Male requires a higher median target effect-site concentration of propofol for I-gel placement when combined with dexmedetomidine.

OBJECTIVE: The supraglottic airway device (SAD) can be used for airway management of spontaneous breathing patients, and propofol is commonly applied for the SAD placement. This study was designed to assess the effect of gender on median target effect-site concentration (Ce50) of propofol for I-gel placement when combined with dexmedetomidine. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 19 males and 18 females, aged 18 to 59 and undergoing elective surgery, were enrolled. After intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine 1.0µg/kg over 10min followed by continuous infusion of 0.4µg/kg/h, target-controlled infusion of propofol under Marsh model was started and the initial Ce of propofol was set at 4.79µg/mL and 4.35µg/mL in the male and female patients, respectively. The I-gel was inserted when the Ce of propofol reached the pre-set concentration and bispectral index value was less than 60. The Ce of propofol required for I-gel placement was determined by the Dixon up-and-down method. RESULTS: The Ce50 (95% confidence interval) of propofol required for I-gel placement were 4.082µg/mL (3.798-4.332µg/mL) and 3.509µg/mL (3.266-3.749µg/mL) in male and female patients, respectively, with a significantly higher Ce50 in males. CONCLUSION: When combined with dexmedetomidine, males require a higher Ce50 of propofol for I-gel placement compared to females.

Parental effect of diapause in relation to photoperiod and temperature in the cabbage beetle, Colaphellus bowringi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the environmental conditions experienced by parents can shape offspring phenotypes. Here, we examined the effects of the photoperiod and temperature experienced by parents on the incidence of diapause in their progeny in the cabbage beetle, Colaphellus bowringi, using three experiments. The first experiment examined parental diapause incidence under different photoperiods at 25°C and the incidence of diapause in progeny from both non-diapausing and diapausing parents under the same rearing conditions. The results revealed that the incidence of diapause among progeny was exactly opposite to that of their parents, i.e., higher parental diapause incidence led to lower progeny diapause incidence, showing a negative relationship in diapause incidence between the parental generation and the progeny generation. The incidence of diapause among progeny produced by diapausing parents was higher than that in progeny produced by non-diapausing parents. The second experiment examined parental diapause incidence at different temperatures under LD 12:12 and the incidence of diapause in progeny from both non-diapausing and diapausing parents under the same rearing conditions. Similarly, the incidence of diapause in progeny was also opposite to that of their parents. However, the incidence of diapause in progeny produced by non-diapausing parents was different from that in progeny produced by diapausing parents. In the third experiment, naturally diapausing adults were maintained at a constant temperature of 9, 28°C or the mean daily summer temperature of 27.84°C under continuous darkness for 3 months of dormancy. After dormancy, the progeny of these post-diapause parents were reared under different photoperiods at 25°C. The results showed that the incidence of diapause among progeny was higher when their parents experienced high temperatures than when they experienced low temperatures. All results demonstrate that the photoperiod and temperature experienced by parents may significantly affect the diapause incidence among progeny.