Plain Sinus Research Articles

Impact of long-term fertilization in no-till on the stratification of soil acidity and related parameters

The increasing cost of fuel and machinery used in conventional tillage systems makes no-till management (NT) an enticing alternative for small-grain producers. However, the application of fertilizers to the soil surface under NT has been shown to lead to the stratification of pH and other soil acidity parameters near the soil surface. Despite that, only a few works have reported the soil acidity stratification of the arable layer and were restricted to highly weathered acid soils of the tropics. Therefore, our objective was to quantify soil pH, exchangeable aluminum (AlKCl), aluminum saturation (Al%), soil organic carbon (OC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) by depth in the topsoils across different levels of nutrient management in three long-term continuous NT wheat studies in the southern Plains of US. Plots were sampled after the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) harvest in the summer of 2019 at sampling depths of 0–15 cm, and 0–2.5, 2.5–5, 5–7.5, 7.5–10, 10–12.5, and 12.5–15 cm. Treatments included an unfertilized check and a combination of increased rates of nitrogen (N) in addition to phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) application across all study locations. It was found that stratification occurred for all soil acidity parameters tested in the study, with higher OC and AlKCl, and lower pH near the soil surface. Patterns of soil pH and OC stratification were generally related to the rate of annual N fertilization. The long-term N fertilization significantly reduced soil pH in the topsoil (0–15 cm) and stratified soil layers, especially at the higher application rates. Regardless of the soil sampling depth, pH decrease was significantly related to the amount of N applied. Also, N fertilization significantly increased AlKCl and Al% but decreased the sum of Ca2++Mg2++K++Na+ both in the whole topsoil or layers. AlKCl and Al% were increased exponentially and linearly with increasing N rate and were for 0–15 cm and stratified layers, respectively. AlKCl was exponentially (inversely) related to soil pH for both sampling methods. Nitrate (NO3) was inversely related to soil pH until up to 21.9 ± 2.6 mg NO3N kg−1. Although not at the same magnitude, non-fertilized plots were likewise stratified for the tested parameters, which indicates other effects of NT on the stratification rather than the fertilizer addition. Overall, the buffer index (BI) was lower if the soil is sampled from 0 to 2.5 cm than 0–15 cm. Attention regarding sampling depth in NT areas is essential for accurate soil attributes monitoring.

Sinus Plain Film Can Predict a Risky Distance from the Lacrimal Sac to the Anterior Skull Base: An Anatomic Study of Dacryocystorhinostomy.

Background: Removal of the surrounding bone during dacryocystorhinostomy may present a higher risk of skull base injury in patients with frontal sinus aplasia. We used sinus plain films to predict cases with a greater risk of a reduced skull base distance in dacryocystorhinostomy. Methods: Sinus plain films and computed tomography data from patients were retrospectively evaluated. The frontal sinus was classified as normal, hypoplastic, or aplastic according to Waters’ view. Correlations of the frontal sinus roof-supraorbital margin (F-O) and the frontal sinus roof-nasion (F-N) distances on plain film with the closest lacrimal sac-anterior skull base (LS-ASB) distance measured on computed tomography images were assessed. Results: We evaluated 110 patients. In total, 16 (11.8%) patients had frontal sinus aplasia, of whom 6 (2.7%) had bilateral and 10 (9.1%) had unilateral aplasia. Sides with frontal sinus aplasia based on Waters’ view had a shorter median LS-ASB distance than normal or hypoplastic sides. The F-O and F-N distances in Waters’ view were significantly positively correlated with the computed tomographic LS-ASB distance. The F-O margin and F-N distance thresholds for predicting an LS-ASB distance < 10 mm, considered a risky distance, were 11.6 and 14.4 mm, respectively, with sensitivities of 100% and 91.7%, and specificities of 76% and 82.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The LS-ASB distance is closer on aplastic frontal sinus sides. Waters’ view on plain sinus films can provide a fast and inexpensive method for evaluating the skull base distance and sinonasal condition during planning for dacryocystorhinostomy.

