Herps at height: Records of seven species utilizing the upper canopy in northwestern Ecuador

Canopy science has not developed as rapidly as other fields due to the inherent difficulty of accessing this ecosystem. Using a blend of industrial and arboricultural rope access techniques, we confirmed occurrences in the canopy of five reptile and two amphibian species in the Chocóan forests of northwestern Ecuador. RESUMEN La investigación en el dosel no se ha desarrollado con la misma velocidad que otras áreas debido a la inaccesibilidad de este ecosistema. Utilizando una combinación de técnicas de acceso con cuerdas de arboricultura e industria, confirmamos la ocurrencia del dosel de cinco especies de reptiles y dos especies de anfibios en los bosques del Chocó del noroccidente del Ecuador

Repurposing the aldose reductase inhibitor and diabetic neuropathy drug epalrestat for the congenital disorder of glycosylation PMM2-CDG

Phosphomannomutase 2 deficiency, or PMM2-CDG, is the most common congenital disorder of glycosylation and affects over 1000 patients globally. There are no approved drugs that treat the symptoms or root cause of PMM2-CDG. To identify clinically actionable compounds that boost human PMM2 enzyme function, we performed a multispecies drug repurposing screen using a novel worm model of PMM2-CDG, followed by PMM2 enzyme functional studies in PMM2-CDG patient fibroblasts. Drug repurposing candidates from this study, and drug repurposing candidates from a previously published study using yeast models of PMM2-CDG, were tested for their effect on human PMM2 enzyme activity in PMM2-CDG fibroblasts. Of the 20 repurposing candidates discovered in the worm-based phenotypic screen, 12 were plant-based polyphenols. Insights from structure-activity relationships revealed epalrestat, the only antidiabetic aldose reductase inhibitor approved for use in humans, as a first-in-class PMM2 enzyme activator. Epalrestat increased PMM2 enzymatic activity in four PMM2-CDG patient fibroblast lines with genotypes R141H/F119L, R141H/E139K, R141H/N216I and R141H/F183S. PMM2 enzyme activity gains ranged from 30% to 400% over baseline, depending on genotype. Pharmacological inhibition of aldose reductase by epalrestat may shunt glucose from the polyol pathway to glucose-1,6-bisphosphate, which is an endogenous stabilizer and coactivator of PMM2 homodimerization. Epalrestat is a safe, oral and brain penetrant drug that was approved 27 years ago in Japan to treat diabetic neuropathy in geriatric populations. We demonstrate that epalrestat is the first small molecule activator ofPMM2 enzyme activity with the potential to treat peripheral neuropathy and correct the underlying enzyme deficiency in a majority of pediatric and adult PMM2-CDG patients

Investigating mechanisms of state localization in highly ionized dense plasmas

Producción CientíficaWe present experimental observations of Kβ emission from highly charged Mg ions at solid density, driven by intense x rays from a free electron laser. The presence of Kβ emission indicates the n=3 atomic shell is relocalized for high charge states, providing an upper constraint on the depression of the ionization potential. We explore the process of state relocalization in dense plasmas from first principles using finite-temperature density functional theory alongside a wave-function localization metric, and find excellent agreement with experimental results.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under Research Grant No. PID2019-108764RB-I0

Investigating Mechanisms of State Localization in Highly-Ionized Dense Plasmas

We present the first experimental observation of K$_{\beta}$ emission from highly charged Mg ions at solid density, driven by intense x-rays from a free electron laser. The presence of K$_{\beta}$ emission indicates the $n=3$ atomic shell is relocalized for high charge states, providing an upper constraint on the depression of the ionization potential. We explore the process of state relocalization in dense plasmas from first principles using finite-temperature density functional theory alongside a wavefunction localization metric, and find excellent agreement with experimental results.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figure

Using surveillance data to determine treatment rates and outcomes for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

The aim of this work was to develop and validate an algorithm to monitor rates of, and response to, treatment of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) across England using routine laboratory HCV RNA testing data. HCV testing activity between January 2002 and December 2011 was extracted from the local laboratory information systems of a sentinel network of 23 laboratories across England. An algorithm based on frequency of HCV RNA testing within a defined time period was designed to identify treated patients. Validation of the algorithm was undertaken for one center by comparison with treatment data recorded in a clinical database managed by the Trent HCV Study Group. In total, 267,887 HCV RNA test results from 100,640 individuals were extracted. Of these, 78.9% (79,360) tested positive for viral RNA, indicating an active infection, 20.8% (16,538) of whom had a repeat pattern of HCV RNA testing suggestive of treatment monitoring. Annual numbers of individuals treated increased rapidly from 468 in 2002 to 3,295 in 2009, but decreased to 3,110 in 2010. Approximately two thirds (63.3%; 10,468) of those treated had results consistent with a sustained virological response, including 55.3% and 67.1% of those with a genotype 1 and non-1 virus, respectively. Validation against the Trent clinical database demonstrated that the algorithm was 95% sensitive and 93% specific in detecting treatment and 100% sensitive and 93% specific for detecting treatment outcome. Conclusions: Laboratory testing activity, collected through a sentinel surveillance program, has enabled the first country-wide analysis of treatment and response among HCV-infected individuals. Our approach provides a sensitive, robust, and sustainable method for monitoring service provision across Englan

