Rearing of \u3ci\u3eScolytus Multistraiatus\u3c/i\u3e (Marsham) (Scolytidae: Coleoptera) for Toxicological Experiments

(excerpt) In a study of the oral and contact toxicity of methoxychlor residues to the smaller European elm bark beetle, S, multistriatus, it is essential to have beetle material available which is of uniform physiological condition and age (Riedl, 197 3). Several rearing containers for bark beetles have been described in the literature (Clark and Osgood, 1964; Fox, 1958; Germain and Wygant, 1967; Schmitz, 1972). A common problem in such containers appears to be fungus growth on the logs due to insufficient ventilation and high humidity. Although these environmental conditions might not cause high mortality, they can render emerging beetles unsuitable for bioassays. In order to guarantee fresh beetle material of uniform age newly emerged beetles must be extracted immediately. This paper describes emergence drums with a ventilation system that prevents fungus growth. Also described is an efficient extraction device which prevented the insect from moving back into the rearing container once it reached the collecting apparatus

Aspects of the Feeding Behavior of \u3ci\u3eScolytus Multistriatus\u3c/i\u3e (Marsham) (Scoltytidae: Coleoptera) and Implications for Control

(excerpt) Successful protection of elm trees can only be accomplished by means of thorough understanding of the feeding behavior of the smaller European elm bark beetle, Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham). Wolfenbarger and Buchanan (1939) and Whitten (1958) noted that most feeding occurred in the outer portion of the upper crown region, but offered no quantitative data. Therefore, this study was initiated to investigate the regional distribution of feeding injuries along a vertical and horizontal gradient in native American elm, Ulmus americana L

Obesity, disability, and the labor force

Men of prime working age have increased their non-employment rates over the past 30 years, and disability rates have also increased. Many have noted that this increase has happened against a backdrop of generally improving health in the U.S. population. However, obesity has increased substantially over this period. The authors find that changes in the characteristics of male workers—including age, race, ethnicity, and obesity levels—can explain a large portion (around 40 percent) of the increase in non-employment.Obesity ; Unemployment

Culture Techniques for Rearing Soil Anthropods

Excerpt: Interest in soil biology has been prompted by recent investigations into the action of insecticides on plants and animals. Observations in the field must be supplemented by laboratory investigations conducted under controlled conditions. Consequently, it becomes necessary to rear and handle soil animals under artificial situations for bio-assay and life cycle studies. When large numbers of individuals are required, special problems in maintenance and manipulation arise. Relatively inexpensive and simple methods for such projects are essential and this paper describes some of those techniques which we have found expedient

Analytical and experimental investigations concerning the dual mode hydrazine system, task 4 Summary report, 1 Aug. 1967 - 1 Feb. 1968

Dual mode hydrazine system for attitude control and maneuvering propulsion of interplanetary space prob

Comparative Analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans Protein Interaction Network

Protein interaction networks aim to summarize the complex interplay of proteins in an organism. Early studies suggested that the position of a protein in the network determines its evolutionary rate but there has been considerable disagreement as to what extent other factors, such as protein abundance, modify this reported dependence. We compare the genomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans with those of closely related species to elucidate the recent evolutionary history of their respective protein interaction networks. Interaction and expression data are studied in the light of a detailed phylogenetic analysis. The underlying network structure is incorporated explicitly into the statistical analysis. The increased phylogenetic resolution, paired with high-quality interaction data, allows us to resolve the way in which protein interaction network structure and abundance of proteins affect the evolutionary rate. We find that expression levels are better predictors of the evolutionary rate than a protein's connectivity. Detailed analysis of the two organisms also shows that the evolutionary rates of interacting proteins are not sufficiently similar to be mutually predictive. It appears that meaningful inferences about the evolution of protein interaction networks require comparative analysis of reasonably closely related species. The signature of protein evolution is shaped by a protein's abundance in the organism and its function and the biological process it is involved in. Its position in the interaction networks and its connectivity may modulate this but they appear to have only minor influence on a protein's evolutionary rate.Comment: Accepted for publication in BMC Evolutionary Biolog

Genomic Diversity among Beijing and non-Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Myanmar

Background: The Beijing family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is dominant in countries in East Asia. Genomic polymorphisms are a source of diversity within the M. tuberculosis genome and may account for the variation of virulence among M. tuberculosis isolates. Till date there are no studies that have examined the genomic composition of M. tuberculosis isolates from the high TB-burden country, Myanmar. Methodology/Principle Findings: Twenty-two M. tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar were screened on whole-genome arrays containing genes from M. tuberculosis H37Rv, M. tuberculosis CDC1551 and M. bovis AF22197. Screening identified 198 deletions or extra regions in the clinical isolates compared to H37Rv. Twenty-two regions differentiated between Beijing and non-Beijing isolates and were verified by PCR on an additional 40 isolates. Six regions (Rv0071-0074 [RD105], Rv1572-1576c [RD149], Rv1585c-1587c [RD149], MT1798-Rv1755c [RD152], Rv1761c [RD152] and Rv0279c) were deleted in Beijing isolates, of which 4 (Rv1572-1576c, Rv1585c-1587c, MT1798-Rv1755c and Rv1761c) were variably deleted among ST42 isolates, indicating a closer relationship between the Beijing and ST42 lineages. The TbD1 region, Mb1582-Mb1583 was deleted in Beijing and ST42 isolates. One M. bovis gene of unknown function, Mb3184c was present in all isolates, except 11 of 13 ST42 isolates. The CDC1551 gene, MT1360 coding for a putative adenylate cyclase, was present in all Beijing and ST42 isolates (except 1). The pks15/1 gene, coding for a putative virulence factor, was intact in all Beijing and non-Beijing isolates, except in ST42 and ST53 isolates. Conclusion: This study describes previously unreported deletions/extra regions in Beijing and non-Beijing M. tuberculosis isolates. The modern and highly frequent ST42 lineage showed a closer relationship to the hypervirulent Beijing lineage than to the ancient non-Beijing lineages. The pks15/1 gene was disrupted only in modern non-Beijing isolates. This is the first report of an in-depth analysis on the genomic diversity of M. tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar