Efficacy of Selected Insecticides Applied to Hybrid Rice Seed.

Hybrid rice and insecticide seed treatments targeting rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, have altered the landscape of rice production. The effect of reduced seeding rates on seed treatment efficacy in hybrid rice has not been studied. During 2011 and 2012, an experiment was conducted at seven locations to determine the relationship between low seeding rates used in hybrid rice and efficacy of selected insecticidal seed treatments as measured by rice water weevil densities and yield. Labeled rates of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin were compared with higher rates of these products to determine if labeled rates provide an acceptable level of control of the rice water weevil. Study locations were divided into low, moderate, and high groups based on rice water weevil larval densities. All seed treatments and seed treatment rates reduced rice water weevil densities. However, there was no observed yield or economic benefit from the use of an insecticidal seed treatment in areas of low pressure. Differences in yield were observed among seed treatments and seed treatment rates in moderate and high pressure locations, and all seed treatments yielded better than the untreated plots, but these differences were not always economical. All seed treatments showed an economic advantage in areas of high weevil pressure, and there were no differences among seed treatment products or rates, suggesting that currently labeled seed treatment rates in hybrid rice are effective for rice water weevil management.

Impact of Oebalus pugnax (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Infestation Timing on Rice Yields and Quality.

Sleeve and large field cage experiments were conducted in Stoneville, MS, in 2010 and 2011 to assess adult rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (F.), injury in rice. 'Cocodrie' and 'Wells' were infested at bloom, milk, and soft dough stages of panicle development. Twenty rice panicles were infested individually in the sleeve cage experiment as replicates with 0, 1, or 2 O. pugnax in a split-plot, completely randomized design. The large cage experiment had four replications infested with 9 or 18 O. pugnax per square meter over multiple rice panicles in a split-plot, randomized complete block design per cultivar. Caged uninfested controls were included in each experiment. Rough rice yield and percentage of clean, damaged, and blank kernels were evaluated. In both experiments, stage of panicle development impacted grain yield and quality. Yield loss was greatest during the bloom stage, while kernel damage was greatest during the milk and soft dough stages. Rice yield decreased with increased infestation density. Kernel damage increased with increased infestation density. Blank kernels affect yield, while kernel damage affects grain quality. While grain yield is the bottom line, grain quality affects marketability, which directly affects yield profitability. Based on these results, this study considers O. pugnax injury significant in all three stages of panicle development and concludes that a more aggressive threshold is recommended from panicle emergence through soft dough. More research is needed to determine the specific threshold, but it appears to be lower than the current threshold of 5 per 10 sweeps.

Regulation of adrenal ornithine decarboxylase by adrenocorticotropic hormone and cyclic AMP.

Adrenal ornithine decarboxylase activity was stimulated in a dose-related manner after administration of ACTH or dibutyryl ((6)N-2'-O-dibutyryl) cyclic AMP to hypophysectomized rats. Little effect was observed for 2 h, but striking increases in enzyme activity were observed 4 h after administration of these substances. Effects of ACTH and dibutyryl cyclic AMP were not secondary to stimulation of steroidogenesis, since hydrocortisone had no effect on adrenal ornithine decarboxylase although it did stimulate activity of the enzyme in the liver and kidney.ACTH, given subcutaneously to hypophysectomized rats, induced striking increases in adrenal cyclic AMP levels within 15-30 min with a fall towards the base line in 1 h. Increases in ornithine decarboxylase activity lag several hours after this endogenous cyclic AMP peak, in contrast to the stimulatin of steroidogenesis by the nucleotide that requires only 2-3 min. After graded doses of ACTH, increases in adrenal cyclic AMP levels at 30 min were paralleled by proportional increases in adrenal ornithine decarboxylase activity 4 h after hormone treatment. Whereas maximal levels of adrenal steroidogenesis have been observed at tissue cyclic AMP levels of 6 nmol/g. ACTH is capable of inducing increases in nucleotide levels up to 200 nmol/g or more. These high tissue levels of cyclic AMP, although unneccessary for maximal steroidogenesis, appear to stimulate adrenal ornithine decarboxylase activity. Several results in addition to the time lag in the stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity suggest a mechanism involving accumulation of the enzyme or some factor needed for its activity rather than direct activation of the enzyme by cyclic AMP. Thus, the addition of cyclic AMP directly to the ornithine decarboxylase assay mixture in vitro was without stimulatory effect. In addition, actinomycin D or cycloheximide in doses sufficient to block adrenal RNA and protein synthesis, respectively inhibited the stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity by ACTH in vivo. An adrenocortical cancer was found to maintain ornithine decarboxylase activity at very high levels, but did so at much lower cyclic AMP levels than those of ACTH-stimulated adrenals. It is concluded that ACTH stimulates adrenal ornithine decarboxylase activity and that this effect may be mediated by cyclic AMP. However, cyclic AMP be mediated by appear to be a determinant of the high level of enzyme activity found in adrenocortical cancer.

dpy-18 encodes an alpha-subunit of prolyl-4-hydroxylase in caenorhabditis elegans.

Collagen is an extracellular matrix (ECM) component encoded by a large multigene family in multicellular animals. Procollagen is post-translationally modified by prolyl-4-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.2) before secretion and participation in ECM formation. Therefore, collagen processing and regulation can be studied by examining this required interaction of prolyl-4-hydroxylase with procollagen. High-resolution polymorphism mapping was used to place the Caenorhabditis elegans dpy-18 gene on the physical map, and we show that it encodes a prolyl-4-hydroxylase alpha catalytic subunit. The Dpy phenotype of dpy-18(e364) amber mutants is more severe when this mutation is in trans to the noncomplementing deficiency tDf7, while the dpy-18(e499) deletion mutant exhibits the same phenotype as dpy-18(e499)/tDf7. Furthermore, dpy-18 RNA interference (RNAi) in wild-type worms results in Dpy progeny, while dpy-18 (RNAi) in dpy-18(e499) mutants does not alter the Dpy phenotype of their progeny. These observations suggest that the dpy-18 null phenotype is Dpy. A dpy-18::gfp promoter fusion construct is expressed throughout the hypodermis within the cells that abundantly produce the cuticle collagens, as well as in certain head and posterior neurons. While prolyl-4-hydroxylase has been studied extensively by biochemical techniques, this is the first report of a mutationally defined prolyl-4-hydroxylase in any animal.

Introduction and reisolation of selected gram-positive bacteria from fermented edible wastes.

A fermentation process using Lactobacillus acidophilus added to edible food wastes was evaluated for its bactericidal action on selected gram-positive organisms. The Lactobacillus fermentation converts food wastes into an animal feed ingredient. In this study, 5 gram-positive bacteria of zoonotic importance were individually tested. These organisms were: Group E Streptococcus, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Clostridium perfringens, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, and Listeria monocytogenes. For each experiment, Lactobacillus was first mixed into ground waste; one of the test organisms was then inoculated and mixed. This mixture was divided among eight 5.5-L containers and incubated (duplicates) at 5 C, 10 C, 20 C, and 30 C for 96 hours. Internal waste temperature, reduction-oxidation, and pH were monitored. Waste samples were taken initially and at subsequent 24-hour periods. Qualitative and quantitative recoveries of the test bacteria were attempted for each sample. Group E Streptococcus was reisolated in increasing numbers at all temperatures throughout the fermentation period. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was recovered throughout the 96-hour period at 5 C; at 10 C it was recovered at 24 hours but not at 48 hours. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was killed by 24 hours at 20 C and 30 C fermentation temperatures. Clostridium perfringens survived the entire test period at 5 C, 10 C, and 20 C; it was killed by 72 hours at 30 C. Neither Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis nor Listeria monocytogenes was reisolated at any temperature at any time.

Survival of viruses in fermented edible waste material.

The survival of selected viruses in fermented edible waste material was studied to determine the feasibility of using this material as a livestock feed ingredient. Seven viruses, including pseudorabies, Newcastle disease, infectious canine hepatitis, avian infectious bronchitis, measles, vesicular stomatitis, and a porcine picornavirus were inoculated into a mixture of ground food waste (collected from a school lung program) containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. Mixtures were incubated at 5 C, 10 C, 20 C, and 30 C for 96 hours. Temperature, pH, and redox potential were monitored. Samples for virus isolation were obtained daily. Newcastle disease virus and infectious canine hepatitis virus survived the entire test period. The porcine picornavirus was inactivated at 30 C after 74 hours, but survived for the entire test period at the other temperatures. Pseudorabies virus was inactivated at 20 C and 30 C within 24 hours, but survived for 48 hours at 10 C and 96 hours at 5 C. Avian infectious bronchitis virus was inactivated at 20 C and 30 C within 24 hours, but survived 72 hours at 5 C and 10 C. Measles and vesicular stomatitis viruses were rapidly inactivated at all 4 temperatures.

Introduction and reisolation of selected gram-negative bacteria from fermented edible wastes.

A Lactobacillus fermentation process, using edible food wastes, was tested for its ability to eliminate selected bacterial pathogens. This fermentation process converts food wastes into a feed ingredient for animal consumption. Six gram-negative bacterial pathogens of potential zoonotic importance were tested. These experimental organisms were: Salmonella enteritidis serovar typhimurium, S enteritidis serovar anatum, S cholerae-suis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Y pseudotuberculosis, and Pasteurella multocida. Each organism was introduced into ground waste that had been previously inoculated with L acidophilus, and was mixed. This mixture was divided among 8 containers, and was incubated in duplicate at 5 C, 10 C, 20 C, and 30 C for 96 hours. The temperature of the reactant containers, reduction-oxidation potential, and pH were monitored. Waste samples were obtained initially and subsequently at 24-hour periods for 96 hours. Qualitative and quantitative recovery attempts from each sample were made for the introduced gram-negative bacteria. Pasteurella multocida and the S enteritidis serovars typhimurium and anatum survived the fermentation at 5 C and 10 C, but were killed after 48 hours at 20 C and 30 C. Salmonella cholerae-suis survived at 5 C, but was destroyed by 72 hours at the remaining temperatures. Yersinia enterocolitica was viable through 70 hours, but was killed by 96 hours. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was not reisolated at any temperature.

Insemination timing affects pregnancy rates in beef cows treated with CO-Synch protocol including an intravaginal progesterone insert.

Our objective was to determine the optimal time to artificially inseminate lactating beef cows (Bos taurus typicus) after using the standard CO-Synch protocol that also included a progesterone-releasing, intravaginal controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert. Cows (N=605) at three locations were inseminated at four different times after CIDR insert removal and the prostaglandin F(2alpha) administration of the CO-Synch+CIDR protocol: 48, 56, 64, or 72h. Blood samples were collected 9 to 10 d before and on the day of CIDR insertion. Based on elevated (>1 ng/mL) serum progesterone concentrations, 60% of 605 cows had previously ovulated (were cycling) at the initiation of the study, with a range of 39.6% to 67.9% among locations (P<0.05). Age of cow, body condition score, and days postpartum affected (P< or =0.05) cycling status before ovulation was synchronized. Averaged across treatments, pregnancy rate to artificial insemination (AI) at Day 32 was affected (P< or =0.05) by pretreatment cycling status and body condition. Younger cows (< or =3 yr) tended to have greater AI pregnancy rates when inseminated at 56h, whereas older cows had similar pregnancy rates when inseminated at 56h or later (timing of AI by age interaction; P=0.085). Pregnancy loss between Days 32 and 63 was greatest (quadratic effect; P<0.05) when cows were inseminated at 48 and 72h. In summary, insemination times at or after 56h improved AI pregnancy rates when using the CO-Synch+CIDR program. Further work is warranted to examine age effects on timing of AI in the CO-Synch+CIDR program.

