Effects of the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist eplerenone in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

There is growing evidence indicating that mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) expression influences a wide variety of functions in metabolic and immune response. The present study explored if antagonism of the MR reduces neuroinflammation in the spinal cord of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Eplerenone (EPLE) (100 mg/kg dissolved in 30% 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) daily from EAE induction (day 0) until sacrificed on day 17 post-induction. The MR blocker (a) significantly decreased the inflammatory parameters TLR4, MYD88, IL-1ß, and iNOS mRNAs; (b) attenuated HMGB1, NLRP3, TGF-ß mRNAs, microglia, and aquaporin4 immunoreaction without modifying GFAP. Serum IL-1ß was also decreased in the EAE+EPLE group. Moreover, EPLE treatment prevented demyelination and improved clinical signs of EAE mice. Interestingly, MR was decreased and GR remained unchanged in EAE mice while EPLE treatment restored MR expression, suggesting that a dysbalanced MR/GR was associated with the development of neuroinflammation. Our results indicated that MR blockage with EPLE attenuated inflammation-related spinal cord pathology in the EAE mouse model of Multiple Sclerosis, supporting a novel therapeutic approach for immune-related diseases.

Secuelas cognitivas en encefalitis inmunomediadas: cohorte de pacientes en Argentina / Cognitive sequelae in immunomediated encephalitis: cohort of patients in Argentina

Resumen Introducción: Las encefalitis inmunomediadas son un desorden neurológico de origen autoinmune. Actual mente es escasa la descripción de las secuelas cognitivas crónicas. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue caracterizar la secuela cognitiva de diferentes tipos de encefalitis inmunomediadas en una cohorte de un centro único de Argentina. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo, observacional, trans versal, de pacientes en seguimiento en un hospital de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, con diagnóstico de encefalitis inmunomediada probable y definitiva. Se evaluaron variables epidemiológicas, clínicas, paraclínicas y tra tamiento. Se determinó la secuela cognitiva a través de una evaluación neurocognitiva realizada a partir del año de la presentación clínica. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 15 pacientes, todos con resultado disminuido en al menos un test. La memoria fue el dominio más afectado. Aquellos que se encon traban bajo tratamiento inmunosupresor al momento de evaluarse presentaron menores resultados en el aprendizaje seriado (media -2.94; desvío estándar 1.54) versus los que se encontraban sin tratamiento (media -1.18; desvío estándar 1.40; p = 0.05) y en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -10.34; desvío estándar 8.02) ver sus sin tratamiento (media -1.39; desvío estándar 2.21; p = 0.003). Los pacientes con estatus epiléptico tuvieron resultados deficitarios en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -7.2; desvío estándar 7.91) en comparación a los que no lo tenían (media -1.47; desvío estándar 2.34; p = 0.05). Conclusión: Nuestros resultados demuestran que, a pesar del curso monofásico de la enfermedad, todos los pacientes presentan daño cognitivo persistente más allá del año del inicio del cuadro. Estudios prospectivos de mayor envergadura serían necesarios para confirmar nuestros hallazgos.

Abstract Introduction: Autoimmune encephalitis represents a group of immune-mediated neurological disorders. At present, the description of the chronic cognitive sequela is scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the cognitive after effects of different types of autoimmune encephalitis in a cohort from a single center in Argentina. Methods: Prospective, observational, cross-sectional study of patients under follow-up at a hospital in Buenos Aires city, with a diagnosis of probable and definitive immune-mediated encephalitis. Epidemiological, clini cal, paraclinical and treatment related variables were evaluated. Cognitive sequela was determined through a neurocognitive evaluation performed at least a year after the clinical presentation. Results: Fifteen patients were included. All had di minished results in at least one test. Memory was the most affected domain. Patients who were under im munosuppressive treatment at the time of evaluation presented lower results in serial learning (mean -2.94; standard deviation 1.54) versus those who weren't under treatment (mean -1.18; standard deviation 1.40; p = 0.05). The same pattern was observed on the recognition test of treatment group (mean -10.34; standard deviation 8.02) versus treatment-free group (mean -1.39; standard deviation 2.21; p =0.003). Patients with status epilepticus had poorer results in the recognition test (mean -7.2; standard deviation 7.91) compared to those without it (mean -1.47; standard deviation 2.34; p = 0.05). Conclusion: Our results show that, despite the mo nophasic course of this disease, all patients had persis tent cognitive damage beyond the year of onset. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm our findings.

