The Isometopinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) of India and Sri Lanka: A Review of the Subfamily, with Descriptions of Six New Species.

The subfamily Isometopinae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) from India and Sri Lanka is reviewed. Nine genera and seventeen species are recorded from both countries, keyed, illustrated, and diagnosed. Six species are described as new: Astroscopometopus hesaraghattaensis, n. sp., Isometopus webbi, n. sp. and Isometopus wolskii, n. sp., Isometopidea viraktamathi, n. sp., Myiomma belavadii, n. sp., and Myiomma ramamurthyi, n. sp. Alcecoris periscopus McAtee and Malloch 1924, Isometopus yoshizawai Yasunaga Duwal, 2006 and Paloniella parallela Yasunaga Hayashi, 2002 are reported for the first time from India.

Standing intraoral extractions of cheek teeth aided by partial crown removal in 165 horses (2010-2016).

BACKGROUND: Diseased cheek teeth in horses often require invasive extraction techniques that carry a high rate of complications. Techniques and instrumentation were developed to perform partial crown removal to aid standing intraoral extraction of diseased cheek teeth in horses. OBJECTIVES: To analyse success rates and post-surgical complications in horses undergoing cheek teeth extraction assisted by partial crown removal. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: This study included 165 horses with 194 diseased cheek teeth that were extracted orally assisted by partial crown removal between 2010 and 2016. Medical records were analysed, including case details, obtained radiographs, surgical reports and follow-up information. Follow-up information (≥2 months) was obtained for 151 horses (91.5%). There were 95 horses examined post-operatively by the authors and, 16 horses by the referring veterinarian; in 40 horses, post-operative follow up was obtained by informal telephone interviews with the owner. RESULTS: Successful standing intraoral extraction of cheek teeth was obtained in 164/165 horses (99.4%). Twenty-five of these horses (15.2%) required additional intraoral extraction methods to complete the extraction, including minimally invasive transbuccal approach (n = 21) and tooth sectioning (n = 4). There was one (0.6%) horse with intraoral extraction failure that required standing repulsion to complete the extraction. The intraoperative complication of fractured root tips occurred in 11/165 horses (6.7%). Post-operative complications occurred in 6/165 horses (3.6%), including alveolar sequestra (n = 4), mild delay of alveolar healing at 2 months (n = 1), and development of a persistent draining tract secondary to a retained root tip (n = 1). MAIN LIMITATIONS: Specialised instrumentation and additional training in the technique are recommended to perform partial crown removal in horses. CONCLUSION: Horses with cheek teeth extraction by partial crown removal have an excellent prognosis for a positive outcome. The term partial coronectomy is proposed for this technique.

Radiographic evaluation in clinical practice of the types and stage of incisor tooth resorption and hypercementosis in horses.

BACKGROUND: There are several reports of incisor tooth resorption and hypercementosis in horses but, to date, studies have been limited in case numbers and to advanced lesions. Tooth resorption in other species is a radiographic diagnosis of types of resorption that are often identified before clinical signs. Our goal was to evaluate radiographically incisor tooth resorption in a large population of horses, utilising interpretation criteria from canine and human dentistry. OBJECTIVE: To document and classify incisor tooth resorption and hypercementosis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive case series. METHODS: Horses presented for routine dental care >5 years old were included only if owners were unaware of incisor pathology. Radiographs (three views) were obtained of the incisor teeth and incisor teeth resorption was classified according to the radiographic criteria described for man and dogs. Hypercementosis and its location were recorded. RESULTS: Tooth resorption was detected in 149 of 169 (88.2%) horses and 951 of 1952 (48.7%) of incisor teeth. The classification system used was applicable in 926 (97.2%) of 951 affected teeth. Hypercementosis was detected in 34 (20.1%) horses and 148 (7.6%) teeth. As horses increased in age, resorption and hypercementosis was more frequent; no significant differences were found among sex or breed categories. All horses with hypercementosis had resorption, but only 23.4% of horses with resorption had hypercementosis. Advanced (stage ≥3) resorption was detected in 159 (8.1%) teeth and 54 (32.0%) horses in an otherwise clinically healthy population. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Certain horses' anatomy precluded isolation of the mandibular third incisor teeth from the canine teeth due to superimposition. CONCLUSIONS: Incisor tooth resorption, in particular external replacement resorption and external inflammatory resorption, is common in horses. Hypercementosis is consistently associated with resorption, but the inverse association is inconsistent.

Chronic brachial plexopathies and upper extremity proprioception and strength.

