A NEW RHEOCRICOTOPUS THIENEMANN & HARNISCHIA (DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE) FROM TAIWAN PROVINCE CHINA

Abstract  Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) taiwanensis sp. n. from Taiwan, China, is described as male imagines. The species is allied to R. (P.) chalybeatus (Edwards) but it is easily separated from the latter in lacking setae in all reins, much lower AR and more pronounced crista dorsalis in gonostylus. The genus is new to Taiwan Province, China. The specimen is deposited at the Department of Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin.     

Taxonomic Review of the Genus Eudorylas Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) in Korea

The Korean species of the genus Eudorylas Aczél have been studied. A total of 16 species are arranged herein. Among them, E. paraappendiculatus sp. nov. is new to science, and E. nomurai Morakote et Yano, 1990 is newly recorded in the Korean fauna.     

Hypotonic swelling-induced Ca2+ release by an IP3-insensitive Ca2+ store

Hypotonicswelling increases the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration([Ca²⁺]_i) in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC). The source of this Ca²⁺ is not clear. To study thesource of increase in [Ca²⁺]_i in response tohypotonic swelling, we measured [Ca²⁺]_i infura 2-loaded cultured VSMC (A7r5 cells). Hypotonic swelling produced a40.7-nM increase in [Ca²⁺]_i that was notinhibited by EGTA but was inhibited by 1 µM thapsigargin. Priordepletion of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃)-sensitive Ca²⁺ stores with vasopressin did not inhibit the increasein [Ca²⁺]_i in response to hypotonic swelling.Exposure of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺-loaded intracellular storesto hypotonic swelling in permeabilized VSMC produced an increase in⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux, which was inhibited by 1 µMthapsigargin but not by 50 µg/ml heparin, 50 µM ruthenium red, or25 µM thio-NADP. Thus hypotonic swelling of VSMC causes a release ofCa²⁺ from the intracellular stores from a novel sitedistinct from the IP₃-, ryanodine-, and nicotinic acidadenine dinucleotide phosphate-sensitive stores.

     

Active compounds in Populus nigra L. wilted leaves responsible for attracting Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lep., Noctuidae) and new agaropectin formulation

Abstract:  The leaf extracts of Populus nigra were collected and identified by steam distillation, air entrainment and gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis. Electroantennograms were recorded from Helicoverpa armigera adults in response to the chemicals identified. Both aromatic compounds and green-leaf volatiles elicited strong responses. Field experiments revealed that the active compounds responsible for attracting H. armigera moths are mainly short-side-chain aromatic alcohols and aldehydes. We, for the first time, used agaropectin as the controlled-release matrix of insect attractants. A five-component lure containing all the aromatics without phenolics, mixed in the proportions as found in the steam distillate of the leaves collected in August, produced the best trap catch. The results showed that the volatiles of wilted leaves of P. nigra can attract H. armigera adults by feeding attraction.     

Selected contribution: effects of ischemia-reperfusion on vascular contractility and alpha(1)-adrenergic-receptor signaling in the rat tail artery.

To determine the effects of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) on alpha(1)-adrenergic-receptor (alpha(1)-AR) functions, alpha(1)-AR-mediated contraction, inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation, and alpha(1)-AR-G protein coupling were examined in the tail arteries of anesthetized rats after 60 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. The contractile response to norepinephrine (NE) was significantly increased after I/R, whereas the contractile response to KCl remained unchanged. This was accompanied by a 69% increase in NE-stimulated IP accumulation. Furthermore, receptor-stimulated coupling of alpha(1a)-AR to G alpha(q/11) proteins was increased, whereas the coupling of alpha(1b)-AR or alpha(1d)-AR to their G proteins was not altered by I/R. These changes in vascular alpha(1)-AR function occurred without concurrent alteration in expression levels of membrane alpha(1)-AR subtypes or in the associated G proteins. These data demonstrate that I/R increases alpha(1a)-AR-G(q/11) protein coupling and alpha(1)-AR-stimulated IP accumulation in the tail artery. The alterations in alpha(1)-AR signaling are associated with and may underlie the enhanced contractile response of the tail artery to adrenergic stimulation after I/R.