Toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner Toxicidade de produtos compatíveis com a agricultura orgânica ao bicho‑mineiro do cafeeiro

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Madelaine Venzon

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella. Lime sulphur, enriched Bordeaux mixture (Viça Café Plus, and the "supermagro" biofertilizer were first tested in laboratory. The most promising product was tested afterwards under field conditions. In laboratory, different concentrations of each product were applied on L. coffeella eggs and on infested coffee‑mined leaves. Only lime sulphur had ovicidal effects at an acceptable concentration (1.6% for field applications, but no significant effect on larvae mortality was found. Enriched Bordeaux mixture and the "supermagro" biofertilizer had no effect on L. coffeella eggs and larvae. In the field trial, biweekly or monthly sprayings of lime sulphur at different concentrations caused population decrease after 30 days; however, this effect was not significant after 60 or 90 days.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a toxicidade de produtos compatíveis com a agricultura orgânica ao bicho‑mineiro Leucoptera coffeella. A calda sulfocálcica, a calda Viçosa comercial (Viça Café Plus e biofertilizante supermagro foram testados inicialmente em laboratório. O produto mais eficaz foi posteriormente testado em condições de campo. Em laboratório, diferentes concentrações de cada produto foram aplicadas sobre ovos de L. coffeella e sobre folhas de café infestadas com o bicho‑mineiro. Apenas a calda sulfocálcica teve efeito ovicida a uma concentração (1,6%, viável para aplicação no campo; porém, sem nenhum efeito significativo sobre a mortalidade das larvas. A calda Viçosa comercial e o biofertilizante supermagro não tiveram efeito sobre ovos e larvas de L. coffeella. No experimento de campo, a pulverização quinzenal ou mensal de diferentes concentrações da calda causou a redução da população 30 dias após a aplicação; no entanto, esse efeito não foi significativo após 60 ou 90

Coevolution between Hispaniolan crossbills and pine: does more time allow for greater phenotypic escalation at lower latitude?

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Parchman, Thomas L; Benkman, Craig W; Mezquida, Eduardo T

2007-09-01

Crossbills (Aves: Loxia) and several conifers have coevolved in predator-prey arms races over the last 10,000 years. However, the extent to which coevolutionary arms races have contributed to the adaptive radiation of crossbills or to any other adaptive radiation is largely unknown. Here we extend our previous studies of geographically structured coevolution by considering a crossbill-conifer interaction that has persisted for a much longer time period and involves a conifer with more variable annual seed production. We examined geographic variation in the cone and seed traits of two sister species of pines, Pinus occidentalis and P. cubensis, on the islands of Hispaniola and Cuba, respectively. We also compared the Hispaniolan crossbill (Loxia megaplaga) to its sister taxa the North American white-winged crossbill (Loxia leucoptera leucoptera). The Hispaniolan crossbill is endemic to Hispaniola whereas Cuba lacks crossbills. In addition and in contrast to previous studies, the variation in selection experienced by these pines due to crossbills is not confounded by the occurrence of selection by tree squirrels (Tamiasciurus and Sciurus). As predicted if P. occidentalis has evolved defenses in response to selection exerted by crossbills, cones of P. occidentalis have scales that are 53% thicker than those of P. cubensis. Cones of P. occidentalis, but not P. cubensis, also have well-developed spines, a known defense against vertebrate seed predators. Consistent with patterns of divergence seen in crossbills coevolving locally with other conifers, the Hispaniolan crossbill has evolved a bill that is 25% deeper than the white-winged crossbill. Together with phylogenetic analyses, our results suggest that predator-prey coevolution between Hispaniolan crossbills and P. occidentalis over approximately 600,000 years has caused substantial morphological evolution in both the crossbill and pine. This also indicates that cone crop fluctuations do not prevent crossbills and

Rebels with a cause? Adolescent defiance from the perspective of reactance theory and self-determination theory.

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Van Petegem, Stijn; Soenens, Bart; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Beyers, Wim

2015-01-01

The present investigation focused on adolescents' defiance against parents by drawing upon psychological reactance theory (Brehm, 1966) and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Psychological reactance would be elicited when freedom is taken away, thereby motivating individuals to engage in oppositional behavior. Throughout four studies (total N = 1,472, age ranging between 12 and 21 years), it was examined whether a controlling parenting style related to adolescents' experiences of autonomy need frustration (i.e., pressure) and reactance. Reactance, in turn, would relate to more externalizing and internalizing problems. Support was obtained for these associations in community and clinical samples, making use of different informants, and controlling for responsiveness and rule setting. A vignette-based study provided further support. The discussion highlights theoretical and clinical implications. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

80 aastat tagasi : Detsember 1928. 1 / Mati Märtin

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Märtin, Mati

2008-01-01

Muusikasündmustest 80 aastat tagasi: 1. dets. korraldas siseministeerium Tallinna Kaarli kirikus piduliku leinajumalateenistuse neli aastat tagasi kommunistliku mässukatse ajal langenute mälestuseks, kus esinesid bariton Aleksander Arder ja tšellist Raimond Bööcke (seda tähtpäeva tuletati meelde kõikjal üle Eesti), õnnistati Põltsamaa kiriku uus vendade Kriisade valmistatud orel (orelil esines August Topman), 2. dets. Tallinna Jaani kirikus esinesid tenor Tenno Vironi, organist Herman Känd ja sega- ja meeskoor A. Biltse juhatusel, 9. dets. esines Tallinna Jaani kirikus organist Peeter Laja (nii orelil kui lauljana), Tartu Ülikooli kirikus esinesid metsosopran Paula Brehm-Jürgenson ja Tallinna Toomkiriku organist Helene Spulge, Tartu Pauluse kirikus kanti ette Beethoveni missa C-duur (esinesid Muusikalise Hariduse ja Kultuuri Edendamise Seltsi sümfooniaorkester, Miina Hermanni Lauluselts ja solistid Olga Mikk-Krull, Ludmilla Orav, Evald Laanenbeck ja F. Zwetkov, dirigent Arkadius Krull)

Equations of motion in general relativity of a small charged black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Futamase, T.; Hogan, P. A.; Itoh, Y.

2008-01-01

We present the details of a model in general relativity of a small charged black hole moving in an external gravitational and electromagnetic field. The importance of our model lies in the fact that we can derive the equations of motion of the black hole from the Einstein-Maxwell vacuum field equations without encountering infinities. The key assumptions which we base our results upon are that (a) the black hole is isolated and (b) near the black hole the wave fronts of the radiation generated by its motion are smoothly deformed spheres. The equations of motion which emerge fit the pattern of the original DeWitt and Brehme equations of motion (after they 'renormalize'). Our calculations are carried out in a coordinate system in which the null hypersurface histories of the wave fronts can be specified in a simple way, with the result that we obtain a new explicit form, particular to our model, for the well-known ''tail term'' in the equations of motion.

