Central nervous activity during an emotional Stroop task in fibromyalgia syndrome.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition of widespread pain accompanied by symptoms like depression, fatigue and cognitive impairments. In addition to central nervous pain sensitization, emotional dysregulation may be involved in FMS pathogenesis. This study investigated emotional influences on cognitive processing in FMS. Event-related potentials and theta oscillations were recorded during an emotional Stroop task including positive, negative, and neutral adjectives in 36 FMS patients and 35 controls. Patients had larger P3 amplitudes and greater theta power than controls, independent of the emotional word content. In patients, but not controls, negative words were associated with a larger late positive component (LPC) amplitude than positive words. No group difference was seen for P1, early posterior negativity or N4. Reaction times (RTs) were longer in patients than controls, independent of emotional word content. The P3 and theta oscillation findings suggest greater cognitive effort and attentional mobilization in FMS, which is needed to overcome the reduction of attentional resources resulting from central nervous pain sensitization. Although RTs do not support attentional bias in FMS, emotional modulation of the LPC amplitude may reflect preferential central nervous processing of negative information, which could contribute to pain and affective symptoms characterizing FMS. ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA: The research data of the study are available to the public via the Open Science Framework repository (OSF: https://osf.io/tsyre/).

Central nervous activity during implicit processing of emotional face expressions in fibromyalgia syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by chronic widespread pain accompanied by symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairments. In addition to central nervous pain sensitization, emotional dysregulation may be involved in FMS pathogenesis. This study investigated central nervous correlates of affective and attentional processing in FMS using an implicit task. METHODS: Event-related potentials (ERPs) of the EEG were recorded in 25 FMS patients and 37 healthy controls while they had to name the frame color of pictures displaying emotional expressions (angry, painful, happy, neutral). The actual picture had to be ingored. Symptoms of pain, depression and anxiety were also assessed. RESULTS: Patients exhibited smaller P2 and late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes, and a greater N250 amplitude, than controls. The N250 amplitude varied according to the emotional expressions displayed in patients, but not in controls. No group differences arose for the P1 or N170 amplitudes. Patients had longer reaction times and made more errors on the task; task performance was more closely related to pain severity than to other symptoms. CONCLUSION: The reduced P2 and LPP amplitudes indicate deficient short-term mobilization of attentional resources and sustained attention in FMS; the greater N250 amplitude may reflect greater engagement in the decoding of complex facial features, which is necessary to compensate for attentional impairments. Affective modulation of the N250 suggests that the neural mechanisms underlying complex visual processes are particularly susceptible to emotional influences in FMS. The behavioral data confirm attentional deficits in the disorder and implicate clinical pain therein.

The Sterile Insect Technique: Success and Perspectives in the Neotropics.

The sterile insect technique (SIT), an environmentally friendly means of control, is currently used against plant, animal, and human pests under the area-wide integrated pest management. It consists in the mass production, sterilization, and release of insects in an affected area where sterile males mate with wild females leading to no reproduction. Here, we review SIT in the Neotropics and focus on particular recent successful cases of eradication of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), as well as effective programs used against the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew), the New World screwworm fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)), and the Cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg). We examine when SIT does not work and innovations that have made SIT more efficient and also highlight complimentary techniques that can be used in conjunction. We address potential candidate species that could be controlled through SIT, for example Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken. Finally, we consider the impact of climate change in the context of the use of the SIT against these pests. Given the recent dramatic decline in insect biodiversity, investing in environmentally friendly means of pest control should be a priority. We conclude that SIT should be promoted in the region, and leadership and political will is needed for continued success of SIT in the Neotropics.

Convolutional Neural Net-Based Cassava Storage Root Counting Using Real and Synthetic Images.

Cassava roots are complex structures comprising several distinct types of root. The number and size of the storage roots are two potential phenotypic traits reflecting crop yield and quality. Counting and measuring the size of cassava storage roots are usually done manually, or semi-automatically by first segmenting cassava root images. However, occlusion of both storage and fibrous roots makes the process both time-consuming and error-prone. While Convolutional Neural Nets have shown performance above the state-of-the-art in many image processing and analysis tasks, there are currently a limited number of Convolutional Neural Net-based methods for counting plant features. This is due to the limited availability of data, annotated by expert plant biologists, which represents all possible measurement outcomes. Existing works in this area either learn a direct image-to-count regressor model by regressing to a count value, or perform a count after segmenting the image. We, however, address the problem using a direct image-to-count prediction model. This is made possible by generating synthetic images, using a conditional Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), to provide training data for missing classes. We automatically form cassava storage root masks for any missing classes using existing ground-truth masks, and input them as a condition to our GAN model to generate synthetic root images. We combine the resulting synthetic images with real images to learn a direct image-to-count prediction model capable of counting the number of storage roots in real cassava images taken from a low cost aeroponic growth system. These models are used to develop a system that counts cassava storage roots in real images. Our system first predicts age group ('young' and 'old' roots; pertinent to our image capture regime) in a given image, and then, based on this prediction, selects an appropriate model to predict the number of storage roots. We achieve 91% accuracy on predicting ages of storage roots, and 86% and 71% overall percentage agreement on counting 'old' and 'young' storage roots respectively. Thus we are able to demonstrate that synthetically generated cassava root images can be used to supplement missing root classes, turning the counting problem into a direct image-to-count prediction task.

A low-cost aeroponic phenotyping system for storage root development: unravelling the below-ground secrets of cassava (Manihot esculenta).

BACKGROUND: Root and tuber crops are becoming more important for their high source of carbohydrates, next to cereals. Despite their commercial impact, there are significant knowledge gaps about the environmental and inherent regulation of storage root (SR) differentiation, due in part to the innate problems of studying storage roots and the lack of a suitable model system for monitoring storage root growth. The research presented here aimed to develop a reliable, low-cost effective system that enables the study of the factors influencing cassava storage root initiation and development. RESULTS: We explored simple, low-cost systems for the study of storage root biology. An aeroponics system described here is ideal for real-time monitoring of storage root development (SRD), and this was further validated using hormone studies. Our aeroponics-based auxin studies revealed that storage root initiation and development are adaptive responses, which are significantly enhanced by the exogenous auxin supply. Field and histological experiments were also conducted to confirm the auxin effect found in the aeroponics system. We also developed a simple digital imaging platform to quantify storage root growth and development traits. Correlation analysis confirmed that image-based estimation can be a surrogate for manual root phenotyping for several key traits. CONCLUSIONS: The aeroponic system developed from this study is an effective tool for examining the root architecture of cassava during early SRD. The aeroponic system also provided novel insights into storage root formation by activating the auxin-dependent proliferation of secondary xylem parenchyma cells to induce the initial root thickening and bulking. The developed system can be of direct benefit to molecular biologists, breeders, and physiologists, allowing them to screen germplasm for root traits that correlate with improved economic traits.

Clinically significant intra-day variability of serum progesterone levels during the final day of oocyte maturation: a prospective study with repeated measurements.

STUDY QUESTION: Is there significant variability in progesterone levels during the final day of oocyte maturation in women undergoing ovarian stimulation? SUMMARY ANSWER: Progesterone levels drop from the basal level up to 44% during the final day of oocyte maturation in women undergoing ovarian stimulation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: It has been suggested that elevated progesterone levels on the final day of ovarian stimulation may be related to poorer outcomes in in vitro fertilization fresh cycles due to a negative impact on the endometrium. However, despite conflicting results regarding the actual effect of progesterone on pregnancy rates and the lack of a well-established cut off, currently many IVF patients have their embryo transfer deferred when progesterone values surpass a threshold of 1.5 ng/ml on the day of ovulation triggering. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in 22 oocyte donors of a university-affiliated fertility centre between November 2017 and January 2018. We calculated the sample size to detect a difference of 15% between the first and last progesterone measurements with a 5% false-positive rate in a two-sided test with 80% statistical power and a 95% confidence interval (CI). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Progesterone circulating levels were evaluated at four different times during the final day of oocyte maturation (08:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00) before ovulation triggering in healthy oocyte donors. A flexible antagonist protocol was used, and ovarian stimulation was achieved with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in all cases. The pairwise percentage differences in progesterone levels for each patient were calculated. Univariate linear regression analysis was adopted in order to evaluate variables associated with progesterone levels on the first measurement. The intra-day variability of progesterone was analysed using mixed models. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Mean serum progesterone values at 08:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00 were 1.75 ng/ml, 1.40 ng/ml, 1.06 ng/ml and 0.97 ng/ml. The progesterone difference between 08:00 and 20:00 was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.56-0.99), which is equivalent to a 44% decline in the mean progesterone values between the first (08:00) and the last determination (20:00; P < 0.001). Among those patients with basal (08:00) progesterone levels >1.5 ng/ml (n = 10), 70% (n = 7) showed levels reduced to <1.5 ng/ml on the last determination of the day (20:00). A mixed model analysis revealed that the progesterone reduction during the day was significantly associated with time and total recombinant FSH dose administered. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Only young healthy oocyte donors stimulated with an antagonist protocol using recombinant FSH were included. Extrapolation to the general IVF population, with different stimulation protocols and gonadotropins, needs to be confirmed. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: This study suggests that a single progesterone determination on the final day of oocyte maturation is not reliable enough to make clinical decisions due to the enormous variation in progesterone during the day. Further studies are needed to better define the impact of the follicular progesterone rise on the endometrium of IVF cycles. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): Funding was granted from Fundació Santiago Dexeus Font. N.P.P. received unrestricted grants and/or lectures fees from Roche Diagnostics, MSD, Merck, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, IBSA, Theramex and BESINS International, not associated with the current study. The remaining authors have no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03366025.

Host availability affects the interaction between pupal parasitoid Coptera haywardi (Hymenoptera: Diiapridae) and larval-pupal parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

The use of multiple species in biological control programmes is controversial when interactions among them are not fully understood. We determined the response of the pupal parasitoid Coptera haywardi (Oglobin) to different availability of Anastrepha ludens (Loew) pupae previously parasitized or not by larval-pupal Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead). The two types of pupae were exposed at different ages and proportions to different numbers of C. haywardi females for 48 h. The performance of C. haywardi adults emerging from parasitized and unparasitized pupae was measured. Coptera haywardi prefers to attack unparasitized A. ludens pupae rather than pupae parasitized by D. longicaudata. However, when the availability of unparasitized pupae was low or the number of foraging females was high, C. haywardi competed against early immature stages of the D. longicaudata, or hyperparasitized, feeding directly on the advanced-immature developmental stages of the early acting species. Adults of C. haywardi emerging as hyperparasitoids were no different in size, fecundity and longevity from those emerging as primary parasitoids. Our data suggest that simultaneous use of these species in augmentative biological control projects may be feasible but should be carefully planned in order to avoid any detrimental effect of its interaction.

Best Timing to Determine Field Parasitism by Released Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Against Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) Pest Populations.

Our objective was to determine the timing of the highest parasitic activity by released Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in areas with fruits of sour orange and hog plums infested by Anastrepha ludens (Loew) and Anastrepha obliqua (McQuart) (Diptera: Tephritidae), under shaded and sunny conditions. Percent parasitism along fruit sampling period was related to host availability, which was influenced by the fruit size rather than environmental conditions. The highest parasitism in sour orange was obtained just the first day after release, but in hog plums this was observed during the first 3 days without significant differences between them. The levels of fruit infestation and parasitism were higher in shaded trees in sour orange as in hog plums. The high availability of larvae and the small size of hog plums were decisive for obtaining high levels of parasitism and keeping parasitoids near the release points. By contrast, the size and thick rind of sour orange provided to the larvae a physical refuge that was associated with lower parasitism, causing that parasitoids spread out in search of hosts more accessible. In sour orange, parasitism was exclusively by D. longicaudata, while in hog plums, we additionally found the coexistence of four native parasitoid species. This information suggests that in sour orange, the sampling should be performed 1 day after release, while in hog plums, the samplings can be extended to within the first 3 days. Such sampling can serve to better estimate the effect of D. longicaudata releases against Anastrepha pest populations in different fruit types.

