Prey-preference of Orius albidipennis (Het.: Anthocoridae) on onion thrips and two-spotted spider mite under laboratory conditions

Prey-preference of the predatory bug, Orius albidipennis Reuter, with predation rate and prey-preference tests on the basis of completely randomized design (CRD) and without the replacement of consumed prey was examined under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% RH and L16: D8 photoperiod). Results of the predation rate test indicated that the predation of the female predatory bug on the 2nd larvae of onion thrips and the female two-spotted spider mite was 14.8 ± 1.46 and 20 ± 0.7 respectively, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05) between them. In the prey-preference test, the preying of the female predatory bug on the 2nd larvae of onion thrips and the female two-spotted spider mite was 8.4 ± 0.84 and 4.4 ± 0.22 respectively. The Manly preferance index (α) of the 2nd larvae of onion thrips (prey I) and the female two-spotted spider mite (prey II) was 0.8 ± 0.09 and 0.2 ± 0.03 respectively, which demonstrated that the predatory bug more preferred the 2nd larvae of onion thrips than the two-spotted spider mite. Both tests were repeated for the male predatory bug in similar conditions. In the predation rate test, the results from the preying of the male predatory bug on the 2nd larvae of onion thrips and the female two-spotted spider mite was 11 ± 1.58 and 12 ± 1.22 respectively, showing no significant difference. In the prey-preference test, consumption of the male predatory bug from the 2nd larvae of onion thrips was 3.3 ± 0.13 and from the female two-spotted spider mite was 3.2 ± 0.17. In this experiment, the Manly preference index (α) of the 2nd larvae of onion thrips (prey I) and the female two-spotted spider mite (prey II) was 0.52 ± 0.03 and 0.48 ± 0.05 respectively. According to these data, the male predatory bug showed no preference for either prey species

Mid-term follow-up of patients with Brugada syndrome following a cardioverter defibrillator implantation: A single center experience

BACKGROUND: Brugada syndrome is an arrhythmogenic disease characterized by an ECG pattern of ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads and an increase risk of sudden cardiac death. Risk stratification for the life-threatening arrhythmic events in Brugada syndrome is not yet established. In the present study, we report our experience in patients with Brugada syndrome, following an ICD implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 12 patients (11 men, 1 woman) with a mean age of 46.5±11.8 were studied. At diagnosis, 7 patients had syncope of unknown origin, 2 patients were asymptomatic, 2 patients were survivors of cardiac arrest, and 1 had documented clinical VT requiring direct cardioversion for termination. Age was similar between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (46.6±13 vs. 46±2.8, respectively). Two patients reported a family history of sudden cardiac death. In 3 patients, spontaneous coved-type ECG was found at baseline. In 9 patients, a class I antiarrhythmic drug administration unmasked the characteristic type I ECG. In 4 patients (2 symptomatic with syncope at presentation and 2 asymptomatic), who underwent PES, sustained polymorphic VT or VF was induced. VF was induced by single extrastimuli in 2 symptomatic patients (1 from RV apex and 1 from RVOT). In 2 asymptomatic patients, VF was induced by two and triple ventricular extrastimli (1 from RV apex and 1 from RVOT). None of them experienced an event during follow-up. No significant difference was found between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (p=NS). The mean follow-up period for the entire study population was 27.83±11.25 months. During follow-up, 2 patients (one with prior cardiac arrest and another with syncope) had VF. Both of them had a type I ECG after provocation with a class I antiarrhythmic drug. None of them had undergone programmed ventricular stimulation. Five patients (41.7 %) had inappropriate ICD interventions during follow-up. The cause of inappropriate therapy was sinus tachycardia in 2 patients, AF in 2 patients and T wave oversensing in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Knowledge about Brugada syndrome is steadily progressing but there are still unanswered issues dealing with the risk stratification and the management of patients

MR defecography: A diagnostic test for the evaluation of pelvic floor motion in patients with dyssynergic defecation after biofeedback therapy

Background: Dyssynergic defecation is a major cause of chronic functional constipation as a common digestive complaint. We clinically evaluated the effects of biofeedback therapy on the pelvic floor motion indices through magnetic resonance (MR) defecography, quality of life and depression in patients with dyssynergic defecation. Methods: In this clinical trial study, among patients referring to the Colorectal Clinic of Hazrat Rasoul Hospital, 22 subjects were randomly assigned into two equal groups (n= 11) to receive either standard only or biofeedback and standard therapy. Dynamic changes of the pelvic floor were measured by MR defecography. During the simulated defecation, two MR defecography dynamic indices including abnormal anorectal angle change and perineal descent were measured before and after treatment. The effects of biofeedback therapy on patients' symptoms, quality of life and severity of depression were assessed and compared with the standard therapy. Statistical analysis was carried out using independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Paradox index (p< 0.001), perineal descent index (p< 0.001), depression (p< 0.1), physical function (p< 0.001), vitality (p< 0.001) and role emotion (p< 0.001) significantly improved in the biofeedback therapy group in contrast to the standard therapy SDT group. Conclusion: Biofeedback therapy appears to be effective in improving symptoms of functional constipation and dysfunction of pelvic floor motion as well as patient's quality of life and depression state. MR defecography is able to show the changes in dynamic indices of the pelvic floor through biofeedback therapy

Radiographic Vertical Bone Loss Evaluation around Dental Implants Following One Year of Functional Loading

Objective: Vertical bone loss evaluations in the Nobel Biocare Replace® Select Tapered TM implant system in the human after one-year loading time.Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 31 patients (14 men, 17 women; mean age, 60.39 years) receiving 170 implants (mean, 5.48 for each patient) of Groovy and Non-groovy designs in the Nobel Biocare Replace® Select Tapered TM system. The marginal bone loss was measured at mesial and distal aspects of the implants on OPG x-rays after one-year follow-up. The data regarding the patient's gender, age, history of disease, smoking, bone type at implant location, loading time of prosthesis and implant, implant design, diameter and length were recorded by the patients'records and interview. The data were subjected to multiple linear regression and Pearson coefficient ratio regarding different factors.Results: The mean (standard deviation) distal, mesial and overall bone loss was 0.688 mm (0.851), 0.665 mm (0.849) and 0.935 mm (0.905), respectively in the studied implants. No significant differences were found regarding implant location, bone quality at the implant region, implant design and bone graft reception. In addition, no significant correlation was found between the occurred bone loss and implant diameter, length and number of usedsplints.Conclusion: Due to the criteria mentioned for implant success in term of bone loss values after one-year loading time, Noble Biocare Replace® Select Tapered TM implant system is an acceptable treatment option for implant restorations in this regard

Introduction of some ptyctimous oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida: Ptyctima) of Mazandaran province

During 2000-2004, in the course of biodiversity survey of cryptostigmatic mites (Acari: Oribatida) in Mazandaran province, 19 species belonging to 9 genera and 5 families from ptyctimous mites were collected and identified, of which one family, 4 genera, one subgenera and 8 species marked by an asterisk are newly recorded from Iran. Furthermore, the distribution of each species and identification keys for families, genera, subgenera and species are presented together with the figures of the following species:Archoplophora* rostralis* (Willmann), Mesoplophora (Parplophora) pulchra* Sellnick, (Mesoplophoridae), Oribotritia* berlesei* (Michael), Paratritia* baloghi* Moritz (Oribotritiidae*), Steganacarus (Steganacarus) spinosus* (Sellnick), Atropacarus (Atropacarus) echinodiscus* (Mahunka), A. (A.) ochraceus* (Niedbala), Austrophthiracarus* pavidus* (Berlese) (Steganacaridae)

Transmission possibility of the fungus Beauveria bassiana KCF102 by mating behavior between Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps (Hem.: Scutelleridae) adults

Horizontal transmission of an isolate of the etomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana KCF102, was examined by allowing inoculated Eurygaster integriceps Put. adults to mate with non-inoculated ones. In case of susceptibility to B. bassiana, there was no significant difference between the males and females. However, there was significant difference among treatments for mortality of non-inoculated adults. It meant horizontal transmission could be happened between the inoculated and non-inoculated adults. Recording no significant difference among the treatments of the inoculated males + non-inoculated males and treatment with inoculated females + non-inoculated males revealed that this kind of horizontal transmission was not merely due to the mating behavior, given that the same transmission could be existed between inoculated and non-inoculated males or between those of female adults. There was significant difference for mortality percentage of adults among the five body-part treatments, ranging from 16.6 to 48.9, with the highest mortality for total body treatment and the lowest one for the pronotum

Electrospun Nano-fibers for biomedical and tissue engineering applications: A comprehensive review

