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Objective: To evaluate learning results of critical care physiotherapists participating in a muscle ultrasound (MUS) educational program. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: A custom-made 20-hour MUS course was performed over a 2-week time period, including knobs familiarization, patient positioning, anatomic landmarks, image acquisition, and limb muscle measurements. Participants: Nineteen critical care physiotherapists with little to no prior experience in ultrasound (N=19). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Theoretical knowledge, hands-on skills acquisition, and satisfaction were assessed. Inter- and intrarater reliability on landmarks, thickness, and pennation angle of quadriceps between participants was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Reliability among instructors measured prior to the course was also reported as a reference. Results: The percentage score (mean±SD) of knowledge questionnaires was 69±11 (pre-course), 89±10 (post-course), and 92±9 (hands-on skills). Course satisfaction scores ranged from 90%-100%. Pooled interrater reliability of participants (median ICC [interquartile range]) was good (0.70 [0.59-0.79]) for thickness, moderate (0.47 [0.46-0.92]) for landmarks, and absent (0.00 [0.00-0.05]) for pennation angle and the intrarater reliability was good (0.76 [0.51-0.91]) for thickness and weak (0.35 [0.29-0.52]) for pennation angle. Interrater ICC values for instructors were excellent (0.90) for thickness, good (0.67) for landmarks, and moderate (0.41) for pennation angle and intrarater ICC values were excellent (0.94) for thickness and good (0.75) for pennation angle. Conclusions: Although our sample was quite small and homogeneous, increased theoretical knowledge, high hands-on performance acquisition, and good satisfaction of physiotherapists were observed. Reliability was moderate to excellent for thickness and landmarks and absent to weak for pennation angle. Landmarking and pennation angle remain challenges for physiotherapist training in the application of MUS. Further studies are needed to identify variables that could modify reliability during MUS training.

Background: Caroli disease is a very rare congenital anomaly characterized by non-obstructive saccular or fusiform dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. It is associated with bile stagnation and hepatolithiasis, which explain the recurrent cholangitis and portal hypertension as a consequence of congenital liver fibrosis. Although there are several reports of diagnosis in childhood and adult life, the prenatal diagnosis using conventional 2-D ultrasound is rare, with few reports in the literature., Case: We present a case of a 26-year-old primigravid woman at 24 weeks of gestation which 3-D ultrasound in the rendering mode clearly revealed the enlarged fetal kidneys and the increased abdominal volume, confirming the diagnosis of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. The MRI was essential to the prenatal diagnosis of Caroli disease, identifying the congenital saccular dilations of intrahepatic bile ducts., (Copyright © 2017 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Copaiba oleoresins are used in alternative medicine as anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, and antimicrobial treatments. (-)-Copalic acid (CA) is the major diterpene found in exudates from Copaifera species. We have examined the genotoxicity and the chemopreventive potential of Copaifera multijuga oleoresin (CM) and CA. Genotoxicity assessment was examined with the peripheral blood micronucleus test and the comet assay (male Swiss mouse hepatocytes). In the chemoprevention study, we evaluated the effects of CM and CA on the formation of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in male Wistar rat colon. Neither agent caused a significant increase in micronucleus frequency relative to controls, but the highest CM dose tested (400mg/kg b.w.) caused DNA damage in the comet assay. Both agents significantly reduced the frequency of DMH-induced ACF. Both CM and CA suppressed ACF formation and may have a protective effect against colon carcinogenesis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)