High Population Levels Research Articles

How can 21st century public health research overcome the long-standing frustration associated with dietary assessment?

Dr Nisreen Alwan and Janet Cade from the Nutritional Epidemiology Group at the University of Leeds investigate how information and communication technology methods can be used to standardise dietary assessment and close the data gap to reduce global disease burdens.Back in 1981, Doll and Peto said; 'Diet is a chronic source of frustration and excitement for epidemiologists'.1 Thirty years later, this is still the case. Studying the association between diet and health is becoming an increasingly important and topical area of health research in the second decade of the 21st century. For example, all of the top three most read research papers in the British Medical Journal at the time this article was written were in the field of nutritional epidemiology.2,3,4 Diet features very strongly as a risk factor for the top adverse health outcomes in the recently published Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010).5 Out of the top twenty leading risk factors contributing to the burden of disease in 2010, six are dietary factors (diet low in fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, vegetables, seafood omega-3 fatty acids, and diet high in sodium), and another seven are directly linked to diet (high blood pressure, high body mass index, high fasting plasma glucose, childhood underweight, iron deficiency, suboptimal breastfeeding and high total cholesterol).5These findings highlight big opportunities for disease prevention, but they also raise big challenges and frustrations as Doll and Peto pointed out. One of the greatest challenges in specifying causal links between dietary exposures and disease and identifying successful public health nutritional interventions is the profound problem of measurement error. This is associated with all the commonly used dietary assessment methods in population health research, such as food frequency questionnaires; food diaries; and interviewer-administered dietary recalls. Measurement error of dietary exposures comes up as a study limitation in almost any research study linking diet to health outcomes. There are also other significant obstacles to obtaining high quality population level dietary data. These include the relatively high cost associated with the current dietary assessment tools of administering, mailing, collecting and coding dietary data, as well as the low participant response rate due to the time and effort associated with completing them. There has been little progress during the last 30 years in developing new methods that attempt to address these obstacles. Innovative population level dietary assessment methods that combine accuracy and reliability with feasibility, acceptability and low cost to assess nutritional exposures and deliver dietary interventions on a large population scale are urgently needed.The rapidly increasing use of information and communication technology globally, including the Internet and smartphones, provides a golden opportunity to achieve this. A recent World Bank report states that about three-quarters of the world's population has access to a mobile phone.6 The number of mobile subscriptions globally has grown from fewer than one billion in 2000 to over 6 billion in 2012, of which nearly five billion were in developing countries. More than 30 billion mobile applications (apps) were downloaded in 2011, with evidence of use across both the social and economic spectrum.6 Using internet and smartphone app-based dietary assessment tools linked to automated food databases to instantly generate macro- and micro-nutrient data is a promising new development for the future. …

Community‐based efforts to prevent obesity: Australia‐wide survey of projects

Community-based programs that affect healthy environments and policies have emerged as an effective response to high obesity levels in populations. Apart from limited individual reports, little is currently known about these programs, limiting the potential to provide effective support, to promote effective practice, prevent adverse outcomes and disseminate intervention results and experience. The aim of the present study was to identify the size and reach of current community-based obesity prevention projects in Australia and to examine their characteristics, program features (e.g. intervention setting), capacity and approach to obesity prevention. Detailed survey completed by representatives from community-based obesity prevention initiatives in Australia. There was wide variation in funding, capacity and approach to obesity prevention among the 78 participating projects. Median annual funding was Au$94900 (range Au$2500-$4.46 million). The most common intervention settings were schools (39%). Forty per cent of programs focused on a population group of ≥50000 people. A large proportion of respondents felt that they did not have sufficient resources or staff training to achieve project objectives. Community-based projects currently represent a very large investment by both government and non-government sectors for the prevention of obesity. Existing projects are diverse in size and scope, and reach large segments of the population. Further work is needed to identify the full extent of existing community actions and to monitor their reach and future 'scale up' to ensure that future activities aim for effective integration into systems, policies and environments. SO WHAT? Community-based programs make a substantial contribution to the prevention of obesity and promotion of healthy lifestyles in Australia. A risk of the current intervention landscape is that effective approaches may go unrecognised due to lack of effective evaluations or limitations in program design, duration or size. Policy makers and researchers must recognise the potential contribution of these initiatives, to both public health and knowledge generation, and provide support for strong evaluation and sustainable intervention designs.

