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BIODIVERSITY, GRASSHOPPER behavior, BIOMES, PHYLOGENY, and SPECIES distribution

Abstract: The open vegetation biomes, within the limits of the Chacoan subregion, occur along a diagonal in eastern South America covering a large range of environmental conditions. In order to contribute to the knowledge on the biodiversity of these open biomes, we analysed the phylogenetic relationships of the grasshopper genus Zoniopoda to the remaining South American Romaleinae, and examined the biogeographical patterns of diversification of the genus. The study is based on morphological and molecular (COI and H3) evidence, including 12 species of Zoniopoda and 17 species of four tribes of South American Romaleinae. We describe a new species of Zoniopoda, and test its taxonomic placement within the group. Results of our phylogenetic analyses recovered Zoniopoda as a monophyletic group with high support values. According to the dispersion–vicariance analysis, the ancestor of Zoniopoda may have been distributed in an area corresponding to the Chacoan and Cerrado provinces. A vicariant event, that could be explained by the uplift of the Brazilian Plateau and the subsidence of the Chaco, is hypothesized to have occurred splitting the ancestral distribution of Zoniopoda, resulting in the independent evolution of the Tarsata group within the Cerrado and the Iheringi group in the Chacoan subregion. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FCFB4C5D-1741-46F1-8E25-B37ED2B9D872. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocrinology, Endocrinologie, Nutrition, obesity, metabolic disorders, Nutrition, obésité, maladies métaboliques, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Vertebres: anatomie et physiologie, organisme dans son ensemble ou etude de plusieurs organes ou systemes, Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems, Alimentation. Comportement alimentaire, Feeding. Feeding behavior, Vertebres: endocrinologie, Vertebrates: endocrinology, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Endocrinopathies, Pancréas endocrine. Cellules apud (pathologie), Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases), Diabète. Anomalie tolérance glucose, Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance, Etiopathogénie. Dépistage. Explorations. Résistance tissu cible, Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance, Endocrinopathie, Endocrinopathy, Endocrinopatía, Maladie héréditaire, Genetic disease, Enfermedad hereditaria, Pathologie de l'appareil urinaire, Urinary system disease, Aparato urinario patología, Trouble de la nutrition, Nutrition disorder, Trastorno nutricíon, Diabète MODY, Maturity onset diabetes young, Diabetes MODY, Délétion, Deletion, Deleción, Endocrinologie, Endocrinology, Endocrinología, Etat nutritionnel, Nutritional status, Estado nutricional, Homme, Human, Hombre, Malade, Patient, Enfermo, Maladie métabolique, Metabolic diseases, Metabolismo patología, Nutrition, Nutrición, Néphropathie, Nephropathy, Nefropatía, Obésité, Obesity, Obesidad, Pathologie du rein, Kidney disease, and Riñón patología

Aims Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1β (HNF1B) mutations cause a syndrome of renal cysts and diabetes, with whole gene deletions accounting for approximately 50% of cases. The severity of the renal phenotype is variable, from enlarged cystic kidneys incompatible with life to normal renal development and function. We investigated the prevalence of HNF1B deletions in patients with diabetes but no known renal disease. Methods We tested 461 patients with familial diabetes diagnosed before 45 years, including 258 probands who met clinical criteria for maturity-onset diabetes of the young (two generations affected and at least one family member diagnosed under 25 years). A fluorescent polymerase chain reaction assay was used to analyse two intragenic polymorphic HNF1B markers and identify heterozygous patients who therefore did not have whole gene deletions. Those patients homozygous for both markers were then tested for an HNF1B deletion using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Results Heterozygous HNF1B intragenic polymorphisms were identified in 337/461 subjects. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis showed an HNF1B gene deletion in three of the remaining 124 probands, all of whom met the criteria for maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Testing of their relatives identified three additional deletion carriers and ultrasound scanning showed renal developmental abnormalities in three of these six patients. Conclusions We estimate that HNF1B mutations account for < 1% of cases of maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Although HNF1B mutations are a rare cause of diabetes in the absence of known renal disease, a genetic diagnosis of renal cysts and diabetes syndrome is important as it raises the possibility of subclinical renal disease and the 50% risk of renal cysts and diabetes syndrome in the patient's offspring.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, and Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology

The effects of secondary metabolites in different Vigna species on the development of Clavigralla tomentosicollis were investigated in an artificial seed system using different fractions of crude pod extracts, while the orientation response of this pod-bug to volatile extracts was studied using a dual-choice olfactometer. Feeding on the neutral fraction extracts, in contrast to the basic and acidic fractions, resulted in significantly higher mortalities, longer total developmental time, and lower growth index of the insects in comparison with controls. All volatile extracts elicited an avoidance reaction by C. tomentosicollis, except the volatile from the susceptible genotype IT84S-2246 which generally attracted as many insects as controls. Extracts from wild Vigna species showed higher activity than those from their cultivated relatives. The present study which has established that most secondary metabolites in cowpea pods were localized in the neutral fraction of the crude extract, could facilitate experiments on the separation and characterization of the toxic factors involved.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Agronomie. Sciences du sol et productions vegetales, Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions, Génétique et amélioration des plantes d'intérêt économique, Genetics and breeding of economic plants, Sélection variétale. Amélioration spéciale, objectifs d'amélioration, Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims, Résistance aux organismes nuisibles, Pest resistance, Déprédateurs, Pest animals, Amélioration génétique, Genetic improvement, Enriquecimiento genético, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Coreidae, Culture tropicale, Tropical crop, Cultivo tropical, Dicotyledones, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Fruit, Fruto, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Plante sauvage, Wild plant, Planta salvaje, Spermatophyta, Comparaison interspécifique, Interspecific comparison, Comparación interespecífica, Cultivar, Dégât, Damage, Estrago, Effet dimensionnel, Size effect, Efecto dimensional, Etude en laboratoire, Laboratory study, Estudio en laboratorio, Gousse, Pod, Vaina, Graine, Seeds, Semillas, Infestation, Infestación, Lignée sélection, Breeding line, Línea selección, Mécanisme défense, Defense mechanism, Mecanismo defensa, Ressource génétique, Genetic resource, Recurso genético, Résistance insecte, Insect resistance, Resistencia insecto, Trichome, Tricoma, Vigna unguiculata, Clavigralla tomentosicollis, Péricarpe, Pericarp, and Vigna vexillata

Studies were conducted in the laboratory to investigate the different components of the resistance of Vigna vexillata A. Richards, TVnu 72, and several cultivars of cultivated Vigna spp. to infestation and damage by the brown cowpea coreid, Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stäl. The main objective was to determine the different roles of the pod wall and seeds, and the relationship between seed size, number, and damage by this insect. Results showed that both the pod wall and seed clearly contribute different components to the resistance of TVnu 72 to C. tomentosicollis. Analysis of the results suggests that the seed defences and the pod wall pericarp may be more important than are trichomes in this resistance. Seed number was found to influence the extent of damage in a more predictable manner than seed size. However, because both of these traits are generally inversely related and mutually exclusive, their individual effects cannot be completely separated. The implications of these traits in a breeding programme targeted at a specific consumer group are discussed.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Signalements, symptômes, dégâts, importance économique, surveillance des populations, Records, symptoms, damages, economic importance, population surveys, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Coreidae, Dicotyledones, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Spermatophyta, Comportement alimentaire, Feeding behavior, Conducta alimenticia, Comportement déprédateur, Pest behavior, Conducta depredadora, Culture tropicale, Tropical crop, Cultivo tropical, Cycle développement, Life cycle, Ciclo desarrollo, Etude en laboratoire, Laboratory study, Estudio en laboratorio, Glycine max, Hôte substitution, Host substitution, Huesped sustitución, Plante hôte, Host plant, Planta huesped, Survie, Survival, Sobrevivencia, Vigna unguiculata, and Clavigralla tomentosicollis

Suitability of the pods of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) as food for Clavigralla tomentosicollis was determined in the laboratory using development, food substitution and host switch experiments. On soybean pods, nymphs survived for 8 days and adults for 12 days; on cowpea, all nymphal instars developed into adults and lived for 80-100 days. Teneral adults that were switched from cowpea to soybean lost weight, while adults that were moved from soybean to cowpea gained weight with slight differences between the sexes. The shortest critical survival threshold (duration with at least 50% survival) of adults on cowpea was greater than the longest on soybean. The likelihood of C. tomentosicollis exploiting soybean as a trophic niche in areas of tropical Africa where production of this crop is on the increase and usually contiguous with cowpea production, is discussed.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Invertebres, Invertebrates, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Animaux, Animals, Protozoa. Invertebrata, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Spermatophyta, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Développement, Development, Desarrollo, Etude en laboratoire, Laboratory study, Estudio en laboratorio, Fécondité, Fecundity, Fecundidad, Lens culinaris, Longévité, Longevity, Longevidad, Pentatomidae, Pisum sativum, Plante hôte, Host plant, Planta huesped, Plante légumière, Vegetable crop, Planta leguminosa, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Reproduction, Reproducción, and Thyanta pallidovirens

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Agronomie. Sciences du sol et productions vegetales, Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions, Génétique et amélioration des plantes d'intérêt économique, Genetics and breeding of economic plants, Sélection variétale. Amélioration spéciale, objectifs d'amélioration, Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims, Résistance aux organismes nuisibles, Pest resistance, Déprédateurs, Pest animals, Africa, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Spermatophyta, Afrique, Coreidae, Criblage, Screening, Cernido, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Etude en laboratoire, Laboratory study, Estudio en laboratorio, Etude en serre, Greenhouse study, Estudio en invernadero, Etude sur terrain, Field study, Estudio en campo, Lignée sélection, Breeding line, Línea selección, Méthode, Method, Método, Méthodologie, Methodology, Metodología, Nigéria, Nigeria, Origine végétale, Plant origin, Origen vegetal, Plante légumière, Vegetable crop, Planta leguminosa, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Résistance insecte, Insect resistance, Resistencia insecto, Sensibilité résistance, Sensitivity resistance, Sensibilidad resistencia, Vigna unguiculata, Pest resistance, Clavigralla tomentosicollis, and Résistance déprédateur

Description des procédures de criblage destinées à tester la résistance de nouvelles accessions de niébé, et qui peuvent être appliquées pour le criblage rapide de germoplasmes et la séparation des lignées de sélection.

