Search

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (TSSM), is an important cosmopolitan pest of agricultural crops that is often managed in greenhouses by augmentation of predatory mites in combination with acaricides. Here we examined the transgenerational effects of low lethal concentrations of a widely-used acaricide, Oberon Speed® (a combination of spiromesifen and abamectin), on the life history traits and population growth of T. urticae and two of its predators, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The concentrations employed corresponded to the LC10, LC20 and LC30 values estimated for TSSM protonymphs 48 h post-exposure in a topical bioassay, which yielded an LC50 value of 207.2 ppm. Parental exposure of TSSM to all three low concentrations increased the total developmental time of progeny; both the LC20 and LC30 treatments reduced adult longevity and number of oviposition days, but only the LC30 treatment increased the preoviposition period. Similarly, both the LC20 and LC30 treatments significantly reduced life table parameters (r, R0, λ, and GRR), and increased generation time (T) and population doubling time (DT). Although maternal exposure to the acaricide had various impacts on progeny life history, A. swirskii was less affected than P. persimilis, suggesting the former species would be more compatible for integration with Oberon Speed® for control of T. urticae in greenhouse vegetable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vector-borne viruses can modify the phenotype of their host plants to manipulate the behavior of their vectors and maximize their dissemination. The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a primary vector of soybean mosaic virus (SMV), a non-persistent potyvirus that is a serious disease of soybean. We investigated mechanisms by which SMV changes A. glycines feeding and dispersal behavior via virus-induced modifications of plant phenotype. These changes affect gustatory, visual and olfactory cues that alter the behavior of both viruliferous and virus-free aphids to enhance virus acquisition and transmission. SMV-infected soybean seedlings exhibited up-regulation of the amino acids threonine and tyrosine which rendered viruliferous aphids more restless and prone to dispersal. Whereas dispersing viruliferous A. glycines preferred to settle and feed on virus-free soybean seedlings, virus-free aphids preferred SMV-infected seedlings. Volatile cues emanating from SMV-infected seedlings, primarily up-regulated methyl salicylate and down-regulated (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, were implicated in repulsion of viruliferous aphids, whereas the mottled yellow coloration of SMV-infected seedlings was a visual attractant for aphids regardless of virus status. Our results reveal how a non-persistent virus uses multimodal 'push and pull' mechanisms to manipulate vector behavior for its own benefit, and suggests new avenues for exploring the mechanisms of altered behavior in viruliferous aphids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trissolcus spp. are egg parasitoids of sunn pest, Eurygasterintegriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae). Direct (extrinsic) competition between female T.grandis and T.vassilievi was investigated in the laboratory by releasing different numbers (from one to 16) of one or both species into a multi-patch environment consisting different numbers of E.integriceps egg masses. Larval (intrinsic) competition was examined in host eggs multiparasitized at intervals ranging from 0 to 48 h. Survival of females was also assayed when stored at 4 °C. Trissolcusgrandis reduced the searching efficiency of congeneric rivals more than did T.vassilievi, and was a superior intrinsic competitor within multiparasitized eggs, although both species benefited from a significant 'first attack' advantage. Trissolcusvassilievi was more efficient than T.grandis when parasitizing host eggs at high conspecific densities. Mortality at 4 °C was lower in groups ≥ 10 than in groups ≤ 5, and T.grandis survived longer than T.vassilievi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effect of Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) parasitism of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) eggs on the foraging behavior of Nabis pseudoferus Remane (Hemiptera: Nabidae) feeding on T. absoluta eggs of different ages. Older parasitized eggs (48–72 h old) were rejected after probing with the probosis. A separate experiment showed that probing did not harm developing parasitoids. Bugs greatly reduced their feeding times on older parasitized eggs and spent more time grooming and probing eggs and leaves. Predators exhibited a type III functional response to 24 h-old eggs, but a type II response to older eggs, whether parasitized or not. 24 h-old eggs suffered higher attack rates, and required less handling time than older eggs. Although the predatory efficiency of N. pseudoferus was reduced in the presence of parasitized eggs, the partial refuge enjoyed by T. brassicae in older eggs may permit an additive impact on the pest, and should facilitate the joint augmentation of both species against T. absoluta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oenopia conglobata (Linnaeus) and Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are