Synopsis of Lusius Tosquinet, 1903 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Phaeogenini) from South America: a new species, new records, and key to Neotropical species.

A new species of Lusius Tosquinet, 1903 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Phaeogenini) is described from the northwestern Andes of Colombia, and additionally, the geographic distribution of Lusius ferrugineus Graf, 2000 is expanded to Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul states, Brazil. New comparative diagnoses, distribution maps, and an illustrated key to Neotropical species are also provided.

Filling gaps in the knowledge of the Colombian Darwin wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): new records, description of unknown males, and taxonomical notes.

Darwin wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) are parasitoids and a natural enemy of a wide range of holometabolous insects and spiders and are considered one of the largest families in the animal kingdom. Unfortunately, there are great gaps in the knowledge of this family in Colombia. This study aims to expand the knowledge of Darwin wasps in Colombia, through new records for the country and especially the department of Antioquia. We present the diagnosis and digital images of the recorded species, and we describe for the first time the males of three species of Dolichomitus Smith, 1877: D. mariajosae Araujo & Pádua, 2020; D. menai Araujo & Pádua, 2020; D. orejuelai Araujo & Pádua, 2020.

Two new Darwin wasp species of Eiphosoma Cresson, 1865 (Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae) from the northwestern Andes of Colombia.

Two new Darwin wasp species of Eiphosoma Cresson, 1865 (E. nigroandinum Fernandes sp. nov. and E. merceae Fernandes sp. nov.) are described from the northwestern Andes of Colombia. Furthermore, we propose the establishment of a new species-group, E. nigroandinum species-group, to encompass these newly described species. Additionally, we expand the geographical distribution of Eiphosoma vitticolle Cresson, 1865, and complement the findings with a map and digital images.

Induction Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy Combined to ASA vs. Placebo for High-Risk Rectal Cancer: Results of a Randomized Trial.

INDUCTION: chemotherapy (IC) followed by chemoradiation (CRT) is an attractive approach in high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer. Additionally, ASA has shown potential to improve outcomes alongside CRT in rectal cancer. The ICAR trial aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IC followed by CRT with or without ASA on MRI tumor response. METHODS: Single-center, double-blind, randomized phase II trial to evaluate induction treatment with CAPOX, followed by capecitabine-based chemoradiotherapy with ASA (arm 1) or placebo (arm 2) in high-risk stage II-III rectal adenocarcinoma staged by MRI. The primary endpoint was MRI tumor regression grade (mrTRG). Secondary endpoints were pathological response, surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, treatment tolerance, DFS, and OS. RESULTS: Between January 2018 and August 2019, 27 patients were eligible, 25 (92.5%) completed IC, and 23 patients were randomly assigned (12 to ASA group; 11 to placebo group). In the ASA arm, 3 pts (25%) presented distant disease progression at restaging. Seven patients (30.4%) had cCR after neoadjuvant treatment. All 13 patients submitted to surgery after neoadjuvant treatment underwent R0 resections except for 1 patient with positive CRM, and 12 patients (92.3%) had sphincter preservation. After a median follow-up of 34.9 months, the 2-year DFS was 83.1% and 3-year OS was 81.5%. CONCLUSION: There was good compliance in both treatment arms and encouraging cCR rate. ASA during CRT was safe but failed to improve on MRI tumor response. The study was closed due to the absence of benefits.

Description of the first species of Nemeritis Holmgren (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) from the Southern Hemisphere, with a key to the New World species.

Nemeritis Holmgren, 1860 is a moderately species-rich genus of Campopleginae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) which includes 42 valid species, occurring in the Western Palearctic, Eastern Palearctic, Nearctic, and Oriental regions. Herein, a new species from Chile, Nemeritis scaramozzinoi sp. nov., is described. This is the first description of a species of Nemeritis for the Southern Hemisphere. The key for the New World species of the genus and biogeographical remarks on the Chilean fauna of Darwin wasps are also provided.

Five new species of Dolichomitus Smith from the tropical Andes, with a key for the South American species (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae).

