bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
External quality assessment in gynaecological cytology: The Trent Region experience
Authors: SLATER D. N. , HEWER E. M. , MELLING S. E. , RICE S. 
Published: March 2003

A Department of Health Executive Letter stated in 1998 that the principal function of external quality assessment (EQA) is educational. Subsequently, in England, it has no longer been acceptable to assess performance in gynaecological cytology by proficiency testing.This paper describes the EQA scheme in gynaecological cytology that has been run by the Trent Regional Gynaecological Pathology Quality Assurance Group for the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) since 1998. It conforms as closely as possible to the recommendations published by the Department of Health Working Group on Histopathology EQA Accreditation, and replaced the national proficiency testing protocol.The educational value of the scheme is derived predominantly from a numerical score which provides confidential and quantitative feedback to all participants. Personal performance monitoring occurs as a secondary function. For primary screeners and checkers, this is based purely on the distinction between negative, inadequate and abnormal smears. For pathologists, personal performance monitoring also includes grading of abnormalities.The EQA has been designed so that all professional groups participate in a manner that closely mimics normal practice. Only slides that have achieved an 80% consensus amongst participants are used in the EQA.Substandard performance has been defined as those participants with scores falling below the 2.5%ile.The paper describes the EQA in detail and illustrates its use by means of the second round results.The EQA protocol developed within Trent and described in this paper has contributed to proposals contained in the current national EQA in gynaecological cytology for the NHSCSP. In particular this paper highlights the effectiveness of the scoring system contained within the Trent and National EQA protocols.
Borderline nuclear change; can a subgroup be identified which is suspicious of high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, i.e. CIN 2 or worse?
Authors: Edwards J. M. , Hermansen P. J. , Hillier V. F. , Howat A. J. 
Published: March 2003

Borderline nuclear change; can a subgroup be identified which is suspicious of high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, i.e. CIN 2 or worse? Only 10% of first borderline smears are associated with a histological high‐grade (HG) abnormality, i.e. CIN 2,3, invasive malignancy or glandular neoplasia on subsequent investigation. The advantages of highlighting this subgroup are obvious but is this possible? From 1996 and 1997, 242 borderline smears with histological follow‐up were examined by two independent experienced observers (observer 1 and 2) without prior knowledge of further investigation results. For each smear a profile of nuclear details was produced, also noting the type of cell mainly affected by the process; then the observers were asked to assess the degree of worry of HG disease for each smear i.e. whether the smear fell into group 1 borderline changes indicative of low‐grade (normal, inflammatory, CIN1/HPV) disease (BL/LG) or group 2 difficult borderline smear, HG disease (CIN 2,3, invasive neoplasia or glandular neoplasia) cannot be excluded (BL/HG). Observer 1 selected a group of BL/HG with a PPV for HG disease of 38%, with observer 2 having a PPV of 50%; this compared with the overall laboratory HG disease PPV for borderline smears of 14%. Both observers found the most useful criterion to be the increase in nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio. Our results show that it is possible to separate a small group of borderline smears which should be classified as ‘borderline/high grade lesion difficult to exclude’ (BL/HG). Both observers had some success in arriving at this classification although their method of selecting out this group was quite different.
Detection of bladder cancer by multitarget multicolour FISH: comparative analysis on archival cytology and paraffin‐embedded tissue
Authors: Mezzelani A. , Dagrada G. , Alasio L. , Sozzi G. , Pilotti S. 
Published: March 2003

Detection of bladder cancer by multitarget multicolour FISH: comparative analysis on archival cytology and paraffin‐embedded tissue We have evaluated the possibility of using the same specimen for both cytological diagnosis and multitarget multicolour FISH (MtMcFISH) analysis in order to determine whether the routinely processed specimens used for diagnosis were also suitable for this ancillary procedure. For this purpose 18 positive samples (11 voided urine and seven bladder washings) were selected, together with a representative section of the corresponding immediately previous or subsequent histological specimens. Two negative cytology slides were added as negative controls. FISH analysis revealed a normal pattern for each probe in the two negative controls and an abnormal pattern in the 18 positive cases. In the latter the same FISH alterations were found in the cytology samples and in the corresponding histological sections, and superimposable cytological/histological features were observed in two cases where two different histology samples were analyzed. The results clearly show that MtMcFISH may be successfully applied to destained routinely processed cytology slides.
