Understanding the mechanisms that shape the distribution of organisms can help explain patterns of local and regional biodiversity and predict the susceptibility of communities to environmental change. In the species-rich tropics, a gradient in rainfall between wet evergreen and dry seasonal forests correlates with turnover of plant species. The strength of the dry season has previously been sh...

We assessed the hydration state of antlers and its effect on antler mechanical properties compared with wet femur. Red deer antlers were removed from the head at various times, from a few days after velvet shedding till late in the season, and weighed weekly until after casting time. Antlers cut just after losing their velvet lost weight rapidly in the first few weeks, then settled down and cha...

INTRODUCTION Tympanoplasty is the standard and well established procedure for closure of tympanic membrane perforations .This paper compares the results of tympanoplasty in terms of hearing improvement and graft incorporation in patients with chronic perforation of the tympanic membrane between two groups with and without active drainage at the time of surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty ref...

PURPOSE To determine the association between complement factor H (CFH) polymorphism T1277C (tyrosine-402 --> histidine-402) and phenotypic variations of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN Cross-sectional observational study. PARTICIPANTS Subjects with dry or wet AMD and a control population consisting of age-matched non-AMD subjects from 2 clinical facilities examined during the...