Male sexual function and lower urinary tract symptoms after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate sexual function and the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in male patients with rectal cancer following short-term radiotherapy and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LTME) by physical and psychological measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sexual function and LUTS were assessed by the use of questionnaires [International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), International Prostate Symptom Score]. Sexual function was further assessed by the use of pharmaco duplex ultrasonography of the cavernous arterial blood flow and nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity monitoring (NPTR). All investigations were performed prior to the start of preoperative radiotherapy and 15 months after surgery. RESULTS: Nine patients (mean age 60 years) participated. Erectile function was maintained in 71% and ejaculation function in 89%. Compared with pre-operative scores on the IIEF, a significant deterioration in intercourse satisfaction was seen following radiotherapy and LTME (7.9 vs 10.3, p = 0.042), but overall satisfaction remained unchanged (8.0 vs 7.0, p = 0.246). NPTR parameters (duration of erectile episodes, duration of tip rigidity > or =60%) decreased following radiotherapy and LTME. Patients reported a deterioration in micturition frequency (2.0 vs 1.0, p = 0.034) and quality of life due to urinary symptoms (8.0 vs 1.8, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Based on these first preliminary findings, data suggest that 15 months after short-term radiotherapy and LTME in men with rectal cancer, objectively assessed sexual dysfunction was considerable, but overall sexual satisfaction had not changed.

Evaluation of human chorionic gonadotropin as a replacement for gonadotropin-releasing hormone in ovulation-synchronization protocols before fixed timed artificial insemination in beef cattle.

Two experiments were conducted during 2 yr to evaluate differences in ovulation potential and fertility in response to GnRH or hCG. In Exp. 1, 46 beef cows were given 100 microg of GnRH or 500, 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 IU of hCG. Ovulation incidence was not different between GnRH and any of the hCG doses, indicating that ovulatory capacity of at least 500 IU of hCG was equivalent to GnRH. In Exp. 2, beef cows (n = 676) at 6 locations were assigned randomly to a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Main effects were: 1) pre-timed AI (TAI) treatment (GnRH or hCG) and 2) post-TAI treatment (saline, GnRH, or hCG) to initiate resynchronization of ovulation in previously inseminated cattle. Blood samples were collected (d -21 and -10) to determine progesterone concentrations and assess cyclicity. Cattle were treated with a progesterone insert on d -10 and with 100 microg of GnRH or 1,000 IU of hCG. A PGF(2alpha) injection was given at insert removal on d -3. Cows were inseminated 62 h (d 0) after insert removal. On d 26 after first TAI, cows of unknown pregnancy status were treated with saline, GnRH, or hCG to initiate a CO-Synch protocol. Pregnancy was diagnosed 33 d after first TAI to determine pregnancies per AI (P/AI). Nonpregnant cows at 6 locations in yr 1 and 1 location in yr 2 were given PGF(2alpha) and inseminated 56 h later, concurrent with a GnRH injection. Five weeks later, pregnancy diagnosis was conducted to determine pregnancy loss after first TAI and pregnancy outcome of the second TAI. Injection of pre-TAI hCG reduced (P < 0.001) P/AI compared with GnRH, with a greater reduction in cycling cows. Post-TAI treatments had no negative effect on P/AI resulting from the first TAI. Serum progesterone was greater (P = 0.06) 7 d after pre-TAI hCG than after GnRH and greater (P < 0.05) after post-TAI hCG on d 26 compared with saline 7 d after treatment in association with greater frequency of multiple corpora lutea. Compared with saline, injections of post-TAI GnRH and hCG did not increase second insemination P/AI, and inconsistent results were detected among locations. Use of hCG in lieu of GnRH is contraindicated in a CO-Synch + progesterone insert protocol. Compared with a breeding season having only 1 TAI and longer exposure to cleanup bulls, total breeding season pregnancy rate was reduced by one-third, subsequent calving distribution was altered, and 50% more AI-sired calves were obtained by applying 2 TAI during the breeding season.

