Evaluation of vinpocetine as a therapy in patients with sensorineural hearing loss: A phase II, open-label, single-center study.

The progressive degeneration of the excitable cells of the ear depends on the sustained excitation of the voltage-sensitive sodium channels, so the negative pharmacological modulation could be a rational therapeutic strategy against the damage of these cells. The objective was to demonstrate the effectiveness of Vinpocetine (VPC), a potent sodium channel blocker, as a treatment for acquired sensorineural hearing loss. A phase II, longitudinal and prospective open clinical study, was conducted over a period of 12 months with patients older than 18 years, to demonstrate the effectiveness of Vinpocetine (VPC) as a treatment for acquired sensorineural hearing loss, using evoked potentials, otoacoustic emissions, audiometry and logoaudiometry, analyzing the results at 6 and 12 months of treatment with Vinpocetine (30 mg/day in 3 doses). It was observed that from 0 to 6 months there was hearing impairment (which was already expected due to the age of the patients). From 6 to 12 months and from 0 to 12 months there were significant differences with a tendency towards improvement, indicating that the aforementioned deterioration not only stopped, but that with the use of vinpocetine, the hearing capacity improved. It is concluded that Vinpocetine helps to stop hearing impairment and even improve hearing.

Advances in infrared thermography: Surgical aspects, vascular changes, and pain monitoring in veterinary medicine.

One of the main functions of infrared thermography (IRT) consists in detecting temperature changes in organisms caused by variations in surface blood circulation. IRT is a useful tool that has been used mainly as a diagnostic method for various stress-causing pathologies, though recent suggestions indicate that it can be used to assess the block quality of certain body regions. In the field of anaesthesiology, IRT has been applied to brachial and epidural blocks, while in algology, changes in surface blood circulation associated with sympathetic activity have been investigated. Thermography has also been employed to complement pain level scales based on the facial expressions of patients in critical condition, or after surgery. In addition, it has been used as a tool in research designed to evaluate different surgical procedures in human medicine, as in the case of surgical burrs for placing dental implants, where IRT helps assess the degree of heating associated with bone devascularisation, reduction in vascular perfusion as a consequence of stroke, and changes in the autonomous nervous system, or the degree of vascular changes in flaps applied to burn patients. In veterinary medicine, thermography has brought several benefits for animals in terms of evaluating lesions, diseases, and surgical procedures. The aim of this review is to evaluate how IRT can be used as a tool in surgical procedures, cases of vascular change, and pain monitoring in veterinary medicine with an emphasis on small animals.

[Hearing gain with binaural-bimodal adaptation in patients with a cochlear implants].

Binaural hearing allows the optimal performance of the auditory system with a better perception of the sounds that make up language and better discrimination in noisy environments. The use of binaural-bimodal stimulation includes a combination of 2 different pacing modes: a cochlear implant in one ear , and acoustic stimulation through a conventional hearing aid in the other. The aim of this study is to determine the hearing gain in patients with cochlear implant alone and hearing aid. Twenty prelingually hearing impaired patients, 11 female and 9 male subjects were recruited with mean age at implantation and 3.91 ± 1.56 years and 6.07 ± 2.18 years at the time of audiological assessment at six months post-implantation. Implanted patients were assessed per month after the surgery for the first telemetry subsequently were reassessed every month to make changes to schedules stimulation map according to the auditory responses and progress shown in speech therapy. When calculating the mean and standard deviation of the auditory response in implanted subjects, you can appreciate that in the group of patients with cochlear implant plus hearing aid using the values obtained were lower at all frequencies, indicating a higher gain using auditory hearing aid over a cochlear implant, in comparison to patients who only used the cochlear implant. Comparing auditory responses in patients implanted with and without hearing aid, statistically significant differences were observed at all frequencies except at 2 kHz, showing that there is a better discrimination in noisy environments. The patients use more AA gain greater hearing gain compared with patients who only used the IC.

The Importance of Animal Models in Biomedical Research: Current Insights and Applications.

