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Sample records for cocoons

  1. Laparoscopic management of abdominal cocoon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makam Ramesh

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available "Peritonitis fibrosa incapsulata", first described in 1907, is a condition characterized by encasement of the bowel with a thick fibrous membrane. This condition was renamed as "abdominal cocoon" in 1978. It presents as small bowel obstruction clinically. 35 cases of abdominal cocoon have been reported in the literature over the last three decades. Abdominal cocoon is more common in adolescent girls from tropical countries. Various etiologies have been described, including tubercular. It is treated surgically by releasing the entrapped bowel. We report a laparoscopic experience of tubercular abdominal cocoon and review the literature.

  2. Evaluation of productive performance of 51 different peanut cocoon ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    2010-06-21

    Jun 21, 2010 ... Rice straw was used as cocoon mountage for cocoon spinning in each replication separately. After cocoon spinning development. (seven days after starting of cocoon spinning), produced cocoons are harvested and sorted based on form, thickness and clarity to four classes including, good, middle, double ...

  3. Water balance of field-excavated aestivating Australian desert frogs, the cocoon-forming Neobatrachus aquilonius and the non-cocooning Notaden nichollsi (Amphibia: Myobatrachidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartledge, Victoria A; Withers, Philip C; McMaster, Kellie A; Thompson, Graham G; Bradshaw, S Don

    2006-09-01

    Burrowed aestivating frogs of the cocoon-forming species Neobatrachus aquilonius and the non-cocooning species Notaden nichollsi were excavated in the Gibson Desert of central Australia. Their hydration state (osmotic pressure of the plasma and urine) was compared to the moisture content and water potential of the surrounding soil. The non-cocooning N. nichollsi was consistently found in sand dunes. While this sand had favourable water potential properties for buried frogs, the considerable spatial and temporal variation in sand moisture meant that frogs were not always in positive water balance with respect to the surrounding soil. The cocoon-forming N. aquilonius was excavated from two distinct habitat types, a claypan in which frogs had a well-formed cocoon and a dune swale where frogs did not have a cocoon. Cocoons of excavated frogs ranged in thickness from 19.4 microm to 55.61 microm and consisted of 81-229 layers. Cocooned claypan N. aquilonius were nearing exhaustion of their bladder water reserves and had a urine osmolality approaching that of the plasma. By contrast, non-cocooned N. aquilonius from the dune swale were fully hydrated, although soil moisture levels were not as high as calculated to be necessary to maintain water balance. Both species had similar plasma arginine vasotocin (AVT) concentrations ranging from 9.4 to 164 pg ml(-1), except for one cocooned N. aquilonius with a higher concentration of 394 pg ml(-1). For both species, AVT showed no relationship with plasma osmolality over the lower range of plasma osmolalities but was appreciably increased at the highest osmolality recorded. This study provides the first evidence that cocoon formation following burrowing is not obligatory in species that are capable of doing so, but that cocoon formation occurs when soil water conditions are more desiccating than for non-cocooned frogs.

  4. Bamboo construction generated by cocoon contours

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høgfeldt Hansen, Leif; Kim, Sara

    2016-01-01

    Reflective description of the ecological aspects of the bamboo building 'Cocoon I' in South India.......Reflective description of the ecological aspects of the bamboo building 'Cocoon I' in South India....

  5. Cocoon production, morphology, hatching pattern and fecundity in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    increase in cocoon production by most earthworm species of Tripura in the summer and .... factor. 2.3 Incubation of cocoons. After isolation, freshly laid cocoons were kept on moist ...... ecosystem; VII National symposium on soil biology and.

  6. Silk cocoon drying in forced convection type solar dryer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Panna Lal

    2011-01-01

    The thin layer silk cocoon drying was studied in a forced convection type solar dryer. The drying chamber was provided with several trays on which the cocoons loaded in thin layer. The hot air generated in the solar air heater was forced into drying chamber to avoid the direct exposure of sunlight and UV radiation on cocoons. The drying air temperature varied from 50 to 75 o C. The cocoon was dried from the initial moisture content of about 60-12% (wb). The drying data was fitted to thin layer drying models. Drying behaviour of the silk cocoon was best fitted with the Wang and Singh drying model. Good agreement was obtained between predicted and experimental values. Quality of the cocoons dried in the solar dryer was at par with the cocoons dried in the conventional electrical oven dryer in term of the silk yield and strength of the silk. Saving of electrical energy was about 0.75 kWh/kg cocoons dried. Economic analysis indicated that the NPV of the solar dryer was higher and more stable (against escalation rate of electricity) as compare to the same for electrical oven dryer. Due to simplicity in design and construction and significant saving of operational electrical energy, solar cocoon dryer seems to be a viable option.

  7. Studies on Tasar Cocoon Cooking Using Permeation Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javali, Uday C.; Malali, Kiran B.; Ramya, H. G.; Naik, Subhas V.; Padaki, Naveen V.

    2018-02-01

    Cocoon cooking is an important process before reeling of tasar silk yarn. Cooking ensures loosening of the filaments in the tasar cocoons thereby easing the process of yarn withdrawal during reeling process. Tasar cocoons have very hard shell and hence these cocoons need chemical cooking process to loosen the silk filaments. Attempt has been made in this article to study the effect of using vacuum permeation chamber for tasar cocoon cooking in order to reduce the cooking time and improve the quality of tasar silk yarn. Vacuum assisted permeation cooking method has been studied in this article on tasar daba cocoons for cooking efficiency, deflossing and reelability. Its efficiency has been evaluated with respect to different cooking methods viz, traditional and open pan cooking methods. The tasar silk produced after reeling process has been tested for fineness, strength and cohesion properties. Results indicate that permeation method of tasar cooking ensures uniform cooking with higher efficiency along with better reeling performance and improved yarn properties.

  8. Infestation of natural populations of earthworm cocoons by rhabditid and cephalobid nematodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kraglund, HO; Ekelund, Flemming

    2002-01-01

    Nematodes infested 13 of 100 earthworm cocoons from a compost pile and 17 of 197 cocoons from a permanent pasture soil. Between one and 2000 nematodes were found within the infested cocoons. All nematodes found in cocoons from the compost pile belonged to the genus Rhabditis, while Rhabditis spp....... as well as members of Cephalobidae infested earthworm cocoons in the pasture soil. In cultures established from cocoons found in the pasture soil, at least five different types of nematodes belonging to the family Cephalobidae were found. Acrobeloides nanus was found in six cocoons, Cephalobus persegnis...... was found in four and Chiloplacus minimus was found in one cocoon. We suggest that earthworm - nematode interactions may be an important pathway for the transfer of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, and that the inclusion of these pathways may lead to a better understanding of soil food web functioning....

  9. Strain Rate and Anisotropic Microstructure Dependent Mechanical Behaviors of Silkworm Cocoon Shells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Xu

    Full Text Available Silkworm cocoons are multi-layered composite structures comprised of high strength silk fiber and sericin, and their mechanical properties have been naturally selected to protect pupas during metamorphosis from various types of external attacks. The present study attempts to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical properties of cocoon shell materials from wild silkworm species Antheraea pernyi under dynamic loading rates. Five dynamic strain rates from 0.00625 s-1 to 12.5 s-1 are tested to show the strain rate sensitivity of the cocoon shell material. In the meantime, the anisotropy of the cocoon shell is considered and the cocoon shell specimens are cut along 0°, 45° and 90° orientation to the short axis of cocoons. Typical mechanical properties including Young's modulus, yield strength, ultimate strength and ultimate strain are extracted and analyzed from the stress-strain curves. Furthermore, the fracture morphologies of the cocoon shell specimens are observed under scanning electron microscopy to help understand the relationship between the mechanical properties and the microstructures of the cocoon material. A discussion on the dynamic strain rate effect on the mechanical properties of cocoon shell material is followed by fitting our experimental results to two previous models, and the effect could be well explained. We also compare natural and dried cocoon materials for the dynamic strain rate effect and interestingly the dried cocoon shells show better overall mechanical properties. This study provides a different perspective on the mechanical properties of cocoon material as a composite material, and provides some insight for bio-inspired engineering materials.

  10. Hygroscopics and yield characteristics of cocoon in races of Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio José Porto

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Cocoons, cocoon shells and chrysalis of four races of Bombyx mori L., two from China (C202 and C212 and two from Japan (B104 and M11-2, were analyzed in function of determinant factors as weight (dry mater and moisture and by hygroscopic capacity after cooking. It was used a complete randomized design, with four treatments and ten replications. Although the cocoon shell has a higher hygroscopic capacity, the percentage of water in the chrysalis is the main factor to determine the weight of cocoon. The percentage of water in the cocoon and its components are inversely related to the absorption after cooking. Of all races evaluated, the chinese ones had lower percentage of water in the cocoon and higher cocoon shell weight than the japanese races.

  11. Proteins in the Cocoon of Silkworm Inhibit the Growth of Beauveria bassiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Li, Youshan; Liu, Huawei; Xia, Qingyou; Zhao, Ping

    2016-01-01

    Silk cocoons are composed of fiber proteins (fibroins) and adhesive glue proteins (sericins), which provide a physical barrier to protect the inside pupa. Moreover, other proteins were identified in the cocoon silk, many of which are immune related proteins. In this study, we extracted proteins from the silkworm cocoon by Tris-HCl buffer (pH7.5), and found that they had a strong inhibitory activity against fungal proteases and they had higher abundance in the outer cocoon layers than in the inner cocoon layers. Moreover, we found that extracted cocoon proteins can inhibit the germination of Beauveria bassiana spores. Consistent with the distribution of protease inhibitors, we found that proteins from the outer cocoon layers showed better inhibitory effects against B. bassiana spores than proteins from the inner layers. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to reveal the extracted components in the scaffold silk, the outermost cocoon layer. A total of 129 proteins were identified, 30 of which were annotated as protease inhibitors. Protease inhibitors accounted for 89.1% in abundance among extracted proteins. These protease inhibitors have many intramolecular disulfide bonds to maintain their stable structure, and remained active after being boiled. This study added a new understanding to the antimicrobial function of the cocoon. PMID:27032085

  12. Abdominal cocoon: sonographic features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayaraghavan, S Boopathy; Palanivelu, Chinnusamy; Sendhilkumar, Karuppusamy; Parthasarathi, Ramakrishnan

    2003-07-01

    An abdominal cocoon is a rare condition in which the small bowel is encased in a membrane. The diagnosis is usually established at surgery. Here we describe the sonographic features of this condition.

  13. Silkworm cocoons inspire models for random fiber and particulate composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fujia, Chen; Porter, David; Vollrath, Fritz [Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS (United Kingdom)

    2010-10-15

    The bioengineering design principles evolved in silkworm cocoons make them ideal natural prototypes and models for structural composites. Cocoons depend for their stiffness and strength on the connectivity of bonding between their constituent materials of silk fibers and sericin binder. Strain-activated mechanisms for loss of bonding connectivity in cocoons can be translated directly into a surprisingly simple yet universal set of physically realistic as well as predictive quantitative structure-property relations for a wide range of technologically important fiber and particulate composite materials.

  14. Effect of fluorescence on the technological characteristics of cocoons at different cooking temperatures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Panayotov

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The subject of research are Bombyx mori L. cocoons, differentiated by the nature of their fluorescent radiation. In each fluorescent group 2 subgroups were formed prepared for unreeling through cooking at 80 and 90°C for 5 min. To account for the effect of fluorescence at various cooking temperature levels the basic technological traits signs of the silk filament and cocoons have been defined and analysed: total length of the silk filament (m, nonbroken filament length (m, %, raw silk pesentage (% and reelability (%. It was found that fluorescence of cocoons has statistically significant (p≤0.01- 0.001 effect on the phenotypic manifestation of the technological traits. Within the two cooking temperature levels, the yellow fluorescent cocoons demonstrate higher values at 80 °C, and violet ones at 90°C. The better technological qualities and the lower cooking temperature in the yellow fluorescent cocoons give reason to believe that their use is economically more profitable for the silk reeling industry compared with violet fluorescent cocoons

  15. Protective Effect of Bombyx mori L Cocoon (Abresham) and its ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Protective Effect of Bombyx mori L Cocoon (Abresham) and its ... agonist, at high doses, has been reported to produce ... 12:12 h. Standard pellet diet and tap water were ... induction of myocardial injury on the scheduled ... Total protein in of B. mori cocoon (Abresham) ..... The authors thank Professor SK Maulik, Head,.

  16. Heavily nitrogen doped, graphene supercapacitor from silk cocoon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahu, Vikrant; Grover, Sonia; Tulachan, Brindan; Sharma, Meenakshi; Srivastava, Gaurav; Roy, Manas; Saxena, Manav; Sethy, Niroj; Bhargava, Kalpana; Philip, Deepu; Kim, Hansung; Singh, Gurmeet; Singh, Sushil Kumar; Das, Mainak; Sharma, Raj Kishore

    2015-01-01

    Doping of graphene with nitrogen is of much interest, since it improves the overall conductivity and supercapacitive properties. Besides conductivity, nitrogen doping also enhances the pseudo-capacitance due to fast and reversible surface redox processes. In this work, we have developed a cheap and easy process for synthesizing heavily nitrogen doped graphene (15% nitrogen) from non-mulberry silk cocoon membrane (Tassar, Antheraea mylitta) by pyrolyzing the cocoon at 400 °C in argon atmosphere. Further we have investigated the performance of this heavily ‘nitrogen doped graphene’ (NDG) in a supercapacitor device. Our results suggest that NDG obtained from cocoon has improved supercapacitor performance. The improved performance is due to the high electronegativity of nitrogen that forms dipoles on the graphene surface. These dipoles consequently enhance the tendency of graphene to attract charged species to its surface. This is a green and clean synthesis approach for developing electronic materials for energy applications

  17. Observations of cocooned Hydrobaenus (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae in Lake Michigan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Taaja R.; Hudson, Patrick L.; Riley, Stephen

    2016-01-01

    Larvae of the family Chironomidae have developed a variety of ways to tolerate environmental stress, including the formation of cocoons, which allows larvae to avoid unfavorable temperature conditions, drought, or competition with other chironomids. Summer cocoon formation by younger instars of the genus Hydrobaenus Fries allows persistence through increased temperatures and/or intermittent dry periods in arid regions or temporary habitats, but this behavior was not observed in the Great Lakes until the current study. Cocoon-aestivating Hydrobaenus sp. larvae were found in benthic grab samples collected in 2010–2013 near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Lake Michigan with densities up to 7329/m2. The aestivating species was identified as Hydrobaenus johannseni (Sublette, 1967), and the associated chironomid community was typical for an oligotrophic nearshore system. Hydrobaenus cocoon formation in the Great Lakes was likely previously unnoticed due to the discrepancies between the genus' life history and typical benthos sampling procedures which has consequences for describing chironomid communities where Hydrobaenus is present.

  18. Identification and quantification and antioxidant activity of flavonoids in different strains of silk cocoon, Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napavichayanun, Supamas; Lutz, Oliver; Fischnaller, Martin; Jakschitz, Thomas; Bonn, Günther; Aramwit, Pornanong

    2017-10-01

    Silk cocoon is produced from silkworm (Bombyx mori) to protect itself from outer environment. Various strains of cocoon contain different forms and amounts of flavonoids, which may affect on their antioxidant activity. Moreover, the extraction method would influence the amount of flavonoids extracted. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to identify and quantify the flavonoids in 3 strains of bivoltine Bombyx mori silk cocoon (Chul 1/1; white cocoon, Chul 3/2; greenish cocoon, and Chul 4/2; yellow cocoon) extracted by 6 different solvents including acetone, ethyl acetate, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethanol, methanol, and purified water. The flavonoids extracted were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The antioxidant activity of flavonoids extracted was also investigated by visible spectroscopy at 517 nm. The results showed that Chul 3/2 silk cocoon contained the highest amount of flavonoids. Purified water seemed to be the best solvent that preserved most antioxidant activity of the flavonoids extracted. Flavonoids in Chul 1/1 and Chul 4/2 silk cocoon were rarely found, however they contained some antioxidant activities. The data from this study can provide basic information for flavonoid extraction from silk cocoon which can also apply for other flavonoid-containing natural biomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Hygroscopics and yield characteristics of cocoon in races of Bombyx mori L.

    OpenAIRE

    Antonio José Porto; José Eduardo de Almeida

    2012-01-01

    Cocoons, cocoon shells and chrysalis of four races of Bombyx mori L., two from China (C202 and C212) and two from Japan (B104 and M11-2), were analyzed in function of determinant factors as weight (dry mater and moisture) and by hygroscopic capacity after cooking. It was used a complete randomized design, with four treatments and ten replications. Although the cocoon shell has a higher hygroscopic capacity, the percentage of water in the chrysalis is the main factor to determine the weight of...

  20. In Vivo Tes of Dicofol on Cocoon Production and Viability of Earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus Fr. Mull

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumarmin, R.; Huda, N. K.; Yuniarti, E.

    2018-04-01

    The uncontrol using of pesticides, harmful to the environment, health, and it would have impact to non-target animal as earthworm. This study describes the effect of the Dicofol to cocoon production and viability of earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus Fr. Mull., has been done in-July - Augustus 2016 at the zoology laboratory of Biology Department of Universitas Negeri Padang. The experiment used the Completely Randomized Design (4 treatments 6 replications). The treatments are with 0 g / l (P1), 0.002 g / L (P2), 0.004 g / L (P3), and 0.006 g / L (P4) and 0.008 g / L of Dicofol that diluted to water. The Data of production and viability of earthworm cocoons Pontoscolex corethrurus Fr. Mull collected during 30 days in alternate day. Data analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan New Multiple Range Test at p <0.05. The results Showed that the average number of cocoons production at P1 30 cocoons (the highest), 16 cocoons P2, P3 7 cocoons, and the P4 and P5 0 cocoons (the Lowest). The average percentage of cocoons viability were highest in P1, and P2 (100%); P3 (10%) and the cancel at P4 and P5 (0%). It can conclude that the pesticide Dicofol decreased the production and viability of the earthworm cocoons Pontoscolex corethrurus Fr. Mull.

  1. Trends in World Silk Cocoons and Silk Production and Trade, 2007-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AGATHA AGATHA POPESCU

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper aimed to analyze world production and trade for fresh silk cocoons and raw silk using FAO Stat data for  the  period 2007-2010. The use of index, share and comparison methods allowed to identify the major trends in the analyzed period. Silk decline was determined by the increased importance of cotton and artificial fibres in textile and clothing industry. Important changes are taking place on silk cocoons and silk market. While, the European market decreased, the Asian market has mainly developed fresh cocoons and raw silk, while the European market became more interested of clothes. Silk consumption declined because of consumer’s preference for synthetic fibres, except traditional consumers from Asia.  China is the main producer and exporter of fresh and dry cocoons, while raw silk is produced and exported by China, Brazil and Italy and imported by India, Japan and Italy. In Europe, Bulgaria is the top producer of fresh cocoons and raw silk and Italy is the main raw silk importer and the top producer and exporter of textile and fashion clothes. Silk will remain an important raw material for producing high quality and luxury clothes.

  2. Abdominal Cocoon – A Case Report with Short Review of Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamanna Choudhury

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abdominal cocoon is a rare entity where there is encapsulation of the small bowel by a fibrous membrane causing clustering of the bowel. The exact aetiology is unclear. We report a case of a 15 year old girl with a history of recurrent colicky abdominal pain in the right lower abdomen. Clinical diagnosis was recurrent appendicitis. She underwent laparotomy for appendicular lump. Histopathological examination of the resected lump grossly and histologically revealed the features of abdominal cocoon. Key Words: Abdominal Cocoon; Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis; Small bowel. DOI: 10.3329/bsmmuj.v2i2.4763 BSMMU J 2009; 2(2: 81-84

  3. Assessing determinants of the intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination: A survey among Dutch parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, Olga; Kraan, Janneke; Akkermans, Reinier; Ruiter, Robert A C; van der Velden, Koos; Hautvast, Jeannine L A; Hulscher, Marlies E J L

    2016-09-07

    Pertussis cocooning is one of the strategies aiming to prevent the potential harm of pertussis in infants by vaccinating (among others) their parents. Several countries adopted this strategy, but uptake is a problem. Determinants of parental uptake are important in the design of an effective vaccination programme. Therefore, this study aims to assess parents' intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination and its determinants. A 98 item questionnaire was developed based on a theoretical framework, assessing parents' intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination and its personal and psychosocial determinants. In addition, beliefs underlying parents' attitude towards pertussis cocooning vaccination were assessed. Both logistic and linear regression analysis were used to assess univariate and multivariate associations amongst study variables. Parents returned 282 questionnaires. The majority of the parents (78%) reported a positive intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination. Attitude (OR 6.6, pexpectations (β 0.15, p.011) were significant correlates of attitude towards pertussis cocooning vaccination. The parental intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination in this study is rather high. Targeting the identified determinants of parents' acceptance in a pertussis cocooning vaccination programme is crucial to secure that intention is translated into actual vaccination uptake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Silk Cocoons and Mulberry Leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thongphasuk, Jarunee; Thongphasuk, Piyanuch

    2005-10-01

    Silk cocoons and mulberry leaves have been used in the field of medicines, cosmetics, and foods. The objective of this study is to determine the antioxidant activities of silk cocoons and mulberry leaves using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activities using dihydroxyphenylalanine. The water and ethanol extracts from silk cocoons (Nang Noi, U B1, and Lao) and mulberry leaves showed antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. However, the extracts from all samples at 1,000 μg/reaction mixture inhibited tyrosinase in the range of 12.28-45.98%, which was much lower than the standard whitening agent kojic acid (IC50 0.45 μg/reaction mixture). The results from TLC showed that the ethanol extracts from the 3 species of cocoons contained flavonoids, but only the extract from Nang Noi contained carotenoid. In addition, the separation destroyed the fraction with high antioxidant activity. Therefore, the disadvantage of the extract separation is increased cost and decreased antioxidant activities

  5. Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Silk Cocoons and Mulberry Leaves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thongphasuk, Jarunee [Office of Atoms for Peace, Bangkok (Thailand); Thongphasuk, Piyanuch [Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Rangsit University, Pathumthani (Thailand)

    2005-10-15

    Silk cocoons and mulberry leaves have been used in the field of medicines, cosmetics, and foods. The objective of this study is to determine the antioxidant activities of silk cocoons and mulberry leaves using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activities using dihydroxyphenylalanine. The water and ethanol extracts from silk cocoons (Nang Noi, U B1, and Lao) and mulberry leaves showed antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. However, the extracts from all samples at 1,000 {mu}g/reaction mixture inhibited tyrosinase in the range of 12.28-45.98%, which was much lower than the standard whitening agent kojic acid (IC50 0.45 {mu}g/reaction mixture). The results from TLC showed that the ethanol extracts from the 3 species of cocoons contained flavonoids, but only the extract from Nang Noi contained carotenoid. In addition, the separation destroyed the fraction with high antioxidant activity. Therefore, the disadvantage of the extract separation is increased cost and decreased antioxidant activities.

  6. The pupal body temperature and inner space temperature of cocoon under microwave irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kagawa, T.

    1996-01-01

    The temperature of pupal surface,body and inner space of cocoon on cocoon drying of microwave irradiation was investigated to make clear the effect of temperature with pupa and cocoon shell. After pupal surface temperature and body temperature were risen rapidly in early irradiation and slowly thereafter, these were done fast again. Then these rising degrees fell. The variation of inner space temperature consists three terms: as the first stage of rapidly rising on early irradiation, the second stage of slowly doing and the third stage of fast doing again in temperature. In the first stage and the second stage, the higher the temperature of sending air during irradiation was, the shorter the term was and the higher the reached temperature was. The surface, pupal body and inner space have reached higher temperature than the sending air before cocoon drying was over

  7. Abdominal Cocoon: A Rare and Difficult Togetherness in Trauma Patient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erkan Oymaci

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Abdominal cocoon, as known sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, is a rare condition of mechanical intestinal obstruction due to total or partial encapsulation of the small bowel by a fibrocollagenous membrane. It has been reported mainly in young adolescent women and the majority of the cases are of unknown etiology. Awareness of this rare cause of surgical emergency may prevent delay in treatment and avoid unnecessary procedures for the patient. We are presenting an operated abdominal cocoon case which can be cause difficulty in diagnose and treatment.

  8. Intention to Accept Pertussis Vaccination for Cocooning: A Qualitative Study of the Determinants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Visser

    Full Text Available Several countries have reported a resurgence of pertussis in the last decades. This puts infants (especially <6 months at risk of severe complications, because they are too young to be fully protected by vaccination. The global pertussis initiative has proposed pertussis vaccination of young infants' close contacts, in order to reduce pertussis transmission and the burden of the disease on infants. Our aim is to explore the perceived determinants (barriers and facilitators of intention to accept vaccination among the possible target groups of pertussis vaccination for cocooning. Consideration of these determinants is necessary to optimise the uptake of the vaccination.We conducted 13 focus groups and six individual semi-structured interviews with members of possible target groups for pertussis cocooning (i.e. parents, maternity assistants, midwives, and paediatric nurses in the Netherlands. Here, both maternal pertussis vaccination as well as pertussis cocooning has not been implemented. The topic list was based on a literature review and a barrier framework. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and two researchers performed thematic content analysis.The participants' risk perception, outcome expectations, general vaccination beliefs, moral norms, opinion of others, perceived autonomy, anticipated regret, decisional uncertainty, and perceived organisational barriers were all factors that influenced the intention to accept pertussis vaccination for cocooning.This study has identified nine perceived determinants that influence the intention to accept pertussis cocooning vaccination. We add the following determinants to the literature: perceived cost-effectiveness (as a concept of outcome expectations, justice (as a concept of moral norms, anticipated regret, and decisional uncertainty. We recommend considering these determinants in vaccination programmes for pertussis cocooning vaccination. Experience, information and trust emerged as

  9. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MASS OF NEWLY HATCHED INDIVIDUALS AND COCOON MASS IN LUMBRICID EARTHWORMS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bruus, Marianne; Bjerre, Arne

    1991-01-01

    Earthworm cocoons from laboratory cultures were collected and their mass was determined. When hatched, the mass of the young worms was found. Cocoon mass and the mass of hatchlings varied considerably within species. The hygromass of newly hatched earthworms was found to correlate linearly...

  10. Intention to Accept Pertussis Vaccination for Cocooning: A Qualitative Study of the Determinants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, Olga; Hautvast, Jeannine L A; van der Velden, Koos; Hulscher, Marlies E J L

    2016-01-01

    Several countries have reported a resurgence of pertussis in the last decades. This puts infants (especially organisational barriers were all factors that influenced the intention to accept pertussis vaccination for cocooning. This study has identified nine perceived determinants that influence the intention to accept pertussis cocooning vaccination. We add the following determinants to the literature: perceived cost-effectiveness (as a concept of outcome expectations), justice (as a concept of moral norms), anticipated regret, and decisional uncertainty. We recommend considering these determinants in vaccination programmes for pertussis cocooning vaccination. Experience, information and trust emerged as predominant themes within these determinants. These themes require particular attention in future research on vaccination acceptance, especially with regard to their role in use and implementation in policy and practice.

  11. An Assessment of the Cocooning Strategy for Preventing Infant Pertussis—United States, 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blain, Amy E.; Lewis, Melissa; Banerjee, Emily; Kudish, Kathy; Liko, Juventila; McGuire, Suzanne; Selvage, David; Watt, James; Martin, Stacey W.; Skoff, Tami H.

    2017-01-01

    Background Infants are at greatest risk for severe pertussis. In 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that adolescents and adults, especially those with infant contact, receive a single dose of Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine). To assess the effectiveness of cocooning, we conducted a case-control evaluation of infant close contacts. Methods Pertussis cases aged <2 months with onset between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011 were identified in Emerging Infections Program Network sites. For each case, we recruited 3 controls from birth certificates and interviewed identified adult close contacts (CCs) or parents of CCs aged <18 years. Pertussis vaccination was verified through medical providers and/or immunization registries. Results Forty-two cases were enrolled, with 154 matched controls. Around enrolled infants, 859 CCs were identified (600 adult and 259 nonadult). An average of 5.4 CCs was identified per case and 4.1 CCs per control. Five hundred fifty-four (64.5%) CCs were enrolled (371 adult and 183 non-adult CCs); 119 (32.1% of enrolled) adult CCs had received Tdap. The proportion of Tdap-vaccinated adult CCs was similar between cases and controls (P = .89). The 600 identified adult CCs comprised 172 potential cocoons; 71 (41.3%) potential cocoons had all identified adult CCs enrolled. Of these, 9 were fully vaccinated and 43.7% contained no Tdap-vaccinated adults. The proportion of fully vaccinated case (4.8%) and control (10.0%) cocoons was similar (P = .43). Conclusions Low Tdap coverage among adult CCs reinforces the difficulty of implementing the cocooning strategy and the importance of vaccination during pregnancy to prevent infant pertussis. PMID:27838676

  12. The cocoon emission - an electromagnetic counterpart to gravitational waves from neutron star mergers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, Ore; Nakar, Ehud; Piran, Tsvi

    2018-01-01

    Short gamma-ray bursts are believed to arise from compact binary mergers (either neutron star-neutron star or black hole-neutron star). If so, their jets must penetrate outflows that are ejected during the merger. As a jet crosses the ejecta, it dissipates its energy, producing a hot cocoon that surrounds it. We present here 3D numerical simulations of jet propagation in mergers' outflows, and we calculate the resulting emission. This emission consists of two components: the cooling emission, the leakage of the thermal energy of the hot cocoon, and the cocoon macronova that arises from the radioactive decay of the cocoon's material. This emission gives a brief (∼1 h) blue, wide angle signal. While the parameters of the outflow and jet are uncertain, for the configurations we have considered, the signal is bright (∼-14 to -15 absolute magnitude) and outshines all other predicted ultraviolet-optical signals. The signal is brighter when the jet breakout time is longer, and its peak brightness does not depend strongly on the highly uncertain opacity. A rapid search for such a signal is a promising strategy to detect an electromagnetic merger counterpart. A detected candidate could be then followed by deep infrared searches for the longer but weaker macronova arising from the rest of the ejecta.

  13. Graphene oxide from silk cocoon: a novel magnetic fluorophore for multi-photon imaging

    OpenAIRE

    Roy, Manas; Kusurkar, Tejas Sanjeev; Maurya, Sandeep Kumar; Meena, Sunil Kumar; Singh, Sushil Kumar; Sethy, Niroj; Bhargava, Kalpana; Sharma, Raj Kishore; Goswami, Debabrata; Sarkar, Sabyasachi; Das, Mainak

    2013-01-01

    In this work, we synthesized graphene oxide from silk cocoon embarking its new dimension as a magnetic fluorophore when compared with its present technical status, which at best is for extracting silk as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. We produced graphene oxide by pyrolysing the silk cocoon in an inert atmosphere. The collected raw carbon is oxidized by nitric acid that readily produces multilayer graphene oxide with nano carbon particulates. Structural properties of the g...

  14. The X-ray ribs within the cocoon shock of Cygnus A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffy, R. T.; Worrall, D. M.; Birkinshaw, M.; Nulsen, P. E. J.; Wise, M. W.; de Vries, M. N.; Snios, B.; Mathews, W. G.; Perley, R. A.; Hardcastle, M. J.; Rafferty, D. A.; McNamara, B. R.; Edge, A. C.; McKean, J. P.; Carilli, C. L.; Croston, J. H.; Godfrey, L. E. H.; Laing, R. A.

    2018-06-01

    We use new and archival Chandra observations of Cygnus A, totalling ˜1.9 Ms, to investigate the distribution and temperature structure of gas lying within the projected extent of the cocoon shock and exhibiting a rib-like structure. We confirm that the X-rays are dominated by thermal emission with an average temperature of around 4 keV, and have discovered an asymmetry in the temperature gradient, with the southwestern part of the gas cooler than the rest by up to 2 keV. Pressure estimates suggest that the gas is a coherent structure of single origin located inside the cocoon, with a mass of roughly 2 × 1010 M⊙. We conclude that the gas is debris resulting from disintegration of the cool core of the Cygnus A cluster after the passage of the jet during the early stages of the current epoch of activity. The 4 keV gas now lies on the central inside surface of the hotter cocoon rim. The temperature gradient could result from an offset between the centre of the cluster core and the Cygnus A host galaxy at the switch-on of current radio activity.

  15. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles relieve silk gland damage and increase cocooning of Bombyx mori under phoxim-induced toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bing; Yu, Xiaohong; Gui, Suxin; Xie, Yi; Hong, Jie; Zhao, Xiaoyang; Sheng, Lei; Sang, Xuezi; Sun, Qingqing; Wang, Ling; Shen, Weide; Hong, Fashui

    2013-12-18

    Organophosphate pesticides are applied widely in the world for agricultural purposes, and their exposures often resulted in non-cocooning of Bombyx mori in China. TiO2 nanoparticles have been demonstrated to increase pesticide resistance of Bombyx mori. While the toxicity of phoxim is well-documented, very limited information exists on the mechanisms of TiO2 nanoparticles improving the cocooning function of Bombyx mori following exposure to phoxim. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to determine whether TiO2 nanoparticles attenuate silk gland injury and elevate cocooning of B. mori following exposure to phoxim. The findings suggested that phoxim exposure resulted in severe damages of the silk gland structure and significantly decreased the cocooning in the silk gland of Bombyx mori. Furthermore, phoxim exposure significantly resulted in reductions of total protein concentrations and suppressed expressions of silk protein synthesis-related genes, including Fib-L, Fib-H, P25, Ser-2, and Ser-3, in the silk gland. TiO2 nanoparticle pretreatment, however, could significantly relieve silk gland injury of Bombyx mori. Importantly, TiO2 nanoparticles could remarkably elevate cocooning and total protein contents and promote expressions of Fib-L, Fib-H, P25, Ser-2, and Ser-3 in the silk gland following exposure to phoxim.

  16. Graphene oxide from silk cocoon: a novel magnetic fluorophore for multi-photon imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Manas; Kusurkar, Tejas Sanjeev; Maurya, Sandeep Kumar; Meena, Sunil Kumar; Singh, Sushil Kumar; Sethy, Niroj; Bhargava, Kalpana; Sharma, Raj Kishore; Goswami, Debabrata; Sarkar, Sabyasachi; Das, Mainak

    2014-02-01

    In this work, we synthesized graphene oxide from silk cocoon embarking its new dimension as a magnetic fluorophore when compared with its present technical status, which at best is for extracting silk as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. We produced graphene oxide by pyrolysing the silk cocoon in an inert atmosphere. The collected raw carbon is oxidized by nitric acid that readily produces multilayer graphene oxide with nano carbon particulates. Structural properties of the graphene oxide were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The oxidized sample shows remarkable fluorescence, multi-photon imaging and magnetic properties. On increasing the excitation wavelength, the fluorescence emission intensity of the graphene oxide also increases and found maximum emission at 380 nm excitation wavelength. On studying the two photon absorption (TPA) property of aqueous graphene oxide using Z-scan technique, we found significant TPA activity at near infrared wavelength. In addition, the graphene oxide shows ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. The observed fluorescence and magnetic property were attributed to the defects caused in the graphene oxide structure by introducing oxygen containing hydrophilic groups during the oxidation process. Previously silk cocoon has been used extensively in deriving silk-based tissue engineering materials and as gas filter. Here we show a novel application of silk cocoon by synthesizing graphene oxide based magnetic-fluorophore for bio-imaging applications.

  17. Effect of gamma-rays on some technologic properties of cocoon and filament of the silk worm (Bombyx mori L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binkh, T.T.; Petkov, N.; Malinova, K.

    1993-01-01

    The effect of irradiation of silk worm eggs with 1.00, 2.00, 3.00, 4.00, 5.00, 6.00 and 7.00 Gy gamma-rays on some major technologic properties of cocoons and filament of the mulbery silk worm was studied. Single irradiation of silk worm during the phase of highest lengthening of nucleus development causes both stimulating and inhibitory effect on the technologic properties of the cocoons and the filament. The degree of stimulation or inhibition is dependent on the irradiation dose, the specificity of technologic processes and biologic characteristics of silk worm species and hybrids. Gamma-irradiation with doses 2.00 and 3.00 Gy stimulates the increase in weight of silk covering by 2.07-8.28%, raw cocoon silkness by 0.38-3.21 points and length of cocoon filament by 40-151 m. Irradiation of silk worm eggs with 2.00-4.00 Gy gamma-rays decreases by 1.4-2.3 kg (12.61-21.91%) the quantity of raw cocoons, required for production of 1 kg grege. 9 refs., 4 tabs. (author)

  18. Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (or abdominal cocoon).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafimidis, Costas; Katsarolis, Ioannis; Vernadakis, Spyros; Rallis, George; Giannopoulos, George; Legakis, Nikolaos; Peros, George

    2006-02-13

    Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (or abdominal cocoon) is a rare cause of small bowel obstruction, especially in adult population. Diagnosis is usually incidental at laparotomy. We discuss one such rare case, outlining the fact that an intra-operative surprise diagnosis could have been facilitated by previous investigations. A 56 year-old man presented in A&E department with small bowel ileus. He had a history of 6 similar episodes of small bowel obstruction in the past 4 years, which resolved with conservative treatment. Pre-operative work-up did not reveal any specific etiology. At laparotomy, a fibrous capsule was revealed, in which small bowel loops were encased, with the presence of interloop adhesions. A diagnosis of abdominal cocoon was established and extensive adhesiolysis was performed. The patient had an uneventful recovery and follow-up. Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, although rare, may be the cause of a common surgical emergency such as small bowel ileus, especially in cases with attacks of non-strangulating obstruction in the same individual. A high index of clinical suspicion may be generated by the recurrent character of small bowel ileus combined with relevant imaging findings and lack of other plausible etiologies. Clinicians must rigorously pursue a preoperative diagnosis, as it may prevent a "surprise" upon laparotomy and result in proper management.

  19. The Next Decade in Career Counseling: Cocoon Maintenance or Metamorphosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parmer, Twinet; Rush, Lee Covington

    2003-01-01

    Articulates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and future vision for career counseling using a cocoon maintenance or metamorphosis metaphor. Concludes with a vision for the future for the discipline and profession of career counseling. (Contains 40 references.) (GCP)

  20. Prompt Neutrino Emission of Gamma-ray Bursts in the Dissipative Photospheric Scenario Revisited: Possible Contributions from Cocoons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao, Di; Dai, Zi-Gao [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Mészáros, Peter, E-mail: dzg@nju.edu.cn [Center for Particle and Gravitational Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

    2017-07-01

    High-energy neutrinos are expected to originate from different stages in a gamma-ray burst (GRB) event. In this work, we revisit the dissipative photospheric scenario, in which the GRB prompt emission is produced around the photospheric radius. Meanwhile, possible dissipation mechanisms (e.g., internal shocks or magnetic reconnection) could accelerate cosmic-rays (CRs) to ultra-high energies and then produce neutrinos via hadronuclear and photohadronic processes, which are referred to as prompt neutrinos . In this paper, we obtain the prompt neutrino spectrum of a single GRB within a self-consistent analytical framework, in which the jet-cocoon structure and possible collimation effects are included. We investigate a possible neutrino signal from the cocoon, which has been ignored in the previous studies. We show that if a GRB event happens at a distance of the order of Mpc, there is a great chance to observe the neutrino emission from the cocoon by IceCube, which is even more promising than jet neutrinos, as the opening angle of the cocoon is much larger. We also determine the diffuse neutrino flux of GRB cocoons and find that it could be comparable with that of the jets. Our results are consistent with the latest result reported by the IceCube collaboration that no significant correlation between neutrino events and observed GRBs is seen in the new data.

  1. Deterministic Encapsulation of Human Cardiac Stem Cells in Variable Composition Nanoporous Gel Cocoons To Enhance Therapeutic Repair of Injured Myocardium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanda, Pushpinder; Alarcon, Emilio I; Yeuchyk, Tanya; Parent, Sandrine; de Kemp, Robert A; Variola, Fabio; Courtman, David; Stewart, Duncan J; Davis, Darryl R

    2018-04-20

    Although cocooning explant-derived cardiac stem cells (EDCs) in protective nanoporous gels (NPGs) prior to intramyocardial injection boosts long-term cell retention, the number of EDCs that finally engraft is trivial and unlikely to account for salutary effects on myocardial function and scar size. As such, we investigated the effect of varying the NPG content within capsules to alter the physical properties of cocoons without influencing cocoon dimensions. Increasing NPG concentration enhanced cell migration and viability while improving cell-mediated repair of injured myocardium. Given that the latter occurred with NPG content having no detectable effect on the long-term engraftment of transplanted cells, we found that changing the physical properties of cocoons prompted explant-derived cardiac stem cells to produce greater amounts of cytokines, nanovesicles, and microRNAs that boosted the generation of new blood vessels and new cardiomyocytes. Thus, by altering the physical properties of cocoons by varying NPG content, the paracrine signature of encapsulated cells can be enhanced to promote greater endogenous repair of injured myocardium.

  2. Parent "cocoon" immunization to prevent pertussis-related hospitalization in infants: the case of Piemonte in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meregaglia, Michela; Ferrara, Lorenza; Melegaro, Alessia; Demicheli, Vittorio

    2013-02-06

    Pertussis incidence in Piemonte (Italy) is now at the lowest level ever reached (0.85 per 100,000 in 2010) but the disease is still endemic in infants (54 per 100,000 in 2005-2010). Parental "cocoon" immunization has been proposed in some countries (i.e. United States, France) as a measure to protect newborns from serious pertussis outcomes. We assessed the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent hospital admissions in infants (€100,000. The "cocoon" programme leads to net costs from a National Health Service (NHS) perspective (ROI<1). In contexts of low incidence and without reliable data on a high parent-attributable infant risk, the parental "cocoon" programme is poorly efficient and very resource intensive in preventing pertussis in infants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (or abdominal cocoon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Legakis Nikolaos

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (or abdominal cocoon is a rare cause of small bowel obstruction, especially in adult population. Diagnosis is usually incidental at laparotomy. We discuss one such rare case, outlining the fact that an intra-operative surprise diagnosis could have been facilitated by previous investigations. Case presentation A 56 year-old man presented in A&E department with small bowel ileus. He had a history of 6 similar episodes of small bowel obstruction in the past 4 years, which resolved with conservative treatment. Pre-operative work-up did not reveal any specific etiology. At laparotomy, a fibrous capsule was revealed, in which small bowel loops were encased, with the presence of interloop adhesions. A diagnosis of abdominal cocoon was established and extensive adhesiolysis was performed. The patient had an uneventful recovery and follow-up. Conclusion Idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, although rare, may be the cause of a common surgical emergency such as small bowel ileus, especially in cases with attacks of non-strangulating obstruction in the same individual. A high index of clinical suspicion may be generated by the recurrent character of small bowel ileus combined with relevant imaging findings and lack of other plausible etiologies. Clinicians must rigorously pursue a preoperative diagnosis, as it may prevent a "surprise" upon laparotomy and result in proper management.

  4. Characteristics of the cocoon and natural history of the gregarious Meteorus restionis sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Meteorinae from Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilbert Barrantes

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available A new species of a gregarious Meteorus wasp (Braconidae constructs an unusual cocoon mass. Meteorus restionis sp. n. is described and distinguished from similar species. Cocoons of M. restionis are dark-brown, ovoid, and they are attached perpendicularly by their posterior end along a long, suspended cable. The cable is formed by intertwined, independent threads which are glued together at irregular intervals along its length, suggesting a certain degree of cooperation or at least tolerance among larvae during the construction of the cable. Intertwining and gluing the individual threads in a single cable presumably gives it a greater resistance against wind and other environmental stress. Prior to emergence the wasp cuts a neat, circular cap at the anterior end of its cocoon, and the cap remains attached by some threads to the rest of the cocoon.

  5. Studies on middle silkgland proteins of cocoon colour sex-limited ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Journal of Biosciences; Volume 29; Issue 1. Studies on middle silkgland proteins of cocoon colour sex-limited silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Yuan-Xiang Jin Yu-Yin Chen Meng-Kui Xu Yong-Huang Jiang. Articles Volume 29 Issue 1 March 2004 pp 45- ...

  6. Identification of AFLP markers linked with cocoon weight genes in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2010-03-08

    Mar 8, 2010 ... needful for life. This industry has .... work for anchoring morphological or other molecular markers and identifying of ... An electronic balance was used and .... These QTLs are designated as cw[x/y], where cw is cocoon weight .... silkworm Bombyx mori L., using individual selection in 3P generation. Asian J.

  7. Electricity from the Silk Cocoon Membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulachan, Brindan; Meena, Sunil Kumar; Rai, Ratan Kumar; Mallick, Chandrakant; Kusurkar, Tejas Sanjeev; Teotia, Arun Kumar; Sethy, Niroj Kumar; Bhargava, Kalpana; Bhattacharya, Shantanu; Kumar, Ashok; Sharma, Raj Kishore; Sinha, Neeraj; Singh, Sushil Kumar; Das, Mainak

    2014-01-01

    Silk cocoon membrane (SCM) is an insect engineered structure. We studied the electrical properties of mulberry (Bombyx mori) and non-mulberry (Tussar, Antheraea mylitta) SCM. When dry, SCM behaves like an insulator. On absorbing moisture, it generates electrical current, which is modulated by temperature. The current flowing across the SCM is possibly ionic and protonic in nature. We exploited the electrical properties of SCM to develop simple energy harvesting devices, which could operate low power electronic systems. Based on our findings, we propose that the temperature and humidity dependent electrical properties of the SCM could find applications in battery technology, bio-sensor, humidity sensor, steam engines and waste heat management. PMID:24961354

  8. Determination of Na, Mn and Cu in cocoon, raw silk and degummed silk by nondestructive activation analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maki, Y; Ishiguro, Y [Industrial Research Inst. of Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama (Japan)

    1976-01-01

    The sodium, manganese and copper contained in cocoons, raw silk and degummed silk thread were determined by the nondestructive activation analysis. After each sample was irradiated with the thermal neutron flux of 5 x 10/sup 11/n/cm/sup 2/.sec, its ..gamma..-ray spectrum was measured with a NaI(Tl) detector. With the photoelectric peaks at 511 keV (/sup 64/Cu), 1368 keV (/sup 24/Na) and 847 keV (/sup 56/Mn), each element was quantitatively determined and its content was obtained. The measurement of the ..gamma..-ray spectra of samples with a Ge (Li) detector proved the presence of An, Sb, Fe, Zn, Cr, Sc, Co, etc. Large amounts of Na and Cu were detected in the sericin portion of cocoons, and the adhesion of Cu from a reeling-off machine to raw silk was also observed during the process of degumming cocoons to make raw silk.

  9. A cocoon shock breakout as the origin of the γ-ray emission in GW170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, Ore; Nakar, Ehud; Piran, Tsvi; Hotokezaka, Kenta

    2018-06-01

    The short Gamma-Ray Burst, GRB170817A, that followed the binary neutron star merger gravitational waves signal, GW170817, is not a usual sGRB. It is weaker by three orders of magnitude than the weakest sGRB seen before and its spectra, showing a hard early signal followed by a softer thermal spectrum, is unique. We show, first, that the γ-rays must have emerged from at least mildly relativistic outflow, implying that a relativistic jet was launched following the merger. We then show that the observations are consistent with the predictions of a mildly relativistic shock breakout: a minute γ-ray energy as compared with the total energy and a rather smooth light curve with a hard to soft evolution. We present here a novel analytic study and detailed numerical 2D and 3D relativistic hydrodynamic and radiation simulations that support the picture in which the observed γ-rays arose from a shock breakout of a cocoon from the merger's ejecta (Kasliwal et al. 2017). The cocoon can be formed by either a choked jet which does not generate a sGRB (in any direction) or by a successful jet which generates an undetected regular sGRB along the system's axis pointing away from us. Remarkably, for the choked jet model, the macronova signal produced by the ejecta (which is partially boosted to high velocities by the cocoon's shock) and the radio that is produced by the interaction of the shocked cocoon material with the surrounding matter, agree with the observed UV/optical/IR emission and with current radio observations. Finally, we discuss the possibility that the jet propagation within the ejecta may photodissociate some of of the heavy elements and may affect the composition of a fraction of ejecta and, in turn, the opacity and the early macronova light.

  10. STUDY OF PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERS VARIABILITY OF THE SILKMOTH COCOON FROM THE NATIVE GENETIC STOCK OF BOMBYX MORI L. SP.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALEXANDRA MATEI

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available This study had aims the analysis of phenotypic characters variability of silkmoth cocoon within the native genetic stock of Bombyx mori L. sp. The biological material was represented by 72 races consisting of the gene stock of Bombyx mori sp., grouped by their origin. The main phenotypical ad quantitative parameters of the races that represent the gene stock of Bombyx mori sp., present the following values: raw cocoon weight (1.445-2.361 g, cocoon shell weight (0.240-0.520 g, fiber length (746-1356 m, metric number of fiber (2917-3764 m/g. Depending on the quantitative parameters value, the silkworm races are being used differently, entire genetic stock being destined for various technological levels, as follows: 4 active races (parents of hybrids, 4 candidate races for parents of hybrids, 64 races in preservation.

  11. Production Efficiency of Cocoon Shell of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera, as an Index for Evaluating the Nutritive Value of Mulberry, Morus sp. (Moraceae, Varieties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jalaja Suresh Kumar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The nutritional efficiency of mulberry leaves consumed by silkworms, Bombyx mori L., is usually evaluated in terms of the proportion of cocoon shell weight to the amount of food ingested. The production efficiency of cocoon shell is generally used to identify the superiority of a mulberry variety for silkworm rearing. In this study the production efficiency of cocoon shell was used as an index for evaluating the nutritive value of different mulberry varieties of India. Among the varieties, V-1, having highest production efficiency of cocoon shell with less amount of food ingested and highest digestibility, is regarded as the best suitable variety with nutritive values ideal for silkworm rearing.

  12. COCOON PRODUCTION OF THE SILKWORM, Bombyx mori L. (LEPIDOPTERA: BOMBYCIDAE, FED ON LEAVES OF MULBERRY HYBRIDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GERBSON AZEVEDO DE MENDONÇA

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Brazil is the fourth cocoon producer in the world. In São Paulo State there are mulberry some hybrids whose productivity are higher than the commonly cultivated varieties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mulberry hybrids (Morus spp. on the cocoon production of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.. The experiment was conducted at the Unidade Regional de Pesquisa de Gália do Instituto de Zootecnia, SP. The caterpillars were fed on leaves of the hybrids IZ-3/2, IZ-13/6, IZ-15/7, IZ-19/13, IZ-56/4, IZ-57/2, IZ- 40, IZ-64, in a rearing hut at 25 oC ± 3 oC and 75% ± 5% relative humidity. 'Korin' was used as standard. The hybrids affected the duration of the larval period and the weight of the caterpillars, prepupaes and the silk glands as well. There was a reduction in the duration of larval development when the caterpillars had been fed with hybrid IZ-56/4 and the 'Korin' variety. Hybrids IZ-57/2, IZ-56/4 and IZ-15/7 presented the highest cocoon production.

  13. Triassic leech cocoon from Antarctica contains fossil bell animal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bomfleur, Benjamin; Kerp, Hans; Taylor, Thomas N.

    2012-01-01

    . The microfossil consists of a helically contractile stalk that attaches to a main body with a peristomial feeding apparatus and a large C-shaped macronucleus. It agrees in every aspect with the living bell animals, such as Vorticella. Vorticellids and similar peritrichs are vital constituents of aquatic...... ecosystems worldwide, but so far have lacked any fossil record. This discovery offers a glimpse of ancient soft-bodied protozoan biotas, and also highlights the potential of clitellate cocoons as microscopic "conservation traps" comparable to amber....

  14. A new estimation of the total flavonoids in silkworm cocoon sericin layer through aglycone determination by hydrolysis-assisted extraction and HPLC-DAD analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Ge Zhao

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Silk sericin and a few non-protein components isolated from the cocoon layer including two silk proteins in silkworm Bombyx mori has many bioactivities. The dietary sericin possess antinatural oxidation, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic activities. The non-protein components surrounding the sericin layer involve in wax, pigments mainly meaning flavonoids, sugars, and other impurities. However, very few investigations have reported the estimation of the total flavonoids derived from the cocoon layer. The flavonoids are commonly present in their glycosylated forms and mostly exist as quercetin glycosides in the sericin layers of silkworm cocoons. Objective: The aim of this study was to find a more accurate method to estimate the level of the total flavonoids in silkworm cocoons. Design: An efficient procedure of hydrolysis-assisted extraction (HAE was first established to estimate the level of the total flavonoids through the determination of their aglycones, quercetin, and kaempferol. Then, a comparison was made between traditional colorimetric method and our method. In addition, the antioxidant activities of hydrolysis-assisted extract sample were determined. Results: The average contents of quercetin and kaempferol were 1.98 and 0.42 mg/g in Daizo cocoon. Their recoveries were 99.56 and 99.17%. The total sum of quercetin and kaempferol was detected to be 2.40±0.07 mg/g by HAE-HPLC, while the total flavonoids (2.59±0.48 mg/g estimated by the traditional colorimetric method were only equivalent to 1.28±0.04 mg/g of quercetin. The HAE sample also exhibits that IC50 values of scavenging ability of diphenyl picryl hydrazinyl (DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical (HO· are 243.63 µg/mL and 4.89 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: These results show that the HAE-HPLC method is specificity of cocoon and far superior to the colorimetric method. Therefore, this study has profound significance for the comprehensive utilization

  15. Comparative study on the mechanical property of silk thread from cocoons of Bombyx mori L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iizuka, E; Hachimori, A; Abe, K; Sunohara, M; Hiraide, Y; Ueyama, A; Kamo, K; Fujiwara, T; Nakamura, F; Uno, T

    1983-01-01

    Specimens of bave (undegummed silk thread) were collected from cocoons of various origins of parent silkworm races, such as Japanese, Chinese, European, Korean and tropical origins, and from as many races as possible. An apparatus was set up to measure the dynamic elastic modulus of these specimens. In all the categories of the races tested, the elastic modulus was linearly related to the size of bave, regardless of the portion of cocoon layer from which the specimens were taken. This correlation was concluded to be universal to the silk thread of Bombyx mori L. species; however, values of the regression coefficient and of the elastic modulus were susceptible to the origin of silkworm races, depending on whether they were native or improved.

  16. Characteristics of the cocoon and natural history of the gregarious Meteorus restionis sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Meteorinae) from Costa Rica

    OpenAIRE

    Barrantes,Gilbert; Triana,Emilia; Shaw,Scot; Jones,Guinevere

    2011-01-01

    A new species of a gregarious Meteorus wasp (Braconidae) constructs an unusual cocoon mass. Meteorus restionis sp. n. is described and distinguished from similar species. Cocoons of M. restionis are dark-brown, ovoid, and they are attached perpendicularly by their posterior end along a long, suspended cable. The cable is formed by intertwined, independent threads which are glued together at irregular intervals along its length, suggesting a certain degree of cooperation or at least tolerance ...

  17. COalitions in COOperation Networks (COCOON): Social Network Analysis and Game Theory to Enhance Cooperation Networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sie, Rory

    2012-01-01

    Sie, R. L. L. (2012). COalitions in COOperation Networks (COCOON): Social Network Analysis and Game Theory to Enhance Cooperation Networks (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). September, 28, 2012, Open Universiteit in the Netherlands (CELSTEC), Heerlen, The Netherlands.

  18. Sample selection, preparation methods, and the apparent tensile properties of silkworm (B. mori) cocoon silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Emily J; Bianchini, Lindsay L; Viney, Christopher

    2012-06-01

    Reported literature values of the tensile properties of natural silk cover a wide range. While much of this inconsistency is the result of variability that is intrinsic to silk, some is also a consequence of differences in the way that silk is prepared for tensile tests. Here we explore how measured mechanical properties of Bombyx mori cocoon silk are affected by two intrinsic factors (the location from which the silk is collected within the cocoon, and the color of the silk), and two extrinsic factors (the storage conditions prior to testing, and different styles of reeling the fiber). We find that extrinsic and therefore controllable factors can affect the properties more than the intrinsic ones studied. Our results suggest that enhanced inter-laboratory collaborations, that lead to standardized sample collection, handling, and storage protocols prior to mechanical testing, would help to decrease unnecessary (and complicating) variation in reported tensile properties. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Effect of cocoon fluorescence, silkworm hybrid and gender on sericin content of Bombyx mori L. silk thread

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Panayotov

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The goal of the present study was to determine the influence of the ultraviolet fluorescence of cocoons, the hybrid, the sex and the interaction among them on the sericin content in silk threads. The study was performed with 3 di- and 2 tetra-cross silkmoth (Bombyx mori L. hybrids, differentiated in three groups – with violet, intermediate and yellow fluorescence of the cocoons. The examined factors had a significant effect (p≤0.001 on the sericin content. The highest sericin content was detected in the silk threads of the violet-fluorescent and the lowest – in the yellow-fluorescent group. The analysed di-hybrids were distinguished by better characteristics in terms of sericin content, compared to the tetra-hybrids, most obvious for the yellow-fluorescent fraction.

  20. Do stellar and nebular abundances in the Cocoon nebula agree?

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Rojas, J.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Esteban, C.

    2015-05-01

    The Cocoon nebula is an apparently spherical Galactic HII region ionized by a single star (BD+46 3474). This nebula seems to be appropriate to investigate the chemical behavior of oxygen and other heavy elements from two different points of view: a detailed analysis of the chemical content of the ionized gas through nebular spectrophotometry and a detailed spectroscopic analysis of the spectrum of the ionizing star using the state-of-the-art stellar atmosphere modelling. In this poster we present the results from a set of high-quality observations, from 2m-4m class telescopes, including the optical spectrum of the ionizing star BD+46 3474, along with long-slit spatially resolved spectroscopy of the nebula. We have used state-of-the-art stellar atmosphere codes to determine stellar parameters and the chemical content of several heavy elements. Traditional nebular techniques along with updated atomic data have been used to compute gaseous abundances of O, N and S in the Cocoon nebula. Thanks to the low ionization degree of the nebula, we could determine total abundances directly from observable ions (no ionization correction factors were needed) for three of the analyzed elements (O, S, and N). The derived stellar and nebular abundances are compared and the influence of the possible presence of the so-called temperature fluctuations on the nebula is discussed. The results of this study are presented in more detail in García-Rojas, Simón-Díaz & Esteban 2014, A&A, 571, A93.

  1. Assessing determinants of the intention to accept a pertussis cocooning vaccination: A survey among Dutch parents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Visser, O.; Kraan, J.; Akkermans, R.P.; Ruiter, R.A.; Velden, K. van der; Hautvast, J.L.A.; Hulscher, M.E.J.L.

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Pertussis cocooning is one of the strategies aiming to prevent the potential harm of pertussis in infants by vaccinating (among others) their parents. Several countries adopted this strategy, but uptake is a problem. Determinants of parental uptake are important in the design of an

  2. Slow desiccation improves dehydration tolerance and accumulation of compatible osmolytes in earthworm cocoons (Dendrobaena octaedra Savigny)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Christina R; Holmstrup, Martin; Malmendal, Anders

    2008-01-01

    The earthworm, Dendrobaena octaedra, is a common species in temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. The egg capsules ('cocoons') of D. octaedra are deposited in the upper soil layers where they may be exposed to desiccation. Many previous studies on desiccation tolerance in soil...... anhydrobiotic organism we propose that they belong in a transition zone between the desiccation sensitive and the truly anhydrobiotic organisms. Clearly, these earthworm embryos share many physiological traits with anhydrobiotic organisms....

  3. Preparation and characterization of high-surface-area activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste for congo red adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jia; Ng, Dickon H.L.; Song, Peng; Kong, Chao; Song, Yi; Yang, Ping

    2015-01-01

    Herein, we report the preparation of activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste via the combination of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 -pretreatment and KOH activation. The morphology, phase structure and surface chemistry constitute of the obtained ACFs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, Micro Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm. The effects of various factors such as the concentration of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 and the activation time of KOH were also evaluated. These results demonstrated that the synthesized ACFs retained the fibrous morphology of silkworm cocoon waste, and exhibited highly defective graphite layer structure. A large amount of surface oxygen-containing functional groups were found on the ACFs surface. The obtained samples exhibited high BET surface areas ranging from 1153 to 2797 m 2  g −1 , total pore volumes of 0.64–1.74 cm 3  g −1 with micropore volume fractions between 75.2 and 93.6%. In addition, we also evaluated the congo red (CR) adsorption performance of the obtained ACFs. The CR adsorption fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherm data indicated that the adsorption of CR onto ACFs was monolayer adsorption which followed well the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of CR was 512 g kg −1 . The mechanism of the adsorption process was also described from the intraparticle diffusion model. - Highlights: • A new biomass fibroin precursor for activated carbon fibers (ACFs) was proposed. • High specific surface area (2797 m 2  g −1 ) and total pore volume (1.74 cm 3  g −1 ) were obtained. • The original fibrous structure of raw silkworm cocoons was retained in the ACF product. • Congo red maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of our ACF product was up to 1100 g kg −1

  4. Ethanol production by repeated batch and continuous fermentations of blackstrap molasses using immobilized yeast cells on thin-shell silk cocoons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rattanapan, Anuchit; Limtong, Savitree; Phisalaphong, Muenduen

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Thin-shell silk cocoons for immobilization of Saccharomycescerevisiae. → Advantages: high mechanical strength, light weight, biocompatibility and high surface area. → Enhanced cell stability and ethanol productivity by the immobilization system. -- Abstract: A thin-shell silk cocoon (TSC), a residual from the silk industry, is used as a support material for the immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae M30 in ethanol fermentation because of its properties such as high mechanical strength, light weight, biocompatibility and high surface area. In batch fermentation with blackstrap molasses as the main fermentation substrate, an optimal ethanol concentration of 98.6 g/L was obtained using a TSC-immobilized cell system at an initial reducing sugar concentration of 240 g/L. The ethanol concentration produced by the immobilized cells was 11.5% higher than that produced by the free cells. Ethanol production in five-cycle repeated batch fermentation demonstrated the enhanced stability of the immobilized yeast cells. Under continuous fermentation in a packed-bed reactor, a maximum ethanol productivity of 19.0 g/(L h) with an ethanol concentration of 52.8 g/L was observed at a 0.36 h -1 dilution rate.

  5. A cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays detected by Fermi in the Cygnus Superbubble

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ackermann, M.; Ajello, A.; Allafort, A.; Berenji, B.; Blandford, R.D.; Bloom, E.D.; Borgland, A.W.; Bottacini, E.; Buehler, R.; Cameron, R.A.; Chiang, J.; Claus, R.; Do Couto e Silva, E.; Drell, P.S.; Focke, W.B.; Glanzman, T.; Godfrey, G.; Hayashida, M.; Johnson, A.S.; Kamae, T.; Kerr, M.; Lande, J.; Michelson, P.F.; Mitthumsiri, W.; Monzani, M.E.; Moskalenko, I.V.; Murgia, S.; Nolan, P.L.; Okumura, A.; Orlando, E.; Paneque, D.; Prokhorov, D.; Tanaka, T.; Thayer, J.G.; Thayer, J.B.; Tramacere, A.; Uchiyama, Y.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Vianello, G.; Waite, A.P.; Wang, P.; Baldini, L.; Bellazzini, R.; Kuss, M.; Latronico, L.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Razzano, M.; Sgro, C.; Ballet, J.; Casandjian, J.M.; Grenier, I.A.; Naumann-Godo, M.; Pierbattista, M.; Tibaldo, L.

    2011-01-01

    The origin of Galactic cosmic rays is a century-long puzzle. Indirect evidence points to their acceleration by supernova shock waves, but we know little of their escape from the shock and their evolution through the turbulent medium surrounding massive stars. Gamma rays can probe their spreading through the ambient gas and radiation fields. The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has observed the star-forming region of Cygnus X. The 1- to 100-giga-electron-volt images reveal a 50-parsec-wide cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays that flood the cavities carved by the stellar winds and ionization fronts from young stellar clusters. It provides an example to study the youth of cosmic rays in a superbubble environment before they merge into the older Galactic population. (authors)

  6. A Cocoon Found Inside the Black Widow's Web

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-02-01

    NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory image of the mysterious "Black Widow" pulsar reveals the first direct evidence of an elongated cocoon of high-energy particles. This discovery shows that this billion-year-old rejuvenated pulsar is an extremely efficient generator of a high-speed flow of matter and antimatter particles. Known officially as pulsar B1957+20, the Black Widow received its nickname because it is emitting intense high-energy radiation that is destroying its companion through evaporation. B1957+20, which completes one rotation every 1.6-thousandths of a second, belongs to a class of extremely rapidly rotating neutron stars called millisecond pulsars. The motion of B1957+20 through the galaxy -- at a high speed of almost a million kilometers per hour -- creates a bow shock wave visible to optical telescopes. The Chandra observation shows what cannot be seen in visible light: a second shock wave. This secondary shock wave is created from pressure that sweeps the wind back from the pulsar to form the cocoon of high-energy particles, visible for the first time in the Chandra data. "This is the first detection of a double-shock structure around a pulsar," said Benjamin Stappers, of the Dutch Organization for Research in Astronomy (ASTRON), lead author on a paper describing the research that will appear in the Feb. 28, 2003, issue of Science magazine. "It should enable astronomers to test theories of the dynamics of pulsar winds and their interaction with their environment." B1957+20 X-ray-only image of B1957+20 Scientists believe millisecond pulsars are very old neutron stars that have been spun up by accreting material from their companions. The steady push of the infalling matter on the neutron star spins it up in much the same way as pushing on a merry-go-round makes it rotate faster. The result is an object about 1.5 times as massive as the Sun and ten miles in diameter that rotates hundreds of times per second. The advanced age, very rapid rotation rate

  7. Contribution to the biochemical characterization of the silk and structure characterization of the cocoons of the horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hněvsová, V.; Kodrík, Dalibor; Weyda, František

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 108, č. 4 (2011), s. 711-715 ISSN 1210-5759 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP502/10/2382; GA MŠk 2B06005 Grant - others:The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic - Open Science(CZ) CZ.1.07./2.3.00/09.0034 No. 1.33/3 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : silk * cocoon * pupal chamber Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.061, year: 2011 http://www.eje.cz/scripts/viewabstract.php?abstract=1672

  8. CT in predicting abdominal cocoon in patients on peritoneal dialysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terebus Loock, M.; Lubrano, J.; Courivaud, C.; Bresson Vautrin, C.; Kastler, B.; Delabrousse, E.

    2010-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) signs of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) as predictive factors for the evolution to abdominal cocoon (AC). Materials and methods: Clinical features and CT signs of 90 patients on PD were retrospectively reviewed. According to the clinical features, they were divided into three groups (asymptomatic, moderate, or severe). Clinical results were correlated with previously reported CT signs of EPS, i.e., peritoneal thickening, peritoneal calcifications, loculated fluids, small bowel faeces sign, small bowel obstruction, clustered bowel loops, pseudo sac, signs of bowel ischaemia or necrosis. AC was defined at CT by the association of clustered bowel loops and a pseudo sac. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher's exact test and the t-test. Results: Although demonstrated in symptomatic patients (p = 0.041), the occurrence of AC was not correlated with the severity of the symptoms (p = 0.16). Among the CT signs, the presence of loculated fluids (p = 0.011), a small bowel faeces sign (p = 0.002); and small bowel obstruction (p = 0.0001) were found to be statistically correlated with the appearance of an AC. Moreover, the association of loculated fluids, small bowel faeces sign, small bowel obstruction was extremely sensitive and specific in the development of AC (sensitivity = 67%, specifity = 100%, positive predictive value = 100%, negative predictive value = 96%). Conclusion: CT should be carried out in every symptomatic patient on PD. Indeed, the association of loculated fluid, small bowel faeces sign, and small bowel obstruction enables the prediction of the development of AC, which is likely to curtail PD and require surgery.

  9. Prospective evaluation of the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of Cocoon Duct Occluder for transcatheter closure of large patent ductus arteriosus: A single-center study with short- and medium-term follow-up results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Santosh Kumar; Razi, Mahmadula; Pandey, Rama Niwas; Kumar, Prakash; Krishna, Vinay; Jha, Mukesh Jitendra; Mishra, Vikas; Asif, Mohammad; Abdali, Nasar; Tewari, Pradyot; Thakur, Ramesh; Pandey, Umeshwar; Varma, Chandra Mohan

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a novel Cocoon Duct Occluder device for the transcatheter closure (TCC) of large patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Methods: In this prospective, non-randomized study, consecutive patients with large PDA (narrowest diameter: ≥3.5/4.0 mm in symptomatic/asymptomatic patients, respectively), who underwent TCC with Cocoon Duct Occluder at our institute between November, 2012 and June, 2016 were examined. TCC was performed using the standard technique, and devices were antegradely delivered via 6–10F delivery sheaths. Device embolization, residual shunt, hemolysis, left pulmonary artery (LPA) stenosis, procedural and fluoroscopy time, and mortality were assessed. Patients were followed-up by transthoracic echocardiography with color Doppler imaging at 24 h (D1), 1 month (D30), and 6 months (D180) after implantation. Results: A total of 57 patients (age: 11.7±2.8 years; weight: 22.3±3.5 kg) were enrolled. The mean narrowest diameter was 7.4±0.7 mm. The PDA closure was successfully performed in each patient. Fluoroscopy and procedural time was 6.7±3.2 min and 23.9±2.7 min, respectively. Postprocedural angiography revealed that 49 (85.9%) patients had immediate and complete closure, whereas 8 (14.1%) had residual shunt. Color Doppler imaging at D1 revealed complete closure in 52 (91.3%) patients. At D30, complete closure was reported in all patients and was maintained at D180. Hemolysis, embolization, obstruction of LPA or descending aorta, and death were not reported till D180. Conclusion: TCC using Cocoon Duct Occluder is feasible, safe, and effective in the management of patients with large PDA, with excellent results on short- and medium-term follow-up. PMID:29145233

  10. Enhancing Effect of Glycerol on the Tensile Properties of Bombyx mori Cocoon Sericin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liangjun Zhu

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available An environmental physical method described herein was developed to improve the tensile properties of Bombyx mori cocoon sericin films, by using the plasticizer of glycerol, which has a nontoxic effect compared with other chemical crosslinkers. The changes in the tensile characteristics and the structure of glycerolated (0–40 wt% of glycerol sericin films were investigated. Sericin films, both in dry and wet states, showed enhanced tensile properties, which might be regulated by the addition of different concentrations of glycerol. The introduction of glycerol results in the higher amorphous structure in sericin films as evidenced by analysis of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR spectra, thermogravimetry (TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC curves. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM observation revealed that glycerol was homogeneously blended with sericin molecules when its content was 10 wt%, while a small amount of redundant glycerol emerged on the surface of sericin films when its content was increased to 20 wt% or higher. Our results suggest that the introduction of glycerol is a novel nontoxic strategy which can improve the mechanical features of sericin-based materials and subsequently promote the feasibility of its application in tissue engineering.

  11. Removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater via adsorption with high-specific-surface-area nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon derived from silkworm cocoon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Junting; Zhang, Zhengping; Ji, Jing; Dou, Meiling, E-mail: douml@mail.buct.edu.cn; Wang, Feng, E-mail: wangf@mail.buct.edu.cn

    2017-05-31

    Highlights: • The nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon was prepared from silkworm cocoon. • The NHPC possesses a unique porous structure and a high specific surface area. • The NHPC presents superior adsorption performance for Cr (VI). • The NHPC exhibits an excellent recyclability for the removal of Cr (VI). - Abstract: The development of highly efficient adsorbents is an effective way to remove Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater for environment protection. Herein, a high-specific-surface-area nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC) derived from silkworm cocoon was synthesized and applied as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater. The resultant NHPC possesses a specific surface area as high as 3134 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and a unique hierarchical porous structure with a large number of small mesopores (2–4 nm) and micropores (0.8–2 nm) embedded in the sidewall of bowl-like macropores (200–300 nm), in which sufficient exposure of adsorption sites and high-flow transfer of Cr{sup 6+} ions can be achieved. As a result, the NHPC exhibits a remarkable adsorption performance with a larger adsorption capacity (366.3 mg g{sup −1}), a higher adsorption rate (4 × 10{sup −2} g mg{sup −1} min{sup −1}) and a superior recyclability in comparison with the commercial adsorbent (Norit CGP). Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic, which fits well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. This biomass-based porous carbon with well-defined hierarchical porous structure can be applied as a promising adsorbent for the removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater.

  12. Control of breathing in African lungfish (Protopterus dolloi): A comparison of aquatic and cocooned (terrestrialized) animals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perry, S.F.; Euverman, R.; Wang, Tobias

    2008-01-01

    in terrestrialized fish consisted of multiple bouts of inspiration and expiration in rapid succession, the mean frequency of pulmonary breathing events was unaltered in the terrestrialized fish (16.7 ± 1.4 h-1 versus 20.1 ± 4.9 h-1 in the aquatic and terrestrialized fish, respectively). Hypoxia ( 20 mmHg) increased...... the frequency of breathing events by 16 and 23 h-1 in the aquatic and terrestrialized fish, respectively. Hyperoxia ( 550 mmHg) decreased breathing event frequency by 10 and 15 h-1 in the aquatic and terrestrialized animals. Aquatic hypercapnia ( 37.5 mmHg) increased pulmonary breathing frequency (from 15......African lungfish, Protopterus dolloi exhibited constant rates of O2 consumption before (0.95 ± 0.07 mmol kg-1 h-1), during (1.21 ± 0.32 mmol kg-1 h-1) and after (1.14 ± 0.14 mmol kg-1 h-1) extended periods (1-2 months) of terrestrialization while cocooned. Although a breathing event...

