Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Bone Joint Res 2019 Feb 2;8(2):41-48. Epub 2019 Mar 2.

University Center for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, and Center for Translational Bone, Joint and Soft Tissue Research, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Objectives: Intra-articular injections of local anaesthetics (LA), glucocorticoids (GC), or hyaluronic acid (HA) are used to treat osteoarthritis (OA). Contrast agents (CA) are needed to prove successful intra-articular injection or aspiration, or to visualize articular structures dynamically during fluoroscopy. Tranexamic acid (TA) is used to control haemostasis and prevent excessive intra-articular bleeding. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2019 18;2019:7192798. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Anesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253 Middle Gongye Street, Guangzhou, 510282 Guangdong, China.

Bupivacaine, a typical local anesthetic, induces neurotoxicity via reactive oxygen species regulation of apoptosis. High glucose could enhance bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity through regulating oxidative stress, but the mechanism of it is not clear. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), a key channel for regulating the mitochondrial Ca (mCa) influx, is closely related to oxidative stress via disruption of mCa homeostasis. Read More

Br J Anaesth 2019 Apr 1;122(4):509-517. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Paediatric Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Section of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Caudal epidural blockade in children is one of the most widely administered techniques of regional anaesthesia. Recent clinical studies have answered major pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic questions, thus providing the scientific background for safe and effective blocks in daily clinical practice and demonstrating that patient selection can be expanded to range from extreme preterm births up to 50 kg of body weight. This narrative review discusses the main findings in the current literature with regard to patient selection (sub-umbilical vs mid-abdominal indications, contraindications, low-risk patients with spinal anomalies); anatomical considerations (access problems, age and body positioning, palpation for needle insertion); technical considerations (verification of needle position by ultrasound vs landmarks vs 'whoosh' or 'swoosh' testing); training and equipment requirements (learning curve, needle types, risk of tissue spreading); complications and safety (paediatric regional anaesthesia, caudal blocks); local anaesthetics (bupivacaine vs ropivacaine, risk of toxicity in children, management of toxic events); adjuvant drugs (clonidine, dexmedetomidine, opioids, ketamine); volume dosing (dermatomal reach, cranial rebound); caudally accessed lumbar or thoracic anaesthesia (contamination risk, verifying catheter placement); and postoperative pain. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr 2019 Mar 3;1861(6):1152-1161. Epub 2019 Mar 3.

LAQV@Requimte, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address:

Mitochondrial membranes are pointed out as the site of cardiotoxic action of local anaesthetics. Its three main phospholipids components are phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin. Cardiolipins, in eukaryotes, are only found in mitochondria and are essential for the maintenance of its integrity and dynamics. Read More

A A Pract 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Anesthesiology, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, Chicago, Illinois.

Local anesthetic toxicity is a rare but serious complication of local anesthetic administration. Although lidocaine has a safety profile superior to other amide local anesthetics, we report a case of cardiac arrest after intranasal injection of lidocaine. The case involves a 22-year-old healthy woman who experienced pulseless electrical activity shortly after a submucosal injection of 2. Read More

Reg Anesth Pain Med 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Background And Objectives: A common analgesic technique for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is to inject local anesthetic into the periarticular tissue during surgery, known as local infiltration analgesia (LIA). Since the solution used typically contains a large amount of local anesthetic, concerns arise about exceeding the maximum dosage when adding a peripheral nerve block. Little research exists that addresses serum ropivacaine concentrations following LIA combined with peripheral nerve block. Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2018 Dec 25;55(1). Epub 2018 Dec 25.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul 34916, Turkey.

: Although there are several hypotheses about the mechanism of action, intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of toxicities due to local anaesthetics and many lipophilic drugs. In this study, we had hypothesized that ILE therapy might also be effective in preventing mortality and cardiorespiratory depressant effects due to propofol intoxication. : Twenty-eight Sprague-Dawley adult rats were randomly divided into four groups. Read More

Br J Anaesth 2019 Jan 4;122(1):141-149. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address:

Background: Previous studies suggest that dexmedetomidine has a protective effect against local anaesthetic-induced nerve injury in regional nerve blocks. Whether this potentially protective effect exists in the context of diabetes mellitus is unknown.

