Background. Multifactorial scorings, radiological scores, and biochemical markers may help in early prediction of severity, pancreatic necrosis, and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods. BISAP, APACHE-II, MOSS, and SIRS scores were calculated using data within 24 hrs of admission, whereas Ranson and Glasgow scores after 48 hrs of admission; CTSI was calculated on day 4 whereas IL-6 and CRP values at end of study. Predictive accuracy of scoring systems, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of various markers in prediction of severe acute pancreatitis, organ failure, pancreatic necrosis, admission to intensive care units and mortality were calculated. Results. Of 72 patients, 31 patients had organ failure and local complication classified as severe acute pancreatitis, 17 had pancreatic necrosis, and 9 died (12.5%). Area under curves for Ranson, Glasgow, MOSS, SIRS, APACHE-II, BISAP, CTSI, IL-6, and CRP in predicting SAP were 0.85, 0.75, 0.73, 0.73, 0.88, 0.80, 0.90, and 0.91, respectively, for pancreatic necrosis 0.70, 0.64, 0.61, 0.61, 0.68, 0.61, 0.75, 0.86, and 0.90, respectively, and for mortality 0.84, 0.83, 0.77, 0.76, 0.86, 0.83, 0.57, 0.80, and 0.75, respectively. Conclusion. CRP and IL-6 have shown a promising result in early detection of severity and pancreatic necrosis whereas APACHE-II and Ranson score in predicting AP related mortality in this study.

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The chemical factors influencing the selection of oviposition site by gravid females of various mosquito species have been the subject of numerous investigations. Recent studies have revealed this behaviour to be controlled by semiochemicals. Here we report studies on semiochemicals of egg origin and their effect on the ovipositional behaviour of Aedes aegypti. The compounds present in egg extracts of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were isolated and identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. They were then evaluated for their effect on ovipositional behaviour against gravid females of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes at different concentrations. Gravid female Ae. aegypti were found to be sensitive to all the identified compounds: 6‐hexanolactone, methyl dodecanoate, dodecanoic acid, methyl tetradecanoate, tetradecanoic acid, methyl (Z)‐9‐hexadecenoate, methyl hexadecanoate (Z)‐9‐hexadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, methyl (Z)‐9‐octadecenoate, methyl octadecanoate (Z)‐9‐octadecenoic acid and octadecanoic acid. Among them, dodecanoic and (Z)‐9‐hexadecenoic acids showed significant positive ovipositional response at different concentrations whereas all the esters showed deterrent/repellent ovipositional effect.

Oviposition pheromones specifically influence the females of many insects to lay eggs in the sites resulting in more egg deposition. A previous report describes the principal role of n-heneicosane (C(21)) identified and characterized from the larval cuticle of Aedes aegypti (L.) in attracting the gravid mosquitoes to oviposit in treated substrates among other chemical components. However, the means by which this compound is perceived by the females for oviposition has not been reported. In this study, we have recorded the peripheral olfactory responses from the antenna of Ae. aegypti from 10(-7) g to 10(-3) g doses of n-heneicosane. The EAG response of female mosquitoes increased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing stimulus strength. In the orientation assay using Y-maze olfactometer, female mosquitoes were attracted to the odor plume of 10(-6) g and 10(-5) g dose, while the higher dose of 10(-3) g plume enforced repellency to gravid mosquitoes. The response to oviposition substrates by gravid Ae. aegypti females differed across the range of concentrations of n-heneicosane under multiple choice conditions, larger number of eggs were deposited in 10 ppm (10 mg/l) solutions compared to lower and higher concentrations indicating 10 ppm was most attractive. Application of n-heneicosane at 10 ppm in breeding habitats will be a useful method to attract the gravid mosquitoes using ovitraps for surveillance and monitoring. The possible use of this compound in monitoring of mosquito population in endemic areas in relevance to integrated vector management strategies is discussed in detail.