Residual effects of deltamethrin and malathion on different populations of Sitophilus granarius (L.) on treated wheat grains

The impact of 2-, 7-, 14-, 30-, 90-, 150- and 720-day-old deposits of deltamethrin, applied with or without the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and of malathion, on adults of different populations of granary weevil Sitophilus granarius on wheat was investigated in the laboratory. The insecticides used were commercial formulations and their application rates were as recommended: deltamethrin (dustable powder) 0.5 mg a.i./kg, deltamethrin + PBO (1:10) (emulsifiable concentrate) 0.25 mg a.i./kg, and malathion (dustable powder) 10 mg a.i./kg. The weevil populations examined were: (a) a laboratory population, (b) field populations with different susceptibility to some insecticides as established previously, and (c) populations selected in the laboratory with deltamethrin or pirimiphos-methyl.The 2-day-old deposit of malathion caused complete mortality of all weevil populations after 7 and 14 days. The corresponding deposit of deltamethrin was 100% effective only against the laboratory weevils after 7-14 days, while deltamethrin at the lower level formulated with PBO caused about 90% mortality of laboratory weevils and much lower levels of kill among field and selected weevils.Deposits of deltamethrin and malathion up to 90 days old killed all field weevils after 14 days of exposure. The 150-day-old deposit of deltamethrin was also 100% effective against field weevils exposed for 14 days, while the effectiveness against selected populations was around 50%. Malathion deposits of the same age gave 40-50% mortality of field weevils, and 4-68% mortality of selected weevils. The 720-day-old deposits of malathion were ineffective against all weevil populations, while the mortality of laboratory weevils after 14 days contact with deltamethrin deposits of the same age was 76%, and that of field and selected weevils about 50%.     

Weekly high‐dose ergocalciferol to correct vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in hemodialysis patients: A pilot trial

Controversy exists on which vitamin D (D2 or D3) and which dosage scheme is the best to obtain and maintain adequate 25 OH D levels in dialysis patients safely. We tried to determine whether high‐dose vitamin D2 supplementation could obtain optimal vitamin D status without inducing hypercalcemia. We studied 82 patients on dialysis not taking active vitamin D therapy and supplemented them with oral vitamin D2 72,000 IU/week for 12 weeks followed by 24,000 IU/week as maintenance therapy during 36 weeks. By week 12, serum 25(OH)D increased from 15.2 ± 5.4 to 42.5 ± 13.2 ng/mL (P < 0.01) at week 12 and remained optimal (34.7 ± 12.0); 84.8% of the patients reached values ≥30 ng/mL. iPTH and alkaline phosphatase did not change at 48 weeks compared with baseline, but bone alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly (54.3 ± 46.0 to 44.3 ± 25.0; P = 0.02). Uncorrected serum Ca increased significantly at the end of follow‐up (9.03 ± 0.42 to 9.14 ± 0.62; P = 0.04); hypercalcemia was presented in two patients in the first control visit (week 12), in one patient in the second control (week 30), and in one patient in the third control (week 48). In 222 serum calcium determinations during follow‐up, hypercalcemia was observed in only 1.8% of cases. This vitamin D2 oral regimen with initial high doses was safe and sufficient to obtain and maintain optimal serum 25(OH)D concentrations and prevent vitamin D insufficiency in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis.     

An adaptive waveform coding algorithm and its application in speech coding

This paper proposes a novel waveform coding algorithm based on the forward adaptive technique with the goal to provide the overreaching of the signal to quantization noise ratio achievable by the coding solution designed according to G.711 standard. The novel algorithm performs frame-by-frame analysis of the input signal, according to which one of the two compandors, the restricted or the unrestricted one, is selected for the particular frame procession. The basic concept of the proposed algorithm is to enable a more preferable selection of the restricted compandor than the unrestricted one, since, in such a manner, an increase of the signal to quantization noise ratio can be provided. Since both the theoretical and the simulation results, which are obtained for the assumed input speech signal, indicate the performance improvement over the G.711 standard along with approximately 1 bit/sample compression, one can expect that the proposed algorithm will be effective in coding of signals, that as well as speech signals follow Laplacian distribution and have the time varying characteristics.     

Variations in cross-link density with deposition pressure in ultrathin plasma polymerized benzene and octafluorocyclobutane films

Neutron reflectometry (NR) measurements of ultrathin films from octafluorocyclobutane (OFCB) and benzene (B) precursors deposited using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) at two pressures (0.6 and 0.05 torr) reveal that under both deposition conditions there are a 7 nm-thick surface layer and an approximately 1 nm-thick transition layer next to the substrate which have structures different than those in the middle of the film. NR measurements of films swollen with solvent reveal that the density of cross-linking next to the substrate is lower than that in the middle of the film or the region adjacent to the surface of the film for both precursors. Variations in the cross-link density with processing pressure are much stronger for PP-B films than for PP-OFCB films.     

Synthesis and metal ion uptake properties of water-insoluble functional copolymers: removal of metal ions with environmental impact

New adsorbents, poly(N-(3-dimethylamino)propylmethacrylamide-co-acrylic acid), P(NDAPA-AA), poly(N-(3-dimethylamino)propylmethacrylamide-co-4-acryloylmorpholine), P(NDAPA-AMo), and poly(N-(3-dimethylamino)propylmethacrylamide-co-2-acrylamidoglycolic acid), P(NDAPA-AAg) were obtained by radical polymerization and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The uptake metal ion properties of cadmium(II), zinc(II), lead(II), mercury(II), and chromium(III) were examined by batch-equilibrium technique with respect to the initial pH, temperature, and initial metal ion concentration under competitive and noncompetitive conditions. Maximum adsorption capacity was determined. Acid and basic regeneration was tested in order to restore the adsorbent to initial conditions. Resins P(NDAPA-AA) and P(NDAPA-AMo) showed a great ability to retain Cr(III), whereas P(NDAPA-co-AAg) to retain Hg(II).     

Luminescence of the BΣ–XΣ band system of AlO during plasma electrolytic oxidation of aluminum

Two broad luminescence peaks with clearly pronounced structure, extending from roughly 18,200 to 18,800 cm⁻¹ and from 19,000 to 19,700 cm⁻¹ with the maxima at approximately 18,500 and 19,500 cm⁻¹, respectively, are obtained during plasma electrolytic oxidation of aluminum. They are assigned to the v′–v″ = −1 and −2 band sequences of the B²Σ⁺–X²Σ⁺ emission transition of AlO. The measured intensity distributions are employed to estimate the population of vibrational levels of the upper electronic state, and consequently the mean plasma temperature. The composition of plasma containing aluminum and oxygen under assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium is calculated in the temperature up to 11,000 K in order to explain the appearance of the observed spectral features.     

Toward a European Eco-label brand for residential buildings: Holistic or by-components approaches?

The Eco-label scheme is becoming ever more important in the environmental certification of products and services, especially in light of the recent ambitious aim of containing greenhouse emissions and improving the efficiency of utilizing energy sources. A recently introduced hypothesis concerns the European Eco-label scheme relating to buildings, in the awareness that the construction industry is of primary importance to the whole economic and social life of states. This scheme should adopt an integrated approach to environmental problems and include construction, day-to-day management, and the possible disposal of building materials, throughout the life cycle of the building. In addition, in consideration of the particular scope of buildings, the main aim of this new scheme should also be to ensure enhanced conditions of comfort to the occupants of these buildings. In sight of this challenge, the building can be regarded as a summation of components (each of them characterized by a given level of environmental quality) or as a unique physical entity aimed at delivering suitable indoor condition to occupants with an assigned amount of primary energy and with a limited impact on the natural environment. In the paper, both approaches will be investigated, keeping also in mind the initiatives that are currently on the ground in the aim of establishing ecological criteria for the award of the Community Eco-label for buildings.     

Susceptibility to contact insecticides of granary weevil Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) originating from different locations in the former Yugoslavia

The insecticides dichlorvos, malathion, chlorpyrifos-methyl, pirimiphos-methyl, deltamethrin and cypermethrin were applied to filter paper to assess their toxicity to granary weevil Sitophilus granarius adults. Based on discriminating doses obtained from tests on a susceptible laboratory population, the susceptibility of 12 populations originating from different storage facilities (11 in Serbia and 1 in Bosnia-Herzegovina) was tested. The facilities included silos, floor stockpiles and attic stockpiles. Weevils originating from Apatin, Belgrade Port, Bijeljina and Kikinda were submitted to toxicity testing, and determination of ld-p lines, LD values and levels of susceptibility/resistance. Chlorpyrifos-methyl proved the most toxic and cypermethrin the least toxic insecticides against all populations. Dichlorvos, malathion and pirimiphos-methyl had the least toxic effect on weevils originating from Belgrade Port and Kikinda, While deltamethrin was most toxic to weevils from Belgrade Port, and least toxic to weevils from Kikinda. The resistance ratios (RR) for deltamethrin at the LD₅₀ and LD₉₅ levels 48 h after exposure to treated filter paper were 11.2 and 14.5 for Bijeljina weevils, and 20.9 and 25.5 for Kikinda weevils.     

The role of thrombocytes in allergic inflammation

Microencephalic rats were obtained through gestational (for the forebrain) or neonatal (for the cerebellum) administration of the DNA-alkylating agent methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM), which selectively kills dividing cells during neurogenesis. In the microencephalic cerebellum the specific activity of calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was decreased by 35-40% at 12, 28 and 70 days of age. Other neurochemical markers not related to granule cells (the neuronal population selectively compromised by neonatal MAM treatment), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) were not decreased, but actually increased when determined as specific activity. In agreement with the decreased catalytic activity measured in the tube, the expression of neuronal NOS protein was attenuated as judged from immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In the microencephalic forebrain, the specific calcium-dependent NOS activity measured in homogenates of the whole hemisphere was significantly increased as compared to normal animals. Accordingly, immunohistochemistry for neuronal NOS, as well as NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry revealed an apparent increase in the density of strongly reactive neurons in the underdeveloped cortex and striatum of microencephalic rats. The results reported here demonstrate that permanent alterations of neuronal NOS activity and expression occur when the development of the brain and its neuronal circuits are severely compromised. Furthermore, the permanent downregulation of neuronal NOS in the cerebellum of microencephalic rats may be exploited for the study of the role of NO in mechanisms of synaptic plasticity such as long term depression (LTD).     

INFRARED INVESTIGATION OF NiO-Al2O3 AEROGEL CATALYSTS FOR THE NITROXIDATION OF PROPENE TO NITRILES

Infrared and kinetic studies were conducted for NiO-Al₂O₃ aerogel catalysts to determine the types and relative numbers of Ni sites responsible for catalytic activity and selectivity in the nitroxidation of propene to 2-propenenitrile. The evaluated catalysts had Ni to Al ratios of 0.04/1.0, 0.4/1.0 and 1.0/1.0. The effect of catalyst preparation on active Ni sites was determined by studying pairs of catalysts with the same Ni/Al ratio. The infrared studies were carried out using CO and NO as molecular probes, and by varying the temperature of pretreatment ( calcination and reduction). Bands for adsorbed CO were seen for all catalysts corresponding to weakly held CO on Ni^{2+ and Ni}1+ sites. Both linear and bridged adsorption of CO on reduced Ni^O sites were also evident on catalysts reduced in H₂ at 550°C. All catalysts showed bands arising from NO strongly held on Ni sites. The CO and NO bands varied in intensity depending on the temperature of pretreatment. Catalytic activity depends on both the number of exposed Ni sites and a catalyst's ability to be easily oxidized and reduced without loss of sites. Ni crystal size was found to affect selectivity as well as activity