Genetic diversity, molecular phylogeny and selection evidence of the silkworm mitochondria implicated by complete resequencing of 41 genomes

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Tellier Laurent C

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mitochondria are a valuable resource for studying the evolutionary process and deducing phylogeny. A few mitochondria genomes have been sequenced, but a comprehensive picture of the domestication event for silkworm mitochondria remains to be established. In this study, we integrate the extant data, and perform a whole genome resequencing of Japanese wild silkworm to obtain breakthrough results in silkworm mitochondrial (mt population, and finally use these to deduce a more comprehensive phylogeny of the Bombycidae. Results We identified 347 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the mt genome, but found no past recombination event to have occurred in the silkworm progenitor. A phylogeny inferred from these whole genome SNPs resulted in a well-classified tree, confirming that the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, most recently diverged from the Chinese wild silkworm, rather than from the Japanese wild silkworm. We showed that the population sizes of the domesticated and Chinese wild silkworms both experience neither expansion nor contraction. We also discovered that one mt gene, named cytochrome b, shows a strong signal of positive selection in the domesticated clade. This gene is related to energy metabolism, and may have played an important role during silkworm domestication. Conclusions We present a comparative analysis on 41 mt genomes of B. mori and B. mandarina from China and Japan. With these, we obtain a much clearer picture of the evolution history of the silkworm. The data and analyses presented here aid our understanding of the silkworm in general, and provide a crucial insight into silkworm phylogeny.

Cadmium transfer and detoxification mechanisms in a soil-mulberry-silkworm system: phytoremediation potential.

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Zhou, Lingyun; Zhao, Ye; Wang, Shuifeng

2015-11-01

Phytoremediation has been proven to be an environmentally sound alternative for the recovery of contaminated soils, and the economic profit that comes along with the process might stimulate its field use. This study investigated cadmium (Cd) transfer and detoxification mechanisms in a soil-mulberry-silkworm system to estimate the suitability of the mulberry and silkworm as an alternative method for the remediation of Cd-polluted soil; it also explored the underlying mechanisms regulating the trophic transfer of Cd. The results show that both the mulberry and silkworm have high Cd tolerance. The transfer factor suggests that the mulberry has high potential for Cd extraction from polluted soil. The subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in mulberry leaves show that cell wall deposition and vacuolar compartmentalization play important role in Cd tolerance. In the presence of increasing Cd concentrations in silkworm food, detoxification mechanisms (excretion and homeostasis) were activated so that excess Cd was excreted in fecal balls, and metallothionein levels in the mid-gut, the posterior of the silk gland, and the fat body of silkworms were enhanced. And, the Cd concentrations in silk are at a low level, ranging from 0.02 to 0.21 mg kg(-1). Therefore, these mechanisms of detoxification can regulate Cd trophic transfer, and mulberry planting and silkworm breeding has high phytoremediation potential for Cd-contaminated soil.

Acute oral toxicity test of chemical compounds in silkworms.

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Usui, Kimihito; Nishida, Satoshi; Sugita, Takuya; Ueki, Takuro; Matsumoto, Yasuhiko; Okumura, Hidenobu; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2016-02-01

This study performed an acute oral toxicity test of 59 compounds in silkworms. These compounds are listed in OECD guidelines as standard substances for a cytotoxicity test, and median lethal dose (LD(50)) werecalculated for each compound. Acute oral LD(50) values in mammals are listed in OECD guidelines and acute oral LD(50) values in silkworms were determined in this study. R(2) for the correlation between LD(50) values in mammals and LD(50) values in silkworms was 0.66. In addition, the acute oral toxicity test in silkworms was performed by two different facilities, and test results from the facilities were highly reproducible. These findings suggest that an acute oral toxicity test in silkworms is a useful way to evaluate the toxicity of compounds in mammals.

[Identification of novel therapeutically effective antibiotics using silkworm infection model].

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Hamamoto, Hiroshi; Urai, Makoto; Paudel, Atmika; Horie, Ryo; Murakami, Kazuhisa; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2012-01-01

Most antibiotics obtained by in vitro screening with antibacterial activity have inappropriate properties as medicines due to their toxicity and pharmacodynamics in animal bodies. Thus, evaluation of the therapeutic effects of these samples using animal models is essential in the crude stage. Mammals are not suitable for therapeutic evaluation of a large number of samples due to high costs and ethical issues. We propose the use of silkworms (Bombyx mori) as model animals for screening therapeutically effective antibiotics. Silkworms are infected by various pathogenic bacteria and are effectively treated with similar ED(50) values of clinically used antibiotics. Furthermore, the drug metabolism pathways, such as cytochrome P450 and conjugation systems, are similar between silkworms and mammals. Silkworms have many advantages compared with other infection models, such as their 1) low cost, 2) few associated ethical problems, 3) adequate body size for easily handling, and 4) easier separation of organs and hemolymph. These features of the silkworm allow for efficient screening of therapeutically effective antibiotics. In this review, we discuss the advantages of the silkworm model in the early stages of drug development and the screening results of some antibiotics using the silkworm infection model.

Original Research Original Research

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Evaluation of Different Strains of Eri for their Adaptability ... performance compared to other strains in all the locati. Therefore, it is ... significant contribution to the economy of many countr ... green and Eri-marked) eri silkworm strains were ... ope of hope at village level for ..... Proceeding of Regional Seminar on Prospects and.

75 FR 51379 - Safety Zone; Celebrate Erie, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA

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2010-08-20

... display. DATES: This rule is effective from 9:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on August 22, 2010. ADDRESSES...: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Presque Isle Bay... Presque Isle Bay in Erie, PA during the Celebrate Erie fireworks display, August 22, 2010. This temporary...

A Review of the Implications of Heterozygosity and Inbreeding on Germplasm Biodiversity and Its Conservation in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Jingade, A.H.; Vijayan, K.; Somasundaram, P.; Srivasababu, G.K.; Kamble, C.K.

2011-01-01

Silkworm genebanks assume paramount importance as the reservoirs of biodiversity and source of alleles that can be easily retrieved for genetic enhancement of popular breeds. More than 4000 Bombyx mori L (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) strains are currently available and these strains are maintained through continuous sibling mating. This repeated sibling mating makes the populations of each strain more homozygous, but leads to loss of unique and valuable genes through the process of inbreeding depression. Hence, it is essential to maintain a minimal degree of heterozygosity within the population of each silkworm strain, especially in the traditional geographic strains, to avoid such loss. As a result, accurate estimation of genetic diversity is becoming more important in silkworm genetic resources conservation. Application of molecular markers help estimate genetic diversity much more accurately than that of morphological traits. Since a minimal amount of heterozygosity in each silkworm strain is essential for better conservation by avoiding inbreeding depression, this article overviews both theoretical and practical importance of heterozygosity together with impacts of inbreeding depression and the merits and demerits of neutral molecular markers for measurements of both heterozygosity and inbreeding depression in the silkworm Bombyx mori. PMID:21521139

Fruit body formation on silkworm by Cordyceps militaris

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Injection inoculation protocols for fruit body formation of Cordyceps militaris were investigated to improve the incidence of infection in the silkworm species Bombyx mori. Injection, with suspensions of C. militaris hyphal bodies into living silkworm pupae, was used to test for fruit body productio...

Feeding scenario of the silkworm Bombyx Mori, L. in the BLSS

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Yu, XiaoHui; Liu, Hong; Tong, Ling

A simple subunit of the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) consisting of the ground-controlled mulberry ( Morus alba L.) and the silkworms was set up on the ground. The mulberry tree could provide nutrient mulberry fruits for astronauts and its leaves as the main feedstuff for the silkworms until their third instar. Astronauts utilized curled lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) stem as vegetables and the silkworms over third instar could be fed on 65% of inedible leaves of the lettuce. About 71.4% of protein were detected in the silkworm larval powder; thus, 105 silkworms could satisfy the requirement of one person per day. Besides, 18 kinds of amino acids were determined in the obtained silkworm powder. Moreover, the R-criterion was suggested to estimate and optimize the animal feeding facilities. The scenario of treating the wastes is also proposed in this paper. Our results may be valuable for the establishment of a complex BLSS in the future.

Identification and characterization of an arginine kinase as a major allergen from silkworm (Bombyx mori) larvae.

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Liu, Zhigang; Xia, Lixin; Wu, Yulan; Xia, Qingyou; Chen, Jiajie; Roux, Kenneth H

2009-01-01

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is an important insect in the textile industry and its pupa are used in Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine. The silk, urine and dander of silkworms is often the cause of allergies in sericulture workers and the pupa has been found to be a food allergen in China. Recent studies have focused on reporting cases of silkworm allergies, but only a few studies have addressed the specific allergens present in the B. mori silkworm. We collected sera from 10 patients with a positive skin prick test to silkworm crude extract (SCE) and analyzed these samples by Western blot and ELISA. The cDNA of arginine kinase from the B. mori silkworm was also cloned and expressed in high yield in Escherichia coli. Allergenicity and cross-allergenicity of the recombinant B. mori arginine kinase (rBmAK) were investigated by ELISA inhibition assay. Collected sera all reacted to a 42-kDa protein in a Western blot with SCE as the antigen. Preincubation of sera with rBmAK eliminated the reactivity of the patients' sera to this 42-kDa band. All patient sera also exhibited positive reactivity to SCE in an ELISA assay. BmAK also demonstrated cross-reactivity with a recombinant AK from cockroach. Arginine kinase from the B. mori silkworm is a major allergen and crossreacts with cockroach AK. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Analysis of silkworm gut microflora in the Bioregenerative Life Support System

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Liang, Xue; Liu, lh64. Hong

2012-07-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori L) has advantages in the nutritional composition, growth characteristics and other factors, it is regarded as animal protein source for astronauts in the Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS).Due to the features of BLSS, silkworm breeding way is different from the conventional one (mulberry leaves throughout five instars): they were fed with mulberry and lettuce leaves during the 1st-3rd instars and 4th -5th instars, respectively. As the lettuce stem can be eaten by astronauts, the leaves not favored by humans can be insect's foodstuff. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the gut microbial composition, the type of dominant bacteria of silkworm raised with this way and the differences from the conventional breeding method, so as to reduce the mortality rate caused by the foodstuff change and to provide more animal protein for astronauts. In this study, 16srDNA sequencing, phylogenetic analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis method were used to analyze the silkworm gut microbial flora under two breeding manners. The results show that conventional and BLSS breeding way have six dominant bacteria in common: Clostridium, Enterococcus, Bacteroides, Chryseobacterium, Parabacteroides, Paenibacillus. We also found Escherichia, Janthinobacterium, Sedimentibacter, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Arcobacter, Rothia, Polaribacter and Acinetobacter, Anaerofilum, Rummeliibacillus, Anaeroplasma, Serratia in the ground conventional and BLSS special breeding way, respectively. Changing the foodstuff of silkworm leads to the dynamic alteration of gut microbial. Dominant bacteria of the two breeding ways have diversities from each other. The ground conventional breeding way has more abundant bacteria than the BLSS one. Due to the lettuce leaves have replaced mulberry leaves at the beginning of the silkworm 4th instar, some silkworms can not survive without the bacteria that digest and absorb lettuce leaves. We suggest those dominant bacteria

Highly accurate and fast optical penetration-based silkworm gender separation system

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Kamtongdee, Chakkrit; Sumriddetchkajorn, Sarun; Chanhorm, Sataporn

2015-07-01

Based on our research work in the last five years, this paper highlights our innovative optical sensing system that can identify and separate silkworm gender highly suitable for sericulture industry. The key idea relies on our proposed optical penetration concepts and once combined with simple image processing operations leads to high accuracy in identifying of silkworm gender. Inside the system, there are electronic and mechanical parts that assist in controlling the overall system operation, processing the optical signal, and separating the female from male silkworm pupae. With current system performance, we achieve a very highly accurate more than 95% in identifying gender of silkworm pupae with an average system operational speed of 30 silkworm pupae/minute. Three of our systems are already in operation at Thailand's Queen Sirikit Sericulture Centers.

Identification and Analysis of the SET-Domain Family in Silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Hailong Zhao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As an important economic insect, Bombyx mori is also a useful model organism for lepidopteran insect. SET-domain-containing proteins belong to a group of enzymes named after a common domain that utilizes the cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM to achieve methylation of its substrates. Many SET-domain-containing proteins have been shown to display catalytic activity towards particular lysine residues on histones, but emerging evidence also indicates that various nonhistone proteins are specifically targeted by this clade of enzymes. To explore their diverse functions of SET-domain superfamily in insect, we identified, cloned, and analyzed the SET-domains proteins in silkworm, Bombyx mori. Firstly, 24 genes containing SET domain from silkworm genome were characterized and 17 of them belonged to six subfamilies of SUV39, SET1, SET2, SUV4-20, EZ, and SMYD. Secondly, SET domains of silkworm SET-domain family were intraspecifically and interspecifically conserved, especially for the catalytic core “NHSC” motif, substrate binding site, and catalytic site in the SET domain. Lastly, further analyses indicated that silkworm SET-domain gene BmSu(var3-9 owned different characterization and expression profiles compared to other invertebrates. Overall, our results provide a new insight into the functional and evolutionary features of SET-domain family.

Physicochemical Properties of Meat Batter Added with Edible Silkworm Pupae (Bombyx mori) and Transglutaminase

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Choi, Yun-Sang

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical properties of meat batters prepared with fresh pork meat, back fat, water, and salt and formulated with three different amounts (5%, 10%, and 15%) of silkworm pupae (Bombyx mori) powder and transglutaminase (TG). Meat batters formulated with silkworm pupae powder showed significantly higher contents of protein and ash than control batter. Addition of silkworm pupae to batter also showed significantly lower cooking loss than the control. Moreover, meat batter containing 15% silkworm pupae showed no significant difference in redness value compared to the control. In addition, pH, viscosity, hardness, gumminess, and chewiness were improved after the addition of silkworm pupae. Furthermore, meat batter formulated with TG and silkworm pupae showed improved hardness, gumminess, chewiness and viscosity compared to control batter. Addition of 1% TG with 15% silkworm pupae to meat batter resulted in significantly higher pH, textures, and viscosity. Our data suggest that both silkworm pupae and TG can be added to meat batter to improve its physicochemical properties. Therefore, combination of silkworm pupae and TG could be a new nutritional and functional source for meat products. PMID:28747820

Physicochemical Properties of Meat Batter Added with Edible Silkworm Pupae (Bombyx mori) and Transglutaminase.

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Park, Yoo-Sun; Choi, Yun-Sang; Hwang, Ko-Eun; Kim, Tae-Kyung; Lee, Cheol-Won; Shin, Dong-Min; Han, Sung Gu

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical properties of meat batters prepared with fresh pork meat, back fat, water, and salt and formulated with three different amounts (5%, 10%, and 15%) of silkworm pupae ( Bombyx mori ) powder and transglutaminase (TG). Meat batters formulated with silkworm pupae powder showed significantly higher contents of protein and ash than control batter. Addition of silkworm pupae to batter also showed significantly lower cooking loss than the control. Moreover, meat batter containing 15% silkworm pupae showed no significant difference in redness value compared to the control. In addition, pH, viscosity, hardness, gumminess, and chewiness were improved after the addition of silkworm pupae. Furthermore, meat batter formulated with TG and silkworm pupae showed improved hardness, gumminess, chewiness and viscosity compared to control batter. Addition of 1% TG with 15% silkworm pupae to meat batter resulted in significantly higher pH, textures, and viscosity. Our data suggest that both silkworm pupae and TG can be added to meat batter to improve its physicochemical properties. Therefore, combination of silkworm pupae and TG could be a new nutritional and functional source for meat products.

Nutrient composition and respiration characteristics of silkworms in the Bioregenerative Life Support System

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Tong, Ling; Yu, Xiaohui; Liu, Hong

As the appropriate space animal candidate, silkworm(Bombyx Mori L.) can supply animal food for taikonauts and consume inedible parts of plants in Bioregenerative Life Support Sys-tem(BLSS). Due to the features of BLSS, the silkworm breeding method in the system differ-ent from the conventional one is feeding the silkworm in the first three developing stages with mulberry leaves and with lettuce leaves in the latter two developing stages. Therefore, it is nec-essary to investigate the biochemical components and respiration characteristics of silkworms raised with this method to supply data bases for the inclusion of silkworms in the system to conduct system experiments. The nutrient compositions of silkworm powder (SP) which are the grinded and freeze-dried silkworm on the 3rd day in the fifth developing stage containing protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids were determined with international standard analyzing methods in this study. The results showed that SP was rich in protein and amino acids. There were twelve kinds of essential vitamins, nine kinds of minerals and twelve kinds of fatty acids in SP. In contrast, SP had much better nutrient components than snail, fish, chicken, beef and pork as animal food for crew members. Moreover, 359 kCal can be generated per 100g of SP (dry weight). The respirations of silkworm during its whole growing process under two main physiological statuses which were eating and non-eating leaves were studied. According to the results measured by the animal respiration measuring system, there were much difference among the respirations of silkworms under the two main physiological statuses. The amounts of O2 inhaled and CO2 exhaled by the silkworms when they were eating leaves were more than those under the non-eating status. Even under the same status, the respiration characteristics of silkworms in five different developing stages were also different from one an-other. The respiratory quotients of silkworms under two

RNA-Seq Analyses for Two Silkworm Strains Reveals Insight into Their Susceptibility and Resistance to Beauveria bassiana Infection.

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Xing, Dongxu; Yang, Qiong; Jiang, Liang; Li, Qingrong; Xiao, Yang; Ye, Mingqiang; Xia, Qingyou

2017-02-10

The silkworm Bombyx mori is an economically important species. White muscardine caused by Beauveria bassiana is the main fungal disease in sericulture, and understanding the silkworm responses to B. bassiana infection is of particular interest. Herein, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying these responses in two silkworm strains Haoyue (HY, sensitive to B. bassiana ) and Kang 8 (K8, resistant to B. bassiana ) using an RNA-seq approach. For each strain, three biological replicates for immersion treatment, two replicates for injection treatment and three untreated controls were collected to generate 16 libraries for sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between treated samples and untreated controls, and between the two silkworm strains, were identified. DEGs and the enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of the two strains exhibited an obvious difference. Several genes encoding cuticle proteins, serine proteinase inhibitors (SPI) and antimicrobial peptides (AMP) and the drug metabolism pathway involved in toxin detoxification were considered to be related to the resistance of K8 to B. bassiana. These results revealed insight into the resistance and susceptibility of two silkworm strains against B. bassiana infection and provided a roadmap for silkworm molecular breeding to enhance its resistance to B. bassiana .

RNA-Seq Analyses for Two Silkworm Strains Reveals Insight into Their Susceptibility and Resistance to Beauveria bassiana Infection

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Dongxu Xing

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The silkworm Bombyx mori is an economically important species. White muscardine caused by Beauveria bassiana is the main fungal disease in sericulture, and understanding the silkworm responses to B. bassiana infection is of particular interest. Herein, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying these responses in two silkworm strains Haoyue (HY, sensitive to B. bassiana and Kang 8 (K8, resistant to B. bassiana using an RNA-seq approach. For each strain, three biological replicates for immersion treatment, two replicates for injection treatment and three untreated controls were collected to generate 16 libraries for sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs between treated samples and untreated controls, and between the two silkworm strains, were identified. DEGs and the enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathways of the two strains exhibited an obvious difference. Several genes encoding cuticle proteins, serine proteinase inhibitors (SPI and antimicrobial peptides (AMP and the drug metabolism pathway involved in toxin detoxification were considered to be related to the resistance of K8 to B. bassiana. These results revealed insight into the resistance and susceptibility of two silkworm strains against B. bassiana infection and provided a roadmap for silkworm molecular breeding to enhance its resistance to B. bassiana.

Sublethal dose of phoxim and Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus interact to elevate silkworm mortality.

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Gu, ZhiYa; Li, FanChi; Hu, JingSheng; Ding, Chao; Wang, Chaoqian; Tian, JiangHai; Xue, Bin; Xu, KaiZun; Shen, WeiDe; Li, Bing

2017-03-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect. It is relatively less resistant to certain chemicals and environment exposures such as pesticides and pathogens. After pesticide exposures, the silkworms are more susceptible to microbial infections. The mechanism underlying the susceptibility might be related to immune response and oxidative stress. A sublethal dose of phoxim combined with Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) elevated the silkworm mortality at 96 h. We found a higher content of H 2 O 2 and increased levels of genes related to oxidative stress and immune response after treatment with a sublethal dose of phoxim for 24 h or 48 h. However, such response decreased with longer pesticide treatment. Mortality increased by 44% when B. mori was exposed to combined treatment with BmNPV and phoxim rather than BmNPV alone. The level of examined immune-related and oxidative-stress-related genes significantly decreased in the combined treatment group compared with the BmNPV group. Our results indicated that, with long-term exposure to pesticides such as OPs, even at sublethal dose, the oxidative stress response and immune responses in silkworm were inhibited, which may lead to further immune impairment and accumulation of oxidative stress, resulting in susceptibility to the virus and harm to the silkworm. Our study provided insights for understanding the susceptibility to pathogen after pesticide exposures, which may promote the development of better pesticide controls to avoid significant economic losses. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nutrigenetic screening strains of the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori, for nutritional efficiency.

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Chinnaswamy, Ramesha; Lakshmi, Hothur; Kumari, Savarapu S; Anuradha, Chebba M; Kumar, Chitta S

2012-01-01

The activity of sericulture is declining due the reduction of mulberry production area in sericulture practicing countries lead to adverse effects on silkworm rearing and cocoon production. Screening for nutrigenetic traits in silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for better understanding and development of nutritionally efficient breeds/hybrids, which show less food consumption with higher efficiency conversion. The aim of this study was to identify nutritionally efficient polyvoltine silkworm strains using the germplasm breeds RMW(2), RMW(3), RMW(4), RMG(3), RMG(1), RMG(4), RMG(5), RMG(6) and APM(1) as the control. The 1(st) day of 5(th) stage silkworm larvae of polyvoltine strains were subjected to standard gravimetric analysis until spinning for three consecutive generations covering three different seasons on 19 nutrigenetic traits. Highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences were found among all nutrigenetic traits of polyvoltine silkworm strains in the experimental groups. The nutritionally efficient polvoltine silkworm strains were resulted by utilizing nutrition consumption index and efficiency of conversion of ingesta/cocoon traits as the index. Higher nutritional efficiency conversions were found in the polyvoltine silkworm strains on efficiency of conversion of ingesta to cocoon and shell than control. Comparatively smaller consumption index, respiration, metabolic rate with superior relative growth rate, and quantum of food ingesta and digesta requisite per gram of cocoon and shell were shown; the lowest amount was in new polyvoltine strains compared to the control. Furthermore, based on the overall nutrigenetic traits utilized as index or 'biomarkers', three polyvoltine silkworm strains (RMG(4), RMW(2), and RMW(3)) were identified as having the potential for nutrition efficiency conversion. The data from the present study advances our knowledge for the development of nutritionally efficient silkworm breeds

iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of midgut in silkworm infected with Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus.

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Gao, Kun; Deng, Xiang-Yuan; Shang, Meng-Ke; Qin, Guang-Xing; Hou, Cheng-Xiang; Guo, Xi-Jie

2017-01-30

Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV) specifically infects the epithelial cells in the midgut of silkworm and causes them to death, which negatively affects the sericulture industry. In order to determine the midgut response at the protein levels to the virus infection, differential proteomes of the silkworm midgut responsive to BmCPV infection were identified with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) labeling followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). 193, 408, 189 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were reliably quantified by iTRAQ analysis in the midgut of BmCPV-infected and control larvae at 24, 48, 72h post infection (hpi) respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that Oxidative phosphorylation, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis were the significant pathways (Q value≤0.05) both at 24 and 48hpi. qRT-PCR was used to further verify gene transcription of 30 DEPs from iTRAQ, showing that the regulations of 24 genes at the transcript level were consistent with those at the proteomic level. Moreover, the cluster analysis of the three time groups showed that there were seven co-regulated DEPs including BGIBMGA002620-PA, which was a putative p62/sequestosome-1 protein in silkworm. It was upregulated at both the mRNA level and the proteomic level and may play an important role in regulating the autophagy and apoptosis (especially apoptosis) induced by BmCPV infection. This was the first report using an iTRAQ approach to analyze proteomes of the silkworm midgut against BmCPV infection, which contributes to understanding the defense mechanisms of silkworm midgut to virus infection. The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is renowned for silk production as well as being a traditional lepidopteron model insect served as a subject for morphological, genetic, physiological, and developmental studies. Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis

Proteomic-based insight into Malpighian tubules of silkworm Bombyx mori.

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Xiao-wu Zhong

Full Text Available Malpighian tubules (MTs are highly specific organs of arthropods (Insecta, Myriapoda and Arachnida for excretion and osmoregulation. In order to highlight the important genes and pathways involved in multi-functions of MTs, we performed a systematic proteomic analysis of silkworm MTs in the present work. Totally, 1,367 proteins were identified by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and as well as by Trans Proteomic Pipeline (TPP and Absolute protein expression (APEX analyses. Forty-one proteins were further identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Some proteins were revealed to be significantly associated with various metabolic processes, organic solute transport, detoxification and innate immunity. Our results might lay a good foundation for future functional studies of MTs in silkworm and other lepidoptera.

Impact of microsporidian infection on growth and development of silkworm Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae

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Sunil Kumar Gupta

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Several species and strains of microsporidia have been isolated from infected silkworms among which pebrine caused by Nosema bombycis Nageli is the most important. Infection from this disease causes severe economic loss in sericulture. Reduction of larval and pupal development and reduced weights in silkworms due to infection has been reported. In the present study, five microsporidian (Nosema isolates from mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. collected from different locations in West Bengal, India were sampled to study the impact of their infection on the growth and development of B. mori. The study revealed significant differences among the isolates in their ability to cause a reduction in the larval and pupal development of silkworm. Healthy larvae showed better body and tissue weights which were significantly higher than in infected lots. Among the isolates, M5 registered the maximum reduction in relative growth rate, larval silk gland tissue somatic index, larval male and female gonad tissue somatic index (GTSI and pupal female GTSI compared to the healthy control. Male and female pupa treated with M5 spores died before emergence, suggesting that the M5 isolate was the most virulent.

Genetic diversity among silkworm (Bombyx mori L., Lep., Bombycidae) germplasms revealed by microsatellites.

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Li, Muwang; Shen, Li; Xu, Anying; Miao, Xuexia; Hou, Chengxiang; Sun, Pingjiang; Zhang, Yuehua; Huang, Yongping

2005-10-01

To determine genetic relationships among strains of silkworm, Bombyx mori L., 31 strains with different origins, number of generations per year, number of molts per generation, and morphological characters were studied using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Twenty-six primer pairs flanking microsatellite sequences in the silkworm genome were assayed. All were polymorphic and unambiguously separated silkworm strains from each other. A total of 188 alleles were detected with a mean value of 7.2 alleles/locus (range 2-17). The average heterozygosity value for each SSR locus ranged from 0 to 0.60, and the highest one was 0.96 (Fl0516 in 4013). The mean polymorphism index content (PIC) was 0.66 (range 0.12-0.89). Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) cluster analysis of Nei's genetic distance grouped silkworm strains based on their origin. Seven major ecotypic silkworm groups were analyzed. Principal components analysis (PCA) for SSR data support their UPGMA clustering. The results indicated that SSR markers are an efficient tool for fingerprinting cultivars and conducting genetic-diversity studies in the silkworm.

Silkworm Sericin: Properties and Biomedical Applications

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Regina Inês Kunz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Silk sericin is a natural polymer produced by silkworm, Bombyx mori, which surrounds and keeps together two fibroin filaments in silk thread used in the cocoon. The recovery and reuse of sericin usually discarded by the textile industry not only minimizes environmental issues but also has a high scientific and commercial value. The physicochemical properties of the molecule are responsible for numerous applications in biomedicine and are influenced by the extraction method and silkworm lineage, which can lead to variations in molecular weight and amino acid concentration of sericin. The presence of highly hydrophobic amino acids and its antioxidant potential make it possible for sericin to be applied in the food and cosmetic industry. The moisturizing power allows indications as a therapeutic agent for wound healing, stimulating cell proliferation, protection against ultraviolet radiation, and formulating creams and shampoos. The antioxidant activity associated with low digestibility of sericin that expands the application in the medical field, such as antitumour, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent, anticoagulant, acts in colon health, improving constipation and protects the body from obesity through improved plasma lipid profile. In addition, the properties of sericin allow its application as a culture medium and cryopreservation, in tissue engineering and for drug delivery, demonstrating its effective use, as an important biomaterial.

