[Alcohol consumption among high school students from the Araucanía-Chile: ethnicity and residence]. / Consumo de alcohol en escolares de un territorio de la Araucanía-Chile: etnicidad y residencia.

INTRODUCTION: This study describes the alcohol consumption in association with residence, gender and ethnicity among high school students from the coastal area of the Araucania Region in Chile. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Cross-sectional study on a population of 2,763 high school students aged bet ween 14 to 18 years. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: exploratory-descriptive analysis was used for all variables and inferential statistical analysis for associations among variables using 95% confidence interval for the estimates and 5% statistical significance for the statistical test. DATA COLLECTION: alcohol consumption reported by AUDIT test and sociodemographic records. RESULTS: 48.1% of students were Mapuche, mean age of 15.7 years (SD = 1.2), mostly from rural areas (50.9%). Alcohol consumption in the last month was 38.2%; 39.6% male 36.7% female (p < 0.001). 37.5% drank at least once in their life and 85% did so before age 15. 87% reported easy access to alcohol. According to AUDIT test, the levels of risk, harm and symptoms of dependence are 13.9% [95% CI: 12.6-15.2], 20.3% higher in men [95% CI: 18.2-22.5] than women 7.7% [6.4-9.3]. Mapuche students present risk consumption lower than non-Mapuche ones, 12.5% and 15.2% respectively. Urban-rural residence and risk consumption is 12.6% and 8.2% respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The alcohol consumption was higher than that observed at the national level, and as age increases, the level of risk increases, especially in men. Alcohol risk consumption was associated with ethnicity, place of residence and gender. The fact of being non-Mapuche, urban resident and man are factors associated with the risk of alcohol con sumption among students.

Consumo de alcohol en escolares de un territorio de la Araucanía-Chile: etnicidad y residencia / Alcohol consumption among high school students from the Araucanía-Chile: ethnicity and residence

INTRODUCCIÓN: Se describe el consumo de alcohol en estudiantes de enseñanza media del territorio costero de la región de La Araucanía, relacionado con etnicidad, género y residencia. SUJETOS Y MÉTODOS: Diseño de corte transversal, con 2.763 estudiantes entre 14-18 años a quienes se les aplicó el test AUDIT. La recolección de datos se realizó mediante a) un formulario con antecedentes sociodemográficos y origen étnico, preguntas sobre autoreporte de consumo de alcohol en el último mes y edad de primer consumo de alcohol, y percepción sobre acceso de alcohol entre los jóvenes; y b) el test AUDIT para evaluar los diversos niveles de consumo de alcohol en los estudiantes. La condición étnica se trianguló con autoadscripción, apellidos, y pertenencia a comunidad Mapuche. Los datos se recolectaron en las salas y horario de clases de los estudiantes con autorización del director, profesor del curso y supervisada por el equipo investigador. El AUDIT es un test autoadministrado que consta de 10 preguntas de formato estructurado en una escala de 0-4, con rango desde 0 a 40 puntos, los cuales representan cuatro categorías de consumo. Se realizó análisis descriptivo e inferencial con t-Student para comparación de promedios, Chi-cuadrado para tablas de asociación, intervalos de confianza 95% para estimación, y 5% para significación estadística. RESULTADOS: 48,1% fueron Mapuche, edad promedio 15,7 años (DS = 1,2), 49,1% mujeres y 50,9% residentes rurales. El consumo de alcohol en el último mes fue 38,2% (39,6% hombres 36,7% mujeres (p < 0,001)); 85% reportó beber antes de los 15 años y 87% indicó fácil acceso al alcohol. La aplicación del AUDIT mostró un consumo en los niveles de riesgo, perjudicial o con síntomas de dependencia (en adelante riesgo-AUDIT) de 13,9% [IC 95%: 12,6-15,2]. Mayor en hombres 20,3% [IC 95%: 18,1-22,4] que en mujeres 7,7% [IC 95%: 6,4-9,1]. Estudiantes Mapuche mostraron menor consumo de riesgo-AUDIT: 12,5% [IC 95%: 10,7-14,3] que los no Mapuche 15,2% [IC 95%: 13,3-17,1]. El 17,4% [IC 95%: 15,2-19,5] de los urbanos presentaron consumo de riesgo-AUDIT en comparación a los rurales, 11,2% [IC 95%: 9,6-12,8]. CONCLUSIONES: El consumo de alcohol fue mayor al observado a nivel nacional, y a medida que aumenta la edad aumenta el nivel de riesgo especialmente en hombres. El consumo de riesgo de alcohol se asoció a etnia, lugar de residencia y género. El ser no Mapuche, residente urbano y hombre son factores asociados al consumo de riesgo de alcohol entre los estudiantes.

