A Chamber for Testing the Release of Volatile Substances Secreted by Animals,Especially Mammals,as Exemplified by Substances Released by Rats in Response to Stress

Abstract

The success of the testing of volatile organic compounds emitted by animals is dependent on the creation of appropriate conditions for air sampling subsequently used to assay and identify the compounds. These conditions play a particularly important role in the investigation of pheromones, which are secreted in extremely low concentrations. The authors have not come across any previous work which offers constructional solutions, which would allow avoidance of contamination of the air samples containing volatile substances secreted by animals.

A constructional solution was developed, which provides optimal conditions for their sampling and isolation. Its main advantages are as follows: the exposure chamber (the chamber in which the animal is studied) is filled with synthetic air; the exposure chamber is separated from the atmospheric air with a synthetic air “jacket”; the exposure chamber has been constructed using materials which do not release chemicals and absorb them in trace quantities.     

Trail-following pheromones of the rhinotermitidae: Approaches to their authentication and specificity

A method for determining the authenticity of subterranean termite trail pheromones is suggested and utilized to verify the presence of trail pheromones inReticulitermes virginicus, R. flavipes, andR. tibialis. In addition, a possible trail pheromone has been demonstrated forCoptotermes formosanus. A choice bioassay method shows that the above trail pheromones are species specific.     

Effect of design of a sex-pheromone-baited delta trap on behavior and catch of maleEpiphyas postvittana (Walker)

Through field trials and wind-tunnel studies, we have demonstrated that certain structural features of a sex-pheromone-baited delta trap affect catch of light-brown apple moth,Epiphyas postvittana, males, by influencing behaviors used to enter and exit the trap. Field catch of males was dependent upon length (and width) of the trap, with increases in length yielding linear increases in catch. In the wind tunnel, similar numbers of males entered the two traps, but significantly fewer males exited the longer trap within 1 min after entering it. Although males landed on the sticky surface at similar distances from the downwind entrances of the traps, they were stuck farther upwind on the longer trap. Thus, it is probable that the increase in field catch with increase in trap length relates to the increase in distance (and hence time) that males walk on the sticky surface, towards the pheromone source, before attempting to exit. The bottom barriers (as well as additional barriers at the top and sides) at the entrances of the trap also significantly influenced trap catch. The barriers apparently influence trap catch in two ways. Firstly, they hinder the exit of males from the trap, thus diverting males back into the trap and increasing their chance of being caught. Secondly, they influence where the male lands on the sticky surface; with higher barriers, males land farther upwind (i.e., nearer the source), and thus farther from an exit. Finally, as the source was suspended higher above a horizontal surface, greater numbers of males landed on the source. This result shows that the position where a maleE. postvittana lands is influenced by the relationship of the source to the surface and suggests that trap catch of males may similarly be influenced (i.e., by inducing males to land farther from the exits).     

知识管理框架ReKM在农业病虫害诊断中的应用

在农业病虫害诊断领域，传统的专家系统往往在设计时就硬编码好了知识结构，在不重新改动代码的情况下，具有很差的扩展性。介绍了一个基于本体和案例推理的可重构知识管理框架ReKM。该框架利用本体作为知识结构的描述，由知识存储层、本体层和应用层组成。利用本体模型的可重构特性，一定程度上克服了传统专家系统可扩展性不足的缺点。文中详细阐述了框架中基于案例的检索算法和简单推理的概念。最后介绍了基于该框架开发的一个系统在某农科院病虫害诊断领域的应用情况和今后研究的方向。     

信号肽引导源基因在昆虫表达系统中的分泌表达

将杆状病来源的gp67信号肽引导的慈姑蛋白酶抑制剂(API)基因与植物来源的慈姑蛋白酶抑制剂信号肽引导的慈姑蛋白抑制剂(API)基因，分别克隆到昆虫杆状病毒转载体pBacPAK8中，通过共转染将它们分别整合到昆虫病毒表达载体Bm—BacPAK6中，将获得的重组病毒CrBK—API2和CrBK—bpAPI4分别接种家蚕(Bombyx mori)细胞、家蚕幼虫及蛹体中，慈姑蛋白酶抑制剂得到了高效表达。从家蚕细胞的表达来看，外源表达产物大多存在于细胞外的上清液中；从家蚕幼虫体内表达来看，信号肽能引导外源基因高效表达，且表达产物的90％以上能分泌到细胞外；蛹体中的表达情况与幼虫中的相似，但表达产物出了不均一的现象，从表达产物的分子量测定来看，这两种信号肽在表达过程中都没有被切除。     

昆虫病毒在害虫生物防治中的应用

利用昆虫病毒防治害虫是生物防治的一种有效方法。主要针对昆虫病毒的作用机制、后效作用以及重组昆虫病毒和昆虫病毒感染增效物质等方面进行了阐述。     

Fine structure of the male accessory glands of Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

Male of Triatoma rubrofasciata has four elongated sac-like reproductive mesodermic accessory glands, lined by an inner single layer of secretory cells, with basal plasma membrane infolds and short apical microvilli, and externally enveloped by a thin visceral muscle layer. The secretory cells have a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, mitochondria, and secretory granules. In one day old adult the gland cells are poorly developed, presenting small, electron-transparent secretory granules scattered among the rough endoplasmatic reticulum, whereas in three days old adult these cells have the cisternae of the rough endoplasmatic reticulum varing size degree, filled with granular electrondense content. In five days old males the secretory granules increase in diameter, being released to the gland lumen. Therefore, there is an increase of the secretory activity according to male maturation.     

Competitive Sperm-Marked Beetles for Monitoring Approaches in Genetic Biocontrol and Studies in Reproductive Biology

Sperm marking provides a key tool for reproductive biology studies, but it also represents a valuable monitoring tool for genetic pest control strategies such as the sterile insect technique. Sperm-marked lines can be generated by introducing transgenes that mediate the expression of fluorescent proteins during spermatogenesis. The homozygous lines established by transgenesis approaches are going through a genetic bottleneck that can lead to reduced fitness. Transgenic SIT approaches have mostly focused on Dipteran and Lepidopteran pests so far. With this study, we provide sperm-marked lines for the Coleopteran pest model organism, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, based on the β2-tubulin promoter/enhancer driving red (DsRed) or green (EGFP) fluorescence. The obtained lines are reasonably competitive and were thus used for our studies on reproductive biology, confirming the phenomenon of ‘last-male sperm precedence’ and that the spermathecae are deployed for long-term sperm storage, enabling the use of sperm from first mating events even after secondary mating events for a long period of time. The homozygosity and competitiveness of the lines will enable future studies to analyze the controlled process of sperm movement into the long-term storage organ as part of a post-mating cryptic female choice mechanism of this extremely promiscuous species.     

Revealing Differential Expression of Phytohormones in Sorghum in Response to Aphid Attack Using the Metabolomics Approach

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important multipurpose crop grown worldwide, but like many other crops, it is often threatened by insect pests. Sugarcane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner), for example, is one of the most severe pests in sorghum, which causes plant damage and yield loss. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of phytohormones on host plant resistance to aphid attack. Two sorghum genotypes, BTx623 (susceptible) and Tx2783 (resistant), were selected for a comparative analysis of differential expression of a group of phytohormones in response to aphid infestation. The quantification of phytohormones through LC-MS demonstrated higher levels of jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), and auxins in the resistant genotype infested with SCA. The PCA plot supports the strong differential responses between resistant and susceptible genotypes, indicating a positive correlation between JA and ABA and a negative correlation between SA and auxins. Similarly, RT-PCR results of the phytohormones-related marker genes showed higher expression in the resistant genotype compared to the susceptible one. Furthermore, to corroborate the role of phytohormones in plant defense, the susceptible genotype was treated with SA, JA, and ABA. The exogenous application of SA and JA + ABA significantly reduced plant mortality, aphid number, and damage in the susceptible genotype, suggesting a strong correlation between phytohormones and plant survival. Our findings indicate that phytohormones play positive roles in plant defense against aphids and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms operating in plants for self-protection. These findings could also stimulate further research into the mystery about the regulation of phytohormone production during plant interaction with aphids.