Toyama Kametaro and Vernon Kellogg: silkworm inheritance experiments in Japan, Siam, and the United States, 1900-1912.

Science.gov (United States)

Onaga, Lisa

2010-01-01

Japanese agricultural scientist Toyama Kametaro's report about the Mendelian inheritance of silkworm cocoon color in Studies on the Hybridology of Insects (1906) spurred changes in Japanese silk production and thrust Toyama and his work into a scholarly exchange with American entomologist Vernon Kellogg. Toyama's work, based on research conducted in Japan and Siam, came under international scrutiny at a time when analyses of inheritance flourished after the "rediscovery" of Mendel's laws of heredity in 1900. The hybrid silkworm studies in Asia attracted the attention of Kellogg, who was concerned with how experimental biology would be used to study the causes of natural selection. He challenged Toyama's conclusions that Mendelism alone could explain the inheritance patterns of silkworm characters such as cocoon color because they had been subject to hundreds of years of artificial selection, or breeding. This examination of the intersection of Japanese sericulture and American entomology probes how practical differences in scientific interests, societal responsibilities, and silkworm materiality were negotiated throughout the processes of legitimating Mendelian genetics on opposite sides of the Pacific. The ways in which Toyama and Kellogg assigned importance to certain silkworm properties show how conflicting intellectual orientations arose in studies of the same organism. Contestation about Mendelism took place not just on a theoretical level, but the debate was fashioned through each scientist's rationale about the categorization of silkworm breeds and races and what counted as "natural". This further mediated the acceptability of the silkworm not as an experimental organism, but as an appropriately "natural" insect with which to demonstrate laws of inheritance. All these shed light on the challenges that came along with the use of agricultural animals to convincingly articulate new biological principles.

High-efficiency production of human serum albumin in the posterior silk glands of transgenic silkworms, Bombyx mori L.

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Qiujie Qian

Full Text Available Human serum albumin (HSA is an important biological preparation with a variety of biological functions in clinical applications. In this study, the mRNA of a fusion transposase derived from the pESNT-PBase plasmid and a pBHSA plasmid containing the HSA gene under the control of a fibroin light chain (FL promoter were co-injected into fertilized eggs. Fifty-six transgenic silkworm pedigrees expressing theexogenous recombinant HSA (rHSA in the posterior silk glands (PSGs with stable inheritance were successfully obtained. The SDS-PAGE and Western blot results confirmed that the rHSA was secreted into the transgenic silkworm cocoon, and the rHSA could be easily extracted with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS. In our research, the isolated highest amount rHSA constituted up to 29.1% of the total soluble protein of the cocoon shell, indicating that the transgenic silkworm produced an average of 17.4 μg/mg of rHSA in the cocoon shell. The production of soluble rHSA in the PSGs by means of generating transgenic silkworms is a novel approach, whereby a large amount of virus-free and functional HSA can be produced through the simple rearing of silkworms.

Female qualities in males: vitellogenin synthesis induced by ovary transplants into the male silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Yang, Congwen; Lin, Ying; Shen, Guanwang; Chen, Enxiang; Wang, Yanxia; Luo, Juan; Zhang, Haiyan; Xing, Runmiao; Xia, Qingyou

2014-10-10

Female qualities in males are common in vertebrates but have not been extensively reported in insects. Vitellogenin (Vg) is highly expressed in the female fat body and is generally required for the formation of yolk proteins in the insect egg. Vg upregulation is generally regarded as a female quality in female oviparous animals. In this study, we found that Bombyx mori Vg (BmVg) is especially highly expressed in the female pupa. Downregulation of the BmVg gene in the female pupa by RNA interference (RNAi) interfered with egg formation and embryonic development, showing the importance of BmVg in these processes. So, we used BmVg as a biomarker for female qualities in the silkworm. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence histochemistry showed that ovary transplants induced BmVg synthesis in the male pupa fat body. Ovaries transplanted into male silkworms produced only a few eggs with deformed yolk granules. These results suggested that the amount of BmVg in the male silkworm was insufficient for eggs to undergo complete embryonic development. After 17-beta-estradiol was used to treat male pupae and male pupal fat bodies, BmVg was upregulated in vivo and in vitro. These findings indicated that the male silkworm has innate female qualities that were induced by a transplanted ovary and 17β-estradiol. However, in silkworms, female qualities in males are not as complete as in females. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficient silkworm expression of human GPCR (nociceptin receptor) by a Bombyx mori bacmid DNA system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajikawa, Mizuho; Sasaki, Kaori; Wakimoto, Yoshitaro; Toyooka, Masaru; Motohashi, Tomoko; Shimojima, Tsukasa; Takeda, Shigeki; Park, Enoch Y.; Maenaka, Katsumi

2009-01-01

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) coupled receptors (GPCRs) are frequently expressed by a baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). We recently established a novel BEVS using the bacmid system of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), which is directly applicable for protein expression in silkworms. Here, we report the first example of GPCR expression in silkworms by the simple injection of BmNPV bacmid DNA. Human nociceptin receptor, an inhibitory GPCR, and its fusion protein with inhibitory G protein alpha subunit (G i α) were both successfully expressed in the fat bodies of silkworm larvae as well as in the BmNPV viral fraction. Its yield was much higher than that from Sf9 cells. The microsomal fractions including the nociceptin receptor fusion, which are easily prepared by only centrifugation steps, exhibited [ 35 S]GTPγS-binding activity upon specific stimulation by nociceptin. Therefore, this rapid method is easy-to-use and has a high expression level, and thus will be an important tool for human GPCR production.

FLP recombinase-mediated site-specific recombination in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Ding-Pei Long

Full Text Available A comprehensive understanding of gene function and the production of site-specific genetically modified mutants are two major goals of genetic engineering in the post-genomic era. Although site-specific recombination systems have been powerful tools for genome manipulation of many organisms, they have not yet been established for use in the manipulation of the silkworm Bombyx mori genome. In this study, we achieved site-specific excision of a target gene at predefined chromosomal sites in the silkworm using a FLP/FRT site-specific recombination system. We first constructed two stable transgenic target silkworm strains that both contain a single copy of the transgene construct comprising a target gene expression cassette flanked by FRT sites. Using pre-blastoderm microinjection of a FLP recombinase helper expression vector, 32 G3 site-specific recombinant transgenic individuals were isolated from five of 143 broods. The average frequency of FLP recombinase-mediated site-specific excision in the two target strains genome was approximately 3.5%. This study shows that it is feasible to achieve site-specific recombination in silkworms using the FLP/FRT system. We conclude that the FLP/FRT system is a useful tool for genome manipulation in the silkworm. Furthermore, this is the first reported use of the FLP/FRT system for the genetic manipulation of a lepidopteran genome and thus provides a useful reference for the establishment of genome manipulation technologies in other lepidopteran species.

Vertebrate estrogen regulates the development of female characteristics in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Guanwang; Lin, Ying; Yang, Congwen; Xing, Runmiao; Zhang, Haiyan; Chen, Enxiang; Han, Chaoshan; Liu, Hongling; Zhang, Weiwei; Xia, Qingyou

2015-01-01

The vertebrate estrogens include 17-β-estradiol (E2), which has an analog in silkworm ovaries. In this study, the Bombyx mori vitellogenin gene (BmVg) was used as a biomarker to analyze the function of the E2 in silkworm. In most oviparous animals, Vg has female-specific expression. However, BmVg expression was also detected in B. mori males. Stage specific fluctuation of BmVg expression was similar in males and females, but expression levels in males were lower than in females. E2 treatment by injection or feeding of male larvae in the final instar stage induced and stimulated male BmVg transcription and protein synthesis. When silkworm ovary primordia were transplanted into males, BmVg was induced in male fat bodies. Transplanted ovaries primordia were also able to develop into ovaries and produce mature eggs. When females were treated with E2 promoted BmVg/BmVn protein accumulation in hemolymph, ovaries and eggs. However, BmVg transcription was decreased in female fat bodies. An E2 analog was identified in the hemolymph of day 3 wandering silkworms using high-performance liquid chromatography. Estradiol titers from fifth late-instar larvae to pupal stage were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results suggested that silkworms synthesized a vertebrate E2 analog. This study found that E2 promoted the synthesis of BmVg, a female typical protein in silkworms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Annotated Bibliography for Lake Erie. Volume I. Biological,

Science.gov (United States)

1974-10-01

maculosa Le Sueur; calico bass, or Lake Erie bass, Pomoxis sparoides Lacepede. (SM) 52. Reardslee, Clark S. 1944. Bonapart’s gull on the Niagara...of the burbot, Lota lota maculosa (LeSueur), in Lake Erie. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 80:163-173. Growth studies were made on 2,329 Lake Erie burbot...almo -- hystus; whitefish, oe onus albus; common shad salmon, Coregonus a upelformis; aobony pike, Lepisosteus bison; spotted burbot, Lota maculosa ; and

Advantages of the Silkworm As an Animal Model for Developing Novel Antimicrobial Agents

OpenAIRE

Panthee, Suresh; Paudel, Atmika; Hamamoto, Hiroshi; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2017-01-01

The demand for novel antibiotics to combat the global spread of multi drug-resistant pathogens continues to grow. Pathogenic bacteria and fungi that cause fatal human infections can also kill silkworms and the infected silkworms can be cured by the same antibiotics used to treat infections in the clinic. As an invertebrate model, silkworm model is characterized by its convenience, low cost, no ethical issues. The presence of conserved immune response and similar pharmacokinetics compared to m...

BmCyclin B and BmCyclin B3 are required for cell cycle progression in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Minhui; Hong, Kaili; Chen, Xiangyun; Pan, Chun; Chen, Xuemei; Kuang, Xiuxiu; Lu, Cheng

2013-04-01

Cyclin B is an important regulator of the cell cycle G2 to M phase transition. The silkworm genomic database shows that there are two Cyclin B genes in the silkworm (Bombyx mori), BmCyclin B and BmCyclin B3. Using silkworm EST data, the cyclin B3 (EU074796) gene was cloned. Its complete cDNA was 1665 bp with an ORF of 1536 bp derived from seven exons and six introns. The BmCyclin B3 gene encodes 511 amino acids, and the predicted molecular weight is 57.8 kD with an isoelectric point of 9.18. The protein contains one protein damage box and two cyclin boxes. RNA interference-mediated reduction of BmCyclin B and BmCyclin B3 expression induced cell cycle arrest in G2 or M phase in BmN-SWU1 cells, thus inhibiting cell proliferation. These results suggest that BmCyclin B and BmCyclin B3 are necessary for completing the cell cycle in silkworm cells.

Ultrafast Screening of a Novel, Moderately Hydrophilic Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme-Inhibitory Peptide, RYL, from Silkworm Pupa Using an Fe-Doped-Silkworm-Excrement-Derived Biocarbon: Waste Conversion by Waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Long; Wei, Yanan; Chang, Qing; Sun, Huaju; Chai, Kungang; Huang, Zuqiang; Zhao, Zhenxia; Zhao, Zhongxing

2017-12-27

A novel, moderately hydrophilic peptide (RYL) with high ACE-inhibitory activity was screened ultrafast via a concept of waste conversion using waste. This novel peptide was screened from silkworm pupa using an Fe-doped porous biocarbon (FL/Z-SE) derived from silkworm excrement. FL/Z-SE possessed magnetic properties and specific selection for peptides due to Fe's dual functions. The selected RYL, which has moderate hydrophilicity (LogP = -0.22), exhibited a comparatively high ACE-inhibitory activity (IC 50 = 3.31 ± 0.11 μM). The inhibitory kinetics and docking-simulation results show that, as a competitive ACE inhibitor, RYL formed five hydrogen bonds with the ACE residues in the S1 and S2 pockets. In this work, both the screening carbon material and the selected ACE-inhibitory peptide were derived from agricultural waste (silkworm excrement and pupa), which offers a new way of thinking about the development of advanced uses of the silkworm byproducts and wastes.

Development of chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for silkworm hemolymph metabolomics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Weifeng; Han, Wei; Li, Yunong; Meng, Zhiqi; Cai, Leiming; Li, Liang

2016-01-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a very useful target insect for evaluation of endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) due to mature breeding techniques, complete endocrine system and broad basic knowledge on developmental biology. Comparative metabolomics of silkworms with and without EDC exposure offers another dimension of studying EDCs. In this work, we report a workflow on metabolomic profiling of silkworm hemolymph based on high-performance chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and demonstrate its application in studying the metabolic changes associated with the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) exposure in silkworm. Hemolymph samples were taken from mature silkworms after growing on diet that contained DDT at four different concentrations (1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001 ppm) as well as on diet without DDT as controls. They were subjected to differential "1"2C-/"1"3C-dansyl labeling of the amine/phenol submetabolome, LC-UV quantification of the total amount of labeled metabolites for sample normalization, and LC-MS detection and relative quantification of individual metabolites in comparative samples. The total concentration of labeled metabolites did not show any significant change between four DDT-treatment groups and one control group. Multivariate statistical analysis of the metabolome data set showed that there was a distinct metabolomic separation between the five groups. Out of the 2044 detected peak pairs, 338 and 1471 metabolites have been putatively identified against the HMDB database and the EML library, respectively. 65 metabolites were identified by the dansyl library searching based on the accurate mass and retention time. Among the 65 identified metabolites, 33 positive metabolites had changes of greater than 1.20-fold or less than 0.83-fold in one or more groups with p-value of smaller than 0.05. Several useful biomarkers including serine, methionine, tryptophan, asymmetric dimethylarginine, N

Development of chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for silkworm hemolymph metabolomics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Weifeng [Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues, Ministry of Agriculture (China); Sericultural Research Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou (China); Han, Wei; Li, Yunong [Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Meng, Zhiqi [Sericultural Research Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou (China); Cai, Leiming, E-mail: cailm@mail.zaas.ac.cn [Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou (China); Li, Liang, E-mail: Liang.Li@ualberta.ca [Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

2016-10-26

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a very useful target insect for evaluation of endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) due to mature breeding techniques, complete endocrine system and broad basic knowledge on developmental biology. Comparative metabolomics of silkworms with and without EDC exposure offers another dimension of studying EDCs. In this work, we report a workflow on metabolomic profiling of silkworm hemolymph based on high-performance chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and demonstrate its application in studying the metabolic changes associated with the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) exposure in silkworm. Hemolymph samples were taken from mature silkworms after growing on diet that contained DDT at four different concentrations (1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001 ppm) as well as on diet without DDT as controls. They were subjected to differential {sup 12}C-/{sup 13}C-dansyl labeling of the amine/phenol submetabolome, LC-UV quantification of the total amount of labeled metabolites for sample normalization, and LC-MS detection and relative quantification of individual metabolites in comparative samples. The total concentration of labeled metabolites did not show any significant change between four DDT-treatment groups and one control group. Multivariate statistical analysis of the metabolome data set showed that there was a distinct metabolomic separation between the five groups. Out of the 2044 detected peak pairs, 338 and 1471 metabolites have been putatively identified against the HMDB database and the EML library, respectively. 65 metabolites were identified by the dansyl library searching based on the accurate mass and retention time. Among the 65 identified metabolites, 33 positive metabolites had changes of greater than 1.20-fold or less than 0.83-fold in one or more groups with p-value of smaller than 0.05. Several useful biomarkers including serine, methionine, tryptophan, asymmetric dimethylarginine, N

Efficient silkworm expression of human GPCR (nociceptin receptor) by a Bombyx mori bacmid DNA system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kajikawa, Mizuho; Sasaki, Kaori [Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Wakimoto, Yoshitaro; Toyooka, Masaru [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515 (Japan); Motohashi, Tomoko; Shimojima, Tsukasa [National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540 (Japan); Takeda, Shigeki [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515 (Japan); Park, Enoch Y. [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Oya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8529 (Japan); Maenaka, Katsumi, E-mail: kmaenaka-umin@umin.net [Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan)

2009-07-31

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) coupled receptors (GPCRs) are frequently expressed by a baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). We recently established a novel BEVS using the bacmid system of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), which is directly applicable for protein expression in silkworms. Here, we report the first example of GPCR expression in silkworms by the simple injection of BmNPV bacmid DNA. Human nociceptin receptor, an inhibitory GPCR, and its fusion protein with inhibitory G protein alpha subunit (G{sub i}{alpha}) were both successfully expressed in the fat bodies of silkworm larvae as well as in the BmNPV viral fraction. Its yield was much higher than that from Sf9 cells. The microsomal fractions including the nociceptin receptor fusion, which are easily prepared by only centrifugation steps, exhibited [{sup 35}S]GTP{gamma}S-binding activity upon specific stimulation by nociceptin. Therefore, this rapid method is easy-to-use and has a high expression level, and thus will be an important tool for human GPCR production.

Protective effect of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 on human vascular endothelial cells damaged by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Yu

Full Text Available Although the 30K family proteins are important anti-apoptotic molecules in silkworm hemolymph, the underlying mechanism remains to be investigated. This is especially the case in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs. In this study, a 30K protein, 30Kc6, was successfully expressed and purified using the Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system in silkworm cells. Furthermore, the 30Kc6 expressed in Escherichia coli was used to generate a polyclonal antibody. Western blot analysis revealed that the antibody could react specifically with the purified 30Kc6 expressed in silkworm cells. The In vitro cell apoptosis model of HUVEC that was induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL and in vivo atherosclerosis rabbit model were constructed and were employed to analyze the protective effects of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 on these models. The results demonstrated that the silkworm protein 30Kc6 significantly enhanced the cell viability in HUVEC cells treated with Ox-LDL, decreased the degree of DNA fragmentation and markedly reduced the level of 8-isoprostane. This could be indicative of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 antagonizing the Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis by inhibiting the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS generation. Furthermore, Ox-LDL activated the cell mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK, especially JNK and p38. As demonstrated with Western analysis, 30Kc6 inhibited Ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis in HUVEC cells by preventing the MAPK signaling pathways. In vivo data have demonstrated that oral feeding of the silkworm protein 30Kc6 dramatically improved the conditions of the atherosclerotic rabbits by decreasing serum levels of total triglyceride (TG, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and total cholesterol (TC. Furthermore, 30Kc6 alleviated the extent of lesions in aorta and liver in the atherosclerotic rabbits. These data are not only helpful in understanding the anti

Lead in the soil-mulberry (Morus alba L.)-silkworm (Bombyx mori) food chain: translocation and detoxification.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lingyun; Zhao, Ye; Wang, Shuifeng; Han, Shasha; Liu, Jing

2015-06-01

The translocation of lead (Pb) in the soil-mulberry-silkworm food chain and the process of Pb detoxification in the mulberry-silkworm chain were investigated. The amount of Pb in mulberry, silkworm, feces and silk increased in a dose-responsive manner to the Pb contents in the soils. Mulberry roots sequestered most of the Pb, ranging from 230.78 to 1209.25 mg kg(-1). Over 92% of the Pb in the mulberry leaves was deposited in the cell wall, and 95.29-95.57% of the Pb in the mulberry leaves was integrated with oxalic acid, pectates and protein, and it had low bioavailability. The Pb concentrations in the silkworm feces were 4.50-4.64 times higher than those in the leaves. The synthesis of metallothioneins in three tissues of the silkworms was induced to achieve Pb homeostasis under Pb stress. These results indicated the mechanism involved in Pb transfer along the food chain was controlled by the detoxification of Pb in different trophic levels. Planting mulberry and rearing silkworm could be a promising approach for the remediation of Pb-polluted soils due to the Pb tolerance of mulberry and silkworm. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Vitellogenin from the silkworm, Bombyx mori: an effective anti-bacterial agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nitin Kumar; Pakkianathan, Britto Cathrin; Kumar, Manish; Prasad, Tulika; Kannan, Mani; König, Simone; Krishnan, Muthukalingan

2013-01-01

Silkworm, Bombyx mori, vitellogenin (Vg) was isolated from perivisceral fat body of day 3 of pupa. Both Vg subunits were co-purified as verified by mass spectrometry and immunoblot. Purified Vg responded to specific tests for major posttranslational modifications on native gels indicating its nature as lipo-glyco-phosphoprotein. The Vg fraction had strong antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli and Gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Microscopic images showed binding of Vg to bacterial cells and their destruction. When infected silkworm larvae were treated with purified Vg they survived the full life cycle in contrast to untreated animals. This result showed that Vg has the ability to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria in the silkworm fluid system without disturbing the regular metabolism of the host.

Complete resequencing of 40 genomes reveals domestication events and genes in silkworm (Bombyx)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xia, Qingyou; Guo, Yiran; Zhang, Ze

2009-01-01

A single-base pair resolution silkworm genetic variation map was constructed from 40 domesticated and wild silkworms, each sequenced to approximately threefold coverage, representing 99.88% of the genome. We identified ~16 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms, many indels, and structural varia...

JAK/STAT signaling pathway-mediated immune response in silkworm (Bombyx mori) challenged by Beauveria bassiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Tao; Lv, Ding-Ding; Huang, Yu-Xia; Hou, Cheng-Xiang; Qin, Guang-Xing; Guo, Xi-Jie

2016-12-20

Innate immunity was critical in insects defensive system and able to be induced by Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription cascade transduction (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. Currently, it had been identified many JAK/STAT signaling pathway-related genes in silkworm, but little function was known on insect innate immunity. To explore the roles of JAK/STAT pathway in antifungal immune response in silkworm (Bombyx mori) against Beauveria bassiana infection, the expression patterns of B. mori C-type lectin 5 (BmCTL5) and genes encoding 6 components of JAK/STAT signaling pathway in silkworm challenged by B. bassiana were analyzed using quantitative real time PCR. Meanwhile the activation of JAK/STAT signaling pathway by various pathogenic micro-organisms and the affect of JAK/STAT signaling pathway inhibitors on antifungal activity in silkworm hemolymph was also detected. Moreover, RNAi assay of BmCTL5 and the affect on expression levels of signaling factors were also analyzed. We found that JAK/STAT pathway could be obviously activated in silkworm challenged with B. bassiana and had no response to bacteria and B. mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV). However, the temporal expression patterns of JAK/STAT signaling pathway related genes were significantly different. B. mori downstream receptor kinase (BmDRK) might be a positive regulator of JAK/STAT signaling pathway in silkworm against B. bassiana infection. Moreover, antifungal activity assay showed that the suppression of JAK/STAT signaling pathway by inhibitors could significantly inhibit the antifungal activity in hemolymph and resulted in increased sensitivity of silkworm to B. bassiana infection, indicating that JAK/STAT signaling pathway might be involved in the synthesis and secretion of antifungal substances. The results of RNAi assays suggested that BmCTL5 might be one pattern recognition receptors for JAK/STAT signaling pathway in silkworm. These findings yield insights for better

Female silkworms have the sex factor

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Marec, František

2014-01-01

Roč. 509, č. 7502 (2014), s. 570-571 ISSN 0028-0836 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Bombyx mori * chromosome * silkworms Impact factor: 41.456, year: 2014 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v509/n7502/full/nature13336.html

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Tyrosine Kinases in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Songzhen He

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The tyrosine kinases (TKs are important parts of metazoan signaling pathways and play significant roles in cell growth, development, apoptosis and disease. Genome-wide characterization of TKs has been conducted in many metazoans, however, systematic information about this family in Lepidoptera is still lacking. We retrieved 33 TK-encoding genes in silkworm and classified them into 25 subfamilies by sequence analysis, without members in AXL, FRK, PDGFR, STYK1 and TIE subfamilies. Although domain sequences in each subfamily are conserved, TKs in vertebrates tend to be remarkably conserved and stable. Our results of phylogenetic analysis supported the previous conclusion for the second major expansion of TK family. Gene-Ontology (GO analysis revealed that a higher proportion of BmTKs played roles in binding, catalysis, signal transduction, metabolism, biological regulation and response to stimulus, compared to all silkworm genes annotated in GO. Moreover, the expression profile analysis of BmTKs among multiple tissues and developmental stages demonstrated that many genes exhibited stage-specific and/or sex-related expression during embryogenesis, molting and metamorphosis, and that 8 BmTKs presented tissue-specific high expression. Our study provides systematic description of silkworm tyrosine kinases, and may also provide further insights into metazoan TKs and assist future studies addressing their functions.

The Origin and Dispersal of the Domesticated Chinese Oak Silkworm, Antheraea pernyi, in China: A Reconstruction Based on Ancient Texts

OpenAIRE

Liu, Yanqun; Li, Yuping; Li, Xisheng; Qin, Li

2010-01-01

Sericulture is one of the great inventions of the ancient Chinese. Besides the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori), Chinese farmers developed rearing of the Chinese oak silkworm (Antheraea pernyi) about 400 years ago. In this paper, the historic records of the origins and dispersal of the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm in China are summarized. The first document with clearly recorded oak silkworm artificial rearing appeared in 1651, although Chinese oak silkworm was documented in about 270 AD....

Vitellogenin from the silkworm, Bombyx mori: an effective anti-bacterial agent.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nitin Kumar Singh

Full Text Available Silkworm, Bombyx mori, vitellogenin (Vg was isolated from perivisceral fat body of day 3 of pupa. Both Vg subunits were co-purified as verified by mass spectrometry and immunoblot. Purified Vg responded to specific tests for major posttranslational modifications on native gels indicating its nature as lipo-glyco-phosphoprotein. The Vg fraction had strong antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli and Gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Microscopic images showed binding of Vg to bacterial cells and their destruction. When infected silkworm larvae were treated with purified Vg they survived the full life cycle in contrast to untreated animals. This result showed that Vg has the ability to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria in the silkworm fluid system without disturbing the regular metabolism of the host.

Impacts of aquatic nonindigenous invasive species on the Lake Erie ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Austen, Madeline J.W.; Ciborowski, Jan J.H.; Corkum, Lynda D.; Johnson, Tim B.; MacIsaac, Hugh J.; Metcalfe-Smith, Janice L.; Schloesser, Donald W.; George, Sandra E.

2002-01-01

Lake Erie is particularly vulnerable to the introduction and establishment of aquatic nonindigenous invasive species (NIS) populations. A minimum of 144 aquatic NIS have been recorded in the Lake Erie basin including several species [e.g., Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum); zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha); quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis); an amphipod (Echinogammarus ischnus); round goby (Neogobius melanostomus); and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)] that have had discernible impacts on the lake's ecology. NIS pose threats to the Lake Erie ecosystem for a variety of reasons including their ability to proliferate quickly, compete with native species, and transfer contaminants (e.g., PCBs) and disease through the food web. Six of the 14 beneficial use impairments listed in Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement are impaired in Lake Erie, in part as a result of the introduction of NIS. The Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) has adopted an ecosystem approach to restore beneficial use impairments in the lake. Furthermore, a research consortium, known as the Lake Erie Millennium Network, is working alongside the LaMP, to address research problems regarding NIS, the loss of habitat, and the role of contaminants in the Lake Erie ecosystem.

Effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on nutrition metabolism in silkworm fat body

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J. H. Tian

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Silkworm (Bombyx mori is an important economic insect with a fat body that plays a crucial role in the storage and transfer of nutrients. It is also known that TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs can improve feed efficiency and promote silk protein synthesis in the silkworm. In this study, we profiled gene expression in the silkworm fat body after TiO2 NP treatment, validated the major RNA-seq findings, and determined the contents of trehalose and triglyceride, the activity of lipase, and the amount of total proteins. RNA-seq analysis revealed that TiO2 NP treatment caused significant expression changes in 341 genes (P≤0.01, 138 of which were upregulated while the other 203 were downregulated. The expression levels of two target genes in the insulin signaling pathway and two protein metabolism-related target genes, three lipid metabolism-associated target genes, two carbohydrate metabolism related target genes and expression levels of seven heat shock protein genes were increased, and that of threonine dehydratase gene and fatty acid transport protein gene were decreased. The RNA-seq results of 16 genes were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. The lipase activity, content of trehalose, and amount of total proteins were elevated by 3.86-fold, 1.34-fold, and 1.21-fold, respectively, and the content of triglyceride was decreased by 0.94-fold after TiO2 NP treatment. These results indicated that TiO2 NPs activated the insulin signaling pathway, promoted the metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrate, and improved nutrition metabolism. Our study provides new support for the understanding of the beneficial effect of TiO2 NPs on silkworm nutrient metabolism.

