Antioxidant supplementation to medium for in vitro embryo production in Felis catus.

The development of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) techniques in Felis catus is a fitting model with potential application to the conservation of endangered felid species. To improve the quality of IVEP techniques an appropriate balance of pro- and antioxidants should be provided. Under in vitro conditions, high levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) mRNA provide a defence mechanism against oxidative stress for embryos. In order to improve the development of cat oocytes, the effects of SOD and CAT supplemented to in vitro maturation (IVM) medium and of GPx supplemented to in vitro fertilization (IVF) medium on development and embryo production in vitro were evaluated. Data showed an increase of 70 and 77 % of cleaved embryo and blastocyst formation, respectively, in the experiment with SOD and CAT addition to IVM medium; in the experiment with GPx addition to IVF medium the number of cleaved embryos doubled and the number of embryos increased by 96 %. Therefore, our results were positive and encourage us to continue studies on cat oocytes evaluating the effects of various dosages and combination of antioxidants.

Influences of dietary supplementation with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on stallion sperm production and on preservation of sperm quality during storage at 5 °C.

Stallion semen is damaged by oxidative stress during cooling and transport. Semen processing and extenders have been tested to improve the fertilizing capacity of semen and to preserve semen during transport. Dietary supplementation with natural antioxidants has been proposed to prevent oxidative damages. In this study, for the first time, the effect of dietary supplementation with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the characteristics of fresh and chilled stallion semen was evaluated. Maca is a traditional Andean crop used as a nutraceutical for the fertility-enhancing properties that are linked with antioxidant activity. The diet of five stallions was supplemented with 20 g of Maca powder daily for a total of 60 days. A control group of five stallions received the same diet without Maca. Semen was collected once before the administration of Maca (D0), twice during the administration at 30 and 60 days (D30 and D60), and finally twice at 30 and 60 days after the end of the administration (D90 and D120). Ejaculates were processed for cooled shipping at 5 °C and evaluated in the laboratory for total and progressive motility, acrosome integrity, and lipid peroxidation after collection and after 24, 48, and 72 h of storage. Dietary supplementation with Maca improved sperm concentration (from 213 ± 80.4 to 447 ± 73.1 × 106 spz/mL) and total sperm count (from 10,880 ± 4377 to 24,783 ± 4419 × 106 spz). The beneficial effects of Maca supplementation on motility and acrosome integrity in the raw semen were detected from the end of treatment with Maca (D60) until the end of the study (D120). Furthermore, during cooling storage, total motility, progressive motility, and acrosome integrity declined more slowly in the Maca-treated group than in the control group. Lipid peroxidation did not change during cooling storage in either group and did not show a significant difference between the two groups. In this study, the dietary supplementation with Maca increased sperm production and stabilized semen quality during chilled storage.

Role of testis sparing surgery in the conservative management of small testicular masses: oncological and functional perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Radical orchiectomy (RO) is still considered the standard of care for malignant germ cell tumours, which represent the vast majority of the palpable testicular masses. In those patients diagnosed with small testicular masses (STMs), testis-sparing surgery (TSS) could be an alternative treatment to RO. The aim of this updated review is to evaluate the current indications for TSS, and discuss the oncological and functional results of patients who had undergone organ-sparing surgery for STMs. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A non-systematic review of the Literature using the Medline database has been performed, including a free-text protocol using the terms "testis-sparing surgery", "testicular sparing surgery", "partial orchiectomy", "testis tumour", "sex cord tumour", and "testis function". Other significant studies cited in the reference lists of the selected papers were also evaluated. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: No randomized controlled trials comparing TSS with radical orchiectomy have been reported yet. In those patients with normal contra-lateral testis, the use of TSS is still controversial. In selected cases of gonadal masses < 2 cm, TSS seems to be a safe and feasible treatment option. Frozen section examination allows us to discriminate between benign and malignant neoplasms during TSS. Intermediate and long-term follow-up results showed no significant risk of local and distant recurrences in the main series reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: TSS is an effective treatment for STMs in selected patients, limiting the unnecessary surgical over-treatments, without compromising the oncological and functional outcomes. Further studies are needed in order to confirm the oncological safety.

La asociación propinox-clonixinato de lisina en dolor abdominal agudo / The association propinox-lysine clonixinate in acute abdominal pain

