Search

Copyright of Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The bulking agent NASHA Dx injected into the submucosal layer is effective in the treatment of fecal incontinence (FI) at short-and medium-term follow-up but efficacy after injection in the intersphincteric location is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the short- and long-term efficacy and safety of NASHA Dx injected into the intersphincteric location for FI. Methods: Patients were recruited from referrals to our Department for treatment of FI in November 2008–January 2010. Eligible patients were injected with 8 ml of NASHA Dx. Patients with a subtotal treatment effect were retreated after 2–4 weeks. The change in number of fecal incontinence episodes, the proportion of responders defined as at least 50% decrease in number of FI episodes and side effects were the main outcome measures. Results: Sixteen patients, 15 women and 1 man with a median age of 68, 5 (range 44–80) years and a median CCFIS of 15 (range 10–19) were included in the study. The median number of incontinence episodes decreased from 21.5 (range 8–61) at baseline to 10 (range 0–30) at 6 months (p = 0.003) and 6 (range 0–44) at 12 months (p = 0.05). The median number of incontinence episodes in the 11 patients completing the 10-year follow-up was 26.5 (range 0–68). The percentage of responders at 12 months and 10 years were 56% and 27%, respectively. Mild to moderate pain at the injection site was described by 69%. There was one case of mild infection, successfully treated with antibiotics and one implant had to be removed due to dislocation. Conclusions: NASHA Dx as an intersphincteric implant improves incontinence symptoms in the short term with moderate side effects and can be used alone or as an adjunct to other treatment modalities. Long-term efficacy was observed in 27%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) is the most common surgical procedure for slow transit constipation (STC). A hemicolectomy has been suggested as an alternative to IRA with good short-term results. However, long-term results are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term results after hemicolectomy as a treatment for STC. Methods: Fifty patients with STC were selected for right- or left-sided hemicolectomy after evaluation with colonic scintigraphy from 1993 to 2008. Living patients (n = 43) received a bowel function questionnaire and a questionnaire about patient-reported outcome. Results: After a median follow-up of 19.8 years, 13 patients had undergone rescue surgery (n = 12) or used irrigation (n = 1) and were classified as failures. In all, 30 were evaluable for functional outcome and questionnaire data for 19 patients (due to 11 non-responding) could be analysed. Two reported deterioration after several years and were also classified as failures. Median stool frequency remained increased from 1 per week at baseline to 5 per week at long-term follow-up (p = 0.001). Preoperatively, all patients used laxatives, whereas 12 managed without laxatives at long-term follow-up (p = 0.002). There was some reduction in other constipation symptoms but not statically significant. In the patients' global assessment, 10 stated a very good result, seven a good result and two a poor result. Conclusions: Hemicolectomy for STC increases stool frequency and reduces laxative use. Long-term success rate could range between 17/50 (34%) and 35/50 (70%) depending on outcome among non-responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Faecal incontinence (FI) is distressing, significantly reduces quality of life (QoL) and has few pharmacological treatments. The α-adrenoceptor agonist NRL001 (1R,2S-methoxamine hydrochloride) improves anal sphincter tone. NRL001 efficacy was evaluated by changes in Wexner scores at week 4 vs. baseline in NRL001-treated patients compared with placebo. Impact of NRL001 on QoL and safety were also assessed. Methods: Four hundred sixty-six patients received NRL001 (5, 7.5 or 10 mg) or placebo as suppository, once daily over 8 weeks. Wexner score, Vaizey score and QoL were analysed at baseline, week 4 and week 8. FI episodes and adverse events were recorded in diaries. Results: At week 4, mean reductions in Wexner scores were −3.0, −2.6, −2.6 and −2.4 for NRL001 5, 7.5, 10 mg and placebo, respectively. All reduced further by week 8. As placebo responses also improved, there was no significant treatment effect at week 4 ( p = 0.6867) or week 8 ( p = 0.5005). FI episode frequency improved for all patients, but not significantly compared with placebo (week 4: p = 0.2619, week 8: p = 0.5278). All patients' QoL improved, but not significantly for all parameters ( p > 0.05) except depression/self-perception at week 4 ( p = 0.0102) and week 8 ( p = 0.0069), compared with placebo. Most adverse events were mild and judged probably or possibly related to NRL001. Conclusions: All groups demonstrated improvement in efficacy and QoL compared with baseline. NRL001 was well-tolerated without serious safety concerns. Despite the improvement in all groups, there was no statistically significant treatment effect, underlining the importance of relating results to a placebo arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenically induced siltation has serious effects on micro-habitat diversity and thus on aquatic organisms in lotic systems. The present study deals with the impact of siltation on the macroinvertebrate community in the River Lafnitz, south-eastern Austria. Our aim was to examine various ecological parameters in a meandering river stretch. The results significantly show (1) a generally lower taxa diversity, (2) a dominance of tolerant taxa such as Chironomidae and a clear reduction of sensitive taxa such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (EPT-taxa) and (3) overall lower abundances and biomass in sandy fractions. The present case study highlights various processes of fine sediment sources and sinks. While in most cases, fine sediment input is locally caused by erosion of adjacent terrestrial areas, even small-scale channelization of meandering rivers leads to subsequent trapping of huge sandy fractions especially in morphologically natural river sections. This inconspicuous but steady process is a risk to biodiversity and masks serious ecological degradation. Suitable management and restoration measures for anthropogenically silted rivers are therefore strongly recommendable. In summary, the study underlines the sensitivity of meandering systems and its dependence on catchment scale degradation and questions the reversibility of human impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stabilized non-animal hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (NASHA Dx) gel as injectable bulking therapy has been shown to decrease symptoms of faecal incontinence, but the durability of treatment and effects and influence on quality of life (QoL) is not known. The aim of this study was to assess the effects on continence and QoL and to evaluate the relationship between QoL and efficacy up to 2 years after treatment. Methods: Thirty-four patients (5 males, mean age 61, range 34-80) were injected with 4 × 1 ml NASHA Dx in the submucosal layer. The patients were followed for 2 years with registration of incontinence episodes, bowel function and QoL questionnaires. Results: Twenty-six patients reported sustained improvement after 24 months. The median number of incontinence episodes before treatment was 22 and decreased to 10 at 12 months ( P = 0.0004) and to 7 at 24 months ( P = 0.0026). The corresponding Miller incontinence scores were 14, 11 ( P = 0.0078) and 10.5 ( P = 0.0003), respectively. There was a clear correlation between the decrease in the number of leak episodes and the increase in the SF-36 Physical Function score but only patients with more than 75 % improvement in the number of incontinence episodes had a significant improvement in QoL at 24 months. Conclusions: Anorectal injection of NASHA Dx gel induces improvement of incontinence symptoms for at least 2 years. The treatment has a potential to improve QoL. A 75 % decrease in incontinence episodes may be a more accurate threshold to indicate a successful incontinence treatment than the more commonly used 50 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Epileptologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We evaluated 516 species and/or subspecies of European stoneflies for vulnerability to climate change according to autoecological data. The variables considered were stream zonation preference, altitude preference, current preference, temperature range preference, endemism and rare species. Presence in ecoregions was used to analyse the vulnerability of taxa in relation to their distribution. We selected the variables that provided information on vulnerability to change in climate. Thus, we chose strictly crenal taxa, high-altitude taxa, rheobionts, cold stenotherm taxa, micro-endemic taxa and rare taxa. Our analysis showed that at least 324 taxa (62.79%) can be included in one or more categories of vulnerability to climate change. Of these, 43 taxa would be included in three or more vulnerability categories, representing the most threatened taxa. The most threatened species and the main factors affecting their distribution are discussed. Endangered potamal species, with populations that have decreased mainly as a consequence of habitat alteration, also could suffer from the effects of climate change. Thus, the total number of taxa at risk is particularly high. Not only are a great diversity of European stoneflies concentrated in the Alps, Pyrenees and Iberian Peninsula, but so are the most vulnerable taxa. These places are likely to be greatly affected by climate change according to climate models. In general, an impoverishment of European Plecoptera taxa will probably occur as a consequence of climate change, and only taxa with wide tolerance ranges will increase in abundance, resulting in lower overall faunal diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite many studies of the N2O emission, there is a lack of knowledge on the role of subsoil for N2O emission, particularly in sandy soils. To obtain insight into the entrapment, diffusion, convection and ebullition of N2O in the soil, the N2O concentration in the soil atmosphere was measured over a period of 1 year in 4 lysimeters (agricultural soil monoliths of 1 m2 × 2 m) at 30, 50, 80, 155, and 190 