Bioassays for comparative infectivity of mermithid nematodes (Romanomermis iyengari,Romanomermis culicivorax and Strelkovimermis spiculatus) for culicine mosquito larvae

Two improved bioassays were developed to establish infectivity baselines for selection experiments using mermithid nematode variants. Comparative infectivity of Romanomermis iyengari, Romanomermis culicivorax and Strelkovimermis spiculatus using larvae of three mosquito spp. Aedes sierrensis, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens were evaluated with “plate” and “tray” bioassays at selected intensity of infections. Using the “plate” bioassay, single mosquito larvae were immersed in 2 ml of water within individual depressions of 12-well, polystyrene tissue culture plates. One, three, or five preparasitic juveniles (J2) were added to each well. In the “tray” bioassay, polyethylene trays containing 500 ml water and 100 mosquito larvae were exposed to 500 (5:1, nematode:insect host) or 1000 (10:1) J2s. Percentage infection (PINF, infectivity) and intensity of infection (IINF, #nematodes per infected larvae) number were determined only after emergence of post-parasitic J3 juveniles. Under the bioassay conditions, all three species of nematodes resulted in infections in all mosquito hosts, but R. iyengari exhibited better effectiveness in the parasitism of mosquito larvae. The three species of mosquitoes presented high levels of susceptibility to each of the three species of nematodes, but in general Cx. pipiens and Ae. sierrensis were slightly more susceptible than Ae. aegypti. The “plate” bioassay was more efficient in measurement of infectivity of the mermithid species and in establishing baseline characteristics for these mosquito-parasitic nematodes. The “tray” bioassay was an effective bioassay for large cohorts of both infective juveniles and host larvae and, potential for field interactions.     

Comparison of four techniques to estimate milk production in singleton-rearing non-dairy ewes

Accurate estimates of milk production or milk intake are difficult, as all methods interfere to some degree with the natural behaviour of the dam and her young, and potentially alter milk yield itself. The present study compared milk yield obtained by the “oxytocin” method, udder dimensions (UD), the isotope dilution method, and live weight change of the lamb, in an attempt to select the most accurate and convenient way of measuring milk production in non-dairy sheep. In addition, the study investigated which of the three milk-estimation techniques was an accurate predictor of growth rates of lambs. Thirty-seven singleton-bearing and rearing ewes were milked once a week, for seven consecutive weeks, using the “oxytocin” method. Prior to each afternoon milking, the external dimensions of the ewe's udder were measured. Lambs were weighed weekly for the first seven weeks of life and live weight change was calculated. The deuterium oxide (D₂O) dilution technique was used to estimate milk intake of the lambs and performed at approximately 7 days post-partum and finishing on approximately day 14. Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple regression coefficients among techniques were calculated. The UD-models at d7 (R² = 0.35), d35 (R² = 0.36) and d42 (R² = 0.34), were the best models explaining variation in milk yield (concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.49; 0.53; 0.51; for d7, d35 and d42, respectively). The lamb live weight-change model explained the variation in milk yield best at d28 (R² = 0.32; CCC = 0.49), at d35 (R² = 0.22; CCC = 0.36) and at d42 (R² = 0.28; CCC = 0.44). At d14, the intake of milk by lambs as measured by the D₂O technique, did not explain the variation in milk yield. In conclusion, udder dimensions, lamb live weight change and lamb milk intake are relatively poor estimators of the milk yield of singleton-rearing ewes obtained by the “oxytocin” method. Additionally, udder dimensions, milk yield and lamb milk intake do not give an accurate prediction of growth rates of singleton lambs. These results emphasize that there is a difference between ewe milk production potential and lamb milk intake, which need to be considered when estimating milk production in non-dairy animals.     

Conversion of cassava flour to fuel ethanol by sequential solid state and submerged cultures

A process for conversion of cassava flour to ethanol was developed. This involved direct inoculation of Aspergillus awamori spores into a cassava flour paste and incubation for some period during which hydrolytic enzymes are produced (solid state culture or koji production) and subsequent addition of water and yeast cells, during which there is simultaneous hydrolysis and ethanol production (submerged culture). When cassava flour alone was used for the solid state phase, the paste was very sticky, making mixing and aeration difficult. However, addition of rice bran improved the texture and enzyme production. The optima rice bran concentration, spore inoculum concentration, and duration of solid state culture before submerged culture were 20%, 6.16 × 10⁶ spores/100 g, and 2 days, respectively. Under these optimum conditions, a high ethanol concentration of 120 g/L and ethanol yield of 0.309 g-ethanol/g-cassava flour were obtained. This ethanol yield corresponds to 0.44 g-ethanol/g-cassava starch.     

Direct bioconversion of d-xylose to 1,2,4-butanetriol in an engineered Escherichia coli

The compound 1,2,4-butanetriol (BT) is a valuable chemical used in the production of plasticizers, polymers, cationic lipids and other medical applications, and is conventionally produced via hydrogenation of malate. In this report, BT is biosynthesized by an engineered Escherichia coli from d-xylose. The pathway: d-xylose → d-xylonate → 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-xylonate → 3,4-dihydroxybutanal → BT, was constructed in E. coli by recruiting a xylose dehydrogenase and a keto acid decarboxylase from Caulobacter crescentus and Pseudomonas putida, respectively. Authentic BT was detected from cultures of the engineered strain. Further improvement on the strain was performed by blocking the native d-xylose and d-xylonate metabolic pathways which involves disruption of xylAB, yjhH and yagE genes in the host chromosome. The final construct produced 0.88 g L⁻¹ BT from 10 g L⁻¹ d-xylose with a molar yield of 12.82%. By far, this is the first report on the direct production of BT from d-xylose by a single microbial host. This may serve as a starting point for further metabolic engineering works to increase the titer of BT toward industrial scale viability.     

Alkaline lipase from a novel strain Burkholderia multivorans: Statistical medium optimization and production in a bioreactor

An alkaline lipase from Burkholderia multivorans was produced within 15 h of growth in a 14 L bioreactor. An overall 12-fold enhanced production (58 U mL⁻¹ and 36 U mg⁻¹ protein) was achieved after medium optimization following the “one-variable-at-a-time” and the statistical approaches. The optimal composition of the lipase production medium was determined to be (% w/v or v/v): KH₂PO₄ 0.1; K₂HPO₄ 0.3; NH₄Cl 0.5; MgSO₄·7H₂O 0.01; yeast extract 0.36; glucose 0.1; olive oil 3.0; CaCl₂ 0.4 mM; pH 7.0; inoculum density 3% (v/v) and incubation time 36 h in shake flasks. Lipase production was maximally influenced by olive oil/oleic acid as the inducer and yeast extract as the additive nitrogen. Plackett–Burman screening suggested catabolite repression by glucose. Amongst the divalent cations, Ca²⁺ was a positive signal while Mg²⁺ was a negative signal for lipase production. RSM predicted that incubation time, inoculum density and oil were required at their higher levels (36 h, 3% (v/v) and 3% (v/v), respectively) while glucose and yeast extract were required at their minimal levels for maximum lipase production in shake flasks. The production conditions were validated in a 14 L bioreactor where the incubation time was reduced to 15 h.     

The effect of inspiratory and expiratory loads on abdominal muscle activity during breathing in subjects “at risk” for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and healthy

The abdominal muscle activity has been shown to be variable in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) when respiratory demand increases and their recruitment pattern may change the mechanics, as well as the work and cost of breathing. The scientific evidence in subjects “at risk” for the development of COPD may be important to understand the natural history of this disease. This study aims to evaluate the effect of inspiratory and expiratory loads on the abdominal muscle activity during breathing in subjects “at risk” for the development of COPD and healthy. Thirty-one volunteers, divided in “At Risk” for COPD (n = 17; 47.71 ± 5.11 years) and Healthy (n = 14; 48.21 ± 6.87 years) groups, breathed at the same rhythm without load and with 10% of the maximal inspiratory or expiratory pressures, in standing. Surface electromyography was performed to assess the activation intensity of rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique and transversus abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO) muscles, during inspiration and expiration. During inspiration, in “At Risk” for COPD group, RA muscle activation was higher with loaded expiration (p = 0.016); however, in Healthy group it was observed a higher activation of external oblique and TrA/IO muscles (p < 0.050). During expiration, while in “At Risk” for COPD group, RA muscle activation was higher with loaded inspiration (p = 0.009), in Healthy group TrA/IO muscle showed a higher activation (p = 0.025). Subjects “at risk” for the development of COPD seemed to have a specific recruitment of the superficial layer of ventrolateral abdominal wall for the mechanics of breathing.     

