A novel method to estimate the response of habitat types to nitrogen deposition.

Increasing nitrogen depositions adversely affect European landscapes, including habitats within the Natura2000 network. Critical loads for nitrogen deposition have been established to quantify the loss of habitat quality. When the nitrogen deposition rises above a habitat-specific critical load, the quality of the focal habitat is expected to be negatively influenced. Here, we investigate how the quality of habitat types is affected beyond the critical load. We calculated response curves for 60 terrestrial habitat types in the Netherlands to the estimated nitrogen deposition (EMEP-data). The curves for habitat types are based on the occurrence of their characteristic plant species in North-Western Europe (plot data from the European Vegetation Archive). The estimated response curves were corrected for soil type, mean annual temperature and annual precipitation. Evaluation was carried out by expert judgement, and by comparison with gradient deposition field studies. For 39 habitats the response to nitrogen deposition was judged to be reliable by five experts, while out of the 41 habitat types for which field studies were available, 25 showed a good agreement. Some of the curves showed a steep decline in quality and some a more gradual decline with increasing nitrogen deposition. We compared the response curves with both the empirical and modelled critical loads. For 41 curves, we found a decline already starting below the critical load.

Initial oak regeneration responses to experimental warming along microclimatic and macroclimatic gradients.

Quercus spp. are one of the most important tree genera in temperate deciduous forests in terms of biodiversity, economic and cultural perspectives. However, natural regeneration of oaks, depending on specific environmental conditions, is still not sufficiently understood. Oak regeneration dynamics are impacted by climate change, but these climate impacts will depend on local forest management and light and temperature conditions. Here, we studied germination, survival and seedling performance (i.e. aboveground biomass, height, root collar diameter and specific leaf area) of four oak species (Q. cerris, Q. ilex, Q. robur and Q. petraea). Acorns were sown across a wide latitudinal gradient, from Italy to Sweden, and across several microclimatic gradients located within and beyond the species' natural ranges. Microclimatic gradients were applied in terms of forest structure, distance to the forest edge and experimental warming. We found strong interactions between species and latitude, as well as between microclimate and latitude or species. The species thus reacted differently to local and regional changes in light and temperature ; in southern regions the temperate Q. robur and Q. petraea performed best in plots with a complex structure, whereas the Mediterranean Q. ilex and Q. cerris performed better in simply structured forests with a reduced microclimatic buffering capacity. The experimental warming treatment only enhanced height and aboveground biomass of Mediterranean species. Our results show that local microclimatic gradients play a key role in the initial stages of oak regeneration; however, one needs to consider the species-specific responses to forest structure and the macroclimatic context.

A framework to bridge scales in distribution modeling of soil microbiota.

Creating accurate habitat suitability and distribution models (HSDMs) for soil microbiota is far more challenging than for aboveground organism groups. In this perspective paper, we propose a conceptual framework that addresses several of the critical issues holding back further applications. Most importantly, we tackle the mismatch between the broadscale, long-term averages of environmental variables traditionally used, and the environment as experienced by soil microbiota themselves. We suggest using nested sampling designs across environmental gradients and objectively integrating spatially hierarchic heterogeneity as covariates in HSDMs. Second, to incorporate the crucial role of taxa co-occurrence as driver of soil microbial distributions, we promote the use of joint species distribution models, a class of models that jointly analyze multiple species' distributions, quantifying both species-specific environmental responses (i.e. the environmental niche) and covariance among species (i.e. biotic interactions). Our approach allows incorporating the environmental niche and its associated distribution across multiple spatial scales. The proposed framework facilitates the inclusion of the true relationships between soil organisms and their abiotic and biotic environments in distribution models, which is crucial to improve predictions of soil microbial redistributions as a result of global change.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition on petals enhances seed quality of the forest herb Anemone nemorosa.