Hygiene and public health, epidemiology, occupational medicine, Hygiène et santé publique, épidémiologie, médecine du travail, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Pathologie de l'appareil digestif, Digestive diseases, Aparato digestivo patología, Aliment, Food, Alimento, Epidémiologie, Epidemiology, Epidemiología, Homme, Human, Hombre, Intoxication alimentaire, Food poisoning, Intoxicación alimentaria, Microbiologie, Microbiology, and Microbiología

The Belgian data for foodborne norovirus (NoV) outbreaks became available for the first time with the introduction of an extraction and detection protocol for NoV in the National Reference Laboratory for foodborne outbreaks in September 2006. In 2007, 10 NoV foodborne outbreaks were reported affecting 392 persons in Belgium. NoV became the most detected agent in foodborne outbreaks followed by Salmonella (eight foodborne outbreaks). The major implicated foods were sandwiches (4/10), where food handlers reported a history of gastroenteritis in two outbreaks. A food handler was implicated in the limited number of Belgian NoV outbreaks which is in accord with internationally recorded data. Forty foodborne and waterborne outbreak events due to NoV, epidemiological and/or laboratory confirmed, from 2000 to 2007 revealed that in 42.5 % of the cases the food handler was responsible for the outbreak, followed by water (27·5%), bivalve shellfish (17·5%) and raspberries (10·0%).

Medical oncology, Cancérologie, Medical laboratory techniques, Techniques de laboratoire médical, General medicine general surgery, Médecine et chirurgie générales, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Gynecologie. Andrologie. Obstetrique, Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics, Pathologie de la glande mammaire, Mammary gland diseases, Tumeurs, Tumors, Techniques d'exploration et de diagnostic (generalites), Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects), Anatomopathologie. Exploration cytologique. Biochimie. Spectrométries. Méthodes cliniques et paracliniques diverses, Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques, Glande mammaire pathologie, Mammary gland diseases, Glándula mamaria patología, Tumeur maligne, Malignant tumor, Tumor maligno, Adjuvant, Coadyuvante, Anatomopathologie, Anatomic pathology, Anatomía patológica, Essai clinique, Clinical trial, Ensayo clínico, Paramètre, Parameter, Parámetro, Préménopause, Premenopause, Premenopausia, Tamoxifène, Tamoxifene, Tamoxifeno, Cancer sein, Breast cancer, and Cáncer pecho

Background: Subgroups of breast cancer that have an impaired response to endocrine treatment, despite hormone receptor positivity, are still poorly defined. Breast cancer can be subdivided according to standard pathological parameters including histological type, grade, and assessment of proliferation. These parameters are the net result of combinations of genetic alterations effecting tumour behaviour and could potentially reflect subtypes that respond differently to endocrine treatment. Aims: To investigate the usefulness of these parameters as predictors of the response to tamoxifen in premenopausal women with breast cancer. Materials/methods: Clinically established pathological parameters were assessed and related to the tamoxifen response in 500 available tumour specimens from 564 premenopausal patients with breast cancer randomised to either two years of tamoxifen or no treatment with 14 years of follow up. Proliferation was further evaluated by immunohistochemical Ki-67 expression. Results: Oestrogen receptor positive ductal carcinomas responded as expected to tamoxifen, whereas the difference in recurrence free survival between control and tamoxifen treated patients was less apparent in the relatively few lobular carcinomas. For histological grade, there was no obvious difference in treatment response between the groups. The relation between proliferation and tamoxifen response seemed to be more complex, with a clear response in tumours with high and low proliferation, whereas tumours with intermediate proliferation defined by Ki-67 responded more poorly. Conclusions: Clinically established pathology parameters seem to mirror the endocrine treatment response and could potentially be valuable in future treatment decisions for patients with breast cancer.

Medical laboratory techniques, Techniques de laboratoire médical, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Physiologie vegetale et developpement, Plant physiology and development, Généralités, méthodes, General aspects, methods, Métabolisme, Metabolism, Réserves et sécrétions, pigments, phytochrome, Storage and secretion, pigments, phytochrome, Algae, Heterokontophyta, Thallophyta, Analyse statistique, Statistical analysis, Análisis estadístico, Arbre phylogénétique, Phylogenetic tree, Arbol filogenético, Bacillariophyta, Biofilm, Polymère, Polymer, Polímero, Spectrométrie masse, Mass spectrometry, Espectrometría masa, Sécrétion, Secretion, Secreción, Benthic diatoms, EPS, Extracellular polymeric substances, and ToF-SIMS

Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to study compositional characteristics of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) and compared these to characteristics of the EPS-matrix of intact diatom biofilms. Three benthic diatoms species were investigated, Cylindrotheca closterium, Navicula mutica and Nitzschia cf. brevissima. Comparison of the ToF-SIMS spectra of sequentially extracted EPS-fractions by cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS) indicated that soluble and bound EPS were not distinguishable based on their ion spectra. On the contrary the water insoluble bicarbonate soluble (WIBS)-EPS-fraction formed a distinct cluster showing that this material was compositionally different from the other EPS-fractions. Ion spectra of the EPS-fractions were dissimilar to results obtained from intact biofilms. This suggested that during the extraction procedure, the structure of the EPS irreversibly changed, which alters the fragmentation patterns of the extracellular surface layer. Furthermore, from the examination of the positive ion spectra it was shown that the overall composition of EPS in the intact biofilms was different between diatom species. In spite of these differences, several common peak patterns were shared between different species. This suggests the presence of common structural components in the EPS of these diatoms that may play a role in building the surface EPS-layer.

Marine biology, limnology, Biologie marine, limnologie, Ecology, Ecologie, Environment, Environnement, Oceanography, Océanographie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Synécologie, Synecology, Ecosystèmes saumâtres, Brackish water ecosystems, Milieu saumâtre, Brackish water environment, Medio salobre, Estuaire, Estuaries, Estuario, Etude comparative, Comparative study, Estudio comparativo, Extracellulaire, Extracellular, Extracelular, Glucide, Carbohydrate, Glúcido, Phytobenthos, Fitobentos, Répartition spatiale, Spatial distribution, Distribución espacial, Vasière, Mud flats, Fondo fangoso, Zone intertidale, Intertidal zone, Zona intertidal, Ems-Dollard estuary, Extracellular carbohydrate, Grain size distribution, Humber estuary, Marennes-Oléron Bay, Microphytobenthos, Monosaccharide distribution, and Tidal flats

In this study, the spatial distribution of two operationally defined extracellular carbohydrate fractions (water- and EDTA-extractable carbohydrates) were examined in three intertidal mudflats in Western Europe (Dollard, the Netherlands; Marennes, France; Humber, UK). The three mudflats were sampled along cross-shore transects and sediment cores were sliced to a depth of 5 cm. In these mudflats diatoms were the dominant component of the microphytobenthos. Carbohydrate content showed little variation with depth but varied along transects within each mudflat. Carbohydrate contents were also significantly different between mudflats and the carbohydrate contents of the stations within a mudflat grouped together resulting in separate clusters. This was also observed when the Marennes mudflat was investigated on a temporal scale. These results suggest that processes that act on the scale of whole mudflats determine the variations in extracellular carbohydrate contents In the surface 0.5 cm of the sediment, water-extractable carbohydrates showed a correlation with both chlorophyll a content and median grain size while EDTA-extractable carbohydrates were only correlated with median grain size. Incubation experiments also showed the importance of microphytobenthos as a source of extracellular carbohydrate especially when subjected to the light. Analyses of the monosaccharide distribution of the carbohydrate fractions revealed that the carbohydrate composition was largely similar between the areas investigated. Structurally. the carbohydrates found in these sediments seem to represent a biorefractory part of the freshly produced carbohydrates that remained after rapid degradation of the mare labile component.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, Biochimie, biologie moléculaire, biophysique, Ecology, Ecologie, Geology, Géologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie microbienne, Microbial ecology, Milieux divers (espace extraatmosphérique, air, eau), Various environments (extraatmospheric space, air, water), Bactérie, Bacteria, Article synthèse, Review, Artículo síntesis, Cyanobacteria, Cycle biogéochimique, Biogeochemical cycle, Ciclo biogeoquímico, Diazotrophie, Diazotrophy, Diazotrofía, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Fijación nitrogeno, Milieu marin, Marine environment, Medio marino, Océan, Ocean, Océano, and Trichodesmium

