Post Operative Outcome of Extended Nasolabial Flaps

Post Operative Outcome of Extended Nasolabial Flaps TITLE: Reconstruction of post release intraoral Oral Submucous Fibrosis defects by Extended Naso-Labial flaps versus Platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps: A Comparative Study. ABSTRACT- We compared post operative outcome of extended Nasolabial flaps with Platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps, in the management of 20 randomly selected patients with histologically confirmed oral submucous fibrosis. Patients and Methods: All patients in the study were treated by release of fibrous bands and bilateral coronoidectomy. In addition reconstruction was done in ten patients with extended nasolabial flaps (Nasolabial group) and in another ten patients with platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps (Platysma group). In the nasolabial group the mean preoperative interincisal mouth opening was 12 mm (range 3-14 mm) and in platysma group it was 11 mm (~ 3-13 mm). Vigorous post-operative physiotherapy was advised to all 20 patients and they were followed up for next 3 years .The interincisal mouth opening improved to 47 mm (~35-51 mm) in the nasolabial group and 48 mm (~ 41-52 mm) in the platysma group. Conclusion: Both the procedures were equally effective in management of oral submucous fibrosis in terms of postoperative interincisal mouth opening. However the facial extra-oral scars were not aesthetically acceptable in the nasolabial group, which were prevented when Platysmal myocutaneous muscle flaps were used for the reconstruction of post release oral submucous fibrosis defects. INTRODUCTION Oral submucous fibrosis is an insidious, chronic, disabling disease of obscure aetiology that affects the entire oral cavity, sometimes the pharynx and rarely the larynx. It is characterised by blanching and stiffness of oral mucosa, which causes progressive limitations of mouth opening and intolerance to hot and spicy food. It is an established precancerous condition which is seen mostly in the Indian subcontinent. Its precancerous nature was first described by Paymaster 1, who recorded the onset of slowly growing squamous cell carcinomas in one third of the patients. Murti et al, 2 reported the malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis. As the aetiology is uncertain, its treatment has largely been symptomatic and various treatments have been described vastly in literature with inconsistent results. In this study, two techniques for the closure of post release oral submucous fibrosis defects were compared. The importance of coronoidectomy was emphasised and two local flaps were used for reconstruction. We hypothecated that the platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps would be a better option than extended nasolabial flaps in terms of unaesthetic extraoral facial scars for the management of oral submucous fibrosis.3,4,5. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty consecutive patients who were treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, SDKS Dental College and Hospital, Hingna, Nagpur (18 men and 2 women aged between 18 to 41 yrs of age), were randomly selected for this retrospective study. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. No patient had preoperative interincisal opening more than 25mm. Following aseptic precautions, all patients were intubated using the fibreoptic bronchoscope and operated under general anaesthesia. Incisions were made using an electrosurgical knife from the corner of the mouth to the soft palate at the level of the linea alba avoiding injury to the Stenson’s duct. The bands were cut and the interincisal opening recorded. The coronoid processes were approached via the same incision and bilateral coronoidectomy or coronoidotomy was done. The maxillary and mandibular third molars were extracted. In the nasolabial group, extended nasolabial flaps as described by Borle et al 4, were raised for grafting from the tip of nasolabial fold to the inferior border of the mandible. The flaps were raised bilaterally in the plane of the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system from both terminal points to the region of the central pedicle. The diameter of the pedicle was roughly 1cm and it was distanced 1cm lateral to the corner of the mouth (Fig. 1). The flap was transposed intraorally through a small trans-buccal tunnel near the commissure of the mouth without tension. The inferior wing of the flap was sutured to the anterior edge of the defect, while the superior wing was sutured to the posterior edge of the defect. The extraoral defect was closed primarily in layers after liberal undermining of the skin in the subcutaneous plane to prevent any tension across the suture line. In the platysma group, a superiorly based platysma myocutaneous muscle flap was raised as described by D.A Baur 5 and used for reconstruction of the intraoral defects. With the neck hyper extended, the proposed skin paddle was outlined on the ipsilateral neck, below the inferior border of the mandible (Fig. 2). The superior incision was made first and the plane superficial to the platysma muscle was dissected carefully cephalic to the inferior border of the mandible. A skin incision was then made at the inferior line of the skin paddle, with additional exposure of the platysma muscle inferiorly. The platysma muscle was transected sharply at least 1cm inferior to the edge of skin paddle, and a subplatysmal plane of dissection developed just below the inferior border of the mandible. If the cervical branch of the facial nerve was to be incorporated, it was necessary to identify the nerve in the superficial layer of deep cervical fascia with careful dissection and preservation of its pr oximal portion. Once the plane of dissection was fully developed, the platysma myocutaneous flap was transected vertically, anteriorly and posteriorly for its full mobilisation. The flap was then introduced into the oral defect by creating an appropriately sized soft tissue tunnel. The harvested flap was sutured to the defect, which was created by release of the fibrous bands. The donor site was easily closed in layers, totally avoiding any unacceptable facial scar and obtaining by far a much better cosmetic result (as shown in Fig. 3b). A soft temporomandibular joint trainer was placed in the oral cavity post operatively for 10 days to prevent dehiscence of the flap, as result of occlusal trauma. After a latent period of 10 days, physiotherapy was started with the help of Hister’s jaw exerciser to prevent contracture and relapse. The patients were instructed about the exercises and mandated to do them for the next 6 months until they were followed up in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. We used the Student’s unpaired t test for statistical analysis of the study. RESULTS There were 2 groups of 10 patients each, one of which had nasolabial flaps, and the other platysma myocutaneous flaps.The differences in mouth opening were as shown in Table 1. All patients in nasolabial group developed extra-oral facial scars, compared with none in the platysma group. The differences in mouth opening before and after the surgery were almost similar in both groups (p) There were some complications in the nasolabial group including partial flap necrosis, particularly at the tips, temporary widening of oral commissure, unsightly extra oral scars as shown in (Fig. 3a), subluxation of the Temporomandibular Joint, perforation of the palate and intraoral growth of hair. In the platysma group, few patients developed temporary paraesthesia, which was noticed over the lateral cervical region, subluxation of the mandible and scars over the lower neck region which were usually covered by the shirt’s collar and not visible extra orally on the face. There were no delayed complications in the platysma group, but 2 patients in the nasolabial group had a â€Å"fish mouth† deformity, even after a year (Table 2). DISCUSSION The treatment of oral submucous fibrosis is mainly symptomatic, as the aetiology is not clearly understood and it is of progressive nature. Conservative treatments include multi-vitamins, iron supplementation and intra-lesional injections of hyaluronidase, placental extracts and steroids to name a few. Submucosal injections of various drugs may produce temporary symptomatic relief but can lead to aggravated fibrosis, pronounced trismus and increased morbidity from mechanical injury, secondary to the needle prick injury 6. Different treatment plans and surgical interventions have been proposed by various authors with variable success rates. Excision of fibrous bands and propping the mouth open to allow secondary epithelisation is known to cause rebound fibrosis during healing. The release of fibrous bands followed by split thickness skin grafting results in high recurrence rate following contracture. The survival of full thickness skin grafts is questionable. The use of an island palatal flap based on the greater palatine artery was recommended by Khanna et al., but has limitations including involvement of donor tissue with the limited reach of the flap, as well as the need to extract the maxillary second molar tooth, so that the flap is not under tension.7 The bilateral tongue flap causes severe dysphagia, disarticulation, and it carries unwarranted risk of aspiration. It also provides a limited amount of donor tissue as its reach is inadequate. The doubtful stability of tongue flaps and their dehiscence are the most common post operative complications caused due to uncontrolled tongue movements.8 Buccal fat pads may also be used to cover the defects after excision of fibrous bands and also as their harvest is simple. However in patients with chronic disease they are likely to be atrophic. In addition, the anterior reach of buccal fat pads is inadequate and thus the region anterior to the cuspids often is required to be left raw; which therefore heals by secondary intention and subsequent fibrosis, leading to gradual relapse. 9 Bilateral radial forearm flaps are hairy, and nearly half the patients require a secondary debulking procedure. Facilities for free tissue transfer are not universally available. 10 Caniff et al 11 recommended temporal myotomy or coronoidectomy to release severe trismus caused by the atrophic changes in the tendon of the temporalis muscle secondary to the disease. If the mouth opening was still less than 35 mm after bilateral fibrotomy, then for every case bilateral coronoidectomy was done, which increases the per-operative mouth opening. Complications like extra oral facial scars and intraoral growth of hair were common observation in our study when extended nasolabial flaps were used for reconstruction of defects. The patient’s compliance was not very good as far as facial aesthetics were concerned in the nasolabial group. These issues are taken care of when the platysma myocutaneous flap is harvested. The technique of platysma muscle flap however is more challenging as compared to that of extended nasolabial flap and needs to be mastered properly. CONCLUSION Surgical management of oral sub mucous fibrosis not only permits mouth opening but also facilitates the oral examinations for early detection and timely management of malignant transformation. This comparative study of Nasolabial flaps versus Platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps for reconstruction of intraoral post release oral submucous fibrosis defects emphasises on avoiding the extra oral facial scars in the patient. The postoperative mouth opening three years after surgery was comparable in both the techniques, however with better aesthetic outcomes in the platysmal group. We recommend the use of platysma muscle flap as compared to the extended nasolabial flap for reconstruction of the intraoral defects after release of oral sub mucous fibrosis .The facial aesthetics are not compromised in this technique. The risk of broadening of the commissure and pinched appearance of the lips are subsequently avoided. As the incision is far away from the face, and situated infero-laterally on the neck, the scars are hidden underneath the shirt’s collar, without hampering the facial aesthetics, avoiding an unsightly facial scar and ultimately resulting in better patient compliance and acceptance in today’s conscious society.