  13. Abdominal Cocoon Syndrome (Idiopathic Sclerosing Encapsulating Peritonitis: How Easy Is Its Diagnosis Preoperatively? A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julius A. A. Awe

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The abdominal cocoon syndrome (or idiopathic encapsulating peritonitis is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. It has been reported predominantly in adolescent girls living in tropical/subtropical region in which diagnosis is only made at laparotomy in most cases. The cause and pathogenesis of the condition have not been elucidated. Prolonged administration of practalol, meconium peritonitis, and tuberculous infection of the female genital tract have been incriminated as possible causes. The author reports a case of a female patient with recurrent intestinal obstruction treated for years but failed to settle down on conservative treatment during her last hospital admission and had to undergo surgery. Preoperative diagnosis of this syndrome as the cause of her intestinal obstruction was not made until at laparotomy, when a thick fibrotic peritoneal wrapping of the bowel in a concertina-like fashion with some adhesions was found. Excision of this membrane and adhesiolysis were carried out without any need for bowel resection, and this led to relief of the obstruction and patient’s complete recovery. Awareness of this benign condition in the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction will result in early diagnosis and correct management and prevent unnecessary bowel resections and bad outcomes.

  14. Preparation and characterization of regenerated fiber from the aqueous solution of Bombyx mori cocoon silk fibroin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu Zhenghua [Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan); Department of Application Engineering, ZheJiang Vocational College of Economic and Trade, HangZhou, ZheJiang 310018 (China); Imada, Takuzo [Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan); Asakura, Tetsuo, E-mail: asakura@cc.tuat.ac.jp [Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)

    2009-10-15

    The regenerated silk fibers with high strength and high biodegradability were prepared from the aqueous solution of Bombyx mori silk fibroin from cocoons with wet spinning method. Although the tensile strength of the regenerated silk fibroin fiber, 210 MPa is still half of the strength of native silk fiber, the diameter of the fiber is about 100 {mu}m which is suitable for monofilament of suture together with high biodegradability. The high concentration (30%, w/v) of the aqueous solution of the silk fibroin which corresponds to the high concentration in the middle silkgland of silkworm was obtained. This was performed by adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution to 10.4 which corresponds to pK{sub a} value of the OH group of Tyr residues in the silk fibroin. The mixed solvent, methanol/acetic acid (7:3 in volume ratio) was used as coagulant solvent for preparing the regenerated fiber. The structural change of silk fibroin fiber by stretching was monitored with both {sup 13}C solid state NMR and X-ray diffraction methods, indicating that the high strength of the fiber is related with the long-range orientation of the silk fibroin chain with {beta}-sheet structure.

  15. Natural Biowaste-Cocoon-Derived Granular Activated Carbon-Coated ZnO Nanorods: A Simple Route To Synthesizing a Core-Shell Structure and Its Highly Enhanced UV and Hydrogen Sensing Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saravanan, Adhimoorthy; Huang, Bohr-Ran; Kathiravan, Deepa; Prasannan, Adhimoorthy

    2017-11-15

    Granular activated carbon (GAC) materials were prepared via simple gas activation of silkworm cocoons and were coated on ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) by the facile hydrothermal method. The present combination of GAC and ZNRs shows a core-shell structure (where the GAC is coated on the surface of ZNRs) and is exposed by systematic material analysis. The as-prepared samples were then fabricated as dual-functional sensors and, most fascinatingly, the as-fabricated core-shell structure exhibits better UV and H 2 sensing properties than those of as-fabricated ZNRs and GAC. Thus, the present core-shell structure-based H 2 sensor exhibits fast responses of 11% (10 ppm) and 23.2% (200 ppm) with ultrafast response and recovery. However, the UV sensor offers an ultrahigh photoresponsivity of 57.9 A W -1 , which is superior to that of as-grown ZNRs (0.6 A W -1 ). Besides this, switching photoresponse of GAC/ZNR core-shell structures exhibits a higher switching ratio (between dark and photocurrent) of 1585, with ultrafast response and recovery, than that of as-grown ZNRs (40). Because of the fast adsorption ability of GAC, it was observed that the finest distribution of GAC on ZNRs results in rapid electron transportation between the conduction bands of GAC and ZNRs while sensing H 2 and UV. Furthermore, the present core-shell structure-based UV and H 2 sensors also well-retained excellent sensitivity, repeatability, and long-term stability. Thus, the salient feature of this combination is that it provides a dual-functional sensor with biowaste cocoon and ZnO, which is ecological and inexpensive.

  16. HST images of dark giants as dark matter: Part.I The black cocoon stars of Carina Nebula region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Celis, S.L.

    2001-01-01

    In an evolutionary scenario, the existence of isolated dark giant objects known as Post M latest spectral type stars (1) (or black cocoon stars) are in the last stage of their life and, as extremely advanced old age objects, they cease to be stars. The photographic images of Carina nebula taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have been used to detect the post M-Iatest stars as dark silhouettes. The luminosity attenuation equation of M late stars (1), A = αS 3 , points out the baryonic dark matter envelopes the oldest red giants that produce earlier dark giants. This equation says that when the red giant star finishes to produce baryonic dark matter, the central star is extinguishing and transforms into dark giants and dusty globules that disperse cool gaseous matter into the interstellar space. These old dark objects have a size from 400 to 600 astronomical units (AU). The advanced dark giants, the dusty dark giants, might not contain a star within the molecular cloud that envelops it. In this case, the dark giants might produce the smaller and less massive dark globules of the Thackeray's globules type (less than 4 solar masses) where, Reupurth et al. (2) found that these globules are now in an advanced stage of disintegration and they found no evidence of star formation in any of these objects. The high-resolution of the Hubble images allows: The observation of isolated dark giants, dusty globules with central dark giants, the observation of partial eclipses or transiting of giant stars and the estimation of linear and angular diameters (ionised cocoons) of giant stellar objects. The dark giants of the image are identified them as objects with observed angular diameter. The large quantity of dark giants in a small sector of the sky suggests that they are densely populated (population stars III) and ubiquitous in the galactic disc. They can be located in isolated form or associated in dense Conglomerations of dark giants. At the same time, conglomerates of

  17. Magnetically Separable Fe2O3/g-C3N4 Nanocomposites with Cocoon-Like Shape: Magnetic Properties and Photocatalytic Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaojia; Yang, Xiaoyu; Li, Guang

    2018-01-01

    We report magnetically separable Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites as a photocatalyst under visible-light irradiation in this study. The Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites were synthesized through a two-step hydrothermal method. The Fe2O3 with cocoon-like shape was obviously dispersed on the surface of g-C3N4 with porous and layered nanostructure as seen from micrographs of the particles. Furthermore, the magnetic conversion of the samples was studied via vibrating sample magnetometer technology. It was found that the saturated magnetization Ms of the Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanoparticles obviously decreased in the presence of g-C3N4, and the photocatalytic activity of the samples investigated by degrading Rhodamine B suggested that the Fe2O3/g-C3N4 photocatalyst was prior to the pure Fe2O3 and g-C3N4 samples. In addition, the magnetically separable ability of Fe2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites was efficiently exhibited by an external magnet.

  18. Study of thirty-one economically important traits in twenty silkworm ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rice straw was used as cocoon frames for spinning in each replication separately. Seven days after the starting of cocoon spinning, obtained cocoons were gathered and sorted on the basis of form, thickness, clarity, etc., into four classes including good, middle, double and low cocoons. The ratio of each cocoon class was ...

  19. Skin equivalent tissue-engineered construct: co-cultured fibroblasts/ keratinocytes on 3D matrices of sericin hope cocoons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunita Nayak

    Full Text Available The development of effective and alternative tissue-engineered skin replacements to autografts, allografts and xenografts has became a clinical requirement due to the problems related to source of donor tissue and the perceived risk of disease transmission. In the present study 3D tissue engineered construct of sericin is developed using co-culture of keratinocytes on the upper surface of the fabricated matrices and with fibroblasts on lower surface. Sericin is obtained from "Sericin Hope" silkworm of Bombyx mori mutant and is extracted from cocoons by autoclave. Porous sericin matrices are prepared by freeze dried method using genipin as crosslinker. The matrices are characterized biochemically and biophysically. The cell proliferation and viability of co-cultured fibroblasts and keratinocytes on matrices for at least 28 days are observed by live/dead assay, Alamar blue assay, and by dual fluorescent staining. The growth of the fibroblasts and keratinocytes in co-culture is correlated with the expression level of TGF-β, b-FGF and IL-8 in the cultured supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The histological analysis further demonstrates a multi-layered stratified epidermal layer of uninhibited keratinocytes in co-cultured constructs. Presence of involucrin, collagen IV and the fibroblast surface protein in immuno-histochemical stained sections of co-cultured matrices indicates the significance of paracrine signaling between keratinocytes and fibroblasts in the expression of extracellular matrix protein for dermal repair. No significant amount of pro inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and nitric oxide production are evidenced when macrophages grown on the sericin matrices. The results all together depict the potentiality of sericin 3D matrices as skin equivalent tissue engineered construct in wound repair.

  20. Sequential entrapping of Li and S in a conductivity cage of N-doped reduced graphene oxide supercapacitor derived from silk cocoon: a hybrid Li-S-silk supercapacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jangir, Himanshi; Pandey, Mohit; Jha, Rishabh; Dubey, Amarish; Verma, Shourya; Philip, Deepu; Sarkar, Sabyasachi; Das, Mainak

    2018-02-01

    Li and S compounds are currently exploited for their applications in battery industry. Here, we discovered that Li-S compounds exhibit supercapacitor like properties in a context-dependent manner viz., when Li and S atoms are entrapped in a conductivity cage of N-doped reduced graphene oxide (ND-RGO) supercapacitor derived from silk cocoon, it resulted in the formation of a superior hybrid Li-S-silk (ND-RGO-Li-S) supercapacitor. Interestingly, ND-RGO-Li-S proves to be a better supercapacitor than ND-RGO alone. Electrochemical properties of ND-RGO versus ND-RGO-Li-S indicated that the later has higher capacitance ( 10.72%), lower resistance ( 2.98%), and higher time constant or relaxation time ( 7.52%). Thus, in one of the first attempts, caging Li and S in ND-RGO supercapacitor matrix offers a new role for Li-S, as an improved supercapacitor, unlike its current application as a battery.

  1. Facts and myths of antibacterial properties of silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Jasjeet; Rajkhowa, Rangam; Afrin, Tarannum; Tsuzuki, Takuya; Wang, Xungai

    2014-03-01

    Silk cocoons provide protection to silkworm from biotic and abiotic hazards during the immobile pupal phase of the lifecycle of silkworms. Protection is particularly important for the wild silk cocoons reared in an open and harsh environment. To understand whether some of the cocoon components resist growth of microorganisms, in vitro studies were performed using gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) to investigate antibacterial properties of silk fiber, silk gum, and calcium oxalate crystals embedded inside some cocoons. The results show that the previously reported antibacterial properties of silk cocoons are actually due to residues of chemicals used to isolate/purify cocoon elements, and properly isolated silk fiber, gum, and embedded crystals free from such residues do not have inherent resistance to E. coli. This study removes the uncertainty created by previous studies over the presence of antibacterial properties of silk cocoons, particularly the silk gum and sericin. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Refining cocoon to prepare (N, S, and Fe) ternary-doped porous carbon aerogel as efficient catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Changqing; Sun, Fengzhan; Lin, Yuqing

    2018-04-01

    Various advanced sulfur doped Fe-N-C non-noble metal catalysts of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been recently designed and reported with excellent catalytic activity. Herein, we refined cocoon with several steps to form silk fibroin solution, treated with iron salt to prepare an easy available, heteroatom (N, S, and Fe) ternary-doped, porous carbon aerogel (HDCA). Heteroatom existed in organic compounds in silk fibroin endow active site for ORR of the resultant carbon frameworks. Moreover, the amino acids presented in silk fibroin acted as ligands, functioning with Fe ions to form FeNx coordination compounds, which also served as active sites towards ORR. The synthesized HDCA electrocatalysts, especially HDCA-800 (obtained at 800 °C) displayed excellent catalytic activity with onsets, half-wave potential of 0.94 V, 0.79 V and higher limited current density of 3.80 mA cm-2 through a near four-electron reduction pathway with an average electron transferred number of 3.86, making them promising alternatives for state-of-the-art ORR electrocatalysts in fuel cell field. The porous structure with synergistic effect of N and S heteroatom doping has been proposed to play a key role in facilitating the desired ORR reaction.

  3. Structure, Composition, and Properties of Silk from the African Wild Silkmoth, (Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Addis T. Kebede

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Silk cocoon nests, as well as the fiber structure, compositions, and properties of the African wild silkmoth, Anaphe panda , collected from Kakamega tropical rainforest (western Kenya were studied using scanning electron microscopy, high-pressureliquid chromatography, tensile tests, and thermogravmetric analysis, and they were compared with the industrial standard, Bombyx mori. Cocoon nests are complex structures made up of inner, middle, and outer layers. The inner hard parchment was found to protect a mass of (20–200 individual soft flossy cocoons that enclose the pupae. The outer surface of the cocoon nests was covered with a mass of hair-like bristles. Fibers contained crescent-shaped and globular cross-sections with nods at regular intervals. Alanine (34% and glycine (28% were the dominant fibroin amino acids observed. Total weight loss after degumming the cocoon nest was 25.6%. Degummed fibers showed higher moisture regain of 9% when compared with cocoon nests (8%. The fibers had 0.4 GPa breaking stress and 15.4% breaking strain. Total weight loss values after thermogravimetric analysis were 86% and 90% for degummed fibers and cocoon shells, respectively.

  4. Pengaruh Pakan dan Bahan Peluruh Serisin terhadap Filamen Terurai Kokon Ulat Sutera Emas Cricula trifenestrata Helf

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terry M Frans

    2015-10-01

    The research aim was to obtain the effect of fodder and sericin degumming agents on asunder filament of golden silkworm cocoon of Cricula trifenestrata Helf. This study expected to find an asunder filament technology in the yarn spinning phase, as the material of silk textile. The complete random design was used to find the interaction between two treatment factors of fodder types and sericin degumming agents. The length of asunder filament per cocoon (cm, the amount of pieces of asunder filament per cocoon (sheet, and the length of filament per piece (cm/sheet were evaluated. The combination between avocado leaf and soap sericin degumming agent with wood ashes treatment showed the best results on the average of the length of sericin emitec filament asunder per cocoon, the average amount of filament pieces per cocoon, and the average filament length per piece. Therefore, the treatment combination is recommended on the cocoon asunder process.

  5. Produção de casulos de Bombyx mori L. alimentados com dietas artificiais e folhas “in natura” de Morus aba L. Production of cocoon of Bombyx mori L. fed on leaves of Morus aba L. and on artificial diets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Evangelista Rodrigues

    2001-05-01

    Full Text Available A utilização de dietas artificiais no Japão já é uma realidade, e no Brasil iniciam-se os estudos buscando encontrar um balanceamento que satisfaça as necessidades das larvas do bicho-da-seda, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera. Desta forma, foram testados dois cultivares de amoreira como ingredientes das dietas, avaliando-se a qualidade do alimento, através do peso médio dos casulos e teor líquido de seda. As larvas foram separadas em parcelas, no início do 1º ínstar, onde já começaram a receber as dietas artificiais e as folhas “in natura”. Quando as larvas receberam folhas “in natura”, ao longo dos ínstares, apresentaram valores superiores para peso dos casulos. Por outro lado, quando receberam dietas artificiais, nos dois ínstares iniciais, não apresentaram diferença significativa para teor líquido de seda, quando comparadas com folhas “in natura”. Por fim, observou-se que a variedade Miura é melhor tanto como folha “in natura”, quanto como dieta artificial para peso de casulos.The utilization of artificial diets in Japan is fact and in Brazil the work is beginning to search meeting a balance form to satisfy the silkworm necessity, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera. In such case, was tested two cultivars of mulberry in diets, to evaluate the quality of food trough mean cocoon weight and liquid silk. The larvae were separated in portion in the first instar begin and were to feed with diets and leaves “in nature”. When the silkworms were fed with leaves during five instars, showed cocoon weight high. When were fed diets in two inicial instars, showed that the silk liquid was good. The Miura variety is better in diets and leaves “in nature” for coccon weight.

  6. Development of a standardized reproduction toxicity test with the earthworm species Eisenia fetida andrei using copper, pentachlorophenol and 2,4-dichloroaniline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    van Gestel, C.A.; van Dis, W.A.; van Breemen, E.M.; Sparenburg, P.M. (National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, BA Bilthoven (Netherland))

    1989-12-01

    This article describes a standardized test method for determining the effect of chemical substances on the reproduction of the earthworm Eisenia fetida andrei. It is based on the existing guidelines for acute toxicity testing with earthworms, and for reasons of standardization the same artificial soil substrate and earthworm species were chosen as prescribed by these guidelines. After being preconditioned for one week in untreated soil, earthworms are exposed to the chemical substances for 3 weeks. The number of cocoons produced is determined, and cocoons are incubated in untreated artificial soil for 5 weeks to assess hatchability. Results are presented from toxicity experiments with pentachlorophenol, copper, and 2,4-dichloroaniline. For these compounds no-effect levels (NEL) for cocoon production were 32, 60-120, and 56 mg.kg-1 dry soil, respectively. Hatching of cocoons was influenced by pentachlorophenol (NEL, 10 mg.kg-1), but not by copper and dichloroaniline. Following exposure, earthworms were incubated in clean soil again to study the possibility of recovery of cocoon production. For copper and dichloroaniline earthworms did recover cocoon production to a level as high as the control level or even higher; in case of pentachlorophenol, cocoon production was still reduced after 3 weeks in clean soil.

  7. Effect of two major N-nitroso hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) metabolites on earthworm reproductive success

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Baohong; Cox, Stephen B.; McMurry, Scott T.; Jackson, W. Andrew; Cobb, George P.; Anderson, Todd A.

    2008-01-01

    Soil and topical tests were employed to investigate the effect of two N-nitroso metabolites of RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) on earthworm reproduction. The lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for cocoon production and hatching was 50 mg/kg for both hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX) in soil. MNX and TNX also significantly affected cocoon hatching in soil (p 20 values for MNX were 8.7 and 8.8 mg/kg for cocoon and juvenile production, respectively, compared to 9.2 and 9.1 mg/kg for TNX, respectively. The EC 20 values for the total number of cocoon hatchlings were 3.1 and 4.7 mg/kg for MNX and TNX, respectively, in soil and 4.5 and 3.1 mg/L in the topical test. Both MNX and TNX inhibited cocoon production and hatching, suggesting that they may have a negative affect on soil ecosystems at contaminated sites. - RDX metabolites affect earthworm cocoon production and hatching

  8. Afterglow Imaging and Polarization of Misaligned Structured GRB Jets and Cocoons: Breaking the Degeneracy in GRB 170817A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Ramandeep; Granot, Jonathan

    2018-05-01

    The X-ray to radio afterglow emission of GRB 170817A / GW 170817 so far scales as Fν∝ν-0.6t0.8 with observed frequency and time, consistent with a single power-law segment of the synchrotron spectrum from the external shock going into the ambient medium. This requires the effective isotropic equivalent afterglow shock energy in the visible region to increase as ˜t1.7. The two main channels for such an energy increase are (i) radial: more energy carried by slower material (in the visible region) gradually catches up with the afterglow shock and energizes it, and (ii) angular: more energy in relativistic outflow moving at different angles to our line of sight, whose radiation is initially beamed away from us but its beaming cone gradually reaches our line of sight as it decelerates. One cannot distinguish between these explanations (or combinations of them) using only the X-ray to radio Fν(t). Here we demonstrate that the most promising way to break this degeneracy is through afterglow imaging and polarization, by calculating the predicted evolution of the afterglow image (its size, shape and flux centroid) and linear polarization Π(t) for different angular and/or radial outflow structures that fit Fν(t). We consider two angular profiles - a Gaussian and a narrow core with power-law wings in energy per solid angle, as well as a (cocoon motivated) (quasi-) spherical flow with radial velocity profile. For a jet viewed off-axis (and a magnetic field produced in the afterglow shock) Π(t) peaks when the jet's core becomes visible, at ≈2tp where the lightcurve peaks at tp, and the image can be elongated with aspect ratios ≳ 2. A quasi-spherical flow has an almost circular image and a much lower Π(t) (peaking at ≈tp) and flux centroid displacement θfc (a spherical flow has Π(t) = θfc = 0 and a perfectly circular image).

  9. The outflow structure of GW170817 from late time broadband observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troja, E.; Piro, L.; Ryan, G.; van Eerten, H.; Ricci, R.; Wieringa, M.; Lotti, S.; Sakamoto, T.; Cenko, S. B.

    2018-04-01

    We present our broadband study of GW170817 from radio to hard X-rays, including NuSTAR and Chandra observations up to 165 days after the merger, and a multi-messenger analysis including LIGO constraints. The data are compared with predictions from a wide range of models, providing the first detailed comparison between non-trivial cocoon and jet models. Homogeneous and power-law shaped jets, as well as simple cocoon models are ruled out by the data, while both a Gaussian shaped jet and a cocoon with energy injection can describe the current dataset for a reasonable range of physical parameters, consistent with the typical values derived from short GRB afterglows. We propose that these models can be unambiguously discriminated by future observations measuring the post-peak behaviour, with Fν∝t˜-1.0 for the cocoon and Fν∝t˜-2.5 for the jet model.

  10. Silk fibroin film from golden-yellow Bombyx mori is a biocomposite that contains lutein and promotes axonal growth of primary neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pistone, Assunta; Sagnella, Anna; Chieco, Camilla; Bertazza, Gianpaolo; Varchi, Greta; Formaggio, Francesco; Posati, Tamara; Saracino, Emanuela; Caprini, Marco; Bonetti, Simone; Toffanin, Stefano; Di Virgilio, Nicola; Muccini, Michele; Rossi, Federica; Ruani, Giampiero; Zamboni, Roberto; Benfenati, Valentina

    2016-05-01

    The use of doped silk fibroin (SF) films and substrates from Bombyx mori cocoons for green nanotechnology and biomedical applications has been recently highlighted. Cocoons from coloured strains of B. mori, such as Golden-Yellow, contain high levels of pigments that could have a huge potential for the fabrication of SF based biomaterials targeted to photonics, optoelectronics and neuroregenerative medicine. However, the features of extracted and regenerated SF from cocoons of B. mori Golden-Yellow strain have never been reported. Here we provide a chemophysical characterization of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fibers, solution, and films obtained from cocoons of a Golden-Yellow strain of B. mori, by SEM, (1) H-NMR, HPLC, FT-IR, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy. We found that the extracted solution and films from B. mori Golden-Yellow fibroin displayed typical Raman spectroscopic and optical features of carotenoids. HPLC-analyses revealed that lutein was the carotenoid contained in the fiber and RSF biopolymer from yellow cocoons. Notably, primary neurons cultured on yellow SF displayed a threefold higher neurite length than those grown of white SF films. The results we report pave the way to expand the potential use of yellow SF in the field of neuroregenerative medicine and provide green chemistry approaches in biomedicine. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Pyraclostrobin Impairs Energetic Mitochondrial Metabolism and Productive Performance of Silkworm (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) Caterpillars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicodemo, Daniel; Mingatto, Fábio Ermínio; Carvalho, Amanda de; Bizerra, Paulo Francisco Veiga; Tavares, Marco Aurélio; Balieira, Kamila Vilas Boas; Bellini, William Cesar

    2018-03-09

    Silkworm cocoon production has been reduced due to a number of problems other than those inherent in sericulture, such as diseases, malnutrition, and inappropriate management. The use of pesticides in areas surrounding mulberry fields can contaminate these plants and consequently harm caterpillars. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the application of the fungicide pyraclostrobin in mulberry plants interferes with the mitochondrial bioenergetics and the productive performance of silkworms. Mulberry plants were treated with pyraclostrobin (0, 100, 200, and 300 g ha-1). After 30 d of fungicide application, fifth instar caterpillars were fed with leaves from the treated plants. We evaluated in vitro and in vivo mitochondrial bioenergetics of mitochondria from the head and intestines, as well as the feed intake and mortality rate of the caterpillars and the weight of fresh cocoons and cocoons shells. At doses of 50 µM (in vitro) and 200 g ha-1 (in vivo), pyraclostrobin inhibited oxygen consumption in state 3, dissipated membrane potential, and inhibited ATP synthesis in mitochondria. Pyraclostrobin acted as a respiratory chain inhibitor, affecting mitochondrial bioenergetics. The fungicide did not interfere with food consumption but negatively affected mortality rate and weight of cocoons. Mulberry leaves contaminated with pyraclostrobin negatively impact the mitochondrial bioenergetics of silkworms and cocoon production.

  12. Codling moth in the Rhone valley: cocooning sites and winter survival of the mature larvae in modern apple orchards Laspeyresia pomonella L. (Lep. Tortricidae)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Causse, R.

    1976-01-01

    The study of the overwintering sites and mortality of Laspeyresia pomonella L. (Lep. Tortricidae) larvae has been carried out in modern apple orchards. The cocooning behavior has been followed up through a series of 27 successive releases of about 3000 larvae, laboratory reared and labeled by 65 Zn. When the mature larvae are released on the tree, most of them reach progressively the ground by the trunk after exploring it in all directions. When they have reached the ground or also when have been directly released on it, the direction they take seems to be the result of two essential factors: a photonegative response which tends to direct them away from the sun or the moonlight and, on the other hand, a silhouetting effect which draws the insects toward any dark body, clearly delimited. The larval and nymphal distribution on the tree was only 14,5% in the 1st generation and 4,5% in the 2nd generation. The remaining 85,5% or 95,5% are located in or on the soil, under the most varied shelters. This finding is not in agreement with results published by most authors having worked in old type and traditional orchards. The crawling of the larvae on the ground allows most of them to cover distances from 1,5 to 6,0m and up to 10m. Occasionally, a few larvae can be localized in the soil, at the tree base. The winter survival rate seems very low, mortalities varying from 88 to 100% in 1972-1973 and 1973-1974. This mortality has been caused mostly by unfavourable climatic conditions and by predators action: some of the latter have been identified [fr

  13. The Effect of Zinc Supplementation on the Production Parameters of Bombyx mori L. species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihai Benţea

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed to evaluate the influence of Zinc, administered as food supplement for silkworm (Bombyx moriL. on the larvae weight, the weight of the serigene gland, cocoon weight, cocoon shell. The research has been carried out on 5 groups of silkworms one control group (Gr.1 and 4 experimental groups (4 groups receiving zinc, consisting of 50 larvae/group. Zinc was administered in doses of 17, 34, 68 and 136 mg kg-1 larvae - Gr.2-Gr.5. The use of Zinc determined a very significant increase of the larvae weight, to group Gr.5 followed by groups Gr.4, Gr.3 and Gr.2 compared to the control group. The use of Zinc positively influenced the mass of the serigene glands, the cocoon weight, cocoon shell. The Zn content of the pupae from the experimental groups was higher compared to the one recorded in the control group.

  14. Effect Of Various Substrates On Eudrilus eugeniae (Oligochaeta Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mpoame, M.

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to assess the effects of substrate on Eudrilus eugeniae production, 360 worms were raised in plastic buckets containing manure either from cattle (BV, from sheep (CM, from rabbit (CL, and from chicken (FP. At the end of the experiment which lasted 4 months, worm productivity was estimated at 111.9 g/kg of substrate in CL, 86.3 g/kg in CM, and 33.0 g/kg in BV. Substrate FP was inadequate as worms escaped from it. In another trial aiming at determining some of E. Eugeniae's reproductive parameters, each of the 3 substrates BV, CL, and CM was distributed into 15 plastic half bottles and was inoculated with one cocoon. In the 3 substrates cocoon incubation time and growing period were estimated at 3 to 4 weeks and 6 to 7 weeks respectively. Cocoons were laid approximately a week after the pairing of worms. On the average, each worm laid 2 cocoons per week.

  15. Laser biostimulation of Bombyx mori

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achilov, M.F.; Trunilina, O.V.

    2001-01-01

    Influence of low-intensity visible laser radiation on technological parameters of Bombyx mori cocoons and silk thread has been established. Increasing the average cocoons mass, part of cocoons silk cover, technological length and tensile strength of silk thread on 5-35% was achieved by laser biostimulation of Bombyx mori eggs of ninth postdiapause day. With tensile strength growth simultaneously the diameter of silk thread decreases and silk thread structure becomes more longitudinal, what is tested by X-ray crystal analysis. Laser biostimulation technology and device for lighting the silkworm eggs were patented in Uzbekistan. Results were interpreted by using the bioenergetic, bioinformation and water basis mechanisms. (author)

  16. The eradication of the Mexico killing fly; L'eradication de la mouche tueuse du Mexique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lima, P

    2009-06-15

    In Mexico an industrial facility produces millions of sterile flies. These flies are then released in the wild to eliminate the 'Cochliomyia hominivorax' flu species whose larvae generate large sanitary and economical damage. The flies are made sterile through gamma irradiation at the cocoon stage. Containers filled with 40.000 cocoons are exposed to Cs{sup 137} gamma radiation doses of 55 Gy, the irradiation session lasts 2 minutes and a half. After the cocoons undergo strict quality control they are deposited in natural places. The irradiation generates cell damages in semen and ovaries while preserving the capacity of copulating and the lifetime of the flies. (A.C.)

  17. Penonyx excavatus (Oligochaeta)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    grO\\vth and cocoon production and the life cycle was described by Hallatt, Reinecke & Viljocn (1990). Publica- tions on the moisture requirements (Hallatt, Viljoen & Rei- necke 1992) and the influence of wonn densiIY on cocoon production (Reinecke & Reinecke 1994) also appeared. Studies on the biology of this species ...

  18. Effects of soil properties on copper toxicity to earthworm Eisenia fetida in 15 Chinese soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Xiongwei; Xu, Meng; Zhou, Youya; Yan, Zengguang; Du, Yanli; Zhang, Lu; Zhang, Chaoyan; Bai, Liping; Nie, Jing; Chen, Guikui; Li, Fasheng

    2016-02-01

    The bioavailability and toxicity of metals in soil are influenced by a variety of soil properties, and this principle should be recognized in establishing soil environmental quality criteria. In the present study, the uptake and toxicity of Cu to the earthworm Eisenia fetida in 15 Chinese soils with various soil properties were investigated, and regression models for predicting Cu toxicity across soils were developed. The results showed that earthworm survival and body weight change were less sensitive to Cu than earthworm cocoon production. The soil Cu-based median effective concentrations (EC50s) for earthworm cocoon production varied from 27.7 to 383.7 mg kg(-1) among 15 Chinese soils, representing approximately 14-fold variation. Soil cation exchange capacity and organic carbon content were identified as key factors controlling Cu toxicity to earthworm cocoon production, and simple and multiple regression models were developed for predicting Cu toxicity across soils. Tissue Cu-based EC50s for earthworm cocoon production were also calculated and varied from 15.5 to 62.5 mg kg(-1) (4-fold variation). Compared to the soil Cu-based EC50s for cocoon production, the tissue Cu-based EC50s had less variation among soils, indicating that metals in tissue were more relevant to toxicity than metals in soil and hence represented better measurements of bioavailability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Effects of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) on the avoidance response, survival, growth and reproduction of earthworms (Eisenia fetida).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Xianchuan; Qian, Yan; Wu, Yingxin; Yin, Jun; Zhai, Jianping

    2013-04-01

    The effects of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) on avoidance response, survival, growth, and reproduction of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were investigated under laboratory conditions using natural and artificial soils as substrate. Results showed that no significant avoidance response was observed when earthworms were exposed to 0.1-1000 mg/kg of BDE-209 for 48 h. After 28-days exposure, no significant effects on survival and growth of adult earthworms was induced by 0.1-1000 mg/kg of BDE-209 indicating the Lowest Observed Effect Level (LOEL) of BDE-209 on their survival and body weight was more than 1000 mg/kg. Except for a significant decrease in the number of juveniles per hatched cocoon in artificial soils at 1000 mg/kg of BDE-209, no significant effects on reproductive parameters (e.g. cocoon production per earthworms, weight per cocoon and cocoon hatchability) were observed. These results suggest that adult earthworms have a strong tolerance for BDE-209 exposure in soils, but a potential toxicity does exist for earthworm embryos or juveniles. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Identification of RAPD and SCAR markers associated with yield traits in the Indian tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta drury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Suhrid R.; Kar, Prasanta K.; Srivastava, Ashok K.; Sinha, Manoj K.; Shankar, Jai; Ghosh, Ananta K.

    2012-01-01

    The tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, is a semi-domesticated vanya silk-producing insect of high economic importance. To date, no molecular marker associated with cocoon and shell weights has been identified in this species. In this report, we identified a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker and examined its inheritance, and also developed a stable diagnostic sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. Silkworms were divided into groups with high (HCSW) and low (LCSW) cocoon and shell weights, and the F2 progeny of a cross between these two groups were obtained. DNA from these silkworms was screened by PCR using 34 random primers and the resulting RAPD fragments were used for cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis (DFA). The clustering pattern in a UPGMA-based dendogram and DFA clearly distinguished the HCSW and LCSW groups. Multiple regression analysis identified five markers associated with cocoon and shell weights. The marker OPW16905 bp showed the most significant association with cocoon and shell weights, and its inheritance was confirmed in F2 progeny. Cloning and sequencing of this 905 bp fragment showed 88% identity between its 134 nucleotides and the Bmc-1/Yamato-like retroposon of A. mylitta. This marker was further converted into a diagnostic SCAR marker (SCOPW 16826 bp). The SCAR marker developed here may be useful in identifying the right parental stock of tasar silk-worms for high cocoon and shell weights in breeding programs designed to enhance the productivity of tasar silk. PMID:23271934

  1. Cepheids and their 'Cocoons'

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-02-01

    Using ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at Cerro Paranal, Chile, and the CHARA Interferometer at Mount Wilson, California, a team of French and North American astronomers has discovered envelopes around three Cepheids, including the Pole star. This is the first time that matter is found surrounding members of this important class of rare and very luminous stars whose luminosity varies in a very regular way. Cepheids play a crucial role in cosmology, being one of the first "steps" on the cosmic distance ladder. ESO PR Photo 09/06 ESO PR Photo 09/06 Model Image of Cepheid L Carinae (VINCI, MIDI/VLTI) The southern Cepheid L Carinae was observed with the VINCI and MIDI instrument at the VLTI, while Polaris (the Pole Star) and Delta Cephei (the prototype of its class) were scrutinised with FLUOR on CHARA, located on the other side of the equator. FLUOR is the prototype instrument of VINCI. Both were built by the Paris Observatory (France). For most stars, the observations made with the interferometers follow very tightly the theoretical stellar models. However, for these three stars, a tiny deviation was detected, revealing the presence of an envelope. "The fact that such deviations were found for all three stars, which however have very different properties, seems to imply that envelopes surrounding Cepheids are a widespread phenomenon", said Pierre Kervella, one of the lead authors. The envelopes were found to be 2 to 3 times as large as the star itself. Although such stars are rather large - about fifty to several hundreds of solar radii - they are so far away that they can't be resolved by single telescopes. Indeed, even the largest Cepheids in the sky subtend an angle of only 0.003 arc second. To observe this is similar to viewing a two-storey house on the Moon. Astronomers have thus to rely on the interferometric technique, which combines the light of two or more distant telescopes, thereby providing the angular resolution of a unique telescope as large as the separation between them. With the VLTI, it is possible to achieve a resolution of 0.001 arc second or less. "The physical processes that have created these envelopes are still uncertain, but, in analogy to what happens around other classes of stars, it is most probable that the environments were created by matter ejected by the star itself", said Antoine Mérand, lead-author of the second paper describing the results. Cepheids pulsate with periods of a few days. As a consequence, they go regularly through large amplitude oscillations that create very rapid motions of its apparent surface (the photosphere) with velocities up to 30 km/s, or 108 000 km/h! While this remains to be established, there could be a link between the pulsation, the mass loss and the formation of the envelopes. Notes Cepheids are commonly used as distance indicators, thanks to the existence of a basic relation between their intrinsic brightness and their pulsation period. By measuring the period of a Cepheid star, its intrinsic brightness can be deduced and from the observed apparent brightness, the distance may then be calculated. As they are intrinsically very bright stars, and can be observed in distant galaxies, this remarkable property has turned these yellow supergiant stars into primary 'standard candles' for extragalactic distance estimations (see ESO PR 25/04). L Carinae is the brightest Cepheid in the sky, and also the one that presents the largest apparent angular diameter. This is a massive supergiant star, having about 10 times the mass of the Sun and a radius approximately 180 times that of the Sun. Polaris is a peculiar star as it is located very close to the North celestial pole (hence its name). It is classified as a Cepheid, but it shows very weak pulsations compared to the other stars of its class. Delta Cephei is the prototype of the Cepheids. It was discovered to be a variable star in the 18th century by the English amateur John Goodricke, and it is still one of the brightest members of the Cepheid class. Its short period is characteristic of a relatively small supergiant, with a radius of "only" 43 times that of the Sun. These results are published in two articles to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics: "Extended envelopes around Galactic Cepheids I. L Car from near and mid-infrared interferometry with the VLTI" by P. Kervella et al., and "Extended envelopes around Cepheids II. Near infrared interferometric observations of Polaris and delta Cep using CHARA/FLUOR" by Antoine Mérand et al. The first paper is available as a PDF file from the editor's web site. The team is composed of Pierre Kervella, Antoine Mérand, Vincent Coudé du Foresto , Guy Perrin (LESIA, Paris Observatory, France), Stephen T. Ridgway (NOAO, Tucson, US and CHARA, Georgia, US), Jason P. Aufdenberg (NOAO, Tucson, US), Theo A. ten Brummelaar, Harold A. McAlister, Laszlo Sturmann, Judit Sturmann, Nils H. Turner and David H. Berger (CHARA, Georgia, US). The Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array interferometer is operated by the Georgia State University, United States.

  2. New study on the reproductive biology of a sexual strain of Dugesia (Girardia) tigrina, found in southern Italy: A genetic approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benazzi, Mario; Giannini Forli, Enrica [Pisa, Univ. (Italy). Dipt. di Scienze dell`Ambiente e del Territorio. Lab. di Zoologia

    1997-12-31

    The offspring of a sexual strain of Dugesia (Girardia) tigrina, found in southern Italy, was studied. They have collected and controlled the cocoons laid by F{sub 1} and F{sub 2} specimens, ascertaining that the degree of sterility, in F{sub 1} appears similar to that of parental generation, while it increases in F{sub 2}, in which many cocoons were found completely empty.

  3. Effects of acute gamma radiation on the reproductive ability of the earthworm Eisenia fetida

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sowmithra, K.; Shetty, N.J.; Harini, B.P.; Jha, S.K.; Chaubey, R.C.

    2015-01-01

    Earthworms are the most suitable biological indicators of radioactive pollution because they are the parts of nutritional webs, and are present in relatively high numbers. Four months old Eisenia fetida were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation, namely 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 Gy to study the effects of radiation on different reproductive parameters. The number of cocoons laid and the hatchlings emerged were recorded for all the selected doses. There was no reduction in cocoon production, however; decreasing size and weight of the cocoons was observed from the samples exposed to 20 Gy and above doses. Significant reductions in the hatchlings were recorded in earthworms exposed to 10 Gy and above doses. The dose response curves for a percentage reduction in hatchlings were constructed. Exposure to radiation dose of 1 and 2 Gy did not show any reduction, however, there was ≈10%, ≈50% and ≈90% decrease in the hatchlings in samples exposed to 3, 15 and 45, 50, 55 and 60 Gy doses respectively. Delayed hatchability was also reported at al exposure level. Histology of irradiated earthworms revealed that the structural damage in the seminal vesicles was prominent at the exposed dose of 3 Gy onwards with complete degeneration on exposure to 60 Gy of gamma radiation. - Highlights: • Eisenia fetida exposed to several doses of gamma-radiation to study the impact on reproduction. • There was no reduction in the cocoon production however. • There was reduction in size, weight and change in shape of the cocoons observed. • Reduction in number of hatchlings and degradation of seminal vesicles was pragmatic

  4. Influenza and Pertussis Vaccination Among Pregnant Women and Their Infants' Close Contacts: Reported Practices and Attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Leary, Sean T; Pyrzanowski, Jennifer; Brewer, Sarah E; Barnard, Juliana; Beaty, Brenda; Donnelly, Meghan; Mazzoni, Sara; Dempsey, Amanda F

    2015-11-01

    Our objectives were to describe the receipt of influenza and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines among postpartum women and their close contacts and the factors associated with cocooning. A survey between February 2013 and April 2013 of 613 postpartum women from 9 obstetrics practices assessed vaccine receipt among respondents and close contacts, demographics and 5 domains of health beliefs (benefits, barriers, susceptibility, severity and social norms). Multivariable models assessed the association of these factors with Tdap or influenza "cocooning," defined as the mother plus at least 1 close contact of her newborn receiving the vaccine. The response rate was 45%; 61% of mothers reported that they and at least 1 close contact of their newborn had received influenza vaccine, and 67% reported this for Tdap. Infants whose mothers received influenza vaccine had a mean of 2.8 close contacts who also received influenza vaccine versus a mean of 0.9 contacts for infants whose mothers did not receive influenza vaccine (P referent to White). Maternal vaccination and obstetrician recommendation are associated with infant cocooning. Interventions to increase cocooning of infants should focus on encouraging strong provider recommendations, increasing maternal knowledge of disease risk and addressing identified barriers. Reasons for possible racial/ethnic differences should be further explored.

  5. Identification and Behavioral Evaluation of Sex Pheromone in Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius)—A Serious Pupal Parasitoid of Tropical Tasar Silkworm Anthereae mylitta Drury

    OpenAIRE

    Lakshmi Marepally; Gaddam Benarjee

    2016-01-01

    Xanthopimpla is a major parasitoid of silk worm cocoons. The female Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius) lays the eggs in male cocoons. Control of this infestation with pesticides is not recommended because of its concealed behavior. Various control methods were found to be inefficient. Ecofriendly management is the best strategy that can be applied. We have studied the sex communication in Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius), which helps to develop management strategy. Bioassays were done in the la...

  6. Red worm behavior (Eisenia spp.) in vermicomposting systems of organic residues

    OpenAIRE

    Mamani-Mamani Gladys; Mamani-Pati Francisco; Sainz-Mendoza Humberto; Villca-Huanaco René

    2012-01-01

    This work evaluates the behavior of the vermicomposting red worm (Eisenia spp.) in two environments (greenhouse and unsheltered) and with two solid organic substrates (cow manure=CM and kitchen waste=KW) in the zone of Carmen Pampa, Nor Yungas Province, Department of La Paz – Bolivia, using a factorial design with two factors and three repetitions (ANOVA analysis). The largest number of cocoons was found in the greenhouse treatment, with 64 in CM and 41 in KW. Cocoon viability was also greate...

  7. Casulo como habitáculo e componente formal construtivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasquia Hizuru Obata

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The term cocoon has derived formal definition of the biological activity of shelter that involves an animal or a group of animals during a cycle or life period, possessing efficiently for this inactive phase or reproductive cycle a skin characteristic expresses or like a flexible involucre. The important characteristics are the isolation of activities, restrict space to development of a certain action, lightness, flexibility and the natural condition, represent metaphorical goal in conventional projects. As constructive goals, the searches in the natural ways of the cocoons can be translated in results and combinations in geometric ways modulate or even bubbles and capsules of historical architectural projects to the most recent. The identification of cocoon in buildings leads the proposition that module is a constructive component and a formal departure, in other words, a project strategy that assists the energy reduction, besides the micro-climate creation, flexibility and constructive lightness.

  8. Calliobothrium spp. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) in Mustelus schmitti (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes) from Argentina and Uruguay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanov, Verónica A; Brooks, Daniel R

    2002-12-01

    Three species of Calliobothrium inhabit the spiral intestine of Mustelus schmitti in Argentina and Uruguay. Calliobothrium verticillatum australis is redescribed and its taxonomic status modified to species as C. australis. Calliobothrium barbarae n. sp. can be distinguished from all other species of Calliobothrium, which are small bodied, nonlaciniate, and without accessory piece between the bases of axial hook, by worm length, number of segments, cocoon morphology, and hooks shape. Calliobothrium lunae n. sp. is different from other Calliobothrium spp., which are small bodied, nonlaciniate. and have an accessory piece, by the number of segments and testes, hook shape, cocoon morphology, and the presence of ciliumlike projections on the distal surface of muscular pads. Calliobothrium australis is clearly distinguished from other large-bodied, laciniate species of the genus by worm length, number of testes, ovary shape, cocoon morphology, hook shape, and in being hyperapolytic. The oioxenous specificity involving Calliobothrium spp. and Mustelus spp. described by previous authors is confirmed in this study.

  9. STUDY ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE DIFFERENT ORIGIN SILKWORM HYBRIDS UNDER THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF BULGARIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALEXANDRA MATEI

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Romania, Ukraine, Turkey and Uzbekistan as countries placed in the Black, Caspian Seasand Central Asia (BACSA region, in comparison with hybrids from China, Japan, Italy andKorea has been carried out in Sericulture Station Vratza – Bulgaria.The study pointed out the superiority of the Japanese hybrid Shunrei + Shogetsu which hadthe highest cocoon yield by one box of eggs (41,10 kg and the highest raw silk productivity(7,05 kg/box of eggs.The silkworm hybrids produced in BACSA members countries had ahatching percentage ranged from 77,50% to 98,50%, a high pupation percentage (72,86 –96,91%, cocoon weight (1,892 – 2,319 g and fresh cocoon yield by one box of silkwormvaried from 29,894 kg to 40,982 kg.The Romanian hybrids had high values of the rawcocoon weight (2,307 g Record and 2,194 g Baneasa Super, the appreciable values of thecocoon yield/box of eggs (36,135 kg Record and 39,168 kg Baneasa Super, but low valuesof the silk content (20,38% Record and 20,51% Baneasa Super and of the raw silkproductivity/box of eggs (4,33 kg Record and 4,80 kg Baneasa Super.The breeding works inthe BACSA member countries, should be directed towards improvement of the silkproductivity of the hybrids and the qualities of the silk fibre, by the same time preservingtheir comparatively high pupation rate and cocoon yield.

  10. Environmental pollution of sericulture and its countermeasures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuribayashi, S

    1971-02-01

    Pollution which affects sericulture includes smokes and dusts exhausted by industrial factories, pesticides applied by helicopter and airplane, and dusts due to motor vehicles. Pesticides in air damage 130 ton of cocoons/yr. The special feature of air pollution damage is that damage to mulberry tree leaves appears as damage to silkworm cocoons. The exhausted pollutants from factories go from air into soil, and are taken up by the mulberry tree. Healthy silkworms suffer injury in a very short time. The major symptoms are reluctance to eat, motionlessness, lying flat, agony, vomiting, rolling, and death.

  11. Development and silk production by silkworm larvae after topical application of methoprene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miranda José Ednilson

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Juvenile hormone analogues have been tested as insect growth regulators in silkworm (Bombyx mori, seeking an increment of silk production. These chemical products, when applied in small or moderate rates, promote the extension of the last larval instar. To understand the physiologic consequences on silk production by the silkworm strain C115 x N108, the application of methoprene, a juvenile hormone analogue, was performed to evaluate its effects on larval development and silk production. Methoprene was topically applied 48h after the fourth larval ecdysis, on the dorsal integument of the 2nd thoracic segment of the insects, at seven rates between 0 and 20 ng a.i. Methoprene influenced positively the duration of the fifth instar and the weight gain of the insects. The application of 1ng methoprene resulted in the heaviest silkglands, cocoons, shell cocoons and pupae weights. Comparatively to the control, the increment on silk production (approximately 24% by the use of 1ng methoprene was more accentuated than the corresponding negative effects on the cocooning rate (approximately 12%.

  12. Caracterização de oito raças do bicho-da-seda (Bombyx mori L. Characterization of eight silkworm races (Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio José Porto

    2004-02-01

    Full Text Available O experimento foi conduzido na Estação Experimental de Zootecnia de Gália, do Instituto de Zootecnia, SAA-SP, no ano de 2000. Oito raças de bicho-da-seda, de origem Japonesa e Chinesa foram estudadas (B101, B102, B104, B109, C201, C202, C203, C208 em relação a caracteres biológicos (Ganho de peso total de uma lagarta-GP, Porcentagem de mortalidade-MO, Número de machos-NM, Número de fêmeas-NF, Número de ovos/postura-OP e Porcentagem de eclosão-EC e caracteres de produção de casulo (Peso unitário da glândula sericígena-GS, Peso de 30 cascas séricas-CS, Peso de 30 crisálidas-PC, Teor de seda líquido-TS, Casulos desclassificados-CD, Comprimento do casulo-CC e Largura do casulo-LC. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições/raça. Não houve variação entre as raças para GP, MO, NF e OP. A raça B101 apresentou, no geral, um menor NM e uma menor EC. Quanto à produção de casulos, no geral, os melhores resultados foram apresentados pela raça C202, com um bom GS (38% do peso final da lagarta, um dos mais altos CS e TS e valores próximos da média para PC, CD, CC e LC. A raça C201, em relação ao casulo produzido, apresentou os piores resultados.The experiment was developed at Estação Experimental de Zootecnia de Galia - Instituto de Zootecnia, SAA-SP, Gália city, São Paulo, Brazil, on 2000. Eight silkworm races of Japanese and Chinese origin were studied (B101, B102, B104, B109, C201, C202, C203, C208 for biological characters ( Total weight-gain for one caterpillar-GP, Percentage of mortality-MO, Number of male-NM, Number of female-NF, Number of egg/laying-OP and Percentage of eclodibility-EC and for characters of cocoon production (silk gland unitary weight-GS, 30 cocoon shell weight-CS, 30 chrysalis weight-PC, silk net purport -TS, disqualified cocoon-CD, cocoon length-CC and cocoon breadth -LC. It was used a completely randomized design, with four replications/ race. It was

  13. Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wongpinyochit, Thidarat; Johnston, Blair F; Seib, F Philipp

    2016-10-08

    Silk is a promising biopolymer for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications due to its outstanding mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability, as well its ability to protect and subsequently release its payload in response to a trigger. While silk can be formulated into various material formats, silk nanoparticles are emerging as promising drug delivery systems. Therefore, this article covers the procedures for reverse engineering silk cocoons to yield a regenerated silk solution that can be used to generate stable silk nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are subsequently characterized, drug loaded and explored as a potential anticancer drug delivery system. Briefly, silk cocoons are reverse engineered first by degumming the cocoons, followed by silk dissolution and clean up, to yield an aqueous silk solution. Next, the regenerated silk solution is subjected to nanoprecipitation to yield silk nanoparticles - a simple but powerful method that generates uniform nanoparticles. The silk nanoparticles are characterized according to their size, zeta potential, morphology and stability in aqueous media, as well as their ability to entrap a chemotherapeutic payload and kill human breast cancer cells. Overall, the described methodology yields uniform silk nanoparticles that can be readily explored for a myriad of applications, including their use as a potential nanomedicine.

  14. Viruses of managed alfalfa leafcutting bees (Megachille rotundata Fabricus) and honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in Western Canada: Incidence, impacts, and prospects of cross-species viral transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melathopoulos, Andony; Ovinge, Lynae; Veiga, Patricia Wolf; Castillo, Carlos; Ostermann, David; Hoover, Shelley

    2017-06-01

    We examined whether alfalfa leafcutting bees (ALCB, Megachille rotundata) experienced a higher incidence of seven viruses commonly found honey bees (Apis mellifera) when placed alongside honey bees for hybrid canola seed pollination. Although two viruses - sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus (DWV) - were detected in ALCB adults, their presence appeared independent of whether honey bees were present in the same field or not. A further survey of viruses among ALCB adults in three different alfalfa seed growing regions in Western Canada confirmed the ubiquity of sacbrood virus (SBV) as well as the infrequent presence of acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), both of which had not been previously reported on ALCB. Moreover, SBV and ABPV were detected in the cocoon stage and only in one region. Co-infection among pools of ALCB adults with both of these viruses was more closely correlated with decreasing levels of cocoon viability than infection levels in cocoons themselves. This research suggests ongoing viral transmission between honey bees and ALCB in the same fields is likely low but that co-infection with these viruses may lower ALCB productivity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. Compatibility of endoparasitoid Hyposoter didymator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) protected stages with five selected insecticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, P; Morales, J J; Budia, F; Adan, A; Del Estal, P; Viñuela, E

    2007-12-01

    Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that emerges from the parasitization of economically important noctuid pests. H. didymator also is considered one of the most important native biocontrol agents of noctuids in Spain. Side effects of five insecticides with very different modes of action (fipronil, imidacloprid, natural pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide, pymetrozine, and triflumuron) at the maximum field recommended rate in Spain were evaluated on H. didymator parasitizing Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) larvae and pupae of the endoparasitoid. Parasitized larvae were topically treated or ingested treated artificial diet. Parasitoid cocoons were topically treated. Host mortality when parasitized larvae were treated, as well as further development of the parasitoid surviving (e.g., percentage of cocoons spun, adult emergence, hosts attacked, and numbered progeny) were determined. Toxicity after treatment of parasitized larvae differed depending on the mode of exposure and insecticide. Fipronil was always highly toxic; imidacloprid killed all host insects by ingestion, but it was less toxic to both host and parasitoids, when administered topically; natural pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide and triflumuron showed differing degrees of toxicity, and pymetrozine was harmless. Parasitoid cocoons provided effective protection against all the insecticides, except fipronil.

  16. Storage condition of mulberry branches (Morus sp. in the survival, development and production of Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio José Porto

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The study was carried with the objective of evaluate the survival, development and cocoons production of silkworm fed with mulberry leaves (Cultivar IZ 56/4 from branches stored in warehouse(24 hours or stored in the system of covering with wet cloth and immersion of bases in water, for a period of 72 hours. It was used a completely randomized design, with two treatments and six replications. Caterpillars fed with mulberry leaves from branches stored in the system of covering and immersion for 72 hours had conditions suitable for survival, development and production of cocoon, not differing from those who received leaves from branches stored in the warehouse.

  17. Do really all wolf spiders carry spiderlings on their opisthosomas? The case of Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata (Araneae: Lycosidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolejš, Petr

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Wolf spider females are characterised by carrying cocoons attached to their spinnerets. Emerged spiderlings are carried on the females’ opisthosomas, with the exception of three Japanese lycosid species who carry spiderlings on empty cocoons. Here, the same behaviour is recorded in a European spider: the drumming wolf spider Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. Spiderlings of this species do not try to climb on the female’s opisthosoma, even when they are adopted by a female of a species with a normal pulli-carrying behaviour. This behaviour occurs in Trechaleidae and four unrelated species of Lycosidae inhabiting wet habitats and is therefore regarded as an adaptation to the unsuitable environment.

  18. Nutrigenetic screening strains of the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori, for nutritional efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinnaswamy, Ramesha; Lakshmi, Hothur; Kumari, Savarapu S; Anuradha, Chebba M; Kumar, Chitta S

    2012-01-01

    The activity of sericulture is declining due the reduction of mulberry production area in sericulture practicing countries lead to adverse effects on silkworm rearing and cocoon production. Screening for nutrigenetic traits in silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for better understanding and development of nutritionally efficient breeds/hybrids, which show less food consumption with higher efficiency conversion. The aim of this study was to identify nutritionally efficient polyvoltine silkworm strains using the germplasm breeds RMW(2), RMW(3), RMW(4), RMG(3), RMG(1), RMG(4), RMG(5), RMG(6) and APM(1) as the control. The 1(st) day of 5(th) stage silkworm larvae of polyvoltine strains were subjected to standard gravimetric analysis until spinning for three consecutive generations covering three different seasons on 19 nutrigenetic traits. Highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences were found among all nutrigenetic traits of polyvoltine silkworm strains in the experimental groups. The nutritionally efficient polvoltine silkworm strains were resulted by utilizing nutrition consumption index and efficiency of conversion of ingesta/cocoon traits as the index. Higher nutritional efficiency conversions were found in the polyvoltine silkworm strains on efficiency of conversion of ingesta to cocoon and shell than control. Comparatively smaller consumption index, respiration, metabolic rate with superior relative growth rate, and quantum of food ingesta and digesta requisite per gram of cocoon and shell were shown; the lowest amount was in new polyvoltine strains compared to the control. Furthermore, based on the overall nutrigenetic traits utilized as index or 'biomarkers', three polyvoltine silkworm strains (RMG(4), RMW(2), and RMW(3)) were identified as having the potential for nutrition efficiency conversion. The data from the present study advances our knowledge for the development of nutritionally efficient silkworm breeds

  19. Multifaceted defense against antagonistic microbes in developing offspring of the parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa (Hymenoptera, Ampulicidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katharina Weiss

    Full Text Available Effective antimicrobial strategies are essential adaptations of insects to protect themselves, their offspring, and their foods from microbial pathogens and decomposers. Larvae of the emerald cockroach wasp, Ampulex compressa, sanitize their cockroach hosts, Periplaneta americana, with a cocktail of nine antimicrobials comprising mainly (R-(--mellein and micromolide. The blend of these antimicrobials has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Here we explore the spatio-temporal pattern of deployment of antimicrobials during the development from egg to adult as well as their physico-chemical properties to assess how these aspects may contribute to the success of the antimicrobial strategy. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS we show that larvae start sanitizing their food as soon as they have entered their host to feed on its tissue. Subsequently, they impregnate the cockroach carcass with antimicrobials to create a hygienic substrate for cocoon spinning inside the host. Finally, the antimicrobials are incorporated into the cocoon. The antimicrobial profiles on cockroach and wasp cocoon differed markedly. While micromolide persisted on the cockroaches until emergence of the wasps, solid-phase microextraction sampling and GC/MS analysis revealed that (R-(--mellein vaporized from the cockroaches and accumulated in the enclosed nest. In microbial challenge assays (R-(--mellein in the headspace of parasitized cockroaches inhibited growth of entomopathogenic and opportunistic microbes (Serratia marcescens, Aspergillus sydowii, Metarhizium brunneum. We conclude that, in addition to food sanitation, A. compressa larvae enclose themselves in two defensive walls by impregnating the cocoon and the cockroach cuticle with antimicrobials. On top of that, they use vaporous (R-(--mellein to sanitize the nest by fumigation. This multifaceted antimicrobial defense strategy involving the spatially and temporally coordinated deployment of several

  20. Prompt gamma-ray emission of GRB 170817A associated to GW 170817: A consistent picture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziaeepour, Houri

    2018-05-01

    The short GRB 170817A associated to the first detection of gravitation waves from a Binary Neutron Star (BNS) merger was in many ways unusual. Possible explanations are emission from a cocoon or cocoon break out, off-axis view of a structured or uniform jet, and on-axis ultra-relativistic jet with reduced density and Lorentz factor. Here we use a phenomenological model of shock evolution and synchrotron/self-Compton emission to simulate the prompt emission of GRB 170817A and to test above proposals. We find that synchrotron emission from a mildly relativistic cocoon with a Lorentz factor of 2-3, as considered in the literature, generates a too soft, too long, and too bright prompt emission. Off-axis view of an structured jet with a Lorentz factor of about 10 can reproduce observations, but needs a very efficient transfer of kinetic energy to electrons in internal shocks, which is disfavored by particle in cell simulations. We also comment on cocoon breakout as a mechanism for generation of the prompt gamma-ray. A relativistic jet with a Lorentz factor of about 100 and a density lower than typical short GRBs seems to be the most plausible model and we conclude that GRB 170817A was intrinsically faint. Based on this result and findings of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations of BNS merger in the literature we discuss physical and astronomical conditions, which may lead to such faint short GRBs. We identify small mass difference of progenitor neutron stars, their old age and reduced magnetic field, and anti-alignment of spin-orbit angular momentum induced by environmental gravitational disturbances during the lifetime of the BNS as causes for the faintness of GRB 170817A. We predict that BNS mergers at lower redshifts generate on average fainter GRBs.

  1. Comparative study of biological and technological characters in three generations of silkworm Bombyx mori L. ameiotic, parthenogenetically cloned lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiss, H; Vassilieva, J; Petkov, N; Petkov, Z

    2004-11-01

    Detect any deviation in biologic and technologic characters of eight ameiotic-parthenogenetically cloned lines of Bombyx mori L. from different origins from a normal sexually reproduced control line in three generations. Comparative study of the three generations was conducted in SES, Vratza, unit of the National Center for Agrarian Sciences of Bulgaria after fixing all environmental rearing conditions. The ameiotic-parthen-clones displayed good parthenogenetic development, although total hatchability was significantly less than the sexually reproducing control populations. Survival rates between clones and control were not significantly different. All clones displayed significantly longer larval periods. Slight decline in second generation, and a steeper one in the third generation were observed for all eight cloned lines in cocoon weight, shell weight, and shell ratio and these differences were statistically significant. Cocoon yield was significantly lower than the control throughout the three generations. Our parthen-cloning method has a high rate of success in comparison to other cloning methods, the cloned progeny populations although were weaker technologically (cocoon weight, shell weight, and shell ratio), the biological characters (parthenogenetic development and survival rate) were not compromised. Further study is needed to determine the thermal needs of the cloned embryos and metabolic rate of all stages.

  2. High-efficiency production of human serum albumin in the posterior silk glands of transgenic silkworms, Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiujie Qian

    Full Text Available Human serum albumin (HSA is an important biological preparation with a variety of biological functions in clinical applications. In this study, the mRNA of a fusion transposase derived from the pESNT-PBase plasmid and a pBHSA plasmid containing the HSA gene under the control of a fibroin light chain (FL promoter were co-injected into fertilized eggs. Fifty-six transgenic silkworm pedigrees expressing theexogenous recombinant HSA (rHSA in the posterior silk glands (PSGs with stable inheritance were successfully obtained. The SDS-PAGE and Western blot results confirmed that the rHSA was secreted into the transgenic silkworm cocoon, and the rHSA could be easily extracted with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS. In our research, the isolated highest amount rHSA constituted up to 29.1% of the total soluble protein of the cocoon shell, indicating that the transgenic silkworm produced an average of 17.4 μg/mg of rHSA in the cocoon shell. The production of soluble rHSA in the PSGs by means of generating transgenic silkworms is a novel approach, whereby a large amount of virus-free and functional HSA can be produced through the simple rearing of silkworms.

  3. Large-scale monitoring of effects of clothianidin-dressed oilseed rape seeds on pollinating insects in Northern Germany: effects on red mason bees (Osmia bicornis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Britta; Gao, Zhenglei; Zumkier, Ulrich

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Elado® (10 g clothianidin & 2 g beta-cyfluthrin/kg seed)-dressed oilseed rape on the development and reproduction of mason bees (Osmia bicornis) as part of a large-scale monitoring field study in Northern Germany, where oilseed rape is usually cultivated at 25-33 % of the arable land. Both reference and test sites comprised 65 km 2 in which no other crops attractive to pollinating insects were present. Six study locations were selected per site and three nesting shelters were placed at each location. Of these locations, three locations were directly adjacent to oilseed rape fields, while the other three locations were situated 100 m distant from the nearest oilseed rape field. At each location, 1500 cocoons of O. bicornis were placed into the central nesting shelter. During the exposure phase, nest building activities and foraging behaviour were assessed repeatedly. Cocoons were harvested in autumn to assess parasitization and reproduction including larval development. The following spring, the emergence of the next generation of adults from cocoons was monitored. High reproductive output and low parasitization rates indicated that Elado ® -dressed oilseed rape did not cause any detrimental effects on the development or reproduction of mason bees.

  4. Effect of Habitat Type on Parasitism of Ectatomma ruidum by Eucharitid Wasps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aymer Andrés Vásquez-Ordóñez

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Eucharitidae are parasitoids that use immature stages of ants for their development. Kapala Cameron is the genus most frequently collected in the Neotropics, but little is known about the biology and behavior of any of the species of this genus. We aimed to evaluate the effect of habitat type on eucharitid parasitism and to contribute to the knowledge of the host-parasite relationship between Kapala sp. and the poneromorph ant Ectatomma ruidum (Roger in Colombia. Twenty E. ruidum colonies were extracted from two different habitat types (woodland and grassland, and larvae and cocoons (pupae were examined in search for parasitoids in different stages of development. Globally, 60% of the colonies were parasitized, with 1.3% of larvae and 4% of pupae parasitized. Planidia (first-instar larvae, pupae, and adults of the parasitoid were observed. All of the pupae and adult parasitoids belonged to Kapala iridicolor Cameron. All the colonies collected in the woodlands were parasitized and contained more parasitized larvae (2% and parasitized cocoons (8% than those collected in grasslands (4/12 parasitized colonies, 0.5% parasitized larvae, 0.8% parasitized cocoons. The relationship observed between habitat type and parasitism prevalence is a novel aspect of the study of eucharitid impact on ant host populations.

  5. Genetic variation within native populations of endemic silkmoth Antheraea assamensis (Helfer from Northeast India indicates need for in situ conservation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y Tunginba Singh

    Full Text Available A. assamensis is a phytophagous Lepidoptera from Northeast India reared on host trees of Lauraceae family for its characteristic cocoon silk. Source of these cocoons are domesticated farm stocks that crash frequently and/or wild insect populations that provide new cultures. The need to reduce dependence on wild populations for cocoons necessitates assessment of genetic diversity in cultivated and wild populations. Molecular markers based on PCR of Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR and simple sequence repeats (SSR were used with four populations of wild insects and eleven populations of cultivated insects. Wild populations had high genetic diversity estimates (H(i = 0.25; H(S = 0.28; H(E = 0.42 and at least one population contained private alleles. Both marker systems indicated that genetic variability within populations examined was significantly high. Among cultivated populations, insects of the Upper Assam region (H(i = 0.19; H(S = 0.18; H(E = 0 were genetically distinct (F(ST = 0.38 with both marker systems from insects of Lower Assam (H(i =0.24; H(S =0.25; H(E = 0.3. Sequencing of polymorphic amplicons suggested transposition as a mechanism for maintaining genomic diversity. Implications for conservation of native populations in the wild and preserving in-farm diversity are discussed.

  6. Physiological and molecular responses of the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) to soil chlortetracycline contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Dasong; Zhou Qixing; Xu Yingming; Chen Chun; Li Ye

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate toxic effects of exposure to chlortetracycline (CTC) in soil on reproductive endpoints (juvenile counts and cocoon counts), biochemical responses, and genotoxic potentials of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Results showed that juvenile counts and cocoon counts of the tested earthworms were reduced after exposure to CTC. The effective concentrations (EC 50 values) for juvenile and cocoon counts were 96.1 and 120.3 mg/kg, respectively. Treatment of earthworms with CTC significantly changed the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). An increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) indicated that CTC could cause cellular lipid peroxidation in the tested earthworms. The percentage of DNA in the tail of single-cell gel electrophoresis of coelomocytes as an indication of DNA damage increased after treatment with different doses of CTC, and a dose-dependent DNA damage of coelomocytes was found. In conclusion, CTC induces physiological responses and genotoxicity on earthworms. - Highlights: ► Reproductive endpoints were assessed for Eisenia fetida exposed to chlortectracyline (CTC). ► CTC may induce physiological and molecular responses in E. fetida. ► A clear relationship was observed between CTC doses and DNA damage of coelomocytes. - Chlortetracycline in soil could induce physiological responses and genotoxicity on earthworms at realistic environmental concentrations.

  7. Toxicity Assessments of Antimony, Barium, Beryllium, and Manganese for Development of Ecological Soil Screening Levels (ECO-SSL) Using Earthworm (Eisenia Fetida) Benchmark Values

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Simini, Michael

    2002-01-01

    ... soil that supports relatively high bioavailability of barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), manganese (Mn), and antimony (Sb). For the metals tested, cocoon production was a more sensitive endpoint than was survival...

  8. New Types of Behavioral Manipulation of Host Spiders by a Parasitoid Wasp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William G. Eberhard

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The larva of the parasitic wasp Zatypota sp. nr. solanoi induces its host spiders Anelosimus spp. to modify its web in ways not seen in normal webs of this species or in any other species, providing apparent protection and support for the wasp's cocoon by covering the entire web with a protective sheet and adding a central platform and opening a space below in the enclosed tangle, where the larva suspends its cocoon. These modifications differ qualitatively from those induced by a congeneric wasp. Parasitized spiders appeared to adjust modified web construction behavior to local conditions, implying that larval manipulations may occur at higher rather than lower levels of behavioral control (e.g., eliciting overall design decisions, rather than particular motor patterns.

  9. Dynamics of interstellar matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kahn, F.D.

    1975-01-01

    A review of the dynamics of interstellar matter is presented, considering the basic equations of fluid flow, plane waves, shock waves, spiral structure, thermal instabilities and early star cocoons. (B.R.H.)

  10. High-performing mesoporous iron oxalate anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ang, Wei An; Gupta, Nutan; Prasanth, Raghavan; Madhavi, Srinivasan

    2012-12-01

    Mesoporous iron oxalate (FeC(2)O(4)) with two distinct morphologies, i.e., cocoon and rod, has been synthesized via a simple, scalable chimie douce precipitation method. The solvent plays a key role in determining the morphology and microstructure of iron oxalate, which are studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Crystallographic characterization of the materials has been carried out by X-ray diffraction and confirmed phase-pure FeC(2)O(4)·2H(2)O formation. The critical dehydration process of FeC(2)O(4)·2H(2)O resulted in anhydrous FeC(2)O(4), and its thermal properties are studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The electrochemical properties of anhydrous FeC(2)O(4) in Li/FeC(2)O(4) cells are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The studies showed that the initial discharge capacities of anhydrous FeC(2)O(4) cocoons and rods are 1288 and 1326 mA h g(-1), respectively, at 1C rate. Anhydrous FeC(2)O(4) cocoons exhibited stable capacity even at high C rates (11C). The electrochemical performance of anhydrous FeC(2)O(4) is found to be greatly influenced by the number of accessible reaction sites, morphology, and size effects.

  11. Effects of back warming in cocoon stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donnison, J.R.; Williams, I.P.

    1976-01-01

    It is stated that dust shells frequently surround young stars, and attempts have been made to determine some of the properties of these shells. It is probable that the dust absorbs the outgoing radiation from the star and re-emits it in the infrared. If the dust shell does absorb radiation both its inner and outer surfaces will re-emit a certain proportion and some radiation will return to the central star, causing what amounts to 'warming of its own back'. It is interesting to consider how such a star evolves, compared with evolution of a normal pre-main-sequence star. A model for a contracting star that is receiving radiation from an external source has been developed by the authors in connection with the evolution of Jupiter within the radiation field of the Sun (Astrophys. Space Sci., 29:387 (1974)), and this model is here applied to the situation just described. It is emphasised that the discussion is concerned only with the evolution of the central star, the dust being regarded merely as a means of redirecting radiation back on to the surface of this star. Amongst conclusions reached is that a thin shell will cause no significant change in the structure and evolution of the central star, whilst the presence of a thick shell has a substantial effect on the star, slowing down is evolution. Whilst a dust shell is present the star cannot be seen, but only the dust shell emitting in the infrared, but once the dust shell clears the star is seen in a position and with an age that differs considerably from what it would have had if it had evolved without 'back warming' from the dust shell. (U.K.)

  12. Emotional driving : cocooning in the public realm

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kooijman, D.; Sierksma, R.

    ABSTRACT The concept of postmodernity has been debated intensely. This paper argues its useful, though limited applicability. We analyze it as a new socio-cultural complex, performing necessary socio-reproductive functions, a result of a transformation of the capitalist mode of production. We argue

  13. Effects of Different Ratios of Sewage Sludge and Cattle Manure on Growth and Propagation of Eisenia Fetida.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yukui Li

    Full Text Available Domestic sewage sludge and cattle manure are rich in nutrition elements, but without proper disposal, are harmful to the environment. Here with an indoor culture method, we used Eisenia fetida to dispose different ratios of sewage sludge and cattle manure, and thereby investigated the effects and acting rules of these sludge-manure mixtures on the growth and reproduction of E. fetida. We find these mixtures are food sources for E. fetida, and their physiochemical properties are significantly changed after disposal by earthworms. Paired samples t-test shows the average change after different treatments is -20.37% for total organic carbon, 85.71% for total Kjeldahl N, -6.67% for total P, 8.33% for pH, -24.78% for EC (ms·cm-1, and -57.10% for C/N ratio. The average growth rate after treatment CD-70 is 9.20 mg·worm-1·day-1; the average growth rates of E. fetida on day 0-28, day 29-56, and day 57-91 are 9.33, 11.90 and 6.95 mg·worm-1·day-1, respectively, indicating a trend of "rapid-rapidest-slow" growth. Other treatments all show this trend. Though all earthworms developed reproductive rings during the test periods, the appearing time and the cocoon production time both differed among these treatments. The cocoon production amount is maximized to 233 after treatment CD-70. The cocoon production rates are significantly different among these treatments, and the maximum and mean are 0.32 and 0.17-0.32, cocoons·worm-1· day-1, respectively. E. fetida can modestly enrich Cd, but is not very effective over Sb or other heavy metals. E. fetida can remove a part of heavy metals from sewage sludge and cattle manure. Generally, the mixtures of sewage sludge and cattle manure can largely affect the growth and propagation of E. fetida in a ratio-dependent way.

