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Background: Local flaps are widely used to cover fingertip defects. Errors in design or technical execution of the flap may lead to morbidity and additional surgical procedure. The purpose of this study was to review flap related complications requiring unplanned secondary surgery to characterize preventable issues. Methods: 851 local flaps were used to reconstruct fingertip defects during a 9-year period. Patients requiring unplanned secondary surgery to address flap related complications were subjected to analysis. Results: 31 of 851 flaps (3.6%) required unplanned secondary surgery because of flap related complications. The most reliable flap was VY advancement flap with only one (0.3%) re-operation. The reverse vascular island flap, cross finger flap, and neurovascular island flap were associated with the comparable number of complications (8.0%; 6.3%; and 3.8% respectively). Total or partial necrosis was the cause for re-operation in 6 patients (0.7%). The typical reason for secondary surgery was inadequate soft tissue cover of the tip with homodigital neurovascular island flap and flexion contracture with reverse vascular island flap. Cross finger flaps were revised because of poor graft take at the donor site, bulky flap or flap necrosis. Conclusions: Local flaps are reliable operations to cover fingertip defects. Each flap has potential pitfalls, which may be avoided if the surgeon is aware of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The energy wood procurement possibilities for the eight regions making up Northwest Russia were assessed. Wood byproducts from logging and mechanical wood processing were considered for energy production based on actual cut, sawmill and plywood production figures for 2006. Of the total calculated potential of 31 million solid m3 (62 TWh), nearly 70% (21.8 million m3) is from logging. The remainder (9 million m3) is from sawmill and plywood production. The approximate available energy wood by region would be: 2.3 million m3 from the Republic of Karelia, 2.7 million m3 from the Republic of Komi, 5.4 million m3 from Arkhangelsk, 4.6 million m3 from Vologda, 3.8 million m3 from Leningrad, 2.0 million m3 from Novgorod, 0.8 million m3 from Pskov, and 41,000 m3 from the Murmansk region. There are large differences in the potentials between and within the regions. This is due to the differences in their forest resources; differences in their utilisation of these resources; the available infrastructures; and some limitations on logging. Nearly 65% of all the potential energy wood from logging is non-industrial roundwood, 19% is spruce stumps removed after final felling, 8% is unused branches and tops, and 8% is defective wood resulting from logging. About 58% of the total potential energy wood from logging is coniferous. However, there are large differences between the regions and within the regions in the species proportions. Currently about 40% of the allowable cut is used. This means that it would be possible to intensify the utilisation of the forest resources and thereby also to increase the use of wood for energy production. Full implementation of the allowable cut could provide 73.5 million m3 of energy wood (147 TWh). In addition, if the technical potential for thinnings is utilised, the total potential energy wood provided by logging, and mechanical wood processing could be 104 million m3 (208 TWh). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights the European Concerted Action, a conference concerning microbial ecology in Barcelona, Spain. Objectives of the conference; Emphasis on the issue of microbial ecology; Effects of dietary factors on colonization resistance.

Discusses the proceedings of an international conference entitled The Role of Boreal Forests and Forestry in the Global Carbon Budget was held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 8 to 12 May, 2000 to examine the present state of understanding of this subject, hosted by the Canadian Forest Service, the conference attracted nearly 300 scientists, forest managers, and policy advisors from around. Themes of the conference, including spectrum of research, broken into four themes, including boreal forest carbon budgets, monitoring and measuring boreal forest carbon fluxes and stocks, forestry practices for carbon management and social and economic issues, including implications of the Kyoto Protocol. Publications which capture the current scientific understanding of the contribution of boreal forests and forestry to the global carbon cycle, as presented at this conference, was captured in a series of publications.