INTRODUCTION: This study describes the alcohol consumption in association with residence, gender and ethnicity among high school students from the coastal area of the Araucania Region in Chile. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Cross-sectional study on a population of 2,763 high school students aged bet ween 14 to 18 years. Statistical analysis: exploratory-descriptive analysis was used for all variables and inferential statistical analysis for associations among variables using 95% confidence interval for the estimates and 5% statistical significance for the statistical test. Data collection: alcohol consumption reported by AUDIT test and sociodemographic records. RESULTS: 48.1% of students were Mapuche, mean age of 15.7 years (SD = 1.2), mostly from rural areas (50.9%). Alcohol consumption in the last month was 38.2%; 39.6% male 36.7% female (p < 0.001). 37.5% drank at least once in their life and 85% did so before age 15. 87% reported easy access to alcohol. According to AUDIT test, the levels of risk, harm and symptoms of dependence are 13.9% [95% CI: 12.6-15.2], 20.3% higher in men [95% CI: 18.2-22.5] than women 7.7% [6.4-9.3]. Mapuche students present risk consumption lower than non-Mapuche ones, 12.5% and 15.2% respectively. Urban-rural residence and risk consumption is 12.6% and 8.2% respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The alcohol consumption was higher than that observed at the national level, and as age increases, the level of risk increases, especially in men. Alcohol risk consumption was associated with ethnicity, place of residence and gender. The fact of being non-Mapuche, urban resident and man are factors associated with the risk of alcohol con sumption among students.

[Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. A four years’ experience in a Chilean public hospital]. / Evolución del protocolo de trombolisis endovenosa en ataque cerebrovascular isquémico agudo.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator) is the standard pharmacological treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), reducing disability in patients. AIM: To report the results a thrombolysis protocol during four years in a regional public hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data from 106 consecutive patients aged 68 ± 13 years (57% men) who were treated with IVT, from May 2012 until April 2016, was analyzed. RESULTS: The median door-to-needle time was 80 minutes (interquartile range = 57-113). The median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission and at discharge were was 11.5 and 5 points respectively. At discharge, 27% of hospitalized patients had a favorable outcome (n = 99), defined as having 0 to 1 points in the modified Rankin scale. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and mortality rates were 5.7 and 13.1%, respectively. The thrombolysis rate rose from 0.7% in 2012 to 6% in 2016. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of 24/7 neurology shifts in the Emergency Department allowed us to increase the amount and quality of IVT in our hospital, as measured by the rate of thrombolysis and by process indicators such as door-to-needle time.

Evolución del protocolo de trombolisis endovenosa en ataque cerebrovascular isquémico agudo / Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. A four years’ experience in a Chilean public hospital

Background: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator) is the standard pharmacological treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), reducing disability in patients. Aim: To report the results a thrombolysis protocol during four years in a regional public hospital. Material and Methods: Data from 106 consecutive patients aged 68 ± 13 years (57% men) who were treated with IVT, from May 2012 until April 2016, was analyzed. Results: The median door-to-needle time was 80 minutes (interquartile range = 57-113). The median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission and at discharge were was 11.5 and 5 points respectively. At discharge, 27% of hospitalized patients had a favorable outcome (n = 99), defined as having 0 to 1 points in the modified Rankin scale. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and mortality rates were 5.7 and 13.1%, respectively. The thrombolysis rate rose from 0.7% in 2012 to 6% in 2016. Conclusions: The implementation of 24/7 neurology shifts in the Emergency Department allowed us to increase the amount and quality of IVT in our hospital, as measured by the rate of thrombolysis and by process indicators such as door-to-needle time.

