Description of the xylobiont larvae and pupae of the genus <Emphasis Type=Italic>Achyrolimonia</Emphasis> (Diptera,Limoniidae)

The larva and pupa of Achyrolimonia basispina (Alex.) are described for the first time. New data on the morphology of the larva and pupa of A. decemmaculata (Loew) are discussed, and the morphological characteristics of the genus are defined more exactly. The larvae of these species develop in the dead wood of deciduous trees and in the old carpophores of wood fungi.     

New data on the ecology and morphology of xylobiont larvae of the genus <Emphasis Type=Italic>Elephantomyia</Emphasis> Ost.-Sack. (Diptera,Limoniidae)

New data on the biology and morphology of the larva and pupa of E. hokkaidensis Al. and E. krivosheinae Sav. are given. Additional data on E. edwardsi Lack. and E. subterminalis Al. distributed in Russia are given for the first time. Keys to the larvae and pupae are compiled.     

On the larval morphology and ecology of the limoniid <Emphasis Type=Italic>Microlimonia machidai</Emphasis> (Diptera,Limoniidae)

The morphology of Microlimonia machidai (Al.) larvae is described for the first time. The main diagnostic characters are the following: the presence of five well-developed stigmal lobes, which are sclerotized internally; the massive head capsule with a short frontal plate; the presence of creeping welts on abdominal segments III-VII and the absence of cone-like tooth on the anterior margin of the labium and hypopharynx. The most typical habitat is the juicy bast fibers in decaying trunks of coniferous and deciduous trees.     

On the biology of the Limoniid <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lipsothrix nobilis</Emphasis> (Diptera,Limoniidae) with description of the immature stages

Data on the biology and morphological characters of the larva and pupa of Lipsothrix nobilis Loew, 1873 are given for the first time. The diagnostic characters for the genus Lipsothrix Loew and the species L. errans (Walker) are specified. The larvae differ in the structure of the frontal plate, coloration of the stigmal area, and structure of the hypostomium. The pupae differ in the shape of cuticular structures of the abdominal segments and structure of the spiracles and terminal dents. The larvae inhabit the light decaying moist wood of fallen trunks.     

Efficient separation and purification of allophycocyanin from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Arthrospira</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type=Italic>platensis</Emphasis>

Allophycocyanin (APC) is a minor component of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria and red algae. This paper describes a simple and inexpensive extracting method for isolating APC from Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis with high efficiency. The crude phycobiliprotein extract was pretreated by ammonium sulfate fractionation. Then, by adding hydroxylapatite into crude phycobiliprotein extract dissolved in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), APC was selectively adsorbed by hydroxylapatite but C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was not. The hydroxylapatite was collected and APC was extracted from the crude phycobiliprotein extract. Then, the enriched APC was washed off from the hydroxylapatite using 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). In this simple extracting method it was easy to remove C-PC and isolate APC in large amounts. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of extracted APC reached 2.0. The recovery yield was 70%, representing 4.61 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. The extracted APC could be further purified by a simple anion-exchange chromatography with a pH gradient from 5.6 to 4.0. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of the purified APC reached 5.0, and the overall recovery yield was 43%, representing 2.83 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. Its purity was confirmed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE.     

Dispersal and Burial Behavior in Larvae of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Chrysomya megacephala</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Chrysomya albiceps</Emphasis> (Diptera,Calliphoridae)

Blowflies use discrete and ephemeral substrates to feed their larva. After they run out of food, the larvae begin to disperse in order to find adequate places for pupation or additional food sources, a process named post-feeding larval dispersal. Briefly state the aspects and why they are important were studied in a circular arena of 25 cm in diameter and covered with wood shavings to a height of 40 cm allowing post-feeding dispersal from the center of the arena. Larvae of both Chrysomya albiceps and C. megacephala were used in five experiments for each species. For each pupa location, determined as distance from the center, depth, and weight were evaluated. Statistical tests were done to verify the relation between weight, depth and distance for pupation and for larvae of two species shows that the media distance is significantly different for two species and for C. megacephala this distance is greater than the distance for C. albiceps. The depth too is different for each species, as the larvae of C. megacephala buries deeper than C. albiceps. With relation of weight, there is no statistic evidence that have any difference between weights for pupation for each species.     

On the distribution of seed-eating <Emphasis Type=Italic>Dicraeus nartshukae</Emphasis> (Diptera,Chloropidae) and its host plant <Emphasis Type=Italic>Leymus mollis</Emphasis>

The distribution ranges of Dicraeus nartshukae Kanmiya (Diptera, Chloropidae) and its host plant Leymus mollis (Trin.) Pilger are discussed. Larvae of D. nartshukae develop in unripe seeds of Leymus mollis but not in the seeds of the closely related L. villosissimus and L. interior. The spikes, spikelets, and glumes of L. mollis are larger than in other species, and usually softly hirsute. The glumes of L. villosissimus and L. interior possess dense hirsute pubescence which appears to be unfavorable for oviposition of Dicraeus nartshukae. The absence of seedeating Dicraeus on L. villosissimus and L. interior is an additional argument in support of distinctness of these species. The distribution range of Dicraeus nartshukae is meridional, or Pacific littoral.     

Cryopreservation of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Robinia</Emphasis><Emphasis Type=Italic>pseudoacacia</Emphasis>

Cryopreservation of Robinia pseudoacacia explants by vitrification achieved 78% survival following the stepwise preculture of shoot tips in (0.3 + 0.5 + 0.7 M) sucrose with a 80 min incubation in PVS2; compared to 87% survival after desiccation of explants to 30% water content, following 3 days alginate bead (with glycerol and sucrose treatments) preculture in 0.7 M sucrose.     

