Pharmacokinetics of rectal levetiracetam as add-on treatment in dogs affected by cluster seizures or status epilepticus.

BACKGROUND: Levetiracetam can be used for seizure control alone or in combination with other antiepileptic medications. A previous study achieved the minimum targeted serum drug concentration after rectal administration of levetiracetam in healthy dogs. The purpose of the present study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of rectal LEV in dogs presented for cluster seizures or status epilepticus and potentially in treatment with other anti-epileptic drugs. Furthermore, preliminary information on response to this treatment as add-on to the standard treatment protocol is reported. RESULTS: Eight client-owned dogs were enrolled. Plasma levetiracetam concentrations (measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 360, 720, and 1440 min after drug administration) reached the minimum target concentration (5 µg/ml) at 30 min in all but one patient. At T1 (30 min) the mean concentration was 28.2 ± 15.5 µg/ml. Plasma concentrations remained above the targeted minimum concentration in all patients until 240 min and in 7/8 until 360 min. Six out of eight patients experienced no seizures in the 24-h period after hospitalization and were classified as "responders". CONCLUSIONS: Minimum plasma levetiracetam concentration can be reached after rectal administration of 40 mg/kg in dogs affected by cluster seizures and status epilepticus and concurrently receiving other antiepileptic drugs. These preliminary results may encourage the evaluation of rectal levetiracetam as an additional treatment option for cluster seizures and status epilepticus in a larger number of dogs.

Protective effects of polydeoxyribonucleotides on cartilage degradation in experimental cultures.

The capacity of cartilage self-regeneration is considered to be limited. Joint injuries often evolve in the development of chronic wounds on the cartilage surface. Such lesions are associated with articular cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis. Re-establishing a correct micro/macro-environment into damaged joints could stop or prevent the degenerative processes. This study investigated the effect of polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRNs) on cartilage degradation in vitro and on cartilage extracted cells. The activities of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 were measured in PDRN-treated cells and in controls at days 0 and 30 of culture. Human nasal cartilage explants were cultured, and the degree of proteoglycan degradation was assessed by measuring the amount of glycosaminoglycans released into the culture medium. The PDRN properties compared with controls were tested on cartilage tissues to evaluate deposition of extracellular matrix. Chondrocytes treated with PDRNs showed a physiological deposition of extracellular matrix (aggrecan and type II collagen: Western blot, IFA, fluorescence activated cell sorting, Alcian blue and safranin O staining). PDRNs were able to inhibit proteoglycan degradation in cartilage explants. The activities of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 were reduced in all PDRN-treated samples. Our results indicate that PDRNs are suitable for a long-term cultivation of in vitro cartilage and have therapeutic effects on chondrocytes by protecting cartilage.

Natural trematode infestation in feral Nebrodi Black pigs: pathological investigations.

Few studies describe the parasites of pigs bred in the wild state, although pigs are a known reservoir of trematode infestation. This article reports the results of a retrospective study carried out from January 2003 to June 2007 on 3021 Nebrodi Black male and female pigs, regularly slaughtered, aged between 8 months and 4 years. Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum flukes were detected in 143 (4.37%) of 3021 livers. The predominant histological features were multifocal to diffuse chronic hepatitis, with fibrosis and severely thickened walls of the bile ducts and chronic parietal, sometimes nodular inflammation. F. hepatica infestation was frequently associated with marked hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the submucosal glands. The study results confirm the important role swine play in the transmission of trematode infestations, indicate the prevalence of these parasites in the Nebrodi Park area, and draw attention to the need for a prophylaxis plan to prevent the spread of infestation to ruminants and humans living in the area.

Biological factors involved in the osseointegration of oral titanium implants with different surfaces: a pilot study in minipigs.

BACKGROUND: The stability of titanium implants is determined by the rigid load-bearing connections that are formed by the bone, a process that involves a complex network of cells, pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, and growth factors. The osseointegration processes at the interfaces of machined and porous implants were studied using molecular and histological techniques. METHODS: Two machined and two porous titanium implants were inserted into the tibiae of four minipigs. The animals were sacrificed at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days post-implantation. The levels of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were quantified in the peri-implant osseous samples. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha in the serum were also assessed. RESULTS: Histomorphological analysis showed evidence of bone ossification around the porous implant at 60 days. Surrounding the machined implants, highly sclerotic fibrous pads started the healing response at 90 days, and the levels of TGF-beta1 and BMP-4 began to increase at 60 days, at which time bone ossification around the porous implants was already evident. TNF-alpha was not present in the bone next to the implants. The serum levels of cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10 were not increased. The serum level of TNF-alpha increased during the healing process. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the levels of BMP-4 and TGF-beta1, which play essential roles in the osteogenesis process, increased earlier around the porous implants than around the machined implants. Similarly, the ossification process was initiated earlier at the surfaces of the porous implants than at the surfaces of the machined implants.

Effects of staple size, tissue thickness, and precompression time on staple shape in side-to-side jejunocecal anastomosis in specimens obtained from healthy horses at an abattoir.

OBJECTIVE: To determine effects of staple size, precompression time, and tissue thickness on staple shape and tissue approximation in side-to-side jejunocecal anastomosis in equine specimens. SAMPLE: Cecum, ileum, and jejunum specimens obtained from 18 healthy horses at an abattoir. PROCEDURES: Specimens were allotted into 2 groups. Anastomoses were stapled with 4.8-or 3.8-mm staples. Precompression time was 15 seconds for both groups. Staple lines were cut into proximal, middle, and distal sections. Thickness of intestinal walls was measured with a calibrated tissue micrometer, photographs were obtained, and intestinal tissues were digested. An investigator measured staples and assessed the shape of staples on high-definition digital images. Number of optimally shaped staples and staple height were compared among sections and between groups. RESULTS: Use of 4.8-mm staples resulted in poor approximation of tissues in the distal sections of anastomoses. The percentage of optimally shaped staples was 538 of 551 (97.6%) and 616 of 634 (97.2%) for 4.8- and 3.8-mm staples, respectively. The percentage of optimally shaped staples did not differ significantly between groups for the same sections. There was a lower percentage of optimally shaped staples in the distal sections than in the proximal and middle sections of each group. Mean staple height did not differ significantly among sections of each group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Use of 3.8-mm staples with an adequate precompression time for jejunocecal anastomosis in horses resulted in proper staple shape. These findings could be used to improve the technique and outcome for stapled jejunocecal anastomoses in horses.