Environmental Catastrophe and the Direction of Invention: Evidence from the American Dust Bowl

This paper investigates how innovation responded to and shaped the economic impact of the American Dust Bowl, an environmental catastrophe that led to widespread soil erosion on the US Plains during the 1930s. Combining data on county-level erosion, the historical geography of crop production, and crop-specific innovation, I document that the crisis led to a major shift in agricultural technology development toward more Dust Bowl-exposed crops and, within crops, toward bio-chemical and planting technologies that could directly mitigate environmental distress. County-level exposure to Dust Bowl-induced innovation significantly dampened the effect of land erosion on agricultural land values and revenue. These results highlight the role of crises in shaping the direction of innovation and the importance of endogenous technological progress as an adaptive force in the face of disasters.

The response of maize, sorghum, and soybean yield to growing-phase climate revealed with machine learning

Accurate representation of crop responses to climate is critically important to understand impacts of climate change and variability in food systems. We use Random Forest (RF), a diagnostic machine learning tool, to explore the dependence of yield on climate and technology for maize, sorghum and soybean in the US plains. We analyze the period from 1980 to 2016 and use a panel of county yields and climate variables for the crop-specific developmental phases: establishment, critical window (yield potential definition) and grain filling. The RF models accounted for between 71% to 86% of the yield variance. Technology, evaluated through the time variable, accounted for approximately 20% of the yield variance and indicates that yields have steadily increased. Responses to climate confirm prior findings revealing threshold-like responses to high temperature (yield decrease sharply when maximum temperature exceed 29 °C and 30 °C for maize and soybean), and reveal a higher temperature tolerance for sorghum, whose yield decreases gradually as maximum temperature exceeds 32.5 °C. We found that sorghum and soybean responded positively to increases in cool minimum temperatures. Maize yield exhibited a unique and negative response to low atmospheric humidity during the critical phase that encompasses flowering, as well as a strong sensitivity to extreme temperature exposure. Using maize as a benchmark, we estimate that if warming continues unabated through the first half of the 21st century, the best climatic conditions for rainfed maize and soybean production may shift from Iowa and Illinois to Minnesota and the Dakotas with possible modulation by soil productivity.

Validation and application of AquaCrop for irrigated cotton in the Southern Great Plains of US

Dwindling water resources and weather variability present two of the major limiting factors for irrigated cotton production in the Southern Great Plains (SGP) of the United States. Under these conditions, there is a dire need to understand the trends and fluctuations in cotton yields to help producers make better irrigation and crop management decisions. Crop models coupled with long-term weather data provide an opportunity for evaluating yield variabilities by simulating numerous potential scenarios. In this study, the AquaCrop model was calibrated and validated for cotton at two sites in the SGP. The validated model was then applied to investigate the effect of variable irrigation capacity (IC) on cotton yield during a 33-year period (1981–2013). The AquaCrop model performed with acceptable accuracy for simulating canopy cover, soil water content, evapotranspiration and yield indicating that it is a potential tool for evaluating variable cotton irrigation scenarios in the SGP. The response of cotton yield to IC was highly dependent on heat unit availability. Yields increased significantly with increase in water availability in years when total growing season heat units were above 1100 °C day. The yield response to irrigation diminished considerably as the magnitude of growing season heat units decreased. No significant increase in mean cotton yield was found at IC higher than 0.3 L s−1 ha−1.

Unsettling Landscapes: Prairie Madness and EcoGothic Themes in US Plains Literature

This article examines the prevalence and legacy of EcoGothic themes in landscape descriptions in fiction and poetry of the US Great Plains, including the recurring theme of prairie madness. Drawing on critical approaches that examine unsettling aspects of landscape description through the lenses of the anthropocene and the settler-colonial imaginary, I focus particularly on the authors’ attention to features of the Plains environment that destabilize non-Native settlers’ sense of place and control.

Efficacy of sinus ultrasound in diagnosis of acute and subacute maxillary sinusitis

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of sinus ultrasound for acute and subacute maxillary sinusitis (ASMS) by investigating the agreement between different tools. We also proposed a confirmatory tool directed protocol for adult acute sinusitis, to enhance diagnostic accuracy. MethodsThis prospective cohort study enrolled patients who were older than 18 years, with a diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis. The duration of symptoms was confined to less than 12 weeks. Rigid nasal endoscopy, sinus ultrasound, and plain sinus film were performed for all patients on the same day to confirm the diagnosis. Kappa statistics were used to test interrater reliability. ResultsA total of 148 maxillary sinuses in 74 patients (38 men, 36 women) were evaluated. Sinus ultrasound and rigid nasal endoscopy disclosed the best agreement (agreement = 0.78, κ = 0.556). The agreement of rigid nasal endoscopy and plain sinus film was relatively poor (agreement = 0.72, κ = 0.446). Sinus ultrasound and plain sinus film had the poorest diagnostic consistency (agreement = 0.67, κ = 0.338). ConclusionSinus ultrasound is a quick, safe, cost effective, and relatively easy-to-use technique for clinicians to evaluate the maxillary sinus. Sinus ultrasound and rigid nasal endoscopy are complementary tests to confirm the diagnosis of ASMS.

Chronic rhinosinusitis: the correlation between symptom severity score and findings on plain radiographs of the paranasal sinuses

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common clinical problem with often refractory symptoms. Though computed tomography scan of the paranasal sinuses (PNS) is the radiological gold standard for confirming the diagnosis of CRS, it is not readily available and affordable in developing countries. Hence plain radiographs are heavily relied upon to confirm the diagnosis of CRS. The reliability and adequacy of plain sinus radiographs in combination with disease specific questionnaires in the management of CRS is still debatable. The objectives of the study were to determine the correlation between symptom severity score and findings on plain radiograph of the PNS in adult patients with CRS.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; This was an eight month prospective cross sectional study (April-November, 2014) of Fifty- two consecutive newly diagnosed adult patients with CRS. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; Age of patients ranged from 19–91 years. Male to female ratio was 1:1.26. There was significant positive correlation between high and moderate symptom severity score (severe and moderate disease) with findings on plain radiograph of the PNS (p=0.032 and 0.048 respectively).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; The overall symptom severity score of CRS correlates with findings on the plain radiographs of patients with CRS especially in severe and moderate disease. &lt;/p&gt;

Bayesian Spatiotemporal Pattern and Eco-climatological Drivers of Striped Skunk Rabies in the North Central Plains.

Striped skunks are one of the most important terrestrial reservoirs of rabies virus in North America, and yet the prevalence of rabies among this host is only passively monitored and the disease among this host remains largely unmanaged. Oral vaccination campaigns have not efficiently targeted striped skunks, while periodic spillovers of striped skunk variant viruses to other animals, including some domestic animals, are routinely recorded. In this study we evaluated the spatial and spatio-temporal patterns of infection status among striped skunk cases submitted for rabies testing in the North Central Plains of US in a Bayesian hierarchical framework, and also evaluated potential eco-climatological drivers of such patterns. Two Bayesian hierarchical models were fitted to point-referenced striped skunk rabies cases [n = 656 (negative), and n = 310 (positive)] received at a leading rabies diagnostic facility between the years 2007–2013. The first model included only spatial and temporal terms and a second covariate model included additional covariates representing eco-climatic conditions within a 4km2 home-range area for striped skunks. The better performing covariate model indicated the presence of significant spatial and temporal trends in the dataset and identified higher amounts of land covered by low-intensity developed areas [Odds ratio (OR) = 3.41; 95% Bayesian Credible Intervals (CrI) = 2.08, 3.85], higher level of patch fragmentation (OR = 1.70; 95% CrI = 1.25, 2.89), and diurnal temperature range (OR = 0.54; 95% CrI = 0.27, 0.91) to be important drivers of striped skunk rabies incidence in the study area. Model validation statistics indicated satisfactory performance for both models; however, the covariate model fared better. The findings of this study are important in the context of rabies management among striped skunks in North America, and the relevance of physical and climatological factors as risk factors for skunk to human rabies transmission and the space-time patterns of striped skunk rabies are discussed.

