Changes in the protein, lipid and carbohydrate composition of Achroia grisella Fabr. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae contaminated with lead

Bu çalışmada, kurşunun Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvalarının protein, lipit ve karbohidrat miktarlarına etkisi araştırılmıştır. Larvalar farklı konsantrasyonlarda kurşun (50, 100 ve 200 mg/kg besin) ile kontamine edilen yapay bir besin ortamında yetiştirilmiştir. Kültür hazırlama ve tüm deneyler 16A:8K fotoperiyot, 25 ± 2 °C sıcaklık, %60 ± 5 bağıl nem içeren bir ortamda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Biyokimyasal analizlerde son evre A. grisella larvaları kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler, kurşun uygulamasının 50 ve 200 mg/kg kurşun konsantrasyonlarında larvaların protein miktarında önemli bir azalmaya neden olduğunu göstermiştir. Larvaların karbohidrat ve lipit miktarları 100 ve 200 mg/kg kurşun konsantrasyonlarında kontrol grubuna göre önemli ölçüde düşmüştür.In this study, the impact of lead on protein, lipid and carbohydrate amounts of Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae was investigated. Larvae were maintained on an artificial diet contaminated with different concentrations of lead (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet). Culturing and all experiments were carried out in a room with a 16L:8D photoperiod, at a temperature of 25 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5% relative humidity conditions. Last instar A. grisella larvae were used for the biochemical analysis. The obtained data showed that lead application resulted in a considerable decrease in the protein amount of the larvae at 50 and 200 mg/kg lead concentrations. Carbohydrate and lipid amounts of larvae declined significantly at 100 and 200 mg/kg lead concentrations with respect to the control grou

Terminal Investment: Individual Reproduction of Ant Queens Increases with Age

The pattern of age-specific fecundity is a key component of the life history of organisms and shapes their ecology and evolution. In numerous animals, including humans, reproductive performance decreases with age. Here, we demonstrate that some social insect queens exhibit the opposite pattern. Egg laying rates of Cardiocondyla obscurior ant queens increased with age until death, even when the number of workers caring for them was kept constant. Cardiocondyla, and probably also other ants, therefore resemble the few select organisms with similar age-specific reproductive investment, such as corals, sturgeons, or box turtles (e.g., [1]), but they differ in being more short-lived and lacking individual, though not social, indeterminate growth. Furthermore, in contrast to most other organisms, in which average life span declines with increasing reproductive effort, queens with high egg laying rates survived as long as less fecund queens

Massive Genomic Decay in Serratia symbiotica, a Recently Evolved Symbiont of Aphids

All vertically transmitted bacterial symbionts undergo a process of genome reduction over time, resulting in tiny, gene-dense genomes. Comparison of genomes of ancient bacterial symbionts gives only limited information about the early stages in the transition from a free-living to symbiotic lifestyle because many changes become obscured over time. Here, we present the genome sequence for the recently evolved aphid symbiont Serratia symbiotica. The S. symbiotica genome exhibits several of the hallmarks of genome evolution observed in more ancient symbionts, including elevated rates of evolution and reduction in genome size. The genome also shows evidence for massive genomic decay compared with free-living relatives in the same genus of bacteria, including large deletions, many pseudogenes, and a slew of rearrangements, perhaps promoted by mobile DNA. Annotation of pseudogenes allowed examination of the past and current metabolic capabilities of S. symbiotica and revealed a somewhat random process of gene inactivation with respect to function. Analysis of mutational patterns showed that deletions are more common in neutral DNA. The S. symbiotica genome provides a rare opportunity to study genome evolution in a recently derived heritable symbiont

The effects of host species on some biological characteristics of solitary endoparasitoid (Venturia canescens Grav.)

In this study, the effects of three host species on development time, fecundity and adult longevity of parasitoid Venturia canescens Grav. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were investigated. Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were used as hosts for V. canescens. Host species had a significant effect on preadult development period of parasitoid. Development time was shortest on P. interpunctella, intermediate on C. cautella and longest on E. kuehniella. The fecundity of V. canescens was influenced by host species. It was higher on C. cautella and E. kuehniella larvae compared to P. interpunctella larvae. Feeding with honey increased the fecundity of parasitoid on all of the host species. For longevity experiments, adult parasitoids were provided by either honey and host, honey and no host, no honey and host, or they were fed on neither honey nor host for their lifetimes. Host species did not significantly affect the longevity of unfed females with no oviposition opportunity and unfed females with oviposition opportunity. However, it significantly affected the longevity of fed females with no oviposition opportunity and fed females with oviposition opportunity. Females without host access lived longest when fed on honey and shorter in the other host access/feeding treatments

