A case of a GH-producing pituitari adenoma associated with a unilateral headache with autonomic signs.

A 66–year–old man suffered from a drug–resistant, leftsided headache with autonomic signs, triggered by the supine position. The acromegalic facies initially suggested a possible increase in basal plasma levels of GH, but routine haematological controls excluded abnormal values of GH. Cerebral and facial CT scan and MRI did not detect any alterations in the nasal sinuses, except for a mucous cyst. Surgical ablation of the cyst did not alleviate the pain. Further endocrinological tests demonstrated an increase of IGF–1 (somatomedin C), and another MRI scan of the sellar region confirmed the presence of a pituitary macroadenoma on the left paramedian side. After an initial improvement of the symptomatology due to trans–sphenoidal ablation of a benign GH–producing macroadenoma, the headache worsened again. Pain was well correlated with the increased plasma levels of IGF–1. The patient died suddenly for myocardial infarct

Homocysteine levels and cardiovascular disease in migraine with aura

Clinical studies suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia could be considered an independent risk factor for premature cerebral, peripheral and vascular diseases. A number of authors found an epidemiological correlation between increased risk of cerebrovascular disease and migraine with aura. In this study, 34 patients suffering from migraine with aura and 36 healthy controls were evaluated with respect to total plasma homocysteine levels, measured with FPIA immunoassay in the fasting state and after methionine load. Moreover, vitamin B12, folate and other classic biochemical indicators of atherosclerosis disease were evaluated. In this study, homocysteine levels, both at basal and after load, and other cardiovascular risk factors such as vitamin B12 and apo-LpA were within the normal range. Other multicentric randomised trials are needed to carry on and confirm these data

Diseño de simuladores usando planilla de cálculo por alumnos ingresantes de Ingeniería

Esta publicación informa sobre la experiencia acumulada en el diseño y la construcción de simuladores usando Planilla de Cálculo por ingresantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería Química de la UNL durante el cursado de la asignatura Informática. El alumno debe hallar un procedimiento de resolución de un problema sin la computadora –introduciendo el concepto de algoritmo- para luego volcarlo a la Planilla de Cálculo y obtener un simulador eficiente y de fácil construcción. De los sistemas físicos evaluados seleccionamos el tema gases porque es básico, común a todas las carreras, exige el uso de un sistema de unidades y es anterior al desarrollo de Planilla de Cálculo. Se muestran algunas variantes de estos simuladores con distintos niveles de complejidad; el más completo realiza cálculos para diez gases ideales y reales usando la ecuación de Van der Waals. Se aplican comandos, herramientas y procedimientos -incluido el grabador de macros- sin acceder al código de programación. Aun con poco tiempo disponible, es posible la enseñanza del diseño y la construcción de estos simuladores en el inicio de las carreras de grado en ingenierías y en el pregrado de escuelas técnicas, dotando al alumno de una herramienta versátil y poderosa.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Diseño de simuladores usando planilla de cálculo por alumnos ingresantes de Ingeniería

Esta publicación informa sobre la experiencia acumulada en el diseño y la construcción de simuladores usando Planilla de Cálculo por ingresantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería Química de la UNL durante el cursado de la asignatura Informática. El alumno debe hallar un procedimiento de resolución de un problema sin la computadora –introduciendo el concepto de algoritmo- para luego volcarlo a la Planilla de Cálculo y obtener un simulador eficiente y de fácil construcción. De los sistemas físicos evaluados seleccionamos el tema gases porque es básico, común a todas las carreras, exige el uso de un sistema de unidades y es anterior al desarrollo de Planilla de Cálculo. Se muestran algunas variantes de estos simuladores con distintos niveles de complejidad; el más completo realiza cálculos para diez gases ideales y reales usando la ecuación de Van der Waals. Se aplican comandos, herramientas y procedimientos -incluido el grabador de macros- sin acceder al código de programación. Aun con poco tiempo disponible, es posible la enseñanza del diseño y la construcción de estos simuladores en el inicio de las carreras de grado en ingenierías y en el pregrado de escuelas técnicas, dotando al alumno de una herramienta versátil y poderosa.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

The North Atlantic subpolar circulation in an eddy-resolving global ocean model

The subpolar North Atlantic represents a key region for global climate, but most numerical models still have well-described limitations in correctly simulating the local circulation patterns. Here, we present the analysis of a 30-year run with a global eddy-resolving (1/12°) version of the NEMO ocean model. Compared to the 1° and 1/4° equivalent versions, this simulation more realistically represents the shape of the Subpolar Gyre, the position of the North Atlantic Current, and the Gulf Stream separation. Other key improvements are found in the representation of boundary currents, multi-year variability of temperature and depth of winter mixing in the Labrador Sea, and the transport of overflows at the Greenland–Scotland Ridge. However, the salinity, stratification and mean depth of winter mixing in the Labrador Sea, and the density and depth of overflow water south of the sill, still present challenges to the model. This simulation also provides further insight into the spatio-temporal development of the warming event observed in the Subpolar Gyre in the mid 1990s, which appears to coincide with a phase of increased eddy activity in the southernmost part of the gyre. This may have provided a gateway through which heat would have propagated into the gyre's interior

Response of microchannel plates to single particles and to electromagnetic showers

We report on the response of microchannel plates (MCPs) to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Particle detection by means of secondary emission of electrons at the MCP surface has long been proposed and is used extensively in ion time-of-flight mass spectrometers. What has not been investigated in depth is their use to detect the ionizing component of showers. The time resolution of MCPs exceeds anything that has been previously used in calorimeters and, if exploited effectively, could aid in the event reconstruction at high luminosity colliders. Several prototypes of photodetectors with the amplification stage based on MCPs were exposed to cosmic rays and to 491 MeV electrons at the INFN-LNF Beam-Test Facility. The time resolution and the efficiency of the MCPs are measured as a function of the particle multiplicity, and the results used to model the response to high-energy showers.Comment: Paper submitted to NIM

Reaching activity in parietal area V6A of macaque: eye influence on arm activity or retinocentric coding of reaching movements?

