Ichneumonid wasps from Madagascar. VI. The genus Pristomerus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae)

Pristomerus species of Madagascar are revised. We report 15 species, of which 12 are newly described: P. guinness sp. nov., P. hansoni sp. nov., P. kelikely sp. nov., P. keyka sp. nov., P. moramora sp. nov., P. melissa sp. nov., P. patator sp. nov., P. ranomafana sp. nov., P. roberti sp. nov., P. vahaza sp. nov., P. veloma sp. nov. and P. yago sp. nov. Pristomerus albescens (Morley) and P. cunctator Tosquinet are newly recorded from Madagascar and new host and/or distribution records are provided for this species. A dichotomous key to all species is provided. The zoogeographical relation of the Malagasy fauna of Pristomerus with respect to mainland Africa is discussed: only three of the 15 species are reported to occur outside of Madagascar, suggesting a high level of endemism in Madagascar which was not unexpected

Quebec 2018, a failure of the polls or else?

The polls of the 2018 Quebec election forecast a close race between the two leading parties. The result, a clear victory of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) over the Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ), was clearly at odds with the polls. We argue that when the polls get it wrong, it is important to determine whether there was a polling miss, in which the discrepancy is due to changing voter behaviour, or a poll failure, in which the problem stems from polling methodology. Our post-election poll shows that changing voter behaviour—last-minute shifts and the vote of non-disclosers—explains most of the discrepancy. These movements varied by region. We conclude that the Quebec 2018 election was among the worst polling misses in history but not necessarily a major poll failure.Les sondages de l’élection Québécoise de 2018 avaient annoncé une lutte serrée entre les deux principaux partis. Le résultat, une victoire décisive de la Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) aux dépens du Parti Liberal du Québec (PLQ), n’était clairement pas ce qui avait été anticipé. Nous soutenons que, lorsque les sondages se trompent, il est important de déterminer si l’écart entre les estimations des sondages et le vote est dû à un changement dans le comportement des électeurs ou à un échec des sondages eux-mêmes attribuable à la méthodologie utilisée. Notre sondage post-électoral montre que des changements dans le comportement des électeurs—changements de préférences de dernière minute et vote des discrets—expliquent la majeure partie des écarts dans cette élection. Ces mouvements varient toutefois selon les régions. Nous concluons que l’élection québécoise de 2018 se situe historiquement parmi les pires écarts entre les sondages et le vote mais ne peut pas être considérée comme un échec majeur des sondages eux-mêmes

The Hairless Rat: A Relevant Animal Model to Predict In Vivo Percutaneous Absorption in Humans?

Percutaneous absorption of 4 radiolabeled molecules was compared in the hairless rat (back) and in different anatomic sites in human (arm, abdomen, postauricular, forehead). The conditions under which these 4 compounds were administered (area treated, dose, vehicle, contact time, etc.) were similar in both species. The results showed that, in humans and rats, there exists the same rank order in total absorption: benzoic acid sodium salt < caffeine < benzoic acid < acetylsalicylic acid. In both species there was a factor of 3 between the most and the least absorbed molecule. Although skin permeability varied significantly with the physicochemical nature of the compound administered, it also depended on the anatomic site involved. Independent of the molecule studied, the rank order of permeability of the sites tested in humans appeared as follows: arm ≤ abdomen < postwar < forehead. There was a factor of 3 between the most and the least permeable sites. For each molecule and each anatomic site, the ratios of total percutaneous absorption human/hairless rat (back) were determined. For a given anatomic site and whatever the molecule tested, these ratios were constant. It thus appears that when conditions are carefully controlled, it may be possible, by measurements on animals, to predict the absorption of a compound in humans. Further experimentation with chemicals of varied physicochemical properties will be required for validation of the model

Analyzing institutional changes in community-based management : a case study of a participatory guarantee system for organic labeling in Brazil

The literature on collective action has poorly addressed processes of incremental institutional changes within organizations. This paper helps fill this gap by shedding light on how the community-based management of an organic label has changed following its formal recognition as a ‘participatory guarantee system’ (PGS). Ostrom and Basurto’s (2011) analytical tool is useful to describe the changes in collective rules to address collective action problems that take place in standard-setting and labeling activities. Using original data collected from the Ecovida Agroecology Network – the oldest and largest PGS in Brazil –, we study the multi-scale changes in governance rules from the 1970s until today. We pay particular attention to the links between the institutional consolidation of PGS, its recognition by public authorities, and its adaptation to legal rules. We detail analytical operators indicating whether the introduction of the PGS rules at the national level was bottom-up or top-down. Our findings emphasize how local communities have been able to both adapt their governance system in response to the official arrangements concerning organic regulations, and influence national public arenas where these arrangements are defined. This form of co-management has been accompanied by a significant increase in the number of PGS-certified farmers

Prevalence and clinical significance of solitary pulmonary sub-segmental microembolism

BACKGROUND: Solitary pulmonary microembolism is rarely discussed as a distinct diagnostic entity. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of embolism limited to subsegmental branches in a group of patients discharged from hospital on anticoagulants with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism based on ventilation-perfusion imaging followed by selective angiography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Of 29 consecutive patients with classic signs of pulmonary embolism at angiography, we identified a subgroup of 5 patients with sub-segmental embolism, which was solitary in all cases. RESULTS: Clinical presentation included chest pain (2/5), shortness of breath (2/5, or hypoxemia (1/5). Chest X-rays were normal (2/5), or showed pulmonary oedema (1/5) or atelectasis with (1/5), or without (1/5) pleural effusion. VQ imaging patterns included small subsegmental mismatch (1/5), one segment mismatch (1/5), single (1/5) or triple (2/5) match. The site and size of the microemboli found at angiography were incompatible with the location and severity of symptoms in 4/5 (80%) patients, and with location and extent of Chest X-ray findings and with VQ patterns in all patients. VQ abnormalities were either either disproportionably larger or were non congruent with the vascular territory compromised by the subsegmental embolus. CONCLUSIONS: Sub-segmental pulmonary micro-emboli were always solitary, and not uncommon, comprising 17% of all patients with pulmonary embolism. The location and size of the emboli were inconsistent with clinical, Chest X-ray and scintigraphic findings, suggesting that isolated microemboli are a serendipitous finding, of no clinical significance

Development of a PCR-RFLP marker to genetically distinguish Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus

The cercariae stages of Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus are morphologically indistinguishable. However, the differentiation of these two species is crucial to understand the transmission dynamics between these primary hosts (mussels) and the secondary hosts (fish). In this way, the objective of this study is to develop an accurate molecular identification tool to differentiate the cercariae stage of P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. We targeted the 18S nuclear ribosomal DNA region by PCR amplification and sequenced this amplicon. By generating these sequences, we developed a RFLP tool with the use of the enzymes HincII and FokI that produced different restriction profiles between P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. Each enzyme generated different-sized fragments specific to the species examined and no cross-reaction between the species was detected in their restriction pattern. By sequencing, no intraspecific-polymorphism was detected since there is 100% homology among P. aculeatus or P. crucibulum. These results indicate that PCR-linked restriction analysis of the 18S rDNA region provided us with rapid and reliable molecular tools for distinction of the cercariae of these species. The sequences generated were deposited in GenBank accession numbers for P. crucibulum cercariae (FJ463407, FJ463408 and FJ463409) and adult worm (FJ429096, FJ429097), and for P. aculeatus adult (FJ429094 and FJ429095)