Emergence of as a Major Pest of Food Legumes and Evolution of Management Practices in Asia and Africa.

Legume pod borer, , has emerged as a major pest on food legumes in Asia and Africa. It is an oligophagous pest, feeding on over 70 species in Fabaceae. We examine the species complex in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, with an emphasis on molecular taxonomy.

Pheromone-binding proteins based phylogenetics and phylogeography of spp. from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Variations in the functional response of legume pod borer () populations to sex pheromone blends were observed in Asia and Africa. Hence, this study was carried out to understand the differences in pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) among populations in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America. A de novo transcriptome assembly was adopted to sequence the entire transcribed mRNAs in from Taiwan.

Mapping and identification of potential target genes from short-RNA seq for the control of Pieris rapae larvae.

Pieris rapae is a serious pest of brassicas worldwide. We performed de novo assembly of P. rapae transcriptome by next-generation sequencing and assembled approximately 65,727,422 clean paired-end reads into 32,118 unigenes, of which 13,585 were mapped to 255 pathways in the KEGG database.

An appraisal of physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest soil.

A detailed evaluation was performed on the soils of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest (NRF) in order to understand its physico-chemical, microbiological and enzymatic characteristics. The results of analysis showed that soil pH was directly proportional to the soil depth and the soil moisture content was irreversibly related to varying soil depth. Soil organic carbon was positively correlated with (p < 0.

Analysis of heavy metals in dying wetland Pallikaranai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Pallikaranai wetland has high ecological significance as it has been a home for other associated biodiversities. This wetland is highly polluted due to the rapid industrialization, urbanization and dumping of solid waste. The water quality of the Pallikaranai wetland has been studied with reference to toxic metals.

Assessment of air pollution tolerance levels of selected plants around cement industry, Coimbatore, India.

Being the second largest manufacturing industry in India, cement industry is one of the major contributors of suspended particulate matter (SPM). Since plants are sensitive to air pollution, introducing suitable plant species as part of the greenbelt around cement industry was the objective of the present study. Suitable plant species were selected based on the Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) calculated by analyzing ascorbic acid (AA), pH, relative water content (RWC) and total chlorophyll (TChl) of the plants occuring in the locality.

Cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic control in type 2 diabetic subjects attending outpatient clinics in Italy: the SFIDA (survey of risk factors in Italian diabetic subjects by AMD) study.

Background And Aim: To perform an observational, cross-sectional study aiming to assess multiple cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic control in a very large and representative sample of type 2 diabetic subjects attending diabetes outpatient clinics (DOCs) in Italy.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and sixty-one clinics were involved, representing about one-third of the whole number of DOCs in the Country. Each clinic recruited on a random basis from 50 to 100 type 2 diabetic patients aged 35-70 years, diagnosed more than six months before the start of the study.

The use of a telematic connection for the follow-up of hypertensive patients improves the cardiovascular prognosis.

Background: Inadequate blood pressure (BP) control could be due to incorrect management of hypertensives caused by the lack of interaction between general practitioners (GP) and hypertension specialists.

Objectives: To test the effectiveness on BP and total cardiovascular risk (TCVR) control of an internet-based digital network connecting specialists and GPs.

Methods: We created a network among the Hypertension Clinic, Federico II University (Naples, Italy), 23 hospital-based hypertension clinics and 60 GPs from the area (CampaniaSalute Network, CS).

Impact of presentation of research results on likelihood of prescribing medications to patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

This study was conducted to evaluate willingness to prescribe medication based on identical data presented in different outcome terms to health professionals of varied discipline, geographic location, and level of training. Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was performed in 400 health professionals (physicians, pharmacists, physicians-in-training, and pharmacy students) in the United States and Europe. Data reflecting a clinical trial were presented in 6 outcome terms: 3 terms describing identical mortality (relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction, and number of patients needed to be treated to prevent 1 death); and 3 distractors (increased life expectancy, decreased hospitalization rate, and decreased cost).

Thromboxane antagonism and cough induced by angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor.

Background: The increased prostaglandin synthesis that might follow stimulation of the arachidonic acid cascade by angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibition (ACE-I) has been suggested to underlie the appearance of cough on ACE-I treatment. We investigated whether the prostanoid thromboxane was involved.

Methods: Nine patients with essential hypertension who had cough after enalapril 20 mg once a day (coughers) were treated, while continuing the enalapril, in a double-blind crossover study with placebo or picotamide, 600 mg twice daily.

[Treatment of hypertension with indapamide 1.5 mg sustained-release form: synthesis of results].

In accordance with international recommendations on the need to decrease doses of antihypertensive drugs, a low-dose (1.5 mg) sustained-release form of indapamide was developed so as to optimize the safety/efficacy ratio, while maintaining a once-daily administration. The new formulation ensures that the active ingredient release occurs in a sustained manner over 24 hours, with mean concentrations close to the maximal concentration over a prolonged period, while avoiding peak plasma concentrations.

Cardiac glycosides. Drug interactions of clinical significance.

Several commonly coadministered drugs interfere significantly with the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of cardiac glycosides. Only a few of these interactions (e.g.

Efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin 20 mg vs pravastatin 20 mg in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. European Study Group.

