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Objective-To investigate sacroiliac luxation repair with positional screw insertion from the ventral surface of the sacral wing via a ventral abdominal approach in cats. Animals-18 European shorthair cats. Procedures-All cats underwent clinical examination including orthopedic and neurologic examination and assessment of lameness and pain before and immediately after surgery and 6 and 16 weeks after surgery. All sacroiliac luxations were stabilized with a single positional 2.4-mm cortical titanium self-tapping screw. The pelvic floor was also repaired in selected cats. Screw entry points and angles determined in a prior study of cadavers were used. Radiographs were taken before surgery and during follow-up evaluations to assess postoperative sacroiliac luxation reduction, implant placement, and repair stability. Results-All implants were placed correctly. Iatrogenic sciatic nerve injuries occurred in 2 cats. Median time to ambulation was 1.5 days for cats with sacroiliac luxation as the sole injury. Radiographic outcome of sacroiliac luxation repair was excellent in 15 of 17 repairs, good in 1 of 17 repairs, and poor in 1 of 17 repairs. Clinical outcome was excellent in 11 of 15 cats and good in 4 of 15 cats. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Insertion of a positional screw across the sacroiliac joint via a ventral abdominal approached can be an alternative to conventional techniques of sacroiliac luxation repair in cats. This novel technique allowed repair of bilateral sacroiliac luxation, repair of pelvic floor fractures, and treatment of soft tissue injuries of the abdominal cavity or abdominal organs with a single approach.
Borer LR Voss K Montavon PM
Department of Small Animal Surgery, Vetsuisse Faculty-Zurich, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Objective-To investigate a technique for repair of sacroiliac luxation with positional screw insertion from the ventral surface of the sacral wing via a ventral abdominal approach. Sample Population-Hemipelvis specimens from cadavers of 5 small- to large-breed dogs and 9 European shorthair cats. Procedures-An optimal entry point and a safe drill corridor for implant placement were determined (4 hemipelvis specimens). Anatomic landmarks were identified, and the surgical technique for a ventral abdominal approach was described. Single positional screw placement was performed across the sacroiliac joint in 23 hemipelvis specimens. Screws were aimed at 25 degrees (n = 2), 35 degrees (2), and 45 degrees (19) angles to the vertical axis in a transverse plane (alpha angles) and at a 90 degrees angle to the longitudinal axis in a dorsal plane (beta angle). Implant placement was assessed by radiographic evaluation of the cadavers and of the hemipelvis specimens devoid of soft tissue. Results-By use of alpha angles of 35 degrees and 45 degrees , 20 of 21 implants were placed adequately; screws crossed the sacroiliac joint and penetrated the wing of the ilium without damaging adjacent nerves. The measured median alpha angle was 38 degrees , and the median beta angle was 88 degrees . One complication was recorded. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Cortical positional screw placement from the ventral aspect of the sacral wing by use of a ventral abdominal approach could be an alternative to conventional techniques. This novel technique may be useful for repair of bilateral sacroiliac luxation, treatment of concomitant soft tissue injuries of the caudal portion of the abdominal cavity or abdominal wall, and repair of pelvic floor fractures in a single approach.
Borer LR Voss K Montavon PM
Department of Small Animal Surgery, Vetsuisse Faculty-Zurich, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) traverse the membrane of biological cells at low micromolar concentrations and are able to take various cargo molecules along with. Despite large differences in their chemical structure, CPPs share the structural similarity of a high cationic charge density. This property confers to them the ability to bind electrostatically membrane constituents such as anionic lipids and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Controversies exist, however, about the biological response after the interaction of CPPs with such membrane constituents. Present review compares thermodynamic binding studies with conditions of the biological CPP uptake. It becomes evident that CPPs enter biological cells by different and probably competing mechanisms. For example, some amphipathic CPPs traverse pure lipid model membranes at low micromolar concentrations — at least in the absence of cargos. In contrast, no direct translocation at these conditions is observed for non-amphipathic CPPs. Finally, CPPs bind GAGs at low micromolar concentrations with potential consequences for endocytotic pathways.
André ZiegleraEmail:andre.ziegler@unibas.ch
[a]Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
AIMS: Effects of differing drug policies are difficult to evaluate, because time trends in the spread of heroin use, the most problematic illicit drug world-wide, are unknown in almost all countries. We aimed to develop a simple method to estimate these dynamics with data that can be gathered from patients in substitution treatment within a single day. DESIGN: We tested the assumption that being in substitution treatment on any day depends solely upon individual time since onset of regular heroin use (following a ‘general inclusion function’). We used data from the case register for substitution treatments in the canton of Zurich (1992–2004), comprising 9518 patients, to model a ‘general inclusion function’. Applying this function, we calculated 30 incidence curves for heroin dependence, each with data of one of 30 randomly chosen treatment days between 1992 and 2004. FINDINGS: Incidence modelling led to 30 similar curves, and therefore our hypothesis was corroborated. Additionally, our approach also revealed a restricted access to substitution treatment in the early 1990s and a decline in demand due to the introduction of heroin-assisted treatment from 1994 onwards. CONCLUSIONS: In the canton of Zurich, the probability of being in substitution treatment can be described by a ‘general inclusion function’, and therefore dynamics of heroin epidemics can be estimated based on data of a single treatment day. Adaptation of our function to areas with a more restricted access to substitution treatment may permit these estimations also in other regions or countries. Thus, our approach facilitates the urgently needed assessment of the effects of different drug policies.
