Detection Of Ae Research Articles

The progress in the research of AE detection method of old house borer larvae (Hylotrupes bajulus L.) in wooden structures

The paper presents the automated analysis of the presence of the old house borer larvae (Hylotrupes bajulus L.) in the wooden constructions. The insect activity was observed in a temperature of 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 °C in a Scotch pine wood j (Pinus sylvestris L.). That activity has been evaluated by 3 criteria: the number of 5-minute periods with the presence of larvae boring wood sounds confirmed, the number of wood bites and the average sound energy during the larva's wood carving. The comparable results showing larvae change in activity have been achieved using these 3 methods. This approach has proved high efficiency of old house borer larvae detection in the temperatures up to 34 °C, nevertheless for temperatures exceeding 40 °C it is not applicable. The exposure to 40 °C for a week did not cause the death of large larvae. It's highly possible that they can return to a wood carving after the detracting factor has ceased. The sound energy produced during the old house borer larvae's wood-drilling is expected to make the AE method useful for detection of old house borer larvae's in large-size constructions.

Progressive Invasion of Aedes albopictus in Northern Spain in The Period 2013-2018 and A Possible Association with the Increase in Insect Bites.

(1) Background: Aedes albopictus has rapidly expanded throughout Europe, becoming a public health concern in the Mediterranean Basin. (2) Methods: Following the detection of Ae. albopictus in the southwestern French region of Aquitaine in 2012, an entomological surveillance programme was implemented in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) in 2013. (3) Results: Ae. albopictus eggs were first detected in 2014 in a transited parking area in the northeastern sampling point, 22 km away from the nearest French site with recorded presence of tiger mosquito. At this site, eggs were found throughout the study (2014–2018). Other western and southern municipalities became positive in 2017 and 2018. Ae. albopictus adults were first captured in 2018 by aspiration of the vegetation in an area where eggs had been detected since 2015, suggesting a progressive establishment of a self-sustained population. Incidence of insect bites in humans was roughly constant over the study period except for a significant increase in 2018 in the Health County where eggs had been detected since 2014. Densities of Ae. albopictus eggs in positive areas remained at similar levels over the years. (4) Conclusion: Multiple approaches and standardized methods are necessary to successfully control this vector.

Aedes Vector Surveillance in the Southeastern United States Reveals Growing Threat of Aedes japonicus japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes albopictus.

Mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise globally, and have the potential to thrive along the Gulf Coast of the United States, where subtropical conditions may facilitate the introduction or movement of mosquito vectors. Despite surveillance efforts, Aedes aegypti (L.) had not been detected in the Gulf state of Alabama for nearly three decades. The detection of Ae. aegypti in Alabama may suggest remnant or reemergent populations of this vector. We conducted adult sampling between May and August of 2018 to capture mosquitoes during a time frame when all species should be active. This was to ensure no species were missed due to overwintering and to identify the distributions of Aedes mosquitoes of medical importance. No Ae. aegypti were detected in Alabama over the period of this study. We detected Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in 65 counties and the recently invasive Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald) in 30 counties across the state. These results indicate that while Ae. aegypti was recently reported from parts of Alabama, the state is not experiencing a major resurgence of the species, whereas Ae. albopictus remains ubiquitous. Further, results indicate that a third wave of Aedes invasion may be occurring, that of Ae. japonicus japonicus. All three of these species are medically important vectors and may pose threats to the public health of the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Probe and analogue: Double roles of thionine for aloe-emodin selective and sensitive ratiometric detection

Molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) has been employed for electrochemical sensor preparation with good selectivity. However, to restrict the non-specific adsorption, the conductivity of MIP is usually unsatisfying, which limits its sensitivity for template detection. To achieve both of selectivity and sensitivity, a MIP electrochemical sensor was designed and fabricated by the electropolymerization of pyrrole in the presence of aloe-emodin (AE, template molecule) on carbon nanoparticles modified electrode in this work. Thionine (TH), being added in solution in advance, played double roles for AE recognition and detection. As an analogue of AE, TH was adsorbed into imprinted cavities and then was replaced by AE, indicating the good selectivity of the sensor. This replacement of TH by AE was also demonstrated by the result of computational simulation. As an electro-active probe, the peak current of TH decreased and peak current of AE increased based on the replacement of TH by AE. A current ratiometric signal defined as |ΔiAE|/|ΔiTH| was used for AE sensitive detection. Thus, the replacements of TH by AE demonstrated that the sensor possessed high sensitivity and good selectivity. A linear range of 1.0 × 10−7 -1.0 × 10-4 mol/L for AE detection was obtained with a limit of detection of 7.5 × 10-8 mol/L. And the sensor has been applied to analyze AE in real samples with satisfactory results. The simple, smart, and effective strategy presented in this work can be further used to prepare electrochemical sensors for other compounds selective recognition and sensitive detection.

