ABSTRACT
We tested the hypothesis that water stress and soil nutrient availability drive leaf-litter quality for decomposers and detritivores by relating chemical and physical leaf-litter properties and decomposability of Alnus glutinosa and Quercus robur, sampled together with edaphic parameters, across wide European climatic gradients. By regressing principal components analysis of leaf traits [N, P, condensed tannins, lignin, specific leaf area (SLA)] against environmental and soil parameters, we found that: (1) In Q. robur the condensed tannin and lignin contents increased and SLA decreased with precipitation, annual range of temperature, and soil N content, whereas leaf P increased with soil P and temperature; (2) In A. glutinosa leaves N, P, and SLA decreased and condensed tannins increased with temperature, annual range of temperature, and decreasing soil P. On the other hand, leaf P and condensed tannins increased and SLA decreased with minimum annual precipitation and towards sites with low temperature. We selected contrasting leaves in terms of quality to test decomposition and invertebrate consumption. There were intraspecific differences in microbial decomposition rates (field, Q. robur) and consumption by shredders (laboratory, A. glutinosa). We conclude that decomposition rates across ecosystems could be partially governed by climate and soil properties, affecting litter quality and therefore decomposers and detritivores. Under scenarios of global warming and increased nutrients, these results suggest we can expect species-specific changes in leaf-litter properties most likely resulting in slow decomposition with increased variance in temperatures and accelerated decomposition with P increase.
Subject(s)
Alnus/physiology , Climate , Insecta/physiology , Plant Leaves/physiology , Quercus/physiology , Soil Microbiology , Soil , Alnus/microbiology , Animals , Ecosystem , Europe , Insecta/microbiology , Lignin/analysis , Plant Leaves/microbiology , Quercus/microbiology , Rain , Species Specificity , TemperatureABSTRACT
The aspiration of a bronchial foreign body (FB) remains a common pediatric problem with serious and sometimes fatal sequelae. The diagnosis is often delayed or overlooked. With the aim of determining a reliable clinical and/or radiologic finding to indicate the requirement for bronchoscopy, 100 patients admitted to our hospital because of FB aspiration who underwent rigid bronchoscopy were retrospectively studied. The clinical and radiologic data were compared with the bronchoscopy findings, which revealed that the history of a choking crisis was the clinical parameter that showed the highest sensitivity (97%) with high specificity (63%), and that other symptoms and radiology, even those with high sensitivity (88% and 85%, respectively), had low specificity (9%). We conclude that bronchoscopy should be performed in all patients with a history of a choking crisis even if they have normal radiologic findings and few symptoms.
ABSTRACT
The aspiration of a bronchial foreign body (FB) remains a common pediatric problem with serious and sometimes fatal sequelae. The diagnosis is often delayed or overlooked. With the aim of determining a reliable clinical and/or radiologic finding to indicate the requirement for bronchoscopy, 100 patients admitted to our hospital because of FB aspiration who underwent rigid bronchoscopy were retrospectively studied. The clinical and radiologic data were compared with the bronchoscopy findings, which revealed that the history of a choking crisis was the clinical parameter that showed the highest sensitivity (97%) with high specificity (63%), and that other symptoms and radiology, even those with high sensitivity (88% and 85%, respectively), had low specificity (9%). We conclude that bronchoscopy should be performed in all patients with a history of a choking crisis even if they have normal radiologic findings and few symptoms.
Subject(s)
Airway Obstruction/etiology , Bronchi , Bronchoscopy , Foreign Bodies/therapy , Airway Obstruction/diagnostic imaging , Bronchography , Child , Child, Preschool , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Foreign Bodies/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Infant , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
We present a case of cervical lymphangioma operated on when one month old. Three weeks later he suffered a relapse which caused respiratory problems since it affected the retropharyngeal pouch, with movement and compression of the upper airway. Given the technical difficulty of operating again, the transoral injection of fibrin adhesive was used as a sclerotic agent, which resulted in remission of symptoms and acceptable reduction in tumor size. The use of fibrin adhesive may be highly useful for the treatment of lymphangiomata and their complications.
Subject(s)
Fibrin Tissue Adhesive/therapeutic use , Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy , Lymphangioma/drug therapy , Head and Neck Neoplasms/surgery , Humans , Infant , Lymphangioma/surgery , Male , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Sclerosing Solutions/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Detalla la gran cantidad de aplicaciones que presenta el plástico reforzado con fibra de vidrio (PRFV), en plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales debido a las ventajas técnico-económicas que presenta. Por las cualidades de resistencia, durabilidad y flexibilidad de diseño que se explican, los productos fabricados con PRFV son ideales para la construcción de tuberías, pisos, canales, compuertas, tanques, paneles, puentes peatonales y otras piezas cuyas características de construcción se mencionan en el artículo. Se provee además de una tabla de comparación de propiedades mecánicas por unidad de peso entre el PRFV y los metales
Subject(s)
Water Purification , Glass Industry , Treatment PlantsABSTRACT
Detalla la gran cantidad de aplicaciones que presenta el plástico reforzado con fibra de vidrio (PRFV), en plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales debido a las ventajas técnico-económicas que presenta. Por las cualidades de resistencia, durabilidad y flexibilidad de diseño que se explican, los productos fabricados con PRFV son ideales para la construcción de tuberías, pisos, canales, compuertas, tanques, paneles, puentes peatonales y otras piezas cuyas características de construcción se mencionan en el artículo. Se provee además de una tabla de comparación de propiedades mecánicas por unidad de peso entre el PRFV y los metales
Subject(s)
Treatment Plants , Glass Industry , Water PurificationABSTRACT
Three cases of Morris Syndrome were detected among 103 girls admitted to the hospital for inguinal hernia. Diagnosis was made possible by routine sexual chromatine study in oral mucosa smear, but it can also be suspected when familial antecedents of amenorrhea exist. An early diagnosis of this condition is imperative in order to provide the patient with an adequate medical and surgical management, including the conservation of the gonads until pubertal age.