Nordt,C Stohler,R
Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. cnordt@bli.uzh.ch
OBJECTIVES: First, to analyse whether a taxation-related decrease in spirit prices had a similar effect on spirit consumption for low-, medium- and high-level drinkers. Secondly, as the relationship between baseline values and post-intervention changes is confounded with regression to the mean (RTM) effects, to apply different approaches for estimating the RTM effect and true change. SAMPLE: Consumption of spirits and total alcohol consumption were analysed in a four-wave panel study (one pre-intervention and three post-intervention measurements) of 889 alcohol consumers sampled from the general population of Switzerland. METHODS: Two correlational methods, one method quantitatively estimating the RTM effect and one growth curve approach based on hierarchical linear models (HLM), were used to estimate RTM effects among low-, medium- and high-level drinkers. RESULTS: Adjusted for RTM effects, high-level drinkers increased consumption more than lighter drinkers in the short term, but this was not a persisting effect. Changes in taxation affected mainly light and moderate drinkers in the long term. All methods concurred that RTM effects were present to a considerable degree, and methods quantifying the RTM effect or adjusting for it yielded similar estimates. CONCLUSION: Intervention studies have to consider RTM effects both in the study design and in the evaluation methods. Observed changes can be adjusted for RTM effects and true change can be estimated. The recommended method, particularly if the aim is to estimate change not only for the sample as a whole, but for groups of drinkers with different baseline consumption levels, is growth curve modelling. If reliability of measurement instruments cannot be increased, the incorporation of more than one pre-intervention measurement point may be a valuable adjustment of the study design.
Gmel,G Wicki,M Rehm,J Heeb,JL
Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems, Research Department, Lausanne, Switzerland. ggmel@sfa-ispa.ch
The experiment was performed on a large indoor herd during a hot season period in Alfold, Hungary. The post-weaning sows (F1 and F2 of Large White x Landrace mated to Duroc boars (mean parity 3.4+/-0.7 SD; mean body condition 3.01+/-0.3 SD, previous lactation length of 28.3+/-1.5 d)) were divided into four groups of similar body condition, lactation length and parity and were treated as follows: Group 1: sows (n=420) were injected subcutaneously with 400 I.U. of Gonadotropinum sericum (pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, PMSG [eCG]) and 200 I.U. of Gonadotropinum chorionicum (human choriongonadotropin, HCG [hCG]) one day after weaning. Group 2: sows (n=405) received subcutaneously 4 ml of saline injection one day after weaning. Group 3: sows (n=425), purposely chosen from among animals that did not show heat within 7 days after weaning, were treated on day 7 post-weaning with PMSG and HCG as the animals in group 1. Group 4: sows (n=415) purposely chosen from among animals that did not show heat within 7 days after weaning, were treated on day 7 post-weaning as group 2. Sows expressing oestrus, sows ovulating after treatment, treatment to oestrus intervals and follicular sizes were evaluated. The number of sows expressing oestrus, sows ovulating, and treatment to oestrus intervals differed between the groups (group 1 vs. 2: P<0.05, group 3 vs. 4: P<0.01). The sows treated with PMSG and HCG on day 7 post-weaning (group 3) had smaller (P<0.05) follicular diameters compared to the sows that were treated one day after weaning. Group 4 sows had a smaller follicular diameter (3.6+/-0.6 mm) compared to group 1 (P<0.001) and 3 (P<0.01). The present results show that the gonadotropin treatment one day after weaning or in the case of anoestrus 7 days after weaning overrides the negative effects of the hot summer season and effectively prevents seasonal infertility of the breeding sow.
Franek, SP Bilkei, G.
Bilkei Consulting, Bahnhofstrasse 42, 8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland.
The use of a supervised drug consumption room (DCR) in a newly established low threshold facility in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2002 is analyzed. Two sources of routine data were used: data collected at the first visit by any new client (entry questionnaire) which included some personal details, and data collected on the substances injected at each visit to the DCR. A typology of injection profiles was constructed. Overall, the mean number of injections and days of visits per client over the year was low and cocaine was the main substance injected. However, an important heterogeneity in the use of the DCR was found and five types of clients identified: 1-day clients; standard clients; heroin-oriented clients; high cocaine consumption clients, and newcomers. Typology was associated with some characteristics at the first visit and the drug consumption pattern in the month preceding the first visit was in accordance with the subsequent use of the DCR. This heterogeneity in the use of the DCR highlights the diverse roles of the DCRs in harm reduction.
Dubois-Arber,F Benninghoff,F Jeannin,A
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, IUMSP, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Francoise.Dubois-Arber@chuv.ch