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The preference of greenhouse whiteflies varies with different species of host plants and leaves of different age. They prefer young leaves of tobacco, cucumber, broadbean and cowpea significantly more than the young leaves of paprika and old leaves of broadbean and cowpea. Behavioural studies indicated that the leaf‐time and total probing time were significantly longer on preferred leaves than on non‐preferred leaves. On non‐preferred leaves, probing may continue about 2 minutes but not longer than 5 minutes. On preferred leaves, there were both frequent probing for short intervals and probing (+feeding) which continued for 10 minutes or more. Morphological studies indicated that, in general, it needed 10 to 15 minutes for the stylet to reach the phloem and feed. The probing process takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Probing can be divided into test probing which takes less than 2 minutes to reach depths of 20 to 50 pm, and exploratory probing which surpasses 5 minutes. Test probing is the key process for determining host plant selection, and the chemical composition of the leaf surface wax may play an important role.

Background To identify medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) prognostic factors with wedge-shaped spacer implantation (spacer-type MOWHTO) for varus medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. Methods Patients who underwent spacer-type MOWHTO between August 2018 and September 2019 were prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into effective group and invalid group based on the Western Ontario and McMasters University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score one year postoperatively. The variables assessed at baseline and one year postoperatively including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), Kellgren–Lawrence (K–L) grade, hip–knee–ankle angle (HKAA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), posterior tibial slope angle (PTSA), Blackburn–Peel index (BPI), duration of symptoms, and WOMAC score were compared. Prognostic factors were analyzed using logistic regression, and the corresponding odds ratios were also calculated. Results A total of 104 patients were enrolled in the study protocol at one year postoperatively. The WOMAC score decreased from 72.39 ± 12.95 at baseline to 20.06 ± 12.96 at one year postoperatively. Univariate analysis revealed that the significant predictors of the WOMAC score were age > 70 years, BMI > 30 kg/m2, K–L grade IV, and pre-HKAA > 10° (P < 0.1 for all). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age > 70 (OR = 4.861) and K–L grade IV (OR = 6.590) were significantly associated with the higher WOMAC score at one year postoperatively. Conclusions Spacer-type MOWHTO is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis with varus deformity. The prognostic factors for spacer-type MOWHTO are age and K–L grade.

Aims/Introduction To investigate the associations between parathyroid hormone (PTH) and non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods Data were collected from 2,322 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in hospital between 2017 and 2019. The odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval related to the quartiles of PTH were obtained by logistic regression analysis after adjusting the potential confounding variation. Results The patients were stratified into quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on the PTH levels, with the cut‐off limits of ≤23.74, 23.74–29.47, 29.47–37.30 and >37.30 pg/mL in men, and ≤24.47, 24.47–31.22, 31.22–39.49 and >39.49 pg/mL in women. The first quartile (Q1) represents the lowest quartile and the fourth quartile (Q4) is the highest. According to the quartiles (Q1–Q4), the prevalence rate of NPDR in patients showed a significantly decreasing trend (37.9%, 36.3%, 34.0% vs 24.0% in men; 43.2%, 40.5%, 31.1% vs 26.2% in women, both P < 0.05). Independent of age, diabetes duration and other metabolic factors, multivariate logistic regression showed that participants in Q4 had a lower OR of NPDR than those in Q1 (OR 0.443, 95% confidence interval 0.300–0.654, P < 0.001 for men; OR 0.428, 95% confidence interval 0.283–0.646, P < 0.001 for women). Conclusions Low serum PTH levels were significantly associated with complications of NPDR in inpatients. Its causality remains to be further studied.

Aims/Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum progesterone (P) and retinopathy in male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to investigate whether P is associated with its progression. Materials and methods A total of 1,376 male participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from Affiliated Hospital of Medical College Qingdao University (Qingdao, China). Through logistic regression analysis after adjusting the potential confounding variation, the odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval related to the quartiles of progesterone were obtained. Results According to the quartiles of P levels, the prevalence rate of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the last quartile is obviously greater to other quartiles (52.5–34.9%, 31.9%, 37.5%, P < 0.001). Compared with those in the first quartile, the prevalence of DR for the last quartile had an OR of 1.85 in the non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy group, while the OR was 8.35 in the proliferative diabetic retinopathy group (P < 0.001, unadjusted model). When adjusted for age, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus, glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure and other variables, the ORs for DR in the fourth quartile were 2.13 (95% confidence interval 1.49–3.06) in the non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy group and 8.44 (95% confidence interval 2.69–26.43) in the proliferative diabetic retinopathy group (P < 0.001). The positive association between P and DR risk was independent in adjusted logistic regression. Conclusions High levels of serum progesterone are significantly associated with DR in male hospitalized patients. This could mean that a higher P level in men is a potential clinical factor to identify DR, and the causality remains to be further explored.

