Increasing spruce budworm defoliation increases catchment discharge in conifer forests.

Forest insect outbreaks cause significant reductions in the forest canopy through defoliation and tree mortality that modify the storage and flow of water, potentially altering catchment runoff and stream discharge patterns. Despite a growing understanding of the impacts of insect outbreaks on the hydrology of broadleaf forests, little is known about these impacts to catchment hydrology in northern conifer-dominated forests. We measured the effects of cumulative defoliation by spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) on stream discharge and runoff in 12 experimental catchments (6.33-9.85 km2) across the central Gaspé Peninsula in eastern Québec, Canada over a three-year period (2019-2021). Six catchments were aerially treated with BtK (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) insecticide to suppress the outbreak and six catchments were left untreated, leading to a defoliation gradient across the study sites. Stage-discharge relationships were established between June and October from 2019 to 2021. Stream volumetric discharge (r = 0.71, p < 0.01, t(34) = 5.85), runoff (r = 0.55, p < 0.01, t(34) = 3.81) and runoff ratios (r = 0.67, p < 0.01, t(33) = 5.19) were all strongly positively correlated with cumulative defoliation intensity, likely by reducing available water storage in the catchment and therefore enhancing runoff generation. Seasonally, volumetric discharge, runoff, and runoff ratios were more strongly correlated with defoliation in the summer than autumn months, likely because available catchment storage was more limited following the freshet. Overall, we found that insect defoliation impacts forested catchment hydrology similar to other landscape disturbances, and such consequences should be considered in forest management and the control of forest insect outbreaks.

Post-traumatic endophthalmitis with retained intraocular foreign body - a case report with review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Endophthalmitis following penetrating eye injuries has a poor prognosis and presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of reporting this case was to identify the causative organism of post-traumatic endophthalmitis due to retained iron foreign body and to highlight the importance of carrying out diagnostic investigations. CASE: A 20-year-old male presented with tenderness and blurring in the right eye 3 days after injury with an iron particle. Visual acuity was perception of light with accurate projection of rays in all quadrants. The slit-lamp examination revealed ciliary and conjuctival congestion. There was a vertically-oriented self-sealed, full-thickness laceration in the cornea adjacent to the limbus. The anterior chamber evaluation revealed + 4 cells, +3 flare and a 2 - mm hypopyon. There was cataract with a ruptured anterior lens capsule. Posterior synechae was present at 5�0 clock position. B-scan showed echogenic metallic foreign body in the posterior chamber, with vitreous opacities. The vitreous tap was done and intra-vitreal antibiotics injections of 1 mg in 0.1 ml vancomycin and 2.25 mg in 0.1 ml ceftazidime were given. Culture and sensitivity of the tap revealed staphylococcus as the causative agent. The patient was put on moxifloxacin eye drops, fortified tobramycin and cephazolin eye drops 1 hourly along with atropine eye drops. The patient was referred to the vitreoretinal surgeon urgently for pars plana vitrectomy and foreign body removal. At follow up, the patient's BCVA was improved. CONCLUSION: The causative organism isolated was similar to that documented in other reports. Endophthalmitis must be treated with vitrectomy and intra-vitreal injections of antibiotics after a proper vitreous tap.

Hypodontia, ankylosis and infraocclusion: report of a case restored with a fibre-reinforced ceromeric bridge.

Retained primary molars without permanent successors often undergo progressive infra-occlusion, without predictable exfoliation. Early prophylactic removal, after assessment of root resorption and adjacent periodontal support loss as well as age of onset, is often indicated. This article describes the joint orthodontic-restorative care of such a case and describes an alternative method of restoration using a fibre-reinforced ceromeric bridge. As well as a conservative preparation and good aesthetics, an overlay restoration provided a fully functional occlusion.

A randomised controlled trial evaluating a novel cytotoxic drug delivery system for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a novel method for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. A cytotoxic drug delivery system using a bilaminar bioadhesive polymeric film was applied directly to the cervix. This cytotoxic drug delivery system allowed the dose, the site and the duration of application of the cytotoxic drug (5-fluorouracil) to be controlled. DESIGN: A prospective, double-blind randomised controlled trial. SETTING: The Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Pathology of Belfast City Hospital and The Queen's University of Belfast, and the Department of Pharmacy of The Queen's University of Belfast. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and four patients who had been referred to the colposcopy outpatient clinic because of abnormal cervical cytology were recruited into the trial. They were assessed colposcopically and biopsies for histopathology were obtained. Only patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions Grades 1 and 2 were recruited. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were re-assessed one, three, and six months after application of the cytotoxic drug delivery system by colposcopy. Clinical endpoints were noted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre-treatment histopathological biopsy results were compared with those obtained after treatment. RESULTS: The cytotoxic drug delivery system fulfilled the requirements for treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia without causing any architechtural damage, but the chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil, did not provide effective treatment of disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the delivery system was effective, and further studies using this mechanism are now possible.

Transabdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage: initial experience.

Pregnancy outcome before and after insertion of transabdominal cervical cerclage is evaluated. The series also reports on the first cases of second pregnancies with the original suture left in situ. It is our view that transabdominal cervical cerclage should only be performed in units that have specialists in Perinatal Medicine.

A comparative study of the diuretic, natriuretic, and kaluretic effects of furosemide when administered at 07:00 h and at 19:00 h.

Furosemide (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) was administered to 31 healthy, day-active adults (Group 1) at 07:00 h (study 1) and urine output during the next 2 h was collected. Urine volume, urinary sodium, potassium and creatinine were determined. After 60 h, furosemide (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) was administered at 19:00 h (study 2) and urine output during the subsequent 2 h (19:00 h to 21:00 h) was collected for estimation of urine volume, sodium, potassium and creatinine. Twenty-two healthy, day-active adults (Group 2) who constituted the control group underwent study 1 and study 2 and received 2 ml of normal saline instead of furosemide. There was no significant difference in urinary volume, urinary sodium, potassium and creatinine excretion between study 1 and study 2 in the control subjects (Group 2). In contrast, administration of furosemide at 07:00 h (study 1) resulted in greater diuresis (247.1 +/- 202.07 ml), more marked sodium excretion (42.66 +/- 29.06 mmol), increased potassium excretion (5.14 +/- 4.014 mmol), and greater creatinine excretion (0.415 +/- 0.414 mmol) as compared to study 2. In conclusion, the diuretic, natriuretic and kaluretic effects of furosemide are greater when administered at 07:00 h than at 19:00 h. Therefore, in clinical practice, the time of administration of furosemide can be so chosen as to achieve a greater diuresis or to prevent a marked loss of sodium.