The surface water of the marine environment has traditionally been viewed as a nitrogen (N) limited habitat, and this has guided the development of conceptual biogeochemical models focusing largely on the reservoir of nitrate as the critical source of N to sustain primary productivity. However, selected groups of Bacteria, including cyanobacteria, and Archaea can utilize dinitrogen (N2) as an alternative N source. In the marine environment, these microorganisms can have profound effects on net community production processes and can impact the coupling of C-N-P cycles as well as the net oceanic sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. As one component of an integrated 'Nitrogen Transport and Transformations' project, we have begun to re-assess our understanding of (I) the biotic sources and rates of N2 fixation in the world's oceans, (2) the major controls on rates of oceanic N2 fixation, (3) the significance of this N2 fixation for the global carbon cycle and (4) the role of human activities in the alteration of oceanic N2 fixation. Preliminary results indicate that rates of N2 fixation, especially in subtropical and tropical open ocean habitats, have a major role in the global marine N budget. Iron (Fe) bioavailability appears to be an important control and is, therefore, critical in extrapolation to global rates of N2 fixation. Anthropogenic perturbations may alter N2 fixation in coastal environments through habitat destruction and eutrophication, and open ocean N2 fixation may be enhanced by warming and increased stratification of the upper water column. Global anthropogenic and climatic changes may also affect N2 fixation rates, for example by altering dust inputs (i.e. Fe) or by expansion of subtropical boundaries. Some recent estimates of global ocean N2 fixation are in the range of 100-200 Tg N (1-2 x 1014 g N) yr-1, but have large uncertainties. These estimates are nearly an order of magnitude greater than historical, pre-1980 estimates, but approach modern estimates of oceanic denitrification.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, Biochimie, biologie moléculaire, biophysique, Ecology, Ecologie, Geology, Géologie, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Terre, ocean, espace, Earth, ocean, space, Sciences de la terre, Earth sciences, Géochimie, Geochemistry, Géochimie des sols et des roches, Soil and rock geochemistry, Formations superficielles, Surficial geology, Quaternaire marin et continental, Marine and continental quaternary, Europe, Europa, Actuel, modern, Actual, Calcium, calcium, Calcio, Carbohydrate, carbohydrates, Matière particulaire, particulate matters, Partícula elemental, Milieu intertidal, intertidal environment, Medio intertidal, Particule, particles, Rhéologie, rheology, Reología, Sorption, sorption, Sorción, Stabilisation, stabilization, Estabilización, Sédimentation estuaire, estuarine sedimentation, Sedimentación estuario, Vasière, mud flats, and Marisma

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) are considered to play an important role in the stabilization of intertidal mudflats. In this study the role of EPS as a binding agent in intertidal sediments was investigated. For this purpose two EPS fractions (termed coll-SF and EDTA-SF) were isolated from intertidal sediment and characterized in terms of monosaccharide- and size distribution. In slurry addition experiments the sorption characteristics of these EPS-fractions as well as their effect on sediment properties were examined under varying Ca2+-concentrations. Results showed more EDTA-SF adsorbed to the sediment compared to coll-SF. For both fractions more EPS adsorbed to the sediment when Ca2+-concentration increased. This effect was stronger for EDTA-SF. The differences in sorption between the two fractions could not be explained in terms of monosaccharide- and size distribution, which were largely similar. The addition of EPS in the presence or absence of Ca2+ did not alter the rheology of the sediment slurries indicating that there was no effect of EPS on the sediment properties. This contradicts results of experiments with bacterial EPS as well as field observations in which the presence of EPS/ biofilms leads to an increase in the erosion resistance of the sediment. Possible causes for this discrepancy in results are discussed.

General chemistry, physical chemistry, Chimie générale, chimie physique, Metallurgy, welding, Métallurgie, soudage, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Physique, Physics, Etat condense: structure, proprietes mecaniques et thermiques, Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties, Surfaces et interfaces; couches minces et trichites (structure et propriétés non électroniques), Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties), Structure et morphologie de couches minces, Thin film structure and morphology, Structure et morphologie; épaisseur, Structure and morphology; thickness, Diffraction RX, XRD, Dépôt physique phase vapeur, Physical vapor deposition, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Frottement, Friction, Magnétron, Magnetrons, Microscopie électronique balayage, Scanning electron microscopy, Microstructure, Molybdène sulfure, Molybdenum sulfides, Propriété mécanique, Mechanical properties, Pulvérisation irradiation, Sputtering, Revêtement, Coatings, Tribologie, Tribology, Usure, and Wear

MoSx coatings were prepared with an unbalanced DC magnetron-sputtering system by varying the DC power mode, target type and liquid nitrogen trap. The composition and surface morphology were examined by energy dispersive X-ray and scanning electron microscopy; structural characterization was determined by X-ray diffraction. The friction and wear properties were evaluated with a fretting tester in dry (< 10% relative humidity) and humid (50% and 90% relative humidity) air. MoSx coatings deposited by simple DC power tended to form rougher surfaces, and had a higher edge orientation of crystallites with worse tribological performance than those by bipolar pulsed DC power. MoSx coatings made by a cold pressed target had a lower deposition rate, and were inclined to form (002) basal orientations parallel to the surface especially at higher argon pressures. The contents of oxygen and carbon in the MoSx coating with the use of liquid nitrogen trap were greatly reduced, but MoSx coatings had lower coefficients of friction and shorter wear life at higher relative humidity. The role of these deposition variables in the formation process is discussed.

Marine biology, limnology, Biologie marine, limnologie, Ecology, Ecologie, Environment, Environnement, Oceanography, Océanographie, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Terre, ocean, espace, Earth, ocean, space, Sciences de la terre, Earth sciences, Formations superficielles, Surficial geology, Quaternaire marin et continental, Marine and continental quaternary, Europe, Europa, Océan Atlantique, Atlantic Ocean, Océano Atlántico, Procaryote, prokaryotes, Bactérie, bacteria, Carbone organique, organic carbon, Carbono orgánico, Effet biogène, biogenic effects, Effet tampon, buffer effects, Efecto tampón, Fer, iron, Hierro, Milieu littoral, coastal environment, Medio litoral, Oxydation, oxidation, Oxidación, Porosité, porosity, Porosidad, Réduction chimique, chemical reduction, Reducción química, Sulfate, sulfates, Sulfato, Sulfure, sulfides, Sulfuro, Sédiment marin, marine sediments, Sedimento marino, Variation verticale, and vertical variations

The Bassin d'Arcachon (south-west France) was chosen as a model ecosystem to study the chemical and microbiological buffering towards free sulphide. Data were collected on the vertical distribution of oxygen, sulphur and iron compounds and the vertical distribution of colourless sulphur bacteria and sulphide-producing bacteria. In addition, data on the chemical and biological buffering capacity towards free sulphide were collected in sediment slurries from defined depth layers using a biological sulphide and oxygen monitor (BOSM) equipped with electrodes for oxygen, sulphide, redox and pH. The data showed that a substantial population of aerobic sulphide-oxidizing bacteria was present, yet buffering towards free sulphide could mainly be attributed to chemical processes: in particular, reactions with iron were of importance. Interestingly, the potential microbiological rate of sulphide oxidation was orders of magnitude higher than the rate of sulphate reduction reported for this ecosystem. The ecological implications of these observations for the Bassin d'Arcachon are that the powerful biological buffering capacity towards the free sulphide present will become effective after the chemical buffering capacity has been depleted. Under such conditions the colourless sulphur bacteria will no longer face the competition with iron, and thus may be expected to proliferate. The crucial factor then becomes the availability of oxygen.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Ecology, Ecologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Environment, Environnement, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie appliquée, Applied ecology, Ecotoxicologie, effets biologiques de la pollution, Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution, Action de la pollution et effets secondaires des pesticides sur les protozoaires et les invertébrés, Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Généralités, Generalities, Lutte, Control, Angiospermae, Arachnida, Arthropoda, Gramineae, Insecta, Invertebrata, Monocotyledones, Spermatophyta, Acephate, Araneida, Carbophenothion, Cypermethrine, Cyrthorhinus lividipennis, Delphacidae, Deltamethrine, Dose létale 50, Lethal dose 50, Dosis letal 50, Déprédateur, Pest, Effet secondaire, Secondary effect, Efecto secundario, Endosulfan, Entomophage, Entomophagous, Entomofago, Ethylan, Heteroptera, Homoptera, Insecticide, Lycosa pseudoannulata, Microvelia atrolineata, Nilaparvata lugens, Oryza sativa, Osbac, Plante céréalière, Cereal crop, Prédateur, Predator, Predador, Toxicité, Toxicity, and Toxicidad

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Plant biology and physiology, Biologie et physiologie végétales, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Bactériologie, Bacteriology, Métabolisme. Enzymes, Metabolism. Enzymes, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Végétaux et champignons, Plants and fungi, Activité enzymatique, Enzymatic activity, Actividad enzimática, Bactérie, Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Enzyme, Enzima, Facteur milieu, Environmental factor, Factor medio, Oxidoreductases, Phytoplancton, Phytoplankton, Fitoplancton, Chlorophylle, Chlorophyll, Clorofila, Eclairement énergétique, Irradiance, Aclaramiento energético, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Fijación nitrogeno, Flottabilité, Buoyancy, Flotabilidad, Intégration numérique, Numerical integration, Integración numérica, Milieu marin, Marine environment, Medio marino, Modèle mathématique, Mathematical model, Modelo matemático, Nitrogenase, Photosynthèse, Photosynthesis, Fotosíntesis, Variation journalière, Daily variation, Variación diaria, and Aphanizomenon

Measurements were made of the rates of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) by cyanobacteria collected from the Baltic Sea at 2-h intervals, over a period of 24 h, and incubated under natural light. By relating the chlorophyll-specific rate of N2 fixation (PN) to the mean photon irradiance (I) at different periods, a PN/I curve was constructed. A mathematical description of this relationship was used in the calculation of rates of N2 fixation at different depths and times of day from continuous measurements of surface irradiance and light attenuation. By relating these calculations to the vertical distribution of chlorophyll due to Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, an estimate of the daily integral of N2 fixation by the population of this cyanobacterium was obtained: it varied from 039 to 071 mmol m-2 with a mean value of 053 mmol m-2 over 9 d. Comparisons with similar calculations of the daily integral of photosynthesis over the same period indicated the atomic ratio of N/C fixed is about 022, not very different from the N/C ratio expected for the elemental composition of these cyanobacteria. It is demonstrated that when buoyant gas-vacuolate colonies float up during calm periods the increased irradiance that they experience supports an increased rate of N2 fixation. This increase is less than that seen for carbon fixation because photosynthesis is negated by respiration at low irradiances and is less inhibited at high irradiances.

Medical oncology, Cancérologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Pharmacologie. Traitements medicamenteux, Pharmacology. Drug treatments, Anticancéreux, Antineoplastic agents, Chimiothérapie, Chemotherapy, Glande mammaire pathologie, Mammary gland diseases, Glándula mamaria patología, Agent alkylant, Alkylating agent, Agente alquilante, Anticancéreux, Antineoplastic agent, Anticanceroso, Antifolate, Antifolato, Antimétabolite, Antimetabolic, Antimetabólito, Base pyrimidique dérivé, Pyrimidine base derivatives, Base pirimídica derivado, Chimiothérapie, Chemotherapy, Quimioterapia, Cyclophosphamide, Etude comparative, Comparative study, Estudio comparativo, Expression génique, Gene expression, Expresión genética, Fluor Composé organique, Fluorine Organic compounds, Fluor Compuesto orgánico, Fluorouracil, Glande mammaire, Mammary gland, Glándula mamaria, Gène suppresseur tumeur, Tumor suppressor gene, Gen supresor tumor, Homme, Human, Hombre, Méthotrexate, Préménopause, Premenopause, Premenopausia, Radiothérapie, Radiotherapy, Radioterapia, Traitement adjuvant, Adjuvant treatment, Tratamiento adyuvante, Tumeur maligne, Malignant tumor, Tumor maligno, Gène p53, and p53 gene

Functional p53 protein is essential for the cellular response to drug-induced DNA damage. We investigated p53 accumulation in tumour specimens from premenopausal breast cancer patients who were randomised to adjuvant chemotherapy (CMF) or postoperative radiotherapy. Of the tumours from 139 patients, 20 showed abnormal accumulation as judged with immunohistochemistry (>10% positive tumour cells). The risk of distant recurrence was similar in the two treatment groups for patients whose primary tumours lacked p53 accumulation, whereas there was a significant benefit from CMF for patients showing abnormal accumulation (relative risk 0.18, 95% CI, 0.04-0.93). This result suggests that p53-dependent apoptosis is not a general mechanism by which breast cancer cells respond during CMF chemotherapy.

Medical oncology, Cancérologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Pharmacologie. Traitements medicamenteux, Pharmacology. Drug treatments, Anticancéreux, Antineoplastic agents, Chimiothérapie, Chemotherapy, Anticancéreux, Antineoplastic agent, Anticanceroso, Chimiothérapie, Chemotherapy, Quimioterapia, Cycle cellulaire, Cell cycle, Ciclo celular, Cytométrie flux, Flow cytometry, Citometría flujo, Etude cas, Case study, Estudio caso, Exploration, Exploración, Glande mammaire, Mammary gland, Glándula mamaria, Homme, Human, Hombre, Phase S, S Phase, Fase S, Pronostic, Prognosis, Pronóstico, Préménopause, Premenopause, Premenopausia, Radiothérapie, Radiotherapy, Radioterapia, Traitement adjuvant, Adjuvant treatment, Tratamiento adyuvante, Traitement, Treatment, Tratamiento, Tumeur maligne, Malignant tumor, and Tumor maligno

Cancer chemotherapy interacts with cell proliferation, but data on the relationship between cancer cell replication and the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy are scarce. We have investigated the S-phase fractions of the primary tumour from premenopausal breast cancer patients who participated in a randomised trial comparing 12 cycles of polychemotherapy (CMF) with post-operative radiotherapy. DNA flow cytometry was performed on frozen tissues from 208 primary breast carcinomas, of which the S-phase fraction was estimated in 176 cases. There was a significantly higher benefit from CMF among patients with a high S-phase fraction (P=0.0033).

Control theory, operational research, Automatique, recherche opérationnelle, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Sciences appliquees, Applied sciences, Electronique, Electronics, Essais, mesure, bruit et fiabilité, Testing, measurement, noise and reliability, Diélectrique, Dielectric materials, Dieléctrico, Essai en place, In situ test, Ensayo en sitio, Essai vieillissement accéléré, Accelerated aging test, Ensayo envejecimiento acelerado, Fiabilité, Reliability, Fiabilidad, Mesure, Measurement, Medida, Métallisation, Metallizing, Metalización, Optimisation, Optimization, Optimización, Résistance électrique, Resistor, and Resistencia eléctrica(componente)

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Plant biology and physiology, Biologie et physiologie végétales, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie microbienne, Microbial ecology, Milieux divers (espace extraatmosphérique, air, eau), Various environments (extraatmospheric space, air, water), Bactérie, Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Aphanizomenon flosaquae, Croissance, Growth, Crecimiento, Flottabilité, Buoyancy, Flotabilidad, Milieu marin, Marine environment, Medio marino, Photosynthèse, Photosynthesis, Fotosíntesis, Phytoplancton, Phytoplankton, Fitoplancton, Répartition verticale, Vertical distribution, Distribución vertical, and Vésicule gaz

Observations were made on the vertical distribution of colonies of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae for 9 d at a driftstation east of Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea. The buoyant colonies were dispersed in the upper layers of the water column during periods of wind-induced mixing but floated up during calm periods. From measurements of the vertical light extinction, surface irradiance and the photosynthesis versus irradiance curve, calculations were made of the changes in the daily integral of photosynthesis with respect to time and depth throughout the water column. From these calculations it is demonstrated that net photosynthesis by the population of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae increased nearly threefold by floating up after a deep mixing event. It is estimated that, averaged over alternating periods of calm and mixing, the buoyancy provided by gas vesicles in this organism will result in a nearly twofold increase in photosynthesis. A quantitative analysis has been made of the relationship of the daily integral of photosynthesis by the Aphanizomenon population with the mean depth of the population in the water column and the daily insolation. The analysis shows that the integral decreases linearly with respect to mean depth.

Medical oncology, Cancérologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Gynecologie. Andrologie. Obstetrique, Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics, Pathologie de la glande mammaire, Mammary gland diseases, Tumeurs, Tumors, Glande mammaire pathologie, Mammary gland diseases, Glándula mamaria patología, Tumeur maligne, Malignant tumor, Tumor maligno, Cycle cellulaire, Cell cycle, Ciclo celular, Cytométrie flux, Flow cytometry, Citometría flujo, Epithélioma, Carcinoma, Epitelioma, Exploration, Exploración, Glande mammaire, Mammary gland, Glándula mamaria, Homme, Human, Hombre, Phase S, S Phase, Fase S, Pronostic, Prognosis, Pronóstico, Précoce, Early, and Precoz

Purpose and Methods: The prognostic significance of cell proliferation, estimated as cytometric S-phase fraction (SPF), was investigated in node-negative breast cancer patients with small tumors (T1,N0). The 219 stage 1 patients originated from two series and were diagnosed either from 1978 to 1981 or from 1981 to 1985. The tumors were analyzed for estrogen receptors (ERs) by isoelectric focusing and for cellular DNA content by static cytofluorometry or flow cytometry. Results: A high SPF correlated with the absence of ERs and abnormal DNA content, and was less often found in tumors smaller than 11 mm compared with those with a diameter between 11 and 20 mm.

Control theory, operational research, Automatique, recherche opérationnelle, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Sciences appliquees, Applied sciences, Electronique, Electronics, Electronique des semiconducteurs. Microélectronique. Optoélectronique. Dispositifs à l'état solide, Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices, Circuits intégrés, Integrated circuits, Conception. Technologies. Analyse fonctionnement. Essais, Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing, Aluminium, Bille, Caractéristique temporelle, Circuit intégré, Contact métal métal, Contrainte thermique, Electrodiffusion, Essai vieillissement accéléré, In situ, Interconnexion, Mesure, Or, and Résistance contact

Plant biology and physiology, Biologie et physiologie végétales, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Physiologie vegetale et developpement, Plant physiology and development, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Delphacidae, Enzyme, Enzima, Fulgoromorpha, Gramineae, Homoptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Monocotyledones, Spermatophyta, Bactérie, Bacteria, Hydroperoxyde, Hydroperoxide, Hidroperóxido, Lyases, Oryza sativa, Résistance induite, Induced resistance, Resistencia inducida, Sogatella furcifera, (2E,6Z)-nonadienal, (E)-2-hexenal, C6 volatiles, hydroperoxide lyase, and induced resistance

A pre-infestation of the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera Horváth, conferred resistance to bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under both laboratory and field conditions. The infestation of another planthopper species, the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens Stål, did not significantly reduce the incidence of bacterial blight symptoms. A large-scale screening using a rice DNA microarray and quantitative RT-PCR revealed that WBPH infestation caused the upregulation of more defence-related genes than did BPH infestation. Hydroperoxide lyase 2 (OsHPL2), an enzyme for producing C6 volatiles, was upregulated by WBPH infestation, but not by BPH infestation. One C6 volatile, (E)-2-hexenal, accumulated in rice after WBPH infestation, but not after BPH infestation. A direct application of (E)-2-hexenal to a liquid culture of Xoo inhibited the growth of the bacterium. Furthermore, a vapour treatment of rice plants with (E)-2-hexenal induced resistance to bacterial blight. OsHPL2-overexpressing transgenic rice plants exhibited increased resistance to bacterial blight. Based on these data, we conclude that OsHPL2and its derived (E)-2-hexenal play some role in WBPH-induced resistance in rice.

Polymers, paint and wood industries, Polymères, industries des peintures et bois, Sciences exactes et technologie, Exact sciences and technology, Chimie, Chemistry, Chimie generale et chimie physique, General and physical chemistry, Théorie des réactions, cinétique générale. Catalyse. Nomenclature, documentation chimique, informatique chimique, Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry, Catalyse, Catalysis, Réactions catalytiques, Catalytic reactions, Sciences appliquees, Applied sciences, Physicochimie des polymeres, Physicochemistry of polymers, Polymères organiques, Organic polymers, Propriétés et caractérisation, Properties and characterization, Propriétés des solutions et des gels, Solution and gel properties, Activité catalytique, Catalyst activity, Actividad catalítica, Agrégation moléculaire, Molecular aggregation, Agregación molecular, Aldolisation, Aldol condensation, Aldolización, Aminoacide, Aminoacid, Aminoácido, Catalyse asymétrique, Asymmetric catalysis, Catálisis asimétrica, Composé chiral, Chiral compound, Compuesto quiral, Composé marqué, Labelled compound, Compuesto marcado, Copolymère greffé, Graft copolymer, Copolímero injertado, Cyclanone, Cycloalkanone, Ciclanona, Dérivé du benzaldéhyde, Benzaldehyde derivatives, Benzaldehído derivado, Enantiosélectivité, Enantioselectivity, Enantioselectividad, Ethylène oxyde copolymère, Ethylene oxide copolymer, Etileno óxido copolímero, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Marqueur fluorescent, Fluorescent tracer, Marcador fluorescente, Méthacrylate copolymère, Methacrylate copolymer, Metacrilato copolímero, Nanoencapsulation, Nanoencapsulación, Nanoparticule, Nanoparticle, Nanopartícula, Polymère amphiphile, Amphiphilic polymer, Polímero amfifilo, Reconnaissance moléculaire, Molecular recognition, Reconocimiento molecular, Solution aqueuse, Aqueous solution, Solución acuosa, Spectre dichroïsme circulaire, Circular dichroism spectrum, Espectro dicroismo circular, Dérivé de la proline, Particule monomoléculaire, aldol reaction, benzene-1,3,5-tricaboxamide, molecular recognition, organocatalysis, and single-chain polymeric nanoparticles

Here, a modular approach is reported to introduce a specific function into single-chain polymeric nanoparticles (SCPNs). Hereto, an amphiphilic polymer with pendant benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxamide (BTA) units is mixed with a free BTA that contains a functional group, either a fluorescent naphthalimide or a catalytically active L-proline. Taking advantage of hydrophobic interactions and self-recognition properties of the BTA units, the free BTAs are captured into the interior of the SCPN in water as evidenced by fluorescence studies. To illustrate that function can be readily introduced using a modular approach, L-proline-based BTAs are incorporated to procure a catalytically active SCPN in water. The aldol reaction between p-nitrobenzaldehyde and cyclohexanone shows good conversions at low catalyst loadings and substrate concentrations, and high stereoselectivities are obtained (de = 91% and ee = 98%).

Ecology, Ecologie, Environment, Environnement, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Animaux, Animals, Protozoa. Invertebrata, Arthropoda, Composé sémiochimique, Semiochemicals, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Pentatomidae, Allomone, Alomona, Analyse chimique, Chemical analysis, Análisis químico, Attractif, Attractant, Atractivo, Mâle, Male, Macho, Phéromone sexuelle, Sex pheromone, Feromona sexual, Structure chimique, Chemical structure, Estructura química, Tibraca limbativentris, (1RS, 4RS, 1'5)-4-(1', 5'-dimethylhex-4'-enyl)- 1-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-ol, Semiochemical, allomone, and zingiberenol

The male-produced sex pheromone from the Brazilian rice stalk stink bug Tibraca limbativentris is reported. Olfactometer bioassays with sexually mature males and females showed that males attracted females, which suggests that males release a sex pheromone. Males were not attracted to either sex, nor were females attractive to conspecific females. Attraction of the females to males was highest at night. The headspace volatiles collected from male and female bugs were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. Two male-specific compounds were identified as isomers of 1 'S'-zingiberenol, whereas a series of defensive compounds were identified in extracts from both sexes. Zingiberenol has three chiral centers, and the nonselective syntheses used produced two groups of isomers, zingiberenol I containing four isomers, namely (1RS,4RS, 1 'R)-4-( 1 ',5'-dimethylhex-4'-enyl)-1-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-ol, and zingiberenol II containing the other four isomers, namely (1RS,4RS,1'S)-4-(l',5'-dimethylhex-4'-enyl)-1-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-ol. Both groups of stereoisomers were more attractive than hexane controls. The absolute configuration of the insect-produced pheromonal components remains to be elucidated, but the 1'S' stereochemistry was established for at least one of the isomers.

Ecology, Ecologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Animaux, Animals, Protozoa. Invertebrata, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Lutte, Control, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Arthropoda, Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Pentatomidae, Prédateur, Predator, Depredador, Tenebrionidae, Zone tropicale, Tropical zone, Zona tropical, Fréquence temporelle, Temporal frequency, Frecuencia temporal, Longévité, Longevity, Longevidad, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Lucha biológica, Nutrition, Nutrición, Relation prédateur proie, Predator prey relation, Relación depredador presa, Reproduction, Reproducción, Survie, Survival, Sobrevivencia, Tenebrio molitor, Oviposition, and Podisus rostratis

Reproduction and longevity of Podisus rostralis (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) females, fed at different intervals were studied in the Núcleo de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Agropecuária' (BIOAGRO), of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, at 25 ± 2°C, 70 ± 10% R.H. and photophase of 12 hours. Females of P. rostralis were fed with Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larva, during 24 hours, every one, two, four, eight and 16 days. An inverse linear effect was found between oviposition period, egg batches/female, total number and number of eggs per day with feeding interval. Daily fed females laid more eggs (199.6) while those fed every 16 days showed lowest number of eggs (45.3). Longevity of P. rostralis was similar in all feeding intervals. Egg oviposition rate was reduced but females of this predator maintained its longevity which give then higher chances to maintain themselves in the ecosystem until occurs better conditions of preys.

Ecology, Ecologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Lutte, Control, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Coleoptera, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Myrtaceae, Pentatomidae, Spermatophyta, Tenebrionidae, Animal auxiliaire, Beneficial animal, Animal benéfico, Arbre forestier feuillu, Hardwood forest tree, Arbol forestal frondoso, Comportement alimentaire, Feeding behavior, Conducta alimenticia, Elevage en masse, Mass rearing, Cría masiva, Entomophage, Entomophagous, Entomófago, Etude en laboratoire, Laboratory study, Estudio en laboratorio, Facteur milieu, Environmental factor, Factor medio, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Lucha biológica, Prédateur, Predator, Depredador, Tenebrio molitor, Eucalyptus urophylla, and Supputius cincticeps

The effect of the association with Eucalyptus urophylla seedlings on mortality, nymphal phase duration, and adult weight of Supputius cincticeps (Stal, 1860) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed with Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae was investigated. S. cincticeps were reared in the laboratory under 25 ± 2°C, 70 ± 10% r.h., and 12 hours of photophase on three diets: (1) prey (T. molitor larvae), (2) prey + plant (E. urophylla seedling), and (3) plant. S. cincticeps reared on prey + plant showed lower mortality, shorter nymphal development, and heavier females.

Biotechnology, Biotechnologies, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Bactériologie, Bacteriology, Métabolisme. Enzymes, Metabolism. Enzymes, Bacteria, Bactérie, Acétate, Acetate, Acetato, Anaérobiose, Anaerobiosis, Cyanobacteria, Diholoside, Disaccharide, Diholosido, Ethanol, Etanol, Fermentation, Fermentación, Glycogène, Glycogen, Glicógeno, Lactate, Lactates, Lactato, Métabolisme, Metabolism, Metabolismo, Obscurité, Obscurity, Oscuridad, Sulfure, Sulfides, Sulfuro, Tréhalose, Trehalose, Trehalosa, Fermentation hétérolactique, and Oscillatoria limosa

The marine nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Oscillatoria limosa, strain 23 (Oldenburg) was investigated with respect to its dark anaerobic metabolism. As soon as the cells were incubated anaerobically in the dark, they started to ferment. Glycogen was presumably degraded via the heterolactic fermentative pathway. Glycogen-glucose was degraded to equimolar amounts of lactate, ethanol and carbon dioxide. The disaccharide trehalose, which serves as an osmoprotectant in O. limosa, was also catabolized.

