The use of an Allonais inaequalis reproduction test as an ecotoxicological bioassay.

Ecotoxicological bioassays have been widely utilized to evaluate the toxicity of substances to organisms. However, the main challenge for researchers is finding native species to assess the effects of pollutants on aquatic biota. The tropical Oligochaeta, Allonais inaequalis, can be used as a test organism in bioassays to understand the effects of toxicants on aquatic ecosystems and their impact on native aquatic biota. In this study, we tested four methodological designs to validate the use of our "Allonais inaequalis reproduction test" as an ecotoxicological bioassay. For each sample, the assay consisted of a bottle containing 10 mg of sterilized fine sand, 60 mL of dechlorinated tap water and 6 organisms, fed at the beginning of the test and again after 5 days. The assay was first established in a controlled environment and then used to evaluate a stressed environment containing one of the following three toxicants suggested by the OECD (2008) and Corbi et al. (2015): zinc chloride, copper sulfate, or potassium chloride. Our results showed that the best experimental design for reproduction analysis was a static, long-term bioassay, which lasted 10 days without aeration and allowed for the reproduction of multiple generations (10 ± 5 new organisms). The observed inhibition reproduction by toxicants (EC50 ranging between 0.2 mg L-1 and 1.36 g L-1) validated the methods used in this paper. The use of a reproduction endpoint is a new contribution to the ecotoxicological toolbox, examining responses from a native organism to predict the effects of pollutants in an aquatic environment.

Effects of four anaesthetic protocols on the neurological and cardiorespiratory variables of puppies born by caesarean section.

Twenty-four bitches which had been in labour for less than 12 hours were randomly divided into four groups of six. They all received 0.5 mg/kg of chlorpromazine intravenously as premedication, followed 15 minutes later by either 8 mg/kg of thiopentone intravenously (group 1), 2 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.5 mg/kg of midazolam intravenously (group 2), 5 mg/kg of propofol intravenously (group 3), or 2.5 mg/kg of 2 per cent lidocaine with adrenaline and 0.625 mg/kg of 0.5 per cent bupivacaine with adrenaline epidurally (group 4). Except for group 4, the bitches were intubated and anaesthesia was maintained with enflurane. The puppies' heart and respiratory rates and their pain, sucking, anogenital, magnum and flexion reflexes were measured as they were removed from the uterus. The puppies' respiratory rate was higher after epidural anaesthesia. In general the puppies' neurological reflexes were most depressed after midazolam/ketamine, followed by thiopentone, propofol and epidural anaesthesia.

A preliminary trial comparison of several anesthetic techniques in cats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of several drug combinations (atropine, xylazine, romifidine, methotrimeprazine, midazolam, or fentanyl) with ketamine for short term anesthesia in cats. Twelve cats were anesthetized 6 times by using a cross-over Latin square protocol: methotrimeprazine was combined with midazolam, ketamine, and fentanyl; midazolam and ketamine; romifidine and ketamine; and xylazine and ketamine. Atropine was combined with romifidine and ketamine, and xylazine and ketamine. Temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate decreased in all groups. Apnea occurred in 1 cat treated with methotrimeprazine, romifidine, and ketamine, suggesting that ventilatory support may be necessary when this protocol is used. Emesis occurred in some cats treated with alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists, and this side effect should be considered when these drugs are used.

[Air in extradural hematoma: report of 2 cases]. / Ar em hematomas extradurais: relato de dois casos.

The authors report two cases of the presence of free air in acute extradural hematomas. This is not an unusual radiological finding which has been infrequently reported in the literature.

Ar em hematomas extradurais: relato de dois casos / Air in extradural hematomas: report of 2 cases

Os autores relatam dois casos de presença de ar livre em hematoma extradural agudo. Trata-se de achado radiológico näo incomúm, mas que tem sido relatado infrequentemente na literatura

A combination of methotrimeprazine, midazolam and guaiphenesin, with and without ketamine, in an anaesthetic procedure for horses.

A combination of 0.5 mg/kg of methotrimeprazine, 0.1 mg/kg of midazolam and 100 mg/kg of a 10 per cent guaiphenesin solution was investigated for the induction of recumbency in 15 horses; the addition of 1.6 mg/kg of ketamine was also evaluated in 15 horses and anaesthesia was maintained with halothane in oxygen. The horses became recumbent quickly and smoothly and they recovered quietly, with little ataxia. Tachycardia occurred after induction, but no other changes from pre-operative values were observed until halothane in oxygen had been given, when hypothermia, hypotension, bradypnoea, hyperoxaemia, respiratory acidosis and decreased respiratory minute volume developed. Horses given ketamine in addition to methotrimeprazine, midazolam and guaiphenesin were easier to intubate and recovered more quickly than horses receiving only methotrimeprazine, midazolam and guaiphenesin.

Efeitos do midazolam sobre o sistema cardiovascular em cäes pré-medicados com levomepromazina / Cardiovascular effects of midazolan in levomepromazine premedicated dogs

Foram utilizados 10 cäes adultos, de ambos os sexos, sem raça definida, com peso corpóreo entre 10 e 18 kg. Os animais foram pré-medicados com 1,0 mg/kg de levomepromazina e 15 minutos após receberam 2,0 mg/kg de midazolam, ambos por via intravenosa. A freqüência respiratória mostrou um aumento moderado e a freqüência cardíaca reduçäo aos 15 minutos e elevaçäo aos 30 minutos. Houve reduçäo da pressäo arterial média e da pressäo sistólica com significado estatístico e näo clínico. Houve tendência de reduçäo da pressäo arterial diastólica. A hipnose durou aproximadamente 20 minutos e aos 30 muinutos os cäes estavam acordados e em tentativa de deambulaçäo

Anemophilus fungi in the western Brazilian Amazon basin.

The prevalence of anemophilus fungi was studied in three small towns located at the Brazilian border with Colombia and Venezuela (a hot and humid zone) during the month of July. On a single collection carried out in different spots, colonies were cultivated which could be attributed to eighteen different species of anemophilus fungi with predominance of Mucor (64%), Candida (55%), Rhodotorula (38%) and Penicillum (38%). The alternaria species, a very potent airbone allergen, was found only in one of the three collection spots with high prevalence of respiratory tract allergies.

Prevalencia de micoses superficiais em escolares de localidades da regiao amazonica ocidental(fronteira Brasil-Colombia). / Occurrence of superficial mycosis in students of the westrn amazon region (frontier Brazil-Colombia

Realizaram-se estudos micologicos em escolares nos vilarejos da fronteira Brasil-Colombia em julho de 1978, dentro da floresta amazonica. Observaram-se prevalencia da pityriasis versicolor em escolares de Ypiranga e Vila Bittencourt e de Piedra Negra em escolares de Cucui, seguidas da tinea capitis por Trichophyton tonsurans. Analisou-se a predominancia das micoses superficiais no sexo feminino