A comprehensive phylogeny helps clarify the evolutionary history of host breadth and lure response in the Australian Dacini fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The tribe Dacini (Diptera: Tephritidae) contains over 930 recognised species and has been widely studied due to the economic importance of some taxa, such as the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis. Despite the attention this group has received, very few phylogenetic reconstructions have comprehensively sampled taxa from a single biogeographic region, thereby limiting our capacity to address more targeted evolutionary questions. To study the evolution of diet breadth and male lure response, two key traits fundamental to understanding dacine diversity and the biology of pest taxa, we analysed 273 individuals representing 144 described species from Australia (80% continental coverage), the Pacific, and select close relatives from South-east Asia to estimate a dated molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of the Dacini. We utilised seven loci with a combined total of 4,332 nucleotides, to estimate both Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood phylogenies of the tribe. Consistent with other molecular phylogenies of the tribe, there was a high level of disagreement between the placement of species in the phylogeny and their current subgeneric and species-complex level taxonomies. The Australian fauna exhibit high levels of endemism, with radiations of both exclusively Australian clades, and clades that originate elsewhere (e.g. the Bactrocera dorsalis species group). Bidirectional movement of species has occurred between Papua New Guinea and Australia, with evidence for multiple incursions over evolutionary time. The Bactrocera aglaiae species group emerged sister to all other Bactrocera species examined. Divergence time estimates were âˆ¼ 30 my younger than previously reported for this group, with the tribe diverging from its most recent common ancestor âˆ¼ 43 mya. Ancestral trait reconstruction and tests for trait phylogenetic signal revealed a strong signal for the evolution of male lure response across the tree, with cue-lure/raspberry ketone lure response the ancestral trait. Methyl eugenol response has arisen on multiple, independent occasions. The evolution of host breadth exhibited a weaker signal; yet, basal groups were more likely to be host specialists. Both the evolution of lure response and host fruit use provide predictive information for the outbreak management of understudied pest fruit flies for which direct inference of these features may be lacking. Our results, which parallel those of earlier research into the closely-related African Dacus spp., demonstrate how geographically focussed taxon coverage allows Dacini phylogenetics to more explicitly test evolutionary hypotheses, thereby progressing our understanding of the evolution of this highly diverse and recently-radiated group of flies.

Tensile and shear properties of fingernails as a function of a changing humidity environment.

The mechanical properties of fingernails are important because of their impact in preventing damage and in maintaining their appearance. In particular, knowing the effect of local environmental conditions can tell us how they might best be protected. In order to better understand this, tensile tests were carried out to characterise the properties of fingernails at different relative humidities. Cyclic tests were also conducted to investigate the ability of the structure to recover deformation at different moisture contents. Torsional tests were performed to determine the shear modulus of the keratinous matrix material which binds together the fibrous components of the fingernails. This enabled an analysis of how the material may resist bending, torsion and permanent deformation in a natural environment. In particular, it is shown that at low relative humidity the nails are more brittle, and at high moisture contents they are more flexible. Increasing relative humidity lowers torsional stiffness much more than tensile stiffness, suggesting that moisture plasticises the matrix rather than affecting the fibres. The twist to bend ratio is minimised at 55% RH, close to the natural condition of nails which should minimise susceptibility to torsional damage due to plasticisation and a disruption of the matrix material binding the keratin fibres.

Effect of metformin plus roziglitazone compared with metformin alone on glycaemic control in well-controlled Type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To investigate the effect of metformin plus roziglitazione (RSGMET) compared with metformin alone (MET) on glycaemic control in well-controlled Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Subjects (drug naïve or those on glucose-lowering monotherapy) were randomized (n = 526), following a 4-week placebo run-in period, to RSGMET [4 mg rosiglitazone (RSG)/500 mg MET] or MET 500 mg. From weeks 2-18, medication was escalated every 4 weeks (based on gastrointestinal tolerability), then remained at RSGMET 8 mg/2 g or MET 3 g for 14 weeks. RESULTS: RSGMET reduced HbA(1c) from 7.2 +/- 0.6 to 6.7 +/- 0.8% at week 32, compared with a reduction from 7.2 +/- 0.6 to 6.8 +/- 0.9% with MET (treatment difference -0.13%; P = 0.0357). More subjects achieved an HbA(1c) value of

Troglitazone in combination with sulphonylurea improves glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetic patients inadequately controlled by sulphonylurea therapy alone. Troglitazone Study Group.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of troglitazone (a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist developed primarily for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM)), 100 or 200mg/day, in terms of glycaemic control, lipid profile and tolerability, when given in addition to existing sulphonylurea therapy. METHODS: A 16-week, randomized, parallel-group placebo-controlled trial in 259 Type 2 diabetic patients already on sulphonylurea therapy. RESULTS: At week 16, adjusted geometric mean HbA1c with troglitazone 100mg (7.7%; P=0.023) and 200mg (7.4%; P<0.001) was lower with sulphonylurea alone (8.2%). At all weeks, adjusted geometric mean fasting serum glucose levels were lower in both troglitazone groups, compared with sulphonylurea alone (P=0.007 to P<0.001). At week 16, both troglitazone groups showed reductions in immune reactive insulin compared with sulphonylurea alone (200mg, 13%; P=0.032: 100mg, 5%; NS). Troglitazone reduced serum levels of nonesterified fatty acids at week 16 (100 g, 12%; P=0.042) and at all weeks (200mg, 17-24%; P=0.014 to P<0.001). The incidence of drug-related adverse events was similar in all groups (23-24% of patients). There was no apparent association between hypoglycaemia and the addition of troglitazone to sulphonylurea therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Troglitazone 100 or 200 mg added to usual sulphonylurea therapy in patients with Type 2 DM is associated with a significant improvement in glycaemic control, without altering the adverse-event profile of the sulphonylurea.