Effects of Urbanization on the Diversity, Abundance, and Composition of Ant Assemblages in an Arid City.

Cities within arid regions make up a significant but understudied subset of the urban ecosystems of the world. To assess the effects of urbanization, fragmentation, and land-use change in an arid city, we sampled the ant assemblages in three habitat types in Tucson, Arizona: irrigated neighborhood parks, urban desert remnants, and preserved desert. We analyzed the abundance, species richness, evenness, as well as the species and functional group composition of ant assemblages.

Myocardial protection in on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: analysis of the effectiveness of the use of retrograde Celsior.

Background: We analyzed the adequacy of the myocardial protection achieved with a single dose of retrograde crystalloid Celsior®, compared with an accepted standard (microplegia), in on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG).

Methods: This was a retrospective comparative clinical study conducted in a single institution that included all the patients operated on who had elective isolated on-pump CABG, from March 2006 to June 2014. We evaluated maximum postoperative troponin T (TnT) as a marker of myocardial damage, adjusted for possible confounders using propensity score matching.

How to Adjust Neochordae Length Accurately in Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

We describe a simple technique for the accurate adjustment of polytetrafluoroethylene neochordae length in degenerative mitral regurgitation using the annuloplasty ring's own suture as a reference instead of using sophisticated or less precise maneuvers. Two threads of the annuloplasty ring suture are placed at the level of the mitral valve annulus plane to be used as a reference to tie the neochordae.

Mortality risk prediction in infective endocarditis surgery: reliability analysis of specific scores.

Objectives: We assessed the prognostic utility of risk scores in surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) to evaluate their reliability in mortality risk prediction.

Methods: An observational retrospective study was developed to include all patients who underwent surgery for active IE from 2002 to 2016. Classical and endocarditis-specific risk scores were calculated.

Celsior Versus Microplegia: Analysis of Myocardial Protection in Elective Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Previous studies have analyzed the efficacy of crystalloid cardioplegic solutions, but the use of Celsior (Genzyme Corp, Boston, MA) as a crystalloid cardioplegic solution has not been evaluated.

Methods: In this observational retrospective study, Celsior crystalloid solution was compared with an all-blood continuous myocardial protection (microplegia). The study included all patients who underwent elective aortic valve replacement operations in whom the myocardial protection was Celsior or microplegia.

Field and Laboratory Evaluations of Chlorantraniliprole as a Termiticide in Southern Arizona.

The desert subterranean termite, Heterotermes aureus (Snyder), is the predominant termite of economic importance in the arid southwest. Chlorantraniliprole, a relatively new nonrepellent, slow acting termiticide has been shown to be capable of being transferred among colony members through social interactions, and thus may be effective beyond its original site of application. Using field grids, we evaluated the colony-level effects of chlorantraniliprole on H.

Evaluation of Liquid and Bait Insecticides against the Dark Rover Ant (Brachymyrmex patagonicus).

Dark rover ants (Brachymyrmex patagonicus, Mayr) are an exotic ant species native to South America that has recently spread through the southern US. We evaluated the residual activity of three liquid insecticides (indoxacarb, fipronil and lambda-cyhalothrin) as potential barrier treatments against these ants. The factors we considered include the use of a porous or non-porous surface, a short or long exposure time and the changes in insecticide activity after treatment during a 90 day period.

Repair of multiple aneurysms of the thoracic aorta with a hybrid prosthesis.

Complex aneurysmal disease of the thoracic aorta is commonly treated with the elephant trunk technique using two-stage surgery. However, this procedure is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We present the surgical technique used to correct diffuse aneurysmal aortic disease that involves the aortic arch and the descending aorta.