Delaminasies en krake is nadelige verskynsels wat die kwaliteit van die finale produk in die vervaardiging van metaal byvoeg vervaardiging belemmer. Die doeltreffende gebruik van ander aanlyn moniteringstelsels wat hierdie vervormings en delaminasies tydens die vervaardigingsproses kan opspoor, word tans ontwikkel en in die praktyk geïmplementeer. In hierdie artikel word gasgedraagde akoestiese emissie gebruik om te wys dat krake/delaminasies wat tydens die vervaardigingsproses voorkom, opgespoor en van ander masjiengeraas onderskei kan word. Die pieke in die amplitude van die sein wat in die tyddomein uitgestuur word, kan gebruik word om die voorkoms van krake tydens die bouproses aan te dui. Die frekwensie-eienskappe van die sein kan ook duidelik die voorkoms van die makrokrake aandui en onderskei tussen die seine van die krake en die masjiengeraas.

Delaminations and cracks are detrimental phenomena that hinder the quality of the final product in metal additive manufacturing. The effective use of other online monitoring systems that can detect these deformations and delaminations during the manufacturing process is currently being developed and implemented in practice. In this paper, gas-borne acoustic emission is used to show that cracks/delaminations that occur during the metal laser powder bed fusion build process can be detected and distinguished from other machine noise. The peaks in the amplitude of the signal emitted in the time domain could be used to indicate the occurrence of cracks during the build process. The frequency characteristics of the signal could also clearly indicate the occurrence of the macro cracks and differentiate between the signals from the cracks and the machine noise.

This policy brief document utilised an original published study from three academic hospitals in South Africa (SA) and all relevant published literature to develop recommendations on several strategies, summarised by the acronym 'PRACTICE', to optimise antimicrobial prescribing practices. These include implementing standardised policies for empirical antimicrobial use, routine review of antimicrobial therapy, age-specific antimicrobial stewardship programmes and continued collaborative efforts and research. Individualised treatment plans, improved infection prevention and control measures, ongoing surveillance and exploring electronic technology for antimicrobial stewardship are also crucial in combating the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and improving patient outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as SA.

The use of protective netting is becoming an increasingly popular practice in the citrus industry in South Africa. However, data on its effects on biotic factors, particularly insect pests, are limited. This study focused on the effect nets have on key citrus pests in the Eastern Cape province. Orchards under nets and open orchards, of similar cultivars, ages and management practices, were monitored at several sites over two seasons for pest infestation and damage. Weekly monitoring was conducted for Thaumatotibia leucotreta infestation. Other pests were monitored either monthly or once a season. During the first season, T. leucotreta infestation was higher in orchards under nets, probably because, unlike the open orchards, the nets provided protection for the existing high levels of T. leucotreta. No T. leucotreta infestation was recorded in both orchard types in 2019. This was due to generally lower than usual pest abundance and dramatically improved area-wide management of T. leucotreta. Pheromone traps were used to monitor T. leucotreta males, including sterile moths used in a sterile insect technique programme. Although higher catches of wild T. leucotreta moths were recorded in orchards under nets, so too were there higher numbers of sterile moths and a higher ratio of sterile to wild moths, indicating the potential for better pest suppression for orchards under nets. Various other key pests were monitored during this time, with variable results for each species. Pests that were elevated under nets include Planococcus citri and Aonidiella aurantii. Pests that seemed to be lower under nets were Ceratitis capitata and Scirtothrips aurantii. Nets had no effect on Empoasca distinguenda, Penthimiola bella and Eriophyes sheldoni. These differences in pest levels in netted and open orchards trigger an important debate on whether nets are beneficial for or detrimental to the successful implementation of an integrated pest management programme.

Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), commonly referred to as false codling moth, is an important pest of citrus in southern Africa. Given its quarantine status in markets to which a large portion of the fresh produce is exported, its management in citrus orchards is essential. This management typically follows a systems approach in which baculovirus-based biopesticides, such as Cryptogran™ (Betabaculovirus cryleucotreta), are considered an important component of pre-harvest control strategies. It has previously been demonstrated that adding molasses with Cryptogran™ improves field performance, further reducing the number of T. leucotreta infested fruit. However, the reason for this improvement was never determined. This study aimed to understand the role that molasses may have on the behaviour of T. leucotreta first instars under laboratory conditions, leading to this improved field efficacy, and to confirm conclusively if the addition of molasses to the virus formulation improved efficacy across a further six field trials. In the laboratory, larvae exposed to molasses-treated oranges at either a concentration of 0.25% or 0.50% moved around the surface of the oranges less and also penetrated the oranges less compared to larvae exposed to non-molasses-treated oranges. This suggested that molasses, as a phagostimulant, encouraged larval feeding quicker and longer. This will promote the uptake of the biopesticide infective units and is likely the reason for the recorded improved field efficacy of Cryptogran™ when combined with molasses across all six field trials compared to its application alone. These two sets of experiments confirm conclusively that the addition of molasses to the virus formulation improves its efficacy and should be standard practice in the industry.

Delaminations and cracks are detrimental phenomena that hinder the quality of the final product in metal additive manufacturing. The effective use of other online monitoring systems that can detect these deformations and delaminations during the manufacturing process is currently being developed and implemented in practice. In this paper, gas-borne acoustic emission is used to show that cracks/delaminations that occur during the metal laser powder bed fusion build process can be detected and distinguished from other machine noise. The peaks in the amplitude of the signal emitted in the time domain could be used to indicate the occurrence of cracks during the build process. The frequency characteristics of the signal could also clearly indicate the occurrence of the macro cracks and differentiate between the signals from the cracks and the machine noise.

Delaminasies en krake is nadelige verskynsels wat die kwaliteit van die finale produk in die vervaardiging van metaal byvoeg vervaardiging belemmer. Die doeltreffende gebruik van ander aanlyn moniteringstelsels wat hierdie vervormings en delaminasies tydens die vervaardigingsproses kan opspoor, word tans ontwikkel en in die praktyk geïmplementeer. In hierdie artikel word gasgedraagde akoestiese emissie gebruik om te wys dat krake/delaminasies wat tydens die vervaardigingsproses voorkom, opgespoor en van ander masjiengeraas onderskei kan word. Die pieke in die amplitude van die sein wat in die tyddomein uitgestuur word, kan gebruik word om die voorkoms van krake tydens die bouproses aan te dui. Die frekwensie-eienskappe van die sein kan ook duidelik die voorkoms van die makrokrake aandui en onderskei tussen die seine van die krake en die masjiengeraas.

Resumo Durante a pandemia de COVID-19, a saúde mental dos profissionais de saúde, que trabalharam diretamente nos serviços voltados para o cuidado dos pacientes afetados pela doença, tornou-se questão fundamental a ser considerada, dado os diversos desdobramentos que essa atuação gerou para esses profissionais. O objetivo deste artigo foi compreender desafios e demandas dos profissionais de saúde em termos de suporte para lidar com o desgaste emocional e físico com a atuação na chamada linha de frente durante a pandemia de COVID-19. A abordagem metodológica qualitativa se deu a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas em ambiente online com esses profissionais, passados os primeiros meses de pandemia. O lugar de herói em que eles foram colocados, ainda que apenas nos discursos midiáticos, logo deu espaço para que as fragilidades destes e das relações de trabalho aparecessem: estresse, medo e o desejo de escuta e acolhimento. A teoria da dádiva de Marcel Mauss foi trazida considerando que novas formas de leitura e interpretação das relações de trabalho em saúde contribuem para reformulações necessárias e urgentes do contexto em que se encontram hoje, visando a saúde mental e, mais amplamente, a saúde integral dos profissionais da área de saúde.

Abstract The mental health of health professionals who worked directly in services during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for patients affected by the disease became a fundamental issue to be considered, given the several consequences of this activity for these professionals. This article aimed to understand the challenges and demands of health professionals concerning support to address the emotional and physical exhaustion of working on the so-called frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative methodological approach was based on semi-structured interviews conducted online with these professionals after the first months of the pandemic. The hero’s place in which they were set, even if only in media discourses, soon gave way to their weaknesses and fragile work relationships to emerge: stress, fear, and the listening and reception desire. Marcel Mauss’ gift theory was brought up considering that new ways of reading and interpreting health work relationships contribute to necessary and urgent reformulations of their current context, targeting mental health and, more broadly, the comprehensive health of healthcare professionals.

Abstract The mental health of health professionals who worked directly in services during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for patients affected by the disease became a fundamental issue to be considered, given the several consequences of this activity for these professionals. This article aimed to understand the challenges and demands of health professionals concerning support to address the emotional and physical exhaustion of working on the so-called frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative methodological approach was based on semi-structured interviews conducted online with these professionals after the first months of the pandemic. The hero’s place in which they were set, even if only in media discourses, soon gave way to their weaknesses and fragile work relationships to emerge: stress, fear, and the listening and reception desire. Marcel Mauss’ gift theory was brought up considering that new ways of reading and interpreting health work relationships contribute to necessary and urgent reformulations of their current context, targeting mental health and, more broadly, the comprehensive health of healthcare professionals.

Resumo Durante a pandemia de COVID-19, a saúde mental dos profissionais de saúde, que trabalharam diretamente nos serviços voltados para o cuidado dos pacientes afetados pela doença, tornou-se questão fundamental a ser considerada, dado os diversos desdobramentos que essa atuação gerou para esses profissionais. O objetivo deste artigo foi compreender desafios e demandas dos profissionais de saúde em termos de suporte para lidar com o desgaste emocional e físico com a atuação na chamada linha de frente durante a pandemia de COVID-19. A abordagem metodológica qualitativa se deu a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas em ambiente online com esses profissionais, passados os primeiros meses de pandemia. O lugar de herói em que eles foram colocados, ainda que apenas nos discursos midiáticos, logo deu espaço para que as fragilidades destes e das relações de trabalho aparecessem: estresse, medo e o desejo de escuta e acolhimento. A teoria da dádiva de Marcel Mauss foi trazida considerando que novas formas de leitura e interpretação das relações de trabalho em saúde contribuem para reformulações necessárias e urgentes do contexto em que se encontram hoje, visando a saúde mental e, mais amplamente, a saúde integral dos profissionais da área de saúde.

With water quality deteriorating rapidly at a global scale, river sections suited to serve as reference sites are being increasingly lost. It thus becomes critical to develop rapid methods to confirm that previously monitored sites continue meet the requirements of reliable reference sites. In the absence of pristine sites, 9 near-natural sites, as defined by the Kleynhans (1996) classification, were used as reference sites for the Luvuvhu River catchment to compare the quality of physico-chemical factors against a biological metric. Baetid mayfly community structure at a site was chosen as an index of water quality, since this family is common in all types of freshwaters, highly diverse and adapted to unpolluted running water. Baetid larvae were sampled monthly from stones-in-current biotopes across 9 sites for over 1 year, between December 2016 and January 2018. A Spearman's correlation test was used to evaluate the relationship between physico-chemical factors and identify redundant variables. Water quality standards were measured against the national water quality guidelines for aquatic ecosystems. We used a generalized linear model to determine the effect of physico-chemical variables on baetid species, and canonical correspondence analysis to show the relationships between baetid species, sites, and physico-chemical variables. A total of 3 039 individuals belonging to 12 mayfly species were recorded. Our findings indicated that while the physico-chemical factors were highly variable, they were within favourable ranges to reflect reference site conditions. While water temperature was the most important driver of baetid community structure in general, as it negatively affected their abundances, a subset of species (Pseudoponnota sp., Pseudocloeon sp., Acanthiops varius and Demoulinia crassi) showed clear responses to changes in TDS and stream width. We conclude that specific baetid species show good potential as biological indicators of reference sites and chronic water temperature stress, making assessment of reference sites easier.

BACKGROUND. Staphylococcus aureus infection is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. There are relatively few studies describing invasive S. aureus infections in children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. OBJECTIVES. To describe the clinical spectrum and outcomes associated with S. aureus infection in children <14 years of age hospitalised at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), South Africa, and to identify risk factors of invasive disease. METHODS. A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted at CHBAH to define the spectrum of clinical presentation, risk factors, duration of treatment and outcomes of paediatric S. aureus infections for the period January through December 2013. Data were sought for all children <14 years of age. RESULTS. Four hundred and twenty-two episodes of S. aureus infection were identified. Three hundred and forty-two (81%) infections were caused by methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and 80 (19%) by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Clinical data were obtained for 286 (67.8%) cases, on which all further analyses were based. Clinical presentations for MSSA bacteraemia included skin and soft tissue infection (45%), pneumonia (10%), meningitis (6%), bone/joint infections (5%) and urinary tract infections (3%). Five (8.3%) cases of MRSA were community-acquired. Admission to intensive care unit (ICU) was the only risk factor associated with MRSA infection (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 125.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 11.67 - 1 350.68). Hospital-acquired S. aureus infection was the only factor associated with mortality on multivariate analysis (aOR 8.70; 95% CI 1.55 - 48.77). CONCLUSION. S. aureus is frequently isolated in paediatric bacterial infections. Closer attention to infection control would impact on MRSA and S. aureus mortality rates in our setting.

Bronchiolitis, a common reason for infant hospitalisation in South Africa (SA), is caused by viral pathogens. Bronchiolitis is typically an illness of mild to moderate severity that occurs in well-nourished children. Hospitalised SA infants frequently have severe disease and/or coexisting medical conditions, and these cases of bronchiolitis may have bacterial co-infection that requires antibiotic therapy. However, the existence of widespread antimicrobial resistance in SA warrants the judicious use of antibiotics. This commentary describes: (i) common clinical pitfalls leading to an incorrect diagnosis of bronchopneumonia; and (ii) considerations for antibiotic therapy in hospitalised infants with bronchiolitis. If antibiotics are prescribed, the indication for their use should be clearly stated, and antibiotic therapy must be stopped promptly if investigations indicate that bacterial co-infection is unlikely. Until more robust data emerge, we recommend a pragmatic management strategy to inform antibiotic use in hospitalised SA infants with bronchiolitis in whom bacterial co-infection is suspected.

Systems for refining and handling foundries have evolved rapidly in recent years. However, the South African foundry industry has been contracting since 2007, when its annual output was at 660 400 tonnes. The objective of the current study was to investigate productivity improvement measures that would contribute in improving the productivity of Gauteng foundries. A quantitative cross-sectional survey research design was used for the study, and a purposive sampling technique was chosen to provide insight into the specific study. The quantitative data obtained from the study was analysed using several statistical tools. Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation of 23 Likert-scale questions in the questionnaire was performed on data gathered from 143 participants. Factors with eigen values greater than 1 were retained using the Kaiser selection criterion. These factors were related to foundry management and leadership, labour, and machinery. Analysis of the reliability of the results indicated that Cronbach's alpha for all thirty productivity factors was 0.9472. This α > 0.70 indicated a good consistency in the selected items in the questionnaire. Based on the results, a proposed productivity framework was developed, contemplating the integration of lean thinking, manufacturing tools, and the Deming cycle, and providing a systematic and holistic approach to problem-solving through the application of the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle in the foundry industry.

Stelsels vir die raffinering en hantering van gieterye het die afgelope jare vinnig ontwikkel. Die Suid-Afrikaanse gieterybedryf krimp egter sedert 2007, toe sy jaarlikse produksie op 660 400 ton was. Die doel van die studie was om produktiwiteitsverbeteringsmaatreëls te ondersoek wat sal bydra tot die verbetering van die produktiwiteit van Gautengse gieterye. 'n Kwantitatiewe deursnee-opname navorsingsontwerp is vir die studie gebruik, en 'n doelgerigte steekproeftegniek is gekies om insig in die spesifieke studie te verskaf. Die kwantitatiewe data wat uit die studie verkry is, is ontleed met behulp van statistiese hulpmiddels. Verkennende faktoranalise met Varimax-rotasie van 23 Likert-skaalvrae in die vraelys is uitgevoer op data wat van 143 deelnemers ingesamel is. Faktore met eigen waardes groter as 1 is behou deur die Kaiser-seleksiekriterium te gebruik. Hierdie faktore was verwant aan gieterybestuur en leierskap, arbeid en masjinerie. Ontleding van die betroubaarheid van die resultate het aangedui dat Cronbach se alfa vir al dertig produktiwiteitsfaktore 0,9472 was. Hierdie α > 0.70 het 'n goeie konsekwentheid in die geselekteerde items in die vraelys aangedui. Gebaseer op die resultate, is 'n voorgestelde produktiwiteitsraamwerk ontwikkel wat die integrasie van lenige denke, vervaardigingsgereedskap en die Deming-siklus oorweeg, en 'n sistematiese en holistiese benadering tot probleemoplossing verskaf deur die toepassing van die plan-doen-kontroleer-reageer (PDCA) siklus in die gieterybedryf.

Resumo: Objetiva-se desvelar os motivos para hesitação vacinal de pais e/ou responsáveis de crianças e adolescentes para prevenção da COVID-19. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa, que busca analisar as respostas da pergunta aberta “por que você não vai vacinar, não vacinou ou está na dúvida em vacinar as crianças e os adolescentes sob sua responsabilidade para prevenção da COVID-19?”. A pesquisa incluiu indivíduos adultos, brasileiros, residentes no país, responsáveis por crianças e adolescentes menores de 18 anos. A coleta de dados aconteceu de forma eletrônica entre os meses de novembro e dezembro de 2021. As respostas foram organizadas e processadas com suporte do software Iramuteq. O corpus textual desta pesquisa foi composto pela resposta de 1.896 participantes, constituído por 87% de hesitantes (1.650) e 13% (246) de pais que têm intenção de vacinar, mas que esboçaram algumas dúvidas e considerações a respeito da vacinação de crianças e adolescentes. São motivos pelos quais pais e/ou responsáveis não vacinaram ou estão na dúvida em vacinar as crianças e os adolescentes sob sua responsabilidade para prevenção da COVID-19: receio em razão de a vacina estar em fase experimental e medo das reações adversas e dos efeitos a longo prazo. Já os motivos para ausência de intenção de vacinar decorrem dos entendimentos dos participantes de que a COVID-19 em crianças não é grave, os riscos da vacinação são maiores do que os benefícios e o direito de escolha em não vacinar.

Resumen: El objetivo es revelar los motivos de la indecisión a las vacunas de padres y/o responsables de niños y adolescentes para la prevención de COVID-19. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo con enfoque cualitativo, que busca analizar las respuestas a la pregunta abierta “¿Por qué no va a vacunar o no vacunó o tiene dudas en vacunar a los niños y los adolescentes bajo su responsabilidad para la prevención del COVID-19?”. La investigación incluyó individuos adultos, brasileños, residentes en el país, responsables de niños y adolescentes menores de 18 años. La recolección de datos se realizó de forma electrónica entre los meses de noviembre y diciembre de 2021. Las respuestas se organizaron y procesaron con ayuda del software Iramuteq. El corpus textual de esta investigación fue compuesto por la respuesta de 1.896 participantes, siendo constituido por el 87% de indecisos (1.650) y el 13% (246) de padres que tienen la intención de vacunar, pero que esbozaron algunas dudas y consideraciones respecto a la vacunación de niños y adolescentes. Son motivos por los cuales los padres y/o responsables no vacunaron o están en duda en vacunar a los niños y adolescentes bajo su responsabilidad para prevención del COVID-19: temores con la vacunación en cuanto a la concepción de que la vacuna está en fase experimental, miedo a las reacciones adversas y los efectos a largo plazo. Los motivos de la ausencia de intención en vacunar se deben a que los participantes entienden que el COVID-19 en niños no es grave, que los riesgos de la vacunación son mayores que los beneficios y que tienen derecho a decidir no vacunarse.

Abstract: The objective is to unveil the reasons for vaccine hesitancy among parents and/or guardians of children and adolescents toward the prevention of COVID-19. This is a descriptive study, with a qualitative approach that seeks to analyze the answers to the open question “Why will you not vaccinate or have not vaccinated or are in doubt about vaccinating the children and adolescents under your responsibility, for the prevention of COVID-19?”. The research included adult individuals, Brazilians, living in the country, responsible for children and adolescents under 18 years of age. Data collection took place electronically in November and December 2021. The answers were organized and processed with the support of the software Iramuteq. The textual corpus of this research was composed of the response of 1,896 participants, consisting of 87% who were hesitant (1,650) and 13% (246) of parents who intend to vaccinate but who outlined some doubts and considerations about the vaccination of children and adolescents. These are reasons why parents and/or guardians have not vaccinated or are in doubt about vaccinating the children and adolescents under their responsibility for the prevention of COVID-19: fears about vaccination regarding the conception that the vaccine is in the experimental phase, fear of adverse reactions and long-term effects. The reasons for the lack of intention to vaccinate stem from the understanding of the participants that COVID-19 in children is not serious, the risks of vaccination are greater than the benefits, and the right of choice not to vaccinate.

RESUMEN: Objetivos: Evaluar la eficacia de una intervención guiada basada en la reducción del estrés y compasión, sobre la resiliencia, desgaste por empatía y atención plena de profesionales sanitarios. Metodología: Estudio cuasiexperimental con grupo control e intervención combinada multimodal impartido en 3 sesiones. Grupo control (n = 23), grupo experimental (n = 23). Recogida de datos: se hicieron 4 observaciones y se utilizaron las herramientas Escala Breve de Resiliencia, Inventario Friburgo de Mindfulness, Inventario de Desgaste por Empatía y datos sobre el perfil laboral y vida personal de las profesionales. Para analizar la relación entre variables se utilizó un modelo lineal general, la pruebas de chi cuadrado o de Fisher y análisis de regresión. Resultados: No se encontró un efecto significativo de la intervención evaluada en la puntuación obtenida en atención plena, resiliencia o empatía. El grupo control obtuvo mayor puntuación en atención plena cuando se relacionó con la unidad de trabajo no covid y la ausencia de estresores personales F (1,21)=16,081 p=<0,01, ŋ2=0,434. El perfil empático normal sin riesgo, fue significativamente mayor en unidades no covid frente a las covid en la primera evaluación (70% vs 30%, p=0,002). El perfil de baja resiliencia en técnicos de cuidados auxiliares de enfermería, fue mayor durante la última evaluación (72,2% vs 27,8%, p=0,003), momento que coincidió con un mayor número de pacientes hospitalizados por covid. Conclusiones: Factores personales y laborales (categoría profesional, la unidad de trabajo y presión asistencial) tuvieron más influencia en el bienestar psicológico de los profesionales, que la intervención realizada.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: Assess the efficacy of a guided intervention based on stress reduction and compassion, related to resilience and compassion fatigue of healthcare professionals. Methods: Quasi-experimental study with a control and intervention groups, combining a multimodal intervention delivered in 3 sessions. Control group (n = 23), experimental group (n = 23). Data collection: 4 observations were made using the Brief Resilience Scale, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Compassion Fatigue Inventory and data on the professional profile and personal life. In order to analyze the relationship between variables, a general linear model, the chi-square or Fisher test, and regression analysis were used. Results: No significant effect of the evaluated intervention was found on the score obtained in mindfulness, resilience or empathy. The control group obtained a higher score in mindfulness when related to the non-covid work unit and the absence of personal stressors F(1.21)=16.081 p=<0.01, ŋ2=0.434. The normal empathic profile without risk was significantly higher in non-covid units compared to covid units in the first evaluation (70% vs 30%, p=0.002). The profile of low resilience in auxiliary nurses was higher during the last evaluation (72.2% vs 27.8%, p=0.003), a moment in which a greater number of patients were hospitalized with covid. Conclusions: A higher influences on professionals psychological wellbeing was present with personal and job related factors (professional category, work place and healthcare pressure) than the intervention carried out.

The larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) and the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky continue to cause tremendous losses to stored maize. Research in the UK has identified Beauveria bassiana, IMI 389521 as a suitable control agent for grain storage pests in the UK. The pathogenicity of B. bassiana, IMI 389521 was evaluated against adult P. truncatus, S. zeamais and Teretrius nigrescens in Ghana. Fifty adults of each insect species were treated with 0.5 g dry conidia powder of this isolate at 8.65 x 10(8) conidia/g for 1 minute and mortality recorded daily for 14 days. The results indicated that B. bassiana, is pathogenic against P. truncatus and S. zeamais, inducing over 90% mortality by day 7. Teretrius nigrescens was, however less susceptible to the fungus with 30% mortality. To determine the most effective concentration of B. bassiana for the control of P. truncatus, a laboratory dose response experiment using four concentrations of B. bassiana (10(8)-10(11) cfu/kg maize) was also conducted. Maize grains (250 g) in separate jars were treated with the four concentrations of the product. Fifty adults of P. truncatus were placed into the jars containing the treated maize and mortality was assessed weekly for 3 weeks. The most effective dose was 10(10) cfu/kg maize, which resulted in 96% and 100% mortality of P. truncatus after 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. This study shows that B. bassiana could effectively be integrated into bio-control programme of these two key pests of maize in Ghana after further field trials.