Complex of primary and secondary parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae) of Hypogeococcus spp. Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the New World

Se informan los resultados de los relevamientos de los parasitoides primarios y secundarios (hiperparasitoides) de Hypogeococcus spp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) realizados en el Nuevo Mundo durante el período 2009 para 2017 para obtener enemigos naturales de la cochinilla harinosa de los cactus (Harrisia cactus mealybug) Hypogeococcus sp., que está devastando cactus nativos en Puerto Rico y amenaza a los cactus presentes en Islas del Caribe adyacentes. Se registraron cinco especies de Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) como parasitoides primarios de Hypogeococcus spp., incluyendo el recientemente descrito Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn sp. n., que es la única especie del género Leptomastidea García Mercet en el Nuevo Mundo cuya clava de la antena de la hembra es contrastantemente blanca. El análisis genético de los individuos de L. hypogeococci de Argentina, Brasil y Puerto Rico (EE. UU.) corrobora los datos morfológicos de que la misma especie se encuentra en América del Sur, las islas del Caribe y Florida (EE. UU.). Se proporciona una clave para las especies del Nuevo Mundo de Leptomastidea. Leptomastidea antillicola Dozier, syn. n. de Puerto Rico es sinonimizado bajo L. abnormis (Girault). Basado en los datos moleculares presentados, Anagyrus ciomperliki Triapitsyn syn. n. (Encyrtidae), originalmente descrito de Puerto Rico, es sinonimizado bajo A. quilmes Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, cuyo rango de distribución conocido también se amplía para incluir a Brasil. Anagyrus cachamai Triapitsyn, Logarzo y Aguirre, A. lapachosus Triapitsyn, Aguirre y Logarzo y A. quilmes se registraron recientemente en Paraguay. Se describe el macho previamente desconocido de Prochiloneurus argentinensis (De Santis) (Encyrtidae) de la provincia de Misiones de Argentina, y el de P. narendrani Noyes & Triapitsyn de la Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico. Hasta aquí, Anagyrus cachamai y A. lapachosus se consideran como las principales especies para la introducción desde Argentina y Paraguay a Puerto Rico para el control biológico de la cochinilla harinosa de los cactus. El holotipo de Anagyrus tanystis De Santis de Buenos Aires, Argentina, cuyos hospederos asociados son desconocidos, se ilustra para facilitar su reconocimiento de otras especies congenéricas.Parasitoids, both primary and secondary (hyperparasitoids), of Hypogeococcus spp. mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are reviewed to report results of the surveys in the New World conducted during 2009 to 2017 for prospective natural enemies of the Harrisia cactus mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp., which is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cacti in the adjacent Caribbean islands. Five species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are recorded as primary parasitoids of Hypogeococcus spp., including the newly described Leptomastidea hypogeococci Triapitsyn sp. n., which is the only species of the genus Leptomastidea García Mercet in the New World where the clava of the female antenna is contrastingly white. Genetic analysis of the individuals of L. hypogeococci from Argentina, Brazil, and Puerto Rico (USA) corroborates the morphological data that the same species occurs in South America, the Caribbean islands, and Florida (USA). A key to the New World species of Leptomastidea is given and taxonomic notes are provided on its other known species in the Neotropical region. Leptomastidea antillicola Dozier, syn. n. from Puerto Rico is synonymized under L. abnormis (Girault). Based on the presented molecular data, Anagyrus ciomperliki Triapitsyn syn. n. (Encyrtidae), originally described from Puerto Rico, is synonymized under A. quilmes Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, where the known distributional range is expanded to also include Brazil. Anagyrus cachamai Triapitsyn, Logarzo & Aguirre, A. lapachosus Triapitsyn, Aguirre & Logarzo, and A. quilmes are newly recorded from Paraguay. The previously unknown male of Prochiloneurus argentinensis (De Santis) (Encyrtidae) is described from Misiones Province of Argentina, and that of P. narendrani Noyes & Triapitsyn is described from Mona Island, Puerto Rico. So far, Anagyrus cachamai and A. lapachosus are considered to be the primary target species for introduction from Argentina and Paraguay into Puerto Rico for the biological control of Harrisia cactus mealybug. The holotype of Anagyrus tanystis De Santis from Buenos Aires, Argentina, host associations are unknown, and is illustrated to facilitate its recognition from other congeneric species.Fil: Triapitsyn, Serguei V.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Aguirre, María Belén. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Logarzo, Guillermo Alejandro. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas; ArgentinaFil: Hight, Stephen D.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service; Estados UnidosFil: Ciomperlik, Matthew A.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service; Estados UnidosFil: Rugman Jones, Paul F.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Rodrigues, Jose C. Verle. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto Ric