The genomic underpinnings of apoptosis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Apoptosis is regulated in an orderly fashion by a series of genes, and has a crucial role in important physiological processes such as growth development, immunological response and so on. Recently, substantial studies have been undertaken on apoptosis in model animals including humans, fruit flies, and the nematode. However, the lack of genomic data for silkworms limits their usefulness in apoptosis studies, despite the advantages of silkworm as a representative of Lepidoptera and an effective model system. Herein we have identified apoptosis-related genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori and compared them to those from insects, mammals, and nematodes. Results From the newly assembled genome databases, a genome-wide analysis of apoptosis-related genes in Bombyx mori was performed using both nucleotide and protein Blast searches. Fifty-two apoptosis-related candidate genes were identified, including five caspase family members, two tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily members, one Bcl-2 family member, four baculovirus IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis) repeat (BIR) domain family members and 1 RHG (Reaper, Hid, Grim, and Sickle; Drosophila cell death activators) family member. Moreover, we identified a new caspase family member, BmCaspase-New, two splice variants of BmDronc, and Bm3585, a mammalian TNF superfamily member homolog. Twenty-three of these apoptosis-related genes were cloned and sequenced using cDNA templates isolated from BmE-SWU1 cells. Sequence analyses revealed that these genes could have key roles in apoptosis. Conclusions Bombyx mori possesses potential apoptosis-related genes. We hypothesized that the classic intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways potentially are active in Bombyx mori. These results lay the foundation for further apoptosis-related study in Bombyx mori. PMID:21040523

Bombyx mori histone methyltransferase BmAsh2 is essential for silkworm piRNA-mediated sex determination.

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Li, Zhiqian; You, Lang; Yan, Dong; James, Anthony A; Huang, Yongping; Tan, Anjiang

2018-02-01

Sex determination is a hierarchically-regulated process with high diversity in different organisms including insects. The W chromosome-derived Fem piRNA has been identified as the primary sex determination factor in the lepidopteran insect, Bombyx mori, revealing a distinctive piRNA-mediated sex determination pathway. However, the comprehensive mechanism of silkworm sex determination is still poorly understood. We show here that the silkworm PIWI protein BmSiwi, but not BmAgo3, is essential for silkworm sex determination. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion of BmSiwi results in developmental arrest in oogenesis and partial female sexual reversal, while BmAgo3 depletion only affects oogenesis. We identify three histone methyltransferases (HMTs) that are significantly down-regulated in BmSiwi mutant moths. Disruption one of these, BmAsh2, causes dysregulation of piRNAs and transposable elements (TEs), supporting a role for it in the piRNA signaling pathway. More importantly, we find that BmAsh2 mutagenesis results in oogenesis arrest and partial female-to-male sexual reversal as well as dysregulation of the sex determination genes, Bmdsx and BmMasc. Mutagenesis of other two HMTs, BmSETD2 and BmEggless, does not affect piRNA-mediated sex determination. Histological analysis and immunoprecipitation results support a functional interaction between the BmAsh2 and BmSiwi proteins. Our data provide the first evidence that the HMT, BmAsh2, plays key roles in silkworm piRNA-mediated sex determination.

Bombyx mori histone methyltransferase BmAsh2 is essential for silkworm piRNA-mediated sex determination.

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Zhiqian Li

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Sex determination is a hierarchically-regulated process with high diversity in different organisms including insects. The W chromosome-derived Fem piRNA has been identified as the primary sex determination factor in the lepidopteran insect, Bombyx mori, revealing a distinctive piRNA-mediated sex determination pathway. However, the comprehensive mechanism of silkworm sex determination is still poorly understood. We show here that the silkworm PIWI protein BmSiwi, but not BmAgo3, is essential for silkworm sex determination. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion of BmSiwi results in developmental arrest in oogenesis and partial female sexual reversal, while BmAgo3 depletion only affects oogenesis. We identify three histone methyltransferases (HMTs that are significantly down-regulated in BmSiwi mutant moths. Disruption one of these, BmAsh2, causes dysregulation of piRNAs and transposable elements (TEs, supporting a role for it in the piRNA signaling pathway. More importantly, we find that BmAsh2 mutagenesis results in oogenesis arrest and partial female-to-male sexual reversal as well as dysregulation of the sex determination genes, Bmdsx and BmMasc. Mutagenesis of other two HMTs, BmSETD2 and BmEggless, does not affect piRNA-mediated sex determination. Histological analysis and immunoprecipitation results support a functional interaction between the BmAsh2 and BmSiwi proteins. Our data provide the first evidence that the HMT, BmAsh2, plays key roles in silkworm piRNA-mediated sex determination.

The origin and dispersal of the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi, in China: a reconstruction based on ancient texts.

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Liu, Yanqun; Li, Yuping; Li, Xisheng; Qin, Li

2010-01-01

Sericulture is one of the great inventions of the ancient Chinese. Besides the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori), Chinese farmers developed rearing of the Chinese oak silkworm (Antheraea pernyi) about 400 years ago. In this paper, the historic records of the origins and dispersal of the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm in China are summarized. The first document with clearly recorded oak silkworm artificial rearing appeared in 1651, although Chinese oak silkworm was documented in about 270 AD. All of the evidence in the available historic records suggests that the domesticated Chinese oak silkworm originated in central and southern areas of Shandong Province in China around the 16th century, and then was introduced directly and indirectly by human commerce into the present habitations in China after the late 17th century. The results strongly support the hypothesis that only one geographically distinct event occurred in domestication of the modern Chinese oak silkworm.

Spatiotemporal expression profile of the Pumilio gene in the embryonic development of silkworm.

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Chen, Liang; You, Zaizhi; Xia, Hengchuan; Tang, Qi; Zhou, Yang; Yao, Qin; Chen, Keping

2014-01-01

We previously identified a pumilio gene in silkworm (Bombyx mori L.), designated BmPUM, which was specifically expressed in the ovary and testis. To further characterize this gene's involvement in silkworm development, we have determined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of BmPUM during all embryonic stages. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that BmPUM was expressed in all stages of silkworm embryos and that its transcript levels displayed two distinct peaks. The first was observed at the germ-band formation stage (1 d after oviposition) and dropped to a low level at the gonad formation stage (5 d after oviposition). The second was detected at the stage of bristle follicle occurrence (6 d after oviposition), which was confirmed by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Nanos (Nos), functioning together with Pum in abdomen formation of Drosophila embryos, was also highly expressed at the beginning (0 h to 1 d after oviposition) of embryogenesis, but its transcript levels were very low after the stage of germ-band formation. These results suggest that BmPUM functions with Bombyx mori nanos (Bm-nanos) at the early stages of silkworm embryonic development, and may then play a role in gonad formation and the occurrence of bristle follicles. Our data thus provide a foundation to uncover the role of BmPUM during silkworm development.

Identification and Expression Profiling of the BTB Domain-Containing Protein Gene Family in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Daojun Cheng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The BTB domain is a conserved protein-protein interaction motif. In this study, we identified 56 BTB domain-containing protein genes in the silkworm, in addition to 46 in the honey bee, 55 in the red flour beetle, and 53 in the monarch butterfly. Silkworm BTB protein genes were classified into nine subfamilies according to their domain architecture, and most of them could be mapped on the different chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that silkworm BTB protein genes may have undergone a duplication event in three subfamilies: BTB-BACK-Kelch, BTB-BACK-PHR, and BTB-FLYWCH. Comparative analysis demonstrated that the orthologs of each of 13 BTB protein genes present a rigorous orthologous relationship in the silkworm and other surveyed insects, indicating conserved functions of these genes during insect evolution. Furthermore, several silkworm BTB protein genes exhibited sex-specific expression in larval tissues or at different stages during metamorphosis. These findings not only contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of insect BTB protein gene families but also provide a basis for further investigation of the functions of BTB protein genes in the silkworm.

Production of recombinant Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus in silkworm by intrahaemocoelic injection with invasive diaminopimelate auxotrophic Escherichia coli containing BmNPV-Bacmid.

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Sun, Jingchen; Yao, Lunguang; Yao, Ning; Xu, Hua; Jin, Pengfei; Kan, Yunchao

2010-12-01

The present study elaborates a cost-effective and transfectant-free method for generating recombinant Bombyx mori (silkworm) nucleopolyhedrovirus in silkworm larvae and pupae by injecting invasive Escherichia coli carrying BmBacmid [BmNPV (B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus)-Bacmid] into larval haemocoel. Up to 109 PFU (plaque-forming units)/ml of infective recombinant baculovirus was generated in the silkworm by intrahaemocoelic injection with 106 DAP (diaminopimelic acid) auxotrophic and BmBacmid containing E. coli cells expressing both invasin and listeriolysin. Thus 1 ml of overnight culture of E. coli is sufficient to inject more than 2000 larvae, while DAP costing up to $1 is enough to inject about 4000 larvae. Recombinant proteins can be controlled to be expressed mainly in pupae by adjusting the injection dose, too. In this new method, many original manipulations have been eliminated, including BmBacmid preparation and the subsequent complex transfection procedures. Hence it is a time- and cost-saving means for large-scale injection of B. mori for recombinant baculovirus production in comparison with the traditional transfection methods, which may play an important role in the industrial development of the BmNPV-silkworm bioreactor.

Nutrigenetic Screening Strains of the Mulberry Silkworm, Bombyx mori, for Nutritional Efficiency

OpenAIRE

Ramesha, Chinnaswamy; Lakshmi, Hothur; Kumari, Savarapu Sugnana; Anuradha, Chevva M.; Kumar, Chitta Suresh

2012-01-01

The activity of sericulture is declining due the reduction of mulberry production area in sericulture practicing countries lead to adverse effects on silkworm rearing and cocoon production. Screening for nutrigenetic traits in silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for better understanding and development of nutritionally efficient breeds/hybrids, which show less food consumption with higher efficiency conversion. The aim of this study was to identify ...

Repair and regeneration of heavy ion beam locally irradiated embryonic hemopoietic organs of silkworm, Bombyx mori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Shiqing; Tu Zhenli

2003-01-01

Eggs of silkworm, Bombyx mori were irradiated by 12 C 5+ ions, at the embryonic wings, where the hemopoietic organs attached. Changes in the development of the silkworm larvae and pupae, especially in the repair and regeneration of the hemopoietic organs represented by their morphological and functional characteristics, were observed. The results showed that the silkworm larvae and pupae developed from the irradiated eggs grew with the physiological obstruction due to exsanguinations, such as difficulty in their metamorphosis and their marked lower survival rates. After 100 Gy irradiation, some of the larvae and pupae died during the periods of larval molting stages, pupation stage and eclosion stage. With increased doses, the deficiencies in the silkworm development became more significant. After 200 Gy irradiation, the average hemocyte density for the 5 th larvae decreased markedly, but the hemocyte density for some individuals were comparable to the control, and regenerated hemopoietic organs was found in these larvae. The results suggested that the silkworm larvae might be capable of self-repair and self-regeneration of the hemopoietic organs after the heave ion irradiation

Associations between cyanobacteria and indices of secondary production in the western basin of Lake Erie

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Larson, James H.; Evans, Mary Anne; Kennedy, Robert J.; Bailey, Sean; Loftin, Keith A.; Laughrey, Zachary; Femmer, Robin; Schaeffer, Jeff; Richardson, William B.; Wynne, Timothy; Nelson, J. C.; Duris, Joseph W.

2018-01-01

Large lakes provide a variety of ecological services to surrounding cities and communities. Many of these services are supported by ecological processes that are threatened by the increasing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms which occur as aquatic ecosystems experience cultural eutrophication. Over the past 10 yr, Lake Erie experienced cyanobacterial blooms of increasing severity and frequency, which have resulted in impaired drinking water for the surrounding communities. Cyanobacterial blooms may impact ecological processes that support other services, but many of these impacts have not been documented. Secondary production (production of primary consumers) is an important process that supports economically important higher trophic levels. Cyanobacterial blooms may influence secondary production because cyanobacteria are a poor‐quality food resource and cyanotoxins may be harmful to consumers. Over 3 yr at 34 sites across the western basin of Lake Erie, we measured three indices of secondary production that focus on the dominant bivalve taxa: (1) growth of a native unionid mussel, (2) the size of young‐of‐year dreissenid mussels, and (3) the mass of colonizing animals on a Hester‐Dendy sampler. Associations between these indices and cyanobacterial data were estimated to assess whether cyanobacteria are associated with variation in secondary production in the western basin of Lake Erie. The results suggest cyanobacterial abundance alone is only weakly associated with secondary production, but that cyanotoxins have a larger effect on secondary production. Given recurring late‐summer cyanobacterial blooms, this impact on secondary production has the potential to undermine Lake Erie's ability to sustain important ecosystem services.

Comparative transcriptome profiling of a thermal resistant vs. sensitive silkworm strain in response to high temperature under stressful humidity condition.

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Wenfu Xiao

Full Text Available Thermotolerance is important particularly for poikilotherms such as insects. Understanding the mechanisms by which insects respond to high temperatures can provide insights into their adaptation to the environment. Therefore, in this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis of two silkworm strains with significantly different resistance to heat as well as humidity; the thermo-resistant strain 7532 and the thermos-sensitive strain Knobbed. We identified in total 4,944 differentially expressed genes (DEGs using RNA-Seq. Among these, 4,390 were annotated and 554 were novel. Gene Ontology (GO analysis of 747 DEGs identified between RT_48h (Resistant strain with high-temperature Treatment for 48 hours and ST_48h (Sensitive strain with high-temperature Treatment for 48 hours showed significant enrichment of 12 GO terms including metabolic process, extracellular region and serine-type peptidase activity. Moreover, we discovered 12 DEGs that may contribute to the heat-humidity stress response in the silkworm. Our data clearly showed that 48h post-exposure may be a critical time point for silkworm to respond to high temperature and humidity. These results provide insights into the genes and biological processes involved in high temperature and humidity tolerance in the silkworm, and advance our understanding of thermal tolerance in insects.

Author Details

African Journals Online (AJOL)

friendly management of root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne incognita on tomato. Abstract PDF · Vol 4, No 3 (2015) - Articles Evaluation of different strains of eri silkworms (Samia cynthia ricini B.) for their adaptability and silk yield in Ethiopia

Silkworm cocoons inspire models for random fiber and particulate composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujia, Chen; Porter, David; Vollrath, Fritz [Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS (United Kingdom)

2010-10-15

The bioengineering design principles evolved in silkworm cocoons make them ideal natural prototypes and models for structural composites. Cocoons depend for their stiffness and strength on the connectivity of bonding between their constituent materials of silk fibers and sericin binder. Strain-activated mechanisms for loss of bonding connectivity in cocoons can be translated directly into a surprisingly simple yet universal set of physically realistic as well as predictive quantitative structure-property relations for a wide range of technologically important fiber and particulate composite materials.

A genome-wide survey for host response of silkworm, Bombyx mori during pathogen Bacillus bombyseptieus infection.

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Lulin Huang

Full Text Available Host-pathogen interactions are complex relationships, and a central challenge is to reveal the interactions between pathogens and their hosts. Bacillus bombysepticus (Bb which can produces spores and parasporal crystals was firstly separated from the corpses of the infected silkworms (Bombyx mori. Bb naturally infects the silkworm can cause an acute fuliginosa septicaemia and kill the silkworm larvae generally within one day in the hot and humid season. Bb pathogen of the silkworm can be used for investigating the host responses after the infection. Gene expression profiling during four time-points of silkworm whole larvae after Bb infection was performed to gain insight into the mechanism of Bb-associated host whole body effect. Genome-wide survey of the host genes demonstrated many genes and pathways modulated after the infection. GO analysis of the induced genes indicated that their functions could be divided into 14 categories. KEGG pathway analysis identified that six types of basal metabolic pathway were regulated, including genetic information processing and transcription, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid and nitrogen metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism. Similar to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt, Bb can also induce a silkworm poisoning-related response. In this process, genes encoding midgut peritrophic membrane proteins, aminopeptidase N receptors and sodium/calcium exchange protein showed modulation. For the first time, we found that Bb induced a lot of genes involved in juvenile hormone synthesis and metabolism pathway upregulated. Bb also triggered the host immune responses, including cellular immune response and serine protease cascade melanization response. Real time PCR analysis showed that Bb can induce the silkworm systemic immune response, mainly by the Toll pathway. Anti-microorganism peptides (AMPs, including of Attacin, Lebocin, Enbocin, Gloverin

Alteration of a recombinant protein N-glycan structure in silkworms by partial suppression of N-acetylglucosaminidase gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Tatsuya; Kikuta, Kotaro; Kanematsu, Ayumi; Kondo, Sachiko; Yagi, Hirokazu; Kato, Koichi; Park, Enoch Y

2017-09-01

To synthesize complex type N-glycans in silkworms, shRNAs against the fused lobe from Bombyx mori (BmFDL), which codes N-acetylglucosaminidase (GlcNAcase) in the Golgi, was expressed by recombinant B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) in silkworm larvae. Expression was under the control of the actin promoter of B. mori or the U6-2 and i.e.-2 promoters from Orgyia pseudotsugata multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (OpMNPV). The reduction of specific GlcNAcase activity was observed in Bm5 cells and silkworm larvae using the U6-2 promoter. In silkworm larvae, the partial suppression of BmFDL gene expression was observed. When shRNA against BmFDL was expressed under the control of U6-2 promoter, the Man 3 GlcNAc(Fuc)GlcNAc structure appeared in a main N-glycans of recombinant human IgG. These results suggested that the control of BmFDL expression by its shRNA in silkworms caused the modification of its N-glycan synthetic pathway, which may lead to the alteration of N-glycans in the expressed recombinant proteins. Suppression of BmFDL gene expression by shRNA is not sufficient to synthesize complex N-glycans in silkworm larvae but can modify the N-glycan synthetic pathway.

Lucifer's Planet: Photolytic Hazes in the Atmosphere of 51 Eri b

Science.gov (United States)

Zahnle, Kevin

2016-01-01

We use a 1D model to address photochemistry and possible haze formation in the irradiated atmosphere of 51 Eri b (2016arXiv160407388Z). The intended focus was to have been on carbon and organic hazes, but sulfur photochemistry turns out to be interesting and possibly more important. The case for organic photochemical hazes is intriguing but falls short of being compelling. If organic hazes form abundantly, they are likeliest to do so if vertical mixing in 51 Eri b is weaker than in Jupiter, and they would be found below the altitudes where methane and water are photolyzed. The more novel result is that photochemistry turns H2S into elemental sulfur, here treated as S8. In the cooler models, S8 is predicted to condense in optically significant clouds of solid sulfur particles, whilst in the warmer models S8 remains a vapor along with several other sulfur allotropes that are both visually striking and potentially observable. For 51 Eri b, the division between models with and without condensed sulfur is at an effective temperature of 700 K, which is within error its actual effective temperature; the local temperature where sulfur condenses is between 280 and 320 K. The sulfur photochemistry we discuss is quite general and ought to be found in a wide variety of worlds over a broad temperature range, both colder and hotter than the 650-750 K range studied here, and we show that products of sulfur photochemistry will be nearly as abundant on planets where the UV irradiation is orders of magnitude weaker than it is on 51 Eri b.

Efficient large-scale protein production of larvae and pupae of silkworm by Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus bacmid system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motohashi, Tomoko; Shimojima, Tsukasa; Fukagawa, Tatsuo; Maenaka, Katsumi; Park, Enoch Y.

2005-01-01

Silkworm is one of the most attractive hosts for large-scale production of eukaryotic proteins as well as recombinant baculoviruses for gene transfer to mammalian cells. The bacmid system of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) has already been established and widely used. However, the AcNPV does not have a potential to infect silkworm. We developed the first practical Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus bacmid system directly applicable for the protein expression of silkworm. By using this system, the green fluorescence protein was successfully expressed in silkworm larvae and pupae not only by infection of its recombinant virus but also by direct injection of its bacmid DNA. This method provides the rapid protein production in silkworm as long as 10 days, is free from biohazard, thus will be a powerful tool for the future production factory of recombinant eukaryotic proteins and baculoviruses

Impacts on silkworm larvae midgut proteomics by transgenic Trichoderma strain and analysis of glutathione S-transferase sigma 2 gene essential for anti-stress response of silkworm larvae.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingying; Dou, Kai; Gao, Shigang; Sun, Jianan; Wang, Meng; Fu, Kehe; Yu, Chuanjin; Wu, Qiong; Li, Yaqian; Chen, Jie

2015-08-03

Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that have major impacts on humans as agriculture pests. The midgut is considered an important target for insect control. In the present study, 10 up-regulated, 18 down-regulated, and one newly emerged protein were identified in the transgenic Trichoderma-treated midgut proteome. Proteins related to stress response, biosynthetic process, and metabolism process were further characterized through quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Of all the identified proteins, the glutathione S-transferase sigma 2 (GSTs2) gene displayed enhanced expression when larvae were fed with Trichoderma wild-type or transgenic strains. Down regulation of GSTs2 expression by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in inhibition of silkworm growth when larvae were fed with mulberry leaves treated with the transgenic Trichoderma strain. Weight per larva decreased by 18.2%, 11.9%, and 10.7% in the untreated control, ddH2O, and GFP dsRNA groups, respectively, at 24h, while the weight decrease was higher at 42.4%, 28.8% and 32.4% at 72 h after treatment. Expression of glutathione S-transferase omega 2 (GSTo2) was also enhanced when larvae were fed with mulberry leaves treated with the transgenic Trichoderma strain. These results indicated that there was indeed correlation between enhanced expression of GSTs2 and the anti-stress response of silkworm larvae against Trichoderma. This study represents the first attempt at understanding the effects of transgenic organisms on the midgut proteomic changes in silkworm larvae. Our findings could not only broaden the biological control targets of insect at the molecular level, but also provide a theoretical foundation for biological safety evaluation of the transgenic Trichoderma strain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annotated Bibliography for Lake Erie. Volume IV. Physical,

Science.gov (United States)

1974-10-01

cruise 69-101, February 6-27; cruise 69-103, May 29-June 4; cruise 69-104, July 2-6; cruise 69-105, July 28-August 2, 1969. Canadian Oceano - graphic...ber 13 and covered 64 sampling locations. 98. Canada Centre for Inland Waters. 1969. Lake Erie cruise 66-11, August 8-14, 1966. Canadian Oceano - 59... sol - uble phosphorus is remarkably uniform at any one place in Lake Erie, with occasional variations. Concentrations gen- erally decrease from shore

Immune function of a Rab-related protein by modulating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chen; Eldein, Salah; Zhou, Xiaosan; Sun, Yu; Gao, Jin; Sun, Yuxuan; Liu, Chaoliang; Wang, Lei

2018-01-01

The Rab-family GTPases mainly regulate intracellular vesicle transport, and play important roles in the innate immune response in invertebrates. However, the function and signal transduction of Rab proteins in immune reactions remain unclear in silkworms. In this study, we analyzed a Rab-related protein of silkworm Bombyx mori (BmRABRP) by raising antibodies against its bacterially expressed recombinant form. Tissue distribution analysis showed that BmRABRP mRNA and protein were high expressed in the Malpighian tubule and fat body, respectively. However, among the different stages, only the fourth instar larvae and pupae showed significant BmRABRP levels. After challenge with four pathogenic microorganisms (Escherichia coli, BmNPV, Beauveria bassiana, Micrococcus luteus), the expression of BmRABRP mRNA in the fat body was significantly upregulated. In contrast, the BmRABRP protein was significantly upregulated after infection with BmNPV, while it was downregulated by E. coli, B. bassiana, and M. luteus. A specific dsRNA was used to explore the immune function and relationship between BmRABRP and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. After BmRABRP gene interference, significant reduction in the number of nodules and increased mortality suggested that BmRABRP plays an important role in silkworm's response to bacterial challenge. In addition, four key genes (BmHOP, BmSTAT, BmSOCS2, and BmSOCS6) of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway showed significantly altered expressions after BmRABRP silencing. BmHOP and BmSOCS6 expressions were significantly decreased, while BmSTAT and BmSOCS2 were significantly upregulated. Our results suggested that BmRABRP is involved in the innate immune response against pathogenic microorganisms through the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in silkworm. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of RAPD and SCAR markers associated with yield traits in the Indian tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta drury

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Suhrid R.; Kar, Prasanta K.; Srivastava, Ashok K.; Sinha, Manoj K.; Shankar, Jai; Ghosh, Ananta K.

2012-01-01

The tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, is a semi-domesticated vanya silk-producing insect of high economic importance. To date, no molecular marker associated with cocoon and shell weights has been identified in this species. In this report, we identified a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker and examined its inheritance, and also developed a stable diagnostic sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. Silkworms were divided into groups with high (HCSW) and low (LCSW) cocoon and shell weights, and the F2 progeny of a cross between these two groups were obtained. DNA from these silkworms was screened by PCR using 34 random primers and the resulting RAPD fragments were used for cluster analysis and discriminant function analysis (DFA). The clustering pattern in a UPGMA-based dendogram and DFA clearly distinguished the HCSW and LCSW groups. Multiple regression analysis identified five markers associated with cocoon and shell weights. The marker OPW16905 bp showed the most significant association with cocoon and shell weights, and its inheritance was confirmed in F2 progeny. Cloning and sequencing of this 905 bp fragment showed 88% identity between its 134 nucleotides and the Bmc-1/Yamato-like retroposon of A. mylitta. This marker was further converted into a diagnostic SCAR marker (SCOPW 16826 bp). The SCAR marker developed here may be useful in identifying the right parental stock of tasar silk-worms for high cocoon and shell weights in breeding programs designed to enhance the productivity of tasar silk. PMID:23271934

PHOTOLYTIC HAZES IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF 51 ERI B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zahnle, K.; Marley, M. S. [NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Morley, C. V. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Moses, J. I., E-mail: Kevin.J.Zahnle@NASA.gov, E-mail: kzahnle@mail.arc.NASA.gov, E-mail: Mark.S.Marley@NASA.gov, E-mail: cmorley@ucolick.org, E-mail: jmoses@spacescience.org [Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2016-06-20

We use a 1D model to address photochemistry and possible haze formation in the irradiated warm Jupiter, 51 Eridani b. The intended focus was to be carbon, but sulfur photochemistry turns out to be important. The case for organic photochemical hazes is intriguing but falls short of being compelling. If organic hazes form, they are likeliest to do so if vertical mixing in 51 Eri b is weaker than in Jupiter, and they would be found below the altitudes where methane and water are photolyzed. The more novel result is that photochemistry turns H{sub 2}S into elemental sulfur, here treated as S{sub 8}. In the cooler models, S{sub 8} is predicted to condense in optically thick clouds of solid sulfur particles, while in the warmer models S{sub 8} remains a vapor along with several other sulfur allotropes that are both visually striking and potentially observable. For 51 Eri b, the division between models with and without condensed sulfur is at an effective temperature of 700 K, which is within error its actual effective temperature; the local temperature where sulfur condenses is between 280 and 320 K. The sulfur photochemistry we have discussed is quite general and ought to be found in a wide variety of worlds over a broad temperature range, both colder and hotter than the 650–750 K range studied here, and we show that products of sulfur photochemistry will be nearly as abundant on planets where the UV irradiation is orders of magnitude weaker than it is on 51 Eri b.

V-ATPase Is Involved in Silkworm Defense Response against Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus.

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Peng Lü

Full Text Available Silkworms are usually susceptible to the infection of Bombyx mori (B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV, which can cause significant economic loss. However, some silkworm strains are identified to be highly resistant to BmNPV. To explore the silkworm genes involved in this resistance in the present study, we performed comparative real-time PCR, ATPase assay, over-expression and sub-cellular localization experiments. We found that when inoculated with BmNPV both the expression and activity of V-ATPase were significantly up-regulated in the midgut column cells (not the goblet cells of BmNPV-resistant strains (NB and BC8, the main sites for the first step of BmNPV invasion, but not in those of a BmNPV-susceptible strain 306. Furthermore, this up-regulation mainly took place during the first 24 hours post inoculation (hpi, the essential period required for establishment of virus infection, and then was down-regulated to normal levels. Amazingly, transient over-expression of V-ATPase c subunit in BmNPV-infected silkworm cells could significantly inhibit BmNPV proliferation. To our knowledge this is the first report demonstrating clearly that V-ATPase is indeed involved in the defense response against BmNPV. Our data further suggests that prompt and potent regulation of V-ATPase may be essential for execution of this response, which may enable fast acidification of endosomes and/or lysosomes to render them competent for degradation of invading viruses.

Genetic variation in ecoraces of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

used to reconstruct more ancient evolutionary events (Meyer et al. 1995). ... the PCR amplified products. Formerly, 13 diverse strains of silkworm, Bombyx mori, were ... Phylogenetic studies on ancestral position of microsatel- lite sequences in ...

From silkworms to bees: Diseases of beneficial insects

Science.gov (United States)

The diseases of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) and managed bees, including the honey bee (Apis mellifera), bumbles bees (Bombus spp.), the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata), and mason bees (Osmia spp.) are reviewed, with diagnostic descriptions and a summary of control methods for production...

