Selection of an Artificial Diet for Laboratory Rearing of Opogona sacchari (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) (Bojer, 1856)

The banana moth Opogona sacchari (Bojer) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) is a polyphagous pest that can cause serious damage, in particular to banana crops in southern Brazil. The insect is a quarantine pest in several countries, including Argentina, the main consumer market for bananas from southern Brazil. Little information is available about the biology and ecology of this moth, such as a suitable diet for laboratory rearing. In order to provide support for integrated pest management of the pest, this study furnished data for selecting two diets suitable for continuous laboratory rearing of O. sacchari, one based on dried beans, wheat germ, soy bran, brewer’s yeast, and casein and another diet with wheat germ and casein as protein sources. With both diets, the viability of the egg-adult period exceeded 68%, with fertility over 338 eggs per female. A corrected biotic potential analysis gave similar values for the two diets

Overheating influence on solidification - thermal variables and microstructure formation of aluminium alloy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)A comparative analysis of the 5052 aluminum alloy solidification process involving different overheating ranges is presented herein. Experimentally determined, the main parameters of the solidification process were affected in the overheating range and influenced the microstructure arrangement. The 5052 aluminium alloy was selected. It contains about. 3% magnesium and is used for commercial purposes. The aluminium alloy was poured into a device that allows unidirectional solidification and was programmed with three different overheating ranges, Temperature variation at different sample positions was monitored using a data acquisition system. From the temperature results, the other parameters of the process were determined. The dendritic spacing was determined by the micrographs. Through experimental analysis, the influence of the overheating range was established at the following parameters related to the solidification process: the heat transfer coefficient at the metal/mold interface, the solidification rate, the thermal gradient at the liquid us isotherm, the cooling rate, the local solidification time and secondary arm spacing. The change between the columnar and equiaxed structure was also studied.624481486Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPEMACoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Effect of sociodemographic, clinical-prophylactic and therapeutic procedures on survival of AIDS patients assisted in a Brazilian outpatient clinic Efeitos de fatores sociodemográficos, clínico-profiláticos e terapêuticos na sobrevida de pacientes com aids acompanhados em uma unidade ambulatorial brasileira

The Brazilian AIDS Program offers free and universal access to antiretroviral therapy. This study investigates the influence of sociodemographic, clinical-prophylactic and therapeutic factors on survival, after AIDS diagnosis, in an open cohort of 1,420 patients assisted in a university hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro (1995 _ 2002). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the effect of variables in the three dimensions studied. The overall survival time of the upper quartile was 24 months (CI95%= 20.5-27.5), increasing from 14 months, in 1995, to 46 months, in 1998. We found a protective effect of heterosexual behavior against death that could be attributed to the increasing female-to-male sex ratio in the cohort, which coincided with the time of therapy introduction. Low schooling, hospital admission and lack of follow-up were identified as risk factors for death; PCP and Toxoplasmosis prophylaxis were protective. The number of attempts required to consolidate the antiretroviral therapy showed no significant effect on survival. The full model, which includes the number of antiretroviral drugs in the regimen, confirmed the triple therapy as the best regimen. This study brings important information for designing guidelines to deal with different aspects related to the practical management of patients and their behavior, thus contributing to the success of the program of free access to antiretroviral therapy implemented in Brazil.<br>O programa Brasileiro de DST/AIDS oferece acesso livre e universal à terapia anti-retroviral. Este estudo investiga a influência dos fatores sociodemográficos, clínico-profiláticos e terapêuticos na sobrevida, após o diagnóstico de AIDS, em uma coorte aberta de 1.420 pacientes atendida em hospital universitário na Cidade do Rio de Janeiro (1995-2002). Kaplan-Meier e modelo de risco proporcional de Cox foram usados para estimar os efeitos das variáveis nas três dimensões estudadas. O tempo de sobrevida global no quartil superior foi de 24 meses (IC95%= 20,5-27,5), aumentando de 14 meses, em 1995, para 46 meses, em 1998. Encontrou-se um efeito protetor do comportamento heterossexual contra o risco de morte que pode ser atribuído à proporção crescente de mulheres na coorte, que coincide com a introdução da terapia. Baixa escolaridade, admissão hospitalar e ausência de seguimento nas consultas foram fatores de risco, enquanto a profilaxia para PCP e para toxoplasmose foram protetoras. O número de tentativas requeridas para consolidar a terapia anti-retroviral mostrou não ter efeito significativo na sobrevida. O modelo completo, incluído o número de drogas anti-retrovirais do esquema, confirmou a tripla terapia como o melhor esquema. Este estudo traz importantes informações para definir orientações que lidem com diferentes aspectos relacionados com o manuseio prático de pacientes e seus comportamentos, desta forma contribuindo para o sucesso do livre acesso à terapia anti-retroviral no controle da AIDS

