Comparing the efficacy of nutmeg essential oil and a chemical pesticide against Musca domestica and Chrysomya albiceps for selecting a new insecticide agent against synantropic vectors.

The insecticidal activity of Myristica fragrans (Houtt) essential seed oil, (Nutmeg) was evaluated against Musca domestica (Linnaeus) and Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann); both important infectious pathogenic disease vectors. The oil was extracted by distillation, and 21 components were identified during chemical analysis; principally ß-pinene (26%), α-pinene (10.5%), Sabinene (9.1%) and γ-terpinen (8.5%). Insecticidal properties were identified through larvicide and adulticide tests. Using the immersion method, the oil at 5% was found to be very effective (90 ± 1%) against M. domestica larvae. The results for adulticide activity varied by fly species, dosage, time, and method of exposure. Topical application (on the insect thorax) was more toxic to C. albiceps, where the lethal concentration at 50% (LC50) was 2.02 ± 0.56, and 8.57 ± 2.41 for the common flies. When the insects were exposed to oil impregnated paper, the results were similar for M. domestica and C. albiceps adults with respective LC50 values of 2.74 ± 0.24, and 3.65 ± 0.48. Thus, the results demonstrated that M. fragrans oil presents insecticidal activity and can be used for control of Musca domestica and Chrysomya albiceps.

Involvement of TRAF6 in regulating immune defense and ovarian development in Musca domestica.

The tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a key cytoplasm signaling adaptor that mediates signals activated by TNFR superfamily and the interleukin-1/Toll-like receptor (IL-1/TLR) superfamily. In the present research, a housefly Musca domestica TRAF6 (MdTRAF6) gene is identified and characterized, with a 51.7-kDa protein possessing a RING domain and a conserved C-terminal TRAF homology MATH domain encoded. MdTRAF6 is widely expressed in diverse tissues with high expression levels in gut and fat body, which is of the highest levels in adult in all growth stages. The expression of MdTRAF6 could be remarkably induced by bacterial challenge, and the silencing MdTRAF6 could alter the expressions of NF-κB-like genes (relish and dorsal) and antimicrobial peptide genes (cecropin, diptericin, attacin, muscin), thus leading elevated mortalities of larvae followed by bacterial infection. Inspiringly. MdTRAF6-depleted adult flies display higher mortality, lower fertility and reduced survival of offspring than the controls. Further investigation reveals that knockdown of MdTRAF6 disturbs the ovarian development and impaires the expressions of vitellogenin and vitellogenin receptor genes in the adult females. All these phenotypes show crucial roles of MdTRAF6 in innate immunity via positive regulation of the Toll pathway and negative regulation of the Imd pathway, and in reproduction by maintaining ovarian development.

Housefly (Musca domestica) larvae powder, preventing oxidative stress injury via regulation of UCP4 and CyclinD1 and modulation of JNK and P38 signaling in APP/PS1 mice.

Housefly (Musca domestica) Larvae powder (HL) is rich in antioxidants. As oxidative stress is considered as one of the main pathogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), this study was designed to explore the protective effects of HL as an antioxidant on APP/PS1 mice. 2-Month-old APP/PS1 mice were divided into a model control (MC) group, a Donepezil group and a HL group, and C57BL/6 mice were used as the normal control (NC) group. After 180 days of treatment, the memory ability was measured by Morris Water Maze (MWM). The presence of Aß and the expression of Uncoupling Protein 4 (UCP4) and CyclinD1 were detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1), Catalase (CAT) and Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signal pathways were measured by western blotting. Compared with untreated APP/PS1 mice, the memory abilities of the HL-treated mice were significantly improved. Furthermore, the HL treatment not only down-regulated the deposition of Aß and the expression of CylinD1, but also increased both the mRNA and protein levels of SOD, CAT, and UCP4, and enhanced the phosphorylation of JNK and P38 MAPK activation. In conclusion, these results suggest that HL may have a protective effect against memory impairment and prevent oxidative stress-induced injury via the regulation of UCP4 and CyclinD1 and the modulation of JNK and P38 MAPK signaling in AD.

Characterization and Expression Pattern Analysis of the T-Complex Protein-1 Zeta Subunit in Musca domestica L (Diptera).

Chaperonins, belonging to the T-complex protein-1 (TCP-1) family, assist in the correct folding of nascent and misfolded proteins. It is well-known that in mammals, the zeta subunit of the TCP-1 complex (TCP-1ζ) plays a vital role in the folding and assembly of cytoskeleta proteins. This study reported for the first time the cloning, characterization and expression pattern analysis of the TCP-1ζ from Musca domestica, which was named as MdTCP-1ζ. The MdTCP-1ζ cDNA is 1,803 bp long with a 1,596 bp open reading frame that encodes a protein with 531 bp amino acids. The analysis of the transcriptional profile of MdTCP-1ζ using qRT-PCR revealed relatively high expression in the salivary glands and trachea at the tissues while among the developmental stages. The highest expression was observed only in the eggs suggesting that the MdTCP-1ζ may play a role in embryonic development. The expression of MdTCP-1ζ was also significantly induced after exposure to short-term heat shock and infection by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Candida albicans. This suggested that MdTCP-1ζ may take part in the immune responses of housefly and perhaps contribute to the protection against cellular injury.

Efficacy of the Volatile Oil from Water Celery (Helosciadium nodiflorum, Apiaceae) against the Filariasis Vector Culex quinquefasciatus, the Housefly Musca domestica, and the African Cotton Leafworm Spodoptera littoralis.

Water celery (Helosciadium nodiflorum, Apiaceae) is a common and invasive hydrophyte occurring in rivers and slow waters of Europe. In the past, it was consumed as a vegetable and spices, but currently it has mostly been abandoned. As a result, this plant produces an unexploited biomass occluding rivers and slow waters. With the aim to valorise water celery as an important biomass source for the development of botanical insecticides, in this work, we investigated the inhibitory effects of the essential oil hydrodistilled from its aerial parts against larvae of the filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus, adults of the housefly Musca domestica, and larvae of the African cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. The essential oil, which was characterized by the insecticidal limonene (39.8%) and myristicin (35.3%), exerted important toxic effects on 3rd instar larvae of C. quinquefasciatus and S. littoralis and on adults of M. domestica, with LD50 of 50.4 µl l-1 , 116.7 µg larva-1 , and 45.1 (male) and 70.1 (female) µg adult-1 , respectively. The oil did not show any noticeable inhibitory activity on the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Our findings add scientific evidences highlighting water celery as an important biomass source to be used for the control of insect pests and vectors of high economic importance.

Primer reporte de miasis hospitalaria por Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) en Costa Rica / First report of nosocomial myiasis by Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Costa Rica

Introducción. Las miasis hospitalarias son entidades con una importancia manifiesta en salud pública. La documentación de este tipo de casos es escasa en la literatura biomédica regional y mundial. Objetivo. Informar un caso de miasis hospitalaria en Costa Rica, donde el agente etiológico implicado fue Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Este caso de miasis hospitalaria figura como el primer informe para Latinoamérica asociado con este agente etiológico. Presentación del caso. Una paciente de 91 años de edad, con signos de inmunosupresión, afectación grave de la función pulmonar y asistencia respiratoria mecánica, presentó larvas en ambas fosas nasales al séptimo día después del ingreso hospitalario. Varios ejemplares fueron recolectados y procesados para su identificación. La identificación taxonómica de los ejemplares recolectados estableció que la especie de los muscomorfos correspondía a L. cuprina. Conclusión. El presente constituye el primer caso de miasis hospitalaria por L. cuprina en la literatura biomédica de Costa Rica y el primero registrado en Latinoamérica.

Introduction. Nosocomial myiases can be an important condition from a public health perspective. However, cases of this condition reported in regional and worldwide biomedical literature are scarce. Objective. A case of nosocomial myiasis is reported from Costa Rica, where the species involved was Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Materials and methods. A 91-year-old patient with signs of immunosuppression, severe impairment of lung function, and mechanical ventilation presented larvae in both nostrils on the seventh day after admission. Five specimens were collected and processed for identification. Results. The taxonomic identification of the specimens established that the muscoid fly species was L. cuprina. Conclusion. This is the first case of nosocomial myiasis reported from Costa Rica and in Latin America for which the etiological agent is L. cuprina.

