3,167 research outputs found
Defining Meyer's loop-temporal lobe resections, visual field deficits and diffusion tensor tractography
Anterior temporal lobe resection is often complicated by superior quadrantic visual field deficits (VFDs). In some cases this can be severe enough to prohibit driving, even if a patient is free of seizures. These deficits are caused by damage to Meyer's loop of the optic radiation, which shows considerable heterogeneity in its anterior extent. This structure cannot be distinguished using clinical magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Diffusion tensor tractography is an advanced magnetic resonance imaging technique that enables the parcellation of white matter. Using seed voxels antero-lateral to the lateral geniculate nucleus, we applied this technique to 20 control subjects, and 21 postoperative patients. All patients had visual fields assessed with Goldmann perimetry at least three months after surgery. We measured the distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal pole and horn in all subjects. In addition, we measured the size of temporal lobe resection using postoperative T1-weighted images, and quantified VFDs. Nine patients suffered VFDs ranging from 22% to 87% of the contralateral superior quadrant. In patients, the range of distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal pole was 24–43 mm (mean 34 mm), and the range of distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal horn was –15 to +9 mm (mean 0 mm). In controls the range of distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal pole was 24–47 mm (mean 35 mm), and the range of distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal horn was –11 to +9 mm (mean 0 mm). Both quantitative and qualitative results were in accord with recent dissections of cadaveric brains, and analysis of postoperative VFDs and resection volumes. By applying a linear regression analysis we showed that both distance from the tip of Meyer's loop to the temporal pole and the size of resection were significant predictors of the postoperative VFDs. We conclude that there is considerable variation in the anterior extent of Meyer's loop. In view of this, diffusion tensor tractography of the optic radiation is a potentially useful method to assess an individual patient's risk of postoperative VFDs following anterior temporal lobe resection
Multi-wavelength study of a new Galactic SNR G332.5-5.6
We present compelling evidence for confirmation of a Galactic supernova
remnant (SNR) candidate, G332.5-5.6, based initially on identification of new,
filamentary, optical emission line nebulosity seen in the arcsecond resolution
images from the AAO/UKST HAlpha survey. The extant radio observations and X-ray
data which we have independently re-reduced, together with new optical
spectroscopy of the large-scale fragmented nebulosity, confirms the
identification. Optical spectra, taken across five different, widely separated
nebula regions of the remnant as seen on the HAlpha images, show average ratios
of [NII]/HAlpha =2.42, [SII]/HAlpha = 2.10, and [SII] 6717/6731 = 1.23, as well
as strong [OI] 6300, 6364A and [OII] 3727A emission. These ratios are firmly
within those typical of SNRs. Here, we also present the radio-continuum
detection of the SNR at 20/13cm from observations with the Australia Telescope
Compact Array (ATCA). Radio emission is also seen at 4850 MHz, in the PMN
survey (Griffith and Wright 1993) and at 843 MHz from the SUMSS survey (Bock,
Large and Sadler 1999). We estimate an angular diameter of ~30 arcmin and
obtain an average radio spectral index of alpha = -0.6 +- 0.1 which indicates
the non-thermal nature of G332.5-5.6. Fresh analysis of existing ROSAT X-ray
data in the vicinity also confirms the existence of the SNR. The distance to
G332.5-5.6 has been independently estimated by Reynoso and Green (2007) as 3.4
kpc based on measurements of the HI lambda21 cm line seen in absorption against
the continuum emission. Our cruder estimates via assumptions on the height of
the dust layer (3.1 kpc) and using the Sigma-D relation (4 kpc) are in good
agreement.Comment: 14 pages, 18 figures. Accepted for publishing in the MNRA
Correction to "Lipid Spontaneous Curvatures Estimated from Temperature-Dependent Changes in Inverse Hexagonal Phase Lattice Parameters: Effects of Metal Cations"
Method of forming electronically conducting polymers on conducting and nonconducting substrates