Nerve Agent Hydrolysis Activity Designed into a Human Drug Metabolism Enzyme

Organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents are potent suicide inhibitors of the essential neurotransmitter-regulating enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Due to their acute toxicity, there is significant interest in developing effective countermeasures to OP poisoning. Here we impart nerve agent hydrolysis activity into the human drug metabolism enzyme carboxylesterase 1. Using crystal structures of the target enzyme in complex with nerve agent as a guide, a pair of histidine and glutamic acid residues were designed proximal to the enzyme's native catalytic triad. The resultant variant protein demonstrated significantly increased rates of reactivation following exposure to sarin, soman, and cyclosarin. Importantly, the addition of these residues did not alter the high affinity binding of nerve agents to this protein. Thus, using two amino acid substitutions, a novel enzyme was created that efficiently converted a group of hemisubstrates, compounds that can start but not complete a reaction cycle, into bona fide substrates. Such approaches may lead to novel countermeasures for nerve agent poisoning

Tips for Junior Doctors and Medical Students: Writing and Publishing Undergraduate Textbooks

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Substituent position effects on sunscreen photodynamics : a closer look at methyl anthranilate

Towards the development of a bottom-up rationale for sunscreen design, the effects of substituent position on the ultrafast photodynamics of the sunscreen precursor methyl anthranilate (MA, an ortho compound) were evaluated by studying para- and meta-MA in vacuum. Time-resolved ion yield (TR-IY) measurements reveal a long-lived S1 excited state (≫ 1.2 ns) for para-MA, proposed to be the result of a weakly fluorescent, bound excited state. In the case of meta-MA, TR-IY transients reveal a much faster (∼2 ns) excited state relaxation, possibly due to multiple low-lying S1/S0 conical intersections of prefulvenic character. While meta-MA may not be an ideal sunscreen ingredient due to a low ultraviolet absorbance, its comparatively efficient relaxation mechanism may constitute an alternative to common sunscreen relaxation pathways. Thus, our results should prompt further studies of prefulvenic relaxation pathways in potential sunscreen agents

Identification of Glycochenodeoxycholate 3-O-glucuronide and Glycodeoxycholate 3-O-glucuronide as Highly Sensitive and Specific OATP1B1 Biomarkers

The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of endogenous glycochenodeoxycholate and glycodeoxycholate 3-O-glucuronides (GCDCA-3G and GDCA-3G) as substrates for organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) in humans. We measured fasting levels of plasma GCDCA-3G and GDCA-3G using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 356 healthy volunteers. The mean plasma levels of both compounds were similar to 50% lower in women than in men (P = 2.25 x 10(-18) and P = 4.73 x 10(-9)). In a microarray-based genome-wide association study, theSLCO1B1rs4149056 (c.521T>C, p.Val174Ala) variation showed the strongest association with the plasma GCDCA-3G (P = 3.09 x 10(-30)) and GDCA-3G (P = 1.60 x 10(-17)) concentrations. The mean plasma concentration of GCDCA-3G was 9.2-fold (P = 8.77 x 10(-31)) and that of GDCA-3G was 6.4-fold (P = 2.45x10(-13)) higher in individuals with theSLCO1B1c.521C/C genotype than in those with the c.521T/T genotype. No other variants showed independent genome-wide significant associations with GCDCA-3G or GDCA-3G. GCDCA-3G was highly efficacious in detecting theSLCO1B1c.521C/C genotype with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.996 (P <0.0001). The sensitivity (98-99%) and specificity (100%) peaked at a cutoff value of 180 ng/mL for men and 90 ng/mL for women. In a haplotype-based analysis,SLCO1B1*5and*15were associated with reduced, andSLCO1B1*1B, *14, and *35with increased OATP1B1 function.In vitro, both GCDCA-3G and GDCA-3G showed at least 6 times higher uptake by OATP1B1 than OATP1B3 or OATP2B1. These data indicate that the hepatic uptake of GCDCA-3G and GDCA-3G is predominantly mediated by OATP1B1. GCDCA-3G, in particular, is a highly sensitive and specific OATP1B1 biomarker in humans.Peer reviewe

Genetic characterization of primary and metastatic high-grade serous ovarian cancer tumors reveals distinct features associated with survival

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most lethal histotype of ovarian cancer and the majority of cases present with metastasis and late-stage disease. Over the last few decades, the overall survival for patients has not significantly improved, and there are limited targeted treatment options. We aimed to better characterize the distinctions between primary and metastatic tumors based on short- or long-term survival. We characterized 39 matched primary and metastatic tumors by whole exome and RNA sequencing. Of these, 23 were short-term (ST) survivors (overall survival (OS) \u3c 3.5 years) and 16 were long-term (LT) survivors (OS \u3e 5 years). We compared somatic mutations, copy number alterations, mutational burden, differential gene expression, immune cell infiltration, and gene fusion predictions between the primary and metastatic tumors and between ST and LT survivor cohorts. There were few differences in RNA expression between paired primary and metastatic tumors, but significant differences between the transcriptomes of LT and ST survivors in both their primary and metastatic tumors. These findings will improve the understanding of the genetic variation in HGSC that exist between patients with different prognoses and better inform treatments by identifying new targets for drug development

Generation of Functional CLL-Specific Cord Blood CTL Using CD40-Ligated CLL APC

PMCID: PMC3526610This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited