bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of neck pain by using a visual analog scale before and after laminoplasty in patients with cervical myelopathy: relationship with clinical results
Authors: Ara Tsuyoshi , Iizuka Haku , Sorimachi Yasunori , Iizuka Yoichi , Nakajima Takashi , Nishinome Masahiro , Tsutsumi Satoshi , Takagishi Kenji
Published: June 2010

Object

In this study the authors investigated the neck pain of patients with cervical myelopathy by using a visual analog scale (VAS) before and after laminoplasty, and they analyzed the association of amount of neck pain with the clinical results.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted in 41 patients with cervical myelopathy who underwent cervical laminoplasty. The patients were assessed using questionnaires to evaluate the neck pain intensity before surgery, and 2 years after surgery, the outcome was assessed using a VAS. The degree of cervical lordosis and range of motion (ROM) of the cervical spine were evaluated before and after laminoplasty. The neurological status was also evaluated before and after surgery.

Results

The patients were classified into 2 groups according to their preoperative neck pain: 1) the pain (PA) group, which included patients whose preoperative VAS score was more than 1 mm; and 2) the no pain (NP) group, which included patients whose preoperative VAS score was 0 mm. Inclusion in the PA group indicated a restriction of the cervical ROM before laminoplasty; however, the improvement of neck pain in this group and the deterioration of pain status in the NP group eliminated this difference after laminoplasty. Thereafter, the PA group was classified into 2 subgroups according to the improvement of the preoperative neck pain: 1) the improved group, which included patients whose postoperative VAS score decreased; and 2) the no improvement group, which included patients who were not in the improved group. No significant differences were observed in the average recovery and radiographic results between these 2 subgroups.

Conclusions

Neck pain before surgery in the PA group indicated a restriction of the cervical ROM; however, the improvement of neck pain in this group and the deterioration of pain status in the NP group indicated the disappearance of this difference postoperatively. Moreover, improvement of preoperative neck pain was not associated with the radiographic results and the neurological recovery rate.
Safety of instrumentation in patients with spinal infection
Authors: Rayes Mahmoud , Colen Chaim B. , Bahgat Diaa A. , Higashida Tetsuhiro , Guthikonda Murali , Rengachary Setti , Eltahawy Hazem A.
Published: June 2010

Object

Treatment of spine infection remains a challenge for spine surgeons, with the most effective method still being a matter of debate. Most surgeons agree that in early stages of infection, antibiotic treatment should be pursued; under certain circumstances, however, surgery is recommended. The goals of surgery include radical debridement of the infective focus. In some cases, when surgery causes mechanical spinal instability, the question arises whether the risk of recurrent infection outweighs the benefits of spinal instrumentation and stabilization. The authors report their series of cases in which instrumentation was placed in actively infected sites and review the relevant literature.

Methods

The authors performed a retrospective analysis of all cases of spinal infection that were surgically treated with debridement and placement of instrumentation at their institution between 2000 and 2006. Patient presentation, risk factor, infective organism, surgical indication, level of involvement, type of procedure, and ultimate outcome were reviewed. Improved outcome was based on improvement of initial American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Score.

Results

Forty-seven patients (32 men, 15 women) were treated with instrumented surgery for spinal infection. Their average age at presentation was 54 years (range 37–78 years). Indications for placement of instrumentation included instability, pain after failure of conservative therapy, or both. Patients underwent surgery within an average of 12 days (range 1 day to 5 months) after their presentation to the authors' institution. The average length of hospital stay was 25 days (range 9–78 days). Follow-up averaged 22 months (range 1–80 months). Eight patients died; causes of death included sepsis (4 patients), cardiac arrest (2), and malignancy (2). Only 3 patients were lost to follow-up. Using American Spinal Injury Association scoring as the criterion, the patients' conditions improved in 34 cases and remained the same in 5. Complications included hematoma (2 cases), the need for hardware revision (1), and recurrent infection (2). Hardware replacement was required in 1 of the 2 patients with recurrent infection.

Conclusions

Instrumentation of the spine is safe and has an important role in stabilization of the infected spine. Despite the presence of active infection, we believe that instrumentation after radical debridement will not increase the risk of recurrent infection. In fact, greater benefit can be achieved through spinal stabilization, which can even promote accelerated healing.
Hirayama disease
Authors: Lin Muh-Shi , Kung Woon-Man , Chiu Wen-Ta , Lyu Rong-Kuo , Chen Chi-Jen , Chen Tzu-Yung
Published: June 2010

Object

Controversy exists over the choice of surgical candidates and prognosis of Hirayama disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of patients with cervical flexion myelopathy who received surgical treatment.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted. From May 2002 through December 2006, 6 young patients with cervical flexion myelopathy were seen in the Department of Neurosurgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The neurological and radiological findings in all 6 patients met the criteria for Hirayama disease. All patients had evidence of a tight dural canal or forward migration of the posterior wall of the dural canal in dynamic MR imaging studies. Five patients were treated with surgical decompressive procedures (4 anterior and 1 posterior) and 1 patient received conservative treatment. Duration of follow-up ranged from 13 months to 4 years.

Results

Motor function improved in 3 of 5 surgically treated patients and sensory function improved in 2. Neurological symptoms were unchanged in the conservatively treated patient. During follow-up MR imaging in the surgical group, anterior effacement during neck flexion was noted in 1 patient treated with a posterior approach.

Conclusions

Hirayama disease is so rare that it is easily misdiagnosed. Diagnosis is achieved via clinical presentation, neurophysiological examination, and neuroradiological imaging studies (dynamic MR imaging). The anterior decompressive approach may be better for patients showing anterior effacement and severe cervical kyphosis during neck flexion in MR imaging.
Composite ganglioneuroma-paraganglioma of the filum terminale
Authors: Shankar Ganesh M. , Chen Li , Kim Albert H. , Ross Gina L. , Folkerth Rebecca D. , Friedlander Robert M.
Published: June 2010

Extraadrenal paragangliomas are most commonly found in the carotid body and are also found with lower frequency in the CNS. These lesions are derived from the sympathoadrenal lineage of neural crest cells. Here, the authors report a rare case of a composite paraganglioma with ganglioneuromatous components found at the filum terminale in a patient who presented with a brief history of low-back pain and paresthesias in the inguinal region. Immunohistochemical analysis of the resected lesion revealed admixed elements of neuroendocrine and neuroblastoma lineages, indicating the presence of divergent differentiation of sympathoadrenal progenitor cells. This case represents a unique opportunity to understand the cell fate of sympathoadrenal progenitor cells. Here, the authors propose that paragangliomas at the filum terminale can revert to a neural crest cell precursor fate, giving rise to divergent neoplastic populations.
A radiographic computed tomography–based study to determine the ideal entry point, trajectory, and length for safe fixation using C-2 pars interarticularis screws
Authors: Hoh Daniel J. , Liu Charles Y. , Wang Michael Y.
Published: June 2010

Object

Effective methods for fixation of the axis include C1–2 transarticular and C-2 pedicle screw placement. Both techniques pose a risk of vertebral artery (VA) injury in patients with narrow pedicles or an enlarged, high-riding VA. Pars screws at C-2 avoid the pedicle, but can cause VA injury with excessively long screws. Therefore, the authors evaluated various entry points and trajectories to determine ideal pars screw lengths that avoid breaching the transverse foramen.

Methods

Both pars were studied on 50 CT scans (100 total). Various pars lengths were assessed using 2 entry points and 3 trajectories (6 measurements). Entry point A was the superior one-fourth of the lateral mass. Entry point B was 3-mm rostral to the inferior aspect of the lateral mass. Using entry points A and B, Trajectory 1 was the minimum distance to the transverse foramen; Trajectory 2 was the maximum distance to the transverse foramen; and Trajectory 3 was the steepest angle to the pars/C-2 superior facet junction without transverse foramen breach.

Results

The mean patient age was 46 ± 17 years, and 84% of the CT scans reviewed were obtained in men. There was no significant difference in right or left measurements. Entry point B demonstrated greater pars lengths for each trajectory compared with entry point A (p < 0.0001). For both entry points, Trajectory 3 provided the greatest pars length. Using Trajectory 3 with entry point B, 84, 95, and 99% had a pars length that measured ≥ 18, 16, and 14 mm, respectively. Using Trajectory 3 with Entry point A, only 41, 64, and 87% had a pars length that measured ≥ 18, 16, and 14 mm, respectively.

Conclusions

Using an entry point 3-mm rostral to the inferior edge of the lateral mass and a trajectory directed toward the superior facet/pars junction, 99% of partes interarticularis in this study would tolerate a 14-mm screw without breach of the transverse foramen.
Surgical treatment of spinal intradural arachnoid cysts using endoscopy
Authors: Endo Toshiki , Takahashi Toshiyuki , Jokura Hidefumi , Tominaga Teiji
Published: June 2010

Object

Spinal intradural arachnoid cysts are a rare cause of spinal cord compression. Since 2000, the authors have treated patients using 2- or 3-level hemilaminectomy or laminectomy followed by partial cyst wall resection as well as endoscopic inspection and fenestration of the cyst wall. They evaluated the usefulness and reliability of endoscopic treatment for this clinical entity based on long-term follow-up results.

Methods

Between 1997 and 2003, 11 patients (3 males and 8 females) with spinal intradural arachnoid cysts were treated, and the authors conducted a retrospective review of these cases. Before 2000, 5 patients were surgically treated without the use of endoscopic techniques. During that time, more than 4 levels of hemilaminectomy were performed to expose and remove cyst walls that extended longitudinally over the spinal axis. Beginning in 2000, endoscopy was used in all 6 cases. Up to 3 levels of hemilaminectomy or 2 levels of laminectomy were performed, and the cyst wall was resected through the bone window. An endoscope was inserted into the cyst cavity and moved in the cranial and caudal direction to fenestrate the cyst wall, resulting in communication of the cyst cavity with the subarachnoid space.

Results

Postoperatively, the neurological symptoms of all patients improved. During long-term follow-up (mean 114.8 months), none of the patients treated with or without endoscopy experienced recurrent cyst formation.

Conclusions

Endoscopic techniques allow neurosurgeons to treat spinal intradural arachnoid cysts less invasively than with standard surgical approaches. Although the number of cases reviewed in this report is small, the data suggest that the use of endoscopy can be an important option in the surgical treatment of spinal arachnoid cysts.
Facet joint opening in lumbar degenerative diseases indicating segmental instability
Authors: Hasegawa Kazuhiro , Kitahara Ko , Shimoda Haruka , Hara Toshiaki
Published: June 2010

Object

The objective of this study was, using a novel intraoperative measurement (IOM) system, to test the hypothesis that an increased facet joint volume is evidence of spinal instability.

Methods

In 29 patients (male/female ratio 13:16; mean age 67.5 years, range 43–80 years)—17 with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) of the lumbar spine (Group DS) and 12 with canal stenosis (CS) of the lumbar spine (Group CS)—DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) data derived from CT scans were transferred to a workstation. A 3D model of facet joint spaces was reconstructed and the average volume of the bilateral facets was calculated. Segmental properties—stiffness, absorption energy (AE), and neutral zone (NZ)—were measured using an IOM system, and values were compared between groups. Linear regression analyses were performed among biomechanical parameters and average volumes.

Results

Stiffness and AE did not differ significantly between groups. The NZ was significantly greater in Group DS than in Group CS (p < 0.05) and significantly positively correlated with the average volume (R2= 0.141, p < 0.05). Stiffness tended to negatively correlate with average volume. Absorption energy did not correlate with average volume.

Conclusions

Biomechanical analyses using the IOM system verified that an increased facet joint volume is evidence of spinal instability, represented by NZ, in the degenerative lumbar spine.
Craniovertebral instability due to degenerative osteoarthritis of the atlantoaxial joints: analysis of the management of 108 cases
Authors: Goel Atul , Shah Abhidha , Gupta Sanjay Rajan
Published: June 2010

Object

The authors retrospectively analyzed a series of 108 patients in whom was diagnosed atlantoaxial instability due to degenerative osteoarthritis of the atlantoaxial joints. The management issues in such cases are discussed.

Methods

One hundred eight patients with osteoarthritis of the atlantoaxial joints and resultant craniovertebral instability—diagnosed on the basis of presenting clinical features, radiological imaging, and direct observation of the joint status during surgery—were retrospectively analyzed. Between 1990 and 2008, these patients were treated with a C1–2 lateral mass plate and screw method of atlantoaxial fixation and joint distraction using bone graft with or without the assistance of metal spacers.

Results

Patient ages ranged from 48 to 84 years (average 63 years). There was a history of mild to moderate head and/or neck trauma 2 months to 11 years prior to diagnosis in 40% of the cases. All patients had symptoms of neck pain, and 82% of the patients had progressive myelopathy. A reduction in the height of the atlantoaxial lateral mass complex (100%), mobile atlantoaxial dislocation (100%), basilar invagination (68%), and periodontoid degenerative tissue mass (90%) were the more frequently encountered radiological features. Two patients died in the immediate postoperative period. At an average follow-up of 64 months, all surviving patients remarkably improved to varying degrees in their neurological condition.

Conclusions

Atlantoaxial joint arthritis frequently leads to craniovertebral instability and cord compression. Treatment by joint distraction and lateral mass fixation can be an optimum form of treatment.
The transpedicular approach compared with the anterior approach: an analysis of 80 thoracolumbar corpectomies
Authors: Lu Daniel C. , Lau Darryl , Lee Jasmine G. , Chou Dean
Published: June 2010

Object

Whereas standard anterior approaches for thoracolumbar corpectomies have commonly been used, the transpedicular technique is increasingly used to perform corpectomies from a posterior approach. The authors conducted a study to analyze whether there was a difference in outcomes by comparing transpedicular corpectomies to standard anterior thoracolumbar corpectomies.

Methods

The senior author performed thoracolumbar corpectomies in 80 patients between 2004 and 2008. The authors reviewed medical records and follow-up data, consisting of clinic visits, radiographs, or telephone interviews. Neurological outcome, complications, operative times, revision surgery rates, and estimated blood loss (EBL) were evaluated.

Results

Thirty-four patients underwent transpedicular corpectomies, and 46 patients underwent anterior thoracolumbar approaches. Single-level transpedicular corpectomies appear to be comparable to anterior-only corpectomies in terms of EBL, operative time, and complication rates. There was a higher complication rate, increased EBL, and longer operative time with anterior-posterior corpectomies compared with transpedicular corpectomies. Patients undergoing transpedicular corpectomies had a greater recovery of neurological function than those in whom anterior-approach corpectomies were performed.

Conclusions

The transpedicular corpectomy appears to have a comparable morbidity rate to anterior-only corpectomies, but its morbidity rate is lower than that of anterior-posterior corpectomies.
Paul Valéry and the Search for Poetic Rhythm
Authors: Evans David
Published: June 2010

Throughout his theoretical writings, Valéry insists on two fundamental principles: poetic rhythm is undefinable and yet it is central to poetry. Although his verse practice evolves from irregularity to regularity, Valéry insists that predictable metrical forms are no guarantee of poeticity, and rejects the Romantic model of rhythmic mimesis based on the cosmos, nature or the human body. It is not by confirming the meaningfulness of regular patterns, therefore, that poetic rhythm signifies; rather, the complex overlapping of multiple, elusive and unanalysable rhythms provides a source of questions to which the answer is constantly deferred; and that, for Valéry, is the definition of poetry.
‘Putting Words on the Backs of Rhythm’: Woolf, ‘Street Music’, and The Voyage Out
Authors: Sutton Emma
Published: June 2010

This essay explores Virginia Woolf's representation of rhythm in two early texts — her neglected 1905 essay ‘Street Music’ and her first novel, The Voyage Out (1915). It teases out the texts' characterisations of musical, literary, bodily and urban rhythms, considering their implications for a theory of literary rhythm more broadly. Arguing that rhythm has a central place in Woolf's writing practice, prose style and theories of writing, the essay charts the relationship between rhythm, individuality and literary value in these texts, and in selected correspondence, diary extracts, essays and fiction.
Finding Rhythm in Julio Cortázar's Los Premios
Authors: Dayan Peter , Orloff Carolina
Published: June 2010

One character in Cortázar's novel (Persio) truly believes in cosmic rhythm. This belief is characteristic of a magical view of the universe central to 1960s (proto-‘New Age’) counterculture. The other characters in Los Premios, like the implied narrator, reject Persio's essentialism; they dismiss the notion that there is really any rhythm common to art, humanity, and the universe. However, there are key points in the narrative, inspired by falling in love and by works of art, at which their world does appear patterned by just such a rhythm, a ‘swing cósmico’. The novel itself turns out to depend on the intermittent conviction of this rhythm, not objectively embedded in anything, but always seen, living, and dying in time; the price of art is the acceptance of this rhythmed mortality.
Leonid Martynov, Boris Slutsky and the Politics of Rhythm
Authors: Scherr Barry P.
Published: June 2010

Leonid Martynov (1905–80) and Boris Slutsky (1919–86) began to write during Stalin's reign and were aware of the contemporary official pressure to make literature more broadly accessible as well as of the highly experimental, and thus more difficult, poetry that had come into vogue during the years leading up to the Bolshevik revolution. Martynov's response was to create verse marked by ambiguity; he employs the graphic layout and internal rhyme to avoid predictability and easy interpretation, especially in a poem's opening lines. Slutsky, in contrast, often lacks the sense of rhythmic order that usually emerges in Martynov's poems. He may disrupt the rhythm unexpectedly or vary it so frequently that no overarching pattern appears. Both, whether by unsettling the rhythm or complicating its perception, manage to recall the freer and more experimental artistic milieu of the early twentieth century.
Adsorption and Quantum Chemical Studies on the Inhibition Potentials of Some Thiosemicarbazides for the Corrosion of Mild Steel in Acidic Medium
Authors: Ebenso Eno E. , Isabirye David A. , Eddy Nnabuk O.
Published: June 2010

Three thiosemicarbazides, namely 2-(2-aminophenyl)-N phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (AP4PT), N,2-diphenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (D4PT) and 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-N-phenyl hydrazinecarbothioamide (HP4PT), were investigated as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in H2SO4 solution using gravimetric and gasometric methods. The results revealed that they all inhibit corrosion and their % inhibition efficiencies (%IE) follow the order: AP4PT > HP4PT > D4PT. The %IE obtained from the gravimetric and gasometric experiments were in good agreement. The thermodynamic parameters obtained support a physical adsorption mechanism and the adsorption followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Some quantum chemical parameters were calculated using different methods and correlated with the experimental %IE. Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) approach was used on a composite index of some quantum chemical parameters to characterize the inhibition performance of the studied molecules. The results showed that the %IE were closely related to some of the quantum chemical parameters, but with varying degrees. The calculated/theoretical %IE of the molecules were found to be close to their experimental %IE. The local reactivity has been studied through the Fukui and condensed softness indices in order to predict both the reactive centers and to know the possible sites of nucleophilic and electrophilic attacks.
Polyphenol oxidase activity in the roots of seedlings of Bromus (Poaceae) and other grass genera
Authors: Holzapfel Claus , Shahrokh Pouyan , Kafkewitz David
Published: June 2010

• Premise of the study: Phenolic compounds exuded by roots have been implicated in allelopathic interactions among plants. Root enzymes that destroy phenolics may protect plants against allelopathic inhibition and thus may aid in invasiveness. Phenolic‐degrading enzymes are chiefly found in aboveground plant parts, but have also been previously reported in root tissues where the enzyme's function is unknown. We explored phenolic oxidase activity in emerging roots of grasses in a survey across different grass genera; in particular, we aimed to test whether grasses of the genus Bromus, known for their large invasion potential, differ in this respect from other grass taxa.

• Methods: We assayed a range of grass genera commonly found in the United States for root enzyme activity with spectrophotometric assays of phenol oxidase activity using l‐DOPA as the main substrate.

• Key results: In the survey of a grass genera, we discovered that roots of the genus Bromus contain large amounts of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, while all other tested grass genera, even ones closely related to Bromus, did not. PPO was found to be present at germination and remained active throughout the life of the plant. Compared to other PPOs, the enzyme present in Bromus appears to have a narrow substrate range.

• Conclusions: The specific functions of the root PPO and the ecological ramifications of the special status of Bromus are not yet clear. The possibility that the enzyme plays a role in plant species interaction for bromes, a genus of grasses known to have high invasive potential, is raised.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing with Right-heart Catheterization in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: WALKEY ALLAN J. , IEONG MICHAEL , ALIKHAN MIR , FARBER HARRISON W.
Published: June 2010

Objective.

To examine the role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing with right-heart catheterization (CPET/RHC) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with potentially multifactorial exertional limitation.

Methods.

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of patients with SSc referred for CPET/RHC.

Results.

A total of 19 patients with SSc [subtypes: 10 limited, 5 diffuse, 1 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)/SSc overlap, and 3 with no subtype specified in the medical record] underwent CPET/RHC testing from February 2003 to February 2008. Of these patients, the primary limitations to exercise were found to be ventilatory (n = 6), deconditioning/cardiovascular (n = 6), pulmonary vascular (PVL; n = 3), and exercise-induced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (exercise-LVDD; n = 4). No prior physical examination, pulmonary function test, imaging, or echocardiographic data reliably predicted the etiology of exercise limitation determined by CPET/RHC. Vital capacity and ventilatory equivalent for CO2 did not differ during CPET testing between PVL and exercise–LVDD, limiting the utility of CPET alone for discriminating these etiologies of dyspnea. Exercise alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient was elevated in subjects shown to have PVL [median 48 mm Hg (interquartile range 45.3, 62.0)] compared to those with exercise-LVDD [26.0 (IQR 10.6, 36.0)] and deconditioning [13.9 (IQR 4.0, 16.4); p = 0.02]. Major therapeutic changes occurred in 11/19 (58%) subjects after CPET/RHC testing.

Conclusion.

CPET/RHC testing in subjects with SSc and potentially multifactorial dyspnea adds potentially useful diagnostic information unavailable from noninvasive testing.
A Functional Relationship Between Watershed Size and Atlantic Salmon Parr Density
Authors: Sweka John A. , Mackey Gregory
Published: June 2010

Atlantic salmon Salmon salar are at critically low levels in Maine rivers and maintaining current populations depends heavily on the stocking of hatchery-produced fry. Fry survival varies greatly not only among rivers but also within rivers. Better understanding of this spatial variability is needed to improve population recovery efforts. Quantile regression was used to examine how parr density varies along stream gradients as a function of the upstream cumulative drainage. Regression quantiles (τ  =  0.15–0.90) had significant negative slopes indicating that, in general, as cumulative drainage area increased, parr density decreased. The τ  =  0.90 quantile model, which may be viewed as an upper limit to parr density for a given cumulative drainage area, was density  =  [10⁁(1.0679 − 0.0013 · km2)] − 1. Quantile regression models were then combined with river-specific habitat data in a Geographic Information System to predict total Atlantic salmon parr production in several rivers. This analysis will help managers determine the potential of a stream reach or entire river to support Atlantic salmon parr and to prioritize and increase the effectiveness of management activities such as fry stocking and habitat restoration.
Comparison of Agricultural Seed Loss in Flooded and Unflooded Fields on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
Authors: Foster Melissa A. , Gray Matthew J. , Harper Craig A. , Walls Johnathan G.
Published: June 2010

Waterfowl exploit seed resources in agricultural fields to help meet the energy demands associated with migration, thermoregulation, and various life-history activities. Biologists commonly flood agricultural fields to increase the availability of seed for waterfowl and to provide hunting opportunities. Previous studies suggest that flooding may accelerate seed loss; however, simultaneous comparison of seed loss with unflooded fields has not been made. We compared rates of loss between seed contained in wire mesh bags placed in an unflooded agricultural field vs. seed submersed in a flooded field on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge from October 2007 to January 2008. Agricultural seed mass declined 40–300% more rapidly in the flooded than in the unflooded field. Corn, soybean, and grain sorghum seed mass declined 42%, 87%, and 46%, respectively, after 12 wk of continuous submersion, which was similar to previous studies that measured seed loss in flooded mesh bags. However, the rate of seed mass loss in unsubmersed mesh bags was 1.3–6.9 times lower than scattered seed lying on the ground under granivore exclosures in a separate experiment. We hypothesize lower rates of seed loss in mesh bags compared to scattered seed may be an artifact of the bags, which are commonly used in seed fate studies. Our results suggest biologists should delay flooding agricultural fields until immediately prior to the arrival of waterfowl and be aware that absolute estimates of seed loss from studies that use mesh bags may be biased negatively.
Red-Shouldered Hawk Nesting Habitat Preference in South Texas
Authors: Strobel Bradley N. , Boal Clint W.
Published: June 2010

We examined nesting habitat preference by red-shouldered hawks Buteo lineatus using conditional logistic regression on characteristics measured at 27 occupied nest sites and 68 unused sites in 2005–2009 in south Texas. We measured vegetation characteristics of individual trees (nest trees and unused trees) and corresponding 0.04-ha plots. We evaluated the importance of tree and plot characteristics to nesting habitat selection by comparing a priori tree-specific and plot-specific models using Akaike's information criterion. Models with only plot variables carried 14% more weight than models with only center tree variables. The model-averaged odds ratios indicated red-shouldered hawks selected to nest in taller trees and in areas with higher average diameter at breast height than randomly available within the forest stand. Relative to randomly selected areas, each 1-m increase in nest tree height and 1-cm increase in the plot average diameter at breast height increased the probability of selection by 85% and 10%, respectively. Our results indicate that red-shouldered hawks select nesting habitat based on vegetation characteristics of individual trees as well as the 0.04-ha area surrounding the tree. Our results indicate forest management practices resulting in tall forest stands with large average diameter at breast height would benefit red-shouldered hawks in south Texas.
Structured Decision-Making and Rapid Prototyping to Plan a Management Response to an Invasive Species
Authors: Blomquist Sean M. , Johnson Trisha D. , Smith David R. , Call Geoff P. , Miller Brant N. , Thurman W. Mark , McFadden Jamie E. , Parkin Mary J. , Boomer G. Scott
Published: June 2010

We developed components of a decision structure that could be used in an adaptive management framework for responding to invasion of hemlock woolly adelgid Adeleges tsugae on the Cumberland Plateau of northern Tennessee. Hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive forest pest, was first detected in this area in 2007. We used a structured decision-making process to identify and refine the management problem, objectives, and alternative management actions, and to assess consequences and tradeoffs among selected management alternatives. We identified four fundamental objectives: 1) conserve the aquatic and terrestrial riparian conservation targets, 2) protect and preserve hemlock, 3) develop and maintain adequate budget, and 4) address public concerns. We designed two prototype responses using an iterative process. By rapidly prototyping a first solution, insights were gained and shortcomings were identified, and some of these shortcomings were incorporated and corrected in the second prototype. We found that objectives were best met when management focused on early treatment of lightly to moderately infested but relatively healthy hemlock stands with biological control agent predator beetles and insect-killing fungi. Also, depending on the cost constraint, early treatment should be coupled with silvicultural management of moderately to severely infested and declining hemlock stands to accelerate conversion to nonhemlock mature forest cover. The two most valuable contributions of the structured decision-making process were 1) clarification and expansion of our objectives, and 2) application of tools to assess tradeoffs and predict consequences of alternative actions. Predicting consequences allowed us to evaluate the influence of uncertainty on the decision. For example, we found that the expected number of mature forest stands over 30 y would be increased by 4% by resolving the uncertainty regarding predator beetle effectiveness. The adaptive management framework requires further development including identifying and evaluating uncertainty, formalizing other competing predictive models, designing a monitoring program to update the predictive models, developing a process for re-evaluating the predictive models and incorporating new management technologies, and generating support for planning and implementation.
Surgical intervention in bladder outlet obstruction due to prostatic enlargement – A prospective study
Authors: De Silva WAS , Ranga KMGN , Karunaratne DMRPP , Sirisena KSC , Dissanayake DMAS
Published: June 2010

Objectives of this study were to evaluate men who underwent prostatic surgery for bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in the Urology Unit, Provincial General Hospital (PGH) Badulla with regard to their demographic data, clinical presentation, correlation of digital rectal examination (DRE) findings with histology and various surgical interventions and their complications. DOI: 10.4038/slju.v9i1.1958 Sri Lanka Journal of Urology, 2008, 9, 13-19
Skin Inflammation Arising from Cutaneous Regulatory T Cell Deficiency Leads to Impaired Viral Immune Responses
Authors: Freyschmidt Eva-Jasmin , Mathias Clinton B. , Diaz Natalia , MacArthur Daniel H. , Laouar Amale , Manjunath Narasimhaswamy , Hofer Matthias D. , Wurbel Marc-Andre , Campbell James J. , Chatila Talal A. , Oettgen Hans C.
Published: June 2010

Individuals with atopic dermatitis immunized with the small pox vaccine, vaccinia virus (VV), are susceptible to eczema vaccinatum (EV), a potentially fatal disseminated infection. Dysfunction of Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)-positive regulatory T cells (Treg) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. To test whether Treg deficiency predisposes to EV, we percutaneously VV infected FoxP3-deficient (FoxP3KO) mice, which completely lack FoxP3+ Treg. These animals generated both fewer VV-specific CD8+ effector T cells and IFN-γ–producing CD8+ T cells than controls, had higher viral loads, and exhibited abnormal Th2-polarized responses to the virus. To focus on the consequences of Treg deficiency confined to the skin, we generated mixed CCR4KO FoxP3KO bone marrow (CCR4/FoxP3) chimeras in which skin, but not other tissues or central lymphoid organs, lack Treg. Like FoxP3KO mice, the chimeras had impaired VV-specific effector T cell responses and higher viral loads. Skin cytokine expression was significantly altered in infected chimeras compared with controls. Levels of the antiviral cytokines, type I and II IFNs and IL-12, were reduced, whereas expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β, and IL-23, was increased. Importantly, infection of CCR4/FoxP3 chimeras by a noncutaneous route (i.p.) induced immune responses comparable to controls. Our findings implicate allergic skin inflammation resulting from local Treg deficiency in the pathogenesis of EV.
Smad2 and Smad3 Are Redundantly Essential for the TGF-β–Mediated Regulation of Regulatory T Plasticity and Th1 Development
Authors: Takimoto Tomohito , Wakabayashi Yu , Sekiya Takashi , Inoue Naoko , Morita Rimpei , Ichiyama Kenji , Takahashi Reiko , Asakawa Mayako , Muto Go , Mori Tomoaki , Hasegawa Eiichi , Shizuya Saika , Hara Toshiro , Nomura Masatoshi , Yoshimura Akihiko
Published: June 2010

Although it has been well established that TGF-β plays a pivotal role in immune regulation, the roles of its downstream transcription factors, Smad2 and Smad3, have not been fully clarified. Specifically, the function of Smad2 in the immune system has not been investigated because of the embryonic lethality of Smad2-deficient mice. In this study, we generated T cell-specific Smad2 conditional knockout (KO) mice and unexpectedly found that Smad2 and Smad3 were redundantly essential for TGF-β–mediated induction of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells and suppression of IFN-γ production in CD4+ T cells. Consistent with these observations, Smad2/Smad3-double KO mice, but not single KO mice, developed fatal inflammatory diseases with higher IFN-γ production and reduced Foxp3 expression in CD4+ T cells at the periphery. Although it has been suggested that Foxp3 induction might underlie TGF-β–mediated immunosuppression, TGF-β still can suppress Th1 cell development in Foxp3-deficient T cells, suggesting that the Smad2/3 pathway inhibits Th1 cell development with Foxp3-independent mechanisms. We also found that Th17 cell development was reduced in Smad-deficient CD4+ T cells because of higher production of Th17-inhibotory cytokines from these T cells. However, TGF-β–mediated induction of RORγt, a master regulator of Th17 cell, was independent of both Smad2 and Smad3, suggesting that TGF-β regulates Th17 development through Smad2/3-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
Predominantly Fibrous Malignant Mesothelioma in a Cat
Authors: Weiss Alexander Th. A. , da Costa Afonso B. , Klopfleisch Robert
Published: June 2010

Malignant mesotheliomas are rare tumours in domestic cats. They occur within the abdominal or thoracic cavity and are regularly associated with pleural or peritoneal effusions. The histopathological diagnosis can be quite challenging, as these neoplasms may resemble other epithelial or mesenchymal neoplasms. However, differentiation can be achieved by immunohistochemistry in most cases. Here we describe the rare case of a malignant mesothelioma of the fibrous subtype in the thoracic cavity of a cat and discuss differential diagnoses and treatment options for this tumor type.
A Rare Entity of an Unusual Site: Adenomatoid Tumour of the Adrenal Gland: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: El-Daly H. , Rao P. , Palazzo F. , Gudi M.
Published: June 2010

This is a case report of a 51 year old male who was found to have an incidental left sided non-functioning adrenal mass on routine medical examination and which was confirmed by CT and MRI scans. A laparoscopic left adrenalectomy was done. On gross examination the tumour was a solitary well circumscribed solid-cystic mass with a homogenous pinkish white cut surface. On microscopic examination, the tumour was composed of variably sized tubules and fenestrated channels lined by bland cuboidal cells to epithelioid cells. There was focal extension to capsule and peri-adrenal fat. Immunohistochemically the tumour cells stained with calretinin, Cam5.2, CK7, vimentin and focally with EMA. Ki-67 fraction was <1%. They were negative for ER, CD31, CD34, Factor 8, chromogranin, synaptophysin S100 and inhibin. A diagnosis of an adenomatoid tumour as made. Adenomatoid tumours are rare benign tumours of mesothelial derivation. The adrenal gland is devoid of a mesothelial lining and the most accepted hypothesis for an adenomatoid tumour originating in the adrenal gland is derivation from mesothelial rests. As the adrenal gland is an extremely rare site of occurrence for an adenomatoid tumour, it is frequently mistaken for adrenocortical tumours or a pheochromocytoma clinically and radiologically.
On the relationship of orography with extreme dry spells in Greece
Authors: Oikonomou C. , Flocas H. A. , Katavoutas G. , Hatzaki M. , Asimakopoulos D. N. , Zerefos C.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship of orography over Greece with prolonged dry spells, as represented by the maximum number consecutive dry days (CDD index) during an extremely dry summer. For this purpose a simulation experiment was conducted with the aid of the regional climate model RegCM3.1 using a spatial resolution of 10 km. It was shown that a significant precipitation regime formed over the mountainous areas of continental Greece and Crete during this dry summer, due to orographically forced precipitation, consequently influencing the length of dry spells. Furthermore, the CDD appears spatial variations over the maritime areas, despite the zero or insignificant precipitation. The sensitivity test that was performed with the elimination of orography demonstrated the important role that orography plays in the distribution of CDD, since significant lengthening of extreme dry spells was found over the mountainous areas.
Dawn-dusk asymmetry in particles of solar wind origin within the magnetosphere
Authors: Stubbs T. J. , Lockwood M. , Cargill P. , Fennell J. , Grande M. , Kellett B. , Perry C. , Rees A.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. Solar wind/magnetosheath plasma in the magnetosphere can be identified using a component that has a higher charge state, lower density and, at least soon after their entry into the magnetosphere, lower energy than plasma from a terrestrial source. We survey here observations taken over 3 years of He2+ ions made by the Magnetospheric Ion Composition Sensor (MICS) of the Charge and Mass Magnetospheric Ion Composition Experiment (CAMMICE) instrument aboard POLAR. The occurrence probability of these solar wind ions is then plotted as a function of Magnetic Local Time (MLT) and invariant latitude (7) for various energy ranges. For all energies observed by MICS (1.8–21.4 keV) and all solar wind conditions, the occurrence probabilities peaked around the cusp region and along the dawn flank. The solar wind conditions were filtered to see if this dawnward asymmetry is controlled by the Svalgaard-Mansurov effect (and so depends on the BY component of the interplanetary magnetic field, IMF) or by Fermi acceleration of He2+ at the bow shock (and so depends on the IMF ratio BX /BY ). It is shown that the asymmetry remained persistently on the dawn flank, suggesting it was not due to effects associated with direct entry into the magnetosphere. This asymmetry, with enhanced fluxes on the dawn flank, persisted for lower energy ions (below a "cross-over" energy of about 23 keV) but reversed sense to give higher fluxes on the dusk flank at higher energies. This can be explained by the competing effects of gradient/curvature drifts and the convection electric field on ions that are convecting sunward on re-closed field lines. The lower-energy He2+ ions E × B drift dawnwards as they move earthward, whereas the higher energy ions curvature/ gradient drift towards dusk. The convection electric field in the tail is weaker for northward IMF. Ions then need less energy to drift to the dusk flank, so that the cross-over energy, at which the asymmetry changes sense, is reduced.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetospheric configuration and dynamics; magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers) – Space plasma physics (charged particle motion and acceleration)
Lidar measurements of mesospheric temperature inversion at a low latitude
Authors: Siva Kumar V. , Bhavani Kumar Y. , Raghunath K. , Rao P. B. , Krishnaiah M. , Mizutani K. , Aoki T. , Yasui M. , Itabe T.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. The Rayleigh lidar data collected on 119 nights from March 1998 to February 2000 were used to study the statistical characteristics of the low latitude mesospheric temperature inversion observed over Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E), India. The occurrence frequency of the inversion showed semiannual variation with maxima in the equinoxes and minima in the summer and winter, which was quite different from that reported for the mid-latitudes. The peak of the inversion layer was found to be confined to the height range of 73 to 79 km with the maximum occurrence centered around 76 km, with a weak seasonal dependence that fits well to an annual cycle with a maximum in June and a minimum in December. The magnitude of the temperature deviation associated with the inversion was found to be as high as 32 K, with the most probable value occurring at about 20 K. Its seasonal dependence seems to follow an annual cycle with a maximum in April and a minimum in October. The observed characteristics of the inversion layer are compared with that of the mid-latitudes and discussed in light of the current understanding of the source mechanisms.Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (pressure, density and temperature). Meterology and atmospheric dynamics (climatology)
Investigation of the outer and inner low-latitude boundary layers
Authors: Bauer T. M. , Treumann R. A. , Baumjohann W.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. We analyze 22 AMPTE/IRM crossings of the day-side low-latitude boundary layer for which a dense outer part can be distinguished from a dilute inner part. Whereas the plasma in the outer boundary layer (OBL) is dominated by solar wind particles, the partial densities of solar wind and magnetospheric particles are comparable in the inner boundary layer (IBL). For 11 events we find a reasonable agreement between observed plasma flows and those predicted by the tangential stress balance of an open magnetopause. Thus, we conclude that, at least in these cases, the OBL is formed by a local magnetic reconnection. The disagreement with the tangential stress balance in the other 11 cases might be due to reconnection being time-dependent and patchy. The north-south component of the proton bulk velocity in the boundary layer is, on average, directed toward high latitudes for both low and high magnetic shear across the magnetopause. This argues clearly against the possibility that the dayside low-latitude boundary layer is populated with solar wind plasma primarily from the cusps. "Warm", counterstreaming electrons that originate primarily from the magnetosheath and have a field-aligned temperature that is higher than the electron temperature in the magnetosheath by a factor of 1–5, are a characteristic feature of the IBL. Profiles of the proton bulk velocity and the density of hot ring current electrons provide evidence that the IBL is on closed field lines. Part of the IBL may be on newly opened field lines. Using the average spectra of electric and magnetic fluctuations in the boundary layer, we estimate the diffusion caused by lower hybrid drift instability, gyroresonant pitch angle scattering, or kinetic Alfvén wave turbulence. We find that cross-field diffusion cannot transport solar wind plasma into the OBL or IBL at a rate that would account for the thickness ( ~ 1000 km) of these sublayers. On the duskside, the dawn-dusk component of the proton bulk velocity in the IBL and magnetosphere is, on average, directed from the nightside toward local noon. Formation of the IBL may also be due to mechanisms operating in the magnetotail.Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetopause, cusp and boundary layer; magnetospheath)