Jiangthurston5276

The health of insect pollinators, particularly the honey bee, Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758), is a major concern for agriculture and ecosystem health. In response to mounting evidence supporting the detrimental effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators, a novel 'bee safe' butenolide compound, flupyradifurone (FPF) has been registered for use in agricultural use. Although FPF is not a neonicotinoid, like neonicotinoids, it is an excitotoxic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. In addition, A. mellifera faces threats from pathogens, such as the microsporidian endoparasite, Nosema ceranae (Fries et al. 1996). We therefore sought 1) to increase our understanding of the potential effects of FPF on honey bees by focusing on a crucial behavior, the ability to learn and remember an odor associated with a food reward, and 2) to test for a potential synergistic effect on such learning by exposure to FPF and infection with N. ceranae. We found little evidence that FPF significantly alters learning and memory at short-term field-realistic doses. However, at high doses and at chronic, field-realistic exposure, FPF did reduce learning and memory in an olfactory conditioning task. Metabolism inhibitor Infection with N. ceranae also reduced learning, but there was no synergy (no significant interaction) between N. ceranae and exposure to FPF. These results suggest the importance of continued studies on the chronic effects of FPF.Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner subsp. kurstaki (Btk) and Habrobracon hebetor Say are both biological control agents of Helicoverpa armigera Hubner. The present study evaluated their compatibility for combined application against this pest by examining the acceptability of Btk-inoculated hosts for H. hebetor females and testing for negative life-history impacts on developing progeny. Second-instar H. armigera larvae fed for 72 h on potted chickpea plants treated with three concentrations of Btk (LC15, LC35, and LC70) and were then used in bioassays of parasitoid development and parasitism behavior. Survival of parasitoids was significantly reduced, and immature development prolonged, on hosts fed chickpea plants treated with LC35 and LC70 Btk, but not on plants treated with LC15 Btk. Parasitoids failed to discriminate against hosts treated with LC15 or LC35 Btk in choice tests, but attacked fewer hosts treated with LC70 Btk, paralyzing and parasitizing more healthy hosts, and laying more eggs on them. In contrast, a no-choice test revealed that more hosts treated with LC35 and LC70 Btk were paralyzed compared with control or LC15-treated hosts, but the numbers of hosts parasitized and eggs laid did not vary among Btk treatments. Thus, females required an experience with healthy hosts, as they had in the choice test, to discriminate against diseased ones. We conclude that H. hebetor and Btk are compatible for joint application against H. armigera, which could potentially improve biological control of this pest.

To determine the risk factors for herpes zoster (HZ) in patients with rheumatic diseases in Korea.

We used the nationwide database of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service to analyse patients aged ≥20 years who had visited a hospital more than twice for rheumatic disease as a principal diagnosis from January 2009 to April 2013. HZ was identified using HZ-related Korean Standard Classification of Diseases 6 (KCD-6) codes and the prescription of antiviral agents. The relationship between demographics, comorbidities and medications and HZ risk was analysed by Cox proportional hazards models.

HZ developed in 1869 patients. In Cox proportional hazards models, female sex but not age showed an increased adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for HZ. Comorbidities such as haematologic malignancies, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic lung and liver diseases led to an increased HR. HZ risk was higher in patients with SLE (HR 4.29, 95% CI 3.49, 5.27) and Behçet's syndrome (BS, HR 4.54; 95% CI 3.66, 5.64) than with RA. The use of conventional DMARDs, immunosuppressants, TNF inhibitors, glucocorticoids and NSAIDs increased the HR. Infliximab and glucocorticoids (equivalent prednisolone dose >15 mg/day) produced the highest HZ risk (HR 2.91, 95% CI 1.72, 4.89; HR 2.85, 95% CI 2.15, 3.77, respectively).

Female sex, comorbidities and medications increased HZ risk in patients with rheumatic diseases and even young patients could develop HZ. Compared with RA, SLE and BS are stronger HZ risk factors. Patients with rheumatic diseases and these risk factors are potential target populations for HZ vaccination.

Female sex, comorbidities and medications increased HZ risk in patients with rheumatic diseases and even young patients could develop HZ. Compared with RA, SLE and BS are stronger HZ risk factors. Patients with rheumatic diseases and these risk factors are potential target populations for HZ vaccination.The inhibition kinetics of glutathione (GSH) and quercetin on Acrylamide (AA) formation in the low-moisture Maillard systems were investigated at 180 °C. The inhibition rates in an equal-molar asparagine/glucose (Asn/Glc) system was higher than those in asparagine/fructose (Asn/Fru) system, and the maximum inhibition rates for AA were 57.75% with GSH of 10 -2 mol L -1 and 51.38% with quercetin of 10 -1 mol L -1 . The Logistic-Index dynamic model and simplified two consecutive first-order kinetic models were well fitted to the changes of AA in the Asn/Glc system. The kinetics results suggested the predominant inhibition effect of GSH on AA could be attributed to the competitive reaction between GSH and Asn for the consumption of Glc. The kinetic results and HPLC-MS/MS analysis of quercetin inhibiting AA indicated that quercetin might mitigate AA through the binding reaction of quercetin decomposition product and Maillard intermediate product. These experimental results can provide theoretical data to control the formation of AA during food thermal processing.

Fat mass distribution, especially in the abdominal visceral region, has been rarely evaluated in patients with PsA or psoriasis (PsO).

Patients with PsA and patients with PsO alone were evaluated and compared with control subjects (11 ratio in each patient group) matched for age, sex and BMI category. Body composition and fat distribution (android and visceral fat) were evaluated by DXA. Anthropometric measurements, disease activity and the systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE) cardiovascular risk were assessed. Metabolic parameters (insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance), serum adipokines [total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin, leptin, resistin and retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4)] were measured.

Data for 52 patients with PsA and 52 patients with PsO and their respective paired controls were analysed. Android fat and visceral fat were found to be significantly higher in patients with PsO compared with their controls, while these measurements did not differ between patients with PsA and their controls.