Fallout radionuclide-based techniques for assessing the impact of soil conservation measures on erosion control and soil quality: An overview of the main lessons learnt under an FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project

This paper summarizes key findings and identifies the main lessons learnt from a 5-year (2002-2008) coordinated research project (CRP) on "Assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation measures for sustainable watershed management and crop production using fallout radionuclides" (D1.50.08), organized and funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency through the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. The project brought together nineteen participants, from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam, involved in the use of nuclear techniques and, more particularly, fallout radionuclides (FRN) to assess the relative impacts of different soil conservation measures on soil erosion and land productivity. The overall objective of the CRP was to develop improved land use and management strategies for sustainable watershed management through effective soil erosion control practices, by the use of 137Cs (half-life of 30.2 years), 210Pb ex (half-life of 22.3 years) and 7Be (half-life of 53.4 days) for measuring soil erosion over several spatial and temporal scales. The environmental conditions under which the different research teams applied the tools based on the use of fallout radionuclides varied considerably - a variety of climates, soils, topographies and land uses. Nevertheless, the achievements of the CRP, as reflected in this overview paper, demonstrate that fallout radionuclide-based techniques are powerful tools to assess soil erosion/deposition at several spatial and temporal scales in a wide range of environments, and offer potential to monitor soil quality. The success of the CRP has stimulated an interest in many IAEA Member States in the use of these methodologies to identify factors and practices that can enhance sustainable agriculture and minimize land degradation. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd

Analysis of cavernous malformations: Experience with 18 cases

PubMedID: 30649782AIM: To analyze the results of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or surgical treatment of 18 cases with cavernous malformation and report 2 cases with unusual localization and size. MATERIAL and METHODS: We present 11 and 8 patients who underwent surgery and SRS between 2010 and 2018 respectively. The operated group comprised six men and five women (mean age, 33.6 years). SRS was performed in five men and three women (mean age, 33.3 years). All patients were diagnosed and followed-up with magnetic resonance imaging. Stereotactic navigation was not used for lesion localization. The lesion, including the area with hemosiderin, was easily excised using microsurgical approach. RESULTS: Except for recurrent headache, all symptoms of patients who underwent surgery resolved rapidly. Hemorrhage developed in two of our patients after SRS. One of them refused to undergo surgery and recovered completely with steroid therapy, whereas the other underwent surgery after detection of cavernous malformation at the posterior fossa, with a dimension of 26.8×26.2 mm and occluding the fourth ventricle. CONCLUSION: In patients without significant preoperative morbidity risk, surgical excision is the gold standard of treatment. SRS is performed in surgically inaccessible, deeply located, multiple cavernous malformations in the brain stem and eloquent area. Of note, giant aneurysm is defined as an aneurysm with a diameter of at least 25 mm; however, there is no dimension threshold defined for giant CM, and the size of giant aneurysm can be accepted as a valid criterion for giant CM. Our 2 cases had giant CM and up to our knowledge the case with giant CM at the posterior fossa is the first giant CM at the posterior fossa in the English literature. © 2019 Turkish Neurosurgical Society

Early ultrastructural findings and superoxide dismutase levels in experimental ischemic optic neuropathy: Effect of hypertension and hypotension on ischemic changes

PubMedID: 11125271We induced ischemia, hypertension and hypotension in 15 rabbits in order to evaluate the ischemic changes in the optic nerve and the effect of hypertension and hypotension on ischemia. We cauterized the right internal and external carotid arteries of 15 rabbits and applied dopamine hydrochloride and glycerol trinitrate to 5 each of these rabbits. Two rabbits were used as controls. We enucleated both eyes of all animals at the 24th hour. All of the optic nerves underwent biochemical, histopathological and ultrastructural examination. Histopathological and transmission electron-microscopic changes were found to be more prominent in the hypotensive group. We observed decreased superoxide dismutase levels in all groups, but it was more evident in the third group. In comparison to hypertension, hypotension is found to be a more important factor in the development of early degenerative changes. Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

Effects of sodium selenite and amiloride on calvarial calcification in closing small cranial defects: Laboratory investigation

PubMedID: 20672896Object. Fresh autogenous bone graft is the most preferred osteoplastic material, whether the purpose is cosmetic, psychological, or for the protection of the brain. These grafts are not rejected and do not react immunologically. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of autogenous fat rolled with bone dust derived from the bur hole in closing small cranial defects. Additionally, the authors examined the morphological and biochemical effects of Na selenite and amiloride on calvarial calcification. Methods. The study group consisted of 20 domestic pigs. These animals were randomly divided into 4 groups. A bur hole with a diameter of 10 mm was made at the right parietal region in all animals, and then the periosteum around the bur hole was cauterized following exposure of the dura mater. The dura was coagulated with bipolar cautery. Group 1 (controls): only a bur hole was opened, and it was then closed with a mixture of the bone dust that had been created during the opening of the bur hole and fat tissue that was taken from the animal's neck. Group 2 (amiloride): 1 nmol/g body weight of amiloride was applied subcutaneously within 15 minutes after closure of the bur hole with bone dust and fat, and then amiloride was applied once a day for 4 weeks. Group 3 (Na selenite): 30 nmol/g body weight of Na selenite was applied subcutaneously within 30 minutes after closure of the bur hole with bone dust and fat, and then Na selenite was applied once a day for 4 weeks. Group 4 (amiloride and Na selenite): 1 nmol/g body weight of amiloride was applied subcutaneously at 15 minutes, and 30 nmol/g body weight of Na selenite was applied subcutaneously at 30 minutes after closure of the bur hole with bone dust and fat, and these 2 injections were repeated once a day for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, the animals were anesthetized to evaluate the closure of the bur hole. Tissue samples were obtained for ultrastructural and biochemical examination. Results. The defect was covered with diffuse connective tissue in the control group. Although multiple capillary vessels were present, the authors did not observe osteogenic differentiation. Histological examination of the second group revealed osteogenic changes. Although new matrix was formed, calcification was not detected. The authors observed fibroblast, collagen fibers, and dense connective tissue filled with capillary in the third group of pigs, which had undergone Na selenite application. Calcification was not detected in this group. Both connective and osteogenic tissue were observed in specimens obtained in the fourth group, which had undergone amiloride and Na selenite application. Conclusions. The authors experimentally evaluated the supplementary osteogenic effects of Na selenite and amiloride by using them separately and together. The findings seem promising as a lead-in to new studies in restoring cranial defects

Immunohistochemical evaluation of hemostatic changes in glioblastoma multiforme and low-grade astrocytoma

PubMedID: 30649817AIM: To compare glioblastoma multiforme with astrocytoma grade II by subjectively evaluating the levels of prothrombin and biotinylation thrombin, and G protein serum protease activatin receptors, as tissue factors causing hypercoagulation and affecting coagulation. MATERIAL and METHODS: Specimens from 35 cases with glioblastoma multiforme and 23 cases with astrocytoma grade II were evaluated immunohistochemically. The specimens were stained with hematoxylen-eosin and immunohistochemically for prothrombin, biotinylation thrombin and protease activating factor receptors to determine the correlation between the tumor malignancy and coagulation factor receptors. RESULTS: An increase in malignancy was seen to result in an increase in prothrombin, biotinylation thrombin, protein activator receptor 1, protein activator receptor 3, and protein activator receptor 4 levels, and a decrease in protein activator receptor 2 level. These data showed that there was hypercoagulability in glioblastoma multiforme. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U analysis were used to evaluate the results. CONCLUSION: In glioblastoma multiforme with no radiological evidence of hemorrhage, low molecular weight heparin should be administered peroperatively and continued for 3 months postoperatively to prevent the development of deep venous thrombosis. This will also be useful in the prevention of invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis and tumour progression. © 2019, Turkish Neurosurgical Society

DOWN GAZE PALSY DUE TO PERIAQUEDUCTAL LESION DIAGNOSED BY MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

WOS: A1995RQ91700013PubMed ID: 8545100Selective paralysis of downward gaze is known to be rare. There are 6 cases reported in the literature based on neuropathologic and anatomical studies, We report a 60-year-old diabetic and hypertensive patient with isolated down gaze palsy, Computed tomography failed to show the lesion in the periaqueductal region, and the diagnosis was made by Magnetic resonance imaging, The case presented is the only one still surviving

Effects of arginine vasopressin and V1 receptor antagonist on cerebral vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage: An experimental study

PubMedID: 28383092AIM: To examine morphological, radiological and biochemical effects of arginine vasopressin (AV) and V1 receptor antagonist on cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rabbits. MATERIAL and METHODS: Forty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups comprising 10 rabbits each. The groups were; 1) Control group, 2) SAH group, 3) SAH+AV group, 4) SAH+V1 antagonist group. Diameters of the basilar artery in all groups were measured on angiograms. All animals were sacrificed two days following basilar angiography and tissue samples of basilar artery were obtained under microscope immediate after craniectomy for ultrastructural and biochemical examinations. RESULTS: The artery diameters were found to be 50% and 50% at the 30th minute in the groups 2 and 3 respectively. In group 3, CVS was 13% more in comparison with the 2nd group. In group 4, vascular constriction was 34.5% at the 30th minute and about 30.9% at the 300th minute. Despite the increase in regional blood flow, AV did not provide morphological change. Histological appearance was related to vascular stenosis due to CVS. Histological outcome was the best in group 4 because of less CVS. CONCLUSION: Arginine vasopressin plays an important role in CVS. We detected morphological and radiological recovery in basilar artery, besides moderate improvement due to AV receptor antagonist in CVS. © 2018, Turk Neurosurg

Down gaze palsy due to periaqueductal lesion diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging

PubMedID: 8545100Selective paralysis of downward gaze is known to be rare. There are 6 cases reported in the literature based on neuropathologic and anatomical studies. We report a 60-year-old diabetic and hypertensive patient with isolated down gaze palsy. Computed tomography failed to show the lesion in the periaqueductal region, and the diagnosis was made by Magnetic resonance imaging. The case presented is the only one still surviving. © 1995 S. Karger AG, Basel