Synchronization and bursting activity are intrinsic electrophysiological properties of in vivo and in vitro neural networks. During early development, cortical cultures exhibit a wide repertoire of ...synchronous bursting dynamics whose characterization may help to understand the parameters governing the transition from immature to mature networks. Here we used machine learning techniques to characterize and predict the developing spontaneous activity in mouse cortical neurons on microelectrode arrays (MEAs) during the first three weeks in vitro. Network activity at three stages of early development was defined by 18 electrophysiological features of spikes, bursts, synchrony, and connectivity. The variability of neuronal network activity during early development was investigated by applying k-means and self-organizing map (SOM) clustering analysis to features of bursts and synchrony. These electrophysiological features were predicted at the third week in vitro with high accuracy from those at earlier times using three machine learning models: Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines, Support Vector Machines, and Random Forest. Our results indicate that initial patterns of electrical activity during the first week in vitro may already predetermine the final development of the neuronal network activity. The methodological approach used here may be applied to explore the biological mechanisms underlying the complex dynamics of spontaneous activity in developing neuronal cultures.
(1) Background: A non-progressive congenital ataxia (NPCA) phenotype caused by β-III spectrin (
) mutations has emerged, mimicking spinocerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive type 14 (SCAR14). The ...pattern of inheritance, however, resembles that of autosomal dominant classical spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5). (2) Methods: In-depth phenotyping of two boys studied by a customized gene panel. Candidate variants were sought by structural modeling and protein expression. An extensive review of the literature was conducted in order to better characterize the
-associated NPCA. (3) Results: Patients exhibited an NPCA with hypotonia, developmental delay, cerebellar syndrome, and cognitive deficits. Both probands presented with progressive global cerebellar volume loss in consecutive cerebral magnetic resonance imaging studies, characterized by decreasing midsagittal vermis relative diameter measurements. Cortical hyperintensities were observed on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, suggesting a neurodegenerative process. Each patient carried a novel de novo
substitution: c.193A > G (p.K65E) or c.764A > G (p.D255G). Modeling and protein expression revealed that both mutations might be deleterious. (4) Conclusions: The reported findings contribute to a better understanding of the
-associated phenotype. The mutations may preclude proper structural organization of the actin spectrin-based membrane skeleton, which, in turn, is responsible for the underlying disease mechanism.
Struthiopteris spicant is a medium-sized, dimorphic fern that occurs mainly in Western Europe and Western North America. The species is quite variable, with several forms differing in frond sizes and ...degree of dimorphism. In addition to the typical plant, in Europe two other varieties are recognized: the Iberian S. s. var. homophyllum includes plants up to 20 cm, monomorphic or subdimorphic, with fragmented cenosori; the Icelandic S. s. var. fallax comprises very small plants up to 5 cm, monomorphic, with isolated sori. Outstanding questions remain about hybridization among the different forms, their taxonomic status, and the relations between different populations. The present work aims to study additional morphological and anatomical features of the S. spicant complex in Western Europe using a statistical approach, to resolve the taxonomic position of the different forms. We observed traits ranging from the rhizome scales to the spores and used one-way ANOVA to test for significant differences between all varieties and PCA to determine whether plants assigned to different varieties can be classified statistically into distinct groups. We detected significant differences in several of the analysed traits among the varieties in the complex. Qualitative differences in pinna anatomy and epidermal cells also help segregation of the varieties considered. Our results allowed us to propose a new specific status for the Icelandic endemic var. fallax and a new endemic Spanish variety, S. s. var. pradae.
Hybridization is a ubiquitous force in plant evolution. In ferns, hybrids are often easily recognized by their intermediate morphology and abortive spores and thus provide a good model for studying ...reproductive isolating barriers between species.
Asplenium
×
aran
-
tohanum
is a rare fern hybrid, despite wide coexistence of its parental species (
A. billotii
and
A. trichomanes
subsp.
quadrivalens
) in Western Europe. We made a complete characterization of its three known individuals, including macro- and micromorphology, sporogenesis, gametophyte reproduction, and chloroplast DNA inheritance and evolution. The hybrid expressed morphological characters that were mostly intermediate between those of the parents, but some characters were more similar to one parent or the other. Sizes of both guard cells and spores indicate that the hybrid is tetraploid, as are both parents, and one parent (
A. billotii
) consistently acted as the female. A very small fraction of spores (~ 7%) were viable and the resulting gametophytes could not form sporophytes, either sexually or apogamously, suggesting that effective postzygotic barriers exist between the parents. The lineages of these taxa diverged about 35 million years ago, which may explain the strong reproductive isolation and rarity of the hybrid.
