The Spatial Distribution of the House Mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, in Multi-Family Dwellings

The house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, creates significant public health risks for residents in low-income multi-family dwellings (MFDs). This study was designed to evaluate the spatial distribution of house mice in MFDs. Four low-income high-rise apartment buildings in three cities in New Jersey were selected for building-wide monitoring on two occasions with approximately one year between the monitoring events. The presence of a house mouse infestation was determined by placing mouse bait stations with three different non-toxic baits for a one-week period in all accessible units as well as common areas. Permutation tests were conducted to evaluate house mouse infestation spatial patterns. All four analyzed buildings exhibited a significant correlation between apartments with house mouse infestations and whether they share a common wall or ceiling/floor at both sampling periods except one building during the second inspection, which contained a high number of isolated apartments. Foraging ranges, speed of locomotion, and dispersal behavior of house mice are relatively larger, faster, and more common, respectively, compared to common urban arthropod pests. This could lead to the conclusion that house mice are as likely to infest non-neighboring apartments as those that share a wall or floor/ceiling. However, these results demonstrate that house mouse infestations tend to occur among apartments that share common walls or ceilings/floors. This spatial distribution pattern can be utilized in rodent management plans to improve the efficiency of house mouse management programs in MFDs.

Predation on Common Wall Lizards: Survival Probabilities of Melanic Individuals

For estimation of predation plasticine models of prey animals are often used, because the soft material preserves imprints left by predators. We assumed that melanic common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) disappear by selective predation faster than cryptic individuals and habitat features have important role in this process. We studied the survival probabilities of cryptic and melanic colored plasticine common wall lizard models in habitats with different background coloration on selected places near the city of Pécs (south Hungary), where melanic common wall lizards had been observed earlier. Contrary to our expectations the daily survival rates of melanic plasticine common wall lizards were somewhat higher in all three locations (sandstone quarry, stone wall, coal pit) than those of the cryptic ones, but these differences were not significant. Predators were mostly mammals, which left more marks on plasticine models than birds, but we could not show a preference of the body parts of prey. We concluded that rare occurrence of melanic common wall lizards in habitats near the city of Pécs is not due to predation pressure.

“Type C appendicular duplication with patent vitello-intestinal duct—an unforeseen association”—a case report

Background Gastrointestinal duplications are uncommon occurring in 1 in 5000 live births. Small intestine is commonly involved, while appendicular duplications are extremely rare. Vitelline duct anomalies arise due to failure of involution of the omphalomesenteric duct. Their spectrum ranges from a simple umbilical sinus to completely patent omphalomesenteric fistulae. We report here a rare association of complete appendico-cecal duplication with patent vitello-intestinal duct (PVID). Case presentation A 14-year-old girl who presented with complaints of scant, foul smelling, and feculent discharge from umbilicus intermittently since birth was evaluated and diagnosed to have a patent vitello-intestinal duct. At laparotomy, a patent vitello-intestinal tract opening unusually at the ileo-cecal junction was noted. In addition, an appendico-cecal duplication cyst bearing an appendix on the mesenteric side and a 4-cm long orthotopic appendix on the native cecum was found with the duplex cecum sharing a common wall and blood supply. The terminal ileum with the duplication and patent vitello-intestinal duct were excised in toto, and an end-to-end ileo-ascending anastomosis was done. The child is well at 1 year follow-up. Conclusion A complete appendico-cecal (Type C) duplication with ectopically inserted patent vitello-intestinal duct is reported here as an unusual association, discussing its management and the probable disarray in the embryological development.

Effect of Low Temperature on Changes in AGP Distribution during Development of Bellis perennis Ovules and Anthers

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are a class of heavily glycosylated proteins occurring as a structural element of the cell wall-plasma membrane continuum. The features of AGPs described earlier suggest that the proteins may be implicated in plant adaptation to stress conditions in important developmental phases during the plant reproduction process. In this paper, the microscopic and immunocytochemical studies conducted using specific antibodies (JIM13, JIM15, MAC207) recognizing the carbohydrate chains of AGPs showed significant changes in the AGP distribution in female and male reproductive structures during the first stages of Bellis perennis development. In typical conditions, AGPs are characterized by a specific persistent spatio-temporal pattern of distribution. AGP epitopes are visible in the cell walls of somatic cells and in the megasporocyte walls, megaspores, and embryo sac at every stage of formation. During development in stress conditions, the AGP localization is altered, and AGPs entirely disappear in the embryo sac wall. In the case of male development, AGPs are present in the tapetum, microsporocytes, and microspores in normal conditions. In response to development at lower temperature, AGPs are localized in the common wall of microspores and in mature pollen grains. Additionally, they are accumulated in remnants of tapetum cells.