Biotechnology, Biotechnologies, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Bactériologie, Bacteriology, Métabolisme. Enzymes, Metabolism. Enzymes, Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bactérie, Azote, Nitrogen, Nitrogeno, Aérobiose, Aerobiosis, Enzyme, Enzima, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Fijación nitrogeno, Lumière, Light, Luz, Métabolisme, Metabolism, Metabolismo, Nitrogenase, Obscurité, Obscurity, Oscuridad, Oscillatoria, Photosynthèse, Photosynthesis, Fotosíntesis, Respiration cellulaire, Cell respiration, and Respiración celular

Biotechnology, Biotechnologies, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Bactériologie, Bacteriology, Métabolisme. Enzymes, Metabolism. Enzymes, Biotechnologie, Biotechnology, Recherche fondamentale orientée, Mission oriented research, Biologie des microorganismes d'intérêt industriel confirmé ou potentiel, Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest, Physiologie et métabolisme, Physiology and metabolism, Bacteria, Oscillatoriaceae, Oscillatoriales, Bactérie, Culture microorganisme, Microorganism culture, Cultivo microorganismo, Cyanobacteria, Enzyme, Enzima, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Fijacion nitrogenada, Nitrogenase, Oscillatoria, Oxidoreductase, Oxidorreductasa, Oxygène, Oxygen, Protection, Proteccion, Toxicité, Toxicity, and Toxicidad

Biotechnology, Biotechnologies, Microbiology, infectious diseases, Microbiologie, maladies infectieuses, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Microbiologie, Microbiology, Bactériologie, Bacteriology, Métabolisme. Enzymes, Metabolism. Enzymes, Biotechnologie, Biotechnology, Recherche fondamentale orientée, Mission oriented research, Biologie des microorganismes d'intérêt industriel confirmé ou potentiel, Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest, Physiologie et métabolisme, Physiology and metabolism, Bacteria, Oscillatoriaceae, Oscillatoriales, Bactérie, Alternance, Alternancia, Culture microorganisme, Microorganism culture, Cultivo microorganismo, Cyanobacteria, Dosage, Assay, Dosificacion, Enzyme, Enzima, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Fijacion nitrogenada, Lumière, Light, Luz, Nitrogenase, Obscurité, Obscurity, Oscuridad, Oscillatoria, Oxidoreductase, and Oxidorreductasa

Marine biology, limnology, Biologie marine, limnologie, Ecology, Ecologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie microbienne, Microbial ecology, Milieux divers (espace extraatmosphérique, air, eau), Various environments (extraatmospheric space, air, water), Bacteria, Bactérie, Cyanobacteria, Eau mer, Seawater, Agua mar, Ecologie, Ecology, Ecologia, Fixation azote, Nitrogen fixation, Mer du Nord, North Sea, Nitrogenase, Zone intertidale, and Intertidal zone

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Biotechnology, Biotechnologies, Sustainable development, Développement durable, Ecology, Ecologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie appliquée, Applied ecology, Agronomie. Sciences du sol et productions vegetales, Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Lutte, Control, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Arthropoda, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Pentatomidae, Espèce envahissante, Invasive species, Especie invasora, Euschistus servus, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Lucha biológica, Oeuf, Egg, Huevo, Parasitisme, Parasitism, Parasitismo, Parasitoïde, Parasitoid, Parasitoide, Plante ornementale, Ornamental crop, Planta ornamental, Pépinière, Nursery (plant), Vivero, Native parasitoids, and Ornamental nursery crops

Native to eastern Asia. the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stal), has become a serious invasive pest in North America. Consequently, accurate assessment of parasitism rates under field conditions is critical for determining baseline parasitism rates of native egg parasitoids on BMSB, and for future evaluations of native or exotic parasitoid biological control release strategies and impacts. BMSB sentinel (laboratory-laid) egg masses have typically been used for this purpose, even though they could be providing misleading estimates of parasitoid activity. Accordingly, we compared the use of BMSB sentinel (laboratory-laid) and wild (naturally field-laid) egg masses in 2012 and 2013 to examine rates of parasitism and the parasitoid community composition of indigenous egg parasitoids in outdoor ornamental nurseries. Wild egg masses consistently had higher rates of parasitism than sentinel egg masses. In 2012, wild egg masses had a mean percent parasitism of 28.4% compared to 4.6% in sentinel egg masses, while in 2013 the difference between the two methods increased even further with a mean percent parasitism of 55.3% in wild egg masses compared to 0.8% in sentinel eggs. Furthermore, we found greater total numbers of parasitoids (889, 42) and greater species richness (seven, five), when using wild egg masses compared to sentinel egg masses, respectively. While sentinel egg masses provide a rapid and convenient way to assess the presence of natural enemies, our findings indicate that using sentinel egg masses could dramatically underestimate actual rates of parasitism and provide inaccurate estimates of parasitoid community composition. Future studies should address potential mechanisms underlying these patterns such as lack of certain host cues required by parasitoids in sentinel compared to wild egg masses.

Ecology, Ecologie, Environment, Environnement, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Animaux, Animals, Protozoa. Invertebrata, Arthropoda, Communication chimique, Chemical communication, Comunicación química, Composé sémiochimique, Semiochemicals, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Analyse chimique, Chemical analysis, Análisis químico, Attractif, Attractant, Atractivo, Composé volatil, Volatile compound, Compuesto volátil, Pentatomidae, Phéromone sexuelle, Sex pheromone, Feromona sexual, Thyanta pallidovirens, Sex attractant pheromone, Thyanta accerra custator, methyl (E2,Z4,Z6)-decatrienoate, redundant, sesquiterpene, zingiberene β-sesquiphellandrene, and α-curcumene

The male-produced sex pheromone of the red-shouldered stink bug, Thyanta pallidovirens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) consists of a blend of methyl (E2,Z4,Z6)-decatrienoate (E2,Z4,Z6-10:COOMe), and the sesquiterpenes (+)-α-curcumene, (-)-zingiberene, and (-)-β-sesquiphellandrene. In laboratory bioassays, sexually mature males attracted sexually mature females but not males, and females did not attract either sex. Extracts of volatiles collected from sexually mature males contained compounds not present in extracts from females or sexually immature males, and male-produced extract was attractive to females. Biological activity was lost when the extract was fractionated, indicating that the pheromone consisted of at least two components having different chemical, properties. Individually, pheromone components were not attractive to females, but E2,Z4,Z6-10:COOMe in combination with at least one of the three male-produced sesquiterpenes was attractive. The presence of more than one sesquiterpene in the blend did not increase attraction, indicating redundancy in the pheromone signal. Male extract was as attractive as a blend reconstructed from synthesized compounds, indicating all biologically active components had been identified. In bioassays conducted at dusk in a 1- x 1- x 1-m screen field cage, females were attracted to synthetic pheromone lures. In field trials, adult female T pallidovirens were attracted to pheromone-baited traps in relatively low numbers. The profile of volatiles released by sexually mature males of a congeneric species, Thyanta accerra custator McAtee, was remarkably similar to that of male T pallidovirens, with the exception that the former species produced (E)-2-decenal, a compound that was not found in T. pallidovirens extracts.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Lutte, Control, Lutte chimique, Chemical control, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Gramineae, Invertebrata, Monocotyledones, Pesticide, Pesticides, Plaguicida, Plante céréalière, Cereal crop, Planta cerealista, Spermatophyta, Zone tropicale, Tropical zone, Zona tropical, Date de plantation, Planting date, Fecha de plantación, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Fertilisation azotée, Nitrogen fertilization, Fertilización nitrogenada, Infestation, Infestación, Insecta, Insecticide, Insecticida, Irrigation, Irrigación, Lutte antidéprédateur, Pest management, Manejo de plagas, Lutte chimique, Chemical control, Lucha química, Oryza sativa, Prise décision, Decision making, Toma decision, Rendement, Yield, Rendimiento, Résistance insecte, Insect resistance, Resistencia insecto, Seuil intervention, Action threshold, Umbral tratamiento, Pest control, colonisation pattern, decision making, insecticides, irrigated rice, nitrogen fertilisation, plant tolerance, planting date, and yield loss

Action thresholds as decision tools for insecticide application were developed and tested against the major insect pests of rice at four sites in the Philippines over a 13-year period. Action threshold treatments were compared to the farmers' practice, prophylactic insecticide usage, and an untreated check. Yield loss data using the insecticide check method partitioned yield losses over three crop growth stages in the same test fields. Chronic pests that exceeded action thresholds in 79% of fields were whorl maggot Hydrellia philippina Ferino (Diptera: Ephydridae), defoliators Naranga senescens Moore and Rivula atimeta (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), leaffolders Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée) and Marasmia patnalis Bradley (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), and stemborers Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker) and S. innotata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Minor chronic pests reached threshold levels in only one site each: rice bug Leptocorisa oratorius (F.) (Koronadal), whitebacked planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) (Zaragoza) and green leafhopper Nephotettix virescens (Distant) (Guimba); brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) did not exceed a threshold in any field. Stemborers were the most important pest group in terms of yield loss. Despite the insecticide check method underestimating losses, a mean crop loss of 0.62 t/ha was measured which showed ample scope for corrective action. But loss was evenly distributed across crop growth stages (0.15 0.24 t/ha) reducing the impact of insecticides. Action threshold treatments overall outyielded the untreated check, more so in the two sites with highest pest density. The benefit of thresholds was to reduce insecticide usage, as a cost saving. However all the practices showed poor economic returns including the farmers' practice. Farmers' practice employed low insecticide dosages and timing was not consistent with pest damage, but yields were often similar to threshold treatments. Farmers appear to use insecticide more for risk aversion than for profit. The best threshold characters when evaluated against resulting pest density and yield loss criteria showed accuracies > 90% correct decisions. Future work is needed to improve the insecticide response rather than monitoring tools. Thresholds need to be incorporated into improved crop management, which was often found suboptimal by farmers, to take advantage of the high levels of tolerance in modern high tillering cultivars. Crop husbandry practices which improve yield potential such as selection of longer maturing varieties and nitrogen fertilizer may be a more effective pest management strategy than insecticides.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Signalements, symptômes, dégâts, importance économique, surveillance des populations, Records, symptoms, damages, economic importance, population surveys, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Spermatophyta, Analyse quantitative, Quantitative analysis, Análisis cuantitativo, Comparaison interspécifique, Interspecific comparison, Comparación interespecífica, Dégât, Damage, Estrago, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Gousse, Pod, Vaina, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Rendement, Yield, Rendimiento, Vigna unguiculata, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Clavigralla shadabi, Clavigralla tomentosicollis, Mirperus jaculus, and Riptortus dentipes