cm depth with altogether 86 gas probes. Additionally the N2O emission into the atmosphere was measured in 20 closed chambers at the soil surface. Concurrently the soil temperature and soil water content were recorded in order to quantify their effects on the fate of N2O in the soil. Results of the continuous measurements between January and December 2006 were: N2O concentrations were highest in the deeper soil; maximum concentration was found at a depth of 80 cm, where the water content was high and the gas transport reduced. The highest N2O concentration was recorded after ‘special events’ like snowmelt, heavy rain, fertilization, and grubbing. The combination of fertilization and heavy rain led to an increase of up to 2,700 ppb in the subsoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritonectomy with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has shown a survival benefit in selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. This prospective non-randomized study was designed to identify factors associated with postoperative morbidity and survival after peritonectomy HIPEC in patients with this condition. Data were prospectively collected from all patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis treated by means of peritonectomy and HIPEC at Uppsala University Hospital between October 2003 and September 2006. Depending on the primary tumor, mitomycin C or a platinum compound was used as a chemotherapeutic agent for perfusion. A total of 103 patients were treated. Primary tumors were pseudomyxoma peritonei (47 patients), colorectal cancer (38 patients), gastric cancer (6 patients), ovarian cancer (6 patients) and mesothelioma (5 patients). Postoperative morbidity was 56.3% and was significantly lower in patients treated with mitomycin C for pseudomyxoma peritonei (42%) than in those with another diagnosis treated with platinum compound (71%, P < 0.05). Postoperative mortality was less than 1%. At 2 years, overall survival was estimated to be 72.3%, and disease-free survival was 33.5%. Factors influencing overall and disease-free survival were tumor type and optimal cytoreduction. Postoperative morbidity is dependent mainly on a tumor type; however, the chemotherapeutic agent used might also influence morbidity. Survival is determined by optimal cytoreduction and tumor type. Irrespective of age, patients with good performance status benefit from this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis for slow transit constipation (STC) is being challenged by other operations, such as segmental resections. The importance of preoperative anorectal physiology testing may therefore be increased. The aim of this study was to identify anorectal abnormalities in patients with STC, which may influence the surgical approach. Fifty consecutive patients with STC (43 women; median age, 49 years) and 28 controls (23 women; median age, 50 years) were examined with anorectal manovolumetry. Anal pressures and rectal volumes were recorded, at stepwise rectal distension. Anal resting pressure was lower in patients (median, 54 cm H2O; range, 22–130) than in controls (median, 68 cm H2O; range, 35–100) ( p<0.05). Squeeze pressure tended to be lower in patients (median, 147 cm H2O; range, 53–382) than in controls (median, 177 cm H2O; range, 65–423) ( p=0.09). Rectal sensory thresholds did not differ significantly between patients and controls, although 10 patients had a threshold for filling above the 95th percentile of controls. Rectal compliance was increased in patients in the pressure interval 5–35 cm H2O ( p<0.05–0.01). The threshold and amplitude of the recto-anal inhibitory reflex did not differ significantly, but the recovery of resting pressure after eliciting the reflex was lower in patients than in controls in the pressure interval 10–50 cm H2O ( p<0.05–0.001). More than half of the patients with STC deviated in some parameter. An impaired internal sphincter function and increased rectal compliance were seen. One fifth of the patients had impaired rectal sensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with peritoneal or local metastases from colorectal cancer have a poor prognosis. However, aggressive treatments by debulking surgery and infusional intraperitoneal (i.p.) chemotherapy have been tried and appear to benefit selected patients. We assayed the effects of debulking surgery and i.p. chemotherapy with respect to survival and compared the results with matched control patients treated by intravenous (i.v.) chemotherapy. In all, 18 patients with peritoneal and/or local metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma underwent debulking surgery followed by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 550?mg?m-2?day-1 i.p. and leucovorin (LV) 60?mg?m-2?day-1 i.v. The chemotherapy was started the day after surgery and was given daily for 6 days and repeated monthly for totally eight courses. The control patients, matched for age, gender, performance status and metastatic site, were randomly selected from controlled clinical chemotherapy trials and treated with i.v. 5-FU+LV or i.v. methotrexate+5-FU+LV. There was no treatment-related mortality. The median survival among i.p. patients was 32 months compared to 14 months in the control group. In all, 11 patients who underwent macroscopically radical surgery had a longer survival than those who were not radically operated (P=0.02). These results indicate that patients with peritoneal metastases and/or locally advanced cancers but without distant metastases may benefit from cytoreductive surgery combined with i.p. chemotherapy.