Laboratory Bioassays to Estimate the Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Various Insecticides and Fungicides on Deraeocoris brevis (Hemiptera: Miridae)

This laboratory bioassay focused on lethal and sublethal effects of five insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, novaluron, and lambda-cyhalothrin) and two fungicide treatments (sulfur and a mixture of copper hydroxide and mancozeb) on the predatory mired bug, Deraeocoris brevis (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Miridae) using second instars and adult males and females. Formulated pesticides were tested using concentrations that were equivalent to the high label rate (1x) (high rate) and 1/10th of that amount (0.1x) (low rate) dissolved in 378.5 liters of water. Lambda-cyhalothrin was highly toxic to D. brevis nymphs and adults at both rates, whereas both rates of novaluron were highly toxic to nymphs. Cyantraniliprole, chlorantraniliprole, and novaluron were less toxic to adults, and chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram were less toxic to nymphs. Both rates of spinetoram caused significant mortality to adults. Fecundity of adult females was affected negatively by the high rates of either novaluron or spinetoram, whereas the fertility was affected only by the high rate of novaluron. The high rate of spinetoram reduced survival of nymphs. Adults treated with spinetoram had reduced longevity. Cyantraniliprole caused some mortality to nymphs and affected their survival. Both rates of sulfur were toxic to nymphs and affected emergence to adults. The mixture of copper hydroxide and mancozeb was less toxic to D. brevis. Neither adult longevity nor sex ratio was affected by the fungicides. The r values for D. brevis treated with lambda-cyhalothrin, novaluron, spinetoram, and sulfur were low, indicating that these products may have negative impact on population growth

Comparing Effects of Insecticides on Two Green Lacewings Species, Chrysoperla johnsoni and Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

This study compared lethal and sublethal effects of five insecticides, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, novaluron, and lambda-cyhalothrin, on adult and second instars of two green lacewing species, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) and Chrysoperla johnsoni Henry, Wells and Pupedis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in the laboratory. Formulated pesticides were tested using concentrations equivalent to the high label rate dissolved in 378.5 liters of water. Novaluron and lambda-cyhalothrin were toxic to larvae and no treated larvae survived to the adult stage. Larva to adult survival was reduced in chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and spinetoram treatments. Larva to adult developmental time and sex ratio were not different among the treatments within a species. Chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, and lambda-cyhalothrin treatments were highly toxic to adults of both species. C. johnsoni females had lower fecundity than C. carnea females in the control. Fecundity of females was similar in the control and novaluron treatment within each species. However, fertility and egg viability were negatively impacted for both species when females were treated with novaluron. C. carnea females had higher fertility and egg viability than C. johnsoni females in the control. Adults of both species had similar longevity in the control and novaluron treatment and adult longevity was not gender specific. All insecticides tested were toxic to C. johnsoni and C. carnea either at the immature or adult stage or both. Results of this study demonstrate a similarity between C. johnsoni and C. carnea for pesticide toxicity irrespective of their varied geographical distributions

Implications of the Optical Observations of Neutron Stars

We show that observations of pulsars with pulsed optical emission indicate that the peak flux scales according to the magnetic field strength at the light cylinder. The derived relationships indicate that the emission mechanism is common across all of the observed pulsars with periods ranging from 33ms to 385 ms and ages of 1000-300,000 years. It is noted that similar trends exist for $\gamma$ ray pulsars. Furthermore the model proposed by Pacini (1971) and developed by Pacini and Salvati (1983,1987) still has validity and gives an adequate explanation of the optical phenomena.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Beyond deficiency:Potential benefits of increased intakesof vitamin K for bone and vascular health

Vitamin K is wellknown for its role in the synthesisof a number of blood coagulationfactors.During recent years vitaminK-dependent proteins werediscovered to be of vital importancefor bone and vascular health.Recommendations for dietary vitaminK intake have been made onthe basis of the hepatic requirementsfor the synthesis of bloodcoagulation factors.Accumulatingevidence suggests that the requirementsfor other functions thanblood coagulation may be higher.This paper is the result of a closedworkshop (Paris,November 2002)in which a number of Europeanvitamin K experts reviewed theavailable data and formulated theirstandpoint with respect to recommendeddietary vitamin K intakeand the use of vitamin K-containingsupplements

A Dialectical Basis for Software Development Tool Building

We identify typical problems in the interactions of people with current software-based systems. In particular we observe the need to expend significant on-going effort to adapt these systems to reflect changes in the world about them, the need for people to adapt their working practices to fit in with these systems, and the inflexibility of these systems when faced with unusual circumstances or the need for change. We believe that these problems follow, at least in part, from these systems being developed and evolved using mechanisms each based on one Inquiry System only. This basis leads to assumptions being embedded in the mechanisms’ analysis outputs, and in system designs and implementations. We suggest that the problems noted may be mitigated by the use of a dialectical approach to Inquiry System selection for software development, based on the work of Hegel, which places in opposition different models of a situation based on different Inquiry Systems. We claim that such a mechanism has the potential to make explicit some of the assumptions which would otherwise be embedded implicitly in the delivered system without being questioned. We outline a research programme intended to test this hypothesis, and suggest other research directions

