Sample records for pill bug armadillidium
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Teaching through Trade Books: Roly-Poly Pill Bugs
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Morgan, Emily; Ansberry, Karen
2016-01-01
Pill bugs, also called roly-polies, are small terrestrial isopods that are abundant in temperate areas throughout the world. Because they are engaging, harmless, and easily collected, they provide an excellent opportunity for children to learn about invertebrate body parts, behaviors, and information processing. This column includes activities…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Biermann, Carol
1988-01-01
Described is a study designed to introduce students to the behavior of common invertebrate animals, and to use of the chi-square statistical technique. Discusses activities with snails, pill bugs, and mealworms. Provides an abbreviated chi-square table and instructions for performing the experiments and statistical tests. (CW)
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Okumura, Etsuko; Tanaka, Ryusei; Yoshiga, Toyoshi
2013-02-15
Host recognition is crucial during the phoretic stage of nematodes because it facilitates their association with hosts. However, limited information is available on the direct cues used for host recognition and host specificity in nematodes. Caenorhabditis japonica forms an intimate association with the burrower bug Parastrachia japonensis. Caenorhabditis japonica dauer larvae (DL), the phoretic stage of the nematode, are mainly found on adult P. japonensis females but no other species. To understand the mechanisms of species-specific and female carrier-biased ectophoresy in C. japonica, we investigated whether C. japonica DL could recognize their hosts using nematode loading and chemoattraction experiments. During the loading experiments, up to 300 C. japonica DL embarked on male and female P. japonensis, whereas none or very few utilized the other shield bugs Erthesina fullo and Macroscytus japonensis or the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare. In the chemoattraction experiments, hexane extracts containing the body surface components of nymphs and both adult P. japonensis sexes attracted C. japonica DL, whereas those of other shield bugs did not. Parastrachia japonensis extracts also arrested the dispersal of C. japonica DL released at a site where hexane extracts were spotted on an agar plate; i.e. >50% of DL remained at the site even 60 min after nematode inoculation whereas M. japonensis extracts or hexane alone did not have the same effect. These results suggest that C. japonica DL recognize their host species using direct chemical attractants from their specific host to maintain their association.
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Cognitive Model of Animal Behavior to Comprehend an Aspect of Decision-Making
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Migita, Masao; Moriyama, Tohru
2004-08-01
Most animal behaviors are considered to have been evolved through their own courses of natural selection. Since mechanisms of natural selection depend tightly on environments in which animals of interest inhabit, the environment for an animal appears a priori, and stimulus-response (S-R) relationships are stable as long as it returns constant benefit. We claim, however, no environment for an animal cannot be regarded as a priori and any animal can exhibit more elaborated behavior than S-R. In other words, every animal is more or less cognitive in terms that it may modify a meaning of stimulus. We introduce a minimal model to demonstrate the cognitive aspect of the pill bug's turn alternation (TA) behavior. The simulated pill bug can modify its own response pattern to the stimulus of water, though stable response appears to be prerequisite to TA behavior.
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Mercury Concentration in the Tissue of Terrestrial Arthropods from the Central California Coast
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ortiz, C.; Weiss-Penzias, P. S.; Flegal, A. R.
2012-12-01
The primary goal of this project was to obtain a baseline understanding and investigate the concentration of mercury (Hg) in the tissue of arthropods in coastal California. This region receives significant input of fog which may contain enhanced levels of Hg. Currently there is a lack of data on Hg concentration in the tissue of arthropods (Insecta, Malacostraca, and Arachnida). The sample collection sites were Elkhorn Slough Estuarine Reserve in Moss Landing, and the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) campus. Samples collected between February and March, 2012 had total Hg (HgT) concentrations in dry weight that ranged from 27 - 39 ng/g in the Jerusalem cricket (Orthoptera Stenopelmatidae); 80 - 110 ng/g in the camel cricket (Orthoptera Rhaphidophoridae); 21 - 219 ng/g in the ground beetle (Coleoptera Carabidae); 100 - 228 ng/g in the pill bug (Isopoda Armadillidiidae); and 285 - 423 ng/g in the wolf spider (Araneae Lycosidae). Monomethyl mercury (MMHg) concentrations in dry weight were determine to be 4.3 -28.2 ng/g for the ground beetle; 45.5 - 87.8 ng/g for the pill bug, and 252.3 - 293.7 ng/g for the wolf spider. Samples collected in July, 2012 had HgT concentrations in dry weight that ranged from 110 - 168 ng/g in the camel cricket; 337 - 562 ng/g in the ground beetle; 25 - 227 ng/g in the pill bug; and 228 - 501 ng/g in the wolf spider. The preliminary data revealed an 18% increase in the concentration of HgT for wolf spiders, and a 146% increase for ground beetles in the summer when compared to those concentrations measured in the spring. It is hypothesized that coastal fog may be a contributor to this increase of Hg concentration in coastal California arthropods.
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Bashir, Zeenat; Kondapalli, Vamsi Krishna; Adlakha, Nidhi; Sharma, Anil; Bhatnagar, Raj K.; Chandel, Girish; Yazdani, Syed Shams
2013-01-01
Arthropods living on plants are able to digest plant biomass with the help of microbial flora in their guts. This study considered three arthropods from different niches - termites, pill-bugs and yellow stem-borers - and screened their guts for cellulase producing microbes. Among 42 unique cellulase-producing strains, 50% belonged to Bacillaceae, 26% belonged to Enterobacteriaceae, 17% belonged to Microbacteriaceae, 5% belonged to Paenibacillaceae and 2% belonged to Promicromonosporaceae. The distribution of microbial families in the three arthropod guts reflected differences in their food consumption habits. Most of the carboxymethylcellulase positive strains also hydrolysed other amorphous substrates such as xylan, locust bean gum and β-D-glucan. Two strains, A11 and A21, demonstrated significant activity towards Avicel and p-nitrophenyl-β-D-cellobiose, indicating that they express cellobiohydrolase. These results provide insight into the co-existence of symbionts in the guts of arthropods and their possible exploitation for the production of fuels and chemicals derived from plant biomass. PMID:23990056
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ashwini, Krishna M.; Sridhar, Kandikere R.
2006-01-01
Seasonal occurrence and activity of endemic pill millipedes ( Arthrosphaera magna) were examined in organically managed mixed plantation and semi-evergreen forest reserve in southwest India between November 1996 and September 1998. Abundance and biomass of millipedes were highest in both habitats during monsoon season. Soil moisture, conductivity, organic carbon, phosphate, potassium, calcium and magnesium were higher in plantation than in forest. Millipede abundance and biomass were about 12 and 7 times higher in plantation than in forest, respectively ( P < 0.001). Their biomass increased during post-monsoon, summer and monsoon in the plantation ( P < 0.001), but not in forest ( P > 0.05). Millipede abundance and biomass were positively correlated with rainfall ( P = 0.01). Besides rainfall, millipedes in plantation were positively correlated with soil moisture as well as temperature ( P = 0.001). Among the associated fauna with pill millipedes, earthworms rank first followed by soil bugs in both habitats. Since pill millipedes are sensitive to narrow ecological changes, the organic farming strategies followed in mixed plantation and commonly practiced in South India seem not deleterious for the endangered pill millipedes Arthrosphaera and reduce the risk of local extinctions.
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Adaptive variation in offspring size in the terrestrial isopod, Armadillidium vulgare
Brody, M.S.; Lawlor, L.R.
1984-01-01
Variation in the birth size of offspring of the terrestrial isopod, Armadillidium vulgare, was observed in laboratory experiments and in field populations. In the laboratory, larger offspring were produced when the mother's food supply was reduced. In field populations, larger offspring were produced during the summer, a period of reduced food availability. Smaller offspring are produced in the spring, when food is readily available. Females may be making larger young to increase survival during the more severe conditions of the summer breeding period.
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Producing offspring in Armadillidium vulgare: Effects of genetic diversity and inbreeding.
Durand, Sylvine; Loiseau, Vincent; Prigot, Cybèle; Braquart-Varnier, Christine; Beltran-Bech, Sophie
2018-03-01
Genetic diversity is known to be correlated to fitness traits, and inbred individuals often display lower values for life history traits. In this study, we attempt to quantify how inbreeding affects such traits in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare by performing inbred and non-inbred crosses under laboratory conditions. We estimated genetic characteristics of parents and offspring, and related them to fecundity and fertility measures, as well as offspring growth and survival. Our study shows that a decrease in offspring number might result from mortality around birth, but not to changes in fecundity, fertilization rate, or developmental failure between inbred and non-inbred crosses. More heterozygous females tended to be bigger and had a higher fecundity, which could have implications in mate choice. No effect of inbreeding was detected on offspring growth and survival. These results can be related to previously observed effects of genetic characteristics on mating strategies in A. vulgare, and could shed light on mechanisms of inbreeding avoidance in this species. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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D. Max Smith; Jeffrey F. Kelly; Deborah M. Finch
2006-01-01
Detritivores play important roles in energy and nutrient flow in riparian ecosystems. Endemic crickets (Gryllus alogus Rehn) and exotic isopods (Armadillidium vulagare Latreille and Porcellio laevi Latreille.) are abundant detritivores in riparian forest floors of central New Mexico. To determine how disturbance...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, K.; Brötzmann, M.; Hofsäss, H.
2012-09-01
We investigate pattern formation on Si by sputter erosion under simultaneous co-deposition of Fe atoms, both at off-normal incidence, as function of the Fe surface coverage. The patterns obtained for 5 keV Xe ion irradiation at 30° incidence angle are analyzed with atomic force microscopy. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy of the local steady state Fe content of the Fe-Si surface layer allows a quantitative correlation between pattern type and Fe coverage. With increasing Fe coverage the patterns change, starting from a flat surface at low coverage (< 2×1015 Fe/cm2) over dot patterns (2-8×1015 Fe/cm2), ripples patterns (8-17×1015 Fe/cm2), pill bug structures (1.8×1016 Fe/cm2) and a rather flat surface with randomly distributed weak pits at high Fe coverage (>1.8×1016 Fe/cm2). Our results confirm the observations by Macko et al. for 2 keV Kr ion irradiation of Si with Fe co-deposition. In particular, we also find a sharp transition from pronounced ripple patterns with large amplitude (rms roughness ˜ 18 nm) to a rather flat surface (rms roughness ˜ 0.5 nm). Within this transition regime, we also observe the formation of pill bug structures, i.e. individual small hillocks with a rippled structure on an otherwise rather flat surface. The transition occurs within a very narrow regime of the steady state Fe surface coverage between 1.7 and 1.8×1016 Fe/cm2, where the composition of the mixed Fe-Si surface layer of about 10 nm thickness reaches the stoichiometry of FeSi2. Phase separation towards amorphous iron silicide is assumed as the major contribution for the pattern formation at lower Fe coverage and the sharp transition from ripple patterns to a flat surface.
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The Best Timing of Mate Search in Armadillidium vulgare (Isopoda, Oniscidea)
Beauché, Fanny; Richard, Freddie-Jeanne
2013-01-01
Mate choice is mediated by many components with the criteria varying across the animal kingdom. Chemical cues used for mate attractiveness can also reflect mate quality. Regarding the gregarious species Armadillidium vulgare (isopod crustacean), we tested whether individuals can discriminate conspecifics at two different levels (between sex and physiological status) based on olfactory perception. Tested conspecifics were individuals of the same or opposite sex, with the females at different moult stages. We found that the attractiveness of individuals was mediated by short-distance chemical cues and tested individuals were able to discriminate and prefer individuals of the opposite sex. Moreover, male preference to female increased during their moulting status as they matured. Males were particularly more attracted by females with appearing white calcium plates, which corresponds to the beginning of their higher receptivity period. These differences in attractiveness due to sex and physiological status are likely to shape the composition of aggregates and facilitate mate finding and optimize the reproductive success for both males and females. Thus aggregation pheromones could be linked to sex pheromones in terrestrial isopods. PMID:23469225
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Zhang, K.; Broetzmann, M.; Hofsaess, H.
We investigate pattern formation on Si by sputter erosion under simultaneous co-deposition of Fe atoms, both at off-normal incidence, as function of the Fe surface coverage. The patterns obtained for 5 keV Xe ion irradiation at 30 Degree-Sign incidence angle are analyzed with atomic force microscopy. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy of the local steady state Fe content of the Fe-Si surface layer allows a quantitative correlation between pattern type and Fe coverage. With increasing Fe coverage the patterns change, starting from a flat surface at low coverage (< 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} Fe/cm{sup 2}) over dot patterns (2-8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15}more » Fe/cm{sup 2}), ripples patterns (8-17 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} Fe/cm{sup 2}), pill bug structures (1.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 16} Fe/cm{sup 2}) and a rather flat surface with randomly distributed weak pits at high Fe coverage (>1.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 16} Fe/cm{sup 2}). Our results confirm the observations by Macko et al. for 2 keV Kr ion irradiation of Si with Fe co-deposition. In particular, we also find a sharp transition from pronounced ripple patterns with large amplitude (rms roughness {approx} 18 nm) to a rather flat surface (rms roughness {approx} 0.5 nm). Within this transition regime, we also observe the formation of pill bug structures, i.e. individual small hillocks with a rippled structure on an otherwise rather flat surface. The transition occurs within a very narrow regime of the steady state Fe surface coverage between 1.7 and 1.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 16} Fe/cm{sup 2}, where the composition of the mixed Fe-Si surface layer of about 10 nm thickness reaches the stoichiometry of FeSi{sub 2}. Phase separation towards amorphous iron silicide is assumed as the major contribution for the pattern formation at lower Fe coverage and the sharp transition from ripple patterns to a flat surface.« less
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Dittmer, Jessica; Bouchon, Didier
2018-05-03
Wolbachia are widespread heritable endosymbionts of arthropods notorious for their profound effects on host fitness as well as for providing protection against viruses and eukaryotic parasites, indicating that they can interact with other microorganisms sharing the same host environment. Using the terrestrial isopod crustacean Armadillidium vulgare, its highly diverse microbiota (>200 bacterial genera) and its three feminizing Wolbachia strains (wVulC, wVulM, wVulP) as a model system, the present study demonstrates that Wolbachia can even influence the composition of a diverse bacterial community under both laboratory and natural conditions. While host origin is the major determinant of the taxonomic composition of the microbiota in A. vulgare, Wolbachia infection affected both the presence and, more importantly, the abundance of many bacterial taxa within each host population, possibly due to competitive interactions. Moreover, different Wolbachia strains had different impacts on microbiota composition. As such, infection with wVulC affected a higher number of taxa than infection with wVulM, possibly due to intrinsic differences in virulence and titer between these two strains. In conclusion, this study shows that heritable endosymbionts such as Wolbachia can act as biotic factors shaping the microbiota of arthropods, with as yet unknown consequences on host fitness.
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Cordaux, Richard; Gilbert, Clément
2017-07-21
An increasing number of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events from bacteria to animals have been reported in the past years, many of which involve Wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts and their invertebrate hosts. Most transferred Wolbachia genes are neutrally-evolving fossils embedded in host genomes. A remarkable case of Wolbachia HGT for which a clear evolutionary significance has been demonstrated is the " f element", a nuclear Wolbachia insert involved in female sex determination in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare . The f element represents an instance of bacteria-to-animal HGT that has occurred so recently that it was possible to infer the donor (feminizing Wolbachia closely related to the w VulC Wolbachia strain of A. vulgare ) and the mechanism of integration (a nearly complete genome inserted by micro-homology-mediated recombination). In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of the f element and discuss arising perspectives regarding female sex determination, unstable inheritance, population dynamics and the molecular evolution of the f element. Overall, the f element unifies three major areas in evolutionary biology: symbiosis, HGT and sex determination. Its characterization highlights the tremendous impact sex ratio distorters can have on the evolution of sex determination mechanisms and sex chromosomes in animals and plants.
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Ziegler, Andreas; Suzuki, Sachiko
2011-01-01
We investigated sperm storage, sperm transfer from the oviduct to the seminal receptacle, and formation of the cuticular genitalia in female Armadillidium vulgare using light and electron microscopy. Apolysis of the genitalia within the oviduct forms a circum-genital lumen. During insemination this space is filled with immobile spermatozoa. Sperm transfer into the seminal receptacle takes place before oviposition. Within a peculiar proximal neck region of the oviduct spermatozoa are bundled and enveloped by a folded epicuticular layer. The envelope tightly surrounds the spermatozoa probably forming a seal against the main part of the circum-genital lumen. We propose that hydrostatic pressure produced by the muscle cells surrounding the oviduct leads to sperm transfer into the seminal receptacle. Within the seminal receptacle the sperm bundle forms a ring just around the orifice to the oviduct. At one side sheath-like extensions of epithelial cells surround the ring of spermatozoa holding it in place. At the other side oocytes would have access to the sperm during oviposition, probably allowing for fertilisation when they pass right through the ring of spermatozoa. After oviposition the new genitalia are formed from epicuticular folds, and cuticle secreted by the epithelial cells. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Koh, Huishan; Wright, Jonathan
2011-06-01
Many terrestrial arthropods display tight osmotic and ionic regulation of the hemolymph during dehydration. In this study, we sought to quantify the level of regulation of the major hemolymph cations in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare (Isopoda, Oniscidea). Inulin space measurements showed that the hemolymph comprises 52 ± 2.2% of the hydrated water content but contributes 71 ± 9.8% of water losses during desiccation. Hemolymph concentrations of Na+, K+ and Ca²+ were measured in variably dehydrated animals using ion-selective microelectrodes and compared with predicted concentrations assuming no regulation. Na+ and Ca²+ are quite tightly regulated, showing respective concentration increases of 20.8% and 7.1% following a 50% reduction in hemolymph volume, but K+ showed no measurable regulation. The excreted cation fraction during desiccation is negligible. Sites of ion sequestration were examined by injecting ²²Na and ⁴⁵Ca into the hemolymph of hydrated animals and assaying tissue-specific activities following dehydration. Na+ is apparently sequestered non-specifically by an unknown mechanism. Ca²+ accumulates in the dorsal somatic tissues, possibly in the calcium pool of the cuticle. How A. vulgare avoids significant disruptions of E(m) and neuromuscular function in the absence of K+ regulation, and how it sequesters Na+, both pose intriguing challenges for future work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Becker, Alexander; Ziegler, Andreas; Epple, Matthias
2005-05-21
The cuticules (shells) of the woodlice Porcellio scaber and Armadillidium vulgare were analysed with respect to their content of inorganic material. It was found that the cuticles consist of crystalline magnesium calcite, amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), besides small amounts of water and an organic matrix. It is concluded that the cuticle, which constitutes a mineralized protective organ, is chemically adapted to the biological requirements by this combination of different materials.
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Ability of bed bug-detecting canines to locate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs.
Pfiester, Margie; Koehler, Philip G; Pereira, Roberto M
2008-08-01
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., like other bed bug species, is difficult to visually locate because it is cryptic. Detector dogs are useful for locating bed bugs because they use olfaction rather than vision. Dogs were trained to detect the bed bug (as few as one adult male or female) and viable bed bug eggs (five, collected 5-6 d after feeding) by using a modified food and verbal reward system. Their efficacy was tested with bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs placed in vented polyvinyl chloride containers. Dogs were able to discriminate bed bugs from Camponotus floridanus Buckley, Blattella germanica (L.), and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), with a 97.5% positive indication rate (correct indication of bed bugs when present) and 0% false positives (incorrect indication of bed bugs when not present). Dogs also were able to discriminate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs from dead bed bugs, cast skins, and feces, with a 95% positive indication rate and a 3% false positive rate on bed bug feces. In a controlled experiment in hotel rooms, dogs were 98% accurate in locating live bed bugs. A pseudoscent prepared from pentane extraction of bed bugs was recognized by trained dogs as bed bug scent (100% indication). The pseudoscent could be used to facilitate detector dog training and quality assurance programs. If trained properly, dogs can be used effectively to locate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs.
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Vyavhare, Suhas S; Way, Michael O; Medina, Raul F
2014-12-01
Stink bugs are the primary arthropod soybean pests in the southern United States. Historically, important stink bug species damaging soybeans in the southern United States included the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula (L.), the green stink bug Chinavia hilaris (Say), and the brown stink bug Euschistus servus (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). The redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), has recently become an economic pest of soybean in the southern region of the United States, especially in Louisiana and Texas. Little is known about current stink bug species composition and relative abundance in Texan soybean agro-ecosystems. To fill this gap, commercial soybean fields in the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas were sampled weekly during the growing season using a sweep net throughout R2 (full flowering) to R7 (beginning maturity) from 2011 to 2013. Adults and nymphs (third, fourth, and fifth instars) of redbanded stink bug, southern green stink bug, green stink bug, and brown stink bug were counted per 25 sweeps. The relative abundance of redbanded stink bug was significantly higher than any other stink bug species throughout 2011-2013. Over 65% of the total population of major stink bugs collected during this period were redbanded stink bugs and ≍19% were southern green stink bugs. The highest redbanded stink bug densities and the highest ratio of redbanded stink bug nymphs to adults were recorded at R7. Results from this study show that redbanded stink bug has become the predominant stink bug species in soybean in the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas.
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EPA-Registered Bed Bug Products
... Bugs EPA Registered Bed Bug Products EPA-Registered Bed Bug Products Resources Bed Bug Main Page Top Ten ... Where you can use the pesticide Pesticide type Bed Bug Search Tool Enter the information as described in ...
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... Consultations, and General Public. Contact Us Parasites Home Bed Bugs FAQs Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir On ... are bed bugs treated and prevented? What are bed bugs? Bed bugs ( Cimex lectularius ) are small, flat, parasitic ...
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Health Information in Oromo (Afan Oromoo)
... Section Bed Bugs Bed Bug Control in Residences - English PDF Bed Bug Control in Residences - Afan Oromoo ( ... Department of Agriculture Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - English PDF Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - Afan Oromoo ( ...
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When GIS zooms in: spatio-genetic maps of multipaternity in Armadillidium vulgare.
Bech, Nicolas; Depeux, Charlotte; Durand, Sylvine; Debenest, Catherine; Lafitte, Alexandra; Beltran-Bech, Sophie
2017-12-01
Geographic information system (GIS) tools are designed to illustrate, analyse and integrate geographic or spatial data, usually on a macroscopic scale. By contrast, genetic tools focus on a microscopic scale. Because in reality, landscapes have no predefined scale, our original study aims to develop a new approach, combining both cartographic and genetic approaches to explore microscopic landscapes. For this, we focused on Armadillidium vulgare, a terrestrial isopod model in which evolutionary pressures imposed by terrestrial life have led to the development of internal fertilisation and, consequently, to associated physiological changes. Among these, the emergence of internal receptacles, found in many taxa ranging from mammals to arthropods, allowed females to store sperm from several partners, enabling multipaternity. Among arthropods, terrestrial isopods like the polygynandrous A. vulgare present a female structure, the marsupium, in which fertilised eggs migrate and develop into mancae (larval stage). To test our innovative combined approach, we proposed different males to four independent females, and at the end of incubation in the marsupium, we mapped (using GIS methods) and genotyped (using 12 microsatellite markers) all the incubated mancae. This methodology permitted to obtain spatio-genetic maps describing heterozygosity and spatial distribution of mancae and of multipaternity within the marsupial landscape. We discussed the interest of this kind of multidisciplinary approach which could improve in this case our understanding of sexual selection mechanisms in this terrestrial crustacean. Beyond the interesting model-focused insights, the main challenge of this study was the transfer of GIS techniques to a microscopic scale and our results appear so as pioneers rendering GIS tools available for studies involving imagery whatever their study scale.
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Collaborative Strategy on Bed Bugs
The Collaborative Strategy on Bed Bugs was developed by the Federal Bed Bug Workgroup to clarify the federal role in bed bug control and highlight ways that government, community, academia and private industry can work together on bed bug issues.
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Testing a Threshold-Based Bed Bug Management Approach in Apartment Buildings.
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Zha, Chen; Cooper, Richard; Robson, Mark
2017-07-26
We tested a threshold-based bed bug ( Cimex lectularius L.) management approach with the goal of achieving elimination with minimal or no insecticide application. Thirty-two bed bug infested apartments were identified. These apartments were divided into four treatment groups based on apartment size and initial bed bug count, obtained through a combination of visual inspection and bed bug monitors: I- Non-chemical only in apartments with 1-12 bed bug count, II- Chemical control only in apartments with 1-12 bed bug count, III- Non-chemical and chemical control in apartments with >12 bed bug count, and IV- Chemical control only in apartments with ≥11 bed bug count. All apartments were monitored or treated once every two weeks for a maximum of 28 wk. Treatment I eliminated bed bugs in a similar amount of time to treatment II. Time to eliminate bed bugs was similar between treatment III and IV but required significantly less insecticide spray in treatment III than that in treatment IV. A threshold-based management approach (non-chemical only or non-chemical and chemical) can eliminate bed bugs in a similar amount of time, using little to no pesticide compared to a chemical only approach.
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Efficacy of three different steamers for control of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.).
Wang, Desen; Wang, Changlu; Wang, Guohong; Zha, Chen; Eiden, Amanda L; Cooper, Richard
2018-04-15
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., have become one of the most difficult urban pests to control. Steam treatment is reported to be an effective method to kill bed bugs and is considered to be an important component of bed bug integrated pest management (IPM). We evaluated and compared the efficacy of two affordable consumer-grade commercial steamers to a commonly used professional-grade steamer for killing bed bugs. In laboratory experiments, the consumer-grade steamer at an affordable price achieved the same high control efficacy as the professional-grade steamer for treating bed bugs exposed on mattresses (100% bed bug mortality), located beneath a fabric cover (>89% bed bug mortality), or hiding in cracks (100% bed bug mortality). Bed bugs located behind a leather cover did not suffer significant mortality from steam treatment regardless of the type of steamers used and treatment duration. Proper use of steamers can kill all life stages of bed bugs. Affordable consumer-grade steamers are as effective as professional-grade steam machines for eliminating bed bugs resting on mattresses, hiding behind fabric materials, or in cracks. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Testing a Threshold-Based Bed Bug Management Approach in Apartment Buildings
Singh, Narinderpal; Zha, Chen; Cooper, Richard; Robson, Mark
2017-01-01
We tested a threshold-based bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) management approach with the goal of achieving elimination with minimal or no insecticide application. Thirty-two bed bug infested apartments were identified. These apartments were divided into four treatment groups based on apartment size and initial bed bug count, obtained through a combination of visual inspection and bed bug monitors: I- Non-chemical only in apartments with 1–12 bed bug count, II- Chemical control only in apartments with 1–12 bed bug count, III- Non-chemical and chemical control in apartments with >12 bed bug count, and IV- Chemical control only in apartments with ≥11 bed bug count. All apartments were monitored or treated once every two weeks for a maximum of 28 wk. Treatment I eliminated bed bugs in a similar amount of time to treatment II. Time to eliminate bed bugs was similar between treatment III and IV but required significantly less insecticide spray in treatment III than that in treatment IV. A threshold-based management approach (non-chemical only or non-chemical and chemical) can eliminate bed bugs in a similar amount of time, using little to no pesticide compared to a chemical only approach. PMID:28933720
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, and the western tarnished plant bug, L. hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae), are pests of lentil in western USA. Feeding Lygus bugs produces depressed, chalk-colored lesions (chalky spot) on the lentil seeds. These bugs are pests of lentil throughout the Palous...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
AWe describe a unique microsporidian species that infects the green stink bug, Chinavia hilaris, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus, and the dusky stink bug, Euschistus tristigmus. All life stages are unikaryotic, but analysis of the consensus s...
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Role of Vision and Mechanoreception in Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius L. Behavior
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Cooper, Richard
2015-01-01
The role of olfactory cues such as carbon dioxide, pheromones, and kairomones in bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. behavior has been demonstrated. However, the role of vision and mechanoreception in bed bug behavior is poorly understood. We investigated bed bug vision by determining their responses to different colors, vertical objects, and their ability to detect colors and vertical objects under low and complete dark conditions. Results show black and red paper harborages are preferred compared to yellow, green, blue, and white harborages. A bed bug trapping device with a black or red exterior surface was significantly more attractive to bed bugs than that with a white exterior surface. Bed bugs exhibited strong orientation behavior toward vertical objects. The height (15 vs. 30 cm tall) and color (brown vs. black) of the vertical object had no significant effect on orientation behavior of bed bugs. Bed bugs could differentiate color and detect vertical objects at very low background light conditions, but not in complete darkness. Bed bug preference to different substrate textures (mechanoreception) was also explored. Bed bugs preferred dyed tape compared to painted tape, textured painted plastic, and felt. These results revealed that substrate color, presence of vertical objects, and substrate texture affect host-seeking and harborage-searching behavior of bed bugs. Bed bugs may use a combination of vision, mechanoreception, and chemoreception to locate hosts and seek harborages. PMID:25748041
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Role of vision and mechanoreception in bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. behavior.
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Cooper, Richard
2015-01-01
The role of olfactory cues such as carbon dioxide, pheromones, and kairomones in bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. behavior has been demonstrated. However, the role of vision and mechanoreception in bed bug behavior is poorly understood. We investigated bed bug vision by determining their responses to different colors, vertical objects, and their ability to detect colors and vertical objects under low and complete dark conditions. Results show black and red paper harborages are preferred compared to yellow, green, blue, and white harborages. A bed bug trapping device with a black or red exterior surface was significantly more attractive to bed bugs than that with a white exterior surface. Bed bugs exhibited strong orientation behavior toward vertical objects. The height (15 vs. 30 cm tall) and color (brown vs. black) of the vertical object had no significant effect on orientation behavior of bed bugs. Bed bugs could differentiate color and detect vertical objects at very low background light conditions, but not in complete darkness. Bed bug preference to different substrate textures (mechanoreception) was also explored. Bed bugs preferred dyed tape compared to painted tape, textured painted plastic, and felt. These results revealed that substrate color, presence of vertical objects, and substrate texture affect host-seeking and harborage-searching behavior of bed bugs. Bed bugs may use a combination of vision, mechanoreception, and chemoreception to locate hosts and seek harborages.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Ellison, Amber; Lim, Okyoung; Periathiruvadi, Sita
2012-02-01
Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) was an afterschool program for 4th and 5th grade girls that provided authentic learning experiences in environmental science as well as valuable female mentoring opportunities in an effort to increase participants' academic achievement in science. BUGS participants demonstrated significantly greater amounts of gain in science knowledge as measured by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in Science (ITBS-S). The original BUGS participants and contrasts have now completed high school and entered college, allowing researchers to assess the long-term impact of the BUGS program. Fourteen former BUGS participants completed two instruments to assess their perceptions of science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Their results were compared to four contrast groups composed entirely of females: 12 former BUGS contrasts, 10 college science majors, 10 non-science majors, and 9 current STEM professionals. Results indicate that BUGS participants have higher perceptions of science careers than BUGS contrasts. There were no significant differences between BUGS participants, Science Majors, and STEM professionals in their perceptions of science and STEM careers, whereas the BUGS contrast group was significantly lower than BUGS participants, Science Majors, and STEM Professionals. Additional results and implications are discussed within.
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Temple, J H; Davis, J A; Micinski, S; Hardke, J T; Price, P; Leonard, B R
2013-08-01
In Louisiana during the last decade, the redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), has become a significant and yield-limiting pest of soybean. The redbanded stink bug was previously reported in the United States in 1892, but was never considered an economically important pest until recently. Soybeans representing four maturity groups (MG) III, IV, V, and VI were sampled weekly from beginning bloom (R1) to physiological maturity (R8) during 2008-2010 at five locations across Louisiana to determine the Pentatomidae composition. In total, 13,146 stink bugs were captured and subsequently identified to species. The predominant species included the redbanded stink bug (54.2%); southern green stink bug (27.1%), Nezara viridula L.; brown stink bug (6.6%), Euschistus servus (Say); and green stink bug (5.5%), Acrosternum hilare (Say). Redbanded stink bug comprised the largest percentage of the complex collected at four of the five survey sites. Numbers exceeding action thresholds of this stink bug complex were only detected during R4 to R7 growth stages. Redbanded stink bug accounted for the largest percentage of the stink bug complex in early maturing soybean varieties (MG III [86%] and IV [60%]) and declined in later maturing soybeans (MG V [54%] and VI [50%]). The redbanded stink bug was initially identified in southern Louisiana during 2000 and had been reported in all soybean producing regions in Louisiana by 2006. This survey is the first to report the redbanded stink bug as a predominant pest of soybeans from locations within the United States.
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Cooper, Richard; Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal
2015-01-01
Understanding movement and dispersal of the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) under field conditions is important in the control of infestations and for managing the spread of bed bugs to new locations. We investigated bed bug movement within and between apartments using mark-release-recapture (m-r-r) technique combined with apartment-wide monitoring using pitfall-style interceptors. Bed bugs were collected, marked, and released in six apartments. The distribution of marked and unmarked bed bugs in these apartments and their 24 neighboring units were monitored over 32 days. Extensive movement of marked bed bugs within and between apartments occurred regardless of the number of bed bugs released or presence/absence of a host. Comparison of marked and unmarked bed bug distributions confirms that the extensive bed bug activity observed was not an artifact of the m-r-r technique used. Marked bed bugs were recovered in apartments neighboring five of six m-r-r apartments. Their dispersal rates at 14 or 15 d were 0.0–5.0%. The estimated number of bed bugs per apartment in the six m-r-r apartments was 2,433–14,291 at 4–7 d after release. Longevity of bed bugs in the absence of a host was recorded in a vacant apartment. Marked large nymphs (3rd– 5th instar), adult females, and adult males continued to be recovered up to 57, 113, and 134 d after host absence, respectively. Among the naturally existing unmarked bed bugs, unfed small nymphs (1st– 2nd instar) were recovered up to 134 d; large nymphs and adults were still found at 155 d when the study ended. Our findings provide important insight into the behavioral ecology of bed bugs in infested apartments and have significant implications in regards to eradication programs and managing the spread of bed bugs within multi-occupancy dwellings. PMID:26352145
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Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius) as Vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi
Salazar, Renzo; Castillo-Neyra, Ricardo; Tustin, Aaron W.; Borrini-Mayorí, Katty; Náquira, César; Levy, Michael Z.
2015-01-01
Populations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, have recently undergone explosive growth. Bed bugs share many important traits with triatomine insects, but it remains unclear whether these similarities include the ability to transmit Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. Here, we show efficient and bidirectional transmission of T. cruzi between hosts and bed bugs in a laboratory environment. Most bed bugs that fed on experimentally infected mice acquired the parasite. A majority of previously uninfected mice became infected after a period of cohabitation with exposed bed bugs. T. cruzi was also transmitted to mice after the feces of infected bed bugs were applied directly to broken host skin. Quantitative bed bug defecation measures were similar to those of important triatomine vectors. Our findings suggest that the common bed bug may be a competent vector of T. cruzi and could pose a risk for vector-borne transmission of Chagas disease. PMID:25404068
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Bed bugs, public health, and social justice: Part 2, An opinion survey.
Eddy, Christopher; Jones, Susan C
2011-04-01
Bed bug infestations have resurged globally, nationally, and locally, yet the public health community in the U.S. has yet to mount a coordinated response to the escalating bed bug problem. Surveys of attendees at the 2009 National Environmental Health Association Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition, 2009 Ohio Association of Health Commissioners Fall Conference, 2009 Central Ohio Bed Bug Summit, and 2010 Hamilton County Council on Aging Annual Conference were conducted to gauge opinions about bed bugs. Survey results revealed that 90% of all respondents considered bed bugs to be a public health concern, and 73% indicated that bed bugs pose an environmental justice concern. These findings, which indicate that bed bugs are an inescapable public health mandate with environmental justice undertones, should rally public health agencies at federal, state, and local levels to respond with authority of agency to the escalating bed bug problem.
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Empirical Evaluation of Hunk Metrics as Bug Predictors
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ferzund, Javed; Ahsan, Syed Nadeem; Wotawa, Franz
Reducing the number of bugs is a crucial issue during software development and maintenance. Software process and product metrics are good indicators of software complexity. These metrics have been used to build bug predictor models to help developers maintain the quality of software. In this paper we empirically evaluate the use of hunk metrics as predictor of bugs. We present a technique for bug prediction that works at smallest units of code change called hunks. We build bug prediction models using random forests, which is an efficient machine learning classifier. Hunk metrics are used to train the classifier and each hunk metric is evaluated for its bug prediction capabilities. Our classifier can classify individual hunks as buggy or bug-free with 86 % accuracy, 83 % buggy hunk precision and 77% buggy hunk recall. We find that history based and change level hunk metrics are better predictors of bugs than code level hunk metrics.
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Seidel, Conrad; Reinhardt, Klaus
2013-01-01
Bed bugs appear to be feared more than vector insects and other household pests. The reasons for this exaggerated fear are not fully understood. One hypothesis is that the folk knowledge on recognising and controlling bed bugs decreased as bed bugs became rarer in the 1960s and led to irrational perceptions. Here, we examine people's ability to recognise a bed bug and their response what to do in case of an infestation. We found that 13% of a sample of 391 people in four large German cities recognised a bed bug; 15% of all respondents would call a pest controller in case of bed bug infestation. This results in the pessimistic estimate that 97% of all early-stage infestations could go untreated. We discuss additional scenarios. The effectiveness of efforts to educate people about the presence of bed bugs has never been tested, but our sample is useful to guide future studies. We found three sources of information were associated with increased recognition rates of bed bugs: a) previous contacts with bed bugs (60% recognition), b) knowledge from friends or relatives (25%) and school or education courses (15%). By contrast, people who heard of bed bugs from television, print media or the Internet showed reduced recognition rates. We propose that the former factors be tested for educational interventions. In Germany, the bed bug is an estranged creature to many people, a fact that seems to hinder rational approaches to their control.
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Seidel, Conrad; Reinhardt, Klaus
2013-01-01
Bed bugs appear to be feared more than vector insects and other household pests. The reasons for this exaggerated fear are not fully understood. One hypothesis is that the folk knowledge on recognising and controlling bed bugs decreased as bed bugs became rarer in the 1960s and led to irrational perceptions. Here, we examine people’s ability to recognise a bed bug and their response what to do in case of an infestation. We found that 13% of a sample of 391 people in four large German cities recognised a bed bug; 15% of all respondents would call a pest controller in case of bed bug infestation. This results in the pessimistic estimate that 97% of all early-stage infestations could go untreated. We discuss additional scenarios. The effectiveness of efforts to educate people about the presence of bed bugs has never been tested, but our sample is useful to guide future studies. We found three sources of information were associated with increased recognition rates of bed bugs: a) previous contacts with bed bugs (60% recognition), b) knowledge from friends or relatives (25%) and school or education courses (15%). By contrast, people who heard of bed bugs from television, print media or the Internet showed reduced recognition rates. We propose that the former factors be tested for educational interventions. In Germany, the bed bug is an estranged creature to many people, a fact that seems to hinder rational approaches to their control. PMID:23300947
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Repellency of selected chemicals against the bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
Wang, Changlu; Lü, Lihua; Zhang, Aijun; Liu, Chaofeng
2013-12-01
In recent years, the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), became a major public health concern in urban communities. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to control, and their bites are not tolerated by most people. The public has an urgent need for materials and methods to reduce bed bug introduction and bites during work, travel, or sleep. A repellent product will help achieve these goals by discouraging and preventing bed bugs from moving to a protected area. We evaluated the repellency of three commercially available insect repellent or control materials and five nonregistered materials with the goal of identifying safe and effective bed bug repellents. The two commercial repellent products that contained 7% picaridin or 0.5% permethrin had little repellency against bed bugs. N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), the most commonly used insect repellent, provided a high level of repellency against bed bugs. When a host cue (carbon dioxide) was present, the minimum DEET concentration to repel > or = 94% of the bed bugs for a9-h period was 10%. The longevity of repellency of DEET was concentration dependent. At 25% concentration, DEET-treated fabric surface remained highly repellent to bed bugs for a 14-d period. However, DEET has a strong smell and dissolves certain plastic materials. Therefore, we evaluated several odorless, noncorrosive, and potentially effective repellents. Isolongifolenone and isolongifolanone, two natural products and recently reported insect repellents, exhibited strong repellent property against bed bugs but at significantly lower levels than DEET. Three novel potential repellent compounds discovered by Bedoukian Research Inc. (Danbury, CT) exhibited similar level of repellency and longevity as DEET for repelling bed bugs. These nonirritant and odorless compounds are promising candidates as alternatives to DEET for reducing the spread of bed bugs and bed bug bites.
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Health Information in Amharic (Amarɨñña / አማርኛ )
... Section Bed Bugs Bed Bug Control in Residences - English PDF Bed Bug Control in Residences - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ ( ... Department of Agriculture Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - English PDF Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ ( ...
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Survival and Transstadial Persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi in the bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
Blakely, Brittny N; Hanson, Stephen F; Romero, Alvaro
2018-05-04
Bed bug populations are increasing around the world at an alarming rate and have become a major public health concern. The appearance of bed bug populations in areas where Chagas disease is endemic raises questions about the role of these insects in the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of the disease. In a series of laboratory evaluations, bed bug adults and nymphs were experimentally fed with T. cruzi-infected blood to assess the ability of T. cruzi to survive inside the bed bug and throughout the insect's molting process. Live T. cruzi were observed in gut contents of experimentally infected bed bug adults via light microscopy and the identity of the parasite was confirmed via polymerase chain reaction analysis. T. cruzi persisted at least 97-d postinfection in adult bed bugs. Nymphal stage bed bugs that were infected with T. cruzi maintained the parasite after molting, indicating that transstadial passage of T. cruzi in bed bugs took place. This report provides further evidence of acquisition, maintenance, and for the first time, transstadial persistence of T. cruzi in bed bugs.
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Bed Bug Infestations in an Urban Environment
Svoboda, Tomislav J.; De Jong, Iain J.; Kabasele, Karl J.; Gogosis, Evie
2005-01-01
Until recently, bed bugs have been considered uncommon in the industrialized world. This study determined the extent of reemerging bed bug infestations in homeless shelters and other locations in Toronto, Canada. Toronto Public Health documented complaints of bed bug infestations from 46 locations in 2003, most commonly apartments (63%), shelters (15%), and rooming houses (11%). Pest control operators in Toronto (N = 34) reported treating bed bug infestations at 847 locations in 2003, most commonly single-family dwellings (70%), apartments (18%), and shelters (8%). Bed bug infestations were reported at 20 (31%) of 65 homeless shelters. At 1 affected shelter, 4% of residents reported having bed bug bites. Bed bug infestations can have an adverse effect on health and quality of life in the general population, particularly among homeless persons living in shelters. PMID:15829190
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A preliminary evaluation of the potential of Beauveria bassiana for bed bug control.
Barbarin, Alexis M; Jenkins, Nina E; Rajotte, Edwin G; Thomas, Matthew B
2012-09-15
Residual biopesticide treatments of Beauveria bassiana were tested against the bed bug Cimex lectularius. An oil formulation of conidia was applied to different substrates. Bed bugs were exposed for 1 h, transferred to an unsprayed environment and monitored for mortality. Separate bioassays evaluated the effect of bed bug strain, sex, life stage, and exposure substrate on mortality. Rapid mortality was observed in all bioassays, with bed bugs exposed to treated jersey knit cotton dying most rapidly. A further assay demonstrated efficient autodissemination of conidia from exposed bed bugs to unexposed bed bugs within artificial harborages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Prevent, identify, and treat bed bug infestations using EPA’s step-by-step guides, based on IPM principles. Find pesticides approved for bed bug control, check out the information clearinghouse, and dispel bed bug myths.
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Weeks, E N I; Logan, J G; Gezan, S A; Woodcock, C M; Birkett, M A; Pickett, J A; Cameron, M M
2011-02-01
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), has recently re-emerged in increasing numbers, distribution and intensity of infestation in many countries. Current control relies on the application of residual pesticides; but, due to the development of insecticide resistance, there is a need for new tools and techniques. Semiochemicals (behaviour and physiology modifying chemicals) could be exploited for management of bed bugs. However, in order to identify semiochemicals that can be utilised in monitoring or control, a suitable olfactometer is needed that enables the study of the responses of bed bugs to volatile chemicals. Previous studies have used olfactometers that do not separate olfactory responses from responses to physical contact. In this study, a still-air olfactometer was used to measure behavioural responses to different bed bug-derived volatiles presented in an odour pot. Bed bugs were significantly more likely to visit the area above the odour pot first, and more frequently, in the presence of volatiles from bed bug-exposed paper but not in the presence of volatiles from conspecific bed bugs. Bed bug activity was found to be dependent on the presence of the volatiles from bed bug-exposed paper, the time during the scotophase and the sex of the insect being tested. The still-air olfactometer could be used to test putative semiochemicals, which would allow an understanding of their behavioural role in bed bug ecology. Ultimately, this could lead to the identification of new semiochemical tools for bed bug monitoring and control.
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Weeks, E N I; Logan, J G; Birkett, M A; Pickett, J A; Cameron, M M
2013-02-01
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, feeds on the blood of mammal and bird hosts, and is a pest of global importance. Semiochemicals are chemicals involved in animal communication that may affect behaviour and/or physiology. Attractive semiochemicals that play a role in mediating bed bug behaviour could be exploited for the development of a highly effective novel monitoring device. Tracking software was used to record the response of bed bugs to volatiles from paper previously exposed to conspecific bugs in a still-air olfactometer illuminated by infrared lights, through a variety of activity variables. The effect of time of day as an extrinsic factor, and sex, stage, mating status and nutritional status as physiological factors on the response of bed bugs to the volatiles was examined. Bed bugs of both sexes and all stages responded to the volatiles from bed bug-exposed papers, showing significant attraction and orientation towards the volatile source whether they were starved or engorged. Confirmation that the physiological factors examined do not affect the response of bed bugs to the volatiles from bed bug-exposed papers provides evidence that these bed bug-derived volatiles contain aggregation cues, as semiochemicals that promote aggregation should by definition be detected by both sexes and all life stages. A device baited with such semiochemicals could play a major role in limiting the impact of the current bed bug resurgence by enabling timely detection of infestations, along with quantitative evaluation of control and effective surveillance of the geographical distribution of the pest species.
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Spatial distribution of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in wheat
Reay-Jones, Francis P. F.
2014-01-01
Abstract A two-year study was conducted in South Carolina wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. (Poales: Poaceae)) fields to describe spatial and temporal dynamics of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), which were sampled weekly with sweep nets. In 2010, the main phytophagous stink bugs caught in a grid sampling plan across two fields were the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), the rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (F.), the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), and the red shouldered stink bug, Thyanta custator (F.), for both adults and nymphs. In 2011, the main phytophagous stink bugs were E. servus , O. pugnax , N. viridula , and T. custator across two fields. Adult stink bug counts adjacent to fallow fields were 2.1-fold greater for all species combined compared with counts adjacent to woods. Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) indicated significant aggregation for 35% of analyses for adults and nymph stink bugs at each sampling date. As a measure of spatial and temporal stability, positive SADIE association indices among sampling dates recorded 11, 36, 43, and 16% of analyses for adult E. servus and 7, 50, 50, and 14% for adult O. pugnax in fields A, B, C, and D, respectively. Adult and nymph stink bugs were spatially associated within wheat fields based on SADIE association indices. Seasonal counts of stink bugs were spatially associated with spike counts at least once for each species across the four fields. Future work may investigate practices to reduce stink bug buildup on wheat in the spring and movement to susceptible crops such as corn, Zea mays L. PMID:25205358
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McNeill, C A; Allan, S A; Koehler, P G; Pereira, R M; Weeks, E N I
2016-12-01
Bed bugs as pests of public health importance recently experienced a resurgence in populations throughout the U.S. and other countries. Consequently, recent research efforts have focused on improving understanding of bed bug physiology and behaviour to improve management. While few studies have investigated the visual capabilities of bed bugs, the present study focused specifically on eye morphology and spectral sensitivity. A 3-D imaging technique was used to document bed bug eye morphology from the first instar through adult and revealed morphological characteristics that differentiate the common bed bug from the tropical bed bug as well as sex-specific differences. Electrophysiological measurements were used to evaluate the spectral sensitivity of adult bed bugs. Male bed bugs were more responsive than females at some wavelengths. Electrophysiological studies provided evidence for at least one photoreceptor with a spectral sensitivity curve peak in the green (λ max 520 nm) region of the spectrum. The broadened long wavelength portion of the spectral sensitivity curve may potentially indicate another photoreceptor in the yellow-green (λ max 550 nm) portion of the spectrum or screening pigments. Understanding more about bed bug visual biology is vital for designing traps, which are an important component of integrated bed bug management. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.
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All about Bugs. Animal Life for Children. [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
2000
Bugs fascinate children, and each kind of bug plays a special role in the circle of life. Some bugs pollinate plants, while others help to decompose plant and animal waste. In this videotape, students learn about the similar characteristics that all bugs share and compare them to their close cousins, the arachnids. This videotape correlates to the…
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Using research and education to implement practical bed bug control programs in multifamily housing.
Bennett, Gary W; Gondhalekar, Ameya D; Wang, Changlu; Buczkowski, Grzegorz; Gibb, Timothy J
2016-01-01
Multifamily housing facilities serving low-income populations have been at the forefront of bed bug outbreaks. Research conducted in the past 8 years has consistently proven that integrated pest management (IPM) is the best approach for successful suppression of bed bug infestations. Bed bug IPM in multifamily settings is especially dependent upon a collaborative community or building-wide effort involving residents, building staff and pest control technicians. Other components of a bed bug IPM program include regular monitoring to detect early-stage bed bug infestations and combined use of non-chemical and chemical interventions. Lastly, to reduce reinfestation rates and costs associated with bed bug control, it is critical to continue periodic monitoring and implement preventive control measures even after successful elimination of bed bugs has been achieved. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Potential of Essential Oil-Based Pesticides and Detergents for Bed Bug Control.
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Cooper, Richard
2014-12-01
The bed bug, (Cimex lectularius L.), is a difficult pest to control. Prevalence of insecticide resistance among bed bug populations and concerns over human-insecticide exposure has stimulated the development of alternative bed bug control materials. Many essential oil-based pesticides and detergent insecticides targeting bed bugs have been developed in recent years. We evaluated the efficacy of nine essential oil-based products and two detergents using direct spray and residual contact bioassays in the laboratory. Two conventional insecticides, Temprid SC (imidacloprid and β-cyfluthrin) and Demand CS (λ-cyhalothrin), were used for comparison. Among the 11 nonsynthetic insecticides tested, only EcoRaider (1% geraniol, 1% cedar extract, and 2% sodium lauryl sulfate) and Bed Bug Patrol (0.003% clove oil, 1% peppermint oil, and 1.3% sodium lauryl sulfate) caused >90% mortality of nymphs in direct spray and forced exposure residual assays. However, the efficacy of EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol was significantly lower than that of Temprid SC and Demand CS in choice exposure residual bioassay. Direct spray of EcoRaider caused 87% egg mortality, whereas the other nonsynthetic insecticides had little effect on bed bug eggs. EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol did not exhibit detectable repellency against bed bugs in the presence of a carbon dioxide source. These findings suggest that EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol are potentially useful pesticides for controlling bed bug infestations, but further testing in naturally infested environments is needed. © 2014 Entomological Society of America.
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76 FR 550 - Second National Bed Bug Summit; Notice of Public Meeting
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-01-05
... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0190; FRL-8858-4] Second National Bed Bug Summit... planning the second National Bed Bug Summit to be held February 1 and 2, 2011, on the topic of the bed bug resurgence in the United States. The goal of this meeting is to review the current bed bug problem and...
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Entrapment of bed bugs by leaf trichomes inspires microfabrication of biomimetic surfaces
Szyndler, Megan W.; Haynes, Kenneth F.; Potter, Michael F.; Corn, Robert M.; Loudon, Catherine
2013-01-01
Resurgence in bed bug infestations and widespread pesticide resistance have greatly renewed interest in the development of more sustainable, environmentally friendly methods to manage bed bugs. Historically, in Eastern Europe, bed bugs were entrapped by leaves from bean plants, which were then destroyed; this purely physical entrapment was related to microscopic hooked hairs (trichomes) on the leaf surfaces. Using scanning electron microscopy and videography, we documented the capture mechanism: the physical impaling of bed bug feet (tarsi) by these trichomes. This is distinct from a Velcro-like mechanism of non-piercing entanglement, which only momentarily holds the bug without sustained capture. Struggling, trapped bed bugs are impaled by trichomes on several legs and are unable to free themselves. Only specific, mechanically vulnerable locations on the bug tarsi are pierced by the trichomes, which are located at effective heights and orientations for bed bug entrapment despite a lack of any evolutionary association. Using bean leaves as templates, we microfabricated surfaces indistinguishable in geometry from the real leaves, including the trichomes, using polymers with material properties similar to plant cell walls. These synthetic surfaces snag the bed bugs temporarily but do not hinder their locomotion as effectively as real leaves. PMID:23576783
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Histamine as an emergent indoor contaminant: Accumulation and persistence in bed bug infested homes.
DeVries, Zachary C; Santangelo, Richard G; Barbarin, Alexis M; Schal, Coby
2018-01-01
Histamine is used in bronchial and dermal provocation, but it is rarely considered an environmental risk factor in allergic disease. Because bed bugs defecate large amounts of histamine as a component of their aggregation pheromone, we sought to determine if histamine accumulates in household dust in bed bug infested homes, and the effects of bed bug eradication with spatial heat on histamine levels in dust. We collected dust in homes and analyzed for histamine before, and up to three months after bed bug eradication. Histamine levels in bed bug infested homes were remarkably high (mean = 54.6±18.9 μg/100 mg of sieved household dust) and significantly higher than in control homes not infested with bed bugs (mean < 2.5±1.9 μg/100 mg of sieved household dust). Heat treatments that eradicated the bed bug infestations failed to reduce histamine levels, even three months after treatment. We report a clear association between histamine levels in household dust and bed bug infestations. The high concentrations, persistence, and proximity to humans during sleep suggest that bed bug-produced histamine may represent an emergent contaminant and pose a serious health risk in the indoor environment.
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Histamine as an emergent indoor contaminant: Accumulation and persistence in bed bug infested homes
Santangelo, Richard G.; Barbarin, Alexis M.; Schal, Coby
2018-01-01
Histamine is used in bronchial and dermal provocation, but it is rarely considered an environmental risk factor in allergic disease. Because bed bugs defecate large amounts of histamine as a component of their aggregation pheromone, we sought to determine if histamine accumulates in household dust in bed bug infested homes, and the effects of bed bug eradication with spatial heat on histamine levels in dust. We collected dust in homes and analyzed for histamine before, and up to three months after bed bug eradication. Histamine levels in bed bug infested homes were remarkably high (mean = 54.6±18.9 μg/100 mg of sieved household dust) and significantly higher than in control homes not infested with bed bugs (mean < 2.5±1.9 μg/100 mg of sieved household dust). Heat treatments that eradicated the bed bug infestations failed to reduce histamine levels, even three months after treatment. We report a clear association between histamine levels in household dust and bed bug infestations. The high concentrations, persistence, and proximity to humans during sleep suggest that bed bug-produced histamine may represent an emergent contaminant and pose a serious health risk in the indoor environment. PMID:29432483
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Jones, Susan C; Bryant, Joshua L
2012-06-01
Field-collected bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) showed little, if any, adverse effects after 2-h direct exposure to the aerosolized pyrethroid(s) from three over-the-counter total-release foggers ('bug bombs' or 'foggers'); Hotshot Bedbug and Flea Fogger, Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Fogger, and Eliminator Indoor Fogger. One field-collected population, EPM, was an exception in that there was significant mortality at 5-7 d when bugs out in the open had been exposed to the Spectracide Fogger; mortality was low when these bugs had access to an optional harborage, a situation observed for all field-collected populations when exposed to the three foggers. Even the Harlan strain, the long-term laboratory population that is susceptible to pyrethroids and that served as an internal control in these experiments, was unaffected if the bugs were covered by a thin cloth layer that provided harborage. In residences and other settings, the majority of bed bugs hide in protected sites where they will not be directly contracted by the insecticide mist from foggers. This study provides the first scientific data supporting the position that total-release foggers should not be recommended for control of bed bugs, because 1) many field-collected bed bugs are resistant to pyrethroids, and they are not affected by brief exposure to low concentrations of pyrethrins and/or pyrethroids provided by foggers; and 2) there is minimal, if any, insecticide penetration into typical bed bug harborage sites. This study provides strong evidence that Hotshot Bedbug and Flea Fogger, Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Fogger, and Eliminator Indoor Fogger were ineffective as bed bug control agents.
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DeVries, Zachary C.; Reid, William R.; Kells, Stephen A.; Appel, Arthur G.
2015-01-01
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., are a major pest in the urban environment. Their presence often results in physical, psychological, and financial distress of homeowners and apartment dwellers. Although many insecticide bioassays have been performed on this pest, little attention has been paid to bed bug feeding status, which is closely linked to metabolism, molting, and mass. Therefore, we evaluated the toxicity of topically applied deltamethrin on insecticide susceptible adult male bed bugs fed 2 d, 9 d, and 21 d prior to testing. When toxicity was evaluated on a “per-bug” basis, there was no difference between 2 d [LD50 = 0.498 (0.316 − 0.692) ng·bug−1] and 9 d [LD50 = 0.572 (0.436 − 0.724) ng·bug−1] starved bugs, while 21 d starved bugs had a significantly lower LD50 [0.221 (0.075 − 0.386) ng·bug−1]. When toxicity was evaluated in terms of body mass, 9 d starved bugs had the highest LD50 values [0.138 (0.102 − 0.176) ng·mg−1], followed by 2 d starved bugs [0.095 (0.060 − 0.134) ng·mg−1], and then 21 d starved bugs [0.058 (0.019–0.102) ng·mg−1]; the LD50 values of 2 d and 9 d starved bugs were significantly different from 21 d starved bugs. These results indicate that feeding status plays an important role in the toxicity of deltamethrin. In addition, the lack of differences between 2 d and 9 d starved bugs indicate that the blood meal itself has little impact on tolerance, but rather it is some physiological change following feeding that confers increased tolerance to bed bugs. PMID:26463068
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Wang, Changlu; Wen, Xiujun
2011-04-11
The bed bug resurgence in North America, Europe, and Australia has elicited interest in investigating the causes of the widespread and increasing infestations and in developing more effective control strategies. In order to extend global perspectives on bed bug management, we reviewed bed bug literature in China by searching five Chinese language electronic databases. We conducted telephone interviews of staff from 77 Health and Epidemic Prevention Stations in six Chinese cities in November 2010. We also conducted telephone interviews of 68 pest control firms in two cities during March 2011. Two species of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.)) are known to occur in China. These were common urban pests before the early1980s. Nationwide "Four-Pest Elimination" campaigns (bed bugs being one of the targeted pests) were implemented in China from 1960 to the early 1980s. These campaigns succeeded in the elimination of bed bug infestations in most communities. Commonly used bed bug control methods included applications of hot water, sealing of bed bug harborages, physical removal, and applications of residual insecticides (mainly organophosphate sprays or dusts). Although international and domestic travel has increased rapidly in China over the past decade (2000-2010), there have only been sporadic new infestations reported in recent years. During 1999-2009, all documented bed bug infestations were found in group living facilities (military dormitories, worker dormitories, and prisons), hotels, or trains. One city (Shenzhen city near Hong Kong) experienced significantly higher number of bed bug infestations. This city is characterized by a high concentration of migratory factory workers. Current bed bug control practices include educating residents, washing, reducing clutter, putting items under the hot sun in summer, and applying insecticides (pyrethroids or organophosphates). There have not been any studies or reports on bed bug insecticide resistance. Difficulties of control were noted in our surveys of dormitories in which crowded living, seasonal worker migration, and financial constraints contributed to control failures. This study supports the following conclusions: (1) the bed bug infestation in China dramatically decreased following the campaigns from 1960 to the early 1980s; (2) In our survey of Health and Epidemics Prevention Stations, no bed bug cases were reported in Beijing and Shanghai for the past 12 months, but complaints were reported in Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Urumqi, and Shenzhen; (3) Current bed bug infestations primarily are reported in crowded living environments or transient environments such as worker dormitories and military dormitories. These findings suggest that community-wide bed bug monitoring and control campaigns are necessary for effective control of bed bug infestations as a societal response.
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Wang, Changlu; Wen, Xiujun
2011-01-01
The bed bug resurgence in North America, Europe, and Australia has elicited interest in investigating the causes of the widespread and increasing infestations and in developing more effective control strategies. In order to extend global perspectives on bed bug management, we reviewed bed bug literature in China by searching five Chinese language electronic databases. We conducted telephone interviews of staff from 77 Health and Epidemic Prevention Stations in six Chinese cities in November 2010. We also conducted telephone interviews of 68 pest control firms in two cities during March 2011. Two species of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.)) are known to occur in China. These were common urban pests before the early1980s. Nationwide “Four-Pest Elimination” campaigns (bed bugs being one of the targeted pests) were implemented in China from 1960 to the early 1980s. These campaigns succeeded in the elimination of bed bug infestations in most communities. Commonly used bed bug control methods included applications of hot water, sealing of bed bug harborages, physical removal, and applications of residual insecticides (mainly organophosphate sprays or dusts). Although international and domestic travel has increased rapidly in China over the past decade (2000–2010), there have only been sporadic new infestations reported in recent years. During 1999–2009, all documented bed bug infestations were found in group living facilities (military dormitories, worker dormitories, and prisons), hotels, or trains. One city (Shenzhen city near Hong Kong) experienced significantly higher number of bed bug infestations. This city is characterized by a high concentration of migratory factory workers. Current bed bug control practices include educating residents, washing, reducing clutter, putting items under the hot sun in summer, and applying insecticides (pyrethroids or organophosphates). There have not been any studies or reports on bed bug insecticide resistance. Difficulties of control were noted in our surveys of dormitories in which crowded living, seasonal worker migration, and financial constraints contributed to control failures. This study supports the following conclusions: (1) the bed bug infestation in China dramatically decreased following the campaigns from 1960 to the early 1980s; (2) In our survey of Health and Epidemics Prevention Stations, no bed bug cases were reported in Beijing and Shanghai for the past 12 months, but complaints were reported in Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Urumqi, and Shenzhen; (3) Current bed bug infestations primarily are reported in crowded living environments or transient environments such as worker dormitories and military dormitories. These findings suggest that community-wide bed bug monitoring and control campaigns are necessary for effective control of bed bug infestations as a societal response. PMID:26467615
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Akhtar, Yasmin; Isman, Murray B.
2013-01-01
Background Horizontal transfer of insecticide occurs when insects contact or ingest an insecticide, return to an aggregation or a nest, and transfer the insecticide to other conspecific insects through contact. This phenomenon has been reported in a number of insects including social insects, however it has not been reported in bed bugs. Since horizontal transfer can facilitate the spread of insecticide into hard to reach spaces, it could contribute greatly to the management of these public health pests. Methodology/Results To demonstrate horizontal transfer of diatomaceous earth and botanical insecticides in C. lectularius, an exposed (donor) bed bug, following a 10-minute acquisition period, was placed with unexposed (recipient) bed bugs. Mortality data clearly demonstrates that diatomaceous earth (DE 51) was actively transferred from a single exposed bug to unexposed bugs in a concentration dependent manner. LC50 values varied from 24.4 mg at 48 h to 5.1 mg at 216 h when a single exposed bed bug was placed with 5 unexposed bed bugs. LT50 values also exhibited a concentration response. LT50 values varied from 1.8 days to 8.4 days when a ‘donor’ bug exposed to 20 and 5 mg of dust respectively was placed with 5 ‘recipient’ bugs. Dust was also actively transferred from adult bed bugs to the nymphs. In addition we observed horizontal transfer of botanical insecticides including neem, ryania, and rotenone to varying degrees. Conclusion/Significance Our data clearly demonstrate horizontal transfer of diatomaceous earth and botanical insecticides in the common bed bug, C. lectularius. Use of a fluorescent dust provided visual confirmation that contaminated bed bugs transfer dust to untreated bed bugs in harborage. This result is important because bedbugs live in hard-to-reach places and interaction between conspecifics can be exploited for delivery and dissemination of management products directed at this public health pest. PMID:24086593
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Akhtar, Yasmin; Isman, Murray B
2013-01-01
Horizontal transfer of insecticide occurs when insects contact or ingest an insecticide, return to an aggregation or a nest, and transfer the insecticide to other conspecific insects through contact. This phenomenon has been reported in a number of insects including social insects, however it has not been reported in bed bugs. Since horizontal transfer can facilitate the spread of insecticide into hard to reach spaces, it could contribute greatly to the management of these public health pests. To demonstrate horizontal transfer of diatomaceous earth and botanical insecticides in C. lectularius, an exposed (donor) bed bug, following a 10-minute acquisition period, was placed with unexposed (recipient) bed bugs. Mortality data clearly demonstrates that diatomaceous earth (DE 51) was actively transferred from a single exposed bug to unexposed bugs in a concentration dependent manner. LC50 values varied from 24.4 mg at 48 h to 5.1 mg at 216 h when a single exposed bed bug was placed with 5 unexposed bed bugs. LT50 values also exhibited a concentration response. LT50 values varied from 1.8 days to 8.4 days when a 'donor' bug exposed to 20 and 5 mg of dust respectively was placed with 5 'recipient' bugs. Dust was also actively transferred from adult bed bugs to the nymphs. In addition we observed horizontal transfer of botanical insecticides including neem, ryania, and rotenone to varying degrees. Our data clearly demonstrate horizontal transfer of diatomaceous earth and botanical insecticides in the common bed bug, C. lectularius. Use of a fluorescent dust provided visual confirmation that contaminated bed bugs transfer dust to untreated bed bugs in harborage. This result is important because bedbugs live in hard-to-reach places and interaction between conspecifics can be exploited for delivery and dissemination of management products directed at this public health pest.
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Wang, Changlu; Gibb, Timothy; Bennett, Gary W
2009-05-01
The cost and effectiveness of two bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) integrated pest management (IPM) programs were evaluated for 10 wk. Sixteen bed bug-infested apartments were chosen from a high-rise low-income apartment building. The apartments were randomly divided into two treatment groups: diatomaceous earth dust-based IPM (D-IPM) and chlorfenapyr spray-based IPM (S-IPM). The initial median (minimum, maximum) bed bug counts (by visual inspection) of the two treatment groups were 73.5 (10, 352) and 77 (18, 3025), respectively. A seminar and an educational brochure were delivered to residents and staff. It was followed by installing encasements on mattresses and box springs and applying hot steam to bed bug-infested areas in all 16 apartments. Diatomaceous earth dust (Mother Earth-D) was applied in the D-IPM group 2 d after steaming. In addition, bed bug-intercepting devices were installed under legs of infested beds or sofas or chairs to intercept bed bugs. The S-IPM group only received 0.5% chlorfenapyr spray (Phantom) after the nonchemical treatments. All apartments were monitored bi-weekly and retreated when necessary. After 10 wk, bed bugs were eradicated from 50% of the apartments in each group. Bed bug count reduction (mean +/- SEM) was 97.6 +/- 1.6 and 89.7 +/- 7.3% in the D-IPM and S-IPM groups, respectively. Mean treatment costs in the 10-wk period were $463 and $482 per apartment in the D-IPM and S-IPM groups, respectively. Bed bug interceptors trapped an average of 219 +/- 135 bed bugs per apartment in 10 wk. The interceptors contributed to the IPM program efficacy and were much more effective than visual inspections in estimating bed bug numbers and determining the existence of bed bug infestations.
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Pereira, R M; Taylor, A S; Lehnert, M P; Koehler, P G
2013-06-01
Effects of host availability and feeding period on bed bugs, Cimex lectularius (L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), were measured. Population growth and the potential harmful effect of bed bug populations on human hosts were modelled. Bloodmeal sizes were affected by both feeding length and frequency, with >2-fold difference between insects fed daily or weekly. Blood consumption increased >2-fold between bed bugs fed occasionally and often, and 1.5-fold between occasional and daily feeding. Bed bugs fed more often than once a week, potentially every 2-4 days. Egg production was associated with nutrition, being strongly correlated with blood consumption in the previous week. Bed bug populations can grow under different feeding regimes and are hard to control with <80% mortality. Bed bugs can survive and grow even in locations with a limited blood supply, where bed bug persistence may be important for the continual spread of populations. Persistence in non-traditional locations and a potential association with human pathogens increase the health risks of bed bugs. Potential blood loss as a result of a bed bug can have serious consequences because uncontrolled populations can reach harmful levels in 3-8 months. The reproduction potential of bed bug populations suggests serious consequences to human health and the need for efficacious control measures. © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.
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Bed bug aggregation pheromone finally identified.
Gries, Regine; Britton, Robert; Holmes, Michael; Zhai, Huimin; Draper, Jason; Gries, Gerhard
2015-01-19
Bed bugs have become a global epidemic and current detection tools are poorly suited for routine surveillance. Despite intense research on bed bug aggregation behavior and the aggregation pheromone, which could be used as a chemical lure, the complete composition of this pheromone has thus far proven elusive. Here, we report that the bed bug aggregation pheromone comprises five volatile components (dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, 2-hexanone), which attract bed bugs to safe shelters, and one less-volatile component (histamine), which causes their arrestment upon contact. In infested premises, a blend of all six components is highly effective at luring bed bugs into traps. The trapping of juvenile and adult bed bugs, with or without recent blood meals, provides strong evidence that this unique pheromone bait could become an effective and inexpensive tool for bed bug detection and potentially their control. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
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Bed Bug Detection: Current Technologies and Future Directions
Vaidyanathan, Rajeev; Feldlaufer, Mark F.
2013-01-01
Technologies to detect bed bugs have not kept pace with their global resurgence. Early detection is critical to prevent infestations from spreading. Detection based exclusively on bites is inadequate, because reactions to insect bites are non-specific and often misdiagnosed. Visual inspections are commonly used and depend on identifying live bugs, exuviae, or fecal droplets. Visual inspections are inexpensive, but they are time-consuming and unreliable when only a few bugs are present. Use of a dog to detect bed bugs is gaining in popularity, but it can be expensive, may unintentionally advertise a bed bug problem, and is not foolproof. Passive monitors mimic natural harborages; they are discreet and typically use an adhesive to trap bugs. Active monitors generate carbon dioxide, heat, a pheromone, or a combination to attract bed bugs to a trap. New technologies using DNA analysis, mass spectrometry, and electronic noses are innovative but impractical and expensive for widespread use. PMID:23553226
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The spined solder bug (Podisus maculiventris) is a predatory insect that feeds on a wide array of species. The immatures of this predatory species have five instars. All stages are predatory except for the 1st instar nymphs. Kudzu bugs (Megacopta cribaria) are shield bugs that are deemed a pest of ...
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The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a pest – feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating their human hosts. EPA and other agencies all consider bed bugs a public health pest, but bed bugs are not known to transmit disease.
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Predation by ants controls swallow bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae: Oeciacus vicarius) infestations.
Brown, Charles R; Page, Catherine E; Robison, Grant A; O'Brien, Valerie A; Booth, Warren
2015-06-01
The swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) is the only known vector for Buggy Creek virus (BCRV), an alphavirus that circulates in cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in North America. We discovered ants (Crematogaster lineolata and Formica spp.) preying on swallow bugs at cliff swallow colonies in western Nebraska, U.S.A. Ants reduced the numbers of visible bugs on active swallow nests by 74-90%, relative to nests in the same colony without ants. Ant predation on bugs had no effect on the reproductive success of cliff swallows inhabiting the nests where ants foraged. Ants represent an effective and presumably benign way of controlling swallow bugs at nests in some colonies. They may constitute an alternative to insecticide use at sites where ecologists wish to remove the effects of swallow bugs on cliff swallows or house sparrows. By reducing bug numbers, ant presence may also lessen BCRV transmission at the spatial foci (bird colony sites) where epizootics occur. The effect of ants on swallow bugs should be accounted for in studying variation among sites in vector abundance. © 2015 The Society for Vector Ecology.
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Virulence of entomopathogenic bacteria in the bed bug, Cimex lectularius.
Pietri, Jose E; Liang, Dangsheng
2018-01-01
Due in part to the development of insecticide resistance, the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has overcome human intervention efforts to make a global resurgence. The failure of chemical pesticides has created a need for novel strategies to combat bed bugs. While a number of insect pests are susceptible to the use of entomopathogenic microbes or microbial-derived toxins, biological control methods have not been thoroughly explored in bed bugs. Here, we tested the virulence of three entomopathogenic bacterial species in C. lectularius to determine their potential for bed bug control. We examined bed bug survival after inoculation with live or heat-killed Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis at varying temperatures. We also analyzed the viability and growth of the same bacteria in infected bed bugs. All three bacterial species were pathogenic to bed bugs. However, the effects of S. marcescens and P. fluorescens were temperature-dependent while the lethality of B. thuringiensis israelensis was not. In addition, bacterial virulence was partly dependent on the route of infection but was not strongly associated with proliferation. Thus, our results suggest multiple possible mechanisms of microbial pathogenicity in the bed bug and indicate that entomopathogenic bacteria, or products derived from them, may have useful applications for bed bug control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Wilkins, Chris; Sweetsur, Paul; Girling, Melissa
2008-11-01
A large legal market for party pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) developed in New Zealand after 2004. The use of these party pills has been associated with adverse health effects. The purpose of this paper was to assess a general population sample of party pill users to investigate the relationship between (1) patterns of use of BZP/TFMPP party pills and concurrent use of other drug types, and (2) adverse side effects from BZP/TFMPP party pill use. A national household survey of the use of BZP/TFMPP party pills was conducted using a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) facility. The quantity of BZP and TFMPP in each brand of party pill was obtained from the National Poisons Centre. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of having experienced adverse side effects from party pills. The mean quantity of BZP/TFMPP taken on an occasion of greatest use was 533 mg (median 400 mg, range 43-2500 mg). Being female, using cannabis and other drugs concurrently with BZP/TFMPP party pills, taking large quantities of party pills in a single session and taking 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) recovery pills at the same time as party pills were independent predictors of having experienced an adverse problem from party pills. Females may be at greater risk of experiencing problems from BZP/TFMPP party pills due to their smaller physical size. Taking 5-HTP 'recovery' pills with party pills may increase the risk of adverse effects as both substances increase users' levels of serotonin.
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Liu, Feng; Xia, Xiaoming; Liu, Nannan
2017-01-01
As the most extensively used chemical repellent, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) displayed repellency to a wide range of insects, including the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius . While the neuronal or molecular basis involved in DEET's repellency have been majorly focused on mosquitos and fruit flies, DEET's repellency to the common bed bug is largely unreached. To gain new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms in DEET's repellency to the common bed bug, we characterized the neuronal response of bed bugs to DEET, identified the olfactory receptors targeted by DEET and demonstrated the interfering effect of DEET on bed bug's responses to human odorants. High doses of DEET were required for activating the olfactory receptor neurons in the sensilla of bed bugs and at least three DEET-sensitive receptors were functionally deciphered. These DEET-sensitive receptors presented even more sensitive to certain botanical terpenes/terpenoids which also displayed repellency at varying levels for bed bugs. In addition, DEET produced a blocking effect on the neuronal responses of bed bugs to specific human odors and showed inhibitory effect on the function of odorant receptors in responding to certain human odors. Taken together, our results indicate that DEET may function as a stimulus that triggers avoidance behaviors and a molecular "confusant" for interrupting the host odor recognition in the odorant receptors of bed bugs. The receptors that coincidently responded to both synthetic DEET and botanical terpenes/terpenoids suggested that DEET probably target on receptors that originally responded to terpenes/terpenoids. This study gave novel insight into the mechanisms of DEET's repellency to bed bugs and also provided valuable information for developing new reagents for bed bug control.
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Liu, Feng; Xia, Xiaoming; Liu, Nannan
2017-01-01
As the most extensively used chemical repellent, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) displayed repellency to a wide range of insects, including the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. While the neuronal or molecular basis involved in DEET's repellency have been majorly focused on mosquitos and fruit flies, DEET's repellency to the common bed bug is largely unreached. To gain new insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms in DEET's repellency to the common bed bug, we characterized the neuronal response of bed bugs to DEET, identified the olfactory receptors targeted by DEET and demonstrated the interfering effect of DEET on bed bug's responses to human odorants. High doses of DEET were required for activating the olfactory receptor neurons in the sensilla of bed bugs and at least three DEET-sensitive receptors were functionally deciphered. These DEET-sensitive receptors presented even more sensitive to certain botanical terpenes/terpenoids which also displayed repellency at varying levels for bed bugs. In addition, DEET produced a blocking effect on the neuronal responses of bed bugs to specific human odors and showed inhibitory effect on the function of odorant receptors in responding to certain human odors. Taken together, our results indicate that DEET may function as a stimulus that triggers avoidance behaviors and a molecular “confusant” for interrupting the host odor recognition in the odorant receptors of bed bugs. The receptors that coincidently responded to both synthetic DEET and botanical terpenes/terpenoids suggested that DEET probably target on receptors that originally responded to terpenes/terpenoids. This study gave novel insight into the mechanisms of DEET's repellency to bed bugs and also provided valuable information for developing new reagents for bed bug control. PMID:28676765
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MENO-II: An AI-Based Programming Tutor.
1983-08-01
TUTORing component then attempts to infer the misconception that might underlie the bug and present the student with remedial instruction. We tested the BUG...of the student’s program. The TUTORing component then attempts to inter the misconception that might underlie the bug and present the student with... student errors, MENO-11 can cope with 18 different types of program bugs. These bugs are tied explicitly to a knowledge base of potential misconceptions
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Pill Properties that Cause Dysphagia and Treatment Failure
Fields, Jeremy; Go, Jorge T.; Schulze, Konrad S.
2015-01-01
Background Pills (tablets and capsules) are widely used to administer prescription drugs or to take supplements such as vitamins. Unfortunately, little is known about how much effort it takes Americans to swallow these various pills. More specifically, it is not known to what extent hard-to-swallow pills might affect treatment outcomes (eg, interfering with adherence to prescribed medications or causing clinical complications). It is also unclear which properties (eg, size, shape, or surface texture) Americans prefer or reject for their pills. To learn more about these issues, we interviewed a small group of individuals. Methods We invited individuals in waiting rooms of our tertiary health care center to participate in structured interviews about their pill-taking habits and any problems they have swallowing pills. We inquired which pill properties they believed caused swallowing problems. Participants scored capsules and pills of representative size, shape, and texture for swallowing effort and reported their personal preferences. Results Of 100 successive individuals, 99 participants completed the interview (65% women, mean age = 41 years, range = 23-77 years). Eighty-three percent took pills daily (mean 4 pills/d; 56% of those pills were prescribed by providers). Fifty-four percent of participants replied yes to the question, "Did you ever have to swallow a solid medication that was too difficult?" Four percent recounted serious complications: 1% pill esophagitis, 1% pill impaction, and 2% stopped treatments (antibiotic and prenatal supplement) because they could not swallow the prescribed pills. Half of all participants routinely resorted to special techniques (eg, plenty of liquids or repeated or forceful swallows). Sixty-one percent of those having difficulties cited specific pill properties: 27% blamed size (20% of problems were caused by pills that were too large whereas 7% complained about pills that were too small to sense); 12% faulted rough surface texture; others cited sharp edges, odd shapes, or bad taste/smell. Extra-large pills were widely loathed, with 4 out of 5 participants preferring to take 3 or more medium-sized pills instead of a single jumbo pill. Conclusions Our survey results suggest that 4 out of 5 adult Americans take several pills daily, and do so without undue effort. It also suggests that half of today’s Americans encounter pills that are hard to swallow. Up to 4% of our participants gave up on treatments because they could not swallow the prescribed pills. Up to 7% categorically rejected taking pills that are hard to swallow. Specific material properties are widely blamed for making pills hard to swallow; extra-large capsules and tablets are universally feared, whereas medium-sized pills with a smooth coating are widely preferred. Our findings suggest that health care providers could minimize treatment failures and complications by prescribing and dispensing pills that are easy to swallow. Industry and regulatory bodies may facilitate this by making swallowability an essential criterion in the design and licensing of oral medications. Such policies could lessen the burden of pill taking for Americans and improve the adherence with prescribed treatments. PMID:26543509
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Zapata, Lauren B; Steenland, Maria W; Brahmi, Dalia; Marchbanks, Polly A; Curtis, Kathryn M
2013-05-01
Instructions on what to do after pills are missed are critical to reducing unintended pregnancies resulting from patient non-adherence to oral contraceptive (OC) regimens. Missed pill instructions have previously been criticized for being too complex, lacking a definition of what is meant by "missed pills," and for being confusing to women who may not know the estrogen content of their formulation. To help inform the development of missed pill guidance to be included in the forthcoming US Selected Practice Recommendations, the objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence on patient understanding of missed pill instructions. We searched the PubMed database for peer-reviewed articles that examined patient understanding of OC pill instructions that were published in any language from inception of the database through March 2012. We included studies that examined women's knowledge and understanding of missed pill instructions after exposure to some written material (e.g., patient package insert, brochure), as well as studies that compared different types of missed pill instructions on women's comprehension. We used standard abstract forms and grading systems to summarize and assess the quality of the evidence. From 1620 articles, nine studies met our inclusion criteria. Evidence from one randomized controlled trial (RCT) and two descriptive studies found that more women knew what to do after missing 1 pill than after missing 2 or 3 pills (Level I, good, to Level II-3, poor), and two descriptive studies found that more women knew what to do after missing 2 pills than after missing 3 pills (Level II-3, fair). Data from two descriptive studies documented the difficulty women have understanding missed pill instructions contained in patient package inserts (Level II-3, poor), and evidence from two RCTs found that providing written brochures with information on missed pill instructions in addition to contraceptive counseling significantly improved knowledge of how to manage missed pills for up to three months compared to contraceptive counseling alone (Level I, fair). Evidence from one RCT found that graphic-based missed pill instructions were better than text-only instructions (Level I, good), and data from two RCTs found that less information resulted in improved comprehension (Level I, good to fair). Evidence from one descriptive study found that many women missing pills did not intend to follow recommended actions per missed pill instructions despite understanding the guidance (Level II-3, poor). There is wide variability in the percent of women having correct knowledge on what to do when pills are missed after exposure to written missed pills instructions, with more women knowing what to do after missing 1 pill than after missing 2 or 3 pills. Women have difficulty understanding missed pill instructions contained in patient package inserts. Providing written brochures with information on missed pill instructions in addition to contraceptive counseling may improve knowledge of how to manage missed pills. Graphic-based missed pill instructions and those containing less information may result in improved comprehension. Even with clear instructions, many women missing pills may choose not to follow the recommended actions. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Effectiveness of bed bug monitors for detecting and trapping bed bugs in apartments.
Wang, Changlu; Tsai, Wan-Tien; Cooper, Richard; White, Jeffrey
2011-02-01
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., are now considered a serious urban pest in the United States. Because they are small and difficult to find, there has been strong interest in developing and using monitoring tools to detect bed bugs and evaluate the results of bed bug control efforts. Several bed bug monitoring devices were developed recently, but their effectiveness is unknown. We comparatively evaluated three active monitors that contain attractants: CDC3000, NightWatch, and a home-made dry ice trap. The Climbup Insect Interceptor, a passive monitor (without attractants), was used for estimating the bed bug numbers before and after placing active monitors. The results of the Interceptors also were compared with the results of the active monitors. In occupied apartments, the relative effectiveness of the active monitors was: dry ice trap > CDC3000 > NightWatch. In lightly infested apartments, the Interceptor (operated for 7 d) trapped similar number of bed bugs as the dry ice trap (operated for 1 d) and trapped more bed bugs than CDC3000 and NightWatch (operated for 1 d). The Interceptor was also more effective than visual inspections in detecting the presence of small numbers of bed bugs. CDC3000 and the dry ice trap operated for 1 d were equally as effective as the visual inspections for detecting very low level of infestations, whereas 1-d deployment of NightWatch detected significantly lower number of infestations compared with visual inspections. NightWatch was designed to be able to operate for several consecutive nights. When operated for four nights, NightWatch trapped similar number of bed bugs as the Interceptors operated for 10 d after deployment of NightWatch. We conclude these monitors are effective tools in detecting early bed bug infestations and evaluating the results of bed bug control programs.
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The odorant receptor co-receptor from the bed bug, Cimex lectularius L.
Hansen, Immo A; Rodriguez, Stacy D; Drake, Lisa L; Price, David P; Blakely, Brittny N; Hammond, John I; Tsujimoto, Hitoshi; Monroy, Erika Y; Maio, William A; Romero, Alvaro
2014-01-01
Recently, the bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. has re-emerged as a serious and growing problem in many parts of the world. Presence of resistant bed bugs and the difficulty to eliminate them has renewed interest in alternative control tactics. Similar to other haematophagous arthropods, bed bugs rely on their olfactory system to detect semiochemicals in the environment. Previous studies have morphologically characterized olfactory organs of bed bugs' antenna and have physiologically evaluated the responses of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) to host-derived chemicals. To date, odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs) associated with these olfaction processes have not been studied in bed bugs. Chemoreception in insects requires formation of heteromeric complexes of ORs and a universal OR coreceptor (Orco). Orco is the constant chain of every odorant receptor in insects and is critical for insect olfaction but does not directly bind to odorants. Orco agonists and antagonists have been suggested as high-value targets for the development of novel insect repellents. In this study, we have performed RNAseq of bed bug sensory organs and identified several odorant receptors as well as Orco. We characterized Orco expression and investigated the effect of chemicals targeting Orco on bed bug behavior and reproduction. We have identified partial cDNAs of six C. lectularius OBPs and 16 ORs. Full length bed bug Orco was cloned and sequenced. Orco is widely expressed in different parts of the bed bug including OR neurons and spermatozoa. Treatment of bed bugs with the agonist VUAA1 changed bed bug pheromone-induced aggregation behavior and inactivated spermatozoa. We have described and characterized for the first time OBPs, ORs and Orco in bed bugs. Given the importance of these molecules in chemoreception of this insect they are interesting targets for the development of novel insect behavior modifiers.
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Behavioral Responses of the Bed Bug to Permethrin-Impregnated ActiveGuard™ Fabric.
Jones, Susan C; Bryant, Joshua L; Harrison, Scott A
2013-06-07
ActiveGuard™ Mattress Liners have been used to control house dust mites, and they also are commercially available as an integrated pest management tool for use against bed bugs (Cimex lectularius). The aim of our study was to evaluate responses of numerous populations of the bed bug to the permethrin-impregnated fabric, with particular regard to contact toxicity, repellency, and feeding inhibition. Continuous exposure to ActiveGuard fabric resulted in rapid intoxication for three of four populations, with 87 to 100% of moderately pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible bed bugs succumbing by 1 d. In comparison, a highly resistant population reached 22% mortality at 10 d. Video data revealed that bed bugs readily traversed ActiveGuard fabric and spent a considerable amount of time moving about and resting on it during a 12-h period. ActiveGuard fabric was non-repellent to bed bugs from five tested populations. Furthermore, significantly fewer bed bugs successfully fed to repletion through ActiveGuard fabric than through blank fabric for the five populations. With just 30 min of feeding exposure, mortality ranged from 4% to 83%, depending upon the bed bug strain. These laboratory studies indicate that ActiveGuard liners adversely affected bed bugs from diverse populations.
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Assassin bug uses aggressive mimicry to lure spider prey.
Wignall, Anne E; Taylor, Phillip W
2011-05-07
Assassin bugs (Stenolemus bituberus) hunt web-building spiders by invading the web and plucking the silk to generate vibrations that lure the resident spider into striking range. To test whether vibrations generated by bugs aggressively mimic the vibrations generated by insect prey, we compared the responses of spiders to bugs with how they responded to prey, courting male spiders and leaves falling into the web. We also analysed the associated vibrations. Similar spider orientation and approach behaviours were observed in response to vibrations from bugs and prey, whereas different behaviours were observed in response to vibrations from male spiders and leaves. Peak frequency and duration of vibrations generated by bugs were similar to those generated by prey and courting males. Further, vibrations from bugs had a temporal structure and amplitude that were similar to vibrations generated by leg and body movements of prey and distinctly different to vibrations from courting males or leaves, or prey beating their wings. To be an effective predator, bugs do not need to mimic the full range of prey vibrations. Instead bugs are general mimics of a subset of prey vibrations that fall within the range of vibrations classified by spiders as 'prey'.
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Al-Kindi, Khalifa M.; Andrew, Nigel; Welch, Mitchell
2017-01-01
Date palm cultivation is economically important in the Sultanate of Oman, with significant financial investment coming from both the government and from private individuals. However, a global infestation of Dubas bug (Ommatissus lybicus Bergevin) has impacted the Middle East region, and infestations of date palms have been widespread. In this study, spatial analysis and geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial distribution of Dubas bug infestations to (a) identify correlations between Dubas bug densities and different environmental variables, and (b) predict the locations of future Dubas bug infestations in Oman. Firstly, we considered individual environmental variables and their correlations with infestation locations. Then, we applied more complex predictive models and regression analysis techniques to investigate the combinations of environmental factors most conducive to the survival and spread of the Dubas bug. Environmental variables including elevation, geology, and distance to drainage pathways were found to significantly affect Dubas bug infestations. In contrast, aspect and hillshade did not significantly impact on Dubas bug infestations. Understanding their distribution and therefore applying targeted controls on their spread is important for effective mapping, control and management (e.g., resource allocation) of Dubas bug infestations. PMID:28558069
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Bed Bugs: Clinical Relevance and Control Options
Dwyer, Dominic E.; Peñas, Pablo F.; Russell, Richard C.
2012-01-01
Summary: Since the late 1990s, bed bugs of the species Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus have undergone a worldwide resurgence. These bed bugs are blood-sucking insects that readily bite humans. Cutaneous reactions may occur and can start out as small macular lesions that can develop into distinctive wheals of around 5 cm in diameter, which are accompanied by intense itching. Occasionally, bullous eruptions may result. If bed bugs are numerous, the patient can present with widespread urticaria or eythematous rashes. Often, bites occur in lines along the limbs. Over 40 pathogens have been detected in bed bugs, but there is no definitive evidence that they transmit any disease-causing organisms to humans. Anemia may result when bed bugs are numerous, and their allergens can trigger asthmatic reactions. The misuse of chemicals and other technologies for controlling bed bugs has the potential to have a deleterious impact on human health, while the insect itself can be the cause of significant psychological trauma. The control of bed bugs is challenging and should encompass a multidisciplinary approach utilizing nonchemical means of control and the judicious use of insecticides. For accommodation providers, risk management procedures should be implemented to reduce the potential of bed bug infestations. PMID:22232375
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Al-Kindi, Khalifa M; Kwan, Paul; Andrew, Nigel; Welch, Mitchell
2017-01-01
Date palm cultivation is economically important in the Sultanate of Oman, with significant financial investment coming from both the government and from private individuals. However, a global infestation of Dubas bug (Ommatissus lybicus Bergevin) has impacted the Middle East region, and infestations of date palms have been widespread. In this study, spatial analysis and geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial distribution of Dubas bug infestations to (a) identify correlations between Dubas bug densities and different environmental variables, and (b) predict the locations of future Dubas bug infestations in Oman. Firstly, we considered individual environmental variables and their correlations with infestation locations. Then, we applied more complex predictive models and regression analysis techniques to investigate the combinations of environmental factors most conducive to the survival and spread of the Dubas bug. Environmental variables including elevation, geology, and distance to drainage pathways were found to significantly affect Dubas bug infestations. In contrast, aspect and hillshade did not significantly impact on Dubas bug infestations. Understanding their distribution and therefore applying targeted controls on their spread is important for effective mapping, control and management (e.g., resource allocation) of Dubas bug infestations.
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Climbing Ability of the Common Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
Hottel, B A; Pereira, R M; Gezan, S A; Qing, R; Sigmund, W M; Koehler, P G
2015-05-01
Little is known about what factors influence the climbing ability of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), in relation to the various surfaces they encounter. We examined how sex, time since last fed, and what surfaces the bed bugs were in contact with affected their climbing performance. The effects of sex and time since fed were tested by counting the number of bed bugs able to climb a 45° slope. The pulling force was recorded using an analytical balance technique that captured the sequential vertical pulling force output of bed bugs attached to various surfaces. Recently fed female bed bugs were found to have the most difficulty in climbing smooth surfaces in comparison with males. This difference can be explained by the larger weight gained from bloodmeals by female bed bugs. A variety of vertical pulling forces were observed on surfaces ranging from sandpaper to talc powder-covered glass. For surfaces not treated with talc powder, bed bugs generated the least amount of vertical pulling force from synthetically created 0.6-µm plastron surfaces. This vast range in the ability of bed bugs to grip onto various surfaces may have implications on limiting bed bugs dispersal and hitchhiking behaviors. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Effect of Moxidectin on Bed Bug Feeding, Development, Fecundity, and Survivorship.
Zha, Chen; Wang, Changlu; Sheele, Johnathan Michael
2017-09-30
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), is a blood-feeding ectoparasite which experienced world-wide resurgence during recent decades. The control of bed bugs is often challenging, due to their cryptic nature and resistance to commonly used insecticides. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the antiparasitic drug moxidectin on bed bug survival, reproduction, and development. The LC 50 (lethal concentration to kill half the members of a tested population) of moxidectin against bed bug male adults, female adults, and large nymphs were 52.7 (95% CI (confidence interval): 39.5-70.8), 29.3 (95% CI: 20.7-40.5), and 29.1 ng/mL (95% CI: 23.3-35.3), respectively. Moxidectin (≥ 25 ng/mL) reduced egg laying of bed bug females, but showed no significant effect on egg hatching. One time feeding on rabbit blood containing 20 and 40 ng/mL moxidectin showed no negative effects in bed bug feeding and blood meal ingestion, but significantly reduced digestion rates and nymph molting rates. Although moxidectin at concentrations of 20 and 40 ng/mL only caused moderate mortality in bed bugs, it significantly interrupted digestion, development, and oviposition of survived bed bugs for at least one week after feeding. Moxidectin is a promising supplement of the existing bed bug control materials if its use on humans can be approved in the future.
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Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard
2014-11-05
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F.) are among the most difficult urban pests to manage. Many essential oil-based bed bug control products that are considered reduced risk to mammals compared to synthetic insect neurotoxins have become commercially available, but their effectiveness as a stand-alone control method is unknown. This study assessed the field efficacy of an essential oil-based bed bug control product (EcoRaider; a.i. 1% geraniol + 1% cedar oil + 2% sodium lauryl sulfate) compared to a pyrethroid and neonicotinoid mixture spray (0.075% Temprid SC; a.i. beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid). After 12 weeks, the three treatments-EcoRaider, Temprid SC, and EcoRaider + Temprid SC caused 92.5 ± 2.7, 92.9 ± 3.0, and 91.7% ± 2.7% bed bug count reduction, respectively. No significant differences existed in the bed bug reduction among the treatments. Bed bugs were eliminated from only 22% of the treated apartments. Among those still with bed bugs, 76% of the residents did not know bed bugs were present. We documented the residents' self-control practices and discussed the potential of using essential oil-based insecticides in bed bug management programs to minimize the health risks to building occupants and pets and to slow down the development of insecticide resistance.
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Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard
2014-01-01
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F.) are among the most difficult urban pests to manage. Many essential oil-based bed bug control products that are considered reduced risk to mammals compared to synthetic insect neurotoxins have become commercially available, but their effectiveness as a stand-alone control method is unknown. This study assessed the field efficacy of an essential oil-based bed bug control product (EcoRaider; a.i. 1% geraniol + 1% cedar oil + 2% sodium lauryl sulfate) compared to a pyrethroid and neonicotinoid mixture spray (0.075% Temprid SC; a.i. beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid). After 12 weeks, the three treatments—EcoRaider, Temprid SC, and EcoRaider + Temprid SC caused 92.5 ± 2.7, 92.9 ± 3.0, and 91.7% ± 2.7% bed bug count reduction, respectively. No significant differences existed in the bed bug reduction among the treatments. Bed bugs were eliminated from only 22% of the treated apartments. Among those still with bed bugs, 76% of the residents did not know bed bugs were present. We documented the residents’ self-control practices and discussed the potential of using essential oil-based insecticides in bed bug management programs to minimize the health risks to building occupants and pets and to slow down the development of insecticide resistance. PMID:26462944
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Comparison of Three Bed Bug Management Strategies in a Low-Income Apartment Building.
Wang, Changlu; Saltzmann, Kurt; Bennett, Gary; Gibb, Timothy
2012-04-02
Bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) infestations are currently controlled by a variety of non-chemical and chemical methods. There have been few studies on the comparative effectiveness of these control techniques. We evaluated three bed bug management strategies in an apartment building: (1) non-chemical methods only (n = 9); (2) insecticides only (n = 6); and (3) integrated pest management including both non-chemical methods and insecticides (n = 9). The apartments were one-bedroom units occupied by seniors or people with disabilities. Bed bug numbers in each apartment were determined by visual inspection and/or installing intercepting devices under bed and sofa legs. The median (min, max) bed bug counts in the non-chemical methods only, insecticides only, and integrated pest management (IPM) treatment were: 4 (1, 57), 19 (1, 250), and 14 (1, 219), respectively prior to the treatments. The apartments were retreated if found necessary during biweekly to monthly inspections. After 10 weeks, bed bugs were found to be eliminated from 67, 33, and 44% of the apartments in the three treatment groups, respectively. The final (after 10 weeks) median (min, max) bed bug counts in the non-chemical methods only, insecticides only, and IPM treatment were: 0 (0, 134), 11.5 (0, 58), and 1 (0, 38), respectively. There were no significant differences in the speed of bed bug count reduction or the final bed bug counts. Lack of resident cooperation partially contributed to the failure in eliminating bed bugs from some of the apartments. Results of this study suggest that non-chemical methods can effectively eliminate bed bugs in lightly infested apartments.
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Behavioral Responses of the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius, to Insecticide Dusts.
Agnew, John L; Romero, Alvaro
2017-08-08
Bed bugs have reemerged recently as a serious and growing problem not only in North America but in many parts of the world. These insects have become the most challenging pest to control in urban environments. Residual insecticides are the most common methods used for bed bug control; however, insecticide resistance limits the efficacy of treatments. Desiccant dusts have emerged as a good option to provide a better residual effect for bed bug control. Several studies have focused on determining the efficacy of dust-based insecticides against bed bugs. However, behavioral responses of bed bugs to insecticide dusts could influence their efficacy. The behavioral responses of bed bugs to six insecticide dusts commonly used in the United States were evaluated with an advanced video tracking technique (Ethovision). Bed bugs took longer to make first contact with areas treated with the diatomaceous earth (DE)-based products MotherEarth D and Alpine than pyrethroid, pyrethrins or silica gel based products, DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust and CimeXa, respectively. Lower visitation rates of bed bugs were recorded for areas treated with MotherEarth D, Alpine and CimeXa than that of DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust, and Tri-Die Silica + Pyrethrum Dust. Bed bugs spent less time in areas treated with Tri-Die Dust, CimeXa, Alpine, and MotherEarth D than DeltaDust and Tempo 1% Dust, and they exhibited a reduction in locomotor parameters when crawling on areas treated with CimeXa and Alpine. The implications of these responses to bed bug control are discussed.
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Behavioral Responses of the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius, to Insecticide Dusts
Agnew, John L.; Romero, Alvaro
2017-01-01
Bed bugs have reemerged recently as a serious and growing problem not only in North America but in many parts of the world. These insects have become the most challenging pest to control in urban environments. Residual insecticides are the most common methods used for bed bug control; however, insecticide resistance limits the efficacy of treatments. Desiccant dusts have emerged as a good option to provide a better residual effect for bed bug control. Several studies have focused on determining the efficacy of dust-based insecticides against bed bugs. However, behavioral responses of bed bugs to insecticide dusts could influence their efficacy. The behavioral responses of bed bugs to six insecticide dusts commonly used in the United States were evaluated with an advanced video tracking technique (Ethovision). Bed bugs took longer to make first contact with areas treated with the diatomaceous earth (DE)-based products MotherEarth D and Alpine than pyrethroid, pyrethrins or silica gel based products, DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust and CimeXa, respectively. Lower visitation rates of bed bugs were recorded for areas treated with MotherEarth D, Alpine and CimeXa than that of DeltaDust, Tempo 1% Dust, and Tri-Die Silica + Pyrethrum Dust. Bed bugs spent less time in areas treated with Tri-Die Dust, CimeXa, Alpine, and MotherEarth D than DeltaDust and Tempo 1% Dust, and they exhibited a reduction in locomotor parameters when crawling on areas treated with CimeXa and Alpine. The implications of these responses to bed bug control are discussed. PMID:28786920
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Effects of ultralow oxygen and vacuum treatments on bed bug (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) survival
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Control of bed bugs has always been problematic, balancing among efficacy, safety, and cost. In this study, ultralow oxygen (ULO) and vacuum treatments were tested on bed bugs to develop a safer, effective, and environmental friendly solution to bed bug infestations. ULO treatments were establishe...
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75 FR 858 - Propoxur; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption; Solicitation of Public Comment
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-01-06
..., and commercial industrial buildings to control bed bugs (Cimex lectularius). The applicant proposes a..., modes of transportation, and commercial industrial buildings to control bed bugs. Information in... existing labeled insecticides, in part due to pyrethroid resistance in the bed bug population. Bed bugs are...
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dixon-Watmough, Rebecca; Rapley, Martin
2012-01-01
The Association for Science Education's "schoolscience.co.uk" and Martin Rapley, presenter of "The Big Bug Experience," are again running the Great Bug Hunt in 2012. Simply identify a habitat, explore and discover the bugs that live there, photograph or draw them and record findings--it's that simple. The winner will be the…
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Delaying Your Period with Birth Control Pills
... the pill to have more control over your cycle. By Mayo Clinic Staff Are you interested in ... pills are designed to mimic a natural menstrual cycle. A traditional pill pack contains 28 pills, but ...
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Long, Feng-Lai; Sun, Xiao-Mei; Peng, Xiu-Juan; Liu, Peng; He, Fang-Hui
2016-08-01
Xiangsha Yangwei pill was selected as a model drug in this research, and time domain reflectometry (TDR) was used to determine the water content in the pill. The effects of five factors including the number of pill layers, pill packing density, atmospheric moisture, ambient temperature and the ratio of pill formula were investigated on water content. The results showed that the number of pill layers and ambient temperature had significant effects on water content of pills, while the pill packing density, atmospheric moisture and pill formula ratio had little effect on the determination of water content in pills. The reflection value was stable when 6 layers of pills were used. Under the condition of 25 ℃ and 45% relative humidity, the water content of pills ranged from 4.01% to 22.38%, showing good linear relationship between water content and reflection value, and the model equation was as follows: Y=0.279X－21.670 (R²=0.997 0). Verification experiment was used to explain the feasibility of this prediction model. The precision of the method complied with the methodology standard. It is concluded that TDR can be used in determination of water content in Xiangsha Yangwei pills. Additionally, TDR, as a new way to quickly and efficiently determine the water content, has a prospect application in the processing of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy, especially for concentrated pill. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.
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Classifying Bugs is a Tricky Business.
1983-08-01
programming tutor to help students learn to program in Pascal; we wanted the system to identify the nen-.pntactic bugs in a student’s program and tutor the... student with respect to the misconceptions that might have given rise to the bugs. The emphasis was on the system understanding what the student did...and did not understand; we felt that simply telling the student that there was a bug in line 14 was not sufficient -- since oftentimes the bug in line
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Fabric pilling measurement using three-dimensional image
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ouyang, Wenbin; Wang, Rongwu; Xu, Bugao
2013-10-01
We introduce a stereovision system and the three-dimensional (3-D) image analysis algorithms for fabric pilling measurement. Based on the depth information available in the 3-D image, the pilling detection process starts from the seed searching at local depth maxima to the region growing around the selected seeds using both depth and distance criteria. After the pilling detection, the density, height, and area of individual pills in the image can be extracted to describe the pilling appearance. According to the multivariate regression analysis on the 3-D images of 30 cotton fabrics treated by the random-tumble and home-laundering machines, the pilling grade is highly correlated with the pilling density (R=0.923) but does not consistently change with the pilling height and area. The pilling densities measured from the 3-D images also correlate well with those counted manually from the samples (R=0.985).
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Imported fenproporex-based diet pills from Brazil: a report of two cases.
Cohen, Pieter A
2009-03-01
Banned amphetamine-based anorectics are illicitly imported into the United States (US), but little is known regarding the harm these diet pills pose to US residents. A 26-year-old woman using imported diet pills presented with a two-year history of intermittent chest pains, palpitations, headaches and insomnia. Urine toxicology screen detected amphetamines and benzodiazepines. Fenproporex and chlordiazepoxide were detected in her pills. Her symptoms resolved after she stopped using diet pills. A 38-year-old man using imported diet pills presented after his occupational urine screen was significantly positive for amphetamine. Fenproporex and fluoxetine were detected in his pills. These cases illustrate the potential harm from imported prescription diet pills that combine fenproporex with benzodiazepines, antidepressants, diuretics, laxatives and other substances. Increasing physicians' awareness of imported diet pill use may improve care of patients suffering from the pills' many adverse effects.
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Bed Bug Education for School Maintenance
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Henriksen, Missy
2012-01-01
Bed bugs are a growing problem, not only in homes and hotels, but also in schools and colleges. Facility administrators and staff need to understand the bed bug resurgence and develop best practices to deal with an infestation. In this article, the author offers tips for preventing and treating bed bugs in school and university settings.
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Stink bug host preferences: colonization, oviposition, and feeding on cotton.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Relative colonization rates of stink bug species among host crops grown in the Southeastern US are needed to parameterize a landscape model that seeks to predict stink bug populations in Bt cotton. We sampled stink bugs in Bt cotton, non-Bt cotton, soybean and peanuts over 3 years and 3 sites in the...
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Wang, Changlu; Eiden, Amanda; Singh, Narinderpal; Zha, Chen; Wang, Desen; Cooper, Richard
2018-06-01
Infestations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., have become common in low-income communities in the USA over the last 15 years. We evaluated community-based integrated pest management (IPM) programs for reducing bed bug infestations. Two housing authorities (Bayonne and Hackensack) implemented bed bug IPM programs. A third housing authority (Paterson) was used as the control site. Building-wide surveys were conducted in all communities, three times, to evaluate the effectiveness of the IPM programs. From 0 to 24 months, the infestation rate at Bayonne, Hackensack, and Paterson decreased by 49, 64, and 26%, respectively. The two sites that adopted IPM achieved faster bed bug elimination than the control site. The bed bug introduction rate over a 24-month period at Bayonne, Hackensack, and Paterson was 7, 3, and 11%, respectively. The introduction rate was positively associated with the initial infestation rate. Residents from buildings enrolled in IPM programs were more satisfied with the bed bug control services than residents from the control site. IPM programs were more effective in reducing bed bug infestations than traditional pest control services, but many factors contributed to the lower than desired level of reduction in infestation rate. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Evaluation of a model community-wide bed bug management program in affordable housing.
Cooper, Richard A; Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal
2016-01-01
Low-income apartment communities in the United States are suffering from disproportionally high bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., infestations owing to lack of effective monitoring and treatment. Studies examining the effectiveness of integrated pest management (IPM) for the control of bed bugs in affordable housing have been limited to small subsets of bed-bug-infested apartments, rather than at the apartment community level. We developed, implemented and evaluated a complex-wide IPM program for bed bugs in an affordable housing community. Proactive inspections and biweekly treatments using a combination of non-chemical and chemical methods until bed bugs were not detected for three biweekly monitoring visits were key elements of the IPM program. A total of 55 bed-bug-infested apartments were identified during the initial inspection. Property management was unaware of 71% of these infestations. Over the next 12 months, 14 additional infested apartments were identified. The IPM program resulted in a 98% reduction in bed bug counts among treated apartments and reduced infestation rates from 15 to 2.2% after 12 months. Adopting a complex-wide bed bug IPM program, incorporating proactive monitoring, and biweekly treatments of infested apartments utilizing non-chemical and chemical methods can successfully reduce infestation rates to very low levels. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Behavioral Responses of the Bed Bug to Permethrin-Impregnated ActiveGuard™ Fabric
Jones, Susan C.; Bryant, Joshua L.; Harrison, Scott A.
2013-01-01
ActiveGuard™ Mattress Liners have been used to control house dust mites, and they also are commercially available as an integrated pest management tool for use against bed bugs (Cimex lectularius). The aim of our study was to evaluate responses of numerous populations of the bed bug to the permethrin-impregnated fabric, with particular regard to contact toxicity, repellency, and feeding inhibition. Continuous exposure to ActiveGuard fabric resulted in rapid intoxication for three of four populations, with 87 to 100% of moderately pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible bed bugs succumbing by 1 d. In comparison, a highly resistant population reached 22% mortality at 10 d. Video data revealed that bed bugs readily traversed ActiveGuard fabric and spent a considerable amount of time moving about and resting on it during a 12-h period. ActiveGuard fabric was non-repellent to bed bugs from five tested populations. Furthermore, significantly fewer bed bugs successfully fed to repletion through ActiveGuard fabric than through blank fabric for the five populations. With just 30 min of feeding exposure, mortality ranged from 4% to 83%, depending upon the bed bug strain. These laboratory studies indicate that ActiveGuard liners adversely affected bed bugs from diverse populations. PMID:26464388
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Effects of Ultralow Oxygen and Vacuum Treatments on Bed Bug (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) Survival.
Liu, Yong-Biao; Haynes, Kenneth F
2016-04-22
Control of bed bugs is problematic, balancing among efficacy, safety, and cost. In this study, ultralow oxygen (ULO) and vacuum treatments were tested on bed bugs to develop a safer, effective, and environmentally friendly solution to kill bed bugs on infested items. ULO treatments were established by flushing sealed enclosures with nitrogen. All life stages of bed bugs were found to be susceptible to ULO and vacuum treatments, and efficacy of the treatments increased with reduced oxygen levels, increased treatment time, and temperature. In the ULO treatments, 100% mortality of bed bug nymphs and adults and >98% mortality of bed bug eggs were achieved in the 8-h treatment under 0.1% O 2 atmosphere at 30°C. Different levels of vacuum that yielded different oxygen levels were tested on all life stages of bed bugs. The susceptibility of different stages to vacuum treatments increased from nymphs to adults to eggs. Complete control of all life stages was achieved in 12 h under -982 mbar (-29.0 inHg) vacuum at 30°C. This study demonstrated that bed bugs were very susceptible to low oxygen stresses and ULO and vacuum treatments have potential to be used as effective and safe treatments to decontaminate bed bug-infested removable objects. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016.This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.
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Hinson, Kevin R; Reukov, Vladimir; Benson, Eric P; Zungoli, Patricia A; Bridges, William C; Ellis, Brittany R; Song, Jinbo
2017-01-01
We observed that teneral adults (<1 h post-molt) of Cimex lectularius L. appeared more adept at climbing a smooth surface compared to sclerotized adults. Differences in climbing ability on a smooth surface based on sclerotization status were quantified by measuring the height to which bed bugs climbed when confined within a glass vial. The average maximum height climbed by teneral (T) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 4.69 cm) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (RS) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 1.73 cm at ~48 h post molt), sclerotized group 1 (S1) bed bugs (n = 30, S1 = 2.42 cm at >72 h), and sclerotized group 2 (S2) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 2.64 cm at >72 h post molt). When heights from all climbing events were summed, teneral bed bugs (650.8 cm climbed) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (82 cm climbed) and sclerotized (group 1 = 104.6 cm climbed, group 2 = 107.8 cm climbed) bed bugs. These findings suggested that the external surface of teneral bed bug exoskeletons possess an adhesive property. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that adhesion force of an exoskeletal (presumably molting) fluid decreased almost five-fold from 88 to 17 nN within an hour of molting. Our findings may have implications for laboratory safety and the effectiveness of bed bug traps, barriers, and biomimetic-based adhesives.
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Effect of Moxidectin on Bed Bug Feeding, Development, Fecundity, and Survivorship
Zha, Chen; Sheele, Johnathan Michael
2017-01-01
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), is a blood-feeding ectoparasite which experienced world-wide resurgence during recent decades. The control of bed bugs is often challenging, due to their cryptic nature and resistance to commonly used insecticides. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the antiparasitic drug moxidectin on bed bug survival, reproduction, and development. The LC50 (lethal concentration to kill half the members of a tested population) of moxidectin against bed bug male adults, female adults, and large nymphs were 52.7 (95% CI (confidence interval): 39.5–70.8), 29.3 (95% CI: 20.7–40.5), and 29.1 ng/mL (95% CI: 23.3–35.3), respectively. Moxidectin (≥ 25 ng/mL) reduced egg laying of bed bug females, but showed no significant effect on egg hatching. One time feeding on rabbit blood containing 20 and 40 ng/mL moxidectin showed no negative effects in bed bug feeding and blood meal ingestion, but significantly reduced digestion rates and nymph molting rates. Although moxidectin at concentrations of 20 and 40 ng/mL only caused moderate mortality in bed bugs, it significantly interrupted digestion, development, and oviposition of survived bed bugs for at least one week after feeding. Moxidectin is a promising supplement of the existing bed bug control materials if its use on humans can be approved in the future. PMID:28973981
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Venugopal, P. Dilip; Coffey, Peter L.; Dively, Galen P.; Lamp, William O.
2014-01-01
The local dispersal of polyphagous, mobile insects within agricultural systems impacts pest management. In the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, stink bugs, especially the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål 1855), contribute to economic losses across a range of cropping systems. Here, we characterized the density of stink bugs along the field edges of field corn and soybean at different study sites. Specifically, we examined the influence of adjacent managed and natural habitats on the density of stink bugs in corn and soybean fields at different distances along transects from the field edge. We also quantified damage to corn grain, and to soybean pods and seeds, and measured yield in relation to the observed stink bug densities at different distances from field edge. Highest density of stink bugs was limited to the edge of both corn and soybean fields. Fields adjacent to wooded, crop and building habitats harbored higher densities of stink bugs than those adjacent to open habitats. Damage to corn kernels and to soybean pods and seeds increased with stink bug density in plots and was highest at the field edges. Stink bug density was also negatively associated with yield per plant in soybean. The spatial pattern of stink bugs in both corn and soybeans, with significant edge effects, suggests the use of pest management strategies for crop placement in the landscape, as well as spatially targeted pest suppression within fields. PMID:25295593
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Venugopal, P Dilip; Coffey, Peter L; Dively, Galen P; Lamp, William O
2014-01-01
The local dispersal of polyphagous, mobile insects within agricultural systems impacts pest management. In the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, stink bugs, especially the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål 1855), contribute to economic losses across a range of cropping systems. Here, we characterized the density of stink bugs along the field edges of field corn and soybean at different study sites. Specifically, we examined the influence of adjacent managed and natural habitats on the density of stink bugs in corn and soybean fields at different distances along transects from the field edge. We also quantified damage to corn grain, and to soybean pods and seeds, and measured yield in relation to the observed stink bug densities at different distances from field edge. Highest density of stink bugs was limited to the edge of both corn and soybean fields. Fields adjacent to wooded, crop and building habitats harbored higher densities of stink bugs than those adjacent to open habitats. Damage to corn kernels and to soybean pods and seeds increased with stink bug density in plots and was highest at the field edges. Stink bug density was also negatively associated with yield per plant in soybean. The spatial pattern of stink bugs in both corn and soybeans, with significant edge effects, suggests the use of pest management strategies for crop placement in the landscape, as well as spatially targeted pest suppression within fields.
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Comparison of Three Bed Bug Management Strategies in a Low-Income Apartment Building
Wang, Changlu; Saltzmann, Kurt; Bennett, Gary; Gibb, Timothy
2012-01-01
Bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) infestations are currently controlled by a variety of non-chemical and chemical methods. There have been few studies on the comparative effectiveness of these control techniques. We evaluated three bed bug management strategies in an apartment building: (1) non-chemical methods only (n = 9); (2) insecticides only (n = 6); and (3) integrated pest management including both non-chemical methods and insecticides (n = 9). The apartments were one-bedroom units occupied by seniors or people with disabilities. Bed bug numbers in each apartment were determined by visual inspection and/or installing intercepting devices under bed and sofa legs. The median (min, max) bed bug counts in the non-chemical methods only, insecticides only, and integrated pest management (IPM) treatment were: 4 (1, 57), 19 (1, 250), and 14 (1, 219), respectively prior to the treatments. The apartments were retreated if found necessary during biweekly to monthly inspections. After 10 weeks, bed bugs were found to be eliminated from 67, 33, and 44% of the apartments in the three treatment groups, respectively. The final (after 10 weeks) median (min, max) bed bug counts in the non-chemical methods only, insecticides only, and IPM treatment were: 0 (0, 134), 11.5 (0, 58), and 1 (0, 38), respectively. There were no significant differences in the speed of bed bug count reduction or the final bed bug counts. Lack of resident cooperation partially contributed to the failure in eliminating bed bugs from some of the apartments. Results of this study suggest that non-chemical methods can effectively eliminate bed bugs in lightly infested apartments. PMID:26466533
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Fernández, María del Pilar; Cecere, María Carla; Cohen, Joel E.
2017-01-01
Human sleeping quarters (domiciles) and chicken coops are key source habitats of Triatoma infestans—the principal vector of the infection that causes Chagas disease—in rural communities in northern Argentina. Here we investigated the links among individual bug bloodmeal contents (BMC, mg), female fecundity, body length (L, mm), host blood sources and habitats. We tested whether L, habitat and host blood conferred relative fitness advantages using generalized linear mixed-effects models and a multimodel inference approach with model averaging. The data analyzed include 769 late-stage triatomines collected in 120 sites from six habitats in 87 houses in Figueroa, Santiago del Estero, during austral spring. L correlated positively with other body-size surrogates and was modified by habitat type, bug stage and recent feeding. Bugs from chicken coops were significantly larger than pig-corral and kitchen bugs. The best-fitting model of log BMC included habitat, a recent feeding, bug stage, log Lc (mean-centered log L) and all two-way interactions including log Lc. Human- and chicken-fed bugs had significantly larger BMC than bugs fed on other hosts whereas goat-fed bugs ranked last, in consistency with average blood-feeding rates. Fecundity was maximal in chicken-fed bugs from chicken coops, submaximal in human- and pig-fed bugs, and minimal in goat-fed bugs. This study is the first to reveal the allometric effects of body-size surrogates on BMC and female fecundity in a large set of triatomine populations occupying multiple habitats, and discloses the links between body size, microsite temperatures and various fitness components that affect the risks of transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi. PMID:29211791
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Aggregation and Association of NDVI, Boll Injury, and Stink Bugs in North Carolina Cotton.
Reisig, Dominic D; Reay-Jones, F P F; Meijer, A D
2015-01-01
Sampling of herbivorous stink bugs in southeastern U.S. cotton remains problematic. Remote sensing was explored to improve sampling of these pests and associated boll injury. Two adjacent 14.5-ha cotton fields were grid sampled in 2011 and 2012 by collecting stink bug adults and bolls every week during the third, fourth, and fifth weeks of bloom. Satellite remote sensing data were collected during the third week of bloom during both years, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values were calculated. Stink bugs were spatially aggregated on the third week of bloom in 2011. Boll injury from stink bugs was spatially aggregated during the fourth week of bloom in 2012. The NDVI values were aggregated during both years. There was a positive association and correlation between stink bug numbers and NDVI values, as well as injured bolls and NDVI values, during the third week of bloom in 2011. During the third week of bloom in 2012, NDVI values were negatively correlated with stink bug numbers. During the fourth week of bloom in 2011, stink bug numbers and boll injury were both positively associated and correlated with NDVI values. During the fourth week of bloom in 2012, stink bugs were negatively correlated with NDVI values, and boll injury was negatively associated and correlated with NDVI values. This study suggests the potential of remote sensing as a tool to assist with sampling stink bugs in cotton, although more research is needed using NDVI and other plant measurements to predict stink bug injury. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.
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Gürtler, Ricardo E; Fernández, María Del Pilar; Cecere, María Carla; Cohen, Joel E
2017-12-01
Human sleeping quarters (domiciles) and chicken coops are key source habitats of Triatoma infestans-the principal vector of the infection that causes Chagas disease-in rural communities in northern Argentina. Here we investigated the links among individual bug bloodmeal contents (BMC, mg), female fecundity, body length (L, mm), host blood sources and habitats. We tested whether L, habitat and host blood conferred relative fitness advantages using generalized linear mixed-effects models and a multimodel inference approach with model averaging. The data analyzed include 769 late-stage triatomines collected in 120 sites from six habitats in 87 houses in Figueroa, Santiago del Estero, during austral spring. L correlated positively with other body-size surrogates and was modified by habitat type, bug stage and recent feeding. Bugs from chicken coops were significantly larger than pig-corral and kitchen bugs. The best-fitting model of log BMC included habitat, a recent feeding, bug stage, log Lc (mean-centered log L) and all two-way interactions including log Lc. Human- and chicken-fed bugs had significantly larger BMC than bugs fed on other hosts whereas goat-fed bugs ranked last, in consistency with average blood-feeding rates. Fecundity was maximal in chicken-fed bugs from chicken coops, submaximal in human- and pig-fed bugs, and minimal in goat-fed bugs. This study is the first to reveal the allometric effects of body-size surrogates on BMC and female fecundity in a large set of triatomine populations occupying multiple habitats, and discloses the links between body size, microsite temperatures and various fitness components that affect the risks of transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi.
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The Odorant Receptor Co-Receptor from the Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius L
Hansen, Immo A.; Rodriguez, Stacy D.; Drake, Lisa L.; Price, David P.; Blakely, Brittny N.; Hammond, John I.; Tsujimoto, Hitoshi; Monroy, Erika Y.; Maio, William A.; Romero, Alvaro
2014-01-01
Recently, the bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. has re-emerged as a serious and growing problem in many parts of the world. Presence of resistant bed bugs and the difficulty to eliminate them has renewed interest in alternative control tactics. Similar to other haematophagous arthropods, bed bugs rely on their olfactory system to detect semiochemicals in the environment. Previous studies have morphologically characterized olfactory organs of bed bugs’ antenna and have physiologically evaluated the responses of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) to host-derived chemicals. To date, odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs) associated with these olfaction processes have not been studied in bed bugs. Chemoreception in insects requires formation of heteromeric complexes of ORs and a universal OR coreceptor (Orco). Orco is the constant chain of every odorant receptor in insects and is critical for insect olfaction but does not directly bind to odorants. Orco agonists and antagonists have been suggested as high-value targets for the development of novel insect repellents. In this study, we have performed RNAseq of bed bug sensory organs and identified several odorant receptors as well as Orco. We characterized Orco expression and investigated the effect of chemicals targeting Orco on bed bug behavior and reproduction. We have identified partial cDNAs of six C. lectularius OBPs and 16 ORs. Full length bed bug Orco was cloned and sequenced. Orco is widely expressed in different parts of the bed bug including OR neurons and spermatozoa. Treatment of bed bugs with the agonist VUAA1 changed bed bug pheromone-induced aggregation behavior and inactivated spermatozoa. We have described and characterized for the first time OBPs, ORs and Orco in bed bugs. Given the importance of these molecules in chemoreception of this insect they are interesting targets for the development of novel insect behavior modifiers. PMID:25411789
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Cheng, Xiaofei; Zhang, Feng; Wu, Jigong; Zhu, Zhenan; Dai, Kerong; Zhao, Jie
2016-08-15
A retrospective study. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between pelvic incidence (PI) and lumbar lordosis (LL) mismatch and knee flexion during standing in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases and to examine the effects of surgical correction of the PI-LL mismatch on knee flexion. Only several studies focused on knee flexion as a compensatory mechanism of the PI-LL mismatch. Little information is currently available on the effects of lumbar correction on knee flexion in patients with the PI-LL mismatch. A group of patients with lumbar degenerative diseases were divided into PI-LL match group (PI-LL ≤ 10°) and PI-LL mismatch group (PI-LL > 10°). A series of radiographic parameters and knee flexion angle (KFA) were compared between the two groups. The PI-LL mismatch group was further subdivided into operative and nonoperative group. The changes in KFA with PI-LL were examined. The PI-LL mismatch group exhibited significantly greater sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic tilt (PT) and KFA, and smaller LL, thoracic kyphosis (TK), and sacral slope than the PI-LL match group. PI-LL, LL, PI, SVA, and PT were significantly correlated with KFA in the PI-LL mismatch group. From baseline to 6-month follow-up, all variables were significantly different in the operative group with the exception of PI, although there was no significant difference in any variable in the nonoperative group. The magnitude of surgical correction in the PI-LL mismatch was significantly correlated with the degree of spontaneous changes in KFA, PT, and TK. The PI-LL mismatch would contribute to compensatory knee flexion during standing in patients with lumbar degenerative disease. Surgical correction of the PI-LL mismatch could lead to a spontaneous improvement of compensatory knee flexion. The degree of improvement in knee flexion depends in part on the amount of correction in the PI-LL mismatch. 3.
