Using 80 kVp versus 120 kVp in perfusion CT measurement of regional cerebral blood flow.

Perfusion CT studies of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), involving sequential acquisition of cerebral CT sections during IV contrast material administration, have classically been reported to be achieved at 120 kVp. We hypothesized that using 80 kVp should result in the same image quality while significantly lowering the patient's radiation dose, and we evaluated this assumption. In five patients undergoing cerebral CT survey, one section level was imaged at 120 kVp and 80 kVp, before and after IV administration of iodinated contrast material. These four cerebral CT sections obtained in each patient were analyzed with special interest to contrast, noise, and radiation dose. Contrast enhancement at 80 kVp is significantly increased (P < .001), as well as contrast between gray matter and white matter after contrast enhancement (P < .001). Mean noise at 80 kVp is not statistically different (P = .042). Finally, performance of perfusion CT studies at 80 kVp, keeping mAs constant, lowers the radiation dose by a factor of 2.8. We, thus, conclude that 80 kVp acquisition of perfusion CT studies of rCBF will result in increased contrast enhancement and should improve rCBF analysis, with a reduced patient's irradiation.

13-12-19, stade Jean-Bouin, hockey [sur gazon], équipe des Possibles : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57224

Délire religieux treize ans après traumatisme crânien [Religious delusion 13 years after brain injury].

We report here with a case of religious delusion in a 39 years old woman. She had suffered a head injury with right temporal concussion 13 years before but had no earlier history of psychiatric disorder. In view of the fact that this acute psychiatric state lasted for a short duration of time and that personality and affects were preserved, this incident is compared to the schizophreniform disorder of the type DSM-III-R. The hypothesis of an acquired predisposition due to head injury has been put forward as an explanation.

Iowa Developments, January 2004, Vol.13, no.1

Resource to help educate business or communities about state-sponsored programs.

ABD e-News, February 13, 2004

Weekly newsletter for the State of Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Workforce Development on the Review of Selected General Controls, May 30, 2003 - June 13, 2003

State Agency Audit Report

13-12-19, stade Jean-Bouin, hockey [sur gazon], équipe des Possibles : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57223

13-12-19, stade Jean-Bouin, équipe des Probables [hockey sur gazon] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57221

Lottery Action, July 12-25, 2004, Vol. 11, no. 13

Iowa Lottery Authority Retailer Information Newsletter

13-12-19, stade Jean-Bouin, équipe des Probables [hockey sur gazon] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57222

13-12-19, cardinal Mercier [de Malines, arrivé à Paris le 11 décembre 1919] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57211

Plant traits co-vary with altitude in grasslands and forests in the European Alps

Biological traits that are advantageous under specific ecological conditions should be present in a large proportion of the species within an ecosystem, where those specific conditions prevail. As climatic conditions change, the frequency of certain traits in plant communities is expected to change with increasing altitude. We examined patterns of change for 13 traits in 120 exhaustive inventories of plants along five altitudinal transects (520-3100 m a.s.l.) in grasslands and in forests in western Switzerland. The traits selected for study represented the occupation of space, photosynthesis, reproduction and dispersal. For each plot, the mean trait values or the proportions of the trait states were weighted by species cover and examined in relation to the first axis of a PCA based on local climatic conditions. With increasing altitude in grasslands, we observed a decrease in anemophily and an increase in entomophily complemented by possible selfing; a decrease in diaspores with appendages adapted to ectozoochory, linked to a decrease in achenes and an increase in capsules. In lowlands, pollination and dispersal are ensured by wind and animals. However, with increasing altitude, insects are mostly responsible for pollination, and wind becomes the main natural dispersal vector. Some traits showed a particularly marked change in the alpine belt (e.g., the increase of capsules and the decrease of achenes), confirming that this belt concentrates particularly stressful conditions to plant growth and reproduction (e.g. cold, short growing season) that constrain plants to a limited number of strategies. One adaptation to this stress is to limit investment in dispersal by producing capsules with numerous, tiny seeds that have appendages limited to narrow wings. Forests displayed many of the trends observed in grasslands but with a reduced variability that is likely due to a shorter altitudinal gradient.