PURPOSE: The purpose of study was to examine effects of aromatherapy on stress, sleep, nausea and vomiting of women after laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: The participants were 60 women who had laparoscopic hysterectomy: experiment group for aromatherapy (n=30) and control group for routine care (n=30). The experimental group received inhalation aromatherapy for 5 minutes, twice; the first was done right after the operation, the second was at 9 pm before sleep on the same day--while the control group had no inhalation. Data were collected from July to September, 2012 at G hospital. RESULTS: The degree of psychological stress was not significantly different between two groups (t=-1.96, p= .054). Yet, there were significant differences between two groups for degree of physiological stress (t=-3.20, p= .002), the level of cortisol (t=-2.01, p= .049), the score of sleep status (t=2.47, p= .016), the score of sleep satisfaction (t=2.43, p= .018), and the score for nausea and vomiting (t=-2.58, p= .012). CONCLUSION: Inhalation aromatherapy using the mixed oil of lavender, mandarin, and marjoram was effective in decreasing the level of physiological stress, cortisol, and the score for nausea and vomiting, and also allowed the participants to have a better sleep. Therefore, inhalation aromatherapy could be effective in improving the quality of life of these women during recovery.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Aromatherapy* ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hysterectomy* ; Inhalation ; Lavandula ; Nausea* ; Origanum ; Quality of Life ; Stress, Physiological ; Stress, Psychological ; Vomiting*

Evaluation of mandibular lymph nodes in a patient with head and neck cancer is important for stage determination and prognosis development, and, in human medicine, the use of sonoelastography for differentiating between non-metastatic and metastatic lymph nodes has been reported. Our prospective, cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of strain elastography and to determine elastographic cut-off values for predicting malignancy. Sixty-six mandibular lymph nodes were included (clinical healthy, n = 45; non-metastatic, n = 8; and metastatic, n = 13). Elastographic images were evaluated qualitatively (elastographic pattern) and semi-quantitatively (mean hue histogram and stiffness area ratios). Elastographic patterns were classified as grades 1 to 4, according to the percentage of high elasticity determined by visualization. The mean hue histogram was defined based on as the mean pixel color values within the lymph node. Stiffness area ratios were determined by computer program analysis of the stiff area. Among the criteria, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed cut-off values for the prediction of malignancy of 92.26 for mean hue histogram (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 92%), and 0.17 for stiffness area ratios (sensitivity: 86%, specificity of 100%). Reproducibility and repeatability were excellent. In conclusion, semi-quantitative evaluation via strain elastography holds potential for predicting lymph node malignancy.
Animals ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dogs ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The purpose of this study was to verify whether small intestinal peristalsis could be observed and quantitatively assessed using pulsed-Doppler ultrasound. Pulsed-Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate small intestinal peristalsis after a meal in ten normal dogs and ten sedated dogs. The small intestinal peristalses were measured 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours after a 24-hour fast and after feeding. The number of small intestinal peristalsis were 0.133/min, 0.100/min, 0.033/min, 0.167/min, 0.070/min, 0.067/min, and 0.100/min in the fasted dogs, and 1.667/ min, 0.933/min, 1.133/min, 1.234/min, 1.933/min, 1.533/ min, and 0.533/min in fed dogs, respectively. In the dogs sedated with xylazine HCl, the number of small intestinal peristalsis was significantly reduced (p<0.01). However, in the dogs treated with ketamine HCl and acepromazine, the number of small intestinal peristalsis remained unchanged. Therefore, it can be concluded that pulsed-Doppler ultrasound allows graphic visualization of the intestinal movements, which can be subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis, and may be suitable for a non-invasive study of small intestinal motility.
Acepromazine/pharmacology ; Animals ; Dogs ; Dopamine Antagonists/pharmacology ; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/pharmacology ; *Gastrointestinal Motility/drug effects ; Intestine, Small/drug effects/*physiology/ultrasonography ; Ketamine/pharmacology ; Peristalsis/drug effects/*physiology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed/methods/*veterinary

