New Coleoptera records from New Brunswick, Canada: Silvanidae and Laemophloeidae

One species of Silvanidae, Silvanus muticus Sharp, is newly recorded from New Brunswick, Canada and the Maritime provinces; Ahasverus longulus (Blatchley) is re-instated to the faunal list of the province, and we report the first recent provincial records of Dendrophagus cygnaei Mannerheim. Five species of Laemophloeidae (Charaphloeus convexulus (LeConte), Charaphloeus undescribed species (near adustus), Leptophloeus angustulus (LeConte), Placonotus zimmermanni (LeConte), and an undescribed Leptophloeus species) are added to the faunal list of New Brunswick. Collection data, bionomic data, and distribution maps are presented for all these species.     

Evaluation of SPLAT with spinosad and methyl eugenol or cue-lure for "attract-and-kill" of oriental and melon fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii

Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) methyl eugenol (ME) and cue-lure (C-L) "attract-and-kill" sprayable formulations containing spinosad were compared with other formulations under Hawaiian weather conditions against oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), respectively. Field tests were conducted with three different dispensers (Min-U-Gel, Acti-Gel, and SPLAT) and two different insecticides (naled and spinosad). SPLAT ME with spinosad was equal in performance to the standard Min-U-Gel ME with naled formulation up to 12 wk. SPLAT C-L with spinosad was equal in performance to the standard Min-U-Gel C-L with naled formulation during weeks 7 to12, but not during weeks 1-6. In subsequent comparative trials, SPLAT ME + spinosad compared favorably with the current standard of Min-U-Gel ME + naled for up to 6 wk, and it was superior from weeks 7 to 12 in two separate tests conducted in a papaya (Carica papaya L.) orchard and a guava (Psidium guajava L.) orchard, respectively. In outdoor paired weathering tests (fresh versus weathered), C-L dispensers (SPLAT + spinosad, SPLAT + naled, and Min-U-Gel + naled) were effective up to 70 d. Weathered ME dispensers with SPLAT + spinosad compared favorably with SPLAT + naled and Min-U-Gel + naled, and they were equal to fresh dispensers for 21-28 d, depending on location. Our current studies indicate that SPLAT ME and SPLAT C-L sprayable attract-and-kill dispensers containing spinosad are a promising substitute for current liquid organophosphate insecticide formulations used for areawide suppression of B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in Hawaii.     

In vitro analysis of immune responses of inbred guinea pigs infected in vivo with Leishmania enriettii and an investigation of active immunization of susceptible animals

Adherent skin cell monolayers have been prepared from the infected area of inbred guinea pigs inoculated with Leishmania enrietti. Cells from those animals most susceptible to disease (2/N) are less able to promote proliferation and the production of macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF) from leishmania-immune lymphocytes than are infected cells taken from the more resistant 13/N or (2/N × 13/N)F₁ animals. Exposure of immune lymphocytes of all strains to parasite antigen in the relative absence of autologous antigen-presenting cells induced the development of a suppressor pool capable of inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation in response to immunogenic signals. Decreased lymphocyte proliferation during the course of disease may be caused by the endogenous release of products of arachidonic acid metabolism from host monocytes, though along with the decline in DTH reactivity in infected animals, and apparently in concert with the healing of the primary lesion, there occurs an increase in titer of antileishmania antibody in infected animals. Preliminary attempts to confer protection of naive animals by preimmunization with lymphocytes from previously infected, susceptible, or resistant guinea pigs suggested a role for interacting “helper” and suppressor lymphocyte pools in the immunoprotection from leishmania infection.     

Ultraviolet light modification of the prostaglandin receptor

Prostaglandin E₁ elicits minimal inhibition of ultraviolet lightinduced platelet aggregation. Exposure to ultraviolet light progressively inhibits prostaglandin-induced responses in both the ADP-aggregating platelet and in uterine smooth muscle. This effect, which is cumulative and lasting, may be prevented or fully reversed by a sulfhydryl-oxidizing agent. Ultraviolet light may, therefore, initiate reduction of critical disulfide groups in the vicinity of the prostaglandin receptor. The technique of ultraviolet irradiation may serve as a useful tool in the specific determination of prostaglandins in biological systems.