MUCORMYCOSIS EFFECTS ON TURBINO SEPTAL COMPONENTS-OUR EXPERIENCE.

Introduction: Mucormycosis is a aggressive and most dangerous type of oppurtunistic Fungal infection. This disease starts commonly from Nose and Para nasal Sinuses. Many a times Middle Turbinate alone and some time both Middle and Inferior Turbinate are affected. This Fungi invades the Arteries more than the Veins and produce Thrombus and further reduces blood supply to concerned region and later on resulting in Necrosis of soft and Hard tissues , which was seen clinically as Black coloured “ Eschar”, the characteristic Endoscopic nding of Mucormycosis. Objectives: To Study about the effects Mucormycosis in the Turbinate, Septum and Floor of Nasal Cavity and to know the Effect of Septal Deviation in development of Sinusitis and further development of Mucormycosis. Study Design: Analytical Study, Retrospective Study. Materials And Method: This study was conducted in Govt Thanjavur Medical College, in Department of E.N.T and Head and Neck Surgery, from May 2021 to July 2021. Total Number of cases taken for study was 81 cases. Cases with Orbital and Pterygo Palatine Fossae and Infra Temporal Fossae involvement and Intra cranial involvement are excluded from the study. All cases are subjected to DNE and classied according to ndings. All cases under went Endoscopic Sinus Surgery and tissues sent for HPE and Fungal culture, followed by Systemic Amphotericin and Regular Post Operative Follow up for 4-6 weeks. Results: Males are involved more in numbers (48) than Females. Commonest age group involved are 21 to 40years. Strong Positive association present between Post Covid-19 status and Diabetes. Middle Turbinate involved in more number (34cases), followed by Inferior Turbinate (21 cases) and Septum (18 cases). Most common Anatomical factor present are High Septal Deviation (60 cases) and Osteo Meatal Complex (OMC) crowding (56 cases). Discussion: Mucormycosis is a Fulminant Fungal infection, which is common in Immunodecient individuals. Patients with Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus, on Prolonged Steroid therapy and Post COVID_19 status are very much prone for this infections. Angio invasion to Arteries and the resultant formation of Thrombi and Gangrene of involved areas is characteristic of Mucor. Black coloured dead tissue is called as ESCHAR. Depending upon the Arterial involvement Anterior half of Middle Turbinate or Posterior half of Middle Turbinate is involved, Posterior half of septum or entire septum is also involved. High septal deviation gives indirect disturbances to Osteo Meatal Complex functions resulting in development of Sinusitis and further chances of developing Mucormycosis. Early Surgical debridement of dead tissues followed by Inj.Amphotericin is very important in restriction of Disease spread. Proper management of predisposing factors and Postoperative Regular Weekly follow up and Endo Cleaning reduces the Recurrences. Conclusion:In our Study Males are affected more in numbers. 21-40 years are affected more. High Septal Deviation and OMC crowding are present in more number of patients which was responsible for the development of Acute Sinusitis. Post Covid status and Uncontrolled Diabetes was the commonest Predisposing factor the development of Mucormycosis. Middle Turbinate was involved more in numbers followed by Inferior Turbinate and Septum. Routine Examination followed by Nasal Septal Correction plays a major preventive role in development of sinusitis and further dreaded complications like Mucormycosis. Adequate Glycemic Control and Inj Amphotericin plays important role in the management of Mycormycosis. Regular Follow up with Endo Cleaning is reduces the chances of Recurrence.

Increased dopaminergic neurotransmission results in ethanol dependent sedative behaviors in Caenorhabditis elegans

Ethanol is a widely used drug, excessive consumption of which could lead to medical conditions with diverse symptoms. Ethanol abuse causes dysfunction of memory, attention, speech and locomotion across species. Dopamine signaling plays an essential role in ethanol dependent behaviors in animals ranging from C. elegans to humans. We devised an ethanol dependent assay in which mutants in the dopamine autoreceptor, dop-2, displayed a unique sedative locomotory behavior causing the animals to move in circles while dragging the posterior half of their body. Here, we identify the posterior dopaminergic sensory neuron as being essential to modulate this behavior. We further demonstrate that in dop-2 mutants, ethanol exposure increases dopamine secretion and functions in a DVA interneuron dependent manner. DVA releases the neuropeptide NLP-12 that is known to function through cholinergic motor neurons and affect movement. Thus, DOP-2 modulates dopamine levels at the synapse and regulates alcohol induced movement through NLP-12.

Morphological description of Cyrtopleura costata (Bivalvia: Pholadidae) from southern Brazil

The aim of the study is to describe in detail, for the first time, the internal and external anatomy of Cyrtopleura costata, which displays ellipsoid and elongated valves with beige periostracum, the anterior adductor muscle unites the valves in the pre-umbonal region, with abduction capacity in its dorsal half, sparing the ligament. Two accessory valves are identified: the mesoplax (calcified) located in the umbonal region; and the protoplax (corneus) above the anterior adductor muscle. Internally there is a pair of well-developed apophysis that supports the labial palps and the pedal muscles, and support part of the gills. The posterior half of mantle ventral edge is fused and richly muscular, working as auxiliary adductor muscle. The siphons are completely united with each other, the incurrent being larger than the excurrent. The foot is small (about ⅛ the size of the animal). The kidneys extend laterally on the dorsal surface, solid, presenting a brown/reddish color. The style sac is well developed and entirely detached from the adjacent intestine. The intestine has numerous loops and curves within the visceral mass. The fecal pellets are coin-shaped. The present study certainly may be used as comparative scenario for specimens from other regions of the species range.

A new cobia (Teleostei, Rachycentridae) species from the Miocene St. Marys Formation along Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, USA

The highly fossiliferous St. Marys Formation is exposed along Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, and comprises one of the best available records of late Miocene life in the northeastern United States. Rachycentron stremphaencus new species, a cobia from the late Miocene (Tortonian) of the St. Marys Formation is described herein on the basis of a single three-dimensional neurocranium. This fossil represents the earliest known occurrence of neurocranial remains of the genus Rachycentron in the record. Rachycentron stremphaencus differs from Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) in many ways. The most obvious include a different ornamentation of the outer surface of the cranial bones; a notably pronounced lateral ridge resulting in a considerable gradient from the dorsal-medial exposure of the frontal to its lateralmost supraorbital margin; the size, shape, and position of the sphenotic that is located in the posterior half of the neurocranium and its lateralmost edge being adjacent to the anteriormost extent of the wedge-shaped trough in the dorsal surface of the skull formed by the lateral and medial ridges; the two contralateral medial ridges forming a proportionately much wider trough on either side of the supraoccipital; the epioccipitals not reaching the rear edge of the neurocranium; and the lack of a conspicuous posterolateral prong of the intercalar. UUID: http://zoobank.org/c8523bb4-2de2-4318-9a37-027f463a0441

Molecular and morphological characterisation of Trichodorus species (Nematoda: Trichodoridae), with description of T. pseudoaequalis n. sp. from California and other states of the USA

Summary During surveys for stubby root nematodes in the natural vegetation of California, Oregon and Washington, USA, three known species, viz., Trichodorus californicus, T. intermedius and T. obscurus were recovered together with ten unidentified Trichodorus species. The three known and one new species were studied using an integrated approach. Trichodorus pseudoaequalis n. sp. is characterised by a medium-sized body about 800 μm long on average, male with two ventromedian cervical papillae anterior to secretory-excretory pore and three precloacal supplements all located anterior to the retracted spicules; spicules 39 μm long (average), slightly ventrally curved, more so in head region and blade with slight indentation mid-way and striation more pronounced in posterior half. Females possess a rather short (average 33% of corresponding body diam.) pear-shaped vagina with small vaginal sclerotised pieces (ca 1.5 μm long), rounded triangular in shape, obliquely orientated and close together; one pair of sublateral body pores anterior (about four vulval body diam.) to vulva and one pair of post-advulvar sublateral body pores. Trichodorus pseudoaequalis n. sp. differs from the most similar species, T. aequalis, in male characters like general spicule shape and ornamentation and in the position of the dorsal pharyngeal gland nucleus in both sexes (at same level of posterior ventrosublateral pair vs clearly separated). The phylogenetic relationships of the recovered species were reconstructed using the ITS2 rRNA and the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA gene sequences.

