Acute aortic insufficiency due to avulsion of aortic valve commissure.

A 66-year-old male patient, prior hypertension, a history of orthopnea, palpitations and chest pain of sudden onset, which was diagnosed as spontaneous avulsion of aortic valve commissure and consequent aortic insufficiency progressing to acute left heart failure refractory to medical treatment. The patient underwent early surgical replacement of the aortic valve by a bioprosthesis, and presented satisfactory postoperative course. Currently, four years after the event, still in attendance in functional class I.

Simultaneous myocardial and supra-aortic trunks revascularization.

We report the case of a 58-year-old patient, with a three vessel disease with unstable angina. Due to refractory angina, she was referred to urgent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). In the preoperative evaluation were found severe obstructive lesions in the brachiocephalic trunk origin, left common carotid origin and left internal carotid artery. The patient underwent CABG, supra-aortic trunks revascularization (extra-anatomic bypass) and carotid endarterectomy in the same procedure. She presented an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on the seventh postoperative day. Currently, two years after the procedure, she continues under follow-up, symptomless.

Revascularização simultânea do miocárdio e dos troncos supra-aórticos / Simultaneous myocardial and supra-aortic trunks revascularization

Relatamos o caso de uma paciente de 58 anos com síndrome coronariana aguda, com acometimento triarterial. Em decorrência de angina refratária, foi indicada cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio (RM) de urgência. Na avaliação pré-operatória, foram detectadas lesões obstrutivas na origem do tronco braquiocefálico, artérias carótida comum esquerda e carótida interna esquerda. A paciente foi submetida, concomitantemente, a RM e revascularização dos troncos supra-aórticos (bypass extra-anatômico), além de endarterectomia da artéria carótida interna esquerda. A paciente teve uma boa evolução, com alta hospitalar no sétimo dia pós-operatório. Atualmente, dois anos após o procedimento, encontra-se em acompanhamento ambulatorial, assintomática.

We report the case of a 58-year-old patient, with a three vessel disease with unstable angina. Due to refractory angina, she was referred to urgent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). In the preoperative evaluation were found severe obstructive lesions in the brachiocephalic trunk origin, left common carotid origin and left internal carotid artery. The patient underwent CABG, supra-aortic trunks revascularization (extra-anatomic bypass) and carotid endarterectomy in the same procedure. She presented an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on the seventh postoperative day. Currently, two years after the procedure, she continues under follow-up, symptomless.

Ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

It is reported a ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 25-year-old systemic lupus erythematosus woman who underwent 19 years steroid therapy. She was treated with 2 endovascular stent-grafts, discharged from hospital 13 days after the procedure in good health. Three months later she returned with hemorrhagic shock due to high digestive hemorrhage secondary to an aortic-esophageal fistula. She underwent to an open emergency surgery, and died during the post-operative period.

Ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus / Aneurisma roto da aorta descendente em paciente com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico

It is reported a ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 25-year-old systemic lupus erythematosus woman who underwent 19 years steroid therapy. She was treated with 2 endovascular stent-grafts, discharged from hospital 13 days after the procedure in good health. Three months later she returned with hemorrhagic shock due to high digestive hemorrhage secondary to an aortic-esophageal fistula. She underwent to an open emergency surgery, and died during the post-operative period.

Paciente de 25 anos, do sexo feminino, portadora de lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, fazendo uso de corticoesteroide havia 19 anos, deu entrada em unidade de emergência com aneurisma roto de aorta torácica descendente. Foi submetida a tratamento endovascular com 2 stents, recebeu alta hospitalar no 13º dia de pós-operatório, em boas condições de saúde. Três meses depois, retornou em choque hemorrágico secundário a hemorragia digestiva alta. Feito o diagnóstico de fístula aorto-esofágica, foi submetida à cirurgia aberta de emergência, indo a óbito durante o período pós-operatório.

Short Peptides as Inhibitors of Amyloid Aggregation.

The misfolding and aggregation of proteins into amyloid has been linked to a variety of age-related diseases. Aggregation of proteins, such as Aß in Alzheimer's disease and Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP, amylin) in type 2 diabetes, appears to lead to the formation of toxic assemblies. These assemblies range in size from small oligomers (2-8 proteins) to large fibrils (thousands of proteins). It remains unclear how these amyloidogenic proteins misfold and form toxic species, but growing evidence suggests that inhibiting the aggregation of these proteins could slow, if not prevent altogether, the progression of these diseases. We describe the use of small peptides (<43 amino acids) as inhibitors of amyloid-based aggregation. These peptides, often short complementary segments of the amyloid proteins, can be useful (i) for identifying the aggregation-prone regions of the amyloid proteins (ii) as models for drug discovery and (iii) as potential therapeutic agents themselves.

Depression in the workplace: the role of the corporate medical director.

Depressive disorders are a major health issue in the US workplace. They are responsible for significant direct and indirect costs to the employer in terms of medical and pharmaceutical costs, time absent from work and decreased productivity while on the job (presenteeism). The Corporate Medical Director (CMD) or occupational health physician must be equipped to respond to this health problem just as they must be able to respond to the more "traditional" workplace issues such as communicable disease, occupational exposures, and work-related ergonomic injuries. An integrated response by the CMD includes forming partnerships with relevant departments such as the Employee Assistance Program, Human Resources, Corporate Benefits, and others; measuring the impact of the disease; and providing leadership with regard to interventions in health plan design, disability management, workplace policy, and education aimed at increasing awareness and destigmatization.

The association of antidepressant medication adherence with employee disability absences.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between antidepressant medication adherence and short-term disability (STD) in an employed population. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study of 2112 employees with a new episode of treatment with an antidepressant medication (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). METHODS: Both Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) acute and continuation treatment guidelines were applied to categorize patients' medication adherence. STD events were followed for 365 days after the date that an initial antidepressant medication prescription was filled. The association between STD and adherence was analyzed with multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for demographic and other confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 1301 employees (61.6% of 2112) adhered to acute phase treatment, and 966 (45.7% of 2112) remained adherent to continuation phase treatment. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, employees nonadherent with acute treatment were 38.7% more likely to have STD claims than adherent employees (odds ratio [OR] = 1.387; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.025, 1.876; P = .0339); and employees nonadherent with continuation treatment were 46.1% more likely to have STD claims than adherent employees (OR = 1.461; 95% CI = 1.071, 1.993; P = .0167). CONCLUSIONS: A higher incidence of STD was associated with antidepressant medication nonadherence in both acute and continuation treatment phases. Employers may save indirect costs by providing assistance to encourage employees to adhere to their antidepressant medication treatment.

Úlceras em megacólons chagásicos operados na urgência e eletivamente / Ulcerations in Chagas' megacolon operated at urgency and electively

RACIONAL: O megacólon é uma doença freqüente no nosso meio e abordado na urgência pelas suas complicações como fecalomas, volvos e perfurações. As úlceras de estases nos megacólons contribuem como prováveis sítios de perfurações OBJETIVO: Comparar as freqüências de úlceras de decúbito em megacólons chagásicos operados na urgência, por volvo e fecaloma, e eletivamente, objetivando melhor conduta cirúrgica na urgência MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Analisaram-se os laudos de 356 exames anatomopatológicos de ressecções colônicas de pacientes operados por megacólon chagásico na urgência (102 casos; 29 por cento) e eletivamente (254 casos; 71 por cento), no período de 1980 a 2000. As indicações cirúrgicas de urgência foram atribuídas a volvo (71 casos; 69,6 por cento), fecaloma (25 casos; 24,5 por cento), abdome agudo perfurativo após sondagem retal ou sigmoidoscopia (6 casos; 5,9 por cento). Compararam-se as freqüências de úlceras nos dois grupos de peças cirúrgicas, com a utilização do teste do qui-quadrado RESULTADOS: Nos laudos das peças cirúrgicas obtidas nas cirurgias de urgência, constatou-se o registro de úlceras em 26 casos (25,5 por cento); nas peças de ressecções eletivas verificaram-se úlceras em 21 casos (8,25 por cento). A diferença observada foi estatisticamente significante. A comparação dos grupos de volvo, fecaloma e volvo com fecaloma, em separado com o grupo das cirurgias eletivas, evidenciou diferenças significantes em relação ao volvo e ao fecaloma CONCLUSÃO: A freqüência muito maior de úlceras nos megas operados em caráter de urgência enfatiza a necessidade da ressecção imediata do cólon sigmóide, ao invés da conduta conservadora de simples colostomia descompressiva, mesmo naquelas laparotomias exploradoras em que o exame macroscópico do sigmóide não mostre sinais de necrose. Desta forma, deve-se prevenir a ocorrência de perfuração do megacólon no pós-operatório mediato, com conseqüências usualmente graves.

