Adult Survival Rates Research Articles

Rapid cold hardening and cold acclimation promote cold tolerance of oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) by physiological substances transformation and cryoprotectants accumulation.

Insect response to cold stress is often associated with adaptive strategies and chemical variation. However, low-temperature domestication to promote the cold tolerance potential of Bactrocera dorsalis and transformation of main internal substances are not clear. Here, we use a series of low-temperature exposure experiments, supercooling point (SCP) measurement, physiological substances and cryoprotectants detection to reveal that pre-cooling with milder low temperatures (5 and 10°C) for several hours (rapid cold hardening) and days (cold acclimation) can dramatically improve the survival rate of adults and pupae under an extremely low temperature (-6.5°C). Besides, the effect of rapid cold hardening for adults could be maintained even 4 h later with 25°C exposures, and SCP was significantly declined after cold acclimation. Furthermore, content of water, fat, protein, glycogen, sorbitol, glycerol and trehalose in bodies were measured. Results showed that water content was reduced and increased content of proteins, glycogen, glycerol and trehalose after two cold domestications. Our findings suggest that rapid cold hardening and cold acclimation could enhance cold tolerance of B. dorsalis by increasing proteins, glycerol, trehalose and decreasing water content. Conclusively, identifying a physiological variation will be useful for predicting the occurrence and migration trend of B. dorsalis populations.

Using citizen science data to investigate annual survival rates of resident birds in relation to noise and light pollution

Exponential increases in anthropogenic noise and light pollution have accompanied growth of the built environment. Noise and light cause negative consequences for birds, such as disrupted navigation during migration, mortality from collisions with windows and other infrastructure, and reduced reproductive success, as well as some positive consequences, such as expanded night niches for behaviors associated with feeding, territoriality, and mating. Relatively less is known about noise and light effects on annual survival of non-migratory birds, so we conducted an exploratory study to examine variation in adult survival rates of seven avian species in relation to noise and light pollution. We used 20 years of band-resight data collected as a part of the Neighborhood Nestwatch Program (NN), a citizen science project run by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, at 242 sites in greater Washington, D.C. USA. We estimated apparent survival and documented species-specific relationships with light and noise. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) and House Wren (Thryothorus aedon) survival decreased and American Robin (Turdus migratorius) survival increased with greater amounts of anthropogenic light. Anthropogenic noise had no relationship with apparent survival for any of the seven species. Life-history trade-offs between survival and reproduction may account for differences in species-specific effects of light pollution. Future research should examine the availability of other fine scale environmental conditions, such as tree canopy cover, that might buffer avian exposure to noise and light pollution.

The interaction of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits Ldα3, Ldα8 and Ldβ1 with neonicotinoids in Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is an extremely destructive notifiable quarantine pest. Over the last two decades, neonicotinoid insecticides, particularly thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, have been used to control it in Xinjiang, and local field populations have developed different levels of resistance in consequence. However, the contributions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to neonicotinoid resistance are currently poorly understood in CPB. Previous studies have shown that nAChRα1, α3, α8 and β1 are major target subunits for neonicotinoids in some model and important agricultural insects including nAChRα1 subunit of L. decemlineata (Ldα1). In this study, the expression levels of Ldα3, Ldα8 and Ldβ1 following 72 h of treatments with median lethal doses of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid were compared using real-time quantitative PCR. These genes were then individually and simultaneously knocked down with Ldα1 by RNA interference (RNAi) using a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) feeding method for six days to explore their roles in CPB susceptibility to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The results showed that the expressions of Ldα3, Ldα8 and Ldβ1 were significantly decreased by 36.99–74.89% after thiamethoxam and imidacloprid treatments, compared with the control. The significant downregulation of the target genes resulting from RNAi significantly reduced the mortality of adults exposed to thiamethoxam and imidacloprid by 34.53% –56.44% and 28.78%–43.93%, respectively. Furthermore, the adult survival rates were not affected by every dsRNA-feeding treatment, while the body weight of the test adults significantly deceased after four and six days of individual gene RNAi. This study showed that Ldα3, Ldα8 and Ldβ1 are down-regulated by thiamethoxam and imidacloprid and play important roles in the tolerance of CPB to neonicotinoids.