important predators of the pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), a key pest of pistachio. The abundance of M. sexmaculatus has recently increased in pistachio orchards, while that of O. conglobata has declined. We designed laboratory experiments to (1) evaluate the potential for intraguild predation (IGP) between these two species, (2) detect any possible asymmetries in IGP interactions, and (3) characterize the sensitivity of IGP to varying densities of two extraguild (EG) prey, A. pistaciae and Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We measured rates of IGP by fourth instar larvae and female adults (both starved for 12 h) on vulnerable immature life stages of the other species (eggs, first, and second instar larvae). IG and EG prey consumption were tallied after 12 h. All factors influenced rates of IGP, but species of IG predator, and life stage and density of EG prey, contributed the most variance. IGP decreased parabolically with increasing prey densities. IGP on eggs was higher than on first instars, which was higher than on second instars, suggesting palatability declined in later life stages. The larger M. sexmaculatus exhibited higher voracity than the smaller O. conglobata in both predation and IGP. Both species consumed more A. pistaciae than A. gossypii in all treatments, which may reflect either lower handling time or lower food value per prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salicylic acid (SA) is a signaling molecule that can induce plant resistance to certain herbivores. Although the role of jasmonic acid in mediating mite-tomato plant interactions has been well studied, the role of salicylic acid has not. This study examined how the application of exogenous SA, via its effects on tomato plant physiology, alters the activity of mite digestive enzymes, mite energy reserves, and mite susceptibility to spirodiclofen. Enzymatic activity—including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase—along with contents of total phenolic, hydrogen peroxide, and total chlorophyll significantly increased in plants 24 h after treatment with 2 mM of SA. In contrast, catalase activity significantly decreased in treated plants, and malondialdehyde content was unaffected. Mites fed on tomato plants treated with SA had significantly lower glutathione S-transferase, esterase, α-amylase, and aminopeptidase activities than those fed on control plants. Energy reserve analyses demonstrated a significant decrease in contents of lipid, protein, and glycogen in mites fed on SA-treated plants, whereas carbohydrate content significantly increased. The LC50 of spirodiclofen was decreased 1.8-fold for Tetranychus urticae fed on SA-treated tomato plants compared to controls. Treatment of adult mites with 2 mM SA on leaf discs did not cause any direct mortality after 24 h. Finally, a greenhouse bioassay confirmed that spider mite mortality following exposure to spirodiclofen was significantly higher on SA plants than on control plants. Mortality of mites exposed to half of the recommended rate of spirodiclofen was similar to those exposed to the recommended rate when they were held on treated plants. These results have valuable implications for T. urticae management programs in tomato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is often augmented against Diatraea spp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) stem borers in the Americas. Diatraea indigenella Dyar and Heinrich, an endemic pest of sugarcane in southern Colombia, represents a novel host for C. flavipes. We examined the development of C. flavipes on D. indigenella and D. saccharalis, a familiar host, when larvae were stung by one, two or three wasps. Host species had no effect on parasitism success, immature parasitoid mortality, parasitoid developmental time, adult emergence, or female size. Superparasitized D. indigenella hosts yielded more cocoons, more adults, and more female wasps than those parasitized with a single sting, or from D. saccharalis hosts. However, wasp survival and longevity declined when host larvae were stung three times. Thus, D. indigenella was a more suitable host for C. flavipes when superparasitized, and appears suitable for augmentation against this emergent pest and other Diatraea species attacking sugarcane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent widespread infestations of the invasive sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in sorghum fields in the southern USA have created demand for insecticides that will provide effective control of sugarcane aphid, while conserving those beneficial species that contribute to biological control of the pest. We tested the susceptibility of both adult and immature stages of two aphid predators, the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), to three aphicides, flonicamid, sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone. Flonicamid was innocuous to both species regardless of life stage or route of exposure. Lacewing adults were more susceptible to sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone than were larvae, and had higher mortality when fed contaminated honey solution than when contacting residues on an inert surface. When laid in sunflower stems treated with these two materials, eggs