Habitat,density, and spatial distribution of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Rivulus giarettai</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Actinopterygii</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cyprinodontiformes</Emphasis>) in southeastern Brazil

We present data on the habitat, density, and spatial distribution of Rivulus giarettai, and discuss some biotic and abiotic variables related to its abundance in Free Flowing Waters (FFW) and Dam Reservoirs (DR) in palm grove (Mauritia flexuosa) marshes (Veredas) in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The mean density (individuals/plot) of R. giarettai was about 13 times higher in FFW than in DR. In FFW, the density of R. giarettai was highest at intermediate amounts of substrate (plant mass) and it was positively rank-correlated with the depth, and the number of arthropods. Individuals occurred in an aggregated distribution. The aggregated pattern could be related to a concentration of individuals in microhabitats neither too much exposed nor completely saturated by plants. R. giarettai was relatively abundant and tolerant to slight man-made habitat modifications. Damming appeared to be especially problematic by negatively affecting its density.     

The gene <Emphasis Type=Italic>transformer-2</Emphasis> of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Anastrepha</Emphasis>fruit flies (Diptera,Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects

Background  

In the tephritids Ceratitis, Bactrocera and Anastrepha, the gene transformer provides the memory device for sex determination via its auto-regulation; only in females is functional Tra protein produced. To date, the isolation and characterisation of the gene transformer-2 in the tephritids has only been undertaken in Ceratitis, and it has been shown that its function is required for the female-specific splicing of doublesex and transformer pre-mRNA. It therefore participates in transformer auto-regulatory function. In this work, the characterisation of this gene in eleven tephritid species belonging to the less extensively analysed genus Anastrepha was undertaken in order to throw light on the evolution of transformer-2.     

Presence of <Emphasis Type=Italic>C. albidus</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type=Italic>C. laurentii</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>C. uniguttulatus</Emphasis> in Crop and Droppings of Pigeon Lofts (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Columba livia</Emphasis>)

Columba livia is an important reservoir and carrier of Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus uniguttulatus, Cryptococcus laurentii and Cryptococcus albidus. Upper digestive tract of this species is also known as a habitat for Cryptococcus neoformans. Given the increasing clinical interest of this microorganism, 331 swabs from crop and 174 dropping samples from pigeon lofts in Grand Canary Island have been studied. The obtained results show an extensive presence samples 81 positive (24.47%) of Cryptococcus spp. in analysed crops: 32 (9.66%) for C. neoformans, 24 (7.2%) for C. uniguttulatus, 23 (6.9%) for C. albidus and 2 (0.6%) for C. laurentii. In the same way, Cryptococcus spp was also isolated in 82 (47.13%), dropping samples: C. neoformans in 59 (33.9%), C. uniguttulatus, in 9 (5.17%), C. laurentii in 8 (4.59%) and C. albidus in 6 (3.44%) of the investigated samples, respectively. The cryptococcosis produced by species of cryptococci other than C. neoformans has become more important during the last decade, supporting the study on the role of pigeon in the epidemiology of this disease.     

Attenuation of fibrosis <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vivo</Emphasis> with <Emphasis Type=Italic>SPARC</Emphasis> siRNA

Introduction  

SPARC is a matricellular protein, which, along with other extracellular matrix components including collagens, is commonly over-expressed in fibrotic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether inhibition of SPARC can regulate collagen expression in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently attenuate fibrotic stimulation by bleomycin in mouse skin and lungs.     

Synthesis of orthogonally protected (<Emphasis Type=Italic>3R</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type=Italic>4S</Emphasis>)- and (<Emphasis Type=Italic>3S</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type=Italic>4S</Emphasis>)-4,5-diamino-3-hydroxypentanoic acids

Summary.  The paper describes two methods of the synthesis of ethyl (3R,4S)- and (3S,4S)-4-[(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino]-5-[(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)amino]-3-hydroxypentanoates, useful for the syntheses of edeine analogs. Differently N-protected (S)-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid was used as a substrate in both procedures. The absolute configuration of newly generated asymmetric carbon atoms C-3 in β-hydroxy-γ,δ-diamino products was assigned by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy after their transformation into corresponding piperidin-2-ones. Received May 24, 2002 Accepted October 10, 2002 Published online December 18, 2002 Acknowledgment The authors are indebted to the Faculty of Chemistry, Technical University of Gdańsk for financial support. Authors' address: Zbigniew Czajgucki, M. Sc., Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Technical University of Gdańsk, 11/12 Narutowicza St., 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland, Fax +48 58 347 11 44, E-mail: zmczaj@wp.pl     

External morphology of the leaf-tying larva and pupa of the Neotropical micromoth <Emphasis Type=Italic>Eccopsis razowskii</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Eccopsis razowskii Vargas (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutini) is a Neotropical micromoth native to the Atacama Desert with leaf-tying larvae that feed on Acacia macracantha Willd. (Fabaceae). The external morphology of its last instar and that of its pupa are described and illustrated for the first time with the aid of light and scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of each of these life stages is highly similar to that of the only sympatric congeneric, the pest species E. galapagana Razowski & Landry, the larvae of which feed on Prosopis spp. (Fabaceae). The pupae of the two species cannot be separated based on morphology; they can only be accurately separated based on the form of the mandible. The findings are discussed in terms of their significance for the taxonomy and systematics of Eccopsis. In addition, a comparison with the two other Tortricidae associated with A. macracantha in the Atacama Desert is provided.