Reproductive efficiency of the bethylid wasp Cephalonomia tarsalis: the influences of spatial structure and host density.

The parasitoid wasp Cephalonomia tarsalis (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) is commonly present in stored product facilities. While beneficial, it does not provide a high degree of biological pest control against its host, the saw-toothed beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). A candidate explanation for poor host population suppression is that adult females interfere with each other's foraging and reproductive behavior. We used simple laboratory microcosms to evaluate such mutual interference in terms of its overall effects on offspring production. We varied the density of the hosts and also the spatial structure of the environment, via the extent of population sub-division and the provision of different substrates. Production of C. tarsalis offspring was positively influenced by host density and by the isolation of females. With incomplete sub-division within microcosms offspring production was, in contrast, low and even zero. The provision of corrugated paper as a substrate enhanced offspring production and partially mitigated the effects of mutual interference. We recommend simple improvements to mass rearing practice and identify promising areas for further behavioral and chemical studies towards a better understanding of the mechanisms of mutual interference.

Telenomus nizwaensis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), an important egg parasitoid of the pomegranate butterfly Deudorix livia Klug (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Oman.

The pomegranate butterfly Deudorix (= Virachola) livia is the major pest of pomegranate, a crop of economic importance, in Oman. A species of parasitoid wasp in the hymenopteran family Scelionidae is responsible for high levels of mortality of its eggs. This wasp is described herein as Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek sp. n., based on morphology and DNA sequence data. T. nizwaensis is currently known only from D. livia, which is also a pest of economic importance on other crops in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean. We summarise current knowledge of T. nizwaensis life-history and its potential to provide biological pest control.

Captive uterus syndrome: An unrecognized complication of cesarean sections?

Cesarean sections are a common surgical procedure at risk of complications including adhesions and chronic pelvic pain. This case series presents 10 cases of patients presenting with chronic pelvic pain following a cesarean section which were found upon surgical exploration to have developed adhesions between the abdominal wall and the uterus. When they first consulted, patients were evaluated clinically with a questionnaire and physical exam, and with ultrasonography to evaluate pelvic anatomy when necessary. The evaluation was completed with diagnostic laparoscopy which revealed atypical post-cesarean adhesions which were treated by adhesion lysis or hysterectomy. Surgical protocols of the cesarean sections were retrieved and analysed for potential adhesion risk factors. Patients presented with chronic pelvic pain that appeared in the early post-operative period. Physical exam revealed a subinvoluted uterus with a high fixed cervix. Ultrasound examination revealed clues of adhesions manifested by points of traction and an irregular uterine border. No other diagnosis such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian or bowel anomalies were identified during surgery. After laparoscopic adhesion lysis or hysterectomy, all patients who were treated noted a complete resolution of the pain that lasted during a follow-up of at least 5 years. These findings suggest that adhesions that create traction and fix the uterus to the abdominal wall following caesarian section can be the cause of severe chronic pelvic pain. In the presence of such pain, clinicians should suspect the presence of adhesions and investigate and treat patients accordingly.

Goniozus omanensis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) an important parasitoid of the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae) in Oman.

A new species of bethylid parasitoid wasp, Goniozus omanensis Polaszek sp. n., is described based on morphology and DNA sequence data. The species is currently known only from the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula, a pest of economic importance, but can be reared on two factitious host species. G. omanensis is compared with G. swirskiana, known from the same host in Israel. We summarise current knowledge of G. omanensis life-history, and its potential as an agent of biological pest control.

Compression and compaction properties of plasticised high molecular weight hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) as a hydrophilic matrix carrier.

