Ultra-high density electrodes improve detection, yield, and cell type identification in neuronal recordings.

To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is essential to sensitively and accurately measure neural activity at single neuron and single spike resolution. Extracellular electrophysiology delivers this, but it has biases in the neurons it detects and it imperfectly resolves their action potentials. To minimize these limitations, we developed a silicon probe with much smaller and denser recording sites than previous designs, called Neuropixels Ultra (NP Ultra). This device samples neuronal activity at ultra-high spatial density (~10 times higher than previous probes) with low noise levels, while trading off recording span. NP Ultra is effectively an implantable voltage-sensing camera that captures a planar image of a neuron's electrical field. We use a spike sorting algorithm optimized for these probes to demonstrate that the yield of visually-responsive neurons in recordings from mouse visual cortex improves up to ~3-fold. We show that NP Ultra can record from small neuronal structures including axons and dendrites. Recordings across multiple brain regions and four species revealed a subset of extracellular action potentials with unexpectedly small spatial spread and axon-like features. We share a large-scale dataset of these brain-wide recordings in mice as a resource for studies of neuronal biophysics. Finally, using ground-truth identification of three major inhibitory cortical cell types, we found that these cell types were discriminable with approximately 75% success, a significant improvement over lower-resolution recordings. NP Ultra improves spike sorting performance, detection of subcellular compartments, and cell type classification to enable more powerful dissection of neural circuit activity during behavior.

Increased production of inflammatory cytokines by circulating monocytes in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: A possible role in drug resistance.

We analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum inflammatory biomarkers in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (drug-resistant - DR, vs. drug-sensitive - DS). Patients with epilepsy showed higher levels of serum CCL2, CCL3, IL-8 and AOPP, and lower levels of FRAP and thiols compared to healthy controls (HC). Although none of the serum biomarkers distinguished DR from DS patients, when analysing intracellular cytokines after in vitro stimulation, DR patients presented higher percentages of IL-1ß and IL-6 positive monocytes compared to DS patients and HC. Circulating innate immune cells might be implicated in DR epilepsy and constitute potential new targets for treatments.

First report of Central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLAB- SI) due to Enterococcus raffinosus (ER) in a cancer patient.

Abstract: Despite the advances made by therapeutic technologies, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are currently still a worldwide problem. Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are one of the most common causes of HAIs. The cost of CLABSIs is considerable, both for the increase in morbidity and financial resources expenses. Coagulase-negative staphylococci are the common pathogens responsible for CLABSIs, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci, and Candida spp. The Enterococcus genus comprises of more than 50 species but E. faecalis and E. faecium are the most common causes of infections in humans. Enterococcus Raffinosus (ER) is a non-faecalis and non-faecium enterococcus even if ER has rarely been proven to be a human pathogen, recent reports of infections caused by enterococci that are relatively resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics by non-p-lactamase mechanisms have included strains of ER. Here we describe a first report of CLABSI due to Enterococcus Raffinosus in a cancer patient.

Low-noise φ-OTDR employing nonlinear optical preamplification for distributed acoustic sensing.

A phase sensitive optical time domain reflectometry sensing scheme employing a two-stage nonlinear optical preamplification system is proposed to reduce the blind spot effect in Rayleigh scattering by improving the optical power distribution and to enhance the resolution at locations of low-backscatter intensity measurements, providing a higher signal-to-noise ratio for distributed acoustic measurements; the developed system has been tested in-laboratory and on in-field monitoring of a survey well in Cottessen, The Netherlands. The characterization shows strain noise levels below 1 nɛ for a 10 kHz sampling rate.

Undertreatment with Osimertinib in patient with multiple chemical sensitivity. A case report.

Introduction: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), is a syndrome characterised by increased sensitivity to the exposure of environmental chemicals (1). There are considerable difficulties in reaching a good estimate of the prevalence of disease and the main pathogenetic hypotheses take into account both the organic and psychiatric/psychological factors. Treatment with epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitors (tkis), like Osimertinib, results in improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared to chemotherapy, in Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (2). Case report: We describe the case of a 74 year old woman with history of MCS and fibromyalgia in treatment with Osimertinib for EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Patient initially refused any form of active therapy for lung cancer, but thanks to teamwork and the important support of the psychologist, the patient decided to start treatment with Osimertinib at a reduced dose, not 80 mg but 40 mg. Subsequently, after few days , of his own free will and without informing the staff physicians, the patient changed the treatment schedule by taking one quarter of the dose of the medicine every other day, justifying this choice in therapeutic modification because of her fear and intolerance to any type of medicine and/ or chemical substance, being influenced by MCS. Management & outcome: Despite the changes in the treatment plan, a PET scan performed after two months showed a sigificative lung response and the stability of bone metastases. Discussion. Our case describes a significative response with Osimertinib despite the change in dosage and schedule in a patient with MCS. Our experience deserves to be considered in the light of its particularity and uniqueness as it shows an excellent response to treatment with Osimertinib despite the change made to the dosage and schedule, in a patient presenting in her medical history this rare pathological condition: MCS syndrome.