Morfometría de las especies de Vieja (Cichlidae en ríos de la cuenca del Usumacinta, Chiapas, México Morphometry of Vieja species (Cichlidae in rivers of Usumacinta's basin, Chiapas, Mexico

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Miriam Soria-Barreto

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Se evaluaron y compararon diversas características morfológicas de 6 especies de Vieja Fernández-Yépez, 1969 del río Usumacinta. Se emplearon 20 organismos adultos por especie y 33 medidas corporales que fueron estandarizadas y examinadas con un análisis discriminante. Además se comparó la forma del cuerpo entre las especies, mediante el análisis de morfometría geométrica a partir de imágenes digitalizadas. El análisis con la morfometría tradicional y geométrica permitió diferenciar los seis taxones. Se encontraron 10 medidas discriminantes, que expresan diferencias significativas en la longitud de las aletas y la región cefálica, de las cuales la posición de la boca diferenció estadísticamente más taxones. Las relaciones de similitud con ambos análisis mostraron 2 grupos, siendo V. bifasciata (Steindachner, 1864 y V. synspila (Hubbs, 1935 las especies más parecidas. Las gradillas de deformación mostraron que la mayor variación está en la región cefálica, específicamente en la posición de la boca y los ojos. Las diferencias morfométricas encontradas pueden servir para la determinación taxonómica en trabajos futuros. La variación encontrada en la morfología cefálica y trófica puede ser un mecanismo que favorece la coexistencia de las especies y la diversidad del grupo en la región.We evaluated and compared morphological characteristics among the 6 species of Vieja Fernández-Yépez, 1969 from Usumacinta River. We analyzed 20 adults by specie, obtaining 33 measurements, which were standardized and analyzed with a discriminant analysis. We also performed a comparison of body shape among species, using the geometric morphometric analysis from digitalized images. Traditional and geometric morphometrics allowed distinguishing each taxa. We found 10 discriminants measures, related with the head region and length of fins, only mouth position was different among more taxa. In both analyses, similarity relationships

Cycad Aulacaspis Scale, a Newly Introduced Insect Pest in Indonesia

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RANGASWAMY MUNIAPPAN

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Cycad aulacaspis scale (Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi (Hemiptera: Diaspididae is native to Thailand and Vietnam. Since the early 1990s it has been spreading around the world due to the trade in cycad plants for ornamental use. Infestation by this scale can kill cycads in only a few months. Its accidental introduction to Florida endangered the ornamental cycad-growing industry; and in Guam and Taiwan, endemic cycads (Cycas micronesica and C. taitungensis, respectively are currently threatened with extinction by cycad aulacaspis scale. In November 2011, an introduced scale was discovered damaging cycads in the Bogor Botanic Garden. Samples from Bogor were taken for identification of the scale, and the material was kept for some time to rear out any insect parasitoids that were present. Both the scale insects and parasitoids were prepared on microscope slides and studied microscopically for authoritative identification. The scale was confirmed as A. yasumatsui. The parasitoid Arrhenophagus chionaspidis Aurivillius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and the hyperparasitoid Signiphora bifasciata Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae were identified from the samples. Unless immediate remedial measures are taken, several endemic species of cycad in Indonesia may be endangered by infestation by cycad aulacaspis scale.

Affect intensity and processing fluency of deterrents.

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Holman, Andrei

2013-01-01

The theory of emotional intensity (Brehm, 1999) suggests that the intensity of affective states depends on the magnitude of their current deterrents. Our study investigated the role that fluency--the subjective experience of ease of information processing--plays in the emotional intensity modulations as reactions to deterrents. Following an induction phase of good mood, we manipulated both the magnitude of deterrents (using sets of photographs with pre-tested potential to instigate an emotion incompatible with the pre-existent affective state--pity) and their processing fluency (normal vs. enhanced through subliminal priming). Current affective state and perception of deterrents were then measured. In the normal processing conditions, the results revealed the cubic effect predicted by the emotional intensity theory, with the initial affective state being replaced by the one appropriate to the deterrent only in participants exposed to the high magnitude deterrence. In the enhanced fluency conditions the emotional intensity pattern was drastically altered; also, the replacement of the initial affective state occurred at a lower level of deterrence magnitude (moderate instead of high), suggesting the strengthening of deterrence emotional impact by enhanced fluency.

Monetary incentive moderates the effect of implicit fear on effort-related cardiovascular response.

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Chatelain, Mathieu; Gendolla, Guido H E

2016-05-01

Integrating the implicit-affect-primes-effort model (Gendolla, 2012, 2015) with the principles of motivational intensity theory (Brehm & Self, 1989) we investigated if the effort mobilization deficit observed in people exposed to fear primes (vs. anger primes) in a difficult short-term memory task could be compensated by high monetary incentive. Effort was operationalized as cardiac response. We expected that fear primes should lead to the strongest cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP) reactivity when incentive was high (high subjective demand and high justified effort) and to the weakest response when incentive was low (high subjective demand but only low justified effort). PEP reactivity in the anger-prime conditions should fall in between (high but feasible demand). We obtained the predicted pattern on responses of PEP and systolic blood pressure. The present findings show for the first time that the effort mobilization deficit of participants exposed to fear primes in a difficult cognitive task could be compensated by a high incentive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predator avoidance in extremophile fish.

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Bierbach, David; Schulte, Matthias; Herrmann, Nina; Zimmer, Claudia; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Indy, Jeane Rimber; Riesch, Rüdiger; Plath, Martin

2013-02-06

Extreme habitats are often characterized by reduced predation pressures, thus representing refuges for the inhabiting species. The present study was designed to investigate predator avoidance of extremophile populations of Poecilia mexicana and P. sulphuraria that either live in hydrogen sulfide-rich (sulfidic) springs or cave habitats, both of which are known to have impoverished piscine predator regimes. Focal fishes that inhabited sulfidic springs showed slightly weaker avoidance reactions when presented with several naturally occurring predatory cichlids, but strongest differences to populations from non-sulfidic habitats were found in a decreased shoaling tendency with non-predatory swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) females. When comparing avoidance reactions between P. mexicana from a sulfidic cave (Cueva del Azufre) and the adjacent sulfidic surface creek (El Azufre), we found only slight differences in predator avoidance, but surface fish reacted much more strongly to the non-predatory cichlid Vieja bifasciata. Our third experiment was designed to disentangle learned from innate effects of predator recognition. We compared laboratory-reared (i.e., predator-naïve) and wild-caught (i.e., predator-experienced) individuals of P. mexicana from a non-sulfidic river and found no differences in their reaction towards the presented predators. Overall, our results indicate (1) that predator avoidance is still functional in extremophile Poecilia spp. and (2) that predator recognition and avoidance reactions have a strong genetic basis.

