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Trials were conducted over three years to evaluate two torchings, torching followed by glyphosate application, raking followed by glyphosate application, and one or two yearly applications of glyphosate for control of Japanese stiltgrass. A single glyphosate application in fall reduced Japanese stiltgrass cover but the percent cover increased during the following growing season. Either two torchings or two applications of glyphosate per season for three years gave excellent Japanese stiltgrass control but plants recovered the year after treatments ended. Raking away leaf litter in spring increased Japanese stiltgrass cover. Torching followed by a glyphosate application was less effective than 2 applications of glyphosate. Treatments would need to be repeated for over three years to eradicate Japanese stiltgrass from a site. Species used in this study: Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A Camus.

The angelshark (Squatina squatina) has the northernmost range of any angel shark species, but there is limited information on its distribution, habitat use and ecology at higher latitudes. To address this, Angel Shark Project: Wales gathered 2231 S. squatina records and 142 anecdotal resources from fishers, coastal communities and archives. These spanned the coastal waters of Wales and the central Irish Sea and were dated from 1812 to 2020, with 97.62% of records within 11.1 km (6 nm) of the coast. Commercial, recreational and charter boat fishers provided the majority of S. squatina records (97.18%), with significantly more sightings from three decades (1970s, 1980s and 1990s) and in the months of September, June, August and July (in descending order). The coastal area between Bardsey Island and Strumble Head had the most S. squatina records (n = 1279), with notable concentrations also found in Carmarthen Bay, Conwy Bay and the Outer Severn Estuary. Species distribution models (SDM) identified four environmental variables that had significant influence on S. squatina distribution, depth, chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity, and these varied between the quarters (Q) of the year. SDM model outputs predicted a larger congruous area of suitable habitat in Q3 (3176 km

Field trials were conducted by Virginia Master Naturalists to determine the germination period for Japanese stiltgrass and its impact on timing of postemergence herbicide applications. Germination rates declined from April to June, with no germination seen after mid-June. Glyphosate applications in early May significantly reduced Japanese stiltgrass cover that month, but post-treatment germination resulted in approximately 25% cover by October, with 78% cover seen in untreated plots. However, no Japanese stiltgrass was observed in October when glyphosate was applied in either the third week of June or the third week of July. A single application of glyphosate was effective for Japanese stiltgrass control if applications are made in June after new germination had ceased, verified by multi-year herbicide field trials. Field trials conducted by Virginia Tech showed preemergence applications of prodiamine reduced Japanese stiltgrass stand from 30 to 94%, depending on rate and timing, but even in the most effective treatment there was still at least 19% cover by August. Prodiamine treatments that utilized May applications were more effective for crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) control than for Japanese stiltgrass, supporting the earlier germination pattern for Japanese stiltgrass. Inclusion of this work in this paper provides a more complete picture of the treatment options for Japanese stiltgrass. A timed postemergence herbicide application may be a better control option for this weed than use of a preemergence herbicide application. Index words: herbicide application, invasive plants, weed control. Chemicals used in this study: Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine)], prodiamine (2,6-Dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-benzenediamine). Species used in this study: Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A Camus.).

Background: Elderly patients account for over 50% of patients presenting with acute cholecystitis. High risk surgical candidates are often treated with a percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) as an alternative to acute surgery. This study aims to determine whether any factor during the index admission with acute calculus cholecystitis treated with PC determines whether a delayed cholecystectomy is performed, in addition to whether there are any predictive factors for the presence of ductal stones or recurrent biliary morbidity.Methods: A single-centred retrospective cohort study on radiologically inserted PCs for calculous cholecystitis between 2011-2017. Patient, radiological, biochemical and microbiological data were collected during the index admission. Primary outcome was whether the patient underwent a cholecystectomy and secondary outcomes included readmission with a further biliary morbidity or ductal stones necessitating an ERCP within 120days of the index cholecystostomy.Results: 32 patients (median age 77years, median Charlson Index 5) underwent PC with a median follow up of 151 days (range 27-1113). PC drain-related morbidity was 58% with no 30-days or in-hospital mortality. Patient age (p=0.007), Charlson Index (p=0.015) and a positive bile culture (p=0.032) were associated with a delayed cholecystectomy (38.7% of patients). There were no predictive variables for recurrent biliary morbidity within 90days (38.7%). CRP (p=0.045), ALP (p=0.035) and ALT (p=0.047) were predictive of the need for an ERCP for CBD stones (32.3%).Conclusions: PC is a safe procedure and is effective in overcoming the acute pathology in this comorbid population. However, the near-term prevalence of CBD stones and risk of further biliary morbidity remains significant suggesting that definitive surgery should be considered in suitable cases.

