Biological community structure on patch reefs in Biscayne National Park, FL, USA.

Coral reef ecosystem management benefits from continual quantitative assessment of the resources being managed, plus assessment of factors that affect distribution patterns of organisms in the ecosystem. In this study, we investigate the relationships among physical, benthic, and fish variables in an effort to help explain the distribution patterns of organisms on patch reefs within Biscayne National Park, FL, USA. We visited a total of 196 randomly selected sampling stations on 12 shallow (<10 m) patch reefs and measured physical variables (e.

Obturator versus femoral nerve block for analgesia after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Both femoral and obturator nerve blocks have been suggested to be useful in relieving pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to compare their efficacy.

Methods: Sixty patients undergoing elective unilateral TKA under spinal anesthesia received in a randomized, double-blind manner a femoral, obturator, or sham nerve block at the end of surgery.