The role of reed management and habitat quality on brood parasitism and chick survival of the brood parasitic Common Cuckoo

Despite efforts on ecosystem restoration and management, biodiversity loss remains one of the major environmental concerns of our time. Beyond the focus on threatened species, animals that indicate regional biodiversity hotspots and population trends, such as brood parasites, should also be targeted by conservation actions. We studied how reed habitat quality and management influence brood parasitism rate and offspring survival in Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus parasitizing nests of Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus in six reed habitats in an intensive agricultural landscape. Data collected from 45 sites over 13 years showed that the brood parasitism rate was highest on large canals and was positively influenced by the availability of potential perches (Cuckoo vantage points) and the height where host nests were built. Cuckoo chick survival decreased with water depth and was not affected by other factors. Our results suggest that the habitat-dependent detectability of host nests was central in brood parasitism rate and that water level was central in Cuckoo chick survival. Our study shows that a maintenance of intermediate water levels is the most optimal for maintaining Cuckoo populations in intensive agricultural landscapes. Because brood parasites are excellent bioindicators as their presence predicts regional hotspots of taxonomic and functional diversity as well as population trends in bird communities, knowledge on their habitat requirements is relevant in management targeting diverse bird communities.     

The results after transrectal prostate biopsy with 12 biopsy cores taken

This report describes the clinical value of transrectal prostate biopsy during which 12 biopsy cores are taken in comparison to the classical sextant method. There were 106 patients included in the study, who had transrectal prostate biopsy (TRB) due to abnormal finding after digitorectal examination (DRE) and/or values of PSA > 4 ng/ml in the period from 4 October 2001 till 14 August 2002. There were 117 biopsies with 12 biopsy cores taken, 6 cores from each lobe. Prostate cancer was confirmed in 49 patients (46%). Out of total number of confirmed cancer cases, initial biopsy detected 94%. There were three patients who had suspicious DRE finding, with PSA value of < 4 ng/ml, but cancer was not detected in any of them. In the patient group with PSA value between 4-10 ng/ml, cancer was detected in 26% of them and in the group with PSA value > 10 ng/ml cancer was detected in 58%. The most common Gleason score in the case of cancer was 7 (43%). During the biopsy procedure, 3 patients experienced strong vasovagal reactions, meaning that out of 117 biopsies incidence of complications was 2.6%. Few days after the biopsy, two patients developed urogenital tract infections (1.7%) and right after the procedure, there was one case of strong hematuria (0.8%) and strong rectal bleeding (0,8%) that needed hospitalization. Our results regarding the incidence of complications do not differ much from the results in the literature. According to data in the literature regarding sextant biopsy, 15-34% of cancer cases remain undiagnosed at initial biopsy. The method of 12 biopsy cores fails to diagnose only 6% of all cancers, but it is important to note that in the mentioned period, re-biopsy was indicated only in 11 from 60 patients with negative biopsies.     

Holistic approach to functional anatomy of the injured ankle joint

Talocrural joint injuries are among the most common injuries of the joints and therefore there is a need for a holistic approach to analysis of morphology, biomechanics and visualization of the talocrural joint ligamentary apparatus in different positions. The research was carried out on 20 fresh and conserved anatomical specimens of the lower leg on which X-ray, computed tomography, ultrasonography and stress analysis were performed before and after the lesion of ligaments. Also the gait of 130 adults without (100) and with ligament and joint capsule lesion (30) was analyzed by infrared telemetry. After complete discission of the lateral ligaments, arthrography and CT could register the lesion, while X-ray and ultrasonography could not detect it. Gait analysis of healthy and injured leg showed that the injured leg was significantly less loaded.     

Increased bone turnover markers after renal transplantation

Bone remodeling is a process that occurs continuously in a seemingly inactive tissue like bone. Because of decreased vitamin D synthesis, phosphorus retention and decreased calcium blood concentration, patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) develop secondary hyperparathyroidism. Elevated PTH levels shifts balance between osteoblast and osteoclast activity in favor of osteoclast activity and, therefore, bone resorption. Bone metabolic disorder that affects patients with CRF is called renal osteodystrophy (ROD). We presume that renal transplantation reverses bone metabolism disorder and our goal was to establish whether osteoblast and osteoclast activity returns to the levels of healthy individuals.     

