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The lychee erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), is an important pest of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.; Sapindaceae) trees. This minute mite prefers to feed on young, new flush causing the formation of galls called “erinea.” Chemical control to protect the new flush is the primary management approach that has been used to control this mite. Aceria litchii was detected recently in Lee County, Florida, USA, and there is an urgent need to identify an acaricide that can control mite populations. Among the acaricides registered for use on lychee in Florida, abamectin was reported to be effective against A. litchii from other parts of the world. However, it remains unknown whether this acaricide can control the mites inside the erinea effectively and protect the new flush. We investigated whether abamectin alone or in combination with an organosilicone surfactant could control an existing mite infestation. Lychee leaflets that had erinea were sprayed with acaricides, then placed on uninfested plants and monitored for symptom development. One mo after placing treated leaflets on uninfested plants, the same treatment was applied to the whole plants and monitored for erinea development on the new flush. Our results showed that none of the treatments were able to control the mites inside the erinea and protect the new flush. The methods described here can be used for more precise evaluations of other acaricides that are urgently needed to control A. litchii in Florida.

Background/Objective: The aim was to evaluate the evolution of depressive symptoms and to explore the influence of physical activity (PA) practice during the home confinement due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Spain. Method: Information was collected from 595 confined participants who reported personal and contextual information, depressive symptoms and PA levels at four time points. Results: The changes in depressive symptoms were analyzed using a linear mixed model with cubic splines. Results showed a significant increase, with a significant rise between T1 and T2 (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.83-3.10). It continued growing until T4 (OR = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.97-4.38). A negative relationship was observed between the increase in depressive symptoms and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels, with a significant slope up to 4 hours of MVPA per week (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.29-0.90) that tended to increase until 16 hours per week of MVPA (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.20-0.87). Conclusions: Results from a partition model showed that moderate intensity of PA could be enough to prevent an increase of depressive symptoms during home isolation. Antecedentes/Objetivo: El objetivo fue evaluar la evolución de los síntomas depresivos y explorar la influencia de la práctica de actividad física (AF) durante la fase de confinamiento domiciliario de la población española como consecuencia de la enfermedad del coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Método: Participaron 595 personas confinadas que informaron de su situación personal, los síntomas depresivos y la AF en cuatro momentos de medida. Resultados: Los cambios en los síntomas depresivos analizados con splines cúbicos a partir de modelos lineales mixtos, mostraron un incremento significativo, con una subida importante entre el T1 y el T2 (OR=2,38, 95% CI=1,83-3,10), para luego seguir incrementándose de manera más lenta hasta el T4 (OR=2,93, 95% CI=1,97-4,38). Se observó una relación inversa entre el incremento de los síntomas depresivos y los niveles de actividad física moderada-vigorosa (AFMV) semanal, con una pendiente importante hasta las cuatro horas de AFMV a la semana (OR=0,51, 95% CI=0,29-0,90) que tiende a disminuir hasta las 16 horas/semana AFMV (OR=0,41, 95% CI=0,20-0,87). Conclusiones: Se probó un modelo de partición que mostró que la AF de intensidad moderada podría ser suficiente para prevenir un incremento de los síntomas depresivos en situación de confinamiento.

La pandemia por COVID-19 que afectó al mundo entero ha traído desafíos complejos, especialmente para las familias con niños y adolescentes. Se ha descrito que el impacto del encierro o confinamiento de la pandemia sobre la salud mental ha sido devastador, ya que ha limitado los recursos con los que las familias contaban, incrementando en los cuidadores mayores niveles de estrés y demanda de esfuerzos. Este estudio presenta los resultados de un cuestionario online dirigido a cuidadores, madres o padres, con al menos un hijo entre los 0 a 11 años que vivieron las primeras semanas de confinamiento a lo largo de Chile. Se estudiaron las variables asociadas a síntomas físicos, ansiosos, del estado de ánimo, conducta disruptiva, problemas del sueño, baja tolerancia a la frustración, dificultades atencionales, hiperactividad y conductas regresivas que están relacionadas al impacto psicológico que ha tenido la medida de confinamiento en niños de 0 a 11 años, a través de un cuestionario cuantificando su frecuencia por tramo de edad, identificando cómo estos efectos se expresan en relación a las etapas vitales del desarrollo infantil. Los resultados señalan que a menor edad de los niños (0 a 3 años) mayor presencia de conductas disruptivas, mientras que a mayor edad (9 a 11 años) se observa mayor presencia de síntomas como tristeza, ansiedad, desgano y problemas asociados al sueño. Se discuten las implicancias de estos resultados en términos de políticas y estrategias de abordaje de los mismos, las cuales debiesen considerar tanto la etapa del desarrollo de los niños/as, como a los cuidadores principales dado el rol protector que estos pueden cumplir frente a las situaciones estresantes.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This disease harmed people's lives, compromising a healthy lifestyle. Objective: This study aims to analyze the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the Portuguese population's physical activity and seated time during quarantine. Methodology: This retrospective longitudinal study was based on an online Google Forms survey concerning the lockdown period from 18th March to 30th April, 2020. A total of 541 responses were analyzed; all Portuguese (42.2 ± 14.8 years) completed the survey concerning the period. The valid responses were obtained from the 4th to 30th of May 2020. The physical activity during a week and the average seated time on a weekday before (T0) and during (T1) the quarantine were studied. Results: When comparing T0 and T1, there was a decrease in moderate-vigorous physical activity (p < 0.0001), walking time (p < 0.0001), and an increase in seated time (p < 0.0001), considering the whole sample group. All age groups decreased the time spent walking and increased the time seated. The highest value of seated time was displayed in the age interval of 26–35. Compared to the others, the age interval of 46—55 years showed the lowest values for vigorous and moderate activity. Conclusion: The first quarantine had a significantly negative effect on the Portuguese population's physical activity hours and contributed to a significant increase in the seating time during a weekday.

