Microfluidic Device-Based Virus Detection and Quantification in Future Diagnostic Research: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The global economic and healthcare crises experienced over the past three years, as a result of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has significantly impacted the commonplace habits of humans around the world. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) phenomenon, has contributed to the deaths of millions of people around the world. The potential diagnostic applications of microfluidic devices have previously been demonstrated to effectively detect and quasi-quantify several different well-known viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. As a result, microfluidics has been further explored as a potential alternative to our currently available rapid tests for highly virulent diseases to better combat and manage future potential outbreaks. The outbreak management during COVID-19 was initially hindered, in part, by the lack of available quantitative rapid tests capable of confirming a person's active infectiousness status. Therefore, this review will explore the use of microfluidic technology, and more specifically RNA-based virus detection methods, as an integral part of improved diagnostic capabilities and will present methods for carrying the lessons learned from COVID-19 forward, toward improved diagnostic outcomes for future pandemic-level threats. This review will first explore the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and how diagnostic technology was shown to have required even greater advancements to keep pace with the transmission of such a highly infectious virus. Secondly, the historical significance of integrating microfluidic technology in diagnostics and how the different types of genetic-based detection methods may vary in their potential practical applications. Lastly, the review will summarize the past, present, and future potential of RNA-based virus detection/diagnosis and how it might be used to better prepare for a future pandemic.

Numerical Modeling and Simulation of Non-Invasive Acupuncture Therapy Utilizing Near-Infrared Light-Emitting Diode.

Acupuncture is one of the most extensively used complementary and alternative medicine therapies worldwide. In this study, we explore the use of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to provide acupuncture-like physical stimulus to the skin tissue, but in a completely non-invasive way. A computational modeling framework has been developed to investigate the light-tissue interaction within a three-dimensional multi-layer model of skin tissue. Finite element-based analysis has been conducted, to obtain the spatiotemporal temperature distribution within the skin tissue, by solving Pennes' bioheat transfer equation, coupled with the Beer-Lambert law. The irradiation profile of the LED has been experimentally characterized and imposed in the numerical model. The experimental validation of the developed model has been conducted through comparing the numerical model predictions with those obtained experimentally on the agar phantom. The effects of the LED power, treatment duration, LED distance from the skin surface, and usage of multiple LEDs on the temperature distribution attained within the skin tissue have been systematically investigated, highlighting the safe operating power of the selected LEDs. The presented information about the spatiotemporal temperature distribution, and critical factors affecting it, would assist in better optimizing the desired thermal dosage, thereby enabling a safe and effective LED-based photothermal therapy.

[Role of TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in diabetic kidney disease and research progress of traditional Chinese medicine intervention].

Diabetic kidney disease is an important microvascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Its pathological characteristics mainly include epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT) in glomerulus, podocyte apoptosis and autophagy, and damage of glomerular filtration barrier. Transforming growth factor-ß(TGF-ß)/Smad signaling pathway is specifically regulated by a variety of mechanisms, and is a classic pathway involved in physiological activities such as apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. At present, many studies have found that TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. Traditional Chinese medicine has significant advantages in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease for its multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway characteristics, and some traditional Chinese medicine extracts, traditional Chinese medicines and traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription improve the renal injury of diabetic kidney disease by regulating TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway. This study clarified the mechanism of TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in diabetic kidney disease by expounding the relationship between the key targets of the pathway and diabetic kidney disease, and summarized the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease by interfering with TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in recent years, to provide reference for drug research and clinical treatment of diabetic kidney disease in the future.

Secondary Rhinaria Contribute to Major Sexual Dimorphism of Antennae in the Aphid Semiaphis heraclei (Takahashi).

Sexual generation is an important generation in the life cycle of host-alternating aphids, and its population size determines the intensity of the peak in the next spring. Although male trapping techniques based on olfactory stimuli have been successfully established in the field, the biological basis of olfactory perception in males is unclear. In this study, we compared the morphology of antennae and the types, sizes, numbers, and distribution of sensilla between males and sexual females in the host-alternating aphid Semiaphis heraclei (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We found that flagellum length differentiation contributed to the majority of the sexual dimorphism of antennae. Most sensillum types or subtypes, including trichoid sensilla subtype I, campaniform sensilla, and primary rhinaria subtypes I and II, were enlarged in males. In addition, males bore more trichoid sensilla subtype I than sexual females. In particular, secondary rhinaria were present in males only and could not be detected in sexual females. These results revealed the structural basis of male olfactory perception. Our findings provide insight into the mechanism underlying chemical communication between sexual aphids and could thus be useful for pest control.

