Comparative Brain Stem Lesions on MRI of Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, Neuromyelitis Optica, and Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Kang, Zhuang; Shen, Liping; Long, Youming; Huang, Junqi; Hu, Xueqiang

2011-01-01

Background Brain stem lesions are common in patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives To investigate comparative brain stem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among adult patients with ADEM, NMO, and MS. Methods Sixty-five adult patients with ADEM (n = 17), NMO (n = 23), and MS (n = 25) who had brain stem lesions on MRI were enrolled. Morphological features of brain stem lesions among these diseases were assessed. Results Patients with ADEM had a higher frequency of midbrain lesions than did patients with NMO (94.1% vs. 17.4%, P<0.001) and MS (94.1% vs. 40.0%, P<0.001); patients with NMO had a lower frequency of pons lesions than did patients with MS (34.8% vs. 84.0%, P<0.001) and ADEM (34.8% vs. 70.6%, P = 0.025); and patients with NMO had a higher frequency of medulla oblongata lesions than did patients with ADEM (91.3% vs. 35.3%, P<0.001) and MS (91.3% vs. 36.0%, P<0.001). On the axial section of the brain stem, the majority (82.4%) of patients with ADEM showed lesions on the ventral part; the brain stem lesions in patients with NMO were typically located in the dorsal part (91.3%); and lesions in patients with MS were found in both the ventral (44.0%) and dorsal (56.0%) parts. The lesions in patients with ADEM (100%) and NMO (91.3%) had poorly defined margins, while lesions of patients with MS (76.0%) had well defined margins. Brain stem lesions in patients with ADEM were usually bilateral and symmetrical (82.4%), while lesions in patients with NMO (87.0%) and MS (92.0%) were asymmetrical or unilateral. Conclusions Brain stem lesions showed various morphological features among adult patients with ADEM, NMO, and MS. The different lesion locations may be helpful in distinguishing these diseases. PMID:21853047

Asymmetric distribution of Echinoid defines the epidermal leading edge during Drosophila dorsal closure

PubMed Central

Laplante, Caroline

2011-01-01

During Drosophila melanogaster dorsal closure, lateral sheets of embryonic epidermis assemble an actomyosin cable at their leading edge and migrate dorsally over the amnioserosa, converging at the dorsal midline. We show that disappearance of the homophilic cell adhesion molecule Echinoid (Ed) from the amnioserosa just before dorsal closure eliminates homophilic interactions with the adjacent dorsal-most epidermal (DME) cells, which comprise the leading edge. The resulting planar polarized distribution of Ed in the DME cells is essential for the localized accumulation of actin regulators and for actomyosin cable formation at the leading edge and for the polarized localization of the scaffolding protein Bazooka/PAR-3. DME cells with uniform Ed fail to assemble a cable and protrude dorsally, suggesting that the cable restricts dorsal migration. The planar polarized distribution of Ed in the DME cells thus provides a spatial cue that polarizes the DME cell actin cytoskeleton, defining the epidermal leading edge and establishing its contractile properties. PMID:21263031

Morphology and SSU rDNA sequence analysis of two hypotrichous ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia) including the new species Metaurostylopsis parastruederkypkeae n. sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Borong; Wang, Chundi; Huang, Jie; Shi, Yuhong; Chen, Xiangrui

2016-10-01

The morphology and phylogeny of two hypotrichous ciliates, Metaurostylopsis parastruederkypkeae n. sp. and Neourostylopsis flavicana (Wang et al., 2011) Chen et al., 2013 were investigated based on morphology, infraciliature and the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA) sequence. The new species, M. parastruederkypkeae n. sp. was identified according to its characteristics: body shape ellipsoidal, size about (165-200) × (45-60) μm in vivo, cell color reddish; two types of cortical granules including wheat grain-like and yellow-greenish larger ones along the marginal cirri rows and dorsal kineties and dot-like and reddish smaller ones, grouped around marginal cirri on ventral side and arranged in short lines on dorsal side; 26-41 adoral membranelles; three frontal and one parabuccal, five to seven frontoterminal, one buccal, and three to six transverse cirri; seven to thirteen midventral pairs; five to nine unpaired ventral cirri, five to seven left and three to five right marginal rows; and three complete dorsal kineties. Phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rDNA sequences showed that both Metaurostylopsis and Neourostylopsis are monophyletic. As the internal relationship between and within both genera are not clear, further studies on the species in these two genera are necessary. The key characteristics of all known twelve Metaurostylopsis-Apourostylopsis-Neourostylopsis species complex were updated.

Encoding of marginal utility across time in the human brain

PubMed Central

Pine, Alex; Seymour, Ben; Roiser, Jonathan P; Bossaerts, Peter; Friston, Karl J.; Curran, H. Valerie; Dolan, Raymond J.

2010-01-01

Marginal utility theory prescribes the relationship between the objective property of the magnitude of rewards and their subjective value. Despite its pervasive influence, however, there is remarkably little direct empirical evidence for such a theory of value, let alone of its neurobiological basis. We show that human preferences in an inter-temporal choice task are best described by a model that integrates marginally diminishing utility with temporal discounting. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we show that activity in the dorsal striatum encodes both the marginal utility of rewards, over and above that which can be described by their magnitude alone, and the discounting associated with increasing time. In addition, our data show that dorsal striatum may be involved in integrating subjective valuation systems inherent to time and magnitude, thereby providing an overall metric of value used to guide choice behaviour. Furthermore, during choice we show that anterior cingulate activity correlates with the degree of difficulty associated with dissonance between value and time. Our data support an integrative architecture for decision-making, revealing the neural representation of distinct subcomponents of value that may contribute to impulsivity and decisiveness. PMID:19641120

Placing pain on the sensory map: classic papers by Ed Perl and colleagues.

PubMed

Mason, Peggy

2007-03-01

This essay looks at two papers published by Ed Perl and co-workers that identified specifically nociceptive neurons in the periphery and superficial dorsal horn. Bessou P and Perl ER. Response of cutaneous sensory units with unmyelinated fibers to noxious stimuli. J Neurophysiol 32: 1025-1043 1969. Christensen BN and Perl ER. Spinal neurons specifically excited by noxious or thermal stimuli: marginal zone of the dorsal horn. J Neurophysiol 33: 293-307 1970.

spadetail-dependent cell compaction of the dorsal zebrafish blastula.

PubMed

Warga, R M; Nüsslein-volhard, C

1998-11-01

The dorsal marginal zone of the zebrafish blastula, equivalent to the amphibian Spemann organizer, is destined to become the tissues of the notochord and prechordal plate. Preceding gastrulation in the zebrafish, we find that these future mesendodermal cells acquire a cohesive cell behavior characterized by flattening and maximization of intercellular contacts, somewhat resembling cell compaction in mouse blastocysts. This behavior may suppress cell intermingling. Surprisingly, this blastula cell compaction requires normal function of spadetail, a gene known to be necessary for the dorsal convergent cell movement of paraxial mesoderm later in the gastrula. We propose that spadetail-dependent cell compaction subtly controls the early mixing and dispersal of dorsal cells that coalesce into the prospective organizer region. This early process may be necessary for the correct location of the boundary separating axial and paraxial cells. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Suppression of the endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump during zebrafish gastrulation affects left-right asymmetry of the heart and brain.

PubMed

Kreiling, Jill A; Balantac, Zaneta L; Crawford, Andrew R; Ren, Yuexin; Toure, Jamal; Zchut, Sigalit; Kochilas, Lazaros; Creton, Robbert

2008-01-01

Vertebrate embryos generate striking Ca(2+) patterns, which are unique regulators of dynamic developmental events. In the present study, we used zebrafish embryos as a model system to examine the developmental roles of Ca(2+) during gastrulation. We found that gastrula stage embryos maintain a distinct pattern of cytosolic Ca(2+) along the dorsal-ventral axis, with higher Ca(2+) concentrations in the ventral margin and lower Ca(2+) concentrations in the dorsal margin and dorsal forerunner cells. Suppression of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump with 0.5 microM thapsigargin elevates cytosolic Ca(2+) in all embryonic regions and induces a randomization of laterality in the heart and brain. Affected hearts, visualized in living embryos by a subtractive imaging technique, displayed either a reversal or loss of left-right asymmetry. Brain defects include a left-right reversal of pitx2 expression in the dorsal diencephalon and a left-right reversal of the prominent habenular nucleus in the brain. Embryos are sensitive to inhibition of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump during early and mid gastrulation and lose their sensitivity during late gastrulation and early segmentation. Suppression of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump during gastrulation inhibits expression of no tail (ntl) and left-right dynein related (lrdr) in the dorsal forerunner cells and affects development of Kupffer's vesicle, a ciliated organ that generates a counter-clockwise flow of fluid. Previous studies have shown that Ca(2+) plays a role in Kupffer's vesicle function, influencing ciliary motility and translating the vesicle's counter-clockwise flow into asymmetric patterns of gene expression. The present results suggest that Ca(2+) plays an additional role in the formation of Kupffer's vesicle.

Morphofunctional structure of the lingual papillae in three species of South American Camelids: Alpaca, guanaco, and llama.

PubMed

Erdoğan, Serkan; Villar Arias, Silvia; Pérez, William

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to compare the anatomical and functional characteristics of the lingual papilla among the Camelidae. For this purpose, tongues of alpaca, guanaco, and llama were used. Numerous long and thin filiform papillae were located in the median groove and none were detected on the rest of the dorsal surface of the lingual apex in alpaca. Secondary papillae originated from the base of some filiform papillae on the ventral surface of alpaca tongue. The bases of some filiform papillae of the lateral surface of the lingual apex were inserted into conspicuous grooves in guanaco and tips of filiform papillae on the dorsal surface of the lingual body were ended by bifurcated apex. On the dorsal surface of the lingual apex of llama, there were no filiform papillae but there were numerous filiform papillae on both the lateral margins of the ventral surface of the lingual apex. Fungiform papillae were distributed randomly on dorsal lingual surface and ventral margins of the tongues of all camelid species. Lenticular papillae were located on the lingual torus and varied in size and topographical distribution for each species. Circumvallate papillae had irregular surfaces in llama and alpaca, and smooth surface in guanaco. In conclusion, llama and alpaca tongues were more similar to each other, and tongues of all camelid species displayed more similarities to those of Bactrian and dromedary camels in comparison with other herbivores and ruminants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Homeotic shift at the dawn of the turtle evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szczygielski, Tomasz

2017-04-01

All derived turtles are characterized by one of the strongest reductions of the dorsal elements among Amniota, and have only 10 dorsal and eight cervical vertebrae. I demonstrate that the Late Triassic turtles, which represent successive stages of the shell evolution, indicate that the shift of the boundary between the cervical and dorsal sections of the vertebral column occurred over the course of several million years after the formation of complete carapace. The more generalized reptilian formula of at most seven cervicals and at least 11 dorsals is thus plesiomorphic for Testudinata. The morphological modifications associated with an anterior homeotic change of the first dorsal vertebra towards the last cervical vertebra in the Triassic turtles are partially recapitulated by the reduction of the first dorsal vertebra in crown-group Testudines, and they resemble the morphologies observed under laboratory conditions resulting from the experimental changes of Hox gene expression patterns. This homeotic shift hypothesis is supported by the, unique to turtles, restriction of Hox-5 expression domains, somitic precursors of scapula, and brachial plexus branches to the cervical region, by the number of the marginal scute-forming placodes, which was larger in the Triassic than in modern turtles, and by phylogenetic analyses.

Three new species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes: Characidae) from the Magdalena River Basin, Colombia.

PubMed

Román-Valencia, César; Ruiz-C, Raquel I; Taphorn, Donald C; Mancera-Rodriguez, Néstor J; García-Alzate, Carlos A

2013-09-01

Fish biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems is highly threatened by different economic activities driven by human populations, and its description is increasingly a priority. For the Cauca-Magdalena River system we have described 14 species, and the purpose of this paper was to describe three new species belonging to the same genus Hemibrycon from the Nare and Guatapé River drainages of the middle Magdalena River, Colombia. The description was based on a series of 200 specimens, and the use of morphometric, meristic and osteological characters, as well as fish distribution and morphogeometric analytical methods. We have found that Hemibrycon fasciatus n. sp. (n = 54) differs from other species of Hemibrycon (that also have a vertical humeral spot) in having: melanophores outlining the posterior margins of the scales along sides of body; humeral spot extending onto posterior margin of opercle; a dark lateral stripe, formed by deep pigment that is continuous with the peduncular spot; the toothed portion of the maxilla not reaching the dorsal margin of the dentary (vs. toothed portion of maxilla extending beyond dorsal margin of dentary); all maxillary teeth tricuspid (vs. some unicuspid teeth present on maxilla). H. cardalensis n. sp. (n = 64) differs in having: a vertically elongate humeral spot that extends one or two scales below the lateral line canal. H. cardalensis n. sp. differs from all congeners in having the pigment of the caudal spot restricted to the ventral half of the caudal peduncle, and in having melanophores around the anterior scales of the lateral line. Hemibrycon antioquiae n. sp. (n = 82) differs in having a circular humeral spot. It differs from the other species with a circular humeral spot, like H. mikrostiktos, in having a projection of disperse melanophores extending from the dorsal margin of the humeral spot to below the lateral stripe. Habitat data and environmental impacts caused by the construction of reservoirs for hydroelectric projects and other threats in the area are included, as well as a key to all species Hemibrycon present in the Magdalena River Basin. The synonymy of H. pautensis with H. polyodon is discussed and H. pautensis is revalidated.

Pikaia gracilens Walcott: stem chordate, or already specialized in the Cambrian?

PubMed

Mallatt, Jon; Holland, Nicholas

2013-06-01

For the past 35 years, the Cambrian fossil Pikaia gracilens was widely interpreted as a typical basal chordate based on short descriptions by Conway Morris. Recently, Conway Morris and Caron (CMC) (2012, Biol Rev 87:480-512) described Pikaia extensively, as a basis for new ideas about deuterostome evolution. This new Pikaia has characters with no clear homologues in other animals, so they could be phylogenetically uninformative autapomorphies. These characters include a dorsal organ, posterior ventral area, posterior fusiform structure, and anterior dorsal unit. Yet CMC interpret most of the unusual characters as primitive for chordates, thereby interpreting Pikaia as an even more convincing stem chordate than before. Moreover, they claim that segment (myomere) shape is a reliable guide for defining a chordate and even for assigning animals to their correct place in deuterostome phylogeny. By defining sigmoidal segments as a basal chordate character, they situate Pikaia at the base of the chordates and banish fossil yunnanozoans (which have straight segments) to a position deep within the deuterostomes. In addition, they consider amphioxus, with its conspicuously chevron-shaped segments, to be so highly derived that it is of little use for reconstructing the first chordates. We question their overemphasis on the phylogenetic value of segment shape and their marginalizing of amphioxus. We deduce that Pikaia, not amphioxus, is specialized. We performed a cladistic analysis that showed the character interpretations of CMC are consistent with their wide-ranging evolutionary scenario, but that these interpretations leave unresolved the position of Pikaia within chordates. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Description of two new species of Neotanais Beddard, 1886 (Crustacea, Tanaidacea) from KODOS area.

PubMed

Wi, Jin Hee; Suh, Hae Lip; Yu, Ok Hwan

2015-03-05

Two new species of Neotanais Beddard, 1886 are described from the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) area in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, based on the collections performed on board R/V Onnuri from a depth of 5180 m. Neotanais triqueturus n. sp. is similar to the 'pfaffi group' characterized by pereonites with a swollen distolateral margin, pleonites with mid-ventral spurs and tapered lateral margins but can be differentiated by a longer cephalothorax (length: width 1.6: 1), a cheliped with a large protrusion on the mid-dorsal margin of the fixed finger, and the presence of a ventral process on the cheliped carpus. Neotanais brevis n. sp. has the characteristics of the 'micromopher' group, with pleonites narrower than pereon, a cheliped carpus without a ventral process, and a uropod endopod with nine articles but can be differentiated by a combination of the pleonites without mid-ventral spurs, a relatively longer pleotelson (length: width 1: 1.5 vs. 1: 2), a uropod basis with one seta on each of the ventral and dorsal margins, and the cheliped fixed finger with proximal denticles. In this study, in order to prove N. triqueturus and N. brevis were new species, full descriptions and a comparison with the closely related species are given. In addition, comprehensive comparisons with the species of Neotanais from the east-central Pacific are tabulated and discussed.

A new chasmosaurine from northern Laramidia expands frill disparity in ceratopsid dinosaurs.

PubMed

Ryan, Michael J; Evans, David C; Currie, Philip J; Loewen, Mark A

2014-06-01

A new taxon of chasmosaurine ceratopsid demonstrates unexpected disparity in parietosquamosal frill shape among ceratopsid dinosaurs early in their evolutionary radiation. The new taxon is described based on two apomorphic squamosals collected from approximately time equivalent (approximately 77 million years old) sections of the upper Judith River Formation, Montana, and the lower Dinosaur Park Formation of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. It is referred to Chasmosaurinae based on the inferred elongate morphology. The typical chasmosaurine squamosal forms an obtuse triangle in dorsal view that tapers towards the posterolateral corner of the frill. In the dorsal view of the new taxon, the lateral margin of the squamosal is hatchet-shaped with the posterior portion modified into a constricted narrow bar that would have supported the lateral margin of a robust parietal. The new taxon represents the oldest chasmosaurine from Canada, and the first pre-Maastrichtian ceratopsid to have been collected on both sides of the Canada-US border, with a minimum north-south range of 380 km. This squamosal morphology would have given the frill of the new taxon a unique dorsal profile that represents evolutionary experimentation in frill signalling near the origin of chasmosaurine ceratopsids and reinforces biogeographic differences between northern and southern faunal provinces in the Campanian of North America.

A comparison of the effects of two volumes of local analgesic solution in the distal interphalangeal joint of horses with lameness caused by solar toe or solar heel pain.

PubMed

Schumacher, J; Schumacher, J; de Graves, F; Steiger, R; Schramme, M; Smith, R; Coker, M

2001-05-01

The response of horses, with solar pain in the dorsal or palmar aspect of the foot, to 6 or 10 ml local analgesic solution administered into the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint was examined. Lameness was induced in 7 horses by creating solar pain in the dorsal aspect of one forefoot and, at another time, the palmar aspect of the other forefoot with set-screws inserted into a custom-made shoe. Horses were videotaped trotting before and after application of set-screws and, in separate trials, after 6 or 10 ml local analgesic solution was administered into the DIP joint. Lameness scores were assigned by examining videotaped gaits. Scores were significantly lower (P < 0.05) for horses with set-screws applied to the angles of the sole and receiving 10 ml, but not 6 ml, local analgesic solution into the DIP joint. Scores were significantly lower (P < 0.05) for all horses with set-screws in the dorsal margin of the sole receiving either volume of local analgesic solution. Analgesia of the DIP joint was less effective in desensitising the angles of the sole than in desensitising the dorsal margin of the sole, and 10 ml local analgesic solution was more effective than 6 ml in desensitising these regions. The response of horses with solar pain to local analgesic solution in the DIP joint was influenced by the volume administered and the region of sole affected.

Dorsal buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty for female urethral strictures.

PubMed

Migliari, Roberto; Leone, Pierluigi; Berdondini, Elisa; De Angelis, M; Barbagli, Guido; Palminteri, Enzo

2006-10-01

We describe the feasibility and complications of dorsal buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty in female patients with urethral stenosis. From April 2005 to July 2005, 3 women 45 to 65 years old (average age 53.7) with urethral stricture disease underwent urethral reconstruction using a dorsal buccal mucosa graft. Stricture etiology was unknown in 1 patient, ischemic in 1 and iatrogenic in 1. Buccal mucosa graft length was 5 to 6 cm and width was 2 to 3 cm. The urethra was freed dorsally until the bladder neck and then opened on the roof. The buccal mucosa patch was sutured to the margins of the opened urethra and the new roof of the augmented urethra was quilted to the clitoris corpora. In all cases voiding urethrogram after catheter removal showed a good urethral shape with absent urinary leakage. No urinary incontinence was evident postoperatively. On urodynamic investigation all patients showed an unobstructed Blaivas-Groutz nomogram. Two patients complained about irritative voiding symptoms at catheter removal, which subsided completely and spontaneously after a week. The dorsal approach with buccal mucosa graft allowed us to reconstruct an adequate urethra in females, decreasing the risks of incontinence and fistula.

Use of computed tomography to define a sacral safe corridor for placement of 2.7 mm cortical screws in feline sacroiliac luxation.

PubMed

Philp, Helen; Durand, Alexane; De Vicente, Felipe

2018-06-01

Objectives This study aimed to define a safe corridor for 2.7 mm cortical sacroiliac screw insertion in the dorsal plane (craniocaudal direction) using radiography and CT, and in the transverse plane (dorsoventral direction) using CT in feline cadavers. A further aim was to compare the values obtained by CT with those previously reported by radiography in the transverse plane. Methods Thirteen pelvises were retrieved from feline cadavers and dissected to expose one of the articular surfaces of the sacrum. A 2.7 mm screw was placed in the sacrum to a depth of approximately 1 cm in each exposed articular surface. Dorsoventral radiography and CT scanning of each specimen were performed. Multiplanar reconstructions were performed to allow CT evaluation in both the dorsal and transverse planes. Calculations were made to find the maximum, minimum and optimum angles for screw placement in craniocaudal (radiography and CT) and dorsoventral (CT) directions when using a 2.7 mm cortical screw. Results Radiographic measurement showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle of 106° (range 97-112°). The mean minimum angle was 95° (range 87-107°), whereas the mean maximum angle was 117° (108-124°). Measurement of the dorsal CT scan images showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle of 101° (range 94-110°). The mean minimum angle was 90° (range 83-99°), whereas the mean maximum angle was 113° (104-125°). The transverse CT scan images showed a mean dorsoventral minimum angle of 103° (range 95-113°), mean maximum angle of 115° (104-125°) and mean optimum dorsoventral angle of 111° (102-119°). Conclusions and relevance An optimum craniocaudal angle of 101° is recommended for 2.7 mm cortical screw placement in the feline sacral body, with a safety margin between 99° and 104°. No single angle can be recommended in the dorsoventral direction and therefore preoperative measuring on individual cats using CT images is recommended to establish the ideal individual angle in the transverse plane.

Two new species of Melanorivulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Cynolebiidae) from Rio Verde drainage, Upper Rio Paraná basin, Brazil.

PubMed

Volcan, Matheus Vieira; Klotzel, Bruno; Lanés, Luis Esteban Krause

2017-02-21

Two new species of the genus Melanorivulus are herein described from the middle Rio Verde drainage, upper Rio Paraná basin, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Both new species are members of the Melanorivulus pictus clade, diagnosed by having ventral process of angulo-articular vestigial and flanks intense greenish blue or greenish golden to purplish blue above anal fin base in males. Melanorivulus nigropunctatus, new species, from wetlands of a small drainage tributary of right side of the Rio Verde, differs from all other congeners by possessing black dots over the head and body in both sexes and pectoral fin orange with a dark grey margin in males. Melanorivulus ofaie, new species, is found in a similar environment, but at the opposite margin of the Rio Verde. It is distinguished by males presenting flank greenish blue to light blue, with seven to nine oblique chevron-like red bars, ventral portion of head whitish with dark brown spots, dorsal fin yellow with two to three transverse broad red oblique stripes and distal region red, anal fin light orangish yellow, basal area light blue with short red bars and distal portion with a dark red margin, and caudal fin yellow or orangish yellow with three to four vertical red bars in the dorsal and middle portions, sometimes with a orange distal margin. Both new species are considered endangered due to the loss and degradation of their habitat.

Dubinectes infirmus, a new species of deep-water Munnopsidae (Crustacea, Isopoda, Asellota) from the Argentine Basin, South Atlantic Ocean

PubMed Central

Malyutina, Marina; Brandt, Angelika

2011-01-01

Abstract Dubinectes infirmus sp. n., Munnopsidae, is described from the Argentine Basin, southwest Atlantic, at depths between 4586–4607 m. The new species is distinguished by a narrow rim of the pleotelson posterior margin which is not raising over its dorsal surface; article 3 of the antennula is subequal in length to article 2; distomedial lobes of male pleopod 1 are of same size as distolateral lobes; stylet of male pleopod 2 is subequal in length to protopod; uropod exopod is more than a half of endopod length. Some generic characters which are weakly pronounced in the new species or have different state are defined more precisely in the revised diagnosis of Dubinectes. The modified diagnosis of the genus, a key to the species of Dubinectes as well as the distribution of the genus are presented. PMID:22207784

Cervical extraforaminal ligaments: an anatomical study.

PubMed

Arslan, Mehmet; Açar, Halil İbrahim; Cömert, Ayhan

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the anatomy and clinical importance of extraforaminal ligaments in the cervical region. This study was performed on eight embalmed cadavers. The existence and types of extraforaminal ligaments were identified. The morphology, quantity, origin, insertion, and orientation of the extraforaminal ligaments in the cervical region were observed. Extraforaminal ligaments could be divided into two types: transforaminal ligaments and radiating ligaments. It was observed that during their course, transforaminal ligaments cross the intervertebral foramen ventrally. They usually originate from the anteroinferior margin of the anterior tubercle of the cranial transverse process and insert into the superior margin of the anterior tubercle of the caudal transverse process. The dorsal aspect of the transforaminal ligaments adhere loosely to the spinal nerve sheath. The length, width and thickness of these ligaments increased from the cranial to the caudal direction. A single intervertebral foramen contained at least one transforaminal ligament. A total of 98 ligaments in 96 intervertebral foramina were found. The spinal nerves were extraforaminally attached to neighboring anterior and posterior tubercle of the cervical transverse process by the radiating ligaments. The radiating ligaments consisted of the ventral superior, ventral, ventral inferior, dorsal superior and dorsal inferior radiating ligaments. Radiating ligaments originated from the adjacent transverse processes and inserted into the nerve root sheath. The spinal nerve was held like the hub of a wheel by a series of radiating ligaments. The dorsal ligaments were the thickest. From C2-3 to C6-7 at the cervical spine, radiating ligaments were observed. They developed particularly at the level of the C5-C6 intervertebral foramen. This anatomic study may provide a better understanding of the relationship of the extraforaminal ligaments to the cervical nerve root.

Pterygodermatites (Paucipectines) baiomydis n. sp. (Nematoda: Rictulariidae), a parasite of Baiomys taylori (Cricetidae)

PubMed Central

Lynggaard, Christina; García-Prieto, Luis; Guzmán-Cornejo, Carmen; Osorio-Sarabia, David

2014-01-01

Pterygodermatites (Paucipectines) baiomydis n. sp., an intestinal parasite of the northern pygmy mouse, Baiomys taylori (Cricetidae), collected in La Yerbabuena, Colima, Mexico, is described herein. Specimens were studied using light and scanning electronic microscopy. This is the 19th species of the subgenus Paucipectines described worldwide and the fourth collected in Mexico. It is differentiated from the remaining species in the subgenus by having 25 perioral denticles, arranged in a triangle (seven on each lateroventral margin, and eleven on the dorsal margin), and 10 pairs of caudal papillae. PMID:25375029

Defining the cortical visual systems: "what", "where", and "how"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Creem, S. H.; Proffitt, D. R.; Kaiser, M. K. (Principal Investigator)

2001-01-01

The visual system historically has been defined as consisting of at least two broad subsystems subserving object and spatial vision. These visual processing streams have been organized both structurally as two distinct pathways in the brain, and functionally for the types of tasks that they mediate. The classic definition by Ungerleider and Mishkin labeled a ventral "what" stream to process object information and a dorsal "where" stream to process spatial information. More recently, Goodale and Milner redefined the two visual systems with a focus on the different ways in which visual information is transformed for different goals. They relabeled the dorsal stream as a "how" system for transforming visual information using an egocentric frame of reference in preparation for direct action. This paper reviews recent research from psychophysics, neurophysiology, neuropsychology and neuroimaging to define the roles of the ventral and dorsal visual processing streams. We discuss a possible solution that allows for both "where" and "how" systems that are functionally and structurally organized within the posterior parietal lobe.

Entire mesodermal mantle behaves as Spemann's organizer in dorsoanterior enhanced Xenopus laevis embryos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kao, K.R.; Elinson, R.P.

1988-05-01

The body plan of Xenopus laevis can be respecified by briefly exposing early cleavage stage embryos to lithium. Such embryos develop exaggerated dorsoanterior structures such as a radial eye and cement gland. In this paper, we demonstrate that the enhanced dorsoanterior phenotype results from an overcommitment of mesoderm to dorsoanterior mesoderm. Histological and immunohistochemical observations reveal that the embryos have a greatly enlarged notochord with very little muscle tissue. In addition, they develop a radial, beating heart, suggesting that lithium also specifies anterior mesoderm and pharyngeal endoderm. Randomly oriented diametrically opposed marginal zone grafts from lithium-treated embryos, when transplanted intomore » ultraviolet (uv)-irradiated axis-deficient hosts, rescue dorsal axial structures. These transplantation experiments demonstrate that the entire marginal zone of the early gastrula consists of presumptive dorsal mesoderm. Vital dye marking experiments also indicate that the entire marginal zone maps to the prominent proboscis that is composed of chordamesoderm and represents the long axis of the embryo. These results suggest that lithium respecifies the mesoderm of Xenopus laevis embryos so that it differentiates into the Spemann organizer. We suggest that the origin of the dorsoanterior enhanced phenotypes generated by lithium and the dorsoanterior deficient phenotypes generated by uv irradiation are due to relative quantities of organizer. Our evidence demonstrates the existence of a continuum of body plan phenotypes based on this premise.« less

Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups: ultrastructural differences between the trophozoites.

PubMed

Sogayar, M I; Gregório, E A

1989-01-01

Trophozoites of the Giardia muris group from hamsters, domestic rats and mice and of the Giardia duodenalis group from hamsters and domestic rats were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The basic ultrastructure of the trophozoites was similar. Differences were shown in the morphology of the ventrolateral flange of the trophozoites of Giardia muris and Giardia duodenalis groups. Marginal plates are less developed in the species of the Giardia duodenalis group. In this group, the distal extremity of the lateral flange is short and thick and the marginal plate does not penetrate into the distal extremity of the flange. In the Giardia muris group, the ventro-lateral flange is well developed and narrow and the marginal plate penetrates the distal extremity of the flange. The osmiophilic lamella, which accompanies the dorsal surface of the marginal plate is seen only in the Giardia muris group.

Localisation of the spinal nucleus of the accessory nerve in the rabbit.

PubMed Central

Ullah, M; Salman, S S

1986-01-01

The spinal nucleus of the accessory nerve (SNA) was localised in eight adult rabbits by a retrograde degeneration technique using thionine as a stain for the Nissl substance. The SNA was found to extend from the caudal one fifth of the medulla oblongata to the cranial one fourth of the sixth cervical segment. In the caudal part of the medulla oblongata, the SNA was located in the dorsal part of the detached ventral grey column. In the first cervical segment, the SNA was dorsolateral to the dorsomedial column and dorsal to the ventromedial column of the ventral grey column. In the cranial part of the second cervical segment, the SNA shifted laterally to the lateral margin of the ventral grey column. After this lateral shift, the SNA was located in the lateral part of the ventral grey column of the second, third and fourth cervical segments. In the fifth and cranial one fourth of the sixth cervical segments, the SNA was not a well defined column of cells but was represented by isolated cells scattered in the ventral part of the ventral grey column between the phrenic nucleus and the ventral border of the grey matter. The total number of chromatolysed cells found in the SNA of the right experimental side varied from 2723 to 3210. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 PMID:3429311

A new species of Petasiger (Digenea: Echinostomiformes: Echinostomatidae) in the brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Pelecanidae), from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

PubMed

Zamparo, David; Overstreet, Robin M; Brooks, Daniel R

2005-12-01

A new species of Petasiger inhabits Pelecanus occidentalis, from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The new species most closely resembles Petasiger novemdecim Lutz 1929 and Petasiger caribbensis Nassi, 1980 by having 19 circumoral spines and vitelline follicles confluent between the ventral sucker and gonads. The new species differs from both of these species by having a cirrus sac that is anteroposteriorly elongate and that reaches posteriorly to the midventral sucker, an ovary and Mehlis' gland that overlap the anterior testis dorsally, a uterus that lies dorsal to the ventral sucker, and a dextromedial genital pore. In P. novemdecim and P. caribbensis the cirrus sac is round and does not extend posteriorly to the anterior margin of the ventral sucker, both the ovary and Mehlis' gland are anterior to the anterior testis, the uterus runs lateral to and not dorsal to the ventral sucker, and the genital pore opens medially and sinistromedially, respectively.

Species within the genus Encyonema Ktzing, including two new species Encyonema reimeri sp. nov. and E. nicafei sp. nov. and E. stoermeri nom. nov., stat. nov.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spaulding, S.A.; Pool, J.R.; Castro, S.I.; Hinz, F.

2010-01-01

We observed six diatom taxa from North American samples and one taxon from China that are considered within the genus Encyonema Ktzing. Two of the taxa are described as new, Encyonema reimeri Spaulding, Pool et Castro sp. nov. and Encyonema nicafei Spaulding sp. nov. A third taxon, Encyonema stoermeri Spaulding, Pool et Castro nom. nov., shat. nov. is assigned a new name and rank. In the past, these taxa have been ascribed to several names, but primarily the names Cymbella muelleri Hustedt and C. muelleri f. ventricosa (Tempre et Peragallo) Reimer have been used, based on their inclusion in the two volumes of "The Diatoms of the United States". We compare the new species with other members of this group of taxa, including Encyonema latum Krammer, E. sinicum Krammer and E. yellowstonianum Krammer. This group of species shares the features of 1) a broad axial area, 2) raphe branches curved with the convex side toward the dorsal valve margin, 3) slightly expanded and dorsally deflected proximal raphe ends, and 4) oval areolae near the axial area, becoming lineolate, or transapically elongate, towards the dorsal margin. We expect that many of the species reported in the U.S. have been identified using names of species from other continents. We also expect that critical microscopy and use of original literature is likely to clarify the geographic distribution of species within Encyonema. This work is important in order to understand, document and protect the species diversity of diatoms and their aquatic habitats.

Fetal Topographical Anatomy of the Pancreatic Head and Duodenum with Special Reference to Courses of the Pancreaticoduodenal Arteries

PubMed Central

Jin, Zhe Wu; Cho, Baik Hwan; Kim, Hyoung Tae; Kimura, Wataru; Fujimiya, Mineko; Murakami, Gen

2010-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide better understanding as to how the "double" vascular arcades, in contrast to other intestinal marginal vessels, develop along the right margin of the pancreatic head. Materials and Methods In human fetuses between 8-30 weeks, we described the topographical anatomy of the vessels, bile duct, duodenum as well as the ventral and dorsal primordia of the pancreatic head with an aid of pancreatic polypeptide immunohisto-chemistry. Results The contents of the hepatoduodenal ligament crossed the superior side of the pylorus. Moreover, the right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery ran along the superior aspect of the pancreatic head. An arterial arcade, corresponding to the posterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, encircled the superior part of the pancreatic head, whereas another arcade, corresponding to the anterior pancreaticoduodenal arteries, surrounded the inferior part. The dorsal promordium of the pancreas surrounded and/or mixed the ventral primordium at 13-16 weeks. Thus, both arterial arcades were likely to attach to the dorsal primordium. Conclusion The fetal anatomy of the pancreaticoduodenal vascular arcades as well as that of the hepatoduodenal ligament were quite different from adults in topographical relations. Thus, in the stage later than 30 weeks, further rotation of the duodenum along a horizontal axis seemed to be required to move the pylorus posterosuperiorly and to reflect the superior surface of the pancreatic head posteriorly. However, to change the topographical anatomy of the superior and inferior arterial arcades into the final position, re-arrangement of the pancreatic parenchyma might be necessary in the head. PMID:20376893

Morphology and phylogenetic analysis of two oxytrichid soil ciliates from China, Oxytricha paragranulifera n. sp. and Oxytricha granulifera Foissner and Adam, 1983 (Protista, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia).

PubMed

Shao, Chen; Lv, Zhao; Pan, Ying; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S; Yi, Zhenzhen

2014-09-01

The morphology and infraciliature of two hypotrichous ciliates, Oxytricha paragranulifera n. sp. and Oxytricha granulifera Foissner and Adam, 1983, collected respectively from the surface of a sandy soil in the Huguang mangrove forest, Zhanjiang, China, and the surface of soil in a forest beside Ziwu Road, Xian, north-west China, were examined. O. paragranulifera n. sp. is characterized by an elongate body with slightly tapered anterior end, two macronuclear nodules and two micronuclei, paroral and endoral in Stylonychia-pattern, colourless cortical granules distributed in clusters or irregular short rows, adoral zone occupying 37 % of the body length, marginal rows almost confluent posteriorly, six dorsal kineties and three caudal cirri, caudal cirri and dorsal bristles almost indistinguishable when viewed in vivo. The well-known O. granulifera Foissner and Adam, 1983 was also redescribed and can be separated from the novel species by having cortical granules arranged along dorsal kineties and marginal rows on both sides (vs grouped in clusters as well as in short irregular rows), paroral and endoral in Oxytricha-pattern (vs in Stylonychia-pattern), macronuclear nodules obviously detached (vs adjacent) and a non-saline terrestrial habitat (vs saline terrestrial). The separation of these two taxa is also firmly supported by the molecular data, which show a significant difference between the two in their SSU rRNA gene sequences (similarity 97.1 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data suggest a close relationship within the Oxytrichidae assemblage between O. paragranulifera n. sp. and O. granulifera. © 2014 IUMS.

A new long-snouted species of Corydoras Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the rio Madeira basin.

PubMed

Tencatt, Luiz Fernando Caserta; Ohara, Willian Massaharu

2016-07-28

A new species of Corydoras is described from the rio Aripuanã, rio Madeira basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the presence of the following features: long mesethmoid, with anterior tip well developed, conspicuously larger than 50% of bone length; posterior margin of dorsal-fin spine with serrations directed towards tip of spine; one to two longitudinal black stripes on flanks; absence of a black blotch across the eyes (mask); absence of a large black blotch on dorsal fin; and transversal black bars on caudal fin. Comments on endemism in interfluvial region between Madeira and Tapajós rivers are briefly discussed.

Three new species of the genus Chlopsis (Anguilliformes: Chlopsidae) from the Indo-Pacific.

PubMed

Tighe, Kenneth A; Pogonoski, John J; Hibino, Yusuke; Ho, Hsuan-Ching; Nguyen, Quan Van

2015-12-24

Three new species of false moray eels belonging to the genus Chlopsis, family Chlopsidae, are described and illustrated. Chlopsis sagmacollaris, from Western Australia, is characterized by its distinct color pattern with a unique dark saddle on the nape and paler body pigmentation than all other congeners. Chlopsis nanhaiensis, from Taiwan, has a bicolored body with its dorsal-fin origin behind a vertical through posterior margin of gill opening. These characters are shared with C. apterus, C. bicolor, C. bidentatus and C. orientalis sp. nov., but C. nanhaiensis has fewer total vertebrae than other bicolored species (ca. 120 in C. nanhaiensis vs. 125-140 in other four species). Chlopsis orientalis, from Vietnam, is distinguished from all other congeners except C. bicolor by its simple bicolored body, head length (ca. 10% of total length), position of dorsal-fin origin (distinctly behind a vertical through posterior margin of gill opening), and counts of preanal and total vertebrae (35 and 135). Although C. orientalis resembles C. bicolor in meristics and morphometrics, it differs in its pigmentation and possession of stouter intermuscular bones. These new species represent the first records of the genus Chlopsis from the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean.

[Osteosynthesis of distal radius fractures by doral plate: advantages and disadvantages].

PubMed

Obert, L; Vichard, P; Garbuio, P; Tropet, Y

2001-12-01

Distal radius fractures remain a challenge. No one osteosynthesis procedure can solve all the problems. A method of analysis is necessary in order to choose the best tools. Open treatment of the fracture is logical but rarely performed. A review of the literature and the experience of the authors are reported in order to analyse the correct place of dorsal plating in distal radius fracture with dorsal displacement. The learning curve of the operative procedure and the design of the implants can explain the occurrence of several complications. The dorsal plate is effective against secondary dorsal displacement. This demanding procedure must be compared with other reported procedures (pining and external fixator) to define the advantages and disadvantages.

Methods of defining the non-inferiority margin in randomized, double-blind controlled trials: a systematic review.

PubMed

Althunian, Turki A; de Boer, Anthonius; Klungel, Olaf H; Insani, Widya N; Groenwold, Rolf H H

2017-03-07

There is no consensus on the preferred method for defining the non-inferiority margin in non-inferiority trials, and previous studies showed that the rationale for its choice is often not reported. This study investigated how the non-inferiority margin is defined in the published literature, and whether its reporting has changed over time. A systematic PubMed search was conducted for all published randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trials from January 1, 1966, to February 6, 2015. The primary outcome was the number of margins that were defined by methods other than the historical evidence of the active comparator. This was evaluated for a time trend. We also assessed the under-reporting of the methods of defining the margin as a secondary outcome, and whether this changed over time. Both outcomes were analyzed using a Poisson log-linear model. Predictors for better reporting of the methods, and the use of the fixed-margin method (one of the historical evidence methods) were also analyzed using logistic regression. Two hundred seventy-three articles were included, which account for 273 non-inferiority margins. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of margins that were defined by other methods compared to those defined based on the historical evidence (ratio 2.17, 95% CI 0.86 to 5.82, p = 0.11), and this did not change over time. The number of margins for which methods were unreported was similar to those with reported methods (ratio 1.35, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.43, p = 0.31), with no change over time. The method of defining the margin was less often reported in journals with low-impact factors compared to journals with high-impact factors (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.37, p < 0.0001). The publication of the FDA draft guidance in 2010 was associated with increased reporting of the fixed-margin method (after versus before 2010) (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.12 to 13.35, p = 0.04). Non-inferiority margins are not commonly defined based on the historical evidence of the active comparator, and they are poorly reported. Authors, reviewers, and editors need to take notice of reporting this critical information to allow for better judgment of non-inferiority trials.

Osteology of Galeamopus pabsti sp. nov. (Sauropoda: Diplodocidae), with implications for neurocentral closure timing, and the cervico-dorsal transition in diplodocids

PubMed Central

Mateus, Octávio

2017-01-01

Diplodocids are among the best known sauropod dinosaurs. Numerous specimens of currently 15 accepted species belonging to ten genera have been reported from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of North and South America, Europe, and Africa. The highest diversity is known from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the western United States: a recent review recognized 12 valid, named species, and possibly three additional, yet unnamed ones. One of these is herein described in detail and referred to the genus Galeamopus. The holotype specimen of Galeamopus pabsti sp. nov., SMA 0011, is represented by material from all body parts but the tail, and was found at the Howe-Scott Quarry in the northern Bighorn Basin in Wyoming, USA. Autapomorphic features of the new species include a horizontal canal on the maxilla that connects the posterior margin of the preantorbital and the ventral margin of the antorbital fenestrae, a vertical midline groove marking the sagittal nuchal crest, the presence of a large foramen connecting the postzygapophyseal centrodiapophyseal fossa and the spinopostzygapophyseal fossa of mid- and posterior cervical vertebrae, a very robust humerus, a laterally placed, rugose tubercle on the concave proximal portion of the anterior surface of the humerus, a relatively stout radius, the absence of a distinct ambiens process on the pubis, and a distinctly concave posteroventral margin of the ascending process of the astragalus. In addition to the holotype specimen SMA 0011, the skull USNM 2673 can also be referred to Galeamopus pabsti. Histology shows that the type specimen SMA 0011 is sexually mature, although neurocentral closure was not completed at the time of death. Because SMA 0011 has highly pneumatized cervical vertebrae, the development of the lamination appears a more important indicator for individual age than neurocentral fusion patterns. SMA 0011 is one of very few sauropod specimens that preserves the cervico-dorsal transition in both vertebrae and ribs. The association of ribs with their respective vertebrae shows that the transition between cervical and dorsal vertebrae is significantly different in Galeamopus pabsti than in Diplodocus carnegii or Apatosaurus louisae, being represented by a considerable shortening of the centra from the last cervical to the first dorsal vertebra. Diplodocids show a surprisingly high diversity in the Morrison Formation. This can possibly be explained by a combination of geographical and temporal segregation, and niche partitioning. PMID:28480132

A New Giant Titanosauria (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous Bauru Group, Brazil.

PubMed

Bandeira, Kamila L N; Medeiros Simbras, Felipe; Batista Machado, Elaine; de Almeida Campos, Diogenes; Oliveira, Gustavo R; Kellner, Alexander W A

2016-01-01

Titanosaurian dinosaurs include some of the largest land-living animals that ever existed, and most were discovered in Cretaceous deposits of Argentina. Here we describe the first Brazilian gigantic titanosaur, Austroposeidon magnificus gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Cretaceous Presidente Prudente Formation (Bauru Group, Paraná Basin), São Paulo State, southeast Brazil. The size of this animal is estimated around 25 meters. It consists of a partial vertebral column composed by the last two cervical and the first dorsal vertebrae, all fairly complete and incomplete portions of at least one sacral and seven dorsal elements. The new species displays four autapomorphies: robust and tall centropostzygapophyseal laminae (cpol) in the last cervical vertebrae; last cervical vertebra bearing the posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina (pcdl) bifurcated; first dorsal vertebra with the anterior and posterior centrodiapophyseal laminae (acdl/pcdl) curved ventrolaterally, and the diapophysis reaching the dorsal margin of the centrum; posterior dorsal vertebra bearing forked spinoprezygapophyseal laminae (sprl). The phylogenetic analysis presented here reveals that Austroposeidon magnificus is the sister group of the Lognkosauria. CT scans reveal some new osteological internal features in the cervical vertebrae such as the intercalation of dense growth rings with camellae, reported for the first time in sauropods. The new taxon further shows that giant titanosaurs were also present in Brazil during the Late Cretaceous and provides new information about the evolution and internal osteological structures in the vertebrae of the Titanosauria clade.

A New Giant Titanosauria (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous Bauru Group, Brazil

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Titanosaurian dinosaurs include some of the largest land-living animals that ever existed, and most were discovered in Cretaceous deposits of Argentina. Here we describe the first Brazilian gigantic titanosaur, Austroposeidon magnificus gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Cretaceous Presidente Prudente Formation (Bauru Group, Paraná Basin), São Paulo State, southeast Brazil. The size of this animal is estimated around 25 meters. It consists of a partial vertebral column composed by the last two cervical and the first dorsal vertebrae, all fairly complete and incomplete portions of at least one sacral and seven dorsal elements. The new species displays four autapomorphies: robust and tall centropostzygapophyseal laminae (cpol) in the last cervical vertebrae; last cervical vertebra bearing the posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina (pcdl) bifurcated; first dorsal vertebra with the anterior and posterior centrodiapophyseal laminae (acdl/pcdl) curved ventrolaterally, and the diapophysis reaching the dorsal margin of the centrum; posterior dorsal vertebra bearing forked spinoprezygapophyseal laminae (sprl). The phylogenetic analysis presented here reveals that Austroposeidon magnificus is the sister group of the Lognkosauria. CT scans reveal some new osteological internal features in the cervical vertebrae such as the intercalation of dense growth rings with camellae, reported for the first time in sauropods. The new taxon further shows that giant titanosaurs were also present in Brazil during the Late Cretaceous and provides new information about the evolution and internal osteological structures in the vertebrae of the Titanosauria clade. PMID:27706250

New record of Japanese snake blenny Xiphasia matsubarai (Perciformes: Blenniidae) from South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Murong; Zhao, Chunxu; Su, Xin; Tao, Yajin; Yan, Yunrong

2017-11-01

Specimens belonging to the family Blenniidae were collected in a fishery resource investigation from the coastal waters of Xisha Islands and Hainan Island, South China Sea in 2016. Combining morphological results with sequence analysis, we identified one specimen as Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952. This represents a new record in the South China Sea. In morphology, the specimen has the following traits: body elongated, eel-like or ribbon-like in shape; flanks medium flat; the head small bluntly rounded anteriorly and without a moustache; eyes is slightly smaller, on upper lateral position of head, which is about equal to 1/5 of the length of the head; body without scales, lateral line has been degraded; both sides of the upper and lower jaws with a canine; gill is opening at the top of the pectoral fin base, approximately equal to the length of eye diameter. Dorsal fin XI, 96; pectoral fin 10; anal fin II, 95. Head and body grey-brown, including 26 dark grey-brown bands; abdomen and lower operculum yellowish grey and colour lighter; and dorsal base long with dark grey. Origin of dorsal is located over the anterior margin of pupil; black blotch on dorsal fin between 8th and 10th dorsal spine; anal and caudal fins dark grey, pectoral and ventral fins pale yellow. Sequence analysis of cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COI) strongly supports the identity of the specimen as X. matsubarai.

First fossil occurrence of a filefish (Tetraodontiformes; Monacanthidae) in Asia, from the Middle Miocene in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan.

PubMed

Miyajima, Yusuke; Koike, Hakuichi; Matsuoka, Hiroshige

2014-04-10

A new fossil filefish, Aluterus shigensis sp. nov., with a close resemblance to the extant Aluterus scriptus (Osbeck), is described from the Middle Miocene Bessho Formation in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. It is characterized by: 21 total vertebrae; very slender and long first dorsal spine with tiny anterior barbs; thin and lancet-shaped basal pterygiophore of the spiny dorsal fin, with its ventral margin separated from the skull; proximal tip of moderately slender first pterygiophore of the soft dorsal fin not reaching far ventrally; soft dorsal-fin base longer than anal-fin base; caudal peduncle having nearly equal depth and length; and tiny, fine scales with slender, straight spinules. The occurrence of this fossil filefish from the Bessho Formation is consistent with the influence of warm water currents suggested by other fossils, but it is inconsistent with the deep-water sedimentary environment of this Formation. This is the first fossil occurrence of a filefish in Asia; previously described fossil filefishes are known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Italy, the Pliocene of Greece, and the Miocene and Pliocene of North America. These fossil records suggest that the genus Aluterus had already been derived and was widely distributed during the Middle Miocene with taxa closely resembling Recent species.

Does Kiitricha (Protista, Ciliophora, Spirotrichea) belong to Euplotida or represent a primordial spirotrichous taxon? With suggestion to establish a new subclass Protohypotrichia.

PubMed

Li, Lifang; Shao, Chen; Song, Weibo; Lynn, Denis H; Chen, Zigui; Shin, Mann Kyoon

2009-02-01

The genus Kiitricha was long assumed to be the most primordial taxon in the Stichotrichia [hypotrichs sensu lato (s. l.)] based on its morphological features and was considered to be an intermediate between heterotrichs and the traditional hypotrichous assemblage. In order to evaluate the phylogenetic position of Kiitricha within the Hypotrichia, we sequenced the small-subunit rRNA gene and the alpha-tubulin gene for a Qingdao population of Kiitricha marina. Phylogenetic trees were constructed and compared to morphological and morphogenetic data. The results show that (i) Kiitricha is positioned near Phacodinium, both of which always form a sister clade to the assemblage including Stichotrichia, Hypotrichia, Oligotrichia and Choreotrichia, (ii) Kiitricha, which may represent an intermediate between heterotrichs (s. l.) and the Stichotrichia-Hypotrichia complex, is probably an ancestor-like form of the latter group and (iii) in contrast to morphological characters, both molecular and ontogenetic data support the separation of Kiitricha from the hypotrichs (s. l.). Thus, Kiitricha might be placed in the class Spirotrichea at about subclass level, next to Phaconidiidia, Hypotrichia and Stichotrichia, which supports the establishment of a new subclass Protohypotrichia n. subclass within the class Spirotrichea, with characterizations including slightly differentiated somatic ciliature (i.e. cirri on the ventral side generally uniform and non-grouped, no clearly defined marginal cirral rows, ciliature on the dorsal side mixed with cirri and dikinetids, no clearly differentiated dorsal kineties) and a unique but intermediate morphogenetic pattern of cortical structures between Hypotrichia and Stichotrichia.

Bythaelurus vivaldii, a new deep-water catshark (Carcharhiniformes, Scyliorhinidae) from the northwestern Indian Ocean off Somalia.

PubMed

Weigmann, Simon; Kaschner, Carina Julia

2017-05-08

A new very small deep-water catshark, Bythaelurus vivaldii, is described based on two female specimens caught off Somalia in the northwestern Indian Ocean during the German 'Valdivia' expedition in 1899. It is morphologically closest to the recently described B. bachi, which is the only other Bythaelurus species in the western Indian Ocean that shares a stout body of large specimens and the presence of oral papillae. It further resembles B. vivaldii in the broad mouth and broad posterior head, but differs in the presence of composite oral papillae and a higher diversity in dermal denticle morphology. Additionally, the new species differs from all congeners in the western Indian Ocean in a larger pre-second dorsal fin length, a longer head, a larger interdorsal space, a larger intergill length, a longer pectoral-fin posterior margin, a shorter caudal fin, an intermediate caudal fin preventral margin, and a larger internarial width. Furthermore, the second dorsal fin of the new species is smaller than in its congeners in the western Indian Ocean except for B. lutarius, which is easily distinguished by the slender body and virtual absence of oral papillae, as well as the aforementioned further characters. An updated key to all valid species of Bythaelurus is provided.

Personal authentication through dorsal hand vein patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Chih-Bin; Hao, Shu-Sheng; Lee, Jen-Chun

2011-08-01

Biometric identification is an emerging technology that can solve security problems in our networked society. A reliable and robust personal verification approach using dorsal hand vein patterns is proposed in this paper. The characteristic of the approach needs less computational and memory requirements and has a higher recognition accuracy. In our work, the near-infrared charge-coupled device (CCD) camera is adopted as an input device for capturing dorsal hand vein images, it has the advantages of the low-cost and noncontact imaging. In the proposed approach, two finger-peaks are automatically selected as the datum points to define the region of interest (ROI) in the dorsal hand vein images. The modified two-directional two-dimensional principal component analysis, which performs an alternate two-dimensional PCA (2DPCA) in the column direction of images in the 2DPCA subspace, is proposed to exploit the correlation of vein features inside the ROI between images. The major advantage of the proposed method is that it requires fewer coefficients for efficient dorsal hand vein image representation and recognition. The experimental results on our large dorsal hand vein database show that the presented schema achieves promising performance (false reject rate: 0.97% and false acceptance rate: 0.05%) and is feasible for dorsal hand vein recognition.

Margins Associated with Loss of Assured Safety for Systems with Multiple Time-Dependent Failure Modes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helton, Jon C.; Brooks, Dusty Marie; Sallaberry, Cedric Jean-Marie.

Representations for margins associated with loss of assured safety (LOAS) for weak link (WL)/strong link (SL) systems involving multiple time-dependent failure modes are developed. The following topics are described: (i) defining properties for WLs and SLs, (ii) background on cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) for link failure time, link property value at link failure, and time at which LOAS occurs, (iii) CDFs for failure time margins defined by (time at which SL system fails) – (time at which WL system fails), (iv) CDFs for SL system property values at LOAS, (v) CDFs for WL/SL property value margins defined by (property valuemore » at which SL system fails) – (property value at which WL system fails), and (vi) CDFs for SL property value margins defined by (property value of failing SL at time of SL system failure) – (property value of this SL at time of WL system failure). Included in this presentation is a demonstration of a verification strategy based on defining and approximating the indicated margin results with (i) procedures based on formal integral representations and associated quadrature approximations and (ii) procedures based on algorithms for sampling-based approximations.« less

What makes up marginal lands and how can it be defined and classified?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanina, Vadym

2017-04-01

Definitions of marginal lands are often not explicit. The term "marginal" is not supported by either a precise definition or research to determine which lands fall into this category. To identify marginal lands terminology/methodology is used which varies between physical characteristics and the current land use of a site as basic perspective. The term 'Marginal' is most commonly followed by 'degraded' lands, and other widely used terms such as 'abandoned', 'idle', 'pasture', 'surplus agricultural land', 'Conservation Reserve Programme' (CRP)', 'barren and carbon-poor land', etc. Some terms are used synonymously. To the category of "marginal" lands are predominantly included lands which are excluded from cultivation due to economic infeasibility or physical restriction for growing conventional crops. Such sites may still have potential to be used for alternative agricultural practice, e.g. bioenergy feedstock production. The existing categorizing of marginal lands does not allow evaluating soil fertility potential or to define type and level of constrains for growing crops as the reason of a low practical value with regards to land use planning. A new marginal land classification has to be established and developed. This classification should be built on criteria of soil biophysical properties, ecologic, environment and climate handicaps for growing crops, be easy in use and of high practical value. The SEEMLA consortium made steps to build such a marginal land classification which is based on direct criteria depicting soil properties and constrains, and defining their productivity potential. By this classification marginal lands are divided into eleven categories: shallow rooting, low fertility, stony texture, sandy texture, clay texture, salinic, sodicic, acidic, overwet, eroded, and contaminated. The basis of this classification was taken criteria modified after and adapted from Regulation EU (1305)2013. To define an area of marginal lands with climate and economic limitations, SEEMLA established and implemented the term "area of land marginality" with a broader on marginal lands. This term includes marginal lands themselves, evaluation of climate constrains and economic efficiency to grow crops. This approach allows to define, categorize and classify marginal land by direct indicators of soil biophysical properties, ecologic and environment constrains, and provides additional evaluation of lands marginality with regards to suitability for growing crops based on climate criteria.

The Dorsal Rather than Ventral Pathway Better Reflects Individual Syntactic Abilities in Second Language

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Kayako; Sakai, Kuniyoshi L.

2016-01-01

The left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) has been reported to be critically involved in syntactic processing, not only in first language (L1), but in second language (L2). Indeed, the leftward lateralization of the IFG has been shown to be correlated with the performance of a syntactic task in L2. Given that posterior language-related regions are systematically connected with the left IFG, the next question is which of the dorsal and ventral pathways is more critical to the individual syntactic abilities in L2. Here we used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tractography with newly developed semi-automatic methods of defining seeds and selecting regions of interest (ROIs). We calculated mean thickness and fractional anisotropy (FA) in each ROI for the arcuate fasciculus (Arcuate) of the dorsal pathway, as well as for the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) of the ventral pathway. In Experiment I, we performed partial correlation analyses between FA and the accuracy of the syntactic task, removing the effects of the accuracy of a spelling task, gender, and handedness. Among the two pathways in each hemisphere, only FA of the left Arcuate was significantly correlated with individual accuracy of the syntactic task. In Experiment II, we recruited monozygotic twins and examined to what extent their L2 abilities and their structural properties were similar. Within twin pairs, the highest significant correlation was observed for reaction times of the spelling task, while the correlation for the accuracy of the syntactic task was marginal; these two correlation coefficients were significantly different. Moreover, the thickness of the left Arcuate was highly correlated within pairs, while its FA, as well as the thickness/FA in the ventral pathways, was not significantly correlated. The correlation coefficient for the thickness of the left Arcuate was significantly larger than that of the left IFOF. These results suggest that the thickness of the left Arcuate is more associated with the shared genetic/environmental factors, whereas both of mutually correlated FA in the left Arcuate and individual syntactic abilities in L2 may be less prone to these shared factors. PMID:27378889

Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the thumb carpometacarpal ligaments: a cadaveric study of ligament anatomy and histology.

PubMed

Ladd, Amy L; Lee, Julia; Hagert, Elisabet

2012-08-15

Stability and mobility represent the paradoxical demands of the human thumb carpometacarpal joint, yet the structural origin of each functional demand is poorly defined. As many as sixteen and as few as four ligaments have been described as primary stabilizers, but controversy exists as to which ligaments are most important. We hypothesized that a comparative macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the ligaments of the thumb carpometacarpal joint would further define their role in joint stability. Thirty cadaveric hands (ten fresh-frozen and twenty embalmed) from nineteen cadavers (eight female and eleven male; average age at the time of death, seventy-six years) were dissected, and the supporting ligaments of the thumb carpometacarpal joint were identified. Ligament width, length, and thickness were recorded for morphometric analysis and were compared with use of the Student t test. The dorsal and volar ligaments were excised from the fresh-frozen specimens and were stained with use of a triple-staining immunofluorescent technique and underwent semiquantitative analysis of sensory innervation; half of these specimens were additionally analyzed for histomorphometric data. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to estimate differences between ligaments. Seven principal ligaments of the thumb carpometacarpal joint were identified: three dorsal deltoid-shaped ligaments (dorsal radial, dorsal central, posterior oblique), two volar ligaments (anterior oblique and ulnar collateral), and two ulnar ligaments (dorsal trapeziometacarpal and intermetacarpal). The dorsal ligaments were significantly thicker (p < 0.001) than the volar ligaments, with a significantly greater cellularity and greater sensory innervation compared with the anterior oblique ligament (p < 0.001). The anterior oblique ligament was consistently a thin structure with a histologic appearance of capsular tissue with low cellularity. The dorsal deltoid ligament complex is uniformly stout and robust; this ligament complex is the thickest morphometrically, has the highest cellularity histologically, and shows the greatest degree of sensory nerve endings. The hypocellular anterior oblique ligament is thin, is variable in its location, and is more structurally consistent with a capsular structure than a proper ligament.

Influence of preservative and mounting media on the size and shape of monogenean sclerites.

PubMed

Fankoua, Severin-Oscar; Bitja Nyom, Arnold R; Bahanak, Dieu Ne Dort; Bilong Bilong, Charles F; Pariselle, Antoine

2017-08-01

Based on Cichlidogyrus sp. (Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) specimens from Hemichromis sp. hosts, we tested the influence of different methods to fix/preserve samples/specimens [frozen material, alcohol or formalin preserved, museum process for fish preservation (fixed in formalin and preserved in alcohol)] and different media used to mount the slides [tap water, glycerin ammonium picrate (GAP), Hoyer's one (HM)] on the size/shape of sclerotized parts of monogenean specimens. The results show that the use of HM significantly increases the size of haptoral sclerites [marginal hooks I, II, IV, V, and VI; dorsal bar length, width, distance between auricles and auricle length, ventral bar length and width], and changes their shape [angle opening between shaft and guard (outer and inner roots) in both ventral and dorsal anchors, ventral bar much wider, dorsal one less curved]. This influence seems to be reduced when specimens/samples are fixed in formalin. The systematics of Monogenea being based on the size and shape of their sclerotized parts, to prevent misidentifications or description of invalid new species, we recommend the use of GAP as mounting medium; Hoyer's one should be restricted to monogenean specimens fixed for a long time which are more shrunken.

Pseudonotohymena antarctica n. g., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotricha), a New Species from Antarctic Soil.

PubMed

Park, Kyung-Min; Jung, Jae-Ho; Min, Gi-Sik; Kim, Sanghee

2017-07-01

A new soil ciliate, Pseudonotohymena antarctica n. g., n. sp., from King George Island, Antarctica, is described based on live observation, protargol impregnation, and its 18S rRNA gene. The new genus Pseudonotohymena is morphologically similar to the genus Notohymena Blatterer and Foissner in the following characteristics: 18 fronto-ventral-transverse cirri, a flexible body, undulating membranes, dorsomarginal kineties, and the number of cirri in the marginal rows. However, Pseudonotohymena differs from Notohymena particularly in the dorsal ciliature, that is, in possessing a nonfragmented dorsal kinety (vs. fragmented). In addition, the molecular phylogenetic relationship of the new species differs from that of Notohymena species. On the basis of the morphological features, the genetic data, and morphogenesis, we establish P. antarctica n. g., n. sp. In addition, the cyst morphology of this species is described. © 2016 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2016 International Society of Protistologists.

Gobiesox lanceolatus, a new species of clingfish (Teleostei:  Gobiesocidae) from Los Frailes submarine canyon, Gulf of California, Mexico.

PubMed

Hastings, Philip A; Conway, Kevin W

2017-01-17

Gobiesox lanceolatus is described from a single specimen collected from 300 meters depth in the Los Frailes submarine canyon in the southwestern Gulf of California. The "Canyon Clingfish" is unique within Gobiesox in having a lanceolate caudal fin, with the central rays longer than those above and below them. It is also distinguished by 14 dorsal-fin rays (first tiny and unsegmented), 11 anal-fin rays, 28 pectoral-fin rays, anus slightly closer to anal-fin origin than to posterior margin of pelvic disc, and dorsal-fin origin in front of vertical from anus. It is most similar to Gobiesox eugrammus, known from Isla Guadelupe, the coast of outer Baja California and southern California. This is the deepest record for a species of Gobiesox and only four other species of clingfishes are known from greater depths.

Mapping of somatostatin-28 (1-12) in the alpaca (Lama pacos) brainstem.

PubMed

De Souza, Eliana; Sánchez, Manuel Lisardo; Aguilar, Luís Ángel; Díaz-Cabiale, Zaida; Narváez, José Ángel; Coveñas, Rafael

2015-05-01

Using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique, we studied the distribution of cell bodies and fibers containing somatostatin-28 (1-12) in the alpaca brainstem. Immunoreactive fibers were widely distributed throughout the whole brainstem: 34 brainstem nuclei/regions showed a high or a moderate density of these fibers. Perikarya containing the peptide were widely distributed throughout the mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata. Cell bodies containing somatostatin-28 (1-12) were observed in the lateral and medial divisions of the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, reticular formation (mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata), inferior colliculus, periaqueductal gray, superior colliculus, pericentral division of the dorsal tegmental nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, vestibular nucleus, motor dorsal nucleus of the vagus, nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus praepositus hypoglossi, and in the substantia nigra. This widespread distribution indicates that somatostatin-28 (1-12) is involved in multiple physiological actions in the alpaca brainstem. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A New Species of Culex (melanoconion) from Southern South America (Diptera: Culicidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

length about 1.7 mm. Proboscis with false joint about 0.6 from base . Maxillary palpus entirely dark; length about 2.3 mm, exceeding proboscis...rows of small setae extending from base to level of subapical lobe, lateral surface with patch of short sparse setae (lsp, Fig. 3) at level of...anterior margin thickened, dorsal end narrowly fused to base of lateral plate; distal part of lateral plate with apical, ventral and lateral

Development of putative inhibitory neurons in the embryonic and postnatal mouse superficial spinal dorsal horn.

PubMed

Balázs, Anita; Mészár, Zoltán; Hegedűs, Krisztina; Kenyeres, Annamária; Hegyi, Zoltán; Dócs, Klaudia; Antal, Miklós

2017-07-01

The superficial spinal dorsal horn is the first relay station of pain processing. It is also widely accepted that spinal synaptic processing to control the modality and intensity of pain signals transmitted to higher brain centers is primarily defined by inhibitory neurons in the superficial spinal dorsal horn. Earlier studies suggest that the construction of pain processing spinal neural circuits including the GABAergic components should be completed by birth, although major chemical refinements may occur postnatally. Because of their utmost importance in pain processing, we intended to provide a detailed knowledge concerning the development of GABAergic neurons in the superficial spinal dorsal horn, which is now missing from the literature. Thus, we studied the developmental changes in the distribution of neurons expressing GABAergic markers like Pax2, GAD65 and GAD67 in the superficial spinal dorsal horn of wild type as well as GAD65-GFP and GAD67-GFP transgenic mice from embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) till postnatal day 14 (P14). We found that GABAergic neurons populate the superficial spinal dorsal horn from the beginning of its delineation at E14.5. We also showed that the numbers of GABAergic neurons in the superficial spinal dorsal horn continuously increase till E17.5, but there is a prominent decline in their numbers during the first two postnatal weeks. Our results indicate that the developmental process leading to the delineation of the inhibitory and excitatory cellular assemblies of pain processing neural circuits in the superficial spinal dorsal horn of mice is not completed by birth, but it continues postnatally.

Defining the surgical margins of adenoid cystic carcinoma and their impact on outcome: An international collaborative study.

PubMed

Amit, Moran; Na'ara, Shorook; Trejo-Leider, Leonor; Ramer, Naomi; Burstein, David; Yue, Ma; Miles, Brett; Yang, Xinjie; Lei, Delin; Bjoerndal, Kristine; Godballe, Christian; Mücke, Thomas; Wolff, Klaus-Dietrich; Eckardt, André M; Copelli, Chiara; Sesenna, Enrico; Patel, Snehal; Ganly, Ian; Gil, Ziv

2017-05-01

The mainstay of treatment in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck is surgical resection with negative margins. The purpose of this study was to define the margin status that associates with survival outcomes of ACC of the head and neck. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses of international data. Data of 507 patients with ACC of the head and neck were analyzed; negative margins defined as ≥5 mm were detected in 253 patients (50%). On multivariate analysis, the hazard ratios (HRs) of positive margin status were 2.68 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-6.2; p = .04) and 2.63 (95% CI, 1.1-6.3; p = .03) for overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), respectively. Close margins had no significant impact on outcome, with HRs of 1.1 (95% CI, 0.4-3.0; p = .12) and 1.07 (95% CI, 0.3-3.4; p = .23) for OS and DSS, respectively, relative with negative margins. In head and neck ACC, positive margins are associated with the worst outcome. Negative or close margins are associated with improved outcome, regardless of the distance from the tumor. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1008-1014, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Muscular system of the Microphallus pygmaeus metacercaria (Trematoda: microphallidae)].

PubMed

Krupenko, D Iu

2010-01-01

The musculature of body wall, attachment organs (oral and ventral suckers), and internal organs (alimentary tract, excretory bladder, and ducts of reproductive system) of the Microphallus pygmaeus metacercaria are described. An unusual arrangement of longitude and diagonal muscles was found in the hind part of the metacercaria body. Longitude fibers of dorsal and lateral body surfaces are bow-shaped and bend round the excretory pore along its ventral margin. An additional group of diagonal fibers is situated in the hind part of ventral body surface.

Opposing dorsal/ventral stream dynamics during figure-ground segregation.

PubMed

Wokke, Martijn E; Scholte, H Steven; Lamme, Victor A F

2014-02-01

The visual system has been commonly subdivided into two segregated visual processing streams: The dorsal pathway processes mainly spatial information, and the ventral pathway specializes in object perception. Recent findings, however, indicate that different forms of interaction (cross-talk) exist between the dorsal and the ventral stream. Here, we used TMS and concurrent EEG recordings to explore these interactions between the dorsal and ventral stream during figure-ground segregation. In two separate experiments, we used repetitive TMS and single-pulse TMS to disrupt processing in the dorsal (V5/HMT⁺) and the ventral (lateral occipital area) stream during a motion-defined figure discrimination task. We presented stimuli that made it possible to differentiate between relatively low-level (figure boundary detection) from higher-level (surface segregation) processing steps during figure-ground segregation. Results show that disruption of V5/HMT⁺ impaired performance related to surface segregation; this effect was mainly found when V5/HMT⁺ was perturbed in an early time window (100 msec) after stimulus presentation. Surprisingly, disruption of the lateral occipital area resulted in increased performance scores and enhanced neural correlates of surface segregation. This facilitatory effect was also mainly found in an early time window (100 msec) after stimulus presentation. These results suggest a "push-pull" interaction in which dorsal and ventral extrastriate areas are being recruited or inhibited depending on stimulus category and task demands.

Dorsal dimelia in patau syndrome: a case report.

PubMed

Fattah, A; Pickford, M A

2007-10-01

We present a case of a child with Patau syndrome that exhibits features consistent with congenital palmar nail syndrome. The literature is reviewed and evidence presented to demonstrate that this is a defect in the dorso-ventral patterning of the limb and thus a form of dorsal dimelia. In order to differentiate this from other instances of ectopic nail tissue we suggest congenital palmar nail syndrome should be more specifically defined as duplicated nails, absent flexion creases, non-glabrous skin on the palmar surface, reduced movement at the interphalangeal joints and hypoplastic terminal phalanges.

Dorsal vein rupture after practice of taqaandan, necrotising cavernositis, penile reconstruction, urethroplasty and penile prosthesis implantation.

PubMed

Faydaci, G; Ozgul, A; Kuyumcuoglu, U; Aktoz, T; Oder, M

2012-05-01

Penile fracture is an uncommon and emergent urologic condition defined as traumatic rupture of the corpus cavernosum secondary to a blunt trauma of the erect penis. Tunica albuginea is thinned and stretched in the erect state, and a transverse tear in the corpus cavernosums may occur by a buckling force. However, penile dorsal vein tears may mimic penile fracture. Also, corporeal infection and purulent cavernositis are associated with trauma, cavernosography, priapism, intracavernosal injection therapy and penile prosthesis. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Marginality principle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil is a fragile resource supplying many goods and services. Given the diversity of soil across the world and within a landscape, there are many different capacities among soils to provide the basic soil functions. Marginality of soils is a difficult process to define because the metrics to define ...

Stream-related preferences of inputs to the superior colliculus from areas of dorsal and ventral streams of mouse visual cortex.

PubMed

Wang, Quanxin; Burkhalter, Andreas

2013-01-23

Previous studies of intracortical connections in mouse visual cortex have revealed two subnetworks that resemble the dorsal and ventral streams in primates. Although calcium imaging studies have shown that many areas of the ventral stream have high spatial acuity whereas areas of the dorsal stream are highly sensitive for transient visual stimuli, there are some functional inconsistencies that challenge a simple grouping into "what/perception" and "where/action" streams known in primates. The superior colliculus (SC) is a major center for processing of multimodal sensory information and the motor control of orienting the eyes, head, and body. Visual processing is performed in superficial layers, whereas premotor activity is generated in deep layers of the SC. Because the SC is known to receive input from visual cortex, we asked whether the projections from 10 visual areas of the dorsal and ventral streams terminate in differential depth profiles within the SC. We found that inputs from primary visual cortex are by far the strongest. Projections from the ventral stream were substantially weaker, whereas the sparsest input originated from areas of the dorsal stream. Importantly, we found that ventral stream inputs terminated in superficial layers, whereas dorsal stream inputs tended to be patchy and either projected equally to superficial and deep layers or strongly preferred deep layers. The results suggest that the anatomically defined ventral and dorsal streams contain areas that belong to distinct functional systems, specialized for the processing of visual information and visually guided action, respectively.

Calretinin immunoreactivity in the claustrum of the rat

PubMed Central

Druga, Rastislav; Salaj, Martin; Barinka, Filip; Edelstein, Lawrence; Kubová, Hana

2015-01-01

The claustrum is a telencephalic structure which consists of dorsal segment adjoining the insular cortex and a ventral segment termed also endopiriform nucleus (END). The dorsal segment (claustrum) is divided into a dorsal and ventral zone, while the END is parcellated into dorsal, ventral and intermediate END. The claustrum and the END consist of glutamatergic projection neurons and GABAergic local interneurons coexpressing calcium binding proteins. Among neurons expressing calcium binding proteins the calretinin (CR)-immunoreactive interneurons exert specific functions in neuronal circuits, including disinhibition of excitatory neurons. Previous anatomical data indicate extensive and reciprocally organized claustral projections with cerebral cortex. We asked if the distribution of cells immunoreactive for CR delineates anatomical or functional subdivisions in the claustrum and in the END. Both segments of the claustrum and all subdivisions of the END contained CR immunoreactive neurons with varying distribution. The ventral zone of the claustrum exhibited weak labeling with isolated cell bodies and thin fibers and is devoid of immunoreactive puncta. Within the medial margin of the intermediate END we noted a group of strongly positive neurons. Cells immunoreactive for CR in all subdivisions of the claustrum and END were bipolar, multipolar and oval with smooth, beaded aspiny dendrites. Small number of CR-immunoreactive neurons displayed thin dendrites which enter to adjoining structures. Penetration of dendrites was reciprocal. These results show an inhomogenity over the claustrum and the END in distribution and types of CR immunoreactive neurons. The distribution of the CR-immunoreactive neurons respects the anatomical but not functional zones of the claustral complex. PMID:25653596

Tetronarce cowleyi, sp. nov., a new species of electric ray from southern Africa (Chondrichthyes: Torpediniformes: Torpedinidae).

PubMed

Ebert, David A; Haas, Diane L; De Carvalho, Marcelo R

2015-03-19

A new species of torpedo ray, Tetronarce cowleyi, sp. nov., is described from specimens collected from the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. The new species is placed in the genus Tetronarce based on a uniform dorsal coloration and absence of papillae around the spiracles. The new species is distinguished from its closest congeners, the North Atlantic Tetronarce nobiliana Bonnaparte, 1835, and southwestern Atlantic Tetronarce puelcha Lahille, 1926, by a combination of morphological characteristics including a shorter spiracular length, a proportionally greater head length as measured between snout margin and fifth gill openings, a proportionally greater preoral snout length, a uniform shiny black or dark gray dorsal surface, lacking any prominent markings, and a creamy white ventral color with dark edges in juveniles but fading with growth. Teteronarce cowleyi, sp. nov., is further distinguished from T. nobiliana by its more circular anterior disc shape (vs. relatively straight in T. nobiliana), fewer tooth rows (32/28 vs. 38-53/38-52 in T. nobiliana), greater mouth width (1.5-1.7 times as great as interorbital width vs. 0.5-0.6 times interorbital width in T. nobiliana), smaller distance between second dorsal and caudal fins (3.5-4.9% vs. 6.6-6.8% in T. nobiliana), and a clasper length extending nearly to lower caudal fin origin (claspers in T. nobiliana that extend only two-thirds distance between second dorsal and caudal fins). Teteronarce cowleyi, sp. nov., is known from Walvis Bay, Namibia to Algoa Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa, at depths of 110 to 457 m.

Synchronous development of HCC and CCC in the same subsegment of the liver in a patient with type C liver cirrhosis.

PubMed

Watanabe, Takuya; Sakata, Jun; Ishikawa, Takashi; Shirai, Yoshio; Suda, Takeyasu; Hirono, Haruka; Hasegawa, Katsuhiko; Soga, Kenji; Shibasaki, Koichi; Saito, Yukifumi; Umezu, Hajime

2009-10-31

As a result of having undergone computed tomography (CT), a 75-year-old woman with type-C liver cirrhosiswas shown to have two tumors on the ventral and dorsal sides of subsegment 3 (S3). The tumor on the ventral side was diagnosed as a classic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while that on the dorsal side was considered atypical for a HCC. Although the indocyanine green (ICG) findings indicated poor hepatic reserve, the prothrombin time (PT) was relatively good. An operation was performed in February 2007; however, this resulted in exploratory laparotomy. Dynamic CT performed 12 mo after the operation revealed that the tumor on the dorsal side of S3 had apparently increased. The marginal portion of the tumor was shown to be in the early and parenchymal phases, while the internal portion was found to have grown only slightly in the delayed phase. We diagnosed this tumor as a cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). S3 subsegmentectomy was performed in April 2008. The tumor on the ventral side was pathologically diagnosed as a moderately differentiated HCC, and that on the dorsal side was diagnosed as a CCC. We can therefore report a rare case of synchronous development of HCC and CCC in the same subsegment of the liver in a patient with type-C liver cirrhosis. We also add a literature review for all the reported cases published in Japan and around the world, and summarize the features of double cancer exhibiting both HCC and CCC.

Antagonizing the Spemann organizer: role of the homeobox gene Xvent-1.

PubMed Central

Gawantka, V; Delius, H; Hirschfeld, K; Blumenstock, C; Niehrs, C

1995-01-01

We have identified a novel homeobox gene, Xvent-1, that is differentially expressed in the ventral marginal zone of the early Xenopus gastrula. Evidence is presented from mRNA microinjection experiments for a role for this gene in dorsoventral patterning of mesoderm. First, Xvent-1 is induced by BMP-4, a gene known to be a key regulator of ventral mesoderm development. Second, Xvent-1 and the organizer-specific gene goosecoid are able to interact, directly or indirectly, in a cross-regulatory loop suppressing each other's expression, consistent with their mutually exclusive expression in the marginal zone. Third, microinjection of Xvent-1 mRNA ventralizes dorsal mesoderm. The results suggest that Xvent-1 functions in a ventral signaling pathway that maintains the ventral mesodermal state and antagonizes the Spemann organizer. Images PMID:8557046

Morphological Study of the Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) Tongue.

PubMed

Sadeghinezhad, J; Sheibani, M T; Memarian, I; Chiocchetti, R

2017-06-01

This study described the morphological features of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) tongue using light and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The keratinized filiform papillae were distributed all over the entire dorsal surface of the tongue and contained small processes. They were changed into a cylindrical shape in the body and conical shape in the root. The fungiform papillae were found on the apex and margin of the tongue. Few taste pores were observed on the dorsal surface of each papilla. The foliate papillae on the margins of the tongue were composed of several laminae and epithelial fissures. Taste buds were not seen within the non-keratinized epithelium. The vallate papillae were six in total and arranged in a "V" shape just rostral to the root. Each papilla was surrounded by a groove and pad. Taste buds were seen within their lateral walls. Lyssa was visible on the ventral surface of the tongue tip and was found as cartilaginous tissue surrounded by thin connective tissue fibres. The core of the tongue was composed of lingual glands, skeletal muscle and connective tissue. These glands were confined to the posterior portion of the tongue and were composed of many serous cells and a few mucous cells. The results of this study contributed to the knowledge of the morphological characteristics of the tongue of wild mammals and provided data for the comparison with other mammals. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Effects of analgesia of the distal interphalangeal joint and navicular bursa on experimental lameness caused by solar pain in horses.

PubMed

Sardari, K; Kazemi, H; Mohri, M

2002-11-01

It has been hypothesized that pain originating from the dorsal margin of the sole of the hoof in horses can be attenuated by analgesia of either the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, or of the navicular bursa (NB). To test this hypothesis, an experimental lameness was induced in the toe region of the left forelimb in six adult horses. After this, both synovial structures were blocked and the effects on the lameness were semi-quantitatively scored. Lameness was induced by creating pressure on the dorsal margin of the sole with the help of set-screws that were screwed into a nut, welded to the inside of each branch of the shoe. Gaits were recorded on a videotape before and after application of the screws, and after application of either a local anaesthetic or saline into the DIP joint or NB. The gaits were independently evaluated by two blinded clinicians and scored. Lameness scores were high after application of the screws and remained high after the administration of saline, but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after administration of the local anaesthetic. Analgesia of the DIP joint as well as the NB appeared to be able to desensitize a portion of the sole. It was concluded that pain arising from the toe region of the sole should not be excluded as a cause of lameness when lameness is attenuated by analgesia of the DIP joint, or of the NB.

Effects of analgesia of the distal interphalangeal joint or palmar digital nerves on lameness caused by solar pain in horses.

PubMed

Schumacher, J; Steiger, R; Schumacher, J; de Graves, F; Schramme, M; Smith, R; Coker, M

2000-01-01

To determine if pain of the dorsal margin of the sole in horses can be attenuated by anesthesia of either the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint or the palmar digital (PD) nerves. A unilateral forelimb lameness was induced by creating solar pain. Response to administration of local anesthetic or saline solution into the DIP joint and to administration of local anesthetic around the PD nerves was evaluated. Six horses. Lameness was induced by creating pressure on the dorsal margin of the sole by screwing set-screws into a nut welded to the inside of each branch of a shoe. Gaits were evaluated before and after application of set-screws and after a local anesthetic or saline solution was administered into the DIP joint and, in a second trial, after a local anesthetic was injected around the PD nerves. Gaits recorded on videotape were evaluated, and lameness scores were assigned to each gait. Lameness scores were high after application of set-screws and remained high after saline solution was administered into the DIP joint. Scores decreased significantly (P < or = .05) after a local anesthetic was administered into the DIP joint or around the PD nerves. Analgesia of the DIP joint or the PD nerves desensitizes at least a portion of the sole. Pain arising from the sole should not be excluded as a cause of lameness when lameness is attenuated by analgesia of the DIP joint or PD nerves.

Marginal Teachers from the Eyes of School Principals: Concept, Problems and Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Cetin; Demirkasimoglu, Nihan

2016-01-01

This research aimed to determine how Turkish principals define marginal teachers and which strategies they use to deal with them. Within this purpose, the following points are examined: (a) the concept of marginal teacher, (b) the underlying reasons for marginal teacher behaviors, (c) the problems marginal teachers cause in school settings, (d)…

An unusual course after injection of industrial silicone for penile augmentation.

PubMed

Shin, Yu Seob; You, Jae Hyung; Choi, Hwang; Zhang, Li Tao; Zhao, Chen; Choi, In Sung; Park, Jong Kwan

2015-01-01

A 48-year-old male patient had an injection of industrial silicone under the penile skin for augmentation by non-medical practitioners a week before. There was complete necrosis of the dorsal part of the penile skin and soft tissue. In a penile magnetic resonance image, big masses of silicone under the penile skin were found and a part of the silicone was partially exposed. Debridement of the necrotic tissue was done. As the right side of the tunica albuginea was thin-walled, a silicone-induced infection developed. Because of this, the wet dressing was done daily without closing the wound for the next 23 days. Finally, both scrotal skins were drawn and sutured to the dorsal glandular skin after the total penile skin was completely removed and sutured with T-style anastomosis. The ventral flap was anastomosed to the ventral glandular skin with the end-to-end technique with inverted V incision at 1 cm proximal from the sutured margin. Flaps survived completely without skin necrosis or dehiscence.

Classical lepidopteran wing scale colouration in the giant butterfly-moth Paysandisia archon.

PubMed

Stavenga, Doekele G; Leertouwer, Hein L; Meglič, Andrej; Drašlar, Kazimir; Wehling, Martin F; Pirih, Primož; Belušič, Gregor

2018-01-01

The palm borer moth Paysandisia archon (Castniidae; giant butterfly-moths) has brown dorsal forewings and strikingly orange-coloured dorsal hindwings with white spots surrounded by black margins. Here, we have studied the structure and pigments of the wing scales in the various coloured wing areas, applying light and electron microscopy and (micro)spectrophotometry, and we analysed the spatial reflection properties with imaging scatterometry. The scales in the white spots are unpigmented, those in the black and brown wing areas contain various amounts of melanin, and the orange wing scales contain a blue-absorbing ommochrome pigment. In all scale types, the upper lamina acts as a diffuser and the lower lamina as a thin film interference reflector, with thickness of about 200 nm. Scale stacking plays an important role in creating the strong visual signals: the colour of the white eyespots is created by stacks of unpigmented blue scales, while the orange wing colour is strongly intensified by stacking the orange scales.

Toward Prostate Cancer Contouring Guidelines on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Dominant Lesion Gross and Clinical Target Volume Coverage Via Accurate Histology Fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibson, Eli; Biomedical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario; Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London

Purpose: Defining prostate cancer (PCa) lesion clinical target volumes (CTVs) for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) could support focal boosting or treatment to improve outcomes or lower morbidity, necessitating appropriate CTV margins for mpMRI-defined gross tumor volumes (GTVs). This study aimed to identify CTV margins yielding 95% coverage of PCa tumors for prospective cases with high likelihood. Methods and Materials: Twenty-five men with biopsy-confirmed clinical stage T1 or T2 PCa underwent pre-prostatectomy mpMRI, yielding T2-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and apparent diffusion coefficient images. Digitized whole-mount histology was contoured and registered to mpMRI scans (error ≤2 mm). Four observers contoured lesion GTVs onmore » each mpMRI scan. CTVs were defined by isotropic and anisotropic expansion from these GTVs and from multiparametric (unioned) GTVs from 2 to 3 scans. Histologic coverage (proportions of tumor area on co-registered histology inside the CTV, measured for Gleason scores [GSs] ≥6 and ≥7) and prostate sparing (proportions of prostate volume outside the CTV) were measured. Nonparametric histologic-coverage prediction intervals defined minimal margins yielding 95% coverage for prospective cases with 78% to 92% likelihood. Results: On analysis of 72 true-positive tumor detections, 95% coverage margins were 9 to 11 mm (GS ≥ 6) and 8 to 10 mm (GS ≥ 7) for single-sequence GTVs and were 8 mm (GS ≥ 6) and 6 mm (GS ≥ 7) for 3-sequence GTVs, yielding CTVs that spared 47% to 81% of prostate tissue for the majority of tumors. Inclusion of T2-weighted contours increased sparing for multiparametric CTVs with 95% coverage margins for GS ≥6, and inclusion of dynamic contrast-enhanced contours increased sparing for GS ≥7. Anisotropic 95% coverage margins increased the sparing proportions to 71% to 86%. Conclusions: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging–defined GTVs expanded by appropriate margins may support focal boosting or treatment of PCa; however, these margins, accounting for interobserver and intertumoral variability, may preclude highly conformal CTVs. Multiparametric GTVs and anisotropic margins may reduce the required margins and improve prostate sparing.« less

Partial nephrectomy for renal tumors: lack of correlation between margin status and local recurrence.

PubMed

Antic, Tatjana; Taxy, Jerome B

2015-05-01

To evaluate the relationship between a positive resection margin in partial nephrectomy (PN) and local recurrence. From January 2005 through December 2012, there were 473 PNs in 466 patients at the University of Chicago. A positive margin was defined as tumor extending to the inked specimen edge, either the parenchymal interface or the peripheral fibroadipose tissue. A local recurrence was defined as an ipsilateral tumor of identical histologic type. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounted for 406 tumors: 243 clear cell RCCs (CRCCs), 77 papillary RCCs (PRCCs), and 47 chromophobe RCCs (CHRCCs). Sixty-one RCCs had positive margins: 43 CRCCs, six PRCCs, nine CHRCCs, and three miscellaneous cell types. Of the 61 positive margins, four CRCCs (all originally multifocal) had a local recurrence, two of which occurred in the same patient. One translocation RCC also recurred. Six cases with negative resection margins had a recurrence. A literature review of 3,803 cases, including our study, shows positive margins in 173, of which 13 recurred; however, 39 with negative margins also recurred. A positive margin in PN seldom correlates with a local recurrence. However, protection from recurrence is not ensured by a negative margin. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Midline dorsal plication to repair recurrent chordee at reoperation for hypospadias surgery complication.

PubMed

Yucel, Selcuk; Sanli, Ahmet; Kukul, Erdal; Karaguzel, Gungor; Melikoglu, Mustafa; Guntekin, Erol

2006-02-01

Midline dorsal plication is an efficient and safe surgical technique to correct chordee. We investigated the efficacy of midline dorsal plication for recurrent chordee in complicated hypospadias reoperations. We retrospectively evaluated the charts of 25 boys who underwent reoperation between 1999 and 2004 due to complications of primary hypospadias repair other than meatal stenosis. A total of 15 cases were initially managed elsewhere for primary repair or complications. The etiology of recurrent chordee was defined at surgical correction. When recurrent chordee was noted a midline dorsal plication was performed. Of 25 patients 10 had previously undergone chordee repair. Nine of these patients were observed to have recurrent chordee and 1 had de novo chordee. A total of 10 patients had recurrent or delayed onset chordee. Mean patient age at primary repair was 6.28 years (range 1 to 33). Mean age at last operation for chordee was 15.9 years (range 4 to 66). Mean interval to recurrent chordee was 6 years (range 1 to 16), excluding a 66-year-old blind patient who did not know when recurrent chordee developed. Five patients had chordee recur before puberty at a mean interval of 2.6 years. Mean reoperation rate was 2.4 for recurrent chordee cases and 2.6 for chordee-free cases. Mean followup after midline dorsal plication for recurrent chordee repair was 22 months (range 8 to 56), while mean followup in pubertal and postpubertal cases was 20 months. No recurrence of chordee or surgery related morbidity was observed after recurrent chordee repair by midline dorsal plication. Chordee may recur during puberty following successful chordee repair. The midline dorsal plication technique is simple, efficient and safe even in patients who have undergone multiple surgeries for hypospadias and chordee repair.

Biomechanical Assessment of the Dorsal Spanning Bridge Plate in Distal Radius Fracture Fixation: Implications for Immediate Weight-Bearing.

PubMed

Huang, Jerry I; Peterson, Bret; Bellevue, Kate; Lee, Nicolas; Smith, Sean; Herfat, Safa

2017-04-01

The goal of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability of a 2.4-mm dorsal spanning bridge plate with a volar locking plate (VLP) in a distal radius fracture model, during simulated crutch weight-bearing. Five paired cadaveric forearms were tested. A 1-cm dorsal wedge osteotomy was created to simulate an unstable distal radius fracture with dorsal comminution. Fractures were fixed with a VLP or a dorsal bridge plate (DBP). Specimens were mounted to a crutch handle, and optical motion-tracking sensors were attached to the proximal and distal segments. Specimens were loaded in compression at 1 mm/s on a servohydraulic test frame until failure, defined as 2 mm of gap site displacement. The VLP construct was significantly more stable to axial load in a crutch weight-bearing model compared with the DBP plate (VLP: 493 N vs DBP: 332 N). Stiffness was higher in the VLP constructs, but this was not statistically significant (VLP: 51.4 N/mm vs DBP: 32.4 N/mm). With the crutch weight-bearing model, DBP failed consistently with wrist flexion and plate bending, whereas VLP failed with axial compression at the fracture site and dorsal collapse. Dorsal spanning bridge plating is effective as an internal spanning fixator in treating highly comminuted intra-articular distal radius fracture and prevents axial collapse at the radiocarpal joint. However, bridge plating may not offer advantages in early weight-bearing or transfer in polytrauma patients, with less axial stability in our crutch weight-bearing model compared with volar plating. A stiffer 3.5-mm DBP or use of a DBP construct without the central holes may be considered for distal radius fractures if the goal is early crutch weight-bearing through the injured extremity.

Serotonergic systems associated with arousal and vigilance behaviors following administration of anxiogenic drugs.

PubMed

Abrams, J K; Johnson, P L; Hay-Schmidt, A; Mikkelsen, J D; Shekhar, A; Lowry, C A

2005-01-01

Serotonergic systems play important roles in modulating behavioral arousal, including behavioral arousal and vigilance associated with anxiety states. To further our understanding of the neural systems associated with increases in anxiety states, we investigated the effects of multiple anxiogenic drugs on topographically organized subpopulations of serotonergic neurons using double immunohistochemical staining for c-Fos and tryptophan hydroxylase combined with topographical analysis of the rat dorsal raphe nucleus (DR). Anxiogenic drugs with diverse pharmacological properties including the adenosine receptor antagonist caffeine, the serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist m-chlorophenyl piperazine (mCPP), the alpha2-adrenoreceptor antagonist yohimbine, and the benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonist N-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG-7142) induced increases in behavioral arousal and vigilance behaviors consistent with an increase in anxiety state. In addition, these anxiogenic drugs, excluding yohimbine, had convergent actions on an anatomically-defined subset of serotonergic neurons within the middle and caudal, dorsal subdivision of the DR. High resolution topographical analysis revealed that at the mid-rostrocaudal level, caffeine and FG-7142 had convergent effects on c-Fos expression in serotonergic neurons that were restricted to a previously undefined region, which we have named the shell region of the dorsal part of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRDSh), that overlaps the anatomical border between the dorsal part of the dorsal raphe nucleus, the ventral part of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRV), and the ventrolateral part of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRVL). Retrograde tracing methods revealed that DRDSh contains large numbers of neurons projecting to the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, a forebrain structure important for emotional appraisal and modulation of anxiety-related physiological and behavioral responses. Together these findings support the hypothesis that there is a functional topographical organization in the DR and are consistent with the hypothesis that anxiogenic drugs have selective actions on a subpopulation of serotonergic neurons projecting to a distributed central autonomic and emotional motor control system regulating anxiety states and anxiety-related physiological and behavioral responses.

Dorsal hippocampus contributes to model-based planning.

PubMed

Miller, Kevin J; Botvinick, Matthew M; Brody, Carlos D

2017-09-01

Planning can be defined as action selection that leverages an internal model of the outcomes likely to follow each possible action. Its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we adapt recent advances from human research for rats, presenting for the first time an animal task that produces many trials of planned behavior per session, making multitrial rodent experimental tools available to study planning. We use part of this toolkit to address a perennially controversial issue in planning: the role of the dorsal hippocampus. Although prospective hippocampal representations have been proposed to support planning, intact planning in animals with damaged hippocampi has been repeatedly observed. Combining formal algorithmic behavioral analysis with muscimol inactivation, we provide causal evidence directly linking dorsal hippocampus with planning behavior. Our results and methods open the door to new and more detailed investigations of the neural mechanisms of planning in the hippocampus and throughout the brain.

Intrafractional gastric motion and interfractional stomach deformity during radiation therapy.

PubMed

Watanabe, Miho; Isobe, Koichi; Takisima, Haduki; Uno, Takashi; Ueno, Naoyuki; Kawakami, Hiroyuki; Shigematsu, Naoyuki; Yamashita, Miki; Ito, Hisao

2008-06-01

To evaluate intrafractional gastric motion and interfractional variability of the stomach shape during radiation therapy (RT) for gastric lymphoma. For 11 patients with gastric lymphomas, we undertook fluoroscopic examinations at the time of the simulation, and once a week during RT to evaluate inter- and intrafractional gastric variations. We recorded anteroposterior and left to right X-ray images at inhale and exhale in each examination. We gave coordinates based on the bony landmarks in each patient, and identified the most superior, inferior, lateral, ventral, and dorsal points of the stomach on each film. The interfractional motion was assessed as the distance between a point at inhale and the corresponding point at exhale. We also analyzed interfractional variation based on each point measured. The intrafractional gastric motion was 11.7+/-8.3, 11.0+/-7.1, 6.5+/-6.5, 3.4+/-2.3, 7.1+/-8.2, 6.6+/-5.8mm (mean+/-SD) for the superior, inferior, right, left, ventral and dorsal points, respectively, which was significantly different between each point. The interfractional variability of stomach filling was -2.9+/-14.4, -6.0+/-13.4, 9.3+/-22.0mm for the superior-inferior (SI), lateral (LAT), and ventro-dorsal (VD) directions, respectively, and the differences of variabilities were also statistically significant. Thus, the appropriate treatment margins calculated from both systematic and random errors are 30.3, 41.0, and 50.8mm for the SI, LAT, and ventro-dorsal directions, respectively. Both intrafractional gastric motion and interfractional variability of the stomach shape were considerable during RT. We recommend regular verification of gastric movement and shape before and during RT to individualize treatment volume.

The toothless pterosaur Jidapterus edentus (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and its paleoecological implications

PubMed Central

Wu, Wen-Hao; Zhou, Chang-Fu; Andres, Brian

2017-01-01

Background In the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, the toothless pterosaurs flourished with the chaoyangopterids and tapejarids playing a key role in understanding the early diversity and evolution of the Azhdarchoidea. Unlike the more diverse tapejarids, the rarer chaoyangopterids are characterized by a long and low rostrum, supporting a close relationship with the huge azhdarchids. Unfortunately, our knowledge is still limited in the osteology, paleoecology, and taxonomy of the Chaoyangopteridae. As one of the best preserved skeletons, the type and only specimen of Jidapterus edentus provides an opportunity to understand the morphology and paleoecology of the chaoyangopterids. Results Our study of the osteology of Jidapterus edentus reveals valuable information about the morphology of the Chaoyangopteridae such as a rostrum with a curved dorsal profile, high Rostral Index (RI), larger angle between the dorsal and postorbital processes of the jugal, sequentially shorter fourth to seventh cervical vertebrae, sternum with a plate wider than long, contact of the metacarpal I with the distal syncarpal, pneumatic foramen on first wing phalanx, hatchet-like postacetabular process with unconstricted neck and small dorsal process, distinctly concave anterior margin of pubis, subrectangular pubic plate with nearly parallel anterior and posterior margins, longer proximal phalanges of pedal digits III and IV, as well as reduced and less curved pedal unguals. These features further support the validity of Jidapterus edentus as a distinct species and the close relationship of the chaoyangopterids with the azhdarchids. Paleoecologically, the chaoyangopterids are probably like the azhdarchids, more terrestrial than the contemporaneous and putatively arboreal tapejarids, which may have been limited to the forest-dominated ecosystem of the Jehol Biota. Discussion The osteology of Jidapterus edentus further supports the close relationship of the Chaoyangopteridae with the Azhdarchidae in sharing a high RI value and reduced and mildly-curved pedal unguals, and it also implies a possible paleoecological similarity in their terrestrial capability. Combined with the putatively arboreal and herbivorous tapejarids, this distinct lifestyle of the chaoyangopterids provides new insights into the diversity of pterosaurs in the ecosystem of the Jehol Biota. PMID:28950013

Early development of the circumferential axonal pathway in mouse and chick spinal cord.

PubMed

Holley, J A

1982-03-10

The early development of the circumferential axonal pathway in the brachial and lumbar spinal cord of mouse and chick embryos was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The cellular processes which comprise this pathway grow in the transverse plane and along the lateral margin of the marginal zone (i.e., circumferentially oriented), as typified by the early embryonic commissural axons. The first formative event observed was in the ventrolateral margin of the primitive spinal cord ventricular zone. Cellular processes were found near the external limiting membrane that appeared to grow a variable distance either dorsally or ventrally. Later in development, presumptive motor column neurons migrated into the ventrolateral region, distal to these early circumferentially oriented processes. Concurrently, other circumferentially oriented perikarya and processes appeared along the dorsolateral margin. Due to their aligned sites of origin and parallel growth, the circumferential processes formed a more or less continuous line or pathway, which in about 10% of the scanned specimens could be followed along the entire lateral margin of the embryonic spinal cord. Several specimens later in development had two sets of aligned circumferential processes in the ventral region. Large numbers of circumferential axons were then found to follow the preformed pathway by fasciculation, after the primitive motor column had become established. Since the earliest circumferential processes appeared to differentiate into axons and were found nearly 24 hours prior to growth of most circumferential axons, their role in guidance as pioneering axons was suggested.

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Dorsal Phalloplasty to Preserve Penis Length after Penile Prosthesis Implantation

PubMed Central

Shaeer, Osama; Shaeer, Kamal; Rahman, Islam A.

2017-01-01

Objectives Following penile prosthesis implantation (PPI), patients may complain of a decrease in visible penis length. A dorsal phalloplasty defines the penopubic junction by tacking pubic skin to the pubis, revealing the base of the penis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a dorsal phalloplasty in increasing the visible penis length following PPI. Methods An inflatable penile prosthesis was implanted in 13 patients with severe erectile dysfunction (ED) at the Kamal Shaeer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, from January 2013 to May 2014. During the surgery, nonabsorbable tacking sutures were used to pin the pubic skin to the pubis through the same penoscrotal incision. Intraoperative penis length was measured before and after the dorsal phalloplasty. Overall patient satisfaction was measured on a 5-point rating scale and patients were requested to subjectively compare their postoperative penis length with memories of their penis length before the onset of ED. Results Intraoperatively, the dorsal phalloplasty increased the visible length of the erect penis by an average of 25.6%. The average length before and after tacking was 10.2 ± 2.9 cm and 13.7 ± 2.8 cm, respectively (P <0.002). Postoperatively, seven patients (53.8%) reported a longer penis, five patients (38.5%) reported no change in length and one patient (7.7%) reported a slightly shorter penis. The mean overall patient satisfaction score was 4.9 ± 0.3. None of the patients developed postoperative complications. Conclusion A dorsal phalloplasty during PPI is an effective method of increasing visible penis length, therefore minimising the impression of a shorter penis after implantation. PMID:28417025

The Rho GTPase Rif signals through IRTKS, Eps8 and WAVE2 to generate dorsal membrane ruffles and filopodia.

PubMed

Sudhaharan, Thankiah; Sem, Kai Ping; Liew, Hwi Fen; Yu, Yuan Hong; Goh, Wah Ing; Chou, Ai Mei; Ahmed, Sohail

2016-07-15

Rif induces dorsal filopodia but the signaling pathway responsible for this has not been identified. We show here that Rif interacts with the I-BAR family protein IRTKS (also known as BAIAP2L1) through its I-BAR domain. Rif also interacts with Pinkbar (also known as BAIAP2L2) in N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. IRTKS and Rif induce dorsal membrane ruffles and filopodia. Dominant-negative Rif inhibits the formation of IRTKS-induced morphological structures, and Rif activity is blocked in IRTKS-knockout (KO) cells. To further define the Rif-IRTKS signaling pathway, we identify Eps8 and WAVE2 (also known as WASF2) as IRTKS interactors. We find that Eps8 regulates the size and number of dorsal filopodia and membrane ruffles downstream of Rif-IRTKS signaling, whereas WAVE2 modulates dorsal membrane ruffling. Furthermore, our data suggests that Tir, a protein essential for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection, might compete for Rif for interaction with the I-BAR domain of IRTKS. Based on this evidence, we propose a model in which Rho family GTPases use the I-BAR proteins, IRSp53 (also known as BAIAP2), IRTKS and Pinkbar, as a central mechanism to modulate cell morphology. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Intrafractional gastric motion and interfractional stomach deformity using CT images.

PubMed

Watanabe, Miho; Isobe, Koichi; Uno, Takashi; Harada, Rintarou; Kobayashi, Hiroyuki; Ueno, Naoyuki; Ito, Hisao

2011-01-01

To evaluate the intra- and interfractional gastric motion using repeated CT scans, six consecutive patients with gastric lymphoma treated at our institution between 2006 and 2008 were included in this study. We performed a simulation and delivered RT before lunch after an overnight fast to minimize the stomach volume. These patients underwent repeated CT scanning at mild inhale and exhale before their course of treatment. The repeated CT scans were matched on bony anatomy to the planning scan. The center of stomach was determined in the X (lateral), Y (superior-inferior), and Z (ventro-dorsal) coordinate system to evaluate the intra- and interfractional motion of the stomach on each CT scan. We then calculated the treatment margins. Each patient was evaluated four to five times before their course of RT. The average intrafractional motions were -12.1, 2.4 and 4.6 mm for the superior-inferior (SI), lateral (LAT), and ventro-dorsal (VD) direction. The average interfractional motions of the center of the stomach were -4.1, 1.9 and 1.5 mm for the SI, LAT and VD direction. The average of the vector length was 13.0 mm. The systematic and random errors in SI direction were 5.1, and 4.6 mm, respectively. The corresponding figures in LAT and VD directions were 10.9, 5.4, 10.0, and 6.5 mm, respectively. Thus, the 15.9, 31.0 and 29.6 mm of margins are required for the SI, LAT, and VD directions, respectively. We have demonstrated not only intrafractional stomach motion, but also interfractional motion is considerable.

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Three new species of Trimma (Pisces; Gobioidei) from Indonesia.

PubMed

Winterbottom, Richard; Erdmann, Mark V; Cahyani, N K Dita

2014-07-18

Three new species of Trimma are described from various localities in Indonesia. All three can be readily identified from their live, freshly collected, or preserved colouration. Trimma meranyx n. sp. is further distinguished from other species by the possession of 8-9 scales in the predorsal midline, up to three rows of (usually) cycloid scales on the opercle, two scales at the posterodorsal border of the cheek, a very slightly elongate second dorsal spine which only just reaches the spine or anterior rays of the second dorsal fin, unbranched pectoral fin rays, a fifth pelvic fin ray that branches once and is 64-85% the length of the fourth ray, and a full basal membrane connecting the inner branches of the two fifth pelvic rays. The dark red (live) or black posterior half of the caudal peduncle with large white spots straddling the dorsal and ventral midlines just anterior to the first procurrent caudal fin rays is the diagnostic colour character. The species is known from North Sulawesi, West Papua (Raja Ampat and Fakfak), and the south-eastern tip of Papua New Guinea, with possible records from the Philippines and Vanuatu. Trimma pajama n. sp. has 6 scales in the predorsal midline, two ctenoid scales along the dorsal margin of the opercle, a slightly elongate second dorsal spine reaching posteriorly to the base of the spine or first ray of the second dorsal fin, unbranched pectoral fin rays, a fifth pelvic ray with a single branch point and which is 58-72% the length of the fourth ray, and a full basal membrane connecting the inner branches of the two fifth pelvic rays. The live, freshly collected and preserved colour pattern of alternating dark and light stripes on the head and most of the body (except the posterior half of the caudal peduncle) is diagnostic. It is currently known from West Papua (Raja Ampat and Fakfak) and the southern tip of Papua New Guinea, with possible records from Kalimantan (Indonesia), Palau, the Hermit Is (Papua New Guinea) and the Solomon Islands. Trimma zurae n. sp. has 8-9 scales in the predorsal midline, usually a single row of cycloid scales along the upper border of the opercle, 11 anterior and 9 posterior transverse scale rows, no elongated spines in the first dorsal fin, 9 dorsal and 8 anal fin rays, the middle rays of the pectoral fin branched, a single branch in the fifth pelvic fin ray which is 65-76% the length of the fourth ray and a reduced basal membrane of < 20% the length of the fifth ray. The eye-diameter sized black ocellated spot between the first to fifth spines of the first dorsal fin is diagnostic, as are the pupil-diameter sized orange spots on the nape, opercle and posterodorsal part of the cheek. It is currently known only from a single locality just west of Manado, Sulawesi. 

Surface regions of illusory images are detected with a slower processing speed than those of luminance-defined images.

PubMed

Mihaylova, Milena; Manahilov, Velitchko

2010-11-24

Research has shown that the processing time for discriminating illusory contours is longer than for real contours. We know, however, little whether the visual processes, associated with detecting regions of illusory surfaces, are also slower as those responsible for detecting luminance-defined images. Using a speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT) procedure, we measured accuracy as a function of processing time for detecting illusory Kanizsa-type and luminance-defined squares embedded in 2D static luminance noise. The data revealed that the illusory images were detected at slower processing speed than the real images, while the points in time, when accuracy departed from chance, were not significantly different for both stimuli. The classification images for detecting illusory and real squares showed that observers employed similar detection strategies using surface regions of the real and illusory squares. The lack of significant differences between the x-intercepts of the SAT functions for illusory and luminance-modulated stimuli suggests that the detection of surface regions of both images could be based on activation of a single mechanism (the dorsal magnocellular visual pathway). The slower speed for detecting illusory images as compared to luminance-defined images could be attributed to slower processes of filling-in of regions of illusory images within the dorsal pathway.

Safety margins in the implementation of planetary quarantine requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schalkowsky, S.; Jacoby, I.

1972-01-01

The formulation of planetary quarantine requirements, and their implementation as determined by a risk allocation model, is discussed. The model defines control safety margins with particular emphasis on utility in achieving the desired minimization of excessive margins, and their effect on implementation procedures.

The developing dorsal ganglion of the salp Thalia democratica, and the nature of the ancestral chordate brain

PubMed Central

C.Lacalli, T.

1998-01-01

The development of the dorsal ganglion of the salp, Thalia democratica, is described from electron microscope reconstructions up to the stage of central neuropile formation. The central nervous system (CNS) rudiment is initially tubular with an open central canal. Early developmental events include: (i) the formation of a thick dorsal mantle of neuroblasts from which paired dorsal paraxial neuropiles arise; (ii) the differentiation of clusters of primary motor neurons along the ventral margin of the mantle; and (iii) the development from the latter of a series of peripheral nerves. The dorsal paraxial neuropiles ultimately connect to the large central neuropile, which develops later. Direct contact between neuroblasts and muscle appears to be involved in the development of some anterior nerves. The caudal nerves responsible for innervating more distant targets in the posterior part of the body develop without such contacts, which suggests that a different patterning mechanism may be employed in this part of the neuromuscular system. The results are compared with patterns of brain organization in other chordates. Because the salp CNS is symmetrical and generally less reduced than that of ascidian larvae, it is more easily compared with the CNS of amphioxus and vertebrates. The dorsal paraxial centres in the salp resemble the dorsolateral tectal centres in amphioxus in both position and organization; the central neuropile in salps likewise resembles the translumenal system in amphioxus. The neurons themselves are similar in that many of their neurites appear to be derived from the apical surface instead of the basal surface of the cell. Such neurons, with extensively developed apical neurites, may represent a new cell type that evolved in the earliest chordates in conjunction with the formation of translumenal or intralumenal integrative centres. In comparing the salp ganglion with vertebrates, we suggest that the main core of the ganglion is most like the mes-metencephalic region of the vertebrate brain, i.e. the zone occupied by the midbrain, isthmus, and anterior hindbrain. Counterparts of more anterior regions (forebrain) and posterior ones (segmented hindbrain) appear to be absent in salps, but are found in other tunicates, suggesting that evolution has acted quite differently on the main subdivisions of the CNS in different types of tunicates.

Chakra, a new genus of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) from India, along with description of a new species.

PubMed

Keloth, Rajmohana; Kamalanathan, Veenakumari

2014-06-20

A new genus and one new species of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae) is described and illustrated from India: Chakra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, gen. nov. and Chakra sarvatra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, sp. nov. The new genus is most similar to Opisthacantha Ashmead and differs from it in the presence of a unique sculpture on the head and mesosoma: large and round tubercles separated by sinuous, narrow furrows; the position of lateral ocelli; the dorsally extended prominent interantennal prominence and the fore wing with stigmal and postmarginal veins distinctly longer than the marginal vein.

Morphology of the tongue in a newborn Stejneger's beaked whale (Mesoplodon stejnegeri).

PubMed

Shindo, Junji; Yamada, Tadasu K; Yoshimura, Ken; Kageyama, Ikuo

2008-02-01

This light and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study on the tongue of a newborn Stejneger's beaked whale (Mesoplodon stejnegeri) demonstrated a clear difference in its form from than that of other cetacean and adult Stejneger's beaked whales. This newborn Stejneger's beaked whale had a spoon-like shaped tongue. The dorsal surface in the center part of the tongue was flat and did not have papillae, but there were marginal papillae and small papillae on the anterior part of the tongue. In the posterior of the tongue, hillock-shaped papillae with taste buds on the epithelium were observed.

Two Flat-Backed Polydesmidan Millipedes from the Miocene Chiapas-Amber Lagerstätte, Mexico

PubMed Central

Riquelme, Francisco; Hernández-Patricio, Miguel; Martínez-Dávalos, Arnulfo; Rodríguez-Villafuerte, Mercedes; Montejo-Cruz, Maira; Alvarado-Ortega, Jesús; Ruvalcaba-Sil, José L.; Zúñiga-Mijangos, Luis

2014-01-01

Two species of fossil polydesmidan millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) embedded in amber are described from Miocene strata near Simojovel, in the Chiapas Highlands, Mexico. Maatidesmus paachtun gen. et sp. nov., placed into Chelodesmidae Cook, 1895, and Anbarrhacus adamantis gen. et sp. nov., assigned in the family Platyrhacidae Pocock, 1895. Morphological data from fossil specimens have been recovered using 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography and regular to infrared-reflected microscopy. Both fossil species are recognizable as new primarily but not exclusively, by collum margin modification and remarkable paranotal and metatergite dorsal sculpture. PMID:25162220

Two flat-backed polydesmidan millipedes from the Miocene Chiapas-amber Lagerstätte, Mexico.

PubMed

Riquelme, Francisco; Hernández-Patricio, Miguel; Martínez-Dávalos, Arnulfo; Rodríguez-Villafuerte, Mercedes; Montejo-Cruz, Maira; Alvarado-Ortega, Jesús; Ruvalcaba-Sil, José L; Zúñiga-Mijangos, Luis

2014-01-01

Two species of fossil polydesmidan millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) embedded in amber are described from Miocene strata near Simojovel, in the Chiapas Highlands, Mexico. Maatidesmus paachtun gen. et sp. nov., placed into Chelodesmidae Cook, 1895, and Anbarrhacus adamantis gen. et sp. nov., assigned in the family Platyrhacidae Pocock, 1895. Morphological data from fossil specimens have been recovered using 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography and regular to infrared-reflected microscopy. Both fossil species are recognizable as new primarily but not exclusively, by collum margin modification and remarkable paranotal and metatergite dorsal sculpture.

Marginal Mean Weighting through Stratification: Adjustment for Selection Bias in Multilevel Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Guanglei

2010-01-01

Defining causal effects as comparisons between marginal population means, this article introduces marginal mean weighting through stratification (MMW-S) to adjust for selection bias in multilevel educational data. The article formally shows the inherent connections among the MMW-S method, propensity score stratification, and…

Three New Species of Shoot Fly, Atherigona spp., from Northern Thailand

PubMed Central

Moophayak, Kittikhun; Kurahashi, Hiromu; Sukontason, Kabkaew L.

2011-01-01

Three new species of shoot fly, Atherigona Rondani (subgenus Acritochaeta Grimshaw) (Diptera: Muscidae), are described from northern Thailand, based on morphological characteristics of males. Unique features of A. komi sp. n. include a distinct spiral groove on the dorsal aspect of the fore femur and two dark apical wing spots, whereas A. chiangmaiensis sp. n. is recognized by the presence of one large patch on the apical wing spot, appearing as a large and smaller wave-shaped patch, and no distinct pattern on tergites. A. thailandica sp. n. displays a remarkable dark boomerang-shaped patch along the wing margin and fore femur, with two rows of long hairs on the dorsal surface. Male terminalia are also different in the new species, showing distinctive characteristics. This paper also presents five newly recorded species in Thailand; Atherigona maculigera Stein, Atherigona ovatipennis vietnamensis Shinonaga et Thinh, Atherigona pallidipalpis Malloch, Atherigona seticauda Malloch, and Atherigona setitarsus Shinonaga et Thinh. A key is provided for the adult males of Atherigona recorded in Thailand, all belonging to the subgenus Acritochaeta, except for A. soccata Rondani. PMID:22233520

An acercostracan marrellomorph (Euarthropoda) from the Lower Ordovician of Morocco.

PubMed

Legg, David A

2016-04-01

Enosiaspis hrungnir gen. et sp. nov., a new species of marrellomorph arthropod from the Lower Ordovician (Tremadocian) Fezouata biota of Morocco, is described. This taxon is characterised by the possession of a cordiform dorsal carapace with an anterior notch and a doublure-like structure formed from fused marginal spines, covering the entire body. The head comprises at least five segments which bear an anterior pair of antenna, followed by three pairs of potentially biramous, geniculate appendages. The trunk possesses around 25 pairs of delicate, almost filamentous appendages, which decrease in size posteriorly. Similar features are also found in Xylokorys chledophilia from the Silurian of England, and Vachonisia rogeri from the Devonian of Germany, indicating acercostracan affinities for E. hrungnir. This was tested using a phylogenetic analysis which resolved this taxon as sister taxon to a group composed of the formerly mentioned taxa. The similarities between the ventral spinose carapace doublure of E. hrungnir and the mediolateral spines of marrellid marrellomorphs further support claims that the dorsal shield of acercostracans evolved from the fusion of spinose anlagen, akin to the formation of the carapace of crustaceans.

The spectraplakin Short stop is an essential microtubule regulator involved in epithelial closure in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Takács, Zsanett; Vilmos, Péter; Lénárt, Péter; Röper, Katja; Erdélyi, Miklós

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Dorsal closure of the Drosophila embryonic epithelium provides an excellent model system for the in vivo analysis of molecular mechanisms regulating cytoskeletal rearrangements. In this study, we investigated the function of the Drosophila spectraplakin Short stop (Shot), a conserved cytoskeletal structural protein, during closure of the dorsal embryonic epithelium. We show that Shot is essential for the efficient final zippering of the opposing epithelial margins. By using isoform-specific mutant alleles and genetic rescue experiments with truncated Shot variants, we demonstrate that Shot functions as an actin–microtubule cross-linker in mediating zippering. At the leading edge of epithelial cells, Shot regulates protrusion dynamics by promoting filopodia formation. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis and in vivo imaging of microtubule growth revealed that Shot stabilizes dynamic microtubules. The actin- and microtubule-binding activities of Shot are simultaneously required in the same molecule, indicating that Shot is engaged as a physical crosslinker in this process. We propose that Shot-mediated interactions between microtubules and actin filaments facilitate filopodia formation, which promotes zippering by initiating contact between opposing epithelial cells. PMID:28062848

On the development of the shoulder girdle in Crocidura russula (Soricidae) and other placental mammals: evolutionary and functional aspects

PubMed Central

Großmann, Martin; Sánchez-Villagra, Marcelo R; Maier, Wolfgang

2002-01-01

The development of the shoulder girdle was studied in embryonic stages and a neonate of Crocidura russula using histological sections and 3-D reconstructions. Neonatal stages of Suncus etruscus and Mesocricetus auratus, both altricial placentals, were also studied. The earliest stage of C. russula, in which the scapula is still partially blastematous, has already a supraspinous fossa. The dorsal portion of the scapular spine does not develop from the anterior margin of the scapula. Its mode of development varies among the placentals studied to date. In some it is completely appositional bone, in others it consists of bone formed mostly by endochondral ossification of a dorsal cartilaginous process stemming from the acromium. During development the supraspinatus muscle increases in size in proportion to the infraspinatus muscle and the humeral head increases in size in relation to the glenoid fossa. Placentals have secondary cartilage in the sternal and acromial ends of the clavicle, a derived feature absent in Marsupialia. Even the most altricial placentals have a more developed shoulder girdle at birth than any newborn marsupial studied to date. PMID:12448772

An acercostracan marrellomorph (Euarthropoda) from the Lower Ordovician of Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legg, David A.

2016-04-01

Enosiaspis hrungnir gen. et sp. nov., a new species of marrellomorph arthropod from the Lower Ordovician (Tremadocian) Fezouata biota of Morocco, is described. This taxon is characterised by the possession of a cordiform dorsal carapace with an anterior notch and a doublure-like structure formed from fused marginal spines, covering the entire body. The head comprises at least five segments which bear an anterior pair of antenna, followed by three pairs of potentially biramous, geniculate appendages. The trunk possesses around 25 pairs of delicate, almost filamentous appendages, which decrease in size posteriorly. Similar features are also found in Xylokorys chledophilia from the Silurian of England, and Vachonisia rogeri from the Devonian of Germany, indicating acercostracan affinities for E. hrungnir. This was tested using a phylogenetic analysis which resolved this taxon as sister taxon to a group composed of the formerly mentioned taxa. The similarities between the ventral spinose carapace doublure of E. hrungnir and the mediolateral spines of marrellid marrellomorphs further support claims that the dorsal shield of acercostracans evolved from the fusion of spinose anlagen, akin to the formation of the carapace of crustaceans.

Dissociation and Convergence of the Dorsal and Ventral Visual Streams in the Human Prefrontal Cortex

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Emi; Ohki, Kenichi; Kim, Dae-Shik

2012-01-01

Visual information is largely processed through two pathways in the primate brain: an object pathway from the primary visual cortex to the temporal cortex (ventral stream) and a spatial pathway to the parietal cortex (dorsal stream). Whether and to what extent dissociation exists in the human prefrontal cortex (PFC) has long been debated. We examined anatomical connections from functionally defined areas in the temporal and parietal cortices to the PFC, using noninvasive functional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) received converging input from both streams, while the right superior frontal gyrus received input only from the dorsal stream. Interstream functional connectivity to the IFG was dynamically recruited only when both object and spatial information were processed. These results suggest that the human PFC receives dissociated and converging visual pathways, and that the right IFG region serves as an integrator of the two types of information. PMID:23063444

A contractile and counterbalancing adhesion system controls the 3D shape of crawling cells.

PubMed

Burnette, Dylan T; Shao, Lin; Ott, Carolyn; Pasapera, Ana M; Fischer, Robert S; Baird, Michelle A; Der Loughian, Christelle; Delanoe-Ayari, Helene; Paszek, Matthew J; Davidson, Michael W; Betzig, Eric; Lippincott-Schwartz, Jennifer

2014-04-14

How adherent and contractile systems coordinate to promote cell shape changes is unclear. Here, we define a counterbalanced adhesion/contraction model for cell shape control. Live-cell microscopy data showed a crucial role for a contractile meshwork at the top of the cell, which is composed of actin arcs and myosin IIA filaments. The contractile actin meshwork is organized like muscle sarcomeres, with repeating myosin II filaments separated by the actin bundling protein α-actinin, and is mechanically coupled to noncontractile dorsal actin fibers that run from top to bottom in the cell. When the meshwork contracts, it pulls the dorsal fibers away from the substrate. This pulling force is counterbalanced by the dorsal fibers' attachment to focal adhesions, causing the fibers to bend downward and flattening the cell. This model is likely to be relevant for understanding how cells configure themselves to complex surfaces, protrude into tight spaces, and generate three-dimensional forces on the growth substrate under both healthy and diseased conditions.

A contractile and counterbalancing adhesion system controls the 3D shape of crawling cells

PubMed Central

Burnette, Dylan T.; Shao, Lin; Ott, Carolyn; Pasapera, Ana M.; Fischer, Robert S.; Baird, Michelle A.; Der Loughian, Christelle; Delanoe-Ayari, Helene; Paszek, Matthew J.; Davidson, Michael W.; Betzig, Eric

2014-01-01

How adherent and contractile systems coordinate to promote cell shape changes is unclear. Here, we define a counterbalanced adhesion/contraction model for cell shape control. Live-cell microscopy data showed a crucial role for a contractile meshwork at the top of the cell, which is composed of actin arcs and myosin IIA filaments. The contractile actin meshwork is organized like muscle sarcomeres, with repeating myosin II filaments separated by the actin bundling protein α-actinin, and is mechanically coupled to noncontractile dorsal actin fibers that run from top to bottom in the cell. When the meshwork contracts, it pulls the dorsal fibers away from the substrate. This pulling force is counterbalanced by the dorsal fibers’ attachment to focal adhesions, causing the fibers to bend downward and flattening the cell. This model is likely to be relevant for understanding how cells configure themselves to complex surfaces, protrude into tight spaces, and generate three-dimensional forces on the growth substrate under both healthy and diseased conditions. PMID:24711500

Alveoli, teeth, and tooth loss: Understanding the homology of internal mandibular structures in mysticete cetaceans

PubMed Central

Pyenson, Nicholas D.; Uhen, Mark D.; Marshall, Christopher D.

2017-01-01

The evolution of filter feeding in baleen whales (Mysticeti) facilitated a wide range of ecological diversity and extreme gigantism. The innovation of filter feeding evolved in a shift from a mineralized upper and lower dentition in stem mysticetes to keratinous baleen plates that hang only from the roof of the mouth in extant species, which are all edentulous as adults. While all extant mysticetes are born with a mandible lacking a specialized feeding structure (i.e., baleen), the bony surface retains small foramina with elongated sulci that often merge together in what has been termed the alveolar gutter. Because mysticete embryos develop tooth buds that resorb in utero, these foramina have been interpreted as homologous to tooth alveoli in other mammals. Here, we test this homology by creating 3D models of the internal mandibular morphology from terrestrial artiodactyls and fossil and extant cetaceans, including stem cetaceans, odontocetes and mysticetes. We demonstrate that dorsal foramina on the mandible communicate with the mandibular canal via smaller canals, which we explain within the context of known mechanical models of bone resorption. We suggest that these dorsal foramina represent distinct branches of the inferior alveolar nerve (or artery), rather than alveoli homologous with those of other mammals. As a functional explanation, we propose that these branches provide sensation to the dorsal margin of the mandible to facilitate placement and occlusion of the baleen plates during filer feeding. PMID:28542468

Robust Flutter Margin Analysis that Incorporates Flight Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, Rick; Brenner, Martin J.

1998-01-01

An approach for computing worst-case flutter margins has been formulated in a robust stability framework. Uncertainty operators are included with a linear model to describe modeling errors and flight variations. The structured singular value, mu, computes a stability margin that directly accounts for these uncertainties. This approach introduces a new method of computing flutter margins and an associated new parameter for describing these margins. The mu margins are robust margins that indicate worst-case stability estimates with respect to the defined uncertainty. Worst-case flutter margins are computed for the F/A-18 Systems Research Aircraft using uncertainty sets generated by flight data analysis. The robust margins demonstrate flight conditions for flutter may lie closer to the flight envelope than previously estimated by p-k analysis.

Two new species of Kalophrynus Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Annamite mountains in southern Vietnam.

PubMed

Vassilieva, Anna B; Galoyan, Eduard A; Gogoleva, Svetlana S; Poyarkov, Nikolay A

2014-05-20

We describe two new mountain-dwelling microhylid species of the genus Kalophrynus from the southern part of the Annamite Mountains in Vietnam. The two new species differ from all known congeners in morphological characters and mtDNA; phylogenetically, they form a sister clade to the large-bodied K. interlineatus (1009 bp, 16S rRNA gene, mtDNA). Both species share the following characteristics: snout pointed in dorsal and lateral views, slightly sloping in profile; tympanum distinct, smaller than eye in diameter; toe webbing moderate; outer metatarsal tubercle present; light dorsolateral line absent. Kalophrynus cryptophonus sp. nov. from Loc Bao, Lam Dong Province is a small-sized species distinguishing from its congeners by a combination of: SVL 27.9-30.4 mm in males, 23.4 mm in female; canthus rostralis indistinct; males with large sharp conical spines on the skin covering mandible margins and finely asperous nuptial pads on the dorsal surface of fingers I-III; dark ocelli in the inguinal region usually present, small, without a light border; anterior palatal dermal ridge short, restricted to medial part of palate. Kalophrynus honbaensis sp. nov. from Hon Ba, Khanh Hoa Province is a medium-sized Kalophrynus, distinguishing from its congeners by a combination of: SVL 26.7-36.8 mm in males; canthus rostralis distinct; males without distinguishable spines on the mandible margins nor the nuptial pads; dark ocelli in the inguinal region present, large, without a distinct light border, anterior palatal dermal ridge developed, parallel to posterior one. Kalophrynus cryptophonus sp. nov. reproduces in hollow bamboo stems; we describe larval morphology and bioacoustics of this species in relation to phytotelm breeding. A review of the distribution of the genus Kalophrynus in Indochina is provided.

Short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx: Description of the injury and a technique for repair.

PubMed

Wright, I M; Minshall, G J

2018-01-01

Chip fractures of the dorsoproximal articular margin of the proximal phalanx are common injuries in racehorses. Large fractures can extend distal to the joint capsule insertion and have been described as dorsal frontal fractures. To report the location and morphology of short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx and describe a technique for repair under arthroscopic and radiographic guidance. Single centre retrospective case study. Case records of horses with frontal plane fractures restricted to the dorsoproximal epiphysis and metaphysis of the proximal phalanx referred to Newmarket Equine Hospital were retrieved, images reviewed and lesion morphology described. A technique for repair and the results obtained are reported. A total of 22 fractures in 21 horses commencing at the proximal articular surface exited the dorsal cortex of the proximal phalanx distal to the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint capsule in 17 hind- and five forelimbs. All were in Thoroughbred racehorses. In 16 cases these were acute racing or training injuries; 20 fractures were medial, one lateral and one was midline. All were repaired with a single lag screw using arthroscopic and radiographically determined landmarks. A total of 16 horses raced after surgery with performance data similar to their preinjury levels. The study demonstrates substantial morphological similarities between individual lesions supporting a common pathophysiology, but does not identify precise causation. There are no cases managed differently that might permit assessment of the comparative efficacy of the treatment described. Short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal margin of the proximal phalanx that exit the bone distal to the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint capsule have substantial morphological similarities, are amenable to minimally invasive repair and carry a good prognosis for return to training and racing. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Reliability of extended dorsal intercostal artery perforator propeller flaps for reconstruction of large myelomeningocele defects.

PubMed

Tenekeci, Goktekin; Basterzi, Yavuz

2017-01-01

Reconstruction of large myelomeningocele defects using extended (elongated beyond the lateral margin of the latissimus dorsi muscle) dorsal intercostal artery perforator (DICAP) propeller flaps is not recommended by previous studies. However, to provide tension-free and successful closure of a defect, the DICAP propeller flaps must sometimes be elongated beyond this margin. Our experience and results in this issue are discussed. In this article, reconstruction of 11 consecutive cases, with large myelomeningocele defects in which standard DICAP propeller flaps were incapable to close the defect, was achieved using extended DICAP propeller flaps between June 2013 and November 2015. At least two reliable perforators of the neighboring intervertebral spaces are included to supply the flap. Intramuscular dissection of perforators is performed to free the perforators from the surrounding muscle and to gain pedicle length as much as possible to prevent twisting and vascular compromise. All the flaps survived completely except for one patient who had superficial skin necrosis on the most distal part of the flap and had severe accompanying systemic disorders and died on postoperative 14th day. In 7 of 11 patients, venous congestion was noted, which resolved spontaneously. No hematoma or seroma formation was observed during the postoperative follow-up period. Dissection of multiple DICAPs supplying flaps enable us to harvest larger DICAP flaps possibly by providing better arterial supply and venous drainage. We use microsurgical instruments and 4.3× loupe magnification for pedicle dissection in this newborn population. This study shows the reliability of extended DICAP propeller flaps when multiple perforators at sixth or more cranial adjacent intercostal spaces are included in DICAP propeller flaps. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel method for defining the Greyhound talocrural joint axis of rotation for hinged transarticular external skeletal fixation.

PubMed

Colborne, G R; Hadley, N R; Wallace, A M

2013-01-01

In order to apply hinged transarticular external skeletal fixation for stabilization of the injured canine tarsal joint, knowledge of the three-dimensional (3D) location and orientation of the transverse axis is necessary. This method of immobilization may be used as a primary or adjunctive method of stabilisation for a large number of traumatic conditions. Using pin-mounted markers in the cadaveric Greyhound crus and talus, a closed-form solution of absolute orientation was used to identify, on radiographs, the lateral and medial locations of the transverse axis by tracking the 3D excursions of the markers during flexion and extension. A line was drawn across the dorsal aspect of the calcaneus from the most dorsal point on the distal articular surface(proximal intertarsal joint: PIJ) to the most dorsal point on its proximal articulation with the body of the talus, and the location of the centre of rotation was expressed in terms of the length of that line. In seven Greyhound tarsal joints, the medial end of the axis was located 73 ± 10% proximal to the PIJ and 11 ± 7% dorsal to the line. The lateral end was 73 ± 9% proximal tothe PIJ and -2 ± 3% plantar to the line.

Zic-Proteins Are Repressors of Dopaminergic Forebrain Fate in Mice and C. elegans.

PubMed

Tiveron, Marie-Catherine; Beclin, Christophe; Murgan, Sabrina; Wild, Stefan; Angelova, Alexandra; Marc, Julie; Coré, Nathalie; de Chevigny, Antoine; Herrera, Eloisa; Bosio, Andreas; Bertrand, Vincent; Cremer, Harold

2017-11-01

In the postnatal forebrain regionalized neural stem cells along the ventricular walls produce olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons with varying neurotransmitter phenotypes and positions. To understand the molecular basis of this region-specific variability we analyzed gene expression in the postnatal dorsal and lateral lineages in mice of both sexes from stem cells to neurons. We show that both lineages maintain transcription factor signatures of their embryonic site of origin, the pallium and subpallium. However, additional factors, including Zic1 and Zic2, are postnatally expressed in the dorsal stem cell compartment and maintained in the lineage that generates calretinin-positive GABAergic neurons for the OB. Functionally, we show that Zic1 and Zic2 induce the generation of calretinin-positive neurons while suppressing dopaminergic fate in the postnatal dorsal lineage. We investigated the evolutionary conservation of the dopaminergic repressor function of Zic proteins and show that it is already present in C. elegans SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The vertebrate brain generates thousands of different neuron types. In this work we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this variability. Using a genomics approach we identify the transcription factor signatures of defined neural stem cells and neuron populations. Based thereon we show that two related transcription factors, Zic1 and Zic2, are essential to control the balance between two defined neuron types in the postnatal brain. We show that this mechanism is conserved in evolutionary very distant species. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3710611-13$15.00/0.

Geometric symmetry of the solar surface of hooves of thoroughbred racehorses.

PubMed

Roland, Elizabeth; Stover, Susan M; Hull, Maury L; Dorsch, Katie

2003-08-01

To define a 3-dimensional (3-D) coordinate system with clear definitions of origins and axes relative to hoof anatomic features and determine whether solar surfaces of Thoroughbred racehorse hooves have geometric asymmetry in the mediolateral and dorsopalmar directions. Left forelimb hooves from 20 Thoroughbred racehorse cadavers. A right-handed 3-D coordinate axes system centered on the collateral sulci was defined for the left front hoof. Orthogonal distances of anatomic features from the dorsopalmar axis and the plane coincident with the ground were measured and compared between medial and lateral sides and between dorsal and palmar regions of the hoof. The hoof was wider and had a greater radius laterally than medially. The most distal part of the lateral bar of the frog was further from the dorsopalmar axis than that of the medial bar. Overall, mediolateral asymmetries in depth were not observed. The sole at the perimeter was deeper medially in the dorsal part of the hoof and laterally in the palmar part, with depth overall being greater palmarly than dorsally. Most features had dorsopalmar asymmetry. When the angle bisected by the collateral sulci is used to determine the dorsopalmar axis of the hoof, most central structures (bars and collateral sulci) have mediolateral symmetry. However, the hoof wall and sole have some mediolateral asymmetries and most structures have dorsopalmar asymmetry. These findings may assist the development of devices for attachment to hooves and studies of the interaction of hooves with bearing surfaces.

Worst-Case Flutter Margins from F/A-18 Aircraft Aeroelastic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, Rick; Brenner, Marty

1997-01-01

An approach for computing worst-case flutter margins has been formulated in a robust stability framework. Uncertainty operators are included with a linear model to describe modeling errors and flight variations. The structured singular value, micron, computes a stability margin which directly accounts for these uncertainties. This approach introduces a new method of computing flutter margins and an associated new parameter for describing these margins. The micron margins are robust margins which indicate worst-case stability estimates with respect to the defined uncertainty. Worst-case flutter margins are computed for the F/A-18 SRA using uncertainty sets generated by flight data analysis. The robust margins demonstrate flight conditions for flutter may lie closer to the flight envelope than previously estimated by p-k analysis.

The Links Between the Formation of the Gulf of Mexico and the Late Proterozoic to Mesozoic Tectonic Evolution of Southern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, G. R.; Mickus, K. L.; Gurrola, H.; Harry, D. L.; Pulliam, J.

2016-12-01

A full understanding of the Gulf of Mexico's geologic history depends on understanding the tectonic framework along the southern margin of North America. The first step in establishing this framework was the breakup of Laurentia during the Early Paleozoic. At least one tectonic block rifted away from Laurentia's southern margin at this time, and is interpreted to be presently located in Argentina. Rifting resulted in a sinuous margin consisting of alternating ridge and transform segments extending from the southeastern U.S. across Texas into northern Mexico. The Paleozoic margin is associated with a clearly defined gravity high, and ends in the trend of this high are associated with intersections of ridge and transform segments along the margin. By the end of the Paleozoic, continental assembly via the Appalachian-Ouachita orogeny added new terranes to the eastern and southern margins of Laurentia and the assembly of the supercontinent Pangea was complete. Triassic through Late Jurassic opening of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) created a complex margin, initially mobilizing several crustal blocks that were eventually left behind on the North American margin as seafloor spreading developed within the Gulf and the Yucatan block separated and rotated into its current position. Recent deep seismic reflection profiles along the northern margin of the GOM show that rifted continental crust extends offshore for 250 km before the oceanic crust of the Gulf of Mexico is encountered. Our group has worked to produce four integrated models of the lithospheric structure based upon reflection, refraction, and teleseismic data acquired across this margin integrated with gravity, magnetic, geologic and drilling data. These models define a complex zone of crustal thinning along the Gulf Coastal plain of Texas that is covered by up to 10km of primarily Cretaceous and younger sedimentary rocks. To the east along the coastal plain region, we have defined two large crustal blocks that were essentially left behind by the opening of the Gulf of Mexico.

The role of fasciae in Civinini–Morton's syndrome

PubMed Central

Stecco, Carla; Fantoni, Ilaria; Macchi, Veronica; Del Borrello, Mario; Porzionato, Andrea; Biz, Carlo; De Caro, Raffaele

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the pathogenetic role of the perineural connective tissue and foot fasciae in Civinini–Morton's neuroma. Eleven feet (seven male, four female; mean age: 70.9 years) were dissected to analyse the anatomy of inter-metatarsal space, particularly the dorsal and plantar fasciae and metatarsal transverse ligament (DMTL). The macrosections were prepared for microscopic analysis. Ten Civinini–Morton neuromas obtained from surgery were also analysed. Magnetic resonance images (MRIs) from 40 patients and 29 controls were compared. Dissections showed that the width of the inter-metatarsal space is established by two fibrous structures: the dorsal foot fascia and the DMTL, which, together, connect the metatarsal bones and resist their splaying. Interosseous muscles spread out into the dorsal fascia of the foot, defining its basal tension. The common digital plantar nerve (CDPN) is encased in concentric layers of fibrous and loose connective tissue, continuous with the vascular sheath and deep foot fascia. Outside this sheath, fibroelastic septa, from DMTL to plantar fascia, and little fat lobules are present, further protecting the nerve against compressive stress. The MRI study revealed high inter-individual variability in the forefoot structures, although only the thickness of the dorsal fascia represented a statistically significant difference between cases and controls. It was hypothesized that alterations in foot support and altered biomechanics act on the interosseous muscles, increasing the stiffness of the dorsal fascia, particularly at the points where these muscles are inserted. Chronic rigidity of this fascia increases the stiffness of the inter-metatarsal space, leading to entrapment of the CDPN. PMID:26467241

Taxonomic description of a new marine ciliate, Euplotes qingdaoensis n. sp. (Ciliophora: Euplotida)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiangrui; Ma, Honggang; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S.

2014-03-01

The characteristics and infraciliature of a new euplotid ciliate, Euplotes qingdaoensis n. sp., discovered from the coastal waters of Jiaozhou Bay, northern China, were studied using live observation and silver impregnation. The new marine species is characterized by a slightly flattened body (90-110 μm×70-80 μm, in vivo), an adoral zone of 26-29 membranelles, 10 strong frontoventral and five transverse cirri, two caudal cirri, a single left marginal cirrus, seven dorsal kineties, a middle kinety with about 15 pairs of basal bodies, a silverline system of the double-eurystomus type, and a C-shaped macronucleus.

Comparison of noninferiority margins reported in protocols and publications showed incomplete and inconsistent reporting.

PubMed

Dekkers, Olaf M; Cevallos, Myriam; Bührer, Jonas; Poncet, Antoine; Ackermann Rau, Sabine; Perneger, Thomas V; Egger, Matthias

2015-05-01

To compare noninferiority margins defined in study protocols and trial registry records with margins reported in subsequent publications. Comparison of protocols of noninferiority trials submitted 2001 to 2005 to ethics committees in Switzerland and The Netherlands with corresponding publications and registry records. We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library issue 01/2012), and Google Scholar in September 2013 to identify published reports, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform of the World Health Organization in March 2013 to identify registry records. Two readers recorded the noninferiority margin and other data using a standardized data-abstraction form. The margin was identical in study protocol and publication in 43 (80%) of 54 pairs of study protocols and articles. In the remaining pairs, reporting was inconsistent (five pairs, 9%), or the noninferiority margin was either not reported in the publication (five pairs, 9%) or not defined in the study protocol (one pair). The confidence interval or the exact P-value required to judge whether the result was compatible with noninferior, inferior, or superior efficacy was reported in 43 (80%) publications. Complete and consistent reporting of both noninferiority margin and confidence interval (or exact P-value) was present in 39 (72%) protocol-publication pairs. Twenty-nine trials (54%) were registered in trial registries, but only one registry record included the noninferiority margin. The reporting of noninferiority margins was incomplete and inconsistent with study protocols in a substantial proportion of published trials, and margins were rarely reported in trial registries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An fMRI Investigation of Posttraumatic Flashbacks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalley, Matthew G.; Kroes, Marijn C. W.; Huntley, Zoe; Rugg, Michael D.; Davis, Simon W.; Brewin, Chris R.

2013-01-01

Flashbacks are a defining feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but there have been few studies of their neural basis. We tested predictions from a dual representation model of PTSD that, compared with ordinary episodic memories of the same traumatic event, flashbacks would be associated with activity in dorsal visual stream and related…

Discovery of the male of the rare caligiform copepod Kabataia Kazachenko, Korotaeva & Kurochkin, 1972 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida), with a reconsideration of its phylogenetic affinities.

PubMed

Hutson, Kate S; Boxshall, Geoffrey A

2016-10-11

We report the discovery of the male of the rare caligiform copepod Kabataia ostorhynchi Kazachenko, Korotaeva & Kurochkin, 1972 on the gills of the type-host Oplegnathus woodwardi (Waite, 1900) captured in the Southern Ocean, off Australia. Light and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the unusual body plan of Kabataia Kazachenko, Korotaeva & Kurochkin, 1972, where only the first pedigerous somite is incorporated into the cephalothorax and the second and third pedigerous somites are fused to form a double-somite, visible both dorsally and ventrally. The adult female carries paired dorsal plates originating from the second pedigerous somite within this double-somite. In the male the second and third pedigerous somites are free and paired dorsal plates are present on the former. Kabataia exhibits sexual dimorphism in an unusually wide range of limbs. Most remarkable is the tubular extension from the exit pore of the maxillary gland at the base of the maxilla which reaches beyond the anterior margin of the mouth tube; this is present in the male only. Kabataia exhibits a functional articulation between the first and second pedigerous somites and thus lacks the diagnostic apomorphy of the family Trebiidae (incorporation of both first and second pedigerous somites into the cephalothorax). We propose to transfer Kabataia to the Pandaridae, since it shares the key synapomorphies of this family. Furthermore, we propose to transfer Innaprokofevnas Kazachenko, 2001 to the Dissonidae, which leaves Trebius Krøyer, 1838 as the only genus within the Trebiidae. The correct spelling of Philorthragoriscus Horst, 1897 is noted.

Reassessment of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias age and growth using vertebrae and dorsal-fin spines.

PubMed

Bubley, W J; Kneebone, J; Sulikowski, J A; Tsang, P C W

2012-04-01

Male and female spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias were collected in the western North Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Maine between July 2006 and June 2009. Squalus acanthias ranged from 25 to 102 cm stretch total length and were caught during all months of the year except January. Age estimates derived from banding patterns visible in both the vertebrae and second dorsal-fin spines were compared. Vertebral growth increments were visualized using a modified histological staining technique, which was verified as appropriate for obtaining age estimates. Marginal increment analysis of vertebrae verified the increment periodicity, suggesting annual band deposition. Based on increased precision and accuracy of age estimates, as well as more biologically realistic parameters generated in growth models, the current study found that vertebrae provided a more reliable and accurate means of estimating age in S. acanthias than the second dorsal-fin spine. Age estimates obtained from vertebrae ranged from <1 year-old to 17 years for male and 24 years for female S. acanthias. The two-parameter von Bertalanffy growth model fit to vertebrae-derived age estimates produced parameters of L∞ = 94·23 cm and k = 0·11 for males and L∞ = 100·76 cm and k = 0·12 for females. While these growth parameters differed from those previously reported for S. acanthias in the western North Atlantic Ocean, the causes of such differences were beyond the scope of the current study and remain to be determined. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2011 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Post-breakup faulting of the outer Vøring Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planke, S.; Millett, J.; Jerram, D. A.; Maharjan, D.; Hafeez, A.; Abdelmalak, M. M.; Zastrozhnov, D.; Faleide, J. I.

2017-12-01

Tectonic activity on passive margins may continue for a long time after the main phase of continental breakup. On the southern Vøring Margin, offshore Norway, new high-quality 3D seismic data reveal the presence of extensive normal faults offsetting the Top basalt horizon, along with overlying lower Eocene age sediments. We have completed a detailed seismic interpretation of the new data using a combination of conventional seismic horizon interpretation and igneous seismic geomorphological techniques. The seismic data have been tied to scientific and industry wells to constrain the age of the interpreted horizons and the age and duration of the faulting. The Top basalt horizon displays a dominantly subaerial lava field, on the Vøring Marginal High, with well-defined lava flow morphologies including inflated flow lobes and surface pressure ridges. The prominent kilometer-high Vøring Escarpment was developed when landward flowing lava met the ocean, developing an extensive foreset bedded hyaloclastite delta. Later, a pitted surface was developed in the west during lava emplacement in a wet environment during subsidence of the central rift valley. Earliest Eocene sediments were subsequently deposited on the marginal high. Well-defined northeast trending faults are imaged on the marginal high, cutting across the escarpment. Spacing of the faults is ca. 400-500 m, and offsets are typically of ca. 30-50 m, often defining graben structures. The faults further offset the overlying earliest Eocene sequences in a number of examples. Based on the well ties, faulting mainly took place 5-10 m.y. after continental breakup near the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. Our hypothesis is that the faulting is related to strain partitioning across the developing Vøring Transform Margin. Plate tectonic constraints show that there was an active continent-continent transform in this region also for 10-15 m.y. after breakup. The transform margin is a linear, northwest trending structure, with a well-developed transform marginal high, the Mimir High, along its central part. The transform margin extends into the southwestern segment of the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone to the northwest. We speculate that the ocean basin separating the Vøring Spur from the Vøring Marginal High was formed by a rift propagation event during the same time period.

Direct ageing of Thunnus thynnus from the eastern Atlantic Ocean and western Mediterranean Sea using dorsal fin spines.

PubMed

Luque, P L; Rodriguez-Marin, E; Landa, J; Ruiz, M; Quelle, P; Macias, D; Ortiz De Urbina, J M

2014-06-01

This study deals with important methodology issues that affect age estimates of eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus using dorsal fin spines. Nearly 3800 spine sections were used from fish caught in the north-east Atlantic Ocean and western Mediterranean Sea over a 21 year period. Edge type and marginal increment analyses indicated a yearly periodicity of annulus formation with the translucent bands (50% of occurrence) appearing from October to May. Nucleus vascularization seriously affected specimens older than 6 years, with the disappearance of 40-50% of the presumed annuli by that age. An alternate sectioning location was a clear improvement and this finding is an important contribution to the methodology of using this structure for ageing the full-length range of eastern T. thynnus. Finally, there were no significant differences between the coefficients of von Bertalanffy growth model estimated from mean length at age data (L∞  = 327.4; k = 0.097; t0  = -0.838) and those estimated from the growth curves accepted for the eastern and western T. thynnus management units. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

A New Sail-Backed Styracosternan (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Early Cretaceous of Morella, Spain.

PubMed

Gasulla, José Miguel; Escaso, Fernando; Narváez, Iván; Ortega, Francisco; Sanz, José Luis

2015-01-01

A new styracosternan ornithopod genus and species is here described based on a partial postcranial skeleton and an associated dentary tooth of a single specimen from the Arcillas de Morella Formation (Early Cretaceous, late Barremian) at the Morella locality, (Castellón, Spain). Morelladon beltrani gen. et sp. nov. is diagnosed by eight autapomorphic features. The set of autapomorphies includes: very elongated and vertical neural spines of the dorsal vertebrae, midline keel on ventral surface of the second to fourth sacral vertebrae restricted to the anterior half of the centrum, a posterodorsally inclined medial ridge on the postacetabular process of the ilium that meets its dorsal margin and distal end of the straight ischial shaft laterally expanded, among others. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the new Iberian form is more closely related to its synchronic and sympatric contemporary European taxa Iguanodon bernissartensis and Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis, known from Western Europe, than to other Early Cretaceous Iberian styracosternans (Delapparentia turolensis and Proa valdearinnoensis). The recognition of Morelladon beltrani gen. et sp. nov. indicates that the Iberian Peninsula was home to a highly diverse medium to large bodied styracosternan assemblage during the Early Cretaceous.

Two new species of the genus Monstrillopsis Sars, 1921 (Copepoda: Monstrilloida: Monstrillidae) from South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Jimin; Kim, Dongsung; Chang, Cheon Young

2016-10-11

Monstrilloid copepods of the genus Monstrillopsis Sars, 1921 are recorded from Korea, as well as from the northwestern Pacific, for the first time. Specimens were obtained using a light trap set overnight at piers or seawalls in small harbors. Males of two new species were found and are described herein with remarks on their affinities and detailed drawings and SEM photographs of their morphological features. Monstrillopsis longilobata sp. nov. is allied to M. chathamensis Suárez-Morales & Morales-Ramírez, 2009 and M. sarsi Isaac, 1974 in having the character combination of a long, claw-like apical spinous process on the male antennule and elongate genital lappets. It differs from them in having conspicuous transverse striations on the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax and extremely long male genital lappets, which extend far beyond the anterior margins of the caudal rami. Monstrillopsis coreensis sp. nov. also has a claw-like apical spinous process of the male antennule and conspicuous transverse striations on the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax, but it differs from M. longilobata in having a much longer and stronger apical spine of the antennule and a relatively shorter and undulating genital apparatus.

Ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus inactivation impairs reward memory expression and retrieval in contexts defined by proximal cues.

PubMed

Riaz, Sadia; Schumacher, Anett; Sivagurunathan, Seyon; Van Der Meer, Matthijs; Ito, Rutsuko

2017-07-01

The hippocampus (HPC) has been widely implicated in the contextual control of appetitive and aversive conditioning. However, whole hippocampal lesions do not invariably impair all forms of contextual processing, as in the case of complex biconditional context discrimination, leading to contention over the exact nature of the contribution of the HPC in contextual processing. Moreover, the increasingly well-established functional dissociation between the dorsal (dHPC) and ventral (vHPC) subregions of the HPC has been largely overlooked in the existing literature on hippocampal-based contextual memory processing in appetitively motivated tasks. Thus, the present study sought to investigate the individual roles of the dHPC and the vHPC in contextual biconditional discrimination (CBD) performance and memory retrieval. To this end, we examined the effects of transient post-acquisition pharmacological inactivation (using a combination of GABA A and GABA B receptor agonists muscimol and baclofen) of functionally distinct subregions of the HPC (CA1/CA3 subfields of the dHPC and vHPC) on CBD memory retrieval. Additional behavioral assays including novelty preference, light-dark box and locomotor activity test were also performed to confirm that the respective sites of inactivation were functionally silent. We observed robust deficits in CBD performance and memory retrieval following inactivation of the vHPC, but not the dHPC. Our data provides novel insight into the differential roles of the ventral and dorsal HPC in reward contextual processing, under conditions in which the context is defined by proximal cues. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular profiling of the developing avian telencephalon: regional timing and brain subdivision continuities.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Chun; Winkler, Candace M; Pfenning, Andreas R; Jarvis, Erich D

2013-11-01

In our companion study (Jarvis et al. [2013] J Comp Neurol. doi: 10.1002/cne.23404) we used quantitative brain molecular profiling to discover that distinct subdivisions in the avian pallium above and below the ventricle and the associated mesopallium lamina have similar molecular profiles, leading to a hypothesis that they may form as continuous subdivisions around the lateral ventricle. To explore this hypothesis, here we profiled the expression of 16 genes at eight developmental stages. The genes included those that define brain subdivisions in the adult and some that are also involved in brain development. We found that phyletic hierarchical cluster and linear regression network analyses of gene expression profiles implicated single and mixed ancestry of these brain regions at early embryonic stages. Most gene expression-defined pallial subdivisions began as one ventral or dorsal domain that later formed specific folds around the lateral ventricle. Subsequently a clear ventricle boundary formed, partitioning them into dorsal and ventral pallial subdivisions surrounding the mesopallium lamina. These subdivisions each included two parts of the mesopallium, the nidopallium and hyperpallium, and the arcopallium and hippocampus, respectively. Each subdivision expression profile had a different temporal order of appearance, similar in timing to the order of analogous cell types of the mammalian cortex. Furthermore, like the mammalian pallium, expression in the ventral pallial subdivisions became distinct during prehatch development, whereas the dorsal portions did so during posthatch development. These findings support the continuum hypothesis of avian brain subdivision development around the ventricle and influence hypotheses on homologies of the avian pallium with other vertebrates. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specific Connectivity and Unique Molecular Identity of MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Expressing Serotonergic Neurons in the Caudal Dorsal Raphe Nuclei.

PubMed

Kast, Ryan J; Wu, Hsiao-Huei; Williams, Piper; Gaspar, Patricia; Levitt, Pat

2017-05-17

Molecular characterization of neurons across brain regions has revealed new taxonomies for understanding functional diversity even among classically defined neuronal populations. Neuronal diversity has become evident within the brain serotonin (5-HT) system, which is far more complex than previously appreciated. However, until now it has been difficult to define subpopulations of 5-HT neurons based on molecular phenotypes. We demonstrate that the MET receptor tyrosine kinase (MET) is specifically expressed in a subset of 5-HT neurons within the caudal part of the dorsal raphe nuclei (DRC) that is encompassed by the classic B6 serotonin cell group. Mapping from embryonic day 16 through adulthood reveals that MET is expressed almost exclusively in the DRC as a condensed, paired nucleus, with an additional sparse set of MET+ neurons scattered within the median raphe. Retrograde tracing experiments reveal that MET-expressing 5-HT neurons provide substantial serotonergic input to the ventricular/subventricular region that contains forebrain stem cells, but do not innervate the dorsal hippocampus or entorhinal cortex. Conditional anterograde tracing experiments show that 5-HT neurons in the DRC/B6 target additional forebrain structures such as the medial and lateral septum and the ventral hippocampus. Molecular neuroanatomical analysis identifies 14 genes that are enriched in DRC neurons, including 4 neurotransmitter/neuropeptide receptors and 2 potassium channels. These analyses will lead to future studies determining the specific roles that 5-HT MET+ neurons contribute to the broader set of functions regulated by the serotonergic system.

Abnormal Positioning of Diencephalic Cell Types in Neocortical Tissue in the Dorsal Telencephalon of Mice Lacking Functional Gli3

PubMed Central

Fotaki, Vassiliki; Yu, Tian; Zaki, Paulette A.; Mason, John O.; Price, David J.

2008-01-01

The transcription factor Gli3 (glioma-associated oncogene homolog) is essential for normal development of the mammalian forebrain. One extreme requirement for Gli3 is at the dorsomedial telencephalon, which does not form in Gli3Xt/Xt mutant mice lacking functional Gli3. In this study, we analyzed expression of Gli3 in the wild-type telencephalon and observed a highdorsal-to-lowventral gradient of Gli3 expression and predominance of the cleaved form of the Gli3 protein dorsally. This graded expression correlates with the severedorsal-to-mildventral telencephalic phenotype observed in Gli3Xt/Xt mice. We characterized the abnormal joining of the telencephalon to the diencephalon and defined the medial limit of the dorsal telencephalon in Gli3Xt/Xt mice early in corticogenesis. Based on this analysis, we concluded that some of the abnormal expression of ventral telencephalic markers previously described as being in the dorsal telencephalon is, in fact, expression in adjacent diencephalic tissue, which expresses many of the same genes that mark the ventral telencephalon. We observed occasional cells with diencephalic character in the Foxg1 (forkhead box)-expressing Gli3Xt/Xt telencephalon at embryonic day 10.5, a day after the anatomical subdivision of the forebrain vesicle. Large clusters of such cells appear in the Gli3Xt/Xt neocortical region at later ages, when the neocortex becomes highly disorganized, forming rosettes comprising mainly neural progenitors. We propose that Gli3 is indispensable for formation of an intact telencephalic-diencephalic boundary and for preventing the abnormal positioning of diencephalic cells in the dorsal telencephalon. PMID:16957084

Hemispheric asymmetries in dorsal language pathway white-matter tracts: A magnetic resonance imaging tractography and functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Silva, Guilherme; Citterio, Alberto

2017-10-01

Introduction Previous studies have shown that the arcuate fasciculus has a leftward asymmetry in right-handers that could be correlated with the language lateralisation defined by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Nonetheless, information about the asymmetry of the other fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway is scarce. Objectives This study investigated the asymmetry of the white-matter tracts involved in the dorsal language pathway through the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique, in relation to language hemispheric dominance determined by task-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods We selected 11 patients (10 right-handed) who had been studied with task-dependent fMRI for language areas and DTI and who had no language impairment or structural abnormalities that could compromise magnetic resonance tractography of the fibres involved in the dorsal language pathway. Laterality indices (LI) for fMRI and for the volumes of each tract were calculated. Results In fMRI, all the right-handers had left hemispheric lateralisation, and the ambidextrous subject presented right hemispheric dominance. The arcuate fasciculus LI was strongly correlated with fMRI LI ( r = 0.739, p = 0.009), presenting the same lateralisation of fMRI in seven subjects (including the right hemispheric dominant). It was not asymmetric in three cases and had opposite lateralisation in one case. The other tracts presented predominance for rightward lateralisation, especially superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II/III (nine subjects), but their LI did not correlate (directly or inversely) with fMRI LI. Conclusion The fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway have an asymmetric distribution in the cerebral hemispheres. Only the asymmetry of the arcuate fasciculus is correlated with fMRI language lateralisation.

Microsurgical anatomy of the posterior median septum of the human spinal cord.

PubMed

Turkoglu, Erhan; Kertmen, Hayri; Uluc, Kutluay; Akture, Erinc; Gurer, Bora; Cikla, Ulaş; Salamat, Shahriar; Başkaya, Mustafa K

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the topographical anatomy of the dorsal spinal cord (SC) in relation to the posterior median septum (PMS). This included the course and variations in the PMS, and its relationship to and distance from other dorsal spinal landmarks. Microsurgical anatomy of the PMS was examined in 12 formalin-fixed adult cadaveric SCs. Surface landmarks such as the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ), the denticulate ligament, the architecture of the leptomeninges and pial vascular distribution were noted. The PMS was examined histologically in all spinal segments. The PMS extended most deeply at spinal segments C7 and S4. This was statistically significant for all spinal segments except C5. The PMS was shallowest at segments T4 and T6, where it was statistically significantly thinner than at any other segment. In 80% of the SCs, small blood vessels were identified that traveled in a rostrocaudal direction in the PMS. The longest distance between the PMS and the DREZ was at the C1-C4 vertebral levels and the shortest distance was at the S5 level. Prevention of deficits following a dorsal midline neurosurgical approach to deep-seated SC lesions requires careful identification of the midline of the cord. The PMS and septum define the midline on the dorsum of the SC and their accurate identification is essential for a safe midline surgical approach. In this anatomical study, we describe the surface anatomy of the dorsal SC and its relationship with the PMS, which can be used to determine a safe entry zone into the SC. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differentiation between benign and malignant palatal tumors using conventional MRI: a retrospective analysis of 130 cases.

PubMed

Zheng, Yingyan; Xiao, Zebin; Zhang, Hua; She, Dejun; Lin, Xuehua; Lin, Yu; Cao, Dairong

2018-04-01

To evaluate the discriminative value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging between benign and malignant palatal tumors. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging features of 130 patients with palatal tumors confirmed by histopathologic examination were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data and imaging findings were assessed between benign and malignant tumors and between benign and low-grade malignant salivary gland tumors. The variables that were significant in differentiating benign from malignant lesions were further identified using logistic regression analysis. Moreover, imaging features of each common palatal histologic entity were statistically analyzed with the rest of the tumors to define their typical imaging features. Older age, partially defined and ill-defined margins, and absence of a capsule were highly suggestive of malignant palatal tumors, especially ill-defined margins (β = 6.400). The precision in determining malignant palatal tumors achieved a sensitivity of 92.8% and a specificity of 85.6%. In addition, irregular shape, ill-defined margins, lack of a capsule, perineural spread, and invasion of surrounding structures were more often associated with low-grade malignant salivary gland tumors. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging is useful for differentiating benign from malignant palatal tumors as well as benign salivary gland tumors from low-grade salivary gland malignancies. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dorsal Hippocampus Function in Learning and Expressing a Spatial Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Norman M.; Gaskin, Stephane

2006-01-01

Learning to discriminate between spatial locations defined by two adjacent arms of a radial maze in the conditioned cue preference paradigm requires two kinds of information: latent spatial learning when the rats explore the maze with no food available, and learning about food availability in two spatial locations when the rats are then confined…

Lack of independent significance of a close (<1 mm) circumferential resection margin involvement in esophageal and junctional cancer.

PubMed

O'Farrell, N J; Donohoe, C L; Muldoon, C; Costelloe, J M; King, S; Ravi, N; Reynolds, J V

2013-08-01

For rectal cancer, an involved circumferential resection margin (CRM), defined as tumor cells within 1 mm of the CRM, is of established prognostic significance. This definition for the esophagus, however, is controversial, with the UK Royal College of Pathologists (RCP) recommending the 1 mm definition, while the College of American Pathologists (CAP) advises that only tumor cells at the cut margin (0 mm) define an incomplete (R1) resection. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical significance of both definitions in patients with pT3 tumors. CAP- and RCP-defined CRM status in patients treated by surgery only or by multimodal therapy was recorded prospectively in a comprehensive database from May 2003 to May 2011. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated, and factors affecting survival were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 157 of 340 patients had pT3 esophageal tumors, with RCP-positive CRM in 60 %, and 18 % by CAP. There were no significant differences between RCP-positive CRM and negative margins for node-positive disease, local recurrence, and survival. CAP-positive CRM was associated with positive nodes (P = 0.036) and poorer survival (P = 0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed nodal invasion to be the only independent prognostic variable (P = 0.004). A CRM margin of <1 mm is common in pT3 esophageal tumors, a finding consistent with other reports. The <1 mm definition was not associated with node positivity, local recurrence, or survival, in contrast to actual involvement at the margin, suggesting lack of independent prognostic significance of the RCP definition and possible superiority of the CAP criteria for prospective registration of CRM.

Wrapped in flames: Corydoras hephaestus, a new remarkably colored species from the Rio Madeira basin (Teleostei: Callichthyidae).

PubMed

Ohara, Willian Massaharu; Tencatt, Luiz F C; Britto, Marcelo R

2016-09-26

A new species of Corydoras is described from the upper Rio Machado, Rio Madeira basin, Rondônia State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the absence of contact between the posterior process of the parieto-supraoccipital and the nuchal plate; a ventral laminar expansion of the infraorbital 1 conspicuously developed; and the posterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine with serrations along almost of its entire length, only lacking in the distal portion. Additionally, Corydoras hephaestus possesses dorsal and pectoral spines short, and exhibits an unusual color pattern in life. The conservation status of the new species and other endemic species are briefly commented.

A new neosuchian with Asian affinities from the Jurassic of northeastern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montefeltro, Felipe C.; Larsson, Hans C. E.; de França, Marco A. G.; Langer, Max C.

2013-09-01

Phylogenetic relationships near the origin of extant crocodylians are weakly supported, and this lack of resolution makes for poor estimates of taxonomic and morphological diversity. Previously known taxa are found throughout the Cretaceous in Laurasia and at a few sites from Brazil, Australia, and northern Africa. Here, we report Batrachomimus pastosbonensis gen. et sp. nov. from the Late Jurassic of northeastern Brazil, which is deeply nested within Neosuchia and associated to the Cretaceous Asian paralligatorids. The new taxon predates all other members of Paralligatoridae and its immediate sister group (including Eusuchia) by 30 million years. A nearly complete skull, osteoderms, and limb bones were recovered, and autapomorphies of B. pastosbonensis include a scalloped lateral margin of the rostrum in dorsal view, unsculpted alveolar margin at the caudalmost portion of the maxilla, blunt lateral prongs on the jugal at the base of the postorbital bar, hourglass shaped choanae, and pterygoid choanal septum extended between the palatal shelves of the palatines. The crocodyloid-like skull proportions and the slender, conical teeth suggest an amphibious and piscivorous life history to this 1 m long animal.

Revision of the rhinoceros beetle genus Oryctophileurus Kolbe with description of a new species, the male of O. varicosus Prell, and notes on biogeography (Scarabaeoidea, Dynastinae, Phileurini).

PubMed

Perger, Robert; Grossi, Paschoal Coelho

2013-01-01

The genus Oryctophileurus is reviewed and its validity is supported by a combination of the following apomorphic characters: a single cephalic horn with lateral carina, pronotal cavity with ocellate punctures and two teeth or tubercles close behind the anterior pronotal margin. The male of Oryctophileurus varicosus Prell, 1934, is described for the first time. A new species, Oryctophileurus guerrai Perger & Grossi sp. n., from subhumid Tucuman-Bolivian forest in the Southern Bolivian Andes is described. The new species is distinguished from its closest relative, O. armicollis Prell, 1911, by a narrower distance between the inner teeth of the dorsal pronotal protuberances and a reduced area of weakly developed ocellate punctures above the posterolateral pronotal margin. The occurrence of Oryctophileurus species in areas of endemism along the eastern slope of the tropical Andes suggests that these populations represent biogeographic "relicts", and the discovery of Oryctophileurus guerrai sp. n. in the southern Bolivian Andes suggests that this area is underrated with respect to insect diversity and endemism.

A molecular atlas of the developing ectoderm defines neural, neural crest, placode, and nonneural progenitor identity in vertebrates.

PubMed

Plouhinec, Jean-Louis; Medina-Ruiz, Sofía; Borday, Caroline; Bernard, Elsa; Vert, Jean-Philippe; Eisen, Michael B; Harland, Richard M; Monsoro-Burq, Anne H

2017-10-01

During vertebrate neurulation, the embryonic ectoderm is patterned into lineage progenitors for neural plate, neural crest, placodes and epidermis. Here, we use Xenopus laevis embryos to analyze the spatial and temporal transcriptome of distinct ectodermal domains in the course of neurulation, during the establishment of cell lineages. In order to define the transcriptome of small groups of cells from a single germ layer and to retain spatial information, dorsal and ventral ectoderm was subdivided along the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral axes by microdissections. Principal component analysis on the transcriptomes of these ectoderm fragments primarily identifies embryonic axes and temporal dynamics. This provides a genetic code to define positional information of any ectoderm sample along the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes directly from its transcriptome. In parallel, we use nonnegative matrix factorization to predict enhanced gene expression maps onto early and mid-neurula embryos, and specific signatures for each ectoderm area. The clustering of spatial and temporal datasets allowed detection of multiple biologically relevant groups (e.g., Wnt signaling, neural crest development, sensory placode specification, ciliogenesis, germ layer specification). We provide an interactive network interface, EctoMap, for exploring synexpression relationships among genes expressed in the neurula, and suggest several strategies to use this comprehensive dataset to address questions in developmental biology as well as stem cell or cancer research.

A molecular atlas of the developing ectoderm defines neural, neural crest, placode, and nonneural progenitor identity in vertebrates

PubMed Central

Borday, Caroline; Bernard, Elsa; Vert, Jean-Philippe; Eisen, Michael B.; Harland, Richard M.

2017-01-01

During vertebrate neurulation, the embryonic ectoderm is patterned into lineage progenitors for neural plate, neural crest, placodes and epidermis. Here, we use Xenopus laevis embryos to analyze the spatial and temporal transcriptome of distinct ectodermal domains in the course of neurulation, during the establishment of cell lineages. In order to define the transcriptome of small groups of cells from a single germ layer and to retain spatial information, dorsal and ventral ectoderm was subdivided along the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral axes by microdissections. Principal component analysis on the transcriptomes of these ectoderm fragments primarily identifies embryonic axes and temporal dynamics. This provides a genetic code to define positional information of any ectoderm sample along the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axes directly from its transcriptome. In parallel, we use nonnegative matrix factorization to predict enhanced gene expression maps onto early and mid-neurula embryos, and specific signatures for each ectoderm area. The clustering of spatial and temporal datasets allowed detection of multiple biologically relevant groups (e.g., Wnt signaling, neural crest development, sensory placode specification, ciliogenesis, germ layer specification). We provide an interactive network interface, EctoMap, for exploring synexpression relationships among genes expressed in the neurula, and suggest several strategies to use this comprehensive dataset to address questions in developmental biology as well as stem cell or cancer research. PMID:29049289

From hyperextended rift to convergent margin types: mapping the outer limit of the extended Continental Shelf of Spain in the Galicia area according UNCLOS Art. 76

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somoza, Luis; Medialdea, Teresa; Vázquez, Juan T.; González, Francisco J.; León, Ricardo; Palomino, Desiree; Fernández-Salas, Luis M.; Rengel, Juan

2017-04-01

Spain presented on 11 May 2009 a partial submission for delimiting the extended Continental Shelf in respect to the area of Galicia to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). The Galicia margin represents an example of the transition between two different types of continental margins (CM): a western hyperpextended margin and a northern convergent margin in the Bay of Biscay. The western Galicia Margin (wGM 41° to 43° N) corresponds to a hyper-extended rifted margin as result of the poly-phase development of the Iberian-Newfoundland conjugate margin during the Mesozoic. Otherwise, the north Galicia Margin (nGM) is the western end of the Cenozoic subduction of the Bay of Biscay along the north Iberian Margin (NIM) linked to the Pyrenean-Mediterranean collisional belt Following the procedure established by the CLCS Scientific and Technical Guidelines (CLCS/11), the points of the Foot of Slope (FoS) has to be determined as the points of maximum change in gradient in the region defined as the Base of the continental Slope (BoS). Moreover, the CLCS guidelines specify that the BoS should be contained within the continental margin (CM). In this way, a full-coverage multibeam bathymetry and an extensive dataset of up 4,736 km of multichannel seismic profiles were expressly obtained during two oceanographic surveys (Breogham-2005 and Espor-2008), aboard the Spanish research vessel Hespérides, to map the outer limit of the CM.In order to follow the criteria of the CLCS guidelines, two types of models reported in the CLCS Guidelines were applied to the Galicia Margin. In passive margins, the Commission's guidelines establish that the natural prolongation is based on that "the natural process by which a continent breaks up prior to the separation by seafloor spreading involves thinning, extension and rifting of the continental crust…" (para. 7.3, CLCS/11). The seaward extension of the wGM should include crustal continental blocks and the so-called Peridotite Ridge (PR), composed by serpentinized exhumed continental mantle. Thus, the PR should be regarded as a natural component of the continental margin since these seafloor highs were formed by hyperextension of the margin. Regarding convergent margins, the architecture of the nGM can be classified according the CLCS/11 as a "poor- or non-accretionary convergent continental margin" characterized by a poorly developed accretionary wedge, which is composed of: a large sedimentary apron mainly formed by large slumps and thrust wedges of igneous (ophiolitic/continental) body overlying subducting oceanic crust (Fig. 6.1B, CLCS/11). According to para. 6.3.6. (CLCS/11), the seaward extent of this type of continental convergent margins is defined by the seaward edge of the accretionary wedge. Applying this definition, the seaward extent of the margin is defined by the outer limit of the ophiolitic deformed body that marks the edge of the accretionary wedge. These geological criteria were strictly applied for mapping the BoS region, where the FoS were determinate by using the maximum change in gradient within this mapped region. Acknowledgments: Project for the Extension of the Spanish Continental according UNCLOS (CTM2010-09496-E) and Project CTM2016-75947-R

Impact of knee support and shape of tabletop on rectum and prostate position

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steenbakkers, Roel; Duppen, Joop C.; Betgen, Anja

2004-12-01

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of different tabletops with or without a knee support on the position of the rectum, prostate, and bulb of the penis; and to evaluate the effect of these patient-positioning devices on treatment planning. Methods and materials: For 10 male volunteers, five MRI scans were made in four different positions: on a flat tabletop with knee support, on a flat tabletop without knee support, on a rounded tabletop with knee support, and on a rounded tabletop without knee support. The fifth scan was in the same position as the first. With image registration, the position differencesmore » of the rectum, prostate, and bulb of the penis were measured at several points in a sagittal plane through the central axis of the prostate. A planning target volume was generated from the delineated prostates with a margin of 10 mm in three dimensions. A three-field treatment plan with a prescribed dose of 78 Gy to the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements point was automatically generated from each planning target volume. Dose-volume histograms were calculated for all rectal walls. Results: The shape of the tabletop did not affect the rectum and prostate position. Addition of a knee support shifted the anterior and posterior rectal walls dorsally. For the anterior rectal wall, the maximum dorsal shift was 9.9 mm (standard error of the mean [SEM] 1.7 mm) at the top of the prostate. For the posterior rectal wall, the maximum dorsal shift was 10.2 mm (SEM 1.5 mm) at the middle of the prostate. Therefore, the rectal filling was pushed caudally when a knee support was added. The knee support caused a rotation of the prostate around the left-right axis at the apex (i.e., a dorsal rotation) by 5.6 deg (SEM 0.8 deg ) and shifts in the caudal and dorsal directions of 2.6 mm (SEM 0.4 cm) and 1.4 mm (SEM 0.6 mm), respectively. The position of the bulb of the penis was not influenced by the use of a knee support or rounded tabletop. The volume of the rectal wall receiving the same dose range (e.g., 40-75 Gy) was reduced by 3.5% (SEM 0.9%) when a knee support was added. No significant differences were observed between the first and fifth scan (flat tabletop with knee support) for all measured points, thereby excluding time trends. Conclusions: The rectum and prostate were significantly shifted dorsally by the use of a knee support. The rectum shifted more than the prostate, resulting in a dose benefit compared with irradiation without knee support. The shape of the tabletop did not influence the rectum or prostate position.« less

Species diversity of ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda) from rice fields in Northeast Thailand, with the description of a new Tanycypris species.

PubMed

Savatenalinton, Sukonthip

2017-12-07

The species diversity of ostracods in rice fields from Northeast Thailand was studied. Fifty-two samples were collected from 43 rice fields during 2010-2016. This investigation revealed 23 genera and 52 species, including one new to science (Tanycypris eugenkempfi n. sp.) and 21 endemic species: endemic to the Oriental region (14 species), Southeast Asia (two species) and Thailand (five species). In addition, two species that were restricted to rice fields in this study were recognized: Bradleytriebella tuberculata (Hartmann, 1964) and Notodromas sinensis Neale & Zhao, 1991. The most diverse genus was Pseudostrandesia, followed by Strandesia with eight and five species, respectively. The most widely distributed species were Pseudocypretta maculata Klie, 1932 and Strandesia kraepelini (G.W. Müller, 1906) occurring in 48.8 % of the total of surveyed rice fields. The number of species in individual rice fields ranged from none to 18. Most of the samples contained three species, but one rice field showed very high species richness (18 species). Most of the species recorded in this study were also found in several types of water bodies and reported from several zoogeographical regions. The main distinguishing characters between Tanycypris eugenkempfi n. sp. and other Tanycypris species are the more tumid carapace in dorsal view, the distinctly arched dorsal margin of the carapace in lateral view, the presence of a subapical dorsal seta on the first segment of the first antenna, the smooth large bristles on the third endite of the maxillula, the absence of c-seta on the first thoracopod, and the long proximal claw (Gp) of the caudal ramus.

A new species of Allobates (Anura: Aromobatidae) from Parque Nacional da Amazônia, Pará State, Brazil.

PubMed

Lima, Albertina P; Simões, Pedro Ivo; Kaefer, Igor Luis

2015-07-01

We describe the fourth species of nurse-frog genus Allobates occurring in the southeastern Brazilian Amazonia. The new species is sympatric with Allobates femoralis, Allobates masniger and Allobates magnussoni, and inhabits the margins of streams in forested areas within Parque Nacional da Amazônia, on the western bank of the Tapajós River. Snout-to-vent length ranges between 14.9-16.1 mm among males and 15.6-16.5 mm among females. The species is distinguished by the light brown background color of dorsum, with irregular dark brown blotches appearing from eye level to the urostyle region. In life, ventral surfaces of males are golden yellow on throat and chest, and white to yellow on abdomen. Ventral surfaces of females are predominantly white, except for light yellow on chin. The dark brown lateral band has a diffuse lower edge ventrolaterally. Dorsal surface of thigh is cream, with a longitudinal dark brown band extending dorsally from vent to knee. Tail musculature of tadpoles is robust, bifurcating dorsally over the body and reaching about two-thirds of the body length. Advertisement calls consist predominantly of continuous pairs of notes, but other note arrangements are also emitted. Notes have ascending frequency modulation and average peak frequency ranging between 5.3-5.9 kHz. First and second notes of the same note pair are similar in amplitude, duration and frequency spectrum. Successive note pairs are split by approximately regular silent intervals (0.30-0.49 s). The species lays its eggs inside rolled or folded dead leaves on the leaf litter. Egg capsules and jelly nests are opaque.

The Unique Dorsal Brood Pouch of Thermosbaenacea (Crustacea, Malacostraca) and Description of an Advanced Developmental Stage of Tulumella unidens from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), with a Discussion of Mouth Part Homologies to Other Malacostraca

PubMed Central

Olesen, Jørgen; Boesgaard, Tom; Iliffe, Thomas M.

2015-01-01

The Thermosbaenacea, a small taxon of crustaceans inhabiting subterranean waters, are unique among malacostracans as they brood their offspring dorsally under the carapace. This habit is of evolutionary interest but the last detailed report on thermosbaenacean development is more than 40 years old. Here we provide new observations on an ovigerous female of Tulumella unidens with advanced developmental stages in its brood chamber collected from an anchialine cave at the Yucatan Peninsula, which is only the third report on developmental stages of Thermosbaenacea and the first for the genus Tulumella. Significant in a wider crustacean context, we report and discuss hitherto unexplored lobate structures inside the brood chamber of the female originating at the first (maxilliped) and second thoracic segments, which are most likely modified epipods, perhaps serving as gills. At the posterior margin of carapace of the female are rows of large spines preventing the developing stages from falling out. The external morphology of the advanced developmental stages is described in much detail, providing information on e.g., carapace formation and early limb morphology. Among the hitherto unknown structures in the advanced developmental stages provided by this study are the presence of an embryonic dorsal organ and rudimentary ‘naupliar processes’ of the second antennae. Since most hypotheses on crustacean (and malacostracan and peracaridan) relationship rest on external limb morphology, we use early limb bud morphology of Tulumella to better establish thermosbaenacean limb homologies to those of other crustaceans, which is a necessary basis for future morphology based phylogenetic considerations. PMID:25901753

The Unique Dorsal Brood Pouch of Thermosbaenacea (Crustacea, Malacostraca) and Description of an Advanced Developmental Stage of Tulumella unidens from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), with a Discussion of Mouth Part Homologies to Other Malacostraca.

PubMed

Olesen, Jørgen; Boesgaard, Tom; Iliffe, Thomas M

2015-01-01

The Thermosbaenacea, a small taxon of crustaceans inhabiting subterranean waters, are unique among malacostracans as they brood their offspring dorsally under the carapace. This habit is of evolutionary interest but the last detailed report on thermosbaenacean development is more than 40 years old. Here we provide new observations on an ovigerous female of Tulumella unidens with advanced developmental stages in its brood chamber collected from an anchialine cave at the Yucatan Peninsula, which is only the third report on developmental stages of Thermosbaenacea and the first for the genus Tulumella. Significant in a wider crustacean context, we report and discuss hitherto unexplored lobate structures inside the brood chamber of the female originating at the first (maxilliped) and second thoracic segments, which are most likely modified epipods, perhaps serving as gills. At the posterior margin of carapace of the female are rows of large spines preventing the developing stages from falling out. The external morphology of the advanced developmental stages is described in much detail, providing information on e.g., carapace formation and early limb morphology. Among the hitherto unknown structures in the advanced developmental stages provided by this study are the presence of an embryonic dorsal organ and rudimentary 'naupliar processes' of the second antennae. Since most hypotheses on crustacean (and malacostracan and peracaridan) relationship rest on external limb morphology, we use early limb bud morphology of Tulumella to better establish thermosbaenacean limb homologies to those of other crustaceans, which is a necessary basis for future morphology based phylogenetic considerations.

Ritacestus gen. n. (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) and redescription of R. ritaii comb. n., a parasite of Rita rita (Siluriformes) in India.

PubMed

de Chambrier, Alain; Scholz, Tomás; Ash, Anirban; Kar, Pradip Kumar

2011-11-01

A new genus, Ritacestus, is proposed to accommodate Ritacestus ritaii (Verma, 1926) comb. n. (syn. Proteocephalus ritaii), a parasite of the catfish Rita rita (Hamilton) in India. The new genus, which is placed in the Gangesiinae, is characterized by (i) a small, subspherical scolex formed by four large lobes separated from one another by longitudinal grooves, with a large, widely oval to pyriform rostellum-like apical organ, larger than suckers and possessing an apical hemispherical depression; (ii) paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles (most follicles are situated medullary); (iii) ventral and dorsal bands of vitelline follicles usually uninterrupted ventral to terminal genitalia and reaching to the posterior margin of proglottides; (iv) the vagina always anterior to the cirrus-sac; (v) a large size of the body (length up to 51 cm); and (vi) development of the uterus of type 2. In its morphology, especially shape of the scolex and apical organ, and paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles, Ritacestus resembles Postgangesia Akhmerov, 1969, but differs in the presence of a genital atrium (both genital pores of Postgangesia are separate), the anterior position of the vagina (almost always posterior in the latter genus), position of vitelline follicles in cross sections (dorsal and ventral bands in Ritacestus versus only a lateral band in the latter genus), and dorsal excretory canals indistinguishable in mature and gravid proglottides of R. ritaii (well developed in Postgangesia spp.). The type and only species of the genus, R. ritaii, is redescribed on the basis of new material from the type host from the Ganges River basin in India and its neotype is designated.

Gestures, vocalizations, and memory in language origins.

PubMed

Aboitiz, Francisco

2012-01-01

THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE POSSIBLE HOMOLOGIES BETWEEN THE HUMAN LANGUAGE NETWORKS AND COMPARABLE AUDITORY PROJECTION SYSTEMS IN THE MACAQUE BRAIN, IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE TWO EXISTING VIEWS ON LANGUAGE EVOLUTION: one that emphasizes hand control and gestures, and the other that emphasizes auditory-vocal mechanisms. The capacity for language is based on relatively well defined neural substrates whose rudiments have been traced in the non-human primate brain. At its core, this circuit constitutes an auditory-vocal sensorimotor circuit with two main components, a "ventral pathway" connecting anterior auditory regions with anterior ventrolateral prefrontal areas, and a "dorsal pathway" connecting auditory areas with parietal areas and with posterior ventrolateral prefrontal areas via the arcuate fasciculus and the superior longitudinal fasciculus. In humans, the dorsal circuit is especially important for phonological processing and phonological working memory, capacities that are critical for language acquisition and for complex syntax processing. In the macaque, the homolog of the dorsal circuit overlaps with an inferior parietal-premotor network for hand and gesture selection that is under voluntary control, while vocalizations are largely fixed and involuntary. The recruitment of the dorsal component for vocalization behavior in the human lineage, together with a direct cortical control of the subcortical vocalizing system, are proposed to represent a fundamental innovation in human evolution, generating an inflection point that permitted the explosion of vocal language and human communication. In this context, vocal communication and gesturing have a common history in primate communication.

Dense TRPV2 immunoreactivity defines a subset of motoneurons in the dorsal lateral nucleus of the spinal cord, the nucleus ambiguus and the trigeminal motor nucleus in rat

PubMed Central

LeWinter, Robin D.; Scherrer, Grégory; Basbaum, Allan I.

2008-01-01

The transient receptor potential cation channel TRPV2 is a member of the TRPV family of proteins and is a homologue of the capsaicin/vanilloid receptor (TRPV1). Like TRPV1, TRPV2 is expressed in a subset of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons that project to superficial laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn. Because noxious heat (>52°C) activates TRPV2 in transfected cells this channel has been implicated in the processing of high intensity thermal pain messages in vivo. In contrast to TRPV1, however, which is restricted to small diameter DRG neurons, there is significant TRPV2 immunoreactivity in a variety of CNS regions. The present report focuses on a subset of neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord of the rat including the dorsal lateral nucleus (DLN) of the spinal cord, the nucleus ambiguus, and the motor trigeminal nucleus. Double label immunocytochemistry with markers of motoneurons, combined with retrograde labeling, established that these cells are, in fact, motoneurons. With the exception of their smaller diameter, these cells did not differ from other motoneurons, which are only lightly TRPV2-immunoreactive. As for the majority of DLN neurons, the densely-labeled populations co-express androgen receptor and follow normal DLN ontogeny. The functional significance of the very intense TRPV2 expression in these three distinct spinal cord and brainstem motoneurons groups remains to be determined. PMID:18063314

Margins in Skin Excision Biopsies: Principles and Guidelines

PubMed Central

Ranjan, Richa; Singh, Lavleen; Arava, Sudheer K; Singh, Manoj Kumar

2014-01-01

Skin biopsies are usually undertaken to confirm a clinical diagnosis, to remove a lesion, and to determine the adequacy of excised tissue margin. A surgical margin is technically defined as the “edge” of the tissue removed. The term is especially pertinent when the tissue excised is suspected of being involved by a malignant process. One of the most important predictive and prognostic factors of a malignant lesion is whether the margins of the resected specimen are involved by the tumor or not. The purpose of this review is to provide an insight into grossing of a skin biopsy specimen with emphasis on techniques and reporting of excision biopsy margins. PMID:25484385

NRC Continental Margins Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsouros, Mary Hope

The Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council is organizing a workshop, “Continental Margins: Evolution of Passive Continental Margins and Active Marginal Processes,” to stimulate discussion and longterm planning in the scientific community about the evolution of all types of continental margins. We want to coordinate academic, industry, and government agency efforts in this field, and to enhance communication between sea-based and land-based research programs.The continental margins constitute the only available record of the long-term dynamic interaction of oceanic and continental lithosphere. Of great interest are the unique structures and thick sedimentary sequences associated with this interaction. A major focus of the workshop will be to define strategies for exploring and understanding the continental margins in three dimensions and through geologic time. The workshop will be divided into 7 working groups, each concentrating on a major issue in continental margins research. A background document is being prepared summarizing recent research in specific continental margin fields and identifying key scientific and technical issues.

Local and global inhibition in bilingual word production: fMRI evidence from Chinese-English bilinguals

PubMed Central

Guo, Taomei; Liu, Hongyan; Misra, Maya; Kroll, Judith F.

2011-01-01

The current study examined the neural correlates associated with local and global inhibitory processes used by bilinguals to resolve interference between competing responses. Two groups of participants completed both blocked and mixed picture naming tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). One group first named a set of pictures in L1, and then named the same pictures in L2. The other group first named pictures in L2, and then in L1. After the blocked naming tasks, both groups performed a mixed language naming task (i.e., naming pictures in either language according to a cue). The comparison between the blocked and mixed naming tasks, collapsed across groups, was defined as the local switching effect, while the comparison between blocked naming in each language was defined as the global switching effect. Distinct patterns of neural activation were found for local inhibition as compared to global inhibition in bilingual word production. Specifically, the results suggest that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the supplementary motor area (SMA) play important roles in local inhibition, while the dorsal left frontal gyrus and parietal cortex are important for global inhibition. PMID:21440072

Impaired functional connectivity within and between frontostriatal circuits and its association with compulsive drug use and trait impulsivity in cocaine addiction.

PubMed

Hu, Yuzheng; Salmeron, Betty Jo; Gu, Hong; Stein, Elliot A; Yang, Yihong

2015-06-01

Converging evidence has long identified both impulsivity and compulsivity as key psychological constructs in drug addiction. Although dysregulated striatal-cortical network interactions have been identified in cocaine addiction, the association between these brain networks and addiction is poorly understood. To test the hypothesis that cocaine addiction is associated with disturbances in striatal-cortical communication as captured by resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), measured from coherent spontaneous fluctuations in the blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging signal, and to explore the relationships between striatal rsFC, trait impulsivity, and uncontrolled drug use in cocaine addiction. A case-control, cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program outpatient magnetic resonance imaging facility. Data used in the present study were collected between December 8, 2005, and September 30, 2011. Participants included 56 non-treatment-seeking cocaine users (CUs) (52 with cocaine dependence and 3 with cocaine abuse) and 56 healthy individuals serving as controls (HCs) matched on age, sex, years of education, race, estimated intelligence, and smoking status. Voxelwise statistical parametric analysis testing the rsFC strength differences between CUs and HCs in brain regions functionally connected to 6 striatal subregions defined a priori. Increased rsFC strength was observed predominantly in striatal-frontal circuits; decreased rsFC was found between the striatum and cingulate, striatal, temporal, hippocampal/amygdalar, and insular regions in the CU group compared with the HCs. Increased striatal-dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex connectivity strength was positively correlated with the amount of recent cocaine use (uncorrected P < .046) and elevated trait impulsivity in the CUs (uncorrected P < .012), and an index reflecting the balance between striatal-dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and striatal-anterior prefrontal/orbitofrontal cortex circuits was significantly associated with loss of control over cocaine use (corrected P < .012). Cocaine addiction is associated with disturbed rsFC in several specific striatal-cortical circuits. Specifically, compulsive cocaine use, a defining characteristic of dependence, was associated with a balance of increased striatal-anterior prefrontal/orbitofrontal and decreased striatal-dorsal anterior cingulate connectivity; trait impulsivity, both a risk factor for and a consequence of cocaine use, was associated with increased dorsal striatal-dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex connectivity uniquely in CUs. These findings provide new insights toward the neurobiological mechanisms of addiction and suggest potential novel therapeutic targets for treatment.

Reply to Comment on ``Emergence of Complex Societies After Sea Level Stabilized''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, John W.; Gunn, Joel D.; Folan, William J.; Yáñez-Arancibia, Alejandro; Horton, Benjamin P.

2007-10-01

Washington [this issue] raised a number of interesting points that serve to clarify the origins of civilizations on continental margins. We linked the initial development of civilizations to coastal margin productivity [Day et al., 2007]. Washington argues that a number of early civilizations were not related to marine productivity, but rather were centered around the exploitation and cultivation of riparian grains. However, we defined coastal margins to include upwellings, estuaries, and lower floodplains affected by coastal water levels. Thus, the Nile, Mesopotamia, Indus, Mississippi, and Yellow societies were influenced by coastal margin productivity.

Critical Action as a Pathway to Social Mobility among Marginalized Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapa, Luke J.; Diemer, Matthew A.; Bañales, Josefina

2018-01-01

Marginalized youth's development occurs in contexts rife with racialized, gendered, and socioeconomic social identity threats and barriers to social mobility. An emergent line of inquiry suggests critical action--a component of critical consciousness, defined as engaging in individual or collective social action to produce social change--may…

Clarifying and Teaching Bohm-Bawerk's "Marginal Pairs."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egger, John B.

1998-01-01

Briefly defines and provides some background on Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk's "marginal pairs" theory of pricing. Asserts that Bohm-Bawerk's theory is a good introduction to the Austrian school of economics and illustrates the differences between this approach and neoclassical economic theory. Includes several graphs and tables of data. (MJP)

Rock Core Tests, Proposed Duplicate Lock-Phase 2, Starved Rock Lock and Dam, Illinois River, Illinois

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-01

defined as being rlppable to marginally rippable by Caterpillar Tractor Company. A cheap, fast seismic refraction survey could verify that this is an...Ore RIPPABLE MARGINAL NGN RIPPABLE Figure 4. Rippability ranges for typical rock types - D9G caterpillar (from performance manual

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of the proximal metacarpus in Quarter Horses used for cutting: Retrospective analysis of 32 horses 2009-2012.

PubMed

Barrett, M F; Manchon, P T; Hersman, J; Kawcak, C E

2018-03-01

Injury to the proximal suspensory ligament is a common cause of lameness in cutting horses. Radiographic and ultrasonographic imaging of lesions responsible for lameness can provide ambiguous results. MRI provides the most comprehensive diagnostic imaging evaluation of lesions specifically affecting cutting horses. To describe the distribution and severity of bone and soft tissue lesions present in the proximal metacarpus of Quarter Horse cutting horses and to assess the impact of these lesions on return to competition. Retrospective case series. Retrospective analysis of 32 cutting horses referred for MRI of the proximal metacarpus between 2009 and 2012 with a 2-year follow-up period. MRI studies were evaluated by a board-certified veterinary radiologist; the severity of lesions was graded from 0 (absent) to 3 (severe). A total of 20 right and 24 left forelimbs (12 bilateral studies) of 32 horses were evaluated. The most common findings were: third metacarpal (McIII) sclerosis at the proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) origin (42/44), McIII resorption at the PSL origin (32/44), PSL dorsal margin fibre irregularity (30/44) and McIII bone contusion (22/39). Of the 30 horses, 22 horses successfully returned to competition, irrespective of severity of injury. Strong correlation exists between the degree of resorption in the palmar cortex of proximal McIII, degree of McIII sclerosis and severity of dorsal margin fibre irregularity. Statistical significance was limited by small study population. Further analysis of prognosis was limited by availability of comprehensive medical records. Cutting horses with proximal metacarpal pain have significant pathological change within the proximal suspensory ligament and its enthesis on the palmar cortex of McIII. Severity of lesions and degree of lameness at the time of diagnosis does not influence return to performance. Accurate diagnosis of proximal metacarpal lesions based on MRI offers clinicians the capacity to select treatment protocols targeted to each disease process. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Cranial anatomy of Bellusaurus sui (Dinosauria: Eusauropoda) from the Middle-Late Jurassic Shishugou Formation of northwest China and a review of sauropod cranial ontogeny

PubMed Central

Xu, Xing

2018-01-01

Bellusaurus sui is an enigmatic sauropod dinosaur from the Middle-Late Jurassic Shishugou Formation of northwest China. Bellusaurus is known from a monospecific bonebed preserving elements from more than a dozen juvenile individuals, including numerous bones of the skull, providing rare insight into the cranial anatomy of juvenile sauropods. Here, we present a comprehensive description of the cranial anatomy of Bellusaurus, supplementing the holotypic cranial material with additional elements recovered from recent joint Sino-American field expeditions. Bellusaurus is diagnosed by several unique autapomorphies, including a neurovascular foramen piercing the ascending process of the maxilla at midheight, the frontal process of the nasal extending farther posteriorly onto the frontal than the prefrontal, and U-shaped medial and lateral notches in the posterior margin of the ventral process of the squamosal. Several features identified here, including a preantorbital opening in the maxilla, a stepped dorsal margin of the vomerine process of the pterygoid, and the partitioning of the dorsal midline endocranial fossae associated with the dural venous sinuses into anterior and posterior components by a transverse ridge of the parietal, are consistent with recent phylogenetic hypotheses that recover Bellusaurus as a basal macronarian or close relative of Neosauropoda. We review the current state of knowledge of sauropod cranial ontogeny, placing several aspects of the cranial anatomy of Bellusaurus in an ontogenetic context and providing explicit hypotheses of ontogenetic transformations that can be tested by future discoveries of ontogenetic variants of sauropod skulls. While scoring ontogenetically variable characters as unknown may help to alleviate the biasing effects of ontogeny on the phylogenetic position of juvenile specimens, we caution that this approach may remove phylogenetically informative character information, and argue that inference methods that are known to be less sensitive to homoplasy than equal weights parsimony (i.e., implied weights parsimony; Bayesian approaches) should also be employed. PMID:29868283

Dynorphin is expressed primarily by GABAergic neurons that contain galanin in the rat dorsal horn

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The opioid peptide dynorphin is expressed by certain neurons in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord, but little is known about the types of cell that contain dynorphin. In this study, we have used an antibody against the dynorphin precursor preprodynorphin (PPD), to reveal the cell bodies and axons of dynorphin-expressing neurons in the rat spinal cord. The main aims were to estimate the proportion of neurons in each of laminae I-III that express dynorphin and to determine whether they are excitatory or inhibitory neurons. Results PPD-immunoreactive cells were concentrated in lamina I and the outer part of lamina II (IIo), where they constituted 17% and 8%, respectively, of all neurons. Around half of those in lamina I and 80% of those in lamina II were GABA-immunoreactive. We have previously identified four non-overlapping neurochemical populations of inhibitory interneurons in this region, defined by the presence of neuropeptide Y, galanin, parvalbumin and neuronal nitric oxide synthase. PPD co-localised extensively with galanin in both cell bodies and axons, but rarely or not at all with the other three markers. PPD was present in around 4% of GABAergic boutons (identified by the presence of the vesicular GABA transporter) in laminae I-II. Conclusions These results show that most dynorphin-expressing cells in the superficial dorsal horn are inhibitory interneurons, and that they largely correspond to the population that is defined by the presence of galanin. We estimate that dynorphin is present in ~32% of inhibitory interneurons in lamina I and 11% of those in lamina II. Since the proportion of GABAergic boutons that contain PPD in these laminae was considerably lower than this, our findings suggest that these neurons may generate relatively small axonal arborisations. PMID:21958458

Time Safety Margin: Theory and Practice

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

Basic Dive Recovery Terminology The Simplest Definition of TSM: Time Safety Margin is the time to directly travel from the worst-case vector to an...Safety Margin (TSM). TSM is defined as the time in seconds to directly travel from the worst case vector (i.e. worst case combination of parameters...invoked by this AFI, base recovery planning and risk management upon the calculated TSM. TSM is the time in seconds to di- rectly travel from the worst case

The influence of propofol anesthesia exposure on nonaversive memory retrieval and expression of molecules involved in memory process in the dorsal hippocampus in peripubertal rats.

PubMed

Pavković, Željko; Milanović, Desanka; Ruždijić, Sabera; Kanazir, Selma; Pešić, Vesna

2018-06-01

The effects of anesthetic drugs on postoperative cognitive function in children are not well defined and have not been experimentally addressed. The present study aimed to examine the influence of propofol anesthesia exposure on nonaversive hippocampus-dependent learning and biochemical changes involved in memory process in the dorsal hippocampus, in peripubertal rats as the rodent model of periadolescence. The intersession spatial habituation and the novel object recognition tasks were used to assess spatial and nonspatial, nonaversive hippocampus-dependent learning. The exposure to anesthesia was performed after comparably long acquisition phases in both tasks. Behavioral testing lasted for 2 consecutive days (24-hour retention period). Changes in the expression of molecules involved in memory retrieval/reconsolidation were examined in the dorsal hippocampus by Western blot and immunohistochemistry, at the time of behavioral testing. Exposure to propofol anesthesia resulted in inappropriate assessment of spatial novelty at the beginning of the test session and affected continuation of acquisition in the spatial habituation test. The treatment did not affect recognition of the novel object at the beginning of the test session but it attenuated overall preference to novelty, reflecting retrieval of a weak memory. The expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (involved in memory retrieval) was decreased while the level of phosphorylated Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα and early growth response protein 1 (involved in memory reconsolidation) was increased in the dorsal hippocampus. The level of Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (neuronal activity indicator) was increased in the dorsal dentate gyrus. Enhanced exploratory activity was still evident in the propofol anesthesia exposure (PAE) group 48 hour after the treatment in both tasks. In peripubertal rats, propofol anesthesia exposure affects memory retrieval and acquisition of new learning in the spatial and nonspatial, nonaversive learning tasks 24 hour after the treatment, along with the expression of molecules that participate in memory retrieval/reconsolidation in the dorsal hippocampus. These results may have clinical implications, favoring control of basic cognitive functions in older children after the propofol exposure. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Margin and sensitivity methods for security analysis of electric power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, Scott L.

Reliable operation of large scale electric power networks requires that system voltages and currents stay within design limits. Operation beyond those limits can lead to equipment failures and blackouts. Security margins measure the amount by which system loads or power transfers can change before a security violation, such as an overloaded transmission line, is encountered. This thesis shows how to efficiently compute security margins defined by limiting events and instabilities, and the sensitivity of those margins with respect to assumptions, system parameters, operating policy, and transactions. Security margins to voltage collapse blackouts, oscillatory instability, generator limits, voltage constraints and line overloads are considered. The usefulness of computing the sensitivities of these margins with respect to interarea transfers, loading parameters, generator dispatch, transmission line parameters, and VAR support is established for networks as large as 1500 buses. The sensitivity formulas presented apply to a range of power system models. Conventional sensitivity formulas such as line distribution factors, outage distribution factors, participation factors and penalty factors are shown to be special cases of the general sensitivity formulas derived in this thesis. The sensitivity formulas readily accommodate sparse matrix techniques. Margin sensitivity methods are shown to work effectively for avoiding voltage collapse blackouts caused by either saddle node bifurcation of equilibria or immediate instability due to generator reactive power limits. Extremely fast contingency analysis for voltage collapse can be implemented with margin sensitivity based rankings. Interarea transfer can be limited by voltage limits, line limits, or voltage stability. The sensitivity formulas presented in this thesis apply to security margins defined by any limit criteria. A method to compute transfer margins by directly locating intermediate events reduces the total number of loadflow iterations required by each margin computation and provides sensitivity information at minimal additional cost. Estimates of the effect of simultaneous transfers on the transfer margins agree well with the exact computations for a network model derived from a portion of the U.S grid. The accuracy of the estimates over a useful range of conditions and the ease of obtaining the estimates suggest that the sensitivity computations will be of practical value.

A new species of Malmiana (Oligochaeta: Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) from tidepool fishes in northern California.

PubMed

Burreson, Eugene M; Kalman, Julianne E

2006-02-01

Malmiana buthi n. sp. is described from the body and fins of the fluffy sculpin, Oligocottus snyderi, the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculosus, and the woolly sculpin, Clinocottus analis, collected from tidepools at Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve in Sonoma County, California. Prevalence of the leech was 32.6% on live-caught O. snyderi; mean intensity on O. snyderi was 3.3 leeches per fish, with a range from 1 to 7. The leech is not known to exceed 8 mm total length. The body is smooth, lacking papillae, tubercles, or pulsatile vesicles. Two pairs of crescentiform eyes are present on the oral sucker, and 1 pair of punctiform eyes occurs on the second annulus of the trachelosome. The caudal sucker has 14 small punctiform ocelli spaced evenly around the margin. The last 9 segments of the urosome have pairs of large punctiform ocelli both dorsally and ventrally. Body and caudal sucker pigmentation is uniformly reddish brown dorsally and ventrally with segental, lateral, unpigmented areas on both the urosome and trachelosome; pigmentation on the oral sucker is in the form of a cross. There are 5 pairs of testisacs; accessory gland cells on the atrial cornua and vector tissue are absent.

Making sense out of spinal cord somatosensory development

PubMed Central

Seal, Rebecca P.

2016-01-01

The spinal cord integrates and relays somatosensory input, leading to complex motor responses. Research over the past couple of decades has identified transcription factor networks that function during development to define and instruct the generation of diverse neuronal populations within the spinal cord. A number of studies have now started to connect these developmentally defined populations with their roles in somatosensory circuits. Here, we review our current understanding of how neuronal diversity in the dorsal spinal cord is generated and we discuss the logic underlying how these neurons form the basis of somatosensory circuits. PMID:27702783

Impact of abutment rotation and angulation on marginal fit: theoretical considerations.

PubMed

Semper, Wiebke; Kraft, Silvan; Mehrhof, Jurgen; Nelson, Katja

2010-01-01

Rotational freedom of various implant positional index designs has been previously calculated. To investigate its clinical relevance, a three-dimensional simulation was performed to demonstrate the influence of rotational displacements of the abutment on the marginal fit of prosthetic superstructures. Idealized abutments with different angulations (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 degrees) were virtually constructed (SolidWorks Office Premium 2007). Then, rotational displacement was simulated with various degrees of rotational freedom (0.7, 0.95, 1.5, 1.65, and 1.85 degrees). The resulting horizontal displacement of the abutment from the original position was quantified in microns, followed by a simulated pressure-less positioning of superstructures with defined internal gaps (5 µm, 60 µm, and 100 µm). The resulting marginal gap between the abutment and the superstructure was measured vertically with the SolidWorks measurement tool. Rotation resulted in a displacement of the abutment of up to 157 µm at maximum rotation and angulation. Interference of a superstructure with a defined internal gap of 5 µm placed on the abutment resulted in marginal gaps up to 2.33 mm at maximum rotation and angulation; with a 60-µm internal gap, the marginal gaps reached a maximum of 802 µm. Simulation using a superstructure with an internal gap of 100 µm revealed a marginal gap of 162 µm at abutment angulation of 20 degrees and rotation of 1.85 degrees. The marginal gaps increased with the degree of abutment angulation and the extent of rotational freedom. Rotational displacement of the abutment influenced prosthesis misfit. The marginal gaps between the abutment and the superstructure increased with the rotational freedom of the index and the angulation of the abutment.

Conventional 4-field box radiotherapy technique for cancer cervix: potential for geographic miss without CECT scan-based planning.

PubMed

Nagar, Y S; Singh, S; Kumar, S; Lal, P

2004-01-01

The advantage of 4-field radiation to the pelvis is that the use of lateral portals spares a portion of the small bowel anteriorly and rectum posteriorly. The standard lateral portals defined in textbooks are not always adequate especially in advanced cancer cervix. An analysis was done to determine adequacy of margins of standard lateral pelvic portals with CECT defined tumor volumes. The study included 40 patients of FIGO stage IIB and IIIB treated definitively for cancer cervix between 1998 and 2000. An inadequate margin was defined if the cervical growth and uterus were not encompassed by the 95% isodose. An inadequate posterior margin was common with bulky disease (P = 0.06) and with retroverted uterus (P = 0.08). Menopausal status, FIGO stage, associated myoma, and age were of no apparent prognostic significance. Bulk retained significant on multivariate analysis. An inadequate anterior margin was common in premenopausal (P = 0.01); anteverted uterus (P = 0.02); associated myoma (P = 0.01); and younger patients (P = 0.03). It was not influenced by bulk or stage. Menopausal status and associated myoma retained significant on multivariate analysis. Without the knowledge of precise tumor volume, the 4-field technique with standard portals is potentially risky as it may under dose the tumor through lateral portals and the standard AP/ PA portals are a safer option.

Probabilities of good, marginal, and poor flying conditions for space shuttle ferry flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiting, D. M.; Guttman, N. B.

1977-01-01

Empirical probabilities are provided for good, marginal, and poor flying weather for ferrying the Space Shuttle Orbiter from Edwards AFB, California, to Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and from Edwards AFB to Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama. Results are given by month for each overall route plus segments of each route. The criteria for defining a day as good, marginal, or poor and the method of computing the relative frequencies and conditional probabilities for monthly reference periods are described.

Anatomy and histology of apical support: a literature review concerning cardinal and uterosacral ligaments.

PubMed

Ramanah, Rajeev; Berger, Mitchell B; Parratte, Bernard M; DeLancey, John O L

2012-11-01

The objective of this work was to collect and summarize relevant literature on the anatomy, histology, and imaging of apical support of the upper vagina and the uterus provided by the cardinal (CL) and uterosacral (USL) ligaments. A literature search in English, French, and German languages was carried out with the keywords apical support, cardinal ligament, transverse cervical ligament, Mackenrodt ligament, parametrium, paracervix, retinaculum uteri, web, uterosacral ligament, and sacrouterine ligament in the PubMed database. Other relevant journal and textbook articles were sought by retrieving references cited in previous PubMed articles. Fifty references were examined in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. The USL extends from the S2 to the S4 vertebra region to the dorsal margin of the uterine cervix and/or to the upper third of the posterior vaginal wall. It has a superficial and deep component. Autonomous nerve fibers are a major constituent of the deep USL. CL is defined as a perivascular sheath with a proximal insertion around the origin of the internal iliac artery and a distal insertion on the cervix and/or vagina. It is divided into a cranial (vascular) and a caudal (neural) portions. Histologically, it contains mainly vessels, with no distinct band of connective tissue. Both the deep USL and the caudal CL are closely related to the inferior hypogastric plexus. USL and CL are visceral ligaments, with mesentery-like structures containing vessels, nerves, connective tissue, and adipose tissue.

The definition of the V zone for the safety space of functional surgery of the tongue.

PubMed

Hou, Tiening; Shao, Jinyan; Fang, Songhua

2012-01-01

To define safety space for functional surgery of the tongue. Prospective nonrandomized study. Computed tomographic angiography of the lingual artery was performed in 107 in-patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and 17 controls. The safety space was ascertained according to the course of lingual artery. The course of the lingual artery, termed the Big Dipper bowl of the tongue, was similar in each group. The tissue above the lingual artery and the vacuity of the hypoglossal/lingual artery neurovascular bundle (HLNVB) formed a three-dimensional structure. The anterior part was named the V prozone. Its anterior border was the tangent plane of the deep lingual artery, its posterior border the circumvallate papilla, its width the interval of bilateral margins at the corresponding parts of the tongue, and its height the level of the middle lingual frenulum. The posterior portion between the bilateral dorsal arteries in the tongue base was named the V postzone. Its width was 31.42±3.82 mm when the tongue was in a resting position, and its height was the distance from the foramen cecum to the bottom of the epiglottic vallecula. The inferior part under the intrinsic lingual muscles was named the hypoglossal floor. It is a relatively restricted surgery zone. The V zone of the tongue without HLNVB travelling provides enough of safety space for functional surgery on the tongue. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Anatomy and histology of apical support: a literature review concerning cardinal and uterosacral ligaments

PubMed Central

Ramanah, Rajeev; Berger, Mitchell B.; Parratte, Bernard M.

2014-01-01

The objective of this work was to collect and summarize relevant literature on the anatomy, histology, and imaging of apical support of the upper vagina and the uterus provided by the cardinal (CL) and uterosacral (USL) ligaments. A literature search in English, French, and German languages was carried out with the keywords apical support, cardinal ligament, transverse cervical ligament, Mackenrodt ligament, parametrium, paracervix, retinaculum uteri, web, uterosacral ligament, and sacrouterine ligament in the PubMed database. Other relevant journal and textbook articles were sought by retrieving references cited in previous PubMed articles. Fifty references were examined in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. The USL extends from the S2 to the S4 vertebra region to the dorsal margin of the uterine cervix and/or to the upper third of the posterior vaginal wall. It has a superficial and deep component. Autonomous nerve fibers are a major constituent of the deep USL. CL is defined as a perivascular sheath with a proximal insertion around the origin of the internal iliac artery and a distal insertion on the cervix and/or vagina. It is divided into a cranial (vascular) and a caudal (neural) portions. Histologically, it contains mainly vessels, with no distinct band of connective tissue. Both the deep USL and the caudal CL are closely related to the inferior hypogastric plexus. USL and CL are visceral ligaments, with mesentery-like structures containing vessels, nerves, connective tissue, and adipose tissue. PMID:22618209

26 CFR 1.994-2 - Marginal costing rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... supplier (as defined in § 1.994-1(a)(3)(ii)) chooses, provided that the requirements of both subparagraphs... with Y whereby Y is granted a sales franchise with respect to exporting such product line from which...), combined taxable income under marginal costing is limited to $28.50. Since under the franchise agreement Y...

Anatomy and osteohistology of the basal hadrosaurid dinosaur Eotrachodon from the uppermost Santonian (Cretaceous) of southern Appalachia.

PubMed

Prieto-Márquez, Albert; Erickson, Gregory M; Ebersole, Jun A

2016-01-01

The cranial and postcranial anatomy of the basal hadrosaurid dinosaur Eotrachodon orientalis, from the uppermost Santonian of southern Appalachia (southeastern U.S.A.), is described in detail. This animal is the only known pre-Campanian non-lambeosaurine hadrosaurid, and the most complete hadrosauroid known from Appalachia. E. orientalis possesses a mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived characters in the context of Hadrosauroidea. Characters shared with basal hadrosauroids include a short and sloping maxillary ectopterygoid shelf, caudally prominent maxillary jugal process, one functional tooth per alveolus on the maxillary occlusal plane, a jugal rostral process with a shallow caudodorsal margin and medioventrally facing articular facet, a vertical dentary coronoid process with a poorly expanded apex, and tooth crowns with accessory ridges. Derived characters shared with other hadrosaurids include a circumnarial depression compartmented into three fossae (as in brachylophosaurins and Edmontosaurus), a thin everted premaxillary oral margin (as in Gryposaurus, Prosaurolophus, and Saurolophus), and a maxilla with a deep and rostrocaudally extensive rostrodorsal region with a steeply sloping premaxillary margin (as in Gryposaurus). Eotrachodon orientalis differs primarily from the other hadrosauroid from the Mooreville Chalk of Alabama, Lophorhothon atopus, in having a slender and crestless nasal whose caudodorsal margin is not invaded by the circumnarial depression. Hadrosaurus foulkii, the only other known hadrosaurid from Appalachia, is distinct from E. orientalis in having dentary teeth lacking accessory ridges and a dorsally curved shaft of the ischium. A histological section of the tibia of the E. orientalis holotype (MSC 7949) suggests that this individual was actively growing at the time of death and, thus, had the potential to become a larger animal later in development.

MARGINS: Toward a novel science plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, John C.

A science plan to study continental margins has been in the works for the past 3 years, with almost 200 Earth scientists from a wide variety of disciplines gathering at meetings and workshops. Most geological hazards and resources are found at continental margins, yet our understanding of the processes that shape the margins is meager.In formulating this MARGINS research initiative, fundamental issues concerning our understanding of basic Earth-forming processes have arisen. It is clear that a business-as-usual approach will not solve the class of problems defined by the MARGINS program; the solutions demand approaches different from those used in the past. In many cases, a different class of experiment will be required, one that is well beyond the capability of individual principle investigators to undertake on their own. In most cases, broadly based interdisciplinary studies will be needed.

Nipponnemertes incainca sp. n. Adoption of the new taxonomic proposal for nemerteans (Nemertea, Cratenemertidae)

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Cueto, Jaime; Castro, Lyda R.; Quiroga, Sigmer

2017-01-01

Abstract A new species Nipponemertes incainca is described from the intertidal zone of Santa Marta, Colombia. A new recent approach based on both morphological and molecular characters is applied for the description. The main characteristics of the species are: red color, head shield-shaped with a mid-dorsal cephalic ridge, furrows pre-cerebral inconspicuous with few faint ridges orthogonal to furrow axis, two irregular groups of eyespots situated at lateral margins in precerebral cephalic region, proboscis provided with papillae and 12 nerves, stylet smooth supported on an oval basis, and two pouches containing 3–4 accessory stylets each. The sequence of the COI gene was analyzed as an additional support for the new species. PMID:29133991

A new species of Parapsectrocladius Cranston (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) from Patagonia, Argentina.

PubMed

Donato, Mariano; Mauad, Melina; Fuentes, María Cecilia

2015-01-21

Parapsectrocladius setosus sp. n. is described and figured as pupa and male imago, based on material collected in Patagonia, Argentina. The male of the new species groups with P. escondido Cranston & Añón Suárez by having the anal point tapering triangular; inferior volsella simple, rounded, without any dorsal ridge and apically blunt. It can be distinguished from P. escondido by the possession of strong setae on the inner margin of inferior volsella. New material of Parapsectrocladius belonging from several localities allows us to emend the generic diagnosis of the adult male, female and larva of Parapsectrocladius, discuss its phylogenetic position and to expand the geographic distribution of P. acuminatus Cranston, P. escondido and P. reissi. Cranston. 

Larval morphology and advertisement call of Phyllodytes acuminatus Bokermann, 1966 (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Campos, Thamires F; De Lima, Marcelo G; Do Nascimento, Filipe Augusto C; Dos Santos, Ednilza M

2014-03-13

This paper describes the tadpole and advertisement call of Phyllodytes acuminatus, based on specimens from the Parque Nacional do Catimbau, in the municipality of Buíque, State of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. The overall morphology of P. acuminatus tadpole is similar to that of most species of the genus. The presence of a double row of marginal papillae surrounding all the oral apparatus (except on most of the upper labium which has a dorsal gap) was a characteristic that differentiate P. acuminatus from the other species of the genus. Furthermore, the call structure of the species (unpulsed notes with harmonic structure) fits it in the group composed of P. kautskyi and P. melanomystax.

A new species of the genus Capoeta Valenciennes, 1842 from the Caspian Sea basin in Iran (Teleostei, Cyprinidae)

PubMed Central

Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash; Eagderi, Soheil; Ghanavi, Hamid Reza; Doadrio, Ignacio

2017-01-01

Abstract A new species of algae-scraping cyprinid of the genus Capoeta Valenciennes, 1842 is described from the Kheyroud River, located in the southern part of the Caspian Sea basin in Iran. The species differs from other members of this genus by a combination of the following characters: one pair of barbels; predorsal length equal to postdorsal length; maxillary barbel slightly smaller than eye’s horizontal diameter and reach to posterior margin of orbit; intranasal length slightly shorter than snout length; lateral line with 46–54 scales; 7–9 scales between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line, and 6–7 scales between anal-fin origin and lateral line. PMID:28769726

The Maternal Maverick/GDF15-like TGF-β Ligand Panda Directs Dorsal-Ventral Axis Formation by Restricting Nodal Expression in the Sea Urchin Embryo.

PubMed

Haillot, Emmanuel; Molina, Maria Dolores; Lapraz, François; Lepage, Thierry

2015-01-01

Specification of the dorsal-ventral axis in the highly regulative sea urchin embryo critically relies on the zygotic expression of nodal, but whether maternal factors provide the initial spatial cue to orient this axis is not known. Although redox gradients have been proposed to entrain the dorsal-ventral axis by acting upstream of nodal, manipulating the activity of redox gradients only has modest consequences, suggesting that other factors are responsible for orienting nodal expression and defining the dorsal-ventral axis. Here we uncover the function of Panda, a maternally provided transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) ligand that requires the activin receptor-like kinases (Alk) Alk3/6 and Alk1/2 receptors to break the radial symmetry of the embryo and orient the dorsal-ventral axis by restricting nodal expression. We found that the double inhibition of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptors Alk3/6 and Alk1/2 causes a phenotype dramatically more severe than the BMP2/4 loss-of-function phenotype, leading to extreme ventralization of the embryo through massive ectopic expression of nodal, suggesting that an unidentified signal acting through BMP type I receptors cooperates with BMP2/4 to restrict nodal expression. We identified this ligand as the product of maternal Panda mRNA. Double inactivation of panda and bmp2/4 led to extreme ventralization, mimicking the phenotype caused by inactivation of the two BMP receptors. Inhibition of maternal panda mRNA translation disrupted the early spatial restriction of nodal, leading to persistent massive ectopic expression of nodal on the dorsal side despite the presence of Lefty. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Panda is not a prototypical BMP ligand but a member of a subfamily of TGF-β distantly related to Inhibins, Lefty, and TGF-β that includes Maverick from Drosophila and GDF15 from vertebrates. Indeed, overexpression of Panda does not appear to directly or strongly activate phosphoSmad1/5/8 signaling, suggesting that although this TGF-β may require Alk1/2 and/or Alk3/6 to antagonize nodal expression, it may do so by sequestering a factor essential for Nodal signaling, by activating a non-Smad pathway downstream of the type I receptors, or by activating extremely low levels of pSmad1/5/8. We provide evidence that, although panda mRNA is broadly distributed in the early embryo, local expression of panda mRNA efficiently orients the dorsal-ventral axis and that Panda activity is required locally in the early embryo to specify this axis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that maternal panda mRNA is both necessary and sufficient to orient the dorsal-ventral axis. These results therefore provide evidence that in the highly regulative sea urchin embryo, the activity of spatially restricted maternal factors regulates patterning along the dorsal-ventral axis.

The Maternal Maverick/GDF15-like TGF-β Ligand Panda Directs Dorsal-Ventral Axis Formation by Restricting Nodal Expression in the Sea Urchin Embryo

PubMed Central

Haillot, Emmanuel; Molina, Maria Dolores; Lapraz, François; Lepage, Thierry

2015-01-01

Specification of the dorsal-ventral axis in the highly regulative sea urchin embryo critically relies on the zygotic expression of nodal, but whether maternal factors provide the initial spatial cue to orient this axis is not known. Although redox gradients have been proposed to entrain the dorsal-ventral axis by acting upstream of nodal, manipulating the activity of redox gradients only has modest consequences, suggesting that other factors are responsible for orienting nodal expression and defining the dorsal-ventral axis. Here we uncover the function of Panda, a maternally provided transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) ligand that requires the activin receptor-like kinases (Alk) Alk3/6 and Alk1/2 receptors to break the radial symmetry of the embryo and orient the dorsal-ventral axis by restricting nodal expression. We found that the double inhibition of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptors Alk3/6 and Alk1/2 causes a phenotype dramatically more severe than the BMP2/4 loss-of-function phenotype, leading to extreme ventralization of the embryo through massive ectopic expression of nodal, suggesting that an unidentified signal acting through BMP type I receptors cooperates with BMP2/4 to restrict nodal expression. We identified this ligand as the product of maternal Panda mRNA. Double inactivation of panda and bmp2/4 led to extreme ventralization, mimicking the phenotype caused by inactivation of the two BMP receptors. Inhibition of maternal panda mRNA translation disrupted the early spatial restriction of nodal, leading to persistent massive ectopic expression of nodal on the dorsal side despite the presence of Lefty. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Panda is not a prototypical BMP ligand but a member of a subfamily of TGF-β distantly related to Inhibins, Lefty, and TGF-β that includes Maverick from Drosophila and GDF15 from vertebrates. Indeed, overexpression of Panda does not appear to directly or strongly activate phosphoSmad1/5/8 signaling, suggesting that although this TGF-β may require Alk1/2 and/or Alk3/6 to antagonize nodal expression, it may do so by sequestering a factor essential for Nodal signaling, by activating a non-Smad pathway downstream of the type I receptors, or by activating extremely low levels of pSmad1/5/8. We provide evidence that, although panda mRNA is broadly distributed in the early embryo, local expression of panda mRNA efficiently orients the dorsal-ventral axis and that Panda activity is required locally in the early embryo to specify this axis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that maternal panda mRNA is both necessary and sufficient to orient the dorsal-ventral axis. These results therefore provide evidence that in the highly regulative sea urchin embryo, the activity of spatially restricted maternal factors regulates patterning along the dorsal-ventral axis. PMID:26352141

Geologic controls on submarine slope failure along the central U.S. Atlantic margin: Insights from the Currituck Slide Complex

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, Jenna C.; Brothers, Daniel S.; Craig, Bradley K.; ten Brink, Uri S.; Chaytor, Jason D.; Flores, Claudia

2017-01-01

Multiple styles of failure, ranging from densely spaced, mass transport driven canyons to the large, slab-type slope failure of the Currituck Slide, characterize adjacent sections of the central U.S. Atlantic margin that appear to be defined by variations in geologic framework. Here we use regionally extensive, deep penetration multichannel seismic (MCS) profiles to reconstruct the influence of the antecedent margin physiography on sediment accumulation along the central U.S. Atlantic continental shelf-edge, slope, and uppermost rise from the Miocene to Present. These data are combined with high-resolution sparker MCS reflection profiles and multibeam bathymetry data across the Currituck Slide Complex. Pre-Neogene allostratigraphic horizons beneath the slope are generally characterized by low gradients and convex downslope profiles. This is followed by the development of thick, prograded deltaic clinoforms during the middle Miocene. Along-strike variations in morphology of a regional unconformity at the top of this middle Miocene unit appear to have set the stage for differing styles of mass transport along the margin. Areas north and south of the Currituck Slide are characterized by oblique margin morphology, defined by an angular shelf-edge and a relatively steep (> 8°), concave slope profile. Upper slope sediment bypass, closely spaced submarine canyons, and small, localized landslides confined to canyon heads and sidewalls characterize these sectors of the margin. In contrast, the Currituck region is defined by a sigmoidal geometry, with a rounded shelf-edge rollover and gentler slope gradient (< 6°). Thick (> 800 m), regionally continuous stratified slope deposits suggest the low gradient Currituck region was a primary depocenter for fluvial inputs during multiple sea level lowstands. These results imply that the rounded, gentle slope physiography developed during the middle Miocene allowed for a relatively high rate of subsequent sediment accumulation, thus providing a mechanism for compaction–induced overpressure that preconditioned the Currituck region for failure. Detailed examination of the regional geological framework illustrates the importance of both sediment supply and antecedent slope physiography in the development of large, potentially unstable depocenters along passive margins.

A test of the universal applicability of a commonly used principle of hoof balance.

PubMed

Caldwell, M N; Allan, L A; Pinchbeck, G L; Clegg, P D; Kissick, K E; Milner, P I

2016-01-01

This study used a UK trimming protocol to determine whether hoof balance is achieved (as defined by equivalence of geometric proportions) in cadaver limbs (n = 49) and two cohorts of horses (shod, n = 6, and unshod, n = 20; three trimming cycles). To determine equivalence, dorsal hoof wall length (DHWL), distance from the heel buttress to the centre of pressure (HBUT-COP) and distance from dorsal toe to centre of rotation (DT-COR) were calculated as a proportion of bearing border length (BBL) using digital photography. Geometric proportions were tested using Fieller's test of equivalence with limits of difference of 2.8%. In 22 cadaver limbs the location of external COR and COP was also mapped radiographically to the extensor process of the third phalanx and the centre of rotation of the distal interphalangeal joint. Equivalence of geometric proportions was not present following trimming in cadaver limbs or in the two cohorts. Although the dorsal hoof wall to heel wall ratio improved in cadaver and unshod horses after trimming, dorsal hoof wall and lateral heel parallelism was absent in all groups and COP was not consistently in line with the extensor process. Increased COP-COR distance occurred in shod horses and may relate to solar arch flattening. Palmar heel migration, however, occurred more in unshod horses. The study shows that equivalence of geometric proportions as a measure of static hoof balance was not commonly present and widely published measures and ratios of hoof balance rarely occurred in this sample population of horses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cervical vertebral stenosis associated with a vertebral arch anomaly in the Basset Hound.

PubMed

De Decker, S; De Risio, L; Lowrie, M; Mauler, D; Beltran, E; Giedja, A; Kenny, P J; Gielen, I; Garosi, L; Volk, H

2012-01-01

To report the clinical presentation, imaging characteristics, treatment results, and histopathological findings of a previously undescribed vertebral malformation in the Basset Hound. Retrospective case series study. Eighteen Basset Hounds presented for evaluation of a suspected cervical spinal cord problem. All dogs underwent computed tomography myelography or magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical region. Thirteen male and 5 female Basset Hounds between 6 months and 10.8 years of age (median: 1.4 years) were studied. Clinical signs varied from cervical hyperesthesia to nonambulatory tetraparesis. Imaging demonstrated a well-defined and smooth hypertrophy of the dorsal lamina and spinous process of ≥ 2 adjacent vertebrae. Although this bony abnormality could decrease the ventrodorsal vertebral canal diameter, dorsal midline spinal cord compression was predominantly caused by ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. The articulation between C4 and C5 was most commonly affected. Three dogs were lost to follow-up, 10 dogs underwent dorsal laminectomy, and medical management was initiated in 5 dogs. Surgery resulted in a good outcome with short hospitalization times (median: 4.5 days) in all dogs, whereas medical management produced more variable results. Histopathology confirmed ligamentum flavum hypertrophy and demonstrated the fibrocartilaginous nature of this anomaly. Dorsal lamina and spinous process hypertrophy leading to ligamentum flavum hypertrophy should be included in the differential diagnosis of Basset Hounds with cervical hyperesthesia or myelopathy. Prognosis after decompressive surgery is favorable. Although a genetic component is suspected, additional studies are needed to determine the specific etiology of this disorder. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Medial medullary infarction: clinical, imaging, and outcome study in 86 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Kim, Jong S; Han, Young S

2009-10-01

Clinical-imaging correlation and long-term clinical outcomes remain to be investigated in medial medullary infarction (MMI). We studied clinical, MRI, and angiographic data of 86 consecutive MMI patients. The lesions were correlated with clinical findings, and long-term outcomes, divided into mild and severe (modified Rankin scale >3), were assessed by telephone interview. Central poststroke pain (CPSP) was defined as persistent pain with visual numeric scale > or = 4. The lesions were located mostly in the rostral medulla (rostral 76%, rostral+middle 16%), while ventro-dorsal lesion patterns include ventral (V, 20%), ventral+middle (VM, 33%), and ventral+middle+dorsal (VMD, 41%). Clinical manifestations included motor dysfunction in 78 patients (91%), sensory dysfunction in 59 (73%), and vertigo/dizziness in 51 (59%), each closely related to involvement of ventral, middle, and dorsal portions, respectively (P<0.001, each). Vertebral artery (VA) atherosclerotic disease relevant to the infarction occurred in 53 (62%) patients, mostly producing atheromatous branch occlusion (ABO). Small vessel disease (SVD) occurred in 24 (28%) patients. ABO was more closely related to VMD (versus V+VM) than was SVD (P=0.035). During follow-up (mean 71 months), 11 patients died, and recurrent strokes occurred in 11. Old age (P=0.001) and severe motor dysfunction at admission (P=0.001) were factors predicting poor prognosis. CPSP, occurring in 21 patients, was closely (P=0.013) related to poor clinical outcome. MMI usually presents with a rostral medullary lesion, with a good clinical ventro-dorsal imaging correlation, caused most frequently by ABO followed by SVD. A significant proportion of patients remain dependent or have CPSP.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Studenski, M; Abramowitz, M; Dogan, N

Purpose: Quantify the dosimetric cost for a margin around the MRI-defined high risk GTV for simultaneous integrated intra-prostatic boosts (SIIB) treated with RapidArc. Methods: For external beam radiotherapy of the prostate, a 3-7 mm PTV margin is typically used to account for setup and intra-fraction uncertainties after adjusting for inter-fraction motion. On the other hand, our current paradigm is to treat the MRI-defined high risk GTV with no margin. In this work, 11 patients treated SIIB (7 post-prostatectomy, 4 intact prostate) with RapidArc were re-planned with 1-5 mm margins around the GTV to quantify dosimetric effects. Two 358 degree, 10more » MV RapidArcs were used to deliver 68 Gy (76.5 Gy boost) to the post-prostatectomy patients and 80 Gy (86 Gy boost) to the intact prostates. Paired, two tail t-tests were used to determine if there were any significant differences (p<0.05) in the total MUs and dosimetric parameters used to evaluate rectum, bladder, and PTV dose with and without margin. Results: The average GTV volume without margin was 8.1cc (2.8% of the PTV volume) while the average GTV volume with a 5 mm margin was 20.1cc (9.0% of the PTV volume). GTV volumes ranged from 0.2% of the PTV volume up to 33.0%. Despite these changes in volume, the only statistical difference was found for the rectal V65 Gy with a 5 mm margin (18.6% vs. 19.4%; p-value = 0.026) when all patients were considered as a single group. No difference was found when analyzed as two groups. The rectum V40Gy, bladder V40Gy and V65Gy, PTV Dmax and D95% or the total MUs did not show any significant difference for any margin. Conclusion: A 4 mm margin on the high risk GTV is possible with no statistically significant change in dosimetry or total MUs. Further work will assess the appropriate margin required for intra-prostatic boosts.« less

Automated Quantification of Gradient Defined Features

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

defined features in submarine environments. The technique utilizes MATLAB scripts to convert bathymetry data into a gradient dataset, produce gradient...maps, and most importantly, automate the process of defining and characterizing gradient defined features such as flows, faults, landslide scarps, folds...convergent plate margin hosts a series of large serpentinite mud volcanoes (Fig. 1). One of the largest of these active mud volcanoes is Big Blue

Blastic marginal zone lymphoma: a clinical and pathological study of 8 cases and review of the literature.

PubMed

Magro, Cynthia M; Yang, Amy; Fraga, Garth

2013-05-01

Blastic transformation (BT) of marginal zone lymphoma or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma has been mainly reported in the spleen and stomach. Primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma that undergoes BT is rare and not well documented. We describe 8 patients with blastic primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma and compare the clinical, pathologic, and molecular findings of these patients with 10 cases previously reported in the literature. The cases of blastic marginal zone lymphoma could be categorized into cases of de novo blastic marginal zone lymphoma and large-cell transformation arising in a background of a history of biopsy proven marginal zone lymphoma. The cases of de novo blastic marginal zone lymphoma occurred in elderly patients without any medical history. In each of the cases, the lesions were radiated, not treated, or treated with complete excision without any death due to lymphoma nor was there any evidence of extracutaneous dissemination. Large-cell transformation arising in background of marginal zone lymphoma typically occurred in patients who were younger; 2 of the 4 cases were immunocompromised. The clinical course in each of the cases was aggressive with 3 of the 4 patients succumbing to disseminated disease while 1 patient developed extracutaneous nodal disease. Phenotypically, there was an expression of CD5 in a total of 3 of the 8 cases and CD23 in 3 of the 8 cases. Commonality of B-cell clones was demonstrated in 2 cases where biopsies were available of both the less aggressive appearing marginal zone lymphoma and the transformed biopsies. Cytogenetic abnormalities associated with BT included a deletion of chromosome 7q in all cases tested. Large-cell transformation arising in a patient with a history of marginal zone lymphoma portends a worse prognosis, including death from disseminated disease, whereas a de novo presentation of blastic marginal zone lymphoma may define a clinical course similar to other forms of low-grade cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. The expression of CD5 and CD23 may define a phenotypic profile associated with BT. It is possible that marginal zone lymphomas associated with CD5 and CD23 positivity should be followed more closely and/or treated with radiation and/or complete excision.

Quantitative description of solid breast nodules by ultrasound imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehgal, Chandra M.; Kangas, Sarah A.; Cary, Ted W.; Weinstein, Susan P.; Schultz, Susan M.; Arger, Peter H.; Conant, Emily F.

2004-04-01

Various features based on qualitative description of shape, contour, margin and echogenicity of solid breast nodules are used clinically to classify them as benign or malignant. However, there continues to be considerable overlap in the sonographic findings for the two types of lesions. This is related to the lack of precise definition of the various features as well as to the lack of agreement among observers, among other factors. The goal of this investigation is to define clinical features quantitatively and evaluate if they differ significantly in malignant and benign cases. Features based on margin sharpness and continuity, shadowing, and attenuation were defined and calculated from the images. These features were tested on digital phantoms. Following the evaluation, the features were measured on 116 breast sonograms of 58 biopsy-proven masses. Biopsy had been recommended for all of these breast lesions based on physical exams and conventional diagnostic imaging of ultrasound and/or mammography. Of the 58 masses, 20 were identified as malignant and 38 as benign histologically. Margin sharpness, margin echogenicity, and angular margin variation were significantly different for the two groups (p<0.03, two-tailed student t-test). Shadowing and attenuation of ultrasound did not show significant difference. The results of this preliminary study show that quantitative margin characteristics measured for the malignant and benign masses from the ultrasound images are different and could potentially be useful in identifying a subgroup of solid breast nodules that have low risk of being malignant.

INTEGRATION OF RELIABILITY WITH MECHANISTIC THERMALHYDRAULICS: REPORT ON APPROACH AND TEST PROBLEM RESULTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. S. Schroeder; R. W. Youngblood

The Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC) pathway of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program is developing simulation-based methods and tools for analyzing safety margin from a modern perspective. [1] There are multiple definitions of 'margin.' One class of definitions defines margin in terms of the distance between a point estimate of a given performance parameter (such as peak clad temperature), and a point-value acceptance criterion defined for that parameter (such as 2200 F). The present perspective on margin is that it relates to the probability of failure, and not just the distance between a nominal operating point and a criterion.more » In this work, margin is characterized through a probabilistic analysis of the 'loads' imposed on systems, structures, and components, and their 'capacity' to resist those loads without failing. Given the probabilistic load and capacity spectra, one can assess the probability that load exceeds capacity, leading to component failure. Within the project, we refer to a plot of these probabilistic spectra as 'the logo.' Refer to Figure 1 for a notional illustration. The implications of referring to 'the logo' are (1) RISMC is focused on being able to analyze loads and spectra probabilistically, and (2) calling it 'the logo' tacitly acknowledges that it is a highly simplified picture: meaningful analysis of a given component failure mode may require development of probabilistic spectra for multiple physical parameters, and in many practical cases, 'load' and 'capacity' will not vary independently.« less

The Portuguese Female Immigrant: 'Marginal Man' par excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, M. Estellie

This paper focuses on the migration process, and emphasizes the role of women, focusing on the degree to which marginality is not simply a residual effect of, but is a significant casual force for adaptation, in its successful outcome, however that may be defined in individual cases. The migration process is reviewed using data from working class…

Reconstitution of a Patterned Neural Tube from Single Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

PubMed

Ishihara, Keisuke; Ranga, Adrian; Lutolf, Matthias P; Tanaka, Elly M; Meinhardt, Andrea

2017-01-01

The recapitulation of tissue development and patterning in three-dimensional (3D) culture is an important dimension of stem cell research. Here, we describe a 3D culture protocol in which single mouse ES cells embedded in Matrigel under neural induction conditions clonally form a lumen containing, oval-shaped epithelial structure within 3 days. By Day 7 an apicobasally polarized neuroepithelium with uniformly dorsal cell identity forms. Treatment with retinoic acid at Day 2 results in posteriorization and self-organization of dorsal-ventral neural tube patterning. Neural tube organoid growth is also supported by pure laminin gels as well as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based artificial extracellular matrix hydrogels, which can be fine-tuned for key microenvironment characteristics. The rapid generation of a simple, patterned tissue in well-defined culture conditions makes the neural tube organoid a tractable model for studying neural stem cell self-organization.

[Right extremities pain caused by a malacia lesion in the left putamen:a resting functional magnetic resonance imaging of the marginal division of the human brain].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-Ye; Ma, Lin

2014-04-01

To explore the role of marginal division of the human brain in the pain modulation. Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied in a patient with right extremities pain caused by a malacia lesion in the left putamen and in 8 healthy volunteers. Marginal division was defined using manual drawing on structure images, and was applied to the computation of fuctional connectivity maps. The functional connectivities in the left marginal division showed an evident decrease in the patient when compared with healthy controls. These connectivities were mainly located in the bilateral head of caudate nucleus, putamen, and left globus pallidus. The marginal division may be involved in the pain modulation.

Morphology and systematics of two freshwater urostylid ciliates, with description of a new species (Protista, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia).

PubMed

Pan, Xuming; Fan, Yangbo; Gao, Feng; Qiu, Zijian; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Warren, Alan; Shao, Chen

2016-02-01

The morphology of two freshwater urostylid species, Neourostylopsis flava spec. nov. and Pseudourostyla subtropicaChen et al., 2014, isolated from freshwater ponds in northern and southern China, respectively, was investigated following examination of specimens in vivo and following protargol staining. Neourostylopsis flava spec. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the following characteristics: body size 150-220 × 50-75 μm in vivo; yellow in colour; bright yellow to yellow-brownish spherical cortical granules densely arranged along marginal cirral rows and in irregular short rows on dorsal side; adoral zone with 40-55 membranelles; six to eight frontal, three or four buccal, two pretransverse ventral and seven to nine transverse cirri; 27-40 midventral pairs extending to about anterior 55% of cell; four or five left and four right marginal rows; freshwater habitat. A redescription of a freshwater population of P. subtropica is also provided. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences shows that P. subtropica and N. flava spec. nov. group with their congeners and both Neourostylopsis and Pseudourostyla are monophyletic. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Three new species of Parapercis (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae) and first records of P. muronis (Tanaka, 1918) and P. rubromaculata Ho, Chang Shao, 2012 from Australia.

PubMed

Johnson, Jeffrey W; Wilmer, Jessica Worthington

2018-03-01

Three new species of pinguipedid fishes from northern Australia are described based on specimens collected by deep water demersal trawling. Parapercis algrahami sp. nov. is recorded from off Dunk Island, Qld, south to Newcastle, NSW, in 67-333 m. It is distinct in having five narrow transverse dark bars across the upper body and a dark spot dorsally on the caudal-fin base, 6 canine teeth in outer row at front of lower jaw, palatines with 1-2 rows of teeth, and predorsal scales extending far forward on the nape to the posterior portion of the interorbital region. Parapercis imamurai sp. nov. is recorded from off Saumarez Reef, Qld, south to off Coffs Harbour, NSW, in 256-405 m. It is unique in having colouration that includes a broad dusky bar from lower margin of eye across the suborbital region and three broad dusky bands crossing the body between the middle of the soft dorsal-fin and the caudal-fin base, 10 canine teeth in outer row at front of lower jaw, and the fifth dorsal-fin spine longest. Parapercis pogonoskii sp. nov. is unique in having a combination of three reddish-brown vertical bars on the upper body between the anterior and posterior portions of the soft dorsal fin, the soft dorsal fin with two large dusky blotches and caudal-fin base with a dusky blotch in the upper corner, 8-10 canine teeth in outer row at front of lower jaw, fifth dorsal-fin spine longest, angle of subopercle with a single broad spine, and angle of preopercle with 4-5 large widely-separated spines. Comparison of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO 1) genetic marker utilised in DNA barcoding produced significant genetic divergences of at least 8.1% and 14.1% between P. algrahami sp. nov. and P. pogonoskii sp. nov. respectively and their closest sampled congeners.        The geographic range of Parapercis rubromaculata Ho, Chang Shao, 2012 is extended from Taiwan to the southern hemisphere waters off Western Australia, based on specimens collected from Shark Bay, north to Ashmore Terrace, in depths of 56-107 m. A revised diagnosis for the species is presented, meristic, morphometric and DNA barcoding data for the two populations are compared, and a detailed description of the colouration of fresh and preserved specimens from Australia is provided. Previous records of Parapercis macrophthalma (Pietschmann, 1911) from Western Australia are established as misidentifications of Parapercis muronis (Tanaka, 1918) and the latter is thereby confirmed from the southern hemisphere and Australian waters for the first time. Comparative meristic, morphometric and DNA barcoding data is provided for populations of P. muronis from Japan, Philippines and Western Australia.

The Meandering Margin of the Meteorological Moist Tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapes, Brian E.; Chung, Eui Seok; Hannah, Walter M.; Masunaga, Hirohiko; Wimmers, Anthony J.; Velden, Christopher S.

2018-01-01

Bimodally distributed column water vapor (CWV) indicates a well-defined moist regime in the Tropics, above a margin value near 48 kg m-2 in current climate (about 80% of column saturation). Maps reveal this margin as a meandering, sinuous synoptic contour bounding broad plateaus of the moist regime. Within these plateaus, convective storms of distinctly smaller convective and mesoscales occur sporadically. Satellite data composites across the poleward most margin reveal its sharpness, despite the crude averaging: precipitation doubles within 100 km, marked by both enhancement and deepening of cloudiness. Transported patches and filaments of the moist regime cause consequential precipitation events within and beyond the Tropics. Distinguishing synoptic flows that cross the margin from flows that move the margin is made possible by a novel satellite-based Lagrangian CWV tendency estimate. Climate models do not reliably reproduce the observed bimodal distribution, so studying the moist mode's maintenance processes and the margin-zone air mass transformations, guided by the Lagrangian tendency product, might importantly constrain model moist process treatments.

The putative visual word form area is functionally connected to the dorsal attention network.

PubMed

Vogel, Alecia C; Miezin, Fran M; Petersen, Steven E; Schlaggar, Bradley L

2012-03-01

The putative visual word form area (pVWFA) is the most consistently activated region in single word reading studies (i.e., Vigneau et al. 2006), yet its function remains a matter of debate. The pVWFA may be predominantly used in reading or it could be a more general visual processor used in reading but also in other visual tasks. Here, resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) is used to characterize the functional relationships of the pVWFA to help adjudicate between these possibilities. rs-fcMRI defines relationships based on correlations in slow fluctuations of blood oxygen level-dependent activity occurring at rest. In this study, rs-fcMRI correlations show little relationship between the pVWFA and reading-related regions but a strong relationship between the pVWFA and dorsal attention regions thought to be related to spatial and feature attention. The rs-fcMRI correlations between the pVWFA and regions of the dorsal attention network increase with age and reading skill, while the correlations between the pVWFA and reading-related regions do not. These results argue the pVWFA is not used predominantly in reading but is a more general visual processor used in other visual tasks, as well as reading.

The Putative Visual Word Form Area Is Functionally Connected to the Dorsal Attention Network

PubMed Central

Miezin, Fran M.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2012-01-01

The putative visual word form area (pVWFA) is the most consistently activated region in single word reading studies (i.e., Vigneau et al. 2006), yet its function remains a matter of debate. The pVWFA may be predominantly used in reading or it could be a more general visual processor used in reading but also in other visual tasks. Here, resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) is used to characterize the functional relationships of the pVWFA to help adjudicate between these possibilities. rs-fcMRI defines relationships based on correlations in slow fluctuations of blood oxygen level–dependent activity occurring at rest. In this study, rs-fcMRI correlations show little relationship between the pVWFA and reading-related regions but a strong relationship between the pVWFA and dorsal attention regions thought to be related to spatial and feature attention. The rs-fcMRI correlations between the pVWFA and regions of the dorsal attention network increase with age and reading skill, while the correlations between the pVWFA and reading-related regions do not. These results argue the pVWFA is not used predominantly in reading but is a more general visual processor used in other visual tasks, as well as reading. PMID:21690259

Task-dependent enhancement of facial expression and identity representations in human cortex.

PubMed

Dobs, Katharina; Schultz, Johannes; Bülthoff, Isabelle; Gardner, Justin L

2018-05-15

What cortical mechanisms allow humans to easily discern the expression or identity of a face? Subjects detected changes in expression or identity of a stream of dynamic faces while we measured BOLD responses from topographically and functionally defined areas throughout the visual hierarchy. Responses in dorsal areas increased during the expression task, whereas responses in ventral areas increased during the identity task, consistent with previous studies. Similar to ventral areas, early visual areas showed increased activity during the identity task. If visual responses are weighted by perceptual mechanisms according to their magnitude, these increased responses would lead to improved attentional selection of the task-appropriate facial aspect. Alternatively, increased responses could be a signature of a sensitivity enhancement mechanism that improves representations of the attended facial aspect. Consistent with the latter sensitivity enhancement mechanism, attending to expression led to enhanced decoding of exemplars of expression both in early visual and dorsal areas relative to attending identity. Similarly, decoding identity exemplars when attending to identity was improved in dorsal and ventral areas. We conclude that attending to expression or identity of dynamic faces is associated with increased selectivity in representations consistent with sensitivity enhancement. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Neural Processing of Second Language Comprehension Modulated by the Degree of Proficiency: A Listening Connected Speech fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Hesling, Isabelle; Dilharreguy, Bixente; Bordessoules, Martine; Allard, Michèle

2012-01-01

While the neural network encompassing the processing of the mother tongue (L1) is well defined and has revealed the existence of a bilateral ventral pathway and a left dorsal pathway in which 3 loops have been defined, the question of the processing of a second language (L2) is still a matter of debate. Among variables accounting for the discrepancies in results, the degree of L2 proficiency appears to be one of the main factors. The present study aimed at assessing both pathways in L2, making it possible to determine the degree of mastery of the different speech components (prosody, phonology, semantics and syntax) that are intrinsically embedded within connected speech and that vary according to the degree of proficiency using high degrees of prosodic information. Two groups of high and moderate proficiency in L2 performed an fMRI comprehension task in L1 and L2. The modifications in brain activity observed within the dorsal and the ventral pathways according to L2 proficiency suggest that different processes of L2 are supported by differences in the integrated activity within distributed networks that included the left STSp, the left Spt and the left pars triangularis. PMID:22927897

Pre-operative assessment of residual disease in locally advanced breast cancer patients: A sequential study by quantitative diffusion weighted MRI as a function of therapy.

PubMed

Agarwal, Khushbu; Sharma, Uma; Sah, Rani G; Mathur, Sandeep; Hari, Smriti; Seenu, Vurthaluru; Parshad, Rajinder; Jagannathan, Naranamangalam R

2017-10-01

The potential of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in assessing pathologic response and surgical margins in locally advanced breast cancer patients (n=38) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy was investigated. DWI was performed at pre-therapy (Tp0), after I (Tp1) and III (Tp3) NACT at 1.5T. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of whole tumor (ADC WT ), solid tumor (ADC ST ), intra-tumoral necrosis (ADC Nec ) was determined. Further, ADC of 6 consecutive shells (5mm thickness each) including tumor margin to outside tumor margins (OM1 to OM5) was calculated and the data analyzed to define surgical margins. Of 38 patients, 6 were pathological complete responders (pCR), 19 partial responders (pPR) and 13 were non-responders (pNR). Significant increase was observed in ADC ST and ADC WT in pCR and pPR following therapy. Pre-therapy ADC was significantly lower in pCR compared to pPR and pNR indicating the heterogeneous nature of tumor which may affect drug perfusion and consequently the response. ADC of outside margins (OM1, OM2, and OM3) was significantly different among pCR, pPR and pNR at Tp3 which may serve as response predictive parameter. Further, at Tp3, ADC of outside margins (OM1, OM2, and OM3) was significantly lower compared to that seen at Tp0 in pCR, indicating the presence of residual disease in these shells. Pre-surgery information may serve as a guide to define cancer free margins and the extent of residual disease which may be useful in planning breast conservation surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization and Modeling of High Power Microwave Effects in CMOS Microelectronics

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

margin measurement 28 Any voltage above the line marked VIH is considered a valid logic high on the input of the gate. VIH and VIL are defined...can handle any voltage noise level at the input up to VIL without changing state. The region in between VIL and VIH is considered an invalid logic...29 Table 2.2: Intrinsic device characteristics derived from SPETCRE simulations   VIH  (V)  VIL (V)  High Noise Margin  (V)  Low Noise Margin (V

Absolute Stability Analysis of a Phase Plane Controlled Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jang, Jiann-Woei; Plummer, Michael; Bedrossian, Nazareth; Hall, Charles; Jackson, Mark; Spanos, Pol

2010-01-01

Many aerospace attitude control systems utilize phase plane control schemes that include nonlinear elements such as dead zone and ideal relay. To evaluate phase plane control robustness, stability margin prediction methods must be developed. Absolute stability is extended to predict stability margins and to define an abort condition. A constrained optimization approach is also used to design flex filters for roll control. The design goal is to optimize vehicle tracking performance while maintaining adequate stability margins. Absolute stability is shown to provide satisfactory stability constraints for the optimization.

Reward- and attention-related biasing of sensory selection in visual cortex.

PubMed

Buschschulte, Antje; Boehler, Carsten N; Strumpf, Hendrik; Stoppel, Christian; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Schoenfeld, Mircea A; Hopf, Jens-Max

2014-05-01

Attention to task-relevant features leads to a biasing of sensory selection in extrastriate cortex. Features signaling reward seem to produce a similar bias, but how modulatory effects due to reward and attention relate to each other is largely unexplored. To address this issue, it is critical to separate top-down settings defining reward relevance from those defining attention. To this end, we used a visual search paradigm in which the target's definition (attention to color) was dissociated from reward relevance by delivering monetary reward on search frames where a certain task-irrelevant color was combined with the target-defining color to form the target object. We assessed the state of neural biasing for the attended and reward-relevant color by analyzing the neuromagnetic brain response to asynchronously presented irrelevant distractor probes drawn in the target-defining color, the reward-relevant color, and a completely irrelevant color as a reference. We observed that for the prospect of moderate rewards, the target-defining color but not the reward-relevant color produced a selective enhancement of the neuromagnetic response between 180 and 280 msec in ventral extrastriate visual cortex. Increasing reward prospect caused a delayed attenuation (220-250 msec) of the response to reward probes, which followed a prior (160-180 msec) response enhancement in dorsal ACC. Notably, shorter latency responses in dorsal ACC were associated with stronger attenuation in extrastriate visual cortex. Finally, an analysis of the brain response to the search frames revealed that the presence of the reward-relevant color in search distractors elicited an enhanced response that was abolished after increasing reward size. The present data together indicate that when top-down definitions of reward relevance and attention are separated, the behavioral significance of reward-associated features is still rapidly coded in higher-level cortex areas, thereby commanding effective top-down inhibitory control to counter a selection bias for those features in extrastriate visual cortex.

12 CFR 221.118 - Bank arranging for extension of credit by corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... extended on the security of margin stock. (e) Under § 221.2, the term in the ordinary course of business... business” of the corporation, as defined in § 221.2; and (3) The bank involved took part in arranging for... a national securities exchange and therefore qualifies as “margin stock” under this part. (c) A...

Hydraulic safety margins and embolism reversal in stems and leaves: Why are conifers and angiosperms so different?

Treesearch

Daniel M. Johnson; Katherine A. McCulloh; David R. Woodruff; Frederick C. Meinzer

2012-01-01

Angiosperm and coniferous tree species utilize a continuum of hydraulic strategies. Hydraulic safety margins (defined as differences between naturally occurring xylem pressures and pressures that would cause hydraulic dysfunction, or differences between pressures resulting in loss of hydraulic function in adjacent organs (e.g., stems vs. leaves) tend to be much greater...

26 CFR 1.925(b)-1T - Temporary regulations; marginal costing rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... rules—(1) In general. Marginal costing is a method under which only direct production costs of producing... combined taxable income of the FSC and its related supplier under section 925(a)(2). The costs to be taken into account are the related supplier's direct material and labor costs (as defined in § 1.471-11(b)(2...

Defining and Assessing Parent Empowerment and Its Relationship to Academic Achievement Using the National Household Education Survey: A Focus on Marginalized Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jungnam

2012-01-01

Marginalized parents experience multiple and complex challenges in terms of social isolation, exclusion, and powerlessness. This empirical study investigated the effects of parent empowerment on academic outcomes using a large national representative sample and should provide insights about the importance of parent empowerment in education and…

Applied Time Domain Stability Margin Assessment for Nonlinear Time-Varying Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiefer, J. M.; Johnson, M. D.; Wall, J. H.; Dominguez, A.

2016-01-01

The baseline stability margins for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle were generated via the classical approach of linearizing the system equations of motion and determining the gain and phase margins from the resulting frequency domain model. To improve the fidelity of the classical methods, the linear frequency domain approach can be extended by replacing static, memoryless nonlinearities with describing functions. This technique, however, does not address the time varying nature of the dynamics of a launch vehicle in flight. An alternative technique for the evaluation of the stability of the nonlinear launch vehicle dynamics along its trajectory is to incrementally adjust the gain and/or time delay in the time domain simulation until the system exhibits unstable behavior. This technique has the added benefit of providing a direct comparison between the time domain and frequency domain tools in support of simulation validation. This technique was implemented by using the Stability Aerospace Vehicle Analysis Tool (SAVANT) computer simulation to evaluate the stability of the SLS system with the Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) active and inactive along its ascent trajectory. The gains for which the vehicle maintains apparent time-domain stability defines the gain margins, and the time delay similarly defines the phase margin. This method of extracting the control stability margins from the time-domain simulation is relatively straightforward and the resultant margins can be compared to the linearized system results. The sections herein describe the techniques employed to extract the time-domain margins, compare the results between these nonlinear and the linear methods, and provide explanations for observed discrepancies. The SLS ascent trajectory was simulated with SAVANT and the classical linear stability margins were evaluated at one second intervals. The linear analysis was performed with the AAC algorithm disabled to attain baseline stability margins. At each time point, the system was linearized about the current operating point using Simulink's built-in solver. Each linearized system in time was evaluated for its rigid-body gain margin (high frequency gain margin), rigid-body phase margin, and aero gain margin (low frequency gain margin) for each control axis. Using the stability margins derived from the baseline linearization approach, the time domain derived stability margins were determined by executing time domain simulations in which axis-specific incremental gain and phase adjustments were made to the nominal system about the expected neutral stability point at specific flight times. The baseline stability margin time histories were used to shift the system gain to various values around the zero margin point such that a precise amount of expected gain margin was maintained throughout flight. When assessing the gain margins, the gain was applied starting at the time point under consideration, thereafter following the variation in the margin found in the linear analysis. When assessing the rigid-body phase margin, a constant time delay was applied to the system starting at the time point under consideration. If the baseline stability margins were correctly determined via the linear analysis, the time domain simulation results should contain unstable behavior at certain gain and phase values. Examples will be shown from repeated simulations with variable added gain and phase lag. Faithfulness of margins calculated from the linear analysis to the nonlinear system will be demonstrated.

Le domaine Tariquide (arc de Gibraltar, Espagne et Maroc) : succession sédimentaire et événements structuraux au Lias et au Dogger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand-Delga, Michel; Gardin, Silvia; Esteras, Manuel; Paquet, Hélène

2005-06-01

The Lias-Dogger successions of the Tariquide units in the Gibraltar Arc differ from the series of tectonically adjacent units, the Penibetic (Iberia margin) and the Limestone 'Dorsale' (Alboran Domain). Lower Lias limestones are eroded and covered by the Domerian, which starts by deposits of open sea, continuous up to the Dogger (J. Musa-type successions), and elsewhere (Los Pastores-type successions) by a thin series (Upper Lias to Upper Dogger), starting by a manganesiferous episode (Ras Leona) and including marls deposited into three episodes, dated by calcareous nannofossils. Faulting events occurred before the Domerian and during the Late Toarcian (Los Pastores). To cite this article: M. Durand-Delga et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).

A novel alternative method for 3D visualisation in Parasitology: the construction of a 3D model of a parasite from 2D illustrations.

PubMed

Teo, B G; Sarinder, K K S; Lim, L H S

2010-08-01

Three-dimensional (3D) models of the marginal hooks, dorsal and ventral anchors, bars and haptoral reservoirs of a parasite, Sundatrema langkawiense Lim & Gibson, 2009 (Monogenea) were developed using the polygonal modelling method in Autodesk 3ds Max (Version 9) based on two-dimensional (2D) illustrations. Maxscripts were written to rotate the modelled 3D structures. Appropriately orientated 3D haptoral hard-parts were then selected and positioned within the transparent 3D outline of the haptor and grouped together to form a complete 3D haptoral entity. This technique is an inexpensive tool for constructing 3D models from 2D illustrations for 3D visualisation of the spatial relationships between the different structural parts within organisms.

A new species of Pectinaria (Annelida, Pectinariidae), with a key to pectinariids from the South China Sea.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinghuai; Qiu, Jian-Wen

2017-01-01

Pectinariidae is a family of polychaetes building unique ice-cream cone shaped sandy tubes. Pectinaria torquata sp. n. (Pectinariidae) is described from the coastal waters of the northern South China Sea. This new species can be distinguished from all other 25 recognized species in the genus by a combination of characters: 16 chaetigers; 26-32 cirri in the cephalic veil; 11-12 pairs of cephalic spines; uncini with major teeth arranged in two rows, each with 7-8 major teeth; presence of a dorsal posterior lobe on segments 2 and 20; 4-5 pairs of curved scaphal hooks; and an anal flap with a crenulated margin. A key to all recognized pectinariids in the South China Sea is provided.

A new species of Pectinaria (Annelida, Pectinariidae), with a key to pectinariids from the South China Sea

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jinghuai; Qiu, Jian-Wen

2017-01-01

Abstract Pectinariidae is a family of polychaetes building unique ice-cream cone shaped sandy tubes. Pectinaria torquata sp. n. (Pectinariidae) is described from the coastal waters of the northern South China Sea. This new species can be distinguished from all other 25 recognized species in the genus by a combination of characters: 16 chaetigers; 26–32 cirri in the cephalic veil; 11–12 pairs of cephalic spines; uncini with major teeth arranged in two rows, each with 7–8 major teeth; presence of a dorsal posterior lobe on segments 2 and 20; 4–5 pairs of curved scaphal hooks; and an anal flap with a crenulated margin. A key to all recognized pectinariids in the South China Sea is provided. PMID:28769730

A New Species of Chigger Mite (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Rodents in Southwest China

PubMed Central

Ren, Tian-Guang; Wu, Dian; Fletcher, Quinn E.

2014-01-01

This paper describes a new species of chigger mite (Acari: Trombiculidae), Gahrliepia cangshanensis n. sp., from rodents in southwest China. The specimens were collected from Yunnan red-backed voles, Eothenomys miletus (Thomas, 1914), and a Chinese white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus (Milne-Edwards, 1871) in Yunnan Province. The new species is unique mainly in its number of dorsal setae (n=21), and it has the following features: fT (formula of palpotarsus)=4B (B=branched), fp (formula of palpal seta)=B/N/N/N/B (N=naked), a broad tongue-shaped scutum with an almost straight posterior margin, and 17 PPLs (posterior posterolateral seta) with a length of 36-43 µm. This chigger mite may also infect other rodent hosts and may be distributed in other localities. PMID:24623884

A new species of chigger mite (acari: trombiculidae) from rodents in southwest China.

PubMed

Ren, Tian-Guang; Guo, Xian-Guo; Jin, Dao-Chao; Wu, Dian; Fletcher, Quinn E

2014-02-01

This paper describes a new species of chigger mite (ACARI: Trombiculidae), Gahrliepia cangshanensis n. sp., from rodents in southwest China. The specimens were collected from Yunnan red-backed voles, Eothenomys miletus (Thomas, 1914), and a Chinese white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus (Milne-Edwards, 1871) in Yunnan Province. The new species is unique mainly in its number of dorsal setae (n=21), and it has the following features: fT (formula of palpotarsus)=4B (B=branched), fp (formula of palpal seta)=B/N/N/N/B (N=naked), a broad tongue-shaped scutum with an almost straight posterior margin, and 17 PPLs (posterior posterolateral seta) with a length of 36-43 µm. This chigger mite may also infect other rodent hosts and may be distributed in other localities.

The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the normal ferret and its postnatal development.

PubMed

Linden, D C; Guillery, R W; Cucchiaro, J

1981-12-01

The anterograde transport of 3H proline and of horseradish peroxidase has been used to study the retinogeniculate pathway in normal adult ferrets and in young ferrets during postnatal development. the lateral geniculate nucleus in adults shows a characteristic "carnivore" pattern, with layers A, A1, C, C1, C2, and C3, and a medial interlaminar nucleus recognizable either cytoarchitectonically or on the basis ofth retinogeniculate innervation. In addition, there is a well-defined, rather large perigeniculate nucleus. At birth the lateral geniculate nucleus is unlaminated and essentially all parts are reached by afferents from both eyes. The crossed component is by far the larger. It extends from the optic tract medially well into the perigeniculate field, in contrast to the uncrossed component which barely reaches the perigeniculate field. During the first 3 postnatal days the uncrossed fibers restrict their arbors to a small posterior and medial region, the precursor of the biocular segment of the nucleus. The crossed fibers gradually retreat from the region within which the uncrossed fibers have concentrated. Between the fourth and eighth postnatal days the field occupied by the ipsilateral component expands again to form a major focus that will define lamina A1 and a minor focus that will define C1. At this stage the crossed and the uncrossed fibers overlap at the borders of lamina A1 and the whole region of lamina C1 is also occupied by arbors of the crossed component. The perigeniculate field becomes clearly distinguishable from the lateral geniculate nucleus and the medial interlaminar nucleus is becoming clearly recognizable between days 3 and 8. Between days 8 and 15 the cytoarchitectonic borders between layers A and A1 become clearly defined, but the retinogeniculate axons from each eye still extend across this border. These axons retreat into their appropriate lamina after the 15th postnatal day an the nucleus reaches its essentially adult structure by about the fourth postnatal week. Segregation of retinofugal axons in the C layers occurs after segregation in the A layers, but many of the cells within the C layers show signs of cytological maturity earlier than those of the A layers. The nucleus undergoes a series of migrations and changes of shape as the ipsilateral and contralateral components become segregated. Whereas in teh newborn the nucleus is roughly comma-shaped and on the lateral aspect of the dorsal thalamus, in the adult it is "L"-shaped and mainly on the posterior aspect of the dorsal thalamus.

Locomotor Hand Postures, Carpal Kinematics During Wrist Extension, and Associated Morphology in Anthropoid Primates.

PubMed

Orr, Caley M

2017-02-01

The biomechanics of wrist extension (or dorsiflexion) are important for understanding functional adaptation of the primate hand because extension mobility varies with habitual locomotor hand posture and facilitates certain manipulative tasks. Here, intercarpal kinematics are employed to investigate mechanisms underlying wrist extension in a sample of anthropoids representing various arboreal and terrestrial locomotor modes. Carpal kinematics are studied using computed-tomography of cadaveric forelimbs, and these data are combined with a morphometric analysis of biomechanically-informative anatomical features. The results indicate that stiff-wristed knuckle-walking chimpanzees and digitigrade baboons are characterized by low ranges of motion (ROMs) at the radiocarpal and midcarpal complexes. Palmigrade-capable monkeys have high extension ROMs at both the radiocarpus and midcarpus, while palmigrade-capable orangutans achieve wrist extension through moderate radiocarpal ROMs and high midcarpal ROMs. Morphometrics demonstrate that a more projecting dorsal ridge of the distal radius corresponds with low-to-moderate radioscaphoid mobility in the apes, but that baboons resemble palmigrade-capable monkeys in this metric. Thus, the dorsal ridge of the radius alone is not a good indicator of wrist mobility and hand posture. However, the extent of the lunate's articular arc on the dorsum of the capitate head is correlated with midcarpal mobility across taxa. These findings suggest that although a precise relationship between wrist extension ROM and morphology is difficult to define, the presence of a pronounced dorsal ridge combined with an abbreviated dorsal capitate articular arc reflects limited overall dorsiflexion with attendant constraints on the adoption of palmigrade hand postures. Anat Rec, 300:382-401, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Colour pattern homology and evolution in Vanessa butterflies (Nymphalidae: Nymphalini): eyespot characters.

PubMed

Abbasi, R; Marcus, J M

2015-11-01

Ocelli are serially repeated colour patterns on the wings of many butterflies. Eyespots are elaborate ocelli that function in predator avoidance and deterrence as well as in mate choice. A phylogenetic approach was used to study ocelli and eyespot evolution in Vanessa butterflies, a genus exhibiting diverse phenotypes among these serial homologs. Forty-four morphological characters based on eyespot number, arrangement, shape and the number of elements in each eyespot were defined and scored. Ocelli from eight wing cells on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the forewing and hindwing were evaluated. The evolution of these characters was traced over a phylogeny of Vanessa based on 7750 DNA base pairs from 10 genes. Our reconstruction predicts that the ancestral Vanessa had 5 serially arranged ocelli on all four wing surfaces. The ancestral state on the dorsal forewing and ventral hindwing was ocelli arranged in two heterogeneous groups. On the dorsal hindwing, the ancestral state was either homogenous or ocelli arranged in two heterogeneous groups. On the ventral forewing, we determined that the ancestral state was organized into three heterogeneous groups. In Vanessa, almost all ocelli are individuated and capable of independent evolution relative to other colour patterns except for the ocelli in cells -1 and 0 on the dorsal and ventral forewings, which appear to be constrained to evolve in parallel. The genus Vanessa is a good model system for the study of serial homology and the interaction of selective forces with developmental architecture to produce diversity in butterfly colour patterns. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Increasing CREB Function in the CA1 Region of Dorsal Hippocampus Rescues the Spatial Memory Deficits in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Yiu, Adelaide P; Rashid, Asim J; Josselyn, Sheena A

2011-01-01

The principal defining feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is memory impairment. As the transcription factor CREB (cAMP/Ca2+ responsive element-binding protein) is critical for memory formation across species, we investigated the role of CREB in a mouse model of AD. We found that TgCRND8 mice exhibit a profound impairment in the ability to form a spatial memory, a process that critically relies on the dorsal hippocampus. Perhaps contributing to this memory deficit, we observed additional deficits in the dorsal hippocampus of TgCRND8 mice in terms of (1) biochemistry (decreased CREB activation in the CA1 region), (2) neuronal structure (decreased spine density and dendritic complexity of CA1 pyramidal neurons), and (3) neuronal network activity (decreased arc mRNA levels following behavioral training). Locally and acutely increasing CREB function in the CA1 region of dorsal hippocampus of TgCRND8 mice was sufficient to restore function in each of these key domains (biochemistry, neuronal structure, network activity, and most importantly, memory formation). The rescue produced by increasing CREB was specific both anatomically and behaviorally and independent of plaque load or Aβ levels. Interestingly, humans with AD show poor spatial memory/navigation and AD brains have disrupted (1) CREB activation, and (2) spine density and dendritic complexity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. These parallel findings not only confirm that TgCRND8 mice accurately model key aspects of human AD, but furthermore, suggest the intriguing possibility that targeting CREB may be a useful therapeutic strategy in treating humans with AD. PMID:21734652

Anatomic Considerations for Plating of the Distal Ulna

PubMed Central

Hazel, Antony; Nemeth, Nicole; Bindra, Randy

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of our study was to examine the anatomy of the distal ulna and identify an interval that would be amenable to plating and would not cause impingement during wrist rotation nor irritation to the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon. Methods Six cadaveric forearms were dissected and the arc of the articular surface of the distal ulna was measured. The distal ulna was divided up as a clock face, with the ulnar styloid being assigned the 12 o'clock position, and the location of the ECU was identified accordingly. The distance from the ulnar styloid to where the dorsal sensory ulnar nerve crosses from volar to dorsal was also measured. Based on these measurements a safe zone was defined. Results A safe zone was identified between the 12 and 2 o'clock position on the right wrist, and between the 10 and 12 o'clock on the left wrist. The dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve crossed from volar to dorsal position at a variable location near the ulnar styloid. Two commercially available plates were utilized and could be placed in our designated interval and did not cause impingement when the forearm was rotated fully. Conclusion Our study demonstrates a location for plating of the distal ulna that avoids impingement during forearm rotation and that is outside of the footprint of the ECU subsheath. Clinical Relevance Plating of the distal ulna may be necessary with distal ulna fracture, and although plate placement may be dictated by the fracture pattern, it is important to understand the implications of plate placement. Although the ideal plate may not be possible because of comminution, the patient can be educated in regards to potential for tendon irritation, loss of motion, or need for hardware removal. PMID:26261745

Emotional detachment in psychopathy: Involvement of dorsal default-mode connections.

PubMed

Sethi, Arjun; Gregory, Sarah; Dell'Acqua, Flavio; Periche Thomas, Eva; Simmons, Andy; Murphy, Declan G M; Hodgins, Sheilagh; Blackwood, Nigel J; Craig, Michael C

2015-01-01

Criminal psychopathy is defined by emotional detachment [Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) factor 1], and antisocial behaviour (PCL-R factor 2). Previous work has associated antisocial behaviour in psychopathy with abnormalities in a ventral temporo-amygdala-orbitofrontal network. However, little is known of the neural correlates of emotional detachment. Imaging studies have indicated that the 'default-mode network' (DMN), and in particular its dorsomedial (medial prefrontal - posterior cingulate) component, contributes to affective and social processing in healthy individuals. Furthermore, recent work suggests that this network may be implicated in psychopathy. However, no research has examined the relationship between psychopathy, emotional detachment, and the white matter underpinning the DMN. We therefore used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography in 13 offenders with psychopathy and 13 non-offenders to investigate the relationship between emotional detachment and the microstructure of white matter connections within the DMN. These included the dorsal cingulum (containing the medial prefrontal - posterior cingulate connections of the DMN), and the ventral cingulum (containing the posterior cingulate - medial temporal connections of the DMN). We found that fractional anisotropy (FA) was reduced in the left dorsal cingulum in the psychopathy group (p = .024). Moreover, within this group, emotional detachment was negatively correlated with FA in this tract portion bilaterally (left: r = -.61, p = .026; right: r = -.62, p = .023). These results suggest the importance of the dorsal DMN in the emotional detachment observed in individuals with psychopathy. We propose a 'dual-network' model of white matter abnormalities in the disorder, which incorporates these with previous findings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dense transient receptor potential cation channel, vanilloid family, type 2 (TRPV2) immunoreactivity defines a subset of motoneurons in the dorsal lateral nucleus of the spinal cord, the nucleus ambiguus and the trigeminal motor nucleus in rat.

PubMed

Lewinter, R D; Scherrer, G; Basbaum, A I

2008-01-02

The transient receptor potential cation channel, vanilloid family, type 2 (TRPV2) is a member of the TRPV family of proteins and is a homologue of the capsaicin/vanilloid receptor (transient receptor potential cation channel, vanilloid family, type 1, TRPV1). Like TRPV1, TRPV2 is expressed in a subset of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons that project to superficial laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn. Because noxious heat (>52 degrees C) activates TRPV2 in transfected cells this channel has been implicated in the processing of high intensity thermal pain messages in vivo. In contrast to TRPV1, however, which is restricted to small diameter DRG neurons, there is significant TRPV2 immunoreactivity in a variety of CNS regions. The present report focuses on a subset of neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord of the rat including the dorsal lateral nucleus (DLN) of the spinal cord, the nucleus ambiguus, and the motor trigeminal nucleus. Double label immunocytochemistry with markers of motoneurons, combined with retrograde labeling, established that these cells are, in fact, motoneurons. With the exception of their smaller diameter, these cells did not differ from other motoneurons, which are only lightly TRPV2-immunoreactive. As for the majority of DLN neurons, the densely-labeled populations co-express androgen receptor and follow normal DLN ontogeny. The functional significance of the very intense TRPV2 expression in these three distinct spinal cord and brainstem motoneurons groups remains to be determined.

A new species of the Southeast Asian genus Opisthotropis (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae) from western Hunan, China

PubMed Central

Ren, Jin-Long; Wang, Kai; Jiang, Ke; Guo, Peng; Li, Jia-Tang

2017-01-01

A new species of natricine snake of the Southeast Asian genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 is described from western Hunan Province of China based on both mitochondrial DNA and morphological data. The new species is morphologically most similar and genetically most closely related to O. cheni Zhao, 1999 and O. latouchii (Boulenger, 1899), but possesses considerable genetic divergence (p-distance 5.1%-16.7%) and can be differentiated from all other congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) body size large (total length 514-586 mm) and strongly built; (2) dorsal scale rows 17 throughout, feebly keeled anteriorly and moderately keeled posteriorly; (3) ventral scales 147-152, subcaudal scales 54-62; (4) preocular absent, loreal elongated and touching orbit; (5) supralabials 8-9, fifth and sixth entering obit; (6) anterior temporals short, length 1.74-2.04 times longer than width; (7) maxillary teeth subequal, 28-30; (8) dorsal surface of head with distinct irregular yellow stripes and markings edged with ochre; (9) body with clear black and yellow longitudinal streaks, partly fused to several lighter patches or thicker stripes anteriorly; and (10) venter pale yellow, with asymmetric blackish speckles along outer margin. We present an updated diagnostic key to all members of the genus Opisthotropis, and recommendations on the ecological study for the group are provided. PMID:29181900

Saurida lessepsianus a new species of lizardfish (Pisces: Synodontidae) from the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, with a key to Saurida species in the Red Sea.

PubMed

Russell, Barry C; Golani, Daniel; Tikochinski, Yaron

2015-05-12

Saurida lessepsianus n. sp., a lizardfish (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae) from the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, previously misidentified as S. undosquamis (Richardson) and more recently as S. macrolepis Tanaka, is described as a new species. It is characterised by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin with 11-12 rays; pectoral fins with 13-15 rays; lateral-line scales 47-51; transverse scale rows above lateral line 4½, below lateral line 5½; pectoral fins moderately long (extending to between just before or just beyond a line from origin of pelvic fins to origin of dorsal fin); 2 rows of teeth on outer palatines; 0-2 teeth on vomer; tongue with 3-6 rows of teeth posteriorly; caudal peduncle slightly compressed (depth a little more than width); upper margin of caudal fin with row of 3-8 (usually 6 or 7) small black spots; stomach pale grey to blackish anteriorly; intestine whitish. The species is common in the Red Sea and as a result of Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal, it is now widely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean. The taxonomic status of two other Red Sea nominal species, Saurus badimottah Rüppell [= Saurida tumbil (Bloch)] and Saurida sinaitica Dollfus in Gruvel (a nomen nudum), is clarified. A key is provided for the species of Saurida in the Red Sea.

Combined modified en bloc corpectomy with replacement of the aorta in curative interdisciplinary treatment of a large osteosarcoma infiltrating the aorta.

PubMed

Pilger, Amrei; Tsilimparis, Nikolaos; Bockhorn, Maximilian; Trepel, Martin; Dreimann, Marc

2016-05-01

We report a case of a large three-level spinal osteosarcoma infiltrating the adjacent aorta. This is the first case in which a combined modified three-level en bloc corpectomy with resection and replacement of the adjacent aorta was successful as a part of interdisciplinary curative treatment. Case report. The surgical procedure was performed as a two-step treatment. A heart lung machine (HLM) was not used, in order to avoid cerebral and spinal ischemia and to decrease the risk of hematogenous tumor metastases. Instead, a bypass from the left subclavian artery the distal descending aorta was used. We modified the en bloc corpectomy procedure, leaving a dorsal segment of the vertebral bodies to enable rapid surgery. The procedure was successful and the en bloc resection of the vertebral body with aortal resection could be achieved. Except for pallhypesthesia in the left dermatomes Th7-Th10, the patient does not have any postoperative neurologic deficits. Combined corpectomy with aortic replacement should be considered as a reasonable option in the curative treatment of osteosarcoma with consideration of the immense surgical risks. The use of an HLM is not necessary, especially considering the inherent risk of hematogenous tumor metastases. Modified corpectomy leaving a dorsal vertebral body segment was considered a reasonable variation since tumor-free margins could still be expected.

A new species of Pseudopandarus Kirtisinghe, 1950 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Pandaridae) from sharks of the genus Squalus L. in New Caledonian waters.

PubMed

Bernot, James P; Boxshall, Geoffrey A

2017-02-01

Both sexes of a new species of pandarid copepod are described from sharks of the genus Squalus L. (Squaliformes: Squalidae). Specimens of Pseudopandarus cairae n. sp. were collected from Squalus bucephalus Last, Séret & Pogonoski and S. melanurus Fourmanoir & Rivaton in New Caledonian waters, the first parasitic copepod to be described from either host species. This is the eighth nominal species of Pseudopandarus Kirtisinghe, 1950 and the first to be described from a shark of the order Squaliformes. Pseudopandarus cairae n. sp. is easily distinguished from P. australis Cressey & Simpfendorfer, 1988, P. longus (Gnanamuthu, 1951) Cressey, 1967, and P. pelagicus Rangnekar, 1977 in having the female genital complex concealed beneath an elongate dorsal genital shield with a trilobed posterior margin. It can be distinguished from P. gracilis Kirtisinghe, 1950 and P. scyllii Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959 by the armature of the leg 4 endopod and by the proportions of the dorsal genital shield. The new species is unique among known species of Pseudopandarus in its possession of only 1 setal element on the distal endopod segment of leg 4. In addition to describing the new species, the host associations of all species of Pseudopandarus are reviewed and observations are made regarding sexual dimorphism and mode of attachment. A key to the species considered valid is provided.

The Pathogenesis of Atrial and Atrioventricular Septal Defects with Special Emphasis on the Role of the Dorsal Mesenchymal Protrusion

PubMed Central

Briggs, Laura E.; Kakarla, Jayant; Wessels, Andy

2012-01-01

Partitioning of the four-chambered heart requires the proper formation, interaction and fusion of several mesenchymal tissues derived from different precursor populations that together form the atrioventricular mesenchymal complex. This includes the major endocardial cushions and the mesenchymal cap of the septum primum, which are of endocardial origin, and the dorsal mesenchymal protrusion (DMP), which is derived from the Second Heart Field. Failure of these structures to develop and/or fully mature results in atrial septal defects (ASDs) and atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). AVSDs are congenital malformations in which the atria are permitted to communicate due to defective septation between the inferior margin of the septum primum and the atrial surface of the common atrioventricular valve. The clinical presentation of AVSDs is variable and depends on both the size and/or type of defect; less severe defects may be asymptomatic while the most severe defect, if untreated, results in infantile heart failure. For many years, maldevelopment of the endocardial cushions was thought to be the sole etiology of AVSDs. More recent work, however, has demonstrated that perturbation of DMP development also results in AVSD. Here, we discuss in detail the formation of the DMP, its contribution to cardiac septation and describe the morphological features as well as potential etiologies of ASDs and AVSDs. PMID:22709652

Neural correlates of ostracism in transgender persons living according to their gender identity: a potential risk marker for psychopathology?

PubMed

Mueller, Sven C; Wierckx, Katrien; Boccadoro, Sara; T'Sjoen, Guy

2018-01-15

Stigmatization in society carries a high risk for development of psychopathology. Transgender persons are at particularly high risk for such stigmatization and social rejection by others. However, the neural correlates of ostracism in this group have not been captured. Twenty transgender men (TM, female-to-male) and 19 transgender women (TW, male-to-female) already living in their gender identity and 20 cisgender men (CM) and 20 cisgender women (CW) completed a cyberball task assessing both exclusion and re-inclusion during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During psychosocial stress between-group differences were found in the dorsal and ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Patterns were consistent with sex assigned at birth, i.e. CW showed greater activation in dorsal ACC and IFG relative to CM and TW. During re-inclusion, transgender persons showed greater ventral ACC activity relative to CW, possibly indicating persistent feelings of exclusion. Functional connectivity analyses supported these findings but showed a particularly altered functional connectivity between ACC and lateral prefrontal cortex in TM, which may suggest reduced emotional regulation to the ostracism experience in this group. Depressive symptoms or hormonal levels were not associated with these findings. The results bear implications for the role of social exclusion in development of mental health problems in socially marginalized groups.

Silencing of Apis mellifera dorsal genes reveals their role in expression of the antimicrobial peptide defensin-1.

PubMed

Lourenço, Anete Pedro; Florecki, Mônica Mazzei; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino; Evans, Jay Daniel

2018-04-17

Like all other insects, two key signaling pathways (Toll and Imd) regulate the induction of honey bee immune effectors that target microbial pathogens. Among these effectors are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are presumed to be produced by the NF-κB factors Dorsal and Relish from the Toll and Imd pathways, respectively. Using in silico analysis, we previously proposed that the honey bee AMP defensin-1 was regulated by the Toll pathway, while hymenoptaecin was regulated by Imd and abaecin by both the Toll and Imd pathways. Here we use an RNA interference (RNAi) assay to determine the role of Dorsal in regulating abaecin and defensin-1. Honey bees have two dorsal genes (dorsal-1 and dorsal-2) and two splicing isoforms of dorsal-1 (dorsal-1A and dorsal-1B). Accordingly, we used both single and multiple (double or triple) isoform knockdown strategies to clarify the roles of dorsal proteins and their isoforms. Down-regulation of defensin-1 was observed for dorsal-1A and dorsal-2 knockdowns, but abaecin expression was not affected by dorsal RNAi. We conclude that defensin-1 is regulated by Dorsal (Toll pathway). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 The Royal Entomological Society.

Activin-like signal activates dorsal-specific maternal RNA between 8- and 16-cell stages of Xenopus.

PubMed

Hainski, A M; Moody, S A

1996-01-01

In many animals the dorsal-ventral axis forms by an initial localization of maternal molecules, which then regulate the spatial location of signals that directly influence the expression of axis-specific fates. Several recent studies have demonstrated that dorsal-animal blastomeres of the Xenopus morula (8-32 cells) are biased toward dorsal fates prior to mesoderm inductive signaling. In this study we ask whether the dorsal bias is the result of autonomous expression of maternal molecules specifically localized within dorsal cells or of early activating signals. It was found that although 16-cell dorsal-animal blastomeres (D1.1) can differentiate into dorsal tissues when cultured alone, the 8-cell mothers (D1) can not. Likewise, although RNA extracted from D1.1 can induce an extra dorsal axis when injected into vegetal blastomeres, RNA extracted from D1 can not. However, D1 does express dorsal tissues if co-cultured with dorsal-vegetal cells or with culture medium containing a mixture of activins (PIF-medium). Furthermore, short-term culture of D1 in PIF-medium enables the D1 RNA to induce an ectopic dorsal axis. Ventral-animal blastomeres also can express dorsal axial tissues when co-cultured with dorsal-vegetal blastomeres or in PIF-medium, but the RNA from the activin-treated ventral cells cannot induce ectopic dorsal axes. These studies demonstrate that there are maternal RNAs that, shortly after fertilization, are present only in the dorsal-animal region. They do not act cell autonomously, but require an activin-like signal. These RNAs may function by increasing the responsiveness of dorsal-animal blastomeres to the mesoderm inductive signals present in both the morula and the blastula.

14 CFR 1214.110 - Reflight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Space Shuttle Flights of Payloads for Non-U.S. Government, Reimbursable Customers § 1214.110 Reflight. (a) NASA will provide a reflight of a customer's payload under conditions defined in the launch agreement. The standard flight price for reflights will be based on NASA's marginal cost as defined in...

14 CFR 1214.110 - Reflight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Space Shuttle Flights of Payloads for Non-U.S. Government, Reimbursable Customers § 1214.110 Reflight. (a) NASA will provide a reflight of a customer's payload under conditions defined in the launch agreement. The standard flight price for reflights will be based on NASA's marginal cost as defined in...

14 CFR 1214.110 - Reflight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Space Shuttle Flights of Payloads for Non-U.S. Government, Reimbursable Customers § 1214.110 Reflight. (a) NASA will provide a reflight of a customer's payload under conditions defined in the launch agreement. The standard flight price for reflights will be based on NASA's marginal cost as defined in...

14 CFR 1214.110 - Reflight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Space Shuttle Flights of Payloads for Non-U.S. Government, Reimbursable Customers § 1214.110 Reflight. (a) NASA will provide a reflight of a customer's payload under conditions defined in the launch agreement. The standard flight price for reflights will be based on NASA's marginal cost as defined in...

Quantification of the impact of a confounding variable on functional connectivity confirms anti-correlated networks in the resting-state.

PubMed

Carbonell, F; Bellec, P; Shmuel, A

2014-02-01

The effect of regressing out the global average signal (GAS) in resting state fMRI data has become a concern for interpreting functional connectivity analyses. It is not clear whether the reported anti-correlations between the Default Mode and the Dorsal Attention Networks are intrinsic to the brain, or are artificially created by regressing out the GAS. Here we introduce a concept, Impact of the Global Average on Functional Connectivity (IGAFC), for quantifying the sensitivity of seed-based correlation analyses to the regression of the GAS. This voxel-wise IGAFC index is defined as the product of two correlation coefficients: the correlation between the GAS and the fMRI time course of a voxel, times the correlation between the GAS and the seed time course. This definition enables the calculation of a threshold at which the impact of regressing-out the GAS would be large enough to introduce spurious negative correlations. It also yields a post-hoc impact correction procedure via thresholding, which eliminates spurious correlations introduced by regressing out the GAS. In addition, we introduce an Artificial Negative Correlation Index (ANCI), defined as the absolute difference between the IGAFC index and the impact threshold. The ANCI allows a graded confidence scale for ranking voxels according to their likelihood of showing artificial correlations. By applying this method, we observed regions in the Default Mode and Dorsal Attention Networks that were anti-correlated. These findings confirm that the previously reported negative correlations between the Dorsal Attention and Default Mode Networks are intrinsic to the brain and not the result of statistical manipulations. Our proposed quantification of the impact that a confound may have on functional connectivity can be generalized to global effect estimators other than the GAS. It can be readily applied to other confounds, such as systemic physiological or head movement interferences, in order to quantify their impact on functional connectivity in the resting state. © 2013.

CLOCK expression identifies developing circadian oscillator neurons in the brains of Drosophila embryos.

PubMed

Houl, Jerry H; Ng, Fanny; Taylor, Pete; Hardin, Paul E

2008-12-18

The Drosophila circadian oscillator is composed of transcriptional feedback loops in which CLOCK-CYCLE (CLK-CYC) heterodimers activate their feedback regulators period (per) and timeless (tim) via E-box mediated transcription. These feedback loop oscillators are present in distinct clusters of dorsal and lateral neurons in the adult brain, but how this pattern of expression is established during development is not known. Since CLK is required to initiate feedback loop function, defining the pattern of CLK expression in embryos and larvae will shed light on oscillator neuron development. A novel CLK antiserum is used to show that CLK expression in the larval CNS and adult brain is limited to circadian oscillator cells. CLK is initially expressed in presumptive small ventral lateral neurons (s-LNvs), dorsal neurons 2 s (DN2s), and dorsal neuron 1 s (DN1s) at embryonic stage (ES) 16, and this CLK expression pattern persists through larval development. PER then accumulates in all CLK-expressing cells except presumptive DN2s during late ES 16 and ES 17, consistent with the delayed accumulation of PER in adult oscillator neurons and antiphase cycling of PER in larval DN2s. PER is also expressed in non-CLK-expressing cells in the embryonic CNS starting at ES 12. Although PER expression in CLK-negative cells continues in ClkJrk embryos, PER expression in cells that co-express PER and CLK is eliminated. These data demonstrate that brain oscillator neurons begin development during embryogenesis, that PER expression in non-oscillator cells is CLK-independent, and that oscillator phase is an intrinsic characteristic of brain oscillator neurons. These results define the temporal and spatial coordinates of factors that initiate Clk expression, imply that circadian photoreceptors are not activated until the end of embryogenesis, and suggest that PER functions in a different capacity before oscillator cell development is initiated.

Overcoming Multidimensional Marginality: The Significance of Higher Education for Traditionally Reared Single Mothers Living in the Outer Periphery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Zeev; Shenaar-Golan, Vered

2017-01-01

The current study gives voice to a group of remarkable returning college students whose lives are defined by multidimensional marginality. These students are single mothers who grew up in traditional families in the outer periphery of Northern Israel, where they still lived at the time of this study. Drawing on the women's life stories gathered…

14 CFR § 1214.110 - Reflight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Space Shuttle Flights of Payloads for Non-U.S. Government, Reimbursable Customers § 1214.110 Reflight. (a) NASA will provide a reflight of a customer's payload under conditions defined in the launch agreement. The standard flight price for reflights will be based on NASA's marginal cost as defined in...

The assessment of mucosal surgical margins in head and neck cancer surgery with narrow band imaging.

PubMed

Šifrer, Robert; Urbančič, Jure; Strojan, Primož; Aničin, Aleksandar; Žargi, Miha

2017-07-01

The diagnostic gain of narrow band imaging in the definition of surgical margins in the treatment of head and neck cancer was evaluated. A prospective study, blinded to the pathologist, with historical comparison. The study group included 45 patients subjected to the intraoperative definition of margins by narrow band imaging. The control group included 55 patients who had undergone standard definition of margins. All patients underwent resection of the tumor and frozen section analysis of superficial margins. The rate of initial R 0 resection and the ratio of histologically negative margins for both groups were statistically compared. The rate of initial R 0 resection in the study group and in the control group was 88.9% and 70.9% (P = .047), and the ratio of histologically negative margins was 95.9% and 88.4% (P = .017), respectively. Narrow band imaging reveals a microscopic extension of the tumor that could be effectively used to better define superficial margins and to achieve a higher rate of initial R 0 resections. 4 Laryngoscope, 127:1577-1582, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

A Critical Analysis of the Current Knowledge of Surgical Anatomy of the Prostate Related to Optimisation of Cancer Control and Preservation of Continence and Erection in Candidates for Radical Prostatectomy: An Update.

PubMed

Walz, Jochen; Epstein, Jonathan I; Ganzer, Roman; Graefen, Markus; Guazzoni, Giorgio; Kaouk, Jihad; Menon, Mani; Mottrie, Alexandre; Myers, Robert P; Patel, Vipul; Tewari, Ashutosh; Villers, Arnauld; Artibani, Walter

2016-08-01

In 2010, we published a review summarising the available literature on surgical anatomy of the prostate and adjacent structures involved in cancer control and the functional outcome of prostatectomy. To provide an update based on new literature to help the surgeon improve oncologic and surgical outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP). We searched the PubMed database using the keywords radical prostatectomy, anatomy, neurovascular bundle, nerve, fascia, pelvis, sphincter, urethra, urinary continence, and erectile function. Relevant articles and textbook chapters published since the last review were critically reviewed, analysed, and summarised. Moreover, we integrated aspects that were not addressed in the last review into this update. We found new evidence for several topics. Up to 40% of the cross-sectional surface area of the urethral sphincter tissue is laterally overlapped by the dorsal vascular complex and might be injured during en bloc ligation. Denonvilliers fascia is fused with the base of the prostate in a horizontal fashion dorsally/caudally of the seminal vesicles, requiring sharp detachment when preserved. During extended pelvic lymph node dissection, the erectile nerves are at risk in the presacral and internal iliac area. Dissection planes for nerve sparing can be graded according to the amount of tissue left on the prostate as a safety margin against positive surgical margins. Vascular structures can serve as landmarks. The urethral sphincter and its length after RP are influenced by the shape of the apex. Taking this shape into account allows preservation of additional sphincter length with improved postoperative continence. This update provides additional, detailed information about the surgical anatomy of the prostate and adjacent tissues involved in RP. This anatomy remains complex and widely variable. These details facilitate surgical orientation and dissection during RP and ideally should translate into improved outcomes. Based on recent anatomic findings regarding the prostate and its surrounding tissue, the urologist can individualise the dissection during RP according to cancer and patient characteristics to improve oncologic and functional results at the same time. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new species of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) from Costa Rica and Panama, with a key to the lower Central American species of the genus.

PubMed

Angulo, A; Santos, A C; López, M; Langeani, F; Mcmahan, C D

2018-06-01

Astyanax anai, a new species of characid fish, is described from the Sixaola River basin, eastern Costa Rica-western Panama, Central America. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: premaxillary teeth 4-5 at the inner series and 4-6 at the outer series; maxillary teeth tricuspid, 2-4; predorsal scale series irregular and incomplete, with an unscaled space behind tip of supraoccipital process and 12-14 scales; lateral line scales 34-39; humeral region with a conspicuous black and rounded to horizontally ovate spot and two diffuse brown and vertically elongate bars (the first through the rounded to horizontally ovate spot, the second 2-4 scales behind the first); body depth 36·6-42·3% of standard length (L S ); midlateral stripe formed by a series of 10-14 anteriorly-directed dermal herringbone, or chevron-shaped, marks, most apparent in juveniles and in preserved specimens, extending above the lateral line from the black humeral spot or just behind it (from the second vertical bar) to the caudal peduncle; scale rows from lateral line to base of first dorsal-fin ray 8-9; scale rows from lateral line to base of pelvic fin 7-8; pre-anal distance 53·9-61·9% of L S ; total anal-fin elements 29-33; caudal spot elongated, rhomboid or rectangular, with its anterior margin surpassing the middle of the caudal peduncle, usually reaching the anal-fin insertion, posteriorly covering 4-7 principal caudal-fin rays and not extending onto the ventral and dorsal margins of the caudal peduncle, covering 3-5 horizontal scale rows. In order to test the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon in relation to the other North and Central American species of the genus, a new phylogenetic hypothesis based on a reanalysis of the morphological matrix by Schmitter-Soto (2016) is proposed. A key to the lower Central American (southern Nicaragua to eastern Panama) species of Astyanax is also provided. © 2018 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Congenital tri-cavernous hemangiomas of the right buccal region, right accessory parotid gland, and masseter muscle region.

PubMed

Yang, Tao; Gu, Yongchun; Zhang, Li; Hua, Zequan

2014-03-01

We report a rare case of congenital tri-cavernous hemangiomas of the right buccal region, right accessory parotid gland, and masseter muscle region in an adult. The patient, a 25-year-old woman, complained of 3 masses in her right midcheek. Ultrasonographic and computed tomographic findings showed an irregular-shaped mass (multiple calcifications) with a well-defined margin in the masseter muscle region, an ellipse-shaped mass (multiple calcifications) with a well-defined margin in the right buccal region, and a comma-shaped mass (no calcifications) with a well-defined margin separate from the parotid gland in the right accessory parotid gland region. These iconographic findings suggested that the masses were all hemangiomas separately originating from the parotid gland, accessory parotid gland, and masseter muscle. The masses were completely removed through a standard parotid incision without postoperative facial palsy, skin deformity, and difficulty in secreting saliva. Findings from histologic examination of the tumor revealed multiple, thin-walled, and dilated blood vessels, confirming the diagnosis of cavernous hemangiomas. Ultrasonographic and computed tomographic findings were extremely useful in diagnosing the mass/masses as hemangioma before surgery, clarifying relationships between the mass and adjacent structures, and determining the surgical approach to the mass/masses.

Ultrasonographic Differentiation Between Nodular Hyperplasia and Neoplastic Follicular-Patterned Lesions of the Thyroid Gland.

PubMed

Song, Yong Sub; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Na, Dong Gyu; Min, Hye Sook; Won, Jae-Kyung; Yun, Tae Jin; Choi, Seung Hong; Sohn, Chul-Ho

2016-08-01

We evaluate the gray-scale ultrasonographic characteristics that differentiate between nodular hyperplasia (NH) and neoplastic follicular-patterned lesions (NFPLs) of the thyroid gland. Ultrasonographic features of 750 patients with 832 thyroid nodules (NH, n = 361; or NFPLs, follicular adenoma, n = 123; follicular carcinoma, n = 159; and follicular variant papillary carcinoma, n = 189) were analyzed. Except for echogenicity, over two-thirds of the cases of NH and NFPLs share the ultrasonographic characteristics of solid internal content, a well-defined smooth margin and round-to-ovoid shape. Independent predictors for NH were non-solid internal content (sensitivity 27.1%, specificity 90.2%), isoechogenicity (sensitivity 69.5%, specificity 63.5%) and an ill-defined margin (sensitivity 18.8%, specificity 94.5%). Independent predictors for NFPLs were hypoechogenicity (sensitivity 60.5%, specificity 70.4%), marked hypoechogenicity (sensitivity 2.8%, specificity 99.4%) and taller-than-wide shape (sensitivity 6.6%, specificity 98.1%). Although NH and NFPLs commonly share ultrasonographic characteristics, non-solid internal content and ill-defined margin are specific to NH and marked hypoechogenicity and taller-than-wide shape are specific to NFPLs. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-ordination of growth, gas exchange and hydraulics define the carbon safety margin in tree species with contrasting drought strategies.

PubMed

Mitchell, P J; O'Grady, A P; Tissue, D T; Worledge, D; Pinkard, E A

2014-05-01

Gas exchange, growth, water transport and carbon (C) metabolism diminish during drought according to their respective sensitivities to declining water status. The timing of this sequence of declining physiological functions may determine how water and C relations compromise plant survival. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that the degree of asynchrony between declining C supply (photosynthesis) and C demand (growth and respiration) determines the rate and magnitude of changes in whole-plant non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) during drought. Two complementary experiments using two tree species (Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Pinus radiata D. Don) with contrasting drought response strategies were performed to (i) assess changes in radial stem growth, transpiration, leaf water potential and gas exchange in response to chronic drought, and (ii) evaluate the concomitant impacts of these drought responses on the temporal patterns of NSC during terminal drought. The three distinct phases of water stress were delineated by thresholds of growth cessation and stomatal closure that defined the 'carbon safety margin' (i.e., the difference between leaf water potential when growth is zero and leaf water potential when net photosynthesis is zero). A wider C safety margin in E. globulus was defined by an earlier cessation of growth relative to photosynthesis that reduced the demand for NSC while maintaining C acquisition. By contrast, the narrower C safety margin in P. radiata was characterized by a synchronous decline in growth and photosynthesis, whereby growth continued under a declining supply of NSC from photosynthesis. The narrower C safety margin in P. radiata was associated with declines in starch concentrations after ∼ 90 days of chronic drought and significant depletion of starch in all organs at mortality. The observed divergence in the sensitivity of drought responses is indicative of a potential trade-off between maintaining hydraulic safety and adequate C availability. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Object representations in ventral and dorsal visual streams: fMRI repetition effects depend on attention and part–whole configuration

PubMed Central

Thoma, Volker; Henson, Richard N.

2011-01-01

The effects of attention and object configuration on the neural responses to short-lag visual image repetition were investigated with fMRI. Attention to one of two object images in a prime display was cued spatially. The images were either intact or split vertically; a manipulation that negates the influence of view-based representations. A subsequent single intact probe image was named covertly. Behavioural priming observed as faster button presses was found for attended primes in both intact and split configurations, but only for uncued primes in the intact configuration. In a voxel-wise analysis, fMRI repetition suppression (RS) was observed in a left mid-fusiform region for attended primes, both intact and split, whilst a right intraparietal region showed repetition enhancement (RE) for intact primes, regardless of attention. In a factorial analysis across regions of interest (ROIs) defined from independent localiser contrasts, RS for attended objects in the ventral stream was significantly left-lateralised, whilst repetition effects in ventral and dorsal ROIs correlated with the amount of priming in specific conditions. These fMRI results extend hybrid theories of object recognition, implicating left ventral stream regions in analytic processing (requiring attention), consistent with prior hypotheses about hemispheric specialisation, and implicating dorsal stream regions in holistic processing (independent of attention). PMID:21554967

Comparison of Optic Disc Margin Identified by Color Disc Photography and High-Speed Ultrahigh-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Manassakorn, Anita; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Kim, Jong S.; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A.; Kagemann, Larry; Gabriele, Michelle L.; Sung, Kyung Rim; Mumcuoglu, Tarkan; Duker, Jay S.; Fujimoto, James G.; Schuman, Joel S.

2009-01-01

Objective To determine the correspondence between optic disc margins evaluated using disc photography (DP) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods From May 1, 2005, through November 10, 2005, 17 healthy volunteers (17 eyes) had raster scans (180 frames, 501 samplings per frame) centered on the optic disc taken with stereo-optic DP and high-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT (hsUHR-OCT). Two image outputs were derived from the hsUHR-OCT data set: an en face hsUHR-OCT fundus image and a set of 180 frames of cross-sectional images. Three ophthalmologists independently and in a masked, randomized fashion marked the disc margin on the DP, hsUHR-OCT fundus, and cross-sectional images using custom software. Disc size (area and horizontal and vertical diameters) and location of the geometric disc center were compared among the 3 types of images. Results The hsUHR-OCT fundus image definition showed a significantly smaller disc size than the DP definition (P<.001, mixed-effects analysis). The hsUHR-OCT cross-sectional image definition showed a significantly larger disc size than the DP definition (P<.001). The geometric disc center location was similar among the 3 types of images except for the y-coordinate, which was significantly smaller in the hsUHR-OCT fundus images than in the DP images. Conclusion The optic disc margin as defined by hsUHR-OCT was significantly different than the margin defined by DP. PMID:18195219

Hydrodynamic function of dorsal fins in spiny dogfish and bamboo sharks during steady swimming.

PubMed

Maia, Anabela; Lauder, George V; Wilga, Cheryl D

2017-11-01

A key feature of fish functional design is the presence of multiple fins that allow thrust vectoring and redirection of fluid momentum to contribute to both steady swimming and maneuvering. A number of previous studies have analyzed the function of dorsal fins in teleost fishes in this context, but the hydrodynamic function of dorsal fins in freely swimming sharks has not been analyzed, despite the potential for differential functional roles between the anterior and posterior dorsal fins. Previous anatomical research has suggested a primarily stabilizing role for shark dorsal fins. We evaluated the generality of this hypothesis by using time-resolved particle image velocimetry to record water flow patterns in the wake of both the anterior and posterior dorsal fins in two species of freely swimming sharks: bamboo sharks ( Chiloscyllium plagiosum ) and spiny dogfish ( Squalus acanthias ). Cross-correlation analysis of consecutive images was used to calculate stroke-averaged mean longitudinal and lateral velocity components, and vorticity. In spiny dogfish, we observed a velocity deficit in the wake of the first dorsal fin and flow acceleration behind the second dorsal fin, indicating that the first dorsal fin experiences net drag while the second dorsal fin can aid in propulsion. In contrast, the wake of both dorsal fins in bamboo sharks displayed increased net flow velocity in the majority of trials, reflecting a thrust contribution to steady swimming. In bamboo sharks, fluid flow in the wake of the second dorsal fin had higher absolute average velocity than that for first dorsal fin, and this may result from a positive vortex interaction between the first and second dorsal fins. These data suggest that the first dorsal fin in spiny dogfish has primarily a stabilizing function, while the second dorsal fin has a propulsive function. In bamboo sharks, both dorsal fins can contribute thrust and should be considered as propulsive adjuncts to the body during steady swimming. The function of shark dorsal fins can thus differ considerably among fins and species, and is not limited to a stabilizing role. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The tumour border on contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and its relation to histological characteristics of invasive breast cancer.

PubMed

Ambicka, Aleksandra; Luczynska, Elzbieta; Adamczyk, Agnieszka; Harazin-Lechowska, Agnieszka; Sas-Korczynska, Beata; Niemiec, Joanna

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is one of the new diagnostic modalities implemented in clinical practice. In the case of these techniques, there are two major issues to be addressed: (1) their diagnostic usefulness, and (2) the relation between parameters assessed using these techniques and well-known diagnostic/prognostic/predictive markers (histological, clinical, and molecular). Therefore, we studied the relationship between the tumour margin assessed on CESM and (1) tumour borders defined on the basis of macroscopic and microscopic examination, (2) pT, (3) pN, and (4) tumour grade in a group of 82 breast cancer patients. Based on CESM, the tumour border was defined as sharp, indistinct or spiculated, whereas in the case of lesions showing weak or medium enhancement on CESM the borders were classified as unspecified. We found a statistically significant relationship between tumour margin on CESM and (1) macroscopic border (a spiculated margin on CESM was found only in carcinomas with an invasive border on histological examination; p = 0.004), (2) pT (p = 0.016), and (3) pN (nodal involvement was observed most frequently in carcinomas with a spiculated or indistinct margin on CESM; p = 0.045). Moreover, in cases with an undefined margin on CESM (cases showing weak or medium enhancement on CESM), both invasive and pushing borders were found on histological examination. The results of our preliminary study suggest that it is possible to assess macroscopic borders of examined lesions on the basis of CESM imaging. This might be useful in planning the extent of surgical excision. On the other hand, the assessment of the tumour margin on CESM might not be precise in cases showing weak enhancement.

Enc1 expression in the chick telencephalon at intermediate and late stages of development.

PubMed

García-Calero, Elena; Puelles, Luis

2009-12-10

In this work we studied the regional expression pattern of the Enc1 gene in the chick embryo telencephalon at intermediate and late stages of development, bearing on architectonic groupings and boundaries of current interest. In general, the Enc1 signal shows a markedly heterogeneous areal pattern of expression throughout the telencephalon; this corroborates data on new pallial and subpallial structures defined recently in the stereotaxic chick brain atlas of Puelles et al. (2007. The chick brain in stereotaxic coodinates. San Diego, CA: Academic Press). For example: a periventricular/central domain is Enc1-negative in the ventral pallium or nidopallium; core and shell nuclei appear in the mesopallium; the redefined caudodorsolateral area shows a characteristic pattern; the limits of the densocellular hyperpallium in the dorsal pallium are illuminated; and the postulated entorhinal cortex area is distinct at the posterior telencephalic pole. Interestingly, Enc1 transcripts are distinctly present in the piriform cortex at the surface of the ventral pallium throughout its longitudinal extent, as well as in the most rostral part of the lateral pallium, implying a layout of this cortex more similar to the situation in mammals than was assumed previously. Separate corticoid superficial strata are labeled by the Enc1 probe in the lateral and dorsal pallial regions. In the subpallium, the expression of Enc1 agrees with the new radial subdivisions defined by Puelles et al. (2007).

Normal embryonic stages of the Longnose Gar, Lepisosteus osseus

PubMed Central

Long, Wilbur L; Ballard, William W

2001-01-01

Background Gaps exist in the modern literature that describes patterns of development in living groups of actinopterygian fishes. Relatively recent descriptions of development exist for the teleost fishes, bowfin, sturgeon, paddlefish and bichirs. Such literature dealing with the gars is to be found in older work, done approximately a century ago. The present study concerns the gars, of which the garpike, Lepisosteus osseus, is a representative example. Results The embryonic period of life of this fish is divided, as required for experimentation, into 34 stages, from fertilization to exhaustion of the yolk supply. Diagnostic structural characteristics are cited for each stage, and the rate of development is indicated. Conclusions Three features of development are especially noted that compare or contrast with other members of the Neopterygii, and with the Chondrostei. These are meroblastic cleavage, a well-defined yolk syncytial layer (ysl), and a pit at the posterodorsal edge of the blastoderm, which defines an overhanging dorsal lip. Meroblastic cleavage and the ysl in the garpike show an affinity to those character states in the teleosts, though not with Amia, the other neopterygian fish. The posterodorsal pit and dorsal lip are reminiscent of similar features in the Chondrostei. Lepisosteus is unique among the Neopterygii with respect to this character state. Such comparisons set the stage for a broader understanding of the mechanisms for development in these organisms, and of the evolutionary relationships between them. PMID:11319037

Nodal signalling determines biradial asymmetry in Hydra.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi; Schmidt, Heiko A; Kuhn, Anne; Höger, Stefanie K; Kocagöz, Yigit; Laumann-Lipp, Nico; Ozbek, Suat; Holstein, Thomas W

2014-11-06

In bilaterians, three orthogonal body axes define the animal form, with distinct anterior-posterior, dorsal-ventral and left-right asymmetries. The key signalling factors are Wnt family proteins for the anterior-posterior axis, Bmp family proteins for the dorsal-ventral axis and Nodal for the left-right axis. Cnidarians, the sister group to bilaterians, are characterized by one oral-aboral body axis, which exhibits a distinct biradiality of unknown molecular nature. Here we analysed the biradial growth pattern in the radially symmetrical cnidarian polyp Hydra, and we report evidence of Nodal in a pre-bilaterian clade. We identified a Nodal-related gene (Ndr) in Hydra magnipapillata, and this gene is essential for setting up an axial asymmetry along the main body axis. This asymmetry defines a lateral signalling centre, inducing a new body axis of a budding polyp orthogonal to the mother polyp's axis. Ndr is expressed exclusively in the lateral bud anlage and induces Pitx, which encodes an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor that functions downstream of Nodal. Reminiscent of its function in vertebrates, Nodal acts downstream of β-Catenin signalling. Our data support an evolutionary scenario in which a 'core-signalling cassette' consisting of β-Catenin, Nodal and Pitx pre-dated the cnidarian-bilaterian split. We presume that this cassette was co-opted for various modes of axial patterning: for example, for lateral branching in cnidarians and left-right patterning in bilaterians.

Computerized margin and texture analyses for differentiating bacterial pneumonia and invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma presenting as consolidation.

PubMed

Koo, Hyun Jung; Kim, Mi Young; Koo, Ja Hwan; Sung, Yu Sub; Jung, Jiwon; Kim, Sung-Han; Choi, Chang-Min; Kim, Hwa Jung

2017-01-01

Radiologists have used margin characteristics based on routine visual analysis; however, the attenuation changes at the margin of the lesion on CT images have not been quantitatively assessed. We established a CT-based margin analysis method by comparing a target lesion with normal lung attenuation, drawing a slope to represent the attenuation changes. This approach was applied to patients with invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (n = 40) or bacterial pneumonia (n = 30). Correlations among multiple regions of interest (ROIs) were obtained using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values. CT visual assessment, margin and texture parameters were compared for differentiating the two disease entities. The attenuation and margin parameters in multiple ROIs showed excellent ICC values. Attenuation slopes obtained at the margins revealed a difference between invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma and pneumonia (P<0.001), and mucinous adenocarcinoma produced a sharply declining attenuation slope. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, pneumonia had an ill-defined margin (odds ratio (OR), 4.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-18.52; P = 0.02), ground-glass opacity (OR, 8.55; 95% CI, 2.09-34.95; P = 0.003), and gradually declining attenuation at the margin (OR, 12.63; 95% CI, 2.77-57.51, P = 0.001). CT-based margin analysis method has a potential to act as an imaging parameter for differentiating invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma and bacterial pneumonia.

Length of positive surgical margin after radical prostatectomy as a predictor of biochemical recurrence.

PubMed

Shikanov, Sergey; Song, Jie; Royce, Cassandra; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Zorn, Kevin; Steinberg, Gary; Zagaja, Gregory; Shalhav, Arieh; Eggener, Scott

2009-07-01

Length and location of positive surgical margins are independent predictors of biochemical recurrence after open radical prostatectomy. We assessed their impact on biochemical recurrence in a large robotic prostatectomy series. Data were collected prospectively from 1,398 men undergoing robotic radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer from 2003 to 2008 at a single institution. The associations of preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological Gleason score, pathological stage and positive surgical margin parameters (location, length and focality) with biochemical recurrence rate were evaluated. Margin status and length were measured by a single uropathologist. Biochemical recurrence was defined as serum prostate specific antigen greater than 0.1 ng/ml on 2 consecutive tests. Cox regression models were constructed to evaluate predictors of biochemical recurrence. Of 1,398 consecutive patients who underwent robotic prostatectomy positive margins were present in 243 (17%) (11% of pathological T2 and 41% of T3). Preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological stage, Gleason score, margin status, and margin length as a continuous and categorical variable (less than 1, 1 to 3, more than 3 mm) were independent predictors of biochemical recurrence. Patients with negative margins and those with a positive margin less than 1 mm had similar rates of biochemical recurrence (log rank test p = 0.18). Surgical margin location was not independently associated with biochemical recurrence. Margin status and length are independent predictors of biochemical recurrence following robotic radical prostatectomy. Although longer followup and validation studies are necessary for confirmation, patients with a positive margin less than 1 mm appear to have similar recurrence rates as those with negative margins.

The Ills of Marginality: New Perspectives on Health in South Asia.

PubMed

Ecks, Stefan; Sax, William S

2005-12-01

Social marginality and ill health can form an unholy dyad: firstly, groups who suffer from chronic or infectious diseases often find themselves pushed to the margins. Secondly, people who are already on the edge of society tend to suffer more from illness than those at the centre. In development discourse, marginal people are defined as those who are 'not yet' on the same level as the developed mainstream and are in urgent need of aid from the centre. The papers in this special issue take a different approach by insisting that marginality is a radically relational concept: the centre and its margins constitute each other, and the boundaries between them are constantly shifting. The papers show that there are many types of marginality (based on geography, class, caste, sex/gender, ethnicity, etc.), and that each of them has different effects on the health of a particular group. Yet instead of speaking of a plurality of unrelated 'group identities', marginality preserves a sharp sense of unequal power relations between groups. The specific ethnographic contribution to the study of marginality comes from its attention to the point of view of marginal people. This is of critical importance since marginality puts health most under stress when it is clearly and steadily perceived in everyday life. This, in turn, makes it possible to show that living on the margins is not always and everywhere bad for health. While all of the papers present South Asian case studies, the insights and questions are relevant for the study of the ills of marginality in a global perspective.

Dorsal onlay (Barbagli technique) versus dorsal inlay (Asopa technique) buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty for anterior urethral stricture: a prospective randomized study.

PubMed

Aldaqadossi, Hussein; El Gamal, Samir; El-Nadey, Mohamed; El Gamal, Osama; Radwan, Mohamed; Gaber, Mohamed

2014-02-01

To compare both the dorsal onlay technique of Barbagli and the dorsal inlay technique of Asopa for the management of long anterior urethral stricture. From January 2010 to May 2012, a total of 47 patients with long anterior urethral strictures were randomized into two groups. The first group included 25 patients who were managed by dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty. The second group included 22 patients who were managed by dorsal inlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty. Different clinical parameters, postoperative complications and success rates were compared between both groups. The overall success rate in the dorsal onlay group was 88%, whereas in the dorsal inlay group the success rate was 86.4% during the follow-up period. The mean operative time was significantly longer in the dorsal onlay urethroplasty group (205 ± 19.63 min) than in the dorsal inlay urethroplasty group (128 ± 4.9 min, P-value <0.0001). The average blood loss was significantly higher in the dorsal onlay urethroplasty group (228 ± 5.32 mL) than in the dorsal inlay urethroplasty group (105 ± 12.05 mL, P-value <0.0001). The dorsal onlay technique of Barbagli and the dorsal inlay technique of Asopa buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty provide similar success rates. The Asopa technique is easy to carry out, provides shorter operative time and less blood loss, and it is associated with fewer complications for anterior urethral stricture repair. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association.

Forebrain deletion of the dystonia protein torsinA causes dystonic-like movements and loss of striatal cholinergic neurons

PubMed Central

Pappas, Samuel S; Darr, Katherine; Holley, Sandra M; Cepeda, Carlos; Mabrouk, Omar S; Wong, Jenny-Marie T; LeWitt, Tessa M; Paudel, Reema; Houlden, Henry; Kennedy, Robert T; Levine, Michael S; Dauer, William T

2015-01-01

Striatal dysfunction plays an important role in dystonia, but the striatal cell types that contribute to abnormal movements are poorly defined. We demonstrate that conditional deletion of the DYT1 dystonia protein torsinA in embryonic progenitors of forebrain cholinergic and GABAergic neurons causes dystonic-like twisting movements that emerge during juvenile CNS maturation. The onset of these movements coincides with selective degeneration of dorsal striatal large cholinergic interneurons (LCI), and surviving LCI exhibit morphological, electrophysiological, and connectivity abnormalities. Consistent with the importance of this LCI pathology, murine dystonic-like movements are reduced significantly with an antimuscarinic agent used clinically, and we identify cholinergic abnormalities in postmortem striatal tissue from DYT1 dystonia patients. These findings demonstrate that dorsal LCI have a unique requirement for torsinA function during striatal maturation, and link abnormalities of these cells to dystonic-like movements in an overtly symptomatic animal model. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08352.001 PMID:26052670

Two new species of South American Centrorlenella (Anura: Centrolenidae) related to C. Mariae

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, G.; McDiarmid, R.W.

1989-01-01

Two new Centrolenella are described, C. azulae from the Cordillera Azul of Peru, and C. puyoensis from the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes. Centrolenella azulae is distinguished by its moderately large size, the presence of vomerine teeth, a snout truncate in dorsal view and slightly protruding in profile, a color pattern in preservative of very diffuse lavender with small colorless spots, basal webbing on the outer fingers, and a low ulnar fold. Centrolenella puyoensis is distinguished by its moderately large size, a snout truncate in dorsal view and rounded in profile, a color pattern in preservative of purplish-gray with large cream spots, a tympanum that is three-fourths exposed, and intricate anal ornamentation. Both new species are closely related to the Peruvian C. mariae, and together the three species form the C. mariae group, definable on a number of shared, derived characters. A hypothesis of relationships within the mariae group is presented, postulating puyoensis as the most primitive and azulae as the most derived of the trio.

Two new species of South American Centrolenella (Anura: Centrolenidae) related to C. mariae

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Glenn; McDiarmid, Roy W.

1989-01-01

Two new Centrolenella are described, C. azulae from the Cordillera Azul of Perú, and C. puyoensis from the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes. Centrolenella azulae is distinguished by its moderately large size, the presence of vomerine teeth, a snout truncate in dorsal view and slightly protruding in profile, a color pattern in preservative of very diffuse lavender with small colorless spots, basal webbing on the outer fingers, and a low ulnar fold. Centrolenella puyoensis is distinguished by its moderately large size, a snout truncate in dorsal view and rounded in profile, a color pattern in preservative of purplish-gray with large cream spots, a tympanum that is three-fourths exposed, and intricate anal ornamentation. Both new species are closely related to the Peruvian C. mariae, and together the three species form the C. mariae group, definable on a number of shared, derived characters. A hypothesis of relationships within the mariae group is presented, postulating puyoensis as the most primitive and azulae as the most derived of the trio.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Recruits a Gut PPAR-α-Striatal D1R Pathway to Reduce Fat Appetite in Obese Rats.

PubMed

Hankir, Mohammed K; Seyfried, Florian; Hintschich, Constantin A; Diep, Thi-Ai; Kleberg, Karen; Kranz, Mathias; Deuther-Conrad, Winnie; Tellez, Luis A; Rullmann, Michael; Patt, Marianne; Teichert, Jens; Hesse, Swen; Sabri, Osama; Brust, Peter; Hansen, Harald S; de Araujo, Ivan E; Krügel, Ute; Fenske, Wiebke K

2017-02-07

Bariatric surgery remains the single most effective long-term treatment modality for morbid obesity, achieved mainly by lowering caloric intake through as yet ill-defined mechanisms. Here we show in rats that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)-like rerouting of ingested fat mobilizes lower small intestine production of the fat-satiety molecule oleoylethanolamide (OEA). This was associated with vagus nerve-driven increases in dorsal striatal dopamine release. We also demonstrate that RYGB upregulates striatal dopamine 1 receptor (D1R) expression specifically under high-fat diet feeding conditions. Mechanistically, interfering with local OEA, vagal, and dorsal striatal D1R signaling negated the beneficial effects of RYGB on fat intake and preferences. These findings delineate a molecular/systems pathway through which bariatric surgery improves feeding behavior and may aid in the development of novel weight loss strategies that similarly modify brain reward circuits compromised in obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Drug Addiction: Updating Actions to Habits to Compulsions Ten Years On.

PubMed

Everitt, Barry J; Robbins, Trevor W

2016-01-01

A decade ago, we hypothesized that drug addiction can be viewed as a transition from voluntary, recreational drug use to compulsive drug-seeking habits, neurally underpinned by a transition from prefrontal cortical to striatal control over drug seeking and taking as well as a progression from the ventral to the dorsal striatum. Here, in the light of burgeoning, supportive evidence, we reconsider and elaborate this hypothesis, in particular the refinements in our understanding of ventral and dorsal striatal mechanisms underlying goal-directed and habitual drug seeking, the influence of drug-associated Pavlovian-conditioned stimuli on drug seeking and relapse, and evidence for impairments in top-down prefrontal cortical inhibitory control over this behavior. We further review animal and human studies that have begun to define etiological factors and individual differences in the propensity to become addicted to drugs, leading to the description of addiction endophenotypes, especially for cocaine addiction. We consider the prospect of novel treatments for addiction that promote abstinence from and relapse to drug use.

Style of extensional tectonism during rifting, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohannon, R.G.

1989-01-01

Geologic and geophysical studies from the Arabian continental margin in the southern Red Sea and LANDSAT analysis of the northern Somalia margin in the Gulf of Aden suggest that the early continental rifts were long narrow features that formed by extension on closely spaced normal faults above moderate- to shallow-dipping detachments with break-away zones defining one rift flank and root zones under the opposing rift flank. The rift flanks presently form the opposing continental margins across each ocean basin. The detachment on the Arabian margin dips gently to the west, with a breakaway zone now eroded above the deeply dissected terrain of the Arabian escarpment. A model is proposed in which upper crustal breakup occurs on large detachment faults that have a distinct polarity. -from Author

Comparative Developmental Anatomy of the Root in Three Species of Cladopus (Podostemaceae)

PubMed Central

KOI, SATOSHI; KATO, MASAHIRO

2003-01-01

Root meristem structure and root branching in three species of Cladopus were investigated from developmental and anatomical perspectives. Cladopus fukiensis has a compressed bell‐shaped meristem at the apex of a compressed subcylindrical root, while C. javanicus and perhaps C. nymanii, with a ribbon‐like root, have a half lozenge‐shaped (⊂ as seen from above) meristem composed of an apical meristem of cubic cells and a marginal meristem of rectangular cells. The dorsiventrality of the meristem results in root dorsiventrality, and a marginal meristem contributes to the broadening of the root. Comparisons of meristem structure and root morphology suggest that the ribbon‐like root of, e.g. C. javanicus, evolved towards the foliose root of Hydrobryum, sister to the genus Cladopus, by loss of an indeterminate apical meristem. The lateral root of C. javanicus initiates within the meristem of a parent root. The dorsal dermal layer and inner cells of the lateral‐root meristem appear endogenously under the dermal layer of the parent root, while the ventral layer is derived exogenously from a ventral dermal layer continuous with the parent‐root meristem. This mosaic pattern of exogenous and endogenous root formation differs from the truly exogenous formation seen in Hydrobryum and Zeylanidium. The dorsiventral mosaic origin of the root meristem may account for root cap asymmetry. PMID:12770848

Gross and microscopic observations on the lingual structure of the Florida Manatee Trichechus manatus latirostris.

PubMed

Levin, M J; Pfeiffer, C J

2002-10-01

The tongue of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was studied macroscopically, light and electron microscopically. The tongue was slender, muscular and firmly fixed in the oral cavity; only the cranial tip was free and mobile. Numerous filiform papillae were distributed over the dorsal surface of the rostral tongue. Multiple raised, round fungiform-like papillae were distributed over most of the dorsum. Typical fungiform papillae were restricted to the lateral margins of the tongue. Foliate papillae, presenting as multi-fossulate openings, were noted on the caudolateral margins. Open pits were located on the dorsocaudal surface and lateral walls. Microscopic examination showed that most of the lingual dorsum was covered with a thick stratified squamous epithelium. Open pits led to well-developed mucous salivary glands. Glands within the foliate papillae were mostly mucous, although some seromucous glands were present. Taste buds were restricted to the epithelium of the foliate papillae. Throughout the tongue, striated muscle was abundant below the epithelium. Blood vessels, lymph channels and nerve fibres were freely distributed throughout the intermuscular stroma. Nerve fibres reacted positively with neurone specific enolase (NSE) antibody throughout the tongue, including nerve bundles, glands and taste buds. Clear to translucent vacuoles were found juxtaposed to nuclei in the stratum spinosum in the foliate papillae epithelium.

Evaluation of marginal bone loss of dental implants with internal or external connections and its association with other variables: A systematic review.

PubMed

de Medeiros, Rodrigo Antonio; Pellizzer, Eduardo Piza; Vechiato Filho, Aljomar José; Dos Santos, Daniela Micheline; da Silva, Emily Vivianne Freitas; Goiato, Marcelo Coelho

2016-10-01

Different factors can influence marginal bone loss around dental implants, including the type of internal and external connection between the implant and the abutment. The evidence needed to evaluate these factors is unclear. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate marginal bone loss by radiographic analysis around dental implants with internal or external connections. A systematic review was conducted following the criteria defined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Initially, a population, intervention, comparison, and outcome(s) (PICO) question was defined: does the connection type (internal or external) influence marginal bone loss in patients undergoing implantation? An electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases was performed for studies in English language published between January 2000 and December 2014 by 2 independent reviewers, who analyzed the marginal bone loss of dental implants with an internal and/or external connection. From an initial screening yield of 595 references and after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 articles were selected for this review. Among them, 10 studies compared groups of implants with internal and external connections; 1 study evaluated external connections; and 6 studies analyzed internal connections. A total of 2708 implants were placed in 864 patients. Regarding the connection type, 2347 implants had internal connections, and 361 implants had external connections. Most studies showed lower marginal bone loss values for internal connection implants than for external connection implants. Osseointegrated dental implants with internal connections exhibited lower marginal bone loss than implants with external connections. This finding is mainly the result of the platform switching concept, which is more frequently found in implants with internal connections. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative anatomy of the dorsal hump in mature Pacific salmon.

PubMed

Susuki, Kenta; Ban, Masatoshi; Ichimura, Masaki; Kudo, Hideaki

2017-07-01

Mature male Pacific salmon (Genus Oncorhynchus) demonstrate prominent morphological changes, such as the development of a dorsal hump. The degree of dorsal hump formation depends on the species in Pacific salmon. It is generally accepted that mature males of sockeye (O. nerka) and pink (O. gorbuscha) salmon develop most pronounced dorsal humps. The internal structure of the dorsal hump in pink salmon has been confirmed in detail. In this study, the dorsal hump morphologies were analyzed in four Pacific salmon species inhabiting Japan, masu (O. masou), sockeye, chum (O. keta), and pink salmon. The internal structure of the dorsal humps also depended on the species; sockeye and pink salmon showed conspicuous development of connective tissue and growth of bone tissues in the dorsal tissues. Masu and chum salmon exhibited less-pronounced increases in connective tissues and bone growth. Hyaluronic acid was clearly detected in dorsal hump connective tissue by histochemistry, except for in masu salmon. The lipid content in dorsal hump connective tissue was richer in masu and chum salmon than in sockeye and pink salmon. These results revealed that the patterns of dorsal hump formation differed among species, and especially sockeye and pink salmon develop pronounced dorsal humps through both increases in the amount of connective tissue and the growth of bone tissues. In contrast, masu and chum salmon develop their dorsal humps by the growth of bone tissues, rather than the development of connective tissue. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Large-Scale Hypoconnectivity Between Resting-State Functional Networks in Unmedicated Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Sacchet, Matthew D; Ho, Tiffany C; Connolly, Colm G; Tymofiyeva, Olga; Lewinn, Kaja Z; Han, Laura Km; Blom, Eva H; Tapert, Susan F; Max, Jeffrey E; Frank, Guido Kw; Paulus, Martin P; Simmons, Alan N; Gotlib, Ian H; Yang, Tony T

2016-11-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) often emerges during adolescence, a critical period of brain development. Recent resting-state fMRI studies of adults suggest that MDD is associated with abnormalities within and between resting-state networks (RSNs). Here we tested whether adolescent MDD is characterized by abnormalities in interactions among RSNs. Participants were 55 unmedicated adolescents diagnosed with MDD and 56 matched healthy controls. Functional connectivity was mapped using resting-state fMRI. We used the network-based statistic (NBS) to compare large-scale connectivity between groups and also compared the groups on graph metrics. We further assessed whether group differences identified using nodes defined from functionally defined RSNs were also evident when using anatomically defined nodes. In addition, we examined relations between network abnormalities and depression severity and duration. Finally, we compared intranetwork connectivity between groups and assessed the replication of previously reported MDD-related abnormalities in connectivity. The NBS indicated that, compared with controls, depressed adolescents exhibited reduced connectivity (p<0.024, corrected) between a specific set of RSNs, including components of the attention, central executive, salience, and default mode networks. The NBS did not identify group differences in network connectivity when using anatomically defined nodes. Longer duration of depression was significantly correlated with reduced connectivity in this set of network interactions (p=0.020, corrected), specifically with reduced connectivity between components of the dorsal attention network. The dorsal attention network was also characterized by reduced intranetwork connectivity in the MDD group. Finally, we replicated previously reported abnormal connectivity in individuals with MDD. In summary, adolescents with MDD show hypoconnectivity between large-scale brain networks compared with healthy controls. Given that connectivity among these networks typically increases during adolescent neurodevelopment, these results suggest that adolescent depression is associated with abnormalities in neural systems that are still developing during this critical period.

Large-Scale Hypoconnectivity Between Resting-State Functional Networks in Unmedicated Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Sacchet, Matthew D; Ho, Tiffany C; Connolly, Colm G; Tymofiyeva, Olga; Lewinn, Kaja Z; Han, Laura KM; Blom, Eva H; Tapert, Susan F; Max, Jeffrey E; Frank, Guido KW; Paulus, Martin P; Simmons, Alan N; Gotlib, Ian H; Yang, Tony T

2016-01-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) often emerges during adolescence, a critical period of brain development. Recent resting-state fMRI studies of adults suggest that MDD is associated with abnormalities within and between resting-state networks (RSNs). Here we tested whether adolescent MDD is characterized by abnormalities in interactions among RSNs. Participants were 55 unmedicated adolescents diagnosed with MDD and 56 matched healthy controls. Functional connectivity was mapped using resting-state fMRI. We used the network-based statistic (NBS) to compare large-scale connectivity between groups and also compared the groups on graph metrics. We further assessed whether group differences identified using nodes defined from functionally defined RSNs were also evident when using anatomically defined nodes. In addition, we examined relations between network abnormalities and depression severity and duration. Finally, we compared intranetwork connectivity between groups and assessed the replication of previously reported MDD-related abnormalities in connectivity. The NBS indicated that, compared with controls, depressed adolescents exhibited reduced connectivity (p<0.024, corrected) between a specific set of RSNs, including components of the attention, central executive, salience, and default mode networks. The NBS did not identify group differences in network connectivity when using anatomically defined nodes. Longer duration of depression was significantly correlated with reduced connectivity in this set of network interactions (p=0.020, corrected), specifically with reduced connectivity between components of the dorsal attention network. The dorsal attention network was also characterized by reduced intranetwork connectivity in the MDD group. Finally, we replicated previously reported abnormal connectivity in individuals with MDD. In summary, adolescents with MDD show hypoconnectivity between large-scale brain networks compared with healthy controls. Given that connectivity among these networks typically increases during adolescent neurodevelopment, these results suggest that adolescent depression is associated with abnormalities in neural systems that are still developing during this critical period. PMID:27238621

Multifractal characterization of Vesuvio lava-flow margins and its implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luongo, G.; Mazzarella, A.; Di Donna, G.

2000-09-01

The digitized lava-flow margins of well-defined extended eruptions occurring at Vesuvio in 1760, 1794, 1861, 1906, 1929 and 1944 are found to follow fractal behaviours inside a scaling region enclosed between 50 and 400 m. Although the invariance region is well respected, the fractal dimension D varies from one lava flow to another: the more irregular the lava-flow margin, the larger the value of D. The ascertained dependence of D on the duration of premonitory activity, preceding the emission of lavas, might provide some insight into the inner volcanic processes before the eruption and into the dynamical processes operating during flow emplacement.

A novel function for the IκB inhibitor Cactus in promoting Dorsal nuclear localization and activity in the Drosophila embryo.

PubMed

Cardoso, Maira Arruda; Fontenele, Marcio; Lim, Bomyi; Bisch, Paulo Mascarello; Shvartsman, Stanislav Y; Araujo, Helena Marcolla

2017-08-15

The evolutionarily conserved Toll signaling pathway controls innate immunity across phyla and embryonic patterning in insects. In the Drosophila embryo, Toll is required to establish gene expression domains along the dorsal-ventral axis. Pathway activation induces degradation of the IκB inhibitor Cactus, resulting in a ventral-to-dorsal nuclear gradient of the NFκB effector Dorsal. Here, we investigate how cactus modulates Toll signals through its effects on the Dorsal gradient and on Dorsal target genes. Quantitative analysis using a series of loss- and gain-of-function conditions shows that the ventral and lateral aspects of the Dorsal gradient can behave differently with respect to Cactus fluctuations. In lateral and dorsal embryo domains, loss of Cactus allows more Dorsal to translocate to the nucleus. Unexpectedly, cactus loss-of-function alleles decrease Dorsal nuclear localization ventrally, where Toll signals are high. Overexpression analysis suggests that this ability of Cactus to enhance Toll stems from the mobilization of a free Cactus pool induced by the Calpain A protease. These results indicate that Cactus acts to bolster Dorsal activation, in addition to its role as a NFκB inhibitor, ensuring a correct response to Toll signals. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Lessons from the first dorsal fin in atheriniforms—A new mode of dorsal fin development and its phylogenetic implications

PubMed Central

Richter, Philipp

2017-01-01

Abstract The median fins in extant actinopterygians are the product of millions of years of evolution. During this time, different developmental patterns for the dorsal and anal fins emerged leading to a high variation in median fin morphology and ontogeny. In this study, the development of anal and dorsal fins in atheriniforms is described and its consequences for the current phylogenetic hypothesis are discussed. Developmental series of five atheriniform species were investigated using clearing and staining as well as antibody staining. The skeletal elements of the second dorsal fin and the anal fin emerge in a bidirectional pattern. The first dorsal fin, however, arises separately in front of the second dorsal fin after this one is almost completely formed. The pterygiophores of the first dorsal fin, including the interdorsal pterygiophores, develop from caudal to rostral, but the fin‐spines of the first dorsal fin form in the opposite direction. This new mode of fin development has been found in all examined atheriniform species with two dorsal fins. Several morphological characters of atheriniforms, including interdorsal pterygiophores, are also found in one other taxon: the Mugiliformes. Thus, several dorsal fin characteristics may provide evidence for a closer relationship of these two taxa. PMID:28370120

Review of the crevalle jacks, Caranx hippos complex (Teleostei: Carangidae), with a description of a new species from West Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Carpenter, K.E.

2007-01-01

The Caranx hippos species complex comprises three extant species: crevalle jack (Caranx hippos) (Linnaeus, 1766) from both the western and eastern Atlantic oceans; Pacific crevalle jack (Caranx caninus) Gu??nther, 1868 from the eastern Pacific Ocean; and longfin crevalle jack (Caranx fischeri) new species, from the eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea and Ascension Island. Adults of all three species are superficially similar with a black blotch on the lower half of the pectoral fin, a black spot on the upper margin of opercle, one or two pairs of enlarged symphyseal canines on the lower jaw, and a similar pattern of breast squamation. Each species has a different pattern of hyperostotic bone development and anal-fin color. The two sympatric eastern Atlantic species also differ from each other in number of dorsal- and anal-fin rays, and in large adults of C. fischeri the lobes of these fins are longer and the body is deeper. Caranx hippos from opposite sides of the Atlantic are virtually indistinguishable externally but differ consistently in the expression of hyperostosis of the first dorsal-fin pterygiophore. The fossil species Caranx carangopsis Steindachner 1859 appears to have been based on composite material of Trachurus sp. and a fourth species of the Caranx hippos complex. Patterns of hyperostotic bone development are compared in the nine (of 15 total) species of Caranx sensu stricto that exhibit hyperostosis.

Morphology and molecular phylogeny of Apoterritricha lutea n. g., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea, Hypotrichia): a putative missing link connecting Cyrtohymena and Afrokeronopsis.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Hye; Vďačný, Peter; Shazib, Shahed Uddin Ahmed; Shin, Mann Kyoon

2014-01-01

A new hypotrichous ciliate, Apoterritricha lutea n. g., n. sp., was discovered in a sample of a terrestrial liverwort from Korea. Its morphology was studied using detailed in vivo observation and protargol impregnation. Its phylogenetic relationships were revealed by analyses of the 18S rRNA gene. This new taxon is characterized by a combination of the following traits: (i) ellipsoidal to narrowly ellipsoidal body with an average size of 230 × 85 μm; (ii) two macronuclear nodules and two to five micronuclei; (iii) golden yellow cortical granules, forming small groups along the microtubular appendages of cirri, adoral membranelles, and dorsal kineties; (iv) typically three frontal cirri, one buccal cirrus, four frontoventral cirri, seven midventral cirri, two pretransverse cirri, seven transverse cirri, ca. 38 left, and ca. 36 right marginal cirri; and (v) on average six dorsal kineties, three dorsomarginal kineties, and three caudal cirri. In molecular phylogenies, A. lutea clusters with strong support within a clade containing Afrokeronopsis aurea and several "typical" oxytrichids having golden yellow to brown cortical granules. In this light we propose a hypothesis that is not unambiguously rejected by the present phylogenetic analyses, which shows how the Afrokeronopsis-like pattern could have evolved from a Rubrioxytricha-like ancestor via an Apoterritricha-like stage by cirri-multiplication. © 2014 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2014 International Society of Protistologists.

Scanning electron microscopic study of the lingual papillae in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L., 1758).

PubMed

Jackowiak, H; Godynicki, S; Skieresz-Szewczyk, K; Trzcielińska-Lorych, J

2009-10-01

This study aims to show the distribution and the three-dimensional structure of the lingual papillae in the arctic fox. The macro- and microscopic structure of the tongue and its lingual papillae was studied in 11 adult arctic foxes. Two types of mechanical papillae were distinguished on the dorsal surface of the tongue--filiform papillae and conical papillae. The gustatory papillae in the arctic fox are represented by fungiform, vallate and foliate papillae. The keratinized filiform papillae on the anterior part of tongue are composed of one big posterior process accompanied by 10-12 secondary anterior processes. The number of anterior processes of filiform papillae undergo a complete reduction within the area between the posterior part of the body of the tongue and area of the vallate papillae. The conical papillae cover the whole dorsal surface of the root of the tongue, including the lateral parts surrounding the area of the vallate papillae and the posterior part of the root. The size of the conical papillae increases towards the root of the tongue but their density decreases. In the arctic fox, there are three pairs of vallate papillae distributed on the plan of a triangle. The diameter of vallate papillae in each successive pair is bigger. The wall surrounding the body of the vallate papilla and its gustatory trench is composed of six to eight conical papillae joined at various degree. The foliate papillae on both margins of the tongue consist of seven to nine laminae.

Morphology, ontogenetic features and SSU rRNA gene-based phylogeny of a soil ciliate, Bistichella cystiformans spec. nov. (Protista, Ciliophora, Stichotrichia).

PubMed

Fan, Yangbo; Hu, Xiaozhong; Gao, Feng; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S

2014-12-01

The morphology, ontogeny and SSU rRNA gene-based phylogeny of Bistichella cystiformans spec. nov., isolated from the slightly saline soil of a mangrove wetland in Zhanjiang, southern China, were investigated. The novel species was characterized by having five to eight buccal cirri arranged in a row, three to five transverse cirri, four macronuclear nodules aligned, and 17-32 and 20-34 cirri in frontoventral rows V and VI, respectively, both extending to the transverse cirri. The main ontogenetic features of the novel species were as follows: (1) the parental adoral zone of the membranelles is completely inherited by the proter; (2) the frontoventral and transverse cirri are formed in a six-anlagen mode; (3) basically, the frontal-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen II-V generate one transverse cirrus each at their posterior ends, while anlage VI provides no transverse cirrus; (4) both marginal rows and dorsal kineties develop intrakinetally, no dorsal kinety fragment is formed; and (5) the macronuclear nodules fuse into a single mass at the middle stage. Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rRNA gene showed that the novel species groups with the clade containing Bistichella variabilis, Parabistichella variabilis, Uroleptoides magnigranulosus and two species of the genus Orthoamphisiella. Given present knowledge, it was considered to be still too early to come to a final conclusion regarding the familial classification of the genus Bistichella; further investigations of key taxa with additional molecular markers are required. © 2014 IUMS.

Possible role of the 38 kDa protein, lacking in the gastrula-arrested Xenopus mutant, in gastrulation.

PubMed

Tanaka, Tetsuya S; Ikenishi, Kohji

2002-02-01

An acidic, 38 kDa protein that is present in Xenopus wild-type embryos has been previously shown to be lacking in gastrula-arrested mutant embryos. To gain understanding of the role of this protein, its spatio-temporal distribution and involvement in gastrulation was investigated using the monoclonal antibody (9D10) against it. The protein was prominent in the cortical cytoplasm of cells facing the outside in the animal hemisphere of embryos until the gastrula stage, and in ciliated epithelial cells of embryos at stages later than the late neurula. When the 9D10 antibody was injected into fertilized wild-type eggs, they cleaved normally, but most of them had arrested development, always at the early stage of gastrulation, as in the mutant embryos. In contrast, the majority of the control antibody-injected eggs gastrulated normally and developed further. Cytoskeletal F-actin, which was mainly observed in the area beneath the plasma membrane facing the outside of the epithelial layer of not only the dorsal involuting marginal zone but also the dorsal, vegetal cell mass of the control antibody-injected embryos at the early gastrula stage, was scarcely recognized in the corresponding area of the 9D10 antibody-injected embryos. It is likely that the paucity of the F-actin caused by the 9D10 antibody inhibition of the 38 kDa protein might lead to a failure of cell movement in gastrulation, resulting in developmental arrest.

Assessing the Financial Condition of Provider-Sponsored Health Plans.

PubMed

McCue, Michael J

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of health plans sponsored by provider organizations, with respect to plans generating strong positive cash flow relative to plans generating weaker cash flow. A secondary aim was to assess their capital adequacy. The study identified 24 provider-sponsored health plans (PSHPs) with an average positive cash flow margin from 2011 through 2013 at or above the top 75th percentile, defined as "strong cash flow PSHPs:" This group was compared with 72 PSHPs below the 75th percentile, defined as "weak cash flow PSHPs:" Atlantic Information Services Directory of Health Plans was used to identify the PSHPs. Financial ratios were computed from 2013 National Association of Insurance Commissioners Financial Filings. The study conducted a t test mean comparison between strong and weak cash flow PSHPs across an array of financial performance and capital adequacy measures. In 2013, the strong cash flow PSHPs averaged a cash-flow margin ratio of 6.6%. Weak cash flow PSHPs averaged a cash-flow margin of -0.4%. The net worth capital position of both groups was more than 4.5 times authorized capital. The operational analysis shows that strong cash-flow margin PSHPs are managing their medical costs to achieve this position. Although their medical loss ratio increased by almost 300 basis points from 2011 to 2013, it was still statistically significantly lower than the weaker cash flow PSHP group (P<.001). In terms of capital adequacy, both strong and weak cash-flow margin PSHP groups possessed sufficient capital to ensure the viability of these plans.

Mapping the Margins in Higher Education: On the Promise of Intersectionality Frameworks in Research and Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Museus, Samuel D.; Griffin, Kimberly A.

2011-01-01

"Intersectionality" can be defined as the "relationships among multiple social dimensions and modalities of social relations and subject formations." In simpler terms, it can be defined as the processes through which multiple social identities converge and ultimately shape individual and group experiences. In this article, the authors discuss the…

The Development of Dynamic Human Reliability Analysis Simulations for Inclusion in Risk Informed Safety Margin Characterization Frameworks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jeffrey C. Joe; Diego Mandelli; Ronald L. Boring

2015-07-01

The United States Department of Energy is sponsoring the Light Water Reactor Sustainability program, which has the overall objective of supporting the near-term and the extended operation of commercial nuclear power plants. One key research and development (R&D) area in this program is the Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization pathway, which combines probabilistic risk simulation with thermohydraulic simulation codes to define and manage safety margins. The R&D efforts to date, however, have not included robust simulations of human operators, and how the reliability of human performance or lack thereof (i.e., human errors) can affect risk-margins and plant performance. This paper describesmore » current and planned research efforts to address the absence of robust human reliability simulations and thereby increase the fidelity of simulated accident scenarios.« less

The Defining Moment: Children's Conceptualization of Race and Experiences with Racial Discrimination

PubMed Central

Dulin-Keita, Akilah; Hannon, Lonnie; Fernandez, Jose R.; Cockerham, William C.

2010-01-01

This paper examines whether children of marginalized racial/ethnic groups have an awareness of race at earlier ages than youth from non-marginalized groups, documents their experiences with racial discrimination, and utilizes a modified racism-related stress model to explore the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and self-esteem. Data were collected for non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic children aged 7 – 12 using face-to-face interviews (n = 175). The concept of race was measured by assessing whether children could define race, if not a standard definition was provided. Racial discrimination was measured using the Williams Every-day-Discrimination Scale, self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Scale, and ethnic identity was assessed using the Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure. Non-Hispanic black children were able to define race more accurately, but overall, Hispanic children encountered more racial discrimination, with frequent reports of ethnic slurs. Additionally, after accounting for ethnic identity, perceived racial discrimination remained a salient stressor that contributed to low self-esteem. PMID:21532908

The Defining Moment: Children's Conceptualization of Race and Experiences with Racial Discrimination.

PubMed

Dulin-Keita, Akilah; Hannon, Lonnie; Fernandez, Jose R; Cockerham, William C

2011-04-01

This paper examines whether children of marginalized racial/ethnic groups have an awareness of race at earlier ages than youth from non-marginalized groups, documents their experiences with racial discrimination, and utilizes a modified racism-related stress model to explore the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and self-esteem. Data were collected for non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic children aged 7 - 12 using face-to-face interviews (n = 175). The concept of race was measured by assessing whether children could define race, if not a standard definition was provided. Racial discrimination was measured using the Williams Every-day-Discrimination Scale, self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Scale, and ethnic identity was assessed using the Multi-group Ethnic Identity Measure. Non-Hispanic black children were able to define race more accurately, but overall, Hispanic children encountered more racial discrimination, with frequent reports of ethnic slurs. Additionally, after accounting for ethnic identity, perceived racial discrimination remained a salient stressor that contributed to low self-esteem.

Seasonal Variability in Regional Ice Flow Due to Meltwater Injection Into the Shear Margins of Jakobshavn Isbræ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavanagh, J. P.; Lampkin, D. J.; Moon, T.

2017-12-01

The impact of meltwater injection into the shear margins of Jakobshavn Isbræ via drainage from water-filled crevasses on ice flow is examined. We use Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager panchromatic, high-resolution imagery to monitor the spatiotemporal variability of seven water-filled crevasse ponds during the summers of 2013 to 2015. The timing of drainage from water-filled crevasses coincides with an increase of 2 to 20% in measured ice velocity beyond Jakobshavn Isbræ shear margins, which we define as extramarginal ice velocity. Some water-filled crevasse groups demonstrate multiple drainage events within a single melt season. Numerical simulations show that hydrologic shear weakening due to water-filled crevasse drainage can accelerate extramarginal flow by as much as 35% within 10 km of the margins and enhance mass flux through the shear margins by 12%. This work demonstrates a novel mechanism through which surface melt can influence regional ice flow.

Negative Stress Margins - Are They Real?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, Ivatury S.; Lee, Darlene S.; Mohaghegh, Michael

2011-01-01

Advances in modeling and simulation, new finite element software, modeling engines and powerful computers are providing opportunities to interrogate designs in a very different manner and in a more detailed approach than ever before. Margins of safety are also often evaluated using local stresses for various design concepts and design parameters quickly once analysis models are defined and developed. This paper suggests that not all the negative margins of safety evaluated are real. The structural areas where negative margins are frequently encountered are often near stress concentrations, point loads and load discontinuities, near locations of stress singularities, in areas having large gradients but with insufficient mesh density, in areas with modeling issues and modeling errors, and in areas with connections and interfaces, in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) transitions, bolts and bolt modeling, and boundary conditions. Now, more than ever, structural analysts need to examine and interrogate their analysis results and perform basic sanity checks to determine if these negative margins are real.

A method for identifying EMI critical circuits during development of a large C3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barr, Douglas H.

The circuit analysis methods and process Boeing Aerospace used on a large, ground-based military command, control, and communications (C3) system are described. This analysis was designed to help identify electromagnetic interference (EMI) critical circuits. The methodology used the MIL-E-6051 equipment criticality categories as the basis for defining critical circuits, relational database technology to help sort through and account for all of the approximately 5000 system signal cables, and Macintosh Plus personal computers to predict critical circuits based on safety margin analysis. The EMI circuit analysis process systematically examined all system circuits to identify which ones were likely to be EMI critical. The process used two separate, sequential safety margin analyses to identify critical circuits (conservative safety margin analysis, and detailed safety margin analysis). These analyses used field-to-wire and wire-to-wire coupling models using both worst-case and detailed circuit parameters (physical and electrical) to predict circuit safety margins. This process identified the predicted critical circuits that could then be verified by test.

Plantar-to-dorsal compared to dorsal-to-plantar screw fixation for proximal chevron osteotomy: a biomechanical analysis.

PubMed

Sharma, Krishn M; Parks, Brent G; Nguyen, Augustine; Schon, Lew C

2005-10-01

A change in screw orientation in fixing the chevron proximal first metatarsal osteotomy was noted anecdotally to improve fixation strength. The authors hypothesized that plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation would be more stable than the conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw orientation for fixation of the chevron osteotomy. The purpose of this study was to determine if the load-to-failure and stiffness of the chevron type proximal first metatarsal osteotomy stabilized using plantar-to-dorsal screw fixation were greater than with the more conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw fixation method. One foot from each of eight matched cadaver pairs was randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) fixation with a dorsal-to-plantar lag screw or 2) fixation with a plantar-to-dorsal lag screw. A proximal chevron osteotomy was then created using standard technique and the metatarsal was fixed according to previously established method. The bone was potted in polyester resin, and the construct was fitted into a materials testing system machine in which load was applied to the plantar aspect of the metatarsal until failure. The two groups were compared using a two-tailed Student t test. The average load-to-failure and stiffness of the chevron osteotomy fixed with the plantar-to-dorsal lag screw were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the group fixed with more conventional dorsal-to-plantar lag screws. Plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation was more stable than the conventional dorsal-to-plantar screw orientation for fixation of the proximal chevron osteotomy. Plantar-to-dorsal screw orientation should be considered when using the chevron proximal first metatarsal osteotomy.

Feature integration and object representations along the dorsal stream visual hierarchy

PubMed Central

Perry, Carolyn Jeane; Fallah, Mazyar

2014-01-01

The visual system is split into two processing streams: a ventral stream that receives color and form information and a dorsal stream that receives motion information. Each stream processes that information hierarchically, with each stage building upon the previous. In the ventral stream this leads to the formation of object representations that ultimately allow for object recognition regardless of changes in the surrounding environment. In the dorsal stream, this hierarchical processing has classically been thought to lead to the computation of complex motion in three dimensions. However, there is evidence to suggest that there is integration of both dorsal and ventral stream information into motion computation processes, giving rise to intermediate object representations, which facilitate object selection and decision making mechanisms in the dorsal stream. First we review the hierarchical processing of motion along the dorsal stream and the building up of object representations along the ventral stream. Then we discuss recent work on the integration of ventral and dorsal stream features that lead to intermediate object representations in the dorsal stream. Finally we propose a framework describing how and at what stage different features are integrated into dorsal visual stream object representations. Determining the integration of features along the dorsal stream is necessary to understand not only how the dorsal stream builds up an object representation but also which computations are performed on object representations instead of local features. PMID:25140147

Endogenous neurotrophin-3 promotes neuronal sprouting from dorsal root ganglia.

PubMed

Wang, Xu-Yang; Gu, Pei-Yuan; Chen, Shi-Wen; Gao, Wen-Wei; Tian, Heng-Li; Lu, Xiang-He; Zheng, Wei-Ming; Zhuge, Qi-Chuan; Hu, Wei-Xing

2015-11-01

In the present study, we investigated the role of endogenous neurotrophin-3 in nerve terminal sprouting 2 months after spinal cord dorsal root rhizotomy. The left L1-5 and L7-S2 dorsal root ganglia in adult cats were exposed and removed, preserving the L6 dorsal root ganglia. Neurotrophin-3 was mainly expressed in large neurons in the dorsal root ganglia and in some neurons in spinal lamina II. Two months after rhizotomy, the number of neurotrophin-3-positive neurons in the spared dorsal root ganglia and the density of neurite sprouts emerging from these ganglia were increased. Intraperitoneal injection of an antibody against neurotrophin-3 decreased the density of neurite sprouts. These findings suggest that endogenous neurotrophin-3 is involved in spinal cord plasticity and regeneration, and that it promotes axonal sprouting from the dorsal root ganglia after spinal cord dorsal root rhizotomy.

Stable structures of coalitions in competitive and altruistic military teams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurangzeb, M.; Mikulski, D.; Hudas, G.; Lewis, F. L.; Gu, Edward

2013-05-01

In heterogeneous battlefield teams, the balance between team and individual objectives forms the basis for the internal topological structure of teams. The stability of team structure is studied by presenting a graphical coalitional game (GCG) with Positional Advantage (PA). PA is Shapley value strengthened by the Axioms of value. The notion of team and individual objectives is studied by defining altruistic and competitive contribution made by an individual; altruistic and competitive contributions made by an agent are components of its total or marginal contribution. Moreover, the paper examines dynamic team effects by defining three online sequential decision games based on marginal, competitive and altruistic contributions of the individuals towards team. The stable graphs under these sequential decision games are studied and found to be structurally connected, complete, or tree respectively.

K-feldspar megacryst accumulations formed by mechanical instabilities in magma chamber margins, Asha pluton, NW Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocher, Sebastián; Alasino, Pablo H.; Grande, Marcos Macchioli; Larrovere, Mariano A.; Paterson, Scott R.

2018-07-01

The Asha pluton, the oldest unit of the San Blas intrusive complex (Early Carboniferous), exhibits impressive examples of magmatic structures formed by accumulation of K-feldspar megacrysts, enclaves, and schlieren. Almost all recognized structures are meter-scale, vertically elongate bodies of variable shapes defined as fingers, trails, drips, and blobs. They preferentially developed near the external margin of the Asha pluton and generally are superimposed by chamber-wide magmatic fabrics. They mostly have circular or sub-circular transverse sections with an internal fabric defined by margin-parallel, inward-dipping concentric foliation and steeply plunging lineation at upper parts and flat foliation at lower parts. The concentration of megacrysts usually grades from upper sections, where they appear in a proportion similar to the host granite, to highly packed accumulations of K-feldspar along with grouped flattened enclaves at lower ends. These features suggest an origin by downward localized multiphase magmatic flow, narrowing and 'log jamming', and gravitational sinking of grouped crystals and enclaves, with compaction and filter pressing as main mechanisms of melt removal. Crystal size distribution analysis supports field observations arguing for a mechanical origin of accumulations. The magmatic structures of the Asha pluton represent mechanical instabilities generated by thermal and compositional convection, probably owing to cooling and crystallization near the pluton margins during early stages of construction of the intrusive complex.

Comparison of distal chevron osteotomy with and without lateral soft tissue release for the treatment of hallux valgus.

PubMed

Lee, Ho-Jin; Chung, Jin-Wha; Chu, In-Tak; Kim, Yoon-Chung

2010-04-01

A lateral soft tissue release is often performed with distal chevron osteotomy for the correction of hallux valgus deformities. However, many complications of lateral soft tissue release have been reported. To define the necessity of lateral soft tissue release, the authors compared the clinical and radiographic results of distal chevron osteotomy with and without it. 86 consecutive patients (152 feet) were enrolled in this prospective study. In Group A, 45 patients (74 feet) underwent a chevron osteotomy with lateral soft tissue release. In Group B, 41 patients (78 feet) underwent a chevron osteotomy without it. Mean followup was 1.7 years and 2.1 years, respectively. The hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and AOFAS score were measured preoperatively, and 1-year followup postoperatively and complications were evaluated. The change in HVA, IMA and AOFAS score were insignificant (p > 0.05) between Group A and Group B, however, the range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint was significantly less in Group A (p < 0.05). Complications of digital neuritis and cosmetically dissatisfied scarring of the dorsal web space were seen only in Group A. No cases had avascular necrosis of the metatarsal head, malunion or nonunion. Lateral soft tissue release may not be needed for mild or moderate hallux valgus deformities which may prevent decreased range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, neuritis of dorsal or plantar lateral digital nerve and cosmetic dissatisfaction of a dorsal scar.

Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain.

PubMed

Arbib, Michael A

2016-03-01

We make the case for developing a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology to inform the analysis of the function and evolution of the human brain. First, we update the mirror system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain by (i) modeling action and action recognition and opportunistic scheduling of macaque brains to hypothesize the nature of the last common ancestor of macaque and human (LCA-m); and then we (ii) introduce dynamic brain modeling to show how apes could acquire gesture through ontogenetic ritualization, hypothesizing the nature of evolution from LCA-m to the last common ancestor of chimpanzee and human (LCA-c). We then (iii) hypothesize the role of imitation, pantomime, protosign and protospeech in biological and cultural evolution from LCA-c to Homo sapiens with a language-ready brain. Second, we suggest how cultural evolution in Homo sapiens led from protolanguages to full languages with grammar and compositional semantics. Third, we assess the similarities and differences between the dorsal and ventral streams in audition and vision as the basis for presenting and comparing two models of language processing in the human brain: A model of (i) the auditory dorsal and ventral streams in sentence comprehension; and (ii) the visual dorsal and ventral streams in defining "what language is about" in both production and perception of utterances related to visual scenes provide the basis for (iii) a first step towards a synthesis and a look at challenges for further research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbib, Michael A.

2016-03-01

We make the case for developing a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology to inform the analysis of the function and evolution of the human brain. First, we update the mirror system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain by (i) modeling action and action recognition and opportunistic scheduling of macaque brains to hypothesize the nature of the last common ancestor of macaque and human (LCA-m); and then we (ii) introduce dynamic brain modeling to show how apes could acquire gesture through ontogenetic ritualization, hypothesizing the nature of evolution from LCA-m to the last common ancestor of chimpanzee and human (LCA-c). We then (iii) hypothesize the role of imitation, pantomime, protosign and protospeech in biological and cultural evolution from LCA-c to Homo sapiens with a language-ready brain. Second, we suggest how cultural evolution in Homo sapiens led from protolanguages to full languages with grammar and compositional semantics. Third, we assess the similarities and differences between the dorsal and ventral streams in audition and vision as the basis for presenting and comparing two models of language processing in the human brain: A model of (i) the auditory dorsal and ventral streams in sentence comprehension; and (ii) the visual dorsal and ventral streams in defining ;what language is about; in both production and perception of utterances related to visual scenes provide the basis for (iii) a first step towards a synthesis and a look at challenges for further research.

Functional neural substrates of posterior cortical atrophy patients.

PubMed

Shames, H; Raz, N; Levin, Netta

2015-07-01

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome in which the most pronounced pathologic involvement is in the occipito-parietal visual regions. Herein, we aimed to better define the cortical reflection of this unique syndrome using a thorough battery of behavioral and functional MRI (fMRI) tests. Eight PCA patients underwent extensive testing to map their visual deficits. Assessments included visual functions associated with lower and higher components of the cortical hierarchy, as well as dorsal- and ventral-related cortical functions. fMRI was performed on five patients to examine the neuronal substrate of their visual functions. The PCA patient cohort exhibited stereopsis, saccadic eye movements and higher dorsal stream-related functional impairments, including simultant perception, image orientation, figure-from-ground segregation, closure and spatial orientation. In accordance with the behavioral findings, fMRI revealed intact activation in the ventral visual regions of face and object perception while more dorsal aspects of perception, including motion and gestalt perception, revealed impaired patterns of activity. In most of the patients, there was a lack of activity in the word form area, which is known to be linked to reading disorders. Finally, there was evidence of reduced cortical representation of the peripheral visual field, corresponding to the behaviorally assessed peripheral visual deficit. The findings are discussed in the context of networks extending from parietal regions, which mediate navigationally related processing, visually guided actions, eye movement control and working memory, suggesting that damage to these networks might explain the wide range of deficits in PCA patients.

Some aspects of the biology and life history of Bothitrema bothi (Monogenea: Bothitrematidae) from the flounder Scophthalmus aquosus (Bothidae) from New Jersey, USA.

PubMed

Hendrix, Sherman S

2004-06-01

Bothitrema bothi (MacCallum, 1913), a monopisthocotylean monogenean (Bothitrematidae) found on gills and occasionally on the olfactory rosette within the nares of the bothid flounder, Scophthalmus aquosus (Mitchill, 1815), is distributed along the Atlantic coast of the USA from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Delaware Bay. This study details aspects of the morphology, microecology and biology of the oncomiracidium, juvenile and adult. Adult worms occur almost exclusively between rakers on the first and second gill arches while juveniles occupy secondary gill filaments. Analysis of variance revealed significant arch, side and position effects. Worm attachment and position is maintained largely by suction generated by a circular seal using its 54 radially arranged accessory haptoral sclerotised elements and a marginal valve. A small anterior appendix with two marginal hooks lies dorsal to a deep anteromedian cleft in the haptor, which, together with wall muscles, creates and releases the negative pressure required for attachment. Four pairs of gland openings in the ventrolateral margins of the anterior adhesive area produce secretions for attachment. Operculate eggs with four rounded protuberances and a filament are laid individually at four-minute intervals at 22 degrees C. Hatching occurs in five days at 20 degrees C. Oncomiracidia have two pairs of eyes, with the posterior pair fused, show both positive and negative phototaxis and swim at a mean rate of 5.2 mm/s at 22 degrees C. Larvae have a circle of 16 hooks and a pair of hamulus primordia. Other accessory haptoral sclerotised structures arise de novo in juveniles after attachment to the host. These data will help to resolve more clearly the relationships of the Bothitrematidae within the Monopisthocotylea.

Size-dependent regulation of dorsal-ventral patterning in the early Drosophila embryo

PubMed Central

Garcia, Mayra; Nahmad, Marcos; Reeves, Gregory T.; Stathopoulos, Angelike

2013-01-01

How natural variation in embryo size affects patterning of the Drosophila embryo dorsal-ventral (DV) axis is not known. Here we examined quantitatively the relationship between nuclear distribution of the Dorsal transcription factor, boundary positions for several target genes, and DV axis length. Data were obtained from embryos of a wild-type background as well as from mutant lines inbred to size select embryos of smaller or larger sizes. Our data show that the width of the nuclear Dorsal gradient correlates with DV axis length. In turn, for some genes expressed along the DV axis, the boundary positions correlate closely with nuclear Dorsal levels and with DV axis length; while the expression pattern of others is relatively constant and independent of the width of the Dorsal gradient. In particular, the patterns of snail (sna) and ventral nervous-system defective (vnd) correlate with nuclear Dorsal levels and exhibit scaling to DV length; while the pattern of intermediate neuroblasts defective (ind) remains relatively constant with respect to changes in Dorsal and DV length. However, in mutants that exhibit an abnormal expansion of the Dorsal gradient which fails to scale to DV length, only sna follows the Dorsal distribution and exhibits overexpansion; in contrast, vnd and ind do not overexpand suggesting some additional mechanism acts to refine the dorsal boundaries of these two genes. Thus, our results argue against the idea that the Dorsal gradient works as a global system of relative coordinates along the DV axis and suggest that individual targets respond to changes in embryo size in a gene-specific manner. PMID:23800450

Resistor-logic demultiplexers for nanoelectronics based on constant-weight codes.

PubMed

Kuekes, Philip J; Robinett, Warren; Roth, Ron M; Seroussi, Gadiel; Snider, Gregory S; Stanley Williams, R

2006-02-28

The voltage margin of a resistor-logic demultiplexer can be improved significantly by basing its connection pattern on a constant-weight code. Each distinct code determines a unique demultiplexer, and therefore a large family of circuits is defined. We consider using these demultiplexers for building nanoscale crossbar memories, and determine the voltage margin of the memory system based on a particular code. We determine a purely code-theoretic criterion for selecting codes that will yield memories with large voltage margins, which is to minimize the ratio of the maximum to the minimum Hamming distance between distinct codewords. For the specific example of a 64 × 64 crossbar, we discuss what codes provide optimal performance for a memory.

Correlation of offshore seismic profiles with onshore New Jersey Miocene sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monteverde, D.H.; Miller, K.G.; Mountain, Gregory S.

2000-01-01

The New Jersey passive continental margin records the interaction of sequences and sea-level, although previous studies linking seismically defined sequences, borehole control, and global ??18O records were hindered by a seismic data gap on the inner-shelf. We describe new seismic data from the innermost New Jersey shelf that tie offshore seismic stratigraphy directly to onshore boreholes. These data link the onshore boreholes to existing seismic grids across the outer margin and to boreholes on the continental slope. Surfaces defined by age; facies, and log signature in the onshore boreholes at the base of sequences Kw2b, Kw2a, Kw1c, and Kw0 are now tied to seismic sequence boundaries m5s, m5.2s, m5.4s, and m6s, respectively, defined beneath the inner shelf. Sequence boundaries recognized in onshore boreholes and inner shelf seismic profiles apparently correlate with reflections m5, m5.2, m5.4, and m6, respectively, that were dated at slope boreholes during ODP Leg 150. We now recognize an additional sequence boundary beneath the shelf that we name m5.5s and correlate to the base of the onshore sequence Kw1b. The new seismic data image prograding Oligocene clinoforms beneath the inner shelf, consistent with the results from onshore boreholes. A land-based seismic profile crossing the Island Beach borehole reveals reflector geometries that we tie to Lower Miocene litho- and bio-facies in this borehole. These land-based seismic profiles image well-defined sequence boundaries, onlap and downlap truncations that correlate to Transgressive Systems Tracts (TST) and Highstand Systems Tracts (HST) identified in boreholes. Preliminary analysis of CH0698 data continues these system tract delineations across the inner shelf The CH0698 seismic profiles tie seismically defined sequence boundaries with sequences identified by lithiologic and paleontologic criteria. Both can now be related to global ??18O increases and attendant glacioeustatic lowerings. This integration of core, log, and seismic character of mid-Tertiary sediments across the width of the New Jersey margin is a major step in the long-standing effort to evaluate the impact of glaciouestasy on siliciclastic sediments of a passive continental margin. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioacoustics reveals two new syntopic species of Adenomera Steindachner (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) in the Cerrado of central Brazil.

PubMed

De Carvalho, Thiago Ribeiro; Giaretta, Ariovaldo Antonio

2013-11-01

In this paper, we describe two syntopic species of Adenomera from the Chapada dos Veadeiros microregion, northern State of Goiás, central Brazil, recognized based on morphology, color patterns, and bioacoustics. Specimens and calls were obtained in the Municipality of Teresina de Goiás, central Brazil. Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) small size (adult male SVL 18.6-20.5 mm) and very robust body; 2) dorsum glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 3) black or very dark dorsal coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 4) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 5) presence of antebrachial tubercle; and 6) advertisement call consisting of a well-defined series of pulsed calls (7-32 calls/series) with progressive increment in amplitude in the first third of each call series when it reaches a sustained plateau. Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) dorsum profusely glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 2) dorsum with a marble-like and red coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 3) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 4) small size (adult male SVL 19.1-19.5 mm) and very robust body; and 5) long (148-202 ms) advertisement call composed of 16-21pulses. Both new taxa occur in syntopy, and our data allow us to differentiate them both in temporal (pulses/call) and spectral (frequency peaks) traits of their advertisement calls. Besides, dorsal coloration is distinctive, Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. has a black or very dark-colored dorsum, whereas Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. has a marble-like and red-colored dorsum, in addition to the presence (A. cotuba sp. nov.) or absence (A. juikitam sp. nov.) of antebrachial tubercle.

COMPARISON OF HIGH-DEFINITION OSCILLOMETRIC AND DIRECT ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT IN ANESTHETIZED CHEETAHS (ACINONYX JUBATUS).

PubMed

Sant Cassia, Emma V; Boswood, Adrian; Tordiffe, Adrian S W

2015-09-01

Blood pressure measurement reveals important insights into the health of conscious and anesthetized individuals. This is of particular interest in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), which in captivity are known to suffer from chronic diseases that may be associated with hypertension and which often require immobilization for transport or veterinary treatment. Invasive testing methods are considered the gold standard but are not practical in many settings. Consequently, it is important to evaluate the use of noninvasive methods in this species. Measurements for systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure obtained using high-definition oscillometry (HDO) at the coccygeal artery were compared to simultaneous direct measurements obtained via catheterization of the femoral or dorsal pedal artery in eight anesthetized captive cheetahs during nine anesthetic events. Overall, HDO and direct measurements agreed most closely for mean arterial pressure, and the poorest agreement was observed for systolic pressure. There was a tendency for low diastolic pressures to be underestimated and for high diastolic pressures to be overestimated. Across all three parameters, HDO measurements from the tail overestimated directly measured pressures in the femoral artery and underestimated those in the dorsal pedal artery. HDO agreed most closely with directly measured dorsal pedal pressures. Mean arterial pressure showed the greatest precision (standard deviation of 10.2 mm Hg) and lowest bias (-1.2 mm Hg), with 75.9% of readings within 10 mm Hg of the direct dorsal pedal pressure. Agreement with systolic pressure was hindered by a high bias (-10.4 mm Hg), but if a correction factor of +10 mm Hg was applied to all systolic measurements, agreement was improved and 65.7% of readings were within 10 mm Hg of the direct pressure. When compared to criteria defined by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine for validation of blood pressure devices, results were favorable, but a limited sample size prevented formal validation.

The evolution of the dorsal thalamus of jawed vertebrates, including mammals: cladistic analysis and a new hypothesis.

PubMed

Butler, A B

1994-01-01

The evolution of the dorsal thalamus in various vertebrate lineages of jawed vertebrates has been an enigma, partly due to two prevalent misconceptions: the belief that the multitude of nuclei in the dorsal thalamus of mammals could be meaningfully compared neither with the relatively few nuclei in the dorsal thalamus of anamniotes nor with the intermediate number of dorsal thalamic nuclei of other amniotes and a definition of the dorsal thalamus that too narrowly focused on the features of the dorsal thalamus of mammals. The cladistic analysis carried out here allows us to recognize which features are plesiomorphic and which apomorphic for the dorsal thalamus of jawed vertebrates and to then reconstruct the major changes that have occurred in the dorsal thalamus over evolution. Embryological data examined in the context of Von Baerian theory (embryos of later-descendant species resemble the embryos of earlier-descendant species to the point of their divergence) supports a new 'Dual Elaboration Hypothesis' of dorsal thalamic evolution generated from this cladistic analysis. From the morphotype for an early stage in the embryological development of the dorsal thalamus of jawed vertebrates, the divergent, sequential stages of the development of the dorsal thalamus are derived for each major radiation and compared. The new hypothesis holds that the dorsal thalamus comprises two basic divisions--the collothalamus and the lemnothalamus--that receive their predominant input from the midbrain roof and (plesiomorphically) from lemniscal pathways, including the optic tract, respectively. Where present, the collothalamic, midbrain-sensory relay nuclei are homologous to each other in all vertebrate radiations as discrete nuclei. Within the lemnothalamus, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of mammals and the dorsal lateral optic nucleus of non-synapsid amniotes (diapsid reptiles, birds and turtles) are homologous as discrete nuclei; most or all of the ventral nuclear group of mammals is homologous as a field to the lemniscal somatosensory relay and motor feedback nuclei of non-synapsid amniotes; the anterior, intralaminar and medial nuclear groups of mammals are collectively homologous as a field to both the dorsomedial and dorsolateral (including perirotundal) nuclei of non-synapsid amniotes; the anterior, intralaminar, medial and ventral nuclear groups and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of mammals are collectively homologous as a field to the nucleus anterior of anamniotes, as are their homologues in non-synapsid amniotes. In the captorhinomorph ancestors of extant land vertebrates, both divisions of the dorsal thalamus were elaborated to some extent due to an increase in proliferation and lateral migration of neurons during development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

SU-E-T-573: The Robustness of a Combined Margin Recipe for Uncertainties During Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stroom, J; Vieira, S; Greco, C

2014-06-01

Purpose: To investigate the variability of a safety margin recipe that combines CTV and PTV margins quadratically, with several tumor, treatment, and user related factors. Methods: Margin recipes were calculated by monte-carlo simulations in 5 steps. 1. A spherical tumor with or without isotropic microscopic was irradiated with a 5 field dose plan2. PTV: Geometric uncertainties were introduced using systematic (Sgeo) and random (sgeo) standard deviations. CTV: Microscopic disease distribution was modelled by semi-gaussian (Smicro) with varying number of islets (Ni)3. For a specific uncertainty set (Sgeo, sgeo, Smicro(Ni)), margins were varied until pre-defined decrease in TCP or dose coveragemore » was fulfilled. 4. First, margin recipes were calculated for each of the three uncertainties separately. CTV and PTV recipes were then combined quadratically to yield a final recipe M(Sgeo, sgeo, Smicro(Ni)).5. The final M was verified by simultaneous simulations of the uncertainties.Now, M has been calculated for various changing parameters like margin criteria, penumbra steepness, islet radio-sensitivity, dose conformity, and number of fractions. We subsequently investigated A: whether the combined recipe still holds in all these situations, and B: what the margin variation was in all these cases. Results: We found that the accuracy of the combined margin recipes remains on average within 1mm for all situations, confirming the correctness of the quadratic addition. Depending on the specific parameter, margin factors could change such that margins change over 50%. Especially margin recipes based on TCP-criteria are more sensitive to more parameters than those based on purely geometric Dmin-criteria. Interestingly, measures taken to minimize treatment field sizes (by e.g. optimizing dose conformity) are counteracted by the requirement of larger margins to get the same tumor coverage. Conclusion: Margin recipes combining geometric and microscopic uncertainties quadratically are accurate under varying circumstances. However margins can change up to 50% for different situations.« less

[DORSALIS PEDIS FLAP SERIES-PARALLEL BIG TOE NAIL COMPOSITE TISSUE FLAP TO REPAIR HAND SKIN OF DEGLOVING INJURY WITH THUMB DEFECT].

PubMed

Shi, Pengju; Zhang, Wenlong; Zhao, Gang; Li, Zhigang; Zhao, Shaoping; Zhang, Tieshan

2015-07-01

To investigate the effectiveness of dorsalis pedis flap series-parallel big toe nail composite tissue flap in the repairment of hand skin of degloving injury with tumb defect. Between March 2009 and June 2013, 8 cases of hand degloving injury with thumb defect caused by machine twisting were treated. There were 7 males and 1 female with the mean age of 36 years (range, 26-48 years). Injury located at the left hand in 3 cases and at the right hand in 5 cases. The time from injury to hospitalization was 1.5-4.0 hours (mean, 2.5 hours). The defect area was 8 cm x 6 cm to 15 cm x 1 cm. The thumb defect was rated as degree I in 5 cases and as degree II in 3 cases. The contralateral dorsal skin flap (9 cm x 7 cm to 10 cm x 8 cm) combined with ipsilateral big toe nail composite tissue flap (2.5 cm x 1.8 cm to 3.0 cm x 2.0 cm) was used, including 3 parallel anastomosis flaps and 5 series anastomosis flaps. The donor site of the dorsal flap was repaired with thick skin grafts, the stumps wound was covered with tongue flap at the shank side of big toe. Vascular crisis occurred in 1 big toe nail composite tissue flap, margin necrosis occurred in 2 dorsalis pedis flap; the other flaps survived, and primary healing of wound was obtained. The grafted skin at dorsal donor site all survived, skin of hallux toe stump had no necrosis. Eight cases were followed up 4-20 months (mean, 15.5 months). All flaps had soft texture and satisfactory appearance; the cutaneous sensory recovery time was 4-7 months (mean, 5 months). At 4 months after operation, the two-point discrimination of the thumb pulp was 8-10 mm (mean, 9 mm), and the two-point discrimination of dorsal skin flap was 7-9 mm (mean, 8.5 mm). According to Society of Hand Surgery standard for the evaluation of upper part of the function, the results were excellent in 4 cases, good in 3 cases, and fair in 1 case. The donor foot had normal function. Dorsalis pedis flap series-parallel big toe nail composite tissue flap is an ideal way to repair hand skin defect, and reconstructs the thumb, which has many advantages, including simple surgical procedure, no limitation to recipient site, soft texture, satisfactory appearance and function of reconstructing thumb, and small donor foot loss.

Image Guided Focal Therapy for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Visible Prostate Cancer: Defining a 3-Dimensional Treatment Margin Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Histology Co-Registration Analysis.

PubMed

Le Nobin, Julien; Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Villers, Arnauld; Orczyk, Clément; Deng, Fang-Ming; Melamed, Jonathan; Mikheev, Artem; Rusinek, Henry; Taneja, Samir S

2015-08-01

We compared prostate tumor boundaries on magnetic resonance imaging and radical prostatectomy histological assessment using detailed software assisted co-registration to define an optimal treatment margin for achieving complete tumor destruction during image guided focal ablation. Included in study were 33 patients who underwent 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging before radical prostatectomy. A radiologist traced lesion borders on magnetic resonance imaging and assigned a suspicion score of 2 to 5. Three-dimensional reconstructions were created from high resolution digitalized slides of radical prostatectomy specimens and co-registered to imaging using advanced software. Tumors were compared between histology and imaging by the Hausdorff distance and stratified by the magnetic resonance imaging suspicion score, Gleason score and lesion diameter. Cylindrical volume estimates of treatment effects were used to define the optimal treatment margin. Three-dimensional software based registration with magnetic resonance imaging was done in 46 histologically confirmed cancers. Imaging underestimated tumor size with a maximal discrepancy between imaging and histological boundaries for a given tumor of an average ± SD of 1.99 ± 3.1 mm, representing 18.5% of the diameter on imaging. Boundary underestimation was larger for lesions with an imaging suspicion score 4 or greater (mean 3.49 ± 2.1 mm, p <0.001) and a Gleason score of 7 or greater (mean 2.48 ± 2.8 mm, p = 0.035). A simulated cylindrical treatment volume based on the imaging boundary missed an average 14.8% of tumor volume compared to that based on the histological boundary. A simulated treatment volume based on a 9 mm treatment margin achieved complete histological tumor destruction in 100% of patients. Magnetic resonance imaging underestimates histologically determined tumor boundaries, especially for lesions with a high imaging suspicion score and a high Gleason score. A 9 mm treatment margin around a lesion visible on magnetic resonance imaging would consistently ensure treatment of the entire histological tumor volume during focal ablative therapy. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prosomeric map of the lamprey forebrain based on calretinin immunocytochemistry, Nissl stain, and ancillary markers.

PubMed

Pombal, M A; Puelles, L

1999-11-22

The structural organization of the lamprey extratelencephalic forebrain is re-examined from the perspective of the prosomeric segmental paradigm. The question asked was whether the prosomeric forebrain model used for gnathostomes is of material advantage for interpreting subdivisions in the lamprey forebrain. To this aim, the main longitudinal and transverse landmarks recognized by the prosomeric model in other vertebrates were identified in Nissl-stained lamprey material. Lines of cytoarchitectural discontinuity and contours of migrated neuronal groups were mapped in a two-dimensional sagittal representation and were also classified according to their radial position. Immunocytochemical mapping of calretinin expression in adjacent sections served to define particular structural units better, in particular, the dorsal thalamus. These data were complemented by numerous other chemoarchitectonic observations obtained with ancillary markers, which identified additional specific formations, subdivisions, or boundaries. Emphasis was placed on studying whether such chemically defined neuronal groups showed boundaries aligned with the postulated inter- or intraprosomeric boundaries. The course of diverse axonal tracts was studied also with regard to their prosomeric topography. This analysis showed that the full prosomeric model applies straightforwardly to the lamprey forebrain. This finding implies that a common segmental and longitudinal organization of the neural tube may be primitive for all vertebrates. Interesting novel aspects appear in the interpretation of the lamprey pretectum, the dorsal and ventral thalami, and the hypothalamus. The topologic continuity of the prosomeric forebrain regions with evaginated or non-evaginated portions of the telencephalon was also examined. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Americans with Disabilities Act: Using Job Analysis To Meet New Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lozada-Larsen, Susana R.

This paper focuses on the role that job analysis plays under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The most obvious use of job analysis data is in defining the essential functions of each job. The job analysis technique used should: list the functions of the job, define which functions are essential rather than marginal, and offer proof of…

Madeirasquilla tuerkayi, a new genus and species of mantis shrimps from Madeira Island, eastern Atlantic (Crustacea: Stomatopoda: Nannosquillidae).

PubMed

ĎuriŠ, ZdenĚk

2018-03-22

Madeirasquilla tuerkayi is described as a new genus and species of the nannosquillid mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda) based on a single specimen collected from Madeira, eastern Atlantic. That specimen is remarkable by a combination of the following morphological characters: rostral plate with three sharp anterior projections; antennal protopod with two mesial and one ventral papillae; cornea subglobular; raptorial claw dactylus with 11 or 12 teeth, and with acute proximal tooth on outer margin; pleonite 6 with strong posterolateral spine and two posteriorly directed sternal spines; telson bearing smooth shield-like dorsal prominence with acute median spine posteriorly; four pairs of fixed primary teeth posteriorly on the telson; outer primary spine of uropodal protopod longer than inner primary spine. The separate position of the new genus is supported also by molecular comparison. A key to the genera of the family Nannosquillidae is proposed.

Inpauema, a new genus of Odiniidae (Diptera) from Brazil, with description of five new species.

PubMed

Limeira-DE-Oliveira, Francisco; Marques, Dayse W A; Reis, Geniana A; Rafael, José A

2017-12-07

A new genus and five new species of odiniids (Odiniidae: Traginopinae) are described from the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado biomes: Inpauema mirador gen. nov. et sp. nov. (type species), I. catarinae sp. nov., I. gaimarii sp. nov., I. raimundoluizi sp. nov., and I. xavieri sp. nov. The genus is being characterized by a unique combination of diagnostic characters: body predominantly dark brown to black, with silvery-gray pruinose spots on inner margin of eyes, longitudinally along middle of lunule and face, on notopleuron and mesopleuron; postcranium concave from dorsal view; one pair of stout proclinate ocellar setae; postocellar setae absent; lunule shorter than frons; gena lacking upturned seta; antennae separated by a maximum distance of 2X the diameter of a single antennal socket and gonocoxal apodemes directed upward, forming an arch. A key to separate Helgreelia Gaimari, 2007 from Inpauema gen. nov. and for the new species is provided.

Aspidoras mephisto, new species: The first troglobitic Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from South America

PubMed Central

Bichuette, Maria Elina

2017-01-01

Aspidoras mephisto n. sp. is described from the Anésio-Russão cave system, upper Tocantins River basin, Goiás, Brazil. The species can be readily distinguished from its congeners by troglomorphic features and also by presenting the following combination of features: infraorbital 1 generally with well-developed ventral laminar; or moderately developed; poorly-developed serrations on posterior margin of pectoral spine; nuchal plate not externally visible; dorsal fin, even in conspicuously colored specimens, with only dark brown or black chromatophores concentrated on rays, forming spots in some specimens; membranes hyaline; or sparse dark brown or black chromatophores on membranes, not forming any conspicuous pattern; and inner laminar expansion of infraorbital 1 moderately developed. Information about its habitat, ecology, behaviour and conservation status are provided and also a brief description of the juvenile stage. PMID:28248959

Society of Surgical Oncology–American Society for Radiation Oncology Consensus Guideline on Margins for Breast-Conserving Surgery With Whole-Breast Irradiation in Stages I and II Invasive Breast Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moran, Meena S.; Schnitt, Stuart J.; Giuliano, Armando E.

Purpose: To convene a multidisciplinary panel of breast experts to examine the relationship between margin width and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) and develop a guideline for defining adequate margins in the setting of breast conserving surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: A multidisciplinary consensus panel used a meta-analysis of margin width and IBTR from a systematic review of 33 studies including 28,162 patients as the primary evidence base for consensus. Results: Positive margins (ink on invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ) are associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk of IBTR compared with negative margins.more » This increased risk is not mitigated by favorable biology, endocrine therapy, or a radiation boost. More widely clear margins than no ink on tumor do not significantly decrease the rate of IBTR compared with no ink on tumor. There is no evidence that more widely clear margins reduce IBTR for young patients or for those with unfavorable biology, lobular cancers, or cancers with an extensive intraductal component. Conclusions: The use of no ink on tumor as the standard for an adequate margin in invasive cancer in the era of multidisciplinary therapy is associated with low rates of IBTR and has the potential to decrease re-excision rates, improve cosmetic outcomes, and decrease health care costs.« less

Encoding of Both Reaching and Grasping Kinematics in Dorsal and Ventral Premotor Cortices

PubMed Central

Best, Matthew D.

2017-01-01

Classically, it has been hypothesized that reach-to-grasp movements arise from two discrete parietofrontal cortical networks. As part of these networks, the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) has been implicated in the control of reaching movements of the arm, whereas the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) has been associated with the control of grasping movements of the hand. Recent studies have shown that such a strict delineation of function along anatomical boundaries is unlikely, partly because reaching to different locations can alter distal hand kinematics and grasping different objects can affect kinematics of the proximal arm. Here, we used chronically implanted multielectrode arrays to record unit-spiking activity in both PMd and PMv simultaneously while rhesus macaques engaged in a reach-to-grasp task. Generalized linear models were used to predict the spiking activity of cells in both areas as a function of different kinematic parameters, as well as spike history. To account for the influence of reaching on hand kinematics and vice versa, we applied demixed principal components analysis to define kinematics synergies that maximized variance across either different object locations or grip types. We found that single cells in both PMd and PMv encode the kinematics of both reaching and grasping synergies, suggesting that this classical division of reach and grasp in PMd and PMv, respectively, does not accurately reflect the encoding preferences of cells in those areas. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT For reach-to-grasp movements, the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) has been implicated in the control of reaching movements of the arm, whereas the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) has been associated with the control of grasping movements of the hand. We recorded unit-spiking activity in PMd and PMv simultaneously while macaques performed a reach-to-grasp task. We modeled the spiking activity of neurons as a function of kinematic parameters and spike history. We applied demixed principal components analysis to define kinematics synergies. We found that single units in both PMd and PMv encode the kinematics of both reaching and grasping synergies, suggesting that the division of reach and grasp in PMd and PMv, respectively, cannot be made based on their encoding properties. PMID:28077725

Superficial dorsal vein injury/thrombosis presenting as false penile fracture requiring dorsal venous ligation.

PubMed

Rafiei, Arash; Hakky, Tariq S; Martinez, Daniel; Parker, Justin; Carrion, Rafael

2014-12-01

Conditions mimicking penile fracture are extremely rare and have been seldom described. To describe a patient with false penile fracture who presented with superficial dorsal vein injury/thrombosis managed with ligation. A 33-year-old male presented with penile swelling and ecchymosis after intercourse. A penile ultrasound demonstrated a thrombosed superficial dorsal vein but also questionable fracture of the tunica albuginea. As the thrombus was expanding, he was emergently taken to the operating room for exploration and required only dorsal venous ligation. Postoperatively, patient's Sexual Health Inventory for Men score was 23, and he had no issues with erections or sexual intercourse. Early exploration of patients with suspected penile fracture provides excellent results with maintenance of erectile function. Also, in the setting of dorsal vein thrombosis, ligation preserves the integrity of the penile tissues and avoids unnecessary complications from conservative management. Rafiei A, Hakky TS, Martinez D, Parker J, and Carrion R. Superficial dorsal vein injury/thrombosis presenting as false penile fracture requiring dorsal venous ligation.

Where Is the Ulnar Styloid Process? Identification of the Absolute Location of the Ulnar Styloid Process Based on CT and Verification of Neutral Forearm Rotation on Lateral Radiographs of the Wrist.

PubMed

Shin, Seung-Han; Lee, Yong-Suk; Kang, Jin-Woo; Noh, Dong-Young; Jung, Joon-Yong; Chung, Yang-Guk

2018-03-01

The location of the ulnar styloid process can be confusing because the radius and the hand rotate around the ulna. The purpose of this study was to identify the absolute location of the ulnar styloid process, which is independent of forearm pronation or supination, to use it as a reference for neutral forearm rotation on lateral radiographs of the wrist. Computed tomography (CT) images of 23 forearms taken with elbow flexion of 70° to 90° were analyzed. The axial CT images were reconstructed to be perpendicular to the distal ulnar shaft. The absolute location of the ulnar styloid process in this study was defined as the position of the ulnar styloid process on the axial plane of the ulnar head relative to the long axis of the humeral shaft with the elbow set in the position for standard lateral radiographs of the wrist. To identify in which direction the ulnar styloid is located on the axial plane of the ulnar head, the angle between "the line of humeral long axis projected on the axial plane of the ulna" and "the line passing the center of the ulnar head and the center of the ulnar styloid" was measured (ulnar styloid direction angle). To identify how volarly or dorsally the ulnar styloid should appear on the true lateral view of the wrist, the ratio of "the volar-dorsal diameter of the ulnar head" and "the distance between the volar-most aspect of the ulnar head and the center of the ulnar styloid" was calculated (ulnar styloid location ratio). The mean ulnar styloid direction angle was 12° dorsally. The mean ulnar styloid location ratio was 1:0.55. The ulnar styloid is located at nearly the ulnar-most (the opposite side of the humerus with the elbow flexed) and slightly dorsal aspects of the ulnar head on the axial plane. It should appear almost midway (55% dorsally) from the ulnar head on the standard lateral view of the wrist in neutral forearm rotation. These location references could help clinicians determine whether the forearm is in neutral or rotated position on an axial CT/magnetic resonance imaging scan or a lateral radiograph of the wrist.

Terry Turbopump Analytical Modeling Efforts in Fiscal Year 2016 ? Progress Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osborn, Douglas; Ross, Kyle; Cardoni, Jeffrey N

This document details the Fiscal Year 2016 modeling efforts to define the true operating limitations (margins) of the Terry turbopump systems used in the nuclear industry for Milestone 3 (full-scale component experiments) and Milestone 4 (Terry turbopump basic science experiments) experiments. The overall multinational-sponsored program creates the technical basis to: (1) reduce and defer additional utility costs, (2) simplify plant operations, and (3) provide a better understanding of the true margin which could reduce overall risk of operations.

Terry Turbopump Expanded Operating Band Full-Scale Component and Basic Science Detailed Test Plan - Final.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osborn, Douglas; Solom, Matthew

This document details the milestone approach to define the true operating limitations (margins) of the Terry turbopump systems used in the nuclear industry for Milestone 3 (full-scale component experiments) and Milestone 4 (Terry turbopump basic science experiments) efforts. The overall multinational-sponsored program creates the technical basis to: (1) reduce and defer additional utility costs, (2) simplify plant operations, and (3) provide a better understanding of the true margin which could reduce overall risk of operations.

Terry Turbopump Expanded Operating Band Full-Scale Component and Basic Science Detailed Test Plan-Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solom, Matthew; Ross, Kyle; Cardoni, Jeffrey N.

This document details the milestone approach to define the true operating limitations (margins) of the Terry turbopump systems used in the nuclear industry for Milestone 3 (full-scale component experiments) and Milestone 4 (Terry turbopump basic science experiments) efforts. The overall multinational-sponsored program creates the technical basis to: (1) reduce and defer additional utility costs, (2) simplify plant operations, and (3) provide a better understanding of the true margin which could reduce overall risk of operations.

Pitch control margin at high angle of attack - Quantitative requirements (flight test correlation with simulation predictions)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lackey, J.; Hadfield, C.

1992-01-01

Recent mishaps and incidents on Class IV aircraft have shown a need for establishing quantitative longitudinal high angle of attack (AOA) pitch control margin design guidelines for future aircraft. NASA Langley Research Center has conducted a series of simulation tests to define these design guidelines. Flight test results have confirmed the simulation studies in that pilot rating of high AOA nose-down recoveries were based on the short-term response interval in the forms of pitch acceleration and rate.

Managerial accounting applications in radiology.

PubMed

Lexa, Frank James; Mehta, Tushar; Seidmann, Abraham

2005-03-01

We review the core issues in managerial accounting for radiologists. We introduce the topic and then explore its application to diagnostic imaging. We define key terms such as fixed cost, variable cost, marginal cost, and marginal revenue and discuss their role in understanding the operational and financial implications for a radiology facility by using a cost-volume-profit model. Our work places particular emphasis on the role of managerial accounting in understanding service costs, as well as how it assists executive decision making.

Quantitative measurement of marginal disintegration of ceramic inlays.

PubMed

Hayashi, Mikako; Tsubakimoto, Yuko; Takeshige, Fumio; Ebisu, Shigeyuki

2004-01-01

The objectives of this study include establishing a method for quantitative measurement of marginal change in ceramic inlays and clarifying their marginal disintegration in vivo. An accurate CCD optical laser scanner system was used for morphological measurement of the marginal change of ceramic inlays. The accuracy of the CCD measurement was assessed by comparing it with microscopic measurement. Replicas of 15 premolars restored with Class II ceramic inlays at the time of placement and eight years after restoration were used for morphological measurement by means of the CCD laser scanner system. Occlusal surfaces of the restored teeth were scanned and cross-sections of marginal areas were computed with software. Marginal change was defined as the area enclosed by two profiles obtained by superimposing two cross-sections of the same location at two different times and expressing the maximum depth and mean area of the area enclosed. The accuracy of this method of measurement was 4.3 +/- 3.2 microm in distance and 2.0 +/- 0.6% in area. Quantitative marginal changes for the eight-year period were 10 x 10 microm in depth and 50 x 10(3) microm2 in area at the functional cusp area and 7 x 10 microm in depth and 28 x 10(3) microm2 in area at the non-functional cusp area. Marginal disintegration at the functional cusp area was significantly greater than at the non-functional cusp area (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p < 0.05). This study constitutes a quantitative measurement of in vivo deterioration in marginal adaptation of ceramic inlays and indicates that occlusal force may accelerate marginal disintegration.

Estimating age from the pubic symphysis: A new component-based system.

PubMed

Dudzik, Beatrix; Langley, Natalie R

2015-12-01

The os pubis is one of the most widely used areas of the skeleton for age estimation. Current pubic symphyseal aging methods for adults combine the morphology associated with the developmental changes that occur into the mid-30s with the degenerative changes that span the latter portion of the age spectrum. The most popular methods are phase-based; however, the definitions currently used to estimate age intervals may not be adequately defined and/or accurately understood by burgeoning researchers and seasoned practitioners alike. This study identifies patterns of growth and maturation in the pubic symphysis to derive more precise age estimates for individuals under 40 years of age. Emphasis is placed on young adults to provide more informative descriptions of epiphyseal changes associated with the final phases of skeletal maturation before degeneration commences. This study investigated macroscopic changes in forensically relevant modern U.S. samples of known age, sex, and ancestry from the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona as well as donated individuals from the William M. Bass Forensic and Donated Collections at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (n=237). Age-related traits at locations with ontogenetic and biomechanical relevance were broken into components and scored. The components included the pubic tubercle, the superior apex of the face, the ventral and dorsal demifaces, and the ventral and dorsal symphyseal margins. Transition analysis was applied to elucidate the transition ages between the morphological states of each component. The categorical scores and transition analysis ages were subjected to multinomial logistic regression and decision tree analysis to derive accurate age interval estimates. Results of these analyses were used to construct a decision tree-style flow chart for practitioner use. High inter-rater agreement of the individual component traits (linear weighted kappa values ≥0.665 for all traits in the decision tree) indicates that the method offers unambiguous scoring for age-related changes of the pubic symphysis. Validation of the flow chart on a sample of 47 individuals provided by the Montana State Crime Lab yielded 94% accuracy overall, indicating that the method has the potential to deliver precise and accurate age estimates of individuals prior to the onset of advanced degenerative changes. A pubic symphysis that exhibits epiphyseal changes and/or billowing is suitable for this method; a pubic symphysis that exhibits degenerative changes (i.e. porosity and/or rim erosion) is not suitable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delta Chromium-53/52 isotopic composition of native and contaminated groundwater, Mojave Desert, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izbicki, John A.; Bullen, Thomas D.; Martin, Peter; Schroth, Brian

2012-01-01

Chromium(VI) concentrations in groundwater sampled from three contaminant plumes in aquifers in the Mojave Desert near Hinkley, Topock and El Mirage, California, USA, were as high as 2600, 5800 and 330 μg/L, respectively. δ53/52Cr compositions from more than 50 samples collected within these plumes ranged from near 0‰ to almost 4‰ near the plume margins. Assuming only reductive fractionation of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) within the plume, apparent fractionation factors for δ53/52Cr isotopes ranged from εapp = 0.3 to 0.4 within the Hinkley and Topock plumes, respectively, and only the El Mirage plume had a fractionation factor similar to the laboratory derived value of ε = 3.5. One possible explanation for the difference between field and laboratory fractionation factors at the Hinkley and Topock sites is localized reductive fractionation of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), with subsequent advective mixing of native and contaminated water near the plume margin. Chromium(VI) concentrations and δ53/52Cr isotopic compositions did not uniquely define the source of Cr near the plume margin, or the extent of reductive fractionation within the plume. However, Cr(VI) and δ53/52Cr data contribute to understanding of the interaction between reductive and mixing processes that occur within and near the margins of Cr contamination plumes. Reductive fractionation of Cr(VI) predominates in plumes having higher εapp, these plumes may be suitable for monitored natural attenuation. In contrast, advective mixing predominates in plumes having lower εapp, the highly dispersed margins of these plumes may be difficult to define and manage.