First Detection of the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae), in Tunisia.

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is a widespread invasive mosquito vector species with a distribution including tropical and temperate climates; its range is still expanding. Aedes albopictus populations were recently detected in Morocco and Algeria, the countries neighboring Tunisia, but never in Tunisia. In 2018, we initiated an intensive field study using BG-Sentinel Traps, ovitraps, larval surveys, and citizens' reports to determine whether Ae. albopictus populations exist in Tunisia. In October 2018, we collected adults and larval stages of Ae. albopictus in Carthage, Amilcar, and La Marsa, less than 20 km, northeast of Tunis, the Tunisian capital. These Ae. albopictus larvae were primarily collected from Phoenician funeral urns at the archeological site of Carthage. This is, to our knowledge, the first detection of Ae. albopictus in Tunisia.

First detection of Aedes japonicus in Spain: an unexpected finding triggered by citizen science

BackgroundAedes japonicus is an invasive vector mosquito from Southeast Asia which has been spreading across central Europe since the year 2000. Unlike the Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) present in Spain since 2004, there has been no record of Ae. japonicus in the country until now.ResultsHere, we report the first detection of Ae. japonicus in Spain, at its southernmost location in Europe. This finding was triggered by the citizen science platform Mosquito Alert. In June 2018, a citizen sent a report via the Mosquito Alert app from the municipality of Siero in the Asturias region (NW Spain) containing pictures of a female mosquito compatible with Ae. japonicus. Further information was requested from the participant, who subsequently provided several larvae and adults that could be classified as Ae. japonicus. In July, a field mission confirmed its presence at the original site and in several locations up to 9 km away, suggesting a long-time establishment. The strong media impact in Asturias derived from the discovery raised local participation in the Mosquito Alert project, resulting in further evidence from surrounding areas.ConclusionsWhilst in the laboratory Ae. japonicus is a competent vector for several mosquito-borne pathogens, to date only West Nile virus is a concern based on field evidence. Nonetheless, this virus has yet not been detected in Asturias so the vectorial risk is currently considered low. The opportunity and effectiveness of combining citizen-sourced data to traditional surveillance methods are discussed.

First record and spreading of the invasive mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald, 1901) in Croatia.

Aedes (Hulecoeteomyia) japonicus japonicus (Theobald, 1901) has recently established across North America and Central Europe. A 3-year survey was conducted in northwestern Croatian regions from 2013 to 2015 using mosquito ovitraps at possible points of entry and house yards, occasionally complemented by larval collections from cemetery vases. In the first year, the survey investigated the county bordering Slovenia, where the first detection of Ae. j. japonicus had taken place on 28 August 2013. During the next 2 years, Ae. j. japonicus was detected in this area from early May until late October. In 2015, several counties further to the east were included in the survey, leading to the detection of Ae. j. japonicus approximately 100 km eastward from the initially surveyed region. Given a moderate continental climate and homogeneous climatic conditions in this part of Europe, the eastward spread of Ae. j. japonicus can be expected to continue.

Detección de eventos adversos mediante trigger tools en 2 unidades de hospitalización de un hospital terciario en España

