Autogeny in Culex salinarius from Texas, Florida and New Jersey

Autogeny was studied in Culex salinarius from College Station, Texas; Vero Beach, Florida; and Edison and Dennisville, New Jersey. Autogenous egg development varied from 14% in the Florida colony to 23 and 27%, respectively, in colonies from Texas and New Jersey. The mean number of eggs per autogenous female ranged from 13.5 to 23.7. As in other autogenous mosquitoes, the expression of autogeny was dependent on larval and adult diets. Mating did not influence autogeny as it does in some mosquitoes. Autogeny in Cx. salinarius was obligate at warm temperatures, but females denied a bloodmeal appeared to undergo facultative autogeny at colder temperatures.     

Assessment of six benzyl-1,3-benzodioxole compounds for anti-juvenile hormone activity in Culex pipiens

Fourth instar larvae of Culex pipiens were exposed to six benzyl-1,3-benzodioxole derivatives to assess the effectiveness of these compounds as anti-juvenile hormone agents. Mortality ranging from between 18 and 99% was observed in larvae and early pupae but the surviving adults showed no clearly defined anti-juvenile hormone effects. Adult effects included a reduction in number of eggs developed and the presence of degenerating eggs 4 days after the blood meal.     

Low urine citrate excretion as main risk factor for recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in males.

To better define the relative role of metabolic factors in the recurrence of stone formation, we studied the 24-hour urinary excretion of calcium (uCa), citrate (uCit), oxalic acid (uOx) and uric acid (uUa) in 73 male patients with primary calcium oxalate urolithiasis. According to the episodes of stone formation per year, we identified 51 recurrent stone formers (RSF) and 22 single stone formers (SSF). 20 normal adult males constituted the control group (C). uCa and uOx were higher in RSF than in C, but quite similar in SSF and RSF. The only difference between RSF and SSF was uCit, significantly lower (2.06 +/- 1.04 mmol/24 h) in RSF than in SSF (3.22 +/- 1.18 mmol/24 h, p less than 0.001) and in C (3.42 +/- 1.33 mmol/24 h, p less than 0.001). Hypocitraturia (uCit less than 1.5 mmol/24 h) was found in 16 of 51 RSF (31.4%) and in 1 of 22 SSF (4.5%). These data confirm that high levels of uCa and uOx represent a risk factor for lithogenesis, but also strongly indicate the low uCit excretion as the most important urinary abnormality accounting for the recurrence of calcium oxalate stones.     

Guidelines on clinical presentation and management of nondystrophic myotonias

The nondystrophic myotonias are rare muscle hyperexcitability disorders caused by gain-of-function mutations in the SCN4A gene or loss-of-function mutations in the CLCN1 gene. Clinically, they are characterized by myotonia, defined as delayed muscle relaxation after voluntary contraction, which leads to symptoms of muscle stiffness, pain, fatigue, and weakness. Diagnosis is based on history and examination findings, the presence of electrical myotonia on electromyography, and genetic confirmation. In the absence of genetic confirmation, the diagnosis is supported by detailed electrophysiological testing, exclusion of other related disorders, and analysis of a variant of uncertain significance if present. Symptomatic treatment with a sodium channel blocker, such as mexiletine, is usually the first step in management, as well as educating patients about potential anesthetic complications.     

Myotonic dystrophy type 2: the 2020 update

The myotonic dystrophies are the commonest cause of adult-onset muscular dystrophy. Phenotypes of DM1 and DM2 are similar, but there are some important differences, including the presence or absence of congenital form, muscles primarily affected (distal vs proximal), involved muscle fiber types (type 1 vs type 2 fibers), and some associated multisystemic phenotypes. There is currently no cure for the myotonic dystrophies but effective management significantly reduces the morbidity and mortality of patients. For the enormous understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 and myotonic dystrophy type 2, these diseases are now called “spliceopathies” and are mediated by a primary disorder of RNA rather than proteins. Despite clinical and genetic similarities, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 2 are distinct disorders requiring different diagnostic and management strategies. Gene therapy for myotonic dystrophy type 1 and myotonic dystrophy type 2 appears to be very close and the near future is an exciting time for clinicians and patients.Key words: myotonic dystrophy type 2, DM2, proximal myotonic myopathy, PROMM, DMPK, CNBP     

