Concentrations of some toxic and trace elements in wild boar (Sus scrofa) organs and tissues in different areas of the Province of Viterbo, Central Italy

The aim of the present study was to determine heavy metal reference levels for exposure and risk assessment studies on a local scale. We measured lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) content in edible tissues and organs of wild boars harvested in dif- ferent areas of the Province of Viterbo, Central Italy. The average levels of cadmium recorded in 75 wild boars were 0.085, 0.079 and 1.052 mg Cd kg–1 wet weight (w.w.) in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The majority of the muscle samples and some of the liver samples contained levels of heavy metal that were over the legal limit [EU Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs)] for pigs. Our data are similar to or lower than the val- ues reported in most of the available literature. For Pb concentration, the average values record- ed were 0.318, 0.126 and 0.298 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The sam- ples that were non-compliant with regulatory limits (MRLs) for pigs were registered only for muscle. Available data on the presence of Pb con- tent in game meat report lower values than ours, most likely because the area around the bullet path was avoided while sampling. The average values of total Cr were 0.141, 0.139 and 0.097 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respec- tively. For Zn, the mean values were 49.76, 53.21 and 32.46 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. Cu content was 46.12, 12.20 and 5.64 mg Cu kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The results obtained have been validated on the basis of the scarce and inconsistent Italian literature available and on international studies

Detection of Parechovirus (P) and Enterovirus (E) Among Infants Evaluated for Late-Onset Sepsis in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): The VIRIoN-P-E Study

Background: Limited data exist on the role of human parechoviruses (HPeV) and enteroviruses (EV) as causes of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in the NICU. Objective: To determine the frequency of detection of parechoviruses and enteroviruses among infants >72 hr of age who were evaluated for LOS in 2 academic NICUs (Parkland Memorial Hospital [PMH], Dallas -shared bays; Women & Infants Hospital [W&I], RI -single patient rooms) Design/Methods: Prospective cohort study of inborn infants hospitalized in the NICU at PMH and WIH from 1/2012 to 1/2013 and were enrolled in the Viral Respiratory Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (VIRIoN-I; J Pediatr 2014:165:690). Eligible subjects were infants of all gestational ages (GA) and birth weights (BW) who were >72 hrs of age, remained in the NICU since birth, and underwent evaluation with initiation of antibiotic therapy for suspected LOS. Nasopharyngeal specimens were obtained within 72 hrs of the sepsis evaluation using flexible flocked nylon swabs that were placed in universal transport medium and frozen at -80\ub0C until tested for parechovirus and enterovirus RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Virology Laboratory, Nationwide Children\u2019s Hospital, Columbus, OH). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiographic data were obtained. Results: Of the 100 infants enrolled in the VIRIoN-I study, nasopharyngeal specimens were available from 65 (59, PMH; 6, WIH) for parechovirus and enterovirus PCR testing. These 65 infants (38, male; 27, female; 49, Hispanic; 6, white; 9, Black; 1, unknown) had a mean \ub1SD gestational age of 30 \ub1 5 wks and birth weight of 1619 \ub1 929 g, and received empirical antibiotics for possible LOS. Infants had a total of 94 sepsis evaluations (65, 1 evaluation; 16, 2; 8, 3; 4, 4) at a mean age of 20 days. Reasons for the sepsis evaluations included fever (9), hypothermia (65), apnea (50),feeding intolerance (51), seizure (1), irritabilitiy (5), emesis (20), diarrhea (1), bloody stool (5), rhinorrhea/congestion/cough (6), and lethargy (9). Four infants died. None of the infants had parechovirus or enterovirus detected in nasopharygeal specimens either at the first or subsequent sepsis evaluations. Conclusion(s): The burden of disease due to parechovirus and enteroviruses among inborn infants who remain in the NICU since birth appears to be low in those evaluated for LOS. Larger, prospective studies are needed to fully determine their contribution to \u201cculture-negative\u201d sepsis in the NICU. Publication Number: 3860.53

Levantamento de hospedeiros e parasitóides de Anastrepha spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) no município de Boa Vista, Estado de Roraima.

Resumo 937-1

Anastrepha species (Diptera: Tephritidae), their hosts and parasitoids in the extreme north of Brazil.

O presente trabalho foi realizado em cinco municípios do Estado de Roraima, Brasil, com o objetivo de registrar a ocorrência de espécies de Anastrepha, suas plantas hospedeiras e parasitoides. Foram coletados frutos carnosos de 21 espécies pertencentes a 10 famílias botânicas de setembro/2007 a setembro/2008. Foram identificadas 10 espécies de Anastrepha (Anastrepha bahiensis Lima e Anastrepha montei Lima foram registradas pela primeira vez em Roraima) e cinco espécies de parasitoides (4 Braconidae e 1 Figitidae). Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) foi o parasitoide mais abundante

Fenologia da goiabeira 'Paluma' sob diferentes sistemas de cultivos, épocas e intensidades de poda de frutificação.

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos de diferentes épocas e intensidades de poda de frutificação sobre a fenologia da goiabeira 'Paluma', em dois sistemas de cultivo, em Pedro Canário (ES). O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, em esquema de parcelas sub-subdivididas. As parcelas foram os sistemas de cultivo irrigado e sequeiro; as subparcelas foram as épocas de poda (10/11/2005, 9/12/2005, 13/1/2006 e 10/2/2006); e as sub-subparcelas foram as intensidades de poda (curta, média e longa). O ciclo da goiabeira 'Paluma', entre a poda até o início da colheita dos frutos, variou de 182 (poda em novembro e dezembro) a 203 dias (poda em fevereiro). A queda fisiológica dos frutos ocorreu até os 56 dias após o final do florescimento. A irrigação e a poda longa proporcionaram maior brotação e estabelecimento dos ramos. As plantas submetidas à poda longa em fevereiro produziram maior número de frutos por ramo. Independentemente da época de poda, as plantas submetidas à poda curta apresentaram menor número de frutos por ramo e menor índice de pegamento de frutos. A irrigação e as podas realizadas em dezembro e janeiro favoreceram a produção de frutos maiores

Origin of atomic clusters during ion sputtering

Previous studies have shown that the size distributions of small clusters ( n<=40 n = number of atoms/cluster) generated by sputtering obey an inverse power law with an exponent between -8 and -4. Here we report electron microscopy studies of the size distributions of larger clusters ( n>=500) sputtered by high-energy ion impacts. These new measurements also yield an inverse power law, but one with an exponent of -2 and one independent of sputtering yield, indicating that the large clusters are produced when shock waves, generated by subsurface displacement cascades, ablate the surface

Evaluation of the Acute Effects of Organic Solvents on Adults of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

The continuous use of synthetic insecticides has created problems for the environment and human health. With the objective of reducing such problems, ecofriendly measures have been taken and, in this case, plants have representing an important resource for pest control. Due to the increase of studies using organic extracts in bioassays and the difficulty of finding solubilizant agents that do not interfere in the results, the aim of this work was to evaluated the acute effect of different solvents on Sitophilus zeamais by contact and ingestion assays. The results suggest that pure dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and Tween- 20 solvents have toxic acute effects on adults of S. zeamais, but they can be used diluted at 1 or 5% with no toxic acute effect. On contrary, pure dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) did not cause any acute effect on target organism. Thus, DCM and MeOH solvents even in the pure form and the Tween-20 and DMSO diluted at 1 or 5% can be used as solubilizant agents for apolar to medium polarity plant extracts, involving contact or ingestion assay on adults of S. zeamais. Keywords: plant extracts, stored grain pest, solvents, toxicity