Abstract Objective To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of serum IL-33 single indicator and combined indicators for asthma in children. Methods 132 children were initially diagnosed with asthma during acute exacerbation and 100 healthy children were included. Serum IL-33 concentration differences were compared between asthmatic and normal children. Correlations between IL-33 with pulmonary function parameters, FeNO, peripheral blood EOS counts and serum total IgE were analyzed in asthmatic children. ROC curves were used to assess IL-33 diagnostic efficacy and its combined indicators. To prevent overfitting of the predictive model, the hold-out cross-validation method was used. Results (1) Serum IL-33 concentrations were significantly higher in children with asthma than in normal children (p < 0.001). (2) IL-33 concentration was negatively correlated with FVC z-score, FEV1 z-score and FEF75% z-score in asthmatic children (p < 0.05). (3) The area under the ROC curve of IL-33 was 0.821, which was higher than those of FeNO, FVC z-score, and FEV1 z-score. (4) Cross-validation of the combined indicators showed that IL-33 significantly improved asthma diagnostic efficacy. The combination of IL-33, FEF75% z-score, and FeNO showed the highest diagnostic efficacy, with the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the combined indicator being 0.954, 90.1%, and 89. 0%, respectively, and good extrapolation of the predictive model. Conclusion Serum IL-33 is higher in children with asthma and increases with the severity of pulmonary ventilation obstruction. A single indicator of serum IL-33 demonstrates moderate diagnostic accuracy, and its combination with FEF75% z-score and FeNO significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy in childhood asthma.

Although bivalirudin has been recently made available for purchase in China, large-scale analyses on the safety profile of bivalirudin among Chinese patients is lacking. Thus, this study aimed to compare the safety profile of bivalirudin and heparin as anticoagulants in Chinese ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1063 STEMI patients undergoing PCI and receiving bivalirudin (n=424, bivalirudin group) or heparin (n=639, heparin group) as anticoagulants were retrospectively enrolled. The net adverse clinical events (NACEs) within 30 days after PCI were recorded, including major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCEs) and bleeding events (bleeding academic research consortium (BARC) grades 2-5 (BARC 2-5)). The incidences of NACEs (10.1 vs 15.6%) (P=0.010), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (5.2 vs 10.3%) (P=0.003), and BARC grades 3-5 (BARC 3-5) bleeding events (2.1 vs 5.5%) (P=0.007) were lower in the bivalirudin group compared to the heparin group, whereas general MACCEs incidence (8.9 vs 6.4%) (P=0.131) and each category of MACCEs (all P>0.05) did not differ between two groups. Furthermore, the multivariate logistic analyses showed that bivalirudin (vs heparin) was independently correlated with lower risk of NACEs (OR=0.508, P=0.002), BARC 2-5 bleeding events (OR=0.403, P=0.001), and BARC 3-5 bleeding events (OR=0.452, P=0.042); other independent risk factors for NACEs, MACCEs, or BARC bleeding events included history of diabetes mellitus, emergency operation, multiple lesional vessels, stent length >33.0 mm, and higher CRUSADE score (all P<0.05). Thus, bivalirudin presented a better safety profile than heparin among Chinese STEMI patients undergoing PCI.

The present study aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that are involved in neuropathic pain and predict their corresponding roles in the pathogenesis and development process of neuropathic pain. The rat model of neuropathic pain caused by spared nerve injury (SNI) was established in Sprague-Dawley male rats, followed by small RNA sequencing of the L3–L6 dorsal root ganglion. Real-time PCR was performed to validate the differently expressed miRNAs. Functional verification was performed by intrathecally injecting the animals with miRNA agomir. A total of 72 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the SNI rats, including 33 upregulated and 39 downregulated miRNAs. The results of qPCR further verified the expression levels of rno-miR-6215 (P=0.015), rno-miR-1224 (P=0.030), rno-miR-1249 (P=0.038), and rno-miR-488-3p (P=0.048), which were all significantly downregulated in the SNI rats compared to the control ones. The majority of differentially expressed miRNAs were associated with phosphorylation, intracellular signal transduction, and cell death. Target prediction, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses suggested that these differentially expressed miRNAs targeted genes that are related to axon guidance, focal adhesion, and Ras and Wnt signaling pathways. Moreover, miR-1224 agomir significantly alleviated SNI-induced neuropathic pain. The current findings provide new insights into the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain.

