The permeability of highway in Gorski kotar (Croatia) for large mammals

The highway from Zagreb to Rijeka stretches 68.5 km through a wildlife core area in Gorski kotar (Croatia). It has 43 viaducts and tunnels, and one specifically constructed (100 m wide) green bridge (Dedin). One quarter of the total highway length consists of possible crossing structures. At Dedin green bridge, a total of 12,519 crossings have been recorded during 793 different days of active infrared monitors being in operation, or 15.8 crossings per day. Two monitored tunnel overpasses had 11.2 and 37.0 crossings per day, respectively, whilst 4.3 crossings occurred per day under one monitored viaduct. Of those crossings, 83.2% were by ungulates and 14.6% by large carnivores. Radio-tracked large carnivores, brown bear (Ursus arctos), grey wolf (Canis lupus) and Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), expressed strong positive selection for tunnels and viaducts, whilst avoiding small underpasses or bridges. Selection for the use of Dedin green bridge was equal to its availability. We conclude that this green bridge, constructed as a measure to mitigate the negative effects of the studied highway, served its purpose acceptably. Territorial and dispersing radio-tracked large carnivores crossed the highway 41 times, using both sides of the highway as parts of their home ranges. Overall, the highway in Gorski kotar does not seem to be a barrier. This demonstrates that it is possible to maintain habitat connectivity during the process of planning the highway route.     

Population-Based Surveillance for Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Homeless Adults in Toronto

Background

Identification of high-risk populations for serious infection due to S. pneumoniae will permit appropriately targeted prevention programs.

Methods

We conducted prospective, population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease and laboratory confirmed pneumococcal pneumonia in homeless adults in Toronto, a Canadian city with a total population of 2.5 M, from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006.

Results

We identified 69 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease and 27 cases of laboratory confirmed pneumococcal pneumonia in an estimated population of 5050 homeless adults. The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in homeless adults was 273 infections per 100,000 persons per year, compared to 9 per 100,000 persons per year in the general adult population. Homeless persons with invasive pneumococcal disease were younger than other adults (median age 46 years vs 67 years, P<.001), and more likely than other adults to be smokers (95% vs. 31%, P<.001), to abuse alcohol (62% vs 15%, P<.001), and to use intravenous drugs (42% vs 4%, P<.001). Relative to age matched controls, they were more likely to have underlying lung disease (12/69, 17% vs 17/272, 6%, P = .006), but not more likely to be HIV infected (17/69, 25% vs 58/282, 21%, P = .73). The proportion of patients with recurrent disease was five fold higher for homeless than other adults (7/58, 12% vs. 24/943, 2.5%, P<.001). In homeless adults, 28 (32%) of pneumococcal isolates were of serotypes included in the 7-valent conjugate vaccine, 42 (48%) of serotypes included in the 13-valent conjugate vaccine, and 72 (83%) of serotypes included in the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine. Although no outbreaks of disease were identified in shelters, there was evidence of clustering of serotypes suggestive of transmission of pathogenic strains within the homeless population.

Conclusions

Homeless persons are at high risk of serious pneumococcal infection. Vaccination, physical structure changes or other program to reduce transmission in shelters, harm reduction programs to reduce rates of smoking, alcohol abuse and infection with bloodborne pathogens, and improved treatment programs for HIV infection may all be effective in reducing the risk.     

On the phylogeny of Euryteinae (Crustacea,Copepoda, Cyclopoida), with description of one new species from Korea

Euryte koreana sp. nov. is described from the shallow littoral on the East Coast of South Korea, and represents the first record of the subfamily Euryteinae Monchenko, 1974 in the Pacific Ocean north of the tropics. It belongs to a group of species that have the caudal rami length/width ratio of around four, but differs from all congeners by a number of morphological features. Detailed drawings and extensive scanning electron micrographs of many characters of ornamentation provided for this species should serve as a benchmark for distinguishing closely related species in this subfamily with conservative macro-morphology. A morphologically distinct population from anchialine caves in Mallorca, identified previously as Euryte longicauda Philippi, 1843, is described as another new species: Euryte jaumei sp. nov. To test the phylogenetic relationships of its members and previous hypotheses about generic placement of two species associated with scleractinian corals, several cladistic analyses are performed on all 16 currently recognized species of Euryteinae and two outgroups, Neocyclops australiensis Karanovic, 2008 and Troglocyclops janstocki Rocha and Iliffe, 1994, using 25 morphological characters. All resulting trees suggest a close relationship between the two commensal species and them as a sister clade to all other Euryteinae. They are transferred into a newly erected genus Coraleuryte gen. nov., as C. bellatula (Humes, 1991) comb. nov. and C. verecunda (Humes, 1992) comb. nov., and a revised diagnoses is provided for the genus Euryte Philippi, 1843. Obtained cladograms also show that Ancheuryte Herbst, 1989 is nested deeply within the Euryte clade, so the genus is synonymized and its only species is transferred, as E. notabilis (Herbst, 1989) comb. nov. A key to species of Euryteinae is also provided.     

