Up to date, only four cases of primary intradural extramedullary spinal cord melanoma (PIEM) have been reported. No previous reports have described a case of PIEM located in the lower thoracic spine with long-termfollow-up. Purpose. Demonstrating an unusual, extremely rare case of melanoma manifestation. Study Design. Case report. Methods. We report a case of a 57-year-old female suffering from increasing lower extremity pain, left-sided paresis, and paraesthesia due to spinal cord compression caused by PIEM in the lower thoracic spine. Results. Extensive investigation excluded other possible primary melanoma sites and metastases. For spinal cord decompression, the tumor at level T12 was resected, yet incompletely. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered two weeks after surgery. The patient was recurrence-free at 104 weeks after radiotherapy but presents with unchanged neurological symptoms. Conclusion. Primary intradural extramedullary melanoma (PIEM) is extremely rare and its clinical course is unpredictable.

published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003. / Anecdotal evidence and some developmental theory suggest that lower respiratory tract pathologies may be associated with thoracic spine pain and dysfunction. This hypothetical association may be better described either as respiratory conditions occurring as a result of musculoskeletal dysfunction of the thoracic spine, or as respiratory conditions causing thoracic musculoskeletal dysfunction. Optimal function of the lungs and the process of ventilation is dependant on the normal function of the thoracic spine and the rib cage. Disturbances of the musculoskeletal components of the thoracic spine may lead to increased respiratory efforts, decreased lung function and in turn affect bronchopulmonary function. Obstructive respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema place an increased demand on the musculoskeletal components involved in expiration, as air has to be forcefully expired. The purpose of this quantitative, non experimental, demographic retrospective clinical survey was to retrospectively describe lower respiratory tract disorders and thoracic spine pain and dysfunction in subjects presenting to the Durban Institute of Technology Chiropractic Day Clinic, in terms of the prevalence of lower respiratory tract disorders as well as any association between the presenting respiratory conditions and their vertebral distribution in the thoracic spine. / M

Class of 2006 Abstract / Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, in reducing all-cause mortality and death due to rejection when administered to thoracic organ transplant patients. Methods: Using the following Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and text words: hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, statins, heart transplantation, and lung transplantation, the following data bases were searched: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (First Quarter 2006), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (First Quarter 2006), Database of Abstracts and Reviews of Effects (First Quarter 2006), ACP Journal Club (1991to January/February 2006), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-February 2006), and Medline (1966 to February 2006) for English language reports. Three prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 3 retrospective observational studies were identified as using statins to reduce mortality and death due to fatal rejection in thoracic organ transplant patients. Results: Using all 6 studies (n= 1770 patients), statins decreased mortality by 77% (OR=0.23; [95% confidence interval 0.16-0.34] Z test, P<0.001). Sub-analysis using only RCT heart transplant data showed that statins decreased mortality by 69% (OR=0.31; [95% confidence interval 0.09-1.07] Z test, P<0.003). Sub-analysis using retrospective heart transplant data showed that statins decreased mortality by 75% (OR=0.25; [95% confidence interval 0.16-0.39] Z test, P<0.001). Retrospective lung transplant results (1 study) showed statins decreased mortality by 90% (OR=0.10; [95% confidence interval 0.03-0.34] Z test, P<0.001). Statins also significantly reduced death due to rejection (OR=0.22; [95% confidence interval 0.13-0.37]). Using all 6 studies (n= 1770 patients), statins decreased death due to rejection by 78%. Conclusions: In patients undergoing thoracic organ transplantation, statins significantly decrease all-cause mortality and death due to rejection. Therefore, statins should be routinely administered to these patients following transplant surgery.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:41:27Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 hueb_jc_dr_botfm.pdf: 402586 bytes, checksum: 0363aade5dace29841c7485277d2b0f8 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Placa de aterosclerose em aorta torácica é uma importante causa de acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) e ataque isquêmico transitório (AIT). Sua gênese estaria relacionada com migração, para a circulação cerebral, de trombos e cristais de colesterol que se desprenderiam de placas complexas, localizadas na aorta torácica proximal. Existem várias semelhanças entre a fisiopatologia do desenvolvimento da placa de aterosclerose e a remodelação miocárdica. Por causa disso, formulou-se a hipótese de que a avaliação de pacientes com AVC e AIT, por meio do ecocardiograma transtorácico ((ETT), pode identificar características associadas com risco aumentado de placa de aterosclerose em aorta. Os objetivos desse estudo foram: 1) avaliar a incidência de placa de aterosclerose em aorta torácica de pacientes com história de AVC e AIT prévios, por meio do ecocardiograma transesofágico (ETE); 2) avaliar se existe associação entre a presença dessas placas e sinais de remodelação ventricular, observados por meio do ETT; e, finalmente, 3) analisar os níveis séricos de proteína C reativa de alta sensibilidade (PCRas), nesses pacientes... / Atherosclerosis plaque in the thoracic aorta is an important cause of acute cerebrovascular events. It would be caused by migration of thrombi and cholesterol cristals released from complex plaques, located at the proximalis thoracic aorta, to the cerebral circulation. Because there are several similarities between the physiopathology of atherosclerosis plaque development and myocardial remodeling. We hypothesized that patients with cerebrovascular events, and atherosclerosis plaque have cardiac morpho-functional alterations. The objectives of the present study were: 1) to evaluate the incidence of thoracic aorta artherosclerosis plaques in patients with a previous cerebrovascular events history, by transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE); 2) to evaluate if there is an association between the presence of plaques and signs of ventricular remodeling, observed by means of transthoracic echocardiogram; and, 3) to analyze the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) seric levels, in those patients. One hundred and sixteen patients (79 male) with a previous... (Complete abstract click electronic address below)

