Insecticidal and repellent activities of insecticide-sucrose solutions to Culex pipiens molestus (Diptera: Culicidae) under laboratory and field conditions

BACKGROUND: Culex pipiens molestus Forskal has been reported as a dominant species in underground structures of urban areas in the Republic of Korea (ROK) during all seasons and becomes bothersome to humans in late autumn and winter. Most Cx. pipiens molestus in septic tanks are controlled in the ROK using larvicides such as Bt and IGR. However, there are a number of problems associated with larvicides, such as high cost and requirement for frequent use. In the present work, a new control method for Cx. pipiens molestus in septic tanks by using mixtures of sucrose solution with insecticides was investigated. RESULTS: The insecticidal and repellent activities of ten insecticides were evaluated for best control of Cx. pipiens molestus in septic tanks. Firstly, differences in susceptibilities to insecticides were evaluated in topical assays by forced direct contact bioassay and in a screened wire cage by free direct contact bioassay. The difference in insecticide susceptibility in the mosquitoes was the result of repellency by the insecticides. In three septic tanks, the density of Culex mosquitoes was sharply reduced by a deltamethrin–sucrose solution kit. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated the potential for mosquito control by deltamethrin–sucrose solution, and the study offers basic information related to mosquito control in septic tanks. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

C-arm fluoroscopy for the removal of an intraorbital foreign body in a cat

This report describes the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and minimally surgical intervention of a cat with an intraorbital foreign body. A spayed female cat of unknown age was presented with a recurrent cutaneous sinus tract of the left suborbital region. The cat had not vocalized at all since the adoption. A sharp-edged radiopaque foreign body was visualized on dental radiography. Computed tomography outlined the length of the foreign body from the intraorbital soft tissue to the pharynx. The foreign body was removed under the guide of C-arm fluoroscope with minimal skin incision. The surgical site healed completely on the 11th postoperative day, and the cat vocalized normally after healing.     

Functional characterization of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) EST–SSR by gel electrophoresis and high resolution melting analysis

The present work was conducted to characterize the functionality of 257 watermelon EST–SSR primer pairs for their PCR amplification and polymorphisms. EST–SSR markers were tested on DNA sample panels of six watermelon cultigens and two related species of Citrullus lanatus var. citroides and Citrullus colocynthis based on agarose gel electrophoresis and high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Successful PCRs were shown for 240 primer pairs (79%), and 173 primer pairs (67%) were polymorphic in a watermelon DNA sample panel on agarose gel electrophoresis. In addition, HRM analysis of 24 EST–SSR markers that were monomorphic on agarose gel separation identified an additional 19 polymorphic markers, indicating that HRM is an efficient tool for the rapid screening of sequence variations and allele discrimination. In the assessment of genetic relationships, six watermelon cultivars were closely related together (0.91–0.97) and demonstrated a narrow genetic base in the watermelon genetic pool. A high level of genetic dissimilarity (0.36–0.97) was shown between watermelon species and other related species. Marker transferability to melon species (Cucumis melo L.) was examined by cross-species PCR amplification and genetic diversity assessment in eight melon cultigens. Of the 257 EST–SSR primer pairs, 79 (32.9%) showed successful PCR amplification from melon DNA samples. A dendrogram of the genetic relationship based on 22 EST–SSR markers showed a clear classification of melon genotypes in accordance to fruit characteristics. The EST–SSR markers characterized in this study will contribute to diverse genomic investigations and breeding efforts, including comparative genome mapping, marker-assisted selection, and DNA fingerprinting for genetic diversity and cultivar identification in many cucurbit crops.     

Identification and determination of antigenic proteins of Korean ranavirus-1 (KRV-1) using MALDI-TOF/TOF MS analysis

Ranaviruses are serious pathogens of fish, amphibians, and reptiles, and pose a major threat to global biodiversity. A ranavirus isolated from tissues of diseased tadpoles and frogs in Gangwon province, Korea, in 2006 and 2007, was designated Korean ranavirus-1 (KRV-1) and was infectious in a variety of fish cell lines with highest titers (10¹⁰ TCID₅₀/ml) in Epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells (EPCs) and baby hamster kidney-21 (BHK-21) cells. Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles challenged by immersion in 10⁵ TCID₅₀/ml of KRV-1 showed 60% mortality within 10 days. SDS-PAGE of frog virus 3 (FV3) and KRV-1 proteins yielded several bands 35-49 kDa in size, which were identified as major capsid proteins (MCPs) by MALDI-TOF MS. Immunoblotting of FV3 proteins showed antigenic bands 34 kDa and 93 kDa in size which were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS as MCP and neurofilament triplet H1-like protein (NF-H1), respectively. In KRV-1, antigenic bands at 32 kDa, 69 kDa, and 72 kDa were identified as MCP, Hypothetical protein, and NF-H1, respectively. The genes encoding these KRV-1 proteins were sequenced. KRV-1 appeared to be closely related to the soft-shelled turtle iridovirus (STIV), based on alignments of amino acid sequences from various ranaviruses. Variability in ranavirus antigenic proteins was apparent in an earlier study. It is expected that use of the methods employed here, together with the results of the present work, will contribute to an understanding of the pathogenesis of ranaviruses, and will further the development of DNA- or protein-based bait vaccines for conservation of natural habitats.     

