Overview and key to the New Zealand Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera).

An overview of Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera) in New Zealand is presented with information on families, genera, and when available, species. Notes on their distribution, biology, and a taxonomic key are provided. The New Zealand cynipoid fauna is very poorly known, with only 11 described species, and five genus-only taxa. The fauna is dominated by introduced species; two species have been deliberately introduced as biological control agents, and at least 12 taxa are definitely or probably adventives. Many of these species are widespread and collected from modified and non-native habitats. New generic records of Figitidae for New Zealand include: Xyalaspis (Anacharitinae), Ganaspis, (Eucoilinae), and Thoreauella (Emargininae), all of which are considered adventives. There are no native species of gall forming wasps (Cynipidae) in New Zealand, and only two native species of Figitidae are present: Anacharis zealandica Ashmead, 1900 and Kleidotoma subantarcticana Yoshimoto, 1964. 

A review of Paroplitis (Braconidae, Microgastrinae), and description of a new genus from New Zealand, Shireplitis, with convergent morphological traits.

A new genus of Microgastrinae, Shireplitis Fernández-Triana and Ward, is described as endemic from New Zealand. Shireplitis resembles the Holarctic genus Paroplitis Mason, although morphological and molecular data reveal they are not likely to be closely related but are an example of convergent evolution. Shireplitis comprises species mostly found in moss, litter, or tussock grasslands, usually at moderate altitude on several New Zealand mountain ranges. Keys to all species from both genera are provided. Seven new species are described: Paroplitis vietnamensis van Achterberg and Fernández-Triana, and six Shireplitis species authored by Fernández-Triana and Ward: S. bilboi, S. frodoi, S. meriadoci, S. peregrini, S. samwisei and S. tolkieni.

DNA barcoding and the taxonomy of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): impacts after 8 years and nearly 20 000 sequences.

Microgastrine wasps are among the most species-rich and numerous parasitoids of caterpillars (Lepidoptera). They are often host-specific and thus are extensively used in biological control efforts and figure prominently in trophic webs. However, their extraordinary diversity coupled with the occurrence of many cryptic species produces a significant taxonomic impediment. We present and release the results of 8 years (2004-2011) of DNA barcoding microgastrine wasps. Currently they are the best represented group of parasitoid Hymenoptera in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), a massive barcode storage and analysis data management site for the International Barcoding of Life (iBOL) program. There are records from more than 20 000 specimens from 75 countries, including 50 genera (90% of the known total) and more than 1700 species (as indicated by Barcode Index Numbers and 2% MOTU). We briefly discuss the importance of this DNA data set and its collateral information for future research in: (1) discovery of cryptic species and description of new taxa; (2) estimating species numbers in biodiversity inventories; (3) clarification of generic boundaries; (4) biological control programmes; (5) molecular studies of host-parasitoid biology and ecology; (6) evaluation of shifts in species distribution and phenology; and (7) fostering collaboration at national, regional and world levels. The integration of DNA barcoding with traditional morphology-based taxonomy, host records, and other data has substantially improved the accuracy of microgastrine wasp identifications and will significantly accelerate further studies on this group of parasitoids.

A retrospective study of promethazine and its failure to produce the expected incidence of sedation during space flight.

Since March 1989, intramuscular (IM) promethazine has been successfully used to treat the symptoms of space motion sickness. The incidence of sedation associated with promethazine administration on the ground is large and may result in operational impact. The authors undertook a retrospective study to quantify the incidence of sedation from promethazine use during Space Shuttle flights. Crew medical debriefings from 14 shuttle missions were reviewed for crew members who had been treated with IM promethazine and their corresponding symptoms were identified. Twenty-one crew members received IM promethazine (25-50 mg), and only one experienced any associated sedation with no operational impact. This sedation incidence of less that 5% is in stark contrast to the 60 to 73% incidence of sedation seen in ground-based studies. The incidence of sedation during space flight from IM promethazine is substantially less than that seen on the ground and does not present an operational problem during Space Shuttle flights. Future investigations of environmental stressors and pharmacodynamic changes associated with space flight may explain the huge disparity between the space-flight and ground-based data.

The effect of dDAVP with saline loading on fluid balance during LBNP and standing after 24-hr head-down bedrest.

Shuttle astronauts currently drink approximately a quart of water with eight salt tablets before reentry to restore lost body fluid and thereby reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular instability and syncope during reentry and after landing. However, the saline loading countermeasure is not entirely effective in restoring orthostatic tolerance to preflight levels. We tested the hypothesis that the effectiveness of this countermeasure could be improved with the use of a vasopressin analog, 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP). The rationale for this approach is that reducing urine formation with exogenous vasopressin should increase the magnitude and duration of the vascular volume expansion produced by the saline load, and in so doing improve orthostatic tolerance during reentry and postflight.

Intravenous Pluronic F-127 in early burn wound treatment in rats.

A dramatic improvement in full skin thickness burn wounds in rats treated intravenously with the non-ionic surfactant Pluronic F-127 (F-127) has been demonstrated. In this study the F-127 was given 30 min postburn to simulate conditions encountered in a clinical setting. Anaesthetized male rats (300-320 g) received full skin thickness burns by immersion of the anterior chest wall (8 per cent body surface area in a 70 degrees C water-bath for 12 s). Burn wound area was measured immediately and after 48 h. Thirty minutes after the burn, half the animals received equal volumes (8 ml/kg body wt) of either saline or F-127 (12 mM/l concentration) via the tail vein. The animals autopsied at 48 h showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the degree of wound contraction and the wound appeared grossly less damaged in the F-127-treated animals. Histologically, skin biopsies showed less of the microscopic damage usually associated with full skin thickness burns in the F-127-treated animals than in the saline controls. We also used thermography to measure skin temperature of the burn area at 90 min and 48 h postinjury demonstrating alterations in the F-127-treated animals (P < 0.05). In animals followed for 30 days postinjury, there was a significant (P < 0.01) improvement in the wound closure rates in the F-127-treated animals. These observations show a positive therapeutic effect of F-127 on the inflammatory process in the area of a burn that may improve wound healing.

Effect of Escherichia coli nusG function on lambda N-mediated transcription antitermination.

The Escherichia coli Nus factors act in conjunction with the bacteriophage lambda N protein to suppress transcription termination on the lambda chromosome. NusA binds both N and RNA polymerase and may also interact with other Nus factors. To search for additional components of the N antitermination system, we isolated host revertants that restored N activity in nusA1 mutants. One revertant, nusG4, was mapped to the rif region of the E. coli chromosome and shown to represent a point mutation near the 3' end of the nusG gene. The nusG4 mutation also suppressed nusE71 but not nusASal, nusB5, nusC60 (rpoB60), or nusD026 (rho026). However, nusG+ expressed from a multicopy plasmid suppressed nusD026 and related rho mutants for both lambda and phage T4 growth. These results suggest that NusG may act as a component of the N antitermination complex. In addition, the data imply a role for NusG in Rho-dependent termination.

CLONE 3: plasmid drawing and clone management software program for microcomputers.

CLONE 3 is a microcomputer software program which draws circular and linear plasmid maps, facilitates cloning operations and performs related sequence analysis and information retrieval functions. This article describes the use of the CLONE 3 program to streamline the flow of information in the research laboratory doing genetic engineering applications.

Unusual reaction to trifluoperazine.

A 19-year-old woman, recently discharged from the hospital and being treated for schizophrenia, presented with an unusual reaction to trifluoperazine. She complained of nausea and vomiting and experienced bilateral swelling of the tongue. Symptoms subsided when the medication was discontinued. Although dystonic reactions to high doses of phenothiazines are not uncommon, we postulate that this case represented an unusual allergic reaction to the medication.

A simple method for determination of red blood cell mechanical fragility in the rat.

