Introduction and establishment of Euwallacea fornicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Brazil.

Euwallacea fornicatus is an invasive tree pest able to infest healthy plants and cause damage to many host plants. This beetle has become established in several countries where it was introduced. It has now become established in Brazil, and while the original introduction site remains uncertain, there is a possibility of multiple introductions. We report the first evidence for the establishment of E. fornicatus with molecular confirmation, as well as its distribution, and host plants in Brazil. Euwallacea fornicatus has spread to main commercial avocado groves, other monocultures, and native vegetation in the country, and its pest status puts it as a threat, mainly to Brazilian avocado producers.

Working memory prioritisation effects in tactile immediate serial recall.

There is a growing body of evidence that higher-value information can be prioritised for both visual and auditory working memory. The present study examines whether valuable items can similarly be prioritised for the tactile domain. Employing an immediate serial recall procedure (ISR), participants reconstructed a 6-item tactile sequence by moving their fingers in the order of original stimulation. Participants were informed either that one serial position was worth notionally more points (prioritisation condition) or that all items were of equal value (control condition). For Experiment 1 (N = 48), significant boosts in correct recall were evident when serial positions 4 or 5 were more valuable (i.e., prioritisation effects). Experiment 2 (N = 24) demonstrated that the prioritisation effect persisted with concurrent articulation, suggesting that task performance was not a function of verbal recoding and rehearsal of the tactile information. Importantly, a significant recall cost for low-value (non-prioritised) items within the sequence was evident for both experiments. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that (1) prioritisation effects transfer to the tactile domain and (2) finite attentional resources can be deliberately and strategically redistributed to specific items within a sequence, dependent upon the prevailing task demands.

Angiotensin-II for vasoplegia following cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to describe the implementation and outcomes of a protocol outlining angiotensin-II utilization for vasoplegia following cardiac surgery. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review at a single-center university hospital. Included patients received angiotensin-II for vasoplegia refractory to standard interventions, including norepinephrine 20 mcg/min and vasopressin 0.04 units/min, following cardiac surgery between April 2021 and April 2022. RESULTS: 30 patients received angiotensin-II for refractory vasoplegia. Adjunctive agents at angiotensin-II initiation included corticosteroids (26 patients; 87%), epinephrine (26 patients; 87%), dobutamine (17 patients; 57%), dopamine (9 patients; 30%), milrinone (2 patients; 7%), and hydroxocobalamin (4 patients; 13%). At 3 hours, the median mean arterial pressure increased from baseline (70 vs 61.5 mmHg, p = .0006). Median norepinephrine doses at angiotensin-II initiation, 1 hour, 3 hours, and angiotensin-II discontinuation were 0.22, 0.16 (p = .0023), 0.10 (p < .0001), and 0.07 (p < .0001) mcg/kg/min. Median dobutamine doses decreased throughout angiotensin-II infusion from eight to six mcg/kg/min (p = .0313). Other vasoactive medication doses were unchanged. Three patients (10%) subsequently received hydroxocobalamin. Thirteen (43.3%) and five (16.7%) patients experienced mortality by day 28 and venous or arterial thrombosis events, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of angiotensin-II to vasoplegic patients following cardiac surgery was associated with increased mean arterial pressure, reduced norepinephrine dosages, and reduced dobutamine dosages.

Office-based facial plastics procedures: Neuromodulators.

Botulinum toxin is a potent neuromodulator commonly used for cosmetic applications in the clinic. In this article, we reviewed the various formulations of botulinum toxin type A commercially available in the United States, as well as clinical pearls for preprocedural planning, common in-office injections, and management of complications.

