Ultrasonographic assessment of the response to Etanercept treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives:To evaluate, using musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS), the effects of Etanercept therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over 3 months of treatment. Methods:Eighteen consecutive patients, 3 male and 15 female, affected by RA (ACR criteria) who were non-responders or partial responders to DMARDs therapy were commenced on Etanercept treatment. MSUS was performed bilaterally in the 2 nd and 5 th metacarpophalangeal, 3rd interphalangeal, wrist and knee joints, using a Philips/HP Image Point HX machine with a 7,5 MHz linear probe for knee joints and a 14 MHz probe for the hands and wrists. In addition, power Doppler was used with the following settings: PRF 700-1000Hz, gain 60-65 dB, low filter. For all the changes a semi-quantitative score (0-3) was used to indicate the presence of a localised inflammatory process (synovitis, tenosynovitis). An overall score was then calculated based on the sum of the single scores in order to obtain a comprehensive score indicative of the global pathological change. Results:The overall score significantly (p<10 -5 )reduced between T0 (8,5) and T3 (5). Even the most part of the local joint scores significantly reduced. Conclusions:apositive response to treatment with Etanercept was demonstrated by MSUS examination of several joints. The results of our study are supportive of those presented in other reports where MSUS was used to monitor disease activity. We were able however to demonstrate this in a wider range of anatomical targets than in previous studies. MSUS is a useful tool in the monitoring of biologic therapy in RA

Broccoli yield in response to top-dressing fertilization with green manure and biofertilizer

The objective of this work was to evaluate the productive performance of broccoli under different top-dressing organic fertilizations. The experiment was conducted under protected cultivation, in a completely randomized design with four replications, with two plants per experimental unit. Broccoli seedlings were produced in a commercial substrate in styrofoam trays. The seedlings were transplanted to plastic pots containing 10.0 L of substrate made up of subsoil and organic compost at the ratio of 3:1 (v/v), respectively, which is equivalent to about 20.0 t ha-1 of organic compost at planting. After seedling establishment, the top-dressing fertilization treatments were applied: gliricidia biomass associated or not with liquid biofertilizer of cattle manure to the soil and bokashi. Two control treatments were established: one with mineral fertilization recommended for the crop and the other without top-dressing fertilization. The broccoli production was evaluated (commercial standard). Plants that received mineral fertilizer were more productive, however, they were not significantly different (p>0.05), by Dunnet test, from the plants fertilized with 2.5 t ha-1 gliricidiabiomass (dry mass) associated with liquid biofertilizer (2.0 L m-2) applied to soil. Top-dressing fertilizations with only gliricidia, at 2.5 and 5.0 t ha-1 of biomass (dry mass), resulted in no significant increase in production of broccoli inflorescence. The use of bokashi in addition to gliricidia biomass and liquid biofertilizer reduced the efficiency of the fertilization compared with plants that received only gliricidia and liquid biofertilizer

Tumors of pineal cell origin

Tumors of pineal cell origin are rare intracranial lesions. They are the second most common entity encountered in the pineal gland, after tumors of germ cell origin. They are classified according to their differentiation in pineocytomas (World Health Organization [WHO] grade I tumor), pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation, papillary tumors of the pineal region, and pineoblastomas (WHO grade 4 tumor). Differentiation between pineal and germ cell tumors is essential, and for this purpose serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers are used, alongside imaging techniques. Often, the only way to differentiate these two types of tumors is through a biopsy, which may be carried out with or without a simultaneous third ventriculocisternostomy. Retrospective series show an association between the extent of resection and improved outcomes, and benign lesions may be cured by performing a gross total resection. However, the approaches to this region are highly complex, because of the plethora of essential neuroanatomical structures in the area. The approaches need to be tailored to the specific anatomy of the patient and should aim at minimizing surgical morbidity. Because of their complexity, these lesions should mainly be performed in centers with sufficient experience in the treatment of pineal region lesions.</p