Cell Phones & Classrooms Essay

Cell phones are a relatively recent invention, but they have greatly improved our way of life. School-age children are now starting to get their own phones at earlier times, and with them obtaining their phones, they start to carry their phones everywhere; so therefore, there is a risk of the children using their phones during school. Now, one would think that this is something that should be punished, but in reality, it opens many doors for education and educators. Cell Phones should be allowed in class because of how much of an effect they would have on students, teachers, and school systems. Computers are very costly, and with the introduction of cell phones in the classroom, schools would not have to pay money for new computers. Spotsylvania County Schools are in somewhat of an economic downturn, and if no computers were bought, and students were allowed to use cell phones, then the County’s technology expenses would decrease. Cell phones cost less than computers, and no keyboards or mice need to be bought, saving even more money. Students and parents would pay for their own phones, lifting the burden off of the schools. Money is hard for most people and schools to come by in this day and age, and letting the students have their cell phones in class would allow the school system to spend more money on and fund more useful things, such as teachers and sports teams. Phones are more reasonable to have than large, bulky desktop computers. Desktops are becoming outdated and unnecessary because of how many pieces are necessary to be brought for the whole computer. Phones are just one piece small and light, making them extremely portable, unlike the colossal computers that the schools have. As a cause of this, it would make it easier for students to take their work home and do research, just because of how conveyable and convenient the phones are. With the implementation of phones in the classroom, it would render the desktop useless, saving the schools a large amount of money. Many people think that schools should ban cell phones completely, but that is just not true. What the people don’t understand is that the students can and will use their phones for educational purposes. There are now apps, such as Dropbox, that allow students to sync folders containing documents on their computers to their phones, which is an ultimately successful way to use the phone. People who oppose this also think that the phones wouldn’t be cost effective. If one compares the average price for a computer, around or above $700, and the average price for a smart phone, around $200, they can see that it is actually much more cost effective. No peripherals for the phones need to be purchased either, unlike for the computers. Some people think that cell phones are a bad thing, but when one looks at the effects it has on things, such as saving money and useful resources. Cell phones, at this time, are a very controversial topic, whether being used while driving or in the classroom. Cell phones are much more cost effective than computers. Cell phones are also infinitely more portable than desktop computers. The ability of students being able to have phones would allow them to see new things that change the way they think about life. Cell phones should be allowed in the schools because of the ultimate positive effect that they would have on the educators, students, and the overall school system.

Mahogany Seed as a Termiticide to Kill Termites

Mahogany used in multistory systems in the Philippines, boat and ship building and patternmaking. Logs are used for the manufacture of veneers and for paneling. It is also used as shade for coffee and cacao. Mahogany is regarded as the worlds finest timber for high-class furniture and cabinetwork. Its popularity is especially due to its attractive appearance in combination with ease of working,excellent finishing qualities and dimensional stability. Mahogany is also often used for interior trim suchas paneling, doors and decorative borders.It is used for boat building, often as a decorative wood for luxury yatch and ocean liners, although it is also used when a medium-weight timber with other goodqualities is required. It is sometimes applied make it particularly suitable for precision woodwork suchas models and patterns, instrument cases, clocks, printer's block and parts of musical instruments; for these purposes, uniform straight-grained material is used. Other minor uses include burial caskets, woodcarvings, novelties, toys and turnery.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYMahogany a large tropical tree with a symmetrical appearance, best-known for its valuableheartwood. The tree is also appreciated as a beautiful and useful street tree. A fast-growing, graceful,straight-trunked, semi-deciduous tree growing to 30-70ft. Most trees, particularly planted street treesgrow to 30-40ft. It looses its leaves just as new leafs sprout, so while deciduous, the tree is not withoutleaves for long. Tiny flowers are followed by 4-5†³, woody fruits that burst open to expel the seeds. Mahogany is a valuable hardwood and this tree was once extensively harvested for its wood.A relatedtree, S. macrophylla, now provides most commercial mahogany. The tree also makes an excellent streettree specimen in warmer climates as is popular for this purpose. Miami, Florida has numerousmahogany trees planted throughout the city for this purpose. The termites are a group of eusocial insects usually c lassified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy below). Along with ants and some bees and wasps which are all placedin the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide labour among gender lines, produce overlappinggenerations and take care of young collectively.Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generallyin the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species(about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause seriousstructural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are major detritivores, particularlyin the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. Their role in bioturbation on the Khorat Plateau is under investigation.SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYNowadays, people usually choose new innovations (features) to kill termites or any other pests. Pesticides are usually used to kill a particular target pest, many will also kill or harm species that thefarmer or other user is not targeting. For example, pesticides applied to crops might be washed intostreams or lakes and harm fish, beneficial insects, birds, or even find their way into drinking water sources. With this regard topic it includes improvement in human quality of life and lower food costs. Contributed significantly to improving the quality of life and safeguarding the environment.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMIt should be only used and tested in termites.B. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKHYPOTHESISMahoganyseed extract Used a stermiticide tokill termitesOBSERVATORY;On Savanna, Termites Are a Force for Good By SINDYA N. BHANOOPublished: June 1, 2010The African savanna has a cornucopia of majestic creatures — lions, elephants and giraffes amongthem. But behind the scenes, it is the tiny termite that fuels much of this diversity, a new study reports. Researchers studying termites in Kenya's central highlands found that the abundance of flora andfauna is markedly higher atop termite mounds.†We noticed these circular green patches,† said Todd Palmer, a co-author of the study and a professorof biology at the University of Florida. †They had a lot of vegetation and plant material on top of them,and the grass was greener than in other areas. †The patches were 30 feet in diameter and spaced several hundred feet apart. Dr. Palmer and his colleagues did some digging, and underneath each patch they found millions of termites in subterranean mounds. Quantitatively, they found that plants grow about 60 percent largeron the patches compared with other areas.The nitrogen content of the plants on the mound is about20 percent higher, and trees on mounds bear 120 percent more fruit. Animal populations also droppedoff significantly the farther they were located from a patch. Termite mounds are rich in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, and termites also help loosen soilto p romote water absorption, Dr. Palmer said. Other animals visit the lush patches to eat and end updefecating and urinating there, adding their own nutrients and triggering more plant growth. In the human world, termites are seen as pests for their remarkable ability to eat into dead wood.Butin the animal kingdom, Dr. Palmer said, this is what makes them so desirable. †They are basically consuming dead wood and plant materials,† he said. †In their absence, that would just lie there and there would be no way to break down the organic material and convert it to nitrogenand phosphorus. †How Termites Live on a Diet of Wood By NNIICCHHOOLLAASSWWAADDEE Published: November 14, 2008 If only wood could be converted tobbiioof f uueellss, there would be no need to wait a million years for thetrees to be buried and become oil. Wood isindeed convertible to useful chemicals, because termitesdo it every day, causing $1 billion of damage every year in the United States. But to live on a diet of wood is challenging, not least because wood contains so little nitrogen. So how do termites do it? Visual ScienceScientists rely on graphics and other visuals to present their findings to the world. This feature takesraw graphics from various scientific journals and unpacks the stories they tell. The trick lies in a cunning triple symbiosis, a team of Japanese scientists report in Fridays issue of Science.In the termites gut lives an amoeba-like microbe called a protist, and inside each protist livesome 10,000 members of an obscure bacterium. The microbes in the termites gut are very hard to cultivate outside their termite host and so cannot bestudied in the lab. The Japanese scientists, led by Yuichi Hongoh and Moriya Ohkuma at the RIKENAdvanced Science Institute in Saitama, have cut through this problem. They extracted the protistsbacteria directly from a termites gut, collected enough to analyze their DNA, and then decoded the1,114,206 units of DNA in the bacter iums genome. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2007Entomologists discover cellulase genes in termite gutS As scientists search for alternatives to fossil fuel, producing chemical energy from wood fiber has become a big challenge. Several research organisations and biotech companies are trying to discover enzymes that break down cellulose into glucose in an efficient way (earlier post). However, termites have been working this alchemy for millions of years. A University of Florida (UF) study published last month in the journal Gene sheds new light on the mysterious and complex process that enables the insects to eat the cellulose, the main structural component of plant cells.For people and most animals, cellulose is indigestible, but termites break it down easily into glucose, a form of sugar most organisms need. These sugars can be fermented into bio-products, such as ethanol or bioplastics. The study identifies four genes that produce enzymes responsible for taking cellulose molecules apart in a process called cellulase (picture, click to enlarge) insight that could lead to breakthroughs in energy production and pest control, said Michael Scharf, an assistant research scientist with UF’s entomology department and a co-author of the paper.The scientists looked at the dominant termite species in the U. S. but they are sure they haven't identified all the genes involved in producing these enzymes yet. Only one of the genes actually belongs to the insect researchers studied, the eastern subterranean termite. The other three belong to microscopic organisms known as symbionts that live inside the termite’s digestive system: â€Å"The termites provide the symbionts with a home, and the symbionts pay the rent by producing enzymes,† says Sharf. Altogether, there may be hundreds of cellulose-digesting enzymes produced by the termites and their tiny tenants, Scharf said.One potential payoff from the research is that scientists may be able to transfer specific enzyme-producing genes into bacteria, then culture them to produce large quantities of enzymes to make ethanol from wood scraps and other fibrous materials, he said. Known as cellulosic ethanol, this fuel has gained worldwide attention because it doesn’t require edible material such as corn, used in conventional ethanol production. The interaction of multiple genes makes cellulose digestion an efficient process in termites, but scientists want to pin down enzyme combinations that will digest cellulose affordably, Scharf said.Many genes remain undiscovered, and UF researchers have applied for funding to support a massive effort to identify all cellulose-digesting genes in the eastern subterranean termite and its common symbionts. Greater genetic knowledge could also aid in termite control, an important issue in Florida, which accounts for about one-third of control efforts in the United States, said Phil Koehler, a UF entomology professor and co-author of the paper. By identi fying enzymes most crucial to termite digestion, scientists may be able to kill the insects by shutting down selected genes, he said.Termite-control strategies, such as bait systems or treated lumber, would be environmentally friendly because they would have no effect on organisms that don’t eat cellulose, he said. â€Å"Anything we do with this kind of work will reduce the need for conventional pesticides,† Koehler said. Development of enzyme-blocking products could happen but will require attention to termite behavior, said Brian Forschler, an entomology professor at the University of Georgia in Athens. Recent research shows that termites, which live in colonies that can number 1 million, often consume partially digested material excreted by their compatriots, he said.So it would be important that bait products not disrupt termites’ feeding behavior. If it did, termites might avoid an enzyme-stopping bait and instead share more partially digested food. â€Å" You just have to remember that you’re dealing with an entire termite colony,† Forschler said. â€Å"This research holds a great deal of promise. † Further termite genetics research could reveal effective methods of disrupting termite social behavior, perhaps in ways that cause the insects to die, said Faith Oi, an assistant extension scientist with UF’s entomology and nematology department.â€Å"The model for exploiting the termite’s social behavior for control is not new,† said Oi, another co-author of the paper. â€Å"In terms of pest control, we can look to this area of science enhancing existing methods. † Bed Bug Herbal Remedies Work Well With Traps July 15, 2013 THE NEEM TREE (Azadirachta indica), a medicinal mahogany tree (Meliaceae) native to arid broadleaf and scrub forests in Asia (e. g. India), has been used for over 4,000 years in Vedic medicine and has a heavy, durable wood useful for furniture and buildings because it is resistant to termites and fungi.Nonetheless, despite US EPA registration as a pesticide for crop and home use and a long legacy of neem seed oil use for cosmetics, shampoos, toothpastes and medicines in India, Ohio State University researcher Susan Jones could not find any households near her Columbus, Ohio, home willing to try neem in her bed bug control experiments. â€Å"We had no study takers because of the regulatory requirements,† which scared off people, Jones told the Entomological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting.â€Å"You have to read page after page to residents about toxicity without being able to talk about the toxicity of alternative products† not as safe as neem. In October 2012, an empty house with bed bugs became available for research when its occupant opted to escape a bad bed bug infestation by leaving the infested home; and inadvertently transferred the infestation to their new home. Jones monitored the empty house by placing in each room fo ur (4)Verifi(TM) CO2 (carbon dioxide) traps and four (4) Climbup(R) Interceptor traps. Visual inspections revealed few bed bugs.On October 24, 2012, prior to neem treatments, 38 bed bugs were captured in Climbup(R) traps, indicating bed bug infestations only in the master bedroom and bed of the empty house. Eight Verifi(TM) traps captured 48 bed bugs in the dining room, guest room and master bedroom. As part of an IPM (integrated pest management) approach using multiple treatment tools: Electrical sockets were treated with MotherEarth(R) D diatomaceous earth; 3. 67 gal (13. 9 l) at a rate of 1 gal/250 ft2 (3. 9 l/23 m2). Gorilla Tape(R) was used to seal around the doors and exclude bed bug movement from other rooms.The neem seed oil product, Cirkil (TM) RTU, was sprayed in various places, including on books, backs of picture frames and cardboard boxes. Vials of the insecticide-susceptible Harlan bed bug strain were placed around the house for on-site neem seed oil vapor toxicity ass ays. Two days after spraying, bed bug mortality from neem seed oil vapors was highest in confined spaces; with 48% mortality in vials placed between the mattress and box spring, versus 28% mortality in open spaces. On Nov. 6, two weeks post-treatment, 123 dead bed bugs were vacuumed up and live bed bugs were detected in a second bedroom.Bed bug numbers were low because the monitoring traps were doing double duty, also providing population suppression by removing many bed bugs. Herbal oils can also be combined with heat chambers at 50 C (122 F) or carbon dioxide (CO2) fumigation chambers to combat bed bugs. However, heat chambers are expensive, and CO2 fumigation with dry ice can pose handling difficulties and room air circulation issues, Dong-Hwan Choe of the University of California, Riverside, told the Entomological Society of America (ESA).Herbal essential oils are useful against head lice, and in Choe’s native Korea clove oil from from the leaves and flower buds of clove plants (Syzygium aromaticum) is used in aromatherapy and as a medicine. Clove oil is rich in GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) compounds such as eugenol, beta-caryophyllene and methyl salicylate (sometimes called wintergreen oil), which are useful as vapors in control of insects and microbes. In dentistry, clove oil (eugenol) is widely used as an antiseptic and pain reliever.Clove essential oils work faster in closed spaces or fumigation chambers (e. g. vials, Mason jars) than in open spaces. Essential oils are even slower to kill bed bugs when orally ingested. In experiments at varied temperatures, Choe placed 10 bed bugs in plastic vials with mesh tops. The vials were placed inside 900 ml (1. 9 pint) Mason jars; filter paper treated with essential oils was placed on the underside of the Mason jar tops. Herbal essential oils worked faster at higher temperatures.For example, methyl salicylate fumigant vapors provided 100% bed bug mortality in 30 hours at 26 C (79 F); 10 hours at 3 5 C (95 F); and 8 hours at 40 C (104 F). Eugenol vapors produced similar results; there were no synergistic or additive effects from combining eugenol and methyl salicylate. Choe told the ESA that his future trials will include: botanical oil granules; exposing bed bug-infested items to essential oil vapors; and checking for sublethal essential oil effects on parameters such as female bed bug reproduction.Narinderpal Singh of Rutgers placed bed bugs on cotton fabric squares treated (half left untreated) with synthetic pesticide and herbal essential oil products: 1) Temprid(TM) SC, a mixture of imidacloprid and cyfluthrin (neonicotinoid and pyrethroid insecticides); 2) Ecoraider(TM) (Reneotech, North Bergen, NJ) contains FDA GRAS ingredients labeled as â€Å"made from extracts of multiple traditional herbs that have been used in Asia for hundreds of years for therapy and to repel insects;† 3) Demand(R) CS, which contains lambda-cyhalothrin (a pyrethroid insecticide); 4) Bed Bu g Patrol(R) (Nature’s Innovation, Buford, FL), a mixture with the active ingredients listed as clove oil, peppermint oil and sodium lauryl sulfate. && Temprid(TM) SC and Demand(R) CS proved best on the cotton fabric test. In arena bioassays with Climbup(R)Interceptor traps, none of the four insecticides were repellent to bed bugs (i. e. repellency was less than 30%). Ecoraider(TM) was equal to Temprid(TM) SC and Demand(R) CS against the tough to kill bed bug eggs. Singh concluded that field tests of Ecoraider(TM) as a biopesticide were warranted.Changlu Wang of Rutgers told the ESA that travelers might be protected from bed bug bites and bring home fewer bed bugs if protected by essential oil repellents, as well as by more traditional mosquito and tick repellents like DEET, permethrin and picaridin. Repellents are more convenient and less expensive than non-chemical alternatives such as sleeping under bed bug tents and bandaging yourself in a protective suit. Isolongifolenone , an odorless sesquiterpene found in the South American Tauroniro tree (Humiria balsamifera), is among the botanicals being studied, as it can also be synthesized from turpentine oil and is as effective as DEET against mosquito and tick species.Bed bug arena tests involve putting a band of repellent around a table leg, with a Climbup(R)Interceptor trap below. If the bed bug falls into the trap, it is deemed to have been repelled from the surface above. In actual practice, the bed bug climbs up the surface and goes horizontal onto the treated surface and drops or falls off if the surface is repellent. Isolongifolenone starts losing its repellency after 3 hours; 5%-10% DEET works for about 9 hours. In arena tests with host cues, 25% DEET keeps surfaces repellent to bed bugs for 2 weeks. But isolongifolenone is considered safer, and Wang is testing higher rates in hopes of gettting a full day’s protection. How to Kill Termites: Treatment Options for HomeownersDon’t let th eir size fool you, termites are far from harmless. These small white insects feed on untreated wood piles around homes and can even start up a colony within the structure of your home–where wood is abundant. When termites find