Elevated atmospheric input of nitrogen (N) is currently affecting plant biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The growth and survival of numerous plant species is known to respond strongly to N fertilisation. Yet, few studies have assessed the effects of N deposition on seed quality and reproductive performance, which is an important life-history stage of plants. Here we address this knowledge gap by assessing the effects of atmospheric N deposition on seed quality of the ancient forest herb Anemone nemorosa using two complementary approaches. By taking advantage of the wide spatiotemporal variation in N deposition rates in pan-European temperate and boreal forests over 2 years, we detected positive effects of N deposition on the N concentration (percentage N per unit seed mass, increased from 2.8% to 4.1%) and N content (total N mass per seed more than doubled) of A. nemorosa seeds. In a complementary experiment, we applied ammonium nitrate to aboveground plant tissues and the soil surface to determine whether dissolved N sources in precipitation could be incorporated into seeds. Although the addition of N to leaves and the soil surface had no effect, a concentrated N solution applied to petals during anthesis resulted in increased seed mass, seed N concentration and N content. Our results demonstrate that N deposition on the petals enhances bioaccumulation of N in the seeds of A. nemorosa. Enhanced atmospheric inputs of N can thus not only affect growth and population dynamics via root or canopy uptake, but can also influence seed quality and reproduction via intake through the inflorescences.

Nano and microparticulate chitosan-based systems for antiviral topical delivery.

Acyclovir (ACV) is one of the drugs of choice for the treatment of epidermal, ocular or systemic herpetic infections. Nevertheless, its trans-mucosal limited absorption and the scarce contact time of the formulation with the mucosal surface - especially in the ocular mucosa - constitute a big limitation of the antiviral efficiency. The most effective way to solve these problems is to increase the quantity and the residence time of the drug over the ocular surface. In order to cope with all these requirements, micro-particles (MPs) and nano-particles (NPs) containing ACV have been developed using cross-linked chitosan with tripolyphosphate (TPP) due to the biocompatibility, bio-adhesion ability and the potential power as penetration enhancer of this polymer. Particles were characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, SEM, Zeta potential and particle size. Encapsulation efficiency and release profiles in flow through diffusion cells were also determined. Besides the Slug Mucosal Irritation (SMI) assay has been applied as an alternative to the Draize test to predict the mucosal irritation of the selected formulation. FTIR and X-ray results suggested an electrostatic interaction ACV-Chitosan that made ACV be molecularly dispersed within the polymer matrix. Encapsulation efficiency was 75% for MP and 16% for NP. Release profiles in flow through diffusion cells were also determined. From the diffusion profiles, it was found that the amounts of ACV effectively diffused in 24h were 30, 430 and 80 µg for the ACV solution, MP and NP respectively. SMI results showed that chitosan-based particles induced moderate irritation and mild tissue damage, what supposes that ACV-MP constitute a promising alternative for further development of an antiviral formulation.

A significant upward shift in plant species optimum elevation during the 20th century.

Spatial fingerprints of climate change on biotic communities are usually associated with changes in the distribution of species at their latitudinal or altitudinal extremes. By comparing the altitudinal distribution of 171 forest plant species between 1905 and 1985 and 1986 and 2005 along the entire elevation range (0 to 2600 meters above sea level) in west Europe, we show that climate warming has resulted in a significant upward shift in species optimum elevation averaging 29 meters per decade. The shift is larger for species restricted to mountain habitats and for grassy species, which are characterized by faster population turnover. Our study shows that climate change affects the spatial core of the distributional range of plant species, in addition to their distributional margins, as previously reported.

Genetic structure and reproductive strategy of the ant Cardiocondyla elegans: strictly monogynous nests invaded by unrelated sexuals.

Cardiocondyla elegans is a Mediterranean ant that nests on river banks. It rears only wingless (ergatoid) males that live peacefully in the same nest as opposed to other species of the same genus, which have both peaceful, winged and mutually aggressive 'ergatoid' males. Using microsatellite analysis, we investigated the genetic structure of 21 colonies from three different locations as well as the parentage of sexuals of two colonies of C. elegans. We show that C. elegans is strictly monogynous, and that its nests can contain foreign sexuals. The presence of alien sexuals inside ant nests is described for the first time and probably counteracts inbreeding resulting from matings between siblings. In the laboratory, aggression tests showed that workers only allow alien males to enter their nests, while all winged female sexuals attempting to enter were attacked. Nevertheless, the presence of alien female sexuals in nests in the field seems to result from active carrying behaviour by workers during the reproductive period.

Molecular genetics of bladder cancer: targets for diagnosis and therapy.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is a common tumor. While most patients presenting superficial disease can be expected to do well following treatment, still many patients will return to our office with muscle invasive and metastatic disease. Survival in advanced bladder cancer is less than 50%. Tumors of similar histologic grade and stage have variable behavior, suggesting that genetic alterations must be present to explain the diverse behavior of bladder cancer. It is hoped that through the study of the subtle genetic alterations in bladder cancer, important prognostic and therapeutic targets can be exploited. Many new diagnostic tests and gene therapy approaches rely on the identification and targeting of these unique genetic alterations. A review of literature published on the molecular genetics of bladder cancer from 1970 to the present was conducted. A variety of molecular genetic alterations have been identified in bladder cancer. Oncogenes (H-ras, erbB-2, EGFR, MDM2, C-MYC, CCND1), tumor suppressor genes (p53, Rb, p21, p27/KIP1, p16, PTEN, STK15, FHIT, FEZ1/LZTS1, bc10), telomerase, and methylation have all been studied in bladder cancer. Several have proven to be potentially useful clinical targets in the prognosis and therapy of bladder cancer such as staining for p53 and gene therapy strategies such as p53 and fez1. Clinical trials targeting HER2/neu and the EGFR pathways are underway. The UroVysion bladder cancer assay relies on FISH to detect genetic alterations in this disease. Continuing identification of the molecular genetic alterations in bladder cancer will enhance future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to bladder cancer. Capitalizing on these alterations will allow early detection, providing important prognostic information and unique targets for gene therapy and other therapeutic approaches.

New approaches to catheter navigation for interventional radiology simulation.

For over 20 years, interventional methods have improved the outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease. However, these procedures require an intricate combination of visual and tactile feedback and extensive training. In this paper, we describe a series of novel approaches that have led to the development of a high-fidelity simulation system for interventional neuroradiology. In particular, we focus on a new approach for real-time deformation of devices such as catheters and guidewires during navigation inside complex vascular networks. This approach combines a real-time incremental Finite Element Model (FEM), an optimization strategy based on substructure decomposition, and a new method for handling collision response in situations where the number of contact points is very large. We also briefly describe other aspects of the simulation system, from patient-specific segmentation to the simulation of contrast agent propagation and fast volume-rendering techniques for generating synthetic X-ray images in real time. Although currently targeted at stroke therapy, our results are applicable to the simulation of any interventional radiology procedure.

A layered model of a virtual human intestine for surgery simulation.

In this paper, we propose a new approach to simulate the small intestine in a context of laparoscopic surgery. The ultimate aim of this work is to simulate the training of a basic surgical gesture in real-time: moving aside the intestine to reach hidden areas of the abdomen. The main problem posed by this kind of simulation is animating the intestine. The problem comes from the nature of the intestine: a very long tube which is not isotropically elastic, and is contained in a volume that is small when compared to the intestine's length. It coils extensively and collides with itself in many places. To do this, we use a layered model to animate the intestine. The intestine's axis is animated as a linear mechanical component. A specific sphere-based model handles contacts and self-collisions. A skinning model is used to create the intestine's volume around the axis. This paper discusses and compares three different representations for skinning the intestine: a parametric surface model and two implicit surface models. The first implicit surface model uses point skeletons while the second uses local convolution surfaces. Using these models, we obtained good-looking results in real-time. Some videos of this work can be found in the online version at doi: 10.1016/j.media.2004.11.006 and at www-imagis.imag.fr/Publications/2004/FLAMCFC04.