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 90, 403-407. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601586 www.bjcancer.com [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The representation of the visual field in the primate lateral intraparietal area (LIP) was examined, using a rapid, computer-driven receptive field (RF) mapping procedure. RF characteristics of single LIP neurons could thus be measured repeatedly under different behavioral conditions. Here we report data obtained using a standard ocular fixation task during which the animals were required to monitor small changes in color of the fixated target. In a first step, statistical analyses were conducted in order to establish the experimental limits of the mapping procedure on 171 LIP neurons recorded from three hemispheres of two macaque monkeys. The characteristics of the receptive fields of LIP neurons were analyzed at the single cell and at the population level. Although for many neurons the assumption of a simple two-dimensional gaussian profile with a central area of maximal excitability at the center and progressively decreasing response strength at the periphery can represent relatively accurately the spatial structure of the RF, about 19% of the cells had a markedly asymmetrical shape. At the population level, we observed, in agreement with prior studies, a systematic relation between RF size and eccentricity. However, we also found a more accentuated overrepresentation of the central visual field than had been previously reported and no marked differences between the upper and lower visual representation of space. This observation correlates with an extension of the definition of LIP from the posterior third of the lateral intraparietal sulcus to most of the middle and posterior thirds. Detailed histological analyses of the recorded hemispheres suggest that there exists, in this newly defined unitary functional cortical area, a coarse but systematic topographical organization in area LIP that supports the distinction between its dorsal and ventral regions, LIPd and LIPv, respectively. Paralleling the physiological data, the central visual field is mostly represented in the middle dorsal region and the visual periphery more ventral and posterior. An anteroposterior gradient from the lower to the upper visual field representations can also be identified. In conclusion, this study provides the basis for a reliable mapping method in awake monkeys and a reference for the organization of the properties of the visual space representation in an area LIP extended with respect to the previously described LIP and showing a relative emphasis of central visual field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper new concepts and developments are presented for structural analysis involving uncertain parameters. Based on a classification of the uncertainties in structural analysis the uncertainty “fuzziness” is identified and its quantification is demonstrated. On the basis of fuzzy set theory a general method for fuzzy structural analysis is developed and formulated in terms of the α-level optimization with the application of a modified evolution strategy. Every known analysis algorithm for the realistic simulation of load-bearing behavior may be applied in the fuzzy structural analysis in the sense of a deterministic fundamental solution. By way of example, geometrically and physically nonlinear algorithms are adopted in the presented study as a deterministic fundamental solution for the analysis of steel and reinforced concrete structures. The paper also describes coupling between α-level optimization and the deterministic fundamental solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The otolith system contributes to the vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VOR) when the head moves linearly in the horizontal plane or tilts relative to gravity. The saccules are thought to detect predominantly accelerations along the gravity vector. Otolith-induced vertical eye movements following vertical linear accelerations are attributed to the saccules. However, information on the neural circuits of the sacculo-ocular system is limited, and the effects of saccular inputs on extraocular motoneurons remain unclear. In the present study, synaptic responses to saccular-nerve stimulation were recorded intracellularly from identified motoneurons of all twelve extraocular muscles. Experiments were successfully performed in eleven cats. Individual motoneurons of the twelve extraocular muscles – the bilateral superior recti (SR), inferior recti (IR), superior obliques (SO), inferior obliques (IO), lateral recti (LR), and medial recti (MR) – were identified antidromically following bipolar stimulation of their respective nerves. The saccular nerve was selectively stimulated by a pair of tungsten electrodes after removing the