Transrectal sonography in prostate cancer detection--our 25 years experience of implementation

Prostate cancer is a leading public health problem of male population in developed countries. Gold standard for prostate cancer diagnosis is true cut biopsy guided by transrectal ultrasound. Aim of this study was to determine sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value of transrectal sonography (TRUS) in prostate cancer detection. The analysis was made for two time periods, before and after routine implementation of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer diagnostics. From 1984 to 1993 TRUS guided prostate biopsy was performed in 564, and from 1994 to 2008 in 5678 patients. In the second period PSA was routinely used in prostate cancer diagnostics. In the first period by TRUS we have made an exact diagnosis of prostate cancer in 18.97% of patients what was confirmed by biopsy. 4.61% ware false positive and 11.34% ware false negative. In the second period prostate cancer was recognized in 30.34% of patients, confirmed by biopsy. False positive cases ware 6.11% and false negative 29.31%. Sensitivity of transrectal sonography in the first period was 62.57%, specificity 94.2%, accuracy 86.2%, positive predictive value 80.45% and negative predictive value 87.72%. In the second period sensitivity was 50.87%, specificity 91.93%, accuracy 73.84%, positive predictive value 83.24% and negative predictive value 70.39%. Based on our experience we can conclude that prostate cancer is mostly found in the peripheral zone. Smaller tumors are hypoechoic and bigger tumors are hyperechoic. Prostate cancer lesions are impossible to differentiate from chronic prostatitis only by TRUS. Implementation of PSA has significantly decrease sensitivity, accuracy and negative predictive value of TRUS in prostate cancer detection. TRUS guided true cut biopsy is a gold standard in prostate cancer diagnostics.     

Modified extensive anterior vaginal wall repair for cystocoele

We describe a new transvaginal technique for cystocoele repair. We prospectively evaluated patients with moderate and high-grade cystocoele who underwent repair with the new transvaginal repair between 2000 and June 2009. Preoperative evaluation included history and physical examination using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification, urine culture, residual urine measurement, urodinamycs and cystoscopy. We performed the repair in 76 patients with a mean age of 65.24 years (range, 36 to 84 years), wit anatomical cure in 72 (95%) patients. Four (5%) patients had recurrent cystocoele, 3 (4%) patients claimed residual sensory urgency and 4 (5%) stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after the operation. The operation is safe, simple, and provides good anatomic results with minimal complications.     

Denture repairs in different regions of Croatia in relation to prosthodontic teams

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the incidence of denture repairs in different districts of Croatia through the year of 2002. and to analyse the percentage of different repairs (relinings, simple repairs up to 2 elements and complicated repairs-more than 2 elements) in relation to prosthodontic teams. Data on the number of dentures, and the number and types of denture repairs delivered in the Croatian regions of Zagreb, Rijeka, Split and Karlovac were obtained from the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance for the whole of the year 2002. Information of the number of prosthodontic teams operating in those regions was also obtained. Proportionally more denture repairs were carried out in Karlovac (18%) than Split (5%). The smallest percantage of dentures that required relining was registered in Split and the highest in Rijeka (chi2 = 36.7, p < 0.01). The smallest percentage of simple repairs was registered in Rijeka and the highest in Split (chi2 = 24.3, p < 0.01). The smallest percentage of complicated repairs was registered in Split and the highest in Karlovac. In each region the proportion of denture repairs and types of repairs were correlated with a number of prosthodontic teams in that region. Karlovac had the smallest percentage of specialistic prosthodontic teams and the highest rate of denture repairs.     

Taxonomic notes on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinellia teyberi</Emphasis> (Poaceae), a critical species of Croatian flora

Puccinellia teyberi Hayek (Poaceae) is a critical species of the Croatian flora, described for the first time as Atropis rupestris Teyber from two small islets of central Adriatic Sea. Nomenclature, lectotypification, morphology, karyology, leaf anatomy, palynology, ecology and conservation status of this taxon are examined. According to these data, it must be treated as a distinct species, taxonomically related to P. convoluta and P. festuciformis. Besides, it represents a neoendemic apomictic species, confined to rocky costal places and having a punctiform distribution.