scholarly journals Improved Sentinel Method for Surveillance and Collection of Filth Fly Parasitoids

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J Geden ◽  
Dana M Johnson ◽  
David B Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Plate Method ◽  
House Flies ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Modified Method ◽  
Mesh Bag ◽  
Screen Mesh ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Parasitoids are important natural enemies of house flies and other muscoid flies. The two most commonly used methods for collecting fly parasitoids from the field have distinct advantages and disadvantages. Collections of wild puparia depend on the ability to find puparia in sufficient numbers and are prone to localized distortions in relative species abundance because of the overrepresentation of samples from hot spots of fly larval activity. Placement and retrieval of sentinel puparia is convenient and allows consistent sampling over time but is strongly biased in favor of Muscidifurax spp. over Spalangia spp. An improved sentinel method is described that combines some of the advantages of these two methods. Fly medium containing larvae is placed in containers, topped with a screen mesh bag of puparia, and placed in vertebrate-proof wire cages. Cages are placed at sites of actual or potential fly breeding and retrieved 3–7 d later. The modified method collected species profiles that more closely resembled those of collections of wild puparia than those from sentinel pupal bags. A method is also described for isolating puparia individually in 96-well tissue culture plates for parasitoid emergence. Use of the plate method provided a substantial saving of time and labor over the use of individual gelatin capsules for pupal isolation. Puparia from the collections that were housed individually in the wells of tissue culture plates had a higher proportion of emerged Spalangia species than puparia that were held in groups.

Designing marine reserves to reduce bycatch of mobile species: a case study using juvenile red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1335-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Diamond ◽  
Kristin M. Kleisner ◽  
Daisy Englert Duursma ◽  
Yuning Wang
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spots ◽  
Marine Reserves ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Red Snapper ◽  
Lutjanus Campechanus ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Specific Conservation

Marine reserves have not been widely used to conserve mobile species because species abundance levels can be highly variable over space and time. Here we explore the potential for marine reserves to reduce bycatch of mobile species using red snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus ) as a case study. Bycatch in Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawls is a major source of juvenile red snapper mortality, and marine reserves may be mandated if bycatch reduction targets are not met. Using geographic information system (GIS) analyses of fishery-independent data, we investigated whether red snapper juveniles concentrate in “hot spots” and examined the trade-offs between abundance within hot spots (intensity) and predictability over time (persistence). These trade-offs allow fishery managers to tailor marine reserves to meet specific conservation goals. For red snapper, hot spots were primarily located around the 30 m isobath, with hot spots spread along the Texas coast in fall and clustered around the Texas–Louisiana border in summer. Increased intensity of hot spots led to lower persistence due to the smaller spatial area of higher intensity hot spots. Hot spots moved annually but generally persisted in the same locations over time, indicating that marine reserves could reduce red snapper bycatch. This approach provides a foundation for making informed decisions about design and placement of reserves for mobile species.

An Ancient Retrovirus-like Element Contains Hot Spots for SINE Insertion

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 158 (2) ◽  
pp. 769-777
Author(s):  
Michael A Cantrell ◽  
Brian J Filanoski ◽  
Angela R Ingermann ◽  
Katherine Olsson ◽  
Nicole DiLuglio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spots ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Common Ancestry ◽  
Specific Element ◽  
Sine Insertion ◽  
Specific Locus ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Character ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Vertebrate retrotransposons have been used extensively for phylogenetic analyses and studies of molecular evolution. Information can be obtained from specific inserts either by comparing sequence differences that have accumulated over time in orthologous copies of that insert or by determining the presence or absence of that specific element at a particular site. The presence of specific copies has been deemed to be an essentially homoplasy-free phylogenetic character because the probability of multiple independent insertions into any one site has been believed to be nil. Mys elements are a type of LTR-containing retrotransposon present in Sigmodontine rodents. In this study we have shown that one particular insert, mys-9, is an extremely old insert present in multiple species of the genus Peromyscus. We have found that different copies of this insert show a surprising range of sizes, due primarily to a continuing series of SINE (short interspersed element) insertions into this locus. We have identified two hot spots for SINE insertion within mys-9 and at each hot spot have found that two independent SINE insertions have occurred at identical sites. These results have major repercussions for phylogenetic analyses based on SINE insertions, indicating the need for caution when one concludes that the existence of a SINE at a specific locus in multiple individuals is indicative of common ancestry. Although independent insertions at the same locus may be rare, SINE insertions are not homoplasy-free phylogenetic markers.

scholarly journals Decline in New Zealand's freshwater fish fauna: Effect of land use

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Joy ◽  
KJ Foote ◽  
P McNie ◽  
M Piria
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Fish Distribution ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Freshwater Fish Fauna ◽  
Over Time

