1,720,996 research outputs found
Spritz: a server for the prediction of intrinsically disordered regions in protein sequences using kernel machines
Get PDFIntrinsically disordered proteins have long stretches of their polypeptide chain, which do not adopt a single native structure composed of stable secondary and tertiary structure in the absence of binding partners. The prediction of intrinsically disordered regions in proteins from sequence is increasingly becoming of interest, as the presence of many such regions in the complete genome sequences are discovered and important functional roles are associated with them. We have developed a machine learning approach based on two support vector machines (SVM) to discriminate disordered regions from sequence. The SVM are trained and benchmarked on two sets, representing long and short disordered regions. A preliminary version of Spritz was shown to perform consistently well at the recent biannual CASP-6 experiment [Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP), 2004]. The fully developed Spritz method is freely available as a web server at http://distill.ucd.ie/spritz/ and http://protein.cribi.unipd.it/spritz/
Absence of adjuvant radiotherapy may be an additional criteria in diagnosing a branchiogenic squamous cell carcinoma: a case report
Get PDFBranchiogenic carcinoma is extremely rare. The ma-jority of branchiogenic carcinomas are cystic metas-tases originating in the tonsils, and not true carcino-mas arising in a branchial cleft cyst. Isolated cystic neck lesions necessitate a thorough search for a primary tumor, as with other occult primaries pre-senting with cervical metastases. As the existence of primary branchiogenic carcinoma is controversial, Martin and colleagues and then Khafif and coworkers established a series of widely accepted criteria to recognize this type of carcinoma.We report a case of a large cervical mass, consistent with a branchiogenic carcinoma of the second bran-chial arch. The patient underwent excision of the neck mass through a radical neck dissection. The cyst wall was found to have squamous cell carcinoma arising from the benign epithelium. Follow-up at 7 years revealed no evidence of recurrence. All diagnostic criteria for a true branchiogenic carcinoma were met in this case. The absence of adjuvant irradiation is a further confirmation that the mass is not a cystic node metastasis but a carcinoma arised from within a branchial cleft cyst.
Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor. A case report
No full textThe adenomatoid odontogenic tumor is a benign bony lesion of the maxilla and mandible, it represents 3% of all odontogenic tumors, and is more frequent in females in their second decade of life. It affects mainly the maxilla associated with embedded teeth, often canines, but it also occurs in the mandible, especially in the anterior region. It originates from epithelial cells of the dental lamina complex system, but the histologic feature with gland-like structures explains its name and classification. Clinically silent, it is often discovered during radiological examinations as a well defined unilocular radiolucent image. The definitive diagnosis is obtained by histological examinations, which allow the differential diagnosis from other bony lesions. Treatment must include close examinations, such as axial and coronal CT scanning and eventually 3D reconstruction. Histological examination with a preoperative biopsy suggests a conservative surgical treatment consisting of a simple enucleation for the low incidence of recurrence. A clinical case is presented with peculiar features different from that reported in letterature
SINONASAL TUMOURS WITH ORBITAL INVOLVEMENT: THE COMBINED APPROACH
No full textAdvanced sinonasal tumours often present with orbital
involvement. Surgical treatment and radical excision are
also possible, preserving the eye. Oncological safety and
functional outcome of the preserved eye are the counterpart
in orbital preservation surgery. Irrespective of the
orbital invasion, tumour histology influences the prognosis. Surgical approaches to the orbit in sinonasal tumour
are divided in anterior and posterolateral procedures. The
combined transfacial and trancranial surgical approaches
have been well described in the literature for craniofacial
resection, when the anterior or medium skull base are
involved. Multidisciplinary collaboration with microscopic
and/or endoscopic control have improved surgical
technique to extirpate tumours extended to dura, spehenopalatine
area and pterygomaxilmary fissure, infratemporal
fossa, roof of nasopharynx and apex of orbit.
We describe the multiphase combined surgical approach
with maxillofacial, otolaryngology and neurosurgical
collaboration in sinonasal tumour treatment
Applicazione del laser CO2 in chirurgia orale: fisica della radiazione laser e sue caratteristiche
No full textGli autori, dopo aver presentato le caratteristiche fisiche e biologiche della radiazione "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation" (LASER) ne illustrano l'utilizzo nell'ambito della Chirurgia Orale.
In tale ambito i principali vantaggi espressi talla tecnologia Laser stanno nell'induzione di una buona emostasi nel campo operatorio (anche senza l'impiego di anestetici locali dotati di vasocostrittore), nei ridotti (rispetto alle tecniche tradizionali) fenomeni di fibrosclerosi secondaria, negli scarsi fenomeni di necrosi tissutale (con sterilizzazione della zona di incisione) che implicano una minor reazione infiammatoria ed un minor edema post-operatorio.
Per tali ultimi motivi, nella quasi totalità dei casi trattati, non è necessario prescrivere farmaci antinfiammatori ed analgesici.
Unico svantaggio degno di nota risulta essere l'allungamento della durata dell'intervento che, tuttavia, potrà essere ricondotta entro limiti pienamente accettabili con l'acquisizione, da parte del chirurgo, di una buona manualità operativa
Proposta di una metodica di ancoraggio del manufatto protesico agli impianti osteointegrati
No full textLe metodiche implanto-protesiche vanno sempre più acquistando una precisa collocazione tra i vari sistemi di riabilitazione occlusale di bocche parzialmente o totalmente edentule.
