The Presence of Flour Affects the Efficacy of Aerosolized Insecticides used to Treat the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Experiments were conducted in tightly sealed pilot scale warehouses to assess the efficacy of common aerosolized insecticides on all life stages of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) when exposed in dishes containing 0 to 2 g of wheat flour either under pallets or out in the open. Petri dishes containing 0, 0.1, 1, or 2 g of flour were prepared with 25 eggs, 3rd instars, pupae, or adults and then immediately treated with aerosolized solvent, Pyrethrins, or esfenvalerate. Twenty-four h after insecticide exposure, the dishes were brought to the laboratory and placed in a growth chamber and held for a 3 day moribund (knockdown) assessment and a 21 day mortality assessment. Mortality in untreated controls was generally less than 10%, with the exception of the 21 day counts of adults and eggs. Solvent-treated replications followed similar trends, except that additional mortality was observed in exposed larvae and pupae. In the insecticide-treated dishes, mortality of T. castaneum provisioned with flour generally showed a linear decrease with increasing flour deposits. Regardless of life stage, mortality did not exceed 60% when individuals were exposed in petri dishes containing 2 g of flour. Exposure location also made a significant difference in observed mortality. While mortality never exceeded 75% in dishes positioned under pallets, there was never less than 80% mortality in dishes exposed in the open. Although there was a perceptible increase in mortality with esfenvalerate compared to Pyrethrins, these differences were considerably less than the variation observed among flour deposits. The study suggests that sanitation and preparation prior to aerosol insecticide treatments were more important than choice of a particular insecticide

A unified potential drop calibration function for common crack growth specimens

Calibration functions, used to determine crack extension from potential drop measurements, are not readily available for many common crack growth specimen types. This restricts testing to a limited number of specimen types, typically resulting in overly conservative material properties being used in residual life assessments. This paper presents a unified calibration function which can be applied to all common crack growth specimen types, mitigating this problem and avoiding the significant costs associated with the current conservative approach. Using finite element analysis, it has been demonstrated that Johnson’s calibration function can be applied to the seven most common crack growth specimen types: C(T), SEN(T), SEN(B), M(T), DEN(T), CS(T) and DC(T). A parametric study has been used to determine the optimum configuration of electrical current inputs and PD probes. Using the suggested configurations, the error in the measurement of crack extension is <6% for all specimen types, which is relatively small compared to other sources of error commonly associated with the potential drop technique

HERALD (Health Economics using Routine Anonymised Linked Data)

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt; Health economic analysis traditionally relies on patient derived questionnaire data, routine datasets, and outcomes data from experimental randomised control trials and other clinical studies, which are generally used as stand-alone datasets. Herein, we outline the potential implications of linking these datasets to give one single joined up data-resource for health economic analysis.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Method&lt;/b&gt; The linkage of individual level data from questionnaires with routinely-captured health care data allows the entire patient journey to be mapped both retrospectively and prospectively. We illustrate this with examples from an Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) cohort by linking patient reported study dataset with the routinely collected general practitioner (GP) data, inpatient (IP) and outpatient (OP) datasets, and Accident and Emergency department data in Wales. The linked data system allows: (1) retrospective and prospective tracking of patient pathways through multiple healthcare facilities; (2) validation and clarification of patient-reported recall data, complementing the questionnaire/routine data information; (3) obtaining objective measure of the costs of chronic conditions for a longer time horizon, and during the pre-diagnosis period; (4) assessment of health service usage, referral histories, prescribed drugs and co-morbidities; and (5) profiling and stratification of patients relating to disease manifestation, lifestyles, co-morbidities, and associated costs.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt; Using the GP data system we tracked about 183 AS patients retrospectively and prospectively from the date of questionnaire completion to gather the following information: (a) number of GP events; (b) presence of a GP 'drug' read codes; and (c) the presence of a GP 'diagnostic' read codes. We tracked 236 and 296 AS patients through the OP and IP data systems respectively to count the number of OP visits; and IP admissions and duration. The results are presented under several patient stratification schemes based on disease severity, functions, age, sex, and the onset of disease symptoms.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion&lt;/b&gt; The linked data system offers unique opportunities for enhanced longitudinal health economic analysis not possible through the use of traditional isolated datasets. Additionally, this data linkage provides important information to improve diagnostic and referral pathways, and thus helps maximise clinical efficiency and efficiency in the use of resources

Mating success of male hermit crabs in shell generalist and shell specialist species

The reproductive behavior of two species of diogenid hermit crabs was studied in Hawaii. In the shell generalist, Clibanarius zebra , male reproductive success varied little with size, although the largest males were less successful in obtaining copulations than were medium-large males. Male and female size were positively correlated, in successful pairs, thus larger males had the potential to fertilize more eggs when they were successful in obtaining a copulation. Female fecundity in C. zebra was not affected by species of gastropod shell inhabited once female size was taken into account. Male copulatory success was very strongly influenced by the species of gastropod shell inhabited. Males in Trochus or Nerita shells had greatly reduced reproductive success compared to males in Turbo or Nassarius shells. This result was due both to (1) males in Trochus especially dropping and otherwise poorly handling females during precopulatory behavior and (2) females not responding to precopulatory behavior patterns executed by males in Trochus and Nerita . Transferring males from “good” to “bad” shapes of shells and vice versa showed that male success was a function of shell type inhabited and not some correlated feature of the crabs. In the shell specialist, Calcinus seurati , which is found primarily in Nerita shells as an adult, males in Nerita shells were quite successful in obtaining copulations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46893/1/265_2004_Article_BF00302928.pd

Grading of carotid artery stenosis with multidetector-row CT angiography: visual estimation or caliper measurements?

