Proton-fluence dependent magnetic properties of exfoliable quasi-2D van der Waals Cr2Si2Te6magnet.

The discovery of long-range magnetic ordering in atomically thin materials catapulted the van der Waals (vdW) family of compounds into an unprecedented popularity, leading to potentially important technological applications in magnetic storage and magneto-transport devices, as well as photoelectric sensors. With the potential for the use of vdW materials in space exploration technologies it is critical to understand how the properties of such materials are affected by ionizing proton irradiation. Owing to their robust intra-layer stability and sensitivity to external perturbations, these materials also provide excellent opportunities for studying proton irradiation as a non-destructive tool for controlling their magnetic properties. Specifically, the exfoliable Cr2Si2Te6(CST) is a ferromagnetic semiconductor with the Curie temperature (TC) of ∼32 K. Here, we have investigated the magnetic properties of CST upon proton irradiation as a function of fluence (1 × 1015, 5 × 1015, 1 × 1016, 5 × 1016, and 1 × 1018H+/cm-2) by employing variable-temperature, variable-field magnetization measurements, and detail how the magnetization, magnetic anisotropy vary as a function of proton fluence across the magnetic phase transition. While theTCremains constant as a function of proton fluence, we observed that the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy diverge at the proton fluence of 5 × 1016H+/cm-2, which is prominent in the ferromagnetic phase, in particular.This work demonstrates that proton irradiation is a feasible method for modifying the magnetic properties and local magnetic interactions of vdWs crystals, which represents a significant step forward in the design of future spintronic and magneto-electronic applications.

The Distribution of Uranotaenia sapphirina and Ur. socialis in Tabasco, Southern Mexico.

In Mexico, the genus Uranotaenia includes 11 species distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions in the southeast of the country. Uranotaenia sapphirina has been reported in 18 states in Mexico: Campeche, Coahuila, Colima, Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico City, Mexico State, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Yucatán; whereas Ur. socialis has been reported in Chiapas and Quintana Roo. In recent surveillance studies of mosquito species in Tabasco, Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis were omitted due to the lack of recent collection records, but in historical records, the presence of Ur. sapphirina and one species consistent with the description of Ur. socialis were mentioned. During a mosquito survey collection, immature stages from ground-level natural habitats in conservation areas of Tabasco, Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis were collected in association with Anopheles albimanus, Culex erraticus, Mansonia titillans, and Ur. lowii. Additionally, 2 Mexican entomological collections were reviewed, searching additional records of those species. An identification key to separate larvae and adult females of Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis is provided. With the addition of Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis to the mosquito fauna of Tabasco, there are currently 107 species in the state, being the 3rd state in Mexico with the highest richness of mosquito species. Specimens collected during this study were deposited in the Collection of the Entomological and Bioassay Research Unit of Tabasco.

Frequency-domain analysis of fNIRS fluctuations induced by rhythmic mental arithmetic.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly used technology for imaging neural correlates of cognitive processes. However, fNIRS signals are commonly impaired by task-evoked and spontaneous hemodynamic oscillations of non-cerebral origin, a major challenge in fNIRS research. In an attempt to isolate the task-evoked cortical response, we investigated the coupling between hemodynamic changes arising from superficial and deep layers during mental effort. For this aim, we applied a rhythmic mental arithmetic task to induce cyclic hemodynamic fluctuations suitable for effective frequency-resolved measurements. Twenty university students aged 18-25 years (eight males) underwent the task while hemodynamic changes were monitored in the forehead using a newly developed NIRS device, capable of multi-channel and multi-distance recordings. We found significant task-related fluctuations for oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin, highly coherent across shallow and deep tissue layers, corroborating the strong influence of surface hemodynamics on deep fNIRS signals. Importantly, after removing such surface contamination by linear regression, we show that the frontopolar cortex response to a mental math task follows an unusual inverse oxygenation pattern. We confirm this finding by applying for the first time an alternative method to estimate the neural signal, based on transfer function analysis and phasor algebra. Altogether, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a rhythmic mental task to impose an oscillatory state useful to separate true brain functional responses from those of non-cerebral origin. This separation appears to be essential for a better understanding of fNIRS data and to assess more precisely the dynamics of the neuro-visceral link.