Sci—Fri AM: Mountain — 06: Optimizing planning target volume in lung radiotherapy using deformable registration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoang, P; Wierzbicki, M; Juravinski Cancer Centre, Medical Physics Department, Hamilton, Ontario

A four dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) image is acquired for all radically treated, lung cancer patients to define the internal target volume (ITV), which encompasses tumour motion due to breathing and subclinical disease. Patient set-up error and anatomical motion that is not due to breathing is addressed through an additional 1 cm margin around the ITV to obtain the planning target volume (PTV). The objective of this retrospective study is to find the minimum PTV margin that provides an acceptable probability of delivering the prescribed dose to the ITV. Acquisition of a kV cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image atmore » each fraction was used to shift the treatment couch to accurately align the spinal cord and carina. Our method utilized deformable image registration to automatically position the planning ITV on each CBCT. We evaluated the percentage of the ITV surface that fell within various PTVs for 79 fractions across 18 patients. Treatment success was defined as a situation where at least 99% of the ITV is covered by the PTV. Overall, this is to be achieved in at least 90% of the treatment fractions. The current approach with a 1cm PTV margin was successful ∼96% of the time. This analysis revealed that the current margin can be reduced to 0.8cm isotropic or 0.6×0.6×1 cm{sup 3} non-isotropic, which were successful 92 and 91 percent of the time respectively. Moreover, we have shown that these margins maintain accuracy, despite intrafractional variation, and maximize CBCT image guidance capabilities.« less

Core Promoter Functions in the Regulation of Gene Expression of Drosophila Dorsal Target Genes*

PubMed Central

Zehavi, Yonathan; Kuznetsov, Olga; Ovadia-Shochat, Avital; Juven-Gershon, Tamar

2014-01-01

Developmental processes are highly dependent on transcriptional regulation by RNA polymerase II. The RNA polymerase II core promoter is the ultimate target of a multitude of transcription factors that control transcription initiation. Core promoters consist of core promoter motifs, e.g. the initiator, TATA box, and the downstream core promoter element (DPE), which confer specific properties to the core promoter. Here, we explored the importance of core promoter functions in the dorsal-ventral developmental gene regulatory network. This network includes multiple genes that are activated by different nuclear concentrations of Dorsal, an NFκB homolog transcription factor, along the dorsal-ventral axis. We show that over two-thirds of Dorsal target genes contain DPE sequence motifs, which is significantly higher than the proportion of DPE-containing promoters in Drosophila genes. We demonstrate that multiple Dorsal target genes are evolutionarily conserved and functionally dependent on the DPE. Furthermore, we have analyzed the activation of key Dorsal target genes by Dorsal, as well as by another Rel family transcription factor, Relish, and the dependence of their activation on the DPE motif. Using hybrid enhancer-promoter constructs in Drosophila cells and embryo extracts, we have demonstrated that the core promoter composition is an important determinant of transcriptional activity of Dorsal target genes. Taken together, our results provide evidence for the importance of core promoter composition in the regulation of Dorsal target genes. PMID:24634215

β-Arrestins Negatively Regulate the Toll Pathway in Shrimp by Preventing Dorsal Translocation and Inhibiting Dorsal Transcriptional Activity*

PubMed Central

Sun, Jie-Jie; Lan, Jiang-Feng; Shi, Xiu-Zhen; Yang, Ming-Chong; Niu, Guo-Juan; Ding, Ding; Zhao, Xiao-Fan; Yu, Xiao-Qiang; Wang, Jin-Xing

2016-01-01

The Toll signaling pathway plays an important role in the innate immunity of Drosophila melanogaster and mammals. The activation and termination of Toll signaling are finely regulated in these animals. Although the primary components of the Toll pathway were identified in shrimp, the functions and regulation of the pathway are seldom studied. We first demonstrated that the Toll signaling pathway plays a central role in host defense against Staphylococcus aureus by regulating expression of antimicrobial peptides in shrimp. We then found that β-arrestins negatively regulate Toll signaling in two different ways. β-Arrestins interact with the C-terminal PEST domain of Cactus through the arrestin-N domain, and Cactus interacts with the RHD domain of Dorsal via the ankyrin repeats domain, forming a heterotrimeric complex of β-arrestin·Cactus·Dorsal, with Cactus as the bridge. This complex prevents Cactus phosphorylation and degradation, as well as Dorsal translocation into the nucleus, thus inhibiting activation of the Toll signaling pathway. β-Arrestins also interact with non-phosphorylated ERK (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase) through the arrestin-C domain to inhibit ERK phosphorylation, which affects Dorsal translocation into the nucleus and phosphorylation of Dorsal at Ser276 that impairs Dorsal transcriptional activity. Our study suggests that β-arrestins negatively regulate the Toll signaling pathway by preventing Dorsal translocation and inhibiting Dorsal phosphorylation and transcriptional activity. PMID:26846853

Versatility of the ventral approach in bulbar urethroplasty using dorsal, ventral or dorsal plus ventral oral grafts.

PubMed

Palminteri, Enzo; Berdondini, Elisa; Fusco, Ferdinando; De Nunzio, Cosimo; Giannitsas, Kostas; Shokeir, Ahmed A

2012-06-01

To investigate the versatility of the ventral urethrotomy approach in bulbar reconstruction with buccal mucosa (BM) grafts placed on the dorsal, ventral or dorsal plus ventral urethral surface. Between 1999 and 2008, 216 patients with bulbar strictures underwent BM graft urethroplasty using the ventral-sagittal urethrotomy approach. Of these patients, 32 (14.8%; mean stricture 3.2 cm, range 1.5-5) had a dorsal graft urethroplasty (DGU), 121 (56%; mean stricture 3.7, range 1.5-8) a ventral graft urethroplasty (VGU), and 63 (29.2%; mean stricture 3.4, range 1.5-10) a dorsal plus ventral graft urethroplasty (DVGU). The strictured urethra was opened by a ventral-sagittal urethrotomy and BM graft was inserted dorsally or ventrally or dorsal plus ventral to augment the urethral plate. The median follow-up was 37 months. The overall 5-year actuarial success rate was 91.4%. The 5-year actuarial success rates were 87.8%, 95.5% and 86.3% for the DGU, VGU and DVGU, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups. Success rates decreased significantly only with a stricture length of >4 cm. In BM graft bulbar urethroplasties the ventral urethrotomy access is simple and versatile, allowing an intraoperative choice of dorsal, ventral or combined dorsal and ventral grafting, with comparable success rates.

Evaluation of target coverage and margins adequacy during CyberKnife Lung Optimized Treatment.

PubMed

Ricotti, Rosalinda; Seregni, Matteo; Ciardo, Delia; Vigorito, Sabrina; Rondi, Elena; Piperno, Gaia; Ferrari, Annamaria; Zerella, Maria Alessia; Arculeo, Simona; Francia, Claudia Maria; Sibio, Daniela; Cattani, Federica; De Marinis, Filippo; Spaggiari, Lorenzo; Orecchia, Roberto; Riboldi, Marco; Baroni, Guido; Jereczek-Fossa, Barbara Alicja

2018-04-01

Evaluation of target coverage and verification of safety margins, in motion management strategies implemented by Lung Optimized Treatment (LOT) module in CyberKnife system. Three fiducial-less motion management strategies provided by LOT can be selected according to tumor visibility in the X ray images acquired during treatment. In 2-view modality the tumor is visible in both X ray images and full motion tracking is performed. In 1-view modality the tumor is visible in a single X ray image, therefore, motion tracking is combined with an internal target volume (ITV)-based margin expansion. In 0-view modality the lesion is not visible, consequently the treatment relies entirely on an ITV-based approach. Data from 30 patients treated in 2-view modality were selected providing information on the three-dimensional tumor motion in correspondence to each X ray image. Treatments in 1-view and 0-view modalities were simulated by processing log files and planning volumes. Planning target volume (PTV) margins were defined according to the tracking modality: end-exhale clinical target volume (CTV) + 3 mm in 2-view and ITV + 5 mm in 0-view. In the 1-view scenario, the ITV encompasses only tumor motion along the non-visible direction. Then, non-uniform ITV to PTV margins were applied: 3 mm and 5 mm in the visible and non-visible direction, respectively. We defined the coverage of each voxel of the CTV as the percentage of X ray images where such voxel was included in the PTV. In 2-view modality coverage was calculated as the intersection between the CTV centred on the imaged target position and the PTV centred on the predicted target position, as recorded in log files. In 1-view modality, coverage was calculated as the intersection between the CTV centred on the imaged target position and the PTV centred on the projected predictor data. In 0-view modality coverage was calculated as the intersection between the CTV centred on the imaged target position and the non-moving PTV. Similar to dose-volume histogram, CTV coverage-volume histograms (defined as CVH) were derived for each patient and treatment modality. The geometric coverages of the 90% and 95% of CTV volume (C90, C95, respectively) were evaluated. Patient-specific optimal margins (ensuring C95 ≥ 95%) were computed retrospectively. The median ± interquartile-rage of C90 and C95 for upper lobe lesions was 99.1 ± 0.6% and 99.0 ± 3.1%, whereas they were 98.9 ± 4.2% and 97.8 ± 7.5% for lower and middle lobe tumors. In 2-view, 1-view and 0-view modality, adopted margins ensured C95 ≥ 95% in 70%, 85% and 63% of cases and C95 ≥ 90% in 90%, 88% and 83% of cases, respectively. In 2-view, 1-view and 0-view a reduction in margins still ensured C95 ≥ 95% in 33%, 78% and 59% of cases, respectively. CTV coverage analysis provided an a-posteriori evaluation of the treatment geometric accuracy and allowed a quantitative verification of the adequacy of the PTV margins applied in CyberKnife LOT treatments offering guidance in the selection of CTV margins. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Visual deficits in a mouse model of Batten disease are the result of optic nerve degeneration and loss of dorsal lateral geniculate thalamic neurons

PubMed Central

Weimer, Jill M.; Custer, Andrew W.; Benedict, Jared W.; Alexander, Noreen A.; Kingsley, Evan; Federoff, Howard J.; Cooper, Jonathan D.; Pearce, David A.

2013-01-01

Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is an autosomal recessive disorder of childhood caused by mutations in CLN3. Although visual deterioration is typically the first clinical sign to manifest in affected children, loss of Cln3 in a mouse model of JNCL does not recapitulate this retinal deterioration. This suggests that either the loss of CLN3 does not directly affect retinal cell survival or that nuclei involved in visual processing are affected prior to retinal degeneration. Having previously demonstrated that Cln3−/− mice have decreased optic nerve axonal density, we now demonstrate a decrease in nerve conduction. Examination of retino-recipient regions revealed a decreased number of neurons within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd). We demonstrate decreased transport of amino acids from the retina to the LGN, suggesting an impediment in communication between the retina and projection nuclei. This study defines a novel path of degeneration within the LGNd, providing a mechanism for causation of JNCL visual deficits. PMID:16412658

Spinal epidural neurostimulation for treatment of acute and chronic intractable pain: initial and long term results.

PubMed

Richardson, R R; Siqueira, E B; Cerullo, L J

1979-09-01

Spinal epidural neurostimulation, which evolved from dorsal column stimulation, has been found to be effective in the treatment of acute and chronic intractable pain. Urban and Hashold have shown that it is a safe, simplified alternative to dorsal column stimulation, especially because laminectomy is not required if the electrodes are inserted percutaneously. Percutaneous epidural neurostimulation is also advantageous because there can be a diagnostic trial period before permanent internalization and implantation. This diagnostic and therapeutic modality has been used in 36 patients during the past 3 years at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Eleven of these patients had acute intractable pain, which was defined as pain of less than 1 year in duration. Initial postimplantation results from the 36 patients indicate that spinal epidural neurostimulation is most effective in treating the intractable pain of diabetes, arachnoiditis, and post-traumatic and postamputation neuroma. Long term follow-up, varying from 1 year to 3 years postimplantation in the 20 initially responding patients, indicates that the neurostimulation continues to provide significant pain relief (50% or greater) in a majority of the patients who experienced initial significant pain relief.

Dorsal raphe nucleus projecting retinal ganglion cells: Why Y cells?

PubMed Central

Pickard, Gary E.; So, Kwok-Fai; Pu, Mingliang

2015-01-01

Retinal ganglion Y (alpha) cells are found in retinas ranging from frogs to mice to primates. The highly conserved nature of the large, fast conducting retinal Y cell is a testament to its fundamental task, although precisely what this task is remained ill-defined. The recent discovery that Y-alpha retinal ganglion cells send axon collaterals to the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in addition to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN), pretectum and the superior colliculus (SC) has offered new insights into the important survival tasks performed by these cells with highly branched axons. We propose that in addition to its role in visual perception, the Y-alpha retinal ganglion cell provides concurrent signals via axon collaterals to the DRN, the major source of serotonergic afferents to the forebrain, to dramatically inhibit 5-HT activity during orientation or alerting/escape responses, which dis-facilitates ongoing tonic motor activity while dis-inhibiting sensory information processing throughout the visual system. The new data provide a fresh view of these evolutionarily old retinal ganglion cells. PMID:26363667

Venous drainage of the dorsal sector of the liver: differences between segments I and IX. A study on corrosion casts of the human liver.

PubMed

Gadzijev, E M; Ravnik, D; Stanisavljevic, D; Trotovsek, B

1997-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the venous drainage of the dorsal sector of the liver in order to define the differences between segments I and IX and their implications for sectorially and segmentally oriented hepatic surgery. The study was based on corrosion casts of 61 macroscopically healthy livers. The drainage pathways of veins at least 10 mm long and 1 mm wide were evaluated and statistically analysed. On average, 9 veins drained the two segments and three veins from both segments entered the inferior vena cava. In 95% of cases the veins from segment I drained predominantly into the inferior vena cava, whereas in segment IX this pathway was dominant in only 30% of cases. In 64% of cases a vein originating in segment IX entered the right hepatic v. The difference in the venous drainage of the two segments suggests that segment IX partly belongs to the neighbouring segments and may thus be only a paracaval region of the right liver.

Risk factor assessment of endoscopically removed malignant colorectal polyps.

PubMed

Netzer, P; Forster, C; Biral, R; Ruchti, C; Neuweiler, J; Stauffer, E; Schönegg, R; Maurer, C; Hüsler, J; Halter, F; Schmassmann, A

1998-11-01

Malignant colorectal polyps are defined as endoscopically removed polyps with cancerous tissue which has invaded the submucosa. Various histological criteria exist for managing these patients. To determine the significance of histological findings of patients with malignant polyps. Five pathologists reviewed the specimens of 85 patients initially diagnosed with malignant polyps. High risk malignant polyps were defined as having one of the following: incomplete polypectomy, a margin not clearly cancer-free, lymphatic or venous invasion, or grade III carcinoma. Adverse outcome was defined as residual cancer in a resection specimen and local or metastatic recurrence in the follow up period (mean 67 months). Malignant polyps were confirmed in 70 cases. In the 32 low risk malignant polyps, no adverse outcomes occurred; 16 (42%) of the 38 patients with high risk polyps had adverse outcomes (p<0.001). Independent adverse risk factors were incomplete polypectomy and a resected margin not clearly cancer-free; all other risk factors were only associated with adverse outcome when in combination. As no patients with low risk malignant polyps had adverse outcomes, polypectomy alone seems sufficient for these cases. In the high risk group, surgery is recommended when either of the two independent risk factors, incomplete polypectomy or a resection margin not clearly cancer-free, is present or if there is a combination of other risk factors. As lymphatic or venous invasion or grade III cancer did not have an adverse outcome when the sole risk factor, operations in such cases should be individually assessed on the basis of surgical risk.

A new species of Mastigodiaptomus Light, 1939 from Mexico, with notes of species diversity of the genus (Copepoda, Calanoida, Diaptomidae)

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Martha Angélica; Cervantes-Martínez, Adrián

2016-01-01

Abstract A new species of the genus Mastigodiaptomus Light, 1939, named Mastigodiaptomus cuneatus sp. n. was found in a freshwater system in the City of Mazatlán, in the northern region of Mexico. Morphologically, the females of this new species are distinguishable from those of its congeners by the following combination of features: the right distal corner of the genital double-somite and second urosomite have a wedge-shaped projection, the fourth urosomite has no dorsal projection and its integument is smooth. The males are distinct by the following features: the right caudal ramus has a wedge-shaped structure at the disto-ventral inner corner; the basis of the right fifth leg has one triangular and one rounded projection at the distal and proximal margins, respectively, plus one hyaline membrane on the caudal surface close to the inner margin; the aculeus length is almost the width of the right second exopod (Exp2); and the frontal and caudal surfaces of the right Exp2 are smooth. Furthermore, the analysis of the COI gene of Mastigodiaptomus cuneatus sp. n. has revealed that Mastigodiaptomus albuquerquensis (Herrick, 1895) is its nearest congener, with 18.64% of genetic distance. A key for the identification of the known species of the genus is provided. PMID:28138275

A New Species of Tiger Pleco Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Xingu Basin, Brazil

PubMed Central

Melo de Sousa, Leandro

2016-01-01

Panaqolus tankei is described from the Xingu River, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed from P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko by its color pattern consisting of dark and light diagonal bars on the body and bands on the fins (vs. body and fins without bars or bands); from P. albivermis, P. maccus, and P. purusiensis by the width of the dark bars being more or less the same of the light bars (vs. dark bars at least two or three times wider than light bars) and from P. changae by the absence of vermiculation on the head (vs. vermiculation present on head). The new species differs from P. gnomus by the orientation of the bars from posterodorsal to anteroventral direction (vs. anterodorsal to posteroventral direction), and from P. claustellifer by the orientation of the bands in the dorsal fin that are not parallel to the margin (vs. parallel to the margin). The barcoding region (COI) was sequenced for the new species, sequences were deposited in GenBank and were compared with congeners from other drainages. With regard to the current construction of a hydroelectric power plant (a so-called mega dam) in the Xingu River, herewith we increase knowledge of the river Xingu’s ichthyofauna and, thus improve the assessment of the impacts of that construction on the river. PMID:27828981

A new species of wedgefish Rhynchobatus cooki (Rhinopristiformes, Rhinidae) from the Indo-West Pacific.

PubMed

Last, Peter R; Kyne, Peter M; Compagno, Leonard J V

2016-07-20

A new dwarf wedgefish, Rhynchobatus cooki sp. nov. is described from a single female from a Jakarta fish market (Indonesia) and 11 specimens collected at Jurong fish market (Singapore). First collected in 1934, the broader ichthyological community have been aware of this distinctive but little known ray since the late 1990's. Rhynchobatus cooki is the smallest of the wedgefishes (to 81 cm TL) and has the lowest vertebral count (fewer than 107 centra). It is also distinguishable from its congeners based on its long, hastate snout, very strongly undulate anterior pectoral-fin margin, coloration and aspects of its squamation. The dorsal coloration is mainly dark and distinctively marked with white blotches, spots and streaks, and has a dark cruciate marking on the interorbit and a prominent white border around the body margin. Unlike most other wedgefish species, the snout tip lacks dark blotches and there is no black pectoral-fin marking. It shares well-developed rostral spines with a much larger Atlantic species (Rhynchobatus luebberti), but these spines are confined to the snout tip (rather than being more numerous and extending in paired rows along the rostral ridges nearly to the eyes). No additional specimens have been observed since 1996, despite an increased recent effort to survey the chondrichthyan fauna of South-East Asia and collect biological data for species, raising concerns over its conservation status.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of two species of the genus Deviata (Protista, Ciliophora) from China, with description of a new soil form, Deviata parabacilliformis sp. nov.

PubMed

Li, Fengchao; Lv, Zhao; Yi, Zhenzhen; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S; Shao, Chen

2014-11-01

The morphology and morphogenesis of a soil hypotrichous ciliate, Deviata parabacilliformis sp. nov., isolated from northern China, were investigated. D. parabacilliformis measures about 75-210 × 25-60 µm in vivo, with an elongate and flexible body. It possesses one right marginal row, two to four left marginal rows and three dorsal kineties. The main morphogenetic features of D. parabacilliformis are: (i) the oral primordium originates de novo; (ii) anlage IV of the opisthe originates from parental frontoventral row V, anlage V originates de novo, and anlage VI forms from frontoventral row VI; and (iii) anlage I of the proter originates from the anterior portion of the parental paroral, anlage II originates from the buccal cirrus, anlage III originates from the parabuccal cirri, anlage IV originates from parental frontoventral row IV and anlage V forms from the anterior of parental frontoventral row VI. The morphology of an edaphic population of another species of the genus Deviata, Deviata bacilliformis (Gelei 1954) Eigner 1995, was also investigated. This work also provides the first record of SSU rRNA gene sequences for species of the genus Deviata. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests that Deviata is not monophyletic, and its position is poorly resolved due to weak phylogenetic signal of the 18S marker in the Stichotrichida. © 2014 IUMS.

A New Species of Tiger Pleco Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Xingu Basin, Brazil.

PubMed

Cramer, Christian Andreas; Melo de Sousa, Leandro

2016-01-01

Panaqolus tankei is described from the Xingu River, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed from P. albomaculatus, P. dentex, P. nix, P. nocturnus, and P. koko by its color pattern consisting of dark and light diagonal bars on the body and bands on the fins (vs. body and fins without bars or bands); from P. albivermis, P. maccus, and P. purusiensis by the width of the dark bars being more or less the same of the light bars (vs. dark bars at least two or three times wider than light bars) and from P. changae by the absence of vermiculation on the head (vs. vermiculation present on head). The new species differs from P. gnomus by the orientation of the bars from posterodorsal to anteroventral direction (vs. anterodorsal to posteroventral direction), and from P. claustellifer by the orientation of the bands in the dorsal fin that are not parallel to the margin (vs. parallel to the margin). The barcoding region (COI) was sequenced for the new species, sequences were deposited in GenBank and were compared with congeners from other drainages. With regard to the current construction of a hydroelectric power plant (a so-called mega dam) in the Xingu River, herewith we increase knowledge of the river Xingu's ichthyofauna and, thus improve the assessment of the impacts of that construction on the river.

Anatomic Basis for Penis Transplantation: Cadaveric Microdissection of Penile Structures.

PubMed

Tiftikcioglu, Yigit Ozer; Erenoglu, Cagil Meric; Lineaweaver, William C; Bilge, Okan; Celik, Servet; Ozek, Cuneyt

2016-06-01

We present a cadaveric dissection study to investigate the anatomic feasibility of penile transplantation. Seventeen male cadavers were dissected to reveal detailed anatomy of the dorsal neurovascular structures including dorsal arteries, superficial and deep dorsal veins, and dorsal nerves of the penis. Dorsal artery diameters showed a significant decrease from proximal to distal shaft. Dominance was observed in one side. Deep dorsal vein showed a straight course and less decrease in diameter compared to artery. Dorsal nerves showed proximal branching pattern. In a possible penile transplantation, level of harvest should be determined according to the patient and the defect, where a transgender patient will receive a total allograft and a male patient with a proximal penile defect will receive a partial shaft allograft. We designed an algorithm for different levels of penile defect and described the technique for harvest of partial and total penile transplants.

Idiopathic osseous hyperplasia of the nasal turbinates in a Welsh terrier.

PubMed

Rutherford, S; Whitbread, T; Ness, M

2011-09-01

A three-year-old Welsh terrier was presented with a 6-month history of progressive stertor, exercise intolerance and sneezing which was unresponsive to symptomatic treatment. A large calcified mass occupying the entire rostral right nasal cavity was defined with computed tomography. The mass was completely removed via a dorsal rhinotomy. Histopathological examination of the mass revealed osseous hyperplasia of the nasal turbinates. The excision led to complete resolution of clinical signs and there has been no recurrence 18 months after surgery. © 2011 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Computed tomography of orbital tumors in the dog.

PubMed

LeCouteur, R A; Fike, J R; Scagliotti, R H; Cann, C E

1982-04-15

Computed tomography (CT) was used to investigate orbital tumors in 3 dogs. Tumors were clearly defined on transverse CT scans by their inherent density and gross distortion of normal orbital anatomy. Dorsal images synthesized from the original transverse scans were also used to visualize size and extent of tumors. Use of an iodinated contrast medium did not appear to improve localization of tumors in the orbit but was useful for identification of tumor extension into the calvaria. It was concluded that CT offered advantages over existing methods of radiographic diagnosis of orbital tumors and exophthalmos.

A novel probabilistic approach to generating PTV with partial voxel contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsang, H. S.; Kamerling, C. P.; Ziegenhein, P.; Nill, S.; Oelfke, U.

2017-06-01

Radiotherapy treatment planning for use with high-energy photon beams currently employs a binary approach in defining the planning target volume (PTV). We propose a margin concept that takes the beam directions into account, generating beam-dependent PTVs (bdPTVs) on a beam-by-beam basis. The resulting degree of overlaps between the bdPTVs are used within the optimisation process; the optimiser effectively considers the same voxel to be both target and organ at risk (OAR) with fractional contributions. We investigate the impact of this novel approach when applied to prostate radiotherapy treatments, and compare treatment plans generated using beam dependent margins to conventional margins. Five prostate patients were used in this planning study, and plans using beam dependent margins improved the sparing of high doses to target-surrounding OARs, though a trade-off in delivering additional low dose to the OARs can be observed. Plans using beam dependent margins are observed to have a slightly reduced target coverage. Nevertheless, all plans are able to satisfy 90% population coverage with the target receiving at least 95% of the prescribed dose to D98% .

Microbes in deep marine sediments viewed through amplicon sequencing and metagenomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biddle, J.; Leon, Z. R.; Russell, J. A., III; Martino, A. J.

2016-12-01

Nearly twenty percent of microbial biomass on Earth can be found in the marine subsurface. The majority of this is concentrated on continental margins, which have been investigated by scientific drilling. On the Costa Rica Margin, Iberian Margin and Peru Margins, sediment samples have been investigated through DNA extraction followed by amplicon and metagenomic sequencing. Overall samples show a high degree of microbial diversity, including many lineages of newly defined groups. In this talk, metagenome assembled genomes of unusual lineages will be presented, including their relationships to shallower relatives. From Costa Rica, in particular, we have retrieved deep relatives of Lokiarchaeota and Thorarchaeota, as well as other deeply branching archaeal relatives. We discuss their genome similarities to both other archaea and eukaryotes. From the Iberian Margin, relatives of Atribacteria and Aerophobetes will be discussed. Finally, we will detail the knowledge lost or gained depending on whether samples are studied via amplicon sequencing or total metagenomics, as studies in other environments have shown that up to 15% of microbial diversity is ignored when samples are studied via amplicon sequencing alone.

Superficial Dorsal Vein Injury/Thrombosis Presenting as False Penile Fracture Requiring Dorsal Venous Ligation

PubMed Central

Rafiei, Arash; Hakky, Tariq S; Martinez, Daniel; Parker, Justin; Carrion, Rafael

2014-01-01

Introduction Conditions mimicking penile fracture are extremely rare and have been seldom described. Aim To describe a patient with false penile fracture who presented with superficial dorsal vein injury/thrombosis managed with ligation. Methods A 33-year-old male presented with penile swelling and ecchymosis after intercourse. A penile ultrasound demonstrated a thrombosed superficial dorsal vein but also questionable fracture of the tunica albuginea. As the thrombus was expanding, he was emergently taken to the operating room for exploration and required only dorsal venous ligation. Results Postoperatively, patient's Sexual Health Inventory for Men score was 23, and he had no issues with erections or sexual intercourse. Conclusion Early exploration of patients with suspected penile fracture provides excellent results with maintenance of erectile function. Also, in the setting of dorsal vein thrombosis, ligation preserves the integrity of the penile tissues and avoids unnecessary complications from conservative management. Rafiei A, Hakky TS, Martinez D, Parker J, and Carrion R. Superficial dorsal vein injury/thrombosis presenting as false penile fracture requiring dorsal venous ligation. PMID:25548650

Reliable harvest of a dorsal scapular artery perforator flap by augmenting its perfusion.

PubMed

Kim, So-Young; Lee, Kyeong-Tae; Mun, Goo-Hyun

2016-02-01

Despite confirmation of a reliable perforasome in the dorsal scapular artery in an anatomic study, a true perforator flap has not been recommended in previous clinical studies because of concerns regarding insufficient perfusion in the distal region. In this report, we present two cases of reconstruction for occipital defects caused by tumor extirpation using pedicled dorsal scapular artery perforator flaps without a muscle component. To secure the perfusion of the dorsal scapular artery perforator flap, inclusion of an additional perforator was attempted for perfusion augmentation. The second dorsal scapular artery perforator was harvested in one case. In an additional case, the sixth dorsal intercostal artery perforator with a branch that directly connected with the dorsal scapular artery within the trapezius muscle was additionally harvested. The flaps survived without any perfusion-related complications, including tip necrosis, and no donor site morbidities were observed. We suggest that a perfusion augmented dorsal scapular artery perforator flap by harvesting multiple perforators could be a safe and useful alternative for reconstructive surgery of head and neck defects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sunscreen Use on the Dorsal Hands at the Beach

PubMed Central

Warren, Donald B.; Riahi, Ryan R.; Hobbs, Jason B.; Wagner, Richard F.

2013-01-01

Background. Since skin of the dorsal hands is a known site for the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, an epidemiologic investigation was needed to determine if beachgoers apply sunscreen to the dorsal aspect of their hands as frequently as they apply it to other skin sites. Aim. The aim of the current study was to compare the use of sunscreen on the dorsal hands to other areas of the body during subtropical late spring and summer sunlight exposure at the beach. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional survey from a convenience sample of beachgoers was designed to evaluate respondent understanding and protective measures concerning skin cancer on the dorsal hands in an environment with high natural UVR exposure. Results. A total of 214 surveys were completed and analyzed. Less than half of subjects (105, 49%) applied sunscreen to their dorsal hands. Women applied sunscreen to the dorsal hands more than men (55% women versus 40% men, P = 0.04). Higher Fitzpatrick Skin Type respondents were less likely to protect their dorsal hands from ultraviolet radiation (P = 0.001). Conclusions. More public education focused on dorsal hand protection from ultraviolet radiation damage is necessary to reduce the risk for squamous cell carcinomas of the hands. PMID:23840956

Inherited segmentation of the Iberian-African margins and tectonic reconstruction of a diffuse plate boundary.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernàndez, Manel; Torne, Montserrat; Vergés, Jaume; Casciello, Emilio

2016-04-01

Diffuse plate-boundary regions are characterized by non-well defined contacts between tectonic plates thus making difficult their reconstruction through time. The Western Mediterranean is one of these regions, where the convergence between the African and Iberian plates since Late Cretaceous resulted in the Betic-Rif arcuate orogen, the Gulf of Cadiz imbricate wedge, and the Alboran back-arc basin. Whereas the Iberia-Africa plate boundary is well defined west to the Gorringe Bank and along the Gloria Fault, it becomes much more diffuse eastwards with seismicity spreading over both the south-Iberian and north-African margins. Gravity data, when filtered for short wavelengths, show conspicuous positive Bouguer anomalies associated with the Gorringe Bank, the Gulf of Cadiz High and the Ronda/Beni-Bousera peridotitic massifs reflecting an inherited Jurassic margin segmentation. The subsequent Alpine convergence between Africa and Iberia reactivated these domains, producing crustal-scale thrusting in the Atlantic segments and eventually subduction in the proto-Mediterranean segments. The Jurassic segmentation of the Iberia-Africa margins substantiates the double-polarity subduction model proposed for the region characterized by a change from SE-dipping polarity in the Gorringe, Gulf of Cadiz and Betic-Rif domains, to NW-dipping polarity in the proto-Algerian domain. Therefore, the Algerian and Tyrrhenian basins in the east and the Alboran basin in the west are the result of SSE-E and NW-W retreating slabs of oceanic and/or hyper-extended Tethyan domains, respectively.

Radiographic and functional evaluation of low profile dorsal versus volar plating for distal radius fractures.

PubMed

Kumar, Sanjay; Khan, A N; Sonanis, S V

2016-12-01

Fracture of the distal radius is a common clinical problem. Complex fracture requires open reduction and stabilization with plating to restore anatomy. Dorsal plating has advantages of buttressing the fracture better but often complicated with tendon problems as per literature. The rate of complications however, was not compared between the low-profile dorsal and the volar plates. This was a retrospective study on seventy one patients with dorsally angulated or displaced distal radius fractures, who underwent fixation of fractures with either dorsal or volar locking plate from Jan - Nov 2012. Preoperative radiographs were classified based on Universal and Fernandez classification. Postoperative radiographs were assessed for anatomical restoration of Radial length, radial inclination and volar tilt. Tendon and nerve related complications were assessed and functional evaluation was performed on the basis of PRWE (Patient related wrist evaluation) score. Both groups were matched for their demographic profile and fracture types (p 0.033). Dorsal plating group had 89% excellent/good restoration and fair in 11%. Volar group had 96% excellent/good restoration and fair in 4%. Statistical analysis was performed with unpaired t test for radiographic parameters. Three patients had tendon related complications in dorsal plating group; two patients in volar group had nerve related complications. Functional outcome with PRWE was comparable between two groups. Results with low profile dorsal plating were comparable to volar plating. Therefore dorsal plating can be used as an alternative method when dorsal buttressing of comminuted fracture is required, especially with concomitant osteoporosis.

Versatility of the ventral approach in bulbar urethroplasty using dorsal, ventral or dorsal plus ventral oral grafts

PubMed Central

Palminteri, Enzo; Berdondini, Elisa; Fusco, Ferdinando; Nunzio, Cosimo De; Giannitsas, Kostas; Shokeir, Ahmed A.

2012-01-01

Objectives To investigate the versatility of the ventral urethrotomy approach in bulbar reconstruction with buccal mucosa (BM) grafts placed on the dorsal, ventral or dorsal plus ventral urethral surface. Patients and methods Between 1999 and 2008, 216 patients with bulbar strictures underwent BM graft urethroplasty using the ventral-sagittal urethrotomy approach. Of these patients, 32 (14.8%; mean stricture 3.2 cm, range 1.5–5) had a dorsal graft urethroplasty (DGU), 121 (56%; mean stricture 3.7, range 1.5–8) a ventral graft urethroplasty (VGU), and 63 (29.2%; mean stricture 3.4, range 1.5–10) a dorsal plus ventral graft urethroplasty (DVGU). The strictured urethra was opened by a ventral-sagittal urethrotomy and BM graft was inserted dorsally or ventrally or dorsal plus ventral to augment the urethral plate. Results The median follow-up was 37 months. The overall 5-year actuarial success rate was 91.4%. The 5-year actuarial success rates were 87.8%, 95.5% and 86.3% for the DGU, VGU and DVGU, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups. Success rates decreased significantly only with a stricture length of >4 cm. Conclusions In BM graft bulbar urethroplasties the ventral urethrotomy access is simple and versatile, allowing an intraoperative choice of dorsal, ventral or combined dorsal and ventral grafting, with comparable success rates. PMID:26558013

Dynamic Repositioning of Dorsal to Two Different κB Motifs Controls Its Autoregulation during Immune Response in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Mrinal, Nirotpal; Nagaraju, Javaregowda

2010-01-01

Autoregulation is one of the mechanisms of imparting feedback control on gene expression. Positive autoregulatory feedback results in induction of a gene, and negative feedback leads to its suppression. Here, we report an interesting mechanism of autoregulation operating on Drosophila Rel gene dorsal that can activate as well as repress its expression. Using biochemical and genetic approaches, we show that upon immune challenge Dorsal regulates its activation as well as repression by dynamically binding to two different κB motifs, κBI (intronic κB) and κBP (promoter κB), present in the dorsal gene. Although the κBI motif functions as an enhancer, the κBP motif acts as a transcriptional repressor. Interestingly, Dorsal binding to these two motifs is dynamic; immediately upon immune challenge, Dorsal binds to the κBI leading to auto-activation, whereas at the terminal phase of the immune response, it is removed from the κBI and repositioned at the κBP, resulting in its repression. Furthermore, we show that repression of Dorsal as well as its binding to the κBP depends on the transcription factor AP1. Depletion of AP1 by RNA interference resulted in constitutive expression of Dorsal. In conclusion, this study suggests that during acute phase response dorsal is regulated by following two subcircuits: (i) Dl-κBI for activation and (ii) Dl-AP1-κBP for repression. These two subcircuits are temporally delineated and bring about overall regulation of dorsal during immune response. These results suggest the presence of a previously unknown mechanism of Dorsal autoregulation in immune-challenged Drosophila. PMID:20504768

Does the distance between tumor and margin in radical prostatectomy specimens correlate with prognosis: relation to tumor location.

PubMed

Paluru, Swetha; Epstein, Jonathan I

2016-10-01

The posterior half of the prostate has a smooth well-defined edge unlike anteriorly. Often, tumor extends close to the posterior margin, where it is controversial whether pathologists should measure the distance between the tumor and the margin. There are no published data regarding the significance of a close margin factoring in the anatomical location within the radical prostatectomy (RP). We identified 158 RPs with 39 anterior-predominant carcinomas and 119 cases with posterior-predominant cancer. Distances between the tumor and inked margin were measured with an ocular micrometer. Eighty-seven cases had no progression with a minimum 6-year follow-up (median, 8; range, 6-9). Eighteen cases had progression with a median time to progression of 2 years with all men progressing within 6 years after RP. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of progression relative to distance of tumor to the posterior margin (P=.09). The mean distance of tumor to the anterior margin for the cases that progressed was 0.6 mm (median, 0.5 mm; range, 0.05-1.18) compared to 1.9 mm (median, 1.1; range, 0.02-4) for the cases that did not progress (P=.02). Of 7 cases with anterior-predominant tumors that progressed, 5 had tumor located less than 1 mm from the anterior margin. In conclusion, if cancer is present less than 1 mm from the anterior margin, there is an increased tendency to recur, and this finding should be included in pathology reports. However, close margins posteriorly are not clinically significant and should not be reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

4D-Listmode-PET-CT and 4D-CT for optimizing PTV margins in gastric lymphoma : Determination of intra- and interfractional gastric motion.

PubMed

Reinartz, Gabriele; Haverkamp, Uwe; Wullenkord, Ramona; Lehrich, Philipp; Kriz, Jan; Büther, Florian; Schäfers, Klaus; Schäfers, Michael; Eich, Hans Theodor

2016-05-01

New imaging protocols for radiotherapy in localized gastric lymphoma were evaluated to optimize planning target volume (PTV) margin and determine intra-/interfractional variation of the stomach. Imaging of 6 patients was explored prospectively. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning was based on 4D/3D imaging of computed tomography (CT) and positron-emission tomography (PET)-CT. Static and motion gross tumor volume (sGTV and mGTV, respectively) were distinguished by defining GTV (empty stomach), clinical target volume (CTV = GTV + 5 mm margin), PTV (GTV + 10/15/20/25 mm margins)  plus paraaortic lymph nodes and proximal duodenum. Overlap of 4D-Listmode-PET-based mCTV with 3D-CT-based PTV (increasing margins) and V95/D95 of mCTV were evaluated. Gastric shifts were determined using online cone-beam CT. Dose contribution to organs at risk was assessed. The 4D data demonstrate considerable intra-/interfractional variation of the stomach, especially along the vertical axis. Conventional 3D-CT planning utilizing advancing PTV margins of 10/15/20/25 mm resulted in rising dose coverage of mCTV (4D-Listmode-PET-Summation-CT) and rising D95 and V95 of mCTV. A PTV margin of 15 mm was adequate in 3 of 6 patients, a PTV margin of 20 mm was adequate in 4 of 6 patients, and a PTV margin of 25 mm was adequate in 5 of 6 patients. IMRT planning based on 4D-PET-CT/4D-CT together with online cone-beam CT is advisable to individualize the PTV margin and optimize target coverage in gastric lymphoma.

Central projections of the lateral line and eighth nerves in the bowfin, Amia calva.

PubMed

McCormick, C A

1981-03-20

The first-order connections of the anterior and posterior lateral line nerves and of the eighth nerve were determined in the bowfin, Amia calva, using experimental degeneration and anterograde HRP transport techniques. The termination sites of these nerves define a dorsal lateralis cell column and a ventral octavus cell column. The anterior and posterior lateralis nerves distribute ipsilaterally to two medullary nuclei-nucleus medialis and nucleus caudalis. Nucleus medialis comprises the rostral two-thirds of the lateralis column and contains large, Purkinje-like cells dorsally and polygonal, granule, and fusiform cells ventrally. Nucleus caudalis is located posterior to nucleus medialis and consists of small, granule cells. Anterior lateralis fibers terminate ventrally to ventromedially in both nucleus medialis and nucleus caudalis. Posterior lateralis fibers terminate dorsally to dorsolaterally within these two nuclei. A sparse anterior lateralis input may also be present on the dendrites of one of the nuclei within the octavus cell column, nucleus magnocellularis. In contrast, the anterior and posterior rami of the eighth nerve each terminate within four medullary nuclei which comprise the octavus cell column: the anterior, magnocellular, descending, and posterior octavus nuclei. An eighth nerve projection to the medial reticular formation is also present. Some fibers of the lateralis and eighth nerves terminate within the ipsilateral eminentia granularis of the cerebellum. Lateralis fibers distribute to approximately the lateral half of this structure with posterior lateral line fibers terminating laterally and anterior lateral line fibers terminating medially. Eighth nerve fibers distribute to the medial half of the eminentia granularis.

Clavicle, a neglected bone: morphology and relation to arm movements and shoulder architecture in primates.

PubMed

Voisin, Jean-Luc

2006-09-01

In spite of its importance for movements of the upper limbs, the clavicle is an infrequently studied shoulder bone. The present study compares clavicular morphology among different extant primates. Methods have included the assessment of clavicular curvatures projected on two perpendicular planes that can be assessed overall as cranial and dorsal primary curvatures. Results showed that in cranial view, three morphologies can be defined. One group exhibited an external curvature considerably more pronounced than the internal one (Gorilla, Papio); a second group was characterized by an internal curvature much more pronounced than the external one (Hylobates, Ateles); and a third group contained those with the two curvatures equally pronounced (Pan, Homo, Pongo, Procolobus, Colobus). Clavicle curvatures projected on the dorsal plane could be placed into four groups. The first group is characterized by two curvatures, an inferior and a superior (Apes, Spider monkeys). The second included monkeys, whose clavicles have an inferior curvature much more pronounced than the superior one. The third group includes only Hylobates, whose clavicles possess only the superior curvature. The last group includes only modern humans, whose clavicles show only the inferior curvature, which is less pronounced than that which exists in monkeys. Curvatures in cranial view relate information regarding the parameters of arm elevation while those in dorsal view offer insights into the position of the scapula related to the thorax. The use of clavicular curvature analysis offers a new dimension in assessment of the functional morphology of the clavicle and its relationship to the shoulder complex. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A Fate Map of the Murine Pancreas Buds Reveals a Multipotent Ventral Foregut Organ Progenitor

PubMed Central

Angelo, Jesse R.; Guerrero-Zayas, Mara-Isel; Tremblay, Kimberly D.

2012-01-01

The definitive endoderm is the embryonic germ layer that gives rise to the budding endodermal organs including the thyroid, lung, liver and pancreas as well as the remainder of the gut tube. DiI fate mapping and whole embryo culture were used to determine the endodermal origin of the 9.5 days post coitum (dpc) dorsal and ventral pancreas buds. Our results demonstrate that the progenitors of each bud occupy distinct endodermal territories. Dorsal bud progenitors are located in the medial endoderm overlying somites 2–4 between the 2 and 11 somite stage (SS). The endoderm forming the ventral pancreas bud is found in 2 distinct regions. One territory originates from the left and right lateral endoderm caudal to the anterior intestinal portal by the 6 SS and the second domain is derived from the ventral midline of the endoderm lip (VMEL). Unlike the laterally located ventral foregut progenitors, the VMEL population harbors a multipotent progenitor that contributes to the thyroid bud, the rostral cap of the liver bud, ventral midline of the liver bud and the midline of the ventral pancreas bud in a temporally restricted manner. This data suggests that the midline of the 9.5 dpc thyroid, liver and ventral pancreas buds originates from the same progenitor population, demonstrating a developmental link between all three ventral foregut buds. Taken together, these data define the location of the dorsal and ventral pancreas progenitors in the prespecified endodermal sheet and should lead to insights into the inductive events required for pancreas specification. PMID:22815796

Physiological characterization, localization and synaptic inputs of bursting and nonbursting neurons in the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus of the rat.

PubMed

Athanassiadis, T; Westberg, K-G; Olsson, K A; Kolta, A

2005-12-01

A population of neurons in the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus (NVsnpr) fire rhythmically during fictive mastication induced in the in vivo rabbit. To elucidate whether these neurons form part of the central pattern generator (CPG) for mastication, we performed intracellular recordings in brainstem slices taken from young rats. Two cell types were defined, nonbursting (63%) and bursting (37%). In response to membrane depolarization, bursting cells, which dominated in the dorsal part of the NVsnpr, fired an initial burst followed by single spikes or recurring bursts. Non-bursting neurons, scattered throughout the nucleus, fired single action potentials. Microstimulation applied to the trigeminal motor nucleus (NVmt), the reticular border zone surrounding the NVmt, the parvocellular reticular formation or the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (NPontc) elicited a postsynaptic potential in 81% of the neurons tested for synaptic inputs. Responses obtained were predominately excitatory and sensitive to glutamatergic antagonists DNQX and/or APV. Some inhibitory and biphasic responses were also evoked. Bicuculline methiodide or strychnine blocked the IPSPs indicating that they were mediated by GABA(A) or glycinergic receptors. About one-third of the stimulations activated both types of neurons antidromically, mostly from the masseteric motoneuron pool of NVmt and dorsal part of NPontc. In conclusion, our new findings show that some neurons in the dorsal NVsnpr display both firing properties and axonal connections which support the hypothesis that they may participate in masticatory pattern generation. Thus, the present data provide an extended basis for further studies on the organization of the masticatory CPG network.

Differential reward coding in the subdivisions of the primate caudate during an oculomotor task.

PubMed

Nakamura, Kae; Santos, Gustavo S; Matsuzaki, Ryuichi; Nakahara, Hiroyuki

2012-11-07

The basal ganglia play a pivotal role in reward-oriented behavior. The striatum, an input channel of the basal ganglia, is composed of subdivisions that are topographically connected with different cortical and subcortical areas. To test whether reward information is differentially processed in the different parts of the striatum, we compared reward-related neuronal activity along the dorsolateral-ventromedial axis in the caudate nucleus of monkeys performing an asymmetrically rewarded oculomotor task. In a given block, a target in one position was associated with a large reward, whereas the other target was associated with a small reward. The target position-reward value contingency was switched between blocks. We found the following: (1) activity that reflected the block-wise reward contingency emerged before the appearance of a visual target, and it was more prevalent in the dorsal, rather than central and ventral, caudate; (2) activity that was positively related to the reward size of the current trial was evident, especially after reward delivery, and it was more prevalent in the ventral and central, rather than dorsal, caudate; and (3) activity that was modulated by the memory of the outcomes of the previous trials was evident in the dorsal and central caudate. This multiple reward information, together with the target-direction information, was represented primarily by individual caudate neurons, and the different reward information was represented in caudate subpopulations with distinct electrophysiological properties, e.g., baseline firing and spike width. These results suggest parallel processing of different reward information by the basal ganglia subdivisions defined by extrinsic connections and intrinsic properties.

Enhancing the diversity of breeding invertebrates within field margins of intensively managed grassland: Effects of alternative management practices.

PubMed

Fritch, Rochelle A; Sheridan, Helen; Finn, John A; McCormack, Stephen; Ó hUallacháin, Daire

2017-11-01

Severe declines in biodiversity have been well documented for many taxonomic groups due to intensification of agricultural practices. Establishment and appropriate management of arable field margins can improve the diversity and abundance of invertebrate groups; however, there is much less research on field margins within grassland systems. Three grassland field margin treatments (fencing off the existing vegetation "fenced"; fencing with rotavation and natural regeneration "rotavated" and; fencing with rotavation and seeding "seeded") were compared to a grazed control in the adjacent intensively managed pasture. Invertebrates were sampled using emergence traps to investigate species breeding and overwintering within the margins. Using a manipulation experiment, we tested whether the removal of grazing pressure and nutrient inputs would increase the abundance and richness of breeding invertebrates within grassland field margins. We also tested whether field margin establishment treatments, with their different vegetation communities, would change the abundance and richness of breeding invertebrates in the field margins. Exclusion of grazing and nutrient inputs led to increased abundance and richness in nearly all invertebrate groups that we sampled. However, there were more complex effects of field margin establishment treatment on the abundance and richness of invertebrate taxa. Each of the three establishment treatments supported a distinct invertebrate community. The removal of grazing from grassland field margins provided a greater range of overwintering/breeding habitat for invertebrates. We demonstrate the capacity of field margin establishment to increase the abundance and richness in nearly all invertebrate groups in study plots that were located on previously more depauperate areas of intensively managed grassland. These results from grassland field margins provide evidence to support practical actions that can inform Greening (Pillar 1) and agri-environment measures (Pillar 2) of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Before implementing specific management regimes, the conservation aims of agri-environment measures should be clarified by defining the target species or taxonomic groups.

Impact of Margin Status on Local Recurrence After Mastectomy for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Childs, Stephanie K.; Chen, Yu-Hui; Duggan, Margaret M.

Purpose: To examine the rate of local recurrence according to the margin status for patients with pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated by mastectomy. Methods and Materials: One hundred forty-five consecutive women who underwent mastectomy with or without radiation therapy for DCIS from 1998 to 2005 were included in this retrospective analysis. Only patients with pure DCIS were eligible; patients with microinvasion were excluded. The primary endpoint was local recurrence, defined as recurrence on the chest wall; regional and distant recurrences were secondary endpoints. Outcomes were analyzed according to margin status (positive, close (≤2 mm), or negative), location ofmore » the closest margin (superficial, deep, or both), nuclear grade, necrosis, receptor status, type of mastectomy, and receipt of hormonal therapy. Results: The primary cohort consisted of 142 patients who did not receive postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). For those patients, the median follow-up time was 7.6 years (range, 0.6-13.0 years). Twenty-one patients (15%) had a positive margin, and 23 patients (16%) had a close (≤2 mm) margin. The deep margin was close in 14 patients and positive in 6 patients. The superficial margin was close in 13 patients and positive in 19 patients. One patient experienced an isolated invasive chest wall recurrence, and 1 patient had simultaneous chest wall, regional nodal, and distant metastases. The crude rates of chest wall recurrence were 2/142 (1.4%) for all patients, 1/21 (4.8%) for those with positive margins, 1/23 (4.3%) for those with close margins, and 0/98 for patients with negative margins. PMRT was given as part of the initial treatment to 3 patients, 1 of whom had an isolated chest wall recurrence. Conclusions: Mastectomy for pure DCIS resulted in a low rate of local or distant recurrences. Even with positive or close mastectomy margins, the rates of chest wall recurrences were so low that PMRT is likely not warranted.« less

Estradiol-induced object recognition memory consolidation is dependent on activation of mTOR signaling in the dorsal hippocampus

PubMed Central

Fortress, Ashley M.; Fan, Lu; Orr, Patrick T.; Zhao, Zaorui; Frick, Karyn M.

2013-01-01

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is an important regulator of protein synthesis and is essential for various forms of hippocampal memory. Here, we asked whether the enhancement of object recognition memory consolidation produced by dorsal hippocampal infusion of 17β-estradiol (E2) is dependent on mTOR signaling in the dorsal hippocampus, and whether E2-induced mTOR signaling is dependent on dorsal hippocampal phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. We first demonstrated that the enhancement of object recognition induced by E2 was blocked by dorsal hippocampal inhibition of ERK, PI3K, or mTOR activation. We then showed that an increase in dorsal hippocampal ERK phosphorylation 5 min after intracerebroventricular (ICV) E2 infusion was also blocked by dorsal hippocampal infusion of the three cell signaling inhibitors. Next, we found that ICV infusion of E2 increased phosphorylation of the downstream mTOR targets S6K (Thr-421) and 4E-BP1 in the dorsal hippocampus 5 min after infusion, and that this phosphorylation was blocked by dorsal hippocampal infusion of inhibitors of ERK, PI3K, and mTOR. Collectively, these data demonstrate for the first time that activation of the dorsal hippocampal mTOR signaling pathway is necessary for E2 to enhance object recognition memory consolidation and that E2-induced mTOR activation is dependent on upstream activation of ERK and PI3K signaling. PMID:23422279

Spinally projecting neurons of the dorsal column nucleus in a reptile: locus of origin and trajectory of termination.

PubMed

Pritz, M B

1996-01-01

Interconnections between the dorsal column nucleus and the spinal cord were investigated in a reptile, Caiman crocodilus. After placement of an anterograde tracer into the dorsal column nucleus, descending fibers are seen to leave this nucleus to enter the dorsal funiculus where they course ventrally to terminate in lamina V of the spinal cord as far caudally as C2. Placement of a retrograde tracer into cut fibers of the cervical spinal cord identified the relay cells of the dorsal column nucleus that project to the spinal cord. These neurons were mainly clustered in a caudal and ventral part of this nucleus. The soma of these spinally projecting cells were small and were generally round or oval in shape. A number of these neurons had the long axis of their soma oriented dorsoventrally, with a primary dendrite extending dorsally. Fibers in the dorsal funiculus that originated from the spinal cord enter the caudal part of the dorsal column nucleus and turn ventral. In the dorsal column nucleus, these axons run parallel to the vertically oriented dendrites of these spinally projecting cells before termination in close relation to the cell bodies of these neurons. Quantitative observations (mean +/- standard error) were made on well labeled neurons and included several measurements: area, perimeter, and degree of eccentricity (greatest width/greatest length) in both the transverse as well as the sagittal plane. These spinally projecting neurons in Caiman are located in the dorsal column nucleus in a position similar to that of spinally projecting cells in cats.

Dissociation between dorsal and ventral hippocampal theta oscillations during decision-making.

PubMed

Schmidt, Brandy; Hinman, James R; Jacobson, Tara K; Szkudlarek, Emily; Argraves, Melissa; Escabí, Monty A; Markus, Etan J

2013-04-03

Hippocampal theta oscillations are postulated to support mnemonic processes in humans and rodents. Theta oscillations facilitate encoding and spatial navigation, but to date, it has been difficult to dissociate the effects of volitional movement from the cognitive demands of a task. Therefore, we examined whether volitional movement or cognitive demands exerted a greater modulating factor over theta oscillations during decision-making. Given the anatomical, electrophysiological, and functional dissociations along the dorsal-ventral axis, theta oscillations were simultaneously recorded in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in rats trained to switch between place and motor-response strategies. Stark differences in theta characteristics were found between the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in frequency, power, and coherence. Theta power increased in the dorsal, but decreased in the ventral hippocampus, during the decision-making epoch. Interestingly, the relationship between running speed and theta power was uncoupled during the decision-making epoch, a phenomenon limited to the dorsal hippocampus. Theta frequency increased in both the dorsal and ventral hippocampus during the decision epoch, although this effect was greater in the dorsal hippocampus. Despite these differences, ventral hippocampal theta was responsive to the navigation task; theta frequency, power, and coherence were all affected by cognitive demands. Theta coherence increased within the dorsal hippocampus during the decision-making epoch on all three tasks. However, coherence selectively increased throughout the hippocampus (dorsal to ventral) on the task with new hippocampal learning. Interestingly, most results were consistent across tasks, regardless of hippocampal-dependent learning. These data indicate increased integration and cooperation throughout the hippocampus during information processing.

A Comparative Study of Dorsal Buccal Mucosa Graft Substitution Urethroplasty by Dorsal Urethrotomy Approach versus Ventral Sagittal Urethrotomy Approach.

PubMed

Pahwa, Mrinal; Gupta, Sanjeev; Pahwa, Mayank; Jain, Brig D K; Gupta, Manu

2013-01-01

Objectives. To compare the outcome of dorsal buccal mucosal graft (BMG) substitution urethroplasty by dorsal urethrotomy approach with ventral urethrotomy approach in management of stricture urethra. Methods and Materials. A total of 40 patients who underwent dorsal BMG substitution urethroplasty were randomized into two groups. 20 patients underwent dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty as described by Barbagli, and the other 20 patients underwent dorsal BMG urethroplasty by ventral urethrotomy as described by Asopa. Operative time, success rate, satisfaction rate, and complications were compared between the two groups. Mean follow-up was 12 months (6-24 months). Results. Ventral urethrotomy group had considerably lesser operative time although the difference was not statistically significant. Patients in dorsal group had mean maximum flow rate of 19.6 mL/min and mean residual urine of 27 mL, whereas ventral group had a mean maximum flow rate of 18.8 and residual urine of 32 mL. Eighteen out of twenty patients voided well in each group, and postoperative imaging study in these patients showed a good lumen with no evidence of leak or extravasation. Conclusion. Though ventral sagittal urethrotomy preserves the blood supply of urethra and intraoperative time was less than dorsal urethrotomy technique, there was no statistically significant difference in final outcome using either technique.

A Comparative Study of Dorsal Buccal Mucosa Graft Substitution Urethroplasty by Dorsal Urethrotomy Approach versus Ventral Sagittal Urethrotomy Approach

PubMed Central

Pahwa, Mrinal; Gupta, Sanjeev; Pahwa, Mayank; Jain, Brig D. K.; Gupta, Manu

2013-01-01

Objectives. To compare the outcome of dorsal buccal mucosal graft (BMG) substitution urethroplasty by dorsal urethrotomy approach with ventral urethrotomy approach in management of stricture urethra. Methods and Materials. A total of 40 patients who underwent dorsal BMG substitution urethroplasty were randomized into two groups. 20 patients underwent dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty as described by Barbagli, and the other 20 patients underwent dorsal BMG urethroplasty by ventral urethrotomy as described by Asopa. Operative time, success rate, satisfaction rate, and complications were compared between the two groups. Mean follow-up was 12 months (6–24 months). Results. Ventral urethrotomy group had considerably lesser operative time although the difference was not statistically significant. Patients in dorsal group had mean maximum flow rate of 19.6 mL/min and mean residual urine of 27 mL, whereas ventral group had a mean maximum flow rate of 18.8 and residual urine of 32 mL. Eighteen out of twenty patients voided well in each group, and postoperative imaging study in these patients showed a good lumen with no evidence of leak or extravasation. Conclusion. Though ventral sagittal urethrotomy preserves the blood supply of urethra and intraoperative time was less than dorsal urethrotomy technique, there was no statistically significant difference in final outcome using either technique. PMID:24194754

[Anatomical study of muscular latissimus dorsi surface vascularized by the transverse branch of thoraco-dorsal artery].

PubMed

Boucher, F; Pinatel, B; Shipkov, H; Mertens, P; Rouviere, O; Braye, F; Mojallal, A

2014-10-01

The latissimus dorsi muscle flap is a type V according to Mathes and Nahai. It is vascularized by a proximal main pedicle represented by the thoraco-dorsal pedicle and pedicle distal accessory represented by the dorsal branches of the posterior intercostal arteries. The main thoraco-dorsal pedicle has a descending branch and a transverse branch. This anatomical study clarifies the muscular territory vascularized by the transverse branch of thoraco-dorsal artery for a secondary use after harvesting a thoraco-dorsal artery perforator flap or a muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap. Our study focused on ten dissections latissimus dorsi muscle taken from five fresh cadavers chest, carried out within the University Department of Anatomy. The descending branch of thoraco-dorsal artery was ligated, the transverse branch was cannulated and injected with a mixture of barium sulfate/gelatin. After freezing, a static angiotomodensitometry (3D) of each flap was performed. The average muscular surface vascularized by the transverse branch is measured at 80% (77% minimum value, maximum value 83%) of the complete latissimus dorsi muscle. Intermuscular connections between the two branches of thoraco-dorsal pedicle were shown. The use of a ipsilateral latissimus dorsi muscle is a therapeutic option after harvesting a thoraco-dorsal artery perforator flap (TAP) or a muscle-sparing latissimus dorsi flap (MSLD-flap). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Dopamine release from the locus coeruleus to the dorsal hippocampus promotes spatial learning and memory

PubMed Central

Kempadoo, Kimberly A.; Mosharov, Eugene V.; Choi, Se Joon; Sulzer, David; Kandel, Eric R.

2016-01-01

Dopamine neurotransmission in the dorsal hippocampus is critical for a range of functions from spatial learning and synaptic plasticity to the deficits underlying psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is the presumed source of dopamine in the dorsal hippocampus. However, there is a surprising scarcity of VTA dopamine axons in the dorsal hippocampus despite the dense network of dopamine receptors. We have explored this apparent paradox using optogenetic, biochemical, and behavioral approaches and found that dopaminergic axons and subsequent dopamine release in the dorsal hippocampus originate from neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC). Photostimulation of LC axons produced an increase in dopamine release in the dorsal hippocampus as revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Furthermore, optogenetically induced release of dopamine from the LC into the dorsal hippocampus enhanced selective attention and spatial object recognition via the dopamine D1/D5 receptor. These results suggest that spatial learning and memory are energized by the release of dopamine in the dorsal hippocampus from noradrenergic neurons of the LC. The present findings are critical for identifying the neural circuits that enable proper attention selection and successful learning and memory. PMID:27930324

Dopamine release from the locus coeruleus to the dorsal hippocampus promotes spatial learning and memory.

PubMed

Kempadoo, Kimberly A; Mosharov, Eugene V; Choi, Se Joon; Sulzer, David; Kandel, Eric R

2016-12-20

Dopamine neurotransmission in the dorsal hippocampus is critical for a range of functions from spatial learning and synaptic plasticity to the deficits underlying psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is the presumed source of dopamine in the dorsal hippocampus. However, there is a surprising scarcity of VTA dopamine axons in the dorsal hippocampus despite the dense network of dopamine receptors. We have explored this apparent paradox using optogenetic, biochemical, and behavioral approaches and found that dopaminergic axons and subsequent dopamine release in the dorsal hippocampus originate from neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC). Photostimulation of LC axons produced an increase in dopamine release in the dorsal hippocampus as revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Furthermore, optogenetically induced release of dopamine from the LC into the dorsal hippocampus enhanced selective attention and spatial object recognition via the dopamine D1/D5 receptor. These results suggest that spatial learning and memory are energized by the release of dopamine in the dorsal hippocampus from noradrenergic neurons of the LC. The present findings are critical for identifying the neural circuits that enable proper attention selection and successful learning and memory.

Linear signaling in the Toll-Dorsal pathway of Drosophila: activated Pelle kinase specifies all threshold outputs of gene expression while the bHLH protein Twist specifies a subset.

PubMed

Stathopoulos, Angelike; Levine, Michael

2002-07-01

Differential activation of the Toll receptor leads to the formation of a broad Dorsal nuclear gradient that specifies at least three patterning thresholds of gene activity along the dorsoventral axis of precellular embryos. We investigate the activities of the Pelle kinase and Twist basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor in transducing Toll signaling. Pelle functions downstream of Toll to release Dorsal from the Cactus inhibitor. Twist is an immediate-early gene that is activated upon entry of Dorsal into nuclei. Transgenes misexpressing Pelle and Twist were introduced into different mutant backgrounds and the patterning activities were visualized using various target genes that respond to different thresholds of Toll-Dorsal signaling. These studies suggest that an anteroposterior gradient of Pelle kinase activity is sufficient to generate all known Toll-Dorsal patterning thresholds and that Twist can function as a gradient morphogen to establish at least two distinct dorsoventral patterning thresholds. We discuss how the Dorsal gradient system can be modified during metazoan evolution and conclude that Dorsal-Twist interactions are distinct from the interplay between Bicoid and Hunchback, which pattern the anteroposterior axis.

Extreme marginalization: addiction and other mental health disorders, stigma, and imprisonment

PubMed Central

Kreek, Mary Jeanne

2013-01-01

Major well-defined medical problems that are, in part, the unfortunate outcome of a negative social environment may include specific addictive diseases and other mental health disorders, in particular the affective disorders of anxiety, depression, social phobia, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. This overview touches on the topic of extreme marginalization associated with addiction and other mental health disorders, along with arrest, imprisonment, and parole. All of these are characterized by lasting stigma that hauntingly continues to impact upon each person suffering from any of these problems. PMID:21884162

Energy Security: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

46 Appendix A: Electrical Capacity Margins...options........................................................................................ 21 6 Net electrical capacity compared to the North...Energy Security The Army Energy and Water Campaign Plan for Installations defines energy security as: the capacity to avoid adverse impact of energy

Tumor morphology and phenotypic evolution driven by selective pressure from the microenvironment.

PubMed

Anderson, Alexander R A; Weaver, Alissa M; Cummings, Peter T; Quaranta, Vito

2006-12-01

Emergence of invasive behavior in cancer is life-threatening, yet ill-defined due to its multifactorial nature. We present a multiscale mathematical model of cancer invasion, which considers cellular and microenvironmental factors simultaneously and interactively. Unexpectedly, the model simulations predict that harsh tumor microenvironment conditions (e.g., hypoxia, heterogenous extracellular matrix) exert a dramatic selective force on the tumor, which grows as an invasive mass with fingering margins, dominated by a few clones with aggressive traits. In contrast, mild microenvironment conditions (e.g., normoxia, homogeneous matrix) allow clones with similar aggressive traits to coexist with less aggressive phenotypes in a heterogeneous tumor mass with smooth, noninvasive margins. Thus, the genetic make-up of a cancer cell may realize its invasive potential through a clonal evolution process driven by definable microenvironmental selective forces. Our mathematical model provides a theoretical/experimental framework to quantitatively characterize this selective pressure for invasion and test ways to eliminate it.

Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources—Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups, United States Gulf of Mexico Coastal Plain and State Waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Sharon M.; Enomoto, Catherine B.; Dennen, Kristin O.; Valentine, Brett J.; Cahan, Steven M.

2017-02-10

In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed Lower Cretaceous Albian to Upper Cretaceous Cenomanian carbonate rocks of the Fredericksburg and Washita Groups and their equivalent units for technically recoverable, undiscovered hydrocarbon resources underlying onshore lands and State Waters of the Gulf Coast region of the United States. This assessment was based on a geologic model that incorporates the Upper Jurassic-Cretaceous-Tertiary Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS) of the Gulf of Mexico basin; the TPS was defined previously by the USGS assessment team in the assessment of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in Tertiary strata of the Gulf Coast region in 2007. One conventional assessment unit (AU), which extends from south Texas to the Florida panhandle, was defined: the Fredericksburg-Buda Carbonate Platform-Reef Gas and Oil AU. The assessed stratigraphic interval includes the Edwards Limestone of the Fredericksburg Group and the Georgetown and Buda Limestones of the Washita Group. The following factors were evaluated to define the AU and estimate oil and gas resources: potential source rocks, hydrocarbon migration, reservoir porosity and permeability, traps and seals, structural features, paleoenvironments (back-reef lagoon, reef, and fore-reef environments), and the potential for water washing of hydrocarbons near outcrop areas.In Texas and Louisiana, the downdip boundary of the AU was defined as a line that extends 10 miles downdip of the Lower Cretaceous shelf margin to include potential reef-talus hydrocarbon reservoirs. In Mississippi, Alabama, and the panhandle area of Florida, where the Lower Cretaceous shelf margin extends offshore, the downdip boundary was defined by the offshore boundary of State Waters. Updip boundaries of the AU were drawn based on the updip extent of carbonate rocks within the assessed interval, the presence of basin-margin fault zones, and the presence of producing wells. Other factors evaluated were the middle Cenomanian sea-level fall and erosion that removed large portions of platform and platform-margin carbonate sediments in the Washita Group of central Louisiana. The production history of discovered reservoirs and well data within the AU were examined to estimate the number and size of undiscovered oil and gas reservoirs within the AU. Using the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment resource assessment methodology, mean volumes of 40 million barrels of oil, 622 billion cubic feet of gas, and 14 million barrels of natural gas liquids are the estimated technically recoverable undiscovered resources for the Fredericksburg-Buda Carbonate Platform-Reef Gas and Oil AU.

Optimization of leaf margins for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy using a flattening filter-free beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wakai, Nobuhide, E-mail: wakai@naramed-u.ac.jp; Sumida, Iori; Otani, Yuki

Purpose: The authors sought to determine the optimal collimator leaf margins which minimize normal tissue dose while achieving high conformity and to evaluate differences between the use of a flattening filter-free (FFF) beam and a flattening-filtered (FF) beam. Methods: Sixteen lung cancer patients scheduled for stereotactic body radiotherapy underwent treatment planning for a 7 MV FFF and a 6 MV FF beams to the planning target volume (PTV) with a range of leaf margins (−3 to 3 mm). Forty grays per four fractions were prescribed as a PTV D95. For PTV, the heterogeneity index (HI), conformity index, modified gradient indexmore » (GI), defined as the 50% isodose volume divided by target volume, maximum dose (Dmax), and mean dose (Dmean) were calculated. Mean lung dose (MLD), V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for the lung (defined as the volumes of lung receiving at least 20 and 5 Gy), mean heart dose, and Dmax to the spinal cord were measured as doses to organs at risk (OARs). Paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: HI was inversely related to changes in leaf margin. Conformity index and modified GI initially decreased as leaf margin width increased. After reaching a minimum, the two values then increased as leaf margin increased (“V” shape). The optimal leaf margins for conformity index and modified GI were −1.1 ± 0.3 mm (mean ± 1 SD) and −0.2 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, for 7 MV FFF compared to −1.0 ± 0.4 and −0.3 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, for 6 MV FF. Dmax and Dmean for 7 MV FFF were higher than those for 6 MV FF by 3.6% and 1.7%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the ratios of HI, Dmax, and Dmean for 7 MV FFF to those for 6 MV FF and PTV size (R = 0.767, 0.809, and 0.643, respectively). The differences in MLD, V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for lung between FFF and FF beams were negligible. The optimal leaf margins for MLD, V20 Gy, and V5 Gy for lung were −0.9 ± 0.6, −1.1 ± 0.8, and −2.1 ± 1.2 mm, respectively, for 7 MV FFF compared to −0.9 ± 0.6, −1.1 ± 0.8, and −2.2 ± 1.3 mm, respectively, for 6 MV FF. With the heart inside the radiation field, the mean heart dose showed a V-shaped relationship with leaf margins. The optimal leaf margins were −1.0 ± 0.6 mm for both beams. Dmax to the spinal cord showed no clear trend for changes in leaf margin. Conclusions: The differences in doses to OARs between FFF and FF beams were negligible. Conformity index, modified GI, MLD, lung V20 Gy, lung V5 Gy, and mean heart dose showed a V-shaped relationship with leaf margins. There were no significant differences in optimal leaf margins to minimize these parameters between both FFF and FF beams. The authors’ results suggest that a leaf margin of −1 mm achieves high conformity and minimizes doses to OARs for both FFF and FF beams.« less

Spinal Endocannabinoids and CB1 Receptors Mediate C-Fiber-Induced Heterosynaptic Pain Plasticity

PubMed Central

Pernía-Andrade, Alejandro J.; Kato, Ako; Witschi, Robert; Nyilas, Rita; Katona, István; Freund, Tamás F.; Watanabe, Masahiko; Filitz, Jörg; Koppert, Wolfgang; Schüttler, Jürgen; Ji, Guangchen; Neugebauer, Volker; Marsicano, Giovanni; Lutz, Beat; Vanegas, Horacio; Zeilhofer, Hanns Ulrich

2010-01-01

Diminished synaptic inhibition in the spinal dorsal horn is a major contributor to chronic pain. Pathways, which reduce synaptic inhibition in inflammatory and neuropathic pain states, have been identified, but central hyperalgesia and diminished dorsal horn synaptic inhibition also occur in the absence of inflammation or neuropathy, solely triggered by intense nociceptive (C–fiber) input to the spinal dorsal horn. We found that endocannabinoids produced upon strong nociceptive stimulation activated CB1 receptors on inhibitory dorsal horn neurons to reduce the synaptic release of GABA and glycine and thus rendered nociceptive neurons excitable by non-painful stimuli. Spinal endocannabinoids and CB1 receptors on inhibitory dorsal horn interneurons act as mediators of heterosynaptic pain sensitization and play an unexpected role in dorsal horn pain controlling circuits. PMID:19661434

Volcanic and nonvolcanic rifted margins of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden: Crustal cooling and margin evolution in Yemen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menzies, Martin; Gallagher, Kerry; Yelland, Andrew; Hurford, Anthony J.

1997-06-01

New apatite fission track (AFT) data from the southern Red Sea volcanic and the Gulf of Aden nonvolcanic margins provide important constraints on the timing of crustal cooling relative to periods of volcanism and lithosphere extension. The AFT data define several regions of extension immediately adjacent to the Red Sea margin with AFT ages < 25 Ma and track-length distributions consistent with rapid cooling. Elevated Precambrian basement highs on the rift shoulder have AFT ages ≫ 100 Ma and track-length distributions indicative of a complex pre-rift history. An intervening area along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden margins, and inland along the Balhaf graben (Jurassic rift), has AFT ages of 25-100 Ma. and track-length distributions indicative of rapid cooling. Elevated Precambrian basement highs are juxtaposed against topographically lower extended coastal terranes with sharp contrasts in AFT ages and track-length distributions, pointing to possible reactivation in the Tertiary of lineaments of Precambrian and Jurassic age. Integration of field observations with AFT data and 40Ar/ 39Ar data indicates that, on the Red Sea volcanic margin, surface uplift was initiated immediately prior to volcanism and that cooling was synchronous with widespread extension and an apparent hiatus in voluminous volcanic activity.

Recognizing nodal marginal zone lymphoma: recent advances and pitfalls. A systematic review

PubMed Central

van den Brand, Michiel; van Krieken, J. Han J.M.

2013-01-01

The diagnosis of nodal marginal zone lymphoma is one of the remaining problem areas in hematopathology. Because no established positive markers exist for this lymphoma, it is frequently a diagnosis of exclusion, making distinction from other low-grade B-cell lymphomas difficult or even impossible. This systematic review summarizes and discusses the current knowledge on nodal marginal zone lymphoma, including clinical features, epidemiology and etiology, histology, and cytogenetic and molecular features. In particular, recent advances in diagnostics and pathogenesis are discussed. New immunohistochemical markers have become available that could be used as positive markers for nodal marginal zone lymphoma. These markers could be used to ensure more homogeneous study groups in future research. Also, recent gene expression studies and studies describing specific gene mutations have provided clues to the pathogenesis of nodal marginal zone lymphoma, suggesting deregulation of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway. Nevertheless, nodal marginal zone lymphoma remains an enigmatic entity, requiring further study to define its pathogenesis to allow an accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment. However, recent data indicate that it is not related to splenic or extranodal lymphoma, and that it is also not related to lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Thus, even though the diagnosis is not always easy, it is clearly a separate entity. PMID:23813646

Accelerated development and flight evaluation of active controls concepts for subsonic transport aircraft. Volume 2: AFT C.G. simulation and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urie, D. M.

1979-01-01

Relaxed static stability and stability augmentation with active controls were investigated for subsonic transport aircraft. Analytical and simulator evaluations were done using a contemporary wide body transport as a baseline. Criteria for augmentation system performance and unaugmented flying qualities were evaluated. Augmentation control laws were defined based on selected frequency response and time history criteria. Flying qualities evaluations were conducted by pilots using a moving base simulator with a transport cab. Static margin and air turbulence intensity were varied in test with and without augmentation. Suitability of a simple pitch control law was verified at neutral static margin in cruise and landing flight tasks. Neutral stability was found to be marginally acceptable in heavy turbulence in both cruise and landing conditions.

Ruptured superficial dorsal vein of the penis masquerading as a penile fracture: case report.

PubMed

Perlmutter, Adam E; Roberts, Lawrence; Farivar-Mohseni, Hesam; Zaslau, Stanley

2007-08-01

Acute onset of pain, swelling, and ecchymosis of the penis during sexual intercourse indicate a penile fracture until proven otherwise. However, there have been few case reports of isolated injuries to the dorsal penile artery or dorsal vein mimicking a penile fracture. Presented herein is a rare case of a patient who ruptured his superficial dorsal vein during intercourse.

Neogene to recent contraction and basin inversion along the Nubia-Iberia boundary in SW Iberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Adrià; Fernández, Oscar; Terrinha, Pedro; Muñoz, Josep Anton

2017-02-01

The SW of Iberia is currently undergoing compression related to the convergence between Nubia and Iberia. Multiple compressive structures, and their related seismic activity, have been documented along the diffuse Nubia-Iberia plate boundary, including the Gorringe bank west of the Gulf of Cadiz, and the Betic-Rif orogen to the east. Despite seismic activity indicating a dominant compressive stress along the Algarve margin in the Gulf of Cadiz, the structures at the origin of this seismicity remain elusive. This paper documents the contractional structures that provide linkage across the Gulf of Cadiz and play a major role in defining the present-day seismicity and bathymetry of this area. The structures described in this paper caused the Neogene inversion of the Jurassic oblique passive margin that formed between the central Atlantic and the Ligurian Tethys. This example of a partially inverted margin provides insights into the factors that condition the inversion of passive margins.

A biomechanical comparison of four fixed-angle dorsal plates in a finite element model of dorsally-unstable radius fracture.

PubMed

Knežević, Josip; Kodvanj, Janoš; Čukelj, Fabijan; Pamuković, Frane; Pavić, Arsen

2017-11-01

To compare the finite element models of two different composite radius fracture patterns, reduced and stabilised with four different fixed-angle dorsal plates during axial, dorsal and volar loading conditions. Eight different plastic models representing four AO/ASIF type 23-A3 distal radius fractures and four AO/ASIF 23-C2 distal radius fractures were obtained and fixed each with 1 of 4 methods: a standard dorsal non-anatomical fixed angle T-plate (3.5mm Dorsal T-plate, Synthes), anatomical fixed-angle double plates (2.4mm LCP Dorsal Distal Radius, Synthes), anatomical fixed angle T-plate (2.4mm Acu-Loc Dorsal Plate, Acumed) or anatomical variable-angle dorsal T-plate (3.5mm, Dorsal Plate, Zrinski). Composite radius with plate and screws were scanned with a 3D optical scanner and later processed in Abaqus Software to generate the finite element model. All models were axially loaded at 3 points (centrally, volarly and dorsally) with 50 N forces to avoid the appearance of plastic deformations of the models. Total displacements at the end of the bone and the stresses in the bones and plates were determined and compared. Maximal von Mises stress in bone for 3-part fracture models was very similar to that in 2-part fracture models. The biggest difference between models and the largest displacements were seen during volar loading. The stresses in all models were the highest above the fracture gap. The best performance in all parameters tested was with the Zrinski plate and the most modest results were with the Synthes T-plate. There was no significant difference between 2-part (AO/ASIF type 23-A3) and 3-part (AO/ASIF 23-C2) fracture models. Maximal stresses in the plates appeared above the fracture gap; therefore, it is worth considering the development of plates without screw holes above the gap. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Regional anatomy of the dorsal penile nerve and its clinical significance].

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Ying; Li, Xing-Hua; Yuan, Tan; Zhang, Hai-Feng; Liu, Ji-Hong; Ye, Zhang-Qun

2009-02-01

To investigate the number, course and distribution of normal dorsal penile nerves and their clinical significance for selective neurectomy of the dorsal penile nerve in the treatment of primary premature ejaculation. We dissected 38 cadaveric adult penises and recorded the number, course and distribution of the dorsal penile nerves. A total of 314 cases of primary premature ejaculation underwent selective neurectomy of the dorsal penile nerve. The patients ranged between 20 and 45 years in age and from 1 to 22 years in disease course. The dorsal penile nerves were distributed in parallel bilaterally in all the cadaveric penises and branched into the ventral side in 4 of them. The total number of dorsal penile nerves was (3.6 +/- 1.2) in the 38 cadaveric penises, 7 in 1 case, 6 in 1 case, 5 in 6 cases, 4 in 9 cases, 3 in 14 cases and 2 in 7 cases, while that of the 314 patients with primary premature ejaculation was (7.0 +/- 1.9), 5 in 64 cases, 6 in 56 cases, 7 in 52 cases, 8 in 40 cases, 9 in 33 cases, 10 in 28 cases, 11 in 25 cases, 12 in 11 cases and 13 in 5 cases. Selective neurectomy of the dorsal penile nerve achieved an intravaginal ejaculation latency of (4.31 +/- 1.87) minutes and sexual satisfaction rate of (61 +/- 17) %, significantly different from those before the operation ([1.24 +/- 0.32] min, [23 +/- 6] %; all P < 0.01). The abnormal increase of dorsal penile nerves possibly lies at the bottom of the pathogenesis of primary premature ejaculation. Selective neurectomy of the dorsal penile nerve is safe and effective for the treatment of primary premature ejaculation.

Thermal effects of dorsal head immersion in cold water on nonshivering humans.

