A guest from the past: A new genus and a new species of Deraeocorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) in Miocene Dominican amber.

The second fossil record of deraeocorine species from Miocene Dominican amber is presented with description of a new taxon, Amberderaeous gigophthalmus gen. and sp. nov. based on a well-preserved specimen. The need for revision of related group Eustictus and a comprehensive study of its tribal placement within Deraeocorinae are discussed.

Brucella abortus-Stimulated Platelets Activate Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Increasing Cell Transmigration through the Erk1/2 Pathway.

Central nervous system invasion by bacteria of the genus Brucella results in an inflammatory disorder called neurobrucellosis. A common feature associated with this pathology is blood-brain barrier (BBB) activation. However, the underlying mechanisms involved with such BBB activation remain unknown. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of Brucella abortus-stimulated platelets on human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) activation. Platelets enhanced HBMEC activation in response to B. abortus infection. Furthermore, supernatants from B. abortus-stimulated platelets also activated brain endothelial cells, inducing increased secretion of IL-6, IL-8, CCL-2 as well as ICAM-1 and CD40 upregulation on HBMEC compared with supernatants from unstimulated platelets. Outer membrane protein 19, a B. abortus lipoprotein, recapitulated B. abortus-mediated activation of HBMECs by platelets. In addition, supernatants from B. abortus-activated platelets promoted transendothelial migration of neutrophils and monocytes. Finally, using a pharmacological inhibitor, we demonstrated that the Erk1/2 pathway is involved in the endothelial activation induced by B. abortus-stimulated platelets and also in transendothelial migration of neutrophils. These results describe a mechanism whereby B. abortus-stimulated platelets induce endothelial cell activation, promoting neutrophils and monocytes to traverse the BBB probably contributing to the inflammatory pathology of neurobrucellosis.

Additional feeding during late gestation improves initial litter weight of lactating sows exposed to high ambient temperature

The present study investigated the impacts of additional feeding (AF; containing 16% excess feed than control diet in the last two weeks of gestation) during late gestation period and different backfat thickness (BFT) including low (<20 mm) and high (≥20 mm) backfat on reproductive performance, litter size, blood metabolites, hormonal profiles, colostrum, and milk composition of sows from day 90 of gestation to farrowing, and from farrowing to weaning during summer (average 28.3 °C). Fifty-four crossbred sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were allotted to one of four treatments according to a 2×2 factorial arrangement. There was no AF×BFT interaction for any of the measured variables. The body weight change of sows was decreased for <20 mm in BFT and AF treatments during late gestation and farrowing to weaning periods. The BFT change of sows was higher in AF during late gestation and higher in ≥20 mm BFT during late gestation and farrowing to weaning periods. There were no effects of AF and BFT on the average daily feed intake and weaning-to-oestrus interval; however, sows in AF groups had a greater litter uniformity at birth and initial litter weight. Hormone profiles, colostrum, and milk composition of sows were not different among the treatments. Additional feeding during the last two weeks of gestation increases initial litter size in summer; however, final litter weight is not affected.(AU)

Brucella abortus Traverses Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Using Infected Monocytes as a Trojan Horse.

Neurobrucellosis is an inflammatory disease caused by the invasion of Brucella spp. to the central nervous system (CNS). The pathogenesis of the disease is not well characterized; however, for Brucella to gain access to the brain parenchyma, traversing of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) must take place. To understand the CNS determinants of the pathogenesis of B. abortus, we have used the in vitro BBB model of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) to study the interactions between B. abortus and brain endothelial cells. In this study, we showed that B. abortus is able to adhere and invade HBMEC which was dependent on microtubules, microfilaments, endosome acidification and de novo protein synthesis. After infection, B. abortus rapidly escapes the endosomal compartment of HBMEC and forms a replicative Brucella-containing vacuole that involves interactions with the endoplasmic reticulum. Despite the ability of B. abortus to invade and replicate in HBMEC, the bacterium was unable by itself to traverse HBMEC, but could traverse polarized HBMEC monolayers within infected monocytes. Importantly, infected monocytes that traversed the HBMEC monolayer were a bacterial source for de novo infection of glial cells. This is the first demonstration of the mechanism whereby B. abortus is able to traverse the BBB and infect cells of the CNS. These results may have important implications in our understanding of the pathogenesis of neurobrucellosis.

Development of a disease risk prediction model for downy mildew (Peronospora sparsa) in boysenberry.

