The BG-Sentinel, a novel mosquito trap for research and surveillance

Um Informationen zur Verbreitung und Populationsdichte von Stechmücken zu gewinnen, werden verschiedene Methoden verwendet. Neben der Suche nach Larven oder Puppen in den Brutgewässern, dem Absuchen von Ruheplätzen nach Adulten und den Fang aktiver, wirtssuchender Mückenweibchen durch freiwillige Mückenfänger werden vor allem unterschiedliche Fallentypen verwendet. Abgesehen von zwar preiswerten, aber wenig effizienten Fallen für gravide (also nicht mehr wirtsuchende) Mückenweibchen werden bisher Fallen mit unspezifische Lockreizen betrieben (Farbkontraste, Licht, Kohlendioxid). Letzteres ist in seiner Verwendung zudem aufwendig und teuer, da es aus Trockeneis, aus Gasflaschen oder der Verbrennung von Propangas freigesetzt werden muß. Wir stellen einen neuartigen Fallentypus für Stechmücken vor, den BG-Sentinel (Abb. 1). Die Falle wurde ursprünglich für die Überwachung der Gelbfiebermücke Stegomyia aegypti (ehemals Aedes aegypti, REINERT et al. 2004) entwickelt, ist aber auch für eine Reihe anderer Mücken attraktiv. Der BG-Sentinel ist die erste Falle, die neben visuellen Reizen auch, wie ein natürlicher Wirt, eine aufwärtsgerichtete Luftströmung produziert. Diese Luftströmung kann durch Zugabe geeigneter Düfte mit Lockstoffen beladen werden. Wir stellen außerdem mit der sogenannten BG-Lure einen neuen Mückenlockstoff vor, der aus Substanzen besteht, die auch auf der menschlichen Haut vorkommt. Die Konstruktion des BG-Sentinel ermöglicht es, eine Vielzahl verschiedener Reize auf ihre Attraktivität im Feld zu testen. Im Folgenden werden Feldtests des BG-Sentinel mit Stegomyia aegypti in Brasilien und Culex pipiens in Deutschland beschrieben.We introduce a novel, patent pending type of mosquito trap, the BG-Sentinel®. The trap consists of an easy to transport, collapsible white bucket with white gauze covering its opening. In the middle of the gauze cover, there is a black tube through which a down flow is created by a fan that draws approaching mosquitoes into a catch bag. The air then exits the trap through the gauze; the design therefore generates ascending currents. These are similar to convection currents produced by a human host, both in its direction, its geometrical structure, and, due to the addition of attractants, also in its chemical composition. The attractants are given off by the so-called BG-Lure®, a dispenser which releases a defined, patent pending combination of lactic acid, ammonia, and caproic acid, all substances that are found on human skin. The dispenser emits the attractants for up to 5 month. The addition of CO2 is not necessary for species such as Stegomyia aegypti (syn. Aedes aegypti) or St. albopicta (syn Ae. albopictus). In field tests in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the BGSentinel with the BG-Lure was much more efficient in catching the yellow fever mosquito St. aegypti than a propane-powered CO2-trap and a bidirectional Fay-Prince trap. The tests also indicate that the BG-Sentinel can be a sensitive and easy-to-use alternative to human landing/biting collections in the surveillance of adult host seeking Dengue vectors. Further field tests near Regensburg in Germany showed that the BG-Sentinel with the BG-Lure is also an efficient trap for Culex pipiens. The addition of CO2 or 2-Undecanone did not further improve the attractiveness of the BG-Lure. Due to its design, the BG-Sentinel can be used with a variety of other potential mosquito attractants, making it a versatile tool for mosquito research and surveillance

Laboratory And Field Assessment Of Some Kairomone Blends For Host-Seeking \u3ci\u3eAedes Aegypti\u3c/i\u3e