The pandemic's blow to mental health in college students / El golpe de la pandemia a la salud mental en estudiantes universitarios

Mr. Editor: I have read carefully and with great interest, the article called Anxiety level of rst-year medical students from (1) a private university in Peru in times of Covid-19 by Saravia-Bartra et al. published in the journal of the Facultad de Medicina Humana URP where the grade of anxiety present among freshman medical students of a private university is presented. Let me complement the information given in this new article by exposing some factors that can predispose to this condition.

Sr. Editor: He leído con detenimiento y gran interés el artículo Nivel de ansiedad de estudiantes de medicina de primer año de una universidad privada del Perú en tiempos de Covid-191 de Saravia-Bartra y cols. publicado en la revista Facultad de Medicina Humana URP donde se da a conocer el grado de ansiedad presente en estudiantes de medicina del primer año de una universidad privada. Permítame complementar la información dada de este novedoso artículo exponiendo algunos factores que pueden predisponer esta condición.

What hides beneath the scar: sexuality and breast cancer what women don't say: A single-center study.

Background: Breast is a symbol of femininity, motherhood and sexuality. Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide and most frequent cancer in Italy: in 2019, 53.500 new cases were diagnosed. BC and its treatment, the disturbances of body image, and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression could influence sexuality. Very often the aspect of sexuality in BC is likely not to be fully investigated: cultural barriers may also contribute to lack of attention to these issues. In Italy, there are very few Breast Units that provide the figure of the sexologist and psycho-oncologist. Methods: We enlisted 141 BC patients (pts), mean age was 54 years afferent to Breast Unit S. Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, from March 2019 to March 2020. All pts had undergone surgical intervention. Participants were invited to complete a structured questionnaire, which included four close-up questions regarding self-image, sexual activity, sexual satisfaction, analyzing these aspects before and after BC and its treatments. Finally the participants were asked if they needed the sexologist and psycho-oncologist. Results: Only 2/141 pts (1.41%) refused to participate in our study. Of 139 participants, 68 (48.92%) had disturbances of body image, 26 (18.7%) had sexuality greatly negatively affected, and 103 (74.1%) every kind of sexual dissatisfaction after BC. 38 pts (27.3%) would require the help of the sexologist. 135 ( 97%) would require the help of the psycho-oncologist. Despite the negative influence in their body-image and sexuality, few pts require the help of the sexologist, but nearly all pts require the help of the psycho-oncologist. Conclusion: In our study nearly all pts require the help of the psycho-oncologist, but few pts of the sexologist. Further studies will be needed to understand the reasons for this disparity: at the moment we are carrying out another project following this illustration, with the aim of understanding why this disparity.

High glucose induces an early and transient cytoprotective autophagy in retinal Müller cells.

PURPOSE: We investigated the autophagic response of rat Müller rMC-1 cells during a short-term high glucose challenge. METHODS: rMC-1 cells were maintained in 5 mM glucose (LG) or exposed to 25 mM glucose (HG). Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression levels of markers of autophagy (LC3-II, p62) and glial activation (AQP4), as well as the activation of TRAF2/JNK, ERK and AKT pathways. Autophagic flux assessment was performed using the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine. ROS levels were measured by flow cytometry using dichlorofluorescein diacetate. ERK involvement in autophagy induction was addressed using the ERK inhibitor FR180204. The effect of autophagy inhibition on cell viability was evaluated by SRB assay. RESULTS: Activation of autophagy was observed in the first 2-6 h of HG exposure. This early autophagic response was transient, not accompanied by an increase in AQP4 or in the phospho-activation of JNK, a key mediator of cellular response to oxidative stress, and required ERK activity. Cells exposed to HG had a lower viability upon autophagy inhibition by chloroquine, as compared to those maintained in LG. CONCLUSION: A short-term HG challenge triggers in rMC-1 cells a process improving the ability to cope with stressful conditions, which involves ERK and an early and transient autophagy activation.

An evidence map and synthesis review with meta-analysis on the risk of incisional hernia in colorectal surgery with standard closure.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) across various type of incisions in colorectal surgery (CS) creating a map of evidence to define research trends, gaps and areas of future interest. METHODS: Systematic review of PubMed and Scopus from 2010 onwards. Studies included both open (OS) and laparoscopic (LS). The primary outcome was incidence of IH 12 months after index procedure, secondary outcomes were the study features and their influence on reported proportion of IH. Random effects models were used to calculate pooled proportions. Meta-regression models were performed to explore heterogeneity. RESULTS: Ninetyone studies were included reporting 6473 IH. The pooled proportions of IH for OS were 0.35 (95% CI 0.27-0.44) I2 0% in midline laparotomies and 0.02 (95% CI 0.00-0.07), I2 52% for off-midline. In case of LS the pooled proportion of IH for midline extraction sites were 0.10 (95% CI 0.07-0.16), I2 58% and 0.04 (95% CI 0.03-0.06), I2 86% in case of off-midline. In Port-site IH was 0.02 (95% CI 0.01-0.04), I2 82%, and for single incision surgery (SILS) of 0.06-95% CI 0.02-0.15, I2 81%. In case of stoma reversal sites was 0.20 (95% CI 0.16-0.24). CONCLUSION: Midline laparotomies and stoma reversal sites are at high risk for IH and should be considered in research of preventive strategies of closure. After laparoscopic approach IH happens mainly by extraction sites incisions specially midline and also represent an important area of analysis.

Resultados funcionales e imagenológicos de la reparación artroscópica de lesiones parciales bursales del manguito rotador sin acromioplastia. Seguimiento a mediano plazo / Midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity after in situ repair of partial bursal supraspinatus tears without acromioplasty

Antecedentes y objetivoAnalizar la cicatrización mediante ecografía y el seguimiento funcional a mediano plazo de pacientes con roturas parciales bursales del manguito rotador (RPBMR) con reparación in situ sin acromioplastia.Materiales y métodosSe evaluaron 62 pacientes. Se realizó la medición del rango de movimiento y la puntuación en el score American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES). El dolor se registró usando una escala visual análoga (EVA). Se valoró ecográficamente la reparación con un mínimo de seguimiento de 5 años.ResultadosLa edad promedio fue de 57,2 años (rango de 44 a 77 años) y el seguimiento promedio, de 7 años (rango de 5 a 9 años). Todos los parámetros del rango de movimiento activo mejoraron significativamente (p<0,0001). El puntaje de ASES mejoró de 46,5 a 90,2 y los puntajes EVA mejoraron de 6,5 a 1,73 (p<0,0001). Un total de 56 pacientes (90%) realizaron control ecográfico al final del seguimiento; 51 presentaron integridad del tendón (91%) en la ecografía. Cinco pacientes presentaron re-roturas (9%); 3 tuvieron una re-rotura completa del tendón (5%) y 2 una re-rotura parcial (4%). No hubieron diferencias funcionales o del rango de movilidad significativas entre aquellos pacientes con el tendón intacto y los que presentaron re- roturas.ConclusionesA mediano plazo, la reparación in situ artroscópica de RPBMR demostró excelentes resultados funcionales en la mayoría de los pacientes con baja tasa de complicaciones. Estos mantienen un alto índice de cicatrización en el tiempo.(AU)

Background and purposeThe purpose of this study was to analyze midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity in patients treated with in situ arthroscopic repair of Partial Bursal Rotator Cuff Tears (PBRCTs) without acromioplasty.Materials and methodsSixty two patients were included. Clinical assessment consisted of glenohumeral range of motion measurement and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Pain was rated by using a visual analog scale (VAS). A postoperative ultrasound image control was performed at a minimum 5 years follow up to assess tendon integrity.ResultsMean age was 57.2 years (range, 44–77 years) and mean follow up was 7 years (range of 5–9 years). Significant improvements in range of motion, functional outcomes and pain were observed postoperatively (P<.0001). The ASES score improved from 46.5 to 90.2; and the VAS improved from 6.5 to 1.73 (P<.0001). Fifty six patients (90%) performed ultrasound evaluation at the end of follow up. Fifty-one patients (91%) presented tendon integrity on ultrasound. Five patients presented re-tears (9%). Three patients (5%) had a complete tendon re-tear and two patients (4%) had a partial re-tear. No difference in range of motion or functional outcomes were found between patients with intact tendon and those who had re-tears.ConclusionsIn the midterm follow up, arthroscopic in situ repair PBRCTs without acromioplasty showed excellent functional outcomes and high healing rates in most patients with low complication rates.(AU)

Midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity after in situ repair of partial bursal supraspinatus tears without acromioplasty / Resultados funcionales e imagenológicos de la reparación artroscópica de lesiones parciales bursales del manguito rotador sin acromioplastia. Seguimiento a mediano plazo

Background and purposeThe purpose of this study was to analyze midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity in patients treated with in situ arthroscopic repair of Partial Bursal Rotator Cuff Tears (PBRCTs) without acromioplasty.Materials and methodsSixty two patients were included. Clinical assessment consisted of glenohumeral range of motion measurement and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Pain was rated by using a visual analog scale (VAS). A postoperative ultrasound image control was performed at a minimum 5 years follow up to assess tendon integrity.ResultsMean age was 57.2 years (range, 44–77 years) and mean follow up was 7 years (range of 5–9 years). Significant improvements in range of motion, functional outcomes and pain were observed postoperatively (P<.0001). The ASES score improved from 46.5 to 90.2; and the VAS improved from 6.5 to 1.73 (P<.0001). Fifty six patients (90%) performed ultrasound evaluation at the end of follow up. Fifty-one patients (91%) presented tendon integrity on ultrasound. Five patients presented re-tears (9%). Three patients (5%) had a complete tendon re-tear and two patients (4%) had a partial re-tear. No difference in range of motion or functional outcomes were found between patients with intact tendon and those who had re-tears.ConclusionsIn the midterm follow up, arthroscopic in situ repair PBRCTs without acromioplasty showed excellent functional outcomes and high healing rates in most patients with low complication rates.(AU)

Antecedentes y objetivoAnalizar la cicatrización mediante ecografía y el seguimiento funcional a mediano plazo de pacientes con roturas parciales bursales del manguito rotador (RPBMR) con reparación in situ sin acromioplastia.Materiales y métodosSe evaluaron 62 pacientes. Se realizó la medición del rango de movimiento y la puntuación en el score American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES). El dolor se registró usando una escala visual análoga (EVA). Se valoró ecográficamente la reparación con un mínimo de seguimiento de 5 años.ResultadosLa edad promedio fue de 57,2 años (rango de 44 a 77 años) y el seguimiento promedio, de 7 años (rango de 5 a 9 años). Todos los parámetros del rango de movimiento activo mejoraron significativamente (p<0,0001). El puntaje de ASES mejoró de 46,5 a 90,2 y los puntajes EVA mejoraron de 6,5 a 1,73 (p<0,0001). Un total de 56 pacientes (90%) realizaron control ecográfico al final del seguimiento; 51 presentaron integridad del tendón (91%) en la ecografía. Cinco pacientes presentaron re-roturas (9%); 3 tuvieron una re-rotura completa del tendón (5%) y 2 una re-rotura parcial (4%). No hubieron diferencias funcionales o del rango de movilidad significativas entre aquellos pacientes con el tendón intacto y los que presentaron re- roturas.ConclusionesA mediano plazo, la reparación in situ artroscópica de RPBMR demostró excelentes resultados funcionales en la mayoría de los pacientes con baja tasa de complicaciones. Estos mantienen un alto índice de cicatrización en el tiempo.(AU)

Midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity after in situ repair of partial bursal supraspinatus tears without acromioplasty. / Resultados funcionales e imagenológicos de la reparación artroscópica de lesiones parciales bursales del manguito rotador sin acromioplastia. Seguimiento a mediano plazo.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze midterm functional outcomes and tendon integrity in patients treated with in situ arthroscopic repair of Partial Bursal Rotator Cuff Tears (PBRCTs) without acromioplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty two patients were included. Clinical assessment consisted of glenohumeral range of motion measurement and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Pain was rated by using a visual analog scale (VAS). A postoperative ultrasound image control was performed at a minimum 5 years follow up to assess tendon integrity. RESULTS: Mean age was 57.2 years (range, 44-77 years) and mean follow up was 7 years (range of 5-9 years). Significant improvements in range of motion, functional outcomes and pain were observed postoperatively (P<.0001). The ASES score improved from 46.5 to 90.2; and the VAS improved from 6.5 to 1.73 (P<.0001). Fifty six patients (90%) performed ultrasound evaluation at the end of follow up. Fifty-one patients (91%) presented tendon integrity on ultrasound. Five patients presented re-tears (9%). Three patients (5%) had a complete tendon re-tear and two patients (4%) had a partial re-tear. No difference in range of motion or functional outcomes were found between patients with intact tendon and those who had re-tears. CONCLUSIONS: In the midterm follow up, arthroscopic in situ repair PBRCTs without acromioplasty showed excellent functional outcomes and high healing rates in most patients with low complication rates.