© 2019 CSIRO. The number of New Zealand's freshwater fish listed as threatened has increased since 1992 when the first New Zealand threat classification system list was compiled. In this study, temporal and land cover-related trends were analysed for data on freshwater fish distribution, comprising more than 20 000 records for the 47 years from January 1970 to January 2017 from the New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database. The analysis included individual species abundance and distribution trends, as well as an index of fish community integrity, namely the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). Of the 25 fish species that met the requirements for analysis to determine changes in the proportion of sites they occupied over time, 76% had negative trends (indicating declining occurrence). Of the 20 native species analysed for the proportion of sites occupied over time, 75% had negative trends; 65% of these were significant declines and more species were in decline at pasture sites than natural cover sites. The average IBI score also declined over the time period and, when analysed separately, the major land cover types revealed that the IBI declined at pasture catchment sites but not at sites with natural vegetation catchments.

scholarly journals Inducible Clindamycin Resistance and Biofilm Production among Staphylococci Isolated from Tertiary Care Hospitals in Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1043-1052
Author(s):  
Sarita Manandhar ◽  
Raju Shrestha ◽  
Ratna Shova Tuladhar ◽  
Sunil Lekhak
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Plate Method ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Inducible Clindamycin Resistance ◽  
Biofilm Production ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Tissue Culture Plate ◽  
Tertiary Care Hospitals

Resistance to antibiotics, biofilm formation and the presence of virulence factors play important roles in increased mortality associated with infection by staphylococci. The macrolide lincosamide streptogramin B (MLSB) family of antibiotics is commonly used to treat infections by methicillin-resistant isolates. Clinical failure of clindamycin therapy has been reported due to multiple mechanisms that confer resistance to MLSB. This study aims to find the incidence of different phenotypes of MLSB resistance and biofilm production among staphylococci. A total of 375 staphylococci were isolated from different clinical samples, received from two tertiary care hospitals in Nepal. Methicillin resistance was detected by cefoxitin disc diffusion method and inducible clindamycin resistance by D test, according to CLSI guidelines. Biofilm formation was detected by the tissue culture plate method and PCR was used to detect ica genes. Of the total staphylococci isolates, 161 (42.9%) were Staphylococcus aureus, with 131 (81.4%) methicillin-resistant strains, and 214 (57.1%) isolates were coagulase-negative staphylococci, with 143 (66.8%) methicillin-resistant strains. The overall prevalence of constitutive MLSB (cMLSB) and inducible MLSB (iMLSB) phenotypes was 77 (20.5%) and 87 (23.2%), respectively. Both iMLSB and cMLSB phenotypes predominated in methicillin-resistant isolates. The tissue culture plate method detected biofilm formation in 174 (46.4%) isolates and ica genes in 86 (22.9%) isolates. Among biofilm producing isolates, cMLSB and iMLSB phenotypes were 35 (20.1%) and 27 (15.5%), respectively. The cMLSB and iMLSB were 11 (12.8%) and 19 (22.1%), respectively, in isolates possessing ica genes. Clindamycin resistance in the form of cMLSB and iMLSB, especially among MRSA, emphasizes the need for routine D tests to be performed in the lab.

25-Year Trends in Stage-Specific Incidence Rates for Bladder Cancer in a Large Statewide Registry

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-451
Author(s):  
Justin Loloi ◽  
Yu-Kuan Lin ◽  
Fabian Camacho ◽  
Eugene Lengerich ◽  
Jay D. Raman
Keyword(s):  
Bladder Cancer ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
The State ◽  
Distant Disease ◽  
Percent Change ◽  
The Past ◽  
Study Interval ◽  
Trends Over Time ◽  
Over Time

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BC) is a common genitourinary malignancy with over 80,000 new cases diagnosed annually and over 17,000 associated deaths. OBJECTIVE: We review 25-years of BC incidence (1993-2017) within the state of Pennsylvania to better define incidence, geographic distribution, and trends over time. METHODS: The Pennsylvania Cancer Registry was reviewed for statewide and component county age-adjusted BC incidence rates and stage distribution. Chloropleth maps plotting statewide and county-specific incidence rates across time were created using the GeoDa statistical package. RESULTS: 93,476 cases of BC were recorded in Pennsylvania from 1993 to 2017. Age-adjusted annual rates of BC over the study interval were stable at 24.5 patients per 100,000 (range, 22.7–25.6). However, annual rates of distant disease increased from 0.5 to 1.1 patients per 100,000 (p < 0.001) with an average percent change increase of 6.6% over the study interval. The annual percent distribution of distant disease doubled from 2.3% to 5.1% (p < 0.001) with a greater increase in women compared to men. Chloropleth maps highlighted growing “hot spots” of bladder cancer incidence in the northwestern, northeastern, and southeastern portions of the state. CONCLUSIONS: While BC incidence in the state of Pennsylvania has remained relatively stable over the past 25 years, a concerning increase in distant disease was observed. Geospatial investigation implicates higher risk regions. Further studies are necessary to delineate the underlying etiologies for these observations.

