Influence of a dominant consumer species reverses at increased diversity.

Theory and experiments indicate that changes in consumer diversity affect benthic community structure and ecosystem functioning. Although the effects of consumer diversity have been tested in the laboratory and the field, little is known about effects of consumer diversity in the subtidal zone, one of the largest marine habitats. We investigated the grazing effects of sea urchins on algal abundance and benthic community structure in a natural subtidal habitat of the Galápagos Islands.

Patterns, causes and consequences of regional variation in the ecology and life history of a reef fish.

Many species vary in their ecology across their geographic ranges in response to gradients in environmental conditions. Such variation, which can influence life history traits and subsequent demography of populations, usually occurs over large spatial scales. However, describing and understanding the causes of such variation is difficult precisely because it occurs over such large spatial scales.

Detection of Lawsonia intracellularis in faeces of swine from the main producing regions in Brazil.

Swine proliferative enteropathy is an enteric disease caused by Lawsonia intracellularis which affects animals between 6 and 20 weeks of age, causing diarrhea, anorexia, and poor growth. The presence of L. intracellularis was evaluated in the faecal samples of 636 swine from 75 randomly chosen herds in the main swine-producing regions of Brazil.

Laparoscopic treatment of incarcerated posttraumatic diaphragmatic hernia.

An 8-year-old girl was admitted in acute respiratory distress after a direct blunt trauma to the posterior thorax. X-Rays denoted the stomach containing air and fluid within the left thoracic cavity. The authors performed laparoscopic reduction of the hernia and sutured the posterior diaphragmatic rent.

Laparoscopic treatment for varicocele.

The study group consisted of 14 male children 7 to 14 years old (mean age 12 years old) who underwent laparoscopic treatment of 15 variococeles between March 1994 and March 1995. The authors describe the technique for laparoscopic ligation of the spermatic vein. This allows easy localization of the enlarged veins on each side and above the internal inguinal ring as well as the presence of collateral veins, which cause recurrence.