Parietal area V6A contains neurons modulated by the direction of gaze as well as neurons able to code the direction of arm movement. The present study was aimed to disentangle the gaze effect from the effect of reaching activity upon single V6A neurons. To this purpose, we used a visuomotor task in which the direction of arm movement remained constant while the animal changed the direction of gaze. Gaze direction modulated reach-related activity in about two-thirds of tested neurons. In several cases, modulations were not due to the eye-position signal per se, the apparent eye-position modulation being just an epiphenomenon. The real modulating factor was the location of reaching target with respect to the point gazed by the animal, that is, the retinotopic coordinates towards which the action of reaching occurred. Comparison of neural discharge of the same cell during execution of foveated and non-foveated reaching movements, performed towards the same or different spatial locations, confirmed that in a part of V6A neurons reaching activity is coded retinocentrically. In other neurons, reaching activity is coded spatially, depending on the direction of reaching movement regardless of where the animal was looking at. The majority of V6A reaching neurons use a system that encompasses both of these reference frames. These results are in line with the view of a progressive visuomotor transformation in the dorsal visual stream, that changes the frame of reference from the retinocentric one, typically used by the visual system, to the arm-centred one, typically used by the motor system

The monitoring of seismic activity at Nyiragongo volcano through telemetered seismic network Goma Volcano Observatory (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

The eruption, in January 2002, of Mount Nyiragongo in eastern Congo, and the humanitarian disaster that followed in its wake, underlined the critical importance of accurate seismology to predict when such events will take place. Thus, a seismic telemeterd network, with centre in Goma Observatory, was built across Virunga area to help the moniotring of Volcano. Mount Nyiragongo is a volcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. The most prominent feature of the Democratic Republic of Congo's geology is the Western Rift Zone (WRZ), which runs through its eastern border regions and neighbouring countries (e.g. Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania) between 28°E to 32°E and 4°N to 12°S. The WRZ extends over a 1600 km arc, including lakes Albert, Eduard, Kivu and Tanganyika, until it joins the eastern branch. The Western Rift Valley of Africa has experienced severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in recent historical times. Earthquakes with magnitude >=6 are not frequent, but may cause significant destruction. They occur mostly in DRC and neighbouring countries (e.g. Uganda and Tanzania). In 1991, IAVCEI selected the Nyiragongo volcano as the ‘African decade volcano’ for the International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) program. Nyiragongo is located about 20 km north of Lake Kivu and 15 km north of Goma, a city of about 500,000 inhabitants. Goma is twinned to Gisenyi in Rwanda, which has a population of about 100,000. Several small villages are also located on the flank of the volcano. Population growth and poor or non-existent planning has led to relatively uncontrolled use of land for building, and the development of sites vulnerable to earthquake and/or volcanic risk.EUROPEAN CENTER FOR GEODYNAMICS AND SEISMOLOGY Royal Museum for Central Africa, B National Museum of Nat. History, LUnpublishedLuxembourg1.4. TTC - Sorveglianza sismologica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

Preliminary results from seismic monitoring at Nyiragongo Volcano through telemetered seismic network, Goma Volcano Observatory (Gvo, Democratic Republic Of Congo).

Following the catastrophic eruption of Volcano Nyiragongo on January 17, 2002, a great effort has been devoted to the seismic surveillance of volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira located at the North of Lake Kivu in the Western branch of the east African rift. The relatively small loss of life in the January 2002 eruption (less than 100 deaths in a population of 500,000) was remarkable, and psychological stress was reportedly the main health consequence in the aftermath of the eruption. In fact, after 2002 january eruption, which was triggered by tectonic spreading of the Kivu rift causing the ground to fracture and allow lava to flow from ground fissures out of the crater lava lake and possibly from a deeper conduit nearer Goma, was installed a telemetered seismic network of 6 permanent stations. Scientists agree that volcano monitoring and contingency planning are essential for forecasting and responding to future trends.OGS TRIESTEUnpublishedROMA1.2. TTC - Sorveglianza geochimica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

Plastic Representation of the Reachable Space for a Humanoid Robot

Reaching a target object requires accurate estimation of the object spatial position and its further transformation into a suitable arm-motor command. In this paper, we propose a framework that provides a robot with a capacity to represent its reachable space in an adaptive way. The location of the target is represented implicitly by both the gaze direction and the angles of arm joints. Two paired neural networks are used to compute the direct and inverse transformations between the arm position and the head position. These networks allow reaching the target either through a ballistic movement or through visually-guided actions. Thanks to the latter skill, the robot can adapt its sensorimotor transformations so as to reflect changes in its body configuration. The proposed framework was implemented on the NAO humanoid robot, and our experimental results provide evidences for its adaptative capabilities