Effect of housing system during pregnancy on reproductive parameters of sows / [Efeito do sistema de alojamento durante a gestação sobre os parâmetros reprodutivos de porcas]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of sows in individual stalls (Stall) or group-housed into groups on days 3 to 5 (Pen5) or 38 to 42 (Pen42) after breeding. The reproductive data was collected from the operating system of the farm establishing the average of the weekly performances of the sows that gave birth, for four years, except for the Pen5 system, which was evaluated for three years. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS®, using MIXED (for quantitative traits), NPAR1WAY (for categorical traits) and LOGISTIC (binomial traits) procedures, using sows as a repeated measure. Sows in Stall system had piglets with higher birth weight them sows in the group-housed system (P<0.05), however the piglets born alive, total piglets weaned, average litter weight, and duration of farrowing were lower in this system than in the group-housed (P<0.0001). There was no difference between Pen5 and Stall systems for gestation period and mummified piglets. The Pen42 system had a higher percentage of mummified piglets and a shorter gestation period, when compared Pen5 and Stall systems (P<0.0001), and similar results to the Pen5 system for duration of farrowing, piglets born alive, stillbirths, total piglets weaned, average litter weight and birth weight (P<0.0001).(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a performance reprodutiva de matrizes suínas alojadas individualmente (Individual) ou em grupos, nos dias 3 a 5 (Grupo 5) ou 38 a 42 (Grupo 42) após a inseminação. Os dados reprodutivos foram coletados do sistema operacional da granja, estabelecendo-se a média dos desempenhos semanais das matrizes que pariram por semana, durante quatro anos, exceto para o sistema Grupo 5, que foi avaliado por três anos. A análise estatística foi realizada com SAS®, usando-se os procedimentos MIXED (para variáveis quantitativas), NPAR1WAY (para variáveis categóricas) e LOGISTIC (para variáveis binomiais), tendo a matriz como uma medida repetida. As matrizes no sistema Individual tiveram leitões com maior média de peso ao nascer do que as matrizes nos sistemas de alojamento em grupo (P<0,05), porém os leitões nascidos vivos, o total de leitões nascidos, o peso médio da leitegada e a duração do parto foram menores no sistema Individual do que nos sistemas de alojamento em grupo (P<0,0001). Não houve diferença entre os sistemas Grupo 5 e Individual para o tempo de duração da gestação e o número de leitões mumificados. O sistema Grupo 42 apresentou maior porcentagem de leitões mumificados e menor período de gestação, quando comparado aos sistemas Grupo 5 e Individual (P<0,0001), e resultados semelhantes ao sistema Grupo 5 para duração do parto, leitões nascidos vivos, natimortos, total de leitões desmamados, peso médio da leitegada e peso ao nascer (P<0,0001).(AU)

Single-phase percutaneous recanalization of malignant bile duct obstructions with a covered stent graft.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTCD) endoprothesis in the case of patients with malignant occlusion of the common bile duct (CBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 32 patients (mean age 72 ±â€Š13 years) were treated with an endoprosthesis (VIABIL; M. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC., USA) due to failed attempts of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the case of malignant occlusion of the CBD. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 96.9 %. In one patient the probing of an intrahepatic bile duct was impossible. Two major complications (bleeding, liver abscess) were successfully treated with appropriate measures. The bilirubin level did not significantly decrease immediately after intervention (13.2 ±â€Š6.5 mg/dl; p > 0.05). However, the follow-up displayed a highly significant decrease of bilirubin to 6.0 ±â€Š7.4 mg/dl; p < 0.05). The endoprosthesis was extended with bare metal NITINOL stents in 9 patients. The mean survival time of the patient group was 64 ±â€Š28 days (range 2 - 250  days). CONCLUSION: The implantation of an endoprosthesis proved to be an option with high technical success, a low complication rate and good benefit in our patients with malignant bile duct obstruction in palliative therapy situations. KEY POINTS: • The primary objective in the case of malignant bile duct obstruction is the treatment of jaundice.• After failed endoscopic recanalization of the bile ducts, transhepatic biliary drainage is desirable.• An ePTFE-FEP covered endoprothesis is a good treatment option in palliative situations.• A single-stage procedure shortens hospitalization time.

Percutaneous Vascular Closure System Based on an Extravascular, Bioabsorbable Polyglycolic Plug (ExoSeal): Results from 1000 Patients.

PURPOSE: The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a percutaneous closure system based on a polyglycolic acid plug for achieving hemostasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study from 2011 to 2014, a percutaneous vascular closure system (ExoSeal) was used in 1000 patients (mean age 70.6 ± 10.2 years), using antegrade and retrograde techniques within the context of an angiographic intervention. The system was used in conjunction with transfemoral approaches with a sheath size of 6F. Post the intervention (on the following day and after 6 weeks), follow-up was conducted clinically and using color-coded duplex ultrasound. RESULTS: Immediate hemostasis was achieved in 939/1000 patients (93.9%). In the remaining 61 cases, a correct positioning of the polyglycolic acid plug was not possible because of malfunctioning of the device, massive vascular wall calcifications, postoperative scar tissue, or too steep a puncture angle. In these cases, manual compression was successful. There was one retroperitoneal bleeding requiring transfusion. Minor complications were observed (7.4% in total) with 10 pseudoaneurysm (1%), 63 inguinal hematomas (up to 3 cm; 6.3%), and 1 stenosis (0.1%). CONCLUSION: Safe and effective hemostasis is possible with the percutaneous ExoSeal closure system at puncture sizes of 6F.

Balloon sacroplasty as a palliative pain treatment in patients with metastasis-induced bone destruction and pathological fractures.

PURPOSE: In the case of metastatic involvement of the sacrum with destruction and consecutive pathological fracture, intense disabling pain is one of the defining factors. The feasibility, safety and pain development with cement augmentation were to be investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT-guided balloon sacroplasty was conducted in 10 patients with metastasis-induced bone destruction of the sacrum. After establishment of the entry point, a K-wire was first introduced as far as the central tumor lesion via the short, or transiliac axis. A cannula was then positioned over the wire. Under CT guidance, a balloon catheter was introduced through the cannula and inflated and deflated several times. The PMMA cement was then injected into the preformed cavity. The procedure was completed by a spiral CT control using the thin-slice technique. Pain intensity was determined using a visual analog scale (VAS) before the procedure, on the 2nd postoperative day and 6 months after the intervention. Finally, the patients were asked to state how satisfied they were. RESULTS: Balloon sacroplasty was technically feasible in all patients. The control CT scan showed central distribution of the cement in the tumor lesion. On average 6 +/- 1.78 (4 - 10) ml of PMMA cement were introduced per treated lesion. A significant (p < 0.001) reduction in pain according to the VAS occurred in all patients from 9.3 +/- 0.67 (8 - 10) pre-operatively to 2.7 +/- 1.28 (1 - 5) on the 2nd postoperative day and 2.9 +/- 0.81 (2 - 5) 6 months after the intervention. All of the patients were re-mobilized after the procedure and underwent the further therapeutic measures as planned. CONCLUSION: Balloon sacroplasty is a helpful therapeutic option in the overall palliative treatment of patients with tumor-induced destruction. It is a safe and practicable procedure that markedly reduces disabling pain.

Combination of rotational atherothrombectomy and Paclitaxel-coated angioplasty for femoropopliteal occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: The rotational atherothrombectomy with Straub Rotarex(®) is a safe and efficient treatment of acute/subactute vascular occlusions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefit of paclitaxel-coated angioplasty after rotational atherothrombectomy over an observation period of six months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 29 patients were treated with the Rotarex catheter in combination with paclitaxel-coated angioplasty. All patients had acute/subacute and chronic occlusions of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and/or popliteal arteries. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) was detected before the intervention, after the procedure, and after six months. Also clinical examination and ultrasound scans were done in the observation period. RESULTS: There were no technical failures. The ABI shows a significant increase from 0.52 ± 0.17 to 0.91 ± 0.25 in the follow-up. By ultrasound examination, there were found two (6.9%) restenoses during the follow-up. There was one dissection during the intervention (3.5%). CONCLUSION: The rotational atherothrombectomy in combination with paclitaxel-coated angioplasty might be an effective and safe method with a promising low rate of restenosis at six months.

