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Successful Management (successful + management)
Selected AbstractsSuccessful Management of Traumatic Right Atrial RuptureJOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 2 2000Angela L. Witt DVM Summary A 2 year old male mixed breed dog presented with clinical signs of acute cardiac tamponade after being hit by a car. Echocardiography confirmed the presence of pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis revealed venous blood that clotted normally, suggestive of an acute lesion involving the right side of the heart. An emergency thoracotomy was performed, and a laceration of the right atrium was identified and repaired. Postoperatively, the dog developed traumatic myocarditis that improved with time and medical management. Six months after surgery, the dog was healthy with no adverse effects of the trauma. The importance of early recognition and the necessity for expeditious surgical management of traumatic right atrial rupture in the dog is illustrated in this report. [source] Successful Management of Eviscerated Renal Allograft with Preservation of FunctionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2008H. Jeon Although most wound complications after renal transplantation are minor, the renal allograft, in its superficial and extraperitoneal location, is vulnerable to exposure if there is wound breakdown resulting in loss of overlying tissue. We describe a 66-year-old man who received a renal allograft from a deceased donor for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to polycystic kidney disease. His immediate posttransplant course was complicated by delayed graft function from acute tubular necrosis, reexploration for perigraft hematoma and subsequent wound dehiscence. After unsuccessful conservative wound care, the renal allograft became completely eviscerated due to fascial retraction of the dehisced wound. While the allograft was initially covered with a pedicled rectus femoris muscle flap, several local tissue rearrangements were required for definitive coverage. The allograft function was recovered after initial flap coverage and was subsequently maintained; follow-up more than 2 years after transplantation has demonstrated not only continued stable graft function but also complete healing of the dehiscent wound. [source] Pathologic paediatric conditions associated with a compromised airwayINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2010SUHER BAKER International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 102,111 Purpose., The purpose was to describe pathologic paediatric conditions associated with airway compromise adversely affecting dental treatment with sedation and general anaesthesia. Methods., A review of available literature was completed, identifying pathologic paediatric conditions predisposing to airway compromise. Results., Airway-related deaths are uncommon, but respiratory complication represents the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality during the administration of general anaesthesia. Differences in anatomy and physiology of the paediatric and adult airway contribute to the child's predisposition to rapid development of airway compromise and respiratory failure; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, cervical spine injury, morbid obesity, and prematurity represent only a few conditions contributing to potential airway compromise of which the paediatric clinician needs to be aware. In all cases, thorough physical examination prior to treatment is mandated to affect a positive treatment outcome. Conclusions., Successful management of children and adolescents with a compromised airway begins with identification of the problem through a detailed medical history and physical examination. Due to the likely fragile nature of many of these patients, and possibility of concomitant medical conditions affecting airway management, dental treatment needs necessitating pharmacological management are best treated in a controlled setting such as the operating room, where a patent airway can be maintained. [source] Successful management of uterine arteriovenous malformation by ligation of feeding artery after unsuccessful uterine artery embolizationJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2009Daisaku Yokomine Abstract Uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare and potentially life-threatening disease. The present report describes a postmenopausal patient with uterine AVM manifesting recurrent, massive genital bleeding. Uterine artery embolization (UAE) was scheduled before hysterectomy, but UAE was unsuccessful due to the dilated, tortuous internal iliac arteries, and extremely rapid arterial blood flow. Hysterectomy appeared to carry a potential risk of massive blood loss due to multiple dilated vessels around the uterine corpus and cervix. Therefore, six arteries feeding the uterus were surgically ligated. At 10 months after the operation there have been no episodes of atypical genital bleeding. [source] Successful management of intramural ureteral hemorrhage in a patient with factor VIII deficiency and high-titer inhibitorJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 12 2004A. AMERI [source] Liver transplantation in patients with severe portopulmonary hypertension treated with preoperative chronic intravenous epoprostenolLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2001Henkie P. Tan MD Portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN) is no longer an absolute contraindication