Search

Dominik Herzog,1 Werner Vach,2,3 Thomas Schwamborn,2 Franziska Saxer1,3,4 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 2Crossklinik Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 3Basel Academy for Quality and Research in Medicine, Basel, Switzerland; 4Novartis BioMedical Research, Translational Medicine, Basel, SwitzerlandCorrespondence: Franziska Saxer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 61, Basel, 4056, Switzerland, Tel +41 61 207 31 11, Email franziska.saxer@unibas.chIntroduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are frequent injuries, especially in athletes. Return to sports after reconstruction of the ligament is a frequently debated topic and of high relevance for these patients. It is mostly achieved at 9– 12 months post-surgery. However, the risk of subsequent knee injuries is high and psychological factors play an important role in the process and success of returning to sports. Little is known about patients’ perception of their journey returning to sports. This study aims to fill the gap.Material and Methods: The study aimed to include patients treated surgically for an ACL injury over 5 years at a specialized sports-medicine clinic. Patients were surveyed on the impact of the injury on their lives, their return to sports experience, and medical history.Results: In total, 100 (of 474) patients aged 35.9 years responded. Within 5 years, 19% experienced a reoperation and 23% a new knee injury. Overall, 83% of patients returned to their main sport, 72% reached their pre-injury level. However, 45% reported at least one distinct or severe consequence of their ACL injury. The ability to return to sports had more impact on the perception of the course of treatment than the experience of new injuries or surgery.Conclusion: The rate of successful return to sports was comparable to previous reports despite a higher average age in this cohort. A successful return to sports seems to be a major determinant for the perception of impact from the injury and may be more important than the avoidance of repeat trauma.Keywords: knee injury, patient journey, psychological impact of injury, quality of life, treatment perception

Sarah Piller, Denise Herzog Department of Paediatrics, Cantons Hospital of Fribourg, Fribourg, SwitzerlandCorrespondence: Denise HerzogDepartment of Pediatrics, Cantons Hospital of Fribourg, Chemin Des Pensionnats 2-6, 1700, Fribourg, SwitzerlandTel +41 26 306 3510Fax +41 26 306 3519Email denise.herzog@h-fr.chIntroduction: Fever is the chief complaint of up to one-third of all paediatric office visits in many places. The high number of consultations at our emergency department (ED) led us to hypothesise that this increase was due to febrile paediatric patients with lower urgency seeking medical advice.Methods: We retrospectively analysed the number and characteristics of patients 3 months to 5 years of age consulting for a body temperature of 38.5°C or higher during the 6 winter months of 2011–2012.Results: Twenty-four percent of all consultations were requested by the patients included in our group. None of the 835 patients had to be hospitalised, 95% of these patients had additional respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, 36.7% required antibiotic therapy, and 17.6% (laryngitis and lower respiratory tract infection (RTI)) required temporary respiratory support. A total of 56.2% of patients sought advice outside of the normal working hours.Conclusion: The majority of patients had fever accompanied by additional symptoms justifying a medical consultation. However, most of these did not require the infrastructure of an ED for their health care problem and probably visited the ED because of the open hours.Keywords: fever, emergency department, child, infection

Christian Thomsen,1 Dorothea Theilig,2 Dominik Herzog,1 Alexander Poellinger,2 Felix Doellinger,2 Nils Schreiter,3 Vera Schreiter,2 Dirk Schürmann,1 Bettina Temmesfeld-Wollbrueck,1 Stefan Hippenstiel,1 Norbert Suttorp,1 Ralf-Harto Hubner1 1Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, 2Institute of Radiology, 3Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany Abstract: The exclusion of collateral ventilation (CV) and other factors affect the clinical success of endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR). However, despite its benefits, the outcome of ELVR remains difficult to predict. We investigated whether clinical success could be predicted by emphysema distribution assessed by computed tomography scan and baseline perfusion assessed by perfusion scintigraphy. Data from 57 patients with no CV in the target lobe (TL) were retrospectively analyzed after ELVR with valves. Pulmonary function tests (PFT), St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and 6-minute walk tests (6MWT) were performed on patients at baseline. The sample was grouped into high and low levels at the median of TL perfusion, ipsilateral nontarget lobe (INL) perfusion, and heterogeneity index (HI). These groups were analyzed for association with changes in outcome parameters from baseline to 3 months follow-up. Compared to baseline, patients showed significant improvements in PFT, SGRQ, and 6MWT (all P≤0.001). TL perfusion was not associated with changes in the outcome. High INL perfusion was significantly associated with increases in 6MWT (P=0.014), and high HI was associated with increases in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), (P=0.012). Likewise, there were significant correlations for INL perfusion and improvement of 6MWT (r=0.35, P=0.03) and for HI and improvement in FEV1 (r=0.45, P=0.001). This study reveals new attributes that associate with positive outcomes for patient selection prior to ELVR. Patients with high perfusions in INL demonstrated greater improvements in 6MWT, while patients with high HI were more likely to respond in FEV1. Keywords: endoscopic lung volume reduction, COPD, valves, lung perfusion, emphysema distribution

Over the last decades, Pinus taeda L. plantations in southern Brazil showed a great increase in average production. However, the gains in productivity obtained by genetic selection and breeding have nowadays stabilized. Research on edaphic factors and silvicultural practices is currently performed with the aim of both increasing the productivity of P. taeda plantations and maintaining the soil quality. To this end, soil microbiological attributes are considered better indicators of soil quality as they are more sensitive than chemical and physical ones. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between microbial activity and the physical and chemical parameters of different soil types under young Pinus taeda plantations at five different sites in southern Brazil. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm. The soil microbiological attributes evaluated were: potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial basal respiration (MBR), and metabolic quotient (qCO2). We also evaluated some physical and chemical soil parameters. Sites with the highest values of C, clay, and nutrients in the soil, showed higher values for the soil microbiological attributes, compared to the other study sites. The previous management with minimal tillage in some sites seems to positively affect soil quality. The MCB and MBR showed better sensitivity in indicating differences between sites and showed a good relationship with clay content, C/N ratio, K, and pH. These results suggest that site-specific characteristics such as soil type or forest management influence soil microbiological attributes in Pinus taeda plantations during initial growth in southern Brazil.

Summary: Historically, management of fish populations has been achieved through the use of age‐derived estimates of growth and mortality. For long‐lived species such as the paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, the validation of calcified structures is necessary to correct for the presence of false annuli or the absence of growth rings. Regardless, numerous studies on paddlefish populations throughout their range have continued the use of un‐validated age estimates to evaluate dynamic rate functions. The use of mark‐recapture studies has been applied widely to evaluate growth of short‐lived fishes, but only recently to a few long‐lived freshwater fishes (i.e. white sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, and pallid sturgeon). This study provides the first simultaneous evaluation of both mark‐recapture and age‐estimate information in determining population characteristics for paddlefish. In doing so, this study has determined that the P. spathula population in the Black River below Clearwater Dam, Missouri is sustainable. Additionally, mark‐recapture information is sufficient to produce accurate and reliable assessments of paddlefish populations in lieu of validated aging structures; future management should be centered on accurate scientific methods, which is not the case when using un‐validated aging structures (e.g. scales, otoliths, fin rays, dentary bones) to determine population parameters. Mark‐recapture information can provide an accurate, alternative source of growth and mortality information for use in evaluating and managing paddlefish populations throughout their range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Concern over exploitation rates of the American paddlefish Polyodon spathula from sport and commercial fisheries has increased in recent decades and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species is now seeking information from state agencies regarding the sustainability of commercially harvested paddlefish populations. The Missouri Department of Conservation is addressing this through the implementation of a 5‐year tagging study on exploitation of paddlefish in the Mississippi River. The first 2 years of this project found that minimal exploitation of paddlefish along Missouri's eastern border was equal to 4.01% (SE = 0.02). After updating previously constructed spawning potential ratio modeling completed in 2016 with the more accurate estimates of exploitation determined in this study it becomes apparent that paddlefish populations of the Mississippi River are currently at sustainable levels. However, precautionary adjustment of regulations is advised to protect paddlefish through maturation and to counteract the possibility of increased harvest intensity resulting from increased demand of domestic caviar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria present in the root canal (RC) space following an RC treatment (RCT) can lead to persistent infections, resulting in treatment failure and the need for reintervention or extraction. Currently, there are no standardized methods in use to clinically detect bacterial presence within RC spaces. The use of paper point sampling and fluorescence staining was shown to be a rapid method, able to detect residual bacteria following treatment. The study demonstrated that Calcein acetoxymethyl (AM) proved to be a suitable dye for detecting vital bacteria within mature endodontic biofilms, with an improved sensitivity over colony-forming unit counting in a stressed biofilm model. Furthermore, in a clinical trial with primary RCTs, 53 infected teeth were sampled in vivo, and increased detection of vital cells was found when compared with colony-forming unit counting, highlighting the sensitivity of the technique in detecting low cell numbers. By combining fluorescent staining and microspectroscopy with software-based spectral analysis, successful detection of vital cells from RCs was possible after 5 min of Calcein AM incubation. Application of this technology during RCT has the potential to reduce persistent infections through vital cell detection and additional treatment. Furthermore, this technique could be applied to antimicrobial research and disinfection control in clinical settings ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03055975). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat management is a crucial aspect of fisheries management. Without knowledge of habitat associations, fisheries scientists are unable to effectively make habitat conservation or restoration recommendations. This becomes especially prominent when trying to manage commercially harvested populations and protect threatened or endangered species. To determine juvenile fishes habitat associations in the Middle Mississippi River, we analysed mini-trawl catch data of six common juvenile fish species: blue catfish ( Ictalurus furcatus), channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus), channel shiner ( Notropis wickliffi), freshwater drum ( Aplodinotus grunniens), paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula), and shovelnose sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). Overall, we conducted 2251 mini-trawl sampling efforts between 2002 and 2013, resulting in the capture of 23,742 target specimens. Catch per unit effort was evaluated by structural habitat (i.e. velocity, depth, and substrate). Overall, these data suggest that juvenile fish species are more prevalent in shallow water and slower velocities. Ultimately the information garnered during this evaluation should be incorporated when considering habitat modifications, especially those modifications that impact the availability of shallow-low velocity habitats. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pallid Sturgeon is listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States. When the species was listed in 1990 it was considered extremely rare and was poorly understood. Habitat alteration, commercial harvest, environmental contaminants, and other factors were identified as threats. Today our scientific understanding of the species and its life history requirements have increased greatly as summarized below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens are considered rare and were nearly extirpated in the Mississippi River in Missouri by 1931 as a result of overfishing and habitat fragmentation. Propagation efforts have been implemented by the Missouri Department of Conservation since 1984 as means to restore the lake sturgeon population. Although recent population increases have been observed, a formalized evaluation to determine if lake sturgeon are self-sustaining in the Missouri portion of the Mississippi River has not been completed. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the proportion of reproductive individuals, (ii) evaluate seasonal movement patterns of adults, and (iii) validate purported spawning locations within the Mississippi River in Missouri. Lake sturgeon catch data indicated that approximately 11 percent of the population are reproductively mature. Additionally, telemetry data confirms that the greatest movement by adult lake sturgeon occurs during spring, which suggests spawning behavior. Finally, it was possible to document lake sturgeon embryos and emergent fry larvae below Melvin Price Locks and Dam 26 in the Upper Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri. Water velocity, depth, and substrate size were measured at this location and embryos were collected and hatched in the laboratory. River gage data suggest that spawning behavior may have been elicited by a large influx of water during a drawdown period of water above the dam. This study represents the first documented spawning of A. fulvescens in the Mississippi River and highlights the success of recovery efforts in Missouri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the ecological function of developed large rivers remains elusive because these systems have long been altered for multiple uses. In particular, floodplains of large rivers, such as the Mississippi River, have been contained behind extensive levees. A historic flood occurred in the lower Mississippi River system during spring of 2011, prompting the US Army Corps of Engineers to activate the Bird's Point-New Madrid floodway, a 55 000-ha, agriculturally dominated, leveed area. Water entered the floodway at flows >1 m s−1 through two crevasses created in the upper portion of the levee and exited through a crevasse at the lower end. During the month, the floodway was inundated; we quantified discharge, water chemistry, primary production and fish production in the floodway and the adjacent river. Water entering the floodway was retained <1.3 d, and nutrient concentrations were not elevated in the floodway beyond those in the river, despite expected contributions from a legacy of fertilization. Primary production equaled respiration in the floodway, while the adjacent river was heterotrophic. Gizzard shad and freshwater drum were more abundant in the floodway than the river, while channel catfish were more abundant in the river. Growth rates of young native fishes, normalized for temperature, were the same in the floodway and the river, with the exception of gizzard shad, which grew faster in the floodway. Fish community structure, especially in the lower floodway, was temporally and spatially dynamic. Even though it has been heavily modified for agriculture, the floodway provided benefits, albeit limited, to the Mississippi River. With multifunctional management and strategic planning, systems such as these may provide substantial services such as flood abatement, nutrient transformation and fish production in the Mississippi River basin and potentially reduce nutrient loading downstream in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the appropriate scale at which habitat is biologically relevant to riverine fishes in large, sand-dominated rivers is a challenge. Alluvial islands are important to several of these fishes throughout the central USA, but there is a paucity of information on island habitat features that restoration efforts should try to replicate. We determined the physical characteristics of two island complexes in the middle Mississippi River that facilitate the settlement and survival of age-0 shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus at relatively large (mean 39,000m2) and small (mean 320m2) scales. Depth (m), flow rate (ms-1), substrate (sand, rock, silt) and vegetation were quantified at these two scales using hydroacoustic techniques (split-beam sonar and acoustic Doppler current profiler). Abiotic attributes in the surrounding littoral zone of the island complexes were highly correlated but differed depending on location. At the coarse spatial scale, vegetation was positively related to shovelnose sturgeon abundance. At the fine spatial scale, age-0 shovelnose sturgeon were restricted to flow rates<0.89ms-1, with abundance peaking at about 0.40ms-1. However, heterogeneity in depth and flow was important, and sturgeon abundance peaked at intermediate variability in these two abiotic attributes. A computer-generated model of the habitat surrounding islands suggests that these habitats are diverse and may provide flow refugia and foraging patches for shovelnose sturgeon. We submit the results presented here that can contribute to a hierarchical model for island restoration in large rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]