Background: The posterior subthalamic area (PSA) is essentially composed of the caudal Zona incerta and the prelemniscal radiation. Subthalamotomy in the PSA was renowned for its effectiveness in alleviating movement disorders and particularly tremor. The modern literature on DBS of this area is limited, but promising results have been presented for Parkinson’s disease (PD), essential tremor (ET) and other movement disorders.   Aim: To evaluate the safety of PSA DBS with emphasis on the panorama of side effects, the distribution of stimulation-induced side effects and the effects of PSA DBS on verbal fluency. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of PSA DBS on less common forms of tremor, tremor-dominant PD, and concerning the long-term results in ET. Method: 40 patients were evaluated regarding side effects of the procedure. 28 patients with ET were analyzed for stimulation-induced side effects in a standardized manner. The locations of the contacts that caused stimulation-induced side effects were plotted on atlas slides. A 3-D model of the area was created based on these slides. Verbal fluency was analyzed in 17 patients with ET before surgery, after 3 days and finally after 1 year. Five patients with less common forms of tremor and 18 with ET were evaluated according to the ETRS at baseline and one year or 3-5 years after surgery, respectively. 14 patients with mainly unilateral tremor-dominant PD were evaluated a mean of 18 months after surgery according to the motor part of UPDRS. Results: PSA DBS was associated with few serious side-effects, but a transient and mild postoperative dysphasia was found in 22.5% of the patients. There was a slight transient decline in the performance on verbal fluency tests immediately after surgery. Visualization of the contacts causing stimulation-induced side effects showed that identical responses can be elicited from various points in the PSA and its vicinity. The effect on the less common forms of tremor was excellent except for neuropathic tremor where the effect was moderate. A pronounced and sustained microlesional effect was seen for some of the patients. After a mean of 4 years with unilateral PSA DBS the total ETRS score was improved by 52.4%, tremor by 91.8% and hand function by 78.0% in the patients with ET. There was no increase in the stimulation strength over time. In PD, the scores improved 47.7% for contralateral UPDRS III. Contralateral tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia improved by 82.2%, 34.3%, and 26.7%, respectively. Conclusions: PSA DBS generally seem to be a safe procedure, but it may be associated with transient declines of verbal fluency. There was no clear somatotopic pattern with regard to stimulation-induced side effects in the PSA. PSA DBS can alleviate tremor regardless of the etiology. The long-term effects in ET were favorable when compared to our previous results of Vim DBS. The effect on Parkinsonian tremor was satisfying, however, the reductions of rigidity and bradykinesia were less compared to previous studies of PSA DBS for PD.

No description available.

Head and neck cancer patients often experience swallowing disorders placing them at risk for aspiration and malnutrition. This study examined the effects of electrical stimulation to the pharyngeal wall on swallowing function in post-surgical head and neck cancer patients. Swallowing of liquid, pudding, and cookie consistencies was examined using videofluoroscopy before, and 30 minutes after, a ten minute application of electrical stimulation the pharyngeal wall in 5 male patients experiencing moderate-severe dysphagia. A total of ten measures of swallowing function were obtained from pre- and post-videofluoroscopy studies. Changes were observed post-stimulation in duration of posterior pharyngeal wall to base of tongue contact, total number of swallows, cricopharyngeal opening durations, and pharyngeal transit time. Preliminary findings indicate that electrical stimulation of the pharynx may impact certain features of swallowing in head and neck cancer patients who experience dysphagia. However, further studies are required to confirm the present findings, explore the mechanisms responsible for these changes, and investigate the effect on swallowing function as a result of manipulating stimulus frequencies, intensities and durations. / Speech-Language Pathology

In this dissertation, we focus on the uncertainty quantification problems where the goal is to sample the porous media properties given integrated responses. We first introduce a reduced order model using the level set method to characterize the channelized features of permeability fields. The sampling process is completed under Bayesian framework. We hence study the regularity of posterior distributions with respect to the prior measures. The stochastic flow equations that contain both spatial and random components must be resolved in order to sample the porous media properties. Some type of upscaling or multiscale technique is needed when solving the flow and transport through heterogeneous porous media. We propose ensemble-level multiscale finite element method and ensemble-level preconditioner technique for solving the stochastic flow equations, when the permeability fields have certain topology features. These methods can be used to accelerate the forward computations in the sampling processes. Additionally, we develop analysis-of-variance-based mixed multiscale finite element method as well as a novel adaptive version. These methods are used to study the forward uncertainty propagation of input random fields. The computational cost is saved since the high dimensional problem is decomposed into lower dimensional problems. We also work on developing efficient advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. Algorithms are proposed based on the multi-stage Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Stochastic Approximation Monte Carlo methods. The new methods have the ability to search the whole sample space for optimizations. Analysis and detailed numerical results are presented for applications of all the above methods.

