Iterative Estimation of the Extreme Value Index

Let {Xn, n ≥ 1} be a sequence of independent random variables with common continuous distribution function F having finite and unknown upper endpoint. A new iterative estimation procedure for the extreme value index γ is proposed and one implemented iterative estimator is investigated in detail, which is asymptotically as good as the uniform minimum varianced unbiased estimator in an ideal model. Moreover, the superiority of the iterative estimator over its non iterated counterpart in the non asymptotic case is shown in a simulation stud

Regulation of Aldosterone Biosynthesis: A Continual Challenge

Aldosterone secretion by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex is directly influenced by a large, growing number of different physiologic agents. Their action includes: 1) acute stimulation or inhibition of early biosynthetic steps; 2) long-term activation or suppression of late biosynthetic steps; and 3) induction of growth or atrophy of zona glomerulosa cells. In rats, adaptation of late steps of aldosterone biosynthesis to sodium and potassium intake is mediated by the induction or repression of a second form of cytochrome P-45011β, which differs from the main form of t h e enzyme b y a lower molecular weight and a greater range of catalytic properties. Am J Hypertens 1991;4:280-28

Selection of oviposition sites by libelloides coccajus (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae), north of the Alps : implications for nature conservation

The survival of peripheral populations is often threatened, especially in a changing environment. Furthermore, such populations frequently show adaptations to local conditions which, in turn, may enhance the ability of a species to adapt to changing environmental conditions. In conservation biology, peripheral populations are therefore of particular interest. In northern Switzerland and southern Germany, Libelloides coccajus is an example of such a peripheral species. Assuming that suitable oviposition sites are crucial to its long-term survival, we compared oviposition sites and adjacent control plots with regard to structure and composition of the vegetation. Vegetation structure at and around oviposition sites seems to follow fairly stringent rules leading to at least two benefits for the egg clutches: (i) reduced risk of contact with adjacent plants, avoiding delayed drying after rainfall or morning dew and (ii) reduced shading and therefore higher temperatures. Furthermore, the study showed that it is possible to successfully create secondary habitats for L. coccajus, as shown by a road verge in one of our study areas. It is likely that other artificial habitats such as abandoned gravel pits and quarries may also provide suitable habitats

Analysis of relatedness and determination of the source of founders in the captive bearded vulture, Gypaetus barbatus, population

Genetic relatedness among founders is a vital parameter in the management of captive populations as kin structure can have a significant effect on subsequent population structure. Methods for inferring relatedness from microsatellite markers have all been developed for natural populations; their applicability to captive populations with unknown founder origins needs therefore testing. We used information derived from 14 microsatellites in 177 individuals and Queller and Goodnight’s approach, to estimate relatedness in the captive bearded vulture population and to test the assumption of unrelated founders. Mean relatedness of known parent–offspring, fullsib and half-sib pairs within the captive population were in agreement with theoretical distributions. Pairwise relatedness values among the founders had a mean of −0.051 (SE ± 0.007) and their distribution did only differ marginally from the one found in the natural Pyrenean population. A maximum likelihood approach was used to determine the likelihood of founder pairs to be as closely related as full-sibs or parent–offspring. These results were combinedwith data from 268 bp mitochondrialDNA control region sequences and studbook information.We could exclude a close relationship among the majority of the 36 successfully reproducing founders. Our study therefore removes management concerns about hidden problems of inbreeding and inbreeding depression. It demonstrates the applicability of relatedness estimates based on microsatellite allele frequency data even in captive populations. Furthermore, we verified studbook information on the origin of two founders from the Pyrenees, and show the value of assignment tests based on microsatellites for deducing founder origins and their important role in future monitoring projects.Peer reviewe