New approaches to catheter navigation for interventional radiology simulation.

For over 20 years, interventional methods have improved the outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease. However, these procedures require an intricate combination of visual and tactile feedback and extensive training periods. In this paper, we describe a series of novel approaches that have lead to the development of a high-fidelity simulation system for interventional neuroradiology. In particular we focus on a new approach for real-time deformation of devices such as catheters and guidewires during navigation inside complex vascular networks. This approach combines a real-time incremental Finite Element Model, an optimization strategy based on substructure decomposition, and a new method for handling collision response in situations where the number of contacts points is very large. We also briefly describe other aspects of the simulation system, from patient-specific segmentation to the simulation of contrast agent propagation and fast volume rendering techniques for generating synthetic X-ray images in real-time.

A weak electrical current enhances intracellular delivery of therapeutic substances.

Cell membranes have electrical properties which can be measured and modified. Administering a weak electrical signal across a tissue is a technique which can be used to determine the quantity of water in the intracellular and extracellular compartments. Using this real-time method of bioelectrical impedance, it was found that a variety of stimuli (including an electrical current) can enhance the passage of water and other substances into the cell. We propose an inexpensive and safe technique which could be utilized to enhance delivery of a wide variety of therapeutic agents into cells for the enhanced delivery of antibiotics, chemotherapy or other therapeutic agents.

[Postoperative management of partial or reconstructive pharyngo-laryngectomies]. / Prise en charge postopératoire des pharyngo-laryngectomies partielles ou reconstructives.

The multidisciplinary management of patients following pharyngolaryngeal surgery is an essential condition for its functional and socio-professional success. Early, overall rehabilitation, geared to each type of exeresis and to the personality of each patient, will enable both the voice and swallowing to regain their autonomy. A series of 195 patients after partial or reconstructive laryngectomy or pharyngectomy is analysed. The maintenance of a functional crico-arytenoid unity, the preservation of the mucosal sensitivity, the establishment of a facilitating posture and the dynamisation of the neoglottic sphincter are all equally important elements requiring the mobilisation of the entire health care team.

Knee prop for knee surgery.

A simple, inexpensive, effective, sterilizable knee prop is described for use in the operating room. It allows placement of the knee in any position, using the operating table hydraulic mechanism in conjunction. It is small, compact, easily adjustable, and can be kept sterilized for easy access. Over thirty years of use have abundantly demonstrated its success.

Tips of the trade #3. Using a bone spreader for open fracture reduction.

The use of an accessory instrument in open reduction of long bone fractures is described. The long bone traction needed in the operating room for fracture reduction can be obtained using this method, eliminating the need for the customary pulling on the draped extremity. This technique has been used routinely for 35 years.

The diagnostic limitations of ultrasonography in maxillofacial surgery.

The records of 63 patients having had ultrasound examinations with grey-scale B-mode scanners have been reviewed, to determine what contribution ultrasound made to the diagnosis of superficial maxillofacial masses, when compared with clinical examination and other methods of investigation. Most of the ultrasound parameters described in the literature are found in the cases we have examined. Despite the fact that the ultrasound image is often compatible with the disease, diagnosis using ultrasound was much less accurate than expected. From this series, it is concluded that ultrasound examination is not recommended for the diagnosis of all maxillofacial pathology, especially when the echographist has no special experience in this field of pathology, when ultrasound findings are not correlated with clinical ones, and when the ultrasound report is not precise and exhaustive.

A new surgical treatment of peroneal subluxation-dislocation. A case report with a 27-year follow up.

A case of bilateral subluxation-dislocation of the peroneal tendons, with a 27-year follow up is presented. A new, successful surgical method of treatment was used on a college football player. Details of the operative plan are presented.