[Cognitive sequelae in immunomediated encephalitis: cohort of patients in Argentina]. / Secuelas cognitivas en encefalitis inmunomediadas: cohorte de pacientes en Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune encephalitis represents a group of immune-mediated neurological disorders. At present, the description of the chronic cognitive sequela is scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the cognitive after effects of different types of autoimmune encephalitis in a cohort from a single center in Argentina. METHODS: Prospective, observational, cross-sectional study of patients under follow-up at a hospital in Buenos Aires city, with a diagnosis of probable and definitive immune-mediated encephalitis. Epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and treatment related variables were evaluated. Cognitive sequela was determined through a neurocognitive evaluation performed at least a year after the clinical presentation. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were included. All had diminished results in at least one test. Memory was the most affected domain. Patients who were under immunosuppressive treatment at the time of evaluation presented lower results in serial learning (mean -2.94; standard deviation 1.54) versus those who weren't under treatment (mean -1.18; standard deviation 1.40; p = 0.05). The same pattern was observed on the recognition test of treatment group (mean -10.34; standard deviation 8.02) versus treatment-free group (mean -1.39; standard deviation 2.21; p =0.003). Patients with status epilepticus had poorer results in the recognition test (mean -7.2; standard deviation 7.91) compared to those without it (mean -1.47; standard deviation 2.34; p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results show that, despite the monophasic course of this disease, all patients had persistent cognitive damage beyond the year of onset. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm our findings.

Introducción: Las encefalitis inmunomediadas son un desorden neurológico de origen autoinmune. Actualmente es escasa la descripción de las secuelas cognitivas crónicas. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue caracterizar la secuela cognitiva de diferentes tipos de encefalitis inmunomediadas en una cohorte de un centro único de Argentina. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo, observacional, transversal, de pacientes en seguimiento en un hospital de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, con diagnóstico de encefalitis inmunomediada probable y definitiva. Se evaluaron variables epidemiológicas, clínicas, paraclínicas y tratamiento. Se determinó la secuela cognitiva a través de una evaluación neurocognitiva realizada a partir del año de la presentación clínica. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 15 pacientes, todos con resultado disminuido en al menos un test. La memoria fue el dominio más afectado. Aquellos que se encontraban bajo tratamiento inmunosupresor al momento de evaluarse presentaron menores resultados en el aprendizaje seriado (media -2.94; desvío estándar 1.54) versus los que se encontraban sin tratamiento (media -1.18; desvío estándar 1.40; p = 0.05) y en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -10.34; desvío estándar 8.02) versus sin tratamiento (media -1.39; desvío estándar 2.21; p = 0.003). Los pacientes con estatus epiléptico tuvieron resultados deficitarios en la prueba de reconocimiento (media -7.2; desvío estándar 7.91) en comparación a los que no lo tenían (media -1.47; desvío estándar 2.34; p = 0.05). Conclusión: Nuestros resultados demuestran que, a pesar del curso monofásico de la enfermedad, todos los pacientes presentan daño cognitivo persistente más allá del año del inicio del cuadro. Estudios prospectivos de mayor envergadura serían necesarios para confirmar nuestros hallazgos.

A late Middle Pleistocene Middle Stone Age sequence identified at Wadi Lazalim in southern Tunisia.