Methods: A diabetic state was established in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Read More

Biochimie 2019 Mar 18;158:53-61. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon, 24341, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Cocaine, an addictive drug, is known to induce hepatotoxicity via oxidative damage and proapoptosis. Since p53, a tumor suppressor gene, plays a major role in inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis, we examined the role of p53 inhibition against cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity. Cocaine treatment significantly increased oxidative parameters (i. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2019 Mar 17;303:9-15. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

University of Health Sciences, Dept. of Medical CBRN Defense, 06010, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.

Sulfur mustard (SM) was responsible for more than 80% of all documented chemical casualties during the Great War. Recent literature on clinic picture of SM exposure remained so limited with the sporadic cases who were accidentally exposed to SM especially either in Western Europe or China. We reported a Syrian family of four who became victims of chemical terrorism due to SM exposure and we described the detailed clinical course of the family including the medical history, initial symptomatology, clinical examination, hematological data, and initial treatment in the first 48 hours after exposure at Kilis State Hospital, Turkey. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019 Apr 5;170:141-147. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. Electronic address:

Poisonous weeds are a global problem since they not only hinder local economic development, but also cause ecological harm. Consolida rugulosa (family Ranunculaceae) is a weed that is widespread in Northwestern China and causes severe poisoning when ingested by livestock. In the present study, we purified the toxins in this plant and investigated their mechanism of action. Read More

Paediatr Anaesth 2019 Feb 31;29(2):169-174. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

Department of Outcomes Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.

Background: Surgical wound infiltration with local anesthetics is common as part of multimodal analgesia and enhanced recovery pathways in pediatric surgical patients. Liposomal bupivacaine can provide up to 92 hours of pain relief, and was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration for local infiltration in adults. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 4;2018:7617312. Epub 2018 Nov 4.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego Street 13, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.

Background: Recent clinical data have suggested that the chronic use of high-lipophilic statins impairs the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. Because this activity of statins is poorly understood, we aimed to investigate the effect of simvastatin (SIM) on postinjury myofibre regeneration.

Methods: The porcine model was used in this study. Read More

Bull Exp Biol Med 2018 Dec 28;166(2):233-236. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

B. N. Yeltsin Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The genotoxic effects of heterocyclic compounds were evaluated on the basis of genetic and toxicological characteristics of a biological model of Drosophila melanogaster. Analysis of the viability parameters (fertility, progeny mortality) showed that of 6 tested substance, substance No. 3 exhibited minimum toxicity. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2019 Jan 24;206:114-122. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia; Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 3086, Vic. Australia.

Tetrodotoxin is a potent non-proteinaceous neurotoxin, which is commonly found in the marine environment. Synthesised by bacteria, tetrodotoxin has been isolated from the tissues of several genera including pufferfish, salamanders and octopus. Believed to provide a defensive function, the independent evolution of tetrodotoxin sequestration is poorly understood in most species. Read More

J Pharm Biomed Anal 2019 Feb 6;164:636-641. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

National Centre on Drug Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

A method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is described for the determination of opioids (6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, methadone and tramadol) and cocaine and its major metabolite in human bone. After the addition of nalorphine as internal standard, pulverized samples were incubated in acetonitrile for 1 h under ultrasounds. After adjusting the pH of the samples to 6, they were subjected to solid phase extraction and the analytes were eluted using 2 ml of dichloromethane/isopropanol/ammonia (78:20:2). Read More

Mar Drugs 2018 Nov 16;16(11). Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK.

The marine nemertean originates from the Pacific Ocean but in recent years has been discovered in northern Europe. The species has been associated with high levels of the marine neurotoxin Tetrodotoxin, traditionally associated with Pufferfish Poisoning. This study reports the first discovery of two organisms of in the UK, showing the geographical extent of this species is wider than originally described. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019 Mar 13;169:112-119. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, Italy. Electronic address:

The recent discovery of illicit drugs in the aquatic environment has raised concerns about the possible effects on the aquatic fauna, because of the pharmacological activity of these substances. Cocaine is an illicit drug widespread in surface waters since it is the third most widely used drug in North America, Western and Central Europe, and the second in Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of environmental concentrations of cocaine on the gills of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Read More

Pharmaceutics 2018 Nov 14;10(4). Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Biochemistry and Tissue Biology Department, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-862, SP, Brazil.

