Evaluation of Two Training Methods for Teaching the Abdominal Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma Technique (A-FAST) to First- and Second-Year Veterinary Students.

Ultrasound techniques, including focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examinations, are commonly used in veterinary practice, making inclusion of ultrasound in veterinary curricula increasingly important. The best approach for teaching ultrasound techniques in veterinary medicine has not been evaluated. This study compared the results of two training techniques, live-animal training and online video instruction, on students' performance during abdominal FAST (A-FAST) examinations. Thirty-eight first- and second-year veterinary students were randomly assigned to learn A-FAST via a live-animal laboratory or an instructional video. The live-animal group received one-on-one instruction in A-FAST techniques during a single laboratory. The video group received a link to an instructional video demonstrating A-FAST techniques, allowing unlimited viewing opportunities over a two-week period. Both groups were also provided written instructional information. All participants were assessed on their ability to find and correctly name the four A-FAST quadrants on a live animal. We found a significant difference between the two groups in the students' ability to identify the diaphragmatic-hepatic (DH) view, but for the other three views (hepatorenal, splenorenal, and cystocolic), training method did not affect performance. Results suggest the potential for using a multi-modal instructional approach to teach ultrasound techniques to veterinary students.

A method to design a fast chaotic oscillator using CCTA.

This article introduces a novel method for designing a fast chaotic oscillator using a CCTA (Current Conveyor Transconductance Amplifier) based on Chua's circuit. The proposed method uses innovative configurations and advanced simulation techniques to overcome challenges in high-speed operation, nonlinear dynamics, and Analog Building Block (ABB) selection. The design begins with nonlinear negative resistance, essential for Chua's diode characteristics, including two negative resistances, NR1 and NR2. The circuit integrates one CCTA block, two grounded capacitors, two fixed resistors, one inductor, and one potentiometer. It is simulated using PSPICE with IC (Integrated Circuit) macro-models and 180nm CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology. Various chaotic waveforms and attractors are produced, validating the theoretical and mathematical predictions. By varying the resistance values (1450Ω, 1650Ω, 1800Ω, 1950Ω), the circuit exhibits different chaotic behaviors, such as large limit cycles, double-scroll attractors, Rossler-type attractors, and I-periodic attractors. FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis confirms the highest dominant operating frequency of 37.5MHz. A Monte Carlo simulation with 100 runs shows maximum voltage variations in the chaotic waveforms of 5.21 % and 4.61 % across the capacitors, demonstrating robustness and reliability. This design offers significant advancements in implementing high-frequency chaotic oscillators, with potential applications in various fields requiring chaotic signal generation.•A novel design of Chua's diode and Chua's chaotic oscillator using only one CCTA block is presented in this paper.•The proposed chaotic oscillator achieves the highest operating frequency of 37.5MHz.•The proposed circuit is simulated using commercially available ICs (MAX435 and AD844) and CMOS 180nm technology in PSPICE to confirm its workability.

Sedation with dexmedetomidine is associated with transient gallbladder wall thickening and peritoneal effusion in some dogs undergoing abdominal ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine often is used for sedation before or during abdominal ultrasonography. The effect of dexmedetomidine on gallbladder wall thickness is unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between dexmedetomidine administration and gallbladder wall thickening in dogs. The hypothesis was that sedation with dexmedetomidine will cause transient gallbladder wall thickening. Gallbladder wall thickness will be associated with duration of sedation and recumbency position. ANIMALS: Seventy-nine client owned dogs and 10 healthy research dogs. METHODS: A prospective observational study (n = 79) was used to establish the prevalence of gallbladder wall thickening (> 2.0 mm) after sedation with dexmedetomidine. A randomized, crossover study (n = 10) was used to evaluate the effect of time and recumbency position on the development of gallbladder wall thickening. Linear mixed models were used. RESULTS: The proportion of client-owned dogs that developed gallbladder wall thickening was 24.05% (19/79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.1%-35.0%) with a median dose of dexmedetomidine of 5.0 µg/kg (range, 2.0-12.5 µg/kg). After sedation, the proportion of research dogs that developed gallbladder wall thickening in left lateral (5/10, 50%; 95% CI, 18.7%-81.3%) and dorsal (7/10, 70%; 95% CI, 34.8%-93.3%) recumbency did not differ significantly (P = .45). Gallbladder wall thickening developed within 20 to 40 minutes. Duration of sedation was significantly associated with thickening of the gallbladder wall (P < .001). Five dogs developed 9 instances of peritoneal effusion in both lateral (5) and dorsal (4) recumbency. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Sedation with dexmedetomidine is associated with gallbladder wall thickening (> 2.0 mm) and peritoneal effusion that could be confused with pathologic etiologies.