their way into homes, they can cause serious structural damage that requires costly repairs. If you’re wondering how to kill termites, contacting a professional to address the problem is the best treatment method you can choose to maintain the integrity of your home. There are different methods you can use to kill termites around your home, but remember that your safest option is to contact a professional to treat your home and property.If you’re waiting for your exterminator to come and inspect your home and you want to be proactive, there are a couple of different treatment options you can try. 1. Boric acid- This white powder is commonly used to kill roaches, but it works with termites as well. You can sprinkle it around the foundation of your home to keep termites from coming in. You’ll need to repeat this treatment every few days for at least two weeks before you notice a decline in the number of termites in your home. 2. Bait blocks-You can also place bait blocks around your home. You can find these in most grocery or hardware stores. These traps contain wood that’s been treated with pesticide.Once the termites find these traps, they’ll carry the poisoned wood back to the queen. Once the queen dies, the termites will be unable to reproduce. 3. Termiticide- If you know the location of the infestation, you can spray the area with a non-repellant termiticide, or you can sprinkle the area with Bio-Blast. Termites that come into contact with pest control products will infect other termites until that infection reaches the queen. However, it may take up to three months before your termite problem is under control. Home treatments can be less expensive than hiring a professional exterminator, but if you don’t treat the problem properly, termite damage can be costly.Your safest option is to contact a professional if you have any suspicion that termites are present. Contacting a professional to treat your termite problem as soon as possible can help you prevent much of this damage and save you from costly repairs. If you have a termite problem, contact one of the pest control experts at Landscaper. org to take care of the problem before it becomes worse. Research Article Termiticidal Activity of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth Seed Extracts on the Termite Coptotermes intermediusSilvestri (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Bolarinwa Olugbemi Division of Termite Control and Ecology, Termite Research Laboratory, P. M.B. 656, Akure 340001, Nigeria Received 5 October 2011; Revised 14 November 2011; Accepted 28 November 2011 Academic Editor: Arthur G. Appel Copyright  © 2012 Bolarinwa Olugbemi. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract The chemical and mineral composition of raw and boiled seeds of the African locust bean, Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth, was determined while the termiticidal action of the aqueous, alcoholic, and acetone extracts of the bean seeds were investigated.Variations in the proximate and mineral composition of the raw and boiled seeds were obtained while heavy minerals such as cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and copper had been leached out of the seed during the process of boiling. Extracts from the raw seeds exhibited varying degree of termiticidal activity, while extracts from the boiled seed had no effect on the workers of Coptotermes intermedius Silvestri. Alcoholic extracts were more active than the aqueous and acetone extracts. Termites die within 30?min, 40?min, and 110?min when exposed to concentration of 4?g?mL?1 treatments of alcoholic, aqueous, and acetone extracts, respectively. 1. Introduction Termites cause the most serious damage of all wood-feeding insects.In addition to timber and wood products, they attack growing trees, leather, rubber, and wool as well as agricultural crops [1]. Significant damage is caused by termites to man-made fabrics, polythene, plastics, metal foils, books, furniture, wooden telephone poles, wooden railway sweepers, and insulators of electric cables [2]. Damage caused by termites to wooden structures in the United States of America is estimated to be over 3 billion Dollars annually, with subterranean termites accounting for at least 80% of these damages [3]. Costs attributable to Coptotermes formosanus in the Hawaiian Islands alone are greater than 60 million Dollars per annum [4].Termites are so destructive in that they derive their nutrition from wood and other cellulotic materials. In Africa and elsewhere in the developing countries, there is hardly any data on either the quantum of damage d one by termites to agricultural crops, construction timbers, paper, and paper products, or the cost of control or repairing the damage done by these insect pests. The damage done by various termite species in Nigeria [2] ranged from scavenging on tree barks and dead branches, to eating out grooves in the roots and stems of plants. Past research efforts had focused more on chemical methods of control, with an obvious lack of attention placed on understanding the behavior and history of these termites.In view of mounting concerns over the side effect caused by the use of these toxic and environmentally unfriendly chemicals, direction of research is now focusing on alternative nontoxic, biological, and environmentally friendly methods of control. These methods include baiting systems, use of asphyxiant gases, application of extreme temperatures, barriers of various types, as well as biological control organisms [3, 5]. Extractives with insecticidal properties from naturally resistant