Resumo: Cerca de um terço dos traumas de tórax necessitam de hospitalização, e a grande maioria destes pacientes é tratada com toracostomia tubular fechada. A principal morbidade associada a este procedimento é o empiema pleural. Devido aos possíveis índices de morbidade e mortalidade relacionados ao empiema pós- traumático e as implicações do uso irracional de antibióticos, acreditamos ser relevante a realização desta revisão sistemática. Objetivos: Avaliar a efetividade da administração de antibiótico na redução de empiema em pacientes com toracostomia tubular devido a trauma. Métodos: Revisão sistemática de ensaios clínicos aleatorizados, utilizando a metodologia Cochrane, através de busca eletrônica e manual. Foram incluídos pacientes com trauma de tórax isolado, submetidos a toracostomia tubular fechada, sem distinção de idade e sexo, incluídos nos estudos elegíveis, cuja intervenção foi a administração de antibióticos como tratamento preventivo comparado com placebo. Resultados: Foram selecionados 6 estudos totalizando 753 pacientes com trauma torácico isolado submetidos a toracostomia tubular fechada. A metanálise demonstrou efeito de tratamento superior dos antibióticos em relação ao placebo, tanto para o desfecho empiema, RR=0,18 (IC 95% 0,07 a 0,46) como para o desfecho pneumonia, RR= 0,43 (IC 95% 0,23 a 0,82). Conclusão: Antibióticos são efetivos para reduzir a frequência de empiema e pneumonia em pacientes com trauma de tórax isolado submetidos a toracostomia tubular fechada. / Abstract: About a third of the thorax traumas need hospitalization, and the great majority of these patients is treated with closed tube thoracostomy. The main morbidity associated to this procedure is the pleural empyema. Due to the possible morbidity and mortality rates related to the empyema posttraumatic and the implications of the irrational use of antibiotics, we believed to be relevant the accomplishment of this systematic review. Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of the antibiotic administration in the empyema reduction in patients with tube thoracostomy trauma. Methods: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials, using the Cochrane methodology, through electronic and manual search. It was included patients with isolated thorax trauma, submitted to closed tube thoracostomy, without distinction of age and sex, included in the eligible studies, whose intervention was the administration of antibiotics as preventive treatment compared to placebo. Results: 753 patients with isolated thoracic trauma submitted to closed tube thoracostomy in 6 studies. The meta-analysis demonstrated superior effect of antibiotics treatment in relation to the placebo, as much for the outcome empyema, RR=0,18 (IC 95% 0,07 to 0,46) as for the outcome pneumonia, RR = 0,43 (IC 95% 0,23 to 0,82). Conclusion: Antibiotics are effective to reduce the pneumonia and empyema incidence in patients with trauma of isolated thorax submitted to closed tube thoracostomy. / Orientador: Antônio José Maria Catâneo / Coorientador: Paulo Eduardo de Oliveira Carvalho / Banca: Tânia Ruiz / Banca: Olavo Ribeiro Rodriguês / Mestre

To find a relationship between moment versus curvature in a traction-free ovine artery, a pure moment was applied to a radially cut ovine artery (length 50.23 mm). The curvature of the segment opposite the cut was calculated and used to calculate the pre-stresses using a Fung type model. The pre-stresses were then used to calculate the moment. The moment applied during the experiment was calculated by recording the twist applied and the stiffness of the wire applying the moment. The artery was sutured symmetrically with a custom jig, and then sutured to two blocks, one fixed and one subject to the pure moment. The axial strain was assumed unity. The Fung model yielded a linear moment versus curvature relationship, as well as the moment versus curvature relationship for the experiment. Despite both small and large stretches, the strains felt by the artery were not influential enough to display a non-linear correlation for moment vs curvature.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-126).

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Hamburg, 1978.