Infochemical-mediated preference behavior of the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, when searching for its hosts

Behavioral responses of S. zeamais to odours from pulverized wheat, brown rice, sorghum, buckwheat, peanut and cork were compared in a Y-tube-olfactometerbioassay. Results showed that both sexes responded to host volatiles and males were more sensitive than females. The strongest responses to grains of wheat and brown rice were found, and insects reared on these were dramatically heavier than on other tested materials (grain sorghum, buckwheat, peanut and cork). Multiple-choices tests, in which volatiles from males that were removed from the wheat within different minutes were simultaneously presented in the chamber, were used to study whether males can release aggregation pheromone if not on the grain. The pheromone was released by males within about 13 minutes after removal from the grains. Responses to pheromones produced by males were skewed toward females although both sexes were attracted. Both sexes responded most strongly to the odour source comprising pheromone with host volatiles

Distinct lipid membrane interaction and uptake of differentially charged nanoplastics in bacteria

Background Nanoplastics have been recently found widely distributed in our natural environment where ubiquitously bacteria are major participants in various material cycles. Understanding how nanoplastics interact with bacterial cell membrane is critical to grasp their uptake processes as well as to analyze their associated risks in ecosystems and human microflora. However, little is known about the detailed interaction of differentially charged nanoplastics with bacteria. The present work experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that nanoplastics enter into bacteria depending on the surface charges and cell envelope structural features, and proved the shielding role of membrane lipids against nanoplastics. Results Positively charged polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NH2, 80 nm) can efficiently translocate across cell membranes, while negatively charged PS (PS-COOH) and neutral PS show almost no or much less efficacy in translocation. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the PS-NH2 displayed more favourable electrostatic interactions with bacterial membranes and was subjected to internalisation through membrane penetration. The positively charged nanoplastics destroy cell envelope of Gram-positive B. subtilis by forming membrane pore, while enter into the Gram-negative E. coli with a relatively intact envelope. The accumulated positively charged nanoplastics conveyed more cell stress by inducing a higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the subsequently released membrane lipid-coated nanoplastics were nearly nontoxic to cells, and like wise, stealthy bacteria wrapped up with artifical lipid layers became less sensitive to the positively charged nanoplastics, thereby illustrating that the membrane lipid can shield the strong interaction between the positively charged nanoplastics and cells. Conclusions Our findings elucidated the molecular mechanism of nanoplastics’ interaction and accumulation within bacteria, and implied the shielding and internalization effect of membrane lipid on toxic nanoplastics could promote bacteria for potential plastic bioremediation. Graphical Abstrac

A Novel OxyR Sensor and Regulator of Hydrogen Peroxide Stress with One Cysteine Residue in Deinococcus radiodurans

In bacteria, OxyR is a peroxide sensor and transcription regulator, which can sense the presence of reactive oxygen species and induce antioxidant system. When the cells are exposed to H2O2, OxyR protein is activated via the formation of a disulfide bond between the two conserved cysteine residues (C199 and C208). In Deinococcus radiodurans, a previously unreported special characteristic of DrOxyR (DR0615) is found with only one conserved cysteine. dr0615 gene mutant is hypersensitive to H2O2, but only a little to ionizing radiation. Site-directed mutagenesis and subsequent in vivo functional analyses revealed that the conserved cysteine (C210) is necessary for sensing H2O2, but its mutation did not alter the binding characteristics of OxyR on DNA. Under oxidant stress, DrOxyR is oxidized to sulfenic acid form, which can be reduced by reducing reagents. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR and global transcription profile results showed that OxyR is not only a transcriptional activator (e.g., katE, drb0125), but also a transcriptional repressor (e.g., dps, mntH). Because OxyR regulates Mn and Fe ion transporter genes, Mn/Fe ion ratio is changed in dr0615 mutant, suggesting that the genes involved in Mn/Fe ion homeostasis, and the genes involved in antioxidant mechanism are highly cooperative under extremely oxidant stress. In conclusion, these findings expand the OxyR family, which could be divided into two classes: typical 2-Cys OxyR and 1-Cys OxyR

Surveying the Down syndrome mouse model resource identifies critical regions responsible for chronic otitis media

Chronic otitis media (OM) is common in Down syndrome (DS), but underlying aetiology is unclear. We analysed the entire available mouse resource of partial trisomy models of DS looking for histological evidence of chronic middle-ear inflammation. We found a highly penetrant OM in the Dp(16)1Yey mouse, which carries a complete trisomy of MMU16. No OM was found in the Dp(17)1Yey mouse or the Dp(10)1Yey mouse, suggesting disease loci are located only on MMU16. The Ts1Cje, Ts1RhR, Ts2Yah, and Ts65Dn trisomies and the transchomosomic Tc1 mouse did not develop OM. On the basis of these findings, we propose a two-locus model for chronic middle-ear inflammation in DS, based upon epistasis of the regions of HSA21 not in trisomy in the Tc1 mouse. We also conclude that environmental factors likely play an important role in disease onset