Encefalitis autoinmune reversible y anticuerpos anti-receptores de N-metil-D-aspartato: Report of one case / Limbic encephalitis with positive anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate antibodies

Background: Limbic encephalitis is a subacute syndrome characterized by memory impairment, confusion, seizures, hypothalamic dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms. It has been associated to tumors located outside of the central nervous system. In 2007, anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAr) antibodies were found in serum and CSF of patients with this particular type of encephalitis. We report a 25-year-old female who, following upper respiratory tract symptoms, developed serious behavioral and consciousness impairment that progressed to coma. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed a lymphocyte pleocytosis, the electroencephalogram was altered with a slow encephalopathic rhythm and a brain magnetic resonance imaging was normal. Infectious etiologies were ruled out. CSF and serum anti NMDA receptors antibodies were positive.

Persistencia de movimientos en espejo congénitos en una hemiplejía por infarto cerebral / Persistance of congenital mirror movements in the hemiplejic side after ischemic stroke

The simultaneous and involuntary displacement of the opposite limb during a volitional movement is called mirror movements. They mimic the gesture, partly or wholly. They can be congenital, familiar or installed in various CNS pathologies. We present a 64 years old woman with familiar history of mirror movements that affect their hands, since childhood. At admission presented confused with left hemiplegia and homolateral sensory involvement. The brain CT defined a right ischemic stroke affecting the posterior limb of the internal capsule, lenticular nucleus, sub insular region and par ventricular white matter. The paretic left hand, unable to perform voluntary movements, presented mirror movements during volitional movements of the contra lateral hand. Neurophysiologic studies have suggested that mirror movements are due the activation of the direct corticospinal pathway or simultaneous discharge of both motor cortexes due inhibitory pathways failures. Cortical origin seems unlikely for the movements in this patient, due to the injury of the internal capsule. Our case could be interpreted by the simultaneously brain innervations on both anterior horns, together with a congenital deregulation of the Central Pattern Generator Networks.

Se denomina movimiento en espejo (ME) el desplazamiento involuntario, imitativo y simultáneo de la extremidad opuesta al de un movimiento volitivo. Los ME pueden tener un origen congénito y familiar o generarse por patologías diversas del sistema nervioso central. Se presenta una mujer de 64 años con el antecedente de ME desde la infancia de carácter familiar. Ingresa en estado confusional y presentando una hemiplejía y hemihipoestesia faciobraquicrural izquierda. La tomografía cerebral mostraba compromiso del brazo posterior de la cápsula interna, núcleo lenticular, región subinsular y de la sustancia blanca paraventricular. La mano izquierda pléjica que era incapaz de realizar movimientos voluntarios, se movía en espejo al mover la mano derecha. Esta curiosa manifestación hace necesario una más ajustada interpretación neurofisiológica de los movimientos en espejo. Se ha postulado una activación de la vía corticoespinal directa, o la descarga simultánea de ambas cortezas motoras por fallas en la natural inhibición transcortical. En este caso parece improbable un origen cortical contralateral de los movimientos, debido a la lesión de la cápsula. Tal vez podrían comprenderse los ME de esta paciente, si se demostrara una doble inervación de ambas astas anteriores, asociada a una falla en la inhibición normal por desregulación congénita de los Circuitos Generadores Centrales.

Activation of mirror-neuron system by erotic video clips predicts degree of induced erection: an fMRI study.

Although visually-induced erection is a common occurrence in human male behaviour, the cerebral underpinnings of this response are not well-known. We hypothesized that the magnitude of induced erection would be linearly correlated with the activation of the mirror-neuron system in response to sexually explicit films. When presented with sexual video clips, eight out of ten healthy subjects had an erectile response demonstrated through volumetric penile plethysmography. The level of activation of the left frontal operculum and of the inferior parietal lobules, areas which contain mirror neurons, predicted the magnitude of the erectile response. These results suggest that the response of the mirror-neuron system may not only code for the motor correlates of observed actions, but also for autonomic correlates of these actions.

Neuroanatomical correlates of penile erection evoked by photographic stimuli in human males.

