Short-horned grasshopper subfamilies feed at different rates on big bluestem and switchgrass cultivars

Grasshopper species belonging to subfamilies Melanoplinae, Gomphocerinae and Oedipodinae were tested for their feeding rate on three types of grass. All grasshopper species were offered Shawnee and Kanlow cultivars of switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L. and big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii Vitman. The grasshoppers, Melanoplus femurrubrum and Melanoplus differentialis were also tested for their feeding on turgid or wilted leaves of the Shawnee cultivar of switchgrass. We found that M. differentialis consumed more switchgrass compared to big bluestem while M. femurrubrum and Arphia xanthoptera consumed the most Shawnee switchgrass. The M. differentialis consumed more turgid grass compared to wilted switchgrass. The feeding performances show differences among grasshopper species even in the same subfamily and suggest that Melanoplinae grasshoppers may become destructive pests of switchgrass planted for biofuel production.

Short-horned grasshopper subfamilies feed at different rates on big bluestem and switchgrass cultivars

Grasshopper species belonging to subfamilies Melanoplinae, Gomphocerinae and Oedipodinae were tested for their feeding rate on three types of grass. All grasshopper species were offered Shawnee and Kanlow cultivars of switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L. and big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii Vitman. The grasshoppers, Melanoplus femurrubrum and Melanoplus differentialis were also tested for their feeding on turgid or wilted leaves of the Shawnee cultivar of switchgrass. We found that M. differentialis consumed more switchgrass compared to big bluestem while M. femurrubrum and Arphia xanthoptera consumed the most Shawnee switchgrass. The M. differentialis consumed more turgid grass compared to wilted switchgrass. The feeding performances show differences among grasshopper species even in the same subfamily and suggest that Melanoplinae grasshoppers may become destructive pests of switchgrass planted for biofuel production.

Immunomagnetic t-lymphocyte depletion (ITLD) of rat bone marrow using OX-19 monoclonal antibody

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) may be abrogated and host survival prolonged by in vitro depletion of T lymphocytes from bone marrow (BM) prior to allotransplantation. Using a mouse anti-rat pan T-lymphocyte monoclonal antibody (0×19) bound to monosized, magnetic, polymer beads, T lymphocytes were removed in vitro from normal bone marrow. The removal of the T lymphocytes was confirmed by flow cytometry. Injection of the T-lymphocyte-depleted bone marrow into fully allogeneic rats prevents the induction of GVHD and prolongs host survival. A highly efficient technique of T-lymphocyte depletion using rat bone marrow is described. It involves the binding of OX-19, a MoAb directed against all rat thy-mocytes and mature peripheral T lymphocytes, to monosized, magnetic polymer spheres. Magnetic separation of T lymphocytes after mixing the allogeneic bone marrow with the bead/OX-19 complex provides for a simple, rapid depletion of T lymphocytes from the bone marrow. In vitro studies using flow cytometry and the prevention of GVHD in a fully allogeneic rat bone marrow model have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the depletion procedure. © 1989 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Chemical and mechanical performance properties for various final waste forms -- PSPI scoping study

The US DOE is obtaining data on the performance properties of the various final waste forms that may be chosen as primary treatment products for the alpha-contaminated low-level and transuranic waste at the INEL`s Transuranic Storage Area. This report collects and compares selected properties that are key indicators of mechanical and chemical durability for Portland cement concrete, concrete formed under elevated temperature and pressure, sulfur polymer cement, borosilicate glass, and various forms of alumino-silicate glass, including in situ vitrification glass and various compositions of iron-enriched basalt (IEB) and iron-enriched basalt IV (IEB4). Compressive strength and impact resistance properties were used as performance indicators in comparative evaluation of the mechanical durability of each waste form, while various leachability data were used in comparative evaluation of each waste form`s chemical durability. The vitrified waste forms were generally more durable than the non-vitrified waste forms, with the iron-enriched alumino-silicate glasses and glass/ceramics exhibiting the most favorable chemical and mechanical durabilities. It appears that the addition of zirconia and titania to IEB (forming IEB4) increases the leach resistance of the lanthanides. The large compositional ranges for IEB and IEB4 more easily accommodate the compositions of the waste stored at the INEL than does the composition of borosilicate glass. It appears, however, that the large potential variation in IEB and IEB4 compositions resulting from differing waste feed compositions can impact waste form durability. Further work is needed to determine the range of waste stream feed compositions and rates of waste form cooling that will result in acceptable and optimized IEB or IEB4 waste form performance. 43 refs

The Covariant Approach to LRS Perfect Fluid Spacetime Geometries

The dynamics of perfect fluid spacetime geometries which exhibit {\em Local Rotational Symmetry} (LRS) are reformulated in the language of a $1+\,3$ "threading" decomposition of the spacetime manifold, where covariant fluid and curvature variables are used. This approach presents a neat alternative to the orthonormal frame formalism. The dynamical equations reduce to a set of differential relations between purely scalar quantities. The consistency conditions are worked out in a transparent way. We discuss their various subcases in detail and focus in particular on models with higher symmetries within the class of expanding spatially inhomogeneous LRS models, via a consideration of functional dependencies between the dynamical variables.Comment: 25 pages, uuencoded/compressed postscript fil

Invariant construction of solutions to Einstein's field equations - LRS perfect fluids II

The properties of LRS class II perfect fluid space-times are analyzed using the description of geometries in terms of the Riemann tensor and a finite number of its covariant derivatives. In this manner it is straightforward to obtain the plane and hyperbolic analogues to the spherical symmetric case. For spherically symmetric static models the set of equations is reduced to the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation only. Some new non-stationary and inhomogeneous solutions with shear, expansion, and acceleration of the fluid are presented. Among these are a class of temporally self-similar solutions with equation of state given by $p=(\gamma-1)\mu, 1<\gamma<2$, and a class of solutions characterized by $\sigma=-\Theta/6$. We give an example of geometry where the Riemann tensor and the Ricci rotation coefficients are not sufficient to give a complete description of the geometry. Using an extension of the method, we find the full metric in terms of curvature quantities.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figur

Biodiversity, traditional medicine and public health: where do they meet?

Given the increased use of traditional medicines, possibilities that would ensure its successful integration into a public health framework should be explored. This paper discusses some of the links between biodiversity and traditional medicine, and addresses their implications to public health. We explore the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to global and human health, the risks which human impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity present to human health and welfare