and anxiety disorders overlap in clinical populations, suggesting common mechanisms that may be further investigated in reliable animal models. We used filial 8 female Long-Evans rats bred for high (HAn; n = 19) and low anxiety (LAn)-like behavior (n = 21) to assess forced swim test mobility strategies and chronic mild stress (CMS)-induced depression-like symptoms. We measured (1) weight, (2) fur piloerection, (3) sweet food consumption, (4) grooming behavior, and (5) circulating estradiol (E2). One month after CMS terminated and following a terminal forced swim test, brains were processed for immunohistochemistry targeting c-Fos and serotonin 1 A receptor (5-HT1AR) protein in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. HAn female rats showed increased anxiety-like behavior (i.e., lower open to closed arm ratios, increased closed arm entries), more swimming (i.e., mobility), and less floating (i.e., immobility) behavior in the forced swim test. Overall, HAn females weighed less than their LAn counterparts. After chronic mild stress, HAn lines displayed even greater mobility and consumed fewer Froot Loops™. Fur and grooming analyses indicated no significant differences in mean counts across experimental groups. One month after CMS, cycling E2 concentrations (pg/ml) did not differ between HAn and LAn animals. Elevated c-Fos and 5-HT1AR expression were observed in the PVN, where HAn CMS rats expressed the most c-Fos and 5-HT1AR immunoreactivity. In summary, outbred HAn rats show robust anxiety-like behavior, exhibit more mobility in the forced swim test, and are more sensitive to chronic mild stress-induced grooming and decline in palatable food ingestion.
Topics: Animals; Female; Rats; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Disease Models, Animal; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats, Long-Evans; Stress, Psychological; Swimming; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A
PubMed: 36343695
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114202 -
Neurotoxicology Jul 2022In C57BL/6 J mice, systemic inflammation was induced by administering bacterial LPS (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. In response, animals exhibited hypokinesia,...
In C57BL/6 J mice, systemic inflammation was induced by administering bacterial LPS (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. In response, animals exhibited hypokinesia, piloerection, and a slight decrease in body temperature accompanied by increased serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. 24 h after the immunogenic challenge, acute cortical slices were prepared, and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in morphologically identified prelimbic neurons of the mice's prefrontal cortex. Electrophysiologic alterations included changes in the kinetics parameters of the fast-inactivating sodium and slow-inactivating potassium currents. In current-clamp mode, our recordings revealed alterations in several conductances that shape the intrinsic excitability of prelimbic neurons. The action potential exhibited changes in latency, amplitude, and the rheobase current to elicit firing discharge. Likewise, phase plots of the action potentials uncovered alterations in the repetitive firing of prelimbic neurons. Consistent with these changes, the afterhyperpolarization conductance and the slowly decaying, calcium-dependent after-hyperpolarization current that follows an action potential were decreased in response to systemic LPS. Our data demonstrate that immune activation alters the ionic currents that shape the intrinsic excitability and predicts dysregulation of non-synaptic forms of neuronal plasticity modulated by the intrinsic excitability of prefrontal cortex neurons.
Topics: Action Potentials; Animals; Lipopolysaccharides; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neurons; Potassium; Sodium
PubMed: 35580742
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.05.010 -
Marine Drugs Nov 2022The frequent occurrence of marine dinoflagellates producing palytoxin (PLTX) or okadaic acid (OA) raises concern for the possible co-presence of these toxins in seafood,...
The frequent occurrence of marine dinoflagellates producing palytoxin (PLTX) or okadaic acid (OA) raises concern for the possible co-presence of these toxins in seafood, leading to additive or synergistic adverse effects in consumers. Thus, the acute oral toxicity of PLTX and OA association was evaluated in mice: groups of eight female CD-1 mice were administered by gavage with combined doses of PLTX (30, 90 or 270 μg/kg) and OA (370 μg/kg), or with each individual toxin, recording signs up to 24 h (five mice) and 14 days (three mice). Lethal effects occurred only after PLTX (90 or 270 μg/kg) exposure, alone or combined with OA, also during the 14-day recovery. PLTX induced scratching, piloerection, abdominal swelling, muscle spasms, paralysis and dyspnea, which increased in frequency or duration when co-administered with OA. The latter induced only diarrhea. At 24 h, PLTX (90 or 270 μg/kg) and OA caused wall redness in the small intestine or pale fluid accumulation in its lumen, respectively. These effects co-occurred in mice co-exposed to PLTX (90 or 270 μg/kg) and OA, and were associated with slight ulcers and inflammation at forestomach. PLTX (270 μg/kg alone or 90 μg/kg associated with OA) also decreased the liver/body weight ratio, reducing hepatocyte glycogen (270 μg/kg, alone or combined with OA). No alterations were recorded in surviving mice after 14 days. Overall, the study suggests additive effects of PLTX and OA that should be considered for their risk assessment as seafood contaminants.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Female; Okadaic Acid; Cnidarian Venoms; Acrylamides; Liver
PubMed: 36547882
DOI: 10.3390/md20120735 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Jun 2024
PubMed: 38871084
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2024.05.082 -
Biology Letters Jan 2023We identify for wild, free-living short-beaked echidnas () a novel evaporative window, along with thermal windows, and demonstrate the insulating properties of the...
We identify for wild, free-living short-beaked echidnas () a novel evaporative window, along with thermal windows, and demonstrate the insulating properties of the spines, using infrared thermography. The moist tip of their beak, with an underlying blood sinus, functions as a wet bulb globe thermometer, maximizing evaporative heat loss via an evaporative window. The ventral surface and insides of the legs are poorly insulated sites that act as postural thermal windows, while the spines provide flexible insulation (depending on piloerection). These avenues of heat exchange likely contribute to the higher-than-expected thermal tolerance of this species. Our study highlights how technological advances that allow for non-contact measurement of thermal variables allow us to better understand the physiological capacity of animals in their natural environment.
Topics: Animals; Tachyglossidae; Environment; Body Temperature Regulation; Hot Temperature; Beak
PubMed: 36651031
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0495