Reconstruction of effective cloud field geometry from series of sunshine number

A new method is proposed for extracting the parameters of effective cloud field models from time series of sunshine number (SSN). Data of SSN number and point cloudiness during 2009 and 2010 at Timisoara (Romania, South Eastern Europe; temperate continental climate) are used to illustrate the method. Two procedures of fitting the estimated point cloudiness to the observed point cloudiness data are proposed and tested. Seven simple effective cloud field models are analyzed. All models underestimate the point cloudiness. The MBE ranges between −0.06 and −0.23 while RMSE between 0.15 and 0.38, depending on the month and the duration of the SSN data averaging interval. The best model is based on a field of clouds of semicircle form. This agrees with previous results obtained in the semi-arid climate of Great South Plains in US. The dynamics of the effective cloud field is reconstructed during all months of 2010 at Timisoara. The time series of effective cloud fields are dominated by semicircle clouds but short episodes of semielliptic clouds, ellipsoid clouds, truncated cone clouds and cuboidal clouds are included in the series.

Cellulosic biofuels from crop residue and groundwater extraction in the US Plains: The case of Nebraska

This study develops a model of crop residue (i.e. stover) supply and derived demand for irrigation water accounting for non-linear effects of soil organic matter on soil's water holding capacity. The model is calibrated for typical conditions in central Nebraska, United States, and identifies potential interactions between water and biofuel policies. The price offered for feedstock by a cost-minimizing plant facing that stover supply response is calculated. Results indicate that as biofuel production volumes increase, soil carbon depletion per unit of biofuel produced decreases. Consumption of groundwater per unit of biofuel produced first decreases and then increases (after a threshold of 363 dam3 of biofuels per year) due to plants' increased reliance on the extensive margin for additional biomass. The analysis reveals a tension between biofuel and water policies. As biofuel production raises the economic benefits of relaxing water conservation policies (measured by the “shadow price” of water) increase.

Past and future extreme climatic events in Canadian prairies: Integrating economics and climate

T occurrence of dry & wet events causes major adverse impacts in the Canadian Prairies. In the past, dry events, which are typically agricultural and/or hydrological droughts, have been common in the region. At least five major drought episodes have occurredin the Canadian Prairies during the past 120 years. These include multi-year droughts in the 1890s, 1910s, 1930s, late 1950s to early 1960s, 1980s, 1999-2005, 2009-10. The years 2001-2004 resulted in one of the largest area multi-year drought. Almost half of the agricultural prairies were in severe drought or worse during 2001. For the older droughts of the 1900 to 1950 period, the 1930s were the largest multi-year droughts, and 1961 and 1919 were the single-year severe droughts that covered the largest area. According to Bonsal et al. (2011), some of the major droughts have migrated into the Canadian Prairies from the United States Great Plains, including the 1999-2005 drought. This means that it is important to monitor the northern US droughts for expansion or migration into Canada.In the future, the frequency of both droughts and intense precipitation areexpected to increase. In fact, the review by Wheaton et al. (2013) found that (i) multi-year droughts (e.g., 5 to 10 years, or so) would occur more than twice as often forthe period to 2100; (ii) they would come with more evaporative power and be more intense as they will have much higher temperatures and much longer warm seasons; and (iii) they would cover much more area than even the across-Canada drought of 2001-2002. Droughts of such magnitudes would have devastating impacts on the Prairies, economically, environmentally, and socially, particularly on those industries where weather is a major determining factor to their survival and performance. One such industry is agriculture. It is the contention of this paper that estimation of impacts of the past droughts has been limited in scope, and may have underestimated these impacts. This under-estimation may be a result of several reasons: (i) Past studies have typically measured these impacts for only the drought period. In reality a drought would affect some of the enterprises (such as livestock production) that take several years to completely result in an economic gain to the producers. (ii) Although private costs of the people impacted by droughts are measured, the macro-level changes causing hardships to people and businesses are not measured. (iii) Droughts may impact ecological goods and services which can then affect the society at large. (iv) Loss to human capital through stress, sickness, and loss of employment as well as other changes that lead to lost productivity are typically not included. (v) Fiscal costs to the governments and their resulting impact on other programs have not been estimated. (vi) Economic hardships to smaller communities and people living therein have also not been addressed. We recommend that future investigations attempt to redress these deficiencies in the method of estimation of social, environmental and economic impacts of droughts. Impacts of the recent severe droughts in the US Plains and Canadian Prairies are reminders that current adaptation can be improved.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL LAND USE AND WEST NILE VIRUS ANTIBODY PREVALENCE IN IOWA BIRDS

