Biodiversity of benthic fauna in the seagrass ecosystem of Kung Krabaen Bay, Chantaburi Province, Thailand

Biodiversity of benthic fauna was high in the seagrass ecosystem in Kung Krabaen Bay even though the bay’s coasthad many intensive shrimp farms. Halodule pinifolia and Enhalus acoroides were two species of seagrasses distributedwidely in the bay. Their biomass was higher in summer than in the rainy season. 27 families of polychaetes and 10 species ofgastropods were predominantly distributed in the seagrass beds and their biodiversity indices were not different amongtransects (North, East, South). At the same time, 18 species of bivalves were distributed among seagrass beds, but they hada greater diversity index in the north and east than in the south. The abundance of gastropods, bivalves and polychaeteswere significantly correlated with the biomass of H. pinifolia (65%, 39% and 27%, respectively); whereas only bivalvescorrelated significantly with the biomass of E. acoroides (36%). Treated wastewater effluents from shrimp farms did not affectthe seagrass ecosystem. Water quality in the bay was suitable for natural resources preservation

Современные взгляды на лучевые методы диагностики при повреждении коленного сустава

Рассматриваются возможности лучевых методов диагностики (рентгенографии, компьютерной, магниторезонансной томографии, ультрасонографии) при повреждении коленного сустава.The capabilities of radiodiagnosis (radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) at knee joint injuries are discussed

Pediatric Pulmonology Year in Review 2014: Part 2

Our discipline and our journal cover an extremely broad range of research and scholarly topics related to children’s respiratory disorders. To better meet the needs of our readership for updated perspectives on the rapidly expanding knowledge in our field, we will summarize the past year’s publications in our major topic areas, as well as selected publications in these areas from the core clinical journal literature outside our own pages. A previous review (Part 1) summarized papers published in 2014 relevant to asthma, diagnostic testing/endoscopy, sleep and breathing disorders, respiratory complications of neuromuscular disorders, and rare lung diseases. The current review covers articles on neonatal lung disease, pulmonary physiology, and respiratory infection

Ursachen der Veränderungen in den Individuendichten des Purpurreihers (Ardea purpurea) am Bung-Khong-Long-Ramsar Vogelschutzgebiet, Thailand

The decrease in the maximum number of Purple Herons (Ardea purpurea) observed at Bung Khong Long Non-Hunting Area, northeastern Thailand since 2004 has been attributed to the changes in food supply in the lake. The aim of the present research was to investigate the actual food supply in the different periods of two migratory seasons of the bird (October 2009 – April 2010 and October 2010 – April 2011). Scarce food supply was hypothesized to be one of the most important reasons which provoke these birds to leave the lake to other wetlands during the migratory seasons. Six sampling stations were selected based on the foraging areas of Purple Heron around the lake where the water level did not exceed 1.5 m. The sampling was focused on fish, shrimps, amphibians, and insect larvae, which are the major food sources. Two kinds of equipment were used including fish net bags and fish traps. An investigation of amphibians was carried out during the night using light attack on their eyes. The wet biomass of these food sources was determined and compared with the daily food requirement of Purple Heron in each period of the migratory seasons. The local fishery was also taken into account as a habitat disturbance, and was subsequently analyzed using questionnaires. The actual food supply of Purple Herons at the foraging areas during the second migratory season decreased from the early to late period. This was in accordance with the reduction in the number of Purple Herons throughout the migratory season. It is shown that the biomass of medium size fish is the highest in every period. It is suggested that the major food source is from this group. Therefore, the reduction in fish biomass has influenced the total food supply of Purple Herons. Even though the bird forages on a wide range of prey types, other food sources showed a low biomass which could not support the maximum number of Purple Heron throughout the migratory season. Moreover, overfishing in the lake was reported and expected to be a major factor influencing the changes in the food supply of Purple Herons in this lake. Ultimately, the number of Purple Herons decreased from six in the early migratory period to two in the late migratory period.In dem im Norden Thailands liegenden Bung-Khong-Long-Ramsar-Vogelschutzgebiet wurde seit 2004 ein Rückgang der Populationsdichte der Purpurreiher (Ardea purpurea) festgestellt. Der Rückgang in diesem Gebiet, in dem keine Jagd erfolgt, wurde auf Veränderungen des Nahrungsangebotes im Bung-Khong-Long-See zurückgeführt. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Ermittlung des Nahrungsangebotes innerhalb zweier Wanderzyklen der Reiher, denn ein verändertes oder reduziertes Nahrungsangebot gilt als einer der Gründe, warum die Vögel während der Wanderungszeit den Bung-Khong-Long-See verlassen und andere Nahrungshabitate aufsuchen. Es wurden Proben an sechs verschiedenen am See gelegenen Probestellen (maximale Wassertiefe 1,5 m), die von den Purpurreihern zur Nahrungssuche aufgesucht werden, entnommen. Die Erfassung des Nahrungsangebotes konzentrierte sich auf Fische, Garnelen, Amphibien und Insektenlarven, die die Hauptnahrungsquelle der Vögel bilden. Für den Fang wurden Netze und Fischfallen eingesetzt, Amphibien wurden in der Nacht durch Licht angelockt und untersucht. Die Feuchtbiomasse der Fische wurde erfasst und mit dem täglichen Nahrungsbedarf der Purpurreiher innerhalb der Wanderzyklen in Beziehung gesetzt. Darüber hinaus wurde die lokale Fischerei-Praxis als potentieller Störfaktor in den Vogelhabitaten durch Umfragen ermittelt. Das Nahrungsangebot für die Purpurreiher nahm zum Ende des zweiten Wanderzyklus ab, was mit der abnehmenden Anzahl der Vögel korrespondierte. Es zeigte sich, dass zu jedem Zeitpunkt der Untersuchungen Fische mittlerer Größe die höchste Biomasse aufwiesen. Da diese als präferierte Hauptnahrungsquelle der Vögel dienen, führt der rückläufige Bestand an diesen Fischen zu wesentlichen Veränderungen im Gesamt-Nahrungsangebot. Auch wenn Purpurreiher ein breites Beutespektrum aufweisen, können die übrigen möglichen Ressourcen (Garnelen, Amphibien und Insektenlarven) aufgrund ihrer geringeren Biomassen die Reiher-Populationen während ihrer Überwinterung nicht ausreichend versorgen. Darüber hinaus wurde bei den durchgeführten Umfragen von einer Überfischung des Sees berichtet, was als Hauptgrund für das reduzierte Nahrungsangebot für die Vögel gilt. Demzufolge sank die Anzahl an Purpurreihern innerhalb des betreffenden Wanderzyklus von sechs auf zwei Individuen

Comparison of Radial Echoendoscopy and Predictive Factors in the Evaluation of Patients with Suspected Choledocholithiasis

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare predictive factors and Radial Echoendoscopy (EUS) in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. Materials and Methods: Patients with suspected choledocholithiasis were recruited from April 2011 to January 2018. All patient characteristics, findings of EUS and findings of ERCP were recorded and analyzed. Results: Eighty patients were enrolled in this study. Clinical symptoms, blood chemistry and liver function test were similar in patients with and without choledocholithiasis. Using the findings of ERCP as the gold standard, Radial EUS had sensitivity and specificity for the detection of choledocholithiasis at 90.2% and 97.4%, and for choledocholithiasis and/or common bile duct sludge at 92.7% and 100%, respectively. For patients with intermediate likelihood and high likelihood from predictive factors (33 and 45), Radial EUS was positive for choledocholithiasis in 51.5% (17/33) and 46.7% (21/45), and  ERCP was positive for choledocholithiasis in 54.5% (18/33) and 48.9% (22/45), respectively. Conclusion: Predictive factors, for both intermediate and high likelihood groups, were not accurate to diagnose these patients. Radial EUS is a good diagnostic tool and should done in both groups of patients to avoid unnecessary ERCP