Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Infestation Rates as Influenced by Site and Stand Characteristics in Loblolly Pine Plantations in East Texas

Three young loblolly pine plantations grown on contrasting soil types produced quantitatively and qualitatively different host material for pine tip moths during 1985 and 1986. Amounts, periodicity, and availability of soil moisture regulated internal moisture conditions within host trees. Host xylem moisture potential in conjunction with soil nutrient status governed tree growth and influenced pine tip moth infestation rates. Pines on a sandy site exhibited the poorest growth with lowest infestation rates, indicative of low-quality hosts with little if any tolerance to damage. A clayey site produced vigorous plant growth with moderate infestation rates. The less apparent hosts appeared capable of withstanding pine tip moth attack and overcoming damage. Pines on a loamy site grew at moderate rates and received the highest infestation rates. This moderate growth indicated susceptible stand conditions

Host Quality of Baldcypress and Its Influence on Fruittree Leafroller, Archips Argyrospila (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Performance in Forested Wetlands of Louisiana.

Ecological relationships between the fruittree leafroller (FTLR), (Archips argyrospila (Walker)) and a new host, baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.)), were investigated in southern Louisiana where persistent annual defoliation over increasingly larger areas has occurred since 1983. Defoliation was observed to correspond with common types of baldcypress foliage morphology; designated as open and appressed. Pondcypress, Shumard oak and citrus foliage also were examined. The objectives were to: (1) determine the relative suitability/susceptibility of foliage types, and (2) quantify parameters of foliage quality possibly influencing FTLR performance. Levels of defoliation, egg mass counts, and laboratory bioassays of: initial survival, host preference, growth, feeding, and development, were used as measures of FTLR performance. Parameters of foliage quality included physical attributes, protein precipitating capacity, and concentrations of: nutrients, total nonstructural carbohydrates, and acid detergent fiber. Defoliation was linked conclusively to baldcypress foliage morphology. Open morphology trees consistently received higher levels of defoliation ($\u3e$75%) compared to appressed types ($\u3c$50%). No statistical differences were detected between the number of egg masses on these types, suggesting foliage quality influenced FTLR success. Results of laboratory bioassays indicated that open morphology baldcypress was clearly the most suitable/susceptible host. Shumard oak and sweet citrus were unacceptable hosts. Open morphology foliage was distinctly selected over appressed foliage and yielded the highest initial FTLR survival. In addition, female larvae consumed more foliage and yielded heavier pupae when reared on the open foliage. Host associated differences in pupal weights were attributed to observed differences in consumption and developmental periods because utilization of consumed foliage was not different among hosts. Host quality findings suggested that appressed foliage was a poorer host because of defensive characteristics deterring consumption. Pondcypress was of similarly lower suitability/susceptibility due to asynchronus phenological development and undetermined mechanism(s) causing early pupation of larvae. Favorable plant constituents for insects generally declined and negative constituents increased between early and late instar stages, indicating a decline in cypress foliage quality over time. Open morphology foliage was characteristic of smaller trees and persuant to this, young trees appear to be most likely to receive high levels of FTLR defoliation

Management and pest management considerations on droughty soils: four year results

Four year survival of pines on droughty (Typic Quartzips~mments) soils was best for longleaf pine and Terr-Sorb -treated loblolly pine. Pest considerations include town ants and Nantucket pine tip moths on loblolly pine. Untreated loblolly pine had reduced leader and total height growth anH increased tip moth infestations, compared to Terra-Sorb and clay-slurry treated loblolly pine. Soil texture averaged less than eight percent silt and clay combined in the treatment areas

Site/stand factors influencing Nantucket pine tip moth in loblolly pine plantations

Tip moth infestation and loblolly pine growth were examined on sandy, loamy and clayey sites in 2-3 year old plantations. Infestations were greatest on loamy sites. Following fertilizer and herbicide applications, tip moth infestations were lowest on fertilized plots following application of phosphorus