IntroductionAdverse events (AE) related to health care are frequent due to the nature of this activity, and for this reason, it is necessary to develop methods to detect them and prevent their recurrence. One of these methods uses what are called trigger tools, which are markers that allow AE to be identified retrospectively for subsequent analysis. ObjectivesTo evaluate the usefulness of a trigger tools system to detect AE related to patient safety in Internal Medicine and General Surgery units of a tertiary referral hospital. As secondary objectives, measurements were made of the rate of AE, its prevalence in admissions, as well as a description of the different types of AE, and to evaluate the time spent using this tool. Material and methodsA retrospective descriptive study of patients admitted to the units of Internal Medicine and General Surgery and discharged during 2016. Inclusion criteria were hospital stay over 24h and the presence of a complete clinical record of the studied acute episode. Patients admitted to short-stay units were excluded. A verification questionnaire was designed to registry key study variables and associated AE. ResultsThe study included 118 patients from Internal Medicine and 115 from General Surgery. The presence of at least one trigger was detected in 86 (72.9%) Internal Medicine and 56 (48.7%) General Surgery patients. Of these, 13 (15.1%) were associated with the presence of an AE in Internal Medicine and 34 (60.7%) in General Surgery. The trigger tool system failed to detect 7 AE, 4 of them in Internal Medicine. The median of triggers identified in each patient was 1.5 (IQR p25-p75: 1-2.5) in Internal Medicine and 2 (IQR p25-p75: 1-4) in General Surgery. In total, 262 positive triggers were detected, of which 157 corresponded to Internal Medicine, most of them related to early emergency re-admission after discharge. Most of the identified AEs required re-hospitalisation or extending the length of stay. ConclusionsTrigger tools systems are useful for the detection and characterisation of AE, which helps to analyse and implement improvement measures.

First Record of Invasive Mosquito Aedes albopictus in Tabasco and Yucatan, Mexico.

The invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus is currently distributed in most of the southern Mexican region. Since the species was first recorded in the state of Tamaulipas, in northeastern Mexico in 1988, it has expanded its distribution throughout the Sierra Madre Oriental and Gulf of Mexico to the Neotropical region of the country. Currently the species occurs in the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Veracruz, Chiapas, Morelos, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, San Luis Potosi, and Hidalgo. This is the first report of the mosquito in the states of Tabasco and Yucatan and the confirmation of its presence in Quintana Roo state. Aedes albopictus has been incriminated as a secondary vector of diseases such as those caused by dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, which have caused epidemic outbreaks in most tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico; therefore, surveillance for the detection of Ae. albopictus is paramount so that targeted control strategies can be implemented for its control throughout Mexico.

Detection of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations in Southern Alabama Following a 26-yr Absence and Public Perceptions of the Threat of Zika Virus.

With the establishment of Zika virus in the Americas, an accurate understanding of the geographic range of its primary vector, Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae), is vital to assessing transmission risk. In an article published in June 2016, Hahn and colleagues compiled county-level records in the United States for the presence of Ae. aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) reported between January 1995 and March 2016. Despite ecological suitability for both mosquito species along the Gulf Coast, Ae. aegypti was not reported in Alabama during the time interval, a result consistent with research suggesting that interactions between these two species often result in displacement of Ae. aegypti. Herein, we report the detection of Ae. aegypti populations in Mobile, Alabama, after a 26-yr absence and present findings on human perceptions of Zika virus relevant to transmission. It is unclear whether the specimens (69 out of 1074) represent a recent re-introduction or belong to a previously undetected remnant population. Sequencing of mtDNA from identified Ae. aegypti matched closest to a specimen collected in Kerala, India. A survey of residents in the surveillance area suggests high encounter rates with mosquitoes in and around homes. Despite high self-reported knowledge about Zika virus, the survey revealed gaps in knowledge regarding its transmission cycle and relative degrees of vulnerability to serious illness among segments of the human population. These findings highlight the importance of continued surveillance, vector control, and public-health education in Gulf Coast states, as well as the potential threat of Ae. Aegypti-transmitted pathogens in southern Alabama.

Aedes aegypti breeding site in an underground rainwater reservoir: a warning.

ABSTRACTWe describe the discovery of Aedes aegypti underground breeding site in the Pinheiros neighborhood of São Paulo, SP, during an entomological survey program performed in 2016. Even with intense surveillance and vector control, large numbers of mosquitoes were present in this area. A detailed investigation allowed for the detection of Ae. aegypti in an underground reservoir used for rainwater storage. After the implementation of protection screens in the accesses, the presence of the vector was no longer detected. In this study, we discuss the frequent use of this type of reservoir structure and its risk for mosquito production.

Comparison of two methods to estimate adverse events in the IBEAS Study (Ibero-American study of adverse events): cross-sectional versus retrospective cohort design

BackgroundAdverse events (AEs) epidemiology is the first step to improve practice in the healthcare system. Usually, the preferred method used to estimate the magnitude of the problem is the retrospective...