Dibucaine (DBC) is among the more potent long-acting local anesthetics (LA), and it is also one of the most toxic. Over the last decades, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) have been developed as promising carriers for drug delivery. In this study, SLN formulations were prepared with the aim of prolonging DBC release and reducing its toxicity. Read More

J Anesth 2019 Feb 11;33(1):1-8. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

Systemic toxicity from local anesthetics can occur in any of the wide range of situations in which these agents are used. This practical guide is created to generate a shared awareness of the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of local anesthetic systemic toxicity among all medical professionals who perform nerve blocks. Systemic toxicity of local anesthetic is induced by an increase of its protein-unbound plasma concentration. Read More

J Pharm Biomed Anal 2019 Feb 23;164:268-275. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Bromatological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. Electronic address:

Bupivacaine, a drug used in obstetric anesthesia and analgesia, is commercially available as a racemic mixture of the R-bupivacaine and S-bupivacaine enantiomers, which show differences in pharmacokinetics, efficacy and toxicity. Changes in bupivacaine plasma protein binding is of clinical relevance considering its high protein binding (approximately 95%) and its classification as an intermediate hepatic extraction ratio drug (E = 0.38). Read More

Glia 2018 12 5;66(12):2673-2683. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Neuron-glia interactions group, INSERM U1128, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.

Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable recurrent seizures resulting from abnormal neuronal excitability. Increasing evidence indicates that aberrant astrocyte signaling to neurons plays an important role in driving the network hyperexcitability, but the underlying mechanism that alters glial signaling in epilepsy remains unknown. Increase in glutamate release by astrocytes participates in the onset and progression of seizures. Read More

Chem Biol Interact 2019 Jan 25;297:95-108. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, Chunchon, 24341, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

We investigated whether protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) mediates cocaine-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Cocaine treatment (60 mg/kg, i.p. Read More

ACS Nano 2019 Jan 19;13(1):18-25. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Department of Anesthesiology , Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States.

Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA; Bier block) is commonly used to anesthetize an extremity for surgery. Limitations of the procedure include pain from the required tourniquet, the toxicity that can occur from systemic release of local anesthetics, and the lack of postoperative pain relief. We hypothesized that the nanoencapsulation of the local anesthetic would prolong local anesthesia and enhance safety. Read More

J Emerg Med 2019 01 17;56(1):107-108. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Department of Anaesthesia, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, Lifeliner 3, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Epilepsia 2018 11 17;59(11):2035-2048. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Objective: Approximately 30% of patients with epilepsy are refractory to existing antiseizure drugs (ASDs). Given that the properties of the central nervous systems of these patients are likely to be altered due to their epilepsy, tissues from rodents that have undergone epileptogenesis might provide a therapeutically relevant disease substrate for identifying compounds capable of attenuating pharmacoresistant seizures. To facilitate the development of such a model, this study describes the effects of classical glutamate receptor antagonists and 20 ASDs on recurrent epileptiform discharges (REDs) in brain slices derived from the kainate-induced status epilepticus model of temporal lobe epilepsy (KA-rats). Read More

Lasers Surg Med 2019 Jan 15;51(1):88-94. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Objective: Lidocaine acts as a local anesthetic by blocking transmembrane sodium channel permeability, but also induces the synthesis of heat shock proteins and sensitizes cells to hyperthermia. A previous study reported two cases of deep focal skin ulceration at points corresponding to depot local lidocaine injection sites after treatment with non-ablative fractional resurfacing and it was hypothesized that lidocaine had focally sensitized keratinocytes to the thermal damage of laser treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate whether lidocaine potentiates hyperthermia damage to both normal and cancerous skin cells using an in vitro model. Read More

Pharm Res 2018 Oct 10;35(12):229. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas - Unicamp, P.O. Box - 6109, CEP, Campinas, SP, 13083-862, Brazil.

Purpose: Etidocaine (EDC) is a long lasting local anesthetic, which alleged toxicity has restricted its clinical use. Liposomes can prolong the analgesia time and reduce the toxicity of local anesthetics. Ionic gradient liposomes (IGL) have been proposed to increase the upload and prolong the drug release, from liposomes. Read More

Pharmacology 2018 26;102(5-6):307-315. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, New Taipei City,

Background: Ropivacaine, a long-acting amide local anesthetic agent, has been demonstrated to inhibit glutamatergic transmission. Glutamate neurotoxicity plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of brain disorders. The purpose of this study is to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ropivacaine against brain damage induced by kainic acid (KA), an analogue of glutamate. Read More

Int J Dermatol 2018 Dec 25;57(12):1411-1416. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.