Se estudiaron 1625 pacientes portadores de dolor cólico abdominal agudo (cólico intestinal y renal, discinesia biliar con o sin litiasis, dispepsia no ulcerosa, dismenorrea, movilización del DIU y criocirugía del cuello uterino) que presentaron al momento de la incorporación dolor de intensidad moderada o severa. Fueron asignados al azar y doble ciego en 2 grupos expermientales con Clonixinato de lisina 125 mg asociado a Propinox 10 mg (CLP) (N=818) o N-butilbromuro de hioscina 10 mg asociado a Paracetamol 500 mg (PB) (N=807). El tratamiento consistió en un comprimido, de igual aspecto en ambas drogas, como dosis única. El efecto analgésico-antiespasmódico fue evaluado horariamente durante un lapso de 4 hs. En cada control se estabaleció la evolución del dolor, como así también de otros síntomas acompañantes, mediante escala visual análoga (EVA) de 10 cm y escala de categorización verbal de 4 niveles. Asimismo, en cada oportunidad se indagaron la frecuencia de eventos adversos. En el control final de las 4 horas el paciente y el médico efectuaron una evaluación global sobre la eficacia y tolerancia al tratamiento. Ambos grupos fueron equivalentes entre sí en lo referente a condiciones basales (características demográficas, etiológicas y dolor espontáneo), por lo que se asume que se trata de muestras homogéneas y comparables entre sí. Con ambos métodos de registro se demostró una reducción progresiva de la intensidad del dolor, que se hizo significativa a partir del control de la 1a. hora, con una reducción para los 2 tratamientos en alrededor de un 43 por ciento respecto del valor inicial.La actividad analgésica sostenida queda demostrada para ambos tratamientos en razón que en el control final de las 4 hs los valores de EVA fueron menores de 1. La salida del ensayo por ineficacia en el control de la 1a. hora fue similar: 14 por ciento por el CLLP y 12 por ciento para PB. No se demostraron diferencias estadísticas en las intensidades de dolor en cada tiempo entre los 2 tratamientos. Los signos y síntomas asociados a la patología de inclusión (cefaleas, náuseas y diarrea) se redujeron significativamente entre la 1a. y 2da. hora de control. Se observó un ligero incremento (no significtivo) en la incidencia de boca seca y visión borrosa. La evaluación global de eficacia analgésica fue considerada buena en el 81 por ciento (CLP) y 80 por ciento (PB) de las opiniones de médico y en un 78 por ciento y 79 por ciento respectivamente cuando lo hizo el paciente

La asociación propinox-clonixinato de lisina en dolor abdominal agudo / The association propinox-lysine clonixinate in acute abdominal pain

Se estudiaron 1625 pacientes portadores de dolor cólico abdominal agudo (cólico intestinal y renal, discinesia biliar con o sin litiasis, dispepsia no ulcerosa, dismenorrea, movilización del DIU y criocirugía del cuello uterino) que presentaron al momento de la incorporación dolor de intensidad moderada o severa. Fueron asignados al azar y doble ciego en 2 grupos expermientales con Clonixinato de lisina 125 mg asociado a Propinox 10 mg (CLP) (N=818) o N-butilbromuro de hioscina 10 mg asociado a Paracetamol 500 mg (PB) (N=807). El tratamiento consistió en un comprimido, de igual aspecto en ambas drogas, como dosis única. El efecto analgésico-antiespasmódico fue evaluado horariamente durante un lapso de 4 hs. En cada control se estabaleció la evolución del dolor, como así también de otros síntomas acompañantes, mediante escala visual análoga (EVA) de 10 cm y escala de categorización verbal de 4 niveles. Asimismo, en cada oportunidad se indagaron la frecuencia de eventos adversos. En el control final de las 4 horas el paciente y el médico efectuaron una evaluación global sobre la eficacia y tolerancia al tratamiento. Ambos grupos fueron equivalentes entre sí en lo referente a condiciones basales (características demográficas, etiológicas y dolor espontáneo), por lo que se asume que se trata de muestras homogéneas y comparables entre sí. Con ambos métodos de registro se demostró una reducción progresiva de la intensidad del dolor, que se hizo significativa a partir del control de la 1a. hora, con una reducción para los 2 tratamientos en alrededor de un 43 por ciento respecto del valor inicial.La actividad analgésica sostenida queda demostrada para ambos tratamientos en razón que en el control final de las 4 hs los valores de EVA fueron menores de 1. La salida del ensayo por ineficacia en el control de la 1a. hora fue similar: 14 por ciento por el CLLP y 12 por ciento para PB. No se demostraron diferencias estadísticas en las intensidades de dolor en cada tiempo entre los 2 tratamientos. Los signos y síntomas asociados a la patología de inclusión (cefaleas, náuseas y diarrea) se redujeron significativamente entre la 1a. y 2da. hora de control. Se observó un ligero incremento (no significtivo) en la incidencia de boca seca y visión borrosa. La evaluación global de eficacia analgésica fue considerada buena en el 81 por ciento (CLP) y 80 por ciento (PB) de las opiniones de médico y en un 78 por ciento y 79 por ciento respectivamente cuando lo hizo el paciente

Propinox in biliary colic: a multicenter, randomized, prospective and parallel double-blind study of three doses of propinox versus placebo in acute biliary colic pain.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerance of propinox administered i.v., and establish a dose-response relation according to three dose levels (10, 20 and 30 mg), vs. placebo in patients with moderate to severe acute biliary pain. Three hundred and fifty patients were included: 85 received placebo treatment, 81 were treated with propinox 10 mg, 91 with propinox 20 mg and 93 received propinox 30 mg. Spontaneous pain intensity was assessed according to a visual analog and a verbal scale before treatment and 20, 60 and 120 min after. All treatments induced significant and progressive pain reduction at all controls, but patients treated with 20 and 30 mg of propinox showed significantly lower pain intensity after 120 min compared to the placebo group. The last control revealed that 28% of patients receiving placebo had no pain while 60% of patients treated with propinox 30 mg reported absence of pain with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). All treatments were very well tolerated and there were no dropouts due to adverse events. Mouth dryness was the adverse effect occurring with a significantly higher frequency than that observed with placebo although it was only seen in patients treated with 20 mg and 30 mg active doses. The results of this study showed that propinox was an effective drug in the treatment of moderate to severe colic pain of biliary origin. Concerning efficacy and side effects, a clear dose-response relation was observed; the 20 mg and 30 mg doses being significantly superior to placebo.