The objective of this study was to identify the cerebral correlates of the early phase, and of low to moderate levels, of penile tumescence using for the first time a volumetric measure of the penile response. We hypothesized that (i) regions whose response had been found correlated with circumferential penile responses in previous studies would be identified with volumetric plethysmography and (ii) that other brain regions, including the amygdalae, would be found using the more sensitive volumetric measurement. In ten healthy males, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study brain responses to sexually stimulating photographs and to various categories of control photographs. Both ratings of perceived erection and penile plethysmography demonstrated an erectile response to the presentation of sexually stimulating photographs. Regions where the BOLD signal was correlated with penile volumetric responses included the right medial prefrontal cortex, the right and left orbitofrontal cortices, the insulae, the paracentral lobules, the right ventral lateral thalamic nucleus, the right anterior cingulate cortex and regions involved in motor imagery and motor preparation (supplementary motor areas, left ventral premotor area). This study suggests that the development of low levels of penile tumescence in response to static sexual stimuli is controlled by a network of frontal, parietal, insular and cingulate cortical areas and that penile tumescence reciprocally induces activation in somatosensory regions of the brain.

Production of ultra highly pure H2 and higher hydrocarbons from methane in one step at mild temperatures and development of the catalyst under non-equilibrium reaction conditions.

Ultra highly pure hydrogen and more valuable hydrocarbons are produced directly from methane in one step beyond the thermodynamic equilibrium conversion by integration of the dehydrogenation reaction and hydrogen separation with a Pd-Ag based membrane reactor at mild temperatures, and a highly active catalyst is developed under the non-equilibrium reaction conditions.

Interfacial mass transfer in randomly packed towers: a confident correlation for environmental applications.

Volumetric mass-transfer coefficients (kLa(w), KLa(w), kGa(w), kGa(w)) required for randomly dumped packed tower design were gathered from the literature to generate a working database comprehending 2675 measurements relevant to water and air pollution abatement processes. The cross-examination of two important correlations predicting mass-transfer coefficients was achieved through this database (Onda correlation, 1968; Billet and Schultes correlation, 1993). Some limitations regarding either the level of accuracy or the application range came to light with this investigation. Artificial neural network (ANN) modeling is then proposed allowing all four mass-transfer coefficients predictions. A single ANN correlation was built to predict the dimensionless gas (or liquid) film Sherwood number (ShL/G) as a function of six dimensionless groups, namely, the liquid Reynolds (ReL), Froude (FrL), Eotvös (EoL) numbers, the gas (or liquid) Schmidt number (ScL/G), the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter (chi), and a bed-characterizing number (K). Using the ANN correlation and the two-film theory, a reconciliation procedure was further implemented resulting in better predictions of the gas (or liquid) overall volumetric mass-transfer coefficients. The resulting correlation yielded an absolute average relative error of 22.1% and a standard deviation of 21.1% based on whole database while the ANN predictions remain in accordance with the physical evidence reported in the literature.

Bioavailability and bioactivity of three different doses of nasal growth hormone (GH) administered to GH-deficient patients: comparison with intravenous and subcutaneous administration.

The current mode of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy is daily subcutaneous (s.c.) injections given in the evening. This schedule is unable to mimic the endogenous pulsatile pattern of GH secretion, which might be of importance for the induction of growth and other GH actions. The present study was conducted in order to study the pharmacokinetics of different doses of GH following intranasal (i.n.) administration and the biological activity of GH after i.n. administration as compared with sc and intravenous (i.v.) delivery. Sixteen GH-deficient patients were studied on five different occasions. On three occasions GH was administered intranasally in doses of 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 IU/kg, using didecanoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine as an enhancer. On the other two occasions the patients received an sc injection (0.10 IU/kg) and an i.v. injection (0.015 IU/kg) of GH, respectively. The nasal doses and the sc injection were given in random order in a crossover design. In a double-blinded manner the subjects received the three nasal doses as one puff in each nostril. The patients received no GH treatment between the five studies or during the last week before the start of each study. Intravenous administration produced a short-lived serum GH peak value of 128.12 +/- 6.71 micrograms/l. Peak levels were 13.98 +/- 1.63 micrograms/l after s.c. injection and 3.26 +/- 0.38, 7.07 +/- 0.80 and 8.37 +/- 1.31 micrograms/l, respectively, after the three nasal doses. The peak values of the 0.05 and the 0.20 IU/kg nasal doses were significantly different (p = 0.007). The mean levels obtained by the low nasal dose were significantly lower than those obtained with the medium (p < 0.001) and the high dose (p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the medium and the high doses. The absolute bioavailability of GH following s.c. relative to i.v. administration was 49.5%. The bioavailabilities of the nasal doses were: 7.8% (0.05 IU). 8.9% (0.10 IU) and 3.8% (0.20 IU). Serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels increased significantly after s.c. administration only. Mean levels were significantly higher after s.c. administration as compared with the i.v. and all three nasal does (p < 0.001). Serum IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) levels remained unchanged on all five occasions. Mean serum IGFBP-I levels were significantly lower after s.c. GH injection than after administration of the i.v. (p < 0.001) and the three nasal doses (p < 0.005). Subcutaneous GH administration resulted in significantly higher levels of serum insulin and blood glucose (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the bioavailability of nasal GH was low (3.8-8.9%). An i.v. bolus injection of, on average, 1 IU of GH induced no metabolic response. Only s.c. GH administration induced increased levels of IGF-I, insulin and glucose. These data reveal that a closer imitation of the physiological GH pulses than achieved by s.c. GH administration is of limited importance for the induction of a metabolic response to GH.