Brachial plexopathies, where traction or compressive forces disrupt motor and sensory nerve conduction, are the most common nerve injuries in collision sports. Athletes frequently do not report these episodes, however, predisposing the brachial plexus to recurrent trauma. The purpose of this study was to identify how multiple injuries to the brachial plexus affects shoulder strength and proprioception. Ten male intercollegiate football players with at least three unilateral episodes of brachial plexopathies were tested an average of 10 weeks after the most recent episode. The uninvolved shoulder was used as the control. Isometric peak torque was assessed for shoulder abduction, external rotation, and elbow flexion. Proprioception was measured under two conditions: threshold to detection of passive motion and reproduction of passive positioning. Dependent t tests revealed significant mean differences (p < .05) between the involved and uninvolved extremity for abduction peak torque, overall mean peak torque, and one out of four conditions of threshold to detection of passive motion conditions. This was in the neutral position moving into external rotation. In addition, subjects with greater numbers of episodes exhibited larger strength deficits. The results of this study emphasize the need for timely re-evaluation of athletes with chronic brachial plexopathies.

Functional rehabilitation for the upper and lower extremity.

Functional rehabilitation is an extension of the traditional elements of physical therapy, the purpose of which is to return the athlete to highly complex movement patterns such as athletics. As well as the traditional elements of physical therapy such as strength and flexibility, the functional rehabilitation program incorporates agility and proprioceptive/kinesthetic training, which enables the athlete to participate at preinjury levels of activity while reducing the risk of recurrent injury. The functional rehabilitation program is designed to progress the athlete from simple activities, such as walking or jogging, to highly complex sport-specific activities that require refined levels of proprioceptive acuity. The final phase of the functional rehabilitation program is determining when the athlete is ready to resume participation in their respective sport. This is a very important and sometimes overlooked component of the functional rehabilitation program. The decision for returning an athlete to participation should be made using objective assessments of function that simulate sport activity whenever possible. Last, return to sport activity should be done gradually. Progression into the sport activity is essential to a full and healthy return to participation.

Plasma discharge in N2 + CH4 at low pressures: experimental results and applications to Titan.

We report the yields of gaseous hydrocarbons and nitriles produced in a continuous flow, low-dose, cold plasma discharge excited in a 10% CH4, 90% N2 atmosphere at 295 K and pressures p of 17 and 0.24 mbar, and use the results to compute expected abundances of minor constituents in Titan's atmosphere. These experiments are, by design, relevant to the atmospheric chemistry induced by cosmic rays in Titan's troposphere and (at the lower pressure) to chemistry initiated by Saturnian magnetospheric electrons and other charged particle sources which excite stratospheric aurorae. At p = 17 mbar, 59 gaseous species including 27 nitriles are detected in overall yield 4.0 (C + N) atoms incorporated into products per 100 eV (heV). At p = 0.24 mbar, 19 species are detected, including six nitriles and three other unidentified N-bearing compounds; the yield is 0.79 (C + N)/heV, a mild decrease with pressure. The types of molecules formed change more markedly, with high degrees of multiple bonding at 0.24 mbar prevailing over more H-saturated molecules at 17 mbar. The molecules and yields at 0.24 mbar bear a striking resemblance to the minor constituents found in Titan's atmosphere, all of which are abundant products in the laboratory experiment. Using the altitude-integrated flux of charged particle energy deposition at Titan, the laboratory yields at p = 0.24 mb, and a simple eddy mixing model, we compute absolute stratospheric column abundances and mole fractions. These are found to be in very good agreement with the Voyager IRIS observations. Except for the primarily photochemical products, C2H6 and C3H8, the match is much better than that obtained by photochemical-kinetic models, demonstrating that properly designed laboratory experiments are directly applicable to modeling radiation-chemical processes in planetary atmospheres. On the basis of this agreement we expect CH3-C triple bond N (ethanenitrile = acetonitrile) CH2=CH-CH=CH2 (1,3-butadiene), CH2=C=CH2 (1,2-propadiene = allene), and CH2=CH-C triple bond CH (1-buten-3-yne) to be present at mol fractions X > 10(-9), and CH2=CH-C triple bond N (propenenitrile), CH3-CH=CH2 (propene), and CH3-CH2-C triple bond N (propanenitrile) at X > 10(-10) in Titan's atmosphere.

Laboratory validation and field verification of a new passive air monitoring badge for sampling ethylene oxide in air.

A new diffusion colorimetric air monitoring badge for sampling ethylene oxide is described. The Du Pont Pro-Tek C-70 badge has been laboratory validated over the range of 4-375 ppm-hours (0.5-47 ppm on an 8-hour TWA) using standard spectrophotometer readout in 1 centimeter (10 mm) cells. The lower range can be extended to 2 ppm-hours (0.25 ppm) by using 4 cm (40 mm) cells. The badge has an overall sampling and analytical method accuracy of +/- 13.5%. It meets NIOSH accuracy criteria and has a mean coefficient of variation CVT = 0.059. The badge has no temperature, pressure, relative humidity or face velocity effects over practical ranges. The response time is adequate to sample peak concentrations over short time periods. The badge may be used to determine ambient formaldehyde levels if suspected to be present along with ethylene oxide. Badges are shown to agree very well with the industry accepted and proposed ASTM pump/charcoal tube method in three extensive plant field tests. Badges were more precise than the charcoal tube/pump method in all field tests conducted.

Laboratory validation and field verification of a new passive colorimetric air monitoring badge for sampling hydrogen sulfide in air.

