Host plant range of a fruit fly community (Diptera: Tephritidae): Does fruit composition influence larval performance?

Background: Phytophagous insects differ in their degree of specialisation on host plants, and range from strictly monophagous species that can develop on only one host plant to extremely polyphagous species that can develop on hundreds of plant species in many families. Nutritional compounds in host fruits affect several larval traits that may be related to adult fitness. In this study, we determined the relationship between fruit nutrient composition and the degree of host specialisation of seven of the eight tephritid species present in La Réunion; these species are known to have very different host ranges in natura. In the laboratory, larval survival, larval developmental time, and pupal weight were assessed on 22 fruit species occurring in La Réunion. In addition, data on fruit nutritional composition were obtained from existing databases. Results: For each tephritid, the three larval traits were significantly affected by fruit species and the effects of fruits on larval traits differed among tephritids. As expected, the polyphagous species Bactrocera zonata, Ceratitis catoirii, C. rosa, and C. capitata were able to survive on a larger range of fruits than the oligophagous species Zeugodacus cucurbitae, Dacus demmerezi, and Neoceratitis cyanescens. Pupal weight was positively correlated with larval survival and was negatively correlated with developmental time for polyphagous species. Canonical correspondence analysis of the relationship between fruit nutrient composition and tephritid survival showed that polyphagous species survived better than oligophagous ones in fruits containing higher concentrations of carbohydrate, fibre, and lipid. Conclusion: Nutrient composition of host fruit at least partly explains the suitability of host fruits for larvae. Completed with female preferences experiments these results will increase our understanding of factors affecting tephritid host range. (Résumé d'auteur

Avaliação da analgesia pós-operatória em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia orificial com anestesia local associada ou não à morfina Evaluation of the postoperative analgesia in patients submitted to anorectal surgery with local anesthesia associated or not the morphine

Ainda não esta comprovada a eficácia dos derivados morfínicos ao nível de receptores opióides periféricos. Estudos procuram demonstrar o poder da droga em interferir na intensidade da dor quando infiltrada em nervos periféricos. Avaliamos, então, a infiltração local de morfina associada à anestesia local em cirurgias orificiais proctológicas. Nesse estudo foram analisados 61 pacientes, independentemente do gênero, sendo divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: a um grupo foi associada morfina ao anestésico local enquanto ao outro houve a administração do anestésico local sem a droga morfínica. Os pacientes de ambos os grupos foram submetidos à sedação e analgesia pós-operatória padronizadas. Foram avaliados: a intensidade da dor, a analgesia pós-operatória e a morbidade. A intensidade da dor, no momento de seu surgimento, foi semelhante nos dois grupos; o tempo de analgesia pós-operatória foi maior no grupo em que a morfina foi administrada, entretanto, não se mostrou estatisticamente significativo; as complicações pós-operatórias foram irrelevantes nos dois grupos. Dessa forma, a infiltração local de morfina na região anorretal tem benefícios em relação à analgesia pós-operatória que não mostraram significância estatística e não aumenta a incidência dos efeitos colaterais tão temidos relacionados às drogas morfínicas como retenção urinária e prurido.<br>It has not been proved the efficacy of morphine derived at periphery opium receivers. Studies are trying to demonstrate the power of the drug to interfere in the intensity of surgical pain while infiltrating in the periphery nerves. This study evaluated the infiltration of morphine associated with local anesthesia in anorectal surgery. Sixty one patients were analyzed, male and female, divided in two groups: in one group was associated morphine in the local anesthesia while in the other group only the local anesthetic was used. The patients of both groups were submitted to the same protocol standardized sedative during the surgery and postoperative analgesia. The intensity of pain was evaluated when it appeared, the time with analgesia was analyzed and other complications were registered. The intensity of pain was similar in both groups, the time with analgesia was longer in the group where morphine was used, although it was not significant in the statistics and the complications after the surgery were not significant in both groups. So the infiltration of morphine in the anorectal region has benefices in the postoperative analgesia but it was not significant in the statistics and it does not increase the complications related with morphine as urinary retention and itching

Assessment of Learning Gains Associated with Independent Exam Analysis in Introductory Biology

This study evaluates the impact of an independent postmidterm question analysis exercise on the ability of students to answer subsequent exam questions on the same topics. It was conducted in three sections (∼400 students/section) of introductory biology. Graded midterms were returned electronically, and each student was assigned a subset of questions answered incorrectly by more than 40% of the class to analyze as homework. The majority of questions were at Bloom's application/analysis level; this exercise therefore emphasized learning at these higher levels of cognition. Students in each section answered final exam questions matched by topic to all homework questions, providing a within-class control group for each question. The percentage of students who correctly answered the matched final exam question was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the Topic Analysis versus Control Analysis group for seven of 19 questions. We identified two factors that influenced activity effectiveness: 1) similarity in topic emphasis of the midterm–final exam question pair and 2) quality of the completed analysis homework. Our data suggest that this easy-to-implement exercise will be useful in large-enrollment classes to help students develop self-regulated learning skills. Additional strategies to help introductory students gain a broader understanding of topic areas are discussed