Active volatile components of the preferred hosts are potential attractants to Hyphantria cunea adults.

The extraordinary adaptability and dispersal abilities have allowed Hyphantria cunea to expand its range, posing a great threat to urban landscapes and natural ecosystems. Searching for safe, efficient, and low-cost control methods may provide new strategies for pest management in H. cunea spread areas. In this study, based on the attraction of insects by preferred hosts, it was found that the response rates of virgin H. cunea female adults to Salix matsudana, Juglans mandshurica and Ulmus pumila were 89.17%, 97.92% and 93.98%, respectively. It was further found that this significant preference was mainly related to the volatiles m-xylene, o-xylene, dodecane and tetradecane found in the three species. Even though all four compounds at 10 µL/mL and 100 µL/mL had significant attractive effects on the virgin H. cunea female adults, m-xylene and dodecane at 100 µL/mL elicited significant EAG responses and tending behaviors by stimulating the olfactory receptor neurons (ORN A) of females, with response rates of 83.13% and 84.17%, while also having significant attractive effects on virgin male adults with rates of 65.74% and 67.51%. Therefore, both m-xylene and dodecane which at concentrations of 100 µL/mL had strong attractions to adults, could be used as the first choice of attractants for both sexes of H. cunea. This has important practical significance in reducing the frequency of H. cunea generations, limiting their population, controlling their spread range, and improving the efficiency of pest management in epidemic areas.

A new species of Trychosis Förster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with a key to the species known from China.

A new species of Ichneumonidae, Trychosisnaolihense Meng & Ren, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. Specimens were collected from Naolihe National Natural Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China. A key to the currently known species from China is provided.

Psoralen induces liver injury and affects hepatic bile acids metabolism in female and male C57BL/6J mice.

Psoralen is a major component of Fructus Psoraleae that could induce liver injury. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were administered with psoralen at doses of 80 mg/kg for 3, 7 and 14 days. Blood and liver samples were collected for serum biochemistry and histopathology examinations, respectively. Psoralen led to liver injury with significantly increased liver weight and liver coefficient and up regulated serum ALT, AST and TG but down regulated serum TC and TP. The expression of bile acid-associated transporters and enzymes was detected by western blot, and the results showed that psoralen significantly down-regulates the expressions of CYP7A1, CYP27A1, BSEP and OSTα protein while up-regulates the expressions of HMGCR and FASN, resulting in the obstacles of bile acid efflux in the liver. The contents of 24 kinds of bile acids in the liver were measured by LC-MS/MS, and the results showed that psoralen led to the accumulation of unconjugated bile acids in the liver, such as ALCA and CA, which were more severe in male mice than female mice. It was indicated that psoralen may disrupt the balance of bile acid metabolism by inhibiting the expression of the efflux transporter, which then leads to liver damage.

The changes of hepatic bile acid synthesis and transport and bile acids profiles in isopsoralen-induced liver injury C57BL/6J mice.

CONTEST: Isopsoralen, one of the main active and quality-control compounds in Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae), has antitumor and oestrogen-like effects. Previous studies demonstrated that isopsoralen induced hepatotoxicity and its long-term exposure led to cholestatic liver injury. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the effect of three- or seven-day exposure of low dose isopsoralen (80 mg/kg) on bile acid homeostasis in C57BL/6J mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control, three- and seven-day groups (n = 14 per group, half female and half male). Isopsoralen suspension was administrated intragastrically at 80 mg/kg once a day. Blood and liver samples were collected to measure biochemical indices and transport of BAs. The histopathology of the liver was also observed. HPLC-MS/MS was also used to measure the BAs profiles and transport activity. RESULTS: In the study, isopsoralen increased the levels of serum AST, ALT in three- and seven-day groups, and caused vacuolar degeneration and swelling in the liver. Canalicular efflux transporters BSEP, OSTα, MRP2, MRP3, and basolateral uptake transporters NTCP, OATP4 were inhibited after seven-day-administration. Moreover, amino acid binding enzymes (BAAT and BACS) were also inhibited after seven-day-administration. The composition of BAs changed greatly and the concentration of some unconjugated-BAs which have stronger hydrophobicity, such as CA, CDCA, was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Isopsoralen (80 mg/kg) caused hepatotoxicity after short-term exposure by inhibiting the expression of efflux transporters, amino acid binding enzymes, and disrupting BAs spectrum.

