Tracing the introduction history of the brown seaweed Dictyota cyanoloma (Phaeophyceae,Dictyotales) in Europe

Dictyota cyanoloma has recently been described from the Mediterranean Sea and Macaronesia but doubt had arisen as to whether this species was truly native in Europe. The species is mainly found on non-natural substrata (harbour walls, marinas, boat hulls, etc.), strongly suggesting that it is an introduction. Molecular sequence information from historical herbarium samples proves the presence of D. cyanoloma in the Adriatic Sea as early as 1935. Since approximately the year 2000, however, the number of records as well as the geographic range of the species has expanded significantly. The present-day distribution of D. cyanoloma occupies most of the Mediterranean Sea, Macaronesia, NW Africa and southern Portugal, but recent records from Galicia and SW England (Falmouth, Cornwall) indicate that the species is rapidly expanding northward. Collections from Australia demonstrated that the species is also present from Perth in Western Australia, over much of the southern Australian coastline up to Minnie Water in New South Wales. Phylogenetic analyses resolve D. cyanoloma in a sister clade to a previously unreported Australian Dictyota species. Analysis of genetic diversity of the mitochondrial markers (nad6–nad11 and atp9–orf11) reveals that even though Australian populations contain a much higher haplotype richness, European populations are also fairly diverse. Furthermore, only two out of 25 haplotypes are shared between both regions. These somewhat counterintuitive results could be indicative of a more complicated introduction history.     

Comparison of different presbyopia treatments: refractive lens exchange with multifocal intraocular lens implantation versus LASIK monovision

There are several methods for presbyopia treatment. Refractive lens exchange (RLE) followed by multifocal intraocular lens (MFIOL) implantation enables high rate of spectacle independence but have some visual disturbances. Laser in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) monovision gives patient ability to have good distant vision with dominant eye and good near vision with nondominant eye. In this prospective randomized study we wanted to compare clinical outcomes in patients who underwent either of the mentioned procedures. The first group included 50 patients (N = 100 eyes) who underwent RLE with MFIOL implantation and the second group included 50 patients (N = 100 eyes) who underwent LASIK monovision as presbyopia treatment. Uncorrected distant, near and intermediate visual acuity, patient's subjective satisfaction and visual disturbances were measured. Follow up was 6 months. Patients in RLE group had better near uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and patients in LASIK monovision group had better distant and intermediate vision. Patients in RLE group reported visual disturbances (halo, glare). Patients satisfaction and spectacle independence was high in both groups. Refractive lens exchange with multifocal intraocular lens implantation and LASIK monovision are effective methods for presbyopia treatment. LASIK monovision with -0.50D - 1.25D of residual dioptry at nondominant eye in patients under 50 years enables good vision at all distances without affecting stereovision. Patient selection and preoperative counseling are key to success.     

A 10-year experience in the treatment of intraabdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess a ten-year experience in the treatment of rare complications of ventriculoperitoneal shunting--intraabdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts. At this time there are no data about incidence, clinical course and treatment of these complications in Croatia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abdominal pseudocyst is an uncommon but important complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Retrospective data were obtained from 5 children with abdominal CSF pseudocysts, treated between 1996 and 2007. The incidence of intraabdominal CSF pseudocysts in our study is 2.9%. All patients were girls ranged in age from 4 to 12 years old (mean 8.8 years). In most cases etiology of hydrocephalus was congenital, idiopathic. Abdominal pain and distension were the most frequent clinical finding (4/5). Although infection has been reported as responsible for pseudocyst formation, we did not found it in our series. Laparotomy with cyst wall excision and catheter replacement was performed in 2/5 cases, and only cyst fluid aspiration with catheter replacement in 3/5 cases. Recurrence of the abdominal cyst was observed in one girl who was in terminal stadium of anaplastic ependymoma. It is our opinion that only catheter replacement and cyst fluid evacuation, as one of the treatment modalities, may be successful, even in large CSF intraperitoneal pseudocysts.     

The advantages of end-to-side arteriovenous anastomosis over the other two types of arteriovenous anastomosis in dialysis patients

The functional duration of vascular access in dialysis patients depends on the emergence of threatening complications. Discussions are constantly being held in an attempt to discover their causality and decrease their emergence. In 260 patients undergoing haemodialysis, we have studied the potential existence of a cause-and-effect relation between the emergence of complications in the vascular access and the applied type of arteriovenous (av.) anastomosis in the arteriovenous (AV) fistula. We have observed the incidence of all complications, both that of the thrombosis incidence as well as the primary and secondary fistula patency (survival). The complications--The examinees with the end-to-end anastomosis showed the incidence of 8.08%, 6.15% of the patients with the end-to-side anastomosis and 7.31% of the patients with the side-to-side anastomosis. The differences regarding incidences are statistically significant (chi2-test = 29.25; P = 0.0001). Thrombosis--it has been found that thrombosis was the most frequent complication developing in 30.00% patients with the end-to-end av. anastomosis, in 2.31% patients with end-to-side av. anastomosis and in 5.56% patients with side-to-side av. anastomosis. The difference between the highest and the lowest assessment is 27.69%, and it is statistically relevant (chi2-test = 33.920; P = 0.0001). The primary patency (primary survival): within a 6-month interval following the establishment of vascular access, the first complications arose in 62.50% of patients with end-to-end av. anastomosis, 10.76% in those with end-to-side av. anastomosis and 18.88% in those with side-to-side av. anastomosis. The difference between the highest and the lowest assessment is 51.74%, which is statistically significant (chi2-test = 49.009; P = 0.0001). The secondary patency: 24 months subsequent to the establishment of vascular access, the AV-fistula was still functional in 52.50% of the patients with end-to-end av. anastomosis, 89.23% in those with end-to-side av. anastomosis and 81.11% in those with side-to-side av. anastomosis. The difference between the highest and the lowest assessment is 36.73%, which is also statistically significant (chi2-test = 26.579; P = 0.0001). According to our research, the end--to-side type of av. anastomosis in vascular access provides better results both in relation to the duration as well as the maintenance of the functionality of the Av-fistula and in the lower incidence of the complications than the other types, and hence it shows a definite advantage.     

