Localization of mating behavior of releasedBactrocera dorsalis flies on host fruit in an orchard

Oriental fruit flies,Bactrocera dorsalis, cultured in the laboratory for six generations, were released when 12–14 days old in an orchard of nonfruiting host trees that were furnished with either food and water, nonpunctured host fruit, punctured host fruit, or no resources. Nearly all flies of both sexes, all sexual behavior of males, and all mating pairs were observed on trees with fruit. Moreover, on trees with fruit, nearly all flies of both sexes, nearly all sexual behavior of males, and nearly all mating pairs occurred on the fruit itself rather than on the foliage or branches. In a subsequent test, both sexes were found to be strongly attracted to the odor of host fruit. For a polyphagous species of a tropical tephritid, these findings are the first to show a high level of male aggregation and a high amount of male sexual behavior on the fruit of host trees. Findings are discussed in relation to current knowledge of tephritid mating behavior. An additional quality-control test for laboratory cultured males used in the sterile insect technique of fly management is recommended.     

Effects of chlorogenic acid-and tomatine-fed caterpillars on the behavior of an insect predator

If generalist insect predators are a selective force contributing to patterns of feeding specialization by insect herbivores, then predators should be deterred from eating allelochemical-fed prey. The attack and feeding behaviors of naive predators (Podisus maculiventris stinkbugs) reared on control caterpillars (Manduca sexta) fed plain diet were compared to experienced predators reared on caterpillars fed tomato allelochemicals. Tomatine-fed prey were found more quickly by both naive and tomatine-experienced predators, and chlorogenic acid-experienced predators were more stimulated to begin searching for prey. However, experienced predators were less likely to attack both chlorogenic acidfed and tomatine-fed caterpillars than were naive predators. These results indicate that allelochemical-fed prey were easier for predators to locate, but allelochemical-containing prey often deterred predation by experienced predtors.     

The kinetics of baculovirus adsorption to insect cells in suspension culture

The influence of various culture parameters on the attachment of a recombinant baculovirus to suspended insect cells was examined under normal culture conditions. These parameters included cell density, multiplicity of infection, and composition of the cell growth medium. It was found that the fractional rate of virus attachment was independent of the multiplicity of infection but dependent on the cell density. A first order mathematical model was used to simulate the adsorption kinetics and predict the efficiency of virus attachment under the various culture conditions. This calculated efficiency of virus attachment was observed to decrease at high cell densities, which was attributed to cell clumping. It was also observed that virus attachment was more efficient in Sf900II serum free medium than it was in IPL-41 serum-supplemented medium. This effect was attributed to the protein in serum which may coat the cells and so inhibit adsorption. A general discussion relating the observations made in-these experiments to the kinetics of recombinant baculovirus adsorption to suspended insect cells is presented.     

Leaf dynamics and insect herbivory in a Eucalyptus camaldulensis forest under moisture stress

Abstract The influence of soil moisture content on leaf dynamics and insect herbivory was examined between September 1991 and March 1992 in a river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forest in southern central New South Wales. Long-term observations of leaves were made in trees standing either within intermittently flooded waterways or at an average of 37. 5m from the edge of the waterways. The mean soil moisture content was significantly (P≤0.05) greater in the waterways than in the non-flooded areas. Trees in the higher soil moisture regime produced significantly larger basal area increments and increased canopy leaf area. This increase in canopy leaf area was achieved, in part, through a significant increase in leaf longevity and mean leaf size. Although a greater number of leaves was initiated and abscissed per shoot from the non-flooded trees, more leaves were collected from litter traps beneath the denser canopies of the flooded trees. Consumption of foliage by insects on the trees subjected to flooding compared to the non-flooded trees was not significantly different. However, the relative impact of insect herbivory was significantly greater on the non-flooded trees. Leaf chewing was the most common form of damage by insects, particularly Chryso-melidae and Curculionidae. No species was present in outbreak during this study. Leaf survival decreased as the per cent area eaten per leaf increased. In addition, irrespective of the level of herbivory, leaf abscission tended to be higher in E. camaldulensis under moisture deficit. The influence of soil moisture content on the balance between river red gum growth and insect herbivory is discussed.     

