A New Species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Braconidae, Rogadinae) with Potential for Biological Control of Spodoptera spp. (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), and Notes on the Definition of the gastritor, circumscriptus, and Related Species-Groups.

A new species of Aleiodes Wesmael in the gastritor Thunberg species-group is described and illustrated. The new species, Aleiodes ceres Shimbori sp.n., occurs in Southern Brazil and Argentina. It is a potential biological control agent of caterpillars in the genus Spodoptera Guenée, namely S. cosmioides (Walker), S. eridania (Stoll), and S. frugiperda (J.E. Smith), which are serious pests on major crops including maize and soybean. The position of the new species within Aleiodes is discussed in relation to existing proposals of subdivisions of the genus into species-groups. In agreement with recent publications, the gastritor species-group is treated as separate from the circumscriptus Nees/bicolor Spinola group, as evidence suggests the latter is absent in the New World. We also propose the provisional shakirae Shimbori & Shaw species-group, to accommodate a clade of Neotropical species with geometrid hosts and morphological features similar to the gastritor and circumscriptus groups. A key to Neotropical species in the gastritor group and similar species is provided, except for species recently named without a morphological description.

The Apanteles adelinamoralesae species group (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from Brazil, with descriptions of three new species reared from fruit borers(Lepidoptera, Depressariidae).

With more than 633 species, Apanteles is the largest genus within the subfamily Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). We describe three new species reared from pests of commercial fruits, Apanteles ahuacatl Shimbori, Giacomelli & Fernández-Triana sp. n., A. aratiku Shimbori sp. n., and A. mayochinchipe Shimbori sp. n. They parasitize caterpillars in the subfamily Stenomatinae (Depressariidae): the soursop moth Cerconota anonella (Sepp), in fruits of sweetsop (Annona squamosa L.) and atemoya (Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola Mill.) (Annonaceae), the avocado borer Stenoma catenifer Walsingham, in fruits of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) (Lauraceae), and the cacao shoot borer Stenoma decora Zeller, in fruits and shoots of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) (Malvaceae). The new Apanteles species are included in an expanded version of the key provided by Fernández-Triana et al. (2014) for the Apanteles adelinamoralesae species group. In addition, the previous record of Apanteles stenomae Muesebeck in Brazil is revised and considered to actually represent the species A. yolandarojasae Fernández-Triana.

First record of Cotesia scotti () (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) comb. nov. parasitising Spodoptera cosmioides (Walk, 1858) and Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil

ABSTRACT This is the first report of Cotesia scotti (Valerio and Whitfield) comb. nov. in Brazil, attacking larvae of the black armyworm, Spodoptera cosmioides, and the southern armyworm, S. eridania. The moth larvae were found respectively, infesting a protected cropping of organic tomato in Hidrolândia, Goiás, Brazil, and a transgenic soybean crop in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil. Biological, molecular and morphological characters were used to confirm the identity of the specimens. Parasitoid identification presented a challenge since the species has most diagnostic characters of the genus Cotesia Cameron, but few in the poorly defined genus Parapanteles Ashmead. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, we transfer Parapanteles scotti to the genus Cotesia. The new combination is discussed by comparison with morphologically similar species and available molecular data.

A link between thrifty phenotype and maternal care across two generations of intercrossed mice.

Maternal effects are causal influences from mother to offspring beyond genetic information, and have lifelong consequences for multiple traits. Previously, we reported that mice whose mothers did not nurse properly had low birth weight followed by rapid fat accumulation and disturbed development of some organs. That pattern resembles metabolic syndromes known collectively as the thrifty phenotype, which is believed to be an adaptation to a stressful environment which prepares offspring for reduced nutrient supply. The potential link between maternal care, stress reactivity, and the thrifty phenotype, however, has been poorly explored in the human and animal literature: only a couple of studies even mention (much less, test) these concepts under a cohesive framework. Here, we explored this link using mice of the parental inbred strains SM/J and LG/J-who differ dramatically in their maternal care-and the intercrossed generations F1 and F2. We measured individual differences in 15 phenotypes and used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. We found a remarkable relationship between thrifty phenotype and lower quality of maternal behaviors, including nest building, pup retrieval, grooming/licking, and nursing. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show, in any mammal, a clear connection between the natural variation in thrifty phenotype and maternal care. Both traits in the mother also had a substantial effect on survival rate in the F3 offspring. To our surprise, however, stress reactivity seemed to play no role in our models. Furthermore, the strain of maternal grandmother, but not of paternal grandmother, affected the variation of maternal care in F2 mice, and this effect was mediated by thrifty phenotype in F2. Since F1 animals were all genetically identical, this finding suggests that maternal effects pass down both maternal care and thrifty phenotype in these mice across generations via epigenetic transmission.