Musca domestica pupae lectin improves the immunomodulatory activity of macrophages by activating nuclear factor-κB.

In this study, Musca domestica pupae lectin (MPL) was screened for its immunomodulatory effect on macrophages. The phagocytosis of macrophages was improved significantly when they were treated with MPL: remarkable changes were observed in the morphology of the cells, the metabolic abilities of DNA and RNA were enhanced, and the production of hepatin was increased. Meanwhile, compared with the control group, not only the mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in macrophages, but also the productions of proteins, were strongly induced by MPL; these effects were inhibited by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Further study suggested that MPL could increase the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 level in the nucleus. Overall, these results indicate that the improving immunomodulatory activity induced by MPL is mainly due to the increasing productions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IFN-γ and that the activation of macrophage by MPL is partly mediated via the NF-κB pathway.

Cloning and molecular characterization of an ornithine decarboxylase gene and its expression during embryonic development of the housefly, Musca domestica.

We are interested in identifying targets that may be used to develop new control products for the common housefly, Musca domestica, a vector of disease for many vertebrates. One such target, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), is an embryonic enzyme involved in the regulation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme during M. domestica development. In this study, the cDNA for ODC from M. domestica was cloned, sequenced, and characterized. The full-length cDNA was 1,337-bp, consistent with a single band of approximately 1.35 kb obtained by northern analysis. The open-reading frame contains 1,191 bp, yielding a deduced polypeptide of 396 amino acid residues with a predicted mass of 44,618 Da. The deduced M. domestica ODC protein was homologous to other ODC proteins. mRNA expression profiles analyzed by real-time PCR indicated that the ODC transcript is temporally regulated throughout embryogenesis. Sequence data and Southern blot analysis suggests that there were likely only one or two closely linked copies of the M. domestica ODC gene.

Protocolo de cria de Musca domestica en laboratorio / Breeding protocol for Musca domestica in the laboratory

Presentamos un método de cría de Musca domestica en condiciones de laboratorio, a una temperatura de 32ºC, humedad relativa de 70 a 80 % y fotoperiodo de 12 horas de luz, el ciclo biológico de M. domestica dura aproximadamente 9 días. La dieta para moscas adultas consiste en 80 gr de azúcar comercial, 250 mL de leche pasteurizada y agua filtrada. El medio de cultivo para larvas se elabora con tiras de papel de servilletas humedecidas con una solución de leche y levadura, éstas se colocan por capas de 5 centímetros en el interior de un frasco de vidrio hasta llenar 1/3 del volumen del mismo. Posteriormente se depositan aproximadamente 250 huevos, encima de los cuales se coloca la última capa seca de tiras papel. Transcurridos cinco días se procede a sacar las pupas del medio de cría. Estas se colocan en el interior de una jaula limpia y cuatro días después emergen los adultos.

We present a method of growing Musca domestica under laboratory conditions. At a temperature of 32 ºC, relative humidity of 70 to 80% and photo period of 12 hours of light, the life cycle of M. domestica lasts about 9 days. The diet for the adult fly consists of 80 grams of commercial sugar, 250 mL of pasteurized milk and filtered water. The culture medium for larvae was made with strips of paper napkins moistened with a solution of milk and yeast that were placed in layers to 5 cm deep in a glass bottle filled 1/3 full. About 250 larvae eggs were placed on the top layer and then a last layer of dry strips of paper was added. After five days the pupae were removed from the rearing flask. These were placed into a clean cage and four days later the adults emerged.

The insecticidal activity of Eucalyptus globulus oil on the development of Musca domestica third stage larvae.

The insecticidal activity of Eucalyptus globulus oil (Camphor oil) against the larval maturation and adult emergency of the house-fly, Musca domestica 3rd stage was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions. Concentrations of 100%, 70%, 50% 25%, 5%, 2%, 1%, 0.9 % and 0.7% showed 100% larval mortality rate. At concentrations of 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.2% and 0.1% the larval mortality rate was 90%. On the other hand, the developed pupae did not emerge to adults. Eucalyptus globulus oil is safe, cheap and widely used in Medicine. So, it is recommended to be use in controlling larvae of M. domestica.