Harmful effects of Dinophysis to the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum: Implications for prey capture

Toxigenic Dinophysis spp. are obligate mixotrophic dinoflagellates that require a constant supply of prey—Mesodinium rubrum—to achieve long-term growth by means of kleptoplasty. Mesodinium rubrum is, however, a fast moving, jumping ciliate exhibiting an effective escape response from suspensivorous predators. In the present study, a series of laboratory experiments evaluating the motility and survival of M. rubrum in the presence of Dinophysis cells and/or substances contained in their culture medium was designed, in order to assess the mechanisms involved in prey capture by Dinophysis spp. Cell abundance of M. rubrum decreased in the presence of Dinophysis cf. ovum cells producing okadaic acid (OA; up to 7.94 ± 2.67 pg cell⁻¹) and smaller amounts of dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1) and pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2). Prey capture was often observed after the ciliate had been attached to adhesive “mucus traps”, which only appeared in the presence of Dinophysis cells. Before being attached to the mucus traps, M. rubrum cells reduced significantly their swimming frequency (from ∼41 to 19 ± 3 jumps min⁻¹) after only 4 h of initial contact with D. cf. ovum cells. M. rubrum survival was not affected in contact with purified OA, DTX-1 and PTX-2 solutions, but decreased significantly when the ciliate was exposed to cell-free or filtered culture medium from both D. cf. ovum and D. caudata, the latter containing moderate concentrations of free eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The results thus indicate that Dinophysis combines the release of toxic compounds other than shellfish toxins, possibly free PUFAs, and a “mucus trap” to enhance its prey capture success by immobilizing and subsequently arresting M. rubrum cells.     

In vivo skin dose measurement using MOSkin detectors in tangential breast radiotherapy

The purpose of this study is to measure patient skin dose in tangential breast radiotherapy. Treatment planning dose calculation algorithm such as Pencil Beam Convolution (PBC) and in vivo dosimetry techniques such as radiochromic film can be used to accurately monitor radiation doses at tissue depths, but they are inaccurate for skin dose measurement. A MOSFET-based (MOSkin) detector was used to measure skin dose in this study. Tangential breast radiotherapies (“bolus” and “no bolus”) were simulated on an anthropomorphic phantom and the skin doses were measured. Skin doses were also measured in 13 patients undergoing each of the techniques. In the patient study, the EBT2 measurements and PBC calculation tended to over-estimate the skin dose compared with the MOSkin detector (p < 0.05) in the “no bolus radiotherapy”. No significant differences were observed in the “bolus radiotherapy” (p > 0.05). The results from patients were similar to that of the phantom study. This shows that the EBT2 measurement and PBC calculation, while able to predict accurate doses at tissue depths, are inaccurate in predicting doses at build-up regions. The clinical application of the MOSkin detectors showed that the average total skin doses received by patients were 1662 ± 129 cGy (medial) and 1893 ± 199 cGy (lateral) during “no bolus radiotherapy”. The average total skin doses were 4030 ± 72 cGy (medial) and 4004 ± 91 cGy (lateral) for “bolus radiotherapy”. In some cases, patient skin doses were shown to exceed the dose toxicity level for skin erythema. Hence, a suitable device for in vivo dosimetry is necessary to accurately determine skin dose.     