The tribal placement of Urocorthylus Petrov, Mandelshtam & Beaver, with a description of the male of U. hirtellus Petrov et al., and notes on its biology (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

We show, using molecular data, that the enigmatic genus Urocorthylus Petrov, Mandelshtam & Beaver from Southeast Asia belongs in the scolytine tribe, Dryocoetini, and not in the almost wholly American tribe Corthylini, where it was originally placed. The male of Urocorthylus hirtellus Petrov, Mandelshtam & Beaver is described and figured for the first time, and new records from China are presented. Urocorthylus hirtellus is a bark beetle, and not an ambrosia beetle as originally hypothesised. Keys are provided to the genus within the Dryocoetini, and to the two species included in the genus.

Pharmacist Practice Patterns Regarding Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly prescribed for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, little is known regarding pharmacists' practice patterns and preferences in clinical areas of contention, such as initiation dosing, obesity, and renal impairment. Objective: To determine pharmacist trends in practice regarding DOACs for the treatment of VTE overall and within areas of clinical controversy. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to pharmacists in the United States through national and state pharmacy organizations. Responses were collected for 30 days. Results: One hundred fifty-three complete responses were submitted. The majority of pharmacists preferred apixaban (90.2%) for the oral treatment of venous thromboembolism. When initiating apixaban or rivaroxaban for a new VTE, 76% and 64% of pharmacists surveyed, respectively, state the duration of the initiation dose phases are reduced if the patient received parenteral anticoagulation. Fifty-eight percent of pharmacists used body mass index to evaluate the appropriateness of DOACs in obese patients whereas 42% used total body weight. Preference for rivaroxaban (31.4%) was higher in this population compared to the global population (10%). Apixaban was preferred for patients with renal impairment (92.2%). However, as creatinine clearance as calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault equation (CrCl) reduced to ≤15 milliliters/minute (mL/min), preference for warfarin increased (36%). Conclusion: This national survey of pharmacists demonstrated an overall preference for apixaban and significant variability in practice patterns regarding DOACs for patients with new VTE, patients with obesity, and patients with renal impairment. Further research is warranted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DOAC initiation dosing phase modifications. Prospective evaluations of DOACs in obese and renal dysfunction populations would confirm the safety and efficacy of DOACs in these populations.

Intentional and incidental odour-colour binding in working memory.

The question of how features are bound together in working memory has become a topic of much research in recent years. However, this is typically focused on visual and/or auditory stimuli. The purpose of this study is to apply established feature binding procedures to investigate odour binding in working memory. Across three experiments, memory for intentionally and incidentally formed odour-colour pairings was tested. Experiment 1 showed that following explicit instruction to remember the odour-colour combinations, young adults can recall lists of 3-pairings at levels above that of chance and exhibit a recency advantage for the last pairing. In Experiment 2 participants were asked to prioritise the first pairing in the list or treat all pairings equally. We observed only limited evidence of prioritisation affecting the serial position function. Experiment 3 explored incidental odour-colour binding. Using a yes/no recognition procedure, accuracy did not differ for positive test probes presented in the same (bound) or different (unbound) colour to encoding. This study is one of the first to examine odour-colour binding in working memory and, taking the evidence together, suggests that odour-colour bindings can be formed in working memory; however, functionality may be limited compared to that of visual feature binding.

Uncharted Territories: First report of Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff) in South America with new reproductive hosts records.