Excimer laser atherectomy after unsuccessful angioplasty of TASC C and D lesions in femoropopliteal arteries.

AIM: The study objective was to examine the application of excimer laser atherectomy (ELA) in patients with refractory occlusions in femoropopliteal arteries, where the initial conventional percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) recanalization attempts, were unsuccessful. METHODS: The average age of the 40 patients (32 men, 8 women) included in this study was 65.4±9.1 years. The average occlusion length was 17.5 cm (range: 12-25 cm). The initial recanalization attempts were performed with stiff Terumo guidewires (curved or straight) supported by various catheters (straight/multipurpose/Cobra). After the unsuccessful attempt, an excimer laser catheter (catheter diameters from 1.7-2.5 mm) was used for recanalization using the step-by-step method of crossing. After successful crossing, balloon dilatation was performed in all cases. Stent implant was required in 10% (4/40) of procedures. Patients were followed for 12 months with colour-coded Duplex sonography (CCDS). RESULTS: The initial technical success rate of 90% (36/40) resulted in primary, primary-assisted and secondary-assisted patency rates of 58.9%, 67.8% and 83.2%, respectively, after 12 months. No serious complications occurred that were attributable to the intervention. CONCLUSION: According to these results, ELA recanalization provides a low stent rate alternative to surgical procedures for refractory occlusions. This would offer patients, with increased operative risks, a promising and low-risk therapeutic procedure. The option of a subsequent vascular operation would not be compromised.

Stress susceptibility in pigs supplemented with ractopamine.

Ractopamine is a ß-adrenergic agonist used as an energy repartitioning agent in the diets of finishing pigs. Most ractopamine studies are limited to evaluations of growth performance and meat quality, and there is little information on the effects of this additive on the behavior and welfare of pigs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate various indicators of stress caused by feeding diets containing ractopamine. One hundred seventy barrows and 170 gilts weighing 107.3 kg were allocated to 30 pens with 10 to 12 barrows or gilts per pen. Pigs were offered 1 of the 3 dietary treatments (0, 5, or 10 mg ractopamine/kg) for 28 d with 5 barrow pens and 5 gilt pens per treatment. Pigs were evaluated for behavior 3 d per week 1 wk before the initiation of the experiment and throughout the experiment. Each pig was classified into 1 of the 13 activities (drinking water, lying alone, lying in clusters, standing, nosing pig, sitting, feeding, biting pig, walking, exploring, running away, playing, and mounting pen mates) and also grouped into 1 of the 3 categories (calm, moving, and feeding themselves) based on those activities. At the end of the experiment, 3 pigs from each pen were slaughtered, and blood samples were collected during exsanguination to determine physiological indicators of stress (cortisol, lactate, and creatine-kinase enzymes). The incidence of skin and carcass lesions was determined at shoulder, loin, and ham. Ractopamine had no effect (P > 0.05) on pig behavior, total number of skin and carcass lesions, or blood concentrations of cortisol or lactate. However, there was an increase (P < 0.05) of creatine kinase concentrations in pigs receiving ractopamine-supplemented feed. This finding is consistent with the concept that ractopamine may cause muscular disorders, and this warrants further investigation.

Meat quality of swine supplemented with ractopamine under commercial conditions in Brazil.

Commercial crossbred barrows and gilts (n = 340) were used to study the effects of different dietary inclusions of ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) on quality of LM and semimembranosus muscle (SM). Pigs were blocked by BW (107.3 ± 0.76 kg) and allotted to gender-specific pens (10 to 12 pigs/pen), and within blocks, pens of barrows or gilts (10 pens/treatment) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary RAC inclusions (0, 5, or 10 mg/kg) fed during the last 28 d before slaughter. Initial (45-min) and ultimate (24-h) pH and temperature were measured in LM and SM. Visual and instrumental [lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) values] color as well as drip loss percentages were measured in both muscles after the 24-h chilling period at 1 to 4 °C. The LM was also evaluated for marbling, and samples of the LM were used to measure intramuscular fat (IMF) content, cooking losses, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF). Pork quality characteristics of the LM (P ≥ 0.227) and SM (P ≥ 0.082) did not differ between barrows and gilts. Furthermore, neither pH nor temperature of the LM (P ≥ 0.164) or SM (P ≥ 0.284) was affected by feeding pigs RAC. The LM from pigs fed 10 mg/kg of RAC received lesser (P = 0.032) subjective color scores than LM from pigs fed 0 and 5 mg/kg of RAC, and LM from pigs fed 10 mg/kg of RAC was less (P = 0.037) red than LM from pigs fed 0 mg/kg of RAC. In addition, SM from pigs fed 10 mg/kg of RAC had lesser (P ≤ 0.015) a* and b* values than pork from control-fed pigs; however, L* values for LM and SM were not (P ≥ 0.081) affected by dietary RAC. Drip loss percentages of the LM were similar (P = 0.815) among RAC treatments, but the SM from RAC-fed pigs had smaller (P = 0.020) drip loss percentages than SM from pigs fed 0 mg/kg of RAC. Marbling scores and IMF content of the LM did not (P ≥ 0.133) differ among RAC treatments; however, WBSF values were greater (P = 0.005) for LM chops from pigs fed 10 mg/kg than chops from pigs fed 0 and 5 mg/kg of RAC. Even though feeding barrows and gilts 10 mg/kg of dietary RAC reduced (P = 0.050) cooking losses of LM chops compared with feeding 5 mg/kg of RAC, including 10 mg/kg of RAC in the diet of finishing pigs reduced pork tenderness. Therefore, results from this study support the recommendation that including 5 mg/kg of RAC in finishing diets should improve live pig performance without detrimental effects on fresh pork quality and cooked pork palatability.

The peritoneal explant test for evaluating tissue tolerance to mouthrinses.

The tissue cultures of explants of neonatal rat peritoneum have been demonstrated to be a sensitive test for tissue compatibility with wound antiseptics. The present study investigated the suitability of this method to assess the relative toxicity of mouthrinses to tissue. Mouthrinses containing 0.1% chlorhexidine (Chlorhexamed Fluid 0.1%) (A), 0.3% triclosan (Colgate) (B), essential oil in ethanolic solution (Listerine) (C), and amine/stannous fluoride (Meridol) (D) were tested at use concentration and in dilutions of 10, 1, and 0.1% with exposure times of 1, 10, and 30 min, respectively. The mouthrinses (test) and Ringer's solutions (control) were applied to opened rat peritoneum. After thorough irrigation with Ringer's solution, a piece of peritoneum was removed and 1 x 1 mm explants were cut. The explants were cultivated with a bovine serum culture medium in 24-well plates at 37 degrees C in a CO2 incubator (95% air, 5% CO2). After 10 days, the tissue proliferation for the explants was assessed by a stereo microscope at 10x magnification after ethanol fixing and hemalaun staining. With 24 grafts per test, the proliferation rate was calculated relative to a control, which was run for each mouthrinse and concentration/time combination. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (SPSS 11.0) and post-hoc paired t test. Statistical significance of all correlations was tested by setting the significance level at p < 0.05. At most concentrations, D caused significantly less tissue damage than A or B. There was no difference between C and A or C and B at 100%. However, the toxicity of C was significantly less than A or B at 10, 1, and 0.1%. C and D behaved similarly except for the 10% (30 min) and the 1% (10 min) solutions in which C was significantly less toxic. We concluded that the rat peritoneum explant test was demonstrated to be a sensitive test to assess the relative toxicity of mouthrinses to tissue.