Unpulsed UBV Optical Emission from the Crab Pulsar

Based on observations of the Crab pulsar using the TRIFFID high speed imaging photometer in the UBV bands using the Special Astrophysical Observatory's 6m telescope in the Russian Caucasus, we report the detection of pronounced emission during the so-called `off' phase of emission. Following de-extinction, this unpulsed component of emission is shown to be consistent with a power law with an exponent of alpha = -0.60 +/- 0.37, the uncertainty being dominated by the error associated with the independent CCD photometry used to reference the TRIFFID data. This suggests a steeper power law form than that reported elsewhere in the literature for the total integrated spectrum, which is essentially flat with alpha ~ 0.1, although the difference in this case is only significant at the ~ 2 sigma level. Deeper reference integrated and TRIFFID phase-resolved photometry in these bands in conjunction with further observations in the UV and R region would constrain this fit further.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures, uses aasms4.sty, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Corn preparation with alfalfa and silage for fattening lambs

Corn is a superior basal grain for fattening lambs in the Corn Belt. What is the best method of preparing corn in order to obtain economical results? Corn grain may be fed in several ways— as ear corn, broken ear corn, shelled corn, corn and cob meal or ground corn. While some of the more highly prepared forms of corn may produce more efficient results from the standpoint of gains made and feed required per unit of gain than others, yet the extra cost of preparation might increase the cost of production to such an extent that the preparation would prove unprofitable. With the above considerations in mind, the experiments herein reported were conducted by the Animal Husbandry Section of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, in order to gain further knowledge as to the most practical method of feeding corn to fattening lambs. Some data on the value of corn silage as the sole roughage or as part of the roughage have also been secured and are included in the study

The inheritance of color and horns in Blue-gray cattle II

This bulletin is a sequel to Research Bulletin No. 30 published in 1916. It contains information and a discussion concerning the progeny from the original stock subsequent to that date. The work of the previous investigators, their results and the conclusions drawn therefrom, are retabulated without details. Additional data are added showing that the recessive whites obtained from the F2 breed true. The nature of the roan in the Shorthorn is considered. While it is recognized that Wright\u27s criticism of the hypothesis used (Wentworth\u27s) rendered it improbable, yet the fact that two whites when mated to self-colored bulls threw self-colored calves, seems to disprove the hypothesis that roan is the simple heterozygote between self-pigmented and white. Accordingly no conclusions are drawn with respect to roaning. The relation of these whites with dark points to the similarly marked Wild White Park Cattle of Great Britain is discussed, and the conclusion is drawn that they are of a different genetic composition, the former being recessive and the latter dominant to most colors. It seems probable that the only coat color difference between these whites with dark points and the white Shorthorn lies in the degree of pigmentation in the points. The presence of pigment in the ears shows dominance over the almost complete lack of it. A white with red points was obtained, as demanded by Lloyd Jones\u27 and Evvard\u27s theory. Matings of the white with dark points to the almost white Ayrshire reveal that there is no genetic similarity between the two types of white. Data were obtained from these matings, but not in a quantity sufficient to advance or prove any hypothesis. Detailed tables and descriptions of the new individuals are presented

Optical Pulse-Phased Photopolarimetry of PSR B0656+14

We have observed the optical pulse profile of PSR B0656+14 in 10 phase bins at a high signal-to-noise ratio, and have measured the linear polarization profile over 30% of the pulsar period with some significance. The pulse profile is double-peaked, with a bridge of emission between the two peaks, similar to gamma-ray profiles observed in other pulsars. There is no detectable unpulsed flux, to a 1-sigma limit of 16% of the pulse-averaged flux. The emission in the bridge is highly (~ 100%) polarized, with a position angle sweep in excellent agreement with the prediction of the Rotating Vector Model as determined from radio polarization observations. We are able to account for the gross features of the optical light curve (i.e., the phase separation of the peaks) using both polar cap and outer gap models. Using the polar cap model, we are also able to estimate the height of the optical emission regions.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures, accepted by ApJ (scheduled v597 n2, November 10, 2003

Large-plot field studies to assess impacts of newer insecticides on non-target arthropods in Western U.S. orchards

The non-target impacts of two reduced risk insecticides, chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram, were evaluated for two years in Oregon pear and California walnut orchards. Experiments were conducted in large replicated plots (approximately 0.25–0.4ha) to assess the impact of these two insecticides on natural enemies of secondary pests when applied against codling moth, Cydia pomonella. Cumulative insect days (CID) of secondary pests and natural enemies were calculated from leaf samples, plant volatile traps, beat trays or cardboard trunk bands. Ratios of natural enemies and prey were also calculated. Results from these field studies demonstrate that applications of chlorantraniliprole can reduce abundance of predatory Neuroptera and that spinetoram negatively impacts parasitic Hymenoptera. However, these trends did not always occur each year. As a percentage among all trials within a crop, there were more treatment differences for natural enemy/prey ratios (50 and 33% for pears and walnut plots, respectively) than for natural enemy CIDs (25 and 13% for pears and walnut plots, respectively). It is likely that unseasonably cool weather during the two years of this study impacted both pest and natural enemy abundance. The intrinsic value of large-plot field studies is discussed