of O. insidiosus hatched successfully, but nymphs experienced significant mortality when exposed to treated stems, likely due to phytophagous behavior that resulted in some insecticide ingestion. Despite these impacts, we conclude that both sulfoxaflor and flupyradifurone are likely to be relatively innocuous in comparison to more broad-spectrum insecticides and are thus potentially compatible with biological control and overall management of M. sacchari in grain sorghum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intraneural perineurioma is a rare peripheral nerve tumor of childhood and early adulthood. Patients demonstrate progressive muscle weakness and atrophy largely without sensory complaints. Case: We report two children with perineurioma affecting the radial and femoral nerves. Electromyography (EMG), ultrasound, and 3-T MR imaging were important tools for localizing perineurioma and permitting its differentiation from other nerve lesions. The first patient underwent surgical excision of the perineurioma and a traditional nerve graft. At 10 months post-operative follow-up, she demonstrated no meaningful recovery of muscle strength compared to her pre-operative assessment. EMG did confirm axonal continuity indicating that reinnervation had occurred via the nerve graft. The second patient underwent a two-staged surgical procedure that included an end-to-side nerve transfer. At 18 months post-operative follow-up, she demonstrated mild improvement in muscle strength and EMG evidence of ongoing reinnervation. Conclusion: The surgical management of perineurioma remains controversial, and reports of clinical recovery after nerve grafts and nerve transfers vary. Nerve transfers have been reported to provide superior results to traditional nerve grafting in adults with post-traumatic plexus injuries. The modest gain in strength of our patient who underwent a nerve transfer raises the question if this may also apply to patients with perineurioma. Additional studies will be required, which must also take into consideration that features of long-standing neuropathy (i.e., limb length discrepancy) have the potential to reduce the likelihood of reinnervation and clinical recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predators can significantly impact potential prey without consuming them, generating potential ramifications for biological control. In this study, we examined the cumulative impacts of adult Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on development and reproduction of Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), over three generations. Development became faster in each of the three generations and pupae became heavier than controls, although survival declined in the third generation. Predator stress increased wing deformations in the first generation, but not thereafter, and female fecundity became higher than controls in the third generation. We concluded that predator stress increased larval consumption to eventually result in both faster development and larger adult size when food was abundant. The results demonstrated that H. armigera could respond to exposure from a non-consumptive predator by shifting aspects of developmental timing and increasing reproductive effort, with both individual- and population-level consequences. The adaptive significances of these changes are discussed. This study advances our understanding of the potential for non-lethal predators to impact prey life histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannibalism is an important factor influencing both immature survival and adult reproductive success in aphidophagous lady beetles. This study employed three series of laboratory experiments to characterize life stage-specific cannibalism responses of Coccinella undecimpunctata L. and Cydonia vicina nilotica Mulsant to 1) different conspecific densities, with and without prey, 2) other life stages, and 3) various densities of prey, Myzus persicae Sulzer. All larval instars of both species cannibalized more in the absence of prey than in its presence at all conspecific densities, but in general, cannibalism increased with conspecific density only in the absence of prey, and more strongly for third and fourth instar C. undecimpunctata than for their C. vicina nilotica counterparts. Adults contributed the most cannibalism of any life stage, and eggs were the most vulnerable. In addition to cannibalizing their own and earlier instars, second and third instar C. undecimpunctata sometimes cannibalized third and fourth instars, respectively, and fourth instars occasionally ate pupae. Larvae of C. vicina nilotica were only preyed upon by the same or later stages and pupae, by adults, not fourth instars. A relative vulnerability index was calculated for each life stage based on its net vulnerability to cannibalism by all life stages and plotting these indices revealed species-specific patterns of diminishing vulnerability to cannibalism as a function of life stage. Relative species vulnerability to cannibalism, considering all life stages, was higher for C. undecimpunctata (0.55) than for C. vicina nilotica (0.45). Finally, linear regression was used to characterize the change in propensity for cannibalism between same-instar larval pairs as a function of prey density, which enabled