Associated Insects Reared from Galls of Saperda Inornata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Trembling Aspen in Michigan

The poplar gall Saperda, Saperda inornata Say, is a common pest of trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx, in Michigan forests. Through its egg-laying activities and larval feeding, this insect causes wood defects and tree mortality (Graham et al., 1963). While studying natural populations of this insect (Grimble and Knight, 1970), we collected many galls and found through rearing and dissection that they harbor a large and varied insect fauna

Light social drinkers are more distracted by irrelevant information from an induced attentional bias than heavy social drinkers

It is well established that alcoholics and heavy social drinkers show a bias of attention towards alcohol-related items. Previous research suggests that there is a shared foundation of attentional bias, which is linked to attentional control settings. Specifically, attentional bias relates to a persistent selection of a Feature Search Mode which prioritises attentional bias-related information for selection and processing. However, no research has yet examined the effect of pre-existing biases on the development of an additional attentional bias. This paper seeks to discover how pre-existing biases affect the formation of a new, additional attentional bias. Twenty-five heavy and 25 light social drinkers, with and without a pre-existing bias to alcohol-related items, respectively, had an attentional bias towards the colour green induced via an information sheet. They then completed a series of one-shot change detection tasks. In the critical task, green items were present but task-irrelevant. Irrelevant green items caused significantly more interference for light than heavy social drinkers. This somewhat counter intuitive result is likely due to heavy drinkers having more experience in exerting cognitive control over attentional biases, something not previously observed in investigations of the effects of holding an attentional bias. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that an established attentional bias significantly modulates future behaviour

Rapid access to new angular phenothiazine and henoxazine dyes

The synthesis of some new thiophenyl-derivatized and furanyl-derivatized phenothiazine and phenoxazine dyestuffs is described. This was achieved by two methods after the synthesis of 6-chloro-5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one, 6-chloro-5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-5-one, and 6-chloro-5H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyrido[2,3-e][1,4]oxazin-5-one intermediates via anhydrous base condensation reaction of 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone with 2-aminothiophenol, 2-aminophenol, and 2-aminopyridinol, respectively. The first method involved treatment of tributyl(thien-2-yl) or tributyl(furan-2-yl) stannane with chlorophenothiazine/chlorophenoxazine under mild basic chemical formula (CsF) and 1,4-dioxane or toluene solvent at 80°C to supply dazzling yellow solid in high yields. In the second method, the catalytic system was pre-activated in acetonitrile, followed by addition of coupling partners and K3PO4 to obtain high melting and variety of highly colored products in moderate to high yields. The reaction conditions were compatible with unprotected N–H and carbonyl functional groups. The intense colors of these dyes and their ease of re-oxidation of Na2S2O4-reduced derivatives make them suitable as vat dyes. Also, they were found to be good colorants for textiles, papers, paint, ink, soap, polish, candle, and plastic materials

Gemini and Lowell observations of 67P/Churyumov−Gerasimenko during the <i>Rosetta</i> mission

We present observations of comet 67P/Churyumov−Gerasimenko acquired in support of the Rosetta mission. We obtained usable data on 68 nights from 2014 September until 2016 May, with data acquired regularly whenever the comet was observable. We collected an extensive set of near-IR J, H and Ks data throughout the apparition plus visible-light images in g', r', i' and z' when the comet was fainter. We also obtained broad-band R and narrow-band CN filter observations when the comet was brightest using telescopes at Lowell Observatory. The appearance was dominated by a central condensation and the tail until 2015 June. From 2015 August onwards, there were clear asymmetries in the coma, which enhancements revealed to be due to the presence of up to three features (i.e. jets). The features were similar in all broad-band filters; CN images did not show these features but were instead broadly enhanced in the southeastern hemisphere. Modelling using the parameters from Vincent et al. replicated the dust morphology reasonably well, indicating that the pole orientation and locations of active areas have been relatively unchanged over at least the last three apparitions. The dust production, as measured by A(0°)fρ peaked ∼30 d after perihelion and was consistent with predictions from previous apparitions. A(0°)fρ as a function of heliocentric distance was well fitted by a power law with slope −4.2 from 35 to 120 d post-perihelion. We detected photometric evidence of apparent outbursts on 2015 August 22 and 2015 September 19, although neither was discernible morphologically in this data set

Mapping loci influencing blood pressure in the Framingham pedigrees using model-free LOD score analysis of a quantitative trait

This paper presents a method of performing model-free LOD-score based linkage analysis on quantitative traits. It is implemented in the QMFLINK program. The method is used to perform a genome screen on the Framingham Heart Study data. A number of markers that show some support for linkage in our study coincide substantially with those implicated in other linkage studies of hypertension. Although the new method needs further testing on additional real and simulated data sets we can already say that it is straightforward to apply and may offer a useful complementary approach to previously available methods for the linkage analysis of quantitative traits