In 2004 an infestation of pink hibiscus mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus [Green]) was detected in Valle de Banderas, Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, affecting fruit trees, native and ornamental plants. This insect pest is of Asian-Australian origin and has economic importance in several countries. The method most often used to detect M. hirsutus in new localities consists of the ocular inspection of the plants; however, with this method detection occurs when the infestation is very evident. An alternative method for this task can be the use of the male attracting pheromone of M. hirsutus, composed of esters of lavandulyl and maconellyl. In the present study an evaluation was made of the attraction effect of the pheromone of M. hirsutus in Valle de Banderas, in a teak (Tectona grandis L.) plantation, in a natural guanacaste stand (Enterolobium cyclocarpum [Jacq.] Griseb.), in a mango (Mangifera indica L. cv Ataulfo) and in a soursop orchard (Anona muricata L.). Furthermore, the pheromone was used to determine the geographic dispersal of the pest from the place where it was first detected. It was found that the mixture of lavandulyl and maconellyl in a 1:5 ratio significantly attracted males of M. hirsutus and was very specific. With the use of this pheromone it was possible to map the distribution of this species on a regional scale.

En 2004 se detectó una infestación de la cochinilla rosada del hibisco (Maconellicoccus hirsutus [Green]), en el Valle de Banderas, municipios de Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit y Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México, afectando árboles frutales, plantas nativas y ornamentales. Este insecto plaga es de origen asiático-australiano y tiene importancia económica en varios países. El método más utilizado para detectar a M. hirsutus en nuevas localidades consiste en la inspección ocular de las plantas; sin embargo, con este método la detección ocurre hasta que la infestación es muy evidente. Un método alternativo para esta tarea puede ser el uso de la feromona atrayente de machos de M. hirsutus, compuesta por esteres de lavandulil y maconellil. En el presente estudio se evaluó el efecto atrayente de la feromona de M. hirsutus en Valle de Banderas, en una plantación de teca (Tectona grandis L.), en un rodal natural de parota (Enterolobium cyclocarpum [Jacq.] Griseb.), en una huerta de mango (Mangifera indica L. cv Ataúlfo) y en una huerta de guanábana (Anona muricata L.). Además, la feromona se usó para determinar la dispersión geográfica de la plaga desde el lugar donde se detectó por primera vez. Se encontró que la mezcla de lavandulil y maconellil en proporción 1:5 atrajo significativamente a machos de M. hirsutus y resultó muy específica. Con el uso de esta feromona pudo mapearse la distribución de esta especie a una escala regional.

Compostos voláteis obtidos de machos do percevejo marrom Neotropical Euschistus heros (F.), uma das principais pragas da cultura da soja na região da América Central e Sul, foram reavaliados. A proporção dos três ésteres já identificados mostrou-se bem diferente da determinada em estudos anteriores. Uma nova combinação de ésteres metílicos é proposta como voláteis estimulatórios produzidos pelos machos, baseando-se nos resultados obtidos das análises por detecção eletroantenográfica acoplada ao cromatógrafo gasoso (GC-EAD). Os três componentes ativos detectados por CG-EAD nos voláteis coletados da aeração de machos foram os (2E,4Z)-decadienoato de metila (53%), 2,6,10-trimetildodecanoato de metila (3%), e 2,6,10-trimetiltridecanoato de metila (44%). A liberação dos voláteis pelos machos adultos alcança níveis detectáveis para análise por cromatografia gasosa capilar com detector de ionização de chamas quando os insetos estão com aproximadamente 15 dias na fase adulta. A quantidade dos três compostos estimulatórios aumentou com a idade dos percevejos e atingiu um nível máximo de produção com aproximadamente 35 dias de fase adulta. A taxa de liberação desses compostos é aproximadamente de 2,5 mig/macho/dia e a proporção desses três componentes parecem não ser afetada com a idade após a maturidade sexual.

