Brain-to-Brain Paradoxical Embolism through Patent Foramen Ovale after Cerebral Vein Thrombosis

n/

Automated displacement measurements on historical canvases

Abstract Background In this paper we describe a configurable system based on laser displacement sensors for the contactless acquisition of 3D and 2D shapes of near-planar objects such as the paintings. Methods The system is based on two single-point laser triangulation sensors, a planar robot and a suite of software for driving the sensors, acquiring and post-processing the collected data. As a demonstration of the developed system we monitored three artifacts with the different aims to monitor the elastic properties of the artworks and the effectiveness of support frames in compensating the micro-climate fluctuations: the "Annunciazione" Antonello da Messina, the "Paliotto di San Domenico", and the "Portiera Oddi-Montesperelli". Results In the "Annunciazione" case, the canvas response to tensioning trials was analyzed. The collected data permitted to quantify a maximum displacement of 0.9 and 1.5 mm for the tensioning tests at 1 and 2 mm, respectively. In the "Portiera" case, the displacement difference between the left and right canvas sides was (1.0 ± 0.13)%, due to the inherent anisotropy of the material and by the structure of the artifact. In the "Paliotto" case, instead, minor displacement variations of the gilt leather due to the environment were observed, due to the analysis conducted prior of the restoration. Conclusions The overall obtained results demonstrated that the system is able to provide useful data for the art conservation field, with a max inaccuracy less than 100 μm

Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke in Patients Aged 90 Years or Older

none5noneM. Balestrino; L. Dinia; M. Del Sette; B. Albano; C. GandolfoBalestrino, Maurizio; L., Dinia; M., Del Sette; B., Albano; Gandolfo, Carl

Interpreting physical and mental metaphors: Is Theory of Mind associated with pragmatics in middle childhood?

We investigated the association between individual differences in metaphor understanding and Theory of Mind (ToM) in typically developing children. We distinguished between two types of metaphors and created a Physical and Mental Metaphors task, echoing a similar distinction for ToM. Nine-year-olds scored lower than older age-groups in ToM as well as in the interpretation of mental, but not physical, metaphors. Moreover, nine-year-olds (but not older children) who are better in ToM are also better in interpreting mental, but not physical, metaphors. This suggests that the link between metaphor and ToM is stronger when metaphorical interpretation involves mental aspects, and it is more evident in early rather than later childhood

Coma with Vertical Gaze Palsy: Relevance of Angio-CT in Acute Percheron Artery Syndrome

Background: A 63-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin was admitted to emergency for coma and complete vertical gaze palsy. Investigations: Brain CT and MRI, echo-colour Doppler sonography of the supraaortic vessels, angio-CT of the intracranial vessels, EEG, transesophageal echocardiogram, biohumoral tests. Brain CT and MRI scans showed bilateral thalamic lesions with involvement of the right midbrain; EEG showed a diffuse alpha rhythm prevalent on the posterior regions; echo-colour Doppler sonography of the supraaortic vessels showed marked reduction of blood flow in the right vertebral artery; angio-CT scans showed occlusion of the right vertebral artery and a significant filling defect of the first part of the right posterior cerebral artery (P1) from which the artery of Percheron arises. A follow-up angio-CT showed a complete recanalization of P1. Diagnosis: Percheron artery syndrome

Visual perspective-taking in complex natural scenes

Studies of visual perspective-taking have shown that adults can rapidly and accurately compute their own and other peoples’ viewpoints, but they experience difficulties when the two perspectives are inconsistent. We tested whether these egocentric (i.e. interference from one’s own perspective) and altercentric biases (i.e. interference from another person’s perspective) persist in ecologically-valid complex environments. Participants (N=150) completed a dot-probe visual perspective-taking task, in which they verified the number of discs in natural scenes containing real people, first only according to their own perspective and then judging both their own and another person’s perspective. Results showed that the other person’s perspective did not disrupt self perspective-taking judgements when the other perspective was not explicitly prompted. In contrast, egocentric and altercentric biases were found when participants were prompted to switch between self and other perspectives. These findings suggest that altercentric visual perspective-taking can be activated spontaneously in complex real-world contexts, but is subject to both top-down and bottom-up influences, including explicit prompts or salient visual stimuli

Transient basilar artery occlusion monitored by transcranial color Doppler presenting with a spectacular shrinking deficit: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>We describe the case of a 79-year-old Caucasian Italian woman with a transient basilar occlusion monitored by transcranial Doppler, with subsequent recanalization and clinical shrinking deficit. This is the first case of transient basilar occlusive disease diagnosed and monitored by transcranial Doppler. This case is important and needs to be reported because transient basilar occlusion may be easily diagnosed if transcranial Doppler is performed.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 79-year-old woman affected by chronic atrial fibrillation and not treated with oral anticoagulants, cardioverted to sinus rhythm during a gastric endoscopy. She then showed a sudden-onset loss of consciousness, horizontal and vertical gaze palsy, tetraparesis and bilateral miosis and coma. Two hours later, the symptoms resolved quickly, leaving no residual neurologic deficits. Transcranial Doppler examination showed a dampened flow in the basilar artery in the emergency examination and a restored flow when the symptoms resolved.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first case of transient basilar occlusive disease diagnosed and monitored by transcranial Doppler. We believe that transcranial Doppler should be performed in all cases of unexplained acute loss of consciousness, in particular, if associated with signs of brainstem dysfunctions.</p