Gross, computed tomographic, and endoscopic anatomy of the equine carpal extensor tendon sheaths.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To describe the computed tomography (CT) and gross anatomy of the equine extensor carpi radialis sheath (ECRS) and common digital extensor sheath (CDETS); (2) to describe a single-portal endoscopic examination of the ECRS and CDETS. STUDY DESIGN: Ex vivo experimental. SAMPLE POPULATION: Thirty clinically normal cadaver thoracic equine limbs severed at the humeral diaphysis. METHODS: Ten limbs underwent plain and intrathecal contrast CT examinations and gross dissection of the ECRS and CDETS. Single-portal endoscopic examination of ECRS and CDETS was attempted in 4 limbs and endoscopic examination was performed on 16 limbs. Endoscopic video recordings were reviewed by 3 observers for quality of visualization before dissection and examination for iatrogenic damage. Interobserver agreement for ECRS and CDETS visualization was determined with Fleiss' κ agreement. RESULTS: Extensor carpi radialis sheath and CDETS anatomy was consistent between gross dissection and CT examinations. The ECRS endoscopic portal was medial at the level of the intersection between the extensor carpi obliquus and extensor carpi radialis tendon. The CDETS endoscopic portal was lateral, 5 cm proximal to the lateral styloid process of the ulna. The ECRS and CDETS were well visualized and interobserver agreement was substantial (κ = .73; P < .0001) and moderate (κ = .53; P < .0001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography examinations provided useful anatomical information, consistent with gross dissection of the ECRS and CDETS. The described single-portal endoscopic techniques allowed consistent tenoscopic examination of the majority of the ECRS and CDETS. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Awareness of the intrathecal anatomy of the ECRS and CDETS should facilitate the treatment of these tendon sheaths. The proposed portals provide good to excellent single-site endoscopic visualization of the majority of the ECRS and CDETS.

The Acquisition of Culturally Patterned Attention Styles Under Active Inference.

This paper presents an active inference based simulation study of visual foraging. The goal of the simulation is to show the effect of the acquisition of culturally patterned attention styles on cognitive task performance, under active inference. We show how cultural artefacts like antique vase decorations drive cognitive functions such as perception, action and learning, as well as task performance in a simple visual discrimination task. We thus describe a new active inference based research pipeline that future work may employ to inquire on deep guiding principles determining the manner in which material culture drives human thought, by building and rebuilding our patterns of attention.

Evaluation of the high affinity [18F]fluoropyridine-candesartan in rats for PET imaging of renal AT1 receptors.

INTRODUCTION: Alterations in the expression of the Angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R) have been demonstrated in the development of several heart and renal diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the novel compound [18F]fluoropyridine-candesartan as a PET imaging tracer of AT1R in rat kidneys. METHODS: Competition binding assays were carried out with membranes from CHO-K1 cells expressing human AT1R. Binding to plasma proteins was assessed by ultrafiltration. Radiolabeled metabolites in rat plasma and kidneys of control and pretreated animals (candesartan 10 mg/kg or losartan 30 mg/kg) were analyzed by column-switch HPLC. Dynamic PET/CT images of [18F]fluoropyridine-candesartan in male Sprague-Dawley rats were acquired for 60 min at baseline, pre-treatment with the AT1R antagonist losartan (30 mg/kg) or the AT2R antagonist PD123,319 (5 mg/kg). RESULTS: Fluoropyridine-candesartan bound with a high affinity for AT1R (Ki = 5.9 ± 1.1 nM), comparable to fluoropyridine-losartan but lower than the parent compound candesartan (Ki = 0.4 ± 0.1 nM). [18F]Fluoropyridine-candesartan bound strongly to plasma proteins (99.3%) and was mainly metabolized to radiolabeled hydrophilic compounds, displaying minimal interference on renal AT1R binding with 82% of unchanged tracer in the kidneys at 20 min post-injection. PET imaging displayed high renal and liver accumulations and slow clearances, with maximum tissue-to-blood ratios of 14 ± 3 and 54 ± 12 in kidney cortex and liver, respectively, at 10 min post-injection. Binding specificity for AT1R was demonstrated with marked reductions in kidney cortex (-84%) and liver (-93%) tissue-to-blood ratios at 20 min post-injection, when blocking with AT1R antagonist losartan (30 mg/kg). No change was observed in kidney cortex of rats pre-treated with AT2R antagonist PD 123,319 (5 mg/kg), confirming binding selectivity for AT1 over AT2 receptors. CONCLUSION: High kidney-to-blood ratios and binding selectivity to renal AT1R combined with tracer in vivo stability displaying minimal interference from labeled metabolites support further PET imaging studies with [18F]fluoropyridine-candesartan.

