Individual connectivity-based parcellations reflect functional properties of human auditory cortex.

Neuroimaging studies of the functional organization of human auditory cortex have focused on group-level analyses to identify tendencies that represent the typical brain. Here, we mapped auditory areas of the human superior temporal cortex (STC) in 30 participants by combining functional network analysis and 1-mm isotropic resolution 7T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Two resting-state fMRI sessions, and one or two auditory and audiovisual speech localizer sessions, were collected on 3-4 separate days. We generated a set of functional network-based parcellations from these data. Solutions with 4, 6, and 11 networks were selected for closer examination based on local maxima of Dice and Silhouette values. The resulting parcellation of auditory cortices showed high intraindividual reproducibility both between resting state sessions (Dice coefficient: 69-78%) and between resting state and task sessions (Dice coefficient: 62-73%). This demonstrates that auditory areas in STC can be reliably segmented into functional subareas. The interindividual variability was significantly larger than intraindividual variability (Dice coefficient: 57%-68%, p<0.001), indicating that the parcellations also captured meaningful interindividual variability. The individual-specific parcellations yielded the highest alignment with task response topographies, suggesting that individual variability in parcellations reflects individual variability in auditory function. Connectional homogeneity within networks was also highest for the individual-specific parcellations. Furthermore, the similarity in the functional parcellations was not explainable by the similarity of macroanatomical properties of auditory cortex. Our findings suggest that individual-level parcellations capture meaningful idiosyncrasies in auditory cortex organization.

Resultados del tratamiento de las distonías focales en el adulto con el uso de toxina botulínica A3 / Results of treatment of focal dystonia in adults with the use of botulinum toxin A3

La toxina botulínica es un fármaco de uso local que ha demostrado mundialmente su eficacia en el tratamiento de las distonías focales en el adulto, por encima de los medicamentos orales e incluso, de la intervención quirúrgica, razón que motivó la apertura de una consulta externa para tratar a los pacientes sin necesidad de ingreso en el Hospital Provincial Universitario Arnaldo Milián Castro en el año 2003. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal en los pacientes con distonías focales en el período comprendido de enero de 2004 a diciembre de 2013. La población de a por los pacientes con distonías focales atendidos en la Consulta de toxina botulínica (171) y coincidió con la muestra. La edad de presentación más frecuente de las distonías focales fue de 40-60 años, predominaron el sexo femenino y el color blanco de la piel y la distonía más frecuentemente tratada fue el blefaroespasmo. Al mes de aplicado el tratamiento con la toxina botulínica la respuesta satisfactoria predominó en la mayoría de las distonías, excepto en la distonía laríngea por abducción. El 86.5 por ciento de los pacientes, luego de aplicarse el medicamento, se incorporaron a la vida social y laboral(AU)

A method of estimating multicomponent nonaqueous-phase liquid mass in porous media using aqueous concentration ratios.

A simple dissolution model based on Raoult's Law was used to derive a log-linear equation for the estimation of multicomponent nonaqueous-phase liquid (NAPL) mass in porous media. The analysis, referred to here as the ratio mass estimation (RME) method, requires aqueous concentration ratios for two components of the NAPL mixture as well as their pure phase liquid solubilities. Application of the equation using data from a previously reported column experiment, in which 1.22 g of a benzene/toluene NAPL were flushed with water, yielded an estimate of 1.2 g of NAPL. In addition, data from two in situ field column experiments of gasoline dissolution were examined. In those experiments, three ratio pairs, benzene/toluene, ethylbenzene/toluene, and ethylbenzene/benzene, were considered from each cell, and the initial NAPL masses were estimated to be between 39 and 42 kg NAPL, within 30% of the true NAPL masses of 54 kg in each cell. Finally, data from the flushing of a controlled release of chlorinated solvents (chloroform, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene) inside a sheet pile cell were examined, and the initial NAPL mass was estimated to within 15% of the true value. The RME analysis is based on several simplifying assumptions and should be used with caution. However, this work shows it to be potentially useful under conditions that might be encountered at sites. The analysis is simple and based on data that are often collected routinely.

Selective deficiency of a T cell subpopulation in active atopic dermatitis.

The T cell subpopulation bearing a receptor for the Fc fragment of IgM (T mu) or the Fc fragment of IgG (T gamma) were studied in 12 patients with active atopic dermatitis (AD) and elevated IgE (5678 I.U./ml +/- 1382) and compared with a control group with normal IgE (33 +/- 17). Values for the total lymphocytes and for absolute and relative numbers of total T and T mu cells were comparable in both groups. However, AD patients had markedly reduced relative T gamma levels, 1.8% +/- 0.4%, compared with normals, 10.5% +/- 0.7% (p less than 0.001). The patients also had reduced absolute T gamma levels, 29 +/- 7, compared with 181 +/- 36 (p less than 0.0005). This abnormality was not indicative of allergic disease in general, nor did it appear to be caused directly by serum factors. The T gamma cell deficit did reflect disease activity and correlated inversely with the levels of serum IgE in the AD patients. Thus, patients with active AD and elevated IgE have a selective reduction in circulating T gamma cells.

Production of guinea pig IgG1 homocytotropic antibodies to hapten-conjugated homologous serum albumin with different adjuvant combinations.

The effects of various antigen-adjuvant combinations on the production of IgG1 antibody was investigated with p-aminobenzoate conjugated to guinea pig serum albumin. The results demonstrate the importance that initial exposure of antigen-adjuvant combination has on IgG1 production. Further, there is a synergistic effect when antigen adsorbed to alum and antigen with complete Freund's adjuvant were used in conjunction with one another. The result of this effect is discussed within the context of T and B cell activation by antigen-adjuvant combinations.