Predator Avoidance in Extremophile Fish

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Bierbach, David; Schulte, Matthias; Herrmann, Nina; Zimmer, Claudia; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Indy, Jeane Rimber; Riesch, Rüdiger; Plath, Martin

2013-01-01

Extreme habitats are often characterized by reduced predation pressures, thus representing refuges for the inhabiting species. The present study was designed to investigate predator avoidance of extremophile populations of Poecilia mexicana and P. sulphuraria that either live in hydrogen sulfide-rich (sulfidic) springs or cave habitats, both of which are known to have impoverished piscine predator regimes. Focal fishes that inhabited sulfidic springs showed slightly weaker avoidance reactions when presented with several naturally occurring predatory cichlids, but strongest differences to populations from non-sulfidic habitats were found in a decreased shoaling tendency with non-predatory swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) females. When comparing avoidance reactions between P. mexicana from a sulfidic cave (Cueva del Azufre) and the adjacent sulfidic surface creek (El Azufre), we found only slight differences in predator avoidance, but surface fish reacted much more strongly to the non-predatory cichlid Vieja bifasciata. Our third experiment was designed to disentangle learned from innate effects of predator recognition. We compared laboratory-reared (i.e., predator-naïve) and wild-caught (i.e., predator-experienced) individuals of P. mexicana from a non-sulfidic river and found no differences in their reaction towards the presented predators. Overall, our results indicate (1) that predator avoidance is still functional in extremophile Poecilia spp. and (2) that predator recognition and avoidance reactions have a strong genetic basis. PMID:25371337

[Live Animals and Staged Nature : Drawing and Photography in German Popular Zoology between 1860 and 1910].

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Gall, Alexander

2017-06-01

It is the central thesis of this paper that the "biological perspective" (Lynn Nyhart) typical for Germany, with its interest in living animals, not only influenced natural history practices in many ways during the second half of the 19th century, rather also shaped the illustrations of popular zoology publications, as for example those in Brehms Thierleben. The illustrators of this period preferred to use live animals as models, which they studied in zoos. These animals were often depicted in their "natural" habitats. Since the illustrators knew only very little about these habitats, they had to be imagined. Another fashionable genre within popular zoology was the portrayal of animals fighting, which attracted attention because of their drama. The first wildlife photographers oriented themselves on the zoological illustrations and, with the aid of manipulation, staging and retouching, gave their photographs the impression of natural surroundings and drama. Yet both the illustrators and the photographers emphasized their truth to nature and - based on this - the scientific value of their pictures. In so doing, they developed a "biological" kind of wildlife photography, which, after the turn of the 19th century, allowed dedicated amateurs to create a popular zoological oeuvre that was well received by broad audiences.

Flutuação populacional do bicho-mineiro em cultivares de café arábica resistentes à ferrugem Fluctuation of leaf miner population in resistant arabica coffee cultivars to leaf rust

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Celso Henrique Costa Conceição

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A intensidade de infestação pelo bicho-mineiro, Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Méneville (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae foi investigada nas cultivares Obatã IAC 1669-20 e Tupi IAC 1669-33, com resistência à ferrugem das folhas do cafeeiro, Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br., e Ouro Verde Amarelo IAC 4397, suscetível à doença, em ensaios de campo, localizados em Campinas (SP, Brasil. A incidência de ferrugem e a ocorrência de inimigos naturais da praga, assim como o enfolhamento das plantas, foram também observados nas três cultivares. As curvas de flutuação populacional obtidas para Obatã IAC 1669-20 e Tupi IAC 1669-33 revelaram maior incidência do bicho-mineiro entre abril e novembro. Já na cultivar Ouro Verde Amarelo IAC 4397, observaram-se dois picos de infestação, sendo o primeiro em abril-maio e o segundo em agosto-setembro. No entanto, a elevada percentagem de folhas minadas nas cultivares Tupi IAC 1669-33 e Obatã IAC 1669-20 em relação à Ouro Verde Amarelo IAC 4397 não é evidência de maior suscetibilidade à praga, mas sim devido à maior retenção foliar dessas cultivares, em conseqüência da resistência à ferrugem das folhas observada em ambas. De maneira oposta, na cultivar Ouro Verde Amarelo IAC 4397, os sintomas de ataque do bicho-mineiro ocorreram em menor nível especialmente devido a maior queda de folhas. Com base nas diferenças observadas entre as cultivares, sugere-se a adoção de estratégias distintas de manejo da praga.The intensity of infestation of leaf-miner, Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Méneville was investigated in coffee cultivars Obatã IAC 1669-20 and Tupi IAC 1669-33, both resistant to the leaf rust agent, Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br., and Ouro Verde Amarelo IAC 4397, susceptible to this coffee disease, at field assays in Campinas, SP, Brazil. The incidence of coffee rust and presence of natural enemies, as well as the plant leafiness, were also observed. In Obatã IAC 1669-20 and Tupi

Efficiency of playback for assessing the occurrence of five bird species in Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragments

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Danilo Boscolo

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Playback of bird songs is a useful technique for species detection; however, this method is usually not standardized. We tested playback efficiency for five Atlantic Forest birds (White-browed Warbler Basileuterus leucoblepharus, Giant Antshrike Batara cinerea, Swallow-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia caudata, Whiteshouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera and Surucua Trogon Trogon surrucura for different time of the day, season of the year and species abundance at the Morro Grande Forest Reserve (South-eastern Brazil and at thirteen forest fragments in a nearby landscape. Vocalizations were broadcasted monthly at sunrise, noon and sunset, during one year. For B. leucoblepharus, C. caudata and T. surrucura, sunrise and noon were more efficient than sunset. Batara cinerea presented higher efficiency from July to October. Playback expanded the favourable period for avifaunal surveys in tropical forest, usually restricted to early morning in the breeding season. The playback was efficient in detecting the presence of all species when the abundance was not too low. But only B. leucoblepharus and T. surrucura showed abundance values significantly related to this efficiency. The present study provided a precise indication of the best daily and seasonal periods and a confidence interval to maximize the efficiency of playback to detect the occurrence of these forest species.A técnica de play-back é muito útil para a detecção de aves, mas este método geralmente não é padronizado. Sua eficiência em atestar a ocorrência de cinco espécies de aves da Mata Atlântica (Pula-pula-assobiador Basileuterus leucoblepharus, Batará Batara cinerea, Tangará Chiroxiphia caudata, Olho-de-fogo Pyriglena leucoptera e Surucuá-de-barriga-vermelha Trogon surrucura foi analisada de acordo com o horário do dia, estação do ano e abundância das espécies na Reserva Florestal do Morro Grande (São Paulo, Brasil e em treze fragmentos florestais de uma paisagem adjacente

Psocid taxocenoses structure and diversity (Insecta: Psocoptera in the forest ecosystems of the Piceeti–fageta s. lat. zone in the Western Carpathian Mts.