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... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Birth Control Pill KidsHealth / For Teens / Birth Control Pill What's in this article? What Is It? ... La píldora anticonceptiva What Is It? The birth control pill (also called "the Pill") is a daily ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Because cotton, peanuts and soybean crops are often grown in close proximity and are hosts for the major pest stink bug species: -- the southern green stink bug, the brown stink bug, and the green stink bug – in the region, we determined colonization preference of these species among the crops to cl...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Accurate and timely surveillance of bed bug infestations is critical for development of effective control strategies. While the bed bug produced volatiles (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal are considered defensive secretions, through use of EthoVision® video-tracking software we demonstrate that low ...
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Zungoli, Patricia A.; Bridges, William C.; Ellis, Brittany R.; Song, Jinbo
2017-01-01
We observed that teneral adults (<1 h post-molt) of Cimex lectularius L. appeared more adept at climbing a smooth surface compared to sclerotized adults. Differences in climbing ability on a smooth surface based on sclerotization status were quantified by measuring the height to which bed bugs climbed when confined within a glass vial. The average maximum height climbed by teneral (T) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 4.69 cm) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (RS) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 1.73 cm at ~48 h post molt), sclerotized group 1 (S1) bed bugs (n = 30, S1 = 2.42 cm at >72 h), and sclerotized group 2 (S2) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 2.64 cm at >72 h post molt). When heights from all climbing events were summed, teneral bed bugs (650.8 cm climbed) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (82 cm climbed) and sclerotized (group 1 = 104.6 cm climbed, group 2 = 107.8 cm climbed) bed bugs. These findings suggested that the external surface of teneral bed bug exoskeletons possess an adhesive property. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that adhesion force of an exoskeletal (presumably molting) fluid decreased almost five-fold from 88 to 17 nN within an hour of molting. Our findings may have implications for laboratory safety and the effectiveness of bed bug traps, barriers, and biomimetic-based adhesives. PMID:29244819
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Jourdain, Frédéric; Delaunay, Pascal; Bérenger, Jean-Michel; Perrin, Yvon; Robert, Vincent
2016-01-01
The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, had virtually disappeared from France in the 1950s; however, a worldwide resurgence of bed bugs (C. lectularius and C. hemipterus) has been observed since the 1990s. To document modern pest control activities for the management of bed bugs, a survey was conducted in metropolitan France among the two main categories of professionals regularly called upon to deal with the control of infestations: Municipal Health and Safety Services (MHSSs) and private Pest Management Companies (PMCs). These professionals responded to a questionnaire targeting their knowledge, attitude and practices related to the process for diagnosing a bed bug infestation and the processes taken to actually control an infestation. There were 68 responses received from MHSSs and 51 from the PMCs. The responses indicate that every single département (French administrative division) in metropolitan France has witnessed at least one intervention for bed bugs. Among the criteria considered sufficient to confirm a bed bug infestation, direct observation of bugs was the most commonly cited response. Faced with an infestation, most PMCs used a combination of non-chemical and chemical methods, and systematically performed two treatments. This survey is the first of professionals involved in bed bug control in metropolitan France and confirms the growing importance of bed bugs as a public health pest. Establishing a database to monitor this emerging pest would improve the understanding of the distribution of these insects, help guide educational requirements, identify research needs and assist in ensuring that the most appropriate control practices are undertaken. PMID:27605306
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Zha, Chen; Wang, Changlu; Li, Andrew
2018-02-09
The common bed bug [Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)] and tropical bed bug [Cimex hemipterus F. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)] resurged in the United States and many other countries over the past decades. The need for safe and effective bed bug control products propelled the development of numerous 'green insecticides', mostly with essential oils listed as active ingredients. Various inorganic and organic oils also were used for bed bug management. However, there are no published studies on their toxicities against bed bugs. In this study, we screened 18 essential oils, three silicone oils, and paraffin oil (C5-20 paraffins) for their toxicities against bed bugs. All the oils exhibited insecticidal activity in topical assays. Their toxicities varied significantly; all of the evaluated essential oils were less effective than silicone oils and paraffin oil. The LD50 values of the most effective essential oil (blood orange), paraffin oil, and the most effective silicone oil (dodecamethylpentasiloxane) are 0.184 ± 0.018, 0.069 ± 0.012, and 0.036 ± 0.005 mg per bug, respectively. Direct spray of 1% water solution of 3-[hydroxy (polyethyleneoxy) propyl] heptamethyltrisiloxane, the only silicone oil that mixes well with water, resulted in 92% bed bug mortality after 1 d. Results of this study indicate silicone oils and paraffin oil have the potential to be used as safer alternative bed bug control materials. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Wang, Ling; Xian, Jiechen; Hong, Yanlong; Lin, Xiao; Feng, Yi
2012-05-01
To quantify the physical characteristics of sticks of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) honeyed pills prepared by the plastic molded method and the correlation of adhesiveness and plasticity-related parameters of sticks and quality of pills, in order to find major parameters and the appropriate range impacting pill quality. Sticks were detected by texture analyzer for their physical characteristic parameters such as hardness and compression action, and pills were observed by visual evaluation for their quality. The correlation of both data was determined by the stepwise discriminant analysis. Stick physical characteristic parameter l(CD) can exactly depict the adhesiveness, with the discriminant equation of Y0 - Y1 = 6.415 - 41.594l(CD). When Y0 < Y1, pills were scattered well; when Y0 > Y1, pills were adhesive with each other. Pills' physical characteristic parameters l(CD) and l(AC), Ar, Tr can exactly depict smoothness of pills, with the discriminant equation of Z0 - Z1 = -195.318 + 78.79l(AC) - 3 258. 982Ar + 3437.935Tr. When Z0 < Z1, pills were smooth on surface. When Z0 > Z1, pills were rough on surface. The stepwise discriminant analysis is made to show the obvious correlation between key physical characteristic parameters l(CD) and l(AC), Ar, Tr of sticks and appearance quality of pills, defining the molding process for preparing pills by the plastic molded and qualifying ranges of key physical characteristic parameters characterizing intermediate sticks, in order to provide theoretical basis for prescription screening and technical parameter adjustment for pills.
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Peng, Annie R; Le Foll, Bernard; Morales, Mark; Lerman, Caryn; Schnoll, Robert; Tyndale, Rachel F
2018-04-01
We previously reported poor associations between salivary varenicline and pill counts, and a substantial overestimation of adherence by pill counts in "Measures and predictors of varenicline adherence in the treatment of nicotine dependence" (Peng et al., 2017). We have since conducted supplementary analyses characterizing, and then excluding, individuals with established inaccurate pill count recall. Based on published varenicline pharmacokinetics (including drug levels, and the long half-life) and our detection limits, conservatively we should be able to detect varenicline in anyone who took at least one pill during the 48h prior to saliva collection; thus, those reporting 1 or more pills in this time frame but who had undetectable salivary varenicline were deemed to have inaccurate pill count recall. Correlations between pill counts and salivary varenicline, and Receiver Operating Characteristics curve analyses were conducted following exclusion of participants with inaccurate pill count recall. Nearly 20% of our participants (N=67/376) had inaccurate self-reported pill counts. These participants were younger, non-white, lower income, and unmarried (evaluated using chi-square or Mann-Whitney U test). Following exclusion of these individuals, the correlations between salivary varenicline and pill count improved and the area under the curve (AUC) of pill counts for discriminating adherence improved modestly. When the 20% of individuals with inaccurate pill count recall were excluded, an improved association between self-reported pill count and salivary varenicline was observed, albeit still weak. A substantial overestimation of adherence by pill counts relative to salivary varenicline is still observed even after exclusion of almost 20% of the group having established inaccurate reporting suggesting that these individuals, with identifiable inaccuracies, were only part of the overestimation of adherence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The verde plant bug, Creontiades signatus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), has emerged as a threat to cotton in South Texas, causing boll damage similar to boll-feeding stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Verde plant bugs were released into caged cotton for a one-week period to characterize the effec...
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Basnet, Sanjay; Kamble, Shripat T
2018-05-04
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) is a nuisance household pest causing significant medical and economic impacts. RNA interference (RNAi) of genes that are involved in vital physiological processes can serve as potential RNAi targets for insect control. Brahma is an ATPase subunit of a chromatin-remodeling complex involved in transcription of several genes for cellular processes, most importantly the homeotic genes. In this study, we used a microinjection technique to deliver double stranded RNA into female bed bugs. Delivery of 0.05 and 0.5 µg/insect of brahma dsRNA directly into hemocele resulted substantial reduction in oviposition. Eggs laid by bed bugs receiving both doses of brahma dsRNA exhibited significantly lower hatching percentage as compared to controls. In addition, brahma RNAi in female bed bugs caused significant mortality. Our results disclosed the potential of brahma RNAi to suppress bed bug population through injection of specific dsRNA, suggesting a critical function of this gene in bed bugs' reproduction and survival. Based on our data, brahma can be a promising RNAi target for suppression of bed bug population.
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The Let's Beat the Bug! Campaign--A Statewide Active Public Education Against Bed Bugs in Minnesota.
Shindelar, Amelia K
2017-03-01
Bed bugs continue to affect society and place a burden on public health systems. Experiences of the Let’s Beat the Bug! campaign are presented to help information networks prepare personnel to effectively address questions about this pest. Following recommendations from the Minnesota state bed bug working group, an information line was established and the Web site (www.bedbugs.umn.edu) was revised. Data from both services were analyzed by geographic region and type of information requested. InformationLine primarily assisted people who had issues dealing with failed treatments and landlord reluctance to take effective measures against this pest. Web site visits indicated a preference for learning do-it-yourself control methods. There were commonalities in the information sought from both services. People were often looking for reassurance, in addition to information about basic prevention and control of bed bugs. We present here priority topics that public health personnel should be prepared to answer if they receive inquiries about bed bugs.
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Wu, Yage; Tracy, Dylan M; Barbarin, Alexis M; Barbu, Corentin M; Levy, Michael Z
2014-07-01
We conducted a door-to-door survey in a residential census tract of Philadelphia to estimate the prevalence and spatial patterns of recent bed bug infestations. We interviewed 596 residents, of whom 66 (11.1%) reported recent bed bug infestations. We confirmed current infestations in a subset of 15 (68.2%) of 22 inspected households. Most residents reported that their infestation began within the past year (2012-2013). We found no correlation between property value and infestation status. Spatial analyses showed significant clustering of bed bug infestations only at fine scales, suggesting limited active dispersal of the insects. Residents used a large variety of treatment methods to eliminate bed bugs, but only 48.1% reported success. Our results provide a prevalence estimate of recent bed bug infestations and highlight the importance of passive rather than active dispersal of bed bugs even among dense urban row homes. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
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Between-group transmission dynamics of the swallow bug, Oeciacus vicarius.
Brown, Charles R; Brown, Mary Bomberger
2005-06-01
The parasitic cimicid swallow bug, Oeciacus vicarius, is the principal invertebrate vector for Buggy Creek virus (BCRV) and has also been associated with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. To help understand the spread of this vector, we experimentally measured the transmission of O. vicarius between groups (colonies) of its main host, the cliff swallow (Petrochelidonpyrrhonota), in the field. Transmission of bugs between colonies varied significantly with year, size of the colony, and week within the season. Bug immigration into sites tended to peak in mid-summer. Swallow nests in larger colonies had more consistent rates of bug introduction than did nests in small colonies, but within a colony a given nest's weekly immigrant-bug count varied widely across the season. Transmission of O. vicarius between host social groups follows broadly predictable seasonal patterns, but there is nevertheless temporal and spatial heterogeneity in bug transmission. By understanding how long-distance movement by this vector varies in time and space, we can better predict where and when BCRV epizootics may occur.
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Imported Fenproporex-based Diet Pills from Brazil: A Report of Two Cases
2008-01-01
Banned amphetamine-based anorectics are illicitly imported into the United States (US), but little is known regarding the harm these diet pills pose to US residents. A 26-year-old woman using imported diet pills presented with a two-year history of intermittent chest pains, palpitations, headaches and insomnia. Urine toxicology screen detected amphetamines and benzodiazepines. Fenproporex and chlordiazepoxide were detected in her pills. Her symptoms resolved after she stopped using diet pills. A 38-year-old man using imported diet pills presented after his occupational urine screen was significantly positive for amphetamine. Fenproporex and fluoxetine were detected in his pills. These cases illustrate the potential harm from imported prescription diet pills that combine fenproporex with benzodiazepines, antidepressants, diuretics, laxatives and other substances. Increasing physicians’ awareness of imported diet pill use may improve care of patients suffering from the pills’ many adverse effects. PMID:19096898
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Benoit, Joshua B.
2011-01-01
Recent emergence of bed bugs (Cimex spp.) has prompted a significant expansion of research devoted to this pest. The ability to survive and recover from stress has significant implications on the distribution and survival of insects, and bed bugs are no exception. Research on bed bug stress tolerance has shown considerable progress and necessitates a review on this topic. Bed bugs have an extraordinary ability to resist dehydration between bloodmeals, and this represents a critical factor allowing their prolonged survival when no host is available. High relative humidities are detrimental to bed bugs, leading to reduced survival in comparison to those held at lower relative humidities. Continual exposure of bed bugs, eggs and mobile stages, to temperatures below freezing and short term exposure (=1 h) to temperatures below −16 to −18 °C results in mortality. The upper thermal limit for short term exposure of eggs, nymphs and adults is between 40–45 °C for the common (Cimex lectularius) and tropical (C. hemipterus) bed bugs. Long-term exposure to temperatures above 35 °C results in significant reduction in survival of mobile bed bugs. Eggs for C. lectularius and C. hemipterus are no longer viable when held below 10 °C or above 37 °C throughout embryogenesis. Blood feeding, although necessary for survival and reproduction, is discussed as a stress due to thermal and osmotic fluctuations that result from ingesting a warm bloodmeal from a vertebrate host. Cold, heat, water stress and blood feeding prompted the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps). Pesticide application is a common human-induced stress for urban pests, and recent studies have documented pesticide resistance in many bed bug populations. High levels of traumatic insemination (mating) of bed bugs has been linked to reduced survival and fecundity along with possibly exposing individuals to microbial infections after cuticular penetration by the paramere (=male reproductive organ), thus represents a form of sexual stress. Additionally, less common stress types such as microbial infections that have been documented in bed bugs will be discussed. Overall, this review provides a current update of research related to bed bug stress tolerance and how their ability to resist stressful conditions has lead to their expansion and proliferation. PMID:26467619
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Find a Bed Bug Pesticide Product
Introduces the Bed Bug Product Search Tool, to help consumers find EPA-registered pesticides for bed bug infestation control. Inclusion in this database is not an endorsement. Always follow label directions carefully.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The verde plant bug, Creontiades signatus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), has emerged as a threat to cotton in South Texas, causing boll damage similar to boll-feeding stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Verde plant bugs were released into caged cotton for a one-week period to characterize the effec...
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Guan, Qingxiang; Zhang, Guangyuan; Sun, Shilin; Fan, Hongbo; Sun, Cheng; Zhang, Shaoyuan
2016-05-01
To improve bioavailability of pueraria flavones (PF), a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) dropping pills composed of PF, Crodamol GTCC, Maisine 35-1, Cremophor RH 40, 1,2-propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) was developed. Particle size, zeta potential, morphology and in vitro drug release were investigated, respectively. Pharmacokinetics, bioavailability of PF-SMEDDS dropping pills and commercial Yufengningxin dropping pills were also evaluated and compared in rats. Puerarin treated as the representative component of PF was analyzed. Dynamic light scattering showed the ability of PF-SMEDDS dropping pills to form a nanoemulsion droplet size in aqueous media. The type of media showed no significant effects on the release rate of PF. PF-SMEDDS dropping pills were able to improve the in vitro release rate of PF, and the in vitro release of these dropping pills was significantly faster than that of Yufengningxin dropping pills. There was a dramatic difference between the mean value of t1/2, peak concentration (Cmax), the area of concentration-time curve from 0 to 6 h (AUC0-6 h) of PF-SMEDDS dropping pills and that of commercial Yufengningxin dropping pills. A pharmacokinetic study showed that the bioavailability of PF was greatly enhanced by PF-SMEDDS dropping pills. The value of Cmax and relative bioavailability of PF-SMEDDS dropping pills were dramatically improved by an average of 1.69- and 2.36-fold compared with that of Yufengningxin dropping pills after gavage administration, respectively. It was concluded that bioavailability of PF was greatly improved and that PF-SMEDDS dropping pills might be an encouraging strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of PF.
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Bardhi, Flutura; Sifaneck, Stephen J; Johnson, Bruce D; Dunlap, Eloise
2007-01-01
Recent survey research has documented important increases during the 2000s in the misuse and abuse of several prescription drugs (Vicodin, Percocet, Codeine, Dilaudid, Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, Adderall, Ritalin, among others). This article focuses upon the patterns of pill use and misuse among young women who are middle-class white and college-educated, and they are also experienced marijuana users who report recreational consumption of other illegal drugs. The ethnographic data provides insights about various ways and reasons that such prescription pill misuse occurs among 12 college-educated, (upper) middle-class, white/Asian women in their 20s who were involved in a major ethnographic study of marijuana and blunts. Three patterns of pill use were observed: recreational; quasi-medical; and legal medical; shifts among these patterns of pill use was common. Few reported that their pill use interfered with their conventional jobs and lifestyles; they concealed such use from their employers and coworkers, and from non-using friends and family members. None reported contacts with police nor seeking treatment specifically for their pill misuse. Many reported misusing prescription pills in conjunction with illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy) and alcohol. Pills were used as a way to enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs, as well as a way to avoid the negative side effects of illegal drugs. Some reported pill use as a means for reducing expenditures (and use of) alcohol and cocaine. The implications suggest a hidden subpopulation of prescription pill misusers among regular users of marijuana and other illegal drugs. Future research should include users and misusers of various pills to better understand how prescriptions pills interact with illegal drug use patterns.
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Bardhi, Flutura; Sifaneck, Stephen J.; Johnson, Bruce D.; Dunlap, Eloise
2008-01-01
Recent survey research has documented important increases during the 2000s in the misuse and abuse of several prescription drugs (Vicodin, Percocet, Codeine, Dilaudid, Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, Adderall, Ritalin, among others). This article focuses upon the patterns of pill use and misuse among young women who are middle-class white and college-educated, and they are also experienced marijuana users who report recreational consumption of other illegal drugs. The ethnographic data provides insights about various ways and reasons that such prescription pill misuse occurs among 12 college-educated, (upper) middle-class, white/Asian women in their 20s who were involved in a major ethnographic study of marijuana and blunts. Three patterns of pill use were observed: recreational; quasi-medical; and legal medical; shifts among these patterns of pill use was common. Few reported that their pill use interfered with their conventional jobs and lifestyles; they concealed such use from their employers and coworkers, and from non-using friends and family members. None reported contacts with police nor seeking treatment specifically for their pill misuse. Many reported misusing prescription pills in conjunction with illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy) and alcohol. Pills were used as a way to enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs, as well as a way to avoid the negative side effects of illegal drugs. Some reported pill use as a means for reducing expenditures (and use of) alcohol and cocaine. The implications suggest a hidden subpopulation of prescription pill misusers among regular users of marijuana and other illegal drugs. Future research should include users and misusers of various pills to better understand how prescriptions pills interact with illegal drug use patterns. PMID:19081798
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Eberhardt, Judith; van Wersch, Anna; Meikle, Neil
2009-07-01
Men's and women's attitudes towards the male contraceptive pill and their trust in the effective use of the male pill were investigated, as well as the associated variables of reported health behaviours, perceived self-efficacy and type of sexual relationship, using a questionnaire survey. Although both sexes had a favourable attitude towards the male pill, females had a more positive attitude than men. Conversely, women had less trust that men would use the male pill effectively. Males in stable sexual relationships were more positive about the male pill than those in casual sexual relationships. Gender, relationship type and trust in the effective use of the male pill reliably predicted attitude towards the male pill. High perceived self-efficacy was related to engaging in more health behaviours, and in men a positive association between health behaviours and attitude towards the male pill has been found. A positive attitude towards the male pill does not automatically imply that the individual is confident about its effective use. Once the male pill is widely available, promotional campaigns could target not only men but also their female partners, as the latter tend to come into contact with health services more frequently. In order to increase confidence in effective implementation, a variety of presentations of the male pill should be made available in line with individual needs and lifestyles.
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... Science Water A-Z Index Laws & Regulations By Business Sector By ... Rid of Bed Bugs When a bed bug infestation is discovered there are multiple methods for controlling it. Be aware that it will ...
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Videos, Webinars, Blogs Related to Bed Bugs
These tools provide practical insight on issues such as integrated pest management (IPM) for schools, bed bug bites, how carpet beetles can help, bed bugs as hitchhikers, and preventing and controlling infestations.
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Jourdain, Frédéric; Delaunay, Pascal; Bérenger, Jean-Michel; Perrin, Yvon; Robert, Vincent
2016-01-01
The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, had virtually disappeared from France in the 1950s; however, a worldwide resurgence of bed bugs (C. lectularius and C. hemipterus) has been observed since the 1990s. To document modern pest control activities for the management of bed bugs, a survey was conducted in metropolitan France among the two main categories of professionals regularly called upon to deal with the control of infestations: Municipal Health and Safety Services (MHSSs) and private Pest Management Companies (PMCs). These professionals responded to a questionnaire targeting their knowledge, attitude and practices related to the process for diagnosing a bed bug infestation and the processes taken to actually control an infestation. There were 68 responses received from MHSSs and 51 from the PMCs. The responses indicate that every single département (French administrative division) in metropolitan France has witnessed at least one intervention for bed bugs. Among the criteria considered sufficient to confirm a bed bug infestation, direct observation of bugs was the most commonly cited response. Faced with an infestation, most PMCs used a combination of non-chemical and chemical methods, and systematically performed two treatments. This survey is the first of professionals involved in bed bug control in metropolitan France and confirms the growing importance of bed bugs as a public health pest. Establishing a database to monitor this emerging pest would improve the understanding of the distribution of these insects, help guide educational requirements, identify research needs and assist in ensuring that the most appropriate control practices are undertaken. © F. Jourdain et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2016.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schipper, John F. (Inventor)
2009-01-01
A mobile pill transmitter system that moves through or adjacent to one or more organs in an animal's body and that provides signals from which the pill's present location and/or present angular orientation can be determined. The system also provides signals from which the present roll angle of the pill, about a selected axis, can be determined. When the location coordinates and the roll angle of the pill are within selected ranges, an aperture on the pill container releases a selected chemical into or onto the body. Optionally, the pill as it moves also provides a sequence of visually perceptible images; the times for image formation may correspond to times at which the pill transmitter system location or image satisfies one or at least four different criteria.
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Bed Bug Clearinghouse by Topic
This information is intended to help states, communities, and consumers prevent and control bed bug infestations. Topics include bed bug biology and behavior, detection and monitoring, non-chemical techniques such as heat treatment, and pesticides.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kusznerczuk, Marta
2009-01-01
This paper presents the most precious natural curiosities of the Bug river valley near Janów Podlaski (between Zaczopki and Gnojno). This area is protected as the landscape park - "Podlasie Bug Water Gap". The natural abiotic elements, among others geomorphological ones significantly conditioning unrepeatable charms of the Bug river valley landscape, are regarded as marginal in many papers concerning the unique values of this valley. The presented natural curiosities are arranged in genetic and chronological order. These main relief elements of the Bug river valley are associated with different morphogenetic processes, i.e. the gap formation, the Bug river metamorphosis and gully erosion. These elements can be a chance of the development of specialised tourism, which will influence the economic mobilization of this undeveloped region.
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Chemoreception to aggregation pheromones in the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius.
Liu, Feng; Xiong, Caixing; Liu, Nannan
2017-03-01
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is an obligate blood-feeding insect that is resurgent worldwide, posing a threat to human beings through its biting nuisance and disease transmission. Bed bug aggregation pheromone is considered a very promising attractant for use in the monitoring and management of bed bugs, but as yet little is known regarding the sensory physiology of bed bugs related to this pheromone. This study examined how the individual components of aggregation pheromone are perceived by the olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) housed in different types of olfactory sensilla in bed bugs and the molecular basis for the ORNs' responses to the aggregation pheromone. We found that the ORNs in the D olfactory sensilla played a predominant role in detecting all the components of aggregation pheromone except for histamine, which was only recognized by the C sensilla. Bed bugs' E sensilla, which include four functionally distinct groups, showed only a very weak but variant sensitivity (both excitatory and inhibitory) to the components of aggregation pheromone. Functional tests of 15 odorant receptors (ORs) in response to the components of aggregation pheromone revealed that most of these components were encoded by multiple ORs with various tuning properties. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of how bed bug aggregation pheromone is perceived and recognized in the peripheral olfactory system and will contribute useful information to support the development of synthetic attractants for bed bug monitoring and control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Hottel, Benjamin A; Pereira, Roberto M; Koehler, Philip G
2015-05-12
Two-choice tests were conducted to examine the effect of surface roughness on the resting preference of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., on copper, basswood, and acrylic materials. The influence of pyrethroid formulation applications on resting preferences was also evaluated. Bed bugs were given the choice of resting between two sanded halves of each material tested. One half was sanded with a P60 grit sandpaper and the other with a less rough P600 grit sandpaper. A significantly higher proportion of bed bugs chose to rest on the rougher P60 grit sanded half of all materials tested. Pyrethroid applications were made to either the P60 grit half or both halves of acrylic arenas and resting preferences were again assessed. Behavioral responses of bed bugs to pyrethroid formulation applications varied depending on the bed bug strain used and the formulation applied. Bed bugs would still rest on the P60 grit half when Suspend SC formulation (0.06% deltamethrin) was applied; however, an avoidance response was observed from a bed bug strain susceptible to D-Force aerosol formulations (0.06% deltamethrin). The avoidance behavior is likely attributed to one, more than one, or even an interaction of multiple spray constituents and not the active ingredient.
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Adelman, Zach N.; Kilcullen, Kathleen A.; Koganemaru, Reina; Anderson, Michelle A. E.; Anderson, Troy D.; Miller, Dini M.
2011-01-01
A frightening resurgence of bed bug infestations has occurred over the last 10 years in the U.S. and current chemical methods have been inadequate for controlling this pest due to widespread insecticide resistance. Little is known about the mechanisms of resistance present in U.S. bed bug populations, making it extremely difficult to develop intelligent strategies for their control. We have identified bed bugs collected in Richmond, VA which exhibit both kdr-type (L925I) and metabolic resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. Using LD50 bioassays, we determined that resistance ratios for Richmond strain bed bugs were ∼5200-fold to the insecticide deltamethrin. To identify metabolic genes potentially involved in the detoxification of pyrethroids, we performed deep-sequencing of the adult bed bug transcriptome, obtaining more than 2.5 million reads on the 454 titanium platform. Following assembly, analysis of newly identified gene transcripts in both Harlan (susceptible) and Richmond (resistant) bed bugs revealed several candidate cytochrome P450 and carboxylesterase genes which were significantly over-expressed in the resistant strain, consistent with the idea of increased metabolic resistance. These data will accelerate efforts to understand the biochemical basis for insecticide resistance in bed bugs, and provide molecular markers to assist in the surveillance of metabolic resistance. PMID:22039447
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Cimex lectularius ("Bed Bugs"): Recognition, Management, and Eradication.
McMenaman, Kathryn S; Gausche-Hill, Marianne
2016-11-01
Reports of bed bug infestations in major cities in the United States and abroad have been in the public press. Physicians and other clinicians who care for children need to be able to recognize bed bug bites and understand the social, psychological, and medical implications that this diagnosis will have on patients and their families. In this article, a case presentation serves to guide discussion regarding establishing the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and the management of bed bug bites and their complications. Integrated pest management programs involving housing managers, residents, and professional pest exterminators provide both chemical and nonchemical solutions for eradication of bed bug infestations.
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Progestin-only pills for contraception.
Grimes, David A; Lopez, Laureen M; O'Brien, Paul A; Raymond, Elizabeth G
2010-01-20
The introduction of a new progestin-only oral contraceptive in Europe has renewed interest in this class of oral contraceptives. Unlike the more widely used combined oral contraceptives containing an estrogen plus progestin, these pills contain only a progestin (progestogen) and are taken without interruption. How these pills compare to others in their class or to combined oral contraceptives is not clear. This review examined randomized controlled trials of progestin-only pills for differences in efficacy, acceptability, and continuation rates. We searched the computerized databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), POPLINE, LILACS, and EMBASE for studies of progestin-only pills. We also searched for current trials via ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP. We included all randomized controlled trials in any language that included progestin-only pills for contraception. We incorporated any comparison with a progestin-only pill; this could include different doses, other progestin-only pills, combined oral contraceptives, or other contraceptives. The first author abstracted the data and entered the information into RevMan 5. Another author performed a second, independent data abstraction to verify the initial data entry. Because of disparate exposures, we were not able to combine studies in meta-analysis. Six trials met the inclusion criteria. In the trial comparing the desogestrel versus levonorgestrel progestin-only pill, desogestrel was not associated with a significantly lower risk of accidental pregnancy; the rate ratio was 0.27 (95% CI 0.06 to 1.19). However, the desogestrel progestin-only pill caused more bleeding problems, although this difference was not statistically significant. The trial comparing low-dose mifepristone versus a levonorgestrel progestin-only pill found similar pregnancy rates. In the trial comparing ethynodiol diacetate versus a combined oral contraceptive, irregular cycles occurred in all women assigned to the progestin-only pill (odds ratio 135.96; 95% CI 7.61 to 2421.02). In a trial comparing two progestin-only and two combined oral contraceptives, the progestin-only pill containing levonorgestrel 30 mug had higher efficacy than did the pill containing norethisterone 350 mug. An early trial found megestrol acetate inferior to other progestin-only pills in terms of efficacy. A study of the timing of pill initiation after birth found no important differences, but high losses to follow up undermined the trial. Evidence is insufficient to compare progestin-only pills to each other or to combined oral contraceptives.
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The mental health impact of bed bug infestations: a scoping review.
Ashcroft, Rachelle; Seko, Yukari; Chan, Lai Fong; Dere, Jessica; Kim, Jaemin; McKenzie, Kwame
2015-11-01
We conducted a scoping review to identify and summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the mental health effects associated with bed bugs. We employed a five-stage scoping review framework, to systematically identify and review eligible articles. Eligibility criteria included a focus on bed bug infestations and reference to mental health impacts. Descriptive information was then extracted from each article, including the specific mental health effects cited. An initial search yielded 920 unique articles on the topic of bed bugs. Of these, 261 underwent abstract review, and 167 underwent full-text review. Full-text review and subsequent review of reference lists yielded a final sample of 51 articles. Numerous mental health effects were linked to bed bug infestations, including severe psychiatric symptoms. However, the majority (n = 31) of the articles were commentary papers; only five original research articles were identified. Although significant mental health effects are often linked to bed bugs, such discussions remain largely anecdotal. Despite recognition that the impact of bed bugs constitutes an important public health concern, little empirical evidence currently exists on this topic.
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Pill counts and pill rental: unintended entrepreneurial opportunities.
Viscomi, Christopher M; Covington, Melissa; Christenson, Catherine
2013-07-01
Prescription opioid diversion and abuse are becoming increasingly prevalent in many regions of the world, particularly the United States. One method advocated to assess compliance with opioid prescriptions is occasional "pill counts." Shortly before a scheduled appointment, a patient is notified that they must bring in the unused portion of their opioid prescription. It has been assumed that if a patient has the correct number and strength of pills that should be present for that point in a prescription interval that they are unlikely to be selling or abusing their opioids. Two cases are presented where patients describe short term rental of opioids from illicit opioid dealers in order to circumvent pill counts. Pill renting appears to be an established method of circumventing pill counts. Pill counts do not assure non-diversion of opioids and provide additional cash flow to illicit opioid dealers.
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Why we need a tax on sleeping pills.
Kripke, D F
1983-05-01
In the United States every year the total costs of giving sleeping pills can be estimated at $500 million to $1 billion. Many if not most of the prescriptions are inappropriate. Sleeping pill use, associated with a 50% increase in overall mortality, is especially dangerous for older people, who have a high risk of sleep apnea. There is virtually no evidence that sleeping pills are effective with prolonged usage and no evidence for life-preserving benefits. Excessive use of sleeping pills should be discouraged with a tax of 4 per pill. Revenues from the tax should fund new research to determine which sleeping pills are safest and when alternative treatments are safer.
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Bed Bug Guidance for School Nurses
School nurses are often called upon to provide vital information to students, parents, teachers, and administrators. These tips on identifying, managing and preventing bed bugs will help you to effectively respond if bed bugs appear in your school.
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Use of an oestrogen-free pill (Ex Luton) for contraception.
Etman, S
1974-12-01
Ex Luton, an estrogen-free pill composed of 0.5 mg lynestrenol was given to 92 nonlactating women of proven fertility attending the Family Planning Clinic in the Misr Spinning and Weaving Company's Hospital at Mehalla-Kubra, Egypt. 695 cycles were given: 30 women received the pill for less than 6 cycles, and 62 for more than 6. 31 of the 62 continued the pill for more than 12 cycles. Pills were given daily without interruption. There were no cases of pregnancy during regular use. 2 cases of pregnancy occurred due to patient failure, 1 missing 6 pills in the 2nd cycle, and the other missing 2 in the 6th. 2 women who dropped out of the program because they wished to become pregnant did so: 1 who had taken only 1 cycle of pills became pregnant 1 month after dropping out; the 2nd completed 12 cycles and became pregnant 5 months after dropping out. The most common side effects that occur with combined pills appeared to be less frequent in the current study. Headache, nausea and sense of weakness, all present before use of the pill, either decreased or increased only slightly afterwards. Although amenorrhea was reported by 27% of the women after pill use -- a 5-fold increase -- it was noted in only 11.6% of the cycles and was not permanent, although 9 women dropped the pill because of it. Intermenstrual bleeding was a complaint of 12 women before pill use, and of 13 after. It was present only in 17 cycles, but was severe enough in 6 cases to make them drop the pill.
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McCarraher, Donna R; Martin, Sandra L; Bailey, Patricia E
2006-03-01
Intimate partner violence is widespread worldwide. While assumed to impact women's ability to use contraceptive methods, few data are available to support this claim. In this study, eight focus group discussions were conducted to guide questionnaire development and to provide contextual information. Participants were women who were currently using the pill and women who had used the pill previously. In addition, 300 women were interviewed who initiated oral contraceptive pill use between December 1995 and April 1996. Participants were interviewed 3-6 months later to investigate the role intimate partner violence played in covert pill use and pill discontinuation. Special study procedures for asking women questions about violence were employed. Nineteen per cent of the women interviewed were using the pill covertly. The odds of covert pill use were four times higher in El Alto and La Paz than in Santa Cruz. Women who used the pill covertly were more likely to have experienced method-related partner violence (OR = 21.27) than women whose partners knew of their pill use. One-third of the women had discontinued pill use at the time of the interview. In the final multivariate analysis, having experienced side-effects (OR = 2.37) was a significant predictor of pill discontinuation and method-related partner violence was marginally predictive (OR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.0-3.66). While efforts are ongoing to incorporate men into family planning programmes, some male partners oppose, and in some situations violently oppose, contraceptive use. The needs of women with these types of partners must not be overlooked.
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Cheng, Xiaofei; Zhang, Kai; Sun, Xiaojiang; Zhao, Changqing; Li, Hua; Zhao, Jie
2017-12-01
Severe mismatch between pelvic incidence (PI) and lumbar lordosis (LL) leads to extra anterior displacement of the gravity line. The objective of this study is to investigate whether femoral head retroposition is a separate compensatory mechanism responsible for the extra anterior displacement. Based on the values of PI and LL, 94 patients were divided into the PI-LL match group (PI-LL ≤ 0°), the mild PI-LL mismatch group (20°> PI-LL >0°), and the severe PI-LL mismatch group (PI-LL ≥ 20°). A series of parameters including PI, LL, PI-LL, thoracic kyphosis (TK), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), knee flexion angle (KFA), tibial obliquity angle (TOA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), S1 overhang, femoral head shift (FHS), and pelvic shift (PS) were measured and compared among the three groups. The severe PI-LL mismatch group exhibited significantly greater PI, PI-LL, PT, KFA, SVA, PS, and FHS, and less LL and TK, compared with the control and mild PI-LL mismatch group. The mild PI-LL mismatch group had significantly greater PI-LL, PT, KFA, TOA, and S1 overhang, and less LL and SS than the control group. SS, TOA, and S1 overhang in the severe PI-LL mismatch group differed significantly from that in the control group, but did not differ significantly from that in the mild PI-LL mismatch group. Femoral head retroposition is an entirely separate compensatory mechanism and, in this study, participated in the compensation for the anterior displacement of the gravity line induced by extra-sagittal spinal malalignment in patients with severe PI-LL mismatch.
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Carreiro, Stephanie; Innes, Brendan J; Rosen, Rochelle K; O'Cleirigh, Conall; Mayer, Kenneth H; Boyer, Edward W
2017-01-01
Background Nonadherence to prescribed regimens for opioid analgesic agents contributes to increasing opioid abuse and overdose death. Opioids are frequently prescribed on an as-needed basis, placing the responsibility to determine opioid dose and frequency with the patient. There is wide variability in physician prescribing patterns because of the lack of data describing how patients actually use as-needed opioid analgesics. Digital pill systems have a radiofrequency emitter that directly measures medication ingestion events, and they provide an opportunity to discover the dose, timing, and duration of opioid therapy. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a novel digital pill system to measure as-needed opioid ingestion patterns in patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) after an acute bony fracture. Methods We used a digital pill with individuals who presented to a teaching hospital ED with an acute extremity fracture. The digital pill consisted of a digital radiofrequency emitter within a standard gelatin capsule that encapsulated an oxycodone tablet. When ingested, the gastric chloride ion gradient activated the digital pill, transmitting a radiofrequency signal that was received by a hip-worn receiver, which then transmitted the ingestion data to a cloud-based server. After a brief, hands-on training session in the ED, study participants were discharged home and used the digital pill system to ingest oxycodone prescribed as needed for pain for one week. We conducted pill counts to verify digital pill data and open-ended interviews with participants at their follow-up appointment with orthopedics or at one week after enrollment in the study to determine the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding digital pills. We analyzed open-ended interviews using applied thematic analysis. Results We recruited 10 study participants and recorded 96 ingestion events (87.3%, 96/110 accuracy). Study participants reported being able to operate all aspects of the digital pill system after their training. Two participants stopped using the digital pill, reporting they were in too much pain to focus on the novel technology. The digital pill system detected multiple simultaneous ingestion events by the digital pill system. Participants ingested a mean 8 (SD 5) digital pills during the study period and four participants continued on opioids at the end of the study period. After interacting with the digital pill system in the real world, participants found the system highly acceptable (80%, 8/10) and reported a willingness to continue to use a digital pill to improve medication adherence monitoring (90%, 9/10). Conclusions The digital pill is a feasible method to measure real-time opioid ingestion patterns in individuals with acute pain and to develop real-time interventions if opioid abuse is detected. Deploying digital pills is possible through the ED with a short instructional course. Patients who used the digital pill accepted the technology. PMID:28087496
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Social constructions of the male contraception pill: When are we going to break the vicious circle?
Dismore, Lorelle; Van Wersch, Anna; Swainston, Katherine
2016-05-01
Social constructions of men towards the availability of a male hormonal contraceptive, the 'male pill', were explored. A qualitative approach applying semi-structured interviews and scenarios with 22 men (mean age 35 years) from the North East of England revealed two core constructs and six sub-constructs using a Thematic-Construct Analysis in line with the method of Toerien and Wilkinson and Clarke and Kitzinger. Verbal accounts were inductively used to balance the deductively created two core constructs 'Constructing the male pill norm: dominant system of sensemaking' and 'Living by the male pill norm' to represent a normative framework within a changing ideology of shared responsibility in contraceptive choice. Constructing the male pill norm was divided into two sub-constructs: 'Male pill: we are going to join the women and become responsible - too!' and 'Male pill: you look so girly - what are they going to think of me?' The 'Living by the male pill norm' was further divided into four sub-constructs 'Male pill - thank you for giving me promises not to have to become a dad as yet!'; 'Male pill: thank you for the idea of fun - sorry about my morals!'; 'Male pill: in stable relations - yes, I would have you now - sorry, I am too late!' and 'Male pill, we love you - but we are too anxious - we are not ready as yet!' From this male discourse, it is clear that discussions over the male pill follow the line of a vicious circle. In order to establish long-term side effects, Phase IV studies are necessary, and these cannot commence without the male hormonal contraception being a marketable product. So, unless this circle gets broken by some brave men, the male pill will remain a virtual rotating idea for a long time. © The Author(s) 2014.
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Anderson, John F; Ferrandino, Francis J; Vasil, Michael P; Bedoukian, Robert H; Maher, Marie; McKenzie, Karen
2018-05-04
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), have become a major health nuisance in the past 20 ysin cities and elsewhere throughout many areas of the world. Few studies have reported on repellent compounds that could reduce their transport in luggage. We evaluated the repellency of six naturally occurring or related compounds used in flavor/fragrance applications or structurally related compounds, para-menthane-3,8-diol, and N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) to bed bugs in a 183 × 183-cm arena . Repellency was assessed using soft-sided polyester lunch bags serving as surrogates of luggage and barrier cloth towels upon which rested untreated lunch bags. We report for the first time repellency of delta dodecalactone, 2-(3, 7-dimethyl-2, 6-nonadien-1-yl)-cyclopentanone (a.k.a. 'methyl apritone'), gamma dodecalactone, and para-menthane-3,8-diol to bed bugs. Propyl dihydrojasmonate, 3-methyl-5-hexyl-2-cyclohexenone, gamma methyl tridecalactone, and DEET are also documented to be repellent to bed bugs. These compounds provided relatively long-term protection. Propyl dihydrojasmonate prevented bed bugs from seeking refuge in treated lunch bags 27 d after treatment, and when applied to cloth towels repelled harborage-seeking bed bugs for 146 d. Methyl apritone blended with 3-methyl-5-hexyl-2-cyclohexenone and delta dodecalactone as an individual compound applied to cloth towels repelled bed bugs for 190 and 276 d, respectively. The above-mentioned compounds, either individually or as blends, may reduce risk of bed bugs seeking harborage in treated suitcases or towels upon which untreated luggage is placed.
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21 states have some level of regulation with regard to bed bugs. Most of these requirements focus on hotels and landlords or other property managers. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has guidance on controlling bed bugs in public housing.
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Wilkins, Chris; Sweetsur, Paul
2010-01-01
'Party' pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) were sold legally in New Zealand until early 2008. Prospective studies of hospital emergency department admissions appeared to suggest that the harm from party pills was greater among South Island than North Island users. The party pill industry association (the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand or STANZ) claimed these differences were due to the voluntary code of practice adopted by their members in the North Island. The aims of this study were to examine differences in harm from party pills between North and South Island users in New Zealand, and to investigate possible reasons for any differences in harm, including the impact of industry self-regulation. A national household survey of BZP/TFMPP party pill use was conducted in New Zealand. Information on the ingredients of party pills was provided by the National Poisons Centre. In a number of instances last year users of party pills from the South Island were more likely than last year users from the North Island to report harm from party pills. There were no differences between the North and South Island users with regard to the mean number of BZP/TFMPP party pills taken, mean total milligrams of BZP/TFMPP ingested or prevalence of use of other drug types in combination with party pills. A minority of users in the South Island reported using extremely high numbers of BZP/TFMPP party pills in a single session and using extremely high potency brands of party pills. Last year party pill users from the South Island were more likely than those from the North Island to be students. A number of factors may have contributed to the greater harm from BZP/TFMPP party pills among South Island users including a higher proportion of student users with higher consumption of alcohol and other drugs. Users from both Islands commonly exceeded the dosage of BZP/TFMPP recommended by STANZ suggesting the STANZ code of conduct was largely ineffective.
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Giacometti, Romina; Barneto, Jesica; Barriga, Lucia G; Sardoy, Pedro M; Balestrasse, Karina; Andrade, Andrea M; Pagano, Eduardo A; Alemano, Sergio G; Zavala, Jorge A
2016-08-01
Southern green stink bugs (Nezara viridula L.) invade field-grown soybean crops, where they feed on developing seeds and inject phytotoxic saliva, which causes yield reduction. Although leaf responses to herbivory are well studied, no information is available about the regulation of defences in seeds. This study demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinases MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6 are expressed and activated in developing seeds of field-grown soybean and regulate a defensive response after stink bug damage. Although 10-20 min after stink bug feeding on seeds induced the expression of MPK3, MPK6 and MPK4, only MPK6 was phosphorylated after damage. Herbivory induced an early peak of jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and ethylene (ET) emission after 3 h in developing seeds, whereas salicylic acid (SA) was also induced early, and at increasing levels up to 72 h after damage. Damaged seeds upregulated defensive genes typically modulated by JA/ET or SA, which in turn reduced the activity of digestive enzymes in the gut of stink bugs. Induced seeds were less preferred by stink bugs. This study shows that stink bug damage induces seed defences, which is perceived early by MPKs that may activate defence metabolic pathways in developing seeds of field-grown soybean. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Print a Bed Bug Card - (Single Cards)
Two sets of business-card-sized lists of tips for recognizing bed bugs and the signs of an infestation, including a photo of bed bugs to assist identification. One card is for general use around home or office, the other for travelers.
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Effectiveness of Bed Bug Pesticides
Before EPA allows a bed bug claim on a label, the product must be supported by data showing it will kill bed bugs when applied according to the label. Also consider factors such as extent of infestation, site preparation, and insect life stages.
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Total release foggers are approved for use against various indoor pests, including bed bugs. Not all are indicated against bed bugs, so check the label. Also note that if the fogged pesticides cannot reach where they are hiding, bed bugs won't be killed.
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Leulmi, Hamza; Bitam, Idir; Berenger, Jean Michel; Lepidi, Hubert; Rolain, Jean Marc; Almeras, Lionel; Raoult, Didier; Parola, Philippe
2015-01-01
Background Bartonella quintana, the etiologic agent of trench fever and other human diseases, is transmitted by the feces of body lice. Recently, this bacterium has been detected in other arthropod families such as bed bugs, which begs the question of their involvement in B. quintana transmission. Although several infectious pathogens have been reported and are suggested to be transmitted by bed bugs, the evidence regarding their competence as vectors is unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings Bed bugs at the adult and instar developmental stages were fed three successive human blood meals inoculated with B. quintana bacterium from day one (D1) to D5; subsequently they were fed with pathogen-free human blood until the end of the experiment. Bed bugs and feces were collected in time series, to evaluate their capacities to acquire, multiply and expel viable B. quintana using molecular biology, immunohistochemistry and cultures assays. B. quintana was detected molecularly in 100% of randomly selected experimentally infected bed bug specimens (D3). The monitoring of B. quintana in bed bug feces showed that the bacterium was detectable starting on the 3rd day post-infection (pi) and persisted until day 18±1 pi. Although immunohistochemistry assays localized the bacteria to the gastrointestinal bed bug gut, the detection of B. quintana in the first and second instar larva stages suggested a vertical non-transovarial transmission of the bacterium. Conclusion The present work demonstrated for the first time that bed bugs can acquire, maintain for more than 2 weeks and release viable B. quintana organisms following a stercorarial shedding. We also observed the vertical transmission of the bacterium to their progeny. Although the biological role of bed bugs in the transmission of B. quintana under natural conditions has yet to be confirmed, the present work highlights the need to reconsider monitoring of these arthropods for the transmission of human pathogens. PMID:26000974
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Gürtler, Ricardo E.; Cecere, María C.; Fernández, María del Pilar; Vazquez-Prokopec, Gonzalo M.; Ceballos, Leonardo A.; Gurevitz, Juan M.; Kitron, Uriel; Cohen, Joel E.
2014-01-01
Background Triatoma infestans —the principal vector of the infection that causes Chagas disease— defies elimination efforts in the Gran Chaco region. This study identifies the types of human-made or -used structures that are key sources of these bugs in the initial stages of house reinfestation after an insecticide spraying campaign. Methodology and Principal Findings We measured demographic and blood-feeding parameters at two geographic scales in 11 rural communities in Figueroa, northwest Argentina. Of 1,297 sites searched in spring, 279 (21.5%) were infested. Bug abundance per site and female fecundity differed significantly among habitat types (ecotopes) and were highly aggregated. Domiciles (human sleeping quarters) had maximum infestation prevalence (38.7%), human-feeding bugs and total egg production, with submaximal values for other demographic and blood-feeding attributes. Taken collectively peridomestic sites were three times more often infested than domiciles. Chicken coops had greater bug abundance, blood-feeding rates, engorgement status, and female fecundity than pig and goat corrals. The host-feeding patterns were spatially structured yet there was strong evidence of active dispersal of late-stage bugs between ecotopes. Two flight indices predicted that female fliers were more likely to originate from kitchens and domiciles, rejecting our initial hypothesis that goat and pig corrals would dominate. Conclusions and Significance Chicken coops and domiciles were key source habitats fueling rapid house reinfestation. Focusing control efforts on ecotopes with human-fed bugs (domiciles, storerooms, goat corrals) would neither eliminate the substantial contributions to bug population growth from kitchens, chicken coops, and pig corrals nor stop dispersal of adult female bugs from kitchens. Rather, comprehensive control of the linked network of ecotopes is required to prevent feeding on humans, bug population growth, and bug dispersal simultaneously. Our study illustrates a demographic approach that may be applied to other regions and triatomine species for the design of innovative, improved vector control strategies. PMID:25299653
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Xiong, Xi; He, Ya-Nan; Feng, Bi; Pan, Yuan; Zhang, Hai-Zhu; Ke, Xiu-Mei; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Ming; Han, Li; Zhang, Ding-Kun
2018-05-10
Nowadays, breast disorders seriously affect women's health in an increasing number. In China, Xiaojin Pills are commonly used in the treatment of breast diseases. Doctors have concluded that the combined use of Xiaojin Pills with conventional therapy can significantly improve the efficacy with fewer side effects. However, the prescription of Xiaojin Pills is complicated and their quality control methods cannot completely ensure the quality of Xiaojin Pills. On the basis of its mechanism, our study combined chemical evaluation and biological evaluation to identify the anti-inflammatory markers of Xiaojin Pills. In this manuscript, 13 compounds in Xiaojin Pills were quantified. At the same time, the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition rates of different Xiaojin Pills were measured and the possible markers were screened by spectrum-effect relationship. Further, anti-inflammatory activities of markers were verified and protein interaction network was analyzed, identifying the components of Protocatechuate, Beta-Boswellic acid and Levistilide A as the anti-inflammatory quality markers of Xiaojin Pills. We hope our studies can provide a scientific theoretical basis for accurately quality control of Xiaojin Pills and reasonable suggestions for pharmaceutical companies and new ideas for the quality control of other medicines.
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Blood constituents as phagostimulants for the bed bug Cimex lectularius L.
Romero, Alvaro; Schal, Coby
2014-02-15
Many hematophagous arthropods are stimulated by blood constituents to initiate feeding. We used a membrane-based feeding system to identify chemicals that stimulate acceptance and engorgement responses in various life stages of bed bugs. Water was fortified with a variety of compounds (e.g. salts, amino acids, vitamins, nucleotides, cholesterol and fatty acids) in these bioassays. ATP was the most effective phagostimulant in adults and nymphs, resulting in >70% of bed bugs fully engorging. Addition of NaCl to low ATP solutions that alone elicited <50% engorgement significantly enhanced feeding responses of bed bugs. A comparison of feeding responses with solutions of various adenine nucleotides showed that ATP was more stimulatory than ADP, which was more effective than AMP. Feeding assays with physiological levels of other blood constituents such as d-glucose, albumin, globulin, cholesterol and mixtures of vitamins and amino acids did not stimulate engorgement, suggesting that adenine nucleotides are the most important feeding stimulants in bed bugs. Identification of phagostimulants for bed bugs will contribute towards the development of artificial diets for rearing purposes, as well as for the development of alternative methods to eliminate bed bug infestations.
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Human Odorant Reception in the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius.
Liu, Feng; Liu, Nannan
2015-11-02
The common bed bug Cimex lectularius is a temporary ectoparasite on humans and currently resurgent in many developed countries. The ability of bed bugs to detect human odorants in the environment is critical for their host-seeking behavior. This study deciphered the chemical basis of host detection by investigating the neuronal response of olfactory sensilla to 104 human odorants using single sensillum recording and characterized the electro-physiological responses of bed bug odorant receptors to human odorants with the Xenopus expression system. The results showed that the D type of olfactory sensilla play a predominant role in detecting the human odorants tested. Different human odorants elicited different neuronal responses with different firing frequencies and temporal dynamics. Particularly, aldehydes and alcohols are the most effective stimuli in triggering strong response while none of the carboxylic acids showed a strong stimulation. Functional characterization of two bed bug odorant receptors and co-receptors in response to human odorants revealed their specific responses to the aldehyde human odorants. Taken together, the findings of this study not only provide exciting new insights into the human odorant detection of bed bugs, but also offer valuable information for developing new reagents (attractants or repellents) for the bed bug control.
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Molecular Basis of Olfactory Chemoreception in the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius.
Liu, Feng; Chen, Zhou; Liu, Nannan
2017-04-06
As one of the most notorious ectoparasites, bed bugs rely heavily on human or animal blood sources for survival, mating and reproduction. Chemoreception, mediated by the odorant receptors on the membrane of olfactory sensory neurons, plays a vital role in their host seeking and risk aversion processes. We investigated the responses of odorant receptors to a large spectrum of semiochemicals, including human odorants and plant-released volatiles and found that strong responses were sparse; aldehydes/ketones were the most efficient stimuli, while carboxylic acids and aliphatics/aromatics were comparatively less effective in eliciting responses from bed bug odorant receptors. In bed bugs, both the odorant identity and concentrations play important roles in determining the strength of these responses. The odor space constructed based on the responses from all the odorant receptors tested revealed that odorants within the same chemical group are widely dispersed while odorants from different groups are intermingled, suggesting the complexity of odorant encoding in the bed bug odorant receptors. This study provides a comprehensive picture of the olfactory coding mechanisms of bed bugs that will ultimately contribute to the design and development of novel olfactory-based strategies to reduce both the biting nuisance and disease transmission from bed bugs.
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Human Odorant Reception in the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius
Liu, Feng; Liu, Nannan
2015-01-01
The common bed bug Cimex lectularius is a temporary ectoparasite on humans and currently resurgent in many developed countries. The ability of bed bugs to detect human odorants in the environment is critical for their host-seeking behavior. This study deciphered the chemical basis of host detection by investigating the neuronal response of olfactory sensilla to 104 human odorants using single sensillum recording and characterized the electro-physiological responses of bed bug odorant receptors to human odorants with the Xenopus expression system. The results showed that the D type of olfactory sensilla play a predominant role in detecting the human odorants tested. Different human odorants elicited different neuronal responses with different firing frequencies and temporal dynamics. Particularly, aldehydes and alcohols are the most effective stimuli in triggering strong response while none of the carboxylic acids showed a strong stimulation. Functional characterization of two bed bug odorant receptors and co-receptors in response to human odorants revealed their specific responses to the aldehyde human odorants. Taken together, the findings of this study not only provide exciting new insights into the human odorant detection of bed bugs, but also offer valuable information for developing new reagents (attractants or repellents) for the bed bug control. PMID:26522967
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The minute pirate bugs (Orius) feed primarily on small, soft-bodied arthropods, but may supplement that diet with ingestion of plant fluids. The plant-feeding behavior of the minute pirate bugs has led to anecdotal reports of plant damage and speculation that these insects may occasionally be pests...
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Aggregation behavior of the southern chinch bug (Hemiptera: Blissidae)
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, forms dense, multigenerational aggregations in St. Augustinegrass lawns leading to grass death from sap feeding. We conducted several bioassays to better understand the signals responsible for the formation and maintenance of southern chinch bug ag...
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1983-11-01
a stack, and productions are often not grouped into subroutines. For some reason, when psychologists think of temporary memory, whether for control ...Sierra cannot gcncrate. ’I7he third group contains 76 bug sets that have non -empty intersections with at least one bug set from Sierra’s predictions. This...that have non -empty intersections when interesected with at least one observed bug set. ’Ibis third group of bug sets is printed a little differently
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Chai, Peter R; Carreiro, Stephanie; Innes, Brendan J; Rosen, Rochelle K; O'Cleirigh, Conall; Mayer, Kenneth H; Boyer, Edward W
2017-01-13
Nonadherence to prescribed regimens for opioid analgesic agents contributes to increasing opioid abuse and overdose death. Opioids are frequently prescribed on an as-needed basis, placing the responsibility to determine opioid dose and frequency with the patient. There is wide variability in physician prescribing patterns because of the lack of data describing how patients actually use as-needed opioid analgesics. Digital pill systems have a radiofrequency emitter that directly measures medication ingestion events, and they provide an opportunity to discover the dose, timing, and duration of opioid therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a novel digital pill system to measure as-needed opioid ingestion patterns in patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) after an acute bony fracture. We used a digital pill with individuals who presented to a teaching hospital ED with an acute extremity fracture. The digital pill consisted of a digital radiofrequency emitter within a standard gelatin capsule that encapsulated an oxycodone tablet. When ingested, the gastric chloride ion gradient activated the digital pill, transmitting a radiofrequency signal that was received by a hip-worn receiver, which then transmitted the ingestion data to a cloud-based server. After a brief, hands-on training session in the ED, study participants were discharged home and used the digital pill system to ingest oxycodone prescribed as needed for pain for one week. We conducted pill counts to verify digital pill data and open-ended interviews with participants at their follow-up appointment with orthopedics or at one week after enrollment in the study to determine the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding digital pills. We analyzed open-ended interviews using applied thematic analysis. We recruited 10 study participants and recorded 96 ingestion events (87.3%, 96/110 accuracy). Study participants reported being able to operate all aspects of the digital pill system after their training. Two participants stopped using the digital pill, reporting they were in too much pain to focus on the novel technology. The digital pill system detected multiple simultaneous ingestion events by the digital pill system. Participants ingested a mean 8 (SD 5) digital pills during the study period and four participants continued on opioids at the end of the study period. After interacting with the digital pill system in the real world, participants found the system highly acceptable (80%, 8/10) and reported a willingness to continue to use a digital pill to improve medication adherence monitoring (90%, 9/10). The digital pill is a feasible method to measure real-time opioid ingestion patterns in individuals with acute pain and to develop real-time interventions if opioid abuse is detected. Deploying digital pills is possible through the ED with a short instructional course. Patients who used the digital pill accepted the technology. ©Peter R Chai, Stephanie Carreiro, Brendan J Innes, Rochelle K Rosen, Conall O'Cleirigh, Kenneth H Mayer, Edward W Boyer. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 13.01.2017.
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[Effect and regulation of drying on quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills].
Qi, Ya-Ru; Li, Yuan-Hui; Han, Li; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Yue, Peng-Fei; Wang, Xue-Cheng; Xiong, Yao-Kun; Yang, Ming
2017-06-01
The dry quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills is the hot spot of pills research, because their quality has a crucial effect on the efficacy and development of dosage forms. Through literature research and statistical analysis, we would review the current problems on the drying of traditional Chinese medicine pills in this paper, and surrounding the evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine pills, analyze the characteristics of common drying equipment and processes as well as their effect on quality of pills, discuss the problems in drying equipment and process as well as quality, and put forward the corresponding strategies, hoping to provide new ideas and new methods for the quality improvement of traditional Chinese medicine pills and quality standards. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.
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Effectiveness of a Reduced-Risk Insecticide Based Bed Bug Management Program in Low-Income Housing.
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Cooper, Richard
2013-11-28
Bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) infestations are becoming increasingly common in low-income communities. Once they are introduced, elimination is very difficult. As part of the efforts to develop effective and safe bed bug management programs, we conducted a laboratory study evaluating the efficacy of a reduced-risk insecticide-Alpine aerosol (0.5% dinotefuran). We then conducted a field evaluation of a reduced-risk insecticide based integrated pest management (IPM) program in low-income family apartments with young children. In laboratory evaluations, direct spray and 5 min exposure to dry Alpine aerosol residue caused 100.0 ± 0.0 and 91.7 ± 8.3% mortality to bed bug nymphs, respectively. Direct Alpine aerosol spray killed 91.3 ± 4.3% of the eggs. The IPM program included education, steam, bagging infested linens, placing intercepting devices under furniture legs and corners of rooms, applying Alpine aerosol and Alpine dust (0.25% dinotefuran, 95% diatomaceous earth dust), and regularly scheduled monitoring and re-treatment. Nine apartments ranging from 1-1,428 (median: 29) bed bugs based on visual inspection and Climbup interceptor counts were included. Over a 6-month period, an average 172 g insecticide (Alpine aerosol + Alpine dust) was used in each apartment, a 96% reduction in pesticide usage compared to chemical only treatment reported in a similar environment. The IPM program resulted in an average of 96.8 ± 2.2% reduction in the number of bed bugs. However, elimination of bed bugs was only achieved in three lightly infested apartments (<30 bed bugs at the beginning). Elimination success was closely correlated with the level of bed bug populations.
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Curtis-Robles, Rachel; Wozniak, Edward J; Auckland, Lisa D; Hamer, Gabriel L; Hamer, Sarah A
2015-12-01
Chagas disease is a zoonotic parasitic disease well-documented throughout the Americas and transmitted primarily by triatomine 'kissing bug' vectors. In acknowledgment of the successful history of vector control programs based on community participation across Latin America, we used a citizen science approach to gain novel insight into the geographic distribution, seasonal activity, and Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence of kissing bugs in Texas while empowering the public with information about Chagas disease. We accepted submissions of kissing bugs encountered by the public in Texas and other states from 2013-2014 while providing educational literature about Chagas disease. In the laboratory, kissing bugs were identified to species, dissected, and tested for T. cruzi infection. A total of 1,980 triatomines were submitted to the program comprised of at least seven species, of which T. gerstaeckeri and T. sanguisuga were the most abundant (85.7% of submissions). Triatomines were most commonly collected from dog kennels and outdoor patios; Overall, 10.5% of triatomines were collected from inside the home. Triatomines were submitted from across Texas, including many counties which were not previously known to harbor kissing bugs. Kissing bugs were captured primarily throughout April-October, and peak activity occurred in June-July. Emails to our dedicated account regarding kissing bugs were more frequent in the summer months (June-August) than the rest of the year. We detected T. cruzi in 63.3% of tested bugs. Citizen science is an efficient approach for generating data on the distribution, phenology, and infection prevalence of kissing bugs-vectors of the Chagas disease parasite-while educating the public and medical community.
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Effectiveness of a Reduced-Risk Insecticide Based Bed Bug Management Program in Low-Income Housing
Singh, Narinderpal; Wang, Changlu; Cooper, Richard
2013-01-01
Bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) infestations are becoming increasingly common in low-income communities. Once they are introduced, elimination is very difficult. As part of the efforts to develop effective and safe bed bug management programs, we conducted a laboratory study evaluating the efficacy of a reduced-risk insecticide—Alpine aerosol (0.5% dinotefuran). We then conducted a field evaluation of a reduced-risk insecticide based integrated pest management (IPM) program in low-income family apartments with young children. In laboratory evaluations, direct spray and 5 min exposure to dry Alpine aerosol residue caused 100.0 ± 0.0 and 91.7 ± 8.3% mortality to bed bug nymphs, respectively. Direct Alpine aerosol spray killed 91.3 ± 4.3% of the eggs. The IPM program included education, steam, bagging infested linens, placing intercepting devices under furniture legs and corners of rooms, applying Alpine aerosol and Alpine dust (0.25% dinotefuran, 95% diatomaceous earth dust), and regularly scheduled monitoring and re-treatment. Nine apartments ranging from 1–1,428 (median: 29) bed bugs based on visual inspection and Climbup interceptor counts were included. Over a 6-month period, an average 172 g insecticide (Alpine aerosol + Alpine dust) was used in each apartment, a 96% reduction in pesticide usage compared to chemical only treatment reported in a similar environment. The IPM program resulted in an average of 96.8 ± 2.2% reduction in the number of bed bugs. However, elimination of bed bugs was only achieved in three lightly infested apartments (<30 bed bugs at the beginning). Elimination success was closely correlated with the level of bed bug populations. PMID:26462533
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Dhammi, Anirudh; van Krestchmar, Jaap B.; Ponnusamy, Loganathan; Bacheler, Jack S.; Reisig, Dominic D.; Herbert, Ames; Del Pozo-Valdivia, Alejandro I.; Roe, R. Michael
2016-01-01
Soybean is an important food crop, and insect integrated pest management (IPM) is critical to the sustainability of this production system. In recent years, the introduction into the United States of the kudzu bug currently identified as Megacopta cribraria (F.), poses a threat to soybean production. The kudzu bug was first discovered in the state of Georgia, U.S. in 2009 and since then has spread to most of the southeastern states. Because it was not found in the North American subcontinent before this time, much of our knowledge of this insect comes from research done in its native habitat. However, since the U.S. introduction, studies have been undertaken to improve our understanding of the kudzu bug basic biology, microbiome, migration patterns, host selection and management in its expanding new range. Researchers are not only looking at developing IPM strategies for the kudzu bug in soybean, but also at its unique relationship with symbiotic bacteria. Adult females deposit bacterial packets with their eggs, and the neonates feed on these packets to acquire the bacteria, Candidatus Ishikawaella capsulata. The kudzu bug should be an informative model to study the co-evolution of insect function and behavior with that of a single bacteria species. We review kudzu bug trapping and survey methods, the development of bioassays for insecticide susceptibility, insecticide efficacy, host preferences, impact of the pest on urban environments, population expansion, and the occurrence of natural enemies. The identity of the kudzu bug in the U.S. is not clear. We propose that the kudzu bug currently accepted as M. cribraria in the U.S. is actually Megacopta punctatissima, with more work needed to confirm this hypothesis. PMID:27649166
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Brewer, Michael J; Armstrong, J Scott; Parker, Roy D
2013-06-01
The ability to monitor verde plant bug, Creontiades signatus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), and the progression of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., boll responses to feeding and associated cotton boll rot provided opportunity to assess if single in-season measurements had value in evaluating at-harvest damage to bolls and if multiple in-season measurements enhanced their combined use. One in-season verde plant bug density measurement, three in-season plant injury measurements, and two at-harvest damage measurements were taken in 15 cotton fields in South Texas, 2010. Linear regression selected two measurements as potentially useful indicators of at-harvest damage: verde plant bug density (adjusted r2 = 0.68; P = 0.0004) and internal boll injury of the carpel wall (adjusted r2 = 0.72; P = 0.004). Considering use of multiple measurements, a stepwise multiple regression of the four in-season measurements selected a univariate model (verde plant bug density) using a 0.15 selection criterion (adjusted r2 = 0.74; P = 0.0002) and a bivariate model (verde plant bug density-internal boll injury) using a 0.25 selection criterion (adjusted r2 = 0.76; P = 0.0007) as indicators of at-harvest damage. In a validation using cultivar and water regime treatments experiencing low verde plant bug pressure in 2011 and 2012, the bivariate model performed better than models using verde plant bug density or internal boll injury separately. Overall, verde plant bug damaging cotton bolls exemplified the benefits of using multiple in-season measurements in pest monitoring programs, under the challenging situation when at-harvest damage results from a sequence of plant responses initiated by in-season insect feeding.
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Ibarra, Joanna; Fry, Frances; Clarice, Wickenden; Olsen, Alice; Vander Stichele, Robert H; Lapeere, Hilde; Maryan, Jenner; Franks, Andrea; Smith, Jane L
2007-10-01
The aim of this paper was to illustrate the socially inclusive nature of the Bug Busting 'whole-school approach' to head louse eradication. In the UK, Belgium and Denmark, persistent head lice in families of all socio-economic status (SES) is a problem. Since 1995 in the UK and 1998 elsewhere, an educational programme intended to teach families how to detect and treat head lice by using the Bug Busting wet combing method has been organized in some areas. Local schools lead this community strategy for prevention, known as a 'whole-school approach' (UK). We describe five studies applying the Bug Busting approach, four set in districts where some disadvantaged families live (UK and Belgium) and a fifth set in Denmark. Feasibility and consumer satisfaction are examined. One UK study analyses data on area prescribing for head lice and the impact in a deprived locality of raising the profile of Bug Busting. We find parental education in Bug Busting enables families of all SES to participate in a 'whole-school approach' to head lice. Best results are obtained when each family has a Bug Buster Kit. This provides all the combs necessary with full instructions on their use with ordinary shampoo and conditioner to detect lice, eradicate an infestation mechanically, or to check the success of any treatment. In the UK, the promotion of the Bug Busting approach is reducing primary care expenditure on treatment for head lice and professional time spent with worried parents. As a result, healthcare providers can give time to the few families who require one-to-one guidance. Incorporation of the Bug Busting approach to head lice into clinical practice in school communities contributes to sustainable control whilst overcoming health inequalities in participating families.
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Antiretroviral pill count and clinical outcomes in treatment-naïve patients with HIV infection.
Young, J; Smith, C; Teira, R; Reiss, P; Jarrín Vera, I; Crane, H; Miro, J M; D'Arminio Monforte, A; Saag, M; Zangerle, R; Bucher, H C
2018-02-01
Treatment guidelines recommend single-tablet regimens for patients with HIV infection starting antiretroviral therapy. These regimens might be as effective and cost less if taken as separate drugs. We assessed whether the one pill once a day combination of efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir reduces the risk of disease progression compared with multiple-pill formulations of the same regimen. We selected treatment-naïve patients starting one-, two- or three-pill formulations of this regimen in data from the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration. These patients were followed until an AIDS event or death or until they modified their regimen. We analysed these data using Cox regression models, then used our models to predict the potential consequences of exposing a future population to either a one-pill regimen or a three-pill regimen. Among 11 739 treatment-naïve patients starting the regimen, there were 386 AIDS events and 87 deaths. Follow-up often ended when patients switched to the same regimen with fewer pills. After the first month, two pills rather than one was associated with an increase in the risk of AIDS or death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.91], but three pills rather than two did not appreciably add to that increase (HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.84-1.68). We estimate that 77 patients would need to be exposed to a one-pill regimen rather than a three-pill regimen for 1 year to avoid one additional AIDS event or death. This particular single-tablet regimen is associated with a modest decrease in the risk of AIDS or death relative to multiple-pill formulations. © 2017 British HIV Association.
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Interest in Over-the-Counter Access to a Progestin-Only Pill among Women in the United States.
Grindlay, Kate; Grossman, Daniel
A progestin-only pill may be the first pill formulation to become available over the counter in the United States; however, no research on over-the-counter (OTC) pill interest has focused on progestin-only pills or a representative sample of teens. The objective of this study was to assess U.S. women and teens' interest in OTC progestin-only pill use. In October 2015, we conducted a nationally representative, cross-sectional, online survey with 2,026 sexually active adult women aged 18 to 44 not currently desiring pregnancy, and 513 female teens aged 15 to 17. Logistic regression was used to identify characteristics associated with likely OTC progestin-only pill use. We also assessed reasons for use or nonuse, duration of use, and willingness to pay. Thirty-nine percent of adults and 29% of teens reported likely use, with a greater likelihood if covered by insurance. Adults were willing to pay $15 per month and teens $10 per month on average. Among adults, women who were never married or living alone (vs. married), uninsured (vs. privately insured), current pill or less effective method users (vs. ring, patch, injectable, or intrauterine device), tried to get a birth control prescription in the past year, or ever used an oral contraceptive pill or progestin-only pill had higher odds of likely use. Among teens, Spanish speakers and those who ever had sex had higher odds of likely use; Black teens (vs. White) had lower odds. Teens and adults are interested in using an OTC progestin-only pill. These findings indicate a large pool of interested users and the potential for improved contraceptive access by making an OTC progestin-only pill available. Copyright © 2017 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Susceptibilities of Tarnished Plant Bug and Stink Bug Nymphs to Various Insecticides
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the susceptibility of the nymphal stages and adult stage of the tarnished plant bug to a pyrethroid (permethrin), organophasphate (methamidophos), and neonicotinoid (thiamethoxam) insecticide. The susceptibilities of 5th instar and adult stages of th...
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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Bug City: Beetles [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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Print a Bed Bug Card - (Page of Cards)
For mass distribution: two sets of business-card-sized lists of tips for recognizing bed bugs and signs of an infestation, including a photo of bed bugs to assist identification. One card is for general use around home or office, the other for travelers.
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Bed bug detection: Current technologies and future directions
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
This study evaluates current technologies used to detect bed bug infestations, and presents new information regarding the underlying chemical basis of canines scent detection. The manuscript also reports new and future devices that may play a part in bed bug detection in the future....
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Tarnished plant bug management in Mississippi
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is the most important insect pest of cotton in the Mississippi Delta. Although recent research has demonstrated that several cultural practices can be used in an overall IPM program for tarnished plant bug, insecticides remain the mos...
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Bed bug aggregation on dirty laundry: a mechanism for passive dispersal.
Hentley, William T; Webster, Ben; Evison, Sophie E F; Siva-Jothy, Michael T
2017-09-28
Bed bugs have shown a recent and rapid global expansion that has been suggested to be caused by cheap air travel. How a small, flightless and anachoretic insect that hides within its host's sleeping area manages to travel long distances is not yet clear. Bed bugs are attracted to the odour of sleeping humans and we suggest that soiled clothing may present a similarly attractive cue, allowing bed bugs to 'hitch-hike' around the world after aggregating in the laundry bags of travellers. We show that (1) soiled clothing is significantly more attractive than clean clothing to active bed bugs moving within a bedroom sized arena and (2) elevation of CO 2 to a level that simulates human occupancy in the same arena appears to initiate search behaviour rather than direct it. Our results show, for the first time, how leaving worn clothing exposed in sleeping areas when travelling can be exploited by bed bugs to facilitate passive dispersal.
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Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals.
Liu, Feng; Liu, Nannan
2016-01-18
The insect olfactory system plays an important role in detecting semiochemicals in the environment. In particular, the antennal sensilla which house single or multiple neurons inside, are considered to make the major contribution in responding to the chemical stimuli. By directly recording action potential in the olfactory sensillum after exposure to stimuli, single sensillum recording (SSR) technique provides a powerful approach for investigating the neural responses of insects to chemical stimuli. For the bed bug, which is a notorious human parasite, multiple types of olfactory sensillum have been characterized. In this study, we demonstrated neural responses of bed bug olfactory sensilla to two chemical stimuli and the dose-dependent responses to one of them using the SSR method. This approach enables researchers to conduct early screening for individual chemical stimuli on the bed bug olfactory sensilla, which would provide valuable information for the development of new bed bug attractants or repellents and benefits the bed bug control efforts.
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Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals
Liu, Feng; Liu, Nannan
2016-01-01
The insect olfactory system plays an important role in detecting semiochemicals in the environment. In particular, the antennal sensilla which house single or multiple neurons inside, are considered to make the major contribution in responding to the chemical stimuli. By directly recording action potential in the olfactory sensillum after exposure to stimuli, single sensillum recording (SSR) technique provides a powerful approach for investigating the neural responses of insects to chemical stimuli. For the bed bug, which is a notorious human parasite, multiple types of olfactory sensillum have been characterized. In this study, we demonstrated neural responses of bed bug olfactory sensilla to two chemical stimuli and the dose-dependent responses to one of them using the SSR method. This approach enables researchers to conduct early screening for individual chemical stimuli on the bed bug olfactory sensilla, which would provide valuable information for the development of new bed bug attractants or repellents and benefits the bed bug control efforts. PMID:26862929
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Ujuju, Chinazo; Adebayo, Samson B; Anyanti, Jennifer; Oluigbo, Obi; Muhammad, Fatima; Ankomah, Augustine
2014-01-01
In Nigeria about 50% of oral contraceptive pill users obtain their products from proprietary patent medicine vendors (PPMVs). This group of service providers are poorly trained and have very limited knowledge about contraception. This paper investigated the nature of the advice offered to simulated current and potential users of oral contraceptive pills. The main objective was to assess the nature and quality of advice provided by PPMVs to pill users. This study is based on findings from a 'mystery client' approach in which three scenarios related to contraceptive pill use were simulated. Each of the 12 mystery clients simulated one of the following three scenarios: new pill users (new to family planning or switching from condom to pills); user seeking a resupply of pills; and dissatisfied pill users intending to discontinue use. Simple random sampling was used to select 410 PPMVs from a total of 1,826 in four states in Nigeria. Qualitative study using in-depth interviews was also conducted. A majority of the PPMVs had pills in stock on the day of the survey and resupplied pills to the clients. PPMVs also understood the reason and importance of referring clients who were new adopters of oral contraceptive methods to a health facility; 30% of the PPMVs referred new adopters to a health facility. However, demand from clients who do not want to go to health care facilities (for various reasons) necessitated the provision of oral contraceptive pills to 41% of the first time users. Some PPMVs prescribed treatment to mystery clients who presented with perceived complications arising from the use of pills, while 49% were referred to a health facility. The advice given by PPMVs often falls short of safety guidelines related to the use of oral contraceptive pills. There is a need to continuously update knowledge among the PPMVs to ensure that they provide quality oral contraceptive services as PPMVs bridge the gap between medical experts and users in rural communities.
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Ujuju, Chinazo; Adebayo, Samson B; Anyanti, Jennifer; Oluigbo, Obi; Muhammad, Fatima; Ankomah, Augustine
2014-01-01
Introduction In Nigeria about 50% of oral contraceptive pill users obtain their products from proprietary patent medicine vendors (PPMVs). This group of service providers are poorly trained and have very limited knowledge about contraception. This paper investigated the nature of the advice offered to simulated current and potential users of oral contraceptive pills. The main objective was to assess the nature and quality of advice provided by PPMVs to pill users. Method This study is based on findings from a ‘mystery client’ approach in which three scenarios related to contraceptive pill use were simulated. Each of the 12 mystery clients simulated one of the following three scenarios: new pill users (new to family planning or switching from condom to pills); user seeking a resupply of pills; and dissatisfied pill users intending to discontinue use. Simple random sampling was used to select 410 PPMVs from a total of 1,826 in four states in Nigeria. Qualitative study using in-depth interviews was also conducted. Results A majority of the PPMVs had pills in stock on the day of the survey and resupplied pills to the clients. PPMVs also understood the reason and importance of referring clients who were new adopters of oral contraceptive methods to a health facility; 30% of the PPMVs referred new adopters to a health facility. However, demand from clients who do not want to go to health care facilities (for various reasons) necessitated the provision of oral contraceptive pills to 41% of the first time users. Some PPMVs prescribed treatment to mystery clients who presented with perceived complications arising from the use of pills, while 49% were referred to a health facility. Conclusion The advice given by PPMVs often falls short of safety guidelines related to the use of oral contraceptive pills. There is a need to continuously update knowledge among the PPMVs to ensure that they provide quality oral contraceptive services as PPMVs bridge the gap between medical experts and users in rural communities. PMID:24748802
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[Improving oral contraception compliance. The "ringing card": memory aid or new ritual?].
Lachowsky, M; Levy-Toledano, R
2000-04-01
Forgetting to take pills is frequent and induces an avoidable risk of unwanted pregnancy. The integration of the daily use of the pill into a ritual allows to improve compliance. Nine hundred and seventy-five women were retrospectively asked by 180 gynecologists about missed pills in the last three and six months. More than nine out of ten women declare having forgotten at least one pill in the last six months. In 39% of the cases the pill was missed during the first week of 'cycle' in which the risk of pregnancy is theoretically increased. In this survey, 485 women used the compliance card for an average time of 3.5 months. The compliance card is a device that reminds the user to take the pill daily. It is the size of a credit card and can be programmed to ring daily at the same time 21 days out of 28. The efficacy of this device is attested by the great number of women who think that it allowed them avoid forgetting at least one pill in the last three months. Regardless of the age of the women, 91% of the users of the compliance card acknowledged that it allowed them to decrease the number of missed pills. Eighty-four percent think avoided forgetting at least one pill in the last three months, 34% between two and three pills and 17% more than three pills. In practice, 41% of the compliance card users didn't have any failure in taking the pill in the last three months versus 19% among nonusers (P = 0.001). Although women aware of their poor compliance more often think that they benefit from the compliance card, 83% of women who declare themselves as compliant share this opinion. The number of avoided missed pills by the compliance card is greater among women who often fail to take their pill. The mean number of missed pill during the three months preceding the use of the compliance card was 1.6 +/- 1.7 versus 0.9 +/- 1.3 during the three months of use. Among users of the compliance card, 98% think that it is easy to use and 97% like the way it works. The compliance card is an easy and reliable device that improves the compliance of women using oral contraceptives by helping them to establish a ritual.
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Host-Seeking Behavior in the Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius.
Suchy, James T; Lewis, Vernard R
2011-03-07
The reemergence of the bed bug, Cimex lectularius Linnaeus, has recently spawned a frenzy of public, media, and academic attention. In response to the growing rate of infestation, considerable work has been focused on identifying the various host cues utilized by the bed bug in search of a meal. Most of these behavioral studies examine movement within a confined environment, such as a Petri dish. This has prevented a more complete understanding of the insect's host-seeking process. This work describes a novel method for studying host-seeking behavior, using various movement parameters, in a time-lapse photography system. With the use of human breath as an attractant, we qualitatively and quantitatively assessed how bed bugs navigate their environment between its harborage and the host. Levels of behavioral activity varied dramatically between bed bugs in the presence and absence of host odor. Bed bugs demonstrated not simply activation, but attraction to the chemical components of breath. Localized, stop-start host-seeking behavior or alternating periods of movement and pause were observed among bed bugs placed in the environment void of human breath, while those exposed to human breath demonstrated long range, stop-start host-seeking behavior. A more comprehensive understanding of bed bug host-seeking can lead to the development of traps and monitors that account for unique subtleties in their behavior. The time-lapse photography system uses a large, artificial environment and could also be employed to study other aspects of the insect's behavioral patterns.
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Ecosystem-Based Incorporation of Nectar-Producing Plants for Stink Bug Parasitoids.
Tillman, Glynn
2017-06-24
Adult parasitoids of pest insects rely on floral resources for survival and reproduction, but can be food-deprived in intensively managed agricultural systems lacking these resources. Stink bugs are serious pests for crops in southwest Georgia. Provisioning nectar-producing plants for parasitoids of stink bugs potentially can enhance biocontrol of these pests. Knowledge of spatial and temporal availability and distribution of stink bugs in host plants is necessary for appropriate timing and placement of flowering plants in agroecosystems. Stink bugs move between closely associated host plants throughout the growing season in response to deteriorating suitability of their host plants. In peanut-cotton farmscapes, stink bugs develop in peanut, and subsequently the adults disperse into adjacent cotton. Parasitism of Nezara viridula (L.) adults by Trichopoda pennipes (F.) at the peanut-cotton interface was significantly higher in cotton with a strip of milkweed or buckwheat between the two crops than in cotton alone. Milkweed and buckwheat also provided nectar to a wide range of insect pollinators. Monarch butterflies fed on milkweed. When placed between peanut and cotton, a strip of soybean was an effective trap crop for cotton, reducing economic damage. Incorporation of buckwheat near soybean enhanced parasitism of Euschistus servus (Say) eggs by Telenomus podisi Ashmead in cotton. In conclusion, nectar provision enhances biocontrol of stink bugs, acts together with other management tactics for stink bug control, and aids in conservation of natural enemies, insect pollinators, and the monarch butterfly.
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Ecosystem-Based Incorporation of Nectar-Producing Plants for Stink Bug Parasitoids
Tillman, Glynn
2017-01-01
Adult parasitoids of pest insects rely on floral resources for survival and reproduction, but can be food-deprived in intensively managed agricultural systems lacking these resources. Stink bugs are serious pests for crops in southwest Georgia. Provisioning nectar-producing plants for parasitoids of stink bugs potentially can enhance biocontrol of these pests. Knowledge of spatial and temporal availability and distribution of stink bugs in host plants is necessary for appropriate timing and placement of flowering plants in agroecosystems. Stink bugs move between closely associated host plants throughout the growing season in response to deteriorating suitability of their host plants. In peanut-cotton farmscapes, stink bugs develop in peanut, and subsequently the adults disperse into adjacent cotton. Parasitism of Nezara viridula (L.) adults by Trichopoda pennipes (F.) at the peanut-cotton interface was significantly higher in cotton with a strip of milkweed or buckwheat between the two crops than in cotton alone. Milkweed and buckwheat also provided nectar to a wide range of insect pollinators. Monarch butterflies fed on milkweed. When placed between peanut and cotton, a strip of soybean was an effective trap crop for cotton, reducing economic damage. Incorporation of buckwheat near soybean enhanced parasitism of Euschistus servus (Say) eggs by Telenomus podisi Ashmead in cotton. In conclusion, nectar provision enhances biocontrol of stink bugs, acts together with other management tactics for stink bug control, and aids in conservation of natural enemies, insect pollinators, and the monarch butterfly. PMID:28672808
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Monitoring Web Site Usage of e-Bug: A Hygiene and Antibiotic Awareness Resource for Children
Rajapandian, Vijayamaharaj; Eley, Charlotte V; Hoekstra, Beverley A; Lecky, Donna M; McNulty, Cliodna AM
2015-01-01
Background e-Bug is an educational resource which teaches children and young people about microbes, hygiene, infection, and prudent antibiotic use. The e-Bug resources are available in over 22 different languages and they are used widely across the globe. The resources can be accessed from the e-Bug website. Objective The objective of this study was to analyze the usage of the e-Bug website in order to understand how users access the website, where and when they access the site, and to review variation in use across the different areas of the site. Methods The usage statistics for the e-Bug website were monitored by Google Analytics between September 2010 and August 2013. Results The statistics show the website had over 324,000 visits during the three years, from just under 250,000 visitors, with the number of visitors increasing year after year. Visitors accessed the website from 211 different countries, with more than 267,000 documents downloaded. The majority of visitors were from the United Kingdom and visited the English website, although countries such as France and Portugal were also frequent visitors. Conclusions These website statistics confirm that e-Bug is frequently used across Europe and highlight that e-Bug use has expanded across the world. The findings from this report will be used to inform future modifications or updates to the materials, as well as the development of new educational resources. PMID:26567127
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Lin, Hsien-Chang; Lee, Hsiao-Yun
2015-01-01
This study investigated sociological factors that may influence women's utilization of and adherence to oral contraceptive pills. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study using the 2010-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Female adults aged 18-50 years were included. Logistic regression was performed to discern women's decisions to use oral contraceptive pills or not. Ordinary least squares and Poisson regressions were conducted to examine the number of oral contraceptive pills received, refill frequency, and annual out-of-pocket expenditure on oral contraceptive pills. Covariates were based on the Andersen model of health care utilization. Among the study sample (weighted n = 207,007,531), 14.8% were oral contraceptive pill users. Factors positively related to oral contraceptive pill use included non-Hispanic white ethnicity, younger age, not currently married, having private insurance, residing in the Midwest, higher education level, and higher annual family income. Being non-Hispanic white and having a higher education level were positively related to oral contraceptive pill adherence. Our findings therefore demonstrate disparities in oral contraceptive pill utilization and adherence, especially according to women's race/ethnicity and educational level. This study serves as a baseline assessment for the impact of the Affordable Care Act on oral contraceptive pill utilization and adherence for future studies. © The Author(s) 2015.
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Thermally Insulating, Kinematic Tensioned-Fiber Suspension
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Voellmer, George M.
2004-01-01
A salt pill and some parts of a thermally insulating, kinematic suspension system that holds the salt pill rigidly in an adiabatic-demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) is presented. "Salt pill" in this context denotes a unit comprising a cylindrical container, a matrix of gold wires in the container, and a cylinder of ferric ammonium alum (a paramagnetic salt) that has been deposited on the wires. The structural members used in this system for both thermal insulation and positioning are aromatic polyamide fibers (Kevlar(R) or equivalent) under tension. This suspension system is designed to satisfy several special requirements to ensure the proper operation of the ADR. These requirements are to (1) maintain the salt pill at a specified position within the cylindrical bore of an electromagnet; (2) prevent vibrations, which would cause dissipation of heat in the salt pill; and (3) minimize the conduction of heat from the electromagnet bore and other neighboring objects to the salt pill; all while (4) protecting the salt pill (which is fragile) against all tensile and bending loads other than those attributable to its own weight. In addition, the system is required to consist of two subsystems -- one for the top end and one for the bottom end of the salt pill -- that can be assembled and tensioned separately from each other and from the salt pill, then later attached to the salt pill.
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Repeat use of emergency contraceptive pills in urban Kenya and Nigeria.
Chin-Quee, Dawn; L'Engle, Kelly; Otterness, Conrad; Mercer, Sarah; Chen, Mario
2014-09-01
Little is known about the frequency and patterns of use of emergency contraceptive pills among women in urban Kenya and Nigeria. To recruit women who had used emergency contraceptive pills, individuals aged 18-49 were intercepted and interviewed at shopping venues in Nairobi, Kenya, and Lagos, Nigeria, in 2011. Information was collected on 539 Nairobi and 483 Lagos respondents' demographic and behavioral characteristics, attitudes toward the method, and frequency of use. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between these characteristics and frequency of pill use. Eighteen percent of the women interviewed in Nairobi and 17% in Lagos had ever used emergency contraceptive pills. On average, these respondents had used the pills less than once per month, but greater use and acceptance were seen in Lagos. In multivariate analysis, women who had sex at least once in a typical week were generally more likely than others to have used the pills 2-5 times in the last six months, rather than once or never, or to have used them six or more times. Furthermore, Lagos respondents who said their main contraceptive method was the condom, the pill or injectable, or a natural method were generally less likely than those who did not report these methods to have used the emergency pills multiple times in the last six months. Repeated use of emergency contraceptive pills was not common in this sample.
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Bug City: Spiders and Scorpions [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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Bug City: Crickets, Grasshoppers & Friends [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children (grades 1-6) learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon, including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic…
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Bug City: Butterflies and Moths [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children (grades 1-6) learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic…
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Bug City: Ladybugs & Fireflies [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children (grades 1-6) learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon, including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic…
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A black color morph of adult Nezara viridula (L.)
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The southern green stink bug is a worldwide pest of cotton and other row crops, affecting crop yield and transmitting diseases. Adult coloration is sometimes used to identify southern green stink bugs and to determine their physiological condition. Multiple colors occur in southern green stink bug. ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Stink bugs can cause serious damage to apple and pear fruit at harvest. Feeding on the maturing fruit results in a puncture wound with a depressed and discolored blemish on the surface. The fruit flesh under the damage site is brown and corky. There are currently four major species of stink bugs ...
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Bug City: Aquatic Insects [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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Bug City: Flies & Mosquitoes [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children (grades 1-6) learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon, including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic…
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Trap crops and natural enemies: A winning combination in organically produced strawberries
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Until recently, there have been few biological alternatives to pesticides for controlling lygus bugs. We now know that alfalfa trap crops can attract lygus bug populations away from strawberries and concentrate lygus bug natural enemies. Beneficial arthropods found in strawberry and alfalfa include...
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Emergency contraceptive pills: knowledge and attitudes of pharmacy personnel in Managua, Nicaragua.
Ehrle, Nina; Sarker, Malabika
2011-06-01
As abortion is illegal in Nicaragua, postcoital contraception is an important option for preventing pregnancy. Emergency contraceptive pills are available in Nicaraguan pharmacies over the counter, but pharmacy personnel's knowledge and attitudes about this method can affect access. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Managua, Nicaragua's capital. Interviewers administered a semistructured questionnaire to 93 pharmacy employees to determine their knowledge of and attitudes toward emergency contraceptive pills. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to examine responses of and differences between male and female employees. All participants knew about emergency contraceptive pills and reported experience selling them. The majority sold them at least once a week (92%), usually without a prescription (97%). Of participants who were aware that emergency contraceptive pills should be taken only after sexual intercourse, 45% knew that the pills can be taken up to three days afterward; none knew that the pills are effective up to five days afterward. More than one-third of all respondents (39%) thought the pills can induce abortion, and most overestimated contraindications and side effects. Large majorities believed the availability of emergency contraceptive pills discourages use of ongoing methods (75%), encourages sexual risk-taking (82%) and increases transmission of HIV and other STIs (76%). Sixty-three participants (68%) thought emergency contraceptive pills are necessary to reduce unwanted and unplanned pregnancy; 65% were willing to provide them to all women in need, although only 13% would provide them to minors. Managuan pharmacy personnel frequently dispense emergency contraceptive pills, but need additional education to accurately counsel women about the method.
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"Take your pill": the role and fantasy of pills in modern medicine.
Leder, Drew; Krucoff, Mitchell W
2014-06-01
The pharmaceutical industry has undergone a vast expansion in the 20th and 21st centuries. This article explores the central role now played by pills in clinical practice, but also in the public imagination. First, this article analyzes four properties that, together, account for many of the promises and perils associated with pills: They are ingestible, potent, reproducible, and miniaturized. This allows them to serve as ideal consumer items for widespread distribution and sale and also as model technological "devices" capable of downloading into the body healing chemicals. As such, they seem to promise a disburdening solution to many of life's ills. In our cultural fantasy, often shared by physician and patient alike, pills can be used not only to treat and prevent disease but also raise energy, lose weight, lessen pain, lift mood, cope with stress, and enhance sexual and athletic performance. This article also explores many adverse effects not only of pills themselves but of this exaggerated cultural fantasy of the pill. It tends to distract us from other, more holistic understandings of the locus of disease and healing. It even fosters misunderstandings of the ways in which pills themselves work, which is to assist bodily processes, and the mind's "meaning response." The intent here is not to demonize all pills-many have great therapeutic potential-but to learn how to better choose and use them wisely. We propose that this process be assisted through recontextualizing the pill as a multidimensional gift. Taken in such a way, with appropriate gratitude and discernment, we may ingest fewer pills, but with greater efficacy.
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Morefield, Kate M; Keane, Michael; Felgate, Peter; White, Jason M; Irvine, Rodney J
2011-07-01
To improve our understanding of the pharmacology of 'ecstasy' in recreational environments; in particular, to describe the composition of ecstasy pills, patterns of ecstasy use and the relationship between dose of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and resulting plasma concentrations. A naturalistic observational study of 56 experienced 'ecstasy' users in recreational settings in Australia. Drug use patterns (number of pills consumed, other drugs consumed). drug content of pills and resultant plasma concentrations of MDMA and related drugs were assessed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Ecstasy pills generally contained MDMA, but this was often combined with other drugs such as 3,4-ethylendioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) and methamphetamine. The dose of MDMA per pill ranged from 0 to 245 mg and users consumed from one-half to five pills, with the total dose consumed ranging up to 280 mg. Plasma concentrations of MDMA increased with number of pills consumed and cumulative MDMA dose. Use of larger numbers of pills was associated with extended exposure to the drug. MDMA is the major active drug in ecstasy pills, but there is a high degree of variation in doses. Use of multiple pills over the course of one session is common and results in a sustained increase in MDMA plasma concentrations over a number of hours. This is likely to lead to a much greater exposure of the brain to MDMA than would be predicted from controlled single-dose pharmacokinetic studies. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.
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Use and Knowledge of Diet Pills among Female College Students.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dorociak, Jeffery D.; Vincent, Murray L.
1985-01-01
A survey was conducted in an attempt to assess the use and knowledge of diet pills and dietary patterns of female college students. Analysis of the data indicated that, while many students used diet pills, their knowledge of the effects of the pills was minimal. Conclusions are presented. (MT)
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Repellency of selected chemicals against the bed bug, (hemiptra: Cimicidae)
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
In recent years, the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), became a major public health concern in urban communities. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to control and their painful bites are not tolerated by most people. The public has a strong need for materials and methods ...
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Essential oils as fumigants for bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
In Petri dish assays, fumigation of a pyrethroid-susceptible strain of bed bugs Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) with various essential oils resulted in mortality that approached or equaled 100%, after 5 days. However, when bed bugs were exposed to the same essential oils in sealed, comme...
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Bug City: House and Backyard Insects [Videotape].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
1998
"Bug City" is a video series created to help children learn about insects and other small critters. All aspects of bug life are touched upon including body structure, food, habitat, life cycle, mating habits, camouflage, mutualism (symbiosis), adaptations, social behavior, and more. Each program features dramatic microscopic photography,…
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Phytophagous stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are primary pests in most fruit, vegetable, grain, and row crops worldwide. Pheromones have been identified and synthesized for several species of economically important stink bug pests. When yellow pyramid traps are baited with lures containing thes...
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Bug Distribution and Pattern Classification.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tatsuoka, Kikumi K.; Tatsuoka, Maurice M.
The study examines the rule space model, a probabilistic model capable of measuring cognitive skill acquisition and of diagnosing erroneous rules of operation in a procedural domain. The model involves two important components: (1) determination of a set of bug distributions (bug density functions representing clusters around the rules); and (2)…
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Sheele, J M; Barrett, E; Dash, D; Ridge, G E
2017-11-01
Little is known about the epidemiology of bed bugs within the healthcare system, but nymphal stages predominate in natural infestations. This study determined the life stages of bed bugs captured within a medical centre, and found that older bed bugs were more likely to be captured than younger insects. The numbers of first instars, third-fifth instars and adult females captured were significantly different compared with the numbers of each life stage found in a natural infestation (P<0.01). A significant number of early-instar bed bugs introduced into the medical centre may go unnoticed by hospital staff. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Susser, Stephanie Rebecca; Perron, Stéphane; Fournier, Michel; Jacques, Louis; Denis, Geoffroy; Tessier, François; Roberge, Pasquale
2012-01-01
To assess whether bed bug infestation was linked to sleep disturbances and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Exploratory cross-sectional study. Convenience sample of tenants recruited in apartment complexes from Montreal, Canada. 39 bed bug-exposed tenants were compared with 52 unexposed tenants. The effect of bed bug-exposed tenants on sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression symptoms measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 5th subscale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale and Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-item, respectively. In adjusted models, bed bug infestation was strongly associated with measured anxiety symptoms (OR (95% CI)=4.8 (1.5 to 14.7)) and sleep disturbance (OR (95% CI)=5.0 (1.3-18.8)). There was a trend to report more symptoms of depression in the bed bug-infested group, although this finding was not statistically significant ((OR (95% CI)=2.5(0.8 to 7.3)). These results suggest that individuals exposed to bed bug infestations are at risk of experiencing sleep disturbance and of developing symptoms of anxiety and possibly depression. Greater clinical awareness of this problem is needed in order for patients to receive appropriate mental healthcare. These findings highlight the need for undertaking of deeper inquiry, as well as greater collaboration between medical professionals, public health and community stakeholders.
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Molecular Basis of Olfactory Chemoreception in the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius
Liu, Feng; Chen, Zhou; Liu, Nannan
2017-01-01
As one of the most notorious ectoparasites, bed bugs rely heavily on human or animal blood sources for survival, mating and reproduction. Chemoreception, mediated by the odorant receptors on the membrane of olfactory sensory neurons, plays a vital role in their host seeking and risk aversion processes. We investigated the responses of odorant receptors to a large spectrum of semiochemicals, including human odorants and plant-released volatiles and found that strong responses were sparse; aldehydes/ketones were the most efficient stimuli, while carboxylic acids and aliphatics/aromatics were comparatively less effective in eliciting responses from bed bug odorant receptors. In bed bugs, both the odorant identity and concentrations play important roles in determining the strength of these responses. The odor space constructed based on the responses from all the odorant receptors tested revealed that odorants within the same chemical group are widely dispersed while odorants from different groups are intermingled, suggesting the complexity of odorant encoding in the bed bug odorant receptors. This study provides a comprehensive picture of the olfactory coding mechanisms of bed bugs that will ultimately contribute to the design and development of novel olfactory-based strategies to reduce both the biting nuisance and disease transmission from bed bugs. PMID:28383033
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Basnet, Sanjay; Kamble, Shripat T
2018-05-04
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) has resurged as one of the most troublesome household pests affecting people across the globe. Bed bug infestations have increased in recent years primarily due to the evolution of insecticide resistance and the insect's ability to hitchhike with travelers. vATPases are one of the most evolutionarily conserved holoenzymes in eukaryotes, which are mainly involved in proton transport across the plasma membranes and intracellular organelles. RNA interference (RNAi) has been developed as a promising tool for insect control. In this study, we used RNAi as an approach to knock down subunits A and E of the vATPase gene of bed bugs. Delivery of 0.2 µg/insect of dsRNA specific to vATPase-A and vATPase-E into female bed bugs dramatically impaired the laying and viability of eggs over time. Injection of the vATPase-E dsRNA decreased survival of the bed bugs over 30 d. Our results also showed that the knockdown of mRNA is highly effective and persistent up to 30 d post injection. This research demonstrated that silencing of the two vATPase subunits A and E offers a potential strategy to suppress bed bug populations.
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1992-10-01
The concept of using a temperature sensor in a pill as a clinical thermometer Is good, but mobility of the pill makes it less suitable as a research...Human Technologies, Inc. (CorTempt m; St. Petersburg, FL). Both systems included an ingestible temperature sensor /pill, a receiver, and a data storage...telemetry pills did, and T, and T. showed a faster response to changing core temperature than did T,. The concept of using a temperature sensor in a
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Bitzer, J; Kunz, J
2000-08-10
The pill is the most famous contraceptive method beside the condom. It has a positive image both with women taking it for the first time as with women taking it again after an interruption: they appreciate its efficacy and its easy use. They consider a potential weight increase as a major disadvantage of the pill but do not fear serious health risks. Younger women are significantly more concerned by the lack of protection from AIDS. Young women start their "contraception carrier" with the condom and switch to the pill later. Middle-aged women had usually chosen the pill as first contraception method. The quality of life with the pill is considered as positive, especially its effects on skin and menses.
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Biotelemeters for Space Flights and Fetal Monitoring
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mundt, Carsten W.; Ricks, Robert D.; Hines, John W.
1999-01-01
Pill-shaped biotelemeters originally designed for space flight applications will soon be used for monitoring the health of a fetus during and after in-utero fetal surgery. The authors developed a family of biotelemeters that are not only small enough for rodent studies on board the space shuttle or international space station, but also fit through a 10 mm trocar, a plastic tube that is used in endoscopic fetal surgery to obtain minimally invasive access to the fetus. The first 'pill' measures pressure and temperature, and is currently undergoing long-term leakage and biocompatibility tests. A second pill under development measures pH and temperature. A prototype of the 'pH-pill' has been built and successfully tested and is presently being miniaturized into the same dimensions as the 'pressure pill'. Additional pills measuring heart rate, ECG, other ions such as calcium and potassium, and eventually glucose and blood gases, will follow. All pills are designed for ultra-low power consumption yielding lifetimes of up to 10 months in order to meet the requirements of fetal monitoring, but also to provide the capability of long-term space station experiments. Each pill transmits its pulse-interval-modulated signal on a unique carrier frequency in the frequency range of 174-216MHz. A custom-designed multi-channel receiver demodulates and decodes each pill signal and sends the data to a LabVIEW program that performs real-time data analysis and display. A patent for the pill family and its data analysis system is pending.
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Bartonička, Tomáš; Růžičková, Lucie
2013-04-01
Roost ectoparasites are believed to have a negative impact on fitness of their hosts as birds or mammals. Previous studies were mostly focussed on the synchronization between reproduction cycles of ectoparasites and hosts living in infested roosts. However, to date, it has not been examined how fast ectoparasites colonize new, non-infested roosts and thus increasing the impact on the local populations of hosts. The parasite-host model was studied, including bat bugs Cimex pipistrelli and soprano pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus, where bat behaviour was observed which tended to reduce the parasite load in bat roosts. We investigated (1) whether bats change their roosting behaviour when we discontinued synchronization of their reproduction and the life cycle of the bat bugs and (2) how fast and which stages of bat bugs reoccupy cleaned roosts. In a 3-year field experiment, we removed all bat bugs from six bat boxes in each spring. Pipistrelles bred young in all non-infested boxes during these 3 years. In addition, 8 years of regular observations before this experiment indicate that bats avoided breeding in the same bat boxes at all. Bat bugs were found again in clean boxes in mid-May. However, their densities did not maximise before the beginning of June, before parturition. A re-appearance of bugs was observed after 21-56 days after the first bat visit. Adult bugs, mainly females, colonised cleaned boxes first though at the same time there were a lot of younger and smaller instars in non-manipulated roosts in the vicinity.
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Brennan, S A; Liburd, O E; Eger, J E; Rhodes, E M
2013-04-01
Blackberry (Rubus spp.) production in Florida has increased > 100% within the past two decades. and several insect pests, including stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), have been observed feeding on this crop. The objectives for this study were to determine the stink bug species present in blackberry; to develop monitoring tools for stink bugs in blackberry; and to describe feeding injury to blackberries by Euschistus quadrator Rolston, a relatively new stink bug pest to Florida, that has spread throughout the state. In a field survey, E. quadrator was the most abundant stink bug species, followed by Euschistus servus Say, Euschistus obscurus (Palisot de Beauvois), Thyanta custator (F.), Proxys punctulatus (Palisot de Beauvois), and Podisus maculiventris Say. Yellow pyramid traps caught more stink bugs than tube traps with or without the addition of Euschistus spp. pheromone lures. There were no statistical differences between traps baited with a Trécé Pherocon Centrum lure, a Suterra Scenturion lure, and an unbaited trap. These results were supported by Y-tube olfactometer assays with E. quadrator where there were no differences between pheromone baited lures and a control. Injury to berries caused by E. quadrator adults and third instars was similar, and both adults and third instars fed more on green berries compared with turning berries. In addition, adults fed more on green berries compared with ripe fruit. The most common injury to green berries was discoloration. In contrast, misshapen drupelets were commonly seen on turning and ripe berries. The potential for managing stink bugs in blackberries to prevent them from reaching damaging levels is discussed.
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Stability of Spatial Distributions of Stink Bugs, Boll Injury, and NDVI in Cotton.
Reay-Jones, Francis P F; Greene, Jeremy K; Bauer, Philip J
2016-10-01
A 3-yr study was conducted to determine the degree of aggregation of stink bugs and boll injury in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., and their spatial association with a multispectral vegetation index (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]). Using the spatial analysis by distance indices analyses, stink bugs were less frequently aggregated (17% for adults and 4% for nymphs) than boll injury (36%). NDVI values were also significantly aggregated within fields in 19 of 48 analyses (40%), with the majority of significant indices occurring in July and August. Paired NDVI datasets from different sampling dates were frequently associated (86.5% for weekly intervals among datasets). Spatial distributions of both stink bugs and boll injury were less stable than for NDVI, with positive associations varying from 12.5 to 25% for adult stink bugs for weekly intervals, depending on species. Spatial distributions of boll injury from stink bug feeding were more stable than stink bugs, with 46% positive associations among paired datasets with weekly intervals. NDVI values were positively associated with boll injury from stink bug feeding in 11 out of 22 analyses, with no significant negative associations. This indicates that NDVI has potential as a component of site-specific management. Future work should continue to examine the value of remote sensing for insect management in cotton, with an aim to develop tools such as risk assessment maps that will help growers to reduce insecticide inputs. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Opioid Prescriptions by Specialty in Ohio, 2010-2014.
Weiner, Scott G; Baker, Olesya; Rodgers, Ann F; Garner, Chad; Nelson, Lewis S; Kreiner, Peter W; Schuur, Jeremiah D
2018-05-01
The current US opioid epidemic is attributed to the large volume of prescribed opioids. This study analyzed the contribution of different medical specialties to overall opioids by evaluating the pill counts and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) of opioid prescriptions, stratified by provider specialty, and determined temporal trends. This was an analysis of the Ohio prescription drug monitoring program database, which captures scheduled medication prescriptions filled in the state as well as prescriber specialty. We extracted prescriptions for pill versions of opioids written in the calendar years 2010 to 2014. The main outcomes were the number of filled prescriptions, pill counts, MMEs, and extended-released opioids written by physicians in each specialty, and annual prescribing trends. There were 56,873,719 prescriptions for the studied opioids dispensed, for which 41,959,581 (73.8%) had prescriber specialty type available. Mean number of pills per prescription and MMEs were highest for physical medicine/rehabilitation (PM&R; 91.2 pills, 1,532 mg, N = 1,680,579), anesthesiology/pain (89.3 pills, 1,484 mg, N = 3,261,449), hematology/oncology (88.2 pills, 1,534 mg, N = 516,596), and neurology (84.4 pills, 1,230 mg, N = 573,389). Family medicine (21.8%) and internal medicine (17.6%) wrote the most opioid prescriptions overall. Time trends in the average number of pills and MMEs per prescription also varied depending on specialty. The numbers of pills and MMEs per opioid prescription vary markedly by prescriber specialty, as do trends in prescribing characteristics. Pill count and MME values define each specialty's contribution to overall opioid prescribing more accurately than the number of prescriptions alone.
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Progestin-only pills for contraception.
Grimes, David A; Lopez, Laureen M; O'Brien, Paul A; Raymond, Elizabeth G
2013-11-13
The introduction of a new progestin-only oral contraceptive in Europe has renewed interest in this class of oral contraceptives. Unlike the more widely used combined oral contraceptives containing an estrogen plus progestin, these pills contain only a progestin (progestogen) and are taken without interruption. How these pills compare to others in their class or to combined oral contraceptives is not clear. This review examined randomized controlled trials of progestin-only pills for differences in efficacy, acceptability, and continuation rates. Through October 2013, we searched the computerized databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), POPLINE, and LILACS for studies of progestin-only pills. We also searched for current trials via ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP. Previous searches also included EMBASE. We included all randomized controlled trials in any language that included progestin-only pills for contraception. We incorporated any comparison with a progestin-only pill; this could include different doses, other progestin-only pills, combined oral contraceptives, or other contraceptives. The first author abstracted the data and entered the information into RevMan 5. Another author performed a second, independent data abstraction to verify the initial data entry.We attempted to extract life-table rates (actuarial or continuous) and used the rate difference as the effect measure. Where life-table rates were not published, we used the incidence rate ratio (ratio of Pearl rates). Where only the crude number of events was published, we calculated the Peto odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) using a fixed-effect model. For continuous variables, the mean difference (MD) was computed with 95% CI. Because of disparate exposures, we were not able to combine studies in meta-analysis. Six trials met the inclusion criteria. We have not found any new studies since the initial review. In the trial comparing the desogestrel versus levonorgestrel progestin-only pill, desogestrel was not associated with a significantly lower risk of accidental pregnancy; the rate ratio was 0.27 (95% CI 0.06 to 1.19). However, the desogestrel progestin-only pill caused more bleeding problems, although this difference was not statistically significant. The trial comparing low-dose mifepristone versus a levonorgestrel progestin-only pill found similar pregnancy rates. In the trial comparing ethynodiol diacetate versus a combined oral contraceptive, irregular cycles occurred in all women assigned to the progestin-only pill (odds ratio 135.96; 95% CI 7.61 to 2421.02). In a trial comparing two progestin-only and two combined oral contraceptives, the progestin-only pill containing levonorgestrel 30 μg had higher efficacy than did the pill containing norethisterone 350 μg. An early trial found megestrol acetate inferior to other progestin-only pills in terms of efficacy. A study of the timing of pill initiation after birth found no important differences, but high losses to follow up undermined the trial. Evidence is insufficient to compare progestin-only pills to each other or to combined oral contraceptives.
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Bed Bug Epidemic: A Challenge to Public Health
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ratnapradipa, Dhitinut; Ritzel, Dale O.; Haramis, Linn D.; Bliss, Kadi R.
2011-01-01
In recent years, reported cases of bed bug infestations in the U.S. and throughout the world have escalated dramatically, posing a global public health problem. Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease to humans, they pose both direct and indirect public health challenges in terms of health effects, treatment, cost, and resource…
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Bed bugs as pests of public health importance recently experienced a resurgence in populations throughout the U.S. and other countries. Consequently, recent research efforts have focused on improving understanding of bed bug physiology and behavior to improve management. While few studies have inves...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The predatory spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris, is an economically important and high-valued biological control agent. There is substantial information on the biology, ecology, behavior and rearing of this stink bug. However, virtually nothing is known of its genetic variation, in natural...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The banana spotting bug Amblypelta lutescens lutescens Distant (Hemiptera: Coreidae) is one of the principal pests of tree fruits and nuts across northern and eastern Australia. Apart from damage assessments in orchards, there are currently no other methods for monitoring bug activity to aid manage...
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Evaluation of cimi-shield knock-out bed bug eliminator against house fly (Musca domestica) adults
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Cimi-Shield Knock-Out (CSKO) Bed Bug Eliminator is a green treatment labeled for use against bed bugs, carpet beetles, ants, roaches, fleas, ticks, silverfish, millipedes and centipedes. The active ingredient is soybean oil. If CSKO is formulated according to label instructions and sprayed directly ...
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Relative longevity of adult Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton, peanut and soybean
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Producers in the Southeastern US face significant crop losses from the stink bugs, Nezara viridula, Euschistus servus, and Chinavia hilaris. Cotton, peanut, and soybean are major agronomic crops and host plants of stink bugs in the region. N. viridula colonize and feed in peanut. Stink bugs prefer t...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
We report the susceptibility of 2 stink bug species, red banded stink bug (RBSB), Piezodorus guildinii, (Westwood) and conchuela stinkbug, Chlorochroa ligata (Say) collected in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley to selected pyrethroid and organophosphate technical grade insecticides. The adult glass ...
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Evaluation of cimi-shield knock-out bed bug eliminator against house fly (Musca domestica) adults.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Cimi-Shield Knock-Out (CSKO) Bed Bug Eliminator is a green treatment labeled for use against bed bugs, carpet beetles, ants, roaches, fleas, ticks, silverfish, millipedes and centipedes. The active ingredient is soybean oil. If CSKO is formulated according to label instructions and sprayed directly ...
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Association of Verde plant bug, Creontiades signatus (Hemiptera: Miridae), with cotton boll rot
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Cotton along the Gulf Coast of south Texas has experienced loss from cotton boll rot especially during the last 10 to 15 years, and stink bugs and plant bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae and Miridae) that feed on cotton bolls have been suspected in introducing the disease. A replicated grower field surv...
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Chapter 15. The Big-Eyed Bugs, Chinch Bugs, and Seed Bugs (Lygaeoidea)
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The Lygaeoidea, representing the second largest superfamily in the infraorder Pentatomomorpha, are one of the most diverse groups of Heteroptera with about 700 genera and more than 4200 species in the world. In the Neotropics, about 184 genera and 836 species are included in 12 of the world’s 16 fa...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Showstack, Randy
After global fears of computer snafus prompted billions of dollars of remedial action, the Y2K bug appears to have vanished with barely a trace. But on January l, taxonomists with the entomology division of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) reported the discovery of an insect whose scientific and common names will be the "millennium bug."
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Area-wide management approach for tarnished plant bug in the Mississippi Delta
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is the major insect pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), within the Mid-South region. From 2001 to 2012, the tarnished plant bug has been the number one insect pest of cotton in Louisiana and Mississippi in eleven and nine of those...
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Brown marmorated stink bug detections in Mississippi
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, was first detected in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 1998. This pest is now well-established in the northeast and has been detected in more than 25 states, including Oregon. These non-native stink bugs look much like many of our native stink b...
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Psychological effects of bed bug attacks (Cimex lectularius L.).
Goddard, Jerome; de Shazo, Richard
2012-01-01
In some individuals, psychological sequelae resulting from bed bug biting events include nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance (to keep the bugs away), insomnia, anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and personal dysfunction. These symptoms are suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We used a previously published PTSD checklist to analyze online blogs and other Internet sites where bed bug postings occur to assess postings for evidence of emotional trauma. One hundred thirty-five postings were read and analyzed, and 110 (81%) of those postings reported psychological effects from bed bug infestations. Scoring with the PTSD checklist revealed a range of 0-52 (mean 13.25; SD 9.38); one met the criteria (≥50) considered positive for PTSD. Based upon our survey of online postings concerning such effects, an as-yet-to-be-determined proportion of individuals who experience bed bug bites develop moderate-to-severe negative emotional symptoms after infestations. These individuals should be identified in the course of their interactions with health professionals so that appropriate mental health care may be provided. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Sentana-Lledo, Daniel; Barbu, Corentin M; Ngo, Michelle N; Wu, Yage; Sethuraman, Karthik; Levy, Michael Z
2016-01-01
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) is once again prevalent in the United States. We investigated temporal patterns in Google search queries for bed bugs and co-occurring terms, and conducted in-person surveys to explore the intentions behind searches that included those terms. Searches for "bed bugs" rose steadily through 2011 and then plateaued, suggesting that the epidemic has reached an equilibrium in the United States. However, queries including terms that survey respondents associated strongly with having bed bugs (e.g., "exterminator," "remedies") continued to climb, while terms more closely associated with informational searches (e.g., "hotels," "about") fell. Respondents' rankings of terms and nonseasonal trends in Google search volume as assessed by a cosinor model were significantly correlated (Kendall's Tau-b P = 0.015). We find no evidence from Google Trends that the bed bug epidemic in the United States has reached equilibrium. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Mining Bug Databases for Unidentified Software Vulnerabilities
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Dumidu Wijayasekara; Milos Manic; Jason Wright
2012-06-01
Identifying software vulnerabilities is becoming more important as critical and sensitive systems increasingly rely on complex software systems. It has been suggested in previous work that some bugs are only identified as vulnerabilities long after the bug has been made public. These vulnerabilities are known as hidden impact vulnerabilities. This paper discusses the feasibility and necessity to mine common publicly available bug databases for vulnerabilities that are yet to be identified. We present bug database analysis of two well known and frequently used software packages, namely Linux kernel and MySQL. It is shown that for both Linux and MySQL, amore » significant portion of vulnerabilities that were discovered for the time period from January 2006 to April 2011 were hidden impact vulnerabilities. It is also shown that the percentage of hidden impact vulnerabilities has increased in the last two years, for both software packages. We then propose an improved hidden impact vulnerability identification methodology based on text mining bug databases, and conclude by discussing a few potential problems faced by such a classifier.« less
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Wappler, Torsten; Guilbert, Eric; Labandeira, Conrad C.; Hörnschemeyer, Thomas; Wedmann, Sonja
2015-01-01
The bug Gyaclavator kohlsi Wappler, Guilbert, Wedmann et Labandeira, gen. et sp. nov., represents a new extinct genus of lace bugs (Insecta: Heteroptera: Tingidae) occurring in latest early Eocene deposits of the Green River Formation, from the southern Piceance Basin of Northwestern Colorado, in North America. Gyaclavator can be placed within the Tingidae with certainty, perhaps it is sistergroup to Cantacaderinae. If it belongs to Cantacaderinae, it is the first fossil record of this group for North America. Gyaclavator has unique, conspicuous antennae bearing a specialized, highly dilated distiflagellomere, likely important for intra- or intersex reproductive competition and attraction. This character parallels similar antennae in leaf-footed bugs (Coreidae), and probably is associated with a behavioral convergence as well. PMID:26267108
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Marion, Estelle; Eyangoh, Sara; Yeramian, Edouard; Doannio, Julien; Landier, Jordi; Aubry, Jacques; Fontanet, Arnaud; Rogier, Christophe; Cassisa, Viviane; Cottin, Jane; Marot, Agnès; Eveillard, Matthieu; Kamdem, Yannick; Legras, Pierre; Deshayes, Caroline; Saint-André, Jean-Paul; Marsollier, Laurent
2010-01-01
Background Buruli ulcer, the third mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy, is caused by the environmental mycobacterium M. ulcerans. Various modes of transmission have been suspected for this disease, with no general consensus acceptance for any of them up to now. Since laboratory models demonstrated the ability of water bugs to transmit M. ulcerans, a particular attention is focused on the transmission of the bacilli by water bugs as hosts and vectors. However, it is only through detailed knowledge of the biodiversity and ecology of water bugs that the importance of this mode of transmission can be fully assessed. It is the objective of the work here to decipher the role of water bugs in M. ulcerans ecology and transmission, based on large-scale field studies. Methodology/Principal Findings The distribution of M. ulcerans-hosting water bugs was monitored on previously unprecedented time and space scales: a total of 7,407 water bugs, belonging to large number of different families, were collected over one year, in Buruli ulcer endemic and non endemic areas in central Cameroon. This study demonstrated the presence of M. ulcerans in insect saliva. In addition, the field results provided a full picture of the ecology of transmission in terms of biodiversity and detailed specification of seasonal and regional dynamics, with large temporal heterogeneity in the insect tissue colonization rate and detection of M. ulcerans only in water bug tissues collected in Buruli ulcer endemic areas. Conclusion/Significance The large-scale detection of bacilli in saliva of biting water bugs gives enhanced weight to their role in M. ulcerans transmission. On practical grounds, beyond the ecological interest, the results concerning seasonal and regional dynamics can provide an efficient tool in the hands of sanitary authorities to monitor environmental risks associated with Buruli ulcer. PMID:20625552
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kuntz, Cody Daniel
The composition and complexity of agro-ecosystems are important factors influencing the population dynamics of insect pests. Understanding these interactions may improve our ability to predict the spatial occurrence of pest outbreaks, thereby informing scouting and management decisions. In 2012 and 2013, two concurrent studies were conducted to examine the relationship between landscapes surrounding Iowa soybean, Glycine max [L.] Merrill, fields and two polyphagous pest groups; Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Population densities were monitored in soybean within simple and complex agricultural landscapes to determine the response of these pests to landscape complexity. Results revealed P. japonica populations were significantly greater in soybean fields within complex landscapes and were positively associated with area of uncultivated land. The specific compositions of surrounding landscapes were also analyzed to determine the landscape features that explain the greatest variation in P. japonica and stink bug population densities. Results suggested that the area of wooded and grass habitat around fields accounted for the greatest variation in P. japonica populations; however, no discernable relationships were observed with stink bug populations. Sampling also sought to survey the community of stink bugs present in Iowa soybean. The community was predominantly comprised of stink bugs in the genus Euschistus, comprising a combined 91.04% of all captures. Additional species included the green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (4.48%); spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (2.99%); and red shouldered stink bug, Thyanta custator accerra (McAtee) (1.49%). Future work will be needed to determine if the landscape effects on P. japonica in soybean reported here are representative of other similar polyphagous pests of soybean and if they extend to other host plants as well. Furthermore, additional comprehensive surveys will be needed to better characterize the existing community of stink bug species present in Iowa field crops.
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Selection of Soybean Pods by the Stink Bugs, Nezara viridula and Piezodorus guildinii
Molina, Gonzalo A. R.; Trumper, Eduardo V.
2012-01-01
Different biological parameters of the stink bugs, Nezara viridula L. and Piezodorus guildinii Westwood (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are affected by the developmental stage of the soybean (Glycine max Merrill) pods they feed on. These effects of the soybean on the stink bugs could represent a selection pressure leading to the ability of these species to discriminate the phenological stage of soybean pods, and, therefore, to exhibit feeding preferences. We designed three studies: (1) Distant detection of soybean pods through an olfactometer; (2) Free choice tests to evaluate preferences for soybean pods of different developmental stages; (3) No choice tests to study effects of soybean pod development on feeding time and number of probes. Stink bugs showed no differential response to olfactometer arms with or without soybean pods, suggesting an inability to detect soybean volatiles. Free choice tests showed no species effects on pods selection, but significant differences among fifth instar nymphs, adult male, and adult females. Fifth instar nymphs fed more frequently on soybean pods of advanced development stages compared to female adults, despite previous evidence showing poor development of stink bugs fed pods of the same stage. No choice tests showed significant effects of stink bug species, stink bug stage and sex, and soybean pod phenology. N. viridula expressed shorter feeding times and higher numbers of probes than P. guildinii. The highest numbers of probes of both species were observed when they were fed soybean pods in early phenological stages. When placed in direct contact with food, fifth instar nymphs prefered to feed on more developed pods, despite these pods being suboptimal food items. These results suggest that for the ecological time framework of soybean-stink bugs coexistence, around thirty-five years in Argentina, the selection pressure was not enough for stink bugs to evolve food preferences that match their performance on soybean pods of different development stages. PMID:23437991
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Bed bug outbreak in a neonatal unit.
Bandyopadhyay, T; Kumar, A; Saili, A
2015-10-01
There has been a worldwide increase in bed bug infestations over the last 10-15 years. A major stigma is placed upon the institutions found to be infested. We report our experience with an outbreak of the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, in a neonatal unit. The outbreak not only affected the admitted newborns and mothers by causing a wide variety of rashes and inducing sleeplessness, but also impinged upon the health professionals and their families by producing similar symptomology. It is important for healthcare providers to be aware of, and for each healthcare facility to have, bed bug prevention and control policies.
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Basnet, Sanjay; Kamble, Shripat T
2018-05-01
Bed bugs are one the most troublesome household pests that feed primarily on human blood. RNA interference (RNAi) is currently being pursued as a potential tool for insect population management and has shown efficacy against some phytophagous insects. We evaluated the different techniques to deliver dsRNA specific to bed bug muscle actin (dsactin) into bed bugs. Initially, stability of dsRNA in human blood was studied to evaluate the feasibility of feeding method. Adult bed bugs were injected with dsRNA between last thoracic segment and first abdominal segment on the ventral side, with a dose of 0.2 µg dsactin per insect. In addition to injection, dsactin was mixed in acetone and treated topically in the abdomens of fifth stage nymphs. We found the quick degradation of dsRNA in blood. Injection of dsactin caused significant depletion of actin transcripts and substantial reduction in oviposition and lethality in female adults. Topically treated dsRNA in fifth stage nymphs had no effect on actin mRNA expression and survival. Our results demonstrated that injection is a reliable method of dsRNA delivery into bed bugs while topical treatment was not successful. This research provides an understanding on effective delivery methods of dsRNA into bed bugs for functional genomics research and feasibility of the RNAi based molecules for pest management purposes.
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Olson, Joelle F; Vers, Leonard M Ver; Moon, Roger D; Kells, Stephen A
2017-01-01
After feeding, bed bugs aggregate in cracks and crevices near a host. Aggregation and arrestment are mediated by tactile and chemical stimuli associated with the bugs' feces and exuviae. Volatiles derived from fecally stained filter papers were analyzed by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and evaluated using a multichoice behavioral assay to determine their impact on bed bug aggregation. In addition, crude fecal extracts were collected in methanol, analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and evaluated in open-air multichoice behavioral assays. The SPME method was used to detect (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal in heated bed bug feces. The presence of these two volatile components did not affect aggregation. Analysis of the crude fecal extracts revealed several semi-volatile nitrogenous compounds, a carboxylic acid and a sulfur-based compound. Adult antennae responded to compounds eluted from three regions of the crude extract using GC-EAD. A combination of two compounds, dimethyl trisulfide and methyldiethanolamine, resulted in aggregation responses equivalent to the original crude extract. Bed bug aggregation is mediated by semi-volatile compounds derived from fecal extracts, and two compounds are sufficient to elicit aggregation. The two compounds identified here could be used to enhance the effectiveness of insecticidal applications or improve monitoring techniques. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Hybridization and adaptation to introduced balloon vines in an Australian soapberry bug.
Andres, J A; Thampy, P R; Mathieson, M T; Loye, J; Zalucki, M P; Dingle, H; Carroll, S P
2013-12-01
Contemporary adaptation of plant feeding insects to introduced hosts provides clear cases of ecologically based population divergence. In most cases the mechanisms permitting rapid differentiation are not well known. Here we study morphological and genetic variation associated with recent shifts by the Australian soapberry bug Leptocoris tagalicus onto two naturalized Neotropical balloon vines, Cardiospermum halicacabum and C. grandiflorum that differ in time since introduction. Our results show that these vines have much larger fruits than the native hosts (Whitewood tree -Atalaya hemiglauca- and Woolly Rambutan -Alectryon tomentosus-) and that bugs living on them have evolved significantly longer beaks and new allometries. Genetic analyses of mitochondrial haplotypes and amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers indicate that the lineage of bugs on the annual vine C. halicacabum, the older introduction, is intermediate between the two subspecies of L. tagalicus found on native hosts. Moreover, where the annual vine and Whitewood tree co-occur, the morphology and genomic composition of the bugs are similar to those occurring in allopatry. These results show that hybridization provided the genetic elements underlying the strongly differentiated 'Halicacabum bugs'. In contrast, the bugs feeding on the recently introduced perennial balloon vine (C. grandiflorum) showed no evidence of admixture, and are genetically indistinguishable from the nearby populations on a native host. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Laligné, C.; Klotz, C.; Garreau de Loubresse, N.; Lemullois, M.; Hori, M.; Laurent, F. X.; Papon, J. F.; Louis, B.; Cohen, J.; Koll, F.
2010-01-01
Centrioles, cilia, and flagella are ancestral conserved organelles of eukaryotic cells. Among the proteins identified in the proteomics of ciliary proteins in Paramecium, we focus here on a protein, Bug22p, previously detected by cilia and basal-body high-throughput studies but never analyzed per se. Remarkably, this protein is also present in plants, which lack centrioles and cilia. Bug22p sequence alignments revealed consensus positions that distinguish species with centrioles/cilia from plants. In Paramecium, antibody and green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion labeling localized Bug22p in basal bodies and cilia, and electron microscopy immunolabeling refined the localization to the terminal plate of the basal bodies, the transition zone, and spots along the axoneme, preferentially between the membrane and the microtubules. RNA interference (RNAi) depletion of Bug22p provoked a strong decrease in swimming speed, followed by cell death after a few days. High-speed video microscopy and morphological analysis of Bug22p-depleted cells showed that the protein plays an important role in the efficiency of ciliary movement by participating in the stroke shape and rigidity of cilia. The defects in cell swimming and growth provoked by RNAi can be complemented by expression of human Bug22p. This is the first reported case of complementation by a human gene in a ciliate. PMID:20118210
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Laligné, C; Klotz, C; de Loubresse, N Garreau; Lemullois, M; Hori, M; Laurent, F X; Papon, J F; Louis, B; Cohen, J; Koll, F
2010-04-01
Centrioles, cilia, and flagella are ancestral conserved organelles of eukaryotic cells. Among the proteins identified in the proteomics of ciliary proteins in Paramecium, we focus here on a protein, Bug22p, previously detected by cilia and basal-body high-throughput studies but never analyzed per se. Remarkably, this protein is also present in plants, which lack centrioles and cilia. Bug22p sequence alignments revealed consensus positions that distinguish species with centrioles/cilia from plants. In Paramecium, antibody and green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion labeling localized Bug22p in basal bodies and cilia, and electron microscopy immunolabeling refined the localization to the terminal plate of the basal bodies, the transition zone, and spots along the axoneme, preferentially between the membrane and the microtubules. RNA interference (RNAi) depletion of Bug22p provoked a strong decrease in swimming speed, followed by cell death after a few days. High-speed video microscopy and morphological analysis of Bug22p-depleted cells showed that the protein plays an important role in the efficiency of ciliary movement by participating in the stroke shape and rigidity of cilia. The defects in cell swimming and growth provoked by RNAi can be complemented by expression of human Bug22p. This is the first reported case of complementation by a human gene in a ciliate.
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Wang, Lei; Cai, Xuquan; Xu, Yijuan
2015-01-01
The recent resurgence of bed bugs (Cimex spp.) in many developed countries has drawn increasing attention worldwide. The status of urban bed bug infestations were investigated in Shenzhen and Dongguan, two major cities in southern Guangdong Province of southern China, based on pest control service records from two different companies (one during 2012 and another during 2013). The results showed that Shenzhen and Dongguan have a severe problem with bed bug infestations: the control of bed bugs is a constant concern, except during the winter. In Shenzhen, a similar number of premises were treated for bed bugs in central business districts and suburban districts. However, in Dongguan, more premises were treated for bed bugs in suburban districts than in central business districts. The treatment rate for worker sleeping quarters, apartments, hotel, and private houses in Shenzhen was 53.8, 43.0, 1.9, and 1.3%, respectively. The percentage of treated rooms was 56.1% for worker sleeping quarters and 91.1% for apartments. In Dongguan, the treatment rate for worker sleeping quarters, apartments, hotel, and private houses was 90.0, 10.0, 0.0, and 0.0%, respectively. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Monitoring stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in mid-Atlantic apple and peach orchards.
Leskey, T C; Hogmire, H W
2005-02-01
Pyramid traps coated with "industrial safety yellow" exterior latex gloss enamel paint and baited with Euschistus spp. aggregation pheromone, methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate captured more stink bugs than all other baited and unbaited trap types in both apple and peach orchards in 2002 and 2003. Commercial sources of dispensers of methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate deployed in association with pyramid traps had a significant impact on trap captures. Captures in pyramid traps were four-fold greater when baited with lures from IPM Technologies, Inc. (Portland, OR) than with lures from Suterra (Bend, OR). Variation in yellow pyramid trap color ("industrial safety yellow" and "standard coroplast yellow") and material (plywood, plastic, and masonite) did not affect trap captures. Brown stink bug was the predominant species captured (58%), followed by dusky stink bug, Euschistus tristigmus (Say) (20%); green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (14%); and other stink bugs (Brochymena spp. and unidentified nymphs) (8%). Captures in baited pyramid traps were significantly correlated with tree beating samples in both managed and unmanaged apple orchards and with sweep netting samples in the unmanaged apple orchard. However, problems associated with trapping mechanisms of pyramid trap jar tops and jar traps likely resulted in reduced captures in baited traps. Improved trapping mechanisms must be established to develop an effective monitoring tool for stink bugs in mid-Atlantic orchards.
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Huang, Feifei; Liu, Yang; Yang, Xia; Che, Di; Qiu, Kaifeng; Hammock, Bruce D; Wang, Jingfeng; Wang, Mong-Heng; Chen, Jie; Huang, Hui
2017-08-01
Therapeutic angiogenesis is a pivotal strategy for ischemic heart disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect and molecular mechanism of Shexiang Baoxin pills, a widely-used traditional Chinese medicine for ischemic heart disease, on angiogenesis in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI). We used the occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery of Sprague-Dawley rats as a model of MI. The MI rats were treated with distilled water, Shexiang Baoxin pills, or Shexiang Baoxin pills + HET0016 (a selective blocker of the biosynthesis of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) at 10 mg/kg/day), respectively. Sham-operated rats were used as controls. Treatment with Shexiang Baoxin pills increases the level of serum 20-HETE in MI rats, which can be suppressed by HET0016 treatment. Shexiang Baoxin pills shows cardio-protective effects on MI rats, including improving cardiac function, decreasing infarction area, and promoting angiogenesis in peri-infarct area. The protective effects of Shexiang Baoxin pills are partly inhibited by HET0016. Furthermore, Shexiang Baoxin pills enhances the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), based on immunohistochemical analysis, in peri-infarct area of MI rats, which is partly suppressed by HET0016. Shexiang Baoxin pills may partially participate in angiogenesis in MI rats. The protective mechanism of Shexiang Baoxin pills may be mediated via up-regulation of 20-HETE, which promotes EPCs mobilization and VEGF expression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, is a serious pest of buffalograss due to physical and chemical damage caused during the feeding process. Although previous work has investigated the feeding behaviors of chinch bugs in the Blissus complex, no study to date has explored salivary gland ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Trapping experiments targeting brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal,) addressed the effects of; 1) a modification to the trap container of a commercial trap, 2) the age of methyl (2E,4E,6Z)-decatrienoate lures, and 3) the age of dichlorvos-impregnated kill strips on bug captures. In ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The brown, Euschistus servus (Say), and dusky, E. tristigmus (Say), stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) readily respond to traps baited with the Euschistus spp. aggregation pheromone methyl (2E, 4Z)-decadienoate. Previous studies examining trap capture of these stink bugs have used either labora...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Exposure of a pyrethroid-susceptible strain of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) to varying concentrations of deltamethrin for 24h indicated there was no significant difference in mortality between males, females, and nymphs at 24h or 168h post-exposure. Most bed bugs classified ...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-03-02
... rice to control rice stink bug (Oebalus pugnax). The applicant proposes a use which has been requested... rice to control rice stink bug (Oebalus pugnax). Information in accordance with 40 CFR part 166 was... rice stink bug in this case is not yield loss, but rather quality loss in the harvested rice. Its...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
In the northeastern United States, the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is an emerging invasive species of grave concern to agriculture. BMSB is a highly polyphagous plant pest but also has potentially negative impact to dairy industry through contamination of silage and potent...
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Bug-in-Ear eCoaching: Impacts on Novice Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Grygas Coogle, Christan; Ottley, Jennifer R.; Rahn, Naomi L.; Storie, Sloan
2018-01-01
A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effects of bug-in-ear eCoaching on teachers' use of two targeted naturalistic communication strategies and focus children's responses to these strategies. Results indicated that bug-in-ear eCoaching enhanced teachers' use of communication strategies and the appropriate responses of…
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Catching the Bug: How Virtual Coaching Improves Teaching
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Allen, Megan
2014-01-01
In this article the author describes virtual coaching and why it is so effective. The following six points of virtual coaching are explained: (1) Also known as bug-in-ear coaching, virtual coaching is not new; (2) Virtual coaching can save money and time; (3) Bug-in-ear coaching increases the frequency of observations for novice teachers; (4) It…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McNulty, Cliodna A. M.; Bowen, Jo; Gelb, David; Charlett, Andre
2007-01-01
Purpose: The aim of this study is to measure the effectiveness of the "Bug Investigators" pack in improving children's knowledge about micro-organisms, hygiene and antibiotics when it is used within the National Curriculum in junior schools. Design/methodology/approach: Teaching, using the "Bug Investigators" pack, was given by…
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Green plant bug from South Texas gets a common name - the "verde plant" bug
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Some cotton producers from south Texas and the Gulf Coast regions have been unfortunate over the last few years because they have had to deal with a green plant bug, Creontiades signatus, that will feed on cotton fruit. The insect was initially, and erroneously, thought to be Creontiades dilutus, an...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The brown stink bug (BSB), Euschistus servus (Say) has become the predominant species among the stink bug complex on cotton in Central Texas. Control options to suppress the insect are largely dependent upon and limited to the use of insecticides. Data are needed to determine the toxicity of current...
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Cameron G. Lait; Daniel R. Miller; Sarah L. Bates; John H. Borden; Allison R. Kermode
2003-01-01
A large number of proteins in salivary gland extracts of the leaffooted pine seed bug, Leptoglossus corculus Say, were strongly recognized by a polyclonal antibody-based assay developed for detecting saliva of the western conifer seed bug, Lepfoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, in lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Showstack, Randy
After global fears of computer snafus prompted billions of dollars of remedial action, the Y2K bug appears to have vanished with barely a trace. But on January l, taxonomists with the entomology division of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) reported the discovery of an insect whose scientific and common names will be the “millennium bug.”
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The economic injury level by the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), on developing corn (Zea mays L.) ears was examined in 2005 and 2006. Stink bug infestations were initiated when ‘DKC6971’ (Bt-transgenic and roundup-ready) hybrid plants were at growth stages VT, ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
For Pentatomid stink bug agricultural pests, the number of salivary sheaths and sheath flanges—the portion of the sheath visible on the exterior surface of a food item—are good predictors of the loss of crop yield or quality from stink bug feeding. As the often assumed relationship between salivary ...
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Edge effects of stink bugs in corn, cotton, peanut and soybean fields adjacent to woodland.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Producers face significant crop losses from stink bug species in the southeastern USA, but the high mobility and polyphagy of the bugs make predictions of their presence in crops difficult. While there is some evidence that they colonize crops from adjacent crops, there are no studies of their colo...
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Postinor -- the unique method of emergency contraception developed in Hungary.
Camp, S
1995-08-01
In Hungary, an important form of emergency contraception (EC) is the pill containing 0.75 mg levonorgestrel, which is marketed by Gedeon Richter under the name Postinor in four-pill packages. Women are instructed to take one pill within an hour of any unprotected act of intercourse, up to four pills per month. The nature of the administration requires that women be in possession of the pills before they need them, and, while Postinor is marketed as an EC, the target market is young, unmarried women who experience infrequent intercourse. When it was first offered a decade ago, Postinor gained widespread use in place of contraception. The product was overused and there was a backlash in the medical community. Thus, the manufacturer changed its packaging instructions and removed the original 10-pill package from the market. While the price of the drug is considered prohibitive for use by adolescents, more than three million pills were sold in the past three years in Hungary and more than 60 million pills were sold in over 20 countries. Clinical studies show a failure rate of less than 1% and relatively few side effects (10-20% nausea and 20-40% bleeding) if not more than four pills per month are used. The World Health Organization is currently conducting trials to compare use of Postinor with the Yuzpe method. Results of these trials will be available in 1996.
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Effects of the oral contraceptive pill cycle on physiological responses to hypoxic exercise
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sandoval, Darleen A.; Matt, Kathleen S.
2003-01-01
To test whether the oral contraceptive pill cycle affects endocrine and metabolic responses to hypoxic (fraction of inspired oxygen = 13%, P(IO2): 95 mmHg; H) versus normoxic (P(IO2):153 mmHg; N) exercise, we examined eight women (28 +/- 1.2 yr) during the third (PILL) and placebo (PLA) weeks of their monthly oral contraceptive pill cycle. Cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and neuroendocrine measurements were taken before, during, and after three 5-min consecutive workloads at 30%, 45%, and 60% of normoxic V(O2peak) in H and N trials. Heart rate response to exercise was greater in H versus N, but was not different between PILL and PLA. Lactate levels were significantly greater during exercise, and both lactate and glucose levels were significantly greater for 30 min after exercise in H versus N (p < 0.0001). When expressed relative to baseline, lactate levels were lower in PILL versus PLA, but glucose was greater in PILL versus PLA (p < 0.001). Cortisol levels were also significantly greater in PILL versus PLA (p < 0.001). Norepinephrine levels were significantly increased during exercise (p < 0.0001) and in H versus N (p < 0.0001). However, epinephrine levels were not different over time or with trial. Thus, the presence of circulating estradiol and progesterone during the PILL phase reduces glucose and lactate responses to hypoxic exercise.
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Adolescents' experiences using the contraceptive patch versus pills.
Sucato, Gina S; Land, Stephanie R; Murray, Pamela J; Cecchini, Reena; Gold, Melanie A
2011-08-01
To compare use of the weekly transdermal contraceptive patch (patch) with daily combined hormonal contraceptive pills (pills) in adolescents. Prospective longitudinal study of adolescents' self-selected (non-randomized) use of the patch or pills. Urban, university hospital-affiliated, adolescent outpatient clinic. 13-22-year-old female adolescents seeking hormonal contraception, 40 who chose the patch and 40 who chose pills. Data were collected via self-report on paper questionnaires at three-cycle intervals for a total of up to nine cycles. Method continuation, perfect use, method satisfaction, quality of life, and side effects, including menstrual changes and perceived mood changes. After nine cycles, 38% of patch users and 60% of pill users were still using the method they had chosen at enrollment. There were no significant differences between the groups in self-reported perfect use. No differences were found in quality of life or side effects. Both patch and pill users noted menses became lighter and more predictable and reported decreased depression prior to their menses; only the pill group reported improvement in premenstrual anger. Method satisfaction was similar in both groups except patch users were more likely to report that their contraceptive method improved normal daily activities. Despite apparent advantages of the patch over the pill, adolescents using both methods continue to face challenges achieving perfect and sustained contraceptive use. 2011 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Introduction of the pill and its impact.
Tyrer, L
1999-01-01
Introduction of the birth control pill in the United States in 1960 marked the end of a relatively short period of time (< 10 years) to intentionally produce an oral contraceptive, and the beginning of a relatively long period of controversy surrounding the use of the pill. Availability of the pill had an impact on various aspects of social life, including women's health, fertility trends, laws and policies, religion, interpersonal relationships and family roles, feminist issues, and gender relations, as well as sexual practices among both adults and adolescents. The pill proved to be highly effective from the outset. Although safety issues developed with the earlier formulations, continued evolution of pill hormones and doses has resulted in a greatly improved and safe oral contraceptive. A broad range of noncontraceptive health benefits also is associated with the pill. These health effects are significant, as they include protection against potentially fatal diseases, including ovarian and endometrial cancers, as well as against other conditions that are associated with substantial morbidity and potential hospitalization and associated costs. The popularity of the pill has remained high, with rates of use in the past 30 years in the United States ranging from one-quarter to almost one-third of women using contraception. Almost 40 years after its introduction, the pill's contraceptive efficacy is proven, its improved safety has been established, and the focus has shifted from supposed health risks to documented and real health benefits.
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Donnell, Deborah J; Baeten, Jared M; Hong, Ting; Lingappa, Jairam R; Mujugira, Andrew; Nakku-Joloba, Edith; Bangsberg, David; Celum, Connie
2013-02-01
Clinic-based pill counts of unused study medication are frequently used to measure adherence in HIV-1 prevention trials. Monthly pill count adherence data from the Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study, a double-blind, placebo controlled trial of twice-daily acyclovir suppression of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in HIV-1 infected persons was used to compare changes between 3,381 placebo and active arm participants in two objective biologic measures of acyclovir's drug activity: reduction in plasma HIV-1 RNA and HSV-2 genital ulcer disease (GUD). Higher acyclovir pill count adherence was associated with greater reductions in plasma HIV-1 RNA and GUD, indicating pill count data is strongly correlated with biological effects of adherence. However, when calculated adherence exceeded 102 % (i.e., fewer pills returned than expected) and when pill counts were missing because bottles were not returned, plasma HIV-1 RNA and GUD effects were diminished, likely indicating periods of non-adherence.
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Vail, K M; Chandler, J G
2017-06-01
Bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., management in low-income, high-rise housing for the elderly and disabled can be difficult. Early detection is key to slowing their spread, and reducing management cost and time needed for control. To determine the minimum number of passive monitors needed to detect low-level bed bug infestations in this environment, we evaluated three monitors placed one, two, or four per apartment in a 3 by 3 experimental design. One sticky monitor, The Bedbug Detection System, and the two pitfall monitors, ClimbUp Insect Interceptors BG and BlackOut BedBug Detectors, were evaluated. Bed bugs were trapped by the ClimbUp Insect Interceptors BG and the BlackOut BedBug Detector in 88% and 79% of apartments, respectively, but only in 39% of the apartments monitored with The Bedbug Detection System. The Bedbug Detection System required significantly longer time to detect bed bugs than either the ClimbUp Insect Interceptor BG or the BlackOut BedBug Detector. With the less effective Bedbug Detection System data removed from analyses, detection rates ranged from 80 to 90%, with no significant differences among one, two, or four monitors per apartment. Results indicate it is especially important to include a bed placement when only placing a few monitors. Future work should compare the combination of cursory visual inspections with various monitor numbers and placements per apartment to determine the most efficient, cost-effective system that will be accepted and implemented in low-income housing. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Weeks, Emma N I; Birkett, Mike A; Cameron, Mary M; Pickett, John A; Logan, James G
2011-01-01
The recent resurgence of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., has driven an increase in research into the biology and behaviour of this pest. Current control is reliant on the application of insecticides, but, owing to the development of insecticide resistance, there is a need for new tools and techniques. Semiochemicals (behaviour- and physiology-modifying chemicals) could be exploited for management of bed bugs. The aim of this review was to evaluate studies undertaken in bed bug chemical ecology to date, with particular reference to how the research could be exploited for monitoring and control. Bed bugs, like many other insects, have a complex olfactory system. Recent studies have characterised the olfactory sensilla, located on the terminal segment of the antennae, to functional classes by electrophysiological screening. Behavioural studies have revealed the presence of an alarm pheromone and potential airborne aggregation semiochemicals, but it is not yet understood if bed bugs use a sex pheromone during mating. Host location cues have been investigated, and carbon dioxide has been found to be highly attractive both in laboratory and in field studies. Recent field trials have tested blends of other potential kairomones, which have been shown to have an additive effect when used in a heated bed bug trap with carbon dioxide. The trap, which combines heat and kairomones, is the only trap currently available with proven efficacy in the field. In order for semiochemicals to be useful for bed bug management, an increased knowledge and understanding of the biology, behaviour and chemical ecology of this insect is essential. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Fassbinder-Orth, Carol A.; Barak, Virginia A.; Brown, Charles R.
2013-01-01
Invasive species often display different patterns of parasite burden and virulence compared to their native counterparts. These differences may be the result of variability in host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships, the occurrence of novel host-parasite encounters, or possibly innate differences in physiological responses to infection between invasive and native hosts. Here we examine the adaptive, humoral immune responses of a resistant, native bird and a susceptible, invasive bird to an arbovirus (Buggy Creek virus; Togaviridae: Alphavirus) and its ectoparasitic arthropod vector (the swallow bug; Oeciacus vicarius). Swallow bugs parasitize the native, colonially nesting cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) that occupies nests in cliff swallow colonies. We measured levels of BCRV-specific and swallow bug-specific IgY levels before nesting (prior to swallow bug exposure) and after nesting (after swallow bug exposure) in house sparrows and cliff swallows in western Nebraska. Levels of BCRV-specific IgY increased significantly following nesting in the house sparrow but not in the cliff swallow. Additionally, house sparrows displayed consistently higher levels of swallow bug-specific antibodies both before and after nesting compared to cliff swallows. The higher levels of BCRV and swallow bug specific antibodies detected in house sparrows may be reflective of significant differences in both antiviral and anti-ectoparasite immune responses that exist between these two avian species. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the macro- and microparasite-specific immune responses of an invasive and a native avian host exposed to the same parasites. PMID:23460922
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Bed Bugs: The Australian Response
Doggett, Stephen L.; Orton, Christopher J.; Lilly, David G.; Russell, Richard C.
2011-01-01
Australia has experienced a sudden and unexpected resurgence in bed bug infestations from both Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F. A survey in 2006 revealed that infestations had increased across the nation by an average of 4,500% since the start of the decade. In response, a multi-disciplinary approach to combat the rise of this public health pest was implemented and involved the coordinated efforts of several organizations. The key components of the strategy included the introduction of a pest management standard ‘A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia’ that defines and promotes ‘best practice’ in bed bug eradication, the development of a policy and procedural guide for accommodation providers, education of stakeholders in best management practices, and research. These strategies continue to evolve with developments that lead to improvements in ‘best practice’ while bed bugs remain problematic in Australia. PMID:26467616
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Unique features of a global human ectoparasite identified through sequencing of the bed bug genome.
Benoit, Joshua B; Adelman, Zach N; Reinhardt, Klaus; Dolan, Amanda; Poelchau, Monica; Jennings, Emily C; Szuter, Elise M; Hagan, Richard W; Gujar, Hemant; Shukla, Jayendra Nath; Zhu, Fang; Mohan, M; Nelson, David R; Rosendale, Andrew J; Derst, Christian; Resnik, Valentina; Wernig, Sebastian; Menegazzi, Pamela; Wegener, Christian; Peschel, Nicolai; Hendershot, Jacob M; Blenau, Wolfgang; Predel, Reinhard; Johnston, Paul R; Ioannidis, Panagiotis; Waterhouse, Robert M; Nauen, Ralf; Schorn, Corinna; Ott, Mark-Christoph; Maiwald, Frank; Johnston, J Spencer; Gondhalekar, Ameya D; Scharf, Michael E; Peterson, Brittany F; Raje, Kapil R; Hottel, Benjamin A; Armisén, David; Crumière, Antonin Jean Johan; Refki, Peter Nagui; Santos, Maria Emilia; Sghaier, Essia; Viala, Sèverine; Khila, Abderrahman; Ahn, Seung-Joon; Childers, Christopher; Lee, Chien-Yueh; Lin, Han; Hughes, Daniel S T; Duncan, Elizabeth J; Murali, Shwetha C; Qu, Jiaxin; Dugan, Shannon; Lee, Sandra L; Chao, Hsu; Dinh, Huyen; Han, Yi; Doddapaneni, Harshavardhan; Worley, Kim C; Muzny, Donna M; Wheeler, David; Panfilio, Kristen A; Vargas Jentzsch, Iris M; Vargo, Edward L; Booth, Warren; Friedrich, Markus; Weirauch, Matthew T; Anderson, Michelle A E; Jones, Jeffery W; Mittapalli, Omprakash; Zhao, Chaoyang; Zhou, Jing-Jiang; Evans, Jay D; Attardo, Geoffrey M; Robertson, Hugh M; Zdobnov, Evgeny M; Ribeiro, Jose M C; Gibbs, Richard A; Werren, John H; Palli, Subba R; Schal, Coby; Richards, Stephen
2016-02-02
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades. This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C. lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to obligate hematophagy, host-symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome sequencing and annotation establish a solid foundation for future research on mechanisms of insecticide resistance, human-bed bug and symbiont-bed bug associations, and unique features of bed bug biology that contribute to the unprecedented success of C. lectularius as a human ectoparasite.
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Kissing Bugs in the United States: Risk for Vector-Borne Disease in Humans
Klotz, Stephen A; Dorn, Patricia L; Mosbacher, Mark; Schmidt, Justin O
2014-01-01
Eleven species of kissing bugs are found in the United States. Their home ranges may be expanding northward, perhaps as a consequence of climate change. At least eight of the species, perhaps all, are reported to harbor Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Because humans are encroaching on kissing bug habitat, there is concern for vector-transmitted Chagas disease in the United States. To date, documented autochthonous cases of Chagas in humans in the United States are rare. Kissing bugs are capable of adapting to new habitats such as human domiciles; however, they do not colonize homes in the United States as in Central and South America. We review the biology, behavior, and medical importance of kissing bugs and the risk they pose for transmission of Chagas disease in the United States. Where possible, descriptions of US species are compared to the epidemiologically important Latin American species. PMID:25574143
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Unique features of a global human ectoparasite identified through sequencing of the bed bug genome
Benoit, Joshua B.; Adelman, Zach N.; Reinhardt, Klaus; Dolan, Amanda; Poelchau, Monica; Jennings, Emily C.; Szuter, Elise M.; Hagan, Richard W.; Gujar, Hemant; Shukla, Jayendra Nath; Zhu, Fang; Mohan, M.; Nelson, David R.; Rosendale, Andrew J.; Derst, Christian; Resnik, Valentina; Wernig, Sebastian; Menegazzi, Pamela; Wegener, Christian; Peschel, Nicolai; Hendershot, Jacob M.; Blenau, Wolfgang; Predel, Reinhard; Johnston, Paul R.; Ioannidis, Panagiotis; Waterhouse, Robert M.; Nauen, Ralf; Schorn, Corinna; Ott, Mark-Christoph; Maiwald, Frank; Johnston, J. Spencer; Gondhalekar, Ameya D.; Scharf, Michael E.; Peterson, Brittany F.; Raje, Kapil R.; Hottel, Benjamin A.; Armisén, David; Crumière, Antonin Jean Johan; Refki, Peter Nagui; Santos, Maria Emilia; Sghaier, Essia; Viala, Sèverine; Khila, Abderrahman; Ahn, Seung-Joon; Childers, Christopher; Lee, Chien-Yueh; Lin, Han; Hughes, Daniel S. T.; Duncan, Elizabeth J.; Murali, Shwetha C.; Qu, Jiaxin; Dugan, Shannon; Lee, Sandra L.; Chao, Hsu; Dinh, Huyen; Han, Yi; Doddapaneni, Harshavardhan; Worley, Kim C.; Muzny, Donna M.; Wheeler, David; Panfilio, Kristen A.; Vargas Jentzsch, Iris M.; Vargo, Edward L.; Booth, Warren; Friedrich, Markus; Weirauch, Matthew T.; Anderson, Michelle A. E.; Jones, Jeffery W.; Mittapalli, Omprakash; Zhao, Chaoyang; Zhou, Jing-Jiang; Evans, Jay D.; Attardo, Geoffrey M.; Robertson, Hugh M.; Zdobnov, Evgeny M.; Ribeiro, Jose M. C.; Gibbs, Richard A.; Werren, John H.; Palli, Subba R.; Schal, Coby; Richards, Stephen
2016-01-01
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades. This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C. lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to obligate hematophagy, host–symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome sequencing and annotation establish a solid foundation for future research on mechanisms of insecticide resistance, human–bed bug and symbiont–bed bug associations, and unique features of bed bug biology that contribute to the unprecedented success of C. lectularius as a human ectoparasite. PMID:26836814
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Birth control pill - slideshow
... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/presentations/100108.htm Birth control pill - series—Normal female anatomy To use the ... produce a successful pregnancy. To prevent pregnancy, birth control pills affect how these organs normally function. Review ...
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Sleeping Pill Administration Time and Patient Subjective Satisfaction
Chung, Seockhoon; Youn, Soyoung; Yi, Kikyoung; Park, Boram; Lee, Suyeon
2016-01-01
Study Objectives: Taking hypnotic agents 30 min before bedtime is the usual suggested administration time, but some patients report dissatisfaction with their sleeping pills. We investigated whether the timing of sleeping pill administration influences patient subjective satisfaction with these drugs. Methods: One hundred twelve patients with primary insomnia currently taking benzodiazepine or nonbenzodiazepine gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists as sleeping pills were selected. The time of administration for their sleeping pills, bedtime, sleep onset time, and wake up time were obtained from their medical records. Subjects were also categorized into satisfied or dissatisfied groups. Results: Hypnotic agents administration time (p < 0.001) and bedtime (p < 0.001), but not sleep onset or wake up time, occurred later in the night in the satisfied group. The durations from administration of pills to sleep onset (33.6 ± 20.7 min) and to wake up time (7.2 ± 1.2 h) were significantly shorter in the satisfied group when compared to the dissatisfied group (135.9 ± 73.4 min and 9.3 ± 1.5 h for time to sleep onset and wake up, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that patient subjective satisfaction with hypnotic agents could be predicted by a short duration from administration of pills to sleep onset (odds ratio = 0.01; 95% confidence interval [0.001–0.09]) and a short duration from administration of pills to wake up time (0.53; [0.31–0.89], F = 49.9, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Taking sleeping pills at a later time and a shorter interval between pill administration and wake up time may increase patient subjective satisfaction with hypnotic agents. We propose that physicians advise patients to take sleeping pills approximately 7 h before their usual getting-out-of-bed time instead of the current standard of 30 min before bedtime. Citation: Chung S, Youn S, Yi K, Park B, Lee S. Sleeping pill administration time and patient subjective satisfaction. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(1):57–62. PMID:26285113
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) resurged in the U.S. and many other countries over the past decade. The need for safe and effective bed bug control products propelled the development of numerous “green pesticides”, mostly with essential oils listed as active ingredients. Various inorganic ...
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Moving Target Techniques: Leveraging Uncertainty for Cyber Defense
2015-08-24
vulnerability (a flaw or bug that an attacker can exploit to penetrate or disrupt a system) to successfully compromise systems. Defenders, however...device drivers, numerous software applications, and hardware components. Within the cyberspace, this imbalance between a simple, one- bug attack...parsing code itself could have security-relevant software bugs . Dynamic Network Techniques in the dynamic network domain change the properties
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), an invasive insect pest in the United States, has recently expanded its range to the Coastal Plain region of Georgia. This study was conducted to monitor the BMSB, as well as native stink bugs, near woodland f...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is an emerging invasive species of grave concern to agriculture as a polyphagous plant pest with potential negative impact on the dairy industry. We sought to determine the risk of including BMSB contaminated silage in lactating dairy cow ratio...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Cotton along the Gulf Coast of south Texas has experienced loss from cotton boll rot especially during the last 10 to 15 years, and stink bugs and plant bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae and Miridae) that feed on cotton bolls have been suspected in introducing the disease. A replicated grower field surv...
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Verde plant bug is associated with cottong boll rot in South Texas cotton
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Verde plant bug was the dominant boll-feeding sucking bug species (>98% of insects collected using a beat bucket) from peak to late bloom in cotton fields near the coast along the Coastal Bend of South Texas, from Port Lavaca to the Lower Rio qrande Valley in 2010 and 2011. It was common in fields w...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Stink bugs cost the southeastern cotton industry millions of dollars each year in crop losses and control costs. These losses are reduced by strategic pesticide applications; however, current methods of monitoring these pests for making management decisions are time-consuming and costly. Therefore, ...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Bagrada bug, Bagrada hilaris (Hem.: Pentatomidae), is a major pest of cole crops (Brassicaceae). It was first reported in California in 2008 and has now spread to several U.S. states and Mexico. We studied host phylogeography by sequencing CO1 from 20 bagrada bug populations and determined that Pak...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The toxicity of Steward, a formulation of indoxacarb, was studied for the tarnished plant bug [Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois)], a pest of cotton, and the big-eyed insect [Geocoris punctipes (Say)], a predator of pests in cotton. Both insects responded similarly to Steward in topical, tarsal ...
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Application of native prick test in diagnosis of bed bug allergy.
Ukleja-Sokołowska, Natalia; Sokołowski, Lukasz; Gawrońska-Ukleja, Ewa; Bartuzi, Zbigniew
2013-02-01
The aim of the study was case report of the patient with systemic reaction after a bed bug (Cimex lectularius) bite. A 23-year-old female, previously healthy, reports systemic reaction, including rash on her corpus and limbs, itching, nausea, conciseness disorder, forcing her to call the ambulance. The interview revealed that the bed bug occurs in the patient's apartment. A prick-by-prick test with bed bug excretion was made. The skin test with native allergen was strongly positive (histamine 5 mm/5 mm, prick-by-prick 12 mm/8 mm). The prick-by-prick test was useful in objective confirmation of the source of symptoms.
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Choe, Dong-Hwan; Park, Hoeun; Vo, Claudia; Knyshov, Alexander
2016-01-01
Extracts of the exuviae (cast skins) of nymphal bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) were analyzed for volatile compounds that might contribute to arrestment of adult bed bugs. Four volatile aldehydes, (E)-2-hexenal, 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, and 4-oxo-(E)-2-octenal were consistently detected in the headspace of freshly shed exuviae regardless of the developmental stages from which the exuviae were obtained. Quantification of the aldehydes in the solvent extracts of homogenized fresh, 45- or 99-d aged 5th instar exuviae indicated that the aldehydes are present in the exuviae and dissipate over time, through evaporation or degradation. Microscopic observation of the fifth instar exuviae indicated that the dorsal abdominal glands on the exuviae maintained their pocket-like structures with gland reservoirs, within which the aldehydes might be retained. Two-choice olfactometer studies with the volatiles from exuviae or a synthetic blend mimicking the volatiles indicated that adult bed bugs tend to settle close to sources of the aldehydes. Our results imply that the presence and accumulation of bed bug exuviae and the aldehydes volatilizing from the exuviae might mediate bed bugs' interaction with their microhabitats.
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Population Density and Distribution of Wheat Bugs Infesting Durum Wheat in Sardinia, Italy
Salis, Luigi; Goula, Marta; Izquierdo, Jordi; Gordún, Elena
2013-01-01
Wheat is a very important crop in Italy, and is infested by wheat bugs belonging to the genera Eurygaster (Hemiptera: Scutellaridae) and Aelia (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Many wheat bug infestations have been reported in the north, south, and center of Italy, both in the past as well as recently. The present study was carried out in Sardinia, Italy, during two years (2007 and 2008). The objective of this study was to determine the species and distribution of wheat bugs in durum wheat fields in Sardinia, and to estimate their population density in order to know the incidence of the pest on the island. Sampling took place twice a year (May and June) in three zones, representative of durum wheat cropping in the island. Four species of wheat bugs were found; the predominant species was Eurygaster austriaca (Schrank), followed by Aelia germari (Kuster), Eurygaster maura L., and Aelia acuminata L. The average density of wheat bugs was low (1.1 individuals/m2), but in certain areas it was above the damage threshold (4 individuals/m2). For this reason, the conclusion of the study is that this pest should be monitored in order to control outbreaks and prevent their further spread. PMID:23906035
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Population density and distribution of wheat bugs infesting durum wheat in Sardinia, Italy.
Salis, Luigi; Goula, Marta; Izquierdo, Jordi; Gordún, Elena
2013-01-01
Wheat is a very important crop in Italy, and is infested by wheat bugs belonging to the genera Eurygaster (Hemiptera: Scutellaridae) and Aelia (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Many wheat bug infestations have been reported in the north, south, and center of Italy, both in the past as well as recently. The present study was carried out in Sardinia, Italy, during two years (2007 and 2008). The objective of this study was to determine the species and distribution of wheat bugs in durum wheat fields in Sardinia, and to estimate their population density in order to know the incidence of the pest on the island. Sampling took place twice a year (May and June) in three zones, representative of durum wheat cropping in the island. Four species of wheat bugs were found; the predominant species was Eurygaster austriaca (Schrank), followed by Aelia germari (Kuster), Eurygaster maura L., and Aelia acuminata L. The average density of wheat bugs was low (1.1 individuals/m²), but in certain areas it was above the damage threshold (4 individuals/m²). For this reason, the conclusion of the study is that this pest should be monitored in order to control outbreaks and prevent their further spread.
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Sleeping habits affect access to host by Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata.
Waleckx, Etienne; Pasos-Alquicira, Rafael; Ramírez-Sierra, María Jesús; Dumonteil, Eric
2016-11-03
Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is mainly transmitted by blood-sucking bugs called triatomines. In the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, the main vector of T. cruzi is Triatoma dimidiata. While this species may colonize houses in other regions, it is mostly intrusive in Yucatán: it generally lives in sylvan and peridomestic areas, and frequently enters inside homes, likely attracted by potential vertebrate hosts, without establishing colonies. Bugs collected inside homes have a low nutritional status, suggesting that they cannot efficiently feed inside these houses. We hypothesized that this low nutritional status and limited colonization may be associated, at least in part, with the local practice in Mayan communities to sleep in hammocks instead of beds, as this sleeping habit could be an obstacle for triatomines to easily reach human hosts, particularly for nymphal instars which are unable to fly. We used an experimental chamber in which we placed a miniature bed in one side and a miniature hammock on the other side. After placing a mouse enclosed in a small cage on the bed and another one in the hammock as baits, T. dimidiata bugs were released in the chamber and their activity was video recorded during the night. T. dimidiata adults and nymphs were able to reach the mouse in bed significantly more often than the mouse in hammock (Binomial test, P < 0.0001). Moreover, females reached the mice twice as often as did males. Most of the adult bugs reached the mouse in bed by walking, while they reached the mouse in hammock by flying. Nymphs presented a host-seeking index ten times lower than adult bugs and were also able, on a few occasions (4/132 released bugs), to reach the mouse in hammock. We conclude that sleeping in hammocks, as done in rural Yucatán, makes human hosts less accessible to the bugs. This, combined with other factors (e.g. absence of domestic animals sleeping inside houses), may explain, at least in part, the low nutritional status of bugs collected inside homes and the limited colonization of houses by T. dimidiata in the region. Nevertheless, while this sleeping habit limits contact with the bugs, it does not confer complete protection as adult bugs as well as some nymphs were still able to reach the host in hammock in our study.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Saenz, Virna Lisa
The recent resurgence of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) has created an unprecedented demand for research on its biology. The main objectives of this dissertation research were to investigate several aspects of bed bug biology: infestation and dispersal dynamics at a large and small geographical scale using molecular markers, to determine the impact of aggregation on bed bug development and to screen bed bug populations for a re-emergent pathogen. First, we studied the infestation and dispersal dynamics of bed bugs at large geographical scale (e.g., across cities, states). Although bed bug infestations are on the rise, there is a poor understanding of their dispersal patterns and sources of infestation. We conducted a genetic study of 21 bed bug infestations from the eastern United States. We genotyped samples comprised of 8 - 10 individuals per infestation at nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Despite high genetic diversity across all infestations, with 5 -- 17 alleles per locus (mean = 10.3), we found low genetic diversity (1 -- 4 alleles per locus) within all but one of the infestations. These results suggest that nearly all the studied infestations were started by a small propagule possibly consisting of a singly mated female and/or her progeny. All infestations were strongly genetically differentiated from each other (mean pairwise FST between populations = 0.68) and we did not find strong evidence of a geographic pattern of structuring. The high level of genetic diversity across infestations from the eastern United States together with the lack of geographically organized structure is consistent with multiple introductions into the United States from foreign sources. This work is described in Chapter 2 and was published in the Journal of Medical Entomology in 2012. Second, we investigated dispersal and infestation dynamics of bed bugs at a fine geographical scale within three multistory apartment buildings: one from Raleigh, NC and two from Jersey City, NJ. Here we describe the development of 24 high resolution microsatellite markers and their application to elucidate infestation dynamics within three multistory apartment buildings in the United States. Results reveal contrasting characteristics potentially representative of geographic or locale differences. In Raleigh, NC, an infestation within an apartment building seemed to have started from a single introduction followed by extensive spread throughout the building. In Jersey City, NJ, two or more introductions followed by extensive spread. Populations within single apartments in all buildings showed low levels of genetic diversity suggesting that few individuals are starting these infestations, possibly a singly mated female or her progeny. This work is described in Chapter 3 and was published in the Journal of Medical Entomology in 2012. Third, we studied the impact of aggregation in bed bug development. Although it is well known that bed bugs live in aggregations, the adaptive benefits of this behavior are not well understood. In this study, we reared first instars either in isolation or in groups of five from hatching to adult eclosion and recorded their development time. Additionally, we investigated the effects of group-housing on same age nymphs versus nymphs reared with adults. Nymphal development was 2.2 d faster in grouped nymphs than in solitary-housed nymphs, representing 7.3% faster overall development. However, this grouping effect did not appear to be influenced by group composition (nymphs vs. adults). Thus, similar to other gregarious insect species, nymph development in bed bugs is faster in aggregations than in isolation. This work is described in Chapter 4. Fourth, we investigated the prevalence of a re-emergent bacterial pathogen in United States bed bugs populations. Because reports of both bed bugs and Bartonella have been increasing in the United States, and because their host ranges can overlap, we investigated whether the resurgence of these two medically important species are linked by screening for Bartonella spp. in bed bugs collected from geographic areas where these pathogens are prevalent. We screened a total of 331 bed bugs from 39 unique collections in 30 geographic locations in 13 states for Bartonella spp. DNA using a polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region. Bartonella spp. DNA was not amplified from any bed bug, but five bed bugs from four different units of an elderly housing building in North Carolina contained Burkholderia multivorans, an important pathogen in nosocomial infections that was not previously linked to an arthropod vector. This work is described in Chapter 5.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vaksman, Zahman; Crady, Camille; Raju, G. S.; Putcha, Lakshmi
2007-01-01
Introduction: Bioavailability and effectiveness of drugs given by mouth are governed in part by gastrointestinal (GI) motility and function. Microgravity has been shown to decrease GI motility as indicated by a 3 fold increase in gastrointestinal transit time (GITT). The PillCam(TradeMark), an endoscopic camera embedded in a capsule, is a novel noninvasive and unobtrusive device that is used for the diagnosis of GI pathology. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of PillCam(TradeMark) as an alternative to the Lactulose Breath Hydrogen Test (LBHT) for estimating GI motility. The sensitivity and applicability of this device for detection and estimation of the effect of promethazine, a deterrent, and caffeine, a prokinetic, on GI motility were also examined. Method: In this semi-randomized cross-over design study, six male and six female subjects were administered the following 4 treatments: PillCam(TradeMark) alone, PillCam(TradeMark)+Lactulose (10g), PillCam(TradeMark)+caffeine (200mg), and PillCam(TradeMark)+Promethazine (50mg). Results: GITT ranged between 1:24 and 7:52 hr:min. Lactulose did not alter GITT. A significant increase in GITT was noticed after administration of PMZ when compared to values from PillCam(TradeMark) treatment alone or PillCam(TradeMark)+Lactulose treatment. No difference in GITT after caffeine treatment was noticed. While there were no gender related differences in GITT after administration of PillCam(TradeMark) or with lactulose, a significant difference (p<.05) between genders was observed after promethazine administration with mean GITT higher in males (5:50 hr:min) than females (4:15 hr:min). Conclusion: The PillCam(TradeMark) capsule is applicable for the determination of GITT using time stamped GI images. It can be successfully used for the assessment of drug induced changes in GI motility and therefore, may be applicable for microgravity and analog environment studies on GI motility and function.
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Gralnek, I M; Adler, S N; Yassin, K; Koslowsky, B; Metzger, Y; Eliakim, R
2008-04-01
Esophageal capsule endoscopy (ECE) provides an alternative, minimally invasive modality for evaluating the esophagus. This study evaluates the performance and test characteristics of a second-generation esophageal capsule endoscope, the PillCam ESO 2. Adults with known or suspected esophageal disease were included. Using the simplified ingestion procedure, each patient underwent capsule endoscopy with the PillCam ESO 2. Following ECE, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed on the same day by an investigator who was blinded to the results of the ECE. In random order, capsule endoscopy videos were read and interpreted by the study investigator blinded to EGD results. 28 patients (19 men, 9 women; mean age 53.3 years) were included. In 82 % of the patients, at least 75 % of the Z line was visualized by the PillCam ESO 2. A per-lesion analysis demonstrated that the PillCam ESO 2 had definitive results in 30/43 lesions (69.8 %) and EGD in 29/43 (67.4 %), P value = 0.41. Compared with EGD for detecting suspected Barrett's esophagus and esophagitis, the PillCam ESO 2 had a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 74 %, and a sensitivity of 80 % and a specificity of 87 %, respectively. The PillCam ESO 2 demonstrated 86 % agreement with EGD in describing the Z line (kappa statistic 0.68). The modified ingestion protocol provided excellent cleansing, with bubbles/saliva having no or only a minor effect on Z line images in 86 % of cases. The PillCam ESO 2 demonstrated excellent visualization of the Z line. Compared with standard EGD, the PillCam ESO 2 had good test characteristics with high rates of detection of suspected Barrett's esophagus and esophagitis. This study provides indirect validation of the simplified ingestion procedure. The PillCam ESO 2 acquires high quality esophageal images, performs safely, and should be able to replace the current PillCam ESO.
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Sleeping Pill Administration Time and Patient Subjective Satisfaction.
Chung, Seockhoon; Youn, Soyoung; Yi, Kikyoung; Park, Boram; Lee, Suyeon
2016-01-01
Taking hypnotic agents 30 min before bedtime is the usual suggested administration time, but some patients report dissatisfaction with their sleeping pills. We investigated whether the timing of sleeping pill administration influences patient subjective satisfaction with these drugs. One hundred twelve patients with primary insomnia currently taking benzodiazepine or nonbenzodiazepine gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists as sleeping pills were selected. The time of administration for their sleeping pills, bedtime, sleep onset time, and wake up time were obtained from their medical records. Subjects were also categorized into satisfied or dissatisfied groups. Hypnotic agents administration time (p < 0.001) and bedtime (p < 0.001), but not sleep onset or wake up time, occurred later in the night in the satisfied group. The durations from administration of pills to sleep onset (33.6 ± 20.7 min) and to wake up time (7.2 ± 1.2 h) were significantly shorter in the satisfied group when compared to the dissatisfied group (135.9 ± 73.4 min and 9.3 ± 1.5 h for time to sleep onset and wake up, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that patient subjective satisfaction with hypnotic agents could be predicted by a short duration from administration of pills to sleep onset (odds ratio = 0.01; 95% confidence interval [0.001-0.09]) and a short duration from administration of pills to wake up time (0.53; [0.31-0.89], F = 49.9, p < 0.001). Taking sleeping pills at a later time and a shorter interval between pill administration and wake up time may increase patient subjective satisfaction with hypnotic agents. We propose that physicians advise patients to take sleeping pills approximately 7 h before their usual getting-out-of-bed time instead of the current standard of 30 min before bedtime. © 2016 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
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... morning-after pill is a type of emergency birth control (contraception). Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy for women who've had unprotected sex or whose birth control method has failed. The morning-after pill is ...
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... choices and physical activity, you may need diabetes medicines. The kind of medicine you take depends on your type of diabetes, ... pills. Combination pills contain two kinds of diabetes medicine in one tablet. Some people take pills and ...
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Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Different from PMS?
... taking SSRIs all month or only in the interval between ovulation and the start of your period. ... Taking birth control pills with no pill-free interval or with a shortened pill-free interval may ...
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Fissell, Rachel B.; Karaboyas, Angelo; Bieber, Brian A.; Sen, Ananda; Li, Yun; Lopes, Antonio A.; Akiba, Takashi; Bommer, Jürgen; Ethier, Jean; Jadoul, Michel; Pisoni, Ronald L.; Robinson, Bruce M.; Tentori, Francesca
2015-01-01
Background Due to multiple comorbidities, hemodialysis (HD) patients are prescribed many oral medications, including phosphate binders (PBs), often resulting in a high “pill burden”. Methods Using data from the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), we assessed associations between PB pill burden, patient-reported PB non-adherence, and levels of serum phosphorus (SPhos) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), using standard regression analyses. The study included data collected from 5,262 HD patients from dialysis units participating in the DOPPS in 12 countries. Results PB prescription ranged from a mean of 7.4 pills/day in the United States (US) to 3.9 pills/day in France. About half of the patients were prescribed at least 6 PB pills/day, and 13% were prescribed at least 12 PB pills/day. Overall, the proportion of patients who reported skipping PBs at least once in the past month was 45% overall, ranging from 33% in Belgium to 57% in the US. There was a trend toward greater PB non-adherence and a higher number of prescribed PB pills/day. Non-adherence to PB prescription was associated with high SPhos (>5.5 mg/dL) and PTH (> 600 pg/mL). Conclusions Adherence to PB is a challenge for many hemodialysis patients and may be related to the number of PB pills prescribed. Prescription of a simplified PB regimen could improve patient adherence and perhaps improve SPhos and PTH levels. PMID:25975222
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Mir, Azeem Sultan; Malik, Raees
2010-08-01
Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make several unsafe attempts at termination of the unintended pregnancy before turning to health services. Community health workers can act as a bridge between the community and their health facilities and can use Emergency Contraceptive Pills to significantly reduce the mortality and morbidity related to unsafe abortions. This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Lady Health Supervisor of the National Program for Family Planning, district Rawalpindi, regarding emergency contraception pills. The cross sectional survey was conducted during the monthly meeting of Lady Health Supervisors. Self administered, anonymous and voluntary questionnaire consisting of 17 items, regarding demographic profile, awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices, was used. Insufficient knowledge, high misinformation and strongly negative attitudes were revealed. More than half did not know that emergency contraceptive pills do not cause abortion. About four fifths believed that emergency contraceptive pills will lead to 'evil' practices in society. More than four fifths recognized that the clients of National Program for Family Planning need emergency contraceptive pills. The attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge (P=0.034, Fisher's Exact Test). The awareness of emergency contraceptive pills is high. Serious gaps in knowledge have been identified. There is a clear recognition of the need of emergency contraceptive pills for the clients of National Program for Family Planning. However, any strategy to introduce emergency contraceptive pills must cater for the misplaced beliefs of the work force.
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Nelson, Anita
2010-08-09
To review milestones in development of oral contraceptive pills since their introduction in the US 50 years ago in order to better understand how a new formulation with low-dose estrogen in an extended-cycle pattern fits into the evolution of birth control pills. This is a review of trends in the development of various birth controls pills and includes data from phase III clinical trials for this new formulation. The first birth control pill was a very high-dose monophasic formulation with the prodrug estrogen mestranol and a first-generation progestin. Over the decades, the doses of hormones have been markedly reduced, and a new estrogen and several different progestins were developed and used in different dosing patterns. The final element to undergo change was the 7-day pill-free interval. Many of these same changes have been made in the development of extended-cycle pill formulation. The newest extended-cycle oral contraceptive formulation with 84 active pills, each containing 20 μg ethinyl estradiol and 100 μg levonorgestrel, represents an important evolution in birth control that incorporates lower doses of estrogen (to reduce side effects and possibly reduce risk of thrombosis), fewer scheduled bleeding episodes (to meet women's desires for fewer and shorter menses) and the use of low-dose estrogen in place of placebo pills (to reduce the number of days of unscheduled spotting and bleeding). Hopefully, this unique formation will motivate women to be more successful contraceptors.
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Localization of magnetic pills
Laulicht, Bryan; Gidmark, Nicholas J.; Tripathi, Anubhav; Mathiowitz, Edith
2011-01-01
Numerous therapeutics demonstrate optimal absorption or activity at specific sites in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Yet, safe, effective pill retention within a desired region of the GI remains an elusive goal. We report a safe, effective method for localizing magnetic pills. To ensure safety and efficacy, we monitor and regulate attractive forces between a magnetic pill and an external magnet, while visualizing internal dose motion in real time using biplanar videofluoroscopy. Real-time monitoring yields direct visual confirmation of localization completely noninvasively, providing a platform for investigating the therapeutic benefits imparted by localized oral delivery of new and existing drugs. Additionally, we report the in vitro measurements and calculations that enabled prediction of successful magnetic localization in the rat small intestines for 12 h. The designed system for predicting and achieving successful magnetic localization can readily be applied to any area of the GI tract within any species, including humans. The described system represents a significant step forward in the ability to localize magnetic pills safely and effectively anywhere within the GI tract. What our magnetic pill localization strategy adds to the state of the art, if used as an oral drug delivery system, is the ability to monitor the force exerted by the pill on the tissue and to locate the magnetic pill within the test subject all in real time. This advance ensures both safety and efficacy of magnetic localization during the potential oral administration of any magnetic pill-based delivery system. PMID:21257903
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Lackie, Elyse; Fairchild, Amy
2016-10-01
The introduction of the birth control pill (the Pill) in 1960 revolutionized the options for contraception, sparking vibrant discussion in the scientific and social science literature and in the media. Much attention focused on issues of women's rights, including ethics and personal choice. But the Pill also introduced new questions about risk. Shortly after its introduction, the risk of thromboembolic disease was recognized [1]. After more than half a century, controversies about the relationship between the Pill and thromboembolic disease have persisted. The scientific and media communities have been active in the discussion, debate and delivery of information about this risk. Scientific and public attention to thromboembolism and the Pill has had dramatic consequences, both good and bad. The spotlight on risk has helped to change norms regarding the public's right to know and assess dangers; it has sparked Pill scares linked to increased unplanned pregnancy, birth and abortion rates; and it has led to a change in federally mandated policies regarding how new contraceptive products are studied and brought to market. This paper charts the narrative of the thromboembolic risk of the Pill from its introduction in 1960 until today and reviews the corresponding media response to this history. How does the story of the thromboembolic risk of the Pill - explored through the lens of science, media and contemporary social dynamics - frame contemporary understanding of risk for researchers, clinicians, individuals and the public? Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Questing activity in bed bug populations: male and female responses to host signals.
Aak, Anders; Rukke, Bjørn A; Soleng, Arnulf; Rosnes, Marte K
2014-09-01
A large-arena bioassay is used to examine sex differences in spatiotemporal patterns of bed bug Cimex lectularius L. behavioural responses to either a human host or CO 2 gas. After release in the centre of the arena, 90% of newly-fed bed bugs move to hiding places in the corners within 24 h. They require 3 days to settle down completely in the arena, with generally low activity levels and the absence of responses to human stimuli for 5 days. After 8-9 days, persistent responses can be recorded. Sex differences are observed, in which females are more active during establishment, respond faster after feeding, expose themselves more than males during the daytime, and respond more strongly to the host signal. The number of bed bugs that rest in harbourages is found to vary significantly according to light setting and sex. Both sexes stay inside harbourages more in daylight compared with night, and males hide more than females during the daytime but not during the night. The spatial distribution of the bed bugs is also found to change with the presence of CO 2 , and peak aggregation around the odour source is observed after 24 min. Both male and female bed bugs move from hiding places or the border of the arena toward the centre where CO 2 is released. Peak responses are always highest during the night. Bed bug behaviour and behaviour-regulating features are discussed in the context of control methods.
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Questing activity in bed bug populations: male and female responses to host signals
Aak, Anders; Rukke, Bjørn A; Soleng, Arnulf; Rosnes, Marte K
2014-01-01
A large-arena bioassay is used to examine sex differences in spatiotemporal patterns of bed bug Cimex lectularius L. behavioural responses to either a human host or CO2 gas. After release in the centre of the arena, 90% of newly-fed bed bugs move to hiding places in the corners within 24 h. They require 3 days to settle down completely in the arena, with generally low activity levels and the absence of responses to human stimuli for 5 days. After 8–9 days, persistent responses can be recorded. Sex differences are observed, in which females are more active during establishment, respond faster after feeding, expose themselves more than males during the daytime, and respond more strongly to the host signal. The number of bed bugs that rest in harbourages is found to vary significantly according to light setting and sex. Both sexes stay inside harbourages more in daylight compared with night, and males hide more than females during the daytime but not during the night. The spatial distribution of the bed bugs is also found to change with the presence of CO2, and peak aggregation around the odour source is observed after 24 min. Both male and female bed bugs move from hiding places or the border of the arena toward the centre where CO2 is released. Peak responses are always highest during the night. Bed bug behaviour and behaviour-regulating features are discussed in the context of control methods. PMID:26166936
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mundt, C.
1999-01-01
Sensors 2000! is developing pill-shaped biotelemeters for measuring physiological parameters during space flight life sciences experiments using rodents aboard the ISS Gravitational Biology Facility, with the additional capability for monitoring the health of astronauts in the Human Research Facility. The first "pill transmitter" is capable of measuring pressure and temperature for up to 10 months. The NASA objective is to utilize these devices. The pill-transmitters can also be used by non-NASA users for medical applications. One application is fetal surgery. The 44pill" is small enough to be endoscopically placed into the womb through a tube used during surgeries to correct fetal defects before birth. After surgery, the pill-transmitter will continue to monitor body temperature, pressure and other vital signs in the womb, radioing results to physicians. It will help them to detect preterm-labor, a serious problem after fetal surgery. The pill is about one-third-of-an-inch across and one-and-one-third-inches long. Future pill-versions will include pH, heartrate, and ECG. A pH-pill prototype is currently being tested. Sensors 2000! has also designed and built a 2-channel biotelemetry receiver and has developed data acquisition software to display and record the measured physiological parameters. A DSP-base hand-held receiver (trisponder) is currently under development.
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Pace, Lydia E; Dusetzina, Stacie B; Keating, Nancy L
2016-09-01
The oral contraceptive pill is the contraceptive method most commonly used by US women, but inconsistent use of the pill is a contributor to high rates of unintended pregnancy. The relationship between consumer cost sharing and consistent use of the pill is not well understood, and the impact of the elimination of cost sharing for oral contraceptive pills in a mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is not yet known. We analyzed insurance claims for 635,075 women with employer-sponsored insurance who were initiating use of the pill, to examine rates of discontinuation and nonadherence, their relationship with cost sharing, and trends before and during the first year after implementation of the ACA mandate. We found that cost sharing for oral contraceptives decreased markedly following implementation, more significantly for generic than for brand-name versions. Higher copays were associated with greater discontinuation of and nonadherence to generic pills than was the case with zero copayments. Discontinuation of the use of generic or brand-name pills decreased slightly but significantly following ACA implementation, as did nonadherence to brand-name pills. Our findings suggest a modest early impact of the ACA on improving consistent use of oral contraceptives among women initiating their use. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.
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Young, Simon A; Thrimawithana, Thilini R; Antia, Ushtana; Fredatovich, John D; Na, Yonky; Neale, Peter T; Roberts, Amy F; Zhou, Huanyi; Russell, Bruce
2013-06-14
To determine the content and release kinetics of 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) and 1-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)piperazine (TFMPP) from "party pill" formulations. From these data, the possible impact of pharmaceutical quality upon the safety of such illicit formulations may be inferred. The amount of BZP and TFMPP in party pill formulations was determined using a validated HPLC method. The in-vitro release kinetics of selected party pill brands were determined using a USP dissolution apparatus (75 rpm, 37.5 degrees Celsius). The release data were then fitted to a first order release model using PLOT software and the time taken to achieve 90% release reported. Many of the tested party pill brands contained amounts of BZP and TFMPP that varied considerably from that stated on the packaging; including considerable TFMPP content in some brands not labelled to contain this drug. Dissolution studies revealed that there was considerable variability in the release kinetics between brands; in one case 90% release required >30 minutes. Lack of quality control in party pill manufacture may have led to the toxic effects reported by users unaware of the true content and release of drug from pills. More stringent regulation in the manufacture and quality control of "new generation party pills" is essential to the harm reduction campaign.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ottley, Jennifer Riggie; Coogle, Christan Grygas; Rahn, Naomi L.