Nasal absorption of growth hormone in normal subjects: studies with four different formulations.

OBJECTIVE: Current growth hormone (GH) therapy with daily subcutaneous injections results in elevated serum concentrations of GH lasting for several hours, whereas physiologic GH secretion is characterized by a short-duration peak and low basal concentrations. A closer imitation of this pattern might be achieved by administering GH nasally. We studied the effect on the absorption of nasally administered human GH of increasing concentrations of the enhancer didecanoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DDPC). DESIGN: Four formulations of nasal GH containing the enhancer DDPC in the relative concentrations 0, 4, 8, and 16% w/w were administered in random order. SETTING: Participants were admitted to the hospital during the four study periods. INTERVENTIONS: On four occasions the subjects received GH 6 IU (2 mg) in each nostril. Blood was sampled frequently for four hours. Anterior rhinoscopy was performed at 0 and 4 h. During the study the subjects completed a questionnaire to record nasal symptoms. PATIENTS: Sixteen healthy subjects were examined at 0800 h after an overnight fast. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bioavailability of a nasal preparation of human GH: area under the curve (AUC), the maximum concentration (Cmax), and the time to reach maximum concentration (tmax). Scores for each nasal symptom were recorded as were the total scores. RESULTS: AUC, Cmax, and tmax were not significantly affected by increasing the DDPC concentration from 0 to 4 percent or from 8 to 16 percent. AUC and Cmax, however, increased significantly when the concentration of DDPC was changed from 4 to 8 percent. Mean (+/- SD) AUC (microgram.h/L) increased from 20.51 +/- 10.53 (4 percent) to 46.14 +/- 34.59 (8 percent), (p < 0.005). Mean (+/- SD) of Cmax (microgram/L) increased from 11.11 +/- 5.02 (4 percent) to 28.22 +/- 20.85 (8 percent), (p = 0.002). Mean (+/- SD) of tmax (min) was not significantly different on the four occasions (range 40.6 +/- 36.4 to 61.0 +/- 45.2 min, p = 0.13). The symptom scores (range 17.56-21.5, maximum 360) were not significantly different (p = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the relative concentration of the enhancer DDPC increases the absorption of nasally administered GH.

[Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and pregnancy. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Les inhibiteurs de l'enzyme de conversion de l'angiotensine et la grossesse. A propos de deux observations.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors do not have any teratogenic effect in man but their use during pregnancy has led to cases of hypotension and subsequent severe renal failure in the newborn. The authors report two cases, one involving a twin pregnancy which illustrate the variability of the foetal involvement. It is emphasized that the side effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are not only reversible but also are not constantly found.

Long-term dysfunctions of neural stereoscopic mechanisms after unilateral extraocular muscle proprioceptive deafferentation.

