Effect of Dietary Protein and Carbohydrates on Survival and Growth in Larvae of the Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

The ratio of protein and carbohydrate in an insect's nutritional regime can significantly influence its survival, growth, and fecundity. The effects of 11 different artificial diets containing protein (p): carbohydrate (c) ratios were determined in larvae of the phytophagus ladybug, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). We recorded the developmental times and survival rates of the larvae and weighed their pupae. When the concentration of carbohydrates was kept constant while the concentration of proteins was increased (p29:c20, p31:c20, p33:c20, and p35:c20), H. vigintioctopunctata could successfully complete the larval and pupal stages. The highest survival rate and greatest pupal mass of H. vigintioctopunctata were 72% and 19.5 mg, respectively, when reared on the p33:c20 diet. H. vigintioctopunctata larvae, however, were unable to develop into adults when the concentration of protein remained constant while the level of carbohydrates was increased (p20:c23, p20:c25, p20:c27, and p20:c29), or when the total amount (p + c) was kept at 48% (p22:c26, p 24:c24, p26:c22). Evidently, changing the availability of quality diet, especially the total protein levels, can significantly affect the performance to H. vigintioctopunctata. Our results indicated that the maximum development and survival of H. vigintioctopunctata larvae occurred within a narrow range-when the p:c ratio was (33:20).

Demographic Comparison of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Reared on Three Cultivars of Solanum melongena L. and a Wild Hostplant Solanum nigrum L.

Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) is a widespread pest found on many solanaceous vegetables. The development and fecundity of H. vigintioctopunctata were studied on three cultivars ('Zihong', 'Eyou', and 'Baijiao') of eggplant, Solanum melongena L., using the two-sex life table theory. These results were then compared with similar parameters from a wild alternate host, Solanum nigrum. Our results showed that there were no significant differences between the developmental times of the larval stages, pupae, oviposition period, adult longevity, and the fecundity of H. vigintioctopunctata reared on the three eggplant cultivars. The survival rates of H. vigintioctopunctata larvae reared on the three eggplant cultivars were higher than that on S. nigrum. The fecundity of H. vigintioctopunctata adults reared on S. nigrum (724.12 eggs), however, was significantly higher than on each of the three eggplant cultivars. The values for the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproductive rate (R0) for H. vigintioctopunctata when reared on S. nigrum were 0.1225 d-1,1.1303 d-1, and 299.6 offspring, respectively. Each of these was significantly higher than comparable values when reared on the cultivar Eyou and Baijiao but were not different from those reared on the Zihong. Our results indicated that H. vigintioctopunctata is well adapted to all tested host plant cultivars and that S. nigrum is an important alternate wild hostplant that may potentially contribute to future outbreaks of H. vigintioctopunctata if not taken into consideration when planning an integrated control strategy against the pest.

[Observation on Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture Combined with Cutaneous Electrical Stimulation for Dysphagia in Patients with Cerebral 1nfarction].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture combined with neck-skin electrical stimulation (NSES) on dysphagia in patients with cerebral infarction (CI). METHODS: A total of 120 CI patients with dysphagia were randomly divided into acupuncture group, NSES group and acupuncture + NSES group (combined treatment group, n = 40 in each group). Acupuncture stimulation of Fengchi (GB20), Yifeng (TE 17), etc., and blood-letting of Jinjin (EX-HN 12) and Yuye (EX-HN 13) were administrated. NSES was applied to the bilateral sites of the neck-median line. The treatment was given once daily for two weeks. The swallow function and swallow dysfunction degree of the dysphasia patients were evaluated by water swallow test and food-intake scale, respectively. RESULTS: After one week's and two weeks' treatment, the water swallow score and swallow dysfunction score were significantly improved in the acupuncture, NSES and combined treatment groups (P<0. 01), and the difference values between pre- and post-treatment of the water swallow score and swallow ability score in the combined treatment group were obviously higher than those of the acupuncture and NSES groups (P<0. 01, P<0. 05). No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and NSES groups in both the water swallow score and swallow ability score after one and two weeks' treatment (P>0. 05). Of the three 40 cases in the acupuncture, NSES and combined treatment groups, 16, 18 and 27 were basically cured, 2, 3 and 5 experienced marked improvement, 15, 13 and 7 were improved, and 7, 6 and 1 failed in the treatment, with the effective rates being 82.5%, 85.0% and 97. 5%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of the combined treatment group was apparently superior to that of the simple acupuncture and simple NSES groups (P<0. 01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture and NSES intervention is effective in improving dysphasia in CI patients and the effect of combined treatment of acupuncture and NSES is obviously better than that of the simple acupuncture and simple NSES.

[Systematic evaluation of acupuncture for treatment of post-stroke spastic paralysis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture on post-stroke spastic paralysis. METHODS: A systematic evaluation including all the relavant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of post-stroke spastic paralysis were carried out according to the method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. RESULTS: Nine hundred and seventy-eight patients being included in fourteen papers met the enrolled criteria. However, their methodological quality was relatively poor. Meta-analysis of nine trials indicated that there was no significant difference between the treatment groups and the control groups in Ashworth scores, Carr-Shepherd scores, nerve defect scores and hip adductor tension scores. Whereas the Fugel-Meyer scores in one trial and the Barthel scores in three trials were better in the treatment groups than those of the control group. CONCLUSION: A reliable conclusion can not be drawn from the present data because of the defects in methodological quality and insufficient numbers of trials, especially lack the long-term terminal outcomes, although it appears a tedency that acupuncture can improve the conditions of post-stroke spastic paralysis. Therefore, it is necessary to perform more multi-central RCTs of high quality in future.