Rapid torque development in older female fallers and nonfallers: A comparison across lower-extremity muscles

The objective of this study was to compare reaction time, joint torque, rate of torque development, and magnitude of neuromuscular activation of lower-extremity muscles in elderly female fallers and nonfallers. Participants included 11, elderly, female fallers (71.3 ± 5.4 years) and twelve nonfallers (71.3 ± 6.2 years) who completed a fall risk questionnaire. Then, maximal, voluntary, isometric contractions of the knee and ankle muscles were performed in reaction to a visual cue to determine joint torque, rate of torque development, reaction time, and nervous activation of agonists and antagonists. Results indicated that significantly more fallers reported “dizziness upon rising”, “use of balance altering medications”, “stress or depression”, “not enough sleep”, “arthritis in lower body”, “chronic pain in lower body”, and “tiring easily while walking” (all P < 0.05). Normalized dorsiflexion and plantarflexion strength scores (summation of peak torque, rate of torque development and impulse) were lower in fallers than in nonfallers (P < 0.05). When summed across lower-extremity muscle groups, fallers demonstrated 19% lower peak torque and 29% longer motor time (P < 0.05). In conclusion, comprehensive fall risk screening and prevention programs should address both neuromuscular and non-muscular factors, and, weakness of the ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors should be further studied as potential contributors to falls in older adults.     

Constraints in the identification and interpretation of ozone as a significant predictor of effects on the supersensitive indicator Nicotiana tabacum Bel-W3 in biomonitoring studies

Biomonitoring by means of the supersensitive cultivar Nicotiana tabacum Bel-W3 is frequently used to obtain information on ozone effects on plants and estimates of ozone exposure. However, most of biomonitoring surveys do not account for other environmental variables (predictors in a statistical model) and their inherent multicollinearity with ozone. We tested the relative role of different predictors (fixed: time and site; random: ozone, temperature and humidity) on height growth and on the development of visible foliar symptoms of N. tabacum Bel-W3 plants. To do this, we investigated a relatively small area (256 km²), used a random design at every stage of the survey, controlled watering and protected plants from direct solar radiation and wind. QA/QC procedures were adopted at every stage of the investigation. Linear correlation shows that Leaf Injury Index (LII) and height increment (H.I.) positively related to ozone concentration, elevation and temperature, and negatively to relative humidity. All the predictors correlate to each other. However, relationships between response and ozone vary with the site and the monitoring week. The effect of the random factor “ozone” in combination with fixed factors “site” and “time” on the response variables was therefore formally investigated using the ANCOVA model. Besides ozone, the interactions “ozone × site” and “ozone × time” resulted always significant (0.001 < P < 0.05). While the factor “time” emphasize the inherent development of injury and growth through time, the interaction “ozone × site” pointed out the importance of local conditions. When watering, solar radiation, wind and plant characteristics were controlled, the remaining site-specific covariates of interest were temperature (T) and humidity (RH). When T and RH were accounted for by means of partial correlation analysis, no significant relationship was found between ozone and LII. On the other side, O₃ and RH resulted significant for both absolute and relative height increment. In short, LII seemed to be not solely dependent on ozone, T and RH, but showed to integrate their combined effect. On the other side, H.I. seemed to be favoured by high RH and T, and depressed by high ozone. Based on the above results, we recommend caution when handling bioindicator data: if the purpose is to infer ozone concentrations by leaf injury data, results may be affected by a serious bias, as the frequently reported correlations may be partly an artefact due to co-variation between predictors.     

Rumen microbial responses in fermentation characteristics and production of CLA and methane to linoleic acid in associated with malate or fumarate

An in vitro incubation in batch was conducted to investigate the effect of propionate precursor (malate or fumarate) on fermentation characteristics, and production of CLA and methane by rumen microbes when incubated with linoleic acid (C_18:2). Sixty milligrams of C_18:2 alone (LA), 60 mg C_18:2 with 24 mM malic acid (M-LA), or 60 mg C_18:2 with 24 mM fumaric acid (F-LA) was added to 150 ml culture solution consisting of 75 ml strained rumen fluid and 75 ml McDougall's artificial saliva. Culture solution for incubation was also made without malate, fumarate, and C_18:2 (control). Two grams of feed consisting of 1.4 g concentrate and 0.6 g ground alfalfa (DM basis) was also added to the culture solution of each treatment. An in vitro incubation in batch was made anaerobically in a shaking incubator for up to 12 h at 39 °C.The pH of the culture solution was increased (P<0.0001) in M-LA or F-LA treatments from 3 h to 12 h compared with the control and LA treatments. At 12 h incubation, the concentration of total VFA in the culture solution was higher (P<0.01) in M-LA and F-LA than in control and LA treatments. Concentration of C₃ by M-LA and F-LA was increased at 3 h (P<0.01), 6 h (P<0.01) and 12 h (P<0.01) compared with control and LA. However, no difference in C₃ concentration was observed between control and LA, or between M-LA and F-LA. Accumulated total gas produced for up to 12 h incubation was increased (P<0.01) by M-LA or F-LA compared with the control. Accumulated total methane produced for up to 12 h incubation, however, was greatly reduced (P<0.01) by all the supplements compared with control, and its production from M-LA or F-LA was smaller than the LA. The M-LA or F-LA also increased (P<0.05–<0.001) the concentrations of cis9, trans11-CLA for all incubation times and trans10, cis12-CLA at 1 h (P<0.01), 3 h (P<0.05), and 12 h (P<0.05) incubation times compared with LA.It can be concluded that malate and fumarate, as propionate precursors, act as alternative electron sinks and may compete with CH₄ generation and bio-hydrogenation of C_18:2 in the utilization of metabolic H₂. The highest CLA concentration at the early incubation stage (1 h) was accompanied by reduced propionate proportion. Linoleic acid is also considered one of the potential alternatives to suppress CH₄ generation.     

