Early Results of the 3mm Spectral Line Survey toward the L1157 B1 Shocked Region

We have conducted a sensitive 3mm observation toward the shocked region, Lynds 1157 B1, which is an interaction spot between a molecular outflow and its ambient gas. We have successfully detected the CH3CHO, HCOOCH3, and HCOOH lines, as well as the CH2DOH line. The abundances of these molecules relative to CH3OH are found to be lower than those in the low-mass star-forming core, IRAS 16293-2422. Since these molecules are thought to evaporate from grain mantles, the observational results mean that complex molecules are less abundant in grain mantles residing in the ambient cloud surrounding a prestellar/protostellar core. Instead, efficient formation of the complex organic species and deuterated species should take place in a prestellar/protostellar core. The present result verifies the importance of an unbiased line survey of this source.

Can the spread of non-native oysters (Crassostrea gigas) at the early stages of population expansion be managed?

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was introduced into Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland in the 1970s. It was assumed that local environmental conditions would not facilitate successful reproduction. However, in the 1990s there were reports of C. gigas outside licensed aquaculture sites and this investigation set out to ascertain the current distribution, years of likely recruitment and population structure of the species. C. gigas were found distributed widely throughout the northern basin during surveys; the frequency distribution suggesting C. gigas is not recruiting every year. Establishment of feral populations of C. gigas elsewhere have linked to habitat change. A pilot cull was initiated to assess the success rate of early intervention. This paper demonstrates the potential benefits of responding rapidly to initial reports of non-native species in a way that may curtail establishment and expansion. The method advocated in simple and can be recommended to the appropriate regulatory authorities.

Molecular testing of respiratory swabs aids early recognition of meningococcal disease in children

Early meningococcal disease (MD) diagnosis is difficult. We assessed rapid molecular testing of respiratory specimens. We performed genotyping of respiratory swabs, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid from children with suspected disease and nasal swabs (NSs) from matched controls. Thirty-nine of 104 suspected cases had confirmed disease. Four controls were carriers. Throat swab ctrA and porA testing for detection of disease gave a sensitivity of 81% (17/21), specificity of 100% (44/44), positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% (17/17), negative predictive value (NPV) of 92% (44/48), and relative risk of 12. NS ctrA and porA testing gave a sensitivity of 51% (20/39), specificity of 95% (62/65), PPV of 87% (20/23), NPV of 77% (62/81), and relative risk of 4. Including only the 86 NSs taken within 48 h of presentation, the results were sensitivity of 60% (18/30), specificity of 96% (54/56), PPV of 90% (18/20), NPV of 82% (54/66), and relative risk of 5. Swab type agreement was excellent (kappa 0.80, P

Fetal brain function in response to maternal alcohol consumption: Early evidence of damage

Background: Studies of the adverse neurobehavioral effects of maternal alcohol consumption on the fetus have been largely confined to the postnatal period, after exposure to alcohol has finished. This study explored the brain function of the fetus, at the time of exposure to alcohol, to examine its effect on information processing and stability of performance. Methods: Five groups of fetuses, defined by maternal alcohol consumption patterns, were examined: control (no alcohol); moderate (5 to 10 units/wk either drunk evenly across the week or as a binge, in 2 to 3 days); heavy (20+ units/wk drunk evenly or as a binge). Fetal habituation performance was examined on 3 occasions, separated by 7 days, beginning at 35 weeks of gestation. The number of trials required to habituate on each test session and the difference in performance across test sessions were recorded. Results: Fetuses exposed to heavy binge drinking required significantly more trials to habituate and exhibited a greater variability in performance across all test sessions than the other groups. Maternal drinking, either heavily but evenly or moderately as a binge, resulted in poorer habituation, and moderate binge drinking resulted in greater variability compared with no, or even, drinking. Conclusions: Decreased information processing, reflected by poorer habituation, and increased variability in performance may reflect the initial manifestations of structural damage caused by alcohol to the brain. These results will lead to a greater understanding of the effects of alcohol on the fetus's brain, enable the antenatal identification of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and lead to the early implementation of better management strategies. © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.


