Swallow : Schottische

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-ps/1275/thumbnail.jp

Die Wirtshäuser Temesvars 1717-1755

Digitalisat der Ausgabe Temesvar, 192

Introduction and Selection of Photoperiod Sensitive Sorghum Genotypes for Agronomic Fitness and Biomass Composition

In 2007, U.S. Congress created the "Energy Independence and Security Act" with primary goals focused on increasing the knowledge in production of renewable fuels, increasing the percentages of renewable fuels in the transportation sector and decreasing the emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel sources. To achieve these goals, many species have been pointed as sources of feedstock for the biofuel industry. Photoperiod sensitive (PS) biomass sorghum for the lignocellusosic based conversion is one. In this study, three main objectives were addressed regarding the relative performance for biomass yield and biomass composition of PS biomass sorghum. First, genetic and environmental variation effects on the biomass yield and biomass composition, and usefulness of pre-classification of genotypes by biomass lignin content were evaluated. On the set of genotypes and locations tested, the environmental effect had the largest influence on the biomass composition, yield and its components. Although smaller, the genetic variation effect was significant for most of the traits, some traits had significant genotype by environment GXE interaction. The pre-classification of genotypes according to lignin content proved to be an efficient system of separating genotypes as groups, but failed to be efficient in separating on the entries bases. Assessment of growth patterns for biomass yield and composition, characterized photoperiod sensitive sorghum as capable of producing a harvestable crop as soon as 4 months, but variations in the concentration of constituents and moisture percentage, pointed to a harvest window that can be extended up to the 7th month after planting. Genetic variation was observed in this trail for most agronomic and composition traits, but a strong environmental effect was also observed. Lastly, the influence of three diverse cytoplasm male sterility (CMS) systems in biomass sorghum hybrids was assessed. The presence of A1, A2 or A3 CMS in the hybrids tested in this study had no influence on the biomass yield performance or in the biomass composition. Therefore, any of the CMS systems can be used in the production of biomass sorghum hybrid seed. Also, in this trial the environmental effects were significant and strong for most traits evaluated

Investigating cold based summit glaciers through direct access to the glacier base: a case study constraining the maximum age of Chli Titlis glacier, Switzerland

Cold glaciers at the highest locations of the European Alps have been investigated by drilling ice cores to retrieve their stratigraphic climate records. Findings like the Oetztal ice man have demonstrated that small ice bodies at summit locations of comparatively lower altitudes may also contain old ice if locally frozen to the underlying bedrock. In this case, constraining the maximum age of their lowermost ice part may help to identify past periods with minimum ice extent in the Alps. However, with recent warming and consequent glacier mass loss, these sites may not preserve their unique climate information for much longer. Here we utilized an existing ice cave at Chli Titlis (3030 m), central Switzerland, to perform a case study for investigating the maximum age of cold-based summit glaciers in the Alps. The cave offers direct access to the glacier stratigraphy without the logistical effort required in ice core drilling. In addition, a pioneering exploration had already demonstrated stagnant cold ice conditions at Chli Titlis, albeit more than 25 years ago. Our englacial temperature measurements and the analysis of the isotopic and physical properties of ice blocks sampled at three locations within the ice cave show that cold ice still exists fairly unchanged today. State-of-the-art micro-radiocarbon analysis constrains the maximum age of the ice at Chli Titlis to about 5000 years before present. By this means, the approach presented here will contribute to a future systematic investigation of cold-based summit glaciers, also in the Eastern Alps

Insecticide resistance status of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in Papua New Guinea

Background: Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are important vectors of infectious diseases, especially those caused by arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Aedes aegypti is very well adapted to urban environments, whereas Ae. albopictus inhabits more rural settings. Pyrethroid resistance is widespread in these vectors, but limited data exist from the Southwest Pacific Region, especially from Melanesia. While Aedes vector ecology is well documented in Australia, where incursion of Ae. albopictus and pyrethroid resistance have so far been prevented, almost nothing is known about Aedes populations in neighbouring Papua New Guinea (PNG). With pyrethroid resistance documented in parts of Indonesia but not in Australia, it is important to determine the distribution of susceptible and resistant Aedes populations in this region. Methods: The present study was aimed at assessing Aedes populations for insecticide resistance in Madang and Port Moresby, located on the north and south coasts of PNG, respectively. Mosquitoes were collected using ovitraps and reared in an insectary. Standard WHO bioassays using insecticide-treated filter papers were conducted on a total of 253 Ae. aegypti and 768 Ae. albopictus adult mosquitoes. Subsets of samples from both species (55 Ae. aegypti and 48 Ae. albopictus) were screened for knockdown resistance mutations in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (Vssc) gene, the target site of pyrethroid insecticides. Results: High levels of resistance against pyrethroids were identified in Ae. aegypti from Madang and Port Moresby. Aedes albopictus exhibited susceptibility to pyrethroids, but moderate levels of resistance to DDT. Mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance were detected in all Ae. aegypti samples screened. Some genotypes found in the present study had been observed previously in Indonesia. No Vssc mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance were found in the Ae. albopictus samples. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of pyrethroid resistance in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in PNG. Interestingly, usage of insecticides in PNG is low, apart from long-lasting insecticidal nets distributed for malaria control. Further investigations on how these resistant Ae. aegypti mosquito populations arose in PNG and how they are being sustained are warranted