Dolichomitus Smith is a widely distributed pimpline genus with more than seventy known species. There are eight species previously reported from South America: D. annulicornis (Cameron), D. bivittatus Townes, D. hypermeces Townes, D. jatai Loffredo & Penteado-Dias, D. longicauda Smith, D. megalourus (Morley), D. moacyri Loffredo & Penteado-Dias and D. zonatus (Cresson). In this paper, we describe five new species: D. mariajosae Araujo & Pádua, sp. nov., D. menai Araujo & Pádua, sp. nov., D. orejuelai Araujo & Pádua, sp. nov., D. pimmi Araujo & Pádua, sp. nov., and D. rendoni Araujo & Pádua, sp. nov. All have been collected in cloud forests in the Colombian tropical Andes. An illustrated key to the South American species of the genus is also provided.

Pimpla Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Colombia.

Pimpla Fabricius is one of the largest genera within the subfamily Pimplinae, whose species are idiobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera pupae and prepupae. A total of 13 species are known from Colombia, but they are difficult to identify because of their morphological complexity. Herein we record for the first time in Colombia the following species: P. albomarginata Cameron, P. caerulea Brullé and P. sumichrasti Cresson. Furthermore, we present the first identification key to female and male of the Colombian species, along with diagnoses, biological notes and images in vivo.

Ichneumonid wasps of the subfamily Mesochorinae: new replacement names, combinations and an updated key to the World genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).

Mesochorinae is a relatively small but widely distributed subfamily of Ichneumonidae, with most species occurring in the Neotropical Region. Currently, there are two classifications in use regarding mesochorine genera, causing numerous taxonomic conflicts. To resolve nomenclature conflicts, seven new replacement names and twelve new combinations are proposed for species now recognized as members of Mesochorus Gravenhorst. Herein the synonymy of Plectochorus Uchida and Stictopisthus Thomson  with the genus Mesochorus s. lat. is reaffirmed, supported by the following shared character states: transverse subantennal carina partially or completely developed; supraclypeal area evenly convex, without median protrusion; clypeus not separated from supraclypeal area by depression or groove; and hind wing without vein Cu1b. An updated key to the World genera of Mesochorinae is also presented.

Taxonomic revision of Lepidura Townes, 1971 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Mesochorinae) with the description of three new species, new distribution records and a key to the all known species.

A taxonomic review of Lepidura Townes is presented, with three new species described. The following species are recognized: L. abbreviata Dasch, L. callaina Dasch, L. collaris Townes, L. improcera Dasch, L. mallecoensis Dasch, L. olivacea Dasch, L. rubicunda Dasch, L. tenebrosa Dasch, L. tuberosa Dasch, L. variegata Dasch, L. viridis Dasch, L. nigricephala sp. nov., L. patagonica sp. nov. and L. seminitida sp. nov. Species are restricted to Southern South America, occurring in the Andean biogeographic zone. New occurrence records and distribution maps are provided for all species, as well as diagnoses based on type specimens. In addition, an updated key for all species is provided.

Discovery of two new Andean species of Scolomus (Townes Townes), with a key to all known species (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae).

Scolomus Townes Townes is a widely distributed genus of the family Ichneumonidae, with most species occurring in the New World. Herein two new species from Chile are described and illustrated. Scolomus maculatus sp. nov., which is characterized by a large rhomboid areolet and very wide RS vein in the fore wing, resembling a petiole; head and pronotum green, mesoscutum yellow with dark brown spots on its lateral lobes and around the scutellum. Scolomus clypeatus sp. nov., which is characterized by its wide clypeus, 3.00× as wide as long, with a rectangular aspect; head, mesoscutum, postscutellum and pronotum entirely yellow. The first key to all known species of the genus is also presented.

A new technique in the excavation of ground-nest bee burrows (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

ABSTRACT Bees have a diversified natural history, thus the methods applied to study such diversity are varied. When it comes to studies of nesting biology, bees which nest in pre-existing cavities have been reasonably well studied since researchers started using trap-nests. However, bees whose nests are built underground are poorly studied due to the difficulty of finding natural nesting areas and the absence of a method that facilitates bee nest excavation. The latter is evidenced by the lack of accurate descriptions in literature of how nests are excavated. In this study we tested cylindrical rubber refills of eraser pen as a new material to be used as a tracer of underground nest galleries in a natural nesting area of two species of Epicharis Klug, 1807 (Apidae). We compared this technique directly with plaster in powder form mixed with water and our results with other methodological studies describing alternative methods and materials. The rubber refill technique overcame the main issues presented by materials such as plaster, molten metal alloys and bioplastic, namely: death of the organisms by high temperatures and/or formation of plugs and materials unduly following the roots inside the galleries.