We report the presence of the invasive ambrosia beetle, Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff, 1868), for the first time in South America. The identity is established by morphological and molecular methods, although the sequences suggest that it represents a separate haplotype from the populations that have caused significant damage in South Africa, Israel, and California, and is most phylogenetically similar to specimens from Asia and greenhouses in Europe. This pest is one of the most successful invaders, causing high economic and ecological impacts in the regions where it is introduced. Our records are from the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, one of the most populated and largest port cities in South America, where attacks by this beetle are present on a wide range of living street trees. The large number of trees attacked and the new records of reproductive host species suggest that the beetle is already established and widespread in the citys urban forest. This context implies that the beetle may pose a threat to the urban and natural environment, as well as to the forests and fruit production of the region. Informamos la presencia del escarabajo invasor de ambrosa, Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff, 1868), por primera vez en Sudamrica. La identificacin se estableci mediante mtodos morfolgicos y moleculares, si bien las secuencias sugieren que representa un haplotipo distinto de las poblaciones que han causado daos significativos en Sudfrica, Israel y California, resulta filogenticamente ms similar a especmenes de Asia e invernaderos de Europa. Esta plaga es una de las especies invasoras ms exitosas, causando altos impactos econmicos y ecolgicos en las regiones donde es introducida. Nuestros registros provienen de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, una de las ciudades portuarias ms pobladas y grandes de Sudamrica, donde los ataques de este coleptero estn presentes en una amplia diversidad de especies pertenecientes al arbolado urbano. El gran nmero de rboles atacados y los nuevos registros de especies hospedadoras reproductoras sugieren que el coleptero ya est establecido y extendido en el bosque urbano de la ciudad. Este contexto implica que el coleptero puede suponer una amenaza para el medio urbano y natural, as como para los bosques y la produccin frutcola de la regin.

Cash transfers and nutrition education to improve dietary diversity among children aged 6-23 months in Grand Gedeh County, Liberia: a cluster-randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of a cash transfer and nutrition education program on dietary diversity among children in Liberia. We hypothesized that a multi-pronged intervention would result in improved dietary diversity among children. METHODS: We conducted a three-armed, cluster-randomized study in 42 communities (12 children per community) in Grand Gedeh County, Liberia, over a 12-month period. We randomly assigned communities to control (n = 14 communities), those that received both bimonthly cash transfers and a structured nutrition education program (n = 14 communities) and those that received bimonthly cash transfers alone (n = 14 communities). Community health assistants conducted bimonthly assessments in participants' homes. The primary outcome was the proportion of children aged 6-23 months who met minimum dietary diversity score (i.e., ≥4 food groups consumed per day). Secondary outcomes included meal frequency and healthcare utilization for illnesses (NCT04101487). RESULTS: There were 599 children enrolled; 533 (88.9%) were retained through the trial period. The proportion of children who consumed ≥4 food groups per day did not differ among the three arms. However, children randomized to receive cash transfers had higher dietary diversity scores than the control group. Children in communities that received cash transfers alone and with nutrition education consumed significantly more meals per day and were less likely to have visits to clinics or hospitals for illnesses than children in control communities. CONCLUSION: Bimonthly, unconditional cash transfers and nutrition education were associated with higher dietary diversity scores, greater meal frequency, and fewer healthcare visits for illnesses among children aged 6-23 months.

Worldwide, more than one in five children suffers from chronic malnutrition. Children aged <2 years who do not eat a diverse diet are at risk of chronic malnutrition and stunting of their height. Thus, interventions are needed to combat the common problem of chronic malnutrition, particularly in settings like rural Liberia where as much as 30% of children are stunted. In this study, caregivers of children aged 6­23 months in rural communities in Eastern Liberia were randomly assigned to receive either bimonthly cash transfers, bimonthly cash transfers and specific nutrition education, or routine support from community health assistants to see if giving caregivers money and nutrition education would increase the dietary diversity of their young children. There were 599 children enrolled and 533 were retained over a 12-month study period. Children in communities randomized to receive cash transfers had higher dietary diversity scores than the control group. Children in communities that received cash transfers alone and with nutrition education consumed significantly more meals per day and were less likely to have visits to clinics or hospitals for illnesses than children in control communities. Unconditional cash transfers in rural Liberia may be one way to reduce inadequate dietary diversity among young children.