Molecular Cloning and Induced Expression of Six Small Heat Shock Proteins Mediating Cold-Hardiness in Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

The main function of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) as molecular chaperones is to protect proteins from denaturation under adverse conditions. Molecular and physiological data were used to examine the sHSPs underlying cold-hardiness in Harmonia axyridis. Complementary DNA sequences were obtained for six H. axyridis sHSPs based on its transcriptome, and the expression of the genes coding for these sHSPs was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in several developmental stages, under short-term cooling or heating conditions, and in black and yellow females of experimental and overwintering populations under low-temperature storage. In addition, we measured water content and the super cooling and freezing points (SCP and FP, respectively) of H. axyridis individuals from experimental and overwintering populations. The average water content was not significantly different between adults of both populations, but the SCP and FP of the overwintering population were significantly lower than that of the experimental population. Overall, the six sHSPs genes showed different expression patterns among developmental stages. In the short-term cooling treatment, Hsp16.25 and Hsp21.00 expressions first increased and then decreased, while Hsp10.87 and Hsp21.56 expressions increased during the entire process. Under short-term heating, the expressions of Hsp21.00, Hsp21.62, Hsp10.87, and Hsp16.25 showed an increasing trend, whereas Hsp36.77 first decreased and then increased. Under low-temperature storage conditions, the expression of Hsp36.77 decreased, while the expressions of Hsp21.00 and Hsp21.62 were higher than that of the control group in the experimental population. The expression of Hsp36.77 first increased and then decreased, whereas Hsp21.56 expression was always higher than that of the control group in the overwintering population. Thus, differences in sHSPs gene expression were correlated with the H. axyridis forms, suggesting that the mechanism of cold resistance might differ among them. Although, Hsp36.77, Hsp16.25, Hsp21.00, and Hsp21.62 regulated cold- hardiness, the only significant differences between overwintering and experimental populations were found for Hsp16.25 and Hsp21.00.

[Influence of 460-480 nm wavelength light at three different irradiance on retina tissue of SD rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the survival of SD rat retinal cells after irradiated with 460-480 nm wavelength blue light at three different irradiance. METHODS: Experimental study. Seventy-six SD rats six weeks old were divided into control group (4 animals) and experimental groups (18 different subgroups) with 4 animals for each group. Healthy SD rats were exposed to the 460-480 nm blue light for 3 or 12 hours on three different irradiance of 0.6, 1.5 and 10.0 W/m(2) respectively. After recovery in darkness for 4 hours, 24 hours or 3 days, retinal tissue was collected after the eyes were enucleated. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to evaluate the general anatomical changes of the rat retinal layers. TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling was performed to detect apoptotic cells and immunofluorescence staining was conducted to illustrate the expression and location of related proteins in Müller cells. The number of ganglion cells was analyzed by one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: No injury was observed in SD rat retina at the irradiance of 0.6 W/m(2). Retinal cells were damaged with irradiance at 10.0 W/m(2), which mainly affected photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial cells, while Müller cells of retinal inner nuclear layer were also involved. Apoptosis began after 4 hours of exposure and peaked at 24 hours. Moderate damage of retina was observed at the irradiance of 1.5 W/m(2) after 12 hours rather than 3 hours exposure. The number of ganglion cells was significantly different among the different groups 3 days after exposure. When the exposure time was 3 hours, the number of retinal ganglion cells under different irradiance at 0.0, 0.6, 1.5 and 10.0 W/m(2) was respectively 41.42 ± 0.17, 40.58 ± 0.50, 40.92 ± 0.32 and 22.83 ± 0.79 (F = 1305.86, P = 0.000). When the exposure time was 12 hours, the number of retinal ganglion cells under different irradiance at 0.0, 0.6, 1.5 and 10.0 W/m(2) was respectively 41.42 ± 0.17, 40.83 ± 0.69, 41.08 ± 0.17 and 22.75 ± 0.83 (F = 1095.78, P = 0.000). The number of retinal ganglion cells showed significant decrease 3 days after exposure at the irradiance 10.0 W/m(2) (exposure time 3 h:t = 52.32, P = 0.000; exposure time 12 h:t = 47.58, P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The safe exposure time to SD rat retina layers is 12 hours for the blue light with wavelength 460-480 nm at the irradiance 0.6 W/m(2). And the safe exposure time descends to 3 hours at the irradiance 1.5 W/m(2).

