Adult sampling and larva rearing of the cork oak pest Coraebus undatus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Coraebus undatus is the main insect pest of cork oak worldwide. The larvae tunnel in the cortical cambium filling the bark with galleries and causing the cork to break at harvest. The first objective of this study was to test the effect of purple traps in the attraction of C. undatus because this colour is attractive to other buprestid beetles. The second objective was to develop a diet in which field-collected larvae could be reared to adulthood. Pairs of purple and clear (control) sticky traps were placed in a cork oak forest in Girona, Spain in the summer of 2008

Personality and job stress: a comparison of direct effects on parenting

The impact of personality and job characteristics on parental rearing styles was compared in 353 employees. Hypotheses concerning the relationships between personality and job variables were formulated in accordance with findings in past research and the Belsky’s model (1984). Structural equation nested models showed that Aggression-hostility, Sociability and job Demand were predictive of Rejection and Emotional Warmth parenting styles, providing support for some of the hypothesized relationships. The findings suggest a well-balanced association of personality variables with both parenting styles: Aggression-Hostility was positively related to Rejection and negatively to Emotional Warmth, whereas Sociability was positively related to Emotional Warmth and negatively related to Rejection. Personality dimensions explained a higher amount of variance in observed parenting styles. However, a model that considered both, personality and job dimensions as antecedent variables of parenting was the best representation of observed data, as both systems play a role in the prediction of parenting behavior.

Enzymatic technology to improve oil extraction from Caryocar brasiliense camb. (Pequi) Pulp.

The present study aims to compare yield and quality of pequi pulp oil when applying two distinct processes: in the first, pulp drying in a tray dryer at 60ºC was combined with enzymatic treatment and pressing to oil extraction; in the second, a simple process was carried out by combining sun-drying pulp and pressing. In this study, raw pequi fruits were collected in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The fruits were autoclaved at 121ºC and stored under refrigeration. An enzymatic extract with pectinase and CMCase activities was used for hydrolysis of pequi pulp, prior to oil extraction. The oil extractions were carried out by hydraulic pressing, with or without enzymatic incubation. The oil content in the pequi pulp (45% w/w) and the physicochemical characteristic of the oil was determined according to standard analytical methods. Free fatty acids, peroxide values, iodine and saponification indices were respectively 1.46 mgKOH/g, 2.98 meq/kg, 49.13 and 189.40. The acidity and peroxide values were lower than the obtained values in commercial oil samples, respectively 2.48 mgKOH/g and 5.22 meq/kg. Aqueous extraction has presented lower efficiency and higher oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand, pequi pulp pressing at room temperature has produced better quality oil. However its efficiency is still smaller than the combined enzymatic treatment and pressing process. This combined process promotes cellular wall hydrolysis and pulp viscosity reduction, contributing to at least 20% of oil yield increase by pressing.

Clinical effectiveness of direct anterior restorations-A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This is the first meta-analysis on the efficacy of composite resin restorations in anterior teeth. The objective of the present meta-analysis was to verify whether specific material classes, tooth conditioning methods and operational procedures influence the result for Class III and Class IV restorations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The database SCOPUS and PubMed were searched for clinical trials on anterior resin composites without restricting the search to the year of publication. The inclusion criteria were: (1) prospective clinical trial with at least 2 years of observation; (2) minimal number of restorations at last recall=20; (3) report on drop-out rate; (4) report of operative technique and materials used in the trial, and (5) utilization of Ryge or modified Ryge evaluation criteria. For the statistical analysis, a linear mixed model was used with random effects to account for the heterogeneity between the studies. p-Values smaller than 0.05 were considered to be significant. RESULTS: Of the 84 clinical trials, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, 14 of them for Class III restorations, 6 for Class IV restorations and 1 for closure of diastemata; the latter was included in the Class IV group. Twelve of the 21 studies started before 1991 and 18 before 2001. The estimated median overall success rate (without replacement) after 10 years for Class III composite resin restorations was 95% and for Class IV restorations 90%. The main reason for the replacement of Class IV restorations was bulk fractures, which occurred significantly more frequently with microfilled composites than with hybrid and macrofilled composites. Caries adjacent to restorations was infrequent in most studies and accounted only for about 2.5% of all replaced restorations after 10 years irrespective of the cavity class. Class III restorations with glass ionomer derivates suffered significantly more loss of anatomical form than did fillings with other types of material. When the enamel was acid-etched and no bonding agent was applied, significantly more restorations showed marginal staining and detectable margins compared to enamel etching with enamel bonding or the total etch technique; fillings with self-etching systems were in between of these two outcome variables. Bevelling of the enamel was associated with a significantly reduced deterioration of the anatomical form compared to no bevelling but not with less marginal staining or less detectable margins. The type of isolation (absolute/relative) had a statistically significant influence on marginal caries which, however, might be a random finding.

Ten years after the Prestige Oil Spill: seabird trophic ecology as indicator of long-term effects on the coastal marine ecosystem

Major oil spills can have long-term impacts since oil pollution does not only result in acute mortality of marine organisms, but also affects productivity levels, predator-prey dynamics, and damages habitats that support marine communities. However, despite the conservation implications of oil accidents, the monitoring and assessment of its lasting impacts still remains a difficult and daunting task. Here, we used European shags to evaluate the overall, lasting effects of the Prestige oil spill (2002) on the affected marine ecosystem. Using δ15N and Hg analysis, we trace temporal changes in feeding ecology potentially related to alterations of the food web due to the spill. Using climatic and oceanic data, we also investigate the influence of North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, the sea surface temperature (SST) and the chlorophyll a (Chl a) on the observed changes. Analysis of δ15N and Hg concentrations revealed that after the Prestige oil spill, shag chicks abruptly switched their trophic level from a diet based on a high percentage of demersal-benthic fish to a higher proportion of pelagic/semi-pelagic species. There was no evidence that Chl a, SST and NAO reflected any particular changes or severity in environmental conditions for any year or season that may explain the sudden change observed in trophic level. Thus, this study highlighted an impact on the marine food web for at least three years. Our results provide the best evidence to date of the long-term consequences of the Prestige oil spill. They also show how, regardless of wider oceanographic variability, lasting impacts on predator-prey dynamics can be assessed using biochemical markers. This is particularly useful if larger scale and longer term monitoring of all trophic levels is unfeasible due to limited funding or high ecosystem complexity.

Direct to consumer advertising : the case for greater consumer control

A nyone traveling to the United States from countries other than New Zealand will be surprised by the prevalence of health-related advertisements on television, including ads for drugs. Typically, these TV ads follow a pattern: an ad for a burger at only 99 cents, followed by one for a proton-pump inhibitor, then an ad on healthy home-cooked food delivered directly to your home and an ad for a home-based abdominal workout DVD, followed by an ad for a lipid-lowering drug. There are, however, nuances. After 8 pm, the visitor might encounter an ad for the "little blue pill." This sequence sometimes includes an ad featuring antihistamines for allergic rhinitis in spring and one promoting antidepressants in the winter. Such direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs is usual business in the United States and New Zealand but is prohibited in the rest of the world. Why? Because DTCA for prescribing drugs has pros and cons (discussed elsewhere,1-3 including in JGIM4) that are balanced differently in different countries. Constitutional factors-such as the First Amendment protections on speech, including commercial speech, in the United States5 -as well as patient and population safety considerations, which all differ across countries, modulate reactions to DTCA. Additionally, lack of robust data on the impact of DTCA on prescription drug use adds to the confusion. Evidence, though limited, suggests that DTCA increases drug sales. However, whether the increase in sales corrects existing underuse or encourages over/misuse is not clear.

External Location Factors of Foreign Direct Investment in Russia – Finnish Perspective

Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on selvittää, mitä alueellisia tekijöitä suomalaiset yritykset ottavat huomioon valitessaan sopivaa sijaintia suoralle investoinnille Venäjän sisällä. Muutamia yrityksen sisäisiä tekijöitä käytetään taustamuuttujina selittämään sijaintitekijöiden painotuksissa havaittavia eroja erilaisten yritysten välillä. Venäjän alueita vertaillaan lopuksi painotusten valossa. Työn ensimmäisessä osassa keskitytään suorien ulkomaisten investointien teoreettiseen taustaan. Aiempia tutkimuksia käydään läpi, jotta tekijät, joilla on havaittu olevan vaikutusta investointien sijoittumiseen maan sisällä, saadaan kartoitettua. Työn jälkimmäinen osa perustuu yrityskyselyn avulla kerättyyn empiiriseen aineistoon. Aineiston avulla selvitetään mitä tekijöitä suomalaisyritykset huomioivat sijaintipäätöstä tehdessään. Tulosten valossa on ilmeistä, että alueen markkinapotentiaali on suomalaisyrityksissä tärkein huomioitava tekijä investoinnin sijainnista päätettäessä. Myös infrastruktuuri ja kustannushyödyt vaikuttavat päätökseen. Erityyppisten yritysten painotukset ovat hyvin samanlaisia. Moskova ja Pietari vastaavat Venäjän alueista parhaiten suomalaisyritysten investoinnin sijainnille asettamia kriteerejä.

Effect of feed fat by-products with trans fatty acids and heated oil on cholesterol and oxycholesterols in chicken

Chicken is the most widely consumed meat all over the world due to chickens being easy to rear, their fast growth rate and the meat having good nutritional characteristics. The main objective of this paper was to study the effects of dietary fatty by-products in low, medium and high levels of oxidized lipids and trans fatty acids (TFAs) on the contents of cholesterol and oxycholesterols in meat, liver, and plasma of chickens. A palm fatty acid distillate, before and after hydrogenation, and a sunflower-olive oil blend (70/30, v/v) before and after use in a commercial frying process were used in feeding trials after adding 6% of the fats to the feeds. Highly oxidized lipid and TFA feeds significantly increased the contents of cholesterol and oxycholesterols in all tissues of chicken (0.01 < p <= 0.05). The contents of oxycholesterols in chicken meat, liver and plasma obtained from TFA feeding trials varied between 17 and 48 μg/100 g in meat, 19-42 μg/100 g in liver and 105-126 μg/dL in plasma. In contrast, in the oxidized lipid feeding trials, oxycholesterols varied between 13 and 75 μg/100 g in meat, 30-58 μg/100 g in liver and 66-209 μg/dL in plasma. Meat from chickens fed with feeds containing high levels of TFAs or oxidized lipids may contribute to higher ingestion of cholesterol and oxycholesterols by humans.

Generalist hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities in the oil-polluted water column of the North Sea.

The aim of this work was to determine the effect of light crude oil on bacterial communities during an experimental oil spill in the North Sea and in mesocosms (simulating a heavy, enclosed oil spill), and to isolate and characterize hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria from the water column. No oil-induced changes in bacterial community (3 m below the sea surface) were observed 32 h after the experimental spill at sea. In contrast, there was a decrease in the dominant SAR11 phylotype and an increase in Pseudoalteromonas spp. in the oiled mesocosms (investigated by 16S rRNA gene analysis using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), as a consequence of the longer incubation, closer proximity of the samples to oil, and the lack of replenishment with seawater. A total of 216 strains were isolated from hydrocarbon enrichment cultures, predominantly belonging to the genus Pseudoaltero monas; most strains grew on PAHs, branched and straight-chain alkanes, as well as many other carbon sources. No obligate hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria were isolated or detected, highlighting the potential importance of cosmopolitan marine generalists like Pseudoalteromonas spp. in degrading hydrocarbons in the water column beneath an oil slick, and revealing the susceptibility to oil pollution of SAR11, the most abundant bacterial clade in the surface ocean.

Use of the dried blood spot sampling process coupled with fast gas chromatography and negative-ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry: application to fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, reboxetine, and paroxetine analysis.

The objective of this work was to combine the advantages of the dried blood spot (DBS) sampling process with the highly sensitive and selective negative-ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (NICI-MS-MS) to analyze for recent antidepressants including fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, reboxetine, and paroxetine from micro whole blood samples (i.e., 10 microL). Before analysis, DBS samples were punched out, and antidepressants were simultaneously extracted and derivatized in a single step by use of pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride and 0.02% triethylamine in butyl chloride for 30 min at 60 degrees C under ultrasonication. Derivatives were then separated on a gas chromatograph coupled with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in negative selected reaction monitoring mode for a total run time of 5 min. To establish the validity of the method, trueness, precision, and selectivity were determined on the basis of the guidelines of the "Société Française des Sciences et des Techniques Pharmaceutiques" (SFSTP). The assay was found to be linear in the concentration ranges 1 to 500 ng mL(-1) for fluoxetine and norfluoxetine and 20 to 500 ng mL(-1) for reboxetine and paroxetine. Despite the small sampling volume, the limit of detection was estimated at 20 pg mL(-1) for all the analytes. The stability of DBS was also evaluated at -20 degrees C, 4 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 40 degrees C for up to 30 days. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic investigation performed on a healthy volunteer after oral administration of a single 40-mg dose of fluoxetine. Thus, this validated DBS method combines an extractive-derivative single step with a fast and sensitive GC-NICI-MS-MS technique. Using microliter blood samples, this procedure offers a patient-friendly tool in many biomedical fields such as checking treatment adherence, therapeutic drug monitoring, toxicological analyses, or pharmacokinetic studies.

