Temperature Effects on Development in \u3ci\u3eAphelinus Albipodus\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) From Two Geographic Regions

Aphelinus albipodus Hayat & Fatima was imported to the United States for classical biological control of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). Temperature effects on development of A. albipodus from two geographic regions (hereafter referred to as strains) were measured using the Russian wheat aphid as host. Temperature thresholds for egg to mummy, mummy to adult, and egg to adult development were 8.9,10.9, and 9.7°C for A. albipodus collected near Pingluo, China, and were and 8.5, 10.3, and 9.6°C for A. albipodus collected near Urumqi, China. The time required to develop from egg to adult did not differ among strains. However, when total immature development was partitioned into egg to mummy and mummy to adult, the time required for development through these two periods differed among strains. The Urumqi strain developed faster than the Pingluo strain from egg to mummy, while the Pingluo strain developed faster from mummy to adult. Degree-day requirements for egg to mummy development were 135 and 104 for the Pingluo and Urumqi strains, respectively. Corresponding requirements for mummy to adult development were 70 and 101 degree-days. The ability to vary immature development rate in response to climate or other factors could have adaptive significance because it would permit the parasitoid to exploit environments over a broad geographic range

Pyramid scheme

Debbie Herridge unwraps the mummy of ‘topic work’ and discovers a wealth of practical science experiments within...

Tuberculosis in Dr Granville's mummy: a molecular re-examination of the earliest known Egyptian mummy to be scientifically examined and given a medical diagnosis

‘Dr Granville's mummy’ was described to the Royal Society of London in 1825 and was the first ancient Egyptian mummy to be subjected to a scientific autopsy. The remains are those of a woman, Irtyersenu, aged about 50, from the necropolis of Thebes and dated to about 600 BC. Augustus Bozzi Granville (1783–1872), an eminent physician and obstetrician, described many organs still in situ and attributed the cause of death to a tumour of the ovary. However, subsequent histological investigations indicate that the tumour is a benign cystadenoma. Histology of the lungs demonstrated a potentially fatal pulmonary exudate and earlier studies attempted to associate this with particular disease conditions. Palaeopathology and ancient DNA analyses show that tuberculosis was widespread in ancient Egypt, so a systematic search for tuberculosis was made, using specific DNA and lipid biomarker analyses. Clear evidence for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA was obtained in lung tissue and gall bladder samples, based on nested PCR of the IS6110 locus. Lung and femurs were positive for specific M. tuberculosis complex cell-wall mycolic acids, demonstrated by high-performance liquid chromatography of pyrenebutyric acid–pentafluorobenzyl mycolates. Therefore, tuberculosis is likely to have been the major cause of death of Irtyersenu

Glycosylated proteins preserved over millennia: N-glycan analysis of Tyrolean Iceman, Scythian Princess and Warrior.

An improved understanding of glycosylation will provide new insights into many biological processes. In the analysis of oligosaccharides from biological samples, a strict regime is typically followed to ensure sample integrity. However, the fate of glycans that have been exposed to environmental conditions over millennia has not yet been investigated. This is also true for understanding the evolution of the glycosylation machinery in humans as well as in any other biological systems. In this study, we examined the glycosylation of tissue samples derived from four mummies which have been naturally preserved: - the 5,300 year old "Iceman called Oetzi", found in the Tyrolean Alps; the 2,400 year old "Scythian warrior" and "Scythian Princess", found in the Altai Mountains; and a 4 year old apartment mummy, found in Vienna/Austria. The number of N-glycans that were identified varied both with the age and the preservation status of the mummies. More glycan structures were discovered in the contemporary sample, as expected, however it is significant that glycan still exists in the ancient tissue samples. This discovery clearly shows that glycans persist for thousands of years, and these samples provide a vital insight into ancient glycosylation, offering us a window into the distant past

From Egyptian Desert to Scottish Highlands – the radiographic study of a Twenty-Fifth Dynasty coffin and mummy bundle from the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland

Since 1936, the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland, has curated a wrapped ancient Egyptian human mummy within a wooden anthropoid coffin. In June 2013, funding was procured to transport the mummy and coffin to the University of Manchester for radiographic study, whereby information regarding the life and death of the individual was sought.The mummy and coffin were imaged using digital radiography (DR) and computed tomography (CT) at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The process revealed that the bundle contained the mummified remains of a single human individual, which had suffered extensive skeletal disruption. This paper focuses on the radiographic analysis of the artefact

Protective effect of mummy on gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Background and purpose: Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is used in treatment of Gram-negative infections. However, its usefulness is restricted by its nephrotoxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential protective effects of mummy and Vit E against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 36 adult albino Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Group 1 received 1 ml normal saline intra-peritoneal once daily. Group 2 was treated with gentamicin 100mg/kg daily IP and served as experimental group. Group 3 received Vit E 250 mg/kg/day IM and gentamicin 100 mg/kg/day IP. Groups 4, 5 and 6 were treated with gentamicin 100 mg/kg and mummy at daily dosages of 1000, 500 and 250 mg/kg orally, respectively. All groups had daily treatments for 28 days. At the end of treatment, blood samples were taken for measurement of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin, electrolytes, malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) using standard methods. Also, right kidneys were removed for histological evaluation. Results: Mummy at 1000 and 500 mg/kg and Vit E (250 mg/kg) significantly reduced gentamicin-induced increases in BUN, MDA and histological changes. Furthermore, mummy at 1000 mg/kg increased FRAP compared to other concentrations. Conclusion: Our results suggest that mummy and Vit E therapy improved gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity via inhibition of lipid peroxidation. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved