Notes on Population Dynamics of Amblyomma Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Brazil

Previous population dynamics data, generated for Amblyomma parvum Aragao and Aniblyomma cajennense (Fabricius) in Argentina and southeastern Brazil, have indicated that these ticks complete I generation per year, with larvae predominating in autumn, nymphs in winter, and mostly adults during spring and summer. The present study reports population dynamics data for free-living Amblyomma spp. ticks in northern Brazil (Amazon forest, latitude 10 degrees S, 63 degrees W), and for Amblyomma spp. ticks collected oil birds in Southeastern Brazil (latitude 23 degrees S, 45 degrees W). In northern Brazil, adult ticks predominated from mid-spring to mid-autumn, larvae predominated in early winter, and nymphs from mid-winter to mid-spring. Seven Amblyomma spp. were identified, although A. cajannense predominated in I of the 2 sites sampled. In southeastern Brazil, larval infestations on birds peaked in autumn, followed by a nymphal infestation peak in late winter. At least 32% and 75% of these larvae and nymphs, respectively, were identified as Amblyomma longirostre (Koch). Similar to previous work, the present study showed that Amblyomma spp. larvae and nymphs predominated during autumn-winter months, and mostly adults during spring-summer months, a pattern compatible with 1 genration/yr, even at latitude 10 degrees S in northern Brazil.

Bone Marrow Concentrate and Bovine Bone Mineral for Sinus Floor Augmentation: A Controlled, Randomized, Single-Blinded Clinical and Histological Trial-Per-Protocol Analysis

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential of substituting autogenous bone (AB) by bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC). Both AB and BMAC were tested in combination with a bovine bone mineral (BBM) for their ability of new bone formation (NBF) in a multicentric, randomized, controlled, clinical and histological noninferiority trial. Materials and Methods: Forty-five severely atrophied maxillary sinus from 26 patients were evaluated in a partial cross-over design. As test arm, 34 sinus of 25 patients were augmented with BBM and BMAC containing mesenchymal stem cells. Eleven control sinus from 11 patients were augmented with a mixture of 70% BBM and 30% AB. Biopsies were obtained after a 3-4-month healing period at time of implant placement and histomorphometrically analyzed for NBF. Results: NBF was 14.3%+/- 1.8% for the control and nonsignificantly lower (12.6%+/- 1.7%) for the test (90% confidence interval: -4.6 to 1.2). Values for BBM (31.3%+/- 2.7%) were significantly higher for the test compared with control (19.3%+/- 2.5%) (p < 0.0001). Nonmineralized tissue was lower by 3.3% in the test compared with control (57.6%; p = 0.137). Conclusions: NBF after 3-4 months is equivalent in sinus, augmented with BMAC and BBM or a mixture of AB and BBM. This technique could be an alternative for using autografts to stimulate bone formation.

Merging Resource Availability with Isotope Mixing Models: The Role of Neutral Interaction Assumptions

Background: Bayesian mixing models have allowed for the inclusion of uncertainty and prior information in the analysis of trophic interactions using stable isotopes. Formulating prior distributions is relatively straightforward when incorporating dietary data. However, the use of data that are related, but not directly proportional, to diet (such as prey availability data) is often problematic because such information is not necessarily predictive of diet, and the information required to build a reliable prior distribution for all prey species is often unavailable. Omitting prey availability data impacts the estimation of a predator's diet and introduces the strong assumption of consumer ultrageneralism (where all prey are consumed in equal proportions), particularly when multiple prey have similar isotope values. Methodology: We develop a procedure to incorporate prey availability data into Bayesian mixing models conditional on the similarity of isotope values between two prey. If a pair of prey have similar isotope values (resulting in highly uncertain mixing model results), our model increases the weight of availability data in estimating the contribution of prey to a predator's diet. We test the utility of this method in an intertidal community against independently measured feeding rates. Conclusions: Our results indicate that our weighting procedure increases the accuracy by which consumer diets can be inferred in situations where multiple prey have similar isotope values. This suggests that the exchange of formalism for predictive power is merited, particularly when the relationship between prey availability and a predator's diet cannot be assumed for all species in a system.