Peptidergic innervation of the crop and the effects of an ingested nonpeptidal agonist on longevity in female Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae).

Dromyosuppressin (DMS) immunoreactive neurons were discovered running along the crop duct and on the surface of the crop in the house fly, Musca domestica L. DMS is a myoinhibitory neuropeptide that has been shown to inhibit crop contractions, in vitro, in the blow fly, Phormia regina (Meigen), and in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. Various concentrations of benzethonium chloride (Bztc), an agonist of DMS with shown inhibitory effects on blow fly crop contractions, were fed to adult female M. domestica. Flies exhibited a dose-dependent mortality; avoidance and subsequent dehydration are probably the cause of the low survivorship at higher Bztc concentrations.

The Musca domestica larval hexamerin is composed of multiple, similar polypeptides.

The Musca domestica larval hexamerin (MdHex-L) is a hexameric glycoprotein with an apparent native molecular weight of 500 kDa. Seven different cDNAs that encode MdHex-L subunits were cloned and sequenced. Furthermore, amino acid sequences of isolated subunits were determined by the Edman degradation method and compared to the conceptual translation products derived from the cloned cDNAs. The obtained data indicate the existence of multiple forms of MdHex-L subunits and that these multiple forms may be grouped into three categories according to their percentages of nucleotide sequence identity.

Longevity of musca domestica, diptera muscidae, parasitized by habronema muscae carter nematoda habronematidae

Este trabajo buscó evidenciar la influencia del parásito habronema muscae sobre la longevidad de musca domestica. Larvas de los muscóides de segunda generación, con cerca de 30 h, fueron sometidas a la infección en dieta artificial en la cual se inocularon huevos de H. muscae recuperados de las hembras de los helmintos. Los muscídeos fueron mantenidos en cajas con paredes de tela, manteniendose a 27ºC, 60 ñ 10 por ciento de HR y 14 h de fotofase hasta la formación de las pupas. Los números de muscídeos muertos fueron conferidos diariamente. Posteriormente, estos fueron disecados para ratificación de las larvas infectantes de los nemátodos. La intensidad media de infección fue de 3,11 larvas infectantes por muscídeo (rango: 0-14) en el grupo infectado. Este último grupo mostró reducción significativa de la longevidad cuando se comparó al grupo no expuesto a la infección (25,0 y 32,5 días, respectivamente). No fue evidenciado diferencia entre las longevidades de los muscóides machos y hembras

Calidad ambiental y salud: vectores y su control; t.3

El experimento se realizó en una cepa de mosca doméstica susceptible a insecticidas, las que fueron tratadas a diferentes dosis de dos inhibidores del desarrollo: Juvenm y S-31183. Estos compuestos fueron adicionados en el alimento a larvas en tercer estadìo. Se calcularon las lineas dosis-mortalidad, se encontrò mayor actividad biológica en S-31183. Las sobrevivientes a la DL-30 fueron seleccionadas para los estudios de fecundidad y fertilidad: se realizaron los siguientes cruzamientos: hembras tratadas x machos tratados, hembras tratadas x machos no tratados y hembras no tratadas x machos tratados. Se observó para los dos compuestos alta significación al comparar los diferentes cruzamientos con los testigos. En la fecundad no se observaron influencia del sexo mientras que la fertilidad se vio más afectada por las hembras tratadas. NO se encuentran diferencias en la sobrevivencia de los diferentes cruzamientos y los grupos testigos. Se reportan afectaciones morfológicas en pupas y adultos

Developmental patterns in the antioxidant defenses of the housefly, Musca domestica.