Levamisole-contaminated cocaine toxicity is a serious emerging public health concern, and providers should be aware of its presentation and management. Most cases of levamisole-induced vasculitis/vasculopathy (LIV) are associated with high antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). We describe a unique case of a cocaine user who presented with an acute purpuric eruption and negative ANCA laboratory findings. Read More

Neurotoxicology 2018 12 18;69:77-83. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China. Electronic address:

Dexmedetomidine, a selective α adrenergic agonist, has been shown to have neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic effects. To further investigate the underlying mechanisms, we used a rat model of spinal neurotoxicity induced by intrathecal administration of lidocaine. Four days after intrathecal catheter implantation, rats received an intraperitoneal injection of various doses of dexmedetomidine before an intrathecal injection of 20 μL 10% lidocaine. Read More

Br J Anaesth 2018 Oct 8;121(4):822-841. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

Recent reports of local-anaesthetic (LA)-induced myotoxicity after peripheral nerve blocks have increased the interest in this less commonly known complication. Basic science evidence investigating LA-induced myotoxicity seems to demonstrate a pattern, but findings from human studies vary. This systematic review summarises the existing myotoxicity evidence and empirically examines its implications. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 10 18;115(40):E9479-E9488. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029;

GABAR-dependent activation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK or K3) provides a well-known source of inhibition in the brain, but the details on how this important inhibitory pathway affects neural circuits are lacking. We used sorting nexin 27 (SNX27), an endosomal adaptor protein that associates with GIRK2c and GIRK3 subunits, to probe the role of GIRK channels in reward circuits. A conditional knockout of SNX27 in both substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons leads to markedly smaller GABAR- and dopamine DR-activated GIRK currents, as well as to suprasensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018 10 7;504(2):513-518. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China. Electronic address:

Ropivacaine is one of the commonly used local anesthetics in medical and dental care. However, preclinical and observational studies indicate that ropivacaine could have substantial side effects including neurotoxicity, which has raised concern regarding the safety of this drug. In the present study, we investigated the effects of clinically relevant doses of ropivacaine on mitochondrial biogenesis and function in neuronal cells. Read More

Anaesthesia 2018 Nov 5;73(11):1361-1367. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

Department of Anaesthesiology, Nordsjaellands Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hillerød, Denmark.

The volume-duration relationship using low concentrations of ropivacaine for peripheral nerve blocks is unknown, even though low concentrations of ropivacaine are increasingly used clinically. We investigated the effect of ropivacaine 0.2% on common peroneal nerve block duration. Read More

Equine Vet J 2019 May 25;51(3):408-414. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

K.L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.

Background: The use of intra-articular (IA) local anaesthetics has proven to be an effective means to treat post-operative pain. The effects of local anaesthetics on equine chondrocytes are mixed with some studies reporting chondrodestruction and others no adverse effects. A liposomal formulation of bupivacaine is used in people and dogs by intra- and peri-articular administration to provide up to 72 h of analgesia. Read More

BMC Emerg Med 2018 09 4;18(1):29. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

Emergency Department, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.

Background: Smuggling of illegal drugs by hiding them inside one's own body, also called body packing, is a worldwide phenomenon. Cocaine is the most frequently transported drug. Body packing is a potentially lethal practice. Read More

J Vasc Interv Radiol 2018 09;29(9):1315-1317

Department of Anesthesiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110.

J Natl Med Assoc 2018 Dec 3;110(6):624-634. Epub 2018 May 3.

Department of Oral Biology/Pharmacology, Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University Augusta, GA 30912-1128, USA. Electronic address:

The growing global availability of the stimulant shrub, khat, has aroused widespread concern. This paper is a review of possible adverse interactions between khat and conventional drugs. Khat chewing has been shown to reduce the bioavailabilities of orally co-administered antibiotics, ampicillin, amoxicillin, cephradine and tetracyclineHCl, and the antimalarial drug, chloroquine. Read More

Reprod Biomed Online 2018 09 17;37(3):269-278. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y de Diagnóstico (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address:

Research Question: Recent evidence suggests that cocaine administration in animal models can trigger non-genetic inheritance of addiction traits from father to offspring, affecting development and behaviour. Is chronic cocaine intake involved in alterations of epigenetic homeostasis in the testis?

Design: Epigenetic marks and mediators in testis and isolated germ cells of adult mice treated with cocaine (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (sterile saline solution) were evaluated in an intermittent binge protocol: three intraperitoneal injections, 1 h apart, one day on/off for 13 days, collecting tissue 24 h after the last binge administration (day 14).