Rapid and effective methods for the isolation of Clostridium difficile from stool samples are desirable to obtain isolates for typing or to facilitate accurate diagnosis of C. difficile -associated diarrhea. We report on the evaluation of a prototype chromogenic medium (ID C. difficile prototype [IDCd]) for isolation of C. difficile . The chromogenic medium was compared using (i) 368 untreated stool samples that were also inoculated onto CLO medium, (ii) 339 stool samples that were subjected to alcohol shock and also inoculated onto five distinct selective agars, and (iii) standardized suspensions of 10 C. difficile ribotypes (untreated and alcohol treated) that were also inoculated onto five distinct selective agars. Two hundred thirty-six isolates of C. difficile were recovered from 368 untreated stool samples, and all but 1 of these strains (99.6%) were recovered on IDCd within 24 h, whereas 74.6% of isolates were recovered on CLO medium after 48 h. Of 339 alcohol-treated stool samples cultured onto IDCd and five other selective agars, C. difficile was recovered from 218 samples using a combination of all media. The use of IDCd allowed recovery of 96.3% of isolates within 24 h, whereas 51 to 83% of isolates were recovered within 24 h using the five other media. Finally, when they were challenged with pure cultures, all 10 ribotypes of C. difficile generated higher colony counts on IDCd irrespective of alcohol pretreatment or duration of incubation. We conclude that IDCd is an effective medium for isolation of C. difficile from stool samples within 24 h.

Digital technology has brought a new and exciting dimension to dental esthetics. Innovative ways to take impressions and create chair-side restorations are continuing to expand and new dental materials specifically made for CAD/CAM are allowing for extremely esthetic restorations. Lithium disilicate is one such material that is efficiently milled, has a favorable flexural strength, and provides highly esthetic chair-side restorations. The following is a case study that utilizes lithium disilicate for esthetic full coverage crowns on teeth #7, 8, 9, and 10.

Natural resources have provided a livelihood to many regions and nations, and a platform for some to achieve sustainable growth. In the global economy, natural resources have the potential to contribute to sustainable development goals through the development of local suppliers of inputs, services, and products, and global supply chains that encourage innovation and new products and services. The presence of physical clusters of related industries and organizations has the potential to accelerate local sustainable development, and the evolution of virtual clusters holds the potential for achieving more global sustainable development. A series of questions is proposed to help develop a framework for achieving sustainable development goals. It is contended that there are powerful agents that will shape and affect this journey.

In dealing with rules of a procedural type lawyers often make a distinction which is referred to as that between ‘mandatory’, and ‘directory’ rules. (The terms ‘imperative’, ‘absolute’, ‘obligatory’, ‘compulsory’, and ‘peremptory’, have sometimes been used instead of ‘mandatory’.) The distinction has to do with the effect of breach of a rule on the process to which it relates. Very broadly, mandatory rules are those procedural rules the breach of which necessarily invalidates the process to which they relate, while directory rules are procedural rules the breach of which does not necessarily have this effect. This distinction has existed in the common law for about three hundred years, yet, so far as I can discover, no serious attempt has ever been made to explore its logical basis. That is surprising, for on its face the distinction is a puzzling one.

I am grateful to Laurence Goldstein and the editor for allowing me this opportunity to make a brief reply to those parts of Goldstein's article which discuss my own earlier article.