Pharmaceutical nano-fibers have attracted widespread attention fromresearchers for reasons such as adaptability of the electro-spinning process and ease of production. As a flexible method for fabricating nano-fibers, electro-spinning is extensively used. An electro-spinning unit is composed of a pump or syringe, a high voltage current supplier, a metal plate collector and a spinneret. Optimization of the attained nano-fibers is undertaken through manipulation of the variables of the process and formulation, including concentration, viscosity, molecular mass, and physical phenomenon, as well as the environmental parameters including temperature and humidity. The nano-fibers achieved by electro-spinning can be utilized for drug loading. The mixing of two or more medicines can be performed via electro-spinning. Facilitation or inhibition of the burst release of a drug can be achieved by the use of the electro-spinning approach. This potential is anticipated to facilitate progression in applications of drug release modification and tissue engineering (TE). The present review aims to focus on electro-spinning, optimization parameters, pharmacological applications, biological characteristics, and in vivo analyses of the electro-spun nano-fibers. Furthermore, current developments and upcoming investigation directions are outlined for the advancement of electro-spun nano-fibers for TE. Moreover, the possible applications, complications and future developments of these nano-fibers are summarized in detail. © 2020 by the authors

Natural parasitism of Telenomus busseolae (Hym.: Scelionidae) an egg parasitoid of sugarcane stem borers, Sesamia spp. (Lep.: Noctuidae), on sugarcane commercial varieties in Khuzestan

The sugarcane stem borers, Sesamia cretica Led. and S. nonagrioides Lef. are the most important pests of sugarcane in Iran. The egg parasitoid wasp, Telenomus busseolae Gahan is the most important natural enemy of Sesamia spp. in Khuzestan province that play an important role in regulating populations of sugarcane stem borers. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of T. busseolae on sugarcane commercial varieties in Khuzestan province (southwest of Iran). This study was conducted in a split plot design on 4 sugarcane commercial varieties (i.e. CP69-1062, CP48-103, CP57-614 and SP70-1143) with 5 fields per variety in Khuzestan in 2007. The sampling of egg masses were carried out within the tillering stage of sugarcane (5-15 June) and the final stage of sugarcane growing (10-20 October). Our results indicated that both growth stage and variety of sugarcane had a significant effect on the egg batch density, discovery efficiency and percent parasitism. The interaction between growth stage and variety on percent parasitism and discovery efficiency were statistically different (

A laboratory investigation on virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae on Thrips tabaci (Thys.: Thripidae) and its predator, Orius albidipennis (Hem.: Anthocoridae)

In the present study, virulence of three isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) were evaluated on the second instar larvae of the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindman by using spray potter tower at six conidial concentrations of isolates (103-108 conidia/ml) with Thrips Entomopathogenic Bioassay System (TEBS) method. Causing the highest total mortality rate on thrips larvae and having the lowest LC50 value (2.3 Ã 104 conidia/ml), M. anisopliae EUT118 was selected as the highest virulent isolate. Afterwards, the susceptibility of female adults and 5th nymphs of Orius albidipennis (Reuter) was tested against this isolate of M. anisopliae without attendance of host. Results indicated that two stages of predator; female adults and 5th instar nymphs had similarly low susceptibilities to fungal infection. In general, our results revealed that the anthocorid predator, O. albidipennis was less affected by this isolate of fungus. As a result, these two biocontrol agents could be used both together in control programs of T. tabaci in greenhouses

Life history parameters of Thrips tabaci (Thys.: Thripidae) on cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant under laboratory conditions

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is one of the most important pests of vegetables and ornamentals all over the world. Its role has been proved in the transmission of different viruses to several plants. In this study, life history parameters of T. tabaci were calculated on three host plants, cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant. Experiments were conducted at 25 ± 1οC, 60 ± 10% R.H. and photoperiod of 16: 8 (L: D) hours. The results showed that host plants affect life history of onion thrips significantly. Intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) was 0.296, 0.158 and 0.234 female on female per day on cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant respectively. Other parameters like λ (finite rate of increase) were 1.334, 1.171 and 1.264; T (mean generation time) were 14.879, 19.092 and 16.779; DT (doubling time) were 2.343, 4.384 and 2.956 days. Finally, R0 (net reproductive rate) was 81.581, 20.461 and 51.141 female/female in one generation. With regard to highly significant effect of host plants on life history parameters of onion thrips, it is probable that this problem could be used for control of onion thrips on sweet pepper more effectively than on cucumber and eggplant