A comparison of sexual competitiveness and demographic traits of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) among fruit-associated populations.

The control of Anastrepha obliqua includes the sterilization of mass-reared insects grown in isolation in a constantly controlled environment. Through time, laboratory mass-reared colonies may produce flies with lower field performance. To recover the genetic variation and aptitude of mass-reared populations, wild insects are introduced into mass-reared colonies. Our aim in this study was to determine whether the host species from two localities influence the life history traits of A. obliqua. We collected flies as larvae from infested fruits of Spondias purpurea, S. mombin, Mangifera indica cv. 'piña', and M. indica cv. 'coche' from two localities in Chiapas, Mexico. There were significant differences in the mating competitiveness of males collected from mango cv. 'coche' compared with mass-reared males. There were no differences in the mating propensity between flies from the two localities, even in the number of matings, when weight was considered as a covariable. The mass-reared strain showed the earliest age at first oviposition. The locality affected the longevity and oviposition period, and these influenced the birth rate, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of population increase, mean generation time, and doubling time. According to the demographic parameters, the population of S. mombin would allow artificial colonization in less time, considering that it has a high reproduction rate starting at an early age. Even in the propensity test, it had the highest number of matings. However, males with greater sexual competitiveness and longevity for colonization corresponded to those collected from S. purpurea.

Best Host Age of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) for Multiplication of Four Native Parasitoids from the Americas.

The success of the mass rearing of parasitoids is directly related to host quality, and it requires selecting the best biological host age to ensure the optimal performance of the parasitoids released into the field. The larval development of the parasitoids Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae) and the pupal development of the parasitoids Coptera haywardi (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) and Dirhinus sp. (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on the native host Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in different larvae and pupae ages were investigated under laboratory conditions. Not all parasitoid species developed with the same efficiency in immature individuals of A. obliqua; U. anastrephae and C. haywardi showed the higher parasitism rates. The emergence and parasitism of U. anastrephae were equal using larvae from 5 to 8 d, while C. haywardi reared in 1- to 8-d-old pupae showed higher averages of parasitism. These results suggest that native parasitoids can be used to strengthen the implementation of biological control projects against A. obliqua, a pest of economic importance in South America.

Reproductive outcomes after hysteroscopic metroplasty for women with dysmorphic uterus and recurrent implantation failure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the reproductive outcomes of women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) after hysteroscopic metroplasty for dysmorphic uteri. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 190 women with a diagnosis of RIF. These patients were eligible for hysteroscopic metroplasty for dysmorphic uteri, including T-shaped uteri, between January 2008 and September 2015 at the Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI) in Valencia, Spain. RESULTS: The total clinical pregnancy rate, the live birth rate, and the abortion rate were 80.0% (152/190), 77.9% (147/190) and 8.9%, respectively. At 12 months, the clinical pregnancy rate was 76.3% (145/190) and at 6 months 50.5% (96/190). After the metroplasty, approximately 76% of all gravidities, were achieved during the first 12 months of follow-up. Within the first IVF cycle, pregnancy and live birth rates were 77.8% and 86.1%, respectively. The mean time to pregnancy was 6.5 months. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that hysteroscopic metroplasty improves pregnancy and live birth rates for women with a history of recurrent implantation failure and dysmorphic uterus. However, conclusions must be taken carefully as this is an observational study. A prospective, randomized and controlled study is necessary to support these results.

