bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Survival of boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults after feeding on pollens from various sources
Authors: GREENBERG SHOIL M. , JONES GRETCHEN D. , EISCHEN FRANK , COLEMAN RANDY J. , ADAMCZYK JOHN J. , LIU TONG‐XIAN , SETAMOU MAMOUDOU 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe survival of overwintering boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis (Boheman), adults on non‐cotton hosts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas was examined from 2001 to 2006. The success of the Boll Weevil Eradication Program, which was re‐introduced into the LRGV in 2005, depends on controlling overwintering boll weevil populations. Laboratory studies were conducted using boll weevil adults that were captured in pheromone traps from September through March. The number of adults captured per trap declined significantly in the field from fall to the beginning of spring (3.5‐7.0‐fold). The proportion of trapped males and females did not differ significantly. The mean weight of boll weevil adults captured in September was 13.3 mg, while those of captured adults from November to February were significantly lower and ranged from 6.7 to 7.8 mg. Our results show that boll weevil adults can feed on different plant pollens. The highest longevity occurred when adults were fed almond pollen or mixed pollens (72.6 days and 69.2 days, respectively) and the lowest when they fed on citrus pollen or a non‐food source (9.7 days or 7.4 days, respectively). The highest adult survival occurred on almond and mixed pollens [88.0%‐97. 6% after 1st feeding period (10 days), 78.0%‐90.8% after 3rd feeding period (10 days), 55. 0%‐83.6% after 5th feeding period (10 days), and 15.2%‐32.4% after 10th feeding period (10 days)]. The lowest adult survival occurred on citrus pollen [52.0%‐56.0% after 1st feeding period (10 days), 13.3% after 3rd and 5th feeding periods (10 days), and 0 after 6th feeding period (10 days)]. Pollen feeding is not a behavior restricted to adult boll weevils of a specific sex or physiological state. Understanding how boll weevil adults survive in the absence of cotton is important to ensure ultimate success of eradicating this pest in the subtropics.
Tunnel geometry of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes grassei (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to sand bulk density and the presence of food
Authors: NOBRE TÂNIA , NUNES LINA , BIGNELL DAVID E. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe cryptic habits of subterranean termites restricts detailed analysis of their foraging patterns in situ, but the process is evidently dominated by tunnel constructions connecting the nest with woody resources discovered within the territory of each colony. In this study, tunnel formation and orientation were studied experimentally in the termite Reticulitermes grassei (Clément), using 2‐dimensional laboratory foraging arenas containing fine sand as the substratum. The building of exploratory tunnels over a 10‐day period and the geometry of the resulting network are described. Fractal analysis showed that tunnel geometry had a fractal dimension, regardless of the total length tunnelled whether foragers encountered the food source or not. The bulk density of the sand in the arenas affected the distances tunnelled, with higher density reducing construction, but did not affect tunnel geometry. Tunnels were not discernibly orientated with respect to the positioning of the food source, even in a situation where termites had failed to find the food source at a distance of less than 50 mm, suggesting that volatiles from wood are not attractants.
Biology and control of the fruit borer, Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley on litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) in northern Thailand
Authors: SCHULTE MARIE JOY , MARTIN KONRAD , SAUERBORN JOACHIM 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFruit and leaf shoot of litchi (Litchi chinensis) infestation by naturally occurring populations of the fruit borer, Conopomorpha sinensis larvae and C. sinensis parasitization rates were determined in litchi orchards in northern Thailand at high (ca. 1 400 m ASL) and low (ca. 800 m ASL) elevations with different, non‐over‐lapping fruiting seasons. In addition, spray applications of Bacillus thuringiensis var. aizawai, the natural compound spinosad and the chemical pesticide imidacloprid were conducted in the field to test the effects of these agents on C. sinensis fruit infestation rate. Fruit infestation rate and fruit growth, studied in a low elevation orchard, were sigmoidal and showed a highly significant positive correlation (P· 0.01). Leaf shoot infestation rate in the low elevation orchard decreased in the course of the fruiting season (March until May), but increased in the high elevation orchard, where no fruits were present within the same period of time. Together, these results indicate that females of C. sinensis clearly prefer fruits over shoots for oviposition. If no fruits are available, which was the case in the high elevation orchard during that time, they are constrained to lay their eggs on shoots. The parasitization rate of C. sinensis larvae in untreated fruits was 54.3%. The parasitoid species were Chelonus chailini (90.8%) and Phanerotoma sp. (9.2%). In the leaf shoots, C. sinensis was found to be parasitized by Phanerotoma sp. and Apanteles briareus. The applications of the different active agents had no significant effect on C. sinensis fruit infestation compared to the untreated control. Besides the cryptic life of the larvae, this is most probably explained by the fact that C. sinensis has several generations during the fruiting season. Because of the high parasitization rates recorded, an alternative and more effective control measure than the application of pesticides might be the augmentative release of parasitoids.
The insect cellular immune response
Authors: Strand Michael R. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe innate immune system of insects is divided into humoral defenses that include the production of soluble effector molecules and cellular defenses like phagocytosis and encapsulation that are mediated by hemocytes. This review summarizes current understanding of the cellular immune response. Insects produce several terminally differentiated types of hemocytes that are distinguished by morphology, molecular and antigenic markers, and function. The differentiated hemocytes that circulate in larval or nymphal stage insects arise from two sources: progenitor cells produced during embryogenesis and mesodermally derived hematopoietic organs. Regulation of hematopoiesis and hemocyte differentiation also involves several different signaling pathways. Phagocytosis and encapsulation require that hemocytes first recognize a given target as foreign followed by activation of downstream signaling and effector responses. A number of humoral and cellular receptors have been identified that recognize different microbes and multicellular parasites. In turn, activation of these receptors stimulates a number of signaling pathways that regulate different hemocyte functions. Recent studies also identify hemocytes as important sources of a number of humoral effector molecules required for killing different foreign invaders.
Innate immunity in Drosophila: Pathogens and pathways
Authors: Govind Shubha 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFollowing in the footsteps of traditional developmental genetics, research over the last 15 years has shown that innate immunity against bacteria and fungi is governed largely by two NF‐κB signal transduction pathways, Toll and IMD. Antiviral immunity appears to stem from RNA interference, whereas resistance against parasitoids is conferred by Toll signaling. The identification of these post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanisms and the annotation of most Drosophila immunity genes have derived from functional genomic studies using “model” pathogens, intact animals and cell lines. The D. melanogaster host has thus provided the core information that can be used to study responses to natural microbial and metazoan pathogens as they become identified, as well as to test ideas of selection and evolutionary change. These analyses are of general importance to understanding mechanisms of other insect host‐pathogen interactions and determinants of variation in host resistance.
Anisotropic Hydraulic Permeability Under Finite Deformation
Authors: Ateshian Gerard A. , Weiss Jeffrey A. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
The structural organization of biological tissues and cells often produces anisotropic transport properties. These tissues may also undergo large deformations under normal function, potentially inducing further anisotropy. A general framework for formulating constitutive relations for anisotropic transport properties under finite deformation is lacking in the literature. This study presents an approach based on representation theorems for symmetric tensor-valued functions and provides conditions to enforce positive semidefiniteness of the permeability or diffusivity tensor. Formulations are presented, which describe materials that are orthotropic, transversely isotropic, or isotropic in the reference state, and where large strains induce greater anisotropy. Strain-induced anisotropy of the permeability of a solid-fluid mixture is illustrated for finite torsion of a cylinder subjected to axial permeation. It is shown that, in general, torsion can produce a helical flow pattern, rather than the rectilinear pattern observed when adopting a more specialized, unconditionally isotropic spatial permeability tensor commonly used in biomechanics. The general formulation presented in this study can produce both affine and nonaffine reorientations of the preferred directions of material symmetry with strain, depending on the choice of material functions. This study addresses a need in the biomechanics literature by providing guidelines and formulations for anisotropic strain-dependent transport properties in porous-deformable media undergoing large deformations.
