Comparison of Color Attractiveness for Agrilus ruficollis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Potential for a Simple Trap.

The rednecked cane borer, Agrilus ruficollis (F.), is a pest of cultivated and wild blackberries in the midwestern and eastern parts of the United States. Damage from this pest occurs from larvae girdling primocanes and tunneling in the pith, forming galls that can potentially reduce yields. There is only one registered insecticide and no trap available for monitoring. Paints mimicking the spectral reflectance of blackberry leaves and canes of both primocane and floricane were applied to wooden dowels or corrugated plastic mimicking the shape of blackberry canes and leaves. The dowels or corrugated plastic were covered with sticky Tangletrap, and field was evaluated for attractiveness to A. ruficollis for three years, with modifications to trap design each year. Commercially available emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, funnel traps were evaluated for attractiveness to A. ruficollis in 2014. In 2011, the greatest numbers of A. ruficollis adults were captured on prism-shaped, primocane-mimicking traps that reflected light at a peak wavelength between 540-560 nm. In 2012 and 2013, field tests demonstrated that more A. ruficollis adults were captured on green emerald ash borer traps. Testing in 2014 reinforced the previous findings that A. ruficollis was most attracted to the green emerald ash borer traps. In 2013, it was noted that colored traps usually captured significantly more A. ruficollis males than females. This indicated a need to determine if there was a chemical cue used by A. ruficollis adult females to locate and oviposit on only blackberry primocanes and not floricanes.

The DYX2 locus and neurochemical signaling genes contribute to speech sound disorder and related neurocognitive domains.

A major milestone of child development is the acquisition and use of speech and language. Communication disorders, including speech sound disorder (SSD), can impair a child's academic, social and behavioral development. Speech sound disorder is a complex, polygenic trait with a substantial genetic component. However, specific genes that contribute to SSD remain largely unknown. To identify associated genes, we assessed the association of the DYX2 dyslexia risk locus and markers in neurochemical signaling genes (e.g., nicotinic and dopaminergic) with SSD and related endophenotypes. We first performed separate primary associations in two independent samples - Cleveland SSD (210 affected and 257 unaffected individuals in 127 families) and Denver SSD (113 affected individuals and 106 unaffected individuals in 85 families) - and then combined results by meta-analysis. DYX2 markers, specifically those in the 3' untranslated region of DCDC2 (P = 1.43 × 10(-4) ), showed the strongest associations with phonological awareness. We also observed suggestive associations of dopaminergic-related genes ANKK1 (P = 1.02 × 10(-2) ) and DRD2 (P = 9.22 × 10(-3) ) and nicotinic-related genes CHRNA3 (P = 2.51 × 10(-3) ) and BDNF (P = 8.14 × 10(-3) ) with case-control status and articulation. Our results further implicate variation in putative regulatory regions in the DYX2 locus, particularly in DCDC2, influencing language and cognitive traits. The results also support previous studies implicating variation in dopaminergic and nicotinic neural signaling influencing human communication and cognitive development. Our findings expand the literature showing genetic factors (e.g., DYX2) contributing to multiple related, yet distinct neurocognitive domains (e.g., dyslexia, language impairment, and SSD). How these factors interactively yield different neurocognitive and language-related outcomes remains to be elucidated.

Attractants for the green June beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate lures for adult green June beetles, Cotinis nitida (L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), for future use in a mass trapping program. Volatile organic compounds collected from headspace of green June beetles feeding on fermenting ripe apple (Malus spp.), the natural lure that elicits feeding aggregations, were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Yellow funnel traps baited with 91% isopropanol or the five component blend were equally effective in eliciting aggregation behavior and often more attractive to green June beetles than the natural lure. In 2008, three trap lines adjacent and parallel to the perimeter of two vineyards, each with 12 Xpando yellow funnel traps baited with either 91% isopropanol or the five component blend, differed in catch of green June beetles across sample dates, and sample date by bait interaction but there were no differences among these two baits. A season total of 324,007 green June beetle were captured by these 36 baited traps. A brief review is included of fermentation volatiles attractive to insects. We conclude with the potential cost to use mass trapping against adult green June beetles.

Computed tomographic evaluation of the canine intercondylar notch in normal and cruciate deficient stifles.