Seasonality and vertical structure of light-attracted insect communities in a dipterocarp forest in Sarawak

Nocturnal flying insects were collected monthly for 13 months using ultra violet light-traps set at various vertical levels in a weakly-seasonal, tropical lowland dipterocarp forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Abundance, faunal composition, size distribution and guild structure of these samples were analyzed with respect to temperal and vertical distributions. The nocturnal flying insect community in the canopy level was highly dominated by fig wasps (84%) in individual number, and by scarabaeid beetles (28%) in weight. A principal component analysis on monthly catches detected non-random, seasonal trends of insect abundance. The first two principal trends were an alternation of wetter (September to January) and less wet seasons (February to August) and an alternation between the least wet (January to March) and the other seasons. Many insect groups were less abundant in the least wet season than the other seasons, whilst inverse patterns were found in Scarabaeidae and Tenebrionidae. Significantly positive and negative correlations between monthly catch and rainfall were detected only in ovule-feeders and in phloem-feeders, respectively. Delayed, significant negative correlations between monthly catch and 1–3 month preceding rainfall were more frequently detected in phytophages, phloem-feeders, seed-feeders, wood-borers and scavengers. The peak in abundance along vertical levels were found at the canopy level (35 m) for phloem-, ovule-, seed-, root-, fungal-feeders and nectar collectors, at an upper subcanopy level (25 m) for scavengers and aquatic predators, and at a middle subcanopy level (17 m) for ants. Catches at the emergent level (45 m) did not exceed those at the canopy level.     

Projection pattern of sensory neurons in the central nervous system of a homeotic mutation of the moth Manduca sexta

Octopod (Octo) is a mutation of the moth Manduca sexta, which transforms the first abdominal segment (A1) in the anterior direction. Mutant animals are characterized by the appearance of homeotic thoracic-like legs on A1. We exploited this mutation to determine what rules might be used in specifying the fates of sensory neurons located on the body surface of larval Manduca. Mechanical stimulation of homeotic leg sensilla did not cause reflexive movements of the homeotic legs, but elicited responses similar to those observed following stimulation of ventral A1 body wall hairs. Intracellular recordings demonstrated that several of the motoneurons in the A1 ganglion received inputs from the homeotic sensory hairs. The responses of these motoneurons to stimulation of homeotic sensilla resembled their responses to stimulation of ventral body wall sensilla. Cobalt fills revealed that the mutation transformed the segmental projection pattern of only the sensory neurons located on the ventral surface of A1, resulting in a greater number with intersegmental projection patterns typical of sensory neurons found on the thoracic body wall. Many of the sensory neurons on the homeotic legs had intersegmental projection patterns typical of abdominal sensory neurons: an anteriorly directed projection terminating in the third thoracic ganglion (T3). Once this projection reached T3, however, it mimicked the projections of the thoracic leg sensory neurons. These results demonstrate that the same rules are not used in the establishment of the intersegmental and leg-specific projection patterns. Segmental identity influences the intersegmental projection pattern of the sensory neurons of Manduca, whereas the leg-specific projections are consistent with a role for positional information in determining their pattern. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

中药903口服液长期毒性实验研究

中药９０３口服液经药效学研究,表明该制剂具有良好的扶植正常菌群,调整微生态平衡,提高机体免疫能力的作用。对中药９０３口服液进行长期毒性实验研究结果证实,三种不同剂量组大白鼠给药前后的体重,血常规,主要脏器重量,肝、肾功能均无显著性差异。对４０例大鼠１１种脏器病理检查均未见药物损伤性病变。     

Chemical synthesis of a 7 kDa insect gonadotropic neurohormone

An original insect neurohormone of 65 residues was synthesized by the solid-phase methodology using t-Boc strategy and Boc-Val-PAM–resin. The purification, conducted by several steps of liquid chromatography having mass, polarity or charge as separative criteria, yielded the product with the correct molecular weight of 6922 Da determined by mass spectrometry. The synthetic peptide had both the same affinity for the antinative neurohormone serum and the same biological activity as the native neurohormone.     

Intrinsic glycosylation potentials of insect cell cultures and insect larvae

Summary The glycosylation and subsequent processing of native and recombinant glycoproteins expressed in established insect cell lines and insect larvae were compared. TheSpodoptera frugiperda (Sf21) andTrichoplusia ni (TN-368 and BTI-Tn-5B1-4) cell lines possessed several intrinsic glycoproteins that are modified with both N- and O-linked oligosaccharides. The N-linked oligosaccharides were identified as both the simple (high mannose) and complex (containing sialic acid) types. Similarly, theT. ni larvae also possessed intrinsic glycoproteins that were modified with O-linked and simple and complex N-linked oligosaccharides. Additionally, human placental, secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) produced during replication of a recombinant baculovirus inT. ni larvae was modified with complex oligosaccharide having sialic acid linked α(2–6) to galactose.