In-hospital Initiation and Up-titration of Guideline-directed Medical Therapies for Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy for patients with heart failure is suboptimal. The use of guideline-directed medical therapy improves minimally after heart failure hospitalisation, despite this event clearly indicating increased risk of further hospitalisation and death. In-hospital initiation and titration of guideline-directed medical therapies is one potential strategy to fill these gaps in care, both in the acute vulnerable period after hospital discharge and in the long term. The purpose of this article is to review the knowledge gaps in best practices of in-hospital initiation and up-titration of guideline-directed medical therapies, the benefits and risks of in-hospital initiation and post-discharge focused titration of guideline-directed medical therapies, the recent literature evaluating these practices, and propose strategies to apply these principles to the care of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Uneven but Conservative Pacing Is Associated With Performance During Uphill and Downhill Running.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between pacing strategy and performance during uphill and downhill running-specifically, what distribution of energy corresponds to faster race finish times between and among participants. METHODS: Eighteen years of race data from a 10.2-mile running race with an uphill first half and a downhill second half were analyzed to identify relationships between pacing and performance. A pacing coefficient (PC), equal to a participant's ascent time divided by finishing time (FT), was used to define each participant's pacing strategy. The American College of Sports Medicine metabolic running equation was used to estimate energy expenditure during the ascent, descent, and total race. Statistical analyses compared participants' PC to their FT and finishing place within their age and gender category. Additionally, FT and finishing place were compared between groups of participants who exhibited similar pacing strategies. RESULTS: PCs were positively associated with faster FTs (r2 = .120, P < .001) and better finishing positions (r2 = .104, P < .001). PCs above .600 were associated with the fastest average FTs and best average finishing position within age and gender categories (all P ≤ .047). CONCLUSIONS: Participants performed the best when energy expenditure increased no more than 10.4% during the uphill portion compared to their overall average. It is not possible to state that overly aggressive uphill efforts resulted in premature fatigue and thus slower decent times and worse race performance. However, participants should still avoid overly aggressive uphill pacing, as performance was associated with larger PCs.

Collecting and preserving bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae & Platypodinae).

This protocol describes the different methods to collect and preserve bark and ambrosia beetles, detailing collecting tools, recording relevant data, and optimizing step-by-step methods to extract beetles from twigs, branches, bark, and trunks. It elaborates on trapping techniques, tools, lures, baits, and beetle preservation. The main rule of manual collecting is to not attempt to pry the insect out of the wood or bark, but instead, remove the wood/bark away from the beetle: gently and systematically. The main rule of trapping is that there is no general attractant; instead, attractants and traps should reflect the ecology of the targeted beetle taxa.

Integrity performance assessment of a closed system transfer device syringe adaptor lock as a terminal closure for Luer-Lock syringes.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the container closure integrity of a closed system transfer device syringe adaptor lock in combination with disposable Luer-Lock syringes as the terminal closure device. The UK National Health Service (NHS) Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Committee (PQAC) requires syringe integrity data for final storage devices of aseptic products such as chemotherapy drugs when prepared in advance and stored before use, as is standard practice for dose banded drugs. The assessment comprised both physical and microbial integrity testing of the combination closed system/Luer-Lock syringe containers at syringe sizes of 1 mL, 20 mL, and 50 mL. METHODS: Integrity testing was performed as described in the NHS Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Committee yellow cover document, second edition 2013 'Protocols for the Integrity Testing of Syringes', with Chemfort (Simplivia, IL) syringe adaptor lock (SAL) devices as replacement for sterile blind hubs. Microbiological integrity was assessed according to method 1 part 1.4 using Brevundimonas diminuta at 32°C for up to 14 days of contact time. Two positive control devices per syringe size were tested using a blind hub cap as closure which was loosened before the test. Physical integrity was assessed using method 3 of the yellow cover document which is a dye intrusion method. Dye intrusion was assessed both visually and using a validated ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer method. For each size/batch of test articles a positive control device (n=1) was assessed using a wire wrapped around the syringe plunger tip deliberately compromising integrity. Negative controls for each size (n=1) consisted of devices not immersed in methylene blue dye. RESULTS: Chemfort syringe adaptor lock/Luer-Lock syringe combinations were shown to be: (1) free of microbiological contamination after 14 days of contact time (n=60); and (2) free of dye intrusion at all syringe sizes tested (n=61 in total). The data demonstrate 100% closure integrity of the final container system when the Chemfort syringe adaptor lock replaces the syringe hub as the terminal closure device. All positive control devices demonstrated system suitability as container integrity was compromised in all positive control tests. All negative controls were negative for microbial and dye intrusion. CONCLUSIONS: Syringe adaptor lock components complied with the NHS Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Committee yellow cover document syringe integrity requirements when used as the terminal closure of Luer-Lock disposable syringes from 1 mL up to 50 mL. Therefore, syringe adaptor lock (Chemfort) can be used as the terminal closure system for pre-filled syringes of chemotherapeutic drug products prepared in advance in UK NHS pharmacy technical services.

