Morphology of alimentary and reproductive tracts of the rodent bot fly, Cuterebra tenebrosa (Diptera: Cuterebridae)

The internal reproductive and alimentary structures of <i>Cuterebra tenebrosa</i> Coquillett were studied and compared to other calypterate flies. Well defined mouth parts are present. Paired lingual salivary glands extend horizontally almost to the abdomen: however, labial salivary glands were not found. The alimentary canal is complete in female flies, whereas males lack a crop. Females have three spherical spermathecae opening in to the upper portion of the genital chamber. Male reproductive structures are similar to those in other flies. Tracheal air sacs fill one-third to one-half of the abdomen

Tobacco and cannabis use trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood

The main objective of this longitudinal research is to answer the following question: What is the relationship between tobacco and cannabis use trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood? And more specifically we are interested in: A. If the use of one of the substances (tobacco or cannabis) decreases overtime, does the use of the other one increase to compensate? Are other substances (such as alcohol, for example) also used to compensate in these cases? B. Does the probability to become a tobacco smoker increase when cannabis use is heavier or has lasted longer? C. What are the risk and protective factors that can predict that the use of tobacco and/or cannabis will increase or decrease overtime

LCLS LLRF UPGRADES TO THE SLAC LINAC*

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC will be the brightest X-ray laser in the world when it comes on line. In order to achieve the brightness a 200fS length electron bunch is passed through an undulator. To create the 200fS, 3kA bunch, a 10pS electron bunch, created from a photo cathode in an RF gun, is run off crest on the RF to set up a position to energy correlation. The bunch is then compressed by chicanes. The stability of the RF system is critical in setting up the position to energy correlation. Specifications derived from simulations require the RF system to be stable to below 200fS in several critical injector stations and the last kilometer of linac. The SLAC linac RF system is being upgraded to meet these requirements. used to accelerate the beam to 4.3GeV before entering BC2. Linac 3, klystron stations 25-1 to 30-8, accelerates the beam to 13.6GeV

Use of a corrugated beam pipe as a passive deflector for bunch length measurements

We report the experimental demonstration of bunch length measurements using a corrugated metallic beam pipe as a passive deflector. The corrugated beam pipe has been adopted for reducing longitudinal chirping after the bunch compressors in several XFEL facilities worldwide. In the meantime, there have been attempts to measure the electron bunch's longitudinal current profile using the dipole wakefields generated in the corrugated pipe. Nevertheless, the bunch shape reconstructed from the nonlinearly deflected beam suffers from significant distortion, particularly near the head of the bunch. In this paper, we introduce an iterative process to improve the resolution of the bunch shape reconstruction. The ASTRA and ELEGANT simulations have been performed for pencil beam and cigar beam cases, in order to verify the effectiveness of the reconstruction process. To overcome the undesirable effects of transverse beam spreads, a measurement scheme involving both the corrugated beam pipe and the spectrometer magnet has been employed, both of which do not require a dedicated (and likely very expensive) rf system. A proof-of-principle experiment was carried out at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) Injector Test Facility (ITF), and its results are discussed together with a comparison with the rf deflector measurement

Foraging niche separation of social wasps in an invaded area: Implications for their management

Foraging niche separation may be a mechanism to promote coexistence of two competing species by concentrating intraspecific competition relative to interspecific competition. The present study investigated foraging behaviour and microhabitat use of two coexisting species of invasive social wasps, Vespula germanica and Vespula vulgaris, when foraging for two different food resources. Also, we tested the attractiveness of traps baited with a synthetic lure for those two species. We found that V. germanica wasps prefer to forage at ground level regardless of the resource, while V. vulgaris prefers protein resources at the shrubland level given a choice between a protein bait at ground or at shrubland level. However, when baited with the synthetic lure, the species caught was not affected by the height at which traps were placed. That is, in a no choice scenario, the traps were sufficiently attractive to lure both species of wasps to both microhabitats (ground and shrubland levels). Thus, our results support the existence of spatial niche differentiation at least in protein foraging and suggest that the synthetic lure evaluated could be used to trap both species of Vespula wasps present in Argentina. These results could help to improve management strategies of these social wasps in an invaded area.Estación Experimental Agropecuaria BarilocheFil: Masciocchi, Maite. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituo de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos; ArgentinaFil: Unelius, Carl Rikard. Linnaeus University. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences; SueciaFil: Buteler, Micaela. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente; Argentin

Implementing GitHub Actions Continuous Integration to Reduce Error Rates in Ecological Data Collection

Accurate field data are essential to understanding ecological systems and forecasting their responses to global change. Yet, data collection errors are common, and data analysis often lags far enough behind its collection that many errors can no longer be corrected, nor can anomalous observations be revisited. Needed is a system in which data quality assurance and control (QA/QC), along with the production of basic data summaries, can be automated immediately following data collection. Here, we implement and test a system to satisfy these needs. For two annual tree mortality censuses and a dendrometer band survey at two forest research sites, we used GitHub Actions continuous integration (CI) to automate data QA/QC and run routine data wrangling scripts to produce cleaned datasets ready for analysis. This system automation had numerous benefits, including (1) the production of near real-time information on data collection status and errors requiring correction, resulting in final datasets free of detectable errors, (2) an apparent learning effect among field technicians, wherein original error rates in field data collection declined significantly following implementation of the system, and (3) an assurance of computational reproducibility—that is, robustness of the system to changes in code, data and software. By implementing CI, researchers can ensure that datasets are free of any errors for which a test can be coded. The result is dramatically improved data quality, increased skill among field technicians, and reduced need for expert oversight. Furthermore, we view CI implementation as a first step towards a data collection and analysis pipeline that is also more responsive to rapidly changing ecological dynamics, making it better suited to study ecological systems in the current era of rapid environmental change

