Neonatal sciatic palsy: etiology and outcome of 21 cases

INTRODUCTION: Sciatic nerve paralysis is a rare entity in the newborn. Few reference in specialized tests indicate that in the majority of cases the sciatic palsy has been observed after misplaced injections into the buttocks. The prognosis is variable and appears to be better after umbilical vessel catheterization for injection of medications than after misplaced muscular injections. In case of recovery it takes place within 3 to 12 months. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to know the evolution of neonatal sciatic palsy and to determine their injury noxe in regard to perinatal factors, and their relationship with long-time outcome, and to look for prognostic clues of clinical utility. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated perinatal factors of newborn children with sciatic nerve paralysis, followed for more than 18 months of clinical evolution, in a neuropediatric centre. RESULTS: Twenty one newborn with such criteria were evaluated. Gestational age was within 32 and 42 weeks (median 38.2). The birth weight was between 2,100 and 4,100 g (median 2,973). The majority of cases obtained total recovery (16 of 21). The time of recovery was 4 to 14 months (median 8.8). Free ambulation was obtained by all cases (at 10 to 24 months). No apparent cause was observed in the majority of cases. Cesarean delivery was more frequent specially in cases with permanent consequences. CONCLUSION: Long-time prognostic of neonatal sciatic palsy is generally good. In our series all the cases with consequences were associated to cesarean delivery. The duration of cesarean intervention and the anesthesic hypotony of the newborn could be implicated in the sciatic nerve injury of poor outcome.     

Obstetric analgesia using continuous epidural perfusion of bupivacaine, adrenaline, and fentanyl

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy and complications of continuous epidural perfusion of bupivacaine, adrenaline and fentanyl in the relief of pain during first and second stage labour during vaginal birth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1990 and March 1993 we used continuous epidural perfusion for control of pain during labor in 1307 women. The solution administered through an epidural catheter and maintained until expulsion was one 10 ml bolus of bupivacaine 0.25% with adrenaline 1:200,000 and fentanyl 25 micrograms followed by continuous perfusion of bupivacaine 0.0625% with adrenaline 1:200,000 and fentanyl 2 micrograms/ml at an infusion rate of 12 ml/h. When analgesia was insufficient, a bolus of local anesthetic was administered or a pudendal block was carried out. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of the birthing women reported good analgesic effect during the first stage; for 7% the effect was fair and for 0.55% it was poor. During the second stage 88% reported satisfactory analgesia, and 8% fair or poor. Assessment was not possible for the remaining women, who underwent cesarean sections. Complications were few and easily controllable. CONCLUSIONS: Maintenance of epidural perfusion with 0.0625% bupivacaine with adrenaline 1:200,000 and fentanyl 2 micrograms/ml provides sufficient analgesia during all stages of childbirth.     

New species of Aeromonas isolated in Cuba

One hundred and fifty-five strains of Aeromonas isolated in the stools of children under 5 years presenting with acute diarrheal disease were studied. Using the Aerokey II system for the identification of species, 47 strains were identified as Aeromonas caviae, 58 as Aeromonas hydrophila, 23 as Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria, 14 as Aeromonas trota, 9 as Aeromonas veronii biovar veronii, 2 as Aeromonas jandaei and 2 as Aeromonas shubertii, Emphasis is placed on the advantages of this method which allowed for the classification of new species not identified previously in our country.     

Cathepsin L2, a novel human cysteine proteinase produced by breast and colorectal carcinomas

We have identified and cloned a new member of the papain family of cysteine proteinases from a human brain cDNA library. The isolated cDNA codes for a polypeptide of 334 amino acids that exhibits all of the structural features characteristic of cysteine proteinases, including the active site cysteine residue essential for peptide hydrolysis. Pairwise comparisons of this amino acid sequence with the remaining human cysteine proteinases identified to date showed a high percentage of identity (78%) with cathepsin L; the percentage of identity with all other members of the family was much lower (<40%). On the basis of these structural characteristics, we have tentatively called this novel protein cathepsin L2. The cDNA encoding the mature cathepsin L2 was expressed in Escherichia coli, and after purification, the recombinant protein was able to degrade the synthetic peptide benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginine-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin, which is commonly used as a substrate for cysteine proteinases. Cathepsin L2 proteolytic activity on this substrate was abolished by trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane, an inhibitor of cysteine proteinases, thus providing additional evidence that the isolated cDNA encodes a functional cysteine proteinase. Northern blot analysis of polyadenylated RNAs isolated from a variety of human tissues demonstrated that cathepsin L2 is predominantly expressed in the thymus and testis. This finding is in marked contrast with the wide tissue distribution of most cysteine proteinases characterized to date, including cathepsin L, and suggests that cathepsin L2 may play a specialized role in the thymus and testis. Expression analysis of cathepsin L2 in human tumors revealed a widespread expression in colorectal and breast carcinomas but not in normal colon or mammary gland or in peritumoral tissues. Cathepsin L2 was also expressed by colorectal and breast cancer cell lines as well as by some tumors of diverse origin, including ovarian and renal carcinomas. These results open the possibility that this novel enzyme may be involved in tumor processes, as already reported for other cysteine proteinases, including cathepsin L.     