To assess the optimal method for grading carotid artery stenosis with computed tomographic angiography (CTA), we compared visual estimation to caliper measurements, and determined inter-observer variability and agreement relative to digital subtraction angiography (DSA). We included 46 patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis for whom CTA and DSA of 55 carotids was available. Stenosis quantification by CTA using visual estimation (CTAVE) (method 1) was compared with caliper measurements using subjectively optimized wide window settings (method 2) or predefined contrast-dependent narrow window settings (method 3). Measurements were independently performed by two radiologists and two residents. To determine accuracy and inter-observer variability, we calculated linear weighted kappa, performed a Bland-Altman analysis and calculated mean difference (bias) and standard deviation of differences (SDD). For inter-observer variability, kappa analysis was “very good” (0.85) for expert observers using CTAVE compared with “good” (0.61) for experts using DSA. Compared with DSA, method 1 led to overestimation (bias 5.8–8.0%, SDD 10.6–14.4), method 3 led to underestimation (bias −6.3 to −3.0%, SDD 13.0–18.1). Measurement variability between DSA and visual estimation on CTA (SDD 11.5) is close to the inter-observer variability of repeated measurements on DSA that we found in this study (SDD 11.6). For CTA of carotids, stenosis grading based on visual estimation provides better agreement to grading by DSA compared with stenosis grading based on caliper measurements

Dystropathology increases energy expenditure and protein turnover in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The skeletal muscles in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and the mdx mouse model lack functional dystrophin and undergo repeated bouts of necrosis, regeneration, and growth. These processes have a high metabolic cost. However, the consequences for whole body energy and protein metabolism, and on the dietary requirements for these macronutrients at different stages of the disease, are not well-understood. This study used juvenile (4- to 5- wk-old) and adult (12- to 14-wk-old) male dystrophic C57BL/10ScSn-mdx/J and age-matched C57BL/10ScSn/J control male mice to measure total and resting energy expenditure, food intake, spontaneous activity, body composition, whole body protein turnover, and muscle protein synthesis rates. In juvenile mdx mice that have extensive muscle damage, energy expenditure, muscle protein synthesis, and whole body protein turnover rates were higher than in age-matched controls. Adaptations in food intake and decreased activity were insufficient to meet the increased energy and protein needs of juvenile mdx mice and resulted in stunted growth. In (non-growing) adult mdx mice with less severe dystropathology, energy expenditure, muscle protein synthesis, and whole body protein turnover rates were also higher than in age-matched controls. Food intake was sufficient to meet their protein and energy needs, but insufficient to result in fat deposition. These data show that dystropathology impacts the protein and energy needs of mdx mice and that tailored dietary interventions are necessary to redress this imbalance. If not met, the resultant imbalance blunts growth, and may limit the benefits of therapies designed to protect and repair dystrophic muscles

Determinants of Natural Mating Success in the Cannibalistic Orb-Web Spider Argiope bruennichi

Monogynous mating systems (low male mating rates) occur in various taxa and have evolved several times independently in spiders. Monogyny is associated with remarkable male mating strategies and predicted to evolve under a male-biased sex ratio. While male reproductive strategies are well documented and male mating rates are easy to quantify, especially in sexually cannibalistic species, female reproductive strategies, the optimal female mating rate, and the factors that affect the evolution of female mating rates are still unclear. In this study, we examined natural female mating rates and tested the assumption of a male-biased sex ratio and female polyandry in a natural population of Argiope bruennichi in which we controlled female mating status prior to observations. We predicted variation in female mating frequencies as a result of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the distribution of mature females and males. Females had a low average mating rate of 1.3 and the majority copulated only once. Polyandry did not entirely result from a male-biased sex-ratio but closely matched the rate of male bigamy. Male activity and the probability of polyandry correlated with factors affecting pheromone presence such as virgin females' density. We conclude that a strong sex ratio bias and high female mating rates are not necessary components of monogynous mating systems as long as males protect their paternity effectively and certain frequencies of bigyny stabilise the mating system

Restenosis and risk of stroke after stenting or endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis in the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS): secondary analysis of a randomised trial

