Vector incrimination studies were conducted from April 2003 to February 2005 at three riverine villages 1.5 km to 7.0 km apart, along the Matapi River, Amapa State, Brazil. A total of 113,117 mosquitoes were collected and placed in pools of

The term vitrification is currently used to describe two types of processes related to tissue-cultured plant material. The first is used to describe organs and tissues having an abnormal morphological appearance and physiological function. The second is used to describe the transition from liquid to solid state, i.e. the formation of ice during low temperature storage of in vitro cultured cells, tissues and organs. Use of the same term to define two greatly different processes in the same research area can only lead to confusion, especially for key words. Thus it is appropriate to reconsider the usage of vitrification in the first sense mentioned above. It is recommended that the term vitrification should no longer be used to indicate plant material with an abnormal morphological appearance and physiological function, and should be substituted by the term 'hyperhydricity'.

An ecoregional approach to the classification of malaria in the neotropics region can give health personnel a new prespective on how to manage malaria control programs. We propose an ecoregional classification based on vector distribution and important environmental determinants, including vegetation type, rainfall patterns, mean temperatures, elevation, and geomorphology. The following 5 ecoregions are described: (1) coastal, (2) piedmont, (3) savanna, (4) interior lowland forest, and (5) high valley. Subregional differences are classified when appropriate. Because human activities and extensive changes in land use usually leads to increased human-vector contact and alter local vector distribution and abundance, it is important that these changes be considered in the classification of vector ecoregions. Using this approach, risk areas can be classified as to the presence and potential abundance of particular vectors. Then, in combination with other components of malaria transmission (e.g., migration, cultural practices, living conditions), areas for surveillance and intervention can be prioritized. It is hoped that this forum will be a catalyst for discussion, future research, and the development of ecologically orientated malaria control programs.

No abstract

Abstract. Leaves taken from micropropagated shoots of several apple (Malus domesticaBorkh.) cultivars were cultured in vitro on Linsmaier & Skoog (LS) medium or the rice anther culture medium of Chu et al. (N6) containing various concentrations of either benzyladenine (BA) or thidiazuron (TDZ) plus naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Of the TDZ concentrations tested, 10/~M was most effective and it was equivalent to, or better than, 22~M BA for both the percentage of leaves regenerating shoots and number of shoots formed per regenerating leaf in almost every experiment. Lower concentrations of NAA (1.1 and 5.4/zM) gave best results with both BA and TDZ. N6 medium gave consistently better results than LS. Lowering total salt concentration or total N concentration of LS to that of N6 did not improve the response nor did changing the NO3:NH4 ratio. The 3-4 leaves on the most distal part of the shoot were most responsive and tended to form the most adventitious shoots. Placing the leaf cultures in the dark for the first 2-3 weeks of the culture period produced the best results. Optimum results were obtained by culturing leaves from the distal part of the shoot in the dark for 2 weeks on N6 medium containing 10#M TDZ and 1.1 or 5.4/zM NAA, then moving the cultures to 16 h daylight at a photon flux of 60pmol s ~m -~.

The resurgence of malaria in the Americas has renewed interest in Anopheles biology. Anopheles darlingi, An. albimanus, An. nuneztovai and An. aquasalis are reconfirmed as major malaria vectors and other species are playing important roles in regional malaria transmission. Adult biting activity and larval ecology are discussed in detail. Seasonal abundance and daily biting activity of Anophelines vary considerably among species and geographically for the same species. Anopheles albimanus has the least amount of variation in biting activity over its range and An. darlingi has the greatest. All species studied are more exophilic and exophagic than endophilic and endophagic. Anopheles darlingi is more anthropophilic, endophilic and endophagic than other Anophelines. Larval studies remain more descriptive than comprehensive. Research on Anophelines is becoming more integrated and biologists are using new biochemical techniques and ecological principles to answer critical questions. This "pluralization" will help us understand species complexes, population dynamics and malaria transmission. Integrated control programs will require more regional, in-depth ecological studies.

Three communities separated by 1.5-7.0 km, along the Matapí River, Amapá State, Brazil, were sampled monthly from April 2003 to November 2005 to determine relationships between seasonal abundance of host-seeking anophelines, rainfall and malaria cases. Out of the 759 821 adult female anophelines collected, Anopheles darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae) was the most abundant (56.2%) followed by An. marajoara Galvão & Damasceno (24.6%), An. nuneztovari Gabaldón (12.4%), An. intermedius (Chagas) (4.4%) and An. triannulatus (Neiva and Pinto) (2.3%). Vector abundance, as measured by human landing catches, fluctuated during the course of the study and varied in species-specific ways with seasonal patterns of rainfall. Anopheles darlingi and An. triannulatus were more abundant during the wet-dry transition period in June to August, whereas An. marajoara began to increase in abundance in February in two villages, and during the wet-dry transition in the other village. Anopheles nuneztovari and An. intermedius increased in abundance shortly after the rains began in January to February. A generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis of 32 consecutive months of collections showed significant differences in abundance for each species by village and date (P < 0.0001). Correlations between lagged rainfall and abundances also differed among species. A strong positive correlation of An. darlingi abundance with rainfall lagged by 4 and 5 months (Pearson's r = 0.472-0.676) was consistent among villages and suggests that rainfall may predict vector abundance. Significant correlations were detected between numbers of malaria cases and abundances of suspected vector species. The present study shows how long-term field research may connect entomological and climatological correlates with malaria incidence.

Hosts of blood-fed anophelines (Diptera: Culicidae) were determined in three riverine villages, 1.5-7.0 km apart, along the Matapí River, Amapá state, Brazil, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay midgut analysis for IgG of common vertebrates. Anopheles marajoara Galvão & Damsceno and Anopheles darlingi Root had higher human blood indices (HBI) than Anopheles nuneztovari Gabaldón, Anopheles triannulatus (Neiva and Pinto), and Anopheles intermedius (Chagas), which were relatively zoophilic. HBIs of An. darlingi varied significantly among villages, attributable to a low proportion of human-fed mosquitoes in Santo Antônio. Significantly higher incidence of An. marajoara and An. nuneztovari fed on pig blood at two villages, associated with a low number of pigs in Santo Antônio. The incidences of bovine blood varied significantly among villages for all three of the most common anopheline species. The incidence of mixed meals ranged from 7.1 to 27.6% among common species, and, for An. marajoara, varied significantly among villages. This study demonstrates differences in host selection patterns among villages only a few kilometers apart, which may be influenced by host availability and have important epidemiological consequences.