Strontium isotope stratigraphy in the Late Cretaceous: Numerical calibration of the Sr isotope curve and intercontinental correlation for the campanian

The white Chalk exposed in quarries at Lagerdorf and Kronsmoor, northwestern Germany, provides a standard section for the European Upper Cretaceous. The Sr-87/Sr-86 values of nannofossil chalk and belemnite calcite increase upward through 330 m of section, from less than or equal to 0.70746 in the Upper Santonian to greater than or equal to 0.70777 in the Lower Maastrichtian. The data define three linear trends separated by major points of inflection at stratigraphic heights in the section of 162 m (75.5 Ma) in the Upper Campanian Galerites vulgaris zone and at -6 m (82.9 Ma), just above the base of the Campanian in the Inoceramus lingua/Goniateuthis quadrata zone. The temporal rate of change of Sr-87/Sr-86 was constant through each of the linear segments of our isotope ''curve'' when viewed at the resolution of our average sampling interval (0.15 m.y.). Fine structure, if rear, may record brief (<100 kyr) excursions of (SrSr)-Sr-87-Sr-86 from values expected from the overall trends. In Lagerdorf, the boundary between the Santonian and Campanian stages, taken here as the level of first occurrence of the belemnite Gonioteuthis granulataquadrata, has an Sr-87/Sr-86 Of 0.707473 +/- 5. This is within error of the values of 0.707457 +/- 16 for this boundary in the U.S. western interior (base of the Scaphites leei III zone) and 0.707479 +/- 9 for this boundary in the English Chalk (top of the Marsupites testudinarius zone). In Kronsmoor, the boundary between the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages, taken here as the level of first occurrence of the belemnite Belemnella lanceolata, has an Sr-87/Sr-86 of 0.707723 +/- 4. This is within error of the values of 0.707725 +/- 20 for this boundary in the U.S. western interior (base of the Baculites eliasi zone) and 0.707728 +/- 5 for this boundary in the English Chalk (defined as in Germany)

Resource use data by patient report or hospital records: Do they agree?

Background: Economic evaluations alongside clinical trials are becoming increasingly common. Cost data are often collected through the use of postal questionnaires; however, the accuracy of this method is uncertain. We compared postal questionnaires with hospital records for collecting data on physiotherapy service use. Methods: As part of a randomised trial of orthopaedic medicine compared with orthopaedic surgery we collected physiotherapy use data on a group of patients from retrospective postal questionnaires and from hospital records. Results: 315 patients were referred for physiotherapy. Hospital data on attendances was available for 30% (n = 96), compared with 48% (n = 150) of patients completing questionnaire data (95% Cl for difference = 10% to 24%); 19% (n = 59) had data available from both sources. The two methods produced an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.54 (95% Cl 0.31 to 0.70). However, the two methods produced significantly different estimates of resource use with patient self report recalling a mean of 1.3 extra visits (95% Cl 0.4 to 2.2) compared with hospital records. Conclusions: Using questionnaires in this study produced data on a greater number of patients compared with examination of hospital records. However, the two data sources did differ in the quantity of physiotherapy used and this should be taken into account in any analysi

Late Cretaceous hydrothermal vent communities from the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus: systematics and evolutionary significance

Modern hydrothermal vent communities are based on chemosynthesis by microbial primary producers. Molecular phylogenetic divergence estimates indicate that many of the dominant vent taxa arose during the Cenozoic and Cretaceous; however, the fossil record of vent communities from these time periods is poor. One occurrence of such Cretaceous vent communities pertains to six volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in the Troodos ophiolite of Cyprus. These deposits represent hydrothermal activity on deep (2500–5000 m) arc-related spreading ridge(s) in the Neotethyan Ocean over several million years during the late Cenomanian and earliest Turonian. The Cyprus vent communities consist of worm tubes, representing possible vestimentiferans and serpulids, together with a moderate diversity of abyssochrysoid gastropods, belonging to eight new species (Desbruyeresia kinousaensis sp. nov., Desbruyeresia memiensis sp. nov., Desbruyeresia kambiaensis sp. nov., Hokkaidoconcha morisseaui sp. nov., Ascheria canni sp. nov., Cyprioconcha robertsoni gen. et sp. nov., Paskentana xenophontosi sp. nov. and Paskentana dixoni sp. nov.) in five genera and three families; none of the species is shared between vent sites. A single gaudryceratid ammonite from one of the vent sites most likely represents a water-logged shell that sank from surface waters. The gastropod fauna contains the first representatives of the genera Desbruyeresia, Hokkaidoconcha, Ascheria and Paskentana from hydrothermal vents, and also the youngest representative of the last-named genus in any environment. The Cypriot vent communities share tube worms with slightly older (Cenomanian) and younger (Turonian–Santonian) vent communities elsewhere in the western part of the Neotethyan Ocean

