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Selected Abstracts

Molecular phylogeny of Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) indicates separate invasions of the terrestrial environment

JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010
Bent Christensen
Abstract Enchytraeidae is a family of soil inhabiting small- to medium-sized oligochaete worms using degradable plant material as a food source and primarily adapted to terrestrial or semi-terrestrial environments. The molecular phylogeny based upon both mitochondrial and nuclear genes indicates early segregations of the two genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus leaving the remaining genera included in this study as a later segregated major monophyletic branch. Extant members of the two former genera dominate in decaying seaweed in the littoral zone along the sea although members of in particular the genus Enchytraeus have also invaded other habitats. Historically the littoral zone of the sea is undoubtedly the first terrestrial or semi-terrestrial habitat where dead plant material accumulates to any greater extent and Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus may represent early successful attempts to exploit this resource. Inland soils probably had to await the emergence of land plants in order to provide a similar food resource and here the major branch of enchytraeid genera diversified into a high number of species in the numerous decomposer networks of this varied environment. A subdivision into the genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus on the one hand and a branch of mainly inland genera on the other is supported by differences in two somewhat neglected morphological features. Firstly, in Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus the testes are enclosed in a testis sac within which the male cells mature, by one possible exception a unique feature among Oligochaeta, The other enchytraeid genera studied and Oligochaeta in general lack this sac and the male cells mature directly in the cavity of the testicular segment. Secondly, species of Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus generally have a higher reproductive output than species of the inland terrestrial branch and this may represent an adaptation to the unpredictable littoral zone compared to the more stable nature of inland habitats. In the older literature the genus Mesenchytraeus is considered to have a basic position within the entire family but our molecular data do not support this expectation. In Enchytraeidae the nephridia are elaborate organs of a characteristic and constant shape covering species from different genera in a pattern following the molecular phylogeny. Other much used morphological features such as shape of setae, anteclitellar origin of the dorsal vessel and various modifications of the intestine have arisen more than once. Zusammenfassung Enchytraeidae sind eine Familie kleiner bis mittelgroßer edaphischer Oligochaeten, welche abbaubares Pflanzenmaterial als Nahrungsquelle nutzen und primär an terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Lebensräume angepaßt sind. Die hier vorgestellte, auf mitochondrialen und nukleären Genen beruhende molekulare Phylogenie indiziert eine frühe Abtrennung der beiden Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus und beläßt die übrigen der in dieser Studie untersuchten Gattungen als eine später abgezweigte monophyletische Großgruppe. Rezente Glieder der beiden erwähnten Gattungen dominieren in verrottendem Strandanwurf des Meereslitorals, obwohl Arten insbesondere der Gattung Enchytraeus auch andere Lebensräume erobert haben. Historisch gesehen ist das Meereslitoral zweifelsohne das erste terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Habitat, in dem totes Pflanzenmaterial in größerem Ausmaß akkumulierte, und Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus könnten frühe erfolgreiche Versuche der Nutzung dieser Ressource darstellen. Festlandsböden dagegen bedurften wahrscheinlich der Entwicklung von Landpflanzen, um eine vergleichbare Nahrungsquelle zur Verfügung zu stellen, und hier diversifizierte sich der Hauptzweig der Enchytraeidengattungen in viele Arten in den diversen Zersetzernetzen dieses vielgestaltigen Lebensraums. Eine Unterteilung in die Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus auf der einen Seite und einen Zweig mit vorwiegend terrestrischen Gattungen auf der anderen wird durch zwei bislang eher vernachlässigte morphologische Merkmale gestützt. Erstens, bei Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus wird der Hoden von einem Testis-Sack, in dem die männlichen Zellen reifen, umschlossen. Dies ist mit einer möglichen Ausnahme einzigartig bei Oligochaeten. Bei den übrigen untersuchten Enchytraeidengattungen und bei Oligochaeten generell fehlt dieser Sack, und die männlichen Zellen reifen unmittelbar in der Körperhöhle des Hodensegmentes. Zweitens, die Reproduktionsrate von Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus ist generell höher als die der Arten des Festlandszweigs. Dies könnte eine Anpassung an die im Vergleich zu Festlandsböden instabileren Bedingungen des Meereslitorals bedeuten. In der älteren Literatur wird der Gattung Mesenchytraeus eine basale Position innerhalb der gesamten Familie zugewiesen, aber unsere molekularen Daten stützen diese Annahme nicht. Die Nephridien der Enchytraeiden sind komplexe Organe mit einer charakteristischen und artübergreifend konstanten Form, deren gattungsmäßige Abwandlungen der molekularen Phylogenie entsprechen. Andere oft verwendete morphologische Merkmale wie Borstenform, anteclitellarer Ursprung des Dorsalgefäßes und verschiedene Darmmodifikationen sind mehr als einmal entstanden. [source]