Molecular determination of the predator community of a cassava whitefly in Colombia: pest-specific primer development and field validation

In South America, the whitefly Aleurotrachelus socialis is one of the principal pests of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), reaching high population levels throughout the Andean region. Management of this species is primarily based upon the use of insecticides, while biological control has received limited attention. Till present, knowledge of A. socialis natural enemies is restricted to occasional records of predators and parasitoids. In this study, we developed PCR primer sets specific for the cassava whitefly, A. socialis, to identify their predator community in Colombian cassava. Eleven percent of 586 predator specimens (representing 131 taxa from 29 families) tested positive for cassava whitefly DNA. Of the 21 predator taxa that consumed cassava whiteflies, an unidentified netwing beetle (Lycidae), an unidentified spider species (Araneae), Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a Cereaochrysa sp. (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and a Leucochrysa sp. (Chrysopidae) were the taxa that consumed cassava whiteflies most frequently under field conditions. Two abundant predators in the system, Delphastus sp. (Coccinellidae) and the long-legged fly, Condylostylus sp. (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), were both positive for whitefly DNA, but did not have the strongest trophic linkage to the pest relative to other predators. This study shows that a diverse predator community affects cassava whitefly in southern Colombia, and provides the groundwork for the design of cassava production systems with minimal pesticide inputs.

APPLICATION OF A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM TO THE TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

The transport of hazardous substances is an essential economic activity because it represents a quite relevant percentage of the total goods transportation. The risk associated to such an activity is fundamentally related to the possibility of an accident triggering that may cause negative environmental and public health consequences. A recent example is the Viareggio accident (2009), which involved the blast of tank wagons containing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and caused more than thirty deaths. In this paper, a modified algorithm for risk evaluation and a decision support system, called TrHaM (TRansport of HAzardous Materials), are proposed in order to both quantify the overall risk due to the transport of hazardous materials via road, railroad, waterway and pipeline and help in planning transport activities. The algorithm evaluates and shows the risk distribution using a stand-alone GIS software, which also considers sensitive targets with high crowding (such as schools, hospitals, shopping malls, stadiums and camping areas). Moreover, it allows for finding the transport solution and its logistics which minimize risk distribution, including intermodal shipping. TrHaM reliability has been tested onto the circulation of hazardous materials in the Varese district (Northern Italy). The area is characterized by a high level of both population and industrial density combined with heavy road traffic. TrHaM has been used with the aim of comparing the current scenario with a potential one that introduces some mitigating interventions which may reduce risk, such as a partial conversion of haulage from road to railway.

Fluoride (F) Accumulation and Genetic Diversity Studies in F Hyperaccumulator PlantProsopis juliflorafor Selection of the Best Germplasm for Phytoremediation Purpose

Research on hyperaccumulation mechanism is increasing, but the genetic basis of fluoride (F) hyperaccumulation remains to be elucidated. The environmental pollution with F is a worldwide problem. Our earlier work demonstrated that Prosopis juliflora is a hyperaccumulator plant for F removal. We undertook the present study to screen the best germplasm of naturally growing plants of this species collected from five different locations of India viz. states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh based on F accumulation and ISSR genetic diversity. Significant variation was noted between F accumulation efficiency and genetic diversity of different population of P. juliflora. Genetic diversity parameters viz: percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB), Nei's genetic diversity (H) and Shannon's information index (I) within the populations of P. juliflora species was highest in Rajasthan population, i.e. 21.62%, 0.08, 0.11 and lowest in Maharashtra population, i.e. 2.70%, 0.01, 0.01 respectively. The high diversity levels in Rajasthan populations acts as a buffer to combat F stress and be an important selection criterion in developing lines with greatest phytoremediation potential. This study suggests that Rajasthan genotype could be effectively used as hyperaccumulator for F phytoremediation. Further investigations on Rajasthan genotype to identify genomic regions linked to factors involved in F hyperaccumulation will be of great value.

908 Environmental Risk Factors For Hepatitis A

Background and AimsHepatitis A virus (HAV) is an enteric viral infectious disease that is endemic in Turkey. Asymptomatic or subclinical infection often occurs in children, and symptomatic acute infections are...