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Otakar Holuša

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Psocid taxocenoses (Psocoptera were studied in forest ecosystems of the Western Carpathian Mts. during 1997–2001. As a study frame, vegetation tiers (= altitudinal vegetation zones were used. Lower units of forest typological system (forest type complexes were used for a classification of ecological conditions as well. Only a part of material, i.e. individuals that was found in the forest ecosystems of Piceeti-fageta s. lat. communities (= the 6th spruce-beech vegetation tier was evaluated for purpose of this work. This vegetation tier is widespread in higher parts of mountains (the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts. and partly in the Oravské Beskydy Mts.. 554 adults comprising 17 species were found in total in the 6th vegetation tier. As eudominant species, the following ones were found: Caecilius despaxi, Caecilius burmeisteri, Mesopsocus unipunctatus, and Stenopsocus lachlani; as dominant species, the following ones were found: Caecilius flavidus and Reuterella helvimacula. In natural geobiocenoses with the level of naturalness of 1 or 2, the following species were found: as eudominant species: Mesopsocus unipunctatus, Stenopsocus lachlani, Caecilius despaxi, Amphigerontia bifasciata and Reuterella helvimacula. Dominant species was Caecilius burmeisteri and Caecilius flavidus. Taxocenoses of psocids were evaluated by Detrended Correspondence analysis (DCA and Divisive Cluster analysis (DvClA. This material was compared to another material gained from various vegetation tiers in the Western Carpathians Mts. The characteristic species composition of psocids in the 6th vegetation tier was as follows – Cecilius despaxi – Stenopsocus lachlani – Mesopsocus unipunctatus – Reuterella helvimacula.

Geography and Timing of Cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in New York State from 1992 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, JoAnne; Lukacik, Gary; Kramer, Laura D; Backenson, P Bryon; Sherwood, James A; Howard, John J

2016-04-01

In New York State (NYS), Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) was first reported in a human in 1971, in horses in 1970, and in pheasants in 1952. Following work for the interval from 1970 to 1991, we identified cases in vertebrates from 1992 to 2012, through a passive surveillance system involving veterinarians in clinical practice, county health departments, and the Departments of Agriculture and Markets, Environmental Conservation, and Health, of the State of New York. During an 11-year hiatus, from 1992 to 2002, no case in any vertebrate was observed. In a re-emergence, from 2003 to 2012, disease occurred in 12 counties, including 7 counties where disease had never been documented. Vertebrate cases included 4 cases in humans and 77 nonhuman occurrences; in 58 horses, Equus ferus caballus L.; 2 deer, Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann; 6 dogs, Canis familiaris; 10 birds; and 1 flock of pheasants, Phasianus colchicus L. These were the first reported cases in NYS in white-tailed deer, the domestic dog, and in five species of birds: American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm; American goldfinch, Carduelis tristis L.; bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus L.; blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata (L.); and red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Gmelin. One crow was dually infected with EEE virus and West Nile virus. The northern, southern, and southeastern borders of the state were newly affected. The geographic area, time periods, and vertebrate species with risk of EEE disease expanded from 1992 to 2012.

Sperm morphology in five species of cicadettine cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cicadidae).

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Chawanji, Abraham S; Hodgson, Alan N; Villet, Martin H

2006-12-01

Mature spermatozoa from five species of cicadas of the subfamily Cicadettinae (Quintilia wealei, Melampsalta leucoptera, Stagira simplex, Xosopsaltria thunbergi and Monomatapa matoposa) were examined by light and electron microscopy. In each species sperm are elongate, aggregated into organized bundles with their heads embedded in a homogenous matrix to form spermatodesmata, and exhibit polymegaly. The head of the sperm consist of an anteriorly positioned conical acrosome that has a tubular substructure and a deep, posterior invagination that forms the subacrosomal space (eccentrically positioned anteriorly). The acrosome is flattened anteriorly; posteriorly it extends along either side of the nucleus as two tubular processes that gradually decrease in diameter. The filiform nucleus tapers anteriorly and intrudes into the subscrosomal space. Posteriorly the nucleus has a lateral invagination that houses material of the so-called centriolar adjunct. Posterior to the centriolar adjuct and the nucleus are two crystalline mitochondrial derivatives and a centriole, respectively, the latter giving rise to the axoneme, which has a 9 + 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubules. In these respects the sperm are similar to those of platypleurine cicadas. However, some features seem unique to cicadettines, including the structural organization of an enlarged centriolar adjunct and the dimensions of the tails. The enlarged centriolar adjunct has a lamella-like substructure and can be considered a synapomorphic character in the Cicadettinae. It is, therefore, potentially useful in the separation of this subfamily from the Cicadinae. In addition, the great length of the sperm nucleus of long-headed sperm in M. matoposa could be a synapomorphy of this genus and related taphurine and cicadettine species.

Analysis and prediction of pest dynamics in an agroforestry context using Tiko'n, a generic tool to develop food web models

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Rojas, Marcela; Malard, Julien; Adamowski, Jan; Carrera, Jaime Luis; Maas, Raúl

2017-04-01

While it is known that climate change will impact future plant-pest population dynamics, potentially affecting crop damage, agroforestry with its enhanced biodiversity is said to reduce the outbreaks of pest insects by providing natural enemies for the control of pest populations. This premise is known in the literature as the natural enemy hypothesis and has been widely studied qualitatively. However, disagreement still exists on whether biodiversity enhancement reduces pest outbreaks, showing the need of quantitatively understanding the mechanisms behind the interactions between pests and natural enemies, also known as trophic interactions. Crop pest models that study insect population dynamics in agroforestry contexts are very rare, and pest models that take trophic interactions into account are even rarer. This may be due to the difficulty of representing complex food webs in a quantifiable model. There is therefore a need for validated food web models that allow users to predict the response of these webs to changes in climate in agroforestry systems. In this study we present Tiko'n, a Python-based software whose API allows users to rapidly build and validate trophic web models; the program uses a Bayesian inference approach to calibrate the models according to field data, allowing for the reuse of literature data from various sources and reducing the need for extensive field data collection. Tiko'n was run using coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella) and associated parasitoid data from a shaded coffee plantation, showing the mechanisms of insect population dynamics within a tri-trophic food web in an agroforestry system.

Predator-induced changes of female mating preferences: innate and experiential effects

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Indy Jeane

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In many species males face a higher predation risk than females because males display elaborate traits that evolved under sexual selection, which may attract not only females but also predators. Females are, therefore, predicted to avoid such conspicuous males under predation risk. The present study was designed to investigate predator-induced changes of female mating preferences in Atlantic mollies (Poecilia mexicana. Males of this species show a pronounced polymorphism in body size and coloration, and females prefer large, colorful males in the absence of predators. Results In dichotomous choice tests predator-naïve (lab-reared females altered their initial preference for larger males in the presence of the cichlid Cichlasoma salvini, a natural predator of P. mexicana, and preferred small males instead. This effect was considerably weaker when females were confronted visually with the non-piscivorous cichlid Vieja bifasciata or the introduced non-piscivorous Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus. In contrast, predator experienced (wild-caught females did not respond to the same extent to the presence of a predator, most likely due to a learned ability to evaluate their predators' motivation to prey. Conclusions Our study highlights that (a predatory fish can have a profound influence on the expression of mating preferences of their prey (thus potentially affecting the strength of sexual selection, and females may alter their mate choice behavior strategically to reduce their own exposure to predators. (b Prey species can evolve visual predator recognition mechanisms and alter their mate choice only when a natural predator is present. (c Finally, experiential effects can play an important role, and prey species may learn to evaluate the motivational state of their predators.

Bioreactor systems for tissue engineering II. Strategies for the expansion and directed differentiation of stem cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasper, Cornelia [Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Technische Chemie; Griensven, Martijn van [Ludwig Boltzmann Institut fuer Klinische und Experimentelle Traumatologie, Wien (Austria); Poertner, Ralf (eds.) [Technische Univ. Hamburg-Harburg (Germany). Inst. Biotechnologie und Verfahrenstechnik

2010-07-01

Alternative Sources of Adult Stem Cells: Human Amniotic Membrane, by S. Wolbank, M. van Griensven, R. Grillari-Voglauer, and A. Peterbauer-Scherb; - Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Tissues: Primitive Cells with Potential for Clinical and Tissue Engineering Applications, by P. Moretti, T. Hatlapatka, D. Marten, A. Lavrentieva, I. Majore, R. Hass and C. Kasper; - Isolation, Characterization, Differentiation, and Application of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells, by J. W. Kuhbier, B. Weyand, C. Radtke, P. M. Vogt, C. Kasper and K. Reimers; - Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Characteristics and Perspectives, by T. Cantz and U. Martin; - Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology in Regenerative Medicine and Biology, by D. Pei, J. Xu, Q. Zhuang, H.-F. Tse and M. A. Esteban; - Production Process for Stem Cell Based Therapeutic Implants: Expansion of the Production Cell Line and Cultivation of Encapsulated Cells, by C. Weber, S. Pohl, R. Poertner, P. Pino-Grace, D. Freimark, C. Wallrapp, P. Geigle and P. Czermak; - Cartilage Engineering from Mesenchymal Stem Cells, by C. Goepfert, A. Slobodianski, A.F. Schilling, P. Adamietz and R. Poertner; - Outgrowth Endothelial Cells: Sources, Characteristics and Potential Applications in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, by S. Fuchs, E. Dohle, M. Kolbe, C. J. Kirkpatrick; - Basic Science and Clinical Application of Stem Cells in Veterinary Medicine, by I. Ribitsch, J. Burk, U. Delling, C. Geissler, C. Gittel, H. Juelke, W. Brehm; - Bone Marrow Stem Cells in Clinical Application: Harnessing Paracrine Roles and Niche Mechanisms, by R. M. El Backly, R. Cancedda; - Clinical Application of Stem Cells in the Cardiovascular System, C. Stamm, K. Klose, Y.-H. Choi. (orig.)

The Morse taper junction in modular revision hip replacement--a biomechanical and retrieval analysis.

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Schramm, M; Wirtz, D C; Holzwarth, U; Pitto, R P

2000-04-01

All biomaterials used for total joint surgery are subjected to wear mechanisms. Morse taper junctions of modular hip revision implants are predilection sites for both fretting and crevice corrosion, dissociation and breakage of the components. The aim of this study is to quantify wear and study metallurgical changes of Morse taper junctions of in-vitro and in-vivo loaded modular revision stems. Three modular revision stems (MRP-Titan, Peter Brehm GmbH, Germany) were loaded by a servohydraulic testing machine. The loads and conditions used exceeded by far the values required by ISO-standard 7206. The tests were performed with maximum axial loads of 3,500 N to 4,000 N over 10-12 x 10(6) cycles at 2 Hz. Additionally, the female part of the taper junctions were coated with blood and bone debris. The free length of the implant was set to 200 mm. One other MRP stem was investigated after retrieval following 5.5 years of in-vivo use. All contact surfaces of the modular elements were assessed by visual inspection, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The degree of plastic deformation of the male part of the morse taper junction was determined by contouroscopy. None of the morse taper junctions broke or failed mechanically. Corrosion and wear affected all tapers, especially at the medial side. The retrieved implant showed no cracks and the amount of debris measured only one third of that for the stems tested in-vitro. The present retrieval and laboratory investigations have proven, that the morse taper junctions of the MRP-titanium stem are stable and resistant to relevant wear mechanisms. The longevity of the junctions for clinical use is given. If an optimal taper design is selected, the advantages of modular femoral components in total hip revision arthroplasty will outweigh the possible risks.

A long-term study on crustacean plankton of a shallow tropical lake: the role of invertebrate predation

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Marlene S. Arcifa

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The primary factor that governs the size and species composition of zooplankton is still a controversial issue and temperature is considered the main factor responsible for latitudinal differences. In waters with a narrow temperature range, such as in the tropics, predation may be a more important factor. Nearly three decades of intermittent studies of the crustacean plankton in a shallow tropical lake revealed that the main event that led to their restructuring was the appearance of a second predator, the water mite Krendowskia sp. The new predator and larvae of the dipteran Chaoborus brasiliensis Theobald exerted a combined, although asymmetrical effect on microcrustaceans. The period when the mite was detected was followed by the restructuring of the crustacean plankton community. Predation by these two invertebrates emerged as the factor responsible for community changes, involving an increased contribution of copepods and decreases in the relative abundance of smaller cladoceran species. In the short term, the mite caused a decrease in species richness and the annual mean instantaneous composition of cladocerans, a predominance of large-sized species (Daphnia ambigua Scourfield and Daphnia gessneri Herbst and the virtual disappearance of small species (e.g., Bosmina tubicen Brehm. The long-term impact resulted in increased species richness and the dominance of large and medium-sized cladocerans, such as D. gessneri and Ceriodaphnia richardi Sars. The larger body size of three cladocerans, the two Daphnia species and B. tubicen, in the long term, may be a response to the dominant predator, Chaoborus. The seasonal variation in the predator abundance, mainly Chaoborus larvae, allowed the prey to recover during the cool season. The copepods Tropocyclops prasinus meridionalis (Fischer and Thermocyclops decipiens Kiefer were less affected by predation than the cladocerans; their contribution to the crustacean plankton increased 12-28% after the

Biodiversity census of Lake St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa: Gastropod molluscs

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Renzo Perissinotto

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The recent dry phase experienced by the St Lucia estuarine system has led to unprecedented desiccation and hypersaline conditions through most of its surface area. This has changed only recently, at the end of 2011, with the onset of a new wet phase that has already caused a major shift to oligo- and mesohaline conditions. The estuary mouth, however, remains closed to the ocean, making the weak connection recently established between the St Lucia and the Mfolozi estuaries the only conveyance for marine recruitment. As a result, only 10 indigenous and two alien aquatic gastropod species are currently found living in the St Lucia estuarine lake. This is out of a total of 37 species recorded within the system since the earliest survey undertaken in 1924, half of which have not been reported in the literature before. The tick shell, Nassarius kraussianus, which was consistently found in large abundance prior to the recent dry phase, appears to have temporarily disappeared from the system, probably as a result of the extinction of Zostera marine grasses inside the lake. Population explosions of the bubble shell Haminoea natalensis, with its distinct egg masses, were recorded seasonally until 2009, but the species has subsequently not been observed again. A molecular DNA analysis of the various populations previously reported as belonging to the same assimineid species, variably referred to as Assiminea capensis, A. ovata, or A. bifasciata, has revealed that the St Lucia assemblage actually comprises two very distinct taxa, A. cf. capensis and a species provisionally referred to here as “A.” aff. capensis or simply Assimineidae sp. In the mangroves, the climbing whelk Cerithidea decollata is still found in numbers, while ellobiids such as Cassidula labrella, Melampus semiaratus and M. parvulus are present in low abundances and all previously recorded littorinids have disappeared. A number of alien freshwater species have colonized areas of the

Biodiversity census of Lake St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa): Gastropod molluscs.

Science.gov (United States)

Perissinotto, Renzo; Miranda, Nelson A F; Raw, Jacqueline L; Peer, Nasreen

2014-01-01

The recent dry phase experienced by the St Lucia estuarine system has led to unprecedented desiccation and hypersaline conditions through most of its surface area. This has changed only recently, at the end of 2011, with the onset of a new wet phase that has already caused a major shift to oligo- and mesohaline conditions. The estuary mouth, however, remains closed to the ocean, making the weak connection recently established between the St Lucia and the Mfolozi estuaries the only conveyance for marine recruitment. As a result, only 10 indigenous and two alien aquatic gastropod species are currently found living in the St Lucia estuarine lake. This is out of a total of 37 species recorded within the system since the earliest survey undertaken in 1924, half of which have not been reported in the literature before. The tick shell, Nassarius kraussianus, which was consistently found in large abundance prior to the recent dry phase, appears to have temporarily disappeared from the system, probably as a result of the extinction of Zostera marine grasses inside the lake. Population explosions of the bubble shell Haminoea natalensis, with its distinct egg masses, were recorded seasonally until 2009, but the species has subsequently not been observed again. A molecular DNA analysis of the various populations previously reported as belonging to the same assimineid species, variably referred to as Assiminea capensis, A. ovata, or A. bifasciata, has revealed that the St Lucia assemblage actually comprises two very distinct taxa, A. cf. capensis and a species provisionally referred to here as "A." aff. capensis or simply Assimineidae sp. In the mangroves, the climbing whelk Cerithidea decollata is still found in numbers, while ellobiids such as Cassidula labrella, Melampus semiaratus and M. parvulus are present in low abundances and all previously recorded littorinids have disappeared. A number of alien freshwater species have colonized areas of the system that have remained

Incidência de pragas e doenças em agroecossistemas de café orgânico de agricultores familiares em Poço Fundo-MG Incidence of plagues and diseases in agroecossystems of organic coffee of familiar farmers in Poço Fundo-MG

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Márcia Martins

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivando-se determinar a incidência de pragas Leucoptera coffeella (GUÉRIN-MENÉVILLE, 1842 e Hypothenemus hampei (FERRARI, 1867 e doenças Hemileia vastatrix (BERK e BROOME, 1869 e Cercospora coffeicola (BERK e CURTIS, 1880, durante o período de janeiro de 2001 a dezembro de 2002, foram selecionados três agroecossistemas com produção de café orgânico conduzidos por agricultores familiares do município de Poço Fundo-MG. O agroecossistema I possui 2.200 pés da cultivar 'Catuaí Vermelho' em espaçamento 2,5 x 1,3 m (0,72 ha. O agroecossistema II possui 2.000 pés ('Catuaí Vermelho' em espaçamento 2,8 x 1,0 m (0,56 ha. O agroecossistema III possui 1.100 pés ('Icatu Amarelo' em espaçamento 3,0 x 0,9 m (0,36 ha. A determinação da incidência de L. coffeella, C. coffeicola e H. vastatrix foi realizada mediante levantamentos mensais. A determinação da infecção por C. coffeicola em frutos foi realizada nos meses de abril, maio e junho de 2001 e 2002. O levantamento da infestação por H. hampei foi realizado nos meses de janeiro a junho/julho de cada ano. Determinou-se que a infestação por L. coffeella ultrapassou 20% no terço superior (principalmente no período seco. A infestação por H. hampei atingiu o nível de dano somente no agroecossistema I, em 2001, e no agroecossistema III, em 2002. A infecção por H. vastatrix no agroecossistema III não atingiu nível de dano em conseqüência da tolerância da cultivar ('Icatu' à infecção por esse fungo; porém, nos agroecossistemas I e II ('Catuaí Vermelho', a infecção na lavoura ultrapassou o nível de 10% (principalmente no período seco. A infecção por C. coffeicola em folhas e frutos atingiu níveis elevados (período seco. A produtividade do agroecossistema I, em 2001, foi de 510 Kg ha-1 e, em 2002, de 2.340 Kg ha-1; no agroecossistema II, em 2001, foi de 420 Kg ha-1 e, em 2002, de 1.290 Kg ha-1; e, no agroecossistema III, foi praticamente zero, em 2001, e em

Innovative plant protection means prepared natural raw materials

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Omar Lomtadze

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Were developed new compositions preparation against pests and diseases of plant: Insekto-acaricide “Antipest”, Fungicide “Antifungal”, a drug against of overwintering pests “Proinsekt” and nutritious preparation “Si-humate”.The effectiveness of trial oil-emulsion preparation “Proinsect” was assessed by the spread of pests - San Jose scale (Diaspidiotus perniciosus and mountain ash bentwing (Leucoptera scitella Costa on treated trees. According to field testing, the efficiency of preparation “Proinsect” exceeds the effectiveness of one of the best imported oily preparation “Sipcomol”, which was selected as a reference.Joint content in composition of synthetic pyretroids with turpentine oil, supposedly synergism takes place (turpentines cause prolonged action of synthetic pyrethroid. In working solutions, obtained from turpentine oil containing composition concentration of pyretroid is low, but it is enough during the whole period of pest development cycle. According to the comparative field testing of “Antipest” and imported preparations, against for fruits pests their efficiency is at almost one level, despite the low content (by 30–40% of pyrethroid (cypermethrin in “Antipest”.The developed phosphate preparation “Antifungal” is a little bit less effective compared to Bordeaux mixture. If well take into account significant decrease of intensity of disease spread and development after the action of phosphate preparation, also very low toxicity zinc hydro- and dihydrophosphates compared to the blue vitriol (Copper(II sulfate, the developed fungicide preparation can be successfully used instead of traditional Bordeaux mixture and in particular against the peach leaf curl.According to the results of field trials, effect, of developed silicon containing humic nutrient composition -“Si-humate” on experimental 2-year-old seedlings apples and peach is on the average 15–17% better than the control ones in

Antalya İlinde Portakal Bahçelerinde Gözlenen Önemli Zararlı ve Yararlı Böcek Popülasyonları