Volatiles compounds collected from the male Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.), a serious Central and South American soybean pest, have been reevaluated. The proportion of three methyl esters is found to be quite different from previous study. A new blend is proposed as the male-produced stimulatory volatiles based on gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) techniques. The three GC-EAD-active components reproducibly found in volatiles collected from males are methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate (53%), methyl 2,6,10-trimethyldodecanoate (3%), and methyl 2,6,10-trimethyltridecanoate (44%) respectively. Males of this hemipteran species needed to reach an age of ~15 days to produce enough male-specific compounds to be detected by capillary column GC equipped with flame ionization detector (FID). The amounts of these three stimulatory volatiles increased with age and appeared to reach a maximum at ~35 days old, with the release rate of ~2.5 mug/day/male and the ratio of these three components seemed not to be affected by aging.

Algumas espécies de besouros têm elevado impacto econômico em florestas e indústrias de móveis. Exemplo recente é aquele produzido pelo besouro Anophophora glabripennis, uma espécie conhecida nos Estados Unidos como Asian Longhorn, que tem produzido danos significativos em várias florestas americanas, representando uma ameaça que poderá encontrar transporte não-intencional para países da América do Sul, inclusive para o Brasil. Neste trabalho é apresentado um novo método com base no uso de tomografia de raios X computadorizada (CT) e processamento de imagens digitais para detecção de injúrias causadas por besouros em florestas. Os resultados mostram a correta identificação da localização de besouros em árvores vivas, como também fornecem uma avaliação do estrago temporal causado.

Some beetle species can have devastating economic impacts on forest and nursery industries. A recent example is Anophophora glabripennis, a species of beetle known in the United States as the ''Asian Longhorrned beetle'', which has damaged many American forests, and is a threat which can unintentionally reach south American countries, including Brazil. This work presents a new method based on X-ray computerized tomography (CT) and image processing for beetle injury detection in forests. Its results show a set of images with correct identification of the location of beetles in living trees as well as damage evaluation with time.

O percevejo marrom neártico, Euschistus servus (Say), é abundante em toda a Região Leste da América Norte e é encontrado geralmente alimentando-se em culturas de soja, mullein, feijão, tomate, ervilha, algodão, trigo, milho, tabaco e pêssego. A mudança da coloração de verde para marrom demonstrou ser um indicativo de diapausa reprodutiva em E. servus. Os insetos de coloração marrom viveram por mais tempo que os indivíduos de coloração verde, as fêmeas não colocaram nenhum ovo, e os machos não produziram feromônio sexual. A alta taxa de mortalidade registrada para a colônia de indivíduos verdes de adultos de E. servus foi interpretada como custo fisiológico associado à reprodução. O componente principal do feromônio dessa espécie foi confirmado como 2E, 4Z-decadienoato de metila, de acordo com trabalho realizado anteriormente. A primeira geração dessa espécie se desenvolve em plantas silvestres e a segunda geração migra frequentemente para culturas onde podem exceder os níveis de dano econômico. Porém, técnicas semioquímicas podem ser empregadas para suprimir populações da segunda geração de E. servus. Armadilhas ou culturas armadilhas iscadas com feromônio podem capturar ou concentrar as fêmeas da espécie para serem destruídas, ou mesmo a técnica do confundimento, pode ser utilizada para diminuir a possibilidade de acasalamentos.

The brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), is abundant throughout most of eastern North America and is commonly found feeding on soybean, mullein, beans, tomatoes, peas, cotton, wheat, corn, tobacco and peach. Color change in E. servus from green to reddish-brown was shown to be an indicator of reproductive diapause. Reddish-brown insects lived longer than green individuals, females laid no eggs, and males did not produce pheromone. The high mortality registered for the green colony of E. servus adults was associated with the physiological cost associated with reproduction. The main pheromone component of this species is methyl 2E,4Z-decadienoate, in agreement with previous work. The first generation of this species develops on noncrop hosts and the second generation often migrates to crops where they may then exceed economic damage thresholds. Traps or trap crops baited with pheromone to catch or concentrate females for destruction, or even a pheromone-based disruption of orientation behavior to decrease the mating success, are possible semiochemical techniques to suppress populations of second generation of E. servus.