Desmatosuchus spurensis, Paratypothorax, Adamanasuchus eisenhardtae, Calyptosuchus wellesi, and Scutarx deltatylus. Four partial skeletons collected from the park between 2002 and 2009 represent the holotype and referred specimens of Scutarx deltatylus. These specimens include much of the carapace, as well as the vertebral column, and shoulder and pelvic girdles, and a new naming convention proposed for osteoderms descriptions better differentiates portions of the carapace and ventral armor. A partial skull from the holotype specimen represents the first aetosaur skull recovered and described from Arizona since the 1930s. The key morphological feature distinguishing Scutarx deltatylus is the presence of a prominent, triangular boss located in the posteromedial corner of the dorsal surface of the dorsal paramedian osteoderms. Scutarx deltatylus can be distinguished from closely related forms Calyptosuchus wellesi and Adamanasuchus eisenhardtae not only morphologically, but also stratigraphically. Thus, Scutarx deltatylus is potentially an index taxon for the upper part of the Adamanian biozone.Aetosaurians are some of the most common fossils collected from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation of Arizona, especially at the Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO). Aetosaurians collected from lower levels of the park include  The Triassic Period is a key transitional point in Earth history when remnants of Paleozoic terrestrial biotas were replaced by a Mesozoic biota including components of recent ecosystems e.g., . PromineMore recent work suggests that this is a gross oversimplification of the taxonomic diversity present at the time e.g.,  and new Typothorax coccinarumParatypothorax andressorumLucasuchus huntiRioarribasuchus chamaensisApachesuchus heckertiCalyptosuchus wellesiTypothorax antiquusTecovasuchus chatterjeeiAdamanasuchus eisenhardtaeSierritasuchus macalpiniAetosaurians are quadrupedal, heavily armored, suchian archosaurs with a global distribution, restricted to non-marine strata of the Late Triassic . AetosauCalyptosuchus (= Stagonolepis) wellesi based on characters of the armor and vertebrae , from the Billings Gap area , Arizona. Paleontological investigations in the park between 2001 and 2009 resulted in the discovery of four partial skeletons that are considered a new taxon . The firertebrae . The secertebrae . That spPFV 355;  is notabPFV 355; . All fou biozone .Calyptosuchus wellesi (UMMP 13950). It is also absent on the numerous paramedian osteoderms of Calyptosuchus wellesi recovered from the Placerias Quarry of Arizona in collections at the UCMP and the MNA. That autapomorphy and several features of the cranium and pelvis differentiate these specimens  from all other known aetosaurians and form the basis for assigning these materials to a new taxon, Scutarx deltatylus Scutarx dormation . The Lotormation , whereasormation . All of ormation .PFV 169 and PFV 224 occur in the upper part of the Lot’s Wife beds, PFV 355 is situated in the base of the Jasper Forest bed, and PFV 304 marks the highest stratigraphic occurrence, located in the lower part of the Jim Camp Wash beds . All of A high concentration of volcanic material in mudrocks of the Chinle Formation includes detrital zircons and allows for determination of high precision radioisotopic dates for studied beds . ZirconsAll specimens were excavated utilizing small hand tools, although a backhoe tractor was used initially to remove overburden at PFV 304. B-15 Polyvinyl Acetate “Vinac”  and B-76 Butvar  dissolved in acetone were used as a consolidant in the field. PEFO 31217 was discovered partly in unconsolidated, heavily weathered sediment with numerous plant roots growing over and through the bones. Small hand tools, including brushes, caused damage to the bone surface so plastic drinking straws were used to blow away sediment from the bone surface, which was then quickly hardened with a consolidant. In the lab the same specimen (PEFO 31217) quickly deteriorated upon exposure and applications of Polyvinyl Acetate  proved to result in a flexible specimen, therefore liberal amounts of extremely thin Paleobond™ Penetrant Stabilizer PB002 (Uncommon Conglomerates) were applied to stop disintegration and provide rigidity of the bone. Because of the delicate nature of this specimen and the application of the cyanoacrylate, many of the bones cannot be prepared further or removed from the original field jackets. Furthermore, during collection the condition of the bones and surrounding matrix proved to be so poor that a portion of the jacket with the scapulocoracoid in it was lost during turning. This lost material consisted mostly of trunk vertebrae, ribs, and osteoderms. Unfortunately, this block of material is too large to CT scan to obtain more information for these elements.The other three skeletons  were consolidated in the lab using B-72 Butvar™ , with Paleobond™ PB40 and PB100 (Uncommon Conglomerates) cyanoacrylate used in many cases for permanent bonds. Paleobond™ PB304 (Uncommon Conglomerates) aerosol activator was originally used on some of the bones in PEFO 34045, but was halted because it was causing discoloration of the bone surface during the curing process. PEFO 34919 is coated with thin layers of hematite as is common for fossil specimens recovered from sandy facies in the Devils’ Playground region of PEFO. Mechanical preparation with pneumatic tools damaged the bone surface upon removing the coating and revealed that the hematite had permeated numerous microfractures in the bones, expanding them slightly, or in some bones significantly. As a result, the non-osteoderm bones from PFV 224 are highly deformed and often ‘mashed’ into the associated osteoderms. Further preparation to remove the hematite coating was not attempted.Traditionally, identification and naming of aetosaurian osteoderms, which cover the dorsal, ventral, and appendicular areas, utilizes terms first originated by The term carapace properly refers only to the dorsally situated network of osteoderms, thus the term ‘dorsal carapace’ is incorrect and redundant. In this study, the term carapace refers only to the dorsally situated osteoderms and the term ventral osteoderms is used for all ventrally situated osteoderms .The carapace can be divided into four anteroposteriorly trending columns of osteoderms . Those tThe two anteriormost paramedian osteoderms fit into the back of the skull and are generally mediolaterally oval and lack corresponding lateral osteoderms. These osteoderms are termed the nuchal series . PosteriThe next vertebral series initiates with the 10th presacral vertebra. On this vertebra the parapophysis has moved up to the top of the centrum, just below the level of the neurocentral suture. In the previous nine vertebrae , the parapophysis is situated at the base of the centrum, and in the eleventh vertebra the parapophysis is situated on the transverse process. Thus, the 10th presacral is transitional in form and has been considered to be the first of the ‘dorsal’ series , and thaHistorically in aetosaurians these vertebrae have been referred to as the dorsal series and osteoderms covering these vertebrae are the ‘dorsal osteoderms’ e.g., ; howeverTypothorax coccinarum ; UCMP 84916, partial left dorsal trunk paramedian osteoderm ; TTU P-09240, left and right dorsal trunk paramedian osteoderms .Type locality, Horizon, and Age: PFV 255 (The Sandcastle), PEFO, Arizona; lower part of the Sonsela Member, Chinle Formation; Adamanian biozone, Norian, ∼217 Ma  dorsal trunk paramedian osteoderms with a strongly raised anterior bar that possesses anteromedial and anterolateral processes ; osteoderm surface ornamentation of radiating ridges and pits that emanate from a posterior margin contacting a dorsal eminence ; lateral trunk osteoderms with an obtuse angle between the dorsal and lateral flanges (shared with non-desmatosuchines); a dorsoventrally short pubic apron with distinct obturator and thyroid fenestrae (shared with Stagonolepis robertsoni); and an extremely anteroposteriorly short parabasisphenoid, with basal tubera and basipterygoid processes almost in contact and a reduced cultriform process (shared with Desmatosuchus).Much of the posterodorsal portion of the skull is present in PEFO 34616 –10. ElemScutarx deltatylus includes a well-preserved braincase, which is described in detail below. Sutures are difficult to observe because of the state of preservation of the specimen, and the skull of Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-98) was used to infer the locations of various sutures, based on observable landmarks present in PEFO 34616.Much of the skull appears to have separated originally along some of the sutures, notably those between the prefrontal-frontal, squamosal-quadrate, and postorbital-quadratojugal contacts. The left frontoparietal suture is also visible because of bone separation, and the sockets in the squamosals for reception of the proximal heads of the quadrates are well-preserved. Thus, the skull appears to have mostly fallen apart before burial and many of the anterior and ventral elements were presumably scattered and lost during disarticulation, with the exception of the left nasal, which is represented as an isolated piece. The skull of Aetosauroides scagliai (PVL 2059), but rather short as in Stagonolepis olenkae (ZPAL AbIII/346).The proximal half of the left nasal is preserved, consisting of the main body and the posterior portion of the anterior projection through the mid-point of the external naris . The maiStagonolepis robertsoni . The anterior margins of the frontals are thick and rugose for articulation with the nasals  and Aetosaurus  was noted by Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-84) they are located on the exoccipital and the same appears to be true for PEFO 34616.The exoccipitals and opisthotics are fused into a single structure, the otooccipital. The exoccipital portions form the lateral margins of the foramen magnum . A protuAnteriorly, a strong lateral ridge forms the posteroventral margin of the ‘stapedial groove’ as is typical for aetosaurs . In aetoBoth paroccipital processes are present and well-preserved –8. They The proximoventral portion of the paroccipital process opens into the ‘stapedial groove.’ That groove continues into the main body of the opisthotic, bounded by the lateral ridge of the exoccipital posteroventrally and the crista prootica anterodorsally . Here thA second distinct groove extends from the ventral border of the fenestra ovalis anteroventrally along the lateral face of the parabasisphenoid to the posterodorsal margin of the basipterygoid process, and is bordered anterodorsally by the anteroventral continuation of the crista prootica . The terStagonolepis olenkae (Stagonolepis robertsoni (Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-98) and appears to be typical for all aetosaurs; however, Desmatosuchus smalli although he does not describe it.The entire braincase is slightly crushed and rotated dorsolaterally so that the left side of the otic capsule is easier to view . Both pr olenkae , Stagonobertsoni , and LonThe laterosphenoids are ossified but poorly preserved. On the left side anterodorsal to the opening for the trigeminal nerve (V), there is the cotylar crest, which is crescentic and opens posteriorly . No otheScutarx deltatylus (Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-98) and Desmatosuchus smalli (TTU P-9024). The dorsal surface is broad with a wide shallow groove for the spinal cord.The basioccipital and parabasisphenoid are complete and together comprise the best preserved and most distinctive portion of the braincase in ltatylus . The occLongosuchus meadei , and wider than the condyle. Thus there is no distinct ‘neck,’ nor does a sharp ridge delineate the condyle from the stalk as in sensuThe right basal tuber of the basioccipital is present, but the left is missing. The basioccipital tuber is separated from the crescentic basal tuber of the parabasisphenoid by an unossified cleft, typical for aetosaurians and other suchians . The basRevueltosaurus callenderi (PEFO 34561) and Postosuchus kirkpatrickorum , Neoaetosauroides engaeus (PVL 5698), and Aetosauroides scagliai (PVSJ 326) in that there is a broad contact between the basal tubera and the basipterygoid processes and that the basipterygoid processes are not elongate  and Desmatosuchus spurensis  basal tubera and (elongate) basipterygoid processes that apparently do not pertain to either Desmatosuchus or Scutarx deltatylus, and may belong to Calyptosuchus wellesi. This would demonstrate a potential important braincase difference between Calyptosuchus wellesi and Scutarx deltatylus, despite the nearly identical structure of the osteoderms shared between these two taxa.elongate . This isDesmatosuchus and Longosuchus , Neoaetosauroides (PVL 5698), and Typothorax  and Desmatosuchus spurensis (UMMP 7476) have deep, more or less round basisphenoid recesses, and Desmatosuchus smalli has a shallow subtriangular recess. In Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-98) the recess is round and shallow. Among taxa with elongate basisphenoids, Aetosauroides scagliai (PVSJ 326) has a shallow, round recess and Tecovasuchus chatterjeei (TTU P-545) has a deep, round recess. However, in Coahomasuchus kahleorum , which has an elongate basisphenoid, the recess has the form of a moderately deep, anteroposteriorly elongate oval (C. kahleorum may prove autapomorphic.ificance . As note species . Among tNeoaetosauroides engaeus (PVL 5698) and may have a broader distribution within Aetosauria.Anterior to the basisphenoid recess and between the bases of the basipterygoid processes there is another shallow, anteroventrally opening recess . This reStagonolepis robertsoni (MCZD 2) and Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-98) there is a triangular flange of bone termed the parabasisphenoid prow  which has a basisphenoid length of 51 mm and a cultriform process length of at least 63 mm, although the anterior end of the process is concealed (ratio = 1.23) beneath the left pterygoid. The cultriform process is also preserved in Desmatosuchus spurensis (UMMP 7476), which has a relatively short parabasisphenoid and a cultriform process/basisphenoid ratio of 0.96.Anterior to this, the cultriform process of the parasphenoid is completely preserved  and 10. The cultriform process is elongate and tapers anteriorly. It is Y-shaped in cross-section with a ventral ridge, and dorsal trough for the ethmoid cartilage. Its posterolateral margins bear distinct oval recesses bound posterodorsally by strong ridges that are confluent with the posterodorsal edge of the process  and 10. Typothorax coccinarum and Neoaetosauroides engaeus, in which the centra are greatly reduced in length . The entire neural arch is taller than the corresponding centrum face. The zygapophyses are well-formed, elongate, and oriented at approximately 45° from the horizontal.The diapophyses are centrally located at the base of the neural arch . The besDesmatosuchus spurensis (MNA V9300) has struts of bone from the dorsomedial margins of the postzygapophyses that join medially and then extend ventrally as a single thickened unit to form a Y-shaped hyposphene  with the presence of paired (but not joined) intrapostzygapophyseal laminae, but this interpretation requires further investigation.Aetosaurian vertebrae bear several vertebral laminae and associated fossae. The terminology for these structures follows Desmatosuchus spurensis  that are confluent with the dorsal surfaces of the postzygapophyses . Spinopopurensis .Four mid-trunk vertebrae are preserved in PEFO 34045. In aetosaurs the cervical to trunk transition occurs when the parapophysis fully migrates from the base of the neural arch, laterally onto the ventral surface of the transverse process . PEFO 34Desmatosuchus spurensis or Aetobarbakinoides brasiliensis  that terminates laterally at the parapophysis . Betweeniliensis . The venbertsoni : Fig. 7Jbertsoni . Althougbertsoni .In posterior view, the postzygapophyses (best preserved in PEFO 34045/14-R) are also oriented about 45° above the horizontal. They are triangular in posterior view with a well-developed lateral postzygadiapophyseal lamina (podl). That lamina extends laterally to the diapophysis and forms a broad dorsal shelf of the transverse process in dorsal view . The sheDesmatosuchus spurensis (MNA V9300) and Typothorax coccinarum (TTU P-9214). The spine is anteroposteriorly elongate, equal in length to the proximal portion of the neural arch, and the distal end is mediolaterally expanded (spine table). The anterior and posterior margins of the neural spine possess paired vertical spinoprezygapophyseal (sprl) and spinopostzygapophyseal (spol) laminae as in Desmatosuchus spurensis (MNA V9300).The neural spine is short (32.3 mm) relative to the centrum height as in Calyptosuchus wellesi . Ventrolateral to the postzygapophyses there are two deep centropostzygapophyseal fossae (cpof) in the proximal portions of the transverse processes.The postzygapophyses bound deep oval spinopostzygapophyseal fossae (spof). These fossae are much taller than wide and are bounded laterally by thin, nearly vertical intrapostzygapophyseal laminae (tpol). These laminae meet medially at a thickened triangular area dorsal to the neural canal. Here the vertebra bears a strong posteriorly pointed projection that inserts into the ventral portion of the spinoprezygapophyseal fossa (sprf) just above the ventral bar. This projection is also present in Stagonolepis robertsoni  the transverse processes are directed more dorsolaterally  and 13B.bertsoni  in the mScutarx deltatylus includes seven posterior trunk vertebrae; three from PEFO 34045, three from PEFO 31217, and one from PEFO 34919. As in Desmatosuchus spurensis . An isolated posterior trunk vertebra from PEFO 34045 . The vertebra in PEFO 31217 lacks a ventral groove and chevron facets. It is possible that this is a sacral vertebra that has been forced backwards, but the poor preservation of the specimen does not allow a firm determination. The second caudal vertebra  has a centrum length of 52.2 mm and a width of 61.6 mm, thus it is wider than long as is typical for the anterior caudals of aetosaurians . Although the neural spines are missing, it is apparent that the neural arch complex was much taller than the height of the centrum , even though the distal ends are not preserved. The third centrum has a length of 56.4 mm and the fourth has a length of 56.4 mm. Details of the neural arches and spines are buried in the block and irretrievable by mechanical preparation.The third and fourth caudal vertebrae in PEFO 31217 are longer than wide, with the centrum narrowing mediolaterally and with reduced flaring of the rims as in the previous vertebrae . The posThe fifth and sixth caudal vertebrae are mostly concealed beneath armor, bone fragments, and what are probably the eighth and ninth caudal vertebrae. Only the left caudal ribs are apparent, jutting out of the block. They are dorsoventrally flat and laterally elongate, typical for aetosaurs, but they are poorly preserved and no other details are apparent.The anterior face of what is probably the seventh caudal vertebra is visible underneath matrix and an osteoderm about six centimeters behind where the sixth caudal vertebra is buried in the block, breaking the line of articulation. The neural canal is prominent on this vertebra and what is visible of the neural arch shows that it was tall. The centrum is amphicoelous and mediolaterally constricted. The ventral surface consists of a median ventral groove bounded laterally by two sharp ridges. The ridges would terminate posteriorly with the chevron facets, but the relevant area is obliterated. A vertebra from approximately the same position is preserved in PEFO 34919 –17C and The centrum is much longer than wide (57–30 mm), mediolaterally compressed, and grooved ventrally. Its rims flare minimally, but the articular faces are deeply concave  and 17C.What are probably the eighth and ninth caudal vertebrae are well-preserved at the edge of the block in PEFO 31217 . The cenAn isolated vertebra from PEFO 34045 represents the mid-caudal series . The cenDesmatosuchus spurensis, in which they first appear on the third caudal centrum , the gastralia are preserved in the posteroventral portion of the thoracic region, are medially fused and laterally elongate. The gastralia of Stenomyti huangae (DMNH (DMNS) 60708) are presently undescribed. A single gastralia set is preserved in PEFO 34616 demonstrating that they were present in Scutarx deltatylus as well . The anterior projection is poorly preserved but appears to be pointed as in Stagonolepis robertsoni  and Typothorax coccinarum (PEFO 33980); however, to avoid confusion in this description, the anatomical directions will be provided as if the reader is viewing the ventral surface as the lateral surface  and Stagonolepis robertsoni (NHMUK R4789a), and more like that of TMM 31100-1, which represents a desmatosuchine aetosaurine (unpublished data). The ventral margins of the pubic and ischiadic peduncles meet at an angle of 90° ventral to the acetabulum, with the ilium contributing to the majority of the acetabulum. In ventral view the margins of the peduncles are comma-shaped, thinning into the ventral margin of the broadly concave acetabulum. The medial side of the acetabulum is smooth and slightly convex.The dorsoventral height of the posterior portion of the iliac blade diminishes posteriorly, terminating in a point. From there the posteroventral margin slopes anteroventrally into a curving posterior margin that distally hooks posteriorly and thickens to form the ischiadic peduncle. The posterior projection of the ischiadic peduncle is proportionally larger and more pointed than the same structure in Dorsal to the iliac neck, the medial side of the posterior portion of the iliac blade bears a prominent ventral ridge that forms a shelf for sacral rib articulation . The ribAetosauroides scagliai . Two distinct oval foramina pierce the pubic apron in the proximal part of the element. The bone is broken around the more anterior foramen of the right pubis, but it is clear that it was the larger of the two openings (Stagonolepis robertsoni (Desmatosuchus spurensis). The distal ends of the