A fast and sensitive isocratic high performance liquid chromatography method for determination of guaraná (Paullinia cupana) flavan-3-ols.

Most methods for quantification of catechins in guaraná and other food matrices rely on lengthy gradients to resolve all peaks, and the analysis time for one sample is around 45-135 min. The present method is a fast, sensitive and simple HPLC-UV method, with a 16-minute isocratic run that deliver the high throughput needed to process a large number of samples without compromising the analyte stability. This method is suitable for the determination of catechins, procyanidins (up to degree of polymerisation 2) and caffeine in guaraná extracts, in vitro digesta, and Caco-2 cell permeates. The higher sensitivity was achieved by detection at 210 nm, after checking for the absence of interfering substances in the matrices. The method was validated and LODs of 0.019, 0.030, 0.028, 0.030, and 0.043 nmol/mL were achieved for catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2 and caffeine, respectively. Standard recovery at three different concentrations were within 97-109%. Intra- and inter-day variabilities (RSD) were both under 4%. •This is an isocratic HPLC-UV method for the quantification of flavan-3-ols from guaraná (Paullinia cupana), which is 3-8 times faster and >80 times sensitive than previously published methods using UV or diode array detectors.•It is cost-effective as it uses the widely available and affordable UV detector and consumes less solvent due the short analysis time.•With low LODs, fast sample preparation and the short analytical run, this method can be used for the quantification of flavan-3-ols and caffeine in guaraná extracts as well as guaraná in vitro digesta and its Caco-2 permeates.

Management of Rhinophyma with Radio Frequency: Case Series of Three Patients.

Rhinophyma is the most common form of phymatous rosacea, typically seen in men. It may appear de novo (without preceding inflammatory changes) or occur in patients with preexisting papulopustular rosacea. It is characterized by slow, bulbous, reddish-purple, painless enlargement of lower two-third of nose with rugose peau d'orange surface resulting from the enlargement of the sebaceous glands and subcutaneous tissue, which does not resolve spontaneously. Though benign, it causes lot of cosmetic and psychological concern. Commonly used treatment modalities include debulking by surgical excision, electrosurgery, carbon dioxide laser ablation, cryosurgery, or dermabrasion. Here we report a case series of three patients with Grade 3 rosacea as per National Rosacea Society grading, treated by radio frequency with good improvement.

New fast least-squares algorithm for estimating the best-fitting parameters due to simple geometric-structures from gravity anomalies.

A new fast least-squares method is developed to estimate the shape factor (q-parameter) of a buried structure using normalized residual anomalies obtained from gravity data. The problem of shape factor estimation is transformed into a problem of finding a solution of a non-linear equation of the form f(q) = 0 by defining the anomaly value at the origin and at different points on the profile (N-value). Procedures are also formulated to estimate the depth (z-parameter) and the amplitude coefficient (A-parameter) of the buried structure. The method is simple and rapid for estimating parameters that produced gravity anomalies. This technique is used for a class of geometrically simple anomalous bodies, including the semi-infinite vertical cylinder, the infinitely long horizontal cylinder, and the sphere. The technique is tested and verified on theoretical models with and without random errors. It is also successfully applied to real data sets from Senegal and India, and the inverted-parameters are in good agreement with the known actual values.