Background: Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder. In cases resistant to pharmacological treatment, functional stereotactic neurosurgery can be an alternative. Lesional surgery has largely been replaced by deep brain stimulation (DBS). The current target of choice is the ventrolateral thalamus (Vim). Vim DBS has generally shown good results, but in some cases it is associated with a suboptimal effect as well as side effects. DBS in the posterior subthalamic area/caudal zona incerta (PSA/cZi) has recently shown promising effects. Recently the role of lesional therapy in selected cases has been discussed. Aim: The aim is to evaluate stereotactic functional procedures in the treatment of ET, with special emphasis on PSA DBS. Further the effects of DBS in the PSA are evaluated. The optimal target is also assessed by evaluating the effect of Vim and PSA DBS in relation to the position of the electrode. An attempt to identify patient-specific factors of prognostic importance for the outcome after DBS will be made. The quality of life (QoL) of patients treated with PSA DBS for ET will be assessed. Finally, the aim is also to analyze retrospectively the long-term outcome of lesional procedures (thalamotomies). Method: The thesis consists of five studies. The optimal electrode location is evaluated in a study analyzing the location of the electrode contact yielding the best effect in Vim DBS and PSA DBS groups. The efficacy of PSA DBS in 21 patients is evaluated in a prospective study. The correlation between outcome, age, tremor grade and gender is established in a prospective study consisting of 68 patients. Finally, the degree of improvement in QoL is determined in 16 patients operated on in the PSA. The very long-term effect of lesional surgery has been investigated in a retrospective study of nine patients who have undergone thalamotomy. Results: In the study of PSA DBS the total score on the Essential Tremor Rating Scale (ETRS) was reduced by 60% compared to the baseline value. Tremor of the arm was improved by 95%. The study evaluating the optimal contact location showed that the best effect was in the PSA in 54% and in the Vim in 12%. The efficacy of DBS was not related to age, gender, or the severity of tremor with regard to the percentage reduction of tremor on stimulation. In patients with a more severe tremor at baseline, a higher degree of residual tremor on stimulation was seen. With regard to QoL, the activities of daily living (ADL) according to the ETRS score were significantly improved, as well as according to the ADL and psychosocial subscores on the Questionnaire for Essential Tremor (QUEST) scale. No significant changes were found on the generic Short Form (SF-36) QoL scale. Thalamotomy had some positive effects, but also a significant amount of side effects that might be attributed to the surgery. Conclusions: The effect of PSA DBS was very satisfying and compares well with the results from Vim DBS. When both Vim and PSA DBS are considered, the optimal target seems to be located in the PSA. PSA DBS shows good results in improving ADL, but the results have been difficult to demonstrate on QoL scales. The efficacy of DBS could not be shown to be associated with gender or age. Nor was it associated with the severity of tremor regarding the percentage of tremor reduction on stimulation. The preoperative severity of tremor was the most important factor regarding outcome following DBS. With regard to thalamotomies, some possible remaining benefit of the surgery could be seen along with some severe side effects.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2006. / Embargoed. Vita. Bibliography: 121-142.