Using laboratory Y-tube olfactometers, the attractiveness of lactic acid and 2 kairomone blends from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and BioGents GmbH (BG) was assessed for attractiveness to Aedes aegypti. Four geographically disparate populations were assessed: North Queensland Australia (NQA), Florida USA, Minas Gerais Brazil (MGB), and Singapore. In descending order, populations were attracted to USE)A, BG blends, and lactic acid. MGB was poorly attracted to lactic acid alone. The blends were less attractive than human odor. Proprietary blends were modified, and their attractiveness was assessed to find the optimum attractive mixture for NQA. Adding acetone to BG, and ammonia and caproic acid to USDA, improved attractiveness in the laboratory. Field attractiveness was assessed by coupling the blends with a newly developed BG-Sentinel Ae. aegypti trap. Trials were carried out using the BG blend, BG blend plus acetone, USDA blend, USDA blend plus ammonia and caproic acid, and a control trap with no kairomones. The traps were highly effective, with mean 24-h collections up to 11.15 Ae. aegypti per trap, and this species made up 91.7% of collections. However, the effectiveness of the unbaited control trap indicated that the BG-Sentinel has visual attractive properties for Ae. aegypti and that the kairomone lures added little to trap performance in NQA

miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding interfering RNA molecules regarded as major regulators in eukaryotic gene expression. Different methods are employed for miRNA expression profiling. For a better understanding of their role in essential biological processes, convenient methods for differential miRNA expression analysis are required.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we present the miR-Q assay as a highly sensitive quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) for expression analysis of small RNAs such as miRNA molecules. It shows a high dynamic range of 6 to 8 orders of magnitude comprising a sensitivity of up to 0.2 fM miRNA, which corresponds to single copies per cell. There is nearly no cross reaction among closely-related miRNA family members, which points to the high specificity of the assays. Using this approach, we quantified the expression of let-7b in different human cell lines as well as miR-145 and miR-21 expression in porcine intestinal samples.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>miR-Q is a cost-effective and highly specific approach, which neither requires the use of fluorochromic probes, nor Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA)-modified oligonucleotides. Moreover, it provides a remarkable increase in specificity and simplified detection of small RNAs.</p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-2

Ising a sensitivity of up to 0.2 fM synthetic miRNA. A) Dynamic ranges of miR-Q assays: miR-200c (black triangles), miR-145 (black circles), and miR-27a (black rhombi). B) Dynamic ranges of miR-Q assays: miR-21 (red rhombi), miR-16 (red squares), miR-23b (red triangles), and miR-141 (red circles). C) Dynamic ranges of miR-Q assays: let-7a (blue triangles), let-7b (blue rhombi), and let-7c (blue circles).<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-5

Presents the mean (± SD) of three measurements. A) Expression of miR-145 in ileal samples from ten 31-day-old piglets. B) Expression of miR-145 in jejunal samples from ten 31-day-old piglets. C) Expression of miR-21 in ileal samples from ten 31-day-old piglets. D) Expression of miR-21 in jejunal samples from ten 31-day-old piglets.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-3

He miR-Q assay turned out to be 2 fM synthetic let-7b (white columns). Each column represents the mean (± SD) of three measurements.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-6

Ang () and six complementary bases (red). Detection and amplification of the relating cDNA are employed, using a novel PCR approach with three different oligonucleotides at different concentrations within the same assay. The cDNA sequence (blue) is first detected and elongated by a specific oligonucleotide with 5' overhang (). Exponential amplification is then performed using two terminal universal primers (&).<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-0

Ang () and six complementary bases (red). Detection and amplification of the relating cDNA are employed, using a novel PCR approach with three different oligonucleotides at different concentrations within the same assay. The cDNA sequence (blue) is first detected and elongated by a specific oligonucleotide with 5' overhang (). Exponential amplification is then performed using two terminal universal primers (&).<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p

MiR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample-4

Mples (50 ng/μl) were either spiked with 100 pM synthetic let-7b (A549 si, HeLa si, and HT-29 si) or remained non-spiked (A549, HeLa, and HT-29). RT reactions were performed with 50 ng, 25 ng, and 5 ng of all RNA samples, followed by qPCR detection of let-7b in different runs. Columns represent the mean (± SD) of three measurements. A) let-7b quantification by means of the miR-Q approach using both the spike-in controls and the non-spiked samples. B) Quantification of let-7b by means of mirVana™ qRT-PCR using both the spike-in controls and the non-spiked samples.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "miR-Q: a novel quantitative RT-PCR approach for the expression profiling of small RNA molecules such as miRNAs in a complex sample"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2199/9/34</p><p>BMC Molecular Biology 2008;9():34-34.</p><p>Published online 10 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2374797.</p><p></p