Bone morphology and vascularization of untreated and guided bone augmentation-treated rabbit calvaria: evaluation of an augmentation model

CLINICAL ORAL IMPLANTS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005
Christer Slotte
Abstract Objectives: Cranial vault is widely used in experimental models on membranous bone healing in general, guided bone augmentation (GBA) studies being one example. To our knowledge, however, few studies on the characteristics of the untreated calvaria regarding bone density, vessel topography, and their intra/interindividual variations and associations are available. The aims of this investigation were to (1) map the large vessel topography of the skull vault, (2) describe the parietal bones of the adult rabbit histologically and morphometrically, and (3) histologically compare untreated parietal bone with parietal bone that had been treated with a GBA device. Material and methods: Ten adult untreated rabbits were microangiographed. General anesthesia was induced and the mediastinum was opened. Heparin and lidocaine were injected in the aorta followed by perfusion with India ink. After death, en bloc biopsies of the skull vault including the overlying soft tissues and dura mater were taken. The specimens were cleared with the Spalteholtz technique, microscopically examined, and digitally imaged. Thereafter, circular biopsies were harvested to obtain decalcified sections. In addition, sections from 14 GBA-treated rabbit skulls (of the same race, sex and age as the untreated animals) served as reference specimens for comparison. Histomorphometric examinations were carried out. Results: In the cleared specimens, all parietal bones were found to be supplied by one major branch of the meningeal artery. From each of these, separate branches supplied the dura wherein a fine vessel network covered the bone. No major vessels were found in the supracalvarial soft tissue. Numerous fine vessels were found within the periosteum and dura entering the cortical plates. The decalcified sections of the parietal bones revealed an outer and inner cortical plate enveloping a diploic space containing bone trabeculae, marrow tissue and larger sinusoids. Hollow connections were frequently found in both the outer and inner cortical plates in both the untreated and the GBA-treated specimens. These connections contained marrow tissue that extended to the periosteum and the dura. The morphometric measurements revealed similar proportions of cortical, trabecular, and marrow areas in the right and left untreated bones. The area of the outer cortical plate was significantly larger than the area of the inner cortical plate. Bone density was similar in the right and left untreated and GBA-treated specimens, as was the frequency and width of hollow connections through the cortical bone plates. Conclusions: The symmetry between the left and right parietal bones concerning the large vessel topography and the histomorphometric parameters assessed was high. Hollow connections in the cortical plates were frequently found. The bilateral use of the parietal bones is suggested to be reliable in experimental GBA models regarding the blood supply and bone quality. Résumé La voûte crânienne est souvent utilisée dans les modèles expérimentaux de guérison osseuse membranaire en général, l'augmentation osseuse guidée (GBA) étant un exemple. Peu d'études sur les crânes non-traités sont disponibles en ce qui concerne la densité osseuse, la topographie des vaisseaux et leurs variations intra/interindividuelles et leurs associations. Les buts de cette étude ont été 1) de cartographier la topographie des vaisseaux larges sur la voute crânienne, 2) de décrire les os pariétaux du lapin adulte histologiquement et morphométriquement et 3) de comparer histologiquement l'os pariétal non-traité avec celui traité par GBA. Dix lapins adultes non-traités ont subi une micro-angiographie. L'anesthésie générale a été effectuée et la partie médiane a été ouverte. De l'héparine et de la lidocaïne ont été injectées dans l'aorte suivies d'une perfusion avec de l'encre noire. Après la mort, des biopsies en blocs de la voûte crânienne comportant la dura mater et les tissus mous la recouvrant ont été prélevées. Les spécimens ont été estimés par la technique de Spalteholtz, examinés microscopiquement et des images digitales ont été réalisées. Des biopsies