Strong
In Vitro
Activities of Two New Rifabutin Analogs against Multidrug-Resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: García Ana-Belén , Palacios Juan J. , Ruiz María-Jesús , Barluenga José , Aznar Fernando , Cabal María-Paz , García José María , Díaz Natalia 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

Two new rifabutin analogs, RFA-1 and RFA-2, show high
in vitro
antimycobacterial activities against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. MIC values of RFA-1 and RFA-2 were ≤0.02 μg/ml against rifamycin-susceptible strains and 0.5 μg/ml against a wide selection of multidrug-resistant strains, compared to ≥50 μg/ml for rifampin and 10 μg/ml for rifabutin. Molecular dynamic studies indicate that the compounds may exert tighter binding to mutants of RNA polymerase that have adapted to the rifamycins.
In Vivo
Pharmacodynamics of New Lipopeptide MX-2401
Authors: Craig W. A. , Andes D. R. , Stamstad T. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

MX-2401 is a novel lipopeptide (amphomycin analog) with a broad-spectrum bactericidal activity against Gram-positive organisms. We used murine thigh and lung infection models in neutropenic and normal mice to characterize the
in vivo
pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) activities of MX-2401. The compound (2.5 to 40 mg/kg of body weight) demonstrated linear PK characterized by an area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 228 to 3,265 μg·h/ml and half-lives of 5.7 to 8.8 h. MICs ranged from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml. The
in vivo
postantibiotic effect was prolonged (8.5 h with
Staphylococcus aureu
s and 10.3 to 12.3 with
Streptococcus pneumonia
e). MX-2401 exhibited dose-dependent
in vivo
activity against various strains of
S. pneumoniae
and
S. aureus
; penicillin and macrolide resistance in the pneumococci and methicillin resistance in the staphylococci had no impact on the antimicrobial activity of the drug. To determine which PK/PD index correlated best with MX-2401 activity, dose fractionation studies over a 72-hour period were performed. The maximum concentration of drug in serum divided by the MIC (
C
max
/MIC) correlated best with the efficacy for both
S
.
aureu
s and
S
.
pneumonia
e. Static doses required free-drug
C
max
/MIC values of 0.683 to 1.06. Free-drug 72-h AUC/MIC values for the static dose were in the range of 7.49 to 32.3 and were less than expected. The drug showed modest enhancement in activity in the presence of white blood cells (1.7- to 3.4-fold). The potency of the drug in the lung was only marginally lower than in the thigh (1.3- to 1.9-fold). Based on its PK/PD profile, MX-2401 appears to be a promising new lipopeptide agent for treatment of infections by Gram-positive bacteria, including those induced by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Aziridine-2,3-Dicarboxylate-Based Cysteine Cathepsin Inhibitors Induce Cell Death inLeishmania majorAssociated with Accumulation of Debris in Autophagy-Related Lysosome-Like Vacuoles
Authors: Schurigt Uta , Schad Caroline , Glowa Christin , Baum Ulrike , Thomale Katja , Schnitzer Johannes K. , Schultheis Martina , Schaschke Norbert , Schirmeister Tanja , Moll Heidrun 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe papain-like cysteine cathepsins expressed byLeishmaniaplay a key role in the life cycle of these parasites, turning them into attractive targets for the development of new drugs. We previously demonstrated that two compounds of a series of peptidomimetic aziridine-2,3-dicarboxylate [Azi(OBn)2]-based inhibitors, Boc-(S)-Leu-(R)-Pro-(S,S)-Azi(OBn)2(compound 13b) and Boc-(R)-Leu-(S)-Pro-(S,S)-Azi(OBn)2(compound 13e), reduced the growth and viability ofLeishmania majorand the infection rate of macrophages while not showing cytotoxicity against host cells. In the present study, we characterized the mode of action of inhibitors 13b and 13e inL. major. Both compounds targeted leishmanial cathepsin B-like cysteine cathepsin cysteine proteinase C, as shown by fluorescence proteinase activity assays and active-site labeling with biotin-tagged inhibitors. Furthermore, compounds 13b and 13e were potent inducers of cell death in promastigotes, characterized by cell shrinkage, reduction of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and increased DNA fragmentation. Transmission electron microscopic studies revealed the enrichment of undigested debris in lysosome-like organelles participating in micro- and macroautophagy-like processes. The release of digestive enzymes into the cytoplasm after rupture of membranes of lysosome-like vacuoles resulted in the significant digestion of intracellular compartments. However, the plasma membrane integrity of compound-treated promastigotes was maintained for several hours. Taken together, our results suggest that the induction of cell death inLeishmaniaby cysteine cathepsin inhibitors 13b and 13e is different from mammalian apoptosis and is caused by incomplete digestion in autophagy-related lysosome-like vacuoles.
