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Stem Lesions (stem + lesion)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%
Life Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Extensive Brain Stem Lesions in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Repeat Magnetic Resonance Findings

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 1 2005
Sun Ah Park MD
ABSTRACT The authors report on an unusual case of extensive brain stem lesions as a manifestation of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A 28-year-old woman developed rapidly progressive neurologic deficits 5 days after a cesarean delivery. Her condition had been normal after delivery. Initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed extensive T2 hyperintense lesions involving the entire brain stem; only part of the pons showed hyperintense abnormalities in a concomitantly taken diffusion-weighted image. The hematologic evaluations and her clinical course revealed the diagnosis of TTP, so plasma exchange and methyl-prednisolone therapy were initiated. After 10 days of treatment, she developed neurologic improvement. A follow-up MRI on the 75th day revealed dramatically reduced brain stem lesions with only residual punctate lesions in the pons. Her remaining neurologic deficits were dysarthria, limb ataxia, and left hemiparesis. As demonstrated in this study, extensive brain stem involvement should be added as a possible neuroimaging feature of TTP. [source]

Physiological responses of cork oak and holm oak to infection by fungal pathogens involved in oak decline

FOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
B. T. Linaldeddu
Summary The aim of this research was to study the changes in net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance values in 3-year-old cork oak and holm oak seedlings growing in natural conditions and inoculated with Apiognomonia quercina, Biscogniauxia mediterranea, Botryosphaeria corticola and Pleurophoma cava. Throughout the 4-month experimental period, the evolution of visual external symptoms and the values of physiological variables were periodically recorded. All pathogens caused stem lesions around the infection point; however, the lesions caused by B. corticola were longer in both oak species. On cork oak seedlings, all pathogens induced a significant and gradual reduction in net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance values, whereas other physiological disturbances were induced only by B. corticola infections on holm oak seedlings. [source]

The effects of calcium on stem lesions of silver birch seedlings

FOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
A. Lilja
Summary In this study, we tested the hypothesis that decreased liming of growth medium has a role in the increase of stem lesions and top dying caused by Phytophthora cactorum in containerized silver birch seedlings (Betula pendula) in Finnish forest nurseries. The effect of limestone dose rates on growth and the nutrient status was also monitored. An index based on severity of symptom expression was used to compare the effect of different liming treatments on P. cactorum infection. Limestone amended into the sphagnum peat growth medium increased the amount of calcium in the seedling stems. Liming did not significantly decrease the disease severity although index values in most cases decreased with the increased limestone dose rates. In general, the lesions were restricted after out-planting and the mortality of seedlings was low. Only inoculated seedlings on which the lesions had spread around the stem in the nursery died. Phytophthora cactorum appears to be a nursery pathogen, as it did not survive under conditions present in the field. Four years after out-planting, the tallest birches were those grown in sphagnum peat amended with the highest limestone dose of 8 kg m,3. [source]

The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Two-Year Mortality Following Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Implications for Revascularization Practice

JOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
M. ANDRON M.D., M.R.C.P.
Objective:To assess the impact of diabetes on 2-year mortality in current PCI practice. Background:In patients with coronary artery disease undergoing revascularization, diabetes mellitus is associated with higher mortality. Methods:A retrospective analysis was done of all patients undergoing PCI at our tertiary center between January 2000 and December 2004. There were 6,160 PCI procedures performed in 5,759 patients who received at least one stent. Of these patients, 801 (13.9%) were diabetic and 4,958 (86.1%) were nondiabetic. The primary outcome measure of the study was all-cause mortality. All patients were followed up for a period of 2 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test for a potential independent association between diabetic status and follow-up mortality. Results:Before adjustment, a trend toward higher mortality was observed in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetics at 1 year (3.2% vs 2.4%) and 2 years (5.1% vs 3.8%), P = 0.12. Independent predictors for mortality were increasing age, renal dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, NYHA class >2, urgent PCI, treating left main stem lesions, vessel diameter , 2.5 mm, and 3-vessel disease. The use of drug-eluting stent was associated with a reduction in mortality. Diabetes was found to have no independent impact on mortality following PCI (odds ratio = 1.08; 95% confidence intervals = 0.73,1.60; P = 0.71). Conclusion:The presence of diabetes was not an independent predictor of mortality following PCI. A diabetic patient that does not require insulin treatment and has no evidence of macro- or microvascular diabetic disease could enjoy a PCI outcome similar to nondiabetic subjects. [source]

Frequent Hemorrhagic Lesions in Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in AIDS Patients

