Rearing Chrysoperla externa Larvae on Artificial Diets.

We tested three artificial diets for rearing larvae of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), aiming at reducing the production costs of this predator. Two of the diets come from studies with other species of lacewings, and the third is a modification described in this paper. All diets were based on animal protein and were supplied to 2nd and 3rd instar larvae, whereas 1st instar larvae received eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). We evaluated the preimaginal duration and survival, adult size, longevity and fecundity, egg hatchability, and predatory capacity of larvae produced. The performance of the diets was followed for seven generations. The diet we describe showed to be the best among the artificial diets tested. Our results show that C. externa can be successfully reared on artificial diets during second and third instars, reducing in 90% the dependency on eggs of A. kuehniella.

Novos hospedeiros para Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) coletados em Lavras, Minas Gerais / News hosts for Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) collected in Lavras, Minas Gerais

This study verified the host species of the parasitoid Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The pupae were obtained by the flotation method. They were individually placed in gelatin capsules until the emergence of adult flies or their parasitoids. The overall occurence of parasitism was 6.5 percent. The occurrence of parasitism presented in the hosts Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Sarcodexia lambens (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was 1.3 percent and 29.4 percent, respectively.

Novos hospedeiros para Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) coletados em Lavras, Minas Gerais / News hosts for Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) collected in Lavras, Minas Gerais

This study verified the host species of the parasitoid Hemencyrtus herbertii Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The pupae were obtained by the flotation method. They were individually placed in gelatin capsules until the emergence of adult flies or their parasitoids. The overall occurence of parasitism was 6.5%. The occurrence of parasitism presented in the hosts Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Sarcodexia lambens (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was 1.3% and 29.4%, respectively.(AU)

Sentinel lymph node identification and sampling in women with early breast cancer using 99m Tc labelled dextran 500 and patent blue V dye.

The status of the homolateral axillary lymph nodes is still the most important prognostic factor in early stage breast cancer. The information obtained from the pathological examination of the lymph nodes guides is of critical importance in the decision process regarding the use of postoperative adjuvant therapy. However, lymph node axillary dissection can be followed by significant locoregional morbidity. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) technique was developed as a means of avoiding the full exploration of the axilla and consists in the identification of the first lymph node in the lymphatic drainage system of the breast tumour in the homolateral axilla. It has been demonstrated that the status of the SLN is highly predictive for the presence or absence of tumour involvement in the remaining lymph nodes in the axilla. In this study we evaluated the SLN technique using both 99mTc labelled dextran 500 and patent blue V dye in relation to the classical lymph node resection a series of 56 women with early breast cancer who attended the Breast Unit of the Academic Hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. To our knowledge this is the first report in the literature of the utilization of 99mTc dextran 500 for the SLN technique. As there are no similar commercially available dedicated radiopharmaceuticals labelled for use in lymphoscintigraphy studies, we report on an effective method to label dextran 500 with 99mTc which proved to be simple, inexpensive and yielded similar results for SLN identification compared with those given in the literature. The median age of the patients was 57 years (range 32-82 years). Seventeen patients were age 50 years or less, and 39 patients were older than 50 years. The median tumour size was 2.0 cm (range 0.8-7.0 cm). The mapping of the SLN was possible in all cases during the transoperative period by using a hand-guided gamma probe and a blue dye. A median of 2.0 (range 1-5) SLN were excised per patient. The median of axillary lymph nodes excised per patient was 21 (range 10-36). The calculated sensitivity and specificity of the method were 95.6% and 100%, respectively. The negative predictive value and overall accuracy were 97% and 98.2%, respectively. In conclusion, the SLN technique was feasible and produced similar positive results as previously reported in the literature.

Motor activity of the gallbladder in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to measure gallbladder emptying in scleroderma patients, when stimulated by exogenous cholecystokinin. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive scleroderma patients were evaluated. Ten were excluded for the presence of gallstones. Gallbladder motor function was studied in 18 patients and 18 controls, using specific parameters for the quantification of gallbladder emptying dynamics. Resting gallbladder volumes were compared using the Dodds method with real-time ultrasound. Cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated gallbladder function (0.02 microg/kg CCK intravenous infusion/30 min) was assessed by a scintigraphic technique using 99mTc-DISIDA. Five patients presented with CREST syndrome, 13 with the diffuse form of scleroderma. Four were men, 14 women (average age = 46.6+/-15.4 yr). Patients and controls were paired by gender, age, and weight. RESULTS: Resting gallbladder volumes were larger in the four men with scleroderma than in the women with this disease (p < 0.03, Mann-Whitney). The mean gallbladder resting volume in scleroderma patients was not different from the mean volume detected among controls (p = 0.25), even when controlling for gender (p = 0.78 for women, p = 0.08 for men), scleroderma disease subtype (p = 0.50), or disease duration (p = 0.48). Latency period, ejection period, ejection rate, or ejection fraction as measured during cholecystokinin-stimulated scintigraphic studies were not significantly different between patients and controls. A trend was detected for reduction of the ejection period in scleroderma women (p = 0.70) when compared with scleroderma men. More than 35% of the scleroderma patients presented biliary lithiasis. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in gallbladder dynamics measured by a scintigraphic technique in scleroderma patients, compared with controls, when gallbladder motor function was evaluated by intravenous CCK.