Zoologische Staats-sammlung, Münchhausenstr. 21, 81247 Munich, Germany 3 Eben 21, 4202 Kirchschlag, Austria 4 Agricul-ture and Agri-Food Canada

Abstract Calymmochilus dispar Bouček & Andriescu (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) and Gelis apterus (Pontoppidan) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are newly recorded as parasitoids of the ant-eating spider Zodarion styliferum (Simon) (Araneae, Zodariidae). The larvae of both parasitoid species fed on juvenile spiders. The final instar larva and pupa of C. dispar and the male of G. apterus are described for the first time. Both species represent new distribution records for Portugal. The biology and host associations of the parasitoids are discussed

Гемимастикаторный спазм. Собственный опыт применения ботулинического нейропротеина типа А

Нemimasticatory spasm (HMS) is a rare disorder of the nervous system, in which there are unilateral, violent spasms of the masticatory muscles innervated by the motor portion of the trigeminal nerve. The causes of HMS remain largely unexplored, but microvascular compression is most likely. Anticonvulsants, surgical treatment and botulinum therapy can be applied for the treatment of HMS.We presented a clinical case of HMS in a 38-year-old woman who had been suffering from this disease for 18 years. The diagnosis of HMS was established only 10 years after the first visit to the doctor. Spasms could occur up to several hundred times a day with a duration up to 15 seconds. The magnetic resonance imaging allowed to exclude neurovascular conflict. Electroneuromyography revealed axonal lesion of the right trigeminal motor root and spontaneous activity in the right masseter muscle. Anticonvulsant treatment was ineffective. The patient received botulinum therapy with a good treatment result.Гемимастикаторный спазм (ГМС) – редкое заболевание нервной системы, при котором возникают односторонние, насильственные спазмы жевательных мышц, иннервируемых двигательной порцией тройничного нерва. Причины, вызывающие ГМС, остаются до конца не изученными, однако наиболее вероятной является микроваскулярная компрессия. Для лечения ГМС предлагаются противосудорожные препараты, хирургическое лечение и ботулинотерапия.Нами представлен клинический случай ГМС у 38-летней женщины, которая страдала этим заболеванием в течение 18 лет. Диагноз ГМС был установлен только спустя 10 лет после первого обращения к врачу. Спазмы могли возникать до нескольких сотен раз в день с продолжительностью до 15 с. Магнитно-резонансная томография позволила исключить нейроваскулярный конфликт. При электронейромиографии было выявлено аксональное поражение правого двигательного корешка тройничного нерва и спонтанная активность в жевательной мышце справа. Лечение антиконвульсантами было неэффективно. Пациентке была проведена ботулинотерапия с хорошим результатом лечения

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ЛЕЧЕНИЯ ЦЕРВИКАЛЬНОЙ ДИСТОНИИ, СОПРОВОЖДАЮЩЕЙСЯ ТРЕМОРОМ ГОЛОВЫ, ПРЕПАРАТАМИ БОТУЛИНИЧЕСКОГО ТОКСИНА ТИПА А С ЭЛЕКТРОМИОГРАФИЧЕСКИМ КОНТРОЛЕМ