Prophylaxis in hemophilia

Hemophilia is an inherited X-linked coagulopathy defined by a deficiency or abnormality in the clotting function of factor VIII (Hemophilia A) or factor IX (Hemophilia B). Prophylaxis – the regular administration of therapeutic products to maintain hemostasis and prevent bleeding – is the mainstream of treatment. Addressing the development and scientific evidence for administrating prophylaxis is the goal of this review. Prophylaxis is the therapeutic modality of choice for people with severe hemophilia, being considered, in principle, a lifelong treatment. It should have an early onset, ideally as a primary, or at least secondary. Even lifelong tertiary prophylaxis seems to offer benefit, although further studies are still lacking. Individualized strategies should lead to an optimization of the dilemma between better joint outcomes versus involved costs

A framework for incorporating evolutionary genomics into biodiversity conservation and management

Evolutionary adaptation drives biodiversity. So far, however, evolutionary thinking has had limited impact on plans to counter the effects of climate change on biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. This is despite habitat fragmentation diminishing the ability of populations to mount evolutionary responses, via reductions in population size, reductions in gene flow and reductions in the heterogeneity of environments that populations occupy. Research on evolutionary adaptation to other challenges has benefitted enormously in recent years from genomic tools, but these have so far only been applied to the climate change issue in a piecemeal manner. Here, we explore how new genomic knowledge might be combined with evolutionary thinking in a decision framework aimed at reducing the long-term impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This framework highlights the need to rethink local conservation and management efforts in biodiversity conservation. We take a dynamic view of biodiversity based on the recognition of continuously evolving lineages, and we highlight when and where new genomic approaches are justified. In general, and despite challenges in developing genomic tools for non-model organisms, genomics can help management decide when resources should be redirected to increasing gene flow and hybridisation across climate zones and facilitating in situ evolutionary change in large heterogeneous areas. It can also help inform when conservation priorities need to shift from maintaining genetically distinct populations and species to supporting processes of evolutionary change. We illustrate our argument with particular reference to Australia’s biodiversity.This paper arose out of a workshop funded through the Office of the Chief Executive Science Team at CSIRO and the Science Industry Endowment Fund

Insecticide resistance in malaria and arbovirus vectors in Papua New Guinea, 2017–2022

Background: Insecticide resistance (IR) monitoring is essential for evidence-based control of mosquito-borne diseases. While widespread pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles and Aedes species has been described in many countries, data for Papua New Guinea (PNG) are limited. Available data indicate that the local Anopheles populations in PNG remain pyrethroid-susceptible, making regular IR monitoring even more important. In addition, Aedes aegypti pyrethroid resistance has been described in PNG. Here, Anopheles and Aedes IR monitoring data generated from across PNG between 2017 and 2022 are presented. Methods: Mosquito larvae were collected in larval habitat surveys and through ovitraps. Mosquitoes were reared to adults and tested using standard WHO susceptibility bioassays. DNA from a subset of Aedes mosquitoes was sequenced to analyse the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (Vssc) region for any resistance-related mutations. Results: Approximately 20,000 adult female mosquitoes from nine PNG provinces were tested. Anopheles punctulatus sensu lato mosquitoes were susceptible to pyrethroids but there were signs of reduced mortality in some areas. Some Anopheles populations were also resistant to DDT. Tests also showed that Aedes. aegypti in PNG are resistant to pyrethroids and DDT and that there was also likelihood of bendiocarb resistance. A range of Vssc resistance mutations were identified. Aedes albopictus were DDT resistant and were likely developing pyrethroid resistance, given a low frequency of Vssc mutations was observed. Conclusions: Aedes aegypti is highly pyrethroid resistant and also shows signs of resistance against carbamates in PNG. Anopheles punctulatus s.l. and Ae. albopictus populations exhibit low levels of resistance against pyrethroids and DDT in some areas. Pyrethroid-only bed nets are currently the only programmatic vector control tool used in PNG. It is important to continue to monitor IR in PNG and develop proactive insecticide resistance management strategies in primary disease vectors to retain pyrethroid susceptibility especially in the malaria vectors for as long as possible

Epidemiological characteristics of hemophilia in the pre-primary prophylaxis era: a historical cohort

Introduction: Epidemiological studies on hemophilia in the Brazilian population are historically scarce. Despite the continuous effort made by the National Program of Inherited Bleeding Disorders to map this condition, little information is available, especially on the period prior to program conception. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the epidemiological, serological, and clinical characteristics of patients with hemophilia in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods: A total of 455 patients had their medical records reviewed from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2007. Results: We observed a remarkable prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with both hemophilia A and B, and this prevalence significantly increased along with age (p < 0.001). No positive anti-HCV results were observed among children younger than 5 years old. There was a significant correlation between the severity of hemophilia and the number of arthropathies in all age categories. Considering the presence of inhibitors, a significant difference was observed between age groups, as older patients had higher inhibitor titers. There was a significant correlation between mean coagulation factor consumption and the number of arthropathies in patients over 5 years old. Conclusions: This profile analysis of patients with hemophilia reflects a gradual improvement in treatment safety and efficiency, as well as the need for continued investment in this population