The safety, tolerability, and efficacy of 20 mg daily doses of simvastatin and pravastatin were compared in this double-blind, randomized trial of 210 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. Simvastatin was found to produce significantly greater mean percent reductions from baseline in total cholesterol (28% versus 21%), LDL cholesterol (38% versus 29%), and apolipoprotein B concentrations (25% versus 17%) than did pravastatin, and a greater percentage of patients receiving simvastatin (94% versus 80%) had at least a 20% reduction in LDL cholesterol. Both simvastatin and pravastatin produced similar significant mean percent reductions from baseline in triglyceride concentrations (14% and 11%) and significant mean percent increases in the concentrations of HDL cholesterol (7% for both) and apolipoprotein A-I (4% for both).

ACE inhibition in diabetic patients: effect on pressor responsiveness to noradrenaline.

The pressor responsiveness to noradrenaline was assessed before and after four weeks of treatment with enalapril (20 mg/day) in eight mild-to-moderate essential hypertensives, in eight normotensive type II diabetics and in eight mild-to-moderate hypertensive type II diabetic patients. The ACE inhibitor interfered to the same extent with the renin-angiotensin system and did not alter noradrenaline kinetics in the three groups of patients, but significantly reduced the arterial responsiveness only in non-diabetic subjects. It is suggested that factors, such as an exaggerated sodium retention, might determine the lack of effect of enalapril in diabetic patients.

Perindopril versus captopril: efficacy and acceptability in an Italian multicenter trial.

The aim of this 3-month, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel group study was to compare the antihypertensive efficacy and acceptability of perindopril (4-8 mg/day) in 54 patients (30 males, 24 females, 25-68 years of age) and captopril (50-100 mg/day) in 54 patients (39 males, 15 females, 29-66 years of age) in the treatment of essential hypertension. In a subgroup of 38 patients a complete echocardiographic study was performed. The two groups had similar (ANOVA) blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), body mass index, and duration of hypertension.

Simvastatin versus pravastatin: efficacy and tolerability in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.

One hundred patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (total plasma cholesterol greater than or equal to 6.2 mmol/L [240 mg/dl]) were enrolled in an open, randomized, parallel comparative study of simvastatin and pravastatin. All patients started or continued a standard lipid-lowering diet for at least six weeks prior to entry into the four-week placebo baseline period.

The effect of ace inhibition on peripheral hemodynamics in normotensive and hypertensive patients with type II diabetes.

The effect of treatment with enalapril (10 days at 10 mg/d followed by 4 weeks at 20 mg/d) on forearm hemodynamics was assessed in eight normotensive patients and eight patients with hypertension affected by Type II diabetes as well as in eight patients with essential hypertension and normal glucose tolerance. The ACE inhibitor decreased regional vascular resistances and increased the maximum arteriolar-vasodilating capacity and venous distensibility in the three groups of patients. Thus, this study shows that ACE inhibition by enalapril improves regional hemodynamics in patients with Type II diabetes.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, thiazide diuretics and magnesium balance. A preliminary study.

Serum and mononuclear cell magnesium content were determined in a cross-sectional study performed in four groups of hypertensive patients on chronic treatment with atenolol (n = 11), enalapril (n = 10), thiazide diuretics (n = 12), or enalapril + thiazides (n = 11). Our study shows that in patients treated with the thiazides alone, in spite of normal serum potassium and magnesium levels, mononuclear cell magnesium was decreased. To the extent that mononuclear Mg content mirrors the body ion stores, our results indicate that thiazides induce a Mg depletion not detectable by monitoring serum levels.

ACE inhibition and pressor responsiveness to norepinephrine in hypertensive patients.

The pressor response to norepinephrine (NE) was assessed in normal renin essential hypertensive patients before and after they were randomly assigned to receive in parallel groups of treatment a single dose of an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (captopril or lisinopril) or a prolonged therapy with lisinopril (30-45 days) or with hydrochlorothiazide (9 days). Blood pressure was significantly reduced by all treatments. The pressor response to NE was unchanged after the single administration of the ACE inhibitors, while it was blunted after chronic administration of lisinopril and after the diuretic.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of enalapril plus hydrochlorothiazide plus methyldopa vs standard triple therapy in the treatment of moderate to severe hypertension: results from a multicentre study.

We report the results of a randomized, double-blind, parallel group multicentre study in 120 patients with moderate to severe hypertension, comparing two different types of antihypertensive treatment: a) the standard 'triple therapy' with hydrochlorothiazide, propranolol and hydralazine, and b) the combination of an ACE inhibitor, enalapril with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) and methyldopa. The two regimens caused similar degrees of blood pressure reductions. The only significant difference between the two groups was heart rate due to the bradycardiac effect of propranolol in the group treated with the standard 'triple therapy'.

Interaction study of fenoldopam--digoxin in congestive heart failure.

The potential interaction between fenoldopam, a DA1 selective agonist, and digoxin has been studied in 10 patients with heart failure (NYHA Class II or III) on chronic digoxin treatment. Plasma levels and urinary recovery of the glycoside were monitored for 24 h before and after 9 days of treatment with fenoldopam 100 mg tid. Fenoldopam caused a small, non-significant decrease in the mean steady state plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration curve of digoxin.