Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2010. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 84 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

A terapia a laser de baixa potência vem sendo utilizada para minimizar os efeitos maléficos da inflamação, bem como para acelerar a cicatrização dos tecidos lesados. Este estudo, visa observar as alterações causadas pela irradiação do laser diodo arsenieto de gálio (904nm), no tendão calcâneo em ratos. Foram utilizados 30 ratos da linhagem Wistar, com peso médio de 235g, divididos em dois grupos, um com 20 e outro com 10 animais. Todos os animais foram submetidos a tenotomia do tendão calcâneo direito. O tratamento com laser foi iniciado após 24 horas em um dos grupos, com a dose de 4 J/cm 2 ; e o outro grupo foi usado como controle. Utilizamos o método pontual, com a caneta do aparelho em contato direto com a pele do animal. Os dois grupos foram divididos em subgrupos, e os animais destes, sacrificados em períodos distintos, sendo no 8º e 15º pós-operatório. O tendão foi excisado e submetido a análise histológica pela microscopia de luz, onde foi observado a presença de células inflamatórias, fibroblastos, vascularização e deposição de colágeno. Houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0.05), entre controle e tratamento na deposição de colágeno e presença de células inflamatórias. Este estudo, sugestiona que a terapia a laser, proporciona a aceleração da cicatrização na tenotomia calcâneana em ratos, pelo aumento da deposição de colágeno, tanto na fase inicial como na tardia do tratamento. / Low-potency laser therapy has been used as a means of minimizing the hazardous effects of inflammation and accelerating healing in damaged tissues. This paper aims at observeving the alterations caused by diode AsGa (904nm), laser in the calcaneal tendon of rats. Thirty 235g (average weight) Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups – one with 20 and other with 10 animals, all of which underwent right calcaneal tendon tenotomy. One group started laser treatment at a dosege of 4 J/cm 2 24hours after surgery, the other being used as control. The punctual method was employed and the appliance pen kept in direct contact with animal's skin. Both groups were divided into subgroups, the animals of which were sacrificed in different times – on the 8 th and 15 th postoperative day, respectively. The tendon was excised and submitted to histology analysis using light microscopy, which revealed the presence of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, vascularization and collagen deposition. There was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between the control and the treatment as far as collagen deposition at the presence of inflammatory cells are concerned. This study suggests that laser therapy accelerates healing in calcanean tenotomy in rats by increase collagen deposition both in the early and late parts of the treatment.

A terapia a laser de baixa potência vem sendo utilizada para minimizar os efeitos maléficos da inflamação, bem como para acelerar a cicatrização dos tecidos lesados. Este estudo, visa observar as alterações causadas pela irradiação do laser diodo arsenieto de gálio (904nm), no tendão calcâneo em ratos. Foram utilizados 30 ratos da linhagem Wistar, com peso médio de 235g, divididos em dois grupos, um com 20 e outro com 10 animais. Todos os animais foram submetidos a tenotomia do tendão calcâneo direito. O tratamento com laser foi iniciado após 24 horas em um dos grupos, com a dose de 4 J/cm 2 ; e o outro grupo foi usado como controle. Utilizamos o método pontual, com a caneta do aparelho em contato direto com a pele do animal. Os dois grupos foram divididos em subgrupos, e os animais destes, sacrificados em períodos distintos, sendo no 8º e 15º pós-operatório. O tendão foi excisado e submetido a análise histológica pela microscopia de luz, onde foi observado a presença de células inflamatórias, fibroblastos, vascularização e deposição de colágeno. Houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0.05), entre controle e tratamento na deposição de colágeno e presença de células inflamatórias. Este estudo, sugestiona que a terapia a laser, proporciona a aceleração da cicatrização na tenotomia calcâneana em ratos, pelo aumento da deposição de colágeno, tanto na fase inicial como na tardia do tratamento. / Low-potency laser therapy has been used as a means of minimizing the hazardous effects of inflammation and accelerating healing in damaged tissues. This paper aims at observeving the alterations caused by diode AsGa (904nm), laser in the calcaneal tendon of rats. Thirty 235g (average weight) Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups – one with 20 and other with 10 animals, all of which underwent right calcaneal tendon tenotomy. One group started laser treatment at a dosege of 4 J/cm 2 24hours after surgery, the other being used as control. The punctual method was employed and the appliance pen kept in direct contact with animal's skin. Both groups were divided into subgroups, the animals of which were sacrificed in different times – on the 8 th and 15 th postoperative day, respectively. The tendon was excised and submitted to histology analysis using light microscopy, which revealed the presence of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, vascularization and collagen deposition. There was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between the control and the treatment as far as collagen deposition at the presence of inflammatory cells are concerned. This study suggests that laser therapy accelerates healing in calcanean tenotomy in rats by increase collagen deposition both in the early and late parts of the treatment.