Animal research is considered a key element in advance of biomedical science. Although its use is controversial and raises ethical challenges, the contribution of animal models in medicine is essential for understanding the physiopathology and novel treatment alternatives for several animal and human diseases. Current pandemics' pathology, such as the 2019 Coronavirus disease, has been studied in primate, rodent, and porcine models to recognize infection routes and develop therapeutic protocols. Worldwide issues such as diabetes, obesity, neurological disorders, pain, rehabilitation medicine, and surgical techniques require studying the process in different animal species before testing them on humans. Due to their relevance, this article aims to discuss the importance of animal models in diverse lines of biomedical research by analyzing the contributions of the various species utilized in science over the past five years about key topics concerning human and animal health.

Thermal Response of Laboratory Rats (Rattus norvegicus) during the Application of Six Methods of Euthanasia Assessed by Infrared Thermography.

Refinement is one of the principles aiming to promote welfare in research animals. The techniques used during an experimental protocol, including euthanasia selection, must prevent and minimize suffering. Although the current euthanasia methods applied to laboratory rodents are accepted, the controversial findings regarding the potential stress/distress they can cause is a field of research. The objective was to assess the thermal response of Wistar rats during various euthanasia methods using infrared thermography (IRT) to determine the method that prevents or diminishes the stress response and prolonged suffering. Pentobarbital (G1), CO2 (G2), decapitation (G3), isoflurane (G4), ketamine + xylazine (G5), and ketamine + CO2 (G6) were evaluated at five evaluation times with IRT to identify changes in the surface temperature of four anatomical regions: ocular (T°ocu), auricular (T°ear), interscapular (T°dor), and caudal (T°tai). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in G2 and G4, registering temperature increases from the administration of the drug to the cessation of respiratory rate and heart rate. Particularly, isoflurane showed a marked thermal response in T°ocu, T°ear, T°dor, and T°tai, suggesting that, in general, inhalant euthanasia methods induce stress in rats and that isoflurane might potentially cause distress, an effect that must be considered when deciding humane euthanasia methods in laboratory rodents.

Parental behavior and newborn attachment in birds: life history traits and endocrine responses.

In birds, parental care and attachment period differ widely depending on the species (altricial or precocial), developmental strategies, and life history traits. In most bird species, parental care can be provided by both female and male individuals and includes specific stages such as nesting, laying, and hatching. During said periods, a series of neuroendocrine responses are triggered to motivate parental care and attachment. These behaviors are vital for offspring survival, development, social bonding, intergenerational learning, reproductive success, and ultimately, the overall fitness and evolution of bird populations in a variety of environments. Thus, this review aims to describe and analyze the behavioral and endocrine systems of parental care and newborn attachment in birds during each stage of the post-hatching period.

The Role of Brown Adipose Tissue and Energy Metabolism in Mammalian Thermoregulation during the Perinatal Period.

Hypothermia is one of the most common causes of mortality in neonates, and it could be developed after birth because the uterus temperature is more elevated than the extrauterine temperature. Neonates use diverse mechanisms to thermoregulate, such as shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis. These strategies can be more efficient in some species, but not in others, i.e., altricials, which have the greatest difficulty with achieving thermoneutrality. In addition, there are anatomical and neurological differences in mammals, which may present different distributions and amounts of brown fat. This article aims to discuss the neuromodulation mechanisms of thermoregulation and the importance of brown fat in the thermogenesis of newborn mammals, emphasizing the analysis of the biochemical, physiological, and genetic factors that determine the distribution, amount, and efficiency of this energy resource in newborns of different species. It has been concluded that is vital to understand and minimize hypothermia causes in newborns, which is one of the main causes of mortality in neonates. This would be beneficial for both animals and producers.

Traumatic brain injury extending to the striatum alters autonomic thermoregulation and hypothalamic monoamines in recovering rats.