w ood and plant species in form of phenolic, terpenoid, and flavonoid compounds, show great promise for prevention of termite attack [6–9]. Some of these substances may also act as feeding deterrent [10–12].The termite Coptotermes formosanus was found to be attracted and preferentially feed upon the amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acids [13]. These could be used to improve the effectiveness of baiting systems. Many of the chemicals causing attraction and avoidance in several tree species are polar molecules [14]. Investigation has shown that steaming of the heartwood of the Japanese larch, degraded or removed the chemicals responsible for the inhibition of termite attack [15]. A number of tree species such as the Alaska cedar, redwood, and teak [16] are resistant to termite attack. Neem was found to be a strong repellent to Coptotermes formosanus and was suggested as a barrier tree to protect more vulnerable plants [17].The use of high levels of carbon dioxide, for ex tended period of time has been successfully used to control termites in contained spaces [4]. The application of heated air to kill termites has shown to be successful in laboratory bioassays [18]. Liquid nitrogen has also been shown to be effective in eliminating termites in the laboratory [3]. These temperature-based control methods are showing great promise, but need more field studies on their effectiveness in natural settings. In other studies [19] Inundation with water was shown to cause a decline in foraging worker population. This could indicate possible applications to control, for example, the controlled flooding of the territories of specific termite colonies to reduce damage by foragers.Barriers to foraging termites that are being tested include sand, crushed granite, glass splinters, and metal shields. These methods have had mixed successes, thereby pointing to the need for more research in this area [3]. The African locust bean, Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth, is a pere nnial leguminous tree, found growing wildly in forested and savanna belts in Nigeria. Fermented Parkia seeds are locally used in traditional soup seasoning, medicinal preparations and food additives [20]. In addition, boiled water obtained during fermentation process of P. biglobosa seeds is used in controlling termite infestation at the local level. In spite of this practice, few reports exist on the termiticidal properties of aqueous solution of P. biglobosa seeds.

3 Methods Used to Steal Trees

Tom Kazee is s woodland security expert based in Orange Park, Florida. Tom has decades of experience in the woodland security business and contributes regularly to Tree Farmer Magazine. He has written a great piece on timber theft with tips on how to prevent this kind of theft. Mr. Kazee suggests there are basically three ways timber is stolen. As a timber owner or forest manager, you would be wise to study these methods of theft and take preventative actions to avoid a rip-off. The purpose of this report is only to make you wise to the ways of a timber thief. Although the vast majority of people who buy and harvest trees are honest there are people who will cheat and try to deceive timber owners and sellers for financial gain. Harvesting Directly on Your Property Thieves will set up a harvest directly on your property or will move over on you from adjacent ownership. They have observed that the propertys management and know that timber theft is an acceptable risk. Although mistakes can happen to honest loggers, I am talking here about timber being taken with evil intent. Ways to Prevent the Theft: Inspect your property regularly. Your own neglect can encourage thieves. Inspections will also catch insect and disease problems early and head off line encroachment.Maintain and refresh proper boundary markings. It is much easier to do this when property lines are still visible. Always freshen up your lines when harvesting is occurring on adjacent property.Cultivate good neighbors and encourage good lease-holders to keep an eye open. Pretend to Be a Buyer Thieves dressed as buyers will offer absurdly low prices for timber knowing that the landowner has no idea of the value. Although it is not a crime to give away your trees, it is a crime to misrepresent their value Ways to Prevent the Theft: Timber market values and tree volumes can be hard to determine without a professional. Always get a second opinion of values and volumes, especially where large acreage is involved. You might want to hire a forestry consultant or buy a timber inventory from a third party.Check out all timber buyers by asking for referrals and by inquiring about the buyer at your local or state foresters office.Avoid the temptation to make a quick sell to a friendly buyer. Take a deep breath and ask the buyer for some time for you to think about what you are going to do. You should not feel pressured by the buyer. Making a Lump Sum Sale Thieves can actually steal trees after you have approved and allowed the harvest. Poor accounting in both lump sum sales and unit sales can tempt a logger or a trucker to misreport trees cut and/or volumes represented. Ways to Prevent the Theft: No timber should leave the loading site on pay-as-cut sales unless the load has been recorded by date, species, time and destination. Reputable loggers have these records.All records must be available for inspection and collected at the end of each week. These records should then be compared to scale tickets for reconciliation.You or your agent need to be on-site and visible at random times during the week.