Surgical Treatment of Pilocytic Astrocytoma in Adults: A Study of 50 Cases: and Literature Review

To study the effects of treatment in adults with pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), we conducted a survey including an examination of tiny case series and research in the literature. Our study comprised 50 patients who had PA surgery at MMC Mardan, Pakistan, between February 2018 and February 2023. Our main goal was overall survival (OS), whereas our secondary goals were morbidity, quality of life, and recurrence-free survival. The mean patient age was 27.7 years, with a range of 19–62 years, throughout our follow-up period of 38.3 months, which was between 0-85 months. The survival rate according to our findings was 77.2% (96% CI: 96.02-98.3%). Moreover, the adult recurrence-free survival rate after PA surgery was 95.01% (96.07% CI: 92.07-95.09%). Quality of life assessments after surgery was significantly better than before values [p 0.001]. Notably, the most frequent consequence in 7.08% of patients was postoperative seizures. These findings imply that adult patients with PA may benefit from surgical therapy in terms of quality of life and survival.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Nasal Cavity: A Case Report.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a high-grade malignant neoplasm with skeletal muscle differentiation; a common soft tissue sarcoma in children but considered one of the rarest in adults. We report a case of 35-year-old male with a chronic productive cough and haemoptysis for five days. A CT scan of the nasopharynx revealed a blocked left maxillary and ethmoid sinus with bone destruction. These findings raised a suspicion of a tumour, and trans-nasal endoscopic sinus surgery was performed. Nasal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare adult malignant tumour. Most patients have lymphatic metastasis or skull base tumour infiltration at the time of the initial diagnosis and treatment, which poses a challenge to the diagnosis and management. Nasal acinar rhabdomyosarcoma, one of the histopathological types of rhabdomyosarcoma, has rapid disease progression and high mortality. Therefore, the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma requires a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy to work together to achieve the best care for the patient. Nasal acinar rhabdomyosarcoma, one of the histopathological types of rhabdomyosarcoma, has rapid disease progression and high mortality.The survival rate of many adult patients with rhabdomyosarcoma is two years or less.The delay in diagnosis and treatment worsens the already low five-year survival rates in adults.

Acaricidal effect of the antimicrobial metabolite xenocoumacin 1 on spider mite control

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is one of the most harmful pests in many agroecosystems worldwide. To effectively manage this pest, there is an urgent need to develop novel bio-active acaricides that support integrated pest management strategies targeting T. urticae. In this study, we explored the acaricidal effects of xenocoumacin 1 (Xcn1) on T. urticae and its predator Neoseiulus californicus using the highly purified compound. Xcn1 was extracted and purified from the cell-free supernatant of the Xenorhabdus nematophila CB6 mutant constructed by the easy promoter activated compound identification (easyPACId) method. When the concentration of Xcn1 exceeded 100 μg mL−1, the survival rate of spider mite adults declined to below 40% and the fecundity was decreased by 80% at six days post-application. At concentrations of 25 and 50 μg mL−1, Xcn1 significantly impeded spider mite development by inhibiting the molt. However, neither concentration had any adverse effects on the survival or reproduction of the predatory mite N. californicus. The results from laboratory and semi-field experiments consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of the antimicrobial metabolite Xcn1 in controlling pest mites at both the molecular and physiological levels. Our study offers a promising possibility that combines the compatible biocontrol agents of Xcn1 and predatory mites for integrated pest mite control.

Social determinants of health burden among adolescent and young adult cancer patients and impact on overall survival.