Fusidic Acid Resistance Determinants in
Staphylococcus aureus
Clinical Isolates
Authors: Chen Hsiao-Jan , Hung Wei-Chun , Tseng Sung-Pin , Tsai Jui-Chang , Hsueh Po-Ren , Teng Lee-Jene 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

A total of 71 fusidic acid-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(45 methicillin-resistant and 26 methicillin-susceptible) isolates were examined for the presence of resistance determinants. Among 45 fusidic acid-resistant methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA), isolates, 38 (84%) had
fusA
mutations conferring high-level resistance to fusidic acid (the MIC was ≥128 μg/ml for 22/38), none had
fusB
, and 7 (16%) had
fusC
. For 26 fusidic acid-resistant methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
(MSSA), only 3 possessed
fusA
mutations, but 15 (58%) had
fusB
and 8 (31%) had
fusC
. Low-level resistance to fusidic acid (MICs ≤ 32 μg/ml) was found in most
fusB
- or
fusC
-positive isolates. For 41 isolates (38 MRSA and 3 MSSA), with
fusA
mutations, a total of 21 amino acid substitutions in EF-G (
fusA
gene) were detected, of which R76C, E444K, E444V, C473S, P478S, and M651I were identified for the first time. The nucleotide sequencing of
fusB
and flanking regions in an MSSA isolate revealed the structure of partial IS
257
-
aj1
-LP-
fusB
-
aj2
-
aj3
-IS
257
-partial
blaZ
, which is identical to the corresponding region in pUB101, and the rest of
fusB
-carrying MSSA isolates also show similar structures. On the basis of
spa
and staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
element (SCC
mec
) typing, two major genotypes,
spa
type t037-SCC
mec
type III (t037-III; 28/45; 62%) and t002-II (13/45; 29%), were predominant among 45 MRSA isolates. By pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis, 45 MRSA isolates were divided into 12 clusters, while 26 MSSA isolates were divided into 15 clusters. Taken together, the distribution of fusidic acid resistance determinants (
fusA
mutations,
fusB
, and
fusC
) was quite different between MRSA and MSSA groups.
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Activities of LCB01-0371, a New Oxazolidinone
Authors: Jeong Ji-Woong , Jung Sung-Ji , Lee Hyun-Hee , Kim Yong-Zu , Park Tae-Kyo , Cho Young-Lag , Chae Sang-Eun , Baek Sung-Yoon , Woo Sung-Ho , Lee Hyang-Sook , Kwak Jin-Hwan 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

LCB01-0371 is a new oxazolidinone with cyclic amidrazone.
In vitro
activity of LCB01-0371 against 624 clinical isolates was evaluated and compared with those of linezolid, vancomycin, and other antibiotics. LCB01-0371 showed good activity against Gram-positive pathogens.
In vivo
activity of LCB01-0371 against systemic infections in mice was also evaluated. LCB01-0371 was more active than linezolid against these systemic infections. LCB01-0371 showed bacteriostatic activity against
Staphylococcus aureus.
