Wing morph-related physiological differences in adults of temperate population of Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

The reproductive and diapausing adult females of brachypterous morph and macropterous females with reproductive arrest of non-diapause type, originating from the laboratory cultures of Pyrrhocoris apterus, were studied for their feeding and drinking behaviour, digestive enzyme activities, and carbohydrate and lipid contents. The highest feeding and drinking activities were observed in reproductive brachypters, the lowest in macropters. Macropters also differed from brachypters by lower activities of gut lipase, peptidase and protease, lower concentration of haemolymph sugars, and lower weight of fat body, which probably reflects their low feeding activity. The total content of fat body lipids was also lower in macropters (0.6 mg) than in reproductive and diapausing brachypters (4.6 and 7.5 mg, respectively) on day 14. A very high amount of glycogen was found in the fat body of diapausing brachypters, 363 μg on day 14, as opposed to 15 and 80 μg in macropterous and reproductive brachypterous females, respectively. The obtained data indicate that the most important difference between macropterous and brachypterous females with different types of reproductive arrest consists of an enhanced mobilization of lipids for dispersal in macropters and accumulation of energetic reserves for hibernation in brachypters.     

Thermally Durable Lithium‐Ion Capacitors with High Energy Density from All Hydroxyapatite Nanowire‐Enabled Fire‐Resistant Electrodes and Separators

The reliability and durability of lithium‐ion capacitors (LICs) are severely hindered by the kinetic imbalance between capacitive and Faradaic electrodes. Efficient charge storage in LICs is still a huge challenge, particularly for thick electrodes with high mass loading, fast charge delivery, and harsh working conditions. Here, a unique thermally durable, stable LIC with high energy density from all‐inorganic hydroxyapatite nanowire (HAP NW)‐enabled electrodes and separators is reported. Namely, the LIC device is designed and constructed with the electron/ion dual highly conductive and fire‐resistant composite Li₄Ti₅O₁₂‐based anode and activated carbon‐based cathode, together with a thermal‐tolerant HAP NW separator. Despite the thick‐electrode configuration, the as‐fabricated all HAP NW‐enabled LIC exhibits much enhanced electrochemical kinetics and performance, especially at high current rates and temperatures. Long cycling lifetime and state‐of‐the‐art areal energy density (1.58 mWh cm^?2) at a high mass loading of 30 mg cm^?2 are achieved. Benefiting from the excellent fire resistance of HAP NWs, such an unusual LIC exhibits high thermal durability and can work over a wide range of temperatures from room temperature to 150 °C. Taking full advantage of synergistic configuration design, this work sets the stage for designing advanced LICs beyond the research of active materials.     

普通齿蛉幼虫的游泳行为（英文）

为了探究广翅目昆虫幼虫在水中的游泳能力, 以丰富其水生习性的行为学资料, 选取中国特有种普通齿蛉Neoneuromus ignobilis幼虫为研究对象, 通过室内试验对其游泳的姿势、 刺激因素、 不同龄期游泳能力及在外界刺激下的游泳行为进行了观察和测定。结果表明： 普通齿蛉幼虫有垂直、 平行、 仰面和侧面等4种游泳姿势, 出现的频率分别为89.08%, 5.49%, 4.40%和0.61%。游泳时身体呈不同程度的“S”形, 利用头部和尾部方向的改变实现虫体的上升、 下沉和游泳姿势的改变。普通齿蛉幼虫利用身体的摆动游泳, 游泳时3对足以固定的姿势靠紧身体。不同龄期的幼虫游泳能力差异很大, 6龄幼虫的游泳能力远强于2龄和末龄幼虫。在游泳时, 普通齿蛉幼虫还具有比较复杂和独特的防御行为, 如其腹部末端会喷射出化学物质。据此认为, 普通齿蛉拥有较强的游泳能力, 有助于其逃生和防御。     

Cell death shapes embryonic lineages of the central complex in the grasshopper Schistocerca gregaria

We have investigated cell death in identified lineages of the central complex in the embryonic brain of the grasshopper Schistocerca gregaria. Progeny from these lineages lie in the pars intercerebralis and direct projections to the protocerebral bridge and then the central body via the w, x, y, z tracts. Osmium‐ethyl gallate staining reveals pycnotic cells exclusively in cortical regions, and concentrated specifically within the lineages of the W, X, Y, Z neuroblasts. Minimal cell death occurs in a sporadic, nonpatterned manner, in other protocerebral regions. Immunohistochemistry reveals pycnotic cells express the enzyme cleaved Caspase‐3 in their cytoplasm and are therefore undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis). The number of pycnotic bodies in lineages of the pars intercerebralis varies with age: small numbers are present in the Y, Z lineages early in embryogenesis (42%), the number peaks at 67–80%, and then declines and disappears late in embryogenesis. Cell death may encompass up to 20% of a lineage at mid‐embryogenesis. Peak cell death occurs shortly after maximum neurogenesis in the Y, Z lineages, and is maintained after neurogenesis has ceased in these lineages. Cell death within a lineage is patterned. Apoptosis is more pronounced among older cells and almost absent among younger cells. This suggests that specific subsets of progeny will be culled from these lineages, and we speculate about the effect of apoptosis on the biochemical profile of such lineages. J. Morphol. 271:949–959, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Digestive peptidases in Tenebrio molitor and possibility of use to treat celiac disease