Head movement measurement: An alternative method for posturography studies.

The present study evaluated the measurement of head movements as a valid method for postural emotional studies using the comparison of simultaneous recording of center of pressure (COP) sway as criterion. Thirty female students viewed a set of 12 pleasant, 12 unpleasant and 12 neutral pictures from the International Affective Picture System, repeated twice, using a block presentation procedure while standing on a force platform (AMTI AccuSway). Head movements were recorded using a webcam (©KPC139E) located in the ceiling in line with the force platform and a light-emitting diode (LED) placed on the top of the head. Open source software (CvMob 3.1) was used to process the data. High indices of correlation and coherence between head and COP sway were observed. In addition, pleasant pictures, compared with unpleasant pictures, elicited greater body sway in the anterior-posterior axis, suggesting an approach response to appetitive stimuli. Thus, the measurement of head movement can be an alternative or complementary method to recording COP for studying human postural changes.

Population Fluctuation of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) as a Function of Altitude in Eastern Guatemala.

Population fluctuations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were evaluated over a period of 12 mo in four altitudinal strata (400-750, 750-1,100, 1,100-1,450, and 1,450-1,800 meters above sea level, masl) in Eastern Guatemala. Within each altitudinal range, sampling plots were established in coffee plantations and adjacent areas, in which Jackson traps were set and baited with Trimedlure. Coffee berries and other host fruits were collected. Population density was lowest at the 400-750 masl stratum and highest at 1,450-1,800 masl. At every altitudinal range, the fluctuations of the pest were associated mainly with the availability of ripe coffee berries as a primary host. From 750-1,450 masl, the pest was also associated with the availability of sweet orange and mandarins in commercial and backyard orchards. The highest densities of the pest were recorded in the dry season. Citrus were the main alternate host where ripe coffee berries were not available. This knowledge on population dynamics of C. capitata will contribute to develop more effective area-wide pest management strategies including the use of sterile insects, natural enemies, and bait sprays.

Precooling treatments induce resistance of Anastrepha ludens eggs to quarantine treatments of high-pressure processing combined with cold.

High-pressure processing (HPP) combined with heat or cold has been proposed as an alternative quarantine process for Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae). HPP conditions at levels higher than 100 MPa applied to destroy eggs and larvae can also affect the postharvest physiology of the fruits. HPP at pressure levels in the range of 50-100 MPa is recommended. Eggs have been reported as being more resistant to HPP than larvae. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of a precooling treatment on the biological viability of A. ludens eggs treated by HPP at 0 degrees C. The capability of nondestroyed eggs to develop and reproduce was also evaluated. One-, 2-, 3-, and 4-d-old eggs were precooled in ice water for 0 (control) 3, 6, 12, or 24 h and then pressurized at 50, 70, or 90 MPa for 0, 3, 6, or 9 min at 0 degrees C. The hatching capability of pressurized eggs was evaluated. The most lethal effect of HPP on nonprecooled eggs (0 h) was obtained at 90 MPa for 9 min, destroying all eggs except for the 3-d-old ones, which showed an 11.8% hatch rate. Precooling treatment improved the hatch rate of eggs ranging from 4 to 50% depending on precooling conditions. The main effect was observed after 6 h. These results suggest that precooling modified the biochemistry and physiology of eggs, improving their resistance to HPP treatments.

The effect of irradiation and mass rearing on the anti-predator behaviour of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are major pests worldwide. The sterile insect technique, where millions of flies are reared, sterilized by irradiation and then released, is one of the most successful and ecologically friendly methods of controlling populations of these pests. The mating behaviour of irradiated and non-irradiated flies has been compared in earlier studies, but there has been little attention paid to the anti-predator behaviour of mass-reared flies, especially with respect to wild flies. Tephritid flies perform a supination display to their jumping spider predators in order to deter attacks. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of using this display to determine the anti-predator capabilities of mass-reared irradiated, non-irradiated flies, and wild flies. We used an arena setup and observed bouts between jumping spiders (Phidippus audax Hentz) and male Mexican fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens Loew). We show that although all flies performed a supination display to their predator, wild flies were more likely to perform a display and were significantly more successful in avoiding attack than mass-reared flies. We suggest that this interaction can be used to develop a rapid realistic method of quality control in evaluating anti-predator abilities of mass-reared fruit flies.