Efficacy and safety of condylectomy with minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of interdigital corns of the lesser toes compared to conservative treatment.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedures cause less trauma to the patient and might improve recovery. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of condylectomy with MIS to treat interdigital corns of the lesser toes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in seven podiatry centers. Patients with interdigital corns of the lesser toes, progressing for more than a year, with one or more recurrences in the last year following conservative treatments were eligible. The recruited patients were classified according to their treatment: conservative or surgical (condylectomy with MIS) and were compared. Patient satisfaction, pain, the clinical and functional status of the foot and the appearance of sequelae were assessed at 3 and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: At 6 months, patients in the surgical treatment group showed no pain on pressure, which significantly differed from the conservative treatment group (p <  0.001). They also improved clinical and functional status of the foot, reaching values comparable to those of the standard population. No paresthesia, joint stiffness or instability, toe malalignment, or corn transfer to a contiguous site resulted from the surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Condylectomy with MIS is effective and safe to treat interdigital corns of the lesser toes.

Long-term memory of real-world episodes is independent of recency effects: magic tricks as ecological tasks.

How episodic memories decay is an unresolved question in cognitive neuroscience. The role of short-term mechanisms regarding the decay of episodic memories is circumscribed to set the maximum recall from which a monotonic decay occurs. However, this sequential view from the short to the long-term is not compulsory, as short-term dependent memory gains (like recency effects when memorizing a list of elements; serial-position effects) may not be translated into long-term memory differences. Moreover, producing memorable events in the laboratory faces important challenges, such as recreating realistic conditions with elevated recall, or avoiding spontaneous retrievals during memory retention (sociocultural hooks). The current study proposes the use of magic to enhance the study of memory. We designed a sequence of magic tricks performed live on stage to evaluate the interaction between memory decay and serial-position effects of those tricks. The audience was asked to freely recall the tricks at four different timepoints: just after the show, 10 days, 1.5 months and 4.5 months. We discovered serial-position differences after the show that were no longer present later on, suggesting that short-term memory gains do not translate into the long-term. Illustrating the power of naturalistic stimuli to study long-term memory while interrogating the interaction between short-term and long-term mechanisms, this work is, to our knowledge, the first scientific study of the memorability of magic tricks.

On the cognitive bases of illusionism.

Cognitive scientists have paid very little attention to magic as a distinctly human activity capable of creating situations that are considered impossible because they violate expectations and conclude with the apparent transgression of well-established cognitive and natural laws. This illusory experience of the "impossible" entails a very particular cognitive dissonance that is followed by a subjective and complex "magical experience". Here, from a perspective inspired by visual neuroscience and ecological cognition, we propose a set of seven fundamental cognitive phenomena (from attention and perception to memory and decision-making) plus a previous pre-sensory stage that magicians interfere with during the presentation of their effects. By doing so, and using as an example the deconstruction of a classic trick, we show how magic offers novel and powerful insights to study human cognition. Furthermore, live magic performances afford to do so in tasks that are more ecological and context-dependent than those usually exploited in artificial laboratory settings. We thus believe that some of the mysteries of how the brain works may be trapped in the split realities present in every magic effect.

Problemas gastrointestinales, nutricionales, endocrinológicos y de microbiota en el trastorno del espectro autista / Gastrointestinal, nutritional, endocrine, and microbiota conditions in autism spectrum disorder

Los problemas médicos gastrointestinales, nutricionales, metabólicos, endocrinológicos y de microbiota en los pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) son parte de los problemas médicos concomitantes al diagnóstico. La prevalencia alcanza a más del 91 % en el caso de los problemas gastrointestinales, hasta el 89 % para los nutricionales y metabólicos, más del 50 % de disfunción tiroidea y hasta el 100 % para los relacionados con la microbiota.Es urgente actualizar la práctica médica para incluir la evaluación, testeo, diagnóstico y tratamiento de estos problemas médicos concomitantes al diagnóstico de TEA en la población pediátrica, adolescente y adulta. El tratamiento riguroso de dichos problemas genera cambios positivos en la calidad de vida y en la sintomatología bajo la cual el TEA se diagnostica en muchos casos. Debe basarse en evidencia científica de alta calidad, con control y cuidado médico adecuado