pubes are shaped like elongate commata, narrow and curving into the symphysis (Desmatosuchus spurensis (MNA V9300).Both pubes are present and in articulation with the pelvis, although they are moderately distorted by crushing and were damaged by weathering before collection  and 21. ccinarum  rather topenings . Two pubbertsoni , and theymphysis , differesensuCervical osteoderms are present in PEFO 31217, PEFO 34045, and PEFO 34616. All of the osteoderms are wider than long (w/l ratio of 1.85). The cervical osteoderms are dorsoventrally thick with well-developed anterior bars sensu, which bScutarx deltatylus is present in the posteromedial corner of the osteoderm, but is greatly reduced in area  and Longosuchus meadei (TMM 31185-84b).In posterior view, the osteoderms are gently arched  and 22D.The more posterior cervical paramedian osteoderms are similar, but increase in width (w/l ratio of 2.05) and lack the strongly sigmoidal lateral margin. The margin is still sigmoidal but bears a strong anterolateral projection . MoreoveThe osteoderm transition between the cervical and trunk series is difficult to identify, but anterior dorsal trunk osteoderms are considered here to have higher width/length ratios and be dorsoventrally thinner than the cervical paramedian osteoderms. Furthermore, the triangular protuberance is more equilateral. However, it is difficult to differentiate these osteoderms from those of the anterior caudal region.Calyptosuchus wellesi (UMMP 7470), Adamanasuchus eisenhardtae (PEFO 34638), and Neoaetosauroides engaeus (PVL 3525). The anterolateral projections are shorter in Stagonolepis robertsoni (NHMUK 4790a) and Aetosauroides scagliai (PVL 2073). The dorsal eminence in Scutarx deltatylus is medially offset, and forms a broad, low mound. Anterior to this on the anterior bar is a prominent, pointed anterior projection. The area of the anterior bar medial to this process is ‘scalloped out,’ and as a result is deeply concave (Osteoderms with the maximum width/length ratio (2.72/1) are found in the mid-trunk region. They bear a strongly raised anterior bar with prominent anteromedial and anterolateral projections. Prominent (greatly elongate) anterolateral projections also occur in  concave  and 22K. concave  and 23D.The lateral margin is sigmoidal, and the anterior portion just posterior to the anterior bar is slightly embayed for slight overlap of the associated lateral osteoderm. In posterior view the osteoderm is only slightly arched . In whatCalyptosuchus wellesi lacks these strong radiating grooves.The surface ornamentation of the dorsal trunk paramedian osteoderms is barely apparent in PEFO 34045, but much better developed in the other specimens. The ornament consists of pitting surrounding the dorsal eminence and radiating grooves and ridges over the rest of the surface. The ornamentation in Aetosaurus ferratus  in the carapace anterior to the pelvis as in ferratus , Calypto wellesi , and Aetscagliai ; howeverScutarx deltatylus are similar to those of Calyptosuchus wellesi in all characteristics except for the presence of the posteromedial triangular protuberance . Those osteoderms still possess the pronounced dorsal eminence –26J, as Aetosaurus ferratus , which can be used to help assign isolated osteoderms.The best guide for the distribution of the lateral osteoderms is UMMP 13950, the holotype of culation . ScutarxLateral osteoderms can be distinguished from paramedian osteoderms primarily by the lack of the prominent anterolateral projection. Furthermore, the anteromedial corner of the osteoderm is ‘cut-off’ and beveled for reception of the anterolateral projection of the associated adjacent paramedian osteoderm poa; .There are no lateral osteoderms in the material present that can unequivocally be assigned to the cervical region.Calyptosuchus wellesi, but they are preserved in Aetosaurus ferratus .Two osteoderms from the left side in PEFO 34616 and a third from the right side in PEFO 34045 match this anatomy and are probably from the anterior portion of the carapace –27D. In Posterior-mid trunk osteoderms (from roughly the ninth through 12th positions) are sub-rectangular with a distinct, posteromedially sloping lateral edge . The dorCalyptosuchus wellesi  are similar to the posterior mid-trunk osteoderms but lack the anterolateral ‘wing’ and are much more strongly flexed, enclosing an angle of approximately 90° in posterior view  and 27J. wellesi .Caudal lateral osteoderms are more equal in dimension, and bear rectangular dorsal flanges –27P. TheStagonolepis robertsoni  as well as referred material from the Placerias Quarry of Arizona shows that material of Calyptosuchus wellesi actually lacks the triangular protuberance. Moreover, the skull of Scutarx deltatylus possesses characters of the braincase  that are more similar to Desmatosuchus than to other aetosaurians that are similar to Stagonolepis. Unfortunately, the skull of Calyptosuchus wellesi is still mostly unknown. The Placerias Quarry contains a number of isolated aetosaurian skull bones (most notably basicrania), with differing anatomical characteristics, but none of these can be referred with certainty to Calyptosuchus wellesi . That assumption can no longer be maintained. A phylogenetic analysis , the archosauromorph Trilophosaurus dornorum, the poposaurid Poposaurus gracilis, a paratypothoracin aetosaur similar to Tecovasuchus chatterjeei, and Calyptosuchus wellesi  and the pseudopalatine phytosaur Machaeroprosopus  of the American Southwest, based on material that was originally assigned to Calyptosuchus wellesi. This taxon is known from several carapaces and includes rare skull material from western North America. Scutarx deltatylus differs from all other aetosaurians in the presence of a raised triangular boss in the posteromedial corner of the presacral paramedian osteoderms, a dorsoventrally thickened skull roof, and an anteroposteriorly shortened parabasisphenoid. A phylogenetic analysis places it as the sister taxon of Adamanasuchus eisenhardtae near the base of Desmatosuchinae (Scutarx deltatylus appears to have utility as an index taxon for the late Adamanian biozone.suchinae . Scutarx


Rhizopus oryzae and the diagnosis of rhino-cerebral mucormycosis was retained. he patient was put on amphotericin B (1 mg/kg/daily) under medical care in the hospital. The patient underwent a functional endoscopic sinus surgery with debridement of sinuses, ethmoidectomy and left middle meatal antrostomy. Histopathological findings from the biopsy of the maxillary sinus presented aseptate hyphae in necrotic tissue. The outcome was fatal on the third day of hospitalization, despite appropriate reanimation measures.Rhinocerebral mucormycosis, also known as zygomycosis, is an acute opportunistic fungal infection with high associated mortality rates. There are some predisposing factors for mucormycosis such as hematological malignancies, severe burns, neutropenia, diabetes mellitus, and the use of corticosteroids. Treatment of rhinocerebral mucormycosis consists of treating the predisposing disease, aggressive surgical debridement and systemic antifungal therapy. We present the case of a 55-year-old diabetic patient treated with insulin who was admitted to the emergency department for a headache and left purulent rhinorrhea for 3 days. The patient was hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis, and intravenous insulin infusion therapy and intravenous antibiotherapy were administered. The day after hospitalization the patient developed a ptosis of the left eye associated with edema of the upper eyelid and the left cheek. The nasal endoscopy showed necrotic tissue in the left middle meatus and the middle turbinate associated with profuse purulent discharge. The culture of the nasal swab identified a


Dementia & Neuropsychologia has recently been indexed in the Literatureon the Health Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean (LILACS) database, makinginformation contained in the papers we publish more visible to the regional scientificcommunity. Our goal is to be indexed in other international databases over theforthcoming months. Together with the free full text availability provided by our sitedemneuropsychol.com.br, we are confident we are going inthe right direction toward making our journal a better vehicle for publication ofmanuscripts from Latin America and elsewhere.Dementia & Neuropsychologia carries on its mission of publishingresearch on aspects of dementia and neuropsychology that are pertinent to developingcountries, particularly issues relevant to populations with low or heterogeneouseducational background. In this issue, we publish two papers reporting the influence ofeducational level on performance in two well-known tests: the Mini-Mental StateExamination and the Mini-Cog.Dementia & Neuropsychologia has published abstracts ofseveral symposia held in Brazil, but we aim to publish abstracts of events from othercountries in Latin American and abroad. Carrying these presentations is a significantpart of our mission, because abstracts of meeting presentations are hard to find whennot published as special supplements or part of a journal.Since its launch, In this issue, we are publishing the abstracts of the IPA 2009 International Meeting heldin Rio de Janeiro on 04-07 May, and sponsored by the International PsychogeriatricAssociation in cooperation with the Brazilian Association of Geriatric Neuropsychiatry(ABNPG). Hosting this International Meeting in Brazil is a significant achievement forthe ABNPG in its effort toward raising the quality of scientific research in the fieldand providing Brazilian and Latin American researchers with an opportunity toparticipate as speakers in international congresses and symposia.Dementia & Neuropsychologia.Publishing the abstracts of the IPA 2009 International Meeting represents a significantmilestone, enabling platform and poster presentations to reach a broader scientificcommunity. We regard abstracts as the forerunners of potential full manuscripts forfuture publication in Ricardo NitriniEditor-in-Chief