2015-01-01
Coaching is a promising method for providing professional development, which takes many forms. One such form is real-time coaching through bug-in-ear technology. This study explored the social validity of bug-in-ear coaching when provided as a form of professional development with pre-service and in-service early childhood educators. Data from two…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ottley, Jennifer R.; Coogle, Christan Grygas; Rahn, Naomi L.
2015-01-01
Coaching is a promising method for providing professional development, which takes many forms. One such form is real-time coaching through bug-in-ear technology. This study explored the social validity of bug-in-ear coaching when provided as a form of professional development with preservice and in-service early childhood educators. Data from two…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Ellison, Amber; Lim, Okyoung; Periathiruvadi, Sita
2012-01-01
Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) was an afterschool program for 4th and 5th grade girls that provided authentic learning experiences in environmental science as well as valuable female mentoring opportunities in an effort to increase participants' academic achievement in science. BUGS participants demonstrated significantly greater amounts of…
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Malignant hypertension in women of childbearing age and its relation to the contraceptive pill.
Lim, K G; Isles, C G; Hodsman, G P; Lever, A F; Robertson, J W
1987-01-01
Eleven of 34 women aged 15-44 with malignant phase hypertension were taking oral contraceptives at presentation. All had had normal blood pressure before starting to take the pill. In four the interval between the start of oral contraception and the diagnosis of malignant hypertension was less than four months, and in eight no other cause for the hypertension was found. Underlying renal disease and renal failure were less common among pill users than among non-users with malignant hypertension who were of similar age. No pill user became normotensive after withdrawal of the pill, but blood pressure was well controlled (diastolic less than 90 mm Hg) in three patients taking only one drug. By contrast, all 23 non-users needed two or more antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure. Ten year survival was 90% among pill users and 50% among non-users. These results suggest that oral contraceptives may be a common cause of malignant hypertension in women of child-bearing age. If the pill is stopped and underlying renal disease excluded the long term prognosis for such patients is excellent. PMID:3107691
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A case of acute myocardial infarction due to the use of cayenne pepper pills.
Sayin, Muhammet Rasit; Karabag, Turgut; Dogan, Sait Mesut; Akpinar, Ibrahim; Aydin, Mustafa
2012-04-01
The use of weight loss pills containing cayenne pepper has ever been increasing. The main component of cayenne pepper pills is capsaicin. There are conflicting data about the effects of capsaicin on the cardiovascular system. In this paper, we present the case of a 41 year old male patient with no cardiovascular risk factors who took cayenne pepper pills to lose weight and developed acute myocardial infarction.
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Features Associated with Diet Pill Use in Individuals with Eating Disorders
Reba-Harrelson, Lauren; Von Holle, Ann; Thornton, Laura M.; Klump, Kelly L.; Berrettini, Wade H.; Brandt, Harry; Crawford, Steven; Crow, Scott; Fichter, Manfred M.; Goldman, David; Halmi, Katherine A.; Johnson, Craig; Kaplan, Allan S.; Keel, Pamela; LaVia, Maria; Mitchell, James; Plotnicov, Katherine; Rotondo, Alessandro; Strober, Michael; Treasure, Janet; Woodside, D. Blake; Kaye, Walter H.; Bulik, Cynthia M.
2008-01-01
We investigated the relation between diet pill use and eating disorder subtype, purging and other compensatory behaviors, body mass index (BMI), tobacco and caffeine use, alcohol abuse or dependence, personality characteristics, and Axis I and Axis II disorders in 1,345 participants from the multisite Price Foundation Genetics Studies. Diet pill use was significantly less common in women with restricting type of AN than in women with other eating disorder subtypes. In addition, diet pill use was associated with the use of multiple weight control behaviors, higher BMI, higher novelty seeking, and the presence of anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse or dependence, and borderline personality disorder. Findings suggest that certain clinical and personality variables distinguish individuals with eating disorders who use diet pills from those who do not. In the eating disorder population, vigilant screening for diet pill use should be routine clinical practice. PMID:18167325
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Verification Failures: What to Do When Things Go Wrong
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bertacco, Valeria
Every integrated circuit is released with latent bugs. The damage and risk implied by an escaped bug ranges from almost imperceptible to potential tragedy; unfortunately it is impossible to discern within this range before a bug has been exposed and analyzed. While the past few decades have witnessed significant efforts to improve verification methodology for hardware systems, these efforts have been far outstripped by the massive complexity of modern digital designs, leading to product releases for which an always smaller fraction of system's states has been verified. The news of escaped bugs in large market designs and/or safety critical domains is alarming because of safety and cost implications (due to replacements, lawsuits, etc.).
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Effect and mechanism of Qishen Yiqi Pills on adriamycin- induced cardiomyopathy in mice.
Tong, Jia-Yi; Xu, Yan-Juan; Bian, Ye-Ping; Shen, Xiang-Bo; Yan, Lei; Zhu, Xin-Yi
2013-09-01
To study the effect and probable mechanism of Qishen Yiqi Pills on adriamycin (ADR)-induced cardiomyopathy in mice. Sixty-four mice were randomly divided into (1) the ADR group: saline (1 mL/100 g) administered every day by intragavage, ADR (4 mg·kg(-1)) administered to each mouse by intraperitoneal injection twice a week for four weeks; (2) the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills I group: ADR (4 mg·kg(-1)) administered to each mouse by intraperitoneal injection twice a week for four weeks, and at the beginning of the third week Qishen Yiqi Pills (3.5 mg/100 g) administered by intragavage every day for four weeks; (3) the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills II group: ADR (4 mg·kg(-1)) administered to each mouse by intraperitoneal injection twice a week for four weeks, and at the same time Qishen Yiqi Pills (3.5 mg/100 g) administered by intragavage every day for four weeks; (4) the control group: saline (1 mL/100 g) administered every day by intragavage, saline (1 mL·kg(-1)) administered to each mouse by intraperitoneal injection twice a week for four weeks. Six weeks later, cardiac function, myocardial pathology, and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were evaluated. 1. The left ventricular diastolic diameter and the left ventricular systolic diameter were significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the ADR group, and the cardiac function of both the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills I group and the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills II group improved. 2. Myocardial morphologic observation showed that the myocardial fibers were disordered, there was cell edema, and gap widening in the ADR group. The degree of myocardial cell injury was reduced in the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills I group and ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills II group compared with the ADR group. 3. The expression of Bax in the ADR group was significantly up-regulated, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly downregulated in the ADR group compared with the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills I group, the ADR + Qishen Yiqi Pills II group, and the control group (P < 0.05). Qishen Yiqi Pills can effectively improve the cardiac function of ADR-induced cardiomyopathy, and the earlier it is used is better. The probable mechanism of action may be the inhibition of the apoptosis of myocardial cells. Copyright © 2013 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Oxycodone Ingestion Patterns in Acute Fracture Pain With Digital Pills.
Chai, Peter R; Carreiro, Stephanie; Innes, Brendan J; Chapman, Brittany; Schreiber, Kristin L; Edwards, Robert R; Carrico, Adam W; Boyer, Edward W
2017-12-01
Opioid analgesics are commonly prescribed on an as-needed (PRN) basis for acute painful conditions. Uncertainty of how patients actually take PRN opioids, coupled with a desire to completely cover pain, leads to variable and overly generous opioid prescribing practices, resulting in a surplus of opioids. This opioid surplus becomes a source for diversion and nonmedical opioid use. Understanding patterns of actual opioid ingestion after acute painful conditions can help clinicians counsel patients on safe opioid use, and allow timely recognition and intervention when escalating opioid self-dosing occurs, to prevent tolerance and addiction. We used a novel oxycodone digital pill system (ingestible biosensor within a standard gelatin capsule combined with 5-mg oxycodone) that when ingested, is activated by the chloride ion gradient in the stomach thereby emitting a radiofrequency signal captured by a wearable reader. The reader relays ingestion data to a cloud-based server that displays ingestion events to the study team. We deployed the oxycodone digital pill among opioid-naive individuals discharged from the emergency department with acute fracture pain. Participants were trained on digital pill operation and discharged with twenty-one 5-mg oxycodone digital pills. They were instructed to take digital pills PRN for pain on discharge. We conducted a brief interview 7 days after study enrollment, at which point participants returned the digital pill system. We identified oxycodone ingestion events in real time by data from the digital pill system and performed pill counts at the return visit to validate digital pill reporting of medication ingestion. In this study, 26 individuals were approached; 16 enrolled with 15 completing the study. Participants ingested a median of 6 (3-9.5) oxycodone digital pills over the course of 7 days, with 82% of the oxycodone dose ingested in the first 3 days. In individuals who required operative repair, 86% (N = 6) continued to ingest opioids at 1 week. There was substantial variability in ingestion patterns between individuals. The utilization patterns of individuals with acute fracture pain could be captured using a digital pill system and revealed a median opioid ingestion of 45-mg morphine equivalents for acute pain over 7 days. Seven participants ceased using opioids within 4 days after discharge from the emergency department, although operative repair was associated with longer use. This digital pill system was able to measure changes in and patterns of opioid self-dosing, which varied between patients.
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Quantifying the utility of taking pills for cardiovascular prevention.
Hutchins, Robert; Viera, Anthony J; Sheridan, Stacey L; Pignone, Michael P
2015-03-01
The decrease in utility attributed to taking pills for cardiovascular prevention can have major effects on the cost-effectiveness of interventions but has not been well studied. We sought to measure the utility of daily pill-taking for cardiovascular prevention. We conducted a cross-sectional Internet-based survey of 1000 US residents aged ≥30 in March 2014. We calculated utility values, using time trade-off as our primary method and standard gamble and willingness-to-pay techniques as secondary analyses. Mean age of respondents was 50 years. Most were female (59%) and white (63%); 28% had less than a college degree; and 79% took ≥1 pills daily. Mean utility using the time trade-off method was 0.990 (95% confidence interval, 0.988-0.992), including ≈70% not willing to trade any amount of time to avoid taking a preventive pill daily. Using the standard gamble method, mean utility was 0.991 (0.989-0.993), with 62% not willing to risk any chance of death. Respondents were willing to pay an average of $1445 to avoid taking a pill daily, which translated to a mean utility of 0.994 (0.940-0.997), including 41% unwilling to pay any amount. Time trade-off-based utility varied by age (decreasing utility as age increased), sex, race, numeracy, difficulty with obtaining pills, and number of pills taken per day but did not vary by education level, literacy, or income. Mean utility for taking a pill daily for cardiovascular prevention is ≈0.990 to 0.994. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.
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Hernández Arroyo, M J; Cabrera Figueroa, S E; Sepúlveda Correa, R; Valverde Merino, M P; Luna Rodrigo, G; Domínguez-Gil Hurlé, A
2016-02-01
Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is hampered by complicated regimens, high pill burden, drug-drug interactions, and frequent short- and long-term adverse effects, leading to decreased adherence. Over recent years, considerable effort has been directed at developing regimens that are less burdening. We undertook a 7-year retrospective study of the records of 264 HIV-infected subjects enrolled in a pharmaceutical care programme to document the progress made and to study the influence of the number of ART pills and doses on the level of treatment adherence. Antiretroviral dispensing records were analysed for the number of pills and doses administered and the ART adherence rate estimated. In 2005, the patients took a mean of 6·2 pills daily (CI 95%: 5·9-6·6), and 92·9% of them were on a twice-a-day (BID) dosage regimen. By 2012, the mean number of pills was reduced to 4·1 (CI 95%: 3·8-4·4), and only 50·9% were on a BID regimen. No statistically significant relation was observed between number of daily pills and doses and ART adherence reached by the patients in any of the analyses performed. There has been a continuous reduction in the number of pills and doses of antiretrovirals taken by individual patients over the last 7 years due largely to the introduction of improved treatments and regimens. More daily pills or doses was not associated with worse ART adherence in our pharmaceutical care programme. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Nelson, Anita
2010-01-01
Aim: To review milestones in development of oral contraceptive pills since their introduction in the US 50 years ago in order to better understand how a new formulation with low-dose estrogen in an extended-cycle pattern fits into the evolution of birth control pills. Methods: This is a review of trends in the development of various birth controls pills and includes data from phase III clinical trials for this new formulation. Results: The first birth control pill was a very high-dose monophasic formulation with the prodrug estrogen mestranol and a first-generation progestin. Over the decades, the doses of hormones have been markedly reduced, and a new estrogen and several different progestins were developed and used in different dosing patterns. The final element to undergo change was the 7-day pill-free interval. Many of these same changes have been made in the development of extended-cycle pill formulation. Conclusion: The newest extended-cycle oral contraceptive formulation with 84 active pills, each containing 20 μg ethinyl estradiol and 100 μg levonorgestrel, represents an important evolution in birth control that incorporates lower doses of estrogen (to reduce side effects and possibly reduce risk of thrombosis), fewer scheduled bleeding episodes (to meet women’s desires for fewer and shorter menses) and the use of low-dose estrogen in place of placebo pills (to reduce the number of days of unscheduled spotting and bleeding). Hopefully, this unique formation will motivate women to be more successful contraceptors. PMID:21072303
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Lai, Maohua; You, Zhaoling; Ma, Hongxia; Lei, Lei; Lu, Fangguo; He, Dongmei; Liu, Huiping; Yin, Sheng
2010-11-01
To evaluate its mechanism of inducing the maternal-fetal immune tolerance by studying the effects of Shoutai pills on the expression of Th1/Th2 cytokine and pregnancy in maternal-fetal interface of mice with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). The normal pregnancy and RSA model were respectively induced with CBA/J x BALB/c and CBA/J x DBA/2. The mice with RSA were randomly divided into model group and low, middle and high dose groups of Shoutai pills. The mice were killed in 14 days after administration and embryo resorption rate was counted and their decidual and placental tissues were co-cultured to detect the expressions of IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha with ELISA. The embryo resorption rate of the model group was significantly higher than the normal pregnancy, middle and high dose groups of Shoutai pills could decreased the embryo resorption rate of the mice with RSA (P < 0.05). All the doses in 3 groups of Shoutai pills could decreased the expression of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha (P < 0. 05) and there was no obvious difference between normal pregnancy group and all groups of Shoutai pills. Middle and high doses of Shoutai pills could increased the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 (P < 0.05) and there was no obvious differences between normal pregnancy and high dose group of Shoutai pills. The mechanism about Shoutai pills can change Th1 /Th2 cytokine towards Th2 bias, which induced the maternal-fetal immune tolerance.
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Mir, Azeem Sultan; Malik, Raees
2010-01-01
Background: Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make several unsafe attempts at termination of the unintended pregnancy before turning to health services. Community health workers can act as a bridge between the community and their health facilities and can use Emergency Contraceptive Pills to significantly reduce the mortality and morbidity related to unsafe abortions. Aims: This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Lady Health Supervisor of the National Program for Family Planning, district Rawalpindi, regarding emergency contraception pills. Materials and Methods: The cross sectional survey was conducted during the monthly meeting of Lady Health Supervisors. Self administered, anonymous and voluntary questionnaire consisting of 17 items, regarding demographic profile, awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices, was used. Results: Insufficient knowledge, high misinformation and strongly negative attitudes were revealed. More than half did not know that emergency contraceptive pills do not cause abortion. About four fifths believed that emergency contraceptive pills will lead to ‘evil’ practices in society. More than four fifths recognized that the clients of National Program for Family Planning need emergency contraceptive pills. The attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge (P=0.034, Fisher's Exact Test). Conclusion: The awareness of emergency contraceptive pills is high. Serious gaps in knowledge have been identified. There is a clear recognition of the need of emergency contraceptive pills for the clients of National Program for Family Planning. However, any strategy to introduce emergency contraceptive pills must cater for the misplaced beliefs of the work force. PMID:22737673
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Self-reported bed bug infestation among New York City residents: prevalence and risk factors.
Ralph, Nancy; Jones, Heidi E; Thorpe, Lorna E
2013-01-01
Bed bug infestations have risen precipitously in urban areas. Little is known about risk factors for infestations or health outcomes resulting from these infestations. In the 2009 Community Health Survey, which is a representative population-based survey, 9,934 noninstitutionalized adults in New York City reported on bed bug infestations requiring an exterminator in the past year. The authors estimated infestation prevalence and explored predictors of infestation and associations between infestations and health outcomes using logistic regression. Seven percent of adults in New York City reported bed bug infestations. Significant individual and household risk factors were younger age, increased household poverty, and having three or more adults in the household. Environmental risk factors included living in high poverty neighborhoods and in buildings with more housing units, suggesting apartment-to-apartment transmission. Bed bug infestations were not associated with stress-related outcomes of alcohol consumption or recent depression, and, unlike cockroach infestation, were not associated with recent asthma episodes caused by allergens or contaminants.
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Improvements on the accuracy of beam bugs
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chen, Y.J.; Fessenden, T.
1998-08-17
At LLNL resistive wall monitors are used to measure the current and position used on ETA-II show a droop in signal due to a fast redistribution time constant of the signals. This paper presents the analysis and experimental test of the beam bugs used for beam current and position measurements in and after the fast kicker. It concludes with an outline of present and future changes that can be made to improve the accuracy of these beam bugs. of intense electron beams in electron induction linacs and beam transport lines. These, known locally as ''beam bugs'', have been used throughoutmore » linear induction accelerators as essential diagnostics of beam current and location. Recently, the development of a fast beam kicker has required improvement in the accuracy of measuring the position of beams. By picking off signals at more than the usual four positions around the monitor, beam position measurement error can be greatly reduced. A second significant source of error is the mechanical variation of the resistor around the bug.« less
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Improvements on the accuracy of beam bugs
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chen, Y J; Fessenden, T
1998-09-02
At LLNL resistive wall monitors are used to measure the current and position used on ETA-II show a droop in signal due to a fast redistribution time constant of the signals. This paper presents the analysis and experimental test of the beam bugs used for beam current and position measurements in and after the fast kicker. It concludes with an outline of present and future changes that can be made to improve the accuracy of these beam bugs. of intense electron beams in electron induction linacs and beam transport lines. These, known locally as "beam bugs", have been used throughoutmore » linear induction accelerators as essential diagnostics of beam current and location. Recently, the development of a fast beam kicker has required improvement in the accuracy of measuring the position of beams. By picking off signals at more than the usual four positions around the monitor, beam position measurement error can be greatly reduced. A second significant source of error is the mechanical variation of the resistor around the bug.« less
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Nair, Shakunthala; Braman, S Kristine; Knauft, D A
2012-10-01
Over 60 Pieris taxa (Ericaceae) were measured for their susceptibility to the Andromeda lace bug, Stephanitis takeyai Drake and Maa, and the azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) based on leaf damage, adult survival on leaves, and emergence of nymphs in no-choice petri dish assays. Pieris phillyreifolia (Hook.) DC. and P. japonica (Thunb.) D.Don ex G.Don 'Variegata' were consistently resistant to both species of lace bugs, whereas P. japonica 'Cavatine' was consistently susceptible to both. Pieris japonica 'Temple Bells' was highly susceptible to S. takeyai, but resistant to S. pyrioides. Nymph emergence was noted only with S. takeyai, on 46 Pieris taxa, whereas S. pyrioides nymphs were not observed on any of the Pieris taxa. Choice assays (with 10 Pieris taxa) and whole plant assays (with five Pieris taxa) using S. takeyai alone also were conducted, confirming the resistance of P. phillyreifolia and susceptibility of P. japonica Temple Bells to lace bug feeding.
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Faúndez, Eduardo I
2018-06-20
Bagrada hilaris is an invasive stink bug present in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and recently found in Chile, South America. Painted bug is well known as an agricultural pest, attacking mostly Brassicaceae. First records of the painted bug B. hilaris invading homes are given from Chile, from the Metropolitan, and Valparaiso Regions, including mild and heavily infested homes. In addition, the first case ever of an adventitious bite in a human being by this species is provided and described. Additionally, first alleged cases of occupational allergy are also mentioned. The possible reasons of the occurrence of these invasions are commented and discussed. It is concluded that the invasions may be due because of the lack of food plant sources in nearby wild and agroecosystems; forcing the bugs to migrate to closely located cities. As a result, it is recommended to extend education and control programs from agricultural to urban residential areas.
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... is not a means of abortion. Most medicine brands require a single dose of 1 pill. Some brands have 2 doses (1 pill followed by a ... pills together. Follow the instructions for each specific brand. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says ...
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Multiple Sclerosis
... Oral cannabis extract (OCE) – a cannabis pill • Synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a cannabis pill • Oromucosal cannabinoid spray – a spray ... Academy of Neurology AAN. com OCE and Synthetic THC OCE is taken orally (by mouth) in pill ...
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Elford, Marti; Carter, Richard A., Jr.; Aronin, Sara
2013-01-01
There is not just one way to give feedback, nor is there just one kind of feedback. Bug-in-ear technology, which allows coaches to give teachers in the classroom immediate feedback, has been used successfully for 35 years. In an updated twist on this method, researchers at the University of Kansas used bug-in-ear coaching in a virtual classroom…
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Allman, Mark
1997-01-01
This note outlines two bugs found in the BSD 4.4 Lite TCP implementation, as well as the implications of these bugs and possible ways to correct them. The first problem encountered in this particular TCP implementation is the use of a 2 segment initial congestion window, rather than the standard 1 segment initial window. The second problem is that the receiver delays ACKs in violation of the delayed ACK rules,
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Crawley, Sydney E; Kowles, Katelyn A; Gordon, Jennifer R; Potter, Michael F; Haynes, Kenneth F
2017-03-01
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are blood-feeding insect pests with public health relevance. Their rapid evolution of resistance to pyrethroids has prompted a shift to combination products that include both a pyrethroid and neonicotinoid insecticide. Insecticides have both a direct impact on mortality and an indirect effect on behavior. Thus, we assessed the sublethal effects of a widely used combination product containing β-cyfluthrin (a pyrethroid) and imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid), as unexpected behavioral changes after exposure have been known to affect efficacy of insecticides. We found that bed bugs exposed to sublethal doses of a combination product containing β-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid did not feed as effectively as untreated bugs. Their locomotion behavior was also reduced. However, aggregation in response to the presence of conspecific harborages was not affected by sublethal exposure. Bed bugs exhibit behavioral changes after sublethal exposure to a combination product that could affect pest management choices and outcomes. A reduction in host-finding efficiency and feeding could complement the lethal effects of the insecticide. Alternatively, reduced locomotion following exposure could limit ongoing contact with insecticide deposits. However, an overall reduction in movement indicates that treatments are unlikely to cause dispersal of bugs to adjacent dwellings. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Insecticide resistance and resistance mechanisms in bed bugs, Cimex spp. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
Dang, Kai; Doggett, Stephen L; Veera Singham, G; Lee, Chow-Yang
2017-06-29
The worldwide resurgence of bed bugs [both Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.)] over the past two decades is believed in large part to be due to the development of insecticide resistance. The transcriptomic and genomic studies since 2010, as well as morphological, biochemical and behavioral studies, have helped insecticide resistance research on bed bugs. Multiple resistance mechanisms, including penetration resistance through thickening or remodelling of the cuticle, metabolic resistance by increased activities of detoxification enzymes (e.g. cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and esterases), and knockdown resistance by kdr mutations, have been experimentally identified as conferring insecticide resistance in bed bugs. Other candidate resistance mechanisms, including behavioral resistance, some types of physiological resistance (e.g. increasing activities of esterases by point mutations, glutathione S-transferase, target site insensitivity including altered AChEs, GABA receptor insensitivity and altered nAChRs), symbiont-mediated resistance and other potential, yet undiscovered mechanisms may exist. This article reviews recent studies of resistance mechanisms and the genes governing insecticide resistance, potential candidate resistance mechanisms, and methods of monitoring insecticide resistance in bed bugs. This article provides an insight into the knowledge essential for the development of both insecticide resistance management (IRM) and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for successful bed bug management.
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Oviposition and Sex Ratio of the Redbanded Stink Bug, Piezodorous guildinii, in Soybean.
Temple, Joshua H; Davis, Jeffrey A; Hardke, Jarrod T; Price, Paul P; Leonard, B Rogers
2016-06-17
Redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), is a significant soybean pest across the mid-south region of the United States. The objectives of these studies were to characterize: (1) redbanded stink bug oviposition in relationship to soybean maturity group (MG), plant structure, crop phenology, and vertical distribution within the plant canopy; and (2) redbanded stink bug adult sex ratios in relationship to soybean phenology. A total of 5645 redbanded stink bug eggs in 421 egg masses (clusters) were field collected from naturally-occurring populations in MG IV and V soybean over a three year period (2009 to 2011). The mean number of eggs within a cluster was 16.6 ± 0.3. Plant structures by MG interactions were highly significant with more egg masses oviposited on leaves in MG IV (79.4%) and more on pods in MG V (72.7%). The ratio of females to males was similar in all soybean growth stages except R5, where the sex ratio increased to 1.4:1, coinciding with peak oviposition. Only 29.9% of egg clusters in MG IV and 18.3% of egg clusters in MG V were oviposited in the upper 35 cm of the soybean canopy. Based on these results, sampling strategies and insecticide application placement for stink bugs may require modification.
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Oviposition and Sex Ratio of the Redbanded Stink Bug, Piezodorous guildinii, in Soybean
Temple, Joshua H.; Davis, Jeffrey A.; Hardke, Jarrod T.; Price, Paul P.; Leonard, B. Rogers
2016-01-01
Redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), is a significant soybean pest across the mid-south region of the United States. The objectives of these studies were to characterize: (1) redbanded stink bug oviposition in relationship to soybean maturity group (MG), plant structure, crop phenology, and vertical distribution within the plant canopy; and (2) redbanded stink bug adult sex ratios in relationship to soybean phenology. A total of 5645 redbanded stink bug eggs in 421 egg masses (clusters) were field collected from naturally-occurring populations in MG IV and V soybean over a three year period (2009 to 2011). The mean number of eggs within a cluster was 16.6 ± 0.3. Plant structures by MG interactions were highly significant with more egg masses oviposited on leaves in MG IV (79.4%) and more on pods in MG V (72.7%). The ratio of females to males was similar in all soybean growth stages except R5, where the sex ratio increased to 1.4:1, coinciding with peak oviposition. Only 29.9% of egg clusters in MG IV and 18.3% of egg clusters in MG V were oviposited in the upper 35 cm of the soybean canopy. Based on these results, sampling strategies and insecticide application placement for stink bugs may require modification. PMID:27322333
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Swiecicka, Izabela; Mahillon, Jacques
2006-04-01
Although Bacillus cereus sensu lato are important both from an ecological and an economical point of view, little is known about their population structure, ecology, and relationships with other organisms. In the present work, the genotypic similarity of arthropod-borne B. cereus s.l. isolates, and their symbiotic relationship with the host are assessed. Bacilli of this group were recovered from the digestive tracts of sow bugs (Porcellio scaber) collected in three closely located sites. Their genotypic diversity was investigated using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) following the whole-genome DNA digestions with NotI and AscI, and PCR amplification of virulence genes. The majority of the sow-bug Bacillus cereus sensu stricto isolates originating from the same but also from different sites displayed identical PFGE patterns, virulence gene content and enterotoxicity, indicating strong genetic and genomic relationships. The sow-bug Bacillus mycoides/Bacillus pseudomycoides strains displayed a higher diversity. The isopod-B. cereus s.l. relationship was also evaluated using antibiotic-resistant derivatives of B. cereus s.s., B. mycoides/B. pseudomycoides and Bacillus thuringiensis reintroduced into sow bugs. Both spores and vegetative cells of B. cereus s.l. were recovered from sow bugs over a 30-day period, strongly suggesting that these bacteria are natural residents of terrestrial isopods.
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A new accurate pill recognition system using imprint information
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chen, Zhiyuan; Kamata, Sei-ichiro
2013-12-01
Great achievements in modern medicine benefit human beings. Also, it has brought about an explosive growth of pharmaceuticals that current in the market. In daily life, pharmaceuticals sometimes confuse people when they are found unlabeled. In this paper, we propose an automatic pill recognition technique to solve this problem. It functions mainly based on the imprint feature of the pills, which is extracted by proposed MSWT (modified stroke width transform) and described by WSC (weighted shape context). Experiments show that our proposed pill recognition method can reach an accurate rate up to 92.03% within top 5 ranks when trying to classify more than 10 thousand query pill images into around 2000 categories.
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Mamidala, Praveen; Mittapelly, Priyanka; Jones, Susan C; Piermarini, Peter M; Mittapalli, Omprakash
2013-04-01
The molecular genetics of inward-rectifier potassium (Kir) channels in insects is poorly understood. To date, Kir channel genes have been characterized only from a few representative dipterans (i.e., fruit flies and mosquitoes). The goal of the present study was to characterize Kir channel cDNAs in a hemipteran, the bed bug (Cimex lectularius). Using our previously reported bed bug transcriptome (RNA-seq), we identified two cDNAs that encode putative Kir channels. One was a full-length cDNA that encodes a protein belonging to the insect 'Kir3' clade, which we designate as 'ClKir3'. The other was a partial cDNA that encodes a protein with similarity to both the insect 'Kir1' and 'Kir2' clades, which we designate as 'ClKir1/2'. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that ClKir1/2 and ClKir3 exhibited peak expression levels in late-instar nymphs and early-instar nymphs, respectively. Furthermore, ClKir3, but not ClKir1/2, showed tissue-specific expression in Malpighian tubules of adult bed bugs. Lastly, using an improved procedure for delivering double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to male and female bed bugs (via the cervical membrane) we demonstrate rapid and systemic knockdown of ClKir3 transcripts. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the bed bug possesses at least two genes encoding Kir channels, and that RNAi is possible for at least Kir3, thereby offering a potential approach for elucidating the roles of Kir channel genes in bed bug physiology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Tillman, P. Glynn; Cottrell, Ted E.
2016-01-01
Chinavia hilaris (Say), Euschistus servus (Say), Euschistus tristigmus (Say), and Thyanta custator custator (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are serious pests of crops in the southeastern United States but little is known concerning their dispersal from noncrop hosts in woodlands into crops. This 2-yr study was conducted to investigate whether elderberry [Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis (L.) R. Bolli] in woodlands serves as a source of stink bugs dispersing into adjacent crops and to examine parasitism of C. hilaris and E. servus eggs on this plant. Elderberry was a reproductive host for each of the four stink bug species; females oviposited on plants with subsequent nymphs feeding on elderberry and developing into adults. Anastatus mirabilis (Walsh & Riley) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), Anastatus reduvii (Howard), and Trissolcus edessae Fouts (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) were prevalent egg parasitoids of C. hilaris but A. reduvii was the prevalent parasitoid of E. servus. Newly developed stink bug adults were first detected on elderberry around mid-July. Then in late July and early August, as elderberry fruit senesced and cotton bolls became available, stink bugs began dispersing from elderberry into cotton based on recapture of stink bugs on cotton that had previously been marked on elderberry. In addition, in 2015, density of C. hilaris, E. servus, and E. tristigmus was higher in cotton with elderberry than in cotton without it. Over the study, economic threshold was reached for four of seven cotton fields. Elimination of elderberry in woodlands adjacent to cotton may be a viable management tactic for control of stink bugs in cotton. PMID:27773875
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Empirical Analysis and Automated Classification of Security Bug Reports
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tyo, Jacob P.
2016-01-01
With the ever expanding amount of sensitive data being placed into computer systems, the need for effective cybersecurity is of utmost importance. However, there is a shortage of detailed empirical studies of security vulnerabilities from which cybersecurity metrics and best practices could be determined. This thesis has two main research goals: (1) to explore the distribution and characteristics of security vulnerabilities based on the information provided in bug tracking systems and (2) to develop data analytics approaches for automatic classification of bug reports as security or non-security related. This work is based on using three NASA datasets as case studies. The empirical analysis showed that the majority of software vulnerabilities belong only to a small number of types. Addressing these types of vulnerabilities will consequently lead to cost efficient improvement of software security. Since this analysis requires labeling of each bug report in the bug tracking system, we explored using machine learning to automate the classification of each bug report as a security or non-security related (two-class classification), as well as each security related bug report as specific security type (multiclass classification). In addition to using supervised machine learning algorithms, a novel unsupervised machine learning approach is proposed. An ac- curacy of 92%, recall of 96%, precision of 92%, probability of false alarm of 4%, F-Score of 81% and G-Score of 90% were the best results achieved during two-class classification. Furthermore, an accuracy of 80%, recall of 80%, precision of 94%, and F-score of 85% were the best results achieved during multiclass classification.
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Kondo, Toshiaki; Nishimura, Sen; Tani, Naoki; Ng, Kevin Kit Siong; Lee, Soon Leong; Muhammad, Norwati; Okuda, Toshinori; Tsumura, Yoshihiko; Isagi, Yuji
2016-11-01
In tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, a highly fecund thrips (Thrips spp.) responds rapidly to the mass flowering at multiple-year intervals characteristic of certain species such as the canopy tree studied here, Shorea acuminata, by feeding on flower resources. However, past DNA analyses of pollen adherent to thrips bodies revealed that the thrips promoted a very high level of self-pollination. Here, we identified the pollinator that contributes to cross-pollination and discuss ways that the pollination system has adapted to mass flowering. By comparing the patterns of floral visitation and levels of genetic diversity in adherent pollen loads among floral visitors, we evaluated the contribution of each flower visitor to pollination. The big-eyed bug, Geocoris sp., a major thrips predator, was an inadvertent pollinator, and importantly contributed to cross-pollination. The total outcross pollen adhering to thrips was approximately 30% that on the big-eyed bugs. Similarly, 63% of alleles examined in S. acuminata seeds and seedlings occurred in pollen adhering to big-eyed bugs; about 30% was shared with pollen from thrips. During mass flowering, big-eyed bugs likely travel among flowering S. acuminata trees, attracted by the abundant thrips. Floral visitation patterns of big-eyed bugs vs. other insects suggest that these bugs can maintain their population size between flowering by preying upon another thrips (Haplothrips sp.) that inhabits stipules of S. acuminata throughout the year and quickly respond to mass flowering. Thus, thrips and big-eyed bugs are essential components in the pollination of S. acuminata. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.
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Hutchins, Robert; Pignone, Michael P; Sheridan, Stacey L; Viera, Anthony J
2015-01-01
Objectives The utility value attributed to taking pills for prevention can have a major effect on the cost-effectiveness of interventions, but few published studies have systematically quantified this value. We sought to quantify the utility value of taking pills used for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Central North Carolina. Participants 708 healthcare employees aged 18 years and older. Primary and secondary outcomes Utility values for taking 1 pill/day, assessed using time trade-off, modified standard gamble and willingness-to-pay methods. Results Mean age of respondents was 43 years (19–74). The majority of the respondents were female (83%) and Caucasian (80%). Most (80%) took at least 2 pills/day. Mean utility values for taking 1 pill/day using the time trade-off method were: 0.9972 (95% CI 0.9962 to 0.9980). Values derived from the standard gamble and willingness-to-pay methods were 0.9967 (0.9954 to 0.9979) and 0.9989 (95% CI 0.9986 to 0.9991), respectively. Utility values varied little across characteristics such as age, sex, race, education level or number of pills taken per day. Conclusions The utility value of taking pills daily in order to prevent an adverse CVD health outcome is approximately 0.997. PMID:25967985
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Ma, Xiaohong; He, Liqun
2018-06-24
Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Zuogui pill as a traditional Chinese herbal drug has been used for nourish kidney essence improve bone malnutrition of renal bone disease by regulating the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus and participating in osteoblast metabolism. In the present study, 5/6 nephrectomy rat model was used to reveal the mechanism of zuogui pill in treatment of CKD-MBD. Compared with sham rats, the levels of serum phosphorus, PTH, iPTH and creatinine were significantly decreased, while the serum calcium level was significantly increased, and the Cbfa1 protein level was significantly decreased and FGF23 protein level was significantly increased by Zuogui pill treatment. Compared with model rats, the BMD of rat was significantly increased by Zuogui pill treatment. Histological analysis revealed that the kidney injury of rats with CKD was significantly reduced by zuogui pill treatment. Compared with model rats, the CYP27B1 mRNA level was significantly increased, and the PTH mRNA level and NaPiIIa protein level were significantly decreased in the kidney by zuogui pill treatment. We inferred that zuogui pill exhibited potential therapeutic effects on CKD-MBD in the rats by regulating bone metabolism and nourish kidney. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
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Preparation and Characterization of Silymarin Synchronized and Sustained Release Dropping Pill.
Liu, Zhi-Hong; Li, Xue-Jing; Huang, Ai-Wen; Zhang, Jing; Song, Hong-Tao
2017-01-01
This study aimed to develop a synchronized and sustained-release silymarin dropping pill, and to evaluate its pharmacokinetic characteristics. Polyoxyethylene stearate, glyceryl monostearate, and stearic acid were used to prepare the dropping pills. X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and release were used to evaluate its physicochemical properties. The plasma concentration of silybin in beagle dogs after oral administration of silymarin dropping pills and silymarin capsule was determined by RP-HPLC. Synchronized release was achieved with high similarity factor f2 values between every set of two of the five components. Mean plasma concentration-time curves of silymarin after oral administration of dropping pills in beagle dogs were in accordance with first-order absorption and open twocompartment model. The Tmax, Cmax, and AUC0-∞ of dropping pills in beagle dogs were 0.8750±0.13 h, 0.8183±0.07 μg·ml-1, and 2.274±0.90 μg·h·ml-1, respectively. Silymarin dropping pills prolonged in vivo exposure and reduced maximum in vivo concentration, achieving a stable level in the serum. The combination of solid dispersion technique and dropping pill formulation allowed synchronized release of multiple components in herbal medicine, and has potential application in the development of sustained release in herbal medicine. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.
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Little, Anthony C; Burriss, Robert P; Petrie, Marion; Jones, Benedict C; Roberts, S Craig
2013-09-01
Millions of women use hormonal contraception and it has been suggested that such use may alter mate preferences. To examine the impact of oral contraceptive (pill) use on preferences, we tested for within-subject changes in preferences for masculine faces in women initiating pill use. Between two sessions, initiation of pill use significantly decreased women's preferences for male facial masculinity but did not influence preferences for same-sex faces. To test whether altered preference during pill use influences actual partner choice, we examined facial characteristics in 170 age-matched male partners of women who reported having either been using or not using the pill when the partnership was formed. Both facial measurements and perceptual judgements demonstrated that partners of women who used the pill during mate choice have less masculine faces than partners of women who did not use hormonal contraception at this time. Our data (A) provide the first experimental evidence that initiation of pill use in women causes changes in facial preferences and (B) documents downstream effects of these changes on real-life partner selection. Given that hormonal contraceptive use is widespread, effects of pill use on the processes of partner formation have important implications for relationship stability and may have other biologically relevant consequences. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Narain, Ralph B; Lalithambika, Sreedevi; Kamble, Shripat T
2015-07-01
With the recent global resurgence of the bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.), there is a need to better understand its biology, ecology, and ability to establish populations. Bed bugs are domestic pests that feed mainly on mammalian blood. Although bed bugs have not been implicated as vectors of pathogens, their biting activity inflicts severe insomnia and allergic reactions. Moreover, they have recently developed resistance to various insecticides, which requires further molecular research to determine genetic variation and appropriate interventions. Population dynamics, including genetic differentiation and genetic distance of 10 populations from the Midwest were analyzed in this study. The bed bug samples collected by pest control companies were genotyped using eight species-specific microsatellite markers. Results showed all eight markers were polymorphic, with 8-16 alleles per locus, suggesting high genetic diversity. The FST values were >0.25, signifying pronounced genetic differentiation. The G-test results also indicated high genetic differentiation among populations. The frequency of the most common allele across all eight loci was 0.42. The coefficient of relatedness between each of the populations was >0.5, indicative of sibling or parent-offspring relationships, while the FIS and its confidence interval values were statistically insignificant within the populations tested. The populations departed from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, possibly because of high heterozygosity. The genetic distance analysis using a neighbor-joining tree showed that the populations from Kansas City, MO, were genetically separate from most of those from Nebraska, indicating a geographic pattern of genetic structure. Our study demonstrated the effectiveness of using microsatellite markers to study bed bugs population structure, thereby improving our understanding of bed bug population dynamics in the Midwest. Overall, this study showed a high genetic diversity and identified several new alleles in the bed bug populations in the Midwest. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Eiben, Jesse; Rubinoff, Daniel
2014-08-01
Insects that should be considered for conservation attention are often overlooked because of a lack of data. The detailed information necessary to assess population growth, decline, and maximum range is particularly difficult to acquire for rare and cryptic species. Many of these difficulties can be overcome with the use of life table analyses and heat energy accumulation models common in agriculture. The wekiu bug (Nysius wekiuicola), endemic to the summit of one volcanic mountain in Hawaii, is a rare insect living in an environmentally sensitive alpine stone desert, where field-based population assessments would be inefficient or potentially detrimental to natural and cultural resources. We conducted laboratory experiments with the insects by manipulating rearing temperatures of laboratory colonies and made detailed observations of habitat conditions to develop life tables representing population growth parameters and environmental models for wekiu bug phenology and demographic change. Wekiu bugs developed at temperatures only found in its environment on sunny days and required the thermal buffer found on cinder cones for growth and population increase. Wekiu bugs required approximately 3.5 months to complete one generation. The bug developed optimally from 26 to 30 °C, temperatures that are much higher than the air temperature attains in its elevational range. The developmental temperature range of the species confirmed a physiological reason why the wekiu bug is only found on cinder cones. This physiology information can help guide population monitoring and inform habitat restoration and conservation. The wekiu bug was a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and the developmental parameters we quantified were used to determine the species would not be listed as endangered or threatened. The use of developmental threshold experiments, life table analyses, and degree day modeling can directly inform otherwise unobservable habitat needs and demographic characteristics of extremely rare insects. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.
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Palenchar, Daniel J; Gellatly, Kyle J; Yoon, Kyong Sup; Mumcuoglu, Kosta Y; Shalom, Uri; Clark, J Marshall
2015-09-01
Human bed bug infestations have dramatically increased worldwide since the mid-1990s. A similar phenomenon was also observed in Israel since 2005, when infestations were reported from all over the country. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (V419L and L925I) in the bed bug voltage-sensitive sodium channel confer kdr-type resistance to pyrethroids. Using quantitative sequencing (QS), the resistance allele frequencies of Israeli bed bug populations from across the country were determined. Genomic DNA was extracted from samples of 12 populations of bed bugs collected from Israel and DNA fragments containing the V419L or L925I and I936F mutations sites were PCR amplified. The PCR products were analyzed by QS and the nucleotide signal ratios calculated and used to predict the resistance allele frequencies of the unknown populations. Results of the genetic analysis show that resistant nucleotide signals are highly correlated to resistance allele frequencies for both mutations. Ten of the 12 tested populations had 100% of the L925I mutation and 0% of the V419L mutation. One population was heterogeneous for the L925I mutation and had 0% of the V419L mutation and another population was heterogeneous for the V419L mutation and had 100% of the L925I mutation. I936F occurred only at low levels. These results indicate that bed bugs in Israel are genetically resistant to pyrethroids. Thus, pyrethroids should only be used for bed bug management with caution using effective application and careful monitoring procedures. Additionally, new and novel-acting insecticides and nonchemical means of controlling bed bugs should be explored. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Hill, Seth; Kavookjian, Jan; Qian, Jingjing; Chung, Allison; Vandewaa, John
2014-01-01
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is a mainstay of treatment for patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Since second line HAART therapies can be costlier and less effective, it is essential to understand the duration of initial HAART therapies. The overall aim of this study was to estimate the effects of daily pill burden on the time to discontinuation of the initial HAART regimen. Patients were initially identified through the clinic's CAREWARE database. A chart review was conducted for data collection, where only adult, female, HIV-positive patients initiating therapy at the study clinic between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2011 were included. All study subjects were followed up from the initiation of HAART to treatment discontinuation. A Kaplan-Meier curve was generated to describe time to discontinuation by regimens, and a Cox proportional hazards model was developed to assess the impact of different regimen and patient demographic characteristics on the hazard of discontinuation of the initial regimen. A total of 498 charts were initially reviewed. After assessment of these patients for inclusion criteria, a cohort of 115 adult female patients who initiated HAART at the study clinic was included. Patients treated with 1 pill/day regimen had a significantly longer time to discontinuation than regimens of >1 pills/day (mean duration of initial therapy was 1062.56 days vs. 631.70 days, respectively, p = 0.003). Compared to 1 pill/day regimens, >1 pills/day regimens were associated with a higher hazard of discontinuation (hazard ratio (HR) =3.44 with 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.25, 9.48). A higher viral load and patients without insurance were also found to be significantly associated with increased hazards of discontinuation. Overall, female HIV patients initiating therapy with the 1 pill/day HAART regimen were less likely to discontinue their treatment compared to patients initiating with >1 pills/day HAART regimen.
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The National Library of Medicine Pill Image Recognition Challenge: An Initial Report.
Yaniv, Ziv; Faruque, Jessica; Howe, Sally; Dunn, Kathel; Sharlip, David; Bond, Andrew; Perillan, Pablo; Bodenreider, Olivier; Ackerman, Michael J; Yoo, Terry S
2016-10-01
In January 2016 the U.S. National Library of Medicine announced a challenge competition calling for the development and discovery of high-quality algorithms and software that rank how well consumer images of prescription pills match reference images of pills in its authoritative RxIMAGE collection. This challenge was motivated by the need to easily identify unknown prescription pills both by healthcare personnel and the general public. Potential benefits of this capability include confirmation of the pill in settings where the documentation and medication have been separated, such as in a disaster or emergency; and confirmation of a pill when the prescribed medication changes from brand to generic, or for any other reason the shape and color of the pill change. The data for the competition consisted of two types of images, high quality macro photographs, reference images, and consumer quality photographs of the quality we expect users of a proposed application to acquire. A training dataset consisting of 2000 reference images and 5000 corresponding consumer quality images acquired from 1000 pills was provided to challenge participants. A second dataset acquired from 1000 pills with similar distributions of shape and color was reserved as a segregated testing set. Challenge submissions were required to produce a ranking of the reference images, given a consumer quality image as input. Determination of the winning teams was done using the mean average precision quality metric, with the three winners obtaining mean average precision scores of 0.27, 0.09, and 0.08. In the retrieval results, the correct image was amongst the top five ranked images 43%, 12%, and 11% of the time, out of 5000 query/consumer images. This is an initial promising step towards development of an NLM software system and application-programming interface facilitating pill identification. The training dataset will continue to be freely available online at: http://pir.nlm.nih.gov/challenge/submission.html.
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A less stressful alternative to oral gavage for pharmacological and toxicological studies in mice
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Walker, Mary K., E-mail: mwalker@salud.unm.edu; Boberg, Jason R.; Walsh, Mary T.
Oral gavage dosing can induce stress and potentially confound experimental measurements, particularly when blood pressure and heart rate are endpoints of interest. Thus, we developed a pill formulation that mice would voluntarily consume and tested the hypothesis that pill dosing would be significantly less stressful than oral gavage. C57Bl/6 male mice were singly housed and on four consecutive days were exposed to an individual walking into the room (week 1, control), a pill being placed into the cage (week 2), and a dose of water via oral gavage (week 3). Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded by radiotelemetry continuouslymore » for 5 h after treatment, and feces collected 6–10 h after treatment for analysis of corticosterone metabolites. Both pill and gavage dosing significantly increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the first hour, compared to control. However, the increase in MAP was significantly greater after gavage and remained elevated up to 5 h, while MAP returned to normal within 2 h after a pill. Neither pill nor gavage dosing significantly increased heart rate during the first hour, compared to control; however, pill dosing significantly reduced heart rate while gavage significantly increased heart rate 2–5 h post dosing. MAP and heart rate did not differ 24 h after dosing. Lastly, only gavage dosing significantly increased fecal corticosterone metabolites, indicating a systemic stress response via activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. These data demonstrated that this pill dosing method of mice is significantly less stressful than oral gavage. -- Highlights: ► Developed a novel oral dosing method using a pill that mice will readily consume. ► Assessed stress by blood pressure, heart rate, and fecal corticosterone metabolites. ► Demonstrated that pill dosing is significantly less stressful than oral gavage.« less
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Tiranti, D
1979-09-01
Although the standard argument for distributing birth control pills throughout the Third World is that they are less dangerous than pregnancy or abortion, irregular use of the pill increases riks of both. The irregularity of use can be attributed to both poor delivery systems and side effects. Side effects occur because of poor screening and lack of alternative dosages. Because of the lower price of buying in bulk, family planning groups distribute only 1 kind of pill. The woman who experiences side effects, e.g. headache, dizziness, weight gain, depression, has no choice but to discontinue use. Few women are screened by having their blood pressure taken, therefore the pill exacerbates illness in those with circulation problems. Breast-feeding mothers who take the pill provide less sustenance from their breastmilk, which can increase infant mortality rates. In Bangladesh a USAID-funded study on contractive distribution found that the "trained" family planning workers did not know what advice to give a woman who missed her pill on 5 consecutive days, or what type of side effects might be anticipated, or how many days after the onset of menstruation a woman should begin the pill. A more level headed approach to delivery of contraceptives in developing countries is needed.
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A Translational Approach to Validate In Vivo Anti-Tumor Effects of Chloroquine on Breast Cancer Risk
2015-07-01
Type of Cancer Drop Down Number/DK Drop Down 29 Birth Control The next section is about the use of birth control pills and... birth control pills or other hormonal contraceptives for at least one month for any reason? These include pills, injections, implants, and patches...Question 50. r Refuse to answer Skip to Question 50. 48. How old were you when you started taking birth control pills/hormonal contraceptives
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Parental love pills: some ethical considerations.
Liao, S Matthew
2011-11-01
It may soon be possible to develop pills that allow parents to induce in themselves more loving behaviour, attitudes and emotions towards their children. In this paper, I consider whether pharmacologically induced parental love can satisfy reasonable conditions of authenticity; why anyone would be interested in taking such parental love pills at all, and whether inducing parental love pharmacologically promotes narcissism or results in self-instrumentalization. I also examine how the availability of such pills may affect the duty to love a child. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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Abasiattai, A M; Utuk, M N; Ojeh, S O; Eyo, U E
2011-01-01
BACKGROUND: Combined oral contraceptive pills were the first contraceptive method to provide sexual freedom of choice for women through reliable, personal and private control of fertility. They are the most widely used hormonal contraceptives and also the most popular non-surgical method of contraception. OBJECTIVE: To review the profile of acceptors of combined oral contraceptive pills at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo. METHODOLOGY: An 8 year review of all clients that accepted combined oral contraceptive pills in the family planning clinic. RESULTS: There were 1,146 new contraceptive acceptors during the period of study out of which 309 (27.9%) accepted the pills. Majority of the clients were between 20 and 29 years of age (54.0%), were multiparous (72.8%), Christians (99.7%) and 61.2% had tertiary level education. Two hundred and fifty-five women (82.5%) desired to use combined oral contraceptive pills to space births while 7.8% wanted to limit child bearing. There was a high discontinuation rate among the women (45.0%) and out of these 87.9% of the clients changed to other contraceptive methods. All the clients commenced their pills within seven days of menstruation and only the low dose monophasic preparations were available in the family planning unit and thus were given to the clients. CONCLUSION: Women who accept to initiate combined oral contraceptive pills in our center are young, well educated, multiparous women who want to space their pregnancies. However, due to the high discontinuation rate among the clients, there is need for further studies evaluating reasons for the high discontinuation rate, exploring interactions between clients and providers' and also providers' attitude towards combined pills in our environment.
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Kumar, Kanupriya; Gulotta, Lawrence V; Dines, Joshua S; Allen, Answorth A; Cheng, Jennifer; Fields, Kara G; YaDeau, Jacques T; Wu, Christopher L
2017-03-01
In the past 16 years, the number of prescription opioids sold in the United States, as well as deaths from prescription opioids, has nearly quadrupled. However, the overall amount of pain reported by patients has not changed significantly. Specific information about opioid prescriptions in the perioperative period is lacking. Of the studies that have been published, investigators have shown that the majority of patients have unused postoperative opioid pills. Moreover, patients appear to lack information about disposal of unused opioid pills. To compare the number of pills prescribed versus the numbers left unused after outpatient shoulder surgeries at an orthopaedic surgery institution. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. In this prospective, observational study, 100 patients (age >18 years) undergoing outpatient shoulder surgery (rotator cuff repair, labral repair, stabilization/Bankart repair, debridement) were enrolled. Follow-ups were conducted via surveys on postoperative days (PODs) 7, 14, 28, and 90. The primary outcome was the number of unused pills from the originally prescribed medication. For all procedure types, the median (Q1, Q3) number of prescribed pills was 60 (40, 80). On POD 90, patients reported a median (Q1, Q3) of 13 (0, 32) unused pills; patients who underwent rotator cuff repairs had the lowest number of pills remaining (median [Q1, Q3], 0 [0, 16]), whereas patients who had stabilization/Bankart repairs had the highest number of unused pills (median [Q1, Q3], 37 [29, 50]). Patient satisfaction with pain management ranged from an average of 70% to 90%. Only 25 patients received instructions or education about opioid disposal. Most outpatient shoulder surgery patients who underwent certain operations were prescribed more opioid analgesics than they consumed. Patient education regarding the disposal of opioids was lacking.
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Comparing the effects of the second-and third-generation oral contraceptives on sexual functioning.
Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Bayatipayan, Somaye; Khalili, Azizeh Farshbaf; Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh Ranjbar; Jafarabadi, Mohammad Asghari; Banoi, Kamala Gaza; Nahaee, Jila
2015-01-01
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the second- and third-generation oral contraceptives on women's reproductive sexual function. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 82 married women of reproductive age in Tehran. Samples were randomized into the groups receiving second- and third-generation oral contraceptive pills. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) tool was used before the intervention and 2 and 4 months after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA) within repeated measures and P < 0.05 were considered significant. There was a statistically significant difference in the positive and negative moods between the experimental and control groups before the intervention in the second and fourth months. The second-generation pills caused a decrease in sexual function in the second month and an increase in sexual function in the fourth month, but the third-generation pills led to an increase in sexual function in the second and fourth months. The increase in sexual function that resulted from using the third-generation pills was significantly higher than that resulted on using the second-generation pills. According to the results of this study, sexual functioning decreased in the second month of using the second-generation pills and sexual performance was significantly more on using the third-generation pills compared to second-generation pills. The most common type of oral contraceptive used in Iran is the second-generation oral contraceptive LD™ (low-dose estrogen), which is freely distributed in health centers. Therefore, it is necessary for women who wish to use these contraceptive methods to be educated and consulted before they start using them. The third-generation contraceptive pills can be recommended to women who wish to use oral contraceptives.
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Dementia in Parkinson's disease: usefulness of the pill questionnaire.
Martinez-Martin, Pablo
2013-11-01
The Level I algorithm for the diagnosis of dementia associated with Parkinson's disease (PD-D) recommended by the Movement Disorder Society task force includes a Pill Questionnaire to determine the impact of cognitive decline on daily activities. The objective of this study was to test the performance of the Pill Questionnaire as a screening tool for the detection of dementia (all-cause) in patients with PD and to test the performance of another functional scale substituting the Pill Questionnaire for the diagnosis of "probable PD-D" (pPD-D). Data were collected from 529 patients who had PD in Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 through 5. The measures used include the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Motor (SCOPA-Motor), scales for psychiatric complications, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Clinical Impression of Severity Index, and the Pill Questionnaire. The SCOPA-Motor functional subscale score was categorized as "impact" or "no impact" of PD on daily activities. According to clinical judgment, 13.3% of patients had dementia. For detecting dementia, the Pill Questionnaire had 89% accuracy, although its positive predictive value was 55%. Performance was worse with the categorized SCOPA-Motor subscale. According to the Movement Disorder Society task force criterion, 85 patients (16.1%) had pPD-D. When the Pill Questionnaire was substituted by the categorized SCOPA-Motor subscale, the modified algorithm showed sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy indexes over 90% but had positive predictive value of 66% for pPD-D diagnosis. Although the Pill Questionnaire demonstrated acceptable basic properties as a screening tool for dementia, its positive predictive value was low. The SCOPA-Motor subscale cannot be proposed as a substitute for the Pill Questionnaire. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Inami, Satoshi; Moridaira, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Daisaku; Shiba, Yo; Nohara, Yutaka; Taneichi, Hiroshi
2016-11-01
Adult spinal deformity (ASD) classification showing that ideal pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) value is within 10° has been received widely. But no study has focused on the optimum level of PI-LL value that reflects wide variety in PI among patients. This study was conducted to determine the optimum PI-LL value specific to an individual's PI in postoperative ASD patients. 48 postoperative ASD patients were recruited. Spino-pelvic parameters and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were measured at the final follow-up. Factors associated with good clinical results were determined by stepwise multiple regression model using the ODI. The patients with ODI under the 75th percentile cutoff were designated into the "good" health related quality of life (HRQOL) group. In this group, the relationship between the PI-LL and PI was assessed by regression analysis. Multiple regression analysis revealed PI-LL as significant parameters associated with ODI. Thirty-six patients with an ODI <22 points (75th percentile cutoff) were categorized into a good HRQOL group, and linear regression models demonstrated the following equation: PI-LL = 0.41PI-11.12 (r = 0.45, P = 0.0059). On the basis of this equation, in the patients with a PI = 50°, the PI-LL is 9°. Whereas in those with a PI = 30°, the optimum PI-LL is calculated to be as low as 1°. In those with a PI = 80°, PI-LL is estimated at 22°. Consequently, an optimum PI-LL is inconsistent in that it depends on the individual PI.
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EPR study on non- and gamma-irradiated herbal pills
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aleksieva, K.; Lagunov, O.; Dimov, K.; Yordanov, N. D.
2011-06-01
The results of EPR studies on herbal pills of marigold, hawthorn, yarrow, common balm, tutsan, nettle and thyme before and after gamma-irradiation are reported. Before irradiation all samples exhibit one weak singlet EPR line with a g-factor of 2.0048±0.0005. After irradiation herbal pills could be separated in two groups according to their EPR spectra. Radiation-induced free radicals in pills of marigold, yarrow, nettle, tutsan and thyme could be attributed mainly to saccharide excipients. Tablets of hawthorn and common balm show "cellulose-like" EPR spectrum, superimposed on partly resolved carbohydrate spectrum, due to the active part (herb) and inulin, which is present in the pills as an excipient. Fading study of the radiation-induced EPR signals confirms that sugar radicals are more stable than cellulose species. The reported results show that the presence of characteristic EPR spectra of herbal pills due to excipients or active part can be used as unambiguous proof of radiation processing within 35 or more days after irradiation.
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Predictors of Adherence in the Women’s Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D Trial
Brunner, R.; Dunbar-Jacob, J.; LeBoff, M. S.; Granek, I.; Bowen, D.; Snetselaar, L. G.; Shumaker, S. A.; Ockene, J.; Rosal, M.; Wactawski-Wende, J.; Cauley, J.; Cochrane, B.; Tinker, L.; Jackson, R.; Wang, C. Y.; Wu, L.
2010-01-01
The authors analyzed data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation Trial (CaD) to learn more about factors affecting adherence to clinical trial study pills (both active and placebo). Most participants (36,282 postmenopausal women aged 50–79 years) enrolled in CaD 1 year after joining either a hormone trial or the dietary modification trial of WHI. The WHI researchers measured adherence to study pills by weighing the amount of remaining pills at an annual study visit; adherence was primarily defined as taking ≥ 80% of the pills. The authors in this study examined a number of behavioral, demographic, procedural, and treatment variables for association with study pill adherence. They found that relatively simple procedures (ie, phone contact early in the study [4 weeks post randomization] and direct social contact) later in the trial may improve adherence. Also, at baseline, past pill-use experiences, personal supplement use, and relevant symptoms may be predictive of adherence in a supplement trial. PMID:19064373
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2014-01-01
Background Most previous studies of morphological and molecular data have consistently supported the monophyly of the true water bugs (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha). An exception is a recent study by Hua et al. (BMC Evol Biol 9: 134, 2009) based on nine nepomorphan mitochondrial genomes. In the analysis of Hua et al. (BMC Evol Biol 9: 134, 2009), the water bugs in the group Pleoidea formed the sister group to a clade that consisted of Nepomorpha (the remaining true water bugs) + Leptopodomorpha (shore bugs) + Cimicomorpha (assassin bugs and relatives) + Pentatomomorpha (stink bugs and relatives), thereby suggesting that fully aquatic hemipterans evolved independently at least twice. Based on these results, Hua et al. (BMC Evol Biol 9: 134, 2009) elevated the Pleoidea to a new infraorder, the Plemorpha. Results Our reanalysis suggests that the lack of support for the monophyly of the true water bugs (including Pleoidea) by Hua et al. (BMC Evol Biol 9: 134, 2009) likely resulted from inadequate taxon sampling. In particular, long-branch attraction (LBA) between the distant outgroup taxa and Pleoidea, as well as LBA among taxa in the ingroup, made Nepomorpha appear to be polyphyletic. We used three complementary strategies to test and alleviate the effects of LBA: (1) the removal of distant outgroups from the analysis; (2) the addition of closely related outgroups; and (3) the addition of a mitochondrial genome from a second family of Pleoidea. We also performed likelihood-ratio tests to examine the support for monophyly of Nepomorpha with different combinations of taxa included in the analysis. Furthermore, we found that specimens of Helotrephes sp. were misidentified as Paraplea frontalis (Fieber, 1844) by Hua et al. (BMC Evol Biol 9: 134, 2009). Conclusions All analyses that included the addition of more taxa significantly and consistently supported the placement of Pleoidea within the Nepomorpha (i.e., supported the monophyly of the traditional true water bugs). Our analyses further support a close relationship between Notonectoidea and Pleoidea within Nepomorpha, and the superfamilies Nepoidea, Ochteroidea, Naucoroidea, and Pleoidea are resolved as monophyletic in all trees with strong support. Our results also confirmed that monophyly of Nepomorpha clearly is not refuted by the mitochondrial genome data. PMID:24884699
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Hutchins, Robert; Pignone, Michael P; Sheridan, Stacey L; Viera, Anthony J
2015-05-11
The utility value attributed to taking pills for prevention can have a major effect on the cost-effectiveness of interventions, but few published studies have systematically quantified this value. We sought to quantify the utility value of taking pills used for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cross-sectional survey. Central North Carolina. 708 healthcare employees aged 18 years and older. Utility values for taking 1 pill/day, assessed using time trade-off, modified standard gamble and willingness-to-pay methods. Mean age of respondents was 43 years (19-74). The majority of the respondents were female (83%) and Caucasian (80%). Most (80%) took at least 2 pills/day. Mean utility values for taking 1 pill/day using the time trade-off method were: 0.9972 (95% CI 0.9962 to 0.9980). Values derived from the standard gamble and willingness-to-pay methods were 0.9967 (0.9954 to 0.9979) and 0.9989 (95% CI 0.9986 to 0.9991), respectively. Utility values varied little across characteristics such as age, sex, race, education level or number of pills taken per day. The utility value of taking pills daily in order to prevent an adverse CVD health outcome is approximately 0.997. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
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Crop juxtaposition affects cotton fiber quality in Georgia farmscapes.
Toews, Michael D; Shurley, W Donald
2009-08-01
Phytophagous stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), including green stink bug [Acrosternum hilare (Say)], southern green stink bug [Nezara viridula (L.)], and brown stink bug [Euschistus servus (Say)], have become a serious production issue for southeastern U.S. cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., growers. To investigate how different agronomic crops may affect stink bug damage and fiber quality in neighboring cotton fields, replicated 1.6-2.0-ha trials were planted with corn (Zea mays L.), peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] bordering a centrally located cotton plot (each of the four crops composed of approximately 0.4-0.5 ha per trial). Three trials were conducted in 2007 and three additional trials were conducted in 2008. Stink bug damage in the cotton plot was sampled weekly during weeks 3 through 6 of bloom at distances of 0.5, 5.3, 9.6, and 18.7 m from the adjacent crop. At the end of the year, representative lint samples at distances of 0.5, 9.6, 18.7, and 31.8 m from each adjacent crop were mechanically harvested, ginned, and classed. Results show that boll damage, seedcotton yield, gin turnout, fiber color, and lint value were negatively affected when the cotton was located adjacent to peanut and soybean. Regardless of the adjacent crop, there were no differences among yield and fiber quality parameters comparing seedcotton obtained 18.7 m from the plot edge and samples obtained from the middle of the cotton plot (approximately 31.8 m from an adjacent crop). These data suggest that integrated pest management programs for the stink bug complex in cotton may include farmscape level planning and targeted interventions as opposed to a crop specific management approach.
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Cooper, Richard; Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal
2016-04-01
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of various interventions on low-level bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., populations in occupied apartments. The first experiment was conducted in occupied apartments under three intervention conditions: never treated (Group I), recently treated with no further treatment (Group II), and recently treated with continued treatment (Group III). Each apartment was monitored with pitfall-style traps (interceptors) installed at beds and upholstered furniture (sleeping and resting areas) along with ∼18 additional interceptors throughout the apartment. The traps were inspected every 2 wk. After 22 wk, bed bugs had been eliminated (zero trap catch for eight consecutive weeks and none detected in visual inspections) in 96, 87, and 100% of the apartments in Groups I, II, and III, respectively. The second experiment investigated the impact of interceptors as a control measure in apartments with low-level infestations. In the treatment group, interceptors were continuously installed at and away from sleeping and resting areas and were inspected every 2 wk for 16 wk. In the control group, interceptors were placed in a similar fashion as the treatment group but were only placed during 6–8 and 14–16 wk to obtain bed bug counts. Bed bug counts were significantly lower at 8 wk in the treatment group than in the control group. At 16 wk, bed bugs were eliminated in 50% of the apartments in the treatment group. The implications of our results in the development of bed bug management strategies and monitoring protocols are discussed.
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Jones, Susan C; Bryant, Joshua L; Sivakoff, Frances S
2015-05-01
Sublethal exposure to pesticides can alter insect behavior with potential for population-level consequences. We investigated sublethal effects of ActiveGuard, a permethrin-impregnated fabric, on feeding behavior and fecundity of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) from five populations that ranged from susceptible to highly pyrethroid resistant. After exposure to ActiveGuard fabric or untreated fabric for 1 or 10 min, adult virgin female bed bugs were individually observed when offered a blood meal to determine feeding attempts and weight gain. Because bed bug feeding behavior is tightly coupled with its fecundity, all females were then mated, and the number of eggs laid and egg hatch rate were used as fecundity measures. We observed that pyrethroid-resistant and -susceptible bugs were not significantly different for all feeding and fecundity parameters. Bed bugs exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min were significantly less likely to attempt to feed or successfully feed, and their average blood meal size was significantly smaller compared with individuals in all other groups. Independent of whether or not feeding occurred, females exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min were significantly more likely to lay no eggs. Only a single female exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min laid any eggs. Among the other fabric treatment-exposure time groups, there were no observable differences in egg numbers or hatch rates. Brief exposure of 10 min to ActiveGuard fabric appeared to decrease feeding and fecundity of pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible bed bugs, suggesting the potentially important role of sublethal exposure for the control of this ectoparasitic insect. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Nattero, Julieta; Dujardin, Jean-Pierre; Del Pilar Fernández, María; Gürtler, Ricardo E
2015-12-01
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a slight and random departure from bilateral symmetry that is normally distributed around a 0 mean, has been widely used to infer developmental instability. We investigated whether habitats (ecotopes) and host-feeding sources influenced wing FA of the hematophagous bug Triatoma infestans. Because bug populations occupying distinct habitats differed substantially and consistently in various aspects such as feeding rates, engorgement status and the proportion of gravid females, we predicted that bugs from more open peridomestic habitats (i.e., goat corrals) were more likely to exhibit higher FA than bugs from domiciles. We examined patterns of asymmetry and the amount of wing size and shape FA in 196 adult T. infestans collected across a gradient of habitat suitability and stability that decreased from domiciles, storerooms, kitchens, chicken coops, pig corrals, to goat corrals in a well-defined area of Figueroa, northwestern Argentina. The bugs had unmixed blood meals on human, chicken, pig and goat depending on the bug collection ecotope. We documented the occurrence of FA in wing shape for bugs fed on all host-feeding sources and in all ecotopes except for females from domiciles or fed on humans. FA indices for wing shape differed significantly among host-feeding sources, ecotopes and sexes. The patterns of wing asymmetry in females from domiciles and from goat corrals were significantly different; differences in male FA were congruent with evidence showing that they had higher mobility than females across habitats. The host-feeding sources and habitats of T. infestans affected wing developmental stability depending on sex. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Curtis-Robles, Rachel; Wozniak, Edward J.; Auckland, Lisa D.; Hamer, Gabriel L.; Hamer, Sarah A.
2015-01-01
Background Chagas disease is a zoonotic parasitic disease well-documented throughout the Americas and transmitted primarily by triatomine ‘kissing bug’ vectors. In acknowledgment of the successful history of vector control programs based on community participation across Latin America, we used a citizen science approach to gain novel insight into the geographic distribution, seasonal activity, and Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence of kissing bugs in Texas while empowering the public with information about Chagas disease. Methodology/Principal Findings We accepted submissions of kissing bugs encountered by the public in Texas and other states from 2013–2014 while providing educational literature about Chagas disease. In the laboratory, kissing bugs were identified to species, dissected, and tested for T. cruzi infection. A total of 1,980 triatomines were submitted to the program comprised of at least seven species, of which T. gerstaeckeri and T. sanguisuga were the most abundant (85.7% of submissions). Triatomines were most commonly collected from dog kennels and outdoor patios; Overall, 10.5% of triatomines were collected from inside the home. Triatomines were submitted from across Texas, including many counties which were not previously known to harbor kissing bugs. Kissing bugs were captured primarily throughout April-October, and peak activity occurred in June-July. Emails to our dedicated account regarding kissing bugs were more frequent in the summer months (June-August) than the rest of the year. We detected T. cruzi in 63.3% of tested bugs. Conclusions/Significance Citizen science is an efficient approach for generating data on the distribution, phenology, and infection prevalence of kissing bugs—vectors of the Chagas disease parasite—while educating the public and medical community. PMID:26658425
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Economic Injury Level of the Neotropical Brown Stink Bug Euschistus heros (F.) on Cotton Plants.
Soria, M F; Degrande, P E; Panizzi, A R; Toews, M D
2017-06-01
In Brazil, the Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), commonly disperses from soybeans to cotton fields. The establishment of an economic treatment threshold for this pest on cotton crops is required. Infestation levels of adults of E. heros were evaluated on cotton plants at preflowering, early flowering, boll filling, and full maturity by assessing external and internal symptoms of injury on bolls, seed cotton/lint production, and fiber quality parameters. A completely randomized experiment was designed to infest cotton plants in a greenhouse with 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 bugs/plant, except at the full-maturity stage in which only infestation with 8 bugs/plant and uninfested plants were evaluated. Results indicated that the preflowering, early-flowering, and full-maturity stages were not affected by E. heros. A linear regression model showed a significant increase in the number of internal punctures and warts in the boll-filling stage as the population of bugs increased. The average number of loci with mottled immature fibers was significantly higher at 4, 6, and 8 bugs compared with uninfested plants with data following a quadratic regression model. The seed and lint cotton was reduced by 18 and 25% at the maximum level of infestation (ca. 8 bugs/plant) in the boll-filling stage. The micronaire and yellowing indexes were, respectively, reduced and increased with the increase of the infestation levels. The economic injury level of E. heros on cotton plants at the boll-filling stage was determined as 0.5 adult/plant. Based on that, a treatment threshold of 0.1 adult/plant can be recommended to avoid economic losses.
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Knight, Ian A; Roberts, Phillip M; Gardner, Wayne A; Oliver, Kerry M; Reay-Jones, Francis P F; Reisig, Dominic D; Toews, Michael D
2017-12-08
Since 2014, populations of the kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), have declined in the southeastern United States and seldom require treatment. This decline follows the discovery of Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd; Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), a non-native egg parasitoid. The objective of this project was to observe the temporal and spatial dynamics of P. saccharalis parasitism of kudzu bug egg masses in commercial soybean fields. Four fields were sampled weekly for kudzu bugs and egg masses at a density of one sample per 0.6 ha. Sampling commenced when soybean reached the R2 maturity stage and continued until no more egg masses were present. Responses including kudzu bugs, egg masses, and parasitism rates were analyzed using ANOVA, Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE), and SaTScan spatial analysis software. Egg masses were collected from the field, held in the lab and monitored for emergence of kudzu bug nymphs or P. saccharalis. Kudzu bug populations were generally lower than previously reported in the literature and spatial aggregation was not consistently observed. Egg parasitism was first detected in early July and increased to nearly 40% in mid-August. Significant spatial patterns in parasitism were observed with spatio-temporal clusters being loosely associated with clusters of egg masses. There were no significant differences in parasitism rates between field margins and interiors, suggesting that P. saccharalis is an effective parasitoid of kudzu bug egg masses on a whole-field scale. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Seri Masran, Siti Nor Ain; Ab Majid, Abdul Hafiz
2017-07-01
The tropical bed bug is scientifically recognized as a significant public health problem. While there is an increased awareness about their resurgence by medical and life science committees, efficient bed bug management still remains unresolved. The solution may soon arise, as information about bed bugs' infestation dynamics and systematics are becoming more distinguishable. Recent developments in studies about bed bugs are based on molecular intervention by determining their genetic variation and phylogeography. The aim of this study is to assess the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity among the populations of tropical bed bugs inhabiting Malaysia. A molecular genotyping study was conducted with 22 tropical bed bug populations composed of three individuals per population. The mitochondrial (COI) gene was used as a marker. The data obtained were analyzed using the T-Coffee, ClustalX, MEGA 6.0, and PAUP software. The results showed one main monophyletic clade that consisted of two groups: Ch01 and Ch02. Ch02 consists of samples from the Bandar Hilir population, differing from the other populations studied by one singleton base. However, as there were no changes in the amino acid, this singleton genetic variation was considered to have no effect on genetic differentiation. Ch01 shows similarity with some sequence of Cimex hemipterus (F.) from Thailand, suggesting an international diversity connection. The disparity index apparently suggests that all isolates are homogeneous populations and are supported by the low value of the mean pairwise distance between isolates. This study will increase the knowledge about phylogeographic diversity of tropical bed bug in Malaysia. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Piccinali, R. V.; Marcet, P. L.; Ceballos, L. A.; Kitron, U.; Gürtler, R. E.; Dotson, E. M.
2011-01-01
The recent discovery of sylvatic populations of Triatoma infestans outside the Andean Valleys of Bolivia prompted an evolutionary question about the putative ancestral area of origin and dispersal of the species, and an epidemiological question regarding the possible role of these sylvatic populations in the recolonization process of insecticide-treated houses. The finding of a population of sylvatic melanic T. infestans (dark morphs) in the Argentinean dry Chaco at 7 km from a peridomestic bug population of typical coloration gave us the opportunity to test both questions simultaneously by employing phylogenetic and population genetic approaches. For this purpose we analyzed sylvatic and peridomestic bugs using sequence-based mitochondrial and nuclear markers (mtCOI and ITS-1) and microsatellites. Sylvatic bugs were confirmed to be T. infestans and not hybrids, and showed high levels of genetic variability and departures from neutral expectations for mtCOI variation. New ITS-1 and mtCOI haplotypes were recorded, as well as haplotypes shared with peridomestic and/or domestic bugs from previous records. The peridomestic population was invariant for ITS-1 and mtCOI, but showed variability for microsatellites and signatures of a population bottleneck, probably due to a limited number of founders. Phylogenetic analyses were consistent with the presence of ancestral haplotypes in sylvatic bugs. According to F-statistics and assignment methods there was a significant differentiation between sylvatic and peridomestic bugs and gene flow was low and asymmetric, with more bugs moving from the peridomicile to the sylvatic environment. These results support the hypothesis of the Chaco region as the area of origin of T. infestans, and a limited role of sylvatic melanic T. infestans in peridomestic infestation in the Argentinean Chaco. PMID:21352954
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Developing e-Bug web games to teach microbiology.
Farrell, David; Kostkova, Patty; Lazareck, Lisa; Weerasinghe, Dasun; Weinberg, Julius; Lecky, Donna M; Adriaenssens, Niels; Koprivová Herotová, Tereza; Holt, Jette; Touboul, Pia; Merakou, Kyriakoula; Koncan, Raffaella; Olczak-Pienkowska, Anna; Avô, António Brito; Campos, José; McNulty, Cliodna A M
2011-06-01
As a complement to the e-Bug teaching pack, two e-Bug games were developed to provide content that aimed to entertain as well as to educate. A set of agreed learning outcomes (LOs) were provided by the scientific partners of the e-Bug Project and the games were developed using user-centred design techniques (the needs, wants and limitations of the potential game players were assessed at each stage of the design process). The e-Bug games were designed for two age groups: Junior (9-12 year olds); and Senior (13-15 year olds). A study using focus groups was done to gain an understanding as to the types of games enjoyed by the target users. According to the preliminary study, the Junior Game was developed as a platform game and the Senior Game was developed as a story-based detective game. The Junior Game consists of five levels, each associated with a set of LOs. Similarly, the Senior Game consists of four missions, each comprising five stages using problem-based learning techniques and LOs. In this paper, the process of development for each game is described in detail and an illustration is provided of how each game level or mission addresses the target LOs. Development of the games used feedback acquired from children in four schools across the UK (Glasgow, London and two in Gloucester). The children were selected according to their willingness to participate. European Partners of the e-Bug Project also provided further support, translation and requests for modifications. The knowledge gained of LOs and further evaluation of the games is continuing, and preliminary results are in press. The final versions of the games, translated into 11 European languages, are available online via www.e-bug.eu.
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Rupeš, V; Vlčková, J; Holý, O; Horáková, D; Azeem, K; Kollárová, H
2017-01-01
Bed bugs have become a major concern worldwide in the 21st century and are therefore intensively investigated. The new findings not only extend the knowledge of their biology, medical relevance, and causes of the resurgence, but also can be used in bed bug management. A brief overview is provided of some of the most important research results and opinions, published in the last few years in prestigious international journals.
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Soares, V A; Marsden, P D
1979-12-01
Investigations into the viability time of T. cruzi in dead bugs experimentally infected with "Peru" strain showed a maximum of 9 days for Dipetalogaster maximus and 8 for Triatoma infestans maintained at ambient temperature (26 degrees C). On refrigeration survival was increased to 60 days. In routine xenodiagnosis in the refrigerator 90 day survival was noted of both T. cruzi and the vector bug.
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2010-01-01
A recent study in BMC Biology has determined that the immature stage of the bed bug (the nymph) signals its reproductive status to adult males using pheromones and thus avoids the trauma associated with copulation in this species. The success of this nymphal strategy of deterrence is instructive. Against the background of increasing problems with bed bugs, this research raises the question whether pheromones might be used to control them. See research article http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/121 PMID:20828375
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Maffey, L; Cardinal, M V; Ordóñez-Krasnowski, P C; Lanati, L A; Lauricella, M A; Schijman, A G; Gürtler, R E
2012-10-01
We assessed the distribution of Trypanosoma cruzi Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) in domestic and peridomestic Triatoma infestans and Triatoma sordida specimens collected in a well-defined rural area in Pampa del Indio, northeastern Argentina. Microscopically-positive bugs were randomly selected with a multi-level sampling design, and DTUs were identified using direct PCR strategies. TcVI predominated in 61% of 69 T. infestans and in 56% of 9 T. sordida. TcV was the secondary DTU in T. infestans (16%) and was found in 1 T. sordida specimen (11%). Three T. sordida (33%) were found infected with TcI, a DTU also identified in local Didelphis albiventris opossums. Mixed DTU infections occurred rarely (5%) and were detected both directly from the bugs' rectal ampoule and parasite cultures. The identified DTUs and bug collection sites of T. infestans were significantly associated. Bugs infected with TcV were almost exclusively captured in domiciles whereas those with TcVI were found similarly in domiciles and peridomiciles. All mixed infections occurred in domiciles. TcV-infected bugs fed more often on humans than on dogs, whereas TcVI-infected bugs showed the reverse pattern. T. sordida is a probable sylvatic vector of TcI linked to D. albiventris, and could represent a secondary vector of TcVI and TcV in the domestic/peridomestic cycle.
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Goodman, Mark H; Potter, Michael F; Haynes, Kenneth F
2013-02-01
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have become a common insect pest in urban areas and are often difficult to manage. Eradication is made more problematic by widespread insecticide resistance, raising interest in alternative control products. Juvenile hormone analogs (JHAs) such as methoprene and hydroprene are relatively harmless to non-arthropods and have proved to be effective against other urban insect pests. Two JHA products (Gentrol(®) and Precor(®), Central Life Sciences, Schaumburg, IL) were tested for efficacy against various bed bug stages as direct spray and as dry residue using three bed bug strains. At 1× and 2× the label rate, Precor(®) [active ingredient (S)-methoprene] had no significant effect on the development or fecundity of bed bugs. At 2× the label rate, confinement to residues of Gentrol(®) [active ingredient (S)-hydroprene] had no significant effect, but residues at 3× and 10× the label rate caused a reduction in fecundity and impaired development. Field strains were more susceptible to the reproductive effects of (S)-hydroprene than a long-maintained laboratory strain. While JHAs are attractive alternatives for pest management because of their inherent safety and distinct mode of action, these JHA formulations would have little impact on bed bug populations without relabeling to allow for higher application rates. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Davies, T G E; Field, L M; Williamson, M S
2012-09-01
A global resurgence of bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) has led to renewed scientific interest in these insects. The current bed bug upsurge appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990 s in Europe, the U.S.A. and Australia. Several factors have led to this situation, with resistance to applied insecticides making a significant contribution. With a growing number of insecticides (DDT, carbamates, organophosphates etc.) being no longer available as a result of regulatory restrictions, the mainstay chemistry used for bed bug control over the past few decades has been the pyrethroid insecticides. With reports of increasing tolerance to pyrethroids leading to control failures on the rise, containing and eradicating bed bugs is proving to be a difficult task. Consequently, several recent studies have focused on determining the mode of action of pyrethroid resistance in bed bug populations sourced from different locations. Correct identification of the factor(s) responsible for the increasing resistance is critical to the development of effective management strategies, which need to be based, wherever possible, on firm scientific evidence. Here we review the literature on this topic, highlighting the mechanisms thought to be involved and the problems currently faced by pest control professionals in dealing with a developing pandemic. © 2012 Rothamsted Research. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.
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Male and Female Performance on Military Related Tasks
1983-12-01
three studies, we tested groups of men, women taking birth control pills, and normally cycling women not taking birth control pills. In Experiments...The subject groups are males and females. Because the military population used for these experiments yielded very few women using birth control pills
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How to deal with bed bugs in one printable page. Ten tips include ensuring correct insect identification, reducing clutter, understand integrated pest management, using mattress and box spring encasements, and heat treatment.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hagemann, N.; Blumensaat, F.; Tavares Wahren, F.; Trümper, J.; Burmeister, C.; Moynihan, R.; Scheifhacken, N.
2014-11-01
River basin management (RMB) was introduced to combat high levels of water pollution across Ukraine. The Western Bug River provides an example of how water quality is impacted by industrial and domestic wastewater discharges as well as pollution from agriculture and mining activities. The paper draws from a broader interdisciplinary study which aims to outline the sources of pollution within the upper Western Bug River catchment and identify the driving institutional forces behind this enduring environmental problem. The results of this study show that the administrative and spatial scales concerning river catchment management in the Western Bug River basin are not aligned. Furthermore, the temporal scale is often conflicting with the two above mentioned scales. The current political and financial situation of the State, as well as outdated administrative structures hinders effective water governance and results in low water quality. Despite these findings, there is also some evidence that in the longer term the RBM approach could succeed in the Western Bug River, especially if political and legal reforms are properly implemented and enforced.
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Program Correctness, Verification and Testing for Exascale (Corvette)
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sen, Koushik; Iancu, Costin; Demmel, James W
The goal of this project is to provide tools to assess the correctness of parallel programs written using hybrid parallelism. There is a dire lack of both theoretical and engineering know-how in the area of finding bugs in hybrid or large scale parallel programs, which our research aims to change. In the project we have demonstrated novel approaches in several areas: 1. Low overhead automated and precise detection of concurrency bugs at scale. 2. Using low overhead bug detection tools to guide speculative program transformations for performance. 3. Techniques to reduce the concurrency required to reproduce a bug using partialmore » program restart/replay. 4. Techniques to provide reproducible execution of floating point programs. 5. Techniques for tuning the floating point precision used in codes.« less
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Peripheral arterial disease in a female using high-dose combined oral contraceptive pills.
Pallavee, P; Samal, Sunita; Samal, Rupal
2013-01-01
The association between oral contraceptive (OC) pills and vascular diseases is well-known, although, the present generation of pills is considered to be relatively safer in this regard. Hormonal treatment for severe abnormal uterine bleeding is usually considered after ruling out malignancy, when such bleeding is resistant to all other forms of treatment. We report a case of severe peripheral arterial disease in a female, who had been on high-dose OC pills for an extended period of time for severe uterine bleeding.
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[Stability of physical state on compound hawthorn dropping pills].
Zhang, Wei; Chen, Hong-Yan; Jiang, Jian-Lan
2008-11-01
To evaluate the stability of physical state with accelerate test and dropping in process before and after on compound hawthorn dropping pills. Scanning electron microscope, TG-DTA, FT-IR and XRD were used. The active components presented amorphous, tiny crystal and molecular state in dropping pills, and it had no obvious reaction between PEG 4000 and active components. With time prolonging, a little of active components changed from amorphous state to tiny crystal or molecular state. Solid dispersion improved the stability and dissolution of compound hawthorn dropping pills.
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Jain, Rajeev Kumar
2017-04-01
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is typically progressive, with sequential addition of therapies often needed to address increasing hyperglycemia over the disease course. Using treatments in combination may be preferred to sequential addition, as a means of providing a more rapid clinical response and potentially avoiding clinical inertia. In such cases, a single-pill combination can help to reduce pill burden. Although various single-pill combinations of oral glucose-lowering agents are available, empagliflozin/linagliptin was the first approved combination of a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor with a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor in the United States. Areas covered: Two publications of the clinical trial investigating the efficacy and safety of single-pill combinations of empagliflozin/linagliptin in treatment-naive or metformin-treated patients with T2DM (NCT01422876) are reviewed, and their potential impact on clinical practice is discussed. Expert opinion: The study discussed provides evidence for the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin/linagliptin single pills. Addition of an empagliflozin/linagliptin single pill may be considered in patients with inadequate glycemic control on metformin, or as an alternative to first-line treatment with empagliflozin or linagliptin when metformin is not suitable, particularly in patients with very poor glycemic control, or those who need to achieve target more quickly.
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Gokalp, Gamze; Anil, Murat; Bal, Alkan; Bicilioglu, Yuksel; Kamit Can, Fulya; Anil, Ayse Berna
2016-01-01
Suicide attempts (SAs) in the paediatric age group represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to examine the factors affecting the decision to hospitalize children with a diagnosis of non-fatal SA by pills. Children <18 years of age admitted with SA by pills during 2014 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups: Group-I comprised hospitalised patients and Group-II included those who were discharged from the PED. These two groups were compared in terms of clinical and demographic characteristics recorded upon PED admission. A total of 196 patients were included in the study. The number of pills taken for self-poisoning in Group-I (median: 20 pills) was higher than that in Group-II (median: 12 pills) (p < 0.001), and the rate of pathological findings during the first paediatric psychiatric consultation was higher in Group-I (91.1%) than in the Group-II (54.8%) (p < 0.001). Factors affecting the disposition decision in cases of children who performed non-fatal SA via pills included the amount of medication taken for the suicide attempt and the presence of psychiatric disorders, as determined by a paediatric psychiatrist during the acute phase.
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Wen, Bin; Sun, Hai-Tao; He, Song-Qi; LA, Lei; An, Hai-Yan; Pang, Jie
2016-02-01
To explore the molecular mechanism by which Biejiajian pills inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma in a nude mouse model bearing HepG2 cell xenograft. The inhibitory effect of Biejiajian pills on the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice was observed. Immunohistochemical method was used to examine proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in HepG2 cell xenograft, and TUNEL method was employed to detect the cell apoptosis; the expression levels of β-catenin and Tbx3 were measured by Western blotting. Biejiajian pills significantly suppressed the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice. The tumor-bearing mice treated with a high and a moderate dose of Biejiajian pills showed significantly increased apoptosis rate of the tumor cells [(22.9±1.220)% and (14.7±0.50)%, respectively] compared with the control group [(5.5±0.90)%, P<0.05]. Treatment with Biejiajian pills significantly decreased the expressions of PNCA, β-catenin, and Tbx3 in the cell xenograft (P<0.05). Biejiajian pills can inhibit the growth of HepG2 cell xenograft in nude mice and promote tumor cell apoptosis possibly by inhibiting PNCA expression and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Bed Bug Information Clearinghouse
Its purpose is to help states, communities, and consumers in efforts to prevent and control bed bug infestations. Currently includes only reviewed material from federal/state/local government agencies, extension services, and universities.
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The safest bug repellent is to wear proper clothing. Wear a full-brimmed hat to protect your ... Tuck pant cuffs into socks. Wear light-colored clothing. Light colors are less attractive than dark colors ...
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Yiu, K W; Chan, S Sc; Chung, T Kh
2017-04-01
Mothers' attitude may affect use of combined oral contraceptive pills by their daughters. We explored Chinese mothers' knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of combined oral contraceptive pills by their daughters for menstrual disorders or contraception, and evaluate the factors affecting their attitude. This survey was conducted from October 2012 to March 2013, and recruited Chinese women who attended a gynaecology clinic or accompanied their daughter to a gynaecology clinic, and who had one or more daughters aged 10 to 18 years. They completed a 41-item questionnaire to assess their knowledge of and attitude towards use of the combined oral contraceptive pills by their daughters. The demographic data of the mothers and their personal experience in using the pills were also collected. A total of 300 women with a mean age of 45.2 (standard deviation, 5.0) years completed the questionnaire. Only 58.3% of women reported that they had knowledge about the combined oral contraceptive pills; among them, a majority (63.3%) reported that their source of knowledge came from medical professionals. Of a total possible score of 22, their mean knowledge score for risk, side-effects, benefits, and contra-indications to use of combined oral contraceptive pills was only 5.0 (standard deviation, 4.7). If the medical recommendation to use an oral contraceptive was to manage their daughter's dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, acne, or contraception needs, 32.0%, 39.3%, 21.0% and 29.7%, respectively would accept this advice. Women who were an ever-user of combined oral contraceptive pills or who were more knowledgeable about combined oral contraceptives had a higher acceptance rate. Chinese women had a low acceptance level of using combined oral contraceptive pills as a legitimate treatment for their daughters. This was associated with lack of knowledge or a high degree of uncertainty about their risks and benefits. It is important that health caregivers provide up-to-date information about combined oral contraceptive pills to women and their daughters.
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Priya, Khushboo; Rajaram, Shalini; Goel, Neerja
2016-12-01
To compare the efficacy and acceptability of combined hormonal vaginal ring with combined oral hormonal pill in women with idiopathic chronic pelvic pain. Randomised prospective interventional trial conducted in 60 women with idiopathic chronic pelvic pain. Women were randomised into two groups of 30 each. In each group, treatment was given for 84 days using either combined vaginal ring or combined oral hormonal pill. Hormonal vaginal ring releases 15mcg of ethinyl estradiol and 120mcg of the etonogestrel per day while the hormonal pill contained 30mcg of ethinyl estradiol and 150mcg of levonorgestrel. There was no ring or pill free week. After every 28 days, pain relief was measured using visual analogue scale (VAS), and verbal rating score (VRS) calculated by summing dysmenorrhea, non-cyclic pelvic pain (NCCP) and deep dyspareunia scores. Side effects, compliance, satisfaction, and user acceptability were also measured. Data was analyzed using various parametric and non-parametric tests. Reduction in mean VAS score at end of treatment in ring group was 6.23 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.45-7.01; p<0.001) as compared to 5.53 in pill group (95% CI, 4.83-6.23; p<0.001). Reduction in mean VRS score was 5.63 in ring users (95% CI, 4.84-6.42; p<0.001) versus 4.36 in pill users (95% CI, 3.63-5.10; p<0.001). A significantly higher persistent relief in NCPP score was observed in vaginal ring group as compared to oral pill group at end of one month after stopping treatment. Compliance, satisfaction, and user acceptability were higher in ring users (80%) than pill users (70%) and a higher incidence of nausea was seen in pill group. Present study demonstrates for first time that both vaginal and oral hormonal therapy are effective in treatment of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain and vaginal ring may be a better choice with higher satisfaction rate and fewer side effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Bed Bug Clearinghouse by Audience
This information is intended to help states, communities, and consumers prevent and control bed bug infestations. Find materials for emergency and health facilities, hotels, housing authorities, landlords, schools, pest management professionals, and more.
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Shetab Boushehri, Seyed Vahid; Tamimi, Maryam; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas
2009-11-01
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is the major ingredient of ecstasy illicit pills. It is a hallucinogen, central nervous system stimulant, and serotonergic neurotoxin that strongly releases serotonin from serotonergic nerves terminals. Moreover, it releases norepinephrine and dopamine from nerves terminal, but to a lesser extent than serotonin. Poisoning and even death from abusing MDMA-containing ecstasy illicit pills among abusers is usual. Thus, quantitative determination of MDMA content of ecstasy illicit pills in illicit drug bazaar must be done regularly to find the most high dose ecstasy illicit pills and removing them from illicit drug bazaar. In the present study, MDMA contents of 13 most abundant ecstasy illicit pills were determined by quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Two procedures for quantitative determination of MDMA contents of ecstasy illicit pills by TLC were used: densitometric and so-called 'scraping off' methods. The former was done in a reflection mode at 285 nm and the latter was done by absorbance measurement of eluted scraped off spots. Limit of detection (LOD), considering signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 2, and limit of quantification (LOQ), regarding S/N of 10, of densitometric and scraping off methods were 0.40 microg, 1.20 microg, and 6.87 mug, 20.63 microg, respectively. Repeatabilities (within-laboratory error) of densitometric and scraping off methods were 0.5% and 3.6%, respectively. The results showed that the ecstasy illicit pills contained 24-124.5 mg and 23.9-122.2 mg MDMA by densitometric and scraping off methods, respectively.
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Wang, Steven; Alfieri, Thomas; Ramakrishnan, Karthik; Braunhofer, Peter; Newsome, Britt A
2014-11-01
Phosphate binders (PBs) account for about one half of the daily pill burden for US hemodialysis (HD) patients, which may reduce adherence. Adherence can be estimated by the medication possession ratio (MPR), which is defined as the proportion of time a patient had sufficient medication to have taken it as prescribed. Gaps of time between prescription fills lower the patient's MPR. We assessed the association of PB pill burden and adherence (MPR) with phosphorus goal attainment. Using pharmacy management program data, HD patients on PB monotherapy were tracked from first PB fill during 1 January 2007-30 June 2011 for 1 year, or until PB change or censoring. Data were assessed with generalized linear models. We analyzed 8616 patients. Higher pill burden was associated with lower adherence. Lower adherence tended to be associated with higher mean phosphorus levels and lower percentage of patients with serum phosphorus ≤5.5 mg/dL (P < 0.001). The association between adherence and these clinical outcomes was most pronounced in the lowest and highest pill burden strata (<3, >3-6, >12-15, >15). Adherence, as measured by the MPR, was negatively related to higher pill burden and phosphorus levels and positively related to patients in the phosphorus target range. Within pill burden strata, phosphorus increased and patients in the target range generally decreased with decreasing adherence, suggesting that patients prescribed fewer PB pills are less likely to have treatment gaps, and may be more likely to achieve phosphorus targets. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA.
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Rahman, Merajur; Akerman, Stuart; DeVito, Bethany; Miller, Larry; Akerman, Meredith; Sultan, Keith
2015-05-14
To evaluate the completion rate and diagnostic yield of the PillCam SB2-ex in comparison to the PillCam SB2. Two hundred cases using the 8-h PillCam SB2 were retrospectively compared to 200 cases using the 12 h PillCam SB2-ex at a tertiary academic center. Endoscopically placed capsules were excluded from the study. Demographic information, indications for capsule endoscopy, capsule type, study length, completion of exam, clinically significant findings, timestamp of most distant finding, and significant findings beyond 8 h were recorded. The 8 and 12 h capsule groups were well matched respectively for both age (70.90 ± 14.19 vs 71.93 ± 13.80, P = 0.46) and gender (45.5% vs 48% male, P = 0.69). The most common indications for the procedure in both groups were anemia and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. PillCam SB2-ex had a significantly higher completion rate than PillCam SB2 (88% vs 79.5%, P = 0.03). Overall, the diagnostic yield was greater for the 8 h capsule (48.5% for SB2 vs 35% for SB2-ex, P = 0.01). In 4/70 (5.7%) of abnormal SB2-ex exams the clinically significant finding was noted in the small bowel beyond the 8 h mark. In our study, we found the PillCam SB2-ex to have a significantly increased completion rate, though without any improvement in diagnostic yield compared to the PillCam SB2.
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Yan, Hai-yan; Zou, Chun-cai; Wei, Mei-ling; Gao, Zheng-zheng; Yang, Yang
2015-03-01
To study the pharmacodynamics of Gualou Xiebai Dropping Pills and its medicinal ingredients in prescription on anti-myocardial ischemia. SPF Rats were divided randomly into eleven groups with ten rats in each group and half male and half female, the rats were respectively given the physiological saline(blank group and model group), Gualou, Xiebai, Gualou Xiebai Baijiutang (all equivalent to the crude herb of 22. 5 g/kg), Gualou Xiebai. Dropping Pills in the doses of 3. 75,11. 25,22. 5,33. 75 and 45 g/kg and Compound Danshen Drop Pills of 0. 085 g/kg by gavage one time a day for seven days. Except blank group, other rats were given by intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol to establish myocardial ischemia models, changes of ST segments in ECG were observed in all groups, and the levels of SOD, NO, HDL-C, MDA, CAT, LDH and CK in blood plasma were detected, and the pathological changes of myocardial tissues were observed under light microscope by HE staining. Compared with model group, ST segments in ECG dropped markedly at different time point which included 10,11 and 12 (P <0. 05) in Gualou Xiebai Drop Pills groups of 22. 5, 33. 75 and 45 g/kg, time points were more than those of other groups. Gualou Xiebai Dropping Pills groups of 22. 5 and 33. 75 g/kg improved the levels of SOD, MDA, CAT, NO, HDL-C, LDH and CK in blood plasma in model rats significantly (P <0. 01 or P <0. 05). Gualou Xeibai Dropping Pills improved the pathological changes of myocardial tissues at all dosages. Gualou Xiebai Drop Pills can effectively restrain the acute myocardial ischemia induced by isoproterenol in rats, compared with Gualou, Xiebai or Gualou Xiebai Baijiutang, Gualou Xiebai Drop Pills obtains a favourable effect.
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Comparing the effects of the second-and third-generation oral contraceptives on sexual functioning
Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Bayatipayan, Somaye; Khalili, Azizeh Farshbaf; Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh Ranjbar; Jafarabadi, Mohammad Asghari; Banoi, Kamala Gaza; Nahaee, Jila
2015-01-01
Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the second- and third-generation oral contraceptives on women's reproductive sexual function. Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 82 married women of reproductive age in Tehran. Samples were randomized into the groups receiving second- and third-generation oral contraceptive pills. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) tool was used before the intervention and 2 and 4 months after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA) within repeated measures and P < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the positive and negative moods between the experimental and control groups before the intervention in the second and fourth months. The second-generation pills caused a decrease in sexual function in the second month and an increase in sexual function in the fourth month, but the third-generation pills led to an increase in sexual function in the second and fourth months. The increase in sexual function that resulted from using the third-generation pills was significantly higher than that resulted on using the second-generation pills. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, sexual functioning decreased in the second month of using the second-generation pills and sexual performance was significantly more on using the third-generation pills compared to second-generation pills. The most common type of oral contraceptive used in Iran is the second-generation oral contraceptive LD™ (low-dose estrogen), which is freely distributed in health centers. Therefore, it is necessary for women who wish to use these contraceptive methods to be educated and consulted before they start using them. The third-generation contraceptive pills can be recommended to women who wish to use oral contraceptives. PMID:25709690
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Potential public sector cost-savings from over-the-counter access to oral contraceptives.
Foster, Diana G; Biggs, M Antonia; Phillips, Kathryn A; Grindlay, Kate; Grossman, Daniel
2015-05-01
This study estimates how making oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) available without a prescription may affect contraceptive use, unintended pregnancies and associated contraceptive and pregnancy costs among low-income women. Based on published figures, we estimate two scenarios [low over-the-counter (OTC) use and high OTC use] of the proportion of low-income women likely to switch to an OTC pill and predict adoption of OCPs according to the out-of-pocket costs per pill pack. We then estimate cost-savings of each scenario by comparing the total public sector cost of providing OCPs OTC and medical care for unintended pregnancy. Twenty-one percent of low-income women at risk for unintended pregnancy are very likely to use OCPs if they were available without a prescription. Women's use of OTC OCPs varies widely by the out-of-pocket pill pack cost. In a scenario assuming no out-of-pocket costs for the over-the counter pill, an additional 11-21% of low-income women will use the pill, resulting in a 20-36% decrease in the number of women using no method or a method less effective than the pill, and a 7-25% decrease in the number of unintended pregnancies, depending on the level of use and any effect on contraceptive failure rates. If out-of-pocket costs for such pills are low, OTC access could have a significant effect on use of effective contraceptives and unintended pregnancy. Public health plans may reduce expenditures on pregnancy and contraceptive healthcare services by covering oral contraceptives as an OTC product. Interest in OTC access to oral contraceptives is high. Removing the prescription barrier, particularly if pill packs are available at low or zero out-of-pocket cost, could increase the use of effective methods of contraception and reduce unintended pregnancy and healthcare costs for contraceptive and pregnancy care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Research on structural design and test technologies for a three-chamber launching device
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jun, Wu; Qiushi, Yan; Ling, Xiao; Tieshuan, Zhuang; Chengyu, Yang
2016-07-01
A three-chamber launching device with improved acceleration is proposed and developed. As indicated by the damage generated during the pill and engineering protection tests, the proposed device is applicable as a high-speed launching platform for pills of different shapes and quality levels. Specifically, it can be used to investigate kinetic energy weapons and their highly destructive effects due to the resulting large bomb fragments. In the horizontal direction of the barrel, two auxiliary chambers are set at a certain distance from the main chamber. When the pill reaches the mouth of the auxiliary chambers, the charges in the auxiliary chambers are ignited by the high-temperature, high-pressure combustible gas trailing the pill. The combustible gas in the auxiliary chambers can resist the rear pressure of the pill and thus maintain the high pressure of the pill base. In this way, the required secondary acceleration of the pill is met. The proposed device features the advantage of launching a pill with high initial velocity under low bore pressure. Key techniques are proposed in the design of the device to address the problems related to the angle between the main chamber axis and the ancillary chamber axis, the overall design of a three-chamber barrel, the structural design of auxiliary propellant charge, the high-pressure combustible gas sealing technology, and the sabot and belt design. Results from the launching test verify the reasonable design of this device and its reliable structural sealing. Additionally, the stiffness and the strength of the barrel meet design requirements. Compared with the single-chamber launching device with the same caliber, the proposed device increases the average launching velocity by approximately 15% and the amount of muzzle kinetic energy by approximately 35%. Therefore, this equipment is capable of carrying out small-caliber, high-speed pill firing tests.
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Bug breakfast in the bulletin: human papilloma virus.
Wallace, Cate; Weisberg, Edith; McCaffery, Kirsten
2007-01-01
The Bug Breakfast topic for October was Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The presenters covered the epidemiology of HPV, the newly introduced HPV vaccine and social and psychological issues relating to HPV vaccination.
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Two sets of business card-sized lists of tips for prevention of bed bug infestations, one for general use around home, the other for travelers. Print a single card or a page of cards for distribution.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
el-Mofty, M.M.; Sakr, S.A.; Younis, M.W.
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, irradiated with gamma rays were allowed to suck blood from shaved areas of the skin of rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, 2 times/week for 5 months and then once weekly for another 5 months. This significantly induced the formation of skin papillomas and sweat gland hyperplasia in five out of nine experimental animals. It is speculated that the saliva of the irradiated bugs was activated by gamma rays and was responsible for the induction of skin papillomas. Because bed bugs play a significant role in the transmission of virus, it is also speculated that there is a virusmore » in the saliva of bugs; this virus may be activated by gamma radiation and causes the development of papillomas in the skin.« less
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Group living accelerates bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) development.
Saenz, Virna L; Santangelo, Richard G; Vargo, Edward L; Schal, Coby
2014-01-01
For many insect species, group living provides physiological and behavioral benefits, including faster development. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) live in aggregations composed of eggs, nymphs, and adults of various ages. Our aim was to determine whether bed bug nymphs reared in groups develop faster than solitary nymphs. We reared first instars either in isolation or in groups from hatching to adult emergence and recorded their development time. In addition, we investigated the effects of group housing on same-age nymphs versus nymphs reared with adults. Nymphal development was 2.2 d faster in grouped nymphs than in solitary-housed nymphs, representing 7.3% faster overall development. However, this grouping effect did not appear to be influenced by group composition. Thus, similar to other gregarious insect species, nymph development in bed bugs is faster in aggregations than in isolation.
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Becker, P.H.; Voigt, C.C.; Arnold, J.M.; Nagel, R.
2006-01-01
We describe a non-invasive technique to obtain blood samples from incubating birds without trapping and handling. A larval instar of the blood-sucking bug Dipetalogaster maximus (Heteroptera) was put in a hollowed artificial egg which was placed in a common tern Sterna hirundo) nest. A gauze-covered hole in the egg allowed the bug to draw blood from the brood patch of breeding adults. We successfully collected 68 blood samples of sufficient amount (median=187 ??l). The daily success rate was highest during the early breeding season and averaged 34% for all trials. We could not detect any visible response by the incubating bird to the sting of the bug. This technique allows for non-invasive blood collection from bird species of various sizes without disturbance. ?? Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V. 2005.
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Crawley, Sydney E; Gordon, Jennifer R; Kowles, Katelyn A; Potter, Michael F; Haynes, Kenneth F
2017-01-01
Sublethal exposure to an insecticide may alter insect feeding, mating, oviposition, fecundity, development, and many other life history parameters. Such effects may have population-level consequences that are not apparent in traditional dose-mortality evaluations. Earlier, we found that a routinely used combination insecticide that includes a pyrethroid and a neonicotinoid (Temprid® SC) had deleterious effects on multiple bed bug (Cimex lectularius, L.) behaviors. Here, we demonstrate that sublethal exposure impacts physiology and reproduction as well. We report that sublethal exposure to Temprid SC has variable aberrant effects on bed bugs depending on the strain, including: a reduction in male mating success and delayed oviposition by females. However, after sublethal exposure, egg hatch rate consistently declined in every strain tested, anywhere from 34%-73%. Conversely, impact on fifth instar eclosion time was not significant. While the strains that we tested varied in their respective magnitude of sublethal effects, taken together, these effects could reduce bed bug population growth. These changes in bed bug behavior and fecundity could lead to improved efficacy of Temprid SC in the field, but recovery of impacted bugs must be considered in future studies. Sublethal effects should not be overlooked when evaluating insecticide efficacy, as it is likely that other products may also have indirect effects on population dynamics that could either aid or inhibit successful management of pest populations.
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Augmenting Traditional Static Analysis With Commonly Available Metadata
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Cook, Devin
Developers and security analysts have been using static analysis for a long time to analyze programs for defects and vulnerabilities with some success. Generally a static analysis tool is run on the source code for a given program, flagging areas of code that need to be further inspected by a human analyst. These areas may be obvious bugs like potential bu er over flows, information leakage flaws, or the use of uninitialized variables. These tools tend to work fairly well - every year they find many important bugs. These tools are more impressive considering the fact that they only examinemore » the source code, which may be very complex. Now consider the amount of data available that these tools do not analyze. There are many pieces of information that would prove invaluable for finding bugs in code, things such as a history of bug reports, a history of all changes to the code, information about committers, etc. By leveraging all this additional data, it is possible to nd more bugs with less user interaction, as well as track useful metrics such as number and type of defects injected by committer. This dissertation provides a method for leveraging development metadata to find bugs that would otherwise be difficult to find using standard static analysis tools. We showcase two case studies that demonstrate the ability to find 0day vulnerabilities in large and small software projects by finding new vulnerabilities in the cpython and Roundup open source projects.« less
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Zulantay, I; Apt, W; Gil, L C; Rocha, C; Mundaca, K; Solari, A; Sánchez, G; Rodriguez, C; Martínez, G; De Pablos, L M; Sandoval, L; Rodríguez, J; Vilchez, S; Osuna, A
2007-12-01
In the xenodiagnosis (XD) of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), Trypanosoma cruzi in the triatomine bugs fed on the patient can now be detected using PCR (XD-PCR) as well as by microscopy (XD-M). In a study to compare XD-PCR with XD-M, triatomine bugs were fed on 50 cases of chronic American trypanosomiasis, of whom only 25 were ever found positive by XD-M. Overall, the bugs fed on 34 of the patients (all 25 cases found positive by XD-M and nine of the other patients) were found PCR-positive, giving a 330-bp fragment corresponding to part of the hyper variable region of the kinetoplast DNA of T. cruzi. Of the 25 patients who were ever found positive by XD-M, 20 gave bugs that were smear-positive on day 90 and a similar number (24; P=0.125) gave bugs that were PCR-positive at this time. On day 30, however, the bugs fed on only 11 of these 25 patients were found positive by microscopy, whereas 23 of these patients were found positive by XD-PCR (P=0.0016). Thus, not only was XD-PCR more sensitive than XD-M but it was also quicker, revealing more cases within 30 days than detected using XD-M over a period of 90 days.
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Degree Day Requirements for Kudzu Bug (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), a Pest of Soybeans.
Grant, Jessica I; Lamp, William O
2018-04-02
Understanding the phenology of a new potential pest is fundamental for the development of a management program. Megacopta cribraria Fabricius (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), kudzu bug, is a pest of soybeans first detected in the United States in 2009 and in Maryland in 2013. We observed the phenology of kudzu bug life stages in Maryland, created a Celsius degree-day (CDD) model for development, and characterized the difference between microhabitat and ambient temperatures of both kudzu, Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. (Fabales: Fabaceae) and soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae). In 2014, low population numbers yielded limited resolution from field phenology observations. We observed kudzu bug populations persisting within Maryland; but between 2013 and 2016, populations were low compared to populations in the southeastern United States. Based on the degree-day model, kudzu bug eggs require 80 CDD at a minimum temperature of 14°C to hatch. Nymphs require 545 CDD with a minimum temperature of 16°C for development. The CDD model matches field observations when factoring a biofix date of April 1 and a minimum preoviposition period of 17 d. The model suggests two full generations per year in Maryland. Standard air temperature monitors do not affect model predictions for pest management, as microhabitat temperature differences did not show a clear trend between kudzu and soybeans. Ultimately, producers can predict the timing of kudzu bug life stages with the CDD model for the use of timing management plans in soybean fields.
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Lecky, Donna M; McNulty, Cliodna A M; Touboul, Pia; Herotova, Tereza Koprivova; Benes, Jirí; Dellamonica, Pierre; Verlander, Neville Q; Kostkova, Patty; Weinberg, Julius
2010-12-01
e-Bug, a junior and senior school educational programme to decrease the spread of infection and unnecessary antibiotic use, was developed and consisted of eight sections providing information on the spread, treatment and prevention of infection as well as basic information on microbes, both useful and harmful. Each section comprised teacher background information, lesson plans and an interactive student activity, and extension activities were also available for more able students. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-Bug pack in improving children's knowledge in these key areas, when used within the National Curriculum in England, France and the Czech Republic. Junior (9-11 years) and senior (12-15 years) school classes were divided into either control or intervention groups for evaluation of the resource. Students were required to complete identical knowledge questionnaires at three timepoints (before, immediately after and 6 weeks after teaching), to assess knowledge change and retention. Teaching, using the e-Bug pack, was given by junior and senior school teachers. The junior e-Bug teaching pack demonstrated a significant improvement in student's knowledge in all sections and there was no significant decrease in student knowledge observed after a 6 week period. Knowledge improvement with the senior e-Bug pack varied between regions, although consistent improvement was observed for Gloucestershire (England) and Ostrava (Czech Republic). Although a success, modifications are required in both packs to further improve student knowledge and make the packs more appealing.
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Competitive release and outbreaks of non-target pests associated with transgenic Bt cotton.
Zeilinger, Adam R; Olson, Dawn M; Andow, David A
2016-06-01
The adoption of transgenic Bt cotton has, in some cases, led to environmental and economic benefits through reduced insecticide use. However, the distribution of these benefits and associated risks among cotton growers and cotton-growing regions has been uneven due in part to outbreaks of non-target or secondary pests, thereby requiring the continued use of synthetic insecticides. In the southeastern USA, Bt cotton adoption has resulted in increased abundance of and damage from stink bug pests, Euschistus servus and Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). While the impact of increased stink bug abundance has been well-documented, the causes have remained unclear. We hypothesize that release from competition with Bt-susceptible target pests may drive stink bug outbreaks in Bt cotton. We first examined the evidence for competitive release of stink bugs through meta-analysis of previous studies. We then experimentally tested if herbivory by Bt-susceptible Helicoverpa zea increases stink bug leaving rates and deters oviposition on non-Bt cotton. Consistent with previous studies, we found differences in leaving rates only for E servus, but we found that both species strongly avoided ovipositing on H. zea-damaged plants. Considering all available evidence, competitive release of stink bug populations in Bt cotton likely contributes to outbreaks, though the relative importance of competitive release remains an open question. Ecological risk assessments of Bt crops and other transgenic insecticidal crops would benefit from greater understanding of the ecological mechanisms underlying non-target pest outbreaks and greater attention to indirect ecological effects more broadly.
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Sun, Haitao; He, Songqi; Wen, Bin; Jia, Wenyan; Fan, Eryan; Zheng, Yan
2014-10-01
To investigate the effect of Biejiajian Pills on the expressions of the signal molecules and target genes of Wnt signal pathway in HepG2 cells and explore the mechanisms by which Biejiajian pills suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. HepG2 cells were cultured for 48 h in the presence of serum collected from rats fed with Biejiajian Pills. The expressions of β-catenin, GSK-3β and P-GSK-3β in the cultured cells were assessed by Western blotting and the expressions of CD44v6 and VEGF were detected using immunohistochemistry. HepG2 cells cultured with the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills showed lowered expressions of β-catenin protein both in the cytoplasm and the nuclei with also inhibition of phosphorylation of GSK-3β and reduced expression of CD44v6 and VEGF. Biejiajian Pills can significantly reduce the expression of β-catenin by decreasing the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to cause down-regulation of the target genes CD44v6 and VEGF, which may be one of the molecular mechanisms by which Biejiajian Pills suppress the proliferation and invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Kishore, Vertika; Misro, Man M; Nandan, Deoki
2010-01-01
South Delhi is one of the well developed districts in the capital with best public health care facilities. Knowledge, attitude and dispensing practices of emergency contraceptive pills (E-pills) were assessed among health care providers of government dispensaries in South Delhi. A descriptive epidemiological study. Both medical and paramedical (n = 428) providers in 63 government health care facilities were interviewed between August to December 2007 using a semi-structured interview schedule. Among the different categories of the providers, medical officers were observed to be most knowledgeable about E-pills and the pharmacists were the least. The correct prescribed dose of E-pill was known only to 32% of the providers while 49% knew about its right time of intake. Misconceptions and apprehensions for promoting its use were very much prevalent even among medical officers as majority felt that open access to E-pills would increase promiscuity. The dispensing practice of providers was found positively (P < 0.05) correlated with their knowledge. Training resulted a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in knowledge, attitude and dispensing practice of the providers. Knowledge and training combined together contributed 35% to the dispensing practice (R(2) = 0.35). Besides knowledge, behavior change communication strategies should form a part of the training curricula of health care providers that would help to improve the dispensing practice of E-pills.
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Onasoga, Olayinka A; Afolayan, Joel Adeleke; Asamabiriowei, Tariebi Florence; Jibril, Umar Nda; Imam, Abubakar Ayinla
2016-01-01
Risky sexual activity among adolescents is on the increase and contraceptive prevalence rate is low which is evidenced by high rate of teenage pregnancy in Bayelsa state, Nigeria. This study assesses the adolescents' knowledge, attitude and utilization of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) in Amassoma Community, Bayelsa State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional research design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 220 respondents from the target population. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data generated. Majority of the respondents had high level of knowledge and positive attitude towards emergency contraceptive pills but had low level of utilization. Concerns about what others may say, parental attitude, contraceptive availability, contraceptive accessibility, and peer influences were the major factors that influenced the utilization of contraceptive pills. There was no significant relationship between knowledge and utilization of emergency contraceptive pills, as well as level of knowledge and their utilization of emergency contraceptive pills. Adolescents in the study were more likely to use emergency contraceptive pills, if parents and others reaction to adolescents' contraceptive use were positive about those. Health care professionals, especially nurses, should organize enlightenment programs to educate adolescents, parents and the public on the benefits of adolescents' contraceptives use, especially ECP.
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Consumer perspectives on a pericoital contraceptive pill in India and Uganda.
Cover, Jane K; Drake, Jennifer Kidwell; Kyamwanga, Imelda T; Turyakira, Eleanor; Dargan, Tanya; Kumakech, Edward; Harner-Jay, Claudia
2013-12-01
Studies suggest that women in some countries have adopted emergency contraceptive pills as a routine method of family planning. This practice indicates there may be latent demand for a pericoital contraceptive pill taken only when a woman has sexual intercourse, and labeled and marketed for use as a regular contraceptive method. To understand the appeal and potential market for a pericoital contraceptive pill, 39 focus groups and 23 in-depth interviews were conducted with women and men in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, and Kampala, Uganda. A total of 281 individuals participated in this qualitative study. In general, women embraced the idea of a female-controlled method that would be easier than taking a daily oral contraceptive pill and that could be taken either before or after sexual intercourse; in Uganda, especially, women approved of the fact that the method could be taken without a partner's knowledge. Although we do not yet know the extent of side effects for this method, women expressed some concerns about the level and nature of potential side effects. The results suggest that a pericoital contraceptive pill would be well-received by consumers in both country settings. If its efficacy and side effects are acceptable, a pericoital contraceptive pill could fill a gap for female-controlled, discreet, coitus-related contraception, particularly among women who do not have sex very frequently.
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Butler, Rachael A; Sheridan, Janie L
2007-11-19
This study aimed to investigate patterns and context of use of BZP-party pills, function of use, and positive and negative effects experienced by a sample of New Zealand young people who had used the products. A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and group discussions. The sample included 58 young people aged 17-23 years who had used BZP-party pills in the previous 12 months. Young people were using these substances in a range of settings--primarily during weekend social occasions--particularly as part of the dance party culture. They were mostly used for their stimulant properties and to enhance socialisation, and were often taken in combination with other legal and illicit drugs. Young people had suffered a range of physical and emotional negative effects, although none of these was reported as being life-threatening or long-term. Many participants had reduced the frequency with which they used BZP-party pills due to adverse effects. Potentially risky behaviours identified included taking large doses, mixing BZP-party pills with alcohol and other substances, and driving whilst under the influence of BZP-party pills. Findings suggest that young people in this study were not suffering excessive or dangerous adverse effects. However, potentially risky use of these products raises the issue of the need for developing harm reduction interventions.
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Neuropeptidomics of the Bed Bug Cimex lectularius.
Predel, Reinhard; Neupert, Susanne; Derst, Christian; Reinhardt, Klaus; Wegener, Christian
2018-01-05
The bed bug Cimex lectularius is a globally distributed human ectoparasite with fascinating biology. It has recently acquired resistance against a broad range of insecticides, causing a worldwide increase in bed bug infestations. The recent annotation of the bed bug genome revealed a full complement of neuropeptide and neuropeptide receptor genes in this species. With regard to the biology of C. lectularius, neuropeptide signaling is especially interesting because it regulates feeding, diuresis, digestion, as well as reproduction and also provides potential new targets for chemical control. To identify which neuropeptides are translated from the genome-predicted genes, we performed a comprehensive peptidomic analysis of the central nervous system of the bed bug. We identified in total 144 different peptides from 29 precursors, of which at least 67 likely present bioactive mature neuropeptides. C. lectularius corazonin and myosuppressin are unique and deviate considerably from the canonical insect consensus sequences. Several identified neuropeptides likely act as hormones, as evidenced by the occurrence of respective mass signals and immunoreactivity in neurohemal structures. Our data provide the most comprehensive peptidome of a Heteropteran species so far and in comparison suggest that a hematophageous life style does not require qualitative adaptations of the insect peptidome.
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Zhou, Changqing; Kandemir, Irfan; Walsh, Douglas B; Zalom, Frank G; Lavine, Laura Corley
2012-01-01
The western tarnished plant bug Lygus hesperus is an economically important pest that belongs to a complex of morphologically similar species that makes identification problematic. The present study provides evidence for the use of DNA barcodes from populations of L. hesperus from the western United States of America for accurate identification. This study reports DNA barcodes for 134 individuals of the western tarnished plant bug from alfalfa and strawberry agricultural fields in the western United States of America. Sequence divergence estimates of <3% reveal that morphologically variable individuals presumed to be L. hesperus were accurately identified. Paired estimates of F(st) and subsequent estimates of gene flow show that geographically distinct populations of L. hesperus are genetically similar. Therefore, our results support and reinforce the relatively recent (<100 years) migration of the western tarnished plant bug into agricultural habitats across the western United States. This study reveals that despite wide host plant usage and phenotypically plastic morphological traits, the commonly recognized western tarnished plant bug belongs to a single species, Lygus hesperus. In addition, no significant genetic structure was found for the geographically diverse populations of western tarnished plant bug used in this study.
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Choe, Dong-Hwan; Park, Hoeun; Vo, Claudia; Knyshov, Alexander
2016-01-01
Extracts of the exuviae (cast skins) of nymphal bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) were analyzed for volatile compounds that might contribute to arrestment of adult bed bugs. Four volatile aldehydes, (E)-2-hexenal, 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, and 4-oxo-(E)-2-octenal were consistently detected in the headspace of freshly shed exuviae regardless of the developmental stages from which the exuviae were obtained. Quantification of the aldehydes in the solvent extracts of homogenized fresh, 45- or 99-d aged 5th instar exuviae indicated that the aldehydes are present in the exuviae and dissipate over time, through evaporation or degradation. Microscopic observation of the fifth instar exuviae indicated that the dorsal abdominal glands on the exuviae maintained their pocket-like structures with gland reservoirs, within which the aldehydes might be retained. Two-choice olfactometer studies with the volatiles from exuviae or a synthetic blend mimicking the volatiles indicated that adult bed bugs tend to settle close to sources of the aldehydes. Our results imply that the presence and accumulation of bed bug exuviae and the aldehydes volatilizing from the exuviae might mediate bed bugs’ interaction with their microhabitats. PMID:27434044
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Harmonic radar tagging for tracking movement of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).
Pilkay, Grant L; Reay-Jones, Francis P F; Greene, Jeremy K
2013-10-01
Harmonic radar tagging was investigated as a method for monitoring the movement of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Because adhesive toxicity and tag weight limit the use of this technology, initial efforts focused on selection of the optimal adhesive and design of harmonic radar tags to reduce impact on the movement of stink bugs. A design consisting of a 6-cm-long 0.10-mm-thick silver-plated copper monopole on the anode terminal of a three-contact Schottky barrier diode attached with Gorilla super glue provided a compromise between unimpaired movement and tracking range, adding an additional 8% to the weight of the stink bug while not significantly (P > 0.05) reducing walking or flying mobility in the laboratory. Recovery of tagged stink bugs in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (L.), and fallow fields ranged from 10 to 75% after 24 h, whereas marked stink bugs were recovered at rates of 0-35% by using sweep net or drop cloth sampling. The distance dispersed in the field was not impacted (P > 0.05) by crop, tagged status, or gender of the insect. Future research should examine possible improvements to the harmonic radar transceiver and the wire antenna to decrease encumbrance.
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... event of a bug bite or sting. Handling Bee and Wasp Stings A bee will usually leave behind a stinger attached to ... child has had an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting in the past, see your ...
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Pesticide treatment to eliminate bed bugs may be unsuccessful if other resting areas such as hampers or furniture are missed, recommended label rates of application or timeframe are not followed, or bed bugs developing resistance to the chemical.
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Bed Bug Clearinghouse by Type of Resource
This information is to help states, communities, and consumers prevent and control bed bug infestations. These brochures, fact sheets, manuals, posters, checklists, videos, and more provide guidance such as hotel room inspection and pesticide safety.
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76 FR 69728 - SFIREG Full Committee; Notice of Public Meeting
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-11-09
... holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805. II. Tentative Agenda Topics 1. Bed Bug IP... update. 15. Bed bug efforts update. 16. Regional issues. 17. Status of Worker Protection Standard...