Haapasaari, P., Michielsens, C. G. J., Karjalainen, T. P., Reinikainen, K., and Kuikka, S. 2007. Management measures and fishers' commitment to sustainable exploitation: a case study of Atlantic salmon fisheries in the Baltic Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 825–833. Fisheries management aimed at sustainable exploitation may affect fish populations indirectly by influencing human behaviour. We propose a methodology that includes stakeholders' opinions, perceptions, and resulting behaviour, within assessment models designed to evaluate the impact of different management measures on the stocks. Based on interviews and a questionnaire, we use a Bayesian belief network to examine which factors determine fishers' commitment to sustainable fisheries goals, what impact commitment has on exploitation rate, and what measures can be taken to improve commitment. In addition to exploring alternative management measures, the analysis evaluates knowledge actions (providing information to fishers) and commitment actions (intended to increase trust, consensus, and cooperation). The method is applied in a Baltic Sea case study in which commitment is important for successful recovery of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stocks. The results indicate that the more fishers rely on fishing as their source of income, the less is their commitment and the smaller is the impact of changes in commitment on subsequent catches. The results suggest that commitment can be improved by selecting management measures favoured by fishers and by combining them with commitment and knowledge actions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This review describes various in vivo animal models (humans; conventional animals administered antimicrobial agents and animals species used; gnotobiotic and germ-free animals), in vitro models (luminal and mucosal), and in silico and mathematical models which have been developed to study colonisation and colonisation resistance and effects of gut flora on hosts. Where applicable, the advantages and disadvantages of each model are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest biomass is one of the main contributors to the EU's renewable energy target of 20% gross final energy consumption in 2020 (Renewable Energy Directive). Following the RED, new sustainability principles are launched by the European energy sector, such as the Initiative Wood Pellet Buyers (IWPB or SBP). The aim of our study is the investigation of the quantitative impacts from IWPB's principles for forest biomass for energy only. We deploy a bottom up method that quantifies the supplies and the costs from log harvest until forest chip delivery at a domestic consumer. We have a reference situation with existing national (forest) legislation and voluntary certification schemes (scenario 1) and a future situation with additional criteria based on the IWPB principles (scenario 2). Two country studies were selected for our (2008) survey: one in Finland with nearly 100% certification and one in Leningrad province with a minor areal share of certification in scenario 1. The sustainable potential of forest resources for energy is about 54 Mm 3 (385 PJ) in Finland and about 13.5 Mm 3 (95 PJ) in Leningrad in scenario 1 without extra criteria. The potential volumes reduce considerably by maximum 43% respectively 39% after new criteria from the IWPB, like a minimum use of sawlogs, stumps and slash for energy, and by an increased area of protected forests (scenario 2A Maximum extra restrictions). In case sawlogs can be used, but instead ash recycling is applied after a maximum stump and slash recovery (scenario 2B Minimum extra restrictions), the potential supply is less reduced: 5% in Finland and 22% in Leningrad region. The estimated reference costs for forest chips are between €18 and €45 solid m −3 in Finland and between €7 and €33 solid m −3 in the Leningrad region. In scenario 2A, the costs will mainly increase by €7 m −3 for delimbing full trees (Finland), and maximum €0.3 m −3 for suggested improved forest management (Leningrad region). In scenario 2B, when ash recycling is applied, costs increase by about €0.3 to €1.6 m −3 , depending on the rate of soil contamination. This is an increase of 2%, on top of the costs in scenario 2A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the Version 2 of the CO2FIX (CO2FIX V.2) model, a user-friendly tool for dynamically estimating the carbon sequestration potential of forest management, agroforesty and afforestation projects. CO2FIX V.2 is a multi-cohort ecosystem-level model based on carbon accounting of forest stands, including forest biomass, soils and products. Carbon stored in living biomass is estimated with a forest cohort model that allows for competition, natural mortality, logging, and mortality due to logging damage. Soil carbon is modeled using five stock pools, three for litter and two for humus. The dynamics of carbon stored in wood products is simulated with a set of pools for short-, medium- and long-lived products, and includes processing efficiency, re-use of by-products, recycling, and disposal forms. The CO2FIX V.2 model estimates total carbon balance of alternative management regimes in both even and uneven-aged forests, and thus has a wide applicability for both temperate and tropical conditions. Results for the model testing and validation in selected temperate and tropical forest management systems are presented and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: We investigated with whole-scalp magnetoencephalography (MEG) oscillatory cortical drive to isometrically contracting muscle in 8 genetically verified, and thus etiologically homogeneous, Unverricht-Lundborg type progressive myoclonus epilepsy (ULD) patients suffering from cortical myoclonus and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The results were compared with those of 8 healthy control subjects.Methods: Cortical MEG signals were measured simultaneously with surface electromyography (EMG) during isometric contraction of the left and right first dorsal interosseus muscles. Cortex-muscle coherence and cross-correlograms between MEG and EMG signals were calculated as indicators of oscillatory cortical drive to muscle. The cortical areas involved in the maximum cortex-muscle coherence were also identified.Results: In patients, the strengths of the dominant coherent peaks were 2–4 fold compared with the healthy controls. Whereas the coherence was found strictly in the contralateral primary motor cortex in controls, additional coherent activity was observed ipsilaterally in 5 out of 8 patients.Conclusions: The remarkably increased MEG-EMG coherence in ULD patients suggests altered oscillatory cortical drive to the muscle during isometric contraction. We suggest that the enhanced cortex-muscle coherence in ULD patients reflects reduced inhibition in the motor cortex, and may contribute to disturbed voluntary movements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]