The compression and compaction properties of plasticised high molecular weight USP2208 HPMC were investigated with the aim of improving tablet formation in HPMC matrices. Experiments were conducted on binary polymer-plasticiser mixtures containing 17 wt.% plasticiser, and on a model hydrophilic matrix formulation. A selection of common plasticisers, propylene glycol (PG) glycerol (GLY), dibutyl sebacate (DBS) and triacetin (TRI), were chosen to provide a range of plasticisation efficiencies. T(g) values of binary mixtures determined by Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) were in rank order PG>GLY>DBS>TRI>unplasticised HPMC. Mean yield pressure, strain rate sensitivity (SRS) and plastic compaction energy were measured during the compression process, and matrix properties were monitored by tensile strength and axial expansion post-compression. Compression of HPMC:PG binary mixtures resulted in a marked reduction in mean yield pressure and a significant increase in SRS, suggesting a classical plasticisation of HPMC analogous to that produced by water. The effect of PG was also reflected in matrix properties. At compression pressures below 70 MPa, compacts had greater tensile strength than those from native polymer, and over the range 35 and 70 MPa, lower plastic compaction values showed that less energy was required to produce the compacts. Axial expansion was also reduced. Above 70 MPa tensile strength was limited to 3 MPa. These results suggest a useful improvement of HPMC compaction and matrix properties by PG plasticisation, with lowering of T(g) resulting in improved deformation and internal bonding. These effects were also detectable in the model formulation containing a minimal polymer content for an HPMC matrix. Other plasticisers were largely ineffective, matrix strength was poor and axial expansion high. The hydrophobic plasticisers (DBS, TRI) reduced yield pressure substantially, but were poor plasticisers and showed compaction mechanisms that could be attributed to phase separation. The effect of different plasticisers suggests that the deformation characteristics of this HPMC in the solid state is dominated by hydroxyl mediated bonding, rather than by hydrophobic interactions between methoxyl-rich regions.

Pertussis deaths: report of 23 cases in the United States, 1992 and 1993.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize pertussis deaths and to identify possible risk factors and prevention strategies. METHODS: A retrospective review of all deaths attributed to pertussis with disease onset during 1992 and 1993 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospital discharge summaries and autopsy reports were reviewed, and additional clinical information was provided by physicians involved in the care of the children. RESULTS: During 1992 and 1993, 23 deaths attributed to pertussis were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cultures for Bordetella pertussis were positive in 18 (90%) of the 20 cases in which it was performed. Twenty (87%) of the 23 children who died were young than 1 year of age, and 18 (78%) of the children had received no doses orf pertussis vaccine. Among 20 children for whom gestational ages were known, 12 (60%) were born at36 weeks' gestation or earlier; in contrast, 10.7% of live births in the United States in 1992 were at 36 weeks' gestation or earlier. The median age of mothers whose children had fatal pertussis was 20 (range, 14 to 37) years in the 15 cases in which ages were known, compared with the national median age of 26.3 years in 1992. Pneumonia was a complication in all but 1 (96%) of the cases. Seizures occurred in 4 cases (17%), and acute encephalopathy occurred in 3 cases (13%). CONCLUSIONS: Pertussis continues to cause serious illness and death in the United States, particularly among infants who are not vaccinated. Preterm delivery and young maternal age may place infants at increased risk of death because of pertussis. Under the current pertussis vaccination schedule, three fourths of the infants who died were too young to have received three doses of pertussis vaccine, the minimum number of doses considered necessary for adequate protection against clinical pertussis. Additional strategies, to prevent deaths caused by pertussis in young infants, such as starting infant vaccination at an earlier age and booster doses to adolescents and adults, need to be evaluated.

A polymorphic effect of sexually differential production costs when one parent controls the sex ratio.

R. A. Fisher's sex ratio theory predicts that if sons and daughters cost fixed amounts of resources to raise and parents have fixed amounts to invest, then the numerical sex ratio of a panmictic population will evolve to be inversely proportional to relative cost. However, the theory assumes control by both parents. We show that allowing one parent to control the sex ratio biases it further from parity than Fisher's theory predicts. Quantitatively, the additional bias towards the cheaper sex depends only very weakly on which sex is in control. Qualitatively, however, the effect is very strong: a monomorphic, mixed-brood strategy evolves only if the more expensive sex is in control. If the controlling sex is cheaper to raise, then the sex ratio is instead achieved through a polymorphism of single-sex broods. Such polymorphisms are seldom observed in nature, generating the prediction that wherever the sexes are not equally costly, sex ratio is usually either under biparental control or under uniparental control by the more expensive sex. However, such polymorphisms do occur, and some of them may be explained by our model.

Molecular evolution of influenza A/H3N2 viruses in the province of Québec (Canada) during the 1997-2000 period.

In this study, we compared antigenic (hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay) and molecular (sequencing of the hemagglutinin (HA1) gene) characterization of influenza isolates collected in the Province of Québec (Canada) during the last three flu seasons (1997-2000). Twenty-three isolates were tested by a standard HI assay and 37 by sequencing of the HA1 gene for their homology to the A/H3N2 vaccine strains A/Wuhan/359/95 (1997-1998) and A/Sydney/5/97 (1998-1999 and 1999-2000). By HI, two isolates were antigenically similar to A/Wuhan/359/95 (both from 1997 to 1998), 16 were similar to A/Sydney/5/97 (1997-2000) and no conclusions could be inferred for the other five isolates due to identical HI titers for the two vaccine strains (n=4) or insufficient viral titer (n=1). Sequence analysis revealed that four isolates from 1997 to 1998 were related to A/Wuhan/359/95 whereas the others (n=4) from 1997 to 1998, as well as all isolates from 1998 to 1999 (n=18) and 1999 to 2000 (n=11) were closer to A/Sydney/5/97. The mean number of amino acid differences for the 33 A/Sydney/5/97-like isolates compared with the homologous vaccine strain was 6.3 (1.9%), 9.2 (2.8%) and 13.6 (4.1%) for those collected in 1997-1998, 1998-1999, and 1999-2000, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that a progressive drift occurred among our A/H3N2 influenza isolates over the last three flu seasons. Furthermore, it revealed that isolates collected during the last two flu seasons were in fact more related to A/Panama/2007/99 (2000-2001 vaccine strain) than to A/Sydney/5/97. Our studies suggest that molecular analysis of the HA1 gene should complement the HI assay for a more accurate analysis of influenza A virus drift.

Prospects for use of a varicella vaccine in adults.

Five to 10% of people reach adulthood still susceptible to VZV, which generally causes more severe primary disease in adults than seen in children. A live attenuated varicella vaccine was developed in Japan in the early 1970s and has now been tested in several trials in healthy children, immunocompromised children, and healthy adults. The vaccine is highly immunogenic in healthy children, conferring immunity for at least 7 to 10 years with a high degree of protective efficacy. In several trial in adults, the vaccine has been shown to be highly immunogenic. Humoral and cell-mediated immunity wanes in vaccinated adults, however, with antibodies to VZV detectable in approximately only 80% of vaccinated individuals after 1 year, and in approximately 70% from 2 to 6 years after vaccination. In leukemic children who have been vaccinated, however, this loss of detectable antibody has not been correlated with a reduction in protection during this time. Similar analyses have not been made in vaccinated adults because the numbers intimately exposed to VZV have been small. Protective efficacy after household exposure is approximately 65% in adults; however, when breakthrough (i.e., in those who have seroconverted) illness has occurred, it has invariably been mild, so that efficacy in preventing severe disease has been 100%. "Vaccine failures," however, may develop full-blown varicella. Side effects of immunization in adults are mild: a transient local reaction occurs in 10 to 21% and a mild rash in 6 to 8%. There is a theoretical risk of transmission of the attenuated virus if a vaccine-induced rash occurs, which has been documented only in contacts of vaccinated leukemics (any secondary disease has also been mild). To date, there has been no evidence that vaccination increases the risk of developing zoster; on the contrary, studies in leukemic children, who may be considered a "sentinel population" in this regard, suggest that the risk of zoster after vaccination may be reduced compared with the risk after natural infection. Susceptible adults who would most benefit from vaccination against VZV include health care workers, those who care for small children, women of child-bearing age prior to pregnancy, military recruits, and college students.

Postlaminectomy lumbar pseudomeningocele: report of four cases.

Pseudomeningocele formation is unusual after a lumbar discectomy. Four patients who developed a pseudomeningocele after lumbar disc surgery are reported. The pseudomeningocele was symptomatic in three patients. The diagnosis of a pseudomeningocele was made by computed tomography in conjunction with myelography in three patients and magnetic resonance imaging in the fourth. All patients underwent surgery for the pseudomeningocele with primary closure of the dural defect (the patient whose meningocele was asymptomatic also had an excision of an extruded disc), and postoperative results were gratifying.

Measles epidemic in Auckland 1984-85.

Epidemics of measles had been seen biennially over the past two decades at Princess Mary Hospital, Auckland, until 1980. After a four year gap, there has been a further epidemic. The medical records of 201 measles cases seen between July 1984 and August 1985 were reviewed. Maori and Pacific Island children were over-represented (86%), as were children aged less than 2 years (53%). Two children died. The most common complications were otitis media (98 cases), pneumonia (70 cases) and croup (28 cases, for which five children were ventilated). The epidemic was chiefly due to low immunisation rates and represents a failure of current immunisation programmes. Recommendations are made for improved immunisation strategies.

[Variants in the immune response to revaccination with diphtheria anatoxin in adults]. / Varianty immunnogo otveta na revaktsinatsiiu difteriinym anatoksinom u vzroslykh.

The immunological effectiveness of the revaccination (made in two injections) of 488 adults aged 18-67 years with diphtheria-tetanus toxoid is discussed; the parallel study of the results of this revaccination was carried out in the diphtheria toxin neutralization test on Vero cells and in the passive hemagglutination (PHA) test. The specific features of the dynamics of the increase of diphtheria antitoxic antibodies, depending on the initial immunity level, the age and the sex of revaccinated persons, were determined. Among persons with the low level of circulating antibodies before revaccination four variants of immune response to the injection of diphtheria toxoid were registered: variant 1--rapid reaction like in secondary immune response (53.6%); variant 2--delayed but effective reaction like in primary immune response (27.3%); variant 3--slow weak response (6.5%); and variant 4--the absence of effective immune response to immunization made in 2-3 injections (12.6%). The immunological and neutralizing properties of diphtheria antitoxic antibodies in the process of immunization made in 2 injections were evaluated. Persons with abnormal immune response (variants 3 and 4) produced defective antibodies, displaying immunological activity in the PHA test, but in most cases unable to neutralize diphtheria toxin in vitro when tested on Vero cells.

The grey mouse lemur: a non-human primate model for ageing studies.

The use of non-human primate models is required to understand the ageing process and evaluate new therapies against age-associated pathologies. The present article summarizes all the contributions of the grey mouse lemur Microcebus murinus, a small nocturnal prosimian primate, to the understanding of the mechanisms of ageing. Results from studies of both healthy and pathological ageing research on the grey mouse lemur demonstrated that this animal is a unique model to study age-dependent changes in endocrine systems, biological rhythms, thermoregulation, sensorial, cerebral and cognitive functions.

Long-term effects of spinal cord stimulation on angina symptoms and quality of life in patients with refractory angina pectoris--results from the European Angina Registry Link Study (EARL).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term effect of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on angina symptoms and quality of life in patients with refractory angina pectoris defined as severe angina due to coronary artery disease resistant to conventional pharmacological therapy and/or revascularisation. METHODS: During 2003-2005, all patients with refractory angina referred for SCS treatment at 10 European centres were consecutively included in the European registry for refractory angina (European Angina Registry Link, EARL), a prospective, 3-year follow-up study. In the present study, the SCS-treated patients were followed-up regarding angina symptoms and quality of life assessed was with a generic (Short Form 36, SF-36) and a disease-specific (Seattle Angina Questionnaire, SAQ) quality of life questionnaire. RESULTS: In total, 235 patients were included in the study. After screening, 121 patients were implanted and followed up 12.1 months after implantation. The implanted patients reported fewer angina attacks (p<0.0001), reduced short-acting nitrate consumption (p<0.0001) and improved Canadian Cardiovascular Society class (p<0.0001). Furthermore, quality of life was significantly improved in all dimensions of the SF-36 and the SAQ. Seven (5.8%) of the implanted patients died within 1 year of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: SCS treatment is associated with symptom relief and improved quality of life in patients with refractory angina pectoris suffering from severe coronary artery disease.

