Early Interfaced Neural Activity from Chronic Amputated Nerves

Direct interfacing of transected peripheral nerves with advanced robotic prosthetic devices has been proposed as a strategy for achieving natural motor control and sensory perception of such bionic substitutes, thus fully functionally replacing missing limbs in amputees. Multi-electrode arrays placed in the brain and peripheral nerves have been used successfully to convey neural control of prosthetic devices to the user. However, reactive gliosis, micro hemorrhages, axonopathy and excessive inflammation currently limit their long-term use. Here we demonstrate that enticement of peripheral nerve regeneration through a non-obstructive multi-electrode array, after either acute or chronic nerve amputation, offers a viable alternative to obtain early neural recordings and to enhance long-term interfacing of nerve activity. Non-restrictive electrode arrays placed in the path of regenerating nerve fibers allowed the recording of action potentials as early as 8 days post-implantation with high signal-to-noise ratio, as long as 3 months in some animals, and with minimal inflammation at the nerve tissue-metal electrode interface. Our findings suggest that regenerative multi-electrode arrays of open design allow early and stable interfacing of neural activity from amputated peripheral nerves and might contribute towards conveying full neural control and sensory feedback to users of robotic prosthetic devices

Cutaneous metastases of breast carcinoma: a case report

© 2009 Vano-Galvan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Complicaciones y factores de riesgo en pacientes llevados a colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica en el Hospital Militar Central en el período de Enero de 2011 a Junio de 2012

Objetivos: Describir las complicaciones y los factores de riesgo que se presentaron en pacientes llevados a colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) en el Hospital Militar Central en el periodo de Enero de 2011 a Junio de 2012. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo. Revisión de historias clínicas. Se describió una cohor- te de 96 pacientes llevados a CPRE en el Hospital Militar, haciendo énfasis en las características de los mismos, indicación de CPRE, y complicaciones presentadas posterior a dicho procedimiento. Se realizó una revisión de las historia clínicas de los pacientes que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión, a las cuales se le aplicó una encuesta con el objetivo de identificar que complicaciones se presentaron en el periodo de tiempo escogido y cuales factores de riesgo podrían estar implicados. Con la prueba Chi cuadrado se evaluó la asociación entre los factores de riesgo y las complicaciones. Resultados: Se encontró que el 20.8% de los paciente sometidos a CPRE presento una compli- cación, siendo las más frecuente pancreatitis aguda con un 11.5%, seguida por infección y sangra- do digestivo. La mortalidad fue de 2.1%. La mayoría de las CPRE tenían una indicación excelente y en su totalidad fueron realizadas por personal idóneo desde el punto de vista técnico. No hubo asociación estadística entre los factores de riesgo relacionados con el paciente o la técnica. Conclusión: Las complicaciones encontradas en nuestros pacientes corresponden con las des- critas en la literatura tanto en tipo como en frecuencia. No se encontró ninguna asociación es- tadísticamente significativa entre la ocurrencia de complicaciones y aquellos factores de riesgo relacionados con el paciente o la técnica.

En la denunciacion pendiente contra los señores Don Francisco Molès y Don Antonio de Tena, Lugartenientes de la Corte del Ilustrissimo Señor Iusticia de Aragon, a instancia de Fray D. Lorenço Galvan

Precede al texto en p.1, viñeta con la inscripción: "Jesus, Maria, Joseph"Copia digital : Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza. Servicio de Archivos y Bibliotecas, 2010Datos de tít. tomados de p.1, y mención de responsabilidad del final del textoTexto fechado al final del mismo en Zaragoza ... 1682Sign.: A-G\p2\sInic. grab. xil. en p.

Triage for surgical management of ovarian tumors in asymptomatic women: assessment of an ultrasound-based scoring system.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively evaluate an ultrasound-based scoring system as a method for triaging asymptomatic women presenting with an adnexal mass for surgical treatment. METHODS: Two hundred and four adnexal masses in 189 asymptomatic women undergoing elective surgical treatment at our institution were included in this prospective study. Patients were evaluated by transvaginal power Doppler ultrasound imaging before surgery. Patients were classified as low risk or high risk for malignancy according to an ultrasound-based scoring system. Women with a low risk for malignancy were scheduled for laparoscopy and patients with a high risk for malignancy were scheduled for laparotomy. However, patients classified as low risk by the ultrasound scoring system, but with a tumor size >or= 10 cm or clinical suspicion of pelvic adhesions, were instead considered to be at intermediate risk and were scheduled for laparotomy. Some patients classified as high risk were scheduled for an operative laparoscopy by an expert in gynecological oncology. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four (65.7%) masses were considered to be low risk and were treated by a laparoscopically guided procedure. All these tumors were benign. Forty-seven (23%) masses were classified as high risk, of which 39 tumors were malignant and eight benign. Twenty-three (11.3%) tumors were considered to be intermediate risk and were scheduled for primary laparotomy. In this group, 21 (91.3%) tumors proved to be benign and two (8.7%) were malignant. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-based triage of asymptomatic women diagnosed with a persistent adnexal mass is effective for selecting the surgical approach