Keratoacanthoma and Keratoacanthoma-Like Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Similar Morphology but Different Pathogenesis.

Differential diagnosis between keratoacanthoma (KA) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is difficult due to their similarities. The mechanisms that drive their distinct biological behavior are poorly understood. To investigate whether the assessment of microvessel density (MVD) could be helpful in KA and SCC differential diagnosis and to gain insight into the pathogenesis of KA-like neoplasms, we compared the density of CD105- and CD34-stained vessels in KAs and SCCs and their relation to the expression of the p53 oncoprotein and proliferation marker Ki67. This is an observational retrospective cohort study. Forty lesions with clinical appearance of KAs (29 KAs and 11 SCCs) entered the study. A biopsy was taken from each lesion at presentation and the natural clinical course was monitored for at least 1 month. Growing or minimally regressing lesions were submitted to complete surgical excision. The diagnoses were established on combined clinical, histological, and follow-up evaluations. The MVD and p53 or Ki67 expression in neoplastic cells were assessed through morphometry. The MVD did not show discriminating power between KAs and SCCs. The Ki67 proliferation rate was significantly higher in SCCs. Although neoangiogenesis (CD105-MVD) in KAs was associated with cell proliferation, in SCCs it was not. There was significant correlation between p53 expression and neoplasia size in SCCs but not in KAs. From our results, we may conclude that KA and SCC have similarities, as CD105- and CD34-MVD. However, the low Ki67 proliferation index and the positive correlation between Ki-67 index and neovascularization in KA suggest a dependence in neovascularization to grow in KA, pointing to involvement of distinct pathogenesis.

Cisto broncogênico em hemicúpula diafragmática esquerda / Bronchogenic cyst in left hemidiaphragm

É descrito o caso raro de mulher com 46 anos de idade portadora de hemangioma de fígado e cisto broncogênico localizado na hemicúpula diafragmática esquerda, tratada com ressecção por cirurgia torácica videoassistida. A paciente teve boa evolução após a remoção de ambas as lesões e encontrase assintomática 21 meses após os procedimentos.

We described a rare case of a 46 year old female patient that had a liver hemangioma and a bronchogenic cyst located in the left hemidiaphragmatic dome treated through a video assisted thoracic surgery procedure. The patient had an uneventful recovery from both lesions and is asymptomatic 21 months following both procedures.

Iatrogenic and non-iatrogenic positive margins: incidence, site, factors involved, and time to PSA progression following radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: There are conflicting data regarding the incidence, site and prognostic significance of positive margins resulting from iatrogenic incision into the prostate (pT2+) or non-iatrogenic inability to excise extraprostatic extension (EPE) of tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The surgical specimens were whole-mount processed. Nerve-sparing, tumor extension and Gleason score were considered possible factors involved in positive margins. Time to PSA progression was studied using a Kaplan-Meier product-limit analysis. RESULTS: Positive margins resulted from iatrogenic incision in 61/230 (26.52%) prostates and from EPE in 34/230 (14.78%) prostates. The site most frequently involved in pT2+ prostates was the posterolateral quadrants (40.98%); in cases with EPE both anterolateral and posterolateral quadrants (67.65%) were most frequently involved. Positive margins occurred equally in patients with and without nerve-sparing in both groups. Tumors were significantly more extensive and with higher Gleason score in patients with EPE. Time to PSA progression was similar in patients with pT2+ versus EPE and no invasion of the seminal vesicle, but was significantly shorter in patients with EPE and invasion of the seminal vesicle. CONCLUSION: The frequency of positive margins in our institution was similar to others with large experience in performing radical prostatectomies. The higher frequency of posterolateral quadrants in iatrogenic positive margins is probably related to the preservation of adjacent vital structures and not to nerve-sparing surgery. A trend for a decreasing frequency of non-iatrogenic surgical margins may be explained by the marked increase of clinical stage T1c in recent years. More-extensive tumors and higher Gleason scores seem to influence only non-iatrogenic positive margins. Biochemical (PSA) progression in EPE must be studied by stratifying the patients into two groups: with and without seminal vesicle invasion.

Renal medullary carcinoma: report of seven cases from Brazil.

