Recently, farmers in Brazil have observed a decline in efficacy of glyphosate, chlorimuron, and imazethapyr control of smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.). The objectives of this study were to quantify the resistance of Amaranthus in Brazil to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, elucidate the mechanism of resistance, and assess the frequency of shifts in sensitivity to glyphosate and chlorimuron in Brazil. Dose–response assays were conducted in a greenhouse with glyphosate, chlorimuron, and imazethapyr. This was followed by sequencing of the EPSPS and ALS genes. Additionally, 740 Amaranthus populations across several Brazilian states were monitored over 4 yr, subjected to a single discriminatory dose of glyphosate and chlorimuron. The populations BR18Asp051 and BR21Asp205 were resistant to glyphosate, chlorimuron, and imazethapyr. The elevated resistance level to glyphosate in these populations is attributed to multiple amino acid substitutions (TAP-IVS) in the EPSPS gene; and cross-resistance to sulfonylureas and imidazolinones is conferred by the Trp-574-Leu substitution in the ALS gene in both populations. Overall, resistance distribution indicated that 88% of the sampled populations were considered sensitive to glyphosate, while 66% were sensitive to chlorimuron. Furthermore, 10% of the samples demonstrated multiple resistance to both active ingredients. A shift in glyphosate sensitivity was observed in four states in Brazil; however, sensitivity shifts to chlorimuron were more widely dispersed in Brazilian agricultural regions.

As the popularity of adhesive joints in industry increases, so does the need for tools to support the process of selecting a suitable adhesive. While some such tools already exist, they are either too limited in scope or offer too little flexibility in use. This work presents a more advanced tool, that was developed together with a team of adhesive experts. We first extract the experts’ knowledge about this domain and formalize it in a Knowledge Base (KB). The IDP-Z3 reasoning system can then be used to derive the necessary functionality from this KB. Together with a user-friendly interactive interface, this creates an easy-to-use tool capable of assisting the adhesive experts. To validate our approach, we performed user testing in the form of qualitative interviews. The experts are very positive about the tool, stating that, among others, it will help save time and find more suitable adhesives.

Habitat modification may facilitate the emergence of novel pathogens, and the expansion of agricultural frontiers make domestic animals important sources of pathogen spillover to wild animals. We demonstrate for the first time that Plasmodium juxtanucleare, a widespread parasite from domestic chickens, naturally infects free-living passerines. We sampled 68 wild birds within and at the border of conservation units in central Brazil composed by Cerrado, a highly threatened biome. Seven out of 10 passerines captured in the limits of a protected area with a small farm were infected by P. juxtanucleare as was confirmed by sequencing a fragment of the parasite's cytochrome b. Blood smears from these positive passerines presented trophozoites, meronts and gametocytes compatible with P. juxtanucleare, meaning these birds are competent hosts for this parasite. After these intriguing results, we sampled 30 backyard chickens managed at the area where P. juxtanucleare-infected passerines were captured, revealing one chicken infected by the same parasite lineage. We sequenced the almost complete mitochondrial genome from all positive passerines, revealing that Brazilian and Asian parasites are closely related. P. juxtanucleare can be lethal to non-domestic hosts under captive and rehabilitation conditions, suggesting that this novel spillover may pose a real threat to wild birds.

Differences were shown to exist in photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and carbon dioxide leaf diffusive resistance between atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] susceptible (S) and resistant (R) plants of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Chlorbromuron [3-(4-bromo-3-chlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea] and diruon [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] were the only herbicides tested that controlled both biotypes, but all of the herbicides except norea [3-(hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan-5-yl)-1,1-dimethylurea] controlled the S biotype. Although photosynthetic activity and transpiration were reduced in both biotypes by atrazine at 50 and 70 ppm, the decline was much greater in the S biotype than in the R biotype and persisted a longer time in the S biotype. Leaf CO2 diffusive resistances of the biotypes were increased by atrazine applications. Mesophyll resistance was increased to a greater extent than stomatal resistance suggesting that reduction of photosynthesis is due to a greater effect of atrazine on the mesophyll tissue than on the guard cells.

Comparison of histories of great earthquakes and accompanying tsunamis at eight coastal sites suggests plate-boundary ruptures of varying length, implying great earthquakes of variable magnitude at the Cascadia subduction zone. Inference of rupture length relies on degree of overlap on radiocarbon age ranges for earthquakes and tsunamis, and relative amounts of coseismic subsidence and heights of tsunamis. Written records of a tsunami in Japan provide the most conclusive evidence for rupture of much of the plate boundary during the earthquake of 26 January 1700. Cascadia stratigraphic evidence dating from about 1600 cal yr B.P., similar to that for the 1700 earthquake, implies a similarly long rupture with substantial subsidence and a high tsunami. Correlations are consistent with other long ruptures about 1350 cal yr B.P., 2500 cal yr B.P., 3400 cal yr B.P., 3800 cal yr B.P., 4400 cal yr B.P., and 4900 cal yr B.P. A rupture about 700–1100 cal yr B.P. was limited to the northern and central parts of the subduction zone, and a northern rupture about 2900 cal yr B.P. may have been similarly limited. Times of probable short ruptures in southern Cascadia include about 1100 cal yr B.P., 1700 cal yr B.P., 3200 cal yr B.P., 4200 cal yr B.P., 4600 cal yr B.P., and 4700 cal yr B.P. Rupture patterns suggest that the plate boundary in northern Cascadia usually breaks in long ruptures during the greatest earthquakes. Ruptures in southernmost Cascadia vary in length and recurrence intervals more than ruptures in northern Cascadia.

This case report describes intestinal angiodysplasias as a cause of persisting anaemia in a 16-year-old girl with a failing Fontan circulation. Although this is a very rare cause of anaemia, we highlight the importance of video capsule endoscopy in such patients to initiate a life-saving treatment.

We present a review of our recent studies of Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) in Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistors (MOSFETs) fabricated with different material systems, highlighting the reliability opportunities and challenges of each novel device family. We discuss first the intrinsic reliability improvement offered by SiGe and Ge p-channel technologies, if a Si cap is used to passivate the channel, in order to fabricate a standard SiO2/HfO2 gate stack. We focus on SiGe gate stack optimizations for maximum BTI reliability, and on a simple physics-based model able to reproduce the experimental trends. This model framework is then used to understand the suboptimal BTI reliability and excessive time-dependent variability induced by oxide defect charging in different high-mobility channel gate stacks, such as Ge/GeOx/high-k and InGaAs/high-k. Finally we discuss how to pursue a reduction of charge trapping in alternative material systems in order to boost the device reliability and minimize time-dependent variability.

Altered levels of selenium and copper have been linked with altered cardiovascular disease risk factors including changes in blood triglyceride and cholesterol levels. However, it is unclear whether this can be observed prenatally. This cross-sectional study includes 274 singleton births from 2004 to 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland. We measured umbilical cord serum selenium and copper using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We evaluated exposure levels vis-à-vis umbilical cord serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations in multivariable regression models adjusted for gestational age, birth weight, maternal age, race, parity, smoking, prepregnancy body mass index, n-3 fatty acids and methyl mercury. The percent difference in triglycerides comparing those in the highest v. lowest quartile of selenium was 22.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.1, 39.7). For copper this was 43.8% (95% CI: 25.9, 64.3). In multivariable models including both copper and selenium as covariates, copper, but not selenium, maintained a statistically significant association with increased triglycerides (percent difference: 40.7%, 95% CI: 22.1, 62.1). There was limited evidence of a relationship of increasing selenium with increasing total cholesterol. Our findings provide evidence that higher serum copper levels are associated with higher serum triglycerides in newborns, but should be confirmed in larger studies.

Larval densities and catch of adult male Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) in pheromone-baited covered funnel traps in the same year were highly correlated. Such traps avoid saturation problems associated with conventional sticky traps. Release of marked males resulted in recapture rates of up to 21% in covered funnel traps. The findings suggest that non-saturating pheromone-baited traps could be used to monitor population densities and trends of the spruce budworm.

An outbreak of the forest tent caterpillar began in northern Minnesota in 1964 and ended abruptly in 1972. During 1968–71 when egg densities ranged from 1 to 9 million per acre, caterpillars caused virtually complete tree defoliation in all study plots. As a result, tree stem densities and basal areas were reduced per plot by 41 and 27%, respectively. Tree mortality was more severe on plots having higher water tables. Graphical and components of variance analyses both showed that: (1) variations in annual egg densities were due mostly to variations in survival during the egg to 30-day larval stage (SI) and secondly to variations in survival during the 30-day larval to adult stage (S2), (2) S2 tended to change in the opposite direction from S1, (3) the net result was a tendency to produce a constant amount of eggs per unit area. Variations in S1 were due primarily to pharate larval mortality and mortality of larvae 2–3 weeks after hatch while variations in S2 were due mainly to unmeasured mortality factors such as starvation, disease, dispersal, etc. Survival during the egg stage (SE) and fecundity (F) varied significantly by years, but not by plots and both were apparently related to weather conditions. Plots of two simultaneous equations were presented to demonstrate the nature of population change in relation to the densities of eggs and 30-day larvae per acre.