Influence of ground cover on spider populations in a table grape vineyard
Authors: COSTELLO MICHAEL J. , DAANE KENT M. 
Published: March 2003

1. Cover crops and/or resident ground vegetation have been used in California vineyards to increase the number of predators and decrease the number of pestiferous herbivores. The most common resident predators in vineyards are spiders (Araneae). Several observational studies suggest that the addition of cover crops results in an increase in spider density and a decrease in insect pest densities.2. To test experimentally the effects of cover crops and/or resident ground vegetation (hereafter collectively referred to as ground cover) on spider populations, a 3‐year study was undertaken in a commercial vineyard. Large, replicated plots were established with and without ground cover during the growing season. Spider species diversity was analysed on the vines and on the ground cover.3. On the vines, there was no significant difference in spider species richness or the total number of spiders in plots with and without ground cover. There were differences in the relative abundance of two spiders between treatments, with one species (Trachelas pacificus [Chamberlin & Ivie]) more abundant in plots with ground cover and another (Hololena nedra Chamberlin & Ivie) more common on vines in plots with no ground cover. Annual variation in spider abundance was greater than variation due to ground cover treatment.4. On the ground cover, the spider species diversity was considerably different from that found on the vines above, suggesting that there is little movement of spiders between the ground cover and the vines. Enhancement of T. pacificus populations on vines with ground covers may be a result of prey species movement between the ground cover and the vines. Spider abundance was sparse on the bare ground.5. The maintenance of ground cover increased spider species diversity in the vineyard as a whole (vine and ground cover). However, the relatively small changes in spider abundance on the vines indicate there are limitations in the use of ground covers for pest management with respect to generalist predators.
Life cycle of the cereal aphid Sitobion avenae F.: polymorphism and comparison of life history traits associated with sexuality
Authors: DEDRYVER  , LE GALLIC  , GAUTHIER  , SIMON  
Published: March 2003

1. Clones of Sitobion avenae from the west of France exhibited four types of responses in growth chambers to short days and low temperatures: in addition to permanently parthenogenetic clones (anholocyclic) and clones producing both males and parthenogenetic females (androcyclic), lineages producing both mating females and males were categorized into holocyclic and intermediate types, the latter investing into both sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction.2. Holocyclic, intermediate and androcyclic clones were tested outdoors for sexual production in autumn and results were consistent with those obtained in growth chambers. Eggs from holocyclic and intermediate clone selfings were laid and hatched for most crosses.3. Reciprocal crosses within and between life cycle variants showed no effect of the type of cross on the number of eggs laid per mating female, their hatching success, or the survival and fecundity of the parthenogenetic females born from eggs (fundatrices).4. Eggs from intermediate × intermediate crosses hatched 20 days earlier than those involving at least one holocyclic parent. It is suggested that this short diapausing time gives a selective advantage to intermediate clones in oceanic climates, which could compensate for their lower sexual production in autumn.5. Selfed offspring showed inbreeding depression, which seems to be common in non host‐alternating aphids.6. Mating with androcyclic males affects percentage (lower) and time (longer) of egg hatching, but not the other investigated traits.7. The significance of intragenotypic strategy mixing in androcyclic and intermediate clones is discussed as an overall adaptation to the uncertainty of winter climate in oceanic zones.
Pupal parasitoid attack influences the relative fitness of Drosophila that have encapsulated larval parasitoids
Authors: FELLOWES M. D. E. , MASNATTA P. , KRAAIJEVELD A. R. , GODFRAY H. C. J. 
Published: March 2003

1. The evolution of host resistance to parasitoid attack will be constrained by two factors: the costs of the ability to defend against attack, and the costs of surviving actual attack. These factors have been investigated using Drosophila melanogaster and its parasitoids as a model system. The costs of defensive ability are expressed as a trade‐off with larval competitive ability, whereas the costs of actual defence are exhibited in terms of reduced adult fecundity and size.2. The costs of actual defence may be ameliorated by the host‐choice decisions made by Pachycrepoideus vindemiae, a pupal parasitoid. If larvae that have successfully encapsulated a parasitoid develop into poorer quality hosts, then these may be rejected by ovipositing pupal parasitoids.3. Pupae developing from larvae that have encapsulated the parasitoid Asobara tabida are smaller and have relatively thinner puparia. Thinner puparia are likely to be associated with a reduction in mechanical strength and possibly with a decrease in desiccation tolerance.4. Pachycrepoideus vindemiae that develop in capsule‐bearing pupae are smaller than those that emerge from previously unattacked hosts. This supports the prediction that ovipositing female P. vindemiae should avoid attacking capsule‐bearing hosts. However, in choice experiments with 1‐day‐old pupae, P. vindemiae females oviposited preferentially in hosts containing a capsule, whereas there was no preference found with 4‐day‐old hosts. This appears to be a maladaptive host choice decision, as the female pupal parasitoids are preferentially attacking hosts that will result in a reduction of their own fitness.5. The increased likelihood of attack by a pupal parasitoid is another cost of actual defence against larval parasitoid attack.
Limits to the abundance of rare species: an experimental test with a tree aphid
Authors: Hopkins Graham W. , Thacker Jonathan I. , Dixon Anthony F. G. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract.1. The birch (Betula)‐feeding aphid, Monaphis antennata, is always found at low densities on individual hosts and has low local abundance, but another birch‐feeding aphid, Euceraphis betulae, is often found at high densities on individual hosts and has high local abundance.2. This work attempts to establish whether the interaction between M. antennata and its host or the behaviour of individuals limits its densities.3. Both species were reared on saplings, and population sizes were monitored for 6 weeks. Two levels of host quality were used and feeding space was kept constant throughout the experiment. Adults were prevented from leaving the saplings by clipping their wings, and predators were excluded.4. On plants of similar host quality, both species achieved similar population sizes.5. It is concluded that resource availability or the interactions between individuals are unlikely to be important causes of rarity.
Effects of origin and experience on patterns of host acceptance by the opiine parasitoid Diachasmimorpha tryoni
Authors: Duan J. J. , Messing R. H. 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. Patterns of host acceptance by Diachasmimorpha tryoni (Ashmead), a parasitoid of tephritid flies, were evaluated in relation to host–substrate complex, wasp origin, and wasp experience.2. Naive female D. tryoni originating both from the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and the lantana gall fly Eutreta xanthochaeta Aldrich probed medfly‐infested coffee fruit two to six times more often than E. xanthochaeta‐inhabited lantana galls. No significant differences were detected between the two groups of parasitoids in patterns of probing response to medfly‐infested coffee fruit or to E. xanthochaeta galls.3. An 18‐h pretest exposure to medfly‐infested coffee fruit or E. xanthochaeta‐inhabited galls affected the probing response of D. tryoni to E. xanthochaeta galls significantly, but did not affect the probing response to medfly‐infested coffee fruit. Diachasmimorpha tryoni exposed to E. xanthochaeta galls probed E. xanthochaeta galls two to three times more often than naive wasps, and seven to 11 times more than wasps exposed to medfly‐infested coffee fruit. Regardless of the prior exposure treatments, a high proportion (75–100%) of the test parasitoids probed medfly‐infested coffee fruit.4. Parasitoid acceptance of less‐preferred hosts or host–substrate complexes may be more amenable to conditioning through prior experience (i.e. learning) than preferred host–substrate complexes. The relevance of these findings to host range expansion of parasitoids used in fruit fly biological control is discussed.
Reproductive diapause and the bacterial symbiosis in the sycamore aphid Drepanosiphum platanoidis
Authors: Douglas A. E. 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. Parthenogenetic adults of the sycamore aphid Drepanosiphum platanoidis exhibited reproductive diapause for 4–6 weeks in the summer.2. The diapausing aphids had small gonads (accounting for just 13% of the total aphid protein content) bearing small (< 0.5 mm long) and developmentally immature embryos. There was no evidence of embryo resorption.3. The diapausing aphids had significantly depressed essential amino acid content and elevated glutamine content, relative to reproductively active D. platanoidis.4. The reproductive characteristics and amino acid titres of the diapausing aphids resemble those of aphids lacking functional symbiotic bacteria. Uncoupling of maternal and embryo growth and suppression of bacterial function are proposed as key elements in the diapause of D. platanoidis.
Effectively vertical transmission of aDrosophila‐parasitic nematode: mechanism and consequences
Authors: Jaenike John 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. Long‐term control of insects by parasites is possible only if the parasite populations persist. Because parasite transmission rate depends on host density, parasite populations may go extinct during periods of low host density. Vertical transmission of parasites, however, is independent of host density and may therefore provide a demographic bridge through times when their insect hosts are rare.2. The nematodeHowardula aoronymphium, which parasitises mycophagous species ofDrosophila, can experience both horizontal and effectively vertical transmission, relative rates of which depend, in theory at least, on the density of hosts at breeding sites.3. A nine‐generation experiment was carried out in which nematodes were transmitted either exclusively vertically or primarily horizontally. This experiment revealed that these parasites can persist and exhibit positive population growth even when there is only vertical transmission.4. Assays at the end of the experiment revealed that the vertically transmitted nematodes had suffered no inbreeding depression and that they were similar to the horizontally transmitted nematodes in terms of virulence, infectivity, within‐host growth rate, and fecundity. Thus, vertical transmission ofH. aoronymphiumdid not appear to compromise the ability of these parasites to controlDrosophilapopulations.
Genetic and social structure of the queen size dimorphic ant Leptothorax cf. andrei
Authors: Rüppell O. , Heinze J. , Hölldobler B. 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. The study of queen polymorphisms can provide insight into the evolution of alternative life histories in ants. In this paper, results of morphological, social and genetic investigations of the newly discovered queen size dimorphism in Leptothorax cf. andrei are presented.2. Queens had a bimodal size distribution, and were classified as large (macrogynes) or small (microgynes) queens. Despite their small size, microgynes had a fully developed external flight apparatus and a functional reproductive tract.3. Queen morphology was not correlated with colony social structure, and the relatedness among nestmate queens was high, indicating secondary polygyny by re‐adoption of related queens (daughters) into existing colonies.4. The distribution of microsatellite alleles indicated that there is a genetic separation between macro‐ and micro‐gynes but the two morphs belong to the same species.5. The results support the hypothesis that microgyny in Leptothorax has not evolved as a specialisation to inter‐ or intra‐specific social parasitism but rather is an adaptation to alternative dispersal behaviour.
Effects of prey quantity and quality on predatory wasps
Authors: Stamp N. E. 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. The simultaneous effects of prey quantity and prey quality on fitness correlates of the predatory wasp Polistes fuscatus were examined in a glasshouse study. Prey quantity was manipulated by providing prey in excess (high quantity) or one‐third of that (low quantity). Prey quality was manipulated by providing either palatable (Manduca sexta) caterpillars or unpalatable (Junonia coenia) caterpillars.2. The effect of prey quality on wasp production depended on prey quantity. Nests given unpalatable prey produced few wasps whereas nests given palatable prey increased wasp production with increased prey.3. The low production of nests given unpalatable prey reflected the low acceptability of those prey. The wasps preferred the palatable prey and learned to reject the unpalatable prey. With no choice of prey, they took only enough unpalatable prey to develop a small nest or colony.4. A diet of unpalatable prey also resulted in smaller wasps and reduced the proportion of males produced, from about 40% to just 8–14%, depending on the year.