utricular nerve and the ampullary nerves of the semicircular canals. Stimulus intensities were determined from the stimulus-response curves of vestibular N1 field potentials in order to avoid current spread. Intracellular recordings were performed from 129 extraocular motoneurons. The majority of the neurons showed no response to saccular-nerve stimulation. In 17 (30%) of 56 extraocular motoneurons related to vertical eye movements (bilateral SR and IR), depolarizing and/or hyperpolarizing postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) were observed in response to saccular-nerve stimulation. The latencies of PSPs ranged from 2.3 to 8.9 ms, indicating that the extraocular motoneurons received neither monosynaptic nor disynaptic inputs from saccular afferents. The majority of the latencies of the depolarization, including depolarization-hyperpolarization, were in the range of 2.3–3.3 ms. Latencies of hyperpolarizations were typically longer than those of depolarizations. Only one contralateral SO motoneuron of 43 recorded oblique extraocular motoneurons (bilateral SO and IO) showed a depolarization-hyperpolarization in response to saccular-nerve stimulation at a latency of 2.5 ms. None of 30 recorded horizontal extraocular motoneurons (bilateral LR and MR) responded to stimulation of the saccular nerve. The neural linkage in the sacculo-ocular system is relatively weak in comparison to the utriculo-ocular and sacculo-collic systems, suggesting that the role of the sacculo-ocular system in stabilizing eye position may be reduced when compared with utriculo-ocular and semicircular canal-ocular reflexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the longitudinal high-pressure zone (HPZ) profile between incontinent patients and healthy controls. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six patients with fecal incontinence (mean age 63 yr; 139 women, 17 men) and 25 healthy controls (mean age 54 yr; 20 women, five men) underwent anorectal manometry with a perfused catheter using a station pull-through technique. RESULTS: Maximum resting pressure (MRP) and maximum squeeze pressure (MSP) were lower in patients (p < 0.001) and the HPZ was shorter in patients (p < 0.05). The ratio MRP/sum of resting pressures within HPZ did not differ between the groups. The severity of incontinence measured as an incontinence score was correlated to MSP (p < 0.05) and sum of squeeze pressure within HPZ (p < 0.05), but not to any other variable. The relative pressure amount during rest in the distal half of HPZ was higher in controls (63% vs 56%, p< 0.05). but this was not seen during squeeze. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the main difference between incontinent patients and healthy controls is a greater magnitude of the pressure profile in the latter group. Furthermore, the relative pressure accumulation during rest tended to be more distally located within the HPZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A possible connection between solar radio emission from 1.0 to 9.4 GHz and the interplanetary sector boundaries has been previously reported in the literature. The present research does not support the previous work as expected. The 9.1 cm activity appears to be organized around sector boundaries only in a very limited sense in that the distribution of very strong active regions peaks near the −/+ boundaries. However, this phenomenon is only observed during the most active part of the solar cycle. A peculiar asymmetry is found regarding the length of the positive and negative sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apparent height of radio sources above the photosphere was determined for the period of 1968-1971, by a method which makes use of the displacement in latitude of the centroid of the radio emission relative to the associated optical feature. The apparent height fell progressively in time by amounts that would not have been noticeable in earlier observations. Furthermore, in any given year the height was found to depend on latitude, being larger at low latitudes. It remains to be seen to what extent these variations represent real changes in height and to what extent they are apparent. In either case, modification of solar atmospheric models will be required to account for these previously unreported phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fixed platform (Fig.3), installed 100 m from the shoreline in 3 m water depth, was instrumented with velocity, temperature and wave-height sensors. 