PTP1B Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Secondary Metabolites Isolated from the Marine-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a major role in the negative regulation of insulin signaling, and is thus considered as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes. Bioassay-guided investigation of the methylethylketone extract of marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. JF-55 cultures afforded a new PTP1B inhibitory styrylpyrone-type metabolite named penstyrylpyrone (1), and two known metabolites, anhydrofulvic acid (2) and citromycetin (3). Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited PTP1B activity in a dose-dependent manner, and kinetic analyses of PTP1B inhibition suggested that these compounds inhibited PTP1B activity in a competitive manner. In an effort to gain more biological potential of the isolated compounds, the anti-inflammatory effects of compounds 1–3 were also evaluated. Among the tested compounds, only compound 1 inhibited the production of NO and PGE₂, due to the inhibition of the expression of iNOS and COX-2. Penstyrylpyrone (1) also reduced TNF-α and IL-1β production, and these anti-inflammatory effects were shown to be correlated with the suppression of the phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α, NF-κB nuclear translocation, and NF-κB DNA binding activity. In addition, using inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, it was verified that the inhibitory effects of penstyrylpyrone (1) on the pro-inflammatory mediators and NF-κB DNA binding activity were associated with the HO-1 expression. Therefore, these results suggest that penstyrylpyrone (1) suppresses PTP1B activity, as well as the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via NF-κB pathway, through expression of anti-inflammatory HO-1.     

Compressive viscoelastic properties of softwood kraft lignin-based flexible polyurethane foams

Softwood kraft lignin (SKL)-based water-blown flexible polyurethane foams were prepared using SKL as a crosslinking agent and a hard segment polyol. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a soft segment diol and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were used. While increasing hard segment content caused the increase in crosslink density in foams, the foams became more and more viscous with increasing hard segment content due to the distinctive phase heterogeneity in foams. In this case, the contributiveness of the filler-like behaviors of separated hard segments always overtook the crosslinking effects derived from SKL in terms of overall viscoelasticity, thus the resultant viscometric properties such as tanδ _max and hysteresis loss increased as hard segment content increased. Furthermore, increasing M _n,PEG caused the severer microphase separation and intensified the filler effects in foams, thus the foams became more viscous with increasing M _n,PEG. The 25 % and 65 % CFD values and Young’s moduli of foams increased with increasing hard segment content due to the increase in crosslink density for foams, and the properties also increased with increasing foam density. Most of foams showed the support factors in the range of 2–3, which are suitable values for cushioning use. Even though the microscopic deformation behaviors in foams are irrelevant to foam density, the cyclic compressive tests showed that the higher foam density possess the better shape recovery performances.     

Lignocellulosic nanofiber prepared by alkali treatment and electrospinning using ionic liquid

Nano-size fibers from lignocellulosic biomass were successfully obtained by akali-treatment and electrospinning using ionic liquid. The effects of the lignin and the hemicelluloses content on the spinnability, the web morphology, the micro-structure and the thermal stability of the electrospun fibers were investigated. The lower lignin content resulted in better spinnability, fine and uniform fiber diameter, higher crystallinity and decrease of thermal stability. This study reveals the possibility of the utilization for the lignocellulosic biomass other than pulp or cotton.     

Capsaicin-induced relaxation in rabbit coronary artery.

In the present study mechanism of inhibitory effects of capsaicin on the contractility of rabbit coronary artery were studied by measurement of isometric tension and intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Capsaicin (1 microM to 30 microM) relaxed the coronary artery pre-contracted with prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha (1 microM) in a concentration-dependent manner. The PGF2alpha-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration was also inhibited. The effects of capsaicin were readily reversed by washing capsaicin from the bath. Capsaicin-induced relaxation was not attenuated by pretreatment with capsazepine (1 microM), a blocker of vanilloid receptor or ruthenium red (1 microM), a blocker of non-selective cation channel. Previous exposure to a high concentration of capsaicin (100 microM) or repeated application of capsaicin did not eliminate the relaxation response to subsequent application of capsaicin. Increasing the external K+ concentration to 80 mM significantly attenuated the capsaicin-induced relaxation with simultaneous change in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Pretreatment with iberiotoxin (100 nM), a blocker of Ca2+-activated K+ channel, only partially inhibited the capsaicin-induced relaxation. However, application of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 1 mM), a blocker of delayed rectifier K+ current significantly inhibited the capsaicin-induced relaxation with concomitant attenuation of the effect on intracellular Ca2+ concentration. These results indicate that capsaicin may have a direct relaxing effect on the smooth muscle contractility, and relaxation may be due to activation of the 4-AP-sensitive, delayed rectifier K+ channels in the rabbit coronary artery.