12017 Background: The 5-year survival rates for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer have steadily improved, yet disparities by race/ethnicity persist. The drivers of these disparities remain unclear. Neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation has been linked to adverse health outcomes independent of the effects of individual-level measures of social determinants of health (SDOH). We evaluated the impact of neighborhood SDOH on overall survival (OS) in a diverse AYA cancer patient population treated in a single academic setting. Methods: This study utilized a multi-ethnic cohort of AYA cancer survivors (N=10,261) diagnosed between ages 15-39 seen at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2000 and 2016. Patient demographics, zip code at presentation, cancer characteristics, and follow-up were obtained from our institutional tumor registry. Zip codes were linked to Area Deprivation Index (ADI) values, a validated neighborhood-level SDOH measure, with higher ADI representing worse SDOH. Results: The cohort included 6,361 (62%) non-Hispanic White, 1,112 (10.8%) non-Hispanic Black, and 2,133 (20.8%) Hispanic AYA cancer patients, with 655 (6.4%) of other ethnicities or missing information. The mean ADI value was significantly higher (p<0.05) for Black (61.7) and Hispanic (65.3) patients, compared to White (51.2) patients. Analysis of ADI by cancer type showed significant differences, mainly driven by the significantly higher ADI in patients with cervical cancer (62.3) than other cancer types. In contrast, AYA patients diagnosed with breast cancer (53.0) and CNS tumors (52.9) resided in neighborhoods with the lowest ADI values. ADI was a significant predictor of OS overall. In multivariable models that included gender, age at diagnosis, cancer diagnosis, and race/ethnicity, risk of death for AYA cancer patients residing in neighborhoods with ADI in the highest quartile was greater than that for patients in the lowest quartile (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.00-1.19, p=0.043). Conclusions: Our results in this large multi-ethnic cohort indicate that non-White AYA patients with cancer more commonly live in neighborhoods associated with higher ADI compared to their White counterparts. Even when treated in the same academic setting, AYA cancer patients with higher ADI experienced worse OS across cancers. Although the magnitude of the effect was moderate, the presence of this effect within a tertiary cancer center with existing barriers to care suggests that ADI is a meaningful risk factor impacting survival. Further analysis is warranted to determine the generalizability of these findings to the patient population more broadly. However, the results provide intriguing evidence for potential interventions aimed at supporting AYA cancer patients from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The effects of doxorubicin on calcium handling and contractility in sheep ventricular myocytes; role of oxidative stress

Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin (DOX) are effective chemotherapeutics and contribute to improved cancer survival rates in children and adults. However, anthracyclines exhibit acute and chronic cardiotoxicity which can produce heart failure in cancer survivors. While the cellular basis remains unclear, previous studies show anthracyclines perturb aspects of excitation-contraction coupling (ECC), though to our knowledge this has yet to be demonstrated in a large animal model. Furthermore, the extent to which altered ECC is dependent on anthracycline-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production / oxidative stress remains ambiguous. This is important given the key role of oxidative stress in other cardiotoxic processes. Therefore, we aimed to (1) characterise the effects of DOX on Ca handling and contractility in sheep ventricular myocytes and (2) quantify the dependence of any effect on oxidative stress.Sheep myocytes were enzymatically isolated in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, UK, 1986. Cells were loaded with fura-2 (0.1 μM) then field stimulated at 0.5 Hz. Fura-2 was excited sequentially at 340 nm and 380 nm (200 Hz) and changes of cytoplasmic Ca inferred from the ratio of emitted light. Sarcomere length was measured simultaneously using a Myocam-S CCD camera and SarcLen acquisition module (Ion Optix, USA). Changes to sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca content were estimated by rapid application of caffeine (10 mM). Two-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.1 nM DOX reduced the amplitude of systolic Ca and shortening by 39 ± 3 % (n=49, p<0.001) and 42 ± 4 % (n=45, p<0.001) respectively. The amplitude of the caffeine-evoked Ca transient decreased by 33 ± 5 % (n=24, p<0.001). The rate of decay of the systolic Ca transient ( k sys ) represents the combined activity of SERCA and NCX and was reduced by 17 ± 3 % (n=46, p<0.001). The rate of decay of the caffeine-evoked Ca transient ( k caff ) represents NCX alone and was increased by 64 ± 26 % (n=23, p=0.002).Subtraction of k caff from k sys indicates SERCA activity ( k SERCA ), which was decreased by 34 ± 8 % (n=20, p<0.001). When the experiment was repeated in the presence of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the effect of DOX on systolic Ca, systolic shortening and the caffeine-evoked Ca transient was attenuated by 52 % (n=29, p<0.001), 58 % (n=29, p<0.001) and 45 % (n=15, p=0.003) respectively. Furthermore, NAC prevented the effect of DOX on k sys , k caff and k SERCA .These data suggest DOX increases NCX activity and reduces SERCA activity which decreases SR Ca content thence systolic Ca and contractility. The effect of DOX on NCX and SERCA appears to be entirely ROS / oxidative stress dependent. However, other non-oxidative mechanisms likely contribute to net DOX-mediated negative cellular inotropy. Our next experiments will investigate this and the sources of anthracycline-induced oxidative stress. This work was funded by Kidscan childrens cancer research, UK. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