determination of a theoretical upper prey threshold for each larval instar, i.e., the prey density beyond which no cannibalism would be expected. In both species, regressions for third and fourth instars did not intercept the X-axis, suggesting that some cannibalism by these stages was inevitable within the range of prey densities tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predatory insects often feed on plants or use plant products to supplement their diet, creating a potential route of exposure to systemic insecticides used as seed treatments. This study examined whether chlorantraniliprole or thiamethoxam might negatively impact Coleomegilla maculata and Hippodamia convergens when the beetles consumed the extrafloral nectar of sunflowers grown from treated seed. We reared both species on eggs of Ephestia kuehniella and then switched adult H. convergens to a diet of greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum, in order to induce oviposition in this species. Excised sunflower stems, either treated or control and refreshed every 48 h, were provided throughout larval development, or for the first week of adult life. Exposure of C. maculata larvae to chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam applied as seed treatments delayed adult emergence by prolonging the pupal period. When adults were exposed, thiamethoxam reduced the preoviposition period compared to chlorantraniliprole, whereas the latter treatment cause females to produce fewer clutches during the observation period. Larvae of C. maculata did not appear to obtain sufficient hydration from the sunflower stems and their subsequent fecundity and fertility were compromised in comparison to the adult exposure experiment where larvae received supplemental water during development. Exposure of H. convergens larvae to thiamethoxam skewed the sex ratio in favor of females; both materials reduced the egg viability of resulting adults and increased the period required for eclosion. Exposure of H. convergens adults to chlorantraniliprole reduced egg eclosion times compared to thiamethoxam and exposure to both insecticides reduced pupation times in progeny. The results indicate that both insecticides have negative, sublethal impacts on the biology of these predators when they feed on extrafloral nectar of sunflower plants grown from treated seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a neoplasm characterised by undifferentiated myoblasts, is the most common soft tissue tumour of childhood. Although aggressive treatment of RMS could provide long-term benefit, resistance to current therapies is an ongoing problem. We report here that insulin-like growth factor 2-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), an oncofetal protein, is expressed in RMS patient-derived cell lines and in primary tumours where it drives translation of the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 1 (cIAP1), a key regulator of the nuclear factor-κB signalling pathway and of caspase-8-mediated cell death. We demonstrate that reducing the levels of cIAP1 in RMS, either by IGF2BP1 knockdown or by IAP antagonists, sensitises these cells to tumour necrosis factor-α-mediated cell death. Finally, we show that targeting cIAP1 by IAP antagonists delays RMS tumour growth and improve survival in mice. Our results identify IGF2BP1 as a critical translational regulator of cIAP1-mediated apoptotic resistance in RMS and advocate for the combined use of IAP antagonists and tumour necrosis factor-α as a therapeutic approach for this type of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of systemic insecticides as seed treatments has raised concern about the possible impacts of these products on natural enemies. This study assessed the effects of sunflower seed treatments with chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam on Chrysoperla carnea by exposing larvae and adults to sunflower stem segments grown from treated seeds and the nectar secreted by their extrafloral nectaries. Confinement of larvae with stem segments for their entire developmental period had no effect on their survival or any life history parameter, except that the sex ratio of resulting adults was lower in the thiamethoxam treatment than in chlorantraniliprole. However, when adult pairs of C. carnea were exposed to treated stem segments during their maturation period, their subsequent survival and fecundity was significantly reduced by both materials, with thiamethoxam reducing median survival (LT) and fecundity to a greater degree than chlorantraniliprole. Insufficient offspring were obtained from adults exposed to thiamethoxam to permit assessment of their fitness, but the offspring in the chlorantraniliprole-exposed adults had reduced larval survival relative to controls. The greater impact of seed treatments on adult lacewings may be partly attributable to their greater consumption of extra-floral nectar. Our results indicate that seed treatment with systemic insecticides can cause negative effects on beneficial insects, potentially disrupting their population dynamics, and should not be assumed compatible with biological control and IPM simply because this mode of application limits direct exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extrafloral nectar (EFN) of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., is an important summer resource for many insects and represents a potential route of exposure to systemic insecticides applied as seed treatments to cultivated varieties. Among the many parasitoids that utilize sunflower EFN, Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an important generalist parasitoid of cereal aphids in North America. This study evaluated the performance of adult wasps fed EFN of sunflower plants grown from seed treated with chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam. Consumption of EFN from treated sunflower seedings caused no lethal effects, but reduced the numbers of greenbug nymphs, Schizaphis graminum Rondani, attacked and parasitized when wasps foraged in Petri dish arenas. Whereas control females self-superparasitized every fourth host, those exposed to chlorantraniliprole did not. Offspring developmental time and adult emergence were unaffected by either treatment, but thiamethoxam greatly reduced the proportion of female offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Females of Trissolcus agriope (Platygastridae) avoid host ( Brachynema signatum) eggs parasitized by conspecifics or Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Encyrtidae), but females of the latter species will superparasitize and multiparasitize, although they mostly attack unparasitized eggs. Females of T. agriope were more efficient in the laboratory and parasitized more hosts in 24 and 48 h. In multiparasitized hosts, O. pityocampae was a superior larval competitor and could complete also development as a facultative hyperparasitoid. When females of both species foraged together, T. agriope parasitized significantly more than O. pityocampae, about 50 % in both cases, although O. pityocampae almost doubled its parasitism rate as the exposure period was lengthened from 24 to 48 h. When O. pityocampae followed T. agriope in sequential foraging bouts, the former species successfully parasitized more hosts than the latter. The advisability of co-releases of both species to improve biological control of first generation B. signatum in Iranian pistachio orchards is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light wavelength and intensity are physical factors that can affect arthropod development and reproduction. The present study examined the development, reproduction and locomotor activity of the predatory flower bug, Orius sauteri (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), under five light intensities (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 lux) and five wavelengths [red (678.5 nm), green (620.0 nm), yellow (581.7 nm), blue (478. 1 nm) and white (all wavelengths)] at constant temperature (25 °C) and RH (70 %). The duration of nymphal development was extended at lower light intensities, primarily due to effects on the first three instars. Under white, yellow and green light, O. sauteri completed development in 18.0 days, but blue light extended development by 3.2 days and red light extended it by 7.4 days. Although lower light intensities extended the preoviposition period and reduced fecundity, they improved egg fertility. Both red and blue light negatively affected preoviposition period, fecundity and egg fertility. Whereas adult female mean walking speed over a five min period was reduced at lower light intensities, longer wavelengths (yellow and red) increased it, ostensibly reflecting an avoidance response. The respiration quotient of adult O. sauteri females was also elevated under red light conditions. These findings are informative for optimizing O. sauteri mass-rearing procedures and maximizing its efficacy as a biological control agent in greenhouse cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Beijing, China, females of Harmonia axyridis are promiscuous but prefer typical ( succinea form) males to melanic ones in the spring generation, ostensibly due to the thermal disadvantages of melanism during summer. We used laboratory observations to test whether males invested differentially in females according to their elytral color, and whether male behavior was phenotype-dependent. Video-recording was used to monitor no-choice mating tests between virgin adults in all phenotype combinations and females were isolated post-copula to observe their egg retention times and reproduction over 5 days. Females tended to wait longer before using the sperm of melanic males, and melanic females delayed longer than succinic females. Melanic males spent longer in copula with succinic than melanic females and the latter received fewer bouts of male abdominal shaking that correlate with sperm transfer, regardless of the phenotype of their mate. Although melanic males abandoned melanic females faster than did succinic males, they remained in copula with females of both phenotypes for a longer period after shaking, suggesting a larger investment in mate guarding by the less-preferred male phenotype. Although female fecundity did not vary among phenotype combinations, egg fertility was lower for females mated to melanic males, suggesting a pleiotropic effect of melanism on male fertility in addition to its effects on male mating behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a mode-locked all-normal dispersion fiber laser featuring a large-mode-area