Catches of Euxoa tritici in pheromone traps for Anarsia lineatella are due to the presence of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate as an impurity

Traps baited with the synthetic pheromone of Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) frequently captured also Euxoa tritici L. males (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in field tests in Hungary. As (E)-monounsaturated compounds are uncommon among sex attractants or pheromone components of Noctuidae, it was hypothesized that the Euxoa catches may have been due to impurities of the (Z) isomer in synthetic (E)-5-decenyl acetate, which is the major component in the pheromone lure of A. lineatella. Traps baited with synthetic (Z)-5-decenyl acetate captured large numbers of E. tritici, and the compound showed a clear dose-response effect. Reanalysis of the synthetic batch of (E)-5-decenyl acetate used in preparation of the A. lineatella lure showed the presence of 10% of the (Z) isomer. Traps baited with synthetic (Z)-5-decenyl acetate can be used in the future for detection and monitoring purposes of E. tritici, a widely distributed pest of cereals and other field crops. The compound also showed attraction of Euxoa seliginis Duponchel

Effects of tDCS of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Dual-Task Performance Involving Manual Dexterity and Cognitive Task in Healthy Older Adults

Healthy aging limits the activities of daily living and personal independence. Furthermore, cognitive-motor interference in dual-task (e.g., walking while talking) appears to be more pronounced in the elderly. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a form of the non-invasive brain stimulation technique, is known to modify cortical excitability and has been investigated as a tool for enhancing motor and cognitive performance in health and disease. The present study examined whether tDCS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) could improve dual-task performance in healthy older adults. The effects of tDCS, among other factors, depend on stimulation polarity (anodel vs. cathodal), electrode setup (unilateral vs. bilateral) and the time of application (off-line vs. on-line). We therefore explored the effects of unilateral and simultaneous bilateral tDCS (anodel and cathodal) of left DLPFC while performing (on-line) the Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) and Serial Seven Subtraction Test (SSST) alone or together (dual-tasking). The number of pegs and the number of correct subtractions were recorded before, during and 30 min after tDCS. The dual-task performance was measured as the percent change from single- to the dual-task condition (dual-task cost DTC). Only bilateral, anode left tDCS, induced a significant increase in subtracted numbers while dual-tasking, i.e., it reduced the DTC of manual dexterity (GPT) to a cognitive task. Significant changes 30 min after the stimulation were only present after bilateral anode right (BAR) tDCS on GPT dual-task costs. These findings suggest that anodal tDCS applied on-line interacts with a dual-task performance involving demanding cognitive and manual dexterity tasks. The results support the potential use of non-invasive brain stimulation for improvement of cognitive functioning in daily activities in older individuals

Endoscopic sphincterotomy for delaying choLecystectomy in mild acute biliarY pancreatitis (EMILY study): Protocol of a multicentre randomised clinical trial

Introduction: According to the literature, early cholecystectomy is necessary to avoid complications related to gallstones after an initial episode of acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP). A randomised, controlled multicentre trial (the PONCHO trial) revealed that in the case of gallstone-induced pancreatitis, early cholecystectomy was safe in patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis and reduced the risk of recurrent gallstone-related complications, as compared with interval cholecystectomy. We hypothesise that carrying out a sphincterotomy (ES) allows us to delay cholecystectomy, thus making it logistically easier to perform and potentially increasing the efficacy and safety of the procedure. Methods/Design: EMILY is a prospective, randomised, controlled multicentre trial. All patients with mild ABP, who underwent ES during the index admission or in the medical history will be informed to take part in EMILY study. The patients will be randomised into two groups: (1) early cholecystectomy (within 6 days after discharge) and (2) patients with delayed (interval) cholecystectomy (between 45 and 60 days after discharge). During a 12-month period, 93 patients will be enrolled from participating clinics. The primary endpoint is a composite endpoint of mortality and recurrent acute biliary events (that is, recurrent ABP, acute cholecystitis, uncomplicated biliary colic and cholangitis). The secondary endpoints are organ failure, biliary leakage, technical difficulty of the cholecystectomy, surgical and other complications

Cholinergic Activation of M2 Receptors Leads to Context-Dependent Modulation of Feedforward Inhibition in the Visual Thalamus

The temporal dynamics of inhibition within a neural network is a crucial determinant of information processing. Here, the authors describe in the visual thalamus how neuromodulation governs the magnitude and time course of inhibition in an input-dependent way

A MAGYAR LÚDHIZLALÁS ÉS LIBAMÁJTERMELÉS HELYZETE ÉS PERSPEKTÍVÁJA

A világ hízott nyers libamáj előállítói között Magyarország évtizedek óta előkelő helyen áll, évi mintegy 2 ezer tonnás termelésével, melynek 80%-a export. A magyar baromfiágazat exporttermékei között – fokozatos csökkenése ellenére – a hízott libamáj 8-10%-ot képvisel. A meghizlalt libák száma 1994-2004 között, évenként változóan, 3-4 millió között ingadozott. Az egyedenkénti testtömeg, enyhén csökkenően, 7 kg körüli, míg az egy liba után nyerhető átlagos májtömeg 10 év alatt 5%-kal növekedett. A hízott libák testtömegének és májtömegének aránya viszonylag stabilnak tekinthető. A hizlalási költségek évről-évre gyorsabban emelkedtek, mint az árbevétel, így a hízott libán realizálható jövedelem fokozatosan csökkent. A feldolgozóknak az exportra kerülő nyers libamáj alapanyagköltsége egyre magasabb, a nyers libamáj exportára viszont évről-évre csökkent. A hízott liba- és hízott nyers libamájtermelés, a romló exportfeltételek következtében, válaszút előtt áll! A dilemmát fokozza, hogy az EU állatvédelmi szabályai 2011-ig egy új (kényszeretetéstől mentes) hizlalási technológia alkalmazását írják elő, ami teljesen új alapokra helyezheti a hízott libamáj-előállítás több évtizedes gyakorlatát. ------------------------------------------- Among the world’s goose liver producers Hungary with an annual production of two thousand tons (80% of which is exported) occupies a prominent position. Fattened goose liver, even though it is gradually declining, represents 8-10% of Hungarian poultry products export. The number of fattened geese between 1994 and 2004 varied between 3 to 4 millions. Over the same year period the weight of an individual bird at around 7kg declined slightly but the weight of goose liver produced increased on average by 10%. The ratio of the weight of fattened goose to that of its liver may be considered relatively constant. From year to year the cost of fattening is increasing faster than the income from the activity, thus profits from fatting goose are gradually declining. To the farmers the row material needed for producing raw goose liver for export keeps on increasing, whereas the export price of goose liver keeps on declining. The production of fattened goose and fattened raw goose liver is at a crossroad because deteriorating export conditions! The quandary is further intensified by the EU’s animal protection measures coming into force in 2011 that will require the employment of new fattening technology (free of forced feeding) and will place the decades old practice of fattened goose production on entirely new foundations