[Effect of a multimodal pain management protocol and age on wound healing after thermal disbudding of female German Holstein calves]. / Einfluss eines multimodalen Schmerz­managements sowie des Alters zum Zeitpunkt des Eingriffes auf die Wundheilung nach thermischer Zerstörung der Hornanlage bei weiblichen Deutsch-Holstein-Kälbern.

INTRODUCTION: Hot-iron disbudding of calves is a stressful and painful procedure and leaves a burn wound. Pain management procedures and the effects of hot-iron disbudding on biochemical markers of pain perception and stress response have been widely investigated in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of pain management and age of the calf on the healing of burn wounds caused by disbudding. 327 healthy female German Holstein calves were included in this randomised, triple-blinded, prospective study. Calves were either disbudded at the age of four to 10 or 15 to 28 days using a gas-powered hot iron. Each calf was randomly allocated to one of nine possible treatment groups (BG). All calves received either the active ingredients to be tested (xylazine hydrochloride with 0.2 or 0.05 mg / kg body mass (BM) intramuscular for sedation, procaine hydrochloride (2 %) each 8 ml locally on both sides subcutaneously (SC) to the cornual nerves, meloxicam with 0,5 mg / kg BM SC for anti-inflammatory purposes) or an identical amount of saline solution (placebo). Calves in the group `thermE` and `ScheinE` received only placebo. In group `ScheinE` disbudding was simulated and in `thermE` it was carried out. The calves were clinically monitored starting one day before and ending 28 days after the procedure and the burn wounds were assessed. Both the rectal temperature and parameters of wound healing changed significantly during the study period and had characteristic profiles over time. Wound healing was not influenced by the different analgesic protocols, indicating that a multimodal analgesia does not pose a risk for wound healing after thermal disbudding. There were no observed differences between the age groups. The results of this study show, that disbudding of young calves and a multimodal pain management protocol does not affect wound healing in calves.

INTRODUCTION: L'ébourgeonnage thermique des veaux est une procédure stressante et douloureuse qui laisse une brûlure. Les procédures de gestion de la douleur et les effets de l'ébourgeonnage thermique sur les marqueurs biochimiques de la perception de la douleur et de la réponse au stress ont été largement étudiés ces dernières années. Le but de cette étude était d'étudier les effets potentiels de la gestion de la douleur et de l'âge du veau sur la cicatrisation des brûlures causées par l'ébourgeonnage. 327 veaux Holstein allemands femelles en bonne santé ont été inclus dans cette étude prospective randomisée en triple aveugle. Les veaux ont été soit ébourgeonnés à l'âge de 4 à 10 jours ou de 15 à 28 jours à l'aide d'un thermocautère à gaz. Chaque veau a été réparti au hasard dans l'un des neuf groupes de traitement possibles (BG). Tous les veaux ont reçu soit les principes actifs à tester (chlorhydrate de xylazine à 0,2 ou 0,05 mg/kg de masse corporelle (BM) par voie intramusculaire pour sédation, chlorhydrate de procaïne (2 %) 8 ml localement des deux côtés par voie sous-cutanée (SC) jusqu'aux nerfs cornuaux , méloxicam à 0,5 mg/kg de masse corporelle SC à visée anti-inflammatoire) ou une quantité identique de solution saline (placebo). Les veaux du groupe « thermE ¼ et « ScheinE ¼ ont reçu uniquement un placebo. Dans le groupe

Loxosceles spider bites in the state of Paraná, Brazil: 1993-2000

This study presents the epidemiological analysis of 20,699 reported spider bites involving the Loxosceles genus in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 1993 to 2000. The incidence rate in the period was 290.24/100,000 inhabitants. The results show that 95.04 percent of the accidents occurred in two Health Regions of the state: greater metropolitan Curitiba (92.9 percent) and Irati (2.14 percent). The major incidence was recorded in greater metropolitan Curitiba (559.1/100,000). Loxosceles bites were more frequent in females (61 percent) than in males. Antivenin therapy was not necessary in 95.4 percent (19,662) of the cases. From the cases in which information about the time elapsed between the bite and medical treatment was recorded (9,679), 31.8 percent received treatment from 6 to 48 hours after the bite. Among the cases with severity rate recorded (12,096), 2.1 percent were severe, 50.4 percent moderate, and 47.4 percent mild. Seven deaths from Loxosceles bites were recorded, corresponding to a fatality rate of 0.03 percent.