BACKGROUND: The risk of stroke associated with carotid artery restenosis after stenting or endarterectomy is unclear. We aimed to compare the long-term risk of restenosis after these treatments and to investigate if restenosis causes stroke in a secondary analysis of the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS). METHODS: ICSS is a parallel-group randomised trial at 50 tertiary care centres in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Patients aged 40 years or older with symptomatic carotid stenosis measuring 50% or more were randomly assigned either stenting or endarterectomy in a 1:1 ratio. Randomisation was computer-generated and done centrally, with allocation by telephone or fax, stratified by centre, and with minimisation for sex, age, side of stenosis, and occlusion of the contralateral carotid artery. Patients were followed up both clinically and with carotid duplex ultrasound at baseline, 30 days after treatment, 6 months after randomisation, then annually for up to 10 years. We included patients whose assigned treatment was completed and who had at least one ultrasound examination after treatment. Restenosis was defined as any narrowing of the treated artery measuring 50% or more (at least moderate) or 70% or more (severe), or occlusion of the artery. The degree of restenosis based on ultrasound velocities and clinical outcome events were adjudicated centrally; assessors were masked to treatment assignment. Restenosis was analysed using interval-censored models and its association with later ipsilateral stroke using Cox regression. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN25337470. This report presents a secondary analysis, and follow-up is complete. FINDINGS: Between May, 2001, and October, 2008, 1713 patients were enrolled and randomly allocated treatment (855 were assigned stenting and 858 endarterectomy), of whom 1530 individuals were followed up with ultrasound (737 assigned stenting and 793 endarterectomy) for a median of 4·0 years (IQR 2·3-5·0). At least moderate restenosis (≥50%) occurred in 274 patients after stenting (cumulative 5-year risk 40·7%) and in 217 after endarterectomy (29·6%; unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1·43, 95% CI 1·21-1·72; p<0·0001). Patients with at least moderate restenosis (≥50%) had a higher risk of ipsilateral stroke than did individuals without restenosis in the overall patient population (HR 3·18, 95% CI 1·52-6·67; p=0·002) and in the endarterectomy group alone (5·75, 1·80-18·33; p=0·003), but no significant increase in stroke risk after restenosis was recorded in the stenting group (2·03, 0·77-5·37; p=0·154; p=0·10 for interaction with treatment). No difference was noted in the risk of severe restenosis (≥70%) or subsequent stroke between the two treatment groups. INTERPRETATION: At least moderate (≥50%) restenosis occurred more frequently after stenting than after endarterectomy and increased the risk for ipsilateral stroke in the overall population. Whether the restenosis-mediated risk of stroke differs between stenting and endarterectomy requires further research. FUNDING: Medical Research Council, the Stroke Association, Sanofi-Synthélabo, and the European Union

PIF4–Mediated Activation of YUCCA8 Expression Integrates Temperature into the Auxin Pathway in Regulating Arabidopsis Hypocotyl Growth

Higher plants adapt their growth to high temperature by a dramatic change in plant architecture. It has been shown that the transcriptional regulator phytochrome-interacting factor 4 (PIF4) and the phytohormone auxin are involved in the regulation of high temperature–induced hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis. Here we report that PIF4 regulates high temperature–induced hypocotyl elongation through direct activation of the auxin biosynthetic gene YUCCA8 (YUC8). We show that high temperature co-upregulates the transcript abundance of PIF4 and YUC8. PIF4–dependency of high temperature–mediated induction of YUC8 expression as well as auxin biosynthesis, together with the finding that overexpression of PIF4 leads to increased expression of YUC8 and elevated free IAA levels in planta, suggests a possibility that PIF4 directly activates YUC8 expression. Indeed, gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that PIF4 associates with the G-box–containing promoter region of YUC8. Transient expression assay in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves support that PIF4 directly activates YUC8 expression in vivo. Significantly, we show that the yuc8 mutation can largely suppress the long-hypocotyl phenotype of PIF4–overexpression plants and also can reduce high temperature–induced hypocotyl elongation. Genetic analyses reveal that the shy2-2 mutation, which harbors a stabilized mutant form of the IAA3 protein and therefore is defective in high temperature–induced hypocotyl elongation, largely suppresses the long-hypocotyl phenotype of PIF4–overexpression plants. Taken together, our results illuminate a molecular framework by which the PIF4 transcriptional regulator integrates its action into the auxin pathway through activating the expression of specific auxin biosynthetic gene. These studies advance our understanding on the molecular mechanism underlying high temperature–induced adaptation in plant architecture

Influence of shells on mating behavior in the hermit crab Calcinus tibicen

Populations of the intertidal hermit crab Calcinus tibicen were observed in the laboratory and reproductive behaviors recorded. Of the 218 interactions, 68 resulted in copulation(s). Male and female sizes were positively correlated. Male size affected copulation success in a non-linear fashion. In particular, the largest males did not obtain any copulations. This was largely a consequence of the shell species occupied by large individuals; males in Nerita sp and Cittarium pica shells were unsuccessful in courtship. The ability to execute precopulatory rotation of the female was negatively affected by certain shell types. Repeated pairings of individuals suggested some level of individual recognition within the reproductively active population.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46890/1/265_2004_Article_BF00293264.pd