A Review of the Antiviral Properties of Black Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Products.

Black elder (Sambucus nigra L.) has a long ethnobotanical history across many disparate cultures as a treatment for viral infection and is currently one of the most-used medicinal plants worldwide. Until recently, however, substantial scientific research concerning its antiviral properties has been lacking.

Herbivore Biodiversity Varies with Patch Size in an Urban Archipelago.

The effects of ecosystem fragmentation on biodiversity during urbanization are well established. As a city grows, it replaces much of the native plant life with asphalt, cement, and lawns, yet small patches of native plants remain in greenspaces, which act as refugia for native animals. However, little work has been done on the patterns of re-colonization by native animals as urban decay allows for re-establishment of native plant communities.

Herbivore damage-induced production and specific anti-digestive function of serine and cysteine protease inhibitors in tall goldenrod, Solidago altissima L. (Asteraceae).

Plant protease inhibitors (PIs) are among the most well-studied and widely distributed resistance traits that plants use against their herbivore attackers. There are different types of plant PIs which putatively function against the different types of proteases expressed in insect guts. Serine protease inhibitors (SPIs) and cysteine protease inhibitors (CPIs) are hypothesized to differentially function against the predominant gut proteases in lepidopteran and coleopteran herbivores, respectively.

Individual risk profiles for postoperative delirium after joint replacement surgery.

Background: Delirium occurs in nearly half of older patients after joint replacement surgery. However, risk profiles for developing delirium have not been established.

Objective: We sought to identify risk profiles for delirium in patients following joint replacement surgery.

Administration of olanzapine to prevent postoperative delirium in elderly joint-replacement patients: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Delirium is a serious postoperative condition for which few pharmacologic prevention trials have been conducted.

Objective: The authors tested the efficacy of perioperative olanzapine administration to prevent postoperative delirium in elderly patients after joint-replacement surgery.

Method: The authors conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, prophylaxis trial at an orthopedic teaching hospital, enrolling 495 elderly patients age ≥65 years, who were undergoing elective knee- or hip-replacement surgery; 400 patients received either 5 mg of orally-disintegrating olanzapine or placebo just before and after surgery.

Risk factors for false positive transcranial motor evoked potential monitoring alerts during surgical treatment of cervical myelopathy.

Study Design: Retrospective consecutive series review.

Objective: To examine performance of transcranial motor-evoked potential (TcMEP) monitoring in patients undergoing surgery for cervical myelopathy and potential risk factors for false positive alerts.

Summary Of Background Data: Although use of TcMEP monitoring has been increasing and has been specifically recommended in patients with cervical myelopathy, rates and risk factors for false positive alerts have not been established.

Pesticides in surface water runoff in south-eastern New York State, USA: seasonal and stormflow effects on concentrations.

Samples from two streams (Kisco River and the Middle Branch of the Croton River) in the Croton Reservoir system in south-eastern New York State, USA were sampled from May 2000 through to February 2001 in order to document the effect of land use, streamflow and seasonal patterns of application on pesticide concentrations in runoff from developed watersheds. Many of the pesticides detected most commonly in this study are generally used in developed areas, and particularly on turfgrass. Pesticide concentrations were generally higher, and the numbers of compounds were generally larger, in samples from the Kisco River than in samples from the Middle Branch, probably because the Kisco River drainage has a greater population density and is more extensively developed.