Selective Posterior Callosotomy for Treatment of Epileptic Drop Attacks: Video Documentation of the Surgical Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

This is a surgical technique video of selective posterior callosotomy (SPC), a novel surgical procedure to alleviate refractory epileptic drop attacks.1 Departing from traditional approaches aiming the anterior half or the entire callosum, SPC sections the posterior half of the callosum sparing prefrontal connectivity.1 Drop attacks are generalized epileptic seizures characterized by sudden falls.1 These seizures are often seen in diffuse brain pathology associated with generalized or multifocal epilepsies, whose electroencephalogram (EEG) “fingerprint” is bilaterally synchronous epileptic discharges.1 Sectioning the callosum to control drop attacks follows the rationale that the rapid synchronization of discharges between motor and premotor regions of both hemispheres is the basis.1 The standard approach to callosotomies always contemplated the anterior fibers of the callosum.2 Literature reports that anterior sections lead to unsatisfactory control of drop attacks, and results are improved when extended into a total callosotomy.2,3 This evidence coupled with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings showing that motor and premotor fibers actually cross through posterior half of the callosum led us to hypothesize that selective section of the posterior half of the callosum would section all relevant motor fibers and control drop attacks to a similar extent to total callosotomies, with the advantage of sparing prefrontal interconnectivity3 and no split-brain syndrome. Both our series, one retrospective, followed by a new prospective study have confirmed SPC to be a safe procedure, leading to complete or greater than 90% control of epileptic falls in 85% of patients.1 The video presented here was recorded during a selective posterior callosotomy performed on a 13-yr-old girl who had hundreds of uncontrollable drop attacks per day. Falls were completely controlled with significant gains in psychomotor development and cognition, after 5 yr of follow-up. The patient provided signed consent to the surgical procedure, video acquisition, photo acquisition, and storage at operations, and the publication of this material.

Small, rare and little known: new records and species of Cardiomya (Bivalvia: Cuspidariidae) from Brazil

This paper describes rare Cardiomya species from Brazil which have been hitherto misidentified as Cardiomya cleryana (d’Orbigny, 1842) in literature or museum collections. Cardiomya minerva sp. nov. is proposed as new species and is characterized by its quadrangular shell, short and truncated rostrum, and external ornamentation composed of six radial ribs on the posterior half of the shell flank. Cardiomya striolata (Locard, 1897) described from the Mediterranean Sea and northwestern Atlantic Ocean, is reported from Brazil for the first time; although previously regarded as a junior synonym of Cardiomya costellata (Deshayes, 1835), it is herein considered as a full species and redescribed. This species is characterized by its trapezoidal shell flank, elongated rostrum, tapering towards the tip, and external ornamentation composed of 18–53 radial ribs, the 3–4 posterior ones being the strongest and more widely spaced. Other three previously unknown species are illustrated but not formally named due to the lack of well-preserved articulated shells.

A new species of Paraproto (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from southern New SouthWales, Australia

A new species of the caprellid genus Paraproto, P. murrayae n. sp. is described based on specimens collected from New South Wales, Australia. The new species was collected from brown algae in shallow water (16–19 m deep). Paraproto murrayae n. sp. is very similar to P. tasmaniensis Guerra-García & Takeuchi, 2004 but can be distinguished mainly by the following characteristics: (1) adults of P. murrayae are significantly smaller than P. tasmaniensis (5–6 mm and 10–11 mm respectively); (2) in larger males of P. tasmaniensis, gnathopod 2 is inserted on the anterior half of pereonite 2, rather than the posterior half as in P. murrayae; (3) the dactylus of the male gnathopod 2 is thickened medially in P. murrayae, but not thickened in P. tasmaniensis; (4) the setal formula of mandibular palp is 1-3-1 in P. murrayae versus 1-9-1 or 1-10-1 in P. tasmaniensis; (5) the lower lip is glabrous in P. murrayae but strongly setose in P. tasmaniensis; and (6) the anterolateral projections on pereonite 2 are lacking or vestigial in males of P. murrayae rather than distinct as in P. tasmaniensis. An illustrated key to the species of Paraproto is provided.

A new genus of Hoplojassini from French Guiana (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae) and identification key for species of tribe

A new monotypic genus of Hoplojassini from French Guiana is proposed, described, and illustrated. Carinojassus gen. nov. differs from other genera of the tribe by the slightly produced crown; deeply transversely striated and strongly declivous pronotum; scutellum not extended posterior to the clavus apex of the forewing at rest and with the posterior half strongly keeled medially and elevated dorsally; and the apically rounded forewing.