Background The lateral anatomical and morphological characteristics of knees with varus knee osteoarthritis (OA) have not received sufficient attention. This study used several radiological parameters to describe the morphological characteristics of the lateral knee with OA to determine whether there are relationships between varus knee OA and parameters such as lateral plateau widening (LPW), proximal fibula curvature (PFC), and fibula height (FH). Methods The study retrospectively analyzed 1072 subjects who underwent standard radiography for diagnosing or evaluating symptomatic knee joint disease. The 163 Kellgren and Lawrence (K–L) grades 0 and I knees were categorized into the no-knee-OA group, and the 909 K–L grades II–IV knees were classified into the knee-OA group. Medial proximal tibial angle, joint line convergence angle, hip–knee–ankle angle, LPW, PFC, and FH were measured. T tests and chi-square tests were used to compare each index between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was performed to examine the correlation between indexes and knee OA occurrence. Ordinal logistic analysis, principal component analysis, and multivariable linear regression analysis were performed to examine the correlations between the three lateral parameters and K–L grades and the degree of varus deformity. Results LPW and PFC were significantly greater and FH was significantly smaller in the knee-OA group than in the no-knee-OA group. LPW, PFC, and FH were correlated with knee OA occurrence. One principal component, named the comprehensive principal component score of varus deformity, was extracted from the three indexes, and the total variance of the principal component interpretation was 76.60%. Ordinal logistics and multivariable linear regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age and BMI, LPW and PFC were positively correlated with K–L grading and varus deformity. FH was significantly and negatively correlated with K–L grading and varus deformity (all P < 0.05). Conclusions Regular morphological changes take place in the lateral knee with varus OA, including lateral dislocation of the tibial plateau, proximal fibula bending, and upward movement of the fibular head. Changes in LPW, PFC, and FH could enable a more comprehensive assessment of varus knee OA occurrence, severity, and deformity. Level of evidence Retrospective Study Level III.

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BackgroundThe lateral anatomical and morphological characteristics of knees with varus knee osteoarthritis (OA) have not received sufficient attention. This study used several radiological parameters to describe the morphological characteristics of the lateral knee with OA to determine whether there are relationships between varus knee OA and parameters such as lateral plateau widening (LPW), proximal fibula curvature (PFC), and fibula height (FH).MethodsThe study retrospectively analyzed 1072 subjects [376 males, 696 females; mean age 66.84 ± 7.04 (range 46–83) years; mean body mass index (BMI) 26.98 ± 3.22 kg/m²] who underwent standard radiography for diagnosing or evaluating symptomatic knee joint disease. The 163 Kellgren and Lawrence (K-L) grades 0 and I knees were categorized into the no-knee-OA group, and the 909 K-L grades II–IV knees were classified into the knee-OA group. The medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), joint line convergence angle (JLCA), and hip-knee-ankle angle (HKAA) were measured to investigate varus knee deformity. The LPW, PFC, and FH were measured. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare each index between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was performed to examine the correlation between indexes and knee OA occurrence. Principal component analysis was used to calculate the comprehensive principal component score of varus deformity, which was used to comprehensively evaluate the knee varus deformity degree by reducing the original data's dimension. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the correlations between the three parameters and K-L grades and the comprehensive principal component score of varus deformit.ResultsLPW and PFC were significantly greater and FH was significantly smaller in the knee-OA group than in the no-knee-OA group. LPW, PFC, and FH were correlated with knee OA occurrence. One principal component, named the comprehensive principal component score of varus deformity, was extracted from the three indexes, and the total variance of the principal component interpretation was 76.60%. Multivariate logistics and linear regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age and BMI, LPW and PFC were positively correlated with K-L grading and varus deformity. FH was significantly and negatively associatedwith K-L grading and varus deformity (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsRegular morphological changes take place in the lateral knee with varus OA, including lateral dislocation of the tibial plateau, proximal fibula bending, and upward movement of the fibular head. Changes in LPW, PFC, and FH could enable a more comprehensive assessment of varus knee OA occurrence, severity, and deformity.Level of EvidenceRetrospective Study Level III