Wrist Ultrasound Analysis Of Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

In the present study, we evaluated 42 wrists using the semi-quantitative scales power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) and gray scale ultrasound (GSUS) with scores ranging from 0 to 3 and correlated the results with clinical, laboratory and radiographic data. Twenty-one patients (17 women and 4 men) with rheumatoid arthritis according to criteria of the American College of Rheumatology were enrolled in the study from September 2008 to July 2009 at Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). The average disease duration was 14 months. The patients were 66.6% Caucasians and 33.3% non-Caucasians, with a mean age of 42 and 41 years, respectively. A dorsal longitudinal scan was performed by ultrasound on the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints using GE LOGIQ XP-linear ultrasound and a high frequency (8-10 MHz) transducer. All patients were X-rayed, and the Larsen score was determined for the joints, with grades ranging from 0 to V. This study showed significant correlations between clinical, sonographic and laboratory data: GSUS and swollen right wrist (r = 0.546), GSUS of right wrist and swelling of left wrist (r = 0.511), PDUS of right wrist and pain in left wrist (r = 0.436), PDUS of right wrist and C-reactive protein (r = 0.466). Ultrasound can be considered a useful tool in the diagnosis of synovitis in early rheumatoid arthritis mainly when the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and rheumatoid factor are negative, and can lead to an early change in the therapeutic decision.4411-

Use of Laser Speckle Contrast Analysis during pelvic surgery in a uterine transplantation model

Aim: Uterine transplantation (UTx) is proposed for treatment of uterine factor infertility. Our aim was to assess whether Endoscopic Laser Speckle Contrast Analysis (eLASCA) could evaluate pelvic blood flow at anastomotic sites required for sheep and rabbit UTx. Results/methodology: eLASCA detected blood flow in rabbit UTx #7 and #9. In sheep UTx #2, #3 and #5, the results allowed us to conclude that blood flow was present in the uterine graft following transplantation; and post-UTx, the animal had heart and respiratory rates, and oxygen saturation compatible with a normal hemodynamic status. Conclusion: These preliminary results establish the potential of Laser Speckle Contrast Analysis as noncontact and real-time tool for observation of spatially-resolved blood flow from which other parameters can be derived

Controls on Microbial and Oolitic Carbonate Sedimentation and Stratigraphic Cyclicity Within a Mixed Carbonate-Siliciclastic System: Upper Cambrian Wilberns Formation, Llano Uplift, Mason County, Texas, USA

The upper Cambrian Wilberns Formation in central Texas records deposition on a low-gradient shelf within a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic tidal-flat system that changes offshore to subtidal shelf and open-marine oolitic skeletal shoals with large microbial mounds. Siliciclastic sediment is interpreted to have been delivered to the tidal flat by aeolian processes because of the narrow range in grain size and paucity of clay. Tidal influence is dominant as evidenced by reversing currents and desiccation on the tidal flat, and megaripples with reversing current indicators in offshore shoals. Intraclastic conglomerates were deposited in broad channels on the tidal flats during storm surges. Microbialite deposition is interpreted to be controlled by accommodation favouring amalgamated thin biostromes developed in the tidal flat vs. larger mounds with greater synoptic relief in the offshore, and current energy resulting in preferential elongation of offshore mounds in a NE–SW orientation. Intertidal mounds and biostromes grew in the presence of significant siliciclastic flux and trapped it within their structure, whereas offshore large buildups incorporated little siliciclastic component. Oolite and skeletal grainstone formed in tide agitated shoals associated with large subtidal microbial mounds. Storms extensively recycled and redistributed skeletal and oolitic sands from the offshore shoals across the shelf as thin sand sheets. Spatial mixing of siliciclastic and carbonate sediment occurred across the tidal flat and shelf. Low-frequency and intermediate-frequency stratigraphic cycles were driven by shifts in the shoreline and changes in rate of siliciclastic flux in response to relative sea-level fluctuation. Random facies stacking and the lack of metre-scale cyclicity are interpreted to reflect stratigraphic incompleteness and an episodic signal introduced by storms

Estudo da técnica de denervação da cápsula articular coxofemoral no tratamento da dor em cães com displasia coxofemoral: resultados preliminares

O artigo não apresenta resumo

Germplasm Acquisition and Distribution by CGIAR Genebanks

The international collections of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) hosted by 11 CGIAR Centers are important components of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s global system of conservation and use of PGRFA. They also play an important supportive role in realizing Target 2.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper analyzes CGIAR genebanks’ trends in acquiring and distributing PGRFA over the last 35 years, with a particular focus on the last decade. The paper highlights a number of factors influencing the Centers’ acquisition of new PGRFA to include in the international collections, including increased capacity to analyze gaps in those collections and precisely target new collecting missions, availability of financial resources, and the state of international and national access and benefit-sharing laws and phytosanitary regulations. Factors contributing to Centers’ distributions of PGRFA included the extent of accession-level information, users’ capacity to identify the materials they want, and policies. The genebanks’ rates of both acquisition and distribution increased over the last decade. The paper ends on a cautionary note concerning the potential of unresolved tensions regarding access and benefit sharing and digital genomic sequence information to undermine international cooperation to conserve and use PGRFA

Paternal Body Mass Index (BMI) Is Associated with Offspring Intrauterine Growth in a Gender Dependent Manner

Background: Environmental alternations leading to fetal programming of cardiovascular diseases in later life have been attributed to maternal factors. However, animal studies showed that paternal obesity may program cardio-metabolic diseases in the offspring. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that paternal BMI may be associated with fetal growth. Methods and Results: We analyzed the relationship between paternal body mass index (BMI) and birth weight, ultrasound parameters describing the newborn’s body shape as well as parameters describing the newborns endocrine system such as cortisol, aldosterone, renin activity and fetal glycated serum protein in a birth cohort of 899 father/mother/child triplets. Since fetal programming is an offspring sex specific process, male and female offspring were analyzed separately. Multivariable regression analyses considering maternal BMI, paternal and maternal age, hypertension during pregnancy, maternal total glycated serum protein, parity and either gestational age (for birth weight) or time of ultrasound investigation (for ultrasound parameters) as confounding showed that paternal BMI is associated with growth of the male but not female offspring. Paternal BMI correlated with birth parameters of male offspring only: birth weight; biparietal diameter, head circumference; abdominal diameter, abdominal circumference; and pectoral diameter. Cortisol was likewise significantly correlated with paternal BMI in male newborns only