A study of the diagnostic accuracy of the PHQ-9 in primary care elderly

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The diagnostic accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for assessment of depression in elderly persons in primary care settings in the United States has not been previously addressed. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the test performance of the PHQ-9 for detecting major and minor depression in elderly patients in primary care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective study of diagnostic accuracy was conducted in two primary care, university-based clinics in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Seventy-one patients aged 65 years or older participated; all completed the PHQ-9 and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and underwent the Structured Clinical Interview for Depression (SCID). Sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated for the PHQ-9, the PHQ-2, and the 15-item GDS for major depression alone and the combination of major plus minor depression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two thirds of participants were female, with a mean age of 78 and two chronic health conditions. Twelve percent met SCID criteria for major depression and 13% minor depression. The PHQ-9 had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-1.00) for major depression, while the PHQ-2 and the 15-item GDS each had an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI for PHQ-2, 0.64-0.98, and for 15-item GDS, 0.70-0.91; <it>P </it>= 0.551). For major and minor depression combined, the AUC for the PHQ-9 was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.73-0.96), for the PHQ-2, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.93), and for the 15-item GDS, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.55-0.87; <it>P </it>= 0.187).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on AUC values, the PHQ-9 performs comparably to the PHQ-2 and the 15-item GDS in identifying depression among primary care elderly.</p

Effect of spinal manipulation on sensorimotor functions in back pain patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low back pain (LBP) is a recognized public health problem, impacting up to 80% of US adults at some point in their lives. Patients with LBP are utilizing integrative health care such as spinal manipulation (SM). SM is the therapeutic application of a load to specific body tissues or structures and can be divided into two broad categories: SM with a high-velocity low-amplitude load, or an impulse "thrust", (HVLA-SM) and SM with a low-velocity variable-amplitude load (LVVA-SM). There is evidence that sensorimotor function in people with LBP is altered. This study evaluates the sensorimotor function in the lumbopelvic region, as measured by postural sway, response to sudden load and repositioning accuracy, following SM to the lumbar and pelvic region when compared to a sham treatment.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A total of 219 participants with acute, subacute or chronic low back pain are being recruited from the Quad Cities area located in Iowa and Illinois. They are allocated through a minimization algorithm in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive either 13 HVLA-SM treatments over 6 weeks, 13 LVVA-SM treatments over 6 weeks or 2 weeks of a sham treatment followed by 4 weeks of full spine "doctor's choice" SM. Sensorimotor function tests are performed before and immediately after treatment at baseline, week 2 and week 6. Self-report outcome assessments are also collected. The primary aims of this study are to 1) determine immediate pre to post changes in sensorimotor function as measured by postural sway following delivery of a single HVLA-SM or LVVA-SM treatment when compared to a sham treatment and 2) to determine changes from baseline to 2 weeks (4 treatments) of HVLA-SM or LVVA-SM compared to a sham treatment. Secondary aims include changes in response to sudden loads and lumbar repositioning accuracy at these endpoints, estimating sensorimotor function in the SM groups after 6 weeks of treatment, and exploring if changes in sensorimotor function are associated with changes in self-report outcome assessments.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study may provide clues to the sensorimotor mechanisms that explain observed functional deficits associated with LBP, as well as the mechanism of action of SM.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, with the ID number of <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00830596">NCT00830596</a>, registered on January 27, 2009. The first participant was allocated on 30 January 2009 and the final participant was allocated on 17 March 2011.</p

Improving public health by improving clinical trial guidelines and their application.

Evidence generated from randomized controlled trials forms the foundation of cardiovascular therapeutics and has led to the adoption of numerous drugs and devices that prolong survival and reduce morbidity, as well as the avoidance of interventions that have been shown to be ineffective or even unsafe. Many aspects of cardiovascular research have evolved considerably since the first randomized trials in cardiology were conducted. In order to be large enough to provide reliable evidence about effects on major outcomes, cardiovascular trials may now involve thousands of patients recruited from hundreds of clinical sites in many different countries. Costly infrastructure has developed to meet the increasingly complex organizational and operational requirements of these clinical trials. Concerns have been raised that this approach is unsustainable, inhibiting the reliable evaluation of new and existing treatments, to the detriment of patient care. These issues were considered by patients, regulators, funders, and trialists at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology Cardiovascular Roundtable in October 2015. This paper summarizes the key insights and discussions from the workshop, highlights subsequent progress, and identifies next steps to produce meaningful change in the conduct of cardiovascular clinical research