The late Middle Pleistocene, starting at around 300 ka, witnessed large-scale biological and cultural dynamics in hominin evolution across Africa including the onset of the Middle Stone Age that is closely associated with the evolution of our species-Homo sapiens. However, archaeological and geochronological data of its earliest appearance are scarce. Here we report on the late Middle Pleistocene sequence of Wadi Lazalim, in the Sahara of Southern Tunisia, which has yielded evidence for human occupations bracketed between ca. 300-130 ka. Wadi Lazalim contributes valuable information on the spread of early MSA technocomplexes across North Africa, that likely were an expression of large-scale diffusion processes.

[Conservation surgery and early rehabilitation in massive necrotizing fasciitis of the lower limbs] / Cirugía de conservación y rehabilitación temprana en fascitis necrotizante masiva de miembros inferiores.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening infection. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Reconstruction techniques and rehabilitation protocols have been poorly described. The objective of this work is to describe the results of timely treatment for limb preservation and early rehabilitation in a case of massive necrotizing fasciitis of the lower limbs. We present a case of necrotizing fasciitis in the lower limbs, treated surgically with a negative aspiration system, muscle flaps, and skin graft. We describe his rehabilitation protocol and the results at one year of follow-up.

La fascitis necrotizante es una infección potencialmente letal. Es esencial un diagnóstico y tratamiento temprano. Las técnicas de reconstrucción y los protocolos de rehabilitación han sido escasamente descritos. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir los resultados del tratamiento oportuno para la conservación de miembros y la rehabilitación temprana en un caso de fascitis necrotizante masiva de miembros inferiores. Presentamos un caso de fascitis necrotizante en miembros inferiores, tratado quirúrgicamente mediante sistema de aspiración negativa, colgajos musculares e injerto cutáneo. Describimos su protocolo de rehabilitación y los resultados al año de seguimiento.

Fractura intraarticular de calcáneo asociada a lesión de ligamentos colaterales laterales del tobillo / Intra-articular fracture of the calcaneus associated with injury to lateral collateral ligaments of the ankle

Resumen: Las fracturas de calcáneo son las más frecuentes del tarso (3.5% de todas las fracturas). Afectan a adultos jóvenes, siendo más frecuentes en hombres (5.9:1). Por otro lado, las lesiones ligamentarias asociadas a fractura de calcáneo no son muy frecuentes. Presentamos un caso de un paciente de 39 años que sufrió entorsis de tobillo. Mostraba inestabilidad en flexión plantar e inversión. Radiografías mostraron una fractura de calcáneo. Durante la cirugía se evidenció una lesión completa del complejo ligamentario lateral. Se realizó la reducción y osteosíntesis asociada a la reconstrucción ligamentaria. Ante fracturas de calcáneo es importante corroborar la estabilidad del tobillo. La falta de diagnóstico en este tipo de lesiones puede generar inestabilidades crónicas.

Abstract: Calcaneal fractures are the most frequent of the tarsus (3.5% of all fractures). Young adults are mainly affected, being more frequent in men (5.9:1). On the other hand, ligament injuries associated with fracture of the calcaneus are very infrequent. We describe a case of a 39 year old patient who suffered ankle trauma. He presented instability in plantar flexion and inversion. A fracture of the calcaneus was diagnosed. During surgery, a complete lesion of the lateral ligament complex was found. The reduction and osteosynthesis associated with ligament reconstruction was performed. We consider important to confirm the stability of the ankle after a calcaneus fracture. Lack of diagnosis in this type of injuries can evolve into chronic instability.

Repercusiones en la Cavidad Oral Causadas por la Infección con COVID-19

RESUMEN: Ante esta situación de la pandemia por el COVID-19, los odontólogos tienen un papel importante para detectar y apoyar en el diagnóstico temprano, dado que se están reportando efectos que esta infección ocasiona en la cavidad oral y que se relacionan con el inicio de este proceso infeccioso. Estos efectos se pueden relacionar con la presencia del virus SARS-CoV-2 o con las formas de los tratamientos que se le brinda al paciente, que van en desmedro de la salud oral de los pacientes. El objetivo de esta revisión es informar sobre las repercusiones que se pueden dar en la cavidad oral por la infección con COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Faced with this situation of the COVID- 19 pandemic, dentists play an important role in detecting and supporting early diagnosis, since effects that this infection causes in the oral cavity and that are related to the onset are being reported. of this infectious process. These effects can be related to the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or to the forms of treatments that are given to the patient, which are detrimental to the oral health of patients. The objective of this review is to inform about the repercussions that can occur in the oral cavity due to infection with COVID-19.

