Crural bases position as a structural criterion for supraspecific diagnosis of Early Jurassic zeilleriid brachiopods

Analysis of the internal structure carried out on several representative genera of the brachiopod family Zeilleriidae from the Lower Jurassic of the Betic Ranges (SE Spain), complemented with specimens from nearby domains such as the Iberian Range and Lusitanian Basin, has enabled to propose a model for discrimination of genera based on the relative position of the crural bases with respect to the hinge plates. This particular feature has been analysed in the genera Zeilleria, Bakonyithyris, Securina, Neozeilleria, Cincta, Aulacothyris, and Plesiothyris, revealing three different basic patterns of crural bases arrangement: a Zeilleria-type, with crural bases distinctly arising from the ventral side of the hinge plates; a Securina-type, with crural bases originating transversally to the hinge plates and dorsally prominent; and a Bakonyithyris-type, intermediate between both previous patterns

The oldest post-Paleozoic (Ladinian, Triassic) brachiopods from the Betic Range, SE Spain

Triassic brachiopods from the Betic Range were unknown hitherto. Herein we describe the first brachiopod occurrences in the early Ladinian of this domain referable to a new genus and species Misunithyris goyi derived from three localities of the south-Iberian Triassic outcrops. The analysis of internal and external characters of this brachiopod allowed to characterize systematically and biogeographically this fauna in a chronostratigraphic interval when the paucity of brachiopod records is attributable to the entire peri-Iberian epicontinental platform system established in the westernmost Tethyan margin. The new record is endemic to the Betic Range and represents a new faunal constituent of the multicostate zeillerids stock. This fauna inhabited the epicontinental seas of the Sephardic bioprovince since a closer affinity with the low-latitude Tethyan assemblages is revealed. The possible linkage of the Triassic stock with the Early–Middle Jurassic multicostate zeillerid representatives suggests feasible phylogenetic relationships between both groups

Leap motion controlled video game-based therapy for upper limb rehabilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease: a feasibility study

Background:Non-immersive video games are currently being used as technological rehabilitation tools for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Leap Motion Controller® (LMC) system used with serious games designed for the upper limb (UL), as well as the levels of satisfaction and compliance among patients in mild-to-moderate stages of the disease. Methods: A non-probabilistic sampling of non-consecutive cases was performed. 23 PD patients, in stages II-IV of the Hoehn & Yahr scale, were randomized into two groups: an experimental group (n = 12) who received treatment based on serious games designed by the research team using the LMC system for the UL, and a control group (n = 11) who received a specific intervention for the UL. Grip muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity, as well as satisfaction and compliance, were assessed in both groups pre-treatment and post-treatment. Results: Within the experimental group, significant improvements were observed in all post-treatment assessments, except for Box and Blocks test for the less affected side. Clinical improvements were observed for all assessments in the control group. Statistical intergroup analysis showed significant improvements in coordination, speed of movements and fine motor dexterity scores on the more affected side of patients in the experimental group. Conclusions: The LMC system and the serious games designed may be a feasible rehabilitation tool for the improvement of coordination, speed of movements and fine UL dexterity in PD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.The research leading to these results has received funding from the ROBOHEALTH-A project (DPI2013–47944-C4–1-R) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness