Early variation of ultrasound halo sign with treatment and relation with clinical features in patients with giant cell arteritis

Objectives To compare the ultrasound characteristics with clinical features, final diagnosis and outcome; and to evaluate the halo size following glucocorticoid treatment in patients with newly diagnosed GCA. Methods Patients with suspected GCA, recruited from an international cohort, had an ultrasound of temporal (TA) and axillary (AX) arteries performed within 7 days of commencing glucocorticoids. We compared differences in clinical features at disease presentation, after 2 weeks and after 6 months, according to the presence or absence of halo sign. We undertook a cross-sectional analysis of the differences in halo thickness using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results A total of 345 patients with 6 months follow-up data were included; 226 (65.5%) had a diagnosis of GCA. Jaw claudication and visual symptoms were more frequent in patients with halo sign (P =0.018 and P =0.003, respectively). Physical examination abnormalities were significantly associated with the presence of ipsilateral halo (P 0.05). However, the presence of halo at baseline failed to predict future ischaemic events occurring during follow-up. Conclusion In newly diagnosed GCA, TA halo is associated with the presence of ischaemic features and its size decreases following glucocorticoid treatment, supporting its early use as a marker of disease activity, in addition to its diagnostic role

Parâmetros de degradabilidade potencial da matéria seca e da proteína bruta das silagens de seis genótipos de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), com e sem tanino no grão, avaliados pela técnica in situ Potential degradability parameters of the dry matter and crude protein of six sorghum silage genotypes (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), with or without tannin on grain, evaluated by in situ technique

Para testar o efeito da presença de tanino no grão sobre os parâmetros de degradabilidade potencial da matéria seca e da proteína bruta de seis genótipos de sorgo para silagem, foi conduzido um experimento utilizando a técnica da degradabilidade in situ. Quatro novilhos canulados no rúmen, alimentados individualmente, duas vezes ao dia ad libitum com feno de Tifton 85, foram utilizados para a incubação de silagens de sorgo no estádio de grão leitoso, pertencentes a seis genótipos: BR 303, BR 304, BR 601e AG 2006 (sem tanino no grão); BR 700 e BR 701 (com tanino). Foram incubadas 5 g de amostra nos tempos de incubação: 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas. O tempo zero (t0) foi utilizado para cálculo da fração solúvel. A presença do tanino reduziu a extensão de degradação da matéria seca e da proteína bruta nas silagens de sorgo BR 700 e BR 701. As degradabilidades potenciais destes nutrientes foram influenciada pelo tanino. Não foi observado efeito depressivo do tanino sobre as taxas de degradação para nenhum nutriente, em nenhuma silagem testada.<br>The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of tannin on grain over potential degradability parameters of the dry matter and crude protein of six sorghum silage genotypes by in situ technique. It was used four crossbred steers, canulated in rumen, fed ad libitum twice at day with a diet comprised by Cynodon dactylon hay. Six sorghum silage genotypes, harvested at milk stage, were incubated in the rumen: BR 303, BR 304, BR 601, and AG 2006 (without tannin on grain); BR 700, and BR 701 (with tannin on grain). Five grams of samples were incubated at times: 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. The time zero (t0) was used to calculate the soluble fraction. Tannin decrease the extent of degradation of dry matter and crude protein of BR 700 and BR 701 sorghum silages. The potential degradabilities of these nutrients were reduced by tannin presence on grain. There was not effect of tannin on degradation rate of the nutrient compounds in anyone tested sorghum silage

Establishment of an anesthetic protocol for semen collection by electroejaculation in six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus Linnaeus, 1758)

ABSTRACT The aim was to verify the effects of different anesthetic protocols used during electroejaculation (EEJ) in six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus). Four sexually matured animals were physically restrained and subjected to semen collection by the EEJ following three treatments: The control group consisted of no use of anesthesia; in the others, the anesthetic combinations xylazine/ketamine/propofol or butorphanol/ ketamine/propofol were administered. For each group, twelve procedures were conducted for EEJ. Semen was evaluated for volume, color, aspect, motility, sperm concentration, morphology, viability, and functional membrane integrity. The highest efficiency (100% ejaculates) was achieved when the control group was used; the xylazine/ketamine/propofol association provided only 11 ejaculates from a total of 12 attempts (91.6% efficiency), while only 4 ejaculates (33% efficiency) were obtained with butorphanol/ketamine/propofol (P<0.05). Both protocols provided rapid induction and relaxation enough to perform the EEJ. In the use of butorphanol/ketamine/propofol, the animals recovered at 16.5±1.5min, a time shorter than in the use of xylazine/ketamine/propofol protocol, 20.7±1.0min (P>0.05). The semen volume and sperm concentration obtained in the use of xylazine/ketamine/propofol association were significantly higher than those verified for butorphanol/ketamine/propofol protocol. In conclusion, the xylazine/ketamine/propofol association is indicated for anesthesia of six-banded armadillos submitted to EEJ