Intraguild species presence alters Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and Aphidius gifuensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) foraging responses.

The predatory gall midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani), and tobacco aphid cocoon wasp, Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead, are important natural enemies of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Predation by A. aphidimyza and A. gifuensis can regulate M. persicae; however, how interspecific interference competition affects their foraging efficiency is unknown. Here, we investigated the consumption and parasitization abilities of A. aphidimyza 3rd instar larva and A. gifuensis adults under various conditions. Consumption of parasitized aphids by A. aphidimyza 3rd instar larvae was significantly lower than that of nonparasitized controls, with a substantial increase in handling time. The presence of A. gifuensis adults did not significantly affect the predation capacity of A. aphidimyza larvae. Relative to controls, A. aphidimyza larvae predation trace (PT) and imago activity significantly decreased A. gifuensis parasitism rates at different aphid densities. Further, A. aphidimyza larvae PT increased the A. gifuensis handling time of M. persicae, whereas the presence of A. aphidimyza adults had the opposite effect. Coexistence with heterospecific natural enemies reduced the parasitic capacity of A. gifuensis, whereas A. aphidimyza larvae predation capability was influenced to a lesser extent. Our results demonstrate that intraguild interactions strongly influence the predatory and parasitic efficacy of A. aphidimyza and A. gifuensis, although the effect on A. gifuensis was more pronounced. For effective biological control of M. persicae using A. aphidimyza and A. gifuensis, we recommend releasing A. aphidimyza first to mitigate intraguild predation and enhance the overall success of the pest control program.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Gortyna guizhouensis Wu, Yang, and Han, 2022 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) from China.

Gortyna guizhouensis Wu, Yang, and Han, 2022 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) is a newly discovered moth species that feeds on tobacco piths during the larval stage. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of G. guizhouensis larvae via next-generation sequencing. The mitogenome was 15,441 bp long with an overall A + T content of 79.1%, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA subunit genes and one control region. The phylogenetic tree, based on the nucleic acid sequences of 13 shared PCGs of 20 Noctuidae species, revealed that G. guizhouensis is in a well-supported clade with Striacosta albicosta.

Host Deprivation Effects on the Functional Response and Parasitism Rate of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Ephestia elutella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in the Laboratory.

Habrobracon hebetor (Say) is an important biological control agent for lepidopteran pests of stored products. In this study, the age-specific functional response, paralysis rate, and parasitism rate of H. hebetor under different host deprivation treatments (PC: without host deprivation, used as the control, P1d: host deprivation, but the host was removed after 1 d contact, and PW: host deprivation from beginning) were evaluated at different larval densities (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80) of the Ephestia elutella (Hübner) at 28 ± 1°C, 75 ± 5% RH and 16:8 h L:D. Ages of parasitoid females used were 2, 5, 10, and 20 d old. The logistic regression results indicated that the functional response of H. hebetor females under different host deprivation treatments was type II. The longest handling time was observed in 20-d old females, while the shortest handling time and highest maximum attack rate (T/Th) were estimated at the age of 2 d in all treatments. The paralysis and parasitism rates of H. hebetor were the highest at 2, 5, and 10-d old in all treatments. The results of this study suggest that H. hebetor females up to 10-d old can be used as an efficient biological control agent against E. elutella. The data of this study can also be used to predict the efficacy of different aged H. hebetor females in controlling E. elutella populations.

Does Larval Rearing Diet Lead to Premating Isolation in Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)?

Host plant preference during the larval stage may help shape not only phenotypic plasticity but also behavioral isolation. We assessed the effects of diet on population parameters and mate choice in Spodoptera litura. We raised larvae fed on tobacco, Chinese cabbage, or an artificial diet, and we observed the shortest developmental time and highest fecundity in individuals fed the artificial diet. However, survival rates were higher for larvae on either of the natural diets. Population parameters including intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase were significantly higher with the artificial diet, but this diet led to a lower mean generation time. Copulation duration, copulation time, and number of eggs reared significantly differed between diets. In terms of mate choice, females on the artificial diet rarely mated with males fed on a natural host. Our results support the hypothesis that different diets may promote behavioral isolation, affecting mating outcomes. Thus, findings for populations fed an artificial diet may not reflect findings for populations in the field.

[Effects of Canalization on the Iron Deposition in Sanjiang Plain].

Canalization is the representative process and landscape of wetland reclamation. A typical ditch system of four levels near the Honghe National Nature Reserve in Sanjiang Plain was selected. Deposition plates were set on the sediments along the ditch level and the remained natural wetland nearby was quantitatively sampled for two years as the control. The deposition fluxes, total iron concentration, iron oxides and their components, as well as biogenic elements in the sediments collected by deposition plates were measured. The results showed that the litter, mud/sand and total deposition fluxes showed no significant differences between different ditch levels, with the means of (57.00 ± 16.90) g x (m2 x a)(-1), (3 997.57 ± 798.98) g x (m2 x a)(-1) and (4054.57 ± 792.91) g x (m2 x a)(-1), respectively. The litter flux decreased with the increase of ditch level, and the flux in the natural wetland [ (120.26 ± 19.42) g x (m2 x a)(-1) ] was significantly greater than that of the ditches. The mud/sand [ (35.41 ± 11.15 ) g x (m2 x a)(-1)] and total deposition fluxes [ (155.67 ± 20.75) g x ( m2 x a](-1) ] were significantly smaller than those of the ditches. There were no significant differences in the total iron between different ditches and natural wetland, while the free iron oxide content in the ditch sediments was significantly lower than that of natural wetland sediment. Except for the main ditch, the amorphous and complex iron oxides in the other ditch and natural wetland sediments showed no significant differences. The free degree of the iron oxide in ditch sediments was 60.2% of that in the natural wetland, while the differences in the complex degree and the activated degree were insignificant. The differences in the total organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were insignificant, and all were smaller than those of the natural wetland, with the percentages of 14.6%, 31.6% and 41.0%, respectively. It could be concluded that the effects of canalization on iron and biogenic elements were significant. Consequently, rational agricultural water managements are strongly recommended to avoid the potential environmental and ecological risks caused by canalization in Sanjiang Plain.

Early enteral and parenteral nutritional support after hepatectomy in patients with hepatic carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to conduct a systematic review providing a comparative analysis of enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) after hepatectomy. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for publications describing randomized controlled trials that compared early EN and PN after hepatectomy. The time period for this search was from January 1990 to December 2013. In accordance with the inclusion criteria of this study, two researchers independently screened the retrieved literature, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. A meta-analysis of the included publications was then performed using RevMan 5.2 software. RESULTS: The meta-analysis results indicated statistically significant differences between the group that received EN and the group that received PN during the early stages after hepatectomy with respect to average total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase levels after nutrition, pre-albumin levels, incidence of diarrhea and abdominal bloating, time to flatus, and average cost of nutrition. To varying degrees, better results were observed in the EN group than in the PN group for these metrics. CONCLUSION: During the early stages after hepatectomy, EN has obvious advantages relative to PN; thus, EN merits more widespread promotion and application in this clinical context.

[Waterborne iron migration by groundwater irrigation pumping in a typical irrigation district of Sanjiang Plain].

The iron concentration in groundwater, iron's seasonal migration from groundwater to sun-basked pools, paddy fields and drainage canals, and its distribution in the sediments/soils were observed in the Jiansanjiang Branch Bureau, Heilongjiang Agricultural Cultivation Bureau. The results suggested that the total iron mass concentration of the studied area was (1.73 +/- 0.41) mg x L(-1), ranging from 0.01 to 11.4 mg x L(-1), with the variation coefficient of 1.29%. The annual iron input mass from groundwater to paddy fields and other surface water bodies was 4 976.40 t in 2010, according to the rice planting area and rating irrigation volume. Dissolved Fe2+, Fe3+ and iron, as well as the total iron (dissolved and particle) had seasonal variation, with greater values presented in June and July. These waterborne irons in paddy field waters were greater than those in sun-basked pools and drainage canals. Obvious enrichment effect was observed in sun-basked pools and paddy fields, with their total iron mass concentrations were 6.17 and 21.65 times greater than that in groundwater. Either the total iron or iron oxides in sun-baked pool sediments were greater than that in paddy field soils, field canal and main canal sediments. The differences of the total iron and iron oxides in paddy field soils, field canal and main canal sediments were not significantly different. Considerable irons were precipitated within sun-basked pools and paddy fields during the transfer from groundwater to surface water, with a part of irons exporting into canals through drainage and then precipitated there. Not only the change of total iron mass, but the transformation of iron chemical speciation was observed during the transfer, which was affected by paddy irrigation management directly. The long-term irrigation pumping could cause the substantial enrichment of iron in paddy soils and canal sediments, resulting in the increase of potential pollution risk.

[Dynamic change of dissolved iron in wetland soil solutions responding to freeze-thaw cycles].

The effects of five freeze-thaw cycles on the dynamic change of dissolved iron in three typical wetland soils (humus marsh soil in Carex lasiocarpa community, meadow marsh soil in Cares meyeriarna community, and meadow albic soil in Calamagrostis angustifolia community)of Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China, was analyzed through in-situ soil column simulation. One freeze-thaw cycle was conducted as freezing at -10 degrees C for 1 d and then thawing at 5 degrees C for 7 d. The thermostatically incubated soils at 5 degrees C were controls. The results showed that most pH and Eh values increased after the first freeze-thaw cycle, and then decreased after the subsequent cycles. 84.4% of the pH values of freeze-thaw treated soils were smaller than that of control, while 82.2% of the Eh values of freeze-thaw treated soils were greater than that of control. Most of the dissolved iron in all soil solutions were Fe3+ ions and colloids, and the reduction of these Fe3+ species were inhibited. The concentrations of Fe2, Fe3+, and total dissolved iron (TFe) of the freeze-thaw treated soils were all smaller than that of controls, with the means of (0.62 +/- 0.08) mg x L(-1) and (1.25 +/- 0.16) mg x L(-1), respectively. The variation trends of pH, Eh, and dissolved iron in the humus marsh soil were significantly different from that in the meadow albic soil. The trends in the meadow marsh soil, as the transitional soil type, were more similar to the meadow albic soil for pH, while more similar to the humus marsh soil for Eh and dissolved iron. Among the three soils, the difference between freeze-thaw treated columns and controls of the second layer were all smaller than that of the third and fourth layer, which indicated that the effect of freeze-thaw cycles were more significant for the upper annular wetland soil layers than the lower layers.

Production of a monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV spike protein with single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV are vital for early diagnosis and pathological studies of SARS. Direct intrasplenic inoculation of plasmid DNA encoding antigen is an effective and fast approach to generate specific mAb when the protein antigen is difficult to prepare or dangerous in use. In this study, we selected one fragment of SARS-CoV spike protein (S1-(3)) as antigenic determinant by immunoinformatics. Single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA encoding S1-(3) induced anti-spike protein antibodies. We established one hybridoma cell line secreting specific mAb and evaluated this mAb with murine leukemia virus pseudotyped with SARS-CoV spike protein (MLV/SARS-CoV). The mAb could recognize the spike protein on the MLV/SARS-CoV-infected Vero E6 cells albeit with no neutralizing effect on the infectivity of the pseudotype virus. Our results show that a single-shot intrasplenic DNA immunization is efficient for the production of specific mAb against SARS spike protein, and a linear epitope of the spike protein is recognized in this study.