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 2 2009
Satyakam Bhagavati MD
ABSTRACT Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a frequent complication in immunosuppressed patients such as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Frequently, lesions are located deep in the brain which are inaccessible for biopsy making rapid diagnosis dependent on accurate interpretation of neuroimaging findings. The commonest cranial CT findings reported in toxoplasmosis are ring enhancing hypodense lesions in basal ganglia or cortical gray matter. Hemorrhage has only rarely been described and is usually seen following antitoxoplasma treatment. We reviewed the records of 11 AIDS patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis and found multiple hemorrhagic cerebral, cerebellar, or brain stem lesions in 7 of 11 patients. Six patients had hemorrhage at the time of initial clinical presentation and one developed hemorrhage following 2 weeks of antitoxoplasma treatment. We conclude that hemorrhagic lesions are frequently found on cranial MRI scans in cerebral toxoplasmosis. AIDS patients presenting with hemorrhagic cerebral lesions should be considered for a trial of presumptive antitoxoplasma treatment. [source]

Extensive Brain Stem Lesions in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Repeat Magnetic Resonance Findings

Development of Oculimacula yallundae and O. acuformis (eyespot) lesions on stems of winter wheat in relation to thermal time in the UK

PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
C. H. Bock
Relationships between development of eyespot, caused by Oculimacula yallundae (OY) or O. acuformis (OA) on stems of winter wheat (cv. Avalon), and thermal time (°C days after sowing) were investigated in field experiments in 1985/86, 1986/87 and 1987/88 (two experiments). In all experiments, the incidence and severity of stem eyespot (uninoculated plots, OY- and OA-inoculated plots) were linearly related to accumulated thermal time after sowing. There were ca. 600,800°C days from the time of the first sample when eyespot lesions were recorded on stems to the time when maximum eyespot incidence or severity was recorded. Relationships between stem eyespot incidence or severity and thermal time differed between seasons, with more severe eyespot in 1986/87 and 1987/88 than 1985/86. Both the severity and volume of stem lesions were initially greater in OY-inoculated plots than OA-inoculated plots in spring but differences were less by harvest in all seasons. The percentage of plants with stems colonized by OY or OA over all plots (including uninoculated) showed a consistent pattern in 1986/87 and 1987/88 (two experiments), with the percentage colonized by OY greater initially and the percentage colonized by OA gradually increasing with time towards harvest. [source]

Epidemiology and management of Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker) on oilseed rape in Australia, Canada and Europe

PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
J. S. West
Phoma stem canker (blackleg), caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is an important disease on oilseed rape (canola, rapeseed, Brassica napus, Brassica juncea, Brassica rapa) causing seedling death, lodging or early senescence in Australia, Canada and Europe, but not in China. The two forms of L. maculans (A group and B group) that occur on oilseed rape are now considered to be separate species. The epidemiology and severity of phoma stem canker differs between continents due to differences in the pathogen population structure, oilseed rape species and cultivars grown, climate and agricultural practices. Epidemics are most severe in Australia, where only the A group occurs, and can be damaging in Canada and western Europe, where both A and B groups occur, although their proportions vary within regions and throughout the year. Epidemics are slight in China, where the A group has not been found. Dry climates (Australia, western Canada) lengthen the persistence of infected debris and may synchronize the release of airborne ascospores (after rain) with seedling emergence. L. maculans spreads from cotyledon and leaf infections down petioles to reach the stem, with infections on cotyledons and leaves early in the season producing the most damaging stem cankers at the stem base (crown). Development of both crown cankers and phoma stem lesions higher up stems is most rapid in regions with high temperatures from flowering to harvest, such as Australia and Canada. Breeding for resistance (genetic, disease escape or tolerance), stubble management, crop rotation and fungicide seed treatments are important strategies for control of phoma stem canker in all areas. Fungicide spray treatments are justified only in regions such as western Europe where high yields are obtained, and accurate forecasts of epidemic severity are needed to optimize their use. [source]

Changing patterns in interventional bronchoscopy

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Nikolaos ZIAS
ABSTRACT Background and objective: Many interventional tools for airway disorders can now be delivered via flexible bronchoscopy (FB), including neodymium-yttrium aluminium garnet laser, electrocautery, argon plasma coagulation, cryotherapy, balloon dilatation and metal or hybrid stents. Comparison of outcomes for patients undergoing rigid bronchoscopy (RB) with those treated using FB highlights the usefulness of the FB approach. Methods: A retrospective medical record review of all interventional bronchoscopy procedures performed at Lahey Clinic over the past 8 years was conducted. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the procedure used, that is, RB (251 patients), and FB (161 patients) groups. Patients with malignancies were included as a separate subgroup, comprising 178 RB and 117 FB patients. For every procedure, the location of the lesion, patient survival from the first interventional procedure performed, and in patients with malignancy, additional treatments received such as chemotherapy and radiation were recorded. Results: Ninety per cent of RB procedures were performed in patients with tracheal or main stem lesions, while over half the patients undergoing FB had more distal lesions. A trend towards increasing use of FB for interventional procedures in recent years was noted. Conclusions: FB is a valuable alternative to RB for treating less advanced malignant disease or distal airway lesions. [source]