Confused History Research Articles

THE REFERENCE GAREVKA GRANITE (YENISEI RIDGE, WESTERN MARGIN OF THE SIBERIAN CRATON): THE FINAL ATTEMPT TO VERIFY PALEOPROTEROZOIC Pb/U ISOTOPIC AGE BY M.I. VOLOBUEV

The article unravels a confusing history of ideas about the age of the Garevka granite pluton, which is considered as a reference object for the Precambrian of the Yenisei ridge. Initially, the Paleoproterozoic (1750 Ma) age of granite was determined by M.I. Volobuev and co-authors half a century ago using Pb/U isotope analyses of zircons and orthites. This dating is widely used up to recent to substantiate the Early Precambrian age of the metamorphic rocks of the Trans-Angara region. In 2003, V.A. Vernikovsky and his colleagues published data on the Neoproterozoic (752±3 Ma) age of the massif, obtained with modern technique of isotopic analysis. However, some of experts on the geology of the Yenisei ridge considered both isotopic ages correct, believing that the eastern part of the massif comprises Paleoproterozoic gneissic granite. Our investigation revealed the following: V.A. Vernikovsky and M.I. Volobuev indeed have collected their granite samples at the western and at the eastern parts of the pluton correspondingly. Krasnoyarsk geologists map the Garevka pluton as part of the Neoproterozoic Glushikha granite suite, but use to apply its Paleoproterozoic dating to substantiate the early Precambrian age of the host rocks. M.I. Volobuev obtained ten mainly discordant Pb/U analyses of the Garevka granites, and six of them form an explicable combination consistent with the age of 1750 Ma. The only concordant analysis with a known sampling point is decisive for the entire system. Thus, to fix the problem, it was necessary to reproduce this analysis using modern isotope techniques. We have dated (SHRIMP) a granite sample collected at the same point. In addition, three more samples from different parts of the massif were analysed to exclude the possible presence of ancient domains in it. The isotope ratios of all analysed zircons form a concordant cluster with an age of 762±7 Ma. The Garevka pluton comprises a separate mappable body composed of biotite leucogranites with fluorite. Granites do not replace some older rocks, but crystallized from the melt, ascended from deep crust. The question about possible Paleoproterozoic age of the Garevka granite pluton or any part of it is closed. Ideas about the wide distribution of Archean and Paleoproterozoic gneisses in the Trans-Angara region require additional geochronological verification. To date, the presence of such rocks has been reliably established here only at two local points.

Teratognathini Silveira, the priority family-group name for Ancyloscelidini Engel and Michener (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Eucerinae).

The genus Ancyloscelis Latreille, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), a taxon restricted to the Neotropics and southern Nearctic (Michener 1942, 2000, 2007; Schaller and Roig-Alsina 2021; Melo 2022), has been difficult to place precisely within the higher classification of bees (Roig-Alsina and Michener 1993; Aguiar et al. 2019; Freitas et al. 2020), and even the genus name has a confusing history (see Michener 1942). Michener (1944) placed it together with Exomalopsis Spinola, 1853 within the Exomalopsini Vachal, 1909, and Michener and Moure (1957) later expanded this tribe to include ten additional genera, with Ancyloscelis the sole member of one of the five distinct sections they recognized (reviewed by Silveira 1993). Later, Jesus S. Moure (cited in Roig-Alsina and Michener 1993) suggested that the placement of Ancyloscelis should be within Emphorini Robertson, 1904, a position supported in that work. However, Roig-Alsina and Michener (1993) concluded that it differed enough from other members to recognize two subtribes, proposing Ancyloscelina Roig-Alsina and Michener, 1993 containing only the type genus, with the remaining Emphorini recognized at that time (i.e., Diadasia Patton, 1879, Diadasina Moure, 1950, Melitoma Lepeletier and Serville, 1828, and Ptilothrix Smith, 1853) placed in subtribe Emphorina Robertson, 1904. Michener (2000, 2007) and others (Silveira et al. 2002, Rodrguez and Roig-Alsina 2004) continued to recognize Ancyloscelis within Emphorini, but subtribal classifications were not used in those works.