The brain cortex is the structure that is typically injured in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is anatomically connected with other brain regions, including the striatum and hypothalamus, which are associated in part with motor function and the regulation of body temperature, respectively. We investigated whether a TBI extending to the striatum could affect peripheral and core temperatures as an indicator of autonomic thermoregulatory function. Moreover, it is unknown whether thermal modulation is accompanied by hypothalamic and cortical monoamine changes in rats with motor function recovery. The animals were allocated into three groups: the sham group (sham), a TBI group with a cortical contusion alone (TBI alone), and a TBI group with an injury extending to the dorsal striatum (TBI + striatal injury). Body temperature and motor deficits were evaluated for 20 days post-injury. On the 3rd and 20th days, rats were euthanized to measure the serotonin (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA), and dopamine (DA) levels using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We observed that TBI with an injury extending to the dorsal striatum increased core and peripheral temperatures. These changes were accompanied by a sustained motor deficit lasting for 14 days. Furthermore, there were notable increases in NA and 5-HT levels in the brain cortex and hypothalamus both 3 and 20 days after injury. In contrast, rats with TBI alone showed no changes in peripheral temperatures and achieved motor function recovery by the 7th day post-injury. In conclusion, our results suggest that TBI with an injury extending to the dorsal striatum elevates both core and peripheral temperatures, causing a delay in functional recovery and increasing hypothalamic monoamine levels. The aftereffects can be attributed to the injury site and changes to the autonomic thermoregulatory functions.

The neurobiology of pain and facial movements in rodents: Clinical applications and current research.

One of the most controversial aspects of the use of animals in science is the production of pain. Pain is a central ethical concern. The activation of neural pathways involved in the pain response has physiological, endocrine, and behavioral consequences, that can affect both the health and welfare of the animals, as well as the validity of research. The strategy to prevent these consequences requires understanding of the nociception process, pain itself, and how assessment can be performed using validated, non-invasive methods. The study of facial expressions related to pain has undergone considerable study with the finding that certain movements of the facial muscles (called facial action units) are associated with the presence and intensity of pain. This review, focused on rodents, discusses the neurobiology of facial expressions, clinical applications, and current research designed to better understand pain and the nociceptive pathway as a strategy for implementing refinement in biomedical research.

The role of cannabinoids in pain modulation in companion animals.

The use of cannabinoids in both veterinary and human medicine is controversial for legal and ethical reasons. Nonetheless, the availability and therapeutic use of naturally occurring or synthetic phytocannabinoids, such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabidiol and cannabidiol, have been the focus of attention in studies regarding their medical uses. This review aims to examine the role of cannabinoids in pain modulation by analyzing scientific findings regarding the signaling pathways of the endocannabinoid system and discussing the analgesic effects of synthetic cannabinoids compared to cannabinoid extracts and the extent and involvement of their receptors. In animals, studies have shown the analgesic properties of these substances and the role of the cannabinoid binding -1 (CB1) and cannabinoid binding -2 (CB2) receptors in the endocannabinoid system to modulate acute, chronic and neuropathic pain. This system consists of three main components: endogenous ligands (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol), G protein-coupled receptors and enzymes that degrade and recycle the ligands. Evidence suggests that their interaction with CB1 receptors inhibits signaling in pain pathways and causes psychoactive effects. On the other hand, CB2 receptors are associated with anti-inflammatory and analgesic reactions and effects on the immune system. Cannabis extracts and their synthetic derivatives are an effective therapeutic tool that contributes to compassionate pain care and participates in its multimodal management. However, the endocannabinoid system interacts with different endogenous ligands and neurotransmitters, thus offering other therapeutic possibilities in dogs and cats, such is the case of those patients who suffer from seizures or epilepsy, contact and atopic dermatitis, degenerative myelopathies, asthma, diabetes and glaucoma, among other inflammatory diseases. Moreover, these compounds have been shown to possess antineoplastic, appetite-stimulating, and antiemetic properties. Ultimately, the study of the endocannabinoid system, its ligands, receptors, mechanism of action, and signaling, has contributed to the development of research that shows that hemp-derived and their synthetic derivatives are an effective therapeutic alternative in the multimodal management of pain in dogs and cats due to their ability to prevent peripheral and central sensitization.

Early Blood Analysis and Gas Exchange Monitoring in the Canine Neonate: Effect of Dam's Size and Birth Order.

