Computed tomography of the abdomen in Saanen goats: II. liver, spleen, abomasum, and intestine

This study describes the results of computed tomography (CT) of the liver, spleen, abomasum, small intestine and large intestine in 30 healthy Saanen goats. CT examination and anatomical slice preparation postmortem were performed as described in the first communication. After subjective evaluation of the CT images, various variables including the length/size, volume and density of the liver, spleen and gallbladder, the wall thickness of the abomasum, small intestine and large intestine and the diameter of the intestine were measured. The liver, spleen, abomasum, small intestine and large intestine could be accurately visualised using CT

The behavioural profile of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and of their siblings

The behavioural profiles in N=69 index children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), N=32 siblings with ADHD, N=35 siblings without ADHD, and N=36 normal controls were compared by the use of standardized parent and teacher rating scales. The four groups were matched by age and IQ. The behavioural profiles of the two ADHD groups were very similar not only in the behavioural domains of ADHD, but also in scales measuring emotional and conduct problems. Siblings without ADHD shared more similarities with normal controls except for more emotional problems. These general trends were stronger in the parent compared to the teacher ratings. These findings indicate that not only ADHD-related but also other behaviours show a strong family aggregation. The informant differences may reflect context dependent differences in child behaviour and contrast effects particularly in parental rating

Time processing in children and adults with ADHD

A time-processing deficit has been proposed as a neuropsychological candidate endophenotype for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but its developmental trajectory still needs to be explored. In the present study, children (N=33) and adults (N=22) with ADHD were compared to normal controls on two time-processing tasks. For time reproduction, ADHD-related impairment was found in the full group, but not when adults were analyzed separately. For the discrimination of brief intervals, children and adults with ADHD showed different patterns of deficit. We conclude that in ADHD some time-processing deficits are still present in adults, but may take on age-related different form

Diagnostic Value of Resting Electroencephalogram in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Across the Lifespan

The resting electroencephalogram (EEG) reflects development and arousal, but whether it can support clinical diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains controversial. Here we examined whether theta power and theta/beta ratio are consistently elevated in ADHD and younger age as proposed. Topographic 48-channel EEG from 32 children (8-16years) and 22 adults (32-55years) with ADHD and matched healthy controls (n=30 children/21 adults) was compared. Following advanced artefact correction, resting EEG was tested for increased theta and theta/beta activity due to ADHD and due to normal immaturity. Discriminant analyses tested classification performance by ADHD and age using these EEG markers as well as EEG artefacts and deviant attentional event-related potentials (ERPs). No consistent theta or theta/beta increases were found with ADHD. Even multivariate analyses indicated only marginal EEG power increases in children with ADHD. Instead, consistent developmental theta decreases were observed, indicating that maturational lags of fewer than 3years would have been detected in children. Discriminant analysis based on proposed simple spectral resting EEG markers was successful for age but not for ADHD (81 vs. 53% accuracy). Including ERP markers and EEG artefacts improved discrimination, although not to diagnostically useful levels. The lack of consistent spectral resting EEG abnormalities in ADHD despite consistent developmental effects casts doubt upon conventional neurometric approaches towards EEG-based ADHD diagnosis, but is consistent with evidence that ADHD is a heterogeneous disorder, where the resting state is not consistently characterised by maturational la

Gene drives: benefits, risks, and possible applications

Gene drives are genetic elements in sexually reproducing organisms that skew the pattern of inheritance of a given characteristic. They can be used to spread a characteristic that can alter or even reduce the numbers of individuals in wild populations of a certain species. As they spread by being inherited from one generation to the next, they could persist in populations long-term. The spreading property of gene drives could be a source of great potential in areas as diverse as the control of disease vectors, invasive species, agricultural pests and predators of endangered species. However, the same property may make containment challenging and therefore may also pose novel envi- ronmental risks. The evaluation, distribution of risks and benefits and the fact that gene drives may be seen as a particularly profound interference with nature further raises novel ethical considerations

Long-term outcomes of muscle volume and Achilles tendon length after Achilles tendon ruptures

Purpose: The best treatment for Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures remains controversial. Long-term follow-up with radiological and clinical measurements is needed. Methods: In this retrospective multicentre cohort study, patients (n=52) were assessed at a mean of 91months follow-up after unilateral AT rupture treated by open, percutaneous or conservative (non-surgical) treatment. Demographic parameters, time off work, maximum calf circumference and clinical scores (ATRS, Hannover, AOFAS) were evaluated. Muscle volume and cross-sectional area of the calf and AT length were measured on MR images and were compared between groups and to each patient's healthy contralateral leg. Results: Reduced muscle volume was found across all groups with a higher muscle volume in the conservative (729.9±130.3cm3) compared to the percutaneous group (675.9±207.4cm3, p=0.04). AT length was longer in the affected leg (198.4±24.1 vs. 180.6±25.0mm, p<0.0001) without difference in subgroup analysis. Clinically measured ankle dorsiflexion showed poor correlation with AT length (R 2=0.07, p=0.008). Muscle volume strongly correlated with the cross-sectional area (R 2=0.6, p<0.0001) but showed a weak correlation with the Hannover score (R 2=0.08, p=0.048). Maximum calf circumference correlated with muscle volume (R 2=0.42, p<0.0001). Conclusions: No significant difference between the treatment groups was found in muscle volume, AT length, clinical measures or days off work. Cross-sectional area and maximum calf circumference are cost-effective measurements and a good approximation of muscle volume and can thus be used in a clinical setting while clinical dorsiflexion should not be used. Level of evidence: II

Microsurgical central lymphatic reconstruction-the role of thoracic duct lymphovenous anastomoses at different anatomical levels

INTRODUCTION In recent years advances have been made in the microsurgical treatment of congenital or acquired central lymphatic lesions. While acquired lesions can result from any surgery or trauma of the central lymphatic system, congenital lymphatic lesions can have a variety of manifestations, ranging from singular thoracic duct abnormalities to complex multifocal malformations. Both conditions may cause recurrent chylous effusions and downstream lymphatic congestion depending on the anatomical location of the thoracic duct lesion and are associated with an increased mortality due to the permanent loss of protein and fluid. METHODS We present a case series of eleven patients undergoing central lymphatic reconstruction, consisting of one patient with a cervical iatrogenic thoracic duct lesion and eleven patients with different congenital thoracic duct lesions or thrombotic occlusions. RESULTS Anastomosis of the thoracic duct and a nearby vein was performed on different anatomical levels depending on the underlying central lymphatic pathology. Cervical (n = 4), thoracic (n = 1) or abdominal access (n = 5) was used for central lymphatic reconstruction with promising results. In 9 patients a postoperative benefit with varying degrees of symptom regression was reported. CONCLUSION The presented case series illustrates the current rapid advances in the field of central microsurgical reconstruction of lymphatic lesions alongside the relevant literature

Clinical prediction model for prognosis in kidney transplant recipients (KIDMO): study protocol

Background: Many potential prognostic factors for predicting kidney transplantation outcomes have been identified. However, in Switzerland, no widely accepted prognostic model or risk score for transplantation outcomes is being routinely used in clinical practice yet. We aim to develop three prediction models for the prognosis of graft survival, quality of life, and graft function following transplantation in Switzerland. Methods: The clinical kidney prediction models (KIDMO) are developed with data from a national multi-center cohort study (Swiss Transplant Cohort Study; STCS) and the Swiss Organ Allocation System (SOAS). The primary outcome is the kidney graft survival (with death of recipient as competing risk); the secondary outcomes are the quality of life (patient-reported health status) at 12 months and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope. Organ donor, transplantation, and recipient-related clinical information will be used as predictors at the time of organ allocation. We will use a Fine & Gray subdistribution model and linear mixed-effects models for the primary and the two secondary outcomes, respectively. Model optimism, calibration, discrimination, and heterogeneity between transplant centres will be assessed using bootstrapping, internal-external cross-validation, and methods from meta-analysis. Discussion: Thorough evaluation of the existing risk scores for the kidney graft survival or patient-reported outcomes has been lacking in the Swiss transplant setting. In order to be useful in clinical practice, a prognostic score needs to be valid, reliable, clinically relevant, and preferably integrated into the decision-making process to improve long-term patient outcomes and support informed decisions for clinicians and their patients. The state-of-the-art methodology by taking into account competing risks and variable selection using expert knowledge is applied to data from a nationwide prospective multi-center cohort study. Ideally, healthcare providers together with patients can predetermine the risk they are willing to accept from a deceased-donor kidney, with graft survival, quality of life, and graft function estimates available for their consideration