On the benefits of clarifying the meaning of "plant gender".

Plant sex is complicated. Compared to more familiar animals, including ourselves, plants reproduce so differently and with such bewildering variation, that botanists spent centuries debating whether plants sexually reproduce at all. Camerarius' (1694) revolutionary concept that plants may be "male," "female," and "hermaphrodite" anticipated the modern evolutionary hypothesis that sex, as defined by meiosis and fertilization, is shared by all eukaryotes. Yet, the word "gender," which botanists often use to describe plant reproductive systems, has a confused history within the field, isolated from a broader scholarly discussion that has profoundly influenced culture. In this essay, we identify the use of "gender" as a current issue worthy of consideration, suggesting that clarifying what we mean by "gender" in our scholarship and teaching may better serve the field and promote more inclusive classrooms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

From synonym to valid species: Redescriptions of Ampharete acutifrons (Grube, 1860) and A. cirrata Webster amp; Benedict, 1887, and brief descriptions of A. baltica Eliason, 1955 and A. grubei Malmgren, 1865 (Annelida: Terebellida: Ampharetidae).

This paper aims mainly to provide clarity on the morphological characters of the type species of Ampharete, Ampharete acutifrons (Grube, 1860). Its common occurrence and wide distribution are most likely a result of misidentification of different species. Possible reasons for that are the brief original description of this species that is available solely in Latin and a series of questionable synonymizations, resulting in a confusing history of A. acutifrons. In addition to a detailed redescription of the holotype of A. acutifrons, we describe an Ampharete species from the Baltic Sea that has also been incorrectly identified as A. acutifrons for many decades. The individuals of this species agree in all diagnostic characters with those of the Northwest Atlantic species Ampharete cirrata Webster Benedict, 1887. Since no differences were found, but it is clearly distinct from A. acutifrons, A. cirrata is recognised as a valid species and consequently deleted from the synonym list of A. acutifrons. We additionally examined type material of A. grubei Malmgren, 1865 and those of A. grubei baltica Eliason, 1955, now accepted as A. baltica. According to this, both species are valid, and A. grubei must therefore also be deleted from the list of synonyms of A. acutifrons. Information on five molecular markers (Histone H3, COI, 16S, 18S, 28S) is provided for A. cirrata from the Baltic Sea. DNA sequences (H3, 16S, 28S) were identical to sequences of a specimen found in Iceland that was incorrectly determined as A. acutifrons, supporting the assumption of an amphiatlantic distribution of A. cirrata. By comparing obtained sequences to available sequences in GenBank and BOLD, we found evidence that at least four species were previously misidentified as A. acutifrons. The historical course of the taxonomy of A. acutifrons demonstrates the importance of carefully studying type material and type locality material, respectively. We believe that most previous records and synonyms of A. acutifrons have been identified incorrectly and should be re-evaluated. Additionally, an updated key to all species of Ampharete from the North Atlantic is provided.

Diversity of the genus Orthoseira Thwaites (Bacillariophyceae) from Southeast Asia and Rapa Nui Island with descriptions of four new taxa

The genus Orthoseira Thwaites contains centric diatoms typically inhabiting marginal-aquatic or terrestrial habitats. The high morphological plasticity of representatives of the genus and their occurrence in rarely studied terrestrial habitats complicates an overall assessment of their biodiversity and the distribution of particular species. This study presents a description of four new species of this genus from Southeast Asia and Easter Island. They include: O. radiata M.Rybak, Glushchenko & Kulikovskiy sp. nov., O. distincteareolata M.Rybak, Glushchenko & Kulikovskiy sp. nov., O. cylindrica M.Rybak, Glushchenko & Kulikovskiy sp. nov. and Orthoseira rapanuiensis M.Rybak, Witkowski & Lange-Bertalot sp. nov. Additionally, we attempt to provide a solution to the confused taxonomical history of Liparogyra circularis Ehrenberg and provide the first detailed description of Orthoseira tropica (Krasske) Metzeltin & Lange-Bertalot.

Commemorating the Crusading Past in Late Medieval England: The Worksop Priory Tabula

Abstract Memory has featured prominently in recent scholarship on the crusades. In particular, the remembrance of crusaders by their descendants and associated ecclesiastical institutions in the high Middle Ages has attracted considerable attention; however, few studies have concentrated on the commemoration of crusaders in the later Middle Ages. This article examines a late fifteenth-century genealogical poem, which was produced for public display on a tablet at Worksop Priory (Nottinghamshire) and contains unique information about members of the Furnival family on the Barons’ Crusade (1239–41), in order to explore how and why medieval institutions preserved memories of crusaders into the late Middle Ages. It argues that, although inaccurate in its crusade narrative, the poem provides invaluable insights into the mechanisms of aristocratic family memory in medieval England; and it focuses on the important role of material prompts in the process of commemoration. Specifically, it suggests that an effigy of Sir Thomas de Furnival was erected at Worksop soon after his death away from home in 1241. In the absence of a written record, this cenotaph acted as a prompt to an oral narrative tradition which informed the Worksop poet when he came to compose his genealogical work. This study is, therefore, an analysis of crusade memory, but it is also an examination of the presentation of a crusade narrative to a public audience, an opportunity to unravel the confused history of three crusading brothers, and an attempt to understand the response of a medieval community that had suffered losses in overseas ventures.

Geochemical provenancing and direct dating of the Harbin archaic human cranium

As one of the most complete archaic human fossils, the Harbin cranium provides critical evidence for studying the diversification of the Homo genus and the origin of Homo sapiens. However, the unsystematic recovery of this cranium and a long and confused history since the discovery impede its accurate dating. Here, we carried out a series of geochemical analyses, including non-destructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF), rare earth elements (REE), and the Sr isotopes, to test the reported provenance of the Harbin cranium and get better stratigraphic constraints. The results show that the Harbin cranium has very similar XRF element distribution patterns, REE concentration patterns, and Sr isotopic compositions to those of the Middle Pleistocene-Holocene mammalian and human fossils recently recovered from the Harbin area. The sediments adhered in the nasal cavity of the Harbin cranium have a 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.711898, falling in the variation range measured in a core drilled near the Dongjiang Bridge, where the cranium was discovered during its reconstruction. The regional stratigraphic correlations indicate that the Harbin cranium was probably from the upper part of the Upper Huangshan Formation of the Harbin area, which has an optically stimulated luminescence dating constraint between 138 and 309 ka. U-series disequilibrium dating (n = 10) directly on the cranium suggests that the cranium is older than 146 ka. The multiple lines of evidence from our experiments consistently support the theory that the Harbin cranium is from the late Middle Pleistocene of the Harbin area. Our study also shows that geochemical approaches can provide reliable evidence for locating and dating unsystematically recovered human fossils, and potentially can be applied to other human fossils without clear provenance and stratigraphy records.

An Unhappy Pursuit of Happiness

Over recent years, academics and policy makers in several countries have been advocating for measures of utility and happiness to replace gross domestic product as indicators of development. Yet the notion of utility has a somewhat confused history, meaning different things to different people at different times. Hume, for instance, aligned utility with public usefulness, Bentham with hedonic feelings of pleasure and pain, and Mill and modern welfare economists with pretty much anything, and this confusion has not been absent from contemporary calls for utilitarianism to inform public policy design and intervention. A possible reason why there are many different meanings attached to the concept of utility is because many people, much of the time, are not driven to maximise utility at all, irrespective of how it is defined. That is, the pursuit of utility does not drive all desires, but rather desires are antecedent; in those circumstances, at most, some conception of utility is a possible consequence of achieving one’s desires. Desires are multifarious and vary across people. The policy maker’s role over the private realm of individual decision-making should not therefore be to strive to maximise utility, but rather to put in place conditions that facilitate people in the pursuit of their own conception of a desired life.

