Fungi Associated with the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae, and Assessment of Entomopathogenic Isolates for Management

Fungi associated with the hemlock wooly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), were collected throughout the eastern USA and southern China. Twenty fungal genera were identified, as were 79 entomopathogenic isolates, including: Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) (Hypocreales: Insertae sedis), Isaria farinosa (Holm: Fries.) (Cordycipitaceae), Beauveria bassiana (Balasamo) (Hyphomycetes), and Fusarium spp (Nectriaceae). The remaining fungal genera associated with insect cadavers were similar for both the USA and China collections, although the abundance of Acremonium (Hypocreaceae) was greater in China. The entomopathogenic isolates were assayed for efficacy against Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae) and yielded mortality ranging from 3 to 92%. Ten isolates demonstrating the highest efficacy were further assessed for efficacy against field-collected A. tsugae under laboratory conditions. Overall, two B. bassiana, one L. lecanii, and a strain of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), demonstrated significantly higher efficacy against A. tsugae than the others. Isolates were further evaluated for conidial production, germination rate and colony growth at four temperatures representative of field conditions. All isolates were determined to be mesophiles with optimal temperature between 25–30° C. In general, conidial production increased with temperature, though two I. farinosa produced significantly more conidia at cooler temperatures. When efficacy values were compared with conidial production and temperature tolerances, Agricultural Research Service Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungi (ARSEF) 1080, 5170, and 5798 had characteristics comparable to the industrial B. bassiana strain GHA

Theories of Willpower Affect Sustained Learning

Building cognitive abilities often requires sustained engagement with effortful tasks. We demonstrate that beliefs about willpower–whether willpower is viewed as a limited or non-limited resource–impact sustained learning on a strenuous mental task. As predicted, beliefs about willpower did not affect accuracy or improvement during the initial phases of learning; however, participants who were led to view willpower as non-limited showed greater sustained learning over the full duration of the task. These findings highlight the interactive nature of motivational and cognitive processes: motivational factors can substantially affect people’s ability to recruit their cognitive resources to sustain learning over time

Laboratory Studies of Feeding and Oviposition Preference, Developmental Performance, and Survival of the Predatory Beetle, Sasajiscymnus tsugae on Diets of the Woolly Adelgids, Adelges tsugae and Adelges piceae

The suitability of the balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges piceae Ratzeburg (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) as an alternate mass rearing host for the adelgid predator, Sasajiscymnus tsugae Sasaji and McClure (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was studied in the laboratory. This predator is native to Japan and has been introduced to eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière (Pinales: Pinaceae), forests throughout the eastern United States for biological control of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), also of Japanese origin. Feeding, oviposition, immature development, and adult long-term survival of S. tsugae were tested in a series of no choice (single-prey) and paired-choice experiments between the primary host prey, A. tsugae, and the alternate host prey, A. piceae. In paired-choice feeding tests, the predator did not discriminate between eggs of the two adelgid species, but in the no choice tests the predator did eat significantly more eggs of A. piceae than those of A. tsugae. S. tsugae accepted both test prey for oviposition and preferred to lay eggs on adelgid infested versus noninfested host plants. Overall oviposition rates were very low (< 1 egg per predator female) in the oviposition preference tests. Predator immature development rates did not differ between the two test prey, but only 60% of S. tsugae survived egg to adult development when fed A. piceae compared to 86% when fed A. tsugae. S. tsugae adult long-term survival was significantly influenced (positively and negatively) by prey type and the availability of a supplemental food source (diluted honey) when offered aestivating A. tsugae sistens nymphs or ovipositing aestivosistens A. piceae adults, but not when offered ovipositing A. tsugae sistens adults. These results suggest that the development of S. tsugae laboratory colonies reared on a diet consisting only of A. piceae may be possible, and that the biological control potential of the predator might be expanded to include management of A. piceae in Christmas tree plantations

Infraspinatus scapular retraction test: a reliable and practical method to assess infraspinatus strength in overhead athletes with scapular dyskinesis

Background Alteration of normal scapulohumeral rhythm due to the fatigue of scapular-stabilizing muscles induces decrease of rotator cuff strength. In this study we analyzed the interobserver and intraobserver realibility of the infraspinatus strength test (IST) and infraspinatus scapular retraction test (ISRT) in 29 overhead athletes with scapular dykinesis, before and after 6 months of scapular musculature rehabilitation. Materials and methods Subjects with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of labral injuries (2 cases, 5%) and cuff tears (4 cases, 11%) were excluded. Scapular dyskinesis patterns were evaluated according to Kibler et al. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 11:550-556, 2002). We found a type I dyskinesis in 24 cases (83%) and a type II in 5 cases (17%). Patients were tested by using IST and ISRT and the maximum infraspinatus strength (kg) was registered by a handheld dynamometer. Changes in shoulder IR were measured by using a standard goniometry. Rehabilitation continued for 6 months and was focused on the restoration of scapular muscular control and balance. We used a paired Student t test for the significance of the force values (alpha = 0.01). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error (SE) were applied to determine the realibility of repeated values collected within testers and between testers. Results Values of ICC close to 1 at baseline and at 6 months indicated a higher interexaminer and intraexaminer realibility. IST force values registered a significant increase at 6 months for both examiners (P&lt;0.01). The mean difference between IST and ISRT values were not significant at 6 months (P&gt;0.01). The increase of glenohumeral internal rotation was significant at 6 months (P&lt;0.01). Conclusion The good realibility and the easy reproducibility make the ISRT an excellent test to assess patients with infraspinatus weakness due to scapular dyskinesis and address them toward an appropriate program of rehabilitation aimed to restore scapular musculature balance and control. \ua9 The Author(s) 2010

