Noble gases confirm plume-related mantle degassing beneath Southern Africa.

Southern Africa is characterised by unusually elevated topography and abnormal heat flow. This can be explained by thermal perturbation of the mantle, but the origin of this is unclear. Geophysics has not detected a thermal anomaly in the upper mantle and there is no geochemical evidence of an asthenosphere mantle contribution to the Cenozoic volcanic record of the region. Here we show that natural CO2 seeps along the Ntlakwe-Bongwan fault within KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, have C-He isotope systematics that support an origin from degassing mantle melts. Neon isotopes indicate that the melts originate from a deep mantle source that is similar to the mantle plume beneath Réunion, rather than the convecting upper mantle or sub-continental lithosphere. This confirms the existence of the Quathlamba mantle plume and importantly provides the first evidence in support of upwelling deep mantle beneath Southern Africa, helping to explain the regions elevation and abnormal heat flow.

Does the KCE restrictive policy for preoperative testing lead to increased postoperative complications rate?

The majority of the industrialized country tries to contain the health care costs. One of the solutions applied was to restrict preoperative routine testing. To determine whether such policy was safe for the patient, we conducted a retrospective study related to 659 women, classified ASA 1 or 2, admitted for gynaecological surgery. In this study we have not observed an increased complications rate related to this restrictive policy. We conclude that for the population selected, the KCE recommendations for preoperative testing are secure and do not induce an increased postoperative complications rate.

A spatio-temporally compensated acousto-optic scanner for two-photon microscopy providing large field of view.

Acousto-optic deflectors (AOD) are promising ultrafast scanners for non-linear microscopy. Their use has been limited until now by their small scanning range and by the spatial and temporal dispersions of the laser beam going through the deflectors. We show that the use of AOD of large aperture (13mm) compared to standard deflectors allows accessing much larger field of view while minimizing spatio-temporal distortions. An acousto-optic modulator (AOM) placed at distance of the AOD is used to compensate spatial and temporal dispersions. Fine tuning of the AOM-AOD setup using a frequency-resolved optical gating (GRENOUILLE) allows elimination of pulse front tilt whereas spatial chirp is minimized thanks to the large aperture AOD.

Paraplegia after combined general and epidural anesthesia: a case report.

Neurological complications after epidural anesthesia performed for abdominal surgery are uncommon, but of important consequence with significant morbidity. Paraplegia is very rare and may be a result of multiple factors. We report a case of elective colectomy under combined general and epidural anesthesia for a carcinoma. An epidural infusion was used for intra-operative and post-operative analgesia. During induction of anesthesia, the patient was asystolic for a few seconds and during the first postoperative day, a hypotensive episode was registered. He then developed a sensory-motor deficit in the legs. A spinal cord infarction at the level of T10 extending to T2 was diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging. The association of hypotension as a cause of spinal cord infarction is discussed. The factors that may have contributed to paraplegia and preventive neuroprotective strategies are reviewed.

Ultrafast random-access scanning in two-photon microscopy using acousto-optic deflectors.

Two-photon scanning microscopy (TPSM) is a powerful tool for imaging deep inside living tissues with sub-cellular resolution. The temporal resolution of TPSM is however strongly limited by the galvanometric mirrors used to steer the laser beam. Fast physiological events can therefore only be followed by scanning repeatedly a single line within the field of view. Because acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) are non-mechanical devices, they allow access at any point within the field of view on a microsecond time scale and are therefore excellent candidates to improve the temporal resolution of TPSM. However, the use of AOD-based scanners with femtosecond pulses raises several technical difficulties. In this paper, we describe an all-digital TPSM setup based on two crossed AODs. It includes in particular an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) placed at 45 degrees with respect to the AODs to pre-compensate for the large spatial distortions of femtosecond pulses occurring in the AODs, in order to optimize the spatial resolution and the fluorescence excitation. Our setup allows recording from freely selectable point-of-interest at high speed (1kHz). By maximizing the time spent on points of interest, random-access TPSM (RA-TPSM) constitutes a promising method for multiunit recordings with millisecond resolution in biological tissues.

The association between health and retirement: self-health assessment of Israeli retirees.

Self-health evaluation and health behavior after retirement were compared with the retrospectively self-assessed health state of the pre-retirement period. The data of 310 former industrial and service workers were examined within the context of the 'Health, Stress and Coping' mechanism, with retirement representing the potential psychological stress. The findings negate the hypothesis that retirement is responsible for worsening health conditions leading to over-utilization of medical services. The decline in the perceived health state, that had already started 6 to 1 year before retirement is not ascribable to this life change event per se, but rather to the normal biological ageing processes.

Predictors of retirement satisfaction: a path model.

Adjustment to retirement among 310 former industrial and service workers in Israel was examined by path analysis. The data indicated that respondents had come to terms with loss of work following retirement, and were enjoying their more relaxed lifestyle. The dominant variables in the path model were retirees' evaluations of and satisfaction with specific aspects of retirement: giving up work, activities with family and friends, rest and tranquility, and free time. Situational, biographical, and behavioral variables, except for educational level and subjective state of health, had a negligible effect on overall satisfaction with retirement.