This study evaluated pulsed TDI variables including the isovolumic time interval and duration of the major wave in a population of large healthy dogs. Longitudinal myocardial motion at the septal mitral annulus was evaluated with pulsed TDI in 45 healthy adult dogs. Maximal myocardial velocities, isovolumic time intervals, and duration of the myocardial waves were measured. The correlation between time intervals and velocity variables was also investigated. The mean maximal systolic velocity was 6.92 +/- 1.78 cm/sec, the mean early diastolic velocity (Em) was 6.58 +/- 1.81 cm/sec, the mean late diastolic velocity (Am) was 5.10 +/- 2.00 cm/sec, the mean isovolumic contraction time (IVCT) was 53.61 +/- 95.13 msec, and the mean isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) was 26.74 +/- 57.24 msec. The early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E)/Em ratio was 10.94 +/- 3.27 while the Em/Am ratio was 1.40 +/- 0.40. There was a negative correlation between Am duration and Am amplitude, and a positive correlation between the IVRT and Em/Am ratio (p < 0.05). The normal LV parameter using pulsed TDI method could be used as the reference range for identifying myocardial dysfunction in dogs.
Animals ; Dogs/*anatomy & histology ; Female ; Heart Ventricles/*ultrasonography ; Male ; Mitral Valve/*ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed/methods/*veterinary

A 1-year-old male Persian cat was presented for castration. Liver incarcerated in a peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH) was diagnosed through pre-anesthetic tests. Multiple homogeneous hyperechoic nodules in the hepatic parenchyma were identified using ultrasound. The nodules showed decreased attenuation compared with normal hepatic parenchyma, and the herniated hepatic parenchyma showed increased arterial and decreased portal enhancement on computed tomography. From the histopathology, we diagnosed hydropic degeneration with portal fibrosis and myelolipoma. This report presents diagnostic imaging features of hepatic myelolipoma incarcerated in a PPDH in a cat. When perfusion of the hepatic parenchyma is altered, surgical treatment should be considered.

Barium suspension, oral iodine contrast medium and water were applied in eight dogs to evaluate (1) distension of gastrointestinal tract, (2) the effect of the oral contrast media on the identification of the pancreas from surrounding organs, and (3) image quality and the presence of artifacts in canine pancreas computed tomography (CT) images. Oral iodine contrast medium, gastrografin, produced significant artifacts that deteriorated the CT images of the pancreas. The use of water did not provide the fullness of the gastrointestinal lumens. Barium suspension was effective for the identification of the pancreas from the surrounding gastrointestinal tract, without significantly increasing image noise. Barium suspension can be used as an optimal contrast medium that will not cause an adverse effect on the pancreatic density and image quality.
Animals ; Artifacts ; Barium ; Contrast Media ; Diatrizoate Meglumine ; Dogs ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Iodine ; Noise ; Pancreas ; Water

The purpose of this study was to investigate the consumption status and perception of soy meat among university students and to compare their sensory evaluations of commercial meatballs and soy meatballs. The subjects were students at a university who were grouped into those majoring in food and nutrition and those not majoring in the subject. The results of the two groups were compared. The main sources through which the students became aware of meat analogs were examined. The food and nutrition major students were about three times more likely to learn about meat analogs through ‘education’, and those not majoring in the subject were about four times more likely to learn about them from the social media (P＜0.01). The most common reason for having tried soy meat was 'curiosity' and that for not eating it was ‘no opportunity’. Without significant differences between groups, the most common answer for questions relating to the product that they had eaten was ‘Ramen flakes’ (30.5%) and the most common answer for the routes for eating the product was in the order of: ‘restaurants’ (36.6%)＞school lunches (24.9%)＞large and medium-sized supermarkets (22.8%). The most common answer to the question inviting suggestions on ‘improvement points to promote the consumption of soy meat’ was ‘taste’(19.2%), followed by ‘product promotion’ and ‘reasonable price’. About half of the subjects failed to differentiate the soy meatballs from regular meatballs before the sensory test and 21.3% after that. The difference in the sensory test scores of the two types of meatballs with respect to ‘texture’ was significantly higher for the major students than for the non-major students (P＜0.05). These results could provide basic information that could enable the promotion of soy meat.

The height, width, and cross-sectional area of the vertebral canal and spinal cord along with the area ratio of spinal cord to vertebral canal in the cervical vertebra were evaluated in images obtained using computed tomography (CT). Measurements were taken at the cranial, middle, and caudal point of each cervical vertebra in eight clinically normal small breed dogs (two shih tzu, two miniature schnauzers, and four mixed breed), 10 beagles, and four German shepherds. CT myelography facilitated the delineation of the epidural space, subarachnoid space, and spinal cord except at the caudal portion of the 7th cervical vertebra. The spinal cord had a tendency to have a clear ventral border in the middle portion of the vertebral canal and lateral borders near both end plates. The height, width, and area of the vertebral canal and spinal cord in the cervical vertebra were increased as the size of dog increased. However, the ratio of the spinal cord area to vertebral canal area in the small dogs was higher than that of the larger dogs. Results of the present study could provide basic and quantitative information for CT evaluation of pathologic lesions in the cervical vertebra and spinal cord.
Animals ; Body Size ; Cervical Vertebrae/*anatomy & histology/radiography ; Dogs/*anatomy & histology/growth & development ; Reference Values ; Spinal Canal/*anatomy & histology/radiography ; Spinal Cord/*anatomy & histology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*veterinary

The bronchoarterial (BA) ratio measured with computed tomography is widely used in human medicine to diagnose bronchial dilation or collapse. Although use of the BA ratio in veterinary medicine has been recently studied, this has not been evaluated in brachycephalic dogs predisposed to bronchial diseases including bronchial collapse. The purpose of this study was to establish BA ratios for brachycephalic dogs and compare the values with those of non-brachycephalic dogs. Twenty-three brachycephalic dogs and 15 non-brachycephalic dogs without clinical pulmonary disease were evaluated. The BA ratio of the lobar bronchi in the left and right cranial as well as the right middle, left, and right caudal lung lobes was measured. No significant difference in mean BA ratio was observed between lung lobes or the individual animals (p = 0.148). The mean BA ratio was 1.08 +/- 0.10 (99% CI = 0.98~1.18) for brachycephalic dogs and 1.51 +/- 0.05 (99% CI = 1.46~1.56) for the non-brachycephalic group. There was a significant difference between the mean BA ratios of the brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic groups (p = 0.00). Defining the normal limit of the BA ratio for brachycephalic breeds may be helpful for diagnosing bronchial disease in brachycephalic dogs.
Animals ; Bronchial Arteries/*anatomy & histology ; Craniosynostoses/pathology/radiography/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/pathology/*radiography ; Dogs ; Female ; Lung Diseases/etiology/*veterinary ; Male ; Reference Values ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*veterinary

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) was carried out to determine the resistive index (RI) values of normal canine cerebral arteries and its reproducibility and to evaluate the change of cerebral vascular resistance following diuretics administration. RI values of rostral cerebral artery (RCA) were compared between fontanelle window and temporal window. Normal ranges and reproducibility of the RI values were examined in the rostal cerebral artery (RCA) and caudal cerebral artery (CCA). And after administration of diuretics, TCD-derived RI values were measured at RCA and CCA. Cerebral vascular RI values of RCA and CCA were 0.55 +/- 0.05 and 0.55 +/- 0.03 in the normal dogs, respectively. There was no significant difference of RI between male and female; between fontanelle window and temporal window. Reproducibility of RI measurements between intraobserver and interobserver were relatively high. The RI of RCA and CCA were significantly increased 15 minutes after mannitol administration (p<0.01) and returned to baseline values by 30 minutes, but it did not significantly change after furosemide and saline administration. The results suggest that TCD is a useful test which can obtain reproducible results from any window and has the advantage of detecting subtle changes in cerebral vascular resistance.
Animals ; Cerebral Arteries/drug effects/*ultrasonography ; Diuretics/pharmacology ; Dogs/*physiology ; Feasibility Studies ; Furosemide/pharmacology ; Mannitol/pharmacology ; Reference Values ; Reproducibility of Results ; Ultrasonography, Doppler/*veterinary ; Vascular Resistance/drug effects/*physiology