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Morphology of male genitalia of culicids is generally species-specific and often used as a taxonomic marker. However, some characters of the male genitalia vary intraspecifically and are not taxonomically diagnostic. This might be the case of Aedes scapularis, a Neotropical culicid with vector competence for arboviruses and filarial worms. Males of this species may or not present a retrorse process (RP) in the genitalic claspette filaments, which led authors to suspect that this variance might be indicative of population divergence or incipient speciation process. This suspicion has not been investigated hitherto and it is not known if there are variable patterns of RPs. We hypothesized that the presence of the RP varies intraspecifically in Ae. scapularis and then we statistically evaluated the variability of this character in a single population. To this study the genitalia of 73 males of Ae. scapularis were prepared, and their RPs were meristically quantified and categorized according to the phenotypes observed. We noted that the presence or RPs is a polymorphic character because it varied inter and intra-individually. The presence of a single RP on each claspette filament was the predominant pattern (77%), but absent or multiple RPs in each filament were also found either in bilateral symmetry or asymmetry. Thus, we conclude that the presence of RPs owing to its high variability is not indicative of populational divergence or diagnostic of species complex within Ae. scapularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH) emissions from manure constitute a significant loss of fixed nitrogen (N) from agricultural systems and contribute to air pollution and ecosystem degradation. Accurate models of such NH emissions will improve our understanding of the factors that control the emissions and allow appropriate mitigation actions to be identified and quantified. Although the importance of manure pH on ammonia emission has been recognized for decades, the physical and chemical interactions that control pH are not fully understood. Here we present a novel mathematical model that includes the dynamic and crucial pH changes in the surface of stored slurry or slurry applied in the field. In the model, slurry pH is calculated by simultaneously determining: (1) speciation of the acid-base reactions, (2) diffusion of each buffer species, and (3) emission of NH and CO. New features of the model include a reduced variable that combines time and location and an analytical approach to solving the resulting system of equations using Mathematica. To evaluate the model, we made measurements of pH at a resolution of 0.1 mm in the top 30 mm of an ammonium bicarbonate solution. These measurements show the creation of a large pH gradient (>1 pH unit in <30 mm after 20 h) and its change over time due to simultaneous NH and CO emission from aqueous solutions. The model was able to accurately predict the development of pH gradients over time, suggesting that our understanding of the factors controlling pH is correct. New developments presented in the model should be useful for future work on understanding and predicting NH emission from manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy to the affected breast or chest wall is well established as an integral part of postoperative management of breast cancer. However, it is known to be associated with increased cardiac and pulmonary morbidities and mortalities. Modern technologies, such as CT planning, have shown to improve treatment planning by accurately delivering optimal doses to the target volumes, while minimizing doses to sensitive structures, thus reducing potential treatment-related adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to report on our experiences with CT planning of adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the possibility of transforming, under local operations and classical communication, a general bipartite quantum state on a dA x dB tensor-product space into a final state in 2 x 2 dimensions, while maintaining as much entanglement as possible. For pure states, we prove that Nielsen’s theorem provides the optimal protocol, and we present quantitative results on the degree of entanglement before and after the dimensional reduction. For mixed states, we identify a protocol that we argue is optimal for isotropic and Werner states. In the literature, it has been conjectured that some Werner states are bound entangled and in support of this conjecture our protocol gives final states without entanglement for this class of states. For all other entangled Werner states and for all entangled isotropic states some degree of free entanglement is maintained. In this sense, our protocol may be used to discriminate between bound and free entanglement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary eneometrioid adenocarcinoma of the large intestine arising in colorectal endometriosis Aims: Three cases of endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising in colorectal endometriosis are described with discussion of their macroscopic and microscopic pathology and diagnosis, using immunohistochemistry. Methods and results: Three middle-aged women presented with symptoms and signs of colorectal mass effect. Two had a preceding history of gynaecological endometriosis and all three had either been on hormone replacement therapy or had functioning ovaries prior to presentation with colorectal disease. Each underwent resection of tumours of the distal large intestine. The definitive diagnosis was dependent on histological examination and immunohistochemistry, which was used to demonstrate an origin in endometriotic tissue. Conclusions: Endometrioid adenocarcinoma is a rare complication of colorectal endometriosis, this report contributing to a total of 25 cases in the literature. Definitive diagnosis, aided by immunohistochemical studies, is important to enable the identification of the optimal management for this uncommon condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of protection against infection from Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei in the susceptible barley cv. Pallas were obtained by pretreatment with mycelial extracts or culture filtrates from seven different fungi (Bipolaris oryzae, B. sorokiniana, Drechslera teres f. maculata, Fusarium culmorum, Trichoderma harzianum, Pythium ultimum and Rhizopus stolonifer). Three mycelial extracts from the taxonomically different fungi B. oryzae, P. ultimum and R. stolonifer were selected for detailed study. In general the number of colonies formed was reduced by 70–98% compared with controls. Furthermore, the few colonies that developed on treated leaves were generally smaller and showed reduced spore production. Protection was limited to the area of the leaves treated with mycelial extracts and a systemic effect could not be detected. No differences in the protection level were observed when treatment was conducted between 2 h and 3 days before inoculation. It is suggested that components in the mycelial extracts interacted directly with B. graminis and that this antifungal effect was responsible for the observed protection. However, indirect effects of the mycelial extracts mediated by locally induced resistance cannot be precluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the effects of fungicides azoxystrobin and epoxiconazole on phyllosphere fungi, senescence and yield of winter wheat. Yield-improving effects of azoxystrobin treatment; Interactions between plants, saprophytes and fungicides.

We evaluated biopsy specimens of 42 cases of clinically suspected oral hairy leukoplakia for the pattern and frequency of ultrastructural alterations specific to epithelial cells infected with Epstein-Bart virus. Some structures could clearly be identified as Epstein-Bart virus at different stages of assembly, but other intranuclear and cytoplasmic alterations were not conclusively identifiable as any known structure. Keratinocytes producing Epstein-Barr virus contained intranuclear particles of different size and shape: some of them were arranged in a monodispersed pattern and others formed arrays. In contrast, both lesional keratinocytes not producing virus and keratinocytes in uninvolved mucosa contained intranuclear particles reminiscent of perichromatin granules. The nuclei of productive cells also contained marginated chromatin, tubular structures, and. occasionally, crystalline and fibrillar formations as well as enveloped virus. Formations of electron-dense bilayers were seen on both sides of the nuclear membrane. In the cytoplasm of productive cells we observed aggregates of parallel tubules and enveloped electron-dense bodies. Although many of these observations are of diagnostic and pathobiological significance, the morphogenesis, corn position, and function of alterations with uncertain morphological identification remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct surfaces $$T_{x_0 }^p $$ with volume, first eigenvalue, and L norm of the curvature bounded independent of x , but whose Cheeger constant tends to 0 as x tends to infinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thielaviopsis basicola has been shown to be a root pathogen of pea of considerabie importance in Denmark. The fungus is only found in fields with one or more previous pea crops in the field history. In the dry and warm growing season of 1989 the fungus was found in 06% and 12% of the fields in two separate areas in Denmark. In the fields where T. basicola was detected the average disease severity index in plant samples was 51.8, whereas the average disease severity index in plant samples without the fungus was 27.0. The average yield of green peas was reduced from 5167 to 4171 kg/ha when T. basicola was present. For detection and isolation of T. basicola it is important to use a technique combining microscopic examination, a semi-selective medium and a dilution plate method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance to powdery mildew was induced in barley by preinoculation with virulent and avirulent races of barley powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordel), and with a race of wheat powdery mildew (E. graminis f.sp. tritici). Four inducer densities were tested in 13 different induction periods between 1 and 24 h. Generally, the resistance induced by barley powdery mildew increased up to 10-12 h of induction and was maintained in longer induction periods. The inducing abilities of virulent and avirulent races could not be distinguished up to 10-12 h of induction, after which the inducing ability of avirulent races increased significantly in relation to virulent races. Wheat powdery mildew was able to induce more resistance than barley powdery mildew in induction periods up to 8 h. In a single inoculation procedure the number of haustoria developing from virulent barley powdery mildew decreased as inoculum density increased. The effect was ascribed to induction of resistance. This reduction of infection efficiency in the compatible interaction was compared to induced resistance. However, the inoculum density needed for 50% resistance induction in the double inoculation procedure was approximately 40 times higher than the inoculum density needed for 50% reduction in infection efficiency in the single inoculation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Phytopathology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Phytopathology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alterations in the total and individual lipids in healthy and Rhizoctonia solani infected groundnut hypocotyl tissues were determined. Infection resulted in an increase in the total as well as individual lipid components at various stages of disease development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]