Results: It was shown that chronic cocaine intake in mice disrupts testicular epigenetic homeostasis, increasing global methylated cytosine levels in DNA from germ cells and sperm. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2018 8;2018:4967318. Epub 2018 Jul 8.

Laboratory for Corneal Tissue Engineering, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road No. 5, Qingdao 266003, China.

The introduction of intracameral anaesthesia by injection of lidocaine has become popular in cataract surgery for its inherent potency, rapid onset, tissue penetration, and efficiency. However, intracameral lidocaine causes corneal thickening, opacification, and corneal endothelial cell loss. Herein, we investigated the effects of lidocaine combined with sodium ferulate, an antioxidant with antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties, on lidocaine-induced damage of corneal endothelia with experiment of morphological changes and cell viability of cultured human corneal endothelial cells and investigation of corneal endothelial cell density and central corneal thickness of cat eyes. Read More

PLoS One 2018 16;13(8):e0202197. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.

Pleurobranchaea maculata is a rarely studied species of the Heterobranchia found throughout the south and western Pacific-and recently recorded in Argentina-whose population genetic structure is unknown. Interest in the species was sparked in New Zealand following a series of dog deaths caused by ingestions of slugs containing high levels of the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin. Here we describe the genetic structure and demographic history of P. Read More

Pain Res Treat 2018 15;2018:5710169. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Department of Anesthesiology, Rhode Island Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.

Objective: Peripheral nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia have improved block success, but analgesia efficacy has been limited by the short duration of traditional local anesthetics. The results of randomized trials comparing liposome bupivacaine with conventional local anesthetic formulations (e.g. Read More

J Int Med Res 2018 Nov 15;46(11):4437-4446. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

1 Anesthesiology Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.

Objective: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block ameliorates visual analogue scale scores and decreases morphine requirements, but its role remains unclear. Patients of advanced age are susceptible to local anesthetic intoxication. We aimed to identify an optimal concentration that can be used in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) without compromising analgesic efficacy. Read More

Iowa Orthop J 2018 ;38:107-112

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia.

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of commonly used injection medication combinations on supraspinatus tenocyte cell viability and tissue metabolism.

Methods: Twenty adult dogs underwent ultrasound guided injection of the canine equivalent of the subacromial space, based on random assignment to one of four treatment groups (n=5/group): normal saline, 1.0% lidocaine/methylprednisolone, 1. Read More

Food Chem 2018 Dec 2;269:166-172. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Dpt. of Pharmacology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain. Electronic address:

Although paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) have traditionally been analyzed by liquid chromatography with either pre- or post-column derivatization, and these methods have been validated successfully through inter-laboratory studies, mass spectrometry methods have also been described in literature for use in monitoring programs. However, methods using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) need to be improved in terms of sensitivity, analyte recovery and retention time stability because of undesirable matrix effects. Furthermore, tetrodotoxin (TTX) has been found in northern European bivalves, so it is important to analyze TTX compounds alongside PSTs because characteristics of their toxicity are similar. Read More

Bioorg Med Chem 2018 08 30;26(14):4088-4099. Epub 2018 Jun 30.

School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; College of Food Science and Technology, Bohai University; Food Safety Key Lab of Liaoning Province; National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Storage, Processing and Safety Control Technology for Fresh Agricultural and Aquatic Products, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121013, China. Electronic address:

Pseudomonas fluorescens, a Gram-negative psychrotrophic bacteria, is the main microorganism causing spoilage of chilled raw milk and aquatic products. Quorum sensing (QS) widely exists in bacteria to monitor their population densities and regulate numerous physiological activities, such as the secretion of siderophores, swarming motility and biofilm formation. Thus, searching for quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) may be another promising way to control the deterioration of food caused by P. Read More

Biomaterials 2018 Oct 27;181:378-391. Epub 2018 Jul 27.

Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, PR China.

Local anesthetics are a class of drugs, which have wide applications in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. However, their analgesic effects only last for a few hours because of their short half-life, which is insufficient for clinical application, especially for long-term surgery or postoperative analgesia. Herein, an injectable hydrogel/microsphere (GEL/MS) composite co-encapsulating bupivacaine (BUP) and dexmedetomidine (DEX) was developed for effective sustained analgesia. Read More