Cervical Myelopathy Secondary to Atlas Hypoplasia - Reports of 3 Adult Cases -

There have been paucity of reports on atlas hypoplasia, and as a result this condition is not clearly defined, nor well understood. The authors reported three cases of atlas hypoplasia that were found in adults who presented with myelopathic symptoms. On radiographic examination, it was found that the anterior-posterior diameter of the atlas was remarkably narrower in all three cases in comparison with normal persons. The MRI in all three cases also revealed intramedullary high signal lesions at the levels where severe spinal cord compression was present. This led to our diagnosis of atlas hypoplasia causing myelopathy

El humor y la animación en la narrativa audiovisual publicitaria de un seguro de vida - Lima Metropolitana

El objetivo principal de esta investigación es identificar de qué manera el humor y la animación se relacionan en la narrativa audiovisual publicitaria de un seguro de vida. El caso de estudio es un spot animado del producto Seguro de Vida con Retorno de la marca Rímac Seguros. En cuanto a la metodología aplicada para obtener los resultados, se ha utilizado el diseño mixto cuali-cuantitativo, no experimental de corte transversal. El tipo de investigación es descriptiva, correlacional no causal y multivariable. El método utilizado es inductivo, analítico, estadístico, hermenéutico y fenomenológico. Las técnicas para obtener los resultados fueron: entrevistas a expertos, análisis de contenido y encuestas. Estas últimas realizadas a los estudiantes de la especialidad de diseño gráfico de la Facultad de Arte y Diseño de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. La muestra estuvo conformada por 48 estudiantes, lo cual significa el 12% de la población analizada. En la investigación se llegó a la conclusión de que el humor y la animación se relacionan en una narrativa audiovisual publicitaria de un seguro de vida, pues se encontró que estos dos elementos pueden potenciarse entre sí, además, de relacionarse con el jingle, elemento de la tercera variable. La animación consigue atenuar al humor negro y lo hace asimilable; el jingle, con su música y letra aportada al humor, consigue optimizar a la animación. Es así que este trinomio de elementos se convierte en una ecuación que ha funcionado, confirmando las hipótesis planteadas al inicio del estudio

Chemocauterization of Congenital Fistula from the Accessory Parotid Gland

Congenital sialo-cutaneous fistula arising from the accessory parotid gland is extremely rare. Although the fistula tract can be successfully excised after making a skin incision along the skin tension line around the fistula opening, a facial scar inevitably remains. We here report a case of sialo-cutaneous fistula that was treated with chemocauterization with trichloroacetic acid (TCA). TCA cauterization is an easy and effective option for the treatment of congenital fistula from an accessory parotid gland, especially from the aesthetic point of view

Os odontoideum with bipartite atlas and segmental instability: a case report

We report on the case of a 15-year-old adolescent who presented with a transient paraplegia and hyposensibility of the upper extremities after sustaining a minor hyperflexion trauma to the cervical spine. Neuroimaging studies revealed atlantoaxial dislocation and ventral compression of the rostral spinal cord with increased cord signal at C1/C2 levels caused by an os odontoideum, as well as anterior and posterior arch defects of the atlas. The patient underwent closed reduction and posterior atlantoaxial fusion. We describe the association of an acquired instability secondary to an os odontoideum with an anteroposterior spondyloschisis of the atlas and its functional result after 12 months. The rare coincidence of both lesions indicates a multiple malformation of the upper cervical spine and supports the theory of an embryologic genesis of os odontoideum

Diagnosis and Management of Congenital Coronary Arteriovenous Fistula in the Pediatric Patients Presenting Congestive Heart Failure and Myocardial Ischemia

Purpose: Four pediatric patients with congenital coronary arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) were reported to remind pediatric practitioners and cardiologists of its diagnosis and management. Materials and Methods: Four pediatric patients with congenital CAVF from June 1999 to November 2007 were include in this retrospective study. Study modalities included reviews of patients' profiles of clinical features, chest radiograph, Doppler echocardiography, cardiac catheterization with angiography, myocardial perfusion scan, and computed tomography. Results: All 4 patients were symptomatic. The clinical symptoms and signs were feeding problem, continuous murmur, tachycardia, tachypnea, cardiomegaly, and exertional chest pain. Myocardial enzyme was elevated in 1 patient. Echocardiography showed dilatation of the coronary artery in all 4 patients, and traced down its origin in 3 and drainage in 4. The Fistulas originated from the right coronary artery in 2 patients and left coronary artery in 2, and were drained into the right ventricle in 2, right atrium in 1, and pulmonary artery in 1. Single left coronary artery was found in I patient. The pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratios ranged from 1.2 to 2.5. Transcatheter coil occlusion was successfully performed in 4 patients through a coaxial delivery system. The symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure and myocardial ischemia disappeared after the procedure, Conclusion: Diagnosis of congenital CAVF could be achieved by appreciation or continuous murmur over area unusual for the ductus, and by scrupulous examination of echocardiography as well as angiography of the coronary artery through which coaxial transcatheter coil occlusion could be performed successfully

Microcephaly, sensorineural deafness and Currarino triad with duplication–deletion of distal 7q

Currarino syndrome (CS) is a peculiar form of caudal regression syndrome [also known as autosomal dominant sacral agenesis (OMIM no. 176450)] characterised by (1) partial absence of the sacrum with intact first sacral vertebra, (2) a pre-sacral mass and (3) anorectal anomalies (Currarino triad). We studied a 3-year-old girl with Currarino triad who had additional systemic features and performed array comparative genomic hybridisation to look for chromosomal abnormalities. This girl had the typical spectrum of anomalies of the CS including (a) partial sacral agenesis (hemisacrum with remnants of only sacral S1–S2 vertebrae and a residual S3 vertebral body) associated with complete coccygeal agenesis, (b) pre-intrasacral dermoid, (c) intra-dural lipoma, (d) ectopic anus and (e) tethered cord. She had, in addition, pre- and post-natal growth impairment (<3rd percentile), severe microcephaly (<−3 SD) with normal gyration pattern and lack of cortical thickening associated with a hypoplastic inferior vermis, facial dysmorphism, sensorineural deafness and decreased serum levels of IGF-1. A de novo 10.3-Mb duplication of 7q34–q35 and an 8.8-Mb deletion on 7q36 were identified in this patient. The Homeobox HLXB9 (CS) gene is contained within the deletion accounting for the CS phenotype including microcephaly. The spectrums of associated abnormalities in the IGF-1 deficiency growth retardation with sensorineural deafness and mental retardation syndrome (OMIM no. 608747) are discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with distal 7q chromosomal imbalance and features of CS triad (including microcephaly) and the first documented case of a patient with normal gyration pattern microcephaly. The spectrum of associated anomalies in this newly recognised phenotype complex consists of growth failure, typical facial anomalies with additional (previously unreported) nervous system abnormalities (e.g. sensorineural deafness) and somatomedin C deficiency