The status of Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White (Diptera: tephritidae) inferred from complete mitochondrial genome analysis.

In this study, the complete 15,911 bp mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Bactrocera invadens was sequenced. To estimate the status of B. invadens, all available mitogenomes of Bactrocera were downloaded from GenBank for phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that B. invadens, B. philippinensis, B. papayae, and three B. dorsalis sequences formed a well-supported clade with very short terminal branch lengths, indicting the relatively close evolutionary relationships of these taxa. The results further supported that B. invadens, the same as B. philippinensis and B. papayae, belongs to the same species as B. dorsalis.

Diffusion and kinetics of solvent-free reaction between molecular crystals by time-resolved powder UV-Vis reflection spectrum.

Traditionally, chemical reaction between solids has been considered to typically occur on a geological time scale without the benefit of high temperature, due to diffusion block in the solids. However, recent advancements have revealed that many solvent-free reactions between molecular crystals can quickly occur at room or near-room temperature. These reactions have raised a novel scientific question as to how the reactive species can overcome the diffusion-controlled kinetic limitations under such moderate conditions. From time-resolved powder UV-vis reflection spectra and optical micrographs with the reaction between dimethylglyoxime and Ni(Ac) 2.4H 2O and the reaction between hexamethylenetetramine and CoCl 2.6H 2O as models, we found that the solvent-free reaction really occurs at an intermediate state between the solid state and the liquid state. Formation of the liquid phase provides a convenient approach to diffusion of reactive species, whereas formation of a solid product layer hampered the transfer of reactive species. Both factors led to a broad reactive rate band in the long reaction region. The results have explained the diffusion mechanism of the fast reaction between the molecular crystals under moderate conditions.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase correlates with tumor angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma.

The present study evaluated the significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in 30 patients with endometrial carcinoma and the relationship of those molecular markers to tumor characteristics and microvessel density (MVD). Immunohistochemical expression of COX-2, iNOS, and CD34 was analyzed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The COX-2 and iNOS positive rates were 66.7% and 73.3%, respectively. The level of COX-2 expression was higher in grade II tumors than in grade III tumors (p < 0.05). The percentage of iNOS positivity was higher in patients with deep myometrial invasion than in patients without or less than 50% myometrial invasion (p < 0.05). There was significant correlation between positive COX-2 and positive iNOS expression (r = 0.601, p < 0.001). Both COX-2 and iNOS were significantly correlated with MVD (r = 0.02 p < 0.05; r = 0.599 p < 0.0001, respectively). The present findings suggest that combined expression of COX-2 and iNOS may play an important role in development and invasion of endometrial cancer and that this could be partially attributable to modulation of angiogenesis by COX-2 and iNOS.

Differential parasitism of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) larvae by the parasitoid Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on two host plant species.

Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine host selection by Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov when larvae of its host, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), fed on Chinese cabbage, Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis and those fed on common cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata were provided simultaneously, and to investigate the roles of plant and host volatiles in mediating host selection. When C. plutellae were provided with equal numbers of host larvae on plants of the two species in one arena, the parasitoid parasitized 4- to 15-fold more host larvae on Chinese cabbage than on common cabbage. This preference changed little with host density. However, an experience of searching coupled with an oviposition in a host larva on a leaf of the less-preferred plant, common cabbage, significantly increased the preference for parasitizing host larvae on this plant and resulted in twice as many host larvae parasitized on this plant than on Chinese cabbage. Dual choice tests with a Y-tube olfactometer showed that plant volatiles from Chinese cabbage were more attractive to female C. plutellae than those from common cabbage when plants of both species were either intact or infested. In parallel to the increased parasitism on common cabbage following experience, oviposition in a host larva on this less-preferred plant significantly increased the response to volatiles emanating from that plant. These results indicate that host plants may strongly influence the foraging behaviour of C. plutellae, but their differential attractiveness to the parasitoid may be altered by experience of the parasitoid.