프로폴리스와 벌꿀 섭취로 인해 유도되는 노랑초파리의 생리학적 변화

Propolis and honey are beekeeping products and are widely used as health supplements for humans. Previous studies have shown that propolis and honey have various physiological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. In order to investigate the physiological response induced by propolis and honey, including developmental time (larval and pupal periods), reproductivity, and adult lifespan (both male and female), we treated Drosophila melanogaster, a representative model organism, with these beekeeping products. We observed alterations in developmental time, adult longevity, and reproductivity in D. melanogaster treated with either propolis or honey. Interestingly, when honey or propolis induces an increase in oviposition, the survival rate of female adults tended to decrease. However, when female D. melanogaster were fed with propolis the oviposition rate remained constant and, the extended longevity was observed. In this study, we provided insight into the physiological activity of honey and propolis through the Drosophila model, and future follow-up studies are expected to elucidate their molecular physiological mechanisms.

Effect of Overwintering Time on Survival Adults of Eurygaster testudinaria Geoffroy in Iraq

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of overwintering time on the survival adult of Eurygaster testudinaria Geoffroy in Kufa/Najaf Governorate during the season 2019-2020. The results showed there is a difference in the survival rate of females and males according to the time of laying sunn pest in the overwintering site. The results showed the lowest survival rate for adults was in the first and second treatment of placing insects in overwintering site, and the maximum survival period for adults was three months. while the highest survival rate for females and males was 100 and 98% on the fourth treatment after a month of placing insects in overwintering site respectively, then this percentage gradually decreased until reached 77 and 66% at the end of January, respectively. The results also showed that the weight of sunn pest adults differed according to the date of entry the insect into overwintering site. The highest percentage of weight loss for females and males was 2.3,3.94% and 2.26,2.08% in the first and second treatment in May after a month from Putting insects in overwintering site respectively. The lowest percentage of weight loss was0.2 and 0.21% on the fourth treatment after a month of treatment, then this percentage gradually increased reached 3.22% at the end of January for females and 4.36% in December for males.

Ethyl Formate Fumigation for Control of the Scale Insect Asiacornococcus kaki, a Quarantine Pest on Sweet Persimmon, Diospyros kaki: Efficacy, Phytotoxicity and Safety

Sweet persimmons are a valuable export commodity. However, the presence of live insects such as Asiacornococcus kaki limits their access to many export markets. Methyl bromide, traditionally used for pest control, is damaging to human health and the environment. Ethyl formate (EF) is a viable alternative; however, its effectiveness against A. kaki on sweet persimmon fruit is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of EF fumigation in controlling A. kaki present under the calyx of persimmon fruit. The hatching rate of eggs and the survival rates of nymphs and adults of A. kaki at low temperatures, its LCt50 and LCt99 after EF exposure, and phytotoxic damage caused by EF were evaluated in laboratory-scale and commercial-scale tests. The dose-response tests showed that the EF LCt99 at 5 °C was 9.69, 42.13, and 126.13 g h m-3 for adults, nymphs, and eggs, respectively. Commercial-scale tests demonstrated EF efficacy against all A. kaki stages without causing phytotoxic effects on persimmons, though the eggs of A. kaki were not completely controlled in linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)-packaged fruit. This study demonstrated that EF is a potential fumigant for quarantine pretreatment, especially before persimmon fruit is packed with LLDPE film, to control A. kaki infesting sweet persimmon fruit.

Responses of Thrips hawaiiensis and Thrips flavus populations to elevated CO2 concentrations.

Increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations may directly affect insect behavior. Thrips hawaiiensis Morgan and T. flavus Schrank are economically important thrips pests native to China. We studied the development, survival, and oviposition of these two thrips under elevated CO2 concentrations (800 μl liter-1) and ambient CO2 (400 μl liter-1; control) conditions. Both thrips species developed faster but had lower survival rates under elevated CO2 levels compared with control conditions (developmental time: 13.25 days vs. 12.53 days in T. hawaiiensis, 12.18 days vs. 11.61 days in T. flavus; adult survival rate: 70.00% vs. 64.00% in T. hawaiiensis, 65.00% vs. 57.00% in T. flavus under control vs. 800 μl liter-1 CO2 conditions, respectively). The fecundity, net reproductive rate (R0), and intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of the two species were also lower under elevated CO2 concentrations (fecundity: 47.96 vs. 35.44 in T. hawaiiensis, 36.68 vs. 27.88 in T. flavus; R0: 19.83 vs. 13.62 in T. hawaiiensis, 14.02 vs. 9.86 in T. flavus; and rm: 0.131 vs. 0.121 in T. hawaiiensis, 0.113 vs. 0.104 in T. flavus under control and 800 μl liter-1 CO2 conditions, respectively). T. hawaiiensis developed slower but had a higher survival rate, fecundity, R0, and rm compared with T. flavus at each CO2 concentration. In summary, elevated CO2 concentrations negatively affected T. hawaiiensis and T. flavus populations. In a world with higher CO2 concentrations, T. hawaiiensis might be competitively superior to T. flavus where they co-occur.

Effects of imidacloprid-induced hormesis on the development and reproduction of the rose-grain aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

Field populations of insect pests are affected by sub-lethal doses of insecticides, leading to hormesis. Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide widely used to control various sucking insect pests, including aphids. In this study, the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of imidacloprid on the life table traits of the rose-grain aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) were evaluated on parental and first filial generations. The results showed that sub-lethal concentrations of imidacloprid significantly reduced the fecundity, adult longevity, and reproductive period of M. dirhodum in parental generation (F0). However, the imidacloprid-induced hormetic effects on development and reproduction were detected in the F1 generation. These hormetic effects were indicated by significantly higher adult longevity, fecundity, survival rate, intrinsic and finite rates of increase, and net reproductive rate of first filial generation (F1) of M. dirhodum. Our finding indicated that the application of sub-lethal concentrations of imidacloprid inhibited parental generation (F0), but it significantly stimulated the population growth of filial generation (F1) in the M. dirhodum. The results support the inclusion of insecticides in integrated pest management programs for managing wheat aphids.

Review of contemporary cetacean stock assessment models

Model-based methods of analysis are widely used to conduct cetacean stock assessments, and to provide the operating models on which management strategy evaluation is based. This paper reviews recent assessments and management strategy evaluations for cetacean populations, with a view towards establishing ‘best practice’ guidelines for such analyses. The models on which these analyses are based range from simple exponential trend models that ignore density-dependence to complex multi-stock age-sex- and stage-structured models that form the basis for management strategy evaluation. Most analyses assume that density-dependence is on calf survival (which implicitly includes maturity and pregnancy rate), but it could also impact the survival rate of adults or the age-at-maturity. Cetaceans seldom have more than one calf per female each year, which limits the variation in calf numbers, and places an upper limit on the effects of density-dependent calf survival. The models differ in terms of whether the population projections start when substantial catches first occurred or whether allowance is made for time-varying carrying capacity by starting the model in a more recent year. Most of the models are deterministic, but account needs to be taken of variation in cohort strength for analyses that include age-composition data or for species that are relatively short-lived. A limited number of analyses include process variability using a statespace-like modelling framework. For some stocks, abundance is so low that ideally both demographic and environmental variability should be included in models. The primary source of data for parameter estimation is a time-series of estimates of absolute abundance, although some approaches considered used a variety of data types, including relative abundance indices, mark-recapture data and minimum abundance estimates based on haplotype counts. In general, at least one estimate of absolute abundance is needed for parameter estimation; this is because there is a lack of catch-induced declines in abundance captured by indices of relative abundance that could be used to provide information on absolute abundance. Similarly, information on abundance from age- and length- composition data is limited. Most of the analyses quantify uncertainty using Bayesian methods to allow information on biological parameters, particularly the intrinsic rate of growth and the relative population at which maximum production occurs, to be included in the analyses, along with sensitivity testing. The future for the models on which assessments and management strategy evaluations are based will often involve multi-stock models that include age-, sex- and spatial-structure and are fitted as state-space formulations, although at present such models are often too computationally intensive to be feasible for implementation or there is insufficient information in the data to estimate the parameters representing all the processes, leading to simplifications, with the result that the performance of some of the methods of assessment used for cetacean stocks needs to be better understood, including through simulation testing.

