Non-Verbal Auditory Cognition in Patients with Temporal Epilepsy Before and After Anterior Temporal Lobectomy

For patients with pharmaco-resistant temporal epilepsy, unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) – i.e. the surgical resection of the hippocampus, the amygdala, the temporal pole and the most anterior part of the temporal gyri – is an efficient treatment. There is growing evidence that anterior regions of the temporal lobe are involved in the integration and short-term memorization of object-related sound properties. However, non-verbal auditory processing in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has raised little attention. To assess non-verbal auditory cognition in patients with temporal epilepsy both before and after unilateral ATL, we developed a set of non-verbal auditory tests, including environmental sounds. We could evaluate auditory semantic identification, acoustic and object-related short-term memory, and sound extraction from a sound mixture. The performances of 26 TLE patients before and/or after ATL were compared to those of 18 healthy subjects. Patients before and after ATL were found to present with similar deficits in pitch retention, and in identification and short-term memorisation of environmental sounds, whereas not being impaired in basic acoustic processing compared to healthy subjects. It is most likely that the deficits observed before and after ATL are related to epileptic neuropathological processes. Therefore, in patients with drug-resistant TLE, ATL seems to significantly improve seizure control without producing additional auditory deficits

Long-term dust generation from silicon carbide powders

Most dustiness studies do not measure dust release over long durations, nor do they characterize the effect of dust release on bulk powders. In this study, we tested the dustiness of two different samples of silicon carbide (SiC) powders (referred to as F220 and F320) over six hours using a vortex shaker. Additionally, we characterized the bulk sample for change in shape and size distribution due to the testing. Both powders release respirable fractions of dust particles but differ in their dust generation behavior. The numbers of released respirable particles for powder F220 are more than two times higher than those of powder F320. The dust generation mechanism might include the release of aerosols due to the attrition of particles owing to inter-particle and particle-wall impaction. This study emphasizes the need for long duration dustiness tests for hard materials like SiC and characterization for change in bulk material properties due to dust generation and release. Furthermore, the results can aid in selecting the bulk material for long-term applications based on dustiness

Continuation vs Discontinuation of Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors Before Major Noncardiac Surgery

ImportanceBefore surgery, the best strategy for managing patients who are taking renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers) is unknown. The lack of evidence leads to conflicting guidelines.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether a continuation strategy vs a discontinuation strategy of RASIs before major noncardiac surgery results in decreased complications at 28 days after surgery.Design, setting, and participantsRandomized clinical trial that included patients who were being treated with a RASI for at least 3 months and were scheduled to undergo a major noncardiac surgery between January 2018 and April 2023 at 40 hospitals in France.InterventionPatients were randomized to continue use of RASIs (n = 1107) until the day of surgery or to discontinue use of RASIs 48 hours prior to surgery (ie, they would take the last dose 3 days before surgery) (n = 1115).Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and major postoperative complications within 28 days after surgery. The key secondary outcomes were episodes of hypotension during surgery, acute kidney injury, postoperative organ failure, and length of stay in the hospital and intensive care unit during the 28 days after surgery.ResultsOf the 2222 patients (mean age, 67 years [SD, 10 years]; 65% were male), 46% were being treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors at baseline and 54% were being treated with angiotensin receptor blockers. The rate of all-cause mortality and major postoperative complications was 22% (245 of 1115 patients) in the RASI discontinuation group and 22% (247 of 1107 patients) in the RASI continuation group (risk ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.87-1.19]; P = .85). Episodes of hypotension during surgery occurred in 41% of the patients in the RASI discontinuation group and in 54% of the patients in the RASI continuation group (risk ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.19-1.44]). There were no other differences in the trial outcomes.Conclusions and relevanceAmong patients who underwent major noncardiac surgery, a continuation strategy of RASIs before surgery was not associated with a higher rate of postoperative complications than a discontinuation strategy.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03374449

Transcytosis of Listeria monocytogenes across the intestinal barrier upon specific targeting of goblet cell accessible E-cadherin