Osteomas are benign bone tumors which arise from the cortex or medulla of craniofacial and jaw bones. They are usually asymptomatic or present as slow-growing painless masses. Larger lesions may present with aesthetic  and functional disturbances . This paper highlights a case of solitary peripheral osteoma composed of a compact bony mass arising from the lower border of the mandible in an adult female patient. The lesion presented with discomfort during deglutition, which was attributed to impingement of muscles of the oral cavity floor, including the anterior belly of digastric muscle. They commonly involve cranial and facial skeleton, including the paranasal sinuses and jaw bones. Based on their site of origin, osteomas are classified as peripheral  and central . Peripheral osteomas are more common and arise from the cortical bone, whereas central variants develop within the endosteum of bone. Rarely, osteomas can develop as extra-skeletal lesions located in soft tissues, commonly in muscles.2 Osteomas might be composed of either dense compact bone with scanty marrow spaces (compact/ivory osteoma) or cancellous bone with abundant bony trabeculae along with fibro-fatty marrow tissue (cancellous/trabecular/spongy osteoma).Osteomas invariably present as a slow-growing single bony mass (solitary lesion) with a sessile or pedunculated base. Multiple osteomas of the jaw may be present as part of Gardener syndrome along with features like intestinal polyps, multiple supernumerary/impacted teeth and tumors of soft tissues.4 This paper reports a case of PO in an adult female patient, arising from the lower border of the mandible. The bony mass presented with discomfort during swallowing due to impingement of the muscles of the oral cavity floor and the anterior belly of the digastrics muscle.Peripheral osteomas (PO) may go unnoticed when small or present as painless slow-growing bony hard masses often projecting as mushroom-shaped outgrowths from the outer cortex of the jaw. Larger mandibular lesions may cause pain, facial asymmetry, deviation of the jaw or difficulty in breathing.A 40-year-old Indian female consulted our oral and maxillofacial clinic, complaining of discomfort during swallowing. The patient was apparently alright two months back when she developed mild discomfort during deglutition. Around the same time the patient also noticed a painless swelling over the upper left side of the neck, which gradually kept increasing in size. No significant medical history or history of previous trauma was reported. On extraoral examination, no gross facial asymmetry was noticed. Intraoral examination showed upper and lower jaws with normal teeth. No other mucosal abnormality was detected over oral and oropharyngeal mucosa. Palpation of the inferior border of the mandible revealed a painless bony hard mass over the inferior border of the mandible in relation to the left canine‒premolar region. The growth was fixed to the inferior border and lingual surface of the mandible and did not show any movement during deglutition . CervicaAn orthopantomogram showed a well-defined homogenous radiopaque mass arising from basal part of the mandible below the apices of the left premolar and the first molar teeth with a continuous contour . ComputeSurgical excision of the tumor was planned and executed under general anesthesia. The surgical approach used was submandibular incision placed in the upper neck crease. Upon layered dissection over the lower border of the mandible, the anterior belly of the digastric muscle was seen overriding the lesion on its buccal aspect . The mus5 Based on its site of origin they can be classified as central (arising from the medullary cavity) or peripheral (arising from the cortex). Osteomas in the head and neck region frequently involve paranasal sinuses and frontal bone. Other bones involved include the temporal bone, orbit, external auditory canal and pterygoid process. PO of the jaw skeleton is more commonly seen in the mandible as compared to maxilla. Sayan et al in a review of 35 PO cases found that the majority of the lesions involved the frontal bone (28.57%), with the mandible and maxilla accounting for 22.85% and 14.28% of cases, respectively.6 Mandibular PO occurs predominantly in the body‒ramus region and condyle. Those arising from the dentate segment may involve the buccal/lingual cortex or the lower border of the mandible. In the present case the lesion developed from the basal bone of the mandible in the premolar molar region. Cases of PO arising from the coronoid process and sigmoid notch have also been reported in the literature.7Osteomas are defined as benign osteogenic lesions predominantly composed of osteoblastic connective tissue which forms abundant osteoid and new bone that eventually mature to compact bone over a period of time.2 Osteomas show a slow continuous increase in size without growth cessation at adulthood. This characteristic feature helps distinguish osteomas from other bony exostoses and supports a neoplastic origin. In the present case no history of trauma or any overt cause of chronic irritation could be identified, possibly suggesting neoplastic etiology.The pathogenic process of osteoma is not clearly understood. Some authors classify it as a true neoplasm while others consider it as a reactive lesion secondary to chronic irritation or trauma.4 Depending upon its location, mandibular PO may cause other functional disturbances like occlusal dysfunction, pain, sensory deficit and ulceration of the overlying mucosa. Condylar osteomas produce limited mouth opening and mandibular deviation. A case of large PO of the mandible causing facial asymmetry, deviation of the tongue and respiratory obstruction has been previously reported.8 None of the previous cases of PO of the mandible have been reported to present with difficulty swallowing as in this report. CT imaging showed the lesion impinging on the muscles of oral cavity floor. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for PO. Recurrence is relatively infrequent and malignant transformation has not been reported.Clinically, mandibular PO presents as an asymptomatic slow-growing bony hard mass which may be diagnosed during routine radiographic examinations. As the lesion grows in size, it causes an intraoral  swelling or an extraoral mass causing facial asymmetry.Presentation of PO depends upon the size and location of the pathology. The majority of the cases are asymptomatic or presents as a slow-growing bone mass. Larger lesions may cause intraoral or extraoral swelling with facial asymmetry. Other less frequently reported symptoms include difficulty in breathing, deviation of the tongue and ulceration of the superficial mucosa. This paper highlights a rare presentation of PO of the mandible causing difficulty during deglutition due to impingement of muscles of the oral cavity floor.The authors would like to thank Dr. Ajay Nayak, associate professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, School of Dental Sciences, Karad, India.KN preformed the surgical procedure. KN and SV were involved in diagnosis and formatting the case report. AV drafted the manuscript and all the authors contributed to the revision and final approval of the manuscript.The authors report no funding for this article.The authors declare no competing interests with regards to the authorship and/or publication of this article.The authors declare that the patient, whose data is reported in this article, has given written consent to the authors and the Ethics Committee of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Deemed University, Karad, India for the publication of this paper.


Daphnia cucullata was strongly related with the phytoplankton distribution and reached maximum densities in deep layers with high chlorophyll concentrations, and, conversely, smaller crustacean species and rotifers were not affected by the vertical distribution of phytoplankton.Theory predicts and recent study revealed that depth of the thermocline can strongly influence the nutrient availability and composition of plankton communities. We are focused on the effect of metalimnetic gradients on water chemistry and plankton communities in three stratified lakes with different trophic conditions. Vertical changes in water chemistry revealed significant increase of macroelement concentrations in the metalimnion of all studied lakes. However, there was no significant increase of nutrient concentrations in the thermocline of lakes with smoother metalimnetic gradient, whereas sharp and deep thermocline zone caused higher concentration of orthophosphates and dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the metalimnion. The maximum concentrations of phytoplankton were observed just below the thermocline and were caused mostly by the abundance of diatoms and cryptophytes. Vertical distribution of the crustacean zooplankton was similar to the distribution of phytoplankton. Especially,  It is well known that metalimnetic gradients are key factors that influence nutrient cycling and structure of plankton communities in stratified lakes the during summer stagnation period Gliwicz . During The trophic state of a lake depends both on the intensity of nutrient loading from outside and on the rate of nutrient cycling within the lake ecosystem. Sharp metalimnetic gradients may cause the falling of particles which are trapped in the metalimnion. In lakes with sharp a thermocline, the symptoms of eutrophication may be more evident because of a decrease in water transparency in the epilimnion, whereas in lakes with a poorly defined thermocline, symptoms of eutrophication may be more visible in the hypolimnion due to an increase in the hypolimnetic oxygen consumption rate Gliwicz . Oxygen 4+, N-NO3−, N-NO2−, DON, DN, PN, TN), and carbon forms  in vertical profiles of the studied lakes. Furthermore, we expected that depth and shape of the thermocline could significantly influence water chemistry, plankton communities, and trophic state of lakes.The main goal of this study was to assess the effect of metalimnetic gradients on plankton communities in three stratified lakes in different trophic conditions. We predict that nutrient-rich waters of the metalimnion are preferred by phytoplankton and zooplankton communities. We analyzed the differences in concentration of orthophosphates, nitrogen forms  are located in the Suwalki Landscape Park (SLP) in the north-eastern part of Poland. The area represents a typical landscape formed during the last Vistulian glaciation and nearly 10% of the SLP is covered with postglacial lakes. The studied lakes have diverse morphology. Lake Hańcza is a typical deep channel lake which has a maximum depth of 108.5 m and is the deepest lake in Poland and in the Central European Lowlands. Lake Szurpiły and Lake Jaczno are typical deep moraine lakes with varied coastlines Table . The catThe trophic status based on the biotic and abiotic parameters revealed differences between the studied lakes: Lake Hańcza is mesotrophic, Lake Szurpiły is meso-eutrophic . The sampling stations were located close to the deepest point of Lake Hańcza and Lake Szurpiły. Lake Jaczno was sampled in the central basin with maximum depth of 16 m. Water samples for chemical analyses and zooplankton samples were taken every meter from the surface to the hypolimnion zone (0–11 m) by the 5 L Limnos sampler. Additionally, one sample from the center of the hypolimnion was taken.a concentration) and temperature were measured by the submersible spectrofluorometer . Constant measurements of temperature every few centimeters of depth allow us to determinate precisely the thermocline  zone. The FluoroProbe spectrofluorometer provides in situ measurements of total chlorophyll a and also algae classes determination using differences among fluorescence excitation spectra. Changes in the resulting chl a emission allow for fluorometric estimation of algal classes based on differences in species and class-dependent peripheral antenna pigments  were determined in a Dionex ICS 1100 ion chromatograph provided with an IonPac As-HC column, using a solution of 9 mM of Na2CO3 as eluent, with a flowrate of 1 mL/min and a pressure of around 2000 psi, based on Standard Methods 4110B , total nitrogen (TN), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and inorganic carbon (IC) were analyzed by the high-temperature catalytic combustion in Shimadzu TOC-L Series analyzers. Particular nitrogen (PN) was calculated from the differences between TN and DN. Particulate organic carbon (POC) was calculated from the differences between TOC and DOC. Total carbon (TC) was calculated as the sum of TOC and IC . The agglomerative hierarchical classification (AHC) based on the Bray-Curtis similarity matrix was used to visualize the differences in water chemistry in vertical profiles of the studied lakes. The relations between the abundance of dominant zooplankton species to the vertical environmental variables (hydrochemistry and phytoplankton) in the studied lakes were visualized by the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). CCA is very useful tool for ecologists to relate the abundance of species to environmental variables  were found in the metalimnion and hypolimnion zones , or smaller algae (Polyarthra spp), whereas in deeper part of the zone there was an observed increased of biomass of colonial Conochilus hippocrepis . C. hippocrepis decided also on a strong increase of rotifer biomass in the metalimnion  dominating in and below the metalimnion.A different distribution of rotifer species was noted in Lake Szurpiły Fig. c. The hiK. cochlearis and Polyarthra vulgaris Carlin, 1943 was observed also in the epilimnion of Lake Jaczno. At 4-m depth this community was joined by G. stylifer, which achieved the highest biomass in the middle layer of the metalimnion zone. The biomass of rotifers was similar at all depths down to the sixth meter and doubled at the seventh meter.Domination of D. cucullata was strongly related to the phytoplankton distribution and water chemistry. Abundance of D. cucullata was associated with cryptophytes and diatoms in Lake Hańcza  Lemmerm, 1900  but also to the distribution of their prey (phytoplankton) and predators (e.g., Leibold Daphnia, which are known to kill and rapidly exclude rotifers (Gilbert Daphnia. The explanation is that rotifer biomass was in these tow lakes built mostly by either colonies of C. hippocrepis, or by large predator A. priodonta, which are too large to be suppressed by Daphnia (Gilbert Vertical distribution of rotifers is probably under the influence of many different factors, food conditions being among the most important. However, during a day, rotifers may move vertically to avoid both competitors and predators (Karabin and Ejsmont-Karabin  Gilbert . This in Gilbert .D. cucullata were strongly related with the phytoplankton distribution and reached maximum densities in deep chlorophyll layers, and, conversely, smaller crustacean species and rotifers were not affected by the vertical distribution of phytoplankton.Our study confirms significant change of hydrochemical and biological parameters in the metalimnion zones. The thermocline zone was a favorable place for plankton communities. However, the deep chlorophyll maxima were observed just below the thermocline and were caused by the diatoms and cryptophytes. Such phytoplankton can capitalize on higher nutrient levels and bacteria biomass present at the edge of the hypolimnion because of their tolerance for lower light than in the case for many other phytoplankton. The maximum concentrations of diatoms were found in the thermocline, where heavy and nonmotile algae could benefit from greater water density. While cryptophytes reaches maximum concentration in the upper hypolimnion because they are often very motile and have mixotrophic feeding strategies. Vertical distribution of large crustacean zooplankton was similar to the distribution of phytoplankton. Especially,


Adaptive radiation is the rapid evolution of morphologically and ecologically diverse species from a single ancestor. The two classic examples of adaptive radiation are Darwin's finches and the Hawaiian honeycreepers, which evolved remarkable levels of adaptive cranial morphological variation. To gain new insights into the nature of their diversification, we performed comparative three-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses based on X-ray microcomputed tomography (µCT) scanning of dried cranial skeletons. We show that cranial shapes in both Hawaiian honeycreepers and Coerebinae (Darwin's finches and their close relatives) are much more diverse than in their respective outgroups, but Hawaiian honeycreepers as a group display the highest diversity and disparity of all other bird groups studied. We also report a significant contribution of allometry to skull shape variation, and distinct patterns of evolutionary change in skull morphology in the two lineages of songbirds that underwent adaptive radiation on oceanic islands. These findings help to better understand the nature of adaptive radiations in general and provide a foundation for future investigations on the developmental and molecular mechanisms underlying diversification of these morphologically distinguished groups of birds.This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evo-devo in the genomics era, and the origins of morphological diversity’. O. OCerthiIn Darwin's finches, skulls with a long and down-curved beak and a shallow and narrow cranium featured by the nectarivorous Hawaiian honeycreeper species  did not evolve from granivorous finch/grosbeak-like forms . Our two(c)D. pacifica) and iiwi (V. coccinea), and also independently in the akialoa . The mamo and iiwi species consume flower nectar but akialoa feeds on insects in bark and also in epiphytes. Similarly, strong morphological convergence was detected in the skull shapes of warbler finches (Certhidea) from the Galápagos and the Maui alauahio (P. montana) from Hawaii, both with a specialized insectivorous diet.Evolutionary convergence is the independent emergence of very similar or identical traits in unrelated evolutionary lineages . The recO. bairdi) and the Hawaii creeper (M. mana) has been reported based on bill shape, the absence of a tubular tongue, tree-creeping foraging and anti-predator mobbing behaviours, and juvenile plumage pattern [O. bairdi is equally similar to those of the tree-creeping, insectivorous M. mana and the insectivorous/nectarivorous anianiau  based on interspecific Euclidian distances calculated from the shape space . This evidence that skull shape convergence in these three taxa may have preceded the loss of the tubular tongue and the adoption of tree-creeping foraging behaviour in the lineage leading to M. mana lends insight into the evolutionary sequence that produced a remarkable convergence in morphology and behaviour.A phenotypic resemblance between the Kauai creeper Allometry is the dependence of shape on size and tends to be one of the dominant factors of morphological variation . BecauseIn contrast to a previous study in which the skull shapes of a variety of distantly related lineages of birds, ranging from minute hummingbirds (that weigh less than 5 g) to a gigantic ostrich (that weighs more than 100 kg) were compared , we focup < 0.001; electronic supplementary material, table S5). Both acquiring more data about the ontogeny of Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers and identifying the molecular and cellular bases determining ontogenetic trajectories of each group of species will be necessary to better understand the role of development in generation of morphological diversity of songbird skulls.Interestingly, our analysis of allometry detected certain differences of ontogenetic trajectories among songbird lineages under study. When we compared the slopes of regression lines for skulls, those of Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers were steeper than those of non-Darwin's finch coerebins, non-Hawaiian honeycreeper fringillids and shared outgroup taxa . Our statistical test supported the view that the slopes and intercepts of Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers are significantly different from those of all other included groups. Here, a steeper slope indicates that the animals undergo more drastic change of the skull shape through the same amount of growth. We speculate that such alterations of ontogenetic trajectory may relate to rapid diversification of skull morphology in these two songbird lineages that underwent extensive adaptive radiations. Our statistical test also verified that the slope of the regression line of Darwin's finches is steeper than that of Hawaiian honeycreepers and that the regression lines for these two lineages are significantly different from one another (Geospiza), (ii) tree finches including woodpecker finch (Camarhynchus) + vegetarian finch (Platyspiza), and (iii) warbler finches (Certhidea) + Cocos finch (Pinaroloxias), the slope of Geospiza was significantly different from those of other Darwin's finch groups . Within Geospiza, the combination of a large skull size and a distinct shape has been achieved only by ground finches . In Darwin's finches, the duration of embryogenesis (between egg-laying and hatching) is not very different among species  [Lastly, when we compared the slopes of the regression lines for the skull among three groups of Darwin's finches: (i) ground finches including cactus finches (12 days) . Similar12 days) . It is k12 days) ,83–86. S5.Insights from our three-dimensional morphometric analysis of cranial diversity in two textbook examples of adaptive radiation in avians, Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers, offer a new arena for debate about the interplay between the extrinsic  and intrinsic (genetic) processes, which together generate phenotypic evolutionary diversity. Mapping phylogeny onto the morphospace allowed us to more clearly reveal the accompanying evolutionary phenomena, such as the extent of both morphological divergence and convergence in cranial shapes. We found that the skulls of both Darwin's finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers have diversified greatly beyond and away from the morphological condition of their shared outgroup  and their respective close relatives. In particular, Hawaiian honeycreepers show variance in skull shapes that far surpasses any of the other groups studied here, including Darwin's finches. Much of this extreme variation is associated with the highly specialized honeycreeper species feeding on nectar and probing to obtain insects. However, we also detected a significant degree of overlap in the parts of the morphospace occupied by the two clades, showing widespread convergence. Interestingly, many examples of such convergent skull shapes belong to taxa with dissimilar diets. This may indicate the presence of common biomechanical and structural requirements for consuming otherwise distinct food sources (extrinsic constraints) and/or a role for generative  constraints. Finally, we also measured the influence of allometry on cranial shape changes. We believe that our study will help guide future investigations using methods of biomechanics, comparative genomics, developmental genetics and functional experimentation that are needed to more fully explain the observed evolutionary transitions in skull and beak shape.