Resistance comparison of domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-03-22

Mar 22, 2010 ... For the both silkworm species, the whole body of each larval were collected, and on ... instar, the enzymatic activities of AChE of B. mandarina were 1.60, 1.65, 1.81, 1.93 and 2.28-fold higher .... MATERIALS AND METHODS.

Polyhydroxylated alkaloids isolated from mulberry trees (Morusalba L.) and silkworms (Bombyx mori L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Asano, N; Yamashita, T; Yasuda, K; Ikeda, K; Kizu, H; Kameda, Y; Kato, A; Nash, R J; Lee, H S; Ryu, K S

2001-09-01

New polyhydroxylated alkaloids, (2R,3R,4R)-2-hydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine-N-propionamide from the root bark of Morus alba L., and 4-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-calystegine B(2) and 3 beta,6 beta-dihydroxynortropane from the fruits, were isolated by column chromatography using a variety of ion-exchange resins. Fifteen other polyhydroxylated alkaloids were also isolated. 1-Deoxynojirimycin, a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, was concentrated 2.7-fold by silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves. Some alkaloids contained in mulberry leaves were potent inhibitors of mammalian digestive glycosidases but not inhibitors of silkworm midgut glycosidases, suggesting that the silkworm has enzymes specially adapted to enable it to feed on mulberry leaves. The possibility of preventing the onset of diabetes and obesity using natural dietary supplements containing 1-deoxynojirimycin and other alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in high concentration is of great potential interest.

Managing inherent complexity for sustainable walleye fisheries in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Roseman, Edward F.; Drouin, Richard; Gaden, Marc; Knight, Roger; Tyson, Jeff; Zhao, Yingming; Taylor, William W.; Lynch, Abigail J.; Léonard, Nancy J.

2012-01-01

In Lake Erie, Walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus) is king. The naturally occurring species is the foundation of commercial fishing operations on the Canadian side of the lake and is a much-prized sport fish on the American side. Management of Lake Erie walleye fisheries is complex and takes place in an inter-jurisdictional setting composed of resource agencies from the states of Michigan (MDNR), Ohio (ODNR), Pennsylvania (PFBC), and New York (NYDEC) and the province of Ontario (OMNR). The complexity of walleye management is exacerbated by interactions among environmental and ecological changes in Lake Erie, complex life-history characteristics of the species, public demand for walleye, and cultural/governance differences among managing groups and their respective constituents. Success of future management strategies will largely hinge upon our ability to understand these inherent complexities and to employ tactics that successfully accommodate stock productivity and human demand in a highly dynamic environment. In this report, we review the history of Lake Erie walleye management, outline the multi-jurisdictional process for international management of walleye, and discuss strategies to address challenges facing managers.

77 FR 38490 - Safety Zone; Mentor Harbor Yachting Club Fireworks, Lake Erie, Mentor, OH

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2012-06-28

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Mentor Harbor Yachting Club Fireworks, Lake Erie, Mentor, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... Erie, Mentor, OH. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Erie during the Mentor Harbor Yachting Club fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect...

78 FR 34575 - Safety Zone; Bay Swim VI, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA

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2013-06-10

... June 22, 2013, a large scale swimming event will be held on Presque Isle Bay near the Erie Yacht Club...'48.82'' W and extend in a straight line 1,000 feet wide to the Erie Yacht Club at position 42[deg]07... wide to the Erie Yacht Club at position 42[deg]07'21.74'' N, 80[deg]07'58.30'' W. (NAD 83) (b...

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Different Silk Yields of Two Silkworm Strains.

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Juan Li

Full Text Available Cocoon and silk yields are the most important characteristics of sericulture. However, few studies have examined the genes that modulate these features. Further studies of these genes will be useful for improving the products of sericulture. JingSong (JS and Lan10 (L10 are two strains having significantly different cocoon and silk yields. In the current study, RNA-Seq and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR were performed on both strains in order to determine divergence of the silk gland, which controls silk biosynthesis in silkworms. Compared with L10, JS had 1375 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 738 up-regulated genes and 673 down-regulated genes. Nine enriched gene ontology (GO terms were identified by GO enrichment analysis based on these DEGs. KEGG enrichment analysis results showed that the DEGs were enriched in three pathways, which were mainly associated with the processing and biosynthesis of proteins. The representative genes in the enrichment pathways and ten significant DEGs were further verified by qPCR, the results of which were consistent with the RNA-Seq data. Our study has revealed differences in silk glands between the two silkworm strains and provides a perspective for understanding the molecular mechanisms determining silk yield.

Ohio Lake Erie Commission Homepage

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management of Lake Erie: including, water quality protection, fisheries management, wetlands restoration over 365 projects since 1993. Projects have focused on an array of issues critical to the effective quality of its waters and ecosystem, and to promote economic development of the region by ensuring the

Isolating silkworm genomic DNA without liquid nitrogen suitable for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

2011-09-21

Sep 21, 2011 ... *DNA diluted a thousand times to measure OD. silkworms are raised .... using gel extraction kit (Hi Media) and cloned into pGEMT easy vector (Promega) ..... Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York. Sharma J, Yadav ...

Changes in bacillus thuringiensis tolerance levels due to hybridization of Bt-tolerant and susceptible silkworm populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begumad, H.A.; Hassana, E.; Dingleb, J.; Alshehic, A.A.

2012-01-01

Males and females of a Bt-tolerant mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) population were crossed with females and males of a Bt-susceptible population, to produce Bt-tolerant silkworm hybrids, and to determine the expression of the Bt-tolerance pattern in the F 1 hybrids. It was observed that when a Bt-tolerant (42% larval mortality) female (BtT ) silkworm was crossed with a Bt-susceptible (85% larval mortality) male (BtS ), the resultant F 1 offspring showed lower levels of Bt-tolerance (87% larval mortality). On the other hand, when a Bt-tolerant male (BtT ) was crossed with a Bt-susceptible female (BtS ), the F 1 hybrid showed higher levels of Bt-tolerance (35% larval mortality) characteristic. The probit statistics showed that both hybrids expressed Bt-tolerance or susceptible levels similar to their male parents. These different patterns of Bt-tolerance in F 1 hybrids might be due to the transferring of a Bt-tolerant gene, from the parents to offspring, through the homozygotic male (ZZ) silkworm. (author)

Genome-wide transcriptional response of silkworm (Bombyx mori to infection by the microsporidian Nosema bombycis.

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Zhengang Ma

Full Text Available Microsporidia have attracted much attention because they infect a variety of species ranging from protists to mammals, including immunocompromised patients with AIDS or cancer. Aside from the study on Nosema ceranae, few works have focused on elucidating the mechanism in host response to microsporidia infection. Nosema bombycis is a pathogen of silkworm pébrine that causes great economic losses to the silkworm industry. Detailed understanding of the host (Bombyx mori response to infection by N. bombycis is helpful for prevention of this disease. A genome-wide survey of the gene expression profile at 2, 4, 6 and 8 days post-infection by N. bombycis was performed and results showed that 64, 244, 1,328, 1,887 genes were induced, respectively. Up to 124 genes, which are involved in basal metabolism pathways, were modulated. Notably, B. mori genes that play a role in juvenile hormone synthesis and metabolism pathways were induced, suggesting that the host may accumulate JH as a response to infection. Interestingly, N. bombycis can inhibit the silkworm serine protease cascade melanization pathway in hemolymph, which may be due to the secretion of serpins in the microsporidia. N. bombycis also induced up-regulation of several cellular immune factors, in which CTL11 has been suggested to be involved in both spore recognition and immune signal transduction. Microarray and real-time PCR analysis indicated the activation of silkworm Toll and JAK/STAT pathways. The notable up-regulation of antimicrobial peptides, including gloverins, lebocins and moricins, strongly indicated that antimicrobial peptide defense mechanisms were triggered to resist the invasive microsporidia. An analysis of N. bombycis-specific response factors suggested their important roles in anti-microsporidia defense. Overall, this study primarily provides insight into the potential molecular mechanisms for the host-parasite interaction between B. mori and N. bombycis and may provide a

Transcriptional profiling of midgut immunity response and degeneration in the wandering silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qiuyun; Lu, Anrui; Xiao, Guohua; Yang, Bing; Zhang, Jie; Li, Xuquan; Guan, Jingmin; Shao, Qimiao; Beerntsen, Brenda T; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Chengshu; Ling, Erjun

2012-01-01

Lepidoptera insects have a novel development process comprising several metamorphic stages during their life cycle compared with vertebrate animals. Unlike most Lepidoptera insects that live on nectar during the adult stage, the Bombyx mori silkworm adults do not eat anything and die after egg-laying. In addition, the midguts of Lepidoptera insects produce antimicrobial proteins during the wandering stage when the larval tissues undergo numerous changes. The exact mechanisms responsible for these phenomena remain unclear. We used the silkworm as a model and performed genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the midgut between the feeding stage and the wandering stage. Many genes concerned with metabolism, digestion, and ion and small molecule transportation were down-regulated during the wandering stage, indicating that the wandering stage midgut loses its normal functions. Microarray profiling, qRT-PCR and western blot proved the production of antimicrobial proteins (peptides) in the midgut during the wandering stage. Different genes of the immune deficiency (Imd) pathway were up-regulated during the wandering stage. However, some key genes belonging to the Toll pathway showed no change in their transcription levels. Unlike butterfly (Pachliopta aristolochiae), the midgut of silkworm moth has a layer of cells, indicating that the development of midgut since the wandering stage is not usual. Cell division in the midgut was observed only for a short time during the wandering stage. However, there was extensive cell apoptosis before pupation. The imbalance of cell division and apoptosis probably drives the continuous degeneration of the midgut in the silkworm since the wandering stage. This study provided an insight into the mechanism of the degeneration of the silkworm midgut and the production of innate immunity-related proteins during the wandering stage. The imbalance of cell division and apoptosis induces irreversible degeneration of the midgut. The Imd pathway

78 FR 59649 - Approval of Subzone Status, Hardinger Transfer Co., Erie and Grove City, Pennsylvania

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2013-09-27

..., Hardinger Transfer Co., Erie and Grove City, Pennsylvania On July 24, 2013, the Executive Secretary of the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board docketed an application submitted by the Erie Western Pennsylvania Port..., on behalf of Hardinger Transfer Co., in Erie and Grove City, Pennsylvania. The application was...

Developmental Changes for the Hemolymph Metabolome of Silkworm (Bombyx moriL.)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lihong; Li, Huihui; Hao, Fuhua; Li, Ning; Liu, Xin; Wang, Guoliang; Wang, Yulan; Tang, Huiru

2015-01-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a lepidopteran-holometabolic model organism. To understand its developmental biochemistry, we characterized the larval hemolymph metabonome from the third instar to prepupa stage using 1H NMR spectroscopy whilst hemolymph fatty acid composition using GC-FID/MS. We unambiguously assigned more than 60 metabolites, among which tyrosine-o-β-glucuronide, mesaconate, homocarnosine, and picolinate were reported for the first time from the silkworm hemolymph. Phosphorylcholine was the most abundant metabolite in all developmental stages with exception for the periods before the third and fourth molting. We also found obvious developmental dependence for the hemolymph metabonome involving multiple pathways including protein biosyntheses, glycolysis, TCA cycle, the metabolisms of choline amino acids, fatty acids, purines, and pyrimidines. Most hemolymph amino acids had two elevations during the feeding period of the fourth instar and prepupa stage. Trehalose was the major blood sugar before day 8 of the fifth instar, whereas glucose became the major blood sugar after spinning. C16:0, C18:0 and its unsaturated forms were dominant fatty acids in hemolymph. The developmental changes of hemolymph metabonome were associated with dietary nutrient intakes, biosyntheses of cell membrane, pigments, proteins, and energy metabolism. These findings offered essential biochemistry information in terms of the dynamic metabolic changes during silkworm development. PMID:25825269

A novel immune-related gene HDD1 of silkworm Bombyx mori is involved in bacterial response.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kui; Pan, Guangzhao; Zhao, Yuzu; Hao, Xiangwei; Li, Chongyang; Shen, Li; Zhang, Rui; Su, Jingjing; Cui, Hongjuan

2017-08-01

Insects have evolved an effective immune system to respond to various challenges. In this study, a novel immune-related gene, called BmHDD1, was first charactered in silkworm, Bombyx mori. BmHDD1 contained an ORF of 837bp and encoding a deduced protein of 278 amino acids. BmHDD1 was specifically expressed in hemocytes, and highly expressed at the molting and metamorphosis stages under normal physiological conditions. Our results suggested that BmHDD1 was mainly generated by hemocytes and secreted into hemolymph. Our results also showed that the expression level of BmHDD1 was significantly increased after 20E injection, which indicated that BmHDD1 might be regulated by ecdysone. More importantly, BmHDD1 was dramatically induced after injected with different types of PAMPs or bacteria, either in hemocytes or fat body. Those results suggested that BmHDD1 plays a role in developing and immunity system in silkworm, Bombyx mori. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Purification and functional characterization of a protein: Bombyx mori human growth hormone like protein in silkworm pupa.

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Jianqing Chen

Full Text Available Human growth hormone (hGH is a peptide hormone secreted by eosinophils of the human anterior pituitary, and a regulatory factor for a variety of metabolic pathways. A 30-kD protein from the pupa stage of silkworm was detected by Western blotting and confirmed by immunoprecipitation based on its ability to bind to anti-hGH antibody. This protein, named BmhGH-like protein, was purified from fresh silkworm pupas through low-temperature homogenization, filtration, and centrifugation to remove large impurity particles. The supernatants were precipitated, resuspended, and passed through a molecular sieve. Further purification by affinity chromatography and two-dimensional electrophoresis resulted in pure protein for analysis by MS MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. An alignment with predicted proteins indicated that BmhGH-like protein consisted of two lipoproteins, which we named hGH-L1 and hGH-L2. These proteins belong to the β-trefoil superfamily, with β domains similar to the spatial structure of hGH. Assays with K562 cells demonstrated that these proteins could promote cell division in vitro. To further validate the growth-promoting effects, hGH-L2 was cloned from pupa cDNA to create recombinant silkworm baculovirus vBmNPV-hGH-L2, which was used to infect silkworm BmN cells at low titer. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the protein shortened the G0/G1 phase of the cells, and enabled the cells to rapidly traverse the G1/S phase transition point to enter S phase and promote cell division. Discovery of hGH-like protein in silkworm will once again arouse people's interest in the potential medicinal value of silkworm and establish the basis for the development of new hormone drugs.

Structure of autophagy-related protein Atg8 from the silkworm Bombyx mori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Chen; Zhang, Xuan; Teng, Yan-Bin; Hu, Hai-Xi; Li, Wei-Fang

2010-01-01

The crystal structure of autophagy-related protein Atg8 from the silkworm B. mori has two additional helices at the N-terminus before the expected ubiquitin fold. Autophagy-related protein Atg8 is ubiquitous in all eukaryotes. It is involved in the Atg8–PE ubiquitin-like conjugation system, which is essential for autophagosome formation. The structures of Atg8 from different species are very similar and share a ubiquitin-fold domain at the C-terminus. In the 2.40 Å crystal structure of Atg8 from the silkworm Bombyx mori reported here, the ubiquitin fold at the C-terminus is preceded by two additional helices at the N-terminus

Effect of Venom from the Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on the Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Huahua; Li, Rongfeng; Chen, Xiaolin; Yue, Yang; Xing, Ronge; Liu, Song; Li, Pengcheng

2015-09-24

The silkworm Bombyx mori L. (B. mori) has a significant impact on the economy by producing more than 80% of the globally produced raw silk. The exposure of silkworm to pesticides may cause adverse effects on B. mori, such as a reduction in the production and quality of silk. This study aims to assay the effect of venom from the jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on growth, cuticle and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the silkworm B. mori by the leaf dipping method. The experimental results revealed that the four samples caused neither antifeeding nor a lethal effect on B. mori. The sample SFV inhibited B. mori growth after 6 days of treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The samples SFV, DSFV and Fr-1 inhibited the precipitation and synthesis of chitin in the cuticle after 12 and 14 days of treatment. In the case of the four samples, the AChE was significantly improved after 14 days of treatment.

Transcriptional profiling of midgut immunity response and degeneration in the wandering silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuyun Xu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Lepidoptera insects have a novel development process comprising several metamorphic stages during their life cycle compared with vertebrate animals. Unlike most Lepidoptera insects that live on nectar during the adult stage, the Bombyx mori silkworm adults do not eat anything and die after egg-laying. In addition, the midguts of Lepidoptera insects produce antimicrobial proteins during the wandering stage when the larval tissues undergo numerous changes. The exact mechanisms responsible for these phenomena remain unclear. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used the silkworm as a model and performed genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the midgut between the feeding stage and the wandering stage. Many genes concerned with metabolism, digestion, and ion and small molecule transportation were down-regulated during the wandering stage, indicating that the wandering stage midgut loses its normal functions. Microarray profiling, qRT-PCR and western blot proved the production of antimicrobial proteins (peptides in the midgut during the wandering stage. Different genes of the immune deficiency (Imd pathway were up-regulated during the wandering stage. However, some key genes belonging to the Toll pathway showed no change in their transcription levels. Unlike butterfly (Pachliopta aristolochiae, the midgut of silkworm moth has a layer of cells, indicating that the development of midgut since the wandering stage is not usual. Cell division in the midgut was observed only for a short time during the wandering stage. However, there was extensive cell apoptosis before pupation. The imbalance of cell division and apoptosis probably drives the continuous degeneration of the midgut in the silkworm since the wandering stage. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided an insight into the mechanism of the degeneration of the silkworm midgut and the production of innate immunity-related proteins during the wandering stage. The imbalance of cell division and apoptosis

Differentially expressed genes in the midgut of Silkworm infected ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this report, we employed suppression subtractive hybridization to compare differentially expressed genes in the midguts of CPV-infected and normal silkworm larvae. 36 genes and 20 novel ESTs were obtained from 2 reciprocal subtractive libraries. Three up-regulated genes (ferritin, rpL11 and alkaline nuclease) and 3 ...

Annotation and expression of carboxylesterases in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Wen-Le

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Carboxylesterase is a multifunctional superfamily and ubiquitous in all living organisms, including animals, plants, insects, and microbes. It plays important roles in xenobiotic detoxification, and pheromone degradation, neurogenesis and regulating development. Previous studies mainly used Dipteran Drosophila and mosquitoes as model organisms to investigate the roles of the insect COEs in insecticide resistance. However, genome-wide characterization of COEs in phytophagous insects and comparative analysis remain to be performed. Results Based on the newly assembled genome sequence, 76 putative COEs were identified in Bombyx mori. Relative to other Dipteran and Hymenopteran insects, alpha-esterases were significantly expanded in the silkworm. Genomics analysis suggested that BmCOEs showed chromosome preferable distribution and 55% of which were tandem arranged. Sixty-one BmCOEs were transcribed based on cDNA/ESTs and microarray data. Generally, most of the COEs showed tissue specific expressions and expression level between male and female did not display obvious differences. Three main patterns could be classified, i.e. midgut-, head and integument-, and silk gland-specific expressions. Midgut is the first barrier of xenobiotics peroral toxicity, in which COEs may be involved in eliminating secondary metabolites of mulberry leaves and contaminants of insecticides in diet. For head and integument-class, most of the members were homologous to odorant-degrading enzyme (ODE and antennal esterase. RT-PCR verified that the ODE-like esterases were also highly expressed in larvae antenna and maxilla, and thus they may play important roles in degradation of plant volatiles or other xenobiotics. Conclusion B. mori has the largest number of insect COE genes characterized to date. Comparative genomic analysis suggested that the gene expansion mainly occurred in silkworm alpha-esterases. Expression evidence indicated that the expanded

Differentially expressed genes in white egg 2 mutant of silkworm ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

use

2011-12-21

Dec 21, 2011 ... In order to obtain an overall view on gene expression profiles at early embryo ... existed multi-allelic mutations. As of other insects, the color of the eggs of silkworm ..... Acid-sensitive two pore domain K+ channel dTASK-6.

Assessing and addressing the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie: central basin hypoxia

Science.gov (United States)

Scavia, Donald; Allan, J. David; Arend, Kristin K.; Bartell, Steven; Beletsky, Dmitry; Bosch, Nate S.; Brandt, Stephen B.; Briland, Ruth D.; Daloğlu, Irem; DePinto, Joseph V.; Dolan, David M.; Evans, Mary Anne; Farmer, Troy M.; Goto, Daisuke; Han, Haejin; Höök, Tomas O.; Knight, Roger; Ludsin, Stuart A.; Mason, Doran; Michalak, Anna M.; Richards, R. Peter; Roberts, James J.; Rucinski, Daniel K.; Rutherford, Edward; Schwab, David J.; Sesterhenn, Timothy M.; Zhang, Hongyan; Zhou, Yuntao

2014-01-01

Relieving phosphorus loading is a key management tool for controlling Lake Erie eutrophication. During the 1960s and 1970s, increased phosphorus inputs degraded water quality and reduced central basin hypolimnetic oxygen levels which, in turn, eliminated thermal habitat vital to cold-water organisms and contributed to the extirpation of important benthic macroinvertebrate prey species for fishes. In response to load reductions initiated in 1972, Lake Erie responded quickly with reduced water-column phosphorus concentrations, phytoplankton biomass, and bottom-water hypoxia (dissolved oxygen 2) requires cutting total phosphorus loads by 46% from the 2003–2011 average or reducing dissolved reactive phosphorus loads by 78% from the 2005–2011 average. Reductions to these levels are also protective of fish habitat. We provide potential approaches for achieving those new loading targets, and suggest that recent load reduction recommendations focused on western basin cyanobacteria blooms may not be sufficient to reduce central basin hypoxia to 2000 km2.

Population models of burrowing mayfly recolonization in Western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Madenjian, C.P.; Schloesser, D.W.; Krieger, K.A.

1998-01-01

Burrowing mayflies, Hexagenia spp. (H. limbata and H. rigida), began recolonizing western Lake Erie during the 1990s. Survey data for mayfly nymph densities indicated that the population experienced exponential growth between 1991 and 1997. To predict the time to full recovery of the mayfly population, we fitted logistic models, ranging in carrying capacity from 600 to 2000 nymphs/m2, to these survey data. Based on the fitted logistic curves, we forecast that the mayfly population in western Lake Erie would achieve full recovery between years 1998 and 2000, depending on the carrying capacity of the western basin. Additionally, we estimated the mortality rate of nymphs in western Lake Erie during 1994 and then applied an age-based matrix model to the mayfly population. The results of the matrix population modeling corroborated the exponential growth model application in that both methods yielded an estimate of the population growth rate, r, in excess of 0.8 yr-1. This was the first evidence that mayfly populations are capable of recolonizing large aquatic ecosystems at rates comparable with those observed in much smaller lentic ecosystems. Our model predictions should prove valuable to managers of power plant facilities along the western basin in planning for mayfly emergences and to managers of the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fishery in western Lake Erie.

Feeding Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes or Graphene to Silkworms for Reinforced Silk Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Wang, Chunya; Zhang, Mingchao; Jian, Muqiang; Zhang, Yingying

2016-10-12

Silkworm silk is gaining significant attention from both the textile industry and research society because of its outstanding mechanical properties and lustrous appearance. The possibility of creating tougher silks attracts particular research interest. Carbon nanotubes and graphene are widely studied for their use as reinforcement. In this work, we report mechanically enhanced silk directly collected by feeding Bombyx mori larval silkworms with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and graphene. We found that parts of the fed carbon nanomaterials were incorporated into the as-spun silk fibers, whereas the others went into the excrement of silkworms. Spectroscopy study indicated that nanocarbon additions hindered the conformation transition of silk fibroin from random coil and α-helix to β-sheet, which may contribute to increased elongation at break and toughness modules. We further investigated the pyrolysis of modified silk, and a highly developed graphitic structure with obviously enhanced electrical conductivity was obtained through the introduction of SWNTs and graphene. The successful generation of these SWNT- or graphene-embedded silks by in vivo feeding is expected to open up possibilities for the large-scale production of high-strength silk fibers.

Animal welfare and use of silkworm as a model animal.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekimizu, N; Paudel, A; Hamamoto, H

2012-08-01

Sacrificing model animals is required for developing effective drugs before being used in human beings. In Japan today, at least 4,210,000 mice and other mammals are sacrificed to a total of 6,140,000 per year for the purpose of medical studies. All the animals treated in Japan, including test animals, are managed under control of "Act on Welfare and Management of Animals". Under the principle of this Act, no person shall kill, injure, or inflict cruelty on animals without due cause. "Animal" addressed in the Act can be defined as a "vertebrate animal". If we can make use of invertebrate animals in testing instead of vertebrate ones, that would be a remarkable solution for the issue of animal welfare. Furthermore, there are numerous advantages of using invertebrate animal models: less space and small equipment are enough for taking care of a large number of animals and thus are cost-effective, they can be easily handled, and many biological processes and genes are conserved between mammals and invertebrates. Today, many invertebrates have been used as animal models, but silkworms have many beneficial traits compared to mammals as well as other insects. In a Genome Pharmaceutical Institute's study, we were able to achieve a lot making use of silkworms as model animals. We would like to suggest that pharmaceutical companies and institutes consider the use of the silkworm as a model animal which is efficacious both for financial value by cost cutting and ethical aspects in animals' welfare.

Isolating silkworm genomic DNA without liquid nitrogen suitable for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Genomic DNA was isolated from posterior silk gland of silkworms, Antheraea assama. Absolute alcohol was used as tissue fixing solution instead of grinding in liquid nitrogen, which yielded high molecular weight DNA (>40 kb). Samples yielded similar amount of DNA when fixed in absolute alcohol (400 μmg/g of silk gland ...

Silkworm caterpillar - soybean meal blend as dietary protein source ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the utilization of silkworm caterpillar meat (SCM) blended with soybean meal (SBM) as a dietary protein source in the practical diet of Heterobranchus bidorsalis fingerlings (M±SE=17.04±_0.02g). The fish were fed five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing blends of SCM ...

Functional Loss of Bmsei Causes Thermosensitive Epilepsy in Contractile Mutant Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Hongyi; Cheng, Tingcai; Huang, Xiaofeng; Zhou, Mengting; Zhang, Yinxia; Dai, Fangyin; Mita, Kazuei; Xia, Qingyou; Liu, Chun

2015-07-01

The thermoprotective mechanisms of insects remain largely unknown. We reported the Bombyx mori contractile (cot) behavioral mutant with thermo-sensitive seizures phenotype. At elevated temperatures, the cot mutant exhibit seizures associated with strong contractions, rolling, vomiting, and a temporary lack of movement. We narrowed a region containing cot to ~268 kb by positional cloning and identified the mutant gene as Bmsei which encoded a potassium channel protein. Bmsei was present in both the cell membrane and cytoplasm in wild-type ganglia but faint in cot. Furthermore, Bmsei was markedly decreased upon high temperature treatment in cot mutant. With the RNAi method and injecting potassium channel blockers, the wild type silkworm was induced the cot phenotype. These results demonstrated that Bmsei was responsible for the cot mutant phenotype and played an important role in thermoprotection in silkworm. Meanwhile, comparative proteomic approach was used to investigate the proteomic differences. The results showed that the protein of Hsp-1 and Tn1 were significantly decreased and increased on protein level in cot mutant after thermo-stimulus, respectively. Our data provide insights into the mechanism of thermoprotection in insect. As cot phenotype closely resembles human epilepsy, cot might be a potential model for the mechanism of epilepsy in future.

Identification and analysis of YELLOW protein family genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Yi Yong-Zhu

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The major royal jelly proteins/yellow (MRJP/YELLOW family possesses several physiological and chemical functions in the development of Apis mellifera and Drosophila melanogaster. Each protein of the family has a conserved domain named MRJP. However, there is no report of MRJP/YELLOW family proteins in the Lepidoptera. Results Using the YELLOW protein sequence in Drosophila melanogaster to BLAST silkworm EST database, we found a gene family composed of seven members with a conserved MRJP domain each and named it YELLOW protein family of Bombyx mori. We completed the cDNA sequences with RACE method. The protein of each member possesses a MRJP domain and a putative cleavable signal peptide consisting of a hydrophobic sequence. In view of genetic evolution, the whole Bm YELLOW protein family composes a monophyletic group, which is distinctly separate from Drosophila melanogaster and Apis mellifera. We then showed the tissue expression profiles of Bm YELLOW protein family genes by RT-PCR. Conclusion A Bombyx mori YELLOW protein family is found to be composed of at least seven members. The low homogeneity and unique pattern of gene expression by each member among the family ensure us to prophesy that the members of Bm YELLOW protein family would play some important physiological functions in silkworm development.

