Development and evaluation of a nursing psycho-educational program focused on communication for family caregivers in early Alzheimer's disease

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Gel vs aceite mineral en el tratamiento del fotoenvejecimiento de manos con luz pulsada intensa

Introducción: En el tratamiento con Luz Pulsada Intensa (LPI) para el fotoenvejecimiento de las manos no se encuentran estudios que evidencien si existe alguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa en el grado de efectividad y seguridad al utilizar gel o aceite mineral como medios de acople. Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad y seguridad terapéutica en el uso de gel vs aceite mineral. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio observacional analítico de cohorte retrospectivo que involucró 29 pacientes. Realizado en tres fases; selección y recolección de las historias clínicas, evaluación fotográfica de registros pre tratamiento y pos tratamiento con determinación del grado de mejoría global en el fotoenvejecimiento de las manos por parte de tres evaluadores cegados, y análisis estadístico de los datos obtenidos por medio de las pruebas de Mann Whitney y Wilcoxon. Resultados: Se encontró mejoría dada por disminución en un grado del fotoenvejecimiento para los dos medios de acople con la misma significancia estadística. La percepción subjetiva mostró mejoría en todos los pacientes evaluados. La seguridad es similar en los dos grupos pero se evidenció mayor severidad en los efectos secundarios con el uso de aceite, con diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los efectos moderados y severos. Conclusión: La efectividad es la misma independiente del medio de acople que se use. La seguridad a pesar de evidenciar un perfil similar es mayor con el uso de gel en cuanto a la menor severidad de los efectos presentados. Se requieren más estudios de tipo ensayos clínicos controlados que permitan determinar una mayor evidencia.

Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese materia medica

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named “Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine” (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions. The recommendations also provide a template for the evaluation of other types of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Kampo and Unani. Materials and methods: GP-TCM provided a means by which experts in different areas relating to TCM were able to collaborate in forming a literature review good practice panel which operated through e-mail exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The panel involved coordinators and representatives of each GP-TCM work package (WP) with the latter managing the testing and refining of such guidelines within the context of their respective WPs and providing feedback. Results: A Good Practice Handbook for Scientific Publications on TCM was drafted during the three years of the consortium, showing the value of such networks. A “deliverable – central questions – labour division” model had been established to guide the literature evaluation studies of each WP. The model investigated various scoring systems and their ability to provide consistent and reliable semi-quantitative assessments of the literature, notably in respect of the botanical ingredients involved and the scientific quality of the work described. This resulted in the compilation of (i) a robust scoring system and (ii) a set of minimum standards for publishing in the herbal medicines field, based on an analysis of the main problems identified in published TCM literature.

Cardiopulmonary and acid-base effects of desflurane and sevoflurane in spontaneously breathing cats

The cardiopulmonary effects of desflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia were compared in cats breathing spontaneously. Heart (HR) and respiratory (RR) rates; systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP) and mean arterial (MAP) pressures; partial pressure of end tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO(2)), arterial blood pH (pH), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)) and carbon dioxide (PaCO(2)); base deficit (BD), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) and bicarbonate ion concentration (HCO(3)) were measured. Anesthesia was induced with propofol (8 +/- 2.3 mg/kg IV) and maintained with desflurane (GD) or sevoflurane (GS), both at 1.3 MAC. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Tukey test (P < 0.05). Both anesthetics showed similar effects. HR and RR decreased when compared to the basal values, but remained constant during inhalant anesthesia and PETCO(2) increased with time. Both anesthetics caused acidemia and hypercapnia, but BD stayed within normal limits. Therefore, despite reducing HR and SAP (GD) when compared to the basal values, desflurane and sevoflurane provide good stability of the cardiovascular parameters during a short period of inhalant anesthesia (T20-T60). However, both volatile anesthetics cause acute respiratory acidosis in cats breathing spontaneously. (c) 2004 ESFM and AAFP. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of cardiorespiratory effects of combinations of dexmedetomidine and atropine in cats

The cardiovascular effects of dexmedetomidine alone or in combination with atropine were studied in six cats. Cats underwent four treatments in a randomized crossover design as follows: DEX15, saline + dexmedetomidine 15 mu g/kg; DEX30, saline + dexmedetomidine 30 mu g/kg; ADEX15, atropine + dexmedetomidine 15 mu g/kg; ADEX30, atropine + dexmedetomidine 30 mu g/kg. Pulse rate (PR) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) decreased in DEX15 and DEX30. Premedication with atropine was effective in preventing bradycardia (PR < 100 beats/min) and resulted in a biphasic effect in blood pressure. Hypertension was followed by a gradual decrease in SAP. Rate pressure product decreased in DEX15 and DEX30 whereas in ADEX15 and ADEX30 it remained within baseline values for at least 60 min. Although premedication with atropine in cats sedated with dexmedetomidine prevents bradycardia, it induces hypertension and increases myocardial oxygen consumption. The magnitude of cardiovascular effects produced by dexmedetomidine in cats does not seem to be dose-related. (C) 2009 ESFM and AAFP. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Histology and morphometry of the testes of adult domestic cats (Felis catus)

Testicles of 30 mongrel cats were analyzed histologically and morphometrically, divided into three groups: G1 (1-2 years old), G2 (over 2 and up to 4 years old) and G3 (over 4 and up to 6 years old). After orchiectomy and histopathology, the morphometric parameters studied were: thickness of the tunica albuginea (72 mu m) and seminiferous epithelium (77.19 mu m), perimeter (53.81; 90.57 mu m), (54.80; 101.07 mu m); area (174.23; 494.55 mu m(2)), (176.68; 629.70 mu m(2)); maximum diameter (14.94; 28.02 mu m), (14.76; 31.66 mu m); minimum diameter (13.25; 21.92 mu m), (13.30; 24.52 mu m); and shape factor (index for regularity of the format) (1.36; 1.36), (1.39; 1.35) of the nucleus and cytoplasm of spermatogonia and Leydig cells, respectively. The results can be used for comparative studies and contribute knowledge concerning the height of the seminiferous epithelium, thickness of the tunica albuginea and size of spermatogonia and Leydig cells.

Antinociceptive effects of tramadol and acepromazine in cats

Effects of tramadol and acepromazine on pressure and thermal thresholds were examined in eight cats. After baseline measurements, subcutaneous (SC) tramadol 1 mg/kg, acepromazine 0.1 mg/kg, tramadol 1 mg/kg with acepromazine 0.1 mg/kg, or saline 0.3 ml were given. Serial measurements were made for 24 h. Mean thermal thresholds did not change significantly [analysis of variance (ANOVA)] from baseline. The maximum thermal threshold increase above baseline was 2.8 +/- 2.8 degrees C at 6 h (P > 0.05) after tramadol; it was above the 95% confidence interval (0) at 0.75, 3 and 6 h. Pressure thresholds increased above baseline from 0.25 to 2 h after acepromazine (P < 0.05) and from 0.5 to 3 h after the combination (P < 0.05), with a maximum increase of 132 +/- 156 mmHg 0.25 h after acepromazine and 197 129 mmHg 0.5 h after the combination. Pressure thresholds were above the 95% Cl from 0.25 to 2 h after acepromazine and from 0.5 to 3 h after the combination. SC tramadol at 1 mg/kg in cats had limited effect on thermal and pressure nociception, but this was enhanced by acepromazine. Acepromazine alone had pressure antinociceptive effects. (c) 2007 ESFM and AAFR Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perioperative administration of vedaprofen, tramadol or their combination does not interfere with platelet aggregation, bleeding time and biochemical variables in cats

A randomized double blind and placebo controlled design was used to investigate the hemostatic, biochemical, gastrointestinal and behavioral effects of pre- and postoperative administration of vedaprofen 0.5 mg/kg PO (V), tramadol 2 mg/kg SC (T), their association (VT) or placebo (P) in 40 adult female cats (3.0 +/- 0.32 kg; 1.8 +/- 0.7 years) distributed in groups of 10. Platelet aggregation and bleeding time were measured before and 52 11 after ovariohysterectomy. Serum urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase concentrations were measured before and 7 days postoperatively. The occurrence of vomiting, frequency and consistency of feces, and behavior were observed for 7 days postoperatively. Morphine (0.5 mg/kg, IM) was used as rescue analgesic. Laboratory variables did not change. Vomiting was observed only after morphine administration. Mild euphoria was observed in T and VT. The perioperative use of vedaprofen and/or tramadol did not modify the hemostatic, biochemical and gastrointestinal function in cats. (C) 2009 ESFM and AAFP. published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.