A heated air quarantine disinfestation treatment against Queensland fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) for tomatoes

A circulated heated-air treatment at 92% RH to achieve and maintain a minimum fruit core temperature of 44°C for 2 h is shown to disinfest tomatoes against Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) for market access quarantine purposes. The efficacy of the treatment exceeded 99.99%, tested at the 95% confidence level. An estimated 78 439 eggs were used for large-scale trials, as the stage of the pest most tolerant of heat at the treatment temperature.

Sun exposure and interaction with family history in risk of melanoma, Queensland, Australia

Sun exposure is the main environmental risk factor for melanoma, but the timing of exposure during life that confers increased risk is controversial. Here we provide the first report of the association between lifetime and age-specific cumulative ultraviolet exposure and cutaneous melanoma in Queensland, Australia, an area of high solar radiation, and examine the association separately for families at high, intermediate and low familial melanoma risk. Subjects were a population-based sample of melanoma cases diagnosed and registered in Queensland between 1982 and 1990 and their relatives. The analysis included 1,263 cases and relatives with confirmed cutaneous melanoma and 3,111 first-degree relatives without melanoma as controls. Data an lifetime residence and sun exposure, family history and other melanoma risk factors were collected by a mailed questionnaire. Using conditional multiple logistic regression with stratification by family, cumulative sun exposure in childhood and in adulthood after age 20 was significantly associated with melanoma, with estimated relative risks of 1.15 per 5,000 minimal erythemal doses (MEDs) from age 5 to 12 years, and 1.52 per 5 MEDs/day from age 20. There was no association with sun exposure in families at high familial melanoma risk. History of nonmelanoma skin cancer (relative risk [RR] = 1.26) and multiple sunburns (RR = 1.31) were significant risk factors. These findings indicate that sun exposure in childhood and in adulthood are important determinants of melanoma but not in those rare families with high melanoma susceptibility, in which genetic factors are likely to be more important. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Air target detection via bistatic radar based on LEOS communication signals

The paper discusses the bistatic radar parameters for the case when the transmitter is a satellite emitting communication signals. The model utilises signals from an Iridium-like low earth orbiting satellite system. The maximum detection range, when thermal noise-limited, is discussed at the theoretical level and these results are compared with experimentation. Satellite-radar signal levels and the power of ground reflections are evaluated.

Investigation of the flow field of a highly heated jet of air

Measurements of mean and fluctuating velocity and temperature and their self- and cross-products to the third-order are presented for a heated axisymmetric air jet. Froude numbers in the range of 3500 13,190, Reynolds numbers in the range of 3470-8500 and non-dimensional streamwise distances. X*, from 0.27 to 1.98 are covered by the data. It was found that turbulence intensity decreases for the heated jet in the region between the inertia dominated and the buoyancy dominated regions which is contrary to findings with helium jets mixing with ambient air to produce density fluctuations. The effects of heating on the turbulent kinetic energy budget and the temperature variance budget show small differences for the inertia dominated region and the intermediate region which help to explain the transition process to the far field plume region. Constants are evaluated for the isotropic eddy diffusivity and generalised gradient hypothesis models as well as the scalar variance model. No significant effect of heating on the dissipation time-scale ratio was found. A novel wire array with an inclined cold wire was used. Measurements obtained with this probe are found to lead to asymmetries in some of the higher-order products. Further investigation suggested that the asymmetries are attributable to an as yet unreported interference effect produced by the leading prong of the inclined temperature wire, The effect may also have implications for inclined velocity wires which contain a temperature component when used in heated flows. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Air-water flows down stepped chutes: turbulence and flow structure observations

Interactions between turbulent waters and atmosphere may lead to strong air-water mixing. This experimental study is focused on the flow down a staircase channel characterised by very strong flow aeration and turbulence. Interfacial aeration is characterised by strong air-water mixing extending down to the invert. The size of entrained bubbles and droplets extends over several orders of magnitude, and a significant number of bubble/droplet clusters was observed. Velocity and turbulence intensity measurements suggest high levels of turbulence across the entire air-water flow. The increase in turbulence levels, compared to single-phase flow situations, is proportional to the number of entrained particles. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

HPLC measurement of harderoporphyrin in the harderian glands of rodents as a biomarker for sub-lethal or chronic arsenic exposure