Systematic review and cladistic analysis of the genus Eusarcus Perty 1833 (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae)

Eusarcus Perty 1833 is one of the oldest described genera of Pachylinae, comprising 36 species distributed from northeastern to southern Brazil (including the central west region), northeastern Argentina, eastern Paraguay and Uruguay. The genus is reviewed and a new classification is proposed based on a cladistic analysis. A cladistic analysis was performed with the 34 valid species of Eusarcus and 11 species belonging to certain Gonyleptidae subfamilies. The data matrix has 67 characters: 14 from dorsal scutum and pedipalp, 38 from male legs and 15 from male genitalia. Two equally parsimonious trees were found (L=319; C. I.=0.26, R. I.=0.61). Pygophalangodus gemignanii uruguayensis Ringuelet 1955a and Pygophalangodus gemignanii gemignanii Mello-Leitao 1931b are here elevated to the category of species, and the following new combinations are proposed: E. catharinensis (Mello-Leitao 1927); E. berlae (Mello-Leitao 1932); E. gemignanii (Mello-Leitao 1931b); E. signatus(Roewer 1949); E. sooretamae (Soares & Soares 1946a); E. uruguayensis (Ringuelet 1955a). The following generic synonymies are proposed: Eusarcus Perty 1833 (type species E. armatus Perty 1833) = Metagraphinotus Mello-Leitao 1927 (type species M. catharinensis Mello-Leitao 1927), Pareusarcus Roewer 1929 (type species P. corniculatus Roewer 1929), Pygophalangodus Mello-Leitao 1931b (type species P. gemignanii-gemignanii Mello-Leitao 1931b) and Antetriceras Roewer 1949 (type species A. signatus Roewer 1949). The following specific synonymies are proposed: Eusarcus hastatus Sorensen 1884 = Pucrolioides argentina Roewer 1913, E. guimaraensi H. Soares 1945, Jacarepaguana pectinifemur Piza 1943, Canestrinia canalsi Mello-Leitao 1931a, and E. maquinensis H. Soares 1966b; E. armatus Perty 1833 = E. curvispinosus Mello-Leitao 1923b, and Enantiocentron montis Mello-Leitao 1936; Eusarcus catharinensis (Mello-Leitao 1927) = E. antoninae Mello-Leitao 1936, E. perpusillus Mello-Leitao 1945, E. tripos Mello-Leitao 1940, and Metagraphinotus trochanterspinosus Soares & Soares 1947b; E. nigrimaculatus Mello-Leitao 1924 = Pareusarcus centromelos Mello-Leitao 1935a, E. furcatus Roewer 1929, Orguesia armata Roewer 1913, and Pareusarcus corniculatus Roewer 1929; E. oxyacanthus Kollar in Koch 1839a = Enantiocentron doriphorus Mello-Leitao 1932, and E. spinimanu Mello-Leitao 1932; E. pusillus Sorensen 1884 = E. vervloeti B. Soares 1944c; E. berlae Mello-Leitao 1932 = Metagraphinotus arlei Mello-Leitao 1935a. Metapucrolia armata (Sorensen 1895) is revalidated, transferred to Eusarcus and considered as a species inquirenda. A new name, Eusarcus metapucrolia is proposed for this species to avoid homonymy with the type species of Eusarcus, E. armatus Perty 1833. Eusarcus aberrans Mello-Leitao 1939a is considered as a species inquirenda. The male of E. teresincola Soares & Soares 1946a is described. Female of the following species are described: E. bifidus Roewer 1929; E. dubius B. Soares 1943b; E. insperatus B. Soares 1944a; E. schubarti Soares & Soares 1946a; E. sooretamae (Soares & Soares 1946a). The following new species are described from Brazil: E. acrophthalmus (type locality: Bahia, Ilheus, Parataquice); E. alpinus (Rio de Janeiro, Santa Maria Madalena, Parque Estadual do Desengano); E. caparaoensis (Minas Gerais, Alto Caparao, Parque Nacional do Caparao); E. cavernicola (Goias, Sao Domingos, Parque Estadual de Terra Ronca, Lapa da Angelica); E. didactylus (Rio de Janeiro, Teresopolis, Parque Nacional Serra dos Orgaos); E. garibaldiae (Santa Catarina, Itajai); E. geometricus (Rio de Janeiro, Teresopolis, Parque Nacional Serra dos Orgaos); E. manero (Rio de Janeiro, Marica, Itaipuacu); E. matogrossensis (Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimaraes); E. mirabilis (Minas Gerais, Marlieria, Parque Estadual Rio Doce); E. sergipanus (Sergipe, Itabaiana, Parque Nacional de Itabaiana) and E. tripectinatus (Minas Gerais, Rio Preto). The holotype of E. curvispinosus is proposed as the neotype of E. armatus Perty 1833, the type material of which has been lost. Lectotypes for the following species were designated: E. aduncus; E. hastatus; E. oxyacanthus.

The notion of structure and the information records of the documentary systems

Assuming as a starting point the acknowledge that the principles and methods used to build and manage the documentary systems are disperse and lack systematization, this study hypothesizes that the notion of structure, when assuming mutual relationships among its elements, promotes more organical systems and assures better quality and consistency in the retrieval of information concerning users` matters. Accordingly, it aims to explore the fundamentals about the records of information and documentary systems, starting from the notion of structure. In order to achieve that, it presents basic concepts and relative matters to documentary systems and information records. Next to this, it lists the theoretical subsides over the notion of structure, studied by Benveniste, Ferrater Mora, Levi-Strauss, Lopes, Penalver Simo, Saussure, apart from Ducrot, Favero and Koch. Appropriations that have already been done by Paul Otlet, Garcia Gutierrez and Moreiro Gonzalez. In Documentation come as a further topic. It concludes that the adopted notion of structure to make explicit a hypothesis of real systematization achieves more organical systems, as well as it grants pedagogical reference to the documentary tasks.

Life history of Proctolaelaps bulbosus feeding on the coconut mite Aceria guerreronis and other possible food types occurring on coconut fruits

Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) is a major pest of coconut fruits (Cocos nucifera L.) in many countries of the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia. Considerable attention has been given to studies of biological control agents of A. guerreronis. Proctolaelaps bulbosus Moraes, Reis and Gondim Jr. is a predator recently discovered in association with A. guerreronis. Nothing is known about its biology. The aim of this study was to determine suitable food sources for P. bulbosus, among items commonly found on coconut fruits, including A. guerreronis. Food sources evaluated included the mites A. guerreronis, Steneotarsonemus concavuscutum Lofego and Gondim Jr., and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), the fungus Rhizopus aff. stolonifer (Ehrenb.) Vuill and coconut pollen; the mite Tetranychus urticae Koch was also included in the assessments, for being a commonly used prey for mass production and laboratory rearing of predatory mites. Proctolaelaps bulbosus was able to develop up to adulthood when fed A. guerreronis, R. aff. stolonifer and T. putrescentiae. It had the highest population growth rates when feeding on the former (R (o) = 17.5; r (m) = 0.392). These results indicate that A. guerreronis is the most suitable food for P. bulbosus among the possible food sources found on coconut fruits and that P. bulbosus can survive in the absence of eriophyid using R. aff. stolonifer as a food source.

Role of entomopathogenic fungi in the control of Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), pests of horticultural crops

The spider mites Tetranychus urticae Koch and Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard are important pests of horticultural crops. They are infected by entomopathogenic fungi naturally or experimentally. Fungal pathogens known to cause high infection in spider mite populations belong to the order Entomophthorales and include Neozygites spp. Studies are being carried out to develop some of these fungi as mycoacaricides, as standalone control measures in an inundative strategy to replace the synthetic acaricides currently in use or as a component of integrated mite management. Although emphasis has been put on inundative releases, entomopathogenic fungi can also be used in classical, conservation and augmentative biological control. Permanent establishment of an exotic agent in a new area of introduction may be possible in the case of spider mites. Conservation biological control can be achieved by identifying strategies to promote any natural enemies already present within crop ecosystems, based on a thorough understanding of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Further research should focus on development of efficient mass production systems, formulation, and delivery systems of fungal pathogens.

Life history of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus fragariae on Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus urticae (Acari : Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae) at five temperatures

Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard and Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) are important pests of Solanaceae in many countries. Several studies have demonstrated that T. urticae is an acceptable prey to many predatory mites, although the suitability of this prey depends on the host plant. T. evansi, has been shown to be an unfavorable prey to most predatory mites that have been tested against it. The predator Phytoseiulus fragariae Denmark and Schicha (Acari: Phytoseiidae) has been found in association with the two species in Brazil. The objective of this work was to compare biological parameters of P. fragariae on T. evansi and on T. urticae as prey. The study was conducted under laboratory conditions at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 degrees C. At all temperatures, survivorship was lower on T. evansi than on T. urticae. No predator reached adulthood at 10 degrees C on the former species; even on the latter species, only about 36% of the predators reached adulthood at 10 degrees C. For both prey, in general, duration of each life stage was shorter, total fecundity was lower and intrinsic rate of population increase (r(m) ) was higher with increasing temperatures. The slower rate of development of P. fragariae on T. evansi resulted in a slightly higher thermal requirement (103.9 degree-days) on that prey than on T. urticae (97.1 degree-days). The values of net reproduction rate (R-0), intrinsic rate of increase (r (m) ) and finite rate of increase (lambda) were significantly higher on T. urticae, indicating faster population increase of the predator on this prey species. The highest value of r (m) of the predator was 0.154 and 0.337 female per female per day on T. evansi and on T. urticae, respectively. The results suggested that P. fragariae cannot be considered a good predator of T. evansi.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a new causal agent of citrus post-bloom fruit drop

Citrus post-bloom fruit drop (caused by Colletotrichum acutatum) frequently occurs in the southwestern region of So Paulo State, Brazil. A survey of Colletotrichum isolates associated with symptoms of post-bloom fruit drop in So Paulo State showed C. gloeosporioides in addition to C. acutatum. The objectives of this study were to confirm the identification of C. gloeosporioides isolated from symptomatic citrus flowers, to test the pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides isolates, to compare the development of disease caused by C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum, and to determine the frequency of C. gloeosporioides in a sample of isolates obtained from symptomatic flowers in different regions of So Paulo State. Through the use of species-specific primers by PCR, 17.3% of 139 isolates were C. gloeosporioides, and the remaining 82.7% were C. acutatum. The pathogenicity tests, carried out in 3-year old potted plants of sweet oranges indicated that both species caused typical symptoms of the disease including blossom blight and persistent calyces. Incubation periods (3.5 and 3.9 days, respectively, for C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides) and fruit sets (6.7 and 8.5%, respectively for C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides) were similar for both species. The incidences of blossom blight and persistent calyces were higher on plants inoculated with C. acutatum than in those inoculated with C. gloeosporioides. Conidial germination was similar for both species under different temperatures and wetness periods. Under optimal conditions, appressorium formation and melanisation were higher for C. gloeosporioides than for C. acutatum. These results indicated that Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a new causal agent of post-bloom fruit drop.

N-mesityl-C-acylketenimines: 1,5-sigmatropic shifts and electrocyclization to quinolines

Flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT) of triazoles 6a-c generates alpha-oxoketenimines 10, the ester 10a being isolable. FVT of pyrroledione 8 generates the isomeric imidoylketene 9a. Ketenes 9 and ketenimines 10 undergo thermal interconversion by 1,3-shifts of methoxy and dimethylamino groups under mild FVT conditions (ca. 350-400 degrees C). Both 9 and 10 are directly observable by IR spectroscopy at either 77 K or on Ar matrix isolation at 12 K. On FVT at temperatures above ca. 400 degrees C, the ketenimines 10 undergo a 1,5-H shift to o-quinoid imines 12/13, followed by electrocyclization to dihydroquinolines 14 (unobserved) and 15 (observed by NMR). The latter are easily oxidized to alkylquinoline-3-carboxylates or quinoline-3-carboxamides 16 by atmospheric oxygen. Ab initio calculations on model compounds 18-23 predict an energy barrier of ca. 38 kcal mol(-1) (161 kJ mol(-1)) for the 1,5-H shift in N-(o-methylphenyl)ketenimines via the transition state TS19 followed by an electrocyclization barrier to dihydroquinoline 23a via TS22a of ca. 16 kcal mol(-1).

A Delphi study of district nursing research priorities in Australia

This study, using a Delphi approach, sought the opinion of a self-selected panel of 320 district nurses regarding research priorities for district nursing in Australia. Over three rounds of questionnaires, the 419 research clinical problem areas requiring research as suggested by the panel were each rated in importance by the panel and then ranked through analysis from high to low average rating scores, thereby, whittling down the list to the top 15% (68) research questions and to a final list of the top 10 research priorities overall. Research questions focusing on discharge planning are dominant in these top 10 priorities, with documentation issues the second most common focus. Other foci in the top 10 priorities are staffing, aged care, palliative care, and assessment. The organization-specific top 10 research priorities focus on wound care, funding, education, and communication issues. Additionally, the top 68 priorities, which are either finitely practice-based or contextual-issues research questions, were categorized into 20 themes. The results will hopefully lead to scarce human and financial resources being directed to practice-relevant research programs that will facilitate improved health for district nursing (primarily home-nursing) clients in Australia and elsewhere. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Macrophomina phaseolina causing leaf spot of mungbean

Macrophomina phaseolina, causing leaf spot of mungbean is reported in Australia. Koch's postulates were fulfilled. The inoculum source was considered to be microsclerotia of the fungus in soil splashed onto the leaves. The disease is not expected to be a problem in Australia in most years.

