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Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	60%
Life Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Aquatic macroinvertebrates in the altes land, an intensely used orchard region in Germany: Correlation between community structure and potential for pesticide exposure

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2006
Christoph Schäfers
Abstract To assess the impact of pesticides on aquatic organisms under realistic worst-case conditions, a macroinvertebrate community of small ditches was sampled at 40 sites of the orchard region Altes Land near Hamburg, Germany. To differentiate between pesticide impact and other variables, the ditches selected for sampling were located at different distances along grassland, unused apple orchards, and orchards managed with integrated and/or organic crop protection methods. Samples of macroinvertebrates were taken on five dates over two years. In addition to biological data, water chemistry and structural parameters were measured. For each sampling site, a potential for exposure was calculated on the basis of the distance of the ditch to the nearest row of trees and the depth and width of the ditch. The neighborhood to either grassland or orchards turned out to have a larger impact on the macroinvertebrate community than the potential for exposure. Therefore, grassland sites were omitted from further evaluation. Remaining sites were grouped into low exposure (sites at unused orchards), medium exposure (distance of 3,5 m [track] between trees and ditch), and high exposure (trees close to the ditch, mean distance , 1.5 m). Principal response curves showed differences in community structure between the three exposure groups over time. Whereas for sites from the high exposure group significant differences from low exposure was observed in all seasons, significant differences between low and medium were observed only occasionally. Effects were less pronounced in samples taken at springtime before the starting pesticide applications, suggesting some community recovery. Species richness was negatively correlated to exposure potential. Isopoda, Eulamellibranchiata, and insects, especially Ephemeroptera, showed a high negative correlation with the potential for pesticide exposure, suggesting that these taxa are sensitive to the pesticide use in the orchards. [source]

Rabbit Ear Cartilage Regeneration With a Small Intestinal Submucosa Graft,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue S102 2004
Edmund A. Pribitkin MD
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The objective was to demonstrate that interpositional grafting with porcine small intestinal submucosa promotes cartilage regeneration following excision of rabbit auricular cartilage. Study Design: Blinded, controlled study. Methods: Eight New Zealand white rabbits underwent excision of auricular cartilage on two sites with and two sites without preservation of perichondrium. Porcine small intestinal submucosa was implanted into one site with and one site without intact perichondrium. Remaining sites served as control sites. Histological assessment was performed at 3 (n = 4) and 6 (n = 3) months and at 1 year (n = 1) after grafting. Results: Histological evaluation showed cartilage regeneration accompanied by chronic inflammation in areas in which porcine small intestinal submucosa was implanted between layers of intact perichondrium. Other sites failed to show significant cartilage regeneration. Conclusion: The results of the study using porcine small intestinal submucosa as a bioscaffold for cartilage regeneration are promising and justify further animal and human studies. [source]

Sociodemographic disparities in epilepsy care: Results from the Houston/New York City health care use and outcomes study

EPILEPSIA, Issue 5 2009
Charles E. Begley
Summary Purpose:, The purpose of this study was to identify sociodemographic disparities in health care use among epilepsy patients receiving care at different sites and the extent to which the disparities persisted after adjusting for patient characteristics and site of care. Methods:, Three months of health care use data were obtained from baseline interviews of approximately 560 patients at four sites. One-half of the patients were from a Houston site and two NYC sites that serve predominantly low-income, minority, publicly insured, or uninsured patients. The other half were at the remaining site in Houston that serves a more balanced racial/ethnic and higher sociodemographic population. Differences in general and specialist visits, hospital emergency room (ER) care, and hospitalizations were associated with race/ethnicity, income, and coverage. Logistic regression was used to assess the extent to which the differences persisted when adjusting for individual patient characteristics and site of care. Results:, Compared to whites, blacks and Hispanics had higher rates of generalist visits [odds ratio (OR) = 5.3 and 4.9, p < 0.05), ER care (OR = 3.1 and 2.9, p < 0.05) and hospitalizations (OR = 5.4 and 6.2, p < 0.05), and lower rates of specialist visits (OR = 0.3 and 0.4, p < 0.05). A similar pattern was found related to patient income and coverage. The magnitude and significance of the disparities persisted when adjusting for individual characteristics but decreased substantially or were eliminated when site of care was added to the model. Discussion:, There are sociodemographic disparities in health care for people with epilepsy that are largely explained by differences in where patients receive care. [source]

Bone mineral content and bone metabolism in young adults with severe periodontitis

