The significance of region-specific habitat models as revealed by habitat shifts of grey-faced buzzard in response to different agricultural schedules.

To determine large scales habitat suitability for focal species, habitat models derived from one region are often extrapolated to others. However, extrapolation can be inappropriate due to regional variation of habitat selection. Accounting for the ecological mechanisms causing such variation is necessary to resolve this problem.

Analysis of the Genetic Diversity and Structure of the Grey-Faced Buzzard () in Japan, Based on mtDNA.

The grey-faced buzzard () is a raptor that inhabits East Asia, including Japan. Because the number of individuals has decreased by 75% over the last 40 years, this species is classified as vulnerable (VU) in Japan. In the present study, wesought to reveal the genetic structure of the Japanese grey-faced buzzard population at several breeding sites, and to assess the levels of genetic diversity within the Japanese population.

Context Dependent Effect of Landscape on the Occurrence of an Apex Predator across Different Climate Regions.

In studies of habitat suitability at landscape scales, transferability of species-landscape associations among sites are likely to be critical because it is often impractical to collect datasets across various regions. However, limiting factors, such as prey availability, are not likely to be constant across scales because of the differences in species pools. This is particularly true for top predators that are often the target for conservation concern.

A stress analysis of the proximal tibia after insertion of the endoprosthesis.

Detailed investigation for the local stress increment at the fixation post bottom of an artificial knee joint was performed by two-dimensional finite element method. A strain measurement was also conducted by wire strain gauges on a cancellous bone with a special method. It was made clear that a curvature with a certain extent of radius was necessary for the corner of a fixation post and application of acrylic cement with a certain extent of thickness (3 mm less than or equal to) was effective for stress relaxation, and that an optimum value (10(-1)-10 GPa) existed for elastic modulus of bone cement.

Arthroscopy after anterior cruciate reconstruction with the Leeds-Keio ligament.

The healing of anterior cruciate ligaments reconstructed with the Leeds-Keio artificial ligament was observed by arthroscopy in 42 knees and biopsy in 19 knees at intervals from 3 to 24 months after implantation. By three months the implant was covered with immature new tissue, and a dense vascular network crossed its surface. At 12 months a new ligament had developed and matured, looking like the natural one in most cases.

Arthrographic study of the rheumatoid knee. Part 2. Articular cartilage and menisci.

The changes of the articular cartilage and of the menisci in 129 knee joints with classical rheumatoid arthritis have been investigated by an improved arthrographic technique. The changes of the intra-articular components on the arthrograms coincided well with direct views at arthroscopy and surgery. The changes of the articular cartilage on the arthrograms were graded as normal, deposit and pooling, thinning, filling defect, destruction, and disappearance, and those of the menisci as normal, degeneration, tear, and disappearance.

Partial resection of the discoid meniscus in the child's knee.

Seven children underwent partial meniscectomy for symptomatic discoid lateral meniscus. This procedure, modifying the discoid meniscus to the normal semilunar shape, was indicated only when degeneration or tear was minimal, when the meniscus was not abnormally thickened nor of Wrisberg type, when it was not hypermobile, when the capsular attachment was intact, and when the residual meniscus was free from abnormality. The results were excellent clinically, radiologically and arthroscopically, rehabilitation was shortened to half that required for total meniscectomy and the residual meniscus functioned entirely normally.

[Clinical pictures of the osteoarthritis in the knee joint (author's transl)].

A total of 3,176 osteoarthritic knees are studied for the clinical course, and some of them are analysed for biomechanical development of the gonarthritis. Varus deformity, obesity, female incidence, patellar and medial femoral joint changes, and loss of range of motion are dominant in the clinical pictures of the gonarthritis. Joint effusion and instability are not principal manifestation.

The evaluation of plasma dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in essential and secondary hypertension.

The relation of plasma dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity to age was examined in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. Plasma DBH activity was the highest in the group of 25--34 years and gradually decreased with age. Plasma DBH activity was higher in the hypertensives than in the normotensives in all age groups, and the difference was significant between the groups of 45--54 and 55--64 years.