ABSTRACT
An original scientific manuscript is the target for any researchers whose aim is to show the innovative results arising from the original intuitions that drove all their experiments. Time and patience are essential to decide how to present the data, how to conceive the tables and figures representing the main outcomes of the research, and how to read and mention the necessary references. Few basic rules may help in this difficult task. The first basic rule is: "do not follow the sequence of the paper". On the opposite, i) start writing the "Materials and Methods (or Patients and Methods when dealing with a clinical study)", ii) then write the "Results" section, iii) then, write the "Discussion" paragraph, in which the principal investigator explains the results and the innovations proposed, iv) then, write the "Introduction", which should be clear and concise. The last element to be written should be the "Abstract", which is the "interface" between the authors and the readers. The second basic rule is that any of the central chapters of the manuscript, i.e. "Materials and Methods" (MM), "Results" (R) and "Discussion" (D), should follow a methodical and sequential description of the topics in a "corresponding sequence of paragraphs". In other words, in the R and the D chapter sequence of the paragraphs should be linked to the sequence of the concepts described and discussed in the paragraphs of the MM chapter. Thus, a sequential description of concepts will be easily followed by the writers, facilitating both the authors in the organization of the data and the reader in finding a reasonable "answer" to all the aspects of the study mentioned in the MM chapter. In this article, these two rules are extensively described and several tips and tricks for each chapter are suggested to ease the composition of a scientific paper. Indeed, it may be possible to solve the complex problem of "writing a scientific paper" by means of separating it in main sections (chapters) and subsections (paragraphs) and dealing with them one by one. Naturally, this takes time and passion, but, as affirmed by Steve Jobs, "the only way to do great work is to love what you do".
Subject(s)
Publishing , Writing , HumansABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of PaCO2 and ETCO2 during operations for lumbar disk herniation in prone position: the influence of position and deliberate hypotension. DESIGN: Prospective, to compare PaCO2, ETCO2, pH, SBE, Pa max, in a group of 10 patients undergoing elective intervention for lumbar disk herniation in prone position and in a control group of 10 patients undergoing interventions for elective non traumatologic orthopaedic surgery of the lower limbs in supine position. SETTING: Orthopaedic department of a non teaching hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The results for the patients of the supine group were: mean PaCO2 35.26 mmHg (SD 3.045), mean P(a-ET)CO2 3.46 mmHg (SD 1.898), mean pH 7.433 (SD 0.044), mean SBE - 1.16 (SD 1.718), mean Pa max 122.5 mmHg (SD 17.989). In the prone group: mean PaCO2 30.3 mmHg (SD 5.819), mean P(a-ET)CO2 1.4 mmHg (SD 4.445), mean pH 7.430 (SD 0.052), mean SBE-3.93 (SD 3.255), mean Pa max 100.3 (SD 10.945). The difference was significant (p < 0.05) for pH, PaCO2, SBE; in the prone group the variability of P(a-ET)CO2 was greater and the values related with SBE. CONCLUSIONS: ETCO2 is a useful monitoring for PaCO2 in the situation evaluated but the accuracy of the correlation with PaCO2 is lesser than during standard surgical techniques, the metabolic acidosis observed is probably related to the effects of the peculiar position and the anaesthetic technique.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, General , Carbon Dioxide/blood , Hypotension, Controlled , Intervertebral Disc Displacement/surgery , Lumbar Vertebrae , Posture , Adult , Humans , Linear Models , Middle Aged , Partial Pressure , Prospective Studies , Respiratory MechanicsABSTRACT
Specimens of the Savi pine vole (Microtus savii) were collected from three localities in central (Pisa and Viterbo) and southern Italy (Rosarno, Calabria) and were karyotyped using G-, C-, DA/DAPI-, and AluI-banding. All karyotypes had 2n = 54 chromosomes and seemingly identical autosomal banding. The sex chromosomes of the southern Italian specimens, M. savii brachycercus, showed additional large blocks of heterochromatin. In the northern specimens, M. savii savii, the X chromosome is metacentric, whereas in the southern specimens of M. savii brachycercus the X chromosome is a much larger submetacentric chromosome, and the Y chromosome is more than twice the size of the Y in the northern specimens. DA/DAPI staining reveals three levels of fluorescent intensity in the sex chromosomes of the Calabrian specimens. The sex chromosomes of M. savii brachycercus also have the only AluI bands seen in either chromosome set. These data suggest a heterogeneous origin and composition of the C-band regions of these chromosomes. Preliminary data suggest that fertility is reduced in crosses between the two karyomorphs.
