Elucidating the behavioral response of stored product insects to fungal volatiles in the wind tunnel and simulated warehouses

Post-harvest pest insects can cause significant amounts of damage to stored products in and around food facilities, reducing quantity and quality of grains. Post-harvest insects have been attributed to billions of dollars in agricultural loss via yield loss and the cost of mitigation measures. Early detection of insect pests is crucial to preventing infestations and losses since some species of stored product pests are becoming resistant to common control options. Numerous detection methods are available, but many are time consuming and ineffective, leading to a need for more effective and practical monitoring methods. Grain oils have been used to induce behavioral responses in the red flour beetle (Triboliumcastaneum) and the lesser grain borer (Rhyzoperthadominica), but fungal volatiles may be an even stronger attractant to these species

Are Probiotics Effective in Improving Quality of Life in Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective evidence-based medicine (EBM) review is to determine whether or not probiotics are effective in improving quality of life in adults with irritable bowel syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of three double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) written in the English language, published between the years 2016 and 2018. DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials were published in peer-reviewed journals and found using PubMed and GoogleScholar databases. OUTCOME(S) MEASURED: All three of the included studies measured the quality of life in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) utilizing the self-reported IBS-QOL questionnaire. RESULTS: Each of the RCTs demonstrated an improvement in the quality of life in patients with IBS. One study (Preston K, Krumian R, Hattner J, de Montigny D, Stewart M, Gaddam S. Benef Microbes. 2018;9(5):697-706. doi: 10.3920/BM2017.0105) found improvement in QOL at the conclusion of the trial at 12 weeks, but did not include a measure of precision. However, Mezzasalma et al. (Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:4740907. doi: 10.1155/2016/4740907) and Ishaque et al. (BMC Gastroenterol. 2018;18(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12876-018-0788-9) both showed a statistically significant (p \u3c 0.001) increase in patients’ quality of life following the intervention versus placebo at the conclusion of the study on day 60 and at the follow-up visit at five months, respectively. However, Ishaque et al. (BMC Gastroenterol. 2018;18(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12876-018-0788-9) failed to have comparable baseline data between the two treatment arms. CONCLUSIONS: The three randomized-controlled trials provided varying degrees of evidence that probiotic supplementation can improve quality of life in patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Mezzasalma et al. (Biomed Res Int. 2016;2016:4740907. doi: 10.1155/2016/4740907) provided sufficient data to support the efficacy in probiotic use and effect on IBS. However, the studies by Preston et al. (Benef Microbes. 2018;9(5):697-706. doi: 10.3920/BM2017.0105) and Ishaque et al. (BMC Gastroenterol. 2018;18(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12876-018-0788-9) demonstrated similar outcomes but with less reliability. Further research is necessary in order to solidify the role that these probiotics can play in managing IBS

Performance of a quality assurance program for assessing dental health in methamphetamine users.

BackgroundSystematic characterization of the dental consequences of methamphetamine (MA) abuse presupposes a rigorous quality assurance (QA) program to ensure the credibility of the data collected and the scientific integrity and validity of the clinical study. In this report we describe and evaluate the performance of a quality assurance program implemented in a large cross-sectional study of the dental consequences of MA use.MethodsA large community sample of MA users was recruited over a 30 month period during 2011-13 and received comprehensive oral examinations and psychosocial assessments by site examiners based at two large community health centers in Los Angeles. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) protocols for oral health assessments were utilized to characterize dental disease. Using NHANES oral health quality assurance guidelines, examiner reliability statistics such as Cohen's Kappa coefficients and inter-class correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the magnitude of agreement between the site examiners and a reference examiner to ensure conformance and comparability with NHANES practices.ResultsApproximately 9% (n = 49) of the enrolled 574 MA users received a repeat dental caries and periodontal examination conducted by the reference examiner. There was high concordance between the reference examiner and the site examiners for identification of untreated dental disease (Kappa statistic values: 0.57-0.75, percent agreement 83-88%). For identification of untreated caries on at least 5 surfaces of anterior teeth, the Kappas ranged from 0.77 to 0.87, and percent agreement from 94 to 97%. The intra-class coefficients (ICCs) ranged from 0.87 to 89 for attachment loss across all periodontal sites assessed and the ICCs ranged from 0.79 to 0.81 for pocket depth. For overall gingival recession, the ICCs ranged from 0.88 to 0.91. When Kappa was calculated based on the CDC/AAP case definitions for severe periodontitis, inter-examiner reliability for site examiners was low (Kappa 0.27-0.67).ConclusionOverall, the quality assurance program confirmed the procedural adherence of the quality of the data collected on the distribution of dental caries and periodontal disease in MA-users. Examiner concordance was higher for dental caries but lower for specific periodontal assessments

Transforming Information Literacy Through Librarian/Course Instructor Collaboration: A Case Study

This paper looks at librarian/course instructor collaboration in higher education and draws specific lessons from the two-year experience of a librarian embedded into an advanced college writing class. The case study pays particular attention to how collaboration influences students\u27 development of research and writing skills and attitudes, and the instructional design of the course

Massachusetts State Public Worker Retirees: How Are They Doing?

Although much has been made of the Massachusetts State Retirement System’s funding and abuses, little has been written about the benefits it provides. A retirement system should be judged first on whether it meets its goal of providing for workers in retirement

When and how does labour lead to love? The ontogeny and mechanisms of the IKEA effect

We elevate our constructions to a special status in our minds. This ‘IKEA’ effect leads us to believe that our creations are more valuable than items that are identical, but constructed by another. This series of studies utilises a developmental perspective to explore why this bias exists. Study 1 elucidates the ontogeny of the IKEA effect, demonstrating an emerging bias at age 5, corresponding with key developmental milestones in self-concept formation. Study 2 assesses the role of effort, revealing that the IKEA effect is not moderated by the amount of effort invested in the task in 5-to-6-year olds. Finally, Study 3 examines whether feelings of ownership moderate the IKEA effect, finding that ownership alone cannot explain why children value their creations more. Altogether, results from this study series are incompatible with existing theories of the IKEA bias. Instead, we propose a new framework to examine biases in decision making. Perhaps the IKEA effect reflects a link between our creations and our self-concept, emerging at age 5, leading us to value them more positively than others’ creations

Detailed summaries of peer-reviewed journal articles with Alison Snow Jones as primary author

Annotated guide to the scholarly work of Alison Snow Jones, created by Lauren J. Bruce for inclusion in "An Uncommon Woman: Alison Snow Jones Unleashed!

Tales of the keyworld: an examination of the study and application of craft theory for writers

The following consists of a craft essay focused on character and close third-person narration and a novel excerpt. The craft essay begins with a discussion of what craft theory is and how it is useful to writers when used together with reading analysis. It then synthesizes the conversation around close third-person narration and character and applies it to a close reading analysis of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. The novel excerpt comes from the middle of a work in progress and concerns members of the Keyworld, a fantastical sub-layer of the modern world unknown to most humans