Preoperative topical liposomal ozone dispersion to reduce bacterial colonization in conjunctival sac and periocular skin: Preliminary study in dogs.

Prophylaxis represents a keystone to reduce periocular skin and ocular conjunctiva bacterial load before surgical procedures. Despite many prophylactic agents are available the preferred perioperative ocular surface antimicrobial is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of preoperative liposomal ozone dispersion in reducing bacterial colonization from the conjunctival sac and periocular skin in dogs, in comparison with povidone-iodine and fluoroquinolone. Twenty-two owned dogs consisting with 44 eyes in total scheduled for ophthalmic surgical procedure were enrolled for the study and divided in four groups receiving either ozone dispersion or povidone iodine in eyelid and conjunctiva, fluoroquinolone or placebo. A swab was taken before and after the antisepsis protocol evaluating total microbial count, coagulase positive and negative staphylococci. Statistical analysis revealed a significant decrease in colony forming units (CFU) for total microbial count, coagulase positive and negative staphylococci both for liposomal ozone dispersion and povidone iodine. No statistical differences were detected in median CFU for both one-day placebo and fluoroquinolone preoperative prophylactic topical therapy. The results of this preliminary study demonstrate that liposomal ozone-dispersion is as effective as povidone iodine to reduce preoperative bacterial load in ocular surface.

Role of nitric oxide concentrations on human sperm motility.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical generated from the oxidation of L-arginine to L-citrulline by 3 isoforms of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent NO synthases. Several data suggest a relevant role in sperm cell pathophysiology, but any conclusive data on its role in spermatozoa motility are still lacking. In the present study, we have correlated NO concentration in semen and kinetic features of sperm cells from normozoospermic fertile donors and infertile patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia. Normozoospermic fertile men exhibited NO concentrations that were significantly lower than those of asthenozoospermic infertile men. A significant linear negative correlation was evident between NO concentration and percentage of total sperm motility. A further significant linear negative correlation was found between NO concentration and spermatozoa kinetic characteristics determined by a computerized analysis (curvilinear and straight progressive velocity). These data suggest that the overproduction of this free radical and the consequent excessive exposure to oxidative conditions have a potential pathogenetic implication in the reduction of sperm motility. The positive role played by NO in spermatozoa capacitation leads us to speculate that such paradoxical involvement in both pathologic and physiologic processes depends on the alternative redox state and relative level of NO.