Characteristics of Lactobacillus and Gardnerella vaginalis from women with or without bacterial vaginosis and their relationships in gnotobiotic mice

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate in vitro the production of antagonistic compounds against Gardnerella vaginalis by Lactobacillus strains isolated from women with or without bacterial vaginosis (BV), and to select one of the better Lactobacillus producers of such a substance to be tested in vivo using a gnotobiotic animal model challenged with one of the more sensitive G. vaginalis isolates. A total of 24 isolates from women with and without BV were identified as G. vaginalis. A higher frequency (P<0.05) of this bacterium was observed in women with BV (56.7%) when compared to healthy women (17.6%). A total of 86 strains of Lactobacillus were obtained from healthy women and women with BV. Lactobacillus strains were more frequently present (P<0.05) in healthy women (97.5%) than in women with BV (76.7%). Lactobacillus crispatus was the predominating strain in both healthy women and women with BV. Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus vaginalis were isolated with an intermediate frequency in the two groups. In vitro antagonism assays were performed using as indicators 17 reference strains and the G. vaginalis strains isolated from women with BV and from healthy women. Lactobacillus isolated from healthy women showed the higher antagonistic activity against all the indicator strains when compared with isolates from women with BV. Concerning the indicator strains, G. vaginalis found in women with BV was more resistant to the antagonism, particularly when Lactobacillus isolates from women with BV were used as producer strains. A high vaginal population level of G. vaginalis was obtained by intravaginal inoculation of germ-free mice, and this colonization was accompanied by vaginal histopathological lesions. A tenfold decrease in vaginal population level of G. vaginalis and a reduction of histological lesions were observed when the pathogenic challenge was performed in mice previously monoassociated with an L. johnsonii strain. Concluding, results of the present study suggest that progression of G. vaginalis-associated BV depends in part on a simultaneous presence of Lactobacillus populations with a low antagonistic capacity and of a G. vaginalis strain with a high resistance to this antagonism. The results could also explain why G. vaginalis is frequently found in the vaginal ecosystem of healthy women.

Analysis of Promoter Function in Aspergillus fumigatus

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is an important opportunistic pathogen that can cause high mortality levels in susceptible patient populations. The increasing dependence on antifungal drugs to control A. fumigatus has led to the inevitable acquisition of drug-resistant forms of this pathogen. In other fungal pathogens, drug resistance is often associated with an increase in transcription of genes such as ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters that directly lead to tolerance to commonly employed antifungal drugs. In A. fumigatus, tolerance to azole drugs (the major class of antifungal) is often associated with changes in the sequence of the azole target enzyme as well as changes in the transcription level of this gene. The target gene for azole drugs in A. fumigatus is referred to as cyp51A. In order to dissect transcription of cyp51A transcription and other genes of interest, we constructed a set of firefly luciferase reporter genes designed for use in A. fumigatus. These reporter genes can either replicate autonomously or be targeted to the pyrG locus, generating an easily assayable uracil auxotrophy. We fused eight different A. fumigatus promoters to luciferase. Faithful behaviors of these reporter gene fusions compared to their chromosomal equivalents were evaluated by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. We used this reporter gene system to study stress-regulated transcription of a Hsp70-encoding gene, map an important promoter element in the cyp51A gene, and correct an annotation error in the actin gene. We anticipate that this luciferase reporter gene system will be broadly applicable in analyses of gene expression in A. fumigatus.

Formation of lactic acid bacteria–yeasts communities on the olive surface during Spanish-style Manzanilla fermentations