Preinvasion Assessment of Exotic Bark Beetle-Vectored Fungi to Detect Tree-Killing Pathogens.

Exotic diseases and pests of trees have caused continental-scale disturbances in forest ecosystems and industries, and their invasions are considered largely unpredictable. We tested the concept of preinvasion assessment of not yet invasive organisms, which enables empirical risk assessment of potential invasion and impact. Our example assesses fungi associated with Old World bark and ambrosia beetles and their potential to impact North American trees. We selected 55 Asian and European scolytine beetle species using host use, economic, and regulatory criteria. We isolated 111 of their most consistent fungal associates and tested their effect on four important southeastern American pine and oak species. Our test dataset found no highly virulent pathogens that should be classified as an imminent threat. Twenty-two fungal species were minor pathogens, which may require context-dependent response for their vectors at North American borders, while most of the tested fungi displayed no significant impact. Our results are significant in three ways; they ease the concerns over multiple overseas fungus vectors suspected of heightened potential risk, they provide a basis for the focus on the prevention of introduction and establishment of species that may be of consequence, and they demonstrate that preinvasion assessment, if scaled up, can support practical risk assessment of exotic pathogens.

Diversity and Evolution of Entomocorticium (Russulales, Peniophoraceae), a Genus of Bark Beetle Mutualists Derived from Free-Living, Wood Rotting Peniophora.

Symbiosis between insects and fungi arose multiple times during the evolution of both groups, and some of the most biologically diverse and economically important are mutualisms in which the insects cultivate and feed on fungi. Among these are bark beetles, whose ascomycetous cultivars are better known and studied than their frequently-overlooked and poorly understood basidiomycetous partners. In this study, we propose five new species of Entomocorticium, fungal mutualists in the Russulales (Basidiomycota) that are mutualistic symbionts of scolytine beetles. We have isolated these fungi from the beetle mycangia, which are structures adapted for the selective storage and transportation of fungal mutualists. Herein, we present the most complete phylogeny of the closely related genera Entomocorticium and Peniophora and provide insights into how an insect-associated taxon (Entomocorticium) evolved from within a wood-decaying, wind-dispersed lineage (Peniophora). Our results indicate that following a transition from angiosperms to gymnosperms, fungal domestication by beetles facilitated the evolution and diversification of Entomocorticium. We additionally propose four new species: Entomocorticium fibulatum Araújo, Li & Hulcr, sp. nov.; E. belizense Araújo, Li & Hulcr, sp. nov.; E. perryae Araújo, Li & Hulcr, sp. nov.; and E. macrovesiculatum Araújo, Li, Six & Hulcr, sp. nov. Our findings highlight the fact that insect-fungi associations remain an understudied field and that these associations harbor a large reservoir of novel fungal species.