Scopo del lavoro qui presentato non è quello di compiere una disamina critica approfondita sui vari tipi di impianti, bensì quello di proporre un sistema di ancoraggio della sovrastruttura protesica ai pilastri implantari eliminando alcune problematiche tipiche dei sistemi tradizionali laddove questo ancoraggio si ottiene mediante avvitamento del manufatto protesico e non mediante cementazione dello stesso.
Lo studio è stato condotto su una casistica di 28 pazienti.
La presenza di una vite di ancoraggio è, per ragioni intuibili, sicuramente da preferire rispetto alla cementazione della sovrastruttura protesica.
Tale sistema presenta, tuttavia 2 ordini di inconvenienti qualora il sistema di ancoraggio preveda una vite occlusale:
1) La presenza della vite, soprattutto nelle regioni antero-laterali inferiori (canini e premolari) non è sicuramente ben accettata da un punto di vista estetico;
2) La vite di ancoraggio della sovrastruttura protesica tende a fratturarsi, specie nel caso in cui gli elementi dentali del manufatto presentano un'altezza elevata;
Senza contare, poi, che per cercare di rimediare all'inestetismo di cui al punto 1 vengono spesso integrate alla protesi implantare opere conservative in resina (con funzioni occlusive e disclusive) che, in quanto tale, tende a consumarsi rischiando di alterare l'assetto occlusale che il protesista aveva impostato.
Per ovviare a questi inconvenienti gli autori propongono un sistema di ancoraggio della sovrastruttura protesica basato sull'esecuzione di una prima struttura in metallo (oro da ceramica) a travata molto bassa (detta "sottostruttura") da fissare, mediante avvitamento, direttamente agli impianti. Successivamente la sovrastruttura protesica in oro-ceramica verrà fissata alla sottostruttura mediante piccole viti posizionate sul lato linguale (quindi non visibili) che vadano ad avvitarsi in appositi alloggiamenti preparati su quest'ultima.
Il sistema suddetto si presenta estremamente versatile, non si è verificato più alcun caso di frattura delle viti di ancoraggio e la stabilità della sovrastruttura si è rivelata assolutamente valida
THE USE OF PMMA FOR RESTORATION OF THE TEMPORALIS FLAP DONOR SITE: OUR CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
No full textThe use of temporalis myofascial flap (TMF) as a pedicled
flap in craniofacial reconstructive surgery is well established.
This technique may provide a cosmetic deformity
of the temporal fossa with an asymmetric contour of the
head. Reconstruction of this donor site deformity is desirable.
We report the use of polymethyl-methacrylate
(PMMA) (Palacos ®). From January 2009 to December
2011, 11 patients (6 men and 5 women) aged 81 to 56
years (mean 67) were treated. Ten patients had squamous
cell carcinoma and 1 mucoepidermoid carcinoma of minor
salivary glands in the upper jaw. The oncological defects
were reconstructed with TMF and the temporal fossa was
simultaneously filled with PMMA. A retrospective review
of the postoperative complications (hematoma, seroma)
and the aesthetical results was conducted. All patients were contacted 6 months later by phone and provided with
information pertaining to the aims of this study. The patients
were then instructed on how to fill out the relevant
questionnaires. Aesthetic results were judged satisfactory
from all patients. The hemicoronal skin flap healed uneventfully
in all patients and did not cause a visible scar
even to bald male patients. In our group of patients no
surgical seroma or hematoma in temporal fossa were
observed. PMMA reconstruction was characterized by
excellent biocompatibility with no inflammatory activation.
The symmetry of temporal fossa was judged satisfactory.
Intraoperative cast-molded camouflage of the temporalis
flap donor site with PMMA is a feasible, accurate,
fast, and cost-efficient technique that results in excellent
cosmetic
The New Transverse-Facial Artery Musculomucosal Flap for Intraoral Reconstructions
Get PDFHead/neck cancer resections often require reconstruction to restore form and function. Small-to-medium size intraoral defects can be successfully reconstructed by local pedicled flaps, such as the facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap,1 which encompasses different layers: cheek mucosa and submucosa, the underlying layer of the buccinator muscle, a portion of the orbicularis oris close to the labial commissure, and the facial artery.2 The flap is usually outlined longitudinally over the facial artery course, and average size is 5 × 2.5 cm. We describe here an innovative flap design and dissection, apt to treat larger defects than the usual ones. Go to: METHODS In a 50-year-old patient with squamous carcinoma of the soft palate involving also surrounding oral soft tissue, after oncological resection, we designed on the cheek mucosa an 8 × 3 cm flap with a squamous carcinoma orientation. The flap axis was crossing about 90 degrees the projection of the facial vessels. Dissection was carried out in anteroposterior direction and the facial artery skeletonized in continuity 3.5 cm superiorly and inferiorly the flap entrance (Fig. (Fig.1).1). Once the vascular pedicles had been mobilized and the labial artery ligated, the transverse (t)-FAMM flap was transposed superoposteriorly and sutured to the residual mucosa of the hard palate. A contralateral t-FAMM flap was harvested and transposed. The whole soft palate was then reconstructed by suturing the 2 flaps together
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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