We report seven cases of renal medullary carcinoma collected from several institutions in Brazil. In spite of a relatively high incidence of sickle cell trait in Brazil, this is a rare tumor. All patients were males between the ages of 8 and 69 years (mean 22 years). From the collected information, the most frequent presenting symptoms were gross hematuria and flank or abdominal pain. The duration of symptoms ranged from 1 week to 5 months. Most of the tumors were poorly circumscribed arising centrally in the renal medulla. Size ranged from 4 to 12 cm (mean 7 cm) and hemorrhage and necrosis were common findings. All seven cases described showed sickled red blood cells in the tissue and six patients were confirmed to have sickle cell trait. All cases disclosed the characteristic reticular pattern consisting of tumor cell aggregates forming spaces of varied size, reminiscent of yolk sac testicular tumors of reticular type. Other findings included microcystic, tubular, trabecular, solid and adenoid-cystic patterns, rhabdoid-like cells and stromal desmoplasia. A peculiar feature was suppurative necrosis typically resembling microabscesses within epithelial aggregates. The medullary carcinoma of the 69-year-old patient was associated with a conventional clear cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this association has not been previously reported and the patient is the oldest in the literature. The survival after diagnosis or admission ranged from 4 days to 9 months. The 8-year-old African-Brazilian patient with a circumscribed mass is alive and free of recurrence 8 years after diagnosis. This case raises the question whether a periodic search for renal medullary carcinoma in young patients who have known abnormalities of the hemoglobin gene and hematuria could result in an early diagnosis and a better survival.

Are prostate carcinoma clinical stages T1c and T2 similar?

PURPOSE: A recent study has found that PSA recurrence rate for clinical T1c tumors is similar to T2 tumors, indicating a need for further refinement of clinical staging system. To test this finding we compared clinicopathologic characteristics and the time to PSA progression following radical retropubic prostatectomy of patients with clinical stage T1c tumors to those with stage T2, T2a or T2b tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a total of 186 consecutive patients submitted to prostatectomy, 33.52% had clinical stage T1c tumors, 45.45% stage T2a tumors and 21.02% stage T2b tumors. The variables studied were age, preoperative PSA, prostate weight, Gleason score, tumor extent, positive surgical margins, extraprostatic extension (pT3a), seminal vesicle invasion (pT3b), and time to PSA progression. Tumor extent was evaluated by a point-count method. RESULTS: Patients with clinical stage T1c were younger and had the lowest mean preoperative PSA. In the surgical specimen, they had higher frequency of Gleason score < 7 and more organ confined cancer. In 40.54% of the patients with clinical stage T2b tumors, there was extraprostatic extension (pT3a). During the study period, 54 patients (30.68%) developed a biochemical progression. Kaplan-Meier product-limit analysis revealed no significant difference in the time to PSA progression between men with clinical stage T1c versus clinical stage T2 (p = 0.7959), T2a (p = 0.6060) or T2b (p = 0.2941) as well as between men with clinical stage T2a versus stage T2b (p = 0.0994). CONCLUSION: Clinicopathological features are not similar considering clinical stage T1c versus clinical stages T2, T2a or T2b.

Are prostate carcinoma clinical stages T1C and T2 similar?

PURPOSE: A recent study has found that PSA recurrence rate for clinical T1c tumors is similar to T2 tumors, indicating a need for further refinement of clinical staging system. To test this finding we compared clinicopathologic characteristics and the time to PSA progression following radical retropubic prostatectomy of patients with clinical stage T1c tumors to those with stage T2, T2a or T2b tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a total of 186 consecutive patients submitted to prostatectomy, 33.52 percent had clinical stage T1c tumors, 45.45 percent stage T2a tumors and 21.02 percent stage T2b tumors. The variables studied were age, preoperative PSA, prostate weight, Gleason score, tumor extent, positive surgical margins, extraprostatic extension (pT3a), seminal vesicle invasion (pT3b), and time to PSA progression. Tumor extent was evaluated by a point-count method. RESULTS: Patients with clinical stage T1c were younger and had the lowest mean preoperative PSA. In the surgical specimen, they had higher frequency of Gleason score < 7 and more organ confined cancer. In 40.54 percent of the patients with clinical stage T2b tumors, there was extraprostatic extension (pT3a). During the study period, 54 patients (30.68 percent) developed a biochemical progression. Kaplan-Meier product-limit analysis revealed no significant difference in the time to PSA progression between men with clinical stage T1c versus clinical stage T2 (p = 0.7959), T2a (p = 0.6060) or T2b (p = 0.2941) as well as between men with clinical stage T2a versus stage T2b (p = 0.0994). CONCLUSION: Clinicopathological features are not similar considering clinical stage T1c versus clinical stages T2, T2a or T2b.