Lower gastrointestinal disorders in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal system characterized by abdominal pain related to bowel emptying, defecation impairment and abdominal distention. The aim of the study was to objectify lower gastrointestinal system disturbances in IBS patients. Thirty IBS patients and 30 healthy subjects were included in the study. IBS patients were divided into two subgroups: IBS with predominant diarrhea (IBSd) and IBS with predominant constipation (IBSc). All study subjects underwent physical examination (including digitorectal examination), standard laboratory testing and anorectal manometry. Endoscopy was performed only in group of IBS patients. A statistically significant difference was recorded in most manometric parameters between healthy subjects and IBS patients, which was even more pronounced in IBSd patients. Study results showed that the intestinal motility disorder underlying IBS could be objectified by use of anorectal manometry.     

Impaired esophageal function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

The aim of the study was to determine prevalence of the signs and symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, and to investigate sensorimotor function impairment based on the esophageal manometry study, thus to determine the correlation between them. The study included 30 patients with IBS, 14 of them with diarrhea (IBSd) and 16 with constipation (IBSc) as a predominant discomfort. Control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects. The patients were included in the study on the basis of the Rome criteria for IBS. In addition to thorough history and physical examination patient underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and esophageal manometry. The values of esophageal manometry obtained in healthy subjects served as controls in manometry studies. The patients with IBS suffered a great number of both colonic and extracolonic signs and symptoms, however, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of particular symptoms between the two patient subgroups. In comparison with healthy subjects, the patients suffering from IBS showed pathologically altered values in the majority of parameters of esophageal motility. Comparison of the two subgroups of IBS patients according to esophageal motility characteristics yielded differences in only few of them. The results obtained in the study could explain why the patients with IBS quite commonly complain of the symptoms related to upper gastrointestinal tract, such as heartburn and chest pain of noncardiac genesis. The results also suggest that the IBS might be associated with considerably more extensive smooth muscle or innervation changes than presumed before.     

Bovine platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity related to fertility

Plasma platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), the enzyme characterized by the association with plasma lipoproteins, degrades platelet-activating factor (PAF) as well as PAF-like oxidatively fragmented phospholipids produced during oxidative stress. Apart from pro-inflammatory properties, PAF is also related to reproductive processes and successful fertility. In order to get a better insight into the involvement of PAF-AH in the fertility of cows, the aim of the study was to determine the PAF-AH activity as well as the C-reactive protein, cholesterol and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in the serum of dairy cows throughout the pregnancy and lactation, as well as in infertile cows. The results showed that serum PAF-AH activity changes throughout pregnancy and lactation with a lower level during periparturient period. It is also found higher PAF-AH activity in lactating cows with reproductive disorders compared to high lactating cows without reproductive disorders. Strong correlation between PAF-AH activity and HDL-C concentration indicates that HDL could have considerable influence on PAF-AH activity in bovine plasma. CRP concentration was also lower during transition period suggesting that lactation might stimulate CRP synthesis in bovine. A higher CRP concentration in cows with reproductive disorders compared to fertile cows at the peak of lactation, demonstrates that milk production is not the only factor influencing CRP in cows. A significant correlation between PAF-AH activity and CRP level shows that both parameters could be influenced by reproductive status of dairy cows.     

Noninvasive diagnosis of melanoma with tensor decomposition-based feature extraction from clinical color image

We propose a method for feature extraction from clinical color images, with application in classification of skin lesions. Proposed feature extraction method is based on tensor decomposition of the clinical color image of skin lesion. Since color image is naturally represented as a three-way tensor, it is reasonable to use multi-way techniques to capture the underlying information contained in the image. Extracted features are elements of the core tensor in the corresponding multi-way decomposition, and represent spatial-spectral profile of the lesion. In contrast to common methods that exploit either texture or spectral diversity of the tumor only, the proposed approach simultaneously captures spatial and spectral characteristics. The procedure is tested on a problem of noninvasive diagnosis of melanoma from the clinical color images of skin lesions, with overall sensitivity 82.1% and specificity 86.9%. Our method compares favorably with the state of the art results reported in the literature and provides an interesting alternative to the existing approaches.     

Taxonomy of Chrysotoxum festivum Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Syrphidae) – an integrative approach

An integrative taxonomic approach revealed two taxa within Chrysotoxum festivum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera, Syrphidae), C. festivum A and C. festivum B. In addition to morphological differences, results also showed significant distinction in geometric morphometrics of wings and surstyli, and in DNA sequence data (nuclear ITS2 sequences) between C. festivum A, C. festivum B, and the closely related species C. elegans Loew, 1841. From examination of type material, the name C. tomentosum Giglio‐Tos, 1890 is proposed for C. festivum B, and the taxon is redefined. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London