New records and taxonomic notes on Cryphalus Erichson, 1836 in Hawaii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

We review the taxonomy and provide identification resources for the species of Cryphalus Erichson, 1836 from the Hawaiian Islands. Five species are present, Cryphalus brasiliensis (Schedl, 1976) new country record, Cryphalus mangiferae Stebbing, 1914, Cryphalus negrosensis Browne, 1979, Cryphalus sylvicola (Perkins, 1900), and Cryphalus trypanoides (Beeson, 1935) (= Cryphalus mollis Schedl, 1955 syn. nov.). Additionally, while reviewing the species, two species not present in Hawaii are resurrected from synonymy with C. sylvicola: Cryphalus pini (Hopkins, 1915) stat. res. and Cryphalus swezeyi (Schedl, 1942) stat. res. None of the Hawaiian species are endemic, and most are known from most major Pacific islands, and presumed introduced. Cryphalus negrosensis is a likely recent introduction and is a frugivorous scolytine, collected from a wide range of fruits, and found breeding in Artocarpus altilis fruit pulp.

The Aryne-Abramov Reaction as a 1,2-Benzdiyne Platform for the Generation and Solvent-Dependent Trapping of 3-Phosphonyl Benzynes.

Synthetic methodology utilizing two aryne intermediates (i.e., a formal benzdiyne) enables the rapid generation of structurally complex molecules with diverse functionality. This report describes the sequential generation of two ortho-benzyne intermediates for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted aryl phosphonates. Aryl phosphonates have proven useful in medicinal chemistry and materials science, and the reported methodology provides a two-step route to functionally dense variants by way of 3-phosphonyl benzyne intermediates. The process begins with regioselective trapping of a 3-trifloxybenzyne intermediate by an O-silyl phosphite in an Abramov-like reaction to bond the strained Csp carbons with phosphorus and silicon. Standard aryne-generating conditions follow to convert the resulting 2-silylphenyl triflate into a 3-phosphonyl benzyne, which readily reacts with numerous aryne trapping reactants to form a variety of 2,3-difunctionalized aryl phosphonate products. DFT computational studies shed light on important mechanistic details and revealed that 3-phosphonyl benzynes are highly polarizable. Specifically, the distortion in the internal bond angles at each of the Csp atoms was strongly influenced by both the electronegativity of the phosphonate ester groups as well as the dielectric of the computational solvation model. These effects were verified experimentally as the regioselectivity of benzyl azide trapping increased with more electronegative esters and/or increasingly polar solvents. Conversely, replacing the conventional solvent, acetonitrile, with nonpolar alternatives provided attenuated or even inverted selectivities. Overall, these studies showcase new reactivity of benzyne intermediates and extend the aryne relay methodology to include organophosphonates. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that the regioselectivity of aryne trapping reactions could be tuned by simply changing the solvent.

Another new exotic bark beetle in Florida: Ernoporus parvulus (Eggers, 1943) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), with additional taxonomic changes.

The bark beetle, Ernoporus parvulus (Eggers, 1943) was collected from Pinellas County, Florida, USA representing the first North American record of the genus. Two species previously described from the Caribbean were examined and are synonymous: Ernoporus minutus (Bright Torres, 2006) syn. nov. and E. exquisitus (Bright, 2019) syn. nov. This beetle is likely an overlooked exotic from Africa, known only from sea hibiscus, Talipariti tiliaceum (L.) Fryxell (Malvaceae). There is no evidence that this is a threat to commercial or ornamental Hibiscus and related species.

Sharing Personal Memories on Ephemeral Social Media Facilitates Autobiographical Memory.

The mnemonic effect of posting personal experiences on ephemeral social media was examined. Participants completed a daily diary for 6 consecutive days. On alternate days they were instructed to use, or refrain from using, the ephemeral social media platform Snapchat. At the end of the week, participants received a surprise memory test for the contents of the diaries. We observed significantly superior recall for memories encoded on the Snapchat days, demonstrating memory facilitation despite memory type equivalency across the posting and no posting conditions. The study is the first to examine the effect of Snapchat use on autobiographical memory, with the findings supporting previous work showing that posting on social media facilitates memory. Given the ephemerality of Snapchat posts, the reported improvement in memory contradicts the notion that cognitive offloading occurs automatically when posting memories online.