La ceramica miniaturistica di S. Leucio

Oggetto del contributo è l'analisi della ceramica miniaturistica rinvenuta durante le indagini archeologiche che hanno interessato l'area della basilica di S. Leucio a Canosa di Puglia. Lo studio ha permesso di rintracciare tre diverse forme ceramiche: brocche, olle e boccali. Gli esemplari, tutti di argilla depurata lavorata al tornio, sono caratterizzati da standard dimensionali compresi tra i cm 3,5 e i cm 7 di altezza. Tali materiali trovano confronti in vari contesti votivi e funerari dell'Italia meridionale

Sez. 8.7a - Tesoro di argenterie da Hildesheim: piatto per uova

Scheda di catalogo relativa a un piatto per uova argenteo, facente parte il tesoro di argenterie rinvenuto a Hildesheim

Sez. 8.7 - Il tesoro di Hildesheim

Scheda di catalogo relativa al tesoro di argenterie da Hildesheim

Sez. 8.7b - Tesoro di argenterie da Hildesheim: coppa con figura di Athena seduta su trono

Scheda di catalogo relativa a una coppa con rappresentazione di Atena seduta, facente parte il tesoro di argenterie rinvenuto a Hildesheim

Il culto di Artemide in Attica: il materiale votivo negli inventari brauroni

Oggetto dell’intervento sono alcune categorie di doni attestate all’interno dei documenti epigrafici meglio conosciuti come Tabulae curatorum Brauronii i quali, sebbene oggetto di numerose analisi, presentano ancora aspetti di grande interesse. L’attenzione degli studi fino ad oggi si è concentrata principalmente sulle attestazioni relative al dono di vesti, trascurando altre classi di materiali votivi oltremodo significativi; questi risultano divisi in oggetti in materiale prezioso (oro e argento) e oggetti in materiale di più ampia diffusione (bronzo, avorio e legno). All’interno della prima categoria emerge per l’abbondanza di riferimenti un cospicuo gruppo gli anelli, a cui si aggiungono altre tipologie di gioielli come collane, orecchini e bracciali. L’elenco di oggetti in bronzo e in altro materiale occupa invece la parte finale delle stele, dove si riscontrano significativamente: una gran quantità di specchi, diverse tipologie di vasellame e altri oggetti in avorio e legno, come ad esempio strumenti musicali. L’analisi di queste testimonianze epigrafiche in connessione con le testimonianze archeologiche conosciute anche per altre aree geografiche e con diverse fonti letterarie consente di ricostruire un sistema funzionale e simbolico più articolato del materiale votivo relativo al culto di Brauron, permettendo di delineare così un quadro più completo delle pratiche rituali connesse alle celebri festività di Artemide ad Atene e in Attica

A lightweight feedback-controlled microdrive for chronic neural recordings

Objective. Chronic neural recordings have provided many insights into the relationship between neural activity and behavior. We set out to develop a miniaturized motorized microdrive that allows precise electrode positioning despite possibly unreliable motors. Approach. We designed a feedback-based motor control mechanism. It contains an integrated position readout from an array of magnets and a Hall sensor. Main results. Our extremely lightweight (<1 g) motorized microdrive allows remote positioning of both metal electrodes and glass pipettes along one motorized axis. Target locations can be defined with a range of 6 mm and they can be reached within 1 µm precision. The incorporated headstage electronics are capable of both extracellular and intracellular recordings. We include a simple mechanism for repositioning electrodes in three dimensions and for replacing them during operation. We present neural data from different premotor areas of adult and juvenile zebra finches. Significance. Our findings show that feedback-based microdrive control requires little extra size and weight, suggesting that such control can be incorporated into more complex multi-electrode designs

Focal seizures with affective symptoms are a major feature of PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy.

Purpose:\u2002 Mutations of the protocadherin19 gene (PCDH19) cause a female-related epilepsy of variable severity, with or without mental retardation and autistic features. Despite the increasing number of patients and mutations reported, the epilepsy phenotype associated with PCDH19 mutations is still unclear. We analyzed seizure semiology through ictal video-electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in a large series of patients. Methods:\u2002 We studied 35 patients with PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy and analyzed clinical history and ictal video-EEG recordings obtained in 34 of them. Key Findings:\u2002 Clusters of focal febrile and afebrile seizures had occurred in 34 patients, at a mean age of 10\u2003months. The predominant and more consistent ictal sign was fearful screaming, occurring in 24 patients (70.5%); it was present since epilepsy onset in 12 and appeared later on, during the course in the remaining 12 patients. In infancy, fearful screaming mainly appeared within the context of seizures with prominent hypomotor semiology, whereas during follow-up it was associated with prominent early motor manifestations. In 16 patients, seizures were video-EEG recorded both at onset and during follow-up: in five patients (31%) seizure semiology remained identical, in 7 (44%) semiology varied and in four patients it was unclear whether ictal semiology changed with age. Three patients (9%) had both focal and generalized seizures, the latter consisting of absences and myoclonus. Ictal EEG during focal seizures showed a prominent involvement of the frontotemporal regions (22 patients). About 45% of patients had an alternating EEG pattern, with the ictal discharge migrating from one hemisphere to the contralateral during the same ictal event. Status epilepticus occurred in 30% of patients. Cognitive impairment occurred in 70%, ranging from mild (42%) to moderate (54%) and severe (4%); autistic features occurred in 28.5%. Direct sequencing detected 33 different heterozygous candidate mutations, 8 of which were novel. Mutations were missense substitutions (48.5%), premature termination (10 frameshift, 4 nonsense, and 2 splice-site mutations; 48.5%), and one in-frame deletion. Thirty candidate mutations (91%) were de novo. No specific genotype-phenotype correlation could be established, as missense and truncating mutations were associated with phenotypes of comparable severity. Significance:\u2002 Most patients with PCDH19 mutations exhibit a distinctive electroclinical pattern of focal seizures with affective symptoms, suggesting an epileptogenic dysfunction involving the frontotemporal limbic system. Awareness of this distinctive phenotype will likely enhance recognition of this disorder

Focal seizures with affective symptoms are a major feature of PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Mutations of the protocadherin19 gene (PCDH19) cause a female-related epilepsy of variable severity, with or without mental retardation and autistic features. Despite the increasing number of patients and mutations reported, the epilepsy phenotype associated with PCDH19 mutations is still unclear. We analyzed seizure semiology through ictal video-electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in a large series of patients. METHODS: We studied 35 patients with PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy and analyzed clinical history and ictal video-EEG recordings obtained in 34 of them. KEY FINDINGS: Clusters of focal febrile and afebrile seizures had occurred in 34 patients, at a mean age of 10 months. The predominant and more consistent ictal sign was fearful screaming, occurring in 24 patients (70.5%); it was present since epilepsy onset in 12 and appeared later on, during the course in the remaining 12 patients. In infancy, fearful screaming mainly appeared within the context of seizures with prominent hypomotor semiology, whereas during follow-up it was associated with prominent early motor manifestations. In 16 patients, seizures were video-EEG recorded both at onset and during follow-up: in five patients (31%) seizure semiology remained identical, in 7 (44%) semiology varied and in four patients it was unclear whether ictal semiology changed with age. Three patients (9%) had both focal and generalized seizures, the latter consisting of absences and myoclonus. Ictal EEG during focal seizures showed a prominent involvement of the frontotemporal regions (22 patients). About 45% of patients had an alternating EEG pattern, with the ictal discharge migrating from one hemisphere to the contralateral during the same ictal event. Status epilepticus occurred in 30% of patients. Cognitive impairment occurred in 70%, ranging from mild (42%) to moderate (54%) and severe (4%); autistic features occurred in 28.5%. Direct sequencing detected 33 different heterozygous candidate mutations, 8 of which were novel. Mutations were missense substitutions (48.5%), premature termination (10 frameshift, 4 nonsense, and 2 splice-site mutations; 48.5%), and one in-frame deletion. Thirty candidate mutations (91%) were de novo. No specific genotype-phenotype correlation could be established, as missense and truncating mutations were associated with phenotypes of comparable severity. SIGNIFICANCE: Most patients with PCDH19 mutations exhibit a distinctive electroclinical pattern of focal seizures with affective symptoms, suggesting an epileptogenic dysfunction involving the frontotemporal limbic system. Awareness of this distinctive phenotype will likely enhance recognition of this disorder