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ON THE PROGENITOR AND EARLY EVOLUTION OF THE TYPE II SUPERNOVA 2009kr

We identify a source coincident with SN 2009kr in Hubble Space Telescope pre-explosion images. The object appears to be a single point source with an intrinsic color V - I = 1.1 +/- 0.25 and M-V = -7.6 +/- 0.6. If this is a single star, it would be a yellow supergiant of log L/L-circle dot similar to 5.1 and a mass of 15(-4)(+5) M-circle dot. The spatial resolution does not allow us yet to definitively determine if the progenitor object is a single star, a binary system, or a compact cluster. We show that the early light curve is similar to a Type IIL SN, but the prominent H alpha P-Cygni profiles and the signature of the end of a recombination phase are reminiscent of a Type IIP. The evolution of the expanding ejecta will play an important role in understanding the progenitor object.

Early onset of changes to the reproductive system of Fasciola hepatica following in vivo treatment with triclabendazole

Lambs infected with the Cullompton triclabendazole (ICBZ)-susceptible isolate of Fasciola hepatica were treated with TCBZ at a dosage of 10 mg/kg at 16 weeks post-infection. Adult flukes were recovered from the liver at 3 h, 24 h, 48 h and 60 h post-treatment (pt). They were processed for histological analysis of the uterus, Mehlis' gland, vitellaria, ovary and testis. At 3 h pt, the flukes were essentially similar to the controls and were producing normal eggs. Egg production had ceased by 24 h pt. At this time period, the cells of the Mehlis' gland showed some evidence of vacuolation, but otherwise were relatively normal. A shift in the population of vitelline cells towards mature cells was observed at 24 h pt, and this trend continued at later time-periods. It was accompanied by a breakdown of the cells and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Marked changes to the ovary were first noted at 48 h Pt, as evidenced by vacuolation and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Some disruption to the testis was seen at 24 h pt, with a reduction in the population of spermatogenic cells, the appearance of apoptotic bodies and some peripheral vacuolation of the tubules. These abnormalities increased in severity with longer time periods pt. The results bring forward the time-line of cessation of egg production by 24 h, demonstrating that this process is affected very rapidly pt. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Different sugar residues of the lipopolysaccharide outer core are required for early interactions of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium with epithelial cells

The role of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in entry of Salmonella Typhimurium into epithelial cells remains unclear. In this study, we tested the ability of a series of mutants with deletions in genes for the synthesis and assembly of the O antigen and the outer core of LPS to adhere to and invade HeLa, BHK, and IB3 epithelial cells lines. Mutants devoid of O antigen, or that synthesized only one O antigen unit, or with altered O antigen chain lengths were as able as the wild type to enter epithelial cells, indicating that this polysaccharide is not required for invasion of epithelial cells in vitro. In contrast, the LPS core plays a role in the interaction of S. Typhimurium with epithelial cells. The minimal core structure required for adherence and invasion comprised the inner core and residues Glc I Gal I of the outer core. A mutant of S. Typhimurium that produced a truncated LPS core lacking the terminal galactose residue had a significant lower level of adherence to and ingestion by the three epithelial cell lines than did strains with this characteristic. Complementation of the LPS production defect recovered invasion to parental levels. Heat-killed bacteria with a core composed of Glc 1 Gal I. but not bacteria with a core composed of Glc 1, inhibited uptake of the wild type by HeLa cells. A comparison of the chemical structure of the S. Typhi core with the published chemical structure of that of S. Typhimurium indicated that the Glc I Gal 1 Glc 11 backbone is conserved in both serovars. However, S. Typhi requires a terminal glucose for maximal invasion. Therefore, our data indicate that critical saccharide residues of the outer core play different roles in the early interactions of serovars Typhi and Typhimurium with epithelial cells. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.