Investigation of the effects of initial substrate and biomass concentrations and light intensity on photofermentative hydrogen gas production

Biohydrogen, which can be produced by dark fermentation and photofermentation processes, is a renewable and clean approach for hydrogen production. In this study, it was aimed to determine the operational conditions which satisfy the highest photofermentative hydrogen production rate in batch reactors. To that purpose, the effects of initial substrate concentration, initial volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration and light intensity on photofermentation process were investigated by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The photofermantative process was followed by using pure strain of purple non-sulfur (PNS) bacteria: Rhodobacter capsulatus DSM1710. Results indicated that, under the studied conditions, hydrogen production yields and rates varied in the range of 0.27 mmol H2/L.h and 0.91 mmol H2/L.h, respectively. RSM results revealed that the highest hydrogen production rate of 1.04 mmol/Lreactor.h can be obtained when acetate concentration, initial R.capsulatus concentration and the light intensity values were 35.35 mM, 0.27 g VSS/L and 263.6 W/ m2 (3955 lux), respectively. Optimum Substrate/Initial biomass concentration ratio (S/Xo), leading to the maximum hydrogen production rate, was found as 7.7 g Acetate/g VSS (8.3 g Chemical Oxygen Demand/g VSS). Moreover, the light intensity was found to be an important factor affecting the hydrogen production rate as well as S/Xo ratio

The comparison of remifentanil, alfentanil and fentanyl in the management of pain in burned patients [Yanikli hastalarin agri tedavisinde remifentanil, alfentanil ve fentanil karşilaştirmasi]

Objective of this study was to compare sixty adult burned patients intermittent bolus administration of remifentanil (2 µg/kg), alfentanil (40 µg/kg) and fentanyl (2 µg/kg) for pain management in burned patients undergoing dressing changes and debridement procedures. Following 0.15 mg/kg IV midazolam, IV remifentanil 2 µg/kg in group I, alfentanil 40 µg/kg in group II and fentanyl 2 µg/kg were applied at 30-60 s. The level of sedation was assessed with a score of 0 = awake, alert to 3 = asleep, unarousable. Discomfort and pain were assessed using visual analog scale (VAS). Side effects were not observed. VAS values were statistically significant lower (p=0.018), in group III than in group I at 5. minutes, whereas no statistically significant difference observed among the groups at 1. and 15. minutes. The level of sedation was statistically significant higher(p=0.002, p=0.036), in group III than in group I and II at 15. min., whereas no statistically significant difference was observed among the groups at 1. and 5. min. Apnea and respiratory depression were not seen in group III whereas 3 patients in group I and 1 patient in group II showed apnea episodes. In conclusion we observed that IV bolus administration of remifentanil (2 µg/kg), alfentanil (40 µg/kg) and fentanyl (2 µg/kg) provided effective analgesia for pain control in burn patients. As it is required frequent dose application and caused apnea, intermittent bolus doses of remifentanil is not thought to be suitable whereas alfentanil and fentanyl can used safely for long-term therapeutic procedures in burn patients

Investigation of the effects of initial substrate and biomass concentrations and light intensity on photofermentative hydrogen gas production by Response Surface Methodology

Biohydrogen, which can be produced by dark fermentation and photofermentation processes, is a renewable and clean approach for hydrogen production. In this study, it was aimed to determine the operational conditions which satisfy the highest photofermentative hydrogen production rate in batch reactors. To that purpose, the effects of initial substrate concentration, initial volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration and light intensity on photofermentation process, and their interactive effects were investigated by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The photofermentative process was followed by using pure strain of purple non-sulfur (PNS) bacteria: Rhodobacter capsulatus DSM 1710. RSM results revealed that the highest hydrogen production rate of 1.04 mmol/L-reactor.h can be obtained when acetate concentration, initial R. capsulatus concentration and the light intensity values were 35.35 mM, 0.27 g VSS/L and 263.6 W/m(2) (3955 lux), respectively. Optimum Substrate/Initial biomass concentration ratio (S/X-o) was found as 7.7 g acetate/g VSS (8.3 g Chemical Oxygen Demand/g VSS). Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved