Individual diet variability shapes the architecture of Antarctic benthic food webs.

Antarctic biodiversity is affected by seasonal sea-ice dynamics driving basal resource availability. To (1) determine the role of intraspecific dietary variability in structuring benthic food webs sustaining Antarctic biodiversity, and (2) understand how food webs and the position of topologically central species vary with sea-ice cover, single benthic individuals' diets were studied by isotopic analysis before sea-ice breakup and afterwards. Isotopic trophospecies (or Isotopic Trophic Units) were investigated and food webs reconstructed using Bayesian Mixing Models.

Impact of intra-annual wood density fluctuation on tree hydraulic function: insights from a continuous monitoring approach.

Climate change significantly impacts global forests, leading to tree decline and dieback. To cope with climate change, trees develop several functional traits, such as intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs) in tree rings. The formation of these traits facilitates trees to optimize resource allocation, allowing them to withstand periods of stress and eventually recover when the conditions become favourable again.

Intra-annual density fluctuations in tree rings are proxies of air temperature across Europe.

Intra-Annual Density Fluctuations (IADFs) are an important wood functional trait that determine trees' ability to adapt to climatic changes. Here, we use a large tree-ring database of 11 species from 89 sites across eight European countries, covering a climatic gradient from the Mediterranean to northern Europe, to analyze how climate variations drive IADF formation. We found that IADF occurrence increases nonlinearly with ring width in both gymnosperms and angiosperms and decreases with altitude and age.

Lacrimal gland uptake of gallium (67Ga) citrate in patients without ocular pathology.

Purpose: To report a series of patients with bilateral lacrimal gland uptake of Gallium (67Ga) Citrate in patients without ocular pathology and to assess the degree to which this can be a normal phenomenon.

Methods: We present an index case of lacrimal gland uptake of Gallium (67Ga) Citrate in a patient without lacrimal pathology and a subsequent retrospective review of all Gallium scans performed at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK from 2002 to 2008. Patients who demonstrated Ga67 uptake within the lacrimal glands were identified and case notes from all scans were retrieved and reviewed.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in diseases of the thyroid and parathyroid.

Disease of the parathyroid glands presents most often with hypercalcaemia secondary to excess parathormone (PTH) production. This is due to a solitary functioning parathyroid adenoma. The role of imaging is primarily to localise the functioning adenoma.

Subperiosteal orbital hemorrhage following self-strangulation.

Subperiosteal orbital hematomas are uncommon. The delayed presentation of such an event is described in an anticoagulated patient who attempted self-strangulation. Despite the initial presence of a relative afferent pupillary defect, excellent visual recovery occurred, demonstrating the importance of prompt recognition and treatment.

Signal intensity, clinical activity and cross-sectional areas on MRI scans in thyroid eye disease.

The signal intensity from inflamed extra-ocular muscles on short tau inversion recovery (STIR)-sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is known to correlate with clinical scores of thyroid eye disease (TED) severity. Twenty-one patients who had undergone repeated MRI scanning for TED were studied retrospectively. Signal intensity of extra-ocular muscles (from STIR-sequence MRI) and cross-sectional area (from STIR and T1 MRI) were correlated with Mourits' clinical activity score (CAS).

Imaging of testicular tumours.

This article reviews the diagnosis, pathology and imaging of testicular tumours, predominantly germ cell tumours. It will discuss the imaging techniques used in their diagnosis, staging and surveillance.

Percutaneous retrograde varicocele embolisation using tungsten embolisation coils: a five year audit.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of percutaneous retrograde varicocele embolisation using Spirale tungsten coils over a period of five years.

Patients And Methods: Fifty consecutive patients underwent local anaesthetic day case varicocele embolisation via a right femoral approach. Venous anatomy was identified and classified.

Error in radiology.

The level of error in radiology has been tabulated from articles on error and on "double reporting" or "double reading". The level of error varies depending on the radiological investigation, but the range is 2-20% for clinically significant or major error. The greatest reduction in error rates will come from changes in systems.

Serial STIR magnetic resonance imaging correlates with clinical score of activity in thyroid disease.

Purpose: To assess the correlation between inflammatory activity in extraocular muscles measured with serial short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and clinical disease activity in thyroid eye disease.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 22 patients with thyroid eye disease who had undergone serial MRI scans using the STIR sequence were assessed. The signal intensity ratio (SIR) of the most inflamed extraocular muscle was compared with the Mourits score (a clinical measure of thyroid eye disease activity).

Investigation of upper tracts after resolution of symptoms due to ureteric calculi.

