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Female Adults (female + adult)
Selected AbstractsWinter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering of a parasitoid wasp, Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2004Takeshi TERAOKA Abstract Winter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering in Ooencyrtus nezarae, an egg parasitoid of phytophagous heteropterans, were examined in Osaka, Japan. Eggs of Riptortus clavatus parasitized by O. nezarae were kept under natural photoperiod and temperature. When honey was supplied, some female adults emerging from early September to late November overwintered. The percentage of overwintering individuals increased as the date of adult emergence advanced. Most female adults supplied with honey and hosts oviposited soon after emergence, then stopped laying eggs. Female adults emerging in mid-October and early November laid eggs and then overwintered. The induction of diapause in the field seems to vary greatly depending on host availability. Without honey, the survival time of female adults was very short, whether host eggs were supplied or not. After overwintering, most females began to lay eggs in early May if host eggs were supplied, and they produced both male and female progeny. In the study area, a legume field in Osaka, parasitization by O. nezarae was observed from early July to November. [source] Identification of economically important Liriomyza species by PCR-RFLP analysis,EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2005L. F. F. Kox Only adult males of Liriomyza bryoniae, L. huidobrensis, L. sativae and L. trifolii can be identified with certainty on basis of their genitalia. Female adults, pupae and larvae can only be identified on the level of groups of species (L. bryoniae and L. huidobrensis vs. L. sativae and L. trifolii). Species identification in all developmental stages is possible using molecular biological techniques. Our method is a PCR amplification of a 790-bp fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) DNA followed by RFLP analysis. The method was tested on single larvae, pupae and adults and proved to be applicable to these three life stages. The specificity of the assay was assessed by comparing the results of the PCR-RFLP analysis with those of morphological analysis using 60 Liriomyza specimens. Molecular and morphological identification agreed for all specimens analysed. PCR-RFLP is a powerful diagnostic tool for rapid and reliable identification of all life stages of economically important Liriomyza species. [source] Protective action of aqueous black tea (Camellia sinensis) extract (BTE) against ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress of mononuclear cells and its associated progression of bone lossPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2009Asankur Sekhar Das Abstract The protective action of aqueous black tea extract (BTE) against ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress of mononuclear cells and its associated progression of bone loss was demonstrated in this study. Eighteen female adult 6-month-old Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham-control (A), bilaterally ovariectomized (B) and bilaterally ovariectomized + BTE supplemented (C). Studies included the measurement of oxidative (nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation) and antioxidative (superoxide dismutase, catalase) markers, inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF- ,), osteoclast differentiation factor (RANKL) and bone resorption markers (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and hydroxyproline). Also quantitative histomorphometry and histological studies were undertaken. The bone breaking force was measured. The results indicate that BTE was effective in preserving and restoring skeletal health by reducing the number of active osteoclasts. Such changes with BTE supplementation were steadily linked with the reduced oxidative stress of mononuclear cells, serum levels of bone resorbing cytokines, osteoclast differentiation factor and resorption markers. The results of the bone breaking force, histological and histomorphometric analyses further supported the hypothesis. This study suggests that BTE has both protective and restorative actions against ovariectomy-induced mononuclear cell oxidative stress and associated bone loss. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An Asian community's perspective on facial profile attractivenessCOMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007Jen Soh Abstract,,, Objectives:, To assess the facial profile preferences of laypersons in an Asian community and the influence of age, ethnic and gender on profile selection. Methods:, A sample of 149 laypersons (65.1% Chinese, 21.5% Malays and 13.4% Indians), comprising of 112 females (75.2%) participated in the study. The mean age was 24.6 years (SD 4.4). A facial profile photograph and a lateral cephalometric radiograph of a Chinese male and female adult with a normal profile and a class I incisor and skeletal relationship were digitized to create a baseline template. Computerized digital photographic image modification was carried out on the template to obtain seven facial profiles [bimaxillary protrusion, protrusive mandible, retrusive mandible, normal profile (incisor and skeletal class I pattern), retrusive maxilla, protrusive maxilla and bimaxillary retrusion] for each gender. The laypersons were asked to rank the profiles of each gender on a scale of 1 (very attractive) to 7 (least attractive). Results:, Orthognathic Chinese male and female profiles were perceived to be the most attractive. A male orthognathic profile with normative Chinese cephalometric values was perceived to be more attractive than a ,flatter' bimaxillary retrusive profile. Bimaxillary retrusion and normal Chinese female profiles were perceived to be the most attractive. A male or female profile with a protrusive mandible was judged to be the least attractive. Age, gender and ethnicity were nonsignificant predictors for the most attractive female profile. Conclusions:, Orthognathic Chinese male and female profiles were judged to be the most attractive by Asian adult laypersons. Male and female profiles with mandibular protrusion were judged to be the least attractive. [source] Three-year mortality and predictors after release: a longitudinal study of the first-time drug offenders in TaiwanADDICTION, Issue 5 2010Chuan-Yu Chen ABSTRACT Aims To assess the possible increase in mortality rate and associated socio-demographic and judiciary determinants among first-time drug offenders during the first 3 years after release from correctional facilities. Setting and participants A total of 22 224 male and 4444 female adults who had served a sentence of at least 1 day in correctional facilities for illegal drug-related offences were identified from the judiciary records of the Ministry of Justice, Taiwan. Design and measurements The underlying causes of death were defined by the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision. Findings All-cause standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were 7 for schedule I (e.g. heroin) and 3 for schedule II (e.g. methamphetamine) drug offenders, respectively; accidents, suicide and circulatory diseases were three leading causes of death. After release, the risk of death among those drug offenders without subsequent incarceration increased gradually until the 9th month. Those who were aged 30 years or older, had an engagement with a higher-ranked schedule substance or who received severe sentences were two to three times more likely to die. Substantial reduction in the risk of death was linked with re-imprisonment. Conclusions The SMR estimates for external causes were greater than those for disease-related causes in drug offenders, and schedule I drugs-related mortality rate was twice as high as that with schedule II drugs. In transitioning from the correctional setting to the community, the health needs of drug offenders should be addressed by the provision of continuous, adequate medical care tailored to individual background, medical history and drug experience. [source] Winter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering of a parasitoid wasp, Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2004Takeshi TERAOKA Abstract Winter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering in Ooencyrtus nezarae, an egg parasitoid of phytophagous heteropterans, were examined in Osaka, Japan. Eggs of Riptortus clavatus parasitized by O. nezarae were kept under natural photoperiod and temperature. When honey was supplied, some female adults emerging from early September to late November overwintered. The percentage of overwintering individuals increased as the date of adult emergence advanced. Most female adults supplied with honey and hosts oviposited soon after emergence, then stopped laying eggs. Female adults emerging in mid-October and early November laid eggs and then overwintered. The induction of diapause in the field seems to vary greatly depending on host availability. Without honey, the survival time of female adults was very short, whether host eggs were supplied or not. After overwintering, most females began to lay eggs in early May if host eggs were supplied, and they produced both male and female progeny. In the study area, a legume field in Osaka, parasitization by O. nezarae was observed from early July to November. [source] Rufinamide: Clinical pharmacokinetics and concentration,response relationships in patients with epilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 7 2008Emilio Perucca Summary Rufinamide is a new, orally active antiepileptic drug (AED), which has been found to be effective in the treatment of partial seizures and drop attacks associated with the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. When taken with food, rufinamide is relatively well absorbed in the lower dose range, with approximately dose-proportional plasma concentrations up to 1,600 mg/day, but less than dose-proportional plasma concentrations at higher doses due to reduced oral bioavailability. Rufinamide is not extensively bound to plasma proteins. During repeated dosing, steady state is reached within 2 days, consistent with its elimination half-life of 6,10 h. The apparent volume of distribution (Vd/F) and apparent oral clearance (CL/F) are related to body size, the best predictor being body surface area. Rufinamide is not a substrate of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes and is extensively metabolized via hydrolysis by carboxylesterases to a pharmacologically inactive carboxylic acid derivative, which is excreted in the urine. Rufinamide pharmacokinetics are not affected by impaired renal function. Potential differences in rufinamide pharmacokinetics between children and adults have not been investigated systematically in formal studies. Although population pharmacokinetic modeling suggests that in the absence of interacting comedication rufinamide CL/F may be higher in children than in adults, a meaningful comparison of data across age groups is complicated by age-related differences in doses and in proportion of patients receiving drugs known to increase or to decrease rufinamide CL/F. A study investigating the effect of rufinamide on the pharmacokinetics of the CYP3A4 substrate triazolam and an oral contraceptive interaction study showed that rufinamide has some enzyme-inducing potential in man. Findings from population pharmacokinetic modeling indicate that rufinamide does not modify the CL/F of topiramate or valproic acid, but may slightly increase the CL/F of carbamazepine and lamotrigine and slightly decrease the CL/F of phenobarbital and phenytoin (all predicted changes were <20%). These changes in the pharmacokinetics of associated AEDs are unlikely to make it necessary to change the dosages of these AEDs given concomitantly with rufinamide, with the exception that consideration should be given to reducing the dose of phenytoin. Based on population pharmacokinetic modeling, lamotrigine, topiramate, or benzodiazepines do not affect the pharmacokinetics of rufinamide, but valproic acid may increase plasma rufinamide concentrations, especially in children in whom plasma rufinamide concentrations could be increased substantially. Conversely, comedication with carbamazepine, vigabatrin, phenytoin, phenobarbital, and primidone was associated with a slight-to-moderate decrease in plasma rufinamide concentrations, ranging from a minimum of ,13.7% in female children comedicated with vigabatrin to a maximum of ,46.3% in female adults comedicated with phenytoin, phenobarbital, or primidone. In population modeling using data from placebo-controlled trials, a positive correlation has been identified between reduction in seizure frequency and steady-state plasma rufinamide concentrations. The probability of adverse effects also appears to be concentration-related. [source] Expression of an Aedes aegypti cation-chloride cotransporter and its Drosophila homologuesINSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2003V. Filippov Abstract Insects maintain haemolymph homeostasis under different environmental conditions by modulating the concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl, ions. One group of proteins involved in ion transport across cell membranes consists of cation-chloride cotransporters that form a family of structurally similar proteins. Although much is known about these proteins in mammalian systems, our understanding of them in insects is lacking. The recent sequencing of two insect genomes, Drosophila and Anopheles, enabled us to identify globally members of the family of cation chloride cotransporters in these insects. Using RT-PCR we monitored the transcription of members of this family in development and in several tissues. Our analyses showed that transcription of these genes differ considerably from the ubiquitously and highly expressed CG5594 gene to the almost silent gene CG31547. Comparison of Drosophila CG12773 and its Aedes homologue AaeCG12773 showed that they have similar transcript expression profiles. Immunohistochemical analysis of AaeCG1277 gene expression revealed that it is highly expressed in the gut of larvae and female adults but not in Malpighian tubules. A more detailed analysis showed that this protein is localized predominantly in the basolateral membrane of these tissues. This expression pattern confirmed the results of RT-PCR analysis. We also created a mutant for one of the genes, CG10413, in Drosophila using P-element excision. Analysis of this mutant showed this protein does not appear to be essential for development. [source] Cloning of two novel P450 cDNAs from German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.): CYP6K1 and CYP6J1INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Z. Wen Abstract Two novel P450 cDNAs, CYP6K1 and CYP6J1, were isolated from German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L). Both CYP6K1 and CYP6J1 are typical microsomal P450s and their deduced amino acid sequences share a number of common characteristics with other members of the P450 superfamily. Both CYP6K1 and CYP6J1 showed the highest per cent identity (based on the deduced amino acid sequence) to CYP6L1 from B. germanica and CYP6H1, a putative ecdysone 20-hydroxylase from Locusta migratoria. Using a CYP6K1 probe, two mRNA signals (~2.5 and ~2.1 kb) were detected in all life stages. Both signals were just detectable in the eggs and became stronger in later instars. The strongest signals were detected in the fifth and sixth instars as well as in adults. These two bands were also detected in the abdomens and in the remainder of bodies of both male and female adults. Southern blots suggest the two mRNA bands detected in the Northern blot might be a result of alternative splicing. No signal could be detected at any life stage using the CYP6J1 probe, suggesting that CYP6J1 was expressed at a low level. [source] STUDIES ON CULTIVAR-INDUCED CHANGES IN INSECTICIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY AND ITS RELATED ENZYME ACTIVITIES OF THE WHITE BACKED PLANTHOPPER, SOGATELLA FURCZFERA (HORVÁTH) (HOMOPTERA:DELPHACIDAE)INSECT SCIENCE, Issue 2 2002YAO Hong-wei Abstract, The susceptibility of Sogatella furcifera female adults on N22 to malathion increased as feeding time prolonged, while the day change of susceptibility to isoprocarb showed a inverse tendency. The activities of esterase and carboxylesterase were induced significantly after on N22 for one day, and then declined. The non-susceptible level of adults to insecticides and enzyme activities seemed to be heightened after feeding on ASD7, a variety resistant to Nilaparvata lugens. The total phenol content in rice leaf sheath was the highest in N22, and could be regaded as one of the factors, which caused chages in susceptibility of S. furicfera to insecticide after feeding different rice varieties. It was recommended that suitable insecticides and planthopper resistant varieties should be coordinately used in practice 90 that they contribute more effects respectively. [source] Oral squamous cell carcinoma and cultural oral risk habits in VietnamINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DENTAL HYGIENE, Issue 3 2010SL Priebe To cite this article: Int J Dent Hygiene,8, 2010; 159,168 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2010.00461.x Priebe SL, Aleksej,nien, J, Zed C, Dharamsi S, Thinh DHQ, Hong NT, Cuc TTK, Thao NTP. Oral squamous cell carcinoma and cultural oral risk habits in Vietnam. Abstract: Objectives:, In South-Central Asia, 80% of head and neck cancers are found in the oral cavity and oropharynx. In Vietnam, oral cancer is often not being detected until people experience debilitating circumstances to normal oral function. The aims of the study were to explore the patterns of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its risk indicators, the structure of oral health care in Vietnam and trends in prevalence of cultural risk habits in southern Vietnamese patients. Materials and Methods:, A retrospective clinical study was performed from 1 July 2005 to 1 April 2006 at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology hospital in Vietnam. Of the 161 cases, 147 subjects were diagnosed with OSCC, including 100 male and 47 female adults aged 24,85 years. Data were collected by a structured interview and clinical examination. Results:, Over 40% of the women with OSCC reported chewing betel quid and the most prevalent risk habit in males was smoking (91.0%). Daily alcohol use was reported by 79.0% of males and 2.1% of females. Two-thirds of the cases of OSCC were diagnosed at the 2nd and 3rd stage of cancer. The more advanced stages of cancer were observed in males than in females. The prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use in males with OSCC was higher in this study than in the previous Vietnamese studies. Conclusion:, High frequency of risk habits in both genders was reported in OSCC Vietnamese patients. A trend of increased tobacco and alcohol use was observed in male OSCC patients. A lower prevalence of later staging in Vietnam was observed in this study than in earlier studies. [source] Individual versus Household Migration Decision Rules: Gender and Marital Status Differences in Intentions to Migrate in South AfricaINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2009Bina Gubhaju This research tests the thesis that the neoclassical microeconomic and the new household economic theoretical assumptions on migration decision-making rules are segmented by gender, marital status, and time frame of intention to migrate. Comparative tests of both theories within the same study design are relatively rare. Utilizing data from the Causes of Migration in South Africa national migration survey, we analyse how individually held "own-future" versus alternative "household well-being" migration decision rules effect the intentions to migrate of male and female adults in South Africa. Results from the gender and marital status specific logistic regressions models show consistent support for the different gender-marital status decision rule thesis. Specifically, the "maximizing one's own future" neoclassical microeconomic theory proposition is more applicable for never married men and women, the "maximizing household income" proposition for married men with short-term migration intentions, and the "reduce household risk" proposition for longer time horizon migration intentions of married men and women. Results provide new evidence on the way household strategies and individual goals jointly affect intentions to move or stay. [source] Cognitive profile in a large french cohort of adults with Prader,Willi syndrome: differences between genotypesJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010P. Copet Abstract Background Prader,Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by developmental abnormalities leading to somatic and psychological symptoms. These include dysmorphic features, impaired growth and sexual maturation, hyperphagia, intellectual delay, learning disabilities and maladaptive behaviours. PWS is caused by a lack of expression of maternally imprinted genes situated in the 15q11-13 chromosome region. The origin is a ,de novo' deletion in the paternal chromosome in 70% of the cases and a maternal uniparental disomy in 25%. The two main genotypes show differences, notably regarding cognitive and behavioural features, but the mechanisms are not clear. This study assessed cognitive impairment in a cohort of adults with genetically confirmed PWS, analysed their profiles of cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and compared the profiles in terms of genotype. Methods Ninety-nine male and female adults participated, all inpatients on a specialised unit for the multidisciplinary care of PWS. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) was administered to all patients in identical conditions by the same psychologist. Eighty-five patients were able to cope with the test situation. Their scores were analysed with non-parametric statistical tools. The correlations with sex, age and body mass index were explored. Two genotype groups were compared: deletion (n = 57) and non-deletion (n = 27). Results The distribution of intelligence quotients in the total cohort was non-normal, with the following values (medians): Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ): 52.0 (Q1:46.0; Q3:60.0), Verbal Intellectual Quotient (VIQ): 53.0 (Q1:48; Q3:62) and Performance Intellectual Quotient (PIQ): 52.5 (Q1:48; Q3:61). No correlation was found with sex, age or body mass index. Comparison between groups showed no significant difference in FSIQ or VIQ. PIQ scores were significantly better in the deletion group. The total cohort and the deletion group showed the VIQ = PIQ profile, whereas VIQ > PIQ was observed in the non-deletion group. The subtest scores in the two groups showed significant differences, with the deletion group scoring better in three subtests: object assembly, picture arrangement and digit symbol coding. Some relative strengths and weaknesses concerned the total cohort, but others concerned only one genotype. Discussion We documented a global impairment in the intellectual abilities of a large sample of French PWS patients. The scores were slightly lower than those reported in most other studies. Our data confirmed the previously published differences in the cognitive profiles of the two main PWS genotypes and offer new evidence to support this hypothesis. These results could guide future neuropsychological studies to determine the cognitive processing in PWS. This knowledge is essential to improve our understanding of gene-brain-behaviour relationships and to open new perspectives on therapeutic and educational programmes. [source] Influence of gum-chewing on the haemodynamics in female masseter muscleJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 4 2009N. ABE Summary, Blood flow in active skeletal muscles provides energy substrate, oxygen and reduction of excessive heat and metabolic by-products. Although cyclic jaw motions such as those during mastication and speech articulation are the primitive oro-facial functions, possible effects of the cyclic muscle contractions on the intramuscular haemodynamics of the jaw muscles remains scarcely known. We investigated the masseteric haemodynamics during and after gum-chewing. Ten healthy female adults participated in the study. Electromyography, kinetics of masseter muscle oxygenation, electrocardiogram and blood pressure were recorded simultaneously. The subjects were asked to perform gum-chewing and cyclic jaw motion without gum bolus (empty-chewing task). The haemodynamics parameters were compared between the two experimental conditions. During gum-chewing task, deoxygenated haemoglobin and sympathetic nerve activity increased, while tissue blood oxygen saturation decreased. Blood pressure and parasympathetic nerve activity did not change. The overall behaviour of haemodynamic parameters during empty-chewing task was similar to that observed during gum-chewing task. However, the latency periods from the end of chewing until significant changes in the haemodynamic parameters were notably shorter (P < 0·05) in gum-chewing task as compared with those associated with empty-chewing task. The duration of the changes was shorter with empty-chewing than with gum-chewing. Fluctuations in masseter muscle haemodynamics associated with chewing jaw movement differed depending on the level of muscle contraction during movement. The differences became statistically significant immediately after the commencement of chewing and after the cessation movement. During the chewing movement, automatic nerve activities increased in response to the level of muscle contraction during movement. [source] Characteristics of the gum chewing occlusal phase in children with primary dentitionJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 5 2004I. Saitoh Summary, Understanding of the growth and development of mandibular function is indispensable to the diagnosis of functional disturbances during childhood. The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of the occlusal phase during gum chewing in children with primary dentition. Chewing motion at the working molar of 14 children with primary dentition and 28 female adults was recorded optoelectrically, and the frontal and sagittal angles of their closing and following opening strokes were measured and compared. In children the closing strokes were entered more vertically and anteriorly than in adults, and the opening strokes shifted to the non-working side in adults but moved to the working side in children. The degree of variance also differed between the two groups; the variance of the frontal angle was larger than that of sagittal angle in adults, but the opposite was true in children. These results suggested that the chewing pattern in children during the occlusal phase is distinctly different from adults and the chewing movement in children is not always less stable than in adults. [source] Competition between vectors of Chagas disease, Triatoma infestans and T. sordida: effects on fecundity and mortalityMEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2004E. B. Oscherov Abstract., Interspecific competition between two species of triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of Chagas disease, was assessed for 16 months through comparative fecundity and mortality of experimental populations in chicken nests, maintained indoors with ambient conditions. Triatoma sordida (Stĺl), the secondary vector in north-eastern Argentina, was compared with Triatoma infestans (Klug) the more widespread domestic vector in the southern cone of South America. Both species populations originated from females collected in 1995 from the community of Empedrado, Corrientes, Argentina. Three population units were monitored: T. infestans alone, T. sordida alone and both species together in equal proportions. Each population started with six male and six female adults, 116 eggs, and nymphal instars I to V numbering 82, 48, 16, 11 and 19, respectively. Numbers and weight of individual bugs were recorded monthly (August 1995 to December 1996). The pure populations of T. infestans and T. sordida showed temporal changes in abundance, rising in summer and falling in winter, similar to the typical trends under normal field conditions. In the mixed population, however, T. sordida fell to extinction after 6 months, whereas T. infestans reached similar abundance to the pure (control) population. For each nymphal instar of T. sordida, the mean body weight was significantly less and mortality rate was higher in the mixed population compared to the pure population, but there were no significant differences of adult longevity or fecundity between the pure and mixed populations of T. sordida. The apparent competitive displacement of T. sordida by T. infestans was attributed to the latter species having better ability to obtain bloodmeals. This might explain the rarity of mixed populations where these two species occur in sympatry. [source] Searching for sex-reversals to explain population demography and the evolution of sex chromosomesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 9 2010CLAUS WEDEKIND Sex determination can be purely genetic (as in mammals and birds), purely environmental (as in many reptiles), or genetic but reversible by environmental factors during a sensitive period in life, as in many fish and amphibians (Wallace et al. 1999; Baroiller et al. 2009a; Stelkens & Wedekind 2010). Such environmental sex reversal (ESR) can be induced, for example, by temperature changes or by exposure to hormone-active substances. ESR has long been recognized as a means to produce more profitable single-sex cultures in fish farms (Cnaani & Levavi-Sivan 2009), but we know very little about its prevalence in the wild. Obviously, induced feminization or masculinization may immediately distort population sex ratios, and distorted sex ratios are indeed reported from some amphibian and fish populations (Olsen et al. 2006; Alho et al. 2008; Brykov et al. 2008). However, sex ratios can also be skewed by, for example, segregation distorters or sex-specific mortality. Demonstrating ESR in the wild therefore requires the identification of sex-linked genetic markers (in the absence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes) followed by comparison of genotypes and phenotypes, or experimental crosses with individuals who seem sex reversed, followed by sexing of offspring after rearing under non-ESR conditions and at low mortality. In this issue, Alho et al. (2010) investigate the role of ESR in the common frog (Rana temporaria) and a population that has a distorted adult sex ratio. They developed new sex-linked microsatellite markers and tested wild-caught male and female adults for potential mismatches between phenotype and genotype. They found a significant proportion of phenotypic males with a female genotype. This suggests environmental masculinization, here with a prevalence of 9%. The authors then tested whether XX males naturally reproduce with XX females. They collected egg clutches and found that some had indeed a primary sex ratio of 100% daughters. Other clutches seemed to result from multi-male fertilizations of which at least one male had the female genotype. These results suggest that sex-reversed individuals affect the sex ratio in the following generation. But how relevant is ESR if its prevalence is rather low, and what are the implications of successful reproduction of sex-reversed individuals in the wild? [source] Fat-tailed gene flow in the dioecious canopy tree species Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica revealed by microsatellitesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 10 2006S. GOTO Abstract Pollen flow, seed dispersal and individual reproductive success can be simultaneously estimated from the genotypes of adults and offspring using stochastic models. Using four polymorphic microsatellite loci, gene flow of the wind-pollinated and wind-seed-dispersed dioecious tree species, Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica, was quantified in a riparian forest, in northern Japan. In a 10.5-ha plot, 74 female adults, 76 male adults and 292 current-year seedlings were mapped and genotyped, together with 200 seeds. To estimate dispersal kernels of pollen and seeds, we applied normal, exponential power, Weibull, bivariate t -distribution kernels, and two-component models consisting of two normal distribution functions, one with a small and one with a large variance. A two-component pollen flow model with a small contribution (26.1%) from short-distance dispersal (, = 7.2 m), and the rest from long-distance flow (, = 209.9 m), was chosen for the best-fitting model. The average distance that integrated pollen flows inside and outside the study plot was estimated to be 196.8 m. Tree size and flowering intensity affected reproduction, and there appeared to be critical values that distinguished reproductively successful and unsuccessful adults. In contrast, the gene flow model that estimated both pollen and seed dispersal from established seedlings resulted in extensive seed dispersal, and the expected spatial genetic structures did not satisfactorily fit with the observations, even for the selected model. Our results advanced small-scale