Brief Note Estimating Nymphal Populations of 17-Year Cicadas in Eastern Ohio, 1968

Author Institution: Department of Entomology, University of Main

Effect of Sun-Exposure on Emergence of 17-Year Cicadas

Author Institution: Department of Entomology, University of MaineNymphs of 17-year cicadas, Magicicada spp., emerged from the soil on the south side of apple trees about 2 to 5 days before emergence on the north side and in the interior of nearby woods in northern Ohio. Cicadas began to emerge 2 to 3 days after 50% of the nvmphal population showed black prothoracic markings. Development of two large black spots on the prothoracic dorsum of nymphs in a field, and their emergence, occurred one day prior to that of nymphs on the south side of apple trees. The appearance of the black spots indicates that nymphs are ready to emerge from the soil

Eriophyid Mites New to Ohio

Author Institution: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohi

The speciation and genotyping of Cronobacter isolates from hospitalised patients

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised all Cronobacter species as human pathogens. Among premature neonates and immunocompromised infants, these infections can be life-threatening, with clinical presentations of septicaemia, meningitis and necrotising enterocolitis. The neurological sequelae can be permanent and the mortality rate as high as 40 – 80 %. Despite the highlighted issues of neonatal infections, the majority of Cronobacter infections are in the elderly population suffering from serious underlying disease or malignancy and include wound and urinary tract infections, osteomyelitis, bacteraemia and septicaemia. However, no age profiling studies have speciated or genotyped the Cronobacter isolates. A clinical collection of 51 Cronobacter strains from two hospitals were speciated and genotyped using 7-loci multilocus sequence typing (MLST), rpoB gene sequence analysis, O-antigen typing and pulsed- field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The isolates were predominated by C. sakazakii sequence type 4 (63 %, 32/51) and C. malonaticus sequence type 7 (33 %, 17/51). These had been isolated from throat and sputum samples of all age groups, as well as recal and faecal swabs. There was no apparent relatedness between the age of the patient and the Cronobacter species isolated. Despite the high clonality of Cronobacter , PFGE profiles differentiated strains across the sequence types into 15 pulsotypes. There was almost complete agreement between O-antigen typing and rpoB gene sequence analysis and MLST profiling. This study shows the value of applying MLST to bacterial population studies with strains from two patient cohorts, combined with PFGE for further discrimination of strains

Explorations, Vol. 2, No. 3

Cover image: Ezra Pound Dedication: With affection and respect, this issue of EXPLORATIONS is dedicated to Carroll Terrell, Professor Emeritus of English. Articles include: Carroll Terrell and the Great American Poetry Wars, by Burton Hatlen Adventures in China, by H.Y. Forsythe, Jr. Harry Kern and the Making of the New Japan, by Howard B. Schonberger From the Dispatch Case: update on malnutrition in Maine, by Richard Cook Changing Approaches to Protein Structure Determination, by Robert Anderegg The Search of Effective Policy: Meeting the Challenge of an Aging Society, by Dennis A. Watkins and Julia M. Watkins Citizen Survey of the Maine State Police, by Robert A. Stron