Search

The cervical plexus and its branches are situated in the lateral aspect of the neck between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. The following images depict a step-by-step dissection of the cervical plexus and its branches.

High-resolution, light-microscopic images were obtained from cross-sections of sciatic nerves from fresh, cryopreserved, unbalmed, adult rat, rabbit, pig, sheep, dog, and human cadavers at their bifurcation. The microanatomical characteristics are presented herein.

A generic synthetic methodology has been applied for functionalizing four conducting carbon nanoallotropes, such as 0D carbon nanohorns (CNHs), 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and 3D graphite (GP) with platinum(0) nanoparticles (Pt–NP), and exploited towards the electrocatalytic determination of methylparaben (MeP), which has been classified as a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical. After an accurate physical, electrochemical and electroanalytical characterization, the hybrid Pt–NP@CNTs yields detection limits at nM levels, rather than the μM levels obtained with the rest of carbon homologous because of the optimum carbon/nanoparticle composition ratio. The proposed electrochemical sensing system has also been successfully validated by comparison with the standard bench-top chromatographic tool (HPLC), demonstrating its feasibility for MeP quantification in real cosmetic samples at ultra-trace levels. According to the outstanding performance of the hybrid Pt–NP@CNTs electrochemical platform, it can be regarded as a potential alternative to the conventional HPLC technique for the development of rapid, straightforward, cost-effective, reproducible and highly sensitive electrochemical sensors to be exploited in pharmacological, biomedical and environmental fields., This work was funded by the national DGI project FANCYCTQ2016-80030-R and the MINECO/FEDER project CTQ2015-64261-R, the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017-SGR-918) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, through the “Severo Ochoa” Programme for Centers of Excellence in R&D (SEV-2015-0496). The authors also than the Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN). Dr. J. Muñoz gratefully acknowledges the “Juan de la Cierva” programme. Dr. J. García-Antón acknowledges the Serra Húnter Program. I. Álvarez-Prada thanks the UAB for the PhD grant. Dr. J. Muñoz and I. Álvarez-Prada contributed equally to this work.

The peripheral nerve blocks have become a commonplace in the clinical practice of anesthesiology. The perioperative physician is very likely to encounter patients who received peripheral nerve block for purpose of anesthesia or analgesia as well as their side effects or complications. In order to recognize expected neurologic and physiologic effects of nerve blockade from complications, the perioperative physician should be familiar with the principles of practice of peripheral nerve blocks and recent advances in the field. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the essential aspects of nerve blocks, aiming primarily for practitioners whose training may not have included adequate information on this topic. We hope that this chapter and its didactic approach through numerous illustrations will be of assistance to neurologists or perioperative clinicians who encounter a patient with a side effect or neurologic complication after peripheral nerve blockade.

Ultrasound is safe, well-tolerated and capable of producing superior quality, dynamic and functional, real-time images of peripheral nerves for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes with validated clinical correlation, point-of-care availability and relatively low cost. Diagnostically, ultrasound imaging strongly complements clinical examination and electrophysiological studies by visualization of normal and abnormal morphology, mobility and vascularity of nerves and surrounding tissues. It is gaining ground as the diagnostic method-of-choice for neurological conditions such as diabetic polyneuropathy, peripheral nerve compression syndromes, trauma and tumors. Important challenges include establishing comprehensive imaging standards and accumulating sufficient morphometric data to define normal peripheral nerve sonoanatomy. Ultrasound technology provides portable procedural guidance for interventions from diagnostic biopsy to anesthetic nerve blocks, expanding procedural scope and improving safety. Ultrasound-guidance has revolutionized regional anesthesia and enabled in vivo insights into nerve anatomy and physiology, including the evolving intimate understanding of the morphological substrate and dynamics of intraneural and perineural injections.

Peripheral nerves transmit electrical signals from the periphery toward the central nervous system and provide motor, secretory or vegetative function. All structures have been reviewed under light microscopy, immunostaining, and different electron microscopic techniques. Details of myelinated, unmyelinated axons, and Schwann cells have been studied. The topographic map of the fascicles has been analysed. These topograms are characteristic and caused by the exchange of axons between different nerve fascicles. This transfer of axons begins in the proximal region of the spinal dorsal root ganglion, close to the epidural space, and continues along the intervertebral canal to distal places. The endoneurium, perineurium and epineurium are layers that cover the peripheral nerves. These three layers of connective tissue are present along the entire length of the nerve, and become thinner as the nerves branch. The endoneurium, perineurium, and epineurium serve different functions with regard to nerve impulse propagation in axons, and protection against infection. The arachnoperineurial transition tissue within nerve root cuffs and the blood nerve barrier in peripheral nerves are discussed, as well as interfascicular tissue and paraneurial compartment.

The replacement of fossil fuels by hydrogen generated by water splitting with sunlight is a very attractive solution to today's energy problem. In order to develop a practical technology based on these elements, robust and efficient water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) need to be developed. The molecular complexity involved in water oxidation is such that sophisticated catalysts consisting of transition metal complexes – which can access low-energy reaction pathways – are considered essential. Complexes based on first row transition metals such as Mn, Co, and Fe have been reported recently, in addition to those of the second row Ru and third row Ir, which had been previously described. In the present chapter, a comprehensive view of these WOCs and their performance is offered.