<i>Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense</i> transmitted by a single tsetse fly bite in vervet monkeys as a model of human African trypanosomiasis

Sleeping sickness is caused by a species of trypanosome blood parasite that is transmitted by tsetse flies. To understand better how infection with this parasite leads to disease, we provide here the most detailed description yet of the course of infection and disease onset in vervet monkeys. One infected tsetse fly was allowed to feed on each host individual, and in all cases infections were successful. The characteristics of infection and disease were similar in all hosts, but the rate of progression varied considerably. Parasites were first detected in the blood 4-10 days after infection, showing that migration of parasites from the site of fly bite was very rapid. Anaemia was a key feature of disease, with a reduction in the numbers and average size of red blood cells and associated decline in numbers of platelets and white blood cells. One to six weeks after infection, parasites were observed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), indicating that they had moved from the blood into the brain; this was associated with a white cell infiltration. This study shows that fly-transmitted infection in vervets accurately mimics human disease and provides a robust model to understand better how sleeping sickness develops

In-vivo kinetics of inhaled 5-Aminolevulinic acid-Induced Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence in bronchial tissue

BACKGROUND: In the diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer photosensitizer-enhanced fluorescence bronchoscopy with inhaled 5-aminolevolinic acid (5-ALA) increases sensitivity when compared to white-light bronchoscopy. This investigation was to evaluate the in vivo tissue pharmacokinetics of inhaled 5-ALA within the bronchial mucosa in order to define the time optimum for its application prior to bronchoscopy. METHODS: Patients with known or suspected bronchial carcinoma were randomized to receive 200 mg 5-ALA via inhalation 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 hours before flexible fluorescence bronchoscopy was performed. Macroscopically suspicious areas as well as areas with visually detected porphyrin fluorescence and normal control sites were measured spectroscopically. Biopsies for histopathology were obtained from suspicious areas as well as from adjacent normal areas. RESULTS: Fluorescence bronchoscopy performed in 19 patients reveals a sensitivity for malignant and premalignant changes (moderate dysplasia) which is almost twice as high as that of white-light bronchoscopy, whereas specificity is reduced. This is due to false-positive inflammatory lesions which also frequently show increased porphyrin fluorescence. Malignant and premalignant alterations produced fluorescence values that are up to 5 times higher than those of normal tissue. According to the pharmacokinetics of porphyrin fluorescence measured by spectroscopy, the optimum time range for 5-ALA application is 80–270 min prior to fluorescence bronchoscopy, with an optimum at 160 min. CONCLUSION: According to our results we propose inhalation of 5-ALA 160 min prior to fluorescence bronchoscopy, suggesting that this time difference provides the best tumor/normal tissue fluorescence ratio

Risk‐sensitive planning for conserving coral reefs under rapid climate change

Coral reef ecosystems are seriously threatened by changing conditions in the ocean. Although many factors are implicated, climate change has emerged as a dominant and rapidly growing threat. Developing a long‐term strategic plan for the conservation of coral reefs is urgently needed yet is complicated by significant uncertainty associated with climate change impacts on coral reef ecosystems. We use Modern Portfolio Theory to identify coral reef locations globally that, in the absence of other impacts, are likely to have a heightened chance of surviving projected climate changes relative to other reefs. Long‐term planning that is robust to uncertainty in future conditions provides an objective and transparent framework for guiding conservation action and strategic investment. These locations constitute important opportunities for novel conservation investments to secure less vulnerable yet well‐connected coral reefs that may, in turn, help to repopulate degraded areas in the event that the climate has stabilized

Small Increase of Actual Physical Activity 6 Months After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

Limitation in daily physical activity is one of the reasons for total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, studies of the effects of THA or TKA generally do not determine actual daily activity as part of physical functioning. We determined the effect of THA or TKA on patients’ actual physical activity and body function (pain, stiffness), capacity to perform tasks, and self-reported physical functioning. We also assessed whether there are differences in the effect of the surgery between patients undergoing THA or TKA and whether the improvements vary between these different outcome measures. We recruited patients with long-standing end-stage osteoarthritis of the hip or knee awaiting THA or TKA. Measurements were performed before surgery and 3 and 6 months after surgery. Actual physical activity improved by 0.7%. Patients’ body function, capacity, and self-reported physical functioning also improved. The effects of the surgery on these aspects of physical functioning were similar for THA and TKA. The effect on actual physical activity (8%) was smaller than on body function (80%–167%), capacity (19%–36%), and self-reported physical functioning (87%–112%). Therefore, in contrast to the large effect on pain and stiffness, patients’ capacity, and their self-reported physical functioning, the improvement in actual physical activity of our patients was less than expected 6 months after surgery