Crop Updates 2002 - Weeds

This session covers fifty eight papers from different authors: 1. INTRODUCTION Vanessa Stewart, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT IWM system studies / demonstration sites 2. Major outcomes from IWM demonstration sites, Alexandra Douglas Department of Agriculture 3. Integrated weed management: Katanning, Alexandra Douglas Department of Agriculture 4. Integrated weed management: Merredin, Vanessa Stewart Department of Agriculture 5. Long term resistance site: Get ryegrass numbers low and keep them low! Peter Newman and Glen Adams Department of Agriculture 6. Using pastures to manage ryegrass populations, Andrew Blake and Natalie Lauritsen Department of Agriculture Weed biology and competition 7. Understanding the weed seed bank life if important agricultural weeds, Sally Peltzer and Paul Matson Department of Agriculture 8. Consequence of radish competition on lupin nutrients in wheat-lupin rotation, Abul Hashem and Nerys Wilkins Department of Agriculture 9. Consequence of ryegrass competition on lupin nutrients in a wheat-lupin rotation, Abul Hashem and Nerys Wilkins Department of Agriculture 10. Brome grass too competitive for early sown wheat in a dry year at Mullewa, Peter Newman and Glenn Adam Department of Agriculture Crop establishment and weed management 11. Seeding rate, row spacing and herbicides for weed control, David Minkey Department of Agriculture 12. Effect of different seeding methods on wheat and ryegrass, Abul Hashem, Glen Riethmuller and Nerys Wilkins Department of Agriculture 13. Role of tillage implements and trifluralin on the effectiveness of the autumn tickle for stimulating annual ryegrass emergence, Tim Cusack1, Kathryn Steadman1 and Abul Hashem2,1Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA; 2Department of Agriculture, 14. Timing of autumn tickle in important for non-wetting soils, Pippa Michael1, Peter Newman2 and Kathryn Steadman 2, 1Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA, 2Department of Agriculture 15. Early investigation into weed seed burial by mouldboard plough, Sally Peltzer and Alex Douglas Department of Agriculture 16. Rolling post-emergent lupins to improve weed emergence and control on loamy sand, Paul Blackwell, Department of Agriculture and Dave Brindal, Strawberry via Mingenew IWM tools 17. Crop topping in 2001: How did we do? Peter Newman and Glenn Adam Department of Agriculture 18. Wickwipers work! Peter Newman and Glenn Adam Department of Agriculture 19. Wild radish and ryegrass seed collection at harvest: Chaff carts and other devices, Michael Walsh Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA and Wayne Parker Department of Agriculture 20. Improving weed control in grazed pastures using legumes with low palatability, Clinton Revell, Giles Glasson Department of Agriculture, and Dean Thomas Faculty of Agriculture, University of Western Australia Adoption and modelling 21. Grower weed survey, Peter Newman and Glenn Adam Department of Agriculture 22. Agronomist survey, Peter Newman and Glenn Adam Department of Agriculture 23. Ryegrass RIM model stands the test of IWM field trial data, Alister Draper Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA and Bill Roy, Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA Agricultural Consulting and Research Services 24. Multi-species RIM: An update, Marta Monjardin1,2, David Pannell2 and Stephen Powles 1, 1Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA, 2 ARE, University of Western Australia 25. RIM survey feedback, Robert Barrett-Lennard and Alister Draper Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA 26. Effect of historic input and product prices on choice of ryegrass management strategies, Alister Draper1 and Martin Bent2, 1Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA, 2Muresk Institute of Agriculture 27. Living with ryegrass – trading off weed control and economic performance, Martin Bent1 and Alister Draper2 , 1Muresk Institute of Agriculture, Curtin University, 2Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, UWA HERBICIDE RESISTANCE 28. Glyphosate resistance in WA and Australia: Where are we at? Paul Neve1, Art Diggle2, Patrick Smith3, Mechelle Owen1, Abul Hashem2, Christopher Preston4and Stephen Powles1,1Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, University of Western Australia, 2Department of Agriculture, 3CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, 4CRC for Australian Weed Management and Department of Applied and Molecular Ecology, Waite Campus, University of Adelaide 