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We describe the cloning of the first hymenopteran vitellogenin receptor (VgR) cDNA from the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, an invasive pest. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends, fragments encompassing the entire coding region of a putative VgR were cloned and sequenced. The complete 5764 bp cDNA encodes a 1782 residue protein with a predicted molecular mass of 201.3 kDa (=SiVgR). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the 7.4 kb SiVgR transcript was present only in ovaries of reproductive females (virgin alates and queens). The temporal profile of transcriptional expression showed that SiVgR mRNA increased with age in virgin alate females and that this was up-regulated by methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analogue. This suggests that the SiVgR gene is JH regulated.

Lipid lowering drugs lower the risk of ischaemic cardiovascular events. The absolute benefit is highest in people at greatest risk of having an event in the near future, but adverse effects and costs are similar whatever the baseline risk. The decision to treat entails balancing expected benefits with expected harms,1 but is essentially a value judgement. Treatment preferences may vary systematically between groups of people either because they have different levels of baseline risk, or because they have different values and priorities. Current UK guidelines recommend treatment for those whose 10 year risk of coronary heart disease is at least 30%.2,3 Assuming a relative risk reduction of one third this is an absolute benefit of about 10% over 10 years (or 5% over five years). Very little is known about the level of coronary risk at which either doctors or patients want treatment.4 One small study suggested that patients and nurses would choose higher risk thresholds (larger absolute benefits) than doctors.5 The policy to treat a risk of 30% over …

Adult medical wards of a central hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.To measure the prevalence and outcome of mycobacteraemia in febrile hospitalised adults, and to determine what proportion could be identified using routine methods; to assess clinical indicators of mycobacteraemia, and the usefulness of a diagnostic trial of anti-tuberculosis treatment.We prospectively examined adults admitted with fever or a history of fever. All had blood cultured for bacteria and mycobacteria, chest X-ray and sputum smears.Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the commonest cause of blood stream infection (BSI), affecting 57 of 344 patients (17%). In 44 (77%) patients with mycobacteraemia, TB was identified using routine investigations; it was not suspected in six (11%). Strong clinical indicators of mycobacteraemia were anaemia, HIV seropositivity, cough, chronic fever and a clinical diagnosis of AIDS on the day of admission. Of nine patients selected for a therapeutic trial of tuberculosis (TB) treatment, six had mycobacteraemia, of whom five died during the trial. Mortality on short-course chemotherapy, on the TB ward after 1 month was similar whether patients had mycobacteremia (21%) or not (32%).TB can be identified with routine methods in most patients with mycobacteraemia. If treated, mycobacteraemia has as good an early outcome as TB without mycobacteraemia. Strengthening of basic facilities is likely to improve detection and treatment of mycobacterial disease.

Hypertrehalosemic hormone (HTH) is a neuropeptide in the adipokinetic hormone/red pigment-concentrating hormone (AKH/RPCH) family that stimulates the synthesis of trehalose, the main blood sugar of many insects. The preproHTH of the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis was cloned from the corpora cardiaca (CC), the endocrine source for HTH, and the deduced sequence and organization of preproHTH were compared with other AKH/RPCH precursors. PreproHTH mRNA was determined to be approximately 0.5 kb in length as predicted by DNA sequence analysis. Northern blot analysis of the CC, ventral nerve cord, brain and fat body detected HTH-mRNA only in the CC. Levels of the HTH transcript in the CC were determined according to age, gender and mating. The HTH message was most abundant in the CC during the first several days of adult life in both sexes, then declined by 50% and were stable. HTH-mRNA levels in the CC did not respond to mating.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now an accepted part of general surgery. With the recent upsurge of interest in laparoscopic techniques, an optimum method of ensuring secure haemostasis is important particularly during dissection of the gall bladder from its mesenteric attachments. The use of laser to ensure haemostasis has been well practised in the treatment of peptic ulceration. Electrocautery is a time-honoured method of controlling local bleeding points by coagulation of tissue. The aim of this study was to assess whether one procedure showed any advantage over the other in terms of the length of operation time, postoperative drainage volume, time to dissect the gall bladder and length of the hospital stay.

Sexual behavioral data from a survey of 396 male drug injectors showed that 301 (76%) were behavioral heterosexuals, 49 (12.45%) were bisexuals, and 46 (11.6%) were homosexuals over the previous 5 years. Among those sexually active during the 6 months before the interview, bisexuals were similar to heterosexuals and homosexuals in reporting two or more female or male partners, respectively. Overall, almost three fourths of the bisexuals had two or more sexual partners. Bisexuals were also similar to heterosexuals in reported heterosexual and intercourse (16 and 15%, respectively), and to homosexuals in reported homosexual insertive anal intercourse (33 and 54%, respectively). They were less likely than heterosexuals to engage in vaginal and insertive oral sex with women and than homosexuals to practice receptive and and oral sex with men. The three groups all practiced high levels of unprotected sex. Almost half the behavioral bisexuals identified themselves as heterosexuals. Self-identified heterosexuals in the sample were less likely than self-identified gays or bisexuals to state they reduced sexual risk; however, reported condom use was low for all three groups. With human immunodeficiency virus infection rates of 54% (21 of 39) for behavioral homosexuals, 24% (11 of 45) for bisexuals, and 9% (24 of 260) for heterosexuals, these findings indicate an urgent need for more effective sexual risk reduction among injection drug users and their partners.

A sample of 149 (70 White, 79 Black) male intravenous drug users with steady female sexual partners was interviewed in 1987, in treatment and street settings, about sexual practices during the previous five years. Eighty-three percent had multiple partners, 15 percent reported male sexual contact, 38 percent reported heterosexual anal intercourse, and 73 percent never used condoms. Thirty-seven White and 30 Black subjects reported bisexuality or heterosexual and intercourse or both.