Label-Free Cyanobacteria Quantification Using a Microflow Cytometry Platform for Early Warning Detection and Characterization of Hazardous Cyanobacteria Blooms.

The eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems caused by rapid human urbanization has led to an increased production of potentially hazardous bacterial populations, known as blooms. One of the most notorious forms of these aquatic blooms are cyanobacteria, which in sufficiently large quantities can pose a hazard to human health through ingestion or prolonged exposure. Currently, one of the greatest difficulties in regulating and monitoring these potential hazards is the early detection of cyanobacterial blooms, in real time. Therefore, this paper presents an integrated microflow cytometry platform for label-free phycocyanin fluorescence detection, which can be used for the rapid quantification of low-level cyanobacteria and provide early warning alerts for potential harmful cyanobacterial blooms. An automated cyanobacterial concentration and recovery system (ACCRS) was developed and optimized to reduce the assay volume, from 1000 mL to 1 mL, to act as a pre-concentrator and subsequently enhance the detection limit. The microflow cytometry platform utilizes an on-chip laser-facilitated detection to measure the in vivo fluorescence emitted from each individual cyanobacterial cell, as opposed to measuring overall fluorescence of the whole sample, potentially decreasing the detection limit. By applying transit time and amplitude thresholds, the proposed cyanobacteria detection method was verified by the traditional cell counting technique using a hemocytometer with an R2 value of 0.993. It was shown that the limit of quantification of this microflow cytometry platform can be as low as 5 cells/mL for Microcystis aeruginosa, 400-fold lower than the Alert Level 1 (2000 cells/mL) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, the decreased detection limit may facilitate the future characterization of cyanobacterial bloom formation to better provide authorities with ample time to take the appropriate actions to mitigate human risk from these potentially hazardous blooms.

Effect of Daratumumab combined with Chemotherapy on Immune Function in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma and Observation of its Clinical Efficacy.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and immune function of Daratumumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Methods: Eighty patients with RRMM treated in Xingtai People's Hospital from January, 2020 to December, 2021 were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the study group were treated with Daratumumab combined with PAD regimen, while patients in the control group were provided with PAD regimen alone. Further comparison was performed on the therapeutic effects, adverse drug reactions, the levels of T lymphocyte subsets CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+, the positive expression rate of CD38 and the expression level of Notch-1 on the membrane of plasma cells between the two groups. Results: The overall response rate in the study group (67.50%) was significantly better than that in the control group (45.00%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. After treatment, the reviewed levels of CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ were obviously higher in the study group than those in the control group, while the positive expression rate of CD38 and the expression level of Notch one on the membrane of plasma cells were both lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Daratumumab combined with a PAD regimen is a safe and effective approach that has a definite curative effect on patients with RRMM, which can improve immune function significantly and result in no significant increase in adverse reactions.

Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus encephalitis using metagenomic next-generation sequencing of blood and cerebrospinal fluid: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in the population are mostly subclinical, inapparent, or latent. However, it is rare in brain tissue. Most reported CMV encephalitis cases were patients with immunodeficiency. The diagnosis and detection rate of CMV encephalitis in patients with normal immune function needs to be further improved. CASE SUMMARY: An 86-year-old male was admitted due to a sudden onset of unconsciousness for 3 h. The patient developed status epilepticus and was relieved after antiepileptic treatment. Encephalitis was considered due to the high signals of diffusion-weighted imaging sequences in the right central region by magnetic resonance imaging. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of blood and cerebrospinal fluid revealed CMV, with unique reads number being 614 and 1, respectively. Simultaneous quantitative PCR results showed CMV positive in blood samples and negative in cerebrospinal fluid samples. The patient was finally diagnosed as CMV encephalitis with status epilepticus. After the antiviral, hormonal, and γ-globulin pulse therapy, the patient's condition improved, and he was finally discharged. CONCLUSION: mNGS could be a reliable approach for the diagnosis of CMV encephalitis, with high efficiency, sensitivity, and specificity.

A systematic study of PPLN length dependence in intracavity SHG.

