Monitoreo neurofisiológico intraoperatorio en la cirugía de la médula anclada

Presentamos nuestra experiencia en cirugía de médula anclada utilizando el monitoreo neurofisiológico como método de asistencia intraoperatoria realizada en el Hospital de Niños "Superiora Sor María Ludovica" de La Plata entre los años 1998 y 2006. Se intervinieron quirúrgicamente 40 pacientes con una edad promedio de 5.2 años. Las causas de anclaje medular más frecuentes fueron el re-anclaje secundario a cirugía de mielomeningocele (n: 14) y el filum terminale hipertrófico (n: 9). Las motivos de consulta principales fueron trastornos motores (n: 19) y estigmas cutáneos (n: 15). Utilizando el registro electromiográfico intraoperatorio, se logró en todos los casos preservar la función vesical, mejorar significativamente la espasticidad (n: 15) y evitar la progresividad de la signosintomatología. El monitoreo neurofisiológico resulta entonces un método indispensable para evitar déficit postoperatorios definitivos, guiando la cirugía a través de áreas carentes de inervación.We present our experience in the surgical treatment of tethered cord using the assistance of neurophysiological monitoring from 1998 to 2006. The procedure was done in 40 patients (mean age 5.2 years). The most frequent causes of tethered cord were that secondary to surgical treatment of myelomeningocele (n: 14), and hypertrophic phylum terminale (n: 9). Main presenting manifestations included muscle weakness (n: 19) and cutaneous stigmata (n: 15). By using the intraoperative electromyographic monitoring it was possible to preserve bladder function in all the cases, improve significatively the development of spasticity (n: 15) and avoid progression of clinical symptoms and signs. Thus, this procedure becomes absolutely necessary to avoid postoperative sequela guiding the surgical practice through anatomic areas devoid of nerves

The palaeontology and dating of the ‘Weybourne Crag’, an important marker horizon in the Early Pleistocene of the southern North Sea basin

In the North Sea basin the marine bivalve Macoma balthica first appears within the Early Pleistocene ‘Weybourne Crag’, which forms an important biostratigraphical datum. Here we review the fossil assemblages from sites of this age, prompted by new discoveries from Sidestrand, Norfolk, UK. The molluscan assemblages from this horizon are dominated by intertidal species with some colder/deeper water taxa and a few temperate non-marine species. A high boreal/low arctic marine environment with reduced salinities is indicated. An extensive assemblage of small mammals dominated by voles includes two species (Mimomys hordijki and Ungaromys dehmi) previously unknown from the British Pleistocene. The assemblage can be assigned to Tesakov's Mammal Biozone MNR1 (=MN17, Middle Villafranchian), which according to current estimates corresponds to a date of ∼2.2-2.1 Ma (MIS 84-79). It matches another assemblage from -61 m to -65 m in the Zuurland-2 borehole in The Netherlands, and is similar to that from the Dutch Tiglian type site at Tegelen, although this has more temperate elements. A late Tiglian age is consistent with the co-occurrence of the marine bivalves Macoma balthica, Mya arenaria and the freshwater gastropod Viviparus glacialis in the Zuurland-2 borehole and in a North Sea borehole (BGS 52-02-472). A Macoma balthica – Mya arenaria Concurrent Range Zone is defined for this assemblage, which can be traced across the North Sea basin. Amino acid dating provides strong independent support for these correlations and indicates that the Baventian cold stage post-dates the Bramertonian (Norwich Crag). It also confirms that Early Pleistocene molluscan assemblages with M. balthica are younger than those without it. The correlation of this marine marker horizon with Mammal Biozone MNR1 provides a secure link between continental and marine sequences during the Early Pleistocene. It also provides a basis for dating events in the pre-glacial fluvial drainage history and linking it to the East European mammal zonation

One-Dimensional ZnO/Gold Junction for Simultaneous and Versatile Multisensing Measurements

The sensing capabilities of zinc oxide nano/micro-structures have been widely investigated and these structures are frequently used in the fabrication of cutting-edge sensors. However, to date, little attention has been paid to the multi-sensing abilities of this material. In this work, we present an efficient multisensor based on a single zinc oxide microwire/gold junction. The device is able to detect in real time three different stimuli, UV-VIS light, temperature and pH variations. This is thanks to three properties of zinc oxide its photoconductive response, pyroelectricity and surface functionalization with amino-propyl groups, respectively. The three stimuli can be detected either simultaneously or in a sequence/random order. A specific mathematical tool was also developed, together with a design of experiments (DoE), to predict the performances of the sensor. Our micro-device allows reliable and versatile real-time measurements of UV-VIS light, temperature and pH variations. Therefore, it shows great potential for use in the field of sensing for living cell cultures

The identification of archaeological eggshell using peptide markers

Avian eggshell survives well in alkaline and neutral soils, but its potential as an archaeological resource remains largely unexplored, mainly due to difficulties in its identification. Here we exploit the release of novel bird genomes and, for the first time on eggshell, use MALDI-ToF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight) mass spectrometry in combination with peptide sequencing by LC-MS/MS. The eggshell proteome is revealed as unexpectedly complex, with 5755 proteins identified for a reference collection comprising 23 bird species. We determined 782 m/z markers useful for eggshell identification, 583 of which could be assigned to known eggshell peptide sequences. These were used to identify eggshell fragments recovered from a medieval site at Freeschool Lane, Leicester. We discuss the specificity of the peptide markers and highlight the importance of assessing the level of taxonomic identification achievable for archaeological interpretation

Patterns of Variation in a Caste-Cluster of Dhangars of Maharashtra, India

We study patterns of variation among the 20 endogamous groups of Dhangars, a caste-cluster from Maharashtra State of India, who are semi-nomadic shepherds and cattle herders. To understand patterns of variation, we subjected the data on fourteen anthropometric measurements of about 2,500 adult males and data on 6 genetic markers, published among 13 of the 20 Dhangar castes, to R-matrix analysis, Harpending and Ward model of regression of heterozygosity on the distance from centroid of the populations, spatial autocorrelation analysis and Mantel statistics of matrix correspondence of the distances – geographic, anthropometric and genetic. Results of multiple regression analysis suggest a high degree of association between allele frequencies and the geographic longitude and latitude; R2 value suggests that about 70% of the variance in RH7 and ACP can be assigned to geographic distribution of groups. In case of anthropometry, this association with body size is found to be even stronger. Results of spatial autocorrelation analysis, as suggested by Moran’s (I), are somewhat complementary to those based on multiple regression analysis. Mantel test indicates significant association between anthropometric distances and the geographic distances, not between geographic and genetic distances. The extent of differentiation of Dhangar sub-castes is much higher in anthropometric traits (FST = 0.068) when compared to the genetic markers (FST = 0.023). Yet, the FST value obtained for genetic markers is larger than the average for the Indian populations, based on similar class of markers. The positioning of the groups in the multivariate space reflects primarily geographic proximity of the groups with reference to anthropometric dimensions while no tangible pattern is evident for genetic markers. The plot of average heterozygosity of the groups versus their distance from the gene frequency centroid seems to reflect population size variation, rather thangroup variation in external gene flow