Histopathological changes in third-instar and adult Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) after in vitro heat treatment.

The Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the most harmful pests of mango causing direct damage by oviposition on the fruit pulp. Mango for export is subjected to hydrothermal treatment as a quarantine method for the control of this pest, but exposure to heat for long periods of time reduces considerably the quality and shelf-life of treated fruit. The aim of this work was to study morphological changes of third-instar larvae and adults of A. ludens after in vitro exposure to high temperature at sublethal times. A heating block system was used to expose larvae at 46.1°C for 19.6 and 12.9 min, producing 94.6 and 70% mortality, respectively. Treated larvae were processed for optical microscopy. A fraction of surviving treated larvae was separated into containers with artificial diet to allow development into adults. Adult sexual organs were dissected and processed for transmission electron microscopy analysis. Results showed that 94.6% of the treated larvae died at 46.1°C for 19.6 min and none of the surviving larvae eclosed to adulthood, as they developed as malformed puparia. For the in vitro treatment at 46.1°C during 12.9 min, 70% of the treated larvae died and only 3.75% reached the adult stage, but ultrastructural damage in the male testes and in the female ovaries was observed. Additionally, 11.1% of the adult flies from the in vitro treatment also showed wing malformation and were incapable of flying. The analysis showed that surviving flies were unable to reproduce.

Chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 in progressive periodontal lesions in patients with chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Chemokines are central in the activation and direction of leukocyte subsets to target tissues. However, the monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3) has not been associated with chronic periodontitis. Chronic periodontitis is an infection showing episodic supporting tissue destruction. The aim of this study is to determine the levels and expression of MCP-3 in periodontal sites characterized by active periodontal connective tissue destruction. METHODS: The study population consisted of 15 patients with a progression of periodontitis (15 of 56 patients), 18 patients with chronic periodontitis, and 10 healthy subjects without periodontal disease. As determined by the tolerance method, the 15 patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis showed a progression of periodontitis over a 4-month period. Periodontitis was characterized by at least six sites with a probing depth >or=5 mm, clinical attachment level >or=3 mm, and radiographic bone loss. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected using a paper strip. The total protein concentration was determined. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the total amount of MCP-3, and an immunoWestern blot was conducted to assess molecular MCP-3 forms. To determine the MCP-3 expression by immunohistochemistry, gingival biopsies were obtained from patients with chronic periodontitis and healthy subjects during third-molar extraction surgery. Statistical analyses were performed using statistical software. Data were expressed as subject means +/- SD, using the chi(2) and Student t tests. RESULTS: The total amount and concentration of chemokine MCP-3 were significantly higher in patients with chronic periodontitis than in healthy subjects (8.25 pg versus 0.53 pg, P = 0.006 and 2.95 pg/microl versus 0.45 pg/microl, P = 0.04, respectively). Active sites showed a significantly higher total amount and concentration of MCP-3 than inactive sites (11.12 versus 2.88 pg, P value = 0.005 and 3.95 versus 1.02, P value = 0.005, respectively). Western blot and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of MCP-3 in periodontal disease, with observable differences between patients with chronic periodontitis and healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: MCP-3 was highly expressed in patients with chronic periodontitis, particularly in those with progressive periodontal lesions. MCP-3 could be involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells toward periodontal tissues during the progression of the disease.

Prey stage preference and functional response of Euseius hibisci to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae).

The aims of this study were: (a) determine the prey stage preference of female Euseius hibisci (Chant) (Phytoseiidae) at constant densities of different stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae), (b) assess the functional response of the predator females to the varying densities of eggs, larvae, or protonymphs of T. urticae, and (c) estimate the functional response of E. hibisci when pollen of Ligustrum ovalifolium was present as well. We conducted experiments on excised pieces of strawberry leaf arenas (Fragaria ananassa) under laboratory conditions of 25+/-2 degrees C, 60+/-5% RH and 12 h photophase. Our results indicated that the predator consumed significantly more prey eggs than other prey stages. Consumption of prey deutonymphs and adults was so low that they were excluded from the non-choice functional response experiments. The functional response on all food items was of type II. The two parameters of the functional response were estimated for each prey type by means of the adjusted non-linear regression model. The highest estimated value a' (instantaneous rate of discovery) and the lowest value of Th (handling time, including digestion) were found for the predator feeding on prey eggs, and a' was lowest and Th highest when fed protonymphs. Using the jack-knife method, the values for the functional response parameters were estimated. The values of a' and Th produced by the model were similar among all prey types except for the eggs, which were different. Using pollen simultaneously with prey larvae decreased the consumption of the latter over the full range of prey densities The suitability of this predator for biological control of T. urticae on strawberry is discussed.