Low-concentration, continuous brachial plexus block in the management of Purple Glove Syndrome: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Purple Glove Syndrome is a devastating complication of intravenous phenytoin administration. Adequate analgesia and preservation of limb movement for physiotherapy are the two essential components of management.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 26-year-old Tamil woman from India developed Purple Glove Syndrome after intravenous administration of phenytoin. She was managed conservatively by limb elevation, physiotherapy and oral antibiotics. A 20G intravenous cannula was inserted into the sheath of her brachial plexus and a continuous infusion of bupivacaine at a low concentration (0.1%) with fentanyl (2 μg/ml) at a rate of 1 to 2 ml/hr was given. She had adequate analgesia with preserved motor function which helped in physiotherapy and functional recovery of the hand in a month.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A continuous blockade of the brachial plexus with a low concentration of bupivacaine and fentanyl helps to alleviate the vasospasm and the pain while preserving the motor function for the patient to perform active movements of the finger and hand.</p

PCR clonality detection in Hodgkin lymphoma

B-cell clonality detection in whole tissue is considered indicative of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We tested frozen tissue of 24 classical Hodgkin lymphomas (cHL) with a varying tumor cell load with the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets for IGH and IGK gene rearrangement (BIOMED-2). A clonal population was found in 13 cases with the IGH FR1 and/or FR2/FR3 PCRs. Using the IGK-VJ and IGK-DE PCRs, an additional six cases had a dominant clonal cell population, resulting in a detection rate of 79% in frozen tissue. Of 12 cases, also the formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue was tested. Surprisingly, in eight of the 12 FFPE cases with acceptable DNA quality (allowing PCR amplification of >200 nt fragments), the IGK multiplex PCRs performed better in detecting clonality (six out of eight clonal IGK rearrangements) than the IGH PCRs (four out of nine clonal rearrangements), despite a rather large amplicon size. There was no evidence of B-cell lymphoma during follow-up of 1 to 6 years and no correlation was found between the presence of a clonal result and Epstein–Barr virus in the tumor cells. Our results indicate that the present routine PCR methods are sensitive enough to detect small numbers of malignant cells in cHL. Therefore, the presence of a clonal B-cell population does not differentiate between cHL and NHL

Epstein-Barr Virus-Induced Gene 3 (EBI3): A Novel Diagnosis Marker in Burkitt Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

The distinction between Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), two types of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas that require distinct treatments, can be difficult because of forms showing features intermediate between DLBCL and BL (here called BL/DLBCL). They can be discriminated by the presence of c-myc translocations characteristic of BL. However, these are not exclusive of BL and when present in DLBCL are associated with lower survival. In this study, we show that Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (EBI3) is differentially expressed among BL and DLBCL. Analysis of gene expression data from 502 cases of aggressive mature B-cell lymphomas available on Gene Expression Omnibus and immunohistochemical analysis of 184 cases of BL, BL/DLBCL or DLBCL, showed that EBI3 was not expressed in EBV-positive or -negative BL cases, whereas it was expressed by over 30% of tumoral cells in nearly 80% of DLBCL cases, independently of their subtypes. In addition, we show that c-myc overexpression represses EBI3 expression, and that DLBCL or BL/DLBCL cases with c-myc translocations have lower expression of EBI3. Thus, EBI3 immunohistochemistry could be useful to discriminate BL from DLBCL, and to identify cases of BL/DLBCL or DLBCL with potential c-myc translocations

Pitfalls in TCR gene clonality testing: teaching cases

Clonality testing in T-lymphoproliferations has technically become relatively easy to perform in routine laboratories using standardized multiplex polymerase chain reaction protocols for T-cell receptor (TCR) gene analysis as developed by the BIOMED-2 Concerted Action BMH4-CT98-3936. Expertise with clonality diagnostics and knowledge about the biology of TCR gene recombination are essential for correct interpretation of TCR clonality data. Several immunobiological and technical pitfalls that should be taken into account to avoid misinterpretation of data are addressed in this report. Furthermore, we discuss the need to integrate the molecular data with those from immunohistology, and preferably also flow cytometric immunophenotyping, for appropriate interpretation. Such an interactive, multidisciplinary diagnostic model guarantees integration of available data to reach the most reliable diagnosis

Children, parents, and pets exercising together (CPET) randomised controlled trial: study rationale, design, and methods

Objectively measured physical activity is low in British children, and declines as childhood progresses. Observational studies suggest that dog-walking might be a useful approach to physical activity promotion in children and adults, but there are no published public health interventions based on dog-walking with children. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study aims to develop and evaluate a theory driven, generalisable, family-based, dog walking intervention for 9-11 year olds