Application of statistical experimental design for optimization of keratinases production by Bacillus pumilus A1 grown on chicken feather and some biochemical properties

A new keratinolytic enzyme-producing bacterium was isolated from slaughter house polluted water and identified as Bacillus pumilus A1. Medium composition and culture conditions for the keratinases production by B. pumilus A1 were optimized using two statistical methods: Plackett–Burman design applied to find the key ingredients and conditions for the best yield of enzyme production and central composite design used to optimize the concentration of the five significant variables: feathers meal, soy peptone, NaCl, KCl, and KH₂PO₄. The medium optimization resulted in a 3.4-fold increase in keratinase production (87.73 U/ml) compared to that of the initial medium (25.9 U/ml). The zymography analysis shows the presence of at least five keratinolytic enzymes. The keratinolytic activity of the extracellular proteinases was examined by incubation with non-autoclaved chicken feathers. Complete solubilisation of whole feathers was observed after a 6-h incubation at temperatures ranging from 45 °C to 60 °C. The crude enzyme exhibited maximal activity at 60 °C and pH 8.5 or 55 °C and pH 9.0 using casein or keratin as substrates, respectively.     

An avifaunal survey of mesic manmade ecosystems “Oases” in algerian hot-hyperarid lands

Man made ecosystems of dry lands are key habitats due to their ecological characteristics to survey biodiversity. This study investigated bird diversity in three oases of the Northern Algerian Sahara (i.e., Biskra in 2006, Oued Souf in 2008 and Ouargla in 2009), by using the spot-mapping method. Bird density “D” (pairs/10 ha), species richness “S” (number species), diversity (Shannon index) “H′” (in bits), and evenness “E” varied from one oasis to another (Biskra: D = 98.5, S = 47, H′ = 4.49, E = 0.81; Oued Souf: D = 96, S = 33, H′ = 3.9, E = 0.77; Ouargla: D = 91.5, S = 44, H′ = 4.39, E = 0.80). Differences in bird diversity between the monitored palm groves are due to the ecological characteristics of each environment. Documented literature outlined close taxonomic similarities between bird assemblages of the study area with many Northern Saharan oases. The Hybrid Sparrow Passer domesticus x Passer. hispaniolensis and some Columbidae species including Columba livia, Streptopelia turtur, Streptopelia senegalensis, and Streptopelia decaocto were the abundant species throughout surveyed oases in which they represented more than half (55.6%) of the sum of species densities (D = 286 pairs/10 ha). These synthropic species have known a huge expansion of their distribution range throughout Algerian oases. The correspondence analysis allowed the aggregation of both families and species into oasis they belong to. One-way ANOVA was tested to analyse variations of both family and species densities between studied oases. The ANOVA revealed there was no significant variation either in family densities (p = 0.937) or in bird densities (p = 0.622) between the surveyed oases because of the small size of bird populations.     

