Simultaneous Contralateral Vestibular Schwannoma and Middle Ear Paraganglioma Tumor

To the best of our knowledge, only 2 cases of a simultaneous contralateral vestibular schwannoma (VS) and middle ear paraganglioma (MEP) have previously been reported in literature. We report the third case observed in a 43-year-old male, who presented with an 11-year history of right-sided hearing loss and a 1-year history of left-sided pulsatile tinnitus. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a VS on the right side and computer tomography (CT) identified a Fisch type A1 paraganglioma on the left side. The VS was treated using a translabyrinthine approach and the MEP was kept under radiological observation for 1 year. Due to the growth of the MEP (Fisch type A2), it was treated with excision via a retroauricular approach. Our case was very challenging because there was a different and important pathology on each side, both carrying a risk of deafness as a consequence of the disease and/or the treatments

Isotope effect on the E2g phonon and mesoscopic phase separation near the electronic topological transition in Mg1-xAlxB2

We report the boron isotope effect on the E2g phonon mode by micro-Raman spectroscopy on the ternary Mg1-xAlxB2 system, synthesized with pure isotopes 10B and 11B. The isotope coefficient on the phonon frequency is near 0.5 in the full range decreasing near x = 0. The intraband electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling, for the electrons in the sigma band, has been extracted from the E2g line-width and frequency softening. Tuning the Fermi energy near the electronic topological transition (ETT), where the sigma Fermi surface changes from 2D to 3D topology the E2g mode, shows the known Kohn anomaly on the 2D side of the ETT and a splitting of the E2g phonon frequency into a hard and soft component from x = 0 to x = 0.28. The results suggest a minor role of the intraband phonon mediated pairing in the control of the high critical temperature in Mg1-xAlxB2. The common physical features of diborides with the novel multigap FeAs-based superconductors and cuprates is discussed.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure

Local structure of REFeAsO (RE=La, Pr, Nd, Sm) oxypnictides studied by Fe K-edge EXAFS

Local structure of REOFeAs (RE=La, Pr, Nd, Sm) system has been studied as a function of chemical pressure varied due to different rare-earth size. Fe K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements in the fluorescence mode has permitted to compare systematically the inter-atomic distances and their mean square relative displacements (MSRD). We find that the Fe-As bond length and the corresponding MSRD hardly show any change, suggesting the strongly covalent nature of this bond, while the Fe-Fe and Fe-RE bond lengths decrease with decreasing rare earth size. The results provide important information on the atomic correlations that could have direct implication on the superconductivity and magnetism of REOFeAs system, with the chemical pressure being a key ingredient

Estudo da herança da resistência a brusone em duas cultivares de arroz (Oryza sativa).

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi de identificar o número de alelos envolvidos na expressão da resistência qualitativa à brusone nas folhas nas cultivares Cica-8 e Metica-1.Conpeex 2010

Identification of RAPD marker linked to blast resistance gene in a somaclone of rice cultivar Araguaia.

O gene Pi-ar confere resistência para a raça IB-45 de Pyricularia grisea no somaclone derivado de panículas imaturas da cultivar de arroz (Oryza sativa) Araguaia. A técnica RAPD foi usada para identificar marcadores ligados a este gene utilizando a análise de misturas segregantes. Inicialmente o DNA do pai doador resistente SC09 e da cultivar Araguaia foram analisados usando primers arbitrários. Dos 240 primers, 203 produziram produtos amplificados. O DNA dos pais e dos bulks resistente e suscetível da população F2 foram testados usando 48 primers que diferenciaram os pais resistente e suscetível. Enquanto oito primers diferenciaram o bulk resistente do suscetível bem como o somaclone SC09 e Araguaia, somente o primer OPC02 ('GTGAGGCGTC') estava fortemente ligado (1,7cM) ao gene de resistência do somaclone SC09

Positron emission tomography (Pet) and neuroimaging in the personalized approach to neurodegenerative causes of dementia