A method for measuring the mechanical fragility of red blood cells suitable for use in small laboratory animals, such as rats, is reported because of lack of such data in the literature. Whole blood is mixed with phosphate buffered saline in a tube containing glass beads. The tubes are rocked for 90 minutes, centrifuged and the percent hemolysis determined. Varying the osmolality of the saline suspending medium had little effect on the mechanical fragility of rat red cells prior to the NaCl concentrations at which a significant change in osmotic hemolysis occurred. The duration of rocking increased the mechanical fragility. Varying the pH (6.4-8.0) had no effect. The size of the glass beads changed the mechanical fragility as did varying temperature. The mean mechanical fragility of rat red blood cells was 46% hemolysis (80 adult male animals). Because of the small volume of blood required with this method, mechanical fragility of red cells of other small laboratory animals also may be determined.

Plasmid map: a microcomputer program for display and storage of plasmid data.

We describe a plasmid map program which runs on an IBM PC microcomputer and facilitates the drawing of circular plasmid maps. The user enters information from the keyboard in the form of restriction enzyme sites, genes and their locations, and other plasmid markers such as promoters, origins, or other sites. This information can then be stored in a file for future reference. The plasmid map can be displayed on the screen, printed on a dot-matrix printer, or plotted on a Hewlett Packard HP7475A plotter.

Escherichia coli nusB mutations that suppress nusA1 exhibit lambda N specificity.

The bacteriophage lambda N protein regulates phage development by selectively suppressing transcription termination in its host, Escherichia coli. The E. coli nus mutants prevent N activity. To provide additional information on transcription termination, we have isolated pseudo-revertants of the nusA1 mutation that restore lambda N function. One series of pseudo-revertants lie in the E. coli nusB gene, whose product is normally required for lambda N activity. These mutations are N-specific: mutations that restore lambda N activity do not restore the activity of the analogous N protein of phage 21. Similarly, nusB mutations that restore phage 21 N function are deficient for lambda N function. Mapping of the two classes of mutation is consistent with their location in two distinct domains in the nusB protein. We discuss whether nusB is specific for N protein or for some other component of this regulation system, e.g. the phage site (nut) required for N action.

A bacteriophage lambda vector for cloning with BamHI and Sau3A.

A phage lambda cloning vector has been constructed which contains a single site for the restriction endonuclease BamHI. Since Sau3A and Bg/II produce the same cohesive ends as BamHI, this vector can also be used to clone DNA fragments generated with either of these enzymes. We have used this vector to construct an Escherichia coli library using partial digestion with Sau3A. This vector will be most useful for applications requiring genetic analysis of cloned E. coli genes.

Suppression of transcription termination by phage lambda.

The bacteriophage lambda N gene product positively controls development by preventing termination of transcription at terminator sites critical to the sequential expression of phage genes. Many host transcription factors, including RNA polymerase, are involved in N gene action. Recent findings have shown that ribosomal proteins are also involved. The current understanding of how the N protein affects transcription termination is reviewed, and a possible model and current problems are discussed.

The nus mutations affect transcription termination in Escherichia coli.

The nusA1 and nusB5 mutations in a partial suppression of polarity and thus transcription termination in Escherichia coli. As these mutations block the transcription antitermination activity of bacteriophage lambda N gene product, they paradoxically seem to enhance transcription termination at phage termination sites. The rho mutation HDF026 displays almost identical properties. The observations suggest that the nusA and nusB gene products may act as termination factors analogous to rho protein.

Construction and characterization of Escherichia coli polA-lacZ gene fusions.

The promoter of the polA gene of Escherichia coli K-12 was fused to the lacZ gene by selecting deletions within a lambda lacZ polA transducing phage. Four fusions, deleting varying amounts of the polA gene, were characterized. The polA promoter was found to be approximately 3% as active as the fully induced lac promoter. This figure is compatible with the normal intracellular level of deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I. No evidence was found for outogenous regulation of transcription from the polA promoter. Expression from this promoter was influenced by neither recA nor mitomycin C, but uvrD and uvrE mutations reduced expression slightly.