Feeding 'trials were conducted on three (young, mid-fill and mature) developmental stages of cowpea Vigna unguiculata ssp. unguiculata pods in the screenhouse using fourth instar nymphs and adults of Anoplocnemis curvipes (Fabricius), Riptortus dentipes (Fabricius), Mirperus jaculus (Thunberg), Clavigralla tomentosicollis StÅl and C. shadabi Dolling. Anoplocnemis curvipes was observed to be the most damaging coreoid species causing a yield reduction of 26.4-51.7% followed by R. dentipes (24.4-29.4%), M. jaculus (21.9-26.9%), C. tomentosicollis (17.9-22.4%) and C. shadabi (15.9-20.4%). The fourth instar nymphs of each pod-sucking bug species caused a significantly higher cowpea yield reduction than their respective adults. Similarly, infestation on young pods compared to mid-fill and mature stages resulted in significantly higher yield reduction. The results suggest that infestation levels of two fourth instar nymphs of A. curvipes or three fourth instar nymphs of the other four pod-sucking bug species per young pod should be adequate for screening of cowpea varieties for resistance to the coreoid bugs.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Végétaux et champignons, Plants and fungi, Synécologie, Synecology, Ecosystèmes terrestres, Terrestrial ecosystems, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Composé allélochimique, Allelochemicals, Aleloquímicos, Entomophage, Entomophagous, Entomófago, Gramineae, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Monocotyledones, Pentatomidae, Scelionidae, Spermatophyta, Attraction, Atracción, Chimiotactisme, Chemotaxis, Quimiotactismo, Composé volatil, Volatile compound, Compuesto volátil, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Kairomone, Kairomona, Oryza sativa, Parasitoïde, Parasitoid, Parasitoide, Plante céréalière, Cereal crop, Planta cerealista, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Système tritrophique, Tritrophic system, Sistema tritrófico, Sécrétion défensive, Defensive secretion, Secreción defensiva, Trissolcus basalis, Platygastridae, Telenomus podisi, Tibraca limbativentris, kairomone, rice plants, semiochemical, and stink bug

The rice stem bug, Tibraca limbativentris Stal. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is one of the most important pests of rice crops, especially irrigated crops. Plant defence strategies against these bugs may involve the emission of chemical compounds, which are released following herbivore attacks, directly or indirectly harming pest performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of constitutive and herbivory-induced volatiles from rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) on the behavioural responses of T. limbativentris adults and egg parasitoids Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) and Telenomus podisi (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae). Plant volatiles were collected from undamaged plants of the rice cultivar IRGA 424 and from plants that suffered herbivory by five males or five females of T. limbativentris. Air-entrainment extracts were analysed by GC―flame ionization detector and GC-MS, and insect responses evaluated in a 'Y' olfactometer. T. limbativentris feeding damaged on rice plants induced the release of 16 volatiles compounds in a higher amounts compared to undamaged plants The main compounds induced were (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octen-1-ol, methyl salicylate and α-muurolene. Female bugs were significantly attracted to air-entrainment extracts containing volatiles from undamaged plants compared with air-entrainment extracts containing volatiles emitted from plants damaged by T. limbativentris, whereas males showed no preference. Telenomus podisi females were significantly attracted to volatiles from air-entrainment extracts of plants damaged by females, whereas T. basalis showed no preference. These results suggest that rice plants may be emitting defence compounds, which could be avoided by T. limbativentris females and also acted indirectly by attracting natural enemies.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Vecteurs d'importance medicale, nuisances, depredateurs des denrees et materiaux: surveillance des populations et lutte, Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control, Vecteurs. Hôtes intermédaires, Vectors. Intermediate hosts, Arthropoda, Heteroptera, Infection, Infección, Insecta, Invertebrata, Parasitose, Parasitosis, Protozoose, Protozoal disease, Protozoosis, Reduviidae, Trypanosomiase, Trypanosomiasis, Tripanosomiasis, Fitness, Adecuación, Rhodnius prolixus, Surveillance population, Population survey, Vigilancia población, Trypanosomiase américaine, Chagas disease, Tripanosomiasis americana, Vecteur, Vector, Triatominae, biodemography, cost of reproduction, and tradeoff

Rhodnius prolixus Stal (Reduviidae: Rhodninii) is one of the most important vectors of Chagas disease. As a result of its medical importance, several life history studies have been carried out, but in general with a restricted demographical scope, without assessing the potential tradeoffs in the life history of this insect. In this study, individuals of R. prolixus were kept in two spatially different habitats and several fitness components were measured. The results show that life expectancy in adults is negatively correlated with gross fecundity, indicating a cost of reproduction. Life expectancy is shorter for males arid longer for individuals of the same sex in the more complex habitat, where the fitness is lower compared with that of the simpler habitat.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Ecologie animale, vegetale et microbienne, Animal, plant and microbial ecology, Ecologie animale et végétale, Animal and plant ecology, Autoécologie, Autoecology, Végétaux et champignons, Plants and fungi, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Signalements, symptômes, dégâts, importance économique, surveillance des populations, Records, symptoms, damages, economic importance, population surveys, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Spermatophyta, Coreidae, Dégât, Damage, Estrago, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Gousse, Pod, Vaina, Histopathologie, Histopathology, Histopatología, Plante hôte, Host plant, Planta huesped, Tissu végétal, Plant tissue, Tejido vegetal, and Vigna unguiculata

Histological studies were conducted on cowpea pods fed upon by the coreoid pod-sucking bugs, Anoplocnemis curvipes (Fabricius), Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal, C. shadabi Dolling, Riptortus dentipes (Fabricius) and Mirperus jaculus (Thunberg). Various degrees of tissue and cellular disruption were apparent, especially in the brachysclereids. They were manifested in terms of plasmolysis, cell enlargement and cell wall disintegration depending on the coreoid species involved. The feeding site and its periphery had all the cells of the brachysclereids plasmolysed, with the parenchyma having broken cell walls in the case of A. curvipes. Riptortus dentipes and M. jaculus showed similar patterns of feeding activity but less extensive levels of damage. The Clavigralla spp., however, caused cell enlargement in the brachysclereids, and broken cell walls in both the brachysclereids and the parenchyma. Damage symptoms were observed in cells far away from the feeding sites of the bugs, suggesting the possibility of sucrase activity which has been reported to cause osmotic pump feeding in the Coreidae.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Signalements, symptômes, dégâts, importance économique, surveillance des populations, Records, symptoms, damages, economic importance, population surveys, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Relation animal végétal, Animal plant relation, Relación animal vegetal, Spermatophyta, Age, Edad, Comparaison interspécifique, Interspecific comparison, Comparación interespecífica, Coreidae, Dégât, Damage, Estrago, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Gousse, Pod, Vaina, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Pentatomidae, Position, Posición, and Vigna unguiculata

Laboratory and screenhouse studies were carried out to assess the relationship between pod age and pod position of cowpea and damage by different pod bug species. The coreids Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stäl and Riptortus dentipes Fabricius caused significant damage to young pods of cultivated genotypes, in contrast to the coreid Anoplocnemis curvipes Fabricius and the pentatomid Aspavia armigera Fabricius which exhibited minor feeding activity. Percent seed damage declined with pod age, the critical stage for pod bug infestation being when pods were about eight days old. Clavigralla tomentosicollis and R. dentipes caused significantly higher damage to pods located within the leaf canopy, thus behaving differently from Anoplocnemis curvipes which showed a distinct preference for pods growing above the leaf canopy. The feeding activity of Aspavia armigera was not affected by the position of pods on the plant. Overall, the study suggests that cowpea genotypes with a short flowering period and pods held above the leaf canopy offer the most promise in the management of pod-sucking pests.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Ecology, Ecologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Environment, Environnement, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Lutte, Control, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Entomophage, Entomophagous, Entomófago, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Leguminosae, Relation hôte parasite, Host parasite relation, Relación huesped parásito, Spermatophyta, Animal auxiliaire, Beneficial animal, Animal benéfico, Coreidae, Densité population, Population density, Densidad población, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Efficacité parasitaire, Parasitic efficiency, Eficacia parasitaria, Hôte, Host, Huesped, Lutte biologique, Biological control, Lucha biológica, Légumineuse grain, Grain legume, Leguminosa grano, Oophage, Oophagous, Oófago, Parasitoïde, Parasitoid, Parasitoide, Scelionidae, Taux parasitisme, Parasitism rate, Tasa parasitismo, Variation saisonnière, Seasonal variation, Variación estacional, Vigna unguiculata, Clavigralla tomentosicollis, Gryon fulviventris, and Nigeria du Nord

Field surveys were conducted on cowpea and pigeon pea in 1995 and 1996 to assess the effect of indigenous egg parasitoids on populations of Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stål in northern Nigeria. From the egg masses of C. tomentosicollis, three species of Hymenoptera belonging to three families, namel Anastatus sp. (Eupelmidae), Ooencyrtus utetheisae (Risbec) (Encyrtidae), and Gryon fulviventris (Crawford) (Scelionidae), were recorded. Among them, G. fulviventris was found to be the most abundant parasitoid. Of a total of 3,502 egg masses collected on cowpea from four geographical locations, 2,587 (73.9%) were found to contain at least one egg parasitized by G fulviventris. From 56,072 eggs discovered, it parasitized 38,935 (69.4%). Overall, 74,724 eggs were collected from the four different locations and of these 52% were parasitized by G. fulviventris. However, parasitism rates varied with time and location. At one of the study sites (Minjibir, Kano) where weekly samples were collected throughout the growing season, the discovery efficiency, exploitation efficiency, and overall percentage parasitism increased significantly from July to November. Also, the proportion of eggs parasitized was found to be inversely related to the size of the egg mass. These findings are discussed in relation to the potential contribution of biological control in the integrated pest management of this economically important pest.

