scholarly journals Insect galls thrive on salt stressed big sagebrush host

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy T Wu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Insect Galls ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Insect Gall ◽  
Galling Insects

AbstractThe sagebrush steppe is estimated to occupy 4.4 percent of the total land area in the United States. In this ecosystem, the most common sagebrush species in most areas is big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata. Big sagebrush provide a common host for galling insects. We observed that even in salt stressed environments big sagebrush grow and galling insects use them as hosts. In this study we test the hypothesis that there is a significant difference in insect gall density on salt stressed big sagebrush compared to unstressed big sagebrush. To test this, we collected data from four salt stressed sage plots and four unstressed plots at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Othello, Washington during 2010. We report significantly greater average gall density on plants in salt stressed plots. We collected four types of galls (artichoke, white fuzzy, black fuzzy, smooth, and other) and observed no significant difference in the diversity of galls on sage in salt stressed plots compared to the control. Further studies are needed to understand why salt stressed sage show greater density of galls, why insect galls seem to thrive on salt stressed sage.

scholarly journals Protective Effectiveness of Long-Lasting Permethrin Impregnated Clothing Against Tick Bites in an Endemic Lyme Disease Setting: A Randomized Control Trial Among Outdoor Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1532-1538
Author(s):  
Cedar Mitchell ◽  
Megan Dyer ◽  
Feng-Chang Lin ◽  
Natalie Bowman ◽  
Thomas Mather ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
The United States ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tick Bites ◽  
Outdoor Workers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Protective Effectiveness

Abstract Tick-borne diseases are a growing threat to public health in the United States, especially among outdoor workers who experience high occupational exposure to ticks. Long-lasting permethrin-impregnated clothing has demonstrated high initial protection against bites from blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), in laboratory settings, and sustained protection against bites from the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae), in field tests. However, long-lasting permethrin impregnation of clothing has not been field tested among outdoor workers who are frequently exposed to blacklegged ticks. We conducted a 2-yr randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial among 82 outdoor workers in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. Participants in the treatment arm wore factory-impregnated permethrin clothing, and the control group wore sham-treated clothing. Outdoor working hours, tick encounters, and bites were recorded weekly to assess protective effectiveness of long-lasting permethrin-impregnated garments. Factory-impregnated clothing significantly reduced tick bites by 65% in the first study year and by 50% in the second year for a 2-yr protective effect of 58%. No significant difference in other tick bite prevention method utilization occurred between treatment and control groups, and no treatment-related adverse outcomes were reported. Factory permethrin impregnation of clothing is safe and effective for the prevention of tick bites among outdoor workers whose primary exposure is to blacklegged ticks in the northeastern United States.

Differences of US-FNA BSRTC class, postoperative pathology, and mutation landscape of thyroid nodules between China and other countries.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 3055-3055
Author(s):  
Yuntao Song ◽  
Jie Liu ◽  
Weiran Wang ◽  
Tonghui Ma
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Thyroid Nodules ◽  
Malignant Tumors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Braf V600e ◽  
Class V ◽  
Ras Mutation ◽  
First Choice ◽  
Significant Difference

3055 Background: Ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (US-FNA) are the first choice for judging benign and malignant thyroid nodules. This study will report on the differences of US-FNA BSRTC class, postoperative pathology and mutation landscape of thyroid nodules between China and other countries. Methods: We conducted a prospective study containing 383 FNA samples of thyroid nodules. For most of these FNA samples, genomic DNA and RNA were extracted and sequenced with FSZ-Thyroid NGS Panel V1, and postoperative pathology were followed up. Moreover, we also compared results of this study with those of West China Hospital in China, Yamashita Thyroid Hospital in Japan, and Cleveland Clinic in the United States. Results: Among the 383 FNA samples, the proportions of BSRTC class I to VI were 10.7%, 6.3%, 18.8%, 3.7%, 12.3%, and 48.3% respectively. Compared with study in other countries, the proportion of class II was significantly lower than that in Japan and the United States. Meanwhile, the proportion of class V and VI were significantly higher than the above two countries. Subsequently, 232 thyroid nodules were surgically removed. Postoperative pathology showed that the proportion of malignant tumors (85.3%) was also significantly higher than reported in Japan and the United States. But compared with other studies in China, there was no significant difference. Most of the malignant tumors were papillary thyroid cancer (PTC, 96%), accompanied with 2 follicular thyroid cancer (FTC), 3 medullary cancer (MTC) and 3 anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Compared with study in the United States, the proportion of PTC and FTC were elevated (96% vs. 85.3%) and reduced (1% vs. 9.3%) respectively. At last, we also analysis the mutation landscape of 180 malignant tumors. Compared with TCGA study, the frequency of BRAF V600E in PTC in our study was significantly higher than that of TCGA (73.3% vs. 58%), and the frequency of RAS mutation was significantly lower (1.2% vs. 12.6%). And compared with an institutional experience of ThyroSeq v3 for Bethesda III and IV at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the frequency of BRAF V600E and RAS mutation in Bethesda III-IV malignant tumors was also significantly higher (45.8% vs. 1.4%) and lower (8.3% vs. 47.1%). Conclusions: There were significant differences in BSRTC class and postoperative pathology between China and other countries, such as Japan and the United States. The possible reasons included that the indications for FNA in China were different. For example, most of patients who underwent FNA in this study had suspicious clinical/ultrasound features. So the proportion of BSRTC class V and VI as well as the malignant rate were elevated. On the other hand, more BRAF V600E and less RAS mutations were detected in malignant tumors in this study which might result from racial differentiation and discrepancy in proportion of PTC and FTC.

Are You Experienced? US Ambassadors and International Crises, 1946–2014

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul K MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
International Politics ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Crises ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Militarized Disputes ◽  
Political Appointees ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Military ◽  
Sizable Number

Abstract How important are ambassadors in international politics? While a growing body of research stresses the importance of diplomacy in international politics, it remains unclear if individual ambassadors make a significant difference or what attributes make for an effective ambassador. This paper explores these questions through a systematic analysis of 2,730 US ambassadors between 1946 and 2014. The United States is distinctive in that it sends a sizable number of noncareer political appointees to serve as ambassadors. This provides a unique opportunity to examine how an ambassador's experience shapes where they are placed and how they perform. Using various techniques to address selection effects, including matching, I find that the United States is less likely to experience a militarized dispute with a host nation when it is represented by a political ambassador. Moreover, political ambassadors with professional experience in politics or the military, those who are close to the president, and those who are appointed in permissive congressional environments are less likely to experience militarized disputes during their tenure. Individual ambassadors matter, but diplomatic experience alone is not the only attribute that makes for an effective ambassador.

scholarly journals Prevalence of advanced directives in the geriatric population with in long-term care facilities in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-178
Author(s):  
Ateequr Rahman ◽  
Druti Shukla ◽  
Lejla Cukovic ◽  
Kirstin Krzyzewski ◽  
Noopur Walia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Living Wills ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Advanced Directive ◽  
Advanced Directives ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Care Facilities

Advanced directives, such as Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, provide the ability to identify, respect, and implement an individual's wishes for medical care during serious illness or end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of advanced directives amongst the residents of long-term care facilities in the United States. A total of 527 cases were extracted from 2018 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, which was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics through the surveys of residential care communities and adult day services centers. Advanced directive rates were higher in patients 90 years of age and above as compared to other age groups. Nursing home residents were more likely to have advanced directives than other long term care facilities. There was no significant difference among males and females in the rate of advanced directives. Nursing home and Hospice residents had more advanced directives compared to other facilities. The Black population had the highest rate of advanced directive preparedness. Overall, the finding of this study revealed that there was a significant difference in the preparedness of DNR orders and Living Wills by patient demographics and the type of long-term care facility. Offering advanced directive services at public health/social services facilities can enhance the rate of advanced directive preparedness. Advanced directives ease the stress and anxiety of patients, family, and friends during difficult times.

scholarly journals First Report of Seedborne Fusarium thapsinum and its Pathogenicity on Soybean (Glycine max) in the United States

Plant Disease ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 98 (12) ◽  
pp. 1745-1745 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pedrozo ◽  
C. R. Little
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Soybean Plant ◽  
Sodium Hypochlorite Solution ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Seedling Mortality ◽  
Beta Tubulin ◽  
First Report ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Germinated Seeds