Effects of hypervitaminosis of vitamin B3 on silkworm biology

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

[Etebari K and Matindoost L 2004 Effects of hypervitaminosis of vitamin B3 on silkworm biology; J. Biosci. 29 417–422]. 1. ... ate growth of larvae and the reproduction in many insects and also mites has been ... were dried in air for 10 min.

Genetic diversity and classification of 51 strains of silkworm Bombyx ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

GREGORY

2010-09-27

Sep 27, 2010 ... silkworm (Gamo 1983; Chatterjee and Data, 1992). As sericultural regions of the world have different climatic conditions, physiological diversification has also been influenced by agro-climatic factors. Thus, given geographic isolation and limited cultural exchange, some strains may have acquired similar ...

A description of the nearshore fish communities in the Huron-Erie Corridor using multiple gear types

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, James T.; Chiotti, Justin A.; Boase, James C.; Thomas, Mike V.; Manny, Bruce A.; Roseman, Edward F.

2013-01-01

Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide a critical habitat for many fish species throughout their life cycles. Once home to one of the largest wetland complexes in the Great Lakes, coastal wetlands in the Huron–Erie Corridor (HEC) have decreased dramatically since the early 1900s. We characterized the nearshore fish communities at three different wetland complexes in the HEC using electrofishing, seines, and fyke nets. Species richness was highest in the Detroit River (63), followed by the St. Clair Delta (56), and Western Lake Erie (47). The nearshore fish communities in the Detroit River and St. Clair Delta consisted primarily of shiners, bluntnose minnow, centrarchids, and brook silverside, while the Western Lake Erie sites consisted of high proportions of non-native taxa including common carp, gizzard shad, goldfish, and white perch. Species richness estimates using individual-based rarefaction curves were higher when using electrofishing data compared to fyke nets or seine hauls at each wetland. Twelve fish species were captured exclusively during electrofishing assessments, while one species was captured exclusively in fyke nets, and none exclusively during seine hauls. Western Lake Erie wetlands were more indicative of degraded systems with lower species richness, lower proportion of turbidity intolerant species, and increased abundance of non-native taxa. This work highlights the importance of coastal wetlands in the HEC by capturing 69 different fish species utilizing these wetlands to fulfill life history requirements and provides insight when selecting gears to sample nearshore littoral areas.

27 CFR 9.83 - Lake Erie.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... on the islands of Lake Erie across the States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The beginning... approximately one mile north of Rock Creek, Ohio. (7) The boundary proceeds southwestward, then westward, then... is reached which is due north of the easternmost point of Kelleys Island. (9) The boundary then...

Study on Silkworm Bed Cleaning Frequency during Larval Growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Study on Silkworm Bed Cleaning Frequency during Larval Growth Period. Abiy Tilahun, Kedir Shifa, Ahmed Ibrahim, Metasebia Terefe. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/star.v4i2.5 · AJOL African ...

Historical Sediment Budget (1860s to Present) for the United States Shoreline of Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

Soil Classification polygons with 1 km reaches. Each polygon has a 2- to 4-digit classification code indicating the dominant soil type...1988). Photograph shows high quantity of shale plates in soil column (USACE 2004). ................ 125 Figure A-1. New York shore stratigraphy... USLS 1935, NGVD29, USLS 1903, Mean Level of Lake Erie (1860–1875) (Toledo-Conneaut), Mean Lake Level of Lake Erie (1860–1875) (Erie-Buffalo), and Mean

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of the Oak Silkworm (Antheraea pernyi Pupal Oil: Process Optimization and Composition Determination

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Zhao-Jun Wei

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2 extraction of oil from oak silkworm pupae was performed in the present research. Response surface methodology (RSM was applied to optimize the parameters of SC-CO2 extraction, including extraction pressure, temperature, time and CO2 flow rate on the yield of oak silkworm pupal oil (OSPO. The optimal extraction condition for oil yield within the experimental range of the variables researched was at 28.03 MPa, 1.83 h, 35.31 °C and 20.26 L/h as flow rate of CO2. Under this condition, the oil yield was predicted to be 26.18%. The oak silkworm pupal oil contains eight fatty acids, and is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and α-linolenic acid (ALA, accounting for 77.29% and 34.27% in the total oil respectively.

Diversity in Copy Number and Structure of a Silkworm Morphogenetic Gene as a Result of Domestication

OpenAIRE

Sakudoh, Takashi; Nakashima, Takeharu; Kuroki, Yoko; Fujiyama, Asao; Kohara, Yuji; Honda, Naoko; Fujimoto, Hirofumi; Shimada, Toru; Nakagaki, Masao; Banno, Yutaka; Tsuchida, Kozo

2011-01-01

The carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, a major determinant of cocoon color, is likely to have been substantially influenced by domestication of this species. We analyzed the structure of the CBP gene in multiple strains of B. mori, in multiple individuals of the wild silkworm, B. mandarina (the putative wild ancestor of B. mori), and in a number of other lepidopterans. We found the CBP gene copy number in genomic DNA to vary widely among B. mori strain...

Targets set to reduce Lake Erie algae

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Mary

2016-01-01

In February 2016, the Great Lakes Executive Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between the U.S. and Canada, approved phosphorus loading targets for Lake Erie to reduce the size of harmful algal blooms (HABs), reduce the presence of the low oxygen zone in the central basin, and protect nearshore water quality. The targets are set with respect to the nutrient loads calculated for 2008. To reduce the impacts of HABs on Lake Erie a target was set of a 40 percent reduction in total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads in the spring from two Canadian rivers and several Michigan and Ohio rivers, especially the Maumee River (https://binational.net/2016/02/22/ finalptargets-ciblesfinalesdep/). States and the province of Ontario are already developing Domestic Action Plans to accomplish the reductions and scientists are developing research and monitoring plans to assess progress.

A New Environmental Monitoring System For Silkworm Incubators

OpenAIRE

Alejandra Duque-Torres; Juan Ruiz-Rosero; Gesille Zambrano-Gonzalez; Martha Almanza-Pinzon; Oscar Mauricio Caicedo Rendon; Gustavo Ramirez-Gonzalez

2018-01-01

A newly Monitoring Environmental Conditions System is proposed based on Raspberry-Pi. This proposal monitors the temperature, humidity, and luminosity in a silkworm incubator. The monitoring data are collected and save in the cloud for the subsequent analysis. The monitoring environmental system is based on Raspberry Pi due to capabilities, features, and low cost. The preliminary tests were realized in a real scenery and the results demonstrating its reliability.

Roles of silkworm endoplasmic reticulum chaperones in the secretion of recombinant proteins expressed by baculovirus system.

Science.gov (United States)

Imai, Saki; Kusakabe, Takahiro; Xu, Jian; Li, Zhiqing; Shirai, Shintaro; Mon, Hiroaki; Morokuma, Daisuke; Lee, Jae Man

2015-11-01

Baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is widely used for production of recombinant eukaryotic proteins in insect larvae or cultured cells. BEVS has advantages over bacterial expression system in producing post-translationally modified secreted proteins. However, for some unknown reason, it is very difficult for insects to secrete sufficiently for certain proteins of interest. To understand the reasons why insect cells fail to secrete some kinds of recombinant proteins, we here employed three mammalian proteins as targets, EPO, HGF, and Wnt3A, with different secretion levels in BEVS and investigated their mRNA transcriptions from the viral genome, subcellular localizations, and interactions with silkworm ER chaperones. Moreover, we observed that no significantly influence on the secretion amounts of all three proteins when depleting or overexpressing most endogenous ER chaperone genes in cultured silkworm cells. However, among all detected ER chaperones, the depletion of BiP severely decreased the recombinant protein secretion in BEVS, indicating the possible central role of Bip in silkworm secretion pathway.

Efficacy of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) chrysalis oil as a lipid source in adult Wistar rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Mentang, Feny; Maita, Masashi; Ushio, Hideki; Ohshima, Toshiaki

2011-08-01

The effects of silkworm chrysalis oil, rich in n-3 α-linolenic acid (ALA), on lipid metabolism in Wistar rats were investigated. The rats were fed diets containing 7% soybean oil (control), silkworm chrysalis oil (SWO), or fish oil (FO) for 8weeks. Plasma triglyceride and glucose levels were significantly lower in the SWO group after 8weeks compared to the control and FO groups. The total cholesterol and blood urea nitrogen levels were higher in the control group than in the SWO and FO groups at 8weeks post-consumption. However, aspartate amino transferase and alanine amino transferase levels were not significantly different among all groups. A higher arachidonic acid (AA) content was detected in the control group, while lower AA levels were observed with the increase in EPA and DHA in the SWO and FO groups. These results suggest that n-3 α-linolenic acid-rich silkworm chrysalis oil can improve hyperlipidaemia and hyperglycaemia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pyraclostrobin Impairs Energetic Mitochondrial Metabolism and Productive Performance of Silkworm (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) Caterpillars.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicodemo, Daniel; Mingatto, Fábio Ermínio; Carvalho, Amanda de; Bizerra, Paulo Francisco Veiga; Tavares, Marco Aurélio; Balieira, Kamila Vilas Boas; Bellini, William Cesar

2018-03-09

Silkworm cocoon production has been reduced due to a number of problems other than those inherent in sericulture, such as diseases, malnutrition, and inappropriate management. The use of pesticides in areas surrounding mulberry fields can contaminate these plants and consequently harm caterpillars. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the application of the fungicide pyraclostrobin in mulberry plants interferes with the mitochondrial bioenergetics and the productive performance of silkworms. Mulberry plants were treated with pyraclostrobin (0, 100, 200, and 300 g ha-1). After 30 d of fungicide application, fifth instar caterpillars were fed with leaves from the treated plants. We evaluated in vitro and in vivo mitochondrial bioenergetics of mitochondria from the head and intestines, as well as the feed intake and mortality rate of the caterpillars and the weight of fresh cocoons and cocoons shells. At doses of 50 µM (in vitro) and 200 g ha-1 (in vivo), pyraclostrobin inhibited oxygen consumption in state 3, dissipated membrane potential, and inhibited ATP synthesis in mitochondria. Pyraclostrobin acted as a respiratory chain inhibitor, affecting mitochondrial bioenergetics. The fungicide did not interfere with food consumption but negatively affected mortality rate and weight of cocoons. Mulberry leaves contaminated with pyraclostrobin negatively impact the mitochondrial bioenergetics of silkworms and cocoon production.

Characterization and expression patterns of let-7 microRNA in the silkworm (Bombyx mori

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Hong Kaili

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background lin-4 and let-7, the two founding members of heterochronic microRNA genes, are firstly confirmed in Caenorhabditis elegans to control the proper timing of developmental programs in a heterochronic pathway. let-7 has been thought to trigger the onset of adulthood across animal phyla. Ecdysone and Broad-Complex are required for the temporal expression of let-7 in Drosophila melanogaster. For a better understanding of the conservation and functions of let-7, we seek to explore how it is expressed in the silkworm (Bombyx mori. Results One member of let-7 family has been identified in silkworm computationally and experimentally. All known members of this family share the same nucleotides at ten positions within the mature sequences. Sequence logo and phylogenetic tree show that they are not only conserved but diversify to some extent among some species. The bmo-let-7 was very lowly expressed in ova harvested from newborn unmated female adult and in individuals from the first molt to the early third instar, highly expressed after the third molt, and the most abundant expression was observed after mounting, particularly after pupation. The expression levels were higher at the end of each instar and at the beginning of each molt than at other periods, coinciding with the pulse of ecdysone and BR-C as a whole. Using cultured ovary cell line, BmN-SWU1, we examined the effect of altered ecdysone levels on bmo-let-7 expression. The expression was also detected in various tissues of day 3 of the fifth instar and of from day 7 of the fifth to pupa, suggesting a wide distributing pattern with various signal intensities. Conclusion bmo-let-7 is stage- and tissue-specifically expressed in the silkworm. Although no signals were detected during embryonic development and first larval instar stages, the expression of bmo-let-7 was observed from the first molt, suggesting that it might also function at early larval stage of the silkworm. The

Characterization and expression patterns of let-7 microRNA in the silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shiping; Xia, Qingyou; Zhao, Ping; Cheng, Tingcai; Hong, Kaili; Xiang, Zhonghuai

2007-07-25

lin-4 and let-7, the two founding members of heterochronic microRNA genes, are firstly confirmed in Caenorhabditis elegans to control the proper timing of developmental programs in a heterochronic pathway. let-7 has been thought to trigger the onset of adulthood across animal phyla. Ecdysone and Broad-Complex are required for the temporal expression of let-7 in Drosophila melanogaster. For a better understanding of the conservation and functions of let-7, we seek to explore how it is expressed in the silkworm (Bombyx mori). One member of let-7 family has been identified in silkworm computationally and experimentally. All known members of this family share the same nucleotides at ten positions within the mature sequences. Sequence logo and phylogenetic tree show that they are not only conserved but diversify to some extent among some species. The bmo-let-7 was very lowly expressed in ova harvested from newborn unmated female adult and in individuals from the first molt to the early third instar, highly expressed after the third molt, and the most abundant expression was observed after mounting, particularly after pupation. The expression levels were higher at the end of each instar and at the beginning of each molt than at other periods, coinciding with the pulse of ecdysone and BR-C as a whole. Using cultured ovary cell line, BmN-SWU1, we examined the effect of altered ecdysone levels on bmo-let-7 expression. The expression was also detected in various tissues of day 3 of the fifth instar and of from day 7 of the fifth to pupa, suggesting a wide distributing pattern with various signal intensities. bmo-let-7 is stage- and tissue-specifically expressed in the silkworm. Although no signals were detected during embryonic development and first larval instar stages, the expression of bmo-let-7 was observed from the first molt, suggesting that it might also function at early larval stage of the silkworm. The detailed expression profiles in the whole life cycle and

Meetings and Events about Western Lake Erie Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Western Lake Erie Basin, near Toledo (Ohio), Louisiana of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) reconnects urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led efforts

Stable isotope labeling of glycoprotein expressed in silkworms using immunoglobulin G as a test molecule

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yagi, Hirokazu [Nagoya City University, Faculty and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Japan); Nakamura, Masatoshi [National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Genetic Resources Conservation Research Unit, Genetic Resources Center (Japan); Yokoyama, Jun [Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, Tsukuba Laboratories (Japan); Zhang, Ying; Yamaguchi, Takumi [National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Institute for Molecular Science and Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience (Japan); Kondo, Sachiko [Nagoya City University, Faculty and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Japan); Kobayashi, Jun [Yamaguchi University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (Japan); Kato, Tatsuya; Park, Enoch Y. [Shizuoka University, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Research Institute of Green Science and Technology (Japan); Nakazawa, Shiori [Nagoya University, Sugashima Marine Biological Laboratory, Graduate School of Science (Japan); Hashii, Noritaka; Kawasaki, Nana [National Institute of Health Sciences, Division of Biological Chemistry and Biologicals (Japan); Kato, Koichi, E-mail: kkato@phar.nagoya-cu.ac.jp [Nagoya City University, Faculty and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Japan)

2015-06-15

Silkworms serve as promising bioreactors for the production of recombinant proteins, including glycoproteins and membrane proteins, for structural and functional protein analyses. However, lack of methodology for stable isotope labeling has been a major deterrent to using this expression system for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structural biology. Here we developed a metabolic isotope labeling technique using commercially available silkworm larvae. The fifth instar larvae were infected with baculoviruses for co-expression of recombinant human immunoglobulin G (IgG) as a test molecule, with calnexin as a chaperone. They were subsequently reared on an artificial diet containing {sup 15}N-labeled yeast crude protein extract. We harvested 0.1 mg of IgG from larva with a {sup 15}N-enrichment ratio of approximately 80 %. This allowed us to compare NMR spectral data of the Fc fragment cleaved from the silkworm-produced IgG with those of an authentic Fc glycoprotein derived from mammalian cells. Therefore, we successfully demonstrated that our method enables production of isotopically labeled glycoproteins for NMR studies.

A potent Brucella abortus 2308 Δery live vaccine allows for the differentiation between natural and vaccinated infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Junbo; Yin, Shuanghong; Guo, Fei; Meng, Ren; Chen, Chuangfu; Zhang, Hui; Li, Zhiqiang; Fu, Qiang; Shi, Huijun; Hu, Shengwei; Ni, Wei; Li, Tiansen; Zhang, Ke

2014-08-01

Brucellosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease that causes animal and human diseases. However, the current Brucella abortus vaccines (S19 and RB51) are deficient; they can cause abortion in pregnant animals. Moreover, when the vaccine S19 is used, tests cannot differentiate natural from vaccinated infection. Therefore, a safer and more potent vaccine is needed. A Brucella abortus 2308 ery promoter mutant (Δery) was constructed to overcome these drawbacks. The growth of the Δery mutant was significantly attenuated in macrophages and mice and induced high protective immunity in mice. Moreover, Δery induced an anti-Brucella-specific IgG (immunoglobulin G) response and stimulated the expression of interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Furthermore, the expression of EryA antigen allowed for the serological differentiation between natural and vaccinated infection in mice. These results indicate that the Δery mutant is a potential attenuated live vaccine candidate against virulent Brucella abortus 2308 (S2308) infection.

Standard method for detecting Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus disease-resistant silkworm varieties

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Yang Qiong

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV disease is one of the most serious silkworm diseases, and it has caused great economic losses to the sericulture industry. So far, the disease has not been controlled effectively by therapeutic agents. Breeding resistant silkworm varieties breeding may be an effective way to improve resistance to BmNPV and reduce economic losses. A precise resistance-detection method will help to accelerate the breeding process. For this purpose, here we described the individual inoculation method (IIM. Details of the IIM include pathogen BmNPV preparation, mulberry leaf size, pathogen volume, rearing conditions, course of infection, and breeding conditions. Finally, a resistance comparison experiment was performed using the IIM and the traditional group inoculation method (GIM. The incidence of BmNPV infection and the within-group variance results showed that the IIM was more precise and reliable than the GIM.

Silkworm Pupa Protein Hydrolysate Induces Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptosis and S Phase Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Gastric Cancer SGC-7901 Cells

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Xiaotong Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Silkworm pupae (Bombyx mori are a high-protein nutrition source consumed in China since more than 2 thousand years ago. Recent studies revealed that silkworm pupae have therapeutic benefits to treat many diseases. However, the ability of the compounds of silkworm pupae to inhibit tumourigenesis remains to be elucidated. Here, we separated the protein of silkworm pupae and performed alcalase hydrolysis. Silkworm pupa protein hydrolysate (SPPH can specifically inhibit the proliferation and provoke abnormal morphologic features of human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, flow cytometry indicated that SPPH can induce apoptosis and arrest the cell-cycle in S phase. Furthermore, SPPH was shown to provoke accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blotting analysis indicated that SPPH inhibited Bcl-2 expression and promoted Bax expression, and subsequently induced apoptosis-inducing factor and cytochrome C release, which led to the activation of initiator caspase-9 and executioner caspase-3, cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP, eventually caused cell apoptosis. Moreover, SPPH-induced S-phase arrest was mediated by up-regulating the expression of E2F1 and down-regulating those of cyclin E, CDK2 and cyclin A2. Transcriptome sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA also revealed that SPPH treatment could affect gene expression and pathway regulation related to tumourigenesis, apoptosis and cell cycle. In summary, our results suggest that SPPH could specifically suppress cell growth of SGC-7901 through an intrinsic apoptotic pathway, ROS accumulation and cell cycle arrest, and silkworm pupae have a potential to become a source of anticancer agents in the future.

The Effect of Dietary Supplements on the Development of Bombyx Mori L. Silkworms

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Cristina Zah

2011-05-01

Full Text Available We know that the silkworms consume leaves in large quantities. The scope of the research was their reaction to various additives for their food. Mulberry leaves spray-coated in several dietary supplements were administered starting with the 5th day of the 3rd instar. The substances used were flax (linseed oil, hemp oil and 2.5% fat cow’s milk. The research was performed on four different silkworm hybrid strands. Each hybrid was separated in 4 lots, a control group and one for each of the three supplements. The preliminary conclusions of the research were that the best results were obtained with the 2.5% milk supplement, where we observed the highest individual mass and silk quantity compared to the other lots.

33 CFR 162.132 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; communications rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; communications rules. 162.132 Section 162.132 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.132 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; communications rules. (a...

33 CFR 162.140 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; miscellaneous rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; miscellaneous rules. 162.140 Section 162.140 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.140 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; miscellaneous rules. (a...

FERC approves process for Lake Erie link: Project meets significant regulatory milestone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2002-01-01

The Federal Electric Regulatory Commission (FERC) of the United States has issued an order to TransEnergie US Ltd., and Hydro One Inc., authorizing the sale of transmission rights for the proposed Lake Erie link. This project will consists of bi-directional high voltage direct current facilities connecting the transmission grids of Ontario, Canada and the United States. The sale is authorized to proceed via a non-discriminatory 'open season' process. The project will consist of buried underwater cables under Lake Erie connecting the transmission systems near Simcoe, Ontario with those in the US at either, or both, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, and Ashtabula, Ohio. The project will provide an increase in transmission capability of up to 975 MW between the electric control areas of the Ontario Independent Electricity Market Operator, the East Central Area Reliability Coordination Agreement in Ohio and the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection. The Lake Erie Link will be financially supported by those consumers who see value in the associated transmission rights, rather than through the regulated rates paid by transmission customers in general. The article provides an overview of the background of the Lake Erie Link, the cable system, the converter station, and the potential economic benefits

Occurrence of zebra mussels in near-shore areas of western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Custer, Christine M.; Custer, T.W.

1997-01-01

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) invaded the Great Lakes in the mid-1980s and quickly reached high densities. The objective of this study was to determine current consumption of zebra mussels by waterfowl in the Great Lakes region. Feeding Lesser Scaups (Aythya affinis), Greater Scaups (A. marila), Canvasbacks (A. valisineria), Redheads (A. americana), Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) and Common Goldeneyes (B. clangula) were collected in western Lake Erie and in Lake St. Clair between fall and spring, 1992-1993 to determine food habits. All 10 Redheads, 97% of Lesser Scaups, 83% of Goldeneyes, 60% of Buffleheads and 9% of Canvasbacks contained one or more zebra mussels in their upper gastrointestinal tracts. The aggregate percent of zebra mussels in the diet of Lesser Scaups was higher in Lake Erie (98.6%) than in Lake St. Clair (54.4%). Zebra mussels, (aggregate percent) dominated the diet of Common Goldeneyes (79.2%) but not in Buffleheads (23.5%), Redheads (21%) or Canvasbacks (9%). Lesser Scaups from Lake Erie fed on larger zebra mussels ( = 10.7 i?? 0.66 mm SE) than did Lesser Scaups from Lake St. Clair ( = 4.4 i?? 0.22 mm). Lesser Scaups, Buffleheads and Common Goldeneyes from Lake Erie consumed zebra mussels of similar size.

Genetic diversity and classification of 51 strains of silkworm Bombyx ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this experiment was to study and classify all 51 pure lines of Iran silkworm germplasm based on larval traits and identification of pure lines relationships. The average linkage between two groups is considered as the average of distance between all pairs of cases with one number from each group. Hierarchical ...

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of ATG1 in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Casati, Barbara; Terova, Genciana; Cattaneo, Anna Giulia; Rimoldi, Simona; Franzetti, Eleonora; de Eguileor, Magda; Tettamanti, Gianluca

2012-12-15

Atg1 is a Serine/Threonine protein kinase that plays a pivotal role in autophagy. A complete coding sequence of ATG1 is not available for the silkworm, Bombyx mori which is a good model for studying the autophagic process. In the present study we isolated two full-length cDNAs of 2175 (transcript variant A) and 2271 (transcript variant B) bases representing ATG1 in the silkworm. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that BmATG1 was closely related to orthologs of other insects. The encoded BmAtg1 proteins shared extensive homology with orthologs from yeast to mammals, showing high conservation at the N-terminal region where the catalytic domain and ATP- and Mg-binding sites are located. A de novo prediction of the three-dimensional structure for each protein is presented. We used real-time RT-PCR to quantify dynamic changes in mRNA copy number of BmATG1 in the midgut and fat body of fifth instar larvae undergoing starvation, as well as in other tissues of silkworm at the end of last larval instar. Our qPCR results revealed that BmATG1 expression levels at the end of larval life were comparable in the midgut, fat body and Malpighian tubules, while these were higher in the gonads; moreover, the mRNA copy number of ATG1 was very different among the anterior, middle and posterior silk glands. Real-time PCR analysis also showed that starvation significantly influenced BmATG1 mRNA copy number in the fat body of silkworm, inducing an upregulation 24h after food withdrawal, with only a slight effect in the midgut. Low expression levels of BmATG1 were observed in both tissues of control animals up to the second day of spinning phase. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bathymetry of Lake Erie and Lake Saint Clair

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Bathymetry of Lake Erie and Lake Saint Clair has been compiled as a component of a NOAA project to rescue Great Lakes lake floor geological and geophysical data and...

33 CFR 162.130 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; general rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; general rules. 162.130 Section 162.130 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... REGULATIONS § 162.130 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; general rules. (a) Purpose. The...

Two Hemocyte Lineages Exist in Silkworm Larval Hematopoietic Organ

OpenAIRE

Nakahara, Yuichi; Kanamori, Yasushi; Kiuchi, Makoto; Kamimura, Manabu

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Insects have multiple hemocyte morphotypes with different functions as do vertebrates, however, their hematopoietic lineages are largely unexplored with the exception of Drosophila melanogaster. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To study the hematopoietic lineage of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we investigated in vivo and in vitro differentiation of hemocyte precursors in the hematopoietic organ (HPO) into the four mature hemocyte subsets, namely, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, oenocyto...

A preliminary study of the Hg flux from selected Ohio watersheds to Lake Erie

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzgibbon, T.O.; Berry Lyons, W.; Gardner, Christopher B.; Carey, Anne E.

2008-01-01

New measurements of riverine dissolved and particulate Hg fluxes into Lake Erie from 12 northern Ohio watersheds have been determined from samples collected in April 2002 and analyzed using ultra-clean techniques with cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Total Hg concentrations ranged through 2.5-18.5 ng L -1 , with a mean of 10.4 ng L -1 with most Hg in particulate form. Dissolved Hg concentrations ranged through 0.8-4.3 ng L -1 , with a mean of 2.5 ng L -1 . Highest total Hg concentrations were observed in western rivers with primarily agricultural land use and eastern rivers with mixed land use in their watersheds. Total suspended solid concentrations ranged through 10-180 mg L -1 with particulate Hg concentrations ranging through 47-170 ng g -1 , with a mean of 99 ng g -1 . Particulate Hg was similar to published data for central Lake Erie bottom sediments but much lower than for bottom sediments in western Lake Erie. Total Hg concentrations were positively correlated with suspended sediment concentrations and negatively with dissolved NO 3 - concentrations. The total estimated annual Hg fluxes from these rivers into Lake Erie is estimated to be 85 kg, but because only one event was sampled during high flow conditions, this may be an overestimate. This is much lower than previous published estimates of riverine Hg input into Lake Erie

33 CFR 162.134 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; traffic rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; traffic rules. 162.134 Section 162.134 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... REGULATIONS § 162.134 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; traffic rules. (a) Detroit River. The...

33 CFR 162.138 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; speed rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; speed rules. 162.138 Section 162.138 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... REGULATIONS § 162.138 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; speed rules. (a) Maximum speed limit for...

33 CFR 162.136 - Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; anchorage grounds.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; anchorage grounds. 162.136 Section 162.136 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... REGULATIONS § 162.136 Connecting waters from Lake Huron to Lake Erie; anchorage grounds. (a) In the Detroit...

Bombyx mori cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor is involved in regulation of the silkworm cell cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, X-F; Zhou, X-L; Zhang, Q; Chen, P; Lu, C; Pan, M-H

2018-06-01

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are negative regulators of the cell cycle. They can bind to cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-cyclin complexes and inhibit CDK activities. We identified a single homologous gene of the CDK interacting protein/kinase inhibitory protein (Cip/Kip) family, BmCKI, in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The gene transcribes two splice variants: a 654-bp-long BmCKI-L (the longer splice variant) encoding a protein with 217 amino acids and a 579-bp-long BmCKI-S (the shorter splice variant) encoding a protein with 192 amino acids. BmCKI-L and BmCKI-S contain the Cip/Kip family conserved cyclin-binding domain and the CDK-binding domain. They are localized in the nucleus and have an unconventional bipartite nuclear localization signal at amino acid residues 181-210. Overexpression of BmCKI-L or BmCKI-S affected cell cycle progression; the cell cycle was arrested in the first gap phase of cell cycle (G1). RNA interference of BmCKI-L or BmCKI-S led to cells accumulating in the second gap phase and the mitotic phase of cell cycle (G2/M). Both BmCKI-L and BmCKI-S are involved in cell cycle regulation and probably have similar effects. The transgenic silkworm with BmCKI-L overexpression (BmCKI-L-OE), exhibited embryonic lethal, larva developmental retardation and lethal phenotypes. These results suggest that BmCKI-L might regulate the growth and development of silkworm. These findings clarify the function of CKIs and increase our understanding of cell cycle regulation in the silkworm. © 2018 The Royal Entomological Society.

