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Biomedical subjects

L S Ferreira

Publications and source records attributed to L S Ferreira.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Odd-odd deformed proton emitters.

Proton decay from odd-odd deformed nuclei is a long-standing unsolved problem. We present for the first time an exact solution using single particle Nilsson resonances. The lifetime is found to depend strongly on the single particle level occupied by the unpaired neutron, allowing a clear assignment of its Nilsson level. The emitters 112Cs, 140Ho, 150Lu, and 150Lu(m) are considered. The agreement with the experimental data is very good with deformations 0.1<beta<0.19 for 112Cs and -0.17<beta<-0.16 for the ground and isomeric states of 150Lu. In the case of 140Ho, two ranges of deformation 0.16<beta<0.28 and 0.28<beta<0.38 according to the neutron single particle level can describe the experimental half-life.

Journal Article↗

Childhood epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis: a comparative study.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical profile of pediatric patients with epilepsy and neurocysticercosis (NC), and compare them with a group of pediatric patients with benign partial epilepsy to determine clinical differences, response to treatment, and prognosis. METHODS: We studied 28 patients (16 girls) with probable or definitive diagnosis of NC and epilepsy and 32 patients (16 girls) with partial benign epilepsy (BE). All patients had normal neurologic examination. We compared NC and BE patients looking for differences in demographics (age at first seizure, gender, family history); clinical presentation (type, frequency, duration, and total number of seizures, duration of epilepsy, status epilepticus, cluster, and postictal deficit); treatment [duration, number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), maximal dose, drug association, number of seizure-free patients, time to obtain control and recurrence after medication discontinuation]; complementary examinations (the first and the last EEG). RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 5.4 years for the 28 NC patients and 4.6 years for the 32 BE patients (p=0.98). We did not find statistical differences between NC and BE in gender, family history, types of seizures, frequency and length of seizures, previous status epilepticus, seizure clustering, and presence of postictal deficits. However, we found that NC compared with BE patients had significant longer AED treatment, more seizures after AED introduction, tried more AEDs and at maximal dose, and in 20%, required polytherapy. The recurrence rate in NC was 54.4% and this was not significantly associated with number of lesions and disease activity seen on CT scans or the presence of EEG abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: NC presents with a mild form of epilepsy in terms of seizure severity; however, it is more challenging in regard to drug management and has a less favorable long-term prognosis in terms of seizure remission. The number of lesions or disease activity seen on computed tomography (CT) as well as EEG abnormalities have no prognostic value in childhood epilepsy due to NC.

Adolescent↗

[Cerebrovascular disease in children: II. Clinical aspects in 42 cases].

We report the findings recorded in 42 children suffering cerebrovascular disease and assisted at the Hospital das Clínicas FCM-UNICAMP, over a 8 years period (January 1990 until April 1998). The ischemic type was the most common, and involvement of the middle cerebral artery, sudden onset of clinical manifestation with seizures and motor disability were more common in early aged children. Motor sequelae predominated in the follow-up of these children.

Acute Disease↗

[A case report of human lagochilascariasis coming from Pará State, Brazil].

A new case of lagochilascariasis is reported in a child from Xinguara, PA, Brazil. The patient had an abscess in the right cervical region, which was drained at the Clinical Hospital of UFG. Eggs and adult stages of Lagochilascaris minor were found in the secretion of the abscess. Treatment with albendazol, at a dosage of 400 mg/day for 30 days, associated with antibiotics promoted regression of the lesion.

Abscess↗

Hepatocellular carcinoma HBsAg positive in pregnancy.

The authors present a case of hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosed in a pregnant woman (four months pregnancy). The clinical evolution was complicated because of a severe hypoglicemia and the patient died 12 weeks after admission. The fetus died before a tentative of surgical delivery. The patient was HBsAg positive and five out of eight sons (inclusively the fetus), were HBsAg positive. There was not indication that the pregnancy had enhanced the tumor evolution.

Adult↗