The effect of within-crop habitat manipulations on the conservation biological control of aphids in field-grown lettuce

Within-crop habitat manipulations have the potential to increase the biological control of pests in horticultural field crops. Wildflower strips have been shown to increase the abundance of natural enemies, but there is little evidence to date of an impact on pest populations. The aim of this study was to determine whether withincrop wildflower strips can increase the natural regulation of pests in horticultural field crops. Aphid numbers in plots of lettuce grown adjacent to wildflower strips were compared with those in plots grown in the absence of wildflowers. The presence of wildflower strips led to a decrease in aphid numbers on adjacent lettuce plants during June and July, but had less impact in August and September. The decrease in aphid numbers was greatest close to the wildflower strips and, the decrease in aphid numbers declined with increasing distance from the wildflower strips, with little effect at a distance of ten metres. The main natural enemies found in the crop were those that dispersed aerially, which is consistent with data from previous studies on cereal crops. Analysis and interpretation of natural enemy numbers was difficult due to low recovery of natural enemies, and the numbers appeared to follow changes in aphid abundance rather than being directly linked to the presence of wildflower strips. Cutting the wildflower strips, to remove floral resources, had no impact on the reduction in aphid numbers achieved during June and July, but decreased the effect of the wildflower strips during August and September. The results suggest that wildflower strips can lead to increased natural regulation of pest aphids in outdoor lettuce crops, but more research is required to determine how this is mediated by natural enemies and how the impact of wildflower strips on natural pest regulation changes during the growing season

Early CRT monitoring using time-domain optical coherence tomography does not add to visual acuity for predicting visual loss in patients with central retinal vein occlusion treated with intravitreal ranibizumab:A secondary analysis of trial data

Our primary purpose was to assess the clinical (predictive) validity of central retinal thickness (CRT) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 week and 1 month after starting treatment with ranibizumab for central retinal vein occlusion. The authors also assessed detectability of response to treatment

Structural changes in the human stria vascularis induced by aminoglycosides and loop diuretics

The human stria vascularis has been examined both by scanning and transmission electron microscopy in normal controls and from individuals who had received loop diuretics, aminoglycoside antibiotics or some combination of the two prior to their deaths. The tissues were preserved by perilymphatic perfusion of fixative within an hour of death and preservation was adequate. The normal ultrastructure is described and does not differ significantly from that found in experimental animals. The loop diuretics are associated with structural changes that cannot be distinguished from those found in animals treated with large doses of the same drugs. The aminoglycosides caused some changes, but the patients had been in renal failure and this probably contributed to the structural alterations. The combination of a loop diuretic and aminoglycoside was associated with a range of alterations from mild to severe. Overall, the three treatment groups had a series of ultrastructural changes resembling those found in animal models thereby justifying the use of experimental animals to predict human ototoxicity

Pyloric Stenosis Leading to Sinus Venous Thrombosis; A Case Report

Pyloric stenosis is typically diagnosed early and repaired after resuscitation and electrolyte correction in a timely manner. Delay in diagnosis or presentation of patient can lead to significant morbidity and even mortality. Here we present a case of pyloric stenosis leading to dehydration severe enough to lead to venous sinus thrombosis. This case highlights the importance of early detection of pyloric stenosis with timely correction of fluid status and electrolytes. Venous sinus thrombosis is a serious complication associated with our patient’s pyloric stenosis that has not yet been reported in literature

A review of electrical metering accuracy standards in the context of dynamic power quality conditions of the grid

Numerous changes in electrical grid schemes, like the inclusion of renewable energy, the rise of non-linear loads and the emergence of electric vehicle charging, increases variable power quality conditions of the grid. In this dynamic scenario where energy could flow in both directions and the waveforms could be highly distorted, accuracy becomes a crucial factor for the correct measurement of electrical energy and power values. Errors in the assessment of these values have significant ramifications for revenue, billing and/or control. This non-ideal power quality scenario produces an error in electricity meters, that is not yet well known since there is no standardised procedure to calibrate meters under typical or emerging distorted waveform conditions. Current standards relevant for revenue energy meters like EN 50470-3:2006 allows measurements error up to ±2.5% while local regulations could be even more permissive. In order to establish an electricity fair trade market and meet expectations from consumers and utilities, electricity meters should arguably comply with higher accuracy standards. In this paper, the pertinence and possible impact of including tests under distorted waveform conditions, as well as new accuracy requirements on standards applicable to electricity meters for billing purposes will be discussed

Challenges for smart electricity meters due to dynamic power quality conditions of the grid : a review

During the last few years, Smart Electricity Meters have been deployed in several countries all around the world, replacing the trustable Electromechanical meter and even other electronic meters. Since the early deployments, many concerns and complaints from customers which do not trust Smart Meters accuracy have appeared. As a result, researchers of different institutions have been testing electricity meters under distorted waveform conditions and proposing methods to calibrate such meters in a more representative real world operative conditions. Applicable accuracy standards and regulations indicate a maximum distortion factor of 3% of the sinusoidal waveform for voltage and current during the calibration, which is not representative of many modern dynamic power quality scenarios. New tests and recommendations have been issued by regulatory bodies, but they are still not mandatory for meters to be certified. With many changes upcoming in the near future for the electrical Smart Grid like the inclusion of renewables, increasing non-linear loads, electric charging vehicles and other emerging technologies, the power quality conditions of the grid is expected to be significantly affected. In this paper, a review of the current and upcoming challenges for the smart meters is presented

Lions, whales, and the web : transforming moment inertia into conservation action

When Farley Mowat wrote A Whale for the Killing in 1972, the titular fin whale, stranded and intentionally wounded in a Newfoundland pond, was long dead, yet the story of Moby Joe and the spectacle surrounding her death would become a cornerstone of the emerging anti-whaling movement (see below). The media frenzy that descended on the small town of Burgeo as the whale struggled to survive, and the subsequent publication of Mowat's book, are among the first examples of efforts to turn spontaneous outpourings of outrage, curiosity, or empathy into conservation action by actively focusing media attention, a phenomenon that we have dubbed moment inertia. We use “moment” because this phenomenon arises from focus of attention around a single, clarifying event, or moment, and “inertia” because that attention propagates, undirected, through media unless acted upon by outside forces, much like physical inertia. Almost half a century later, the events leading to the publication of A Whale for the Killing stand among the most effective uses of moment inertia in the conservation movement

K2-231 b: A sub-Neptune exoplanet transiting a solar twin in Ruprecht 147

We identify a sub-Neptune exoplanet ($R_p = 2.5 \pm 0.2$ R$_\oplus$) transiting a solar twin in the Ruprecht 147 star cluster (3 Gyr, 300 pc, [Fe/H] = +0.1 dex). The ~81 day light curve for EPIC 219800881 (V = 12.71) from K2 Campaign 7 shows six transits with a period of 13.84 days, a depth of ~0.06%, and a duration of ~4 hours. Based on our analysis of high-resolution MIKE spectra, broadband optical and NIR photometry, the cluster parallax and interstellar reddening, and isochrone models from PARSEC, Dartmouth, and MIST, we estimate the following properties for the host star: $M_\star = 1.01 \pm 0.03$ M$_\odot$, $R_\star= 0.95 \pm 0.03$ R$_\odot$, and $T_{\rm eff} = 5695 \pm 50$ K. This star appears to be single, based on our modeling of the photometry, the low radial velocity variability measured over nearly ten years, and Keck/NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging and aperture-masking interferometry. Applying a probabilistic mass-radius relation, we estimate that the mass of this planet is $M_p = 7 +5 -3$ M$_\oplus$, which would cause a RV semi-amplitude of $K = 2 \pm 1$ m s$^{-1}$ that may be measurable with existing precise RV facilities. After statistically validating this planet with BLENDER, we now designate it K2-231 b, making it the second sub-stellar object to be discovered in Ruprecht 147 and the first planet; it joins the small but growing ranks of 23 other planets found in open clusters.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, light curve included as separate fil