Measuring Firms' Financial Constraints

2020 ◽  
pp. 276-298
Author(s):  
Carlos Carreira ◽  
João Eira ◽  
Filipe Silva
Keyword(s):  
Financial Constraints ◽  
The Other ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Indirect Measures ◽  
Large Panel ◽  
Over Time

Measuring firms' financial constraints can prove to be a difficult task for researchers because it is not possible to directly observe whether a firm is financially constrained. This chapter surveys the existing methodologies to measure such constraints at firm level, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each one. In doing so, firstly, the authors review the direct and indirect measures of firms' financial constraints. Then they test the validity of the most commonly used indices using a large panel of (unlisted) Portuguese firms (2010-2017). The FCP index seems to outperform the other indices in capturing financial constraints of unlisted SMEs. This is not a surprising result, as most of the existing empirical literature on the field deals with listed (US) firms. It is not reasonable to expect that the coefficients of indices remain unchanged across countries and over time. Therefore, the authors propose their (re)estimation to apply them to different economies.

scholarly journals An Application of the Bishop-Simpson Method: A Shift-Share Variant

1978 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-49
Author(s):  
Bruce E. Lindsay ◽  
Susan E. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New Hampshire ◽  
Regional Economy ◽  
New Technique ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Over Time

The Bishop-Simpson model, a variant of the traditional shift-share approach, is utilized for investigation of the development of the southern New Hampshire regional economy over time. Emphasis is placed on the strengths of the new technique in counteracting some of the limitations of traditional shift-share analyses. The B and S technique gives a clearer picture than the traditional shift-share approach of the relative advantages and disadvantages for region in terms of its specialization in slow or fast growing industries.

Blackout 2014 Exercise – Prague, the Capital of the Czech Republic

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Hudecek ◽  
◽  
Josef Juránek ◽  
Jaroslav Pejcoch ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
City Management ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Rule Of Life ◽  
Analysis Of Results ◽  
Potential Damage ◽  
Over Time

As our world becomes increasingly complex over time, we are using increasingly sophisticated tools to be fed and entertained. This increasing complexity has both advantages and disadvantages. Our dependence on electric power is almost absolute and a long-term blackout could become potentially fatal to any region or country hit by it. It has been a rule of life that the intensive preparation to some crisis begins not sooner than after it strikes and causes a big damage. Prague city management did not want to wait to find out, however, and organized an exercise to understand just what such a situation might look like and just how well prepared the capital of the Czech Republic was to manage it. The exercise was designed, run and documented by up-to-date information technology, enabling further study and analysis of results to improve the city’s resilience and to prepare adequate means for mitigating potential damage.

Study on Construction and Application of Self-Adaptive Network Virtual Laboratory

2013 ◽  
Vol 694-697 ◽  
pp. 3704-3708
Author(s):  
Li Xia Zhang ◽  
Guang Ran Liu
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spots ◽  
Geometric Modeling ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
Virtual Laboratory ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Modeling Technology ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Environmental Background ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Self Adaptive

To facilitate the independent learning and safety experiments, the network virtual laboratory is one of the hot spots of the current research. After analyzing advantages and disadvantages of the current virtual laboratory, this paper introduces the web-based and self-adaptive virtual laboratory platform, with a three-tier structure of the B/S mode. And the platform has two groups of users: teachers and students. Teachers can customize experiments which can be performed by students in the platform. The formation of the experiment consists of two parts: the equipment based on object-oriented ideas and used geometric modeling technology, which has more realistic effect, and achieves real-time rendering; And environmental background using cylindrical panoramic technology, which has photo effects, and loading faster. These two parts is combined through photography geometric principles. The experiment proved that in this virtual laboratory platform, the experiment is loading fast, have stronger sense of immersion and effectively improve the students' network learning efficiency.

scholarly journals Tissue culture-based Agrobacterium-mediated and in planta transformation methods

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 133-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Niazian ◽  
S.A. Sadat Noori ◽  
P. Galuszka ◽  
S.M.M. Mortazavian
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Culture ◽  
Transformation Method ◽  
Gene Transformation ◽  
In Planta Transformation ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Agrobacterium Mediated Transformation ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Culture Independent ◽  
Transformation Methods ◽  
Mutant Lines

Gene transformation can be done in direct and indirect (Agrobacterium-mediated) ways. The most efficient method of gene transformation to date is Agrobacterium-mediated method. The main problem of Agrobacterium-method is that some plant species and mutant lines are recalcitrant to regeneration. Requirements for sterile conditions for plant regeneration are another problem of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Development of genotype-independent gene transformation method is of great interest in many plants. Some tissue culture-independent Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation methods are reported in individual plants and crops. Generally, these methods are called in planta gene transformation. In planta transformation methods are free from somaclonal variation and easier, quicker, and simpler than tissue culture-based transformation methods. Vacuum infiltration, injection of Agrobacterium culture to plant tissues, pollen-tube pathway, floral dip and floral spray are the main methods of in planta transformation. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Simplicity and reliability are the primary reasons for the popularity of the in planta methods. These methods are much quicker than regular tissue culture-based Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation and success can be achieved by non-experts. In the present review, we highlight all methods of in planta transformation comparing them with regular tissue culture-based Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods and then recently successful transformations using these methods are presented.

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