In this paper, a systematic study of the relationship between nonlinear crystal length and intracavity second-harmonic generation (SHG) using MgO-doped periodically-poled lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN) is presented. The experimental results demonstrate a relationship between the maximum SHG power generated and the full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of the crystal's temperature tuning curve to the length of the nonlinear optical crystal. It was shown that maximum SHG power increases rapidly with the increase of MgO:PPLN length, reaching a saturation length (~ 2 mm), which is much shorter than that predicted by the single-pass SHG theory. This saturation length of the MgO:PPLN crystal is almost independent on 808 nm pump power for typical powers used in continuous wave intracavity SHG lasers. In addition to this saturation effect, a broadening effect was also observed, the FWHM of the temperature tuning curve was shown to have a larger FWHM than that predicted by the single-pass SHG theory for MgO:PPLN shorter than the saturation length. This work has the benefit of allowing engineers to optimize nonlinear crystal length when developing intracavity SHG based diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) lasers.

Integrated Microfluidic-Based Platforms for On-Site Detection and Quantification of Infectious Pathogens: Towards On-Site Medical Translation of SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Platforms.

The rapid detection and quantification of infectious pathogens is an essential component to the control of potentially lethal outbreaks among human populations worldwide. Several of these highly infectious pathogens, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), have been cemented in human history as causing epidemics or pandemics due to their lethality and contagiousness. SARS-CoV-2 is an example of these highly infectious pathogens that have recently become one of the leading causes of globally reported deaths, creating one of the worst economic downturns and health crises in the last century. As a result, the necessity for highly accurate and increasingly rapid on-site diagnostic platforms for highly infectious pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, has grown dramatically over the last two years. Current conventional non-microfluidic diagnostic techniques have limitations in their effectiveness as on-site devices due to their large turnaround times, operational costs and the need for laboratory equipment. In this review, we first present criteria, both novel and previously determined, as a foundation for the development of effective and viable on-site microfluidic diagnostic platforms for several notable pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. This list of criteria includes standards that were set out by the WHO, as well as our own "seven pillars" for effective microfluidic integration. We then evaluate the use of microfluidic integration to improve upon currently, and previously, existing platforms for the detection of infectious pathogens. Finally, we discuss a stage-wise means to translate our findings into a fundamental framework towards the development of more effective on-site SARS-CoV-2 microfluidic-integrated platforms that may facilitate future pandemic diagnostic and research endeavors. Through microfluidic integration, many limitations in currently existing infectious pathogen diagnostic platforms can be eliminated or improved upon.

[Research Progress of the Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Glycemic Control and Adverse Maternal-neonatal Outcomes in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Patients].

Gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)can cause blood glucose disorders in pregnant women and result in adverse maternal-neonatal outcomes.Vitamin D(VD)can improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity,and thus theoretically,VD supplementation during pregnancy could improve glycemic control as well as maternal-neonatal outcomes in GDM patients.Although studies have shown that VD deficiency is associated with poor maternal-neonatal outcomes in GDM patients,no solid conclusion has been drawn with regard to the effects of VD supplementation on these patients.Therefore,here we summarized the research progress of the effects of VD supplementation on glycemic control and adverse maternal-neonatal outcomes in GDM patients,in an effort to guide the clinical VD supplementation during pregnancy.

A Microflow Cytometry-Based Agglutination Immunoassay for Point-of-Care Quantitative Detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG.

A rapid, sensitive and simple microflow cytometry-based agglutination immunoassay (MCIA) was developed for point-of-care (POC) quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies. The antibody concentration was determined by using the transit time of beads aggregates. A linear relationship was established between the average transit time and the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG by the MCIA measurement are 0.06 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L, respectively. The 10 µL sample consumption, 30 min assay time and the compact setup make this technique suitable for POC quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Morphology and distribution of antennal sensilla in the gall midge Gephyraulus lycantha (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae).

