Biology and life history of Lema praeusta (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biocontrol agent of two Commelinaceae weeds, Commelina benghalensis and Murdannia nudiflora.

We examined previous reports of Lema praeusta (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as a minor pest of turmeric, eggplant, bottle gourd and pumpkin leaves, but no feeding damage by larvae and adults of L. praeusta were recorded by us on these leaves. We observed feeding by the larvae and adults of L. praeusta on ten species of Commelinaceae plants in no-choice tests. The biology, fecundity and life table parameters of L. praeusta on two Commelinaceae weeds, Commelina benghalensis L. and Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan were determined under laboratory conditions (27 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% RH and 12L:12D). Total larval development times of L. praeusta were 6.36 ± 0.07 and 7.28 ± 0.11 days (mean ± SE) on C. benghalensis and M. nudiflora, respectively. Adult females lived 106.25 ± 1.17 and 77.65 ± 0.91 days (mean ± SE) on C. benghalensis and M. nudiflora, respectively. Each female laid 272.95 ± 2.39 and 224 ± 1.74 eggs (mean ± SE) during a lifetime on C. benghalensis and M. nudiflora, respectively. The net reproductive rate (Ro), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), generation time (Tc), doubling time (DT) and finite rate of increase (λ) were 136.48, 0.14, 36.17, 5.10 and 1.41 on C. benghalensis, respectively, whereas Ro, rm, Tc, DT and λ were 112, 0.20, 23.64, 3.47 and 1.51 on M. nudiflora, respectively, suggesting that L. praeusta could be a potential biocontrol agent against C. benghalensis and M. nudiflora in the fields of rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, mung bean, peanut and cotton.

Effects of phentolamine on tissue perfusion in pediatric cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) can be overcome by phentolamine-induced pharmacologic vasodilation in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, clinical study. SETTING: Single university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-three pediatric patients undergoing open cardiac surgery for repair of congenital heart disease. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Patients in group 1 (n = 22) received 0.2 mg/kg of phentolamine during the cooling and rewarming periods of CPB. Group 2 patients (n = 21) did not receive phentolamine. Temperature measurements (rectal [R], nasopharyngeal [N], and toe [P]) and serum lactate values were obtained before, during, and after CPB; systemic oxygen consumption was evaluated during CPB. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: At the end of the CPB period and at the end of the operation, lactate values of group 1 (1.87+/-0.37 and 1.8+/-0.39 mmol/L, respectively) were significantly lower than values of group 2 (2.24+/-0.28 and 2.33+/-0.33 mmol/L; p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). At the beginning of the rewarming period N-R temperature gradients of group 1 (0.14 degrees C+/-0.92 degrees C) were lower than group 2 (-0.58 degrees C+/-1.84 degrees C) values (p < 0.05). Central-peripheral temperature gradients of group 1 obtained at the end of the CPB period (N-R = 2.18 degrees C+/-0.69 degrees C; N-P = 7.84 degrees C+/-1.54 degrees C; R-P = 5.66 degrees C+/-1.70 degrees C) were significantly lower than the values of group 2 (N-R = 2.80 degrees C+/-0.91 degrees C, N-P = 9.97 degrees C+/-2.02 degrees C; R-P = 7.18 degrees C+/-2.10 degrees C; p < 0.05; p < 0.001; p < 0.05). At the end of the operation values of group 1 (N-R = 0.48 degrees C+/-0.31 degrees C; N-P = 6.30 degrees C+/-1.23 degrees C; R-P = 5.82 degrees C+/-1.16 degrees C) were significantly lower than the values of group 2 (N-R = 0.94 degrees C+/-0.56 degrees C; N-P = 8.69 degrees C+/-0.28 degrees C; R-P = 7.75 degrees C+/-2.15 degrees C; p < 0.05; p < 0.001; p < 0.001). The systemic oxygen consumption values of group 1 were higher than group 2 (6.26+/-1.82 v 5.17+/-1.05 mL/min/kg; p < 0.05) after complete rewarming. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) values of group 1 (58.9+/-6.4 mmHg) were lower than group 2 (63.4+/-6.7 mmHg) at the period after CPB (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the use of phentolamine during CPB is associated with limited systemic anaerobic metabolism and more uniform body perfusion.