Tortricid Moths Reared from the Invasive Weed Mexican Palo Verde, Parkinsonia aculeata, with Comments on their Host Specificity, Biology, Geographic Distribution, and Systematics

As part of efforts to identify native herbivores of Mexican palo verde, Parkinsonia aculeata L. (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae), as potential biological control agents against this invasive weed in Australia, ten species of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) were reared from Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela: Amorbia concavana (Zeller), Platynota rostrana (Walker), Platynota helianthes (Meyrick), Platynota stultana Walsingham (all Tortricinae: Sparganothini), Rudenia leguminana (Busck), Cochylis sp. (both Tortricinae: Cochylini), Ofatulena duodecemstriata (Walsingham), O. luminosa Heinrich, Ofatulena sp. (all Olethreutinae: Grapholitini), and Crocidosema lantana Busck (Olethreutinae: Eucosmini). Significant geographic range extensions are provided for O. duodecemstriata and R. leguminana. These are the first documented records of P. aculeata as a host plant for all but O. luminosa. The four species of Sparganothini are polyphagous; in contrast, the two Cochylini and three Grapholitini likely are specialists on Leguminosae. Ofatulena luminosa is possibly host specific on P. aculeata. Host trials with Rudenia leguminana also provide some evidence of specificity, in contrast to historical rearing records. To examine the possibility that R. leguminana is a complex of species, two data sets of molecular markers were examined: (1) a combined data set of two mitochondrial markers (a 781-basepair region of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and a 685-basepair region of cytochrome c oxidase II) and one nuclear marker (a 531-basepair region of the 28S domain 2); and (2) the 650-basepair “barcode” region of COI. Analyses of both data sets strongly suggest that individuals examined in this study belong to more than one species

Essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.

International audienceAtherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Epidemiological studies have revealed several important environmental (especially nutritional) factors associated with atherosclerosis. However, progress in defining the cellular and molecular interactions involved has been hindered by the etiological complexity of the disease. Nevertheless, our understanding of CVD has improved significantly over the past decade owing to the availability of new randomized trial data. In particular, the failure of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory treatments to consistently reduce the rate of CVD complications suggests that theories of atherosclerosis may have considerably exaggerated the importance of oxidized lipoprotein and vascular inflammation. In that context, one new and basic question is whether the biology of essential dietary lipids may help us understand the role of the inflammatory process in CVD. Essential dietary lipids of the omega-6 and omega-3 families are the precursors of major mediators of inflammation such as eicosanoids that regulate the production of inflammatory cytokines and the expression of some major inflammation genes. On the other hand, non-essential lipids (omega-9 and saturated fatty acids) interfere with biological activities of essential lipids. Finally, essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have different, often antagonistic, effects on inflammation, and their effects can vary according to the type of cells and target organs involved, as well as their respective amounts in the diet. Because of the extreme complexity in the etiology of CVD, the best strategy may be to monitor the main features of dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, that are known to be associated with a low prevalence of both CVD and chronic inflammatory diseases