A three-year survey from 2010 to 2012 was conducted in Kansas to investigate the identity and diversity of seedborne Fusarium spp. in soybean. A total of 408 soybean seed samples from 10 counties were tested. One hundred arbitrarily selected seeds from each sample were surface-sterilized for 10 min in a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution to avoid contaminants and promote the isolation of internal fusaria. Seeds were rinsed with sterile distilled water and dried overnight at room temperature (RT). Surface-sterilized seeds were plated on modified Nash-Snyder medium and incubated at 23 ± 2°C for 7 days. Fusarium isolates were single-spored and identified by morphological characteristics on carnation leaf agar (CLA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA) (3). From 276 seedborne Fusarium isolates, six were identified as F. thapsinum (2). On CLA, F. thapsinum isolates produced abundant mycelium and numerous chains of non-septate microconidia produced from monophialides. Microconidia were club-shaped and some were napiform. No chlamysdospores were found. On PDA, three of the isolates presented characteristic dark yellow pigmentation and three were light violet. Confirmation of the isolates to species was based on sequencing of an elongation factor gene (EF1-α) segment using primers EF1 and EF2 and the beta-tubulin gene using primers Beta1 and Beta2 (1). Sequence results (~680 bp, EF primers; ~600 bp, beta-tubulin primers) were confirmed by using the FUSARIUM-ID database (1). All isolates matched F. thapsinum for both genes sequenced (Accession No. FD01177) at 99% identity. Koch's postulates were completed for two isolates of F. thapsinum under greenhouse conditions. Soybean seeds (Asgrow AG3039) were imbibed with 2.5 × 105 conidia ml−1 for 48 h. After inoculation, seeds were dried for 48 h at RT. One isolate each of F. equiseti and F. oxysporum were used as the non-pathogenic and pathogenic inoculation controls, respectively. In addition, non-inoculated seeds and seeds imbibed in sterile distilled water (mock) were also used. Twenty-five seeds from each treatment were planted in pots (500 ml) with autoclaved soil and vermiculite (1:1). The experiment was a completely randomized design with three replicates (pots) per isolate. The entire experiment was repeated three times. After 21 days, aggressiveness of both F. thapsinum isolates was assessed using initial stand (%), final stand (%), and seed mortality (% of non-germinated seeds). Both seedborne F. thapsinum isolates caused reduced emergence and final stand, and increased seedling mortality when compared to the non-inoculated and F. equiseti controls (P< 0.0001). No significant difference was observed between F. thapsinum isolates and F. oxysporum. F. thapsinum isolates were re-isolated from wilted seedlings and non-germinated seeds, but not from the control treatments. Typically, F. thapsinum is considered a pathogen of sorghum, but it has also been recovered from bananas, peanuts, maize, and native grasses (3). However, its presence on soybean plant tissues and its pathogenicity has never been reported. To our knowledge, this is the first report of seedborne F. thapsinum and its pathogenicity on soybean in the United States. References: (1) D. M. Geiser et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 110:473, 2004. (2) C. J. R. Klittich et al. Mycologia 89:644, 1997. (3) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK, 2006.

Abstract 514: Sex-Related Disparities in Outcomes After Myocardial Infarction Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Evidence From a Nationwide Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akintunde M Akinjero ◽  
Oluwole Adegbala ◽  
Tomi Akinyemiju
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nationwide Study ◽  
Adjusted Risk ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: The overall mortality rate after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is falling in the United States. However, outcomes remain unacceptably worse in females compared to males. It is not known how coexisting atrial fibrillation (AF) modify outcomes among the sexes. We sought to examine the association of sex with clinical characteristics and outcomes after AMI among patients with AF. Methods: We accessed the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), to extract all hospitalizations between 2007 and 2011 for patients above 18yrs with principal diagnosis of AMI and coexisting diagnosis of AF using ICD 9-CM codes. The NIS represents the largest all-payer hospitalization database in the United States, sampling approximately 8 million hospitalizations per year. We also extracted outcomes data (length of stay (LOS), stroke and in-hospital mortality) after AMI among Patients with AF. We then compared sex differences. Univariate and Multivariate analysis were conducted to determine the presence of statistically significant difference in outcomes between men and women. Results: A total of 184,584 AF patients with AMI were sampled, consisting of 46.82% (86,420) women and 53.13% (98,164) men. Compared with men, women with AF and AMI had a greater multivariate-adjusted risk for increased stroke rate (aOR=1.51, 95% CI=1.45-1.59), and higher in-hospital mortality (aOR=1.12, 95% CI=1.09-1.15). However, female gender was not significantly associated with longer LOS (aOR=-0.22, 95% CI= -0.29-(-0.14). Conclusion: In this large nationwide study of a population-based cohort, women experienced worse outcomes after AMI among patients with AF. They had higher in-hospital mortality and increased stroke rates. Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve these disparities in outcomes.

Assessing the Correlation of Culture With Business Ethics of Company Managers in the United States and Mexico

2018 ◽  
pp. 73-99
Author(s):  
Mark A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
National Culture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Ethical Attitudes ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
Management Scholar ◽  
Significant Difference

Observable harm has been inflicted upon business by unethical decisions and misconduct. Much of this phenomenon can be traced to impoverished ethical attitudes. Among the various reasons for this problem is that of a manager's culture, which has a distinct influence on attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this chapter was to determine, through empirical data, whether differences rooted in culture significantly contribute to differences in ethical attitudes. Management scholar Geert Hofstede's classification of cultural elements for understanding and explaining aspects of national culture was correlated with the ethical attitudes of business managers in the two national cultures of the United States and Mexico. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between national culture and ethical attitudes and the dultural dimensions of uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and long-term orientation. A significant difference in ethical attitudes between managers from the United States and Mexico was also found.

An Analysis of Unmanned Aircraft Registration Effectiveness

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-66
Author(s):  
Ronald Pentz ◽  
He (Herman) Tang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft Systems ◽  
Courts Of Appeals ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Difficult Time ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Rapid Pace

This article describes how small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) are growing at a rapid pace. They are inexpensive and widely available for both hobbyist and commercial use. However, with this rapid growth, regulations are having a difficult time keeping pace to safely incorporate them into the United States National Airspace. Recent regulations requiring the registration of all sUAS have been overturned by the United States Courts of Appeals. This research provides a statistical analysis of the effectiveness of the registration regulation in the reduction of unauthorized and careless sUAS operation prior to being overturned by the courts. Statistical analysis including descriptive statistics and chi square hypothesis tests were used to analyze more than 3,000 reported unauthorized and careless events. The findings show a significant difference in events pre-registration and post registration.

scholarly journals Involvement of bcl-2 gene in Japanese follicular lymphoma

Blood ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 787-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Amakawa ◽  
S Fukuhara ◽  
H Ohno ◽  
S Doi ◽  
S Oguma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Follicular Lymphoma ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chain Gene ◽  
Gene Rearrangements ◽  
Chromosome 18 ◽  
Breakpoint Cluster Region ◽  
Cluster Region ◽  
Molecular Features ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract A t(14;18) (q32;q21) chromosome translocation is closely associated with the follicular lymphoma, which is prevalent in the United States, and the t(14;18) causes the juxtaposition of a bcl-2 gene on chromosome 18 with an immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene locus on chromosome 14. Genomic DNAs from 30 Japanese patients with follicular lymphoma were examined for the molecular features by Southern blot hybridization. Using probe b for the major breakpoint cluster region of a bcl-2 gene, the rearrangements were detected in eight patients. Six of the eight patients had breakpoints located within the major breakpoint region, while two had breakpoints outside this cluster region but within the region of the 7.5-kb SstI fragment containing the probe b sequence. In two patients, pFL-2 probe detected the bcl-2 gene rearrangements that occurred near or within the minor breakpoint cluster region. These ten patients had a rearranged JH-containing fragment that migrated with the rearranged bcl-2 fragment. In the other 20 patients, these two chromosome 18-specific DNA probes did not detect the bcl-2 rearrangements. Compared with studies performed in the United States, the statistical analysis indicates a significant difference in frequency of the bcl-2 gene rearrangements near or within the major breakpoint cluster region (P = 0.0027) and the minor breakpoint cluster region (P = 0.029). However, the distribution difference of these events was not significant.

P760Clinical profile of African-American and non-Hispanic caucasian patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy syndrome in a large urban hospital in the United States of America

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Westman ◽  
K Ravindra ◽  
J Chiabrando ◽  
D Kadariya ◽  
G Maehara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stress Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Urban Hospital ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Caucasian Patients

Abstract Background Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy is an acute reversible heart failure syndrome initially described in Japanese patients, but now well characterized in Caucasians patients in Europe or of European descent. An initial observation has suggested a lower incidence of Takotsubo in non-Caucasian subjects, particularly in the African-American (AA) population in the United States of America. The purpose of this study was to assess whether epidemiologic and clinical differences were present in Takotsubo in a large urban hospital in Virginia, USA. Methods We used an informatics-based system to query electronic health records (TriNetX, Cambridge, MA, USA) to search for cases of Takotsubo between 2010 and 2018 and a corresponding cohort of patients with non-ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We then performed a chart-level review of 160 cases and obtained additional clinical information including symptoms, risk factors, co-morbidities, and in-hospital outcomes. This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of our institution. Results We identified 260 cases of Takotsubo and 6,270 of NSTEMI in the same time period (1:24, 4.2%). Being AA was associated with an odds ratio of Takotsubo versus NSTEMI of 0.38 [0.29–0.50] (P=0.0001). With further evaluation of patients with Takotsubo (N=160), AA (N=44, 27.2%) and Non-Hispanic Caucasian (C) (N=110, 67.9%) had no differences in age and sex. AA patients with Takotsubo however were more likely than C patients to be affected by type II diabetes mellitus (38.6% versus 14.5%, P=0.002, OR 3.70 [1.65–8.28]), have history of drug abuse (27.3% versus 9.1%, P=0.009, OR 3.75 [1.48–9.49]) and of cocaine use in particular (9.1% versus 0.9%, P=0.024, OR 11.0 [1.19–101.4]). The pattern of wall motion abnormality was not different between the 2 groups. AA patients presented with a lower ratio of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) to troponin I (41.9 [12.7–258] pg./ml versus 281 [42–890] pg/ml, P=0.022). There was no significant difference of in-hospital mortality between the AA and C groups (9.1% versus 25%, respectively, OR 0.40 [0.13–1.24], P=0.11). Conclusions The incidence and clinical characteristics of Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy appear to be different between African-American and Non-Hispanic Caucasian patients. African-American patients are more likely to have diabetes and illicit drug usage, but have a lower BNP/troponin I ratio. Both AA and Non-Hispanic Caucasian patients have similar in-hospital mortality.

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