Taxonomic notes and Corrigendum for the manuscript entitled "Ichneumonid wasps of the subfamily Mesochorinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): new replacement names, combinations and an updated key to the World genera" ARAUJO et al. (2018), Zootaxa, 4521: 052-060.

Mesochorinae is a widely distributed subfamily of ichneumonid wasps with approximately 900 described species (Yu et al., 2012), of which almost 90% belong to the cosmopolitan genus Mesochorus Gravenhorst (Broad et al., 2018). Since it is a very large genus, it has become a group of complex taxonomy and with numerous taxonomic conflicts (Araujo et al., 2018). Recent efforts were made aiming to resolve nomenclature problems present within Mesochorus (see Araujo Vivallo, 2015; Kittel, 2016; Araujo et al. 2018). Specifically, Araujo Vivallo (2015) and Araujo et al. (2018) proposed a total of 19 replacement names, of which two became primary homonyms of existing names (listed below) and seven were invalid, as Kittel (2016) and, in one case, Schwenke (2002), had previously proposed respective replacement names. Furthermore, Araujo et al. (2018) published an identification key for the World genera of Mesochorinae which includes Incurvarion Kasparyan. However, this genus was implicitly synonymized with Neurogenia Roman (Ctenopelmatinae: Perilissini) when Reshchikov et al. (2014) transferred the type (and only included) species, I. gorochovi Kasparyan, to Neurogenia. To resolve the taxonomic conflicts that remain within the subfamily Mesochorinae, seven new synonymies and two replacement names are proposed herein, together with a corrigendum for the identification key proposed by Araujo et al. (2018).

Clinical presentation and survival of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients of a University General Hospital in a developing country

From January 1995 to August 1997 we evaluated prospectively the clinical presentation, laboratory findings and short-term survival of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients who sought care at our hospital. After providing informed, written consent, the patients were interviewed and laboratory tests were performed. Information about survivorship and death was collected through September 1998. Eighty-six smear-positive pulmonary TB patients were enrolled; 26.7 percent were HIV-seropositive. Seventeen HIV-seronegative pulmonary TB patients (19.8 percent) presented chronic diseases in addition to TB. In the multiple logistic regression analysis a CD4+ cell count <= 200 cell/mm was independently associated with HIV seropositivity. In the Cox regression model, fitted to all patients, HIV seropositivity and age > or = 50 years were independently associated with decreased survival. Among HIV-seronegative persons, the presence of an additional disease increased the risk of death of almost six-fold. Use of antiretroviral drugs was associated with a lower risk of death among HIV-seropositive smear-positive pulmonary TB patients (RH = 0.32, 95 percent CI 0.10-0.92). In our study smear-positive pulmonary TB patients had a low short-term survival rate that was strongly associated with HIV infection, age and co-morbidities. Therapy with antiretroviral drugs reduced the short-term risk of death among HIV-seropositive patients after TB diagnosis

Clinical presentation and survival of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients of a university general hospital in a developing country.

From January 1995 to August 1997 we evaluated prospectively the clinical presentation, laboratory findings and short-term survival of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients who sought care at our hospital. After providing informed, written consent, the patients were interviewed and laboratory tests were performed. Information about survivorship and death was collected through September 1998. Eighty-six smear-positive pulmonary TB patients were enrolled; 26.7% were HIV-seropositive. Seventeen HIV-seronegative pulmonary TB patients (19.8%) presented chronic diseases in addition to TB. In the multiple logistic regression analysis a CD4+ cell count <= 200 cell/mm was independently associated with HIV seropositivity. In the Cox regression model, fitted to all patients, HIV seropositivity and age > or = 50 years were independently associated with decreased survival. Among HIV-seronegative persons, the presence of an additional disease increased the risk of death of almost six-fold. Use of antiretroviral drugs was associated with a lower risk of death among HIV-seropositive smear-positive pulmonary TB patients (RH = 0.32, 95% CI 0.10-0.92). In our study smear-positive pulmonary TB patients had a low short-term survival rate that was strongly associated with HIV infection, age and co-morbidities. Therapy with antiretroviral drugs reduced the short-term risk of death among HIV-seropositive patients after TB diagnosis.