Sinusoidal Transcranial Direct Current Versus Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation for Treatment of Lateropulsion Poststroke.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) versus Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) on Lateropulsion following stroke. METHODS: Patients with Stroke and Burke Lateropulsion Scale (BLS) scores greater than or equal to 2 gave informed consent to receive sinusoidal 1 Hz DC (0-2 mA) anodal stimulation over the affected parietal cortex versus similar GVS with ipsilesional mastoidal anode. Seated haptic center of pressure (COP-X) was measured using an AMTI analog-to-digital forceplate. An inclinometer (Biopac ) measured lateral thoracic tilt. COP-X Power Spectra were analyzed over 3 frequency intervals: 0-.3 Hz, .3-1 Hz, and 1-3 Hz. RESULTS: Six males/4 females age 66 ± 9.5 standard deviation with admission BLS scores of 5.4 ± 3.7 within 8.6 ± 8.1 days poststroke were enrolled. COP-X medial-lateral speed increased for both the tDCS and the GVS protocols compared to sham condition. Fourier Analysis of COP-X velocity for 0-.3 Hz responses showed a significant increase for tDCS stimulation. The .3-1 Hz responses for the tDCS condition were decreased from baseline. Lateral thoracic tilt showed significant improvement for tDCS compared to Sham stimulation at 10 minutes and for GVS versus Sham at 15 minutes. DISCUSSION: Anodal tDCS over the ipsilesional PIVC increases low frequency postural responses usually attributed to visual control with down regulation of median frequency vestibular responses, biasing postural control toward more dependence on visual as opposed to vestibular control. CONCLUSIONS: 2 mA sinusoidal 1 Hz anodal tDCS over the ipsi-lesional PIVC or similar ipsi-lesional anodal GVS improve Lateropulsion following stroke.

Rare excitatory amino acid from flowers of zonal geranium responsible for paralyzing the Japanese beetle.

The Japanese beetle (JB), Popillia japonica, exhibits rapid paralysis after consuming flower petals of zonal geranium, Pelargonium x hortorum. Activity-guided fractionations were conducted with polar flower petal extracts from P. x hortorum cv. Nittany Lion Red, which led to the isolation of a paralysis-inducing compound. High-resolution-MS and NMR ((1)H, (13)C, COSY, heteronuclear sequential quantum correlation, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation) analysis identified the paralytic compound as quisqualic acid (C(5)H(7)N(3)O(5)), a known but rare agonist of excitatory amino acid receptors. Optical rotation measurements and chiral HPLC analysis determined an L-configuration. Geranium-derived and synthetic L-quisqualic acid demonstrated the same positive paralytic dose-response. Isolation of a neurotoxic, excitatory amino acid from zonal geranium establishes the phytochemical basis for induced paralysis of the JB, which had remained uncharacterized since the phenomenon was first described in 1920.

Field evaluation of essential oils for reducing attraction by the Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Forty-one plant essential oils were tested under field conditions for the ability to reduce the attraction of adult Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), to attractant-baited or nonbaited traps. Treatments applied to a yellow and green Japanese beetle trap included a nonbaited trap, essential oil alone, a Japanese beetle commercial attractant (phenethyl proprionate:eugenol:geraniol, 3:7:3 by volume) (PEG), and an essential oil plus PEG attractant. Eight of the 41 oils reduced attractiveness of the PEG attractant to the Japanese beetle. When tested singly, wintergreen and peppermint oils were the two most effective essential oils at reducing attractiveness of the PEG attractant by 4.2x and 3.5x, respectively. Anise, bergamont mint, cedarleaf, dalmation sage, tarragon, and wormwood oils also reduced attraction of the Japanese beetle to the PEG attractant. The combination of wintergreen oil with ginger, peppermint, or ginger and citronella oils reduced attractiveness of the PEG attractant by 4.7x to 3.1x. Seventeen of the 41 essential oils also reduced attraction to the nonbaited yellow and green traps, resulting in 2.0x to 11.0x reductions in trap counts relative to nonbaited traps. Camphor, coffee, geranium, grapefruit, elemi, and citronella oils increased attractiveness of nonbaited traps by 2.1x to 7.9x when tested singly, but none were more attractive than the PEG attractant. Results from this study identified several plant essential oils that act as semiochemical disruptants against the Japanese beetle.

Toxicity of botanical formulations to nursery-infesting white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

The toxicity of eight botanically based biopesticides was evaluated against third instars of the scarab larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Popillia japonica Newman, Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), Anomala orientalis Waterhouse, and Cyclocephala borealis Arrow. Soil dip bioassays were used to obtain concentration-mortality data 7 d after treatment of larvae, leading to the calculation of LC50 and LC90 values. A wide range in LC50 and LC90 values were exhibited among the formulations. The product Armorex was one of the most active formulations against P. japonica (LC50 = 0.42 ml/liter), R. majalis (LC50 = 0.48 ml/liter), A. orientalis (LC50 = 0.39 ml/liter), and C. borealis (LC50 = 0.49 ml/liter). Armorex is composed of extracts from diverse botanical sources, including 84.5% sesame oil, 2.0% garlic oil, 2.0% clove oil, 1.0% rosemary oil, and 0.5% white pepper extracts. The product Azatin, composed of 3% azadirachtin, also exhibited high toxicity to P. japonica (LC50 = 1.13 ml/liter), R. majalis (LC50 = 0.81 ml/liter), and A. orientalis (LC50 = 1.87 ml/liter). Veggie Pharm is composed of extracts from diverse sources, but this product showed the lowest toxicity to P. japonica (LC50 = 35.19 ml/liter), R. majalis (LC50 = 62.10 ml/liter), A. orientalis (LC50 = 43.76 ml/liter), and C. borealis (LC50 = 50.24 ml/liter). These results document the potential for botanical formulations to control white grubs, but blending extracts from diverse botanical sources does not ensure enhanced biological activity.

Chlorpyrifos immersion to eliminate third instars of Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in balled and burlapped trees and subsequent treatment effects on red maple.

This study examined chlorpyrifos immersion of balled and burlapped (B&B) nursery trees for elimination of third instars of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and for phytotoxicity on red maple, Acer rubrum L. Trees were harvested as 45- and 60-cm-diameter B&B and immersed in chlorpyrifos at U.S. Domestic Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan rate (0.24 kg active ingredient [AI/100 liters) or lower rates of 0.015, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.12 kg (AI)/100 liters. The 0.03, 0.06, and 0.24 kg (AI) rates provided 100% control of Japanese beetle grubs in both 45- and 60-cm B&B. The 0.015 and 0.12 kg (AI) chlorpyrifos rates were 100% effective in three tests. However, in another test, 0.015 and 0.12 kg (AI) chlorpyrifos treatments had four (93% control) and one (98% control) grubs recovered, respectively. Root ball soils consisted of loam, silt loam, or clay loam texture classifications. Trunk diameter and internode growth of red maple harvested as 45-cm B&B decreased linearly with increasing chlorpyrifos dip rate during the first year, but effects were unapparent in the second year. Chlorpyrifos rates had no measurable impact on growth of red maples harvested as 60-cm B&B. No visual phytotoxicity symptoms were detected for chlorpyrifos rate or root ball size treatments. In conclusion, results support lowering the U.S. Domestic Japanese Beetle Harmonization Plan chlorpyrifos dip rate for category 2 states to at least 0.03 kg (AI) for B&B diameters < or =60 cm. Chlorpyrifos rates < 0.24 kg (AI) will lower cost, reduce worker exposure, and lessen potential environmental contamination.