Deglaciation records of 17O-excess in East Antarctica: reliable reconstruction of oceanic normalized relative humidity from coastal sites

We measured δ17O and δ18O in two Antarctic ice cores at EPICA Dome C (EDC) and TALDICE (TD), respectively, and computed 17O-excess with respect to VSMOW. The comparison of our 17O-excess data with the previous record obtained at Vostok (Landais et al., 2008a) revealed differences up to 35 ppm in 17O-excess mean level and evolution for the three sites. Our data show that the large increase depicted at Vostok (20 ppm) during the last deglaciation is a regional and not a general pattern in the temporal distribution of 17O-excess in East Antarctica. The EDC data display an increase of 12 ppm, whereas the TD data show no significant variation from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the Early Holocene (EH). A Lagrangian moisture source diagnostic revealed very different source regions for Vostok and EDC compared to TD. These findings combined with the results of a sensitivity analysis, using a Rayleigh-type isotopic model, suggest that normalized relative humidity (RHn) at the oceanic source region (OSR) is a determining factor for the spatial differences of 17O-excess in East Antarctica. However, 17O-excess in remote sites of continental Antarctica (e.g. Vostok) may be highly sensitive to local effects. Hence, we consider 17O-excess in coastal East Antarctic ice cores (TD) to be more reliable as a proxy for RHn at the OSR.

Forensic veterinary radiology: ballistic-radiological 3D computertomographic reconstruction of an illegal lynx shooting in Switzerland

The lynx, which was reintroduced to Switzerland after being exterminated at the beginning of the 20th century, is protected by Swiss law. However, poaching occurs from time to time, which makes criminal investigations necessary. In the presented case, an illegally shot lynx was examined by conventional plane radiography and three-dimensional multislice computertomography (3D MSCT), of which the latter yielded superior results with respect to documentation and reconstruction of the inflicted gunshot wounds. We believe that 3D MSCT, already described in human forensic-pathological cases, is also a suitable and promising new technique for veterinary pathology.

Evaluation of late results in breast reconstruction by latissimus dorsi flap and prosthesis implantation

BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction by latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap in combination with a prosthesis is a widely used, well-established procedure. Short- and medium-term evaluation after this procedure is well described in the literature, but there have been no evaluations of the late course (over 10 years) published until now. METHODS: In a retrospective study, 68 patients operated on by means of this technique at the authors' institution from 1981 to 1993 resulting in a minimal follow-up of 10 years were included. Patients were invited to an interrogation, clinical examination, and photographic documentation (n = 51). Incidence of late flap or prosthesis-related complications, number of and indications for corrective procedures, and the correlation of the patients' subjective judgment and objective results in the late course have been the main interest of the authors' survey. RESULTS: The authors found that 50 percent of the patients needed a late reoperation for change or removal of the prosthesis. Seven (10 percent) of 68 patients needed a definitive removal of the implant in the late course. Assessment of the photographic documentation of the late result by four nonprofessionals showed that the objective aesthetic results of a considerable number of the authors' reconstructions were not sufficient. CONCLUSION: The procedure combines two basic techniques of reconstructive surgery, the soft-tissue restoration by a pedicled flap as the autologous reconstructive component and the volume reconstruction by prosthesis. Therefore, these patients are subject to a cumulation of the basic morbidity of the two techniques. The authors conclude that the indication for this procedure should be restricted to patients not qualifying for "pure" reconstructive techniques.