The Pro-Tek passive colorimetric air monitoring badge for personal or area sampling of hydrogen sulfide is described. The badge has been validated over the range of 1.8 to 164 ppm-hours (0.23-21 ppm on an 8-hour TWA basis). It has an overall accuracy throughout this range of +/- 15.9% and meets the NIOSH accuracy criteria for an analytical and sampling method. The colorimetric analytical method used is based on the Texas Air Control Board's Molybdenum Blue method. Color-activated exposed badge solutions are read out on a standard laboratory spectrophotometer using 1 centimeter (10 mm) cells. Variations in exposure temperature (between 10 degrees and 40 degrees C), relative humidity, and face velocity (between 2 and 250 ft/min) do not affect badge performance. Unexposed badges are stable for more than 12 months refrigerated and for two months at room temperature.

Laboratory and field comparison of three methods for monitoring sulfur dioxide in air.

The purpose of this test was to establish the relative response of Du Pont Pro-Tek C-20 SO2 air monitoring badges with NIOSH Physical and Chemical Analytical Methods (P&CAM S308 and 160) in field tests at a steel mill blast furnace area during normal slag release operations. No significant difference was found at the 95% confidence level between the badges and P&CAM S308. The correlation coefficient between the badges and P&CAM S308 was 0.996. The NIOSH P&CAM 160 gave considerably lower results in the field. Exposures ranged from 6.3 to 35.4 ppm airborne sulfur dioxide. Analysis of field-exposed badges stored for five days at room temperature showed no loss of absorbed SO2 when compared with badges analyzed immediately. Prior to field testing, badges and impingers were validated in the laboratory using certified gas cylinders containing SO2 in air over the anticipated exposure range. Both impinger methods, when validated in the laboratory, met NIOSH accuracy requirements for a sampling and analytical method.

Molecular relationship of the DNA and RNA of intracytoplasmic A particles to mouse and mammary tumour virus genomes.

We have directly tested the hypothesis that single-stranded cytoplasmic A particle-associated DNA (ss CAP DNA) is a murine mammary tumour virus (MMTV) proviral intermediate by hybridizing 125I-labelled ss CAP DNA to MMTV RNA or to MMTV complementary DNA (cDNA). 125I-labelled CAP DNA did not form duplexes with either MMTV RNA or MMTV cDNA. In contrast, CAP RNA hybridized readily with MMTV cDNA. CAP RNA contained all the MMTV virus sequences, but at lower concentrations than in MMTV virus particles. Single-stranded CAP DNA hybridized readily with mouse DNA from several sources. A study of the rate of hybridization of CAP DNA to cell DNA at various driver to probe ratios showed that its rate of hybridization is similar to that of tumour cell DNA reassociation. Further, in reassociation studies accelerated by using the phenol emulsion reassociation technique (PERT), CAP DNA originally isolated as single-stranded DNA was shown to reanneal (70%), to protect 125I-cell DNA to the same extent (67%) and to do so with kinetics of reassociation equivalent to that of mouse DNA. Although CAP DNA isolates were slightly enriched for MMTV specific sequences when compared to total cellular DNA, we conclude that the majority of ss CAP-associated DNA is equivalent to a random sample of total tumour cell DNA.

Isolation and function of the gene A initiator of bacteriophage phi-chi 174, a highly specific DNA endonuclease.

The gene A product of Escherichia coli bacteriophage varphiX 174, necessary for initiation of varphiX DNA synthesis, has been identified and purified to near homogeneity. The gene A protein is shown to be a highly specific DNA endonuclease which breaks one phosphodiester bond in the viral strand of either double-stranded, circular varphiX replicative form I (RFI), or in single-stranded, circular varphiX viral DNA; it is inactive against all other species of DNA tested.

Purification of single- and double-length M13 virions by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Complete separation of single- and double-length M13 virions from each other and from still-longer phage particles was achieved by electrophoresis of phage stocks through 2.5% polyacrylamide gels.

The proteins of bacteriophage M13.

Particles of the small filamentous coliphage M13 contain not only the major coat protein, which is the product of phage gene 8, but also a minor coat protein, the A protein, which is the product of gene 3. The A protein has a molecular weight of approximately 70,000 daltons, is present in one copy per virion, and is responsible for phage attachment to host cells. Also associated with purified M13 particles is a minor quantity of very small proteinaceous material, but its origin as a phage-coded product has not been demonstrated. At least five phage-specific proteins, including the two coat proteins, are present in appreciable quantities in M13-infected cells. The principal phage protein synthesized is the product of gene 5, which is responsible for phage single-stranded DNA synthesis. This protein has a molecular weight of about 8,000 daltons. Its precise function in DNA synthesis is not yet known. Phage proteins are synthesized at nearly normal rates in cells in which replication of phage double-stranded DNA is blocked by gene 2 mutations. This result suggests that the initial double-stranded DNA molecule serves as the principal template, perhaps the only template, for phage messenger RNA synthesis.