The study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of injections of botulinum toxin typeA (BTA) in the neck muscles under electromyographic control and without it to reduce head tremor, muscle tone and dystonic postures, as well as pain in patients with cervical dystonia (CD). 49 patients with CD and dystonic head tremor who received injections of BTA were examined. 33 (67 %) patients received Dysport in an average dose of 695 (627; 762) units, 15 (31 %) patients received Xeomin in an average dose of 262 (227; 297) units and 1 (2 %) patient received 300 units of Botox. 16 (33 %) patients received injections under EMGcontrol. The level of symptoms of CD and tremor before and 4 weeks after the treatment were measured by the TWSTRS and Tsui scales. Evaluation of the treatment efficacy was carried out using the patientreported Clinical Global Improvement (CGI) scale, and the presence or absence of head tremor after injection was also recorded. The TWSTRS score decreased from 39 (36, 42) to 24 (21, 26), the TZUI score decreased from 9.8 (9, 10) to 4.9 (4, 6) in 4 weeks after injection (p <0.001). The level of tremor measured by Tsui scale decreased from 2.1 (1.7, 2.4) and 0.7 points (0,5; 0,9) (p <0.001). In 24 (49 %) cases, complete disappearance of tremor was noted in 4 weeks after injection. Complete regression of tremor was observed significantly more frequently in patients with torticollis who received injections with EMG-control in 10(71 %) cases vs. 8(32 %) without it (p <0.05). 28(57 %) patients noted moderate or significant improvement on the CGI scale. Pain decreased from 5.4 (3.9, 6.9) points to 2.4 (1.3, 3.6) (p <0.001) according to section 3 of TWSTRS scale, pain completely regressed in 15 (52 %) patients. BTA injections are highly effective and safe treatment of CD symptoms such as dystonic posture, pain and dystonic tremor. BTA injections in the neck muscles under EMGcontrol can improve outcome in patients with torticollis associated with dystonic head tremor.Цель работы – оценка эффективности и безопасности инъекций ботулинического токсина типа А (БТА) в мышцы шеи с использованием электромиографического (ЭМГ) контроля и без него для уменьшения тремора головы, мышечного тонуса и дистонической позы, а также болевого синдрома у пациентов с цервикальной дистонией (ЦД). Исследованы 49 пациентов с ЦД и дистоническим тремором головы, которые получили инъекции БТА: 33 (67 %) пациента – диспорт в средней дозе 695 Ед (627; 762), 15 (31 %) – ксеомин в средней дозе 262 Ед (227; 297) и 1 (2 %) – ботокс в дозе 300 Ед. 16 (33 %) пациентов получили инъекции с использованием ЭМГ-контроля. Выраженность симптомов кривошеи и тремора до и через 4 недели после лечения определялась по шкалам TWSTRS и TSUI, эффективность лечения оценивалась с помощью шкалы общего клинического улучшения по мнению пациента (CGI), а также фиксировалось наличие или отсутствие тремора головы после инъекций. Через 4 недели после инъекций тяжесть ЦД по шкале TWSTRS уменьшилась с 39 (36; 42) до 24 (21; 26), а по шкале TZUI – с 9,8 (9; 10) до 4,9 (4; 6) (p<0,001). Оценка тремора по шкале TSUI снизилась с 2,1 (1,7; 2,4) до 0,7 балла (0,5; 0,9) (p<0,001). В 24 (49 %) случаях отмечалось полное исчезновение тремора через 4 недели после инъекций. Полный регресс тремора наблюдался достоверно чаще у пациентов с тортиколлисом, которым выполнялись инъекции с использованием ЭМГ-контроля, в 10 (71 %) случаях против 8 (32 %) без него (p<0,05). 28 (57 %) пациентов отметили умеренное или значительное улучшением по шкале CGI. Интенсивность боли по 3му разделу шкалы TWSTRS уменьшилась с 5,4 (3,9; 6,9) балла до 2,4 (1,3; 3,6) (р<0,001), при этом у 15 (52 %) пациентов боль полностью регрессировала. Инъекции БТА являются высокоэффективным и безопасным методом лечения симптомов ЦД, таких как дистоническая поза, боль и дистонический тремор. У пациентов с тортиколлисом с дистоническим тремором головы инъекции БТА в мышцы шеи под ЭМГконтролем могут повысить эффективность лечения

A Parasitoid Wasp Induces Overwintering Behaviour in Its Spider Host

Parasites and parasitoids control behaviors of their hosts. However, the origin of the behavior evoked by the parasitic organism has been rarely identified. It is also not known whether the manipulation is universal or host-specific. Polysphinctine wasps, koinobiont ectoparasitoids of several spider species that manipulate host web-spinning activity for their own protection during pupation, provide an ideal system to reveal the origin of the evoked behavior. Larva of Zatypota percontatoria performed species-specific manipulation of theridiid spiders, Neottiura bimaculata and Theridion varians, shortly before pupation. Parasitized N. bimaculata produced a dense web, whereas parasitized T. varians built a cupola-like structure. The larva pupated inside of either the dense web or the cupola-like structure. We discovered that unparasitized N. bimaculata produce an analogous dense web around their eggsacs and for themselves during winter, while T. varians construct an analogous ‘cupola’ only for overwintering. We induced analogous manipulation in unparasitized hosts by altering ambient conditions. We discovered that the behavior evoked by larvae in two hosts was functionally similar. The larva evoked protective behaviors that occur in unparasitized hosts only during specific life-history periods

Glastir Monitoring & Evaluation Programme. Final report

Final Report to Welsh Government, prepared by CEH on behalf of the Glastir Monitoring & Evaluation Programme Team. The Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (GMEP) provides a comprehensive programme to establish a baseline against which future assessments of Glastir can be made. GMEP also contributes national trend data which supports a range of national and international biodiversity and environmental targets. GMEP fulfils a commitment by the Welsh Government to establish a monitoring programme concurrently with the launch of the Glastir scheme. The use of models and farmer surveys provides early indicators of the likely direction, magnitude and timing of future outcomes. The programme ensures compliance with the rigorous requirements of the European Commission’s Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF) through the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales. This report represents the final results of the GMEP programme which ran from 2012 to 2016

The course of cervical dystonia with head tremor during botulinum toxin type A treatment

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injections into the neck muscles to reduce dystonic postures, head tremor, and pain syndrome in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) within the first 8 cycles of treatment.Patients and methods. The investigation included 76 patients (26 (34%) men and 50 (66%) women) with CD and dystonic head tremor, who were given BTA injections into the neck muscles for the first time. All the 76 patients received at least one cycle of BTA therapy. At the same type, 18 of these patients received 4 cycles of injections and 36 patients had 8 cycles. Injections were given when the symptoms of CD recurred or increased and the patient needed to be retreated. The interval between the injection cycles was arbitrary, but not less than 12 weeks. The doses of BTA agents per treatment cycle were as follows: Dysport was 400 to 1000 U, xeomin was 50 to 300 U, and Botox 200 to 300 U. The symptoms of CD were assessed using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) and the Tsui scale before the first injection of BTA and injection cycles 4 and 8; the presence or absence of head tremor was recorded.Results. The TWSTRS severity of CD symptoms decreased from 38 [36; 41] to 30 [27; 33] scores by injection cycle 4 (p < 0.001) and to 26 [23; 27] scores by cycle 8 (p<0.01). The Tsui severity of CD reduced from 9.3 [9; 10] to 7.2 [7; 8] scores by injection cycle 4 (p<0.001) and to 6.7 [6; 7] scores by cycle 8. The Tsui tremor scores decreased from 1.9 [1.6; 2.1] to 1.4 [1.1; 1.6] scores by injection cycle 4 and to 1.1 [0.9;1.4] scores by cycle 8 (p<0.01). Tremor completely disappeared in 6 (11%) of patients by injection cycle 4 and in 6 (18%) patients by cycle 8. According to Section 3 of the TWSTRS, pain intensity was reduced from 9.9 [8.9; 11.0] to 5.0 [3.3; 6.6] scores by injection cycle 4 (p<0.001) and to 2.1 [0.7; 3.6] scores by cycle 8 (p < 0.01); pain regressed completely in 12 (41%) and 9 (64%) patients by cycles 4 and 8, respectively. Conclusion. BTA injections into the neck muscles are an effective treatment for CD symptoms, such as dystonic tremor, posture, and pain. Successive injection cycles have a cumulative effect that is more marked by injection cycle 8. It is appropriate to prescribe longer treatment cycles to patients with CD and head tremor. Dystonic head tremor, unlike dystonic postures, may regress fully after BTA injection

Extraction of Al-Si master alloy and alumina from coal fly ash

Coal fly ash from coal power plants is a potential raw material for the production of alumina. An objective aluminothermic reduction method for the preparation of Al-Si master alloy and alumina from coal fly ash was investigated. The kinetic analysis using non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the reduction of Al6Si2O13, Fe2O3, and TiO2 by aluminum in coal fly ash occurs at 1618 K, 1681 K, and 1754 K, respectively. Moreover, the influence of reaction temperature on product composition was studied. The phases and morphologies of the products obtained by the aluminothermic reduction of coal fly ash at 1373-1773 K were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The results from X-ray diffraction show that no oxide reduction has taken place at 1373 K and 1473K, the compositions of the product obtained by aluminothermic reduction of fly ash at 1573K- 1673 K are Al2O3, mullite, Al and Si, while the compositions of the product at 1773 K are Al2O3, Al, and Si. In addition, the chemical compositions of Al-Si alloy obtained at 1773 K are 86.81 wt% Al and 13.19 wt% Si

Разработка лабораторно-полевой установки и результаты экспериментального исследования состояния свекловичного поля перед уборкой

Described in the scientific literature the results of experimental studies and performance test of the technological process of sugar beet harvesting conducted in recent years have shown that modern sugar-beet harvesters manufactured in Europe and America work with significant losses of sugar-bearing plant materials. These losses are due to generally poor topping quality of sugar beet on a root. Therefore, nowadays the search of technical solutions enabling to avoid these losses is of great to importance as it increases the yield of sugar-bearing plant materials per hectare of crops. The purpose of research is to reduce the losses of sugar-bearing plant materials in the course of separation process of sugar beet tops from heads of root crops on a root. While conducting research the methods of field experimental research on the measurement of physical parameters of the technological process were used, as well as methods of statistical processing of the measurement results with the use of computer. New experimental equipment was designed for the field experimental studies being equipped with modern electronic equipment with data transfer to a PC. As a result of the experimental investigation of the distribution heads heights above the ground of sugar beet roots confirmation has been received hypothesis that it does not deny the law of the normal distribution. The results of the multiple measurements enabled set limits of changes in their statistical characteristics, which are as follows: average statistical deviation σ = 20 ... 30 mm, the expectation m = 40 ... 60 mm. A new design of the laboratory equipment and results of the experimental studies, conducted on it, have given every reason to design and develop a new system of automatic adjustment of the height of cut tops, which can be used in designs of modern sugar-beet harvesting machines