Ultrasound and color Doppler in nephrology. Technology and applications

Advances in digital technology in the last decades have led to a fast development of ultrasound technology. Ultrasound information originating from stationary structures or red blood cells moving into the vessels can be visualized with different imaging modalities. Conventional B-mode sonography provides anatomical details based on acoustic impedance differences. Gray-scale sonography represents the structural echoes as brightness points. Based on the Doppler effect, vascular scattering can be represented as spectral wave velocity depending on time (velocity/time curve), or as dual-scale color mapping depending on the changes in average blood velocity. The flow-in is depicted in red and the flow-out in blue. The analysis of the vascular scattering enhanced by infusion of contrast agents is the basis of contrast-enhanced harmonic imaging. The perfusional pattern of tissues allows the differential diagnosis of expansive lesions. Tissue strain analysis provides a new dimension of diagnostic information. It is used in elastographic imaging to describe relative physical tissue stiffness properties. Tissue stiffness information is complementary to and independent of the acoustic impedance information provided by B-mode imaging as well as the vascular flow information provided by Doppler imaging. Adjacent tissue elements may appear identical using conventional B-mode or Doppler imaging. When stress (axial force) is applied to tissues, they show different degrees of deformation. Comparing the baseline and stress image information, each tissue element may be labeled by its relative stiffness. A lighter shade indicates relatively soft tissue (elastic), while a darker shade indicates relatively stiff tissue (non-elastic).     

Ultrasound and color Doppler applications in nephrology. The normal kidney: anatomy, vessels and congenital anomalies

Gray-scale ultrasound is the diagnostic technique of choice in patients with suspected or known renal disease. Knowledge of the normal and abnormal sonographic morphology of the kidney and urinary tract is essential for a successful diagnosis. Conventional sonography must always be complemented by Doppler sampling of the principal arterial and venous vessels. B-mode scanning is performed with the patient in supine, prone or side position. The kidney can be imaged by the anterior, lateral or posterior approach using coronal, transverse and oblique scanning planes. Morphological parameters that must be evaluated are the coronal diameter, the parenchymal thickness and echogenicity, the structure and state of the urinary tract, and the presence of congenital anomalies that may mimic a pseudomass. The main renal artery and the hilar-intraparenchymal branches of the arterial and venous vessels should be accurately evaluated using color Doppler. Measurement of intraparenchymal resistance indices (IP, IR) provides an indirect and quantitative parameter of the stiffness and eutrophic or dystrophic remodeling of the intrarenal microvasculature. These parameters differ depending on age, diabetic and hypertensive disease, chronic renal glomerular disease, and interstitial, vascular and obstructive nephropathy.     

West Nile virus infection decreases fecundity of Culex tarsalis females

West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) persistently infects many mosquito tissues, and it has been associated with cytopathological changes in midgut muscles and salivary glands. However, the effects of WNV infection on mosquito fitness (survival and reproduction) are not known. We conducted a life table study of individually housed female Culex tarsalis Coquillett. After an initial bloodmeal from a WNV-infected or uninfected chicken, mosquitoes were provided sucrose and offered weekly opportunities to feed on a hanging blood drop. WNV transmission status was determined by testing the remaining blood drop for virus after mosquito feeding. Dead mosquitoes and eggs were collected daily. Mosquito legs and bodies were tested for WNV, and eggs were counted and allowed to hatch. Two replicates of this experiment were performed, with a total of 62 mosquitoes that fed on a WNV-infected chicken (of which 21 became infected) and 43 mosquitoes that fed on an uninfected chicken. Fecundity of WNV-infected mosquitoes was significantly lower than that of uninfected mosquitoes, especially during the first oviposition. WNV infection was associated with smaller egg rafts, whereas increasing wing length and WNV titer in the legs had a positive effect on egg raft size. Additionally, infected mosquitoes had lower egg hatch rates than did uninfected mosquitoes. There were no significant differences in survival between infected and uninfected mosquitoes. Blood feeding rates were higher in infected mosquitoes than in uninfected mosquitoes. A small amount of virus (average, 378; range, 5-5000 plaque-forming units) was transmitted to the blood drops fed upon by infected mosquitoes. Although WNV infection negatively impacts mosquito reproduction, facets of mosquito biology that are critical to virus transmission success were either not affected (survival) or changed in such a way as to result in enhanced vectorial capacity (blood feeding).