A New Genus and Species of a Minute Suckermouth Armored Catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Rio Tocantins Drainage, Central Brazil: The Smallest Known Loricariid Catfish

Nannoplecostomus eleonorae, a new genus and species of a miniature suckermouth armored catfish, is described based on specimens collected from the karst region of Sao Domingos, upper Rio Tocantins basin, Goias State, central Brazil. The new genus and species can be diagnosed among loricariids by presenting a unique reductive pattern of lateral dermal plates, with most of the body covered by only three series of plates (viz., dorsal, mid-ventral, and ventral). Based on the available published phylogenetic studies for the family, we provisionally consider Nannoplecostomus eleonorae as being an incertae sedis taxon within Loricariidae. Achieving a maximum standard length of 22.2 mm SL, Nannoplecostomus eleonorae is the smallest known loricariid catfish, and a list of the remaining smallest loricariids is provided.

A New Species of Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Upper Rio Paraguay Basin, Brazil

A new small Loricariidae, Hypostomus careopinnatus, is described from the Rio Taquari drainage, upper Rio Paraguay basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The new species can be easily distinguished from all congeners, except Hypostomus kids, by the absence of adipose fin. Hypostomus careopinnatus is distinguished from H. levis mainly by the presence of slender bifid teeth, with mesial cusp large and rounded, and lateral cusp small and pointed (vs. spoon-shaped teeth). The new species described herein completely lacks the adipose fin and also lacks the median pre-adipose plates in almost all specimens examined. The absence of adipose fin is probably an independent acquisition for Hypostomus careopinnatus and Hypostomus levis.

A New Species of Cascudinho of the Genus Hisonotus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae) from the Upper Rio Tapajos Basin, Brazil

Hisonotus bockmanni, new species, is described based on specimens collected in a sandbank in the Rio Cururu, a tributary to the Rio Teles Pires, one of the rivers forming the Rio Tapajos in the Amazon Basin. The new taxon is distinguished from its congeners by a unique color pattern, whose most striking features are: two elliptical white spots, anterior to nostrils; predorsal region darkly pigmented with five unpigmented spots arranged as anteriorly pointed chevron; and a rostrocaudally elongate cross along most of the caudal peduncle. The placement of the new species in Hisonotus as well as its possible affinities within that genus are discussed in light of the current knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships among the Hypoptopomatinae.

The use of remote sensing imagery for monitoring recovery in the aftermath of a natural disaster: the Hurricane Katrina Case

Although Recovery is often defined as the less studied and documented phase of the Emergency Management Cycle, a wide literature is available for describing characteristics and sub-phases of this process. Previous works do not allow to gain an overall perspective because of a lack of systematic consistent monitoring of recovery utilizing advanced technologies such as remote sensing and GIS technologies. Taking into consideration the key role of Remote Sensing in Response and Damage Assessment, this thesis is aimed to verify the appropriateness of such advanced monitoring techniques to detect recovery advancements over time, with close attention to the main characteristics of the study event: Hurricane Katrina storm surge. Based on multi-source, multi-sensor and multi-temporal data, the post-Katrina recovery was analysed using both a qualitative and a quantitative approach. The first phase was dedicated to the investigation of the relation between urban types, damage and recovery state, referring to geographical and technological parameters. Damage and recovery scales were proposed to review critical observations on remarkable surge- induced effects on various typologies of structures, analyzed at a per-building level. This wide-ranging investigation allowed a new understanding of the distinctive features of the recovery process. A quantitative analysis was employed to develop methodological procedures suited to recognize and monitor distribution, timing and characteristics of recovery activities in the study area. Promising results, gained by applying supervised classification algorithms to detect localization and distribution of blue tarp, have proved that this methodology may help the analyst in the detection and monitoring of recovery activities in areas that have been affected by medium damage. The study found that Mahalanobis Distance was the classifier which provided the most accurate results, in localising blue roofs with 93.7% of blue roof classified correctly and a producer accuracy of 70%. It was seen to be the classifier least sensitive to spectral signature alteration. The application of the dissimilarity textural classification to satellite imagery has demonstrated the suitability of this technique for the detection of debris distribution and for the monitoring of demolition and reconstruction activities in the study area. Linking these geographically extensive techniques with expert per-building interpretation of advanced-technology ground surveys provides a multi-faceted view of the physical recovery process. Remote sensing and GIS technologies combined to advanced ground survey approach provides extremely valuable capability in Recovery activities monitoring and may constitute a technical basis to lead aid organization and local government in the Recovery management.

Minimalinvasive Osteosynthese der distalen extraartikulären Radiusfraktur : XSCREW und DorsalNailPlate im biomechanischen Vergleich

Gegenstand der Arbeit: Die distale Radiusfraktur ist der häufigste Bruch des Menschen. Neben etablierten Verfahren wie der dorsalen und palmaren Plattenosteosynthese gibt es seit Kurzem neuartige minimalinvasive Osteosynthesesysteme. Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Untersuchung der biomechanischen Stabilität von zwei neuartigen Implantaten für die distale extraartikuläre Radiusfraktur. rnMethodik: Es handelt sich einerseits um das System XSCREW (Zimmer, Freiburg i. Br., Deutschland), eine kanülierte Schraube, die über den Processus styloideus eingeführt wird und mit bis zu neun Bohrdrähten im Knochen fixiert werden kann. Das Vergleichsimplantat DorsalNailPlate (HandInnovations, Miami, Florida, USA) ist ein Hybrid aus einer dorsalen Platte und einem Marknagel. Beide Systeme wurden an 8 paarigen frischen unfixierten Leichenradii unter Axialbelastung bis 100 N und Torsionsbelastung bis 1,5 Nm getestet. Die A3-Fraktur wurde durch eine standardisierte Keilosteotomie simuliert. Das Biomaterial wurde prä- und postinterventionell sowie nach einem Dauerbelastungstest unter 1000 Zyklen in Rotation mit 0,5 Hz untersucht. Ein Versagenstest mit steigendem Drehmoment beendete das Experiment. rnErgebnisse: Die XSCREW erreichte eine Axialsteifigkeit von 136 N/mm und eine Torsionssteifigkeit von 0,16 Nm/°. Die DNP erzielte hingegen axial 70 N/mm und torsional 0,06 Nm/°. Der Unterschied zwischen beiden Verfahren war nur für die Torsion eindeutig statistisch auffällig (p=0,012), jedoch nicht für die Axialsteifigkeit (p=0,054). Die ursprüngliche Axial- und Torsionssteifigkeit wurde durch die XSCREW signifikant besser wiederhergestellt als durch die DNP (p=0,012). Beide Verfahren erzielten nach der Intervention signifikant niedrigere Steifigkeiten als die intakten Knochen (p=0,012). Ein Präparat der DNP-Gruppe und vier Präparate der XSCREW-Gruppe überstanden den Dauerbelastungstest. Das Drehmoment bei Versagen war mit der XSCREW höher als mit der DNP, der Unterschied zwischen den Verfahren war signifikant (p=0,043). Die Schwachstellen beider Systeme lagen vorwiegend in der proximalen Verankerung im Knochen. Kirschner-Drähte bzw. Verriegelungsschrauben führten unter andauernder Belastung zu einer Spaltung der Kortikalis im Schaftbereich. Bedingt durch die Ausrichtung der distalen Verriegelungen können mit beiden Implantaten Schäden an der radiocarpalen bzw. radioulnaren Gelenkfläche entstehen. rnZusammenfassung: Die XSCREW ermöglicht insgesamt eine höhere mechanische Stabilität als die DNP. Beide Verfahren sind jedoch einer winkelstabilen palmaren Plattenosteosynthese insbesondere unter rotatorischer Dauerbelastung unterlegen und erreichen nicht die Stabilität eines anderen neuartigen minimalinvasiven Systems.