The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferases, GSSG reductase, thiol transferases, gamma glutamylcysteine synthetase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and the concentrations of H2O2 and reduced and oxidized glutathione were determined in the various developmental stages of houseflies. Housefly development was correlated with a progressive increase of cellular oxidizing equivalents and a loss of cellular reducing capacity. The loss of reducing equivalents appeared to result from a decrease in the activity of enzymes involved in glutathione and NADPH synthesis and a concomitant increase in glutathione-oxidizing enzymes. Relatively little change was observed in SOD activity during housefly development; however, the electrophoretic pattern of MnSOD varied in a manner specific to developmental stage. A striking increase in H2O2 concentration occurred prior to pupation possibly due to changes in substrate catabolism. These results support the hypothesis that the cellular environment becomes progressively more oxidizing during development.

[Effect of selected compounds from the group of chitin synthesis inhibitors on insects of sanitary importance]. / Wplyw wybranych zwiazków z grupy inhibitorów syntezy chityny na owady o znaczeniu sanitarnym.

The effect of three aryl and heteroaryl dichlorobenzoylurea compounds as insect chitin inhibitors on sanitary important insects were investigated. These compounds were given insects: larvae and adults flies (Musca domestica) and cockroaches (Blattella germanica) with food. The best results on flies were after exposition to AG-6 and on cockroaches to AG-5. AG-6 complete inhibited metamorphosis after exposition of larvae and after exposition of adults in generation F1. No mature cockroaches from larvae exposed to AG-5, no hatching from cocoons lied by treated adults were observed.

Effect of hydrogen peroxide administration on life span, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione in the adult housefly, Musca domestica.

The general objective of this study was to further elucidate the relationship between oxidative stress and the aging process. H2O2 is known to be a progenator of reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl free radical, by various mechanisms involving, among others, a superoxide anion radical-driven Fenton cycle, or splitting of the 0-0 bond by hemoproteins. Effects of H2O2 administration on life span, activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, concentrations of endogenous H2O2, and glutathione in the housefly are described. Adult male flies were given various concentrations of H2O2, ranging from 0 to 100 mM H2O2, in their drinking water. Life span was shortened by H2O2 intake except in 10 mM H2O2 administrated flies, which exhibited the longest life span. Flies administered 10 mM H2O2 also contained the highest concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH). Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were not affected by H2O2 intake. Compensatory elevation in GSH may be responsible for the increase in life span observed in 10 mM H2O2 administered flies.

Correlates of longevity in two strains of the housefly, Musca domestica.

The general objective of this study was to identify biochemical correlates of longevity in the housefly by comparing two strains of flies that have different longevities. The average and the maximum life spans of the longer-lived "Cambridge" strain flies were 46% and 23%, respectively, greater than the shorter-lived "Thuron" strain flies. The hypothesis that longer-lived organisms have relatively more efficient mechanisms to minimize oxidative stress and maintain a relatively more reduced redox potential was tested. All measurements were made on 8-day-old male flies maintained under identical conditions. Flies of the longer-lived strain had a lower metabolic rate and contained lesser amounts of H2O2 and thiobarbituric acid-reactants than the flies of the shorter-lived strain. Reduced glutathione concentration and activities of catalase, glutathione reductase and thioltransferase were higher in the longer-lived strain indicating that longer-lived flies manifest lower levels of oxidative stress and greater ability to maintain a relatively more reducing environment than the shorter-lived flies. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was similar in the two strains, but the SOD/metabolic rate ratio was higher in the longer-lived strain. Total activity of glutathione S-transferases was comparable in the two strains suggesting that differences in detoxification ability are not correlated with longevity. Only S-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity was greater in the shorter-lived strain suggesting that variation in longevity is not due to reduction in the ability to synthesize GSH. Overall, the results support the view that parameters associated with oxidative stress play a role in the aging process of the houseflies.

Iron induces oxidative stress and may alter the rate of aging in the housefly, Musca domestica.

Iron is known to play a catalytic role in the generation of oxygen free radicals in vitro. The present study was conducted in order to determine the in vivo effects of iron intake. Administration of 2 mM ferrous chloride to adult male houseflies in their drinking water significantly shortened their life span, increased the concentration of inorganic peroxides and chloroform-soluble fluorescent material, and stimulated the activity of catalase. Levels of superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione and oxygen utilization were unaffected. Overall, these results indicate that iron causes oxidative stress in vivo and may influence the rate of aging.