Larval development and foraging behavior of Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur) (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) in captivity

Fredy Palacino-Rodríguez,Leonardo Rache-Rodríguez,Diego Andrés Palacino,Adolfo Cordero-Rivera 한국응용곤충학회 2020 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.23 No.4

Understanding the life cycle of Neotropical odonate species is essential given our scant knowledge of this region. In this paper, we examine growth ratio between instars, development patterns, and active/passive feeding behavior of the Andean dragonfly Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur, 1842). Larvae were obtained from eggs laid by two females in the laboratory and were maintained at 12–34 °C in individual containers until either their emergence or their death. Larvae hatched 26–57 days after laying, and the total development time was determined as being 316 (SD ± 6.6) days, including 13 instars. Larval instars were characterized using six morphometric variables. The foraging behavior was analyzed considering the time of day and the percentage of the background covered by detritus. The growth ratios between successive instars averaged 1.9 for FW pad length, 1.6 for HW pad length and 1.2 for head width, head length, metathoracic leg length, and total length. Neither the active foraging nor the sit-and-wait foraging behavior were affected by either time of the day or the percentage of background covered by detritus. Erythrodiplax abjecta is univoltine and has a slow lifestyle associated with lentic perennial waters, where larval development and growth rates are low. We provide an equation to estimate the E. abjecta larval instars from field specimens.

Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. akhurstii SL0708 pathogenicity in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Julián David Salazar-Gutiérrez,Andrés Castelblanco,María Ximena Rodríguez-Bocanegrab,Wilson Teran,Adriana Sáenz-Aponte 한국응용곤충학회 2017 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.20 No.4

Entomopathogenic nematodes are key players for insect pest control and constitute an environmentally friendly alternative for crop protection. The insecticidal activity of the family Heterorhabditidae relies on a tight symbiotic relationship with enterobacteria of the genus Photorhabdus, where the bacterial contribution towards the death of the host has been highlighted. In the present work, we report the identification and pathogenic characterization of Photorhabdus luminescens strain SL0708, which is the natural symbiont of Heterorhabditis indica SL0708. We evaluated the pathogenicity of whole bacterial cells and acellular extracts against both Spodoptera frugiperda larvae and Galleria mellonella. Phylogenetic analyses using a polygenic sequencing approach assigned the bacterial strain to Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. akhurstii and bioassays showed it is highly pathogenic for both insects. After 48 h of treatment with 1× 103 −1 × 104 CFU/larva, 100% mortality was attained. Furthermore, when intra- or extracellular bacterial extracts were injected into G. mellonella, a cumulative percent mortality of 63% and 100% was respectively obtained after 72 h. In contrast, a 10% and 93% mortality was achieved for S. frugiperda with intra and extracellular extracts, respectively highlighting the role of extracellular factors in pathogenicity. We detected extracellular activities potentially accounting for the high pathogenicity observed and these included; proteases, esterases, ureases, hemolysins and siderophores. Interestingly, S. frugiperda was more susceptible to P. luminescens SL0708 cells than G. mellonella, which contrasted to its higher resistance to H. indica SL0708 nematodes, which suggests that EPN biological control potential should also be evaluated based on bacterial symbiont pathogenicity

Wind and Gust Forecasts Assessment of Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) Model in Córdoba, Argentina

Matías Suárez,Denis Poffo,Edgardo Pierobon,Agustín Martina,Jorge Saffe,Andrés Rodríguez 한국대기환경학회 2022 Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment (AJAE) Vol.16 No.1

WRF wind forecasts from four operative schemes used by OHMC (Observatorio HidroMeteorológico de Córdoba), a test scheme (WRF-E) and two daily runs with 4 km horizontal resolution were analyzed. Wind simulations were compared with measurements from eight ground stations with anemometers at 10 m high during the period from June, 2019 to June, 2020. WRF-E incorporates more vertical levels, and an activated topo_wind option. The wind speed results show that WRF overestimates wind speed at most stations and the WRF-E model reduces the BIAS and the RMSE when compared with the operational models. The wind direction analysis shows that the higher the wind speed is, the more accurate the models are. In addition, a wind gust forecasting has been implemented and evaluated in this work. Wind gust correlation coefficient values are between 0.3 and 0.6, RMSE is between 3 and 5 m/s, and a positive BIAS (<2 m/s) at most stations.

Correlating Atomic Structure and Transport in Suspended Graphene Nanoribbons

Qi, Zhengqing John,Rodrí,guez-Manzo, Julio A.,Botello-Mé,ndez, André,s R.,Hong, Sung Ju,Stach, Eric A.,Park, Yung Woo,Charlier, Jean-Christophe,Drndić,, Marija,Johnson, A. T. Ch American Chemical Society 2014 NANO LETTERS Vol.14 No.8

<P/><P>Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are promising candidates for next generation integrated circuit (IC) components; this fact motivates exploration of the relationship between crystallographic structure and transport of graphene patterned at IC-relevant length scales (<10 nm). We report on the controlled fabrication of pristine, freestanding GNRs with widths as small as 0.7 nm, paired with simultaneous lattice-resolution imaging and electrical transport characterization, all conducted within an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. Few-layer GNRs very frequently formed bonded-bilayers and were remarkably robust, sustaining currents in excess of 1.5 μA per carbon bond across a 5 atom-wide ribbon. We found that the intrinsic conductance of a sub-10 nm bonded bilayer GNR scaled with width as <I>G</I><SUB>BL</SUB>(<I>w</I>) ≈ 3/4(<I>e</I><SUP>2</SUP><I>/h</I>)<I>w</I>, where <I>w</I> is the width in nanometers, while a monolayer GNR was roughly five times less conductive. Nanosculpted, crystalline monolayer GNRs exhibited armchair-terminated edges after current annealing, presenting a pathway for the controlled fabrication of semiconducting GNRs with known edge geometry. Finally, we report on simulations of quantum transport in GNRs that are in qualitative agreement with the observations.</P>

Binding of EBP50 to Nox organizing subunit p47^<i>phox</i> is pivotal to cellular reactive species generation and altered vascular phenotype

Al Ghouleh, Imad,Meijles, Daniel N.,Mutchler, Stephanie,Zhang, Qiangmin,Sahoo, Sanghamitra,Gorelova, Anastasia,Henrich Amaral, Jefferson,Rodré,í,guez, André,s I.,Mamonova, Tatyana,So National Academy of Sciences 2016 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Vol.113 No.36

<P>Despite numerous reports implicating NADPH oxidases (Nox) in the pathogenesis of many diseases, precise regulation of this family of professional reactive oxygen species (ROS) producers remains unclear. A unique member of this family, Nox1 oxidase, functions as either a canonical or hybrid system using Nox organizing subunit 1 (NoxO1) or p47(phox), respectively, the latter of which is functional in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In this manuscript, we identify critical requirement of ezrin-radixin-moesin-binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50; aka NHERF1) for Nox1 activation and downstream responses. Superoxide (O-2(center dot-)) production induced by angiotensin II (AngII) was absent in mouse EBP50 KO VSMC vs. WT. Moreover, ex vivo incubation of aortas with AngII showed a significant increase in O-2(center dot-)-in WT but not EBP50 or Nox1 nulls. Similarly, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress was attenuated in femoral arteries from EBP50 KO vs. WT. In silico analyses confirmed by confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay, FRET, and gain-/ loss-of-function mutagenesis revealed binding of EBP50, via its PDZ domains, to a specific motif in p47(phox). Functional studies revealed AngII-induced hypertrophy was absent in EBP50 KOs, and in VSMC overexpressing EBP50, Nox1 gene silencing abolished VSMC hypertrophy. Finally, ex vivo measurement of lumen diameter in mouse resistance arteries exhibited attenuated AngII-induced vasoconstriction in EBP50 KO vs. WT. Taken together, our data identify EBP50 as a previously unidentified regulator of Nox1 and support that it promotes Nox1 activity by binding p47(phox). This interaction is pivotal for agonist-induced smooth muscle ROS, hypertrophy, and vasoconstriction and has implications for ROS-mediated physiological and pathophysiological processes.</P>