Objective: To determine whether patients with proven ureteric calculi on IVU require repeat IVU after resolution of symptoms and passage of calculus on plain X-ray.

Methodology: IVU reports for a 12-month period were obtained and notes and X-rays of those patients with ureteric calculi were reviewed. Presentation, management and subsequent imaging after resolution of symptoms were determined for each patient.

Parameters of nasal airway anatomy on magnetic resonance imaging correlate poorly with subjective symptoms of nasal patency.

Forty-four patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) head scans for non-nasal disease were asked to complete a questionnaire immediately after the scan. Subjective patency was scored for each nasal airway, patients were also asked about other nasal symptoms, hay fever, upper respiratory tract infections, medication and any history of nasal surgery or trauma. The following measurements from MRI scans were made: the cross-sectional area of the nasal airway at the anterior end of the middle turbinate, the horizontal width of the inferior turbinate and maximum septal mucosal thickness.

Internal iliac artery embolisation for intractable bladder haemorrhage in the peri-operative phase.

Intractable haemorrhage from the bladder wall during transurethral resection of bladder tumour is uncommon but potentially catastrophic. Internal iliac artery embolisation is a minimally invasive technique, which is now widely practised to stop bleeding from branches of these arteries is situations including pelvic malignancy, obstetric and gynaecological emergencies and trauma. We report its successful use peri-operatively, in an unfit, elderly patient with uncontrolled bleeding.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of asymmetrical bilateral masseteric hypertrophy.

Asymmetrical bilateral masseteric hypertrophy or unilateral masseteric hypertrophy may present a diagnostic dilemma. While the history and clinical examination are important in differentiating this benign condition from parotid and dental pathology, they cannot necessarily exclude rarer malignant lesions of or within the muscle itself. We present a case where MRI provided clear and elegant confirmation of our provisional clinical diagnosis by illustrating both the soft tissue features and the logical corresponding bony features of this condition, thus obviating the need for further invasive investigations.

Staging of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx: a comparison of MRI and CT in T- and N-staging.

Purpose: Our purpose was to assess the accuracy of CT and MRI in staging of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity and oropharynx.

Method: Fifty-one episodes of primary and recurrent SCC were assessed with CT and MRI. The results were compared with pathological staging.

Role of preoperative localization in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Background: The advantages of preoperative localization in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism have not been clearly demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate prospectively the accuracy of three localization techniques in patients with this condition.

Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and technetium-thallium (Tc-Tl) subtraction scanning before surgery, during which an attempt was made to identify all parathyroid glands.

Air gun pellet injuries: the safety of MR imaging.

The ferromagnetism, and therefore the safety in a magnetic resonance (MR) examination, of the most widely available air gun pellets has been tested. While many are made of lead and are not ferromagnetic, some contain steel and are deflected strongly in a magnetic field. There must therefore be careful consideration before undertaking MR examinations of patients with embedded air gun pellets.

Bilateral metastatic spread of testicular teratoma to mandibular condyles.

The clinical and radiological features of a patient with metastatic spread of testicular teratoma to both mandibular condyles are presented. It is suggested that in patients with known systemic malignancy, a local metastatic deposit should be considered as a possible cause of unexplained pain in the temporomandibular joints.

Magnetic resonance imaging in thyroid eye disease.

We examined 25 patients with thyroid eye disease, using both the STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery) sequence and cine MRI techniques. A number of characteristic features can be seen on the cine MRI. There is muscle enlargement with restriction of movement and, in the burnt-out phase of the disease, reduced elasticity of the muscles is manifest as their failure to stretch on eye movement.

Neuropathic urinary retention in the absence of neurological signs.

We present two cases of painless urinary retention secondary to central intervertebral disc prolapse. In neither case were there signs or symptoms suggesting an underlying neurological insult. Both patients voided spontaneously following neurosurgical intervention.

An anatomical, histological and magnetic resonance imaging study of the nasal septum.

Considerable variations are present in the thickness of the normal nasal septum. These were studied and measured in cadavers and from MRI scans. In addition, a histological analysis was performed to determine whether cavernous tissue is present at any point in the septum.

Primary and recurrent inverting papilloma: appearances with magnetic resonance imaging.

Inverting papilloma of the sinonasal cavity is of importance because of its association with squamous cell carcinoma and its tendency to local recurrence. Appearances of inverting papilloma have only been reported infrequently, and never in recurrent cases. We present the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances of four cases of inverting papilloma, three of which are recurrent.