High nutrient loading and climatic parameters influence the dominance and dissimilarity of toxigenic cyanobacteria in northern bays of Lake Victoria

Eutrophication of Lake Victoria led to changes in its phytoplankton communities. However, different levels of eutrophication exist in the open lake and the bays, and between embayments. This study utilized spatial and temporal sampling of Napoleon Gulf and Murchison Bay, exhibiting different trophic conditions. Over one year, we investigated phytoplankton biomass, richness, diversity and dissimilarity, and related the dynamics of the dominant species to the limnological and climatic conditions. The results confirmed that Napoleon Gulf and Murchison Bay showed large differences in eutrophication status, with lower nutrient concentrations in Napoleon Gulf than in Murchison Bay, where a strong gradient was observed from inshore to offshore areas. These nutrient dynamics resulted in a 4 to 10 fold higher chlorophyll-a in Murchison Bay than in Napoleon Gulf. From the embayments, 135 phytoplankton taxa were recorded with no significant differences in alpha diversity. However, high dissimilarity in community structure was observed in beta diversity, mostly due to a turnover among the dominant toxigenic species. Thus, from a similar species pool, there was a shift in the dominant toxigenic cyanobacteria from Microcystis flos-aquae and M. aeruginosa in Murchison Bay, Dolichospermum circinale and Planktolyngbya circumcreta in Napoleon Gulf to D. circinale in the offshore stations. These cyanobacteria are toxigenic taxa with known health hazards. Using partial least square models, we showed that both climatic variables (e.g. wind, solar radiation) and levels of inorganic dissolved nutrients (e.g. SRP, NO₃^–, and NH₄⁺) are the main drivers of differences and dominance in cyanobacteria communities in northern Lake Victoria.     

Densification of silicon nitride ceramics under sinter-HIP conditions

The influence of several sinter-HIP variables on the densification behaviour of silicon nitride-based ceramics has been investigated. The processing conditions were studied for Si₃N₄ powder mixtures containing controlled amounts of Y₂O₃+Al₂O₃ or Y₂O₃+MgO. The specimens were subjected to sinter-HIP cycles under argon or nitrogen atmospheres at various temperatures and pressures. The final density of the powder compacts exhibited a strong dependence not only on the applied pressure, the composition and the processing temperature, but also on the pressurization rate and the initial pressurization time. The microstructural changes induced by the application of high pressure were followed by transmission electron microscopy. On examination by TEM, large concentrations of dislocations, generated inside some-Si₃N₄ grains, were observed. Characterization of these dislocations showed thatb=0001 is their most frequently found Burgers vector. Also, two relaxation mechanisms, tending to release the stored energy of deformation in the-Si₃N₄ grains, namely grain penetration (a form of strain-induced boundary migration) and grain fragmentation (the formation of subgrains due to rearrangement of dislocations into low energy configurations), have been identified. The intergranular phases formed were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction. The influence of different sinter-HIP cycles on the transformation of silicon nitride without additives was also investigated by X-ray diffractometry.     

Deploying deep learning approaches to left ventricular non-compaction measurement

The Journal of Supercomputing - Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy characterized by abnormal trabeculations in the left ventricle cavity. Although traditional computer...     

A comparison study of wavelet transforms for the visualization of differentially methylated regions in DNA samples

The Journal of Supercomputing - DNA methylation analysis has become an important topic in the study of human health. DNA methylation analysis requires not only a specific treatment of DNA samples...     

Observing Inequality: Can Ergonomic Observations Help Interventions Transform the Role of Gender in Work Activity?

Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) - Work activity ergonomics (sometimes called francophone ergonomics) draws heavily on observation in order to support transformation of work to arrive at...