Vasopressin analog (DDAVP) facilitates concept learning in human males

The effects of desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) were studied in normal males. Subjects were given 60μg of DDAVP, a placebo, or no treatment and were given several behavioral tests. DDAVP enhanced learning of all problems on a concept shift task but had no effect on visual memory, anxiety, blood pressure or heart rate. It was suggested that DDAVP may influence memory via its actions on attention.     

Laboratory studies on the biology of the corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Homoptera: Aphididae)

The biology of R. maidis has been shown to be affected considerably by the temperature, the host plant, and the physiological age of food plant. The optimum temperature was 30°C; here nymphal development was accelerated, the whole life-span was drastically shortened to less than half that at 15°, and natality rate/surviving female was increased with rather negligible deaths among progeny. Barley was the most favourable host studied under the specified experimental conditions, and young plants (3–5 days old) represented the best stage of plant growth. R. maidis may have about 50 generations/year when aphids were kept feeding continuously on 5-day old barley plants but this does, by no means, represent the actual number of generations under field conditions; it only indicates that almost half of these may be restricted to the summertime.

---

Résumé La présente étude montre que la température, ainsi que l'espèce de la plante hôte et son âge physiologique influencent grandement la biologie de Rhopalosiphum maïdis.Quand ce puceron est élevé sur des pousses d'orge âgées de 5 jours, la température optimum est de 30°. Dans ces conditions, la maturation peut être acquise en un délai aussi court que 4,6 jours, tandis que la longévité est réduite à 16,8±1,3 jours contre 35,1±5,1 jours à 15°. Enfin, la natalité par femelle et par jour est accrue avec un taux de mortalité négligeable parmi la descendance.De quatre plantes testées, (orge, mil, fève et maïs) au même âge de croissance (7 jours) l'orge est le plus favorable. Rhopalosiphum maïdis peut avoir environ 50 générations par an quand il est élevé de façon continue sur des plants d'orge âgés de 5 jours; cela ne signifie pas que dans les conditions naturelles il en est ainsi, mais indique que presque la moitié de ce nombre de générations peut intervenir pendant l'été.

     

Characterization of Lead in Soils of a Rifle/Pistol Shooting Range in Central Florida,USA

The distribution of lead in soil samples collected from both surface (0 to 10?cm) and profile (O 0 to 10?cm, E 11 to 30?cm, Eb 31 to 50?cm, Bw 51 to 100?cm, and C 181 to 200?cm) at a 14-year-old rifle/pistol shooting range located in central Florida were determined using EPA Method 3051a (microwave, HNO₃/HCl=3:1, v/v). In addition to total lead analysis, Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) analysis was performed on corresponding samples to determine whether the soils would require special handling as hazardous waste if the soils were to be removed from the range. Total lead in surface soils varied from 330 to 17 850?mg Pb kg^?1, with the greatest concentration in the middle of the backstop berm. The TCLP tests indicated that lead in all surface soils exceeded the 5?mg Pb L^?1 critical level of federal regulation for solid wastes and hazardous wastes provided by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and would be characterized as hazardous waste. Sequential fractionation and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that lead carbonate existed predominantly (91.3%) in the berm soil. The weathering of lead bullets in the soil environments formed primarily as hydrocerussite (Pb₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂), with small amounts of massicot (PbO) and cerussite (PbCO₃). However, the elevated soil pH, caused by the oxidization and transformation process of elemental lead in lead bullets, could be a significant factor in limiting the migration of lead in the soil.     

Bio-ecology of false codling moth,Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) within citrus orchards in Kenya and Tanzania

1. False codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta is among the key constraints of the agricultural industry. Little is known about the population dynamics and genetic diversity of this pest in East Africa.
2. The spatial–temporal population dynamics and genetic diversity of false codling moth were evaluated in citrus orchards in Kenya and Tanzania between May 2017 and August 2018 covering two fruiting seasons. The diversity of false codling moth sampled in these orchards and from solanaceous hosts, as well as from specimens received from Uganda, Sudan, and South Africa were assayed using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene.
3. A similar spatial–temporal pattern of false codling moth was found in both Kenya and Tanzania, with the most male moths in August 2017 and 2018. In Tanzania, the number of male moths caught at high and mid altitudes did not differ but were significantly higher than those caught at low altitude.
4. A relatively low false codling moth genetic diversity was recorded at the sites where sampling was done in the respective countries as well as between specimens sampled from different host plants.
5. The low false codling moth genetic diversity determined in this trial can be exploited in the management of the pest in the studied countries.

     

Burden of noninfluenza respiratory viral infections in adults admitted to hospital: analysis of a multiyear Canadian surveillance cohort from 2 centres

