Late presentation of superior mesenteric artery syndrome following scoliosis surgery: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Obstruction of the third part of the duodenum by the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) can occur following surgical correction of scoliosis. The condition most commonly occurs in significantly underweight patients with severe deformities during the first few days to a week following spinal surgery.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the atypical case of a patient with normal body habitus and a 50° adolescent idiopathic thoracolumbar scoliosis who underwent anterior spinal arthrodesis with instrumentation and developed SMA syndrome due to progressive weight loss several weeks postoperatively. The condition manifested with recurrent vomiting, abdominal distension, marked dehydration, and severe electrolyte disorder. Prolonged nasogastric decompression and nasojejunal feeding resulted in resolution of the symptoms with no recurrence at follow-up. The spinal instrumentation was retained and a solid spinal fusion was achieved with good spinal balance in both the coronal and sagittal planes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SMA syndrome can occur much later than previously reported and with potentially life-threatening symptoms following scoliosis correction. Early recognition of the condition and institution of appropriate conservative measures is critical to prevent the development of severe complications including the risk of death.</p

Barley sodium content is regulated by natural variants of the Na+ transporter HvHKT1;5

During plant growth, sodium (Na+) in the soil is transported via the xylem from the root to the shoot. While excess Na+ is toxic to most plants, non-toxic concentrations have been shown to improve crop yields under certain conditions, such as when soil K+ is low. We quantified grain Na+ across a barley genome-wide association study panel grown under non-saline conditions and identified variants of a Class 1 HIGH-AFFINITY-POTASSIUM-TRANSPORTER (HvHKT1;5)-encoding gene responsible for Na+ content variation under these conditions. A leucine to proline substitution at position 189 (L189P) in HvHKT1;5 disturbs its characteristic plasma membrane localisation and disrupts Na+ transport. Under low and moderate soil Na+, genotypes containing HvHKT1:5P189 accumulate high concentrations of Na+ but exhibit no evidence of toxicity. As the frequency of HvHKT1:5P189 increases significantly in cultivated European germplasm, we cautiously speculate that this non-functional variant may enhance yield potential in non-saline environments, possibly by offsetting limitations of low available K+

Exhaustive exercise training enhances aerobic capacity in American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

The oxygen transport system in mammals is extensively remodelled in response to repeated bouts of activity, but many reptiles appear to be ‘metabolically inflexible’ in response to exercise training. A recent report showed that estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) increase their maximum metabolic rate in response to exhaustive treadmill training, and in the present study, we confirm this response in another crocodilian, American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). We further specify the nature of the crocodilian training response by analysing effects of training on aerobic [citrate synthase (CS)] and anaerobic [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)] enzyme activities in selected skeletal muscles, ventricular and skeletal muscle masses and haematocrit. Compared to sedentary control animals, alligators regularly trained for 15 months on a treadmill (run group) or in a flume (swim group) exhibited peak oxygen consumption rates higher by 27 and 16%, respectively. Run and swim exercise training significantly increased ventricular mass (~11%) and haematocrit (~11%), but not the mass of skeletal muscles. However, exercise training did not alter CS or LDH activities of skeletal muscles. Similar to mammals, alligators respond to exercise training by increasing convective oxygen transport mechanisms, specifically heart size (potentially greater stroke volume) and haematocrit (increased oxygen carrying-capacity of the blood). Unlike mammals, but similar to squamate reptiles, alligators do not also increase citrate synthase activity of the skeletal muscles in response to exercise

Is salinity the main ecologic factor that shapes the distribution of two endemic Mediterranean plant species of the genus Gypsophila?

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2218-2Aims Responses to salt stress of two Gypsophila species that share territory, but with different ecological optima and distribution ranges, were analysed. G. struthium is a regionally dominant Iberian endemic gypsophyte, whereas G. tomentosa is a narrow endemic reported as halophyte. Theworking hypothesis is that salt tolerance shapes the presence of these species in their specific habitats. Methods Taking a multidisciplinary approach, we assessed the soil characteristics and vegetation structure at the sampling site, seed germination and seedling development, growth and flowering, synthesis of proline and cation accumulation under artificial conditions of increasing salt stress and effect of PEG on germination and seedling development. Results Soil salinity was low at the all sampling points where the two species grow, but moisture was higher in the area of G. tomentosa. 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