Accuracy and generalizability of using automated methods for identifying adverse events from electronic health record data: a validation study protocol

BackgroundAdverse events (AEs) in acute care hospitals are frequent and associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. Measuring AEs is necessary for quality improvement and benchmarking purposes, but current detection methods lack in accuracy, efficiency, and generalizability. The growing availability of electronic health records (EHR) and the development of natural language processing techniques for encoding narrative data offer an opportunity to develop potentially better methods. The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy and generalizability of using automated methods for detecting three high-incidence and high-impact AEs from EHR data: a) hospital-acquired pneumonia, b) ventilator-associated event and, c) central line-associated bloodstream infection.MethodsThis validation study will be conducted among medical, surgical and ICU patients admitted between 2013 and 2016 to the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), which has both French and English sites. A random 60% sample of CHUS patients will be used for model development purposes (cohort 1, development set). Using a random sample of these patients, a reference standard assessment of their medical chart will be performed. Multivariate logistic regression and the area under the curve (AUC) will be employed to iteratively develop and optimize three automated AE detection models (i.e., one per AE of interest) using EHR data from the CHUS. These models will then be validated on a random sample of the remaining 40% of CHUS patients (cohort 1, internal validation set) using chart review to assess accuracy. The most accurate models developed and validated at the CHUS will then be applied to EHR data from a random sample of patients admitted to the MUHC French site (cohort 2) and English site (cohort 3)—a critical requirement given the use of narrative data –, and accuracy will be assessed using chart review. Generalizability will be determined by comparing AUCs from cohorts 2 and 3 to those from cohort 1.DiscussionThis study will likely produce more accurate and efficient measures of AEs. These measures could be used to assess the incidence rates of AEs, evaluate the success of preventive interventions, or benchmark performance across hospitals.

Occurrence and Spread of the Invasive Asian Bush Mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) in West and North Germany since Detection in 2012 and 2013, Respectively.

The invasive Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus was first recognised as established in Germany in 2008. In addition to the first known and quickly expanding population in the southwestern part of the country, three separate populations were discovered in West, North and southeastern Germany in 2012, 2013 and 2015, respectively, by means of the ‘Mueckenatlas’, a German instrument of passive mosquito surveillance. Since the first findings of mosquito specimens in West and North Germany, these regions were checked annually for continuing colonisation and spread of the species. Both affected areas were covered by a virtual 10x10km2 grid pattern in the cells of which cemeteries were screened for immature stages of the mosquito. The cells were considered populated as soon as larvae or pupae were detected, whereas they were classified as negative when no mosquito stages were found in the cemeteries of at least three different towns or villages. Presence was also recorded when Ae. j. japonicus adults were submitted to the ‘Mueckenatlas’ from the respective cell or when there was evidence of local occurrence in localities other than cemeteries. Based on this approach, a significant expansion of the populated area was documented in West Germany since the first detection of Ae. j. japonicus in 2012 (increase in positive grid cells by more than 400%), while the North German population appears not to be expanding so far (reduction of positive grid cells by ca. 30% since 2013). As Ae. j. japonicus finds suitable climatic and ecological conditions in Germany, the differential expansion of the two populations might be attributed to the West German population being older and thus more firmly established than the closely related but younger North German population that might still be in its founder phase. However, geographic spread of all German populations in the future is anticipated. Continuous surveillance is recommended, as Ae. j. japonicus is a competent vector of several pathogens in the laboratory.

Indoor development of Aedes aegypti in Germany, 2016.

In spring 2016, a German traveller returning from Martinique cultivated imported plant offsets in her home, and accidentally bred Aedes aegypti. Thirteen adult mosquito specimens submitted for identification and the traveller were tested for Zika, dengue and chikungunya virus infections, with negative results. The detection of Ae. aegypti by the ‘Mueckenatlas’ project demonstrates the value of this passive surveillance scheme for potential public health threats posed by invasive mosquitoes in Germany.

SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF THE CYTOCHROME OXIDASE I GENE IN AEDES ALBOPICTUS ISOLATED FROM TAMAN BUKIT KINRARA AND PJS7, SELANGOR

Aedes albopictus is one of the most invasive mosquitoes in the world that harbors and can transmit many arboviruses, most notably dengue and chikungunya virus. In recent time, Ae. aegypti has gained more attention during dengue outbreaks compared to its counter parts, obscuring the role of Ae. albopictus as a vector. Moreover, existing data regarding Ae. albopictus is also currently limited in Malaysia. Hence, the present study was conducted to determine the genetic diversity of Ae. albopictus using molecular techniques from two dengue infested areas in Subang Jaya, Selangor, namely Taman Bukit Kinrara (TBK) and PJS7. Cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene from field collected mosquitoes were analyzed and compared to the USM laboratory strain (F135) together with sequences from the GenBank. Results from this study revealed that the field collected mosquitoes from TBK and PJS7 are genetically similar with each other. However, the samples exhibited polymorphism with the laboratory strain by 47 variable nucleotide sites. Our local samples are related with the Ae. albopictus populations from India, probably due to its migration across these two regions via several human activities. This study shows that the CO1 gene is a valuable marker for the detection of Ae. albopictus and can be utilized to study its worldwide geographical distribution. Further analysis is strongly recommended using larger sample size and different localities to validate and substantiate our findings.

Current distribution of the invasive mosquito species, Aedes koreicus [Hulecoeteomyia koreica] in northern Italy.

BackgroundThe invasive species Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus was first identified in north-eastern Italy in 2011, during the ongoing surveillance activity of Aedes albopictus. Following this finding, a more intensive monitoring was carried out to assess the distribution of the species and to collect biological data. Herein, we report the new records obtained by four years of surveillance.FindingsThe presence of Ae. koreicus was checked using ovitraps, adults traps and by larval collections in all possible breeding sites from May 2011 to July 2015. The monitoring started in the site of the first detection (Province of Belluno) and was then extended in the neighbouring Provinces belonging to four Regions. Aedes koreicus was found in 73 municipalities out of 155 monitored (47.1 %), including 23 municipalities (14.8 %) previously not infested. The area of first detection of Ae. koreicus (Province of Belluno) was also the most infested (68 %). However the mosquito has also been found to the west (Province of Trento) and to the south and south-west (Provinces of Vicenza and Treviso) of the initially infested area.ConclusionsThe spread of Ae. koreicus is directed towards south and west from the original infested area, likely due to the dense road connections and the habitat suitability of the new areas. According to these records, northern Italy has a high probability to be invaded by Ae. koreicus in the next decade. These data can be useful to validate predictive models of potential distribution and dispersal of this species in Italy or in Europe.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1208-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

In vitro induction and proteomics characterisation of a uranyl-protein interaction network in bovine serum.

Uranyl ions (UO2(2+)) were shown to interact with a number of foetal serum proteins, leading to the formation of a complex that could be isolated by ultracentrifugation. The molecular weight of the complex was estimated based on size-exclusion chromatography as 650 000 Da. Online ICP AES detection indicated that UO2(2+) in the complex co-eluted with minor amounts of calcium and phosphorous, but not with magnesium. A 1D gel electrophoresis of the U-complex produced more than 10 bands of similar intensity compared with only 2-3 intense bands corresponding to the main serum proteins in the control serum, indicative of the specific interaction of UO2(2+) with minor proteins. A proteomics approach allowed for the identification of 74 proteins in the complex. Analysis of the protein-protein interaction network in the UO2(2+) complex identified 32 proteins responsible for protein-protein complex formation and 34 with demonstrated ion-binding function, suggesting that UO2(2+) stimulates the formation of protein functional networks rather than using a particular molecule as its target.

Guest Editorial

Guest Editorial

Improving patient safety by detecting obstetric care-related adverse events: application of a new screening guide

Determining the magnitude and importance of patient safety-related incidents and the effectiveness of measures to improve patient safety (PS) are high-priority goals in efforts to improve the quality of obstetric care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the MRF1-OBST screening guide in detecting adverse events in women who received obstetric care. This retrospective cohort study included 244 women who were hospitalized for delivery. All medical records were reviewed with the MRF1-OBST screening guide to identify adverse events and incidents. This tool is a modified form of the MRF1 screening guide regularly used in epidemiological studies of PS, to which we added items developed specifically for obstetric care. We calculated the positive predictive value and compared the ability of the MRF1 and MRF1-OBST guides to detect incidents related to PS in Obstetrics. The MRF1-OBST guide did not identify any additional complications during hospitalization or incidents related to PS that were not also identified by the MRF1 guide. The MRF1-OBST guide did not improve the detection of obstetric AE. The modified version of the guide required more work to use as a screening aid than the original MRF1 instrument. Efforts to improve the detection of incidents related to PS in obstetrics require complementary tools to be developed for information analysis.