Corneal Stromal Abscess in a Dog

ABSTRACTBackground: The eye is an important sense organ responsible for sight. The cornea is the outermost of many eye layers, being predisposed to several lesions, some of them being frequent in small animal clinics meanwhile others are unusual and seldom reported in specialized literature. The stroma abscess is a common condition in horses, but atypical in dogs, it's a condition in which a microperforation in the corneal epithelium allows microorganisms or a foreign body to penetrate the corneal stroma, and those become inside the cornea after a re-epithelialization, producing an intense inflammatory response. Therefore, this case reports a case of deep stromal abscess in a Shih Tzu dog.Case: A 4-year-old female Shih Tzu, weighing 4.6 kg, was submitted to ophthalmic examination in which the left eye presented an opaque yellowish-white protruding structure located on the right side, in the center of the cornea (3 o´clock position), bulbar and palpebral conjunctival hyperemia and congestion, chemosis, blepharospasm, and a moderate amount of mucous discharge. The clinical diagnosis was stromal abscess with reflex uveitis. A differential diagnosis should include conditions affecting the anterior part of the cornea, such as an epithelial inclusion cyst and a corneal ulcer. The inclusion cyst, contrarily to the corneal abscess, doesn't cause pain, meanwhile, the corneal ulcer was ruled out by the Fluorescein Staining Test. The recommended treatment was surgical, through lamellar keratectomy, followed by overlapping pedicled conjunctival graft and third eyelid flap. In association with the surgical treatment, oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and opioids, plus topical antibiotics and autologous serum eye drop. Seventy days post-surgery, the previously observed inflammatory signs were no longer present. In the conjunctival graft insertion site perpetuated a scar leucoma with few blood vessels. The therapy was proven effective in solving the stromal abscess and in visual maintenance. Despite the located opacity due to leucoma, it barely causes any impairment, once its lateral position won't impact the central vision, which is more important to predator species than the peripheral vision.Discussion: Stromal abscess is a pathological condition in which an initial perforating corneal injury leads to a rupture of the epithelial barrier, allowing the access of bacterial, fungus, or foreign bodies of organic nature. The morbidity is more frequent in horses, but this report shows that although uncommon, stromal abscesses can occur in dogs. The diagnosis was achieved by an analysis of the clinical history and findings. Conditions that affect the anterior cornea must be among differential diagnoses. Treatment aims for the removal of infectious material with debridement and curetting of the stroma, by performing the lamellar keratoplasty technique, which produces a corneal wound. The implementation of a pedicled conjunctival graft allows, the influx of growth factors, active replication of stromal collagen by fibroblasts, and direct arrival of antibiotics through the blood supply to the exposed portion of the cornea.  The third eyelid flap is questioned by some authors, once it complicates the post-op follow up, and hinder the topical therapy from directly reaching the eye surface. Autologous serum: A blood-derived product often used to control corneal melting. The Federal Medicine Board determined that autologous serum eyedrops therapy has been scientifically proven effective, being used worldwide in the treatment of severe eye surface conditions. In Veterinary, studies also demonstrated that autologous serum can improve improve the corneal re-epithelialization in dogs.   Keywords: autologous serum, keratectomy, ophthalmology, veterinary.Título: Abscesso estromal em córnea de cãoDescritores: soro autólogo, ceratectomia, oftalmologia, veterinária

Assessmentof the quality of bee’s honey sold in the city of Manaus, Amazon / Avaliação da qualidade do mel de abelha comercializado na cidade de Manaus, Amazonas

O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi caracterizar os méis de abelhas produzidos e /ou comercializados em Manaus/AM, através de físico-químicas e microbiológicas e de testes de adulterantes. Os méis foram adquiridos em diferentes municípios do estado do Amazonas. As amostras foram levadas para o Laboratório de Alimentos e Nutrição, do Instituto de Pesquisas da Amazônia e foram avaliados quanto a adulteração, umidade, sólidos solúveis e pH, além da qualidade microbiológica de coliformes totais e Salmonella sp. Foi identificado que 40 % dos méis apresentaram adulteração. O teor de umidade variou entre 15 e 27 %. A concentração de sólidos solúveis totais variou entre 65 e 82 º Brix. O pH médio dos méis verdadeiros foi de 3,13 e dos méis adulterados foi de 3,10. Quanto a avaliação microbiológica, todos os méis apresentaram-se isentos de microrganismos como coliformes e salmonelas. Os méis de abelha avaliados apresentaram umidade elevada e pH levemente ácido, característico das abelhas melíponas, no entanto, algumas amostras ficaram fora da especificação legal do regulamento técnico. Todos os méis apresentaram excelente qualidade microbiológica

Evaluation of the natural fermentation process of native Amazon honey bees produced by breeders of the Sateré-Mawé ethnicity / Avaliação do processo de fermentação natural dos meis de abelhas nativas da Amazônia produzidos pelos criadores da etnia Sateré-Mawé

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o processo de fermentação natural do mel de abelhas nativas da Amazônia produzido pelos criadores da etnia Sateré-Mawé, através do pH e acidez, associando-os a diferentes níveis de umidade. Foram coletadas seis amostras de méis de abelhas nativas da Amazônia. A umidade foi reduzida para 20 e 22% e os méis foram avaliados quando ao pH e acidez de 30, em 30 dias por até 180 dias. Os méis tiverem sua umidade reduzida por um desumidificador. Foram avaliadas a umidade, pH e acidez total. Os méis apresentaram comportamento esperado de pH e acidez ao longo do tempo de armazenamento. Houve decréscimo de pH e o aumento da acidez. Sobre o pH do mel das abelhas Meliponas apresentou resultados entre 4,33 e 4,61 e o mel de Scaptotrigona foi de 3,73 e 4,14, ao final do processo. A acidez foi de 1,26 e 1,75 % e 2,86 e 6,00 %, para os respectivos méis. Pode-se concluir que e a técnica de desumidificação do mel de abelhas nativas pode ser empregada com sucesso a fim de prolongar a vida útil do produto, bem como ampliar suas possibilidades de comercialização. A fermentação processou-se mais rapidamente nas alíquotas originais, devido ao elevado teor de umidade presente nas mesmas

Otite externa e média em cães: revisão de literatura / External and media otitis in dogs: literature review

A orelha é considerada o órgão da audição e do equilíbrio, tendo a responsabilidade de manter o autocontrole, a direção da posição do corpo no espaço e a compreensão de ruídos e sons. Divide-se em ouvido externo, ouvido médio e ouvido interno, sendo o ouvido interno o órgão do equilíbrio. A otite é a inflamação do conduto auditivo podendo ser classificada em recorrente, crônica ou aguda de acordo com a evolução do quadro. A otite externa é a patologia mais encontrada no ouvido dos cães, sendo ocasionada por diversos fatores como fungos, parasitas e bactérias e 50% a 89% dos casos possui otite média associada. Os animais acometidos normalmente apresentam sinais clínicos como dor, meneios cefálicos, prurido e secreção, odor fétido, entre outros. Um diagnóstico bem feito é fundamental, pois medicamentos desnecessários ou incorretos podem gerar resistência farmacologia. Em casos de otites médias crônicas, reincidentes e/ou não responsivas aos tratamentos farmacológicos uma abordagem cirúrgica pode ser necessária. O objetivo do presente do trabalho foi revisar a literatura a cerca das principais causas de otite externa e média e as principais formas de tratamento, buscando maior entendimento sobre as otites em cães. O conhecimento atualizado por meio dos médicos veterinários é fundamental, instituindo-se uma correta e eficiente terapia os animais, diminuindo assim as resistências farmacológicas.  

Neurostimulation Combined With Cognitive Intervention in Alzheimer’s Disease (NeuroAD): Study Protocol of Double-Blind, Randomized, Factorial Clinical Trial

Despite advances in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), there is currently no prospect of a cure, and evidence shows that multifactorial interventions can benefit patients. A promising therapeutic alternative is the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) simultaneously with cognitive intervention. The combination of these non-pharmacological techniques is apparently a safe and accessible approach. This study protocol aims to compare the efficacy of tDCS and cognitive intervention in a double-blind, randomized and factorial clinical trial. One hundred participants diagnosed with mild-stage AD will be randomized to receive both tDCS and cognitive intervention, tDCS, cognitive intervention, or placebo. The treatment will last 8 weeks, with a 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be the improvement of global cognitive functions, evaluated by the AD Assessment Scale, cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog). The secondary outcomes will include measures of functional, affective, and behavioral components, as well as a neurophysiological marker (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF). This study will enable us to assess, both in the short and long term, whether tDCS is more effective than the placebo and to examine the effects of combined therapy (tDCS and cognitive intervention) and isolated treatments (tDCS vs. cognitive intervention) on patients with AD.Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02772185—May 5, 2016