all-solid photonic bandgap fiber. The self-starting chirped-pulse laser delivers 660 mW of average power at a repetition rate of 30 MHz, leading to 22 nJ energy. The output pulses are dechirped outside the cavity to nearly transform-limited duration of 50 fs. Numerical simulations are in good agreement with experiments and highlight the key role of passive spectral filtering on pulse shaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmonia axyridis has become notorious as an urban pest in many of the regions where it has been introduced, despite its numerous contributions to the biological control of insects injurious to agriculture and horticulture. Aggregative behavior prior to overwintering leads to invasions of human habitations as beetles seek refuge from freezing temperatures. Here we describe the aggregation behavior of native H. axyridis populations of northeast China that breed in agricultural fields (mostly corn and rice) and shrub/forest habitats and then migrate through rural villages in autumn. More than 140,000 beetles were collected during direct observations in 16 villages in five townships in Jilin Province. Beetles aggregated on dwellings shortly after agricultural harvests, favoring white walls with southern exposures, the largest aggregations occurring in villages in mountainous townships at higher elevations. The sex ratio was consistently female-biased and succinic phenotypes were more than twice as abundant as melanic phenotypes in all locations. A special trap compared the relative attractiveness of different surface colors (white > yellow = black > green > red = natural wood) and potential baits (corn pollen = honey > caramel = cocoa > milk = blank control). All aggregations disappeared abruptly just prior to the first frost, whereupon beetles were discovered sheltering in montane caves with southern aspects at higher elevations. Villagers reported substantial expenditures on pesticides in efforts to eliminate beetles from their homes every autumn. Invasion of human habitations appears to be an intrinsic tendency of native H. axyridis populations in China, which is the result of behavioral adaptations for cold-avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ragweed beetle, Ophraella communa, is a potential biological control agent of common ragweed that appeared in Nanjing City in 2001 and has since dispersed throughout southeast China. We compared the cold hardiness of five different O. communa populations by measuring the supercooling point (SCP), water and glycerol contents of adult beetles. All indices of cold hardiness varied significantly among the sampled populations. Male beetles from the most northerly population (Nanjing) had the lowest water content of any sampled and, although female beetles from Nanchang and Miluo had water content similar to those from Nanjing, they were still lower than those of females from Fuzhou and Wuchang. Beetles from the most southerly population (Fuzhou) had the highest SCP, although Nanchang males were not significantly different from Fuzhou males. Glycerol content yielded resolution of populations as follows: Nanjing > Wuchang = Miluo = Nanchang > Fuzhou, with beetles from Nanjing yielding twice the glycerol content of Fuzhou beetles. These results suggest that overwintering O. communa use freeze avoidance to survive winter cold and that geographically separated populations of O. communa are diverging with respect to their baseline cold hardiness in accordance with the severity of low temperatures experienced during the coldest winter months in each locality. The apparent ability of O. communa to rapidly adapt to different climatic conditions is predicted to facilitate its continued range expansion across mainland China, with consequent benefits in terms of fortuitous biological control of common ragweed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the US appearance of the distal biceps tendon bifurcation in normal cadavers and volunteers and in those affected by various disease processes. Three cadaveric specimens, 30 normal volunteers, and 75 patients were evaluated by means of US. Correlative MR imaging was obtained in normal volunteers and patients. In all cases US demonstrated the distal biceps tendon shaped by two separate tendons belonging to the short and long head of the biceps brachii muscle. Four patients had a complete rupture of the distal insertion of the biceps with retraction of the muscle belly. Four patients had partial tear of the distal biceps tendon with different US appearance. In two patients the partial tear involved the short head of the biceps brachii tendon, while in the other two patients, the long head was involved. Correlative MR imaging is also presented both in normal volunteers and patients. US changed the therapeutic management in the patients with partial tears involving the LH of the biceps. This is the first report in which ultrasound considers the distal biceps tendon bifurcation in detail. Isolated tears of one of these components can be identified by US. Knowledge of the distal biceps tendon bifurcation ultrasonographic anatomy and pathology has important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness and safety of procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in a Canadian community emergency department (ED) staffed primarily by family physicians and to assess the role of capnometry monitoring in PSA. METHODS: One hundred and sixty (160) consecutive procedural sedation cases were reviewed from the ED of a rural hospital in Huntsville, Ont. The ED is mainly staffed by family physicians who have received in-house training in PSA. Safety and effectiveness measures were extrapolated from a standardized PSA form by a blinded research assistant. RESULTS: The mean age of the patient population was 33.6 years (standard deviation = 23.6). Fifty-four percent of the patients were male, and 33% of the cases were pediatric. PSA medications included propofol (84%), fentanyl (51%) and midazolam (15%), and the procedural success rate was 95.6%. The adverse event (AE) rate was 18% and included apnea (10%), inadequate sedation (3%), bradycardia (2%), desaturation (1%), hypotension (1%) and bag-valve-mask use (1%). In those aged > or = 65 years there was a greater incidence of apnea. There were no episodes of emesis and there were no intubations. A modified jaw thrust manoeuvre was used in 23% of the cases. I the 64% of cases where capnometry was used, there was no association between its use and any AE measures. CONCLUSION: Procedural sedation was safe and effective in our environment. Capnometry recording did not appear to alter outcomes, although the data are incomplete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SmartCut process was first developed to obtain silicon-on-insulator (SOI) materials. Now an industrial process, the main Unibond SOI-structure trends are reported in this paper. Many material combinations can be achieved by this process, because it appears to enable the generic development of new structures. Several of the new structures combining different materials and different bonding layers are described. These include SiGe and strained-Si films onto an oxidized Si wafer, silicon-on-insulating multilayer (SOIM) structures, and InP or 4H-SiC film transfers onto low-cost substrates via metallic or even refractory conductive-film bonding layers. More recently, an original bonding process based on mark patterning, wafer bonding, and layer transfer has been proposed to obtain structures in which the relative crystalline-axis orientations of both the film and the substrate can be controlled accurately. In this case, a SmartCut process that includes a mark-patterning step appears well suited for precise control of axis orientations. A procedure is described to obtain an ultra-thin Si film bonded onto a Si wafer. An example of a pure screw-dislocation network achieved by the mark patterning, bonding, and layer-transfer process is reported in this paper. The results have important implications for nanostructure development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe two asymptomatic newborns with nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in whom increased urinary methylmalonic acid was detected by routine neonatal screening at 3 weeks of age. Both infants were exclusively breast-fed. One mother suffered from pernicious anaemia, and the other was a strict vegetarian. Both mothers had no clinical or haematological abnormality, aside from a borderline mean corpuscular volume for the vegetarian mother. This report illustrates the early appearance of functional vitamin B12 deficiency in breast-fed infants of vitamin B12-depleted mothers. It also demonstrates that urinary methylmalonic acid measurement is a sensitive indicator of tissue vitamin B12 deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HTLV-III was searched for in frozen sections of peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from AIDS patients by an immunofluorescence technique. Human IgG against HTLV-III/LAV and monoclonal antibodies against HTLV-III/LAV P24 antigen, yielded a strong cytoplasmic fluorescence in frozen sections of the lymphocytes. Some cells containing HTLV-III antigens displayed multinucleated giant forms. They also reacted with monoclonal antibodies against helper/inducer T-cells (OKT 4), as demonstrated by direct double staining immunofluorescence. Similarly, complexes of immunoglobulins and C component of complement were also detected on HTLV-III/LAV Ag expressing lymphocytes. Immunofluorescence study of frozen sections of peripheral blood lymphocytes appeared to be a simple, fast and reliable method for detection of HTLV-III/LAV Ag in AIDS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermoid cyst is a very unusual cause of renal mass. Only two cases have been reported in the English or French literature. We have encountered this entity in a 4-year-old Haitian boy investigated for urinary frequency. This diagnosis must be included in the differential of coarse calcified intrarenal masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as suggested by clinical data and murine leukemia models, arises through a multistep process involving more than one genetic alteration. Transcription factors play an important role in this process as they frequently show recurrent, somatically acquired, chromosomal abnormalities and point mutations. Familial cases of AML are best suited to define the initiating steps in leukemogenesis, and studies of familial AML have identified TF RUNX1 (AMLI, CBFA2) as the first known familial leukemia susceptibility gene.