Agronomy, agriculture, phytopathology, Agronomie, agriculture, phytopathologie, Entomology, Entomologie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Phytopathologie. Zoologie agricole. Protection des cultures et des forets, Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection, Protozoaires. Invertébrés, Protozoa. Invertebrates, Signalements, symptômes, dégâts, importance économique, surveillance des populations, Records, symptoms, damages, economic importance, population surveys, Angiospermae, Arthropoda, Dicotyledones, Heteroptera, Insecta, Invertebrata, Solanaceae, Spermatophyta, Densité population, Population density, Densidad población, Durée, Duration, Duración, Dégât, Damage, Estrago, Déprédateur, Pest, Plaga, Fruit, Fruto, Infestation, Infestación, Lycopersicon esculentum, Maturité, Maturity, Madurez, Pentatomidae, Plante légumière, Vegetable crop, Planta leguminosa, Chlorochroa uhleri, and Euschistus conspersus

Adult stink bugs were introduced onto caged, bush-type tomatoes to establish the amount of fruit damage resulting from different durations of infestation (up to 20 d), densities (1, 3, 5, and 10 bugs per 2 m of row), species (Euschistus conspersus Uhler and Chlorochroa uhleri (stal)) and reduced fruit abundance (75, 50, and 0% reduction). Factors that significantly influenced the percentage of tomato fruit damaged were stink bug density and reduced fruit density at constant stink bug densities. Stink bug density affected the number of damaged areas per fruit in 1 of the 2 years of the study. Stink bug species and the number of days of stink bug infestation did not affect the percentage of damaged fruit or the number of damaged areas per fruit. Implications for stink bug management in tomatoes grown in California are discussed.

MALONDIALDEHYDE, PEROXIDATION, CRYOBIOLOGY, and ALCOHOLS (Chemical class)

Abstract: Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a widely used marker of oxidative lipid injury whose concentration varies in response to biotic and abiotic stress. Commonly, MDA is quantified as a strong light-absorbing and fluorescing adduct following reaction with thiobarbituric acid (TBA). However, plant tissues in particular contain many compounds that potentially interfere with this reaction and whose concentrations also vary according to the tissue type and stress conditions. As part of our studies into the stress responses of plant tissues, we were interested in developing a rapid, accurate, and robust protocol for MDA analysis using reverse-phased HPLC to avoid these problems with reaction specificity. We demonstrate that a partitioning step into n-butanol during sample preparation is essential and that gradient HPLC analysis is necessary to prevent sample carryover between injections. Furthermore, the starting composition of the mobile phase must be sufficiently hydrophobic to allow direct injection of the n-butanol extracts without peak splitting, tailing, and other artifacts. To minimize analysis times, we used a short, so-called “Rocket” HPLC column and high flow rates. The optimized HPLC separation has a turnaround time of 2.5min per sample. Butanolic extracts of MDA(TBA)2 were stable for at least 48h, and recoveries were linear between 0.38 and 7.5pmol MDA added. Importantly, this procedure proved to be compatible with existing extraction procedures for l-ascorbate and glutathione analysis in different plant species, allowing multiple “stress metabolite” analyses to be carried out on a single tissue extract. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

TAMARISKS, ASSASSIN bugs, LIFE history theory, PREDATORY animals, BODY size, and NATURAL history

The harpactorine assassin bug, Zelus tetracanthus (Stål) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), is an insect predator frequently found in surveys of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in Oklahoma. Previous studies in a laboratory showed it could prey on Diorhabda carinulata (Desbrochers) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a recently introduced biological control agent for Tamarix. An F2 cohort of Z. tetracanthus was reared from egg to adult to measure stage-specific development rates and describe immature stages at 22 ± 1.0°C and 16:8 light:dark hours. The mean times for development of the five instars were 6.96 ± 0.13, 5.18 ± 0.13, 6.94 ± 0.29, 10.92 ± 0.43, and 17.93 ± 0.76 days, respectively. Several anatomical characters to distinguish instars, including body size, body color, and select morphological characters were described. Data from museum collections of Z. tetracanthus suggested the insect has a univoltine life cycle. The development data contrast with a previous description of Z. socius (= Z. tetracanthus) and illustrate the need to further study the variable morphology, natural history, and genetic makeup of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MELIACEAE, HOST plants, HEMIPTERA, STINKBUGS, and INSECT antifeedants

Currently, the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is considered an agricultural and nuisance pest in Georgia. The invasive chinaberry tree, Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae), commonly grows in dense thickets along roadsides, and in woodlands adjacent to agricultural crops across the southeastern USA. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the potential of M. azedarach to serve as a host plant of H. halys by examining mortality and feeding of first and second instars on M. azedarach leaves vs. carrot (i.e., a control diet), and documenting presence of H. halys on M. azedarach in woodlands at 2 locations in Georgia where this stink bug has become established. Over all sampling dates and locations, the number of H. halys in chinaberry was very low (0.1 per tree), and only 3 late instars and 1 adult were observed feeding on M. azedarach at 1 field site late in the season. Percentage feeding by second instars of H. halys was lower for individuals given M. azedarach leaves vs. those provided with carrot, most likely indicating that compounds in M. azedarach have an antifeeding effect. In fact, mortality for second instars on M. azedarach leaves was very high, and thus we conclude that M. azedarach is an unsuitable host plant for H. halys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STIMULANTS, LEAFHOPPERS, RICE diseases & pests, BIOLOGICAL assay, and METHANOL

A crude rice extract caused a higher probing response than did the control in the green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix nigropictus. Bioassay-guided separation led to the isolation of four active compounds, isoscoparin 2"-O-glucoside, isoscoparin 2"-O-(6"'-(E)-feruloyl)glucoside, isoscoparin 2"-O-(6"'-(E)-p-coumaroyl)glucoside, and isovitexin 2"-O-(6"'- (E)-feruloyl)glucoside from ODS 40% methanol in water faction. Each of the compounds, or any combination without one of the four compounds, caused weaker probing responses than the crude rice extract. The activity was recovered only when all the compounds were combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NILAPARVATA lugens, SINGLE nucleotide polymorphisms, LOCUS (Genetics), GENOTYPES, INSECT pests, and RICE

Rice is the most important staple food crop, and it feeds more than half of the world population. Brown planthopper (BPH) is a major insect pest of rice that causes 20–80% yield loss through direct and indirect damage. The identification and use of BPH resistance genes can efficiently manage BPH. A molecular marker-based genetic analysis of BPH resistance was carried out using 101 BC1F5 mapping population derived from a cross between a BPH-resistant indica variety Khazar and an elite BPH-susceptible line Huang–Huan–Zhan. The genetic analysis indicated the existence of Mendelian segregation for BPH resistance. A total of 702 high-quality polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, genotypic data, and precisely estimated BPH scores were used for molecular mapping, which resulted in the identification of the BPH38(t) locus on the long arm of chromosome 1 between SNP markers 693,369 and id 10,112,165 of 496.2 kb in size with LOD of 20.53 and phenotypic variation explained of 35.91%. A total of 71 candidate genes were predicted in the detected locus. Among these candidate genes, LOC_Os01g37260 was found to belong to the FBXL class of F-box protein possessing the LRR domain, which is reported to be involved in biotic stress resistance. Furthermore, background analysis and phenotypic selection resulted in the identification of introgression lines (ILs) possessing at least 90% recurrent parent genome recovery and showing superior performance for several agro-morphological traits. The BPH resistance locus and ILs identified in the present study will be useful in marker-assisted BPH resistance breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HYMENOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE, HOMOPTERA, PEST control, INSECT collection & preservation, BEETLES, and HEMIPTERA

The knowledge of the entomological fauna in productive systems is important for the agroecological management since beneficial insects are a key resource for pest management in horticultural systems. Scientific information on the biodiversity present in a given area is essential as well as the ecological function and/or feeding habits of the insects. In Alto Valle de Río Negro and Neuquén, horticultural production systems can be described as highly dependent on chemical inputs for pest management and fertilization. The aim of this study is to carry out an inventory of the biodiversity of some families of Hemiptera, Coleoptera (Curculionidae) and Hymenoptera present in peri-urban and rural farms located in Neuquén and Río Negro, respectively. Insects were collected through pitfall and sweeping net on tomato and pepper crops and the surrounding non-cultivated areas. Idiosystatus Berg (Auchenorrhyncha) was cited for the first time from Argentina. Species cited for the first time from Neuquén: Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Acanalonia chloris (Berg), Syncharina punctatissima (Signoret), Amplicephalus dubius Linnavuori, Exitianus obscurinervis (Stål), Agalliana ensigera Oman and Bergallia signata (Stål); Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Harmostes (Harmostes) prolixus Stål and Atrachelus (Atrachelus) cinereus (Fabricius); Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Hypurus bertrandi (Perris), Naupactus leucoloma Boheman, Otiorhynchus rugosostriatus (Goeze) and Sitona discoideus Gyllenhal and Hymenoptera: Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) augusti Lepeletier and Pseudagapostemon (Neagapostemon) singularis Jörgensen. Species cited for the first time from Río Negro: Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Amplicephalus dubius Linnavuori, Amplicephalus marginellanus Linnavuori, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) and Xerophloea viridis (Fabricius); Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus (Spinola), Atrachelus (Atrachelus) cinereus (Fabricius), Dichelops furcatus (Fabricius) and Harmostes (Harmostes) prolixus Stål; Coleptera: Curculionidae: Naupactus xanthographus (Germar) and Hymenoptera: Diadasia pereyrae (Holmberg) and Dialictus autranellus (Vachal). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]