Age-of-onset of menopause is associated with enhanced painful and non-painful sensitivity in fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition characterized by high prevalence in women. In particular, estrogen deficit has been considered as a potentially promoting factor of FM symptoms. This study was aimed to examine the relationship between age-of-onset of menopause and pain sensitivity in FM. For this purpose, pain sensitivity was assessed in 74 FM and 32 pain-free control women. All participants were postmenopausal and underwent a detailed semi-structured clinical interview, including data about menopause transition, previous history of hysterectomy or ovariectomy, and menses time. Participants were divided into two groups depending on age-of-onset of menopause: early menopause [≤49 years] vs. late menopause [>49 years]. Pain and non-pain thresholds were assessed by using cold, heat, mechanical, and electrical stimulation. FM women showed higher overall pain sensitivity as compared with healthy subjects. FM women with early age-of-onset of menopause displayed greater pain and non-pain sensitivity than FM women with late age-of-onset of menopause, whereas no differences were observed in healthy women due to age-of-onset of menopause. These results suggest that an early transition to menopause (shortening the time of exposure to estrogens) may influence pain hypersensitivity and could be related to aggravation of FM symptoms.

The emotional impact of European tobacco-warning images.

OBJECTIVE: The emotional impact of the tobacco-warning images proposed by the European Commission to reduce tobacco consumption is evaluated in the context of the International Affective Picture System, a well-established procedure for investigating appetitive (approach) and defensive (avoidance) motivational tendencies evoked by images. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 597 healthy male and female volunteers (from the University of Granada, the University of Balearic Islands and four different schools of Valencia and Balearic Islands) distributed in six age groups (13-14, 15-16, 17-18, 19-20, 21-22 and over 23 years old) and four smoking status groups (non-smokers, one-time smokers, occasional smokers and heavy smokers) rated their emotional responses to 35 European tobacco-warning images together with 42 pleasant and 42 unpleasant International Affective Picture System pictures using the valence and arousal scales of the Self-Assessment Manikin. FINDINGS: The results of the study indicate that the majority of the tobacco-warning images (83%) were distributed within the unpleasant space and ranged from moderately unpleasant to very unpleasant. However, a small but significant number of images (17%) were also distributed within the pleasant space, ranging from moderately pleasant to very pleasant. Only four unpleasant pictures were rated as highly arousing (11.4%). Women, the older age groups (over 17 years old), and occasional smokers evaluated these images as significantly more arousing than the other groups. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the capability of the European tobacco-warning images to prompt negative attitudes to reduce tobacco consumption might not extend to the general population but would be limited to specific target groups.

Anastrepha egg deposition induces volatiles in fruits that attract the parasitoid Fopius arisanus.

