Each year huge numbers of adults of Coccinella septempunctata occupy aestivo-hibernation sites on Uludaz Hill, Çimen Mountain in the Kahramanmaraş Province of Turkey. In 2008 and 2009 we investigated the phenology, population dynamics, mortality and natural enemies of C. septempunctata arriving on Uludaz Hill. Samples were collected once a month during the snow-free season (April-November) from the top of the hill (2273 m a.s.l.) and at two lower altitudes (1900 m a.s.l. and 2050 m a.s.l.) on the slopes of the hill. In both years C. septempunctata was clearly more abundant at the top of the hill than at the two lower altitudes, which is in accordance with the hypothesis that beetles migrating to dormancy sites are strongly attracted to sites at the highest altitudes. Numbers of C. septempunctata on the hill were low in April and May. The large increase in abundance recorded in June may be attributed to the arrival of a new generation from lowland breeding sites. Emergence of previous year colonizers from their winter shelters is less probable due to the high fat content of the beetles collected in June. Spring dispersal from the hill to lowland areas was not observed. We suppose that this dispersal was either prevented by low temperature or considerably delayed and not synchronized with the period of ladybird breeding activity in the surrounding lowlands. In addition, the C. septempunctata aestivo-hibernating on Uludaz Hill suffered very high mortality, mainly caused by entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Beauveria. The results of our study are discussed in terms of the ecological trap concept.
Background: Many studies focusing on the effects of local anaesthetics on QT intervals have been performed, but the articles evaluating the relationship between thoracic epidural anaesthesia combined with general anaesthesia and QT parameters are very limited.Aims: We aimed to compare the effects of bupivacaine and ropivacaine on QT interval, corrected QT, dispersion of QT, and corrected dispersion of QT in patients undergoing lung resection under thoracic epidural anaesthesia combined with general anaesthesia.Study Design: Prospective clinical study.Methods: Thirty ASA physical status 1-3 patients requiring thoracic epidural anaesthesia combined with general anaesthesia for thoracic surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups, which were allocated to receive either bupivacaine (Group B) or ropivacaine (Group R) during thoracic epidural anaesthesia. Following haemodynamic monitoring, a thoracic epidural catheter was inserted. Local anaesthetic at an average dose of 1.5 mL/ segment was given through an epidural catheter. The same general anaesthesia protocol was administered in both groups. Records and measurements were performed on 10 phases that were between the thoracic epidural catheter insertion to the 5 th min of endobronchial intubation. In all phases, systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, peripheral O 2 saturation, and electrocardiogram monitoring were performed in patients. All QT parameters were recorded by 12-lead electrocardiogram and analysed manually by a cardiologist.Results: QT intervals were similar between two groups. In Group R, corrected QT values at the 20 th min of local anaesthetic injection and the 5 th min of endobronchial intubation were shorter than those in Group B (p<0.05). The basal dispersion of QT and dispersion of QT values at the 1 st min of propofol injection were shorter than those in Group R (p<0.05). The corrected dispersion of QT value at the 1 st min of propofol injection was shorter in Group R (p<0.05). In Group R, the decrease in mean arterial pressure at the 1 st min of fentanyl injection was significant compared with Group B (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to heart rate and complications.
Conclusion:The corrected QT, dispersion of QT, and corrected dispersion of QT intervals were slightly longer in the patients receiving bupivacaine compared with those receiving ropivacaine in various phases of the present study.
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