Gastrointestinal, nutritional, metabolic, endocrine, and microbiota medical problems in pediatric patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are some of the coexisting medical conditions in ASD diagnosis. Their prevalence reaches more than 91 % for gastrointestinal problems, up to 89 % for nutritional and metabolic disorders, more than 50 % for thyroid dysfunction, and up to 100 % for microbiota-related conditions.There is an urgency for medical practice to be updated and to include the assessment, testing, diagnosis, and treatment of these coexisting medical conditions in ASD diagnosis in the pediatric, adolescent, and adult population. A strict management of such conditions results in positive changes in the quality of life and symptoms based on which ASD is diagnosed many times. It should be based on high-quality scientific evidence with an adequate medical care and control

Gastrointestinal, nutritional, endocrine, and microbiota conditions in autism spectrum disorder. / Problemas gastrointestinales, nutricionales, endocrinológicos y de microbiota en el trastorno del espectro autista.

Gastrointestinal, nutritional, metabolic, endocrine, and microbiota medical problems in pediatric patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are some of the coexisting medical conditions in ASD diagnosis. Their prevalence reaches more than 91 % for gastrointestinal problems, up to 89 % for nutritional and metabolic disorders, more than 50 % for thyroid dysfunction, and up to 100 % for microbiota-related conditions. There is an urgency for medical practice to be updated and to include the assessment, testing, diagnosis, and treatment of these coexisting medical conditions in ASD diagnosis in the pediatric, adolescent, and adult population. A strict management of such conditions results in positive changes in the quality of life and symptoms based on which ASD is diagnosed many times. It should be based on high-quality scientific evidence with an adequate medical care and control.

Los problemas médicos gastrointestinales, nutricionales, metabólicos, endocrinológicos y de microbiota en los pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) son parte de los problemas médicos concomitantes al diagnóstico. La prevalencia alcanza a más del 91 % en el caso de los problemas gastrointestinales, hasta el 89 % para los nutricionales y metabólicos, más del 50 % de disfunción tiroidea y hasta el 100 % para los relacionados con la microbiota. Es urgente actualizar la práctica médica para incluir la evaluación, testeo, diagnóstico y tratamiento de estos problemas médicos concomitantes al diagnóstico de TEA en la población pediátrica, adolescente y adulta. El tratamiento riguroso de dichos problemas genera cambios positivos en la calidad de vida y en la sintomatología bajo la cual el TEA se diagnostica en muchos casos. Debe basarse en evidencia científica de alta calidad, con control y cuidado médico adecuado.

Concentration of dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid but not lithium heparin affects total protein determination in equine synovial fluid.

BACKGROUND: Refractometric determination of total protein (TP) in synovial fluid (SF) is commonly used for diagnosis and monitoring of synovial sepsis in horses. Previous studies have shown that elevated concentrations of certain anticoagulants may overestimate refractometric determination of TP concentration. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of dipotassium EDTA (K2EDTA) and lithium heparin (LH) on TP determination by using a hand-held refractometer in equine synovial fluid. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-section observational study. METHODS: Thirty samples of synovial fluid obtained from 22 horses with different synovial conditions were collected. Synovial fluid samples were separated into different aliquots and placed in commercially available collection tubes containing K2EDTA or LH at four different concentrations (1.76, 3.52, 7.04 and 17.6 mg/ml for K2EDTA; 16, 32, 64 and 160 IU/ml for LH) . Refractometric TP determination was performed on untreated and K2EDTA and LH aliquots with a hand-held refractometer and by spectophotometric Biuret method as the gold standard. RESULTS: Refractometric TP determination was overestimated in SF samples containing 10 times the recommended K2EDTA concentrations. Lower concentrations of K2EDTA and LH concentrations did not affect refractometric TP determinations. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Limited number of samples mostly obtained from large synovial structures. CONCLUSION: To avoid incorrect TP determination, the use of LH containing collection tubes may be an appropriate alternative when the SF volume available is not enough to fill the K2EDTA collection tube.

Optimization of Synovial Fluid Collection and Processing for NMR Metabolomics and LC-MS/MS Proteomics.

Synovial fluid (SF) is of great interest for the investigation of orthopedic pathologies, as it is in close proximity to various tissues that are primarily altered during these disease processes and can be collected using minimally invasive protocols. Multi-"omic" approaches are commonplace, although little consideration is often given for multiple analysis techniques at sample collection. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomics are two complementary techniques particularly suited to the study of SF. However, currently there are no agreed upon standard protocols that are published for SF collection and processing for use with NMR metabolomic analysis. Furthermore, the large protein concentration dynamic range present within SF can mask the detection of lower abundance proteins in proteomics. While combinational ligand libraries (ProteoMiner columns) have been developed to reduce this dynamic range, their reproducibility when used in conjunction with SF, or on-bead protein digestion protocols, has yet to be investigated. Here we employ optimized protocols for the collection, processing, and storage of SF for NMR metabolite analysis and LC-MS/MS proteome analysis, including a Lys-C endopeptidase digestion step prior to tryptic digestion, which increased the number of protein identifications and improved reproducibility for on-bead ProteoMiner digestion.

Newborn Screening for Presymptomatic Diagnosis of Complement and Phagocyte Deficiencies.

The clinical outcomes of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are greatly improved by accurate diagnosis early in life. However, it is not common to consider PIDs before the manifestation of severe clinical symptoms. Including PIDs in the nation-wide newborn screening programs will potentially improve survival and provide better disease management and preventive care in PID patients. This calls for the detection of disease biomarkers in blood and the use of dried blood spot samples, which is a part of routine newborn screening programs worldwide. Here, we developed a newborn screening method based on multiplex protein profiling for parallel diagnosis of 22 innate immunodeficiencies affecting the complement system and respiratory burst function in phagocytosis. The proposed method uses a small fraction of eluted blood from dried blood spots and is applicable for population-scale performance. The diagnosis method is validated through a retrospective screening of immunodeficient patient samples. This diagnostic approach can pave the way for an earlier, more comprehensive and accurate diagnosis of complement and phagocytic disorders, which ultimately lead to a healthy and active life for the PID patients.

Can blood serum amyloid A concentrations in horses differentiate synovial sepsis from extrasynovial inflammation and determine response to treatment?

BACKGROUND: Serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in blood and synovial fluid of horses with synovial sepsis have diagnostic value. Studies suggest serial blood SAA measurements could act as a prognostic indicator. This study evaluated the use of serial blood SAA concentrations for monitoring of horses with synovial sepsis. METHODS: A prospective clinical trial was performed of horses referred to a single hospital with synovial sepsis that survived (n=17), synovial sepsis that were euthanised (n=5), non-septic intrasynovial pathologies (n=14) or extensive extrasynovial lacerations (n=5). SAA concentrations were determined on admission and every 24 hours thereafter. The area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 144 hours of each group was compared by Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Dunn's tests (P<0.05). RESULTS: Significant difference in mean blood concentration of SAA was found between synovial sepsis that survived and non-septic pathologies in the first 48 hours, as well as between non-septic intrasynovial pathologies and non-responsive sepsis requiring euthanasia. No difference was found between extensive extrasynovial lacerations and any septic group. CONCLUSIONS: While serial blood SAA is useful for monitoring clinical response of intrasynovial septic pathologies, interpretation should consider other clinical findings since blood SAA is not a specific marker for synovial sepsis.

Notch and EGFR regulate apoptosis in progenitor cells to ensure gut homeostasis in Drosophila.

The regenerative activity of adult stem cells carries a risk of cancer, particularly in highly renewable tissues. Members of the family of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) inhibit caspases and cell death, and are often deregulated in adult cancers; however, their roles in normal adult tissue homeostasis are unclear. Here, we show that regulation of the number of enterocyte-committed progenitor (enteroblast) cells in the adult Drosophila involves a caspase-mediated physiological apoptosis, which adaptively eliminates excess enteroblast cells produced by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and, when blocked, can also lead to tumorigenesis. Importantly, we found that Diap1 is expressed by enteroblast cells and that loss and gain of Diap1 led to changes in enteroblast numbers. We also found that antagonistic interplay between Notch and EGFR signalling governs enteroblast life/death decisions via the Klumpfuss/WT1 and Lozenge/RUNX transcription regulators, which also regulate enteroblast differentiation and cell fate plasticity. These data provide new insights into how caspases drive adult tissue renewal and protect against the formation of tumours.

The mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Tabasco, Mexico.

To document and update the mosquito species of Tabasco, Mexico, field collection trips were conducted in the two physiographic regions of Tabasco: the coastal plain of the southern gulf and the mountains of Chiapas and Guatemala. Mosquitoes were collected as immature and adult stages during the dry and rainy seasons from 2014 through 2015. Additionally, the Reference Collection of Arthropods of Medical Importance (CAIM-InDRE) containing mosquitoes of Tabasco was re-examined. In total, 4,913 specimens were collected and examined, which are divided into seven tribes, 18 genera, 27 subgenera, and 104 species. Of these, one genus (Shannoniana Lane and Cerqueira), two subgenera (Georgecraigius Reinert, Harbach and Kitching, and Carrollia Lutz), and 21 species are new records for the mosquito fauna of Tabasco. Culex metempsytus Dyar is a new record for Mexico and Wyeomyia jocosa (Dyar and Knab) is removed from the Mexican mosquito fauna. Seventeen species historically reported were not found in the field collections conducted here. Taxonomic notes, new distribution limits, and comments about the medical importance of species of mosquitoes of Tabasco are discussed. Tabasco is the second state in Mexico with the largest mosquito richness (104 species), followed by Veracruz with 139 species.

The synovial fluid proteome differentiates between septic and nonseptic articular pathologies.

Articular conditions are common in horses and can result in loss of function, chronic pain and/or inability to work. Common conditions include osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis and synovial sepsis, which can be life-threatening, but despite the high clinical prevalence of these conditions, rapid and specific diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication remains a challenge for practicing veterinarians. Synovial fluid from a range of arthropathies was enriched for low abundance proteins using combinatorial peptide ligand ProteoMiner™ beads and analysed via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Changes in protein abundances were analysed using label-free quantification. Principle component analysis of differentially expressed proteins identified groupings associated with joint pathology. Findings were validated using ELISA. Lactotransferrin (LTF) abundance was increased in sepsis compared to all other groups and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 6 (IGFBP6) abundance decreased in sepsis compared to other disease groups. Pathway analysis identified upregulation of the complement system in synovial joint sepsis and the downregulation of eukaryotic translation initiation factors and mTOR signalling pathways in both OA and OC compared to the healthy group. Overall, we have identified a catalogue of proteins which we propose to be involved in osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis and synovial sepsis pathogenesis. SIGNIFICANCE: Osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis and synovial sepsis, which can be life-threatening, are common articular conditions in which rapid and specific diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication remains a challenge for practicing veterinarians. This study has identified that the equine synovial fluid proteome exhibits distinctive profile changes between osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis, synovial sepsis and healthy joints. Elevated synovial abundance of lactotransferrin and decreased insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 6 were both found to distinguish synovial sepsis from all other study groups. Thus, these protein markers may have a future role in clinical practice to enable an earlier and reliable diagnosis of synovial sepsis.

Description of the surgical technique for condylectomy with minimally invasive surgery to treat interdigital helomas on the lesser toes: a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Descriptions of the techniques for condylectomies via minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to treat interdigital helomas of the lesser toes are scarce in the literature. This study aimed to define and describe this surgical technique. METHODS: This observational study was performed using the Delphi method. We collected the anonymous opinions of a multidisciplinary international panel of ten experts by answering a 43-items questionnaire via e-mail. Statements with an average score ≥ 3 were included in the next round, as were those in which none of the three statements reached the minimum score of 3 within the same item. RESULTS: Response rate: 90%. Three rounds were needed to reach consensus on proposed items. A new statement that combined two statements was proposed in round 3. Eleven recommendations regarding the incision and instruments used to perform this surgical technique were obtained based on the expert consensus. CONCLUSIONS: A longitudinal incision to the distal pulp of the toe or an incision to the centre of the plantar aspect of the head of the proximal phalanx should be performed according to the affectation, and a Beaver 64 scalpel blade, a blunt elevator and a Shannon-Isham burr are the most acceptable tools for this kind of surgery.

Coevolution of visual behaviour, the material world and social complexity, depicted by the eye-tracking of archaeological objects in humans.

We live in a cluttered visual world that is overflowing with information, the continuous processing of which would be a truly daunting task. Nevertheless, our brains have evolved to select which part of a visual scene is to be prioritized and analysed in detail, and which parts can be discarded or analysed at a later stage. This selection is in part determined by the visual stimuli themselves, and is known as "selective attention", which, in turn, determines how we explore and interact with our environment, including the distinct human artefacts produced in different socio-cultural contexts. Here we hypothesize that visual responses and material objects should therefore co-evolve to reflect changes in social complexity and culture throughout history. Using eye-tracking, we analysed the eye scan paths in response to prehistoric pottery ranging from the Neolithic through to the Iron Age (ca 6000-2000 BP), finding that each ceramic style caused a particular pattern of visual exploration. Horizontal movements become dominant in earlier periods, while vertical movements are more frequent in later periods that were marked by greater social complexity.