Age and growth of the Scalloped Hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini (Griffith and Smith, 1834), from the southern Brazilian coast.

Age and growth studies for the scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini (Griffith and Smith, 1834) caught along the southern Brazilian coast, were based on ring measurements of vertebrae sections of 115 males, 116 females and 14 unknown sexed sharks between 48 and 344 cm total length (TL). The von Bertalanffy growth models were best fit using back-calculated data. The growth parameters obtained for males, were L∞ = 266 cm; K = 0.05/year; L0 = 47 cm. For females, L∞ = 300 cm; K = 0.05/year; L0 = 51 cm. An adult female reached 217 cm TL and was 31.5 years old. On the other hand, an adult male was 29.5 years old and measured 234 cm TL. Longevity estimate for males and females was 55 years. Therefore, S. lewini is a long-lived fish. Ageing precision, based on the IAPE index, was 5.6%. Marginal Increment analysis based on MIR index from hammerheads smaller than 105 cm, compared with the percentual of opaque and hyaline bands found per month ageing whole vertebrae, showed an annual ring formation, i.e., in winter.

Chromium occurrence in the environment and methods of its speciation.

This article includes a survey of chromium (Cr) occurrence in different environmental compartments, its pathways in the environment and the cross-sectional presentation of Cr speciation methods against the background of Cr chemistry. The aim of the article is to demonstrate that knowledge of interconversion processes between different Cr forms is necessary to understand its behaviour and role in the environment, in addition to enabling reliable Cr speciation analysis to be performed. The current methods of Cr speciation are presented, characterized and their usefulness discussed. These must rely on superior separation and detection capabilities since Cr in environmental compartments is mostly at trace or ultra-trace level. The need for using unique techniques of sampling, storage, handling and separation for Cr speciation is documented.

[Causes for reoperations after osteosyntheses of finger and mid-hand fractures]. / Ursachen von Nachoperationen nach Osteosynthesen von Finger- und Mittelhandfrakturen.

31 patients reoperated after osteosynthesis of a metacarpal or a phalangeal fracture were reviewed over a period of three years. The cause of injury was in 18 cases a crush, in six cases a fall, in five cases a saw injury, and in two cases axial trauma. A postoperative plaster splint immobilisation over a period of at least three weeks was carried out in 29 cases. Reoperation was necessary in most of the cases because of a loss of range of motion and a nonunion. The complication rate was independent of the method of fixation, but did depend on the type of injury. Fractures associated with soft tissue injury were more likely to develop complications.

[Treatment of anterior instability of the knee joint with particular regard to free grafts of the specific patellar ligament]. / Leczenie przedniej niestabilnosci stawu kolanowego ze szczególnym uwzglednieniem wolnego wszczepu z wiezadla wlasciwego rzepki.

48 patients with injuries of the anterior crucial ligament of the knee joint have been operated on. 27 patients were included the in control in the remote observation (1-3 years). In the evaluation of the results the following things were taken into consideration: feeling of stability of the knee, rest and exercise pains or lack of them, the degree of limitation of the function, lack of ability to practice sport, and the degree of improvement of the topical state in comparison with the period before the operation. As it can be seen from the obtained clinical results and the subjective evaluation the patients bore small residual anterior instability relatively well but they felt the same failure of the collateral ligament.

[Method for the determination of ionized calcium in clinical practice]. / Príspevek k metodice stanovení ionizovaného kalcia v klinické praxi.

The authors give an account of their experience with the problem of assessment of ionized calcium (Ca2+) in clinical work. To assess Ca2+ they use an ICA 2 analyzer of Radiometer Co. Copenhagen which makes it possible to assess concurrently the Ca2+ concentration at a given pH (Ca2+/act. pH), pH and Ca2+ calculated for pH 7.4 (Ca2+/pH 7.4) in capillary and venous blood. The authors confirmed the significant difference between Ca2+/act. pH in venous and capillary blood which is due to the pH and they did not find a significant difference in Ca2+/pH 7.4 in venous and capillary blood. They found that the specimens of capillary blood can be kept in capillaries in the refrigerator at +4 degrees C for four hours without a significant changes of the Ca2+/act.pH level. During subsequent time intervals, i.e. after 24, 48 and 72 hours following collection of the blood sample, there is a significant rise of Ca2+/act.pH due in particular to a significant drop of the pH of the blood samples. The Ca2+/pH 7.4. concentration in capillary blood does not change throughout the 72-hour follow up period. The authors provided also evidence that slight physical strain (30 min. walk on flat ground) does not cause significant changes in the concentration of capillary Ca2+/act.pH nor of Ca2+/pH 7.4 due to the three-minute compression of the arm by the tonometer cuff with a pressure equal to the diastolic blood pressure of the examined subject. The reported results make simpler and more accurate assessment of Ca2+ in clinical and ambulatory practice possible.