Density predictive model for an outbreak in adult female Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Japan.

We developed a predictive model for activities and outbreaks of female Aedes albopictus Skuse, using meteorological data. The number of Ae. albopictus collected from human bait-sweep net collection (h-BNC) surveillance, conducted by the local government between 2010 and 2019 in Japan, was adopted as a mosquito-activity indicator. The best model was composed of the backward cumulative and backward moving mean of meteorological data (parameters that were measured daily include mean, maximum, and minimum temperature, mean humidity, amount of precipitation, maximum wind speed, and sunshine hours). The root mean squared error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the best model for the test set, which was not included in the training dataset, were 1.33 and 0.74, respectively. The best model was applied to predict the number of Ae. albopictus obtained from our own h-BNC surveillance in Okazaki City, Japan. RMSE and R2 of the results were 1.17 and 0.92, respectively. The present model, using publicly available meteorological values, can predict the collection number of adult Ae. albopictus using h-BNC surveillance thereby providing information to control mosquito activities and outbreaks. Therefore, it may be possible to mitigate the risk of mosquito-borne infections and secondary adverse effects of mosquito bites, such as infectious impetigo and deterioration of the quality of life.

Subcutaneous tissue release of amikacin from a fibrin glue/polyurethane graft.

We investigated whether fibrin glue (FG) might be useful as a carrier of amikacin (AMK) for prevention of local graft infection. After AMK (4.0 mg)-treated FG (AMK-FG) polyurethane grafts were implanted subcutaneously in the anterior abdominal region of Sprague-Dawley rats, AMK concentrations in tissues surrounding the implantation sites were compared over time with concentrations at the same sites in rats given an intravenous injection of AMK (4.0 mg). In the injection group, AMK concentrations in serum were detectable only for 4 h, whereas AMK released from AMK-FG grafts remained detectable over 24 h. Until 4 h after implantation, AMK concentrations in tissues near implantation sites were significantly higher in the AMK-FG graft group than in the injection group; peak local concentrations during that time were 210 times higher for the AMK-FG graft group than for the injection group. Areas under the tissue concentration-time curve (AUC) for AMK were 171 microg x h/g and 1.35 microg x h/g in the AMK-FG graft and injection groups, respectively. FG therefore was considered to control release of AMK and to maintain a high AMK concentration in tissues surrounding the implantation site. Thus, AMK-FG polyurethane graft delivery may be useful in preventing local infection by local delivery of AMK.