The flight distances of floodwater mosquitoes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aedes vexans,Ochlerotatus sticticus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ochlerotatus caspius</Emphasis>) in Osijek,Eastern Croatia

In spring 2004, the mark-release-recapture study was conducted in the Osijek area, covering the total of 171 km², to describe dispersal pattern of three floodwater mosquito species (Aedes vexans, Ochlerotatus sticticus and Oc. caspius). Forty CO₂ baited Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traps were set at distances varying from 0.95 to 16.7 km from release site. Fifty thousand mosquitoes were released, and a total of 22 marked mosquitoes were recaptured in 12 traps, 82% of which were collected in the first six days after release. The maximum distance of recaptured mosquito (Oc. sticticus) was found at 11.68 km from the release site. During the study, the average dispersal rate per day for mosquitoes ranged from 0.96 km to 3.6 km in regard to different species.     

Body size changes in elite junior rowers: 1997 to 2007

The aim of this study was to determine whether elite international junior rowers in 2007 were heavier and taller than those evaluated in 1997, and to compare this change among finalists and non-finalists, and sweep rowers and scullers. Body weight and height data obtained by a questionnaire from a total of 398 rowers (42% female, 58% male) at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Beijing, People's Republic of China, in 2007 (65.9% of all competitors), were compared with data from 603 rowers measured at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Hazewinkel, Belgium in 1997 (36.5% female, 63.5% male, representing 90% and 89% of all competitors, respectively, by gender). Male and female rowers in 2007 were significantly taller compared to those in 1997 (1.0 cm, p = 0.009 and 2.1 cm, p < 0.001, respectively; one-sample t-test). No statistically significant difference was found for body mass. The finalists and sweep rowers were taller and heavier compared to nonfinalists and scullers at both Championships respectively. The heights of elite level junior rowers increased significantly over the decade. The finalists at World Junior Rowing Championships were again taller and heavier compared to the nonfinalists.     

Postoperative use of radioiodine (131-I): review of recommendations and guidelines

In the management of large number of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, the radioactive iodine (131-I) administration plays an important role. The guidelines of numerous international and national medical societies regarding the issue of postoperative 131-I administration have been published and updated in the last few years. The guidelines differ in the shape and content, and contain some specific features. The different methods for evaluation and analysis of clinical evidence level and resulting grades of recommendations have been used in line with the very guidelines. The postoperative 131-I administration refers to the radioiodine ablation as a form of adjuvant treatment and radioiodine therapy in the management of patients with recurrent cancer, persistent disease and regional or distant metastases. According to the indications for the postoperative 131-I administration, the patients could be divided into the three risk groups: the very low risk group in which there is no indication for the postoperative 131-I administration, the low risk group in which the indication could be considered, and the high risk group in which there is a clear indication for the 131-I administration. The different criteria for distribution of patients into these three groups are expressed in a certain guidelines. There are different opinions about the necessary dosage of 131-I for the efficient ablation in the low risk group. Moreover, the opinions are also divided regarding the conduction of postoperative (preablative or pretherapeutic) scintigraphy with 131-I. As regards the instructions on preparation of patients for the radioiodine ablation and therapy, all the guidelines recommend the low iodine diet and endogenous or exogenous stimulation of TSH. The endogenous stimulation is accomplished by the withdrawal of thyroid hormones, whereas the recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) is used for exogenous stimulation. For conducting the therapy with 131-I the level of TSH has to be > 25-30 mU/L.     

Displacement of a mandibular incisor--an infrequent complication of mandibular fracture

A case of a mandibular fracture with an unusual complication is reported. A 13-year-old boy was admitted four years after conservative treatment of a symphyseal fracture. He complained of recurrent swelling. A radiographic evaluation showed a horizontally laid permanent mandibular left lateral incisor (PMLLI) that had probably slid into the fracture line and provoked repetitive infection episodes. After a surgery, a clinical and radiological analysis showed satisfactory healing.     

Distribution of major brain gangliosides in olfactory tract of frogs

Gangliosides are major cell-surface determinants in the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates, found both in neuronal and glial cell membranes. Together with cholesterol and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) - anchored proteins, gangliosides are involved in organization of plasma membrane microdomains. Based on biochemical studies, frog brain was previously described as having low quantities of gangliosides and their distribution pattern in specific brain regions was unknown. Using highly specific monoclonal antibodies generated against four major brain gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b), we examined the distribution of these molecules in CNS of four different species of frogs (Rana esculenta, Rana temporaria, Bufo bufo and Bufo viridis). We also studied the distribution of myelin- associated glycoprotein (MAG), an inhibitor of axonal regeneration, which is a ligand for gangliosides GD1a and GT1b. Our results show that ganglioside GDla is expressed in neurons of olfactory bulb in all studied animals. In the brain of Rana sp., GD1a is expressed in the entire olfactory pathway, from olfactory bulbs to amygdala, while in Bufo sp. GD1a is restricted to the main olfactory bulb. Furthermore, we found that most of myelinated pathways in frogs express MAG, but do not express GD1a, which could be one of the reasons for better axon regeneration of neural pathways after CNS injury in amphibians in comparison to mammals.     

Cardiac valve replacement: Experience in 2400 patients

In the series described here, 2400 patients over a 15-year period underwent surgery for correction of acquired valvular heart disease. Of these, 1586 patients had single valve replacement, 714 had double valve replacement, and 100 had triple valve replacement. Concomitant surgery for associated congenital and acquired lesions was done in 114 patients. The hospital mortality was 9.16%.