BACKGROUD: The megacolon is a frequent disease in our emergencie hospital, and approached in the urgency by your complications as fecal impaction, volvulus and perforations. The ulcerations in the megacolons contribute as probable sites of perforations AIM: To compare the frequencies of stercoral ulceration in Chagas' megacolon operated at urgency, by volvulus or fecal impaction, and electively, aiming at a better surgical conduct in the urgency surgery METHODS: It was analyzed 356 anatomy-pathological exams from colon resection of operated patients due to Chagas' megacolon at urgency (102 cases; 29 percent) and electively (254 cases; 71 percent), from 1980 to 2000. The surgical urgency indications were attributed to volvulus (71 cases; 69,6 percent), fecal impaction (25 cases; 24,5 percent), perforated acute abdomen after rectal catheter or sigmoidoscopy (6 cases; 5,9 percent). The ulceration frequency was compared in both groups of resections, using chi-square RESULTS: The pathological anatomy - of surgery resection obtained at urgency surgeries, showed 26 cases of ulceration (25,5 percent) and in electively resections were verified 21 cases of ulceration (8,25 percent). The difference observed was statistically significant. The comparison among the groups of volvulus; fecal impaction and volvulus with fecal impaction, separately with electively surgery group evidenced significant differences in relation to volvulus and fecal impaction CONCLUSIONS: The higher frequency of ulcerations in the megacolon operated at urgency character emphasizes the needs of immediate resection of sigmoid colon, instead of conservative conduct of simple decompression colostomy, even in exploration laparotomy which the macroscopic examination of sigmoid does not show necrotic signs. This way, should prevent the occurrence of perforation in megacolon at mediate postoperative, with serious results.

Worker productivity loss associated with arthritis.

This study at a major financial services corporation sought to investigate the association of arthritis with on-the-job productivity, also termed "presenteeism." Using a modified version of the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) incorporated into a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA), 17,685 employees responded to the survey in 2002. Of the 16,651 respondents meeting inclusion criteria, 2,469 (14.8%) reported having arthritis, and 986 (39.9% of those with arthritis) also reported that they were under medical care and/or taking medication for arthritis. Employees with arthritis were older, predominantly female, and reported a higher number of comorbidities. Although all four domains of the WLQ (physical, time, mental, and output) were impacted by arthritis, the greatest productivity effect, as expected, was on physical work tasks. Health risks also play a role in the relationship between arthritis and presenteeism, with high-risk individuals reporting 7%-10% additional loss of productivity compared to lowrisk individuals. In addition, those who reported receiving medication and/or treatment for arthritis had a 2.5% excess productivity loss independently attributed to their arthritis, which equals approximately 1,250 US dollars per employee per year, or 5.4 million US dollars to the corporation. This arthritis effect was discernible in those with low and moderate levels of health risk, but was not as evident in those with high health risks; in that group, health-associated decrements in productivity were much larger. Arthritis is associated with work productivity loss. Disease management programs should focus on pain management and arthritis-associated health risks and comorbidities in order to significantly decrease arthritis-related losses in on-the-job productivity.

Factors affecting curved versus straight path heading perception.

Displays commonly used for testing heading judgments in the presence of rotations are ambiguous to observers. They can be interpreted equally well as motion in a straight line while rotating the eyes or as motion on a curved path. This has led to conflicting results from studies that use these displays. In this study, we tested several factors that might influence which of these two interpretations observers see. These factors included the size of the field of view, the duration of the stimulus, textured scenes versus random-dot displays, and whether or not observers were given a description of their path. The only factor that had a significant effect on path perception was whether or not observers were given instructions describing their path of motion. Under all conditions without instructions, we found that observers responded in a way that was consistent with the perception of motion on a curved path.

The association between health risk change and presenteeism change.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study investigates whether changes in health risks are associated with changes in presenteeism (on-the-job productivity loss). METHOD: A total of 7026 employees of a national financial services company responded to a health risk appraisal (HRA), which included a modified version of the Work Limitation Questionnaire (WLQ) in both 2002 and 2004. The association between changes in health risks and changes in self-reported presenteeism was examined. RESULTS: Changes in perceptual/psychologic health risks had a strong association with changes in presenteeism. Individuals who reduced their risks generally saw an improvement in productivity, whereas those who gained risks or remained high-risk status saw deterioration in productivity. Each risk factor increased or reduced was associated with a commensurate change in 1.9% productivity loss over time and estimated to be 950 dollars per year per risk changed. CONCLUSIONS: Positive and negative changes in health risks are associated with same-direction changes in presenteeism.