to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The pre-OLT management of patients with PPHTN requires early diagnosis and chronic therapy with intravenous epoprostenol to decrease pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Close follow-up is necessary to reassess pulmonary artery pressures (PAPs) and evaluate right ventricular (RV) function. This assists in the optimal timing of OLT. Successful management also necessitates reassessment of pulmonary artery hemodynamics just before OLT, with clearly defined parameters used to determine whether to proceed. Even with the intraoperative and postoperative availability of potent pulmonary vasodilators, clinical management may be suboptimal in reducing PAP. Adequate reduction in PVR and improvement in RV function in response to chronic epoprostenol therapy may facilitate successful OLT. We present a case report and review the limited experience with this treatment. [source] Successful management of bleeding with recombinant factor VIIa (NovoSeven®) in a patient with Burkitt lymphoma and thrombosis of the left femoral and left common iliac veinsPEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 3 2007Abstract We present the case of an 18-year-old female with Burkitt lymphoma involving the intra-abdominal and inguinal lymph nodes. The tumor had invaded the left femoral and common iliac veins causing secondary thrombosis and vessel occlusion. Chemotherapy and anticoagulant treatment resulted in mild thrombocytopenia and a prolonged prothrombin time, respectively, which exacerbated postoperative bleeding following surgical removal of a deep inguinal necrosis. After 6 days, bleeding combined with epistaxis was considered to be life threatening and anticoagulant reversal with recombinant factor VIIa was successfully performed. The patient has since achieved complete remission and subsequent antithrombotic therapy has resolved the vascular occlusion. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:332,335. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive vasculitis during propylthiouracil treatment: Successful management with oral corticosteroidsPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2000Kousaku Matsubara First page of article [source] Inverting Papilloma of the Temporal BoneTHE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 1 2002Anna M. Pou MD Abstract Objectives Inverting papilloma of the temporal bone is exceedingly rare. The objective is to familiarize the clinician with the clinical presentation and prognosis of this entity. Study Design Retrospective case study and literature review. Methods Published reports of inverting papillomas originating in the temporal bone were reviewed in conjunction with two cases presenting at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX). Results Inverting papillomas of the temporal bone are frequently associated with persistent middle ear effusion and ipsilateral sinonasal tumors and display a higher incidence of malignancy. Conclusions Successful management of these tumors requires an aggressive surgical resection. Adjuvant radiation therapy is recommended in patients with malignant changes. [source] Drug-induced methaemoglobinaemia following elective coronary artery bypass graftingANAESTHESIA, Issue 7 2007A. Choi Summary Dapsone can alter the oxygen carrying capacity of haemoglobin. Some patients are more susceptible to these effects because of genetic factors, comorbidities or peri-operative factors such as anaemia. We present a 57-year-old lady who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting. Deterioration in neurological and respiratory condition prompted a review of her drug treatment. A combination of long-term dapsone therapy, co-existing cardiac and respiratory disease, postoperative anaemia and renal impairment contributed to her decompensation, despite a relatively low level of methaemoglobin. Successful management included stopping dapsone therapy, supportive care and administration of ascorbic acid. [source] Portal venous gas , case report and review of the literatureANAESTHESIA, Issue 4 2007A. H. Mohammed Summary A 74-year-old man with chronic renal failure was admitted to the renal unit with non-specific symptoms and positive blood cultures. He later deteriorated and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with septic shock, respiratory failure and deranged liver function. Initial improvement was followed by abdominal distension and discomfort. Portal venous gas (PVG) and thrombosis were diagnosed on computed tomography. A conservative line of management was adopted. Improvement was soon followed by deterioration with septic shock. Extensive portal venous gas and free intra-abdominal gas were now evident on repeat computed tomography. The patient was too unwell to withstand surgery and a decision was made not to escalate therapy. He died on day 16. Portal venous gas is not a disease; it is a diagnostic clue in patients who may be harbouring an intra-abdominal catastrophe. Successful management of these cases requires early identification of the underlying pathology and can range from simple observation to extensive surgical intervention. [source] Demographic monitoring of an entire species (the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii) by genetic analysis of non-invasively collected materialANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 2 2003Sam C. Banks Successful management of endangered species may be greatly facilitated by the ability to monitor population trends. The Australian northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) is one of the world's most endangered mammals, but precise abundance estimation by trapping surveys has proven exceedingly difficult. A mark-recapture study was conducted in the sole remaining L. krefftii population, based on microsatellite identification of individuals and their gender from DNA in remotely collected single hairs. Population size was estimated to be 113 (95% confidence interval of 96 to 150). This suggests an increase in population size over the previous estimate of 65 (95% CI 42,186) in 1993, although the estimates did not differ significantly. There was a significant male bias in the sex ratio (2.25 males:1 female), in agreement with recent trapping surveys. The non-invasive approach used here is vital for estimating population size and trends, and hence it is the most important recent advance in the conservation management of the northern hairy-nosed wombat. [source] Successful management of histiocytic ulcerative colitis with enrofloxacin in two Boxer dogsAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 1-2 2004DR DAVIES Two Boxer dogs with histologically confirmed histiocytic ulcera-tive colitis were treated with enrofloxacin, one as sole therapy and one in conjunction with prednisolone, after failure of standard therapy. Clinical remission occurred rapidly in both dogs after commencement of enrofloxacin and in one case where repeat colonoscopy was performed the endoscopic appearance of the mucosa was normal within 2 weeks. Histological examination of the colonic mucosa in this dog after 7 months showed resolution of the cellular infiltration characteristic of histiocytic ulcerative colitis. Histological improvement following therapy in Boxer dogs with histiocytic ulcerative colitis has not been reported previously. [source] Hand ischemia resulting from a transradial intervention: Successful management with radial artery angioplasty,CATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 3 2010Diana Rhyne BS Abstract We describe a case of hand ischemia resulting from transradial catheterization. This was successfully treated with angioplasty of the radial artery occlusion, but stresses the importance of a preprocedure evaluation of the dual blood supply to the hand before transradial access. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Management of uveal tumoursACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009B DAMATO Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to describe the management of uveal melanomas and the other most common uveal tumours. Methods Choroidal melanomas are treated with plaque radiotherapy if possible, with proton beam radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy, trans-scleral local resection, trans-retinal endoresection, phototherapy and enucleation being reserved for patients who cannot be managed with a plaque. Increasingly, tumour biopsy is performed for histological grading of malignancy and for cytogenetic studies aimed at determining the genomic tumour type so that risk of metastatic disease can be determined. Choroidal metastases usually respond to external beam radiotherapy. Biopsy may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Choroidal haemangiomas are treated by photodynamic therapy, with good response in most patients. Results In the large majority of patients, it is possible to conserve the eye and vision. Patients need life-long follow-up in case tumour recurrence occurs. After radiotherapy of choroidal and ciliary body melanomas some patients develop exudative and neovascular complications needing treatment. Conclusion Successful management of uveal tumours is based on a firm diagnosis, accurate staging of disease, reliable prognostication and adequate aftercare. [source] A chemical dataset for evaluation of alternative approaches to skin-sensitization testingCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2004G. Frank Gerberick Allergic contact dermatitis resulting from skin sensitization is a common occupational and environmental health problem. In recent years, the local lymph node assay (LLNA) has emerged as a practical option for assessing the skin-sensitization potential of chemicals. In addition to accurate identification of skin sensitizers, the LLNA can also provide a reliable measure of relative sensitization potency, information that is pivotal in successful management of human health risks. However, even with the significant animal welfare benefits provided by the LLNA, there is interest still in the development of non-animal test methods for skin sensitization. Here, we provide a dataset of chemicals that have been tested in the LLNA and the activity of which correspond with what is known of their potential to cause skin sensitization in humans. It is anticipated that this will be of value to other investigators in the evaluation and calibration of novel approaches to skin-sensitization testing. The materials that comprise this dataset encompass both the chemical and biological diversity of known chemical allergens and provide also examples of negative controls. It is hoped that this dataset will accelerate the development, evaluation and eventual validation of new approaches to skin-sensitization testing. [source] Tooth fragment reattachment in multiple complicated permanent incisor crown-root fractures , a report of two casesDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Antoniella Busuttil Naudi Abstract,,, Crown-root fractures account for only 5% of all traumatic injuries; however, they can present difficulties for successful management. This paper describes the treatment of two unrelated children who sustained crown-root fractures, extending subgingivally, in permanent upper central incisor teeth with immature apices. [source] An epidemiological study of myopathies in Warmblood horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008L. M. HUNT Summary Reasons for performing study: There are few detailed reports describing muscular disorders in Warmblood horses. Objectives: To determine the types of muscular disorders that occur in Warmblood horses, along with presenting clinical signs, associated risk factors and response to diet and exercise recommendations, and to compare these characteristics between horses diagnosed with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), those diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder other than PSSM (non-PSSM) and control horses. Methods: Subject details, muscle biopsy diagnosis and clinical history were compiled for Warmblood horses identified from records of biopsy submissions to the University of Minnesota Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory. A standardised questionnaire was answered by owners at least 6 months after receiving the muscle biopsy report for an affected and a control horse. Results: Polysaccharide storage myopathy (72/132 horses) was the most common myopathy identified followed by recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) (7/132), neurogenic or myogenic atrophy (7/132), and nonspecific myopathic changes (14/132). Thirty-two biopsies were normal. Gait abnormality, ,tying-up', Shivers, muscle fasciculations and atrophy were common presenting clinical signs. Forty-five owners completed questionnaires. There were no differences in sex, age, breed, history or management between control, PSSM and non-PSSM horses. Owners that provided the recommended low starch fat supplemented diet and regular daily exercise reported improvement in clinical signs in 68% (19/28) of horses with a biopsy submission and 71% of horses diagnosed with PSSM (15/21). Conclusions: Muscle biopsy evaluation was a valuable tool to identify a variety of myopathies in Warmblood breeds including PSSM and RER. These myopathies often presented as gait abnormalities or overt exertional rhabdomyolysis and both a low starch fat supplemented diet and regular exercise appeared to be important in their successful management. Potential relevance: Warmbloods are affected by a variety of muscle disorders, which, following muscle biopsy diagnosis can be improved through changes in diet and exercise regimes. [source] Psychodrama: helping families to adapt to childhood diabetesEUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 3 2006B Bektas RN. Abstract Effective management of diabetes in children requires a holistic approach that takes into account the roles of diabetes education, treatment and disease management, and the integral role of family relationships. Psychodrama is a group-based psychological support technique that aims to improve the acceptance and understanding of diabetes within the families of diagnosed children. Through group improvisation, role plays and feedback sessions, the families of children with diabetes participate in a cathartic process that helps them to share their problems, benefit from others' insight and feedback and to discuss behavioural changes that will avoid similar problems in the future. The families that participated in this study reported an enhanced understanding of the contribution that relationships with their children have on the successful management of their diabetes. Through recognition of the reasons for their anxieties about their children's diabetes, they were able to address fixed behavioural patterns in a supportive, non-judgmental arena, and to work towards positive change. Their children benefited indirectly through changes in their parents' behaviour and improved communication within their families. A reduction in the children's HbA1c levels was observed through the course of the study, although this could not be considered a direct result of psychodrama. Copyright © 2006 FEND. [source] To tell or not to tell: Men's disclosure of their HIV-positive status to their mothers,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 2 2005Constance L. Shehan Abstract: Disclosing an HIV diagnosis to his mother may be the first step in a man's successful management of his illness, but it may also lead to added stress due to stigmatization. Analyzing data provided by 166 HIV-positive men who lived in the southeastern United States, we found that the most powerful correlate of disclosure was exposure to HIV through homosexual contact. Additionally, those who had AIDS rather than HIV and exhibited more severe symptoms were significantly more likely to have disclosed to their mothers; older and more highly educated men were significantly less likely to have done so. We discuss the implications of our findings for maternal caregiving to adult sons in middle and later life. [source] Un/doing Gender and the Aesthetics of Organizational PerformanceGENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 6 2007Philip Hancock In the age of the so-called ,expressive organization' and the ,aesthetic economy', for an organization to compete in the global marketplace it would appear that it must perform. This does not refer simply to economic performance, but rather to the idea of performance as a means of affecting both people's impressions and definitions of reality. In this article we argue that such performativity is achieved, in part, through the power of symbolism and aesthetics, as well as the capacity to bring oneself into being in an environment in which successful management of the aesthetic has increasingly become a prerequisite for the conferment of recognition. Central to this process are the ways in which the aesthetics of gender are mobilized and indeed simultaneously ,done' and ,undone' in order to affirm particular, but often unstable, regimes of managerially desired meaning. Drawing on the work of Judith Butler, and informed by a critical or hermeneutic structuralism, we are concerned here to think through the relationship between performativity and the gendered organization of the desire for recognition as it is materialized in, and mediated by, the landscaping of corporate artefacts and organizationally compelled ways of un/doing gender. With this in mind, we consider a series of images taken from a sample of recruitment documents that, as cultural configurations that organize and compel particular versions of gender, we argue, are concerned with the production of organizationally legible and therefore viable gendered subjects. [source] Dementia in Parkinson's disease: a post-mortem study in a population of brain donorsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 5 2005S. Papapetropoulos Abstract Objective To identify factors associated with dementia in a cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) brain donors and determine whether its presence may influence the clinical phenotype of the disease. Methods We included 67 consecutive patients with a clinical and pathological diagnosis of PD, who while alive, consented to donate their brains to the University of Miami Brain Endowment BankTM. Dementia and psychiatric complications of PD were diagnosed according to established criteria. Case histories were abstracted and reviewed and comparisons between PD patients with (PD-D, n,=,34) and without (PD, n,=,33) dementia were made. Results Age at death, age at disease onset and disease duration did not differ significantly between PD-D and PD patients. Other symptoms were similar in both groups. Visual hallucinations and bilateral symptoms at diagnosis were significantly higher in PD-D patients. No association between dementia and overall survival duration was found. Although the frequency of depression and psychosis was higher in the PD patients with dementia no statistical significance was reached. The overall lifetime prevalence of dementia in our group was 50.7%. Conclusions Visual hallucinations and bilateral symptoms were associated with dementia in our cohort of PD brain donors. No association between dementia and survival duration was found. Understanding the influence of dementia on the clinical phenotype of the disease and predicting its development is essential for the successful management of PD. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The successful management of organisational change in tourism SMEs: initial findings in UK visitor attractionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008Rune Todnem By Abstract Organisational change management theory for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the tourism industry is an under-researched field. Changing political, economic, social and technological factors can leave unprepared SMEs exposed to external as well as internal pressures, which can lead to underperformance, or in worst case scenario, business failure. This paper, reporting on the findings of exploratory research of nine UK-based visitor attractions, all qualifying as SMEs, suggests that the successful management of change is crucial for SMEs' survival and success. The findings argue that the current approach taken to organisational change management within the industry is bumpy incremental, bumpy continuous and planned. Hence, the paper provides a framework for managing organisational change based on eight critical success factors identified by the study: adaptability and flexibility, commitment and support, communication and co-operation, continuous learning and improvement, formal strategies, motivation and reward, pragmatism, and the right people. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Rhinoceros behaviour: implications for captive management and conservationINTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2006M. HUTCHINS All species of rhinoceros are, to varying degrees, threatened with extinction because of poaching, habitat loss, human-rhinoceros conflict, hunting and civil unrest. Clearly the threats facing the five remaining species (Black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis, White rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum, Greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis, Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus and Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are anthropogenic. Although many disciplines are important for conservation, understanding the behaviour characteristics of a species should be considered a key component when developing wildlife-management and conservation strategies. A general overview of the behaviour of rhinoceros is presented, addressing ecology and social organization, activity and habitat use, feeding strategies, courtship and reproduction, and anti-predator behaviour. The implications of behavioural studies for successful management and husbandry of rhinoceros in captivity are discussed in sections on group size and composition, enclosure design and enrichment programmes, activity patterns, introductions, reproduction, hand-rearing, and health and stress. Finally, there is some discussion about the implications of this knowledge for in situ conservation in relation to designing protected areas, further aspects of animal health and stress, and reintroduction and translocation. A detailed understanding of rhinoceros behaviour is important for survival both in range-country protected areas and captivity, and such knowledge should be used to provide the most appropriate animal care and environments for these species. [source] Medical and Functional Consequences of Anemia in the ElderlyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 3s 2003David Lipschitz MD Anemia is a common problem in the elderly, accounting for significant morbidity and mortality in this population. It also has a negative effect on quality of life. Recent findings have shown that anemia can lead to cardiovascular and neurological complications, such as congestive heart failure and impaired cognitive function. In addition, anemia has been implicated in functional impairment and falls. Available data have shown that the successful management of this condition will not only improve patients' quality of life, but may also prevent the anemia from worsening. [source] Testing alternate ecological approaches to seagrass rehabilitation: links to life-history traitsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Andrew D. Irving Summary 1.,Natural resources and ecosystem services provided by the world's major biomes are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic impacts. Rehabilitation is a common approach to recreating and maintaining habitats, but limitations to the success of traditional techniques necessitate new approaches. 2.,Almost one-third of the world's productive seagrass meadows have been lost in the past 130 years. Using a combined total of three seagrass species at seven sites over 8 years, we experimentally assessed the performance of multiple rehabilitation methods that utilize fundamentally different ecological approaches. 3.,First, traditional methods of transplantation were tested and produced varied survival (0,80%) that was site dependent. Secondly, seedling culture and outplanting produced poor survival (2,9%) but reasonable growth. Finally, a novel method that used sand-filled bags of hessian to overcome limitations of traditional techniques by facilitating recruitment and establishment of seedlings in situ produced recruit densities of 150,350 seedlings m,2, with long-term survival (up to 38 months) ranging from 0 to 72 individuals m,2. 4.,Results indicate that facilitating seagrass recruitment in situ using hessian bags can provide a new tool to alleviate current limitations to successful rehabilitation (e.g. mobile sediments, investment of time and resources), leading to more successful management and mitigation of contemporary losses. Hessian bags have distinct environmental and economic advantages over other methods tested in that they do not damage existing meadows, are biodegradable, quick to deploy, and cost less per hectare (US$16 737) than the estimated ecosystem value of seagrass meadows (US$27 039 year,1). 5.,Synthesis and applications. This research demonstrates how exploring alternate ecological approaches to habitat rehabilitation can expand our collective toolbox for successfully re-creating complex and productive ecosystems, and alleviate the destructive side-effects and low success rates of more traditional techniques. Moreover, new methods can offer economic and environmental solutions to the restrictions placed upon managers of natural resources. [source] Applied issues with predators and predation: editor's introductionJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2002S. J. Ormerod Summary 1,The effects of predation are among the most pervasive in ecology. As parasitoids, parasites, grazers or top carnivores, predators have large influences on the distribution, density, dynamics and evolved traits of other organisms. Effects scale-up to influence community attributes such as species coexistence and ecosystems processes such as production or trophic cascades. 2,Increasingly, however, some of the largest predation issues fall clearly within the scope of applied ecology. They include instances where, due to their ecological attributes and trophic position: (i) predators are valuable to nature conservation, as biocontrol agents, as natural enemies, or as grazers used in rangeland or ecosystem management; (ii) natural or introduced predators are viewed negatively due to effects on conservation, agriculture, forestry, hunting or disease transmission; (iii) predators are affected by human activities such as resource exploitation, or from exposure to factors such as biomagnified pollutants and disturbance; (iv) predators are controversial because different groups view them as either desirable or undesirable. 3,In all these cases, ecologists have a pivotal rôle in facilitating appropriate management. For valued predators, this involves developing sufficient ecological understanding to optimize habitat, increase prey abundance or to reinforce, establish or reintroduce desirable species. For predators considered undesirable, management can involve direct control. In other cases, predation and its consequences can be mitigated by deterrent, exclusion, supplementary feeding, habitat management to favour prey, predator swamping, or by compensating losses financially. These latter strategies are often used where predators are themselves considered too valuable to remove or control. 4,This collection of seven papers illustrates many of these themes by examining contrasting aspects of the applied ecology of Eurasian lynx; by further probing the interaction between predatory birds and red grouse; by exploring the effects of weather on biocontrol; and by illustrating effects on plant species where grazing or seed predation play a dominant rôle. 5,A key lesson from these and other recent papers in the Journal of Applied Ecology is that the successful management of predators depends invariably on understanding adequately the exact ecological context in which predator,prey interactions take place and in which problems arise. With predator-related issues growing rather than diminishing, ecologists will need sufficient resources to maintain current research if they are to provide the understanding required to offer and evaluate sound management. [source] Grasslands, grazing and biodiversity: editors' introductionJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Watkinson A.R. Summary 1Natural, semi-natural and artificial grasslands occur extensively around the globe, but successful management for production and biodiversity poses several dilemmas for conservationists and farmland managers. Deriving from three continents (Africa, Australia and Europe), papers in this Special Profile interface three specific issues: plant responses to grazing, plant invasions and the responses to management of valued grassland biota. 2Although pivotal in grassland management, plant responses to grazing are sometimes difficult to predict. Two alternative approaches are presented here. The first uses natural variations in sheep grazing around a water hole to model the dynamic population response of a chenopod shrub. The second analyses a long-term grazing experiment to investigate the links between plant traits and grazing response. 3Linked often crucially with grazing, but also driven sometimes by extrinsic factors, invasions are often cause for concern in grassland management. The invasions of grasslands by woody plants threatens grassland habitats while the invasions of pastures by alien weeds reduces pasture productivity. The papers in this section highlight how a complementary range of management activities can reduce the abundance of invaders. A final paper highlights how global environmental change is presenting new circumstances in which grassland invasion can occur. 4The impact of grassland management on biodiversity is explored in this Special Profile with specific reference to invertebrates, increasingly recognized both for the intrinsic conservation value of many groups and for their role in ecosystem processes. The potential for manipulating flooding in wet grasslands to increase the soil invertebrate prey of wading birds is illustrated, together with the roles of management and landscape structure in enhancing insect diversity. 5In the face of climate change and growing demands for agricultural productivity, future pressures on grassland ecosystems will intensify. In this system in which productivity and conservation are so closely bound, there is a need both to raise the profile of the issues involved, and to improve our understanding of the applied ecology required for successful management. [source] Managing Emergency Hypertension in Aortic Dissection and Aortic Aneurysm SurgeryJOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 2006Ali Khoynezhad M.D. Similar development has occurred in regard to the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms. Treatment options are medical, surgical, or endovascular. Aortic dissection always presents as a hypertensive emergency and requires parenteral antihypertensive agents to control blood pressure (BP) and prevent target organ damage. Diligent control of BP is of utmost importance in order to stop the progression of dissection with possible aortic branch malperfusion. Treatment for hypertensive emergency begins in the intensive care unit and continues during and after surgery. Improved surgical techniques as well as newer, safer agents that reduce BP to acceptable levels have reduced the risk of mortality and improved prognosis in the postoperative period. Nevertheless, mortality rates remain high, and successful management of aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm still poses a clinical challenge. [source] Paroxysmal Hypertension: The Role of Stress and Psychological FactorsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 7 2008DPhil, Thomas G. Pickering MD This paper reviews the limited literature on paroxysmal hypertension. A case report describes the clinical picture frequently seen in specialty hypertension practice, a patient with paroxysmal or intermittent hypertension who proves not to have a pheochromocytoma. The variety of diagnostic labels given to these patients is reviewed, including pseudopheochromocytoma, panic attacks, and hyperventilation syndrome. The clinical features, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of these syndromes are outlined. It is proposed that successful management of these patients may be best achieved by collaborative care between a hypertension specialist and a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist with expertise in cognitive-behavioral panic management, stress-reduction techniques including controlled breathing, and treating health anxiety. The use of drugs effective for treatment of panic disorder can also be helpful in managing these patients. [source] |