Collaboration of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of thyroid gland carcinoma in a dog - case report

The sonographic evaluation of thyroid glands in veterinary medicine presents challenges due to the complexity of the anatomical region, professional experience and type of ultrasonography equipment. The technique is considered a versatile diagnostic method that is noninvasive and has a low cost indicated in different clinical situations. Thyroid carcinoma is a malignant tumor that is often invasive and frequently metastatic to regional lymph nodes and lungs. The prognostic indicators for survival after surgery include tumor size, histological type, mobility and presence or absence of metastasis. The objective of the present report is to demonstrate the importance of ultrasound as a complementary method in the evaluation of thyroid carcinoma in dogs. At the Dr. Halim Atique Veterinary Hospital, an eight-year-old male Pit Bull was examined due to a history of firm painless swelling, approximately six inches in diameter, in the ventral cervical region, for about two months. The sonogram showed a nodular area, with defined and regular margins, and heterogeneous hypoechoic parenchyma, with areas of cavitation and swelling of the thyroid. Histopathology of the nodule was consistent with carcinoma. After thyreoidectomy and hormone replacemet, the patient is in good clinical condition.

Potential utility of melatonin as an antioxidant therapy in the management of sickle cell anemia

This study aimed to assess antioxidant effects of melatonintreatment compared to N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and to their combination in asickle cell suspension. Sickle erythrocytes were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4, composing external control group. They were alsosuspended and incubated at 37°C either in the absence (experimental controlgroup) or in the presence of NAC, melatonin and their combination atconcentrations of 100 pM, 100 nM and 100 lM for 1 hr (treatment groups).The melatonin influences were evaluated by spectrophotometric [hemolysisdegree, catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathioneperoxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase (G6PDH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities] andchromatographic methods [glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)levels]. Incubation period was able to cause a rise about 64% on hemolysisdegree as well as practically doubled the lipid peroxidation levels (P < 0.01).However, almost all antioxidants tested treatments neutralized this incubationeffect observed in MDA levels. Among the antioxidant biomarkers evaluated,we observed a modulating effect of combined treatment on GPx and SODactivities (P < 0.01), which showed ~25% decrease in their activities. Inaddition, we found an antioxidant dose-dependent effect for melatonin onlipid peroxidation (r = 0.29; P = 0.03) and for combined antioxidanttreatments also on MDA levels (r = 0.37; P = 0.01) and on SOD activity(r = 0.54; P < 0.01). Hence, these findings contribute with important insightthat melatonin individually or in combination with NAC may be useful forsickle cell anemia management.

Effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser application in the treatment of experimental periodontitis

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

Molecular characterization of intestinal protozoa in two poor communities in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

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

Catching the bound states in the continuum of a phantom atom in graphene

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Use of a new fibrin sealant and laser irradiation in the repair of skull defects in rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evaluation of crystallized biosilicate in the reconstruction of calvarial defects

The objective of this study was to assess the bone repair process of crystallized Biosilicate in surgically created defects on rats' calvaria. This biomaterial was recently developed for odontological use. We used fifteen rats (rattus norvegicus albinus, Wistar), and two 5 mm surgical defects were performed on each of them; the defects were made with trephine drill on the calvarium region prior to the biomaterial placement. Groups were divided as follows: Group 1-defect filled with clot; Group 2-defect filled with crystallized Biosilicate. After 7, 14 and 28 days the animals were killed, the parts were retrieved and slides were prepared for histological studies. Bone formation was satisfactory in all groups, with direct contact between biomaterial surface and bone and absence of infection signs. The 28 days periods showed better results, and statistically significant difference between Clot Group (90.2 %) and Biosilicate (58 %; p = 0.002) was seen, regarding presence of bone tissue on the surgical defects. Our study revealed that defects filled with clot present better results on bone formation compared to crystallized Biosilicate, which is considered a biocompatible material with favorable osteoconductive properties.

Barriers related to non-adherence in a mammography breast-screening program during the implementation period in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil

Mammography is the best exam for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Developing countries frequently have a low income of mammography and absence of organized screening. The knowledge of vulnerable population and strategies to increase adherence are important to improve the implementation of an organized breast-screening program. A mammography regional-screening program was implemented in a place around 54.238 women, aged 40-69 years old. It was proposed to perform biannual mammography free of cost for the women. We analyze the first 2 years of the implementation of the project. Mammography was realized in 17.964 women. 42.1% of the women hadn't done de mammography in their lives and these women were principally from low socio-economic status (OR=2.99), low education (OR=3.00). The best strategies to include these women were mobile unit (OR=1.43) and Family Health Program (OR=1.79). The incidence of early breast tumors before the project was 14.5%, a fact that changed to 43.2% in this phase. Multivariate analysis showed that the association of illiterate and the mobile unit achieve more women who had not performed mammography in their lives. The strategies to increase adherence to mammography must be multiple and a large organization is necessary to overpass the barriers related to system health and education.

Intravenous procedural sedation: an alternative in the treatment of patients with intellectual disability

Conscious sedation has become established as an important alternative to general anesthesia (GA) in dental treatment of patients with intellectual disability (ID). Aim: to investigate dental patients undergoing sedation using a mean dose of 0.6 mg/kg intravenous midazolam and the adverse events of sedation in patients with ID. Methods: This study analyzed the records of 163 dental patients with ID aged between 2 and 76 years who had undergone conscious intravenous sedation (CIV) using a mean dose of 0.61 mg/kg of midazolam at Araçatuba Dental School, São Paulo State University, Brazil. The efficacy and complications induced by CIV were evaluated in each subject. Results: CIV was effective for dental treatment in 80% of the cases. A total of 626 dental procedures were performed. The mean treatment time was 33.9 minutes. There was statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between absence and presence of adverse reactions. Adverse reactions were observed in 21.47% of the cases. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that CIV is a useful method for dental treatment of patients with ID and these patients can need higher doses of sedative to reach an adequate level of sedation.