Features, State and Context of Narcissism in Drug Misuse

Both clinical and street-based encounters with people who misuse drugs have led the authors to examine the relationship between misuse of drugs and narcissism. Widely accepted criteria for diagnosing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) suggest parallels between narcissistic traits (e.g. invulnerability to consequences and lack of empathy for others) and the characteristics of drug abusers. Because narcissism as a concept has a long and somewhat confusing history, we first reviewed its origins in the psychoanalytic tradition of psychiatry and its exegesis into current clinical concepts in order to arrive at a set of attributes that may be useful when applied to problems of drug abuse. This process required extensive review of the literature on narcissism and its interactions with the literature on drug abuse. This process led to an understanding that positive self-concept may exemplify a variety of socially beneficial narcissism, but that at the other end of narcissism’s continuum of traits may be found exploitative and non-empathetic traits. Furthermore, the negative traits of narcissism, as they may arise in adolescence along with drug use, can support an individual’s ongoing dependence on drugs, especially if narcissism and drug use persist into adulthood. Our investigation of narcissism and drug use revealed, through in-depth interviewing, that some drug users employ drugs and alcohol to feed their self-concepts of superiority over other people. Our findings suggest that treatment for drug abuse cannot proceed assuming that drug users have low self-concepts. Rather, their continued use of drugs may emanate from a narcissistic sense of superiority.

Conservation of the name Aeromonas eucrenophila over the name Aeromonas punctata for the organism based on type stain NCMB 74T and universally defined as 'Aeromonas DNA hybridization group 6'.

In a companion paper, we requested the Judicial Commission to correct the type strain of Aeromonas punctata from ATCC 15468T to NCMB 74T (=ATCC 23309T). Correction of this error on the 1980 Approved Lists by an Opinion of the Judicial Commission will remove the status of the name Aeromonas caviae as a junior objective synonym of A. punctata. This is important because the scientific community continues to use the name A. caviae almost exclusively instead of A. punctata. However, the corrective action of this Opinion will cause a new problem. A. punctata and A. eucrenophila will then become objective synonyms because both species will have the same type strain NCMB 74T, and A. punctata would have priority because it was published first (1890 vs. 1987). Thus, A. punctata rather than A. eucrenophila would become the correct name for DNA hybridization group 6. A. punctata has had a very confusing history since it was first described as Bacillus punctatus by Zimmermann in 1890. It was without a type strain for over 50 years, and unfortunately, has had an incorrect type strain for some 40 years. The name A. punctata as a bacterial species has been used incorrectly in the literature very frequently, either based on the wrong type strain or with the wrong definition or circumscription. The name A. punctata is not accepted or used by most specialists who study and publish scientific papers and reviews on Aeromonas. Under the heading 'Rejection of Names' Rule 56a of the Bacterial Code states reasons why the Judicial Commission can reject a name, the first is: '(1) An ambiguous name (nomen ambiguum), i.e., a name which has been used with different meanings and thus has become a source of error'. Rule 56a gives the Judicial Commission authority to place names on the list of rejected names. Our analysis of its history leads us to state unequivocally that A. punctata currently is, and has been throughout the vast majority of its history, an ambiguous name. After considering all the possible alternatives and their consequences we request the Judicial Commission to go against the rules of priority; to invoke case (1) of Rule 56a, and issue an Opinion conserving A. eucrenophila over A. punctata; and to place the name A. punctata on the list of rejected names. We argue that these actions will give instant stability to a complex and confusing situation by making A. eucrenophila rather than A. punctata the correct name for 'Aeromonas DNA hybridization group 6', an association that is almost universally accepted by the scientific community as reflected in the literature.

Medical education, simulation and uncertainty.

