Deltamethrin-impregnated bednets reduce human landing rates of sandfly vector Lutzomyia longipalpis in Amazon households

The entomological efficacy of using 25% deltamethrin EC insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) was evaluated against the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz and Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae), the principal vector of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) in Latin America. A crossover field study in Amazon Brazil (Marajó Island, Pará State) demonstrated that, compared with untreated nets, the insecticide increased the barrier effect of nets by 39% (95% confidence interval [CI] 34-44%), reduced human landing rates by 80% (95% CI 62-90%) and increased the 24-h mortality rate from 0% to 98% (95% CI 93-99%) inside ITNs. The presence of an ITN also reduced the human landing rate on unprotected persons outside the net in the same room by 56% (95% CI 52-59%), and increased 24-h mortality to 68% (95% CI 62-73%) compared to 0.4% (0.1-2.0%) in untreated houses. The reduction in human landing rates in ITN rooms was associated with a doubling in the proportion of sandflies alighting on walls compared with that in untreated rooms, which was attributed to insecticide-induced excito-repellency. There was no evidence that sandflies were diverted onto unprotected hosts. Human landing catches inside houses peaked between 19.00 hours and 23.00 hours and declined steadily to zero at 02.00 hours and thereafter. House-to-house questionnaires established that only 34% of households owned at least one net (median two, range 1-8), only 20% of the population slept under a net (33% of 0-5-year-old children), and the majority (73%) of the population slept in hammocks. Combined data pertaining to sleeping times for children and sandfly activity period indicate that > 50% of sandfly bites inside houses, and substantially more outside houses, were taken before a third of children were potentially protected by a net. This study demonstrates the clear entomological efficacy of ITNs against Lu. longipalpis in this endemic region. The effectiveness of ITNs at preventing ZVL infection and disease has still to be evaluated.     

Allosteric control model of bone remodelling containing periodical modes

To help to understand the modelling process that occurs when a scaffold is implanted it is vital to understand the rather complex bone remodelling process prevalent in native bone. We have formulated a mathematical model that predicts osteoactivity both in scaffolds, as well as in bone in vivo and could set a basis for the more detailed allosteric models. The model is extended towards a bio-cybernetic vision of basic multicellular unit (BMU) action, when some of the regulation loops have been modified to reflect the allosteric control mechanisms, developed by Michaels-Menten, Hill, Koshland-Nemethy-Filmer, Monod-Wyman-Changeux. By implementation of this approach a four-dimensional system was obtained that shows steady cyclic behaviour using a wide range of constants with clear biological meaning. We have observed that a local steady state appears as a limiting cycle in multi-dimensional phase space and this is discussed in this paper. Physiological interpretation of this limiting four-dimension cycle possibly related to a conservative-like value has been proposed. Analysis and simulation of the model has shown an analogy between this conservative value, as a kind of substrate-energy regenerative potential of the bone remodelling system with a molecular nature, and to the classical physical value--energy. This dynamic recovery potential is directed against both mechanical and biomechanical damage to the bone. Furthermore, the current model has credibility when compared to the normal bone remodelling process. In the framework of widely recognised Hill mechanisms of allosteric regulation the cyclic attractor, described formerly for a pure cellular model, prevails for different forms of feedback control. This result indicates the viability of the proposed existence of a conservative value (analogous to energy) that characterises the recovery potential of the bone remodelling cycle. Linear stability analysis has been performed in order to determine the robustness of the basic state, however, additional work is required to study a wider range of constants.     

