Neotype designation, redescription, biology and distribution of Acanthopsyche alstoni Watt amp; Mann, 1903 (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) from India.

Acanthopsyche alstoni Watt Mann, is a lesser known psychid previously known only from the description of its larval cases collected from Assam, India in 1903. There were no descriptions of the adult moth or biology of the species. During surveys for Psychidae in the human inhabited regions of Kerala State, India, more than 100 larval cases were recovered. They were allowed to hatch and characteristics were recorded. This paper provides a detailed redescription of this species and designation of a neotype.

Influence of calcitonin treatment on the osteocalcin concentration in the algodystrophy of bone.

Algodystrophy (AD) attacks all tissues in the affected region and results in the rapid demineralization of bones. Osteocalcin (OC) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) are markers of bone turnover. Calcitonin is the treatment of choice of AD. Two groups of patients were studied: Group I (n = 8)--acute stage of AD (before and during the calcitonin treatment), Group II (n = 5)--late chronic stage of AD. In the acute stage of AD both OC level and AP activity were increased. They were normal in the chronic stage of AD. During the calcitonin treatment OC level normalized after 14 days and then increased again. During the treatment, AP activity temporarily increased and then returned to the initial level. We confirm that an increased bone turnover is observed in the acute stage of AD. Discrepancy between OC level and AP activity reflects the local metabolic disturbances. Salmon calcitonin inhibits the algodystrophic process and probably contributes to the activation of the skeletal restoration.