The relationship of obesity to the complications of diverticular disease.

OBJECTIVE: Diverticular disease is common in our community. Most patients remain asymptomatic and the development of diverticular complications is rare. A common clinical observation is that patients presenting with complications of diverticular disease are obese. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of obesity to the complications of diverticular disease. METHODS: The study was based on a retrospective case note review conducted at the Flinders Medical Centre between 1/7/1998 and 30/6/2003. Patients were identified using ICD codes and their body mass index (BMI) calculated. Controls were taken randomly from the colonoscopy database at The Flinders Medical Centre. Patients were divided into four groups, those admitted with diverticular perforation or abscess, recurrent diverticulitis, a single episode of diverticulitis and a control group of patients with uncomplicated diverticulosis. The mean BMI for each group was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed by one way anova test with significance set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were studied, including 16 patients with perforated diverticular disease, 11 randomly selected with recurrent diverticulitis, 16 patients with a single episode of diverticulitis and 18 controls. The control group had a significantly lower BMI than patients presenting with perforation (P = 0.001) or recurrent diverticulitis (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference between the control group and patients with a single episode of diverticulitis (P = 1.0). CONCLUSION: The study showed that patients with perforations and recurrent diverticulitis are significantly more obese than those who remain asymptomatic or have one episode. The aetiological relationship between obesity and diverticular complications remain unclear.

Left temporal lobe brain damage pattern on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.

This study supports an association of left temporal brain damage with the unusual WAIS subtest pattern of more impaired Information and Vocabulary than Similarities scores. Temporal lesions may impair well-learned verbal memory more than reasoning skills. Thirty-six patients with localized left hemisphere brain damage in the frontal, parietal or occipital, and temporal lobe were compared using an index in which Information and Vocabulary were contrasted to Similiarities. Index scores were adjusted for age. Seventy-five percent of the temporal patients had negative index scores, and 75% of the frontal patients had positive index scores. Temporal patients tended to score more negatively on the index than did frontal patients, p less than .05.

Comparing the short and long versions of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales.

Evidence is presented for the utilization of a shortened version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales. The results confirmed that the shortened versions retained adequate internal consistencies, test-retest reliabilities, and both concurrent and predictive validities over a 2 year period which were similar to the original longer versions.

Comparison of intermittent warm and cold blood perfusion during hypothermic myocardial preservation on functional and metabolic recovery.

Numerous techniques are used to maintain intraoperative heart viability. The studies presented here evaluated heart function and metabolism after various periods of preservation up to 4 hours with intermittent warm and cold blood perfusion. Using a heterotopic heart model cooled to 10 degrees C and maintained for 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours, various preservation techniques were compared. Changes in myocardial metabolism were determined from substrate uptakes and biopsy samples of the left ventricular muscle for high-energy phosphates. Preservation techniques included: (1) sustained hypothermia, (2) 1 or 2 hours of sustained warm blood perfusion with fibrillation, (3) intermittent cold blood perfusion during 2, 3, and 4 hours of preservation, (4) intermittent warm blood perfusion during 2, 3, and 4 hours of preservation and (5) a control group (no preservation). Normothermic fibrillation had no effect on postpreservation functional or metabolic parameters. Sustained hypothermia reduced functional recovery proportional to the length of ischemia. The cold intermittent procedures maintained function and metabolism better than sustained hypothermia, while warm intermittent preservation maintained function and metabolism at control levels throughout the recovery period for all preservation techniques. Changes in ATP mirrored the functional changes. Creatine phosphate (CP) was markedly reduced during heart isolation and preservation and exceeded the control by 100% during reperfusion. For operative procedures of 2 hours or less, functional and metabolic recovery was not affected by the various preservation methods applied. Warm intermittent perfusion during hypothermic preservation offered the best protection for the myocardium. The warming cycles during hypothermia may provide some degree of preconditioning and protect the myocardium during reperfusion.