A COMPARISON OF MULTIPLE TESTING METHODS: SPINOSAD AS A TREATMENT FOR LICE ON CATTLE

A common problem in statistics is making multiple tests of hypotheses without controlling for the type I error rate. SAS has identified several different methods to adjust p-values for multiple testing. To compare the effect of these methods, an animal health dataset that deals with the treatment of cattle lice was examined. Clinical trials were conducted in Illinois and Wisconsin to evaluate the efficacy of two formulations of a new product Spinosad, two commercially available positive controls, and an untreated negative control. A baseline lice count was recorded prior to the treatment. After treatment, weekly measurements of lice counts were taken for 8 weeks. Counts of 4 lice species were recorded separately. A linear mixed model analysis was conducted for each species of lice after transforming the counts with a natural logarithm transformation. Simple contrasts between treatment groups at each week were performed. Treatment differences were also compared using 5 multiple testing methods: Bonferroni, Sidak, Holm’s step-down Bonferroni, Hochberg\u27s step-up Bonferroni, and false discovery rate. Seventy-one out of 96 simple tests showed significant differences among the treatment groups. The five multiple testing methods confirmed only 48-67 significances out of the 96 tests. Comparatively, Bonferroni and Sidak methods provided similar and the most conservative multiplicity test results, i.e. fewest significant differences. The Holm’s step-down and Hochberg\u27s step-up Bonferroni methods provided similar but less conservative results. Finally, the false discovery rate method provided the least conservative results

Murine alveolar macrophages limit replication of vaccinia virus

AbstractBecause of concerns about zoonotic transmission of monkeypox to humans and the bioterrorism threat posed by orthopoxviruses, there is renewed interest in probing cellular and molecular mechanisms of host defense to these pathogens. In particular, it is essential to understand viral–host interactions in the respiratory tract, which is the route of infection for smallpox and a likely route of transmission for monkeypox. In this study, we analyze functions of alveolar macrophages in poxvirus infection, using a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing firefly luciferase to quantify infection in mice and cell culture. Depletion of alveolar macrophages with liposomal clodronate worsens the overall severity of infection in mice, including greater replication and systemic dissemination of vaccinia as determined by bioluminescence imaging. Absence of alveolar macrophages increases total numbers of granulocytes and granulocytes/monocyte progenitor cells in the lungs during vaccinia infection, indicating that protective effects of alveolar macrophages may be mediated in part by reducing the host inflammation. Alveolar macrophages also limit vaccinia infection in respiratory epithelium, as shown by a co-culture model of cell lines derived from alveolar macrophages and lung epithelium. Collectively, these data demonstrate that alveolar macrophages are key determinants of host defense against local and systemic infection with poxviruses

Macroinvertebrates associated with water hyacinth roots and a root analog

Abstract: The ecological effects of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an introduced macrophyte, in freshwater systems depend on the growth and extent of floating mats. We studied macroinvertebrates associated with roots of water hyacinth in the Waccamaw River, a blackwater, tidal river in northeastern South Carolina, USA. In this system, water hyacinth is limited to a few protected bays and backwaters where the ecological effect is unknown. Our goal was to assess whether water hyacinth roots provided unique habitat. Plants representing ambient conditions, plants with defaunated roots, and a root analog (cotton mop strands = mop) were secured to floating frames in open water adjacent to water hyacinth mats. Samples were collected every 2 wk for 2 mo, and invertebrates were identified and quantified. Colonization of defaunated roots began within 2 wk, and invertebrate assemblages differed between roots and mops. The most common taxa on water hyacinth roots were Branchiopoda, Oligochaeta, Talitridae, and Chironomidae (Diptera), whereas Oligochaeta and Chironomidae were predominant on mops. Berosus sp.(Hydrophilidae) was the top-ranked taxon by proportional biomass on roots and mops. Total abundance and taxon richness of macroinvertebrates were greater on roots than on mops. Collector-gatherers were the most abundant functional feeding group (FFG) on mops, whereas distributions of abundance were relatively even among FFGs on ambient and defaunated roots. Predators dominated invertebrate biomass of all treatments, and shredder biomass was higher on roots than on mops. These data suggest that water hyacinth roots provide habitat for a diverse assemblage of macroinvertebrates, a function that should be weighed and assessed with other impacts before management actions are initiated

Evaluation of pressurized water cleaning systems for hardware refurbishment

Historically, refurbishment processes for RSRM motor cases and components have employed environmentally harmful materials. Specifically, vapor degreasing processes consume and emit large amounts of ozone depleting compounds. This program evaluates the use of pressurized water cleaning systems as a replacement for the vapor degreasing process. Tests have been conducted to determine if high pressure water washing, without any form of additive cleaner, is a viable candidate for replacing vapor degreasing processes. This paper discusses the findings thus far of Engineering Test Plan - 1168 (ETP-1168), 'Evaluation of Pressurized Water Cleaning Systems for Hardware Refurbishment.

Implementation of environmentally compliant cleaning and insulation bonding for MNASA

Historically, many subscale and full-scale rocket motors have employed environmentally and physiologically harmful chemicals during the manufacturing process. This program examines the synergy and interdependency between environmentally acceptable materials for solid rocket motor insulation applications, bonding, corrosion inhibiting, painting, priming, and cleaning, and then implements new materials and processes in subscale motors. Tests have been conducted to eliminate or minimize hazardous chemicals used in the manufacture of modified-NASA materials test motor (MNASA) components and identify alternate materials and/or processes following NASA Operational Environmental Team (NOET) priorities. This presentation describes implementation of high pressure water refurbishment cleaning, aqueous precision cleaning using both Brulin 815 GD and Jettacin, and insulation case bonding using ozone depleting chemical (ODC) compliant primers and adhesives

Low-Temperature Polymorphic Phase Transition in a Crystalline Tripeptide L-Ala-L-Pro-Gly·H2O Revealed by Adiabatic Calorimetry

We demonstrate application of precise adiabatic vacuum calorimetry to observation of phase transition in the tripeptide l-alanyl-l-prolyl-glycine monohydrate (APG) from 6 to 320 K and report the standard thermodynamic properties of the tripeptide in the entire range. Thus, the heat capacity of APG was measured by adiabatic vacuum calorimetry in the above temperature range. The tripeptide exhibits a reversible first-order solid-to-solid phase transition characterized by strong thermal hysteresis. We report the standard thermodynamic characteristics of this transition and show that differential scanning calorimetry can reliably characterize the observed phase transition with <5 mg of the sample. Additionally, the standard entropy of formation from the elemental substances and the standard entropy of hypothetical reaction of synthesis from the amino acids at 298.15 K were calculated for the studied tripeptide.National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (U.S.) (EB-003151)National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (U.S.) (EB-001960)National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (U.S.) (EB-002026

Responsibly competent: Teaching, ethics and diversity

This paper reports on a Council of Europe Project, Policies and Practices for Socio-cultural Diversity, undertaken between 2006 and 2009. The project was undertaken in three phases and involved a survey of teacher education policies and practices in relation to socio-cultural diversity across Europe, a conceptual analysis and the development of a framework of teacher competences for socio-cultural diversity. The paper charts the process of developing the framework and reports on the engagement with the key stakeholders &ndash; policymakers, teachers and students. The features of the competence framework, informed by Levinas and emphasising the teacher&rsquo;s responsibility to the Other, is discussed