  14. Nest site selection and nutritional provision through excreta: a form of parental care in a tropical endogeic earthworm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angel I. Ortiz-Ceballos

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Nest construction is a common form of parental care in soil organisms. However, it is unknown whether the tropical earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus produces nests in soils with low nutritional quality habitats. Here we studied the reproductive behaviour and nest site selection of P. corethrurus, and tested the hypothesis whether P. corethrurus produces more cocoons in habitats with low nutritional quality. In bidimensional terrariums we evaluated the combined effect of the nutritional quality of habitat: (Poor Quality Habitat = PQH, Medium Quality Habitat = MQH, High Quality Habitat = HQH and soil depth (Shallow, Intermediate, Deep in a factorial 32 design. The number and biomass of cocoons, progeny and the production of internal and external excreta were evaluated. The quality habitat and depth of soil and their interaction had a significant effect on nest site construction and the deposition of internal excreta. Pontoscolex corethrurus built a higher amount of nests in the PQH-Intermediate and MQH-Intermediate treatments while more internal excreta were found in the HQH-Intermediate treatment. Offspring biomass was positively associated with internal excreta in the PQH (soil only and MQH (soil + grass treatments, suggesting that this could be a form of parental care. Since P. corethrurus produces more cocoons in low and medium quality habitats, while produces more internal excreta at high quality habitats, there does not seem to be an association between number of offspring and parental care. We suggest P. corethrurus could have two reproductive strategies that act as diversified bet-hedging (do not put all cocoons in one basket behavior in unpredictable environment, and thus build a higher amount of nests in low and medium quality habitats; and another where they produce more internal excreta as a form of parental care in high quality habitats. Parental care in the form of internal excreta may be particularly important in poor and medium

  15. Fulltext PDF

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Vernalization: the flower school. 79. Area selection .... Members of opposite sex mutually regulate gonadal recru- descence in the ... Hatching success. Cocoon ..... Single gene. Sex and the single gene: Meiotic silencing by unpaired DNA. 633.

  16. SHORT-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS FROM OFF-AXIS COLLAPSARS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazzati, Davide; Morsony, Brian J.; Begelman, Mitchell C.

    2010-01-01

    We present two-dimensional (2D) high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of the relativistic outflows of long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors. We analyze the properties of the outflows at wide off-axis angles, produced by the expansion of the hot cocoon that surrounds the jet inside the progenitor star. We find that the cocoon emission at wide angles may have properties similar to those of the subclass of short-duration GRBs with persistent X-ray emission. We compute the predicted duration distribution, redshift distribution, and afterglow brightness, and we find that they are all in agreement with the observed properties of short GRBs with persistent emission. We suggest that a supernova component, the properties of the host galaxies, and late afterglow observations can be used as a crucial test to verify this model.

  17. Long SAGE analysis of genes differentially expressed in the midgut ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    identification of genes related to sexual disparity in silk protein production efficiency. ... Ysh, a yellow cocoon color sex-limited strain of the silkworm B. mori, ...... alternative splicing of human genes. ... Structure, function and evolution of.

  18. Life-cycle of the African nightcrawler, Eudrilus eugeniae (Oligochaeta)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1988-03-31

    Mar 31, 1988 ... producer, the life history of this species was studied. The development ... hatching success of 84% and 2,7 hatchlings per cocoon that hatched. Sexual ... The experimental work was conducted ... Sartorius analytical balance.

  19. 1849-IJBCS-Article-Sunday Adeduntan

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hp

    ABSTRACT. The influence of different varieties of mulberry leaves used as feed on mortality and cocooning of ... divided into two periods in relation to food intake ..... Dietary tannin and salivary proline-Rich. Proteins: Interaction, Induction and.

  20. Situational Context of Insurance in Globalization

    OpenAIRE

    S V Martynenko

    2012-01-01

    This article shows how globalization resolves problems, which are motivated in a new way by modern situational context of social-insurance, how the 'insurance cocoon' of civilization leads to narrowing of conflict space in the world politics.

  1. Is the OECD acute worm toxicity test environmentally relevant? The effect of mineral form on calculated lead toxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davies, N.A.Nicola A.; Hodson, M.E.Mark E.; Black, S.Stuart

    2003-01-01

    The current OECD acute worm toxicity test does not relate well to ambient conditions. - In a series of experiments the toxicity of lead to worms in soil was determined following the draft OECD earthworm reproduction toxicity protocol except that lead was added as solid lead nitrate, carbonate and sulphide rather than as lead nitrate solution as would normally be the case. The compounds were added to the test soil to give lead concentrations of 625-12500 μg Pb g -1 of soil. Calculated toxicities of the lead decreased in the order nitrate>carbonate>sulphide, the same order as the decrease in the solubility of the metal compounds used. The 7-day LC 50 (lethal concentration when 50% of the population is killed) for the nitrate was 5321±275 μg Pb g -1 of soil and this did not change with time. The LC 50 values for carbonate and sulphide could not be determined at the concentration ranges used. The only parameter sensitive enough to distinguish the toxicities of the three compounds was cocoon (egg) production. The EC 50 s for cocoon production (the concentration to produce a 50% reduction in cocoon production) were 993, 8604 and 10246 μg Pb g -1 of soil for lead nitrate, carbonate and sulphide, respectively. Standard toxicity tests need to take into account the form in which the contaminant is present in the soil to be of environmental relevance

  2. Use of organic amendments as a bioremediation strategy to reduce the bioavailability of chlorpyrifos insecticide in soils. Effects on soil biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tejada, Manuel; Gómez, Isidoro; Del Toro, Marina

    2011-10-01

    The sorption capacity of both an organic municipal solid waste by-product (MSW) and a cow manure (CM) in a soil polluted with chlorpyrifos, as well as its effect on soil microbial activity, and weight, reproductive parameters and glutathione-S-transferase activity of two earthworm species (Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris) were studied. Chlorpyrifos was added at the recommended application rate (5 L ha(-1); 768 mg chlorpyrifos kg(-1)) and treated with MSW at a rate of 10% and CM at a rate of 5.8% in order to apply the same amount of organic matter to the soil. An unamended polluted soil was used as control. Earthworm cocoon number, average weight of cocoon, and number of juveniles per cocoon were measured after 30 days of incubation, whereas soil enzymatic activities, earthworm weight, and glutathione-S-transferase activity of earthworms were measured after 3, 45 and 90 days. Soil enzymatic activities, reproductive and glutathione-S-transferase activity in both worms decreased in polluted soil. The inhibition percentage of soil enzymatic activities, reproductive and glutathione-S-transferase activity in both worms was lower in MSW-amended soil than for CM-amended soil. The toxic effect of chlorpyrifos on E. fetida was lowest compared to L. terrestris. This suggested that the addition of organic wastes with higher humic than fulvic acid concentration is more beneficial for remediation of soils polluted with chlorpyrifos. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. CT features of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yun, Ji Young; Byun, Jae Young; Lee, Sang Hoon; Kwon, Tae Ahn; Kim, Yeon Kil; Kim, Young Ok; Song, Kyung Sup [The Catholic Univ. of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the CT findings of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD). We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of 14 symptomatic patients with peritonitis after CAPD. Diffuse abdominal pain was present in 11, fever in two, and abdominal mass with vomiting in one. The mean duration of CAPD ranged from 10 months to 5 years(mean : 3.9 years). On abdominal CT, we evaluated the presence and location of ascites, bowel wall thickening, cocoon formation, the pattern of enhancement of peritoneal thickening, the presence of calcifications in the peritoneum, and mesenteric and omental change. On enhanced CT, multiloculated ascites was observed in all cases(n=14) ; it was located mainly in the pelvic cavity with small multi-loculated fluid collections in the peritoneal cavity(n=13), including the lesser sac(n=3). In one patient, ascites was located in the space between the greater omentum and anterior peritoneal surface. CT showed ileus in 12 cases, small bowel wall thickening in 11, and cocoon formation in five. Uneven but smooth thickening of the peritoneum, with contrast enhancement, was seen in eight cases, and in five of these, peritoneal thickening was more prominent in the anterior peritoneum. Other findings included reticular opacity in two cases, hematoma of the rectus muscle in one, and umbilical hernia in one. Multiloculated fluid collection, ileus, small bowel wall thickening, uneven but smooth peritoneal thickening, and cocoon formation appear to be CT features of CAPD peritonitis.

  4. CT features of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Ji Young; Byun, Jae Young; Lee, Sang Hoon; Kwon, Tae Ahn; Kim, Yeon Kil; Kim, Young Ok; Song, Kyung Sup

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the CT findings of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD). We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of 14 symptomatic patients with peritonitis after CAPD. Diffuse abdominal pain was present in 11, fever in two, and abdominal mass with vomiting in one. The mean duration of CAPD ranged from 10 months to 5 years(mean : 3.9 years). On abdominal CT, we evaluated the presence and location of ascites, bowel wall thickening, cocoon formation, the pattern of enhancement of peritoneal thickening, the presence of calcifications in the peritoneum, and mesenteric and omental change. On enhanced CT, multiloculated ascites was observed in all cases(n=14) ; it was located mainly in the pelvic cavity with small multi-loculated fluid collections in the peritoneal cavity(n=13), including the lesser sac(n=3). In one patient, ascites was located in the space between the greater omentum and anterior peritoneal surface. CT showed ileus in 12 cases, small bowel wall thickening in 11, and cocoon formation in five. Uneven but smooth thickening of the peritoneum, with contrast enhancement, was seen in eight cases, and in five of these, peritoneal thickening was more prominent in the anterior peritoneum. Other findings included reticular opacity in two cases, hematoma of the rectus muscle in one, and umbilical hernia in one. Multiloculated fluid collection, ileus, small bowel wall thickening, uneven but smooth peritoneal thickening, and cocoon formation appear to be CT features of CAPD peritonitis

  5. A problem encapsulated Б role of CT

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-03-15

    Mar 15, 2010 ... Diagnosis is usually established at laparotomy in patients with recurrent attacks of ... structure in the midline in pelvis encasing small bowel loops (Fig. 1). .... Diagnosis and treatment of abdominal cocoon: a report of. 24 cases.

  6. Analysis of genetic divergence for classification and evaluation of 37 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ajl yemi

    2011-12-19

    Dec 19, 2011 ... evaluation of 37 productive performances in all 54 oval cocoon strains of Iran ... strains, indicating that they might be suitable for future crossings, maintenance of ... Japan, Korea and India, the total number of mulberry and.

  7. Carbon Microfibers with Hierarchical Porous Structure from Electrospun Fiber-Like Natural Biopolymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yeru; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen

    2013-01-01

    Electrospinning offers a powerful route for building one-dimensional (1D) micro/nanostructures, but a common requirement for toxic or corrosive organic solvents during the preparation of precursor solution has limited their large scale synthesis and broad applications. Here we report a facile and low-cost way to prepare 1D porous carbon microfibers by using an electrospun fiber-like natural product, i.e., silk cocoon, as precursor. We surprisingly found that by utilizing a simple carbonization treatment, the cocoon microfiber can be directly transformed into 1D carbon microfiber of ca. 6 μm diameter with a unique three-dimensional porous network structure composed of interconnected carbon nanoparticles of 10~40 nm diameter. We further showed that the as-prepared carbon product presents superior electrochemical performance as binder-free electrodes of supercapacitors and good adsorption property toward organic vapor.

  8. Identification and Behavioral Evaluation of Sex Pheromone in Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius—A Serious Pupal Parasitoid of Tropical Tasar Silkworm Anthereae mylitta Drury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lakshmi Marepally

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Xanthopimpla is a major parasitoid of silk worm cocoons. The female Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius lays the eggs in male cocoons. Control of this infestation with pesticides is not recommended because of its concealed behavior. Various control methods were found to be inefficient. Ecofriendly management is the best strategy that can be applied. We have studied the sex communication in Xanthopimpla pedator (Fabricius, which helps to develop management strategy. Bioassays were done in the laboratory by using olfactometer and pheromone extraction chambers. It was found that female Xanthopimpla produces sex pheromones. The results show a strong attraction of male by female Xanthopimpla. Present results with male and female volatiles also show that female volatiles attract male Xanthopimpla. Fractionation of female volatiles by column chromatography has proven that 20% fraction has highest attraction of males by females.

  9. Great progress in the domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    akpobome

    2013-03-13

    Mar 13, 2013 ... silk materials. This review also presents the control technology of fine filament size and the regulatory ..... size and fine structure characteristics of the cocoon filament, and the .... Li YN, Shu HG, Men W, Zhang ZF (2009).

  10. Situational Context of Insurance in Globalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S V Martynenko

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available This article shows how globalization resolves problems, which are motivated in a new way by modern situational context of social-insurance, how the 'insurance cocoon' of civilization leads to narrowing of conflict space in the world politics.

  11. Distinct effects of the nephridial symbionts Verminephrobacter and Candidatus Nephrothrix on reproduction and maturation of its earthworm host Eisenia andrei

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Viana, Flavia; Paz, Laura-Carlota; Methling, Karen

    2018-01-01

    to these two symbionts also hosts Agromyces-like bacteria in its mixed nephridial community: while growth was identical between control, Verminephrobacter-free and aposymbiotic worms, control worms produced significantly more cocoons and offspring than both Verminephrobacter-free and aposymbiotic worms...

  12. Spatial genetic pattern in an economically beneficial insect, the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    annual population size fluctuations in the Kalahari region of southern Africa. Spent cocoons from this species are currently being utilized in a local silk industry. An understanding of the recolonization dynamics of a particular harvested site, and of the ...

  13. Enriquecimento da dieta do bicho-da-seda com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja Enrichment of the silkworms diet with soybean water soluble extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo do Valle Polycarpo

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se a suplementação da dieta do bicho-da-seda com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja (EHS interfere na produção de casulos e no consumo de folhas de amoreira (Morus alba L. de diferentes cultivares pelas lagartas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4x5, com quatro cultivares de amoreira ('IZ64', 'IZ56/4', 'FM86' e 'FMSM' e cinco dietas (folhas não tratadas, folhas umedecidas com água, folhas enriquecidas com EHS, em três níveis: suplementação da dieta com 5, 10 e 20% de PB. O EHS foi aspergido sobre as folhas, tendo a água como agente dispersante. O consumo foi verificado pela diferença entre a quantidade de folhas fornecidas e a quantidade não consumida pelas lagartas. A ingestão de alimento apresentou-se de forma quadrática, diminuindo à medida que o EHS foi adicionado à dieta. Houve interação dos fatores cultivar e dieta. O fornecimento de folhas de amoreira com acréscimo proteico de 10% por meio do EHS melhorou a qualidade dos casulos do bicho-da-seda com a utilização das cultivares 'IZ56/4' e 'FMSM'. A pulverização de EHS nas folhas da cultivar 'IZ64' prejudicou a produção de casulos. Lagartas do bicho-da-seda, alimentadas com folhas de amoreira sem suplementação, produziram cascas séricas mais pesadas com folhas das cultivares 'IZ64' e 'FMSM'. A aspersão de água nas folhas incrementou o peso de cascas séricas produzidas a partir da cultivar 'FM86'. A suplementação da dieta com EHS diminui o consumo da lagarta do bicho-da-seda. A aplicação de EHS influencia a produção de casulos em função da cultivar utilizada.The aim of this research was to assess if the supplementation of the silkworm diet with soybean water soluble extract (WSE interferes on the consumption of mulberry leaves (Morus alba L. by the caterpillars and on cocoon production. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial arrangement 4x5

  14. Recent occurrence of Aphanogmus dictynna (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae) in Kenya – an important hyperparasitoid of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aphanogmus dictynna (Waterston) was recently recorded in error as an undescribed species of Aphanogmus. This species is a primary parasitoid on larvae and cocoons of the bethylid Prorops nasuta Waterston, and probably a second bethylid species, Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem. Both bethylids are...

  15. severe damage of moringa oleifera lam. leaves by ulopeza

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    2014-06-01

    Jun 1, 2014 ... and the pods are uses to cure skin cancer, joint pains, hypertension and ... more protein than pears, more vitamin-C than orange, more calcium than milk, ... inside the cocoon as shown in Plate III, while Plate IV indicates the ...

  16. Respiration and hemoglobin function in the giant African bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus Tschudi (Anura: Pyxicephalidae) during rest, exercise and dormancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Aardt, W.J; Weber, Roy E.

    2010-01-01

    The survival strategies of frogs exposed to harsh conditions include various forms of dormancy. Giant bullfrogs Pyxicephalus adspersus subjected to slow desiccation without access to moist substrata over winter in cocoons during dormancy. We found that Pyxicephalus can survive long periods of dor...

  17. Feedback from deeply embedded low- and high-mass protostars. Surveying hot molecular gas with Herschel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karska, Agata

    2014-01-01

    Protostars interact violently with their natal cocoons within dense molecular clouds. Characterizing this feedback is key to understanding the efficiency of the star formation process and the chemical processing of material that will be available for planet formation. In this thesis, the imprints

  18. 2018-02-23T15:33:05Z https://www.ajol.info/index.php/all/oai oai:ojs ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    article/43127 2018-02-23T15:33:05Z ajb:ART Studies on the quantitative and qualitative characters of cocoons and silk from methoprene and fenoxycarb treated Bombyx mori (L) larvae Mamatha, DM Cohly, HPP Raju, AHH Rao, MR Silkworm, ...

  19. Illuminating gravitational waves: A concordant picture of photons from a neutron star merger

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasliwal, M. M.; Nakar, E.; Singer, L. P.; Kaplan, D. L.; Cook, D. O.; Van Sistine, A.; Lau, R. M.; Fremling, C.; Gottlieb, O.; Jencson, J. E.; Adams, S. M.; Feindt, U.; Hotokezaka, K.; Ghosh, S.; Perley, D. A.; Yu, P.-C.; Piran, T.; Allison, J. R.; Anupama, G. C.; Balasubramanian, A.; Bannister, K. W.; Bally, J.; Barnes, J.; Barway, S.; Bellm, E.; Bhalerao, V.; Bhattacharya, D.; Blagorodnova, N.; Bloom, J. S.; Brady, P. R.; Cannella, C.; Chatterjee, D.; Cenko, S. B.; Cobb, B. E.; Copperwheat, C.; Corsi, A.; De, K.; Dobie, D.; Emery, S. W. K.; Evans, P. A.; Fox, O. D.; Frail, D. A.; Frohmaier, C.; Goobar, A.; Hallinan, G.; Harrison, F.; Helou, G.; Hinderer, T.; Ho, A. Y. Q.; Horesh, A.; Ip, W.-H.; Itoh, R.; Kasen, D.; Kim, H.; Kuin, N. P. M.; Kupfer, T.; Lynch, C.; Madsen, K.; Mazzali, P. A.; Miller, A. A.; Mooley, K.; Murphy, T.; Ngeow, C.-C.; Nichols, D.; Nissanke, S.; Nugent, P.; Ofek, E. O.; Qi, H.; Quimby, R. M.; Rosswog, S.; Rusu, F.; Sadler, E. M.; Schmidt, P.; Sollerman, J.; Steele, I.; Williamson, A. R.; Xu, Y.; Yan, L.; Yatsu, Y.; Zhang, C.; Zhao, W.

    2017-12-01

    Merging neutron stars offer an excellent laboratory for simultaneously studying strong-field gravity and matter in extreme environments. We establish the physical association of an electromagnetic counterpart (EM170817) with gravitational waves (GW170817) detected from merging neutron stars. By synthesizing a panchromatic data set, we demonstrate that merging neutron stars are a long-sought production site forging heavy elements by r-process nucleosynthesis. The weak gamma rays seen in EM170817 are dissimilar to classical short gamma-ray bursts with ultrarelativistic jets. Instead, we suggest that breakout of a wide-angle, mildly relativistic cocoon engulfing the jet explains the low-luminosity gamma rays, the high-luminosity ultraviolet-optical-infrared, and the delayed radio and x-ray emission. We posit that all neutron star mergers may lead to a wide-angle cocoon breakout, sometimes accompanied by a successful jet and sometimes by a choked jet.

  20. Cocoon production, morphology, hatching pattern and fecundity in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    Based on our field studies, the ecological category, habit, habitat and size relationship of these earthworms are presented in table 1. 2.1 Culturing methods. Earthworms were not subjected to any controlled condi- tion in the laboratory. Clay pots (4⋅5 l) containing suita- ble food (culture medium), were used for rearing of.

  1. Beneficial effect of Verminephrobacter nephridial symbionts on the fitness of the earthworm Aporrectodea tuberculata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Marie Braad; Holmstrup, Martin; Lomstein, Bente Aagaard

    2010-01-01

    grown on the low nutrient diet. Thus, the Verminephrobacter nephridial symbionts do have a beneficial effect on their earthworm host. Cocoons with and without symbionts did not significantly differ in total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), or total hydrolysable amino acid (THAA) content, which...

  2. A new marine triclad ectoparasitic on Malaysian and Indonesian horseshoe crabs (Platyhelminthes, Turbellaria, Tricladida)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sluys, Ronald

    1983-01-01

    A new species of marine triclad, Ectoplana undata n. sp., ectoparasitic on the horseshoe crab Tachypleus gigas, is described. Cocoons of triclads were found on T. gigas as well as on the horseshoe crab Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda; since from the latter species no triclads were collected, it remains

  3. 77 FR 69927 - Safety Advisory Notice: Safety Advisory for Shippers and Carriers of Air Bags

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-21

    ... to devices containing unapproved explosives; and (4) provide the next steps that PHMSA will take to... parts. Some of these devices look nearly identical to legitimate products, including the branding of... pyrotechnic device, known as an initiator or electric match, consisting of an electrical conductor cocooned in...

  4. Encapsulating culture : European car travel 1900-1940

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mom, G.P.A.

    2011-01-01

    This article analyzes the gradual encapsulation of motorists into a closed cocoon and the parallel domestication of a dominant masculine, aggressive subculture of the early automobile. It uncovers the existence of a specific French–Belgian group of (male) avant-garde artists who were at the same

  5. The γ-rays that accompanied GW170817 and the observational signature of a magnetic jet breaking out of NS merger ejecta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bromberg, O.; Tchekhovskoy, A.; Gottlieb, O.; Nakar, E.; Piran, T.

    2018-04-01

    We present the first relativistic magnetohydrodynamics numerical simulation of a magnetic jet that propagates through and emerges from the dynamical ejecta of a binary neutron star merger. Generated by the magnetized rotation of the merger remnant, the jet propagates through the ejecta and produces an energetic cocoon that expands at mildly relativistic velocities and breaks out of the ejecta. We show that if the ejecta has a low-mass (˜10-7 M⊙) high-velocity (v ˜ 0.85c) tail, the cocoon shock breakout will generate γ-ray emission that is comparable to the observed short GRB170817A that accompanied the recent gravitational wave event GW170817. Thus, we propose that this gamma-ray burst (GRB), which is quite different from all other short GRBs observed before, was produced by a different mechanism. We expect, however, that such events are numerous and many will be detected in coming LIGO-Virgo runs.

  6. Immune system participates in brain regeneration and restoration of reproduction in the earthworm Dendrobaena veneta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molnar, Laszlo; Pollak, Edit; Skopek, Zuzanna; Gutt, Ewa; Kruk, Jerzy; Morgan, A John; Plytycz, Barbara

    2015-10-01

    Earthworm decerebration causes temporary inhibition of reproduction which is mediated by certain brain-derived neurohormones; thus, cocoon production is an apposite supravital marker of neurosecretory center functional recovery during brain regeneration. The core aim of the present study was to investigate aspects of the interactions of nervous and immune systems during brain regeneration in adult Dendrobaena veneta (Annelida; Oligochaeta). Surgical brain extirpation was combined, either with (i) maintenance of immune-competent coelomic cells (coelomocytes) achieved by surgery on prilocaine-anesthetized worms or (ii) prior extrusion of fluid-suspended coelomocytes by electrostimulation. Both brain renewal and cocoon output recovery were significantly faster in earthworms with relatively undisturbed coelomocyte counts compared with individuals where coelomocyte counts had been experimentally depleted. These observations provide empirical evidence that coelomocytes and/or coelomocyte-derived factors (e.g. riboflavin) participate in brain regeneration and, by implication, that there is close functional synergy between earthworm neural and immune systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Illuminating gravitational waves: A concordant picture of photons from a neutron star merger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasliwal, M M; Nakar, E; Singer, L P; Kaplan, D L; Cook, D O; Van Sistine, A; Lau, R M; Fremling, C; Gottlieb, O; Jencson, J E; Adams, S M; Feindt, U; Hotokezaka, K; Ghosh, S; Perley, D A; Yu, P-C; Piran, T; Allison, J R; Anupama, G C; Balasubramanian, A; Bannister, K W; Bally, J; Barnes, J; Barway, S; Bellm, E; Bhalerao, V; Bhattacharya, D; Blagorodnova, N; Bloom, J S; Brady, P R; Cannella, C; Chatterjee, D; Cenko, S B; Cobb, B E; Copperwheat, C; Corsi, A; De, K; Dobie, D; Emery, S W K; Evans, P A; Fox, O D; Frail, D A; Frohmaier, C; Goobar, A; Hallinan, G; Harrison, F; Helou, G; Hinderer, T; Ho, A Y Q; Horesh, A; Ip, W-H; Itoh, R; Kasen, D; Kim, H; Kuin, N P M; Kupfer, T; Lynch, C; Madsen, K; Mazzali, P A; Miller, A A; Mooley, K; Murphy, T; Ngeow, C-C; Nichols, D; Nissanke, S; Nugent, P; Ofek, E O; Qi, H; Quimby, R M; Rosswog, S; Rusu, F; Sadler, E M; Schmidt, P; Sollerman, J; Steele, I; Williamson, A R; Xu, Y; Yan, L; Yatsu, Y; Zhang, C; Zhao, W

    2017-12-22

    Merging neutron stars offer an excellent laboratory for simultaneously studying strong-field gravity and matter in extreme environments. We establish the physical association of an electromagnetic counterpart (EM170817) with gravitational waves (GW170817) detected from merging neutron stars. By synthesizing a panchromatic data set, we demonstrate that merging neutron stars are a long-sought production site forging heavy elements by r-process nucleosynthesis. The weak gamma rays seen in EM170817 are dissimilar to classical short gamma-ray bursts with ultrarelativistic jets. Instead, we suggest that breakout of a wide-angle, mildly relativistic cocoon engulfing the jet explains the low-luminosity gamma rays, the high-luminosity ultraviolet-optical-infrared, and the delayed radio and x-ray emission. We posit that all neutron star mergers may lead to a wide-angle cocoon breakout, sometimes accompanied by a successful jet and sometimes by a choked jet. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  8. Thermally Induced Alpha-Helix to Beta-Sheet Transition in Regenerated Silk Fibers and Films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drummy,L.; Phillips, D.; Stone, M.; Farmer, B.; Naik, R.

    2005-01-01

    The structure of thin films cast from regenerated solutions of Bombyx mori cocoon silk in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol (HFIP) was studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction during heating. A solid-state conformational transition from an alpha-helical structure to the well-known beta-sheet silk II structure occurred at a temperature of approximately 140 degrees C. The transition appeared to be homogeneous, as both phases do not coexist within the resolution of the current study. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of the films showed an endothermic melting peak followed by an exothermic crystallization peak, both occurring near 140 degrees C. Oriented fibers were also produced that displayed this helical molecular conformation. Subsequent heating above the structural transition temperature produced oriented beta-sheet fibers very similar in structure to B. mori cocoon fibers. Heat treatment of silk films at temperatures well below their degradation temperature offers a controllable route to materials with well-defined structures and mechanical behavior.

  9. Assessing the effects of FBC ash treatments of metal-contaminated soils using life history traits and metal bioaccumulation analysis of the earthworm Eisenia andrei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grumiaux, F.; Demuynck, S.; Schikorski, D.; Lemiere, S.; Lepretre, A. [Universite Lille Nord de France, Villeneuve Dascq (France)

    2010-03-15

    Earthworms (Eisenia andrei) were exposed, in controlled conditions, to metal-contaminated soils previously treated in situ with two types of fluidized bed combustion ashes. Effects on this species were determined by life history traits analysis. Metal immobilizing efficiency of ashes was indicated by metal bioaccumulation. Ashes-treated soils reduced worm mortality compared to the untreated soil. However, these ashes reduced both cocoon hatching success and hatchlings numbers compared to the untreated soil. In addition, sulfo-calcical ashes reduced or delayed worm maturity and lowered cocoon production compared to silico-alumineous ones. Metal immobilizing efficiency of ashes was demonstrated for Zn, Cu and to a lesser extent Pb. Only silico-alumineous ashes reduced Cd bioaccumulation, although Cd was still bioconcentrated. Thus, although ash additions to metal-contaminated soils may help in immobilizing metals, their use might result, depending on the chemical nature of ashes, to severe detrimental effects on earthworm reproduction with possible long term consequences to populations.

  10. Mortality of the earthworms, Eisenia foetida, after gamma-irradiation at different stages of their life history

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Jun; Egami, Nobuo

    1983-01-01

    Effects of ionizing radiation on the earthworm, Eisenia foetida, were investigated by means of mortality, growth inhibition and hatchability of the eggs. Adult earthworms were resistant to 137 Cs γ-irradiation, LD 50 (30 days) value being about 65 kR. Young earthworms were less resistant than adult ones. Their growth was completely inhibited by 10 kR of γ-irradiation, but 2 kR did not affect them at all. Embryos at early developmental stages showed high mortality by γ-irradiation and as development proceeded their resistance to irradiation increased. Mature earthworms were irradiated and the hatchability of the cocoons laid by them after irradiation was examined. Hatchability of the cocoons laid within 5 days after irradiation with 2 kR was scarcely affected. Then the hatchability decreased with the interval between irradiation and laying, and reached lowest level 20 days after irradiation. From 20 days after irradiation, it started to recover and reached the control level 30 days after irradiation. (author)

  11. Évaluation de la toxicité d’un herbicide à base de 2,4-D sur le ver de terre Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg, 1867 (Oligochaeta, Eudrilidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kouakou Gains KPAN KPAN

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available 2,4-D is commonly used in the world to control undesirable plant species in monocotyledonous fields. The massive use of this herbicide requires knowledge of its ecotoxicological spectrum for better regulation of its use. This study aimed to characterize acute toxicity and to determine the long-term effects of a 2,4-D herbicide on Eudrilus eugeniae. The tests were carried out in Azaguié (Côte d’Ivoire, on natural soil enriched with rabbit droppings. The lethal concentration (LC50 was 175.6±12.3 mg/kg. The exposure of earthworms to 20 mg/l of 2,4-D (9.2 mg/kg reduced significantly cocoon production, hatching rate and juvenile’s number per cocoon. With regard to these results, we concluded that 2,4-D based herbicides are potential threat to earthworms because CL 50 was largely below concentrations of 1920 mg/l and 2880 mg/l of 2,4-D recommended by the manufacturer.

  12. Structure and expression of the silk adhesive protein Ser2 in Bombyx mori

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kludkiewicz, Barbara; Takasu, Y.; Fedič, Robert; Tamura, T.; Sehnal, František; Žurovec, Michal

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 12 (2009), s. 938-946 ISSN 0965-1748 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA5007402; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06077 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : silkworm * sericin * cocoon Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.117, year: 2009

  13. JPRS Report, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-16

    34No Change in Procurement Policies; Sericul- of the market, helping them to readjust their product turists Encouraged To Sell Good Cocoons"] mix, to... turists alike, sequently, we must strictly control the total volume of fertilizer imports to protect Liaoning’s own small fertil- Liaoning Fertilizer

  14. A Zoo of Radio Relics: Cluster Cores to Filaments Ruta Kale1,2 ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. Radio relics in galaxy clusters can be electrons accelerated at cluster merger shocks or adiabatically compressed fossil radio cocoons or dying radio galaxies. The spectral evolution of radio relics is affected by the surrounding thermal plasma. We present a low frequency study of three radio relics representing ...

  15. Adult vaccination strategies for the control of pertussis in the United States: an economic evaluation including the dynamic population effects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Coudeville

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Prior economic evaluations of adult and adolescent vaccination strategies against pertussis have reached disparate conclusions. Using static approaches only, previous studies failed to analytically include the indirect benefits derived from herd immunity as well as the impact of vaccination on the evolution of disease incidence over time. METHODS: We assessed the impact of different pertussis vaccination strategies using a dynamic compartmental model able to consider pertussis transmission. We then combined the results with economic data to estimate the relative cost-effectiveness of pertussis immunization strategies for adolescents and adults in the US. The analysis compares combinations of programs targeting adolescents, parents of newborns (i.e. cocoon strategy, or adults of various ages. RESULTS: In the absence of adolescent or adult vaccination, pertussis incidence among adults is predicted to more than double in 20 years. Implementing an adult program in addition to childhood and adolescent vaccination either based on 1 a cocoon strategy and a single booster dose or 2 a decennial routine vaccination would maintain a low level of pertussis incidence in the long run for all age groups (respectively 30 and 20 cases per 100,000 person years. These strategies would also result in significant reductions of pertussis costs (between -77% and -80% including additional vaccination costs. The cocoon strategy complemented by a single booster dose is the most cost-effective one, whereas the decennial adult vaccination is slightly more effective in the long run. CONCLUSIONS: By providing a high level of disease control, the implementation of an adult vaccination program against pertussis appears to be highly cost-effective and often cost-saving.

  16. Early Soft X-Ray to UV Emission from Double Neutron Star Mergers: Implications from the Long-term Observations of GW170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiang-Yu; Huang, Zhi-Qiu

    2018-01-01

    Recent long-term radio follow-up observations of GW170817 reveal a simple power-law rising light curve, with a slope of {t}0.78, up to 93 days after the merger. The latest X-ray detection at 109 days is also consistent with such a temporal slope. Such a shallow rise behavior requires a mildly relativistic outflow with a steep velocity gradient profile, so that slower material with larger energy catches up with the decelerating ejecta and re-energizes it. It has been suggested that this mildly relativistic outflow may represent a cocoon of material. We suggest that the velocity gradient profile may form during the stage that the cocoon is breaking out of the merger ejecta, resulting from shock propagation down a density gradient. The cooling of the hot relativistic cocoon material immediately after it breaks out should have produced soft X-ray to UV radiation at tens of seconds to hours after the merger. The soft X-ray emission has a luminosity of {L}{{X}}∼ {10}45 {erg} {{{s}}}-1 over a period of tens of seconds for a merger event like GW170817. The UV emission shows a rise initially and peaks at about a few hours with a luminosity of {L}{UV}∼ {10}42 {erg} {{{s}}}-1. The soft X-ray transients could be detected by future wide-angle X-ray detectors, such as the Chinese mission Einstein Probe. This soft X-ray/UV emission would serve as one of the earliest electromagnetic counterparts of gravitation waves from double neutron star mergers and could provide the earliest localization of the sources.

  17. Numerically calibrated model for propagation of a relativistic unmagnetized jet in dense media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Richard; Gottlieb, Ore; Nakar, Ehud

    2018-03-01

    Relativistic jets reside in high-energy astrophysical systems of all scales. Their interaction with the surrounding media is critical as it determines the jet evolution, observable signature, and feedback on the environment. During its motion the interaction of the jet with the ambient media inflates a highly pressurized cocoon, which under certain conditions collimates the jet and strongly affects its propagation. Recently, Bromberg et al. (2011b) derived a general simplified (semi)analytic solution for the evolution of the jet and the cocoon in case of an unmagnetized jet that propagates in a medium with a range of density profiles. In this work we use a large suite of 2D and 3D relativistic hydrodynamic simulations in order to test the validity and accuracy of this model. We discuss the similarities and differences between the analytic model and numerical simulations and also, to some extent, between 2D and 3D simulations. Our main finding is that although the analytic model is highly simplified, it properly predicts the evolution of the main ingredients of the jet-cocoon system, including its temporal evolution and the transition between various regimes (e.g., collimated to uncollimated). The analytic solution predicts a jet head velocity that is faster by a factor of about 3 compared to the simulations, as long as the head velocity is Newtonian. We use the results of the simulations to calibrate the analytic model which significantly increases its accuracy. We provide an applet that calculates semi-analytically the propagation of a jet in an arbitrary density profile defined by the user at http://www.astro.tau.ac.il/ ore/propagation.html.

  18. Numerically calibrated model for propagation of a relativistic unmagnetized jet in dense media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Richard; Gottlieb, Ore; Nakar, Ehud

    2018-06-01

    Relativistic jets reside in high-energy astrophysical systems of all scales. Their interaction with the surrounding media is critical as it determines the jet evolution, observable signature, and feedback on the environment. During its motion, the interaction of the jet with the ambient media inflates a highly pressurized cocoon, which under certain conditions collimates the jet and strongly affects its propagation. Recently, Bromberg et al. derived a general simplified (semi-)analytic solution for the evolution of the jet and the cocoon in case of an unmagnetized jet that propagates in a medium with a range of density profiles. In this work we use a large suite of 2D and 3D relativistic hydrodynamic simulations in order to test the validity and accuracy of this model. We discuss the similarities and differences between the analytic model and numerical simulations and also, to some extent, between 2D and 3D simulations. Our main finding is that although the analytic model is highly simplified, it properly predicts the evolution of the main ingredients of the jet-cocoon system, including its temporal evolution and the transition between various regimes (e.g. collimated to uncollimated). The analytic solution predicts a jet head velocity that is faster by a factor of about 3 compared to the simulations, as long as the head velocity is Newtonian. We use the results of the simulations to calibrate the analytic model which significantly increases its accuracy. We provide an applet that calculates semi-analytically the propagation of a jet in an arbitrary density profile defined by the user at http://www.astro.tau.ac.il/˜ore/propagation.html.

  19. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 50 of 76 ... Issue, Title. Vol 16, No 2 (2006), A profile of the theatre procedures in paediatrict ophthalmic practice, Abstract. E O Onwasigwe. Vol 15, No 2 (2005), Abdominal cocoon, Abstract. Abdulrasheed K Adesunkanmi, Tajudeen A Badmus, Olukayode Ogundoyin, Akinwumi B Ogunrombi. Vol 18, No 1 (2008) ...

  20. Effect of Bio-inoculants Applied to M5 Mulberry Under Rain-fed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bheema

    Bombyx Mori L., is a monophagous insect that drives almost all required nutrients ... to mulberry plant is, therefore, very essential for the successful silkworm growth and cocoon ... However, the recommended rate of chemical .... Larval duration starting from hatching of the eggs up to 90 per cent of worms attain spinning was.

  1. Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-01-27

    Jan 27, 2016 ... Abstract. Radio relics in galaxy clusters can be electrons accelerated at cluster merger shocks or adiabatically compressed fossil radio cocoons or dying radio galaxies. The spectral evolution of radio relics is affected by the surrounding thermal plasma. We present a low frequency study of three radio relics ...

  2. EMBA Integration: From Rhetoric to Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Charles; Derrick, Frederick; Hoadley, Ellen

    2012-01-01

    For the modern business world, business education needs to molt from the cocoon of discipline silos to the integrated business education model to train the next generation of managers. Upper management problems are rarely silo specific. Managers do things right, but leaders do the right things; and executive programs exist to build business…

  3. 81 _ 86

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A rise ofecdysteroid titre towards the end of Iiflh instar apparently terminates feeding and stimulates cocoon spinning in preparation to the metamorphosis. For proper course of these developmental events, it is significant that the ecdysteroid level is slightly elevated for 1-2 days before rising to the moult inducing height. The.

  4. IDIOPATHIC SCLEROSING ENCAPSULATING PERITONITIS CAUSING ACUTE INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION AND GANGRENE: A CASE REPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nava

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP is a relatively rare cause of intestinal obstruction resulting from encasement of variable lengths of bowel by dense fibro-collagenous membrane. It is more common in young females, and shows tropical and sub-tropical distribution. The idiopathic cases of SEP, which lack any identifiable cause from clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, are also reported under the descriptive term “abdominal cocoon syndrome”. SEP presents with acute or sub-acute intestinal obstruction with or without a mass. In the era of laparoscopic surgery, inadvertent damage to the small bowel at insertion of the trocar and cannula can occur by being unaware of this condition resulting in unnecessary bowel resection. Persistent untreated SEP may advance to bowel gangrene or intestinal perforation, representing life threatening conditions. We report the clinical presentation of a 75-year-old female presenting with signs of intestinal obstruction whose imaging findings revealed abdominal cocoon with bowel gangrene leading to perforation and the same confirmed at surgery. Surgical excision of the fibrotic sac encasing the bowel, resection of gangrenous bowel segment and end ileostomy was performed. Histopathology of the excised membrane confirmed sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis. To our knowledge, only a few cases of abdominal cocoon with perforation have been reported in literature so far. Radiologists should be aware of this relatively rare cause of intestinal obstruction, its imaging findings and complications, as preoperative diagnosis will prevent delay and aid in treatment planning to the surgeon. Identification of soft tissue density membrane encasing congregated small bowel loops into a single area on computed-tomography gives diagnostic clue. Surgical excision of sac, release of bowel loops and adhesions with partial intestinal resection when necessary is the treatment.

  5. Hydrocarbons and heavy metals in fine particulates in oil field air: possible impacts on production of natural silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devi, Gitumani; Devi, Arundhuti; Bhattacharyya, Krishna Gopal

    2016-02-01

    Analyses of fine particulates (PM2.5) from the upper Assam oil fields of India indicated considerable presence of higher hydrocarbons (C22-C35) and heavy metals, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. This has raised serious concern for the sustainability of the exotic Muga (Antheraea assama) silk production, which has been a prime activity of a large number of people living in the area. The Muga worm feeds on the leaves of Machilus bombycina plant, and the impacts of air quality on its survival were further investigated by analyzing the leaves of the plant, the plantation soil, and the Muga cocoons. PM2.5 content in the air was much more during the winter due to near calm conditions and high humidity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis of PM2.5 showed the presence of higher alkanes (C22-C35) that could be traced to crude oil. Cr, Ni, and Zn were found in higher concentrations in PM2.5, M. bombycina leaves, and the plantation soil indicating a common origin. The winter has been the best period for production of the silk cocoons, and the unhealthy air during this period is likely to affect the production, which is already reflected in the declining yield of Muga cocoons from the area. SEM and protein analyses of the Muga silk fiber produced in the oil field area have exhibited the deteriorating quality of the silk. This is the first report from India on hydrocarbons and associated metals in PM2.5 collected from an oil field and on their possible effects on production of silk by A. assama.

  6. Pre-pupation behaviour of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Haliday) and its consequences for pre-imaginal learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez-Ibáñez, Cristián; Villagra, Cristian A.; Niemeyer, Hermann M.

    2007-07-01

    Olfactory learning may occur at different stages of insect ontogeny. In parasitoid wasps, it has been mostly shown at adult emergence, whilst it remains controversial at pre-imaginal stages. We followed larval growth of the parasitoid wasp, Aphidius ervi Haliday, inside the host aphid, Acyrthosiphom pisum Harris, and characterised in detail the behaviour of third instar larvae. We found that just before cocoon spinning begins, the third instar larva bites a hole through the ventral side of the mummified aphid exoskeleton. We then evaluated whether this period of exposure to the external environment represented a sensitive stage for olfactory learning. In our first experiment, the third instar larvae were allowed to spin their cocoon on the host plant ( Vicia faba L.) surface or on a plastic plate covering the portion of the host plant exposed to the ventral opening. Recently emerged adults of the first group showed a preference for plant volatiles in a glass Y-olfactometer, whereas no preference was found in adults of the second group. In a second experiment, during the period in which the aphid carcass remains open or is being sealed by cocoon spinning, third instar larvae were exposed for 24 h to either vanilla odours or water vapours as control. In this experiment, half of the parasitoid larvae were later excised from the mummy to avoid further exposure to vanilla. Adult parasitoids exposed to vanilla during the larval ventral opening of the mummy showed a significant preference for vanilla odours in the olfactometer, regardless of excision from the mummy. The larval behaviour described and the results of the manipulations performed are discussed as evidences for the acquisition of olfactory memory during the larval stage and its persistence through metamorphosis.

  7. Molecular mechanisms of phoxim-induced silk gland damage and TiO2 nanoparticle-attenuated damage in Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bing; Yu, Xiaohong; Gui, Suxin; Xie, Yi; Zhao, Xiaoyang; Hong, Jie; Sun, Qingqing; Sang, Xuezi; Sheng, Lei; Cheng, Zhe; Cheng, Jie; Hu, Rengping; Wang, Ling; Shen, Weide; Hong, Fashui

    2014-06-01

    Phoxim is a useful organophosphate (OP) pesticide used in agriculture in China, however, exposure to this pesticide can result in a significant reduction in cocooning in Bombyx mori (B. mori). Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have been shown to decrease phoxim-induced toxicity in B. mori; however, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms of silk gland damage due to OP exposure and repair of gland damage by TiO2 NP pretreatment. In the present study, exposure to phoxim resulted in a significant reduction in cocooning rate in addition to silk gland damage, whereas TiO2 NP attenuated phoxim-induced gland damage, increased the antioxidant capacity of the gland, and increased cocooning rate in B. mori. Furthermore, digital gene expression data suggested that phoxim exposure led to significant alterations in the expression of 833 genes. In particular, phoxim exposure caused significant down-regulation of Fib-L, Ser2, Ser3, and P25 genes involved in silk protein synthesis, and up-regulation of SFGH, UCH3, and Salhh genes involved in silk protein hydrolysis. A combination of both phoxim and TiO2 NP treatment resulted in marked changes in the expression of 754 genes, while treatment with TiO2 NPs led to significant alterations in the expression of 308 genes. Importantly, pretreatment with TiO2 NPs increased Fib-L, Ser2, Ser3, and P25 expression, and decreased SFGH, UCH3, and Salhh expression in silk protein in the silk gland under phoxim stress. Therefore, Fib-L, Ser2, Ser3, P25, SFGH, UCH3, and Salhh may be potential biomarkers of silk gland toxicity in B. mori caused by phoxim exposure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Developmental ecdysteroid titers and DNA puffs in larvae of two sciarid species, Rhynchosciara americana and Rhynchosciara milleri (Diptera: Sciaridae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, M A M; Hartfelder, K; Tesserolli de Souza, J M; Stocker, A J

    2015-10-01

    Ecdysteroid titers, developmental landmarks and the presence of prominent amplifying regions (DNA puffs) have been compared during late larval to pupal development in four groups of Rhynchosciara americana larvae and in R. americana and Rhynchosciara milleri. Three prominent DNA puffs (B2, C3 and C8) expand and regress sequentially on the rising phase of the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) titer in R. americana as a firm, cellular cocoon is being constructed. A sharp rise in 20E coincides with the regression of these puffs. The shape of the 20E curve is similar in R. milleri, a species that does not construct a massive cocoon, but the behavior of certain DNA puffs and their temporal relationship to the curve differs. Regions corresponding to B2 and C3 can be identified in R. milleri by banding pattern similarity with R. americana chromosomes and, in the case of B2, by hybridization to an R. americana probe. A B2 puff appears in R. milleri as the 20E titer rises but remains small in all gland regions. A puff similar to the R. americana C3 puff occurs in posterior gland cells of R. milleri (C3(Rm)) after the B2 puff, but this site did not hybridize to R. americana C3 probes. C3(Rm) incorporated (3)H-thymidine above background, but showed less post-puff DNA accumulation than C3 of R. americana. R. americana C8 probes hybridized to a more distal region of the R. milleri C chromosome that did not appear to amplify or form a large puff. These differences can be related to developmental differences, in particular differences in cocoon construction between the two species.

  9. Uptake of a government-funded pertussis-containing booster vaccination program for parents of new babies in Victoria, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowe, Stacey L; Cunningham, Helen M; Franklin, Lucinda J; Lester, Rosemary A

    2015-04-08

    An epidemic of Bordetella pertussis in Victoria, Australia, led to the implementation of a Government-funded vaccination program for parents of new babies. The rationale was to protect unimmunised infants from infection by vaccinating parents with a pertussis-containing vaccine. This is known as cocooning. To estimate uptake of the vaccine among parents of new babies, two-and-a-half years after the program was implemented. A state-wide cross-sectional survey of parents was conducted to ascertain vaccine uptake, and to identify where and when the vaccination took place. Surveys were administered between 15 February and 14 March 2012, inclusive. Of 6308 surveys distributed, 2510 completed surveys were returned (response rate 40%). Ninety-five surveys completed outside the study period were excluded, leaving 2415 available for analysis. Overall, 1937 (80%) mothers and 1385 (70%) fathers were vaccinated in relation to the birth of their most recent child. A majority of mothers were vaccinated in hospital (62%). Most fathers were vaccinated by a general practitioner (72%). The most common point at which mothers were vaccinated was before their child turned two weeks of age (65%). Fathers' vaccination time-point varied more widely: during pregnancy (25%); before their child turned two weeks of age (29%); and when their child was between two and eight weeks of age (28%). Results of this survey indicated excellent uptake of the vaccine among both mothers and fathers under the Government-funded cocooning program. The findings are suggestive of an effective communications program designed to raise awareness of the risks of pertussis, and to promote availability of the funded vaccination program. The results may contribute to policy implementation of adult immunisation programs such as cocooning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The energetics of relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei with various kinetic powers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musoke, Gibwa Rebecca; Young, Andrew; Molnar, Sandor; Birkinshaw, Mark

    2018-01-01

    Numerical simulations are an important tool in understanding the physical processes behind relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei. In such simulations different combinations of intrinsic jet parameters can be used to obtain the same jet kinetic powers. We present a numerical investigation of the effects of varying the jet power on the dynamic and energetic characteristics of the jets for two kinetic power regimes; in the first regime we change the jet density whilst maintaining a fixed velocity, in the second the jet density is held constant while the velocity is varied. We conduct 2D axisymmetric hydrodynamic simulations of bipolar jets propagating through an isothermal cluster atmosphere using the FLASH MHD code in pure hydrodynamics mode. The jets are simulated with kinetic powers ranging between 1045 and 1046 erg/s and internal Mach numbers ranging from 5.6 to 21.5.As the jets begin to propagate into the intracluster medium (ICM), the injected jet energy is converted into the thermal, kinetic and gravitational potential energy components of the jet cocoon and ICM. We explore the temporal evolution of the partitioning of the injected jet energy into the cocoon and the ICM and quantify the importance of entrainment process on the energy partitioning. We investigate the fraction of injected energy transferred to the thermal energy component of the jet-ICM system in the context of heating the cluster environments, noting that the jets simulated display peak thermalisation efficiencies of least 65% and a marked dependence on the jet density. We compare the efficiencies of the energy partitioning between the cocoon and ICM for the two kinetic power regimes and discuss the resulting efficiency-power scaling relations of each regime.

  11. Understanding Natural Silks and Their Integration into Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-01

    Bombyx   mori ...nonwoven  composite  model  based  on  silkworm  cocoon   ( Bombyx   mori ),  Journal  of  Materials  Science  and  Engineering...structural   parameters   to   describe   composition   and   morphology.   Thus,   a   model   originally  

  12. Heliophysics: The Solar and Space Physics of a New Era. Recommended Roadmap for Science and Technology 2009-2030

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Andrew B.; Spann, James; Cyr, O. C.; Cummings, Alan; Heelis, Roderick; Hill, Frank; Immel, Thomas; Kasper, Justin; Kistler, Lynn; Kuhn, Jeffrey; hide

    2009-01-01

    Our planet is immersed in a seemingly invisible yet exotic and inherently dangerous environment. Above the protective cocoon of Earth's lower atmosphere is a plasma soup composed of electrified and magnetized matter entwined with penetrating radiation and energetic particles. The Earth's magnetic field interacts with the Sun's outer atmosphere to create this extraordinary environment.

  13. Untitled

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    of silk Worm cocoons and for the rearing of silk worms in sericulture industry etc. Conventional methods of airconditioning, however, need the rather scarce resources of electricity or fossil fuels. It is therefore logical to consider the use of the abundant solar energy, whose incidence is, in fact, the highest just when maximum ...

  14. Effect of Butachlor Herbicide on Earthworm Eisenia fetidaIts Histological Perspicuity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gobi, M.; Gunasekaran, P.

    2010-01-01

    With the advent of the Green Revolution, there has been a quantum leap in the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides throughout the world to sustain high yielding crop varieties. Continuous use of these synthetic chemicals leads to loss of soil fertility and soil organisms. To explore the effect of exposure to commercial herbicide (Butachlor) on the life history parameters (biomass, clitellum development, and cocoon production) and the histological changes in the earthworm Eisenia fetida over 60 days, the dried cow dung was contaminated with 0.2575 mg/ kg -1 , 0.5150 mg/ kg -1 , and 2.5750 mg/ kg -1 of butachlor based on the LC 50 value, and a control was maintained. The mean earthworm biomass was found to be decreased with increasing herbicide concentration. Similarly, cocoon production was also reduced by the increasing herbicide concentration. A possible explanation is an increased demand for energy, needed for the regulation and detoxification of herbicide. All earthworms in the exposed group were found to have glandular cell enlargement and to be vacuolated

  15. Effect of Butachlor Herbicide on Earthworm Eisenia fetida—Its Histological Perspicuity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muthukaruppan Gobi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available With the advent of the Green Revolution, there has been a quantum leap in the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides throughout the world to sustain high yielding crop varieties. Continuous use of these synthetic chemicals leads to loss of soil fertility and soil organisms. To explore the effect of exposure to commercial herbicide (Butachlor on the life history parameters (biomass, clitellum development, and cocoon production and the histological changes in the earthworm Eisenia fetida over 60 days, the dried cow dung was contaminated with 0.2575 mg kg−1, 0.5150 mg kg−1, and 2.5750 mg kg−1 of butachlor based on the LC50 value, and a control was maintained. The mean earthworm biomass was found to be decreased with increasing herbicide concentration. Similarly, cocoon production was also reduced by the increasing herbicide concentration. A possible explanation is an increased demand for energy, needed for the regulation and detoxification of herbicide. All earthworms in the exposed group were found to have glandular cell enlargement and to be vacuolated.

  16. Interactions between the solitary endoparasitoid, Meteorus gyrator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its host, Lacanobia oleracea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), infected with the entomopathogenic microsporidium, Vairimorpha necatrix (Microspora: Microsporidia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Down, R E; Smethurst, F; Bell, H A; Edwards, J P

    2005-04-01

    Infection of Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus) larvae with the microsporidium Vairimorpha necatrix (Kramer) resulted in significant effects on the survival and development of the braconid parasitoid, Meteorus gyrator (Thunberg). Female M. gyrator did not show any avoidance of V. necatrix-infected hosts when they were selecting hosts for oviposition. When parasitism occurred at the same time as infection by the pathogen, or up to four days later, no significant detrimental effects on the parasitoid were observed. However, when parasitism occurred six to eight days after infection, a greater proportion (12.5-14%) of hosts died before parasitoid larvae egressed. Successful eclosion of adult wasps was also reduced. When parasitism and infection were concurrent, parasitoid larval development was significantly faster in infected hosts, and cocoons were significantly heavier. However, as the time interval between infection and parasitism increased, parasitoid larval development was significantly extended by up to two days, and the cocoons formed were significantly (c. 20%) smaller. Vairimorpha necatrix spores were ingested by the developing parasitoid larvae, accumulated in the occluded midgut, and were excreted in the meconium upon pupation.

  17. Life-cycle of the European compost worm Dendrobaena veneta ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The life-cycle of Dendrobaena veneta was studied to assess the potential of this species in vermiculture. The development, growth and reproduction were investigated by rearing worms at 25°C on urine-free cattle manure with a moisture content of 80% over a period of 200 days. It was found that cocoons are produced at a ...

  18. Pyroprotein-Based Electronic Textiles with High Stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Jun Woo; Cho, Se Youn; Jeong, Yu Jin; Shin, Dong Seok; Kim, Na Rae; Yun, Young Soo; Kim, Hyun-Tae; Choi, Soo Bong; Hong, Won G; Kim, Hae Jin; Jin, Hyoung-Joon; Kim, Byung Hoon

    2017-02-01

    Thermally reducible pyroprotein-based electronic textiles (e-textiles) are fabricated using graphene oxide and a pyroprotein such as cocoon silk and spider web without any chemical agents. The electrical conductivity of the e-textile is 11.63 S cm -1 , which is maintained even in bending, washing, and temperature variation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. CHANGES OF GLYCEROL CONTENT IN DIAPAUSE LARVAEOF THE ORANGE WHEAT BLOSSOM MIDGE, SITODIPLOSIS MOSELLANA (GEHIN) IN VARIOUS SEASONS

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jun-xiangWu; FengYuan

    2004-01-01

    The glycerol contents in diapause larvae of the orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Gehin), collected from various seasons, were measured. The results showed that there was less glycerol content in larvae during living on the wheat head. Content of glycerol began to increase significantly when the larvae left the wheat head and entered the soil. A change trend of upper- lower- upper- lower in larvae glycerol contents during diapause in soil was observed from June to April of next year. More glycerol could be examined in larvae collected in summer and winter than in spring and autumn. There was not more glycerol in cocooned larvae than that in non-cocooned larvae during various seasons from the point of statistics. Comparing the glycerol content of larvae being diapause in the first year with that of larvae in the second year, there was yet no obvious difference when larvae were collected in the same season belonged to different years. Therefore, it is shown that the content of glycerol in larvae of the wheat midge in diapause is affected mainly by the seasons or diapause intensity.

  20. Parachuting behavior and predation by ants in the nettle caterpillar, Scopelodes contracta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamazaki, Kazuo

    2010-01-01

    This paper documents the bizarre descending behavior from the tree crown to the ground of the larvae of the moth, Scopelodes contracta Walker (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) and the interaction of the larva with predatory ants. S. contracta larvae infest leaves of many tree species in urban areas and orchards in Japan. Mature larvae and leaves without basal leaf parts were found under trees of four species infested with S. contracta larvae in Osaka, Japan. Individual larvae riding on leaves were observed falling from tree crowns to the ground. Many S. contracta cocoons were found in the soil below the trees two weeks after the observed parachuting. These observations indicate that S. contracta larvae parachuted to the ground where they spin their cocoons in the soil. When a larva that had just parachuted down was returned to an arboreal twig, the larva repeated the parachuting behavior. This parachuting behavior appears to be adaptive, because larvae can descend to the ground safely and with low energy cost. Worker ants of Tetramorium tsushimae Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Pristomyrmex punctatus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) occasionally attacked larvae on the ground before they had a chance to burrow in the soil.

  1. Effects of heavy metals on the mulberry plant and silkworm. I. Effects of cadmium and zinc on silkworm larvae, Bombyx mori L

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyoshi, T; Miyazawa, F; Shimizu, O

    1971-08-01

    Cadmium sulfate and zinc sulate salts in graded concentration were fed to silkworm larvae using an artificial diet. Tests were done at three periods, from hatching to pupation, from the beginning of the 3rd instar to pupation, and in the last (5th) instar period. The results obtained are as follows: when the concentration of Cd (as Cd element of CdSO/sub 4/) in diet was over 50 ppm in the 1st instar test and over 200 ppm in the 3rd and the 5th instar tests, all insects were dead before pupation. When the concentration of Cd was over 10 ppm in all tests the cocoon layer became lighter than controls. We conclude that the safety level of Cd concentration in diet is 5 ppm. When the concentration of Zn (as Zn element of ZnSO/sub 4/) in diet was over 200 ppm in the 1st and the 3rd instar tests and over 400 ppm in the last instar test, the cocoon layer become lighter. We conclude that safety level of Zn concentration in diet is 100 ppm.

  2. China Report, Economic Affairs, No. 381

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-09-13

    taxes must be levied on the purchase and sales of livestock. Livestock butchery taxes must be imposed on livestock butchers . The regulations also...20 yuan is taxable and any sales below 20 yuan is exempt from taxation. Fire- wood, grass, poultry , eggs, vegetables, melons, fruits, and potatoes...aquatic products, poultry , fresh eggs, beef cattle, mutton sheep, frontier marketed tea, vegetables, cotton, cotton for wadding, silkworm cocoons

  3. Red worm behavior (Eisenia spp. in vermicomposting systems of organic residues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mamani-Mamani Gladys

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This work evaluates the behavior of the vermicomposting red worm (Eisenia spp. in two environments (greenhouse and unsheltered and with two solid organic substrates (cow manure=CM and kitchen waste=KW in the zone of Carmen Pampa, Nor Yungas Province, Department of La Paz – Bolivia, using a factorial design with two factors and three repetitions (ANOVA analysis. The largest number of cocoons was found in the greenhouse treatment, with 64 in CM and 41 in KW. Cocoon viability was also greatest in the greenhouse treatment, at 100% for CM and 96% for KW. Similarly, the greatest number of worms hatched from cocoons was in the greenhouse treatment, with 2 immature worms for CM and 3.5 for KW, and the greatest number of immature worms was registered in the greenhouse treatment with 123 individuals in CM and 16 in KW. The lowest mortality rate due to environment was in the greenhouse treatment, with 3.90% mortality with CM and 88.64% with KW. The greatest number of mature worms (with clitella was in the unsheltered treatment, with 15 in CM and 21 in KW. The greatest biomass of immature worms was found in the greenhouse treatment, with 1.41 g of worms for CM and 0.185 g for KW; however, the greatest biomass of mature worms was in the KW treatment, with 7.98 g for the greenhouse treatment and 6.93 g for the unsheltered treatment. The phytotoxicity from CM vermicompost in the two environments was lowest, exhibiting a 66.6% rate of germination, and the opposite was true for KW, which was the most toxic in both environments. Macronutrient content in vermicompost obtained was: nitrogen at 2.45% and 2.31%, phosphorus at 500 mg kg-1 and 220 mg kg-1 and potassium at 27.43 and 2.76 cmol(+ kg-1 of dry substrate in KW and CM respectively.

  4. Extended Gamma-Ray Emission from the G25.0+0.0 Region: A Star-forming Region Powered by the Newly Found OB Association?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katsuta, J. [Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Uchiyama, Y. [Rikkyo University, Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501 (Japan); Funk, S., E-mail: katsuta@hep01.hepl.hiroshima-u.ac.jp [Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, D-91058 Erlangen (Germany)

    2017-04-20

    We report a study of extended γ -ray emission with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope , which is likely to be the second case of a γ -ray detection from a star-forming region (SFR) in our Galaxy. The LAT source is located in the G25 region, 1.°7 × 2.°1 around ( l , b ) = (25.°0, 0.°0). The γ -ray emission is found to be composed of two extended sources and one pointlike source. The extended sources have similar sizes of about 1.°4 × 0.°6. An ∼0.°4 diameter subregion of one has a photon index of Γ = 1.53 ± 0.15, and is spatially coincident with HESS J1837−069, likely a pulsar wind nebula. The other parts of the extended sources have a photon index of Γ = 2.1 ± 0.2 without significant spectral curvature. Given their spatial and spectral properties, they have no clear associations with sources at other wavelengths. Their γ -ray properties are similar to those of the Cygnus cocoon SFR, the only firmly established γ -ray detection of an SFR in the Galaxy. Indeed, we find bubble-like structures of atomic and molecular gas in G25, which may be created by a putative OB association/cluster. The γ -ray emitting regions appear confined in the bubble-like structure; similar properties are also found in the Cygnus cocoon. In addition, using observations with the XMM-Newton , we find a candidate young massive OB association/cluster G25.18+0.26 in the G25 region. We propose that the extended γ -ray emission in G25 is associated with an SFR driven by G25.18+0.26. Based on this scenario, we discuss possible acceleration processes in the SFR and compare them with the Cygnus cocoon.

  5. Hydrodynamic model of a self-gravitating optically thick gas and dust cloud

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhukova, E. V.; Zankovich, A. M.; Kovalenko, I. G.; Firsov, K. M.

    2015-10-01

    We propose an original mechanism of sustained turbulence generation in gas and dust clouds, the essence of which is the consistent provision of conditions for the emergence and maintenance of convective instability in the cloud. We considered a quasi-stationary one-dimensional model of a selfgravitating flat cloud with stellar radiation sources in its center. The material of the cloud is considered a two-component two-speed continuous medium, the first component of which, gas, is transparent for stellar radiation and is supposed to rest being in hydrostatic equilibrium, and the second one, dust, is optically dense and is swept out by the pressure of stellar radiation to the periphery of the cloud. The dust is specified as a set of spherical grains of a similar size (we made calculations for dust particles with radii of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 μm). The processes of scattering and absorption of UV radiation by dust particles followed by IR reradiation, with respect to which the medium is considered to be transparent, are taken into account. Dust-driven stellar wind sweeps gas outwards from the center of the cloud, forming a cocoon-like structure in the gas and dust. For the radiation flux corresponding to a concentration of one star with a luminosity of about 5 ×104 L ⊙ per square parsec on the plane of sources, sizes of the gas cocoon are equal to 0.2-0.4 pc, and for the dust one they vary from tenths of a parsec to six parsecs. Gas and dust in the center of the cavity are heated to temperatures of about 50-60 K in the model with graphite particles and up to 40 K in the model with silicate dust, while the background equilibrium temperature outside the cavity is set equal to 10 K. The characteristic dust expansion velocity is about 1-7 kms-1. Three structural elements define the hierarchy of scales in the dust cocoon. The sizes of the central rarefied cavity, the dense shell surrounding the cavity, and the thin layer inside the shell in which dust is settling provide

  6. Nutrigenetic Screening Strains of the Mulberry Silkworm, Bombyx mori, for Nutritional Efficiency

    OpenAIRE

    Ramesha, Chinnaswamy; Lakshmi, Hothur; Kumari, Savarapu Sugnana; Anuradha, Chevva M.; Kumar, Chitta Suresh

    2012-01-01

    The activity of sericulture is declining due the reduction of mulberry production area in sericulture practicing countries lead to adverse effects on silkworm rearing and cocoon production. Screening for nutrigenetic traits in silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for better understanding and development of nutritionally efficient breeds/hybrids, which show less food consumption with higher efficiency conversion. The aim of this study was to identify ...

  7. The influence of low level γ-radiation on the development of bombyx Mori L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yusifov, N.I.; Kuzin, A.M.; Agaev, F.A.; Mozgovoj, E.G.; AN Azerbajdzhanskoj SSR, Baku. Sektor Radiatsionnykh Issledovanij)

    1988-01-01

    Chronic γ-irradiation of a grain at a dose-rate 100, 1000 and 4000 times as high as that of the natural radiation background significantly accelerates the development of Bombyx moti L. The caterpillar development may also be stimulated by a single exposure of the grain to 2 Gy radiation. The acceleration of the caterpillar growth promotes the increase in the cocoon weight and the raw-silk mass

  8. História natural da interação entre Meteorus sp. Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) e seu hiperparasitoide Toxeumella albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

    OpenAIRE

    Sobczak, JF; Maia, DP; Moura, JCMS; Costa, VA; Vasconcellos-Neto, J

    2012-01-01

    Some parasitoids build a cocoon mass that hangs in the host body until the adults emergence, which is an advantage against attack by predators who troll the vegetation in search of prey. However, such behaviour is not effective against the hyperparasitoid attacks. This study reports the interaction between the caterpillar Manduca sexta Linnaeus, 1763 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) parasitised by Meteorus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) larvae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes (Hymenoptera, ...

  9. Influence of pH, temperature, and concentration on stabilization of aqueous hornet silk solution and fabrication of salt-free materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kameda, Tsunenori

    2015-01-01

    We found that an aqueous solution of silk from cocoons produced by hornet larvae (hornet silk) can be obtained when the solution is adjusted to basic conditions of pH > 9.2. It is known that native hornet cocoons can be dissolved in concentrated aqueous solution of salts, such as lithium bromide (LiBr) and calcium chloride (CaCl2). Upon the removal of these salts from solution by dialysis, solidification, gelation, or sedimentation of hornet silk is known to occur. In the present study, under basic conditions, however, no such solidification occurred, even after salt removal. In this study, ammonia was used for alkalization of solution because it is volatilized during the casting process and pure hornet silk materials can be obtained after drying. The effects of the concentrations of hornet silk and ammonia, as well as dialysis temperature, on preventing gelation during dialysis were investigated. Dialysis conditions that limit the degradation of hornet silk by hydrolysis in alkali solution were identified. Moreover, casting conditions to prepare flexible and transparent hornet silk film from aqueous ammonia solution were optimized. Molecular structural analysis of hornet silk in aqueous ammonia solution and cast film indicated the formation of α-helix conformations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Effects of metals on life cycle parameters of the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nahmani, Johanne; Hodson, Mark E.; Black, Stuart

    2007-01-01

    Two control and eight field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils were inoculated with Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826). Three, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days after inoculation, earthworm survival, body weight, cocoon production and hatching rate were measured. Seventeen metals were analysed in E. fetida tissue, bulk soil and soil solution. Soil organic carbon content, texture, pH and cation exchange capacity were also measured. Cocoon production and hatching rate were more sensitive to adverse conditions than survival or weight change. Soil properties other than metal concentration impacted toxicity. The most toxic soils were organic-poor (1-10 g C kg -1 ), sandy soils (c. 74% sand), with intermediate metal concentrations (e.g. 7150-13,100 mg Pb kg -1 , 2970-53,400 mg Zn kg -1 ). Significant relationships between soil properties and the life cycle parameters were determined. The best coefficients of correlation were generally found for texture, pH, Ag, Cd, Mg, Pb, Tl, and Zn both singularly and in multivariate regressions. Studies that use metal-amended artificial soils are not useful to predict toxicity of field multi-contaminated soils. - Soil pH, organic carbon content and texture can exert a greater influence on earthworm life cycle parameters than soil metal concentrations at metal-contaminated sites

  11. Reusable tamper-indicating security seal. [Patent Application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryan, M.J.

    1981-06-23

    The invention teaches means for detecting unauthorized tampering or substitutions of a device, and has particular utility when applied on a seal device used to secure a location or thing. The seal has a transparent body wall, and a first indicia, viz., a label identification is formed on the inside surface of this wall. Second and third indicia are formed on the outside surface of the transparent wall, and each of these indicia is transparent to allow the parallax angled viewing of the first indicia through these indicia. The second indicia is in the form of a broadly uniform pattern, viz., many small spaced dots; while the third indicia is in the form of easily memorized objects, such as human faces, made on a substrate by means of halftone printing. The substrate is lapped over the outside surface of the transparent wall. A thin cocoon of a transparent material, generally of the same material as the substrate such as plastic, is formed over the seal body and specifically over the transparent wall and the second and third indicia formed thereon. This cocoon is seamless and has walls of nonuniform thickness. Both the genuineness of the seal and whether anyone has attempted to compromise the seal can thus be visually determined upon inspection.

  12. Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Different Silk Yields of Two Silkworm Strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Li

    Full Text Available Cocoon and silk yields are the most important characteristics of sericulture. However, few studies have examined the genes that modulate these features. Further studies of these genes will be useful for improving the products of sericulture. JingSong (JS and Lan10 (L10 are two strains having significantly different cocoon and silk yields. In the current study, RNA-Seq and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR were performed on both strains in order to determine divergence of the silk gland, which controls silk biosynthesis in silkworms. Compared with L10, JS had 1375 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 738 up-regulated genes and 673 down-regulated genes. Nine enriched gene ontology (GO terms were identified by GO enrichment analysis based on these DEGs. KEGG enrichment analysis results showed that the DEGs were enriched in three pathways, which were mainly associated with the processing and biosynthesis of proteins. The representative genes in the enrichment pathways and ten significant DEGs were further verified by qPCR, the results of which were consistent with the RNA-Seq data. Our study has revealed differences in silk glands between the two silkworm strains and provides a perspective for understanding the molecular mechanisms determining silk yield.

  13. Effects of metals on life cycle parameters of the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nahmani, Johanne [Department of Soil Science, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6DW (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: nahmani@univ-metz.fr; Hodson, Mark E. [Department of Soil Science, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6DW (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: m.e.hodson@reading.ac.uk; Black, Stuart [Department of Archaeology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, Whiteknights, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW (United Kingdom)

    2007-09-15

    Two control and eight field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils were inoculated with Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826). Three, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days after inoculation, earthworm survival, body weight, cocoon production and hatching rate were measured. Seventeen metals were analysed in E. fetida tissue, bulk soil and soil solution. Soil organic carbon content, texture, pH and cation exchange capacity were also measured. Cocoon production and hatching rate were more sensitive to adverse conditions than survival or weight change. Soil properties other than metal concentration impacted toxicity. The most toxic soils were organic-poor (1-10 g C kg{sup -1}), sandy soils (c. 74% sand), with intermediate metal concentrations (e.g. 7150-13,100 mg Pb kg{sup -1}, 2970-53,400 mg Zn kg{sup -1}). Significant relationships between soil properties and the life cycle parameters were determined. The best coefficients of correlation were generally found for texture, pH, Ag, Cd, Mg, Pb, Tl, and Zn both singularly and in multivariate regressions. Studies that use metal-amended artificial soils are not useful to predict toxicity of field multi-contaminated soils. - Soil pH, organic carbon content and texture can exert a greater influence on earthworm life cycle parameters than soil metal concentrations at metal-contaminated sites.

  14. Effects of Cry1Ab Transgenic Maize on Lifecycle and Biomarker Responses of the Earthworm, Eisenia Andrei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Maboeta

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available A 28-day study was conducted to determine the effects of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab toxin on the earthworm Eisenia andrei. Previously, investigations have been limited to life-cycle level effects of this protein on earthworms, and mostly on E. fetida. In this study several endpoints were compared which included biomass changes, cocoon production, hatching success, a cellular metal-stress biomarker (Neutral Red Retention Time; NRRT and potential genotoxic effects in terms of Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA sequences (RAPDs. NRRT results indicated no differences between treatments (p > 0.36, and NRRT remained the same for both treatments at different times during the experiment (p = 0.18. Likewise, no significant differences were found for cocoon production (p = 0.32 or hatching success (p = 0.29. Conversely, biomass data indicated a significant difference between the control treatment and the Bt treatment from the second week onwards (p < 0.001, with the Bt treatment losing significantly more weight than the isoline treatment. Possible confounding factors were identified that might have affected the differences in weight loss between groups. From the RAPD profiles no conclusive data were obtained that could link observed genetic variation to exposure of E. andrei to Cry1Ab proteins produced by Bt maize.

  15. Ecotoxicological and analytical assessment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and application to ecological risk assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saterbak, A.; Toy, R.J.; Wong, D.C.L.; McMain, B.J.; Williams, M.P.; Dorn, P.B.; Brzuzy, L.P.; Chai, E.Y.; Salanitro, J.P.

    1999-07-01

    Ecotoxicological assessments of contaminated soil aim to understand the effect of introduced chemicals on the soil flora and fauna. Ecotoxicity test methods were developed and conducted on hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and on adjacent uncontaminated control soils from eight field locations. Tests included 7-d, 14-d, and chronic survival tests and reproduction assays for the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and seed germination, root length, and plant growth assays for corn, lettuce, mustard, and wheat. Species-specific responses were observed with no-observed effect concentrations (NOECs) ranging from <1 to 100% contaminated soil. The 14-d earthworm survival NOEC was equal to or greater than the reproduction NOEC values for numbers of cocoons and juveniles, which were similar to one another. Cocoon and juvenile production varied among the control soils. Germination and root length NOECs for mustard and lettuce were less than NOECs for corn and wheat. Root length NOECs were similar to or less than seed germination NOECs. Statistically significant correlations for earthworm survival and seed germination as a function of hydrocarbon measurements were found. The 14-d earthworm survival and the seed germination tests are recommended for use in the context of a risk-based framework for the ecological assessment of contaminated sites.

  16. Implications of the radio and X-ray emission that followed GW170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakar, Ehud; Piran, Tsvi

    2018-04-01

    The radio and X-rays that followed GW170817 increased gradually over ˜ 100 days, resembling the radio flare predicted to arise from the interaction of a binary neutron star merger outflow with the ISM (Nakar & Piran 2011). Considering a blast wave moving with a Lorentz factor Γ, we show that an off-axis observer, namely an observer at θobs > 1/Γ, sees a light curve rising faster than Fν∝t3. Therefore, the observed rise, Fν∝ t0.78, implies that at all times we have seen an on-axis emission. Namely, the emitting matter was within θobs motivated one, proposed so far, is the interaction of a relativistic jet with the ejecta and the resulting cocoon. The jet could have been choked or successful. In the latter case, it has produced a short GRB pointing elsewhere (this successful jet-cocoon system is sometimes called a "structured jet"). Although circumstantial evidence disfavors a successful jet, the jet fate cannot be decisively determined from current observations. The light curve alone may not be sufficient to resolve this question, since both chocked and successful jets can lead to a gradual rise to a peak, followed by a decay. Therefore, the recent turnover of the light curve does not necessitate a successful jet.

  17. [The issue of death drawn by children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Touhami, Fatima; Rizzi, Alice Titia; Moro, Marie Rose

    2016-01-01

    Embracing death and finding the right words to represent it is a dangerous exercise when the death is traumatic and when it remains suspended on emotions and affects. The cross-cultural consultation enables the trauma to be developed and makes room for rituals and words. The children's drawings come to represent the traumatic transfer of the connections and fears, and the need to reconstruct a cultural cocoon. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  18. Comparison of response to selection in three peanut cocoon lines of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-09-28

    Sep 28, 2011 ... ISSN 1684–5315 © 2011 Academic Journals. Full Length ... and silk has been used to make luxurious fabrics with high quality in the past. ... analysis and average SAS software was used to make comparison between the ...

  19. Reproducción de Eisenia foetida en suelos agrícolas de áreas mineras contaminadas por cobre y arsénico Reproduction of Eisenia foetida in agricultural soils from mining areas contaminated with copper and arsenic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalo Ávila

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la toxicidad del cobre y arsénico en suelos agrícolas, mediante bioensayos estandarizados de toxicidad aguda y crónica sobre Eisenia foetida y relacionar la respuesta de ésta con las concentraciones de cobre y arsénico en los suelos. Los suelos agrícolas fueram muestreados en las inmediaciones de áreas mineras en la cuenca del río Aconcagua, Chile. E. foetida expuesta a los suelos estudiados mostró una baja mortalidad, indicando la ausencia de toxicidad aguda. Además, se observó una disminución en la producción de capullos y desarrollo de juveniles, indicando la existencia de toxicidad crónica. Dicha disminución fue relacionada con las concentraciones de cobre y arsénico en los suelos. El cobre y arsénico en conjunto disminuyeron la producción de capullos, mientras que sólo el arsénico disminuyó el desarrollo de juveniles. Suelos agrícolas provenientes de áreas mineras de la cuenca poseen potenciales características tóxicas para el desarrollo de la macrofauna edáfica.The objective of this work was to evaluate copper and arsenic toxicity in agricultural soils, by means of standardized bioassays of chronic and acute toxicity on Eisenia foetida, and to relate E. foetida response to copper and arsenic concentrations in soils. The agricultural soils were sampled in the proximity of copper mining industries, in the Aconcagua river basin, Chile. E. foetida exposed to the studied soils exhibited a low mortality, indicating the absence of acute toxicity. Besides, a decrease in the cocoon production and juvenile development was observed, indicating the existence of chronic toxicity. Reduction in the cocoon production and juvenile development was related to soil concentrations of copper and arsenic. Both copper and arsenic reduced the cocoon production, while only arsenic diminished the juvenile development. Agricultural soils from mining areas of the basin have potentially toxic characteristics

  20. Increase in the resistance of bombyx mori L. to unfavourable environmental conditions under the effect of low-level γ-radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yusifov, N.I.; Agaev, F.A.; Kuzin, A.M.; AN Azerbajdzhanskoj SSR, Baku

    1991-01-01

    It has been shown that in cultivating Bombix mori L. larvae unfavourable summer and autumn conditions, when 50 % of larvae normally die without entering the pupation phase, chronic γ-irradiation at a low dose-rate of 1.44 cGy/day -1 and cumulative dose of 0.13 Gy drastically decreases the death rate of larvae (down to 5±2 %), and increases: total larvae mass by 38 %, living cocoon mass by 24 %, and silk coat mass by 38 %

  1. Archeological Investigations in Cochiti Reservoir, New Mexico. Volume 3. 1976-1977 Field Seasons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1979-01-01

    or methods are in a constant state of flux, and will undoubtedly continue so. The present In 1959, Baumhoff and Heizer suggested that the sys- paper...marrow extraction and when as estimates rather than counts were insect bodies and rendering bone grease. parts (10-25%), cocoons/larvae/eggs (1-10%), and...A yielded rendering bone grease or making soup. The association of 40 burned bone fragments. A 500 ml sample from grid the unidentified fragments and

  2. Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, Chandra Mohan; Purwar, Roli; Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak

    2017-01-01

    This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. - Highlights: • Cocoon extracted muga and tasar fibroin have regenerated as flexible films. • Dextrose acts as plasticizer in muga and tasar fibroin films. • Films show good mechanical integrity, water absorption, biocompatibility over the un-plasticized films. • These flexible films are found to be promising candidates for wound healing.

  3. Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Srivastava, Chandra Mohan [Department of Applied Chemistry and Polymer Technology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad, Daulatpur Bawana Road, Delhi 110042 (India); Purwar, Roli, E-mail: roli.purwar@dce.edu [Department of Applied Chemistry and Polymer Technology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad, Daulatpur Bawana Road, Delhi 110042 (India); Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak [Department of Pharmaceutics, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031 (India)

    2017-06-01

    This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. - Highlights: • Cocoon extracted muga and tasar fibroin have regenerated as flexible films. • Dextrose acts as plasticizer in muga and tasar fibroin films. • Films show good mechanical integrity, water absorption, biocompatibility over the un-plasticized films. • These flexible films are found to be promising candidates for wound healing.

  4. Partner choice and fidelity stabilize coevolution in a Cretaceous-age defensive symbiosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaltenpoth, Martin; Roeser-Mueller, Kerstin; Koehler, Sabrina; Peterson, Ashley; Nechitaylo, Taras Y.; Stubblefield, J. William; Herzner, Gudrun; Seger, Jon; Strohm, Erhard

    2014-01-01

    Many insects rely on symbiotic microbes for survival, growth, or reproduction. Over evolutionary timescales, the association with intracellular symbionts is stabilized by partner fidelity through strictly vertical symbiont transmission, resulting in congruent host and symbiont phylogenies. However, little is known about how symbioses with extracellular symbionts, representing the majority of insect-associated microorganisms, evolve and remain stable despite opportunities for horizontal exchange and de novo acquisition of symbionts from the environment. Here we demonstrate that host control over symbiont transmission (partner choice) reinforces partner fidelity between solitary wasps and antibiotic-producing bacteria and thereby stabilizes this Cretaceous-age defensive mutualism. Phylogenetic analyses show that three genera of beewolf wasps (Philanthus, Trachypus, and Philanthinus) cultivate a distinct clade of Streptomyces bacteria for protection against pathogenic fungi. The symbionts were acquired from a soil-dwelling ancestor at least 68 million years ago, and vertical transmission via the brood cell and the cocoon surface resulted in host–symbiont codiversification. However, the external mode of transmission also provides opportunities for horizontal transfer, and beewolf species have indeed exchanged symbiont strains, possibly through predation or nest reuse. Experimental infection with nonnative bacteria reveals that—despite successful colonization of the antennal gland reservoirs—transmission to the cocoon is selectively blocked. Thus, partner choice can play an important role even in predominantly vertically transmitted symbioses by stabilizing the cooperative association over evolutionary timescales. PMID:24733936

  5. Extracted sericin from silk waste for film formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rungsinee Sothornvit

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Sericin is the second main component in cocoons, which are removed in the silk reeling process of the raw silk industry and in the silk waste degumming of the spun silk industry. The main amino acid of sericin, serine, exhibits a skin moisturing and antiwrinkle action, which is interesting to use for film formation in this study. The extraction conditions of sericin from two silk wastes, pieced cocoon and inferior knubbs were studied to find the optimum extraction conditions. Boiling water extraction was considered based on the response surface methodology (RSM in order to identify the important factors for the sericin extraction. The two factors considered were time and temperature. Both factors were needed to be independent parameters in the predicted equation in order to improve the model fit with R2 = 0.84. The components ofextracted sericin were 18.24% serine, 9.83% aspatate, and 5.51% glycine with a molecular weight of 132 kDa. Film formationfrom extracted sericin was carried out to find the optimum conditions. Extracted sericin could not form a stand-alonefilm. Therefore, polysaccharide polymers, such as glucomannan, were incorporated with glycerol to form a flexible film.Sericin-based films were characterized for its properties in terms of solubility and permeability before application. It wasfound that sericin-based films showed a film flexibility and solubility without an increasing film water vapor permeability.

  6. E. キュブラー=ロスの思想と死にゆく子どもの問題 : unfinished business を手掛かりにして

    OpenAIRE

    青柳, 路子

    2002-01-01

    This paper describes thought of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, who is well-known as an expert on the subjects of death and dying, or a pioneer on Thanatology. Further, according to her texts, the writer attempts to deal with issues surrounding the dying child, which come to the front by the description of her thought-especially the image of "butterfly and cocoon" symbolized Death as transition, and unfinished business. According to her texts, unfinished business has the following three aspects; First...

  7. Natural history of interaction between Meteorus sp. Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobczak, J F; Maia, D P; Moura, J C M S; Costa, V A; Vasconcellos-Neto, J

    2012-02-01

    Some parasitoids build a cocoon mass that hangs in the host body until the adults emergence, which is an advantage against attack by predators who troll the vegetation in search of prey. However, such behaviour is not effective against the hyperparasitoid attacks. This study reports the interaction between the caterpillar Manduca sexta Linnaeus, 1763 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) parasitised by Meteorus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) larvae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). This is the first description of the attack and oviposition of T. albipes.

  8. Chrysallis public lighting sculpture, NHS, Oswestry

    OpenAIRE

    Panneels, Inge

    2005-01-01

    “Chrysalis” is an interactive lighting sculpture which pulsates as if breathing. The lighting is especially visible at night, when patients can come and use the nearby public room or wander up and down the corridor. The cocoon shape was informed by workshops with patients and staff at the RJAH in Gobowen, Shropshire. As this is an orthopaedic Hospital, most patients are there for long periods of time recovering from severe life changing injuries. The recurrent theme of ‘circle’; of family, fr...

  9. Diversity in Copy Number and Structure of a Silkworm Morphogenetic Gene as a Result of Domestication

    OpenAIRE

    Sakudoh, Takashi; Nakashima, Takeharu; Kuroki, Yoko; Fujiyama, Asao; Kohara, Yuji; Honda, Naoko; Fujimoto, Hirofumi; Shimada, Toru; Nakagaki, Masao; Banno, Yutaka; Tsuchida, Kozo

    2011-01-01

    The carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, a major determinant of cocoon color, is likely to have been substantially influenced by domestication of this species. We analyzed the structure of the CBP gene in multiple strains of B. mori, in multiple individuals of the wild silkworm, B. mandarina (the putative wild ancestor of B. mori), and in a number of other lepidopterans. We found the CBP gene copy number in genomic DNA to vary widely among B. mori strain...

  10. Organic Matter Reduces Copper Toxicity for the Earthworm Eisenia fetida in Soils from Mining Areas in Central Chile Materia Orgánica Reduce la Toxicidad del Cobre para la Lombriz Eiseniafetida en Suelos de Áreas Mineras en Chile Central

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalo Ávila

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The Aconcagua River basin (Central Chile is one of the most important agricultural areas in the country. However, several copper (Cu mining operations are located in the basin. The objective of the study was to determine Cu toxicity for the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Savigny 1826 in the agricultural soils of the basin. We determined the production of cocoons and juveniles of earthworms in the studied soils. The soils differed in the concentrations of organic matter (OM, range 2-6%, pH (range 7.3-8.3, texture (from loamy sand to clay loam, and total Cu concentrations (range 230-960 mg kg-1. Concentrations of Cu and OM in the soils were the variables that determined the earthworms’ biological response. In contrast, pH and texture did not affect this response. Cocoon and juvenile production decreased considerably in soils with elevated Cu concentrations (>500 mg kg-1, regardless of OM concentrations. Cocoon production decreased in the soils with Cu concentrations below 500 mg kg-1 when OM concentrations were below 3.5%. In contrast, cocoon production did not vary when OM concentrations were above 3.5%. The same effect of OM was observed on juvenile production. In this case, the threshold for OM concentration was 2.5%. It was concluded that it is important to consider OM concentrations in order to predict the biological response of earthworms in these soils.La cuenca del Río Aconcagua (Chile Central es una de las más importantes áreas agrícolas en el país. Por otro lado, varias industrias de la minería de cobre (Cu se encuentran ubicadas en esta cuenca. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la toxicidad de Cu para la lombriz Eiseniafetida (Savigny 1826 en los suelos agrícolas de la cuenca. Se determinó la producción de capullos y juveniles de la lombriz en suelos estudiados. Los suelos se diferenciaron por las concentraciones de materia orgánica (MO, rango 2-6%, pH (rango 7,3-8,3, textura (entre arenoso franca y franco arcillosa y

  11. Odontopus brevirostris (Hustache, 1936 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae associated with new host plants belonging to Annona (Annonaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Germano H. Rosado-Neto

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Odontopus brevirostris (Hustache, 1936 feeding on Annona squamosa L., A. cherimola Mill., A. glabra L., and A. muricata L. was observed. The last three host plants are recorded for the first time. The endophitic oviposition occurs in the veins of the ventral surface of the young leaves. The larvae, leaf miners, eat the parenchyma and the adults make small holes in the leaves. The pupation occurs in spherical cocoons protected by a sort of nest (pupation chamber between the two epidermal layers.

  12. Radioactive contamination of honey and other bee-keeping products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frantsevich, L.I.; Komissar, A.D.; Levchenko, I.A.

    1990-01-01

    Great amount of dust is collected in propolis under emergency atmospheric fallouts. Specific coefficient of the product migration amounts to several m 2 per 1 kg. Propolis is a good biological indicator of radioactive fallouts. The propolis collection is inadmissible after radioactive fallouts. Cocoon residuals obtained during bees-wax separation contain many radionuclides and should be disposed in special places. Nuclides are absent in bees-wax. Nuclides accumulated absent in a bee organism migrate into honey and queen milk, the honey is contaminated mainly via biogenic path

  13. Natural history of interaction between Meteorus sp. Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JF Sobczak

    Full Text Available Some parasitoids build a cocoon mass that hangs in the host body until the adults emergence, which is an advantage against attack by predators who troll the vegetation in search of prey. However, such behaviour is not effective against the hyperparasitoid attacks. This study reports the interaction between the caterpillar Manduca sexta Linnaeus, 1763 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae parasitised by Meteorus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae larvae and its hyperparasitoid Toxeumella albipes (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae. This is the first description of the attack and oviposition of T. albipes.

  14. Screening Level Ecological Risk Assessments of Some Military Munitions and Obscurant-related Compounds for Selected Threatened and Endangered Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-10-01

    Ammunition Quantity Fired K040 CHG, SPOTTING F/MINE AP PRAC M8 4 K055 Fuze, Mine Comb . 24 K143 MINE, APERS M18A1 W/M57 FIRING DEVICE 1,343 K180 MINE, AT...like, consisting of leaves, coarse grasses, tree bark, and spider cocoons bound with plant fibers, spider webs, and caterpillar wool (Drake 2000...onto soils to be subsequently taken up by plants, there is vir- tually no data available to quantify this process . This analysis assumes that the

  15. Cocoon: A lightweight opportunistic networking middleware for community-oriented smart mobile applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Türkes, Okan; Scholten, Johan; Havinga, Paul J.M.

    2016-01-01

    Modern society is surrounded by an ample spectrum of smart mobile devices. This ubiquity forms a high potential for community-oriented opportunistic ad hoc networking applications. Nevertheless, today’s smart mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wristbands are still onerous to

  16. Maternal uptake of pertussis cocooning strategy and other pregnancy related recommended immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, C Y; Thomas, N J; Clarke, M; Boros, C; Tuckerman, J; Marshall, H S

    2015-01-01

    Maternal immunization is an important strategy to prevent severe morbidity and mortality in mothers and their offspring. This study aimed to identify whether new parents were following immunization recommendations prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postnatally. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by a questionnaire administered antenatally to pregnant women attending a maternity hospital with a follow-up telephone interview at 8-10 weeks post-delivery. Factors associated with uptake of pertussis vaccination within the previous 5 y or postnatally and influenza vaccination during pregnancy were explored using log binomial regression models. A total of 297 pregnant women completed the questionnaire. For influenza vaccine, 20.3% were immunized during pregnancy and 3.0% postnatally. For pertussis vaccine, 13.1% were vaccinated within 5 y prior to pregnancy and 31 women received the vaccine postnatally, 16 (51.6%) received the vaccine >4 weeks after delivery. Receiving a recommendation from a healthcare provider (HCP) was an independent predictor for receipt of both pertussis (RR 2.07, p immunization is low and likely due to poor knowledge of availability, language barriers and lack of recommendations from HCPs. Strategies to improve maternal vaccine uptake should include education about recommended vaccines for both HCPs and parents and written information in a variety of languages.

  17. Entomophagy and space agriculture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katayama, N.; Ishikawa, Y.; Takaoki, M.; Yamashita, M.; Nakayama, S.; Kiguchi, K.; Kok, R.; Wada, H.; Mitsuhashi, J.; Space Agriculture Task Force, J.

    Supplying food for human occupants remains one of the primary issues in engineering space habitation Evidently for long-term occupation on a distant planet it is necessary to start agriculture on site Historically humans have consumed a variety of animals and it is required to fill our nutritional need when they live in space Among many candidate group and species of animal to breed in space agriculture insects are of great interest since they have a number of advantages over mammals and other vertebrates or invertebrates About 70-75 of animal species is insects and they play an important role in materials recycle loop of terrestrial biosphere at their various niche For space agriculture we propose several insect species such as the silkworm Bombyx mori the drugstore beetle Stegobium paniceum and the termite Macrotermes subhyalinus Among many advantages these insects do not compete with human in terms of food resources but convert inedible biomass or waste into an edible food source for human The silkworm has been domesticated since 5 000 years ago in China Silk moth has lost capability of flying after its domestication history This feature is advantageous in control of their breeding Silkworm larvae eat specifically mulberry leaves and metamorphose in their cocoon Silk fiber obtained from cocoon can be used to manufacture textile Farming system of the drugstore beetle has been well established Both the drugstore beetle and the termite are capable to convert cellulose or other inedible biomass

  18. Life History of the Emerald Jewel Wasp Ampulex compressa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Arvidson

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Emerald Jewel Wasp Ampulex compressa (Fabricius is an endoparasitoid of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus. Its host subjugation strategy is unusual in that envenomation is directed into the host central nervous system, eliciting a long-term behavior modification termed hypokinesia, turning stung cockroaches into a lethargic and compliant, but not paralyzed, living food supply for wasp offspring. A. compressa manipulates hypokinesic cockroaches into a burrow, where it oviposits a single egg onto a mesothoracic leg, hatching three days later. Herein we describe the life history and developmental timing of A. compressa. Using head capsule measurements and observations of mandibular morphology, we found that the larvae develop through three instars, the first two ectoparasitoid, and the third exclusively endoparasitoid. The first two instars have mandibles sufficient for piercing and cutting the cuticle respectively, while the third instar has a larger and blunter mandibular structure. During ecdysis to the third instar, the larva enters the body cavity of the cockroach, consuming internal tissues selectively, including fat body and skeletal muscle, but sparing the gut and Malpighian tubules. The developmental timing to pupation is similar between males and females, but cocoon volume and mass, and pupation duration are sexually dimorphic. Further, we show that the difference in cocoon mass and volume can be used to predict sex before eclosion, which is valuable for studies in venom pharmacology, as only females produce venom.

  19. Improved strength of silk fibers in Bombyx mori trimolters induced by an anti-juvenile hormone compound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Kaiyu; Dong, Zhaoming; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Dandan; Tang, Muya; Zhang, Xiaolu; Xia, Qingyou; Zhao, Ping

    2018-05-01

    Bombyx mori silk fibers with thin diameters have advantages of lightness and crease-resistance. Many studies have used anti-juvenile hormones to induce trimolters in order to generate thin silk; however, there has been comparatively little analysis of the morphology, structure and mechanical properties of trimolter silk. This study induced two kinds of trimolters by appling topically anti-juvenile hormones and obtained thin diameter silk. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), FTIR analysis, tensile mechanical testing, chitin staining were used to reveal that the morphology, conformation and mechanical property of the trimolter silk. Cocoon of trimolters were highly densely packed by thinner fibers and thus had small apertures. We found that the conformation of trimolter silk fibroin changed and formed more β-sheet structures. In addition, analysis of mechanical parameters yielded a higher Young's modulus and strength in trimolter silk than in the control. By chitin staining of silk gland, we postulated that the mechanical properties of trimolters' silk was enhanced greatly during to the structural changes of silk gland. We induced trimolters by anti-juvenile hormones and the resulting cocoons were more closely packed and had smaller silk fiber diameters. We found that the conformation of trimolters silk fibroin had a higher content of β-sheet structures and better mechanical properties. Our study revealed the structures and mechanical properties of trimolter silk, and provided a valuable reference to improve silk quality by influencing molting in silkworms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effective enhancement of polylactic acid-degrading enzyme production by Amycolatopsis sp. strain SCM_MK2-4 using statistical and one-factor-at-a-time approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penkhrue, Watsana; Kanpiengjai, Apinun; Khanongnuch, Chartchai; Masaki, Kazuo; Pathom-Aree, Wasu; Punyodom, Winita; Lumyong, Saisamorn

    2017-08-09

    This study aims to find the optimal medium and conditions for polylactic acid (PLA)-degrading enzyme production by Amycolatopsis sp. SCM_MK2-4. Screening of the most effective components in the enzyme production medium by Plackett-Burman design revealed that the silk cocoon and PLA film were the most significant variables enhancing the PLA-degrading enzyme production. After an response surface methodology, a maximum amount of PLA-degrading enzyme activity at 0.74 U mL -1 was predicted and successfully validated at 95% after 0.39% (w/v) silk cocoon and 1.62% (w/v) PLA film were applied to the basal medium. The optimal initial pH value, temperature, and inoculum size were evaluated by a method considering one-factor-at-a-time. The values were recorded at an initial pH in the range of 7.5-9.0, a temperature of 30-32°C, and an inoculum size of 4-10%. The highest activity of approximately 0.95 U mL -1 was achieved after 4 days of cultivation using the optimized medium and under optimized conditions in a shake flask. Upscaling to the use of a 3-L stirred tank fermenter was found to be successful with a PLA-degrading activity of 5.53 U mL -1 ; which represents a 51-fold increase in the activity compared with that obtained from the nonoptimized medium and conditions in the shake flask.

  1. Analyzing the Gamma-Ray Sky with Wavelets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balaji, Bhaskaran [Johns Hopkins U.; Cholis, Ilias [Johns Hopkins U.; Fox, Patrick J. [Fermilab; McDermott, Samuel D. [Fermilab

    2018-03-05

    We analyze the gamma-ray sky at energies of 0.5 to 50 GeV using the undecimated wavelet transform on the sphere. Focusing on the inner $60^{\\circ} \\times 60^{\\circ}$ of the sky, we identify and characterize four separate residuals beyond the expected Milky Way diffuse emission. We detect the \\textit{Fermi} Bubbles, finding compelling evidence that they are diffuse in nature and contain very little small-scale structure. We detect the "cocoon" inside the Southern Bubble, and we also identify its northern counterpart above 2 GeV. The Northern Cocoon lies along the same axis but is $\\sim 30 \\%$ dimmer than the southern one. We characterize the Galactic center excess, which we find extends up to $20^{\\circ}$ in $|b|$. At latitudes $|b| \\leq 5^{\\circ}$ we find evidence for power in small angular scales that could be the result of point-source contributions, but for $|b| \\geq 5^{\\circ}$ the Galactic center excess is dominantly diffuse in its nature. Our findings show that either the Galactic center excess and {\\it Fermi} Bubbles connect smoothly or that the Bubbles brighten significantly below $15^\\circ$ in latitude. We find that the Galactic center excess appears off-center by a few degrees towards negative $\\ell$. Additionally, we find and characterize two emissions along the Galactic disk centered at $\\ell \\simeq +25^{\\circ}$ and $-20^{\\circ}$. These emissions are significantly more elongated along the Galactic disk than the Galactic center excess.

  2. The Cygnus region of the galaxy: A VERITAS perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weinstein A.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The Cygnus-X star-forming region (“Cygnus” is the richest star-forming region within 2 kpc of Earth and is home to a wealth of potential cosmic ray accelerators, including supernova remnants, massive star clusters, and pulsar wind nebulae. Over the past five years, discoveries by several gamma-ray observatories sensitive in different energy bands, including the identification by Fermi-LAT of a potential cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays, have pinpointed this region as a unique laboratory for studying the early phases of the cosmic ray life cycle. From 2007 to 2009 VERITAS, a very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV observatory in southern Arizona, undertook an extensive survey of the Cygnus region from 67 to 82 degrees Galactic longitude and from −1 to 4 degrees in Galactic latitude. In the years since, VERITAS has continued to accumulate data at specific locations within the survey region. We will review the discoveries and insights that this rich dataset has already provided. We will also consider the key role that we expect these data to play in interpreting the complex multiwavelength picture we have of the Cygnus region, particularly in the vicinity of the Cygnus cocoon. As part of this discussion we will summarize ongoing studies of VERITAS data in the Cygnus region, including the development of new data analysis techniques that dramatically increase VERITAS' sensitivity to sources on scales larger than a square degree.

  3. Description of the Diadegma fenestrale (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae Attacking the Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Lep.: Gelechiidae New to Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Kyung Choi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Diadegma fenestrale is known as a parasitoid of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella. The potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller is one of the most destructive pest of potatoes. Also, we found this species attacking the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae. Ratio of parasitism is 20-30% and cocoon of lepidopteran was parasitic ichneumonid species after 3 days. This species and the genus Diadegma are recorded for the first time from Korea. In this paper, description of the parasitoid and photographs of the diagnostic characteristics are provided.

  4. A highly divergent gene cluster in honey bees encodes a novel silk family

    OpenAIRE

    Sutherland, Tara D.; Campbell, Peter M.; Weisman, Sarah; Trueman, Holly E.; Sriskantha, Alagacone; Wanjura, Wolfgang J.; Haritos, Victoria S.

    2006-01-01

    The pupal cocoon of the domesticated silk moth Bombyx mori is the best known and most extensively studied insect silk. It is not widely known that Apis mellifera larvae also produce silk. We have used a combination of genomic and proteomic techniques to identify four honey bee fiber genes (AmelFibroin1–4) and two silk-associated genes (AmelSA1 and 2). The four fiber genes are small, comprise a single exon each, and are clustered on a short genomic region where the open reading frames are GC-r...

  5. Neotropical species of Meteorus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Meteorinae) parasitizing Arctiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Erebidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre, Helmuth; Shaw, Scott R

    2014-03-17

    Three new species of Meteorus parasitoids of Arctiinae are described: Meteorus anuae n. sp., M. juliae n. sp. and M. mirandae n. sp. The first biological record for M. cecavorum Aguirre & Shaw as well as its cocoon description is reported. A comprehensive key for the Neotropical Meteorus attacking Arctiinae is provided. A total of nine Meteorus species have been reared from Arctiinae in the Neotropical Region. Six of them are gregarious and three solitary. The biological information about host and food plants concurs with the hypothesis of specialist parasitoids preferring "nasty" caterpillars.

  6. SELF-CONSISTENT EVOLUTION OF GAS AND COSMIC RAYS IN CYGNUS A AND SIMILAR FR II CLASSICAL DOUBLE RADIO SOURCES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathews, William G.; Guo Fulai

    2010-01-01

    In Cygnus A and other classical FR II double radio sources, powerful opposing jets from the cores of halo-centered galaxies drive out into the surrounding cluster gas, forming hotspots of shocked and compressed cluster gas at the jet extremities. The moving hotspots are sandwiched between two shocks. An inner-facing shock receives momentum and cosmic rays from the jet and creates additional cosmic rays that form a radio lobe elongated along the jet axis. An outer-facing bow shock moves directly into the undisturbed group or cluster gas, creating a cocoon of shocked gas enclosing the radio lobe. We describe computations that follow the self-consistent dynamical evolution of the shocked cluster gas and the relativistic synchrotron-emitting gas inside the lobes. Relativistic and non-relativistic components exchange momentum by interacting with small magnetic fields having dynamically negligible energy densities. The evolution of Cygnus A is governed almost entirely by cosmic ray energy flowing from the hotspots. Mass flowing into hotspots from the jets is assumed to be small, greatly reducing the mass of gas flowing back along the jet, common in previous calculations, that would disrupt the spatial segregation of synchrotron-loss ages observed inside FR II radio lobes. We compute the evolution of the cocoon when the velocity and cosmic ray luminosity of the hotspots are constant and when they vary with time. If cosmic rays mix with cluster gas in hotspots before flowing into the radio lobe, the thermal gas is heated to mildly relativistic temperatures, producing an unobserved pressure inside the lobe.

  7. Alike but different: the evolution of the Tubifex tubifex species complex (Annelida, Clitellata) through polyploidization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marotta, Roberto; Crottini, Angelica; Raimondi, Elena; Fondello, Cristina; Ferraguti, Marco

    2014-04-02

    Tubifex tubifex is a widespread annelid characterized by considerable variability in its taxonomic characteristics and by a mixed reproductive strategy, with both parthenogenesis and biparental reproduction. In a molecular phylogenetic analysis, we detected substantial genetic variability among sympatric Tubifex spp. from the Lambro River (Milano, Italy), which we suggested comprise several cryptic species. To gain insights into the evolutionary events that generated this differentiation, we performed a cytogenetic analysis in parallel with a molecular assay. Approximately 80 cocoons of T. tubifex and T. blanchardi were collected and dissected. For each cocoon, we sequenced a fragment of the 16S rRNA from half of the sibling embryos and karyotyped the other half. To generate a robust phylogeny enabling the reconstruction of the evolutionary processes shaping the diversity of these sympatric lineages, we complemented our original 16S rRNA gene sequences with additional COI sequences. The chromosome number distribution was consistent with the presence of at least six sympatric euploid chromosome complements (one diploid, one triploid, three tetraploids and one hexaploid), as confirmed by a FISH assay performed with an homologous 18S rDNA probe. All the worms with 2n = 50 chromosomes belonged to an already identified sibling species of T. tubifex, T. blanchardi. The six euploid sets were coherently arranged in the phylogeny, with each lineage grouping specimens with the same chromosome complement. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that multiple polyploidization events, possibly enhanced by parthenogenesis, may have driven the evolution of the T. tubifex species complex.

  8. A review of the genus Orionis Shaw (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) and first records of the genus from South America and the Oriental Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bortoni, Marco Aurélio; Shimbori, Eduardo Mitio; Shaw, Scott Richard; Souza-Gessner, Carolina DA Silva; Penteado-Dias, Angélica Maria

    2016-12-16

    Orionis is a small Neotropical euphorine genus, currently in the tribe Perilitini. Although the biology of the genus is unknown, Orionis eximius (Muesebeck) was described from a single female specimen reared from a cocoon associated with Lantana camara. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Orionis and the first records of the genus from South America and Thailand, with descriptions of three new species: O. brasiliensis sp. nov., O. ecuadoriensis sp. nov. and O. orientalis sp. nov. We also report the first record of O. eximius from South America (Ecuador). A revised key for the described species is presented.

  9. Effect of degumming ph value on electrospining of silk fibroin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Shen-Zhou

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Regenerated silk fibroin fibers show properties dependent on the molecular weight of fibroin. The cocoon-degumming approaches had great impact on the degradation of silk fibroin. The effect of degumming pH value to electrospining of fibroin was studied in this paper. The viscosity and molecular weight of regenerated silk fibroin were studied using rheometer and gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the weaker the alkalinity of degumming reagent, there was the milder the effect on silk fibroin molecular. The fibroin fibers can be prepared by electrospining with low concentration of regenerated silk fibroin solution.

  10. RADIO SOURCE FEEDBACK IN GALAXY EVOLUTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shabala, Stanislav; Alexander, Paul

    2009-01-01

    We present a galaxy evolution model which incorporates a physically motivated implementation of active galactic nucleus feedback. Intermittent jets inflate cocoons of radio plasma which then expand supersonically, shock heating the ambient gas. The model reproduces observed star formation histories to the highest redshifts for which reliable data exist, as well as the observed galaxy color bimodality. Intermittent radio source feedback also naturally provides a way of keeping the black hole and spheroid growth in step. We find possible evidence for a top-heavy initial mass function for z > 2, consistent with observations of element abundances, and submillimeter and Lyman break galaxy counts.

  11. DUST FORMATION BY COLLIDING-WIND BINARIES

    OpenAIRE

    P. M. Williams

    2008-01-01

    Imágenes infrarrojas de alta resolución recientes de las enigmáticas estrellas cocoon en el cúmulo del Quintuplete, muestran comas tipo "pinwheel". La inferencia de que las estrellas son binarias Wolf-Rayet con vientos en colisión evidencia cuán lejos ha llegado el estudio de la formación de polvo en los vientos, desde el primer descubrimiento de polvo de carbono calentado, alrededor de la clásica estrella WC9 Ve2-45 (WR 104). La formación de polvo atribuida a vientos en colisión es el proces...

  12. Evaluation of the Toxicity, AChE Activity and DNA Damage Caused by Imidacloprid on Earthworms, Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai; Qi, Suzhen; Mu, Xiyan; Chai, Tingting; Yang, Yang; Wang, Dandan; Li, Dongzhi; Che, Wunan; Wang, Chengju

    2015-10-01

    Imidacloprid is a well-known pesticide and it is timely to evaluate its toxicity to earthworms (Eisenia fetida). In the present study, the effect of imidacloprid on reproduction, growth, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and DNA damage in earthworms was assessed using an artificial soil medium. The median lethal concentration (LC50) and the median number of hatched cocoons (EC50) of imidacloprid to earthworms was 3.05 and 0.92 mg/kg respectively, the lowest observed effect concentration of imidacloprid about hatchability, growth, AChE activity and DNA damage was 0.02, 0.5, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively.

  13. Partitioning the Outburst Energy of a Low Eddington Accretion Rate AGN at the Center of an Elliptical Galaxy: The Recent 12 Myr History of the Supermassive Black Hole in M87

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Forman, W.; Jones, C.; Kraft, R.; Vikhlinin, A. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Churazov, E. [MPI für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 1, D-85740 Garching (Germany); Heinz, S., E-mail: wrf@cfa.harvard.edu [University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin (United States)

    2017-08-01

    M87, the active galaxy at the center of the Virgo cluster, is ideal for studying the interaction of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) with a hot, gas-rich environment. A deep Chandra observation of M87 exhibits an approximately circular shock front (13 kpc radius, in projection) driven by the expansion of the central cavity (filled by the SMBH with relativistic radio-emitting plasma) with projected radius ∼1.9 kpc. We combine constraints from X-ray and radio observations of M87 with a shock model to derive the properties of the outburst that created the 13 kpc shock. Principal constraints for the model are (1) the measured Mach number ( M ∼ 1.2), (2) the radius of the 13 kpc shock, and (3) the observed size of the central cavity/bubble (the radio-bright cocoon) that serves as the piston to drive the shock. We find that an outburst of ∼5 × 10{sup 57} erg that began about 12 Myr ago and lasted ∼2 Myr matches all the constraints. In this model, ∼22% of the energy is carried by the shock as it expands. The remaining ∼80% of the outburst energy is available to heat the core gas. More than half the total outburst energy initially goes into the enthalpy of the central bubble, the radio cocoon. As the buoyant bubble rises, much of its energy is transferred to the ambient thermal gas. For an outburst repetition rate of about 12 Myr (the age of the outburst), 80% of the outburst energy is sufficient to balance the radiative cooling.

  14. THE RESULTS OF INVESTIGATIONS OF WCR (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte ATTACK ON THE AREA OF GUNJA IN 1999

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marija Ivezić

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available Western Corn Rootworm (WCR (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte is very important corn pest. The pest was spread in Croatia from 1995 to 1999 on 12,750 km2 . In the area of Stara Gunja, hybrid OSSK 444 was sown in order to investigate the possibilities of controls WCR with below ground insecticides - Counter G-5, Dursban G-7,5 and Dotan G-5. With checking root for larvae and cocoons 0.02 larvae was estimated on treated plots and 0.05 larvae on untreated plots. The number of cocoons was 0.12 in treated, and 0.25 on untreated plots. The number of imagoes on silk was 0.05–0.10 per plant. The imagoes of the WCR were caught with Pheromone and Multigard traps from the third decade of June until the first decade of October. On the traps settled on the treated plot (336 m2 , 1,376 imagoes were caught, compared to untreated plot (112 m2 where 431 imagoes were caught. The yield of corn was 8.03 t/ha in treatment with Dotan, 8.44 t/ha in treatment with Dursban, and 8.72 t/ha in treatment with Counter, while the lowest 7.98 t/ha was in control plot was. Low number of caught imagoes per plant, shows that, for now, the implementation of chemical preparations wasn’t justified. This kind of investigations should be continuing in the future, and the checking of corn roots must be done earlier in order to determine correct number of larvae on roots and the root damages.

  15. Biology and Behavior of Spathius agrili, a Parasitoid of the Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus planipennis, in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhong-Qi; Wang, Xiao-Yi; Gould, Juli R.; Reardon, Richard C.; Zhang, Yi-Nan; Liu, Gui-Jun; Liu, En-Shan

    2010-01-01

    Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a gregarious larval ectoparasitoid of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and is a recently described species. Both pest and parasitoid are native to China. In Tianjin City, China, S. agrili typically exhibited 3–4 generations per year, overwintering as a prepupa in a cocoon inside the host gallery. The multiple generations of S. agrili overlapped with its host, as did the emergence dates of the overwintering generation. From a single host, 1–18 S. agrili successfully developed to the adult stage (average 8.4), but in all cases the host was killed. The sex ratio (female: male) of the parasitoid adults emerging from field-collected cocoons was 2:1, whereas the sex ratio of parasitoids reared from field collected eggs and larvae was greater than 3:1. On average, adult females lived 29.1 d, and males lived 23.6 d when fed with 20% honey solution, significantly longer than without a nutritional supplement. Sexual reproduction is the normal mode of reproduction, but in the laboratory females did reproduce parthenogenetically, producing only males. The average fecundity was 23.3 eggs per female in the laboratory. S. agrili developed through five larval instars, and the larvae fed gregariously on the host hemolymph. The generation time from egg to adult wasp was 27–28 d at 22–26°C. Natural parasitism rates were as high as 60%, and in October they reached over 90% in some stands. This study showed that S. agrili is a promising agent for biocontrol of A. planipennis. PMID:20569125

  16. The effect of bovine milk on the growth of Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konala, Niharika; Abburi, Praveena; Bovilla, Venugopal Reddy; Mamillapalli, Anitha

    2013-01-01

    Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is a well-studied Lepidopteran model system because of its morphology, life cycle, and economic importance. Many scientists have placed importance on enhancing the economic traits of B. mori because it's larvae, silkworms, are vital in the production of silk. In this study, the effect of bovine milk on B. mori growth was tested. Bovine milk contains several components that aid in healthy growth. The treatment was given to fifth instar B. mori larvae because the fifth instar period is when B. mori eats voraciously and shows maximum growth among all its larval stages. The larvae were treated with fresh mulberry, Morus L. (Rosales: Moraceae), leaves and mulberry leaves dipped in milk from the first day of the fifth instar. Treatments were given on alternate days, and the silkworms were weighed every day to determine whether milk had any role in enhancing the weight of the larvae. Cocoon weights were measured, as the weight indicates the approximate amount of silk that can be reeled. The results showed that larvae gained 82.5% more weight by the end of fifth instar larval when fed with mulberry leaves dipped in milk than when fed with fresh mulberry leaves without milk. The larvae fed with milk-treated leaves gained 310% weight from day 1 to day 7 of the fifth instar, while the larvae fed with fresh leaves gained 153% weight in the same timespan. In addition, cocoon weight increased by 8% when milk was added compared to when it was not. These results suggest that B. mori larvae can be fed mulberry leaves treated with bovine milk for better growth rate and increased silk production.

  17. Discovery of Giant Gamma-ray Bubbles in the Milky Way

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Meng

    Based on data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, we have discovered two gigantic gamma-ray emitting bubble structures in our Milky Way (known as the Fermi bubbles), extending ˜50 degrees above and below the Galactic center with a width of ˜40 degrees in longitude. The gamma-ray emission associated with these bubbles has a significantly harder spectrum (dN/dE ˜ E-2) than the inverse Compton emission from known cosmic ray electrons in the Galactic disk, or the gamma-rays produced by decay of pions from proton-ISM collisions. There is no significant difference in the spectrum or gamma-ray luminosity between the north and south bubbles. The bubbles are spatially correlated with the hard-spectrum microwave excess known as the WMAP haze; we also found features in the ROSAT soft X-ray maps at 1.5 -- 2 keV which line up with the edges of the bubbles. The Fermi bubbles are most likely created by some large episode of energy injection in the Galactic center, such as past accretion events onto the central massive black hole, or a nuclear starburst in the last ˜ 10 Myr. Study of the origin and evolution of the bubbles also has the potential to improve our understanding of recent energetic events in the inner Galaxy and the high-latitude cosmic ray population. Furthermore, we have recently identified a gamma-ray cocoon feature within the southern bubble, with a jet-like feature along the cocoon's axis of symmetry, and another directly opposite the Galactic center in the north. If confirmed, these jets are the first resolved gamma-ray jets ever seen.

  18. Bioavailability and chronic toxicity of bismuth citrate to earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to natural sandy soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omouri, Zohra; Hawari, Jalal; Fournier, Michel; Robidoux, Pierre Yves

    2018-01-01

    The present study describes bioavailability and chronic effects of bismuth to earthworms Eisenia andrei using OECD reproduction test. Adult earthworms were exposed to natural sandy soil contaminated artificially by bismuth citrate. Average total concentrations of bismuth in soil recovered by HNO 3 digestion ranged from 75 to 289mg/kg. Results indicate that bismuth decreased significantly all reproduction parameters of Eisenia andrei at concentrations ≥ 116mg/kg. However, number of hatched cocoons and number of juveniles seem to be more sensitive than total number of cocoons, as determined by IC 50 ; i.e., 182, 123 and > 289mg/kg, respectively. Bismuth did not affect Eisenia andrei growth and survival, and had little effect on phagocytic efficiency of coelomocytes. The low immunotoxicity effect might be explained by the involvement of other mechanisms i.e. bismuth sequestered by metal-binding compounds. After 28 days of exposure bismuth concentrations in earthworms tissue increased with increasing bismuth concentrations in soil reaching a stationary state of 21.37mg/kg dry tissue for 243mg Bi/kg dry soil total content. Data indicate also that after 56 days of incubation the average fractions of bismuth available extracted by KNO 3 aqueous solution in soil without earthworms varied from 0.0051 to 0.0229mg/kg, while in soil with earthworms bismuth concentration ranged between 0.310-1.347mg/kg dry soil. We presume that mucus and chelating agents produced by earthworms and by soil or/and earthworm gut microorganisms could explain this enhancement, as well as the role of dermal and ingestion routes of earthworms uptake to soil contaminant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Genetic engineered color silk: fabrication of a photonics material through a bioassisted technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Katsuhiko

    2018-05-15

    Silk produced by the silkworm Bombyx mori is an attractive material because of its luster, smooth and soft texture, conspicuous mechanical strength, good biocompatibility, slow biodegradation, and carbon neutral synthesis. Silkworms have been domesticated and bred for production of better quality and quantity of silk, resulting in the development of sericulture and the textile industry. Silk is generally white, so dyeing is required to obtain colored fiber. However, the dyeing process involves harsh conditions and generates a large volume of waste water, which have environmentally and economically negative impacts. Although some strains produce cocoons that contain pigments derived from the mulberry leaves that they eat, the pigments are distributed in the sericin layer and are lost during gumming. In trials for production of colored silk by feeding silkworms on diets containing dyes, only limited species of dye molecules were incorporated into the silk threads. A method for the generation of transgenic silkworm was established in conjunction with the discovery of green fluorescent protein (GFP), and silkworms carrying the GFP gene spun silk threads that formed cocoons that glowed bright green and still retained the original properties of silk. A wide range of color variation of silk threads has been obtained by replacing the GFP gene with the genes of other fluorescent proteins chosen from the fluorescent protein palette. The genetically modified silk with photonic properties can be processed to form various products including linear threads, 2D fabrics, and 3D materials. The transgenic colored silk could be economically advantageous due to addition of a new value to silk and reduction of cost for water waste, and environmentally preferable for saving water. Here, I review the literature regarding the production methods of fluorescent silk from transgenic silkworms and present examples of genetically modified color silk.

  20. First record of Phormia regina (Meigen, 1826 (Diptera: Calliphoridae from mummies at the Sant’Antonio Abate Cathedral of Castelsardo, Sardinia, Italy

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    Giorgia Giordani

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The studies of insects from archaeological contexts can provide an important supplement of information to reconstruct past events, climate and environments. Furthermore, the list of the species present in an area in the past allows the reconstruction of the entomofauna on that area at that time, that can be different from the nowadays condition, providing information about biodiversity changes. In this work, the results of a funerary archaeoentomological study on samples collected from mummified corpses discovered during the restoration of the crypt of the Sant’Antonio Abate Cathedral of Castelsardo (Sardinia, Italy are reported. The majority of the sampled specimens were Diptera puparia, whereas only few Lepidoptera cocoons and some Coleoptera fragments were isolated. Among Diptera, Calliphoridae puparia were identified as Phormia regina (Meigen, 1826 and Calliphora vicina, (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 both species typical of the first colonization waves of exposed bodies. Three puparia fragments were also identified as belonging to a Sarcophaga Meigen, 1826, species (Sarcophagidae. Several Muscidae puparia of the species Hydrotaea capensis (Weidmermann, 1818, a late colonizer of bodies, and typical of buried bodies were also collected. The few moth (Lepidoptera cocoons were identified as belonging to the family Tineidae. This family comprises species feeding on dry tissues and hair typical of the later phases of the human decomposition. Among Coleoptera a single specimen in the family Histeridae, Saprinus semistriatus (Scriba, 1790 and a single elytra, potentially of a species in the family Tenebrionidae, were also collected. Overall, the samples collected indicated an initial colonization of the bodies in an exposed context, mainly in a warm season. This research allows the finding of elements indicating the presence, at least in the past, of P. regina in Sardinia. This species at the moment seems extinct from Sardinia while it is quite common

  1. Biology of a trap-nesting wasp of one species the ground-nesting Liris (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil

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    Camila Cristina Ferreira da Costa

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Studies on the nesting biology of Liris are restricted to a few notes and observations on ground-nesting species. There are no studies of this kind about Brazilian species. We investigated and described the nesting biology of Liris sp. obtained by trap-nests that were installed at an area of Atlantic Forest vegetation (25°10'S, 48°18'W in southern Brazil. The nests of Liris sp. are built with a variety of plant debris. They usually have one cell, but may have up to two. Nests do not show vestibular or intercalary cells. Immatures have a hard cocoon made with the silk they produce, mixed with the fine sand and sawdust left by the adult female at the bottom of the cell. No nest parasites were observed. The wasps did not go through diapause at the prepupal stage, and emerged within 36 to 46 days after nests were collected from the field. There was no emergence of male wasps. Even though Liris sp. nest in preexisting cavities, they resemble ground-nesting species of the same genus in their habits, nest architecture, and development characteristics. The absence of males in our samples might be related to nest diameter. The eggs from which males hatch can be laid in smaller burrows than those available at the present study. We believe that the hardiness of the cocoon is the species' main strategy against parasites, although it is complemented by the camouflage provided by the nest closure. We suggest that a broader comparison of the nesting biology of Liris Fabricius, 1804 should be carried out, leading to a better understanding of the evolution of nests in the genus.

  2. Toyama Kametaro and Vernon Kellogg: silkworm inheritance experiments in Japan, Siam, and the United States, 1900-1912.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onaga, Lisa

    2010-01-01

    Japanese agricultural scientist Toyama Kametaro's report about the Mendelian inheritance of silkworm cocoon color in Studies on the Hybridology of Insects (1906) spurred changes in Japanese silk production and thrust Toyama and his work into a scholarly exchange with American entomologist Vernon Kellogg. Toyama's work, based on research conducted in Japan and Siam, came under international scrutiny at a time when analyses of inheritance flourished after the "rediscovery" of Mendel's laws of heredity in 1900. The hybrid silkworm studies in Asia attracted the attention of Kellogg, who was concerned with how experimental biology would be used to study the causes of natural selection. He challenged Toyama's conclusions that Mendelism alone could explain the inheritance patterns of silkworm characters such as cocoon color because they had been subject to hundreds of years of artificial selection, or breeding. This examination of the intersection of Japanese sericulture and American entomology probes how practical differences in scientific interests, societal responsibilities, and silkworm materiality were negotiated throughout the processes of legitimating Mendelian genetics on opposite sides of the Pacific. The ways in which Toyama and Kellogg assigned importance to certain silkworm properties show how conflicting intellectual orientations arose in studies of the same organism. Contestation about Mendelism took place not just on a theoretical level, but the debate was fashioned through each scientist's rationale about the categorization of silkworm breeds and races and what counted as "natural". This further mediated the acceptability of the silkworm not as an experimental organism, but as an appropriately "natural" insect with which to demonstrate laws of inheritance. All these shed light on the challenges that came along with the use of agricultural animals to convincingly articulate new biological principles.

  3. The effect of the triblock properties on the morphologies and photophysical properties of nanoparticle loaded with carboxylic dendrimer phthalocyanine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Huafei; Chen, Zhe; Yu, Xinxin; Pan, Sujuan; Zhang, Tiantian; Xie, Shusen; Yang, Hongqin; Peng, Yiru

    2016-09-01

    Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an emerging alternative treatment for various cancers and age-related macular degeneration. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) and their substituted derivatives are under intensive investigation as the second generation photosensitizers. A big challenge for the application of Pcs is poor solubility and limited accumulation in the tumor tissues, which severely reduced its PDT efficacy. Nano-delivery systems such as polymeric micelles are promising tools for increasing the solubility and improving delivery efficiency of Pcs for PDT application. In this paper, nanoparticles of amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(L-lysine)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lysine) were developed to encapsulate 1-2 generation carboxylic poly (benzyl aryl ether) dendrimer. The morphologies and photophysical properties of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with 1-2 generation dendritic phthalocyanines (G1-ZnPc(COOH)8/m and G2-ZnPc(COOH)16/m) were studied by AFM, UV/Vis and fluorescent spectroscopic method. The morphologies of self-assembled PLL-PEG-PLL aggregates exhibited concentration dependence. Its morphologies changed from cocoon-like to spheral. The diameters of G1-ZnPc(COOH)8/m and G2-ZnPc(COOH)16/m were in the range of 33-147 nm, increasing with the increase of the concentration of PLL-PEG-PLL. The morphologies of G2-ZnPc(COOH)16/m also changed from cocoon-like to sphere with the increase of the concentration of PLL-PEG-PLL. It was found that, the no obviously Q change was observed between the free phthalocyanines and nanoparticles. The fluorescence intensity of polymer nanoparticles were higher enhanced compared with free dendritic phthalocyanines. The dendrimer phthalocyanine loaded with poly(L-lysine)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lysine) presented suitable physical stability, improved photophysical properties suggesting it may be considered as a promising formulation for PDT.

  4. BIOLOGY AND CONTROL OF THE APPLE MEALYBUG PHENACOCCUS ACERIS (SIGNORET) IN BELGIUM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bangels, E; Peusens, G; Bylemans, D; Belien, T

    2014-01-01

    Although in general very rare, some outbreaks of the apple mealybug Phenococcus aceris (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) were reported in the Belgian fruit growing area recently. This insect is known to be geographically widespread, to have a broad host range and to infest apple trees. Damage at harvest is considerable when sooty molds, a consequence of the pest's honeydew production, cover the fruits. Indirect damage of an infection is caused in cherry cultivation through transmission of the Little cherry virus (LChV2). Efficacy trials were executed in infested apple orchards in the Belgian fruit growing area and the life cycle of the pest on apple was studied more into detail. Apple mealybugs are univoltine, overwinter as 2nd instar nymphs inside a white cocoon on the tree (under the bark, in crevices) and leave their overwintering site in early spring (mid March). On sunny days the nymphs become active, move around and attach to start feeding (mid April). After a final moult into the adult form, females lay eggs in a cocoon-like white structure (from flowering on). Following hatching (end May), massive numbers of young nymphs spread out on the underside of the leaves (mid June) where they feed through suction. In order to manage this pest the efficacy of several plant protection products was tested in two infested apple orchards. Results indicated that mortality was high after an application of compounds belonging to the neonicotinoid insecticides. Different application timings and control strategies are possible, with active nymphs being the most vulnerable life stage. The observed degree of parasitation in our trial orchards also indicates a biological control contribution of parasitic wasps that should be taken into account. A decent IPM-strategy based on our results solved the problem in both apple orchards.

  5. Carboxylated, Fe-filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes as versatile catalysts for O2 reduction and H2 evolution reactions at physiological pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bracamonte, M Victoria; Melchionna, Michele; Stopin, Antoine; Giulani, Angela; Tavagnacco, Claudio; Garcia, Yann; Fornasiero, Paolo; Bonifazi, Davide; Prato, Maurizio

    2015-09-01

    The development of new electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at physiological pH is critical for several fields, including fuel cells and biological applications. Herein, the assembly of an electrode based on carboxyl-functionalised hydrophilic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filled with Fe phases and their excellent performance as electrocatalysts for ORR and HER at physiological pH are reported. The encapsulated Fe dramatically enhances the catalytic activity, and the graphitic shells play a double role of efficiently mediating the electron transfer to O2 and H2 O reactants and providing a cocoon that prevents uncontrolled Fe oxidation or leaching. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. One-Step Self-Assembly Synthesis α-Fe2O3 with Carbon-Coated Nanoparticles for Stabilized and Enhanced Supercapacitors Electrode

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    Yizhi Yan

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available A cocoon-like α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite with a novel carbon-coated structure was synthesized via a simple one-step hydrothermal self-assembly method and employed as supercapacitor electrode material. It was observed from electrochemical measurements that the obtained α-Fe2O3@C electrode showed a good specific capacitance (406.9 Fg−1 at 0.5 Ag−1 and excellent cycling stability, with 90.7% specific capacitance retained after 2000 cycles at high current density of 10 Ag−1. These impressive results, presented here, demonstrated that α-Fe2O3@C could be a promising alternative material for application in high energy density storage.

  7. A histochemical study of the posterior silk glands of Bombyx mori during metamorphosis from larvae to pupae using frozen sections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamoto, K; Kawamoto, T; Shiba, H; Hosono, K

    2014-02-01

    The fine structures of the whole bodies and the posterior silk glands of Bombyx mori during metamorphosis from larvae to pupae in the cocoon were preserved virtually without damage when frozen sections were prepared using an adhesive plastic film. We used frozen sections for histochemical and enzyme histochemistry to characterize the metamorphosis of the posterior silk glands. Frozen sections were stained with DAPI to observe nuclear changes, examined using the TUNEL method to detect DNA fragments, and investigated using in situ hybridization to detect B. mori caspase expression. Both DNA fragments and expression of B. mori caspase increased with progressing metamorphosis. The degeneration of the posterior silk gland during metamorphosis appears to be an apoptotic event.

  8. The Evolution of LTS at DOE's Hanford Site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moren, Richard J.; Grindstaff, Keith D.

    2013-01-01

    Hanford's Long-Term Stewardship (LTS) Program has evolved from a small, informal process, with minimal support, to a robust program that provides comprehensive transitions from cleanup contractors to long-term stewardship for post-cleanup requirements specified in the associated cleanup decision documents. The LTS Program has the responsibility for almost 100,000 acres of land, along with over 200 waste sites and will soon have six cocooned reactors. Close to 2,600 documents have been identified and tagged for storage in the LTS document library. The program has successfully completed six consecutive transitions over the last two years in support of the U.S. DOE Richland Operations Office's (DOE-RL) near-term cleanup objectives of significantly reducing the footprint of active cleanup operations for the River Corridor. The program has evolved from one that was initially responsible for defining and measuring Institutional Controls for the Hanford Site, to a comprehensive, post remediation surveillance and maintenance program that begins early in the transition process. In 2013, the first reactor area -- the cocooned 105-F Reactor and its surrounding 1,100 acres, called the F Area was transitioned. In another first, the program is expected to transition the five remaining cocooned reactors into the program through using a Transition and Turnover Package (TTP). As Hanford's LTS Program moves into the next few years, it will continue to build on a collaborative approach. The program has built strong relationships between contractors, regulators, tribes and stakeholders and with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Legacy Management (LM). The LTS Program has been working with LM since its inception. The transition process utilized LM's Site Transition Framework as one of the initial requirement documents and the Hanford Program continues to collaborate with LM today. One example of this collaboration is the development of the LTS Program's records management

  9. Research and development on activation analysis at the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laoharojanaphand, S.; Dharmavanij, W.; Busamongkol, A.; Pareepart, R.; Wimolwattanapun, W.; Chantarachot, W.

    2008-01-01

    Research and development in activation analysis at the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology has been carried out over 40 years. The main activation source is from the TRIGA type research reactor TRR1/M1. Average in-core flux is around 10 13 n x cm -2 x s -1 . Experience on the analysis of various kind of samples range from environmental field especially air particulate, ores, rocks and soil for natural resources exploration as well as industrial applications. Elemental composition in silk thread, silk cocoon and silk products from the royal silk project are one of the research work done incorporation with the Queen Sirikit Institute of Sericulture. Food items are also another topic of interest to our research team. (author)

  10. Juvenile Hormone Analogues, Methoprene and Fenoxycarb Dose-Dependently Enhance Certain Enzyme Activities in the Silkworm Bombyx Mori (L

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    M. Rajeswara Rao

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Use of Juvenile Hormone Analogues (JHA in sericulture practices has been shown to boost good cocoon yield; their effect has been determined to be dose-dependent. We studied the impact of low doses of JHA compounds such as methoprene and fenoxycarb on selected key enzymatic activities of the silkworm Bombyx mori. Methoprene and fenoxycarb at doses of 1.0 μg and 3.0fg/larvae/48 hours showed enhancement of the 5th instar B. mori larval muscle and silkgland protease, aspartate aminotransaminase (AAT and alanine aminotransaminase (ALAT, adenosine triphosphate synthase (ATPase and cytochrome-c-oxidase (CCO activity levels, indicating an upsurge in the overall oxidative metabolism of the B.mori larval tissues.

  11. First discovery of Quercus-feeding Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in South America, with description of new species and designation of the S. nigriverticella complex in the S. saginella group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remeikis, Andrius; Stonis, Jonas R

    2015-12-11

    We describe three new species: Stigmella crassifoliae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. (a leaf-miner on Quercus crassifolia and Q. crispipilis from the highlands of Guatemala), S. robleae Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., and S. humboldti Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. (leaf-miners on Quercus humboldtii from the Colombian Andes). No Quercus-feeding Nepticulidae species were previously known from South America. All new species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, cocoons, adults, and genitalia. In the S. saginella species group, for the species possessing in male genitalia M-shaped gnathos with caudal processes closely juxtaposed and phallus without cornuti, a new species complex (the S. nigriverticella complex) is defined. We also provide a pictorial key to the species of the new complex.

  12. Erste Nachweise sowie Kenntnisse zur Biologie von Cyclosa oculata (Araneae: Araneidae in der Schweiz

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    Zschokke, Samuel

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The orb-web spider Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802 was found at eleven localities in north-western Switzerland. All records were from wildflower strips ("Buntbrachen" with a relatively high proportion of dried vegetation from the previous year, a relatively low vegetation height and a low proportion of grasses in the vegetation. C. oculata built its vertical orb-web near the ground, deep in the vegetation. Among ecribellate orb-web spiders in Central Europe, C. oculata is unique because it sometimes builds rudimentary webs on which it stays, because it builds its cocoons into the web, and because its stabilimentum is long-lasting and consists largely of debris. Based on our observations, we deduce that the stabilimentum of C. oculata serves as camouflage.

  13. Very high energy emission sources beyond the Galaxy

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    Sinitsyna V.G.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN are considered as potential extragalactic sources of very and ultra high energy cosmic rays. According to theoretical predictions cosmic ray acceleration can take place at the shock created by the expanding cocoons around active galactic nuclei as well as at AGN jets. The measurements of AGN TeV spectra, the variability time scale of TeV emission can provide essential information on the dynamics of AGN jets, the localization of acceleration region and an estimation of its size. SHALON observations yielded data on extragalactic sources of different AGN types in the energy range of 800 GeV–100 TeV. The data from SHALON observations are compared with those from other experiments at high and very high energies.

  14. Factors influencing the adoption of sericulture by farmers in Guilan Province, Iran

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    Afsaneh Merat

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Sericulture and silk production are among the activities that can, along with other agricultural activities, generate income for rural households in a short period of time. The objective of the present study was to identify factors influencing the adoption of sericulture by farmers in Guilan province, Iran. The sericulture farmers of Langarud and Shaft counties (N = 4187, were included in the statistical population of the study. The sample size was determined to be 198, using the least sample size table of Bartlett et al. (2001 and subsequently, the size of the second group, i.e., non-sericulturists, was specified from these regions. The research tool was a questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a panel of experts. The reliability of the research tool was evaluated by alpha Cronbach estimated α value to be 0.78. The results revealed that sericulture adoption was significantly related to all demographic characteristics except gender including age, number of dependents, education level, and experience in sericulture as well as technical and economic characteristics including the type of cocoonary ownership, profitability of sericulture given its shorter rearing period compared to other agricultural activities, willingness to rehabilitate coronary, and willingness to attend sericulture and other relevant courses. The studied groups differed significantly in terms of the impact of all supportive policies including the provision of loans and facilities for the rehabilitation and construction of coronaries, the insurance of silkworm rearing, the training and promotion of sericulture and relevant activities, free distribution of improved saplings, distribution of high-yielding silkworm eggs, and the guaranteed purchase of cocoons. The results revealed that all supportive policies played an effective role in the adoption of sericulture. However, free distribution of improved saplings, distribution of high-yield silkworm eggs

  15. Nanoparticulate anatase TiO2 (TiO2 NPs) upregulates the expression of silkworm (Bombyx mori) neuropeptide receptor and promotes silkworm feeding, growth, and silking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Min; Zhang, Hua; Li, Fan Chi; Wang, Bin Bin; Xu, Kai Zun; Shen, Wei De; Li, Bing

    2015-06-01

    Bombyx mori orphan G protein-coupled receptor, BNGR-A4, is the specific receptor of B. mori neuropeptide F (BmNPFR, neuropeptide F designated NPF). BmNPFR binds specifically and efficiently to B. mori neuropeptides BmNPF1a and BmNPF1b, which activates the ERK1/2 signaling pathway to regulate B. mori food intake and growth. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can promote B. mori growth. However, whether the mechanisms of TiO2 NPs' effects are correlated with BmNPFR remains unknown. In this study, the effects of TiO2 NPs (5mg/L) feeding and BmNPFR-dsRNA injection on B. mori food intake and growth were investigated; after TiO2 NPs treatments, B. mori food intake, body weight, and cocoon shell weight were 5.82%, 4.64%, and 9.30% higher, respectively, than those of controls. The food intake, body weight, and cocoon shell weight of the BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group were reduced by 8.05%, 6.28%, and 6.98%, respectively, compared to the control. After TiO2 NPs treatment for 72h, the transcriptional levels of BmNPFR, BmNPF1a, and BmNPF1b in the midgut were 1.58, 1.43, and 1.34-folds, respectively, of those of the control, but 1.99, 2.26, and 2.19-folds, respectively, of the BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group; the phosphorylation level of MAPK was 24.03% higher than the control, while the phosphorylation level of BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group was 71.00% of control. The results indicated that TiO2 NPs affect B. mori feeding and growth through increasing the expression of BmNPFR. This study helps clarify the roles of BmNPF/BmNPFR system in TiO2 NPs' effects on B. mori feeding, growth, and development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Effects of different gamma exposure regimes on reproduction in the earthworm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hertel-Aas, Turid, E-mail: turid.hertel-aas@umb.no [Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas (Norway); Brunborg, Gunnar, E-mail: Gunnar.Brunborg@fhi.no [Department of Chemical Toxicology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo (Norway); Jaworska, Alicja, E-mail: Alicja.Jaworska@nrpa.no [Department of Emergency Preparedness and Environmental Radioactivity, Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, P.O. Box 55, 1332, Osteraas (Norway); Salbu, Brit, E-mail: brit.salbu@umb.no [Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas (Norway); Oughton, Deborah Helen, E-mail: deborah.oughton@umb.no [Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Aas (Norway)

    2011-12-15

    Ecological risk assessment of ionising radiation requires knowledge about the responses of individuals and populations to chronic exposures, including situations when exposure levels change over time. The present study investigated processes such as recovery and the adaptive response with respect to reproduction endpoints in the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to {sup 60}Co {gamma}-radiation. Furthermore, a crossed experiment was performed to investigate the influence of F0 parental and F1 embryonic irradiation history on the response of irradiated or non-irradiated F1 offspring. Recovery: The sterility induced by sub-chronic exposure at 17 mGy/h (accumulated dose: 25 Gy) was temporary, and 8 weeks after irradiation the worms had regained their reproductive capacity (number of viable offspring produced per adult per week). Adaptive response: Adult worms were continuously exposed at a low priming dose rate of 0.14 mGy/h for 12 weeks (accumulated dose: 0.24 Gy), followed by 14 weeks exposure at a challenge dose rate of 11 mGy/h. The results suggest a lack of adaptive response, since there were no significant differences in the effects on reproduction capacity between the primed and the unprimed groups after challenge doses ranging from 7.6 to 27 Gy. Crossed experiment: The effects of exposure at 11 mGy/h for 21 weeks on growth, sexual maturation and reproduction of offspring, derived either from parent worms and cocoons both exposed at 11 mGy/h, or from non-irradiated parents and cocoons (total accumulated dose 44 and 38 Gy, respectively) were compared. There were no significant differences between the two exposed offspring groups for any of the endpoints. The reproduction capacity was very low for both groups compared to the controls, but the reproduction seemed to be maintained at the reduced level, which could indicate acclimatisation or stabilisation. Finally, parental and embryonic exposures at 11 mGy/h did not affect reproduction in the F1 offspring as adults.

  17. Initial observations using a novel "cine" magnetic resonance imaging technique to detect changes in abdominal motion caused by encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Benjamin; Summers, Angela; Fenner, John; Gillott, Richard; Hutchinson, Charles E; Spencer, Paul A; Wilkie, Martin; Hurst, Helen; Herrick, Sarah; Brenchley, Paul; Augustine, Titus; Bardhan, Karna D

    2011-01-01

    Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is an uncommon complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD), with high mortality and morbidity. The peritoneum thickens, dysfunctions, and forms a cocoon that progressively "strangulates" the small intestine, causing malnutrition, ischemia, and infarction. There is as yet no reliable noninvasive means of diagnosis, but recent developments in image analysis of cine magnetic resonance imaging for the recognition of adhesions offers a way forward. We used this protocol before surgery in 3 patients with suspected EPS. Image analysis revealed patterns of abdominal movement that were markedly different from the patterns in healthy volunteers. The volunteers showed marked movement throughout the abdomen; in contrast, movement in EPS patients was restricted to just below the diaphragm. This clear difference provides early "proof of principle" of the approach that we have developed.

  18. Biology and harmfulness of Brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae Winn. in winter oilseed rape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Draga Graora

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The Brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae Winn. is an important pest in oilseed rape (Brasica napus L.. It develops two generations per year and overwinters in the larval stage in cocoons in soil. Immigration of the first generation adults lasted from the beginning of April until the end of May. Larvae developed in pods from mid-April to mid-June, causing pod deformation and cracking, which resulted in premature falling out of seeds and yield reduction. Pod damage amounted to 11.6%. The emergence of the second generation adults was detected at the end of May and in the first ten days of June. D. brassicae was found to lay eggs in healthy pods and no correlation was found with the cabbage seed weevil, Ceutorhynchus assimilis Paykull.

  19. Management of fresh water weeds (macrophytes) by vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najar, Ishtiyaq Ahmed; Khan, Anisa B

    2013-09-01

    In the present study, potential of Eisenia fetida to recycle the different types of fresh water weeds (macrophytes) used as substrate in different reactors (Azolla pinnata reactor, Trapa natans reactor, Ceratophyllum demersum reactor, free-floating macrophytes mixture reactor, and submerged macrophytes mixture reactor) during 2 months experiment is investigated. E. fetida showed significant variation in number and weight among the reactors and during the different fortnights (P macrophytes mixture reactor (number 105 ± 5.77 %; weight 41.07 ± 3.97 % ). ANOVA showed significant variation in cocoon production (F4 = 15.67, P macrophyte affects the growth and reproduction pattern of E. fetida among the different reactors, further the addition of A. pinnata in other macrophytes reactors can improve their recycling by E. fetida.

  20. Drawing-induced changes in morphology and mechanical properties of hornet silk gel films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kameda, Tsunenori; Kojima, Katsura; Togawa, Eiji; Sezutsu, Hideki; Zhang, Qiang; Teramoto, Hidetoshi; Tamada, Yasushi

    2010-04-12

    Complete amino acid sequences of the four major proteins (Vssilk 1-4) of silk (hornet silk) obtained from yellow hornet ( Vespa simillima , Vespinae, Vespidae) cocoons have been determined. The native structure of the hornet silk (HS), in which Vssilk 1-4 have an alpha-helix domain with coiled-coil alpha-helices and a beta-sheet domain, is restored when hornet silk gel films (HSGFs) are formed by pressing and drying HS hydrogel. Necking occurs when dry HSGFs are drawn; however, wet HSGFs can be uniaxially drawn with a draw ratio (DR) of 2. Drawing helps obtain high-performance films with a maximum tensile strength and tensile modulus of 170 MPa and 5.5 GPa, respectively. Drawing-induced changes in the orientation and conformation of the coiled-coil structure are investigated.

  1. DECISION TOOLS FOR MULBERRY THRIPS PSEUDODENDROTHRIPS MORI (NIWA, 1908) MANAGEMENT IN SERICULTURAL REGIONS; AN OVERVIEW

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    KayvanEtebari; L.Matindoost; R.N.Singh

    2004-01-01

    Mulberry thrips Pseudodendrothrips mori (Niwa, 1908) is a major pest of mulberry trees recorded from different sericultural regions of the world. The thrips infestation affects the qualitative and quantitative characters of mulberry leaf, by direct feeding damage to leaves and the ingestion of sap, which in turn affects the silkworm cocoon crop. This is most harmful in dry climates and seasons when heavily attacked plants lose moisture heavily. Under these conditions infestation can seriously deplete yields. The seasonal population fluctuation and the degree of damage caused to the host plant are influenced by various environmental factors including climate, host-plant variety, topography, soil type, and management regimes.This article attempts to review all available documents on mulberry thrips and to discuss the practical approaches for best control of this pest.

  2. Comments on the association of immatures of Hemerodromia (Diptera, Empididae) and Simulium (Diptera, Simuliidae), and first record of this association in the Atlantic Forest (Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez Molina, Óscar; Gil-Azevedo, Leonardo Henrique

    2016-11-01

    Larvae of Empididae (Diptera) prey on black fly immatures and its pupae can be collected from pupal cases of Simuliidae (Diptera). The aim of our work was to report the second record of association between immatures of Empididae and Simuliidae in the Neotropical Region and the first for the Atlantic Forest (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). We collected 4982 pupae and exuviae of Simulium Latreille, (Diptera, Simuliidae) and found three with a pupa of Hemerodromia Meigen (Diptera, Empididae) inside. This shows that the use of black flies cocoons by dance flies occurs at extremely low frequencies, which might explain why this association is so rarely recorded. Our results are relevant for a better comprehension of the predator-prey relationship between these families. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. How Quasar Feedback May Shape the Co-evolutionary Paths

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishibashi, Wako, E-mail: wako.ishibashi@physik.uzh.ch [Physik-Institut, University of Zurich, Zürich (Switzerland)

    2017-10-17

    Observations point toward some form of “co-evolutionary sequence,” from dust-enshrouded starbursts to luminous unobscured quasars. Active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback is generally invoked to expel the obscuring dusty gas in a blow-out event, eventually revealing the hidden central quasar. However, the physical mechanism driving AGN feedback, either due to winds or radiation, remains uncertain and is still a source of much debate. We consider quasar feedback, based on radiation pressure on dust, which directly acts on the obscuring dusty gas. We show that AGN radiative feedback is capable of efficiently removing the obscuring cocoon, and driving powerful outflows on galactic scales, consistent with recent observations. I will discuss how such quasar feedback may provide a natural physical interpretation of the observed evolutionary path, and the physical implications in the broader context of black hole-host galaxy co-evolution.

  4. Herbicide Glyphosate Impact to Earthworm (E. fetida

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greta Dajoraitė

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Glyphosate is a broad spectrum weed resistant herbicide. Glyphosate may pose negative impact on land ecosystems because of wide broad usage and hydrofilic characteristic. The aim of this study was to investigate negative effects of glyphosate on soil invertebrate organisms (earthworm Eisenia fetida. The duration of experiment was 8 weeks. The range of the test concentrations of glyphosate were: 0,1, 1, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg. To investigate the glyphosate impact on earthworm Eisenia fetida the following endpoints were measured: survival, reproduction and weight. The exposure to 20 mg/kg glyphosate has led to the 100% mortality of earthworms. Glyphosate has led to decreased E. fetida reproduction, the cocoons were observed only in the lowest concentration (0,1 mg/kg. In general: long-term glyphosate toxicity to earthworms (E. fetida may be significant.

  5. A magnetically driven origin for the low luminosity GRB 170817A associated with GW170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Hao; Yu, Cong; Huang, Lei

    2018-06-01

    The gamma-ray burst GR170817A associated with GW170817 is subluminous and subenergetic compared with other typical short gamma-ray bursts. It may be due to a relativistic jet viewed off-axis, or a structured jet or cocoon emission. Giant flares from magnetars may possibly be ruled out. However, the luminosity and energetics of GRB 170817A are coincident with those of magnetar giant flares. After the coalescence of a binary neutron star, a hypermassive neutron star may be formed. The hypermassive neutron star may have a magnetar-strength magnetic field. During the collapse of this hypermassive neutron star, magnetic field energy will also be released. This giant-flare-like event may explain the luminosity and energetics of GRB 170817A. Bursts with similar luminosity and energetics are expected in future neutron star-neutron star or neutron star-black hole mergers.

  6. Effects on the development of Dipylidium caninum and on the host reaction to this parasite in the adult flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pugh, R E

    1987-01-01

    Temperature was found to be a major factor affecting the development of Dipylidium caninum and the presence of a host reaction of adult Ctenocephalides felis felis to D. caninum. Adult fleas reared at 30-32 degrees C contained fully developed metacestodes when they emerged from their cocoons. However at lower temperatures, D. caninum could not complete development until the flea hosts had spent some time on their mammalian hosts. It was the surface temperature of the mammals (31-36 degrees C) and not the fleas' blood meals which resulted in the metacestodes completing their development. This development of D. caninum was therefore independent of the flea development. At 20 degrees C, a larger and more prolonged host reaction was mounted than at higher temperatures. The larval flea diet had a small effect on the subsequent cestode development and the adult fleas' reaction to it.

  7. The supernova-gamma-ray burst-jet connection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hjorth, Jens

    2013-06-13

    The observed association between supernovae and gamma-ray bursts represents a cornerstone in our understanding of the nature of gamma-ray bursts. The collapsar model provides a theoretical framework for this connection. A key element is the launch of a bipolar jet (seen as a gamma-ray burst). The resulting hot cocoon disrupts the star, whereas the (56)Ni produced gives rise to radioactive heating of the ejecta, seen as a supernova. In this discussion paper, I summarize the observational status of the supernova-gamma-ray burst connection in the context of the 'engine' picture of jet-driven supernovae and highlight SN 2012bz/GRB 120422A--with its luminous supernova but intermediate high-energy luminosity--as a possible transition object between low-luminosity and jet gamma-ray bursts. The jet channel for supernova explosions may provide new insights into supernova explosions in general.

  8. Effects of C60 nanoparticle exposure on earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and implications for population dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ploeg, M.J.C. van der; Baveco, J.M.; Hout, A. van der; Bakker, R.; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.; Brink, N.W. van den

    2011-01-01

    Effects of C 60 nanoparticles (nominal concentrations 0, 15.4 and 154 mg/kg soil) on mortality, growth and reproduction of Lumbricus rubellus earthworms were assessed. C 60 exposure had a significant effect on cocoon production, juvenile growth rate and mortality. These endpoints were used to model effects on the population level. This demonstrated reduced population growth rate with increasing C 60 concentrations. Furthermore, a shift in stage structure was shown for C 60 exposed populations, i.e. a larger proportion of juveniles. This result implies that the lower juvenile growth rate due to exposure to C 60 resulted in a larger proportion of juveniles, despite increased mortality among juveniles. Overall, this study indicates that C 60 exposure may seriously affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that juveniles were more sensitive to C 60 exposure than adults. - C 60 nanoparticle exposure can affect Lumbricus rubellus populations.

  9. Destructive disinfection of infected brood prevents systemic disease spread in ant colonies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pull, Christopher D; Ugelvig, Line V; Wiesenhofer, Florian; Grasse, Anna V; Tragust, Simon; Schmitt, Thomas; Brown, Mark Jf; Cremer, Sylvia

    2018-01-09

    In social groups, infections have the potential to spread rapidly and cause disease outbreaks. Here, we show that in a social insect, the ant Lasius neglectus , the negative consequences of fungal infections ( Metarhizium brunneum ) can be mitigated by employing an efficient multicomponent behaviour, termed destructive disinfection, which prevents further spread of the disease through the colony. Ants specifically target infected pupae during the pathogen's non-contagious incubation period, utilising chemical 'sickness cues' emitted by pupae. They then remove the pupal cocoon, perforate its cuticle and administer antimicrobial poison, which enters the body and prevents pathogen replication from the inside out. Like the immune system of a metazoan body that specifically targets and eliminates infected cells, ants destroy infected brood to stop the pathogen completing its lifecycle, thus protecting the rest of the colony. Hence, in an analogous fashion, the same principles of disease defence apply at different levels of biological organisation.

  10. Effects of Rhamnolipid and Microbial Inoculants on the Vermicomposting of Green Waste with Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Xiaoqiang; Wei, Le; Yu, Xin; Li, Suyan; Sun, Xiangyang; Wang, Xinyu

    2017-01-01

    The effects of adding the biosurfactant rhamnolipid, the lignolytic and cellulolytic fungus Phanerochete chrysosporium, and the free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter chrococcum on vermicomposting of green waste with Eisenia fetida was investigated. The addition of rhamnolipid and/or either microorganism alone or in all combinations significantly increased E. fetida growth rate, the number of E. fetida juveniles and cocoons, the population densities of cellulolytic fungi and Azotobacter bacteria, and cellulase and urease activities in the vermicomposts. The quality of the final vermicompost (in terms of electrical conductivity, nutrient content, C/N ratio, humic acid content, lignin and cellulose contents, and phytotoxicity to germinating seeds) was enhanced by addition of rhamnolipid and/or microorganisms. The physical characteristics of vermicomposts produced with rhamnolipid and/or microorganisms were acceptable for agricultural application. The best quality vermicompost was obtained with the combined addition of P. chrysosporium, A. chrococcum, and rhamnolipid.

  11. Effect of new soil metal immobilizing agents on metal toxicity to terrestrial invertebrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lock, K.; Janssen, C.R

    2003-01-01

    Organisms with different exposure routes should be used to simultaneously assess risks of metals in soils. - Application of 5% (w:w) novel metal immobilizing agent reduced the water soluble, the calcium chloride extracted as well as the pore water concentration of zinc in soils from Maatheide, a metal contaminated site in the northeast of Belgium. Addition of the metal immobilizing agents also eliminated acute toxicity to the potworm Enchytraeus albidus and the earthworm Eisenia fetida and chronic toxicity to the springtail Folsomia candida. Cocoon production by E. fetida, however, was still adversely affected. These differences may be explained by the species dependent routes of metal uptake: F. candida is probably mainly exposed via pore water while in E. fetida dietary exposure is probably also important. From these results it is clear that organisms with different exposure routes should be used simultaneously to assess the environmental risk of metal contaminated soils.

  12. Earthworms in Short-term Contact with a Low Dose of Neonicotinoid Actara 25WG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariola Garczyńska

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A laboratory experiment, carried out for five months, was designed to assess effects produced by the neonicotinoid Actara 25 WG, used at a dose recommended by the manufacturer, in the dynamics of populations of epigeic earthworms Eisenia fetida (Sav. and Dendrobena veneta (Rosa. The study was conducted in a climatic chamber and involved balanced biomass of mature specimens representing both species, in 3 replications of soil medium with the insecticide, in addition to controls. The growing populations were inspected five times, by means of manual segregation of the substrate. The insecticide led to an increase in both the number of specimens and biomass of E. fetida population (overall as well as mature and immature worms, yet it reduced their reproduction (decreased number of cocoons (p<0.05. In the case of D.veneta, the neonicotinoid insecticide produced positive effects only in mature specimens (p<0.05.

  13. Redefining the role of experiment in Bacon's natural history: how Baconian was Descartes before emerging from his cocoon?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgescu, Laura; Giurgea, Mădălina

    2012-01-01

    In this article we argue that the views that Francis Bacon and René Descartes held about the role of experiments in the process of discovery are closer than previously accepted. Looking at the way experiments and the heuristics of experimentation are embedded in Bacon's posthumous History of Dense and Rare and Descartes' Discourses 8, 9, 10 of the Meteorology, we will show that experiments help the investigator both in solving specific problems that could not have otherwise been foreseen and in generating relevant information that advances the scope of the investigation.

  14. THE PESTS OF HORSE CHESTNUT TREE – AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM L. IN ROMANIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T PERJU

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available In 1998 the presence of the horse chestnut leaf-miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka-Dimic was reported in Cluj- Napoca. During 2000 – 2003 research concerning the extent, biology, ecology at this micro-lepidopteron, a new pest in our country, was performed. Signaled for the fi rst time in Western area of our country (1998, then in Central (1998, Southern (1999, and Eastern (2003 part of the country, the spread year by year conquering new territories. In the clime conditions of our country, the insect had 4 generations in 2000, and 3 during 2001 – 2003, remaining in hiemal diapauses during pupae stage, inside of the silk cocoons from the galleries of larvae feeding. The fl ight of the butterfl ies from the IIIrd generation (hiemal is recorded in the beginning of May. The Ist generation has a developmental stage during 15 May – 30 June, the IInd during 1 July – 15 August, and the IIIrd during 15 August – 15 May.

  15. ECM microenvironment unlocks brown adipogenic potential of adult human bone marrow-derived MSCs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Michelle H; Goralczyk, Anna G; Kriszt, Rókus; Ang, Xiu Min; Badowski, Cedric; Li, Ying; Summers, Scott A; Toh, Sue-Anne; Yassin, M Shabeer; Shabbir, Asim; Sheppard, Allan; Raghunath, Michael

    2016-02-17

    Key to realizing the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of human brown/brite adipocytes is the identification of a renewable, easily accessible and safe tissue source of progenitor cells, and an efficacious in vitro differentiation protocol. We show that macromolecular crowding (MMC) facilitates brown adipocyte differentiation in adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs), as evidenced by substantially upregulating uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and uncoupled respiration. Moreover, MMC also induced 'browning' in bmMSC-derived white adipocytes. Mechanistically, MMC creates a 3D extracellular matrix architecture enshrouding maturing adipocytes in a collagen IV cocoon that is engaged by paxillin-positive focal adhesions also at the apical side of cells, without contact to the stiff support structure. This leads to an enhanced matrix-cell signaling, reflected by increased phosphorylation of ATF2, a key transcription factor in UCP1 regulation. Thus, tuning the dimensionality of the microenvironment in vitro can unlock a strong brown potential dormant in bone marrow.

  16. Role of Eisenia fetida in rapid recycling of nutrients from bio sludge of beverage industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, J; Kaur, A; Vig, A P; Rup, P J

    2010-03-01

    Beverage industry bio sludge proved to be toxic when given alone to earthworms even after stabilization for 15 days, therefore, it was mixed in various proportions with cattle dung. Best suitable mixture for highest survival, maximum growth and highest population buildup of Eisenia fetida was determined by observing mortality, growth rate, rate of cocoon production, population buildup and time taken for decomposition of waste. Minimum mortality and maximum population buildup were observed in 50:50 mixture of bio sludge and cattle dung. Nitrogen, phosphorous, sodium and pH increased in all the feed mixtures, while electrical conductivity, organic carbon and potassium declined in all the samples in comparison to traditional compost (without worms). Degradation of 50:50 mixture could be achieved in 75 days when worms were inoculated at 25 g/kg feed mixture. But the best-quality product was obtained after 105-110 days with 7.5 g worms/kg feed mixture. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Technology intervention to improve the energy efficiency and productivity of silk reeling sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhingra, Sunil; Mande, Sanjay; Raman, P.; Srinivas, S.N.; Kishore, V.V.N.

    2004-01-01

    The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has been actively involved in development of biomass gasifier system for thermal and power generation use. Though the basic science of gasification is well established, there have not many efforts in the past on product development. By continuous interaction with users, silk experts and consultants, TERI could able to develop a gasifier based silk reeling oven. A major thrust on this development work was to evolve marketable product by continued efforts to gain an insight of the actual process and user feedback through an extended presence and interaction at field level, and then translating this experience in product design. The present paper gives a summary of design, development and testing of gasifier based cottage basin system for cocoon cooking in silk reeling industry in order to achieve higher fuel efficiency and increase productivity of the process. The paper describes in detail the approach of different technology development stages, its testing both at laboratory and field and economic viability of the system

  18. Production and properties of electrosprayed sericin nanopowder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Najmeh Hazeri, Hossein Tavanai and Ali Reza Moradi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Sericin is a proteinous substrate that envelops fibroin (silk fiber, and its recovery provides significant economical and social benefits. Sericin is an antibacterial agent that resists oxidation and absorbs moisture and UV light. In powder form, sericin has a wide range of applications in food, cosmetics and drug delivery. Asides from other techniques of producing powder, such as precipitation and spray drying, electrospraying can yield solid nanoparticles, particularly in the submicron range. Here, we report the production of sericin nanopowder by electrospraying. Sericin sponge was recovered from Bombyx mori cocoons through a high-temperature, high-pressure process, followed by centrifugation and freeze drying of the sericin solution. The electrospraying solution was prepared by dissolving the sericin sponge in dimethyl sulfoxide. We demonstrate that electrospraying is capable of producing sericin nanopowder with an average particle size of 25 nm, which is by far smaller than the particles produced by other techniques. The electrosprayed sericin nanopowder consists of small crystallites and exhibits a high moisture absorbance.

  19. Radiative bow shock wave (?) driven by nuclear ejecta in a Seyfert galaxy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, A.S.; Ulvestad, J.S.; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena)

    1987-01-01

    New VLA maps at 2 cm of the 13-arcsec-scale linear radio source in the center of NGC 1068 are described. The northeast lobe shows a limb-brightened conical morphology, very sharp leading edges, and a magnetic field running parallel to these edges. The spectral index between 2 and 6 cm in these line-brightened regions is near 1.0. The northeast subpeak has a very steep radio spectrum between 18 and 2 cm which is attributed to inverse Compton losses of the relativistic electrons on the infrared photons. The spectral indices in the southwest lobe lie in the range 0.9-1.5 except in its northern parts, where a much larger index is found. The northeast lobe radio emission could arise in either the cocoon of old jet material which has passed through the internal shock in the ejecta and blown out to either side, or in interstellar material compressed by a bow shock wave driven into the galactic ISM. 45 references

  20. Grain processes in massive star formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfire, M.G.; Cassinelli, J.P.

    1986-01-01

    Observational evidence suggests that stars greater than 100 M(solar) exist in the Galaxy and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), however classical star formation theory predicts stellar mass limits of only approx. 60 M(solar). A protostellar accretion flow consists of inflowing gas and dust. Grains are destroyed as they are near the central protostar creating a dust shell or cocoon. Radiation pressure acting on the grain can halt the inflow of material thereby limiting the amount of mass accumulated by the protostar. We first consider rather general constraints on the initial grain to gas ratio and mass accretion rates that permit inflow. We further constrain these results by constructing a numerical model. Radiative deceleration of grains and grain destruction processes are explicitly accounted for in an iterative solution of the radiation-hydrodynamic equations. Findings seem to suggest that star formation by spherical accretion requires rather extreme preconditioning of the grain and gas environment

  1. Irradiation effect of different heavy ions and track section on the silkworm Bombyx mori

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tu Zhenli E-mail: tu514@yahoo.co.jp; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Kiguchi, Kenji; Watanabe, Hiroshi

    2003-05-01

    In order to compare the irradiation effects of different ions, wandering larvae were whole-body exposed or locally irradiated with 50-MeV {sup 4}He{sup 2+}, 220-MeV {sup 12}C{sup 5+}, and 350-MeV {sup 20}Ne{sup 8+} ions, respectively. For the whole-body-exposed individuals, the survival rates at the cocooning, pupation, and emergence stages all decreased as dose increased, and a range-dependent difference was clearly observed. For local irradiation of ovaries, irradiation effects depend very strongly on the projectile range. In the case of local irradiation of dermal cells by different track sections of heavy ions, the closer the target was to the high-LET section of the track, the more pronounced were the radiation effects. These results indicated that by selectively using ion species and adjusting the irradiation depth to the target, heavy-ion radiosurgery on particular tissues or organs of small experimental animals can be performed more accurately.

  2. Sclerosing Encapsulating Peritonitis; Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norman O. Machado

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP is a rare chronic inflammatory condition of the peritoneum with an unknown aetiology. Also known as abdominal cocoon, the condition occurs when loops of the bowel are encased within the peritoneal cavity by a membrane, leading to intestinal obstruction. Due to its rarity and nonspecific clinical features, it is often misdiagnosed. The condition presents with recurrent episodes of small bowel obstruction and can be idiopathic or secondary; the latter is associated with predisposing factors such as peritoneal dialysis or abdominal tuberculosis. In the early stages, patients can be managed conservatively; however, surgical intervention is necessary for those with advanced stage intestinal obstruction. A literature review revealed 118 cases of SEP; the mean age of these patients was 39 years and 68.0% were male. The predominant presentation was abdominal pain (72.0%, distension (44.9% or a mass (30.5%. Almost all of the patients underwent surgical excision (99.2% without postoperative complications (88.1%.

  3. Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gain antibiotic resistance during long-term acclimatization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zheng-Zhe; Zhang, Qian-Qian; Guo, Qiong; Chen, Qian-Qian; Jiang, Xiao-Yan; Jin, Ren-Cun

    2015-09-01

    Three broad-spectrum antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMX), florfenicol (FF) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), that inhibit bacteria via different target sites, were selected to evaluate the acute toxicity and long-term effects on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) granules. The specific anammox activity (SAA) levels reduced by approximately half within the first 3 days in the presence of antibiotics but no nitrite accumulation was observed in continuous-flow experiments. However, the SAA levels and heme c content gradually recovered as the antibiotic concentrations increased. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) analysis suggested that anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gradually developed a better survival strategy during long-term acclimatization, which reduced the antibiotic stress via increased EPS secretion that provided a protective 'cocoon.' In terms of nitrogen removal efficiency, anammox granules could resist 60 mg-AMX L(-1), 10 mg-FF L(-1) and 100 mg-SMZ L(-1). This study supported the feasibility of using anammox granules to treat antibiotic-containing wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Irradiation effect of different heavy ions and track section on the silkworm Bombyx mori

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tu Zhenli; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Kiguchi, Kenji; Watanabe, Hiroshi

    2003-01-01

    In order to compare the irradiation effects of different ions, wandering larvae were whole-body exposed or locally irradiated with 50-MeV 4 He 2+ , 220-MeV 12 C 5+ , and 350-MeV 20 Ne 8+ ions, respectively. For the whole-body-exposed individuals, the survival rates at the cocooning, pupation, and emergence stages all decreased as dose increased, and a range-dependent difference was clearly observed. For local irradiation of ovaries, irradiation effects depend very strongly on the projectile range. In the case of local irradiation of dermal cells by different track sections of heavy ions, the closer the target was to the high-LET section of the track, the more pronounced were the radiation effects. These results indicated that by selectively using ion species and adjusting the irradiation depth to the target, heavy-ion radiosurgery on particular tissues or organs of small experimental animals can be performed more accurately

  5. Recycling of organic wastes by employing Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Anoop; Garg, V K

    2011-02-01

    This paper reports the recycling of nutrients by vermicomposting of cow dung (CD), poultry droppings (PD) and food industry sludge (FIS) employing earthworms (Eisenia fetida). A total of six vermicomposting units were established and dynamics of chemical and biological parameters has been studied for 13 weeks. The waste mixture containing 50% CD+25% PD+25% FIS had better fertilizer value among studied waste combinations. At the end of experiment, vermicomposts showed decrease in pH and organic C, but increase in EC, total Kjeldhal N, total available P and total K contents. The C:N ratio of final vermicomposts also reduced to 10.7-12.7 from 22.8 to 56 in different waste combinations. The earthworms have good biomass gain and cocoon production in all vermicomposting units but CD alone and 50% CD+25% PD+25% FIS were better than other studied combinations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. An assessment of Osmia rufa (syn. bicornis) as a pollinator of the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) cv. Stevnsbaer in eastern Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansted, Lise; Grout, Brian William Wilson; Toldam-Andersen, Torben Bo

    2014-01-01

    . The remaining 8 pollen types were from entomophilous plants. Based on the results it is estimated that a mean of 220,000 O. rufa cocoons would be needed per hectare if the species were to be an effective, supplementary pollinator of P. cerasus cv. Stevnsbaer. Practical, economic and environmental considerations...... investigates the activity and food preferences of this species during flowering of sour cherry (P. cerasus cv. Stevnsbaer). Female O. rufa provisioned a mean of 2.96 ± 1.44 cells each with 6.24 ± 1.46 pollen types during the receptive period of flowering . In all 17 different pollen types were collected...... of which the most dominant were Salix (41.4% ± 9.34%) and Acer (33.24% ± 8.81%), followed by Betula (8.16% ± 5.08%), P. cerasus (8.16% ± 1.79%) and Fagus (3.56% ± 1.96%). P. cerasus was present in all samples. Nine pollen types were from anemophilous plants and represented 87.94% of the pollen collected...

  7. [Diderot medical chronicler in the Lettres à Sophie Volland].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richard-Pauchet, Odile

    2007-01-01

    The private diary Diderot wrote every week for the benefit of his mistress, Sophie Volland, gives an insight into "illness in letters" in the XVIIIth century. Diderot inserts the long story of his wife's illness (September-October 1762) into his monologue. Indeed, in general, health related topics are commonplace in letters. The health of the author is better expressed in autobiographical writing since this type of text aims to ascertain the author's sincerity: modern scholars have emphasized the "exhibitionism" inherent to Rousseau's Confessions. Diderot was the author of the French translation of Robert James' Dictionary of Medicine, and his continuing interest in the human body is revealed by his depiction of everyday life. The intensely active mind of the philosopher is incapable of locking itself into a love cocoon and Diderot must constantly reassert his presence in the world whatever happens. His correspondence can therefore be considered as an anthropological document containing evidence of the state of medicine in the days when the Encyclopaedia was written.

  8. Effect of Lignite Fly Ash on the Growth and Reproduction of Earthworm Eisenia fetida

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sarojini

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Fly ash is an amorphous ferroalumino silicate, an important solid waste around thermal power plants. It creates problems leading to environmental degradation due to improper utilization or disposal. However, fly ash is a useful ameliorant that may improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils and is a source of readily available plant macro and micronutrients when it is used with biosolids. Supply of nutrients from fly ash with biosolids may enhance their agricultural use. The growth and reproduction of Eisenia fetida was studied during vermicomposting of fly ash with cowdung and pressmud in four different proportions (T1,T2,T3 & T4 and one control i.e., cow dung and pressmud alone. The growth, cocoon and hatchlings production were observed at the interval of 15 days over a period of 60 days. The maximum worm growth and reproduction was observed in bedding material alone. Next to that the T1 was observed as the best mixture for vermiculture.

  9. Effects of C{sub 60} nanoparticle exposure on earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and implications for population dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ploeg, M.J.C. van der, E-mail: merel.vanderploeg@wur.n [Alterra, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalssesteeg 3, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands); Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Tuinlaan 5, 6703 HE, Wageningen (Netherlands); Baveco, J.M.; Hout, A. van der [Alterra, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalssesteeg 3, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands); Bakker, R. [RIKILT, Wageningen UR, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB, Wageningen (Netherlands); Rietjens, I.M.C.M. [Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Tuinlaan 5, 6703 HE, Wageningen (Netherlands); Brink, N.W. van den [Alterra, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalssesteeg 3, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands)

    2011-01-15

    Effects of C{sub 60} nanoparticles (nominal concentrations 0, 15.4 and 154 mg/kg soil) on mortality, growth and reproduction of Lumbricus rubellus earthworms were assessed. C{sub 60} exposure had a significant effect on cocoon production, juvenile growth rate and mortality. These endpoints were used to model effects on the population level. This demonstrated reduced population growth rate with increasing C{sub 60} concentrations. Furthermore, a shift in stage structure was shown for C{sub 60} exposed populations, i.e. a larger proportion of juveniles. This result implies that the lower juvenile growth rate due to exposure to C{sub 60} resulted in a larger proportion of juveniles, despite increased mortality among juveniles. Overall, this study indicates that C{sub 60} exposure may seriously affect earthworm populations. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that juveniles were more sensitive to C{sub 60} exposure than adults. - C{sub 60} nanoparticle exposure can affect Lumbricus rubellus populations.

  10. NGC 3393: multi-component AGN feedback as seen by CHEERS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maksym, W. Peter; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita; Raymond, John C.; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Paggi, Alessandro; Wang, Junfeng; Risaliti, Guido

    2017-01-01

    Due to its low density, moderate ionization, and weak kinematics, the narrow line region (NLR) of active galactic nuclei (AGN) provides poweful diagnostics for investigating AGN feedback. The CHandra Extended Emission line Region Survey (CHEERS) is the ultimate investigation into resolved feedback in the NLR. We present results from our CHEERS investigations of NGC 3393. By imaging extended X-ray line emission of NGC 3393 with Chandra and optical line emission with Hubble's narrow-band filters, we are able to map out the simultaneous impact of photoionization, jets and an AGN disk-wind. When resolved on scales of ~10s of parsecs, the NLR of NGC 3393 shows a complex multi-component medium. Diagnostic line mapping indicates a Low-ionization Emmision Line Region (LINER) cocoon surrounding the outflow-evacuated cavities (in optical) and surrounding the supports the presence of collisional plasma (in X-rays). These physically distinct constituent regions can only be resolved by the high-resolution imaging that Chandra and HST enable.

  11. Mapping Seyfert and LINER Excitation Modes in the Inner kpc of NGC 3393

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maksym, W. Peter; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita; Paggi, Alessandro; Raymond, John; Wang, Junfeng; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa

    2016-09-01

    We mapped the extended narrowline region (ENLR) of NGC 3393 on scales of r≲ 4\\prime\\prime (˜ 1 kpc) from the nucleus using emission line images of Hα λ6563, [O III]λ 5007, and [S II]λ λ 6717,6731, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope as part of the CHandra survey of Extended Emission line Regions in nearby Seyfert galaxies (CHEERS). By mapping these lines onto a spatially resolved Baldwin-Phillips-Terlevich diagram, we investigate the impact of feedback from a Compton-thick active galactic nucleus on its circumnuclear ISM. We find that the expected Seyfert-like emission within the ionization bicone (≲ 3\\prime\\prime ; 770 pc). We also find a new, figure-8-shaped low ionization emission line region (LINER) cocoon enveloping the bicone and defining a sharp (≲ 100 pc) transition between higher and lower-ionization zones. These data illustrate the morphological dependence of ionization states of the ENLR relative to bicone and host gas geometries.

  12. Vermicomposting of herbal pharmaceutical industry waste: earthworm growth, plant-available nutrient and microbial quality of end materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Deepika; Suthar, Surindra

    2012-05-01

    Efforts were made to decompose herbal pharmaceutical industrial waste (HPIW) spiked with cow dung (CD) using Eisenia fetida. A total of five vermibeds: T(1) - HPIW (0%+CD 100%, control), T(2) - HPIW (25%), T(3) - HPIW (50%), T(4) - HPIW (75%) and T(5) - HPIW (100%) were used for vermicomposting. The changes in biology and chemistry of vermibeds were measured after ten days interval. E. fetida showed high growth and cocoon production rate in all vermibeds. The vermicomposted material contained great population of fungi 6.0-40.6 (CFU × 10(5)g(-1)), bacteria 220-1276.0 (CFU × 10(8)g(-1)) and actinomycetes 410.0-2962.0 (CFU × 10(5)g(-1)) than initial material. Vermicomposted material was rich in plant-available forms of nutrients (N-NO(3)(-),PO(4)(3-),available K and SO(4)(-2)). Results suggested that noxious industrial waste can be converted into valuable product for sustainable soil fertility programme. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of Strongly Alkaline Electrolyzed Water on Silk Degumming and the Physical Properties of the Fibroin Fiber.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting-Ting Cao

    Full Text Available Strongly alkaline electrolyzed water (SAEW was prepared by electrolysis of tap water in a laboratory-made water electrolyzer. The pH of stored SAEW was stable for more than one month. The hardness of the electrolyzed water was 30% lower and the Na(+ concentration was 18% higher than those of the tap water. Silkworm cocoon shells were boiled in pH 11.50 SAEW at a ratio of 1∶40∼80 (W/V for 20 min and the sericin layers around the silk fibroin fibers were removed completely. The tensile properties and thermal decomposition temperature of a single filament of silk fibroin obtained by the SAEW method were almost the same as those for the fiber obtained by the neutral soap, and much higher than those for the fiber obtained by Na2CO3 degumming. The results demonstrate that SAEW is an environmentally friendly and pollution-free silk degumming agent that allows highly efficient, low cost recovery of sericin.

  14. Production and properties of electrosprayed sericin nanopowder

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hazeri, Najmeh; Tavanai, Hossein; Moradi, Ali Reza, E-mail: tavanai@cc.iut.ac.ir [Department of Textile Engineering, Centre of Excellence in Applied Nanotechnology, Isfahan, University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2012-06-15

    Sericin is a proteinous substrate that envelops fibroin (silk) fiber, and its recovery provides significant economical and social benefits. Sericin is an antibacterial agent that resists oxidation and absorbs moisture and UV light. In powder form, sericin has a wide range of applications in food, cosmetics and drug delivery. Asides from other techniques of producing powder, such as precipitation and spray drying, electrospraying can yield solid nanoparticles, particularly in the submicron range. Here, we report the production of sericin nanopowder by electrospraying. Sericin sponge was recovered from Bombyx mori cocoons through a high-temperature, high-pressure process, followed by centrifugation and freeze drying of the sericin solution. The electrospraying solution was prepared by dissolving the sericin sponge in dimethyl sulfoxide. We demonstrate that electrospraying is capable of producing sericin nanopowder with an average particle size of 25 nm, which is by far smaller than the particles produced by other techniques. The electrosprayed sericin nanopowder consists of small crystallites and exhibits a high moisture absorbance. (paper)

  15. Characterization of Silver Nanoparticle In Situ Synthesis on Porous Sericin Gel for Antibacterial Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Tao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Sericin from Bombyx mori cocoon has good hydrophilicity, reaction activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, which has shown great potentials for biomedical materials. Here, an ultraviolet light-assisted in situ synthesis approach is developed to immobilize silver nanoparticles on the surface of sericin gel. The amount of silver nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of sericin gel could be regulated by the irradiation time. The porous structure and property of sericin gel were not affected by the modification of AgNPs, as evidenced by the observation of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the modification of AgNPs increased the thermal stability of sericin gel. The growth curve of bacteria and inhibition zone assays suggested that the sericin gel modified with AgNPs had good antimicrobial activities against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This novel sericin has shown a great potential for biomedical purpose.

  16. Stellar Metamorphosis:

    Science.gov (United States)

    2002-01-01

    [TOP LEFT AND RIGHT] The Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 has captured images of the birth of two planetary nebulae as they emerge from wrappings of gas and dust, like butterflies breaking out of their cocoons. These images highlight a fleeting phase in the stellar burnout process, occurring just before dying stars are transformed into planetary nebulae. The left-hand image is the Cotton Candy nebula, IRAS 17150-3224; the right-hand image, the Silkworm nebula, IRAS 17441-2411. Called proto-planetary nebulae, these dying stars have been caught in a transition phase between a red giant and a planetary nebula. This phase is only about 1,000 years long, very short in comparison to the 1 billion-year lifetime of a star. These images provide the earliest snapshots of the transition process. Studying images of proto-planetary nebulae is important to understanding the process of star death. A star begins to die when it has exhausted its thermonuclear fuel - hydrogen and helium. The star then becomes bright and cool (red giant phase) and swells to several tens of times its normal size. It begins puffing thin shells of gas off into space. These shells become the star's cocoon. In the Hubble images, the shells are the concentric rings seen around each nebula. But the images also reveal the nebulae breaking out from those shells. The butterfly-like wings of gas and dust are a common shape of planetary nebulae. Such butterfly shapes are created by the 'interacting winds' process, in which a more recent 'fast wind' - material propelled by radiation from the hot central star - punches a hole in the cocoon, allowing the nebula to emerge. (This 'interacting wind' theory was first proposed by Dr. Sun Kwok to explain the origin of planetary nebulae, and has been subsequently proven successful in explaining their shapes.) The nebulae are being illuminated by light from the invisible central star, which is then reflected toward us. We are viewing the nebulae

  17. Screening for eri silkworm (Samia ricini Donovan ecoraces using morphological characters, growth, yields, and ISSR marker

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duanpen Wongsorn

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The selection of eri silkworm ecoraces with high yield and distinct morphological characters is necessary for variety improvement. The five ecoraces SaKKU1, SaKKU2, SaKKU3, SaKKU4 and SaKKU5 were derived mostly by international academic cooperation. They were cultured using castor leaves of TCO 101 cultivar as food plant at 25±2°C, 80±5% R.H. Based on morphological characters, they are similar, except the body of the 5th instar larva of SaKKU1 is clearly covered with more creamy white powder and the mature larva has a shiny dominant yellow color. The duration of the life cycle among ecoraces was also similar; 46-53 days (SaKKU1, 42-53 days (SaKKU2, 42-52 days (SaKKU3, 40-56 days (SaKKU4 and 41-52 days (SaKKU5. SaKKU1 had the highest survival rate at larval stage (1st – 5th instar (100.00% and larva (1st – 5th instar - adult (88.89%, including the predominant heaviest average larva weight of all instars, 0.0317 g (2nd instar, 0.2206 g (3rd instar, 1.0788 g (4th instar, 4.0102 g (5th instar, and 8.9940 g (5 days of 5th instar, which was significantly different (P<0.05 to other ecoraces. Moreover, this ecorace gave the highest average yields: fresh cocoon weight (3.8016 g, pupa weight (3.2532 g, shell weight (0.5287 g, shell ratio (14.01%, fresh cocoon weight/10,000 larvae (38.01 kg, eggs/moth (531.13 eggs, total eggs (6,375.27 eggs and total hatching eggs (6,006.13 eggs, which was also significantly different (P<0.05 than other ecoraces. Of those properties, especially survival rates and yields, this ecorace (SaKKU1 is favored for further varietal improvement program. In parallel, genetic relationship analysis of eri silkworm ecoraces using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR technique was also carried out. The result revealed from dendrogram analysis that SaKKU1 was the farthest distance than other ecoraces, especially against SaKKU3. Based on all above results, the SaKKU1 ecorace was considered to be the most suitable for heat tolerant

  18. Detection of live larvae in cocoons of Bathyplectes curculionis (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae) using visible/near-infrared multispectral imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shrestha, Santosh; Topbjerg, Henrik Bak; Ytting, Nanna Karkov

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The multispectral (MS) imaging system is a non-destructive method with potential to reduce the labour and time required for quality control in the production of beneficial arthropods such as the parasitoid Bathyplectes curculionis. In Denmark, a project is being undertaken that focuse...

  19. SN 2010jl: Optical to Hard X-ray Observations Reveal an Explosion Embedded In a Ten Solar Mass Cocoon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ofek, Eran O.; Zoglauer, Andreas; Boggs, Steven E.

    2014-01-01

    Some supernovae (SNe) may be powered by the interaction of the SN ejecta with a large amount of circumstellar matter (CSM). However, quantitative estimates of the CSM mass around such SNe are missing when the CSM material is optically thick. Specifically, current estimators are sensitive to uncer......Some supernovae (SNe) may be powered by the interaction of the SN ejecta with a large amount of circumstellar matter (CSM). However, quantitative estimates of the CSM mass around such SNe are missing when the CSM material is optically thick. Specifically, current estimators are sensitive...

  20. SN 2010jl: Optical to hard X-ray observations reveal an explosion embedded in a ten solar mass cocoon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ofek, Eran O.; Gal-Yam, Avishay; Arcavi, Iair; Zoglauer, Andreas; Boggs, Steven E.; Barriére, Nicolas M.; Reynolds, Stephen P.; Fryer, Chris L.; Even, Wesley; Harrison, Fiona A.; Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.; Bellm, Eric; Grefenstette, Brian; Cenko, S. Bradley; Bloom, Joshua S.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Christensen, Finn; Craig, William W.; Hailey, Charles J.; Laher, Russ

    2014-01-01

    Some supernovae (SNe) may be powered by the interaction of the SN ejecta with a large amount of circumstellar matter (CSM). However, quantitative estimates of the CSM mass around such SNe are missing when the CSM material is optically thick. Specifically, current estimators are sensitive to uncertainties regarding the CSM density profile and the ejecta velocity. Here we outline a method to measure the mass of the optically thick CSM around such SNe. We present new visible-light and X-ray observations of SN 2010jl (PTF 10aaxf), including the first detection of an SN in the hard X-ray band using NuSTAR. The total radiated luminosity of SN 2010jl is extreme—at least 9 × 10 50 erg. By modeling the visible-light data, we robustly show that the mass of the circumstellar material within ∼10 16 cm of the progenitor of SN 2010jl was in excess of 10 M ☉ . This mass was likely ejected tens of years prior to the SN explosion. Our modeling suggests that the shock velocity during shock breakout was ∼6000 km s –1 , decelerating to ∼2600 km s –1 about 2 yr after maximum light. Furthermore, our late-time NuSTAR and XMM spectra of the SN presumably provide the first direct measurement of SN shock velocity 2 yr after the SN maximum light—measured to be in the range of 2000-4500 km s –1 if the ions and electrons are in equilibrium, and ≳ 2000 km s –1 if they are not in equilibrium. This measurement is in agreement with the shock velocity predicted by our modeling of the visible-light data. Our observations also show that the average radial density distribution of the CSM roughly follows an r –2 law. A possible explanation for the ≳ 10 M ☉ of CSM and the wind-like profile is that they are the result of multiple pulsational pair instability events prior to the SN explosion, separated from each other by years.

  1. Review structure of silk by raman spectromicroscopy: from the spinning glands to the fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefèvre, Thierry; Paquet-Mercier, François; Rioux-Dubé, Jean-François; Pézolet, Michel

    2012-06-01

    Raman spectroscopy has long been proved to be a useful tool to study the conformation of protein-based materials such as silk. Thanks to recent developments, linearly polarized Raman spectromicroscopy has appeared very efficient to characterize the molecular structure of native single silk fibers and spinning dopes because it can provide information relative to the protein secondary structure, molecular orientation, and amino acid composition. This review will describe recent advances in the study of the structure of silk by Raman spectromicroscopy. A particular emphasis is put on the spider dragline and silkworm cocoon threads, other fibers spun by orb-weaving spiders, the spinning dope contained in their silk glands and the effect of mechanical deformation. Taken together, the results of the literature show that Raman spectromicroscopy is particularly efficient to investigate all aspects of silk structure and production. The data provided can lead to a better understanding of the structure of the silk dope, transformations occurring during the spinning process, and structure and mechanical properties of native fibers. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Biomass-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbons with tailored hierarchical porosity and high specific surface area for high energy and power density supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Junting; Niu, Jin; Liu, Mengyue; Ji, Jing; Dou, Meiling; Wang, Feng

    2018-01-01

    Porous carbon materials with hierarchical structures attract intense interest for the development of high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and efficient strategy to synthesize nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbons with tailored porous structure combined with high specific surface area (SSA), which involves a pre-carbonization and a subsequent carbonization combined with KOH activation of silkworm cocoon precursors. Through adjusting the mass ratio of the activator (KOH) to pre-carbonized precursor in the activation process, the hierarchically porous carbon prepared at the mass ratio of 2 (referred to as NHPC-2) possesses a high defect density and a high SSA of 3386 m2 g-1 as well as the relatively high volumetric proportion of mesopores and macropores (45.5%). As a result, the energy density and power density of the symmetric supercapacitor based on NHPC-2 electrode are as high as 34.41 Wh kg-1 and 31.25 kW kg-1 in organic-solvent electrolyte, and are further improved to 112.1 Wh kg-1 and 23.91 kW kg-1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte.

  3. Gamma radiation effects of 60 Co on Bombyx mori (Lep., Bombycidae) modifying the silk fiber production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carneiro Junior, Francisco; Bendassolli, Jose A.

    1997-01-01

    The present work aimed to verify the biological effects of the application of different doses of gamma radiation during the fifth instar of the silkworm catepillar. Sevently eight silkworm caterpillars (Bombyx mori) were irradiated with γ 60 Co radiation at the initial period of the fifth instar. The caterpillars were divided and classified in six batches of thirteen individuals each. Treatments 1 through 5 received 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 Gy, respectively, and the control, also consisted of thirteen caterpillars, was not irradiated. The results showed a general increase in the silk fiber content in the irradiated batches compared to the control. The weight of the silk cocoons was higher with increasing doses of irradiation, from 20 to 80 Gy, respectively, followed by a decrease in weight in the treatment irradiated with 100 Gy. the results obtained in this experiment enable the conclusion that the radiation applied to the caterpillars significantly influenced the production of silk fiber in this species. (author). 4 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

  4. A Cu tolerant population of the earthworm Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny, 1862) at Coniston Copper Mines, Cumbria, UK

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnold, R.E.; Hodson, M.E.; Langdon, C.J.

    2008-01-01

    Dendrodrilus rubidus were sampled from a mine spoil soil at Coniston Copper Mine, an abandoned Cu mine in Cumbria, UK and a Cu-free control site. Earthworms were maintained for 14 d in both Kettering loam and a Moorland soil amended with Cu nitrate. Mortality, condition index, weight change and tissue concentration were determined. In both soils D. rubidus native to the mine site were able to tolerate significantly higher soil Cu concentrations (MWRT, p ≤ 0.001), and exhibited significantly less change in weight (t-test, p ≤ 0.001) and a lower loss in condition (t-test, p ≤ 0.001) than control earthworms. For a given soil Cu concentration tissue Cu concentrations were greater in the mine site earthworms. Low cocoon production and viability from the mine site population prevented the determination of toxicity parameters on the F1 generation and may be an indicator of the cost of tolerance to the population. - Dendrodrilus rubidus at an abandoned Cu mine tolerates high Cu concentrations by accumulating more Cu before toxic effects occur compared to non-native populations

  5. Impact of Cultivation and Subsequent Burial on Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Conotrachelus nenuphar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baughman, William B; Nelson, Peter N; Grieshop, Matthew J

    2015-06-01

    We assessed the efficacy of cultivation as a potential management strategy for codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in apple orchards. Cocooned codling moth pupae and thinning apples infested with plum curculio larvae were cultivated over in the field. Emergence, percent burial, damage to buried fruit, and depth of burial was recorded. In the laboratory, both insects were buried at variable depths in sand and potting soil and emergence was measured. A greater proportion of plum curculio larvae buried in infested fruit under laboratory conditions survived to adulthood compared with unburied infested fruit, down to 15 cm. No codling moth adults emerged from under 1 cm or more of sand. Buried codling moth larvae experienced drastically reduced survival to adulthood compared with unburied larvae. These results indicate that strip cultivation may negatively impact codling moth diapausing larvae and pupae on the ground, but not likely to negatively impact plum curculio in infested dropped apples. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

  6. Combined Effect of Cameo2 and CBP on the Cellular Uptake of Lutein in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Xiao-Long; Chai, Chun-Li; Pan, Cai-Xia; Tang, Hui; Chen, Yan-Hong; Dai, Fang-Yin; Pan, Min-Hui; Lu, Cheng

    2014-01-01

    Formation of yellow-red color cocoons in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, occurs as the result of the selective delivery of carotenoids from the midgut to the silk gland via the hemolymph. This process of pigment transport is thought to be mediated by specific cellular carotenoids carrier proteins. Previous studies indicated that two proteins, Cameo2 and CBP, are associated with the selective transport of lutein from the midgut into the silk gland in Bombyx mori. However, the exact roles of Cameo2 and CBP during the uptake and transport of carotenoids are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the respective contributions of these two proteins to lutein and β-carotene transport in Bombyx mori as well as commercial cell-line. We found that tissues, expressed both Cameo2 and CBP, accumulate lutein. Cells, co-expressed Cameo2 and CBP, absorb 2 fold more lutein (PBombyx mori. Cameo2 and CBP, as the membrane protein and the cytosol protein, respectively, have the combined effect to facilitate the cellular uptake of lutein. PMID:24475153

  7. Gamma radiation effects of {sup 60} Co on Bombyx mori (Lep., Bombycidae) modifying the silk fiber production; Influencia da radiacao gama ({sup 60} Co) na producao de fios de seda em Bombyx mori(Lep.,Bombycidae)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carneiro Junior, Francisco [Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (UNIMEP), SP (Brazil); Bendassolli, Jose A. [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)

    1997-12-01

    The present work aimed to verify the biological effects of the application of different doses of gamma radiation during the fifth instar of the silkworm catepillar. Sevently eight silkworm caterpillars (Bombyx mori) were irradiated with {gamma}{sup 60} Co radiation at the initial period of the fifth instar. The caterpillars were divided and classified in six batches of thirteen individuals each. Treatments 1 through 5 received 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 Gy, respectively, and the control, also consisted of thirteen caterpillars, was not irradiated. The results showed a general increase in the silk fiber content in the irradiated batches compared to the control. The weight of the silk cocoons was higher with increasing doses of irradiation, from 20 to 80 Gy, respectively, followed by a decrease in weight in the treatment irradiated with 100 Gy. the results obtained in this experiment enable the conclusion that the radiation applied to the caterpillars significantly influenced the production of silk fiber in this species. (author). 4 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

  8. Description of the pupal case of Systropus (Systropus nitidus Wiedemann, 1830 (Diptera, Bombyliidae, Toxophorinae, Systropodini

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Fernanda Motta Rodrigues

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The pupal case of Systropus (Systropus nitidus Wiedemann reared from an unidentified tipical Limacodidae (Lepidoptera cocoon is described and illustrated for the first time. Only species of Limacodidae are recorded as host of the immature stages of S. (Systropus. The geographical distribution of S. (Systropus nitidus is restricted to Brazil, from Pará to Santa Catarina states. This is the first pupal case description and illustration of a Neotropical species of the subgenus Systropus.O pupário de Systropus (Systropus nitidus Wiedemann, originado de uma crisálida não identificada típica de Limacodidae (Lepidoptera, é descrito e ilustrado pela primeira vez. Somente espécies de Limacodidae são registradas como hospedeiros de estágios imaturos de S. (Systropus. A distribuição geográfica de S. (Systropus nitidus é restrita ao Brasil, do estado do Pará ao de Santa Catarina. Esta é a primeira descrição e ilustração de pupário de uma espécie Neotropical do subgênero Systropus.

  9. Dermatologic Diseases in Silk Workers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J S Pasricha

    1985-01-01

    Full Text Available A survey of 112 workers of a silk facory near Bangalore, for dermatologic diseases revealed (1 a characteristic wearing off of the medial halves of the distal free edges of the finger nail plates in 10 of the 15 cocoonsorters, (2 maceration of the palms in 58 workers of the boiling and reeling section, and (3 pitted keratolysis of the palms, in 42 workers, also from the boiling and reeling section. There was no clinical evidence of contact dermatitis, and patch tests with the silk thread from the cocoons in 25 workers showed a very mild reaction in 2 workers and a doubtful reaction in another two. In addition, one worker from the skeining section had crisscross superficial fissures on the finger tips caused by friction, two workers had paronychia ′of the fingers and four workers had dermatophytFNx01t fingers webs. As in the previous survey, these workers also had a high incidence of ichthyosis (92 workers and hyperketatosis of the palms (62 workers and soles (110 workers.

  10. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide type 1 (PAC1) receptor is expressed during embryonic development of the earthworm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boros, Akos; Somogyi, Ildikó; Engelmann, Péter; Lubics, Andrea; Reglodi, Dóra; Pollák, Edit; Molnár, László

    2010-03-01

    Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP)-like molecules have been shown to be present in cocoon albumin and in Eisenia fetida embryos at an early developmental stage (E1) by immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. Here, we focus on detecting the stage at which PAC1 receptor (PAC1R)-like immunoreactivity first appears in germinal layers and structures, e.g., various parts of the central nervous system (CNS), in developing earthworm embryos. PAC1R-like immunoreactivity was revealed by Western blot and Far Western blot as early as the E2 developmental stage, occurring in the ectoderm and later in specific neurons of the developing CNS. Labeled CNS neurons were first seen in the supraesophageal ganglion (brain) and subsequently in the subesophageal and ventral nerve cord ganglia. Ultrastructurally, PAC1Rs were located mainly on plasma membranes and intracellular membranes, especially on cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, PACAP-like compounds probably influence the differentiation of germinal layers (at least the ectoderm) and of some neurons and might act as signaling molecules during earthworm embryonic development.

  11. Dextrose modified flexible tasar and muga fibroin films for wound healing applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Chandra Mohan; Purwar, Roli; Gupta, Anuradha; Sharma, Deepak

    2017-06-01

    This paper is focused on preparation and characterization of regenerated muga and tasar fibroin flexible films from cocoon using ionic liquid. These flexible muga and tasar fibroin films were prepared by incorporating dextrose (5 to 15% w/w) as plasticizer. The mechanical, thermal, physical, morphological and biological properties of dextrose plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films were characterized. These plasticized films showed higher elongation at break as well as water holding capacity as compared to the un-plasticized films. The surface roughness and water absorbance capacity of the dextrose plasticized films were higher than un-plasticized films, which results in improved adherence and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells. Gentamicin loaded plasticized muga and tasar fibroin films showed slightly higher rate of release as compared to un-plasticized films. The biodegradability of dextrose plasticized films was significantly higher as compared to their respective counterpart. The regeneration of flexible muga and tasar silk fibroin films pave the way to expand potential use of non-mulberry in the field of biomedical such as wound dressing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Diversity in copy number and structure of a silkworm morphogenetic gene as a result of domestication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakudoh, Takashi; Nakashima, Takeharu; Kuroki, Yoko; Fujiyama, Asao; Kohara, Yuji; Honda, Naoko; Fujimoto, Hirofumi; Shimada, Toru; Nakagaki, Masao; Banno, Yutaka; Tsuchida, Kozo

    2011-03-01

    The carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, a major determinant of cocoon color, is likely to have been substantially influenced by domestication of this species. We analyzed the structure of the CBP gene in multiple strains of B. mori, in multiple individuals of the wild silkworm, B. mandarina (the putative wild ancestor of B. mori), and in a number of other lepidopterans. We found the CBP gene copy number in genomic DNA to vary widely among B. mori strains, ranging from 1 to 20. The copies of CBP are of several types, based on the presence of a retrotransposon or partial deletion of the coding sequence. In contrast to B. mori, B. mandarina was found to possess a single copy of CBP without the retrotransposon insertion, regardless of habitat. Several other lepidopterans were found to contain sequences homologous to CBP, revealing that this gene is evolutionarily conserved in the lepidopteran lineage. Thus, domestication can generate significant diversity of gene copy number and structure over a relatively short evolutionary time. © 2011 by the Genetics Society of America

  13. Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and Its Importance in Sericulture, Food Consumption, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenli; Zhang, Zhengyao; Lin, Lan; Terenius, Olle

    2017-08-01

    Sericulture was developed in China in ancient times. Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville was domesticated at least 2,000 yr ago, and Chinese farmers developed artificial rearing of A. pernyi before the 17th century. Today, >60,000 tons of cocoons are produced in China each year, which accounts for 90% of the world production. Despite the widespread utilization of A. pernyi in China and a long history of domestic research, the knowledge of A. pernyi outside China is limited. Therefore, we have in this paper summarized the production, usage, and breeding of A. pernyi. The foremost usage of A. pernyi is as silk producers; however, about 55-70% is used for other purposes. In this paper, we give examples of how the different developmental stages are used as a food source for human consumption and in traditional Chinese medicine, both directly in different preparations and also as a nutrient source for rearing medicinal fungi. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of different SnO2 microspheres on graphene oxide sheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Jia; Xue, Shaolin; Xie, Pei; Zou, Rujia

    2016-07-01

    Different SnO2 microspheres like dandelions, silkworm cocoons and urchins have been synthesized on graphene oxide sheets (GOs) by hydrothermal method at 190 °C for 24 h. The morphologies, structures, chemical compositions and optical properties of the as-grown SnO2 microspheres on GOs (SMGs) were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Raman spectra and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) techniques. The results of XRD revealed that the as-grown SnO2 microspheres have tetragonal rutile structure. The results of Raman spectra, EDS, XRD, XPS and SEM showed that the SnO2 microspheres were grown on GOs and the average diameter of dandelion-like microsphere was about 1.5 μm. The formation mechanism of SnO2 microspheres grown on GOs was discussed. The photocatalytic activity of the SMGs composites was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic results showed that the dandelion-like SMGs exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than those of smooth and rough SMGs.

  15. Novel hierarchically porous carbon materials obtained from natural biopolymer as host matrixes for lithium-sulfur battery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bin; Xiao, Min; Wang, Shuanjin; Han, Dongmei; Song, Shuqin; Chen, Guohua; Meng, Yuezhong

    2014-08-13

    Novel hierarchically porous carbon materials with very high surface areas, large pore volumes and high electron conductivities were prepared from silk cocoon by carbonization with KOH activation. The prepared novel porous carbon-encapsulated sulfur composites were fabricated by a simple melting process and used as cathodes for lithium sulfur batteries. Because of the large surface area and hierarchically porous structure of the carbon material, soluble polysulfide intermediates can be trapped within the cathode and the volume expansion can be alleviated effectively. Moreover, the electron transport properties of the carbon materials can provide an electron conductive network and promote the utilization rate of sulfur in cathode. The prepared carbon-sulfur composite exhibited a high specific capacity and excellent cycle stability. The results show a high initial discharge capacity of 1443 mAh g(-1) and retain 804 mAh g(-1) after 80 discharge/charge cycles at a rate of 0.5 C. A Coulombic efficiency retained up to 92% after 80 cycles. The prepared hierarchically porous carbon materials were proven to be an effective host matrix for sulfur encapsulation to improve the sulfur utilization rate and restrain the dissolution of polysulfides into lithium-sulfur battery electrolytes.

  16. An optically transparent, flexible, patterned and conductive silk biopolymer film (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umar, Muhammad; Min, Kyungtaek; Kim, Sunghwan

    2017-02-01

    Transparent, flexible, and conducting films are of great interest for wearable electronics. For better biotic/abiotic interface, the films to integrate the electronics components requires the patterned surface conductors with optical transparency, smoothness, good electrical conductivity, along with the biofriendly traits of films. We focus on silk fibroin, a natural biopolymer extracted from the Bombyx mori cocoons, for this bioelectronics applications. Here we report an optically transparent, flexible, and patterned surface conductor on a silk film by burying a silver nanowires (AgNW) network below the surface of the silk film. The conducting silk film reveals high optical transparency of 80% and the excellent electronic conductivity of 15 Ω/sq, along with smooth surface. The integration of light emitting diode (LED) chip on the patterned electrodes confirms that the current can flow through the transparent and patterned electrodes on the silk film, and this result shows an application for integration of functional electronic/opto-electronic devices. Additionally, we fabricate a transparent and flexible radio frequency (RF) antenna and resistor on a silk film and apply these as a food sensor by monitoring the increasing resistance by the flow of gases from the spoiled food.

  17. Room temperature synthesis of an optically and thermally responsive hybrid PNIPAM-gold nanoparticle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morones, J. Ruben; Frey, Wolfgang

    2010-01-01

    Composites of metal nanoparticles and environmentally sensitive polymers are useful as nanoactuators that can be triggered externally using light of a particular wavelength. We demonstrate a synthesis route that is easier than grafting techniques and allows for the in situ formation of individual gold nanoparticles encapsulated by an environmentally sensitive polymer, while also providing a strong interaction between the polymer and the metal particle. We present a one-pot, room-temperature synthesis route for gold metal nanoparticles that uses poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide as the capping and stabilizing agent and ascorbic acid as the reducing agent and achieves size control similar to the most common citric acid synthesis. We show that the composite can be precipitated reversibly by temperature or light using the non-radiative decay and conversion to heat of the surface plasmon resonance of the metal nanoparticle. The precipitation is induced by the collapse of the polymer cocoon surrounding each gold nanoparticle, as can be seen by surface plasmon spectroscopy. The experiments agree with theoretical models for the heat generation in a colloidal suspension that support fast switching with low laser power densities. The synthesized composite is a simple nanosized opto-thermal switch.

  18. Developing Professional Skills in a Third-Year Undergraduate Chemistry Course Offered in Western Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Jeffrey G.; Kagi, Robert I.; Phillips, David N.

    1998-10-01

    "This unit gave me a broad industrial view of the chemical world and I am grateful for the professional skills I gained." That is the response of one graduate several years after he had taken the "Chemistry and Technology" unit that we present in the third year of the undergraduate chemistry course at Western Australia's Curtin University of Technology. Students in tertiary education are effectively "cocooned from the real world". There is a growing need for a teaching that links students to situations they will encounter upon gaining employment. The Chemistry and Technology unit has been developed over a 12-year period and is presented in the final semester of the course. It comprises six modules and is taught by lecturers from industry and the staff of the School. The Professional Practice, Consumer Chemistry, and Environmental modules are ones that most teachers could consider in their course. The other three modules are specific to Western Australia's needs, but could be modified or replaced to cater to other employment circumstances. A survey of recent graduates yielded complimentary responses to the appropriateness of such a unit in the course.

  19. Identification of 2nd chromosome region translocated onto the W chromosome by RFLP with EST-cDNA clones in the Gensei-kouken strains of the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sivaramakurup Sreekumar

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In silkworms, sex-limited strains are either obtained spontaneously or induced by X-rays or gamma rays. When a fragment of an autosome carrying a dominant allele of those genes responsible for certain characters is translocated onto a W chromosome, the female of the successive generations will express these phenotypic characters and sex discrimination can be facilitated. Gensei-kouken strains are sex-limited strains of silkworms developed by irradiating the pupae with gamma rays, by which a portion of the second chromosome is translocated onto the W chromosome. In these improved strains, the females are yellow-blooded and spin yellow cocoons. By using the EST-cDNA clones mapped on the Z chromosome, we identified the sex according to the polymorphic banding pattern or intensity of the signals. Furthermore, by using the clones on the second chromosome, the region of the second chromosome translocated onto the W chromosome was also defined. In both the A95 and A 96 strains selected for the present study, only the mid-portion of the second chromosome was translocated. The differences in length of the fragments translocated in these strains are discussed.

  20. HIGH ENERGY NEUTRINOS PRODUCED IN THE ACCRETION DISKS BY NEUTRONS FROM NUCLEI DISINTEGRATED IN THE AGN JETS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bednarek, W., E-mail: bednar@uni.lodz.pl [Department of Astrophysics, The University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, ul. Pomorska 149/153 (Poland)

    2016-12-20

    We investigate the consequences of acceleration of nuclei in jets of active galaxies not far from the surface of an accretion disk. The nuclei can be accelerated in the re-connection regions in the jet and/or at the jet boundary, between the relativistic jet and its cocoon. It is shown that the relativistic nuclei can efficiently fragment onto specific nucleons in collisions with the disk radiation. Neutrons, directed toward the accretion disk, take a significant part of energy from the relativistic nuclei. These neutrons develop a cascade in the dense accretion disk. We calculate the neutrino spectra produced in such a hadronic cascade within the accretion disk. We propose that the neutrinos produced in such a scenario, from the whole population of super-massive black holes in active galaxies, can explain the extragalactic neutrino background recently measured by the IceCube neutrino detector, provided that a 5% fraction of galaxies have an active galactic nucleus and a few percent of neutrons reach the accretion disk. We predict that the neutrino signals in the present neutrino detectors, produced in terms of such a model, will not be detectable even from the nearby radio galaxies similar to M87.

  1. Hostplant suitability and defensive chemistry of the Catalpa sphinx, Ceratomia catalpae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowers, M Deane

    2003-10-01

    The growth and survival of the Catalpa sphinx, Ceratomia catalpae (Sphingidae), were measured on five different species of Catalpa: C. bignonioides, C. bungeii, C. fargeseii, C. ovata, and C. speciosa. Larval growth varied significantly among these host plant species; however, survival did not differ. Quantification of the iridoid glycoside content of larvae, pupae, adults, larval frass, and leaves of the larval host plant, C. bignonioides, by gas chromatography showed that leaves contained both catalpol and catalposide; larvae, pupae, and frass contained only catalpol; and the adults contained no detectable iridoid glycosides. Amounts were highest in the larvae and declined in the pupal stage. Very small amounts of catalpol were detected in adults of the parasitoid, Cotesia congregata, and in the silken cocoons. The hemolymph in which the parasitoid larvae grew contained over 50% dry weight catalpol. Larvae of C. catalpae often regurgitate when disturbed. This may serve as a defense against predators. A comparison of the growth of larvae pinched with forceps to induce regurgitation with those that were not so treated showed that larvae that were pinched, and usually regurgitated, grew significantly more slowly than those that were not.

  2. Timing of autophagy and apoptosis during posterior silk gland degeneration in Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montali, Aurora; Romanelli, Davide; Cappellozza, Silvia; Grimaldi, Annalisa; de Eguileor, Magda; Tettamanti, Gianluca

    2017-07-01

    Over the years, the silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been manipulated by means of chemical and genetic approaches to improve silk production both quantitatively and qualitatively. The silk is produced by the silk gland, which degenerates quickly once the larva has finished spinning the cocoon. Thus, interfering with this degeneration process could help develop new technologies aimed at ameliorating silk yield. To this end, in this work we studied the cell death processes that lead to the demise of the posterior silk gland of B. mori, directing in particular our attention to autophagy and apoptosis. We focused on this portion of the gland because it produces fibroin, the main component of the silk thread. By using multiple markers, we provide a morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization of the apoptotic and autophagic processes and define their timing in this biological setting. Our data demonstrate that the activation of both autophagy and apoptosis is preceded by a transcriptional rise in key regulatory genes. Moreover, while autophagy is maintained active for several days and progressively digests silk gland cells, apoptosis is only switched on at a very late stage of silk gland demise. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Biotransformation effect of Bombyx Mori L. may play an important role in treating diabetic nephropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Zhang, La; Li, Yin; Guo, Xin-Feng; Liu, Xu-Sheng

    2016-11-01

    Compared with herbal drugs, medicine processed from animals (animal medicine) was thought to have more bioactive substances and higher activities. Biotransformation effect often plays an important role in their effect. However, researches about effect of animal medicine on diabetic nephropathy and applying animal medicine as natural bio-transformer were seldom reported. The purpose of this paper was to reveal the use of Bombyx Mori L. on diabetic nephropathy from ancient to modern times. The classical literature indicated that Saosi Decoction (), which contains Bombyx Mori L. or silkworm cocoon, was applied to treat disorders congruent with modern disease diabetic nephropathy from the Ming to Qing Dynasty in ancient China. Modern studies showed that Bombyx Mori L. contains four main active constituents. Among these, 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and quercetin showed promising potential to be new agents in diabetic nephropathy treatment. The concentrations of 1-DNJ and the activities of quercetin in Bombyx Mori L. are higher than in mulberry leaves, because of the biotransformation in the Bombyx Mori L. body. However, these specifific components need further human and mechanistic studies to determine their therapeutic potential for this challenging condition.

  4. Analysis of proteome dynamics inside the silk gland lumen of Bombyx mori

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Zhaoming; Zhao, Ping; Zhang, Yan; Song, Qianru; Zhang, Xiaolu; Guo, Pengchao; Wang, Dandan; Xia, Qingyou

    2016-01-01

    The silk gland is the only organ where silk proteins are synthesized and secreted in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Silk proteins are stored in the lumen of the silk gland for around eight days during the fifth instar. Determining their dynamic changes is helpful for clarifying the secretion mechanism of silk proteins. Here, we identified the proteome in the silk gland lumen using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and demonstrated its changes during two key stages. From day 5 of the fifth instar to day 1 of wandering, the abundances of fibroins, sericins, seroins, and proteins of unknown functions increased significantly in different compartments of the silk gland lumen. As a result, these accumulated proteins constituted the major cocoon components. In contrast, the abundances of enzymes and extracellular matrix proteins decreased in the silk gland lumen, suggesting that they were not the structural constituents of silk. Twenty-five enzymes may be involved in the regulation of hormone metabolism for proper silk gland function. In addition, the metabolism of other non-proteinous components such as chitin and pigment were also discussed in this study. PMID:27102218

  5. Can the silkworm (Bombyx mori) be used as a human disease model?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabunoki, Hiroko; Bono, Hidemasa; Ito, Katsuhiko; Yokoyama, Takeshi

    2016-02-01

    Bombyx mori (silkworm) is the most famous lepidopteran in Japan. B. mori has long been used in the silk industry and also as a model insect for agricultural research. In recent years, B. mori has attracted interest in its potential for use in pathological analysis of model animals. For example, the human macular carotenoid transporter was discovered using information of B. mori carotenoid transporter derived from yellow-cocoon strain. The B. mori carotenoid transport system is useful in human studies. To develop a human disease model, we characterized the human homologs of B. mori, and by constructing KAIKO functional annotation pipeline, and to analyze gene expression profile of a unique B. mori mutant strain using microarray analysis. As a result, we identified a novel molecular network involved in Parkinson's disease. Here we describe the potential use of a spontaneous mutant silkworm strain as a human disease model. We also summarize recent progress in the application of genomic information for annotation of human homologs in B. mori. The B. mori mutant will provide a clue to pathological mechanisms, and the findings will be helpful for the development of therapies and for medical drug discovery.

  6. NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURST PRODUCTION IN BINARY NEUTRON STAR MERGERS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murguia-Berthier, Ariadna; Montes, Gabriela; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico; De Colle, Fabio; Lee, William H.

    2014-01-01

    The central engine of short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs) is hidden from direct view, operating at a scale much smaller than that probed by the emitted radiation. Thus we must infer its origin not only with respect to the formation of the trigger—the actual astrophysical configuration that is capable of powering an sGRB—but also from the consequences that follow from the various evolutionary pathways that may be involved in producing it. Considering binary neutron star mergers we critically evaluate, analytically and through numerical simulations, whether the neutrino-driven wind produced by the newly formed hyper-massive neutron star can allow the collimated relativistic outflow that follows its collapse to actually produce an sGRB or not. Upon comparison with the observed sGRB duration distribution, we find that collapse cannot be significantly delayed (≤100 ms) before the outflow is choked, thus limiting the possibility that long-lived hyper-massive remnants can account for these events. In the case of successful breakthrough of the jet through the neutrino-driven wind, the energy stored in the cocoon could contribute to the precursor and extended emission observed in sGRBs

  7. Radio Jets Clearing the Way Through a Galaxy: Watching Feedback in Action in the Seyfert Galaxy IC 5063

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morganti, R.; Oosterloo, T. A.; Oonk, J. B. R.; Frieswijk, W.; Tadhunter, C. N.

    2015-12-01

    High-resolution (0.5 arcsec) CO(2-1) observations performed with the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array have been used to trace the kinematics of the molecular gas in the Seyfert 2 galaxy{IC 5063}. Although one of the most radio-loud Seyfert galaxy, IC 5063 is a relatively weak radio source (P1.4GHz=3 ×1023 W Hz-1). The data reveal that the kinematics of the gas is very complex. A fast outflow of molecular gas extends along the entire radio jet (˜ 1 kpc), with the highest outflow velocities about 0.5 kpc from the nucleus, at the location of the brighter hot-spot in the W lobe. All the observed characteristics can be described by a scenario of a radio plasma jet expanding into a clumpy medium, interacting directly with the clouds and inflating a cocoon that drives a lateral outflow into the interstellar medium. This suggests that most of the observed cold molecular outflow is due to fast cooling of the gas after the passage of a shock and that it is the end product of the cooling process.

  8. As-resistance in laboratory-reared F1, F2 and F3 generation offspring of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus inhabiting an As-contaminated mine soil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Langdon, C.J., E-mail: clangdon1@btinternet.co [C/O The Open University in the North, Baltic Buiness Quarter, Abbots Hill, Gateshead NE8 3DF (United Kingdom); Morgan, A.J., E-mail: morganaj1@cardiff.ac.u [Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, P.O. Box 913, Cardiff CF11 3TL, Wales (United Kingdom); Charnock, J.M., E-mail: john.charnock@manchester.ac.u [STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Semple, K.T., E-mail: k.semple@lancaster.ac.u [Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom); Lowe, C.N., E-mail: cnlowe@uclan.ac.u [School of Built and Natural Environment, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE (United Kingdom)

    2009-11-15

    Previous studies provided no unequivocal evidence demonstrating that field populations of Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister (1843), exhibit genetically inherited resistance to As-toxicity. In this study F1, F2 and F3 generation offspring derived from adults inhabiting As-contaminated field soil were resistant when exposed to 2000 mg kg{sup -1} sodium arsenate. The offspring of uncontaminated adults were not As-resistant. Cocoon viability was 80% for F1 and 82% for F2 offspring from As-contaminated adults and 59% in the F1 control population. High energy synchrotron analysis was used to determine whether ligand complexation of As differed in samples of: resistant mine-site adults, the resistant F1 and F2 offspring of the mine-site earthworms exposed to the LC{sub 25} sodium arsenate (700 mg kg{sup -1}) of the F1 parental generation; and adult L. rubellus from an uncontaminated site exposed to LC{sub 25} concentrations of sodium arsenate (50 mg kg{sup -1}). XANES and EXAFS indicated that As was present as a sulfur-coordinated species. - As-resistance in F1, F2 and F3 offspring of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus.

  9. From the Big Bang to the Nobel Prize and on to the James Webb Space Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mather, John C.

    2008-01-01

    The history of the universe in a nutshell, from the Big Bang to now. and on to the future - John Mather will tell the story of how we got here, how the Universe began with a Big Bang, how it could have produced an Earth where sentient beings can live, and how those beings are discovering their history. Mather was Project Scientist for NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, which measured the spectrum (the color) of the heat radiation from the Big Bang, discovered hot and cold spots in that radiation, and hunted for the first objects that formed after the great explosion. He will explain Einstein's biggest mistake, show how Edwin Hubble discovered the expansion of the univerre, how the COBE mission was built, and how the COBE data support the Big Bang theory. He will also show NASA's plans for the next great telescope in space, the Jarnes Webb Space Telescope. It will look even farther back in time than the Hubble Space Telescope, and will look inside the dusty cocoons where rtars and planets are being born today. Planned for launch in 2013, it may lead to another Nobel Prize for some lucky observer.

  10. Fabrication of Antibacterial Wound Dressings from Silk Fibroin and Silver Nano particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uttayarat, P.; Jetawattana, S.; Suwanmala, P.; Eamsiri, J.; Pongpat, S.

    2011-06-01

    Full text: Patients with burn wounds that cover large body surface area are susceptible to infection which can lead to fatality. Wound dressings or skin grafts are needed to cover the wound during the regeneration of new skin tissue. The aim of this research is to fabricate antibacterial wound dressings from silk fibroin derived from the natural silk cocoon and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) prepared by gamma irradiation. Fibroin mats composed of nonwoven fibers with diameter of 670± 11.5 nm were fabricated by electro spinning. Using gamma irradiation, the starting silver nitrate solution was reduced to colloidal AgNPs. The fibroin mats were coated with AgNPs at various AgNP concentration and then evaluated for their antibacterial property by disc diffusion test. The concentration of colloidal AgNP solution ≤ 1 mM was found to be as sufficient in inhibiting the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus as commercial wound dressings embedded with silver ions. These results demonstrate that electro spun fibroin mats coated with AgNPs exhibite antibacterial property and can be further developed for the treatment of burn wounds

  11. [Whooping cough in Spain. Current epidemiology, prevention and control strategies. Recommendations by the Pertussis Working Group].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campins, Magda; Moreno-Pérez, David; Gil-de Miguel, Angel; González-Romo, Fernando; Moraga-Llop, Fernando A; Arístegui-Fernández, Javier; Goncé-Mellgren, Anna; Bayas, José M; Salleras-Sanmartí, Lluís

    2013-04-01

    A large increase of pertussis incidence has been observed in recent years in countries with high vaccination coverage. Outbreaks of pertussis are increasingly being reported. The age presentation has a bipolar distribution: infants younger 6months that have not initiated or completed a vaccination schedule, and adolescents and adults, due to the lost of natural or vaccine immunity over time. These epidemiological changes justify the need to adopt new vaccination strategies in order to protect young infants and to reduce pertussis incidence in all age groups. Adolescents and adults immunization must be a priority. In the first group, strategy is easy to implement, and with a very low additional cost (to replace dT vaccine by dTap one). Adult vaccination may be more difficult to implement; dT vaccine decennial booster should be replaced by dTap. The immunization of household contacts of newborn infants (cocooning) is the strategy that has a most important impact on infant pertussis. Recently, pregnant women vaccination (after 20weeks of gestation) has been recommended in some countries as the most effective way to protect the newborn. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  12. Pertussis Serodiagnosis in Belgium from 1990 to 2009 ▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Muriel; Rodeghiero, Caroline; Eylenbosch, Romain; Mans, Yvan; Swalus-Steenhouwer, Jeannine; Piérard, Denis; Huygen, Kris; Vanhoof, Raymond

    2011-01-01

    Diagnosis of pertussis by culture and PCR is most sensitive when performed on nasopharyngeal specimens collected pertussis in Belgium from 1990 to 2009. In total, 13,163 patients were analyzed for Bordetella pertussis-specific antibodies by agglutination, complement fixation, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. The number of positive pertussis cases detected by serodiagnosis ranged between 50 and 150 annually. The mean age of positive cases increased from 9.9 years in 1990 to 33.9 years in 2009. Whereas from 1990 to 2003, children and young adolescents made up the majority of cases, from 2004 onwards, cases were detected in all age groups and the distribution became bimodal, with a first peak at the age of 10 to 20 years and a second at the age of 35 to 50 years. In contrast, patients diagnosed since 2001 by PCR and/or culture were mostly children younger than 1 year of age. Despite extensive childhood vaccination campaigns, whooping cough is still present in Belgium. Our findings confirm the potential role of adults in the continued transmission of pertussis and strongly warrant booster or cocoon vaccinations in older age groups. PMID:21346057

  13. Pertussis: A Review of Disease Epidemiology Worldwide and in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanni Gabutti

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Pertussis continues to be a relevant public-health issue. The high coverage rates achieved have decreased the spread of the pathogen, but the waning of immunity implies a relevant role of adolescents and adults in the infective dynamics as they may represent a significant source of infection for unvaccinated or incompletely immunized newborns. The passive surveillance system is affected by many limitations. The underestimation of pertussis in adolescents, young adults and adults is mainly related to the atypical clinical characteristics of cases and the lack of lab confirmation. The real epidemiological impact of pertussis is not always perceived, anyway, the unavailability of comprehensive data should not hamper the adoption of active prophylactic interventions aimed at preventing the impact of waning immunity on pertussis. To avoid an increase of the mean age of acquisition of the infection, a booster dose of low-antigen content combined vaccine should be adopted in adolescents and adults. A decreased risk of infection in newborns can be achieved with the cocoon strategy, although the debate on this aspect is still open and enhanced surveillance and further studies are needed to fine-tune the pertussis prevention strategy.

  14. [Modification of pertussis vaccination schedule in Chile, immunization of special groups and control strategies: Commentary from the Consultive Committee of Immunizations of The Chilean Society of Infectious Diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potin, Marcela; Cerda, Jaime; Contreras, Lily; Muñoz, Alma; Ripoll, Erna; Vergara, Rodrigo

    2012-06-01

    In Chile, an increased number of notifications of cases of whooping cough was detected at the beginning of October 2010, and maintained through 2012. Accumulated cases during 2011 were 2,581 (15.0 per 100,000), which is greater than the number of cases registered during the period 2008-2010 (2,460 cases). On the other hand, the local sanitary authority introduced a modification of pertussis vaccination schedule (starting 2012), which consists in the replacement of the second booster of pertussis vaccine (DTwP, administered to 4-year-old children) as well as diphtheria-tetanus toxoid (dT, administered to second grade scholars) for an acellular pertussis vaccine with reduced antigenic content (dTpa), which will be administrated to first grade scholars. The Consultive Committee of Immunizations considers that the modification is adequate, since it extends the age of protection, reducing at least in theory the infection in older scholars and adolescents -who are significant sources of transmission of Bordetella pertussis to infants- using an adequate vaccine formulation (acellular pertussis vaccine). The available evidence regarding vaccination in special groups (adolescents and adults, health-care workers and pregnant women) and cocooning strategy are commented.

  15. Effects of exposure to winter oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam-treated seed on the red mason bee Osmia bicornis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruddle, Natalie; Elston, Charlotte; Klein, Olaf; Hamberger, Anja; Thompson, Helen

    2018-04-01

    There has been increasing interest in the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on wild bees. In solitary bee species the direct link between each individual female and reproductive success offers the opportunity to evaluate effects on individuals. The present study investigated effects of exposure to winter oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam-treated seed on reproductive behavior and output of solitary red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) released in 6 pairs of fields over a 2-yr period and confined to tunnels in a single year. After adjustment to the number of females released, there was significantly lower production of cells and cocoons/female in tunnels than in open field conditions. This difference may be because of the lack of alternative forage within the tunnels. Under open field conditions, palynology of the pollen provisions within the nests demonstrated a maximum average of 31% oilseed rape pollen at any site, with Quercus (oak) contributing up to 86% of the pollen. There were no significant effects from exposure to oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam-treated seed from nest establishment through cell production to emergence under tunnel or field conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1071-1083. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

  16. As-resistance in laboratory-reared F1, F2 and F3 generation offspring of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus inhabiting an As-contaminated mine soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langdon, C.J.; Morgan, A.J.; Charnock, J.M.; Semple, K.T.; Lowe, C.N.

    2009-01-01

    Previous studies provided no unequivocal evidence demonstrating that field populations of Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister (1843), exhibit genetically inherited resistance to As-toxicity. In this study F1, F2 and F3 generation offspring derived from adults inhabiting As-contaminated field soil were resistant when exposed to 2000 mg kg -1 sodium arsenate. The offspring of uncontaminated adults were not As-resistant. Cocoon viability was 80% for F1 and 82% for F2 offspring from As-contaminated adults and 59% in the F1 control population. High energy synchrotron analysis was used to determine whether ligand complexation of As differed in samples of: resistant mine-site adults, the resistant F1 and F2 offspring of the mine-site earthworms exposed to the LC 25 sodium arsenate (700 mg kg -1 ) of the F1 parental generation; and adult L. rubellus from an uncontaminated site exposed to LC 25 concentrations of sodium arsenate (50 mg kg -1 ). XANES and EXAFS indicated that As was present as a sulfur-coordinated species. - As-resistance in F1, F2 and F3 offspring of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus.

  17. EFEK APLIKASI PADA HIDROKSIAPATIT TERHADAP PERLEKATAN SEL OSTEOBLAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Sunarintyas

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydroxyapatite (HA is often used as a human bone graft. Modification of HA surface is developed to increase osseointegration process which is influenced by cells attachment surrounded the tissue. Sericin has polar side groups which accelerate cells attachment. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of sericin application over HA surface on the attachment of osteoblast cells. The research used HA synthesized from gypsum (Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta. Sericin was extracted from silkworm cocoons of Bombyx mori. Sericin of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1% were applied over HA discs surface (10 mm in diameter, 3 mm thick. The discs were inserted into osteoblast cells culture of MC3T3E1 for attachment test. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and LSD. The result showed that the amount of osteoblast cells attached to HA (7.60±0.42 was significantly difference (p0.05. In conclusion, sericin application over HA surface increased the amount of osteoblast cells attachment. Concentrations of sericin application over HA (0.01, 0.05, 0.1% did not influence osteoblast cells attachment.

  18. Impact of imidacloprid residues on the development of Eisenia fetida during vermicomposting of greenhouse plant waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Gómez, Manuel J; Romero, Esperanza; Nogales, Rogelio

    2011-09-15

    Pesticide application in agriculture causes residues in post-harvest plant waste at different concentrations. Knowledge concerning how pesticide concentrations in such waste affect earthworms is essential for recycling greenhouse plant debris through vermicomposting. Here, we have evaluated the effects of imidacloprid (IMD) residues on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) during the vermicomposting of plant waste from greenhouse crops in Spain. Before, the effect of different IMD concentrations on earthworms was tested using cattle manure as an optimum waste for worm development. The results after using cattle manure indicate that IMD dose ≥ 5 mg kg(-1) hinders worm growth and even causes death, whereas IMD dose ≤ 2 mg IMD kg(-1) allows worm growth similar to control but impedes reproduction. The results from the vermicomposting of plant waste reveal that IMD inhibits adequate worm growth and increases mortality. Although 89% worms became sexually mature in substrate containing 2 mg IMD kg(-1), they did not produce cocoons. IMD also affected microorganisms harboured in the substrates for vermicomposting, as indicated by the reduction in their dehydrogenase activity. This enzyme activity was restored after vermicomposting. This study provides a sound basis for the vermicomposting of pesticide-contaminated plant waste. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [Is it ethically acceptable to invite a pregnant woman to enroll in a clinical trial with Tdap if it could entail not being vaccinated with Tdap before delivery?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dal-Ré, Rafael

    2017-02-01

    Pertussis incidence has increased in recent years, especially among infants aged <2months. A number of Spanish regions have started a vaccination program with Tdap vaccine to all pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy. An observational study has shown that this strategy reduces the number of cases of pertussis by 90% in infants aged <2months. Mathematical models showed that a cocooning strategy (i.e. vaccination of the mother at immediate postpartum, and other adults and adolescents who have close contact with the newborn and caregivers) will reduce the incidence of pertussis by 70% in infants aged <2months. It is intended to conduct a clinical trial in which 340 pregnant women will receive Tdap vaccine, whereas another 340 pregnant woman will be vaccinated soon after delivery. Vaccination with Tdap will be offered to all partners and caregivers of the newborn. After assessing both the ethical and scientific reasons supporting the trial, it is concluded that it is ethically and legally acceptable to invite pregnant women living in communities where Tdap vaccination has been implemented to participate in the trial. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  20. Out with the garbage: the parasitic strategy of the mantisfly Plega hagenella mass-infesting colonies of the eusocial bee Melipona subnitida in northeastern Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maia-Silva, Camila; Hrncir, Michael; Koedam, Dirk; Machado, Renato Jose Pires; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera Lucia

    2013-01-01

    Between April and June of 2012 mantisflies ( Plega hagenella) were found to be extensively parasitizing the nests of two groups of managed colonzies of eusocial stingless bees ( Melipona subnitida) in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The mantisfly larvae developed inside closed brood cells of the bee comb, where each mantispid larva fed on the bee larva or pupa present in a single brood cell. Mature mantispid larvae pupated inside silken cocoons spun in place within their hosts' brood cells then emerged as pharate adults inside the bee colony. Pharate adults were never attacked and killed by host colony workers. Instead, colony workers picked up the pharates and removed them from the nest unharmed, treating them similar to the way that the general refuse is removed from the nest. Adult mantispids subsequently eclosed from their pupal exuviae outside the nest. Manipulative experiments showed that post-eclosion adult mantispids placed back within active bee colonies were quickly attacked and killed. These observations demonstrate that pharate and post-eclosion adults of P. hagenella are perceived differently by colony workers and that delayed adult eclosion is an important functional element in the parasitic life strategy of P. hagenella, allowing adults to escape without injury from the bee colonies they parasitize.

  1. Structural Analysis of Hand Drawn Bumblebee Bombus terrestris Silk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea L. Woodhead

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Bombus terrestris, commonly known as the buff-tailed bumblebee, is native to Europe, parts of Africa and Asia. It is commercially bred for use as a pollinator of greenhouse crops. Larvae pupate within a silken cocoon that they construct from proteins produced in modified salivary glands. The amino acid composition and protein structure of hand drawn B. terrestris, silk fibres was investigated through the use of micro-Raman spectroscopy. Spectra were obtained from single fibres drawn from the larvae salivary gland at a rate of 0.14 cm/s. Raman spectroscopy enabled the identification of poly(alanine, poly(alanine-glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and methionine, which is consistent with the results of amino acid analysis. The dominant protein conformation was found to be coiled coil (73% while the β-sheet content of 10% is, as expected, lower than those reported for hornets and ants. Polarized Raman spectra revealed that the coiled coils were highly aligned along the fibre axis while the β-sheet and random coil components had their peptide carbonyl groups roughly perpendicular to the fibre axis. The protein orientation distribution is compared to those of other natural and recombinant silks. A structural model for the B. terrestris silk fibre is proposed based on these results.

  2. Population Dynamics of Pre-Imaginal Stages of Olive Fruit Fly Bactrocera oleae Gmel. (Diptera, Tephritidae in the Region of Bar (Montenegro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatjana Perović

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Olive fruit fly is the most harmful pest of olive fruits and important for oil production.Damage involves yield reduction as a consequence of premature fruit drop, but also areduced quality of olive oil and olive products. There is little available data regarding thebiology of Bactrocera oleae in Montenegro. Knowledge of the pest life cycle and developmentwould improve optimization of insecticide application timing and protection offruits, and reduce adverse effects on the environment.Investigation was conducted on the Žutica variety in an olive grove located in Bar duringa three-year period. Population dynamics of the pre-imaginal stages and level of fruitinfestation were monitored from mid-July until the end of October.The results of this three-year investigation showed that the beginning of infestationwas always at the end of July. It was also found that, depending on environmental conditions,the level of infestation was low until the end of August. In September and October itmultiplied, and reached maximum by the end of October.Regarding infestation structure, eggs and first instar larvae were the dominant developmentalstages of the pest until the middle of September. From mid-September until mid-October all developmental stages (eggs, larvae, pupae were equally present in infestedfruits. Pupae, cocoons and abandoned galleries prevailed until the harvest.

  3. Effect of polyamines on mechanical and structural properties of Bombyx mori silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yerra, Aparna; Mysarla, Danti Kumari; Siripurapu, Prasanthi; Jha, Anjali; Valluri, Satyavathi V; Mamillapalli, Anitha

    2017-01-01

    Silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori) belongs to the Lepidoptera family. The silk produced from this insect, mulberry silk, gained lot of importance as a fabric. Silk is being exploited as a biomaterial due to its surprising strength and biocompatibility. Polyamines (PA) are important cell growth regulators. In the present work the effect of treatment of polyamines, putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) on the quantity and quality of silk produced was assessed. Results showed that exogenous feeding of Spd at a concentration of 50 µM increased fiber length significantly. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) on the properties of silk obtained from Spd treated silkworms revealed an increase in percentage of absorption with no difference in peak positions of amide I and amide III groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed an increase in diameter of silk. Further, analysis at molecular level showed an increase in fibroin expression in Spd treated silk glands. However, the Spd treatment showed no significant difference with respect to fibroin to sericin ratio per unit weight of cocoon, silk tenacity, and percent elongation. Thus, the present results show that polyamine treatment would influence silk quality at structural, mechanical, and molecular level in the Bombyx mori, which can be exploited in silk biomaterial production. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Contribution to the ultrastructural study of silk-excretion cells and autoradiographic analysis of intracellular fibroin transport in Bombyx mori L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Couble, Pierre.

    1974-01-01

    It is much easier to study the mechanisms involved in the synthesis and exportation of extracellular proteins in the biological material chosen is highly differentiated. The silk-excretion gland of the silkworm is ideal in this respect because during the larva period, especially at the end of the 5th and last stage, the cells at the rear (excreting tube) synthesize and export massive quantities of a single protein: fibroin. These phenomena were explored by a cytological study carried out mainly by electron microscopy and autoradiography. The results obtained are given. They relate first of all to the morphological development of the secretion tube cells from the end of the 4th larva stage to the spinning of the cocoon, and contribute new information on the cell changes during the 4th slough and the end of the 5th age. They also concern intracellular fibroin transport which is proved to take place through the Golgi apparatus, and finally the possible role of the microtubules and microfilaments in fibroin transport and secretion. On this last point the results so far constitute only, a preliminary approach which justifie no final conclusions; they merely suggest that the microfilaments of the apical region are involved in the secretion process [fr

  5. Methylglyoxal Induced Basophilic Spindle Cells with Podoplanin at the Surface of Peritoneum in Rat Peritoneal Dialysis Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ichiro Hirahara

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Peritoneal dialysis (PD is a common treatment for patients with reduced or absent renal function. Long-term PD leads to peritoneal injury with structural changes and functional decline. At worst, peritoneal injury leads to encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS, which is a serious complication of PD. In order to carry out PD safely, it is important to define the mechanism of progression of peritoneal injury and EPS. We prepared rat models of peritoneal injury by intraperitoneal administration of glucose degradation products, such as methylglyoxal (MGO or formaldehyde (FA, chlorhexidine gluconate (CG, and talc. In rats treated with MGO, peritoneal fibrous thickening with the appearance of basophilic spindle cells with podoplanin, cytokeratin, and α-smooth muscle actin at the surface of the peritoneum was observed. These cells may have been derived from mesothelial cells by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In FA- or CG-treated rats, the peritoneum was thickened, and mesothelial cells were absent at the surface of the peritoneum. The CG- or MGO-treated rats presented with a so-called abdominal cocoon. In the talc-treated rats, extensive peritoneal adhesion and peritoneal thickening were observed. MGO-induced peritoneal injury model may reflect human histopathology and be suitable to analyze the mechanism of progression of peritoneal injury and EPS.

  6. Subacute toxicity of copper and glyphosate and their interaction to earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Chui-Fan; Wang, Yu-Jun; Li, Cheng-Cheng; Sun, Rui-Juan; Yu, Yuan-Chun; Zhou, Dong-Mei

    2013-01-01

    Glyphosate (GPS) and copper (Cu) are common pollutants in soils, and commonly co-exist. Due to the chemical structure of GPS, it can form complexes of heavy metals and interface their bioavailability in soil environment. In order to explore the interactions between GPS and Cu, subacute toxicity tests of Cu and GPS on soil invertebrate earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were conducted. The relative weight loss and whole-worm metal burdens increased significantly with the increasing exposure concentration of Cu, while the toxicity of GPS was insignificant. The joint toxicity data showed that the relative weight loss and the uptake of Cu, as well as the superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde activities, were significantly alleviated in the present of GPS, which indicated that GPS could reduce the toxicity and bioavailability of Cu in the soil because of its strong chelating effects. Highlights: •Cu markedly increased the weight loss ratio of earthworm. •Cu decreased the cocoon production of earthworm. •The toxicity of GPS on earthworm was insignificant. •The presence of GPS could reduce the toxicity of Cu on earthworm. -- The presence of glyphosate could reduce the toxicity and bioavailability of Cu in the soil because of its strong chelating effects

  7. Morphology and Ecological Notes on the Larvae and Pupae of Simulium (Simulium from Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam-Kyu Kim

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Morphological features of larvae and pupae of twelve species of Simulium (Simulium from Korea are investigated and redescribed. Detailed descriptions of immature stages of each species are provided with photographs. For the Korean members of subgenus Simulium, combinations of the following characteristics can be used to separate them from other Korean subgenera: larval abdomen without a pair of conical-shaped ventral tubercles; postgenal cleft variously shaped, viz., miter shaped, spearhead, bullet shaped or triangular; rectal papillae 3 simple lobe or compound lobes; pupal gill of 6-16 filaments; cocoon shoe, boot or slipper shaped; and head trichomes 3 pairs (1 facial+2 frontal. Habitat information and other ecological aspects of each species are provided. Updated keys to larvae and pupae of the Korean species of the subgenus Simulium are also provided to facilitate species identification. Taxonomic treatment based on external morphologies of larvae and pupae of Korean species of the subgenus Simulium are focused and included in this study. To understand their interspecific relationships, phylogenetic analyses using multiple data from molecule, morphology, and ecology are warranted in future research. Also continued exploration for new character systems is needed to establish more stable boundaries for subgenus and species delimitations.

  8. Gender inequality and entrepreneurship: the Indian silk industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayoux, L

    1993-12-01

    The production of raw silk yarns from cocoons (reeling) is a crucial middle stage in the silk industry. The author reviews the experience of attempts to encourage women's entrepreneurship in this industry in Karnataka, South India. Reeling is a potentially lucrative field with possibilities for upward mobility from small-scale to large-scale production if credit is readily available. The industry in India employs large numbers of skilled female workers from all communities and is one of few in which a sectoral gender policy is being implemented. While these factors may be thought to be conducive to the development of women entrepreneurs, none were in the areas studied at the time of research. No women were involved in marketing through the official marketing system and no women's co-operatives were operating. While women were listed among registered reelers, men controlled the businesses. Men simply used women to obtain supplementary bank loans or funds through other avenues otherwise open to only women. Policies for women in reeling have therefore proved to be overwhelmingly unsuccessful. The author considers gender inequality and gender policy at length in this context and concludes that the problem is systemic and structural in nature. Policy implications are considered.

  9. Simulation of laser-tattoo pigment interaction in a tissue-mimicking phantom using Q-switched and long-pulsed lasers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, K J; Kim, B J; Cho, S B

    2017-08-01

    Laser therapy is the treatment of choice in tattoo removal. However, the precise mechanisms of laser-tattoo pigment interactions remain to be evaluated. We evaluated the geometric patterns of laser-tattoo pigment particle interactions using a tattoo pigment-embedded tissue-mimicking (TM) phantom. A Q-switched (QS) neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser was used at settings of 532-, 660-, and 1064-nm wavelengths, single-pulse and quick pulse-to-pulse treatment modes, and spot sizes of 4 and 7 mm. Most of the laser-tattoo interactions in the experimental conditions formed cocoon-shaped or oval photothermal and photoacoustic injury zones, which contained fragmented tattoo particles in various sizes depending on the conditions. In addition, a long-pulsed 755-nm alexandrite laser was used at a spot size of 6 mm and pulse widths of 3, 5, and 10 ms. The finer granular pattern of tattoo destruction was observed in TM phantoms treated with 3- and 5-ms pulse durations compared to those treated with a 10-ms pulse. We outlined various patterns of laser-tattoo pigment interactions in a tattoo-embedded TM phantom to predict macroscopic tattoo and surrounding tissue reactions after laser treatment for tattoo removal. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Aposematism in Archips cerasivoranus not linked to the sequestration of host-derived cyanide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, T D; Stevens, M A; Miller, S; Jeffers, P

    2008-10-01

    This study addressed the question of how caterpillars of Archips cerasivoranus feeding upon Prunus virginiana cope with the cyanogenic compounds of their food. Analysis by ion chromatography showed that young and aged leaves of P. virginiana consumed by the caterpillars during spring have hydrogen cyanide potentials (HCN-ps) of 2,473 +/- 130 ppm and 1,058 +/- 98 ppm, respectively. Although less than 3% of the cyanide released as the caterpillars feed escapes into the atmosphere, the larva's bright-yellow aposematic coloration and conspicuous activity can not be attributed to the sequestration of cyanide. Only six of 25 samples of the caterpillars' defensive regurgitants collected from 12 field colonies contained cyanide (17.6 +/- 6.54 ppm), less than 5% of the quantity previously reported to occur in the regurgitant of the tent caterpillar M. americanum. Only seven of 13 caterpillars assayed had detectable quantities of cyanide in their bodies (3.9 +/- 0.9 ppm). The fecal pellets that encase the cocoon contained no cyanide, nor did the frass that litters the leaf shelters. The small quantities of cyanide that occur in the caterpillar compared to the HCN-p of ingested plant material appear attributable to paced bouts of feeding and the maintenance of a highly alkaline foregut that inhibits cyanogenesis.

  11. Rhus javanica Gall Extract Inhibits the Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Osteoclasts and Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Ho Kim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption is a therapeutic strategy for the management of postmenopausal bone loss. This study investigated the effects of Rhus javanica (R. javanica extracts on bone marrow cultures to develop agents from natural sources that may prevent osteoclastogenesis. Extracts of R. javanica (eGr cocoons spun by Rhus javanica (Bell. Baker inhibited the osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. The effects of aqueous extract (aeGr or 100% ethanolic extract (eeGr on ovariectomy- (OVX- induced bone loss were investigated by various biochemical assays. Furthermore, microcomputed tomography (µCT was performed to study bone remodeling. Oral administration of eGr (30 mg or 100 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks augmented the inhibition of femoral bone mineral density (BMD, bone mineral content (BMC, and other factors involved in bone remodeling when compared to OVX controls. Additionally, eGr slightly decreased bone turnover markers that were increased by OVX. Therefore, it may be suggested that the protective effects of eGr could have originated from the suppression of OVX-induced increase in bone turnover. Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that eGr has potential to activate bone remodeling by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and bone loss.

  12. Evaluation of sublethal toxicity of zinc and chromium in Eudrilus eugeniae using biochemical and reproductive parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basha, P Mahaboob; Latha, V

    2016-05-01

    Zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) act as essential nutrients; however, they can be toxic at higher concentrations. In this study, earthworm species Eudrilus eugeniae was studied for its sensitivity to sublethal doses of Cr (8 ppm) and Zn (350 ppm) in terms of alterations occurred in oxidative stress indices and reproductive parameters in the testis. A significant (p food intake was observed on 7, 14 and 21 days of Cr toxicity; while increased rate was evident upon 7 days of Zn exposure. Changes evident in the rate of cocoon production (-39.54 and +38.63 %), hatchability (-77.85 and +30.0 %) highlight higher toxic potential of Cr than Zn, respectively. Moderate to severe vacuolization in spermatic follicles and higher incidence of tailless (+52.6 % in Cr and 20.8 % in Zn), and head bent (+18.8 % in Cr and 0 % in Zn) sperms were evident in Cr(VI) exposed worms emphasizing the higher vulnerability of E. eugeniae to Cr toxicity. A significant (p implied from results that excessive free radical production and inadequate antioxidant defenses have lead to morphological alterations in sperms which sequentially reduced the reproductive rate.

  13. Nickel in Soil Modifies Sensitivity to Diazinon Measured by the Activity of Acetylcholinesterase, Catalase, and Glutathione S-Transferase in Earthworm Eisenia fetida

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Zawisza-Raszka

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Nickel in typical soils is present in a very low concentration, but in the contaminated soils it occurs in locally elevated concentrations. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nickel in the concentrations of 300 (very high, close to LOEC for reproduction and 900 (extremely high, close to LOEC for mortality mg/kg dry soil on the life history and acetylcholinesterase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase activities in earthworm Eisenia fetida and to establish how nickel modifies the sensitivity to organophosphorous pesticide—diazinon. Cocoons production and juveniles’ number were significantly lower only in groups exposed to Ni in the concentration of 900 mg/kg dry soil for two months. Diazinon administration diminished the AChE activity in the GI tract and in the body wall. The interaction between diazinon and nickel was observed, and, in consequence, the AChE activity after the pesticide treatment was similar to controls in worms preexposed to nickel. Both pesticide administration and exposure to nickel caused an increase in the GST activity in examined organs and CAT activity in body wall. Both biometric and development data and simple enzymatic analysis, especially the AChE and GST, show a Ni pretreatment effect on the subsequent susceptibility to pesticide.

  14. From the Big Bang to the Nobel Prize and on to James Webb Space Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mather, John C.

    2009-01-01

    The history of the universe in a nutshell, from the Big Bang to now, and on to the future - John Mather will tell the story of how we got here, how the Universe began with a Big Bang, how it could have produced an Earth where sentient beings can live, and how those beings are discovering their history. Mather was Project Scientist for NASA s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, which measured the spectrum (the color) of the heat radiation from the Big Bang, discovered hot and cold spots in that radiation, and hunted for the first objects that formed after the great explosion. He will explain Einstein s biggest mistake, show how Edwin Hubble discovered the expansion of the universe, how the COBE mission was built, and how the COBE data support the Big Bang theory. He will also show NASA s plans for the next great telescope in space, the James Webb Space Telescope. It will look even farther back in time than the Hubble Space Telescope, and will look inside the dusty cocoons where stars and planets are being born today. Planned for launch in 2013, it may lead to another Nobel Prize for some lucky observer.

  15. Biology and systematics of the New World Phyllocnistis Zeller leafminers of the avocado genus Persea (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Donald R; Wagner, David L

    2011-05-11

    Four New World species of Phyllocnistis Zeller are described from serpentine mines in Persea (Family Lauraceae). Phyllocnistis hyperpersea,new species, mines the upper leaf surfaces of avocado, Persea americana Mill., and red bay, Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. and ranges over much of the southeastern United States into Central America. Phyllocnistis subpersea,new species, mines the underside and occasionally upper sides of new leaves of Persea borbonia in southeastern United States. Phyllocnistis longipalpa, new species, known only from southern Florida also mines the undersides of new leaves of Persea borbonia. Phyllocnistis perseafolia,new species, mines both leaf surfaces and possibly fruits of Persea americana in Colombia, South America. As in all known species of Phyllocnistis, the early instars are subepidermal sapfeeders in young (not fully hardened) foliage, and the final instar is an extremely specialized, nonfeeding larval form, whose primary function is to spin the silken cocoon, at the mine terminus, prior to pupation. Early stages are illustrated and described for three of the species. The unusual morphology of the pupae, particularly the frontal process of the head, is shown to be one of the most useful morphological sources of diagnostic characters for species identification of Phyllocnistis. COI barcode sequence distances are provided for the four proposed species and a fifth, undescribed species from Costa Rica.

  16. Silk sericin-alginate-chitosan microcapsules: hepatocytes encapsulation for enhanced cellular functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Sunita; Dey, Sanchareeka; Kundu, Subhas C

    2014-04-01

    The encapsulation based technology permits long-term delivery of desired therapeutic products in local regions of body without the need of immunosuppressant drugs. In this study microcapsules composed of sericin and alginate micro bead as inner core and with an outer chitosan shell are prepared. This work is proposed for live cell encapsulation for potential therapeutic applications. The sericin protein is obtained from cocoons of non-mulberry silkworm Antheraea mylitta. The sericin-alginate micro beads are prepared via ionotropic gelation under high applied voltage. The beads further coated with chitosan and crosslinked with genipin. The microcapsules developed are nearly spherical in shape with smooth surface morphology. Alamar blue assay and confocal microscopy indicate high cell viability and uniform encapsulated cell distribution within the sericin-alginate-chitosan microcapsules indicating that the microcapsules maintain favourable microenvironment for the cells. The functional analysis of encapsulated cells demonstrates that the glucose consumption, urea secretion rate and intracellular albumin content increased in the microcapsules. The study suggests that the developed sericin-alginate-chitosan microcapsule contributes towards the development of cell encapsulation model. It also offers to generate enriched population of metabolically and functionally active cells for the future therapeutics especially for hepatocytes transplantation in acute liver failure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Silkworm Sericin: Properties and Biomedical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regina Inês Kunz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Silk sericin is a natural polymer produced by silkworm, Bombyx mori, which surrounds and keeps together two fibroin filaments in silk thread used in the cocoon. The recovery and reuse of sericin usually discarded by the textile industry not only minimizes environmental issues but also has a high scientific and commercial value. The physicochemical properties of the molecule are responsible for numerous applications in biomedicine and are influenced by the extraction method and silkworm lineage, which can lead to variations in molecular weight and amino acid concentration of sericin. The presence of highly hydrophobic amino acids and its antioxidant potential make it possible for sericin to be applied in the food and cosmetic industry. The moisturizing power allows indications as a therapeutic agent for wound healing, stimulating cell proliferation, protection against ultraviolet radiation, and formulating creams and shampoos. The antioxidant activity associated with low digestibility of sericin that expands the application in the medical field, such as antitumour, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent, anticoagulant, acts in colon health, improving constipation and protects the body from obesity through improved plasma lipid profile. In addition, the properties of sericin allow its application as a culture medium and cryopreservation, in tissue engineering and for drug delivery, demonstrating its effective use, as an important biomaterial.

  18. Effects of silk sericin on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waraporn Kaewkorn

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Sericin is a silk protein woven from silkworm cocoons (Bombyx mori. In animal model, sericin has been reported to have anti-tumoral action against colon cancer. The mechanisms underlying the activity of sericin against cancer cells are not fully understood. The present study investigated the effects of sericin on human colorectal cancer SW480 cells compared to normal colonic mucosal FHC cells. Since the size of the sericin protein may be important for its activity, two ranges of molecular weight were tested. Sericin was found to decrease SW480 and FHC cell viability. The small sericin had higher anti-proliferative effects than that of the large sericin in both cell types. Increased apoptosis of SW480 cells is associated with increased caspase-3 activity and decreased Bcl-2 expression. The anti-proliferative effect of sericin was accompanied by cell cycle arrest at the S phase. Thus, sericin reduced SW480 cell viability by inducing cell apoptosis via caspase-3 activation and down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression. The present study provides scientific data that support the protective effect of silk sericin against cancer cells of the colon and suggests that this protein may have significant health benefits and could potentially be developed as a dietary supplement for colon cancer prevention.

  19. The Great Beyond: Higher Dimensions, Parallel Universes and the Extraordinary Search for a Theory of Everything

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halpern, Paul

    2005-08-01

    Praise for The Great Beyond "A marvelous book-very clear, very readable. A brilliant introduction to the math and physics of higher dimensions, from Flatland to superstrings. Its greatest strength is a wealth of fascinating historical narrative and anecdote. I enjoyed it enormously." -Ian Stewart, author of Flatterland "A remarkable journey from Plato's cave to the farthest reaches of human thought and scientific knowledge. This mind-boggling book allows readers to dream strange visions of hyperspace, chase light waves, explore Klein's quantum odyssey and Kaluza's cocoon, leap through parallel universes, and grasp the very essence of conscience and cosmos. Buy this book and feed your head." -Clifford Pickover, author of A Passion for Mathematics "Halpern looks with a bemused eye at the wildest ideas currently afoot in physics. He takes us into the personal world of those who relish and explore seemingly outlandish notions, and does it with a light, engaging style." -Gregory Benford, author of Foundation's Fear "An informative, stimulating, and thoughtful presentation at the very frontiers of contemporary physics. It is quite on a par with Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe or his more recent The Fabric of the Cosmos, and as such, deserves to receive wide non-specialist coverage among an intelligent, curious, thinking public." -Professor E. Sheldon, Contemporary Physics

  20. Comparative Study of Biological Characteristics of Larvae, Crude and Dried Cocoon in 7 Races of Silkworm Bombyx mori L., Raised in Transylvania Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilia Maria Furdui

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available 7 monovoltine races of Romanian silkworm Bombyx mori L. were breeded in specific Transylvania conditions, assuring the same microclimate conditions, being fed with the same mulberry leaves (Ukraina 107. The results obtained showed a high homogeneity, the differences were due to the variability and genotype characteristic for each individual of every race. Results and standard deviations are within the race standard. The study permitted a ierarchy of the races, following the biological characteristics, microclimate conditions, quantity, quality and breeding technology.

  1. Intoxicação por larvas de Perreyia flavipes em bovinos na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul Perreyia flavipes larvae poisoning in cattle in southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro P. Soares

    2008-03-01

    enlarged with increased lobular pattern, the mesenteric lymph nodes were edematous and Peyer patches of the small gut were depressed. Petechial hemorrhages and ecchymosis were observed in the mesentery and abomasum. On histologic examination the liver showed centrolobular or massive necrosis. Hemosiderosis and necrosis of the germinative centers of lymph nodes, white pulp of the spleen and Peyer patches were also observed. The poisoning occurred probably due to an intense drought in October-December 2005, when the insect stayed as a cocoon underground. The dry conditions probably avoided a higher number of adult sawflies to emerge from the cocoons, what resulted in greater egg production. The large amount of decaying grass due to almost normal rain fall during summer seemed to have provided favorable environmental conditions for the development of larvae in winter.

  2. The genetic truth of surrogate parentage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goswami, Gajendra K

    2015-12-01

    Old family laws presume that the husband is the father of any child born to a married couple; a socio-legal fiction. A social and biological father is presumed to be one and the same. The cocoon of legitimacy protects marriage but the child born outside valid marriage is recognised as 'illegitimate'. Assisted reproduction technologies strengthened reproductive rights but confuse purity of lineage and genetically divorce socio-legal parentage from biological parentage. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender reproductive rights, surrogacy, gamete donation, delayed pregnancies using cryopreserved embryos, single parentage, virgin mothers (virgin birth), live-in relationship are increasingly recognised under the cover of human dignity but obscure parentage. In contrast to parental rights of reproductive autonomy, equity demands the child's right to know its biological parentage, recognised under Article 7 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989. DNA profiling may clarify the genetic parentage with virtual certainty but with multiple limitations. DNA forensics ascertains the genetic makeup of a child linking putative parents irrespective of any social relationship between them. The right to know biological linkages gained paramount significance in cases like displacement, adoption, child trafficking and variants of cross-genetic in vitro fertilization including complete surrogacy. The 'reproductive tourism' promotes crossing borders and bodies, enabling conception in the countries with extreme religious and legal barriers. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. Effects of alkyl polyglycoside (APG) on Bombyx mori silk degumming and the mechanical properties of silk fibroin fibre

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Fei; Zhang, Yu-Qing, E-mail: sericult@suda.edu.cn

    2017-05-01

    Alkyl polyglycoside (APG), a nonionic surfactant, is often considered to be a green surfactant and is synthesized using glucose and long chain fatty alcohols. It is used as a degumming agent of Bombyx mori silk fibre in this study for the first time. We studied APG systematically in comparison to the traditional degumming methods, such as aqueous solutions of sodium carbonate (Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) and neutral soap (NS). After repeatedly boiling silk fibres in an aqueous solution of 0.25% APG three times for 30 min and using a bath ratio of 1:90–120 (g/mL), sericin was completely removed from the fibre. SDS-PAGE showed that the degumming in APG did not induce an evident breakage of the silk fibroin peptide chains, including the light chain and P25 protein. The tensile properties, thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation of the degummed fibroin fibre all show that APG is a degumming agent similar to NS and far superior to Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. These results indicate that APG is an environment-friendly silk degumming/refining agent in the silk textile industry and in the manufacture of silk floss quilts. - Graphical abstract: APG has potential uses as a green degumming/refining reagent for silkworm cocoons or silk fibres in the silk industry and for sericulture production. Display Omitted.

  4. Biology and systematics of the New World Phyllocnistis Zeller leafminers of the avocado genus Persea (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald Davis

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Four New World species of Phyllocnistis Zeller are described from serpentine mines in Persea (Family Lauraceae. Phyllocnistis hyperpersea, new species, mines the upper leaf surfaces of avocado, Persea americana Mill., and red bay, Persea borbonia (L. Spreng. and ranges over much of the southeastern United States into Central America. Phyllocnistis subpersea, new species, mines the underside and occasionally upper sides of new leaves of Persea borbonia in southeastern United States. Phyllocnistis longipalpa, new species, known only from southern Florida also mines the undersides of new leaves of Persea borbonia. Phyllocnistis perseafolia, new species, mines both leaf surfaces and possibly fruits of Persea americana in Colombia, South America. As in all known species of Phyllocnistis, the early instars are subepidermal sapfeeders in young (not fully hardened foliage, and the final instar is an extremely specialized, nonfeeding larval form, whose primary function is to spin the silken cocoon, at the mine terminus, prior to pupation. Early stages are illustrated and described for three of the species. The unusual morphology of the pupae, particularly the frontal process of the head, is shown to be one of the most useful morphological sources of diagnostic characters for species identification of Phyllocnistis. COI barcode sequence distances are provided for the four proposed species and a fifth, undescribed species from Costa Rica.

  5. Applicability of biotechnologically produced insect silks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herold, Heike M; Scheibel, Thomas

    2017-09-26

    Silks are structural proteins produced by arthropods. Besides the well-known cocoon silk, which is produced by larvae of the silk moth Bombyx mori to undergo metamorphosis inside their silken shelter (and which is also used for textile production by men since millennia), numerous further less known silk-producing animals exist. The ability to produce silk evolved multiple independent times during evolution, and the fact that silk was subject to convergent evolution gave rise to an abundant natural diversity of silk proteins. Silks are used in air, under water, or like honey bee silk in the hydrophobic, waxen environment of the bee hive. The good mechanical properties of insect silk fibres together with their non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable nature renders these materials appealing for both technical and biomedical applications. Although nature provides a great diversity of material properties, the variation in quality inherent in materials from natural sources together with low availability (except from silkworm silk) impeded the development of applications of silks. To overcome these two drawbacks, in recent years, recombinant silks gained more and more interest, as the biotechnological production of silk proteins allows for a scalable production at constant quality. This review summarises recent developments in recombinant silk production as well as technical procedures to process recombinant silk proteins into fibres, films, and hydrogels.

  6. Self-assembled silk sericin/poloxamer nanoparticles as nanocarriers of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for targeted delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandal, Biman B; Kundu, S C

    2009-01-01

    In recent times self-assembled micellar nanoparticles have been successfully employed in tissue engineering for targeted drug delivery applications. In this review, silk sericin protein from non-mulberry Antheraea mylitta tropical tasar silk cocoons was blended with pluronic F-127 and F-87 in the presence of solvents to achieve self-assembled micellar nanostructures capable of carrying both hydrophilic (FITC-inulin) and hydrophobic (anticancer drug paclitaxel) drugs. The fabricated nanoparticles were subsequently characterized for their size distribution, drug loading capability, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. Nanoparticle sizes ranged between 100 and 110 nm in diameter as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. Rapid uptake of these particles into cells was observed in in vitro cellular uptake studies using breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assay using paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles against breast cancer cells showed promising results comparable to free paclitaxel drugs. Drug-encapsulated nanoparticle-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was confirmed by FACS and confocal microscopic studies using Annexin V staining. Up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cleavage of regulatory protein PARP through Western blot analysis suggested further drug-induced apoptosis in cells. This study projects silk sericin protein as an alternative natural biomaterial for fabrication of self-assembled nanoparticles in the presence of poloxamer for successful delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs to target sites.

  7. A highly divergent gene cluster in honey bees encodes a novel silk family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutherland, Tara D; Campbell, Peter M; Weisman, Sarah; Trueman, Holly E; Sriskantha, Alagacone; Wanjura, Wolfgang J; Haritos, Victoria S

    2006-11-01

    The pupal cocoon of the domesticated silk moth Bombyx mori is the best known and most extensively studied insect silk. It is not widely known that Apis mellifera larvae also produce silk. We have used a combination of genomic and proteomic techniques to identify four honey bee fiber genes (AmelFibroin1-4) and two silk-associated genes (AmelSA1 and 2). The four fiber genes are small, comprise a single exon each, and are clustered on a short genomic region where the open reading frames are GC-rich amid low GC intergenic regions. The genes encode similar proteins that are highly helical and predicted to form unusually tight coiled coils. Despite the similarity in size, structure, and composition of the encoded proteins, the genes have low primary sequence identity. We propose that the four fiber genes have arisen from gene duplication events but have subsequently diverged significantly. The silk-associated genes encode proteins likely to act as a glue (AmelSA1) and involved in silk processing (AmelSA2). Although the silks of honey bees and silkmoths both originate in larval labial glands, the silk proteins are completely different in their primary, secondary, and tertiary structures as well as the genomic arrangement of the genes encoding them. This implies independent evolutionary origins for these functionally related proteins.

  8. Biological and molecular characterization of silkworm strains from the Brazilian germplasm bank of Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, N C; Munhoz, R E F; Bignotto, T S; Bespalhuk, R; Garay, L B; Saez, C R N; Fassina, V A; Nembri, A; Fernandez, M A

    2013-06-28

    Brazil has only one public genetic pool of Bombyx mori strains, which was established in 2005 at Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Paraná State. This genetic bank has been maintained, and the strains have been characterized using genetic and morphological tools. The quantitative and qualitative traits, directly or indirectly related to productivity, were evaluated in 14 silkworm strains. In addition to biological and productivity analyses, DNA markers related to susceptibility to the B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) were analyzed. BmNPV is a major cause of production loss and is a serious problem for Paraná sericulture. The silkworm strains from diverse geographic origins were found to have different characteristics, including body weight, larval stage duration, cocoon weight, and other biological traits. In terms of productivity, the raw silk percentages were almost uniform, with an overall average of 16.28%. Overall, the Chinese strain C37 gave the best performance in many of the quantitative traits, and it surpassed the other strains in productivity traits. Therefore, it can be used as one of the strains that compose the elite germplasm for silkworm breeding programs. Additionally, genetic molecular markers were efficient in discriminating between B. mori strains that had been identified based on their geographical origin. We found that all Japanese strains produced a 400-bp molecular marker that has been associated with susceptibility to BmNPV.

  9. THE PROPAGATION OF NEUTRINO-DRIVEN JETS IN WOLF-RAYET STARS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagakura, Hiroki, E-mail: hiroki@heap.phys.waseda.ac.jp [Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, JapanAND (Japan); Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)

    2013-02-20

    We numerically investigate the jet propagation through a rotating collapsing Wolf-Rayet star with detailed central engine physics constructed based on the neutrino-driven collapsar model. The collapsing star determines the evolution of the mass accretion rate, black hole mass, and spin, all of which are important ingredients for determining the jet luminosity. We reveal that neutrino-driven jets in rapidly spinning Wolf-Rayet stars are capable of breaking out from the stellar envelope, while those propagating in slower rotating progenitors fail to break out due to insufficient kinetic power. For progenitor models with successful jet breakouts, the kinetic energy accumulated in the cocoon could be as large as {approx}10{sup 51} erg and might significantly contribute to the luminosity of the afterglow emission or to the kinetic energy of the accompanying supernova if nickel production takes place. We further analyze the post-breakout phase using a simple analytical prescription and conclude that the relativistic jet component could produce events with an isotropic luminosity L {sub p(iso)} {approx} 10{sup 52} erg s{sup -1} and isotropic energy E {sub j(iso)} {approx} 10{sup 54} erg. Our findings support the idea of rapidly rotating Wolf-Rayet stars as plausible progenitors of GRBs, while slowly rotational ones could be responsible for low-luminosity or failed GRBs.

  10. GRB 170817A as a jet counterpart to gravitational wave trigger GW 170817

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamb, Gavin P.; Kobayashi, Shiho

    2018-05-01

    Fermi/GBM (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) and INTEGRAL (the International Gamma-ray Astrophysics Laboratory) reported the detection of the γ-ray counterpart, GRB 170817A, to the LIGO (Light Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)/Virgo gravitational wave detected binary neutron star merger, GW 170817. GRB 170817A is likely to have an internal jet or another origin such as cocoon emission, shock-breakout, or a flare from a viscous disc. In this paper we assume that the γ-ray emission is caused by energy dissipation within a relativistic jet and we model the afterglow synchrotron emission from a reverse- and forward-shock in the outflow. We show the afterglow for a low-luminosity γ-ray burst (GRB) jet with a high Lorentz-factor (Γ); a low-Γ and low-kinetic energy jet; a low-Γ, high kinetic energy jet; structured jets viewed at an inclination within the jet-half-opening angle; and an off-axis `typical' GRB jet. All jet models will produce observable afterglows on various timescales. The late-time afterglow from 10-110 days can be fit by a Gaussian structured jet viewed at a moderate inclination, however the GRB is not directly reproduced by this model. These jet afterglow models can be used for future GW detected NS merger counterparts with a jet afterglow origin.

  11. Phenomenology and control of buckling dynamics in multicomponent colloidal droplets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Binita; Basu, Saptarshi

    2015-06-01

    Self-assembly of nano sized particles during natural drying causes agglomeration and shell formation at the surface of micron sized droplets. The shell undergoes sol-gel transition leading to buckling at the weakest point on the surface and produces different types of structures. Manipulation of the buckling rate with inclusion of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate, SDS) and salt (anilinium hydrochloride, AHC) to the nano-sized particle dispersion (nanosilica) is reported here in an acoustically levitated single droplet. Buckling in levitated droplets is a cumulative, complicated function of acoustic streaming, chemistry, agglomeration rate, porosity, radius of curvature, and elastic energy of shell. We put forward our hypothesis on how buckling occurs and can be suppressed during natural drying of the droplets. Global precipitation of aggregates due to slow drying of surfactant-added droplets (no added salts) enhances the rigidity of the shell formed and hence reduces the buckling probability of the shell. On the contrary, adsorption of SDS aggregates on salt ions facilitates the buckling phenomenon with an addition of minute concentration of the aniline salt to the dispersion. Variation in the concentration of the added particles (SDS/AHC) also leads to starkly different morphologies and transient behaviour of buckling (buckling modes like paraboloid, ellipsoid, and buckling rates). Tuning of the buckling rate causes a transition in the final morphology from ring and bowl shapes to cocoon type of structure.

  12. Insect Larvae: A New Platform to Produce Commercial Recombinant Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Targovnik, Alexandra M; Arregui, Mariana B; Bracco, Lautaro F; Urtasun, Nicolas; Baieli, Maria F; Segura, Maria M; Simonella, Maria A; Fogar, Mariela; Wolman, Federico J; Cascone, Osvaldo; Miranda, Maria V

    2016-01-01

    In Biotechnology, the expression of recombinant proteins is a constantly growing field and different hosts are used for this purpose. Some valuable proteins cannot be produced using traditional systems. Insects from the order Lepidoptera infected with recombinant baculovirus have appeared as a good choice to express high levels of proteins, especially those with post-translational modifications. Lepidopteran insects, which are extensively distributed in the world, can be used as small protein factories, the new biofactories. Species like Bombyx mori (silkworm) have been analyzed in Asian countries to produce a great number of recombinant proteins for use in basic and applied science and industry. Many proteins expressed in this larva have been commercialized. Several recombinant proteins produced in silkworms have already been commercialized. On the other hand, species like Spodoptera frugiperda, Heliothis virescens, Rachiplusia nu, Helicoverpa zea and Trichoplusia ni are widely distributed in both the occidental world and Europe. The expression of recombinant proteins in larvae has the advantage of its low cost in comparison with insect cell cultures. A wide variety of recombinant proteins, including enzymes, hormones and vaccines, have been efficiently expressed with intact biological activity. The expression of pharmaceutically proteins, using insect larvae or cocoons, has become very attractive. This review describes the use of insect larvae as an alternative to produce commercial recombinant proteins.

  13. AGN Outflow Shocks on Bonnor–Ebert Spheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dugan, Zachary; Silk, Joseph; Rahman, Mubdi [The Johns Hopkins University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy, Room 366, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gaibler, Volker [Universität Heidelberg, Zentrum für Astronomie, Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Albert-Ueberle-Str. 2, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Bieri, Rebekka [Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, UMR 7095, CNRS, UPMC Univ. Paris VI, 98 bis Boulevard Arago, F-75014 Paris (France)

    2017-04-20

    Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and subsequent jet cocoons and outflow bubbles can have a significant impact on star formation in the host galaxy. To investigate feedback physics on small scales, we perform hydrodynamic simulations of realistically fast AGN winds striking Bonnor–Ebert spheres and examine gravitational collapse and ablation. We test AGN wind velocities ranging from 300 to 3000 km s{sup −1} and wind densities ranging from 0.5 to 10 m {sub p} cm{sup −3}. We include heating and cooling of low- and high-temperature gas, self-gravity, and spatially correlated perturbations in the shock, with a maximum resolution of 0.01 pc. We find that the ram pressure is the most important factor that determines the fate of the cloud. High ram pressure winds increase fragmentation and decrease the star formation rate, but they also cause star formation to occur on a much shorter timescale and with increased velocities of the newly formed stars. We find a threshold ram pressure of ∼2 × 10{sup −8} dyn cm{sup −2} above which stars are not formed because the resulting clumps have internal velocities large enough to prevent collapse. Our results indicate that simultaneous positive and negative feedback will be possible in a single galaxy, as AGN wind parameters will vary with location within a galaxy.

  14. Enhanced osteogenesis of β-tricalcium phosphate reinforced silk fibroin scaffold for bone tissue biofabrication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Dae Hoon; Tripathy, Nirmalya; Shin, Jae Hun; Song, Jeong Eun; Cha, Jae Geun; Min, Kyung Dan; Park, Chan Hum; Khang, Gilson

    2017-02-01

    Scaffolds, used for tissue regeneration are important to preserve their function and morphology during tissue healing. Especially, scaffolds for bone tissue engineering should have high mechanical properties to endure load of bone. Silk fibroin (SF) from Bombyx mori silk cocoon has potency as a type of biomaterials in the tissue engineering. β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) as a type of bioceramics is also critical as biomaterials for bone regeneration because of its biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and mechanical strength. The aim of this study was to fabricate three-dimensional SF/β-TCP scaffolds and access its availability for bone grafts through in vitro and in vivo test. The scaffolds were fabricated in each different ratios of SF and β-TCP (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75). The characterizations of scaffolds were conducted by FT-IR, compressive strength, porosity, and SEM. The in vitro and in vivo tests were carried out by MTT, ALP, RT-PCR, SEM, μ-CT, and histological staining. We found that the SF/β-TCP scaffolds have high mechanical strength and appropriate porosity for bone tissue engineering. The study showed that SF/β-TCP (75:25) scaffold exhibited the highest osteogenesis compared with other scaffolds. The results suggested that SF/β-TCP (75:25) scaffold can be applied as one of potential bone grafts for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Nesting biology of Paravespa rex (von Schulthess 1924) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in the Crimea, Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fateryga, Alexander V; Ivanov, Sergey P

    2013-01-01

    Paravespa rex is the only species of the wasp genus Paravespa that occurs in Europe. Females of this species nest in clay loam soil of proluvial terraces and deluvial aprons of badlands. The nests are vertical burrows 10-12 cm deep, surmounted by turrets of two distinct architectural forms: funnel-shaped and curved. The nests contain 1-3 vertical cells (mean-1.9) not different from the other parts of nest burrow. An egg is laid onto the bottom of the cell without attaching; it stands vertically via the moist adhesive surface of the bottom and then with the help of the position of the first prey, which is laid around the egg. The species is univoltine; prepupae hibernate in the cocoon for one or several years. Females hunt for caterpillars of two species of the noctuid genus Heliotis; 3-7 caterpillars (mean-3.7) are stored per cell. Adult feeding is recorded on flowers of Thymus tauricus. Males look for females at their water-collecting sites. Only a third of the cells are successful; the other ones are damaged by rain and the gold wasp, Chrysis valesiana, parasitizing in the nests. Nest-building and hunting activity of the species is described with the duration of certain nesting acts. Nesting biology of Paravespa species, rarity of P. rex, turret function, egg position, and measures for species conservation are discussed.

  16. BROAD N2H+ EMISSION TOWARD THE PROTOSTELLAR SHOCK L1157-B1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Codella, C.; Fontani, F.; Gómez-Ruiz, A.; Vasta, M.; Viti, S.; Ceccarelli, C.; Lefloch, B.; Podio, L.; Benedettini, M.; Busquet, G.; Caselli, P.

    2013-01-01

    We present the first detection of N 2 H + toward a low-mass protostellar outflow, namely, the L1157-B1 shock, at ∼0.1 pc from the protostellar cocoon. The detection was obtained with the IRAM 30 m antenna. We observed emission at 93 GHz due to the J = 1-0 hyperfine lines. Analysis of this emission coupled with HIFI CHESS multiline CO observations leads to the conclusion that the observed N 2 H + (1-0) line originated from the dense (≥10 5 cm –3 ) gas associated with the large (20''-25'') cavities opened by the protostellar wind. We find an N 2 H + column density of a few 10 12 cm –2 corresponding to an abundance of (2-8) × 10 –9 . The N 2 H + abundance can be matched by a model of quiescent gas evolved for more than 10 4 yr, i.e., for more than the shock kinematical age (≅2000 yr). Modeling of C-shocks confirms that the abundance of N 2 H + is not increased by the passage of the shock. In summary, N 2 H + is a fossil record of the pre-shock gas, formed when the density of the gas was around 10 4 cm –3 , and then further compressed and accelerated by the shock

  17. Azadirachtin induced apoptosis in the prothoracic gland in Bombyx mori and a pronounced Ca2+ release effect in Sf9 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Liu, Hongmei; Sun, Zhipeng; Xie, Jianjun; Zhong, Guohua; Yi, Xin

    2017-01-01

    Azadirachtin is a bio-rational insecticide used as an antifeedant and growth disruption agent against many insect species. However, recent studies have shown that there is a potential risk of this compound harming some beneficial insects. In such cases its application does not normally lead to death, but it may result in altered developmental regulation. Therefore, it is essential to obtain toxicological data to understand the mechanism of such sub-lethal effects, especially where they relate to important beneficial insects. Here, we found that azadirachtin could regulate growth and cocooning in silkworms, which may be associated with induced apoptotic effect on the prothoracic gland. However, azadirachtin treatment could not induce apoptosis in the prothoracic gland in vitro , in contrast to the effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone in vitro, which suggesting that the apoptosis might not be direct effect of azadirachtin. Then we examined the activity of Ca 2+ -Mg 2+ -ATPase and found that azadirachtin could trigger a significant increase in intracellular Ca 2+ release in the Sf9 cell line, which suggested that the calcium signaling pathway might be involved in the process of apoptosis in prothoracic gland and growth regulation in vivo silkworms. Although more evidence is needed to fully understand the mechanism of azadirachtin in perturbing the growth of silkworms, this study provides some toxicological information and highlights the potential risks of azadirachtin in relation to silkworms.

  18. Combined chemical (fluoranthene) and drought effects on Lumbricus rubellus demonstrate the applicability of the independent action model for multiple stressor assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Sara M; Reichenberg, Fredrik; Lister, Lindsay J; Hankard, Peter K; Townsend, Joanna; Mayer, Philipp; Wright, Julian; Holmstrup, Martin; Svendsen, Claus; Spurgeon, David J

    2009-03-01

    The combined effect of a chemical (fluoranthene) and a nonchemical stress (reduced soil moisture content) to the widely distributed earthworm Lumbricus rubellus were investigated in a laboratory study. Neither fluoranthene (up to 500 microg/g) nor low soil moisture (15% below optimal) had a significant effect on the survival of the exposed worms, but a significant effect on reproduction (cocoon production rate) was found for both stressors (p IA) model that is widely used in pharmacology and chemical mixture risk assessment. Fitting of the IA model provided a good description of the combined stressor data (accounting for 53.7% of total variation) and was the most parsimonious model describing joint effect (i.e., the description of the data was not improved by addition of further parameters accounting for synergism or antagonism). Thus, the independent action of the two responses was further supported by measurement of internal fluoranthene exposure. The chemical activity of fluoranthene in worm tissue was correlated only with soil fluoranthene concentration and not with soil moisture content. Taken together these results suggest that the IA model can help interpret the joint effects of chemical and nonchemical stressors. Such analyses should, however, be done with caution since the literature data set suggests that there may be cases where interactions between stressors result in joint effects that differ significantly from IA predictions.

  19. Self-assembled silk sericin/poloxamer nanoparticles as nanocarriers of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for targeted delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mandal, Biman B; Kundu, S C, E-mail: kundu@hijli.iitkgp.ernet.i [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 (India)

    2009-09-02

    In recent times self-assembled micellar nanoparticles have been successfully employed in tissue engineering for targeted drug delivery applications. In this review, silk sericin protein from non-mulberry Antheraea mylitta tropical tasar silk cocoons was blended with pluronic F-127 and F-87 in the presence of solvents to achieve self-assembled micellar nanostructures capable of carrying both hydrophilic (FITC-inulin) and hydrophobic (anticancer drug paclitaxel) drugs. The fabricated nanoparticles were subsequently characterized for their size distribution, drug loading capability, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. Nanoparticle sizes ranged between 100 and 110 nm in diameter as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. Rapid uptake of these particles into cells was observed in in vitro cellular uptake studies using breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assay using paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles against breast cancer cells showed promising results comparable to free paclitaxel drugs. Drug-encapsulated nanoparticle-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was confirmed by FACS and confocal microscopic studies using Annexin V staining. Up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cleavage of regulatory protein PARP through Western blot analysis suggested further drug-induced apoptosis in cells. This study projects silk sericin protein as an alternative natural biomaterial for fabrication of self-assembled nanoparticles in the presence of poloxamer for successful delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs to target sites.

  20. The potential acute and chronic toxicity of cyfluthrin on the soil model organism, Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lingling; Yang, Da; Song, Yufang; Shi, Yi; Huang, Bin; Bitsch, Annette; Yan, Jun

    2017-10-01

    In this study, the acute (72h and 14 d) and chronic (28 d and 8 weeks) effects of cyfluthrin on earthworms were evaluated across different endpoints, which are mortality, growth, reproduction and enzyme activities. Cyfluthrin was rated as moderately toxic in 72-h filter paper test and low toxic in 14-day soil test. The exposure of earthworms to cyfluthrin-polluted soil for 8 weeks showed that growth of earthworms was inhibited by cyfluthrin, cocoon production and hatching were inhibited by 20-60mg/kg cyfluthrin. Moreover, 28-day soil test on the responses of enzymes associated with antioxidation and detoxification showed that the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione S- transferase (GST) were initially increased by cyfluthrin at 5-20mg/kg, but reduced at 30-60mg/kg, peroxidase (POD) was increased by 26-102% by cyfluthrin in the early period, except 5mg/kg on day 7, and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) was increased by 29-335% by cyfluthrin after 3 days. Cyfluthrin degraded with a half-life of 24.8-34.8 d, showing the inconsistency between the continuous toxic responses of earthworms and degradation of cyfluthrin in soil. The variable responses of these indexes indicated that different level endpoints should be jointly considered for better evaluation of the environmental risk of contaminants in soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Entomophytophagy ('Sequential Predatory, then Phytophagous Behaviour' in an Indian Braconid 'Parasitoid' Wasp (Hymenoptera: Specialized Larval Morphology, Biology and Description of a New Species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A P Ranjith

    Full Text Available The vast majority of braconid wasps are parasitoids of other insects. Although a few cases of pure phytophagy (primary gall production and seed predation are known, no previous entomophytophagous species (i.e. ones that display entomophagy and phytophagy sequentially, has been discovered among braconids. We describe the detailed biology and specialized larval morphology for the first confirmed entomophytophagous braconid species. Leaf galls on Garuga pinnata Roxb. (Burseraceae in India, induced by the psyllid, Phacopteron lentiginosum Buckton (Hemiptera: Psylloidea, Phacopteronidae were sampled throughout a period of several months and found to suffer a high level of attack by a new species Bracon garugaphagae Ranjith & Quicke which is here described and illustrated. The wasps oviposit singly into the galls without paralysing the psyllids. The larvae first attack psyllid nymphs which they seek out within the gall, kill them with a single bite and consume them. Unique dorsal abdominal tubercles, with eversible tips present on the abdominal segments of the larvae that are used to help maintain larval position while feeding, are illustrated. After consuming all available prey, the larvae continue feeding on gall tissue until mature enough to spin cocoons and pupate. The new species illustrates, for the first time, a possible intermediate stage in the evolution of pure phytophagy within the Braconidae. Interestingly, the two unrelated seed predator Bracon species are also associated with Burseraceae, perhaps indicating that this plant family is particularly suited as a food for braconine wasps.

  2. Entomophytophagy ('Sequential Predatory, then Phytophagous Behaviour') in an Indian Braconid 'Parasitoid' Wasp (Hymenoptera): Specialized Larval Morphology, Biology and Description of a New Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranjith, A P; Quicke, Donald L J; Saleem, U K A; Butcher, Buntika A; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro; Nasser, M

    2016-01-01

    The vast majority of braconid wasps are parasitoids of other insects. Although a few cases of pure phytophagy (primary gall production and seed predation) are known, no previous entomophytophagous species (i.e. ones that display entomophagy and phytophagy sequentially), has been discovered among braconids. We describe the detailed biology and specialized larval morphology for the first confirmed entomophytophagous braconid species. Leaf galls on Garuga pinnata Roxb. (Burseraceae) in India, induced by the psyllid, Phacopteron lentiginosum Buckton (Hemiptera: Psylloidea, Phacopteronidae) were sampled throughout a period of several months and found to suffer a high level of attack by a new species Bracon garugaphagae Ranjith & Quicke which is here described and illustrated. The wasps oviposit singly into the galls without paralysing the psyllids. The larvae first attack psyllid nymphs which they seek out within the gall, kill them with a single bite and consume them. Unique dorsal abdominal tubercles, with eversible tips present on the abdominal segments of the larvae that are used to help maintain larval position while feeding, are illustrated. After consuming all available prey, the larvae continue feeding on gall tissue until mature enough to spin cocoons and pupate. The new species illustrates, for the first time, a possible intermediate stage in the evolution of pure phytophagy within the Braconidae. Interestingly, the two unrelated seed predator Bracon species are also associated with Burseraceae, perhaps indicating that this plant family is particularly suited as a food for braconine wasps.

  3. Transmission Electron Microscopy of Bombyx Mori Silk Fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Y.; Martin, D. C.

    1997-03-01

    The microstructure of B. Mori silk fibers before and after degumming was examined by TEM, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), WAXS and low voltage SEM. SEM micrographs of the neat cocoon revealed a network of pairs of twisting filaments. After degumming, there were only individual filaments showing a surface texture consistent with an oriented fibrillar structure in the fiber interior. WAXS patterns confirmed the oriented beta-sheet crystal structure common to silkworm and spider silks. Low dose SAED results were fully consistent with the WAXS data, and revealed that the crystallographic texture did not vary significantly across the fiber diameter. TEM observations of microtomed fiber cross sections indicated a somewhat irregular shape, and also revealed a 0.5-2 micron sericin coating which was removed by the degumming process. TEM observations of the degummed silk fiber showed banded features with a characteristic spacing of nominally 600 nm along the fiber axis. These bands were oriented in a roughly parabolic or V-shape pointing along one axis within a given fiber. We hypothesize that this orientation is induced by the extrusion during the spinning process. Equatorial DF images revealed that axial and lateral sizes of the β-sheet crystallites in silk fibroin ranged from 20 to 170 nm and from 1 to 24 nm, respectively. Crazes developed in the degummed silk fiber parallel to the fiber direction. The formation of these crazes suggests that there are significant lateral interactions between fibrils in silk fibers.

  4. Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of different SnO2 microspheres on graphene oxide sheets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Jia; Xue, Shaolin; Xie, Pei; Zou, Rujia

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Different SnO 2 microspheres were grown on GOs by hydrothermal method. • The morphology was influenced by volume ratio of ethanol and concentrations of precursor. • The shape of SnO 2 microspheres looks like dandelion. • The photocatalytic property is strongly influenced by the SnO 2 morphology on GOs. - Abstract: Different SnO 2 microspheres like dandelions, silkworm cocoons and urchins have been synthesized on graphene oxide sheets (GOs) by hydrothermal method at 190 °C for 24 h. The morphologies, structures, chemical compositions and optical properties of the as-grown SnO 2 microspheres on GOs (SMGs) were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Raman spectra and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) techniques. The results of XRD revealed that the as-grown SnO 2 microspheres have tetragonal rutile structure. The results of Raman spectra, EDS, XRD, XPS and SEM showed that the SnO 2 microspheres were grown on GOs and the average diameter of dandelion-like microsphere was about 1.5 μm. The formation mechanism of SnO 2 microspheres grown on GOs was discussed. The photocatalytic activity of the SMGs composites was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic results showed that the dandelion-like SMGs exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than those of smooth and rough SMGs.

  5. THE E.U. TEXTILE AND CLOTHING TRADE AND ITS IMPACT ON SILK WORM REARING DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agatha POPESCU

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper aimed to analyze the major trade flows in the E.U. textile and clothing industry in close connection with the future development of sericiculture using the data provided by EU Market Access Data Base for the period 2007-2011.The world market of textile and clothing is divided into two parts: raw material providers mainly situated in Asia, but also in South America and large processors situated in the E.U. such as Italy, France, United Kingdom and Spain, whose contribution to the EU production is 75 %. The main E.U. supplier of raw material for textile and clothing industry is China, followed by India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Brazil. About 33 % of the E.U.production of textile and garments is successfully exported as long as demand/offer ratio is unbalanced at world level. Import and export price have substantially increased. At present, the EU is the 2nd silk products exporter in the world. The new E.U. policy strategy regarding sericiculture is focused on the stimulation of silk worm rearing for producing cocoons mainly in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Romania where climate conditions are favorable, it is a long tradition in the field and rural population needs jobs. At the same time, the E.U. is focused on technology improvement and silk product design in order to create more value added and increase export and sales.

  6. The incubation of a social movement? Preterm babies, parent activists, and neonatal productions in the US context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landzelius, Kyra

    2006-02-01

    This article explores health-based activism on the part of the US 'parents of preemies' movement, a mutual-help network mobilized around babies born precariously early and acutely dependent upon life-support incubators. The movement articulates two meta-agendas for parental empowerment: (1) the quest to access/exercise greater participatory inclusivity vis-à-vis the preterm baby within the biomedical domain; and, (2) the quest to secure/command greater representational authority over the preterm baby within the public domain. Seen in terms of the erosion of the status quo, it can be argued that the movement's tangible and intangible aims to chip away at these traditions have been softly revolutionary: heralding new working partnerships between medical practitioners and patients' families; radical shifts in the technological consciousness and competences of preemie parents; and cyborg changes in conventional categories of the person. Yet, seen in terms of a normative order of things, it can be argued that the movement has largely and willingly been "co/operated": meaning that it has been "cooperative," but equally "co-opted" and "operated into" the disciplinary trajectory of neonatal medicine as well as the historical march of biopolitics with its governance of the collective body populous. From this critical perspective, the movement qua social movement thus itself might be considered incubated--cocooned, gestated, disciplined--and brought into existence by the very powers and hegemonic (patriarchal) machinery that viable resistance might struggle to govern instead of serve.

  7. Extremely Bright GRB 160625B with Multiple Emission Episodes: Evidence for Long-term Ejecta Evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lü, Hou-Jun; Lü, Jing; Zhong, Shu-Qing; Huang, Xiao-Li; Zhang, Hai-Ming; Lan, Lin; Lu, Rui-Jing; Liang, En-Wei [Guangxi Key Laboratory for Relativistic Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004 (China); Xie, Wei, E-mail: lhj@gxu.edu.edu, E-mail: lew@gxu.edu.cn [School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

    2017-11-01

    GRB 160625B is an extremely bright GRB with three distinct emission episodes. By analyzing its data observed with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi mission, we find that a multicolor blackbody (mBB) model can be used to fit very well the spectra of the initial short episode (Episode I) within the hypothesis of photosphere emission of a fireball model. The time-resolved spectra of its main episode (Episode II), which was detected with both GBM and LAT after a long quiescent stage (∼180 s) following the initial episode, can be fitted with a model comprising an mBB component plus a cutoff power-law (CPL) component. This GRB was detected again in the GBM and LAT bands with a long extended emission (Episode III) after a quiescent period of ∼300 s. The spectrum of Episode III is adequately fitted with CPL plus single power-law models, and no mBB component is required. These features may imply that the emission of the three episodes are dominated by distinct physics processes, i.e., Episode I is possible from the cocoon emission surrounding the relativistic jet, Episode II may be from photosphere emission and internal shock of the relativistic jet, and Episode III is contributed by internal and external shocks of the relativistic jet. On the other hand, both X-ray and optical afterglows are consistent with the standard external shocks model.

  8. BROAD N{sub 2}H{sup +} EMISSION TOWARD THE PROTOSTELLAR SHOCK L1157-B1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Codella, C.; Fontani, F.; Gómez-Ruiz, A.; Vasta, M. [INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze (Italy); Viti, S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London (United Kingdom); Ceccarelli, C.; Lefloch, B.; Podio, L. [UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planétologie et d' Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG) UMR 5274, Grenoble, F-38041 (France); Benedettini, M.; Busquet, G. [INAF, Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma (Italy); Caselli, P., E-mail: codella@rcetri.astro.it [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)

    2013-10-10

    We present the first detection of N{sub 2}H{sup +} toward a low-mass protostellar outflow, namely, the L1157-B1 shock, at ∼0.1 pc from the protostellar cocoon. The detection was obtained with the IRAM 30 m antenna. We observed emission at 93 GHz due to the J = 1-0 hyperfine lines. Analysis of this emission coupled with HIFI CHESS multiline CO observations leads to the conclusion that the observed N{sub 2}H{sup +}(1-0) line originated from the dense (≥10{sup 5} cm{sup –3}) gas associated with the large (20''-25'') cavities opened by the protostellar wind. We find an N{sub 2}H{sup +} column density of a few 10{sup 12} cm{sup –2} corresponding to an abundance of (2-8) × 10{sup –9}. The N{sub 2}H{sup +} abundance can be matched by a model of quiescent gas evolved for more than 10{sup 4} yr, i.e., for more than the shock kinematical age (≅2000 yr). Modeling of C-shocks confirms that the abundance of N{sub 2}H{sup +} is not increased by the passage of the shock. In summary, N{sub 2}H{sup +} is a fossil record of the pre-shock gas, formed when the density of the gas was around 10{sup 4} cm{sup –3}, and then further compressed and accelerated by the shock.

  9. FIRST-2MASS RED QUASARS: TRANSITIONAL OBJECTS EMERGING FROM THE DUST

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glikman, Eilat; Urrutia, Tanya; Lacy, Mark; Djorgovski, S. George; Mahabal, Ashish; Myers, Adam D.; Ross, Nicholas P.; Petitjean, Patrick; Ge, Jian; Schneider, Donald P.; York, Donald G.

    2012-01-01

    We present a sample of 120 dust-reddened quasars identified by matching radio sources detected at 1.4 GHz in the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters survey with the near-infrared Two Micron All Sky Survey catalog and color-selecting red sources. Optical and/or near-infrared spectroscopy provide broad wavelength sampling of their spectral energy distributions that we use to determine their reddening, characterized by E(B – V). We demonstrate that the reddening in these quasars is best described by Small-Magellanic-Cloud-like dust. This sample spans a wide range in redshift and reddening (0.1 ∼< z ∼< 3, 0.1 ∼< E(B – V) ∼< 1.5), which we use to investigate the possible correlation of luminosity with reddening. At every redshift, dust-reddened quasars are intrinsically the most luminous quasars. We interpret this result in the context of merger-driven quasar/galaxy co-evolution where these reddened quasars are revealing an emergent phase during which the heavily obscured quasar is shedding its cocoon of dust prior to becoming a 'normal' blue quasar. When correcting for extinction, we find that, depending on how the parent population is defined, these red quasars make up ∼< 15%-20% of the luminous quasar population. We estimate, based on the fraction of objects in this phase, that its duration is 15%-20% as long as the unobscured, blue quasar phase.

  10. Potential utilization of bagasse as feed material for earthworm Eisenia fetida and production of vermicompost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Sartaj Ahmad; Singh, Jaswinder; Vig, Adarsh Pal

    2015-01-01

    In the present work bagasse (B) i.e waste of the sugar industry, was fed to Eisenia fetida with cattle dung (CD) support as feed material at various ratios (waste: CD) of 0:100 (B0), 25:75 (B25), 50:50 (B50), 75:25 (B75) and 100:0 (B100) on dry weight basis. Co-composting with cattle dung helped to improve their acceptability for E. fetida and also improved physico-chemical characteristics. Best appropriate ratio for survival, maximum growth and population buildup of E. fetida was determined by observing population buildup, growth rate, biomass, mortality and cocoon formation. Minimum mortality and highest population size of worms was observed in 50:50 (B50) ratio. Increasing concentrations of wastes significantly affected the growth and reproduction of worms. Nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and sodium increased from pre-vermicompost to post-vermicompost, while organic carbon, and C:N ratio decreased in all the end products of post-vermicomposting. Heavy metals decreased significantly from initial except zinc, iron and manganese which increased significantly. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to recognize the changes in texture in the pre and post-vermicomposted samples. The post-vermicomposted ratios in the presence of earthworms validate more surface changes that prove to be good manure. The results observed from the present study indicated that the earthworm E. fetida was able to change bagasse waste into nutrient-rich manure and thus play a major role in industrial waste management.

  11. The role of ecological divergence in speciation between intertidal and subtidal Scoloplos armiger (Polychaeta, Orbiniidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruse, Inken; Strasser, Matthias; Thiermann, Frank

    2004-02-01

    The concept of ecological speciation implies that habitat differences may split a species by strong selection and rapid adaptation even under sympatric conditions. Studies on the polychaete Scoloplos armiger in the Wadden Sea (North Sea) indicate sibling species existing in sympatry: the intertidal 'Type I' with holobenthic development out of egg cocoons and the subtidal 'Type S' producing pelagic larvae. In the current study, Types I and S are compared in habitat-related traits of reproductive timing and physiological response to hypoxia and sulphide. Spawnings of Type I and Type S recorded over six years overlap in spring and both appear to be triggered by a rise in seawater temperature above 5 °C. Type S exhibits an additional autumn spawning (at seawater temperatures around 10 °C) which was previously unknown and is absent in Type I. The overall abundance of pelagic larvae in the Wadden Sea is higher in spring than in autumn. Tolerance of both sulphide and hypoxia was lower in Type S than in Type I. This correlates with a 5 to 10-fold lower sulphide concentration in the subtidal compared to the intertidal habitat. Physiological tolerance and divergence in developmental mode appear as traits which may have led to reproductive isolation between Type I and Type S. Their role in allopatric and sympatric speciation scenarios in S. armiger is discussed. Since the pelagic dispersal mode has been neglected so far, a reassessment of population dynamics models for S. armiger is suggested.

  12. Effects of Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) host stages on some developmental parameters of the uniparental endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Braconidae, Hymenoptera).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ya-Hui; Li, Bao-Ping

    2008-04-01

    A single choice test was performed to examine developmental strategies in the uniparental endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis and its host, the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera. The results support the dome-shaped model in which the fitness functions are 'dome-shaped' relative to size (and age) of host at parasitism. Older and, hence, larger host larvae were simply not better hosts for the developing parasitoids. Although parasitoid size (measured as cocoon weight and adult hind tibia length) was positively correlated with host instars at parasitism, parasitoids developing in larger hosts (L5 and L6) suffered much higher mortality than conspecifics developing in smaller hosts (L2-L4). Furthermore, egg-to-adult development time in M. pulchricornis was significantly longer in older host larvae (L4-L6) than in the younger. Performance of M. pulchricornis, as indicated by fitness-related traits, strongly suggests that the L3 host is the most suitable for survival, growth and development of the parasitoid, followed by both L2 and L4 hosts; whereas, L1, L5 and L6 are the least favourable hosts. The oviposition tendency of M. pulchricornis, represented by parasitism level, was not perfectly consistent with the performance of the offspring; L2-L4 hosts, although with the same parasitism level, had offspring parasitoids with differences in fitness-related performance. Larval development in Helicoverpa armigera was usually suspended, but occasionally advanced, in the final instar.

  13. Sequential steps of macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy are involved in the irreversible process of posterior silk gland histolysis during metamorphosis of Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiba, Hajime; Yabu, Takeshi; Sudayama, Makoto; Mano, Nobuhiro; Arai, Naoto; Nakanishi, Teruyuki; Hosono, Kuniaki

    2016-04-15

    To elucidate the degradation process of the posterior silk gland during metamorphosis of the silkworm ITALIC! Bombyx mori, tissues collected on the 6th day after entering the 5th instar (V6), prior to spinning (PS), during spinning (SP) and after cocoon formation (CO) were used to analyze macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent ubiquitin proteasome. Immediately after entering metamorphosis stage PS, the levels of ATP and phosphorylated p70S6 kinase protein decreased spontaneously and continued to decline at SP, followed by a notable restoration at CO. In contrast, phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) showed increases at SP and CO. Most of the Atg8 protein was converted to form II at all stages. The levels of ubiquitinated proteins were high at SP and CO, and low at PS. The proteasome activity was high at V6 and PS but low at SP and CO. In the isolated lysosome fractions, levels of Hsc70/Hsp70 protein began to increase at PS and continued to rise at SP and CO. The lysosomal cathepsin B/L activity showed a dramatic increase at CO. Our results clearly demonstrate that macroautophagy occurs before entering the metamorphosis stage and strongly suggest that the CMA pathway may play an important role in the histolysis of the posterior silk gland during metamorphosis. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. Assessment of methodologies for radioactive waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoos, I.R.

    1978-01-01

    No quantitative methodology is adequate to encompass and assess all the risks, no risk/benefit calculation is fine-tuned enough to supply decision-makers with the full range and all of the dimensions. Quality assurance cannot be conceived in terms of systems design alone, but must be maintained vigilantly and with integrity throughout the process. The responsibility of the NRC is fairly well established with respect to overall reactor safety. With respect to the management of radioactive wastes, its mission is not yet so clearly delineated. Herein lies a challenge and an opportunity. Where the known quantitative methodologies are restrictive and likely to have negative feedback effect on authority and public support, the broader lens and the bolder thrust are called for. The cozy cocoon of figures ultimately protects no one. The Commission, having acknowledged that the management of radioactive wastes is not merely a technological matter can now take the socially responsible position of exploring as fully and confronting as candidly as possible the total range of dimensions involved. Paradoxically, it is Charles J. Hitch, intellectual progenitor of the methodology, who observes that we may be missing the meaning of his message by relying too heavily on quantitative analysis and thus defining our task too narrowly. We live in a closed system, in which science and technology, politics and economics, and, above all, social and human elements interact, sometimes to create the problems, sometimes to articulate the questions, and sometimes to find viable solutions

  15. Health status of alfalfa leafcutting bee larvae (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in United States alfalfa seed fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, R R; Pitts-Singer, T L

    2013-12-01

    We conducted a broad geographic survey in the northwestern United States to quantify production losses in the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata (F.), Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a solitary pollinator used extensively in alfalfa seed production. Viable larvae were found in only 47.1% of the nest cells collected at the end of the season. Most of the rest of the cells contained pollen balls (typified by a provision but no larva; 16.7%), unknown causes of mortality (15.5%), or larvae killed by chalkbrood (8.0%). Prevalence of pollen balls was correlated positively with bee release rates and negatively with alfalfa stand age. The unknown mortality was correlated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Plant Hardiness Zone, and thus, some of the mortality may be caused by high temperature extremes, although the nesting season degree-days were not correlated with this mortality. Chalkbrood prevalence was correlated with possible nesting-resource or crowding-related factors, such as the number of bees released per hectare and the number of shelters used, but not with nesting board disinfection practices. Vapona is used to control parasitoids when the parent bees are incubated before release, and use of this fumigant was associated with an increase in both chalkbrood and diapausing offspring, although any reason for these correlations are unknown. This survey quantifies the variation in the quality of alfalfa leafcutting bee cocoons produced across much of the U.S. alfalfa seed production area.

  16. EFEK APLIKASI PADA HIDROKSIAPATIT TERHADAP PERLEKATAN SEL OSTEOBLAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Sunarintyas

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydroxyapatite (HA is often used as a human bone graft. Modification of HA surface is developed to increase osseointegration process which is influenced by cells attachment surrounded the tissue. Sericin has polar side groups which accelerate cells attachment. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of sericin application over HA surface on the attachment of osteoblast cells. The research used HA synthesized from gypsum (Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta. Sericin was extracted from silkworm cocoons of Bombyx mori. Sericin of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1% were applied over HA discs surface (10 mm in diameter, 3 mm thick. The discs were inserted into osteoblast cells culture of MC3T3E1 for attachment test. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and LSD. The result showed that the amount of osteoblast cells attached to HA (7.60±0.42 was significantly difference (p<0.05 with HA + sericin 0.01% (10.30±0.52, HA + sericin 0.5% (10.63±0.70, HA + sericin 0.1% (10.67±0.87. Variation of sericin concentrations applied over HA did not influence any significant difference on the amount of cells attachment (p>0.05. In conclusion, sericin application over HA surface increased the amount of osteoblast cells attachment. Concentrations of sericin application over HA (0.01, 0.05, 0.1% did not influence osteoblast cells attachment.

  17. Silk fibroin based antibacterial bionanotextiles as wound dressing materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Çalamak, Semih [Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Hacettepe University, Department of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Erdoğdu, Ceren; Özalp, Meral [Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Ulubayram, Kezban, E-mail: ukezban@hacettepe.edu.tr [Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Hacettepe University, Department of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

    2014-10-01

    New applications for medical biotextiles have been identified with the development of nanotechnological manufacturing technologies. Combination of nanotechnology and biotextile technology has resulted into a new field called bionanotextiles. Bionanotextiles are used in many areas which include wound dressings, bandages and tissue scaffolds. Silk fibroin (SF) from the cocoon of Bombyx mori, is one of the most favorable wound dressing materials due to its unique properties including biocompatibility, permeability, biodegradability, morphologic flexibility, and proper mechanical properties. The modification of antimicrobial properties of SFs can provide a barrier for bacterial penetration as wound dressing materials. In the present study, antibacterial polyethylenimine (PEI) (10, 20 and 30% (w/w)) was blended with SF and bionanotextiles were successfully fabricated by electrospinning. In addition, silk fibroin nanofibers were also functionalized with sulphate group in order to test whether they exhibit an antibacterial activity or not. Fibroin based bionanotextiles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The cytotoxicity evaluations were carried out by L929 fibroblasts with MTT assay. The indirect cytotoxicity results demonstrate that all fibroin and PEI/fibroin extracts have no cytotoxicity on L929 cancer cell line. PEI/fibroin bionanotextiles showed strong antibacterial activities against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. - Highlights: • Bionanotextiles are combination of nanotechnology and biotextile technology. • Bionanotextiles have good antibacterial activity against both of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. • Antibacterial bionanotextiles are applicable to most of the infected wounds. • No cytotoxicity was observed on L929 cell line.

  18. Molecular characterization of the gene feminizer in the stingless bee Melipona interrupta (Hymenoptera: Apidae) reveals association to sex and caste development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brito, Diana V; Silva, Carlos Gustavo N; Hasselmann, Martin; Viana, Luciana S; Astolfi-Filho, Spartaco; Carvalho-Zilse, Gislene A

    2015-11-01

    In highly eusocial insects, development of reproductive traits are regulated not only by sex determination pathway, but it also depends on caste fate. The molecular basis of both mechanisms in stingless bees and possible interaction with each other is still obscure. Here, we investigate sex determination in Melipona interrupta, focusing on characterization and expression analysis of the feminizer gene (Mi-fem), and its association to a major component of caste determination, the juvenile hormone (JH). We present evidence that Mi-fem mRNA is sex-specifically spliced in which only the female splice variant encodes the full length protein, following the same principle known for other bee species. We quantified Mi-fem expression among developmental stages, sexes and castes. Mi-fem expression varies considerably throughout development, with higher expression levels in embryos. Also, fem levels in pupae and newly emerged adults were significantly higher in queens than workers and males. Finally, we ectopically applied JH in cocoon spinning larvae, which correspond to the time window where queen/worker phenotypes diverge. We observed a significantly increase in Mi-fem expression compared to control groups. Since up to 100% of females turn into queens when treated with JH (while control groups are composed mainly of workers), we propose that fem might act to regulate queens' development. Our findings provide support for the conserved regulatory function of fem in Melipona bees and demonstrate a significant correlation between key elements of sex and caste determination pathways, opening the avenue to further investigate the molecular basis of these complex traits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Towards radiological diagnosis of abdominal adhesions based on motion signatures derived from sequences of cine-MRI images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenner, John; Wright, Benjamin; Emberey, Jonathan; Spencer, Paul; Gillott, Richard; Summers, Angela; Hutchinson, Charles; Lawford, Pat; Brenchley, Paul; Bardhan, Karna Dev

    2014-06-01

    This paper reports novel development and preliminary application of an image registration technique for diagnosis of abdominal adhesions imaged with cine-MRI (cMRI). Adhesions can severely compromise the movement and physiological function of the abdominal contents, and their presence is difficult to detect. The image registration approach presented here is designed to expose anomalies in movement of the abdominal organs, providing a movement signature that is indicative of underlying structural abnormalities. Validation of the technique was performed using structurally based in vitro and in silico models, supported with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) methods. For the more challenging cases presented to the small cohort of 4 observers, the AUC (area under curve) improved from a mean value of 0.67 ± 0.02 (without image registration assistance) to a value of 0.87 ± 0.02 when image registration support was included. Also, in these cases, a reduction in time to diagnosis was observed, decreasing by between 20% and 50%. These results provided sufficient confidence to apply the image registration diagnostic protocol to sample magnetic resonance imaging data from healthy volunteers as well as a patient suffering from encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (an extreme form of adhesions) where immobilization of the gut by cocooning of the small bowel is observed. The results as a whole support the hypothesis that movement analysis using image registration offers a possible method for detecting underlying structural anomalies and encourages further investigation. Copyright © 2014 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Silk sericin/polyacrylamide in situ forming hydrogels for dermal reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kundu, Banani; Kundu, Subhas C

    2012-10-01

    In situ forming tissue sealants are advantageous due to ease in application, complete coverage of defect site and assured comfort levels to patients. The interconnected three-dimensional hydrophilic networks perfectly manage typical dermal wounds by suitably scaffolding skin fibroblast, diffusing the nutrients, therapeutics and exudates while still maintaining an adequately moist environment. We evaluate the cell homing ability of semi-interpenetrating non-mulberry tropical tasar silk sericin/polyacrylamide hydrophilic network with a keen understanding of its network characteristics and correlation of protein concentration with the performance as cell scaffold. Interconnectivity of porous networks observed through scanning electron micrograph revealed pore sizes ranging from 23 to 52 μm. The enhanced β-sheet content with the increasing sericin concentration in far red spectroscopy study supported their corresponding improved compressive strength. These semi-interpenetrating networks were found to possess a maximum fluid uptake of 112% of its weight, hence preventing the accumulation of exudates at the wound area. The present systems appear to possess characteristics like rapid gelation (~5min) at 37 °C, 98% porosity enabling the migration of fibroblasts during healing (observed through confocal and scanning electron micrographs), cell adhesion together with the absence of any cyto-toxic effect suggesting its potential as in situ tissue sealants. The compressive strength up to 61 kPa ensured ease in handling even when wet. The results prove the suitability to use non-mulberry tasar cocoon silk sericin/polyacrylamide semi-interpenetrating network as a reconstructive dermal sealant. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of different SnO{sub 2} microspheres on graphene oxide sheets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Jia, E-mail: jojo.1125@hotmail.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xue, Shaolin, E-mail: slxue@dhu.edu.cn [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xie, Pei, E-mail: peipeixie@sina.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Zou, Rujia, E-mail: rujiazou@dhu.edu.cn [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China)

    2016-07-15

    Highlights: • Different SnO{sub 2} microspheres were grown on GOs by hydrothermal method. • The morphology was influenced by volume ratio of ethanol and concentrations of precursor. • The shape of SnO{sub 2} microspheres looks like dandelion. • The photocatalytic property is strongly influenced by the SnO{sub 2} morphology on GOs. - Abstract: Different SnO{sub 2} microspheres like dandelions, silkworm cocoons and urchins have been synthesized on graphene oxide sheets (GOs) by hydrothermal method at 190 °C for 24 h. The morphologies, structures, chemical compositions and optical properties of the as-grown SnO{sub 2} microspheres on GOs (SMGs) were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Raman spectra and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) techniques. The results of XRD revealed that the as-grown SnO{sub 2} microspheres have tetragonal rutile structure. The results of Raman spectra, EDS, XRD, XPS and SEM showed that the SnO{sub 2} microspheres were grown on GOs and the average diameter of dandelion-like microsphere was about 1.5 μm. The formation mechanism of SnO{sub 2} microspheres grown on GOs was discussed. The photocatalytic activity of the SMGs composites was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic results showed that the dandelion-like SMGs exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than those of smooth and rough SMGs.

  2. On the origin of X-shaped radio galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gopal-Krishna; Biermann, Peter L.; Gergely, László Á.; Wiita, Paul J.

    2012-01-01

    After a brief, critical review of the leading explanations proposed for the small but important subset of radio galaxies showing an X-shaped morphology (XRGs) we propose a generalized model, based on the jet-shell interaction and spin-flip hypotheses. The most popular scenarios for this intriguing phenomenon invoke either hydrodynamical backflows and over-pressured cocoons or rapid jet reorientations, presumably from the spin-flips of central engines following the mergers of pairs of galaxies, each of which contains a supermassive black hole. We confront these models with a number of key observations, and thus argue that none of the models is capable of explaining the entire range of the salient observational properties of XRGs, although some of the arguments raised in the literature against the spin-flip scenario are probably not tenable. We then propose a new scenario which also involves galactic mergers but would allow the spin of the central engine to maintain its direction. Motivated by detailed multi-band observations of the nearest radio galaxy, Centaurus A, this new model emphasizes the role of the interactions between the jets and the shells of stars and gas that form and rotate around the merged galaxy and can cause temporary deflections of the jets, occasionally giving rise to an X-shaped radio structure. Although each model is likely to be relevant to a subset of XRGs, the bulk of the evidence indicates that most of them are best explained by the jet-shell interaction or spin-flip hypotheses.

  3. Impact of silk fibroin-based scaffold structures on human osteoblast MG63 cell attachment and proliferation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Varkey A

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Aneesia Varkey,1,2 Elakkiya Venugopal,2 Ponjanani Sugumaran,2 Gopinathan Janarthanan,1 Mamatha M Pillai,2 Selvakumar Rajendran,2 Amitava Bhattacharyya1 1Advanced Textile and Polymer Research Laboratory, 2Tissue Engineering Laboratory, PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract: The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of various types of silk fibroin (SF scaffolds on human osteoblast-like cell (MG63 attachment and proliferation. SF was isolated from Bombyx mori silk worm cocoons after degumming. Protein concentration in the degummed SF solution was estimated using Bradford method. Aqueous SF solution was used to fabricate three different types of scaffolds, viz, electrospun nanofiber mat, sponge, and porous film. The structures of the prepared scaffolds were characterized using optical micro­scopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The changes in the secondary structure of the proteins and the thermal behavior of the scaffolds were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis, respectively. The biodegradation rate of scaffolds was determined by incubating the scaffolds in simulated body fluid for 4 weeks. MG63 cells were seeded on the scaffolds and their attachment and proliferation onto the scaffolds were studied. The MTT assay was carried out to deduce the toxicity of the developed scaffolds. All the scaffolds were found to be biocompatible. The amount of collagen produced by the osteoblast-like cells growing on different scaffolds was estimated. Keywords: silk fibroin scaffold, electrospun nanofiber, porous film, sponge, osteoblast

  4. From design to implementation--the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) program: a descriptive report of an electronic web-based diabetes management program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Gary T; So, Wing-Yee; Tong, Peter C; Le Coguiec, Francois; Kerr, Debborah; Lyubomirsky, Greg; Tamesis, Beaver; Wolthers, Troels; Nan, Jennifer; Chan, Juliana

    2010-05-13

    The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) Program is a web-based program incorporating a comprehensive risk engine, care protocols, and clinical decision support to improve ambulatory diabetes care. The JADE Program uses information technology to facilitate healthcare professionals to create a diabetes registry and to deliver an evidence-based care and education protocol tailored to patients' risk profiles. With written informed consent from participating patients and care providers, all data are anonymized and stored in a databank to establish an Asian Diabetes Database for research and publication purpose. The JADE electronic portal (e-portal: http://www.jade-adf.org) is implemented as a Java application using the Apache web server, the mySQL database and the Cocoon framework. The JADE e-portal comprises a risk engine which predicts 5-year probability of major clinical events based on parameters collected during an annual comprehensive assessment. Based on this risk stratification, the JADE e-portal recommends a care protocol tailored to these risk levels with decision support triggered by various risk factors. Apart from establishing a registry for quality assurance and data tracking, the JADE e-portal also displays trends of risk factor control at each visit to promote doctor-patient dialogues and to empower both parties to make informed decisions. The JADE Program is a prototype using information technology to facilitate implementation of a comprehensive care model, as recommended by the International Diabetes Federation. It also enables health care teams to record, manage, track and analyze the clinical course and outcomes of people with diabetes.

  5. From design to implementation - The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE program: A descriptive report of an electronic web-based diabetes management program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyubomirsky Greg

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE Program is a web-based program incorporating a comprehensive risk engine, care protocols, and clinical decision support to improve ambulatory diabetes care. Methods The JADE Program uses information technology to facilitate healthcare professionals to create a diabetes registry and to deliver an evidence-based care and education protocol tailored to patients' risk profiles. With written informed consent from participating patients and care providers, all data are anonymized and stored in a databank to establish an Asian Diabetes Database for research and publication purpose. Results The JADE electronic portal (e-portal: http://www.jade-adf.org is implemented as a Java application using the Apache web server, the mySQL database and the Cocoon framework. The JADE e-portal comprises a risk engine which predicts 5-year probability of major clinical events based on parameters collected during an annual comprehensive assessment. Based on this risk stratification, the JADE e-portal recommends a care protocol tailored to these risk levels with decision support triggered by various risk factors. Apart from establishing a registry for quality assurance and data tracking, the JADE e-portal also displays trends of risk factor control at each visit to promote doctor-patient dialogues and to empower both parties to make informed decisions. Conclusions The JADE Program is a prototype using information technology to facilitate implementation of a comprehensive care model, as recommended by the International Diabetes Federation. It also enables health care teams to record, manage, track and analyze the clinical course and outcomes of people with diabetes.

  6. Metal enriched gaseous halos around distant radio galaxies: Clues to feedback in galaxy formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reuland, M; van Breugel, W; de Vries, W; Dopita, A; Dey, A; Miley, G; Rottgering, H; Venemans, B; Stanford, S A; Lacy, M; Spinrad, H; Dawson, S; Stern, D; Bunker, A

    2006-08-01

    We present the results of an optical and near-IR spectroscopic study of giant nebular emission line halos associated with three z > 3 radio galaxies, 4C 41.17, 4C 60.07 and B2 0902+34. Previous deep narrow band Ly{alpha} imaging had revealed complex morphologies with sizes up to 100 kpc, possibly connected to outflows and AGN feedback from the central regions. The outer regions of these halos show quiet kinematics with typical velocity dispersions of a few hundred km s{sup -1}, and velocity shears that can mostly be interpreted as being due to rotation. The inner regions show shocked cocoons of gas closely associated with the radio lobes. These display disturbed kinematics and have expansion velocities and/or velocity dispersions >1000 km s{sup -1}. The core region is chemically evolved, and we also find spectroscopic evidence for the ejection of enriched material in 4C 41.17 up to a distance of {approx} 60 kpc along the radio-axis. The dynamical structures traced in the Ly{alpha} line are, in most cases, closely echoed in the Carbon and Oxygen lines. This shows that the Ly{alpha} line is produced in a highly clumped medium of small filling factor, and can therefore be used as a tracer of the dynamics of HzRGs. We conclude that these HzRGs are undergoing a final jet-induced phase of star formation with ejection of most of their interstellar medium before becoming 'red and dead' Elliptical galaxies.

  7. Earthworm introduction on calcareous minesoils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vimmerstedt, J.P.; Kost, D.A.

    1994-01-01

    Burrowing activity of the nightcrawler, Lumbricus terrestis (L.t.), incorporates organic matter into mineral soil while creating long-lasting macropores. Thus L.t. has potential as a biological means of improving physical and chemical properties of surface mined areas. Efforts to establish L.t. population on forested acidic or calcareous minesoils have been successful, but thus far have not been able to establish L.t. in grassland ecosystems on calcareous minesoils. In May, 1989, the authors put 11 clitellate L.t. under sphagnum moss on calcareous gray cast overburden on standard graded topsoil, or on ripped and disked topsoil. All soils had cover of agronomic grasses and legumes. They found no L.t. at the 24 points of inoculation during sampling in fall of 1990 with formalin extractant, although smaller species, Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrobaena spp., were found. At another location, in May, 1990, they put 25 clitellate L.t. at 16 points in grasslands growing on gray cast overburden. Using formalin extraction, they found no L.t. in May 1992 at these locations. Working in this same area in November, 1992, they released 10 clitellate L.t. at 16 points under 10 cm of moist Alnus glutinosa leaf litter. Careful examination of the surface inoculation points in spring and fall of 1993 did not show obvious signs of earthworm activity. Their next step will be to use Earthworm Inoculation Units (earthworm-minesoil microcosms containing L.t. adults, immatures, and cocoons) as the source of the new populations

  8. The structure of protostellar dense cores: a millimeter continuum study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motte, Frederique

    1998-01-01

    A comprehensive theoretical scenario explains low-mass star formation and describes the gravitational collapse of an isolated 'ideal' dense core. The major aim of this thesis is to check the standard model predictions on the structure of protostellar dense cores (or envelopes). The earliest stages of star formation remain poorly known because the protostars are still deeply embedded in massive, opaque circumstellar cocoons. On the one hand, sensitive bolometer arrays very recently allow us to measure the millimeter continuum emission arising from dense cores. Such observations are a powerful tool to constrain the density structure of proto-stellar dense cores (on large length scale). In particular, we studied the structure of isolated proto-stellar envelopes in Taurus and protostars in the ρ Ophiuchi cluster. In order to accurately derive their envelope density power law, we simulated the observation of several envelope models. Then we show that most of the Taurus protostars present a density structure consistent with the standard model predictions. In contrast, dense cores in ρ Ophiuchi main cloud are highly fragmented and protostellar envelope have finite size. Moreover fragmentation appears to be essential in determining the final stellar mass of ρ Oph forming stars. In clusters, fragmentation may thus be at the origin of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). On the other hand, our interferometric millimeter continuum observations are tracing (with higher angular resolution) the inner part of protostellar envelopes. Our study show that disks during protostellar stages are not yet massive and thus do not perturb the analysis of envelope density structure. (author) [fr

  9. Sustainable reuse of rice residues as feedstocks in vermicomposting for organic fertilizer production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shak, Katrina Pui Yee; Wu, Ta Yeong; Lim, Su Lin; Lee, Chieh Ai

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, rice (Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima) cultivation has increased in many rice-growing countries due to the increasing export demand and population growth and led to a copious amount of rice residues, consisting mainly of rice straw (RS) and rice husk (RH), being generated during and after harvesting. In this study, Eudrilus eugeniae was used to decompose rice residues alone and rice residues amended with cow dung (CD) for bio-transformation of wastes into organic fertilizer. Generally, the final vermicomposts showed increases in macronutrients, namely, calcium (11.4-34.2%), magnesium (1.3-40.8%), phosphorus (1.2-57.3%), and potassium (1.1-345.6%) and a decrease in C/N ratio (26.8-80.0%) as well as increases in heavy metal content for iron (17-108%), copper (14-120%), and manganese (6-60%) after 60 days of vermicomposting. RS as a feedstock was observed to support healthier growth and reproduction of earthworms as compared to RH, with maximum adult worm biomass of 0.66 g/worm (RS) at 60 days, 31 cocoons (1RS:2CD), and 23 hatchlings (1RS:1CD). Vermicomposting of RS yielded better results than RH among all of the treatments investigated. RS that was mixed with two parts of CD (1RS:2CD) showed the best combination of nutrient results as well as the growth of E. eugeniae. In conclusion, vermicomposting could be used as a green technology to bio-convert rice residues into nutrient-rich organic fertilizers if the residues are mixed with CD in the appropriate ratio.

  10. Enhancing surface properties of breast implants by using electrospun silk fibroin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valencia-Lazcano, A A; Román-Doval, R; De La Cruz-Burelo, E; Millán-Casarrubias, E J; Rodríguez-Ortega, A

    2017-08-24

    In the present study, a new electrospun silk fibroin coating of silicone breast implants with improved biocompatibility and mechanical properties was obtained. Fibrous scaffolds were produced by electrospinning a solution containing silk fibroin, derived from Bombyx mori cocoons, and polyethylene oxide (PEO) to be used as a coating of breast implants. A randomly oriented structure of fibroin/PEO was electrospun on implants as assessed by SEM analysis, roughness measurements and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The scaffold showed 0.25 µm diameter fibres, 0.76 µm size superficial pores, arithmetic roughness of 0.632 ± 0.12 µm and texture aspect ratio of 0.893 ± 0.04. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates the presence of PEO and fibroin in the coating. The mechanical characterisation of the implants before and after being coated with fibroin/PEO demonstrated that the fibroin/PEO scaffold contributes to the increase in the elastic modulus from 0.392 ± 0.02 to 0.560 ± 0.03 MPa and to a more elastic behaviour of the breast implants. Using the fibroin/PEO coating, human fibroblasts seeded on this matrix increased viability up to 30% compared to conventional breast implants. Electrospun silk fibroin could represent a clinically compatible, viable form to coat breast implants. Low cytotoxicity by the fibroin coating and its physico-chemical and mechanical properties may find application in improving breast implants biocompatibility. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Silk fibroin based antibacterial bionanotextiles as wound dressing materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Çalamak, Semih; Erdoğdu, Ceren; Özalp, Meral; Ulubayram, Kezban

    2014-01-01

    New applications for medical biotextiles have been identified with the development of nanotechnological manufacturing technologies. Combination of nanotechnology and biotextile technology has resulted into a new field called bionanotextiles. Bionanotextiles are used in many areas which include wound dressings, bandages and tissue scaffolds. Silk fibroin (SF) from the cocoon of Bombyx mori, is one of the most favorable wound dressing materials due to its unique properties including biocompatibility, permeability, biodegradability, morphologic flexibility, and proper mechanical properties. The modification of antimicrobial properties of SFs can provide a barrier for bacterial penetration as wound dressing materials. In the present study, antibacterial polyethylenimine (PEI) (10, 20 and 30% (w/w)) was blended with SF and bionanotextiles were successfully fabricated by electrospinning. In addition, silk fibroin nanofibers were also functionalized with sulphate group in order to test whether they exhibit an antibacterial activity or not. Fibroin based bionanotextiles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The cytotoxicity evaluations were carried out by L929 fibroblasts with MTT assay. The indirect cytotoxicity results demonstrate that all fibroin and PEI/fibroin extracts have no cytotoxicity on L929 cancer cell line. PEI/fibroin bionanotextiles showed strong antibacterial activities against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. - Highlights: • Bionanotextiles are combination of nanotechnology and biotextile technology. • Bionanotextiles have good antibacterial activity against both of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. • Antibacterial bionanotextiles are applicable to most of the infected wounds. • No cytotoxicity was observed on L929 cell line

  12. Depletion of juvenile hormone esterase extends larval growth in Bombyx mori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhongjie; Liu, Xiaojing; Shiotsuki, Takahiro; Wang, Zhisheng; Xu, Xia; Huang, Yongping; Li, Muwang; Li, Kai; Tan, Anjiang

    2017-02-01

    Two major hormones, juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), regulate insect growth and development according to their precisely coordinated titres, which are controlled by both biosynthesis and degradation pathways. Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) is the primary JH-specific degradation enzyme that plays a key role in regulating JH titers, along with JH epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) and JH diol kinase (JHDK). In the current study, a loss-of-function analysis of JHE in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, was performed by targeted gene disruption using the transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases) system. Depletion of B. mori JHE (BmJHE) resulted in the extension of larval stages, especially the penultimate and ultimate larval stages, without deleterious effects to silkworm physiology. The expression of JHEH and JHDK was upregulated in mutant animals, indicating the existence of complementary routes in the JH metabolism pathway in which inactivation of one enzyme will activate other enzymes. RNA-Seq analysis of mutant animals revealed that genes involved in protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and in amino acid metabolism were affected by BmJHE depletion. Depletion of JHE and subsequent delayed JH metabolism activated genes in the TOR pathway, which are ultimately responsible for extending larval growth. The transgenic Cas9 system used in the current study provides a promising approach for analysing the actions of JH, especially in nondrosophilid insects. Furthermore, prolonging larval stages produced larger larvae and cocoons, which is greatly beneficial to silk production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. On the Breeding of Bivoltine Breeds of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae, Tolerant to High Temperature and High Humidity Conditions of the Tropics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harjeet Singh

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The hot climatic conditions of tropics prevailing particularly in summer are contributing to the poor performance of the bivoltine breeds and the most important aspect is that many quantitative characters such as viability and cocoon traits decline sharply when temperature is high. Hence, in a tropical country like India, it is very essential to develop bivoltine breeds/hybrids which can withstand the high temperature stress conditions. This has resulted in the development of CSR18 × CSR19, compatible hybrid for rearing throughout the year by utilizing Japanese thermotolerant hybrids as breeding resource material. Though, the introduction of CSR18 × CSR19 in the field during summer months had considerable impact, the productivity level and returns realized do not match that of other productive CSR hybrids. Therefore, the acceptance level of this hybrid with the farmers was not up to the expected level. This has necessitated the development of a temperature tolerant hybrid with better productivity traits than CSR18 × CSR19. Though, it was a difficult task to break the negative correlation associated with survival and productivity traits, attempts on this line had resulted in the development of CSR46 × CSR47, a temperature tolerant bivoltine hybrid with better productivity traits than CSR18 × CSR19. However, though, these hybrids are tolerant to high temperature environments, they are not tolerant to many of the silkworm diseases. Keeping this in view, an attempt is made to develop silkworm hybrids tolerant to high temperature environments.

  14. From design to implementation - The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) program: A descriptive report of an electronic web-based diabetes management program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background The Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) Program is a web-based program incorporating a comprehensive risk engine, care protocols, and clinical decision support to improve ambulatory diabetes care. Methods The JADE Program uses information technology to facilitate healthcare professionals to create a diabetes registry and to deliver an evidence-based care and education protocol tailored to patients' risk profiles. With written informed consent from participating patients and care providers, all data are anonymized and stored in a databank to establish an Asian Diabetes Database for research and publication purpose. Results The JADE electronic portal (e-portal: http://www.jade-adf.org) is implemented as a Java application using the Apache web server, the mySQL database and the Cocoon framework. The JADE e-portal comprises a risk engine which predicts 5-year probability of major clinical events based on parameters collected during an annual comprehensive assessment. Based on this risk stratification, the JADE e-portal recommends a care protocol tailored to these risk levels with decision support triggered by various risk factors. Apart from establishing a registry for quality assurance and data tracking, the JADE e-portal also displays trends of risk factor control at each visit to promote doctor-patient dialogues and to empower both parties to make informed decisions. Conclusions The JADE Program is a prototype using information technology to facilitate implementation of a comprehensive care model, as recommended by the International Diabetes Federation. It also enables health care teams to record, manage, track and analyze the clinical course and outcomes of people with diabetes. PMID:20465815

  15. Finding the 'who' in whooping cough: vaccinated siblings are important pertussis sources in infants 6 months of age and under.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertilone, Christina; Wallace, Tania; Selvey, Linda A

    2014-09-30

    To describe the epidemiology of pertussis, and to identify changes in the source of pertussis in infants 6 months of age and under, during the 2008-2012 epidemic in south metropolitan Perth. Analysis of all pertussis cases notified to the South Metropolitan Population Health Unit and recorded on the Western Australian Notifiable Infectious Disease Database over the study period. Information on the source of pertussis was obtained from enhanced surveillance data. Notification rates were highest in the 5-9 years age group, followed by the 0-4 years and 10-14 years age groups. There was a significant increase in the proportion of known sources who were siblings from the early epidemic period of 2008-2010, compared with the peak epidemic period of 2011-2012 (14.3% versus 51.4%, p = 0.002). The majority of sibling sources were fully vaccinated children aged 2 and 3 years. The incidence of pertussis was highest in children aged 12 years and under in this epidemic. At its peak, siblings were the most important sources of pertussis in infants 6 months and younger, particularly fully vaccinated children aged 2 and 3 years. Waning immunity before the booster at 4 years may leave this age group susceptible to infection. Even if cocooning programs could achieve full vaccination coverage of parents and ensure all siblings were fully vaccinated according to national schedules, waning immunity in siblings could provide a means for ongoing transmission to infants. Recent evidence suggests that maternal antenatal vaccination would significantly reduce the risk of pertussis in infants 3 months of age and under.

  16. Radiography as a tool in understanding soil insect behavior in turfgrass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villani, M.G.; Wright, R.J.

    1987-01-01

    In an effort to gain a more realistic picture of the events that occur within the soil matrix an x-ray technique has been developed that has been used to study seed insects, parasitized cocoons, and wood boring insects in trees to study soil insect movement and behavior. This technique makes it possible to study the movement of the target insects within simulated or natural soil blocks over time. This method also shows physical properties of the soil matrix: particle size, extent of compaction, differences in soil moisture, horizons, and random soil heterogeneity. Blocks of soil up to 14'' x 17'' x 5'' have been removed from the field and x-rayed in my laboratory using this technique. These radiographs are of sufficient quality to determine the movement of white grubs in situ. Such blocks retain their field characteristics and therefore allow for the careful monitoring and manipulation of the system over relatively long (several months) periods of time. Radiographic data are presented which document the behavior of several white grub species in response to dynamic soil ecosystem processes such as moisture and temperature flux. Additional data on the effects of specific soil insecticides on the behavior of white grubs in the soil and the movement of these insecticides through the soil profile are also presented. The importance of understanding the dynamic interaction of soil insect and soil insecticide provided through x-ray technology, both in understanding white grub behavior in the field and maximizing management efforts is discussed

  17. Explaining variations in the diversity of parasitoid assemblages in a biosphere reserve of Mexico: evidence from vegetation, land management and seasonality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Moreno, A; Bordera, S; Leirana-Alcocer, J; Delfín-González, H; Ballina-Gómez, H S

    2017-11-23

    Insect fauna biodiversity in natural protected areas has not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess whether and how vegetation types, land management and seasonality influence the diversity of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) in the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico). A sampling programme was conducted using Malaise traps from 2008 to 2009 in three vegetation types, each with two conservation zones (core and buffer zones). Three seasons were considered: rainy, dry and north-winds (isolated storms from November to February). A total of 336 species were identified. Rarefaction and Generalized Linear Model indicated higher species richness and abundance, respectively, in the buffer zone of the dry forest; possible explanations for this finding include the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, wherein diversity can be higher in sites where disturbance is not very frequent or very intense, and the 'enemies hypothesis', wherein structural complexity and high plant diversity favour increased predators or, in this case, parasitoids. Diversity was higher during the rainy season, which may have been due to the higher availability of resources. Vegetation and management had a positive impact on the Coc (attack cocoons and pupae) and Myc (attack concealed larvae living in the fruiting bodies of mushrooms) parasitoid guilds. Members of the Coc guild are generalist parasitoids, which may be favoured in complex vegetation with a high richness of potential hosts and non-hosts. The Myc guild requires certain environmental conditions that promote fungal growth, such as humidity, that is absent in the other vegetation types of savannah and coastal dune scrubland.

  18. Refining the Roots of the Beewolf-Streptomyces Symbiosis: Antennal Symbionts in the Rare Genus Philanthinus (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yildirim, Erol; Gürbüz, M. Faruk; Herzner, Gudrun; Strohm, Erhard

    2012-01-01

    Insects engage in symbiotic associations with a large diversity of beneficial microorganisms. While the majority of well-studied symbioses have a nutritional basis, several cases are known in which bacteria protect their host from pathogen infestation. Solitary wasps of the genera Philanthus and Trachypus (beewolves; Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) cultivate the actinomycete “Candidatus Streptomyces philanthi” in specialized antennal gland reservoirs. The symbionts are transferred to the larval cocoon, where they provide protection against pathogenic fungi by producing at least nine different antibiotics. Here we investigated the closest relatives of Philanthus and Trachypus, the rare genus Philanthinus, for the presence of antennal gland reservoirs and symbiotic streptomycetes. Molecular analyses identified “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” in reservoirs of Philanthinus quattuordecimpunctatus. Phylogenies based on the 16S rRNA gene suggest that P. quattuordecimpunctatus may have acquired “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” by horizontal transfer from other beewolf species. In histological sections and three-dimensional reconstructions, the antennal gland reservoirs were found to occupy six antennal segments (as opposed to only five in Philanthus and Trachypus) and to be structurally less complex than those of the evolutionarily more derived genera of beewolves. The presence of “Ca. Streptomyces philanthi” in antennal glands of Philanthinus indicates that the symbiosis between beewolves and Streptomyces bacteria is much older than previously thought. It probably evolved along the branch leading to the monophyletic tribe Philanthini, as it seems to be confined to the genera Philanthus, Trachypus, and Philanthinus, which together comprise 172 described species of solitary wasps. PMID:22113914

  19. The GRB-SLSN connection: misaligned magnetars, weak jet emergence, and observational signatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margalit, Ben; Metzger, Brian D.; Thompson, Todd A.; Nicholl, Matt; Sukhbold, Tuguldur

    2018-04-01

    Multiple lines of evidence support a connection between hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) and long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Both classes of events require a powerful central energy source, usually attributed to a millisecond magnetar or an accreting black hole. The GRB-SLSN link raises several theoretical questions: What distinguishes the engines responsible for these different phenomena? Can a single engine power both a GRB and a luminous SN in the same event? We propose a unifying model for magnetar thermalization and jet formation: misalignment between the rotation (Ω) and magnetic dipole (μ) axes dissipates a fraction of the spin-down power by reconnection in the striped equatorial wind, providing a guaranteed source of `thermal' emission to power the supernova. The remaining unthermalized power energizes a relativistic jet. We show that even weak relativistic jets of luminosity ˜1046 erg s-1 can escape the expanding SN ejecta implying that escaping relativistic jets may accompany many SLSNe. We calculate the observational signature of these jets. We show that they may produce transient ultraviolet (UV) cocoon emission lasting a few hours when the jet breaks out of the ejecta surface. A longer lived optical/UV signal may originate from a mildly relativistic wind driven from the interface between the jet and the ejecta walls, which could explain the secondary early-time maximum observed in some SLSNe light curves, such as LSQ14bdq. Our scenario predicts a population of GRB from on-axis jets with extremely long durations, potentially similar to the population of `jetted-tidal disruption events', in coincidence with a small subset of SLSNe.

  20. Functional expression of a Bombyx mori cocoonase: potential application for silk degumming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodbumrer, Prangprapai; Arthan, Dumrongkiet; Uyen, Utai; Yuvaniyama, Jirundon; Svasti, Jisnuson; Wongsaengchantra, Pramvadee Y

    2012-12-01

    Cocoon, a shelter for larva development to silk moth, contains the fibrous protein fibroin, which is coated by the globular protein sericin. Emergence of the silk moth requires the action of cocoonase, a protease secreted by the pupa. The full-length prococoonase cDNA, with 780 bp open reading frame encoding 260 amino acids, was cloned by reverse transcription from total RNA of the head of 6-day-old Thai-silk Bombyx mori pupa. Only the gene fragment lacking the propeptide encoding sequence was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris, yielding an extracellularly active cocoonase. The recombinant cocoonase was purified to homogeneity by 80% ammonium-sulfate fractionation and CM-Sepharose chromatography, and its internal peptide sequences were analyzed by nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. This monomeric protein has native molecular weight of 26 kDa by gel exclusion analysis and 25 kDa subunit size by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme hydrolyses sericin but does not hydrolyse fibroin, as shown by radial diffusion on thin-layer enzyme assay (RD-TEA). Scanning electron microscopy showed that purified recombinant cocoonase could remove sericin from natural silk completely in 24 h, without damaging fibroin, using only 1 immobilized sericin unit (ISU) of enzyme as determined by RD-TEA. Natural cocoonase isolated from B. mori pupa could also digest sericin effectively, but required more enzymes (2 ISU) and longer time (48 h). In comparison, a commercial enzyme, alcalase, with the same activity not only showed less complete digestion of sericin but also caused damage of fibroin. These results suggest that recombinant B. mori cocoonase is potentially useful for silk degumming.

  1. Accumulation and Sublethal Effects of Triclosan and its Transformation Product Methyl-triclosan in the Earthworm Eisenia andrei Exposed to Environmental Concentrations in an Artificial Soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chevillot, Fanny; Guyot, Mélanie; Desrosiers, Mélanie; Cadoret, Nicole; Veilleux, Éloïse; Cabana, Hubert; Bellenger, Jean-Philippe

    2018-04-18

    Municipal biosolids are increasingly used as a low-cost fertilizer in agricultural soil. Biosolids are contaminated by low concentrations (ng g -1 dw range) of a large variety of organic contaminants, such as triclosan (TCS). The effect of exposure to low concentrations of organic contaminants on soil biota remains largely undocumented. We evaluated the sublethal effects of TCS on the earthworm Eisenia andrei using an artificial soil amended with a nominal concentration of TCS of 50 ng g -1 dry weight soil. Using a 56-d reproduction test, we monitored the effect of TCS exposure on adult earthworm survival, growth, and reproduction. The bioaccumulation of TCS in earthworm tissue (adults and juveniles) and degradation of TCS were monitored. The genotoxicity of TCS was evaluated using a comet assay (DNA damage) on adult earthworm coelomocytes. Exposure to a low concentration of TCS had no significant effects on adult earthworm survival and DNA damage, but significantly stimulated growth (P increase in the number of cocoons and juveniles, and a decrease in the mean dry weight of juveniles. The bioaccumulation of TCS in earthworms was moderate (bioaccumulation factor ∼ 2). In biosolid-borne trials, the bioaccumulation of methyl-triclosan in earthworm tissues was higher than the parent compound TCS. We conclude that exposure to low concentrations of TCS in artificial soil can significantly affect the growth and reproductive performance of earthworms (i.e., E. andrei). More research is required with natural soils to assess TCS bioavailability for earthworms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  2. Zones of comfortable living of habitants on Mercury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steklov, A. F.; Vidmachenko, A. P.

    2018-05-01

    Temperature in the sunflower point on Mercury +480 °C; before sunrise, the temperature at the equator drops to-183 °C. In this regard, after arrival on the surface of Mercury, a person immediately needs to protect himself from extreme temperatures and radiation, hiding, for example, under the surface. Temperature fluctuations observed on the surface of the Earth too, very slowly propagate into the depth of the soil. 228 years ago by the French scientist Antoine Lavoisier proved that the temperature in the mine under the surface at a depth of 28 m in the territory of the Paris Observatory year-round is constant and equal to +11.7 C. For Kiev this constant temperature is always + 9°Ð¡. Solving a similar problem for Mercury, we obtained at latitudes |70-90 deg.| that the temperature below the surface at depths of 3-30 m will be guaranteed constant in range of +15-25 C. The area of settlements with comfort temperatures for the biological life form at subsurface subpolar regions is more than three million km2. Thus, under the surface (endo) of Mercury at depths of 3-30 m tens of endo-settlements can be located. It remains only to provide people in these settlements - water and specialized spacesuits. This will enable people to live there for a long time, and will allow them to extract mineral resources on Mercury. Therefore, now it is necessary to work on the creation of special symbiotic "cocoons", which can themselves be buried. This will ensure the long-term existence of endoplanetary stations on Mercury.

  3. Rearing and estimation of life-cycle parameters of the tubicifid worm Branchiura sowerbyi: application to ecotoxicity testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ducrot, Virginie; Péry, Alexandre R R; Quéau, Hervé; Mons, Raphaël; Lafont, Michel; Garric, Jeanne

    2007-10-01

    This paper provides original collection, acclimatizing, rearing and toxicity test methods for the freshwater worm Branchiura sowerbyi, an alternative species to Tubifex tubifex for ecotoxicity evaluation of sediments. Influence of the substrate, type of food, and feeding level on individual performances was assessed in short-term tests, in order to set up optimal culture and test conditions. Low-size particles and high organic matter content favoured the growth and reproduction of B. sowerbyi. The relative contribution of sediments and fish food to the individual food intake was assessed using a foraging efficiency model based upon the dynamic energy budget theory. Individual performances were optimal when the substrate plus fish food provided the energy equivalent to 5 mg Tetramin per worm per day, which is the ad libitum food level for adults at 21 degrees C. The life-cycle of the worm was fully characterized using a life-cycle test conducted under the previously defined optimal conditions. Hatching rates were low (32%), whereas newborn and juveniles exhibited high survival (>80%) and growth (2.4 mg/day in juveniles) rates. Age at puberty was low (60 days) when compared to the maximal life span (1100 days) as predicted using a Weibull model. Adults reproduced every other month with a constant fecundity (0.16 cocoon/worm/day). The mean values of the life-cycle parameters and their variability and reproducibility among laboratory studies were discussed in order to identify relevant endpoints to be used in ecotoxicity tests. Survival, juvenile growth, and fecundity may constitute suitable test endpoints, whereas hatching rate and adult growth should not be used as endpoints in B. sowerbyi.

  4. Effect of gamma radiation and entomopathogenic nematodes on greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) [Lep., Pyralidae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, R.M.S.

    2008-01-01

    The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.), is a lepidoptera insect; its larval stage, feeds on wax and pollen stored in combs of active honey bee colonies (Milam, 1970). It does not attack adult bees but destructs combs of a weak colony by chewing the comb; spinning silk-lined tunnels through the cell wall and over the face of the comb, which prevent the bees to emerge by their abdomen from their cell, so they die by starvation as they unable to escape from their cell. They also eat out a place to spin their cocoons in the soft wood of the bee hive. Galleria mellonella can also destroy stored honey combs. Therefore, it is considered a major pest of the honeybee. Damage will vary with the level of infestation and the time that has elapsed since the infestation first began. In time, stored combs may be completely destroyed and the frames and combs become filled with a mass of tough, silky web. In ideal conditions for wax moth development, a box (super) of combs may be rendered useless in about a week. Damage occurs mainly in the warm and hot months of the year when wax moths are most active. However, considerable damage can still occur during the cool part of late autumn and early spring as greater wax moth can produce a large amount of metabolic heat which can raise the immediate temperature around them by up to 25 degree C above the normal environment temperature. At the time of storage, combs that are apparently free of wax moth may contain eggs that will hatch later. They should be monitored

  5. Biology, life history, and laboratory rearing of Spathius galinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of the invasive emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Jian J; Watt, Timothy J; Larson, Kristi

    2014-06-01

    Spathius galinae Belokobylskij & Strazanac is a recently described parasitoid of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, in the Russian Far East, and is currently being considered for biocontrol introduction in the United States. Using A. planipennis larvae reared with freshly cut ash (Fraxinus spp.) sticks, we investigated the biology, life cycle, and rearing of S. galinae in the laboratory under normal rearing conditions (25 +/- 1 degrees C, 65 +/- 10% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 16:8 [L:D] h). Our study showed that S. galinae took approximately 1 mo (29 d) to complete a single generation (from egg to adult) under the laboratory rearing conditions. After eclosion from eggs, larvae of S. galinae molted four times to reach the fifth instar, which then spun cocoons for pupation and development to adults. Adult female wasps had a median survival time of 7 wk with fecundity peaking 3 wk after emergence when reared in groups (of five females and five males) and 2 wk in single pairs. Throughout the life span, a single female S. galinae produced a mean (+/- SE) of 31 (+/- 3.0) progeny when reared in groups, and a mean (+/- SE) of 47 (+/- 5.3) progeny when reared in single pairs. Results from our study also showed that S. galinae could be effectively reared with A. planipennis larvae reared in both green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall) and tropical [Fraxinus uhdei (Wenzig) Lingelsh] ash sticks. However, the abortion (unemergence) rate of S. galinae progeny was much higher (20%) when reared with host larvae in green ash sticks than that (2.1%) in tropical ash sticks.

  6. Radio brightness distribution of M 17 and Orion A at 3.5-mm wavelength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukui, Yasuo; Iguchi, Tetsuo.

    1977-01-01

    Two bright galactic H-2 regions, M 17 and Ori A, have been mapped at 3.5 mm wave length (87 GHz) with resolution of 2 min. The features were found, which are not seen in centimeter- and longer millimeter-wave maps. It is possible that these components are very compact H-2 regions with the emission measure of about 10 11 pc cm -6 . Observations were made from December 1974 to March 1975 with the 6-m millimeter-wave telescope at Tokyo Astronomic Observatory. The data were taken in beam switching mode. Strip maps were made from a set of right ascension scans at 1 min-intervals in declination, and 50 to 150 scans were made at each declination. The scanned area was from -16 deg. 5 min. to -16 deg. 19 min. in the declination for M 17 and from -5 deg. 21 min. to -5 deg. 30 min. for Orion A. The central right ascension was 18 h 17 m 30 s for M 17 and 5 h 32 m 50 s for Orion A, the distance scanned was 100 s in right ascension. In discussion, the dust hypothesis was abandoned, but the thermal bremsstrahlung was adopted as the most probable explanation. In this case, it is possible that M 17 E is a high density ''cocoon star'' though this explanation is not free from difficulty. At the position of M 17 E, no H 2 O or OH maser emission has been detected. The exciting star must be very massive and young according to the theoretical consideration. As for the elongation N in Orion A, similar consideration can be applied. (Iwakiri, K.)

  7. Emerging Massive Star Clusters Revealed: High-Resolution Imaging of NGC 4449 from the Radio to the Ultraviolet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reines, Amy E.; Johnson, Kelsey E.; Goss, W. M.

    2008-06-01

    We present a multi-wavelength study of embedded massive clusters in the nearby (3.9 Mpc) starburst galaxy NGC 4449 in an effort to uncover the earliest phases of massive cluster evolution. By combining high-resolution imaging from the radio to the ultraviolet, we reveal these clusters to be in the process of emerging from their gaseous and dusty birth cocoons. We use Very Large Array (VLA) observations at centimeter wavelengths to identify young clusters surrounded by ultra-dense H II regions, detectable via their production of thermal free-free radio continuum. Ultraviolet, optical and infrared observations are obtained from the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope archives for comparison. We detect 39 compact radio sources toward NGC 4449 at 3.6 cm using the highest resolution (1farcs3) and sensitivity (~12 μJy) VLA image of the galaxy to date. We reliably identify 13 thermal radio sources and derive their physical properties using both nebular emission from the H II regions and spectral energy distribution fitting to the stellar continuum. These radio-detected clusters have ages lsim5 Myr and stellar masses of order 104 M sun. The measured extinctions are quite low: 12 of the 13 thermal radio sources have A V lsim 1.5, while the most obscured source has A V ≈ 4.3. By combining results from the nebular and stellar emission, we find an I-band excess that is anti-correlated with cluster age and an apparent mass-age correlation. Additionally, we find evidence that local processes such as supernovae and stellar winds likely play an important role in triggering the current bursts of star formation within NGC 4449.

  8. No impact of transgenic nptII-leafy Pinus radiata (Pinales: Pinaceae) on Pseudocoremia suavis (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) or its endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, E P J; Barraclough, E I; Kean, A M; Walter, C; Malone, L A

    2011-10-01

    To investigate the biosafety to insects of transgenic Pinus radiata D. Don containing the antibiotic resistance marker gene nptII and the reproductive control gene leafy, bioassays were conducted with an endemic lepidopteran pest of New Zealand plantation pine forests and a hymenopteran endoparasitoid. Larvae of the common forest looper, Pseudocoremia suavis (Butler), were fed from hatching on P. radiata needles from either one of two nptII-leafy transgenic clones, or an isogenic unmodified control line. For both unparasitized P. suavis and those parasitized by Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael), consuming transgenic versus control pine had no impact on larval growth rate or mass at any age, larval duration, survival, pupation or successful emergence as an adult. Total larval duration was 1 d (3%) longer in larvae fed nptII-2 than nptII-1, but this difference was considered trivial and neither differed from the control. In unparasitized P. suavis larvae, pine type consumed did not affect rate of pupation or adult emergence, pupal mass, or pupal duration. Pine type had no effect on the duration or survival of M. pulchricornis larval or pupal stages, mass of cocoons, stage at which they died, adult emergence, or fecundity. Parasitism by M. pulchricornis reduced P. suavis larval growth rate, increased the duration of the third larval stadium, and resulted in the death of all host larvae before pupation. The lack of impact of an exclusive diet of nptII-leafy transgenic pines on the life history of P. suavis and M. pulchricornis suggests that transgenic plantation pines expressing nptII are unlikely to affect insect populations in the field.

  9. Eco-toxicological risk and impact of pesticides on important parasitoids of cabbage butterflies in cruciferous ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firake, D M; Thubru, D P; Behere, G T

    2017-02-01

    Eco-toxicological risk and impact of pesticides was estimated on three important parasitoids of butterflies viz., Hyposoter ebeninus, Cotesia glomerata and Pteromalus puparum. Four commonly used pesticides were evaluated using standard protocol (of IOBC/WPRS-group). In laboratory tests, the survival of the female wasps decreased significantly on fresh contact and ingestion of deltamethrin, spinosad and azadirachtin; whereas Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (Btk) was found harmless pesticide. Under semi-field conditions, parasitoid mortality decreased significantly on fresh contact with the pesticides. Although, at 72 h after treatment, spinosad and deltamethrin were found harmful (Class-IV) and azadirachtin was moderately harmful (Class-III), whereas Btk was harmless (Class-I). Furthermore, 15-day-old residues of pesticides (except deltamethrin) were harmless to all parasitoid species under semi-field conditions. Notably, adult emergence and pupal duration in pesticide-treated cocoons were not significantly affected; however, their survival decreased after emergence except in Btk. The contact and oral toxicity trends of the pesticides were almost similar for three species of parasitoid females and pupae; however little variability was observed in toxicity to the host caterpillars parasitized by H. ebeninus (HCPHE) and C. glomerata (HCPCG). In semi-field tests, fresh residues of all the pesticides were harmful to HCPHE and HCPCG. However, action of Btk was slightly delayed and toxicity was rather low for HCPCG. In 15-day-old residues, deltamethrin and azadirachtin were slightly harmful to the parasitized caterpillars, whereas those of Btk and spinosad were harmless. Since, Btk appeared to be safe for parasitoids; it could be used for managing cabbage butterflies in brassicaceous crops. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. 3D relativistic MHD numerical simulations of X-shaped radio sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, P.; Bodo, G.; Capetti, A.; Massaglia, S.

    2017-10-01

    Context. A significant fraction of extended radio sources presents a peculiar X-shaped radio morphology: in addition to the classical double lobed structure, radio emission is also observed along a second axis of symmetry in the form of diffuse wings or tails. In a previous investigation we showed the existence of a connection between the radio morphology and the properties of the host galaxies. Motivated by this connection we performed two-dimensional numerical simulations showing that X-shaped radio sources may naturally form as a jet propagates along the major axis a highly elliptical density distribution, because of the fast expansion of the cocoon along the minor axis of the distribution. Aims: We intend to extend our analysis by performing three-dimensional numerical simulations and investigating the role of different parameters in determining the formation of the X-shaped morphology. Methods: The problem is addressed by numerical means, carrying out three-dimensional relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of bidirectional jets propagating in a triaxial density distribution. Results: We show that only jets with power ≲ 1044 erg s-1 can give origin to an X-shaped morphology and that a misalignment of 30° between the jet axis and the major axis of the density distribution is still favourable to the formation of this kind of morphology. In addition we compute synthetic radio emission maps and polarization maps. Conclusions: In our scenario for the formation of X-shaped radio sources only low power FRII can give origin to such kind of morphology. Our synthetic emission maps show that the different observed morphologies of X-shaped sources can be the result of similar structures viewed under different perspectives.

  11. Embedded star formation in the extended narrow line region of Centaurus A: Extreme mixing observed by MUSE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoro, F.; Oonk, J. B. R.; Morganti, R.; Oosterloo, T. A.; Tadhunter, C.

    2016-05-01

    We present a detailed study of the complex ionization structure in a small (~250 pc) extended narrow line region (ENLR) cloud near Centaurus A using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. This cloud is located in the so-called outer filament of ionized gas (about 15 kpc from the nucleus) where jet-induced star formation has been suggested to occur by different studies. We find that, despite the small size, a mixture of ionization mechanisms is operating, resulting in considerable complexity in the spatial ionization structure. The area includes two H II regions where star formation is occurring and another location where star formation must have ceased very recently. Interestingly, the extreme Balmer decrement of one of the star forming regions (Hα/Hβobs ~ 6) indicates that it is still heavily embedded in its natal cocoon of gas and dust. At all three locations a continuum counterpart is found with spectra matching those of O/B stars local to Centaurus A. The H II regions are embedded in a larger gas complex which is photoionized by the radiation of the central active galactic nucleus (AGN), but the O/B stars affect the spatial ionization pattern in the ENLR cloud very locally. In particular, in the surroundings of the youngest star forming region, we can isolate a tight mixing sequence in the diagnostic diagram going from gas with ionization due to a pure stellar continuum to gas only photoionized by the AGN. These results emphasize the complexity and the mixture of processes occurring in star forming regions under the influence of an AGN radiation. This is relevant for our understanding of AGN-induced star formation suggested to occur in a number of objects, including this region of Centaurus A. They also illustrate that these young stars influence the gas over only a limited region.

  12. Plant–insect interactions: the role of ecological stoichiometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michał Filipiak

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The energy budget of organisms is a primary factor used to generate hypotheses in ecosystem ecology and evolutionary theory. Therefore, previous studies have focused on the energy costs and benefits of adaptations, the efficiency of energy acquisition and investment, and energy budget limitations. The maintenance of stoichiometric balance is equally important because inconsistency between the chemical composition of the consumer’s tissues and that of its food sources strongly affects the major life-history traits of the consumer and may influence the consumer’s fitness and shape plant–herbivore interactions. In this short review, the framework of ecological stoichiometry is introduced, focusing on plant–insect interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. The use of the trophic stoichiometric ratio (TSR index is presented as a useful tool for indicating the chemical elements that are scarce in food and have the potential to limit the growth and development of herbivores, thereby influencing plant – herbivorous insect interactions. As an example, the elemental composition and stoichiometry of a pollen consumer (mason bee Osmia bicornis and its preferred pollen are compared. The growth and development of O. bicornis may be colimited by the scarcity of K, Na, and N in pollen, whereas the development of the cocoon might be colimited by the scarcity of P, Mg, K, Na, Zn, Ca, and N. A literature review of the elemental composition of pollen shows high taxonomical variability in the concentrations of bee-limiting elements. The optimized collection of pollen species based on the elemental composition may represent a strategy used by bees to overcome stoichiometric mismatches, influencing their interactions with plants. It is concluded that the dependence of life-history traits on food stoichiometry should be considered when discussing life history evolution and plant–herbivore interactions. The TSR index may serve as a convenient and powerful tool

  13. Radio continuum interferometry of dark clouds: A search for newly formed HII regions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilmore, W.S.

    1978-01-01

    A search for compact HII regions embedded in dark clouds has been carried out in an effort to study local massive star formation. Approximately 20% of the total area of opaque dark cloud material in the sky with Av greater than or equal to 6 mag was surveyed with the NRAO three-element interferometer at 2695 MHz, and at least 5% more was surveyed with the NRAO 300-foot telescope at 4750 MHz. The regions surveyed include the dark cloud complexes in Perseus, Taurus, Orion, and Ophiuchus, as well as several smaller cloud complexes and individual clouds. No hidden compact HII regions embedded inside dark clouds were detected with certainty in the radio continuum. However, eleven HII regions with associated visible emission and eighteen other possible HII regions were detected. Five infrared sources thought to have the luminosities of early B stars were not detected in the radio continuum. These five sources showed high correlation with the presence of CO self-absorption, CO emission over a wide range of velocities, and type I OH masers, but an absence of coincident visible nebulosity and detectable radio continuum emission. Therefore, it is suggested that they represent an earlier evolutionary stage than those HII region detected in the radio continuum. This first evolutionary state marks the presence of ''pre-emergent'' (with respect to the molecular cloud) cocoon stars. HII regions in the second evolutionary state are marked by the presence of detectable radio continuum emission, i.e., they are stronger than 10 mJy at 2695 MHz. They have associated visible nebulosity, are relatively large, and appear to be located at the edges of molecular clouds. These are designated as ''emergent edge'' HII regions. The fact that many young HII regions are edge HII regions implies that massive stars are born near the edges of clouds, a phenomenon previously suggested by several other investigators

  14. Isolation and identification of entomopathogenic nematodes from citrus orchards in South Africa and their biocontrol potential against false codling moth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malan, Antoinette P; Knoetze, Rinus; Moore, Sean D

    2011-10-01

    A survey was conducted to determine the diversity and frequency of endemic entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) in citrus orchards in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa. The main aim of the survey was to obtain nematodes as biological control agents against false codling moth (FCM), Thaumatotibia leucotreta, a key pest of citrus in South Africa. From a total of 202 samples, 35 (17%) tested positive for the presence of EPN. Of these, four isolates (11%) were found to be steinernematids, while 31 (89%) were heterorhabditids. Sequencing and characterisation of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was used to identify all nematode isolates to species level. Morphometrics, morphology and biology of the infective juvenile (IJ) and the first-generation male were used to support molecular identification and characterisation. The Steinernema spp. identified were Steinernema khoisanae, Steinernema yirgalemense and Steinernema citrae. This is the first report of S. yirgalemense in South Africa, while for S. citrae it is the second new steinernematid to be identified from South Africa. Heterorhabditis species identified include Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Heterorhabditis zealandica and an unknown species of Heterorhabditis. Laboratory bioassays, using 24-well bioassay disks, have shown isolates of all six species found during the survey, to be highly virulent against the last instar of FCM larvae. S. yirgalemense, at a concentration of 50IJs/FCM larva caused 100% mortality and 74% at a concentration of 200IJs/pupa. Using a sand bioassay, S. yirgalemense gave 93% control of cocooned pupae and emerging moths at a concentration of 20IJs/cm(2). This is the first report on the potential use of EPN to control the soil-borne life stages of FCM, which includes larvae, pupae and emerging moths. It was shown that emerging moths were infected with nematodes, which may aid in control and dispersal. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights

  15. Modulation and Stabilization of Silk Fibroin-Coated Oil-in-Water Emulsions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-Min Chen

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize stable oil-in-water emulsions containing droplets coated with silk fibroin. Silk fibroin, a native edible fibrous protein originating from silkworm cocoons, was used to prepare 10 % (by mass corn oil-in-water emulsions at ambient temperature (pH=7.0, 10 mM phosphate buffer. Emulsions with relatively small mean particle diameter (d32=0.47 μm and extremely good creaming stability (>7 days could be produced at silk fibroin concentration of 1 % (by mass. The influence of pH (2–8, thermal processing (60–90 °C, 20 min, and concentration of salt (c(NaCl=0–250 mM on the properties and stability of the emulsions was analyzed using ζ-potential, particle size, and creaming stability measurements. The isoelectric point of droplets stabilized with silk fibroin was pH~4. The emulsions were stable to droplet flocculation and creaming at any pH except intermediate value (pH=4.0 when stored at room temperature, which was attributed to their relatively low ζ-potential. Their ζ-potential went from around 25 to –35 mV as the pH was increased from 2 to 8. The emulsions were also stable to thermal treatment (60 and 90 °C for 20 min, pH=3 and 7, with a slight decrease in the magnitude of ζ-potential at temperatures exceeding 60 °C. The emulsions were unstable to aggregation and creaming even at relatively low salt concentrations (c(NaCl=0–250 mM, pH=3 and 7 as a result of electrostatic screening effects. These results suggest that bulk oil stabilized with silk fibroin has improved physical stability and may provide a new way of creating functional oil products and delivery systems.

  16. Comparative Study of Ultrasonication-Induced and Naturally Self-Assembled Silk Fibroin-Wool Keratin Hydrogel Biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, Trang; Xue, Ye; Vuong, Trinh; Erbe, Matthew; Bennet, Christopher; Palazzo, Ben; Popielski, Lucas; Rodriguez, Nelson; Hu, Xiao

    2016-09-07

    This study reports the formation of biocompatible hydrogels using protein polymers from natural silk cocoon fibroins and sheep wool keratins. Silk fibroin protein contains β-sheet secondary structures, allowing for the formation of physical cross-linkers in the hydrogels. Comparative studies were performed on two groups of samples. In the first group, ultrasonication was used to induce a quick gelation of a protein aqueous solution, enhancing the ability of Bombyx mori silk fibroin chains to quickly entrap the wool keratin protein molecules homogenously. In the second group, silk/keratin mixtures were left at room temperature for days, resulting in naturally-assembled gelled solutions. It was found that silk/wool blended solutions can form hydrogels at different mixing ratios, with perfectly interconnected gel structure when the wool content was less than 30 weight percent (wt %) for the first group (ultrasonication), and 10 wt % for the second group (natural gel). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC) were used to confirm that the fibroin/keratin hydrogel system was well-blended without phase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate the secondary structures of blended protein gels. It was found that intermolecular β-sheet contents significantly increase as the system contains more silk for both groups of samples, resulting in stable crystalline cross-linkers in the blended hydrogel structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze the samples' characteristic morphology on both micro- and nanoscales, which showed that ultrasonic waves can significantly enhance the cross-linker formation and avoid phase separation between silk and keratin molecules in the blended systems. With the ability to form cross-linkages non-chemically, these silk/wool hydrogels may be economically useful for various biomedical applications, thanks to the

  17. Comparative Study of Ultrasonication-Induced and Naturally Self-Assembled Silk Fibroin-Wool Keratin Hydrogel Biomaterials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trang Vu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study reports the formation of biocompatible hydrogels using protein polymers from natural silk cocoon fibroins and sheep wool keratins. Silk fibroin protein contains β-sheet secondary structures, allowing for the formation of physical cross-linkers in the hydrogels. Comparative studies were performed on two groups of samples. In the first group, ultrasonication was used to induce a quick gelation of a protein aqueous solution, enhancing the ability of Bombyx mori silk fibroin chains to quickly entrap the wool keratin protein molecules homogenously. In the second group, silk/keratin mixtures were left at room temperature for days, resulting in naturally-assembled gelled solutions. It was found that silk/wool blended solutions can form hydrogels at different mixing ratios, with perfectly interconnected gel structure when the wool content was less than 30 weight percent (wt % for the first group (ultrasonication, and 10 wt % for the second group (natural gel. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC were used to confirm that the fibroin/keratin hydrogel system was well-blended without phase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR was used to investigate the secondary structures of blended protein gels. It was found that intermolecular β-sheet contents significantly increase as the system contains more silk for both groups of samples, resulting in stable crystalline cross-linkers in the blended hydrogel structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM were used to analyze the samples’ characteristic morphology on both micro- and nanoscales, which showed that ultrasonic waves can significantly enhance the cross-linker formation and avoid phase separation between silk and keratin molecules in the blended systems. With the ability to form cross-linkages non-chemically, these silk/wool hydrogels may be economically useful for various biomedical applications

  18. Hidden biodiversity in entomological collections: The overlooked co-occurrence of dipteran and hymenopteran ant parasitoids in stored biological material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Lachaud, Gabriela; Lachaud, Jean-Paul

    2017-01-01

    Biological collections around the world are the repository of biodiversity on Earth; they also hold a large quantity of unsorted, unidentified, or misidentified material and can house behavioral information on species that are difficult to access or no longer available to science. Among the unsorted, alcohol-preserved material stored in the Formicidae Collection of the 'El Colegio de la Frontera Sur' Research Center (Chetumal, Mexico), we found nine colonies of the ponerine ant Neoponera villosa, that had been collected in bromeliads at Calakmul (Campeche, Mexico) in 1999. Ants and their brood were revised for the presence of any sign of parasitism. Cocoons were dissected and their content examined under a stereomicroscope. Six N. villosa prepupae had been attacked by the ectoparasitoid syrphid fly Hypselosyrphus trigonus Hull (Syrphidae: Microdontinae), to date the only known dipteran species of the Microdontinae with a parasitoid lifestyle. In addition, six male pupae from three colonies contained gregarious endoparasitoid wasps. These were specialized in parasitizing this specific host caste as no gyne or worker pupae displayed signs of having been attacked. Only immature stages (larvae and pupae) of the wasp could be obtained. Due to the long storage period, DNA amplification failed; however, based on biological and morphological data, pupae were placed in the Encyrtidae family. This is the first record of an encyrtid wasp parasitizing N. villosa, and the second example of an encyrtid as a primary parasitoid of ants. Furthermore, it is also the first record of co-occurrence of a dipteran ectoparasitoid and a hymenopteran endoparasitoid living in sympatry within the same population of host ants. Our findings highlight the importance of biological collections as reservoirs of hidden biodiversity, not only at the taxonomic level, but also at the behavioral level, revealing complex living networks. They also highlight the need for funding in order to carry out

  19. Nustar Reveals an Intrinsically X-ray Weak Broad Absorption Line Quasar in the Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxy Markarian 231

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Stacy H.; Brandt. W. N.; Harrison, F. A.; Luo, B.; Alexander, D. M.; Bauer, F. E.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Comastri, A.; Craig, W. W.; hide

    2014-01-01

    We present high-energy (3-30 keV) NuSTAR observations of the nearest quasar, the ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) Markarian 231 (Mrk 231), supplemented with new and simultaneous low-energy (0.5-8 keV) data from Chandra. The source was detected, though at much fainter levels than previously reported, likely due to contamination in the large apertures of previous non-focusing hard X-ray telescopes. The full band (0.5-30 keV) X-ray spectrum suggests the active galactic nucleus (AGN) in Mrk 231 is absorbed by a patchy and Compton-thin N(sub H) approx. 1.2(sup +0.3) sub-0.3) x 10(exp 23) / sq cm) column. The intrinsic X-ray luminosity L(sub 0.5-30 Kev) approx. 1.0 x 10(exp 43) erg /s) is extremely weak relative to the bolometric luminosity where the 2-10 keV to bolometric luminosity ratio is approx. 0.03% compared to the typical values of 2-15%. Additionally, Mrk 231 has a low X-ray-to-optical power law slope alpha(sub 0X) approx. -1.7. It is a local example of a low-ionization broad absorption line (LoBAL) quasar that is intrinsically X-ray weak. The weak ionizing continuum may explain the lack of mid-infrared [O IV], [Ne V], and [Ne VI] fine-structure emission lines which are present in sources with otherwise similar AGN properties. We argue that the intrinsic X-ray weakness may be a result of the super-Eddington accretion occurring in the nucleus of this ULIRG, and may also be naturally related to the powerful wind event seen in Mrk 231, a merger remnant escaping from its dusty cocoon.

  20. Are dusty galaxies blue? Insights on UV attenuation from dust-selected galaxies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casey, C. M.; Cooray, A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 (United States); Scoville, N. Z. [California Institute of Technology, 1216 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Sanders, D. B.; Lee, N. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai' i, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Finkelstein, S. L. [Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Capak, P. [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Conley, A. [Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy 389-UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); De Zotti, G. [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 2, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Farrah, D. [Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Fu, H. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Le Floc' h, E. [CEA-Saclay, Orme des Merisiers, bât. 709, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Ilbert, O. [Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d' Astrophysique de marseille, UMR 7326, F-13388 Marseille (France); Ivison, R. J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Takeuchi, T. T. [Nagoya University, Division of Particle and Astrophysical Science, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan)

    2014-12-01

    Galaxies' rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) properties are often used to directly infer the degree to which dust obscuration affects the measurement of star formation rates (SFRs). While much recent work has focused on calibrating dust attenuation in galaxies selected at rest-frame ultraviolet wavelengths, locally and at high-z, here we investigate attenuation in dusty, star forming galaxies (DSFGs) selected at far-infrared wavelengths. By combining multiwavelength coverage across 0.15-500 μm in the COSMOS field, in particular making use of Herschel imaging, and a rich data set on local galaxies, we find an empirical variation in the relationship between the rest-frame UV slope (β) and the ratio of infrared-to-ultraviolet emission (L {sub IR}/L {sub UV} ≡ IRX) as a function of infrared luminosity, or total SFR. Both locally and at high-z, galaxies above SFR ≳ 50 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} deviate from the nominal IRX-β relation toward bluer colors by a factor proportional to their increasing IR luminosity. We also estimate contamination rates of DSFGs on high-z dropout searches of <<1% at z ≲ 4-10, providing independent verification that contamination from very dusty foreground galaxies is low in Lyman-break galaxy searches. Overall, our results are consistent with the physical interpretation that DSFGs, e.g., galaxies with >50 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1}, are dominated at all epochs by short-lived, extreme burst events, producing many young O and B stars that are primarily, yet not entirely, enshrouded in thick dust cocoons. The blue rest-frame UV slopes of DSFGs are inconsistent with the suggestion that most DSFGs at z ∼ 2 exhibit steady-state star formation in secular disks.

  1. The existence of fertile hybrids of closely related model earthworm species, Eisenia andrei and E. fetida.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Plytycz

    Full Text Available Lumbricid earthworms Eisenia andrei (Ea and E. fetida (Ef are simultaneous hermaphrodites with reciprocal insemination capable of self-fertilization while the existence of hybridization of these two species was still debatable. During the present investigation fertile hybrids of Ea and Ef were detected. Virgin specimens of Ea and Ef were laboratory crossed (Ea+Ef and their progeny was doubly identified. 1 -identified by species-specific maternally derived haploid mitochondrial DNA sequences of the COI gene being either 'a' for worms hatched from Ea ova or 'f' for worms hatched from Ef ova. 2 -identified by the diploid maternal/paternal nuclear DNA sequences of 28s rRNA gene being either 'AA' for Ea, 'FF' for Ef, or AF/FA for their hybrids derived either from the 'aA' or 'fF' ova, respectively. Among offspring of Ea+Ef pairs in F1 generation there were mainly aAA and fFF earthworms resulted from the facilitated self-fertilization and some aAF hybrids from aA ova but none fFA hybrids from fF ova. In F2 generation resulting from aAF hybrids mated with aAA a new generations of aAA and aAF hybrids were noticed, while aAF hybrids mated with fFF gave fFF and both aAF and fFA hybrids. Hybrids intercrossed together produced plenty of cocoons but no hatchlings independently whether aAF+aAF or aAF+fFA were mated. These results indicated that Ea and Ef species, easy to maintain in laboratory and commonly used as convenient models in biomedicine and ecotoxicology, may also serve in studies on molecular basis of interspecific barriers and mechanisms of introgression and speciation. Hypothetically, their asymmetrical hybridization can be modified by some external factors.

  2. Environmental safety to decomposer invertebrates of azadirachtin (neem) as a systemic insecticide in trees to control emerald ash borer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreutzweiser, David; Thompson, Dean; Grimalt, Susana; Chartrand, Derek; Good, Kevin; Scarr, Taylor

    2011-09-01

    The non-target effects of an azadirachtin-based systemic insecticide used for control of wood-boring insect pests in trees were assessed on litter-dwelling earthworms, leaf-shredding aquatic insects, and microbial communities in terrestrial and aquatic microcosms. The insecticide was injected into the trunks of ash trees at a rate of 0.2 gazadirachtin cm(-1) tree diameter in early summer. At the time of senescence, foliar concentrations in most (65%) leaves where at or below detection (azadirachtin) and the average concentration among leaves overall at senescence was 0.19 mg kg(-1). Leaves from the azadirachtin-treated trees at senescence were added to microcosms and responses by test organisms were compared to those in microcosms containing leaves from non-treated ash trees (controls). No significant reductions were detected among earthworm survival, leaf consumption rates, growth rates, or cocoon production, aquatic insect survival and leaf consumption rates, and among terrestrial and aquatic microbial decomposition of leaf material in comparison to controls. In a further set of microcosm tests containing leaves from intentional high-dose trees, the only significant, adverse effect detected was a reduction in microbial decomposition of leaf material, and only at the highest test concentration (∼6 mg kg(-1)). Results indicated no significant adverse effects on litter-dwelling earthworms or leaf-shredding aquatic insects at concentrations up to at least 30 × the expected field concentrations at operational rates, and at 6 × expected field concentrations for adverse effects on microbial decomposition. We conclude that when azadirachtin is used as a systemic insecticide in trees for control of insect pests such as the invasive wood-boring beetle, emerald ash borer, resultant foliar concentrations in senescent leaf material are likely to pose little risk of harm to decomposer invertebrates. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Pengolahan Material Serat Alami Menggunakan Enzim Mikrobiologi untuk Media Ekspresi Seni Dua Dimensi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muksin Muksin

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available One of the alternative media, which is potential to be developed is the use of natural fiber materials from the environment (indigenous material. This natural fiber in foreign country such as Thailand, Japan, United States has crossed the threshold of the quality as a work of art that create by an artist. Meanwhile in Indonesia it is still brand new to be develop as a media of art expression. Indeed, art paper has already developed in Indonesia, but it is still a boundary production of pieces of paper that will be directly applied as a handicraft media. Moreover, the preparation process is still using the conventional method using chemical materials such as NaOH, Hypochloride, Boric acid, Chlorin, H2O2, etc., which burden the environment. Therefore an alternative, environmental friendly process is necessary to be developed to exploit natural fiber materials as a media of art expression. For this reason in this project a research on fiber-pulping process using xylanase enzyme has been carried out. The use of xylanase is enable to decrease chlorin consumption and reduce  chloro-organic concentration in pulp and waste, that also means a reduction in  production cost. The pulp was then used to make a paper to be tested for its quality by the Center for Pulp and Paper (Balai Besar Pulp dan Kertas, BBPK. This research resulted in a enzyme formulations for the fiber-pulping and preparation from variety of fiber materials: banana’s stalk, the abacca, hyacinth, straw, pineapple fiber and gold cocoon, b data of paper quality, and c work of arts from fiber/pulp material. In conclusion, enzyme can be applied in fiber-pulping process for lower impact on the environment and the workers.

  4. Constraints on the initial conditions of stellar formation from ISOCAM observations of dense cores seen in absorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bacmann, Aurore

    1999-01-01

    Stars form in molecular clouds by gravitational collapse of small condensations called pre-stellar cores. This stage of the star formation process is still relatively unknown since these dense cores are deeply embedded within a thick cocoon of matter. The collapse, as well as the accretion phase depend on the structure of these objects. In order to constrain the initial conditions of star formation. We have carried out a study of the density structure of a vast sample of pre-stellar cores that we observed with the mid-infrared camera ISOCAM aboard the ISO satellite. As the cores are very dense and cold, they are seen in absorption against the diffuse mid-infrared background. This absorption method is highly interesting for our study since it is sensitive to the density structure in the outer parts of the cores. The study of these cores enabled us to confirm the presence of a flattening in their central parts, to show that their column density profiles were composed of a portion close to a NH_2 ∝ r"-"1 power-law, and that some of them presented an edge, i.e. that the slope in the outer parts of the profiles became steeper than NH_2 ∝ r"-"2. An implication of the presence of an edge is that the mass reservoir available for star formation in these cores is finite, supporting the idea that the stellar initial mass function is partly determined at a pre-stellar stage. Comparison of our results with various models of core structure shows that the column density profiles we obtained are consistent with ambipolar diffusion models of magnetically supported cores, although they require a strong background magnetic field which has up to now not been observed in these kinds of regions. (author) [fr

  5. Valorisation of a water hyacinth in vermicomposting using an epigeic earthworm Perionyx excavatus in Central Vietnam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zirbes, L.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The feasibility of vermicomposting water hyacinth (WH [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart. Solms] mixed with pig manure (PM in different proportions was tested using tropical composting earthworm Perionyx excavatus. Earthworms grew and reproduced normally until the incorporation of 50% WH in initial substrate. Higher water hyacinth proportions induced earthworms' mortality and significantly affected the numbers of hatchlings and cocoons produced during vermicomposting period. The influence of the application of compost/vermicompost obtained from water hyacinth mixed with pig manure was also studied on seeds germination. Only water hyacinth substrate with 25% WH + 75% PM enhanced seeds germination for Oryza sp. and Nasturtium officinale. At the end of experiments, a significant decrease was observed in organic carbon content for each tested substrates (S1 to S8, in total nitrogen (N for substrates containing 70% to 100% of water hyacinth (S5 to S3 and compost substrates (S1 and S2. An important decrease was also noted in total potassium for all vermicompost substrates (S3 to S8, in total magnesium for composted substrates (S1 and S2, and in C/N ratio for substrates containing 0% to 50% of water hyacinth (S8 to S6. Whereas total N in vermicompost containing 0% to 50% of water hyacinth (S8 to S6, total phosphorus, total potassium in composted substrates (S1 and S2, total magnesium in vermicompost substrates (S3 to S8 and C:N ratio in substrates containing 70% to 100% of water hyacinth (S5 to S3 expressed a significant increase after eight weeks. The result suggested that water hyacinth could be potentially useful as raw material in vermicomposting and biofertilizing if mixed with 75% of pig manure.

  6. Silk film biomaterials for ocular surface repair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Brian David

    Current biomaterial approaches for repairing the cornea's ocular surface upon injury are partially effective due to inherent material limitations. As a result there is a need to expand the biomaterial options available for use in the eye, which in turn will help to expand new clinical innovations and technology development. The studies illustrated here are a collection of work to further characterize silk film biomaterials for use on the ocular surface. Silk films were produced from regenerated fibroin protein solution derived from the Bombyx mori silkworm cocoon. Methods of silk film processing and production were developed to produce consistent biomaterials for in vitro and in vivo evaluation. A wide range of experiments was undertaken that spanned from in vitro silk film material characterization to in vivo evaluation. It was found that a variety of silk film properties could be controlled through a water-annealing process. Silk films were then generated that could be use in vitro to produce stratified corneal epithelial cell sheets comparable to tissue grown on the clinical standard substrate of amniotic membrane. This understanding was translated to produce a silk film design that enhanced corneal healing in vivo on a rabbit injury model. Further work produced silk films with varying surface topographies that were used as a simplified analog to the corneal basement membrane surface in vitro. These studies demonstrated that silk film surface topography is capable of directing corneal epithelial cell attachment, growth, and migration response. Most notably epithelial tissue development was controllably directed by the presence of the silk surface topography through increasing cell sheet migration efficiency at the individual cellular level. Taken together, the presented findings represent a comprehensive characterization of silk film biomaterials for use in ocular surface reconstruction, and indicate their utility as a potential material choice in the

  7. Phenotypic Variation in Fitness Traits of a Managed Solitary Bee, Osmia ribifloris (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, B J; Rinehart, T A; Kirker, G T; Stringer, S J; Werle, C T

    2015-12-01

    We investigated fitness in natural populations of a managed solitary bee Osmia ribifloris Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from sites separated from 400 to 2,700 km. Parental wild bees originated in central Texas (TX), central-northern Utah (UT), and central California (CA). They were then intercrossed and raised inside a mesh enclosure in southern Mississippi (MS). Females from all possible mated pairs of O. ribifloris produced F1 broods with 30-40% female cocoons and outcrossed progeny were 30% heavier. Mitochondrial (COI) genomes of the four populations revealed three distinct clades, a TX-CA clade, a UT clade, and an MS clade, the latter (MS) representing captive progeny of CA and UT bees. Although classified as separate subspecies, TX and CA populations from 30° N to 38° N latitude shared 98% similarity in COI genomes and the greatest brood biomass per nest straw (600- to 700-mg brood). Thus, TX and CA bees show greater adaptation for southern U.S. sites. In contrast, UT-sourced bees were more distantly related to TX and CA bees and also produced ∼50% fewer brood. These results, taken together, confirm that adult O. ribifloris from all trap-nest sites are genetically compatible, but some phenotypic variation exists that could affect this species performance as a commercial blueberry pollinator. Males, their sperm, or perhaps a substance in their sperm helped stabilize our captive bee population by promoting legitimate nesting over nest usurpation. Otherwise, without insemination, 50% fewer females nested (they nested 14 d late) and 20% usurped nests, killing 33-67% of brood in affected nests. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

  8. Astrophysics and the exploration of the universe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turck-Chieze, S.; Garcia, R.A.; Brun, A.S.; Minier, V.; Andre, Ph.; Motte, F.; Mathis, St.; Foglizzo, Th.; Decourchelle, A.; Ballet, J.; Chaty, S.; Corbel, St.; Rodriguez, J.; Brahic, A.; Charnoz, S.; Ferrari, C.; Lagage, P.O.; Masset, F.; Pantin, E.; Sauvage, M.; Galliano, F.; Goldwurm, A.; Ballet, J.; Decourchelle, A.; Grenier, I.; Daddi, E.; Elbaz, D.; Bournaud, F.; Yvon, D.; Arnaud, M.; Teyssier, R.; Lehoucq, R.; Palanque-Delabrouille, N.; Lehoucq, R.; Cirelli, M.; Bonvin, C.; Mansoulie, B.; Ruhlmann-Kleider, V.; Refregier, A.; Brax, Ph.; Lavignac, St.; Starck, J.L.; Talvard, M.; Sauvage, M.; Cara, Ch.; Lagage, P.O.; Ferrari, C.; Rodriguez, L.; Sauvageot, J.L.; Lebrun, F.; Grenier, I.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Gerbier, G.

    2009-01-01

    This special issue of Clefs CEA journal is entirely devoted to astrophysics and to the exploration and probing of the Universe. A first part of this dossier, described here, makes a status of our present day knowledge about stars, planets, galaxies, the Universe structure and dark matter. Content: 1 - Stars seed the Universe: What does the Sun tell us?, Probing stellar interiors, From the Sun to the stars, A tour of stellar nurseries, How heavy elements arise, How supernovae explode, Supernova remnants, High-energy objects - sources for astonishment, Focus: A Probing the Universe across the entire light spectrum; 2 - Planets: a dance of small bodies, swirling around up to the finale of their birth: How our world was born, The rings of Saturn: a magnificent research laboratory, Planetary cocoons; 3 - Galaxies: a richly paradoxical evolution: The active life of galaxies, A mysterious black hole, Elucidating the cosmic ray acceleration mechanism, Seeking out the great ancestors, The formation of galaxies: a story of paradoxes, The morphogenesis of galaxies; 4 - The Universe, a homogeneous 'soup' that has turned into a hierarchical structure: The grand thermal history of the Universe, The cosmic web, The formation of the structures of the Universe: the interplay of models, Does the Universe have a shape? Is it finite, or infinite?; 5 - Odyssey across the dark side of the Universe: The puzzle of dark matter, Astrophysics and the observation of dark matter, The theory of dark matter, Could dark matter be generated some day at LHC? A Universe dominated by dark energy, Astrophysics and the observation of dark energy, Theories of dark energy, The matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe; 6 - Journey into the lights of the Universe: Microwave - ESA Planck Surveyor, Submillimeter and infrared - ArTeMis, Herschel Space Observatory, VLT-VISIR, Cassini-CIRS, Visible - SoHo-GOLF, X-ray - XMM-Newton, Gamma ray - INTEGRAL, Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, HESS, EDELWEISS

  9. Hidden biodiversity in entomological collections: The overlooked co-occurrence of dipteran and hymenopteran ant parasitoids in stored biological material.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud

    Full Text Available Biological collections around the world are the repository of biodiversity on Earth; they also hold a large quantity of unsorted, unidentified, or misidentified material and can house behavioral information on species that are difficult to access or no longer available to science. Among the unsorted, alcohol-preserved material stored in the Formicidae Collection of the 'El Colegio de la Frontera Sur' Research Center (Chetumal, Mexico, we found nine colonies of the ponerine ant Neoponera villosa, that had been collected in bromeliads at Calakmul (Campeche, Mexico in 1999. Ants and their brood were revised for the presence of any sign of parasitism. Cocoons were dissected and their content examined under a stereomicroscope. Six N. villosa prepupae had been attacked by the ectoparasitoid syrphid fly Hypselosyrphus trigonus Hull (Syrphidae: Microdontinae, to date the only known dipteran species of the Microdontinae with a parasitoid lifestyle. In addition, six male pupae from three colonies contained gregarious endoparasitoid wasps. These were specialized in parasitizing this specific host caste as no gyne or worker pupae displayed signs of having been attacked. Only immature stages (larvae and pupae of the wasp could be obtained. Due to the long storage period, DNA amplification failed; however, based on biological and morphological data, pupae were placed in the Encyrtidae family. This is the first record of an encyrtid wasp parasitizing N. villosa, and the second example of an encyrtid as a primary parasitoid of ants. Furthermore, it is also the first record of co-occurrence of a dipteran ectoparasitoid and a hymenopteran endoparasitoid living in sympatry within the same population of host ants. Our findings highlight the importance of biological collections as reservoirs of hidden biodiversity, not only at the taxonomic level, but also at the behavioral level, revealing complex living networks. They also highlight the need for funding in order

  10. Astrophysics and the exploration of the universe; L'astrophysique et l'exploration de l'Univers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turck-Chieze, S.; Garcia, R.A.; Brun, A.S.; Minier, V.; Andre, Ph.; Motte, F.; Mathis, St.; Foglizzo, Th.; Decourchelle, A.; Ballet, J.; Chaty, S.; Corbel, St.; Rodriguez, J.; Brahic, A.; Charnoz, S.; Ferrari, C.; Lagage, P.O.; Masset, F.; Pantin, E.; Sauvage, M.; Galliano, F.; Goldwurm, A.; Ballet, J.; Decourchelle, A.; Grenier, I.; Daddi, E.; Elbaz, D.; Bournaud, F.; Yvon, D.; Arnaud, M.; Teyssier, R.; Lehoucq, R.; Palanque-Delabrouille, N.; Lehoucq, R.; Cirelli, M.; Bonvin, C.; Mansoulie, B.; Ruhlmann-Kleider, V.; Refregier, A.; Brax, Ph.; Lavignac, St.; Starck, J.L.; Talvard, M.; Sauvage, M.; Cara, Ch.; Lagage, P.O.; Ferrari, C.; Rodriguez, L.; Sauvageot, J.L.; Lebrun, F.; Grenier, I.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Gerbier, G.

    2009-07-01

    This special issue of Clefs CEA journal is entirely devoted to astrophysics and to the exploration and probing of the Universe. A first part of this dossier, described here, makes a status of our present day knowledge about stars, planets, galaxies, the Universe structure and dark matter. Content: 1 - Stars seed the Universe: What does the Sun tell us?, Probing stellar interiors, From the Sun to the stars, A tour of stellar nurseries, How heavy elements arise, How supernovae explode, Supernova remnants, High-energy objects - sources for astonishment, Focus: A Probing the Universe across the entire light spectrum; 2 - Planets: a dance of small bodies, swirling around up to the finale of their birth: How our world was born, The rings of Saturn: a magnificent research laboratory, Planetary cocoons; 3 - Galaxies: a richly paradoxical evolution: The active life of galaxies, A mysterious black hole, Elucidating the cosmic ray acceleration mechanism, Seeking out the great ancestors, The formation of galaxies: a story of paradoxes, The morphogenesis of galaxies; 4 - The Universe, a homogeneous 'soup' that has turned into a hierarchical structure: The grand thermal history of the Universe, The cosmic web, The formation of the structures of the Universe: the interplay of models, Does the Universe have a shape? Is it finite, or infinite?; 5 - Odyssey across the dark side of the Universe: The puzzle of dark matter, Astrophysics and the observation of dark matter, The theory of dark matter, Could dark matter be generated some day at LHC? A Universe dominated by dark energy, Astrophysics and the observation of dark energy, Theories of dark energy, The matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe; 6 - Journey into the lights of the Universe: Microwave - ESA Planck Surveyor, Submillimeter and infrared - ArTeMis, Herschel Space Observatory, VLT-VISIR, Cassini-CIRS, Visible - SoHo-GOLF, X-ray - XMM-Newton, Gamma ray - INTEGRAL, Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, HESS

  11. Structure and morphology of regenerated silk nano-fibers produced by electrospinning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarkoob, Shahrzad

    The impressive physical and mechanical properties of natural silk fiberssp1 and the possibility of producing these proteins using biotechnology,sp2 have provided the impetus for recent efforts in both the biosynthesissp{3,4} and the spinning of these protein based biopolymers.sp{5,6,7} The question still remains: whether fibers spun from solutions with similar chemical makeup can produce fibers with similar structures and therefore with the possibility of improved properties. Since genetically engineered silk solutions were not readily available, the first objective of this project was to completely dissolve the Bombyx mori cocoon and the Nephila clavipes dragline silk while maintaining the molecular weight integrity of the polymer. The second objective was to develop a system for re-spinning from very small amount of the resulting silk solutions by the process of electrospinning. The third objective was, to produce regenerated silk fibers with diameters that are several orders of magnitude smaller than the original fibers, suitable for direct observation and analysis by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. And finally, to compare these results to structural information obtained from natural (as spun by the organism) fibers to see if the regenerated solutions are able to form the same structure as the original fibers. Both types of silk fibers were successfully dissolved while maintaining the polymer integrity. Small quantities (25-50 mul) of these solutions were used to electrospin fibers with diameters ranging from 8nm-200nm. The fibers were observed by optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. These nano fibers showed optical retardation, appeared to have a circular cross-section, and were dimensionally stable at temperatures above 280sp°C. Electron diffraction patterns of annealed electrospun fibers of B. mori and N. clavipes showed reflections, demonstrating orientational and semicrystalline order in the material

  12. Survival strategies of freshwater insects in cold environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeria LENCIONI

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available At high latitudes and altitudes, ice formation is a major variable affecting survival of freshwater fauna and hence the abundance and composition of invertebrate communities. Freezing, but also desiccation and anoxia, are lethal threats to all life stages of aquatic insects, from the eggs to the adults. During cold periods, the aquatic stages commonly remain in or move to a portion of the water body that will not freeze or dry (e.g., deep waters of lakes, springs and hyporheic zone where they can remain active. Less frequently they migrate to habitats that will freeze at the onset of winter. Insects have developed a complex of strategies to survive at their physiological temperature minimum, comprising (a morphological (melanism, reduction in size, hairiness/pubescence, brachyptery and aptery, (b behavioural (basking in the sun, changes in feeding and mating habit, parthenogenesis, polyploidy, ovoviviparity, habitat selection and cocoon building, (c ecological (extension of development to several years by quiescence or diapause and reduction of the number of generations per year, (d physiological and biochemical (freezing tolerance and freezing avoidance adaptations. Most species develop a combination of these survival strategies that can be different in the aquatic and terrestrial phase. Freezing avoidance and freezing tolerance may be accompanied by diapause. Both cold hardiness and diapause manifest during the unfavourable season and: (i involve storage of food resources (commonly glycogen and lipids; (ii are under hormonal control (ecdysone and juvenile hormone; (iii involve a depression or suppression of the oxidative metabolism with mitochondrial degradation. However, where the growing season is reduced to a few weeks, insects may develop cold hardiness without entering diapause, maintaining in the haemolymph a high concentration of Thermal Hysteris Proteins (THPs for the entire year and a slow but continuous growth. A synthesis of

  13. DISCOVERY OF TeV GAMMA-RAY EMISSION TOWARD SUPERNOVA REMNANT SNR G78.2+2.1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aliu, E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University, NY 10027 (United States); Archambault, S. [Physics Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2T8 (Canada); Arlen, T.; Aune, T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Beilicke, M.; Buckley, J. H.; Bugaev, V.; Dickherber, R. [Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States); Benbow, W. [Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Amado, AZ 85645 (United States); Bird, R.; Cannon, A.; Collins-Hughes, E. [School of Physics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 (Ireland); Bouvier, A. [Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Bradbury, S. M. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Byrum, K. [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Cesarini, A.; Connolly, M. P. [School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway (Ireland); Ciupik, L. [Astronomy Department, Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago, IL 60605 (United States); Cui, W. [Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Duke, C., E-mail: amandajw@iastate.edu [Department of Physics, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112-1690 (United States); and others

    2013-06-20

    We report the discovery of an unidentified, extended source of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission, VER J2019+407, within the radio shell of the supernova remnant SNR G78.2+2.1, using 21.4 hr of data taken by the VERITAS gamma-ray observatory in 2009. These data confirm the preliminary indications of gamma-ray emission previously seen in a two-year (2007-2009) blind survey of the Cygnus region by VERITAS. VER J2019+407, which is detected at a post-trials significance of 7.5 standard deviations in the 2009 data, is localized to the northwestern rim of the remnant in a region of enhanced radio and X-ray emission. It has an intrinsic extent of 0.23 Degree-Sign .23 {+-} 0. Degree-Sign 03{sub stat-0 Degree-Sign .02sys}{sup +0 Degree-Sign .04} and its spectrum is well-characterized by a differential power law (dN/dE = N{sub 0} Multiplication-Sign (E/TeV){sup -{Gamma}}) with a photon index of {Gamma} = 2.37 {+-} 0.14{sub stat} {+-} 0.20{sub sys} and a flux normalization of N{sub 0} = 1.5 {+-} 0.2{sub stat} {+-} 0.4{sub sys} Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} photon TeV{sup -1} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}. This yields an integral flux of 5.2 {+-} 0.8{sub stat} {+-} 1.4{sub sys} Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} photon cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} above 320 GeV, corresponding to 3.7% of the Crab Nebula flux. We consider the relationship of the TeV gamma-ray emission with the GeV gamma-ray emission seen from SNR G78.2+2.1 as well as that seen from a nearby cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays. Multiple scenarios are considered as possible origins for the TeV gamma-ray emission, including hadronic particle acceleration at the SNR shock.

  14. Re-emergence of diphtheria and pertussis: implications for Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadoh, A E; Oladokun, R E

    2012-11-26

    In the prevaccine era pertussis and diphtheria were responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in children. In the United States of America more than 125,000 cases of diphtheria with 10,000 deaths were reported annually in the 1920s. In the same period about 1.7 million cases of pertussis with 73,000 deaths were also reported. Vaccination against these two diseases has caused remarkable reduction in the morbidity and mortality from these diseases both in developed and developing countries. The initial vaccines were the combined diphtheria toxoid and whole cell pertussis vaccine. The recent reported increases in the incidence of these two diseases in countries, which maintain high childhood vaccination coverage is a source of concern not only to these countries but also for developing countries with weak immunization programmes. Nigeria for example reported 11,281 cases of pertussis, the second highest number of cases worldwide in 2009. Waning immunity in adult and adolescent populations has been reported and epidemiologically, more cases are being reported in adults and adolescents. Also a high proportion of pertussis cases are being reported in infants and most of these infant cases are linked to adult/adolescent sources. Recent approaches to control of these diseases include booster doses of combined diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis vaccine while the cocooning strategy (which is immunizing every person who is likely to have contact with a given infant such as mother, father, grandparents and health care workers) is being used in a number of countries. For developing countries including Nigeria where the capacity for making the diagnosis of both diseases is limited, strengthening of routine immunization as well as diagnostic capacity is imperative. Research to determine current levels of immunity in children, adolescents and adults is required. This will enable the determination of the need for booster doses and the age at which such boosters

  15. [Pertussis trend in children under one year of age in the Czech Republic in 1997-2013].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabiánová, K; Šebestová, H; Beneš, Č; Zavadilová, J; Křížová, P; Kříž, B

    2014-11-01

    To characterize the epidemiological situation of pertussis in children under one year of age in the Czech Republic in 1997-2013. The study cohort consisted of children under one year of age with laboratory confirmed pertussis reported to the communicable disease system from 1997 to 2013. A total of 265 pertussis cases were reported in children under one year of age over the study period. Selected demographic data, need for hospitalization, and vaccination history were evaluated in the study cohort. Children under one year of age have shown a steady upward trend in reported cases of pertussis since the 1990s. The reported incidence of pertussis in this age group was the lowest in 1998 (1.1/100,000 population) and the highest in 2013 (31.3/100,000). In 1997-2013, 265 pertussis cases were reported in children under one year of age, 128 females and 137 males, to the communicable disease system in the Czech Republic. Most of these children, nearly 77%, developed pertussis within the first four months of life. Of the 265 children, 79% were not vaccinated before the onset of the disease and 21% were immunized with at least one dose of pertussis vaccine before developing the disease. As many as 75% of the children with pertussis needed hospitalization. Most of them, nearly 81%, were hospitalized with pertussis in the first four months of life and 90% of them in the first six months of life. In 1997-2013, an upward trend was observed in pertussis cases in children under one year of age. Most children developed the disease within the first four months of life while not vaccinated against pertussis. This fact unambiguously supports the "cocoon" strategy, i.e. vaccination of the closest contacts of the child, and a booster dose at 25 years of age. At the same time, a question arises whether to provide vaccination to pregnant women.

  16. Assessment of soil stabilization by chemical extraction and bioaccumulation using earthworm, Eisenia fetida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Byung-Tae; Abd Aziz, Azilah; Han, Heop Jo; Kim, Kyoung-Woong

    2014-05-01

    Soil stabilization does not remove heavy metals from contaminated soil, but lowers their exposures to ecosystem. Thus, it should be evaluated by measuring the fractions of heavy metals which are mobile and/or bioavailable in soils. The study compared several chemical extractions which intended to quantify the mobile or bioaccessible fractions with uptake and bioaccumulation by earthworm, Eisenia fetida. Soil samples were taken from the abandoned mine area contaminated with As, Cd, Cu, Pb and/or Zn. To stabilize heavy metals, the soils were amended with limestone and steel slag at 5% and 2% (w/w), respectively. All chemical extractions and earthworm tests were applied to both the contaminated and the stabilized soils with triplicates. The chemical extractions consisted of six single extractions which were 0.01M CaCl2 (unbufferred), EDTA or DTPA (chelating), TCLP (acidic), Mehlich 3 (mixture), and aqua regia (peudo-total). Sequential extractions were also applied to fractionate heavy metals in soils. In earthworm tests, worms were exposed to the soils for uptake of heavy metals. After 28 days of exposure to soils, worms were transferred to clean soils for elimination. During the tests, three worms were randomly collected at proper sampling events. Worms were rinsed with DI water and placed on moist filter paper for 48 h for depuration. Filter paper was renewed at 24 h to prevent coprophagy. The worms were killed with liquid nitrogen, dried in the oven, and digested with aqua regia for ICP-MS analysis. In addition to the bioaccumulation, several toxicity endpoints were observed such as burrowing time, mortality, cocoon production, and body weight changes. Toxicokinetics was applied to determine the uptake and elimination heavy metals by the earthworms. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was estimated using total metal concentrations and body burdens. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression were applied to evaluate the relationship between metal fractions by single

  17. On the Merging Cluster Abell 578 and Its Central Radio Galaxy 4C+67.13

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagino, K.; Stawarz, Ł.; Siemiginowska, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Kozieł-Wierzbowska, D.; Szostek, A.; Madejski, G.; Harris, D. E.; Simionescu, A.; Takahashi, T.

    2015-06-01

    Here we analyze radio, optical, and X-ray data for the peculiar cluster Abell 578. This cluster is not fully relaxed and consists of two merging sub-systems. The brightest cluster galaxy (BCG), CGPG 0719.8+6704, is a pair of interacting ellipticals with projected separation ˜10 kpc, the brighter of which hosts the radio source 4C+67.13. The Fanaroff-Riley type-II radio morphology of 4C+67.13 is unusual for central radio galaxies in local Abell clusters. Our new optical spectroscopy revealed that both nuclei of the CGPG 0719.8+6704 pair are active, albeit at low accretion rates corresponding to the Eddington ratio ˜ {{10}-4} (for the estimated black hole masses of ˜ 3× {{10}8} {{M}⊙ } and ˜ {{10}9} {{M}⊙ }). The gathered X-ray (Chandra) data allowed us to confirm and to quantify robustly the previously noted elongation of the gaseous atmosphere in the dominant sub-cluster, as well as a large spatial offset (˜60 kpc projected) between the position of the BCG and the cluster center inferred from the modeling of the X-ray surface brightness distribution. Detailed analysis of the brightness profiles and temperature revealed also that the cluster gas in the vicinity of 4C+67.13 is compressed (by a factor of about ˜1.4) and heated (from ≃ 2.0 keV up to 2.7 keV), consistent with the presence of a weak shock (Mach number ˜1.3) driven by the expanding jet cocoon. This would then require the jet kinetic power of the order of ˜ {{10}45} erg s-1, implying either a very high efficiency of the jet production for the current accretion rate, or a highly modulated jet/accretion activity in the system. Based on service observations made with the WHT operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias.

  18. PROBING RELATIVISTIC WINDS: THE CASE OF PSR J07370-3039 A and B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arons, J

    2004-01-01

    We propose synchrotron absorption in a magnetosheath forming a cocoon around the magnetosphere of pulsar B to be the origin of the eclipse phenomena seen in the recently discovered double pulsar system PSRJ07370-3039 A and B. The magnetosheath enfolds the magnetosphere of pulsar B, where the relativistic wind from A collides with B's magnetic field. If this model is correct, it predicts the eclipses will clear at frequencies higher than those of the observations reported to date (nominally, above ν ∼ 5 GHz.) The model also predicts synchrotron emission at the level of a few to 10 (micro)Jy, peaking at ν ∼ 2.5 GHz with possible orbital modulation. We use simplified semi-analytic models to elucidate the structure of the B magnetosphere, showing that the A wind's dynamic pressure confines B's magnetic field to within a radius less than 50,000 km from B, smaller than B's light cylinder radius, on the ''daytime'' side (the side facing A). Downstream of B (''nightime''), B forms a magnetotail. We use particle-in-cell simulations to include the effects of magnetospheric rotation, showing that the magnetosheath has an asymmetric density distribution which may be responsible for the observed eclipse asymmetries. We use simple estimates based upon the magnetic reconnection observed in the simulations to derive a ''propellor'' spindown torque on B, which is the dominant mode of angular mementum extraction from this star. Application of this torque to B's observed spindown yields a polar dipole field ∼ 7 x 10 11 Gauss (magnetic moment (micro) B ∼ 3.5 x 10 29 cgs). This torque has a braking index of unity. We show that the model can explain the known eclipses only if the A wind's density is at least 4 orders of magnitude greater than is expected from existing popular models of pair creation in pulsars. We discuss the implications of this result for our general understanding of pulsar physics

  19. Earthworm bioassays and seedling emergence for monitoring toxicity, aging and bioaccumulation of anthropogenic waste indicator compounds in biosolids-amended soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinney, Chad A.; Campbell, Bryan R.; Thompson, Regina; Furlong, Edward T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Burkhardt, Mark R.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Werner, Stephen L.; Hay, Anthony G.

    2012-01-01

    Land application of biosolids (treated sewage sludge) can be an important route for introducing xenobiotic compounds into terrestrial environments. There is a paucity of available information on the effects of biosolids amendment on terrestrial organisms. In this study, the influence of biosolids and biosolids aging on earthworm (Eisenia fetida) reproduction and survival and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seedling emergence was investigated. Earthworms were exposed to soils amended with varying quantities of biosolids (0, 1, 2, 3, or 4% dry mass). To investigate the influence of biosolids aging, the biosolids used in the study were aged for differing lengths of time (2 or 8 weeks) prior to exposure. All of the adult earthworms survived in the biosolids–amended soils at all concentrations that were aged for 2 weeks; however, only 20% of the adults survived in the soil amended with the highest concentration of biosolids and aged for 8 weeks. Reproduction as measured by mean number of juveniles and unhatched cocoons produced per treatment correlated inversely with biosolids concentration, although the effects were generally more pronounced in the 8-week aged biosolids–soil samples. Latent seedling emergence and reduced seedling fitness correlated inversely with biosolids concentration, but these effects were tempered in the 8-week aged versus the 2-week aged soil–biosolids mixtures. Anthropogenic waste indicator compounds (AWIs) were measured in the biosolids, biosolids–soil mixtures, and earthworm samples. Where possible, bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were calculated or estimated. A wide variety of AWIs were detected in the biosolids (51 AWIs) and earthworm samples (≤ 19 AWI). The earthworms exposed to the 8-week aged biosolids–soil mixtures tended to accumulate greater quantities of AWIs compared to the 2-week aged mixture, suggesting that the bioavailability of some AWIs was enhanced with aging. The BAFs for a given AWI varied with treatment. Notably large

  20. Long-Term Stewardship At DOE's Hanford Site - 12575

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moren, R.J.; Grindstaff, K.D.

    2012-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site is located in southeast Washington and consists of 1,518 square kilometers (586 square miles) of land. Established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, Hanford workers produced plutonium for our nation's nuclear defense program until the mid 1980's. Since then, the site has been in cleanup mode that is being accomplished in phases. As we achieve remedial objectives and complete active cleanup, DOE will manage Hanford land under the Long-Term Stewardship (LTS) Program until completion of cleanup and the site becomes ready for transfer to the post cleanup landlord - currently planned for DOE's Office of Legacy Management (LM). We define Hanford's LTS Program in the ''Hanford Long-Term Stewardship Program Plan,'' (DOE/RL-201 0-35)(1), which describes the scope including the relationship between the cleanup projects and the LTS Program. DOE designed the LTS Program to manage and provide surveillance and maintenance (S and M) of institutional controls and associated monitoring of closed waste sites to ensure the protection of human health and the environment. DOE's Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) and Hanford cleanup and operations contractors collaboratively developed this program over several years. The program's scope also includes 15 key activities that are identified in the DOE Program Plan (DOE/RL-2010-35). The LTS Program will transition 14 land segments through 2016. The combined land mass is approximately 570 square kilometers (220 square miles), with over 1,300 active and inactive waste sites and 3,363 wells. Land segments vary from buffer zone property with no known contamination to cocooned reactor buildings, demolished support facilities, and remediated cribs and trenches. DOE-RL will transition land management responsibilities from cleanup contractors to the Mission Support Contract (MSC), who will then administer the LTS Program for DOE-RL. This process requires an environment of cooperation

  1. Control of fibroin conformation: Toward the development of a biomimetic spinning process for silk fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Kimberly Ann Trabbic

    1999-09-01

    Nature has shown that silks are sophisticated structural materials with remarkable mechanical properties; however, they are produced using far milder conditions than high-performance synthetic polymer fibers. While recent advances in molecular biotechnology have taken great strides toward the production of proteinaceous biopolymers, little is known about the processing conditions needed to spin fibers with the correct microstructures and mechanical properties. It is the purpose of this research to gain a fundamental understanding about how processing conditions affect the molecular structure of a model protein biopolymer, Bombyx mori silkworm fibroin, the structural protein of cocoon silk. Fibers of B. mori fibroin were wet spun from 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) into a methanol coagulation bath. X-ray fiber diffraction and quantitative Raman spectroscopy were used to determine that both naturally- and synthetically-spun fibers contain a high degree of beta-sheet (~50%). Fibers subjected to a post-spinning draw exhibited a preferential molecular alignment parallel to the fiber axis resulting in increased strength, stiffness, and extensibility. Fibers with microstructures and mechanical properties most similar to those of naturally-spun fibers were reproduced in synthetically-spun fibers with a draw ratio of 3.5. The transformation of helical fibroin in HFIP to beta-sheet sheet fibroin in synthetically-spun fibers was determined to be caused by the methanol coagulation bath. The kinetics beta-sheet fibroin crystallization from aqueous solution was investigated by monitoring the sigmoidal progression of gel formation using turbidity and Raman spectroscopy. Gelation kinetics were evaluated by measuring lag time, maximum gelation rate, and optical density to determine the effects of protein concentration, detergent concentration (nucleating agent), headgroup chemistry, ionic strength, pH, and temperature. An optimal molar ratio between SDS and fibroin (100

  2. An environmentally benign route for the development of compressible, thermally insulating and fire retardant aerogels through self-assembling the silk fibroin biopolymer inside the silica structure - An approach towards 3D printing of aerogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maleki, Hajar; Montes, Susan; Hayati-Roodbari, Nastaran; Putz, Florian; Huesing, Nicola

    2018-06-04

    Thanks to the exceptional materials properties of silica aerogels, this fascinating highly porous material has found high performance and real-life applications in various modern industries. However, a requirement for a broadening of these applications is based on the further improvement of their properties especially with regard to mechanical strength and post-synthesis processability with minimum compromise to the other physical properties. Here, we report an entirely novel, simple and aqueous based synthesis approach to prepare mechanically robust aerogel hybrids by co-gelation of silk fibroin (SF) biopolymer, extracted from silkworm cocoons. The synthesis is based on a one-step sequential processes of acid catalysis (physical) crosslinking of the SF biopolymer and simultaneous polycondensation of tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS), in the presence of 5-(trimethoxysilyl)pentanoic acid (TMSPA) as a coupling agent and subsequent solvent exchange and supercritical drying. Extensive characterizations by solid-state 1H-NMR, 29Si-NMR, and 2D 1H-29Si heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) MAS NMR spectroscopy as well as various microscopic techniques (SEM, TEM) and mechanical assessment, confirmed the molecular-level homogeneity of the hybrid nanostructure. The developed silica-SF aerogel hybrids contained an improved set of material properties, such as low density (ρb, average = 0.11 - 0.2 g cm-3), high porosity (~90%), high specific surface area (~ 400-800 m2 g-1), excellent flexibility in compression (up to 80% of strain) with three-order of magnitude improvement in the Young's modulus over that of pristine silica aerogels. In addition, the silica-SF hybrid aerogels are fire retardant and demonstrated excellent thermal insulation performance with thermal conductivities (λ) of (0.033-0.039 Wm-1 K-1). As a further advantage, the formulated hybrid silica-SF aerogel showed an excellent printability in the wet state using a micro-extrusion based 3D printing approach. The

  3. Environmental federalism and US climate change policy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaeger, L.M.

    2004-01-01

    Environmental disputes involving states over the proper state and federal roles have grown in number and magnitude over the last several years, with many disputes engaging dozens of states. States with competing views are fully engaged in the ongoing debate over climate change, a textbook case for testing the contours of environmental federalism. The issue has all the necessary components: transboundary environmental impacts; competing state economic and environmental interests; state self-interest; disagreement on first principles including what is the proper role of the states; and a somewhat ill-defined federal role. With those qualities, one would expect the federal government to step in and regulate. Instead, the federal government has declined to regulate, inviting a national discourse on whether and how to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As of Spring 2004, twenty-eight states have launched or are planning initiatives, some of which will directly regulate sources of GHG emissions. As these programs take root, pressure will build for a greater federal role. This paper will advance the position that even with this building momentum, the federal government is not likely to emulate state programs that mandate CO 2 emission reductions. In the face of high national cost, uncertain environmental benefits, and a history of federal non-regulatory action, federal regulation at this time appears to be a remote possibility. State efforts to address global climate change add value to the debate, but they do not create the cocoon of consensus the federal government seeks before launching mandatory programs of this magnitude. The more likely scenario is that the federal government will continue on its present course, funding research and development, investing in energy efficient technologies, and supporting voluntary measures. Under this scenario, states and the private sector would continue to function as the 'laboratories' to develop new ideas to improve energy

  4. Efficacy of eco-smart insecticides against certain biological stages of jasmine moth, Palpita unionalis Hb.(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Farag Mahmoud

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The efficacy of six eco-smart insecticides, Dipel 2x 6.4% WP (Bacillus thuringensis AI, Biofly 100% WP (Beauvaria bessiana AI, Radiant 12% SC (Saccharopolyspora spinosa AI, Mectin 1.8% EC (Streptomyces avermitilis AI, Nimbecidine 0.03% EC (Azadirachtin AI and Bio-Power 50% EC (Beauvaria bessiana AI, were tested against eggs, larvae and pupae of the jasmine moth, Palpita unionalis Hb. and its parasitoid Apanteles syleptae under laboratory conditions. Data indicated that all tested insecticides had ovicidal activity against P. unionalis. Mectin was the most toxic among the tested insecticides against the egg stage, followed by Radiant or Dipel 2x, and their respective values of LC50 were 0.005 cm/l, 0.006 cm/l and 0.055 g/l. Dipel 2x was the most toxic insecticide to the 1st instar larvae of P. unionalis, whereas Mectin was the most toxic to both the 3rd and 5th instar larvae. Also, the results revealed that Mectin was the most effective against the pupal stage, followed descendingly by Radiant and Dipel 2x. The toxicity index values showed a superior efficiency of Mectin at LC50 (100% against eggs, 3rd and 5th instar larvae, and pupal stage, whereas Dipel 2x showed such superior efficiency at LC50 (100% only against 1st instar larvae. The results showed that the percents of pupation and emergence of moths were significantly different in all treatments compared to control, while deformed pupae and malformed adults were insignificantly different when fifth instar larvae were treated with the tested insecticides. Moreover, the rate of P. unionalis adult emergence from treated pupae was concentration-dependent and significant differences were found between insecticide treatments and control. Generally, Mectin, Radiant and Dipel 2x caused the highest impacts on adult emergence and malformed adults percentages. Regarding the toxicity of insecticides to the endoparasitoid A. syleptae, the treated cocoons developed to adult stages with no significant

  5. Peering Through the Dust: NuSTAR Observations of Two First-2Mass Red Quasars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamassa, Stephanie M.; Ricarte, Angelo; Glikman, Eilat; Urry, C. Megan; Stern, Daniel; Yaqoob, Tahir; Lansbury, George B.; Civano, Francesca; Boggs, Steve E.; Zhang, Will

    2016-01-01

    Some reddened quasars appear to be transitional objects in the paradigm of merger-induced black hole growth/ galaxy evolution, where a heavily obscured nucleus starts to be unveiled by powerful quasar winds evacuating the surrounding cocoon NuSTAR and XMM-Newton/Chandra observations of FIRST-2MASS-selected red quasars F2M 0830+3759 and F2M 1227+3214. We find that though F2M 0830 +3759 is moderately obscured N(sub H) = (2.1 +/- 0.2) x 10 (exp 22) per square centimeter) and F2M 1227+3214 is mildly absorbed (N(sub H),Z =3.4(+0.8/-0.7) X 10(exp -2) along the line of sight, heavier global obscuration may be present in both sources, with N(sub H) = 3.7 (+4.1/-2.6) X 10 (exp 23) per square centimeter) and less than 5.5 X 10(exp 23) per square centimeter) for F2M 0830+3759 and F2M 1227+ 3214, respectively. F2M 0830+3759 also has an excess of soft X-ray emission below 1 of dust and gas. Hard X-ray observations are able to peer through this gas and dust, revealing the properties of circumnuclear obscuration. Here, we present keV, which is well accommodated by a model where 7% of the intrinsic X-ray emission from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) is scattered into the line of sight. While F2M 1227+3214 has a dust-to-gas ratio (E(B - V)/NH) consistent with the Galactic value, the value of E(B - V)/NH for F2M 0830+3759 is lower than the Galactic standard, consistent with the paradigm that the dust resides on galactic scales while the X-ray reprocessing gas originates within the dust sublimation zone of the broad-line region. The X-ray and 6.1 µm luminosities of these red quasars are consistent with the empirical relations derived for high-luminosity, unobscured quasars, extending the parameter space of obscured AGNs previously observed by NuSTAR to higher luminosities.

  6. Prehospital Medicine and the Future Will ECMO Ever Play a Role?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macku, David; Hedvicak, Pavel; Quinn, John; Bencko, Vladimir

    Due to the hybrid warfare currently experienced by multiple NATO coalition and NATO partner nations, the tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) paradigm is greatly challenged. One of the major challenges to TCCC is the ad hoc extension phase in resource-poor environments, referred to as prolonged field care (PFC) and forward resuscitative care (FRC). The nuanced clinical skills with limited resources required by warfighters and auxiliary health care professionals to mitigate death on the battlefield and prevent morbidity and mortality in the PFC phase represent a balance that is still under review. The aim of our article is to describe the connection between extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or the extracorporeal life support (ECLS) treatment and its possible improvement in prehospital trauma care, at a Role 1 or 2 facility and, more provocatively, in the PFC phase of care in the future through innovative technology and how it connects with FRC. We report and describe here the primary components of ECMO/ECLS and present the main concept of a human extracorporeal circulation cocoon as a transitional living form for the cardiopulmonary stabilization of wounded combatants on the battlefield and their transportation to higher echelons of care and treatment facilities (to include damage control resuscitation [DCR] and damage control surgery [DCS]). As clinical governance, these matters would fall within the remit of the Committee on Surgical Combat Casualty Care (CoSCCC) and the Committee on Enroute Combat Casualty Care (CoERCCC), and it is within this framework that we propose this concept piece of ECMO in the prehospital space. We caution that this report is a proposed innovation to TCCC but also serves to push the envelope of the PFC and FRC paradigm. What we propose will not change the practice this year, but as ECMO technology progresses, it may change our practice within the next decade. We conclude with proposed novel future research to save life on the

  7. Efectos subletales de la lambda-cialotrina sobre Eisenia fetida (Annelida, Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae Sublethal effects of lambda-cyhalothrin on Eisenia fetida (Annelida, Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Ricardo

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available El uso intensivo de agroquímicos provoca efectos dañinos sobre la fauna no blanco. Dentro de la misma, los oligoquetos contribuyen a mantener la estructura y fertilidad del suelo. La lambda-cialotrina es uno de los insecticidas piretroides más utilizados en la Argentina, pero son escasos los datos existentes acerca de su toxicidad sobre oligoquetos. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron evaluar mediante bioensayos de toxicidad crónica los efectos de lambda-cialotrina (producto comercial al 5% en Eisenia fetida sobre los parámetros de comportamiento, sobrevivencia, biomasa, reproducción y bioacumulación, así como la persistencia en suelo OECD de dicho tóxico. Los resultados muestran un comportamiento de huída intenso a partir de la concentración más baja, con un EC50 de 1,36 mg kg-1 (95% C.L. 0,24 - 2,80. No se observaron efectos en sobrevivencia y alimentación. La reproducción fue afectada significativamente (F= 11,94, PThe intensive use of agrochemicals has deleterious effects on non-target organisms. Among these organisms, earthworms are important because of their role in keeping the soil structure and fertility. Lambda-cyhalothrin is one of the most widely used pyrethroid insecticide in Argentina, but there are not enough studies of the effects of this pesticide on earthworms. The goals of this work were to perform chronic toxicity bioassays to determine the effects of commercial lambda-cyhalothrin (at 5% on Eisenia fetida. The parameters of behaviour, survival, biomass, reproduction, bioaccumulation and the degradation time of lambda-cyhalotrin in an OECD standard soil were also estimated. Results showed a hard avoidance behaviour in the lowest lambda-cyhalothrin concentration with an EC50 of 1.36 mg kg-1 (95% C.L 0.24-2.80. Eisenia fetida chronic test survival and feeding were not affected by lambda-cyhalothrin but negative effects on reproduction were significant (P<0.05. Cocoon production and fertility were reduced and

  8. Chaos at the Heart of Orion

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-01-01

    NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes have teamed up to expose the chaos that baby stars are creating 1,500 light-years away in a cosmic cloud called the Orion nebula. This striking infrared and visible-light composite indicates that four monstrously massive stars at the center of the cloud may be the main culprits in the familiar Orion constellation. The stars are collectively called the 'Trapezium.' Their community can be identified as the yellow smudge near the center of the image. Swirls of green in Hubble's ultraviolet and visible-light view reveal hydrogen and sulfur gas that have been heated and ionized by intense ultraviolet radiation from the Trapezium's stars. Meanwhile, Spitzer's infrared view exposes carbon-rich molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the cloud. These organic molecules have been illuminated by the Trapezium's stars, and are shown in the composite as wisps of red and orange. On Earth, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found on burnt toast and in automobile exhaust. Together, the telescopes expose the stars in Orion as a rainbow of dots sprinkled throughout the image. Orange-yellow dots revealed by Spitzer are actually infant stars deeply embedded in a cocoon of dust and gas. Hubble showed less embedded stars as specks of green, and foreground stars as blue spots. Stellar winds from clusters of newborn stars scattered throughout the cloud etched all of the well-defined ridges and cavities in Orion. The large cavity near the right of the image was most likely carved by winds from the Trapezium's stars. Located 1,500 light-years away from Earth, the Orion nebula is the brightest spot in the sword of the Orion, or the 'Hunter' constellation. The cosmic cloud is also our closest massive star-formation factory, and astronomers believe it contains more than 1,000 young stars. The Orion constellation is a familiar sight in the fall and winter night sky in the northern hemisphere. The nebula is invisible to the unaided eye

  9. Glycoengineered Monoclonal Antibodies with Homogeneous Glycan (M3, G0, G2, and A2) Using a Chemoenzymatic Approach Have Different Affinities for FcγRIIIa and Variable Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurogochi, Masaki; Mori, Masako; Osumi, Kenji; Tojino, Mami; Sugawara, Shu-Ichi; Takashima, Shou; Hirose, Yuriko; Tsukimura, Wataru; Mizuno, Mamoru; Amano, Junko; Matsuda, Akio; Tomita, Masahiro; Takayanagi, Atsushi; Shoda, Shin-Ichiro; Shirai, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    Many therapeutic antibodies have been developed, and IgG antibodies have been extensively generated in various cell expression systems. IgG antibodies contain N-glycans at the constant region of the heavy chain (Fc domain), and their N-glycosylation patterns differ during various processes or among cell expression systems. The Fc N-glycan can modulate the effector functions of IgG antibodies, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). To control Fc N-glycans, we performed a rearrangement of Fc N-glycans from a heterogeneous N-glycosylation pattern to homogeneous N-glycans using chemoenzymatic approaches with two types of endo-β-N-acetyl glucosaminidases (ENG'ases), one that works as a hydrolase to cleave all heterogeneous N-glycans, another that is used as a glycosynthase to generate homogeneous N-glycans. As starting materials, we used an anti-Her2 antibody produced in transgenic silkworm cocoon, which consists of non-fucosylated pauci-mannose type (Man2-3GlcNAc2), high-mannose type (Man4-9GlcNAc2), and complex type (Man3GlcNAc3-4) N-glycans. As a result of the cleavage of several ENG'ases (endoS, endoM, endoD, endoH, and endoLL), the heterogeneous glycans on antibodies were fully transformed into homogeneous-GlcNAc by a combination of endoS, endoD, and endoLL. Next, the desired N-glycans (M3; Man3GlcNAc1, G0; GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1, G2; Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1, A2; NeuAc2Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1) were transferred from the corresponding oxazolines to the GlcNAc residue on the intact anti-Her2 antibody with an ENG'ase mutant (endoS-D233Q), and the glycoengineered anti-Her2 antibody was obtained. The binding assay of anti-Her2 antibody with homogenous N-glycans with FcγRIIIa-V158 showed that the glycoform influenced the affinity for FcγRIIIa-V158. In addition, the ADCC assay for the glycoengineered anti-Her2 antibody (mAb-M3, mAb-G0, mAb-G2, and mAb-A2) was performed using SKBR-3 and BT-474 as target cells, and

  10. Quantification of the physiochemical constraints on the export of spider silk proteins by Salmonella type III secretion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Voigt Christopher A

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The type III secretion system (T3SS is a molecular machine in gram negative bacteria that exports proteins through both membranes to the extracellular environment. It has been previously demonstrated that the T3SS encoded in Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI-1 can be harnessed to export recombinant proteins. Here, we demonstrate the secretion of a variety of unfolded spider silk proteins and use these data to quantify the constraints of this system with respect to the export of recombinant protein. Results To test how the timing and level of protein expression affects secretion, we designed a hybrid promoter that combines an IPTG-inducible system with a natural genetic circuit that controls effector expression in Salmonella (psicA. LacO operators are placed in various locations in the psicA promoter and the optimal induction occurs when a single operator is placed at the +5nt (234-fold and a lower basal level of expression is achieved when a second operator is placed at -63nt to take advantage of DNA looping. Using this tool, we find that the secretion efficiency (protein secreted divided by total expressed is constant as a function of total expressed. We also demonstrate that the secretion flux peaks at 8 hours. We then use whole gene DNA synthesis to construct codon optimized spider silk genes for full-length (3129 amino acids Latrodectus hesperus dragline silk, Bombyx mori cocoon silk, and Nephila clavipes flagelliform silk and PCR is used to create eight truncations of these genes. These proteins are all unfolded polypeptides and they encompass a variety of length, charge, and amino acid compositions. We find those proteins fewer than 550 amino acids reliably secrete and the probability declines significantly after ~700 amino acids. There also is a charge optimum at -2.4, and secretion efficiency declines for very positively or negatively charged proteins. There is no significant correlation with hydrophobicity

  11. Environmental federalism and US climate change policy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaeger, L.M. [Bracewell and Patterson, LLP (United States)

    2004-07-01

    Environmental disputes involving states over the proper state and federal roles have grown in number and magnitude over the last several years, with many disputes engaging dozens of states. States with competing views are fully engaged in the ongoing debate over climate change, a textbook case for testing the contours of environmental federalism. The issue has all the necessary components: transboundary environmental impacts; competing state economic and environmental interests; state self-interest; disagreement on first principles including what is the proper role of the states; and a somewhat ill-defined federal role. With those qualities, one would expect the federal government to step in and regulate. Instead, the federal government has declined to regulate, inviting a national discourse on whether and how to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As of Spring 2004, twenty-eight states have launched or are planning initiatives, some of which will directly regulate sources of GHG emissions. As these programs take root, pressure will build for a greater federal role. This paper will advance the position that even with this building momentum, the federal government is not likely to emulate state programs that mandate CO{sub 2} emission reductions. In the face of high national cost, uncertain environmental benefits, and a history of federal non-regulatory action, federal regulation at this time appears to be a remote possibility. State efforts to address global climate change add value to the debate, but they do not create the cocoon of consensus the federal government seeks before launching mandatory programs of this magnitude. The more likely scenario is that the federal government will continue on its present course, funding research and development, investing in energy efficient technologies, and supporting voluntary measures. Under this scenario, states and the private sector would continue to function as the 'laboratories' to develop new ideas to

  12. Collaboration in Long-Term Stewardship at DOE's Hanford Site - 13019

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moren, Rick; Brown, David; Feist, Ella; Grindstaff, Keith; Zeisloft, Jamie

    2013-01-01

    ) cocooned reactors on site. These accomplishments relied upon the transparency between DOE cleanup programs and their contractors working together to successfully transition the land while addressing the challenges that arise. All parties, the three different DOE Programs and their respective prime contractors are dedicated to working together and continuing the progress of transitioning land to LTS, in alignment with the Program Plan and compliant with contractual requirements. (authors)

  13. Collaboration in Long-Term Stewardship at DOE's Hanford Site - 13019

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moren, Rick; Brown, David [Mission Support Alliance, LLC, Richland, WA (United States); Feist, Ella [Washington Closure Hanford, LLC, Richland WA (United States); Grindstaff, Keith; Zeisloft, Jamie [US Department of Energy, Richland Operations, Richland WA (United States)

    2013-07-01

    large parcel that includes one of the six (6) cocooned reactors on site. These accomplishments relied upon the transparency between DOE cleanup programs and their contractors working together to successfully transition the land while addressing the challenges that arise. All parties, the three different DOE Programs and their respective prime contractors are dedicated to working together and continuing the progress of transitioning land to LTS, in alignment with the Program Plan and compliant with contractual requirements. (authors)

  14. Habitable zones exposed: astrosphere collapse frequency as a function of stellar mass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David S; Scalo, John M

    2009-09-01

    Stellar astrospheres--the plasma cocoons carved out of the interstellar medium by stellar winds--are one of several buffers that partially screen planetary atmospheres and surfaces from high-energy radiation. Screening by astrospheres is continually influenced by the passage of stars through the fluctuating density field of the interstellar medium (ISM). The most extreme events occur inside dense interstellar clouds, where the increased pressure may compress an astrosphere to a size smaller than the liquid-water habitable-zone distance. Habitable planets then enjoy no astrospheric buffering from exposure to the full flux of galactic cosmic rays and interstellar dust and gas, a situation we call "descreening" or "astrospheric collapse." Under such conditions the ionization fraction in the atmosphere and contribution to radiation damage of putative coding organisms at the surface would increase significantly, and a series of papers have suggested a variety of global responses to descreening. These possibilities motivate a more careful calculation of the frequency of descreening events. Using a ram-pressure balance model, we compute the size of the astrosphere in the apex direction as a function of parent-star mass and velocity and ambient interstellar density, emphasizing the importance of gravitational focusing of the interstellar flow. The interstellar densities required to descreen planets in the habitable zone of solar- and subsolar-mass stars are found to be about 600(M/M[middle dot in circle])(-2) cm(-3) for the Sun's velocity relative to the local ISM. Such clouds are rare and small, indicating that descreening encounters are rare. We use statistics from two independent catalogues of dense interstellar clouds to derive a dependence of descreening frequency on the parent-star mass that decreases strongly with decreasing stellar mass, due to the weaker gravitational focusing and smaller habitable-zone distances for lower-mass stars. We estimate an uncertain

  15. Responses of the soil decomposer community to the radioactive contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svetlana, Maksimova

    2004-01-01

    The knowledge about biodiversity and about reasons and laws of dynamics of decomposer invertebrates has exclusively important (rather applied, or theoretical) significance for soil science. Earthworms and millipedes are probably the most important members of the soil biota and major contributors to total zoo-mass. Their activities are such that they are extremely important in maintaining soil fertility in a variety of ways. They play an important part in the redistribution of radionuclides accumulated in the natural biogeocenoses and accumulation of radionuclides in their bodies depends on their concentration in the habitat. Since radionuclides can limit biological activity, studies to estimate the tolerance of decomposer community to potentially toxic radiators are needed. The effect of radioactive contamination on the soil invertebrates and decomposition processes in the different biogeocenoses we intensively studied during 17 years after Chernobyl accident. The soil invertebrates were collected according to generally accepted method by M. Ghilyarov. Soil samples were 0,25 m 2 and animals were extracted from samples by hand sorting. Usually decomposition was affected by the presence of decomposer fauna. Considerable differences were found in the species number. The species composition of sites differed clearly. The study showed that the fauna was poorer under increasing levels of radioactive contamination. The higher radionuclide content was found to result in suppression of decomposer community. The results showed a vertical migration of earthworms to deeper soil layers with increasing of radioactive contamination. With the absence of decomposer fauna due to migration to the deeper layer and mortality, the layer of litter increased. The results show that the earthworms were of small size. Cocoon production decreased. Radioactive contamination altered the process of reproduction and age structure of decomposer fauna. The invertebrates collected from the

  16. Glycoengineered Monoclonal Antibodies with Homogeneous Glycan (M3, G0, G2, and A2 Using a Chemoenzymatic Approach Have Different Affinities for FcγRIIIa and Variable Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Activities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaki Kurogochi

    Full Text Available Many therapeutic antibodies have been developed, and IgG antibodies have been extensively generated in various cell expression systems. IgG antibodies contain N-glycans at the constant region of the heavy chain (Fc domain, and their N-glycosylation patterns differ during various processes or among cell expression systems. The Fc N-glycan can modulate the effector functions of IgG antibodies, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC. To control Fc N-glycans, we performed a rearrangement of Fc N-glycans from a heterogeneous N-glycosylation pattern to homogeneous N-glycans using chemoenzymatic approaches with two types of endo-β-N-acetyl glucosaminidases (ENG'ases, one that works as a hydrolase to cleave all heterogeneous N-glycans, another that is used as a glycosynthase to generate homogeneous N-glycans. As starting materials, we used an anti-Her2 antibody produced in transgenic silkworm cocoon, which consists of non-fucosylated pauci-mannose type (Man2-3GlcNAc2, high-mannose type (Man4-9GlcNAc2, and complex type (Man3GlcNAc3-4 N-glycans. As a result of the cleavage of several ENG'ases (endoS, endoM, endoD, endoH, and endoLL, the heterogeneous glycans on antibodies were fully transformed into homogeneous-GlcNAc by a combination of endoS, endoD, and endoLL. Next, the desired N-glycans (M3; Man3GlcNAc1, G0; GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1, G2; Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1, A2; NeuAc2Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc1 were transferred from the corresponding oxazolines to the GlcNAc residue on the intact anti-Her2 antibody with an ENG'ase mutant (endoS-D233Q, and the glycoengineered anti-Her2 antibody was obtained. The binding assay of anti-Her2 antibody with homogenous N-glycans with FcγRIIIa-V158 showed that the glycoform influenced the affinity for FcγRIIIa-V158. In addition, the ADCC assay for the glycoengineered anti-Her2 antibody (mAb-M3, mAb-G0, mAb-G2, and mAb-A2 was performed using SKBR-3 and BT-474 as target

  17. Responses of the soil decomposer community to the radioactive contamination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Svetlana, Maksimova [Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk (Belarus)

    2004-07-01

    The knowledge about biodiversity and about reasons and laws of dynamics of decomposer invertebrates has exclusively important (rather applied, or theoretical) significance for soil science. Earthworms and millipedes are probably the most important members of the soil biota and major contributors to total zoo-mass. Their activities are such that they are extremely important in maintaining soil fertility in a variety of ways. They play an important part in the redistribution of radionuclides accumulated in the natural biogeocenoses and accumulation of radionuclides in their bodies depends on their concentration in the habitat. Since radionuclides can limit biological activity, studies to estimate the tolerance of decomposer community to potentially toxic radiators are needed. The effect of radioactive contamination on the soil invertebrates and decomposition processes in the different biogeocenoses we intensively studied during 17 years after Chernobyl accident. The soil invertebrates were collected according to generally accepted method by M. Ghilyarov. Soil samples were 0,25 m{sup 2} and animals were extracted from samples by hand sorting. Usually decomposition was affected by the presence of decomposer fauna. Considerable differences were found in the species number. The species composition of sites differed clearly. The study showed that the fauna was poorer under increasing levels of radioactive contamination. The higher radionuclide content was found to result in suppression of decomposer community. The results showed a vertical migration of earthworms to deeper soil layers with increasing of radioactive contamination. With the absence of decomposer fauna due to migration to the deeper layer and mortality, the layer of litter increased. The results show that the earthworms were of small size. Cocoon production decreased. Radioactive contamination altered the process of reproduction and age structure of decomposer fauna. The invertebrates collected from the

  18. Progress report on research project [Plan for www interface layout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukahori, T.

    2006-01-01

    items such as deformed 'nucleon density distribution', double-folding potential, evaluated fission barrier (extension into 3 or more) and fission spectra, the format must be considered. h) Interface for input data preparation for model codes (POD, COCOON, EMPIRE, GNASH, TALYS, ...) will be expected to be produced as preparing parameters in 'intermediate format' for 'all' available channels with Q-value using CALAQ. Code developers can get information from this interface. Actions: 1) Interface and RIPL-3 web page discussed will be prepared based on RIPL-2 page. 2) One page introduction about web for TECDOC will be prepared. (author)

  19. Collaboration in long-term stewardship at DOE Hanford Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moren, R. J.; Zeisloft, J. H.; Feist, E. T.; Brown, D.; Grindstaff, K. D.

    2013-01-10

    parcel that includes one of the six (6) cocooned reactors on site. These accomplishments relied upon the transparency between DOE cleanup programs and their contractors working together to successfully transition the land while addressing the challenges that arise. All parties, the three different DOE Programs and their respective prime contractors are dedicated to working together and continuing the progress of transitioning land to LTS, in alignment with the Program Plan and compliant with contractual requirements. This paper highlights the accomplishments and collaborative efforts to address the challenges faced as work progresses from the cleanup to transitioning of land parcels to LTS Program.

  20. Suburban fragmentation versus mobilities : is suburbanism opposed to urbanism ?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Charmes

    2007-03-01

    between the protected space of the home and the relatively unknown spaces of the large metropolis.On the other hand, the paper defends the hypothesis that mobilities tend to reinforce the need for stability and control of one’s immediate space. Mobilities have lead city dwellers out of the reassuring cocoon of the neighbourhood in which almost everyone was swathed only a few decades ago. This growing uncertainty of life enhances the need to withdraw to a home “base”. However, this need is temporary and only concerns isolated moments of everyday life. The general tendency remains one of dispersal of spatial practices and individualisation of experience.