Drivers of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions in hygrophytic bryophytes.

Bryophytes can both emit and take up biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to and from the environment. Despite the scarce study of these exchanges, BVOCs have been shown to be important for a wide range of ecological roles. Bryophytes are the most ancient clade of land plants and preserve very similar traits to those first land colonisers. Therefore, the study of these plants can help understand the early processes of BVOC emissions as an adaptation to terrestrial life. Here, we determine the emission rates of BVOCs from different bryophyte species to understand what drives such emissions. We studied 26 bryophyte species from temperate regions that can be found in mountain springs located in NE Spain. Bryophyte BVOC emission presented no significant phylogenetic signal for any of the compounds analysed. Hence, we used mixed linear models to investigate the species-specific differences and eco-physiological and environmental drivers of bryophyte BVOC emission. In general, species-specific variability was the main factor explaining bryophyte BVOC emissions; but additionally, photosynthetic rates and light intensity increased BVOC emissions. Despite emission measurements reported here were conducted at 30°, and may not directly correspond to emission rates in natural conditions, most of the screened species have never been measured before for BVOC emissions and therefore this information can help understand the drivers of the emissions of BVOCs in bryophytes.

Mediterranean springs: Keystone ecosystems and biodiversity refugia threatened by global change.

Mediterranean spring ecosystems are unique habitats at the interface between surface water and groundwater. These ecosystems support a remarkable array of biodiversity and provide important ecological functions and ecosystem services. Spring ecosystems are influenced by abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors such as the lithology of their draining aquifers, their climate, and the land use of their recharge area, all of which affect the water chemistry of the aquifer and the spring discharges. One of the most relevant characteristics of spring ecosystems is the temporal stability of environmental conditions, including physicochemical features of the spring water, across seasons and years. This stability allows a wide range of species to benefit from these ecosystems (particularly during dry periods), fostering an unusually high number of endemic species. However, global change poses important threats to these freshwater ecosystems. Changes in temperature, evapotranspiration, and precipitation patterns can alter the water balance and chemistry of spring water. Eutrophication due to agricultural practices and emergent pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides, is also a growing concern for the preservation of spring biodiversity. Here, we provide a synthesis of the main characteristics and functioning of Mediterranean spring ecosystems. We then describe their ecological value and biodiversity patterns and highlight the main risks these ecosystems face. Moreover, we identify existing knowledge gaps to guide future research in order to fully uncover the hidden biodiversity within these habitats and understand the main drivers that govern them. Finally, we provide a brief summary of recommended actions that should be taken to effectively manage and preserve Mediterranean spring ecosystems for future generations. Even though studies on Mediterranean spring ecosystems are still scarce, our review shows there are sufficient data to conclude that their future viability as functional ecosystems is under severe threat.

Nitrate pollution reduces bryophyte diversity in Mediterranean springs.

Anthropogenic activities and intensive farming are causing nitrate pollution in groundwater bodies. These aquifers are drained by springs which, in the Mediterranean region, act as refugia for preserving biodiversity of species that need continuous water. Some springs are also used for drinking water for wild animals, livestock and humans, so if their water quality is compromised it can become a threat to public health. However, the impact of nitrate pollution on these biotic communities remains unknown. We sampled 338 assemblages of aquatic and semi-aquatic bryophytes (i.e., hygrophytic mosses and liverworts) growing in springs in a gradient of water conductivity, nitrate concentration and climate and distributed across the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula to investigate the impact of nitrate pollution on the diversity of bryophytes and moss functional traits in Mediterranean springs. Based on previous literature suggesting that increased nitrogen load decreases biodiversity in grasslands and freshwater ecosystems, we hypothesised that water nitrate pollution in springs decreases bryophyte diversity at the local and regional scales. Our results indicated that, at the local scale (spring), nitrate pollution reduced the number and the likelihood of finding a rare species in springs. Rare species were found in 4% of the springs with nitrate above 50 mg L-1 but in 32% of the springs with nitrate below 50 mg L-1. Moss, liverwort and overall bryophyte diversity were not directly affected by nitrate at the local scale but nitrate consistently decreased diversity of mosses, liverworts and rare bryophyte species at the regional scale. We also found that warmer and drier springs presented fewer bryophyte species. Our results show that the combination of nitrate pollution, increasing temperature and drought could severely threaten bryophyte diversity in Mediterranean springs. Our results indicate that the absence of rare bryophytes could be used as a bioindicator of nitrate pollution in springs.

Impact of early and late winter icing events on sub-arctic dwarf shrubs.

Polar regions are predicted to undergo large increases in winter temperature and an increased frequency of freeze-thaw cycles, which can cause ice layers in the snow pack and ice encasement of vegetation. Early or late winter timing of ice encasement could, however, modify the extent of damage caused to plants. To determine impacts of the date of ice encasement, a novel field experiment was established in sub-arctic Sweden, with icing events simulated in January and March 2008 and 2009. In the subsequent summers, reproduction, phenology, growth and mortality, as well as physiological indicators of leaf damage were measured in the three dominant dwarf shrubs: Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Empetrum nigrum. It was hypothesised that January icing would be more damaging compared to March icing due to the longer duration of ice encasement. Following 2 years of icing, E. nigrum berry production was 83% lower in January-iced plots compared to controls, and V. vitis-idaea electrolyte leakage was increased by 69%. Conversely, electrolyte leakage of E. nigrum was 25% lower and leaf emergence of V. vitis-idaea commenced 11 days earlier in March-iced plots compared to control plots in 2009. There was no effect of icing on any of the other parameters measured, indicating that overall these study species have moderate to high tolerance to ice encasement. Even much longer exposure under the January icing treatment does not clearly increase damage.

Hormone withdrawal symptoms in oral contraceptive users.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the timing, frequency, and severity of hormone-related symptoms in oral contraceptive (OC) users, specifically to compare active-pill with hormone-free intervals. METHODS: Using daily diaries, women recorded pelvic pain, bleeding, headaches, analgesic use, nausea or vomiting, bloating or swelling, and breast tenderness during active-pill intervals and hormone-free intervals. Participants either had no prior OC use, had taken OCs and were restarting, or had been taking OCs continuously for 12 months or longer. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-two women, 26 with no previous OC use, 43 prior users, and 193 current users, provided daily records of hormone-related symptoms. Subjects with no prior OC use and prior users restarting were similar in no recent OC use, and because of the small sample, they were pooled for analysis as new-start OC users. Current users had patterns of symptoms that were more frequent during hormone-free intervals than during the three active-pill weeks. These included pelvic pain (70% versus 21%, P < .001), headaches (70% versus 53%, P < .001), use of pain medication (69% versus 43%, P < .001), bloating or swelling (58% versus 19%, P < .001), and breast tenderness (38% versus 16%, P < .001). Similar patterns were seen in new-start OC users after the first cycle. Among new-start OC users, menstrual flow patterns, headache, bloating or swelling, and breast-tenderness symptoms decreased during the three cycles to approach those levels of current users. CONCLUSION: Almost all symptoms assessed were significantly worse during the 7-day hormone-free interval than during the 21 days of hormone-containing pills.

Night splint treatment for plantar fasciitis. A prospective randomized study.

A prospective randomized study of 116 patients with plantar fasciitis was performed to determine the effectiveness of adjuvant night splint therapy in relieving the acute symptoms of plantar fasciitis. Patients were randomized into one of two groups. Patients in Group 1 were treated with 1 month of oral antiinflammatory medication, Achilles stretching exercises, and shoe recommendations. Patients in Group 2 received identical treatment but also used a dorsiflexion night splint for 3 months. Blinded clinical review of patients was performed at 4, 6, and 12 weeks. Health status data Short Form 36 also was collected at these times and again at an average 19 months of followup. Overall, 68% of patients reported improvement with this nonoperative protocol for a 12-week period. No statistical difference was seen with the presence or absence of a night splint. In addition, no differences in improvement rates were observed with gender, duration of antecedent symptoms, the presence of bilateral symptoms, or the presence of a heel spur. Age older than 45 years did prove to be a statistically significant poor prognostic factor for improvement at the 12-week follow-up. Short Form 36 data obtained at baseline showed significantly lowered perception of health when compared with age matched controls. Patients in both treatment groups had significant improvement in Short Form 36 scores with 12 weeks of conservative care.

Knee manipulation after total knee arthroplasty.

To determine if any factors are associated with knee stiffness after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), we retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiographs of patients who had knee manipulation after total knee replacement at Scott & White Memorial Hospital from 1983 to 1993. Twenty-five patients who had knee manipulation after TKA were matched by surgeon, year of surgery, and age (+/- 5 years) with a study group of 25 patients who did not have knee manipulation after TKA. Patients in the manipulated group had decreased flexion at the time of discharge from the hospital after the knee arthroplasty and a decreased final flexion. The age of the patient, time from surgery to manipulation, and preoperative flexion did not correlate with final flexion attained in the manipulated group. Relative to the control study group, the manipulated group had an increase in postoperative anteroposterior femoral thickness. A decrease in patellar height was noted both in the manipulated group and in the control nonmanipulated group. There was no significant difference between groups for a change in patellar height.

Luteal phase sertraline treatment for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of late-luteal phase dosing of sertraline hydrochloride in women with moderate-to-severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This highly prevalent disorder often causes significant psychosocial impairment. DESIGN: Double-blind, crossover trial of each 2-menstrual cycle of baseline, sertraline treatment, and placebo. Randomization to sertraline treatment vs placebo occurred after a 2-cycle, drug-free period. SETTING: A large outpatient multispecialty clinic in central Texas. PATIENTS: Fifty-seven women aged 19 to 49 years with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. INTERVENTIONS: Late-luteal phase treatment with sertraline hydrochloride in daily doses of 50 mg (cycle 1) followed by 100 mg (cycle 2) vs placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 22-item calendar of premenstrual experiences was completed daily and constituted the primary outcome measure, consisting of a total score and behavioral and physical factor scores. RESULTS: A repeated-measures analysis of variance for crossover designs found a significant beneficial effect from sertraline treatment in improving the calendar of premenstrual experiences total (P < .01), behavioral factor (P < .01), and physical factor (P < .04) scores. Most women improved when taking sertraline, 50 mg, although a dose increase to 100 mg yielded further improvement in approximately 25% of women. Use of sertraline was extremely well tolerated; the only adverse event reported by 10% or more of women was insomnia in 8 (14%) of them. CONCLUSIONS: Luteal phase treatment with sertraline was a safe and effective treatment for moderate-to-severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm the results of this preliminary study.

Conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis. A prospective study.

A randomized, prospective study was conducted to compare the individual effectiveness of three types of conservative therapy in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. One hundred three subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment categories: anti-inflammatory, accommodative, or mechanical. Subjects were treated for 3 months, with follow-up visits at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks. For the 85 patients who completed the study, a statistically significant difference was noted between groups, with mechanical treatment with taping and orthoses proving to be more effective than either anti-inflammatory or accommodative modalities.

Women's sense of well-being before and after hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe women's perceived sense of well-being before and after hysterectomy by examining a broad array of outcomes experienced by women undergoing hysterectomies for benign conditions. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive. SETTING: A regional tertiary care facility in central Texas. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-eight women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons who completed all three periods of data collection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects completed a questionnaire assessing information pertinent to their current gynecologic health and the SF-36 Health Survey before surgery and of 4 and 11 months after surgery. The women also completed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale preoperatively and at 4 months postoperatively. Additional demographic and medical information was extracted from the medical record. RESULTS: In the initial period after surgery, the patients experienced an improved health status. In addition, the women reported on improvement in their psychologic well-being, including less depression and improved sexual functioning. Relationships with others also improved after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes for these women undergoing hysterectomy for nononcologic reasons were generally positive. This information is vital for preoperative counseling by nurses of women contemplating or about to undergo this surgery.

Laparoscopy during pregnancy. A survey of laparoendoscopic surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to survey the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS) for their experience with laparoscopy during pregnancy and to develop a database on the safety and complications of laparoscopy in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A survey questionnaire was mailed to 16,329 laparoscopic surgeons from the SLS mailing database. Seven questions were asked: number of laparoscopic procedures in pregnancy, type of operation, gestational age, intraoperative and postoperative complications, insufflation agent and insufflation pressure. Only surgeons who had performed laparoscopic procedures in pregnancy were asked to return surveys. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-two (1.2%) surveys were returned. Complete information was available on 413 laparoscopic cases. There were five intraoperative complications, including inadvertent placement of a Veress needle into a pregnant uterus. There were 10 postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to specifically address the safety and complications of laparoscopy in pregnancy. This study suggests that laparoscopy may be safe during pregnancy; however, it was limited by the biases of surveys and retrospective studies.

Evaluation of 3-Day Course of Doxycycline for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Chlamydia trachomatis Cervicitis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of a 3-day course of doxycycline to a standard 7-day course for treating uncomplicated chlamydia cervicitis. METHODS: During an 18-month period, 77 women with uncomplicated chlamydia cervicitis were randomized to receive either a 3-day or a 7-day course of doxycycline (100 mg twice daily). Tests of cure were performed 3 weeks after completion of therapy with the Amplicor polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, NJ). Demographics, therapeutic results, and side effects for the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients completed the study: 35 in the 3-day group and 38 in the 7-day group. There were no significant differences in age, gravidity, or parity between the groups. There was a 94% (33/35) cure rate in the 3-day group and a 95% (36/38) cure rate in the 7-day group (P = 1.0). Thirty-four percent and 32% of the patients in the 3- and 7-day groups reported side effects, respectively; there was no significant differences between the 3- and 7-day groups in regard to population demographics, patient compliance, therapeutic outcome, or side effects. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-day course of doxycycline appears to be as effective as a 7-day course of doxycycline for the treatment of uncomplicated chlamydia cervicitis.

Genetically determined molecular weight differences in murine complement component C6.

Plasma samples from male CBA, BALB/c and DBA/2 mice were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Bands of C6 hemolytic activity in the washed resolving gel were identified by means of an erythrocyte/agarose overlay gel. CBA plasma was found to contain two forms of C6, one with a molecular weight (Mr) of approximately 90 000 (type A) and one with a Mr of 100 000 (type B); CBA mice were thus designated C6: A+B+. BALB/c and DBA/2 plasma on the other hand contained only the low molecular weight type A C6 and were designated C6: A+B-. Flat bed isoelectric focusing followed by functional overlays showed that CBA plasma produced two sets of hemolytic bands (pI 5.25-5.4 and 5.0-5.2) whereas BALB/c and DBA/2 plasma produced only the more cathodal band set. The additional band set in CBA plasma corresponded to the high-Mr type B C6. Results of breeding experiments demonstrated that the possession of the high Mr type B C6 was inherited in the manner of an autosomal phenotypically dominant characteristic.

Cavitation erosion of laser-surface-melted self-quenched Fe-AI bronze.

Laser surface melting (LSM) was used to transform the multiphase surface microstructure of an Fe-Al bronze C-624000 alloy into a homogeneous single-phase solution. As a result of the processing the LSM self-quenched material showed superior cavitation erosion resistance.