[Intra-articular fracture of the calcaneus associated with injury to lateral collateral ligaments of the ankle]. / Fractura intraarticular de calcáneo asociada a lesión de ligamentos colaterales laterales del tobillo.

Calcaneal fractures are the most frequent of the tarsus (3.5% of all fractures). Young adults are mainly affected, being more frequent in men (5.9:1). On the other hand, ligament injuries associated with fracture of the calcaneus are very infrequent. We describe a case of a 39 year old patient who suffered ankle trauma. He presented instability in plantar flexion and inversion. A fracture of the calcaneus was diagnosed. During surgery, a complete lesion of the lateral ligament complex was found. The reduction and osteosynthesis associated with ligament reconstruction was performed. We consider important to confirm the stability of the ankle after a calcaneus fracture. Lack of diagnosis in this type of injuries can evolve into chronic instability.

Las fracturas de calcáneo son las más frecuentes del tarso (3.5% de todas las fracturas). Afectan a adultos jóvenes, siendo más frecuentes en hombres (5.9:1). Por otro lado, las lesiones ligamentarias asociadas a fractura de calcáneo no son muy frecuentes. Presentamos un caso de un paciente de 39 años que sufrió entorsis de tobillo. Mostraba inestabilidad en flexión plantar e inversión. Radiografías mostraron una fractura de calcáneo. Durante la cirugía se evidenció una lesión completa del complejo ligamentario lateral. Se realizó la reducción y osteosíntesis asociada a la reconstrucción ligamentaria. Ante fracturas de calcáneo es importante corroborar la estabilidad del tobillo. La falta de diagnóstico en este tipo de lesiones puede generar inestabilidades crónicas.

Medidas para Prevenir el COVID-19 en el Consultorio Dental / Measures to Prevent COVID-19 in the Dental Office

RESUMEN: El 11 de marzo del 2020, la OMS reconoció al COVID-19 como pandemia mundial. El coronavirus (COVID-19) ha desafiado a los sistemas de salud y demanda una rápida reacción de respuesta, ante el aumento de infectados. El ámbito del trabajo odontológico, está sujeto a un riesgo significativo de contaminación cruzada y difusión de esta enfermedad, siendo muy importante las estrictas medidas de protección. El objetivo de esta revisión es informar sobre las medidas que se deben realizar durante los tratamientos dentro del consultorio dental para prevenir la propagación del COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: On March 11, 2020, the WHO recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has challenged health systems and demands a quick response reaction, due to the increase in infected people. The field of dental work is subject to a significant risk of cross contamination and spread of this disease, with strict protection measures being very important. The aim of this review is to inform about the measures that must be carried out during treatments in the dental office to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Guidelines for hypertension management in primary care: is local adaptation possible?

OBJECTIVE: Hypertension affects more than one billion people worldwide. There has been much discussion about clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) following the proposal of lower thresholds for starting pharmacological treatment. Some smaller groups or institutions could benefit from adapting CPGs to their local context, a process that requires high-quality CPGs with few points of conflict in their recommendations. To address this issue, we have compared high-quality hypertension CPGs and highlighted conflicting recommendations. METHODS: CPGs were searched in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, as well as specific websites. Only CPGs published between 2016 and 2019 were included. We defined CPGs as high-quality if the 'rigor of development' and 'editorial independence' AGREE II domains were scored at least 60%. We compared recommendations made by high-quality CPGs and highlighted areas of conflict (defined as disagreements between more than two CPGs). RESULTS: Nineteen CPGs were identified. The highest scoring domain was 'scope and purpose' (74.3%) and the lowest scoring was 'applicability' (40.0%). Eight CPGs were rated as high quality. Most CPG recommendations on the management of hypertension were consistent. Conflicting recommendations were regarding blood pressure (BP) levels to initiate pharmacotherapy and therapeutic goals, particularly in patients with low cardiovascular risk and older patients. CONCLUSION: It is possible to adapt hypertension CPGs once high-quality documents have been identified with agreement between most recommendations. Guideline developers can focus on the adaption process and concentrate efforts on implementation.

