Pyroligneous Acid Controls Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Increases Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L., Walp)] Productivity

The aphid Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a major pest of cowpea crops [Vigna unguiculata (L., Walp.)]. Adults and nymphs feed on leaves, stems, flowers, and pods, leading to a reduction in plant productivity. Botanical insecticides can be an alternative for the control of A. craccivora, but studies under field conditions are necessary to evaluate these substances. We assessed the mortality of A. craccivora in cowpea crops for two seasons (dry and wet) using pyroligneous acid in three concentrations (2, 4 and 6 mL/L). Water was used as the control. Crop productivity was also evaluated. We performed the experiment using a completely randomized block design with four replications. Pyroligneous acid at 4 and 6 mL/L caused higher mortalities (p < 0.0001) and productivity was higher in plots sprayed with pyroligneous acid at these concentrations in both experimental seasons (p < 0.0001). In summary, pyroligneous acid controls A. craccivora and increases cowpea productivity

Could heart rate variability be associated with weight bearing asymmetries in cerebrovascular diseases?

Introduction: Cerebrovascular diseases result in sensory-motor deficits disturbing postural control that is observed by weight-bearing asymmetries commonly named as hemiparesis. Besides hemiparetic impairments, first observed after stroke, many studies have pointed cardiac failure and risk of sudden death as the main factors responsible for death of stroke survivars. This case series characterized weight-bearing asymmetries and heart rate variability, and describes relationships between these parameters in hemiparesis. Case Series: Brazilian male subjects with chronic hemiparesis acquired after ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery. Five were selected to study heart rate variability obtained by Root Mean Square Successive Difference. Also, weight-bearing asymmetries were measured by Symmetry Ratio calculated by weight-bearing recorded between each foot. The Symmetry Ratio was 1.1±0.43 for all cases presenting a symmetry case (n = 1) and different types of asymmetries cases (n = 4) during upright position. Root Mean Square Successive Difference was 9.9±3.4, presenting strong and significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation with age and a strong but not significant (0.05 < p < 0.10) negative correlation with hemiparesis chronicity. A strong but not significant negative correlation was observed between the Root Mean Square Successive Difference and the Symmetry Rate values. Conclusion: A characteristic pattern of heart rate variability for patients with cerebrovascular disease was observed in these cases, associated significantly with age. Still, this behavior seems to be influenced by chronicity and by different types of asymmetries in the distribution of weight bearing that could be investigated in more appropriate clinical research designs

Assessment of interobserver concordance in polysomnography scoring of sleep bruxism

Introduction: Objective evaluation of sleep bruxism (SB) using whole-night polysomnography (PSG) is relevant for diagnostic confirmation. Nevertheless, the PSG electromyogram (EMG) scoring may give rise to controversy, particularly when audiovisual monitoring is not performed. Therefore, the present study assessed the concordance between two independent scorers to visual SB on a PSG performed without audiovisual monitoring. Methods: Fifty-six PSG tests were scored from individuals with clinical history and polysomnography criteria of SB. In addition to the protocol of conventional whole-night PSG, electrodes were also placed bilaterally on the masseter and temporal muscles. Visual EMG scoring without audio video monitoring was scored by two independent scorers (Dentist 1 and Dentist 2) according the recommendations formulated in the AASM manual (2007). Kendall Tau correlation was used to assess interobserver concordance relative to variables “total duration of events (seconds), “shortest events”, “longest events” and index in each phasic, tonic or mixed event. Results: The correlation was positive and significant relative to all the investigated variables, being T>0.54. Conclusion: It was found a good inter-examiner concordance rate in SB scoring in absence of audio video monitoring