The gall midge Gephyraulus lycantha (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a serious gall-forming pest that causes devastating damage in the wolfberry, Lycium barbarum (Solanaceae) in Northwest China. In the present study, the external morphology and ultrastructure of the antennae and the antennal sensilla of G. lycantha were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the moniliform antenna of G. lycantha consisted of a scape, pedicel, and flagellum, and exhibited obvious sexual dimorphism. The male antennae were significantly longer than those of females. Moreover, male flagellomeres were spheroidal nodes separated by slender internodes, whereas those of females were cylindrical with no obvious internodes. There were sex and individual differences in antennal segment number. Male antennae had 10 - 16 flagellomeres, most of which had 15, while female antennae consisted of 8 - 14 flagellomeres, most of which had 12. Moreover, a pair of antennae in the same individual had different numbers of flagellomeres. Four types of sensilla were observed along the surface of the antennae, including sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea, sensilla coeloconica, and sensilla circumfila. Among the types of sensilla, sensilla chaetica were the longest and most prominent sensilla discovered on the antennal flagellum in both sexes. Sensilla trichodea were widely distributed over the antennal surface, including the scape, pedicel, and flagellum. Sensilla coeloconica were categorized into four subtypes: sensilla coeloconica Ⅰ, sensilla coeloconica Ⅱ, sensilla coeloconica Ⅲ, and sensilla coeloconica IV; however, sensilla coeloconica IV was absent in females. Sensilla circumfila were found only on cecidomyiidae insect antennae and were attached to the surface by a series of stalks, forming loops around each flagellomere. The numbers of all four types of sensilla on the male antennal windward side were significantly higher than those on the leeward side. The probable biological functions of these sensilla were discussed herein based on their morphology and ultrastructure. These results provide an important basis for further research on chemical communication and strategies for the control of G. lycantha, and it will be able to serve future group Taxonomy studies (species of cecidomyiidae), providing new taxonomic characters (general ultrastructural morphology, number of sensilla and antennal segments, distribution of different types of setae, types and subtypes sensilla), which varies between species and subspecies.

Study of fundamental wave depletion in intracavity second harmonic generation.

In this paper, a novel approach to modelling intracavity second harmonic generation (SHG) in periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate (PPLN) is presented and verified against experimental results. This approach involves combining the coupled nonlinear wave equations with a rate equation model for a diode-pumped solid-state Nd:YVO4 laser, taking into account both the depletion of the fundamental wave due to the energy conversion from the fundamental wave to the SHG wave and the reduction of the fundamental wave within a laser cavity due to the loss as a result of the SHG nonlinear process. It was shown that the theoretical simulation matched the experimental results well, while also providing physical insight into the importance of the fundamental wave depletion in the intracavity SHG nonlinear processes. The resulting model is computationally simple and has the potential to generalize to the other nonlinear processes such as three-wave mixing and optical parametric oscillation.

Morphology and distribution of sensilla on the antennae and ovipositor of the Hymenopteran parasitoid Pseudotorymus jaapiellae Yang et Chen.

Pseudotorymus jaapiellae is an important ectoparasitoid of the larvae of Gephyraulus lycantha, a serious gall-forming pest that devastates wolfberry, Lycium barbarum, in Northwest China. To provide requisite background for our ongoing research on the mechanisms of P. jaapiellae's host location and subsequent oviposition, we used scanning electron microscopy to describe the external morphologies and distributions of sensilla on their antennae and ovipositors. The geniculate antennae of both male and female P. jaapiellae were each composed of a scape with a basal radiculum, a pedicel, an anellum and a flagellum. We identified nine morphological sensilla types on the antennae of both sexes, including three sensilla trichodea (ST), one sensillum basiconicum (SB), two sensilla chaetica (SCh), one sensillum placodeum (SP), one sensillum coeloconicum (SCo), and one sensillum campaniformia (SCa). Females had significantly more ST I and SP than males had, but males had more ST III than did females. We observed six types of sensilla on the ovipositor, including three ST, one SB, and two SCa. ST II, ST IV and SB II were on the sheath, whereas ST V and the SCa were on the stylus. Finally, the possible biological functions of these sensilla were discussed according to their morphology and ultrastructure. These results provide an important basis for further study on chemical communication between P. jaapiellae and their host, and contribute to the development of a biological control program for G. lycantha, using the parasitoid, P. jaapiellae.

A Transit Time-Resolved Microflow Cytometry-Based Agglutination Immunoassay for On-Site C-Reactive Protein Detection.

An accurate and rapid microflow cytometry-based agglutination immunoassay (MCIA) suitable for on-site antibody or antigen detection was proposed. In this study, quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP) detection was chosen as a model assay in order to demonstrate the detection principle. The average transit time was employed to estimate the extent of the agglutination reaction and improve the detection accuracy as compared to the intensity-dependent methods. The detection time was less than 8 min. and only a 20 µL serum sample was needed for each test. The results showed a linear relationship between the average transit time of aggregates and CRP concentrations ranging from 0 to 1 µg/mL. The R2 of this relationship was 0.99. The detection limit of this technology was 0.12 µg/mL CRP. The system used for CRP detection can be extended to also monitor other clinically relevant molecules.

[Spermine attenuates high glucose-induced myocardial fibrosis by regulating the cell cycle].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of spermine (Sp) on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and high glucose-induced cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), and to explore its mechanism.Methods: ①Animal experiments: 24 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, type 1 diabetes group (TID) and spermine group (TID+Sp, each group n=8). TID rats were induced by streptozocin (STZ, 60 mg/kg), and TID+Sp rat were pretreated with spermine (Sp, 5 mg/(kg·d)) for 2 weeks before STZ injection. After 12 weeks of modeling, blood glucose, insulin levels, ejection fraction (EF) and shortening fraction (FS) were measured, and Masson staining and Sirius red staining were performed in the rat cardiac tissues. ②Cell experiments: primary CFs were extracted from newborn (1-3 d) Wistar rat hearts, and were randomly divided into control group, high-glucose group (HG) and HG+Sp group (n=6 per group). HG group was treated with 40 mmol/L glucose, and the HG+Sp group was pretreated with 5 µmol/L Sp for 30 min before HG treatment. The cell viability of CFs was detected by CCK8, the content of collagen in culture medium was analyzed by ELISA, and protein expressions of cell cycle related proteins (PCNA, CyclinD1 and P27) were detected by Western blot. Results: Compared with control group, the blood glucose and collagen content were increased, and the insulin level and heart function were decreased in the T1D group. Meanwhile, HG induced an increasing of the cell viability, the collagen content in the medium and the expressions of PCNA and CyclinD1, while the expression of P27 was down-regulated. Spermine could reduce the above changes, manifested as improving the cardiac function, regulating the expression of cyclin and reducing the level of myocardial fibrosis. Conclusion: Spermine can alleviate myocardial fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy, which mechanism is related to the regulation of cell cycle.

[Effect of exogenous spermine pretreatment on alleviating renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy mice and its related mechanism].

Objective: To observe the protective effects of exogenous spermine on renal fibrosis induced by diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to explore its mechanism.Methods: Twenty-four male C57 mice were randomly divided into control group, type 1 diabetes group (TID) and spermine pretreatment group (TID+Sp, n=8 in each group). TID mice were induced by STZ (60 mg/kg), and TID+Sp mice were pretreated with spermine (5 mg/(kg·d)) for 2 weeks before STZ injection. The mice were killed at the 12th week. The renal function was determined by serum creatinine and urea nitrogen. HE, PAS and Masson staining were used to evaluate renal tissue injury and fibrosis. The expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2, MMP-9) and collagen IV (Coll-IV) in the kidney of mice were detected by Western blot. Results: Compared with the control group, the blood glucose (5.67±0.22 vs 28.40±0.57 mmol/L), creatinine (14.33±1.22 vs 30.67±4.73 µmol/L) and urea nitrogen (6.93±4.94 vs 22.00±1.04 mmol/L) in the T1D group were increased significantly (P＜0.05), the glomerular basement membrane was thickened, the collagen was significantly increased, the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and Coll-IV protein were increased (0.57±0.07 vs 1.06±0.20, 47.00±0.04 vs 1.29±0.09 and 0.42±0.16 vs 0.95±0.18,P＜0.05). Exogenous spermine significantly alleviates the above-mentioned changes. Conclusion: Exogenous spermine pretreatment could significantly alleviate renal fibrosis in diabetic mice by regulating the balance between MMPs and collagen.

[Effects of root extract of host plants on seed germination and haustorium formation of Cistanche deserticola]. / å¯„ä¸»æ¤ç‰©æ ¹æµ¸ææ¶²å¯¹è‚‰è‹è“‰ç§å­èŒå‘åŠå¸å™¨å½¢æˆçš„å½±å“.