Generally, dementia should be considered an acquired syndrome, with multiple possible causes, rather than a specific disease in itself. The leading causes of dementia are neurodegenerative and non-neurodegenerative alterations. Nevertheless, the neurodegenerative group of diseases that lead to cognitive impairment and dementia includes multiple possibilities or mixed pathologies with personalized treatment management for each cause, even if Alzheimer's disease is the most common pathology. Therefore, an accurate differential diagnosis is mandatory in order to select the most appropriate therapy approach. The role of personalized assessment in the treatment of dementia is rapidly growing. Neuroimaging is an essential tool for differential diagnosis of multiple causes of dementia and allows a personalized diagnostic and therapeutic protocol based on risk factors that may improve treatment management, especially in early diagnosis during the prodromal stage. The utility of structural and functional imaging could be increased by standardization of acquisition and analysis methods and by the development of algorithms for automated assessment. The aim of this review is to focus on the most commonly used tracers for differential diagnosis in the dementia field. Particularly, we aim to explore F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in Alzheimer's disease and in other neurodegenerative causes of dementia

Sc substitution for Mg in MgB2: effects on Tc and Kohn anomaly

Here we report synthesis and characterization of Mg_{1-x}Sc_{x}B_{2} (0.12T_{c}>6 K. We find that the Sc doping moves the chemical potential through the 2D/3D electronic topological transition (ETT) in the sigma band where the ``shape resonance" of interband pairing occurs. In the 3D regime beyond the ETT we observe a hardening of the E_{2g} Raman mode with a significant line-width narrowing due to suppression of the Kohn anomaly over the range 0<q<2k_{F}.Comment: 8 pages, 4 EPS figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Bone conductive implantation in asymmetric hearing loss (AHL)

Background: Bone conductive implants (BCI) represent one possible solution for rehabilitation of single sided deafness (SSD), being able to restore a pseudo-stereophonic hearing when the hearing threshold of the contralateral ear is normal. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to verify the efficacy of bone conduction implantation in subjects with unilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss and contralateral mild-to-moderate hearing loss, i.e. asymmetric hearing loss (AHL), and to compare it with known indications for SSD. Method: Twenty-one subjects, 9 females and 12 males, with a mean age of 55.6 years received BCI for either SSD or AHL. All of the subjects underwent a battery of audiological tests, including free-field pure tone audiometry (PTA) and free-field speech audiometry in quiet and in noise and under unaided and aided conditions. All subjects were administered subjective evaluation tests regarding quality of sound (QoS) and life (QoL), along with 2 questionnaires: the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and the General Satisfaction for Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (proposed by the former manufacturer). Data were collected and statistically evaluated within and between the SSD group and the AHL group. Results: A PTA threshold gain was observed in AHL patients. The speech audiometry test in quiet showed an improvement in speech recognition of between 10% and 18% in AHL patients and of less than 10% in SSD patients. The speech audiometry test in noise showed improved values only in AHL patients. The two visual-analogue-scale evaluations (QoL and QoS) and the GBI showed significantly better scores in AHL patients compared to SSD patients

Neurosensory Alterations in Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Window to Neurological Impairments Associated to Preterm Birth

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the main blinding diseases affecting preterm newborns and is classically considered a vascular disorder. The premature exposure to the extrauterine environment, which is hyperoxic in respect to the intrauterine environment, triggers a cascade of events leading to retinal ischemia which, in turn, makes the retina hypoxic thus setting off angiogenic processes. However, many children with a history of ROP show persistent vision impairment, and there is evidence of an association between ROP and neurosensory disabilities. This is not surprising given the strict relationship between neuronal function and an adequate blood supply. In the present work, we revised literature data evidencing to what extent ROP can be considered a neurodegenerative disease, also taking advantage from data obtained in preclinical models of ROP. The involvement of different retinal cell populations in triggering the neuronal damage in ROP was described along with the neurological outcomes associated to ROP. The situation of ROP in Italy was assessed as well