Evaluation of two fully automated novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the determination of human adiponectin in serum

BACKGROUND: In contrast to RIA, recently available ELISAs provide the potential for fully automated analysis of adiponectin. To date, studies reporting on the diagnostic characteristics of ELISAs and investigating on the relationship between ELISA- and RIA-based methods are rare. METHODS: Thus, we established and evaluated a fully automated platform (BEP 2000; Dade-Behring, Switzerland) for determination of adiponectin levels in serum by two different ELISA methods (competitive human adiponectin ELISA; high sensitivity human adiponectin sandwich ELISA; both Biovendor, Czech Republic). Further, as a reference method, we also employed a human adiponectin RIA (Linco Research, USA). Samples from 150 patients routinely presenting to our cardiology unit were tested. RESULTS: ELISA measurements could be accomplished in less than 3 h, measurement of RIA had a duration of 24 h. The ELISAs were evaluated for precision, analytical sensitivity and specificity, linearity on dilution and spiking recovery. In the investigated patients, type 2 diabetes, higher age and male gender were significantly associated with lower serum adiponectin concentrations. Correlations between the ELISA methods and the RIA were strong (competitive ELISA, r=0.82; sandwich ELISA, r=0.92; both p<0.001). However, Deming regression and Bland-Altman analysis indicated lack of agreement of the 3 methods preventing direct comparison of results. The equations of the regression lines are: Competitive ELISA=1.48 x RIA-0.88; High sensitivity sandwich ELISA=0.77 x RIA+1.01. CONCLUSIONS: Fully automated measurement of adiponectin by ELISA is feasible and substantially more rapid than RIA. The investigated ELISA test systems seem to exhibit analytical characteristics allowing for clinical application. In addition, there is a strong correlation between the ELISA methods and RIA. These findings might promote a more widespread use of adiponectin measurements in clinical research.

Drug-eluting or bare-metal stents for large coronary vessel stenting? The BASKET-PROVE (PROspective Validation Examination) trial: study protocol and design

BACKGROUND: Based on a subgroup analysis of 18-month BAsel Stent Kosten Effektivitäts Trial (BASKET) outcome data, we hypothesized that very late (> 12 months) stent thrombosis occurs predominantly after drug-eluting stent implantation in large native coronary vessel stenting. METHODS: To prove or refute this hypothesis, we set up an 11-center 4-country prospective trial of 2260 consecutive patients treated with > or = 3.0-mm stents only, randomized to receive Cypher (Johnson ; Johnson, Miami Lakes, FL), Vision (Abbott Vascular, Abbott Laboratories, IL), or Xience stents (Abbott Vascular). Only patients with left main or bypass graft disease, in-stent restenosis or stent thrombosis, in need of nonheart surgery, at increased bleeding risk, without compliance/consent are excluded. All patients are treated with dual antiplatelet therapy for 12 months. The primary end point will be cardiac death/nonfatal myocardial infarction after 24 months with further follow-up up to 5 years. RESULTS: By June 12, 229 patients (10% of the planned total) were included with a baseline risk similar to that of the same subgroup of BASKET (n = 588). CONCLUSIONS: This study will answer several important questions of contemporary stent use in patients with large native vessel stenting. The 2-year death/myocardial infarction-as well as target vessel revascularization-and bleeding rates in these patients with a first- versus second-generation drug-eluting stent should demonstrate the benefit or harm of these stents compared to cobalt-chromium bare-metal stents in this relevant, low-risk group of everyday patients. In addition, a comparison with similar BASKET patients will allow to estimate the impact of 12- versus 6-month dual antiplatelet therapy on these outcomes.

Repeatedly experiencing information overload in a product customization: a case of sequential overchoice

The present study demonstrates how consumers can suffer from sequential overchoice. Customizing a tailor-made suit from combined-attribute choices (e.g., deciding on color and fabric in combination) leads to less satisfaction and less additional consumption than customizing it from single-attribute choices (e.g., deciding on color, then on fabric). The effect is mediated by information overload and moderated by consideration set size.