Orientador: Paulo Sérgio Perri de Carvalho / Resumo: As vantagens do tratamento do edentulismo total mandibular com implantes osseointegráveis e função oclusal precoce são bem conhecidas. Recentemente, um interesse crescente pelos benefícios dessa modalidade terapêutica envolveu o edentulismo parcial em várias regiões da boca. No entanto, protocolos bem definidos para a mandíbula posterior com função oclusal precoce não foram devidamente testados e aprovados. O objetivo desta investigação foi avaliar a eficácia clínica de um protocolo cirúrgico, protético e radiográfico para o tratamento da mandíbula posterior, com implantes osseointegráveis e função oclusal precoce. Treze pacientes com edentulismo parcial posterior, uni ou bilateral, foram tratados em clínica particular. Cinqüenta e dois implantes foram inseridos em 17 áreas mandibulares, com classes I, II e III de Kennedy. Os implantes utilizados foram MKIII e MKIV, com superfície lisa e foi empregada técnica cirúrgica padronizada para inserção dos implantes. A função oclusal precoce foi obtida com próteses parciais fixas instaladas com uma média de 7 dias da inserção dos implantes.O tempo de observação clínica variou entre 12 e 26 meses, com média de 19 meses. O nível do osso marginal foi determinado com medidas nas imagens digitalizadas de radiografias convencionais padronizadas. A taxa cumulativa de sobrevivência foi de 98,1% e a perda óssea marginal média, nos primeiros seis meses, foi de 1,02mm e 1,07mm para um ano de observação. A taxa da sobrevivência das próteses foi de 100%. Considerando os limites deste estudo, o protocolo testado para tratamento da mandíbula posterior com função oclusal precoce e implantes osseointegráveis parece viável para aplicação clínica em bases rotineiras, No entanto, estudos multicêntricos e a longo prazo devem ser conduzidos para confirmar ou refutar os resultados obtidos. / Abstract: The early occlusal loading of Osseointegrated implants in mandibular totally edentulous patients have been shown to be a successful and an advantageous approach. Recently, this treatment modality evolved to the treatment of partially edentulous patients. However protocols for treating those cases were neither tested nor approved. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a surgical, a prosthetic and a radiographic protocol idealized for the treatment of the posterior mandible with early occlusaly loaded osseointegrated implants. Thirteen partially edentulous patients in the posterior mandibleunilaterally or bilaterally, were treated in a private practice setting. Fifty two fixtures were placed in seventeen mandibular areas class I, II and III accordingly to Kennedy's classification. Machined MKIII and MKIV implants were placed utilizing standardized surgical technique. Early loading conditions were obtained with the placement of fixed partial dentures installed in average seven days after fixtures installation. The clinical observation time varied between 12 and 26 months with an average of 19 months. The marginal bone levels were determined from digital images derived from standardized conventional radiographs. A mean marginal bone loss of 1.02mm was noted in the first six months of observation and a mean marginal bone loss of 1.07 mm after 12 months under the evaluated conditions. The cumulative survival rate of 98.1% and 100 % were found for implants and prostheses respectively. Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that the tested protocol for the treatment of the posterior mandible with osseointegrated implants under early occlusal loading condition seemed to be a viable clinical alternative for routine application. Nevertheless, additional studies including a multicenter design and longer evaluation periods are necessary to substantiate these findings. / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:43:56Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pinto_avs_dr_araca.pdf: 1496770 bytes, checksum: c9fd8c4da9c28379a95d5da49951a5df (MD5) / 3i Implant / As vantagens do tratamento do edentulismo total mandibular com implantes osseointegráveis e função oclusal precoce são bem conhecidas. Recentemente, um interesse crescente pelos benefícios dessa modalidade terapêutica envolveu o edentulismo parcial em várias regiões da boca. No entanto, protocolos bem definidos para a mandíbula posterior com função oclusal precoce não foram devidamente testados e aprovados. O objetivo desta investigação foi avaliar a eficácia clínica de um protocolo cirúrgico, protético e radiográfico para o tratamento da mandíbula posterior, com implantes osseointegráveis e função oclusal precoce. Treze pacientes com edentulismo parcial posterior, uni ou bilateral, foram tratados em clínica particular. Cinqüenta e dois implantes foram inseridos em 17 áreas mandibulares, com classes I, II e III de Kennedy. Os implantes utilizados foram MKIII e MKIV, com superfície lisa e foi empregada técnica cirúrgica padronizada para inserção dos implantes. A função oclusal precoce foi obtida com próteses parciais fixas instaladas com uma média de 7 dias da inserção dos implantes.O tempo de observação clínica variou entre 12 e 26 meses, com média de 19 meses. O nível do osso marginal foi determinado com medidas nas imagens digitalizadas de radiografias convencionais padronizadas. A taxa cumulativa de sobrevivência foi de 98,1% e a perda óssea marginal média, nos primeiros seis meses, foi de 1,02mm e 1,07mm para um ano de observação. A taxa da sobrevivência das próteses foi de 100%. Considerando os limites deste estudo, o protocolo testado para tratamento da mandíbula posterior com função oclusal precoce e implantes osseointegráveis parece viável para aplicação clínica em bases rotineiras, No entanto, estudos multicêntricos e a longo prazo devem ser conduzidos para confirmar ou refutar os resultados obtidos. / The early occlusal loading of Osseointegrated implants in mandibular totally edentulous patients have been shown to be a successful and an advantageous approach. Recently, this treatment modality evolved to the treatment of partially edentulous patients. However protocols for treating those cases were neither tested nor approved. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a surgical, a prosthetic and a radiographic protocol idealized for the treatment of the posterior mandible with early occlusaly loaded osseointegrated implants. Thirteen partially edentulous patients in the posterior mandibleunilaterally or bilaterally, were treated in a private practice setting. Fifty two fixtures were placed in seventeen mandibular areas class I, II and III accordingly to Kennedy’s classification. Machined MKIII and MKIV implants were placed utilizing standardized surgical technique. Early loading conditions were obtained with the placement of fixed partial dentures installed in average seven days after fixtures installation. The clinical observation time varied between 12 and 26 months with an average of 19 months. The marginal bone levels were determined from digital images derived from standardized conventional radiographs. A mean marginal bone loss of 1.02mm was noted in the first six months of observation and a mean marginal bone loss of 1.07 mm after 12 months under the evaluated conditions. The cumulative survival rate of 98.1% and 100 % were found for implants and prostheses respectively. Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that the tested protocol for the treatment of the posterior mandible with osseointegrated implants under early occlusal loading condition seemed to be a viable clinical alternative for routine application. Nevertheless, additional studies including a multicenter design and longer evaluation periods are necessary to substantiate these findings.

Diaconis and Ylvisaker (1979) give necessary conditions for conjugate priors for distributions from the natural exponential family to be proper as well as to have the property of linear posterior expectation of the mean parameter of the family. Their conditions for propriety and linear posterior expectation are also sufficient if the natural parameter space is equal to the set of all d-dimensional real numbers. In this paper their results are extended to characterize when conjugate priors are proper if the natural parameter space is bounded. For the special case where the natural exponential family is through a spherical probability distribution n,we show that the proper conjugate priors can be characterized by the behavior of the moment generating function of n at the boundary of the natural parameter space, or the second-order tail behavior of n. In addition, we show that if these families are non-regular, then linear posterior expectation never holds. The results for this special case are also extended to natural exponential families through elliptical probability distributions.