Quantifying air leakage through party walls in Toronto semidetached and row-home dwellings

This study contributes to the development of quantifying and understanding building air tightness as it relates to Toronto semi-detached and row homes, particularly party walls. While infiltration characteristics of single family detached homes have been widely developed and understood, the isolation of semi-detached and row home single family dwelling units is relatively unexplored. When quantifying air leakage in a building attached to an adjacent dwelling unit, air is drawn through the exterior envelope as well as the party wall (i.e. shared common wall). The purpose of the proposed testing method, guarded blower door testing, is to isolate air leakage through the party wall from the envelope. Currently the party wall is considered a fire-rated assembly but is not part of the air barrier system. Issues associated with party wall air leakage include spread of fire, indoor air quality, transfer of tobacco smoke between dwellings, and heat loss through the party to attic detail. Data collected on buildings constructed between 1890 and 1920 (Century buildings) has been compared to the data collected on buildings constructed between 2012 to 2017 (new buildings). Air leakage has been collected on twenty-six of Century semi-detached homes with solid masonry construction and twenty-one new semi-detached/row homes of lightweight wood frame construction. Each unit was tested independently and simultaneously, or “guarded”, with the adjacent unit, to pressure neutralize allowing for quantification of envelope and party wall air leakage. Party wall leakage was found to be similar to leakage through the exterior walls. The leakage accounted for 22% of the total infiltration in Century old buildings and 38% in Modern dwellings.

Quantifying air leakage through party walls in Toronto semidetached and row-home dwellings

This study contributes to the development of quantifying and understanding building air tightness as it relates to Toronto semi-detached and row homes, particularly party walls. While infiltration characteristics of single family detached homes have been widely developed and understood, the isolation of semi-detached and row home single family dwelling units is relatively unexplored. When quantifying air leakage in a building attached to an adjacent dwelling unit, air is drawn through the exterior envelope as well as the party wall (i.e. shared common wall). The purpose of the proposed testing method, guarded blower door testing, is to isolate air leakage through the party wall from the envelope. Currently the party wall is considered a fire-rated assembly but is not part of the air barrier system. Issues associated with party wall air leakage include spread of fire, indoor air quality, transfer of tobacco smoke between dwellings, and heat loss through the party to attic detail. Data collected on buildings constructed between 1890 and 1920 (Century buildings) has been compared to the data collected on buildings constructed between 2012 to 2017 (new buildings). Air leakage has been collected on twenty-six of Century semi-detached homes with solid masonry construction and twenty-one new semi-detached/row homes of lightweight wood frame construction. Each unit was tested independently and simultaneously, or “guarded”, with the adjacent unit, to pressure neutralize allowing for quantification of envelope and party wall air leakage. Party wall leakage was found to be similar to leakage through the exterior walls. The leakage accounted for 22% of the total infiltration in Century old buildings and 38% in Modern dwellings.

Viability, behaviour, and colour expression in the offspring of matings between common wall lizard Podarcis muralis colour morphs

Colour polymorphisms are widely studied to identify the mechanisms responsible for the origin and maintenance of phenotypic variability in nature. Two of the mechanisms of balancing selection currently thought to explain the long-term persistence of polymorphisms are the evolution of alternative phenotypic optima through correlational selection on suites of traits including colour, and heterosis. Both of these mechanisms can generate differences in offspring viability and fitness arising from different morph combinations. Here, we examined the effect of parental morph combination on fertilisation success, embryonic viability, newborn quality, antipredator and foraging behaviour, as well as inter-annual survival by conducting controlled matings in a polymorphic lacertid Podarcis muralis, where colour morphs are frequently assumed to reflect alternative phenotypic optima (e.g. alternative reproductive strategies). Juveniles were kept in outdoor tubs for a year in order to study inter-annual growth, survival, and morph inheritance. In agreement with a previous genome-wide association analysis, morph frequencies in the year-old juveniles matched the frequencies expected if orange and yellow expression depended on recessive homozygosity at two separate loci. Our findings also agree with previous literature reporting higher reproductive output of heavy females and the higher overall viability of heavy newborn lizards, but we found no evidence for the existence of alternative breeding investment strategies in female morphs, or morph-combination effects on offspring viability and behaviour. We conclude that inter-morph breeding remains entirely viable and genetic incompatibilities are of little significance for the maintenance of discrete colour morphs in P. muralis from the Pyrenees.

Repair of intracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return is an uncommon congenital anomaly of the pulmonary venous system. Excision of the common wall between the atrial septum and the coronary sinus and closure with a single patch is a popularly used technique to repair cardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return. We have used the same approach in our patient: Our tutorial shows a simple method to divert pulmonary venous return into the mitral valve without causing damage to the internodal pathways. Marking the coronary sinus is highlighted because using that landmark to locate the atrioventricular node is no longer possible after the common wall is cut.