individual-based parentage analysis for quantifying fat-tailed gene flow in wind-mediated species, but also clarified its limitations and suggested future possibilities for gene flow studies. [source] Effect of a mixture of iprobenfos and malathion on the development of malathion resistance in the mosquito Culex pipiens pallens CoqPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 1 2006Li-Ming Tao Abstract A malathion-resistant (RM) strain of Culex pipiens pallens Coq was obtained by successively selecting a field population with malathion in the laboratory. The synergistic effect of iprobenfos on malathion toxicity and ,-naphthyl acetate (,-NA) esterase assay revealed that malathion resistance in the RM strain was associated with increased ,-NA esterase activity and the synergism was mainly due to the inhibition by iprobenfos of this activity. There was no difference in ,-NA esterase activity between the larvae and female adults in the susceptible (S) strain, but the activity in the adults was 13-fold higher than in the larvae of the RM strain. To understand the effect of the application of a mixture of iprobenfos and malathion on the evolution of malathion resistance, an artificial strain (Syn) was generated by mixing the RM and S strains with 0.1 frequency of the malathion-resistant individuals. The offspring of the Syn strain were divided into two sub-strains, Rm and Rm+ibp, which were successively treated with, respectively, malathion alone and malathion + iprobenfos (1:2) at LC70. In the mixture, the fungicide iprobenfos acted as a synergist of malathion. After treatment for 10 generations, the resistance level to malathion was 317.4-fold for the Rm sub-strain, whereas for the Rm+ibp sub-strain it was only 38.9-fold, compared with the Syn strain. Similar results were obtained by measurement of ,-NA esterase activity from both larvae and female adults. The ,-NA esterase activities in larvae and female adults at F10 generation were 2.6- and 10.9-fold from the Rm+ibp sub-strain and 5.7- and 98.5-fold from the Rm sub-strain, respectively, compared with the Syn strain. The above results suggested that iprobenfos, although it cannot completely stop or prevent the onset of malathion resistance, could dramatically delay its evolution. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The relationship between the chemical composition of three essential oils and their insecticidal activity against Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say)PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 5 2004Dimitrios P Papachristos Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oils isolated from various parts of three Greek aromatic plants (Lavandula hybrida Rev, Rosmarinus officinalis L and Eucalyptus globulus Labill) collected at different seasons was determined by GC/MS analysis. The insecticidal action of these oils and of their main constituents on Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) adults was evaluated and their LC50 values were estimated. All essential oils tested exhibited strong activity against A obtectus adults, with varying LC50 values depending on insect sex and the composition of the essential oils. A correlation between total oxygenated monoterpenoid content and activity was observed, with oxygenated compounds exhibiting higher activity than hydrocarbons. Among the main constituents, only linalyl and terpinyl acetate were not active against A obtectus, while all the others exhibited insecticidal activity against both male and female adults, with LC50 values ranging from 0.8 to 47.1 mg litre,1 air. An attempt to correlate the insecticidal activity to the monoterpenoid's structure is presented, and the difference in sensitivity between male and female individuals is also explored. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Ethnicity-related skeletal muscle differences across the lifespanAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Analiza M. Silva Despite research and clinical significance, limited information is available on the relations between skeletal muscle (SM) and age in adults, specifically among Hispanics, African Americans (AA), and Asians. The aim was to investigate possible sex and ethnic SM differences in adults over an age range of 60 years. Subjects were 468 male and 1280 female adults (,18 years). SM was estimated based on DXA-measured appendicular lean-soft tissue using a previously reported prediction equation. Locally weighted regression smoothing lines were fit to examine SM trends and to localize age cutoffs; piecewise multiple linear regression models were then applied, controlling for weight and height, to identify age cutoffs for sex-specific changes in SM among the ethnic groups. The age of 27 years was identified for women and men as the cut-off after which SM starts to show a negative association with age. Both sexes had a similar ethnic pattern for expected mean SM at the age cutoff, with AA presenting the highest SM values, followed by Whites, Hispanics, and Asians. After the age cutoffs, the lowering of SM differed by ethnicity and sex: AA women showed the greatest SM lowering whereas Hispanic women had the least. Hispanic men tended to show a higher negative association of SM with age followed by AA and Whites. To conclude, significant sex and ethnic differences exist in the magnitude of negative associations of SM with age >27 years. Further studies using a longitudinal design are needed to explore the associations of ethnicity-related decline of SM with health risks. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Photoperiod and temperature affect the life cycle of a subtropical cockroach, Opisoplatia orientalis: seasonal pattern shaped by winter mortalityPHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2004Dao-Hong Zhu Abstract.,Opisoplatia orientalis is an ovoviviparous cockroach living in the subtropical areas in Japan. Both adults and nymphs overwinter on Hachijo Island (33°N). The nymphs sampled before and after overwintering showed a similar pattern in frequency distribution of head widths with a definite peak of fifth instars. The present study was conducted to determine how this pattern was formed by investigating the effects of photoperiod and temperature on development and reproduction. Photoperiod influenced the number of nymphal instars, resulting in a longer duration of nymphal development at LD 12 : 12 h than at LD 16 : 8 h. However, the rate of development at each instar was only affected to a small extent by photoperiod and no sign of diapause was detected. It was suggested that the photoperiodic response controlling the number of nymphal instars might have evolved to adjust the timing of adult emergence and reproduction to the favourable season. The prereproductive period and time intervals between nymph depositions were prolonged as temperature declined, but there was no evidence for diapause in adults. Mortality occurred in eggs and embryos inside of the body of the females during winter. Thus, it was inferred that female adults would reset ovarian development in spring and deposit nymphs in summer simultaneously, and these nymphs would reach the fifth instar before winter comes. This winter mortality hypothesis was supported by experiments in which reproductive activity and mortality were monitored for field-collected adults under either constant or changing temperature conditions simulating those in the field. [source] Alimony Rights and Intrahousehold Allocation of Resources: Evidence from BrazilTHE ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 513 2006Marcos A. Rangel Can family policy affect well-being of individuals without altering the resources available to their families? This article examines the extension of alimony rights and obligations to cohabiting couples in Brazil. For women in intact relationships, alimony rights upon dissolution should improve outside options, strengthening their negotiating positions, and increasing their influence over intrahousehold allocation of resources. Robust econometric evidence indicates that more decision power in the hands of women impacts hours worked by female adults and investments in the education of children. This suggests that family policy and models of family decision making should take intrahousehold heterogeneity of preferences into account. [source] Isolation of Y- and X-linked SCAR markers in yellow catfish and application in the production of all-male populationsANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 6 2009D. Wang Summary Sex controls have been performed in some farmed fish species because of significant growth differences between females and males. In yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco), adult males are three times larger than female adults. In this study, six Y- and X-linked amplified fragment length polymorphism fragments were screened by sex-genotype pool bulked segregant analysis and individual screening. Interestingly, sequence analysis identified two pairs of allelic genes, Pf33 and Pf62. Furthermore, the cloned flanking sequences revealed several Y- and X-specific polymorphisms, and four Y-linked or X-linked sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) primer pairs were designed and converted into Y- and X-linked SCAR markers. Consequently, these markers were successfully used to identify genetic sex and YY super-males, and applied to all-male population production. Thus, we developed a novel and simple technique to help commercial production of YY super-males and all-male populations in the yellow catfish. [source] Starvation influences allatotropin gene expression and juvenile hormone titer in the female adult oriental armyworm, Mythimna separataARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008Lei Zhang Abstract The first day of adult life is the sensitive stage for shifting migrants into the resident morphs of the oriental armyworm (OAW), Mythimna separata (Walker). The juvenile hormone (JH) titer, expression of the allatotropin (AT) gene, and their relationship were investigated in adult female migrants starved in the sensitive stage, to understand the underlying mechanism of changing migrants into resident OAWs. Haemolymph JH titers of the starved female adults were mostly elevated earlier than in controls, although not all differences were statistically significant. JH I titers in the starved moths were significantly higher than those in the controls on 1, 2, and 5 days after treatment (DAT), respectively. JH II titers in the starved moths were significantly higher than the controls through the period tested except on 5 DAT. JH II is the most likely regulator in changing migrants into resident morphs. The relative quantities of AT expression in the starved moths were higher through the period tested except on 5 DAT. AT expression and JH titers appear to be positively correlated, especially for those in earlier days of the adult life. We infer that AT is the important regulator of JH levels. A model for the shifting of migrants into resident morphs in the OAW is proposed. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 68:63,70, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||