The effect of parasitization by Trichogramma australicum on Helicoverpa armigera host eggs and embryos

Histological investigations of the pathology of Helicoverpa armigera (Hiibner) eggs after attack by the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma australicum (Girault), indicate that the developing embryo is immediately killed by envenomation. Soon afterward the histological staining characteristics of parasitized host embryos change and the embryonic germ band dissociates into a mass of individual rounded cells. Hosts attacked by females sterilized by gamma-irradiation showed the same pathological effects as normally parasitized hosts, indicating that host degeneration is due to female venom rather than factors derived from the parasitoid embryo or larva. Cell death also occurred in older host embryos although tissue breakdown was delayed. These findings have allowed us to determine not just that the host dies but what happens to the cells and tissues, i.e., their physical appearance, the time course of their degeneration, and that the process is retarded in older hosts. These processes can possibly be emulated in artificial diets. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adult siblings' perceptions of family life and loss: A pilot case study

The death of a child with a disability presents unique challenges for individual family members. Whereas parents have received much attention in terms of their needs and challenges, siblings have received less attention. Growing up with a child with a disability who subsequently dies has a profound impact. This paper used in-depth interviews to illuminate the experiences and perceptions of siblings in one family in which a child with cerebral palsy died. The 5 siblings were interviewed about their experiences of family life and their methods of coping during the terminal phases of illness and after their sister's death. Their views on friendships, growing up, vocational choices, their sister's contribution to their lives, and their adjustment to her death are illustrated. Implications for health professionals working with siblings and families are drawn in terms of adult siblings' coping responses and their need for mutual support.

The acute effects of mild traumatic brain injury on finger tapping with and without word repetition

This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) on the performance of a finger tapping and word repetition dual task in order to determine working memory impairment in mTBI Sixty-four (50 male, 14 female) right-handed cases of mTBI and 26 (18 male and 8 female) right-handed cases of orthopaedic injuries were tested within 24 hours of injury. Patients with mTBI completed fewer correct taps in 10 seconds than patients with orthopaedic injuries, and female mTBI cases repeated fewer words. The size of the dual task decrement did not vary between groups. When added to a test battery including the Rapid Screen of Concussion (RSC; Comerford, Geffen, May, Medland T Geffen, 2002) and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test,finger tapping speed accounted for 1% of between groups variance and did not improve classification rates of male participants. While the addition of tapping rate did not improve the sensitivity and specificity of the RSC and DSST to mTBI in males, univariate analysis of motor performance in females indicated. that dual task performance might be diagnostic. An increase in female sample Size is warranted. These results confirm the view that there is a generalized slowing of processing ability following mTBI.