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 6 2001
Nina Von Wowern
Abstract Objectives: To clarify in young adults with severe periodontitis (1) whether the bone mineral content (BMC) or density (BMD) in the mandible/other skeletal sites and the systemic bone metabolism differed from normal and (2) whether mandibular/forearm BMC did change during the 5 to 10-year follow-up. Material and Methods: 24 young otherwise normal patients with verified severe periodontitis were included, of which 20 attended the follow-up visit. Mandibular/forearm BMC was measured at both visits by dual-photon absorptiometry, supplemented with femoral neck/lumbar spine BMD measurements at follow-up visit by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum alkaline phosphatase/ionized calcium, urinary excretion of pyridinoline/deoxy-pyridinoline were analysed at the follow-up visit. A conventional periodontal examination was performed at both visits. Results: Mandibular BMC was significantly below normal mean BMC at both visits. The mandibular Z-scores were ,2.00 in 33.3% (8/24). BMC/BMD in the remaining sites and the values for bone markers did not differ from normal. Mandibular/forearm BMC was stable while a significant aggravation of alveolar bone loss occurred during the trial without change of probing depth. Conclusions: Severe periodontitis in young adults seems to be a local disorder associated with relatively low BMC in the jaws without systemic alterations of BMC/BMD and bone metabolism. Zusammenfassung Zielsetzung: Abklärung ob bei jungen Erwachsenen mit schwerer Parodontitis (1) der Mineralgehalt und die Dichte des Knochens im Unterkiefer bzw. anderen Teilen des Skeletts sowie deer Knochenstoffwechsel sich von normalen Verhältnissen unterscheiden und (2) ob sich der Mineralgehalt des Unterkiefer- bzw. des Unterarmknochens während eines Beobachtungszeitraums von 5 bis 10 Jahren verändern. Material und Methoden: 24 allgemein gesunde Patienten mit schwerer Parodontitis nahmen an der Studie teil von denen 20 an der Nachuntersuchung teilnahme. Der Mineralgehalt des Unterkiefer- bzw. Unterarmknochens wurde bei beiden Untersuchungen mittels Dual-Photonen-Absorptiometrie bestimmt. Zusätzlich wurden bei der Nachuntersuchung die Knochendichte des Obserschenkelhalses und der Lendenwirbel mittels Dual-Energie-Röntgen-Absorptiometrie erfaßt. Die Serumkonzentrationen alkalischer Phosphatase sowie der Kalzium-Ionen und die Ausscheidung von Pyridinolin sowie Desoxypyridinolin im Urin wurden bei der Nachuntersuchung analysiert. Zu jedem Untersuchungstermin fand eine klinische Untersuchung der parodontalen Verhältnisse statt. Ergebnisse: Der Mineralgehalt des Unterkieferknochens lag zu beiden Untersuchungsterminen unter den mittleren Normalwerten. Die Z-Werte des Unterkiefers lagen in 8 von 24 Fällen (33.3%) ,2.00. Der Mineralgehalt und die Dichte des Knochens der übrigen Regionen und die Werte der Knochenmarker unterschieden sich nicht von den Normalwerten. Der Mineralgehalt des Unterkiefer- und Unterarmknochens verhielt sich während des Untersuchungszeitraumes stabil, während es zu einer deutlichen Verschlimmerung des alveolären Knochenabbaus ohne Veränderung der Sondierungstiefen kam. Schlußfolgerungen: Bei schwerer Parodontitis bei jungen Erwachsenen scheint es sich um eine lokale Störung mit relativ geringem Mineralgehalt der Kieferknochen zu handeln ohne systemische Veränderungen von Mineralgehalt und Dichte des Knochens bzw. des Knochenstoffwechsels. Résumé Le but de cette étude était de connaître chez les jeunes adultes souffrant de parodontite sévère (1) si le contenu en minéraux osseux (BMC) ou la densité (BMD) dans des sites mandibulaires ou du squelette et le métabolisme osseux systémique étaient différents par rapport à ceux de personnes normales et (2) si le BMC de la mandibule ou de l'avant-bras changeait durant une période de suivi de 5 à 10 années. 24 patients normaux mais souffrant de parodontite sévère ont été inclus dans cette investigation mais seul 20 ont poursuivi l'étude. Le BMC de la mandibule et de l'avant-bras ont été mesurés aux 2 sites par absorptiométrie par photon double, avec également des mesures BMD au niveau du fémur et de la colonne vertébrale lors de la visite de suivi par absorptiométrie par RX àénergie double. Le calcium ionisé par phosphatase alcaline sérique et l'excrétion urinaire de pyridinoline/deoxypyridinoline ont été analysés lors de l'examen de suivi. Un examen parodontal conventionnel a été effectué aux 2 visites. Le BMC mandibulaire était significativement inférieur au BMC moyen normal lors des deux visites. Les scores Z mandibulaires étaient ,2.00 dans 33.3% (8/24) des cas. BMC/BMD dans les sites restants et les valeurs des marqueurs osseux ne différaient pas des normaux. BMC mandibulaire/avant-bras était stable tandis qu'une aggravation significative de la perte osseuse alvéolaire se produisait durant l'étude sans changement de la profondeur au sondage. La parodontite sévère chez les jeunes adultes semble être un désordre local associéà un BMC relativement bas dans les mâchoires sans altération systémique de BMC/BMD ni du métabolisme osseux. [source]

Management history and climate as key factors driving natterjack toad population trends in Britain

ANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 5 2010
A. L. McGrath
Abstract Along with other amphibian populations in Europe and elsewhere, natterjack toad Bufo calamita populations in Britain have declined since at least 1960. Conservation management since the 1970s has aimed to halt the decline and maintain viable populations at key sites throughout the species' recent historical range. Here, we assess population trends from 1985 to 2006 at 20 British B. calamita sites and evaluate the role of active management in maintaining good conservation status. We investigated the effects of 25 climatic, site-characteristic and conservation management variables on population trends using general linear models. In single-variable analyses, rainfall variables showed negative relationships with population trends. Among the site characteristics, being located at the very edge of the species' range (northern Irish Sea coast) and occurrence of common toad (B. bufo) were negatively related to B. calamita population trends. Management history (populations established via translocation as opposed to native populations) had a significant positive effect; as had sites that received greater translocation releases, undergone Species Recovery Programme management, and where common toad was absent. In multiple-variable analyses, the combined effects of management history and average pre-breeding season rainfall accounted for inter-site variation in population trends. The rainfall effects in single- and multiple-variable analyses were strongly influenced by three sites with very high rainfall whilst no clear effect was apparent for the remaining sites. This study highlights the role of climatic factors in population decline, and the importance of conservation management in stabilizing population trends. Climate change over the next 50,100 years is predicted to have limited impacts on most B. calamita populations in Britain, but strongly positive impacts on the most threatened populations located at the very edge of species' range that will benefit from reduced precipitation. A need for active conservation management will remain for the foreseeable future. [source]