Responses of the blister beetle Hycleus apicicornis to visual stimuli

Insect attraction to host plants may be partly mediated by visual stimuli. In the present study, the responses of adult Hycleus apicicornis (Guér.) (Coleoptera: Meloidae) to plant models of different colours, different combinations of two colours, or three hues of blue of different shapes are compared. Single‐colour models comprised the colours sky blue, bright green, yellow, red, white and black. Sky blue (reflecting light in the 440–500 nm region) is the most attractive, followed by white, which reflects light over a broader range (400–700 nm). On landing on sky blue targets, beetles exhibit feeding behaviour immediately. When different hues of blue (of different shapes) are compared, sky blue is preferred over turquoise, followed by dark blue, indicating that H. apicicornis is more attracted to lighter hues of blue than to darker ones. No significant differences are found between the three shapes (circle, square and triangle) tested, suggesting that reflectance associated with colour could be a more important visual cue than shape for host location by H. apicicornis. The preference of H. apicicornis for sky blue can be exploited in designing an attractive trap for its management.     

Heterogeneous Determinants of Quality of Life in Different Phenotypes of Parkinson’s Disease

Objectives

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is considered a very important outcome indicator in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A broad list of motor and non-motor features have been shown to affect HRQoL in PD, however, there is a dearth of information about the complexity of interrelationships between determinants of HRQoL in different PD phenotypes. We aimed to find independent determinates and the best structural model for HRQoL, also to investigate the heterogeneity in HRQoL between PD patients with different phenotypes regarding onset-age, progression rate and dominant symptom.

Methods

A broad spectrum of demographic, motor and non-motor characteristics were collected in 157 idiopathic PD patients, namely comorbidity profile, nutritional status, UPDRS (total items), psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety), fatigue and psychosocial functioning through physical examination, validated questionnaires and scales. Structural equation model (SEM) and multivariate regressions were applied to find determinants of Parkinson’s disease summary index (PDSI) and different domains of HRQoL (PDQ-39).

Results

Female sex, anxiety, depression and UPDRS-part II scores were the significant independent determinants of PDSI. A structural model consisting of global motor, global non-motor and co-morbidity indicator as three main components was able to predict 89% of the variance in HRQoL. In older-onset and slow-progression phenotypes, the motor domain showed smaller contribution on HRQoL and the majority of its effects were mediated through non-motor features. Comorbidity component was a significant determinant of HRQoL only among older-onset and non-tremor-dominant PD patients. Fatigue was not a significant indicator of non-motor component to affect HRQoL in rapid-progression PD.

Conclusions

Our findings showed outstanding heterogeneities in the pattern and determinants of HRQoL among PD phenotypes. These factors should be considered during the assessments and developing personalized interventions to improve HRQOL in PD patients with different phenotypes or prominent feature.     

Purification of modified mycobacterial A60 antigen by affinity chromatography and its use for rapid diagnostic tuberculosis infection

Tuberculosis has been declared a global emergency. The mainstay for its control is the rapid and accurate identification of infected individual. Antibodies to A60, one of the macromolecular antigen complexes of mycobacteria were commonly used in the rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to prepare specific antibodies against A60 for detection of tuberculosis infection. Specific polyclonal antibodies against A60, (A60-Ab) were prepared in rabbits using 2 boosted injections of the antigen (A60). The antibodies were purified and treated with normal oral flora to remove any non-specific and cross-reactive antibodies. These antibodies were conjugated to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B and used to isolate subunits of A60 with more specificity for M. tuberculosis. A new affinity column was designed to prepare modified (purified) A60 antigen. Purified A60 antigen (PA60-Ag) was used to develop antibody production by Immunoaffinity chromatography. 113 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary TB at Pasteur Institute were selected for the study. The specificity of the results was analyzed with TB-rapid test by using PA60-antibodies. TB-rapid test revealed that normal oral flora-absorbed antibodies could lead to more specific results than that of the non-absorbed antibodies. The developed, modified A60 antibodies, (PA60-Ab)-rapid test showed higher sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV) and overall efficiency (93.0%, 86.0%, 90.0%, 91.0%, and 90.0% respectively) for the detection of the Mycobacterium antigen. Moreover, PA60-Ag showed only two protein bands of molecular weight 45 and 66 kDa in SDS-PAGE while untreated A60 showed multiple bands. Thus, our study helped in the purification of a novel and well characterized A60 antigen and good diagnostic potential for detecting tuberculosis infection.     