29. We need you weeds: A survey of knockdown resistance in the WA wheatbelt, Paul Neve1, Mechelle Owen1, Abul Hashem2 and Stephen Powles1 1Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, University of Western Australia, 2Department of Agriculture 30. A test for resistance testing, Mechelle Owen, Tracey Gillam, Rick Llewellyn and Steve Powles,Western Australia Herbicide Resistance Initiative, University of Western Australia 31. In field testing for herbicide resistance, a purpose built multi-treatment spray boom with results from 2001, Richard Quinlan, Elders Ltd 32. Advantages and limitations of a purpose built multi-treatment spray boom, Richard Quinlan, Elders Ltd 33. Group F resistant wild radish: What’s new? Aik Cheam, Siew Lee Department of Agriculture, and Mike Clarke Aventis Crop Science 34. Cross resistance of Brodal® resistant wild radish to Sniper®, Aik Cheam and Siew Lee, Department of Agriculture 35. Managing a biotype of wild radish with Group F and Group C resistance, Aik Cheam, Siew Lee, David Nicholson, Peter Newman Department of Agriculture and Mike Clarke, Aventis Crop Science HERBICIDE TOLERANCE 36. Herbicide tolerance of new wheat varieties, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and David Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia 37. Response of barley varieties to herbicides, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper, Department of Agriculture 38. Tolerance of barley to phenoxy herbicides, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper, Department of Agriculture and Chad Sayer, Nufarm Australia Limited 39. Response of Durum wheats to herbicides, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper, Department of Agriculture 40. Response of new field pea varieties to herbicides, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and David Nicholson, Department of Agriculture 41. Herbicide tolerance of Desi chickpeas on marginal soil, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and David Nicholson, Department of Agriculture 42. Herbicide tolerance of newer lupin varieties, Terry Piper, Harmohinder Dhammu and David Nicholson, Department of Agriculture 43. Herbicide tolerance of some annual pasture legumes, Clinton Revell and Ian Rose, Department of Agriculture 44. Herbicide tolerance of pasture legumes, Andrew Blake, Department of Agriculture HERBICIDES – NEW PRODUCTS/PRODUCT USES; USE 45. Knockdown herbicides do not reliably kill small grass weeds, Peter Newman and Glenn Adam, Department of Agriculture 46. ‘Hair Cutting’ wheat with Spray.Seed®: Does it work? Peter Newman and Glenn Adam, Department of Agriculture 47. ‘Haircutting’: Does the number one cut work? Robert Barrett-Lennard1 and Jerome Critch2,1WA Herbicide Resistance Initiative, University of WA, 2Student, University of WA 48. Hammer EC (Carfentrazone-ethyl): A mixing partner for glyphosate to enhance the control of difficult broadleaf weeds, Gordon R. Cumming, Crop Care Australasia 49. Marshmallow control in reduced tillage systems, Sam Taylor, Wesfarmers Landmark 50. Herbicide options for summer germinating marshmallow, Vanessa Stewart, Department of Agriculture 51. Dual Gold® safe in a dry year at Coorow, Peter Newman and Glenn Adam, Department of Agriculture 52. The effect of glyphosate, paraquat and diquat as a crop topping application on the germination of barley, John Moore and Roslyn Jettner, Department of Agriculture 53. Herbicide options for melon control, Vanessa Stewart, Department of Agriculture 54. Herbicide options for the control of Chloris truncate (windmill grass) Vanessa Stewart, Department of Agriculture 55. Allelopathic effects of crop, pasture and weed residues on subsequent crop and pasture establishment, Stuart Bee1, Lionel Martin1, Keith Devenish2 and Terry Piper2, 1Muresk Institute of Agriculture, Curtin University of Technology, Northam, Western Australia, 2Centre for Cropping Systems, Department of Agriculture WEED ISSUES 56. Role of Roundup ReadyÒ canola in the farming system, Art Diggle1, Patrick Smith2, Paul Neve3, Felicity Flugge4, Amir Abadi5 and Stephen Powles3, 1Department of Agriculture; 2CSIRO, Sustainable Ecosystems; 3Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative; 4Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture; 5Touchstone Consulting 57. ’Weeds for Feed’ and livestock enterprise structures: A feasibility study and farmer survey in the north-easern wheatbelt, Duncan Peter and Stuart McAlpine, Department of Agriculture and Liebe Group, Buntine 58. e-weed, Vanessa Stewart, Agriculture Western Australi