Intracerebroventricular injection of arginine-vasopressin V1 receptor antagonist attenuates the surge of luteinizing hormone and prolactin secretion in proestrous rats

Metamorphosis in the fly (Musca domestica) involves extensive lysis, neurogenesis and reorganization of neural tissue. Despite this, two experiments are reported which show aspects of larval memory persist into the adult form. Experimental larvae were reared in sawdust scented with aversive odours (mint or geraniol). Control larvae were reared on plain sawdust. In blind post-metamorphosis testing using a Y maze, adult flies showed a preference for the specific odour to which the larvae had been exposed. Control flies found both test odours aversive. A second experiment explores the possible role of cell survival through metamorphosis as a mechanism of the persistence of memory. Cells from trained donor flies when grafted into untrained recipients produced specific changes in recipient odour preference reflecting the donor larvae training.     

Persistence of Escherichia coli in immature house fly and stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) in relation to larval growth and survival

The persistence of Escherichia coli in artificially fed larvae was examined for up to 48 h after ingestion by house flies, Musca domestica L., and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.). The rate of change in the E. coli load was similar for both species for up to 5 h after ingestion. Up to 48 h after ingestion, abundance of E. coli declined in immature house flies but remained constant in immature stable flies. When different E. coli concentrations were fed to larvae, the abundance of E. coli increased in stable fly larvae regardless of the initial concentration. The E. coli load in house fly larvae increased when larvae were fed a low concentration of bacteria, but it declined when larvae were fed a high concentration of bacteria. Survival of house fly and stable fly larvae averaged 62 and 25%, respectively, when reared on pure E. coli cultures. These observations suggest that house fly larvae digest E. coli and use it as a food source but stable fly larvae do not.     

本州沼野蝇生态习性及其成、幼虫观察

本州沼野蝇在上海沿海地区监测中,几乎全年都有发生,幼虫孳生在死蟛蜞体内。对获得的成、幼虫标本进行了绘图描述,1龄幼虫的形态描述为首次报道。从本州沼野蝇生态习性看,在流行病学上有一定的意义。     

Seasonal prevalence and transmission of salivary gland hypertrophy virus of house flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

A survey (2005-2006) of house fly, Musca dormestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) populations on four Florida dairy farms demonstrated the presence of flies with acute symptoms of infection with salivary gland hypertrophy (SGH) virus on all farms. Disease incidence varied among farms (farm averages, 0.5-10.1%) throughout the year, and it showed a strong positive correlation with fly density. Infections were most common among flies that were collected in a feed barn on one of the farms, especially among flies feeding on wet brewers grains (maximum 34% SGH). No infections were observed among adult flies reared from larvae collected on the farms, nor among adults reared from larvae that had fed on macerated salivary glands from infected flies. Infected female flies produced either no or small numbers of progeny, none of which displayed SGH when they emerged as adults. Healthy flies became infected after they fed on solid food (a mixture of powdered milk, egg, and sugar) that had been contaminated by infected flies (42%) or after they were held in cages that had previously housed infected flies (38.6%). Healthy flies also became infected after they fed on samples of brewers grains (6.8%) or calf feed (2%) that were collected from areas of high fly visitation on the farms. Infection rates of field-collected flies increased from 6 to 40% when they fed exclusively on air-dried cloth strips soaked in a suspension of powdered egg and whole milk. Rates of virus deposition by infected flies on food were estimated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction at approximately 100 million virus copies per fly per hour. Electron microscopy revealed the presence on enveloped virus particles in the lumen of salivary glands and on the external mouthparts of infected flies.     

Oestrus ovis ophthalmomyiasis with keratitis

A 35-year-old male patient presented with complaints of redness, swelling around the eyelids, watering, and irritation in the right eye. At presentation his best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 partial in the right eye. The tarsal conjunctiva of the upper eyelid showed injection with pseudomembrane. Underneath the pseudomembrane we noticed four motile larvae. The cornea showed an irregular cobweb-like mucous plaque adherent to the epithelium, with a clear stroma. The pseudomembrane was easily peeled-off under topical anaesthesia. The organisms were removed and identified as Oestrus ovis. Three days later the patient was comfortable and his visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye.     

Tinea blepharo-ciliaris in a 13-year-old girl caused by Trichophyton benhamiae

Tinea blepharo-ciliaris is a rare form of dermatophyte infection which involves eyelids and associated eyelashes. We report a 13-year-old girl with type I diabetes mellitus who had right eyelid swelling and eyelash loss for two weeks. The lesions were presented as erythematous patches with scales and tiny pustules on the right upper and lower eyelids with broken eyelashes. Two additional annular erythematous patches with scaly active borders were found on her right forearm and right thigh. Microscopic examination of broken eyelashes demonstrated many chains of arthroconidia and hyaline hyphae in an endothrix invasion pattern. Fungal cultures of right eyelid scales, eyelashes, and right thigh lesions all grew Trichophyton benhamiae, which was diagnosed by both morphological characters and sequencing of internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal DNA. The patient had a contact history with rabbits. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of tinea blepharo-ciliaris caused by T. benhamiae, and also the first formal report of infection by this fungus in Taiwan.     

Diversity and contribution of the intestinal bacterial community to the development of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae

The bacterial diversity in the intestinal tract of Musca domestica L. was examined in larvae collected from turkey bedding and corn silage. Aerobic culturing yielded 25 bacterial species, including 11 from larvae collected from turkey bedding and 14 from larvae collected from corn silage. Providencia rettgeri (Hadley, Elkins & Caldwell) was the only species common to both environments. Two mammalian pathogens, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Pfeiffer) and Ochrobactrum anthropi (Holmes), were isolated from the larval intestinal tracts. The majority of isolates represented facultatively anaerobic heterotrophs capable of fermentation. The significance of these bacteria for development of house fly larvae was evaluated by bioassays on trypticase soy egg yolk agar. Pure cultures of individual bacterial species isolated from the intestinal tract of larvae from turkey bedding supported development of flies to a much greater extent than those isolated from larvae from corn silage. House fly development was best supported by a Streptococcus sanguis (White) isolate. The significance of bacteria for development of house flies is discussed.     

Use of Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) for post-mortem interval estimation indoors

In forensic entomology, the determination of a minimum post-mortem interval often relies on the determination of the age of blow flies, since they are generally among the first colonisers of a corpse. In indoor cases, the blow flies might be delayed in arriving at the corpse. If the windows are closed, the attracting odour is confined and does not reach the flies, so that it takes longer for them to find and access the corpse. If blow flies are delayed or are unable to reach a corpse lying inside a room, much smaller flies (Phoridae) can enter and deposit their offspring. We present three indoor-case scenarios in which age determination of Megaselia scalaris gave much more accurate estimates of the minimum post-mortem interval than from larvae of Calliphoridae. In all cases, the estimated age of the blow fly larvae was between 10 and 20 days too short compared to the actual PMI. Estimation of the PMI using developmental times of Phoridae can be a good alternative to the determination of blow fly larval age, since Phoridae are found inside apparently enclosed environments (sealed plastic bags or rooms with closed doors and windows) and also at temperatures at which blow flies are inactive.     

Occupational allergy in an entomological research center. II. Identification of IgE-binding proteins from developmental stages of the blowfly Lucilia cuprina and other species of adult flies

Sera from 30 workers in an entomological research institute and from five Sydney asthmatics, all with serum IgE antibodies to sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) antigens, were studied with the aim of identifying individual IgE-binding proteins in extracts of L. cuprina adult flies, larvae and eggs, and in extracts of related species of flies from the order Diptera. Using protein blotting, 21, 18 and nine different IgE-binding components were identified in extracts of L. cuprina adult flies, larvae and eggs, respectively. A component(s) of MW 67 kD found in all three developmental stages, showed the highest frequency of IgE-binding; reacting, for example, with 70% of the sera tested with the adult fly extract. Some components were detected in only one of the three developmental stages. Investigations of possible allergenic cross-reactivity between L. cuprina and extracts from six other related species of flies revealed IgE-binding bands in each of the extracts as well as in an extract of Agrotis infusa, a cutworm not belonging to the order Diptera. One strongly reacting component of MW 20 kD was detected in extracts of five different fly species as well as in the A. infusa extract. The results suggested that allergenic cross-reactivity between some fly species exists, and may extend to taxonomically unrelated insect species.     

Evaluation of novaluron as a feed-through insecticide for control of immature sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The development and survival of sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli (Diptera: Psychodidae) larvae fed feces of Syrian hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, that had been fed a diet containing novaluron were evaluated. In total, six larval diets were used in sand fly larval bioassays. Four groups of larvae were fed feces of hamsters that had been maintained on a diet containing either 0, 9.88, 98.8, or 988 ppm novaluron. Two additional groups were fed a larval diet composed of equal parts composted rabbit feces and rabbit chow containing either 0 or 988 ppm novaluron. No pupation, hence no adult emergence, occurred when larvae were fed feces of hamsters that were fed diets containing novaluron. The mortality of sand flies fed feces of treated hamsters occurred during larval molts. The results of this study suggest that a control strategy using rodent baits containing novaluron to control phlebotomine sand flies and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis may be possible.     

Larval behavioral response to environmental ethanol in relation to alcohol dehydrogenase activity level inDrosophila melanogaster

FourDrosophila melanogaster strains characterized by different alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity levels are compared for the behavior of their larvae in response to environmental ethanol. The larvae are attracted by ethanol if they are able to convert rapidly the acetaldehyde resulting from the metabolic oxidation of ethanol. A comparison is made with the oviposition behavior of flies of the same strains in response to environmental ethanol. A similarity between oviposition behavior and larval behavior is found only for a strain lacking both alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase (AO).     

Laboratory observations on mating and leklike aggregations in Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The mating behavior of the sand fly, Lutzomyia longipalpis, was studied under laboratory conditions. Male sand flies landed on the bodies of anesthetized mice, where they exhibited leklike displays such as wing fanning, parading, and aggression. Lek behavior was more frequent in older males, and dominance hierarchies were established. Male sand flies at leks copulated more frequently than male sand flies at other locations in the cage. Females mated by older males produced more eggs than did females mated by younger males; however, there was no difference in the number of larvae produced.     

The effects of four arthropod diets on the body and organ weights of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, during vitellogenesis.

Wild-caught adult Rana pipiens females were captured in midsummer and fed diets of crickets, flies sowbugs or wax moth larvae during a three-month period of active vitellogenesis. The cricket diet supported the most extensive body weight gain during this time and promoted a prolonged period of weight increase in an additional long-term study. Synchronous growth of the oocytes occurred in all four groups, but the ovaries and oviducts of cricket-fed animals were significantly larger than those of frogs on the other three diets. The significantly higher liver weights of frogs fed wax moth larvae may have reflected an augmentation of hepatic energy stores. Fat body weights were also highest in this group of animals. Frogs fed crickets and wax moth larvae possessed larger fat bodies than did the midsummer control animals killed immediately after their arrival in the laboratory. In contrast, frogs fed flies and sowbugs had smaller fat bodies than did the initial controls, suggesting that animals on these diets had utilized fat body lipid during vitellogenesis. Gastrocnemius and final body weights were lowest in frogs fed wax moth larvae. These findings may have reflected the nutritional content of the diet or the reduction in appetite frequently noted in these animals during observations of feeding behavior.     

Laboratory evaluation of diflubenzuron as a feed-through for control of immature sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The benzoylurea chitin synthesis inhibitor diflubenzuron was evaluated as a rodent feed-through for the control of immature stages of Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli (Diptera: Psychodidae). The development and survival of second instars of P. papatasi larvae that were fed feces from Syrian hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, that had been fed a diet containing 0, 8.97, 89.7, or 897 ppm diflubenzuron was evaluated. No pupation or adult emergence occurred when larvae were fed feces from hamsters that were fed diets containing diflubenzuron. The mortality of sand flies fed feces from treated hamsters was coincident with pupation of the controls, suggesting a specific effect on the larval-to-pupal molt. The results of this study suggest that a control strategy using rodent baits containing diflubenzuron for phlebotomine sand flies and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis may be possible.     

Relationship between lipofuscin granules and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the housefly, Musca domestica

The fractional volume occupied by lipofuscin granules in epithelial cells of the midgut or oenocytes of abdominal fat body of 3-day-old and 13-day-old male houseflies was determined in two groups of flies by electron microscopic morphometry. One group had developed from larvae reared on diets containing no added polyunsaturated fatty acids and the second from larvae reared on diets containing added linoleic acid. No polyunsaturated fatty acids could be detected in the lipids of the first group of flies using a method which would have detected their presence in amounts greater than 0.1% of the total esterified fatty acids. The second group contained at least two hundred times more than this minimal level. The volume of lipofuscin granules increased significantly (p less than 0.01) (about threefold for the fat body and twofold in midgut cells) between 3 days and 13 days of age but no statistically significant difference was seen between the two groups of flies at the same age. The results show that if lipofuscin formation depends on the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the housefly, then extremely small amounts of the acids are involved which lie below the detection limit of the methods employed. The age-associated small increase of extractable fluorescence seen previously in the linoleic acid group of flies is not associated with an increase in the lipofuscin granules.     

Oviposition preferences of two forensically important blow fly species, Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and implications for postmortem interval estimation

Necrophagous blow fly species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are the most important agents for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) in forensic entomology. Nevertheless, the oviposition preferences of blow flies may cause a bias of PMI estimations because of a delay or acceleration of egg laying. Chrysomya megacephala (F.) and C. rufifacies (Macquart) are two predominant necrophagous blow fly species in Taiwan. Their larvae undergo rather intense competition, and the latter one can prey on the former under natural conditions. To understand the oviposition preferences of these two species, a dual-choice device was used to test the choice of oviposition sites by females. Results showed when pork liver with and without larvae of C. rufifacies was provided, C. megacephala preferred to lay eggs on the liver without larvae. However, C. megacephala showed no preference when pork liver with and without conspecific larvae or larvae of Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann) was provided. These results indicate that females of C. megacephala try to avoid laying eggs around larvae of facultatively predaceous species of C. rufifacies. However, C. rufifacies showed significant oviposition preference for pork liver with larvae of C. megacephala or conspecific ones when compared with pork liver with no larvae. These results probably imply that conspecific larvae or larvae of C. megacephala may potentially be alternative food resources for C. rufifacies, so that its females prefer to lay eggs in their presence. When considering the size of the oviposition media, pork livers of a relatively small size were obviously unfavorable to both species. This may be because females need to find sufficient resources to meet the food demands of their larvae. In another experiment, neither blow fly species showed an oviposition preference for pork livers of different stages of decay. In addition, the oviposition preferences of both species to those media with larvae were greatly disturbed in a dark environment. If we removed the larvae that had previously fed on the pork liver and let the females choose, no oviposition preference was observed; but both species still showed a preference for the larger media in the dark. This suggests that female blow flies can use visual cues to recognize larvae on the media and decide on their oviposition site. Our studies point out the effects of some biotic and abiotic factors which were previously overlooked, and remind us to reevaluate these effects on oviposition, especially when using insect developmental data to estimate PMIs.     

La myiase conjonctivale humaine à Oestrus ovis dans le sud tunisien

Conjunctival myiasis is the most frequent expression of ocular myiasis. It results from infestation of the conjunctiva by the larval form of flies. We report 11 cases of conjunctival myiasis to encourage ophthalmologists to be aware of the diagnosis of external ophthalmomyiasis, its complications, and its treatment. Most of the cases occurred amongst males during summer and autumn. Symptoms are related to the foreign body with a sudden evolution. We diagnosed this affection by direct observation of the larva on conjunctiva. The number of larvae ranged from 2 to 30. The larvae were identified as first-instars of Oestrus ovis. The treatment was performed by removal of the larvae which resulted in rapid improvement. In conclusion, early diagnosis and management are important in preventing complications of internal ophthalmomyiasis.     

Ocular and periorbital anthropometric measurements in term Turkish newborns

Abstract: This study was conducted in an effort to determine the normal landmarks in the eyelids and eyebrows of newborns and the relationships between them. We also correlated all measurements with gender and head circumferences. The anthropometric measurements were performed on 86 normal term newborns (40 males and 46 females) in the first 48 hours after delivery. There was no significant difference between either sex, or between the right and left eyes. In contrast, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the head circumference and the horizontal fissure length (r = 0.42, p < 0.01). In addition, a significant correlation was found between the upper eyelid crease distance and the horizontal and the vertical fissure lengths (r = 0.27, p < 0.01; r = 0.22, p < 0.05, respectively). The results indicate that the normal eyelid crease location may be used as a landmark for guidance to plan surgical and reconstructive procedures.     

Tannic acid is not mutagenic in germ cells but weakly genotoxic in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster

Tannic acid (TA) was tested for genotoxic activity in threedifferent assays (1–3) in Drosophila melanogaster by feedingof larvae or adult flies. TA did not induce sex-linked recessivelethals (1) nor sex-chromosome loss, mosaicism or non-disjunction(2) in male germ cells. In the wing somatic mutation and recombinationtest (SMART) (3) TA was found to be toxic for larvae of thehigh bioactivation cross and produced a weak positive response.These results suggest that this compound, when administeredorally to larvae or adults of D.melanogaster, is not mutagenicand clastogenic in male germ cells, but weakly genotoxic insomatic cells of the wing imaginal disk. ³To whom correspondence should be addressed