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Fulltext Do termites avoid carcasses? Behavioral responses depend on the nature of the carcasses

Neoh KB, Yeap BK, Tsunoda K, Yoshimura T, Lee CY

PLoS One, 2012;7(4):e36375.
PMID: 22558452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036375

Undertaking behavior is a significant adaptation to social life in enclosed nests. Workers are known to remove dead colony members from the nest. Such behavior prevents the spread of pathogens that may be detrimental to a colony. To date, little is known about the ethological aspects of how termites deal with carcasses.
Knowledge of diabetes and the practice of diabetes self-management during Ramadan fasting among patients with type 2 diabetes in Malaysia

Japar S, Ong SL, Muhamed Z, Fukunaga K, Kobayashi T, Imachi H, et al.

Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2022 Nov;16(11):102655.
PMID: 36323181 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102655

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To assess the level of diabetes knowledge and its association with diabetes self-management practices during Ramadan fasting among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving a sample of Malaysian patients with T2D. Patients aged 18 years and above, and attending an outpatient diabetic unit of a government hospital were recruited between February and April 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized to assess diabetes knowledge and diabetes self-management practices.
RESULTS: A total of 306 participants completed the questionnaire. Most of them were females (54.2%) and above 55 years old (75.1%). Resultantly, knowledge of diabetes was considered average among 52% of the participants. Only 9.5% of them avoided the consumption of sweet foods during iftar. Practicing late suhoor (p = 0.012) and self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) (p = 0.026) during Ramadan were significantly associated with a better diabetes knowledge score. Education level (p = 0.000), working status (p = 0.030), and monthly income (p = 0.000) were significantly associated with participants' knowledge level of diabetes. A higher proportion (72.2%) of the participants completed fasting for a month during Ramadan 2020. Meanwhile, hypoglycemia was the main reason (38.8%) for incomplete fasting.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings reflect the need to improve patients' knowledge of diabetes and diabetes self-management practices, especially during Ramadan. Such objectives could be achieved by considering the associated factors identified in this study.
Brain imaging abnormalities and outcome after acute ischaemic stroke: the ENCHANTED trial

Delcourt C, Wang X, Zhou Z, Wardlaw JM, Mair G, Robinson TG, et al.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 2020 12;91(12):1290-1296.
PMID: 33055145 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-323015

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that imaging signs of 'brain frailty' and acute ischaemia predict clinical outcomes and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH) after thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) in the alteplase dose arm of ENhanced Control of Hypertension ANd Thrombolysis strokE stuDy (ENCHANTED).
METHODS: Blinded assessors coded baseline images for acute ischaemic signs (presence, extent, swelling and attenuation of acute lesions; and hyperattenuated arteries) and pre-existing changes (atrophy, leucoaraiosis and old ischaemic lesions). Logistic regression models assessed associations between imaging features and death at 7 and 90 days; good recovery (modified Rankin Scale scores 0-2 at 90 days) and sICH. Data are reported with adjusted ORs and 95% CIs.
RESULTS: 2916 patients (67±13 years, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 8 (5-14)) were included. Visible ischaemic lesions, severe hypoattenuation, large ischaemic lesion, swelling and hyperattenuated arteries were associated with 7-day death (OR (95% CI): 1.52 (1.06 to 2.18); 1.51 (1.01 to 2.18); 2.67 (1.52 to 4.71); 1.49 (1.03 to 2.14) and 2.17 (1.48 to 3.18)) and inversely with good outcome. Severe atrophy was inversely associated with 7-day death (0.52 (0.29 to 0.96)). Atrophy (1.52 (1.08 to 2.15)) and severe leucoaraiosis (1.74 (1.20 to 2.54)) were associated with 90-day death. Hyperattenuated arteries were associated with sICH (1.71 (1.01 to 2.89)). No imaging features modified the effect of alteplase dose.
CONCLUSIONS: Non-expert-defined brain imaging signs of brain frailty and acute ischaemia contribute to the prognosis of thrombolysis-treated AIS patients for sICH and mortality. However, these imaging features showed no interaction with alteplase dose.
Ability of field populations of Coptotermes spp., Reticulitermes flavipes, and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae; Mastotermitidae) to damage plastic cable sheathings

Lenz M, Kard B, Creffield JW, Evans TA, Brown KS, Freytag ED, et al.

J Econ Entomol, 2013 Jun;106(3):1395-403.
PMID: 23865207

A comparative field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of subterranean termites to damage a set of four different plastic materials (cable sheathings) exposed below- and above-ground. Eight pest species from six countries were included, viz., Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki) in China, Japan, and the United States; Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) in Thailand and Malaysia; Coptotermes curvignathus (Holmgren) and Coptotermes kalshoveni (Kemner) in Malaysia; Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) with two forms of the species complex and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) in Australia; and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) in the United States. Termite species were separated into four tiers relative to decreasing ability to damage plastics. The first tier, most damaging, included C. acinaciformis, mound-building form, and M. darwiniensis, both from tropical Australia. The second tier included C. acinaciformis, tree-nesting form, from temperate Australia and C. kalshoveni from Southeast Asia. The third tier included C. curcignathus and C. gestroi from Southeast Asia and C. formosanus from China, Japan, and the United States, whereas the fourth tier included only R. flavipes, which caused no damage. A consequence of these results is that plastics considered resistant to termite damage in some locations will not be so in others because of differences in the termite fauna, for example, resistant plastics from the United States and Japan will require further testing in Southeast Asia and Australia. However, plastics considered resistant in Australia will be resistant in all other locations.