Trace element monitoring in the ICU: quality and economic impact of a change in sampling practice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Trace elements (TE) are involved in the immune and antioxidant defences which are of particular importance during critical illness. Determining plasma TE levels is costly. The present quality control study aimed at assessing the economic impact of a computer reminded blood sampling versus a risk guided on-demand monitoring of plasma concentrations of selenium, copper, and zinc. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 2 cohorts of patients admitted during 6 months periods in 2006 and 2009 to the ICU of a University hospital. INCLUSION CRITERIA: to receive intravenous micronutrient supplements and/or to have a TE sampling during ICU stay. The TE samplings were triggered by computerized reminder in 2006 versus guided by nutritionists in 2009. RESULTS: During the 2 periods 636 patients met the inclusion criteria out of 2406 consecutive admissions, representing 29.7% and 24.9% respectively of the periods' admissions. The 2009 patients had higher SAPS2 scores (p = 0.02) and lower BMI compared to 2006 (p = 0.007). The number of laboratory determinations was drastically reduced in 2009, particularly during the first week, despite the higher severity of the cohort, resulting in à 55% cost reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring of TE concentrations guided by a nutritionist resulted in a reduction of the sampling frequency, and targeting on the sickest high risk patients, requiring a nutritional prescription adaptation. This control leads to cost reduction compared to an automated sampling prescription.

Conditioning of multiple-point statistics facies simulations to tomographic images

Geophysical tomography captures the spatial distribution of the underlying geophysical property at a relatively high resolution, but the tomographic images tend to be blurred representations of reality and generally fail to reproduce sharp interfaces. Such models may cause significant bias when taken as a basis for predictive flow and transport modeling and are unsuitable for uncertainty assessment. We present a methodology in which tomograms are used to condition multiple-point statistics (MPS) simulations. A large set of geologically reasonable facies realizations and their corresponding synthetically calculated cross-hole radar tomograms are used as a training image. The training image is scanned with a direct sampling algorithm for patterns in the conditioning tomogram, while accounting for the spatially varying resolution of the tomograms. In a post-processing step, only those conditional simulations that predicted the radar traveltimes within the expected data error levels are accepted. The methodology is demonstrated on a two-facies example featuring channels and an aquifer analog of alluvial sedimentary structures with five facies. For both cases, MPS simulations exhibit the sharp interfaces and the geological patterns found in the training image. Compared to unconditioned MPS simulations, the uncertainty in transport predictions is markedly decreased for simulations conditioned to tomograms. As an improvement to other approaches relying on classical smoothness-constrained geophysical tomography, the proposed method allows for: (1) reproduction of sharp interfaces, (2) incorporation of realistic geological constraints and (3) generation of multiple realizations that enables uncertainty assessment.

External Location Factors of Finnish Direct Investment in Central and Eastern European Transitional Economies

Tutkimuksen päätavoitteena oli selvittää suomalaisten suorien investointien maan valintaan vaikuttavia tekijöitä Itä- ja Keski-Euroopan kymmenessä siirtymätaloudessa. Empiirisessä osuudessa tarkasteltiin suomalaisten yritysten tärkeimpiä sijaintitekijöitä alueella ja yrityskohtaisten tekijöiden vaikutusta sijaintitekijöihin. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin myös yritysten päämotiiveja investoida maihin. Laaditun investointikriteeristön mukaan maat pystyttiin laittamaan paremmuusjärjestykseen suomalaisen investoijan kannalta. Empiirisen osuuden aineisto kerättiin postikyselylomakkeella yrityksiltä, joilla on tai jotka ovat suunnittelemassa investointeja näihin maihin. Tutkimusote oli kvantitatiivinen. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että suomalaiset investoijat valitsevat Itä- ja Keski-Euroopan maan investointikohteeksi pääasiassa markkinapotentiaalin ja edullisten kustannusten perusteella. Myös infrastruktuuri vaikuttaa maan valintaan. Eri aloilla toimivien yritysten sijaintitekijöiden painotuksissa havaittiin eroja. Yrityksen koko ja päämotiivi vaikuttivat sijaintitekijöiden painotuksiin. Investointikriteereiden mukaan kaksi parasta investointimaata suomalaisille investoijille ovat Puola ja Viro. Vertailtaessa investointikriteereitä toteutuneisiin investointeihin voidaan todeta, että suomalaiset investoijat eivät ole hyödyntäneet investoinneilla saatavia etuja kaikissa kohdemaissa.