Modeling competition for infection sites on roots by nonpathogenic strains of Fusarium oxysporum

By use of plane and solid geometry and probability models, efficiencies of infection and competition for nutrients and infection sites by a nonpathogenic strain of Fusarium oxysporum (C14) with F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum on the rhizoplane of cucumber were calculated. The model is derived from previously published data. Efficiencies for successful infection were 0.04 chlamydospores per infection site for both pathogen and nonpathogen. Observed successful infections by the pathogen in competition with the nonpathogen were close in values to the competition ratio (CR) calculated as the number of chlamydospores on the infection court of the pathogen divided by the total number of both pathogen and nonpathogen at relatively low densities. When total chlamydospores were, on average, closer than 175 μm apart, however, competition for nutrients/mutual inhibition occurred. At such densities there was an overestimation of the effect of competition for infection sites. These relationships were modeled at inoculum densities of pathogen and/or nonpathogen of 5000 chlamydospores per g soil and above, however, in the field, maximum densities of 1000 colony forming units/g (cfu) were observed. Most likely models of competition for infection sites at this density of the pathogen revealed that infection efficiency was only approximately halved, even when 0.98 of the possible 30 infection sites were occupied by the nonpathogen. It is conclude that competition for nutrients and/or infection sites is an insignificant factor in biocontrol of Fusarium wilt diseases by nonpathogenic fusaria.     

Phylogenetic origin of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis> L 1758 from Sicily,based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses

The phylogenetic status of brown trout Salmo trutta L 1758 in Sicily is uncertain as some reports describe these trout as S. macrostigma or S. cettii on one hand while other, contradictory reports imply a hatchery origin on the other. In order to clarify this situation, we performed sequence analysis of the mtDNA control region and restriction fragment analysis of the nuclear lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C1*) gene. A single mitochondrial haplotype (At-s6) found previously in brown trout in Morocco, and two alleles at LDH-C1* (the ancestral*100, at a high frequency, and *90) were revealed. Our results suggest that Sicilian brown trout are native and that they probably colonized Sicily from west to east in an expansion, from the Atlantic Ocean basin, along the North-West African coast. Handling editor: C. Sturmbauer     

Gill chemoreceptors and cardio-respiratory reflexes in the neotropical teleost pacu, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Piaractus mesopotamicus</Emphasis>

This study examined the location and distribution of O₂ chemoreceptors involved in cardio-respiratory responses to hypoxia in the neotropical teleost, the pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Intact fish and fish experiencing progressive gill denervation by selective transection of cranial nerves IX and X were exposed to gradual hypoxia and submitted to intrabuccal and intravenous injections of NaCN while their heart rate, ventilation rate and ventilation amplitude were measured. The chemoreceptors producing reflex bradycardia were confined to, but distributed along all gill arches, and were sensitive to O₂ levels in the water and the blood. Ventilatory responses to all stimuli, though modified, continued following gill denervation, however, indicating the presence of internally and externally oriented receptors along all gill arches and either in the pseudobranch or at extra-branchial sites. Chemoreceptors located on the first pair of gill arches and innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve appeared to attenuate the cardiac and respiratory responses to hypoxia. The data indicate that the location and distribution of cardio-respiratory O₂ receptors are not identical to those in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) despite their similar habitats and close phylogenetic lineage, although the differences between the two species could reduce to nothing more than the presence or absence of the pseudobranch.     

施肥对苗期紫茎泽兰和黑麦草相对竞争力的影响

为种植黑麦草替代控制紫茎泽兰提供依据,运用取代实验法,研究了施肥(氮、磷)对苗期紫茎泽兰和黑麦草的相对竞争力以及生长表现的影响。结果表明:增施氮肥和磷肥均能够提高紫茎泽兰的相对竞争力,而仅磷肥对黑麦草的竞争力略有促进作用;但在各种施肥水平下,黑麦草的竞争力仍然明显强于紫茎泽兰。增施氮肥可以显著提高紫茎泽兰的株高、分枝数和干质量,而磷肥仅在较高时才显著提高其干质量;增施氮肥虽然可以提高黑麦草的分蘖数量,但对其干质量没有影响,而增施磷肥(2次)可以显著提高其干质量;在竞争中紫茎泽兰植株生长的能量分配(用根茎比表示)对磷肥不敏感。建议适当增施磷肥、不施或少施氮肥,以提高黑麦草的替代控制效果。     

具空间扩散的时变种群系统的最优捕获控制

讨论了一类时变种群扩散系统的最优捕获控制的非线性问题,证明了最优捕获控制的存在性,并给出了控制u（t,x）∈Uad为最优的必要条件和最优性组．