Brain and Body Size Relations among Spotted Hyenas (Crocuta crocuta).

The relationship between brain size and body size across species "from mouse to elephant" is described by a function of positive slope. Almost uniformly, the relationship between brain size and body size within a species has a positive slope, though this is less steep than across species. The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, differs from most other mammals in a number of ways including the fact that, on average, adult females weigh more than adult males and occasionally display greater body lengths.

Thermal air oxidation changes surface and adsorptive properties of black carbon (char/biochar).

In this study, we systematically investigated the effects of thermal air oxidation on the properties of biomass-derived black carbon (BC) made at carbonization temperatures (HTTs) of 300-700°C. BC produced by including air in the carbonization step was found to have a low surface area and underdeveloped pore structure. Substantial changes of BC were observed after post-pyrolysis thermal air oxidation (PPAO).

The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in the management of children with kerosene-associated pneumonitis: a double-blind randomised controlled trial.

Context: Hydrocarbons, especially kerosene (paraffin), are the most common agents causing childhood poisoning in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Aspiration of kerosene causes an inflammatory sterile chemical pneumonitis, which may increase susceptibility to secondary lower respiratory tract bacterial infection. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in the management of kerosene-associated pneumonitis in children and to identify risk factors associated with severity or outcome.

Choosing the right species in research.

When designing animal studies, investigators must choose a species that is appropriate for the research. In this paper, the author examines various criteria that can be used to guide this selection. He discusses the concepts of phylogenetic group and sentience and finds them not to be useful in the selection of appropriate species in biomedical research.

The reproducibility of measurements of differential renal function in paediatric 99mTc-MAG3 renography.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to establish the reproducibility of estimates of differential renal function (DRF) obtained using the software supplied by different vendors, assess the effects of age, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and degree of asymmetry of renal function on reproducibility and ascertain whether the software gives the same estimates of DRF.

Methods: A stratified sample of 172 renograms covering a wide range of DRF estimates, age and renal function was drawn from an electronic archive containing raw data from 1416 renograms. The renograms were processed by one operator using seven different methods, five times for each method.

The changing trends of childhood poisoning at a tertiary children's hospital in South Africa.

Context: Information on childhood poisoning in the developing world, including South Africa, is scarce, despite its contribution to morbidity and mortality.

Objective: We describe the profile of children with exposures and poisonings presenting to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) in Cape Town, South Africa, from 2003 to 2008 and compare the trends of causative agents over the past two decades.

Methods: Cases were identified by review of the RCWMCH case records.

Pesticide poisonings at a tertiary children's hospital in South Africa: an increasing problem.

Context: Exposure of children to pesticides and overt poisoning are an increasingly important problem in South Africa.

Objective: This study describes the profile of acute paediatric pesticide exposures and poisonings presenting to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) in Cape Town South Africa from 2003 to 2008, identifies those poisonings due to illicit pesticides sold on the streets ("street pesticides") and assesses the number of incidents in which the statutory requirement of notification to the local health authority is met. Methods.

Mercury oxidation in flue gas using gold and palladium catalysts on fabric filters.

The feasibility of oxidizing elemental mercury in coal combustion flue gas using catalytic material impregnated onto fabric filters was explored. TiO2, Au/TiO2, and Pd/Al2O3 were studied based on promising results in previous research. Several fabric coating methods were investigated to determine the best way to load a filter.

Verification of IACUC approval and the just-in-time PHS grant process.

Public Health Service Policy requires institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) to review and approve the animal care and use aspects of grant proposals submitted for funding. Initially, submission of verification of approval was required with submission of the proposal; however, in 2002, a ''just-in-time'' (JIT) process was begun to allow submission when it appeared that the proposal would be in the fundable range. After 3 yr, no evaluation of JIT and its impact on the IACUC has been published.

Effects of sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide on mercury oxidation and reduction under homogeneous conditions.

This paper is particularly related to elemental mercury (Hg0) oxidation and divalent mercury (Hg2+) reduction under simulated flue gas conditions in the presence of nitric oxide (NO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). As a powerful oxidant and chlorinating reagent, Cl2 has the potential for Hg oxidation. However, the detailed mechanism for the interactions, especially among chlorine (Cl)-containing species, SO2, NO, as well as H2O, remains ambiguous.

Application of gold catalyst for mercury oxidation by chlorine.

This paper discusses a recent study of mercury catalytic oxidation by chlorinating reagents. Gold was chosen as the catalyst because of its reluctance to chemisorb some gases such as O2, NO, H2O, and SO2. This property, as demonstrated in this study, is instrumental to mercury oxidation by circumventing some undesired inhibitory reactions such as OH + NO + M --> HONO + M and OH + SO2 + M --> HOSO2 + M, which were recognized under homogeneous situations at high temperatures.

Prolonged gastric emptying half-time and gastric hypomotility after drug overdose.

A prospective study was undertaken to determine if gastric motility and emptying are altered by the ingestion of overdoses of tricyclic antidepressants, acetaminophen, opioid-acetaminophen mixtures, carbamazepine or phenytoin. Gastric scintigraphy was used to measure gastric emptying half-time and assess gastric motility in 104 patients at initial presentation and again at follow-up (n = 85). Patients were imaged for 5 hours after being given 20 MBq of 99mTc tin colloid to drink.

Should IACUCs review scientific merit of animal research projects?

Whether IACUCs should review animal research protocols for scientific merit is not addressed in the federal regulations, resulting in ongoing confusion on the subject. The authors examine this issue, discuss the pros and cons, suggest how IACUCs can go about reviewing protocols for scientific merit, and question what effect recent changes in regulations will have on this issue.

Brain-body size relations in grasshopper mice.

Cranial volumes were measured on museum specimens of two species of grasshopper mice, Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus and Onychomys torridus pulcher. These were compared with body weights and body lengths, as recorded on the museum tags. On average, females were heavier and slightly longer than males, but they had smaller cranial volumes by about 3%.