Mucinous adenocarcinoma presenting as an isolated sternal metastasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As a result of improvements in diagnostic accuracy, the primary source of the tumour is identified in more than 99% of cases presenting with a malignancy. Whilst the axial skeleton is a common site of metastases, the sternum is rarely affected, especially by isolated metastases.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a 68 year old male who was referred to the surgical outpatient clinic with a six month history of sternal pain. The patient was known to have essential thrombocythaemia, which had recently transformed into acute myeloid leukaemia but a sternal biospy showed mucinous adenocarcinoma. He had not localising symptoms and full evaluation failed to localise the primary tumour.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Solitary sternal metastases are rare and when found an underlying neoplasm is usually identified allowing targeted treatment. If however, there is no symptomatic tumour, the metastasis should simply be treated symptomatically.</p

Twist-3 Distribution Amplitudes of K* and phi Mesons

We present a systematic study of twist-3 light-cone distribution amplitudes of $K^*$ and $\phi$ mesons in QCD. The structure of SU(3)-breaking corrections is studied in detail. Non-perturbative input parameters are estimated from QCD sum rules. As a by-product, we update the parameters describing the twist-3 distribution amplitudes of the $\rho$ meson. We also review and update predictions for the twist-2 distribution amplitudes of $\rho$, $K^*$ and $\phi$.Comment: 27 page

Synthesis of a Vocal Sound from the 3,000 year old Mummy, Nesyamun ‘True of Voice’

The sound of a 3,000 year old mummified individual has been accurately reproduced as a vowel-like sound based on measurements of the precise dimensions of his extant vocal tract following Computed Tomography (CT) scanning, enabling the creation of a 3-D printed vocal tract. By using the Vocal Tract Organ, which provides a user-controllable artificial larynx sound source, a vowel sound is synthesised which compares favourably with vowels of modern individuals

B->eta(') Form Factors in QCD

We calculate the semileptonic form factors $f_+^{B\to \eta}(q^2)$ and $f_+^{B\to \eta'}(q^2)$ from QCD sum rules on the light-cone (LCSRs), to NLO in QCD, and for small to moderate q^2, $0\leq q^2\leq 16 {\rm GeV}^2$. We include in particular the so-called singlet contribution, i.e.\ weak annihilation of the B meson with the emission of two gluons which, thanks to the U(1)$_{\rm A}$ anomaly, couple directly to \etap. This effect is included to leading-twist accuracy. This contribution has been neglected in previous calculations of the form factors from LCSRs. We find that the singlet contribution to $f_+^{B\to \eta'}$ can be up to 20%, while that to $f_+^{B\to \eta}$ is, as expected, much smaller and below 3%. We also suggest to measure the ratio ${\cal B}(B\to\eta' e \nu)/{\cal B}(B\to \eta e \nu)$ to better constrain the size of the singlet contribution.Comment: 21 pages; version to appear in JHE

B->V gamma Beyond QCD Factorisation

We calculate the main observables in $B_{u,d}\to (\rho,\omega,K^*)\gamma$ and $B_s\to (\bar K^*,\phi)\gamma$ decays, i.e. branching ratios and CP and isospin asymmetries. We include QCD factorisation results and also the dominant contributions beyond QCD factorisation, namely long-distance photon emission and soft-gluon emission from quark loops. All contributions beyond QCD factorisation are estimated from light-cone sum rules. We devise in particular a method for calculating soft-gluon emission, building on earlier ideas developed for analogous contributions in non-leptonic decays. Our results are relevant for new-physics searches at the $B$ factories, the LHC and a future super-flavour factory. Using current experimental data, we also extract $|V_{td}/V_{ts}|$ and the angle $\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle. We give detailed tables of theoretical uncertainties of the relevant quantities which facilitates future determinations of these CKM parameters from updated experimental results.Comment: 49 pages, version to appear in PR

Internal jugular vein thrombosis in a warfarinised patient: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Internal jugular vein thrombosis (IJVT) is a rare but potentially fatal condition. It usually arises following trauma to the internal jugular vein but is also seen in association with coagulopathies and advanced malignancies as part of a para-neoplastic syndrome.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a 44 year old woman with a strong past medical history and family history of thrombotic disease who presented with abdominal pain and ascites. A stage III ovarian carcinoma was diagnosed and she underwent debulking of the tumour. She sustained a peri-operative haemorrhage and required insertion of a central line into the right internal jugular vein. At one month follow-up she presented as an emergency with a left neck mass and painful swallowing. A duplex ultrasound of her neck identified a left IJVT to the level of the brachiocephalic vein which had occurred despite warfarinisation and an INR of greater than 2. She was commenced on intravenous heparin and the swelling resolved over the course of a week.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case illustrates an unusual presentation of a rare condition. In this case, the precise aetiology is unclear as the IJVT may have been related to a coagulopathy or the presence of advanced malignancy and occurred despite adequate anticoagulation.</p

Perigraft air is not always pathological: a case report

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