Induced Hyperproteinemia and Its Effects on the Remodeling of Fat Bodies in Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xue-Dong; Wang, Yong-Feng; Wang, Yu-Long; Li, Qiu-Ying; Ma, Huan-Yu; Wang, Lu; Sima, Yang-Hu; Xu, Shi-Qing

2018-01-01

Hyperproteinemia, which is characterized by an abnormally elevated plasma protein concentration (PPC), is a high-mortality, metabolic complication associated with severe liver and kidney disease. It is difficult to clinically distinguish the difference between the impacts of primary diseases and hyperproteinemia on tissues and organs, and there are no available animal models of hyperproteinemia. Here, we constructed an animal model of hyperproteinemia with a controllable PPC and no primary disease effects in the silkworm Bombyx mori that has attracted interest owing to its potential use in the pathological analysis of model animals. Silkworm have an open circulatory system in which each organ is directly immersed in hemolymph. The fat body (FB) of a silkworm, as a major organ for nutrient storage and energy metabolism, can effectively reflect hyperproteinemia-induced metabolic abnormalities in damaged visceral tissues. A pathogenesis study showed that hyperproteinemia attenuated cell autophagy and apoptosis by attenuating an endocrine hormone, thereby preventing FB remodeling during metamorphosis. Meanwhile, hyperproteinemia increased oxidative stress in the FB and resulted in a dysfunction of amino acid conversion. Supplementation with exogenous 20-hydroxyecdysone effectively mitigated the hyperproteinemia-mediated inhibition of FB remodeling. PMID:29651251

Induced Hyperproteinemia and Its Effects on the Remodeling of Fat Bodies in Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue-Dong Chen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Hyperproteinemia, which is characterized by an abnormally elevated plasma protein concentration (PPC, is a high-mortality, metabolic complication associated with severe liver and kidney disease. It is difficult to clinically distinguish the difference between the impacts of primary diseases and hyperproteinemia on tissues and organs, and there are no available animal models of hyperproteinemia. Here, we constructed an animal model of hyperproteinemia with a controllable PPC and no primary disease effects in the silkworm Bombyx mori that has attracted interest owing to its potential use in the pathological analysis of model animals. Silkworm have an open circulatory system in which each organ is directly immersed in hemolymph. The fat body (FB of a silkworm, as a major organ for nutrient storage and energy metabolism, can effectively reflect hyperproteinemia-induced metabolic abnormalities in damaged visceral tissues. A pathogenesis study showed that hyperproteinemia attenuated cell autophagy and apoptosis by attenuating an endocrine hormone, thereby preventing FB remodeling during metamorphosis. Meanwhile, hyperproteinemia increased oxidative stress in the FB and resulted in a dysfunction of amino acid conversion. Supplementation with exogenous 20-hydroxyecdysone effectively mitigated the hyperproteinemia-mediated inhibition of FB remodeling.

Recruitment of Hexagenia mayfly nymphs in western Lake Erie linked to environmental variability

Science.gov (United States)

Bridgeman, Thomas B.; Schloesser, Don W.; Krause, Ann E.

2006-01-01

After a 40-year absence caused by pollution and eutrophication, burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia spp.) recolonized western Lake Erie in the mid 1990s as water quality improved. Mayflies are an important food resource for the economically valuable yellow perch fishery and are considered to be major indicator species of the ecological condition of the lake. Since their reappearance, however, mayfly populations have suffered occasional unexplained recruitment failures. In 2002, a failure of fall recruitment followed an unusually warm summer in which western Lake Erie became temporarily stratified, resulting in low dissolved oxygen levels near the lake floor. In the present study, we examined a possible link between Hexagenia recruitment and periods of intermittent stratification for the years 1997-2002. A simple model was developed using surface temperature, wind speed, and water column data from 2003 to predict stratification. The model was then used to detect episodes of stratification in past years for which water column data are unavailable. Low or undetectable mayfly recruitment occurred in 1997 and 2002, years in which there was frequent or extended stratification between June and September. Highest mayfly reproduction in 2000 corresponded to the fewest stratified periods. These results suggest that even relatively brief periods of stratification can result in loss of larval mayfly recruitment, probably through the effects of hypoxia. A trend toward increasing frequency of hot summers in the Great Lakes region could result in recurrent loss of mayfly larvae in western Lake Erie and other shallow areas in the Great Lakes.

76 FR 50680 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

... as a home range. In the winter, Lake Erie watersnakes hibernate below the frost level, in cracks or... undertaken on each island property to avoid injury and harm to the Lake Erie watersnake during typical land...

MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Daojun

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent stage-by-stage examinations on nearly one hundred miRNAs in the silkworm. Results Our results show that miRNAs display a wide variety of expression profiles over the whole life of the silkworm, including continuous expression from embryo to adult (miR-184, up-regulation over the entire life cycle (let-7 and miR-100, down-regulation over the entire life cycle (miR-124, expression associated with embryogenesis (miR-29 and miR-92, up-regulation from early 3rd instar to pupa (miR-275, and complementary pulses in expression between miR-34b and miR-275. Stage-by-stage examinations revealed further expression patterns, such as emergence at specific time-points during embryogenesis and up-regulation of miRNA groups in late embryos (miR-1 and bantam, expression associated with stage transition between instar and molt larval stages (miR-34b, expression associated with silk gland growth and spinning activity (miR-274, continuous high expression from the spinning larval to pupal and adult stages (miR-252 and miR-31a, a coordinate expression trough in day 3 pupae of both sexes (miR-10b and miR-281, up-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-29b, and down-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-275. Conclusion We present the full-scale expression profiles of miRNAs throughout the life cycle of Bombyx mori. The whole-life expression profile was further investigated via stage-by-stage analysis. Our data provide an important resource for more detailed

MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shiping; Zhang, Liang; Li, Qibin; Zhao, Ping; Duan, Jun; Cheng, Daojun; Xiang, Zhonghuai; Xia, Qingyou

2009-09-28

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent stage-by-stage examinations on nearly one hundred miRNAs in the silkworm. Our results show that miRNAs display a wide variety of expression profiles over the whole life of the silkworm, including continuous expression from embryo to adult (miR-184), up-regulation over the entire life cycle (let-7 and miR-100), down-regulation over the entire life cycle (miR-124), expression associated with embryogenesis (miR-29 and miR-92), up-regulation from early 3rd instar to pupa (miR-275), and complementary pulses in expression between miR-34b and miR-275. Stage-by-stage examinations revealed further expression patterns, such as emergence at specific time-points during embryogenesis and up-regulation of miRNA groups in late embryos (miR-1 and bantam), expression associated with stage transition between instar and molt larval stages (miR-34b), expression associated with silk gland growth and spinning activity (miR-274), continuous high expression from the spinning larval to pupal and adult stages (miR-252 and miR-31a), a coordinate expression trough in day 3 pupae of both sexes (miR-10b and miR-281), up-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-29b), and down-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-275). We present the full-scale expression profiles of miRNAs throughout the life cycle of Bombyx mori. The whole-life expression profile was further investigated via stage-by-stage analysis. Our data provide an important resource for more detailed functional analysis of miRNAs in this animal.

Horizontal gene transfer in silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is the model insect for the order Lepidoptera, has economically important values, and has gained some representative behavioral characteristics compared to its wild ancestor. The genome of B. mori has been fully sequenced while function analysis of BmChi-h and BmSuc1 genes revealed that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) maybe bestow a clear selective advantage to B. mori. However, the role of HGT in the evolutionary history of B. mori is largely unexplored. In this study, we compare the whole genome of B. mori with those of 382 prokaryotic and eukaryotic species to investigate the potential HGTs. Results Ten candidate HGT events were defined in B. mori by comprehensive sequence analysis using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian method combining with EST checking. Phylogenetic analysis of the candidate HGT genes suggested that one HGT was plant-to- B. mori transfer while nine were bacteria-to- B. mori transfer. Furthermore, functional analysis based on expression, coexpression and related literature searching revealed that several HGT candidate genes have added important characters, such as resistance to pathogen, to B. mori. Conclusions Results from this study clearly demonstrated that HGTs play an important role in the evolution of B. mori although the number of HGT events in B. mori is in general smaller than those of microbes and other insects. In particular, interdomain HGTs in B. mori may give rise to functional, persistent, and possibly evolutionarily significant new genes. PMID:21595916

Single base-resolution methylome of the silkworm reveals a sparse epigenomic map

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiang, Hui; Zhu, Jingde; Chen, Quan

2010-01-01

Epigenetic regulation in insects may have effects on diverse biological processes. Here we survey the methylome of a model insect, the silkworm Bombyx mori, at single-base resolution using Illumina high-throughput bisulfite sequencing (MethylC-Seq). We conservatively estimate that 0.11% of genomi...

Metagenomic identification of bacterioplankton taxa and pathways involved in microcystin degradation in lake erie.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaozhen Mou

Full Text Available Cyanobacterial harmful blooms (CyanoHABs that produce microcystins are appearing in an increasing number of freshwater ecosystems worldwide, damaging quality of water for use by human and aquatic life. Heterotrophic bacteria assemblages are thought to be important in transforming and detoxifying microcystins in natural environments. However, little is known about their taxonomic composition or pathways involved in the process. To address this knowledge gap, we compared the metagenomes of Lake Erie free-living bacterioplankton assemblages in laboratory microcosms amended with microcystins relative to unamended controls. A diverse array of bacterial phyla were responsive to elevated supply of microcystins, including Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria of the alpha, beta, gamma, delta and epsilon subdivisions and Verrucomicrobia. At more detailed taxonomic levels, Methylophilales (mainly in genus Methylotenera and Burkholderiales (mainly in genera Bordetella, Burkholderia, Cupriavidus, Polaromonas, Ralstonia, Polynucleobacter and Variovorax of Betaproteobacteria were suggested to be more important in microcystin degradation than Sphingomonadales of Alphaproteobacteria. The latter taxa were previously thought to be major microcystin degraders. Homologs to known microcystin-degrading genes (mlr were not overrepresented in microcystin-amended metagenomes, indicating that Lake Erie bacterioplankton might employ alternative genes and/or pathways in microcystin degradation. Genes for xenobiotic metabolism were overrepresented in microcystin-amended microcosms, suggesting they are important in bacterial degradation of microcystin, a phenomenon that has been identified previously only in eukaryotic systems.

Mutation of a vitelline membrane protein, BmEP80, is responsible for the silkworm "Ming" lethal egg mutant.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Anli; Gao, Peng; Zhao, Qiaoling; Tang, Shunming; Shen, Xingjia; Zhang, Guozheng; Qiu, Zhiyong; Xia, Dingguo; Huang, Yongping; Xu, Yunmin; He, Ningjia

2013-02-25

The egg stage is an important stage in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) life cycle. Normal silkworm eggs are usually short, elliptical, and laterally flattened, with a sometimes hollowed surface on the lateral side. However, the eggs laid by homozygous recessive "Ming" lethal egg mutants (l-e(m)) lose water and become concaved around 1h, ultimately exhibiting a triangular shape on the egg surfaces. We performed positional cloning, and narrowed down the region containing the gene responsible for the l-e(m) mutant to 360 kb on chromosome 10 using 2287 F(2) individuals. Using expression analysis and RNA interference, the best l-e(m) candidate gene was shown to be BmEP80. The results of the inverse polymerase chain reaction showed that an ~1.9 kb region from the 3' untranslated region of BmVMP23 to the forepart of BmEP80 was replaced by a >100 kb DNA fragment in the l-e(m) mutant. Several eggs laid by the normal moths injected with BmEP80 small interfering RNAs were evidently depressed and exhibited a triangular shape on the surface. The phenotype exhibited was consistent with the eggs laid by the l-e(m) mutant. Moreover, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that the BmEP80 protein was expressed in the ovary from the 9th day of the pupa stage to eclosion in the wild-type silkworm, but was absent in the l-e(m) mutant. These results indicate that BmEP80 is responsible for the l-e(m) mutation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Vulnerability of Lake Erie Landscapes to Soil Erosion: Modelled and Measured Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Joosse, P.; Laamrani, A.; Feisthauer, N.; Li, S.

2017-12-01

Loss of soil from agricultural landscapes to Lake Erie via water erosion is a key transport mechanism for phosphorus bound to soil particles. Agriculture is the dominant land use in the Canadian side of the Lake Erie basin with approximately 75% of the 2.3 million hectares under crop or livestock production. The variable geography and diversity of agricultural production systems and management practices makes estimating risk of soil erosion from agricultural landscapes in the Canadian Lake Erie basin challenging. Risk of soil erosion depends on a combination of factors including the extent to which soil remains bare, which differs with crop type and management. Two different approaches of estimating the vulnerability of landscapes to soil erosion will be compared among Soil Landscapes of Canada in the Lake Erie basin: a modelling approach incorporating farm census and soil survey data, represented by the 2011 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agri-Environmental Indicator for Soil Erosion Risk; and, a measured approach using remotely sensed data that quantifies the magnitude of bare and covered soil across the basin. Results from both approaches will be compared by scaling the national level (1:1 million) Soil Erosion Risk Indicator and the remotely sensed data (30x30 m resolution) to the quaternary watershed level.

76 FR 55564 - Safety Zone; Revolution 3 Triathlon, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Cedar Point, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-08

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Revolution 3 Triathlon, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Cedar Point, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard... Erie during the Revolution 3 Triathlon. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect participants..., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...

75 FR 55477 - Safety Zone; Revolution 3 Triathlon, Lake Erie & Sandusky Bay, Cedar Point, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-13

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Revolution 3 Triathlon, Lake Erie & Sandusky Bay, Cedar Point, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard... portions of the Lake Erie during the Revolution 3 Cedar Point Triathlon. The temporary safety zone is... 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have...

Effects of BmCPV Infection on Silkworm Bombyx mori Intestinal Bacteria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenli Sun

Full Text Available The gut microbiota has a crucial role in the growth, development and environmental adaptation in the host insect. The objective of our work was to investigate the microbiota of the healthy silkworm Bombyx mori gut and changes after the infection of B. mori cypovirus (BmCPV. Intestinal contents of the infected and healthy larvae of B. mori of fifth instar were collected at 24, 72 and 144 h post infection with BmCPV. The gut bacteria were analyzed by pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. 147(135 and 113(103 genera were found in the gut content of the healthy control female (male larvae and BmCPV-infected female (male larvae, respectively. In general, the microbial communities in the gut content of healthy larvae were dominated by Enterococcus, Delftia, Pelomonas, Ralstonia and Staphylococcus, however the abundance change of each genus was depended on the developmental stage and gender. Microbial diversity reached minimum at 144 h of fifth instar larvae. The abundance of Enterococcus in the females was substantially lower and the abundance of Delftia, Aurantimonas and Staphylococcus was substantially higher compared to the males. Bacterial diversity in the intestinal contents decreased after post infection with BmCPV, whereas the abundance of both Enterococcus and Staphylococcus which belongs to Gram-positive were increased. Therefore, our findings suggested that observed changes in relative abundance was related to the immune response of silkworm to BmCPV infection. Relevance analysis of plenty of the predominant genera showed the abundance of the Enterococcus genus was in negative correlation with the abundance of the most predominant genera. These results provided insight into the relationship between the gut microbiota and development of the BmCPV-infected silkworm.

Characterization of Recombinant Thermococcus kodakaraensis (KOD) DNA Polymerases Produced Using Silkworm-Baculovirus Expression Vector System

KAUST Repository

Yamashita, Mami

2017-05-08

The KOD DNA polymerase from Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tkod-Pol) has been preferred for PCR due to its rapid elongation rate, extreme thermostability and outstanding fidelity. Here in this study, we utilized silkworm-baculovirus expression vector system (silkworm-BEVS) to express the recombinant Tkod-Pol (rKOD) with N-terminal (rKOD-N) or C-terminal (rKOD-C) tandem fusion tags. By using BEVS, we produced functional rKODs with satisfactory yields, about 1.1 mg/larva for rKOD-N and 0.25 mg/larva for rKOD-C, respectively. Interestingly, we found that rKOD-C shows higher thermostability at 95 °C than that of rKOD-N, while that rKOD-N is significantly unstable after exposing to long period of heat-shock. We also assessed the polymerase activity as well as the fidelity of purified rKODs under various conditions. Compared with commercially available rKOD, which is expressed in E. coli expression system, rKOD-C exhibited almost the same PCR performance as the commercial rKOD did, while rKOD-N did lower performance. Taken together, our results suggested that silkworm-BEVS can be used to express and purify efficient rKOD in a commercial way.

Characterization of Recombinant Thermococcus kodakaraensis (KOD) DNA Polymerases Produced Using Silkworm-Baculovirus Expression Vector System

KAUST Repository

Yamashita, Mami; Xu, Jian; Morokuma, Daisuke; Hirata, Kazuma; Hino, Masato; Mon, Hiroaki; Takahashi, Masateru; Hamdan, Samir; Sakashita, Kosuke; Iiyama, Kazuhiro; Banno, Yutaka; Kusakabe, Takahiro; Lee, Jae Man

2017-01-01

The KOD DNA polymerase from Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tkod-Pol) has been preferred for PCR due to its rapid elongation rate, extreme thermostability and outstanding fidelity. Here in this study, we utilized silkworm-baculovirus expression vector system (silkworm-BEVS) to express the recombinant Tkod-Pol (rKOD) with N-terminal (rKOD-N) or C-terminal (rKOD-C) tandem fusion tags. By using BEVS, we produced functional rKODs with satisfactory yields, about 1.1 mg/larva for rKOD-N and 0.25 mg/larva for rKOD-C, respectively. Interestingly, we found that rKOD-C shows higher thermostability at 95 °C than that of rKOD-N, while that rKOD-N is significantly unstable after exposing to long period of heat-shock. We also assessed the polymerase activity as well as the fidelity of purified rKODs under various conditions. Compared with commercially available rKOD, which is expressed in E. coli expression system, rKOD-C exhibited almost the same PCR performance as the commercial rKOD did, while rKOD-N did lower performance. Taken together, our results suggested that silkworm-BEVS can be used to express and purify efficient rKOD in a commercial way.

Combined toxicity of chlorantraniliprole, lambda-cyhalothrin, and imidacloprid to the silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yanmei; Zhang, Hui; He, Fengmei; Li, Xuesheng; Tan, Huihua; Zeng, Dongqiang

2018-05-29

Insecticides with different modes of action may act in combination, in ways such as drifting, spray equipment residual, or utilizing concurrently in mulberry orchards or nearby agricultural fields. Silkworms may suffer from a diverse impact on the survival. In this study, the toxicity of chlorantraniliprole, lambda-cyhalothrin, and imidacloprid and their combinations to the second instar of silkworms (Bombyx mori (L.)(Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)) were evaluated after 48 and 72 h treatment by the leaf-dipping method and the combination index (CI)-isobologram equation. After 48 h treatment, results indicated that (1) the increasing order of toxicity was imidacloprid lambda-cyhalothrin, and that (2) synergism was predominated in most combinations excepted for the lambda-cyhalothrin + imidacloprid combination which displayed an additive effect at f a value 0.5. Then, after 72 h treatment, results exhibited that (1) the increasing order of toxicity was imidacloprid lambda-cyhalothrin < chlorantraniliprole, and that (2) only the chlorantraniliprole + imidacloprid mixture yielded antagonism at f a value 0.5; the other combinations performed an additive effect at least. Consequently, combined toxicity of mixtures may pose a worse effect on silkworm than single toxicity of insecticides. Therefore, we suggest that insecticide mixtures should be added into ecotoxicological risk assessment.

A discovery of novel microRNAs in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaomin; Zhou, Qing; Cai, Yimei; Luo, Qibin; Lin, Hongbin; Hu, Songnian; Yu, Jun

2009-12-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal regulators involved in various physiological and pathological processes via their post-transcriptional regulation of gene expressions. We sequenced 14 libraries of small RNAs constructed from samples spanning the life cycle of silkworms, and discovered 50 novel miRNAs previously not known in animals and verified 43 of them using stem-loop RT-PCR. Our genome-wide analyses of 27 species-specific miRNAs suggest they arise from transposable elements, protein-coding genes duplication/transposition and random foldback sequences; which is consistent with the idea that novel animal miRNAs may evolve from incomplete self-complementary transcripts and become fixed in the process of co-adaptation with their targets. Computational prediction suggests that the silkworm-specific miRNAs may have a preference of regulating genes that are related to life-cycle-associated traits, and these genes can serve as potential targets for subsequent studies of the modulating networks in the development of Bombyx mori.

Lessons Learned from Stakeholder-Driven Modeling in the Western Lake Erie Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Muenich, R. L.; Read, J.; Vaccaro, L.; Kalcic, M. M.; Scavia, D.

2017-12-01

Lake Erie's history includes a great environmental success story. Recognizing the impact of high phosphorus loads from point sources, the United States and Canada 1972 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement set load reduction targets to reduce algae blooms and hypoxia. The Lake responded quickly to those reductions and it was declared a success. However, since the mid-1990s, Lake Erie's algal blooms and hypoxia have returned, and this time with a dominant algae species that produces toxins. Return of the algal blooms and hypoxia is again driven by phosphorus loads, but this time a major source is the agriculturally-dominated Maumee River watershed that covers NW Ohio, NE Indiana, and SE Michigan, and the hypoxic extent has been shown to be driven by Maumee River loads plus those from the bi-national and multiple land-use St. Clair - Detroit River system. Stakeholders in the Lake Erie watershed have a long history of engagement with environmental policy, including modeling and monitoring efforts. This talk will focus on the application of interdisciplinary, stakeholder-driven modeling efforts aimed at understanding the primary phosphorus sources and potential pathways to reduce these sources and the resulting algal blooms and hypoxia in Lake Erie. We will discuss the challenges, such as engaging users with different goals, benefits to modeling, such as improvements in modeling data, and new research questions emerging from these modeling efforts that are driven by end-user needs.

76 FR 66710 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-27

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 5984-063] Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and....: 5984-063. c. Date Filed: May 10, 2011. d. Applicant: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. (dba Brookfield...

Horizontal drilling under Lake Erie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meller, R.

2001-07-01

Drilling oil wells under Lake Erie calls for horizontal drilling wells to be drilled from shore out into the pay-zone under the lake. The nature and characteristics of horizontal wells as compared to vertical wells are explored. Considerations that have to be taken into account in drilling horizontal wells are explained (the degree of curvature, drilling fluid quality, geosteering in the pay-zone, steering instrumentation, measurements while drilling (MWD), logging while drilling (LWD)). The concept and reasons for extended reach wells are outlined, along with characteristic features of multilateral wells.

Cloning and homologic analysis of Tpn I gene in silkworm Bombyx ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cloning and homologic analysis of Tpn I gene in silkworm Bombyx mori. Y Zhao, Yao Q, X Tang, Q Wang, H Yin, Z Hu, J Lu, K Chen. Abstract. The troponin complex is composed of three subunits, Troponin C (the calcium sensor component) and Troponin T and I (structural proteins). Tpn C is encoded by multiple genes in ...

Conceptual design of a bioregenerative life support system containing crops and silkworms

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Enzhu; Bartsev, Sergey I.; Liu, Hong

2010-04-01

This article summarizes a conceptual design of a bioregenerative life support system for permanent lunar base or planetary exploration. The system consists of seven compartments - higher plants cultivation, animal rearing, human habitation, water recovery, waste treatment, atmosphere management, and storages. Fifteen kinds of crops, such as wheat, rice, soybean, lettuce, and mulberry, were selected as main life support contributors to provide the crew with air, water, and vegetable food. Silkworms fed by crop leaves were designated to produce partial animal nutrition for the crew. Various physical-chemical and biological methods were combined to reclaim wastewater and solid waste. Condensate collected from atmosphere was recycled into potable water through granular activated carbon adsorption, iodine sterilization, and trace element supplementation. All grey water was also purified though multifiltration and ultraviolet sterilization. Plant residue, human excrement, silkworm feces, etc. were decomposed into inorganic substances which were finally absorbed by higher plants. Some meat, ingredients, as well as nitrogen fertilizer were prestored and resupplied periodically. Meanwhile, the same amount and chemical composition of organic waste was dumped to maintain the steady state of the system. A nutritional balanced diet was developed by means of the linear programming method. It could provide 2721 kcal of energy, 375.5 g of carbohydrate, 99.47 g of protein, and 91.19 g of fat per capita per day. Silkworm powder covered 12.54% of total animal protein intakes. The balance of material flows between compartments was described by the system of stoichiometric equations. Basic life support requirements for crews including oxygen, food, potable and hygiene water summed up to 29.68 kg per capita per day. The coefficient of system material closure reached 99.40%.

Microwave-assisted extraction of silkworm pupal oil and evaluation of its fatty acid composition, physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Bin; Li, Cheng; Zhang, Zhiqing; Zhao, Qing; Zhu, Yadong; Su, Zhao; Chen, Yizi

2017-09-15

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of oil from silkworm pupae was firstly performed in the present research. The response surface methodology was applied to optimize the parameters for MAE. The yield of oil by MAE was 30.16% under optimal conditions of a mixed solvent consisting of ethanol and n-hexane (1:1, v/v), microwave power (360W), liquid to solid ratio (7.5/1mL/g), microwave time (29min). Moreover, oil extracted by MAE was quantitatively (yield) and qualitatively (fatty acid profile) similar to those obtained using Soxhlet extraction (SE), but oil extracted by MAE exhibited favourable physicochemical properties and oxidation stability. Additionally, oil extracted by MAE had a higher content of total phenolic, and it showed stronger antioxidant activities. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that microwave technique efficiently promoted the release of oil by breaking down the cell structure of silkworm pupae. Therefore, MAE can be an effective method for the silkworm pupal oil extraction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of plasmalogen in the gut of silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Aboshi, Takako; Nishida, Ritsuo; Mori, Naoki

2012-08-01

Herbivorous insect species are constantly challenged with endogenous and exogenous oxidative stress. Consequently, they possess an array of antioxidant enzymes and small molecular weight antioxidants. Lipid-soluble small molecular antioxidants, such as tocopherols, have not been well studied in insects but may play important antioxidant roles. In this study, we identified plasmalogen phosphatidylethanolamines (pPEs) as well as α-, β/γ-, δ-tocopherol in the larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori by LCMS analyses and examined their distribution. Plasmalogen are reported to inhibit the metal ion induced oxidation. The composition of tocopherols was the same among gut contents, gut tissues, and the other tissues. However, plasmalogens, a unique class of glycerophospholipids rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and containing a vinyl ether bond at the sn-1 position, were mainly distributed in gut tissues. Plasmalogens might protect gut tissues from oxidation stress. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental review of natural gas production in Lake Erie

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Shea, K.

2002-01-01

The water of Lake Erie is used as a source of drinking water for Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. An environmental review has been conducted to determine the impact of drilling operations on the overall ecology of the lake. Since 1913, 2000 natural gas wells have been drilled in Lake Erie, of which 550 currently produce gas and account for 75 per cent of Ontario's total gas production. 180 wells are shut-in or suspended and the remaining wells have been abandoned. The gas wells are connected to onshore production facilities by approximately 1,600 km of small diameter pipelines that lie buried near shore or on top of the lake bed. Nearly 90 per cent of the in-lake infrastructure is in water depths of more than 20 metres. Talisman Energy is actively involved with the Canadian Coast Guard, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure cooperation between regulators and off-shore personnel. The environmental assessment of natural gas production in Lake Erie included a review of regulatory and best management practices, a biophysical overview of the lake, and a review of drilling practices, well completions, handling of waste streams, materials management, operations inspections, wastewater discharge, air emissions, and oil spills. It was revealed that for most drilling programs, cuttings are washed and discharged to the Lake. Ongoing testing will determine the impact that this practice has on benthic populations. The drill muds used for drilling operations are water based, environmentally friendly, and re-used between well locations. For completion programs, all well activities are closed circuit operations. Wells are abandoned through plugging with cement, removing wellheads and casing below the lake bottom. There has been a reported volume of about 23,000 litres of spilled product from 1990 to 2001, of which 68 per cent has come from 3 industrial companies that operate near Lake Erie. The offshore gas

Specific expression of GFPuv-β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 fusion protein in fat body of Bombyx mori silkworm larvae using signal peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Tatsuya; Park, Enoch Y.

