Mucoepidermoid carcinoma associated with osteosarcoma in a true malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular region

True malignant mixed tumor, also known as carcinosarcoma, is a rare tumor of the salivary gland composed of both malignant epithelial and malignant mesenchymal elements. Frequently carcinosarcoma arises in the background of a preexisting pleomorphic adenoma; however, if no evidence of benign mixed tumor is present, the lesion is known as carcinosarcoma "de novo." We reported the first case of true malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland composed of high grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma associated with osteosarcoma. Case Presentation. A 69-year-old Caucasian male came to our department complaining of the appearance of an asymptomatic left submandibular neoformation progressively increasing in size over 3 months. We opted for surgical treatment. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of carcinosarcoma with the coexistence of high grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma and osteosarcoma. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, in the true malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland, mucoepidermoid carcinoma associated with osteosarcoma has never been previously reported

Floor response spectra in RC frame structures designed according to Eurocode 8

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Nonstructural components (NSCs) should be subjected to a careful and rational seismic design, in order to reduce the economic loss and to avoid threats to the life safety, as well as what concerns structural elements. The design of NSCs is based on the evaluation of the maximum inertia force, which is related to the floor spectral accelerations. The question arises as to whether Eurocode 8 is able to predict actual floor response spectral accelerations occurring in structures designed according to Eurocode 8. A parametric study is conducted on five RC frame structures in order to evaluate the floor response spectra. The structures, designed according to Eurocode 8, are subjected to a set of earthquakes, compatible with the design response spectrum. Time-history analyses are performed both on elastic and inelastic models of the considered structures. Eurocode formulation for the evaluation of the seismic demand on NSCs does not well fit the numerical results. Some comments on the target spectrum provided by AC 156 for the seismic qualification of NSC are also included

Cyclic shear tests on RC precast beam-to-column connections retrofitted with a three-hinged steel device

Recent European earthquakes demonstrated that the seismic response of RC precast structures can be significantly influenced by the connection systems. Moreover, during past seismic events, many failures of the beam-to-column connections occurred due to their inadequate strength under seismic loads. The seismic safety of these connections has a crucial role in the overall seismic capacity of existing precast structures. A new connection system is employed as a retrofitting solution for a damaged beam-to-column connection and its cyclic shear performance is investigated by means of two cyclic shear tests on two different configurations. In both the experimental tests, the results demonstrate an efficient behavior of the retrofitted connections under horizontal cyclic loads. The comparison between the performance of the investigated connection and the response of a typical beam-to-column dowel connection allows to discuss the main critical features of the dowel connection system

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the external auditory canal: case report.

This study reports a case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the external auditory canal, which to date has only been described once in literature. Because the lesion is extremely rare, it is particularly difficult to classify it into stages following normal diagnostic parameters. This obviously limits the possibilities of treatment that consequently are either empirical or based on those of squamous cell carcinoma. The problems in the diagnosis and the possible methods of treatment of mucoepidermoid carcinoma are discusse

Nasal pathologies in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

Nasal obstruction is a frequent condition in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Nasal obstruction leads to mouth breathing, which is thought to destabilise the upper airway to aggravate the condition. Three conditions could be considered as the cause of the nasal breathing obstruction: anatomical conditions of the nose (septum deviation, hypertrophy of the inferior turbinates), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and chronic nasal inflammation caused by allergic rhinitis or non-allergic cellular rhinitis. In this prospective study, we present an evaluation of all these possible rhino-sinusal aspects in OSA patients to correlate different nasal pathologies with nasal obstruction. Fifty patients with a diagnosis of OSA were enrolled in the study. In 70% of OSA patients, nasal obstruction was confirmed by clinical evaluation and rhinomanometry testing. Normal rhino-sinus aspects were present in only 20% of OSAS patients, whereas one or more pathological rhino-sinus conditions were present in the remaining 80%. The percentage of OSA patients with a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis was 18% and 26% respectively. Non-allergic rhinitis with neutrophils (NARNE) was the most frequent type of cellular rhinitis diagnosed in OSA patients (20% of cases). The results of the present study support and extend the observation that rhinitis is present in OSA patients. Mucosal inflammation caused by these conditions could be the cause of upper airway patency impairment inducing nasal mucosa swellin

Unusual symptomatology in eagle syndrome

A 20-year-old female presented a history of isolate left external ear pain. ENT valuation showed no alteration of the district, but an aberrant styloid process was tender to palpation in the left tonsillar fossa. Computer tomography was performed and confirmed it. Thereafter, the diagnosis of Eagle syndrome was made. The auricular branch of the vagal nerve (ABVN) was pressed by the styloid process causing the pain. This case pointed out the importance to consider anatomical alteration as elongated styloid process as a possible cause of external ear pain

Tympano-mastoid cholesterol granuloma: case report and review of the literature

Cholesterol granuloma (CG) is a rare condition histological consisting of a foreign body, giant cell reaction to cholesterol crystals and haemosiderin derived from the ruptured of the erythrocytes. A 25-year-old man came to our Department presenting signs and symptoms of tympano-mastoid cholesterol granuloma. He showed all the specific sign and symptoms of the disease. However, considering the lack of literature regarding TMCG, this study was performed with the aim of presenting the main characteristics of tympano-mastoid CG, describing the case report and reviewing the literature

Shake table tests for the seismic fragility evaluation of hospital rooms

© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Health care facilities may undergo severe and widespread damage that impairs the functionality of the system when it is stricken by an earthquake. Such detrimental response is emphasized either for the hospital buildings designed primarily for gravity loads or without employing base isolation/supplemental damping systems. Moreover, these buildings need to warrant operability especially in the aftermath of moderate-to-severe earthquake ground motions. The provisions implemented in the new seismic codes allow obtaining adequate seismic performance for the hospital structural components; nevertheless, they do not provide definite yet reliable rules to design and protect the building contents. To date, very few experimental tests have been carried out on hospital buildings equipped with nonstructural components as well as building contents. The present paper is aimed at establishing the limit states for a typical health care room and deriving empirical fragility curves by considering a systemic approach. Toward this aim, a full scale three-dimensional model of an examination (out patients consultation) room is constructed and tested dynamically by using the shaking table facility of the University of Naples, Italy. The sample room contains a number of typical medical components, which are either directly connected to the panel boards of the perimeter walls or behave as simple freestanding elements. The outcomes of the comprehensive shaking table tests carried out on the examination room have been utilized to derive fragility curves based on a systemic approach