Water deficit induces chlorophyll degradation via the ‘PAO/phyllobilin’ pathway in leaves of homoio‐ (Craterostigma pumilum) and poikilochlorophyllous (Xerophyta viscosa) resurrection plants

Angiosperm resurrection plants exhibit poikilo‐ or homoiochlorophylly as a response to water deficit. Both strategies are generally considered as effective mechanisms to reduce oxidative stress associated with photosynthetic activity under water deficiency. The mechanism of water deficit‐induced chlorophyll (Chl) degradation in resurrection plants is unknown but has previously been suggested to occur as a result of non‐enzymatic photooxidation. We investigated Chl degradation during dehydration in both poikilochlorophyllous (Xerophyta viscosa) and homoiochlorophyllous (Craterostigma pumilum) species. We demonstrate an increase in the abundance of PHEOPHORBIDE a OXYGENASE (PAO), a key enzyme of Chl breakdown, together with an accumulation of phyllobilins, that is, products of PAO‐dependent Chl breakdown, in both species. Phyllobilins and PAO levels diminished again in leaves from rehydrated plants. We conclude that water deficit‐induced poikilochlorophylly occurs via the well‐characterized PAO/phyllobilin pathway of Chl breakdown and that this mechanism also appears conserved in a resurrection species displaying homoiochlorophylly. The roles of the PAO/phyllobilin pathway during different plant developmental processes that involve Chl breakdown, such as leaf senescence and desiccation, fruit ripening and seed maturation, are discussed.     

Image and Diagnosis Quality of X-Ray Image Transmission via Cell Phone Camera: A Project Study Evaluating Quality and Reliability

Introduction

Developments in telemedicine have not produced any relevant benefits for orthopedics and trauma surgery to date. For the present project study, several parameters were examined during assessment of x-ray images, which had been photographed and transmitted via cell phone.

Materials and Methods

A total of 100 x-ray images of various body regions were photographed with a Nokia cell phone and transmitted via email or MMS. Next, the transmitted photographs were reviewed on a laptop computer by five medical specialists and assessed regarding quality and diagnosis.

Results

Due to their poor quality, the transmitted MMS images could not be evaluated and this path of transmission was therefore excluded. Mean size of transmitted x-ray email images was 394 kB (range: 265–590 kB, SD ±59), average transmission time was 3.29 min ±8 (CI 95%: 1.7–4.9). Applying a score from 1–10 (very poor - excellent), mean image quality was 5.8. In 83.2±4% (mean value ± SD) of cases (median 82; 80–89%), there was agreement between final diagnosis and assessment by the five medical experts who had received the images. However, there was a markedly low concurrence ratio in the thoracic area and in pediatric injuries.

Discussion

While the rate of accurate diagnosis and indication for surgery was high with a concurrence ratio of 83%, considerable differences existed between the assessed regions, with lowest values for thoracic images. Teleradiology is a cost-effective, rapid method which can be applied wherever wireless cell phone reception is available. In our opinion, this method is in principle suitable for clinical use, enabling the physician on duty to agree on appropriate measures with colleagues located elsewhere via x-ray image transmission on a cell phone.     