Musculoskeletal involvement is not uncommon in extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, but the localization in the soft tissue of the hand is very rare. Diagnosis is much more difficult because of the atypical location and non-specific symptoms. We report 6 cases of pseudotumoral form of soft tissue tuberculosis of the hand treated in our department during the past 12 years. The mean age of the patients was 51 years with extremes of 44 and 63 years. A marked female predominance was observed (sex ratio = 0.2). All patients presented with swelling of the finger, two of which were painful swelling. All long fingers were involved; the thumb was involved in two cases. The histological study after excisional biopsy revealed caseating giant cell granulomas with epitheloid cells confirming the diagnosis. Antibacillary chemotherapy promoted healing and good outcome in our patients. Tuberculous involvement is a rare entity in pathology of the hand; it could be expressed by osteitis, osteoarthritis or tenosynovitis , 2. InvoIt is a retrospective study including 6 patients treated in the past 12 years in our department. All these patients presented with swelling of the finger and whose histological study after surgical excision revealed soft tissue tuberculosis. All these patients received both, surgical excision of the tumor and antituberculous chemotherapy. Our results were assessed according to the functional and aesthetic outcome.Patient consent and ethical approval: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this Case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review if necessary. The study was approved by the institutional review board.Our series is made of six patients divided into five women and one man, the mean age is 51 years with extremes of 44 and 63 years, two patients are diabetic, one patient is hypertensive and only one patient had a prior history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Clinically, all the patients presented with a swelling of the soft tissues of the finger, it was painless, soft, relatively fixed to the deeper layers, of 1 cm diameter on average, evolving for 4 months on average without any inflammatory signs, evoking a benign tumor of the soft tissues of the hand . These tumors were located in the thumb in two cases and involving the long fingers in the other cases, the dominant hand was affected in 4 cases, the tumor was located on the palmar aspect of the finger in two cases and the dorsal aspect in the 4 other cases. In one case we recorded a double location in the same upper limb (thumb and forearm). Plain radiographs showed no bone injury, all patients underwent a chest radiograph to exclude healed or active pulmonary tuberculosis. Ultrasound performed in 3 patients showed very limited hyperechoic images. Laboratory tests noted an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. An excisional biopsy was performed in all patients under regional anesthesia with axillary block. Direct examination showed acid fast bacilli on Ziehl-Neelsen stain in two cases. Culture on löwenstein-Jensen medium was positive in five cases. The histological study revealed a granulomatous lesion with caseating giant cells suggestive of tuberculosis in all cases. A general examination looking for other locations of tuberculosis was negative. All patients were treated with anti-tuberculous chemotherapy (ATC), using four drugs  for two months and two drugs (isoniazid and rifampicin) for 4 months associated to a rehabilitation of the hand for one month with good functional and aesthetic results  Figure .The most common locations for extra-pulmonary tuberculous involvement are lymph nodes, intestine, genitourinary tract and musculoskeletal system . Hand inPseudotumoral form of soft tissue tuberculosis of the hand is exceptional. Diagnosis is very difficult due to the atypical location and non-specific symptoms. It is usually incidentally discovery on histological findings. Surgical excision with anti-tuberculous chemotherapy provided good functional and aesthetic results.In the absence of symptoms suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis, the diagnosis of musculoskeletal tuberculosis is often delayed;Tuberculous involvement is a rare entity in pathology of the hand; it could be expressed by osteitis, osteoarthritis or tenosynovitis.Tuberculosis involving the soft tissues of the hand in its pseudotumoral form is exceptional, but should be suspected especially in endemic areas;Diagnosis is very difficult due to the atypical location and non-specific symptoms. It is usually incidentally discovery on histological findings;Treatment consists in surgical excision with anti-tuberculous chemotherapy, usually providing good functional and aesthetic results.


The majority of neurophysiological studies that have explored the role of the primate amygdala in the evaluation of social signals have relied on visual stimuli such as images of facial expressions. Vision, however, is not the only sensory modality that carries social signals. Both humans and nonhuman primates exchange emotionally meaningful social signals through touch. Indeed, social grooming in nonhuman primates and caressing touch in humans is critical for building lasting and reassuring social bonds. To determine the role of the amygdala in processing touch, we recorded the responses of single neurons in the macaque amygdala while we applied tactile stimuli to the face. We found that one-third of the recorded neurons responded to tactile stimulation. Although we recorded exclusively from the right amygdala, the receptive fields of 98% of the neurons were bilateral. A fraction of these tactile neurons were monitored during the production of facial expressions and during facial movements elicited occasionally by touch stimuli. Firing rates arising during the production of facial expressions were similar to those elicited by tactile stimulation. In a subset of cells, combining tactile stimulation with facial movement further augmented the firing rates. This suggests that tactile neurons in the amygdala receive input from skin mechanoceptors that are activated by touch and by compressions and stretches of the facial skin during the contraction of the underlying muscles. Tactile neurons in the amygdala may play a role in extracting the valence of touch stimuli and/or monitoring the facial expressions of self during social interactions. The primate amygdala receives sensory inputs of all modalities, yet remarkably little is known about how the amygdala may process touch. Here we report for the first time that neurons in the monkey amygdala respond to touching of the face. Similar to visually responsive neurons, tactile neurons in the amygdala may be involved in extracting the positive or negative valence of touch stimuli. The activity of these neurons was modulated during the production of facial expressions and the contraction of facial muscles, suggesting that these neurons can also signal the expressive status of the face. The presence of touch-sensitive neurons in the primate amygdala expands the known functions of this important structure for emotion and for social communication with facial expressions.Among the canonical senses, touch provides a basic means of social contact and can convey both positive and negative emotions. Indeed, a primate’s earliest socioemotional experience may be the protective embrace of a parent. Touch is used by both humans and nonhuman primates to build and maintain social bonds throughout life, yet little is known about how brain structures involved in evaluating socioemotional stimuli, such as the amygdala, process tactile signals. Only a few rodent studies showed a convergence of tactile and auditory inputs on single neurons in the amygdala . A smallThe responses of neurons in the primate brain to socioemotional stimuli have been explored almost exclusively in the visual domain , as visiGiven the richness of emotional and social signals carried by touch, it seems likely that neurons in the amygdala respond to tactile stimulation. Here we present evidence that the activation of mechanoceptors in the facial skin, either by touch or by facial movements, increases activity in a subset of amygdala neurons. In this study, we focused on responses to facial stimulation because (1) the face has the largest representation in the cortical somatosensory maps , (2) theAll procedures on the animals were performed in accordance with The University of Arizona Animal Care Committee regulations. This study included three adult male macaques, Q, M, and Z . The stereotaxic coordinates of the right amygdala in each subject were calculated based on high-resolution (isotropic voxel size = 0.5 mm) structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Each monkey was implanted with a chamber mounted on the skull above the right amygdala. The implant consisted of a recording chamber and three titanium posts  that could be used to immobilize the head. A craniotomy (∼13-mm diameter) was opened in the center of each chamber. Between recording sessions, the craniotomy was sealed with a silicone elastomer to maintain sterility and prevent scarring of the dura .Single-unit activity from the amygdala of each monkey was recorded acutely with a seven-channel Eckhorn drive (Thomas Recording) that advanced seven microelectrodes  into the right amygdala. The anatomical location of each electrode tip in the amygdala was calculated based on a postsurgical MRI scan with a cylinder of Vitamin E fish oil aligned in the chamber and used as contrast to visualize the trajectory of the electrodes. Single-unit activity was preamplified 20× (Thomas Recording), filtered (600–6000 Hz), amplified , sampled continuously, and digitized at 40 kHz . Single units were sorted offline using the Spike 2 template-matching algorithm and principal component analysis (Cambridge Electronic Design).Microelectrodes were independently advanced along the dorsoventral axis of the amygdala. When a well-isolated single unit was identified, the monkey was blindfolded to eliminate the possibility that neurons recorded during tactile stimulation were visually responsive. Next, the cell was tested with an array of tactile stimuli applied to the face including brushing, touching with a rigid blunt probe, and touching or stretching the skin with the fingertips. If the stability of the recording was maintained during this cursory tactile stimulation, the receptive field of the neuron was mapped by touching different facial regions multiple times. Tactile stimulation was applied to seven nonoverlapping facial regions: (1) nose, (2) area around the eyes, (3) muzzle, (4) mouth , (5) chin, (6) ears, and (7) cheeks. In addition, if a neuron had a receptive field in the perioral area, several objects, such as juice-filled syringes, were placed between the lips to evoke puckering and sucking movements. The monkeys were highly adapted to having their faces touched and typically did not make facial expressions or other facial movements during the application of touch stimuli. On occasion, when objects such as syringes were placed between their lips, monkeys puckered their lips in an attempt to hold and orally explore the object. These trials were analyzed separately.Once neural responses to tactile stimuli were recorded, the blindfold was removed and the monkeys were provoked to make facial expressions. This was possible only when recording stability was maintained throughout the tactile stimulation and during the production of facial expressions. The stimuli used to elicit facial expressions included videos of conspecifics displayed on a computer monitor or mobile device, looming objects, eye contact with a human intruder, and enticement with fruits and nuts. The most commonly evoked expressions were lip smacking and bared-teeth displays (fear grimace), although on occasion, the monkeys also produced open-mouth threats and yawns. A video camera with a temporal resolution of 30 frames/s recorded the tactile stimulation and facial expressions of the monkeys. Given this frame rate, the temporal resolution for the onset of facial expressions was 33 ms. Video data were recorded simultaneously with neural data using the data acquisition system (Cambridge Electronic Design). The onset of facial expressions was marked as the earliest frame in which the monkey visibly moved his face.Recording sites were calculated based on MRI scans and confirmed, postmortem, by histological analysis of the brain of one monkey (Q). This brain was sectioned in the coronal plane in 40-μm slices, mounted on microscopic slides, and stained with Cresyl Violet. An electrolytic lesion was made during the final experiment , which was used to localize the electrode tips within the amygdala.t test and ANOVA, respectively). Nonparametric tests were used because firing rates in the amygdala are typically low and not normally distributed. Statistical definition of tactile cells involved the following procedures. Single-unit firing was binned at 100-ms resolution and calculated in each bin with a 20-ms sliding window. This method has been successfully used for the analysis of neurons with low firing rates . For statistical comparisons, Wilcoxon rank-sum or Kruskal–Wallis tests were used  met our