circulaires ont été prélevées pour obtenir des sections décalcifiées. Des sections de 14 crânes de lapins traités GBA (de même race, sexe et âge que les non-traités) ont servi de spécimens de référence pour comparaison. Des examens histomorphométriques ont été effectués. Dans les spécimens non-traités, tous les os pariétaux étaient irrigués par une branche majeure de l'artère méningée. De chacune de ces dernières, différentes branches abreuvaient la dura dans laquelle un réseau de vaisseau fins recouvrait l'os. Aucun vaisseau majeur n'a été trouvé dans le tissu mou ou sus-voûte. De nombreux vaisseaux fins ont été trouvés à l'intérieur du périoste et de la dura pénétrant qu'entre les bords corticaux. Les sections décalcifiées des os pariétaux ont révélé des bords corticaux interne et externe enveloppant un espace diploïque contenant de l'os trabéculaire, de la moelle osseuse et de larges sinusoïdes. Des connexions creuses étaient fréquemment trouvées tant dans les plaques corticales interne qu'externe et tant dans les spécimens non-traités que traités GBA. Ces connexions contenaient de la moelle qui allait jusqu'au périoste et la dura. Les mesures morphométriques ont révélé des proportions semblables de cortical, trabécules et moelle dans les les os non-traités. L'aire du bord cortical externe était significativement plus importante que l'aire du bord cortical interne. La densité osseuse était semblable dans les spécimens non-traités et traités GBA gauches et droits ainsi que la fréquence et la largeur des connexions creuses à travers les bords osseux corticaux. La symétrie entre les os pariétaux gauches et droits concernant la topographie des vaisseux larges et des paramètres histomorphométriques étaient importante. Les connexions creuses dans les bords corticaux était souvent trouvées. L'utilisation bilatérale des os pariétaux est proposée pour sa fiabilité dans les modèles GBA expérimentaux concernant l'apport sanguin et la qualité osseuse. Zusammenfassung Ziele:,Die Schädeldecke wird oft bei experimentellen Modellen zur bindegewebigen Knochenheilung verwendet. Ein Beispiel dafür sind Studien zur gesteuerten Knochenaugmentation (GBA). Soviel wir wissen, existieren jedoch nur wenige Studien über die Charakteristiken der unbehandelten Kalvaria bezüglich Knochendichte, Gefässtopographie und deren intra-/interindividuelle Variationen und Assoziationen. Die Ziele dieser Untersuchung waren (1) die Topographie der grossen Gefässe der Schädeldecke aufzuzeichnen, (2) die parietalen Knochen des ausgewachsenen Kaninchens histologisch und histomorphometrisch zu beschreiben, und (3) histologisch den unbehandelten parietalen Knochen mit parietalem Knochen, der mit einer GBA Einrichtung behandelt worden war, zu vergleichen. Material und Methoden:,Zehn ausgewachsene Kaninchen wurden mikroangiographisch untersucht. In Narkose wurde das Mediastinum eröffnet. Es wurde Heparin und Lidocain in die Aorta injiziert, darauf folgte die Perfusion mit India Tinte. Nach dem Tod wurden Blockbiopsien der Schädeldecke inklusive bedeckende Weichgewebe und Dura mater entnommen. Die Präparate wurden mittels der Spaltenholztechink gereinigt, mikroskopisch untersucht und digital aufgezeichnet. Danach wurden zirkuläre Biopsien gewonnen, um entkalkte Schnitte herzustellen. Zusätzlich dienten Schnitte von 14 GBA-behandelten Kaninchenschädeln (gleiche Rasse, Geschlecht und Alter wie die unbehandelten Tiere) als Referenzpräparate zum Vergleich. Es wurden histomorphometrische Untersuchungen durchgeführt. Resultate:,In den gereinigten Präparaten konnte gesehen werden, dass alle parietalen Knochen durch einen grossen Ast der Meningalarterie versorgt wurden. Separate Aeste dieser Arterie versorgten die Dura, wobei ein feines Gefässnetz den Knochen bedeckte. In den Weichgeweben auf der Kalvaria konnten keine grossen Gefässe gefunden werden. Im Periost und in der Dura waren zahlreiche feine Gefässe zu sehen, welche in die kortikalen Platten eintraten. Die entkalkten Schnitte der parietalen Knochen zeigten eine äussere und innere kortikale Platte, welche einen abgeschlossenen Raum mit Knochentrabekeln, Markgewebe und grossen Hohlräumen umschlossen. In der inneren und in der äusseren kortikalen Platte konnten oft sowohl bei den unbehandelten als auch bei den GBA-behandelten Präparaten hohle Verbindungen gefunden werden. Diese Verbindungen enthielten Markgewebe, dass sich bis zum Periost und der Dura erstreckte. Die morphometrischen Messungen zeigten sowohl in den rechten als auch in den linken unbehandelten Knochen ähnliche Proportionen zwischen kortikalem Knochen, trabekulärem Knochen und den Markarealen. Die Fläche der äusseren kortikalen Platte war signifikant grösser als die Fläche der inneren kortikalen Platte. Die Knochendichte war in den rechten und linken unbehandelten und in den GBA-behandelten Präparaten ähnlich, ebenso die Häufigkeit und die Breite der hohlen Verbindungen durch die kortikalen Platten. Schlussfolgerungen:,Die Symmetrie zwischen den rechten und linken parietalen Knochen bezüglich Topographie der grossen Gefässe und der untersuchten histomorphometrischen Parameter war gross. In den kortikalen Platten konnten häufig hohle Verbindungen gefunden werden. Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass die bilaterale Verwendung von parietalen Knochen bei experimentellen GBA-Modellen zuverlässig ist bezüglich Blutversorgung und Knochenqualität. Resumen Objetivos:,La bóveda craneal es ampliamente usada en modelos experimentales en cicatrización de hueso membranoso en general, siendo un ejemplo los estudios de regeneración ósea guiada (GBA). Que sepamos, sin embargo, se dispone de pocos estudios sobre las características del calvario no tratado con respecto a la densidad ósea, la topografía vascular, y sus variaciones intra/interindividuo y sus asociaciones. Las intenciones de esta investigación fueron (1) cartografiar la topografía de grandes vasos de la bóveda craneal, (2) describir histológica y morfométricamente los huesos parietales del conejo adulto, y (3) comparar histológicamente el hueso parietal no tratado con el hueso parietal tratado con un dispositivo de GBA. Material y Métodos:,Se llevaron a cabo microangiografías a diez conejos adultos sin tratar. Se indujo anestesia general y se abrió el mediastino Se inyectaron heparina y lidocaina en la aorta seguida por infusión de tinta de India. Tras la muerte, se tomaron biopsias en bloque de la bóveda craneal incluyendo los tejidos blandos superpuestos y de la duramadre. Los especimenes se aclararon con la técnica de Spalteholtz, se examinaron microscópicamente, y se tomaron imágenes digitales. Más adelante, se recogieron biopsias circulares para obtener secciones descalcificadas. Además, secciones de los cráneos de los conejos tratados con 14secciones descalcificadas. Además, secciones de los cráneos de los conejos tratados con 14 GBA (de la misma raza, sexo y edad que los animales no tratados) sirvieron como especimenes de referencia para la comparación. Se llevaron a cabo exámenes histomorfométricos. Resultados:,En los especimenes aclarados, todos los huesos parietales se encontró que estaban irrigados por una rama principal de la arteria meníngea. De cada una de estas, ramas separadas irrigaron la dura en donde una fina red de vasos cubrió el hueso. No se encontraron vasos mayores en el tejido blando supracalvario. Se encontraron numerosos vasos dentro del periostio y la dura entrando en las placas corticales. Las secciones descalcificadas de los huesos parietales revelaron una placa cortical interna y externa envolviendo un espacio diploico conteniendo trabéculas óseas, tejido medular y grandes sinusoides. Frecuentemente se encontraron conexiones huecas en las placas corticales internas y externas tanto en los especimenes sin tratar como en los tratados con GBA. Estas conexiones contenían tejido medular que se extendió hasta el periostio y la dura. Las medidas morfogenéticas revelaron proporciones similares de áreas corticales trabeculares y medulares en los huesos derecho e izquierdo no tratados. El área de la placa cortical externa fue significativamente mayor que el área de placa cortical interna. La densidad ósea fue similar en el lado derecho e izquierdo no tratados y en los especimenes tratados con GBA, así como la frecuencia y la anchura de las conexiones huecas a lo largo de las placas óseas corticales. Conclusiones:,La simetría entre los huesos parietales izquierdos y derechos concernientes a la topografía vascular y los parámetros histomorfométricos valorados fue alta. Las conexiones huecas en las placas corticales se encontraron con frecuencia. Se sugiere que el uso bilateral de huesos parietales es fiable como modelo experimental GBA respecto al suministro de sangre y calidad ósea. [source]

