On the hearing effects of a cholesteatoma growing: A biomechanical study.

Chronic otitis media enables the appearance of a benign middle ear tumor, known as a cholesteatoma, that may compromise hearing. To evaluate the influence of a cholesteatoma growth on the hearing function, a computational middle ear model based on the finite element method was used and three different size of cholesteatoma were modeled. The cholesteatoma solidification and the consequent degradation of the ossicles were also simulated as two condition that commonly occurs during cholesteatoma evolution.

A computational framework to simulate the endolymph flow due to vestibular rehabilitation maneuvers assessed from accelerometer data.

Vertiginous symptoms are one of the most common symptoms in the world, therefore investing in new ways and therapies to avoid the sense of insecurity during the vertigo episodes is of great interest. The classical maneuvers used during vestibular rehabilitation consist in moving the head in specific ways, but it is not fully understood why those steps solve the problem. To better understand this mechanism, a three-dimensional computational model of the semicircular ducts of the inner ear was built using the finite element method, with the simulation of the fluid flow being obtained using particle methods.

An alternative 3D numerical method to study the biomechanical behaviour of the human inner ear semicircular canal.

Purpose: The vestibular system is the part of the inner ear responsible for balance. Vertigo and dizziness are generally caused by vestibular disorders and are very common symptoms in people over 60 years old. One of the most efficient treatments at the moment is vestibular rehabilitation, permitting to improve the symptoms.

Agreement and association between different indicators of body image and body mass index in adolescents.

The aim of the study was to examine the correlation among different indicators of body image; between each one of these and nutritional status; and the association of these indicators with the Body Mass Index (BMI) of adolescents. A random sample of 152 students from public and private schools in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was studied. On four occasions, two silhouette scales and two questions regarding the opinion of the student about his/her body and weight were applied and weight and height were measured.

[Thymus hyperplasia in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome].

Thymus is an important central lymphoid organ that plays a pivotal role in the generation of peripheral T-lymphocytes. Thymoma and thymus hyperplasia have been associated with various autoimmune disorders, mainly myasthenia gravis. There is no established relationship between thymus pathology and antiphospholipid syndrome; however, there are some reported cases of antiphospholipid syndrome associated with myasthenia gravis or following thymectomy.