In canines, size at birth is determined by the dam's weight, which would probably affect the newborn's viability due to litter size and birth order. Fetal hypoxia causes distress and acidemia. Identifying physiological blood alterations in the puppy during the first minute of life through the blood gas exchange of the umbilical cord could determine the puppy's risk of suffering asphyxiation during labor. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the birth order and dam's size during spontaneous labor and the alterations during the first minute of life. The results indicate that the dam's size and the birth order have considerable physiological and metabolic effects in the puppies, mainly in birth order 1 (BO1) in small-size dogs, while in the medium size, the last puppy presented more alterations, probably because of a prolonged whelping which could have fostered hypoxic processes and death. Likewise, with large-size dogs, intrapartum asphyxiation processes were registered during the first minute of life in any birth order.

Thermoregulation mechanisms and perspectives for validating thermal windows in pigs with hypothermia and hyperthermia: An overview.

Specific anatomical characteristics make the porcine species especially sensitive to extreme temperature changes, predisposing them to pathologies and even death due to thermal stress. Interest in improving animal welfare and porcine productivity has led to the development of various lines of research that seek to understand the effect of certain environmental conditions on productivity and the impact of implementing strategies designed to mitigate adverse effects. The non-invasive infrared thermography technique is one of the tools most widely used to carry out these studies, based on detecting changes in microcirculation. However, evaluations using this tool require reliable thermal windows; this can be challenging because several factors can affect the sensitivity and specificity of the regions selected. This review discusses the thermal windows used with domestic pigs and the association of thermal changes in these regions with the thermoregulatory capacity of piglets and hogs.

Role of the Dopaminergic System in the Striatum and Its Association With Functional Recovery or Rehabilitation After Brain Injury.

Disabilities are estimated to occur in approximately 2% of survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) worldwide, and disability may persist even decades after brain injury. Facilitation or modulation of functional recovery is an important goal of rehabilitation in all patients who survive severe TBI. However, this recovery tends to vary among patients because it is affected by the biological and physical characteristics of the patients; the types, doses, and application regimens of the drugs used; and clinical indications. In clinical practice, diverse dopaminergic drugs with various dosing and application procedures are used for TBI. Previous studies have shown that dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is disrupted following moderate to severe TBI and have reported beneficial effects of drugs that affect the dopaminergic system. However, the mechanisms of action of dopaminergic drugs have not been completely clarified, partly because dopaminergic receptor activation can lead to restoration of the pathway of the corticobasal ganglia after injury in brain structures with high densities of these receptors. This review aims to provide an overview of the functionality of the dopaminergic system in the striatum and its roles in functional recovery or rehabilitation after TBI.

Experimental Applications and Factors Involved in Validating Thermal Windows Using Infrared Thermography to Assess the Health and Thermostability of Laboratory Animals.

Evaluating laboratory animals' health and thermostability are fundamental components of all experimental designs. Alterations in either one of these parameters have been shown to trigger physiological changes that can compromise the welfare of the species and the replicability and robustness of the results obtained. Due to the nature and complexity of evaluating and managing the species involved in research protocols, non-invasive tools such as infrared thermography (IRT) have been adopted to quantify these parameters without altering them or inducing stress responses in the animals. IRT technology makes it possible to quantify changes in surface temperatures that are derived from alterations in blood flow that can result from inflammatory, stressful, or pathological processes; changes can be measured in diverse regions, called thermal windows, according to their specific characteristics. The principal body regions that were employed for this purpose in laboratory animals were the orbital zone (regio orbitalis), auricular pavilion (regio auricularis), tail (cauda), and the interscapular area (regio scapularis). However, depending on the species and certain external factors, the sensitivity and specificity of these windows are still subject to controversy due to contradictory results published in the available literature. For these reasons, the objectives of the present review are to discuss the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in vasomotor responses and thermogenesis via BAT in laboratory animals and to evaluate the scientific usefulness of IRT and the thermal windows that are currently used in research involving laboratory animals.

Infrared thermal imaging associated with pain in laboratory animals.