Prolonged social lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic and hip fracture epidemiology.

PURPOSE: To analyse the impact of prolonged mandatory lockdown due to COVID-19 on hip fracture epidemiology. METHODS: Retrospective case-control study of 160 hip fractures operated upon between December 2019 and May 2020. Based on the date of declaration of national lockdown, the cohort was separated into two groups: 'pre-COVID time' (PCT), including 86 patients, and 'COVID time' (CT), consisting of 74 patients. All CT patients tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Patients were stratified based on demographic characteristics. Outcome measures were 30-day complications, readmissions and mortality. A logistic regression model was run to evaluate factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: Age, female/male ratio, body mass index and American Society of Anaesthesia score were similar between both groups (p > 0.05). CT patients had a higher percentage of Charlson ≥ 5 and Rockwood Frailty Index ≥ 5 scores (p < 0.05) as well as lower UCLA and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scores (p < 0.05). This translated into a higher hemiarthroplasty/total hip arthroplasty ratio during CT (p = 0.04). Thromboembolic disease was higher during CT (p = 0.02). Readmissions (all negative for SARS-CoV-2) were similar between both groups (p = 0.34). Eight (10.8%) casualties were detected in the CT group, whereas no deaths were seen in the control group. Logistic regression showed that frailer (p = 0.006, OR 10.46, 95%CI 8.95-16.1), less active (p = 0.018, OR 2.45, 95%CI 1.45-2.72) and those with a thromboembolic event (p = 0.005, OR 30, 95%CI 11-42) had a higher risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: Despite testing negative for SARS-CoV-2, CT patients were less active and frailer than PCT patients, depicting an epidemiological shift that was associated with higher mortality rate.

A Review of Technologies and Techniques for Indoor Navigation Systems for the Visually Impaired.

Technologies and techniques of location and navigation are advancing, allowing greater precision in locating people in complex and challenging conditions. These advances have attracted growing interest from the scientific community in using indoor positioning systems (IPSs) with a higher degree of precision and fast delivery time, for groups of people such as the visually impaired, to some extent improving their quality of life. Much research brings together various works that deal with the physical and logical approaches of IPSs to give the reader a more general view of the models. These surveys, however, need to be continuously revisited to update the literature on the features described. This paper presents an expansion of the range of technologies and methodologies for assisting the visually impaired in previous works, providing readers and researchers with a more recent version of what was done and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to guide reviews and discussions about these topics. Finally, we discuss a series of considerations and future trends for the construction of indoor navigation and location systems for the visually impaired.

Consideraciones para el manejo de un implante inmediato en alvéolos infectados: una actualización / Considerations for the management of an immediate implant in infected sockets: an update

Introducción: La instalación inmediata del implante posterior a la extracción dental se está convirtiendo en un procedimiento de rutina debido a la reducción del tiempo de tratamiento y a la preservación de las estructuras anatómicas remanentes. Sin embargo, en muchos casos esta técnica involucra dientes afectados con procesos infecciosos. Hasta ahora, no se ha descrito a ciencia cierta el grado de éxito o fracaso del implante inmediato en alvéolos infectados, ni se ha establecido un protocolo para el manejo de este tipo de casos. Objetivo: Realizar una revisión bibliográfica actualizada, para determinar qué consideraciones se deben tener para instalar un implante inmediato en alvéolos con procesos infecciosos. Conclusión: Es posible obtener las ventajas de la instalación inmediata del implante en alvéolos infectados mediante la aplicación de un adecuado manejo clínico, donde se considere un adecuado tratamiento antibiótico, acompañado de un correcto curetaje alveolar, respetar la cadena de asepsia y antisepsia, posición subcrestal del implante y obtener siempre una buena estabilidad primaria del implante (AU)