Foundation doctors often feel underprepared to cope with uncertainty, particularly in an acute setting. Simulation is an established method for teaching about the management of acutely unwell patients, yet simulated cases are often simplified to ensure that a given learning outcome is reached. This approach may present learners with challenges in clinical practice when more complex nuanced cases are encountered. We explored final-year medical students' perceptions of clinical uncertainty when facing an 'authentically' complex simulated patient. We adapted a simulation scenario in an attempt to replicate clinical uncertainty. The simulated patient had a confused history, only mildly deranged physiology, no current clear diagnosis and no diagnostic investigations yet available. Students engaged in debriefs facilitated by the researchers, which employed advocacy and enquiry to help students to reflect on their simulations (the 'Diamond Approach'). These were transcribed, coded and analysed thematically. Students found the 'uncertainty' simulation more challenging than a 'typical' simulation. Students found it disheartening when the patient had no clear diagnosis and expected 'an answer'. Students described task fixation and/or inaction in the face of uncertainty, struggled to identify appropriate times to seek senior support and were confused about their role in managing complex cases. We propose that this session prompted valuable discussion amongst students about how to react to clinical uncertainty. Students generally perceived the simulation as being useful. Affording space for reflection and allowing students to consider strategies for coping with uncertainty may help them when managing complex cases as Foundation doctors.

Burrowing bugs of the genus Scaptocoris Perty in Colombia (Heteroptera: Cydnidae)

AbstractScaptocoris Perty, 1833 (Cephalocteinae) is an economically important genus of burrowing bug because its species attack various crops like pastures, soybean and cotton in South America. The genus Scaptocoris has seven described species in the Neotropical region. Given a confusing history of identifications of its species in Colombia, there is uncertainty about which species occur in the country, hampering the implementation of effective control measures. Therefore, a synopsis of the burrowing bugs of the genus Scaptocoris occurring in Colombia is presented. Three species are recorded from Colombia: Scaptocoris castanea Perty, 1833, a new country record, Scaptocoris divergens Froeschner, 1960, and Scaptocoris minor Berg, 1894, whose identity is confirmed with voucher specimens for the first time. Diagnosis, distribution maps, photographs and plant associations for all three species are presented. The male aedeagus is documented for the first time for Scaptocoris species, although it has no obvious diagnostic characters for them. The importance of voucher specimens for studies in economic entomology is highlighted and discussed.

Species delimitation in the Caribbean Gesneria viridiflora complex (Gesneriaceae) reveals unsuspected endemism

AbstractAccurate taxonomy and species boundaries are of great importance in biodiversity hotspots with high species endemicity like the Caribbean. Indeed, inaccurate species delimitations can affect biodiversity estimates and influence the decisions taken on conservation issues. The genera Gesneria and Rhytidophyllum constitute the main representatives of the Caribbean Gesneriaceae and contain a few complexes with unclear taxonomic boundaries that are characterized by a confusing history of taxonomic changes and by the presence of several recognized varieties and subspecies. Gesneria viridiflora is a good example of such a complex. Four geographically isolated subspecies are recognized that have similar but variable vegetative and reproductive characters, and numerous taxonomic changes have been suggested in this group over the years. In this study, we used multivariate approaches to delimit distinct clusters of individuals using morphological (qualitative and quantitative characters) and molecular data from four nuclear markers. These groups are then tested using a Bayesian coalescent species delimitation approach and compared using multivariate analyses of bioclimatic variables obtained from occurrence data. The results suggest the presence of four distinct species in this complex according to the unified species concept: G. quisqueyana, G.sintenisii ,G . sylvicola andG .viridiflora . We also maintain G. viridiflora subsp. acrochordonanthe that does not fulfill our criteria for a species but that shows morphological variation associated to a specific geographical area. A distribution map, an identification key to the species, and a taxonomic treatment are provided. The new taxonomy proposed in this study shows an unsuspected species endemism in some regions of the Caribbean and underlines the importance of investigating species delimitation in diversified groups containing taxonomically complex taxa with poorly defined boundaries.

Megatibicen n. gen., a new North American cicada genus (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Cryptotympanini).

