In-vitro comparison of the larvicidal activity of moxidectin and abamectin against Onthophagus gazella (F.) (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae) and Haematobia irritans exigua De Meijere (Diptera Muscidae)

When incorporated directly into cattle dung, a formulation of moxidectin was less toxic to larvae of the dung beetle Onthophagus gazella and the buffalo fly, Haematobia irritans exigua, than an abamectin formulation. Concentrations of moxidectin 64-fold greater than abamectin concentrations were required to produce equivalent toxicities. Neither moxidectin nor abamectin reduced oviposition by O. gazella. Moxidectin may consequently be less likely than abamectin to affect the decomposition of cattle dung but may have less effect on buffalo fly infestations

A research and evaluation capacity building model in Western Australia

Evaluation of public health programs, services and policies is increasingly required to demonstrate effectiveness. Funding constraints necessitate that existing programs, services and policies be evaluated and their findings disseminated. Evidence-informed practice and policy is also desirable to maximise investments in public health. Partnerships between public health researchers, service providers and policymakers can help address evaluation knowledge and skills gaps. The Western Australian Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Applied Research and Evaluation Network (SiREN) aims to build research and evaluation capacity in the sexual health and blood-borne virus sector in Western Australia (WA). Partners’ perspectives of the SiREN model after 2 years were explored. Qualitative written responses from service providers, policymakers and researchers about the SiREN model were analysed thematically. Service providers reported that participation in SiREN prompted them to consider evaluation earlier in the planning process and increased their appreciation of the value of evaluation. Policymakers noted benefits of the model in generating local evidence and highlighting local issues of importance for consideration at a national level. Researchers identified challenges communicating the services available through SiREN and the time investment needed to develop effective collaborative partnerships. Stronger engagement between public health researchers, service providers and policymakers through collaborative partnerships has the potential to improve evidence generation and evidence translation. These outcomes require long-term funding and commitment from all partners to develop and maintain partnerships. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation can ensure the partnership remains responsive to the needs of key stakeholders. The findings are applicable to many sectors

When the working day is through: The end of work as identity?

This article seeks to present a counter-case to the ‘end of work thesis’ advocated by writers such as Beck, Sennett and Bauman. It argues that work remains a significant locus of personal identity and that the depiction by these writers of endemic insecurity in the workplace is inaccurate and lacks empirical basis. The article draws upon case study data to illustrate how, across a range of workplaces, work remains an importance source of identity, meaning and social affiliation

Decay of the key 92-keV resonance in the 25Mg(p,γ) reaction to the ground and isomeric states of the cosmic γ-ray emitter 26Al

The 92-keV resonance in the 25Mg(p,γ)26Al reaction plays a key role in the production of 26Al at astrophysical burning temperatures of ≈100 MK in the Mg-Al cycle. However, the state can decay to feed either the ground, 26gAl, or isomeric state, 26mAl. It is the ground state that is critical as the source of cosmic γ rays. It is therefore important to precisely determine the ground-state branching fraction f0 of this resonance. Here we report on the identification of four γ-ray transitions from the 92-keV resonance, and determine the spin of the state and its ground-state branching fraction f0=0.52(2)stat(6)syst. The f0 value is the most precise reported to date, and at the lower end of the range of previously adopted values, implying a lower production rate of 26gAl and its cosmic 1809-keV γ rays.peerReviewe

Spectroscopy of P 30 and the abundance of Si 29 in presolar grains

The astrophysical Si29(p,γ) reaction is expected to play a key role in determining the final Si29 yields ejected in nova explosions. Such yields are used to accurately identify the stellar origins of meteoritic stardust and recently, distinctive silicon isotopic ratios have been extracted from a number of presolar grains. Here, the light-ion Si28(He3,p) fusion-evaporation reaction was used to populate low-spin proton-unbound excited states in the nucleus P30 that govern the rate of the astrophysical Si29(p,γ) reaction. In particular, γ decays were observed from resonances up to Er=500keV, and key resonances at 217 and 315 keV have now been identified as 2+ and 2-levels, respectively. The present paper provides the first estimate of the 217-keV resonance strength and indicates that the strength of the 315-keV resonance, which dominates the rate of the Si29(p,γ) reaction over the entire peak temperature range of oxygen-neon novae, is higher than previously expected. As such, the abundance of Si29 ejected during nova explosions is likely to be less than that predicted by the most recent theoretical models

Key resonances in the P30(p,γ)S31 gateway reaction for the production of heavy elements in ONe novae

Material emitted as ejecta from ONe novae outbursts is observed to be rich in elements as heavy as Ca. The bottleneck for the synthesis of elements beyond sulphur is the P30(p,γ)S31 reaction. Its reaction rate is, however, not well determined due to uncertainties in the properties of key resonances in the burning regime. In the present study, gamma-ray transitions are reported for the first time from all key states in S31 relevant for the P30(p,γ)S31 reaction. The spins and parity of these resonances have been deduced, and energies have been measured with the highest precision to date. The uncertainty in the estimated P30(p,γ)S31 reaction rate has been drastically reduced. The rate using this new information is typically higher than previous estimates based on earlier experimental data, implying a higher flux of material processed to high-Z elements in novae, but it is in good agreement with predictions using the Hauser-Feshbach approach at higher burning temperatures

Level structure of S 31: From low excitation energies to the region of interest for hydrogen burning in novae through the P 30 (p, γ) S 31 reaction

Comprehensive measurements of the excitation energy and spin-parity assignments for states in S31 are presented, from the first excited state, up to energies relevant for the P30(p,γ)S31 reaction in ONe novae. This reaction rate strongly influences heavy element abundances in novae ejecta. States in S31 are paired with their P31 analogues using γ rays detected with the Gammasphere detector array following the Si28(He4, n) fusion-evaporation reaction. The evolution of mirror energy differences is explored and the results are compared with new shell-model calculations. The excellent agreement observed in this work between experimental data and shell-model calculations provides confidence in using computed estimates in situations where experimental data are unavailable

The outer halos of elliptical galaxies

Recent progress is summarized on the determination of the density distributions of stars and dark matter, stellar kinematics, and stellar population properties, in the extended, low surface brightness halo regions of elliptical galaxies. With integral field absorption spectroscopy and with planetary nebulae as tracers, velocity dispersion and rotation profiles have been followed to ~4 and ~5-8 effective radii, respectively, and in M87 to the outer edge at ~150 kpc. The results are generally consistent with the known dichotomy of elliptical galaxy types, but some galaxies show more complex rotation profiles in their halos and there is a higher incidence of misalignments, indicating triaxiality. Dynamical models have shown a range of slopes for the total mass profiles, and that the inner dark matter densities in ellipticals are higher than in spiral galaxies, indicating earlier assembly redshifts. Analysis of the hot X-ray emitting gas in X-ray bright ellipticals and comparison with dynamical mass determinations indicates that non-thermal components to the pressure may be important in the inner ~10 kpc, and that the properties of these systems are closely related to their group environments. First results on the outer halo stellar population properties do not yet give a clear picture. In the halo of one bright galaxy, lower [alpha/Fe] abundances indicate longer star formation histories pointing towards late accretion of the halo. This is consistent with independent evidence for on-going accretion, and suggests a connection to the observed size evolution of elliptical galaxies with redshift.Comment: 8 pages. Invited review to appear in the proceedings of "Galaxies and their Masks" eds. Block, D.L., Freeman, K.C. & Puerari, I., 2010, Springer (New York

The dynamic balance of import and export of zinc in Escherichia coli suggests a heterogeneous population response to stress

Zinc is essential for life, but toxic in excess. Thus all cells must control their internal zinc concentration. We used a systems approach, alternating rounds of experiments and models, to further elucidate the zinc control systems in Escherichia coli. We measured the response to zinc of the main specific zinc import and export systems in the wild-type, and a series of deletion mutant strains. We interpreted these data with a detailed mathematical model and Bayesian model fitting routines. There are three key findings: first, that alternate, non-inducible importers and exporters are important. Second, that an internal zinc reservoir is essential for maintaining the internal zinc concentration. Third, our data fitting led us to propose that the cells mount a heterogeneous response to zinc: some respond effectively, while others die or stop growing. In a further round of experiments, we demonstrated lower viable cell counts in the mutant strain tested exposed to excess zinc, consistent with this hypothesis. A stochastic model simulation demonstrated considerable fluctuations in the cellular levels of the ZntA exporter protein, reinforcing this proposal. We hypothesize that maintaining population heterogeneity could be a bet-hedging response allowing a population of cells to survive in varied and fluctuating environments

"Author! Author!" : Shakespeare and biography

Original article can be found at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t714579626~db=all Copyright Informa / Taylor & Francis Group. DOI: 10.1080/17450910902764454Since 1996, not a year has passed without the publication of at least one Shakespeare biography. Yet for many years the place of the author in the practice of understanding literary works has been problematized, and even on occasions eliminated. Criticism reads the “works”, and may or may not refer to an author whose “life” contributed to their meaning. Biography seeks the author in the works, the personality that precedes the works and gives them their characteristic shape and meaning. But the form of literary biography addresses the unusual kind of “life” that puts itself into “works”, and this is particularly challenging where the “works” predominate massively over the salient facts of the “life”. This essay surveys the current terrain of Shakespeare biography, and considers the key questions raised by the medium: can we know anything of Shakespeare's “personality” from the facts of his life and the survival of his works? What is the status of the kind of speculation that inevitably plays a part in biographical reconstruction? Are biographers in the end telling us as much about themselves as they tell us about Shakespeare?Peer reviewe