Seasonal variation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in culture positive otitis externa in South East England

Otitis externa is the inflammation of the external auditory canal. The disease is common and shows a seasonal variation with a greater incidence in warmer months. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen in otitis externa and in this retrospective study, we show a corresponding seasonal variation in the proportional incidence of P. aeruginosa isolates from otitis externa in South East England. In total 7770 patients were diagnosed with otitis externa over a period of 9 years from January 2008 to December 2016. P. aeruginosa was isolated from 2802 patients (proportional incidence of 36%). Incidence was higher in the months of August, September and October and in patients between 5 and 15 years of age. We postulate a combination of increased contact with water during warm weather in the holiday season and increased rainfall in the preceding season as a putative mechanism for the seasonal trends.

Eastern Pacific ITCZ Dipole and ENSO Diversity

The eastern tropical Pacific features strong climatic asymmetry across the equator, with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) displaced north of the equator most of time. In February–April (FMA), the seasonal warming in the Southern Hemisphere and cooling in the Northern Hemisphere weaken the climatic asymmetry, and a double ITCZ appears with a zonal rainband on either side of the equator. Results from an analysis of precipitation variability reveal that the relative strength between the northern and southern ITCZ varies from one year to another and this meridional seesaw results from ocean–atmosphere coupling. Surprisingly this meridional seesaw is triggered by an El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) of moderate amplitudes. Although ENSO is originally symmetric about the equator, the asymmetry in the mean climate in the preceding season introduces asymmetric perturbations, which are then preferentially amplified by coupled ocean–atmosphere feedback in FMA when deep convection is sensitive to small changes in cross-equatorial gradient of sea surface temperature. This study shows that moderate ENSO follows a distinct decay trajectory in FMA and southeasterly cross-equatorial wind anomalies cause moderate El Niño to dissipate rapidly as southeasterly cross-equatorial wind anomalies intensify ocean upwelling south of the equator. In contrast, extreme El Niño remains strong through FMA as enhanced deep convection causes westerly wind anomalies to intrude and suppress ocean upwelling in the eastern equatorial Pacific.

The Effect of the Number of Carries on Injury Risk and Subsequent Season’s Performance Among Running Backs in the National Football League

Background: In recent years, several studies have correlated pitch count with an increased risk for injury among baseball pitchers. However, no studies have attempted to draw a similar conclusion based on number of carries by running backs (RBs) in football. Purpose: To determine whether there is a correlation between number of carries by RBs in the National Football League (NFL) and risk of injury or worsened performance in the subsequent season. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The ESPN NFL statistics archives were searched from the 2004 through 2014 regular seasons. During each season, data were collected on RBs with 150 to 250 carries (group A) and 300+ carries (group B). The following data were collected for each player and compared between groups: number of carries and mean yards per carry during the regular season of interest and the subsequent season, number of games missed due to injury during the season of interest and the subsequent season, and the specific injuries resulting in missed playing time during the subsequent season. Matched-pair t tests were used to compare changes within each group from one season to the next in terms of number of carries, mean yards per carry, and games missed due to injury. Results: During the seasons studied, a total of 275 RBs were included (group A, 212; group B, 63). In group A, 140 RBs (66%) missed at least 1 game the subsequent season due to injury, compared with 31 RBs (49%) in group B ( P = .016). In fact, players in group B missed significantly fewer games due to injury during the season of interest ( P < .0001) as well as the subsequent season ( P < .01). Mean yards per carry was not significantly different between groups in the preceding season ( P = .073) or the subsequent season ( P = .24). Conclusion: NFL RBs with a high number of carries are not placed at greater risk of injury or worsened performance during the subsequent season. These RBs may be generally less injury prone compared with other NFL RBs.

Determinants of inter-annual variation in the area burnt in a semiarid African savanna

Fire is a key driver of savannas. It was predicted that the area of a summer-rainfall savanna burnt per annum should depend on the amount of fuel, which depends on variable grass production resulting from variable rainfall, ‘carry-over’ from the preceding season and attrition of fuel by herbivores. Most fires occur during the dry season, thus the amount of green growth resulting from occasional winter rainfall could influence fuel combustibility and therefore the area burnt. These predictions were examined with a 37-year (1963–99) data set for Mkuzi Game Reserve, South Africa. Total area burnt was related to wet season rainfall separately for years with a ‘wet’ dry season or a ‘dry’ dry season. Against prediction, the amount of dry-season rainfall had no influence on the total area burnt. For years with a ‘dry’ dry season, rainfall of the preceding wet season had an additional influence. Herbivore density had no influence. A dry-season burn was twice as large as a wet-season burn, and the largest burns were the most intense. Monitoring of wet season rainfall is sufficient for planning burning programs. Intense, large fires can be achieved for control of bush encroachment following 2 or more successive years of high rainfall.