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Vildan GÖL

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Bu çalışmada, 2014 yılında, Antalya ilinde bulunan iki portakal bahçesinde önemli zararlı ve yararlı böcek popülasyonları belirlenmiştir. Bahçelerde ağırlıklı olarak portakal bulunması nedeniyle örneklemeler de bu tür üzerinde yapılmıştır. Çalışma süresince zararlılara karşı herhangi bir mücadele yöntemi uygulanmamıştır. Çalışmada örneklerin toplanması için gözle kontrol yöntemi, yaprak, sürgün, meyve örnekleme yöntemi, darbe ve tuzakla yakalama yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda zararlı türler olarak Tetranychus urticae (Koch (Acarina: Tetranychidae, Empoasca decipiens (Paoli, Asymmetrasca decedens (Paoli (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae, Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead, Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell (Hem.: Aleyrodidae, Aphis craccivora (Koch (Hem.: Aphididae, Icerya purchasi Maskell (Hem.: Margarodidae, Coccus hesperidum (Linnaeus, Ceroplastes floridensis (Comstock (Hem.: Coccidae, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell, Aonidiella citrina (Coquillet, Parlatoria pergandii (Comstock (Hem.: Diaspididae, Planococcus citri (Risso (Hem.: Pseudococcidae, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae ve Phyllocnistis citrella (Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae saptanmıştır. Bunlardan E. decipiens (Paoli, A. decedens (Paoli, A. floccosus (Maskell, A. aurantii (Maskell ve Parlatoria pergandii (Comstock en yaygın türler olarak belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca 2 takıma bağlı 7 avcı ve asalak tür saptanmıştır. Bu türler: Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae, Coccinella septempunctata L., Chilocorus bipustulatus L., Rhyzobius lophantae (Blaisdell, Oenopia conglobata (L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae, Aphytis melinus DeBach ve Comperiella bifasciata (Coleoptera: Aphelinidae’ dır. Çalışmada ayrıca zararlı iki cicadellid türü ile A. floccosus, A. aurantii, P. pergandii, C. capitata‘nın ve doğal düşmanlardan C. carnea’nın, coccinellidlerin, A. melinus ve E. citrina�

Multilocus phylogeny of the avian family Alaudidae (larks) reveals complex morphological evolution, non-monophyletic genera and hidden species diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Alström, Per; Barnes, Keith N; Olsson, Urban; Barker, F Keith; Bloomer, Paulette; Khan, Aleem Ahmed; Qureshi, Masood Ahmed; Guillaumet, Alban; Crochet, Pierre-André; Ryan, Peter G

2013-12-01

The Alaudidae (larks) is a large family of songbirds in the superfamily Sylvioidea. Larks are cosmopolitan, although species-level diversity is by far largest in Africa, followed by Eurasia, whereas Australasia and the New World have only one species each. The present study is the first comprehensive phylogeny of the Alaudidae. It includes 83.5% of all species and representatives from all recognised genera, and was based on two mitochondrial and three nuclear loci (in total 6.4 kbp, although not all loci were available for all species). In addition, a larger sample, comprising several subspecies of some polytypic species was analysed for one of the mitochondrial loci. There was generally good agreement in trees inferred from different loci, although some strongly supported incongruences were noted. The tree based on the concatenated multilocus data was overall well resolved and well supported by the data. We stress the importance of performing single gene as well as combined data analyses, as the latter may obscure significant incongruence behind strong nodal support values. The multilocus tree revealed many unpredicted relationships, including some non-monophyletic genera (Calandrella, Mirafra, Melanocorypha, Spizocorys). The tree based on the extended mitochondrial data set revealed several unexpected deep divergences between taxa presently treated as conspecific (e.g. within Ammomanes cinctura, Ammomanes deserti, Calandrella brachydactyla, Eremophila alpestris), as well as some shallow splits between currently recognised species (e.g. Certhilauda brevirostris-C. semitorquata-C. curvirostris; Calendulauda barlowi-C. erythrochlamys; Mirafra cantillans-M. javanica). Based on our results, we propose a revised generic classification, and comment on some species limits. We also comment on the extraordinary morphological adaptability in larks, which has resulted in numerous examples of parallel evolution (e.g. in Melanocorypha mongolica and Alauda leucoptera [both

Inverse relationship between nonadherence to original GOLD treatment guidelines and exacerbations of COPD

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Foda HD

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hussein D Foda,1,2 Anthony Brehm,1,2 Karen Goldsteen,3 Norman H Edelman2,4 1Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, 2Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY, 3MPH Program, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, 4Department of Preventative Medicine and Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA Background: Prescriber disagreement is among the reasons for poor adherence to COPD treatment guidelines; it is yet not clear whether this leads to adverse outcomes. We tested whether undertreatment according to the original Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD guidelines led to increased exacerbations.Methods: Records of 878 patients with spirometrically confirmed COPD who were followed from 2005 to 2010 at one Veterans Administration (VA Medical Center were analyzed. Analysis of variance was performed to assess differences in exacerbation rates between severity groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between noncompliance with guidelines and exacerbation rates.Findings: About 19% were appropriately treated by guidelines; 14% overtreated, 44% undertreated, and in 23% treatment did not follow any guideline. Logistic regression revealed a strong inverse relationship between undertreatment and exacerbation rate when severity of obstruction was held constant. Exacerbations per year by GOLD stage were significantly different from each other: mild 0.15, moderate 0.27, severe 0.38, very severe 0.72, and substantially fewer than previously reported.Interpretation: The guidelines were largely not followed. Undertreatment predominated but, contrary to expectations, was associated with fewer exacerbations. Thus, clinicians were likely

Socioeconomic status in HCV infected patients – risk and prognosis

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Oml

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Lars Haukali Omland,1 Merete Osler,2 Peter Jepsen,3,4 Henrik Krarup,5 Nina Weis,6 Peer Brehm Christensen,7 Casper Roed,1 Henrik Toft Sørensen,3 Niels Obel1 On behalf of the DANVIR Cohort Study1Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2Research Center for Prevention and Health, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; 3Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 4Department of Medicine V (Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 5Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; 6Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; 7Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital, Odense, DenmarkBackground and aims: It is unknown whether socioeconomic status (SES is a risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV infection or a prognostic factor following infection.Methods: From Danish nationwide registries, we obtained information on three markers of SES: employment, income, and education. In a case control design, we examined HCV infected patients and controls; conditional logistic regression was employed to obtain odds ratios (ORs for HCV infection for each of the three SES markers, adjusting for the other two SES markers, comorbidity, and substance abuse. In a cohort design, we used Cox regression analysis to compute mortality rate ratios (MRRs for each of the three SES markers, adjusting for the other two SES markers, comorbidity level, age, substance abuse, and gender.Results: When compared to employed persons, ORs for HCV infection were 2.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.24–3.26 for disability pensioners and 2.24 (95% CI: 1.83–2.72 for the unemployed. When compared to persons with a high income, ORs were 1.64 (95% CI: 1.34–2.01 for low income persons and 1.19 (95% CI: 1.02–1.40 for

Eight new species of Oragua Melichar, 1926 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Amazonas State, Brazil, with description of the female terminalia of Oragua jurua Young, 1977, and new records for the genus.