An experimental evaluation of software redundancy as a strategy for improving reliability

The strategy of using multiple versions of independently developed software as a means to tolerate residual software design faults is suggested by the success of hardware redundancy for tolerating hardware failures. Although, as generally accepted, the independence of hardware failures resulting from physical wearout can lead to substantial increases in reliability for redundant hardware structures, a similar conclusion is not immediate for software. The degree to which design faults are manifested as independent failures determines the effectiveness of redundancy as a method for improving software reliability. Interest in multi-version software centers on whether it provides an adequate measure of increased reliability to warrant its use in critical applications. The effectiveness of multi-version software is studied by comparing estimates of the failure probabilities of these systems with the failure probabilities of single versions. The estimates are obtained under a model of dependent failures and compared with estimates obtained when failures are assumed to be independent. The experimental results are based on twenty versions of an aerospace application developed and certified by sixty programmers from four universities. Descriptions of the application, development and certification processes, and operational evaluation are given together with an analysis of the twenty versions

Analysis of Beef Producers’ Risk Management Perceptions and Desire for Further Risk Management Education

Beef cattle producers were surveyed in Texas and Nebraska to investigate perceptions of sources of risk, the effectiveness of risk management strategies, and interest in further risk management education, particularly production risk, using probit analysis. Important decision variables identified are age, prior use of risk management tools, previous attendances of risk management education, and risk aversion. Severe drought and cattle price variability are identified as primary risk factors with potential to affect farm income. Extremely cold weather and disease are of less importance. Understocking pasture and storing hay are perceived most effective as risk management options

Expectations and Experiences of Short-Term Study Abroad Leadership Teams

This paper explores the expectations and experiences of faculty, academic advisors, and graduate students leading a study abroad experience for first-year engineering students. In the current age of globalization, engineering students require a global understanding of engineering to be competent in the global workforce. In response, undergraduate engineering programs have created various programs to fill this student need. The research surrounding these initiatives focuses on the student experience but is limited when describing that of program leaders. This qualitative study draws from track leader journals that were completed during and shortly after the international program as well as semi-structured interviews in the following semester. The findings suggest that the majority of leaders expected their role to be that of an educator on the study abroad experience, but upon reflection, realized that their definition of what it means to be an educator expanded to encompass facilitation of learning. Many of the student learning instances leaders pointed to had to do with facilitating a learning environment rather than delivering content or answering technical questions. The roles described by leaders varied from troubleshooter to behavioral manager to informer. Leaders reflected that their roles developed as they met students where they were in their learning within the dynamic international context of the program. Overall, leaders saw their roles evolve over the course of the trip. The findings shed light on emergent power dynamics that leadership teams engage in outside of the formal learning environment and provide a unique insight into the types of learning program leaders can experience through leading study abroad programs. The multiple forms of data collection provide deeper insights into the experiences of the leaders while encouraging them to also reflect in real-time. This study has implications for the development of intentionally designed, condensed study-abroad experiences that draws from understanding the program leaders’ experience

Oral serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin improves duodenal immune reconstitution and absorption function in patients with HIV enteropathy.

ObjectivesTo examine the impact of serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin, an oral medical food known to neutralize bacterial antigen and reduce intestinal inflammation, on restoration of mucosal immunity and gastrointestinal function in individuals with HIV enteropathy.DesignOpen-label trial with intensive 8-week phase of bovine serum immunoglobulin (SBI) 2.5 g twice daily with a 4-week washout period and an optional 9-month extension study.MethodsHIV enteropathy was defined as chronic gastrointestinal symptoms including frequent loose or watery stools despite no identifiable, reversible cause. Upper endoscopy for tissue immunofluorescent antibody assay and disaccharide gut permeability/absorption studies were performed before and after 8 weeks of SBI to test mucosal immunity and gastrointestinal function. Blood was collected for markers of microbial translocation, inflammation, and collagen kinetics. A validated gastrointestinal questionnaire assessed changes in symptoms.ResultsAll eight participants experienced profound improvement in symptoms with reduced bowel movements/day (P = 0.008) and improvements in stool consistency (P = 0.008). Gut permeability was normal before and after the intervention, but D-xylose absorption increased in seven of eight participants. Mucosal CD4 lymphocyte densities increased by a median of 139.5 cells/mm2 from 213 to 322 cells/mm2 (P = 0.016). Intestinal-fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), a marker of enterocyte damage, initially rose in seven of eight participants after 8 weeks (P = 0.039), and then fell below baseline in four of five who continued receiving SBI (P = 0.12). Baseline serum I-FABP levels were negatively correlated with subsequent rise in mucosal CD4 lymphocyte densities (r = -0.74, P = 0.046).ConclusionSBI significantly increases intestinal mucosal CD4 lymphocyte counts, improves duodenal function, and showed evidence of promoting intestinal repair in the setting of HIV enteropathy