Toponyms for centers of endemism in Madagascar

A biogeographical model was proposed in 2006 to explain the centers of endemism and the importance of riparian forest of some watersheds as refuges or dispersal corridors during paleoclimatic oscillations. Here, we consider these geographical features highlighting their biological and socio-cultural importance. We explain the etymology or eponymy of the major rivers of the retreat - dispersal watersheds, i.e., the drainage basins of Bemarivo, Antainambalana, Mangoro, Manampatrana, Mananara South, Mandrare, Onilahy, Mangoky, Tsiribihina, Betsiboka, Maevarano, Sambirano, and Mahavavy North. We propose a toponymy for each of the 15 centers of endemism and highlight their peculiarities. We named the centers of endemism of Vohimarina, Masoala, Analanjirofo, Tanala, Manombo, Anosy, Ranopiso, Karimbola, Mikea, Menabe, Melaky, Sofia, Ampasindava, Ankify, and Ankarana. We illustrate each center of endemism with a flagship species and report on its natural and cultural histories, and conservation.RÉSUMÉUn modèle biogéographique a été proposé en 2006 pour expliquer les centres d’endémisme de la biodiversité et l’importance des ripisylves de certains bassins versants en tant que refuges ou couloirs de dispersion au cours des oscillations paléoclimatiques. Ici, nous considérons ces dispositifs géographiques en soulignant leur importance biologique et socio-culturelle. Dans un premier temps, nous expliquons la toponymie ou l’éponymie des grands fleuves des bassins refuges et de dispersion, à savoir les bassins de la Bemarivo, de l’Antainambalana, du Mangoro, de la Manampatrana, de la Mananara du Sud, du Mandrare, de l’Onilahy, du Mangoky, de la Tsiribihina, de la Betsiboka, de la Maevarano, du Sambirano et de la Mahavavy du Nord. Puis nous proposons une toponymie pour chacun des 17 centres et sous-centres d’endémisme en justifiant leurs particularités. Nous retenons ainsi les centres d’endémisme de Vohimarina, de l’Atsinanana (dont Masoala et Analanjirofo), Tanala, de Manombo, de l’Anosy, d’Ala maika (dont Ranopiso, Karimbola et Mikea), du Menabe, du Melaky, de la Sofia, d’Ampasindava, d’Ankify et de l’Ankarana. Nous illustrons chacun des centres d’endémisme avec une espèce symbolique et rapportons des aspects de son histoire naturelle et culturelle ainsi que de sa conservation

Deep Brain Stimulation of the Pallidum is Effective and Might Stabilize Striatal D2 Receptor Binding in Myoclonus–Dystonia

Purpose: To assess clinical efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pallidum in Myoclonus–Dystonia (M–D) patients, and to compare pre- and post-operative striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability. Methods: Clinical parameters were scored using validated rating scales for myoclonus and dystonia. Dopamine D2 receptor binding of three patients was studied before surgery and approximately 2 years post-operatively using 123-I-iodobenzamide Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography. Two patients who did not undergo surgery served as controls. Results: Clinically, the three M–D patients improved 83, 17, and 100%, respectively on the myoclonus rating scale and 78, 23, and 65% on the dystonia rating scale after DBS. Dopamine D2 receptor binding did not change after surgery. In the two control subjects, binding has lowered further. Conclusion: These findings confirm that DBS of the pallidum has beneficial effects on motor symptoms in M–D and suggest this procedure might stabilize dopamine D2 receptor binding

Оцінювання за зашумленними спостереженнями невідомих даних лінійних еліптичних рівнянь, що допускають змішане варіаційне формулювання

Получен новый класс систем вариационных уравнений через решения которых выражаются минимаксные оценки значений функционалов от неизвестных правых частей линейных эллиптических уравнений 2-го порядка.Одержаний новий клас систем варіаційних рівнянь через розв'язки яких виражаються мінімаксні оцінки значень функционалів від невідомих правих частин лінійних еліптичних рівнянь 2-го порядку.We obtain a new class of systems of variational equations via whose solutions the minimax estimates of values of functionals from unknown right-hand sides of the second order linear elliptic equations are expressed

Long-term experience with intraoperative microrecording during DBS neurosurgery in STN and GPi

Intraoperative microelectrode recording (MER) for targeting during deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures has been evaluated over a period of 4 years, in 57 consecutive patients with Parkinson's disease, who received DBS in the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS), and 28 consecutive patients with either dystonia (23) or Parkinson's disease (five), in whom the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi-DBS) was targeted. The procedure for DBS was a one-stage bilateral stereotactic approach using a combined electrode for both MER and macrostimulation. Up to five micro/macro-electrodes were used in an array with a central, lateral, medial, anterior, and posterior position. Final target location was based on intraoperative test stimulation. For the STN, the central trajectory was chosen for implantation in 50% of the cases and for the globus pallidus internus (GPi) in 57% of the cases. Furthermore, in 64% of the cases, the channel selected for the permanent electrode corresponded with the trajectory having the longest segment of STN MER activity. For the GPi, this was the case in 61%. The mean and standard deviation of the deepest contact point with respect to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based target for the STN was 2.1 +/- 1.5 mm and for the GPi was -0.5 +/- 1.2 mm. MER facilitates the selection of the final electrode location in STN-DBS and GPi-DBS, and based on the observed MER activity, a pre-selection could be made as to which channel would be the best candidate for macro-test stimulation and at which depth should be stimulated. The choice of the final location is based on intraoperative test stimulation, and it is demonstrated that regularly it is not the central channel that is chosen for implantation. On average, the target as defined by MER activity intensity was in accordance with the MRI-based targets both for the STN and GPi. However, the position of the best MER activity did not necessarily correlate with the locus that produced the most beneficial clinical response on macroelectrode testing intraoperativel