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Submerged flexible aquatic vegetation exists widely in nature and achieves multiple functions mainly through fluid–structure interactions (FSIs). In this paper, the evolution of large-scale vortices above the vegetation canopy and its effect on flow and vegetation dynamics in a two-dimensional (2-D) laminar flow are investigated using numerical simulations under different bending rigidity $\gamma$ and gap distance d. According to the variation of large-scale vortex size and intensity, the evolution process is divided into four distinct zones in the streamwise direction, namely the ‘developing’ zone, ‘transition’ zone, ‘dissipation’ zone and ‘interaction’ zone, and different evolution sequences are further classified. In the ‘developing’ zone, the size and intensity of the large-scale vortex gradually increase along the array, while they decrease in the ‘dissipation’ zone. The supplement of vegetation oscillating vortices to large-scale vortices is the key to the enhancement of the latter. The most obvious dissipation of large-scale vortices occurs in the ‘transition’ zone, where the position of the large-scale vortex is significantly uplifted. The effects of $\gamma$ and d on the evolution of the large-scale vortex are discussed. In general, the features of vegetation swaying vary synchronously with those of large-scale vortices. The flow above the canopy is dominated by large-scale vortices, and the development of flow characteristics such as time-averaged velocity profile and Reynolds stress are closely related to the evolution of large-scale vortices. The flow inside the canopy, however, is mainly affected by the vortex shed by the vegetation oscillation, which leads to the emergence of negative time-averaged velocity and negative Reynolds stress.
Objectives/Goals: Despite significant advancements, adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with hematologic malignancies continue to have inferior improvement in survival over time compared to their younger and older peers. This project assesses which patient and neighborhood characteristics are associated with clinical trial enrollment in this population. Methods/Study Population: We will perform a retrospective study of individuals, aged 15–39, diagnosed and treated at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) or Winship Cancer Institute for hematologic malignancies between 2011 and 2023. Our primary exposure variables will be race/ethnicity, the area deprivation index (ADI), and the index of concentration at the extremes (ICE). The primary study outcome will be enrollment in an open frontline therapeutic clinical trial (yes vs. no). Our analyses will estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio of clinical trial enrollment according to race/ethnicity, ADI, and ICE; these analyses will be adjusted for co-variables of interest (e.g. patient primary language, and insurance provider). As a secondary analysis, we will further subdivide the patients by treatment location and by age tertiles. Results/Anticipated Results: Our study team completed preliminary work looking at institutional clinical trial enrollment in a pediatric-only (Discussion/Significance of Impact: We expect that this study conducted in a large, diverse AYA cohort will reveal key associations about likelihood of clinical trial enrollment. Once these associations are known, we can develop and test interventions –such as augmented social work involvement and assistance with transportation– to mitigate the effect of amenable risk factors.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the dumbbell-shaped tragal cartilage–perichondrium air-filled chamber technique versus the gelatine sponge packing method for small–medium tympanic membrane perforations.
Methods
A retrospective analysis of 68 patients (39 air-filled chamber, 29 gelatine sponge) treated between January 2020 and September 2024. Pre- and post-operative assessments included pure tone audiometry, air–bone gap, tympanic membrane healing, and visual analogue scale scores.
Results
Healing rates were similar (89.7 per cent vs 93.1 per cent, p = 0.959). At six months, pure tone audiometry and air–bone gap improvements were comparable (p > 0.05). At one month, the air-filled chamber group showed better hearing recovery (pure tone audiometry: 19.71 vs 24.27 dB HL; air–bone gap: 7.28 vs 12.28 dB HL; both p < 0.05) and lower pain scores (1.13 vs 1.59, p = 0.022). Complications and operative times were similar.
Conclusion
The air-filled chamber technique is a safe and effective alternative, offering superior early hearing recovery, reduced discomfort, and comparable long-term outcomes to the gelatine sponge method.
The study aimed to determine the patterns of the vestibular and ocular motor findings in cerebellar infarction (CI).
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed vestibular and ocular motor test results in 23 CI patients and 32 acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP) patients.
Results:
Among CI cases, the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was the most commonly affected territory. Vertigo is predominantly observed in patients with infarctions affecting PICA or anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). Lesions involving the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) mainly result in dizziness. Saccadic intrusion and oscillation, abnormal bilateral smooth pursuit (SP) and abnormal saccades were more prevalent in the CI group than in the AUVP group (all p < 0.05). Horizontal saccades were abnormal in 11 patients (47.8%) with CI. All AUVP patients had normal horizontal saccades. Horizontal SP was impaired in 13 patients (56.5%) with CI, with decreased gain toward both sides in 10 and toward 1 side in 3. Impaired horizontal SP was noted in nine patients (28.1%) with AUVP, with decreased gain toward the contralesional side in all cases. A total of 26.3% (5/19) of patients with CI exhibited subjective visual vertical (SVV) deviation toward the affected side and 31.6% (6/19) toward the unaffected side. In patients with AUVP, 70.0% (21/30) showed SVV deviation toward the affected side.
Conclusions:
Vertigo is mainly seen in PICA or AICA infarctions. SCA lesions mostly cause dizziness. Saccadic intrusion and oscillation, abnormal bilateral SP and abnormal saccades contribute to the diagnosis of CI. Moreover, SVV deviation varies depending on the cerebellar structures involved.
Broadband frequency-tripling pulses with high energy are attractive for scientific research, such as inertial confinement fusion, but are difficult to scale up. Third-harmonic generation via nonlinear frequency conversion, however, remains a trade-off between bandwidth and conversion efficiency. Based on gradient deuterium deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDxH2-xPO4, DKDP) crystal, here we report the generation of frequency-tripling pulses by rapid adiabatic passage with a low-coherence laser driver facility. The efficiency dependence on the phase-matching angle in a Type-II configuration is studied. We attained an output at 352 nm with a bandwidth of 4.4 THz and an efficiency of 36%. These results, to the best of our knowledge, represent the first experimental demonstration of gradient deuterium DKDP crystal in obtaining frequency-tripling pulses. Our research paves a new way for developing high-efficiency, large-bandwidth frequency-tripling technology.
Per–Arnt–Sim (PAS) domain kinase (PASK) is a conserved metabolic sensor that modulates the activation of critical proteins involved in liver metabolism and fitness. However, despite its key role in mastering the metabolic regulation, the molecular mechanism of PASK’s activity is ongoing research, and structural information of this important protein is scarce. To investigate this, we integrated structural bioinformatics with state-of-the-art modeling and molecular simulation techniques. Our goals were to address (1) how many regulatory PAS domains PASK is likely to have, (2) how those domains modulate the kinase activity, and (3) how those interactions could be controlled by small molecules. Our results indicated the existence of three N-terminal PAS domains. Solvent mapping and fragment docking identified a consensus set of ‘druggable hot spots’ within all domains, as well as at domain–domain interfaces. Those ‘hot spots’ could be modulated with chemically diverse small molecular probes, which may serve as a starting point for rationally designed therapeutics modulating these specific sites. Our results identified a plausible mechanism of autoinhibition of kinase activity, suggesting that all three putative PAS domains may be required. Future work will focus on validation of the predicted PASK models and development of small-molecule inhibitors of PASK by targeting its ‘druggable hot spots’.
The development and application of Fe-rich palygorskite clay has been restricted significantly by its red colour and low grade. Moreover, the nano-structured properties of palygorskite and the relatively large Fe content of Fe-rich palygorskite clay have received insufficient attention. The present study involved the synthesis of Ni-based catalysts via a coprecipitation method using Fe-rich palygorskite clay as the support. The catalysts were then evaluated for their performance for catalytic steam reforming of toluene (CSRT). The experimental findings revealed that the Fe in Fe-rich palygorskite clay interacted strongly with Ni and formed Fe-Ni alloys. The catalyst with a Ni/Fe mass ratio of 14 (Ni14/FePal) calcined in air at 600°C exhibited superior performance for CSRT under the reaction temperature 700°C and S/C molar ratio of 1.0. According to the kinetics study, Ni14/FePal exhibited the lowest apparent activation energy (33.99 kJ mol−1) among the catalysts, which further confirmed the superior catalytic activity in CSRT. The characterizations of the catalysts used demonstrated that the excellent stability and resistance to coke formation of Ni14/FePal were attributable to the presence of a sufficient amount of highly dispersed Fe-Ni alloys on its surface.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients, diagnosed with cancer between 15 and 39 years of age, often have worse outcomes compared to younger children and older adults. We will characterize age differences in acuity and severity of illness at initial presentation, as a measure for health outcomes, in patients with new diagnoses of leukemia or lymphoma. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We will perform a single institution-based, retrospective analysis of a cohort of pediatric oncology patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) who were diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma from 2010 to 2018. Data will be abstracted from the CHOA medical record and cancer registry. We will construct a severity score, with one point for 1) admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 2) ICU-level requirements at admission, 3) stage IV or metastatic disease, and 4) white blood cell count over 100,000/microliter. We will associate this score with age at presentation using logistic regression models among patients overall and stratified by disease type. All regression models will adjust for confounders (e.g., health insurance, race and ethnicity, and local-area social vulnerability level). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Previous literature has shown increased cancer incidence and mortality in AYAs compared to younger children. Therefore, we hypothesize that AYA patients with a new diagnosis of leukemia or lymphoma will have a higher acuity and severity of illness at presentation than younger patients. We conducted a pilot study analyzing acuity and severity of illness by age, race, ethnicity, and insurance status. Bivariate comparisons suggested patients aged 10 and older were as likely as those younger to have a severity score of more than 0 at diagnosis (OR=0.661 , 95% CI 0.43-1.01). However, this result was collapsed across all hematologic malignancies, did not encompass the entire cohort, and did not address possible confounders; we anticipate our estimates will be different taking these factors into account. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our work will be the first steps in creating a validated tool to understand disease acuity and severity. By using this tool to characterize presentation by disease type and age, we will identify unmet needs prior to an initial diagnosis of cancer. Our findings inform strategies toward narrowing age disparities in outcomes for AYA hematologic cancers.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Racial/ethnic minoritized children experience poorer cancer outcomes, which may be driven by structural racism. We apply an index that combines segregation and neighborhood vulnerability to a pediatric oncology population and assesses its association with acuity of illness at initial presentation. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A retrospective analysis will be performed in a cohort of pediatric patients diagnosed with solid tumors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) from 2010-2018 (N=1149). The sample will be linked to a structural racism index (SRI) that has been established in our prior work. We abstract data from medical records to quantify initial acuity of illness based on the need for ICU-level resources. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics will be analyzed by the SRI, using chi-squared, Student t-tests, and ANOVA where appropriate. Logistic regression models will be used to assess the association of the SRI with acuity of illness. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that relevant sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, insurance status) differ by the SRI. The CHOA Cancer Registry includes a racially and ethnically diverse group of patients: 63% of the cohort is White, 30% is Black,10% are Other, and 15% are Hispanic/Latino. Furthermore, we anticipate that pediatric patients with solid tumors living in counties with greater levels of structural racism as measured by the SRI experience an increased acuity of illness at initial presentation. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: By applying a novel index quantifying structural racism, we will provide new information about the structural barriers patients and families face prior to a pediatric cancer diagnosis. This work will allow us to identify areas for potential interventions in this vulnerable young patient population.
According to the public data collected from the Health Commission of Gansu Province, China, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic during the summer epidemic cycle in 2022, the epidemiological analysis showed that the pandemic spread stability and the symptom rate (the number of confirmed cases divided by the sum of the number of asymptomatic cases and the number of confirmed cases) of COVID-19 were different among 3 main epidemic regions, Lanzhou, Linxia, and Gannan; both the symptom rate and the daily instantaneous symptom rate (daily number of confirmed cases divided by the sum of daily number of asymptomatic cases and daily number of confirmed cases) in Lanzhou were substantially higher than those in Linxia and Gannan. The difference in the food sources due to the high difference of the population ethnic composition in the 3 regions was probably the main driver for the difference of the symptom rates among the 3 regions. This work provides potential values for prevention and control of COVID-19 in different regions.
Laser-accelerated electrons are promising in producing gamma-photon beams of high peak flux for the study of nuclear photonics, obtaining copious positrons and exploring photon–photon interaction in vacuum. We report on the experimental generation of brilliant gamma-ray beams with not only high photon yield but also low divergence, based on picosecond laser-accelerated electrons. The 120 J 1 ps laser pulse drives self-modulated wakefield acceleration in a high-density gas jet and generates tens-of-MeV electrons with 26 nC and divergence as small as $1.51{}^{\circ}$. These collimated electrons produce gamma-ray photons through bremsstrahlung radiation when transversing a high-Z solid target. We design a high-energy-resolution Compton-scattering spectrometer and find that a total photon number of $2.2\times {10}^9$ is captured within an acceptance angle of $1.1{}^{\circ}$ for photon energies up to $16\;\mathrm{MeV}$. Comparison between the experimental results and Monte Carlo simulations illustrates that the photon beam inherits the small divergence from electrons, corresponding to a total photon number of $2.2\times {10}^{11}$ and a divergence of $7.73{}^{\circ}$.
High-power continuous-wave ultraviolet lasers are useful for many applications. As ultraviolet laser sources, the wavelength switching capability and compact structure are very important to extend the applicability and improve the flexibility in practical applications. In this work, we present two simple and relatively compact schemes by laser diode pumping to obtain a watt-level single-wavelength 348.7-nm laser and discrete wavelength tunable ultraviolet lasers around 349 nm (from 334.7 to 364.5 nm) by intracavity frequency doubling based on Pr3+:YLF and $\unicode{x3b2}$-BBO crystals. The maximum output power of the single-wavelength 348.7-nm laser is 1.033 W. The output powers of the discrete wavelength tunable lasers are at the level of tens of milliwatts, except for two peaks at 348.7 and 360.3 nm with output powers of approximately 500 mW. In addition, simulations are carried out to explain the experimental results and clarify the tuning mechanisms.
We report the experimental results of the commissioning phase in the 10 PW laser beamline of the Shanghai Superintense Ultrafast Laser Facility (SULF). The peak power reaches 2.4 PW on target without the last amplifying during the experiment. The laser energy of 72 ± 9 J is directed to a focal spot of approximately 6 μm diameter (full width at half maximum) in 30 fs pulse duration, yielding a focused peak intensity around 2.0 × 1021 W/cm2. The first laser-proton acceleration experiment is performed using plain copper and plastic targets. High-energy proton beams with maximum cut-off energy up to 62.5 MeV are achieved using copper foils at the optimum target thickness of 4 μm via target normal sheath acceleration. For plastic targets of tens of nanometers thick, the proton cut-off energy is approximately 20 MeV, showing ring-like or filamented density distributions. These experimental results reflect the capabilities of the SULF-10 PW beamline, for example, both ultrahigh intensity and relatively good beam contrast. Further optimization for these key parameters is underway, where peak laser intensities of 1022–1023 W/cm2 are anticipated to support various experiments on extreme field physics.
This paper presents the response and the wake modes of a freely vibrating D-section prism with varying angles of attack ($\alpha = 0^\circ \text {--}180^\circ$) and reduced velocity ($U^* = 2\text {--}20$) by a numerical investigation. The Reynolds number, based on the effective diameter, is fixed at 100. The vibration of the prism is allowed only in the transverse direction. We found six types of response with increasing angle of attack: typical vortex-induced vibration (VIV) at $\alpha = 0^\circ \text {--}35^\circ$; extended VIV at $\alpha = 40^\circ \text {--}65^\circ$; combined VIV and galloping at $\alpha = 70^\circ \text {--}80^\circ$; narrowed VIV at $\alpha = 85^\circ \text {--}150^\circ$; transition response, from narrowed VIV to pure galloping, at $\alpha = 155^\circ \text {--}160^\circ$; and pure galloping at $\alpha = 165^\circ \text {--}180^\circ$. The typical and narrowed VIVs are characterized by linearly increasing normalized vibration frequency with increasing $U^*$, which is attributed to the stationary separation points of the boundary layer. On the other hand, in the extended VIV, the vortex shedding frequency matches the natural frequency in a large $U^*$ range with increasing $\alpha$ generally. The galloping is characterized by monotonically increasing amplitude with enlarging $U^*$, with the largest amplitude being $A^* = 3.2$. For the combined VIV and galloping, the vibration amplitude is marginal in the VIV branch while it significantly increases with $U^*$ in the galloping branch. In the transition from narrowed VIV to pure galloping, the vibration frequency shows a galloping-like feature, but the amplitude does not monotonically increase with increasing $U^*$. Moreover, a partition of the wake modes in the $U^*$–$\alpha$ parametric plane is presented, and the flow physics is elucidated through time variations of the displacement, drag and lift coefficients and vortex dynamics. The angle-of-attack range of galloping is largely predicted by performing a quasi-steady analysis of the galloping instability. Finally, the effects of $m^*$ and ${\textit {Re}}$, the roles of afterbody and the roles of separation point in determining vibration responses and vortex shedding frequency are further discussed.
Athetis lepigone Möschler (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) is a common maize pest in Europe and Asia. However, there is no long-term effective management strategy is available yet to suppress its population. Adults rely heavily on olfactory cues to locate their optimal host plants and oviposition sites. Pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are believed to be responsible for recognizing and transporting different odorant molecules to interact with receptor membrane proteins. In this study, the ligand-binding specificities of two AlepPBPs (AlepPBP2 and AlepPBP3) for sex pheromone components and host plant (maize) volatiles were measured by fluorescence ligand-binding assay. The results demonstrated that AlepPBP2 had a high affinity with two pheromones [(Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, Ki = 1.11 ± 0.1 μM, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, Ki = 1.32 ± 0.15 μM] and ten plant volatiles, including (-)-limonene, α-pinene, myrcene, linalool, benzaldehyde, nonanal, 2-hexanone, 3-hexanone, 2-heptanone and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. In contrast, we found that none of these chemicals could bind to AlepPBP3. Our results clearly show no significant differences in the functional characterization of the binding properties between AlepPBP2 and AlepPBP3 to sex pheromones and host plant volatiles. Furthermore, molecular docking was employed for further detail on some crucial amino acid residues involved in the ligand-binding of AlepPBP2. These findings will provide valuable information about the potential protein binding sites necessary for protein-ligand interactions which appear as attractive targets for the development of novel technologies and management strategies for insect pests.
This retrospective study investigated the predictive value of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score in patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Nomograms were developed to predict progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS). The medical data of 228 patients with HCC and treated with TACE were collected. The patients were apportioned to 2 groups according to CONUT score: low or high (<4, ≥4). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression for OS and PFS. OS and PFS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier curve and compared with the log-rank test. Nomograms were constructed to predict patient OS and PFS. The nomograms were evaluated for accuracy, discrimination, and efficiency. The cut-off value of CONUT score was 4. The higher the CONUT score, the worse the survival; Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant differences in OS and PFS between the low and high CONUT score groups (P = 0·033, 0·047). The nomograms including CONUT, based on the prognostic factors determined by the univariate and multivariate analyses, to predict survival in HCC after TACE were generated. The CONUT score is an important prognostic factor for both OS and PFS for patients with intermediate HCC who underwent TACE. The cut-off value of the CONUT score was 4. A high CONUT score suggests poor survival outcomes. Nomograms generated based on the CONUT score were good models to predict patient OS and PFS.
We report on experimental observation of non-laminar proton acceleration modulated by a strong magnetic field in laser irradiating micrometer aluminum targets. The results illustrate the coexistence of ring-like and filamentation structures. We implement the knife edge method into the radiochromic film detector to map the accelerated beams, measuring a source size of 30–110 μm for protons of more than 5 MeV. The diagnosis reveals that the ring-like profile originates from low-energy protons far off the axis whereas the filamentation is from the near-axis high-energy protons, exhibiting non-laminar features. Particle-in-cell simulations reproduced the experimental results, showing that the short-term magnetic turbulence via Weibel instability and the long-term quasi-static annular magnetic field by the streaming electric current account for the measured beam profile. Our work provides direct mapping of laser-driven proton sources in the space-energy domain and reveals the non-laminar beam evolution at featured time scales.
Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a potent regulator of TAG metabolism, but knowledge of the mechanisms underlying ANGPTL4 transcription in response to fatty acids is still limited in teleost. In the current study, we explored the molecular characterisation of ANGPTL4 and regulatory mechanisms of ANGPTL4 in response to fatty acids in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Here, croaker angptl4 contained a 1416 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 471 amino acids with highly conserved 12-amino acid consensus motif. Angptl4 was widely expressed in croaker, with the highest expression in the liver. In vitro, oleic and palmitic acids (OA and PA) treatments strongly increased angptl4 mRNA expression in croaker hepatocytes. Moreover, angptl4 expression was positively regulated by PPAR family (PPAR-α, β and γ), and expression of PPARγ was also significantly increased in response to OA and PA. Moreover, inhibition of PPARγ abrogated OA- or PA-induced angptl4 mRNA expression. Beyond that, PA might increase angptl4 expression partly via the insulin signalling. Overall, the expression of ANGPTL4 is strongly upregulated by OA and PA via PPARγ in the liver of croaker, which contributes to improve the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ANGPTL4 in fish.
We report on a power-scalable sub-100-fs laser in the 2-μm spectral range using a Tm3+-doped ‘mixed’ (Lu,Sc)2O3 sesquioxide ceramic as an active medium. Pulses as short as 58 fs at 2076 nm with an average output power of 114 mW at a pulse repetition rate of approximately 82.9 MHz are generated by employing single-walled carbon nanotubes as a saturable absorber. A higher average power of 350 mW at 2075 nm is obtained at the expense of the pulse duration (65 fs). A maximum average power of 486 mW is achieved for a pulse duration of 98 fs and an optical conversion efficiency of 22.3%, representing the highest value ever reported from sub-100-fs mode-locked Tm lasers.
Spodoptera litura is an important pest that causes significant economic damage to numerous crops worldwide. Sex pheromones (SPs) mediate sexual communication in S. litura and show a characteristic degree of rhythmic activity, occurring mainly during the scotophase; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we employed a genome-wide analysis to identify eight candidate circadian clock genes in S. litura. Sequence characteristics and expression patterns were analyzed. Our results demonstrated that some circadian clock genes might regulate the biosynthesis and perception of SPs by regulating the rhythmic expression of SP biosynthesis-related genes and SP perception-related genes. Interestingly, all potential genes exhibited peak expression in the scotophase, consistent with the SP could mediate courtship and mating behavior in S. litura. Our findings are helpful in elucidating the molecular mechanism by which circadian clock genes regulate sexual communication in S. litura.