Factors influencing the landing of maleEpiphyas postvittana (Walker) exhibiting pheromone-mediated flight (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The effects of changes in various visual and olfactory properties of a white card surface on the landing position of male Epiphyas postvittanaexhibiting pheromone-mediated flight were studied in a wind tunnel. Males landed predominantly at the most downwind position of a surface in line with the pheromone source, regardless of the strength of the source. The position on the surface that males landed was strongly influenced by visual factors. The landing position of males appeared to be influenced by visual cues along all three axes of the surface. Decreases in either the dimension horizontally perpendicular to the wind direction or the vertical dimension resulted in greater numbers of males landing farther upwind on the surface than the downwind edge. Visual changes in the axis along the wind direction also affected the position at which males landed. For example, when presented with two white card surfaces with a 4- cm gap between them, males tended to land on the downwind edge of the upwind surface (on which the source was located). When the gap was bridged with clear Mylar, the landing pattern was significantly different, with the greater proportion of males landing on the downwind surface. However, when Mylar was placed on the plexiglass floor of the tunnel (in addition to bridging the gap), the landing pattern on the surface was not significantly different from that on the two surfaces without the Mylar bridge. It is suggested that during the prelanding and landing phases of pheromone-mediated flight, male moths orient to visual features of the surface containing the pheromone source rather than to visual features of the source (conspecific female moth) itself.     

Insects associated with the Sitka spruce weevil,Pissodes Strobi [Col.: Curculionidae] on Sitka spruce,Picea sitchensis in British Columbia,Canada

BioControl - Insects associated with the Sitka spruce weevil,Pissodes strobi (Peck), on Sitka spruce,Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. were sampled at 9 locations in British Columbia. Fourteen species...     

Effects of body temperature during exercise training on myocardial adaptations

This study determined the role of body temperature during chronic exercise on myocardial stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes as well as functional recovery after an ischemic insult. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exercised for 3, 6, or 9 wk in a 23 degrees C room (3WK, 6WK, and 9WK, respectively) or in a 4-8 degrees C environment with wetted fur (3WKC, 6WKC, and 9WKC, respectively). The colder room prevented elevations in core temperature. During weeks 3-9 the animals ran 5 days/wk up a 6% grade at 20 m/min for 60 min. Myocardial heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) increased 12.3-fold (P < 0.05) in 9WK versus sedentary (SED) rats but was unchanged in the cold-room runners. Compared with SED rats, alphaB-crystallin was 90% higher in 9WKC animals, HSP 90 was 50% higher in 3WKC and 6WKC animals, and catalase was 23% higher in 3WK animals (P < 0.05 for all). Cytosolic superoxide dismutase increased and mitochondrial SOD decreased (P < 0.05) in 3WK and 6WK rats compared with 3WKC and 6WKC rats. Antioxidant enzymes returned to SED values in all runners by 9 wk. No differences were observed among any of the groups for glucose-regulated protein 75, heme oxygenase-1, or glutathione peroxidase. Mechanical recovery of isolated working hearts after 22.5 min of global ischemia was enhanced in 9WK (P < 0.05) but not in 9WKC rats. We conclude that exercise training results in dynamic changes in cardioprotective proteins over time which are influenced by core temperature. In addition, cardioprotection resulting from chronic exercise appears to be due to increased HSP 70.     

Factors determining the efficacy of alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides

A database of alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides (AMP) was established and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were compared with their physiochemical characteristics in an attempt to establish those features that determine efficacy. There is no significant difference in AMP sensitivity between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but fungi did require higher concentrations to achieve the same degree of growth inhibition. For antibacterial peptides there appears to be a positive correlation between MIC and hydrophobic arc size and a negative correlation between MIC and net charge.     

De novo truncation of chromosome 16p and healing with (TTAGGG)n in the alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome (ATR-16).

We have previously described a series of patients in whom the deletion of 1-2 megabases (Mb) of DNA from the tip of the short arm of chromosome 16 (band 16p13.3) is associated with alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome (ATR-16). We now show that one of these patients has a de novo truncation of the terminal 2 Mb of chromosome 16p and that telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n has been added at the site of breakage. This suggests that the chromosomal break, which is paternal in origin and which probably arose at meiosis, has been stabilized in vivo by the direct addition of the telomeric sequence. Sequence comparisons of this breakpoint with that of a previously described chromosomal truncation (alpha alpha)TI do not reveal extensive sequence homology. However, both breakpoints show minimal complementarity (3-4 bp) to the proposed RNA template of human telomerase at the site at which telomere repeats have been added. Unlike previously characterized individuals with ATR-16, the clinical features of this patient appear to be solely due to monosomy for the terminal portion of 16p13.3. The identification of further patients with "pure" monosomy for the tip of chromosome 16p will be important for defining the loci contributing to the phenotype of this syndrome.