Long-term field trial to control the invasive Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with synthetic trail pheromone

Previous short-term experiments showed that trail following behavior of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), can be disrupted by a high concentration of synthetic trail pheromone component (Z)-9-hexadecenal. In this study, a long-term field trial was conducted in 100-m2 plots of house gardens in an urban area of Japan to see whether the control effect on Argentine ants can be obtained by permeating synthetic trail pheromone from dispensers. The dispensers were placed in the experimental plots during the ant's active season (April-November) for 2 yr with monthly renewal. To estimate Argentine ant population density, foraging activity of Argentine ants in the study plots was monitored by monthly bait surveys. Throughout the study period, Argentine ant foraging activity was suppressed in the presence of the dispensers, presumably via trail forming inhibition. In contrast, the level of foraging activity was not different between treatment and no-treatment plots when the dispensers were temporarily removed, suggesting that treatment with pheromone dispensers did not suppress Argentine ant density in the treatment plots. Population decline may be expected with larger-scale treatment that covers a significant portion of the ant colony or with improvement in the potency of the disruptant.     

Relationship between the bloom of Noctiluca scintillans and environmental factors in the coastal waters of Sagami Bay, Japan

In order to study the mechanism of the bloom formation of Noctilucascintillans, the relationship between the variation in the abundanceof N. scintillans and environmental factors was examined inthe coastal waters of Sagami Bay, Japan. Hydrographic (temperature,salinity, water stability), biological (chlorophyll a concentration,zooplankton biomass) and meteorological (rainfall, wind velocity,wind direction) factors were investigated from 1997 to 2004.For all years, the abundance of N. scintillans started to increasefrom March and reached a maximum in spring between April andMay. The abundance in 1997 and 2000 was relatively high comparedto the other years while the abundance in 1998 and 2004 wasrelatively low. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysisshowed that the wind direction and rainfall were significantlycorrelated with the variation in the abundance of N. scintillans.Our results suggest that bloom formation can be separated intoa three-step process: (i) initial increase in the abundanceof N. scintillans attributed to an increase in optimum hydrographicand biological factors, (ii) N. scintillans is then accumulatedby convergence of seawater by the factors of low rainfall andwind and (iii) swarmer-effects suggested enhanced bloom formation.Accumulation is considered to be a key trigger in this processof the formation of large-scale blooms. This paper was presented at Plankton Symposium III, held atFiguera da Foz, Portugal between 17 and 20 March 2005, underthe auspices of the University of Coimbra and the Universityof Aveiro, and coordinated by Mário Jorge Pereira andUlisses M. Azeiteiro.     

Interaction of KAI1 on tumor cells with DARC on vascular endothelium leads to metastasis suppression

CD82, also known as KAI1, was recently identified as a prostate cancer metastasis suppressor gene on human chromosome 11p1.2 (ref. 1). The product of CD82 is KAI1, a 40- to 75-kDa tetraspanin cell-surface protein also known as the leukocyte cell-surface marker CD82 (refs. 1,2). Downregulation of KAI1 has been found to be clinically associated with metastatic progression in a variety of cancers, whereas overexpression of CD82 specifically suppresses tumor metastasis in various animal models. To define the mechanism of action of KAI1, we used a yeast two-hybrid screen and identified an endothelial cell-surface protein, DARC (also known as gp-Fy), as an interacting partner of KAI1. Our results indicate that the cancer cells expressing KAI1 attach to vascular endothelial cells through direct interaction between KAI1 and DARC, and that this interaction leads to inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and induction of senescence by modulating the expression of TBX2 and p21. Furthermore, the metastasis-suppression activity of KAI1 was significantly compromised in DARC knockout mice, whereas KAI1 completely abrogated pulmonary metastasis in wild-type and heterozygous littermates. These results provide direct evidence that DARC is essential for the function of CD82 as a suppressor of metastasis.     

Use of Two Industrial Wastes as Soil Amendments: Effect on Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus in Runoff

To control the dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) concentration in a soil solution, a number of soil amendments were tested. In the current study, Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) and Water Treatment Residues (WTR) were tested on bare soil under two rainfall intensities and two soil roughness levels. The soil was fertilized with P (KH₂PO₄) at a rate of 400 kg ha^?1 while BFS and WTR were applied at a rate of 5 g per 100 g of soil. Two soil roughness levels were exposed to artificial rainfall intensities of 30 and 65 mm h^?1. Three rainfall events were performed on each treatment. The runoff water generated over an area of 0.5 m² with a slope of 8% was collected at different time intervals and analyzed for DRP, Al, Fe, and K concentrations. The results showed that, regardless of rainfall intensity and soil roughness, the concentration of DRP in the runoff water increased with increasing runoff time from the unamended plots. However, in the BFS- and WTR-amended soils, the DRP concentration decreased with runoff time. Dissolved reactive P and DRP loads were the lowest from the WTR-amended plots, followed by the control and the BFS treatment plots. Water treatment residues reduced the mean DRP concentration by 27.3% and the DRP load by 32% compared to unamended plots. The two rainfall intensities significantly affected the DRP concentration and load. Under the low rainfall intensity, the DRP concentration and load were higher compared to the high rainfall intensity. The overall DRP concentration was not affected by changes in soil roughness. However, the DRP loads were higher from the plots with low soil roughness levels, especially during the first and second runs. Both the BFS and WTR were also effective in reducing the DRP concentrations in the drain water collected during the runoff events. The concentrations of Al, Fe, and K in the runoff water were not affected by the soil amendments. However, the electrical conductivity and pH readings were higher from the BFS-amended plots.     

Frequency and aetiology of dermatophytosis in children age 12 and under in the state of Amazonas,Brazil

BackgroundFew scientific studies have evaluated dermatophytosis among children in the state of Amazonas or in the greater northern region of Brazil.AimsThe aim of this study was to research the frequency and aetiology of dermatophytosis in children age 12 and under, who were seen between March 1996 and November 2005 at the Mycology Laboratory of the National Institute of Amazonian Research.MethodsFor mycological diagnoses, epidermal scales and/or hairs were used. A portion of this material was treated with potassium hydroxide for direct examination, and another portion was cultivated in Mycobiotic Agar for the isolation of dermatophytes.ResultsOf the 590 samples analysed, 210 showed positive diagnoses by direct examination and cultivation. Tinea capitis (153 cases) was the most frequent type of dermatophytosis, and Trichophyton tonsurans (121 cases) was the most frequently isolated fungal agent. Tinea corporis was observed in 48 cases where the most frequently isolated fungal agent was also T. tonsurans (17 cases), and the corporal regions most affected were the face, arms and trunk. The laboratory confirmed tinea pedis in 6 cases, and the principal fungal agents isolated were Trichophyton rubrum (3) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (3). The presence of tinea cruris was confirmed in 3 cases, and T. rubrum, T. tonsurans and Epidermophyton floccosum were isolated from these cases.ConclusionsThe children examined were primarily affected by tinea capitis, and the main fungal agent for this dermatophytosis was T. tonsurans.     

Racial and ethnic differences in pediatric obesity-prevention counseling: national prevalence of clinician practices

Objective: To assess the frequency of clinician‐reported delivery of obesity‐prevention counseling (OPC) at well‐child visits; evaluating for racial/ethnic discrepancies. Methods and Procedures: Combined, weighted well‐child visit data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) from 2001 to 2004 were analyzed for patients aged 4–18 years. Obesity‐prevention counseling was defined as the combined delivery of diet/nutrition and exercise counseling. Patients receiving over‐ or underweight related diagnoses were excluded. Counseling frequencies were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression models examined the relationship of OPC with race, ethnicity, region, provider, sex, age, and payor type. Results: Of 55,695,554 (weighted) visits, 24.4% included OPC (90.8% of these from NAMCS). 15.4% of Hispanic patients received OPC compared to 28.8% of non‐Hispanics. Frequencies were similar between Whites and Blacks (25.0 and 27.1%). Patients with private insurance received more counseling (26.9%) than Medicaid (19.1%) or self‐pay (15.1%). In logistic regression models, non‐Hispanics were more likely to receive OPC (odds ratio (OR) = 1.94; confidence interval (CI) = 1.13–3.32), and patients in the West were less likely to receive OPC (OR = 0.39; CI = 0.18–0.85). Payor type was not predictive in regression analysis. Patients in hospital‐based practices received less OPC (11.9% vs. 25.7% with OR = 0.40; CI =0.22–0.74). Discussion: Obesity prevention, like treatment, is a complex and multifactorial process. With the documented racial and ethnic disparities in rates of pediatric obesity, reasons for discrepancies in the provision of OPC must be further investigated as preventive strategies are formulated.     

Interaction of CD44 and hyaluronic acid enhances biliary epithelial proliferation in cholestatic livers

Biliary epithelia express high levels of CD44 in hepatobiliary diseases. The role of CD44-hyaluronic acid interaction in biliary pathology, however, is unclear. A rat model of hepatic cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation was employed for characterization of hepatic CD44 expression and extracellular hyaluronan distribution. Cell culture experiments were employed to determine whether hyaluronan can regulate cholangiocyte growth through interacting with adhesion molecule CD44. Biliary epithelial cells were found to express the highest level of CD44 mRNA among four major types of nonparenchymal liver cells, including Kupffer, hepatic stellate, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated from cholestatic livers. CD44-positive biliary epithelia lining the intrahepatic bile ducts were geographically associated with extracellular hyaluronan accumulated in the portal tracts of the livers, suggesting a role for CD44 and hyaluronan in the development of biliary proliferation. Cellular proliferation assays demonstrated that cholangiocyte propagation was accelerated by hyaluronan treatment and antagonized by small interfering RNA CD44 or anti-CD44 antibody. The study provides compelling evidence to suggest that proliferative biliary epithelia lining the intrahepatic bile ducts are a prime source of hepatic CD44. CD44-hyaluronan interaction, by enhancing biliary proliferation, may play a pathogenic role in the development of cholestatic liver diseases.     

Subcellular localization of ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase in phycobilisome retaining oxygenic photosysnthetic organisms

Ferredoxin-NADP⁺ oxidoreductase (FNR) catalyzing the terminal step of the linear photosynthetic electron transport was purified from the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis and the red alga Cyanidium caldarium. FNR of Spirulina consisted of three domains (CpcD-like domain, FAD-binding domain, and NADP⁺-binding domain) with a molecular mass of 46 kDa and was localized in either phycobilisomes or thylakoid membranes. The membrane-bound FNR with 46 kDa was solublized by NaCl and the solublized FNR had an apparent molecular mass of 90 kDa. FNR of Cyanidium consisted of two domains (FAD-binding domain and NADP⁺-binding domain) with a molecular mass of 33 kDa. In Cyanidium, FNR was found on thylakoid membranes, but there was no FNR on phycobilisomes. The membrane-bound FNR of Cyanidium was not solublized by NaCl, suggesting the enzyme is tightly bound in the membrane. Although both cyanobacteria and red algae are photoautotrophic organisms bearing phycobilisomes as light harvesting complexes, FNR localization and membrane-binding characteristics were different. These results suggest that FNR binding to phycobilisomes is not characteristic for all phycobilisome retaining oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, and that the rhodoplast of red algae had possibly originated from a cyanobacterium ancestor, whose FNR lacked the CpcD-like domain.     

Study of the genetics of female sex pheromone production and male behavioral response in a moth, Ostrinia orientalis

Inheritance patterns of female sex pheromone production and male behavioral response were studied in Ostrinia orientalis. Results showed that the production of the female sex pheromone in O. orientalis was mainly controlled by a single autosomal factor, while the male behavioral response was controlled by a sex‐linked major gene.