This work examines the formation of poly-microbial communities adhered to the surface of Manzanilla olive fruits processed according to the Spanish style. The experimental design consisted of four pilot fermenters inoculated with four Lactobacillus pentosus strains, plus another fermenter which was not inoculated and fermented spontaneously. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were analysed in depth on olive epidermis throughout fermentation by plate count, molecular techniques and scanning electron microscopy. Data show that in all cases high population levels (above 8 log10 CFU per olive) were reached for both groups of microorganisms at the second week of fermentation and that these counts never fell below 6 log10 CFU per olive during the 3 months that fermenters were monitored. In situ observation of olive epidermis slices revealed a strong aggregation and adhesion between bacteria and yeasts by the formation of a matrix which embedded the microorganisms. Geotrichum candidum, Pichia galeiformis and Candida sorbosa were the main yeast species isolated from these biofilms at the end of fermentation (confirmed by RFLP analysis of the 5.8S-ITS region), while molecular characterization of lactobacilli isolates by means of RAPD-PCR with primer OPL5 showed in many cases a high similarity in their banding profiles with the inoculated strains. Results obtained in this survey show the importance of studying the olive epidermis throughout fermentation, because ultimately, olives are ingested by consumers.

Ribeiroia ondatrae causes limb abnormalities in a Canadian amphibian community

A parasitic flatworm ( Ribeiroia ondatrae Price, 1931) is known to cause severe limb abnormalities and high mortality levels in American amphibian populations. The distributional pattern of this parasite—its main dispersal agent being birds—correlates with the boundaries of migratory flyways in the USA. Yet thus far, R. ondatrae have not been found in Canadian amphibians, which is surprising, considering that said flyways extend well into northern Canada. In this study, we report on a lake in British Columbia that is known to support amphibians with abnormalities similar to those induced by R. ondatrae. To determine if the parasite was present and if it was the cause of the abnormalities, we collected and necropsied metamorphs of the Columbia Spotted Frog ( Rana luteiventris Thompson, 1913) and the Pacific Chorus Frog ( Pseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852)), and we set up field enclosures to protect larvae from R. ondatrae. Abnormality levels were high in both species (&gt;20%), with the vast majority being found in close proximity to the metacercariae of R. ondatrae. Moreover, the types of abnormalities closely matched those previously recorded in field and laboratory exposures of amphibians to R. ondatrae. Finally, larvae that developed in the same lake, but were protected from R. ondatrae by an enclosure, did not develop abnormalities. Collectively, these results demonstrate that R. ondatrae are both present in an amphibian community in Canada and responsible for causing limb abnormalities.

Why does the microcredit borrowing rate differ across countries? A cross‐country study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the socio‐economic variables that influence the number of micro‐credit projects worldwide. The paper also intends to study the socio‐economic variables that lead to a higher default rate. In order to do this study, the authors use a database from MIX and include some more variables.Design/methodology/approachThe paper intends to explore why the number of debtors/lenders is higher or lower depending on each country, and what variables influence this behavior. This will allow regions to be distinguished where there is more microcredit and on what basis and why, in some cases, it is found to have a higher incidence of default.FindingsThe results showed that green cases (characterized by a lower probability of default) are increased when more collateral value is required and the case is not in Africa. Higher levels of population under the poverty line, higher levels of the Gini Index, and being an African country lead to higher levels of yellow cases. It was observed that the percentage of red cases (characterized by a higher probability of default) tends to rise if there is a smaller value of firms using banks to finance investments, if there is a reduced expression of small firms, and if there are smaller values of collateral needed for a loan.Originality/valueThis is the first scientific paper on this field (heterogeneity of microcredit borrowing rates).

Population dynamics of Aceria guerreronis (Acari: Eriophyidae) and other mites associated with coconut fruits in Una, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil

Aceria guerreronis Keifer is a major coconut pest in the Americas, Africa and some Asian countries, and occurs in high population levels in northeastern Brazil. The determination of the climatic conditions that favorably affect its population growth and the prevalence and abundance of predatory mites can promote more efficient control practices. Our objective was to evaluate the pattern of occurrence and population dynamics of A. guerreronis, their associated predators and other mites during a 2year period in a hybrid coconut plantation in the municipality of Una, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Monthly samples of fruits were taken from June 2008 to May 2010 for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of mites. Aceria guerreronis represented 99.9% of the mites. An average density of 1,117 mites per fruit and a maximum of 23,596 mites per fruit indicated that the level of infestation can be high in Bahia. Bdella ueckermanni Hernandes, Daud and Feres was the most abundant and frequent predator. Population increase of A. guerreronis was directly related to the temperature rise and inversely related to both the increase of air relative humidity and rainfall. The highest population densities occurred from November to March. The largest A. guerreronis populations occurred in fruits with 32 and 48% of damaged surface. The relationship between prevailing wind direction and incidence of A. guerreronis could not be corroborated or refuted.