The genus Tibicen has had a confusing history (see summary in Boulard and Puissant 2014; Marshall and Hill 2014; Sanborn 2014). Boulard and his colleague (Boulard 1984; 1988; 1997; 2001; 2003; Boulard and Puissant 2013; 2014; 2015) have argued for the suppression of Tibicen and the taxa derivatived from it in favor of Lyristes Horváth. Boulard's argument for suppression was first described in Melville and Sims (1984) who presented the case for suppression to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature with further comments made by Hamilton (1985), Boulard (1985), and Lauterer (1985). A lack of action resulted in additional comments being published in 2014 again supporting the retention (Sanborn 2014; Marshall and Hill 2014) or the suppression (Boulard and Puissant 2014) of Tibicen.

Biblical Theology Revisited: An Internal Debate

For scholars responsible to the church’s faith and practice, biblical theology remains indispensable. The discipline’s confused history leads one to ponder its reconfiguration as scriptural theology, whose attitude and aspects are herein probed and exegetically tested.

Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Barbinae (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in China inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

The taxonomy and phylogeny of the Chinese species of the Barbinae (Cypriniformes) has a confusing history. In this study, partial sequences of four mitochondrial genes (cyt b, COI, ND4 and 16S rRNA) from 75 Barbinae species and 38 outgroup species were used to investigate the taxonomy and phylogeny within the Barbinae in China. The monophyly of Neolissochilus, Sikukia and Tor are not supported. Neolissochilus benasi might represent a new genus, and Tor hemispinus and Tor qiaojiensis should be moved into Neolissochilus. Sikukia flavicaudata is not Sikukia species. Puntius paucimaculatus might be a synonym of Puntius semifasciolatus. Puntius semifasciolatus does not belong to Puntius. Onychostoma barbatum might consist of more than one species. Our molecular results corroborate that Acrossocheilus stenotaeniatus is a synonym of Acrossocheilus longipinnis. Finally, Barbonymus gonionotus from Menglun, Yunnan should be Poropuntius huangchuchieni.

La confusion mentale : sa place dans l’histoire de la psychiatrie en France

ObjectivesThis paper endeavours to trace the complex history of “mental confusion” in order to determine its place in psychiatric nosography in France. MethodologyFrom the first clinical observations (Pinel, Esquirol, Georget, Delasiauve, etc.), we followed the confused history of mental confusion. To do this we confronted numerous writings in classic psychiatry with contemporary research (psychiatric and psychoanalytical). ResultsThe history of psychiatry tells us that states of confusion (distraction, incoherent and confused thought, disorientation, etc.) can be found in many complaints or pathologies. The contribution of the psychoanalytic view is that the distinction between “state” and “structure” can guide us in our clinical practice. DiscussionWe note that mental confusion was observed at an early date but it was named and differentiated from other types of alienation only with the writings of Delasiauve (1851), before being neglected for some time following the work by Baillarger. Its place in psychiatric nosography was variable. It appears that a distinction between “state” of confusion and a clinical “structure” characterised by confusion is essential. ConclusionWe conclude that it is difficult to treat mental confusion as a single, specific syndrome or as a single clinical entity, nor can symptomatic manifestations alone suffice to establish a differential diagnosis.

Dendrobium bigibbum (sect. Phalaenanthe) in Australia — analysis of diagnostic characters, review of taxa and a new classification

Dendrobium bigibbum Lindl. has a long confused history, with taxa variously described as separate species, subspecies, varieties and forms. This paper records morphological variation in 160 representative plants in north Queensland and Torres Strait. The distribution range is delineated. ITS-DNA results did not show significant differences between populations. The evidence supports a single species D. bigibbum Lindl. with three intergrading varieties: vars bigibbum, superbum and compactum. Some types have uncertain provenance, particularly D. phalaenopsis, which is reduced to synonymy under D. bigibbum var. superbum. A combination of characters can be used to identify varieties. A new combination of D. bigibbum var. compactum reduces D. phalaenopsis var. compactum to synonymy.