The efficacy of translocation as a tool to augment populations of Gambel's quail

AbstractTranslocation is a management strategy that can be used to augment and reestablish populations or increase a species' range by establishing new populations. Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii) are the only native upland game birds in many desert areas of the American Southwest. Drought may be a driver in Gambel's quail population declines; however, quail in urban environments may remain abundant because these areas may contain more reliable sources of food, water, and cover. We hypothesized that translocation of urban quail following a wet winter, when resources are plentiful in their native habitat, might allow us to increase the rate at which extant populations are able to recover following drought by capitalizing on the high reproductive capacity of quail. To assess translocation as a management tool for augmentation of populations of Gambel's quail, we translocated 370 quail from 2019 to 2021 to augment 2 sites in the Altar Valley in Arizona, USA: King's Anvil Ranch (KA) and Santa Margarita Ranch (SM). We radiotracked 155 female quail on 2 study areas (KA: n = 77, SM: n = 78) to estimate 200‐day post‐release survival. Release site had the most impact on demographic rates. Quail in KA had higher survival (63.4–70.9%) than quail in SM (19.3–33.1%); however, quail in SM had higher nesting effort and success (nest effort = 63%, nest success = 50%) than quail in KA (nest effort = 33%, nest success: 0%) in the first year. Although this study showed that urban quail can survive and reproduce following translocation, neither site showed both high survival and high reproductive success. Furthermore, although spring call counts indicated augmentation may have had some short‐term benefits due to increased reproductive activity, we are not able to conclude that it increased quail abundance. Given the low annual adult survival rates of Gambel's quail, high spring‐summer survival alone will not be enough to boost wild populations in a measurable way the following year. Therefore, the ability of translocation to augment extant populations may be limited by low and variable reproductive success.

Catalase promotes whitefly adaptation to high temperature by eliminating reactive oxygen species.

Thermal stress usually leads to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in all aerobic organisms. Catalases (CAT) are the key antioxidant enzymes, which act as the first line of defense against ROS in the antioxidant pathway. The highly invasive and widely distributed whitefly Bemisia tabaci MED damages plants by feeding as well as by transmitting many plant viruses. Previous studies have shown that strong adaptability to high temperature helps explain the spread of MED around the world. However, the mechanism underlying high temperature adaptation of this pest is not well understood. In this study, 6 CAT genes were identified from the MED genome and transcriptome dataset, among which BtCAT1, BtCAT2, and BtCAT3 were found to be highly expressed in adults. The expression of BtCAT1, BtCAT2, or BtCAT3 increased with induction temperature and induction time. The MED was exposed with mean high temperature (30°C or 35°C) and a short-term extremely high temperature (39°C or 41°C) after the silencing of BtCAT1, BtCAT2, or BtCAT3 to significantly increased ROS levels by at least 0.5 times and significantly decreased survival rate and fecundity of MED adults. The ROS level in the treated specimens gradually returned to a normal level after 24h at 25°C, but the survival rate still declined significantly. Taken together, our results demonstrate that CAT could help B. tabaci adapt to long-term mean high temperatures and short-term extremely high temperatures by eliminating excessive ROS.

TSLP as a Potential Therapy in the Treatment of CRLF2 B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Cytokine receptor-like factor 2 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (CRLF2 B-ALL) is a high-risk subtype characterized by CRLF2 overexpression with poor survival rates in children and adults. CRLF2 and interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Rα) form a receptor for the cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), which induces JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway signals. Previous studies from our group showed that low TSLP doses increased STAT5, AKT, and S6 phosphorylation and contributed to CRLF2 B-ALL cell survival. Here we investigated the role of TSLP in the survival and proliferation of CRLF2 B-ALL cells in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that high doses of TSLP increase CRLF2 signals and contribute to increased proliferation of CRLF2 B-ALL cells in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, we observed the opposite effect. Specifically, high doses of TSLP induced apoptosis in human CRLF2 B-ALL cell lines in vitro, prevented engraftment of CRLF2 B-ALL cells, and prolonged the survival of +TSLP patient-derived-xenograft mice. Mechanistically, we showed that high doses of TSLP induced loss of its receptor and loss of CRLF2 signals in vitro. These results suggest that high doses of TSLP could be further investigated as a potential therapy for the treatment of CRLF2 B-ALL.

Perioperative Considerations for Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Disease Presenting for Noncardiac Procedures: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Continuous advances in pediatric cardiology, surgery, and critical care have significantly improved survival rates for children and adults with congenital heart disease. Paradoxically, the resulting increase in longevity has expanded the prevalence of both repaired and unrepaired congenital heart disease and has escalated the need for diagnostic and interventional procedures. Because of this expansion in prevalence, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and other health care professionals increasingly encounter patients with congenital heart disease or other pediatric cardiac diseases who are presenting for surgical treatment of unrelated, noncardiac disease. Patients with congenital heart disease are at high risk for mortality, complications, and reoperation after noncardiac procedures. Rigorous study of risk factors and outcomes has identified subsets of patients with minor, major, and severe congenital heart disease who may have higher-than-baseline risk when undergoing noncardiac procedures, and this has led to the development of risk prediction scores specific to this population. This scientific statement reviews contemporary data on risk from noncardiac procedures, focusing on pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and describing current knowledge on the subject. This scientific statement also addresses preoperative evaluation and testing, perioperative considerations, and postoperative care in this unique patient population and highlights relevant aspects of the pathophysiology of selected conditions that can influence perioperative care and patient management.

Sublethal effects of an indoxacarb enantiomer insecticide on Plutella xylostella caterpillar and Chrysoperla sinica predator

Plutella xylostella (L.) is a migratory species and an important insect pest of cruciferous crops worldwide, and Chrysoperla sinica (Tjeder) is a predaceous insect of agricultural and forest pests in the field. Indoxacarb has two enantiomers: (+)-S-indoxacarb and (−)-R-indoxacarb. This study was conducted to clarify the selective toxicity and sublethal effects of both enantiomers on P. xylostella and C. sinica. The (+)-S-indoxacarb isomer had greater acute toxicity to P. xylostella and C. sinica, while (−)-R-indoxacarb had less toxicity to P. xylostella and low toxicity to C. sinica. Lethal concentration 25 % (LC25) of (+)-S-indoxacarb had significant effects on the development, population, and fecundity of P. xylostella and C. sinica. The LC25 concentration of (−)-R-indoxacarb had a significant effect on the oviposition of P. xylostella. The field recommended concentration of (−)-R-indoxacarb significantly affected the pupal stage, adult survival rate, oviposition, and larval survival rate of C. sinica. Both enantiomers could significantly affect the search efficiency, successful attack rate, prey handling time, and maximum predation of C. sinica larvae, and the effects of (+)-S-indoxacarb alone were greater than those of (−)-R-indoxacarb. This study provided evidence of the different selective toxicity, sublethal effects of indoxacarb enantiomers on P. xylostella and C. sinica, which of the results could provide a basis for more rational use of indoxacarb in ecosystems.

Estimating reproductive and juvenile survival rates when offspring ages are uncertain: A novel multievent mark‐resight model with beluga whale case study

Abstract Understanding the survival and reproductive rates of a population is critical to determining its long‐term dynamics and viability. Mark‐resight models are often used to estimate these demographic rates, but estimation of survival and reproductive rates is challenging, especially for wide‐ranging, patchily distributed, or cryptic species. In particular, existing mark‐resight models cannot accommodate data from populations in which offspring remain with parents for multiple years, are not always detected, and cannot be aged with certainty. Here we describe a Bayesian multievent mark‐resight modelling framework that uses all available adult and adult‐offspring sightings (including sightings with older offspring of uncertain age) to estimate reproductive rates and survival rates of adults and juveniles. We extend existing multievent mark‐resight models that typically only incorporate adult breeding state uncertainty by additionally accounting for age uncertainty in unmarked offspring and uncertainty in the duration of the mother‐offspring association. We describe our model in general terms and with a simple illustrative example, then apply it in a more complex empirical setting using 13 years of photo‐ID data from a critically endangered population of beluga whales Delphinapterus leucas. We evaluated model performance using simulated data under a range of sample sizes, and adult and offspring detection rates. Applying our model to the beluga data yielded precise estimates for all demographic rates of interest (despite substantial uncertainty in calf ages), including nonbreeder survival and reproductive rates lower than in other beluga populations. Simulations suggested our model yields asymptotically unbiased parameter estimates with good precision and low bias even with moderate sample sizes and detection rates. This work represents an important new development in multievent mark‐resight modelling, allowing estimation of reproductive and juvenile survival rates for populations with extended adult—offspring associations and uncertain offspring ages (e.g. some marine mammals, elephants, bears, great apes, bats and birds). Our model facilitated estimation of robust demographic rates for an endangered beluga population that were previously inestimable (e.g. nonbreeder and juvenile survival, reproductive rate) and that will yield new insights into this population's continued decline.