Prostatic Arterial Supply: Anatomic and Imaging Findings Relevant for Selective Arterial Embolization

PURPOSE: To describe the anatomy and imaging findings of the prostatic arteries (PAs) on multirow-detector pelvic computed tomographic (CT) angiography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) before embolization for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study from May 2010 to June 2011, 75 men (150 pelvic sides) underwent pelvic CT angiography and selective pelvic DSA before PA embolization for BPH. Each pelvic side was evaluated regarding the number of independent PAs and their origin, trajectory, termination, and anastomoses with adjacent arteries. RESULTS: A total of 57% of pelvic sides (n = 86) had only one PA, and 43% (n = 64) had two independent PAs identified (mean PA diameter, 1.6 mm ± 0.3). PAs originated from the internal pudendal artery in 34.1% of pelvic sides (n = 73), from a common trunk with the superior vesical artery in 20.1% (n = 43), from the anterior common gluteal-pudendal trunk in 17.8% (n = 38), from the obturator artery in 12.6% (n = 27), and from a common trunk with rectal branches in 8.4% (n = 18). In 57% of pelvic sides (n = 86), anastomoses to adjacent arteries were documented. There were 30 pelvic sides (20%) with accessory pudendal arteries in close relationship with the PAs. No correlations were found between PA diameter and patient age, prostate volume, or prostate-specific antigen values on multivariate analysis with logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: PAs have highly variable origins between the left and right sides and between patients, and most frequently arise from the internal pudendal artery.

In situ measured cross section geometry of old timber structures and its influence on structural safety

Old timber structures may show significant variation in the cross section geometry along the same element, as a result of both construction methods and deterioration. As consequence, the definition of the geometric parameters in situ may be both time consuming and costly. This work presents the results of inspections carried out in different timber structures. Based on the obtained results, different simplified geometric models are proposed in order to efficiently model the geometry variations found. Probabilistic modelling techniques are also used to define safety parameters of existing timber structures, when subjected to dead and live loads, namely self-weight and wind actions. The parameters of the models have been defined as probabilistic variables, and safety of a selected case study was assessed using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. Assuming a target reliability index, a model was defined for both the residual cross section and the time dependent deterioration evolution. As a consequence, it was possible to compute probabilities of failure and reliability indices, as well as, time evolution deterioration curves for this structure. The results obtained provide a proposal for definition of the cross section geometric parameters of existing timber structures with different levels of decay, using a simplified probabilistic geometry model and considering a remaining capacity factor for the decayed areas. This model can be used for assessing the safety of the structure at present and for predicting future performance.

Segmentectomia Pulmonar Anatómica por Videotoracoscopia: Experiência Inicial de um Centro

The use of minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of lung cancer has been growing worldwide. Between May 2008 and November 2012, we performed 24 videothoracoscopic anatomical lung resections in our department. This includes 22 lobectomies and 2 anatomic segmentectomies, which is known to be a more complex surgery, since it demands a finer dissection of sub-lobar structures. We report the clinical cases of two patients who underwent anatomic segmentectomies. The first one was a 63 year old woman, smoker and with a history of breast cancer 20 years earlier. An incidental 9 mm node was found in the lingula. The patient underwent an anatomic lingulectomy and the frozen section was suggestive of a primary lung cancer. Therefore, we proceeded to a full lymphadenectomy. The final pathology evaluation showed a typical carcinoid tumour (pT1aN0). The second patient was a 50 year old woman, a smoker and with a heavy family history of lung cancer. In a screening CT scan a 8 mm ground glass opacity was identified in the left lower lobe (segment VI). After a VATS wedge resection of the node the frozen section evaluation was compatible with adenocarcinoma. We then proceeded to an anatomic segmentectomy with lymphadenectomy. The definitive pathology evaluation confirmed that it was a pT1a N0 bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma. The patients now have 5 and 2 months of follow up respectivelly and neither of them has signs of recurrence and the surgical incision showed a good aesthetic result. Anatomic segmentectomy is the indicated surgery especially in patients with low grade tumours, in early stage lung cancers or in patients without pulmonary function for a lobar resection, and it can be done safely using VATS.

Implementation for spatial data of the shared nearest neighbour with metric data structures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

An application of reliability-based robustness assessment of steel moment resisting frame structures under post-mainshock cascading events

The paper presented herein proposes a reliability-based framework for quantifying the structural robustness considering the occurrence of a major earthquake (mainshock) and subsequent cascading hazard events, such as aftershocks that are triggered by the mainshock. These events can significantly increase the probability of failure of buildings, especially for structures that are damaged during the mainshock. The application of the proposed framework is exemplified through three numerical case studies. The case studies correspond to three SAC steel moment frame buildings of 3-, 9-, and 20- stories, which were designed to pre-Northridge codes and standards. Twodimensional nonlinear finite element models of the buildings are developed using the Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation framework (OpenSees), using a finite-length plastic hinge beam model and a bilinear constitutive law with deterioration, and are subjected to multiple mainshock-aftershock seismic sequences. For the three buildings analyzed herein, it is shown that the structural reliability under a single seismic event can be significantly different from that under a sequence of seismic events. The reliability-based robustness indicator used shows that the structural robustness is influenced by the extent by which a structure can distribute damage.