Listeria monocytogenes targets accessible E-cadherin expressed on mucus-producing goblet cells to invade the intestinal tissue

Evidence for pre-folding vein development in the Oligo-Miocene Asmari Formation in the Central Zagros Fold Belt, Iran

International audienceIn order to understand the interplay between vein development and folding in the carbonates of the Oligo-Miocene Asmari Formation (one of the main hydrocarbon reservoir rocks) in Iran, several anticlines have been investigated in the central part of the Zagros folded belt. Combining observations of relative chronology between veins based on calcite-filling phases and crosscutting/abutting relationships, as well as aerial/satellite image interpretation on several anticlines allowed proposing a tectonic model highlighting the widespread development of veins and other extensional micro/meso-structures in the Central Zagros folded belt. Our data suggest that most of the veins affecting the Asmari formation predated the main Miocene-Pliocene folding episode. An early regional vein set striking N50° marked the onset of collisional stress build-up in the region. Then, N150° and N20° trending vein sets were initiated in response to local extension caused by large-scale flexure/drape folds above N-S and N140° basement faults reactivated under the regional NE compression. At the onset and during Miocene-Pliocene folding of the sedimentary cover, the early formed veins were reactivated (reopened and/or sheared) while duplexes, low angle reverse faults and thrusts formed. Beyond regional implications, this study puts emphasis on the need of carefully considering regional/local vein development predating folding as well as influence of underlying basement faults in models of folded-fractured reservoirs in fold-thrust belts

Proteogenomic profiling uncovers differential therapeutic vulnerabilities between TCF3::PBX1 and TCF3::HLF translocated B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

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Study of the particle motion induced by a vortex shaker

The behaviour of a traced alumina particle lying on limestone powders with similar features has been studied in a test tube agitated by a vortex shaker aiming at studying dust emissions from powders. PEPT (Positron Emission Particle Tracking) was used for measuring the particle's position. Population densities were computed as the frequency of the particle's presence in different regions dividing the two horizontal axes and the vertical axis, respectively. The velocities of the particle were calculated by filtering out all displacements inferior to a critical distance dcrit so as not to consider spurious movements caused by experimental noise. After its validation, the methodology was applied to the standard condition of a vortex shaker experiment (ω = 1500 rpm, 2 g of powder and open test tube). While the horizontal coordinates and velocity components follow a symmetric distribution, the vertical coordinate is characterised by a large asymmetrical plateau. The heights reached by the particle (up to 24.3 mm) are small in comparison to that of the test tube (150 mm). The greatest velocities are found near the inner wall of the test tube and at the highest heights where the population densities are the lowest. The median velocity of the particle is 0.0613 m.s −1 whereas its median kinetic energy is 8.4E-12 J. The method explicated in the present study is directly applicable to any other sets of data obtained through PEPT, especially if the system is of small dimension

EuReCa ONE—27 Nations, ONE Europe, ONE Registry A prospective one month analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in 27 countries in Europe

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of the EuReCa ONE study was to determine the incidence, process, and outcome for out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) throughout Europe.MethodsThis was an international, prospective, multi-centre one-month study. Patients who suffered an OHCA during October 2014 who were attended and/or treated by an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) were eligible for inclusion in the study. Data were extracted from national, regional or local registries.ResultsData on 10,682 confirmed OHCAs from 248 regions in 27 countries, covering an estimated population of 174 million. In 7146 (66%) cases, CPR was started by a bystander or by the EMS. The incidence of CPR attempts ranged from 19.0 to 104.0 per 100,000 population per year. 1735 had ROSC on arrival at hospital (25.2%), Overall, 662/6414 (10.3%) in all cases with CPR attempted survived for at least 30 days or to hospital discharge.ConclusionThe results of EuReCa ONE highlight that OHCA is still a major public health problem accounting for a substantial number of deaths in Europe.EuReCa ONE very clearly demonstrates marked differences in the processes for data collection and reported outcomes following OHCA all over Europe. Using these data and analyses, different countries, regions, systems, and concepts can benchmark themselves and may learn from each other to further improve survival following one of our major health care events