Avaliação termográfica do desenvolvimento mamário de búfalas e sua regulação endócrina em distintos estágios fisiológicos / Thermographic evaluation of the mammary development of buffaloes and their endocrine regulation in different physiological stages

O conhecimento do desenvolvimento mamário de um rebanho leiteiro é fundamental, pois relaciona-se à eficiência produtiva. Objetivou-se avaliar a associação dos parâmetros térmicos mamários com concentrações hormonais de búfalas em distintos estágios fisiológicos. Foram utilizadas 24 búfalas mestiças Murrah, em quatro grupos (n= 6): grupo 1 (bezerras), grupo 2 (novilhas), grupo 3 (gestantes) e grupo 4 (lactantes). A cada 28 dias, durante 4 meses, realizaram-se exames de termografia digital por infravermelho para verificar temperatura superficial dos corpos mamários craniais (CMCr) e caudais (CMC), das cisternas craniais (CGMCr) e caudais (CGMC) e tetas craniais (TGMCr) e caudais (TGMC). Foi aferida temperatura retal (TR) e colhido sangue para mensuração das concentrações plasmáticas do fator semelhante a insulina tipo-I, insulina (INS), hormônio do crescimento (GH), progesterona (P4) e estradiol. Grupos 1 e 2 apresentaram correlação de TR com CGMCr. No grupo 3, TR correlacionou-se com TGMCr, TGMC e concentrações plasmáticas de P4. No grupo 4, houve correlação de TR com CGMC, TGMCr e concentrações plasmáticas de INS e GH, e de TGMC com concentrações plasmáticas de GH. Nos quatro grupos, CGMCr correlacionou-se com CMCr e TGMCr, semelhantemente ao observado na porção caudal. Variações térmicas mamárias refletiram alterações fisiológicas aguardadas nos períodos avaliados.(AU)

The knowledge of the mammary development of a dairy herd is key, since it is related to its productive efficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of mammary thermal parameters with hormonal concentrations of buffaloes at different physiological stages. Twenty-four Murrah crossbred buffaloes were used in four groups (n= 6): group 1 (calves), group 2 (heifers), group 3 (pregnant animals) and group 4 (lactating animals). Every 28 days, for 4 months, infrared digital thermography was performed to check the surface temperature of cranial (CrCM) and caudal (CCM) corpus mammae, cranial (CrC) and caudal (CC) cisterns and cranial (CrT) and caudal teats (CT). Rectal temperature (RT) was measured and blood was collected to measure plasma concentrations of insulin-like factor I, insulin (INS), growth hormone (GH), progesterone (P4) and estradiol. Groups 1 and 2 presented correlation of RT with CrC. In group 3, RT correlated with CrT, CT and plasma P4 concentrations. In group 4, there was correlation of RT with CC, CrT and plasma concentrations of INS and GH, and CT with plasma GH concentrations. In all four groups, CrC correlated with CrCM and CrT, similar to that observed in the caudal portion. The thermal changes in the mammary glands reflected the expected physiological changes in the evaluated periods.(AU)

Statistical analysis of healthy and malignant breast thermography.

Analysis of thermograms has often been subjective and has resulted in inconsistency in the diagnosis of breast diseases by thermography. The aim of this paper is to study the problem of subjective interpretation of breast thermograms and hence using thermography as an adjunct tool for breast cancer diagnosis. It ws proposed that the thermograms should be taken within the recommended screening period, classified and analysed in conjunction with an artificial neural network (ANN). Qualitative interpretation of thermal images can be carried out using an active contours algorithm. The 256 x 200 pixel image can be segmented as one of the inputs to the ANN. To achieve quantitative analysis of the breast thermograms, firstly the inputs of the ANN should be determined, so that the thermograms could be successfuly classified and based on the suggested inputs.

Literature survey on biomedical applications of thermography.

Thermography is a noninvasive technique through which temperatures are monitored and recorded, thereby allowing visualization of heat flow. There are three types of thermography: liquid crystal thermography (LCT), infrared thermography (IRT) and microwave thermography (MWT). This paper presents a survey of the literature pertinent to the biomedical applications of these types of thermography. The noninvasive and high resolution characteristics of the thermographic systems make them valuable diagnostic as well as therapeutic aids. Typical research areas include detection of blood flow, diagnosis of joint inflammation and cancer, thermal modeling of various body parts, and use in reproductive problems. The survey discloses that thermography has found applications in various fields in medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry.