Mating behaviors of Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) as influenced by sex pheromone in electrostatic powder

Entostat is an electrostatically charged wax powder that can adhere strongly to insect cuticle, making it an ideal carrier to deliver pheromone for pheromone-based confusion techniques. We investigated the attractiveness of Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) males treated with pheromone-laden Entostat powder to naive conspecifics as well as mating behaviors of males after such treatment in a laboratory flight tunnel. Male moths exposed to Entostat containing 1% E,E-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol (codlemone) acquired and retained the largest amount of the powder and became more attractive as point sources to naive moths compared with those treated with powder containing 5 or 10% codlemone. All Entostat-exposed males remained as attractive as a 0.1-mg codlemone lure for up to 24 h in flight tunnel investigations. Male moth orientation to normally attractive sources of codlemone was completely disrupted directly after treatment with Entostat powder. Males' ability to orient to 0.1-mg lures recovered progressively over a 6-d postexposure interval; however, their responses never reached the levels observed with untreated control moths. Entostat-exposed moths retained detectable amounts of codlemone up to 4 d. Our laboratory flight tunnel results suggest that the mode of action of Entostat powder as an autodissemination control tactic may be due to creating both attractive false point sources after exposure to the powder as well as directly inhibiting contaminated males' capability to orient to pheromone.

Genomic indicators in the blood predict drug-induced liver injury

Genomic biomarkers for the detection of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) from blood are urgently needed for monitoring drug safety. We used a unique data set as part of the Food and Drug Administration led MicroArray Quality Control Phase-II (MAQC-II) project consisting of gene expression data from the two tissues (blood and liver) to test cross-tissue predictability of genomic indicators to a form of chemically induced liver injury. We then use the genomic indicators from the blood as biomarkers for prediction of acetaminophen-induced liver injury and show that the cross-tissue predictability of a response to the pharmaceutical agent (accuracy as high as 92.1%) is better than, or at least comparable to, that of non-therapeutic compounds. We provide a database of gene expression for the highly informative predictors, which brings biological context to the possible mechanisms involved in DILI. Pathway-based predictors were associated with inflammation, angiogenesis, Toll-like receptor signaling, apoptosis, and mitochondrial damage. The results show for the first time and support the hypothesis that genomic indicators in the blood can serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers predictive of DILI.

Characterization of immune responses following intranasal immunization with the Mycobacterium bovis CFP-10 protein expressed by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium

Culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10) from Mycobacterium bovis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is an immunodominant T-cell antigen expressed during the early stages of infection. Because lungs are most commonly associated with primary M. bovis infections, specific immunity at this site is desirable for protection. Therefore, in this study, immune responses generated in mouse lung, spleen and Peyer's patches were examined following intranasal (i.n.) immunization with Salmonella typhimurium- expressing CFP-10. Cells harvested from the lungs and Peyer's patches of immunized mice and then stimulated with CFP-10 produced significant levels of IFN-γ and these mice developed elevated serum IgG and lung IgA anti-CFP-10 responses, suggesting that this approach induced potent anti-CFP-10 mucosal immunity. Our study demonstrates that i.n. administration of CFP-10 expressed by S. typhimurium represents an effective way to induce efficient immune response to M. bovis antigen.

Genetic variations and sequences analysis of MTATP6 and MTATP8 genes among different Chinese pig breeds

To investigate the genetic variations of mtATP6 and mtATP8 genes among different Chinese pig breeds, two fragments of 425 and 743 bp containing the whole coding region of mtATP8 and mtATP6 genes were amplified with 805 individuals from 23 Chinese local pig breeds, three types of Chinese wild boars and three European pig breeds. Sequence comparison identified a total number of 17 substitutions including six variable sites in mtATP8 and eleven substitutions in mtATP6 gene. The restriction enzyme Fok I revealed four polymorphic sites (nt8086, 8176, 8514 and 7784), and four RFLP haplotype patterns (A, B, C and D) were identified in mtATP6 and mtATP8 genes among all tested samples. Our data showed AC combined haplotype originated from Asia and BD was regarded as European origin. The average frequency of Asian mtDNA haplotypes was 38.3% across the investigated European breeds but varied within each breeds (13.3∼76.7%). Phylogenetic analyses were performed also considering some published sequences in the databases; the sequences were divided into three distinct groups, denoted A, E1, and E2. The Asian AC haplotype existed among the European domestic pigs was fully consistent with the results of previous molecular studies and well-documented history. This study will help us to better understand the genetic variations of mitochondrial genes among different Chinese pig breeds.

Phonemes matter: the role of phoneme-level awareness in emergent Chinese readers

The importance of phonological awareness for learning to read may depend on the linguistic properties of a language. This study provides a careful examination of this language-specific theory by exploring the role of phoneme-level awareness in Mandarin Chinese, a language with an orthography that, at its surface, appears to require little phoneme-level insight. A sample of 71 monolingual Mandarin-speaking children completed a phonological elision task and a measure of single-character reading. In this sample, 4- and 5-year-old preschoolers were unable to complete phoneme-level deletions, whereas 6- to 8-year-old first graders were able to complete initial, final, and medial phoneme-level deletions. In this older group, performance on phoneme deletions was significantly related to reading ability even after controlling for syllable- and onset/rime-level awareness, vocabulary, and Pinyin knowledge. We believe that these results reopen the question of the role of phonological awareness in reading in Chinese and, more generally, the nature of the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

1,1,1-Trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) in urine as biological index of exposure

Fifteen human volunteers were exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) vapor at 72-495 mg/m3 for a period of 2 to 4 hours at rest (ten cases) and during light physical exercise (five cases). Subsequently 60 workers occupationally exposed to 1,1,1-trichloroethane in a refrigerator manufacturing plant were studied (median value: 178 mg/m3; geometrical standard deviation: 2.19 mg/m3). As expected, the relative uptake (R) of 1,1,1-trichloroethane decreased in the course of exposure at rest (R = 0.44 after 20 minutes of exposure; R = 0.26 after 240 minutes of exposure). Both in the experimentally exposed subjects and in the occupationally exposed workers, the urinary concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane showed a linear relationship to the corresponding environmental time-weighted average concentration. The correlation coefficients (r) were 0.95 in occupationally exposed subjects and more than 0.90 in experimentally exposed groups. A linear equation also existed between urinary concentration and amount of 1,1,1-trichloroethane absorbed (r = 0.88). The findings indicate that the urinary concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane can be used as an appropriate biological exposure indicator. In occupationally exposed subjects performing moderate work, the urinary 1,1,1-trichloroethane concentration corresponding to the time-weighted average of the threshold limit value was found to be 860 micrograms/L and its 95% lower confidence limit (biological threshold) 805 micrograms/L.

Time-Resolved X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Carbon Monoxide-Myoglobin Recombination After Laser Photolysis

Results are presented for the first time-resolved x-ray absorption measurements with a time resolution of 300 microseconds on a dynamically evolving chemical system. By synchronizing a neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet pulsed laser with the bursts of x-rays emitted from the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, it was possible to monitor at room temperature the recombination of carbon monoxide with myoglobin after laser photolysis. Changes in the pre-edge structure and in the position of the iron edge of this protein were detected as a function of time.

Recoil polarization measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factor ratio to Q2 = 8.5 GeV2

Among the most fundamental observables of nucleon structure, electromagnetic form factors are a crucial benchmark for modern calculations describing the strong interaction dynamics of the nucleon's quark constituents; indeed, recent proton data have attracted intense theoretical interest. In this Letter, we report new measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factor ratio using the recoil polarization method, at momentum transfers Q2=5.2, 6.7, and 8.5  GeV2. By extending the range of Q2 for which G(E)(p) is accurately determined by more than 50%, these measurements will provide significant constraints on models of nucleon structure in the nonperturbative regime.

Activation of Akt and MAPK pathways enhances the tumorigenicity of CD133+ primary colon cancer cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in carcinogenesis, resistance to treatment and may lead to cancer recurrence and metastasis. However, the molecular mechanism of CSC involved in these events needs to be further elucidated. In this study, CD133(+) colon cancer cells were cultured, which showed CSC properties both in vitro and in vivo from metastatic tissue. Upstream molecules in Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were preferentially expressed in these CD133(+) cells, as revealed by a global gene chip. The kinase activities of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk)1/2 were also significantly upregulated in CD133(+) cells. In addition, the clonogenic growth of CD133(+) cell was reduced greatly by inhibiting the activity of Akt and Erk1/2. The results revealed the Akt and MAPK pathways were involved in the tumorigenesis of CD133(+) colon cancer cells, suggesting that molecules in these two pathways might be potential targets in the future therapy.

Quick and effective technique for specimen extraction during video-assisted thoracic surgery

We describe here a novel technique for specimen extraction during video-assisted thoracic surgery. Traditionally, most surgeons extract specimens using a tough nylon sac or bag. However, this procedure is time-consuming and difficult for trainees to perform. We developed a novel extraction sac with two positioning finger sacs. Our technique consists of first grasping the specimen and then enclosing it with the sac instead of placing the specimen into the sac. By grasping the specimen and performing a movement resembling the drawing off of a glove, the resected specimen is inserted into the bag and can be subsequently extracted. We conclude that this new strategy is an effective, quick and safe technique.