The science of animal welfare has evolved over the years, and recent scientific advances have enhanced our comprehension of the neurological, physiological, and ethological mechanisms of diverse animal species. Currently, the study of the affective states (emotions) of nonhuman animals is attracting great scientific interest focused primarily on negative experiences such as pain, fear, and suffering, which animals experience in different stages of their lives or during scientific research. Studies underway today seek to establish methods of evaluation that can accurately measure pain and then develop effective treatments for it, because the techniques available up to now are not sufficiently precise. One innovative technology that has recently been incorporated into veterinary medicine for the specific purpose of studying pain in animals is called infrared thermography (IRT), a technique that works by detecting and measuring levels of thermal radiation at different points on the body's surface with high sensitivity. Changes in IRT images are associated mainly with blood perfusion, which is modulated by the mechanisms of vasodilatation and vasoconstriction. IRT is an efficient, noninvasive method for evaluating and controlling pain, two critical aspects of animal welfare in biomedical research. The aim of the present review is to compile and analyze studies of infrared thermographic changes associated with pain in laboratory research involving animals.

The Utility of Grimace Scales for Practical Pain Assessment in Laboratory Animals.

Animals' facial expressions are widely used as a readout for emotion. Scientific interest in the facial expressions of laboratory animals has centered primarily on negative experiences, such as pain, experienced as a result of scientific research procedures. Recent attempts to standardize evaluation of facial expressions associated with pain in laboratory animals has culminated in the development of "grimace scales". The prevention or relief of pain in laboratory animals is a fundamental requirement for in vivo research to satisfy community expectations. However, to date it appears that the grimace scales have not seen widespread implementation as clinical pain assessment techniques in biomedical research. In this review, we discuss some of the barriers to implementation of the scales in clinical laboratory animal medicine, progress made in automation of collection, and suggest avenues for future research.

Equations to establish a regression between current units with respect to patient`s age and the use time of cochlear implants.

OBJECTIVE: Propose a system of multivariate multiple regression equations in order to establish a mathematical association that allows estimating the current units needed during the adjustment phase with respect to age and time that were used the implants. METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 41 pediatric patients with a unilateral cochlear implant participated. Three groups were formed and multivariable multiple regression equations were constructed. RESULTS: For Group 1, in electrode Groups 3 and 4, there is a lower standard deviation and a similar index of asymmetry of the current units; in Group 2, the groups of electrodes with similar index of asymmetry were 2 and 4, while group of electrodes 3 presented average of 21.54 and dispersion smaller (16.25); in Group 3, groups of electrodes 3 and 4 presented similar standard deviation and average and smaller standard deviation. With respect to the standard estimation error, the lowest variability of current units was obtained in Group 2 for electrode Group 3. CONCLUSION: The proposed equations could be used in the clinical area by knowing the units current needed with respect to age and time of use the implant.

OBJETIVO: Proponer un sistema de ecuaciones de regresión múltiple multivariable para establecer una asociación matemática que permita estimar las unidades de corriente necesarias durante la fase de ajuste con respecto a la edad y el tiempo de uso del implante coclear. MÉTODO: Estudio transversal descriptivo. Participaron 41 pacientes pediátricos con implante coclear unilateral. Se conformaron tres grupos y se construyeron ecuaciones de regresión múltiple multivariable. RESULTADOS: Para el grupo 1 se observa en los grupos de electrodos 3 y 4 menor desviación estándar y similar índice de asimetría de las unidades de corriente; en el grupo 2, los grupos de electrodos con similar índice de asimetría fueron el 2 y el 4, y el grupo de electrodos 3 presentó un promedio de 21.54 y una dispersión más pequeña (16,25); en el grupo 3, los grupos de electrodos 3 y 4 presentaron similar desviación estándar y promedio y desviación estándar más pequeños. Con respecto al error estándar de estimación, se obtuvo una menor variabilidad de unidades de corriente en el grupo 2 para el grupo de electrodos 3. CONCLUSIÓN: Las ecuaciones propuestas son de utilidad clínica al conocer las unidades de corriente necesarias considerando la edad y el tiempo de uso del implante coclear.

Review of different methods used for clinical recognition and assessment of pain in dogs and cats.