In the human and veterinary orthopaedic literature it has been implied that intercondylar notch stenosis is a mechanical factor in cranial cruciate ligament rupture and intraarticular graft failure. The patients in this study were classified as normal (32), unilateral cruciate rupture (23), or bilateral cruciate rupture (17). The dogs were placed under general anaesthesia and both stifles were scanned via computed tomography (CT) as previously described. Three CT slices at predetermined levels were evaluated within the notch. Measurements included opening notch angle, notch width and height, condyle width, and notch width index (notch width/condyle width) at two different heights within the notch. Intercondylar notch measurements at the most cranial extent were significantly more narrow in unilateral and bilaterally affected stifles when compared to the normal population. Significant differences were noted in the opening notch angle (ONA), notch width index (NWI), NWI at two thirds notch height (NWI2/3), and tibial slope index (TSI). No significant differences were noted between unilateral and bilateral affected stifles. Increased mechanical contact of the cranial cruciate ligament with a stenotic intercondylar notch may predispose the ligament to mechanical wear and structural weakening. Intercondylar notch measurements have been used as a tool to predict the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury in young human athletes, and to assess the risk factors for intra-articular graft replacements. Our findings may be useful in developing similar predictive models using stifle CT scans.

Developing language skills of cocaine-exposed infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an association of level of fetal cocaine exposure to developmental precursors of speech-language skills at 1 year of age, after controlling for confounding factors. DESIGN: In a prospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental, matched cohort design, 3 cocaine exposure groups were defined by maternal self-report and infant meconium assay: nonexposure (n = 131), heavier exposure (n = 66), >the 75th percentile for maternal self-report and >the 70th percentile of benzoylecgonine concentration, and all others as lighter exposure (n = 68). At 1 year of age, the Preschool Language Scale-3 was administered by examiners unaware of infant drug status. RESULTS: Independent of confounding drug, medical, and environmental factors, more heavily exposed infants had lower auditory comprehension scores than nonexposed infants and lower total language scores than lighter and nonexposed infants. More heavily exposed infants were also more likely to be classified as mildly delayed by total language score than nonexposed infants. There were positive linear relationships between the concentration of benzoylecgonine in meconium and all outcomes and between maternal report of severity of prenatal cocaine use with poorer auditory comprehension indicating a relationship between amount of exposure and poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study documents significant behavioral teratogenic effects of fetal cocaine exposure on attentional abilities underlying auditory comprehension skills considered to be precursors of receptive language. Pediatricians are in a unique position to monitor early development of cocaine-exposed infants and make timely referrals for intervention.

Reduction of nonpolar amino acids to amino alcohols to enhance volatility for high-precision isotopic analysis.

Amino acids are routinely derivatized using carbon-containing groups prior to gas chromatography continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCC-IRMS). Derivative C contaminates analyte C because the entire derivatized compound is combusted to CO2. Correction procedures are required to extract the analyte isotope ratio. We present a method for reduction of six nonpolar amino acids to their corresponding amino alcohols, demonstrate a GC strategy to produce acceptable peak shapes from the resulting strongly H-bonding analytes, and present isotopic analysis for amino acids and their corresponding amino alcohols to evaluate any possible isotopic fractionation. Alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, or phenylalanine was reduced using NaBH4 in THF with I2 as an electrophile. Reactions were performed with 2 g of analyte to permit isotopic analysis by conventional elemental analysis-IRMS. All reactions were quantitative as assessed by IR spectra, melting points, and GC. Recovery from the reaction mixture was 60-84%. GC separation of a mixture of the six amino alcohols was achieved using a thick stationary-phase (5 microm) capillary column to avoid tailing due to hydrogen bonding to the walls of the fused-silica capillary. The reproducibility of GCC-IRMS determinations of amino alcohols averaged SD(613C) = 0.25 +/- 0.19%. The absolute differences between delta13C of amino acids measured by an elemental analyzer coupled to IRMS and amino alcohols measured by GCC-IRMS was delta613C = 0.14% and showed no general trend. Reactions performed with 2 mg of analyte yielded equivalent chromatograms. These data indicate that the reduction method does not induce isotopic fractionation and can be used for continuous-flow isotopic analysis to avoid addition of contaminating carbon.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE): synthesis and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

The structure of caffeic acid phenethyl ester [2-propenoic acid, 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-, 2-phenethyl ester] (I), C17H16O4 x 1/2C6H6, synthesized by base-catalyzed alkylation of caffeic acid salt with beta-bromoethylbenzene in HMPA (hexamethylphosphoramide) and recrystallized from benzene, was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystals are triclinic, space group P1, Z=2, unit cell dimension a=5.8129 (9) A, b=11.122 (2) A, c=13.226 (2) A, alpha=97.080 (3) degrees, beta=101.467 (3) degrees, gamma=95.405 (3) degrees , V=825.4 (2) A3, Dcalc=1.301 g/cm3, F(000)=342. The packing of the molecule is stabilized by intermolecular O1H...O4 (2.69 A) and O1...HO2 (2.82 A) hydrogen bonds.

Molecular structure of fagopyritol A1 (O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-D-chiro-inositol) by NMR.

The molecular structure of fagopyritol A1, a novel galactopyranosyl cyclitol from buckwheat seeds, was determined to be O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-D-chiro-inositol by 1H and 13C NMR. Fagopyritol A1 is a positional isomer of fagopyritol B1 (O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-D-chiro-inositol), representing a different series of fagopyritol oligomers. Trimethylsilyl derivatives of both compounds have similar mass spectra, but each may be identified by different abundance ratios of fragments with m/z 305/318 and 318/319.

Fagopyritols, D-chiro-inositol, and other soluble carbohydrates in buckwheat seed milling fractions.

Fagopyritols are mono-, di-, and trigalactosyl derivatives of D-chiro-inositol that accumulate in seeds of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and may be important for seed maturation and as a dietary supplement. Fagopyritols and other soluble carbohydrates were assayed in mature groats and 11 milling fractions of common buckwheat seed. Because fagopyritols are in embryo and aleurone tissues, differences in fagopyritol concentrations reflect varying proportions of these tissues in each milling fraction. Bran milling fractions contained 6.4 g of total soluble carbohydrates per 100 g of dry weight, 55% of which was sucrose and 40% fagopyritols. Flour milling fractions had reduced fagopyritol concentration [0.7 g/100 g of dry weight total fagopyritols in the dark (Supreme) flour and 0.3 g/100 g in the light (Fancy) flours]. Fagopyritol B1 was 70% of total fagopyritols in all milling fractions. Fagopyritols were 40% of total soluble carbohydrates in groats of two cultivars of common buckwheat but 21% in groats of tartary buckwheat [Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.], probably a reflection of environment and genetics. A rhamnoglucoside present in tartary buckwheat was not detected in common buckwheat.

A downstream element in the human beta-globin promoter: evidence of extended sequence-specific transcription factor IID contacts.

We describe here the identification and characterization of a functional downstream element in the human adult beta-globin promoter. The existence of this element was indicated by two mutations at +22 and +33 downstream of the beta-globin transcriptional start site in humans with beta-thalassemia. In vitro transcriptional analysis of these mutants, plus a third at +13, indicates that all three decrease transcription from the beta-globin promoter. Scanning mutagenesis from +10 to +45 indicates that this region contains a functional cis element(s) in vitro, and we designated this element the DCE (downstream core element). The DCE functions in concert with the beta-globin CATA box and initiator element, as well as in a heterologous, TATA-less context. A second set of mutants indicates that a particular geometry of the DCE and core promoter is necessary for promoter function. Lastly, DCE mutants show reduced affinity for transcription factor IID (TFIID). These data indicate that TFIID makes sequence-specific contacts to the DCE and that TFIID binding is necessary for DCE function.

Alcohol expectancies and social deficits relating to problem drinking among college students.

Standardized questionnaires were administered to 116 male and female undergraduates to examine how social deficits and alcohol expectancies relate to alcohol use. Participants were classified as either problem or nonproblem drinkers based on the Rutgers Collegiate Substance Abuse Screening Test. Problem drinkers reported experiencing social anxiety, shyness, and lower self-esteem to a greater extent than nonproblem drinkers. Problem drinkers also held more positive alcohol expectancies than nonproblem drinkers. Contrary to our hypotheses, however, particular types of alcohol expectancies did not interact with specific areas of social functioning to influence problem drinking. Overall, these findings suggest that problem drinkers have positive expectations about the immediate effects of alcohol consumption even though drinking is linked to long-term impairment in social functioning.

Academic outcomes in children with histories of speech sound disorders.

Tests of phonology, semantics, and syntax were administered to 52 preschool children (19 girls and 33 boys, age 4-6 years) with moderate to severe speech sound disorders. The children's performance on these tests was used to predict language, reading, and spelling abilities at school age (age 8-11 years). Language impairment at school age was related to poor performance on preschool tests of syntax and nonsense word repetition, while reading impairment was predicted by poor performance in all preschool test domains (phonology, semantics, and syntax). In contrast, spelling impairment was predicted by deficits in preschool tests of phonological processing as measured by the Word Discrimination subtest of the Test of Language Development - Primary 2. Family history for speech and language disorders did not predict language, reading, or spelling impairment at school age. However, family history for reading disorders was a good predictor of school-age spelling difficulties.

Follow-up of children with early expressive phonology disorders.

Fifty-two children identified at age 4 to 6 years as demonstrating a moderate to severe expressive phonology disorder were followed to the third and fourth grades. Children were classified into two groups based on the presence of an early phonology disorder in isolation (P) or the presence of a phonology disorder with other language problems (PL). At follow-up, articulation measures failed to differentiate the groups; however, the PL group performed more poorly than the P group on measures of phoneme awareness, language, reading decoding, reading comprehension, and spelling. The P group demonstrated poor spelling skills relative to their reading and language abilities, suggesting residual spelling weaknesses in these children. The PL group reported more nuclear family members with speech-language disorders and with reading disorders than the P group. Findings support previous research linking early language disorders with later reading difficulties.

MHC-restricted protection of cats against FIV infection by adoptive transfer of immune cells from FIV-vaccinated donors.

The role of cellular immunity in vaccine protection against FIV infection was evaluated using adoptive cell transfer studies. Specific-pathogen-free cats received two adoptive transfers of washed blood cells from either vaccinated or unvaccinated donors with varying MHC compatibility at 1-week intervals, and a homologous FIV(Pet) challenge 1 day after the first adoptive transfer. FIV-specific CTL, IFN-gamma production, and proliferation responses were detected in the PBMC from the vaccinated donors. Seven of eleven (64%) recipients of cells from half-matched/vaccinated donors remained negative for FIV-antibodies after FIV challenge and four of those were completely protected. Two of two recipients of cells from MHC-identical/vaccinated donors were completely protected. All recipients of cells from unrelated/vaccinated, half-matched/unvaccinated, or unrelated/unvaccinated donors were unprotected. Thus, protection mediated by adoptive transfer of immunocytes from vaccinated cats was MHC-restricted, occurred in the absence of antiviral humoral immunity, and correlated with the transfer of cells with FIV-specific CTL and T-helper activities.

Reduction of fatty acid methyl esters to fatty alcohols to improve volatility for isotopic analysis without extraneous carbon.

Carbon in derivatization groups cannot be distinguished from analyte carbon by chromatography-based high-precision compound-specific or position-specific isotope analysis. We report the reduction of fatty acid methyl esters to fatty alcohols to facilitate high-quality chromatographic separation, without addition of extraneous carbon, with subsequent high-precision position-specific isotope analysis. Methyl palmitate is quantitatively reduced to 1-hexadecanol by LiAlH4 in a one-step reaction. Gas-phase pyrolysis of 1-hexadecanol results in a series of monounsaturated alcohols and alpha-olefins analogous to fragmentation found for methyl palmitate, as well as an additional peak corresponding to the pyrolytic dehydration product, 1-hexadecene. Carbon isotope analysis of the fragments yielded precision of SD (delta 13C) < 0.4/1000. Results of position-specific analysis of very low enrichment [1-13C]-1-hexadecanol (delta 13C = -4.00/1000) showed no evidence of scrambling of the C1 position, and isotope ratios in accord with expectations. The pyrolysis product 1-hexadecene was isotopically enriched relative to 1-hexadecanol, which may cause minor depletion of other pyrolysis products that can be taken into account by routine calibration. The procedure is general and can be extended to compound-specific and position-specific analysis of moderate molecular weight, low-volatility analytes containing acid groups that would otherwise be blocked with methyl, ethyl, acetyl, or trimethyl silyl groups containing extraneous carbon.

Speech production skills of nuclear family members of children with phonology disorders.

