Ultrasound biomicroscopy for the assessment of early-stage nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced in rats by a high-fat diet

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to assess the ability of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) to diagnose the initial stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a rat model. @*Methods@#Eighteen male Wistar rats were allocated to control or experimental groups. A high-fat diet (HFD) with 20% fructose and 2% cholesterol, resembling a common Western diet, was fed to animals in the experimental groups for up to 16 weeks; those in the control group received a regular diet. A 21 MHz UBM system was used to acquire B-mode images at specific times: baseline (T0), 10 weeks (T10), and 16 weeks (T16). The sonographic hepatorenal index (SHRI), based on the average ultrasound image gray-level intensities from the liver parenchyma and right renal cortex, was determined at T0, T10, and T16. The liver specimen histology was classified using the modified Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network NAFLD activity scoring system. @*Results@#The livers in the animals in the experimental groups progressed from sinusoidal congestion and moderate macro- and micro-vesicular steatosis to moderate steatosis and frequent hepatocyte ballooning. The SHRI obtained in the experimental group animals at T10 and T16 was significantly different from the SHRI of pooled control group. No significant difference existed between the SHRI in animals receiving HFD between T10 and T16. @*Conclusion@#SHRI measurement using UBM may be a promising noninvasive tool to characterize early-stage NAFLD in rat models.

Potencial da utilização do excesso hídrico para irrigação de "tetos ecológicos" em duas zonas bioclimáticas no Estado de Mato Grosso / Potential use of water excess for irrigation on green roofs in two bioclimatic zones in the State of Mato Grosso-Brazil

Teto ecológico além de ser uma alternativa estética para habitações contribui com a melhoria do conforto e da eficiência térmica do ambiente construído, mas demanda considerável quantidade de água de irrigação. Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho analisar a disponibilidade Hídrica, avaliando a possibilidade da utilização do excesso da água a ser armazenado em um reservatório para irrigação de Tetos Ecológicos nas cidades de Rondonópolis e Vera, MT. O trabalho foi realizado utilizando uma série de dados históricos disponibilizados pelo INMET ­ Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia, os quais foram utilizados para estimativa da evapotranspiração e do Balanço Hídrico Climatológico (BHC) utilizando uma Capacidade de Água Disponível (CAD) de 12 mm para o BHC. Estimou-se o volume e a área de um reservatório em função da área coletora de um telhado de 100 m2, tal como o volume de água complementar para irrigação. Constatou-se que na cidade de Rondonópolis a utilização de Tetos Ecológicos é comprometida pela deficiência hídrica, sendo esta suprida em apenas 75% com o excesso de água estimado, já no município de Vera o excesso hídrico pode suprir a 100% do déficit e ainda dispor um excedente de 46%. O volume estimado do reservatório para acumular o excesso de água da cidade de Rondonópolis foi de 37,2 m3 e o de Vera de 101,7 m3. Concluiu-se que é possível acumular o excesso de água da chuva do período chuvoso para irrigar tetos ecológicos no período de estiagem.

Green Roofs besides being an aesthetic alternative to housing, contributes to improved comfort and thermal efficiency of the built environment, but demands considerable amount of irrigation water. Objective of this study is to analyze the feasibility of using excess water to be stored in a reservoir for irrigation of Green Roofs in the cities of Vera and Rondonópolis, MT. The study was conducted using a series of historical data provided by INMET (National Institute of Meteorology), which were used to estimate off the evapotranspiration and the Climatic Water Balance (CWB). Using an Available Water Capacity (AWC) of 12 mm for the CWB it has been estimated the volume and the reservoir area according to the collecting area of a roof of 100 m2 as the amount of additional water for irrigation. It was found that in the city Rondonópolis, the use of green roofs is compromised by the water deficits, which is supplied in only 75% with the estimated excess water. In the city of Vera the water excess can supply 100% of the deficit and still have a surplus of 46%. The estimated volume of the reservoir to collect excess water from the city of Rondonopolis was 37.2 m³ and 101.7 m³ to Vera. It was concluded that it is possible to accumulate excess rainwater during the rainy season to irrigate green roofs in the dry season.