In the Plains states of the central United States, research suggests that the prevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in humans is higher in agricultural areas than in nonagricultural areas. In contrast, there is limited information about WNV exposure in birds, the primary amplifying host of WNV, in agriculturally dominated landscapes. We evaluated whether exposure to WNV in peridomestic birds sampled in central Iowa varied with the proportion of land use devoted to agriculture. Over the summers of 2009 and 2010, we captured birds in sites comprising gradients of agricultural, urban, and natural land uses, and tested their sera for antibodies to WNV. Overall, WNV antibody prevalence was low (2.3%). Our results suggest that agricultural land use had minimal influence on WNV exposure in birds. We conclude that birds are not likely to be useful indicators of WNV activity in agricultural areas in the Plains states despite human risk being highest in those areas. Antibody prevalence for WNV, however, was higher in American Robins, Mourning Doves, and Northern Cardinals than in other species, making these species potentially useful for monitoring WNV activity in the US Plains states.

The role of plain radiographs in the diagnosis of chronic maxillary rhinosinusitis in adults

Computed tomography is currently the gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis. However, this facility is not readily available in many developing countries. Thus, plain sinus radiography is still widely in use in our practice. To assess the diagnostic value of plain radiographs in adult patients with uncomplicated chronic maxillary rhinosinusitis. This study was carried out at a tertiary health facility in Northern Nigeria. All adult patients with clinical and radiological diagnosis of chronic maxillary rhinosinusitis were included. A total of 88 patients were recruited into the study. There were 51 males (58.0%) and 37 (42.0%) females. Their ages ranged from 18 to 60 years; with a mean age of 31.7±9.20 years. Mucosal thickening was the commonest diagnostic plain radiographic feature, and fluid level was the least. Maxillary antra with diagnostic plain radiographic interpretations of fluid level, haziness and opacity had high specificities (100%, 95.2%, and 85.7%) and high positive predictive values (100%, 75%, and 70%) respectively. Plain radiographs are relevant in the diagnosis of chronic maxillary rhinosinusitis in our locality only when they show features of fluid level: findings of haziness and opacity are of less diagnostic value.

Sensitivity of Plain Sinus Radiographs at Detecting Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis in Patients Who Had Maxillary Antral Lavage in Benin-City

Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses and it is better referred to as rhinosinusitis as it usually involves the nasal cavities. It is a common illness world-wide and can be diagnosed clinically, radiologically, by laboratory evaluation or antral procedures. The antral radiographs of 83 patients who had maxillary antral lavage done were retrieved and the findings recorded. Similarly the antral lavage findings were also recorded. The radiographs were reported by trained radiologists while the antral lavages were done by trained otorhinolaryngologists. The data were then analyzed using SPSS version 17 with the level of statistical significance set at 0.05. Binary classification test was conducted for the right and left maxillary sinuses separately. Chronic sinusitis of the left maxillary antra occurred more commonly than the right. There was significant correlation between radiographic and antral findings. High proportion of false positives and negatives were reported and the binary classification tests for each maxillary sinus showed that the sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were not high and the specificity was low. The sensitivity pattern of sinus radiography at detecting chronic sinusitis is not high. Radiography may only be utilized for the diagnosis of chronic sinusitis in areas where better imaging modalities like CT or MRI are unavailable or not justified.