Science.gov (United States)

Camisão, Beatriz M; Cavichioli, Rodney R; Takiya, Daniela M

2014-07-29

The thirty known species of Oragua are distributed from southern Mexico to Argentina. Seventeen species are recorded from Brazil, but only O. elegantula Young, 1977, O. insipida Young, 1977, and O. jurua Young, 1977 are recorded from Amazonas State. Oragua partitula (Jacobi, 1905) is herein firstly recorded from Brazil, ocurring in Amazonas State. The aim of the study was to describe eight new species of Oragua, to provide a key to males of the species of the genus that are recorded from Amazonas State and to study in detail the female terminalia of these new species. Also, the female of O. jurua Young, 1977 is herein described for the first time. Oragua alerochae sp. nov. has the external color pattern similar to O. bifasciata Cavichioli, 2000, however, the head is darker, the forewings are paler and the stripes are thinner, aedeagus is much more curved with long apical processes, and apex of paraphyses rami are curved. Oragua aurantimaculata sp. nov. is similar externally to O. elegantula and Oragua jau sp. nov. as they share the body brown with three orange maculae on crown and orange maculae on forewings, but it has the aedeagus with shaft enlarged medially with a pair of apical processes curved anteriorly and connective more slender. Oragua bella sp. nov. is dark with orange spots, aedeagus with basal elongated processes extending to the apex of the pygofer, with the basal portion enlarged and narrowing toward the apex. Oragua copiosa sp. nov. is dark with small pale dots all over the body, paraphyses rami are slender and their apices expanded, and styles with hooked apex, extending posteriorly beyond the connective apex. Oragua gracilenta sp. nov. has the external color similar to O. galerula, but it can be distinguished by the brown ground color, absence of two maculae near median line just before posterior margin on pronotum and apex of rami of paraphyses bifurcate and not truncate. Oragua jau sp. nov. has the external color similar to O. elegantula, but

Impaction grafting in the femur in cementless modular revision total hip arthroplasty: a descriptive outcome analysis of 243 cases with the MRP-TITAN revision implant

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Wimmer Matthias D

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We present a descriptive and retrospective analysis of revision total hip arthroplasties (THA using the MRP-TITAN stem (Peter Brehm, Weisendorf, GER with distal diaphyseal fixation and metaphyseal defect augmentation. Our hypothesis was that the metaphyseal defect augmentation (Impaction Bone Grafting improves the stem survival. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the aggregated and anonymized data of 243 femoral stem revisions. 68 patients with 70 implants (28.8% received an allograft augmentation for metaphyseal defects; 165 patients with 173 implants (71.2% did not, and served as controls. The mean follow-up was 4.4 ± 1.8 years (range, 2.1–9.6 years. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05 between the study and control group regarding age, body mass index (BMI, femoral defects (types I-III as described by Paprosky, and preoperative Harris Hip Score (HHS. Postoperative clinical function was evaluated using the HHS. Postoperative radiologic examination evaluated implant stability, axial implant migration, signs of implant loosening, periprosthetic radiolucencies, as well as bone regeneration and resorption. Results There were comparable rates of intraoperative and postoperative complications in the study and control groups (p > 0.05. Clinical function, expressed as the increase in the postoperative HHS over the preoperative score, showed significantly greater improvement in the group with Impaction Bone Grafting (35.6 ± 14.3 vs. 30.8 ± 15.8; p ≤ 0.05. The study group showed better outcome especially for larger defects (types II C and III as described by Paprosky and stem diameters ≥ 17 mm. The two groups did not show significant differences in the rate of aseptic loosening (1.4% vs. 2.9% and the rate of revisions (8.6% vs. 11%. The Kaplan-Meier survival for the MRP-TITAN stem in both groups together was 93.8% after 8.8 years. [Study group 95.7% after 8.54 years ; control group 93

Stem Cell Therapy for Congestive Heart Failure

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Gunduz E

2011-01-01

engraft in sufficient numbers to differentiate to the cardiac myocytes and restore functionality in these akinetic areas. Hematopoietic stem cells consist can differentiate to skeletal and myocardial cells when cultured under appropriate conditions [4]. Strauer et al [5] reported that intracoronary bone marrow stem cell therapy improves ventricular performance, quality of life and survival in patients with chronic heart failure. Hamano et al [6] showed in 5 patients that autologous bone marrow cells can be injected safely during a by-pass operation into areas of ischemic myocardium. Brehm et al [7] have treated 23 patients with acute cardiac infarction using autologous mononuclear bone marrow cells. Ozbaran et al [8] transplanted peripheral blood stem cells into areas of injury with open-heart surgery in six patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. There are also meta-analysis on ongoing clinical trials performed. Abdel-Latif et al [9] described a statistically significant improvement in ejection fraction, reduction in infarct size and left ventricular end-systolic volume in 18 patients treated with either unseparated bone marrow cells, bone marrow mesenchymal and mobilized peripheral blood cells. Martin-Rendon et al ­­ focused on 13 randomized studies encompassing 811 participants on bone marrow therapy for post acute infarction. Improvement in LVEF, decrease in left ventricular and systolic and end diastolic volumes and infarct size were observed. The reason for choice of intravenous route was being the standard way of giving hematopoietic stem cells by hematologists. We tried to decide the availibility of this route for indications other than hematological diseases. Although trapping of stem cells in the pulmonary vascular bed is a drawback of intravenous route and the question of whether the patient would have been more benefited by intracoronary or intramyocardial route remains unanswered, we think intravenous route may still have some role according to our own

The 2009 Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting: Martin Chalfie, Chemistry 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Chalfie, Martin

2010-02-10

American Biologist Martin Chalfie shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Roger Tsien and Osamu Shimomura for their discovery and development of the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). Martin Chalfie was born in Chicago in 1947 and grew up in Skokie Illinois. Although he had an interest in science from a young age--learning the names of the planets and reading books about dinosaurs--his journey to a career in biological science was circuitous. In high school, Chalfie enjoyed his AP Chemistry course, but his other science courses did not make much of an impression on him, and he began his undergraduate studies at Harvard uncertain of what he wanted to study. Eventually he did choose to major in Biochemistry, and during the summer between his sophomore and junior years, he joined Klaus Weber's lab and began his first real research project, studying the active site of the enzyme aspartate transcarbamylase. Unfortunately, none of the experiments he performed in Weber's lab worked, and Chalfie came to the conclusion that research was not for him. Following graduation in 1969, he was hired as a teacher Hamden Hall Country Day School in Connecticut where he taught high school chemistry, algebra, and social sciences for 2 years. After his first year of teaching, he decided to give research another try. He took a summer job in Jose Zadunaisky's lab at Yale, studying chloride transport in the frog retina. Chalfie enjoyed this experience a great deal, and having gained confidence in his own scientific abilities, he applied to graduate school at Harvard, where he joined the Physiology department in 1972 and studied norepinephrine synthesis and secretion under Bob Pearlman. His interest in working on C. elegans led him to post doc with Sydney Brenner, at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. In 1982 he was offered position at Columbia University. When Chalfie first heard about GFP at a research seminar given by Paul Brehm in 1989