Fopius arisanus is a solitary egg-pupal endoparasitoid that attacks several species of tephritid fruit flies, particularly Bactrocera spp. This species, indigenous from the Indo-Australian region, was introduced into Mexico for biological control purposes. From the standpoint of the 'new associations' concept this parasitoid has been evaluated against fruit flies in the Anastrepha complex. We investigated the specificity of F. arisanus responses to fruits infested with two species of Anastrepha. We examined whether fruit volatiles attractive to this parasitoid are induced as a result of fruit fly oviposition. We also investigated whether F. arisanus females are able to discriminate between the oviposition-induced volatiles from host eggs parasitised by conspecifics and volatiles from unparasitised eggs. All experiments were performed in a wind tunnel. Results showed that mango fruits infested with A. ludens eggs (2-3 days after egg deposition) were significantly more attractive to naïve F. arisanus females compared with non-infested fruits or fruits infested with larvae. In addition, guava fruits harbouring A. striata eggs were significantly more attractive to the parasitoid than non-infested fruits or fruits infested with larvae. Thus, the parasitoid was attracted to fruits with eggs, but fruit and fly species did not influence the parasitoid attraction. We also found that F. arisanus females were more attracted to fruits exposed to fertile A. ludens females (i.e. fruits with eggs inside) compared with fruits exposed to sterile females (i.e. fruits with no eggs inside) or fruits with mechanical damage. Parasitoid females were not attracted to A. ludens eggs. The results suggest that the presence of eggs induces volatiles that attract parasitoids. Finally, we found that F. arisanus was able to discriminate between fruits with unparasitised eggs vs. eggs parasitised by conspecifics, indicating that host discrimination could be mediated by olfactory cues.

Pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia is associated with catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that genetic factors might contribute to individual differences in pain sensitivity, risk for developing clinical pain conditions and efficacy of pain treatments. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship of three common haplotypes of COMT gene affecting the metabolism of catecholamines on pain sensitivity in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS: One hundred and thirteen FM patients and 65 age-matched healthy volunteers participated in the study. We genotyped four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs6269, rs4633, rs4818 and rs4680 or Val158Met) and identified haplotypes previously designated as low (LPS), average (APS) and high pain sensitivity (HPS). Thermal, pressure and touch thresholds were also examined using a quantitative sensory testing protocol. RESULTS: The frequency of genetic variations associated with low COMT enzyme activity was significantly higher in FM patients than in healthy volunteers. FM patients were more sensitive to experimental pain than healthy volunteers and, in particular, FM individuals with the met/met genotype (Val158Met SNP) or the HPS-APS haplotypes showing higher sensitivity to thermal and pressure pain stimuli than patients carrying the LPS haplotype or val alleles (Val158Met SNP). No differences due to genotype or haplotypes were found on non-painful touch thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: According with previous research, our findings revealed that haplotypes of the COMT gene and genotypes of the Val158Met polymorphism play a key role on pain sensitivity in FM patients.

Genome-wide linkage scan of bipolar disorder in a Colombian population isolate replicates Loci on chromosomes 7p21-22, 1p31, 16p12 and 21q21-22 and identifies a novel locus on chromosome 12q.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bipolar disorder (BP) is a severe psychiatric illness, characterised by alternating episodes of depression and mania, which ranks among the top ten causes of morbidity and life-long disability world-wide. We have previously performed a whole-genome linkage scan on 6 pedigrees segregating severe BP from the well-characterised population isolate of Antioquia, Colombia. We recently collected genotypes for the same set of 382 autosomal microsatellite markers in 9 additional Antioquian BP pedigrees. Here, we report the analysis of the combined pedigree set. METHODS: Linkage analysis using both parametric and nonparametric approaches was conducted for 3 different diagnostic models: severe BP only (BPI); mood disorders (BPI, BPII and major depression); and psychosis (operationally defined by the occurrence of at least 1 episode of hallucinations and/or delusions). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: For BPI only, the most interesting result was obtained for chromosome 7p21.1-p22.2 under a recessive model of inheritance (heterogeneity LOD score = 2.80), a region that had previously been linked to BP in a study on Portuguese Island families. For both BPI and mood disorders, nonparametric analyses identified a locus on chromosome 12ct-q14 (nonparametric linkage = 2.55 and 2.35, respectively). This locus has not previously been reported as a candidate region for BP. Additional candidate regions were found on chromosomes 1p22-31 (mood disorders) and 21q21-22 (BPI), 2 loci that have repeatedly been implicated in BP susceptibility. Linkage analysis of psychosis as a phenotype identified candidate regions on chromosomes 2q24-31 and 16p12-q12. The finding on chromosome 16p is noteworthy because the same locus has been implicated by genome-wide association analyses of BP.