Mite (Acari) population dynamics in grapevines (Vitis vinifera) in two regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

In spite of the great importance of viticulture in Rio Grande do Sul, little is known about the state's mite fauna and its population fluctuations. Mites from Eriophyidae, Tarsonemidae and Tetranychidae families are considered as pests; their main natural enemies belong to Iolinidae, Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae. The aim of this work is to discover the population dynamics of mite fauna associated with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir varietals and associated plants in two vine-producing regions in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Evaluations were carried out monthly, between October 2006 and September 2007. Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa, 1905) was the main phytophagous species collected and it reached a population peak in January. Panonychus ulmi (Koch, 1836) was observed in October and April, in Bento Gonçalves, reaching a population peak in January; Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks, 1905 was observed at high population levels in January; Pronematus anconai Baker, (1943) 1944 was present in all areas covered by this study; Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor, 1954) was shown to be associated with C. vitis, P. ulmi and P. latus; and Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez, 1965 was found only in Bento Gonçalves.

Trends in marine debris along the U.S. Pacific Coast and Hawai’i 1998–2007

We assessed amounts, composition, and trends of marine debris for the U.S. Pacific Coast and Hawai’i using National Marine Debris Monitoring Program data. Hawai’i had the highest debris loads; the North Pacific Coast region had the lowest debris loads. The Southern California Bight region had the highest land-based debris loads. Debris loads decreased over time for all source categories in all regions except for land-based and general-source loads in the North Pacific Coast region, which were unchanged. General-source debris comprised 30–40% of the items in all regions. Larger local populations were associated with higher land-based debris loads across regions; the effect declined at higher population levels. Upwelling affected deposition of ocean-based and general-source debris loads but not land-based loads along the Pacific Coast. LNSO decreased debris loads for both land-based and ocean-based debris but not general-source debris in Hawai’i, a more complex climate-ocean effect than had previously been found.

Evaluation of Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare &amp; LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) as Parasitoid of the Sarsina violascens Herrich-Schaeffer (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

This is the first report on the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis, genus Eulophidae, found in the field parasitizing pupae of defoliating eucalyptus. Lepidopterous pests occur in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil, reaching high population levels. Due to the complexity of pest control in eucalyptus forests, alternative control methods have been proposed, for instance biological control through use of parasitoids. Natural enemies play an important role in regulating host populations because their larvae feed on the eggs, larvae, pupae or adults of other insects. The parasitic Hymenoptera are important agents in biological control programs against forest pests, and may provide economic and environmental benefits. The generalist endoparasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle, 1993 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) can develop in its host’s pupae, which overcome the host’s physiology and can therefore be used for biological control of agricultural and forest pests. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of P. elaeisis as a pupal parasitoid of S. violascens in providing a potential alternative to chemical control of the pest and creation of an alternative host. The experiment was developed in the Laboratory for Biological Control of Forest Pests, Universidade Estadual Paulista

Hybrid Stochastic--Deterministic Solution of the Chemical Master Equation

The chemical master equation (CME) is the fundamental evolution equation of the stochastic description of biochemical reaction kinetics. In most applications it is impossible to solve the CME directly due to its high dimensionality. Instead, indirect approaches based on realizations of the underlying Markov jump process are used, such as the stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA). In the SSA, however, every reaction event has to be resolved explicitly such that it becomes numerically inefficient when the system's dynamics include fast reaction processes or species with high population levels. In many hybrid approaches, such fast reactions are approximated as continuous processes or replaced by quasi-stationary distributions in either a stochastic or a deterministic context. Current hybrid approaches, however, almost exclusively rely on the computation of ensembles of stochastic realizations. We present a novel hybrid stochastic--deterministic approach to solve the CME directly. Our starting point is a part...

Should we aim for genetic improvement in host resistance or tolerance to infectious pathogens?

Should we aim for genetic improvement in host resistance or tolerance to infectious pathogens?