Lawson Criterion for Ignition Exceeded in an Inertial Fusion Experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin burn propagation into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While scientific breakeven (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion

An image dataset of cleared, x-rayed, and fossil leaves vetted to plant family for human and machine learning

Leaves are the most abundant and visible plant organ, both in the modern world and the fossil record. Identifying foliage to the correct plant family based on leaf architecture is a fundamental botanical skill that is also critical for isolated fossil leaves, which often, especially in the Cenozoic, represent extinct genera and species from extant families. Resources focused on leaf identification are remarkably scarce; however, the situation has improved due to the recent proliferation of digitized herbarium material, live-plant identification applications, and online collections of cleared and fossil leaf images. Nevertheless, the need remains for a specialized image dataset for comparative leaf architecture. We address this gap by assembling an open-access database of 30,252 images of vouchered leaf specimens vetted to family level, primarily of angiosperms, including 26,176 images of cleared and x-rayed leaves representing 354 families and 4,076 of fossil leaves from 48 families. The images maintain original resolution, have user-friendly filenames, and are vetted using APG and modern paleobotanical standards. The cleared and x-rayed leaves include the Jack A. Wolfe and Leo J. Hickey contributions to the National Cleared Leaf Collection and a collection of high-resolution scanned x-ray negatives, housed in the Division of Paleobotany, Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.; and the Daniel I. Axelrod Cleared Leaf Collection, housed at the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley. The fossil images include a sampling of Late Cretaceous to Eocene paleobotanical sites from the Western Hemisphere held at numerous institutions, especially from Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (late Eocene, Colorado), as well as several other localities from the Late Cretaceous to Eocene of the Western USA and the early Paleogene of Colombia and southern Argentina. The dataset facilitates new research and education opportunities in paleobotany, comparative leaf architecture, systematics, and machine learning.Fil: Wilf, Peter. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Wing, Scott L.. National Museum of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Meyer, Herbert W.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Rose, Jacob A.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Saha, Rohit. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Serre, Thomas. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Cúneo, Néstor Rubén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; ArgentinaFil: Donovan, Michael P.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Erwin, Diane M.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Gandolfo, María A.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: González Akre, Erika. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Herrera, Fabiany. National Museum of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Hu, Shusheng. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Iglesias, Ari. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Johnson, Kirk R.. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; PanamáFil: Karim, Talia S.. University of Colorado; Estados UnidosFil: Zou, Xiaoyu. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados Unido

Epstein–Barr virus antibody level and gastric cancer risk in Korea: a nested case–control study

BACKGROUND: Few cohort studies have investigated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection before the occurrence of gastric cancer. METHODS: Among 14 440 cohort participants, 100 incident gastric cancer cases were individually matched to two controls. Epstein-Barr virus antibodies IgG and IgA against viral capsid antigen (VCA), EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) antibody IgG, and early antigen (EA) antibody IgG were measured using enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). RESULTS: The highest titres of VCA IgG (odds ratio (OR): 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-3.06) or EBNA IgG (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.51-1.46) were not associated with gastric cancer risk. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of VCA IgG or EBNA IgG were not associated with increased risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in Koreans.Akiba S, 2008, CANCER SCI, V99, P195, DOI 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2007.00674.xKoshiol J, 2007, BRIT J CANCER, V97, P1567, DOI 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604063Tedeschi R, 2007, AM J EPIDEMIOL, V165, P134, DOI 10.1093/aje/kwj332Gwack J, 2006, BRIT J CANCER, V95, P639, DOI 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603309Ouburg S, 2005, EUR J GASTROEN HEPAT, V17, P1213Chan D, 2005, J RES PRACT INF TECH, V37, P267HERRERAGOEPFERT R, 2005, WORLD J GASTROENTERO, V11, P6096CORREA P, 2004, GASTRIC CANCER, V7, P9Macsween KF, 2003, LANCET INFECT DIS, V3, P131Gartner BC, 2003, CLIN DIAGN LAB IMMUN, V10, P78, DOI 10.1128/CDLI.10.1.78-82.2003Burgess DE, 2002, BRIT J CANCER, V86, P702, DOI 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600107YOO KY, 2002, ASIAN PAC J CANCER P, V3, P85Chien YC, 2001, NEW ENGL J MED, V345, P1877Bruu AL, 2000, CLIN DIAGN LAB IMMUN, V7, P451Shinkura R, 2000, J MED VIROL, V60, P411Akre O, 1999, INT J CANCER, V82, P1Tokunaga M, 1998, CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR, V7, P449*IARC, 1997, EPSTEINBARR VIR KAP, V8LEVINE PH, 1995, INT J CANCER, V60, P642LEHTINEN T, 1993, CANCER CAUSE CONTROL, V4, P187GESER A, 1982, INT J CANCER, V29, P397