Clinical and cost-effectiveness analysis of an open label, single-centre, randomised trial of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) versus percutaneous myocardial laser revascularisation (PMR) in patients with refractory angina pectoris: The SPiRiT trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with refractory angina have significant morbidity. This study aimed to compare two of the treatment options, Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) and Percutaneous Myocardial Laser Revascularisation (PMR) in terms of clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomised to PMR or SCS and followed up for exercise tolerance time (ETT), Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification and the quality of life measures SF-36, Seattle Angina Questionnaire and the EuroQoL at 3, 12 and 24 months. Utilities were calculated using the EQ-5D and these and costs were compared between groups. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per QALY for SCS compared to PMR was also calculated. RESULTS: At 24 months post-randomisation, patients that had SCS and PMR had similar ETT (mean difference 0.05, 95% CI -2.08, 2.18, p = 0.96) and there was no difference in CCS classification or quality of life outcomes. The difference in overall mean costs when comparing SCS to PMR was GBP5,520 (95% CI GBP1,966 to GBP8,613; p < 0.01) and the ICER of using SCS was GBP46,000 per QALY. CONCLUSION: Outcomes after SCS did not differ appreciably from those after PMR, with the former procedure being less cost-effective as currently applied. Larger studies could clarify which patients would most benefit from SCS, potentially increasing cost-effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN09648950.

Resistance mechanism development to the topoisomerase-I inhibitor Hoechst 33342 by Leishmania donovani.

The bisbenzimidazole compound Hoechst 33342 (Ho342) has been identified as a specific Topoisomerase-I (Topo-I) inhibitor in mammalian cells. More recently, we have reported the ability of Ho342 to target L. donovani Topo-I, leading to parasite growth inhibition in vitro by mechanisms involving DNA breakage and apoptosis-like phenomenon. As the Ho342 lead molecule (2,5'-Bi-1H-benzimidazole) can be used as a starting structure for derivative compounds more effective against Leishmania, defining the Ho342 resistance mechanism(s) in Leishmania represents an important strategic tool. In the present study, we selected resistant parasites to Ho342 (LdRHo.300). While we observed an increase of the Topo-I gene expression correlated by a higher Topo-I DNA relaxation activity, the Topo-I genes (LdTOP1A and LdTOP1B) sequencing did not reveal any mutation for the resistant parasites. Moreover, our results on Ho342 cellular accumulation suggested the presence of a potential energy-dependent Ho342 transporter in the wild-type parasite, and that an alteration of this transporter has occurred in LdRHo.300, leading to an altered drug accumulation. Collectively, Ho342 resistance characterization provided results supporting that the resistance developed by LdRHo.300 involves complex mechanisms, most likely dominated by an altered drug accumulation, providing new insight in the Ho342 resistance mechanisms.

Perioperative use of the oesophageal Doppler probe (ODM II) on a patient scheduled for transmyocardial revascularization.

We describe the use of the continuous wave oesophageal Doppler monitor (ODM II) in the perioperative management of a patient with chronic obstructive coronary artery disease undergoing transmyocardial revascularization (TMR). The use of ODM II allowed both quantitative and qualitative assessment of cardiac function relatively noninvasively. It detected the successful transmyocardial penetration of a laser beam during operation by visual and auditory phenomena in addition to reflecting improvement in cardiac performance after operation.