The present invention provides electronically conducting polymer films formed from photosensitive formulations of pyrrole and an electron acceptor that have been selectively exposed to UV light, laser light, or electron beams. The formulations may include photoinitiators, flexibilizers, solvents and the like. These solutions can be used in applications including printed circuit boards and through-hole plating and enable direct metallization processes on non-conducting substrates. After forming the conductive polymer patterns, a printed wiring board can be formed by sensitizing the polymer with palladium and electrolytically depositing copper
Families' social backgrounds matter : socio-economic factors, home learning and young children's language, literacy and social outcomes
Parental support with children's learning is considered to be one pathway through which socio-economic factors influence child competencies. Utilising a national longitudinal sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study examined the relationship between home learning and parents' socio-economic status and their impact on young children's language/literacy and socio-emotional competence. The findings consistently showed that, irrespective of socio-economic status, parents engaged with various learning activities (except reading) roughly equally. The socio-economic factors examined in this study, i.e., family income and maternal educational qualifications, were found to have a stronger effect on children's language/literacy than on social-emotional competence. Socio-economic disadvantage, lack of maternal educational qualifications in particular, remained powerful in influencing competencies in children aged three and at the start of primary school. For children in the first decade of this century in England, these findings have equity implications, especially as the socio-economic gap in our society widens
Post-holiday memory work: Everyday encounters with fridge magnets
While souvenirs have generated considerable interest within tourism research, less attention has been paid to their post-holiday ‘afterlife’. Utilising perspectives from memory research and more-than-representational theory, this paper focuses on interactions with a ubiquitous souvenir: the fridge magnet. Drawing on semi-structured interviews we illustrate how, because of their embeddedness within everyday domestic rhythms, magnets are active agents in the
stimulation of post-holiday memory work. We show how magnets work to generate and protect memories, triggering a diversity of (usually positive) emotional and affective responses. They can also be associated with ambivalent memories; with their role sometimes being more about forgetting. Although being seemingly banal objects, fridge magnets have a complex capacity to affect everyday life long after a holiday ends
Imaging language pathways predicts postoperative naming deficits
Naming difficulties are a well recognised, but difficult to predict, complication of anterior temporal lobe resection (ATLR) for refractory epilepsy. We used MR tractography preoperatively to demonstrate the structural connectivity of language areas in patients undergoing dominant hemisphere ATLR. Greater lateralisation of tracts to the dominant hemisphere was associated with greater decline in naming function. We suggest that this method has the potential to predict language deficits in patients undergoing ATLR
The Molonglo Galactic Plane Survey: I. Overview and Images
The first epoch Molonglo Galactic Plane Survey (MGPS1) is a radio continuum
survey made using the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) at 843
MHz with a resolution of 43" X 43" cosec |delta|. The region surveyed is 245
deg < l < 355 deg, |b| < 1.5 deg. The thirteen 9 deg X 3 deg mosaic images
presented here are the superposition of over 450 complete synthesis
observations, each taking 12 h and covering 70' X 70' cosec |delta|. The
root-mean-square sensitivity over much of the mosaiced survey is 1-2 mJy/beam
(1 sigma), and the positional accuracy is approximately 1" X 1" cosec |delta|
for sources brighter than 20 mJy. The dynamic range is no better than 250:1,
and this also constrains the sensitivity in some parts of the images. The
survey area of 330 sq deg contains well over 12,000 unresolved or barely
resolved objects, almost all of which are extra-galactic sources lying in the
Zone of Avoidance. In addition a significant fraction of this area is covered
by extended, diffuse emission associated with thermal complexes, discrete H II
regions, supernova remnants, and other structures in the Galactic interstellar
medium.Comment: Paper with 3 figures and 1 table + Table 2 + 7 jpg grayscales for Fig
4. Astrophysical Journal Supplement (in press) see also
http://www.astrop.physics.usyd.edu.au/MGP
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