Downy mildew caused by Peronospora sparsa has resulted in serious production losses in boysenberry (Rubus hybrid), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), and rose (Rosa sp.) in New Zealand, Mexico, and the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively. Development of a model to predict downy mildew risk would facilitate development and implementation of a disease warning system for efficient fungicide spray application in the crops affected by this disease. Because detailed disease observation data were not available, a two-step approach was applied to develop an empirical risk prediction model for P. sparsa. To identify the weather patterns associated with a high incidence of downy mildew berry infections (dryberry disease) and derive parameters for the empirical model, classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was performed. Then, fuzzy sets were applied to develop a simple model to predict the disease risk based on the parameters derived from the CART analysis. High-risk seasons with a boysenberry downy mildew incidence >10% coincided with months when the number of hours per day with temperature of 15 to 20°C averaged >9.8 over the month and the number of days with rainfall in the month was >38.7%. The Fuzzy Peronospora Sparsa (FPS) model, developed using fuzzy sets, defined relationships among high-risk events, temperature, and rainfall conditions. In a validation study, the FPS model provided correct identification of both seasons with high downy mildew risk for boysenberry, blackberry, and rose and low risk in seasons when no disease was observed. As a result, the FPS model had a significant degree of agreement between predicted and observed risks of downy mildew for those crops (P = 0.002).

Diagnosis and treatment of recurrent laryngeal cancer following initial nonsurgical therapy.

Surgery is the preferred modality for curative treatment of recurrent laryngeal cancer after failure of nonsurgical treatments. Patients with initial early-stage cancer experiencing recurrence following radiotherapy often have more advanced-stage tumors by the time the recurrence is recognized. About one third of such recurrent cancers are suitable for conservation surgery. Endoscopic resection with the CO(2) laser or open partial laryngectomy (partial vertical, supracricoid, or supraglottic laryngectomies) have been used. The outcomes of conservation surgery appear better than those after total laryngectomy, because of selection bias. Transoral laser surgery is currently used more frequently than open partial laryngectomy for treatment of early-stage recurrence, with outcomes equivalent to open surgery but with less associated morbidity. Laser surgery has also been employed for selective cases of advanced recurrent disease, but patient selection and expertise are required for application of this modality to rT3 tumors. In general, conservation laryngeal surgery is a safe and effective treatment for localized recurrences after radiotherapy for early-stage glottic cancer. Recurrent advanced-stage cancers should generally be treated by total laryngectomy.

Use of a climatic rule and fuzzy sets to model geographic distribution of climatic risk for European canker (Neonectria galligena) of apple.

A rule-based model was developed to assess climatic risk of European canker (Neonectria galligena), which is a major disease of apple in some temperate zones. A descriptive rule was derived from published observations on climatic conditions favorable for European canker development. Fuzzy set theory was used to evaluate the descriptive rule quantitatively. The amount and frequency of rainfall and the average number of hours between 11 and 16°C/day were used as input variables whose values were matched with terms in the rule, e.g., 'high' or 'low'. The degree of a term, e.g., the state of being high or low, to a given input value was determined using a membership function that converts an input value to a number between 0 and 1. The rule was evaluated by combining the degree of the terms associated with monthly climate data. Monthly risk index values derived using the rule were combined for pairs of consecutive months over 12 months. The annual risk of European canker development was represented by the maximum risk index value for 2 months combined. The membership function parameters were adjusted iteratively to achieve a specified level of risk at Talca (Chile), Loughgall (Northern Ireland), East Malling (UK), and Sebastopol (USA), where European canker risk was known. The rule-based model was validated with data collected from Canada, Ecuador, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest (USA), where European canker has been reported to occur. In these validation areas, the model's risk prediction agreed with reports of disease occurrence. The rule-based model also predicted high risk areas more reliably than the climate matching model, CLIMEX, which relies on correlations between the spatial distribution of a species and climatic conditions. The combination of a climatic rule and fuzzy sets could be used for other applications where prediction of the geographic distribution of organisms is required for climatic risk assessment.

Identification of regional climatic conditions favorable for development of European canker of apple.

Months of the year with high risk of European canker (Neonectria galligena) development in areas of the United States, Chile, England, and Northern Ireland were determined from published data. Moving-window analysis of long-term climatic data was used to classify disease risk in these areas in relation to rainfall and temperature conditions using the degree of agreement statistic. Greatest agreement occurred when it both rained on >30% of days/month and there was an average of >8 h/day with temperature of 11 to 16°C. When these thresholds were applied in eight validation areas in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, The Netherlands, and Denmark, areas with reported higher risk of disease tended to be areas where the thresholds were exceeded more often and by greater amounts. Areas at higher latitudes (>52°) with frequent summer rainfall appeared to be most prone to European canker, including the fruit rot phase of the disease, probably because summer temperatures were more favorable than at lower latitudes. The climatic thresholds derived for European canker could be useful for studies of disease establishment risk, surveillance, eradication, climate change impact assessment, and, possibly, for disease risk forecasting. The methods used in this study allowed conditions favorable for disease development to be identified even though quantitative regional disease data were lacking, and they could be useful for similar geoclimatic studies of other diseases.