Host Plant-Based Artificial Diets Enhance Development,Survival and Fecundity of the Edible Long-Horned Grasshopper Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Wild swarms of the long-horned grasshoppers Ruspolia differens (Serville) which are widely harvested for consumption and sale in Africa are seasonal and unsustainable, hence the need for innovative ways of artificially producing the insects. We investigated the development, survival, and reproduction of R. differens in the laboratory on diets mixed with host plants [Digitaria gayana Kunth, Cynodon dactylon (L.) and Megathyrsus maximus Jacq (Poales: Poaceae); Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asterales: Asteraceae)] identified from guts of their wild conspecifics with a view to developing a suitable diet for artificial mass rearing of the edible insect. A standard diet comprising ground black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Startiomyidae) larvae, soybean flour, maize flour, vitamin premix, and ground bones was tested for rearing R. differens as a control against the same ingredients incorporated with individual powders of the different host plants. Whereas R. differens developed more slowly in the diet mixed with D. gayana than in the control diet; its development was faster in the diet mixed with C. dactylon. Mortalities of R. differens in host plant-based diets were 42.5–52.5%, far lower than in the control diet with 71% mortality. The insects raised on the diet mixed with M. maximus laid approximately twice more eggs compared to R. differens fecundities from the rest of the diets. However, inclusion of host plants in the diets had no detectable influence on R. differens adult weight and longevity. These findings support inclusion of specific host plants in artificial diets used for mass rearing of R. differens to enhance its survival, development, and fecundity.     

Multi‐channel visual evoked potential as an ancillary tool to diagnose intraorbital optic nerve lesions

Multi‐channel visual evoked potential (MVEP) recording method was used to assist in diagnosing a 4‐month‐old Chinese Albino rabbit with an intraorbital mass. Subcutaneous MVEP of its both eyes were recorded simultaneously using 16 electrodes (4 × 4) multi‐channel array. Analysis of the cortical potential landscapes (CPL) showed that the conduction function of right eye was remarkably impaired in terms of decreased amplitudes and prolonged latencies. Specific side‐dominant distribution asymmetry of the decreased MVEP amplitudes indicated that the temporal side of the optic nerve (ON) was severely involved. Overall prolonged latencies of the CPL without side differences suggested that the functional impairment could have been caused by the mechanical compression exerted by an intraorbital mass. Surgical removal procedures confirmed that the mass was located temporally to the ON. Pathological examination provided a final diagnosis of a giant polycystic mucocele. Beyond its significance as a standard tool to assess functional changes of the visual pathway, MVEP recordings might assist locating intraorbital lesions that involve the ON by careful analysis of abnormal CPLs.     

Characterizing Farmer Users and Nonusers of Mass Media as Channels of Agricultural Information in Benue State,Nigeria

This study characterized farmer users and nonusers of mass media as channels of agricultural information. A structured interview was used to obtain data from 316 randomly selected farmers in Benue State, Nigeria. The data were subjected to discriminant analysis and the following socioeconomic characteristics significantly differed at a 5% level of probability between users and nonusers of mass media (and their F-ratio values): education (6.30), income (5.12), gender (4.84), and socioeconomic status (4.83). Farmer users of mass media are therefore those who have good level of education, belong to a relatively high income bracket, and are typically male and of a relatively high socioeconomic status. Farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics should be considered in planning mass media usage in agricultural information dissemination.     

应用伪钝绥螨防治苹果全爪螨初报

伪钝绥螨是叶螨的有效天敌,1986年引入天水,1987、1988年在苹果园进行了释放试验,6月中、下旬按1:50的益害比释放于苹果树上,结果表明经过35～40天,苹果全爪螨从峰期(1987、7、31)7.79头/叶和(19888、2)21.84头/叶开始减退,至50～60天,分别减退为1.76头/叶和1.90头/叶,而对照树分别为19.43头/叶(8、20)和44.15头/叶(8、2)。该螨对苹果全爪螨越冬卵的控制效果明显,释放树平均一年生枝条单枝含卵量为15.95粒,化防树为93.64粒。     

稻瘟病菌菌株在寄主上的相互作用研究

作者采用常规的组织分离、单孢分离、孢子培养和接种的方法,研究了稻瘟病菌菌株在14个品种秧苗上的相互作用。结果表明,所有不同来源的单孢菌株间、集团菌株间在中等抗性品种上均有各种类型相互作用。从简化鉴定工作程序和接近病菌在大田存在互作的实际出发,作者建议以不同地区和不同品种的集团菌株混合接种,测定育种早稻材料的抗病性。     

应用赤眼蜂蛹人工饲养尼氏钝绥螨的研究初报

本文首次报导应用赤眼蜂蛹作为替代食料人工饲养尼氏钝绥螨。日食蛹量,幼螨为0.18头,产卵前期成螨达1.18头,而产卵期成螨则为0.95头左右。在25℃饲养条件下,每雌产卵达45粒,卵历期48小时,孵化率近92％,幼螨存活率88％,成螨雌性占55％,雌成螨寿命25天。用赤眼蜂蛹连代饲养的尼氏钝绥螨在桔园释放,对柑桔全爪螨具有明显的控制作用。     

昆虫病原斯氏和异小杆线虫人工大量培养的研究概况

昆虫病原斯氏和异小杆线虫的大面积田间应用要求线虫有效地生产，本文介绍业已建立线虫大量培养方法及合适于大规模生产线虫的工厂化培养系统及有关的技术参数，并讨论其优化管理问题。     

载有集中质量梁的振动频率

本文所讨论的是载有集中质量的梁的振动频率.假设粱的一端由恒定刚度的弹簧铰定,另一端是自由的.通过频率方程求解,发现了极值频率定理.理论证明:如果集中质量很小(对梁的质量而言),当集中质量的位置改变,位于无载梁的某次简正振动的节点(腹点),振动频率具有极大(极小)值.极大频率就是梁在该次的简正振动的频率,与集中质量的大小无关;极小频率却与质量有关.最后在改变边界条件的情况下,梁振动的极值频率定理也被研究是成立的.所以本定理具有普遍意义.     

Equine conjunctival pseudotumors

Five horses presented with unilateral pink, smooth, nonulcerated conjunctival masses with histologic features characteristic of inflammatory pseudotumors, i.e. proliferative inflammatory lesions clinically resembling true neoplasia. Although causes for the inflammatory lesions were not determined, based on the presence histologically of mononuclear (predominantly lymphocytic) inflammatory cell infiltrates and the absence of infectious agents, parasites or foreign bodies, an immune-mediated pathogenesis was suspected. Affected horses ranged from 5 to 8 years of age with no apparent breed or sex predilection. Conjunctival lesions were nodular in two cases and relatively flat and more diffuse in three cases. Third eyelid lesions were present in three cases and two affected eyes had corneal involvement. Based on findings from these five cases, the prognosis for equine conjunctival pseudotumors appears to be good when lesions are treated by partial or complete surgical excision, local administration of anti-inflammatory agents, or a combination of surgery and anti-inflammatory therapy.     

Orbital fibroma in a horse

An 11-year-old American Quarterhorse gelding presented for moderate periorbital swelling and exophthalmia of the left eye. The menace response, and direct and consensual pupillary light reflexes were absent in the left eye. Conjunctival hyperemia, blepharedema, a mydriatic pupil, resistance to retropulsion, and an increased intraocular pressure were present. A soft-tissue mass could be palpated in the left retrobulbar space by pressing onto the orbit over the supraorbital fossa. Incomplete surgical resection of the mass was performed and histopathologic evaluation was consistent with a fibroma. Normal pupillary light reflexes and vision returned following surgery. The mass has not recurred 14 months after surgery.