Introduction: The immediate placement of the implant after dental extraction is a procedure that every time is becoming a routine procedure due to the reduction of the treatment time and the preservation of the remaining anatomical structures. However, in many cases, this technique involves affected teeth with infectious processes. Until now, the degree of success or failure of the immediate implant in infected alveoli has not been described for sure; nor has a protocol been established for the management of these types of cases. Objective: Carry out an updated bibliographic review, to determine what considerations must be taken to install an immediate implant in alveoli with infectious processes. Conclusion: Is possible obtain the advantages of the immediate installation of the implant in infected alveoli through the application of adequate clinical management, where appropriate antibiotic treatment is considered, accompanied by proper alveolar curettage, respect the aseptic and antiseptic chain, implant subcrestal position and always obtain a good primary stability of the implant (AU)

Caracterização do gene do choque térmico (HSP-70. 1) e sua relação com características de produção em bovinos leiteiros criados no semiárido brasileiro / Characterization of the thermal shock gene (HSP-70. 1) and its relationship with production characteristics in dairy cattle reared in the Brazilian semiarid

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a diversidade genética do gene HSP-70.1 e associar os polimorfismos encontrados com a performance de vacas leiteiras das raças Holandesa, Girolando (5/8H-G) e Sindi criadas em região do semiárido brasileiro. Os polimorfismos foram identificados e avaliados pela técnica de PCR-RFLP, usando-se a enzima de restrição EcoRII. Avaliou-se a variabilidade genética por meio do índice de diversidade padrão e da análise de variância molecular (AMOVA). Os polimorfismos identificados foram avaliados sobre as características de produção de leite. Foram identificados sete alelos, os quais demonstraram que houve polimorfismo para a região gênica analisada, e alguns alelos foram compartilhados entre os rebanhos. As raças bovinas Holandesa e Sindi foram similares geneticamente para o gene analisado. A AMOVA demonstrou que há variação genética entre os rebanhos e dentro deles, com a maior parte da variação ocorrendo dentro dos rebanhos para todos os grupos avaliados. Houve efeito dos alelos identificados sobre a produção de leite dos rebanhos das raças Holandesa (P<0,0001) e Girolando (P<0,0117). O gene HSP-70.1 foi polimórfico na população de bovinos leiteiros estudada, sendo, portanto, um marcador molecular promissor para avaliar a produção de leite de raças criadas em região semiárida.(AU)

The objective of this work was to evaluate the genetic diversity of the HSP-70.1 gene and to associate the polymorphisms found with the performance of Holstein, Girolando (5/8H-G) and Sindi dairy cows raised in region of the Brazilian semiarid. Polymorphisms were identified and evaluated using the PCR-RFLP technique using the EcoRII restriction enzyme. Genetic variability was evaluated using the standard diversity index and molecular variance analysis (AMOVA). The identified polymorphisms were evaluated on the characteristics of milk production. They were identified from the seven alleles, demonstrating that there was polymorphism for the analyzed gene region and some alleles were shared among the herds. The Holstein and Sindi bovine breeds were genetically like the analyzed gene. AMOVA demonstrated that there is genetic variation between and within the herds, with most of the variation occurring within the herds for all groups evaluated. There was effect of the alleles identified on the production of milk herds of Holstein and (P<0.0001) Girolando (P<0.0117) breeds. The HSP-70.1 gene was polymorphic in the population of dairy cattle studied, and therefore a promising molecular marker to evaluate milk production of breeds created in semiarid regions.(AU)

Aquatic fauna from the Takarkori rock shelter reveals the Holocene central Saharan climate and palaeohydrography.

The abundant faunal remains from the Takarkori rock shelter in the Tadrart Acacus region of southwestern Libya are described. The material that covers the period between 10,200 to 4650 years cal BP illustrates the more humid environmental conditions in the Central Sahara during early and middle Holocene times. Particular attention is focussed on the aquatic fauna that shows marked diachronic changes related to increasing aridification. This is reflected in the decreasing amount of fish remains compared to mammals and, within the fish fauna, by changes through time in the proportion of the species and by a reduction of fish size. The aquatic fauna can, in addition, be used to formulate hypotheses about the former palaeohydrographical network. This is done by considering the possible location of pre-Holocene relic populations combined with observations on the topography and palaeohydrological settings of the Central Sahara.

Detection of Neospora caninum DNA in cases of bovine and ovine abortion in the South-West of Scotland.

Neospora caninum is a commonly diagnosed cause of reproductive losses in farmed ruminants worldwide. This study examined 495 and 308 samples (brain, heart and placenta) which were collected from 455 and 119 aborted cattle and sheep fetuses, respectively. DNA was extracted and a nested Neospora ITS1 PCR was performed on all samples. The results showed that for bovine fetuses 79/449 brain [17.6% (14.2-21.4)], 7/25 heart [28.0% (12.1-49.4)] and 5/21 placenta [23.8% (8.2-47.2)] were PCR positive for the presence of Neospora DNA. Overall 82/455 [18.0% (14.6-21.7)] of the bovine fetuses tested positive for the presence of N. caninum DNA in at least one sample. None (0/308) of the ovine fetal samples tested positive for the presence of Neospora DNA in any of the tissues tested. The results show that N. caninum was associated with fetal losses in cattle (distributed across South-West Scotland), compared to sheep in the same geographical areas where no parasite DNA was found. Neospora is well distributed amongst cattle in South-West Scotland and is the potential cause of serious economic losses to the Scottish cattle farming community; however, it does not appear to be a problem amongst the Scottish sheep flocks.

Flow-induced concentration gradients in shear-banding of branched wormlike micellar solutions.

HYPOTHESIS: Shear-banding of branched wormlike solutions is a topic of active investigation which has not been fully elucidated. Here, we surmise that flow-induced microstructuring in the shear banding regime is associated with spatial concentration gradients. EXPERIMENTS: The experiments focus on the flow-induced behavior of a CTAB/NaSal wormlike micellar system. A unique approach based on a microfluidic-spitter geometry, combined with particle-image velocimetry and high-speed video microscopy, is used to separate the streams flowing out from the core and the near wall zones of the microchannel. FINDINGS: Here, we present the first direct experimental evidence of the correlation between phase separation and shear banding. By increasing the pressure-drop across a microcapillary, the onset of a grainy texture close to the wall, showing a flow-induced demixing effect, is observed. We use a splitter to measure effluent streams from the center and the near-wall zones in terms of viscosity, conductance and dry mass. We observe that phase-separation induced by the flow correlates with chemical concentration gradients. This confirms our hypothesis that shear-induced local de-mixing of the system is strongly related to chemical concentration gradients.

Complexity and Challenges in Noncontact High Temperature Measurements in Microwave-Assisted Catalytic Reactors.

The complexity and challenges in noncontact temperature measurements inside microwave-heated catalytic reactors are presented in this paper. A custom-designed microwave cavity has been used to focus the microwave field on the catalyst and enable monitoring of the temperature field in 2D. A methodology to study the temperature distribution in the catalytic bed by using a thermal camera in combination with a thermocouple for a heterogeneous catalytic reaction (methane dry reforming) under microwave heating has been demonstrated. The effects of various variables that affect the accuracy of temperature recordings are discussed in detail. The necessity of having at least one contact sensor, such as a thermocouple, or some other microwave transparent sensor, is recommended to keep track of the temperature changes occurring in the catalytic bed during the reaction under microwave heating.