The Tibetan Plateau is the highest and one of the most demanding environments ever inhabited by humans. We investigated the timing and mechanisms of its initial colonization at the Nwya Devu site, ...located nearly 4600 meters above sea level. This site, dating from 40,000 to 30,000 years ago, is the highest Paleolithic archaeological site yet identified globally. Nwya Devu has yielded an abundant blade tool assemblage, indicating hitherto-unknown capacities for the survival of modern humans who camped in this environment. This site deepens the history of the peopling of the "roof of the world" and the antiquity of human high-altitude occupations more generally.
The present paper is an endeavor to summarize the evidence for various dispersals of hominins into Eurasia, while avoiding the commonly held assumptions that these events, whether short or ...continuous, were triggered by climatic conditions or were part of dispersals of other mammals. Non-continuous archaeological records from well-explored regions are used as the basis for the hypothesis that lineage extinctions resulted from physical, technical and social failures to adapt to new and demanding environments, as well as from the aggressive behavior of “free riders”. The late development of altruism and social cohesion, at the level of group and kin-selection, delayed occupation of regions suitable for the survival of Early and Middle Pleistocene hominins. Only intra- and inter-group behavioral changes of forager bands, accompanied by technological innovations and/or inventions, as well as efficient forms of systematic teaching of survival skills, facilitated the colonization of larger areas, whether empty or already inhabited. Besides Eurasia and Sahul, all of the above enabled the crossing of the ecological “northern boundary”, leading to later migrations into the Americas. Each of the dispersals had its own, particular history, and even if many details are still missing from the archaeological record, the emerging picture is much more complex than was assumed a decade ago.
Fetal lateral ventriculomegaly is a relatively common finding with much debate over its clinical significance. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between ventriculomegaly and ...asymmetry and concomitant CNS findings as seen in fetal brain MR imaging.
Fetal brain MR imaging performed for various indications, including ventriculomegaly, with or without additional ultrasound findings, was assessed for possible inclusion. Two hundred seventy-eight cases found to have at least 1 lateral ventricle with a width of ≥10 mm were included in the study. Ventriculomegaly was considered mild if the measurement was 10-11.9 mm; moderate if, 12-14.9 mm; and severe if, ≥15 mm. Asymmetry was defined as a difference of ≥2 mm between the 2 lateral ventricles. Fetal brain MR imaging findings were classified according to severity by predefined categories.
The risk of CNS findings appears to be strongly related to the width of the ventricle (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.08-1.76;
= .009). The prevalence of associated CNS abnormalities was significantly higher (
= .005) in symmetric ventriculomegaly compared with asymmetric ventriculomegaly (38.8% versus 24.2%, respectively, for all CNS abnormalities and 20% versus 7.1%, respectively, for major CNS abnormalities).
In this study, we demonstrate that the rate of minor and major findings increased with each millimeter increase in ventricle width and that the presence of symmetric ventricles in mild and moderate ventriculomegaly was a prognostic indicator for CNS abnormalities.
Very few studies have investigated long-term neurodevelopment of children exposed to MR imaging antenatally. Thus, the purpose of our study was to evaluate long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of ...children exposed to MR imaging during pregnancy.
We conducted a historical prospective cohort study in a single tertiary medical center. Women exposed to 1.5T noncontrast MR imaging for maternal or fetal indications were matched to unexposed controls. Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated of their children, 2.5 to 6 years of age, according to the Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scale. The Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scale assesses communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills. A composite score summarizes these 4 domains.
A total of 131 exposed women matched our inclusion criteria and were included in the study group, and 771 unexposed women, in the control group. No difference was identified in the Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Scale composite score between the children of the study and control groups (mean, 110.79 versus 108.18;
= .098). Differences were also not observed between the children of the 2 groups in 3 of the 4 questionnaire domains: communication (108.84 versus 109.10;
= .888), daily living skills (109.51 versus 108.28;
= .437), and motor skills (105.09 versus 104.42;
= .642). However, the socialization score was favorable for the study group (112.98 versus 106.47;
< .001).
Exposure to 1.5T noncontrast MR imaging during pregnancy had no harmful effects on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. This study contributes to understanding the safety of MR imaging during pregnancy.
Children undergoing cardiac surgery may suffer from brain injuries after surgery and develop neurological deficit. Early diagnosis of brain injury after surgery would enable early therapeutic ...interventions. The aim of the study is to test whether S100B can serve as a biomarker for brain injury after cardiac surgery.
Seventy-five patients were enrolled in the study. Serum S100B was collected at the beginning of the surgery, and 6, 12, 24 h after surgery. S100B z-scores were calculated based on norms for age. Neurological evolutions were done before surgery and at discharge by the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM). New neurological deficit (NND) was defined as a 1 point increase on the PSOM scale.
Twenty patients had an NND after cardiac surgery. Medical background was similar between the groups with and without NND. S100B z-scores were significantly higher in the NND group at all time points after surgery. Using a cut-off of 3 z-score at 6 h after surgery, the positive predictive value was 79% and the negative predictive value was 90%.