criteria for tactile responsiveness.Four of the 45 cells responded to tactile stimulation everywhere on the face, the remaining 41 cells responded differentially to touching different regions of the face, and 63% of the 45 neurons had composite receptive fields that included more than one spatially distinct facial feature. The receptive fields were distributed across all areas of the face, including the ears. The average receptive field size, defined as the ratio of the number of responsive face areas/number of tested face areas, was 0.477 ± 0.235 and ranged from 0.14 (1 of 7) to 1.0 (7 of 7), suggesting that the receptive fields generally were large, spanning a large proportion of the face. B, respectively). A large portion of tactile neurons (82%) responded to stimulation with increasing firing rates  and phasic (42%) response profiles ; the rest of the time, these movements were a slight contraction of the underlying muscles. Most frequently, lip movements were elicited by the monkey attempting to orally explore the object that was touching his lips or muzzle. Some neurons had similar firing rates during touch trials and touch + movement trials A. A subsTactile-responsive neurons were recorded from all major nuclei of the amygdala . NeuronsWe report here that a large fraction (34%) of neurons in the monkey amygdala respond to tactile stimulation of the face. Neural responses to tactile stimuli in the monkey amygdala have not been previously reported. Earlier single-unit recordings in anesthetized  and awakThe response properties of the tactile neurons reported here resemble the properties of visually responsive neurons in the monkey amygdala. In response to both visual and tactile stimuli, neurons in the amygdala showed either phasic or tonic increases or decreases of firing rates . Much liRecent neuroimaging and behavioral studies indicate that the amygdala appears to extract affective aspects of touch e.g., . RecentlWe found that tactile neurons in the amygdala are activated not only when the experimenter manually stimulates the skin but also when the skin is stretched or compressed during the production of facial expressions. As the facial musculature lacks muscle spindles and tendon organs , the cut


Biology as a science is beginning its third century with new genomic foundations. The challenge of combining experimental evolution with genomics, is being met by a growing number of researchers, including the contributors to the current Frontier Topics Issue volume on the Genomics of Experimental Evolution, who in part discuss emerging new strategies. Today, experimental evolutionary genomic studies have the promise and perhaps the possibility of showing causal connections within the vast assemblages of genomic data generated.E. coli  explores how in cell cultures experimental gene variant RNA viruses of the Mononegavirales order have gene order-dependent varying fitnesses within both immune compromised and non-compromised prostate cancer cell lines. Using a data re-analysis of published studies in microbial evolution as well as simulations, the second topic perspective paper, Couce and Tenaillon consider the basis for the recurring observation in microbial evolution that fitness adaptation rates decline with adaptation across bacterial, viral, and yeast evolution. This powerful observation stemming from experimental evolution may inform us at a fundamental level about the nature of the multi-dimensional adaptive Euclidean space models of adaptation. In our third topic paper, Matos et al. in their opinion piece discuss how the application of genome-wide techniques in one of the oldest experimental evolution model organisms, Drosophila, help us understand the contours and tendencies of evolution. In their original research, the fourth topic paper by Graves et al. explores a very different technical territory by introducing the implications of microbial life adaptation to the emerging nanotechnology of heavy metals and their oxides, engineered nanoparticles (eNPs)—specifically how rapidly Escherichia coli adapted to silver eNPs. Their findings have implications for the use of heavy metal eNPs as antimicrobials on targeted and natural populations of microbes. In the fifth topic paper, O'Rourke et al. consider operon-based gain-of-function mutations leading to colony morphology variation in biofilm and planktonic growth within the Burkholderia cenocepacia pathogen complex, and the implications for human and agricultural thriving. Deatherage et al. in the final topic paper, lay out the challenges to identifying structural variants (SVs) in microbial genome evolutionary studies, which are more technically difficult to detect than nucleotide polymorphisms (NPs) and insertion deletions (indels). They discuss the theory, sensitivity, and simulations in applying their breseq analysis pipeline to the detection of SVs.Our contributors have helped address this emerging field's challenges. The first topic paper (The author confirms being the sole contributor of this work and approved it for publication.The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


We describe the first known occurrence of a Devonian coelacanth specimen from the lower Famennian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, with a conodont element preserved in its digestive tract. A small spiral and phosphatic coprolite (fossil excrement) containing numerous conodont elements and other unrecognized remains was also found in the same deposits. The coprolite is tentatively attributed to the coelacanth. Although it is unclear whether the Late Devonian coelacanth from Poland was an active predator or a scavenger, these finds provide the first direct evidence of feeding on conodont animals by early coelacanth fish, and one of the few evidences of feeding on these animals known to date. It also expands our knowledge about the diet and trophic relations between the Paleozoic marine animals in general.The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00114-017-1455-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Latimeria, first discovered in 1938 in the Indian Ocean. Although the extant Latimeria occupies a deep-sea habitat, fossil coelacanths inhabited a range of different palaeoenvironments and evidently occupied various ecological niches, as indicated by their occurrence in different facies and their morphological disparity  marly shales outcropping in the Kowala quarry, Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. These deposits are already known to yield abundant phosphatized arthropod cuticles and coprolites  and GIUS 4-3624/4 (coprolite).Diplocercides, of which isolated remains are known from other Famennian localities in the Holy Cross Mountains , have been found within the gut region of a palaeoniscoid fish from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation in Australia by Nicoll  deposits may indicate coelacanths as producers of at least some of the coprolites. Other fish remains are known in these deposits. Sharks and acanthodians are known from their teeth and scales (Ginter Diplocercides sp.) have also been reported from deposits of the same conodont zone in the Wietrznia locality


Similar flight control principles operate across insect and vertebrate fliers. These principles indicate that robust solutions have evolved to meet complex behavioral challenges. Following from studies of visual and cervical feedback control of flight in insects, we investigate the role of head stabilization in providing feedback cues for controlling turning flight in pigeons. Based on previous observations that the eyes of pigeons remain at relatively fixed orientations within the head during flight, we test potential sensory control inputs derived from head and body movements during 90° aerial turns. We observe that periods of angular head stabilization alternate with rapid head repositioning movements (head saccades), and confirm that control of head motion is decoupled from aerodynamic and inertial forces acting on the bird's continuously rotating body during turning flapping flight. Visual cues inferred from head saccades correlate with changes in flight trajectory; whereas the magnitude of neck bending predicts angular changes in body position. The control of head motion to stabilize a pigeon's gaze may therefore facilitate extraction of important motion cues, in addition to offering mechanisms for controlling body and wing movements. Strong similarities between the sensory flight control of birds and insects may also inspire novel designs of robust controllers for human-engineered autonomous aerial vehicles. The ability to maneuver, turn, and maintain stable flight has been critical to the evolutionary diversification and success of flying animals. Such aerial maneuverability requires rapid sensory integration with motor control of the wings, body, and tail. However, the mechanisms by which sensory input is coupled to motor output for maneuvering flight in birds has been understudied compared to studies of avian functional anatomy, neural organization and sensory neurophysiology , pigeons may use fluctuations in translational head speed relative to their surroundings to increase close-range perception of a landing site  were housed and studied at the Concord Field Station . This study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of Harvard University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.Three wild-type pigeons . One marker was placed ventrally over the rostral end of the keel, and two markers were placed on the left and right rump .3 volume that encompassed the turn  and dorsal (start of downstroke) positions.Visual feedback can be deduced from head velocity and orientation, assuming that the eyes maintain a constant orientation within the head. The head velocity vector relative to the mid-sagittal plane of the head therefore indicates contralateral retinal asymmetries in translational optic flow. Head position was represented by the midpoint between the eyes, and calculated based on the three head markers. Head velocity was determined by the time-derivative of 3D head position.Gaze indicates where the bird's head is “facing,” defined as the direction of a head-fixed vector in the mid-sagittal head plane and 30° above the line running through the center of the head and the bill-tip Figure . This gaFigure 4D). This measuring error, based on the root mean square deviation between the known size of an object and marker-based measurements throughout the turn, was propagated using the product of the measuring error and the partial derivative of the conversion from marker positions to angular head speed. The temporal measuring error was considered negligible. Even though the absolute spatial measuring error for the larger body markers (similarly estimated at 1 mm) was likely higher than for the smaller head markers, the relative measuring errors were comparable, due to the larger spacing of the body markers.Angular head saccades were identified objectively whenever the angular speed of the head surpassed the propagated positional measuring error for the head markers (0.35 mm) . Head side slip was considered positive if gaze was directed into the turn, relative to the flight direction. Head deviation was considered positive if the bird rolled into the turn.Estimates of both visual and cervical proprioceptive feedback were tested as predictors of body rotations. Head side-slip, the angle between the head velocity vector and the mid-sagittal plane of the head, was assumed to represent visual feedback reflecting asymmetries in left vs. right optic flow Figure . Head ofaerodynamic roll/pitch: body rotations that redirect the aerodynamic force, analogous to helicopter roll and pitch; and (2) aerodynamic yaw: body reorientations about the direction of the aerodynamic force, analogous to helicopter yaw . These mixed effect statistical models included random effects of bird identity and turn direction. These model results thus correct for apparent correlations that are based on biases in either turn direction or individual differences, and provide single test statistics that apply to trends across all three individuals. To account for multiple comparisons  a Bonferroni corrected significance level of pc < 0.0011 was used to identify statistically significant trends , and reached higher peak speeds . The body rotations, representing behavioral outputs of turning flight, were calculated discretely over whole wingbeat cycles to integrate over finer scale body motions that occur within wingbeats, but which are unrelated to net changes in body orientation  and cervical proprioceptive (head offset) inputs were compared to body rotations during turning flight. These estimates are independent measures with respect to the head, with head side-slip depending on the relative flight direction and head offset depending on the degree of neck bending, and or twisting, resulting from body rotations relative to the stabilized head Figure . Head sin Figure . Correlan Figure , 8A.Whereas head side-slip, resulting from a saccade, positively correlated with subsequent aerodynamic roll/pitch (ARP) body rotations that change the direction of aerodynamic force, head offset preceded subsequent proportional aerodynamic yaw (AY) body rotations that reorient the body about the aerodynamic force, but do not affect flight trajectory Figures . SaccadeThese statistical correlations for head side-slip with respect to ARP and AY, and for head offset with respect to AY, over subsequent wingbeat cycles (wbc 1 and 2) following a saccade (S) were robust: both regressions for individual subjects and least squares regression models corrected for turning direction and individual effects resulted in significant and consistent trends.Throughout low-speed aerial turns pigeons stabilize their head in all three angular dimensions, despite continuous and independent oscillations of their body Figures . For theThe amount of head side-slip induced immediately after a saccade predicts body rotations that underlie flight trajectory changes  over the wingbeat cycle following ARP body rotations that change the direction of aerodynamic force production Figure . This teThe correlation of head offset with subsequent aerodynamic yaw body rotations similarly suggests that head offset may control flight re-orientation of the bird's body after it has changed its flight trajectory Figure . Based oOur kinematic analysis of head, body and wing motions, in combination with prior work that has demonstrated limited eye movement relative to head movement underlying gaze stabilization in pigeons Gioanni, , indicatIR and AB: designed and performed research; IR: analyzed data; IR and AB: wrote the paper; AB: provided funding.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