Comparison of volumetric modulated arc therapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy for left-sided whole-breast irradiation using automated planning.

BACKGROUND: Published treatment technique comparisons for postoperative left-sided whole breast irradiation (WBI) with deep-inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) are scarce, small, and inconclusive. In this study, fully automated multi-criterial plan optimization, generating a single high-quality, Pareto-optimal plan per patient and treatment technique, was used to compare for a large patient cohort 1) intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with two tangential fields and 2) volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with two small tangential subarcs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight randomly selected patients recently treated with DIBH and 16â€¯× 2.66 Gy were included. The optimizer was configured for the clinical planning protocol. Comparisons between IMRT and VMAT included dosimetric plan parameters, estimated excess relative risks (ERR) for toxicities, delivery times, MUs, and deliverability accuracy at a linac. RESULTS: The automatically generated IMRT and VMAT plans applied in this study were similar or higher in quality than the manually generated clinical plans. For equal PTVin V95% (98.4 ± 0.9%), VMAT had significant advantages compared to IMRT regarding breast dose homogeneity and doses in heart and ipsilateral lung, at the cost of some minor deteriorations for contralateral breast (few cases with larger deteriorations) and lung. Conformality improved from 1.38 to 1.18 (p < 0.001). With VMAT, ERR for major coronary events and ipsilateral lung tumors were reduced by 3% (range: -1-12%) and 16% (range: -3-38%), respectively. MUs and delivery times were higher for VMAT. There were no statistical differences in γ passing rates. CONCLUSION: For WBI in conservative therapy of left-sided breast patients treated with DIBH, VMAT with two tangential subarcs was generally dosimetrically superior to IMRT with two tangential static fields. Results need confirmation by robustness analyses.

Astonishing response to Cetuximab in metastatic nasopharyn- geal carcinoma: a case report.

ABSTRACT: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, one of the most common head and neck cancers in Southeast Asia, is uncommon in Western countries and it is frequently diagnosed in advanced stage. Chemotherapy given with radiation therapy, followed by more chemotherapy, is the standard of care of stage IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma but Cetuximab, an epidermal growth factor (EGFR) inhibitor, is now making its way in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We report a case of 58 years old patient with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma with an astonishing response to Cetuximab. At the time of writing, the patient is still in treatment with Cetuximab with excellent disease control.

Surgical fixation of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures with precontoured plates in adolescents. / Tratamiento de fracturas mediodiafisarias de clavícula con placas precontorneadas en adolescentes.

BACKGROUND: The use of plate fixation to treat displaced midshaft clavicular fractures in adults reduces complications and residual shoulder disability. New features of the precontoured locking plates have been shown to reduce the need for hardware removal in adults. There is a lack of studies evaluating surgical fixation of displaced clavicular fractures with precontoured plates in adolescents. We evaluate outcomes and complications of adolescents with displaced midshaft clavicular fractures treated with precontoured locking plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 adolescents with displaced midshaft clavicular fractures were surgically treated from January 2010 to May 2017. Outcomes were evaluated using the Constant score, the 11- item version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaires, and radiographs, and a visual analog scale. Return-to-sport rate, level achieved, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 50 months (18 - 108 months). Constant, Quick-DASH, and visual analog scale scores were 95.6, 2.8 and 0.5 points, respectively. 100% of adolescents returned to sports at the same level they had before injury. Mean time to return was 69 days and 95% of patients were able to return before 12 weeks. Complication rate was 12.5%, 3 patients (7.5%) required hardware removal. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with displaced midshaft clavicular fractures treated with precontoured locking plates exhibited satisfactory outcomes and low complication rate. Compared to other reports, this study had lower rates, anatomic plates might reduce hardware-related complications.

Preparation, properties, and applications of magnetic hematite microparticles.

Hematite microparticles are becoming increasingly important components in the soft matter field. The remarkable combination of magnetic and photocatalytic properties that characterize them, coupled with the variety of uniform and monodisperse shapes that they can be synthesized in, makes them a one of a kind colloidal model system. Thanks to these properties, hematite microparticles have been recently applied in several important soft matter applications, spanning from novel colloidal building blocks for self-assembly to necessary tools to investigate and understand fundamental problems. In this review article we provide a detailed overview of the traditional methods available for the preparation of hematite microparticles of different shapes, devoting special attention on some of the most common hiccups that could hider a successful synthesis. We furthermore review the particles' most important physico-chemical properties and their most relevant applications in the soft matter field.

Review: Chestnut and quebracho tannins in pig nutrition: the effects on performance and intestinal health.

Natural extracts are frequently adopted as a valuable alternative to antibiotics in intensive animal farming. Their diverse bioactive constituents such as phytosterols, glucosinolates, carotenoids and polyphenols have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Tannins are the largest class of polyphenol compounds of plant extracts, which can be classified into two hydrolysable or condensed subgroups. Poultry and swine nutrition are the most important sectors in which tannins have been used, firstly adopting tannin-rich feedstuffs and more recently, using tannin extracts from different plants. Several commercial products are available containing tannins extracted from the European chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) and the American quebracho (Schinopsis spp.). Tannins extracted from these plants have been applied on intensive swine farms due to their ability to improve animal performance and health. These positive and prominent effects are frequently associated with the antinutritional effects in reducing feed palatability, digestibility and protein utilization of feed. Some criticisms and contrasting results regarding pig performance and intestinal health have been reported. This paper provides an overview of the effects of chestnut and quebracho tannins on growth performance and intestinal health of pigs in order to clarify the appropriate dosage and response in the various physiological stages.

Gunshot suicides caused by cane-gun and alarm garden gun cannon: Two cases report."

Obtaining a firearm is not always easy, which is why some firearms that are antique or whose use is not intended to kiss are modified for suicide purposes. The two cases report a suicide with an original historical firearm as the canegun, a walking stick which conceals a firearm and a suicide with a modified alarm cannon, which is a small cannon, which fires blanks to scare away garden animals. The aims of the study were to describe the scene, the corpse external examination and the autopsy to understand the death mechanism. We wish to highlight the importance of the forensic pathologist's fieldwork, especially in complex or atypical suicides.

Spatial connectivity matches direction selectivity in visual cortex.

The selectivity of neuronal responses arises from the architecture of excitatory and inhibitory connections. In the primary visual cortex, the selectivity of a neuron in layer 2/3 for stimulus orientation and direction is thought to arise from intracortical inputs that are similarly selective1-8. However, the excitatory inputs of a neuron can have diverse stimulus preferences1-4,6,7,9, and inhibitory inputs can be promiscuous10 and unselective11. Here we show that the excitatory and inhibitory intracortical connections to a layer 2/3 neuron accord with its selectivity by obeying precise spatial patterns. We used rabies tracing1,12 to label and functionally image the excitatory and inhibitory inputs to individual pyramidal neurons of layer 2/3 of the mouse visual cortex. Presynaptic excitatory neurons spanned layers 2/3 and 4 and were distributed coaxial to the preferred orientation of the postsynaptic neuron, favouring the region opposite to its preferred direction. By contrast, presynaptic inhibitory neurons resided within layer 2/3 and favoured locations near the postsynaptic neuron and ahead of its preferred direction. The direction selectivity of a postsynaptic neuron was unrelated to the selectivity of presynaptic neurons, but correlated with the spatial displacement between excitatory and inhibitory presynaptic ensembles. Similar asymmetric connectivity establishes direction selectivity in the retina13-17. This suggests that this circuit motif might be canonical in sensory processing.

Building confidence in skin sensitisation potency assessment using new approach methodologies: report of the 3rd EPAA Partners Forum, Brussels, 28th October 2019.

Skin sensitising substances that induce contact allergy and consequently risk elicitation of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) remain an important focus regarding the replacement of animal experimentation. Current in vivo methods, notably the local lymph node assay (LLNA) refined and reduced animal usage and led to a marked improvement in hazard identification, characterisation and risk assessment. Since validation, regulatory confidence in the LLNA approach has evolved until it became the first choice assay in most regulated sectors. Currently, hazard identification using the LLNA is being actively replaced by a toolbox of non-animal approaches. However, there remains a need to increase confidence in the use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) as replacements for LLNA sensitiser potency estimation. The EPAA Partners Forum exchanged the current state of knowledge on use of NAMs in various industry sectors and regulatory environments. They then debated current challenges in this area and noted several ongoing needs. These included a requirement for reference standards for potency, better characterisation of applicability domains/technical limitations of NAMs, development of a framework for weight of evidence assessments, and an increased confidence in the characterisation of non-sensitisers. Finally, exploration of an industry/regulator cross-sector user-forum on skin sensitisation was recommended.