Spore production in solid-state fermentation of rice by Clonostachys rosea,a biopesticide for gray mold of strawberries

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is an important disease of strawberry. Clonostachys rosea is a mycoparasite of B. cinerea that reduces fruit losses when used as a biocontrol agent. Since spore production by C. rosea has not been optimized, we investigated factors affecting sporulation under aseptic conditions on white rice grains. The greatest spore production in glass flasks, 3.4 × 10⁹ spores/g-dry-matter (gDM), occurred with an initial moisture content of 46% (w/w wet basis), inoculated with 1 × 10⁶ spores/gDM and hand shaken every 15 days. However, a lower inoculum density (9 × 10³ spores/gDM) and no shaking also gave acceptable sporulation. In plastic bags 1.1 × 10⁸ spores/gDM were produced in 15 days, suggesting that larger scale production may be feasible: with this spore content, 24 m² of incubator space would produce sufficient spores for the continued treatment of 1 ha of strawberry plants.     

Two worlds apart: Determinants of height in late 18th century central Mexico

Anthropometric literature on the American territories of the Hispanic monarchy before their independence is still scarce. We attempt to expand the field with a case study that includes some important novelties.Albeit our main source, the military records of the Censo de Revillagigedo (conducted in the early 1790s), has already been used, the sample size and the geographical scope are unprecedented: 19,390 males of four ethnicities (castizos, españoles, mestizos, and mulatos) aged from 16 to 39 from 24 localities, including towns and villages scattered across central regions of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. We build a database that, complemented with information on resource endowments obtained from other sources, permits to analyze the determinants of height.Our results show the importance of spatial differences as well as the significance of ethnicity, occupation, rurality, age and resource endowments as determinants of height. Unprivileged mulatos are only 0.5 cm shorter than, assumedly privileged, españoles in the “first world” (El Bajío) and 1.3 cm taller in the “second world” (Eastern Central Highlands). In turn, living in the “first world” implies being between nearly 1.5 cm and 5 cm taller than the inhabitants of the “second world”. Our estimates of physical statures are placed within an international comparative context and offer a relatively “optimistic” picture.     

The parasitic and lethal effects of Trichoderma longibrachiatum against Heterodera avenae

Heterodera avenae is a devastating plant pathogen that causes significant yield losses in many crops, but there is a lack of scientific information whether this pathogen can be controlled effectively using biocontrol agents. Here we determined the parasitic and lethal effects of Trichoderma longibrachiatum against H. avenae and the possible mechanism involved in this action. Both in vitro and greenhouse experiments were conducted. In vitro, T. longibrachiatum at the concentrations of 1.5 × 10⁴ to 1.5 × 10⁸ spores per ml had a strong parasitic and lethal effect on the cysts of H. avenae, with the concentration of 1.5 × 10⁸ spores per ml having >90% parasitism 18 days after treatments. In greenhouse, T. longibrachiatum inoculation decreased H. avenae infection in wheat (Triticum aestivum) significantly. Observations with microscopes revealed that after mutual recognition with cysts, the spore of T. longibrachiatum germinated with a large number of hyphae, and reproduced rapidly on the surface of cysts. Meanwhile, the cysts surface became uneven, with some cysts producing vacuoles, and the others splitting. Finally the cysts were dissolved by the metabolite of T. longibrachiatum. Chitinase activity increased in the culture filtrates of T. longibrachiatum and reached the maximum 4 days after inoculation in the medium supplemented with colloidal chitin (1.02 U/min per ml) and nematode cysts (0.78 U/min per ml). The parasitism and inhibition of cysts through the increased extracellular chitinase activity serves as the main mechanism with which T. longibrachiatum against H. avenae. In conclusion, T. longibrachiatum has a great potential to be used as a biocontrol agent against H. avenae.     

The role of high-dose-rate brachytherapy boost in breast-conserving therapy: Long-term results of the Hungarian National Institute of Oncology