Effects of Expressive Writing on “Choking under Pressure” in High Test-Anxious Individuals

(1) Background: High test-anxious students often fail to perform at their actual level and are prone to choking under pressure (CUP). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether expressive writing (EW) can help high test-anxious individuals reduce the degree of the CUP effect, and whether the intervention effects were different in people with different working memory capacities. (2) Methods: High test-anxious participants wrote expressively (EW group) or neutrally (control group) according to guidance, and then completed a modular arithmetic (MA) task under a high-stress condition. (3) Results: The state anxiety score of the control group was significantly higher than that of the EW group in the high-pressure situation, indicating that the EW intervention was helpful to alleviate the state anxiety. Subjects with high working memory capacity in the control group performed the complex MA task significantly less accurately in the high-stress situation than in the low-stress situation, showing the CUP effect. There was no significant difference in complex MA task scores between high- and low-stress situations for subjects with high working memory capacity in the EW group, indicating that the EW intervention can reduce the degree of the CUP effect. (4) Conclusions: EW intervention was effective in reducing state anxiety levels and attenuating the detrimental effects of test stress on cognitive processing in test-anxious individuals with high working memory capacity

Establishment and application of GML3.1 schema considering Chinese geo-spatial data transfer format

Geo-spatial data transfer standard is not only an important part of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) but an necessary means for spatial data sharing as well. In this paper, on the basis of analyzing the Geo-spatial data encoding implementation specification-GML3.1, which is constituted by OGC and is based on XML, and Chinese National Spatial Data Transfer Format (CNSDTF), GML3.1 schema considering Chinese Geo-spatial Data Transfer Format, CGML is defined, its frame is given and every constituent schema is discussed. An application based on CGML is designed in the end

Efficacy of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy after implantation of second-generation Drug-eluting stents: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Objective The benefit of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following second-generation drug-eluting stents implantation has not been systematically evaluated. To bridge the knowledge gap, we did a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of ≤6 months versus ≥12 months DAPT among patients with second-generation drug-eluting stents. Methods We searched online databases and identified randomized controlled trials that assess the clinical impact of short-term DAPT (≤6 months) published before March 3, 2016. The efficacy endpoints included the incidence of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, and definite or probable stent thrombosis. Safety endpoint defined as major bleeding was also evaluated and discussed. Results We included 5 trials that randomized 9473 participants (49.8%, short-term DAPT duration vs. 50.2%, standard duration). A total of 9445 (99.7%) patients reported the efficacy endpoints, and the safety endpoint was available from 4 studies (n=8457). There was no significant difference in efficacy endpoints between short-term and standard DAPT duration (≥12 months) [risk ratio (RR) 0.96; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.80-1.15]. Short-term DAPT duration did not significantly increase the individual risk of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, or definite or probable stent thrombosis. Although short-term DAPT obviously reduced risk of major bleeding compared with standard DAPT (RR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29-0.96), significant publication bias was found when accessing the safety endpoint of the 4 studies (Egger's test, P=0.009). Conclusions The efficacy of short-term DAPT was comparable with that of standard duration DAPT. DAPT less than 6 months may be appropriate for patients receiving second-generation drug-eluting stents implantation

An Optical Fiber Read Out Method for a Reflective Microcantilever Biosensor

An effective optical read out approach based on fiber reflective is presented to detect bends of a biomaterial microcantilever. The microcantilever was fabricated on single crystalline SOI wafer using a series of side definitions and backside wet/dry etchings. A Cr/Au layer with 30 nm Cr and 50 nm Au layer was deposited for the immobilized of bimolecular on the cantilever surface and for reflecting the light back into the fiber, the different light intensities means different bimolecular concentrations. The noncoherent light source is a super luminescent LED. Gradient index lens as a collimator and 50:50 optical coupler and signal modefiber was used to transmit light. Two PINFETs were used to convert the reflecting the light intensities and the light sources into electronic signals, two ADCs convert the signal into digital signals, a MPU was used to eliminate the fluctuation of the light source error. The method can has got high sensitivity is 6507.59 mV/um. Though the experiment, the cantilever biosensor can detect glucose, measurement results clearly demonstrate that the output voltage induced by the microcantilevers bending is proportional to the glucose concentrations and the sensitivity is up to 0.1V/mM, which is enough for glucose real-time trace detection