Influência da fase embrionária dos ovos da traça-das-crucíferas sobre fêmeas de Trichogramma pretiosum com diferentes idades Influence of diamondback moth embrionary egg stage on Trichogramma pretiosum females of different ages

Plutella xylostella é considerada a praga mais importante das crucíferas. O método de controle mais utilizado para essa praga é o químico. Contudo, esta espécie de inseto vem desenvolvendo resistência aos inseticidas aplicados. O controle biológico com espécies do gênero Trichogramma é considerado uma alternativa no controle dessa praga. Porém, poucos são os trabalhos que mencionam aspectos biológicos desse parasitóide sobre esta praga. Neste trabalho avaliou-se a influência da fase embrionária dos ovos do hospedeiro P. xylostella sobre fêmeas de T. pretiosum com diferentes idades. Fêmeas do parasitóide foram divididas em cinco lotes, compostos por espécimes recém-emergidos com 24; 48; 72 e 96 horas de idade. Cada lote continha dez fêmeas de T. pretiosum. Para cada fêmea de cada lote, foi oferecida uma cartela contendo 30 ovos de P. xylostella com um, dois e três dias de idade. As maiores taxas de parasitismo foram observadas em fêmeas com idade superior a 48 horas, independente do desenvolvimento embrionário do hospedeiro. Em ovos com três dias de desenvolvimento embrionário verificou-se que, para fêmeas recém-emergidas e com 48 horas de idade, a taxa de viabilidade foi superior apenas em relação àquelas com 96 horas de idade. Ao se avaliar os descendentes de T. pretiosum provenientes de ovos com um dia de desenvolvimento embrionário, verificou-se que os maiores valores de longevidade foram obtidos quando as fêmeas desse parasitóide eram recém-emergidas.<br>Plutella xylostella is one of the most important pests of Cruciferae. Chemicals have been used to control this insect, but the rapid development of resistance is a serious constraint to this method. Biological control with Trichogramma species has been reported as an alternative to control diamondback moth. However few works report biological parameters of this parasitoid interacting with this pest. This work was carried out to evaluate the influence of egg embryonary stage of P. xylostella on T. pretiosum females at different ages. Females of this parasitoid were organized in five groups. These groups were composed of females just emerged, 24 h; 48 h; 72 h, and 96 hours-old. Each group was formed of ten females. Each female received a card with thirty P. xylostella eggs, one, two and three day-old. Higher parasitism rates were observed with females older than 48 hours, with no influence of host embryonic development. In three day-old eggs it was verified that just emerged females and 48 hour-old, the viability index was superior just to those 96 hour-old. The progeny with one day of embryonary development, presented higher longevity values with just emerged females

Using energy budget data to assess the most damaging life-stage of an agricultural pest Mocis latipes (Guenèe, 1982) (Lepidoptera - Noctuidae)

There is much evidence to support that Mocis latipes larvae (Guenèe, 1852) are the most dangerous pasture pest and usually cause large environmental losses. However, no studies have been carried out to identify the instars during which this moth causes the most damage to the environment. Here we calculate M. latipes larval energy budget to assess its consumption across all instars and estimate the consumption/amount of plant biomass required to complete its larval development. Assimilation, respiration, consumption, excretion, gross growth efficiency and net growth efficiency were calculated. Pearson correlations were used to identify the best predictors that influenced larval growth and weight. Across all instars consumption increased exponentially, especially during the last phase. M. latipes larvae consumed ca 13.8% of total food from the first to the fifth instar, whereas during the sixth instars these larvae consumed ca 72.6%. Results also show that the best gross growth and net growth efficiency were obtained when larvae reached the fifth instar. The results also show that one larva of Mocis latipes consumes 1.02 g (dry weight) of Paspalum maritimum (Trin) in 19 days. Overall, our results indentified the sixth instar as the most destructive instar of this insect. Thus, once we know the most destructive instars of this pest, measures can be taken to disable M. latipes larval development and consequently stop their increase in plant consumption, reducing ecological and economic damage. This knowledge may eventually lead to reduced agricultural damage and contribute to sustainable farming strategies