132 data (10 minutes averages) were analysed to calculate the wind stress; from these, 99 data were used to investigate the vertical distribution of the wind stress; all data are presented with Table 1. It was postulated that the total stress, τ being constant with height, is made up additively of two components, the wave-supporting stress, τ, and the turbulent stress, τ; see Eq. 1. The vertical distribution of these two components is shown schematically in Fig. 1. The total stress, τ, evaluated outside the zone of wave influence, is given in the classical way with Fig. 4. The wave-supporting stress, τ( z), was evaluated from the data according to a relation proposed by Kitaigorodskii et al. (1984); it is given with Fig. 5. A height-dependency is clearly evident. The turbulent stress τ( z), was evaluated with data of the velocity gradient; it is given with Fig. 6. A height-dependency is not evident. The field data from the lake of Geneva give evidence that the additive relation of Eq. 1 seems to be justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Meteorology & Atmospheric Physics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Meteorology & Atmospheric Physics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Meteorology & Atmospheric Physics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics/Fortschritte der Kieferorthopadie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of Colorectal Disease is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of Colorectal Disease is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Second-order vestibular neurons form the central links of the vestibulo-oculomotor three-neuron arcs that mediate compensatory eye movements. Most of the axons that provide for vertical vestibulo-ocular reflexes ascend in the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) toward target neurons in the oculomotor and trochlear nuclei. We have now determined the morphology of individual excitatory second-order neurons of the anterior semicircular canal system that course outside the MLF to the oculomotor nucleus. The data were obtained by the intracellular horseradish peroxidase method. Cell somata of the extra-MLF anterior canal neurons were located in the superior vestibular nucleus. The main axon ascended through the deep reticular formation beneath the brachium conjunctivum to the rostral extent of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis, where it crossed the midline. The main axon continued its trajectory to the caudal edge of the red nucleus from where it coursed back toward the oculomotor nucleus. Within the oculomotor nucleus, collaterals reached superior rectus and inferior oblique motoneurons. Some axon branches recrossed the midline within the oculomotor nucleus and reached the superior rectus motoneuron subdivision on that side. Since these neurons did not give off a collateral toward the spinal cord, they were classified as being of the vestibulo-oculomotor type and are thought to be involved exclusively in eye movement control. The signal content and spatial tuning characteristics of this anterior canal vestibulo-oculomotor neuron class remain to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray photography was employed to analyse the postural syndromes following unilateral global and selective lesions of the vestibular apparatus in guinea pigs. Following hemilabyrinthectomy, head rotation in the horizontal plane resulted mainly from rotation of the cervical vertebrae whereas lateral head tilt was due to the rotation of thoracic vertebrae about the longitudinal axis. These results support our previous conclusion that because of both resting posture and intrinsic biomechanical constraints, the number of degrees of freedom of the cervical column is reduced and the cervical vertebrae are functionally specialized. Selective lesions of the vestibular apparatus have aided in determining the origin of the different components of the hemilabyrinthectomy syndrome: rotation of thoracic vertebrae was caused by unilateral lesion of the otolithic system whereas rotation of the head in the horizontal plane resulted from unilateral lesion of the horizontal semicircular canal system. We conclude that the functional segmentation of the cervical column corresponds to a differential distribution of vestibular afferents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To follow the biodistribution of exogenous hyaluronan in tumor-bearing animals, a total of seventeen inbred rats with hepatic metastases from a colonic adenocarcinoma received 125I-labelled hyaluronan by intravenous injections. Group I received only labeled hyaluronan (25 μg), whereas group II received 2.5 mg chondroitin sulphate prior to labeled hyaluronan, to block receptor uptake in normal liver endothelial cells. Animals in group III received intravenous, as well as intraperitoneal chondroitin sulphate (2.5 mg), to see if a better and prolonged blocking could be achieved. Radioactivity was visualized by whole body autoradiography, using phosphorimaging and the average radioactivity determined as phosphoimaging density units of the total area of hepatic metastases, normal liver, and skeletal muscle by computer-based image analysis. At 5 h, tumors in groups II and III showed higher uptake (4.8 ±1.8, P = .01 and 3.6 ±1.1, P = .01, respectively), in comparison to group I (1.8 ±0.6), and the mean normal liver/tumor concentration ratio was reduced from 21.4 ±10.1 in group I to 5.7 ±2.7 in group II and 3.5 ±1.1 in group III (P = .008 and P = .01, respectively). Our study shows that hyaluronan targets liver metastases of a colon adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, chondroitin sulphate pretreatment increases tumor uptake, while uptake at normal receptor sites is significantly reduced. The results also suggest that after blocking of normal hyaluronan/chondroitin sulphate receptors in healthy tissue, hyaluronan may be used to deliver drugs to specific hyaluronan receptor-positive sites of pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of vertical canal related second order vestibular neurons in the cat was studied with the intracellular horseradish peroxidase method. Neurons were identified by their monosynaptic potentials following electrical stimulation via bipolar electrodes implanted into individual semicircular canal ampullae. Anterior and posterior canal neurons projected primarily to contralateral or ipsilateral motoneuron pools (excitatory and inhibitory pathways, respectively). The axons of contralaterally projecting neurons crossed the midline at the level of the abducens nucleus and bifurcated into an ascending and a descending main branch which travelled in the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF). Two types of anterior canal neurons were observed, one with unilateral and one with bilateral oculomotor projection sites. For both neuron classes, the major termination sites were in the. contralateral superior rectus and inferior oblique subdivisions of the oculomotor nucleus. In neurons which terminated bilaterally, major collaterals recrossed the midline within the oculomotor nucleus to reach the ipsilateral superior rectus motoneuron pool. Other, less extensive, termination sites of both neuron classes were in the contralateral vestibular nuclear complex, the facial nucleus, the medullary and pontine reticular formation, midline areas within and neighboring the raphé nuclei, and the trochlear nucleus. The ascending main axons continued further rostrally to reach the interstitial nucleus of Cajal and areas around the fasciculus retroflexus. The descending branches proceeded further caudal in the medial vestibulo-spinal tract but were not followed to their spinal target areas. In addition to two previously described posterior canal related neuron types (Graf et al. 1983), we found neurons with bilateral oculomotor terminals and a spinal collateral. Typical for posterior canal neurons, the major termination sites were in the trochlear nucleus (superior oblique motoneurons) and in the inferior rectus subdivision of the oculomotor nucleus. Axon collaterals recrossed the midline to reach ipsilateral inferior rectus motoneurons. The axons of ipsilaterally projecting neurons ascended through the reticular formation to join the MLF caudal to the trochlear nucleus. The main target sites of anterior canal related neurons were in the trochlear nucleus and the inferior rectus subdivision of the oculomotor nucleus. Minor collaterals reached the pontine reticular formation and areas in between the fiber bundles of the ipsilateral MLF. In some cases, small collaterals crossed the midline within the oculomotor nucleus to terminate in the inferior rectus subdivision on the contralateral side. The axon proceeded further rostral to project to the interstitial nucleus of Cajal and beyond. The main termination sites of posterior canal neurons were in the superior rectus and inferior oblique subdivisions of the oculomotor nucleus. Minor collaterals were also observed to reach the midline area within the oculomotor nucleus, however, prospective contralateral termination sites could not be identified. More rostral projections were found in the interstitial nucleus of Cajal. The described axonal arborization of second order vestibular neurons reflects the organization of intrinsic coordinate systems as exemplified by the geometry of the semicircular canal and the extraocular muscle planes. These neurons are interpreted to provide a matrix for coordinate system transformation, i.e. from vestibular into oculomotor reference frames, and to play a role in gaze control and related reflexes by distributing their signals to multiple termination sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orientation of the cervical vertebral column was studied by X-ray photography of the region containing the head and the neck in nine unrestrained species of vertebrates (man, monkey, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, chicken, frog, lizard). In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canals was measured in four species using landmarks on the skull. In all vertebrates studied, with the exception of frog and lizard, the general orientation of the cervical vertebral column was vertical when animals were at rest, and not horizontal or oblique as suggested by the macroscopic appearance of the neck. The posture of the animal, whether lying, sitting or standing, had little effect on this general vertical orientation, although some variability was noticed depending on the species. This finding prompted the definition of a resting zone, where the cervical column can take any orientation within a narrow range around a mean position. The cervical vertebral column composes part of the S-shaped structure of the entire vertebral column, with one inflection around the cervico-thoracic (C7/Th1) junction. This feature is already noticable in the lizard. The vertical orientation of the cervical vertebral column is interpreted to provide a stable and energy saving balance of the head. Furthermore, when the head is lowered or raised, the atlantooccipital and cervico-thoracic junctions are predominantly