Kinetics of Na(+) transport in necturus proximal tubule

The dependence of proximal tubular sodium and fluid readsorption on the Na(+) concentration of the luminal and peritubular fluid was studied in the perfused necturus kidney. Fluid droplets, separated by oil from the tubular contents and identical in composition to the vascular perfusate, were introduced into proximal tubules, reaspirated, and analyzed for Na(+) and [(14)C]mannitol. In addition, fluid transport was measured in short-circuited fluid samples by observing the rate of change in length of the split droplets in the tubular lumen. Both reabsorptive fluid and calculated Na fluxes were simple, storable functions of the perfusate Na(+) concentration (K(m) = 35-39 mM/liter, V(max) = 1.37 control value). Intracellular Na(+), determined by tissue analysis, and open-circuit transepithelial electrical potential differences were also saturable functions of extracellular Na(+). In contrast, net reabsorptive fluid and Na(+) fluxes were linearly dependent on intracellular Na(+) and showed no saturation, even at sharply elevated cellular sodium concentrations. These concentrations were achieved by addition of amphotericin B to the luminal perfusate, a maneuver which increased the rate of Na(+) entry into the tubule cells and caused a proportionate rise in net Na(+) flux. It is concluded that active peritubular sodium transport in proximal tubule cells of necturus is normally unsaturated and remains so even after amphotericin-induced enhancement of luminal Na(+) entry. Transepithelial movement of NaCl may be described by a model with a saturable luminal entry step of Na(+) or NaCl into the cell and a second, unsaturated active transport step of Na(+) across the peritubular cell boundary.     

Cuticular Membrane Fine Structure of Nicotiana tabacum L. Leaves

The cuticular membrane (CM) ofNicotiana tabacumL., includingthe cellin wall (CW), was examined to gain more informationabout the nature and chemical constitution of its fine structurefor possible inclusion in a model system, as recent literaturequestions its function as a major water permeability barrier.Different preparation techniques were used and the results evaluatedto select a method for future studies on tobacco leaf cuticles.Fixation with OsO₄included in the primary fixative, either asa vapour or in combination with other agents, followed by OsO₄aspost-fixative, gave good contrast of the CM. The lamellar structureof the tobacco cuticle proper (CP) was revealed by contrastingwith uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The fine lamellar structureof the CP was very clearly contrasted when KMnO₄was includedin the primary fixative. This was interpreted as indicatingthe tobacco CP to be polar. The reticulate fibrillar patternof the tobacco cuticular layer (CL) containing polysaccharideswas well contrasted when either OsO₄or paraformaldehyde wereincluded in the primary fixative. Cold fixation with glutaraldehydeand dimethyl sulphoxide and post-fixation with OsO₄revealedelectron-opaque material in the outer cutinized, irregularlyoutlined, region of the CW. These ultrahistochemical reactionsare discussed in relation to the known chemical compositionand possible water permeability of the CM. Cuticular fine structure; cuticular transpiration; Nicotiana tabacumL.     

Screening of different algae for green synthesis of gold nanoparticles

The cyanobacteria Phormidium valderianum, P. tenue and Microcoleus chthonoplastes and the green algae Rhizoclonium fontinale, Ulva intestinalis, Chara zeylanica and Pithophora oedogoniana were exposed to hydrogen tetrachloroaurate solution and were screened for their suitability for producing nano‐gold. All three cyanobacteria genera and two of the green algae (Rhizoclonium fontinale and Ulva intestinalis) produced gold nanoparticles intracellularly, confirmed by purple colouration of the thallus within 72?h of treatment at 20°C. Extracted nanoparticle solutions were examined by UV‐vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffractometry (XRD). XRD confirmed the reduction of Au (III) to Au (0). UV‐vis spectroscopy and TEM studies indicated the production of nanoparticles having different shapes and sizes. Phormidium valderianum synthesized mostly spherical nanoparticles, along with hexagonal and triangular nanoparticles, at basic and neutral pHs (pH 9 and pH 7, respectively). Medicinally important gold nanorods were synthesized (together with gold nanospheres) only by P. valderianum at acidic pH (pH 5); this was initially determined by two surface plasmon bands in UV‐vis spectroscopy and later confirmed by TEM. Spherical to somewhat irregular particles were produced by P. tenue and Ulva intestinalis (TEM studies). The UV‐vis spectroscopy of the supernatant of other algal extracts indicated the formation of mostly spherical particles. Production of gold nanoparticles by algae is more ecofriendly than purely chemical synthesis. However, the choice of algae is important: Chara zeylanica and Pithophora oedogoniana were found to be unable to produce nanoparticles.