PESTISIDA RUMAH TANGGA UNTUK PENGENDALIAN HAMA PERMUKIMAN PADA RUMAH TANGGA

Pesticides have become public’s need for most of Indonesian people, especially those who live in urban areas. This is due to pesticide application is the only way used by those community to control urban pest population. Unfortunately, that choice has bad impact to human health and the environment. The objective of the study was determine the factors that influence people's behavior in choosing the type of pesticides and formulation, to classify home pesticides toxicity used by the public to urban pests control, the impact of pesticides to human health and proper application based instruction manual written on the label. Data assessment revealed that peoples were very annoyed with the presence of urban pest, such as mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, and flies. Although ants were more frequently found with higher population level, but people felt that the most disturbing one was mosquito, because they were very worry about dengue fever. To control these pests, pesticides with active ingredients cypermethrin, imiprothrin, and tansfluthrin were the most widely used by the community. Most people used pesticides with the toxicity level classified as Ib – III, according to WHO toxicity classification. The impact of pesticide exposures to human health were/ the symptoms poisoning or symptoms similar to poisoning. As much as 44.5% of people surveyed showed the symptom related to respiratory problems, 25 % of people experienced dizziness, 2.5% experienced itching on the skin, 12.5% experienced nausea and vomiting, and 5.36% had fainted. Survey was also found that 52.35% of respondents read pesticide label before use it, meanwhile 61.90% of respondents did not use pesticide properly, the later found in those who read the label or those who didn’t. Keyword: home pesticides, active ingredient, urban pest, and housewife, environmental

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Management strategy of &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Raoiella indica &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in Cuba*&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

The Red PalmMite (RPM), Raoiella indica Hirst, has been reported to attack several plant species in theAmericas, mainly palm and banana species. High population levels of this mite have been found damaging coconut and banana in Cuba. The objectives of this work were to estimate the potential of R. indica as a pest in Cuba and to evaluate the effectiveness of Dicofol and Bacillus thuringiensis for its control. The following activities were conducted to meet the first objective: a) evaluation of its host range; b) comparison of its biotic potential on coconut and banana leaves; and c) determination of its population dynamics on banana (Musa acuminata Colla Cavendish subgroup). To meet the second objective, a study was conducted to determine the effect of the chemical acaricideDicofol and line 13 of Bacillus thuringiensis (LBt-13) in the control of RPM. Twenty one plant species were found as host, of which 11 areArecaceae, threeMusaceae, two Heliconiaceae, two Zingiberaceae, one Strelitziaceae and two Cycadaceae.Mycrocycas calocoma (Miq.)A.D.C and Cycas sp. are reported as new hosts for this mite. The immature phase was completed in about the same time on coconut and banana leaves, respectively 31.4 ± 3.3 and 33.4 ± 4.8 days, 26.3 ± 1.3°C, 75 ± 4%relative humidity and 14:10 daily photophase. Female oviposition period, longevity and total oviposition were higher on coconut than on banana. RPM population levels tended to increase inmonthswith lowrainfall and to decrease inmonthswith high rainfall. The predator Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) (Phytoseiidae) was the only predator found associated with RPM. In general, there was a correspondence between prey and predator population trends.Dicofol caused totalmortality of R. indica,whereas nomortalitywas observedwith B. thuringiensis. Dicofol can still be used under particular situations in Cuba, e.g. in nurseries, but itswidespread use is not recommended. Further studies are required to evaluate the actual impact of A. largoensis as a control agent of R. indica, and about its possible practical application by growers, using mass produced specimens.

Evaluation of Trichospilus diatraeae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) as parasitoid of the eucalyptus defoliator Euselasia eucerus (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae)

Lepidopteran pests have occurred in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil since 1948, reaching high population levels, reducing tree growth and causing considerable losses in wood production. The control of defoliating caterpillars in eucalyptus forests is complex, mainly due to the large extent of forest plantations and tree height, necessitating the aerial application of chemical or biological insecticides. Due to this complexity, alternative control methods have been proposed, for instance biological control through the use of parasitoids. Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu, 1942 is a gregarious pupal parasitoid that preferentially attacks species of the order Lepidoptera. This is the first report of T. diatraeae parasitizing pupae of the eucalyptus defoliator Euselasia eucerus Hewitson in Brazil. This parasitoid offers new perspectives for the biological control programmes of this species in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil.