Trimen's false tiger moth, Agoma trimenii (Lepidoptera: Agaristidae), recently developed as a pest of grapevine in the Northern Cape and Limpopo (Groblersdal area) provinces of South Africa. Little is known about the biology of A. trimenii and control options are lacking. The aim of this study was to test the susceptibility of A. trimenii larvae and pupae to two locally isolated entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema yirgalemense and Heterorhabditis noenieputensis, and two commercially available entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, under laboratory conditions. Larvae and pupae were screened for pathogenicity of the two nematode species, using a concentration of 100 infective juveniles (IJs)/50 μ! of water. After 48 h, 100% mortality of the larval stage was found. However, no pupae were infected with EPNs. Larvae and pupae were screened for pathogenicity of the two EPF isolates by means of a dipping test, at a concentration of 0.2 ml/500 ml water and 0.5 g/500 ml water, respectively. Five days post-treatment, 100% larval mortality was recorded in comparison with no deaths in the controls. Overt mycosis was only observed in the case of M. anisopliae. However, in the case of pupae, no mortality was observed for both the nematode and the fungal applications. In future studies, the prepupal soil stage of A. trimenii should be screened for susceptibility to EPNs and EPF. The results of this study indicate the excellent potential of EPNs and EPF as biological control agents against the larvae of A. trimenii, especially for application to small areas with high infestation, without disrupting an integrated pest management programme.

This study has been undertaken to establish the probable causes of the almost 4 m drop in the level of Lake Sibhayi between 2001 and 2014, to assess the impact of abstractions for domestic water consumption and by commercial plantations on lake levels, and to determine what sustainable yield can be abstracted from Lake Sibhayi. From the analysis and simulations undertaken, it is concluded that the major cause of the drop in the level of Lake Sibhayi was the below-average rainfall over the period 2001 to 2011. However, while the simulation results show that the effect on lake levels of abstractions for domestic usage over this period has been negligible, they do indicate that nearly 1.4 m of the drop in lake level can be attributed to the impact of the afforestation which began in the catchment in the 1990s. A yield analysis of simulated results with historical developments in the catchment for the 65-year period of observed climate record was undertaken using both a fixed minimum allowable lake level or a maximum drop from a reference lake level as criteria for system failure. Results from simulating lake levels using the historical climate record with the area afforested and abstractions levels fixed at 2014 values indicate that no sustainable additional yield is possible because of the sustained decline in both the simulated lake levels and conceptual groundwater store, which would be environmentally, socially and ecologically unacceptable. Preliminary simulated results indicate that the removal of approximately 5 km² of forestry is required to release 1 MCM/yr for domestic abstractions. However, these preliminary results require improved verification of input data and a review of the modelling for increased confidence in the results.

Abstract In this paper, the Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM) with two auxiliary parameters and Differential Transform Method (DTM) are employed to solve the geometric nonlinear vibration of Euler-Bernoulli beams subjected to axial loads. A second auxiliary parameter is applied to the HAM to improve convergence in nonlinear systems with large deformations. The results from HAM and DTM are compared with another popular numerical method, the shooting method, to validate these two analytical methods. HAM and DTM show excellent agreement with numerical results (the maximum errors in our calculations are about 0.002%), and they additionally provide a simple way to conduct a parametric analysis with different physical parameters in Euler-Bernoulli beams. To show the benefits of this method, the effect of different physical parameters on the amplitude is discussed for a cantilever beam with a cyclically varying axial load.

We quantitatively assessed the relative contribution of the rhodolith form of Lithothamnion muelleri, a likely foundation species, to macroorganism diversity in a community also inhabited by the large fucalean Sargassum horridum at a site near Cabo Los Machos at the mouth of Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The composition and abundance of seaweeds, epibenthic invertebrates, and fish were estimated in March and October 2003, and invertebrates within rhodoliths (cryptofauna) in March 2003. Rhodoliths and Sargassum horridum had the highest cover of all organisms within the 0.5-km², 2-8-m-deep cobble-sand site. A total of 29 species of seaweeds, 40 taxa of benthic invertebrates, and 33 species of fish were sampled in transects and quadrats. Macroalgal and fish diversity were similar between sampling times as a result of loss and replacement of taxa, but benthic invertebrate diversity declined without replacement from March to October. Rhodolith cover was similar at both sampling times. The cover and density of S. horridum were highly seasonal, and the non-rhodolith flora changed from abundant S. horridum (35% cover) in March to abundant red algal turf in October (22% cover). The sea urchin Arbacia incisa, tunicates, and polychaetes were the most abundant epibenthic invertebrates in March, but declined by October, the former to zero. Grunts (Haemulon maculicauda) and porgies (Calamus brachysomus) were the most abundant fish at both sampling times, but there were large temporal changes in some other species, especially schooling fishes. Rhodolith density in March was 24 ind m-2, with numerous individuals >8 cm diameter. Fifteen rhodoliths from a range of size classes contained 114 cryptofaunal taxa with an average of 40 taxa/individual in the largest rhodoliths. These results show the importance of rhodolith habitat to diversity, the large temporal changes in some assemblages, and the exceptionally high diversity of this subtropical community.

Se cuantificó la contribución relativa de la forma rodolítica de Lithothamnion muelleri, una especie fundamentales, a la diversidad de macroorganismos en una comunidad también habitada por la macroalga feofita Sargassum horridum, cerca de Cabo Los Machos, en la boca de Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur, México. La composición y abundancia de algas marinas, invertebrados epibénticos y peces se estimó en marzo y octubre de 2003, mientras que los invertebrados endobiontes de los rodolitos (criptofauna) fueron cuantificados en marzo de 2003. De todos los organismos, los rodolitos y S. horridum tuvieron las mayores coberturas en los 0.5 km² de fondos de cantos rodados y arena estudiados, de 2 a 8 m de profundidad. Se muestreó un total de 29 especies de algas, 40 taxones de invertebrados bénticos y 33 especies de peces. Como resultado de la pérdida y el reemplazo de taxones, las diversidades de microalgas y peces fueron similares en ambos muestreos, mientras que la de invertebrados disminuyó sin ocurrir reemplazo de marzo a octubre. La cobertura de rodolitos fue similar en ambos muestreos. La cobertura y densidad de S. horridum fue altamente estacional, y la flora no rodolítica varió de abundancia de S. horridum (35% de cobertura) en marzo a abundantes tapetes de algas rojas en octubre (22% de cobertura). Los invertebrados epibénticos más abundantes en marzo fueron el erizo Arbacia incisa, los tunicados y los poliquetos; sin embargo, para octubre, el primero ya no estaba presente. Haemulon maculicauda y Calamus brachysomus fueron los peces más abundantes en ambos muestreos, pero se observaron grandes variaciones temporales especialmente en especies de peces que forman cardúmenes. La densidad de rodolitos en marzo fue de 24 ind m-2, con numerosos individuos >8 cm de diámetro. Quince rodolitos de varias clases de talla contuvieron 114 taxones criptofaunales, con un promedio de 40 taxones/individuo para los rodolitos más grandes. Estos resultados muestran la importancia de los hábitats de rodolitos para la diversidad, las grandes variaciones temporales en algunas comunidades y la excepcional diversidad de esta comunidad subtropical.

Clinical diagnosis of arachnoiditis is characterized by a burning, ardent pain with dysesthesia and vesical, rectal and sexual dysfunction that appear after an adverse event during a spinal surgical procedure; it can be confirmed through magnetic resonance or myelogram followed by lumbar spine tomography. In this study, a retrospective review was conducted of image studies from 436 patients referred to a pain clinic with diagnosis of arachnoiditis in order to identify specific patterns on the radiological images that could help to determine the potential etiology of this disease. The apparent cause was correlated to the appearance of neurological changes after spine injections, interventions or surgical procedures. Neurological deficits were observed in 160 patients after myelograms, rachidian or peridural anesthesia, epidural blood patches or injection of steroids or neurolytic drugs for the management of chronic pain. Eleven (6.8%) of these patients had inflammation of roots, 135 (84.3%) had roots in bunches and 12 cases (7,5%) had roots adhered to the dural sac. Two cases of syringomyelia were observed in patients with thoracal or high lumbar peridural anesthesia. Of 276 other patients in which the clinical diagnosis of arachnoiditis was established after spine surgical procedures, 259 patients (93.8%) had roots in bunches, 152 (55%) had a deformed dural sac and peridural fibrosis was observed in 241 patients (87.3%). Pseudomeningocele and intrathecal calcifications were observed in 21 (7.6%) and 4 (0.15%) of the surgical cases, respectively. It is concluded that radiological images in cases of arachnoiditis caused by injections and invasive procedures are only characterized by roots in bunches. However, surgical patients have, in addition to roots in bunches, deformation of the dural sac and healing and fibrotic tissue at the epidural space undergoing surgery.

El diagnóstico clínico de aracnoiditis se caracteriza por dolor ardiente, quemante con disestesia, disfunción vesical, rectal y sexual que se presentan después de un evento adverso durante una intervención en la columna vertebral; puede ser confirmado por una resonancia magnética o por un mielograma seguido de una tomografía de la columna lumbar. En este estudio se revisaron a posteriori los estudios de imaginología de 436 pacientes referidos a una clínica de dolor con el diagnóstico de aracnoiditis con el objeto de identificar patrones específicos de imágenes radiológicas que permitieran la identificación de la posible etiología de esta enfermedad. La causa aparente fue correlacionada con la aparición de cambios neurológicos presentándose después de inyecciones, intervenciones u operaciones de la columna vertebral. Fueron notados déficits neurológicos en 160 pacientes después de mielogramas, anestesia raquídea o peridural, parches epidurales de sangre, inyecciones de esteroides o neurolíticos para tratar dolor crónico. De estos enfermos, 11 (6,8%) tenían raíces inflamadas, 135 (84,3%) tenían raíces en racimo y en 12 casos (7,5%) las raíces se adherían al saco dural. Dos casos de siringomielia fueron notados en pacientes que tuvieron anestesia peridural torácica o lumbar alta. De 276 pacientes, otros en los que el diagnóstico clínico de aracnoiditis se presentó después de intervenciones quirúrgicas de la columna vertebral, 259 pacientes (93,8%) tenían raíces en racimo, 152 (55%) tenían un saco dural deformado, y fibrosis peridural se notó en 241 enfermos (87,3%). Pseudomeningoceles y calcificaciones intratecales se notaron en 21 (7,6%) y en 4 (0,15%) de los casos operados, respectivamente. Se deduce que las imágenes radiológicas en casos de aracnoiditis causados por inyecciones e intervencionismo, se caracterizan únicamente por raíces en racimo. Mientras que en los pacientes operados tienen, además de raíces en racimo, deformidades del saco dural y tejido cicatricial y fibrótico en el espacio epidural intervenido quirúrgicamente.