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Bed bugs have long been a pest – feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating their human hosts. They are successful hitchhikers, and can move from an infested site to furniture, bedding, baggage, boxes, and clothing.
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Protecting Yourself from Bed Bugs in Public Places
Infestations in non-residential areas are rare, but may still present opportunities for hitchhiking bugs. So reduce clutter, stow belongings separately, monitor or inspect upholstered furniture, educate staff, and keep integrated pest management in mind.
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Bed Bug Clearinghouse Publications in Other Languages
This information is intended to help states, communities, and consumers prevent and control bed bug infestations. These outreach materials are available in Spanish, Chinese, and French; and include action plans based on an IPM approach.
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Bug Distribution and Statistical Pattern Classification.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tatsuoka, Kikumi K.; Tatsuoka, Maurice M.
1987-01-01
The rule space model permits measurement of cognitive skill acquisition and error diagnosis. Further discussion introduces Bayesian hypothesis testing and bug distribution. An illustration involves an artificial intelligence approach to testing fractions and arithmetic. (Author/GDC)
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Nivedita, K; Shanthini, Fatima
2015-01-01
Medical abortion is a safe method of termination of pregnancy when performed as per guidelines with a success rate of 92-97 %. But self-administration of abortion pills is rampant throughout the country due to over the counter availability of these drugs and complications are not uncommon due to this practice. The society perceives unsupervised medical abortion as a very safe method of termination and women use this as a method of spacing. The aim of this study was to study the implications of self-administration of abortion pills by pregnant women. Retrospective observational study done in Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College & Hospital between the period of July 2013 to June2014. Case sheets were analysed to obtain data regarding self-administration of abortion pills and complications secondary to its administration. The following data were collected. Age, marital status, parity, duration of pregnancy as perceived by the women, confirmation of pregnancy, duration between pill intake and visit to hospital, whether any intervention done elsewhere, any known medical or surgical complications, Hb level on admission, whether patient was in shock, USG findings, evidence of sepsis, blood transfusion, treatment given and duration of hospital stay. Descriptive analysis of the collected data was done. Among the 128 cases of abortion in the study period, 40 (31.25%) patients had self-administered abortion pills. Among these 40 patients 27.5% had consumed abortion pills after the approved time period of 63 days of which 17.5% had consumed pills after 12 weeks of gestation. The most common presentation was excessive bleeding (77.5%) Severe anaemia was found in 12.5% of the patients and 5% of patients presented with shock. The outcome was as follows : 62.5% of the patients were found to have incomplete abortion, 22.5% had failed abortion and 7.5% of patients had incomplete abortion with sepsis. Surgical evacuation was performed in 67.5% of the patients whereas 12.5% of the patients required surgical evacuation with blood transfusion. Medical methods were used in 15% of the patients whereas 2.5% required transfusion along with medical methods. Unsupervised medical abortion can lead to increased maternal morbidity and mortality. To curtail this harmful practice, strict legislations are required to monitor and also to restrict the sales of abortion pills over the counter and access to abortion pills for the public should be only through centers approved for MTP. Large scale prospective studies are required to assess the actual magnitude of this problem.
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Combination pharmacotherapy to prevent cardiovascular disease: present status and challenges.
Yusuf, Salim; Attaran, Amir; Bosch, Jackie; Joseph, Philip; Lonn, Eva; McCready, Tara; Mente, Andrew; Nieuwlaat, Robby; Pais, Prem; Rodgers, Anthony; Schwalm, J-D; Smith, Richard; Teo, Koon; Xavier, Denis
2014-02-01
Combination pills containing aspirin, multiple blood pressure (BP) lowering drugs, and a statin have demonstrated safety, substantial risk factor reductions, and improved medication adherence in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The individual medications in combination pills are already recommended for use together in secondary CVD prevention. Therefore, current information on their pharmacokinetics, impact on the risk factors, and tolerability should be sufficient to persuade regulators and clinicians to use fixed-dose combination pills in high-risk individuals, such as in secondary prevention. Long-term use of these medicines, in a polypill or otherwise, is expected to reduce CVD risk by at least 50-60% in such groups. This risk reduction needs confirmation in prospective randomized trials for populations for whom concomitant use of the medications is not currently recommended (e.g. primary prevention). Given their additive benefits, the combined estimated relative risk reduction (RRR) in CVD from both lifestyle modification and a combination pill is expected to be 70-80%. The first of several barriers to the widespread use of combination therapy in CVD prevention is physician reluctance to use combination pills. This reluctance may originate from the belief that lifestyle modification should take precedence, and that medications should be introduced one drug at a time, instead of regarding combination pills and lifestyle modification as complementary and additive. Second, widespread availability of combination pills is also impeded by the reluctance of large pharmaceutical companies to invest in development of novel co-formulations of generic (or 'mature') drugs. A business model based on 'mass approaches' to drug production, packaging, marketing, and distribution could make the combination pill available at an affordable price, while at the same time providing a viable profit for the manufacturers. A third barrier is regulatory approval for novel multidrug combination pills, as there are few precedents for the approval of combination products with four or more components for CVD. Acceptance of combination therapy in other settings suggests that with concerted efforts by academics, international health agencies, research funding bodies, governments, regulators, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, combination pills for prevention of CVD in those with disease or at high risk (e.g. those with multiple risk factors) can be made available worldwide at affordable prices. It is anticipated that widespread use of combination pills with lifestyle modifications can lead to substantial risk reductions (as much as an 80% estimated RRR) in CVD. Heath care systems need to deploy these strategies widely, effectively, and efficiently. If implemented, these strategies could avoid several millions of fatal and non-fatal CVD events every year worldwide.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bartlett, J.; Hardy, G.; Hepburn, I. D.
2015-01-01
The design and performance of a fast thermal response miniature (24 mm outer diameter by 30 mm long) Chromium Potassium Alum (CPA) salt pill is described. The need for a fast thermal response has been driven by the development of a continuously operating millikelvin cryocooler (mKCC) which uses 2 T superconducting magnets that can be ramped to full field in 30 s. The consequence of magnetising and demagnetising the CPA pill in such a short time is that thermal boundary resistance and eddy current heating have a significant impact on the performance of the pill, which was investigated in detail using modelling. The complete design of a prototype CPA pill is described in this paper, including the methods used to minimise thermal boundary resistance and eddy current heating as well as the manufacturing and assembly processes. The performance of the prototype CPA pill operated from a 3.6 K bath is presented, demonstrating that a complete CPA cycle (magnetising, cooling to bath and demagnetising) can be accomplished in under 2.5 min, with magnetisation and demagnetisation taking just 30 s each. The cold finger base temperature of the prototype varies with demagnetisation speed as a consequence of eddy current heating; for a 30 s demagnetisation, a base temperature of 161 mK is obtained, whilst for a 5 min demagnetisation, a base temperature of 149 mK was measured (both from a 3.6 K and 2 T starting position). The measured hold times of the CPA pill at 200 mK, 300 mK, and 1 K are given, proving that the hold time far exceeds the recycle time and demonstrating the potential for continuous operation when two ADRs are used in a tandem configuration. The ease and speed at which the CPA pill temperature can be changed and controlled when stepping between operating temperatures in the range of 200 mK to 4 K using a servo control program is also shown, once again highlighting the excellent thermal response of the pill. All of the test results are in good agreement with the modelling used to design the CPA pill, giving good confidence in our ability to understand and estimate the effects of eddy current heating and thermal boundary resistance. To conclude, the design for the CPA pill to be used in the mKCC (which is heavily based on the design of the prototype) is presented.
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Corneli, Amy L; McKenna, Kevin; Perry, Brian; Ahmed, Khatija; Agot, Kawango; Malamatsho, Fulufhelo; Skhosana, Joseph; Odhiambo, Jacob; Van Damme, Lut
2015-04-15
FEM-PrEP was unable to determine whether once-daily, oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate reduces the risk of HIV acquisition among women because of low adherence. Self-reported adherence was high, and pill-count data suggested good adherence. Yet, drug concentrations revealed limited pill use. We conducted a follow-up study with former participants in Bondo, Kenya, and Pretoria, South Africa, to understand factors that had influenced overreporting of adherence and to learn the whereabouts of unused pills. Qualitative, semistructured interviews were conducted with 88 participants, and quantitative, audio computer-assisted self-interviews were conducted with 224 participants. We used thematic analysis and descriptive statistics to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. In audio computer-assisted self-interviews, 31% (n = 70) said they had overreported adherence; the main reason was the belief that nonadherence would result in trial termination (69%, n = 48). A considerable percentage (35%, n = 78) acknowledged discarding unused pills. Few acknowledged giving their pills to someone else (4%, n = 10), and even fewer acknowledged giving them to someone with HIV (2%, n = 5). Many participants in the semistructured interviews said other participants had counted and removed pills from their bottles to appear adherent. Despite repeated messages that nonadherence would not upset staff, participants acknowledged several perceived negative consequences of reporting nonadherence, which made it difficult to report accurately. Uneasiness continued in the follow-up study, as many said they had not overreported during the trial. Efforts to improve self-reported measures should include identifying alternative methods for creating supportive environments that allow participants to feel comfortable reporting actual adherence.
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Gadaria-Rathod, Neha; Dentone, Peter G; Peskin, Ellen; Maguire, Maureen G; Moser, Ann; Asbell, Penny A
2013-11-01
To evaluate pill counts and red blood cell (RBC) membrane fatty acid profiles as measures of compliance with oral omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs) and to compare the two techniques. Sixteen dry eye disease subjects were given oral ω3 PUFA or placebo for 3 months. Compliance was measured by pill counts and blood tests at baseline and 3 months. The Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and rank-sum tests were used to compare changes from baseline and the difference between the two groups; Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship of pill counts to changes in blood FAs. Pill counts for the ω3 (n=7) and placebo (n=9) groups showed a mean consumption of 4.39 and 4.76 pills per day, respectively. In the ω3 group, the median change from baseline was +1.46% for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (P=0.03), +1.49% for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (P=0.08), and -1.91% for arachidonic acids (AA) (P=0.02). In the placebo group, median changes in all measured FAs were small and not statistically significant. The difference in change in FA levels between the two groups was significantly greater for EPA (P=0.01) and AA (P=0.04). The correlations between pill counts and changes in EPA (r=0.36, P=0.43) and DHA (r=0.17, P=0.70) were not strong. RBC FA analysis can be used to measure compliance in the active group and also monitor the placebo group for nonstudy ω3 intake. Low correlation of pill counts with blood levels suggests that pill counts alone may be inaccurate and should be replaced or supplemented with objective measures.
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Low-dose levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol patch and pill: a randomized controlled trial.
Kaunitz, Andrew M; Portman, David; Westhoff, Carolyn L; Archer, David F; Mishell, Daniel R; Rubin, Arkady; Foegh, Marie
2014-02-01
To compare a new low-dose levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol contraceptive patch (Patch) with a combination oral contraceptive (Pill; 100 micrograms levonorgestrel, 20 micrograms ethinyl estradiol) regarding efficacy, safety, compliance, and unscheduled uterine bleeding. Women (17-40 years; body mass index 16-60) were randomized in a 3:1 ratio to one of two groups: Patch only (13 cycles) or Pill (six cycles) followed by Patch (seven cycles). Investigators evaluated adverse events during cycles 2, 4, 6, 9, and 13. Participants recorded drug administration and uterine bleeding on daily diary cards. Compliance was assessed by measuring levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol plasma levels. Pearl Index (pregnancies per 100 woman-years) was calculated to evaluate efficacy. Participants (N=1,504) were randomized to Patch (n=1,129) or Pill (n=375). Approximately 30% were obese, more than 40% were racial or ethnic minorities, and more than 55% were new users of hormonal contraceptives. Laboratory-verified noncompliance (undetectable plasma drug levels) was 11% of Patch and 12.6% of Pill users at cycle 6. Pearl Indices (95% confidence intervals) for the intention-to-treat population (cycles 1-6) were 4.45 (2.34-6.57) for Patch and 4.02 (0.50-7.53) for Pill; excluding laboratory-verified noncompliant participants, Pearl Indices were 2.82 (0.98-4.67) for Patch and 3.80 (0.08-7.52) for Pill (differences not statistically significant). Incidence of unscheduled bleeding and incidence and severity of adverse events were similar for both contraceptives (no statistically significant difference). Efficacy and safety of the new contraceptive Patch are comparable to those of a Pill. Laboratory-verified noncompliance and bleeding profile are similar between the two treatments. The Patch was well tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01181479. I.
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Duijkers, Ingrid J M; Heger-Mahn, Doris; Drouin, Dominique; Skouby, Sven
2015-01-01
Progestogen-only pills (POPs) are safer with respect to cardiovascular risks than contraceptives containing estrogens. Despite the increased contraceptive efficacy of a desogestrel-only pill compared with a traditional POP, POPs are still not widely used due to an unpredictable bleeding pattern. A new POP containing 4 mg drospirenone has been developed with a 24/4 intake regimen which may improve the bleeding pattern. The objectives of this study were to investigate ovulation inhibition with the new drospirenone-only pill in comparison with the desogestrel-only pill and, in addition, to assess the effects on cervical mucus permeability and bleeding. Sixty-four healthy volunteers with proven ovulatory cycles were randomised and treated with either the drospirenone-only or the desogestrel-only pill during two 28-day cycles. Follicular diameter, endometrial thickness, and serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone concentrations were measured and Hoogland scores were determined. Additionally, cervical mucus scores, bleeding and return of ovulation were assessed. Both treatments effectively inhibited ovulation. Follicular diameter, E2 levels and Hoogland scores were equal, demonstrating efficient ovarian suppression. One subject in each group had a Hoogland score of 6, but the criteria for normal luteal activity were not fulfilled. In both groups, ovulation did not occur before day 9 of the post-treatment cycle. Cervical mucus permeability was suppressed in both groups. The median number of bleeding and spotting days was lower in the drospirenone group. The new drospirenone-only pill inhibited ovulation as effectively as the desogestrel-only pill despite the 4-day hormone-free interval.
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Effect of a "pill mill" law on opioid prescribing and utilization: The case of Texas.
Lyapustina, Tatyana; Rutkow, Lainie; Chang, Hsien-Yen; Daubresse, Matthew; Ramji, Alim F; Faul, Mark; Stuart, Elizabeth A; Alexander, G Caleb
2016-02-01
States have attempted to reduce prescription opioid abuse through strengthening the regulation of pain management clinics; however, the effect of such measures remains unclear. We quantified the impact of Texas's September 2010 "pill mill" law on opioid prescribing and utilization. We used the IMS Health LRx LifeLink database to examine anonymized, patient-level pharmacy claims for a closed cohort of individuals filling prescription opioids in Texas between September 2009 and August 2011. Our primary outcomes were derived at a monthly level and included: (1) average morphine equivalent dose (MED) per transaction; (2) aggregate opioid volume; (3) number of opioid prescriptions; and (4) quantity of opioid pills dispensed. We compared observed values with the counterfactual, which we estimated from pre-intervention levels and trends. Texas's pill mill law was associated with declines in average MED per transaction (-0.57 mg/month, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.09, -0.057), monthly opioid volume (-9.99 kg/month, CI -12.86, -7.11), monthly number of opioid prescriptions (-12,200 prescriptions/month, CI -15,300, -9,150) and monthly quantity of opioid pills dispensed (-714,000 pills/month, CI -877,000, -550,000). These reductions reflected decreases of 8.1-24.3% across the outcomes at one year compared with the counterfactual, and they were concentrated among prescribers and patients with the highest opioid prescribing and utilization at baseline. Following the implementation of Texas's 2010 pill mill law, there were clinically significant reductions in opioid dose, volume, prescriptions and pills dispensed within the state, which were limited to individuals with higher levels of baseline opioid prescribing and utilization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lobach-Zhuchenko, S. B.; Baltybaev, Sh. K.; Glebovitsky, V. A.; Sergeev, S. A.; Lokhov, K. O.; Egorova, Yu. S.; Balagansky, V. V.; Skublov, S. G.; Galankina, O. L.; Stepanyuk, L. M.
2017-12-01
Complex study of the U-Pb and Lu-Hf systems of zircon from a lhertzolite lens of Archean gneiss enderbites of the Bug complex, Ukrainian Shield, showed that ultramafic magma was contaminated by the material of the country gneiss enderbites. The age of the zircons of 2.81 ± 0.05 Ga corresponds to the period of ultramafic magmatism within the Bug complex. Previously, this peak of endogenic activity was considered the stage of manifestation of metamorphism and magmatism of mafic composition.
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Wen, Bin; Sun, Haitao; He, Songqi; Cheng, Yang; Jia, Wenyan; Fan, Eryan; Pang, Jie
2014-12-01
To study the effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway and the mechanisms underlying its action to suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. HepG2 cells cultured in the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills for 48 h were examined for β-catenin expression using immunofluorescence, β-catenin/TCF4 complex activity with luciferase, and expressions of the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and MMP-2 using qRT-PCR. Biejiajian Pills-treated sera significantly reduced the expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein, cyclin D1 and MMP-2 proteins and lowered the activities of β-catenin/TCF4 complex. Biejiajian Pills may serve as a potential anti-tumor agent, whose effect might be mediated by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
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The return of rainbow diet pills.
Cohen, Pieter A; Goday, Alberto; Swann, John P
2012-09-01
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently warned consumers about the risks of weight loss supplements adulterated with multiple pharmaceutical agents. Some of these supplements combine potent anorectics, such as amphetamines derivatives, with benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, and other medications to suppress the anorectics' adverse effects. These weight loss supplements represent the most recent generation of rainbow diet pills, named for their bright and varied colors, which date back more than 70 years. Beginning in the 1940s, several US pharmaceutical firms aggressively promoted rainbow pills to physicians and patients. By the 1960s the pills had caused dozens of deaths before the FDA began removing them from the US market. We used a variety of original resources to trace these deadly pills from their origins in the United States to their popularity in Spain and Brazil to their reintroduction to the United States as weight loss dietary supplements.
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The Return of Rainbow Diet Pills
Cohen, Pieter A.; Goday, Alberto; Swann, John P.
2012-01-01
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently warned consumers about the risks of weight loss supplements adulterated with multiple pharmaceutical agents. Some of these supplements combine potent anorectics, such as amphetamines derivatives, with benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, and other medications to suppress the anorectics’ adverse effects. These weight loss supplements represent the most recent generation of rainbow diet pills, named for their bright and varied colors, which date back more than 70 years. Beginning in the 1940s, several US pharmaceutical firms aggressively promoted rainbow pills to physicians and patients. By the 1960s the pills had caused dozens of deaths before the FDA began removing them from the US market. We used a variety of original resources to trace these deadly pills from their origins in the United States to their popularity in Spain and Brazil to their reintroduction to the United States as weight loss dietary supplements. PMID:22813089
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Reminder card helps patients remember OCs.
1999-11-01
Organon has developed the Reminder Card to help women patients remember their regular intake of oral contraceptive (OC) pills. About 50% of women take birth control pills as prescribed, 25% miss a pill per month, and 25% miss two or more pills in the same time frame. The plastic card, about the size and shape of a credit card, contains a microchip timer. Reminder cards are available to providers who use the Starter Kits issued by the company for new-start patients on the Mircette OC. When patients begin their first pack of pills, they select the time of day they prefer to have the Reminder Card emit its tiny beep. The time is set into the microchip timer and the card is programmed to sound automatically at the pre-set time each day for the next three months. The direction for using the Reminder Card is outlined.
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"Sunday-start" OC regimen popular but may pose risk.
1991-03-01
There is a controversy over the effectiveness of the "Sunday-Start" oral contraceptive packaging. Some clinicians believe that the Sunday-start pills are dangerously ineffective because up to 6 days after menses can elapse before a new packet is started. This is particularly risky for women beginning orals, or switching from a combined pill to a new triphasic. These clinicians consider them merely a successful marketing strategy. Most physicians consider the Sunday-start pills more effective because of improved compliance. The reasons cited are that women are too confused to remember to start pill packets on odd days, and that they like having their menses occur on weekdays. Arguments on this side are studies showing that the length of the pill-free interval does not affect the efficacy of that cycle. There are not data to resolve this debate other than a report from Ortho Pharmaceuticals that women prefer Sunday-start 3:1.
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Two pills, two paths: a tale of gender bias.
Potts, Malcolm
2003-01-01
In Japan, it took over 30 years to register the contraceptive Pill, but it took only six months to approve Viagra. The Pill was developed in an academic institution and no large pharmaceutical manufacturer wished to market it. Viagra was developed inside a big company and actively promoted. In the USA, the Pill was almost removed from the market because of widely publicized reports of deaths, but mortalities associated with Viagra do not make the headlines. Viagra has been promoted by the famous, whilst those who use the Pill do not appear in advertisements. Even theologians have treated these two drugs according to different standards. It is suggested that this asymmetry is not accidental, but is an expression of a deep-seated dual standard that is ultimately driven by biosocial differences in male and female power, and reproductive agendas rooted in human evolution.
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The role of the insula in intuitive expert bug detection in computer code: an fMRI study.
Castelhano, Joao; Duarte, Isabel C; Ferreira, Carlos; Duraes, Joao; Madeira, Henrique; Castelo-Branco, Miguel
2018-05-09
Software programming is a complex and relatively recent human activity, involving the integration of mathematical, recursive thinking and language processing. The neural correlates of this recent human activity are still poorly understood. Error monitoring during this type of task, requiring the integration of language, logical symbol manipulation and other mathematical skills, is particularly challenging. We therefore aimed to investigate the neural correlates of decision-making during source code understanding and mental manipulation in professional participants with high expertise. The present fMRI study directly addressed error monitoring during source code comprehension, expert bug detection and decision-making. We used C code, which triggers the same sort of processing irrespective of the native language of the programmer. We discovered a distinct role for the insula in bug monitoring and detection and a novel connectivity pattern that goes beyond the expected activation pattern evoked by source code understanding in semantic language and mathematical processing regions. Importantly, insula activity levels were critically related to the quality of error detection, involving intuition, as signalled by reported initial bug suspicion, prior to final decision and bug detection. Activity in this salience network (SN) region evoked by bug suspicion was predictive of bug detection precision, suggesting that it encodes the quality of the behavioral evidence. Connectivity analysis provided evidence for top-down circuit "reutilization" stemming from anterior cingulate cortex (BA32), a core region in the SN that evolved for complex error monitoring such as required for this type of recent human activity. Cingulate (BA32) and anterolateral (BA10) frontal regions causally modulated decision processes in the insula, which in turn was related to activity of math processing regions in early parietal cortex. In other words, earlier brain regions used during evolution for other functions seem to be reutilized in a top-down manner for a new complex function, in an analogous manner as described for other cultural creations such as reading and literacy.
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Zhu, Fang; Sams, Sarah; Moural, Tim; Haynes, Kenneth F.; Potter, Michael F.; Palli, Subba R.
2012-01-01
Background NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) plays a central role in cytochrome P450 action. The genes coding for P450s are not yet fully identified in the bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Hence, we decided to clone cDNA and knockdown the expression of the gene coding for CPR which is suggested to be required for the function of all P450s to determine whether or not P450s are involved in resistance of bed bugs to insecticides. Methodology/Principal Findings The full length Cimex lectularius CPR (ClCPR) cDNA was isolated from a deltamethrin resistant bed bug population (CIN-1) using a combined PCR strategy. Bioinformatics and in silico modeling were employed to identify three conserved binding domains (FMN, FAD, NADP), a FAD binding motif, and the catalytic residues. The critical amino acids involved in FMN, FAD, NADP binding and their putative functions were also analyzed. No signal peptide but a membrane anchor domain with 21 amino acids which facilitates the localization of ClCPR on the endoplasmic reticulum was identified in ClCPR protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ClCPR is closer to the CPR from the body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis than to the CPRs from the other insect species studied. The ClCPR gene was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues tested but showed an increase in expression as immature stages develop into adults. We exploited the traumatic insemination mechanism of bed bugs to inject dsRNA and successfully knockdown the expression of the gene coding for ClCPR. Suppression of the ClCPR expression increased susceptibility to deltamethrin in resistant populations but not in the susceptible population of bed bugs. Conclusions/Significance These data suggest that P450-mediated metabolic detoxification may serve as one of the resistance mechanisms in bed bugs. PMID:22347424
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Zhu, Fang; Sams, Sarah; Moural, Tim; Haynes, Kenneth F; Potter, Michael F; Palli, Subba R
2012-01-01
NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) plays a central role in cytochrome P450 action. The genes coding for P450s are not yet fully identified in the bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Hence, we decided to clone cDNA and knockdown the expression of the gene coding for CPR which is suggested to be required for the function of all P450s to determine whether or not P450s are involved in resistance of bed bugs to insecticides. The full length Cimex lectularius CPR (ClCPR) cDNA was isolated from a deltamethrin resistant bed bug population (CIN-1) using a combined PCR strategy. Bioinformatics and in silico modeling were employed to identify three conserved binding domains (FMN, FAD, NADP), a FAD binding motif, and the catalytic residues. The critical amino acids involved in FMN, FAD, NADP binding and their putative functions were also analyzed. No signal peptide but a membrane anchor domain with 21 amino acids which facilitates the localization of ClCPR on the endoplasmic reticulum was identified in ClCPR protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ClCPR is closer to the CPR from the body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis than to the CPRs from the other insect species studied. The ClCPR gene was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues tested but showed an increase in expression as immature stages develop into adults. We exploited the traumatic insemination mechanism of bed bugs to inject dsRNA and successfully knockdown the expression of the gene coding for ClCPR. Suppression of the ClCPR expression increased susceptibility to deltamethrin in resistant populations but not in the susceptible population of bed bugs. These data suggest that P450-mediated metabolic detoxification may serve as one of the resistance mechanisms in bed bugs.
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Gürtler, Ricardo E; Cecere, María C; Vázquez-Prokopec, Gonzalo M; Ceballos, Leonardo A; Gurevitz, Juan M; Fernández, María Del Pilar; Kitron, Uriel; Cohen, Joel E
2014-01-01
The host species composition in a household and their relative availability affect the host-feeding choices of blood-sucking insects and parasite transmission risks. We investigated four hypotheses regarding factors that affect blood-feeding rates, proportion of human-fed bugs (human blood index), and daily human-feeding rates of Triatoma infestans, the main vector of Chagas disease. A cross-sectional survey collected triatomines in human sleeping quarters (domiciles) of 49 of 270 rural houses in northwestern Argentina. We developed an improved way of estimating the human-feeding rate of domestic T. infestans populations. We fitted generalized linear mixed-effects models to a global model with six explanatory variables (chicken blood index, dog blood index, bug stage, numbers of human residents, bug abundance, and maximum temperature during the night preceding bug catch) and three response variables (daily blood-feeding rate, human blood index, and daily human-feeding rate). Coefficients were estimated via multimodel inference with model averaging. Median blood-feeding intervals per late-stage bug were 4.1 days, with large variations among households. The main bloodmeal sources were humans (68%), chickens (22%), and dogs (9%). Blood-feeding rates decreased with increases in the chicken blood index. Both the human blood index and daily human-feeding rate decreased substantially with increasing proportions of chicken- or dog-fed bugs, or the presence of chickens indoors. Improved calculations estimated the mean daily human-feeding rate per late-stage bug at 0.231 (95% confidence interval, 0.157-0.305). Based on the changing availability of chickens in domiciles during spring-summer and the much larger infectivity of dogs compared with humans, we infer that the net effects of chickens in the presence of transmission-competent hosts may be more adequately described by zoopotentiation than by zooprophylaxis. Domestic animals in domiciles profoundly affect the host-feeding choices, human-vector contact rates and parasite transmission predicted by a model based on these estimates.
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Rahman, M. Mahbubur
2017-01-01
Riptortus pedestris (Fabricius) and Halyomorpha halys (Stål) cause injury to soybeans by piercing and sucking pods and seeds. Growers believe that new damage decreases near to harvest despite the occurrence of these bugs at that time. As this question has never been assessed, we evaluated two diets: a) mature soybean pods (dried shell + dried soybean seeds) and b) dried soybean seeds for the two bugs by assessing their biological, behavioral, and morphological attributes on each diet in laboratory. While nymphs of both species were able to develop and adults able to reproduce on the tested diets, bugs fed on pods had longer development times and 2.2 to 5.0 times higher mortality rates than bugs fed on seeds. Furthermore, adult longevity of R. pedestris and H. halys fed on pods was 8.4 and 7.5 days shorter, respectively, than that of bugs fed on seeds. However, pod feeding had no effect on adult fecundity or egg viability. In a behavioral choice test, adult R. pedestris preferred seeds over pods and probed seeds longer than pods. On average, adult H. halys also preferred seeds over pods, although 15.6% of H. halys showed the reverse, preferring pods over seeds. The proboscis length and estimated depth of stylet penetration into the host tissue of both nymphs and adults of both species was much greater than the thickness of the pod shell, suggesting that mouthpart structure does not explain the negative effects of pods vs. seeds. In conclusion, mature soybean pods were found to be a suitable food source for both R. pedestris and H. halys despite some negative effects, and thus careful attention should be paid to the population levels of these two bugs approaching harvest to reduce economic damage in soybean. PMID:28430798
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Brewer, Michael J; Anderson, Darwin J; Armstrong, J Scott
2013-10-01
Verde plant bugs, Creontiades signatus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), were released onto caged cotton, Cossypium hirsutum L., for a 1-wk period to characterize the effects of insect density and bloom period of infestation on cotton injury and yield in 2011 and 2012, Corpus Christi, TX. When plants were infested during early bloom (10-11 nodes above first white flower), a linear decline in fruit retention and boll load and a linear increase in boll injury were detected as verde plant bug infestation levels increased from an average of 0.5 to 4 bugs per plant. Lint and seed yield per plant showed a corresponding decline. Fruit retention, boll load, and yield were not affected on plants infested 1 wk later at peak bloom (8-9 nodes above first white flower), even though boll injury increased as infestation levels increased. Second-year testing verified boll injury but not yield loss, when infestations occurred at peak bloom. Incidence of cotton boll rot, known to be associated with verde plant bug feeding, was low to modest (< 1% [2012] to 12% [2011] of bolls with disease symptoms), and drought stress persisted throughout the study. Caging effect was minimal: a 10% fruit retention decline was associated with caging, and the effect was not detectable in the other measurements. Overall, reduced fruit retention and boll load caused by verde plant bug were important contributors to yield decline, damage potential was greatest during the early bloom period of infestation, and a simple linear response best described the yield response-insect density relationship at early bloom. Confirmation that cotton after peak bloom was less prone to verde plant bug injury and an early bloom-specific economic injury level were key findings that can improve integrated pest management decision-making for dryland cotton, at least under low-rainfall growing conditions.
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Test Guideline Methods for Bed Bug Pesticide Products Now Available
EPA’s final test guidelines, 810.3900 - Laboratory Product Performance Testing Methods for Bed Bug Pesticide Products, provides recommendations for the design and execution of laboratory studies to evaluate the performance of pesticide products.
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Learn the truth about bed bugs, such as how easy they are to see with the naked eye, their preferred habitat, whether they transmit diseases, their public health effects, and whether pesticides are the best way to deal with an infestation.
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Bed Bugs are Public Health Pests
EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint statement on the public health impacts of bed bugs, which are blood-sucking ectoparasites (external parasites). EPA also has a pesticide registration notice on this topic.
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Preparing for Treatment Against Bed Bugs
Whether hiring a pest management professional or trying to eliminate the bugs yourself, taking these first steps will increase effectiveness and speed: reduce clutter, use encasements on your mattress and box spring, vacuum and heat treat, and seal cracks.
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Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control
... Contact Us Share Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control Información relacionada disponible en español Can you treat ... all of the residents to participate. Achieving complete control can take weeks to months, depending on the ...
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Ffuzz: Towards full system high coverage fuzz testing on binary executables.
Zhang, Bin; Ye, Jiaxi; Bi, Xing; Feng, Chao; Tang, Chaojing
2018-01-01
Bugs and vulnerabilities in binary executables threaten cyber security. Current discovery methods, like fuzz testing, symbolic execution and manual analysis, both have advantages and disadvantages when exercising the deeper code area in binary executables to find more bugs. In this paper, we designed and implemented a hybrid automatic bug finding tool-Ffuzz-on top of fuzz testing and selective symbolic execution. It targets full system software stack testing including both the user space and kernel space. Combining these two mainstream techniques enables us to achieve higher coverage and avoid getting stuck both in fuzz testing and symbolic execution. We also proposed two key optimizations to improve the efficiency of full system testing. We evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of our method on real-world binary software and 844 memory corruption vulnerable programs in the Juliet test suite. The results show that Ffuzz can discover software bugs in the full system software stack effectively and efficiently.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Farah, Martha J.; Smith, M. Elizabeth
2011-01-01
We find much of interest, and little to disagree with, in the commentaries on our article. We take issue only with the suggestion that our article was provocative and submit that the attempt to understand the use of stimulants as smart pills does not imply an endorsement of the practice.
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Choosing the Right Oral Contraceptive Pill for Teens.
Powell, Anne
2017-04-01
Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) continue to be the most commonly used form of prescription contraceptives used by adolescents in the United States. With proper use, oral contraceptives provide safe and effective birth control. Broad categories of OCPs include progestin-only pills (POPs) and combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs). Certain types of progestins have more potent antiandrogenic properties and are more effective in treating acne, hirsutism, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This article reviews types of OCPs, discusses risks and benefits of OCPs, and provides guidance for how to choose the most beneficial and appropriate OCP for individual adolescent patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Cortisol reactivity and emotional memory after psychosocial stress in oral contraceptive users.
Mordecai, Kristen L; Rubin, Leah H; Eatough, Erin; Sundermann, Erin; Drogos, Lauren; Savarese, Antonia; Maki, Pauline M
2017-01-02
Oral contraceptive (OC) users typically show a blunted or no cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Although most OC regimens include both an inactive (dummy) and active pill phase, studies have not systematically investigated cortisol responses during these pill phases. Further, high levels of cortisol following a stressor diminish retrieval of emotional material, but the effects of stress on memory among OC users are poorly understood. We examined the effects of a psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test, vs. a control condition on cortisol responsivity and emotional memory retrieval in women tested either during their active (n = 18) or inactive pill phase (n = 21). In secondary analyses, we quantitatively compared OC users with normally cycling women and showed a significant lack of cortisol response during both active and inactive pill phase. Emotional recall did not differ between active and inactive pill phases. Stress differentially diminished recall of negative words compared with positive or neutral words, but cortisol levels were unrelated to memory performance. These findings indicate that OC users have distinct cortisol and memory responses to stress that are similar between the active and inactive pill phases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Emergency contraception: which is the best?
Mittal, Suneeta
2016-12-01
Emergency contraception is a safe and effective method to prevent an unwanted pregnancy after an unprotected or inadequately protected sexual intercourse. Several methods for emergency contraception (EC) are currently registered in many countries for use in an emergency to prevent a pregnancy following an unprotected, possibly fertile intercourse or after a contraceptive accident like condom rupture. Different methods have varying modes of action, time frame of efficacy, dosage schedule and unwanted effects. Since several methods are available it is important to decide the best method. In this article the available literature on emergency contraception has been reviewed and an attempt has been made to discuss the need for emergency contraception and compare different options for emergency contraception in terms of their efficacy in pregnancy prevention, their safety profile and unwanted side effects. EC repeated use and initiating a regular method after EC use are also discussed. Emergency contraceptive methods include copper Intra-uterine devices (IUD) and different types of pills like estrogen progestin combination pill (Yuzpe Regimen), Progestin only pill (LNG), antiprogestin pill (Mifepristone), and progesterone modulator Uripristal Acetate (UPA). There is a marginal difference in the mechanism of action, efficacy including time frame and ability to protect from pregnancy with regular doses in obese women, drug interactions and side effects. These are discussed in detail. Copper IUD is the most effective emergency contraceptive with advantage of providing continued contraception. However, it cannot be used universally due to lack of infrastructure and a trained provider as well as not being suitable option for women at risk of sexually transmitted infections. Amongst different pills LNG is more effective with fewer side effects than Yuzpe regimen. LNG and UPA are comparable with similar efficacy and side effect profile. UPA has a wider window of efficacy, in LNG efficacy declines after 72 hours. UPA is more suitable for obese women. Mifepristone is effective but is registered as EC pill only in few countries and use is limited as it is also used as an abortion pill. Yuzpe regimen is the least effective of all contraceptive pills as EC, and works only till 72 hours of unprotected sex, but is useful in places where dedicated methods are not available, as it is easily accessible. Any combined pill can be used in this regimen except triphasic pill.
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Snodgrass, G L; Jackson, R E; Abel, C A; Perera, O P
2010-08-01
Commercially produced maturity group (MG) IV soybeans, Glycine max L., were sampled during bloom for tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), during May and June 1999 (3 fields) and 2001 (18 fields). The adults and nymphs were found primarily in single population peaks in both years, indicating a single new generation was produced during each year. The peak mean numbers of nymphs were 0.61 and 0.84 per drop cloth sample in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Adults peaked at 3.96 (1999) and 3.76 (2001) per sweep net sample (25 sweeps). Tests using laboratory-reared and field-collected tarnished plant bugs resulted in very poor survival of nymphs on 16 different soybean varieties (MG III, one; IV, four; V, nine; VI, two). A large cage (0.06 ha) field test found that the number of nymphs produced on eight soybean varieties after mated adults were released into the cages was lower than could be expected on a suitable host. These results indicated that soybean was a marginal host for tarnished plant bugs. However, the numbers of adults and nymphs found in the commercially produced fields sampled in the study may have been high enough to cause feeding damage to the flowering soybeans. The nature of the damage and its possible economic importance were not determined. Reproduction of tarnished plant bugs in the commercially produced early soybean fields showed that the early soybeans provided tarnished plant bugs with a very abundant host at a time when only wild hosts were previously available.
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Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects.
Walker, Andrew Allan; Rosenthal, Max; Undheim, Eivind E A; King, Glenn F
2018-04-21
Heteropteran insects such as assassin bugs (Reduviidae) and giant water bugs (Belostomatidae) descended from a common predaceous and venomous ancestor, and the majority of extant heteropterans retain this trophic strategy. Some heteropterans have transitioned to feeding on vertebrate blood (such as the kissing bugs, Triatominae; and bed bugs, Cimicidae) while others have reverted to feeding on plants (most Pentatomomorpha). However, with the exception of saliva used by kissing bugs to facilitate blood-feeding, little is known about heteropteran venoms compared to the venoms of spiders, scorpions and snakes. One obstacle to the characterization of heteropteran venom toxins is the structure and function of the venom/labial glands, which are both morphologically complex and perform multiple biological roles (defense, prey capture, and extra-oral digestion). In this article, we describe three methods we have successfully used to collect heteropteran venoms. First, we present electrostimulation as a convenient way to collect venom that is often lethal when injected into prey animals, and which obviates contamination by glandular tissue. Second, we show that gentle harassment of animals is sufficient to produce venom extrusion from the proboscis and/or venom spitting in some groups of heteropterans. Third, we describe methods to harvest venom toxins by dissection of anaesthetized animals to obtain the venom glands. This method is complementary to other methods, as it may allow harvesting of toxins from taxa in which electrostimulation and harassment are ineffective. These protocols will enable researchers to harvest toxins from heteropteran insects for structure-function characterization and possible applications in medicine and agriculture.
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Rhainds, N; Kovach, J; Dosa, E L; English-Loeb, G
2001-12-01
The current study investigated the impact of reflective mulch on yield of strawberry plants and incidence of damage by tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), for three strawberry cultivars: 'Honeoye', 'Earliglow', and two sibling Dayneutrals ('Tribute' and 'Tristar', herein considered as one cultivar). Of all cultivars tested, Honeoye was the most productive and least susceptible to tarnished plant bug. For Earliglow and Honeoye, reflective mulch enhanced productivity of strawberry plants and suppressed density of nymphs per flower cluster and proportion of damaged fruits, but did not significantly impact numbers of nymphs or damaged fruits per hectare, Results with Dayneutrals were not consistently significant. Both in the presence or absence of reflective mulch, proportion of damaged fruits increased with increasing density of nymphs per flower cluster and with decreasing number of fruits harvested per row section, suggesting that planting productive strawberry cultivars or maintaining cultural practices that promote high yield may provide an effective line of defense against tarnished plant bug. These results also suggest that reflective mulch may suppress incidence of damage by tarnished plant bug both directly, by reducing number of nymphs per flower cluster, and indirectly, by enhancing productivity of strawberry plants. Economic analyses evaluating costs and benefits of using reflective mulch, as well as studies investigating mechanisms that underlie the impact of reflective mulch on yield and incidence of damage by tarnished plant bug, are still needed before reflective mulch can be implemented as a management strategy in commercial strawberry fields.
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Rodríguez, Indra G; Saldaña, Azael; González, Kadir; Pineda, Vanessa; Perea, Milixa; Santamaría, Ana M; de Junca, Carmen C; Chaves, Luis F; Calzada, José E
2018-05-04
Ecoepidemiological scenarios for Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas transmission are partially shaped by kissing bug vector ecology. The presence of Attalea butyracea Kunth, the 'royal palm', is a major risk factor for Chagas disease transmission in Panamá given their frequent infestations by Rhodnius pallescens Barber, a major neotropical T. cruzi vector. It was assumed that in Panamá this relationship was very close and unique, limiting the niche of R. pallescens to that of Att. butyracea. However, here we present observations about T. cruzi-infected R. pallescens infesting coyol palms, Acrocomia aculeata Jacquin, in Pedasí district, Los Santos Province, Panamá. Between May 2015 and August 2016, we sampled kissing bugs from 83 coyol palms using mice-baited traps placed at the crown of each palm during the dry and wet season. We collected 62 R. pallescens and one Eratyrus cuspidatus Stål kissing bugs. Using logistic regression, we found that the probability of kissing bug infestation in coyol palms increased during the rainy season, with infructescence number and palm height. We examined adult R. pallescens bugs (n = 30) and found T. cruzi in 67% of the samples. We were able to isolate and characterize T. cruzi from parasites present in the feces from R. pallescens, all parasites belonging to the TC I lineage. We found that green fronds number and house proximity increased T. cruzi infection probability in kissing bugs collected in coyol palms. These results highlight coyol palms as a potential risk factor for Chagas disease transmission in the dry arch of Panamá.
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Onasoga, Olayinka A.; Afolayan, Joel Adeleke; Asamabiriowei, Tariebi Florence; Jibril, Umar Nda; Imam, Abubakar Ayinla
2016-01-01
Background and Objective: Risky sexual activity among adolescents is on the increase and contraceptive prevalence rate is low which is evidenced by high rate of teenage pregnancy in Bayelsa state, Nigeria. This study assesses the adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and utilization of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) in Amassoma Community, Bayelsa State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional research design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 220 respondents from the target population. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data generated. Results: Majority of the respondents had high level of knowledge and positive attitude towards emergency contraceptive pills but had low level of utilization. Concerns about what others may say, parental attitude, contraceptive availability, contraceptive accessibility, and peer influences were the major factors that influenced the utilization of contraceptive pills. There was no significant relationship between knowledge and utilization of emergency contraceptive pills, as well as level of knowledge and their utilization of emergency contraceptive pills. Conclusions and Global Health Implications: Adolescents in the study were more likely to use emergency contraceptive pills, if parents and others reaction to adolescents’ contraceptive use were positive about those. Health care professionals, especially nurses, should organize enlightenment programs to educate adolescents, parents and the public on the benefits of adolescents’ contraceptives use, especially ECP. PMID:28058193
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Kishore, Vertika; Misro, Man M; Nandan, Deoki
2010-01-01
Background: South Delhi is one of the well developed districts in the capital with best public health care facilities. Knowledge, attitude and dispensing practices of emergency contraceptive pills (E-pills) were assessed among health care providers of government dispensaries in South Delhi. Study Design: A descriptive epidemiological study. Materials and Methods: Both medical and paramedical (n = 428) providers in 63 government health care facilities were interviewed between August to December 2007 using a semi-structured interview schedule. Results: Among the different categories of the providers, medical officers were observed to be most knowledgeable about E-pills and the pharmacists were the least. The correct prescribed dose of E-pill was known only to 32% of the providers while 49% knew about its right time of intake. Misconceptions and apprehensions for promoting its use were very much prevalent even among medical officers as majority felt that open access to E-pills would increase promiscuity. The dispensing practice of providers was found positively (P < 0.05) correlated with their knowledge. Training resulted a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in knowledge, attitude and dispensing practice of the providers. Knowledge and training combined together contributed 35% to the dispensing practice (R2 = 0.35). Conclusion: Besides knowledge, behavior change communication strategies should form a part of the training curricula of health care providers that would help to improve the dispensing practice of E-pills. PMID:20606919
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Duan, Shengnan; Qi, Wen; Zhang, Siwen; Huang, Kunkun; Yuan, Dan
2017-10-01
An ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method in both positive and negative ion modes was established in order to comprehensively investigate the major constituents in Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. Briefly, a Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS C 18 column was used to separate the aqueous extract of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. A total of 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous formic acid v/v were used as the mobile phase. All analytes were determined using quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization source in positive and negative ion modes. At length, a total of 173 components including flavones and their glycosides, monoterpene glycosides, triterpene saponins, phenethylalchohol glycosides, iridoid glycosides, phthalides, tanshinones, phenolic acids, sesquiterpenoids and cyclopeptides were identified or tentatively characterized in Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill in an analysis of 16.0 min based on the accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry behaviors. The developed method is rapid and highly sensitive to characterize the chemical constituents of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill, which could not only be used for chemical standardization and quality control of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill, but also be helpful for further study in vivo metabolism of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
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Butler, Rachael A; Sheridan, Janie L
2007-01-01
Background This study aimed to investigate patterns and context of use of BZP-party pills, function of use, and positive and negative effects experienced by a sample of New Zealand young people who had used the products. Methods A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Results The sample included 58 young people aged 17–23 years who had used BZP-party pills in the previous 12 months. Young people were using these substances in a range of settings – primarily during weekend social occasions – particularly as part of the dance party culture. They were mostly used for their stimulant properties and to enhance socialisation, and were often taken in combination with other legal and illicit drugs. Young people had suffered a range of physical and emotional negative effects, although none of these was reported as being life-threatening or long-term. Many participants had reduced the frequency with which they used BZP-party pills due to adverse effects. Potentially risky behaviours identified included taking large doses, mixing BZP-party pills with alcohol and other substances, and driving whilst under the influence of BZP-party pills. Conclusion Findings suggest that young people in this study were not suffering excessive or dangerous adverse effects. However, potentially risky use of these products raises the issue of the need for developing harm reduction interventions. PMID:18021425
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Wang, Jin-Xuan; Huang, Hong-Zhang; Li, Ning; Gao, Chong-Kai
2014-03-01
To prepare the hawthorn leaves flavonoids self-microemulsifying membrane controlled-release coated drop pill, and to study its release rate in vitro and pharmacokinetics study in vivo. In order to improve the dissolution of hawthorn leaves flavonoids, self-microemulsifying technology was used to prepare the hawthorn leaves flavonoids self-microemulsion. Hawthorn leaves flavonoids self-microemulsifying drop pill was prepared with the PEG 6000. Studies were made on the in vitro release of flavonoids from hawthorn leaves self-micro-emulsifying membrane-moderated coated drop pills and the in vivo pharmacokinetic in rats. The prescription of flavonoids from hawthorn leaves self-micro-emulsifying drop pills was 0.25 g of flavonoids from hawthorn leaves, 0.25 g of iodophenyl maleimide, 0.375 g of polyethylene glycol 400, 0.375 g of cremophor RH 40 and 2 g of polyethylene glycol 6000. The optimized prescription was 4 g of ethyl cellulose 20, 0.64 g of polyethylene glycol 400, 1.8 g of diethyl phthalate, and the weight of coating materials increased by 3.5%. Flavonoids from hawthorn leaves self-micro-emulsifying membrane-moderated coated drop pills complied with the design of sustained-release in 12 h in terms of in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters in rats, and its bioavailability was 2.47 times of quick-release drop pills. Slightly soluble flavonoids from hawthorn leaves could be made into sustained-release preparations by the self-micro-emulsifying and coating technology.
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Hiring a Pest Management Professional for Bed Bugs
If you hire someone to treat your bed bug infestation, make sure they use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, check credentials, and know they may need multiple visits, to take apart furniture, and to use vacuums, heat, and pesticides.
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Stay Legal and Safe in Treating for Bed Bugs
Quick fix solutions may sound appealing, but they may not be legal, safe, or effective. To avoid adverse effects such as poisoning, buy EPA-registered pesticides labeled for bed bug control, and follow all label directions and precautions.
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Bed Bug Clearinghouse -- Publications of General Interest (to all audiences)
This information is intended to help states, communities, and consumers prevent and control bed bug infestations. These resources include prevention tips, how to identify nymphs and adults, heat treatment, safe pesticide use, and some Spanish translations.
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Find and correctly identify an infestation early before it becomes widespread. Look for rusty or reddish stains and pinpoint dark spots on bed sheets or mattresses, and search for bugs near the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring.
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2017-02-13
Find and correctly identify an infestation early before it becomes widespread. Look for rusty or reddish stains and pinpoint dark spots on bed sheets or mattresses, and search for bugs near the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring.
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Wiegratz, Inka; Elliesen, Jörg; Paoletti, Anna Maria; Walzer, Anja; Kirsch, Bodo
2015-01-01
Objective To evaluate the effect of a digital dispenser’s acoustic alarm function on adherence to ethinylestradiol (EE) 20 μg/drospirenone 3 mg in a flexible extended regimen (EE/drospirenoneFlex) among women in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK) seeking oral contraception. Study design Randomized, parallel-group open-label study. Methods Women aged 18–35 years received EE/drospirenoneFlex administered in a regimen with cycle lengths of their choice with the aid of a digital pill dispenser over 1 year. In group A (N=250), the dispenser’s acoustic alarm was activated (ie, acoustic alarm + visual reminder). In group B (N=249), the acoustic alarm was deactivated (ie, visual reminder only). In addition, the women recorded pill intake daily in diary cards. The primary efficacy variable was the mean delay of daily pill release after the dispenser reminded the woman to take a pill (reference time). Secondary efficacy variables included number of missed pills, contraceptive efficacy, bleeding pattern, tolerability, and user satisfaction. Results Dispenser data showed a mean (standard deviation [SD]) daily delay in pill release of 88 (126) minutes in group A vs 178 (140) minutes in group B (P<0.0001). Median (lower quartile, Q1; upper quartile, Q3) number of missed pills was 0 (0; 1) in group A vs 4 (1; 9) in group B (P<0.0001). Diary card results revealed similar trends; however, underreporting of missed pills was evident in both groups. No pregnancies were reported during 424 women-years of exposure. Across the two groups, the mean (SD) EE/drospirenoneFlex cycle length was 51.0 (31.8) days with strong regional differences, and the mean (SD) number of bleeding/spotting days was 50.4 (33.0) days. EE/drospirenoneFlex was well tolerated, and 80% of women were satisfied with treatment. Conclusion The dispenser’s activated acoustic alarm improved adherence with daily tablet intake of EE/drospirenoneFlex, reducing missed pills. EE/drospirenoneFlex provided effective contraception and a good tolerability profile. PMID:25609999
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Molton, James S; Pang, Yan; Wang, Zhuochun; Qiu, Boqin; Wu, Pei; Rahman-Shepherd, Afifah; Ooi, Wei Tsang; Paton, Nicholas I
2016-12-20
Suboptimal medication adherence for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) results in poor clinical outcomes and ongoing infectivity. Directly observed therapy (DOT) is now standard of care for TB treatment monitoring but has a number of limitations. We aimed to develop and evaluate a smartphone-based system to facilitate remotely observed therapy via transmission of videos rather than in-person observation. We developed an integrated smartphone and web-based system (Mobile Interactive Supervised Therapy, MIST) to provide regular medication reminders and facilitate video recording of pill ingestion at predetermined timings each day, for upload and later review by a healthcare worker. We evaluated the system in a single arm, prospective study of adherence to a dietary supplement. Healthy volunteers were recruited through an online portal. Entry criteria included age ≥21 and owning an iOS or Android-based device. Participants took a dietary supplement pill once, twice or three-times a day for 2 months. We instructed them to video each pill taking episode using the system. Adherence as measured by the smartphone system and by pill count. 42 eligible participants were recruited (median age 24; 86% students). Videos were classified as received-confirmed pill intake (3475, 82.7% of the 4200 videos expected), received-uncertain pill intake (16, <1%), received-fake pill intake (31, <1%), not received-technical issues (223, 5.3%) or not received-assumed non-adherence (455, 10.8%). Overall median estimated participant adherence by MIST was 90.0%, similar to that obtained by pill count (93.8%). There was a good relationship between participant adherence as measured by MIST and by pill count (Spearmans r s 0.66, p<0.001). We have demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability and accuracy of a smartphone-based adherence support and monitoring system. The system has the potential to supplement and support the provision of DOT for TB and also to improve adherence in other conditions such as HIV and hepatitis C. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.
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Bed bug dermatitis, description of two cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Bernardes Filho, Fred; Quaresma, Maria Victória; Avelleira, João Carlos Regazzi; Azulay, David Rubem; Azulay-Abulafia, Luna; Bastos, Amanda Queiroz; Gonçalves, Teresa Cristina Monte
2015-01-01
Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their dwellings showed infestation of insects identified as Cimex hemipterus. The knowledge of these insects by the dermatological community will contribute to an accurate diagnosis as well as subsidize the dissemination of information aiming for prevention.
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Bed bug dermatitis, description of two cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil*
Bernardes, Fred; Quaresma, Maria Victória; Avelleira, João Carlos Regazzi; Azulay, David Rubem; Azulay-Abulafia, Luna; Bastos, Amanda Queiroz; Gonçalves, Teresa Cristina Monte
2015-01-01
Bed bugs are hematophagous insects which due to their morphological and biological characteristics are able to easily adapt themselves to human households. The authors describe two cases of dermatitis caused by bed bug bites in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients presented linear lesions in the usual "breakfast, lunch and dinner" arrangement, suggesting this diagnosis. A visit to their dwellings showed infestation of insects identified as Cimex hemipterus. The knowledge of these insects by the dermatological community will contribute to an accurate diagnosis as well as subsidize the dissemination of information aiming for prevention. PMID:25830996
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Meriweather, Matthew; Matthews, Sara; Rio, Rita; Baucom, Regina S.
2013-01-01
Elucidating the spatial dynamic and core constituents of the microbial communities found in association with arthropod hosts is of crucial importance for insects that may vector human or agricultural pathogens. The hematophagous Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), known as the human bed bug, has made a recent resurgence in North America, as well as worldwide, potentially owing to increased travel, climate change and resistance to insecticides. A comprehensive survey of the bed bug microbiome has not been performed to date, nor has an assessment of the spatial dynamics of its microbiome. Here we present a survey of internal and external bed bug microbial communities by amplifying the V4–V6 hypervariable region of the 16S rDNA gene region followed by 454 Titanium sequencing using 31 individuals from eight distinct collection locations obtained from residences in Cincinnati, OH. Across all samples, 97% of the microbial community is made up of two dominant OTUs, previously identified as the α-proteobacterium Wolbachia and an unnamed γ-proteobacterium from the Enterobacteriaceae. Microbial communities varied among host locations for measures of community diversity and exhibited structure according to collection location. This broad survey represents the most in-depth assessment, to date, of the microbes that associate with bed bugs. PMID:23585900
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Sierras, Angela; Schal, Coby
2016-01-01
Background The global prevalence of Cimex lectularius infestations has challenged current intervention efforts, as pyrethroid resistance has become ubiquitous, availability of labeled insecticides for bed bugs is limited, and non-chemical treatment options, such as heat, are often unaffordable. We evaluated representative insecticides toward the goal of developing a novel, ingestible liquid bait for hematophagous arthropods. Results LC50 values were estimated for adult males and first instar nymphs of an insecticide-susceptible strain for abamectin, clothianidin, fipronil and indoxacarb, after ingestion from an in vitro feeder. LD50 values were calculated based on the ingested blood volume. Ingested abamectin, clothianidin and fipronil caused rapid mortality in both life stages. Fipronil was ∼43-fold more effective by ingestion than by topical application. Indoxacarb and its bioactive metabolite decarbomethoxyllated JW062 (DCJW) were ineffective at causing bed bug mortality even at concentrations as high as 1000 ng mL−1 blood. Conclusions Fipronil, clothianidin and abamectin have potential for being incorporated into a liquid bait for bed bug control; indoxacarb and DCJW were not effective. Bed bugs are a good candidate for an ingestible liquid bait because systemic formulations generally require less active ingredient than residual sprays, they remain contained and more effectively target hematophagous arthropods. PMID:27766740
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Meriweather, Matthew; Matthews, Sara; Rio, Rita; Baucom, Regina S
2013-01-01
Elucidating the spatial dynamic and core constituents of the microbial communities found in association with arthropod hosts is of crucial importance for insects that may vector human or agricultural pathogens. The hematophagous Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), known as the human bed bug, has made a recent resurgence in North America, as well as worldwide, potentially owing to increased travel, climate change and resistance to insecticides. A comprehensive survey of the bed bug microbiome has not been performed to date, nor has an assessment of the spatial dynamics of its microbiome. Here we present a survey of internal and external bed bug microbial communities by amplifying the V4-V6 hypervariable region of the 16S rDNA gene region followed by 454 Titanium sequencing using 31 individuals from eight distinct collection locations obtained from residences in Cincinnati, OH. Across all samples, 97% of the microbial community is made up of two dominant OTUs, previously identified as the α-proteobacterium Wolbachia and an unnamed γ-proteobacterium from the Enterobacteriaceae. Microbial communities varied among host locations for measures of community diversity and exhibited structure according to collection location. This broad survey represents the most in-depth assessment, to date, of the microbes that associate with bed bugs.
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Liu, Feng; Haynes, Kenneth F; Appel, Arthur G; Liu, Nannan
2014-06-01
Populations of the common bed bug Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera; Cimicidae), a temporary ectoparasite on both humans and animals, have surged in many developed countries. Similar to other haematophagous arthropods, C. lectularius relies on its olfactory system to detect semiochemicals in the environment, including both attractants and repellents. To elucidate the olfactory responses of the common bed bug to commonly used insect chemical repellents, particularly haematophagous repellents, we investigated the neuronal responses of individual olfactory sensilla in C. lectularius' antennae to 52 insect chemical repellents, both synthetic and botanic. Different types of sensilla displayed highly distinctive response profiles. While C sensilla did not respond to any of the insect chemical repellents, Dγ sensilla proved to be the most sensitive in response to terpene-derived insect chemical repellents. Different chemical repellents elicited neuronal responses with differing temporal characteristics, and the responses of the olfactory sensilla to the insect chemical repellents were dose-dependent, with an olfactory response to the terpene-derived chemical repellent, but not to the non-terpene-derived chemical repellents. Overall, this study furnishes a comprehensive map of the olfactory response of bed bugs to commonly used insect chemical repellents, providing useful information for those developing new agents (attractants or repellents) for bed bug control.
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Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard
2015-03-18
Three insecticide mixtures that contain two classes of insecticides (pyrethroid and neonicotinoid) were recently developed to control bed bugs. We evaluated three integrated bed bug management strategies in apartments, each using the same non-chemical control methods and one of the three insecticide mixture products: Tandem (lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam), Temprid SC (beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid), and Transport Mikron (bifenthrin + acetamiprid). No insecticides were applied in the Control apartments. In all apartments, we installed vinyl mattress encasements (if not already present) and applied steam to beds and other infested upholstered furniture. Insecticide sprays were applied in the three treatments. Each treatment and the Control included 8-10 occupied apartments. Re-treatment was conducted during biweekly inspections if necessary. After eight weeks, the mean (± SEM) bed bug count reduction in the Tandem, Temprid SC, Transport Mikron, and Control was 89 ± 9, 87 ± 6, 98 ± 1, and 23 ± 54%, respectively. Only Tandem and Transport Mikron treatments resulted in significantly higher population reduction than the Control at eight weeks. There were no significant differences in mean percent reduction among the three treatments (Tandem, Temprid SC, Transport Mikron) at eight weeks. Tandem spray caused significantly faster bed bug reduction than Temprid SC spray and Transport Mikron spray.
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Sierras, Angela; Schal, Coby
2017-03-01
The global prevalence of Cimex lectularius infestations has challenged current intervention efforts, as pyrethroid resistance has become ubiquitous, availability of labeled insecticides for bed bugs is limited, and non-chemical treatment options, such as heat, are often unaffordable. We evaluated representative insecticides toward the goal of developing a novel, ingestible liquid bait for hematophagous arthropods. LC 50 values were estimated for adult males and first instar nymphs of an insecticide-susceptible strain for abamectin, clothianidin, fipronil and indoxacarb, after ingestion from an artificial feeder. LD 50 values were calculated based on the ingested blood volume. Ingested abamectin, clothianidin and fipronil caused rapid mortality in both life stages. Fipronil was ∼43-fold more effective by ingestion than by topical application. Indoxacarb and its bioactive metabolite decarbomethoxylated JW062 (DCJW) were ineffective at causing bed bug mortality even at concentrations as high as 1000 ng mL -1 blood. Fipronil, clothianidin and abamectin have potential for being incorporated into a liquid bait for bed bug control; indoxacarb and DCJW were not effective. Bed bugs are a good candidate for an ingestible liquid bait because systemic formulations generally require less active ingredient than residual sprays, they remain contained and more effectively target hematophagous arthropods. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard
2015-01-01
Three insecticide mixtures that contain two classes of insecticides (pyrethroid and neonicotinoid) were recently developed to control bed bugs. We evaluated three integrated bed bug management strategies in apartments, each using the same non-chemical control methods and one of the three insecticide mixture products: Tandem (lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam), Temprid SC (beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid), and Transport Mikron (bifenthrin + acetamiprid). No insecticides were applied in the Control apartments. In all apartments, we installed vinyl mattress encasements (if not already present) and applied steam to beds and other infested upholstered furniture. Insecticide sprays were applied in the three treatments. Each treatment and the Control included 8–10 occupied apartments. Re-treatment was conducted during biweekly inspections if necessary. After eight weeks, the mean (± SEM) bed bug count reduction in the Tandem, Temprid SC, Transport Mikron, and Control was 89 ± 9, 87 ± 6, 98 ± 1, and 23 ± 54%, respectively. Only Tandem and Transport Mikron treatments resulted in significantly higher population reduction than the Control at eight weeks. There were no significant differences in mean percent reduction among the three treatments (Tandem, Temprid SC, Transport Mikron) at eight weeks. Tandem spray caused significantly faster bed bug reduction than Temprid SC spray and Transport Mikron spray. PMID:26463075