Pathogen resistance in the moth Orgyia antiqua: direct influence of host plant dominates over the effects of individual condition.

The role of pathogens in insect ecology is widely appreciated but remains insufficiently explored. Specifically, there is little understanding about the sources of the variation in the outcome of insect-pathogen interactions. This study addresses the extent to which immune traits of larvae and pupae of the moth Orgyia antiqua L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) depend on the host plant species and individual condition of the insects. The two host plants, Salix myrsinifolia Salisb. and S. viminalis L., were chosen because they differ in the concentration of phenolic glycosides, harmful to most polyphagous insects. Individual condition was assumed to be reflected in body weight and development time, and was manipulated by rearing larvae either singly or in groups of four. The resistance traits recorded were survival and time to death after fungal infection in the larval stage and the efficiency of encapsulating a nylon implant by the pupae. The survival of the infected larvae was mainly determined by the species of the host plant. Encapsulation response was not associated with the resistance to the pathogen, suggesting that the host plant affected the pathogen rather than the immune system of the insect. Interestingly, the host plant supporting better larval growth led to inferior resistance to the pathogen, indicating a trade-off between different aspects of host plant quality.

Assessing risks of releasing exotic biological control agents of arthropod pests.

More than 5000 introductions of about 2000 species of exotic arthropod agents for control of arthropod pests in 196 countries or islands during the past 120 years rarely have resulted in negative environmental effects. Yet, risks of environmental effects caused by releases of exotics are of growing concern. Twenty countries have implemented regulations for release of biological control agents. Soon, the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM3) will become the standard for all biological control introductions worldwide, but this standard does not provide methods by which to assess environmental risks. This review summarizes documented nontarget effects and discusses the development and application of comprehensive and quick-scan environmental risk assessment methods.

Health-related quality of life in patients with diastrophic dysplasia.

Diastrophic dysplasia (DD), a congenital skeletal dysplasia, is characterized by short, disproportionate stature, multiple severe spinal and joint deformities, and normal mental status. The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with DD was measured by a standardized fifteen-dimensional (15D) method, that includes a questionnaire and a valuation task. Eighteen patients (5 males and 13 females) with a mean age of 23 years (range 17-31 years), representing half of the Finnish patients with DD in this age group, completed the questionnaire and the valuation task. The data obtained were compared with those of 273 age- and sex-matched controls. A 15D profile was drawn, and the average importance weight of each dimension and the average within-dimension level values were calculated for both groups. The average 15D score, describing the overall HRQOL, was derived for both groups using the evaluations of each group. The health profiles of the groups differed significantly in several dimensions. When the health levels within the dimensions were concerned, the controls rated all values deviating from "normal" lower than did the patients. The average 15D scores of the patients with DD were significantly lower than those of the controls. The 15D scores were higher in both groups when the evaluations of the patients with DD were used. The study showed that, although the overall HRQOL of the patients with DD was inferior to that of the controls, the patients showed greater adaptability to deviations in health status than did the controls.

Comparison of health-related quality of life in three subgroups of spinal cord injury patients.

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was evaluated in three subgroups of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients: (1) persons who had sustained a pediatric SCI (mean time from injury 20 years, age at injury 11.3 years, n = 36), (2) newly injured patients at the beginning of acute rehabilitation (mean age 35.3 years, n = 31), and (3) patients with a chronic SCI (mean time from injury 4.8 years, mean age at injury 35.2 years, n = 34). All the patients were clinically examined and structurally interviewed with a list of questions dealing with details of anamnestic information about injury, its treatment, possible complications and persons past and present psycho-social condition. HRQL was assessed by a generic fifteen-dimensional self-administered instrument (15D). The relative importance of the 15D dimensions and an overall judgement of health status were measured by a 0-100 visual analogue scale. Average importance weights of the dimensions of moving and working differed significantly in the three subgroups. Patients with pediatric SCI assigned the lowest importance for moving. The newly injured patients highly valued working capability. The HRQL scores of the patients who had sustained their injury in childhood were significantly higher than those of the newly injured patients or chronic patients. The tetraplegic patients estimated their HRQL significantly lower than patients with incomplete paraplegia. Of the three subgroups studied, those with pediatric SCI were well adjusted on the basis of anamnestic information and scored high on HRQL when compared with the other two subgroups. Patients injured in adulthood rated their overall HRQL lower and were often unable to return to work. Patients injured in childhood expressed better performance in physical functions than patients who had sustained their injury in adulthood. The subgroups did not differ in psychological functions.

Enzyme exposure and enzyme sensitisation in the baking industry.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the exposure to enzymes and prevalence of enzyme sensitisation in the baking industry. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in four bakeries, one flour mill, and one crispbread factory. Sensitisation to enzymes, flours, and storage mites was examined by skin prick and radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests. 365 workers were tested. The workers were interviewed for work related respiratory and skin symptoms. Total dust concentrations were measured by a gravimetric method, and the concentration of alpha-amylase in air was measured by a catalytic method. An immunochemical method was used for measuring cellulase and xylanase in air. RESULTS: Total measured dust concentrations were from 0.1 to 18 mg/m3, with highest values in dough making areas of bakeries. The alpha-amylase concentrations generally followed the total dust concentrations and reached the highest values < 6.6 micrograms/m3 in the same areas. Cellulase and xylanase varied with concentrations < 180 ng/m3 and < 40 ng/m3, respectively, in the flour mill and the crispbread factory. No cellulase, but concentrations of 1-200 ng/m3 xylanase, were found in the bakeries, probably indicating the natural xylanase activity of wheat. 12 workers (8%) in the bakeries, three (5%) in the flour mill, and four (3%) in the crispbread factory were skin prick positive to enzymes. The corresponding percentages of positive reactions to flours were 12%, 5%, and 8%. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed that industrial enzymes in baking used as additives in a powdered form pose a risk of sensitisation. The no effect air concentrations for industrial enzymes are not known. Based on present knowledge, however, lowering exposures and eliminating short and high peaks by technical measures would lower the risk of sensitisation. This would be most effectively accomplished by shifting to non-dusty products.