Metronidazole to prevent preterm delivery in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Network of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis has been associated with preterm birth. In clinical trials, the treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women who previously had a preterm delivery reduced the risk of recurrence. METHODS: To determine whether treating women in a general obstetrical population who have asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (as diagnosed on the basis of vaginal Gram's staining and pH) prevents preterm delivery, we randomly assigned 1953 women who were 16 to less than 24 weeks pregnant to receive two 2-g doses of metronidazole or placebo. The diagnostic studies were repeated and a second treatment was administered to all the women at 24 to less than 30 weeks' gestation. The primary outcome was the rate of delivery before 37 weeks' gestation. RESULTS: Bacterial vaginosis resolved in 657 of 845 women who had follow-up Gram's staining in the metronidazole group (77.8 percent) and 321 of 859 women in the placebo group (37.4 percent). Data on the time and characteristics of delivery were available for 953 women in the metronidazole group and 966 in the placebo group. Preterm delivery occurred in 116 women in the metronidazole group (12.2 percent) and 121 women in the placebo group (12.5 percent) (relative risk, 1.0; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.8 to 1.2). Treatment did not prevent preterm deliveries that resulted from spontaneous labor (5.1 percent in the metronidazole group vs. 5.7 percent in the placebo group) or spontaneous rupture of the membranes (4.2 percent vs. 3.7 percent), nor did it prevent delivery before 32 weeks (2.3 percent vs. 2.7 percent). Treatment with metronidazole did not reduce the occurrence of preterm labor, intraamniotic or postpartum infections, neonatal sepsis, or admission of the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women does not reduce the occurrence of preterm delivery or other adverse perinatal outcomes.

Emissivity measurements of reflective surfaces at near-millimeter wavelengths.

We have developed an instrument for directly measuring the emissivity of reflective surfaces at near-millimeter wavelengths. The thermal emission of a test sample is compared with that of a reference surface, allowing the emissivity of the sample to be determined without heating. The emissivity of the reference surface is determined by one's heating the reference surface and measuring the increase in emission. The instrument has an absolute accuracy of Δε = 5 × 10(-4) and can reproducibly measure a difference in emissivity as small as Δε = 10(-4) between flat reflective samples. We have used the instrument to measure the emissivity of metal films evaporated on glass and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composite surfaces. We measure an emissivity of (2.15 ± 0.4) × 10(-3) for gold evaporated on glass and (2.65 ± 0.5) × 10(-3) for aluminum evaporated on carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composite.

Effect of perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection on neurodevelopment in children during the first two years of life.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the timing, extent, and magnitude of neurodevelopmental problems in children with perinatal HIV infection compared to similar uninfected children of HIV-infected women and controls. METHODS: Neurodevelopmental assessments during the first 24 months of life for 21 HIV-infected children born to HIV-infected mothers, 65 seroreverted children born to HIV-infected mothers, and 95 non-HIV-infected children born to non-HIV-infected mothers were analyzed. Neurodevelopment was assessed by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development beginning at 3 months of age. Kent Scoring Adaptation was also utilized. A two-stage Hierarchical Linear Model was used for analysis of neurodevelopmental scores. RESULTS: In the initial comparison of these three groups, infected children had significantly lower scores on the Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) than the other two groups. The HIV-infected children were further classified into HIV-infected without Centers for Disease Control-defined AIDS, those with lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) only as their AIDS-defining illness, and children with an AIDS-defining diagnosis other than LIP in the first 24 months. The children with LIP-only AIDS and the infected children without AIDS on average were not significantly different from the seroreverters or the controls on MDI or PDI, while the children with non-LIP AIDS had significantly lower scores after 3 months of age. Analysis of the Kent scores indicated that the decrement in the non-LIP AIDS children was seen in all five functional domains. CONCLUSION: Children with serious HIV symptomatology appear to be at very high risk for serious developmental impairments, HIV-infected children not highly symptomatic have relatively normal neurodevelopment, and uninfected children of HIV-infected mothers do not appear to be adversely affected by the mother's HIV infection.

