Evaluating reproductive fitness and metabolic costs for insecticide resistance in Myzus persicae from Chile

The development of insecticide resistance in pest insects is an increasing problem for agriculture, forestry and public health. Aphids are ubiquitous herbivorous insects, with approximately 4700 known species, of which less than 5% exploit the agricultural environment successfully. Of these, the peach‐potato aphid Myzus persicae Sulzer is recognized as one of the most important pests worldwide because it has acquired resistance to many insecticides. Although resistance to insecticides provides important benefits for pests in agricultural fields that are treated with insecticides, it may be associated with fitness (or other) costs in environments that are insecticide free. In the present study, the fitness and energy costs that might be experienced by M. persicae in an insecticide‐free environment when carrying at least one insecticide resistance mutation (IRM), or by having an increased production of esterases, are evaluated. The study investigates whether genotypes that have an IRM also have enhanced esterase production, whether there is any metabolic cost associated with insecticide resistance, and whether there are any fitness costs associated with insecticide resistance and metabolic expenditure. The intrinsic rate of increase, standard metabolic rate (i.e. a measure of maintenance costs) and constitutive esterase activity are determined for 30 different multilocus genotypes carrying (or not carrying) at least one of the two most frequent insecticide resistance mutations (MACE and kdr/super‐kdr) that occur in Chile. The results show that genotypes carrying at least one IRM have higher levels of total esterase activity than genotypes without an IRM, that there is no evidence of an energy cost associated with total esterase activity or IRM, and no evidence for a reproductive fitness cost associated with total esterase activity, IRM or metabolic rate. The results agree with previous studies showing linkage disequilibrium between insecticide resistance mechanisms, although they contrast with those of studies that report fitness costs associated with insecticide resistance in Myzus persicae.     

Reduced salinities compromise the thermal tolerance of hypersaline specialist diving beetles

Inland saline waters are globally threatened habitats that harbour unique assemblages of specialist invertebrates. In many Mediterranean regions, irrigation associated with intensive agriculture is lowering the salinity of these habitats, resulting in the loss of their specialist biota, although the mechanisms by which reductions in salinity lead to species loss are poorly understood. In the present study, the effects of reduced salinity on the temperature tolerance and thermal acclimatory abilities of two related species of hypersaline water beetles, Nebrioporus baeticus (Schaum) and Nebrioporus ceresyi (Aubé), are explored. Both upper (UTL) and lower thermal limits (LTL) are assessed, and both salinity and temperature are found to influence the thermal biology of Nebrioporus. Mean UTLs are greater in individuals of both species acclimated at high salinities, with salinity appearing to be more important than acclimation temperature in determining UTL. In both taxa, the lowest mean LTLs are recorded in individuals acclimated at the highest salinities and lowest temperatures; temperature‐dependent acclimation is only reported after exposure to relatively high salinities. The data show that salinity influences the thermal tolerance and acclimatory ability of these hypersaline beetles, and that lowered salinity compromises the ability of adult Nebrioporus to cope with both heat and cold. Such an effect may partly explain why specialist species are lost from hypersaline habitats subject to salinity reductions, and suggests that ongoing reduction in salinity may compromise the ability of such specialist taxa to cope with rapid climate change.     

Tocopherol and fatty acid composition of twenty-five species of Onagraceae Juss.

Chemotaxonomic relationships in Onagraceae have been investigated at the level of leaf and flower compounds but not for seed traits. The objective of this study was to characterize a set of 26 accessions (25 species, 7 genera) of this family for seed oil content, fatty acid composition, tocopherol content and composition, and to evaluate the chemotaxonomic implications of the results. The accessions showed a large variation for all the traits. Gamma-linolenic acid was exclusively found in Oenothera spp. where two groups, showing different concentrations of gamma-linolenic acid and alpha-tocopherol, were observed. The species of Clarkia Pursh were markedly different to the rest of species, showing low alpha-linolenic acid and low gamma-tocopherol concentration. Circaea lutetiana L. had a characteristic tocopherol profile, with high levels (13%) of beta-tocopherol. Variation for fatty acid and tocopherol composition in Epilobium spp. suggested some phylogenetic relationships. The annual species E. pankulatum Nutt. showed a characteristic composition very similar to the closely related Boisduvalia densiflora (Lindl.) S. Watson. The accessions of the phylogenetically related E. fleischeri Hochst. and E. dodonaei Vill., also showed similar fatty acid and tocopherol composition. The results of this study suggest a potential chemotaxonomic value of seed fatty acids and tocopherols in Onagraceae.     

Ecomorphology of Anolis lizards of the Choco' region in Colombia and comparisons with Greater Antillean ecomorphs

We analysed the ecomorphological relationships in four species of Anolis lizard that occur in the Choco' region in Colombia. The region is one of the most diverse of the Neotropical lowlands. The species were assigned to traditionally recognized Greater Antillean ecomorph categories based on habitat use data. Principal component analyses were carried out to examine correlations between the morphological traits, body size, and habitat use. We found that species are separated in morphological space principally by body size and lamella number. Upon removal of the effect of body size, correlations between morphology and habitat use became apparent. However, when compared with Greater Antillean ecomorphs, we found little evidence of morphological convergence in species occupying similar habitats. The species of the Choco' region are, however, clearly separated in the multidimensional morphological space from the Antillean taxa, and appear to form a separate cluster differentiating principally in body size and the number of lamellae. Mainland species clearly constitute an ecomorphological radiation but apparently this is independent of that of the West Indian fauna. More studies are needed to understand the causes for the independence of evolutionary trajectories on the mainland and the Greater Antilles, and to obtain a better understanding of the ecological and evolutionary processes underlying the radiation of these faunas.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 29–39.     

EXPLOITATION IN THE USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS FOR MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION: A RE-EXAMINATION OF BASIC ISSUES

Relatively subtle forms of exploitation of human subjects may arise from the inefficiency or incompetence of a researcher, from the existence of a power imbalance between principal and subject, or from the uneven distribution of research risks among various segments of the population. A powerful and knowledgeable person (or institution) may perpetrate the exploitation of an unempowered and ignorant individual even without intending to. There is an ethical burden on the former to protect the interests of the vulnerable. Excessive or insufficient compensation may be exploitative. However, genuine economic imperatives motivating needy volunteers have to be considered. These forms of exploitation should be appreciated in the context of social and cultural factors suggesting that the relationship between researcher and subject cannot properly be appraised as a contractual undertaking. While compliance with pertinent codes and regulations minimises the exploitative potential, they cannot be enforced in a way that does not recognise a society's peculiar characteristics. The experience with some Filipino cultural traits illustrates this point.     

In Vitro Activity of Mitochondrial ATP Synthetase Inhibitors Against Plasmodium falciparum

ABSTRACT. The mitochondrion appears to be essential for the growth of asexual, intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum and may thus be a suitable chemotherapeutic target. The in vitro activity of almitrine, a mitochondrial ATP synthetase inhibitor used for the treatment of hypoxemia, was compared with other mitochondrial inhibitors against chloroquine-susceptible and chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum using an isotopic semimicro drug susceptibility assay. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of almitrine (range: 2.6–19.8 μM) were within similar range of values of other mitochondrial ATP synthetase inhibitors and doxycycline, a mitochondrial protein synthesis inhibitor. Almitrine was equally active against chloroquine-susceptible and chloroquine-resistant parasites. Drug combination studies showed no interaction between chloroquine and almitrine. Our results suggest that almitrine, a clinically safe drug, may represent a lead compound with a specific target against the mitochondrial ATP synthetase which may be useful for antimalarial chemotherapy.