Frontoethmoid Osteoma with Bilateral Nasal Polyposis: A Rare Coexistence

Abstract Osteoma and nasal polyposis are common benign conditions seen by ENT practitioner, however it is very rare that both of them present together. Osteoma is the most common neoplasm of the nose and paranasal sinuses. It is commonly asymptomatic, being an incidental finding 1% of plain sinus radiographs and 3% CT scans of sinus. In an extensive review of english literature, we could not find any case reported having large osteoma with bilateral nasal polyposis. We found only two reported cases of osseous metaplasia in cases of nasal polyps but not ivory osteoma hence bilateral nasal polyposis can radiologically have association with osteoma and should be investigated and treated accordingly. There has been a single case reported in the Spanish literature though. In current case report, we present a case of patient with bilateral nasal polyposis accompanied with unilateral frontoethmoid osteoma.

Diagnosis and management of acute rhinosinusitis in children

Rhinosinusitis is a common disease in children that is often overlooked. The clinical symptoms of acute rhinosinusitis are nasal blockage or congestion, nasal discharge or postnasal drip (often mucopurulent), facial pain, headache, and reduction in/loss of smell. Direct vision by nasal fibroendoscopy may aid the diagnosis. Regarding imaging criteria, recent consensus documents state that plain sinus x-rays are of limited utility, and CT remains the technique of choice, particularly in children with complications or very persistent or recurrent infections that are unresponsive to medical management. Antibiotics are the primary form of medical treatment for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, but they should be used when acute bacterial rhinosinusitis presents as persistent or severe disease. This will minimize the number of children with uncomplicated viral upper respiratory tract infections who are treated with antimicrobials. Topical corticosteroids may reduce nasal edema and improve ostial drainage and ventilation of the sinus.

Radiology of the paranasal sinuses in nonhealing granulomas of the nose

Radiology of the paranasal sinuses in non-healing granulomas of the nose The few accounts of the radiographic features in the nose and sinuses of Wegener's granulomatosis and lethal midline granuloma have involved small numbers. This paper reviews these changes in 20 cases of Wegener's granulomatosis and 7 cases of lethal midline granuloma. Fifteen cases of Wegener's granulomatosis showed either negative or non-specific changes on plain sinus views. In the remaining 5 cases some evidence of bone destruction was seen. The range of changes was much greater in lethal midline granuloma. The radiographic changes varied from normal appearances (1 case) through generalized soft tissue opacity (3 cases), to massive destruction of the nasal bones and sinus walls (3 cases). The difference in radiological pattern in Wegener's and lethal midline granuloma would seem to be one of degree only.

Radiographic assessment of inverted papilloma

Conclusion. Both CT and MRI defined the extent of histologically proven recurrent disease, although it was impossible to radiographically distinguish recurrent disease from postoperative scar tissue or mucoperiosteal thickening. Objective. A retrospective analysis of radiographic findings of patients with known inverted papilloma (IP) was performed to identify those characteristics that should prompt preoperative biopsy in patients with polypoid nasal masses. Materials and methods. The radiologic studies from a group of 77 patients with biopsy-proven IP of the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses were reviewed. Fifty-three computed tomography (CT) scans, 17 cases of plain sinus radiography and 7 cases of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were analyzed. Results. Although no preoperative MRI examinations were available for comparison, CT was the most helpful study for evaluation of primary, nonrecurrent inverted papilloma. CT demonstrated disease-related abnormalities in 90% of studies. The finding of frequent unilateral bony remodeling was demonstrated in 43% of scans. Plain sinus X-rays were abnormal in 70% of cases of primary tumor, with all positive studies showing nonspecific unilateral opacification of the maxillary antrum.

Advances in imaging of the paranasal sinuses

Imaging technology has played a significant role in the diagnosis and management of sinonasal disorders. Plain sinus films are almost exclusively replaced by CT in the work-up for inflammatory sinus disease. MRI provides complementary information to CT in cases of sinonasal and skull-base neoplasms. The evolution of endoscopic surgical techniques for the paranasal sinuses and skull base is made possible by the parallel advancement of imaging technologies. Recent advances that are currently in clinical use have included multidetector row CT scanners and computer image-guidance systems for surgery. Three-dimensional CT angiography, image-guided CT-MR fusion, and intraoperative image-guidance are new techniques that are currently being evaluated. As imaging technology continues to advance, so does the capability to treat diseases beyond the sinuses and skull base with minimally invasive, endoscopic approaches.