In light of the need to perform surgical techniques and the importance of animal welfare because of acute pain, the objectives of the veterinary anaesthetists are to manage muscle relaxation and adequate analgesia in order to conserve a balance in the autonomic nervous system, enhance the action of the parasympathetic system in the face of the emerging action of the sympathetic portion provoked by the surgeon, and maintain a balance among them. The aim of the present review is to describe different evaluation criteria for acute pain using unidimensional and multidimensional scales, correlating these findings to parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) and bispectral index (BIS) assessment, to conduct an objective evaluation of pain that patients (dog or cat) perceives, in order to administrate an adequate analgesic treatment in each case. In conclusion, this integral, objective evaluation will allow veterinarians - especially anaesthesiologists - to improve the management of pain in the patients.

[Conditional probability analysis between tinnitus and comorbidities in patients attending the National Rehabilitation Institute-LGII in the period 2012-2013]. / Análisis de probabilidad condicional entre el acúfeno y comorbilidades asociadas en pacientes que acudieron al Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-LGII en el periodo 2012-2013.

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus is defined as the conscious perception of a sensation of sound that occurs in the absence of an external stimulus. This audiological symptom affects 7% to 19% of the adult population. The aim of this study is to describe the associated comorbidities present in patients with tinnitus usingjoint and conditional probability analysis. PATIENTS: Patients of both genders, diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral tinnitus, aged between 20 and 45 years, and had a full computerised medical record, were selected. METHODS: Study groups were formed on the basis of the following clinical aspects: 1) audiological findings; 2) vestibular findings; 3) comorbidities such as, temporomandibular dysfunction, tubal dysfunction, otosclerosis and, 4) triggering factors of tinnitus noise exposure, respiratory tract infection, use of ototoxic and/or drugs. RESULTS: Of the patients with tinnitus, 27 (65%) reported hearing loss, 11 (26.19%) temporomandibular dysfunction, and 11 (26.19%) with vestibular disorders. When performing the joint probability analysis, it was found that the probability that a patient with tinnitus having hearing loss was 2742 0.65, and 2042 0.47 for bilateral type. The result for P (A ∩ B)=30%. Bayes' theorem P (AiB) = P(Ai∩B)P(B) was used, and various probabilities were calculated. Therefore, in patients with temporomandibulardysfunction and vestibular disorders, a posterior probability of P (Aі/B)=31.44% was calculated. CONCLUSIONS: Consideration should be given to the joint and conditional probability approach as tools for the study of different pathologies.

Effects of dopamine D1 receptor activation and blockade on dopamine and noradrenaline levels in the rat brain.

The noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems are associated with the motor system and have anatomical and functional connections that have not yet been studied. The present study aimed to examine the specific role of D1 receptors (D1Rs) on noradrenergic and dopaminergic responses in the rat brain. Male Wistar rats were assigned to eight groups to receive systemic injection of a D1R agonist (SKF-38393) at 0, 1, 5 or 10mg/kg or injection of a D1R antagonist (SCH-23390) at 0, 0.25, 0.5 or 1mg/kg. Dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Injection of SKF-38393 alone at 1, 5 and 10mg/kg did not alter DA levels in the midbrain, cerebral cortex or pons, while it significantly increased these levels in the striatum (at 1 and 10mg/kg), hippocampus (at 1mg/kg) and cerebellum (at 1 and 5mg/kg). Administration of SKF-38393 at 1, 5, and 10mg/kg decreased the NA levels in the midbrain, pons, hippocampus (except at 1mg/kg) and cortex (except at 5mg/kg), whereas the opposite effect was observed in the striatum. SCH-23390 decreased the DA levels in the cortex (at 0.25 and 0.5mg/kg) and pons (at 0.5mg/kg). In contrast, 0.25, 0.5 and 1mg/kg SCH-23390 increased the DA levels in the cerebellum, whereas no differences from the control levels were observed for the DA levels in the striatum, midbrain and hippocampus. SCH-23390 at 0.5 and 1mg/kg increased the NA levels in the striatum. In contrast, the midbrain, hippocampus, cortex, pons and cerebellum did not exhibit altered NA levels. Our results demonstrate that the activation of D1Rs modulates the response of the noradrenergic system in nearly all of the investigated brain structures; thus, the blockade of D1Rs attenuates the effects induced by D1R activation.