A private red cell antigen, Jones, causing haemolytic disease of the newborn.

Two previously unpublished low-incidence antigens, Jones and Hol., are identical. The antigen is a dominant, autosomally inherited character that segregates independently from the loci for the ABO, MNS, Duffy and Yt blood group systems and is different from previously published infrequent antigens. The antigen is apparently unaffected by enzyme treatment and is well developed on red cells of neonates. The antibody reacts best by indirect antiglobulin testing, is IgG and has caused haemolytic disease of the newborn. This private blood group antigen, named Jones, has been assigned the ISBT number 700047.

Sentence comprehension strategies in children with autism and specific language disorders.

Two groups of children with language disorders--one group with autism and one with relatively specific language impairment (LI)--and two groups of normal children matched to the disordered groups for mental and receptive language age were asked to act out a series of sentences. Half the experimental sentences were in active voice, and half were the same sentences given in passive voice. Within each set, events described in the sentences were probable, neutral, or improbable. Results revealed that the autistic group made little use of a semantically based probable event strategy for acting out sentences, but were likely to use a syntactically based word order strategy. The LI group was no more likely than the autistic group to use the semantic strategy, and was equally likely to use word order. Both groups resembled normals matched for receptive language age.

Changes in apolipoprotein and lipids in patients after surgery.

Plasma levels of apoproteins A-I, A-II and B and apoprotein/lipid ratios were determined in 43 patients (14 male and 29 female) on the second to the sixth day after gastrointestinal surgery. During this period, all the patients received i. v. 5% dextrose solutions only. Apoprotein levels (A-I, A-II and B), total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and phospholipid were significantly decreased after surgery but there was no sex differences. Patients undergoing major surgery showed much lower values than the ones undergoing minor surgery. Both the extent of the trauma and the caloric restriction resulting from sole carbohydrate intravenous feeding may be responsible for these changes. Decreased hepatic synthesis combined to a lack of intestinal supply might result in apo A-I and A-II reduction. Repeated determinations of apoprotein levels are proposed as simple means of follow-up for evaluating the degree of recovery of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Plasma levels of apolipoproteins A-I, A-II and B in alcoholism. Relation to the degree of histological liver damage, and to liver function tests.

In 101 alcoholic patients, plasma apolipoproteins A-I, A-II and B, and lipids were studied in relation to liver function tests, albumin and bilirubin. As compared with controls, the entire population revealed a slight increase in triglycerides, transaminases and bilirubin, and a marked increase in gamma glutamyl transferase. The population was divided into 3 groups according to histological liver microscopy: no lesion, steatosis and cirrhosis. In group 1, apo A-I, A-II and HDL-C were significantly increased. In steatosis, apo A-I, apo A-II and HDL-C had almost normal levels. In cirrhosis, the 3 parameters were significantly decreased, but the apo A-I/apo A-II ratio was increased in relation to the predominant decrease in apo A-II. Liver enzymes were not discriminative, not even gamma GT, which was increased in all 3 groups. Apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were insensitive to the degree of hepatic involvement, but a low apo A-I/B ratio might be indicative of a cardiovascular risk. It is suggested that apoproteins and their ratios be used as new markers for the degree of alcoholic intoxication and the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Diagnosis of cryptococcal osteomyelitis by fine needle aspiration cytology a case report.

An unexpected cryptococcal infection in a patient with a history of multiple neoplasms was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology as a solitary rib lesion. Speciation of the organism was confirmed by histochemical stains and culture of the aspirated material. This case reemphasizes the value of fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with suspected or proven malignancies.