Conservative treatment of an acute compartment syndrome of the thigh

Compartment syndromes of the thigh after blunt trauma without any fracture are rare. Most surgeons recommend operative treatment. There are different rules for compartment syndromes of the thigh in young athletes after blunt trauma compared to compartment syndromes at other locations [(1) the large volume of the quadriceps muscle, (2) its relatively elastic fascia, (3) the direct proximal contact to the hip muscles which allows extravasation of fluid out of the compartment)]. We present a case of conservative treatment of elevated intra-compartmental pressure (ICP) of the anterior thigh after blunt trauma and the follow-up until return to sport. Conservative treatment of a compartment syndrome of the thigh after blunt trauma in a young patient without fracture or vascular damage was successful without short-term sequelae. Recovery of muscle strength is delayed but return to sport is possible. Depending on the severity the diagnosis and follow-up with ICP measurements and MRI is necessary. There is a very good chance for excellent outcome without any risk of surgery. However, a long healing time is possibl

Towards a dendrochronologically refined date of the Laacher See Eruption

The precise date of the Laacher See eruption (LSE), central Europe’s largest Late Pleistocene volcanic event that occurred around 12,900 years ago, is still unknown. Here, we outline the potential of combined high-resolution dendrochronological, wood anatomical and radiocarbon (14C) measurements, to refine the age of this major Plinian eruption. Based on excavated trees that were killed during the explosive LSE and buried under its pyroclastic deposits, we describe how a firm date of the eruption might be achieved, and how the resulting temporal precision would further advance our understanding of the environmental and societal impacts of this event. Moreover, we discuss the relevance of an accurate LSE date for improving the synchronization of European terrestrial and lacustrine Late Glacial to Holocene archives, and outline how the proposed, interdisciplinary dating approach can be applied to other large, yet undated, volcanic eruptions

Sexual Dimorphism of the Zebra Finch Syrinx Indicates Adaptation for High Fundamental Frequencies in Males

In many songbirds the larger vocal repertoire of males is associated with sexual dimorphism of the vocal control centers and muscles of the vocal organ, the syrinx. However, it is largely unknown how these differences are translated into different acoustic behavior.Here we show that the sound generating structures of the syrinx, the labia and the associated cartilaginous framework, also display sexual dimorphism. One of the bronchial half rings that position and tense the labia is larger in males, and the size and shape of the labia differ between males and females. The functional consequences of these differences were explored by denervating syringeal muscles. After denervation, both sexes produced equally low fundamental frequencies, but the driving pressure generally increased and was higher in males. Denervation strongly affected the relationship between driving pressure and fundamental frequency.The syringeal modifications in the male syrinx, in concert with dimorphisms in neural control and muscle mass, are most likely the foundation for the potential to generate an enhanced frequency range. Sexually dimorphic vocal behavior therefore arises from finely tuned modifications at every level of the motor cascade. This sexual dimorphism in frequency control illustrates a significant evolutionary step towards increased vocal complexity in birds

The community atmospheric chemistry box model CAABA/MECCA-4.0

We present version 4.0 of the atmospheric chemistry box model CAABA/MECCA that now includes a number of new features: (i) skeletal mechanism reduction, (ii) the Mainz Organic Mechanism (MOM) chemical mechanism for volatile organic compounds, (iii) an option to include reactions from the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) and other chemical mechanisms, (iv) updated isotope tagging, and (v) improved and new photolysis modules (JVAL, RADJIMT, DISSOC). Further, when MECCA is connected to a global model, the new feature of coexisting multiple chemistry mechanisms (PolyMECCA/CHEMGLUE) can be used. Additional changes have been implemented to make the code more user-friendly and to facilitate the analysis of the model results. Like earlier versions, CAABA/MECCA-4.0 is a community model published under the GNU General Public License.</p

Bloodstream and endovascular infections due to Abiotrophia defectiva and Granulicatella species

BACKGROUND: Abiotrophia and Granulicatella species, previously referred to as nutritionally variant streptococci (NVS), are significant causative agents of endocarditis and bacteraemia. In this study, we reviewed the clinical manifestations of infections due to A. defectiva and Granulicatella species that occurred at our institution between 1998 and 2004. METHODS: The analysis included all strains of NVS that were isolated from blood cultures or vascular graft specimens. All strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Patients' medical charts were reviewed for each case of infection. RESULTS: Eleven strains of NVS were isolated during the 6-year period. Identification of the strains by 16S rRNA showed 2 genogroups: Abiotrophia defectiva (3) and Granulicatella adiacens (6) or "para-adiacens" (2). The three A. defectiva strains were isolated from immunocompetent patients with endovascular infections, whereas 7 of 8 Granulicatella spp. strains were isolated from immunosuppressed patients, mainly febrile neutropenic patients. We report the first case of "G. para-adiacens" bacteraemia in the setting of febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSION: We propose that Granulicatella spp. be considered as a possible agent of bacteraemia in neutropenic patients