The speech production skills of 38 school-aged siblings and 94 parents of children with phonology disorders were assessed by administering tasks involving the repetition of multisyllabic real and nonsense words, and "difficult-to-articulate" phrases and sentences. Results demonstrated that speech production, as measured by these tasks, continues to improve into adulthood. Furthermore, family members who reported histories of childhood speech and language problems performed more poorly on these challenging articulatory tasks than did individuals without such a history. These tasks were positively correlated with reading, spelling, and language achievement measures, thus suggesting a relationship between spoken and written language.

Prehistoric juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in a precontact Louisiana native population reconsidered.

Descriptions of skeletal pathological conditions evident in the prehistoric Tchefuncte adolescent 16ST1-14883b are clarified. The basis is reaffirmed for assigning to the described pathological conditions a diagnostic perspective of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or juvenile Lyme disease--a disease that mimics juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in its arthritic presentation--rather than of assigning them as representative of juvenile onset ankylosing spondylitis or other juvenile spondyloarthropathies. A hypothesis (Lewis [1994] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 93:455-475) is restated that 1) the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi was the infectious agent responsible for prevalence of adult rheumatoid arthritis in prehistoric southeastern Native American populations, 2) that B. burgdorferi is a possible cause of the arthritis evident in individual 16ST1-14883b, and 3) that antibodies to B. burgdorferi provided partial immunity to the related spirochete Treponema pallidum for the 16ST1 precontact Tchefuncte population from Louisiana, protecting them from severe treponemal response. Given the probable widespread existence of Ixodid tick vectors for B. burgdorferi in prehistoric North America, coupled with the existence of treponematosis, it follows that the transition of Native American hunting-gathering economies to more sedentary economies would predictably be linked to an increased incidence of treponematosis due to the loss of benefits of the above-stated partial immunity. In other words, as prehistoric Native American exposure to tick vectors for B. burgdorferi decreased, susceptibility to treponematosis increased. Inferences regarding biological controls interacting with and influencing prehistoric Native American migration patterns are suggested from the link of B. burgdorferi to an Ixodid tick common to northeast Asia.

Subgrouping children with familial phonologic disorders.

Familial aggregation of speech and language disorders was examined as a basis of subgrouping children with phonologic disorders. Fifty-nine children with phonologic disorders were subgrouped according to whether or not other nuclear family members reported a history of speech/language disorders. Thirty-four subjects (58%) reported at least one other nuclear family member affected and 25 subjects (42%) reported no other nuclear family members affected. Groups were compared on measures of articulation, phonology, language, and oral motor skills to determine if the familial phonologic subgroup presented a unique profile of speech and language deficits. Significant group differences were not observed. However, children with positive nuclear family histories tended to perform more poorly than children without histories on all tasks, although not reaching significance. Although all parents were considered to have achieved normal adult articulation, parents of children with positive family histories also tended to perform more poorly than parents of children with negative histories. Results suggested that poorer oral motor coordination and productive phonology may distinguish individuals with familial phonologic disorders from individuals with phonologic disorders of unknown origin.

The percentage of consonants correct (PCC) metric: extensions and reliability data.

Research in normal and disordered phonology requires measures of speech production that are biolinguistically appropriate and psychometrically robust. Their conceptual and numeric properties must be well characterized, particularly because speech measures are increasingly appearing in large-scale epidemiologic, genetic, and other descriptive-explanatory database studies. This work provides a rationale for extensions to an articulation competence metric titled the Percentage of Consonants Correct [PCC; Shriberg & Kwiatkowski, 1982; Shriberg, Kwiatkowski, Best, Hengst, & Terselic-Weber, 1986], which is computed from a 5- to 10-minute conversational speech sample. Reliability and standard error of measurement estimates are provided for 9 of a set of 10 speech metric including the PCC. Discussion includes rationale for selecting one or more of the 10 metrics for specific clinical and research needs.

The speech disorders classification system (SDCS): extensions and lifespan reference data.

A companion paper includes rationale for the use of 10 metrics of articulation competence in conversational speech (Shriberg, Austin Lewis, McSweeny, & Wilson, 1997). The present paper reports lifespan reference data for these measures using records from a total of 836 3- to 40(+)-year-old speakers with normal and disordered speech. The reference data are subdivided by diagnostic classification based on extensions to an instrument titled the Speech Disorders Classification System (SDCS; Shriberg, 1993). Appendices provide procedural information on the SDCS and statistical rationale for the reference data.