Assessment of the suitability of millet for the production of pasta

In temperate climate zones such as Switzerland, wheat is exposed to increasing heat and water stress due to climate change. Millet is a promising alternative crop with a high heat resistance and the additional benefit of being gluten-free. However, the market for organic Swiss millet within Switzerland is saturated with the current product portfolio of flakes or dehulled millet. Therefore, novel end products with a high millet content, such as pasta, could play a key role in increasing consumer demand. Against this background, the suitability of the millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) variety Alba for producing spaghetti was investigated. To optimize the quality of the millet spaghetti, different pre-treatments and recipes were tested, i.e., hull particles were sieved out of the flours and blends with other gluten-free and gluten-containing flours were tested. Finally, the best types of spaghetti were subject to sensory testing, and the color and texture were both quantified. In addition, nutritional quality was assessed. The analytical results showed that a firmness comparable to durum spaghetti was reached for pure millet, 50% millet mixed with 50% corn and rice flour (95:5), and 15% millet mixed with 85% durum wheat. The brownish appearance, slightly rough surface, and nutty flavor of the spaghetti made from millet was especially popular among consumers with a diet-conscious lifestyle. The millet pasta had a high content of iron, zinc and dietary fiber. Since the production processes were able to be implemented in industry without major additional costs, implementation in the market seems feasible

Evaluation of the effect of a novel membrane filtration system on the life span of frying oil

Frying oil has a limited lifetime which results in the disposal of approximately 67% of all used oil. The aim of this study is to determine the suitability of different membranes for purifying frying oil and investigate the application of continuous membrane filtration in a commercial deep fryer. Eleven different membranes were tested to assess their suitability for filtrating frying oil. A prototype continuous filtration system with an integrated membrane filter was developed for a deep fryer to assess the effect of continuous membrane filtration on oil degradation. The prototype was subjected to a frying test over 13 days and the results compared to those from a standard deep fryer. The prototype maintained total polar compounds (TPC) at an acceptable level of 27%

Dynamic Regulation by Polycomb Group Protein Complexes Controls Pattern Formation and the Cell Cycle in Drosophila

SummaryPolycomb group (PcG) proteins form conserved regulatory complexes that modify chromatin to repress transcription. Here, we report genome-wide binding profiles of PhoRC, the Drosophila PcG protein complex containing the DNA-binding factor Pho/dYY1 and dSfmbt. PhoRC constitutively occupies short Polycomb response elements (PREs) of a large set of developmental regulator genes in both embryos and larvae. The majority of these PREs are co-occupied by the PcG complexes PRC1 and PRC2. Analysis of PcG mutants shows that the PcG system represses genes required for anteroposterior, dorsoventral, and proximodistal patterning of imaginal discs and that it also represses cell cycle regulator genes. Many of these genes are regulated in a dynamic manner, and our results suggest that the PcG system restricts signaling-mediated activation of target genes to appropriate cells. Analysis of cell cycle regulators indicates that the PcG system also dynamically modulates the expression levels of certain genes, providing a possible explanation for the tumor phenotype of PcG mutants

Oviposition ecology and species composition of Aedes spp. and Aedes aegypti dynamics in variously urbanized settings in arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire

Background Aedes mosquito-transmitted outbreaks of dengue and yellow fever have been reported from rural and urban parts of Côte d’Ivoire. The present study aimed at assessing Aedes spp. oviposition ecology in variously urbanized settings within arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire. Methods Aedes spp. eggs were sampled using a standard ovitrap method from January 2013 to April 2014 in different ecosystems of rural, suburban and urban areas. Emerged larvae were reared until the adult stage for species identification. Results Aedes spp. oviposition ecology significantly varied from rural-to-urban areas and according to the ecozones and the seasons. Species richness of Aedes spp. gradually decreased from rural (eight species) to suburban (three species) and urban (one species) areas. Conversely, emerged adult Aedes spp. mean numbers were higher in the urban (1.97 Aedes/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.44 Aedes/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.89 Aedes/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes aegypti was the only species in the urban setting (100 %), and was also the predominant species in suburban (85.5 %) and rural (63.3 %) areas. The highest Ae. aegypti mean number was observed in the urban (1.97 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.20 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.57 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes africanus (9.4 %), Ae. dendrophilus (8.0 %), Ae. metallicus (1.3 %) in the rural, and Ae. vittatus (6.5 %) and Ae. metallicus (1.2 %) in the suburban areas each represented more than 1 % of the total Aedes fauna. In all areas, Aedes species richness and abundance were higher in the peridomestic zones and during the rainy season, with stronger variations in species richness in the rural and in abundance in the urban areas. Besides, the highest Culex quinquefasciatus abundance was found in the urban areas, while Eretmapodites chrysogaster was restricted to the rural areas. Conclusions Urbanization correlates with a substantially higher abundance in Aedes mosquitoes and a regression of the Aedes wild species towards a unique presence of Ae. aegypti in urban areas. Aedes wild species serve as bridge vectors of arboviruses in rural areas, while Ae. aegypti amplifies arbovirus transmission in urban areas. Our results have important ramifications for dengue and yellow fever vector control and surveillance strategies in arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire

Efficacy of ICON® Maxx in the laboratory and against insecticide-resistant Anopheles gambiae in central Côte d'Ivoire

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Long-lasting treatment kits, designed to transform untreated nets into long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), may facilitate high coverage with LLINs where non-treated nets are in place. In this study, the efficacy of ICON(R) Maxx (Syngenta) was evaluated under laboratory conditions and in an experimental hut trial in central Cote d'Ivoire, where Anopheles gambiae s.s. are resistant to pyrethroid insecticides. METHODS: In the laboratory, polyester and polyethylene net samples were treated with ICON(R) Maxx, washed up to 20 times and their efficacy determined in World Health Organization (WHO) cone assays against a susceptible laboratory An. gambiae s.s. colony. Over a 12-month period, the polyester nets were evaluated in a hut trial to determine mosquito deterrence, induced exophily, blood-feeding inhibition and mortality. RESULTS: In the laboratory, ICON(R) Maxx-treated polyethylene nets showed higher efficacy against pyrethroid-susceptible mosquitoes than polyester nets. After 20 washings, insecticidal efficacy in bioassays was 59.4% knockdown (KD) and 22.3% mortality for polyethylene, and 55.3% KD and 17.9% mortality for polyester nets. In experimental huts, treated nets showed strong deterrence, induced exophily and an over three-fold reduction in blood-fed mosquitoes. More than half (61.8%) of the mosquitoes entering the huts with treated nets were found dead the next morning despite high levels of KD resistance. After washing the treated nets, KD and mortality rates were close to or exceeded predefined WHO thresholds in cone bioassays. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous laboratory investigation, ICON(R) Maxx-treated nets showed only moderate KD and mortality rates. However, under semi-field conditions, in an area where mosquitoes are resistant to pyrethroids, ICON(R) Maxx showed high deterrence, induced exophily and provided a significant reduction in blood-feeding rates; features that are likely to have a positive impact in reducing malaria transmission. The WHO cone test may not always be a good proxy for predicting product performance under field condition

Shrinking risk profiles after deworming of children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with special reference to Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura

Risk maps facilitate discussion among different stakeholders and provide a tool for spatial targeting of health interventions. We present maps documenting shrinking risk profiles after deworming with respect to soil-transmitted helminthiasis among schoolchildren from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Children were examined for soil-transmitted helminth infections using duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears in March 2015, October 2015 and May 2016, and subsequently treated with albendazole after each survey. The mean infection intensities for Ascaris lumbricoides were 9,554 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) in March 2015, 4,317 EPG in October 2015 and 1,684 EPG in March 2016. The corresponding figures for Trichuris trichiura were 664 EPG, 331 EPG and 87 EPG. Repeated deworming shrank the risk of soil-transmitted helminthiasis, but should be complemented by other public health measures