Tigers eating tigers: evidence of intraguild predation operating in an assemblage of tiger beetles
Authors: Hoback W. Wyatt , Higley Leon G. , Stanley David W. 
Published: March 2003

Summary1. Co‐occurrence of closely related predators in a prey‐limited habitat appears to contradict the principle of competitive exclusion, however it may be explained through indirect effects, niche shifts, and intraguild predation.2. The interactions between sympatric tiger beetle Cicindela species were examined. Cicindela circumpicta is the largest of three species (C. circumpicta, C. togata, C. fulgida) found in saline habitats throughout central North America. The temporal occurrence of these species overlaps, as does their spatial occurrence on exposed salt flats of saline marshes. During field observations, exoskeletal remains of C. togata were found at the study site in Nebraska, U.S.A.3. In laboratory trials, male C. circumpicta ate C. togata in 38% of trials and female C. circumpicta ate C. togata in 50% of trials (n = 24).4. In the field, potential prey, consisting mainly of small flies, was found mostly in shaded conditions but tiger beetles differed significantly in shade use, with C. circumpicta spending 70% of the time in the shade compared with ≈ 20% for C. togata. Differential habitat use was not explained by maximum temperature tolerances, which did not differ between the species.5. Laboratory trials established that both tiger beetle species consumed small prey (apterous Drosophila) but C. togata was more efficient at capturing winged Drosophila.6. Foraging efficiency, as measured by the time taken for a C. togata to capture three prey items, decreased significantly in the presence of other tiger beetles, especially C. circumpicta.7. These results are an indication that intraguild predation and induced changes in foraging behaviour operate in the ecology of adult tiger beetles.
Contrasting frequencies of parasitism and host mortality among phorid and conopid parasitoids of bumble‐bees
Authors: Otterstatter Michael C. , Whidden Troy L. , Owen Robin E. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract 1. Phorid (Diptera, Phoridae) and conopid (Diptera, Conopidae) parasitism among four North American bumble‐bee (Hymenoptera, Apidae) species was investigated. Male bumble‐bees experienced a significantly higher incidence of parasitism by the phorid, Apocephalus borealis Brues, and a significantly lower incidence of parasitism by the conopid, Physocephala texana Williston, than did workers.2. The incidence of parasitism by A. borealis and P. texana varied between bumble‐bee sexes and species in patterns that did not reflect differences in relative host abundance. Differences in foraging behaviour between bumble‐bee workers and males, as well as between species, may explain these results.3. Bumble‐bee workers and males parasitised by A. borealis had significantly shorter lifespans than unparasitised bees. Based on previous estimates of bumble‐bee mortality, A. borealis parasitism may reduce worker lifespans by up to 70%. In contrast, the mortality rate of bees parasitised by P. texana was not significantly different from that of unparasitised bees.4. These results contrast with previous work highlighting the importance of conopid parasitism to bumble‐bee populations, and suggest that phorid parasitism may impose greater costs to bumble‐bees than does conopid parasitism in local populations.
A trade‐off between diapause duration and fitness in female parasitoids
Authors: Ellers Jacintha , Van Alphen Jacques J. M. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract 1. Diapause allows insects to cope with adverse weather conditions but also poses substantial fitness costs, e.g. through reduced survival of the diapausing stage or sublethal effects in the following season.2. The energetic costs of diapause in females of the parasitoid Asobara tabida Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were assessed using experimental manipulation of diapause duration.3. An increase in diapause length not only led to higher mortality among diapausing pupae but also caused a significant decrease in egg load, fat reserves, and dry weight of the emerging adult females.4. Only larvae with sufficient resources were able to survive the entire diapause period and there was a trade‐off between the metabolic costs of diapause and adult fitness components.5. In contrast, the size (tibia length) of emerging females increased with increasing diapause duration. It is proposed that this may be due to a genetic correlation between larval dry weight and adult size, so that selection for heavier larvae would result in larger adults even when resources are limited.6. Ultimately, the evolution of diapause duration and its consequences for adult performance will depend on the costs of overwintering and the ecological conditions in the habitat.