Ontogenetically stable hydraulic design in woody plants

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
J. S. WEITZ
Summary 1An important component of plant water transport is the design of the vascular network, including the size and shape of water-conducting elements or xylem conduits. 2For over 100 years, foresters and plant physiologists have recognized that these conduits are consistently smaller near branch tips compared with major branches and the main stem. Empirical data, however, have rarely been assembled to assess the whole-plant hydraulic architecture of woody plants as they age and grow. 3In this paper, we analyse vessels of Fraxinus americana (White Ash) within a single tree. Vessels are measured from cross-sections that span 12 m in height and 18 years' growth. 4We show that vessel radii are determined by distance from the top of the tree, as well as by stem size, independently of tree height or age. 5The qualitative form for the scaling of vessel radii agrees remarkably well with simple power laws, suggesting the existence of an ontogenetically stable hydraulic design that scales in the same manner as a tree grows in height and diameter. 6We discuss the implications of the present findings for optimal theories of hydraulic design. [source]

MR-based visualization and quantification of three-dimensional flow characteristics in the portal venous system

JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 2 2010
Zoran Stankovic MD
Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of time-resolved flow-sensitive MRI for the three-dimensional (3D) visualization and quantification of normal and pathological portal venous (PV) hemodynamics. Materials and Methods: Portal venous hemodynamics were evaluated in 18 healthy volunteers and 5 patients with liver cirrhosis. ECG- and adaptive respiratory navigator gated flow-sensitive 4D MRI (time-resolved 3D MRI with three-directional velocity encoding) was performed on a 3 Tesla MR system (TRIO, Siemens, Germany). Qualitative flow analysis was achieved using 3D streamlines and time-resolved particle traces originating from seven emitter planes precisely placed at anatomical landmarks in the PV system. Quantitative analysis included retrospective extraction of regional peak and mean velocities and vessel area. Results were compared with standard 2D flow-sensitive MRI and to the reference standard Doppler ultrasound. Results: Qualitative flow analysis was successfully used in the entire PV system. Venous hemodynamics in all major branches in 17 of 18 volunteers and 3 of 5 patients were reliably depicted with good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.62). Quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences and moderate agreement for peak velocities between 3D MR and 2D MRI (r = 0.46) and Doppler ultrasound (US) (r = 0.35) and for mean velocities between 3D and 2D MRI (r = 0.41). The PV area was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in 3D and 2D MRI compared with US. Conclusion: We successfully applied 3D MR velocity mapping in the PV system, providing a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of normal and pathological hemodynamics. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;32:466,475. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the early diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2005
AM Halefoglu
Summary Takayasu arteritis is a non-specific inflammatory process of unknown aetiology affecting the aorta and its major branches. It may lead to stenosis or occlusion. We have examined eight patients with clinically diagnosed Takayasu arteritis using contrast-enhanced MRI and also 3-D MR angiography. All patients were female and their ages varied between 22 and 48 years. We were able to show subtle arteritic changes and stenotic lesions in branch vessels in the early phase of the disease by using this imaging modality. Thus, we can state that contrast-enhanced MRI with 3-D MR angiography can be used for the initial diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. It provides a means to evaluate the vascular tree non-invasively and may replace conventinal angiography. [source]