S100B is a potent early biomarker for brain injury after cardiac surgery. Hopefully, S100B could be used to prevent progression of brain injuries after cardiac surgery.
•Neurological deficit is a known complication in children after heart surgery.•Serum S100B after surgery was tested for diagnosis of the new neurological deficit.•S100B at 6 h after surgery were associated with new neurological deficit.•When new deficit occurred, S100B levels were constantly increased for 24 h.•S100B levels after surgery had a high predictive power for new neurological deficit.
The Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition (MP-UP transition) is considered a major technological and cultural threshold, at the time when modern humans spread “out of Africa”, expanded from the ...Levant into Europe and possibly into central and northern Asia. The dating of this techno-cultural transition has proved to be extremely difficult because it occurred sometime before 40,000 radiocarbon years before present (
14C years BP), which is close to the end of the effective dating range of radiocarbon. Other dating methods such as Thermoluminescence (TL) or Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) are not sufficiently precise to date the recorded archaeological MP-UP transition in the Levant. Here we report a consistent set of stratified radiocarbon ages on freshly excavated charcoal from Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel (Israel), that span the late Middle Paleolithic (MP) and Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) This study applied novel strategies to improve sample preparation techniques and data analysis to obtain high-resolution radiocarbon models. From this study it is proposed that the MP-UP transition for this site can be placed immediately after 45,200 ± 700
14C years BP and before 43,600 ± 600
14C years BP or from 49/48 to 47/46 radiocarbon calibrated years before present (years Cal BP).
► Kebara Cave has remains from the Middle to Upper Paleolithic (MP-UP) transition. ► MP-UP transition is the last migration of Modern Humans from Africa into Eurasia. ► This new set of dates makes Kebara Cave the earliest evidence of MP-UP transition. ► Interdisciplinary and new field excavation methods secure the contexts in Kebara. ► Higher dating precision achieved through new laboratory and selection methods.
One of the perplexing findings of fetal brain MR imaging is white matter T2 hyperintense signal. The aims of our study were initially to determine the main etiologies associated with white matter T2 ...hyperintense signal, then to examine whether the different etiologies have different ADC values, and, last, to assess the association of white matter T2 hyperintense signal with developmental outcome.
This was a prospective cohort study of 44 MR imaging scans of fetal brains obtained for suspected brain pathologies at a tertiary medical center during 2011-2015. Clinical data were collected from electronic medical charts. ADC values were measured and averaged in the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes. Neurodevelopmental assessments were performed with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales II.
Half of the cases of MRI hyperintense T2 signal of the fetal brain were associated with congenital cytomegalovirus infection. The other half were mainly idiopathic. Thus, the study group was divided to subgroups positive and negative for cytomegalovirus. Both groups had hyperintense signal in the temporal lobe. The group positive for cytomegalovirus had involvement of the parietal lobe. Only this group had increased ADC values in the temporal and parietal lobes. There was no association between the neurodevelopment outcome and the etiologies or ADC values.
T2 hyperintense signal in fetal brain MRI associated with positive cytomegalovirus infection has increased ADC values in the temporal and parietal lobes, suggestive of brain edema in these areas. However, the association between this finding and neurodevelopment outcome requires further evaluation.
Periventricular pseudocysts are cystic cavities that lack the ependymal cell lining found in true cysts. The aim of this study was to characterize periventricular pseudocysts and related findings and ...their neurodevelopmental outcome.
This was a retrospective study of periventricular pseudocysts detected prenatally on fetal MR imaging in 26 fetuses. The fetuses were divided into group A (n = 8), which included cases with isolated periventricular pseudocysts, and group B (n = 18), which included cases of periventricular pseudocysts with additional findings. Cases were further subdivided into connatal cysts and subependymal pseudocysts. Data collected included prenatal history, MR imaging features, sonographic follow-up, and neurodevelopmental outcome.
All cases in group A (n = 8) had a normal outcome. In group B (n = 18), 6 pregnancies were terminated and 2 had an abnormal outcome. Both cases with an abnormal outcome involved patients with subependymal pseudocysts. No significant association was found between the morphologic features on MR imaging and the neurodevelopmental outcome.
Neurodevelopmental outcome in cases of isolated periventricular pseudocysts detected prenatally appears to be normal. A detailed evaluation should be performed to rule out additional brain findings, chromosomal aberration, and fetal malformation. This evaluation should include the following: maternal TORCH status, detailed fetal sonographic anatomic evaluation, fetal echocardiogram, fetal brain MR imaging, amniocentesis and karyotyping/comparative genomic hybridization, and genetic counseling. Additional findings on MR imaging, including mild-to-moderate dilated ventricles, asymmetric ventricles, or T2 hyperintense signal in the white matter without other findings or major fetal abnormality, appear to be benign. Connatal cysts appear to be benign.
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