Evaluation of antibody response to the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in pediatric chronic kidney disease

Pneumococcal vaccination has been recommended for immunocompromised children, including patients with chronic kidney disease. We determined pneumococcal immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies to serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F before and after 48 pediatric patients with chronic renal failure were administered heptavalent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine. The patients were between 1 and 9 years of age and were separated into a conservative treatment group (Group 1) and a dialysis group Group 2). The antibody response to the vaccinal serotypes was evaluated by measuring antibody concentrations before the first dose and 60 days after the second one. Pre-vaccinal IgG concentrations >= 0.35 mu g/ml were detected for all serotypes in at least 50% of the patients in both groups. Patients from both groups showed a statistically indistinguishable behavior in terms of the medians of post-vaccination IgG levels. An ""adequate"" vaccine response was defined as a post-immunization level of specific pneumococcal serotype antibody >= 0.35 mu g/ml, based on the World Health Organization`s (WHO) protective antibody concentration definition for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, or on a fourfold increase over baseline for at least five of the seven antigens of the vaccine. An ""adequate"" vaccinal response was obtained in 100% of the patients of both groups using WHO`s definition, or in 45.8% of Group 1 patients and 37.5% of Group 2 patients when the criterion was a fourfold antibody increase over baseline antibody concentrations.

Flow-through peritoneal dialysis in neonatal enema-induced hyperphosphatemia

Fleet enemas are hypertonic solutions with an osmotic action and a high concentration of phosphate. When retained in the human body they have a great toxic potential, causing severe hydro-electrolyte disorders in children, especially in newborns. We report the case of a previously healthy 8-day-old newborn who needed neonatal intensive care treatment after the inadvertent administration of an osmotically active hypertonic phosphate enema. Taking into account that phosphate removal by peritoneal dialysis (PD) strongly depends on total dialysate turnover, we chose continuous flow PD (CFPD) as the treatment option, with a successful outcome. Clinical experience with this dialytic modality is limited to a few case reports in pediatric and adult patients. To the best of our knowledge, we report here the first description of CFPD in the setting of acute phosphate nephropathy in the neonatal period. The modality of PD described here has potential as an alternative management option as it is a highly efficient, methodologically simple, and low-cost method without any need for sophisticated equipment. Physicians and parents should be aware of the adverse effects of a hypertonic phosphate enema and should never use these medications in infants and newborns.

Home and Ambulatory Blood Pressure to Identify White Coat and Masked Hypertension in the Pediatric Patient

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of the environment and the observer on the measurement of blood pressure (BP) as well as to compare home BP (HBP) and ambulatory BP (ABP) measurements in the diagnosis of white coat hypertension (WCH) and masked hypertension (MH) in children and adolescents with hypertension (HT). METHODS BP of 40 patients with HT (75% of which had secondary HT and were on antihypertensive medication), mean age 12.1 years was evaluated through casual measurements at the clinic and at the HT unit, HBP for 14 days with the OMRON HEM 705 CP monitor (Omron, Tokyo, Japan) and ABP performed with SPACELABS 90207 (Spacelabs, Redmond, WA), for 24 h. RESULTS HT was diagnosed at the doctor`s office by ABP and HBP in 30/40, 27/40, and 31/40 patients, respectively. Based on office BP and ABP, 60% of patients were normotensive, 17.5% HT, 7.5% had WCH, and 15% had MH, whereas based on office BP and HBP 65, 12.5, 10, and 12.5% of patients were classified according to these diagnoses, respectively. There was considerable diagnostic agreement of HT by ABP and HBP (McNemar test, P < 0.01) (kappa = 0.56). CONCLUSION In hypertensive children and adolescents, HBP and ABP present comparable results. HBP appears to be a useful diagnostic test for the detection of MH and WCH in pediatric patients.