Resistência mecânica e alterações radiográficas na distração e estabilização intervertebral usando plug de poliuretana de mamona ou polimetilmetacrilato

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação da instabilidade atlanto-axial em indivíduos com síndrome de Down por meio de radiografias da coluna cervical

O objetivo nesta pesquisa consiste em fazer um trabalho de prevenção junto às instituições APAE (Associação de Pais e Amigos de Excepcionais) e ASIN (Associação de síndrome de Down), ambas de São José dos Campos e ASPAD (Associação de Pais e Amigos de síndrome de Down) de Jacareí, orientando e avaliando sobre a presença ou não da instabilidade atlanto-axial (IAA), assim como verificar a prevalência dessa anormalidade nesses indivíduos. Foram convidados a participar do projeto todos os indivíduos das três instituições de assistência à SD, tendo formado uma amostra com 68 indivíduos, com idades entre 2 a 34 anos, sendo 39 do sexo masculino e 29 do feminino. Foram realizadas radiografias da coluna cervical nas posições de extensão, flexão e neutra, para as quais todos os responsáveis assinaram termo de consentimento. A verificação da IAA foi feita pela análise da distância atlanto-odontóide (DAO), utilizando o programa Radiocef, com uma ferramenta criada para isso. A DAO foi analisada nas três incidências, e era considerada a presença de IAA desde que o indivíduo apresentasse valores ?4,5mm em pelo menos uma dessas posições. Após a realização dos testes estatísticos e análise dos resultados, concluímos que a prevalência de IAA foi de 22,1% dos indivíduos, com valores DAO entre 4,5 e 8,83mm, tendo sido mais prevalente nos indivíduos do sexo masculino do que feminino, assim como nas crianças do que nos jovens e adultos. Foi possível verificar também que, a posição de flexão apresentou maior prevalência de IAA, mas que ela não deve sobrepor às posições de extensão e neutra, pois pode omitir casos ausentes em flexão, mas presentes nas outras posições. Dessa forma, foi realizado o trabalho de prevenção com a avaliação da IAA por meio da realização dos exames radiográficos em que os laudos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Expression of BAG-1 and PARP-1 in Precursor Lesions and Invasive Cervical Cancer Associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Cervical cancer remains persistently the second most common malignancies among women worldwide, responsible for 500,000 new cases annually. Only in Brazil, the estimate is for 18,430 new cases in 2011. Several types of molecular markers have been studied in carcinogenesis including proteins associated with apoptosis such as BAG-1 and PARP-1. This study aims to demonstrate the expression of BAG-1 and PARP-1 in patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and invasive squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the uterine cervix and to verify a possible association with HPV infection. Fifty samples of LSILs, 50 samples of HSILs and 50 samples of invasive SCCs of the uterine cervix were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for BAG-1 and PARP-1 expression. PCR was performed to detect and type HPV DNA. BAG-1 expression levels were significantly different between LSILs and HSILs (p = 0,014) and between LSILs and SCCs (p = 0,014). In regards to PARP-1 expression, we found significant differences between the expression levels in HSILs and SCCs (p = 0,022). No association was found between BAG-1 expression and the presence of HPV. However, a significant association was found between PARP-1 expression and HPV positivity in the HSILs group (p = 0,021). In conclusion our research suggests that BAG-1 expression could contribute to the differentiation between LSIL and HSIL/SCC whereas PARP-1 could be useful to the differentiation between HSIL HPV-related and SCC. Further studies are needed to clarify the molecular aspects of the relationship between PARP-1 expression and HPV infection, with potential applications for cervical cancer prediction.

Monostotic fibrous dysplasia of the spine: report of a case involving a cervical vertebra

Monostotic fibrous dysplasia of the spine is a rare entity. Only 26 cases, of which 11 were located in the cervical spine, are to be found in the literature. We report a 56-year-old male patient with cervicobrachialgia of half year's duration. Radiographs showed a diffuse destruction of the vertebral body and the spinous process of C4. A biopsy of the spinous process confirmed histopathologically a fibrous dysplasia. Due to minor symptoms, no surgical treatment was performed or is planned unless in case of increasing pain, an acute instability or neurological symptoms.

Investigation on parameters used in warning systems for rain-induced embankment instability

A number of instrumented laboratory-scale soil embankment slopes were subjected to artificial rainfall until they failed. The factor of safety of the slope based on real-time measurements of pore-water pressure (suction) and laboratory measured soil properties were calculated as the rainfall progressed. Based on the experiment measurements and slope stability analysis, it was observed that slope displacement measurements can be used to warn the slope failure more accurately. Further, moisture content/pore-water pressure measurements near the toe of the slope and the real-time factor of safety can also be used for prediction of rainfall-induced embankment failures with adequate accuracy.

Instability prolongs the chondral phase during bone healing in sheep

In this sheep study, we investigated the influence of fixation stability on the temporal and spatial distribution of tissues in the fracture callus. As the initial mechanical conditions have been cited as being especially important for the healing outcome, it was hypothesized that differences in the path of healing would be seen as early as the initial phase of healing. ----- ----- Sixty-four sheep underwent a mid-shaft tibial osteotomy that was treated with either a rigid or a semi-rigid external fixator. Animals were sacrificed at 2, 3, 6 and 9 weeks postoperatively and the fracture calluses were analyzed using radiological, biomechanical and histological techniques. Statistical comparison between the groups was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test for unpaired non-parametric data. ----- ----- In the callus of the tibia treated with semi-rigid fixation, remnants of the fracture haematoma remained present for longer, although new periosteal bone formation during early healing was similar in both groups. The mechanical competence of the healing callus at 6 weeks was inferior compared to tibiae treated with rigid fixation. Semi-rigid fixation resulted in a larger cartilage component of the callus, which persisted longer. Remodeling processes were initiated earlier in the rigid group, while new bone formation continued throughout the entire investigated period in the semi-rigid group. ----- ----- In this study, evidence is provided that less rigid fixation increased the time required for healing. The process of intramembranous ossification appeared during the initial stages of healing to be independent of mechanical stability. However, the delay in healing was related to a prolonged chondral phase.