Synergism of thymol,carvacrol and eugenol in larvae of the cattle tick,Rhipicephalus microplus,and brown dog tick,Rhipicephalus sanguineus

The effects of combinations of the monoterpenes thymol and carvacrol and the phenylpropanoid eugenol in larvae of Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini, 1888) (Acari: Ixodidae) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) (Acari: Ixodidae) were assessed by the larval packet test. The CompuSyn program was used to make qualitative assessments of the effects (synergistic, additive and antagonistic) of the associations. The effects of all combinations tested against R. microplus larvae were synergistic, with combination indices (CIs) <0.70. When tested against R. sanguineus, eight of the mixtures showed a synergistic effect (CI < 0.70); only the carvacrol + thymol mixture at LC₅₀ presented a moderate synergistic effect, with CIs between 0.70–0.90. This study is the first to determine the effects of the interactions of these substances in the control of these two tick species. The combinations of carvacrol + thymol, carvacrol + eugenol and thymol + eugenol have synergistic effects in R. microplus and R. sanguineus s.l. larvae.     

凝血酶调节蛋白基因防治血管内膜增生狭窄的实验研究

目的:观察凝血酶调节蛋白(Thrombomodulin,TM)基因转染兔髂动脉损伤模型后,对动脉血管内膜增生狭窄的防治作用。方法:用注射式加压转染的方式对兔动脉壁转染pcDNA3.1/hTM质粒,再制造动脉损伤-阻滞模型,于术后3天、7天、14天、28天用免疫组化的方法观察TM蛋白在各组血管腔内的表达,术后14天、28天用彩色多普勒观察活体吻合口内径和血流流速;再做病理切片Verhoeff染色,观察血管内膜增生的程度、部位,计算血管内膜面积、中膜面积和血管狭窄率。结果:术后3天、7天、14天、28天hTM质粒转染组中hTM表达一直保持在高水平,7天达到高峰,14天、28天虽有所下降但是表达强度仍然高于载体质粒转染组合空白对照组。在术后14天、28天彩色多普勒观察测量吻合口内径:hTM质粒转染组分别为1.93mm±0.34mm,1.89mm±0.28mm;载体质粒转染组为1.59mm±0.43mm,1.38mm±0.28mm;空白对照组1.46mm±0.25mm,1.44mm±0.32mm。在这两个时间点,hTM质粒转染组血管狭窄率为32±23%,37±14%;载体质粒转染组为58±21%,63±17%;空白对照组为58±19%,61±23%。结论:hTM基因在转染动脉壁后能减少动脉损伤-阻滞模型在后期的血管内膜增生,改善血管的狭窄状况。     

功能矫形前伸青春期大鼠下颌后翼外肌MyoD、myogenin 的表达

目的:探讨"应力-生长(改建)"在细胞水平上的体现,为功能矫形治疗和矫治效果的保持提供新思路和实验依据。方法:本实验选用20只4周龄,雄性SD大鼠随机分为8组。其中实验组大鼠经戊巴比妥麻醉后佩戴上颌斜面导板,对照组未佩用。依据时间不同又分为四组:1d,7d,14d,21d。采用RT-PCR技术分析各组大鼠翼外肌组织中肌分化相关基因MyoD、myogenin mRNA的表达变化。结果:未施加功能矫形力的大鼠翼外肌组织MyoD表达伴随其生长发育呈现递减趋势,实验组在第7 d出现表达上调。同时,力学刺激后实验组动物myogenin的表达与对照组相比较在14 d组出现明显上调。结论:功能矫形力作用于翼外肌组织可以诱导MyoD和myogenin的表达上调进而诱导成肌细胞的分化。     

酿酒酵母芳樟醇耐受性的工程改造

【背景】芳樟醇具有特殊的香气和多种生物学活性,是食品、医药和化妆品行业的重要原料。随着合成生物学的高速发展,代谢改造微生物进行芳樟醇生物合成是当前研究的一大热点。然而在微生物的生物合成中,芳樟醇对底盘细胞的毒性是一大瓶颈问题,也是其他单萜物质生物合成的共性问题。【目的】建立合理的耐受性改造方法,以提高微生物宿主细胞对芳樟醇的耐受性。【方法】以酿酒酵母BY4741为研究对象,通过对ABC转运蛋白、活性氧调控相关酶及转录调控因子的过表达,考察它们对酿酒酵母芳樟醇耐受性的影响,并通过对酿酒酵母细胞进行定向驯化,筛选耐受性提高的酿酒酵母突变株。【结果】单独过表达ABC转运蛋白(Yor1、Snq2、Pdr5、Pdr15和Pdr18)、ROS调控相关酶(Gre2、Ctt1、Yhb1、Gpx2、Trr1、Trx2和Gsh2)及转录调控因子(Ino2、Yap1、Yap5和Stb5)并不能有效提高酿酒酵母的耐受性,但在传代适应性驯化过程中获得了两株耐受性提高的酿酒酵母突变株,将芳樟醇的致死浓度从430mg/L提高到了645mg/L以上。进一步通过基因组重测序分析揭示了驯化菌株突变位点。其中YBR074W...     

On the origin and colonization of house mice in the Madeira Islands

The skulls and skins of adult house mice from the Madeira Islands have been studied and compared with those from the Salvage Islands and with material from the neighbouring Portuguese mainland man-associated and wild forms, respectively Mus musclus domesticus Rutty, 1772 and M. sprelus Lataste, 1883. Differences between island and mainland populations were found in some of the analysed features. Insular skins of mice were found to be smaller than those of specimens from the mainland. However, in Madeiran and Salvage mice the toothrows were much more developed than in the mainland house mice. It is considered that the causes of these differences lie in the different characteristics of the habitats, mainly food availability, and also in the isolation of populations. Mus musculus domesticus appears to be the only form of the house mouse to have so far successfully colonized the Madeiras.     

First Record of the Peritrich Trichodina diaptomiBasson and Van As, 1991 (Protozoa: Ciliophora) on a South American Calanoid Notodiaptomus deitersi (Poppe, 1890) (Crustacea: Copepoda)

ABSTRACT. The ciliate Trichodina was recorded on the calanoid Notodiaptomus deitersi in a shallow, eutrophic reservoir, located in the centre‐west of Brazil. The species was confirmed as Trichodina diaptomi, a species widely distributed in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. It was observed moving freely over the carapace of the copepod, and using its adhesive disc. This is the first record for the species in the Americas.     

Isolation and characterization of 11 microsatellite loci in the mangrove crab, Ucides cordatus (Ocypodidae: Ucidinae)

Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci were described for the mangrove crab, Ucides cordatus, an important fishery resource on the Brazilian coast. The number of alleles observed at each locus varied between eight and 23. Observed and expected mean heterozygosities were 0.791 and 0.893 respectively. Amplification of all loci was highly successful, under the same polymerase chain reaction conditions. With the exception of P2D3, all loci adhered to the assumptions of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and did not present deviations reflecting linkage disequilibrium. Given this, these markers will be extremely useful in future management programmes for U. cordatus stocks.     

Fertility table and rate of population growth of the predator Supputius cincticeps (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on one plant of Eucalyptus cloeziana in the field

The reproductive potential and population growth (r_m and λ) of the predator Supputius cincticeps (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) were evaluated using a life and fertility table. S. cincticeps was reared on one plant of Eucalyptus cloeziana in the field and fed with Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae. Females of this predator had a net reproductive rate (R₀) of 21.02 females/female; an intrinsic rate of population increase (r_m) of 0.041 and finite rate of increase (λ) of 1.042. This resulted in population growth of S. cincticeps in the eucalyptus plant with a doubling time of 17.01 days. This natural enemy can be reared under field conditions with alternative prey for use in biological control. Such individuals of S. cinticeps will be better adapted to field conditions when they are liberated.     

Brood size: a major factor influencing male dimorphism in the non‐pollinating fig wasp Sycobia sp.

• 1 Male polymorphisms have been described in some non‐pollinating fig wasps, as well as in other animals. The proximal basis and the maintenance of alternative male reproductive strategies are either genetic or environmental.
• 2 Here we studied male dimorphism in the non‐pollinating fig wasp Sycobia sp. We conducted experimental manipulations to study the factors influencing offspring male morph allocations and explore a possible basis for the determination and maintenance of male dimorphism in Sycobia sp.
• 3 The results showed that brood size was the major and underlying factor influencing the male morph ratio. When the brood size increases, the wingless male ratio also increases.
• 4 Also, our results indicated that there was no direct maternal control on offspring male morph allocation.
• 5 Male dimorphism in Sycobia sp. probably represents an environmentally determined conditional strategy, which responded to offspring population density at the level of the individual fig.

     

Seed germination of Pilosocereus arrabidae (Cactaceae) from a semiarid region of south‐east Brazil

We evaluated the effect of temperature regimes (six constant and four alternating temperatures), light qualities (five red : far red ratios) and water potentials (ΨW; seven NaCl and polyethylene glycol 6000 [PEG] solutions) on the percentage and germination rate, as well as the post‐seminal development morphology, that allow Pilosocereus arrabidae seeds to germinate in a hot semiarid climate on the south‐eastern Brazilian coast. The results showed that seeds germinated similarly between constant and alternating temperatures, with an optimal germination at 25/20°C and 20°C. Pilosocereus arrabidae seeds were photoblastic positive and the final germination percentage was inhibited at low red : far red ratios. Maximum germination was obtained in distilled water (0 MPa) and decreases of Ψ_W in the solutions reduced the germination, which was lower in NaCl than in iso‐osmotic PEG solutions. Germination inhibition appears to be osmotic because the recovery response was high when non‐germinated seeds from both iso‐osmotic solutions were transferred to water. Seeds of P. arrabidae are small and germination is phaneroepigeal. Despite the slow growth typically seen in seedlings and adults of Cactaceae, germination in this species depends on the ability of the seeds to appropriately sense and react to environmental cues that correlate with times and places under low‐risk growth conditions.