Corneal Stromal Abscess in a Dog

ABSTRACTBackground: The eye is an important sense organ responsible for sight. The cornea is the outermost of many eye layers, being predisposed to several lesions, some of them being frequent in small animal clinics meanwhile others are unusual and seldom reported in specialized literature. The stroma abscess is a common condition in horses, but atypical in dogs, it's a condition in which a microperforation in the corneal epithelium allows microorganisms or a foreign body to penetrate the corneal stroma, and those become inside the cornea after a re-epithelialization, producing an intense inflammatory response. Therefore, this case reports a case of deep stromal abscess in a Shih Tzu dog.Case: A 4-year-old female Shih Tzu, weighing 4.6 kg, was submitted to ophthalmic examination in which the left eye presented an opaque yellowish-white protruding structure located on the right side, in the center of the cornea (3 o´clock position), bulbar and palpebral conjunctival hyperemia and congestion, chemosis, blepharospasm, and a moderate amount of mucous discharge. The clinical diagnosis was stromal abscess with reflex uveitis. A differential diagnosis should include conditions affecting the anterior part of the cornea, such as an epithelial inclusion cyst and a corneal ulcer. The inclusion cyst, contrarily to the corneal abscess, doesn't cause pain, meanwhile, the corneal ulcer was ruled out by the Fluorescein Staining Test. The recommended treatment was surgical, through lamellar keratectomy, followed by overlapping pedicled conjunctival graft and third eyelid flap. In association with the surgical treatment, oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and opioids, plus topical antibiotics and autologous serum eye drop. Seventy days post-surgery, the previously observed inflammatory signs were no longer present. In the conjunctival graft insertion site perpetuated a scar leucoma with few blood vessels. The therapy was proven effective in solving the stromal abscess and in visual maintenance. Despite the located opacity due to leucoma, it barely causes any impairment, once its lateral position won't impact the central vision, which is more important to predator species than the peripheral vision.Discussion: Stromal abscess is a pathological condition in which an initial perforating corneal injury leads to a rupture of the epithelial barrier, allowing the access of bacterial, fungus, or foreign bodies of organic nature. The morbidity is more frequent in horses, but this report shows that although uncommon, stromal abscesses can occur in dogs. The diagnosis was achieved by an analysis of the clinical history and findings. Conditions that affect the anterior cornea must be among differential diagnoses. Treatment aims for the removal of infectious material with debridement and curetting of the stroma, by performing the lamellar keratoplasty technique, which produces a corneal wound. The implementation of a pedicled conjunctival graft allows, the influx of growth factors, active replication of stromal collagen by fibroblasts, and direct arrival of antibiotics through the blood supply to the exposed portion of the cornea.  The third eyelid flap is questioned by some authors, once it complicates the post-op follow up, and hinder the topical therapy from directly reaching the eye surface. Autologous serum: A blood-derived product often used to control corneal melting. The Federal Medicine Board determined that autologous serum eyedrops therapy has been scientifically proven effective, being used worldwide in the treatment of severe eye surface conditions. In Veterinary, studies also demonstrated that autologous serum can improve improve the corneal re-epithelialization in dogs.   Keywords: autologous serum, keratectomy, ophthalmology, veterinary.Título: Abscesso estromal em córnea de cãoDescritores: soro autólogo, ceratectomia, oftalmologia, veterinária

Dermatite atópica canina: Estudo de caso

A dermatite atópica canina é uma das dermatopatias alérgicas mais comuns em cães que tem origem genética e é de caráter inflamatório crônico, recorrente e demasiadamente pruriginosa. Os animais tornam-se sensibilizados a antígenos ambientais como a poeira doméstica, ácaros e pólen de flores. Em virtude de seu caráter genético, não possui cura clínica, mas é passível de controle. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento das fichas dos atendimentos clínicos de cães diagnosticados com dermatite atópica na Clínica de Medicina Veterinária do Centro Universitário de Formiga, entre os anos de 2010 a 2015.Durante esse período foram realizados 1708 atendimentos e destes, 33 (1,93%) cães foram diagnosticados com dermatite atópica. Neste estudo, 22 (66,67%) dos cães eram de raça definida e quanto ao sexo, 22 (66,67%) fêmeas. Por se tratar de doença altamente pruriginosa, faz-se necessário seu rápido diagnóstico e tratamento para proporcionar melhor qualidade de vida ao animal e seus proprietários

DIVERTICULITE COMPLICADA (HINCHEY 1B)

<p>Através da camada muscular do cólon, que os divertículos colônicos são herniações não complicadas da mucosa e da submucosa colônica. Quando com o tempo ocorrem essas modificações são definidos falsos divertículos ou pseudodivertículos, já que não envolvem todas as camadas da parede dos cólons, pois se envolvessem, seriam chamados de divertículos verdadeiros (KOHL <i>et al.</i>, 2018).</p&gt

Neurostimulation Combined With Cognitive Intervention in Alzheimer’s Disease (NeuroAD): Study Protocol of Double-Blind, Randomized, Factorial Clinical Trial

[EN]Despite advances in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), there is currently no prospect of a cure, and evidence shows that multifactorial interventions can benefit patients. A promising therapeutic alternative is the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) simultaneously with cognitive intervention. The combination of these non-pharmacological techniques is apparently a safe and accessible approach. This study protocol aims to compare the efficacy of tDCS and cognitive intervention in a double-blind, randomized and factorial clinical trial. One hundred participants diagnosed with mild-stage AD will be randomized to receive both tDCS and cognitive intervention, tDCS, cognitive intervention, or placebo. The treatment will last 8 weeks, with a 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be the improvement of global cognitive functions, evaluated by the AD Assessment Scale, cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog). The secondary outcomes will include measures of functional, affective, and behavioral components, as well as a neurophysiological marker (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF). This study will enable us to assess, both in the short and long term, whether tDCS is more effective than the placebo and to examine the effects of combined therapy (tDCS and cognitive intervention) and isolated treatments (tDCS vs. cognitive intervention) on patients with AD

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data