Influence of female age of Trichogramma cacoeciae and host eggs age on its parasitic effectiveness

Σε εργαστηριακά πειράματα εξετάστηκε η επίδραση της ηλικίας των αυγών του εντόμου L botrana ως προς την αποδοχή τους για παρασιτισμό από το ωοπαράσιτοειδές T. cacoecciae. Θηλυκά άτομα του T. cacoecciae παρασιτούν σε μικρότερο βαθμό τα αυγά ηλικίας 4 ημερών από ότι αυγά ηλικίας 1 ή 2 ημερών. Επίσης, η διάρκεια ανάπτυξης ως την ενηλικίωση του Τ. cacoecciae σε 4 ημερών αυγά του L botrana ήταν ση μαντικά μεγαλύτερη από ότι σε αυγά μικρότερης ηλικίας. Επιπλέον, εξετάστηκε και η επίδραση της ηλικίας των παρασιτοειδών ως προς την ικανότητα παρασιτισμού αυγών του L botrana. Η ηλικία του παρασιτοειδούς επηρέασε σημαντικά τον αριθμό των παρασιτισμένων αυγών του L botrana. Περισσότερα αυγά παρασιτίστηκαν όταν χρησιμοποιήθηκαν θηλυκά άτομα του T. cacoecciae ηλικίας 4 ημερών.Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of female age of Trichogramma cacoeciae (Marchai) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and egg age of Lobesia bot rana (Denis & Schiffermueller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on parasitoid effectiveness. It was found that T. cacoecciae females parasitize more frequently 4 days old L. boi rana eggs than younger ones. Furthermore, developmental time of their offspring retarded and percentage of viable eggs decreased when parasitoid larvae fed with older eggs. 7*. cacoecciae females that were 4 days old were more effective in parasitising L. botrana eggs. Rearing the paras ito ids on Sitôt roga ce rea lei la eggs for one generation resulted in a decreased number of parasitised eggs of L boi rana than when reared on Ephestia kit eh niella eggs. The implications of these results in selecting a candidate species for biological control are discussed

Determination of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larval instars and age based on head capsule width and larval weight

Προνύμφες του Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) εκτράφηκαν σε χώρο με 26°C, φωτόφαση 16 ωρών και σχετική υγρασία 60-75%. Μετρήθηκαν, ανά προνυμφικό στάδιο, το πλάτος της κεφαλικής κάψας και το βάρος κάθε προνύμφης 2-3 ημέρες μετά την έκδυση, με σκοπό τον προσδιορισμό του προνυμφικού σταδίου και της ηλικίας. Χρησιμοποιήθηκε επί πλέον το βάρος της προνύμφης γιατί δεν είναι ασφαλής ο προσδιορισμός των προνυμφικών σταδίων μόνο από το πλάτος της κεφαλικής κάψας, καθόσον υπάρχει αλληλεπικάλυψη μεταξύ πλάτους ενός σταδίου και του προηγούμενου και επόμενου του, και ακόμη παρατηρείται διαφορετικός αριθμός σταδίων μεταξύ των προνυμφών. Η ανάπτυξη συμπληρώνεται σε 5 προνυμφικά στάδια στο 75% των προνυμφών, σε 6 στο 24% και σε 7 στο1%. Το πλάτος της κεφαλικής κάψας ήταν αρκετό για τη διάκριση των προνυμφών της Ιου σταδίου μόνο και το μέγιστο πλάτος ήταν 0,4mm. Το βάρος της προνύμφης ήταν ικανό μόνο του να προσδιορίσει προνύμφες 1ης και 2ης ηλικίας. Η διαφορά μεταξύ Ιου και 2ου σταδίου ήταν lmg και μεταξύ 2ου και 3ου σταδίου 5,5mg. Συσχέτιση και ανάλυση παραλλακτικότητας των δύο παραμέτρων μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα προσδιορισμού όλων των προνυμφικών σταδίων μιας προνύμφης με πιθανότητα 96,9%,.καθώς και την ηλικία της σε ημέρες από την εκκόλαψη.Larνae of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were reared in laboratory conditions (26°C, 16:8 L:D) and measurements of larval head capsule width, and body weight, were used in order to determine the boundaries of larval instars. Larvae of Η. armigera completed development in 5 to 7 instars. Head capsule width could predict the larval instar only for Ll. The upper boundary of head width for L1 was 0.4mm. Body weight could predict both L1 and L2 larval instars. Boundaries between L1-L2 instars were found to be 1 mg and for L2-L3 5,5 mg. Correlation and regression analysis suggest that a combination of head capsule width and body weight can predict both larval instars and chronological age under constant conditions in the laboratory

Add-on topiramate in the treatment of refractory partial-onset epilepsy: Clinical experience of outpatient epilepsy clinics from 11 general hospitals

SummaryAn open, prospective, observational study was performed to assess efficacy and adverse-event profile of topiramate as add-on therapy in epilepsy. Outpatient neurology clinics from 11 general hospitals in Greece participated in the study. In total, 211 patients with treatment resistant partial-onset seizures who met the inclusion criteria, were studied. After baseline evaluation, topiramate was given at a target dose of 200mg/day over a 1-month titration period. In the subsequent maintenance period, the topiramate dose could be varied according to the clinical results. Patients were followed for in total 6 months, with monthly visits and regular physical, neurological and laboratory examinations. Seizure frequencies decreased to 35–40% of baseline values following 3 months of treatment and remained relatively constant thereafter. The average monthly seizure frequency over the 6-month study period was 4.61, compared to 9.21 at baseline. The number of responders (patients with at least 50% reduction in seizure frequency) followed a similar pattern, i.e., increase during the first 3 months levelling off at a final 80–85% response rate. Of those completing the study, 30% had been seizure-free for at least 3 months and 12% for 5 months. Topiramate was well tolerated, no deviations in laboratory values were found. Adverse events appeared to occur less frequently, and antiepileptic effects were more pronounced in this prospective open-label study than in earlier reports from randomised controlled trials. The nature of the patient population and the application of individualised dose optimisation are proposed as contributing factors to explain the favourable results of this study

Commodity risk assessment of grafted plants of Malus domestica from Moldova

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘High risk plants, plant products and other objects’. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by defoliated and in dormant phase, grafted bare rooted plants for planting of Malus domestica imported from Moldova, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country. A list of 1,118 pests potentially associated with the commodity species was compiled. The relevance of these pests was assessed following defined criteria and based on evidence. The EU-quarantine pest Xiphinema rivesi non-EU populations fulfilled these criteria and was selected for further evaluation. For this pest, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Moldova were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For this pest, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on it, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9,991 and 10,000 plants per 10,000 would be free of X. rivesi

Commodity risk assessment of bonsai plants from China consisting of Pinus parviflora grafted on Pinus thunbergii

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver a scientific opinion on the risk posed by bonsai plants from China consisting of Pinus parviflora grafted on Pinus thunbergii taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by China. All pests associated with P. parviflora and/or P. thunbergii were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this Scientific Opinion. Forty-three pests that fulfilled all relevant criteria were selected for further evaluation. For 24 pests that are not quarantine in the EU, the risk mitigation measures described in the technical dossier from China were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. While the estimated degree of pest freedom varied among pests, Setoptus parviflorae was the pest most frequently expected on the commodity. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that 9,114 or more bonsai plants per 10,000 will be free from Setoptus parviflorae. For 19 pests that are quarantine in the EU, the implementation of specific measures defined in point 30 and 31 of Annex VII of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 was evaluated. The requirements of point 31 are met, whereas those of point 30 are not completely fulfilled

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701