Establishment of the Alfalfa Weevil Parasite \u3ci\u3eMicroctonus Aethiopoides (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)\u3c/i\u3e in Michigan

Microctonus aethiopoides, a braconid parasite of adult alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica, is now established in southeastern Minnesota. Releases were made near Caledonia in Houston County, in 1978 and 1979, and near Rosemount in Dakota County, in 1979 and 1980. M. aethiopoides was recovered in Houston County in 1979, a new state record, and since has expanded its range more than 40 km from the release site. Establishment in Dakota County was unexpected because of low host densities, but parasites were recovered there in 1983. Other workers have recovered M. aethiopoides in Olmstead County

HAYMARKET: A computerized alfalfa marketing system

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Records of five bryozoan species from offshore gas platforms rare for the Dutch North Sea

This study reports on bryozoan species collected at three offshore gas platforms in the Dutch part of the North Sea. Four out of thirteen observed species are considered as rare in the Netherlands, whereas Cribrilina punctata is anew species for Dutch waters

HAYMARKET: A first year summary

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Scoping review of clinical practice guidelines on the management of benign liver tumours

OBJECTIVE: Benign liver tumours (BLT) are increasingly diagnosed as incidentalomas. Clinical implications and management vary across and within the different types of BLT. High-quality clinical practice guidelines are needed, because of the many nuances in tumour types, diagnostic modalities, and conservative and invasive management strategies. Yet, available observational evidence is subject to interpretation which may lead to practice variation. Therefore, we aimed to systematically search for available clinical practice guidelines on BLT, to critically appraise them, and to compare management recommendations. DESIGN: A scoping review was performed within MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science. All BLT guidelines published in peer-reviewed, and English language journals were eligible for inclusion. Clinical practice guidelines on BLT were analysed, compared, and critically appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) checklist regarding hepatic haemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), and hepatocellular adenoma (HCA). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations (PRISMA) for scoping reviews were adhered to. RESULTS: The literature search yielded unique 367 papers, 348 were excluded after screening of title/abstract, and 16 after full-text screening. Three guidelines were included: the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG; 2014), Brazilian Society of Hepatology (SBH; 2015), and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL; 2016). There was no uniformity in the assessment methods for grading and gravity of recommendations between guidelines. Among observed differences were: (1) indications for biopsy in all three tumours; (2) advices on contraceptive pills and follow-up in FNH and HCA; (3) use of an individualised approach to HCA; (4) absence of recommendations for treatment of HCA in men; and (5) approaches to HCA subtype identification on magnetic resonance imaging. CONCLUSION: Recognising differences in recommendations can assist in harmonisation of practice standards and identify unmet needs in research. This may ultimately contribute to improved global patient care

The Effect of Serial Passaging of Lactobacilli in Liquid Medium on their Physico-Chemical and Structural Surface Characteristics

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of serial passaging in liquid medium on physico-chemical and structural surface characteristics of two lactobacillus strains. To this end, starting cultures (p = 1) of urogenital isolate L. acidophilus RC 14 and poultry isolate L. fermentum B54 were serially passaged in liquid medium up to 20 times (p = 20). In both strains, similar physico-chemical and structural changes were observed following serial passaging. According to water contact angle measurements , cells in p = 20 cultures became less hydrophobic. Microelectrophoresis showed that isoelectric points shifted towards the acidic region upon serial passaging. Jn addition, the strains had become heterogeneous with respect to the pH dependence of their zeta potentials. According to FTIR and XPS, the surfaces of p = 20 cultures of both strains showed decreasing amounts of proteinaceous material and increasing amounts of polysaccharide-like substances as compared to p = 1 cultures. Heterogeneity of p = 20 strains was also reflected in structural features of the cell surface at the electron microscopic level. In p = 1 cultures of both strains, all cells had a stained layer: in contrast , in p = 20 cultures about half of the cells became devoid of this layer. The study clearly showed that surface characteristics of lactobacilli may change following serial passaging in liquid medium. Knowledge of these changes is of importance because these microorganisms are considered for use in biomedical applications like the restoration of a healthy vaginal microflora by cell seeding

Behavior and complications of hepatocellular adenoma during pregnancy and puerperium:a retrospective study and systematic review

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular adenomas (HCA) are benign liver tumors at risk of hemorrhage. The influence of pregnancy on HCA growth and potential bleeding remains unclear. This study investigates HCA-associated behavior and bleeding complications during or shortly after pregnancy. METHODS: (I) Single center retrospective cohort study of HCA during and after pregnancy (II) Systematic literature review. RESULTS: The retrospective study included 11 patients, of which 4 with HCA ≥5 cm. In only two patients HCA showed growth during pregnancy. In this local cohort, no HCA-related hemorrhages occurred during median follow-up of 34 months (interquartile range 19-58 months). The systematic review yielded 33 studies, totaling 90 patients with 99 pregnancies. Of 73 pregnancies without prior HCA-related intervention, 39 HCA remained stable (53.4%), 11 regressed (15.1%), and 23 (31.5%) progressed. Fifteen HCA-related hemorrhages occurred in HCA measuring 6.5-17.0 cm. Eight patients experienced bleeding during pregnancy, two during labor and five postpartum. CONCLUSION: Although hemorrhage of HCA during or shortly after pregnancy is rare and only reported in HCA ≥6.5 cm, it can be fatal. Pregnancy in women with HCA, regardless of size, warrant a close surveillance strategy. Observational studies on behavior and management of HCA ≥5 cm during and immediately after pregnancy are needed

Residues of selected insecticides recommended for greenbug control under Oklahoma climatic conditions in 1994

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Measuring burden of disease in both asthma and COPD by merging the ACQ and CCQ:less is more?

Symptoms of asthma and COPD often overlap, and both diseases can co-exist in one patient. The asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) and clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) were developed to assess disease burden in respectively asthma or COPD. This study explores the possibility of creating a new questionnaire to assess disease burden in all obstructive lung diseases by integrating and reducing questions of the ACQ and CCQ. Data of patients with asthma, COPD and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) were collected from a primary and secondary care center. Patients completed ACQ and CCQ on the same day. Linear regression tested correlations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for item reduction. The secondary cohort with asthma and COPD patients was used for initial question selection (development cohort). These results were reproduced in the primary care cohort and secondary cohort of patients with ACO. The development cohort comprised 252 patients with asthma and 96 with COPD. Correlation between ACQ and CCQ in asthma was R = 0.82, and in COPD R = 0.83. PCA determined a selection of 9 questions. Reproduction in primary care data (asthma n = 1110, COPD n = 1041, ACO = 355) and secondary care data of ACO patients (n = 53) resulted in similar correlations and PCA-derived selection of questions. In conclusion, PCA determined a selection of nine questions of the ACQ and CCQ: working title ‘the Obstructive Lung Disease Questionnaire’. These results suggest that this pragmatic set of questions might be sufficient to assess disease burden in obstructive lung disease in both primary as secondary care.</p

Natuurwaarden Borkumse Stenen: project aanvullende beschermde gebieden

In dit rapport wordt de bodemfauna in het gebied ‘Borkumse Stenen’ beschreven. Het gebied ‘Borkumse Stenen’ ligt ten noorden van Schiermonnikoog en grenst aan de zuidzijde aan het Nederlandse Natura 2000-gebied Noordzeekustzone en aan de oostzijde aan het Duitse Natura 2000-gebied ‘Borkum Riffgrund’, dat o.a. vanwege de aanwezigheid van habitattype H1170 (‘riffen’) is aangewezen