We examined the effects of root extracts of Haloxylon ammodendron and Beta vulgaris in Chenopodiaceae extracted by water and ethanol on seed germination and haustorium formation of Cistanche deserticola by filter paper culture dish method. The results showed that only adding root extract had no effect on seed germination and haustorium formation of C. deserticola. The germination rate of C. deserticola seeds treated by adding 10 mg·kg-1 gibberellin to the root extracted by ethanol was not significantly different from that of the control (GA3), whereas those treated by adding gibberellin to the ethanol extract of two kinds of host root was increased by more than 10 times. The germination rate of C. deserticola seeds in the treatment with adding 1 mg·kg-1 fluridone (FL) to root extract was not significantly different from that in the control with only fluridone, while those in the treatment with B. vulgaris root water extraction was the highest (39.4%). Compared to the treatment of adding gibberellin to the root extract, the germination rate of C. deserticola seeds was only increased. When FL was added to the host root extract, the haustorium was formed on the germination tube, with the formation rate of the ethanol extraction group being the highest (16.2%). Seed germination rate of C. deserticola increased to 52.3% when GA3 and FL were added to the ethanol extract of H. ammodendron, but the formation rate of haustorium was not different from that of FL treatment. Only 6.7% of the seed formation haustorium in the control was significantly lower than that in FL treatment. There were differences in the position and shape of the haustorium of C. deserticola seeds under different treatments. The haustorium produced by adding the extract of the host root mostly appeared at the top of the bud tube, and many papillae raised into claws. The haustorium of FL treatment without adding the extract of the host root mostly appeared at the bottom or the top of the bud tube splitting. The results indicated that ethanol extraction and water extraction could extract the substances that could promote the formation of C. deserticola seeds haustorium from the host root, but did not affect seed germination. GA3 and FL could significantly improve the germination rate of C. deserticola seeds, but the formation of the haustorium was affected by some substances in the host root extract.

[Electrophysiological and behavioral responses of gall midge, Jaapiella sp. to volatiles of host plant Lycium barbarum]. / 枸杞红瘿蚊对寄主植物挥发物的电生理和行为反应.

Plant-derived volatiles are important for guiding herbivorous insects to their host plants. Jaapiella sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is the most serious pest of Lycium barbarum. The young flower buds of L. barbarum are attractive to females of Jaapiella sp. for oviposition in the field. In this study, we compared response of Jaapiella sp. to volatiles from flower buds of L. barbarum at different stages, and clarified the crucial semiochemicals attracting Jaapiella sp. to lay eggs. Volatiles from young and mature flower buds were collected using SPME, and then identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both electrophysiological and behavior experiments were conducted to measure the attraction of eight synthetic compounds to females and screen the crucial components based on gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and Y-tube bioassays, respectively. Results showed that qualitative and quantitative diffe-rences between two odor profiles. Consistent electroantennographic response was observed for eight compounds from headspace collections, of which five synthetic compounds (3-carene, camphene, terpinolene, d-limonene, and (+)-pinene) were essential for significant preference or avoidance. Our results indicated that these compounds from L. barbarum flower buds could be effective candidates as oviposition attractant or repellents of Jaapiella sp., which would be helpful in the exploitation of new control agent to Jaapiella sp. in the field.

[Hormone response of Lycium barbarum to gall mite Aceria pallida and effects of exogenous salicylic acid on the infestation and development of gall mite]. / å®å¤æž¸æžå¯¹æž¸æžç˜¿èž¨ä¸ºå®³çš„å† æºæ¿€ç´ å“åº”åŠå¤–æºæ°´æ¨é ¸å¯¹æž¸æžç˜¿èž¨çš„å½±å“.

To investigate the hormone responses of Lycium barbarum to Aceria pallida infestation and the effects of exogenous salicylic acid on the infestation and development of gall mite, four phytohormones (salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), Auxin, and abscisic acid (ABA)) of L. barbarum leaves infested with A. pallida were determined by LC-MS/MS. Moreover, the effects of exogenous SA on the growth of gall and mite population were investigated. The results showed that contents of SA and JA in leaves infested with A. pallida were significantly higher (4.0 and 13.0 folds, respectively) than that in control, but that of Auxin and ABA did not change. The growth of gall was inhibited significantly by exogenous SA, with the inhibition increasing with the prolongation of treatment time. Meanwhile, mite population in galls treated with SA was significantly lower than that in control. Our results suggested that A. pallida could induce SA and JA resistance of L. barbarum, and that the exogenous SA could inhibit the growth of gall and mite population. Exogenous SA could be potentially used in A. pallida prevention.