PubMed

Giesbrecht, Gordon G; Lockhart, Tamara L; Bristow, Gerald K; Steinman, Allan M

2005-11-01

Personal floatation devices maintain either a semirecumbent flotation posture with the head and upper chest out of the water or a horizontal flotation posture with the dorsal head and whole body immersed. The contribution of dorsal head and upper chest immersion to core cooling in cold water was isolated when the confounding effect of shivering heat production was inhibited with meperidine (Demerol, 2.5 mg/kg). Six male volunteers were immersed four times for up to 60 min, or until esophageal temperature = 34 degrees C. An insulated hoodless dry suit or two different personal floatation devices were used to create four conditions: 1) body insulated, head out; 2) body insulated, dorsal head immersed; 3) body exposed, head (and upper chest) out; and 4) body exposed, dorsal head (and upper chest) immersed. When the body was insulated, dorsal head immersion did not affect core cooling rate (1.1 degrees C/h) compared with head-out conditions (0.7 degrees C/h). When the body was exposed, however, the rate of core cooling increased by 40% from 3.6 degrees C/h with the head out to 5.0 degrees C/h with the dorsal head and upper chest immersed (P < 0.01). Heat loss from the dorsal head and upper chest was approximately proportional to the extra surface area that was immersed (approximately 10%). The exaggerated core cooling during dorsal head immersion (40% increase) may result from the extra heat loss affecting a smaller thermal core due to intense thermal stimulation of the body and head and resultant peripheral vasoconstriction. Dorsal head and upper chest immersion in cold water increases the rate of core cooling and decreases potential survival time.

Modelling of Continental Lithosphere Breakup and Rifted Margin Formation in Response to an Upwelling Divergent Flow Field Incorporating a Temperature Dependent Rheology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tymms, V. J.; Kusznir, N. J.

2005-05-01

We numerically model continental lithosphere deformation leading to breakup and sea floor spreading initiation in response to an imposed upwelling and divergent flow field applied to continental lithosphere and asthenosphere. The model is used to predict rifted continental margin lithosphere thinning and temperature structure. Model predictions are compared with observed rifted margin structure for four diverse case studies. Prior to application of the upwelling divergent flow field the continental lithosphere is undeformed with a uniform temperature gradient. The upwelling divergent flow field is defined kinematically using boundary conditions consisting of the upwelling velocity Vz at the divergence axis and the half divergence rate Vx . The resultant velocity field throughout the continuum is computed using finite element (FE) code incorporating a Newtonian temperature dependent rheology. The flow field is used to advect the continental lithosphere material and lithospheric and asthenospheric temperatures. Viscosity structure is hence modified and the velocities change correspondingly in a feedback loop. We find the kinematic boundary conditions Vz and Vx to be of first order importance. A high Vz/Vx (greater than10), corresponding to buoyancy assisted flow, leads to minimal mantle exhumation and a well defined continent ocean transition consistent with observations at volcanic margins. For Vz/Vx near unity, corresponding to plate boundary driven divergence, mantle exhumation over widths of up to 100 km is predicted which is consistent with observations at non-volcanic margins. The FE method allows the upwelling velocity Vz to be propagated upwards from the top of the asthenosphere to the Earth's surface without the requirement of imposing Vx. When continental breakup is achieved the half divergence velocity Vx can be applied at the lithosphere surface and the upwelling velocity Vz left free. We find this time and space dependent set of boundary conditions is more plausible than a constant corner flow type solution and predicts levels of depth dependent stretching and continent ocean transitions consistent with observation. Depth dependent lithosphere stretching, which is observed at rifted continental margins, is predicted to occur before continental breakup and sea-floor spreading initiation. The model may be used to predict surface heat flow and bathymetry, and to provide estimates of melt production rates and cumulative thickness. We compare model predictions with observed margin structure for four diverse rifted margins: the Lofoten Margin (a mature volcanic margin), Goban Spur (a mature non-volcanic margin), the Woodlark Basin (a neotectonic young ocean basin) and the Faroe-Shetland Basin (a failed attempt at continental breakup). This work forms part of the NERC Margins iSIMM project. iSIMM investigators are from Liverpool and Cambridge Universities, Badley Geoscience & Schlumberger Cambridge Research supported by the NERC, the DTI, Agip UK, BP, Amerada Hess Ltd, Anadarko, Conoco¬Phillips, Shell, Statoil and WesternGeco. The iSIMM team comprises NJ Kusznir, RS White, AM Roberts, PAF Christie, A Chappell, J Eccles, R Fletcher, D Healy, N Hurst, ZC Lunnon, CJ Parkin, AW Roberts, LK Smith, V Tymms & R Spitzer.

Lumbar dorsal ramus syndrome.

PubMed

Bogduk, N

1980-11-15

Low back pain, referred pain in the lower limbs, and spasm of the back, gluteal, and hamstring muscles are clinical features which can be induced in normal volunteers by stimulating structures which are innervated by the lumbar dorsal rami. Conversely, they can be relieved in certain patients by selective interruption of conduction along dorsal rami. These facts permit the definition of a lumbar dorsal ramus syndrome, which can be distinguished from the intervertebral disc syndrome and other forms of low back pain. The distinguishing feature is that, in lumbar dorsal ramus syndrome, all the clinical features are exclusively mediated by dorsal rami and do not arise from nerve-root compression. The pathophysiology, pathology, and treatment of this syndrome are described. Recognition of this syndrome, and its treatment with relatively minor procedures, can obviate the need for major surgery which might otherwise be undertaken.

Role of the right dorsal anterior insula in the urge to tic in Tourette syndrome.

PubMed

Tinaz, Sule; Malone, Patrick; Hallett, Mark; Horovitz, Silvina G

2015-08-01

The mid-posterior part of the insula is involved in processing bodily sensations and urges and is activated during tic generation in Tourette syndrome. The dorsal anterior part of the insula, however, integrates sensory and emotional information with cognitive valuation and is implicated in interoception. The right dorsal anterior insula also participates in urge suppression in healthy subjects. This study examined the role of the right dorsal anterior insula in the urge to tic in Tourette syndrome. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 13 adult Tourette patients and 13 matched controls. The role of the right dorsal anterior insula within the urge-tic network was investigated using graph theory-based neural network analysis. The functional connectivity of the right dorsal anterior insula was also correlated with urge and tic severity. Even though the patients did not exhibit any overt tics, the right dorsal anterior insula demonstrated higher connectivity, especially with the frontostriatal nodes of the urge-tic network in patients compared with controls. The functional connectivity between the right dorsal anterior insula and bilateral supplementary motor area also correlated positively with urge severity in patients. These results suggest that the right dorsal anterior insula is part of the urge-tic network and could influence the urge- and tic-related cortico-striato-thalamic regions even during rest in Tourette syndrome. It might be responsible for heightened awareness of bodily sensations generating premonitory urges in Tourette syndrome. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Dosimetric evaluation of planning target volume margin reduction for prostate cancer via image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Taejin; Kang, Sei-Kwon; Cheong, Kwang-Ho; Park, Soah; Yoon, Jai-Woong; Han, Taejin; Kim, Haeyoung; Lee, Meyeon; Kim, Kyoung-Joo; Bae, Hoonsik; Suh, Tae-Suk

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to quantitatively estimate the dosimetric benefits of the image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) system for the prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery. The cases of eleven patients who underwent IMRT for prostate cancer without a prostatectomy at our institution between October 2012 and April 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. For every patient, clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margins were uniformly used: 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, and 15 mm. For each margin size, the IMRT plans were independently optimized by one medical physicist using Pinnalce3 (ver. 8.0.d, Philips Medical System, Madison, WI) in order to maintain the plan quality. The maximum geometrical margin (MGM) for every CT image set, defined as the smallest margin encompassing the rectum at least at one slice, was between 13 mm and 26 mm. The percentage rectum overlapping PTV (%V ROV ), the rectal normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and the mean rectal dose (%RD mean ) increased in proportion to the increase of PTV margin. However the bladder NTCP remained around zero to some extent regardless of the increase of PTV margin while the percentage bladder overlapping PTV (%V BOV ) and the mean bladder dose (%BD mean ) increased in proportion to the increase of PTV margin. Without relatively large rectum or small bladder, the increase observed for rectal NTCP, %RDmean and %BD mean per 1-mm PTV margin size were 1.84%, 2.44% and 2.90%, respectively. Unlike the behavior of the rectum or the bladder, the maximum dose on each femoral head had little effect on PTV margin. This quantitative study of the PTV margin reduction supported that IG-IMRT has enhanced the clinical effects over prostate cancer with the reduction of normal organ complications under the similar level of PTV control.

Dorsal CA1 interneurons contribute to acute stress-induced spatial memory deficits.

PubMed

Yu, Jing-Ying; Fang, Ping; Wang, Chi; Wang, Xing-Xing; Li, Kun; Gong, Qian; Luo, Ben-Yan; Wang, Xiao-Dong

2018-06-01

Exposure to severely stressful experiences disrupts the activity of neuronal circuits and impairs declarative memory. GABAergic interneurons coordinate neuronal network activity, but their involvement in stress-evoked memory loss remains to be elucidated. Here, we provide evidence that interneurons in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus partially modulate acute stress-induced memory deficits. In adult male mice, both acute forced swim stress and restraint stress impaired hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and increased the density of c-fos-positive interneurons in the dorsal CA1. Selective activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons by chemogenetics disrupted memory performance in the spatial object recognition task. In comparison, anxiety-related behavior, spatial working memory and novel object recognition memory remained intact when dorsal CA1 interneurons were overactivated. Moreover, chemogenetic activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons suppressed the activity of adjacent pyramidal neurons, whereas a single exposure to forced swim stress but not restraint stress increased the activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons. However, chemogenetic inhibition of dorsal CA1 interneurons led to spatial memory impairments and failed to attenuate acute stress-induced memory loss. These findings suggest that acute stress may overactivate interneurons in the dorsal CA1, which reduces the activity of pyramidal neurons and in turn disrupts long-term memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ascending connections to the forebrain in the Tegu lizard.

PubMed

Lohman, A H; van Woerden-Verkley, I

1978-12-01

The ascending connections to the striatum and the cortex of the Tegu lizard, Tupinambis nigropunctatus, were studied by means of anterograde fiber degeneration and retrograde axonal transport. The striatum receives projections by way of the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle from four dorsal thalamic nuclei: nucleus rotundus, nucleus reuniens, the posterior part of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and nucleus dorsomedialis. The former three nuclei project to circumscribed areas of the dorsal striatum, whereas nucleus dorsomedialis has a distribution to the whole dorsal striatum. Other sources of origin to the striatum are the mesencephalic reticular formation, substantia nigra and nucleus cerebelli lateralis. With the exception of the latter afferentation all these projections are ipsilateral. The ascending connections to the pallium originate for the major part from nucleus dorsolateralis anterior of the dorsal thalamus. The fibers course in both the medial forebrain bundle and the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle and terminate ipsilaterally in the middle of the molecular layer of the small-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex and bilaterally above the intermediate region of the dorsal cortex. The latter area is reached also by fibers from the septal area. The large-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex receives projections from nucleus raphes superior and the corpus mammillare.

Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Dorsal Foot: An Update and Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Loh, Tiffany Y; Rubin, Ashley G; Jiang, Shang I Brian

2017-01-01

Ultraviolet radiation is a well-known risk factor for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Therefore, the high incidence of BCCs in sun-exposed areas such as the head and neck is unsurprising. However, unexpectedly, BCCs on the sun-protected dorsal foot have also been reported, and tumor occurrence here suggests that other factors besides ultraviolet radiation may play a role in BCC pathogenesis. Because only few dorsal foot BCCs have been reported, data on their clinical features and management are limited. To perform an updated review of the literature on clinical characteristics and treatment of dorsal foot BCCs. We conducted a comprehensive literature review by searching the PubMed database with the key phrases "basal cell carcinoma dorsal foot," "basal cell carcinoma foot," and "basal cell carcinoma toe." We identified 20 cases of dorsal foot BCCs in the literature, 17 of which had sufficient data for analysis. Only 1 case was treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. We present 8 additional cases of dorsal foot BCCs treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. Basal cell carcinomas on the dorsal foot are rare, and potential risk factors include Caucasian descent and personal history of skin cancer. Mohs micrographic surgery seems to be an effective treatment option.

Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Dorsal Hand: An Update and Comprehensive Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Loh, Tiffany Y; Rubin, Ashley G; Brian Jiang, Shang I

2016-04-01

Excessive ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is the primary predisposing factor for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, surprisingly, BCCs occur very rarely on the dorsal hand, which is subject to intense sun exposure, and their infrequent presentation in this location suggests that other factors besides UVR may play a role in BCC pathogenesis. Because dorsal hand BCCs are uncommon, knowledge of their characteristics is limited, and more data are needed to describe their clinical presentation and treatment. To perform an updated review of the literature on the management of dorsal hand BCCs. The authors conducted a comprehensive literature review by searching the PubMed database with the key phrases "basal cell carcinoma dorsal hand," "basal cell carcinoma hand," and "basal cell carcinoma finger," and "basal cell carcinoma thumb." The authors identified 176 cases of dorsal hand BCCs in the literature, 120 of which had sufficient data for analysis. Only 4 cases were treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). The authors present 14 additional cases of dorsal hand BCCs treated with MMS. Basal cell carcinomas on the dorsal hand occur infrequently, and potential risk factors include being a male of white descent and personal history of skin cancer. Mohs micrographic surgery seems to be an effective treatment method.

Quantitative characterization of the imaging limits of diffuse low-grade oligodendrogliomas.

PubMed

Gerin, Chloé; Pallud, Johan; Deroulers, Christophe; Varlet, Pascale; Oppenheim, Catherine; Roux, Francois-Xavier; Chrétien, Fabrice; Thomas, Stephen R; Grammaticos, Basile; Badoual, Mathilde

2013-10-01

Supratentorial diffuse low-grade gliomas in adults extend beyond maximal visible MRI-defined abnormalities, and a gap exists between the imaging signal changes and the actual tumor margins. Direct quantitative comparisons between imaging and histological analyses are lacking to date. However, they are of the utmost importance if one wishes to develop realistic models for diffuse glioma growth. In this study, we quantitatively compared the cell concentration and the edema fraction from human histological biopsy samples (BSs) performed inside and outside imaging abnormalities during serial imaging-based stereotactic biopsy of diffuse low-grade gliomas. The cell concentration was significantly higher in BSs located inside (1189 ± 378 cell/mm(2)) than outside (740 ± 124 cell/mm(2)) MRI-defined abnormalities (P = .0003). The edema fraction was significantly higher in BSs located inside (mean, 45% ± 23%) than outside (mean, 5 %± 9%) MRI-defined abnormalities (P < .0001). At borders of the MRI-defined abnormalities, 20% of the tissue surface area was occupied by edema and only 3% by tumor cells. The cycling cell concentration was significantly higher in BSs located inside (10 ± 12 cell/mm(2)), compared with outside (0.5 ± 0.9 cell/mm(2)), MRI-defined abnormalities (P = .0001). We showed that the margins of T2-weighted signal changes are mainly correlated with the edema fraction. In 62.5% of patients, the cycling tumor cell fraction (defined as the ratio of the cycling tumor cell concentration to the total number of tumor cells) was higher at the limits of the MRI-defined abnormalities than closer to the center of the tumor. In the remaining patients, the cycling tumor cell fraction increased towards the center of the tumor.

Sonographic appearance of thyroid cancer in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.

PubMed

Durfee, Sara M; Benson, Carol B; Arthaud, Dylan M; Alexander, Erik K; Frates, Mary C

2015-04-01

To determine whether the sonographic appearance of thyroid cancer differs in patients with and without Hashimoto thyroiditis. Patients with histologically proven thyroid cancer who had thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies measured and sonography performed preoperatively were included. We evaluated each nodule for size, echogenicity, composition, margins, halo, and vascularity and evaluated the background heterogeneity of the gland. There were 162 thyroid cancers in 145 patients. Forty-two patients (29.0%) had Hashimoto thyroiditis with positive TPO antibodies, and 103 patients (71.0%) had negative TPO antibodies. The background echogenicity was more often heterogeneous in TPO antibody-positive patients compared to those who had negative TPO antibodies (57.1% versus 26.2%; P= .0005). Comparing cancers in TPO antibody-positive to TPO antibody-negative patients, there was no significant difference in the size, echogenicity, composition, margins, halo presence, calcification presence and type, or vascularity of the cancerous nodule (P > .05). Among TPO antibody-positive patients, comparing thyroid cancerous nodules in patients with heterogeneous glands to those with homogeneous glands, there was no significant difference in any sonographic characteristic except the margin of the nodule, which was more often irregular or poorly defined in heterogeneous glands and more often smooth in homogeneous glands (P< .05). Sonographic features of thyroid cancer are similar in patients with and without Hashimoto thyroiditis. Among patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and thyroid cancer, the sonographic appearance of the cancerous nodule is similar, except that cancerous nodule margins are more likely to be irregular or poorly defined when the gland is heterogeneous. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Marginal Iodine Deficiency Affects Dendritic Spine Development by Disturbing the Function of Rac1 Signaling Pathway on Cytoskeleton.

PubMed

Min, Hui; Dong, Jing; Wang, Yi; Wang, Yuan; Yu, Ye; Shan, Zhongyan; Xi, Qi; Teng, Weiping; Chen, Jie

2017-01-01

Iodine deficiency (ID)-induced thyroid hormone (TH) insufficient during development leads to impairments of brain function, such as learning and memory. Marginal ID has been defined as subtle insufficiency of TH, characterized as low thyroxine (T 4 ) levels, whether marginal ID potentially had adverse effects on the development of hippocampus and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, in the present study, we established Wistar rat models with ID diet during pregnancy and lactation. The effects of marginal ID on long-term potentiation (LTP) were investigated in the hippocampal CA1 region. To study the development of dendritic spines in pyramidal cells, Golgi-Cox staining was conducted on postnatal day (PN) 7, PN14, PN21, and PN28. The activation of Rac1 signaling pathway, which is essential for dendritic spine development by regulating actin cytoskeleton, was also investigated. Our results showed that marginal ID slightly reduced the field-excitatory postsynaptic potential (f-EPSP) slope and the population spike (PS) amplitude. Besides, the density of dendritic spines during the critical period of rat postnatal development was mildly decreased, and we found no significant change of spine morphology in marginal ID group. We also observed decreased activation of the Rac1 signaling pathway in pups subjected to maternal marginal ID. Our study may support the hypothesis that decreased T 4 induced by marginal ID results in slight impairments of LTP and leads to mild damage of dendritic spine development, which may be due to abnormal regulation of Rac1 signaling pathway on cytoskeleton.

Method for the simulation of blood platelet shape and its evolution during activation

PubMed Central

Muliukov, Artem R.; Litvinenko, Alena L.; Nekrasov, Vyacheslav M.; Chernyshev, Andrei V.; Maltsev, Valeri P.

2018-01-01

We present a simple physically based quantitative model of blood platelet shape and its evolution during agonist-induced activation. The model is based on the consideration of two major cytoskeletal elements: the marginal band of microtubules and the submembrane cortex. Mathematically, we consider the problem of minimization of surface area constrained to confine the marginal band and a certain cellular volume. For resting platelets, the marginal band appears as a peripheral ring, allowing for the analytical solution of the minimization problem. Upon activation, the marginal band coils out of plane and forms 3D convoluted structure. We show that its shape is well approximated by an overcurved circle, a mathematical concept of closed curve with constant excessive curvature. Possible mechanisms leading to such marginal band coiling are discussed, resulting in simple parametric expression for the marginal band shape during platelet activation. The excessive curvature of marginal band is a convenient state variable which tracks the progress of activation. The cell surface is determined using numerical optimization. The shapes are strictly mathematically defined by only three parameters and show good agreement with literature data. They can be utilized in simulation of platelets interaction with different physical fields, e.g. for the description of hydrodynamic and mechanical properties of platelets, leading to better understanding of platelets margination and adhesion and thrombus formation in blood flow. It would also facilitate precise characterization of platelets in clinical diagnosis, where a novel optical model is needed for the correct solution of inverse light-scattering problem. PMID:29518073

A fully nonparametric estimator of the marginal survival function based on case–control clustered age-at-onset data

PubMed Central

Gorfine, Malka; Bordo, Nadia; Hsu, Li

2017-01-01

Summary Consider a popular case–control family study where individuals with a disease under study (case probands) and individuals who do not have the disease (control probands) are randomly sampled from a well-defined population. Possibly right-censored age at onset and disease status are observed for both probands and their relatives. For example, case probands are men diagnosed with prostate cancer, control probands are men free of prostate cancer, and the prostate cancer history of the fathers of the probands is also collected. Inherited genetic susceptibility, shared environment, and common behavior lead to correlation among the outcomes within a family. In this article, a novel nonparametric estimator of the marginal survival function is provided. The estimator is defined in the presence of intra-cluster dependence, and is based on consistent smoothed kernel estimators of conditional survival functions. By simulation, it is shown that the proposed estimator performs very well in terms of bias. The utility of the estimator is illustrated by the analysis of case–control family data of early onset prostate cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first article that provides a fully nonparametric marginal survival estimator based on case–control clustered age-at-onset data. PMID:27436674

Paying a Premium: How Patient Complexity Affects Costs and Profit Margins

PubMed Central

Taheri, Paul A.; Butz, David A.; Greenfield, Lazar J.

1999-01-01

Objective and Background Tertiary medical centers continue to be under extreme pressure to deliver high-complexity care, but paradoxically there is considerable pressure within these institutions to reduce their emphasis on tertiary care and refocus their efforts to develop a more community-like practice. The genesis of this pressure is the perceived profitability of routine surgical activity when compared with more complex care. The purpose of this study is to assess how the total cost and profit (loss) margin can vary for an entire trauma service. The authors also evaluate payments for specific trauma-related diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and analyze how hospital margins were affected based on mortality outcome. Materials and Methods The authors analyzed the actual cost of all trauma discharges (n = 692) at their level I trauma center for fiscal year 1997. Data were obtained from the trauma registry and the hospital cost accounting system. Total cost was defined as the sum of the variable, fixed, and indirect costs associated with each patient. Margin was defined as expected payments minus total cost. The entire population and all DRGs with 10 or more patients were stratified based on survival outcome, Injury Severity Score, insurance status, and length of stay. The mean total costs for survivors and nonsurvivors within these various categories and their margins were evaluated. Results The profit margin on nonsurvivors was $5898 greater than for survivors, even though the mean total cost for nonsurvivors was $28,821 greater. Within the fixed fee arrangement, approximately 44% of transfers had a negative margin. Both survivors and nonsurvivors become increasingly profitable out to 20 days and subsequently become unprofitable beyond 21 days, but nonsurvivors were more profitable than survivors. Conclusions There is a wide variance in both the costs and margins within trauma-related DRGs. The DRG payment system disproportionately reimburses providers for nonsurvivors, even though on average they are more costly. Because payers are likely to engage in portfolio management, patients can be transferred between hospitals based on the contractual relationship between the payer and the provider. This payment system potentially allows payers to act strategically, sending relatively low-cost patients to hospitals where they use fee-for-service reimbursement and high-cost patients to hospitals where their reimbursement is contractually capped. Although specific to the authors’ trauma center and its payer mix, these data demonstrate the profitability of maintaining a level I trauma center and preserving the mission of delivering care to the severely injured. PMID:10363894

The Tribolium castaneum Ortholog of Sex combs reduced Controls Dorsal Ridge Development

PubMed Central

Shippy, Teresa D.; Rogers, Carmelle D.; Beeman, Richard W.; Brown, Susan J.; Denell, Robin E.

2006-01-01

In insects, the boundary between the embryonic head and thorax is formed by the dorsal ridge, a fused structure composed of portions of the maxillary and labial segments. However, the mechanisms that promote development of this unusual structure remain a mystery. In Drosophila, mutations in the Hox genes Sex combs reduced and Deformed have been reported to cause abnormal dorsal ridge formation, but the significance of these abnormalities is not clear. We have identified three mutant allele classes of Cephalothorax, the Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) ortholog of Sex combs reduced, each of which has a different effect on dorsal ridge development. By using Engrailed expression to monitor dorsal ridge development in these mutants, we demonstrate that Cephalothorax promotes the fusion and subsequent dorsolateral extension of the maxillary and labial Engrailed stripes (posterior compartments) during dorsal ridge formation. Molecular and genetic analysis of these alleles indicates that the N terminus of Cephalothorax is important for the fusion step, but is dispensable for Engrailed stripe extension. Thus, we find that specific regions of Cephalothorax are required for discrete steps in dorsal ridge formation. PMID:16849608

Sustainable biomass production on Marginal Lands (SEEMLA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbera, Federica; Baumgarten, Wibke; Pelikan, Vincent

2017-04-01

Sustainable biomass production on Marginal Lands (SEEMLA) The main objective of the H2020 funded EU project SEEMLA (acronym for Sustainable Exploitation of Biomass for Bioenergy from Marginal Lands in Europe) is the establishment of suitable innovative land-use strategies for a sustainable production of plant-based energy on marginal lands while improving general ecosystem services. The use of marginal lands (MagL) could contribute to the mitigation of the fast growing competition between traditional food production and production of renewable bio-resources on arable lands. SEEMLA focuses on the promotion of re-conversion of MagLs for the production of bioenergy through the direct involvement of farmers and forester, the strengthening of local small-scale supply chains, and the promotion of plantations of bioenergy plants on MagLs. Life cycle assessment is performed in order to analyse possible impacts on the environment. A soil quality rating tool is applied to define and classify MagL. Suitable perennial and woody bioenergy crops are selected to be grown in pilot areas in the partner countries Ukraine, Greece and Germany. SEEMLA is expected to contribute to an increasing demand of biomass for bioenergy production in order to meet the 2020 targets and beyond.

Dorsal arachnoid web.

PubMed

McCormick, Paul C

2014-09-01

Dorsal thoracic arachnoid web is a rare but often overlooked cause of progressive myelopathy. Syringomyelia, either above or below the compressive arachnoid band, may also be present. Dorsal arachnoid cyst and ventral spinal cord herniation may be mistaken for this condition. This video demonstrates the microsurgical identification and techniques of resection of a dorsal arachnoid band producing a progressive myelopathy in a 63-year-old man. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/KDNTqiyW6yo.

Amnioserosa cell constriction but not epidermal actin cable tension autonomously drives dorsal closure.

PubMed

Pasakarnis, Laurynas; Frei, Erich; Caussinus, Emmanuel; Affolter, Markus; Brunner, Damian

2016-11-01

Tissue morphogenesis requires coordination of multiple force-producing components. During dorsal closure in fly embryogenesis, an epidermis opening closes. A tensioned epidermal actin/MyosinII cable, which surrounds the opening, produces a force that is thought to combine with another MyosinII force mediating apical constriction of the amnioserosa cells that fill the opening. A model proposing that each force could autonomously drive dorsal closure was recently challenged by a model in which the two forces combine in a ratchet mechanism. Acute force elimination via selective MyosinII depletion in one or the other tissue shows that the amnioserosa tissue autonomously drives dorsal closure while the actin/MyosinII cable cannot. These findings exclude both previous models, although a contribution of the ratchet mechanism at dorsal closure onset remains likely. This shifts the current view of dorsal closure being a combinatorial force-component system to a single tissue-driven closure event.

A primer on marginal effects-part II: health services research applications.

PubMed

Onukwugha, E; Bergtold, J; Jain, R

2015-02-01

Marginal analysis evaluates changes in a regression function associated with a unit change in a relevant variable. The primary statistic of marginal analysis is the marginal effect (ME). The ME facilitates the examination of outcomes for defined patient profiles or individuals while measuring the change in original units (e.g., costs, probabilities). The ME has a long history in economics; however, it is not widely used in health services research despite its flexibility and ability to provide unique insights. This article, the second in a two-part series, discusses practical issues that arise in the estimation and interpretation of the ME for a variety of regression models often used in health services research. Part one provided an overview of prior studies discussing ME followed by derivation of ME formulas for various regression models relevant for health services research studies examining costs and utilization. The current article illustrates the calculation and interpretation of ME in practice and discusses practical issues that arise during the implementation, including: understanding differences between software packages in terms of functionality available for calculating the ME and its confidence interval, interpretation of average marginal effect versus marginal effect at the mean, and the difference between ME and relative effects (e.g., odds ratio). Programming code to calculate ME using SAS, STATA, LIMDEP, and MATLAB are also provided. The illustration, discussion, and application of ME in this two-part series support the conduct of future studies applying the concept of marginal analysis.

Human cutaneous protothecosis: report of a case and literature review.

PubMed

Seok, Jae Yeon; Lee, Yoonho; Lee, Hyukmin; Yi, Sang Yeop; Oh, Hwa Eun; Song, Ji-Sun

2013-12-01

The Prototheca species is achlorophyllic algae and rarely causes human infection. Human protothecosis presents clinically as a cutaneous infection, olecranon bursitis, and disseminated systemic disease. We report a case of human cutaneous protothecosis involving the left wrist. A 68-year-old man presented with an ill-defined erythematous lesion with crust at the dorsal aspect of his left wrist. A punch biopsy was performed to reveal the histologic features of granulomatous inflammation with necrosis at the upper dermis, containing Prototheca organisms, of which, the characteristic features were highlighted by special staining. Through a molecular study, the Prototheca zopfii species was identified.

Victimization of Obese Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Sabrina

2006-01-01

Peer victimization of obese adolescents has been associated with low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, social isolation, marginalization, poor psychosocial adjustment, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts, not to mention poor academic performance. Weight-based peer victimization is defined as unsolicited bullying and…

Changes of air-tissue ratio evaluated by EBCT after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): validation in swine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Recheis, Wolfgang A.; Schuster, Antonius H.; Kleinsasser, Axel; Loeckinger, Alexander; Hoermann, Christoph; zur Nedden, Dieter

2001-05-01

The purpose was to evaluate changes of the air-tissue ratio (ATR) in previously defined regions of interest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in porcine model. Eight anesthetized and ventilated pigs we scanned in supine position before and 30 minutes after CPR at two different constant PEEP levels (5 cm H2O, 15 cm H2O). Volume scans were obtained using 6 mm slices. The gray values of the lung were divided into steps of 100 HU in order to get access to the changes of ATR. ATR was evaluated in ventral, intermediate and dorsal regions of the lung. CPR for 9 minutes led to an uneven distribution of ventilation. In the ventral region, areas with high ATR increased. Areas with normal ATR decreased. In contrast the dorsal regions with low ATR increased. ATR in the intermediate regions remained almost unchanged. Using the higher PEEP level, areas with normal ATR showed a marked increase accompanied by a decrease of areas with low ATR. After CPR, an uneven distribution of lung aeration was detected. According to the impaired hemodynamics, areas with normal ATR decreased and areas with high and low ATR increased. Using higher PEEP levels improved lung aeration.

Ascl1 controls the number and distribution of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the gray matter and white matter of the spinal cord

PubMed Central

Vue, Tou Yia; Kim, Euiseok J.; Parras, Carlos M.; Guillemot, Francois; Johnson, Jane E.

2014-01-01

Glia constitute the majority of cells in the mammalian central nervous system and are crucial for neurological function. However, there is an incomplete understanding of the molecular control of glial cell development. We find that the transcription factor Ascl1 (Mash1), which is best known for its role in neurogenesis, also functions in both astrocyte and oligodendrocyte lineages arising in the mouse spinal cord at late embryonic stages. Clonal fate mapping in vivo reveals heterogeneity in Ascl1-expressing glial progenitors and shows that Ascl1 defines cells that are restricted to either gray matter (GM) or white matter (WM) as astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. Conditional deletion of Ascl1 post-neurogenesis shows that Ascl1 is required during oligodendrogenesis for generating the correct numbers of WM but not GM oligodendrocyte precursor cells, whereas during astrocytogenesis Ascl1 functions in balancing the number of dorsal GM protoplasmic astrocytes with dorsal WM fibrous astrocytes. Thus, in addition to its function in neurogenesis, Ascl1 marks glial progenitors and controls the number and distribution of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the GM and WM of the spinal cord. PMID:25249462

The amblyopic deficit for 2nd order processing: Generality and laterality.

PubMed

Gao, Yi; Reynaud, Alexandre; Tang, Yong; Feng, Lixia; Zhou, Yifeng; Hess, Robert F

2015-09-01

A number of previous reports have suggested that the processing of second-order stimuli by the amblyopic eye (AE) is defective and that the fellow non-amblyopic eye (NAE) also exhibits an anomaly. Second-order stimuli involve extra-striate as well as striate processing and provide a means of exploring the extent of the cortical anomaly in amblyopia using psychophysics. We use a range of different second-order stimuli to investigate how general the deficit is for detecting second-order stimuli in adult amblyopes. We compare these results to our previously published adult normative database using the same stimuli and approach to determine the extent to which the detection of these stimuli is defective for both amblyopic and non-amblyopic eye stimulation. The results suggest that the second-order deficit affects a wide range of second-order stimuli, and by implication a large area of extra-striate cortex, both dorsally and ventrally. The NAE is affected only in motion-defined form judgments, suggesting a difference in the degree to which ocular dominance is disrupted in dorsal and ventral extra-striate regions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical response to dorsal duct drainage via the minor papilla in refractory obstructing chronic calcific pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Kwon, Chang-Il; Gromski, Mark A.; Sherman, Stuart; El Hajj, Ihab I.; Easler, Jeffrey J.; Watkins, James; McHenry, Lee; Lehman, Glen A.; Fogel, Evan L.

2017-01-01

Background and study aims Complete stone removal from the main pancreatic duct might not be achieved in all patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis. We report our results for endoscopic dorsal pancreatic duct (DPD) bypass of obstructing stones in the ventral pancreatic duct (VPD). Patients and methods 16 patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis were treated with a DPD bypass. Clinical success was defined as significant pain relief and no hospital admissions for pain management during the ongoing treatment period. Results Among 16 patients meeting entry criteria, 10 (62.5%) had a history of unsuccessful endoscopic therapy, and 8 had failed extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). Clinical success was achieved in 12 patients (75 %). Among these responders, 10 patients (83.3 %) had markedly improved or complete pain relief after the first stent placement, which persisted throughout the follow-up period; 11 patients (91.7 %) were able to discontinue their daily analgesics. Conclusions In selected patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis, the DPD bypass may be considered as a rescue endoscopic therapy, potentially obviating the need for surgery when standard endoscopic methods and ESWL fail. PMID:28201840

Dorsal light response and changes of its responses under varying acceleration conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, S.; Takabayashi, A.; Takagi, S.; von Baumgarten, R.; Wetzig, J.

In order to improve our understanding about functions of the gravity sensors, we have conducted four experiments in goldfish: 1) To define the effect of visual information influx on the static labyrinthine response, the dorsal light response (DLR) which had been proposed by von Holst as a model for postural adjustment in fish was reexamined with a newly designed, rotatory illumination device. The fish responded to illumination from the upper half of the visual field and a narrow range around 180 degrees of the lower half visual field. The maximal tilting angle of normal fish was about 40 degrees under horizontal illumination. 2) Under the changes of the gravito-inertial force level produced by a linear sled, the threshold of the gravity sensors was determined from postural adjustment responses. 3) Under hypogravic conditions during the parabolic flight of an airplane, the light-dependent behavior was investigated in intact and labyrinthectomized goldfish. 4) As one of the most likely candidates of the neural centers for the DLR, the valvula cerebelli, which receives its visual information not through the optic tectum but through the pretectal areas, is confirmed by the brain lesion experiments.

Analgesic ineffectiveness of lacosamide after spinal nerve ligation and its sodium channel activity in injured neurons.

PubMed

Hagenacker, T; Schäfer, N; Büsselberg, D; Schäfers, M

2013-07-01

Lacosamide is a novel anti-epileptic drug that enhances the slow- and not fast-inactivating state of voltage-gated sodium channels. Lacosamide has demonstrated analgesic efficacy in several animal studies but preclinical studies on neuropathic pain models are rare, and recent clinical trials showed no superior analgesic effects. Here, we examine whether an acute or chronic administration of lacosamide (3-60 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuates pain behaviour induced by spinal nerve ligation (SNL). To validate the inhibitory efficacy of lacosamide on voltage-gated sodium channels, sodium currents in naïve and SNL-injured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were recorded using whole-cell patch clamping. Lacosamide only marginally attenuated thermal hyperalgesia, but not tactile allodynia when applied once 7 or 14 days after SNL and showed no analgesic effect when applied daily for 19 days. In naïve neurons, 100 μmol/L lacosamide inhibited sodium channel currents by 58% and enhanced the slow inactivation (87% for lacosamide vs. 47% for control). In contrast, lacosamide inhibited sodium currents in injured DRG neurons by only 15%, while the effects on slow inactivation were diminished. Isolated currents from the NaV 1.8 channel subtype were only marginally changed by lacosamide. The reduced effectiveness of lacosamide on voltage-gated sodium channel currents in injured DRG neurons may contribute to the reduced analgesic effect observed for the SNL model. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

Maeridae from the Indo-Pacific: Elasmopus, Leeuwinella gen. nov., Maeropsis, Pseudelasmopus and Quadrimaera (Amphipoda: Crustacea).

PubMed

Hughes, Lauren E

2015-12-22

Twenty-two species of Maeridae including the new genus, Leeuwinella, and eight new species are described from Indo-Pacific waters. Leeuwinella mistakensis gen. et sp. nov. from southern Western Australia has dorsal carinae and serrate epimeral margins on pleonites 1-3 and mandibular palp article 3 concave; this significant combination of characters justifies erection of a new genus. Elasmopus coxacallus sp. nov., with a castelloserrate posterior margin of pereopod 7 presents a novel character for the genus, which contains over 100 described species. Elasmopus incomptus sp. nov. and E. norfolkensis sp. nov. are also described from Norfolk Island, South Pacific, while new distribution records are provided for E. gracilis Schellenberg, 1938, E. integer Myers, 1989, and E. molokai J.L. Barnard, 1970 from northwestern Australia, and E. souillacensis Appadoo & Myers, 2003, from the Kermadec Islands. New distribution records for Maeropsis griffini (Berents, 1983) from Bedout Island in Western Australia are the first of the species outside the Queensland type locality and new records of M. thetis (Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005) from mainland Australia to Tasmania and across the Tasman Sea extending its range. Pseudelasmopus walkerae sp. nov. is described from Norfolk Island, and is the second species recorded in the genus, previously known only from Mauritius. Lastly, three new Quadrimaera species, Q. gregoryi, Q. brownorum and Q. vallaris, along with eight known Quadrimaera species, are reported from various locations extending their distributions in the Indo-Pacific.

Odontoid process inclination in normal adults and in an adult population with Chiari malformation Type I.

PubMed

Besachio, David A; Khaleel, Ziyad; Shah, Lubdha M

2015-12-01

Posterior odontoid process inclination has been demonstrated as a factor associated with Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) in the pediatric population; however, no studies to date have examined this measurement in the adult CM-I population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate craniocervical junction (CCJ) measurements in adult CM-I versus a control group. The odontoid retroflexion, odontoid retroversion, odontoid height, posterior basion to C-2 line measured to the dural margin (pB-C2 line), posterior basion to C-2 line measured to the dorsal odontoid cortical margin (pB-C2* line), and clivus-canal angle measurements were retrospectively analyzed in adult patients with CM-I using MRI. These measurements were compared with normative values established from CT scans of the cervical spine in adults without CM-I. A statistically significant difference was found between 55 adults with CM-I and 150 sex-matched controls (125 used for analysis) in the mean clivus-canal angle and the mean pB-C2 line. These data suggest that there are sex-specific differences with respect to measurements at the CCJ between men and women, with women showing a more posteriorly inclined odontoid process. There were also differences between the CM-I and control groups: a more acute clivus-canal angle was associated with CM-I in the adult population. These CCJ findings could have an influence on presurgical planning.

Fostering marginalized youths' political participation: longitudinal roles of parental political socialization and youth sociopolitical development.

PubMed

Diemer, Matthew A

2012-09-01

This study examines the roles of parental political socialization and the moral commitment to change social inequalities in predicting marginalized youths' (defined here as lower-SES youth of color) political participation. These issues are examined by applying structural equation modeling to a longitudinal panel of youth. Because tests of measurement invariance suggested racial/ethnic heterogeneity, the structural model was fit separately for three racial/ethnic groups. For each group, parental political socialization: discussion predicted youths' commitment to produce social change and for two groups, longitudinally predicted political participation. This study contributes to the literature by examining civic/political participation among disparate racial/ethnic groups, addresses an open scholarly question (whether youths' commitment to create social change predicts their "traditional" participation), and emphasizes parents' role in fostering marginalized youths' civic and political participation.

Post-early cretaceous landform evolution along the western margin of the banca~nnia trough, western nsw

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibson, D.L.

2000-01-01

Previously undated post-Devonian sediments outcropping north of Fowlers Gap station near the western margin of the Bancannia Trough are shown by plant macro- and microfossil determinations to be of Early Cretaceous (most likely Neocomian and/or Aptian) age, and thus part of the Eromanga Basin. They are assigned to the previously defined Telephone Creek Formation. Study of the structural configuration of this unit and the unconformably underlying Devonian rocks suggests that the gross landscape architecture of the area results from post-Early Cretaceous monoclinal folding along blind faults at the western margin of the trough, combined with the effects of differential erosion. This study shows that, while landscape evolution in the area has been dynamic, the major changes that have occurred are on a geological rather than human timescale.

The Localization of Long-Distance Dependency Components: Integrating the Focal-lesion and Neuroimaging Record

PubMed Central

Piñango, Maria M.; Finn, Emily; Lacadie, Cheryl; Constable, R. Todd

2016-01-01

In the sentence “The captain who the sailor greeted is tall,” the connection between the relative pronoun and the object position of greeted represents a long-distance dependency (LDD), necessary for the interpretation of “the captain” as the individual being greeted. Whereas the lesion-based record shows preferential involvement of only the left inferior frontal (LIF) cortex, associated with Broca's aphasia, during real-time comprehension of LDDs, the neuroimaging record shows additional involvement of the left posterior superior temporal (LPST) and lower parietal cortices, which are associated with Wernicke's aphasia. We test the hypothesis that this localization incongruence emerges from an interaction of memory and linguistic constraints involved in the real-time implementation of these dependencies and which had not been previously isolated. Capitalizing on a long-standing psycholinguistic understanding of LDDs as the workings of an active filler, we distinguish two linguistically defined mechanisms: GAP-search, triggered by the retrieval of the relative pronoun, and GAP-completion, triggered by the retrieval of the embedded verb. Each mechanism is hypothesized to have distinct memory demands and given their distinct linguistic import, potentially distinct brain correlates. Using fMRI, we isolate the two mechanisms by analyzing their relevant sentential segments as separate events. We manipulate LDD-presence/absence and GAP-search type (direct/indirect) reflecting the absence/presence of intervening islands. Results show a direct GAP-search—LIF cortex correlation that crucially excludes the LPST cortex. Notably, indirect GAP-search recruitment is confined to supplementary-motor and lower-parietal cortex indicating that GAP presence alone is not enough to engage predictive functions in the LIF cortex. Finally, GAP-completion shows recruitment implicating the dorsal pathway including: the supplementary motor cortex, left supramarginal cortex, precuneus, and anterior/dorsal cingulate. Altogether, the results are consistent with previous findings connecting GAP-search, as we define it, to the LIF cortex. They are not consistent with an involvement of the LPST cortex in any of the two mechanisms, and therefore support the view that the LPST cortex is not crucial to LDD implementation. Finally, results support neurocognitive architectures that involve the dorsal pathway in LDD resolution and that distinguish the memory commitments of the LIF cortex as sensitive to specific language-dependent constraints beyond phrase-structure building considerations. PMID:27746748

The Localization of Long-Distance Dependency Components: Integrating the Focal-lesion and Neuroimaging Record.

PubMed

Piñango, Maria M; Finn, Emily; Lacadie, Cheryl; Constable, R Todd

2016-01-01

In the sentence "The captain who the sailor greeted is tall," the connection between the relative pronoun and the object position of greeted represents a long-distance dependency (LDD), necessary for the interpretation of "the captain" as the individual being greeted. Whereas the lesion-based record shows preferential involvement of only the left inferior frontal (LIF) cortex, associated with Broca's aphasia, during real-time comprehension of LDDs, the neuroimaging record shows additional involvement of the left posterior superior temporal (LPST) and lower parietal cortices, which are associated with Wernicke's aphasia. We test the hypothesis that this localization incongruence emerges from an interaction of memory and linguistic constraints involved in the real-time implementation of these dependencies and which had not been previously isolated. Capitalizing on a long-standing psycholinguistic understanding of LDDs as the workings of an active filler, we distinguish two linguistically defined mechanisms: GAP-search , triggered by the retrieval of the relative pronoun, and GAP-completion , triggered by the retrieval of the embedded verb. Each mechanism is hypothesized to have distinct memory demands and given their distinct linguistic import, potentially distinct brain correlates. Using fMRI, we isolate the two mechanisms by analyzing their relevant sentential segments as separate events. We manipulate LDD-presence/absence and GAP-search type (direct/indirect) reflecting the absence/presence of intervening islands. Results show a direct GAP-search -LIF cortex correlation that crucially excludes the LPST cortex. Notably, indirect GAP-search recruitment is confined to supplementary-motor and lower-parietal cortex indicating that GAP presence alone is not enough to engage predictive functions in the LIF cortex. Finally, GAP-completion shows recruitment implicating the dorsal pathway including: the supplementary motor cortex, left supramarginal cortex, precuneus, and anterior/dorsal cingulate. Altogether, the results are consistent with previous findings connecting GAP-search , as we define it, to the LIF cortex. They are not consistent with an involvement of the LPST cortex in any of the two mechanisms, and therefore support the view that the LPST cortex is not crucial to LDD implementation. Finally, results support neurocognitive architectures that involve the dorsal pathway in LDD resolution and that distinguish the memory commitments of the LIF cortex as sensitive to specific language-dependent constraints beyond phrase-structure building considerations.

Oscillatory serotonin function in depression.

PubMed

Salomon, Ronald M; Cowan, Ronald L

2013-11-01

Oscillations in brain activities with periods of minutes to hours may be critical for normal mood behaviors. Ultradian (faster than circadian) rhythms of mood behaviors and associated central nervous system activities are altered in depression. Recent data suggest that ultradian rhythms in serotonin (5HT) function also change in depression. In two separate studies, 5HT metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured every 10 min for 24 h before and after chronic antidepressant treatment. Antidepressant treatments were associated with enhanced ultradian amplitudes of CSF metabolite levels. Another study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure amplitudes of dorsal raphé activation cycles following sham or active dietary depletions of the 5HT precursor (tryptophan). During depletion, amplitudes of dorsal raphé activation cycles increased with rapid 6 s periods (about 0.18 Hz) while functional connectivity weakened between dorsal raphé and thalamus at slower periods of 20 s (0.05 Hz). A third approach studied MDMA (ecstasy, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine) users because of their chronically diminished 5HT function compared with non-MDMA polysubstance users (Karageorgiou et al., 2009). Compared with a non-MDMA using cohort, MDMA users showed diminished fMRI intra-regional coherence in motor regions along with altered functional connectivity, again suggesting effects of altered 5HT oscillatory function. These data support a hypothesis that qualities of ultradian oscillations in 5HT function may critically influence moods and behaviors. Dysfunctional 5HT rhythms in depression may be a common endpoint and biomarker for depression, linking dysfunction of slow brain network oscillators to 5HT mechanisms affected by commonly available treatments. 5HT oscillatory dysfunction may define illness subtypes and predict responses to serotonergic agents. Further studies of 5HT oscillations in depression are indicated. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuronal somata and extrasomal compartments play distinct roles during synapse formation between Lymnaea neurons.

PubMed

Xu, Fenglian; Luk, Collin C; Wiersma-Meems, Ryanne; Baehre, Kelly; Herman, Cameron; Zaidi, Wali; Wong, Noelle; Syed, Naweed I

2014-08-20

Proper synapse formation is pivotal for all nervous system functions. However, the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Moreover, compared with the neuromuscular junction, steps regulating the synaptogenic program at central cholinergic synapses remain poorly defined. In this study, we identified different roles of neuronal compartments (somal vs extrasomal) in chemical and electrical synaptogenesis. Specifically, the electrically synapsed Lymnaea pedal dorsal A cluster neurons were used to study electrical synapses, whereas chemical synaptic partners, visceral dorsal 4 (presynaptic, cholinergic), and left pedal dorsal 1 (LPeD1; postsynaptic) were explored for chemical synapse formation. Neurons were cultured in a soma-soma or soma-axon configuration and synapses explored electrophysiologically. We provide the first direct evidence that electrical synapses develop in a soma-soma, but not soma-axon (removal of soma) configuration, indicating the requirement of gene transcription regulation in the somata of both synaptic partners. In addition, the soma-soma electrical coupling was contingent upon trophic factors present in Lymnaea brain-conditioned medium. Further, we demonstrate that chemical (cholinergic) synapses between soma-soma and soma-axon pairs were indistinguishable, with both exhibiting a high degree of contact site and target cell type specificity. We also provide direct evidence that presynaptic cell contact-mediated, clustering of postsynaptic cholinergic receptors at the synaptic site requires transmitter-receptor interaction, receptor internalization, and a protein kinase C-dependent lateral migration toward the contact site. This study provides novel insights into synaptogenesis between central neurons revealing both distinct and synergistic roles of cell-cell signaling and extrinsic trophic factors in executing the synaptogenic program. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3411304-12$15.00/0.

Comparison of glomerular activity patterns by fMRI and wide-field calcium imaging: implications for principles underlying odor mapping

PubMed Central

Sanganahalli, Basavaraju G.; Rebello, Michelle R.; Herman, Peter; Papademetris, Xenophon; Shepherd, Gordon M.; Verhagen, Justus V.; Hyder, Fahmeed

2015-01-01

Functional imaging signals arise from distinct metabolic and hemodynamic events at the neuropil, but how these processes are influenced by pre- and post-synaptic activities need to be understood for quantitative interpretation of stimulus-evoked mapping data. The olfactory bulb (OB) glomeruli, spherical neuropil regions with well-defined neuronal circuitry, can provide insights into this issue. Optical calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye imaging (OICa2+) reflects dynamics of pre-synaptic input to glomeruli, whereas high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using deoxyhemoglobin contrast reveals neuropil function within the glomerular layer where both pre- and post-synaptic activities contribute. We imaged odor-specific activity patterns of the dorsal OB in the same anesthetized rats with fMRI and OICa2+ and then co-registered the respective maps to compare patterns in the same space. Maps by each modality were very reproducible as trial-to-trial patterns for a given odor, overlapping by ~80%. Maps evoked by ethyl butyrate and methyl valerate for a given modality overlapped by ~80%, suggesting activation of similar dorsal glomerular networks by these odors. Comparison of maps generated by both methods for a given odor showed ~70% overlap, indicating similar odor-specific maps by each method. These results suggest that odor-specific glomerular patterns by high-resolution fMRI primarily tracks pre-synaptic input to the OB. Thus combining OICa2+ and fMRI lays the framework for studies of OB processing over a range of spatiotemporal scales, where OICa2+ can feature the fast dynamics of dorsal glomerular clusters and fMRI can map the entire glomerular sheet in the OB. PMID:26631819

Intrathecal morphine for analgesia in children undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy.

PubMed

Dews, T E; Schubert, A; Fried, A; Ebrahim, Z; Oswalt, K; Paranandi, L

1996-03-01

Selective dorsal root rhizotomy is performed for relief of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Postoperative pain relief can be provided by intrathecal morphine administered at the time of the procedure. We sought to define an optimal dose of intrathecal morphine in children undergoing selective rhizotomy, through a randomized, double-blinded prospective trial. After institutional approval and parental written informed consent, 27 patients, ages 3-10 years, were randomized to receive 10, 20, or 30 micrograms.kg-1 (Groups A, B, and C, respectively) of preservative-free morphine administered intrathecally by the surgeon after dural closure. Postoperatively, vital signs, pulse oximetry, and pain intensity scores were recorded hourly for 24 hr. Supplemental intravenous morphine was administered postoperatively according to a predetermined schedule based on pain scores. There was considerable individual variability in the time to initial morphine dosing and cumulative supplemental morphine dose. Time to first supplemental morphine dose was not different between groups. When compared to Groups A and B, cumulative 6-hr supplemental morphine dose was significantly lower in Group C (38.6 +/- 47 micrograms versus 79.1 +/- 74 and 189.6 +/- 126 for Groups A and B, respectively). By 12 hr, cumulative supplemental morphine dose was similar in Groups A and C. Group B consistently had a higher supplemental dose requirement than Groups A and C at 6, 12, and 18 hr. By 24 hr, there was no difference in cumulative dose among groups. Postoperative pain scores and the incidence of respiratory events, nausea, vomiting and pruritus were comparable among groups. These data suggest that intrathecal morphine at 30 micrograms.kg-1 provides the most intense analgesia at 6 hr following selective dorsal root rhizotomy, but was otherwise comparable to the 10 micrograms.kg-1 dose.

The expression of vesicular glutamate transporters VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 in neurochemically defined axonal populations in the rat spinal cord with emphasis on the dorsal horn.

PubMed

Todd, A J; Hughes, D I; Polgár, E; Nagy, G G; Mackie, M; Ottersen, O P; Maxwell, D J

2003-01-01

Two vesicular glutamate transporters, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, have recently been identified, and it has been reported that they are expressed by largely nonoverlapping populations of glutamatergic neurons in the brain. We have used immunocytochemistry with antibodies against both transporters, together with markers for various populations of spinal neurons, in an attempt to identify glutamatergic interneurons in the dorsal horn of the mid-lumbar spinal cord of the rat. The great majority (94-100%) of nonprimary axonal boutons that contained somatostatin, substance P or neurotensin, as well as 85% of those that contained enkephalin, were VGLUT2-immunoreactive, which suggests that most dorsal horn neurons that synthesize these peptides are glutamatergic. In support of this, we found that most somatostatin- and enkephalin-containing boutons (including somatostatin-immunoreactive boutons that lacked calcitonin gene-related peptide and were therefore probably derived from local interneurons) formed synapses at which AMPA receptors were present. We also investigated VGLUT expression in central terminals of primary afferents. Myelinated afferents were identified with cholera toxin B subunit; most of those in lamina I were VGLUT2-immunoreactive, whereas all those in deeper laminae were VGLUT1-immunoreactive, and some (in laminae III-VI) appeared to contain both transporters. However, peptidergic primary afferents that contained substance P or somatostatin (most of which are unmyelinated), as well as nonpeptidergic C fibres (identified with Bandeiraea simplicifolia isolectin B4) showed low levels of VGLUT2-immunoreactivity, or were not immunoreactive with either VGLUT antibody. As all primary afferents are thought to be glutamatergic, this raises the possibility that unmyelinated afferents, most of which are nociceptors, express a different vesicular glutamate transporter.

Investigating category- and shape-selective neural processing in ventral and dorsal visual stream under interocular suppression.

PubMed

Ludwig, Karin; Kathmann, Norbert; Sterzer, Philipp; Hesselmann, Guido

2015-01-01

Recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies using continuous flash suppression (CFS) have suggested that action-related processing in the dorsal visual stream might be independent of perceptual awareness, in line with the "vision-for-perception" versus "vision-for-action" distinction of the influential dual-stream theory. It remains controversial if evidence suggesting exclusive dorsal stream processing of tool stimuli under CFS can be explained by their elongated shape alone or by action-relevant category representations in dorsal visual cortex. To approach this question, we investigated category- and shape-selective functional magnetic resonance imaging-blood-oxygen level-dependent responses in both visual streams using images of faces and tools. Multivariate pattern analysis showed enhanced decoding of elongated relative to non-elongated tools, both in the ventral and dorsal visual stream. The second aim of our study was to investigate whether the depth of interocular suppression might differentially affect processing in dorsal and ventral areas. However, parametric modulation of suppression depth by varying the CFS mask contrast did not yield any evidence for differential modulation of category-selective activity. Together, our data provide evidence for shape-selective processing under CFS in both dorsal and ventral stream areas and, therefore, do not support the notion that dorsal "vision-for-action" processing is exclusively preserved under interocular suppression. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Responses of spinal dorsal horn neurons to foot movements in rats with a sprained ankle

PubMed Central

Kim, Jae Hyo; Kim, Hee Young; Chung, Kyungsoon

2011-01-01

Acute ankle injuries are common problems and often lead to persistent pain. To investigate the underlying mechanism of ankle sprain pain, the response properties of spinal dorsal horn neurons were examined after ankle sprain. Acute ankle sprain was induced manually by overextending the ankle of a rat hindlimb in a direction of plantarflexion and inversion. The weight-bearing ratio (WBR) of the affected foot was used as an indicator of pain. Single unit activities of dorsal horn neurons in response to plantarflexion and inversion of the foot or ankle compression were recorded from the medial part of the deep dorsal horn, laminae IV-VI, in normal and ankle-sprained rats. One day after ankle sprain, rats showed significantly reduced WBRs on the affected foot, and this reduction was partially restored by systemic morphine. The majority of deep dorsal horn neurons responded to a single ankle stimulus modality. After ankle sprain, the mean evoked response rates were significantly increased, and afterdischarges were developed in recorded dorsal horn neurons. The ankle sprain-induced enhanced evoked responses were significantly reduced by morphine, which was reversed by naltrexone. The data indicate that movement-specific dorsal horn neuron responses were enhanced after ankle sprain in a morphine-dependent manner, thus suggesting that hyperactivity of dorsal horn neurons is an underlying mechanism of pain after ankle sprain. PMID:21389306

Dendritic GIRK Channels Gate the Integration Window, Plateau Potentials, and Induction of Synaptic Plasticity in Dorsal But Not Ventral CA1 Neurons

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Studies comparing neuronal activity at the dorsal and ventral poles of the hippocampus have shown that the scale of spatial information increases and the precision with which space is represented declines from the dorsal to ventral end. These dorsoventral differences in neuronal output and spatial representation could arise due to differences in computations performed by dorsal and ventral CA1 neurons. In this study, we tested this hypothesis by quantifying the differences in dendritic integration and synaptic plasticity between dorsal and ventral CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampus. Using a combination of somatic and dendritic patch-clamp recordings, we show that the threshold for LTP induction is higher in dorsal CA1 neurons and that a G-protein-coupled inward-rectifying potassium channel mediated regulation of dendritic plateau potentials and dendritic excitability underlies this gating. By contrast, similar regulation of LTP is absent in ventral CA1 neurons. Additionally, we show that generation of plateau potentials and LTP induction in dorsal CA1 neurons depends on the coincident activation of Schaffer collateral and temporoammonic inputs at the distal apical dendrites. The ventral CA1 dendrites, however, can generate plateau potentials in response to temporally dispersed excitatory inputs. Overall, our results highlight the dorsoventral differences in dendritic computation that could account for the dorsoventral differences in spatial representation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dorsal and ventral parts of the hippocampus encode spatial information at very different scales. Whereas the place-specific firing fields are small and precise at the dorsal end of the hippocampus, neurons at the ventral end have comparatively larger place fields. Here, we show that the dorsal CA1 neurons have a higher threshold for LTP induction and require coincident timing of excitatory synaptic inputs for the generation of dendritic plateau potentials. By contrast, ventral CA1 neurons can integrate temporally dispersed inputs and have a lower threshold for LTP. Together, these dorsoventral differences in the threshold for LTP induction could account for the differences in scale of spatial representation at the dorsal and ventral ends of the hippocampus. PMID:28280255

Dendritic GIRK Channels Gate the Integration Window, Plateau Potentials, and Induction of Synaptic Plasticity in Dorsal But Not Ventral CA1 Neurons.

PubMed

Malik, Ruchi; Johnston, Daniel

2017-04-05

Studies comparing neuronal activity at the dorsal and ventral poles of the hippocampus have shown that the scale of spatial information increases and the precision with which space is represented declines from the dorsal to ventral end. These dorsoventral differences in neuronal output and spatial representation could arise due to differences in computations performed by dorsal and ventral CA1 neurons. In this study, we tested this hypothesis by quantifying the differences in dendritic integration and synaptic plasticity between dorsal and ventral CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampus. Using a combination of somatic and dendritic patch-clamp recordings, we show that the threshold for LTP induction is higher in dorsal CA1 neurons and that a G-protein-coupled inward-rectifying potassium channel mediated regulation of dendritic plateau potentials and dendritic excitability underlies this gating. By contrast, similar regulation of LTP is absent in ventral CA1 neurons. Additionally, we show that generation of plateau potentials and LTP induction in dorsal CA1 neurons depends on the coincident activation of Schaffer collateral and temporoammonic inputs at the distal apical dendrites. The ventral CA1 dendrites, however, can generate plateau potentials in response to temporally dispersed excitatory inputs. Overall, our results highlight the dorsoventral differences in dendritic computation that could account for the dorsoventral differences in spatial representation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dorsal and ventral parts of the hippocampus encode spatial information at very different scales. Whereas the place-specific firing fields are small and precise at the dorsal end of the hippocampus, neurons at the ventral end have comparatively larger place fields. Here, we show that the dorsal CA1 neurons have a higher threshold for LTP induction and require coincident timing of excitatory synaptic inputs for the generation of dendritic plateau potentials. By contrast, ventral CA1 neurons can integrate temporally dispersed inputs and have a lower threshold for LTP. Together, these dorsoventral differences in the threshold for LTP induction could account for the differences in scale of spatial representation at the dorsal and ventral ends of the hippocampus. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/373940-16$15.00/0.

A Three-Stage Colonel Blotto Game with Applications to Cyber-Physical Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-15

joint measure over the space Ri. Let µi ∈ ℘(Ri) be the strategy of Player i. Then, we let Prk #µi denote the marginal of µi on the k th battlefield. A...solely on the marginal distributions ( Prk #µ1,Pr k #µ2). The resources available to the players and the number of battlefields are common knowledge...Ri) → 2℘(Ri) denote a set-valued map (correspon- dence), defined as Ψi(µi) := { µ̃i ∈ ℘(Ri) : supp(µ̃i) = supp(µi) and Prk #µ̃i = Pr k #µi for all k

Are face representations depth cue invariant?

PubMed

Dehmoobadsharifabadi, Armita; Farivar, Reza

2016-06-01

The visual system can process three-dimensional depth cues defining surfaces of objects, but it is unclear whether such information contributes to complex object recognition, including face recognition. The processing of different depth cues involves both dorsal and ventral visual pathways. We investigated whether facial surfaces defined by individual depth cues resulted in meaningful face representations-representations that maintain the relationship between the population of faces as defined in a multidimensional face space. We measured face identity aftereffects for facial surfaces defined by individual depth cues (Experiments 1 and 2) and tested whether the aftereffect transfers across depth cues (Experiments 3 and 4). Facial surfaces and their morphs to the average face were defined purely by one of shading, texture, motion, or binocular disparity. We obtained identification thresholds for matched (matched identity between adapting and test stimuli), non-matched (non-matched identity between adapting and test stimuli), and no-adaptation (showing only the test stimuli) conditions for each cue and across different depth cues. We found robust face identity aftereffect in both experiments. Our results suggest that depth cues do contribute to forming meaningful face representations that are depth cue invariant. Depth cue invariance would require integration of information across different areas and different pathways for object recognition, and this in turn has important implications for cortical models of visual object recognition.

A Phase 2 Study of Concurrent Fludarabine and Rituximab for the Treatment of Marginal Zone Lymphomas

PubMed Central

Brown, Jennifer R; Friedberg, Jonathan W.; Feng, Yang; Scofield, Sarah; Phillips, Kimberly; Cin, Paola Dal; Joyce, Robin; Takvorian, Ronald W; Fisher, David C; Fisher, Richard I; Liesveld, Jane; Marquis, Diana; Neuberg, Donna; Freedman, Arnold S

2009-01-01

SUMMARY The marginal zone lymphomas are a recently defined group of related diseases likely arising from a common cell of origin, the marginal zone B cell. Data on therapy for subtypes other than gastric MALT has been largely limited to retrospective case series. We therefore undertook this prospective phase 2 study of fludarabine and rituximab for the treatment of marginal zone lymphomas. 26 patients were enrolled, 14 with nodal MZL, 8 with MALT lymphomas and 4 with splenic MZL; 81% were receiving initial systemic therapy. Only 58% (95% CI 37–77%) of patients completed the planned six cycles, due to significant hematologic, infectious and allergic toxicity. Four late toxic deaths occurred due to infections (15% (95% CI 4.3–35%), two related to delayed bone marrow aplasia and two related to MDS. Nonetheless, the ORR was 85% (95% CI 65–96%), with 54% CRs. The progression-free survival at 3.1 years of follow-up is 79.5% (95% CI, 63–96%). We conclude that although concurrent fludarabine and rituximab given at this dose and schedule is a highly effective regimen in the treatment of marginal zone lymphomas, the significant hematologic and infectious toxicity observed both during and after therapy is prohibitive in this patient population, emphasizing the need to study marginal zone lymphomas as a separate entity. PMID:19344412

The limits of seaward spreading and slope instability at the continental margin offshore Mt Etna, imaged by high-resolution 2D seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Felix; Krastel, Sebastian; Geersen, Jacob; Behrmann, Jan Hinrich; Ridente, Domenico; Chiocci, Francesco Latino; Bialas, Jörg; Papenberg, Cord; Cukur, Deniz; Urlaub, Morelia; Micallef, Aaron

2016-01-01

Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. Instability of its eastern flank is well documented onshore, and continuously monitored by geodetic and InSAR measurements. Little is known, however, about the offshore extension of the eastern volcano flank, defining a serious shortcoming in stability models. In order to better constrain the active tectonics of the continental margin offshore the eastern flank of the volcano, we acquired a new high-resolution 2D reflection seismic dataset. The data provide new insights into the heterogeneous geology and tectonics at the continental margin offshore Mt Etna. The submarine realm is characterized by different blocks, which are controlled by local- and regional tectonics. A compressional regime is found at the toe of the continental margin, which is bound to a complex basin system. Both, the clear link between on- and offshore tectonic structures as well as the compressional regime at the easternmost flank edge, indicate a continental margin gravitational collapse as well as spreading to be present at Mt Etna. Moreover, we find evidence for the offshore southern boundary of the moving flank, which is identified as a right lateral oblique fault north of Catania Canyon. Our findings suggest a coupled volcano edifice/continental margin instability at Mt Etna, demonstrating first order linkage between on- and offshore tectonic processes.

Multiple broadly synchronous km-scale exhumation episodes on different continents: implications for controlling processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Paul; Duddy, Ian; Japsen, Peter

2015-04-01

Numerous low temperature thermochronology studies have defined regional cooling episodes which imply removal of several km of section over areas of several 104 km2. The origin of such events has long been the subject of debate, while their reality has sometimes been questioned because of the lack of a viable mechanism. Kilometre-scale denudation at rifted margins has traditionally been interpreted as related to rifting and breakup, magnified by the flexural response to denudation of the uplifted rift flanks. But it is now clear that at many margins the post-breakup history is more complex, with km-scale uplift and erosion commonly post-dating breakup by 10s of Myr and often affecting regions many 100s of kilometres inland of the margins (Green et al., 2013; Brown et al., 2014). Numerous examples around the world of km-scale exhumation affecting regions distant from continental margins, including cratonic regions traditionally regarded as stable over Phanerozoic time (e.g. Ault et al., 2009; Flowers & Kelley, 2011), cannot be explained by margin-related mechanisms. It has also become clear that periods of exhumation are separated by episodes of burial, defining a series of positive and negative vertical movements. Previous studies have defined a broad synchroneity of Early, Middle and Late Cenozoic exhumation events in regions from Alaska to Greenland, Norway and Svalbard (Green and Duddy, 2010). New results from SE Australia define a series of exhumation episodes ranging in time from Carboniferous to Cenozoic which are broadly synchronous with similar events previously defined in Brazil and South Africa (Green et al. 2013). While estimates of the timing of exhumation in different areas are subject to some uncertainty, data across three southern hemisphere continents show a broad synchronicity in similar fashion to the northern hemisphere examples cited above. Dynamic topography has been invoked as a possible mechanism for producing uplift, the effects of which might be magnified by the isostatic response to denudation, but until recently the vertical motions expected from this mechanism were thought to be restricted to 100s of metres while expected timescales of 100s of Myr are not consistent with observations. Braun et al. (2014) showed that movement of plates over areas of areas of mantle upwelling could produce much more rapid uplift and also much larger-scale vertical movements, but the predicted diachroneity of uplift across southern Africa differs from the apparent synchroneity across three continents described here. The processes described by Braun et al. are also specific to one location and one event. Japsen et al. (2012) suggested that broadly synchronous exhumation events on divergent continents resulted from lateral resistance to plate motion driven by forces transmitted in the asthenosphere, while Colli et al. (2014) proposed that dynamic topography caused by pressure-driven mantle flow could produce synchronous uplift (and erosion) in separate continents. Such processes appear to offer more viable mechanisms for producing broadly synchronous episodes of kilometre-scale exhumation and intervening burial in regions separated by large distances. Further geodynamic modelling is needed to develop and test likely mechanisms.

Geomorphology and Neogene tectonic evolution of the Palomares continental margin (Western Mediterranean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez de la Peña, Laura; Gràcia, Eulàlia; Muñoz, Araceli; Acosta, Juan; Gómez-Ballesteros, María; R. Ranero, César; Uchupi, Elazar

2016-10-01

The Palomares continental margin is located in the southeastern part of Spain. The margin main structure was formed during Miocene times, and it is currently part of the wide deformation zone characterizing the region between the Iberian and African plates, where no well-defined plate boundary occurs. The convergence between these two plates is here accommodated by several structures, including the left lateral strike-slip Palomares Fault. The region is characterized by sparse, low to moderate magnitude (Mw < 5.2) shallow instrumental earthquakes, although large historical events have also occurred. To understand the recent tectonic history of the margin we analyze new high-resolution multibeam bathymetry data and re-processed three multichannel seismic reflection profiles crossing the main structures. The analysis of seafloor morphology and associated subsurface structure provides new insights of the active tectonic features of the area. In contrast to other segments of the southeastern Iberian margin, the Palomares margin contains numerous large and comparatively closely spaced canyons with heads that reach near the coast. The margin relief is also characterized by the presence of three prominent igneous submarine ridges that include the Aguilas, Abubacer and Maimonides highs. Erosive processes evidenced by a number of scars, slope failures, gullies and canyon incisions shape the present-day relief of the Palomares margin. Seismic images reveal the deep structure distinguishing between Miocene structures related to the formation of the margin and currently active features, some of which may reactivate inherited structures. The structure of the margin started with an extensional phase accompanied by volcanic accretion during the Serravallian, followed by a compressional pulse that started during the Latemost Tortonian. Nowadays, tectonic activity offshore is subdued and limited to few, minor faults, in comparison with the activity recorded onshore. The deep Algero-Balearic Basin is affected by surficial processes, associated to halokinesis of Messinian evaporites.

SU-E-J-188: Theoretical Estimation of Margin Necessary for Markerless Motion Tracking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, R; Block, A; Harkenrider, M

2015-06-15

Purpose: To estimate the margin necessary to adequately cover the target using markerless motion tracking (MMT) of lung lesions given the uncertainty in tracking and the size of the target. Methods: Simulations were developed in Matlab to determine the effect of tumor size and tracking uncertainty on the margin necessary to achieve adequate coverage of the target. For simplicity, the lung tumor was approximated by a circle on a 2D radiograph. The tumor was varied in size from a diameter of 0.1 − 30 mm in increments of 0.1 mm. From our previous studies using dual energy markerless motion tracking,more » we estimated tracking uncertainties in x and y to have a standard deviation of 2 mm. A Gaussian was used to simulate the deviation between the tracked location and true target location. For each size tumor, 100,000 deviations were randomly generated, the margin necessary to achieve at least 95% coverage 95% of the time was recorded. Additional simulations were run for varying uncertainties to demonstrate the effect of the tracking accuracy on the margin size. Results: The simulations showed an inverse relationship between tumor size and margin necessary to achieve 95% coverage 95% of the time using the MMT technique. The margin decreased exponentially with target size. An increase in tracking accuracy expectedly showed a decrease in margin size as well. Conclusion: In our clinic a 5 mm expansion of the internal target volume (ITV) is used to define the planning target volume (PTV). These simulations show that for tracking accuracies in x and y better than 2 mm, the margin required is less than 5 mm. This simple simulation can provide physicians with a guideline estimation for the margin necessary for use of MMT clinically based on the accuracy of their tracking and the size of the tumor.« less

Anatomy and muscle activity of the dorsal fins in bamboo sharks and spiny dogfish during turning maneuvers.

PubMed

Maia, Anabela; Wilga, Cheryl D

2013-11-01

Stability and procured instability characterize two opposing types of swimming, steady and maneuvering, respectively. Fins can be used to manipulate flow to adjust stability during swimming maneuvers either actively using muscle control or passively by structural control. The function of the dorsal fins during turning maneuvering in two shark species with different swimming modes is investigated here using musculoskeletal anatomy and muscle function. White-spotted bamboo sharks are a benthic species that inhabits complex reef habitats and thus have high requirements for maneuverability. Spiny dogfish occupy a variety of coastal and continental shelf habitats and spend relatively more time cruising in open water. These species differ in dorsal fin morphology and fin position along the body. Bamboo sharks have a larger second dorsal fin area and proportionally more muscle insertion into both dorsal fins. The basal and radial pterygiophores are plate-like structures in spiny dogfish and are nearly indistinguishable from one another. In contrast, bamboo sharks lack basal pterygiophores, while the radial pterygiophores form two rows of elongated rectangular elements that articulate with one another. The dorsal fin muscles are composed of a large muscle mass that extends over the ceratotrichia overlying the radials in spiny dogfish. However, in bamboo sharks, the muscle mass is divided into multiple distinct muscles that insert onto the ceratotrichia. During turning maneuvers, the dorsal fin muscles are active in both species with no differences in onset between fin sides. Spiny dogfish have longer burst durations on the outer fin side, which is consistent with opposing resistance to the medium. In bamboo sharks, bilateral activation of the dorsal in muscles could also be stiffening the fin throughout the turn. Thus, dogfish sharks passively stiffen the dorsal fin structurally and functionally, while bamboo sharks have more flexible dorsal fins, which result from a steady swimming trade off. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Walleye age estimation using otoliths and dorsal spines: Preparation techniques and sampling guidelines based on sex and total length

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dembkowski, Daniel J.; Isermann, Daniel A.; Koenigs, Ryan P.

2017-01-01

We used dorsal spines and otoliths from 735 Walleye Sander vitreus collected from 35 Wisconsin water bodies to evaluate whether 1) otolith and dorsal spine cross sections provided age estimates similar to simpler methods of preparation (e.g., whole otoliths and dorsal spines, cracked otoliths); and 2) between-reader precision and differences between spine and otolith ages varied in relation to total length (TL), sex, and growth rate. Ages estimated from structures prepared using simpler techniques were generally similar to ages estimated using thin sections of dorsal spines and otoliths, suggesting that, in some instances, much of the additional processing time and specialized equipment associated with thin sectioning could be avoided. Overall, between-reader precision was higher for sectioned otoliths (mean coefficient of variation [CV] = 3.28%; standard error [SE] = 0.33%) than for sectioned dorsal spines (mean CV = 9.20%; SE = 0.56%). When using sectioned otoliths for age assignment, between-reader precision did not vary between sexes or growth categories (i.e., fast, moderate, slow), but between-reader precision was higher for females than males when using sectioned dorsal spines. Dorsal spines were generally effective at replicating otolith ages for male Walleye <450 mm TL and female Walleye <600 mm TL, suggesting that dorsal spines can be used to estimate ages for male Walleye <450 mm TL and female Walleye <600 mm TL. If sex is unknown, we suggest dorsal spines be used to estimate ages for Walleye <450 mm TL, but that otoliths be used for fish >450 mm TL. Our results provide useful guidance on structure and preparation technique selection for Walleye age estimation, thereby allowing biologists to develop sampling guidelines that could be implemented using information that is always (TL) or often (sex) available at the time of fish collection.

LKB1 signaling in cephalic neural crest cells is essential for vertebrate head development.

PubMed

Creuzet, Sophie E; Viallet, Jean P; Ghawitian, Maya; Torch, Sakina; Thélu, Jacques; Alrajeh, Moussab; Radu, Anca G; Bouvard, Daniel; Costagliola, Floriane; Borgne, Maïlys Le; Buchet-Poyau, Karine; Aznar, Nicolas; Buschlen, Sylvie; Hosoya, Hiroshi; Thibert, Chantal; Billaud, Marc

2016-10-15

Head development in vertebrates proceeds through a series of elaborate patterning mechanisms and cell-cell interactions involving cephalic neural crest cells (CNCC). These cells undergo extensive migration along stereotypical paths after their separation from the dorsal margins of the neural tube and they give rise to most of the craniofacial skeleton. Here, we report that the silencing of the LKB1 tumor suppressor affects the delamination of pre-migratory CNCC from the neural primordium as well as their polarization and survival, thus resulting in severe facial and brain defects. We further show that LKB1-mediated effects on the development of CNCC involve the sequential activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the Rho-dependent kinase (ROCK) and the actin-based motor protein myosin II. Collectively, these results establish that the complex morphogenetic processes governing head formation critically depends on the activation of the LKB1 signaling network in CNCC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visualization of collagen regeneration in mouse dorsal skin using second harmonic generation microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, T.; Chen, J. X.; Zhuo, S. M.; Lu, K. C.; Jiang, X. S.; Liu, Q. G.

2009-03-01

The purpose of this study is to highlight a clearer understanding of the process of collagen regeneration during wound healing. By means of second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy, the changes of collagen arrangement at the wound margin were analyzed at 0, 3, 5, 7, 11 and 13 days post injury. The degree of collagen disorders associated with the healing process was quantitatively obtained using the aspect ratio of polar plot image of collagen azimuthal angles and the healing status of collagen could be estimated by arithmetical mean deviation ( Ra) of the collagen SHG images. Our results suggest that SHG microscopy has potential advances in the collagen studies during wound healing and the arrangement of collagen fibers gradually transformed from disorder to order so as to contract the wound. It is capable of promoting clinical application of the noninvasive imaging tool and the analysis methods of collagen disorder as an effective scar management for prevention and treatment about aberrant healing.

Squat lobsters (Crustacea: Anomura) from Mauritanian waters (West Africa), with the description of a new species of Munidopsis.

PubMed

De Matos-Pita, Susana S; Ramil, Fran

2014-02-20

This paper is the result of the study of a squat lobsters collection obtained along the Mauritanian coast, between 91 and 1867 m depth, during the 'MAURIT' surveys carried out in the period from 2007 to 2010. Eumunida bella de Saint Laurent & Macpherson, 1990 (Chirostyloidea) and six species of Munida and Munidopsis (Galatheoidea) are reported in the present work.A new species, Munidopsis anaramosae n. sp. collected off northwestern Banc d'Arguin at 1000-1012 m depth, is described and illustrated. The presence of an eyespine that arises distally from the middle end of the cornea, walking legs merus spinose on dorsal and ventral margins and cheliped merus ventrally unarmed distinguish it from related species. Munida chunii Balss, 1913 is redescribed here and the new records of Munida guineae Miyake & Baba, 1970, M. speciosa von Martens, 1878 and Munidopsis chunii Balss, 1913 extend their geographical distribution northwards, and in the case of the last species, increase its bathymetric range.

Ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys of healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius).

PubMed

Tharwat, Mohamed; Al-Sobayil, Fahd; Ali, Ahmed; Buczinski, Sébastien

2012-12-01

This study describes the ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys of healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius). Images of the liver were obtained from the 11th to 5th intercostal spaces (ICSs). The distance between the dorsal liver margin and the midline of the back was shortest (39.1 ± 7.4 cm) at the 11th ICS and increased cranially to 5th ICS. The size of the liver was largest at the 9th ICS and smallest at the 5th ICS. In 6 camels the right kidney was visualized from the 10th and 11th ICSs and upper right flank and in the 10th and 11th ICSs in the remaining 16 camels. In all camels, the left kidney was imaged from the caudal left flank. In 21 camels, the differentiation between the renal cortex and medulla was clearly visible in the ultrasonograms. Ultrasonographic description of the liver and kidneys provides a basic reference for diagnosing hepatic and renal disorders in camels.

Ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys of healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius)

PubMed Central

Tharwat, Mohamed; Al-Sobayil, Fahd; Ali, Ahmed; Buczinski, Sébastien

2012-01-01

This study describes the ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys of healthy camels (Camelus dromedarius). Images of the liver were obtained from the 11th to 5th intercostal spaces (ICSs). The distance between the dorsal liver margin and the midline of the back was shortest (39.1 ± 7.4 cm) at the 11th ICS and increased cranially to 5th ICS. The size of the liver was largest at the 9th ICS and smallest at the 5th ICS. In 6 camels the right kidney was visualized from the 10th and 11th ICSs and upper right flank and in the 10th and 11th ICSs in the remaining 16 camels. In all camels, the left kidney was imaged from the caudal left flank. In 21 camels, the differentiation between the renal cortex and medulla was clearly visible in the ultrasonograms. Ultrasonographic description of the liver and kidneys provides a basic reference for diagnosing hepatic and renal disorders in camels. PMID:23729824

A New Species of Hyperbenthic Cyclopoid Copepod from Japan: First Record of the Genus Cyclopicina in the Indo-Pacific Region.

PubMed

Ohtsuka, Susumu; Tanaka, Hayato; Boxshall, Geoffrey A

2016-12-01

A new species of the cyclopinid genus Cyclopicina, C. toyoshioae sp. nov., was collected from the hyperbenthic layer off northern Kyushu Island, Japan; its description is based on two adult female specimens. This is the first record of the genus from the Indo-Pacific region. The new species can be distinguished from its two known congeners in: (1) the relatively short antennules which do not reach the posterior margin of the dorsal cephalothoracic shield; (2) the shape of seminal receptacles; (3) the segmentation and armature of the cephalothoracic appendages; (4) the shape of the basal protrusion between the rami of legs 1-4; (5) the presence of three outer spines on the third exopodal segment of leg 4; and (6) the presence or absence of outer setae on the free exopodal segment of leg 5. The genus Cyclopicina shows a wide but scattered distribution in hyperbenthic layers, from the continental shelves to deep-sea basins, in the northern hemisphere.

The Xenopus Tgfbi is required for embryogenesis through regulation of canonical Wnt signalling.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Hu, Wanzhou; Xian, Jian; Ohnuma, Shin-ichi; Brenton, James D

2013-07-01

Tgfbi, a fasciclin family extracellular matrix protein, has various roles in human diseases from corneal dystrophies to cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie its functions are poorly understood. Here, we studied the role of Tgfbi during Xenopus embryogenesis. During gastrulation and immediately after, Xtgfbi is expressed at developmentally important signaling centers including the dorsal marginal zone, notochord and floorplate. Xtgfbi knockdown by anti-sense morpholinos causes defective organizer induction, patterning and differentiation of muscle, neuron and neural crests, similar to suppression of canonical Wnt signaling. In Xenopus embryos and animal caps as well as DLD-1 cells, we show that Tgfbi is strongly required for the full activation of the canonical Wnt pathway by promoting phosphorylation of GSK3β and consequently enhancing the stabilization and nuclear localization of β-catenin. Further analysis shows that Tgfbi is likely to promote GSK3β phosphorylation through integrin-linked kinase. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolution of the YABBY gene family in seed plants.

PubMed

Finet, Cédric; Floyd, Sandra K; Conway, Stephanie J; Zhong, Bojian; Scutt, Charles P; Bowman, John L

2016-01-01

Members of the YABBY gene family of transcription factors in angiosperms have been shown to be involved in the initiation of outgrowth of the lamina, the maintenance of polarity, and establishment of the leaf margin. Although most of the dorsal-ventral polarity genes in seed plants have homologs in non-spermatophyte lineages, the presence of YABBY genes is restricted to seed plants. To gain insight into the origin and diversification of this gene family, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of YABBY gene lineages in seed plants. Our findings suggest that either one or two YABBY genes were present in the last common ancestor of extant seed plants. We also examined the expression of YABBY genes in the gymnosperms Ephedra distachya (Gnetales), Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoales), and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Coniferales). Our data indicate that some YABBY genes are expressed in a polar (abaxial) manner in leaves and female cones in gymnosperms. We propose that YABBY genes already acted as polarity genes in the last common ancestor of extant seed plants. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Recharacterization of Rhinophis dorsimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1941 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae), including description of new material.

PubMed

Gower, David J; Wickramasinghe, L J Mendis

2016-08-29

The Sri Lankan uropeltid (shieldtail) snake Rhinophis dorsimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1941 was described originally from two specimens that were subsequently lost. The small amount of previously published data and lack of published colour photographs made this one of South Asia's most poorly known snake species, and this resulted in at least one instance of taxonomic misidentification. An additional 10 specimens from a historical collection from the vicinity of the type locality recently came to light. This material is reviewed and documented and the species recharacterized. An additional locality for the species is reported. The newly reported material helps to corroborate the taxonomic validity and distinctiveness of Rhinophis dorsimaculatus. The species is readily distinguished from congeners by having 227 or more ventral scales; a large, dorsally carinate rostral shield; posterior margins of paired anals that are largely separated by the posteriormost ventral scale; and a distinctive colour pattern with bilaterally asymmetrical dark blotches within a broad, pale middorsal stripe and regularly punctate flanks.

Structure and degree of magmatism of North and South Atlantic rifted margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faleide, Jan Inge; Breivik, Asbjørn J.; Blaich, Olav A.; Tsikalas, Filippos; Planke, Sverre; Mansour Abdelmalak, Mohamed; Mjelde, Rolf; Myklebust, Reidun

2014-05-01

The structure and evolution of conjugate rifted margins in the South and North Atlantic have been studied mainly based on seismic reflection and refraction profiles, complemented by potential field data and plate reconstructions. All margins exhibit distinct along-margin structural and magmatic changes reflecting both structural inheritance extending back to a complex pre-breakup geological history and the final breakup processes. The sedimentary basins at the conjugate margins developed as a result of multiple phases of rifting, associated with complex time-dependent thermal structure of the lithosphere. A series of conjugate crustal transects reveal tectonomagmatic asymmetry, both along-strike and across the conjugate margin systems. The continent-ocean transitional domain along the magma-dominated margin segments is characterized by a large volume of flood basalts and high-velocity/high-density lower crust emplaced during and after continental breakup. Both the volume and duration of excess magmatism varies. The extrusive and intrusive complexes make it difficult to pin down a COB to be used in plate reconstructions. The continent-ocean transition is usually well defined as a rapid increase of P-wave velocities at mid- to lower crustal levels. The transition is further constrained by comparing the mean P-wave velocity to the thickness of the crystalline crust. By this comparison we can also address the magmatic processes associated with breakup, whether they are convection dominated or temperature dominated. In the NE Atlantic there is a strong correlation between magma productivity and early plate spreading rate, suggesting a common cause. A model for the breakup-related magmatism should be able to explain this correlation, but also the magma production peak at breakup, the along-margin magmatic segmentation, and the active mantle upwelling. It is likely that mantle plumes (Iceland in the NE Atlantic, Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic) may have influenced the volume of magmatism but they did not necessarily alter the process of rifted margin formation, implying that parts of the margins may have much in common with more magma-poor margins. Conjugate margin segments from the North and South Atlantic will be compared and discussed with particular focus on the tectonomagmatic processes associated with continental breakup.

Reidentification of avian embryonic remains from the cretaceous of mongolia.

PubMed

Varricchio, David J; Balanoff, Amy M; Norell, Mark A

2015-01-01

Embryonic remains within a small (4.75 by 2.23 cm) egg from the Late Cretaceous, Mongolia are here re-described. High-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRCT) was used to digitally prepare and describe the enclosed embryonic bones. The egg, IGM (Mongolian Institute for Geology, Ulaanbaatar) 100/2010, with a three-part shell microstructure, was originally assigned to Neoceratopsia implying extensive homoplasy among eggshell characters across Dinosauria. Re-examination finds the forelimb significantly longer than the hindlimbs, proportions suggesting an avian identification. Additional, postcranial apomorphies (strut-like coracoid, cranially located humeral condyles, olecranon fossa, slender radius relative to the ulna, trochanteric crest on the femur, and ulna longer than the humerus) identify the embryo as avian. Presence of a dorsal coracoid fossa and a craniocaudally compressed distal humerus with a strongly angled distal margin support a diagnosis of IGM 100/2010 as an enantiornithine. Re-identification eliminates the implied homoplasy of this tri-laminate eggshell structure, and instead associates enantiornithine birds with eggshell microstructure composed of a mammillary, squamatic, and external zones. Posture of the embryo follows that of other theropods with fore- and hindlimbs folded parallel to the vertebral column and the elbow pointing caudally just dorsal to the knees. The size of the egg and embryo of IGM 100/2010 is similar to the two other Mongolian enantiornithine eggs. Well-ossified skeletons, as in this specimen, characterize all known enantiornithine embryos suggesting precocial hatchlings, comparing closely to late stage embryos of modern precocial birds that are both flight- and run-capable upon hatching. Extensive ossification in enantiornithine embryos may contribute to their relatively abundant representation in the fossil record. Neoceratopsian eggs remain unrecognized in the fossil record.

Structural and ultrastructural features of the agouti tongue (Dasyprocta aguti Linnaeus, 1766)

PubMed Central

Ciena, Adriano Polican; Bolina, Cristina de Sousa; de Almeida, Sonia Regina Yokomizo; Rici, Rose Eli Grassi; de Oliveira, Moacir Franco; da da Silva, Marcelo Cavenaghi Pereira; Miglino, Maria Angélica; Watanabe, Ii-sei

2013-01-01

The agouti (Dasyprocta aguti Linnaeus, 1766) is a wild rodent belonging to the family Dasyproctidae that is found throughout Brazil and feeds on fruits and seeds. The aim of the present study was to describe the following features of the tongue of agouti: its morphological structures, the three-dimensional characteristics of the lingual papillae surface, the connective tissue cores (CTCs) and the epithelial cell ultrastructure. Four types of papillae were observed on the dorsal surface of the tongue with a triangular shape: filiform, fungiform, foliate and vallate. Filiform papillae were distributed throughout the tongue surface, and removal of the epithelial surface revealed conical CTCs and multifilaments. Fungiform papillae were observed in the rostral and middle regions, whereas foliate papillae developed in pairs on the lateral margin of the caudal region. Removal of the epithelium in these regions revealed CTCs with parallel laminar conformation. Vallate papillae were arranged in a V-shape in the caudal region, and their CTCs ranged in shape from elongate to ovoid. The ultrastructural components of the dorsal epithelium were the basal, spinous, granular and keratinised layers. A broad area with cytoplasmic projections was identified in the interface region between the lamina propria and the basal layer. Flattened cells with intermediate filaments were observed in the transitional region between spinous and granular layers. The keratinised layer was composed of superimposed epithelial cells where desmosomes and cell-surface microridges were observed. These structural features, including the three-dimensional aspects of the lingual papillae, the CTCs and the epithelial ultrastructure, indicate that when compared with other animals, particularly other rodent species, the morphological features of the tongue of agouti are relatively well developed, especially regarding foliate and vallate papillae. PMID:23701183

Xenopus Zic3 controls notochord and organizer development through suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

PubMed

Fujimi, Takahiko J; Hatayama, Minoru; Aruga, Jun

2012-01-15

Zic3 controls neuroectodermal differentiation and left-right patterning in Xenopus laevis embryos. Here we demonstrate that Zic3 can suppress Wnt/β-catenin signaling and control development of the notochord and Spemann's organizer. When we overexpressed Zic3 by injecting its RNA into the dorsal marginal zone of 2-cell-stage embryos, the embryos lost mesodermal dorsal midline structures and showed reduced expression of organizer markers (Siamois and Goosecoid) and a notochord marker (Xnot). Co-injection of Siamois RNA partially rescued the reduction of Xnot expression caused by Zic3 overexpression. Because the expression of Siamois in the organizer region is controlled by Wnt/β-catenin signaling, we subsequently examined the functional interaction between Zic3 and Wnt signaling. Co-injection of Xenopus Zic RNAs and β-catenin RNA with a reporter responsive to the Wnt/β-catenin cascade indicated that Zic1, Zic2, Zic3, Zic4, and Zic5 can all suppress β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation. In addition, co-injection of Zic3 RNA inhibited the secondary axis formation caused by ventral-side injection of β-catenin RNA in Xenopus embryos. Zic3-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signal suppression required the nuclear localization of Zic3, and involved the reduction of β-catenin nuclear transport and enhancement of β-catenin degradation. Furthermore, Zic3 co-precipitated with Tcf1 (a β-catenin co-factor) and XIC (I-mfa domain containing factor required for dorsoanterior development). The findings in this report produce a novel system for fine-tuning of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Posterior trunk reconstruction with the dorsal intercostal artery perforator based flap: Clinical experience on 20 consecutive oncological cases.

PubMed

Brunetti, Beniamino; Tenna, Stefania; Aveta, Achille; Poccia, Igor; Segreto, Francesco; Cerbone, Vincenzo; Persichetti, Paolo

2016-10-01

Few studies in the recent literature have investigated the reliability of dorsal intercostal artery perforator (DICAP) flap in posterior trunk reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to describe our clinical experience with the use of DICAP flaps in a cohort of oncological patients. Twenty patients underwent posterior trunk reconstruction with DICAP based flaps. Patients age ranged from 45 to 76 years. All defects resulted from skin cancer ablation. Defect sizes ranged from 4 × 4 to 6 × 8 cm. The flaps were mobilized in V-Y or propeller fashion. The flaps were islanded on 1 (12 cases), 2 (6 cases), or 3 (2 cases) perforators. Donor sites were always closed primarily. Eleven V-Y advancement flaps were performed; one of these was converted to a perforator-plus peninsular flap design, which retained an additional source of blood supply from the opposite skin bridge. Nine flaps were mobilized in propeller fashion. Flap dimensions ranged from 4 × 6 to 6 × 14 cm. Mean operative time was 70 min. One V-Y flap complicated with marginal necrosis that healed with no need for reintervention. All the other flaps survived uneventfully. No other complications were observed at recipient and donor sites. Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 2 years. All the patients were satisfied with the surgical outcome. DICAP based flaps proved to be a reliable option to resurface posterior trunk defects following oncological resection, allowing to achieve like-with-like reconstruction with excellent contour and minimal donor-site morbidity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:546-551, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three new species of the Indo-Pacific fish genus Hime (Aulopidae, Aulopiformes), all resembling the type species H. japonica (Günther 1877).

PubMed

Gomon, Martin F; Struthers, Carl D

2015-11-19

Descriptions of three new species of the aulopid genus Hime from the central and western Pacific and presumably the easternmost Indian Ocean are presented. Hime surrubea sp. nov., confined to the Hawaiian Island region, has been misidentified in species accounts and faunal lists as H. japonica and although resembling it is separable from that species by its shorter caudal peduncle, slightly larger head, larger eye, especially relative to head size, and slightly smaller pectoral and pelvic fins. Hime capitonis sp. nov. is known conclusively only from seamounts off the southern tip of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, and is distinguishable by its distinctively large head (32.3-35.6% SL) and eyes (orbital diameter 10.8-13.0% SL) and relatively few scales between the anus and anal fin origin (7-9). The Indonesian H. caudizoma sp. nov. is so far known from only 8 specimens, acquired in markets in southeastern Lombok and presumably caught nearby in what would be regarded the eastern reaches of the Indian Ocean. The species is recognisable by its dorsal fin of rather uniform moderate height with nearly straight distal margin and 17 rather than 16 rays, none of which is filamentous in either sex, the second penultimate ray rather than anterior rays the longest in males. Like the other two described here, H. caudizoma has among the largest head and eyes of the family. Observations on the dorsal fin form and other features of H. microps Parin & Kotlyar, 1989 are provided based on a large male specimen collected at Rapa Iti, Austral Islands and a re-evaluation of the original description.

Fine structure of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the juvenile hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata bissa.

PubMed

Iwasaki, S; Asami, T; Wanichanon, C

1996-04-01

Various species of turtles are adapted to different environments, such as freshwater, seawater, and terrestrial habitats. Comparisons of histological and ultrastructural features of the tongue of the juvenile Hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata bissa, with those of freshwater turtles should reveal some aspects of the relationship between the structure of the lingual epithelium and the environment. The light microscope, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were used. Light microscopy revealed that the mucosal epithelium of the tongue was of the keratinized, stratified squamous type. Under the scanning electron microscope, no lingual papillae were visible on the dorsal surface of the tongue. Micropits and the thickening of cell margins were clearly seen on the surface of cells located on the outermost side. The transmission electron microscope revealed that the cells in the intermediate layer were gradually flattened from the basal side to the surface side, as were their nuclei. In the shallow intermediate layer, the cells were significantly flattened, and their nuclei were condensed or had disappeared. The cytoplasm contained keratohyalin granules, tonofibrils, free ribosomes, mitochondria, and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Numerous free ribosomes were attached to the surface of small keratohyalin granules. The cells of the keratinized layer were significantly flattened, and their nuclei had completely disappeared. Most of cytoplasm was filled with keratin fibers of high electron density. Keratin fibers of the shedding cells, which were located on the outermost side of the keratinized layer, appeared looser, and each fiber, which was somewhat thicker than the tonofibrils and tonofilaments, was clearly distinguishable. The lingual epithelium of the juvenile Hawksbill turtle differs significantly from that of the adult freshwater turtle, in spite of the similarity in gross morphology of the tongues of these species.

A new Liopropoma sea bass (Serranidae, Epinephelinae, Liopropomini) from deep reefs off Curaçao, southern Caribbean, with comments on depth distributions of western Atlantic liopropomins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, Carole C.; Robertson, D. Ross

2014-01-01

Collecting reef-fish specimens using a manned submersible diving to 300 m off Curaçao, southern Caribbean, is resulting in the discovery of numerous new fish species. The new Liopropoma sea bass described here differs from other western Atlantic members of the genus in having VIII, 13 dorsal-fin rays; a moderately indented dorsal-fin margin; a yellow-orange stripe along the entire upper lip; a series of approximately 13 white, chevron-shaped markings on the ventral portion of the trunk; and a reddish-black blotch on the tip of the lower caudal-fin lobe. The new species, with predominantly yellow body and fins, closely resembles the other two “golden basses” found together with it at Curaçao: L. aberransand L. olneyi. It also shares morphological features with the other western Atlantic liopropomin genus,Bathyanthias. Preliminary phylogenetic data suggest that western Atlantic liopropomins, includingBathyanthias, are monophyletic with respect to Indo-Pacific Liopropoma, and that Bathyanthias is nested within Liopropoma, indicating a need for further study of the generic limits of Liopropoma. The phylogenetic data also suggest that western Atlantic liopropomins comprise three monophyletic clades that have overlapping depth distributions but different depth maxima (3–135 m, 30–150 m, 133–411 m). The new species has the deepest depth range (182–241 m) of any known western Atlantic Liopropomaspecies. Both allopatric and depth-mediated ecological speciation may have contributed to the evolution of western Atlantic Liopropomini.

Weighing the evidence for a dorsal processing bias under continuous flash suppression.

PubMed

Ludwig, Karin; Hesselmann, Guido

2015-09-01

With the introduction of continuous flash suppression (CFS) as a method to render stimuli invisible and study unconscious visual processing, a novel hypothesis has gained popularity. It states that processes typically ascribed to the dorsal visual stream can escape CFS and remain functional, while ventral stream processes are suppressed when stimuli are invisible under CFS. This notion of a CFS-specific "dorsal processing bias" has been argued to be in line with core characteristics of the influential dual-stream hypothesis of visual processing which proposes a dissociation between dorsally mediated vision-for-action and ventrally mediated vision-for-perception. Here, we provide an overview of neuroimaging and behavioral studies that either examine this dorsal processing bias or base their conclusions on it. We show that both evidence for preserved ventral processing as well as lack of dorsal processing can be found in studies using CFS. To reconcile the diverging results, differences in the paradigms and their effects are worthy of future research. We conclude that given the current level of information a dorsal processing bias under CFS cannot be universally assumed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Patients' Satisfaction and Functional Outcome of Dorsal Hand Unit Reconstruction in Burn Patients in Shiraz, Southern Iran.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Ali Akbar; Foroutan, Ali; Mohammadi, Soheil; Zardosht, Mitra

2018-06-13

The aim of this study was to assess patients' satisfaction and functional outcome of dorsal hand unit reconstruction in burn patients in Shiraz, southern Iran.From September 2013 to February 2017, 11 patients (15 hands) with hand aesthetic complaint who were unhappy with their hand appearance were included for dorsal hand unit reconstruction. Under general anesthesia and tourniquet control, the burned tissue on dorsal surface of the hands was excised and a thick partial thickness skin graft was used for coverage, whereas the fingers were fixed by sutures to the palm. After 1 year, the five-points scale was used for evaluation of patients' satisfaction regarding the five major activities considered for hand function before and after operation. The mean age of the patients was 25.8 ± 5.17 years. The skin grafts were well taken. Six (40%) and eight patients (53%) reported the result of operation as completely satisfied and satisfied, respectively. Dorsal hand unit reconstruction in patients with dorsal hand contracture and significant dorsal scar was shown to simultaneously improve the function and aesthetic outcome of the surgery.

Differential contribution of electrically evoked dorsal root reflexes to peripheral vasodilatation and plasma extravasation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Dorsal root reflexes (DRRs) are antidromic activities traveling along the primary afferent fibers, which can be generated by peripheral stimulation or central stimulation. DRRs are thought to be involved in the generation of neurogenic inflammation, as indicated by plasma extravasation and vasodilatation. The hypothesis of this study was that electrical stimulation of the central stump of a cut dorsal root would lead to generation of DRRs, resulting in plasma extravasation and vasodilatation. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared to expose spinal cord and L4-L6 dorsal roots under pentobarbital general anesthesia. Electrical stimulation of either intact, proximal or distal, cut dorsal roots was applied while plasma extravasation or blood perfusion of the hindpaw was recorded. Results While stimulation of the peripheral stump of a dorsal root elicited plasma extravasation, electrical stimulation of the central stump of a cut dorsal root generated significant DRRs, but failed to induce plasma extravasation. However, stimulation of the central stump induced a significant increase in blood perfusion. Conclusions It is suggested that DRRs are involved in vasodilatation but not plasma extravasation in neurogenic inflammation in normal animals. PMID:21356101

Neural retina-specific Aldh1a1 controls dorsal choroidal vascular development via Sox9 expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

PubMed

Goto, So; Onishi, Akishi; Misaki, Kazuyo; Yonemura, Shigenobu; Sugita, Sunao; Ito, Hiromi; Ohigashi, Yoko; Ema, Masatsugu; Sakaguchi, Hirokazu; Nishida, Kohji; Takahashi, Masayo

2018-04-03

VEGF secreted from retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is responsible for the choroidal vascular development; however, the molecular regulatory mechanism is unclear. We found that Aldh1a1 -/- mice showed choroidal hypoplasia with insufficient vascularization in the dorsal region, although Aldh1a1, an enzyme that synthesizes retinoic acids (RAs), is expressed in the dorsal neural retina, not in the RPE/choroid complex. The level of VEGF in the RPE/choroid was significantly decreased in Aldh1a1 -/- mice, and RA-dependent enhancement of VEGF was observed in primary RPE cells. An RA-deficient diet resulted in dorsal choroidal hypoplasia, and simple RA treatment of Aldh1a1 -/- pregnant females suppressed choroid hypoplasia in their offspring. We also found downregulation of Sox9 in the dorsal neural retina and RPE of Aldh1a1 -/- mice and RPE-specific disruption of Sox9 phenocopied Aldh1a1 -/- choroidal development. These results suggest that RAs produced by Aldh1a1 in the neural retina directs dorsal choroidal vascular development via Sox9 upregulation in the dorsal RPE cells to enhance RPE-derived VEGF secretion. © 2018, Goto et al.

Interactions between dorsal and ventral streams for controlling skilled grasp

PubMed Central

van Polanen, Vonne; Davare, Marco

2015-01-01

The two visual systems hypothesis suggests processing of visual information into two distinct routes in the brain: a dorsal stream for the control of actions and a ventral stream for the identification of objects. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that the dorsal and ventral streams are not strictly independent, but do interact with each other. In this paper, we argue that the interactions between dorsal and ventral streams are important for controlling complex object-oriented hand movements, especially skilled grasp. Anatomical studies have reported the existence of direct connections between dorsal and ventral stream areas. These physiological interconnections appear to be gradually more active as the precision demands of the grasp become higher. It is hypothesised that the dorsal stream needs to retrieve detailed information about object identity, stored in ventral stream areas, when the object properties require complex fine-tuning of the grasp. In turn, the ventral stream might receive up to date grasp-related information from dorsal stream areas to refine the object internal representation. Future research will provide direct evidence for which specific areas of the two streams interact, the timing of their interactions and in which behavioural context they occur. PMID:26169317

Clinical Value of Dorsal Medulla Oblongata Involvement Detected with Conventional MRI for Prediction of Outcome in Children with Enterovirus 71-related Brainstem Encephalitis.

PubMed

Liu, Kun; Zhou, Yongjin; Cui, Shihan; Song, Jiawen; Ye, Peipei; Xiang, Wei; Huang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Yiping; Yan, Zhihan; Ye, Xinjian

2018-04-05

Brainstem encephalitis is the most common neurologic complication after enterovirus 71 infection. The involvement of brainstem, especially the dorsal medulla oblongata, can cause severe sequelae or death in children with enterovirus 71 infection. We aimed to determine the prevalence of dorsal medulla oblongata involvement in children with enterovirus 71-related brainstem encephalitis (EBE) by using conventional MRI and to evaluate the value of dorsal medulla oblongata involvement in outcome prediction. 46 children with EBE were enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent a 1.5 Tesla MR examination of the brain. The disease distribution and clinical data were collected. Dichotomized outcomes (good versus poor) at longer than 6 months were available for 28 patients. Logistic regression was used to determine whether the MRI-confirmed dorsal medulla oblongata involvement resulted in improved clinical outcome prediction when compared with other location involvement. Of the 46 patients, 35 had MRI evidence of dorsal medulla oblongata involvement, 32 had pons involvement, 10 had midbrain involvement, and 7 had dentate nuclei involvement. Patients with dorsal medulla oblongata involvement or multiple area involvement were significantly more often in the poor outcome group than in the good outcome group. Logistic regression analysis showed that dorsal medulla oblongata involvement was the most significant single variable in outcome prediction (predictive accuracy, 90.5%), followed by multiple area involvement, age, and initial glasgow coma scale score. Dorsal medulla oblongata involvement on conventional MRI correlated significantly with poor outcomes in EBE children, improved outcome prediction when compared with other clinical and disease location variables, and was most predictive when combined with multiple area involvement, glasgow coma scale score and age.

Scapular deformity in obstetric brachial plexus palsy and the Hueter-Volkmann law; a retrospective study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Hueter-Volkmann law describes growth principles around joints and joint deformation. It states that decreased stress leads to increased growth and that excessive stress leads to growth retardation. Aim of this study was to test the possible results of this principle by measuring the effect of dorsal humeral head subluxation on scapular growth in children with Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Lesions (OBPL). According to the Hueter-Volkmann law, subluxation should result in decrease of growth of the dorsal length of the scapula (by increased dorsal pressure) and increase of the ventral length (decreased pressure). Methods 58 children (mean age 20 months, range 1-88 month) with unilateral OBPL and good quality MRI of both shoulders were included. On MRI, humeral head subluxation, joint deformation, and ventral and dorsal scapular lengths were measured. Data were expressed as a ratio of the normal side. Results In affected scapulas both ventral and dorsal side were smaller compared to the normal side. Reduction of growth on the affected side was more marked on the dorsal side than on the ventral side (6.5 mm respectively 4.5 mm, p < 0.001). The balance of growth reduction as expressed by the ratio of ventral and dorsal length was strongly related to subluxation (R2 = 0.33, p < 0.001) and age (R2 = 0.19, p < 0.001). Conclusions The Hueter-Volkmann law is incompletely active in subluxated shoulders in OBPL. Dorsal subluxation indeed leads to decrease of growth of the dorsal length of the scapula. However, decreased stress did not lead to increased growth of the ventral length of the scapula. PMID:23522350

Development of the Avian Dorsal Thalamus: Patterns and Gradients of Neurogenesis.

PubMed

Lynn, Allison M; Schneider, Danielle A; Bruce, Laura L

2015-01-01

The dorsal thalamus is a region of the diencephalon that relays sensory and motor information between areas of the brain stem and the telencephalon. Although a dorsal thalamic region is recognized in all vertebrates and believed to be homologous, little is known about how the regions within it evolved and whether some or all regions within the dorsal thalamus are homologous among different vertebrate species. To characterize the gradients and patterns of neurogenesis of the avian dorsal thalamus, a single application of a low dose of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was delivered to each chick between embryonic day (E)3 and E8 (stages 21 and 34), and chicks were followed up to E8 or E10 (stage 34 or 36). Comparisons of anti-BrdU labeling patterns across the different injection days suggest that nearly all dorsal thalamic neurons are born early in chick embryogenesis, between E3 and E8. Furthermore, neurons in the lateral, dorsal, and posterior parts of the dorsal thalamus are generally born earlier than those in the medial, ventral, and anterior parts. Analyses of the birth dates for nine regions show that the general pattern of neurogenesis in the avian dorsal thalamus resembles that of homologous regions within the rodent thalamus, with the exception of the auditory region, the nucleus ovoidalis, which is born later than the mammalian auditory medial geniculate nucleus. The similar pattern of neurogenesis in birds and mammals may represent a highly conserved developmental pattern that was present in the common ancestor of living birds and mammals, or may represent independently derived states. Additional studies in reptiles and amphibians are needed to distinguish between these evolutionary histories. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Sexual Dimorphism and Geographic Variation in Dorsal Fin Features of Australian Humpback Dolphins, Sousa sahulensis.

PubMed

Brown, Alexander M; Bejder, Lars; Parra, Guido J; Cagnazzi, Daniele; Hunt, Tim; Smith, Jennifer L; Allen, Simon J

2016-01-01

Determining the sex of free-ranging cetaceans can be challenging. Sexual dimorphism among external features may allow inferences on sex, but such patterns may be difficult to detect and are often confounded by age and geographic variation. Dorsal fin images of 107 female and 54 male Australian humpback dolphins, Sousa sahulensis, from Western Australia (WA) and Queensland (QLD) were used to investigate sex, age and geographic differences in colouration, height/length quotient and number of notches. Adult males exhibited more dorsal fin notches (p<0.001) and a significantly greater loss of pigmentation on the upper half of their dorsal fins (p<0.001) than did adult females. These differences likely reflect that males experience a higher frequency and/or intensity of intraspecific aggression than females. In QLD, heavily spotted dorsal fins were more frequent among females than males (p<0.001). Logistic regression analyses revealed that dorsal fin spotting and loss of pigmentation on the upper half of the dorsal fin provided the best model parameters for predicting the sex of sampled adults, with 97% accuracy. This technique offers a rapid, non-invasive method for predicting sex in Australian humpback dolphins, which could potentially be applied to populations throughout their range. In contrast to adults, presumed immature animals showed little or no loss of pigmentation or spotting; however, the rate of development of these features remains unknown. There were pronounced differences between QLD and WA in the intensity of spotting on dorsal fins and the extent of pigmentation loss around the posterior insertion and trailing edge of the dorsal fin. While based on a limited sample size, these geographic differences may have conservation implications in terms of population subdivision and should be investigated further. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk factor assessment of endoscopically removed malignant colorectal polyps

PubMed Central

Netzer, P; Forster, C; Biral, R; Ruchti, C; Neuweiler, J; Stauffer, E; Schonegg, R; Maurer, C; Husler, J; Halter, F; Schmassmann, A

1998-01-01

Background—Malignant colorectal polyps are defined as endoscopically removed polyps with cancerous tissue which has invaded the submucosa. Various histological criteria exist for managing these patients. 
Aims—To determine the significance of histological findings of patients with malignant polyps. 
Methods—Five pathologists reviewed the specimens of 85 patients initially diagnosed with malignant polyps. High risk malignant polyps were defined as having one of the following: incomplete polypectomy, a margin not clearly cancer-free, lymphatic or venous invasion, or grade III carcinoma. Adverse outcome was defined as residual cancer in a resection specimen and local or metastatic recurrence in the follow up period (mean 67months). 
Results—Malignant polyps were confirmed in 70 cases. In the 32 low risk malignant polyps, no adverse outcomes occurred; 16(42%) of the 38 patients with high risk polyps had adverse outcomes (p<0.001). Independent adverse risk factors were incomplete polypectomy and a resected margin not clearly cancer-free; all other risk factors were only associated with adverse outcome when in combination. 
Conclusion—As no patients with low risk malignant polyps had adverse outcomes, polypectomy alone seems sufficient for these cases. In the high risk group, surgery is recommended when either of the two independent risk factors, incomplete polypectomy or a resection margin not clearly cancer-free, is present or if there is a combination of other risk factors. As lymphatic or venous invasion or grade III cancer did not have an adverse outcome when the sole risk factor, operations in such cases should be individually assessed on the basis of surgical risk. 

 Keywords: malignant polyps; colon cancer; colonoscopy; polypectomy; histology PMID:9824349

Flood hazard assessment for french NPPs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebour, Vincent; Duluc, Claire-Marie; Guimier, Laurent

2015-04-01

This paper presents the approach for flood hazard assessment for NPP which is on-going in France in the framework of post-Fukushima activities. These activities were initially defined considering both European "stress tests" of NPPs pursuant to the request of the European Council, and the French safety audit of civilian nuclear facilities in the light of the Fukushima Daiichi accident. The main actors in that process are the utility (EDF is, up to date, the unique NPP's operator in France), the regulatory authority (ASN) and its technical support organization (IRSN). This paper was prepared by IRSN, considering official positions of the other main actors in the current review process, it was not officially endorsed by them. In France, flood hazard to be considered for design basis definition (for new NPPs and for existing NPPs in periodic safety reviews conducted every 10 years) was revised before Fukushima-Daichi accident, due to le Blayais NPP December 1999 experience (partial site flooding and loss of some safety classified systems). The paper presents in the first part an overview of the revised guidance for design basis flood. In order to address design extension conditions (conditions that could result from natural events exceeding the design basis events), a set of flooding scenarios have been defined by adding margins on the scenarios that are considered for the design. Due to the diversity of phenomena to be considered for flooding hazard, the margin assessment is specific to each flooding scenario in terms of parameter to be penalized and of degree of variation of this parameter. The general approach to address design extension conditions is presented in the second part of the paper. The next parts present the approach for five flooding scenarios including design basis scenario and additional margin to define design extension scenarios.

Incidence, demographics and surgical outcomes of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in Northland, New Zealand.

PubMed

Elliott, Brodie M; Douglass, Benjamin R; McConnell, Daniel; Johnson, Blair; Harmston, Christopher

2018-05-18

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most commonly diagnosed and most costly cancer in Australasia. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) accounts for approximately 25% of NMSC. Despite this, reporting of cSCC is not mandatory in Australasia. This creates difficulties in planning, resourcing and improving outcomes in cSCC. Previous studies in New Zealand have lacked data on ethnicity. The aim of this study was to define the incidence and demographics of cSCC diagnosed in Northland, New Zealand, including data on ethnicity. A 12-month retrospective study was carried out of all primary cSCC histologically diagnosed in Northland for one year. The cohort was identified by searching the Northland District Health Board pathology database. Data on outcomes and ethnicity were obtained from the hospital results system. Primary outcome of interest was the incidence of cSCC in Northland. Secondary outcomes of interest were lesion characteristics and positive margin rate. 1,040 cSCC were identified in 890 patients. Mean age of patients was 75. Crude incidence of primary cSCC was 668/100,000 patient years. Age standardised incidence was 305/100,000 patient years. An estimate of New Zealand incidence adjusted for age and ethnicity is 580/100,000 patient years. Overall positive margin rate in excised lesions was 9.5%. This study has defined the rate of cSCC in a large, well defined New Zealand population, and estimated age and ethnicity adjusted incidence in New Zealand. It has demonstrated the highest incidence of cSCC in the world outside Australia. Overall positive margin rate of excised lesions was acceptable.

Opposing interactions between homothorax and Lobe define the ventral eye margin of Drosophila eye

PubMed Central

Singh, Amit; Tare, Meghana; Kango-Singh, Madhuri; Son, Won-Seok; Cho, Kyung-Ok; Choi, Kwang-wook

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Patterning in multi-cellular organisms involves progressive restriction of cell fates by generation of boundaries to divide an organ primordium into smaller fields. We have employed the Drosophila eye model to understand the genetic circuitry responsible for defining the boundary between the eye and the head cuticle on the ventral margin. The default state of the early eye is ventral and depends on the function of Lobe (L) and the Notch ligand Serrate (Ser). We identified homothorax (hth) as a strong enhancer of the L mutant phenotype of loss of ventral eye. Hth is a MEIS class gene with a highly conserved Meis-Hth (MH) domain and a homeodomain (HD). Hth is known to bind Extradenticle (Exd) via its MH domain for its nuclear translocation. Loss-of-function of hth, a negative regulator of eye, results in ectopic ventral eye enlargements. This phenotype is complementary to the L mutant phenotype of loss-of-ventral eye. However, if L and hth interact during ventral eye development remains unknown. Here we show that (i) L acts antagonistically to hth, (ii) Hth is upregulated in the L mutant background, and (iii) MH domain of Hth is required for its genetic interaction with L, while its homeodomain is not, (iv) in L mutant background ventral eye suppression function of Hth involves novel MH domain-dependent factor(s), (v) Nuclear localization of Exd is not sufficient to mediate the Hth function in the L mutant background. Further, Exd is not a critical rate-limiting factor for the Hth function. Thus, optimum levels of L and Hth are required to define the boundary between the developing eye and head cuticle on the ventral margin. PMID:21920354

Computed tomographic analysis of calvarial hyperostosis in captive lions.

PubMed

Gross-Tsubery, Ruth; Chai, Orit; Shilo, Yael; Miara, Limor; Horowitz, Igal H; Shmueli, Ayelet; Aizenberg, Itzhak; Hoffman, Chen; Reifen, Ram; Shamir, Merav H

2010-01-01

Osseous malformations in the skull and cervical vertebrae of lions in captivity are believed to be caused by hypovitaminosis A. These often lead to severe neurologic abnormalities and may result in death. We describe the characterization of these abnormalities based on computed tomography (CT). CT images of two affected and three healthy lions were compared with define the normal anatomy of the skull and cervical vertebrae and provide information regarding the aforementioned osseous malformations. Because bone structure is influenced by various factors other than the aforementioned disease, all values were divided by the skull width that was not affected. The calculated ratios were compared and the most pronounced abnormalities in the affected lions were, narrowing of the foramen magnum, thickening of the tentorium osseus cerebelli and thickening of the dorsal arch of the atlas. CT is useful for detection of the calvarial abnormalities in lions and may be useful in further defining this syndrome.

Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov., a new longsnout skate (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from the Philippines.

PubMed

Last, Peter R; Alava, Moonyeen

2013-01-01

A new long-snouted skate, Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov., is formally described based on material caught in the Sulu Sea and later acquired from fish markets of the central and southern Philippines. It differs from its congeners in the western North Pacific, apart from D. wuhanlingi (East and South China Seas), in having a variably-defined, parallel row of posterolaterally directed lumbar thorns, and well-developed scapular thorns on each side of the disc. However, the paired rows of lumbar thorns are better defined in Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov. than in D. wuhanlingi, and these species also differ in some aspects of their morphometrics, meristics and squamation. Dipturus amphispinus sp. nov. displays marked sexual dimorphism with adult males having a relatively broader mouth, much longer teeth, a relatively shorter snout, head and disc, a taller first dorsal fin, and a proportionally longer posterior pelvic-fin lobe and tail, than adult-sized females.

Effect of peptidase inhibition on the pattern of intraspinally released immunoreactive substance P detected with antibody microprobes.

PubMed

Duggan, A W; Schaible, H G; Hope, P J; Lang, C W

1992-05-08

Antibody microprobes bearing antibodies to the C-terminus of substance P (SP) were used to measure release of immunoreactive (ir) SP in the dorsal horn of barbiturate anaesthetized spinal cats. Electrical stimulation of unmyelinated primary afferents of the ipsilateral tibial nerve produced a relatively localised release of ir SP in the superficial dorsal horn. Prior microinjection of the peptidase inhibitors kelatorphan and enalaprilat in the dorsal horn resulted in ir SP being detected over the whole of the dorsal horn and the overlying dorsal column. This pattern had previously been observed with evoked release of ir neurokinin A and supports the proposal that a slow degradation results in a neuropeptide accessing many sites remote from sites of release.

Thrombosis of the dorsal vein of the penis (Mondor's Disease): A case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Nazir, Syed Sajjad; Khan, Muneer

2010-07-01

Superficial thrombophlebitis of the dorsal vein of the penis (penile Mondor's Disease) is an important clinical diagnosis that every family practitioner should be able to recognize. Dorsal vein thrombosis is a rare disease with pain and induration of the dorsal part of the penis. The possible causes comprise traumatism, neoplasms, excessive sexual activity, or abstinence. The differential diagnosis must be established with Sclerotizing lymphangitis and peyronies disease and doppler ultrasound is the imaging diagnostic technique of choice. Proper diagnosis and consequent reassurance can help to dissipate the anxiety typically experienced by the patients with this disease. We describe the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the superficial thrombophlebitis of the dorsal vein of the penis.

The dorsal thoracic fascia: anatomic significance with clinical applications in reconstructive microsurgery.

PubMed

Kim, P S; Gottlieb, J R; Harris, G D; Nagle, D J; Lewis, V L

1987-01-01

The anatomic distribution and potential arterial flow patterns of the circumflex scapular artery were investigated by Microfil injection. These studies demonstrated that the circumflex scapular artery lies within the dorsal thoracic fascia, which plays a significant role in the circulation of the overlying skin and subcutaneous tissue. We conclude that scapular/parascapular flaps are fasciocutaneous flaps, the dorsal thoracic fascia can be transferred as a free flap without its overlying skin and subcutaneous tissue, and intercommunication exists between the myocutaneous perforators of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the vascular plexus of the dorsal thoracic fascia. We present microvascular cases in which the vascular properties of the dorsal thoracic fascia facilitated wound closure with free fascia flaps or expanded cutaneous or myocutaneous flaps.

Are food insecurity's health impacts underestimated in the U.S. population? Marginal food security also predicts adverse health outcomes in young U.S. children and mothers.

PubMed

Cook, John T; Black, Maureen; Chilton, Mariana; Cutts, Diana; Ettinger de Cuba, Stephanie; Heeren, Timothy C; Rose-Jacobs, Ruth; Sandel, Megan; Casey, Patrick H; Coleman, Sharon; Weiss, Ingrid; Frank, Deborah A

2013-01-01

This review addresses epidemiological, public health, and social policy implications of categorizing young children and their adult female caregivers in the United States as food secure when they live in households with "marginal food security," as indicated by the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module. Existing literature shows that households in the US with marginal food security are more like food-insecure households than food-secure households. Similarities include socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial profiles, and patterns of disease and health risk. Building on existing knowledge, we present new research on associations of marginal food security with health and developmental risks in young children (<48 mo) and health in their female caregivers. Marginal food security is positively associated with adverse health outcomes compared with food security, but the strength of the associations is weaker than that for food insecurity as usually defined in the US. Nonoverlapping CIs, when comparing odds of marginally food-secure children's fair/poor health and developmental risk and caregivers' depressive symptoms and fair/poor health with those in food-secure and -insecure families, indicate associations of marginal food security significantly and distinctly intermediate between those of food security and food insecurity. Evidence from reviewed research and the new research presented indicates that households with marginal food security should not be classified as food secure, as is the current practice, but should be reported in a separate discrete category. These findings highlight the potential underestimation of the prevalence of adverse health outcomes associated with exposure to lack of enough food for an active, healthy life in the US and indicate an even greater need for preventive action and policies to limit and reduce exposure among children and mothers.

Is Daily Low-Dose Aspirin Safe to Take Following Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Obesity Surgery?

PubMed

Kang, Xian; Hong, Dennis; Anvari, Mehran; Tiboni, Maria; Amin, Nalin; Gmora, Scott

2017-05-01

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) surgery is a safe and effective procedure for patients with severe obesity. One potential complication of LRYGB is the development of marginal ulcers (MUs). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to significantly increase the likelihood of developing marginal ulcers after surgery. However, the risk associated with low-dose aspirin consumption is not well defined. We examined the impact of daily low-dose aspirin (81 mg) on the development of marginal ulcers following LRYGB. A retrospective cohort design studied patients undergoing LRYGB surgery, between January 2009 and January 2013, at a single, high-volume bariatric center in Ontario, Canada. The marginal ulcer rate of patients taking low-dose aspirin after surgery was compared to that of the control patients who did not take any NSAID. Diagnosis of MU was confirmed by upper endoscopy in patients presenting with symptoms and a history indicative of marginal ulceration. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the difference in marginal ulcer rates. A total of 1016 patients underwent LRYGB. Patients taking aspirin were more likely to be male, older, and have diabetes than patients not taking NSAIDs. Of the 1016 patients, 145 (14.3%) took low-dose aspirin following LRYGB and the rest did not (n = 871, 85.7%). The incidence of marginal ulceration was not significantly different between the two treatment groups (12/145, 8.3% versus 90/871, 10.3%; p = 0.45). Patients treated with LRYGB at our institution were not at increased risk of marginal ulcer formation when taking low-dose aspirin after surgery.

Breast tumor size assessment: comparison of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

PubMed

Jiang, Yu-Xin; Liu, He; Liu, Ji-Bin; Zhu, Qing-Li; Sun, Qiang; Chang, Xiao-Yan

2007-12-01

Accurate assessment of tumor size is necessary when selecting patients for breast-conserving surgery. In the study of breast contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), we found that tumor size discrepancy between CEUS and conventional ultrasound (US) existed in some breast lesions, for which the reasons are not clear. Breast CEUS examinations were performed in 104 patients with breast lesions. The measurement of the 104 breast tumors on conventional US was obtained and compared with the measurement on CEUS. A difference in measuring tumor size of >3 mm for tumors up to 1.7 cm and 4 mm for tumors >or=1.7 cm, was defined as a significant discrepancy between conventional US and CEUS. The histopathological examination of size discrepancy was performed and the margin characteristics of breast cancers with larger measurements were compared with those with unchanged measurements. Among the 104 lesions (43 malignant, 60 benign, 1 borderline), the size of 27 breast cancers and one granulomatous mastitis appeared larger at CEUS. Pathologic examinations of the region corresponding to the measurement discrepancy were mainly ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS), invasive carcinoma with a DCIS component, adenosis with lobular hyperplasia in breast cancers and inflammatory cell infiltration in one granulomatous mastitis. Well-defined margin characteristics were significantly different between breast cancers with larger measurements at CEUS and those with unchanged measurements of size (p = 0.002), whereas no significant difference was found between the two groups in ill-defined, spiculated, hyperechoic halo, microlobulated and angulated margins (p = 0.463, 0.117, 0.194, 0.666 and 0.780, respectively). This initial study suggests that significant discrepancy of breast lesion measurement between conventional US and CEUS is more likely presented in breast cancer than benign lesions. The pathologic findings corresponding to the region of size increased at CEUS are malignant in most malignant lesions and benign in benign lesions. It is difficult to predict whether the size measurement of the breast cancer increases at CEUS based on the margin characteristics showed on conventional US.

Using in vivo probabilistic tractography to reveal two segregated dorsal ‘language-cognitive’ pathways in the human brain☆

PubMed Central

Cloutman, Lauren L.; Binney, Richard J.; Morris, David M.; Parker, Geoffrey J.M.; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A.

2013-01-01

Primate studies have recently identified the dorsal stream as constituting multiple dissociable pathways associated with a range of specialized cognitive functions. To elucidate the nature and number of dorsal pathways in the human brain, the current study utilized in vivo probabilistic tractography to map the structural connectivity associated with subdivisions of the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). The left SMG is a prominent region within the dorsal stream, which has recently been parcellated into five structurally-distinct regions which possess a dorsal–ventral (and rostral-caudal) organisation, postulated to reflect areas of functional specialisation. The connectivity patterns reveal a dissociation of the arcuate fasciculus into at least two segregated pathways connecting frontal-parietal-temporal regions. Specifically, the connectivity of the inferior SMG, implicated as an acoustic-motor speech interface, is carried by an inner/ventro-dorsal arc of fibres, whilst the pathways of the posterior superior SMG, implicated in object use and cognitive control, forms a parallel outer/dorso-dorsal crescent. PMID:23937853

Two consecutive microtubule-based epithelial seaming events mediate dorsal closure in the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita.

PubMed

Fraire-Zamora, Juan Jose; Jaeger, Johannes; Solon, Jérôme

2018-03-14

Evolution of morphogenesis is generally associated with changes in genetic regulation. Here, we report evidence indicating that dorsal closure, a conserved morphogenetic process in dipterans, evolved as the consequence of rearrangements in epithelial organization rather than signaling regulation. In Drosophila melanogaster , dorsal closure consists of a two-tissue system where the contraction of extraembryonic amnioserosa and a JNK/Dpp-dependent epidermal actomyosin cable result in microtubule-dependent seaming of the epidermis. We find that dorsal closure in Megaselia abdita, a three-tissue system comprising serosa, amnion and epidermis, differs in morphogenetic rearrangements despite conservation of JNK/Dpp signaling. In addition to an actomyosin cable, M. abdita dorsal closure is driven by the rupture and contraction of the serosa and the consecutive microtubule-dependent seaming of amnion and epidermis. Our study indicates that the evolutionary transition to a reduced system of dorsal closure involves simplification of the seaming process without changing the signaling pathways of closure progression. © 2018, Fraire-Zamora et al.

Two consecutive microtubule-based epithelial seaming events mediate dorsal closure in the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita

PubMed Central

Jaeger, Johannes

2018-01-01

Evolution of morphogenesis is generally associated with changes in genetic regulation. Here, we report evidence indicating that dorsal closure, a conserved morphogenetic process in dipterans, evolved as the consequence of rearrangements in epithelial organization rather than signaling regulation. In Drosophila melanogaster, dorsal closure consists of a two-tissue system where the contraction of extraembryonic amnioserosa and a JNK/Dpp-dependent epidermal actomyosin cable result in microtubule-dependent seaming of the epidermis. We find that dorsal closure in Megaselia abdita, a three-tissue system comprising serosa, amnion and epidermis, differs in morphogenetic rearrangements despite conservation of JNK/Dpp signaling. In addition to an actomyosin cable, M. abdita dorsal closure is driven by the rupture and contraction of the serosa and the consecutive microtubule-dependent seaming of amnion and epidermis. Our study indicates that the evolutionary transition to a reduced system of dorsal closure involves simplification of the seaming process without changing the signaling pathways of closure progression. PMID:29537962

Sec61α is required for dorsal closure during Drosophila embryogenesis through its regulation of Dpp signaling

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaochen; Ward, Robert E.

2010-01-01

During dorsal closure in Drosophila, signaling events in the dorsalmost row of epidermal cells (DME cells) direct the migration of lateral epidermal sheets towards the dorsal midline where they fuse to enclose the embryo. A Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade in the DME cells induces the expression of Decapentaplegic (Dpp). Dpp signaling then regulates the cytoskeleton in the DME cells and amnioserosa to affect the cell shape changes necessary to complete dorsal closure. We identified a mutation in Sec61α that specifically perturbs dorsal closure. Sec61α encodes the main subunit of the translocon complex for co-translational import of proteins into the ER. JNK signaling is normal in Sec61α mutant embryos, but Dpp signaling is attenuated and the DME cells fail to maintain an actinomyosin cable as epithelial migration fails. Consistent with this model, dorsal closure is rescued in Sec61α mutant embryos by an activated form of the Dpp receptor Thick veins. PMID:20112345

Insect Wing Membrane Topography Is Determined by the Dorsal Wing Epithelium

PubMed Central

Belalcazar, Andrea D.; Doyle, Kristy; Hogan, Justin; Neff, David; Collier, Simon

2013-01-01

The Drosophila wing consists of a transparent wing membrane supported by a network of wing veins. Previously, we have shown that the wing membrane cuticle is not flat but is organized into ridges that are the equivalent of one wing epithelial cell in width and multiple cells in length. These cuticle ridges have an anteroposterior orientation in the anterior wing and a proximodistal orientation in the posterior wing. The precise topography of the wing membrane is remarkable because it is a fusion of two independent cuticle contributions from the dorsal and ventral wing epithelia. Here, through morphological and genetic studies, we show that it is the dorsal wing epithelium that determines wing membrane topography. Specifically, we find that wing hair location and membrane topography are coordinated on the dorsal, but not ventral, surface of the wing. In addition, we find that altering Frizzled Planar Cell Polarity (i.e., Fz PCP) signaling in the dorsal wing epithelium alone changes the membrane topography of both dorsal and ventral wing surfaces. We also examined the wing morphology of two model Hymenopterans, the honeybee Apis mellifera and the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis. In both cases, wing hair location and wing membrane topography are coordinated on the dorsal, but not ventral, wing surface, suggesting that the dorsal wing epithelium also controls wing topography in these species. Because phylogenomic studies have identified the Hymenotera as basal within the Endopterygota family tree, these findings suggest that this is a primitive insect character. PMID:23316434

Correction of severe postburn claw hand.

PubMed

Davami, Babak; Pourkhameneh, Golnar

2011-12-01

Burn scar contractures are perhaps the most frequent and most frustrating sequelae of thermal injuries to the hand. Unfortunately, stiffness occurs in the burned hand quickly. A week of neglect in the burned hand can lead to digital malpositioning and distortion that may be difficult to correct. The dorsal contracture is the most common of all the complications of the burned hand. It is the result of damage to the thin dorsal skin and scant subcutaneous tissue, which offers little protection to the deeper structures. Consequently, these injuries are deep resulting in a spectrum of deformities that has remained the bane of reconstructive surgery. Flap coverage will be required in the event of exposure of joints and tendons with absent paratenons. Multiple different flap types are available to treat complex severe postburn hand contractures. In our center, which is the largest regional burn center in northwest Iran, we have considerable experience in the treatment of thermal hand injuries. Between 2005 and 2010, we treated 53 consecutive patients with 65 severe postburn hand deformities. There were 35 men and 18 women with a mean age of 35±3 years. Flame injury was the inciting traumatic event in each patient. The severity of original injury and inadequate early treatment resulted in all of the fingers developing a severe extension contracture with scarred and adherent extensor tendons and subluxed metacarpophalangeal joints. In 36 cases, the injury was in the patients' dominant hand. We first incised the dorsal aspect of the contracted hands where there was maximum tension, then tenolysed the extensor tendons and released the volar capsules, collateral ligaments, and volar plate in all cases. In 30 cases, we also tenolysed the flexor tendons. We reduced the subluxed metacarpophalangeal joints and fixed them with Kirschner wires in 70 to 90 degrees flexion. Then, we planned and performed axial groin flaps to reconstruct the defects in all of them. In all of these patients, there was availability of intact skin in the territory of groin flap. However, in case of burn scars in this region, we had other options such as posterior interosseous flap in mind. Six patients experienced superficial necrosis at the distal margin of the flap, which was successfully treated with local wound care and dressing changes. There were no other complications. Physical therapy was initiated after Kirschner wire removal.

Modeling and analysis of energy quantization effects on single electron inverter performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, Surya Shankar; Mahapatra, Santanu

2009-08-01

In this paper, for the first time, the effects of energy quantization on single electron transistor (SET) inverter performance are analyzed through analytical modeling and Monte Carlo simulations. It is shown that energy quantization mainly changes the Coulomb blockade region and drain current of SET devices and thus affects the noise margin, power dissipation, and the propagation delay of SET inverter. A new analytical model for the noise margin of SET inverter is proposed which includes the energy quantization effects. Using the noise margin as a metric, the robustness of SET inverter is studied against the effects of energy quantization. A compact expression is developed for a novel parameter quantization threshold which is introduced for the first time in this paper. Quantization threshold explicitly defines the maximum energy quantization that an SET inverter logic circuit can withstand before its noise margin falls below a specified tolerance level. It is found that SET inverter designed with CT:CG=1/3 (where CT and CG are tunnel junction and gate capacitances, respectively) offers maximum robustness against energy quantization.

Esophageal motion during radiotherapy: quantification and margin implications.

PubMed

Cohen, R J; Paskalev, K; Litwin, S; Price, R A; Feigenberg, S J; Konski, A A

2010-08-01

The purpose was to evaluate interfraction and intrafraction esophageal motion in the right-left (RL) and anterior-posterior (AP) directions using computed tomography (CT) in esophageal cancer patients. Eight patients underwent CT simulation and CT-on-rails imaging before and after radiotherapy. Interfraction displacement was defined as differences between pretreatment and simulation images. Intrafraction displacement was defined as differences between pretreatment and posttreatment images. Images were fused using bone registries, adjusted to the carina. The mean, average of the absolute, and range of esophageal motion were calculated in the RL and AP directions, above and below the carina. Thirty-one CT image sets were obtained. The incidence of esophageal interfraction motion > or =5 mm was 24% and > or =10 mm was 3%; intrafraction motion > or =5 mm was 13% and > or =10 mm was 4%. The average RL motion was 1.8 +/- 5.1 mm, favoring leftward movement, and the average AP motion was 0.6 +/- 4.8 mm, favoring posterior movement. Average absolute motion was 4.2 mm or less in the RL and AP directions. Motion was greatest in the RL direction above the carina. Coverage of 95% of esophageal mobility requires 12 mm left, 8 mm right, 10 mm posterior, and 9 mm anterior margins. In all directions, the average of the absolute interfraction and intrafraction displacement was 4.2 mm or less. These results support a 12 mm left, 8 mm right, 10 mm posterior, and 9 mm anterior margin for internal target volume (ITV) and can guide margins for future intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) trials to account for organ motion and set up error in three-dimensional planning.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with involved-field irradiation may deliver considerable doses of incidental nodal irradiation.

PubMed

Ji, Kai; Zhao, Lujun; Yang, Chengwen; Meng, Maobin; Wang, Ping

2012-11-27

To quantify the incidental irradiation dose to esophageal lymph node stations when irradiating T1-4N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients with a dose of 60 Gy/30f. Thirty-nine patients with medically inoperable T1-4N0M0 thoracic ESCC were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation (3DCRT) with involved-field radiation (IFI). The conformal clinical target volume (CTV) was re-created using a 3-cm margin in the proximal and distal direction beyond the barium esophagogram, endoscopic examination and CT scan defined the gross tumor volume (GTV) and a 0.5-cm margin in the lateral and anteroposterior directions of the CT scan-defined GTV. The PTV encompassed 1-cm proximal and distal margins and 0.5-cm radial margin based on the CTV. Nodal regions were delineated using the Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases (JSED) guidelines and an EORTC-ROG expert opinion. The equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and other dosimetric parameters were calculated for each nodal station. Nodal regions with a metastasis rate greater than 5% were considered a high-risk lymph node subgroup. Under a 60 Gy dosage, the median D mean and EUD was greater than 40 Gy in most high-risk nodal regions except for regions of 104, 106tb-R in upper-thoracic ESCC and 101, 104-R, 105, 106rec-L, 2, 3&7 in middle-thoracic ESCC and 107, 3&7 in lower-thoracic ESCC. In the regions with an EUD less than 40 Gy, most incidental irradiation doses were significantly associated with esophageal tumor length and location. Lymph node stations near ESCC receive considerable incidental irradiation doses with involved-field irradiation that may contribute to the elimination of subclinical lesions.

Margins of safety provided by COSHH Essentials and the ILO Chemical Control Toolkit.

PubMed

Jones, Rachael M; Nicas, Mark

2006-03-01

COSHH Essentials, developed by the UK Health and Safety Executive, and the Chemical Control Toolkit (Toolkit) proposed by the International Labor Organization, are 'control banding' approaches to workplace risk management intended for use by proprietors of small and medium-sized businesses. Both systems group chemical substances into hazard bands based on toxicological endpoint and potency. COSSH Essentials uses the European Union's Risk-phrases (R-phrases), whereas the Toolkit uses R-phrases and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Each hazard band is associated with a range of airborne concentrations, termed exposure bands, which are to be attained by the implementation of recommended control technologies. Here we analyze the margin of safety afforded by the systems and, for each hazard band, define the minimal margin as the ratio of the minimum airborne concentration that produced the toxicological endpoint of interest in experimental animals to the maximum concentration in workplace air permitted by the exposure band. We found that the minimal margins were always <100, with some ranging to <1, and inversely related to molecular weight. The Toolkit-GHS system generally produced margins equal to or larger than COSHH Essentials, suggesting that the Toolkit-GHS system is more protective of worker health. Although, these systems predict exposures comparable with current occupational exposure limits, we argue that the minimal margins are better indicators of health protection. Further, given the small margins observed, we feel it is important that revisions of these systems provide the exposure bands to users, so as to permit evaluation of control technology capture efficiency.

Glimpses of East Antarctica: Aeromagnetic and satellite magnetic view from the central Transantarctic Mountains of East Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Carol A.; Goodge, John W.

2010-01-01

Aeromagnetic and satellite magnetic data provide glimpses of the crustal architecture within the Ross Sea sector of the enigmatic, ice-covered East Antarctic shield critical for understanding both global tectonic and climate history. In the central Transantarctic Mountains (CTAM), exposures of Precambrian basement, coupled with new high-resolution magnetic data, other recent aeromagnetic transects, and satellite magnetic and seismic tomography data, show that the shield in this region comprises an Archean craton modified both by Proterozoic magmatism and early Paleozoic orogenic basement reactivation. CTAM basement structures linked to the Ross Orogeny are imaged 50–100 km farther west than previously mapped, bounded by inboard upper crustal Proterozoic granites of the Nimrod igneous province. Magnetic contrasts between craton and rift margin sediments define the Neoproterozoic rift margin, likely reactivated during Ross orogenesis and Jurassic extension. Interpretation of satellite magnetic and aeromagnetic patterns suggests that the Neoproterozoic rift margin of East Antarctica is offset by transfer zones to form a stepwise series of salients tracing from the CTAM northward through the western margin of the Wilkes Subglacial Basin to the coast at Terre Adélie. Thinned Precambrian crust inferred to lie east of the rift margin cannot be imaged magnetically because of modification by Neoproterozoic and younger tectonic events.

Safety margins in zircaloy oxidation and embrittlement criteria for emergency core cooling system acceptance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williford, R.E.

1986-09-01

Current emergency core cooling system acceptance criteria for light water reactors specify that, under loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions, the Baker-Just (BJ) correlation must be used to calculate Zircaloy-steam oxidation, calculated peak cladding temperatures (PCT) must not exceed 1204/sup 0/C, and calculated oxidation must not exceed 17% equivalent cladding reacted (ECR). An appropriately defined minimum margin of safety was estimated for each of these criteria. The currently required BJ oxidation correlation provides margins only over the 1100 to 1500/sup 0/C temperature range at the 95% confidence level. The PCT margins for thermal shock and handling failures are adequate at oxidation temperaturesmore » above 1204/sup 0/C for up to 210 and 160 s, respectively, at the 95% confidence level. The ECR thermal shock and handling margins at the 50 and 95% confidence levels, respectively, range between 2 and 7% ECR for the BJ correlation, but vanish at temperatures above 1100 to 1160/sup 0/C for the best-estimate Cathcart-Pawel correlation. However, use of the Cathcart Pawel correlation for ''design basis'' LOCA calculations can be justified at the 85 to 88% confidence level if cooling rate effects can be neglected.« less

Do little interactions get lost in dark random forests?

PubMed

Wright, Marvin N; Ziegler, Andreas; König, Inke R

2016-03-31

Random forests have often been claimed to uncover interaction effects. However, if and how interaction effects can be differentiated from marginal effects remains unclear. In extensive simulation studies, we investigate whether random forest variable importance measures capture or detect gene-gene interactions. With capturing interactions, we define the ability to identify a variable that acts through an interaction with another one, while detection is the ability to identify an interaction effect as such. Of the single importance measures, the Gini importance captured interaction effects in most of the simulated scenarios, however, they were masked by marginal effects in other variables. With the permutation importance, the proportion of captured interactions was lower in all cases. Pairwise importance measures performed about equal, with a slight advantage for the joint variable importance method. However, the overall fraction of detected interactions was low. In almost all scenarios the detection fraction in a model with only marginal effects was larger than in a model with an interaction effect only. Random forests are generally capable of capturing gene-gene interactions, but current variable importance measures are unable to detect them as interactions. In most of the cases, interactions are masked by marginal effects and interactions cannot be differentiated from marginal effects. Consequently, caution is warranted when claiming that random forests uncover interactions.

Thrombosis of the dorsal vein of the penis (Mondor’s Disease): A case report and review of the literature

PubMed Central

Nazir, Syed Sajjad; Khan, Muneer

2010-01-01

Superficial thrombophlebitis of the dorsal vein of the penis (penile Mondor’s Disease) is an important clinical diagnosis that every family practitioner should be able to recognize. Dorsal vein thrombosis is a rare disease with pain and induration of the dorsal part of the penis. The possible causes comprise traumatism, neoplasms, excessive sexual activity, or abstinence. The differential diagnosis must be established with Sclerotizing lymphangitis and peyronies disease and doppler ultrasound is the imaging diagnostic technique of choice. Proper diagnosis and consequent reassurance can help to dissipate the anxiety typically experienced by the patients with this disease. We describe the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the superficial thrombophlebitis of the dorsal vein of the penis. PMID:21116369

Detectors for polarized skylight in insects: a survey of ommatidial specializations in the dorsal rim area of the compound eye.

PubMed

Labhart, T; Meyer, E P

1999-12-15

Apart from the sun, the polarization pattern of the sky offers insects a reference for visual compass orientation. Using behavioral experiments, it has been shown in a few insect species (field crickets, honey bees, desert ants, and house flies) that the detection of the oscillation plane of polarized skylight is mediated exclusively by a group of specialized ommatidia situated at the dorsal rim of the compound eye (dorsal rim area). The dorsal rim ommatidia of these species share a number physiological properties that make them especially suitable for polarization vision: each ommatidium contains two sets of homochromatic, strongly polarization-sensitive photoreceptors with orthogonally-arranged analyzer orientations. The physiological specialization of the dorsal rim area goes along with characteristic changes in ommatidial structure, providing actual anatomical hallmarks of polarized skylight detection, that are readily detectable in histological sections of compound eyes. The presence of anatomically specialized dorsal rim ommatidia in many other insect species belonging to a wide range of different orders indicates that polarized skylight detection is a common visual function in insects. However, fine-structural disparities in the design of dorsal rim ommatidia of different insect groups indicate that polarization vision arose polyphyletically in the insects. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Neural retina-specific Aldh1a1 controls dorsal choroidal vascular development via Sox9 expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells

PubMed Central

Goto, So; Misaki, Kazuyo; Yonemura, Shigenobu; Sugita, Sunao; Ito, Hiromi; Ohigashi, Yoko; Ema, Masatsugu; Sakaguchi, Hirokazu; Nishida, Kohji; Takahashi, Masayo

2018-01-01

VEGF secreted from retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is responsible for the choroidal vascular development; however, the molecular regulatory mechanism is unclear. We found that Aldh1a1–/– mice showed choroidal hypoplasia with insufficient vascularization in the dorsal region, although Aldh1a1, an enzyme that synthesizes retinoic acids (RAs), is expressed in the dorsal neural retina, not in the RPE/choroid complex. The level of VEGF in the RPE/choroid was significantly decreased in Aldh1a1–/– mice, and RA-dependent enhancement of VEGF was observed in primary RPE cells. An RA-deficient diet resulted in dorsal choroidal hypoplasia, and simple RA treatment of Aldh1a1–/– pregnant females suppressed choroid hypoplasia in their offspring. We also found downregulation of Sox9 in the dorsal neural retina and RPE of Aldh1a1–/– mice and RPE-specific disruption of Sox9 phenocopied Aldh1a1–/– choroidal development. These results suggest that RAs produced by Aldh1a1 in the neural retina directs dorsal choroidal vascular development via Sox9 upregulation in the dorsal RPE cells to enhance RPE-derived VEGF secretion. PMID:29609731

Quantitative evaluation of the relationship between dorsal wall length, sole thickness, and rotation of the distal phalanx in the bovine claw using computed tomography.

PubMed

Tsuka, T; Murahata, Y; Azuma, K; Osaki, T; Ito, N; Okamoto, Y; Imagawa, T

2014-10-01

Computed tomography (CT) was performed on 800 untrimmed claws (400 inner claws and 400 outer claws) of 200 pairs of bovine hindlimbs to investigate the relationships between dorsal wall length and sole thickness, and between dorsal wall length and the relative rotation angle of distal phalanx-to-sole surface (S-D angle). Sole thickness was 3.8 and 4.0 mm at the apex of the inner claws and outer claws, respectively, with dorsal wall lengths <70 mm. These sole thickness values were less than the critical limit of 5 mm, which is associated with a softer surface following thinning of the soles. A sole thickness of 5 mm at the apex was estimated to correlate with dorsal wall lengths of 72.1 and 72.7 mm for the inner and outer claws, respectively. Sole thickness was 6.1 and 6.4 mm at the apex of the inner and outer claws, respectively, with dorsal wall lengths of 75 mm. These sole thickness values were less than the recommended sole thickness of 7 mm based on the protective function of the soles. A sole thickness >7 mm at the apex was estimated to correlate with a dorsal wall length of 79.8 and 78.4mm for the inner and outer claws, respectively. The S-D angles were recorded as anteversions of 2.9° and 4.7° for the inner and outer claws, respectively, with a dorsal wall length of 75 mm. These values indicate that the distal phalanx is likely to have rotated naturally forward toward the sole surface. The distal phalanx rotated backward to the sole surface at 3.2° and 7.6° for inner claws with dorsal wall lengths of 90-99 and ≥100 mm, respectively; and at 3.5° for outer claws with a dorsal wall length ≥100 mm. Dorsal wall lengths of 85.7 and 97.2 mm were estimated to correlate with a parallel positional relationship of the distal phalanx to the sole surface in the inner and outer claws, respectively. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the Surgical Outcomes of Dorsal Augmentation Using Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene or Autologous Costal Cartilage.

PubMed

Joo, Yeon Hee; Jang, Yong Ju

2016-09-01

Dorsal augmentation material includes alloplastic implants and autologous tissues. However, there has been no comparison to date of dorsal augmentation using different materials performed by the same surgeon. To compare the aesthetic outcomes and complications of dorsal augmentation using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and autologous costal cartilage (ACC) in rhinoplasty. A retrospective review of the medical records of 244 patients who underwent dorsal augmentation performed by the same surgeon at the Asan Medical Center using ePTFE or ACC from March 1, 2003, through September 31, 2015. Patient demographics and surgical procedures were analyzed. The aesthetic outcomes were scored from 1 (worst) to 4 (best) by 3 otolaryngologists. Changes in dorsal height and radix height were measured by comparing preoperative and postoperative profile views. Postoperative complications were also evaluated. A total of 244 patients who underwent augmentation rhinoplasty were reviewed in this study, including 141 men (57.8%) and 103 women (42.2%). The ePTFE group included 176 patients, and the ACC group comprised 68 patients. In the ePTFE and ACC groups, 96 patients (54.5%) and 45 patients (66.2%) were male, respectively. The patient ages ranged from 11 to 69 years, with a mean (SD) age of 30.3 (11.49) years in the ePTFE group and 36.04 (12.65) years in the ACC group. The mean (SD) aesthetic outcome scores were comparable between the 2 groups: 2.99 (0.05) in the ePTFE group and 2.99 (0.06) in the ACC group (P = .93). The change of dorsal (2.64% in ePTFE group and 5.82% in ACC group) and radix (3.62% in ePTFE group and 3.77% in ACC group) heights were significantly increased after augmentation in both groups (P < .001) even though the dorsal height of the ACC group after augmentation showed a significantly greater increase compared to the ePTFE group (P < .001). However, the complication rate was significantly higher in the ACC group: 4.0% in ePTFE group and 11.8% in ACC group (P = .02). Dorsal augmentation with ACC produces similar aesthetic outcomes but a higher complication rate than dorsal augmentation with ePTFE. This higher complication rate may justify the use of ePTFE implants for dorsal augmentation in Asian patients undergoing rhinoplasty. 3.

Can basal cell carcinoma lateral border be determined by fluorescence diagnosis?: Verification by Mohs micrographic surgery.

PubMed

El Hoshy, Khaled; Bosseila, Manal; El Sharkawy, Dina; Sobhi, Rehab

2016-06-01

The preferential accumulation of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in neoplastic cells supports its potential use in the photodetection of epithelial tumours through porphyrin fluorescence. To assess the validity of fluorescence diagnosis (FD) as an efficient pre-surgical in vivo imaging tool for defining the lateral boundaries of various types of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). The BCC tumour area was determined for 27 patients using FD digitalized imaging system, where the accumulation of PpIX in tumour tissue in relation to normal tissue was measured. Subsequently, BCCs were excised according to the complete area defined by FD using Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). Of the 27 BCCs, the FD margin of the lesion coincided with the histopathological picture in 12 BCCs (44.44%). The mean value of accumulation factor (AF) was 2.7. Although 17 pigmented BCCs showed attenuated or absent fluorescence in the center, fluorescence at their periphery was used as a guide for excision, and statistically, the pigmentation of the BCCs showed no effect on the results of the FD efficacy (p=1.0). Fluorescence diagnosis of BCC may be beneficial as a guide to the safety margin needed before MMS. The safety margin is decided according to the FD tumour diameter in relation to the clinical tumour diameter. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Marginal adaptation and retention of a glass-ionomer, resin-modified glass-ionomers and a polyacid-modified resin composite in cervical Class-V lesions.

PubMed

Gladys, S; Van Meerbeek, B; Lambrechts, P; Vanherle, G

1998-07-01

An 18-month follow-up clinical trial of one conventional glass-ionomer (HIFI Master Palette), three resin-modified glass-ionomers (Fuji II LC, Vitremer, 3M Exp. 155) and one polyacid-modified resin composite (Dyract) was conducted to evaluate their clinical effectiveness in Class-V cervical lesions. In addition, the interface between dentin and two resin-modified glass-ionomers and one polyacid-modified resin composite was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After evaluation of the restorations immediately following placement (baseline), all patients were subjected to a strict recall schedule with controls at 6, 12 and 18 months. The clinical effectiveness was recorded in terms of retention and marginal integrity, clinical microleakage, caries recurrence, and tooth vitality. A chi 2-test (p < 0.05) was used to test for significant differences between materials. In case of restoration loss or special defects, a replica was made to examine the surface texture and restoration margins by SEM. In vitro, the interface was examined by SEM after an argon-ion-beam etching technique was used to enhance surface relief and disclose interfacial substructures. Retention appeared to be good for all the materials tested. Marginal discrepancies were localized at the incisal enamel and/or the cervical dentin margin, except for the polyacid-modified resin composite that showed most of the defects at the incisal enamel margin. None of the systems could guarantee margins free of microleakage for a long time. In vitro, the type of dentin pre-treatment defines to a great extent the morphology of the resultant interface between dentin and the restorative material tested. In this clinical study, the retention rate of the tested materials was good and even excellent for some products. Perfect marginal adaptation deteriorated too fast. The marginal adaptation of the polyacid-modified resin composite at the enamel site would probably have been better by the use of selective enamel or total acid etching. Marginal sealing remains a problem. Future research should concentrate on improving the marginal adaptation and sealing capacities before a broader clinical use can be advocated.

DVH- and NTCP-based dosimetric comparison of different longitudinal margins for VMAT-IMRT of esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Münch, S; Oechsner, M; Combs, S E; Habermehl, D

2017-08-15

To cover the microscopic tumor spread in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCC), longitudinal margins of 3-4 cm are used for radiotherapy (RT) protocols. However, smaller margins of 2-3 cm might be reasonable when advanced diagnostic imaging is integrated into target volume delineation. Purpose of this study was to compare the dose distribution and deposition to the organs at risk (OAR) for different longitudinal margins using a DVH- and NTCP-based approach. Ten patients with SCC of the middle or lower third were retrospectively selected. Three planning target volumes (PTV) with longitudinal margins of 4 cm, 3 cm and 2 cm and an axial margin of 1.5 cm to the gross target volume (GTV) were defined for each patient. For each PTV two treatment plans with total doses of 41.4 Gy (neoadjuvant treatment) and 50.4 Gy (definite treatment) were calculated. Dose to the lungs, heart, myelon and liver were then evaluated and compared between different PTVs. When using a longitudinal margin of 3 cm instead of 4 cm, all dose parameters (Dmin, Dmean, Dmedian and V5-V35), except Dmax could be significantly reduced for the lungs. Regarding the heart, a significant reduction was seen for Dmean and V5, but not for Dmin, Dmax, Dmedian and V10-V35. When comparing a longitudinal margin of 4 cm to a longitudinal margin of 2 cm, a significant difference was calculated for Dmin, Dmean, Dmedian and V5-V35 of the lungs and for Dmax, Dmean and V5-V35 of the heart. Nevertheless, no difference was seen for median heart dose. An additional dose reduction for V10 of the heart was achieved for definite treatment plans when using a longitudinal margin of 3 cm. The NTCP-based risk of pneumonitis was significantly reduced by a margin reduction to 2 cm for neoadjuvant and definite treatment plans. Reduction of longitudinal margins from 4 cm to 3 cm can significantly reduce the dose to lungs and Dmean of the heart. Despite clinical benefit and oncologic outcome remain unclear, reduction of the longitudinal margins might provide the opportunity to reduce side effects of chemoradiation (CRT) for SCC in upcoming studies.

Reconstructing Rodinia by Fitting Neoproterozoic Continental Margins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart, John H.

2009-01-01

Reconstructions of Phanerozoic tectonic plates can be closely constrained by lithologic correlations across conjugate margins by paleontologic information, by correlation of orogenic belts, by paleomagnetic location of continents, and by ocean floor magmatic stripes. In contrast, Proterozoic reconstructions are hindered by the lack of some of these tools or the lack of their precision. To overcome some of these difficulties, this report focuses on a different method of reconstruction, namely the use of the shape of continents to assemble the supercontinent of Rodinia, much like a jigsaw puzzle. Compared to the vast amount of information available for Phanerozoic systems, such a limited approach for Proterozoic rocks, may seem suspect. However, using the assembly of the southern continents (South America, Africa, India, Arabia, Antarctica, and Australia) as an example, a very tight fit of the continents is apparent and illustrates the power of the jigsaw puzzle method. This report focuses on Neoproterozoic rocks, which are shown on two new detailed geologic maps that constitute the backbone of the study. The report also describes the Neoproterozoic, but younger or older rocks are not discussed or not discussed in detail. The Neoproterozoic continents and continental margins are identified based on the distribution of continental-margin sedimentary and magmatic rocks that define the break-up margins of Rodinia. These Neoproterozoic continental exposures, as well as critical Neo- and Meso-Neoproterozoic tectonic features shown on the two new map compilations, are used to reconstruct the Mesoproterozoic supercontinent of Rodinia. This approach differs from the common approach of using fold belts to define structural features deemed important in the Rodinian reconstruction. Fold belts are difficult to date, and many are significantly younger than the time frame considered here (1,200 to 850 Ma). Identifying Neoproterozoic continental margins, which are primarily extensional in origin, supports recognition of the Neoproterozoic fragmentation pattern of Rodinia and outlines the major continental masses that, prior to the breakup, formed the supercontinent. Using this pattern, Rodinia can be assembled by fitting the pieces together. Evidence for Neoproterozoic margins is fragmentary. The most apparent margins are marked by miogeoclinal deposits (passive-margin deposits). The margins can also be outlined by the distribution of continental-margin magmatic-arc rocks, by juvenile ocean-floor rocks, or by the presence of continent-ward extending aulacogens. Most of the continental margins described here are Neoproterozoic, and some had an older history suggesting that they were major, long-lived lithospheric flaws. In particular, the western margin of North America appears to have existed for at least 1,470 Ma and to have been reactivated many times in the Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic. The inheritance of trends from the Mesoproterozoic by the Neoproterozoic is particularly evident along the eastern United States, where a similarity of Mesoproterozoic (Grenville) and Neoproterozoic trends, as well as Paleozoic or Mesozoic trends, is evident. The model of Rodinia presented here is based on both geologic and paleomagnetic information. Geologic evidence is based on the distribution and shape of Neoproterozoic continents and on assembling these continents so as to match the shape, history, and scale of adjoining margins. The proposed model places the Laurasian continents?Baltica, Greenland, and Laurentia?west of the South American continents (Amazonia, Rio de La Plata, and Sa? Francisco). This assembly is indicated by conjugate pairs of Grenville-age rocks on the east side of Laurentia and on the west side of South America. In the model, predominantly late Neoproterozoic magmatic-arc rocks follow the trend of the Grenville rocks. The boundary between South America and Africa is interpreted as the site of a Wilson cycle