Parasitism, infertility, and death of fully developed first-stage larvae in eggs (pharate larvae) were the egg mortality factors encountered during a 1967–69 study on the bionomics of the forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hübner, in northern Minnesota. There was no significant difference in the average yearly per cent parasitization and infertility per egg mass; these ranged from 7 to 10% and 1 to 3%, respectively. There was a year to year difference in pharate larval mortality. It ranged from 39% in 1968 to only 9 and 3% for 1967 and 969. Studies showed that egg masses had a tendency to be either nearly complete y hatched or unhatched only in 1968. The variation in pharate larval mortally in these studies suggests qualitative differences in the population. The pharate larval mortality has the potential of influencing population trends of the forest tent caterpillar.

First-stage forest tent caterpillar larvae were tested for the presence of active and sluggish behavior types such as Wellington found in Malacosoma californicum pluviale (Dyar). Larvae capable of directed movement towards a 30 w light source were classified as active. Larvae were tested on 3 consecutive days, and only a small percentage responded on all 3 days. A much larger percentage remained sluggish throughout the period. Chi-square tests confirmed that the differences in response were not random. There was a tendency for some larvae to respond to light during the test and for others not to respond. The reduced consistency in the response of "active" larvae in M. disstria Hübner compared with that reported for M.c. pluviale may be partly due to real behavioral differences, but it also may be partly due to some procedural differences between our tests and Wellington’s.

Egg masses of the forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hübner, were collected from new and old infestation areas of northern Minnesota before development started in the spring. Mortality of embryos was recorded after laboratory exposure to −10°, −15°, −20°, −25°, and −30° C for 12, 24, and 72 hours at 1, 2, 3, and 4 days before anticipated hatch. Length of treatment and temperatures of −10° and −15°C had minimal effect on survival. Mortality of embryos varied with days before hatch in an erratic cyclic pattern with temperatures and years. Temperature treatments of −20°, −25°, and −30 °C caused about 50%, 66%, and 100% embryo mortality. Mortality in new infestation areas was consistently higher than in older areas for all treatments.

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound in early detection of chorionicity and amnionicity in twin pregnancies and evaluate the role of operator-experience, a prospective follow up of 87 consecutive twin pregnancies was performed. Chorionicity and amnionicity were determined by 17 different observers, divided in 2 groups on the basis of their experience, using a composite of US markers at the first US examination confirming a viable intrauterine twin pregnancy. Accuracy of prediction was determined for both groups by comparison with postnatal pathology. From the 87 pregnancies examined at 10.1 (minimum 5.5 weeks, maximum 26.0) weeks of gestation, pathology was available in 82 cases and a correct prediction of chorionicity was made in all but two cases, both being diagnosed as monochorionic while dichorionic by observers belonging the more experienced group. No monochorionic pregnancy was missed and amnionicity was correctly diagnosed in all cases, including two monoamniotic twins. We conclude that use of a composite of ultrasound markers for early detection of chorionicity and amnionicity is reliable in a clinical setting where physicians with a variable degree of experience perform ultrasound examination.

The objective of this study was to compare length of gestation, fetal growth, and birthweight by race/ethnicity and pregravid weight groups in twin pregnancies. Three thousand and thirty-six twin pregnancies of 28 weeks or more gestation were divided by race/ethnicity (White, Black and Hispanic), and pregravid body mass index (BMI) groups (less than 25.0 vs. 25.0 or more). Outcomes were modeled using multiple regression, controlling for confounders, with White non-Hispanic women as the reference group. Hispanic women had the highest average birthweight and the longest gestation, as well as the lowest proportions of low birthweight, very low birthweight, preterm and early preterm births of the 3 race/ethnicity groups. In the multivariate analyses, Hispanic women had significantly longer gestations (by 7.8 days) and faster rates of fetal growth midgestation (20 to 28 weeks, by 17.4 g/week) and late gestation (after 28 weeks, by 5.3 g/week), whereas Black women had significantly slower rates of fetal growth (by 5.7 g/week and by 4.5 g/week, respectively). These findings in twins reflect the racial and ethnic disparities previously shown in singletons, including the Hispanic paradox of longer gestations and higher rates of fetal growth.