AimTo report the long-term results of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) boost for breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery and radiotherapy.Materials and methodsBetween 1995 and 2007, 100 early-stage breast cancer patients received an HDR BT boost after conservative surgery and whole breast irradiation. Ten patients (10%) received a single-fraction HDR boost of 8–10.35 Gy using rigid needles, while 90 (90%) were treated with a fractionated multi-catheter HDR BT boost. The latter consisted of 3 × 4 Gy (n = 19), 3 × 4.75 Gy (n = 70), and 2 × 6.4 Gy (n = 1). Breast cancer related events, cosmetic results and side effects were assessed.ResultsAt a median follow-up time of 94 months (range: 8–152) only 7 (7%) ipsilateral breast failures were observed for a 5- and 8-year actuarial rate of 4.5 and 7.0%, respectively. The 8-year disease-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival was 76.1, 82.8, and 80.4%, respectively. Cosmetic outcome was rated excellent in 17%, good in 39%, fair in 33%, and poor in 11%. Data on late radiation side effects were available for 91 patients (91%). Grade 3 fibrosis and grade 3 telangiectasia occurred in 6 (6.6%) and 2 (2.2%) patients, respectively. In univariate analysis only positive margin status had a significant negative effect on local control.ConclusionsHDR BT boost using multi-catheter implants produce excellent long-term local tumour control with acceptable cosmetic outcome and low rate of grade 3 late radiation side effects.     

Presence of Mycoplasma species and somatic cell counts in bulk-tank goat milk

This cross-sectional study performed on dairy goat herds was designed to establish the relationship between the presence of Mycoplasma species in bulk-tank milk samples from different farms and the bulk-tank milk somatic cell count (BTMSCC) in an area where contagious agalactia (CA) is endemic. Three BTMSCC thresholds, used in payment schemes or as legal requirements for milk quality in Europe and the USA, were considered: (1) 2,000,000 cells/ml; (2) 1,500,000 cells/ml and (3) 1,000,000 cells/ml. Of the 1068 milk samples tested, 7.9% (n = 84) showed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. (Mycoplasma agalactiae 82% and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides large colony 17%). Somatic cell counts for bulk-tank samples containing mycoplasmas were higher than those recorded for negative samples (1,176,000 cells/ml vs. 875,000 cells/ml; P < 0.001). Two-by-two table analyses revealed that the presence of mycoplasmas in bulk-tank milk increased the risk of surpassing all SCC thresholds considered, with the highest risk for Mycoplasma positive bulk-tank milk samples exceeding the threshold of 1500 × 10³ cells/ml (odds ratio = 2.42 (1.49 < OR < 3.91). Our results indicate that the presence of mycoplasmas in goat milk had yet another economic consequence and a further incentive to encourage the implementation of specific programs for disease control.     

Differences in swimming pattern between life cycle stages of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense

Different life stages of Alexandrium fundyense have different swimming behavior; gametes often are said to “swarm” or “dance” before mating. This behavior was studied, and quantitative measures of these motility patterns in two-dimensions were generated using motion-analysis software applied to video records of individual-cell movements. Behavior, swimming patterns, and growth were studied in two strains of A. fundyense and compared in encystment medium and growth medium. Vegetative cells swam straight, rotating around the apical axis until they hit something and then swam straight in a different direction. Gamete swimming behavior was slower and characterized by frequent direction changes and circular motion. Gametes contacted other cells frequently (>5 cell contacts min⁻¹ cell⁻¹). Zygotes swam slowly when newly formed and later became nearly immobile; these cells continued to contact other cells and also surfaces. The results are in accordance with field observations of long swimming distances for vegetative cells, accumulation in thin layers of gametes, and sinking of developing resting cysts attached to marine snow for zygotes.     

Permethrin resistance in Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) collected from Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

Permethrin resistance status of a laboratory strain, a permethrin-selected strain and three field strains of Aedes aegypti collected in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were evaluated using three standard laboratory bioassays: WHO larval bioassay, WHO adult mosquito bioassay, and mixed function oxidase (MFO) enzyme microassay. The LC₅₀ values of field strains from the WHO larval bioassay did not differ significantly. The highest LC₅₀ value was from the Taman Melati field strain (0.39 mg/L). The resistance ratio for the permethrin-selected strain and the field strains ranged from 1.86 fold to 5.57 fold. Pre-exposure to piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in the WHO adult bioassay and MFOs enzyme microassay reduced the LT₅₀ values and reduced the mean optical density of elevated oxidase activity (0.28–0.42) at 630 nm. The LC₅₀ or LT₅₀ values and the level of oxidases were significantly correlated (r = 0.825; p< 0.05). This study confirmed the presence of permethrin resistance in these mosquito populations.