Cellular efflux of auxin catalyzed by the Arabidopsis MDR/PGP transporter AtPGP1

Directional transport of the phytohormone auxin is required for the establishment and maintenance of plant polarity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Plant homologs of human multiple drug resistance/P-glycoproteins (MDR/PGPs) have been implicated in auxin transport, as defects in MDR1 (AtPGP19) and AtPGP1 result in reductions of growth and auxin transport in Arabidopsis (atpgp1, atpgp19), maize (brachytic2) and sorghum (dwarf3). Here we examine the localization, activity, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity of AtPGP1. AtPGP1 exhibits non-polar plasma membrane localization at the shoot and root apices, as well as polar localization above the root apex. Protoplasts from Arabidopsis pgp1 leaf mesophyll cells exhibit reduced efflux of natural and synthetic auxins with reduced sensitivity to auxin efflux inhibitors. Expression of AtPGP1 in yeast and in the standard mammalian expression system used to analyze human MDR-type proteins results in enhanced efflux of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and the synthetic auxin 1-naphthalene acetic acid (1-NAA), but not the inactive auxin 2-NAA. AtPGP1-mediated efflux is sensitive to auxin efflux and ABC transporter inhibitors. As is seen in planta, AtPGP1 also appears to mediate some efflux of IAA oxidative breakdown products associated with apical sites of high auxin accumulation. However, unlike what is seen in planta, some additional transport of the benzoic acid is observed in yeast and mammalian cells expressing AtPGP1, suggesting that other factors present in plant tissues confer enhanced auxin specificity to PGP-mediated transport. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Aktuelle Stoffinhalte und verwendete Lehrmittel in Allgemeiner Didaktik in Seminarien

In der vorliegenden Pilotstudie wurden 26 Lehrkräfte der Allgemeinen Didaktik an Lehrer/-innenseminarien in der deutschen Schweiz mittels eines Fragebogens zu ihrer thematischen Gewichtung des Unterrichtsstoffes in Allgemeiner Didaktik, über die für die Unterrichtsvorbereitung verwendete Literatur und nach der von ihnen empfohlenen Literatur für die Seminaristinnen und Seminaristen befragt. nDas Ziel bestand darin zu überprüfen, ob (a) ein Konsens betreffend die thematischen Schwergewichte herrsche, trotz sehr unterschiedlichen Strukturen der einzelnen Lehrerseminare und (b) auf welche Literatur sich die Lehrkräfte für ihre Vorbereitung stützen. Im weiteren wurde überprüf, ob (c) die den Seminaristen und Seminaristinnen zur Verfügung gestellte Literatur sich wirklich nur auf einige wenige Werke beschränke. nDie Auswertung ergab, dass unter den befragten Lehrkräften in der Allgemeinen Didaktik eine recht hohe Übereinstimmung in der thematischen Gewichtung herrscht und dass dabei die Pädagogische Psychologie eine wichtige, die Didaktik unterstützende Funktion inne hat. Obwohl die Literatur für die persönliche Unterrichtsvorbereitung der Lehrkräfte ein breites Spektrum aufweist, hat sich eine gewisse \u27Standardliteratur\u27 herauskristallisiert. Die den Seminaristen und Seminaristinnen empfohlene Literatur beschränkt sich - wie erwartet - auf ein paar wenige Titel