Digestion in Tenebrio molitor larvae occurs in the midgut, where there is a sharp pH gradient from 5.6 in the anterior midgut (AM) to 7.9 in the posterior midgut (PM). Accordingly, digestive enzymes are compartmentalized to the AM or PM. Enzymes in the AM are soluble and have acidic or neutral pH optima, while PM enzymes have alkaline pH optima. The main peptidases in the AM are cysteine endopeptidases presented by two to six subfractions of anionic proteins. The major activity belongs to cathepsin L, which has been purified and characterized. Serine post‐proline cleaving peptidase with pH optimum 5.3 was also found in the AM. Typical serine digestive endopeptidases, trypsin‐like and chymotrypsin‐like, are compartmentalized to the PM. Trypsin‐like activity is due to one cationic and three anionic proteinases. Chymotrypsin‐like activity consists of one cationic and four anionic proteinases, four with an extended binding site. The major cationic trypsin and chymotrypsin have been purified and thoroughly characterized. The predicted amino acid sequences are available for purified cathepsin L, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Additional sequences for putative digestive cathepsins L, trypsins and chymotrypsins are available, implying multigene families for these enzymes. Exopeptidases are found in the PM and are presented by a single membrane aminopeptidase N‐like peptidase and carboxypeptidase A, although multiple cDNAs for carboxypeptidase A were found in the AM, but not in the PM. The possibility of the use of two endopeptidases from the AM – cathepsin L and post‐proline cleaving peptidase – in the treatment of celiac disease is discussed.     

2010年宜昌市铜绿假单胞菌的耐药性分析

了解宜昌市铜绿假单胞菌（Pseudomonas aeruginosa）临床分离株的耐药现状。宜昌市城区5所医院临床分离的铜绿假单胞菌菌株,用K-B法作药敏试验,并根据统计其耐药情况及耐药表型（模式）分析可能存在的耐药机制。临床分离的铜绿假单胞菌共1 575株,耐药率依次为阿米卡星7.1%、美罗培南17.2%、头孢吡肟20.4%、头孢哌酮/舒巴坦21.0%、哌拉西林/他唑巴坦22.5%、环丙沙星23.1%、庆大霉素23.4%、头孢他啶25.0%、亚胺培南25.2%、哌拉西林30.4%、氨曲南34.5%、复方新诺明59.0%、米诺环素75.6%。多重耐药（MDR）和泛耐药（PDR）株分别占41.5%和0.17%。对各种抗假单胞菌药物分别耐药的菌株仍有13%～25.7%对阿米卡星敏感,提示在严重铜绿假单胞菌感染患者的治疗中,β内酰胺类抗假单胞菌药加氨基糖苷类仍是一个很好的联合用药组合。细菌耐药性仍呈增长趋势,临床上感染多重耐药和泛耐药的铜绿假单胞菌的治疗仍很棘手,应合理使用抗生素,尽量延缓耐药菌株的出现。     

Protein and cDNA sequences of Bowman-Birk protease inhibitors from the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp.)

The protein and gene sequences of the cowpea Bowman-Birk type trypsin inhibitor which confers enhanced insect resistance to transgenic tobacco plants, and of cowpea trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitors are presented. There are regions of high conservation and high divergence within the 5 leader, mature protein and 3 non-coding regions of the Bowman-Birk inhibitors and in the genes which encode them in different members of this family within the Leguminosae. The practical implications of this finding for studies on the evolution of plants and the utilization of these genes for enhancing insect resistance is discussed.     

Increased insect resistance in transgenic wheat stably expressing trypsin inhibitor CMe

Proteinase inhibitors have been proposed to function as plant defence agents against herbivorous pests. We have introduced the barley trypsin inhibitor CMe (BTI-CMe) into wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by biolistic bombardment of cultured immature embryos. Of the 30 independent transgenic wheat lines selected, 16 expressed BTI-CMe. BTI-CMe was properly transcribed and translated as indicated by northern and western blot, with a level of expression in transgenic wheat seeds up to 1.1% of total extracted protein. No expression was detected in untransformed wheat seeds. Functional integrity of BTI-CMe was confirmed by trypsin inhibitor activity assay. The significant reduction of the survival rate of the Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella, Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), reared on transgenic wheat seeds expressing the trypsin inhibitor BTI-CMe, compared to the untransformed control confirmed the potential of BTI-CMe for the increase of insect resistance. However, only early-instar larvae were inhibited in transgenic seeds and expression of BTI-CMe protein in transgenic leaves did not have a significant protective effect against leaf-feeding insects.     

Evolution of insect-plant relationships — a devil''s advocate approach

Most hypotheses concerning the evolution of insect-plant relationships are based on the assumptions that, (1) phytophagous insects reduce plant fitness, and that (2) insect-plant relationships are the result of unconstrained selection. It can be shown, however, that there is little evidence to support these assumptions. As an alternative, it is proposed that the evolution of insect-plant relationships results primarily from autonomous evolutionary events; namely from heritable functional changes within the insects' nervous system that determine plant recognition and ultimately host plant specificity. These changes cannot be evoked by selective ecological agents. They originate from intrinsic changes (mutationssensu lato) within the insect genome. Ecological factors play a secondary role: by either supporting or preventing the establishment of the new genotype with the novel food preference. This paper has been dedicated in warm friendship to Professor Louis M. Schoonhoven, the leading scientist in sensory physiology of phytophagous insects, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.