involved, while the entire cervical column largely preserves its intrinsic configuration. The curved configuration of the cervico-thoracic vertebral column embedded in long spring-like muscles is interpreted to function as a shock absorber. At rest, animals did not hold their heads with the horizontal canals oriented earth horizontally all the time, but often maintained them pitched up by ca. 5 deg, as has been reported for man. At other times, presumably when the vigilance level increased, the horizontal canals were brought into the earth horizontal plane. The vertical orientation of the cervical column results in a vertical positioning of the odontoid process of the axis (second cervical vertebra, C2), which thus provides the axis of rotation for yaw movements of the head. This axis corresponds to that of the horizontal semicircular canals. The vertical organization of the cervical vertebral column in birds and mammals, whether the animal is quadrupedal or bipedal, points to a common organizational principle for eye and head movement systems. These movements may be subserved by common neuronal elements controlling gaze and related reflexes (vestibular, optokinetic, cervical), with parallel rotational axes of the head, the horizontal semicircular canals, and the horizontal extraocular muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The responses of vestibular nuclei neurons of relaxed unaesthetized goldfish have been examined with trapezoid velocity stimuli under three conditions. Responses to horizontal body rotation in the dark (pure vestibular stimulation) resemble those observed in vestibular nerve afferents. Optokinetic responses to exclusive visual surround-motion are also direction-specific and, in contrast to vestibular responses, exhibit a tonic response to constant velocity. They show three different response profiles, classified A, B or C, based on the neuron's discharge rate: either increasing, decreasing or remaining constant once surround motion is maintained at constant velocity. Following these dynamic effects, optokinetic responses have a maintained modulation of resting discharge until deceleration commences. The time constants associated with the dynamic effects vary between 1 and 11 seconds. Steady-state modulation of optokinetic responses shows a weak relation to stimulus velocities exceeding 10 deg/sec. Responses to body rotation in the light were found to linearly combine the weighted vestibular and optokinetic responses so that accurate velocity information is available for sensory and motor functions independent of the neuron's vestibular (I, II) or optokinetic (A, B, C) response type. The principle of this visual-vestibular interaction is discussed with respect to multisensory processing within the vestibular nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple model of the vestibular-ocular reflex with a proprioceptive eye velocity feedback loop is used to simulate recent data on the vestibular responses of neurons in the vestibular nuclei of spinal goldfish. The data support the hypothesis that a proprioceptive feedback loop elongates the vestibular nucleus time constant to equal that of the slow phase eye movements of vestibular nystagmus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active regions that are sources of microwave solar emission should appear displaced in latitude relative to the associated optical feature and from this displacement it should be possible to deduce the height. Although the displacement is only about one-third of a min of arc at the most, it was found possible, in an investigation based on 1264 cases in 1970, to obtain a height with a precision as good as or better than has generally been achieved in previous studies based on the rate of motion in longitude. This success could be due to the possibility of using large quantities of data or to tolerance of the method to both terrestrial atmospheric refraction and proper motion in heliographic longitude. The result obtained for 1970 was 18000 ± 5000 km (standard deviation). Application of the latitude method at other wavelengths would be desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Aquatic Sciences is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Klinische Wochenschrift is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A differential equation representing radiation solutions of the general relativistic Weyl equation is derived. Their optical properties and the group of motion of the corresponding energy-momentum tensor are studied. If there exists neutrino radiation the Riemann space must be algebraically special and the propagation of the neutrinos occurs only along one of the principal null directions. Gravitational- and neutrino pp-waves taken together, represent an exact solution of the Weyl-Einstein system of field equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Monatshefte Für Chemie Und Verwandte Teile Anderer Wissenschaften is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A 2 8/12-year-old boy showed an unusual course of a Legionella pneumophila infection with severe dyspnea, longterm loss of conscience (5 days) and permanent persistence of pulmonary obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]