Background. The COVID-19 lockdown has had a significant impact on mental health. Patients with eating disorders (ED) have been particularly vulnerable. Aims. (1) To explore changes in eating-related symptoms and general psychopathology during lockdown in patients with an ED from various European and Asian countries; and (2) to assess differences related to diagnostic ED subtypes, age, and geography. Methods. The sample comprised 829 participants, diagnosed with an ED according to DSM-5 criteria from specialized ED units in Europe and Asia. Participants were assessed using the COVID-19 Isolation Scale (CIES). Results. Patients with binge eating disorder (BED) experienced the highest impact on weight and ED symptoms in comparison with other ED subtypes during lockdown, whereas individuals with other specified feeding and eating disorders (OFSED) had greater deterioration in general psychological functioning than subjects with other ED subtypes. Finally, Asian and younger individuals appeared to be more resilient. Conclusions. The psychopathological changes in ED patients during the COVID-19 lockdown varied by cultural context and individual variation in age and ED diagnosis. Clinical services may need to target preventive measures and adapt therapeutic approaches for the most vulnerable patients.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has brought about changes in the lives of higher education students that may influence their psychological well-being. Objective: To analyze the association between nursing students’ coping strategies and their psychological well-being during the COVID-19 quarantine. Methodology: Cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study using a convenience sample of 136 students. Data were collected online using the Portuguese version of the Échelle de Mesure des Manifestations du Bien-être Psychologique and the Brief COPE. Results: Students in the last years of their undergraduate studies used the instrumental support (p = 0.015) and emotional support (p = 0.009) coping strategies more often and had higher levels of psychological well-being (p = 0.012). Psychological well-being is associated with household income changes (p = 0.024), as well as with religion (r = 0.36; p ≤ 0.01), positive reframing (r = 0.47; p ≤ 0.01), and humor (r = 0.37; p ≤ 0.01) coping strategies. Conclusion: Students’ coping strategies seem to be associated with their psychological well-being during the COVID-19 quarantine.

El 2020 estuvo marcado por la aparición de nuevos paisajes y personajes. Imágenes con un tinte apocalíptico e inquietante inundaron los medios y se colaron en nuestro imaginario. Esta serie de postales son intervenciones digitales de algunas de las fotografías de prensa generadas durante la primer fase de confinamiento.

The lychee erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), is an important pest of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.; Sapindaceae). Its recent interception in Lee County, Florida, USA, resulted in a quarantine whereby no lychee material, including fruit, can be transferred outside the county. Therefore, there is an urgent need for post-harvest treatments that can disinfest the fruit of the pest. Results of this study indicate that post-harvest dips in paraffinic oil solutions, 3 and 5%, for 60 s can achieve complete disinfestation of lychee fruit of A. litchii motile stages as well as other arthropods. In both ‘Mauritius' and ‘Brewster’ cultivars the treatments had a beneficial effect on fruit quality for the first 10 d after treatment. Post-harvest dips in paraffinic oil showed effective control of A. litchii without a noticeable reduction in fruit quality. Hence, this treatment might allow growers in Lee County to transport lychee fruit outside the quarantine zone.

Mexico is a center of New World crop origins with many insect species associated with the wild crop relatives, some of which have become pests of cultivated plants. Many of these indigenous pests of Mexico are weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and some represent potential quarantine pests. In the present work, we present some of the most important species of weevils considered as crop pests, which are presently restricted primarily to Mexico with the potential to invade other regions. We also present species of weevils exotic to Mexico, considered by national quarantine authorities to be possible threats to Mexican agriculture. Potential quarantine weevil pests for avocado include Conotrachelus aguacatae Barber, Conotrachelus perseae Barber, Heilipus lauri Boheman, Heilipus albopictus Champion, and Copturus aguacatae Kissinger (all Coleoptera: Curculionidae). For guava, species include Conotrachelus dimidiatus Champion and Conotrachelus copalensis Salas-Araiza and Romero-Nápoles (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Weevil pests reported with quarantine importance for sugar cane are Sphenophorus incurrens Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), Apinocis angustus (Casey), and Apinocis subnudus (Buchanan) (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The weevil Rhyssomatus nigerrimus Fåhraeus (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) recently has been observed damaging soybeans in northern and southern Mexico. Cactophagus spinolae Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is a generalist cactus pest. Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is a well-known pest of cultivated and wild agaves. Several species of Epicaerus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) have been reported on various crops in restricted areas including, among others, Epicaerus operculatus (Say) on garlic, and Epicaerus cognatus Sharp (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on potato. Amphidees latifrons (Sharp) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been reported from apples in localized regions of northern Coahuila. Weevils exotic to Mexico of quarantine concern are Naupactus cervinus Boheman, Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae).

The Andromeda Strain is a cinematographic adaptation of the book of the same name by Michael Crichton. It may be considered as the most “microbiological” film of the Seventh Art. Directed by Robert Wise, this techno-thriller describes the efforts of a team of scientists to characterize and contain an extraterrestrial pathogenic microorganism. Although the film was made more than 40 years ago it tackles issues very much in vogue, such as biological weaponry, measures of isolation and protection, the automation of health procedures, and decision-making in the face of a unexpected situation of emergency.