An improved HPLC method has been established for the measurement of harderoporphyrin (HP) in the harderian gland of rats and mice. Groups of female Wistar rats were given a single oral dose of sodium arsenite at 0, 0.5 or 5.0 mg As(III)/kg body weight, or a slurry of arsenic-contaminated soil at equivalent dose rates and the animals were sacrificed 96 h after dosing. A group of C57BL/6J female mice were chronically exposed to drinking water containing 500 mug As(V)/I of sodium arsenate ad libitum for over 2 years. Porphyrins were measured in the harderian glands of rats and mice. Our results suggest that HP and the alteration of the porphyrin profile in the harderian glands of rodents is a highly sensitive biomarker for both single sub-lethal and chronic arsenic exposure. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cadmium levels in the lung, liver, kidney cortex, and urine samples from Australians without occupational exposure to metals

The authors undertook this study to assess levels of cadmium exposure in the general population. Samples of lung, liver, and kidney were obtained from 61 cadavers (43 males, 18 females; 2-89 yr of age, mean age = 38.5 yr) who died from accidental causes and who were subject to postmortem examinations at the John Tonge Centre for Forensic Sciences, Queensland Health Scientific Services, Brisbane, Australia, in 1997 and 1998. Samples of bladder urine were also obtained from 22 cadavers. Tissue and urine samples were analyzed for cadmium, zinc, and copper with inductively coupled plasm (ICP) mass spectrometry. The overall mean values for cadmium in the lung, liver, and kidney cortex samples were 0.13, 0.95, and 15.45 mug/gm wet tissue weight. The average renal cadmium level in subjects with high lung-cadmium levels (n = 13) was 6 mug/gm wet tissue weight higher than that of similarly aged subjects who had medium lung-cadmium levels (n = 30). In females, the average level of cadmium in the liver was 74% greater than in males, and the average liver cadmium in females with high lung-cadmium levels was 100% higher than in males in the same age range who had the same high lung-cadmium levels. Renal cadmium accumulation tended to be greater in females than in males who were in the same age range and who had similar lung-cadmium levels, a result that suggested that there was a higher absorption rate of cadmium in females. The mean value for a urinary cadmium excretion of 2.30 mug/gm creatinine was found in a subset of samples that had a mean age of 39 yr and a renal cortex cadmium concentration of 18.6 mug/gm wet tissue weight. Urinary cadmium excretion rates were correlated more strongly with lung and kidney cadmium content than with age or liver cadmium levels. The results suggest that urinary cadmium excretion may be increased in smokers and could provide some estimate of body cadmium burdens in future Australian epidemiological studies.

Improving attitude-behavior correspondence through exposure to normative support from a salient ingroup

Two experiments were conducted to test predictions derived from social identity/self-categorization theory concerning the role of group norms in attitude-behavior consistency. In Experiment 1, 160 students who could be classified as having a more or less certain target attitude were exposed to attitude congruent versus incongruent normative support from a relevant reference group (own university) under conditions of low versus high group salience. Experiment 2 was very similar in design and methodology (N=180), but a different correlate of attitude accessibility was used (an experimental manipulation of repeated expression), the target attitude was changed, and the reference group was gender. Across the 2 experiments there was consistent support for the hypothesis that participants would behave more in accordance with their attitudes when they received normative support for, rather than opposition to, their original attitude from a relevant reference group (i.e., their ingroup, not an outgroup). There was slightly weaker support for the second hypothesis that this effect would be stronger under high-than low-salience conditions. The third hypothesis (see Fazio, 1986), that attitude certainty and repeated expression of the attitude would strengthen attitude-behavior consistency, was well supported, as was the expectation that accessibility effects would be independent of reference group norm effects on attitude-behavior consistency.

Porphyrin profiles in blood and urine as a biomarker for exposure to various arsenic species