Asplenium
×
aran
-
tohanum
appears to be an evolutionary dead end, probably formed recurrently at the places where it grows, but incapable of completing its life cycle or producing viable offspring.
Correction to Molino, Sonia; Gabriel y Galán, Jose M.; Wasowicz, Pawel ...
Plant systematics and evolution,
06/2019, Volume:
305, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Due to an unfortunate error, the citation of the holotype specimen for the new taxon
Struthiopteris spicant
var.
pradae
is incorrectly stated as MACB 10654, when it should be MACB 110654.
It is well known that repeated loads lead to increasing crack widths and deformations of reinforced concrete members. This is due to the progressive reduction of the parameters influencing the bond ...mechanism at the steel-concrete interface. However, current engineering methods employ severe simplifications to account for this influence, in particular to estimate values under permanent load. In this paper a model is presented to reproduce the distribution of longitudinal stresses and strains, bond stresses and relative slips along the crack spacing of a reinforced concrete tie with number of cycles. The model allows for a better understanding of the mechanical degradation sources affecting the evolution of tension-stiffening contribution. On the one hand, a cyclic degradation law is introduced to affect the local bond-slip behaviour. On the other hand, the mechanical damage of concrete is also introduced in the analysis. A parametric study is reported to show the role played by the different sources of degradation. Finally, the model capabilities are employed to analyse own experimental results.
This paper proposes a new model for reproducing the behaviour of concrete under fatigue capable to be used to analyze the response of reinforced concrete columns and beams. Such a model is firstly ...defined for concrete prisms under centric and eccentric compression, and then is applied to the structure of concrete–steel at the section level. The main parameters of the model have been fitted by means of comparison with experimental data. The paper illustrates how degradation of concrete by fatigue causes a process of redistribution of stresses along the section depth, and it may induce fatigue of the tensile reinforcement. The increase of permanent and total deformations observed in experiments is also studied and predicted at the section level, obtaining as well conclusions about the structure deflections.
En este artículo se pretende contrastar la puesta en escena y algunos
diálogos de la tragedia La Numancia de Miguel de Cervantes. Dicha comparación
revela que el discurso teatral va mucho más allá de ...las posibilidades de la producción.
Otra conclusión analítica es que la Numancia cervantina es una sociedad
distópica como resultado de su inviabilidad política
This article is aimed at analysing the contrast between the mise-enscène
and some dialogues in the tragedy La Numancia of Miguel Cervantes. The
comparison reveals a theatrical discourse that goes far beyond the limitations imposed
on the production. In addition to that the analysis of the play allows arriving
at the conclusion that Cervantes’ Numancia is a dystopic society formed as a result
of the non-viability of its political system
Surgery on a Primary Cranial Vault Lymphoma de la Fuente, Pablo; Rajwani, Kapil; Sistiaga, Iñigo ...
Neuro-oncology,
10/2022, Volume:
24, Issue:
Supplement_4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Abstract
AIMS
Unique cranial involvement in Lymphomas is extraordinary and when it occurs, it is usually accompanied by systemic involvement. The role of the surgery in these cases is still unclear.
...METHOD
Case report of a 72-year-old female with a primary cranial vault lymphoma with primary surgical management at time of recurrence.
RESULTS
72-year-old female, with a background of treated breast cancer and ischemic heart, presented with a right parieto-occipital lytic bone lesion with a soft tissue mass with a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Type B, compatible with follicular lymphoma, with no other symptoms Systemic involvement was ruled out in PET CT bone marrow biopsy. First-line chemotherapy was precluded due to the cardiotoxicity, and she was started on Rituximab-Bendamustine and radiotherapy. PET-CT one year later shows local progression with lytic destruction. The MRI showed an imprint on the brain and a lesion in intimate contact with the superior longitudinal sinus. As an apparently localized lesion and the patient could not receive the optimal chemotherapy treatment, a craniectomy was proposed. Fifteen months after surgery the patient is free of disease on PET CT.
CONCLUSION
Primary cranial lymphoma is an unusual entity which precludes clear algorithms. The primary treatment is the chemotherapy, nonetheless, If the patient cannot receive the optimal treatment due to his background or in the presence of recurrent disease with limited treatment options, surgery should be considered if technically plausible and adequate to patient’s performance status.
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