The implications in regard to future research and promoting resilience are discussed.There is strong evidence that poverty and economic disadvantage are associated with child maltreatment; however, research in this area is underdeveloped in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between economic hardship and maltreatment for families and children identified to the Ontario child protection system for a maltreatment concern. Secondary analyses of the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2013 (OIS-2013) were conducted. The OIS-2013 examines the incidence of reported maltreatment and the characteristics of children and families investigated by child welfare authorities in Ontario in 2013. Descriptive and bivariate chi-square analyses were conducted in addition to a logistic regression predicting the substantiation of maltreatment. In 9% of investigations, the household had run out of money for food, housing, and/or utilities in the past 6 months. Children in these households were more likely to have developmental concerns, academic difficulties, and caregivers with mental health concerns and substance use issues. Controlling for key clinical and case characteristics, children living in families facing economic hardship were almost 2 times more likely to be involved in a substantiated maltreatment investigation (OR = 1.91,  It has been well documented that children living in poverty experience a wide range of disadvantages in the areas of physical and mental health, development, and academic achievement ,2,3,4. IRisk factors that are associated with an increased risk of poverty are also associated with an increased risk of child maltreatment; therefore, disentangling the causal role or mechanisms for the observed associations between poverty and child maltreatment is challenging . VariousIt has also been hypothesized that indicators of poverty may act to increase the visibility or scrutiny of low income families with respect to official reports of child maltreatment . ChildreWhether or not child maltreatment occurs within a family system depends on the balance between risk factors and protective factors, of which economic disadvantage is just one risk factor ,25,26. EChild maltreatment can have long-term consequences for children’s physical and mental health, substance misuse, and other risk behaviors ,37,38,39(1)How many children investigated by child welfare authorities in Ontario live in families facing economic hardship?(2)What are the characteristics of children who live in families facing economic hardship and are referred to a child welfare service for a maltreatment-related concern?(3)Are children who live in families facing economic hardship more likely to be involved in a substantiated maltreatment investigation, controlling for key clinical and case characteristics?(4)Do children who live in families facing economic hardship experience unique forms of maltreatment?This paper explores the relationship between economic hardship and maltreatment using data from the 2013 cycle of the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS-2013). The main objectives of this paper are to: (1) obtain a profile of economic hardship in a representative Provincial sample of child welfare investigations; and (2) investigate whether economic hardship is associated with key child, family, and case characteristics, including the substantiation of maltreatment  were conducted to meet the objectives of this paper  The OIS-n = 72). A community caregiver is defined as anyone providing care to a child in an out-of-home setting . In these investigations, family information was not collected as it was not applicable. The present analyses were therefore based on an unweighted sample of 3790 maltreatment-related investigations with full information on the variables of interest.Data was collected directly from investigating child welfare workers upon the completion of their initial investigation. The OIS-2013 had an item completion rate of over 99% for all items . For sevThere were several items collected in the OIS-2013 that are intended to measure the socio-economic conditions of the household. These items reflect the information that a worker would know at the end of their initial investigation. The frequencies of these socio-economic conditions are presented in Descriptive and bivariate chi-square analyses were conducted on the weighted sample of maltreatment-related investigations to determine the characteristics of children living in families facing economic hardship, based on the variables available in the OIS-2013 study. Chi-square tests of significance were conducted using the sample weight, which adjusts for the inflation of the chi-square statistic by the size of the estimate by weighing the estimate down to the original sample size. A logistic regression was conducted on the unweighted sample of 2967 maltreatment investigations to examine the relationship of poverty to the decision to substantiate child maltreatment, with seven cases having been excluded list wise. Unweighted data were used in this multivariate analysis to ensure unbiased results due to the inflation of significance due to a large sample size. The predictors were entered into a multiple logistic regression in four blocks to represent an ecological model of maltreatment, with child factors entered into the first block, caregiver factors entered into the second block, case characteristics entered into the third block, and our variable of research interest, economic hardship, in the fourth (last) block along with our other socio-economic variables. Finally, bivariate chi-square analyses were completed on substantiated maltreatment investigations to explore the relationship between economic hardship and characteristics of substantiated maltreatment, including subtypes of neglect. Please see As shown in x2 = 718.876) is significant (p < 0.001).p < 0.001), meaning that if the family faces economic hardship, the odds of the child having a substantiated maltreatment concern increase by a factor of 1.91. After controlling for the other relevant predictors in our model, children in families facing economic hardship are almost 2 times more likely to be involved in a substantiated maltreatment investigation compared to those children not living in families facing economic hardship. A substantiated investigation indicates that the child was a victim of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional maltreatment, or exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV).Our analysis indicates that caregiver substance abuse, caregiver mental and physical health issues, type of maltreatment, previous substantiated maltreatment, home overcrowding, unsafe housing, and economic hardship are significant predictors of the substantiation of current maltreatment as each Odds Ratio (OR) is significant. For our research variable of interest, economic hardship, the OR is 1.91  were not included. Similarly, reports on cases currently open at the time of case selection were not included. The OIS collects information directly from child welfare workers at the point when they completed their initial investigation of a report of possible child abuse or neglect or a risk of future maltreatment . TherefoThree limitations to the weighting estimation method should be noted. The agency size correction uses child population as a proxy for agency size; this does not account for variations in per capita investigation rates across agencies in the same strata. The annualization weight corrects for seasonal fluctuation in the volume of investigations, but it does not correct for seasonal variations in the types of investigations conducted. Finally, the annualization weight includes cases that were investigated more than once in the year as a result of the case being re-opened following a first investigation completed earlier in the same year. Accordingly, the weighted annual estimates represent the child maltreatment-related investigations, rather than the investigated children.Our findings indicate that children experiencing economic disadvantage were more likely to have developmental concerns and academic difficulties and to experience victimization. These findings are a stark reminder of the opportunity and need to focus prevention, intervention, and research efforts on children who are dealing with the burdens of economic hardship and maltreatment, two well-established and salient developmental risk factors. The vulnerability of children highlighted in this study underscores the need for accessible and responsive services that promote resilience and mitigate the impact of adversity within the child welfare sector in partnership with other allied service sectors . It is also evident that the policy context needs to be examined and considered in order to ensure investments are made in prevention-focused economic redistribution policies that can support positive child developmental outcomes.


The majority of the Human genome is transcribed into a large number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which have different roles in the cell  which is known to effect on the chromatin structure  which applies RNA sequencing of large cohorts. We also validated our data in different GEO dataset. The results can highlight the role of HOTAIR in breast invasive cancer and provide the viewpoint for further analyses of HOTAIR in breast cancer progression.There are just a few studies with limited number of samples indicating the differentiated expression of https://genome-cancer.ucsc.edu/), which uses the TCGA data, was used to analyze the association between HOTAIR expression level and features of breast invasive carcinoma. “BRCA gene expression (Illumina Hiseq Percentile)” data was selected for our analysis. The expression of HOTAIR was compared between the tumor  and normal samples (n = 133) of TCGA tissues. Besides, the association between HOTAIR expression level of breast tissues and ER/PR/HER2 status of tumor tissues was also checked.For this study, The Cancer Genome browser database .For validation study, the expression of t-test through R-software integrated in cancer genome browser. The P-value <0.05 were considered as significant P-value. Expression analysis between breast invasive tumor and normal tissues showed that the HOTAIR is significantly overexpressed in breast tumors compared to normal tissues .Normalized expression (Z score) derived from TCGA tissues of cancer genome browser were compared between groups of study. The statistical analysis was done by s Figure . CategorHOTAIR expression level between tumor and normal samples. The expression level between tumor and normal tissues were compared by t-test through GraphPad software. The data showed that the HOTAIR is significantly up-regulated in cancer cell lines and tumor tissues compared to normal breast samples (Table HOTAIR in breast invasive carcinoma in a large cohort and different data sets. Since the breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the predictive power of current biomarkers is sometimes limited. So, there is a need to identify additional prognostic and predictive molecular biomarkers. The aim of this study was to examine the significance of the HOTAIR gene expression in breast cancer. Given the importance of HOTAIR in breast cancer, it promises as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target. However, because of the follow up limitations of TCGA cohort, further studies are necessary to reveal the role of HOTAIR in breast cancer initiation/progression in different cohorts with well annotation for tumor histology, and survival data.Different GEO dataset and profiles were analyzed in order to compare the es Table . To our All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.