Asymmetrical distribution of antennal sensilla in the female Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae).

Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is an important egg parasitoid of several major insect pests. To better understand its host finding mechanisms, the antennal sensilla of female wasp were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Sensilla chaetica were found mainly on radicle and pedicel segments of the antennae. i-Type sensilla, s. campaniformia, and corneous sensilla were detected on the leeward side, while s. coeloconica and lance sensilla were presented on the windward side of the antennae. S. trichodea and s. basiconica were more abundant on the leeward side than on the windward side of the antennae. More s. placodea were found on the windward side than on the leeward side of the right antenna, while the opposite results were observed on the left antenna. Overall, more s. placodea were found on the right antenna than that on the left antenna. The numbers of s. trichodea and s. basiconica on the clava or the third flagellum antennomere of the right antenna were more than those of the left antenna, whereas their distribution patterns on the other corresponding antennomeres were reverse. Our results showed that there is a strong asymmetrical antennal sensilla distribution quantitatively and spatially between the left and right antennae. Placoid sensilla are present more on the right antenna than on the left antenna. S. campaniformia, corneous sensilla, and i-type sensilla were found only on the leeward side of the antennal clava, while their external morphology and potential functions were described and discussed in detail for the first time.

Antennal sensilla of the pine weevil Pissodes nitidus Roel. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The antennal sensilla of the pine weevil (Pissodes nitidus Roel.) were observed with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The weevil antenna consists of a long scape, a pedicel, and a flagellum with 10 segments; the last four flagellum segments are fused, forming the antennal club, which is densely covered by various sensilla. In both sexes, six types of sensilla, sensilla palmate 1-4, sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichoid, sensilla basiconic 1-2, sensilla rod-like 1-3, sensilla falciform, were identified. Sensilla palmate represent a unique sensillum type in the Pissodes genus, and named here after their palmate shape, also represent the most abundant sensillum type. The TEM analysis of sensilla palmate represents the first such analysis of this sensillum type, and we speculate that the sensilla have an olfactory function. The sensilla trichoid and chaetica were evenly distributed on the three or four hair bands of the club, with much lower numbers than the palmate sensilla. No significant sexual differences in the types, numbers, and distribution of the antennal sensilla were found except for the size. TEM observation indicated that sensilla chaetica and trichoid may function as olfactory sensors. The putative functions of other sensilla type were also discussed with reference to their morphology, distribution, and ultrastructure.

Investigation on correlation between expression of CD58 molecule and severity of hepatitis B.

AIM: To investigate the correlation between expression of CD58 and severity of hepatitis B. METHODS: The level of soluble CD58 (sCD58) in serum of patients with hepatitis B was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of expression of membrane CD58 molecule in PBMC was detected by direct immunofluorescence. The levels of serumal TBIL, DBIL, IBIL, ALT and AST were detected by the automated biochemistry analyzer as well. RESULTS: The levels of sCD58 in serum and membrane CD58 molecule in PBMC of patients with hepatitis B were significantly higher than that in normal controls (P < 0.05). Level of CD58 was related to the levels of serumal TBIL, DBIL, IBIL, ALT and AST. CONCLUSION: The level of CD58 molecule (in both serum and PBMC form) of patients with hepatitis B is related to the degree of liver damage.

Study on the relationship between level of CD58 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and severity of HBV infection.

BACKGROUND: As one of the intercellular adhesion molecules, CD58 plays important roles in promotion of the adhesion between T cells and target cells, hyperplasia, activation of T cells and natural killer cells, and balance between Th1 and Th2. We studied the relationship between the levels of CD58 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and severity of HBV infection. METHODS: The levels of CD58 mRNA in PBMCs were detected using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The percentage of CD58 positive cells was detected by flow cytometry in patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: The levels of CD58 mRNA and the percentage of CD58 positive cells in patients infected with HBV were significantly higher than that in the control. Based on severity of HBV infection, the patients were classified into four groups. The expression of CD58 increased significantly in an order from mild chronic, moderate chronic, severe chronic to severe hepatitis groups. The levels of CD58 mRNA and the percentage of CD58 positive cells in PBMCs from patients with HBV infection were both positively correlated with serum levels of ALT and AST. CONCLUSION: The level of CD58 expression is related with the severity of HBV infection and the degree of liver damage.