Effect of piglet castration with nonsurgical sterilant on the zootechnical performance and pork carcass quality / Efeito da castração de leitões com esterilizante não cirúrgico no desempenho zootécnico e na qualidade da carcaça suína

A non-surgical sterilant (NSS) was used with the objective of assessing the zootechnical performance, carcass and meat quality, and hormone levels. 90 male piglets were selected with birthweights varying between 1.5kg to 2.0kg. The control group was constituted of 45 males castrated by the conventional surgical method, at the seventh day of age, and the treated group was constituted of 45 males castrated with NSS (active principle of zinc gluconate in the concentration of 26.2mg/mL associated to the dimethyl sulfoxide at 0.5%), with the application of the first dose on the seventh day of age and the second dose on the fourteenth day of age. The zootechnical assessments were carried out on the farm and consisted: weight gain in the periods per animal and feed conversion. The slaughter of the animals and the assessment of the carcass and meat quality and hormone levels were carried out in a slaughterhouse and the municipality of Campinas (SP). The study demonstrated that the use of NSS was a viable alternative in relation to the zootechnical performance and the carcass quality. In relation to the meat quality there was no significant difference in the majority of the assessed parameters.(AU)

Foi utilizado esterilizante não cirúrgico (ENC) com o objetivo de se avaliar o desempenho zootécnico e a qualidade de carcaça, de carne e de níveis hormonais. Foram selecionados 90 leitões machos de peso entre 1,5kg e 2,0kg ao nascimento. O grupo controle foi constituído por 45 machos castrados pelo método cirúrgico convencional, ao sétimo dia de idade, e o grupo tratado foi constituído por 45 machos castrados com ENC (princípio ativo de gluconato de zinco na concentração de 26,2mg/mL associado ao dimetil sulfóxido a 0,5%), com primeira dose de aplicação ao sétimo dia de idade e a segunda dose ao 14° dia de idade. As avaliações consistiram de: ganho de peso nos períodos por animal e conversão alimentar. O abate dos animais e a avaliação da carne e de níveis hormonais foram realizados em um frigorífico, na cidade de Campinas (SP). O uso de ENC foi uma alternativa viável em relação ao desempenho zootécnico e à qualidade da carcaça. Em relação à qualidade da carne, não houve diferença significativa na maioria dos parâmetros avaliados.(AU)

Forebrain muscarinic control of micturition reflex in rats.

Functional contribution of the cholinergic pathway between the frontal cortex and basal nucleus of Meynert to micturition reflex was investigated. Male Wistar rats were subjected to bilateral lesion of the basal forebrain by ibotenic acid (IA) injection (7.5 microg/rat on each side) (BF rats). Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was injected into control rats (sham operated rats; SO rats). Cystometrograms were obtained from conscious BF and SO rats 7-10 days after IA/PBS injection. Bladder capacity (BC) of BF rats was significantly smaller than that of SO rats (approximately 43.7%) and was accompanied by decrease in choline-acetyltransferase activity in the frontal cortices. Oxotremorine M, a muscarinic receptor agonist, increased BC in BF rats, while pirenzepine, an M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist, counteracted the effect of the oxotremorine M-induced increase in BC. Injection of oxotremorine M into the dorsal pontine tegmentum (DPT) reduced BC in BF and SO rats, while injection of pirenzepine had no effect on cystometrograms. These findings indicate that the M1 muscarinic receptor plays a part in the forebrain inhibitory mechanisms involved in the micturition reflex and that muscarinic receptor in the DPT contributes to excitatory control of micturition reflex.

[Primary small cell carcinoma of the kidney: a case report].

A 43-year-old male visited our hospital with the complaint of right flank colicky pain. Computed tomographic (CT)-scan and angiography showed large renal tumor with liver invasion and tumor thrombosis in the vena cava. Multiple lung and bone tumors were also recognized. Percutaneous biopsy of the renal tumor revealed small cell carcinoma. Multiple lung masses were diagnosed as metastatic tumors according to the results of bronchoscopic biopsy. Chemotherapy including cisplatinum and etoposide was performed without success. He died 6 months after the diagnosis. Autopsy specimen revealed primary small cell carcinoma of the right kidney. To our knowledge, this is the seventh case as primary renal small cell carcinoma in the world literature.

Expression of neural plasticity related gene in the pontine tegmental area of rats with overactive bladder after cerebral infarction.

PURPOSE: We investigated the expression of the neural plasticity related genes c-fos, zif268, c-jun, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tissue plasminogen activator in the pontine tegmental area in rats with overactive bladder induced by cerebral infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cerebral infarction was induced by left middle cerebral artery occlusion in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Bladder activity was monitored by continuous infusion cystometrography in awake rats. Specimens were obtained from the pontine tegmental area 1, 3, 5, 12 and 24 hours after cerebral infarction or sham operation. The effect of 0.1 mg./kg. intravenously of the N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamatergic receptor antagonist MK-801 on bladder activity, and c-fos and zif268 expression after middle cerebral artery occlusion were studied. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed with the LightCycler system (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) to evaluate cerebral infarction influences on gene expression in the pontine tegmental area. RESULTS: Bladder capacity in cerebral infarcted rats was significantly reduced 1 to 24 hours after middle cerebral artery occlusion compared with that of sham operated rats (p <0.05 to 0.01). One hour after occlusion mean c-fos messenger (m)RNA expression plus or minus standard error had significantly increased to 18.9 +/- 4.0 in terms of its density relative to the outer control in a sample obtained immediately after occlusion compared with that in sham operated rats (p <0.05). It returned to the control level within 3 hours after occlusion. Mean zif268 mRNA expression significantly increased to a relative density of 3.2 +/- 1.4 3 hours after middle cerebral artery occlusion (p <0.01) and returned to the control level within 5 hours after occlusion. The expressions of c-jun, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tissue plasminogen activator was not influenced by occlusion. Pretreatment with MK-801 inhibited bladder overactivity and significantly reduced the expression of c-fos and zif268 mRNA in the pontine tegmental area. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the development of bladder overactivity after middle cerebral artery occlusion is mediated by activation of an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor and accompanied by an increase in c-fos and zif268 mRNA expression in the pontine tegmental area.

[A case of adrenal pheochromocytoma with contralateral adrenocortical adenoma].

A case of a pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal gland and adrenocortical adenoma in the left adrenal gland of a 58-year-old male is reported. The patient was incidentally found to have a right adrenal tumor by ultrasonographic study. A computerized tomographic (CT) study and magnetic resonance image (MRI) study revealed bilateral adrenal tumors. The sizes of the right tumor and left tumor were 2.5 x 3.5 cm and 1.2 x 1.0 cm, respectively. The intensity of each tumor was different on T2-weighted MRI. 131I-MIBG scintigram showed the uptake of right adrenal gland. The existence of pheochromocytoma was confirmed by the elevated levels of catecholamines. We performed venous sampling to be certain whether the patient had unilateral or bilateral pheochromocytoma. As a result, bilateral adrenal pheochromocytoma was diagnosed. Therefore, we performed bilateral adrenalectomy. However, histopathological examination revealed right pheochromocytoma and left non-functioning adrenocortical adenoma.

[Old adrenal hematoma: a case report].

A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for closer examination of a left mass. Warfarin and calcium-antagonist for arrhythmia and hypertension had been administered for about 2 months before admission to our ward. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a left adrenal mass 5 cm in diameter. Only serum noradrenalin was slightly elevated in endocrinological studies. In 131I-MIBG scintigraphy, uptake of radio-isotope at the adrenal gland was not revealed. Computed-tomographic (CT) scan showed left adrenal mass with a low density in the central area and iso-density in the peripheral area. The enhanced CT scan revealed enhancement in only the peripheral area of the left adrenal gland. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a different intensity in the central area or peripheral area. Only the peripheral area of the mass was enhanced on dynamic MRI. Left adrenalectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed an old hematoma in the adrenal medulla without neoplasmic cells or vascular lesions.

GABAergic contribution to rat bladder hyperactivity after middle cerebral artery occlusion.

To evaluate the influences of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mechanisms on bladder hyperactivity after left middle cerebral artery occlusion, cystometric recordings were obtained from unanesthetized female rats. Intracerebroventricular administration of both muscimol (GABA(A) receptor agonist; 0.1-10 nmol) and baclofen (GABA(B) receptor agonist; 0.1-3 nmol) produced dose-dependent inhibitions of micturition with increases in bladder capacity (BC). The effects of high doses (1-10 nmol) were similar in sham-operated (SO) and cerebral-infarcted (CI) rats. However, lower doses of muscimol (0.1 or 0.3 nmol) and baclofen (0.1 nmol) reduced BC in CI rats. After bicuculline (GABA(A) receptor antagonist; 1 or 3 nmol) administration, BC in both SO and CI rats first decreased and subsequently increased. An increase in urethral pressure was observed after administration of bicuculline (3 nmol) but not with either muscimol or baclofen. Infarct volumes in muscimol-, bicuculline-, or baclofen-treated rats were not significantly different from those of vehicle-treated rats. These results suggest that GABAergic mechanisms inhibit the micturition reflex at the supraspinal level but that this can change as a result of CI.

Diagnostic value of intravesical lidocaine for overactive bladder.

PURPOSE: To determine the diagnostic use of intravesical lidocaine, we evaluated its effects on the overactive bladder in patients with brain lesions, spinal lesions, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and idiopathic overactive bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cystometry was performed before and 15 minutes after intravesical instillation of 20 ml. 4% lidocaine in 57 patients with an overactive detrusor in the storage phase. RESULTS: The percentage increase in bladder capacity for patients with spinal lesions was 136%, compared to 56%, 29% and 41% for patients with brain lesions, BPH and idiopathic bladder overactivity, respectively (significant difference p <0.01 to 0.05). Of the patients with an increase of 50% or more 55% had brain lesions, 80% spinal lesions, 23% BPH and 31% idiopathic bladder overactivity. The incidence of the disappearance of detrusor contractions in patients with spinal lesions was greater than that in the others. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that intravesical instillation of 4% lidocaine is useful for identification of overactive bladder attributable to spinal or other lesions.

Effects of aniracetam on bladder overactivity in rats with cerebral infarction.

Aniracetam has been used to improve the mental condition of patients with cerebrovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that aniracetam activates the residual functions of cholinergic neurons in damaged brain areas. In this study, the effects of aniracetam on bladder overactivity after left middle cerebral artery occlusion were assessed through oral or i.c.v. administration in sham-operated and cerebral infarcted rats. Oral administration of aniracetam (100 and 300 mg/kg) resulted in a significant and dose-dependent increase in bladder capacity in cerebral infarcted rats but had no effect on bladder capacity in sham-operated rats. Intracerebroventricular administration of aniracetam (0.25 and 2.5 microg/rat) resulted in a significant and dose-dependent increase in bladder capacity in cerebral infarcted rats but not in sham-operated rats. Aniracetam had no significant effect on bladder contraction pressure or micturition threshold pressure in either sham-operated or cerebral infarcted rats. Furthermore, i.c.v. administration of atropine (1 microg/rat), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, completely inhibited the enhancing effects of aniracetam on bladder capacity in cerebral infarcted rats. The effects of aniracetam on bladder overactivity are thought to be mediated in part by activation of cholinergic inhibitory mechanisms in the brain. These results indicate that aniracetam may improve the neurogenic voiding dysfunction observed in patients with cerebrovascular disease.

[Sclerosing lipogranuloma of the scrotum: a case report].

We present a case of sclerosing lipogranuloma of the scrotum. A 42-year-old man who had complained of a painless intrascrotal mass of one week's duration visited our clinic. Physical examination revealed a symmetrical Y-shaped hard mass around the penile base in the scrotum. Laboratory examination showed no abnormal findings except for a 14.0% eosinophilia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a surface coil showed an atypical mass at the penile base. Percutaneous needle biopsy under ultrasound guidance was performed and histopathological findings revealed lipogranuloma accompanied by infiltrating multinuclear giant cells, eosinocytes and lymphocytes. The tumor gradually disappeared during a 4-week administration of antibiotics and antiphlogistics. We have also reviewed 95 cases of sclerosing lipogranuloma of the scrotum in the Japanese literature.