BACKGROUND:Data on the outcomes of noninfluenza respiratory virus (NIRV) infections among hospitalized adults are lacking. We aimed to study the burden, severity and outcomes of NIRV infections in this population.METHODS:We analyzed pooled patient data from 2 hospital-based respiratory virus surveillance cohorts in 2 regions of Canada during 3 consecutive seasons (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18; n = 2119). We included patients aged ≥ 18 years who developed influenza-like illness or pneumonia and were hospitalized for management. We included patients confirmed positive for ≥ 1 virus by multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays (respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], human rhinovirus/enterovirus (hRV), human coronavirus (hCoV), metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, influenza viruses). We compared patient characteristics, clinical severity conventional outcomes (e.g., hospital length-of stay, 30-day mortality) and ordinal outcomes (5 levels: discharged, receiving convalescent care, acute ward or intensive care unit [ICU] care and death) for patients with NIRV infections and those with influenza.RESULTS:Among 2119 adults who were admitted to hospital, 1156 patients (54.6%) had NIRV infections (hRV 14.9%, RSV 12.9%, hCoV 8.2%) and 963 patients (45.4%) had influenza (n = 963). Patients with NIRVs were younger (mean 66.4 [standard deviation 20.4] yr), and more commonly had immunocompromising conditions (30.3%) and delay in diagnosis (median 4.0 [interquartile range (IQR) 2.0–7.0] days). Overall, 14.6% (12.4%–19.5%) of NIRV infections were acquired in hospital. Admission to ICU (18.2%, median 6.0 [IQR 3.0–13.0] d), hospital length-of-stay (median 5.0 [IQR 2.0–10.0] d) and 30-day mortality (8.4%; RSV 9.5%, hRV 6.6%, hCoV 9.2%) and the ordinal outcomes were similar for patients with NIRV infection and those with influenza. Age > 60 years, immunocompromised state and hospital-acquired viral infection were associated with worse outcomes. The estimated median cost per acute care admission was $6000 (IQR $2000–$16 000).INTERPRETATION:The burden of NIRV infection is substantial in adults admitted to hospital and associated outcomes may be as severe as for influenza, suggesting a need to prioritize therapeutics and vaccines for at-risk people.

The global burden of lower respiratory tract infections is substantial, leading to many hospital admissions and deaths, especially among young children and older adults.¹ Respiratory viruses are responsible for almost half of such infections in adults that require in-hospital management; previous studies estimate that 28%–62% are caused by noninfluenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs).^2–4 With some geographical and seasonal variations, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (hRV) and human coronavirus (hCoV) are among the most frequently identified NIRV infections.^1–7 Most infected adults develop mild, self-limiting illnesses, but increasing evidence suggest that NIRVs, either alone or with coinfecting bacteria, can result in severe pneumonia and death.^8,9 For instance, RSV has been shown to cause severe respiratory failure, with fatality rates comparable to or exceeding those observed among adults admitted to hospital with influenza.^10–12 Data on hRV, hCoV and other NIRVs are more limited, owing to the lack of accurate diagnostics and systematic case-finding approaches.^7–9 However, with the increasing availability of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays that can simultaneously detect influenza and NIRVs, these infections are now readily diagnosed as part of a syndromic approach in patients who present with acute respiratory illnesses.^2–5,13,14 The burden, clinical significance and impacts of NIRVs on the health care system remain inadequately characterized.To address this gap, we analyzed the relative frequencies, patient characteristics, location of acquisition (community or hospital), severity and clinical outcomes of patients with NIRV and influenza infections diagnosed by multiplex PCR in a cohort of adults admitted to hospital in 2 large Canadian health care centres during a 3-year surveillance period. The associated health care resource use was also estimated.     

Production of growth hormones inCasuarina cunninghamiana root nodules induced byFrankia strain HFPCgI4

Summary Measurements of auxin and cytokinin activities in extracts ofCasuarina root nodules were made. The nodules were induced either by pure culture ofFrankia strain CgI4 or by crushed nodule inoculum. Levels of cytokinin activity were significantly higher in root nodules induced by pureFrankia culture than in those induced by crushed nodule inoculum. However, the reasons for this are unknown. Seasonal variation in levels of cytokinin activity inCasuarina nodules has also been detected.Dedicated to the memory of Professor John G. Torrey     

Evaluating the Potential of Halothiobacillus Bacteria for Sulfur Oxidation and Biomass Production under Saline Soil

Abstract

Salinity negatively affects growth of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and their sulfate production ability, meanwhile decreases the available sulfate for plants in soil. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the bacteria of genus Halothiobacillus, as a salt-tolerant SOB, from saline and sulfidic habitats of Iran for the first time and evaluating the effect of salinity on their biomass and sulfate production during the oxidation of different sulfur sources. Isolation process and surveying the morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA gene analysis resulted into identification of three species (eight strains) of Halothiobacillus genus including H. neapolitanus, H. hydrothermalis and H. halophilus. Salinity (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4?M NaCl) had a significant impact (p?≤?0.01) on bacterial biomass and sulfate production during the oxidation of thiosulfate and elemental sulfur. Biomass and sulfate production by strains was accompanied by a decrease in residual content of thiosulfate (RCT) in medium. The amount of produced biomass and sulfate in medium supplemented by thiosulfate was much higher than elemental sulfur. The highest amount of biomass and sulfate was produced by H. neapolitanus strain I19 at 0.5 and 1?M NaCl concentration. The results of this study could be the first step to focus on the application of these bacteria to increase sulfate storage of saline soils and crop production.     

Chemiluminescent and bioluminescent assays as innovative prospects for mycotoxin determination in food and feed.

Mycotoxin contamination of food and feedstuffs is among the top priorities for human and animal safety. The currently used techniques for mycotoxin determination, either chromatography or ELISA, are unsuitable for routine in-field assessment. There is an urgent need for other accurate, simple and cost-effective techniques that can be used as a screening tool for a rapid estimation of mycotoxin contamination in commodity lots. This paper reviews the literature on the use of chemiluminescence (CL) and bioluminescence (BL) assays for direct or indirect mycotoxin assessment. The chemiluminescence immunoassays, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence and bioassays are reviewed and their advantages and limitations discussed. These techniques used in food testing and the pharmaceutical industry offer promise as rapid techniques for mycotoxin determination. Chemiluminescence and bioluminescence bioassays are the most innovative alternatives to the conventional techniques used for mycotoxin determination in food and feed.