1. Neural correlates of the permanent deficits in depth perception that occur when extraocular muscle proprioceptive (EMP) afferents are interrupted unilaterally in kittens were investigated by performing extracellular recordings in the primary visual cortex (area 17) in adulthood. Unilateral section of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (V1 nerve) were performed in 11 cats when they were between 5 and 12 weeks of age (uni-V1 group). Electrophysiological results were compared with those obtained in 17 normal adult cats (control group). 2. Binocular interactions were assessed by testing the sensitivity of cortical neurons to dichoptic presentations of moving sine-wave gratings whose interocular positional phase relationship was randomly varied. The amplitude modulation between the minimum and the maximum binocular responses defined the dynamic range. The degree of binocular suppression or facilitation was assessed by comparing these binocular response limits with the optimal monocular responses evoked through either eye at the best spatial frequency. The variability of both monocular and binocular responses was estimated by using the variation coefficient. 3. In uni-V1 cats, both the dynamic range and the degree of binocular suppression were significantly less pronounced than in controls, whereas binocular facilitation was not affected. The variability of the binocular responses was significantly increased, unlike monocular responses, whose variability was similar to control values. 4. From Fourier analysis of the poststimulus time histograms, two clear-cut categories of cells emerged that were differentially affected in the uni-V1 group. The "modulated" cells showed significantly less binocular suppression than in controls, and the "unmodulated" cells had binocular responses that were significantly more variable than in controls. Results from "simple" cells were similar to those of modulated cells, and results from "complex" cells were similar to those of unmodulated cells. However, in the unmodulated population, which was composed of both simple and complex cells, it was shown that the increase of variability was due to that of complex cells. 5. A nonparametric statistical test was applied on the interocular phase shift tuning curves to determine the minimum stimulus change necessary to elicit a significant change in the neural response. Two categories of cells were determined: the "discriminative" cells (80% in controls but 45% in uni-V1 cats) combined pronounced binocular suppression and dynamic range with relatively low variability. The reverse was true in the case of "nondiscriminative" cells (20% in controls and 55% in uni-V1 cats). 6. In uni-V1 cats, about half of the cells were monocularly activated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Cortical modulations of the fine temporal structures of impulse trains in the dorsal lateral geniculate body in cats]. / Modulations corticales de la structure temporelle fine des trains d'impulsions dans le corps genouillé latéral dorsal du Chat.

In response to a visual stimulation, "replicated triplets" of impulses may appear in many spike trains recorded from the cat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). The number and the temporal structure of these triplets depend upon the general organization of the geniculate impulse trains. In this study, we show that a pharmacological blockade of the corticothalamic activity, obtained through microinjection of GABA into area 17, affects the replicated triplet production and leads to an increase in the dispersal of their structure. These results suggest that the corticothalamic pathway closely influences the fine temporal organization of the geniculate messages.

[Prenatal diagnosis of neuroblastoma]. / Diagnostic anténatal d'un neuroblastome.

One of the prognostic factors for neuroblastoma is age at the time of diagnosis: neuroblastoma detected prenatally or in the first year of live have a more favorable outcome. Antenatal diagnosis is essential early management. Knowledge of local tumor extent is invaluable in determining the appropriate treatment, and MR imaging has proved to be the most useful procedure in this regard.

Neuronal stereoscopic processing following extraocular proprioception deafferentation.

In adult cats, after section of extraocular muscle proprioceptive (EOMP) afferents during the 'critical period', most cortical area 17 cells loose their ability to discriminate changes in binocular spatial disparity. After unilateral section this loss depends on whether or not cortical cells modulate their responses to the presentation of sinusoidal gratings linearly. For 'modulated cells', this loss is due to a reduction of binocular suppression while for 'unmodulated cells', it is due to a selective increase in the variability of the binocular response. These permanent neural dysfunctions show that balance in EOMP inflow plays a crucial role in cortical processing of binocular depth discrimination.

[Pelvimetry by digitalized radiography]. / Pelvimétrie par radiographie numérisée.

We studied the ability of digital radiographs generated on a computed tomography scanner to replace conventional pelvimetry. Two digital radiograph's and one CT section permit us to measure the maternal pelvis. The anteroposterior digital radiograph allows measurement of the maximum transverse and median transverse diameters of the pelvic inlet. These two distances are corrected for magnification after reference to the lateral digital radiograph and to a graph determined owing to a phantom. The anteroposterior digital radiograph also permits to perform a CT section passing through the ischial spines with direct measurement of the inter spinous diameter. The lateral digital radiograph gives us the true values for the anteroposterior diameter of the pelvic inlet, the low sagittal diameter, the cord and the rise of the sacrum. The dosimetry studies demonstrated that maternal skin doses and fetal gonad doses were very low. Pelvimetry using digital radiography is a simple and rapid to perform procedure which offers the advantage of low radiation exposure to both fetus and mother and a high accuracy of measurement.