Cordless ultrasonic dissector versus advanced bipolar vessel sealing device for laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare Sonicision cordless ultrasonic dissector (SCUD) to LigaSure vessel sealing device (LVSD) for laparoscopic ovariectomy (Lap OVE) in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, paired prospective clinical trial. ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs (n = 22) presented for elective Lap OVE. METHODS: Dogs were randomly assigned to one of two protocols: protocol 1 required the left ovary resected using SCUD and the right ovary using LVSD; protocol 2 required the left ovary resected using LVSD and the right ovary using SCUD. Duration of ovary excision, complications, surgical smoke production, and collateral thermal damage were compared between SCUD and LVSD. Total surgery duration, postoperative convalescence, obesity, mesovarial fat score, and technique-associated costs were also recorded. RESULTS: Ovary excision was significantly faster with LVSD than SCUD. Surgical smoke production was significantly greater for SCUD than LVSD. Minor pedicle hemorrhage occurred 3 times with SCUD and one time with LVSD (not significantly different) and was easily corrected intraoperative. Presence of hemorrhage significantly increased ovary excision time. Technique-associated costs were lower for SCUD than LVSD. No significant differences were found in collateral thermal damage between SCUD and LVSD. Total surgery duration and convalescence time were similar to previous reports of Lap OVE in dogs at the authors' institution. CONCLUSIONS: SCUD is a cost-effective alternative for Lap OVE, taking into account differences in technique and user preference.

Middle ear polyps: results of traction avulsion after a lateral approach to the ear canal in 62 cats (2004-2014).

Objectives The objective of this study was to report the surgical outcome and complication rate of deep traction avulsion (TA) of feline aural inflammatory polyps after a lateral approach (LA) to the ear canal. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of data retrieved from an electronic database of 62 cats treated with TA after an LA (TALA) for removal of ear canal polyps. Long-term outcome was assessed via a telephone questionnaire survey with the owners. Results Domestic shorthair cats (48%) and Maine Coons (37%) were over-represented. The most common presenting clinical signs were otorrhoea, ear scratching and head shaking. Video-otoscopic examination confirmed a polypous mass in the ear canal in all patients. All 62 cats underwent TALA, with a mean surgical time of 33 mins for experienced surgeons (n = 4) and 48 mins (n = 12) for less experienced surgeons. The recurrence rate of polyp regrowth for experienced surgeons was 14.3% vs 35% for the less experienced surgeons. Postoperative complications included Horner's syndrome (11.5%) and facial nerve paralysis (3%). Otitis interna was not observed. Conclusions and relevance A lateral approach to the ear canal in combination with deep TA of an aural inflammatory polyp is an effective first-line technique that results in a low recurrence and complication rate.

Alternative Kullback-Leibler information entropy for enantiomers.

In our series of studies on quantifying chirality, a new chirality measure is proposed in this work based on the Kullback-Leibler information entropy. The index computes the extra information that the shape function of one enantiomer carries over a normalized shape function of the racemate, while in our previous studies the shape functions of the R and S enantiomers were used considering one as reference for the other. Besides being mathematically more elegant (symmetric, positive definite, zero in the case of a nonchiral system), this new index bears a more direct relation with chirality oriented experimental measurements such as circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotation measurements, where the racemate is frequently used as a reference. The five chiral halomethanes holding one asymmetric carbon atom and H, F, Cl, Br, and I as substituents have been analyzed. A comparison with our calculated optical rotation and with Avnir's Continuous Chirality Measure (CCM) is computed. The results show that with this index the emphasis lies on the differences between the noncoinciding substituents.

Information theoretical study of chirality: enantiomers with one and two asymmetric centra.

In this work, the Kullback-Leibler information deficiency is probed as a chirality measure. It is argued that the information deficiency, calculated using the shape functions of the R and S enantiomers, considering one as reference for the other, gives an information theory based expression useful for quantifying chirality. The measure is evaluated for five chiral halomethanes possessing one asymmetric carbon atom with hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine as substituents. To demonstrate the general applicability, a study of two halogen-substituted ethanes possessing two asymmetric carbon atoms has been included as well. The basic expression of the sum of the local information deficiency over all atoms can be decomposed into separate summations over coinciding and noncoinciding atoms, or into a global and a mixing entropy term, or into a local entropy contribution for each atom individually based on the Hirshfeld partitioning. Avnir's continuous chirality measure (CCM) has been computed and confronted with the information deficiency. Finally, the relationship between chirality and optical rotation is used to study the proposed measure. The results illustrate Mezey's holographic electron density theorem with an intuitively appealing division of the strength of propagation of the atomic chirality from an asymmetric carbon atom throughout the molecule. The local information deficiency of the carbon atom is proposed as a measure of chirality; more precisely, the difference in information between the R and the S enantiomer turns out to be a quantitative measure of the chirality of the system. It may be evaluated as the arithmetic mean of the different alignments, or considering only the alignment resulting in the highest similarity value, or using the QSSA alignment.

Molecular quantum similarity and chirality: enantiomers with two asymmetric centra.

Molecular quantum similarity is evaluated for enantiomers possessing two asymmetric carbon atoms, namely halogen substituted ethanes. This study is an extension of previous work performed on molecules with a single asymmetric carbon atom and molecules possessing a chiral axis. Global similarity and its local counterpart based on the Hirshfeld partitioning are evaluated. By these means we quantify the dissimilarity of enantiomers and illustrate Mezey's holographic electron density theorem in chiral systems. Furthermore, the relation between the optical activity and the dissimilarity is studied. Special attention is drawn to the meso compounds, since these isomers enable us to examine local chirality in an achiral system.

Molecular quantum similarity of enantiomers: substituted allenes.

Molecular quantum similarity is evaluated for enantiomers in the case of molecules possessing a chiral axis, as an extension of previous studies on molecules with a single asymmetric carbon atom. As a case study, the enantiomers of substituted allenes are examined. Next to studying global similarity, using the already existing similarity indices defined by Carbó and Hodgkin-Richards, we evaluate local similarity using our earlier proposed local similarity index based on the Hirshfeld partitioning, to quantify the consequences of Mezey's holographic electron density theorem in chiral systems. Furthermore, the relation between the optical activity and the dissimilarity is studied.