[Ulcerations in Chagas' megacolon operated at urgency and electively]. / Ulceras em megacólons chagásicos operados na urgência e eletivamente.

BACKGROUND: [corrected] The megacolon is a frequent disease in our emergencie hospital, and approached in the urgency by your complications as fecal impaction, volvulus and perforations. The ulcerations in the megacolons contribute as probable sites of perforations AIM: To compare the frequencies of stercoral ulceration in Chagas' megacolon operated at urgency, by volvulus or fecal impaction, and electively, aiming at a better surgical conduct in the urgency surgery METHODS: It was analyzed 356 anatomy-pathological exams from colon resection of operated patients due to Chagas' megacolon at urgency (102 cases; 29%) and electively (254 cases; 71%), from 1980 to 2000. The surgical urgency indications were attributed to volvulus (71 cases; 69,6%), fecal impaction (25 cases; 24,5%), perforated acute abdomen after rectal catheter or sigmoidoscopy (6 cases; 5,9%). The ulceration frequency was compared in both groups of resections, using chi-square RESULTS: The pathological anatomy - of surgery resection obtained at urgency surgeries, showed 26 cases of ulceration (25,5%) and in electively resections were verified 21 cases of ulceration (8,25%). The difference observed was statistically significant. The comparison among the groups of volvulus; fecal impaction and volvulus with fecal impaction, separately with electively surgery group evidenced significant differences in relation to volvulus and fecal impaction CONCLUSIONS: The higher frequency of ulcerations in the megacolon operated at urgency character emphasizes the needs of immediate resection of sigmoid colon, instead of conservative conduct of simple decompression colostomy, even in exploration laparotomy which the macroscopic examination of sigmoid does not show necrotic signs. This way, should prevent the occurrence of perforation in megacolon at mediate postoperative, with serious results.

The association of health risks with on-the-job productivity.

OBJECTIVE: Decreased on-the-job productivity represents a large yet poorly characterized indirect cost to employers. We studied the impact of employee health risk factors on self-reported worker productivity (presenteeism). METHODS: Using a brief version of the Work Limitation Questionnaire incorporated into a Health Risk Appraisal, 28,375 employees of a national company responded to the survey. The association between health risks and work limitation and each of the four domains was examined. Percentage of lost productivity also was estimated. RESULTS: Ten of 12 health risk factors studied were significantly associated with self-reported work limitations. The strength of the associations varied between risks and the four domains of work limitation. Perception-related risk factors such as life dissatisfaction, job dissatisfaction, poor health, and stress showed the greatest association with presenteeism. As the number of self-reported health risk factors increased, so did the percentage of employees reporting work limitations. Each additional risk factor was associated with 2.4% excess productivity reduction. Medium and high-risk individuals were 6.2% and 12.2% less productive than low-risk individuals, respectively. The annual cost of lost productivity in this corporation was estimated at between 99Mdollars and 185Mdollars or between 1392dollars and 2592dollars per employee. CONCLUSIONS: Health risk factors represent additional causes of lost productivity.

Caregiving for ill dependents and its association with employee health risks and productivity.

This study examined the loss of productivity and health risk status associated with employees who provide care for an ill dependent. A total of 16,651 employees (23% response rate) of a major financial services company completed a confidential Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) that included an eight-item version of the Work Limitations Questionnaire and a self-report of time missed from work during the previous 2 weeks to care for an ill dependent. A total of 10.6% of the respondents reported an average of 7.7 hours absent from work during the previous 2-week period to provide care for an ill dependent. Caregiving also was associated with a significant increase in the number of health risks for the employee. As the demand for caregiving time increased, caregivers reported a significant increase in work limitations. Caregiving for an ill dependent is associated with increased absenteeism and significant work limitations while on the job. Programs and work organization that helps employees balance their caregiving responsibilities for ill dependents may have a positive effect on health and productivity.

The association of medical conditions and presenteeism.

A self-reported measure of four domains of work impairment based on the Work Limitations Questionnaire was completed by 16,651 employees of a large financial services corporation. Using a multivariate model to control for coexisting conditions, age, and gender, significant relationships were observed between medical conditions and patterns of impaired work performance. Depression was highly associated with work limitations in time management (odds ratio [OR] = 2.05), interpersonal/mental functioning (OR = 2.50), and overall output (OR = 2.24). Arthritis (OR = 1.56) and low back pain (OR = 1.32) were associated with physical function limitations. These same two conditions were associated with limitations in mental/interpersonal functioning but with low back pain having the higher odds ratio (OR = 1.54 vs. 1.22). These results suggest that worksite interventions (eg, disease management programs) should be tailored to the unique effects observed with specific medical conditions. More targeted programs could have important benefits for productivity in the workplace.

Sistema de drenagem torácica e uso de antimicrobianos: avaliação bacteriológica após troca do frasco coletor com seu conteúdo com 12 e 24 horas / Chest drainage system and antimicrobial use: bacteriological evaluation after exchange of the bottle and the solution seal within 12 and 24 hours

Objetivo: Avaliar a contaminação bacteriológica do líquido de drenagem torácica sob sistema fechado, após troca com 12 e 24 horas do frasco coletor e de seu conteúdo, em pacientes sob drenagem torácica, em vigência ou não de antibióticos. Método: Investigou-se o líquido de 54 drenagens torácicas, sobsistema fechado, de 44 pacientes com trauma torácico fechado ou com pneumotórax espontâneo, divididosem dois grupos, de acordo com o tempo de intervalo na substituição da solução de soro fisiológico e do frasco coletor. No grupo A (23 pacientes: 28 drenagens) a troca foi realizada a cada 12 horas e no grupo B (21 pacientes: 26 drenagens) com troca a cada 24 horas. Foram empregados os testes de distribuição normal para análise dos dados paramétricos e qui-quadrado para análise dos dados não paramétricos. Excluiu-se os casos de empiemas pleurais e traumas torácicos por arma de fogo ou arma branca. Resultados: Dos 44 pacientes submetidos à drenagem torácica, 15 (34,2%) apresentavam hemopneumotórax, 13 (29,5%) pneumotórax isoladamente,seis (13,6%) hemotórax, seis (13,6%) pós-toracotomia, três (6,8%) por derrame pleural e um (2,3%) por enfisema subcutâneo. Não houve diferença significativa quanto ao uso de antibióticos ou ao número de culturas positivas (onze em cada) nos dois grupos, mesmo quando se analisou o número de novos casos positivos diários em cada grupo (p>0,05). Conclusão: Através deste estudo constatou-se que a substituição do frasco coletor e do líquido drenado neste frasco, pelo soro fisiológico estéril, tanto por intervalo de tempo de 12h quanto 24h, não mostrou diferença nos índices de colonização bacteriana, independente do uso deantimicrobianos.

Background: We evaluated the bacteriological contamination of chest drainage liquid under closed system after exchanging the bottle and the solution seal with 12 and 24 hours, in patients with or without antibiotics.Methods: The fluid of 54 chest drainage, under closed tube thoracostomy,was investigated in 44 patients with closed chest injury or with spontaneous pneumothorax, dividedinto two groups, in accordance to the interval to replace the physiological serum solution in the collector bottle. In the group A (23 patients, 28 drainages) the exchange of the bottle and of thesolution seal was performed every 12 hours and in the group B (21 patients, 26 drainages) every 24 hours. A normal distribution test for the analysis of parametric data and chi-square test for the analysis of no parametric data were used. Pleural empyema and thoracic trauma by firearms or stab were excluded. Results: From 44 patients subjected to chest drainage, 15 (34,2%) presented hemopneumothorax, 13 (29,5%) isolated pneumothorax, six (13,6%) hemothorax, six (13,6%) postthoracotomy, three (6,8%) by pleural effusions and 1 (2,3%) subcutaneous emphysema. There wasn’tsignificant difference regarding to antibiotic use and the number of positive cultures (eleven in each case) in the two groups, as well as when it was analyzed the number of new positive cases per day in each group (p>0,05). Conclusions: The analysis of this study confirmed that the replacement of drainage fluid in collector bottle, by sterile physiological serum, in an interval time of 12 or 24 hours, showed no difference in the bacterium colonization index, independent of antimicrobian use.

A model using MT-like motion-opponent operators explains an illusory transformation in the optic flow field.

Previous studies have shown that a physiologically based model using motion-opponent operators to compute heading performs accurately for simulated observer translations. Here we show how this model can explain an illusory shift in the perceived focus of expansion of a radial flow field that occurs when a field of laterally moving dots is superimposed on a field of radially moving dots. Furthermore, we can use the model to predict the perceptual shift of the focus of expansion for novel visual stimuli. These results support the hypothesis that this illusion results from motion subtraction during the processing of optic flow fields.