Surgical Management of Traumatic Facial Paralysis: A Case Review Study

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate efficacy of surgical treatment in traumatic facial paralysis.MethodsThirty–three cases were reviewed, including temporal bone fracture and iatrogenic facial nerve injury. All the patients were treated with various surgical methods according to their pathogeny.ResultsThe mean percentage facial function improvement (House–Brackmann Grade I – II) was 86% in temporal bone fracture and function was improved after proper operation to iatrogenic facial nerve injury.ConclusionsPatients with traumatic facial paralysis receive proved outcomes itreaed with proper surgical methods according to their particular condition of nerve injury

Melanoma-associated retinopathy

AbstractA 63-year-old Taiwanese man with a history of cutaneous melanoma presented with a rapid onset of bilateral shimmering light and blurred vision. A fundoscopic examination was normal. However, visual field examination indicated generalized depression in both eyes. Scotopic rod-specific electroretinography (ERG) was undetectable and scotopic maximal combined-cone and rod-specific ERG showed the characteristics of negative ERG (a normal a-wave and a diminished b-wave, with the b-wave smaller than the a-wave), indicating dysfunction of the bipolar cells. Melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR) was suspected and a systemic work-up gave a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. This case shows the typical presentation of MAR. Greater awareness of MAR in patients with unexplained visual loss may help to identify an occult focus of metastatic melanoma

Possible Way to Synthesize Superheavy Element Z=117

Within the framework of the dinuclear system model, the production of superheavy element Z=117 in possible projectile-target combinations is analyzed systematically. The calculated results show that the production cross sections are strongly dependent on the reaction systems. Optimal combinations, corresponding excitation energies and evaporation channels are proposed in this letter, such as the isotopes ^{248,249}Bk in ^{48}Ca induced reactions in 3n evaporation channels and the reactions ^{45}Sc+^{246,248}Cm in 3n and 4n channels, and the system ^{51}V+^{244}Pu in 3n channel.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Influence of Grassland Management on Carbon Allocation in a Semiarid Temperate Steppe

Grazing lands in North China are often excessively grazed and widely degraded, while hay-making lands appear to be in relatively good condition due to grazing exclusion, but they are facing a continuous loss of nutrients in the harvested biomass. In semiarid grasslands, plant productivity and community composition are significantly altered by grazing and haying. Grazing mostly leads to negative effects on aboveground productivity, however root biomass seems to increase with moderate grazing (Gao et al. 2009; Derner et al. 2006), although responses can vary. Aboveground biomass removal can increase C3 grass dominance and productivity (Hofer and Bragg 1981). Grazing exclusion is a valuable mechanism of sequestering soil C (He 2008). However, grazing can change C allocation patterns and affect the amount of C entering the soil. Here we examine the potential effects of common management practices (exclusion with fencing, grazing and hay-making) on semiarid grasslands above- and below-ground C pools. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of grazing exclusion and annual last-summer haying in previous grazing lands on the storage of C in semiarid grasslands of northern China