Gene introgression in assessing fitness costs associated with phosphine resistance in the rusty grain beetle

Journal of Pest Science - The current study investigates the fitness cost associated with phosphine resistance in the rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), a problematic pest in...     

Restriction-endonuclease analysis of Australian isolates of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo from cattle with agalactia and abortion

SUMMARY Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to resolve restriction endonuclease digests of 20 Australian isolates of Leptospira interrogans cultured from urine samples of cattle with agalactia and abortion. The restriction endonuclease profiles of 19 isolates closely matched the profiles of L interrogans serovar hardjo subtype hardjobovis reference strains. The remaining isolate had a different restriction profile from subtype hardjobovis and subtype hardjoprajitno reference strains and was serologically identified as serovar pomona. Silver staining of polyacrylamide gels gave enhanced resolution of restriction fragments compared with the traditional method of ethidium bromide staining of agarose gels.     

Uptake of drugs from topically applied anti-inflammatory preparations applied to racing animals

Objective To determine whether a drug detected in the blood or urine of a racing animal could have penetrated through the skin from a topically applied preparation.
Design Blood and urine of dogs and horses were analysed after topical administration of three common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory preparations.
Experimental method Dimethylsulphoxide was analysed using a gas chromatograph with a flame photometric detector. Phenylbutazone, its metabolites and lignocaine were analysed using a gas chromatograph with a mass selective detector.
Results Dimethylsulphoxide, phenylbutazone and ligno-caine were detected in dog urine after muliple applications of the preparations. The maximum concentration of dimethyl-sulphoxide in dog urine correlated with the concentration of dimethylsulphoxide in the preparation. Phenylbutazone penetrated the skin more effectively from the cream than from the solution or gel preparations. This penetration was independent of the concentration of dimethylsulphoxide.
Conclusion The superior penetration of phenylbutazone from the cream can be explained by it being present as a neutral molecule in an hydrophobic medium. It is proposed that phenylbutazone penetrates the skin of greyhounds most effectively by a hydrophobic lipid route which is likely to be different from the path by which dimethylsulphoxide penetrates the skin.     

Aggregation-based crystal growth and microstructure development in natural iron oxyhydroxide biomineralization products

Crystals are generally considered to grow by attachment of ions to inorganic surfaces or organic templates. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of biomineralization products of iron-oxidizing bacteria revealed an alternative coarsening mechanism in which adjacent 2- to 3-nanometer particles aggregate and rotate so their structures adopt parallel orientations in three dimensions. Crystal growth is accomplished by eliminating water molecules at interfaces and forming iron-oxygen bonds. Self-assembly occurs at multiple sites, leading to a coarser, polycrystalline material. Point defects (from surface-adsorbed impurities), dislocations, and slabs of structurally distinct material are created as a consequence of this growth mechanism and can dramatically impact subsequent reactivity.     

Diverse plasma populations and structures in Jupiter's magnetotail

Jupiter's magnetotail is the largest cohesive structure in the solar system and marks the loss of vast numbers of heavy ions from the Jupiter system. The New Horizons spacecraft traversed the magnetotail to distances exceeding 2500 jovian radii (R(J)) and revealed a remarkable diversity of plasma populations and structures throughout its length. Ions evolve from a hot plasma disk distribution at approximately 100 R(J) to slower, persistent flows down the tail that become increasingly variable in flux and mean energy. The plasma is highly structured-exhibiting sharp breaks, smooth variations, and apparent plasmoids-and contains ions from both Io and Jupiter's ionosphere with intense bursts of H(+) and H(+)(3). Quasi-periodic changes were seen in flux at approximately 450 and approximately 1500 R(J) with a 10-hour period. Other variations in flow speed at approximately 600 to 1000 R(J) with a 3- to 4-day period may be attributable to plasmoids moving down the tail.     

Life history traits and food supplementation affect productivity in a translocated population of the endangered Hihi (Stitchbird, Notiomystis cincta)

We studied the effect of food supplementation, female age and clutch order on productivity in a translocated species. Food supplementation increased clutch size from 3.9 to 4.4 (average) eggs per nesting attempt, and more than doubled fledging and recruitment success. Supplemented females started a second clutch 9 days sooner after fledging first clutch chicks than unfed females. During second clutches, supplemented females incubated the eggs for a shorter period of time (15.2 days vs. 16.8). Older females laid larger clutches (4.6 vs. 3.7 eggs) than yearlings and incubated second clutch eggs for a shorter period (15.4 vs. 16.6 days). Females laid more eggs in first clutches (4.2 vs. 3.8 eggs), and those eggs took approximately 30% longer to lay than eggs in second clutches. The successful maintenance of hihi populations on the available islands may be dependent on the permanent provision of supplemental food at nest sites.