Surgical results for hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct invasion: A clinicopathologic comparison between macroscopic and microscopic tumor thrombus

JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
Minoru Esaki MD
Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors and long-term results after surgery in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct invasion. Methods The records of 38 HCC patients with microscopic (tumor thrombus was found in more than the second order branch of the biliary tree; n,=,19) and macroscopic (tumor thrombus was found in no more than the second order branch of the biliary tree; n,=,19) bile duct invasion were reviewed in this study. Survival rates were calculated with regard to 18 clinicopathological factors. A log-rank analysis was performed to identify which factors predict the prognosis. The relationships between the degree of bile duct invasion and 17 clinicopathologic factors were also compared. Results The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 79%, 45%, and 33%, respectively. The indicators of a favorable prognosis included no intrahepatic metastases, curative surgical resection, and macroscopic bile duct invasion. Conclusion We found a favorable long-term postoperative result for HCC patients with macroscopic bile duct invasion. Even if HCC tumor thrombus is recognized in the major branches of bile duct, extensive and curative surgical treatment should be recommended when hepatic functional reserve is satisfactory without intrahepatic metastases. J. Surg. Oncol. 2005;90:226,232. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Linnaeus' sexual system and flowering plant phylogeny

NORDIC JOURNAL OF BOTANY, Issue 1-2 2007
Birgitta Bremer
Carl Linnaeus brought order to the knowledge of plants and animals by arranging all known species in encyclopaedic works. He proposed a system of plants, the sexual system, based on the number and arrangement of male and female organs. His artificial sexual system has since long been replaced by ,natural' or phylogenetic systems but there has never been a comprehensive comparison of the sexual system with modern plant classification. The currently most often used classification of flowering plants is the APG-system. It is based on comprehensive phylogenies of flowering plants, reconstructed by analyses of DNA data. The APG-system covers all flowering plants which are classified in 453 families and these are classified in 45 orders. Most of the species were not known at time of Linnaeus. Families and orders in the APG-system are arranged in larger informal groups representing major branches in the flowering plant phylogenetic tree. Three such groups are the monocots, the rosids, and the asterids. I have examined all genera published in Species plantarum (1753) and classified them according to order and major groups in the APG-system. All classes except one, number 15 Tetradynamia, comprises groups of unrelated plants. Not surprisingly, the sexual system does not display what we know today about plant relationships. As is evident from this analysis, there is little correspondence between the sexual system and the APG-system. This does not mean that the sexual system has been useless or misleading. When it was introduced, it formed the basis for much intensified research and increased knowledge of plants. [source]

Impacts of cyclone Larry on the vegetation structure of timber plantations, restoration plantings and rainforest on the Atherton Tableland, Australia

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
JOHN KANOWSKI
Abstract We examined the impact of severe cyclone ,Larry' on the vegetation structure of monoculture and mixed species timber plantations, restoration plantings and reference sites in upland rainforests on the Atherton Tableland, north Queensland, Australia. Sites were initially assessed in 2000 and resurveyed in 2006, 6,8 months after the cyclone traversed the region. In both surveys, timber plantations had a relatively open canopy, grassy understorey and few shrubs or small-sized trees; whereas restoration plantings had a relatively closed canopy, an understorey of bare ground, leaf litter and rainforest seedlings, a high density of small-diameter trees and a moderate representation of special life forms characteristic of rainforest. Cyclone damage varied with tree size, site type, proximity to the cyclone and stem density. First, the proportion of trees that were severely damaged by the cyclone (major branches broken, stem snapped or pushed over) increased with the diameter of trees across all site types. Second, damage to larger-sized trees (>10 cm d.b.h., >20 cm d.b.h.) was proportionally highest in monoculture plantations, intermediate in mixed species plantations and rainforest, and lowest in restoration plantings. Third, within site types, damage levels decreased with distance from the cyclone track and with stem density. There was no evidence that topographical position influenced damage levels, at least for timber plantations. We tentatively attribute the high levels of damage experienced by timber plantations to their relatively open structure and the large size of stems in plantations. Restoration plantings generally escaped severe damage by the cyclone, but their continued development towards rainforest conditions may require a coordinated monitoring and maintenance programme to address the potential threat of weed invasion. [source]

Recruitment dynamics of invasive species in rainforest habitats following Cyclone Larry

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
H. T. MURPHY
Abstract In tropical forests, natural disturbance creates opportunities for species to claim previously utilized space and resources and is considered an important mechanism in the maintenance of species diversity. However, ecologists have long recognized that disturbance also promotes exotic plant invasions. Cyclones cause extensive defoliation, loss of major branches and multiple tree falls, resulting in a significantly more open canopy and increased light and heat levels in the understorey. The widespread and massive disturbance caused by cyclones provides ideal conditions for rapid recruitment and spread of invasive species. The ecological roles of invasive species in rainforest habitats following such a severe disturbance are poorly understood. Severe category 4 Cyclone Larry crossed the North Queensland coast in March 2006 causing massive disturbance to rainforest habitats from Tully to Cairns and west to the Atherton Tablelands. We established 10 plots in an area extensively damaged by this cyclone near El Arish in North Queensland. On each plot nine 2 × 2 m quadrats were established with three quadrats per plot in each of the following treatments: (i) complete debris removal down to the soil layer, (ii) removal of coarse woody debris only, and (iii) uncleared. We monitored recruitment, growth and mortality of all native and invasive species in the 90 quadrats every 3 months since the cyclone. Here we present the recruitment dynamics of invasive species across the study area in relation to the level of disturbance, the type of quadrat treatment, and the diversity and abundance of the native recruiting flora over the first 12 months post-cyclone. Our results suggest that invasive species will mostly comprise a transient component of the flora in the early stages of the successional response. However, some species may have longer-term effects on the successional trajectory of the rainforest and future forest composition and structure. [source]

Combined intraarterial 5-fluorouracil and subcutaneous interferon-, therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombi in the major portal branches

CANCER, Issue 2 2002
Masato Sakon M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invading into the major branches of the portal vein (Vp3) is extremely poor. METHODS Eleven consecutive patients with HCC and Vp3 were treated with 2,6 cycles of a "basic" combination therapy consisting of continuous arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil (450,500 mg/day, for the initial 2 weeks) and subcutaneous injection of interferon-, (5 million international units, 3 times/week, 4 weeks). In the first 3 patients, methotrexate (90 mg/day 1 of every week), cisplatin (10 mg/day), and leucovorin (30 mg/days 2 and 3 of every week) also were administered for the initial 2 weeks ("full" regimen). RESULTS In 8 (73%) of 11 patients, an objective response (complete response [CR] or partial response [PR]) was observed with marked regression of tumor and decrease in tumor markers. The use of the full regimen was associated with objective response in all patients; instead, they developed thrombocytopenia or leukopenia. In the subsequent 8 patients with basic regimen, 5 patients showed CR (2 cases) or PR (3 cases; objective response rate, 63%), and leukopenia was observed only in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS Simple combination therapy with subcutaneous interferon-, and intraarterial 5-fluorouracil therefore is a promising treatment modality for intractable HCC with Vp3. Cancer 2002;94:435,42. © 2002 American Cancer Society. [source]