Population dynamics of false wireworms (Gonocephalum macleayi, Pterohelaeus alternatus, P. darlingensis) and development of an integrated pest management program in central Queensland field crops: a review

False wireworms (particularly Pterohelaeus alternatus and Gonocephalum macleayi) are major pests of seedling field crops in central Queensland. Population densities are spatially and temporally dynamic, with high densities (>2/m2) of large larvae and adults generally not persisting at a location for more than 1 year. Adult movement in summer in response to changes in habitat suitability is suggested as the cause of population changes. Natural enemies, particularly entomopathogenic fungi, may also have a role in suppressing high population densities. One-half to three-quarters of fields that have grown summer crops including sorghum, sunflower, soybeans, and mungbeans in the preceding season are infested at densities that could cause economic losses in subsequent crops sown in wide rows with a low seed-sowing rate. Winter-grown wheat results in a significantly lower infestation rate (one-quarter of the fields sampled), but winter chickpea is a suitable crop for development of false wireworm infestations. Cultivation per se does not reduce numbers of false wireworms, but stubble removal may depress densities. False wireworms feed on stubble, and crop damage may be increased in low-stubble fields (following long fallows for example) despite low false wireworm numbers, due to lack of alternative food. The dynamic nature of false wireworm population size makes prediction of pest levels difficult. The presence of false wireworms should be assessed in each fallow field before planting. Management strategies based on preplanting sampling, economic injury levels, stubble management, crop rotation, and insecticide control are discussed.

Effect of preceding season cultural practices on mustard (Brassica juncea Czern) under semi-arid rainfed conditions of north-west India

SUMMARYA field trial was made for 3 years at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi under semi-arid rainfed conditions to study the effect of the preceding season cultural practices on mustard and to assess the possibility of double cropping, and the results are discussed. Preceding season cultural practices, i. e. ploughing in fallow or growing cow pea for fodder or mung for grain (both short-duration crops) increased the yield of the mustard crop compared with no tillage or growing pearl millet in preceding season. Yield of mustard following tillage, fodder cow pea or mung with mulch was similar; hence it is concluded that double cropping is possible under such conditions instead of conventional tillage-mustard, monoeropping practice. It is also concluded that frequent ploughings could be greatly reduced to give few but more effective cultivations, but more research into reducing cultivation during the preceding season should be carried out.

Memoirs of Max Reinhardts Theatres 1920–1922

In 1912 Richard Strauss carefully looked around for a theatre he could entrust with the première of his Ariadne auf Naxos. In the preceding season Der Rosenkavalier had had its first performance at the Dresden Court Opera; yet, for all the brilliant and eminently successful production, Strauss excluded this opera house from his considerations, primarily because he found it too large for the intimate new work. The small Residenz Theater, part of the Bavarian Court Theatres in Munich, would have suited him, but for a number of reasons no agreement could be reached with its general manager. About that time the new Court Theatre in Stuttgart opened its doors. It consisted of two theatres, the large house mainly for operas and classical dramas and a well-equipped little one, a veritable gem for comic operas and drawing room plays. Strauss considered this Kleine Haus, as it was called, ideal for Ariadne.

Ammonium Nutrition and Flowering of Apple Trees

Jonathan apple trees were grown in culture solution with nitrogen supplied either as nitrate, as ammonium, or in both forms. In all cases ammonium led to earlier flowering and to a much higher proportion of flowers among the total buds; but when ammonium was supplied throughout the season alone or as ammonium nitrate, vegetative growth was less than with nitrate alone. When the trees were given only nitrate during the preceding season, except for an interval of 2 months (December-January) in which ammonium nitrate was supplied, the merits of both ions were combined; the growth was not reduced and the total number of flowers in the succeeding spring was three times as great as with nitrate alone.

The Population of a Trout Stream and the Survival of Released Fish

The fish population of a river system was studied by electro-fishing in 25 places, after which 1000 marked yearling brown trout, Salmo trutta L., were released at each of 10 sites. In a re-examination 8 to 9 months after the release it was estimated that about 10 per cent. of these were surviving; the survival after 18 months was estimated to be below 5 per cent., and the survival to takable size, at about 3 years of age, at 2 per cent. At no site were the younger age groups of the natural population truly represented in either season, but the numbers of older fish in the second season were greater than those of the corresponding year classes in the preceding season, showing that the streams receive recruitment of younger fish from other sources. Some evidence is produced to show that "nursery" streams provide the source of recruitment. The average annual mortality for fish of 2 and 3 years of age is estimated at from 70 to 80 per cent. for the system. It is estimated that there were about 45,000 takable fish in this river system at the beginning of each season. It is shown that the mean lengths of trout decrease with increasing density of population, and that there is a curvilinear relationship between population density and total weight of all fish per acre. The standing crop of trout at different sites ranged from 1 to 182 lb/acre over the two seasons. The condition factor showed a decrease with increasing age of the fish, and the released fish had a lower factor than resident fish of the same age at all sites. In general there was a relationship between the depth of water and the length of the fish, sections over 14 in. deep having greater populations of larger fish. A study of the ability of each section of stream to carry fish, based on the lengths and condition factors of the fish, the number and weight of the population per acre, and the ability of each section to absorb additions to the population, shows that where populations were low, conditions were Iess favourable to the growth and survival of fish.