Background: Talipes equinovarus, also termed club foot, is a congenital deformity of the ankle joint. Despite its prevalence of approximately 1 per 1000 live births, fetal talipes is relatively poorly studied since the introduction of percutaneous tendo Achilles tenotomies. Objectives: To document the associations, outcomes and prognosis of patients with antenatally diagnosed fetal talipes. The study aims to examine the association between, and prevalence of, fetal talipes and other abnormalities, structural and chromosomal, as well as the outcome in relation to postnatal surgery. The accuracy of prenatal ultrasound in diagnosing fetal talipes is also examined. Methods: A retrospective observational study was made of all cases presenting to the Fetal Medicine Unit between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2014. All the identified cases were analysed to identify isolated talipes, associated abnormalities, and chromosomal abnormalities. The pregnancy outcomes were determined using the Astraia database as well as maternity records. When the outcome resulted in a live infant, these infants were followed up using the files at the referral hospital to determine the treatment method used and the number requiring surgery. Results: There were 155 cases, all referred to the Fetal Medicine Unit. Antenatal data included 75 who had other structural abnormalities and 75 who had isolated talipes. In five of the cases were no sufficient data could be found. Twenty-five cases were lost to follow-up, and 12 cases had no clubfoot at birth. Only one was labelled as having positional clubfoot. There were 91 live births. Of the cases of talipes with associated abnormalities, 21.19% were live births (excluding ENND). All terminations of pregnancy as well as 90.9% of intrauterine fetal deaths were complex talipes, and 94.52% of the cases of isolated talipes were live births. The most common associated abnormalities were of the central nervous system. Seventeen of the live births were lost to follow-up. Of the cases of isolated talipes, 53.19% had tenotomies and Ponseti treatment. The false positive rate of detecting fetal talipes on ultrasound was 7.74%. Conclusion: The study made it evident that complex talipes is associated with a poor pregnancy outcome defined as pregnancy loss, where isolated talipes is usually associated with a good pregnancy outcome. Ultrasound is a good diagnostic tool when diagnosing talipes antenatally but cannot diagnose the severity of the clubfoot. False negatives were not studied. The introduction of tenotomy can make a difference in the outcome of clubfoot in comparison with previous studies where tenotomies were not performed. Medical professionals need to address the importance of counselling, and a multidisciplinary team should be involved in cases involving prenatal counselling.

Pax3 protein is initially expressed in the dermomyotome of embryonic somites, which gives rise to skeletal muscle. Following myogenesis, Pax3 expression is mostly down-regulated and becomes restricted to a few satellite cells (SCs) of select mature muscles. SCs are activated to form new myonuclei during muscle hypertrophy, regeneration and repair. Intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles are thought to persist in a comparatively immature state as, unlike extrafusal fibers, they maintain small diameters, developmental myosins, Myf5 expression and high SC concentrations. This thesis tests the hypotheses that Pax3 expression is preferentially maintained in SCs of adult skeletal muscle spindles and can be augmented under conditions of SC activation. To study Pax3 through development, immunohistochemical techniques were used to identify SCs by their Pax7 expression, and analyze the proportion of SCs and myonuclei (MN) expressing Pax3 in chicken anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle excised at 9, 30, 62, and 145 days post-hatch. To induce SC activation, tenotomy was performed on the right ALD muscle of 138-day post-hatch chicks to induce compensatory hypertrophy of the ipsilateral synergistic posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscle. The PLD was analyzed seven days after ALD tenotomy using similar immunohistochemical techniques. This is the first study to show Pax3 expressing SCs within intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles. This thesis demonstrates that throughout development there is a higher percentage of Pax3 expressing SCs within intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles than the surrounding extrafusal fibers that compose the bulk of the muscle. It is also revealed that the proportion of the SC population expressing Pax3 declines with age in both intrafusal and extrafusal fibers. Compensatory hypertrophy of the PLD resulted in a greater percentage of Pax3 expressing SCs in intrafusal and extrafusal fibers than under control conditions. The percentage of SCs expressing Pax3 after PLD overload was similar to that seen in young control muscle. The percentage of Pax3 expressing MN also increased after muscle overload to levels seen in young muscle. A disproportionate decrease in the proportion of SCs expressing Pax3 during development, and a disproportionate increase in the percentage of Pax3 positive SCs as a result of experimentally induced muscle hypertrophy, suggests that Pax3 expression in maturing muscle may be more than just a developmental vestige. Pax3 may be a factor in the activation and differentiation of SCs in maturing muscle.

Pax3 protein is initially expressed in the dermomyotome of embryonic somites, which gives rise to skeletal muscle. Following myogenesis, Pax3 expression is mostly down-regulated and becomes restricted to a few satellite cells (SCs) of select mature muscles. SCs are activated to form new myonuclei during muscle hypertrophy, regeneration and repair. Intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles are thought to persist in a comparatively immature state as, unlike extrafusal fibers, they maintain small diameters, developmental myosins, Myf5 expression and high SC concentrations. This thesis tests the hypotheses that Pax3 expression is preferentially maintained in SCs of adult skeletal muscle spindles and can be augmented under conditions of SC activation. To study Pax3 through development, immunohistochemical techniques were used to identify SCs by their Pax7 expression, and analyze the proportion of SCs and myonuclei (MN) expressing Pax3 in chicken anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle excised at 9, 30, 62, and 145 days post-hatch. To induce SC activation, tenotomy was performed on the right ALD muscle of 138-day post-hatch chicks to induce compensatory hypertrophy of the ipsilateral synergistic posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscle. The PLD was analyzed seven days after ALD tenotomy using similar immunohistochemical techniques. This is the first study to show Pax3 expressing SCs within intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles. This thesis demonstrates that throughout development there is a higher percentage of Pax3 expressing SCs within intrafusal fibers of muscle spindles than the surrounding extrafusal fibers that compose the bulk of the muscle. It is also revealed that the proportion of the SC population expressing Pax3 declines with age in both intrafusal and extrafusal fibers. Compensatory hypertrophy of the PLD resulted in a greater percentage of Pax3 expressing SCs in intrafusal and extrafusal fibers than under control conditions. The percentage of SCs expressing Pax3 after PLD overload was similar to that seen in young control muscle. The percentage of Pax3 expressing MN also increased after muscle overload to levels seen in young muscle. A disproportionate decrease in the proportion of SCs expressing Pax3 during development, and a disproportionate increase in the percentage of Pax3 positive SCs as a result of experimentally induced muscle hypertrophy, suggests that Pax3 expression in maturing muscle may be more than just a developmental vestige. Pax3 may be a factor in the activation and differentiation of SCs in maturing muscle.