Impacted Foreign Body of Parapharyngeal Space a Rare Case Blog

Introduction Foreign bodies implanted in the Para pharyngeal space are quiet rare. Most cases occur in infants and children, and are usually accompanied by a poor and confusing history. Due to its rarity, it is not usually considered among the differential diagnosis of palatal lesions. This is a totally confusing history about a 6 months old child who presented with vague symptoms and was later diagnosed to have impacted metallic foreign body in the parapharyngeal space. Case Blog A ten months old male child came to our ENT department with complaints of dysphagia in a child and complaints of irritability, decreased sleep. On examination child was little irritable. Paediatrics opinion was taken, general examination as well as systemic examinations revealed NAD. Suspecting foreign body of nasal cavity, X ray nasopharynx lateral view was advised. Surprisingly metallic foreign body was seen in the pharynx (Figure 1). On oral cavity examination, no haematoma or swelling was observed. Oral cavity was absolutely fine. To define the exact location of the foreign body, CT scan was adviced. CT scan revealed metallic foreign body in the left side parapharyngeal space (Figure 2). The patient was immediately admitted and was planned for foreign body removal under general anaesthesia. Tran’s oral approach was done and the metallic foreign body was removed. Wound repaired with vicryl 3-0 interrupting sutures. Discussion The possibility of children inserting objects into their oral cavity is the main reason why palatal foreign bodies and injuries are most common in this age group [1]. The natural position of the tongue, thumb sucking and feeding patterns further led to the adherence of a foreign body to the roof of the oral cavity by producing a constant force on the foreign body up against the palate and also sometime it may enter the parapharyngeal space. Management of trauma to the palate and lateral pharyngeal wall will initially include hospitalisation, mucosal repair and antibiotic prophylaxis and also diagnostic studies as well as treatment if thrombosis or neurologic changes develop. Shanon et al. [2] recommended hospitalisation for 48 to 72 h, due to the devastating

X-linked adrenoleucodystrophy: diagnosis and progression quantification.

Radiol Bras. 2014 Nov/Dez;47(6):VII–VIII Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a white matter disease whose bone marrow transplant (BMT) as a therapeutic option is allowed for early diagnosis. Because of the high sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of WM lesions, the radiologist is frequently asked to give his/her opinion on the differentiation between a case of hypoxia-related sequelae and evolutive lesions such as leukodystrophy. In general, the clinician can distinguish both groups using anamnesis and neurologic evaluation. However, not always the disease presentation is so clear, white or black, most frequently presenting with different shades of gray, with a very confusing history of loss of abilities, behavior disorders, questionable psychomotor involution and different degrees of disorders potentially attributable to psychiatric diseases acting as confounding factors. In such a situation, the opinion of the radiologist about a brain MRI study is critical for the clinical management. The typical presentation of X-linked ALD in association with adrenal insufficiency symptoms is relatively easy to be diagnosed by a radiologist with experience in central nervous system (CNS) diseases, which increases the responsibility of the professional. Recently, the relevance of the role played by diagnostic imaging was enhanced by good outcomes achieved with the treatment by BMT in early diagnosed cases. Thus, the reading of the excellent article published in the present issue of Radiologia Brasileira, approaching the utilization of diffusion tensor imaging and developed by researchers at Hospital das Clinicas of Universidade Federal do Parana, becomes even more interesting. ALD is a genetic disease classified in the group of peroxisomal disorders whose most frequent presentation is that of a recessive X-linked disease. Thus, women, although being carriers of the gene which fundamentally affects men, are uncommonly affected, in such cases presenting with a variant of the disease. Despite the existence of neonatal and adult-onset forms of the disease, classic childhood adrenoleukodystrophy is more frequent and severe. Such a disease presentation was made widely known by the movie “Lorenzo’s Oil” (USA, 1992), directed by George Miller, where it was brightly described with emphasis not only on the patient’s suffering but also on the repercussion of the progressive deterioration of the child on the family. Additionally, one should consider the current availability of access to information through the me-