In Vitro
Antifungal Susceptibilities and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Genotyping of a Worldwide Collection of 350 Clinical, Veterinary, and Environmental
Cryptococcus gattii
Isolates
Authors: Hagen Ferry , Illnait-Zaragozi Maria-Teresa , Bartlett Karen H. , Swinne Daniëlle , Geertsen Erik , Klaassen Corné H. W. , Boekhout Teun , Meis Jacques F. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

The
in vitro
susceptibilities of a worldwide collection of 350
Cryptococcus gattii
isolates to seven antifungal drugs, including the new triazole isavuconazole, were tested. With amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting, human, veterinary, and environmental
C. gattii
isolates were subdivided into seven AFLP genotypes, including the interspecies hybrids AFLP8 and AFLP9. The majority of clinical isolates (
n
= 215) comprised genotypes AFLP4 (
n
= 76) and AFLP6 (
n
= 103). The clinical AFLP6 isolates had significantly higher geometric mean MICs for flucytosine and fluconazole than the clinical AFLP4 isolates. Of the seven antifungal compounds examined in this study, isavuconazole had the lowest MIC
90
(0.125 μg/ml) for all
C. gattii
isolates, followed by a 1 log
2
dilution step increase (MIC
90
, 0.25 μg/ml) for itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole. Amphotericin B had an acceptable MIC
90
of 0.5 μg/ml, but fluconazole and flucytosine had relatively high MIC
90
s of 8 μg/ml.
Susceptibility of Treatment-Naive Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Clinical Isolates to HCV Protease Inhibitors
Authors: Bae Andrew , Sun Siu-Chi , Qi Xiaoping , Chen Xiaowu , Ku Karin , Worth Angela , Wong Kelly A. , Harris Jeanette , Miller Michael D. , Mo Hongmei 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

In order to assess the natural variation in susceptibility to hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors (PIs) among untreated HCV patient samples, the susceptibilities of 39 baseline clinical isolates were determined using a transient-replication assay on a panel of HCV PIs, including two α-ketoamides (VX-950 and SCH-503034) and three macrocyclic inhibitors (MK-7009, ITMN-191, and TMC-435350). Some natural variation in susceptibility to all HCV PIs tested was observed among the baseline clinical isolates. The susceptibility to VX-950 correlated strongly with the susceptibility to SCH-503034. A moderate correlation was observed between the susceptibilities to ITMN-191 and MK-7009. In contrast, the phenotypic correlations between the α-ketoamides and macrocyclic inhibitors were significantly lower. This difference is partly attributable to reduced susceptibility of the HCV variants containing the NS3 polymorphism Q80K (existing in 47% of genotype 1a isolates) to the macrocyclic compounds but no change in the sensitivity of the same variants to the α-ketoamides tested. Our results suggest that the natural variation in baseline susceptibility may contribute to different degrees of antiviral response among patients
in vivo
, particularly at lower doses.
Impact of Silver-Containing Wound Dressings on Bacterial Biofilm Viability and Susceptibility to Antibiotics during Prolonged Treatment
Authors: Kostenko Victoria , Lyczak Jeffrey , Turner Katherine , Martinuzzi Robert John 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT

The long-term antimicrobial efficacy of silver dressings against bacterial biofilms was investigated in a 7-day treatment
in vitro
model where the protein-rich medium was refreshed daily in order to mimic the conditions found in a wound bed. The use of plate-to-plate transfer assays demonstrated measurable differences in the effectivenesses of several silver dressings on the viability of biofilm bacteria and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Whereas after the first day of treatment, all dressings used resulted in a significant reduction in the number of viable cells in the biofilms and disruption of the biofilm colonies, during prolonged treatment, the efficacy of dressings with hydrophilic base materials diminished with daily transfers, and bacterial populations recovered. For dressings with hydrophobic base materials, the level of efficacy correlated with the silver species loaded. Biofilm bacteria, which survived the initial silver treatment, were susceptible to tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, in contrast to untreated biofilms, which were highly tolerant to the same antibiotics. This acquired susceptibility was unaffected by the longevity of pretreatment with the silver dressings but depended on the dressing used. The antimicrobial efficacy of the dressings correlated with the type of the dressing base material and silver species loaded.