Genetic and environmental factors affecting ultrasound measures of longissimus muscle area and backfat thickness in Nelore cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic association between body composition measured by ultrasound and visual scores in Brazilian Nelore cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The presence of fungi on contact electrical stimulation electrodes and ultrasound transducers in physiotherapy clinics

Objectives To evaluate the presence of fungi on contact electrodes and ultrasound transducers from physiotherapy clinics.Design Quantitative study conducted at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology of Piaui - NOVAFAPI, Teresina, Brazil.Setting Sample collection was performed in 10 clinics ( 20 ultrasound transducers and 20 contact electrodes).Main outcome measures Swabs were soaked with saline solution, inoculated in culture and incubated for filamentous fungi and yeast growth.Results Fourteen taxons were identified: Acremomium hyalinulum (Sacc.), Aspergillus terreus, Candida albicans, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cladosporium elatum, Cladosporium oxysporum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosphialophora bantiana, Curvularia clavata, Curvularia senegalensis, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium decumbens, Scopulariopsis candida and Sporothrix schenckii. Aspergillus terreus, Cladosporium oxysporum, Sporothrix shenckii and Candida albicans were found most often on contact electrodes, and Penicillium decumbens and Cladosporium cladosporioides were found most often on ultrasound transducers.Conclusion Fungi were found on all of the contact electrodes and ultrasound transducers. Physiotherapy professionals need to improve the disinfection procedures for this equipment. (C) 2010 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controlled transscleral drug delivery formulations to the eye: establishing new concepts and paradigms in ocular anti-inflammatory therapeutics and antibacterial prophylaxis

Importance of the field: The use of topical agents poses unique and challenging hurdles for drug delivery. Topical steroids effectively control ocular inflammation, but are associated with the well-recognized dilemma of patient compliance. Although administration of topical antimicrobials as prophylaxis is acceptable among ophthalmologists, this common practice has no sound evidence base Developing a new antimicrobial agent or delivery strategy with enhanced penetration by considering the anatomical and physiological constraints exerted by the barriers of the eye is not a commonly perceived strategy. Exploiting the permeability of the sclera, subconjunctival routes may offer a promising alternative for enhanced drug delivery and tissue targeting.Area covered in this review: Ocular drug delivery strategies were reviewed for ocular inflammation and infections clinically adopted for newer class of antimicrobials, which use a multipronged approach to limit risks of endophthalmitis.What the reader will gain: The analysis substantiates a new transscleral drug delivery therapeutic approach for cataract surgery.Take home message: A new anti-inflammatory and anti-infective paradigm that frees the patient from the nuisance of topical therapeutics is introduced, opening a large investigative avenue for future improved therapies.

In Vitro Ultrasound Influence on Cutaneous Permeation of Hyaluronidase

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

High sensitivity fiber optic angular displacement sensor and its application for detection of ultrasound

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Selenium determination in tissue samples of Nile tilapia using ultrasound-assisted extraction

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Facoemulsificação em cães, com e sem implante de lente intra-ocular em piggyback: estudo clínico da inflamação pós-operatória

A uveíte peri e pós-operatória é o maior problema da cirurgia para extração de catarata no cão, sendo considerada o fator mais importante para o sucesso cirúrgico, imediato e tardio. Diversos protocolos pré e pós-operatórios utilizando agentes anti-inflamatórios esteroidais e não-esteroidais têm sido empregados na tentativa de controle da uveíte cirurgicamente induzida. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a reação inflamatória pós-operatória, clinicamente e por meio da pressão intraocular (PIO), após a cirurgia de facoemulsificação para extração de catarata em cães, com e sem implante de lente intraocular (LIO) em piggyback. Empregaram-se, 25 cães portadores de catarata, subdivididos em dois grupos: G1 (com implante de LIO), G2 (sem implante de LIO). A técnica cirúrgica adotada foi a facoemulsificação bimanual unilateral. Avaliações clínicas e mensurações da PIO foram aferidas antes do procedimento cirúrgico (0) e nos tempos 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 e 60 dias após o ato cirúrgico. Cães do grupo G1 apresentaram sinais clínicos de uveíte visivelmente mais intensos, relativamente aos do G2. Entretanto, a PIO não demonstrou diferença significativa entre os dois grupos analisados, nem entre os olhos operados e os contralaterais. A utilização de duas LIOs humanas em piggyback no cão é exequível, porém suscita mais inflamação e complicações no pós-operatório.

Lung ultrasound in acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury

Purpose of reviewLung ultrasound at the bedside can provide accurate information on lung status in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.Recent findingsLung ultrasound can replace bedside chest radiography and lung computed tomography for assessment of pleural effusion, pneumothorax, alveolar- interstitial syndrome, lung consolidation, pulmonary abscess and lung recruitment/de-recruitment. It can also accurately determine the type of lung morphology at the bedside (focal or diffuse aeration loss), and therefore it is useful for optimizing positive end-expiratory pressure. The learning curve is brief, so most intensive care physicians will be able to use it after a few weeks of training.SummaryLung ultrasound is noninvasive, easily repeatable and allows assessment of changes in lung aeration induced by the various therapies. It is among the most promising bedside techniques for monitoring patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Multiplane ultrasound approach to quantify pleural effusion at the bedside

To assess the accuracy of a multiplane ultrasound approach to measure pleural effusion volume (PEV), considering pleural effusion (PE) extension along the cephalocaudal axis and PE area.Prospective study performed on 58 critically ill patients with 102 PEs. Thoracic drainage was performed in 46 patients (59 PEs) and lung computed tomography (CT) in 24 patients (43 PEs). PE was assessed using bedside lung ultrasound. Adjacent paravertebral intercostal spaces were examined, and ultrasound PEV was calculated by multiplying the paravertebral PE length by its area, measured at half the distance between the apical and caudal limits of the PE.Ultrasound PEV was compared to either the volume of the drained PE (59 PE) or PEV assessed on lung CT (43 PE). In patients with lung CT, the accuracy of this new method was compared to the accuracy of previous methods proposed for PEV measurement. Ultrasound PEV was tightly correlated with drained PEV (r = 0.84, p < 0.001) and with CT PEV (r = 0.90, p < 0.001). The mean biases between ultrasound and actual volumes of PE were -33 ml when compared to drainage (limits of agreement -292 to +227 ml) and -53 ml when compared to CT (limits of agreement -303 to +198 ml). This new method was more accurate than previous methods to measure PEV.Using a multiplane approach increases the accuracy of lung ultrasound to measure the volume of large to small pleural effusions in critically ill patients.

Emprego de prótese intra-ocular de resina acrílica. Estudo experimental em ratos

Foram eviscerados os globos oculares esquerdos de 32 ratos, linhagem Wistar, divididos em quatro grupos (A, B, C, D) constituídos, cada um, de cinco testemunhas e três controles. Nos animais-testemunha introduziu-se, dentro da capa córneo-escleral, uma esfera de resina acrílica (metilmetacrilato), previamente confeccionada e esterilizada por autoclavagem, ao passo que nos controles a cavidade eviscerada foi mantida sem prótese. Os ratos dos grupos A, B, C e D foram sacrificados respectivamente aos 7, 15, 30 e 90 dias de pós-operatório, quando os conteúdos orbitários esquerdos foram exenterados e preparados para o exame histopatológico. Observou-se que os animais-testemunha tiveram resposta inflamatória do tipo tecido de granulação ao redor da prótese de cavidade, com edema inflamatório da córnea especialmente nos grupos A e B, quando se iniciou a regressão da inflamação aguda. A cavidade orbitária manteve o tamanho em todos os grupos nos animais-testemunha e houve contração significativa nos animais-controle. Com estas observações, foi possível concluir que a esfera de resina acrílica é uma opção, de baixo custo e fácil confecção, para correção de defeito estético causado pela perda do globo ocular.

Thorax ultrasound in the management of pediatric pneumonias complicated with empyema

The aim of this work is to prospectively study the value of thoracic ultrasound (US) before pleural drainage in children with parapneumonic effusion (PPE). All children hospitalized for PPE, identified by thoracic radiography, underwent US to assess pleural loculation, echogenicity, and pleural fluid quantity. From August 2001 to July 2003, 52 children were examined. US was performed on 48 of these children, of whom 35 received chest tube drainage and 13 only received clinical treatment. US identified 38 patients with free flowing and 10 with loculated pleural fluid. About 25 of the free flowing (65.8%) and 10 (100%) of the loculated patients received chest tube drainage. Echogenicity was anechoic in 13, echoic without septations in 17 and echoic with septations in 18. Chest tube drainage was required in 6 anechoic (46.15%), 14 echoic without septations (82.35%), and 15 echoic with septations (83.33%). Quantity of fluid estimated by US varied from 20 to 860 ml. Effusion volume was higher in patients that were echoic with septations and loculated effusions. Pleural glucose and pH were lower, and LDH was higher in loculated PPE patients. In conclusion, US is an auxiliary exam for determining whether thoracic drainage is needed in parapneumonic effusion; loculated or echoic effusion should be drained, and free anechoic fluid needs further investigation.

Temporal relationship between successful pancreas transplantation and control of ocular complications in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Purpose. The impact of pancreas transplantation (PT) on the progression of eye disease is still controversial. This study evaluated the course of retinopathy in transplanted rats in two different diabetic stages.Methods. Sixty inbred male Lewis rats were assigned to four experimental groups: NC-15 nondiabetic control rats; DC-15 untreated diabetic control rats; PT1-15 diabetic rats that received syngeneic pancreas transplants 2 weeks after alloxan diabetes induction; PT2-15 diabetic rats that received pancreas transplants 12 weeks after diabetes onset. Clinical and laboratory parameters and tens opacity were examined in all rats prior to treatment and at 1-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up. Nucleated eyes from five rats in each group processed for ultrastructural study of the retinal at 6 and 12 months after PT or at follow-up.Results. Cataracts were observed in 20%, 60%, and 100% of DC rats at 1-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up, respectively. Early PT (2 weeks) significantly reduced the prevalence of this complication but not late (12 weeks) PT. PT1 rats also showed improved ultrastructure of the superficial and deep capillary plexuses of the retina, and of Muller cells, compared with DC and PT2. In the last group, retinopathy continued to evolve despite successful PT.Conclusion. Our results suggested that prevention of diabetic ocular lesions by PT was closely dependent on earlier performance of the procedure.

Advances in ultrasound techniques improve early detection of deep vein thrombosis

Aim. This study aimed at assessing the accuracy of ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of recent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in an experimental study in dogs.Methods. Design: blinded and randomized experimental study. Twenty dogs were randomly divided in two groups: control group (CG) and thrombosis group (TG). US was performed in the pre- and postoperative period. Phlebography was performed immediately prior to the postoperative US. After the second US, a surgery was performed to detect whether thrombus was present or not. US results were compared to those of phlebography and surgical findings.Results. in all dogs, inferior vena cava (IVC) was compressible. The relations of IVC diameter with the aorta were higher (P<0.005) in TG than in CG. Spectral Doppler in spontaneous breathing, tissue harmonic imaging, power Doppler and B flow showed sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 1. Phlebography presented sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 80% and accuracy of 85%, when compared to surgical finding.Conclusion. For the diagnosis of recent DVT in the experimental model used, venous compressibility proved to be inefficient. The ratio of WC diameter to aorta, when increased, suggests thrombosis. The use of new US technological advances increases accuracy. Phlebography was less accurate than US.

Avaliação da contaminação da câmara anterior na cirurgia de facoemulsificação com implante de lente intra-ocular

Objetivo: Avaliar a existência de contaminação da câmara anterior durante a facectomia por facoemulsificação com implante de lente intra-ocular. Método: Foi realizado estudo prospectivo, avaliando-se 30 pacientes submetidos a facectomia por facoemulsificação com implante de lente intra-ocular, colhendo-se duas amostras de humor aquoso, uma obtida no início e outra no final da cirurgia. As amostras foram semeadas em meio de cultura para germes aeróbios, anaeróbios e fungos. Resultado: Todas as amostras avaliadas resultaram negativas. Conclusão: A contaminação da câmara anterior na cirurgia de facoemulsificação com implante de lente intra-ocular, usando os cuidados necessários, é infreqüente.