Habitat site selection, crop damage and oviposition preference by Contesta ( = Haimbachia) ignefusalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Studies were conducted during 1986–1988 to investigate habitat site selection, evaluate damage, and study the oviposition preference of Coniesta ignefusalis (Hampson) on natural and artificial substrates to improve rearing and management techniques. Millet grain weight was negatively correlated with numbers of stem‐borer larval exit and entrance holes. Numbers of diapausing larvae and borer larval holes were positively correlated with the location of internodes on millet stems. Survival of C. ignefusalisin dry millet stems is significant when stems were stacked as practised by farmers. C. ignefusalistemaie oviposition occurred mostly within leaf sheaths of green millet plants, rarely on green or dry leaves, and seldom on dry millet stems. Paper substrates rarely received eggs when offered to females in association with green millet stems with attached leaf sheath. The implications of our findings for IPM of C. ignefusalis are discussed

Life-fertility tables of Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared on Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Life-fertility tables were described for Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) developing on the millet head caterpillar (MHC), Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Mated B. hebetor females lived an average of 24.7 days, oviposited ca. 22 days, and produced, 173.7 adult progeny with a 1:1 sex ratio. The estimated innate capacity of increase (r) and net reproductive rate (R0) were 0.26 and 86.5, respectively. The mean generation time was 1 days

Population dynamics and parasitism of Coniesta(= Haimbachia) ignefusalis, Sesamia calamistis, and Heliocheilus albipunctella in millet monoculture

Studies were conducted in Niger in 1986 and 1987 on the population dynamics and parasitism of the millet stem borer, Coniesta (=Haimbachia) ignefusalis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae), Sesamia calamistis Hampson, and the millet head caterpillar, Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae). Planting dates were assessed for effects on population densities of C. ignefusalis and H. albipunctella. Population densities of C. ignefusalis were not reduced by adjusting millet planting dates, but were affected by millet growth stage. Platytelenomus sp. (Hymenoptera:Scelionidae) was the most common parasite of C. ignefusalis on millet. Parasitism of C. ignefusalis larvae and pupae was rare. Sesamia calamistis was a minor pest of millet in Niger, and was rarely parasitized. Population densities of H. albipunctella were reduced by delaying millet planting dates. Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera:Braconidae) was the most common parasite of H. albipunctella

Population Reproductive Statistics of Millet Head Miner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Reared in a Laboratory in Niger

Net reproductive rates and cohort generation times are tabulated for pearl millet head miner (Heliocheilus albipunctella) reared on 4 diets (Bio-Serv® 9782 and 3 pearl millet-based diets) at 24, 26, 28 or 30°C. The highest R0 values of 5.84 and 4.33 females per female were estimated when the head miners were fed Bio-Serv® at 30° and early exserted millet at 24°, respectively. Tc tended to be shortest at 26 and 28°

Field Evaluation of Fecundity, Longevity, and Oviposition Period of Millet Head Miner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Niger

The factors regulating Heliocheilus albipunctella development and abundance on pearl millet were investigated in field experiments in Niger. H. albipunctella in exclusion cages survived between 2 and 6 days and the oviposition period lasted 1-4 days. The mean number of eggs oviposited per female was 29.6. In experiments in 1997, the number of eggs oviposited varied with the pearl millet sowing date and was greatest on millet sown on 4 July (21.6 eggs oviposited per day). These data will contribute to the greater understanding of H. albipunctella biology necessary for its control

Cultural value orientations, internalized homophobia, and accommodation in romantic relationships

In the present study, we examined the impact of cultural value orientations (i.e., the personally oriented value of individualism, and the socially oriented values of collectivism, familism, romanticism, and spiritualism) on accommodation (i.e., voice and loyalty, rather than exit and neglect, responses to partners' anger or criticism) in heterosexual and gay relationships; and we examined the impact of internalized homophobia (i.e., attitudes toward self, other, and disclosure) on accommodation specifically in gay relationships. A total of 262 heterosexuals (102 men and 162 women) and 857 gays (474 men and 383 women) participated in the present study. Consistent with hypotheses, among heterosexuals and gays, socially oriented values were significantly and positively related to accommodation (whereas the personally oriented value of individualism was unrelated to accommodation); and among gays in particular, internalized homophobia was significantly and negatively related to accommodation. Implications for the study of heterosexual and gay relationships are discussed. © 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved

Intrauterine Growth Restriction Is a Direct Consequence of Localized Maternal Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Cystitis

Despite the continually increasing rates of adverse perinatal outcomes across the globe, the molecular mechanisms that underlie adverse perinatal outcomes are not completely understood. Clinical studies report that 10% of pregnant women will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) and there is an association of UTIs with adverse perinatal outcomes. We introduced bacterial cystitis into successfully outbred female mice at gestational day 14 to follow pregnancy outcomes and immunological responses to determine the mechanisms that underlie UTI-mediated adverse outcomes. Outbred fetuses from mothers experiencing localized cystitis displayed intrauterine growth restriction (20–80%) as early as 48 hours post-infection and throughout the remainder of normal gestation. Robust infiltration of cellular innate immune effectors was observed in the uteroplacental tissue following introduction of UTI despite absence of viable bacteria. The magnitude of serum proinflammatory cytokines is elevated in the maternal serum during UTI. This study demonstrates that a localized infection can dramatically impact the immunological status as well as the function of non-infected distal organs and tissues. This model can be used as a platform to determine the mechanism(s) by which proinflammatory changes occur between non-contiguous genitourinary organ

The association among cytochrome P450 3A, progesterone receptor polymorphisms, plasma 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations, and spontaneous preterm birth

Background Infants born <37 weeks’ gestation are of public health concern since complications associated with preterm birth are the leading cause of mortality in children <5 years of age and a major cause of morbidity and lifelong disability. The administration of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces preterm birth by 33% in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. We demonstrated previously that plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate vary widely among pregnant women and that women with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations in the lowest quartile had spontaneous preterm birth rates of 40% vs rates of 25% in those women with higher concentrations. Thus, plasma concentrations are an important factor in determining drug efficacy but the reason 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations vary so much is unclear. Predominantly, 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate is metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 enzymes. Objective We sought to: (1) determine the relation between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations and single nucleotide polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5; (2) test the association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and spontaneous preterm birth; and (3) test whether the association between plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate and spontaneous preterm birth varied by progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms. Study Design In this secondary analysis, we evaluated genetic polymorphism in 268 pregnant women treated with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, who participated in a placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the benefit of omega-3 supplementation in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. Trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were measured between 25-28 weeks of gestation after a minimum of 5 injections of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. We extracted DNA from maternal blood samples and genotyped the samples using TaqMan (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays for the following single nucleotide polymorphisms: CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A4*1G, CYP3A4*22, and CYP3A5*3; and rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 for progesterone receptor. We adjusted for prepregnancy body mass index, race, and treatment group in a multivariable analysis. Differences in the plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate by genotype were evaluated for each CYP single nucleotide polymorphism using general linear models. The association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and frequency of spontaneous preterm birth was tested using logistic regression. A logistic model also tested interaction between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations with each progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphism for the outcome of spontaneous preterm birth. Results The association between CYP single nucleotide polymorphisms *22, *1G, *1B, and *3 and trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate was not statistically significant (P =.68,.44,.08, and.44, respectively). In an adjusted logistic regression model, progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 were not associated with the frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (P =.29,.10,.76,.09, and.43, respectively). Low trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were statistically associated with a higher frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence ratio, 0.61–0.99; P =.04 for trend across quartiles), however no significant interaction with the progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 was observed (P =.13,.08,.10,.08, and.13, respectively). Conclusion The frequency of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth appears to be associated with trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations. However, the wide variation in trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations is not attributable to polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes. Progesterone receptor polymorphisms do not predict efficacy of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. The limitations of this secondary analysis include that we had a relative small sample size (n = 268) and race was self-reported by the patients