[Diffuse large B cell lymphoma: management in 2012].

Diffuse Large B Cells Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma and comprises a large number of different entities with different clinico-pathological characteristics. The role of positron emission tomography is essential during the initial staging and post treatment assessment, and potentially at early- or mid-treatment evaluation of response. First line therapy comprises immuno-chemotherapy with rituximab and different cytotoxic agents that differ for components, dosages and frequency of administration taking worldwide-recognized pre-treatment prognostic variables into account. After relapse, peripheral blood stem cells transplantation remains the only chance of cure. This review attempts to summarize the current state of our knowledge by highlighting the leads pursued to further improve current therapeutic results

Longitudinal monitoring of Culicoides in Belgium between 2007 and 2011: local variation in population dynamics parameters warrant cautious use of monitoring data.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;BACKGROUND: &lt;/b&gt;Several European countries suffered important economic losses during the past decade due to the emergence of bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses. Both are viruses of veterinary importance and are spread by Culicoides spp. This triggered many European countries to start Culicoides population monitoring. Recently a one year monitoring study at 16 sites in Belgium revealed that important variation existed in Culicoides abundance and species diversity between collection sites. In order to analyze whether this variation is consistent over years, a detailed analysis of monitoring data collected at seven locations in Belgium between 2007 and 2011 was performed in this study. At all locations, biting midges were collected with OVI black light traps set-up in close proximity to livestock.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;In total, 42 different Culicoides species were morphologically identified. Species of the subgenus Avaritia represented 83% of all collected midges. Nevertheless, important differences in species composition were found between sites. Furthermore, statistical differences between sites were found for the total and maximum annual abundance, showing that a consistent higher or lower number of Culicoides could be collected depending on the selected collection site. Yearly, up to 16 and 30-fold differences in total and maximum annual abundances between sites, respectively, were found. Also the month in which most Culicoides were collected varied greatly between years, both at local (from May to October) and country level [May (2008), June (2010), July (2009), August (2011), October (2007)]. Finally, the average vector-free period over all sites and years was 173 days and could roughly be defined between November and the end of April. Interestingly, important yearly variations of up to two months in the duration of the vector-free period were found between the studied collection sites. In contrast to the abundance parameters, no specific sites could however be identified where monitoring consistently showed shorter or longer vector-free periods.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSIONS: &lt;/b&gt;In conclusion, our results show that the selection of collection sites for Culicoides monitoring, even in a small country such as Belgium, strongly influences abundance parameters and that yearly variation in seasonality occurs. This emphasizes that care should be taken when using such parameters in risk assessments for transmission of Culicoides-borne diseases and that more clear and strict guidelines for Culicoides monitoring should be considered when monitoring data are used for legislative purposes.&lt;/p&gt;</p

Implementing plant biostimulants and biocontrol strategies in the agroecological management of cultivated ecosystems. A review

Introduction. In the context of sustainable agricultural production, agroecology aims at optimizing the economic and environmental performances of beneficial ecosystem services in order to (i) increase the productivity and resilience of cultivated ecosystems and (ii) preserve their natural resources. The maintenance of such performances is supported by research via the development of new tools that enhance plant tolerance to numerous biotic and abiotic stresses. Literature. Biostimulants can be used as a tool to complement the use of chemical inputs, by involving non-living-based products, or living-based products containing beneficial rhizosphere microbiome, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Pest management research has also made major advances in the development of efficient biocontrol methods. Elicitors and semiochemicals are considered to be some of the most promising tools for inducing plant resistance to various diseases and enhancing natural predation, respectively. Several products are already on the market. This review discusses current methods for exploiting and applying biostimulant and biocontrol products in contemporary agricultural systems. Future applications of these tools for sustainable management of cultivated ecosystems are also discussed. Conclusions. These tools are still difficult to use because of their lack of reliability in the field and their uneasy integration in the cropping systems. Further studies are needed to better understand the parameters influencing the efficiency of PGPR, elicitors and semiochemicals. Special attention needs to be given to the formulation and the interactions of these products with plant physiology and the environment

Elevated carbon dioxide concentration reduces alarm signaling in aphids

Insects often rely on olfaction to communicate with conspecifics. While the chemical language of insects has been deciphered in recent decades, few studies have assessed how changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations might impact pheromonal communication in insects. Here, we hypothesize that changes in the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide affect the whole dynamics of alarm signaling in aphids, including: (1) the production of the active compound (E)-β-farnesene (Eβf), (2) emission behavior when under attack, (3) perception by the olfactory apparatus, and (4) the escape response. We reared two strains of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations over several generations. We found that an increase in CO2 concentration reduced the production (i.e., individual content) and emission (released under predation events) of Eβf. While no difference in Eβf neuronal perception was observed, we found that an increase in CO2 strongly reduced the escape behavior expressed by an aphid colony following exposure to natural doses of alarm pheromone. In conclusion, our results confirm that changes to greenhouse gases impact chemical communication in the pea aphid, and could potentially have a cascade effect on interactions with higher trophic levels

Culicoides monitoring in Belgium in 2011: analysis of spatiotemporal abundance, species diversity and Schmallenberg virus detection.

&lt;p&gt;In 2011, Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were collected at 16 locations covering four regions of Belgium with Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) traps and at two locations with Rothamsted suction traps (RSTs). Quantification of the collections and morphological identification showed important variations in abundance and species diversity between individual collection sites, even for sites located in the same region. However, consistently higher numbers of Culicoides midges were collected at some sites compared with others. When species abundance and diversity were analysed at regional level, between-site variation disappeared. Overall, species belonging to the subgenus Avaritia together with Culicoides pulicaris (subgenus Culicoides) were the most abundant, accounting for 80% and 96% of all midges collected with RSTs and OVI traps, respectively. Culicoides were present during most of the year, with Culicoides obsoletus complex midges found from 9 February until 27 December. Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction screening for Schmallenberg virus in the heads of collected midges resulted in the first detection of the virus in August 2011 and identified C. obsoletus complex, Culicoides chiopterus and Culicoides dewulfi midges as putative vector species. At Libramont in the south of Belgium, no positive pools were identified.&lt;/p&gt;</p

Comparison of Culicoides Latreille 1809 populations (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) present inside a Belgian sheepfold and a nearby sheep meadow

peer reviewedLes moucherons piqueurs du genre Culicoides (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) sont les vecteurs biologiques de nombreux agents pathogènes, dont les virus de la fièvre catarrhale ovine et de Schmallenberg, récemment décrits en Europe du Nord. Ces maladies ont engendré des pertes économiques considérables dans les cheptels ovin et bovin. Cette étude, entreprise d’août à décembre 2007 au sein d’une exploitation ovine de la province de Namur (Belgique), vise à évaluer, au moyen de pièges lumineux, les populations de Culicoides présentes à l’intérieur d’une bergerie partiellement ouverte et au sein d’une pâture ovine avoisinante. L’analyse comparative des insectes capturés à 18 dates à intervalles réguliers montre que les culicoïdes sont plus abondants à l’intérieur du bâtiment d’élevage (17.450 individus) que dans la prairie voisine (1.121 individus); celle-ci présente toutefois une plus grande diversité spécifique. Les deux espèces C. obsoletus et C. scoticus constituant le complexe Obsoletus sont majoritaires pour l’ensemble des piégeages et les femelles se montrent bien plus nombreuses que les mâles. L’importante capture de femelles gorgées de sang (complexe Obsoletus) à l’intérieur de la bergerie traduit la possibilité d’un comportement endophage opportuniste. Le maintien des ovins préconisé à l’intérieur des bâtiments d’élevage afin de réduire les risques de piqûres de culicoïdes – et de ce fait de transmission de pathogènes – nécessite dès lors de limiter les populations de moucherons piqueurs susceptibles d’y entrer ou de s’y développer. Ainsi la mise en place de mesures d’assainissement et d’hygiène efficaces contre les culicoïdes au sein des exploitations agricoles, ainsi que l’instauration de mesures de protection contre l’intrusion et l’amélioration de l’étanchéité des bâtiments d’élevage sont hautement recommandées.Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) serve as biological vectors for several pathogens, including the Bluetongue virus and the recently described Schmallenberg virus in northern Europe. These diseases have caused considerable direct and indirect economic losses to the sheep and cattle industries. This study undertaken between August and December 2007 on a sheep farm in the Namur province (Belgium) aims to evaluate Culicoides populations present inside a partially opened sheepfold and in a nearby sheep meadow, using light traps. The comparative analysis of insects trapped at 18 dates at regular intervals showed that Culicoides were most abundant Inside this livestock building (17,450 midges) than in surrounding meadow (1,121 midges); this meadow had however a greater species diversity. The two species C. obsoletus and C. scoticus constituting the Obsoletus complex predominated for all trappings and females were much more numerous than males. Important capture of engorged females of the Obsoletus complex inside the sheepfold seems to reflect the possibility of an opportunistic endophagous behavior. Maintaining sheep inside livestock buildings in order to reduce the risk of Culicoides bites – and thus of pathogens transmission – however requires to limit biting midge populations which are likely to enter or to develop inside these buildings. Implementation of effective sanitation and hygiene measures against midges present inside farms, as well as establishing of measures to protect livestock against intrusion and improvement of “midge-proofing” of animal housing are therefore highly recommended