Earth mortars constructive use on Neolithic domestic structures. Some case studies in Alentejo.

HMC08 - 1st Historical Mortars Conference: Characterization, Diagnosis, Conservation, Repair and Compatibility, LNEC, Lisbon, 24-26 September 2008

Robustness of corroded reinforced concrete structures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Civil

Coherent structures in open channel flows with bed load transport over an hydraulically rough bed

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil – Perfil de Estruturas

Historic timber roof structures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil – Estruturas e Geotecnia

Porous structures for the purification of biopharmaceuticals

This work aimed at the development of a (bio)polymeric monolithic support for biopharmaceuticals purification and/or capture. For that, it was assured that functional groups on its surface were ready to be involved in a plethora of chemical reactions for incorporation of the desired and most suitable ligand. Using cryogelation as preparation method a screening on multiple combinations of materials was performed in order to create a potentially efficient support with the minimal footprint, i.e. a monolithic support with reasonable mechanical properties, highly permeable, biocompatible, ready to use, with gravitational performance and minimal unspecific interactions towards the target molecules, but also biodegradable and produced from renewable materials. For the pre-selection all monoliths were characterized physico-chemically and morphologically; one agarose-based and two chitosan-based monoliths were then subjected to further characterizations before and after their modification with magnetic nanoparticles. These three specimens were finally tested towards adenovirus and the recovery reached 84% for the chitosan-GMA plain monolith prepared at -80°C. Monoliths based on chitosan and PVA were prepared in the presence and absence of magnetic particles, and tested for the isolation of GFP directly from crude cellular extracts. The affinity ligand A4C7 previously selected for GFP purification was synthesized on the monolith. The results indicated that the solid-phase synthesis of the ligand directly onto the monolith might require optimization and that the large pores of the monoliths are unsuitable for the purification of small proteins, such as GFP.

Smart macroporous structures for the purification of viral particles

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Engineered structures for the profiling and enrichment of the phosphoproteome

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Bioengenharia (MIT-Portugal)

Development of novel benzimidazole- based COX Inhibitors new synthetic strategies and screening of heterocyclic structures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Química, especialidade Química Orgânica

Design and characterization of Chitin- Glucan polymeric structures for wound dressing materials

The main objective of this work was the development of polymeric structures, gel and films, generated from the dissolution of the Chitin-Glucan Complex (CGC) in biocompatible ionic liquids for biomedical applications. Similar as chitin, CGC is only soluble in some special solvents which are toxic and corrosive. Due to this fact and the urgent development of biomedical applications, the need to use biocompatible ionic liquids to dissolve the CGC is indispensable. For the dissolution of CGC, the biocompatible ionic liquid used was Choline acetate. Two different CGC’s, KiOnutrime from KitoZyme and biologically produced CGC from Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia (FCT) - Universidade Nova de Lisboa, were characterized in order to develop biocompatible wound dressing materials. The similar result is shown in term of the ratio of chitin:glucan, which is 1:1.72 for CGC-FCT and 1:1.69 for CGC-Commercial. For the analysis of metal element content, water and inorganic salts content and protein content, both polymers showed some discrepancies, where the content in CGC-FCT is always higher compared to the commercial one. The different characterization results between CGC-FCT and CGC-Commercial could be addressed to differences in the purification method, and the difference of its original strain yeast, whereas CGC-FCT is derived from P.pastoris and the commercial CGC is from A.niger. This work also investigated the effect of biopolymers, temperature dissolution, non-solvent composition on the characteristics of generated polymeric structure with biocompatible ionic liquid. The films were prepared by casting a polymer mixture, immersion in a non-solvent, followed by drying at ambient temperature. Three different non-solvents were tested in phase inversion method, i.e. water, methanol, and glycerol. The results indicate that the composition of non-solvent in the coagulation bath has great influence in generated polymeric structure. Water was found to be the best coagulant for producing a CGC polymeric film structure. The characterizations that have been done include the analysis of viscosity and viscoelasticity measurement, as well as sugar composition in the membrane and total sugar that was released during the phase inversion method. The rheology test showed that both polymer mixtures exhibit a non- Newtonian shear thinning behaviour. Where the viscosity and viscoelasticity test reveal that CGCFCT mixture has a typical behaviour of a viscous solution with entangled polymer chains and CGCCommercial mixture has true gel behaviour. The experimental results show us that the generated CGC solution from choline acetate could be used to develop both polymeric film structure and gel. The generated structures are thermally stable at 100° C, and are hydrophilic. The produced films have dense structure and mechanical stabilities against puncture up to 60 kPa.