A sensitive method using HPLC with fluorescence detection has been established for the measurement of porphyrins in biological materials. The assay recoveries were 88.0 +/- 1.8% for protoporphyrin IX in the blood, and ranged from 98.3 +/- 2.7% to 111.1 +/- 7.4% for various porphyrins in the urine. This method was employed to investigate the altered porphyrin profiles in rats after a single dose of various arsenicals including soluble sodium arsenate and sodium arsenite, and the relatively insoluble calcium arsenite, calcium arsenate and arsenic-contaminated soils at dose rates of 5 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg body weight. Porphyrin concentrations increased within 24-48hr after the arsenic treatment in blood and urine. Protoporphyrin IX is the predominant porphyrin in the blood. In rats administered 5 mg As(III)/kg body weight, protoporphyrin IX concentration elevated to 123% of them control values in rats, 24 hr after the treatment. Higher increases were recorded in the urinary protoporphyrin IX (253% at 24 hr; 397% on day 2), uroporphyrin (121% at 24 hr; 208% on day 2) and coproporphyrin 111 (391% at 24 hr; 304% on day 2), while there was no significant increase (109% on day 3) observed in the urinary coproporphyrin I excretion. In rats administered 5 mg As(V)/kg, urinary excretion of protoporphyrin IX, uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin Ill and coproporphyrin I elevated to the maximum levels by 48 hr with the corresponding percentage values compared to the control being 177%, 158%, 224% and 143%, respectively. In rats dosed with 5 mg As(III)/kg, the increases (expressed as % of the control values) of protoporphyrin IX in the blood were in the order: sodium arsenite (144%) > sodium arsenate (125%) greater than or equal to calcium arsenite (123%) > calcium arsenate. In contrast, there was no significant increase of protoporphyrin K when the six arsenic-contaminated cattlei dip soils and nine copper chrome arsenate (CCA-contaminated) soils were administered to the rats. Probable explanations are discussed.

Beneficial effects of air inclusions on the performance of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard material

Objective: To investigate the impact characteristics of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard material with regulated air inclusions, which included various air cell volumes and wall thickness between air cells. In particular, the aim was to identify the magnitude and direction of forces within the impacts. Method: EVA mouthguard material, A mm thick and with and without air inclusions, was impacted with a constant force impact pendulum with an energy of 4.4 J and a velocity of 3 m/s. Transmitted forces through the EVA material were measured using an accelerometer, which also allowed the determination of force direction and magnitude within the impacts. Results: Statistically significant reductions in the transmitted forces were observed with all the air inclusion materials when compared with EVA without air inclusions. Maximum transmitted force through one air inclusion material was reduced by 32%. Force rebound was eliminated in one material, and reduced second force impulses were observed in all the air inclusion materials. Conclusion: The regulated air inclusions improved the impact characteristics of the EVA mouthguard material, the material most commonly used in mouthguards world wide.

Neonatal ethanol exposure reduces AMPA but not NMDA receptor levels in the rat neocortex

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the leading cause of mental retardation in western society. We investigated possible changes in glutamate receptor levels in neonatal animals following ethanol exposure using radioligand binding and western blot analysis. We used a vapor chamber to administer ethanol to neonatal Wistar rats 3 h a day from postnatal day (PND) 4-9. A separation control group was separated from their mothers for the same time and duration as the vapor treatment, while a normal control group was left to develop normally. Daily ethanol administrations resulted in decreased brain weight and body weight, as well as microencephaly (decreased brain:body weight ratio). Neither the affinity nor maximum binding of [H-3]MK-801 (dizoclipine maleate) in the cortex of PND10 rats differed between treatment groups. Western blot analysis also failed to reveal any changes in NMDAR1, NMDAR2A, or NMDAR2B receptor levels. In contrast, the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 was greatly reduced in vapor-treated pups compared with control pups, as revealed by western blot analysis. A similar reduction was found in westerns with an antibody recognizing the GluR2 and 4 subunits. These results indicate that ethanol reduces AMPA rather than NMDA receptors in the developing neocortex, possibly by blocking NMDA receptors during development. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Behaviour of caregivers to protect their infants from exposure to the sun in Queensland, Australia.

Exposure to the sun by infants has been demonstrated to increase the risk of the development of melanoma and other skin cancers later in life. A cohort of 508 women who delivered healthy Caucasian babies were followed up at 1 year to determine their knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding sun protection towards themselves and their child. In addition, the 1-year-old infants were assessed by a trained nurse for the number of nevi they had on their skin. Results indicate caregivers reported a high level of sun-protection practices towards their child, with 93% of the caregivers reporting usually or always placing the child in the shade when going outside. Further, 81% of the caregivers reported usually or always placing a hat on the child, while 64% reported usually or always applying sunscreen to the child's exposed skin. Interestingly, only 61% of the caregivers reported that they stayed in the shade to reduce sun exposure and only 42% wore a hat when out in the sun. Mother's own personal sun-protection methods predicted the method of sun protection that she would most likely use for the child. While children appear to be reasonably protected from the sun, they are influenced by their mother's own behaviors.