2007-01-01

Bombyxin (bx) and prophenoloxidase-activating enzyme (ppae) signal peptides from Bombyx mori, their modified signal peptides, and synthetic signal peptides were investigated for the secretion of GFP uv -β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 (GGT2) fusion protein in B. mori Bm5 cells and silkworm larvae using cysteine protease deficient B. mori multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmMNPV-CP - ) and its bacmid. The secretion efficiencies of all signal peptides were 15-30% in Bm5 cells and 24-30% in silkworm larvae, while that of the +16 signal peptide was 0% in Bm5 cells and 1% in silkworm larvae. The fusion protein that contained the +16 signal peptide was expressed specifically in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and in the fractions of cell precipitations. Ninety-four percent of total intracellular β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (β3GnT) activity was detected in cell precipitations following the 600, 8000, and 114,000g centrifugations. In the case of the +38 signal peptide, 60% of total intracellular activity was detected in the supernatant from the 114,000g spin, and only 1% was found in the precipitate. Our results suggest that the +16 signal peptide might be situated in the transmembrane region and not cleaved by signal peptidase in silkworm or B. mori cells. Therefore, the fusion protein connected to the +16 signal peptide stayed in the fat body of silkworm larvae with biological function, and was not secreted extracellularly

Timeless is a critical gene in the diapause of silkworm, Bombyx mori ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Timeless is a critical gene in the diapause of silkworm, Bombyx mori. L Xu, H Liang, LP Gan, WD Wang, YH Sima, SQ Xu. Abstract. The diapause is a specific physiological phenomenon induced by circadian zeitgebers of temperature and photoperiod at the stage of maternal embryonic development. In this research, the ...

BmRobo2/3 is required for axon guidance in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiao-Tong; Yu, Qi; Zhou, Qi-Sheng; Zhao, Xiao; Liu, Zhao-Yang; Cui, Wei-Zheng; Liu, Qing-Xin

2016-02-15

Axon guidance is critical for proper wiring of the nervous system. During the neural development, the axon guidance molecules play a key role and direct axons to choose the correct way to reach the target. Robo, as the receptor of axon guidance molecule Slit, is evolutionarily conserved from planarians to humans. However, the function of Robo in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, remained unknown. In this study, we cloned robo2/3 from B. mori (Bmrobo2/3), a homologue of robo2/3 in Tribolium castaneum. Moreover, BmRobo2/3 was localized in the neuropil, and RNAi-mediated knockdown of Bmrobo2/3 resulted in the longitudinal connectives forming closer to the midline. These data demonstrate that BmRobo2/3 is required for axon guidance in the silkworm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biological and molecular characterization of silkworm strains from the Brazilian germplasm bank of Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, N C; Munhoz, R E F; Bignotto, T S; Bespalhuk, R; Garay, L B; Saez, C R N; Fassina, V A; Nembri, A; Fernandez, M A

2013-06-28

Brazil has only one public genetic pool of Bombyx mori strains, which was established in 2005 at Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Paraná State. This genetic bank has been maintained, and the strains have been characterized using genetic and morphological tools. The quantitative and qualitative traits, directly or indirectly related to productivity, were evaluated in 14 silkworm strains. In addition to biological and productivity analyses, DNA markers related to susceptibility to the B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) were analyzed. BmNPV is a major cause of production loss and is a serious problem for Paraná sericulture. The silkworm strains from diverse geographic origins were found to have different characteristics, including body weight, larval stage duration, cocoon weight, and other biological traits. In terms of productivity, the raw silk percentages were almost uniform, with an overall average of 16.28%. Overall, the Chinese strain C37 gave the best performance in many of the quantitative traits, and it surpassed the other strains in productivity traits. Therefore, it can be used as one of the strains that compose the elite germplasm for silkworm breeding programs. Additionally, genetic molecular markers were efficient in discriminating between B. mori strains that had been identified based on their geographical origin. We found that all Japanese strains produced a 400-bp molecular marker that has been associated with susceptibility to BmNPV.

78 FR 68044 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review and...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-13

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7320-042] Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review and Soliciting Scoping Comments.... Date filed: July 1, 2013. d. Applicant: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. e. Name of Project: Chasm...

Zebra mussels invade Lake Erie muds

Science.gov (United States)

Berkman, Paul Arthur; Haltuch, Melissa A.; Tichich, Emily; Garton, David W.; Kennedy, Gregory W.; Gannon, John E.; Mackey, Scudder D.; Fuller, Jonathan A.; Liebenthal, Dale L.

1998-01-01

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) originated in western Russia but have now become widespread in Europe and North America. They are widely known for their conspicuous invasion of rocks and other hard substrates in North American and European watersheds. We have found beds of zebra mussels directly colonizing sand and mud sediments each year across hundreds of square kilometres of North America's Lake Erie. This transformation of sedimentary habitats into mussel beds represents an unforeseen change in the invasive capacity of this species.

Thermodynamic assessments of the Ag-Er and Er-Y systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.L.; Wang, C.P.; Liu, X.J.; Tang, A.T.; Pan, F.S.; Ishida, K.

2010-01-01

The phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties in the Ag-Er and Er-Y binary systems have been assessed by using the CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) method on the basis of the experimental data including the thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria. The Gibbs free energies of the liquid, bcc, fcc, and hcp phases were described by the subregular solution model with the Redlich-Kister equation, and those of intermetallic compounds (Ag 2 Er and AgEr phases) were treated as stoichiometric compounds, and Ag 51 Er 14 phase was modeled by the sublattice model in the Ag-Er binary system. The thermodynamic parameters of the Ag-Er and Er-Y binary systems were obtained, and an agreement between the calculated results and experimental data was obtained for each binary system.

78 FR 62348 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7320-042] Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests.... Date filed: July 1, 2013. d. Applicant: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. e. Name of Project: Chasm...

Development and silk production by silkworm larvae after topical application of methoprene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miranda José Ednilson

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Juvenile hormone analogues have been tested as insect growth regulators in silkworm (Bombyx mori, seeking an increment of silk production. These chemical products, when applied in small or moderate rates, promote the extension of the last larval instar. To understand the physiologic consequences on silk production by the silkworm strain C115 x N108, the application of methoprene, a juvenile hormone analogue, was performed to evaluate its effects on larval development and silk production. Methoprene was topically applied 48h after the fourth larval ecdysis, on the dorsal integument of the 2nd thoracic segment of the insects, at seven rates between 0 and 20 ng a.i. Methoprene influenced positively the duration of the fifth instar and the weight gain of the insects. The application of 1ng methoprene resulted in the heaviest silkglands, cocoons, shell cocoons and pupae weights. Comparatively to the control, the increment on silk production (approximately 24% by the use of 1ng methoprene was more accentuated than the corresponding negative effects on the cocooning rate (approximately 12%.

Altered expression of testis-specific genes, piRNAs, and transposons in the silkworm ovary masculinized by a W chromosome mutation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, femaleness is strongly controlled by the female-specific W chromosome. Originally, it was presumed that the W chromosome encodes female-determining gene(s), accordingly called Fem. However, to date, neither Fem nor any protein-coding gene has been identified from the W chromosome. Instead, the W chromosome is occupied with numerous transposon-related sequences. Interestingly, the silkworm W chromosome is a source of female-enriched PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). piRNAs are small RNAs of 23-30 nucleotides in length, which are required for controlling transposon activity in animal gonads. A recent study has identified a novel mutant silkworm line called KG, whose mutation in the W chromosome causes severe female masculinization. However, the molecular nature of KG line has not been well characterized yet. Results Here we molecularly characterize the KG line. Genomic PCR analyses using currently available W chromosome-specific PCR markers indicated that no large deletion existed in the KG W chromosome. Genetic analyses demonstrated that sib-crosses within the KG line suppressed masculinization. Masculinization reactivated when crossing KG females with wild type males. Importantly, the KG ovaries exhibited a significantly abnormal transcriptome. First, the KG ovaries misexpressed testis-specific genes. Second, a set of female-enriched piRNAs was downregulated in the KG ovaries. Third, several transposons were overexpressed in the KG ovaries. Conclusions Collectively, the mutation in the KG W chromosome causes broadly altered expression of testis-specific genes, piRNAs, and transposons. To our knowledge, this is the first study that describes a W chromosome mutant with such an intriguing phenotype. PMID:22452797

Detection of Potential Shallow Aquifer Using Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) at UTHM Campus, Johor Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Izzaty Riwayat, Akhtar; Nazri, Mohd Ariff Ahmad; Hazreek Zainal Abidin, Mohd

2018-04-01

In recent years, Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) has become part of important method in preliminary stage as to gain more information in indicate the hidden water in underground layers. The problem faces by engineers is to determine the exact location of groundwater zone in subsurface layers. ERI seen as the most suitable tools in exploration of groundwater as this method have been applied in geotechnical and geo-environment investigation. This study was conducted using resistivity at UTHM campus to interpret the potential shallow aquifer and potential location for borehole as observation well. A Schlumberger array was setup during data acquisition as this array is capable in imaging deeper profile data and suitable for areas with homogeneous layer. The raw data was processed using RES2DINV software for 2D subsurface image. The result obtained indicate that the thickness of shallow aquifer for both spread line varies between 7.5 m to 15 m. The analysis of rest raw data using IP showed that the chargeability parameter is equal to 0 which strongly indicated the presence of groundwater aquifer in the study area.

Genome sequences of lower Great Lakes Microcystis sp. reveal strain-specific genes that are present and expressed in western Lake Erie blooms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Anthony Meyer

Full Text Available Blooms of the potentially toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis are increasing worldwide. In the Laurentian Great Lakes they pose major socioeconomic, ecological, and human health threats, particularly in western Lake Erie. However, the interpretation of "omics" data is constrained by the highly variable genome of Microcystis and the small number of reference genome sequences from strains isolated from the Great Lakes. To address this, we sequenced two Microcystis isolates from Lake Erie (Microcystis aeruginosa LE3 and M. wesenbergii LE013-01 and one from upstream Lake St. Clair (M. cf aeruginosa LSC13-02, and compared these data to the genomes of seventeen Microcystis spp. from across the globe as well as one metagenome and seven metatranscriptomes from a 2014 Lake Erie Microcystis bloom. For the publically available strains analyzed, the core genome is ~1900 genes, representing ~11% of total genes in the pan-genome and ~45% of each strain's genome. The flexible genome content was related to Microcystis subclades defined by phylogenetic analysis of both housekeeping genes and total core genes. To our knowledge this is the first evidence that the flexible genome is linked to the core genome of the Microcystis species complex. The majority of strain-specific genes were present and expressed in bloom communities in Lake Erie. Roughly 8% of these genes from the lower Great Lakes are involved in genome plasticity (rapid gain, loss, or rearrangement of genes and resistance to foreign genetic elements (such as CRISPR-Cas systems. Intriguingly, strain-specific genes from Microcystis cultured from around the world were also present and expressed in the Lake Erie blooms, suggesting that the Microcystis pangenome is truly global. The presence and expression of flexible genes, including strain-specific genes, suggests that strain-level genomic diversity may be important in maintaining Microcystis abundance during bloom events.

Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Bodamer Scarbro, Betsy L.; Edwards, William; Gawne, Carrie; Kocovsky, Patrick M.; Kraus, Richard T.; Rogers, Mark W.; Stewart, Taylor

2015-01-01

In 2014, the USGS LEBS successfully completed large vessel surveys in all three of Lake Erie’s basins. Lake Erie Biological Station’s primary vessel surveys included the Western Basin Forage Fish Assessment and East Harbor Forage Fish Assessment as well as contributing to the cooperative multi-agency Central Basin Hydroacoustics Assessment, the Eastern Basin Coldwater Community Assessment, and LTLA (see FTG, CWTG, and FTG reports, respectively). Results from the surveys contribute to Lake Erie Committee Task Group data needs and analyses of trends in Lake Erie’s fish communities. The cruise survey schedule in 2014 was greatly increased by LEBS’s participation in the Lake Erie CSMI, which consisted of up-to two weeks of additional sampling per month from April to October. CSMI is a bi-national effort that occurs at Lake Erie every five years with the purpose of addressing data and knowledge gaps necessary to management agencies and the Lake Erie LaMP. LEBS deepwater science capabilities also provided a platform for data collection by Lake Erie investigators from multiple agencies and universities including: the USGS GLSC, ODW, KSU, OSU, UM, PU, UT, and the USNRL. Samples from this survey are being processed and a separate report of the findings will be made available in a separate document. Our 2014 vessel operations were initiated in mid-April, as soon after ice-out as possible, and continued into early December. During this time, crews of the R/V Muskie and R/V Bowfin deployed 196 bottom trawls covering 48.5 km of lake-bottom, nearly 6 km of gillnet, collected data from 60 hydroacoustics transects, 285 lower trophic (i.e., zooplankton and benthos) samples, and 330 water quality measures (e.g., temperature profiles, water samples). Thus, 2014 was an intensive year of field activity. Our June and September bottom trawl surveys in the Western Basin were numerically dominated by Emerald Shiner, White Perch, and Yellow Perch; however, Freshwater Drum were

The crucial role of cyclic GMP in the eclosion hormone mediated signal transduction in the silkworm metamorphoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibanaka, Y; Hayashi, H; Okada, N; Fujita, N

1991-10-31

The signal transduction of the peptide, eclosion hormone, in the silkworm Bombyx mori appears to be mediated via the second messenger cyclic GMP throughout their life cycle. Injection of 8-bromo-cGMP induced the ecdysis behavior in pharate adults with similar latency to eclosion hormone-induced ecdysis; the moulting occurred 50-70 min after the injection. The potency of 8Br-cGMP was 10(2) fold higher than that of cGMP and the efficacy was increased by the co-injection of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX. On the other hand, in the silkworm pupal ecdysis the eclosion hormone and also 8Br-cGMP induced the moulting behavior in a dose-dependent manner. The adult development of the ability to respond to 8Br-cGMP took place concomitantly with the response to the eclosion hormone. Both the developmental time courses were shifted by a shift of light and dark cycles. Accordingly, the sensitivities to the peptide and cyclic nucleotide developed correspondently under the light and dark circadian rhythm. Thus throughout the silkworm life cycle, eclosion hormone is effective to trigger the ecdysis behavior and cGMP plays a crucial role as the second messenger in the eclosion hormone-mediated signal transduction.

Comparative proteomics analysis of silkworm hemolymph during the stages of metamorphosis via liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Yong; Zhang, Yan; Gong, Jing; Tian, Sha; Li, Jianwei; Dong, Zhaoming; Guo, Chao; Peng, Li; Zhao, Ping; Xia, Qingyou

2016-05-01

The silkworm is a lepidopteran insect that has an open circulatory system with hemolymph consisting of blood and lymph fluid. Hemolymph is not only considered as a depository of nutrients and energy, but it also plays a key role in substance transportation, immunity response, and proteolysis. In this study, we used LC-MS/MS to analyze the hemolymph proteins of four developmental stages during metamorphosis. A total of 728 proteins were identified from the hemolymph of the second day of wandering stage, first day of pupation, ninth day of pupation, and first day as an adult moth. GO annotations and categories showed that silkworm hemolymph proteins were enriched in carbohydrate metabolism, proteolysis, protein binding, and antibacterial humoral response. The levels of nutrient, immunity-related, and structural proteins changed significantly during development and metamorphosis. Some, such as cuticle, odorant-binding, and chemosensory proteins, showed stage-specific expression in the hemolymph. In addition, the expression of several antimicrobial peptides exhibited their highest level of abundance in the hemolymph of the early pupal stage. These findings provide a comprehensive proteomic insight of the silkworm hemolymph and suggest additional molecular targets for studying insect metamorphosis. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hormonal regulation and developmental role of Krüppel homolog 1, a repressor of metamorphosis, in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Kayukawa, Takumi; Murata, Mika; Kobayashi, Isao; Muramatsu, Daisuke; Okada, Chieko; Uchino, Keiro; Sezutsu, Hideki; Kiuchi, Makoto; Tamura, Toshiki; Hiruma, Kiyoshi; Ishikawa, Yukio; Shinoda, Tetsuro

2014-04-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) has an ability to repress the precocious metamorphosis of insects during their larval development. Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) is an early JH-inducible gene that mediates this action of JH; however, the fine hormonal regulation of Kr-h1 and the molecular mechanism underlying its antimetamorphic effect are little understood. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the hormonal regulation and developmental role of Kr-h1. We found that the expression of Kr-h1 in the epidermis of penultimate-instar larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori was induced by JH secreted by the corpora allata (CA), whereas the CA were not involved in the transient induction of Kr-h1 at the prepupal stage. Tissue culture experiments suggested that the transient peak of Kr-h1 at the prepupal stage is likely to be induced cooperatively by JH derived from gland(s) other than the CA and the prepupal surge of ecdysteroid, although involvement of unknown factor(s) could not be ruled out. To elucidate the developmental role of Kr-h1, we generated transgenic silkworms overexpressing Kr-h1. The transgenic silkworms grew normally until the spinning stage, but their development was arrested at the prepupal stage. The transgenic silkworms from which the CA were removed in the penultimate instar did not undergo precocious pupation or larval-larval molt but fell into prepupal arrest. This result demonstrated that Kr-h1 is indeed involved in the repression of metamorphosis but that Kr-h1 alone is incapable of implementing normal larval molt. Moreover, the expression profiles and hormonal responses of early ecdysone-inducible genes (E74, E75, and Broad) in transgenic silkworms suggested that Kr-h1 is not involved in the JH-dependent modulation of these genes, which is associated with the control of metamorphosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Insect food for astronauts: gas exchange in silkworms fed on mulberry and lettuce and the nutritional value of these insects for human consumption during deep space flights.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, L; Yu, X; Liu, H

2011-10-01

In this study, silkworm moth (Bombyx mori L.) larvae were regarded as an animal protein source for astronauts in the bioregenerative life support system during long-term deep space exploration in the future. They were fed with mulberry and stem lettuce leaves during the first three instars and the last two instars, respectively. In addition, this kind of environmental approach, which utilised inedible biomass of plants to produce animal protein of high quality, can likewise be applied terrestrially to provide food for people living in extreme environments and/or impoverished agro-ecosystems, such as in polar regions, isolated military bases, ships, submarines, etc. Respiration characteristics of the larvae during development under two main physiological conditions, namely eating and not-eating of leaves, were studied. Nutrient compositions of silkworm powder (SP), ground and freeze-dried silkworms on the 3rd day of the 5th instar larvae, including protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, were measured using international standard methods. Silkworms' respiration rates, measured when larvae were eating mulberry leaves, were higher than those of similar larvae that hadn't eaten such leaves. There was a significant difference between silkworms fed on mulberry leaves and those fed on stem lettuce in the 4th and 5th instars (Pinsects were under the two physiological statuses (P<0.01). Moreover, silkworms' respiration quotient under the eating regime was larger than when under the not-eating regime. The SP was found to be rich in protein and amino acids in total; 12 essential vitamins, nine minerals and twelve fatty acids were detected. Moreover, 359 kcal could be generated per 100 gram of SP (dry weight).

Efficient gene transfer into silkworm larval tissues by a combination of sonoporation and lipofection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae Man; Takahashi, Masateru; Mon, Hiroaki; Koga, Katsumi; Kawaguchi, Yutaka; Kusakabe, Takahiro

2005-11-01

Sonoporation (ultrasound treatment) provides a new and attractive nonviral way of in vivo gene transfer. To access the applicability of this method to the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we have compared the efficiencies of gene transfer by means of lipofection (using an appropriate agent, PDD111), sonoporation (ditto, FluoroGene), and lipofection followed by sonoporation. By these methods, a luciferase expression plasmid was found to be markedly transferred into the haemocoel of newly ecdysed fifth instar silkworm larvae, and also into other tissues although with lower rates compared with the haemocoel. In terms of luciferase activity, the efficiencies of transgene by lipofection plus sonoporation were approximately 6 (hemocytes), 20 (silk glands), 8 (mid-gut), 38 (fat body), 10 (Malpighian tubules), 33 (ovaries), and 16 (testes) times as high as those by lipofection or sonoporation alone. These results demonstrated that the present method is useful to introduce the exogenous DNA into insect organs in vivo.

Durable grafting of silkworm pupa protein onto the surface of polyethylene terephthalate fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Jianfeng, E-mail: 584884673@qq.com [College of Textiles & Garments, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, 400716 (China); Zheng, Dandan, E-mail: 183737543@qq.com [College of Textiles & Garments, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, 400716 (China); Zhang, Fengxiu, E-mail: zhangfx656472@sina.com.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Zhang, Guangxian, E-mail: zgx656472@sina.com [College of Textiles & Garments, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716 (China); Chongqing Engineering Research Center of Biomaterial Fiber and Modern Textile, 400716 (China)

2016-12-01

In this paper, reactive –NH{sub 2} groups (8.36 × 10{sup −6} mol/g fabric) were introduced to the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics by a nitration and reduction method, and epoxy groups were introduced to silkworm pupa protein (SPP) by reaction with epoxy chloropropane. PET-SPP composite fabrics were then prepared by reaction of these two precursors. The results showed that the SPP was firmly grafted onto the PET fabric surface and that the hydrophilicity of the fabric was markedly improved by the grafting of SPP. SEM images revealed a layer of substance covering the surface of the PET fibers, and XPS investigation showed that the nitrogen content of the PET-SPP fabric was higher than that of the original PET fabric (2.32% vs 0%). ATR-FTIR adsorption bands at 1653 and 1543 cm{sup −1} suggested the successful grafting of SPP onto the PET fabric surface. The DSC and TG of the PET fibers demonstrated that the thermal stability of the original PET fibers was maintained well by the SPP-grafted PET fibers. The breaking strength, bending rigidity, air permeability, and crease recovery angle of the original PET fabric were also retained by the SPP-grafted PET fabric. - Highlights: • Reactive –NH{sub 2} groups were introduced to PET fibers by nitration and reduction method. • Reactive epoxy groups were introduced to silkworm pupa protein by reacting with epoxy chloropropane. • The silkworm pupa protein could be grafted firmly on the PET fabric surface through covalent bond. • The skin-friendly property and hydrophilicity of PET-SPP fabric were improved greatly. • The wearability of PET-SPP composite fabric kept well.

Production Efficiency of Cocoon Shell of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera, as an Index for Evaluating the Nutritive Value of Mulberry, Morus sp. (Moraceae, Varieties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jalaja Suresh Kumar

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The nutritional efficiency of mulberry leaves consumed by silkworms, Bombyx mori L., is usually evaluated in terms of the proportion of cocoon shell weight to the amount of food ingested. The production efficiency of cocoon shell is generally used to identify the superiority of a mulberry variety for silkworm rearing. In this study the production efficiency of cocoon shell was used as an index for evaluating the nutritive value of different mulberry varieties of India. Among the varieties, V-1, having highest production efficiency of cocoon shell with less amount of food ingested and highest digestibility, is regarded as the best suitable variety with nutritive values ideal for silkworm rearing.

Can the silkworm (Bombyx mori) be used as a human disease model?

Science.gov (United States)

Tabunoki, Hiroko; Bono, Hidemasa; Ito, Katsuhiko; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2016-02-01

Bombyx mori (silkworm) is the most famous lepidopteran in Japan. B. mori has long been used in the silk industry and also as a model insect for agricultural research. In recent years, B. mori has attracted interest in its potential for use in pathological analysis of model animals. For example, the human macular carotenoid transporter was discovered using information of B. mori carotenoid transporter derived from yellow-cocoon strain. The B. mori carotenoid transport system is useful in human studies. To develop a human disease model, we characterized the human homologs of B. mori, and by constructing KAIKO functional annotation pipeline, and to analyze gene expression profile of a unique B. mori mutant strain using microarray analysis. As a result, we identified a novel molecular network involved in Parkinson's disease. Here we describe the potential use of a spontaneous mutant silkworm strain as a human disease model. We also summarize recent progress in the application of genomic information for annotation of human homologs in B. mori. The B. mori mutant will provide a clue to pathological mechanisms, and the findings will be helpful for the development of therapies and for medical drug discovery.

Molecular characterization of a peritrophic membrane protein from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Hu, Xiaolong; Chen, Lin; Yang, Rui; Xiang, Xingwei; Wu, Xiaofeng

2013-02-01

The peritrophic membrane lines the gut of most insects at one or more stages of their life cycles. It facilitates the digestive processes in the guts and protects from invasion by pathogens or food particles. In the current study, a novel PM protein, designated as BmMtch, was identified from the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The open reading frame of BmMtch is 888 bp in length, encoding 295 amino acid residues consisting of two domains (Mito_carr domains) and three transmembrane regions. They are localized on the 11th chromosome as single copy with one exon only. Quantitative real time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) revealed that BmMtch was mainly expressed in larval fat bodies, Malpighian tubules, testis and ovaries, and could be detected through all stages of the life cycle of silkworm. Immuno-fluorescence analysis indicated that BmMtch was localized within the goblet cell of larval midgut. Western blotting analysis showed that BmMtch were detected in total proteins of PM and larval midgut. The characteristics of BmMtch indicated that BmMtch represents a novel member of insect PM proteins, without chitin-binding domains.

Thinking outside of the Lake: Can controls on nutrient inputs into Lake Erie benefit stream conservation in its watershed?

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Investment in agricultural conservation practices (CPs) to address Lake Erie's re-eutrophication may offer benefits that extend beyond the lake, such as improved habitat conditions for fish communities throughout the watershed. If such conditions are not explicitly considered in Lake Erie nutrient ...

2008 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) New York Lidar: Erie County

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Using Leica Geosystems ALS50 Laser Systems, 89 flight lines with a nominal point spacing = 1.4 meters (4.59 feet) were collected over Erie County, NY (approximately...

Identification of a functional element in the promoter of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) fat body-specific gene Bmlp3.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hanfu; Deng, Dangjun; Yuan, Lin; Wang, Yuancheng; Wang, Feng; Xia, Qingyou

2014-08-01

30K proteins are a group of structurally related proteins that play important roles in the life cycle of the silkworm Bombyx mori and are largely synthesized and regulated in a time-dependent manner in the fat body. Little is known about the upstream regulatory elements associated with the genes encoding these proteins. In the present study, the promoter of Bmlp3, a fat body-specific gene encoding a 30K protein family member, was characterized by joining sequences containing the Bmlp3 promoter with various amounts of 5' upstream sequences to a luciferase reporter gene. The results indicated that the sequences from -150 to -250bp and -597 to -675bp upstream of the Bmlp3 transcription start site were necessary for high levels of luciferase activity. Further analysis showed that a 21-bp sequence located between -230 and -250 was specifically recognized by nuclear factors from silkworm fat bodies and BmE cells, and could enhance luciferase reporter-gene expression 2.8-fold in BmE cells. This study provides new insights into the Bmlp3 promoter and contributes to the further clarification of the function and developmental regulation of Bmlp3. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Predation of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by freshwater drum in western Lake Erie

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French, John R. P.; Bur, Michael T.; Nalepa, Thomas F.; Schloesser, Donald W.

1992-01-01

Environmental and economic problems associated with the colonization of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in western Lake Erie created a need to investigate control mechanisms. Predation by fishes is one potential means of control, but predation on zebra mussels by native fishes in Lake Erie is unknown. The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is the most likely fish predator since it is the only fish with pharyngeal teeth capable of crushing mollusk shells. In 1990, freshwater drum were collected in western Lake Erie from 9 sites near rocky reefs and 13 sites with silt or sand bottoms, and gut contents were examined. Predation on zebra mussels increased as drum size increased. Small drum (200-249 mm in length) fed mainly on dipterans, amphipods, and small fish; small zebra mussels (375 mm in length) fed almost exclusively on zebra mussels (seasons and locations combined). The smallest drum capable of crushing zebra mussel shells was 265 mm. Since freshwater drum over 375 mm feed heavily on zebra mussels, they may become a possible biological control mechanism for mussels in portions of North America.

Development of a standard acute dietary toxicity test for the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sun, X.; Valk, H.; Jiang, H.; Wang, X.; Yuan, S.; Zhang, Y.; Roessink, I.; Gao, X.

2012-01-01

Larvae of the silkworm (Bombyx mod L.) may be exposed to pesticide residues on the leaves of their food plant, the mulberry tree (Morus spp.), which can lead to adverse effects on silk production. A new acute dietary toxicity test method was evaluated as the basis for pesticide risk assessment. A

75 FR 51451 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-20

... Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, and.... Project No.: 7320-040. c. Dated Filed: June 29, 2010. d. Submitted By: Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. e...: John Mudre at (202) 502-8902; or e-mail at [email protected] . j. Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P...

BOTULISM E IN LAKE ERIE: ECOLOGY AND LOWER FOOD WEB TRANSFER

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This project will determine the environmental conditions that favor botulism Type E bacteria in Lake Erie and explore whether quagga mussels are altering bottom sediment conditions to favor C. botulinum growth. Analysis of environmental parameters, including water chemistry, alg...

The Gutenberg Health Study: measuring psychosocial factors at work and predicting health and work-related outcomes with the ERI and the COPSOQ questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuebling, Matthias; Seidler, Andreas; Garthus-Niegel, Susan; Latza, Ute; Wagner, Mandy; Hegewald, Janice; Liebers, Falk; Jankowiak, Sylvia; Zwiener, Isabella; Wild, Philipp S; Letzel, Stephan

2013-06-04

Several instruments have been developed to assess psychosocial workload. We compared two of these instruments, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) with regard to congruent validity and internal validity. This analysis is based on a population-based sample of the baseline examination of 2,783 employees from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS). About half of the participants completed the ERI questionnaire (n = 1,342), the other half completed the COPSOQ (n = 1,441). First, the two samples were compared and descriptive analyses were carried out calculating mean values for both instruments in general, then separately for age, gender and main occupational groups. Second, we analyzed the relationship between ERI and COPSOQ scales on the workplace situation and on the workplace outcomes: job satisfaction, general health, burnout, satisfaction with life, by applying stepwise logistic regression analysis. For the majority of occupations, high effort as reflected by the ERI corresponded with high demands as reflected by the COPSOQ. Comparably, high reward (according to ERI) yielded a good agreement with high "influence and development" (according to COPSOQ). However, we could also find differences between ERI and COPSOQ concerning the intensity of psychosocial workload in some occupations (e.g., physicians/pharmacists or warehouse managers/warehousemen/transport workers). These differences point to differing theoretical concepts of ERI and COPSOQ. When the ability of ERI and COPSOQ was examined to determine the associations with health and work outcomes, burnout could be better predicted by the COPSOQ; this might be due to the fact that COPSOQ comprises the constructs "work-privacy conflict" and "emotional demand", which are closely related to burnout. However, methodological differences between these instruments limit their direct comparability. The ERI and COPSOQ instrument yielded similar results for most

Esteetilis-praktiline töö kui eriõppe alternatiiv / Uffe Bjerre

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Bjerre, Uffe

2005-01-01

Milleks tuupida lapsele pähe seda, millega ta hakkama ei saa, selle asemel et arendada õpilase tugevaid külgi? Samas ka koolipsühholoogide, eripedagoogide Tove Hvidi ja Howard Gardneri väited eriõpet vajavate laste kohta

Erie Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. License application, preliminary safety analysis report, volume 1: chapter 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

Erie 1 and 2 reactors will be located on a site consisting of 1,740 acres in Berlin Township about 2.4 miles south of Lake Erie and 8.9 miles southeast of Sandusky, Ohio. Lake Erie will provide makeup water. The ultimate heat sink will be a 40 acre cooling reservoir shared by both units. Each unit has a proposed core thermal power level of 3,760 MW(t) and a nominal net capacity of about 1282 MW(e). Unit 1 is scheduled for commercial operation by 4/1/84 and Unit 2 by 4/1/86. Fuel will be Zircaloy-4 clad tubes containing cylindrical fuel pellets of UO 2 . B and W pressurized water reactor units to be employed are described in DOCKET-STN-50561

Minimum size limits for yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Wilbur L.; Nepszy, Stephen J.; Scholl, Russell L.

1980-01-01

During the 1960's yellow perch (Perca flavescens) of Lake Erie supported a commercial fishery that produced an average annual catch of 23 million pounds, as well as a modest sport fishery. Since 1969, the resource has seriously deteriorated. Commercial landings amounted to only 6 million pounds in 1976, and included proportionally more immature perch than in the 1960's. Moreover, no strong year classes were produced between 1965 and 1975. An interagency technical committee was appointed in 1975 by the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to develop an interim management strategy that would provide for greater protection of perch in western Lake Erie, where declines have been the most severe. The committee first determined the age structure, growth and mortality rates, maturation schedule, and length-fecundity relationship for the population, and then applied Ricker-type equilibrium yield models to determine the effects of various minimum length limits on yield, production, average stock weight, potential egg deposition, and the Abrosov spawning frequency indicator (average number of spawning opportunities per female). The committee recommended increasing the minimum length limit of 5.0 inches to at least 8.5 inches. Theoretically, this change would increase the average stock weight by 36% and potential egg deposition by 44%, without significantly decreasing yield. Abrosov's spawning frequency indicator would rise from the existing 0.6 to about 1.2.

Construction and long term preservation of clonal transgenic silkworms using a parthenogenetic strain

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zabelina, Valeriya; Uchino, K.; Mochida, Y.; Yonemura, N.; Klymenko, V.; Sezutsu, H.; Tamura, T.; Sehnal, František

2015-01-01

Roč. 81, Oct 01 (2015), s. 28-35 ISSN 0022-1910 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0032; GA ČR GAP502/10/2382 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : silkworm * transgenesis * parthenogenesis Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.267, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022191015001304

First records of a European cladoceran, Bythotrephes cederstroemi, in Lakes Erie and Huron

Science.gov (United States)

Bur, Michael T.; Klarer, David M.; Krieger, Kenneth A.

1986-01-01

Adult forms of the cladoceran Bythotrephes cederstroemi Schoedler (Cercopagidae), a widespread European freshwater zooplankter, occurred in the stomachs of four common species of Lake Erie fish (yellow perch, Perca flavescens; white perch, Morone americana; white bass, M. chrysops; and walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) collected in early October 1985. The fish were collected at several stations in the nearshore open waters of the central basin between Ashtabula and Huron, Ohio. Other investigators have seen this species in other locations in Lake Erie and also in Lake Huron. The report of B. cederstroemi in Lake Huron in December 1984 appears to be the first record of this species in North America.

El idealismo en la filosofía medieval: el caso de Juan Escoto Eriúgena

OpenAIRE

Moran, Dermont

2012-01-01

Quiero sostener en este artículo (en contra de la posición de Myles Burnyeat) que el idealismo es una posibilidad filosófica genuina previa a Descartes. En efecto, podemos encontrar una versión del idealismo que supone un concepto desarrollado de subjetividad en una sofisticada versión del  Periphyseon de Escoto Eriúgena. El inmaterialismo intelectualista extremo de Eriúgena difiere del idealismo moderno en la medida en que aquél no está motivado tanto por una consideración epistemológica de ...

Heritable genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wei

Full Text Available We report the establishment of an efficient and heritable gene mutagenesis method in the silkworm Bombyx mori using modified type II clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR with an associated protein (Cas9 system. Using four loci Bm-ok, BmKMO, BmTH, and Bmtan as candidates, we proved that genome alterations at specific sites could be induced by direct microinjection of specific guide RNA and Cas9-mRNA into silkworm embryos. Mutation frequencies of 16.7-35.0% were observed in the injected generation, and DNA fragments deletions were also noted. Bm-ok mosaic mutants were used to test for mutant heritability due to the easily determined translucent epidermal phenotype of Bm-ok-disrupted cells. Two crossing strategies were used. In the first, injected Bm-ok moths were crossed with wild-type moths, and a 28.6% frequency of germline mutation transmission was observed. In the second strategy, two Bm-ok mosaic mutant moths were crossed with each other, and 93.6% of the offsprings appeared mutations in both alleles of Bm-ok gene (compound heterozygous. In summary, the CRISPR/Cas9 system can act as a highly specific and heritable gene-editing tool in Bombyx mori.

Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Erie: a case history

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelius, Floyd C.; Muth, Kenneth M.; Kenyon, Roger

1995-01-01

Native lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) once thrived in the deep waters of eastern Lake Erie. The impact of nearly 70 years of unregulated exploitation and over 100 years of progressively severe cultural eutrophication resulted in the elimination of lake trout stocks by 1950. Early attempts to restore lake trout by stocking were unsuccessful in establishing a self-sustaining population. In the early 1980s, New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, Pennsylvania's Fish and Boat Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service entered into a cooperative program to rehabilitate lake trout in the eastern basin of Lake Erie. After 11 years of stocking selected strains of lake trout in U.S. waters, followed by effective sea lamprey control, lake trout appear to be successfully recolonizing their native habitat. Adult stocks have built up significantly and are expanding their range in the lake. Preliminary investigations suggest that lake trout reproductive habitat is still adequate for natural reproduction, but natural recruitment has not been documented. Future assessments will be directed toward evaluation of spawning success and tracking age-class cohorts as they move through the fishery.

Bacterial community structure and diversity in the gut of Muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) from India.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandotra, Sakshi; Kumar, Archna; Naga, Kailash; Bhuyan, Pinky Moni; Gogoi, Dip K; Sharma, Kirti; Subramanian, Sabtharishi

2018-04-17

Muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis is exclusively present in the North Eastern regions of India and rearing of this silkworm is a vocation unique to this region in the world. Through culture dependent techniques, generic identification using 16s rRNA probes, diversity analysis and qualitative screening for enzyme activities, our studies have identified a number of bacterial isolates viz., Bacillus spp, Serratia marcescens, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Acinetobacter sp. and Alcaligens sp. inhabiting the gut of muga silkworm. Analysis of culturable bacterial community from the gut of A. assamensis revealed that Bacillus (54%) was the predominant bacterial genera followed by Serratia (24%), Pseudomonas (10%) and Alcaligens (6%). Significant differences in Shannon and the Simpson diversity indices of gut bacteria were recorded for A. assamensis collected from different regions. Shannon (H) and Simpson (D) diversity indices were found to be the highest for A. assamensis from Titabar region (H= 4.73 ± 0.43), (D= 10.00 ± 0.11) and the lowest for Mendipathar region (H= 2.1 ± 0.05), (D= 0.04 ± 0.00) respectively of North Eastern India. Qualitative screening for enzymatic activities identified a number of gut bacterial isolates having significantly higher cellulose, amylase, lipase activities which may probably be contributing to the digestion and nutrition of their host insect, A. assamensis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 The Royal Entomological Society.

Patterns and sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in surficial sediments of Lakes Erie and Ontario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Li; Gewurtz, Sarah B.; Reiner, Eric J.; MacPherson, Karen A.; Kolic, Terry M.; Helm, Paul A.; Brindle, Ian D.; Marvin, Chris H.

2008-01-01

This study determines spatial trends and congener patterns of 2378-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in surficial sediments of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Sediments are enriched in 2378-PCDFs in Lake Ontario, and the PCDD/F concentrations increased from shallow near-shore sediments towards deep-water depositional zone sediments. In Lake Erie, sediments were dominated by octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, and the highest PCDD/F concentrations were observed in the western basin and the southern shoreline of the central basin with a decrease towards the eastern basin and the northern shoreline of the central basin. Principal components analysis revealed that chemical manufacture and disposal of chemical waste along the Niagara River has been a major PCDD/F source to Lake Ontario; while PCDD/Fs in Lake Erie are from multiple sources including industrial sources along the Detroit River, major tributaries along the southern shoreline of the lake, and atmospherically-derived material from the upper lakes and connecting channels. - Lake-wide 2378-PCDD/F congener patterns are first reported in L. Erie and L. Ontario sediments

Studies on F1 radiation sterilization of diamondback moth and mulberry wild silkworm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Rongxing; Xia Darong; Cu Weiping; Chu Jiming; Zhang Yanjun

1993-01-01

The study began in 1988 under the aegis of the FAO/IAEA co-ordinated research programme on Radiation Induced F 1 Sterility in Lepidoptera for Area-Wide Control. During the following four years the control of the mulberry wild silkworm (Bombyx mandarina Moore) and the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) by means of radiation induced sterility was studied. (author). 4 refs, 9 figs, 6 tabs

Invertebrate communities associated with Bangia atropurpurea and Cladophora glomerata in western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Chilton, E.W.; Lowe, R.L.; Schurr, K.M.

1986-01-01

The appearance of the marine alga Bangia atropurpurea (Rhodophyta) in Lake Erie has been followed by its rapid dispersal throughout the eulittoral zone of the lake. Bangia was extensively sampled to determine its suitability as a habitat for littoral organisms. Present data indicate that the only organisms capable of maintaining populations on Bangia filaments are larval Chironomidae. Cladophora supports a larger and more diverse community. It is concluded that the mucilaginous cell wall of Bangia provides a less stable substrate for attached or clinging organisms than does the cellulose cell wall of Cladophora. The presence of Bangia in the littoral zone of Lake Erie results in a reduction of the quantity and diversity of algal epiphytes and may negatively impact the littoral food web.

Seiche-induced unsteady flows in the Huron-Erie Corridor: Spectral analysis of oscillations in stage and discharge in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, P. Ryan; Contantinescu, G.; Garcia, M.; Hanes, D.

2016-01-01

Animations of highly dynamic water-surface profiles through the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers have identified transient disturbances propagating from Lakes Huron and Erie into the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, respectively. To determine any relation to seiche and tidal oscillations on Lakes Huron and Erie, a spectral analysis was performed on stage and discharge data from the Huron-Erie Corridor. There is excellent agreement between the observed oscillations in stage and discharge in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers and the documented frequencies of oscillations in Lakes Huron and Erie. The fundamental seiche, some higher-order seiche modes, and the semidiurnal tide from Lakes Huron and Erie are evident in the stage and discharge records at gages along the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, respectively. Lake St. Clair appears to act as a damper in the system. If not accounted for, these oscillations may complicate monitoring, modeling, and restoration of this system.

Stress induction of Bm1 RNA in silkworm larvae: SINEs, an unusual class of stress genes

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Richard H.; Choudary, Prabhakara V.; Stone, Koni K.; Schmid, Carl W.

2001-01-01

This study surveys the induction of RNA polymerase III (Pol III)–directed expression of short interspersed element (SINE) transcripts by various stresses in an animal model, silkworm larvae. Sublethal heat shock and exposure to several toxic compounds increase the level of Bm1 RNA, the silkworm SINE transcript, while also transiently increasing expression of a well-characterized stress-induced transcript, Hsp70 messenger RNA (mRNA). In certain cases, the Bm1 RNA response coincides with that of Hsp70 mRNA, but more often Bm1 RNA responds later in recovery. Baculovirus infection and exposure to certain toxic compounds increase Bm1 RNA but not Hsp70 mRNA, showing that SINE induction is not necessarily coupled to transcription of this particular heat shock gene. SINEs behave as an additional class of stress-inducible genes in living animals but are unusual as stress genes because of their high copy number, genomic dispersion, and Pol III–directed transcription. PMID:11599568

Lake Erie, phosphorus and microcystin: Is it really the farmer's fault?

Science.gov (United States)

Agricultural loss of phosphorus (P) have been identified as a primary contributor to eutrophication and the associated release of toxins (i.e., mycrocystin) in Lake Erie. These losses are commonly deemed excessive by the media and the public, singling out agriculture as the culprit in spite of redu...

Historical Documentation of Warm-Season Grasses Management at Erie National Wildlife Refuge 1989

Data.gov (United States)

Department of the Interior — The early accounts of an active grassland management program at Erie National Wildlife Refuge dates back to 1977. This report is an attempt to document the refuge’s...

Assessment of the Great Lakes Marine Renewable Energy Resources: Characterizing Lake Erie Surge, Seiche and Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Farhadzadeh, A.; Hashemi, M. R.

2016-02-01

Lake Erie, the fourth largest in surface area, smallest in volume and shallowest among the Great Lakes is approximately 400 km long and 90 km wide. Short term lake level variations are due to storm surge generated by high winds and moving pressure systems over the lake mainly in the southwest-northeast direction, along the lakes longitudinal axis. The historical wave data from three active offshore buoys shows that significant wave height can exceed 5 m in the eastern and central basins. The long-term lake level data show that storm surge can reach up to 3 m in eastern Lake Erie. Owing its shallow depth, Lake Erie frequently experiences seiching motions, the low frequency oscillations that are initiated by storm surge. The seiches whose first mode of oscillations has a period of nearly 14.2 hours can last from several hours to days. In this study, the Lake Erie potential for power generation, primarily using storm surge and seiche and also waves are assessed. Given the cyclic lake level variations due to storm-induced seiching, a concept similar to that of tidal range development is utilized to assess the potential of storm surge and seiche energy harvesting mechanisms for power generation. In addition, wave energy resources of the Lake is characterized -. To achieve these objectives, the following steps are taken : (1) Frequency of occurrence for extreme storm surge and wave events is determined using extreme value analysis such as Peak-Over-Threshold method for the long-term water level and wave data; (2) Spatial and temporal variations of wave height, storm surge and seiche are characterized. The characterization is carried out using the wave and storm surge outputs from numerical simulation of a number of historical extreme events. The coupled ADCIRC and SWAN model is utilized for the modeling; (3) Assessment of the potentials for marine renewable power generation in Lake Erie is made. The approach can be extended to the other lakes in the Great Lakes region.

In vitro conditions for 14C-leucine incorporation into the protein of cultured ovaries of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyadai, Toshiaki; Yamashita, Okitsugu

1980-01-01

Vitellogenic ovaries of silkworm pupae were incubated in vitro in different media based on the Wyatt's medium to establish an adequate condition for culture of silkworm ovaries. Incorporation of 14 C-leucine into protein fraction was determined to assess the biochemical activity of the ovary. When ovaries were incubated in vitro for a short time by 6 hr, a saturation kinetics of incorporation of the labelled leucine was shown. Sequential substitution of K + ion to Na + ion in the medium had no effect on the incorporation of 14 C-leucine, but Mg 2+ ion appeared to stimulate synthetic activity at more than 10 mM. The activity was not affected at pH range 5.0-7.2. Neither different sugars, nor vitellogenin nor lipoprotein prepared from silkworm haemolymph affected the incorporation of 14 C-leucine, when added into the medium. The synthesis of protein depended upon the developmental stages of the cultured ovaries and was most active in 6-day-old ovary. Ovaries developing in pupal body showed comparable changes in synthetic activity. It is concluded that the chemical composition of the medium does not exert a strict effect on synthetic activity of protein in short-term cultures and the ovaries cultured in vitro maintain the activity comparable with those found in in situ condition. (author)

Isolation, Identification and Phenotypic Characterization of Microcystin-Degrading Bacteria from Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, A.; Mou, X. J.

2015-12-01

Lake Erie, the smallest and warmest lake among the Laurentian Great Lakes, is known for its problem of eutrophication and frequent occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs). One major harmful effect of CyanoHABs is the production of cyanotoxins, especially microcystins. Microcystins (MC) are a group of hepatotoxins and the predominant variant of them is MC-LR. Field measurements and lab experiments indicate that MC degradation in Lake Erie is mainly carried out by indigenous bacteria. However, our knowledge on taxa involved in this process is very limited. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap using a culture-dependent approach. Water and surface sediment samples were collected from Lake Erie in 2014 and 2015 and enriched with MC-LR. Cells were plated on a number of culturing media. The obtained pure bacterial cultures were screened for MC degrading abilities by MT2 BIO-LOG assays and by growing cells in liquid media containing MC-LR as the sole carbon source. In the latter experiment, MC concentrations were measured using HPLC. Isolates showing positive MC degradation activities in the screening steps were designated MC+ bacteria and characterized based on their phenotypic properties, including colony pigmentation, elevation, opacity, margin, gram nature and motility. The taxonomic identity of MC+ bacteria was determined by 16S rRNA gene full-length DNA sequencing. The presence of mlrA, a gene encoding MC cleavage pathway, was detected by PCR. Our culturing efforts obtained 520 pure cultures; 44 of them were identified as MC+. These MC+ isolates showed diversity in taxonomic identities and differed in their morphology, gram nature, colony characteristics and motility. PCR amplification of mlrA gene yield negative results for all MC+ isolates, indicating that the primers that were used may not be ubiquitous enough to cover the heterogeneity of mlrA genes or, more likely, alternative degradative genes/pathways were employed by Lake Erie bacteria

Reconstructing Heat Fluxes Over Lake Erie During the Lake Effect Snow Event of November 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, L.; Fujisaki-Manome, A.; Gronewold, A.; Anderson, E. J.; Spence, C.; Chen, J.; Shao, C.; Posselt, D. J.; Wright, D. M.; Lofgren, B. M.; Schwab, D. J.

2017-12-01

The extreme North American winter storm of November 2014 triggered a record lake effect snowfall (LES) event in southwest New York. This study examined the evaporation from Lake Erie during the record lake effect snowfall event, November 17th-20th, 2014, by reconstructing heat fluxes and evaporation rates over Lake Erie using the unstructured grid, Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). Nine different model runs were conducted using combinations of three different flux algorithms: the Met Flux Algorithm (COARE), a method routinely used at NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (SOLAR), and the Los Alamos Sea Ice Model (CICE); and three different meteorological forcings: the Climate Forecast System version 2 Operational Analysis (CFSv2), Interpolated observations (Interp), and the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR). A few non-FVCOM model outputs were also included in the evaporation analysis from an atmospheric reanalysis (CFSv2) and the large lake thermodynamic model (LLTM). Model-simulated water temperature and meteorological forcing data (wind direction and air temperature) were validated with buoy data at three locations in Lake Erie. The simulated sensible and latent heat fluxes were validated with the eddy covariance measurements at two offshore sites; Long Point Lighthouse in north central Lake Erie and Toledo water crib intake in western Lake Erie. The evaluation showed a significant increase in heat fluxes over three days, with the peak on the 18th of November. Snow water equivalent data from the National Snow Analyses at the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center showed a spike in water content on the 20th of November, two days after the peak heat fluxes. The ensemble runs presented a variation in spatial pattern of evaporation, lake-wide average evaporation, and resulting cooling of the lake. Overall, the evaporation tended to be larger in deep water than shallow water near the shore. The lake-wide average evaporations

Effects of heavy-ion radiosurgery on the hemopoietic function of the silkworm Bombyx mori

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tu, Zhen-Li; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuo [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment; Kiguchi, Kenji [SHINSHU Univ., Ueda, Nagano (Japan). Faculty of Textile Science and Technology

2002-09-01

To study the effects of heavy-ion radiosurgery on the hemopoietic function of a silkworm, hemopoietic organs of larvae were locally irradiated with carbon-ion beams, and the changes in the hemocyte density and in the hemocyte function were investigated. When the larvae were irradiated by 50 Gy to 300 Gy carbon ions on the 3rd day of the 4th instar, the hemocyte densities did not change for a while, though they gradually increased at a later stage, but were finally still significantly lower than those of unirradiated controls. The hemocyte densities of the larvae irradiated at different developmental stages showed suppressed increments, and carbon-ion irradiation given to larvae at early stages compared to the later stages had a significant suppressive effect on the hemocyte densities. On unilateral irradiated larvae a hemocyte intermediate increment between those of bilateral irradiated larvae and unirradiated controls was observed. The percentage of dead hemocytes was obviously higher for irradiated larvae than unirradiated controls during the later 5th instar. Thus, it is evident that carbon-ion radiosurgery on hemopoietic organs of silkworm induced not only a quantitative change, but also a qualitative change in the hemocytes. (author)

Effects of Ag Nanoparticles on Growth and Fat Body Proteins in Silkworms (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Xu; Abdlli, Nouara; Wang, Niannian; Lü, Peng; Nie, Zhichao; Dong, Xin; Lu, Shuang; Chen, Keping

2017-12-01

Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), a widely used non-antibiotic, antibacterial material, have shown toxic and other potentially harmful effects in mammals. However, the deleterious effects of AgNPs on insects are still unknown. Here, we studied the effects of AgNPs on the model invertebrate organism Bombyx mori. After feeding silkworm larvae different concentrations of AgNPs, we evaluated the changes of B. mori body weights, survival rates, and proteomic differences. The results showed that low concentrations (mori. Although high concentrations (≥800 mg/L) of AgNPs also improved B. mori growth, they resulted in silkworm death. An analysis of fat body proteomic differences revealed 13 significant differences in fat body protein spots, nine of which exhibited significantly downregulated expression, while four showed significantly upregulated expression. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction results showed that at an AgNP concentration of 1600 mg/L, the expression levels of seven proteins were similar to the transcription levels of their corresponding genes. Our results suggest that AgNPs lowered the resistance to oxidative stress, affected cell apoptosis, and induced cell necrosis by regulating related protein metabolism and metabolic pathways in B. mori.

Recolonization and possible recovery of burrowing mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae: Hexagenia spp.) in Lake Erie of the Laurentian Great Lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Schloesser, Don W.; Krieger, Kenneth A.; Ciborowski, Jan J.H.; Corkum, Lynda D.

2000-01-01

Burrowing mayflies of the genus Hexagenia spp. were widely distributed (ca. 80% of sites) and abundant (ca. 160 nymphs/m2) in the western basin of Lake Erie of the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1929–1930, prior to a period of anoxia in the mid 1950s. Nymphs were absent or rare in the basin between 1961 and 1973–1975. In 1979–1991, nymphs were infrequently found (13–46% of sites) in low abundance (3–40 nymphs/m2) near shore (recolonized sediments of western Lake Erie and that their abundance may be similar to levels observed before their disappearance in the mid 1950s. However, prior to the mid 1950s, densities were greater in offshore than nearshore waters, but between 1979 and 1998 greater densities occurred near shore than offshore. In addition, there were two areas in the 1990s where low densities consistently occurred. Therefore, recovery of nymphs in western Lake Erie may not have been complete in 1998. At present we do not know the cause for the sudden recolonization of nymphs in large portions of western Lake Erie. Undoubtedly, pollution-abatement programs contributed to improved conditions that would have ultimately led to mayfly recovery in the future. However, the explosive growth of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, undoubtedly diverted plankton foods to bottom substrates which could have increased the speed at which Hexagenia spp. nymphs recolonized sediments in western Lake Erie in the 1990s.

Turbidity as a factor in the decline of Great Lakes fishes with special reference to Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Van Oosten, John

1948-01-01

Fish live and thrive in water with turbidities that range above 400 p.p.m. and average 200 p.p.m. The waters of the Great Lakes usually are clear except in Lake Erie where the turbidities of the inshore areas averaged 37 p.p.m.; the turbidities of the offshore waters averaged less. Lake Erie waters were no clearer 50 years ago than they are now. In fact, the turbidity values are less now than they were in the earlier years; the annual average of the inshore waters dropped from 44 p.p.m. before 1930 to 32 p.p.m. in 1930 and later, and the April-May values decreased from 72 p.p.m. to 46 p.p.m. Any general decline in the Lake Erie fishes cannot be attributed to increased turbidities. Furthermore, these turbidities averaged well below 100 p.p.m. and, therefore, were too low to affect fishes adversely.

78 FR 26416 - Environmental Impact Statement: City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-06

... from the US Border Port of Entry/Peace Bridge Plaza (Plaza), in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, New... Drive, and to provide alternate access from Porter Avenue to the Plaza. Letters describing the proposed...

Eri aistijärjestelmiä aktivoivat tasapainoharjoitteluvälineet

OpenAIRE

Kytölinna, Pauliina

2017-01-01

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää tämänhetkiset näyttöön perustuvat tasapainoharjoittelukeinot sekä – välineet, jonka perusteella Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulun fysioterapian koulutusohjelmille laaditaan tasapainovälineiden hankintasuunnitelma. Tasapainovälineiden hankintasuunnitelman näkökulmaksi valittiin tasapainoharjoittelun pienvälineet, jotka monipuolisesti aktivoivat eri aistijärjestelmiä. Kuvailevan kirjallisuuskatsauksen keinoin opinnäytetyössä selvitettiin aistijärjeste...

Caspase-1 from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, is involved in Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiang; Ju, Xiaoli; Chen, Liang; Chen, Keping

2017-03-01

Caspase-1 is one of the effector caspases in mammals that plays a central role in apoptosis. However, the lepidopteran caspase-1, especially the Bombyx mori caspase-1 (Bm-caspase-1), has not been investigated in detail. In this study, Bm-caspase-1 was identified from an expressed sequence tag database in B. mori by BLAST search. The open reading frame of Bm-caspase-1 contained 879 nucleotides and encoded 293 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 33 kDa. Bm-caspase-1 contained two consensus amino acid motifs of caspase cleavage sites, DEGDA and TETDG. Caspase activity assays revealed significant proteolytic activity of the Ac-DEVD-pNA substrate. Bm-caspase-1 can be detected in all tissues and developmental stages by a semi quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. More importantly, the expression level of Bm-caspase-1 is increased upon baculovirus infection and up-regulated in BmNPV-resistant silkworms. Taken together, these results indicate that Bm-caspase-1 plays an important role during baculovirus infection.

78 FR 60009 - Environmental Impact Statement: Erie and Genesee Counties, New York

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-30

... and Genesee Counties, New York AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT; New York State... counties of Erie and Genesee, New York (NYSDOT Project Identification Number: 5528.28). A Notice of Intent... CONTACT: Jonathan McDade, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New York Division, Leo W...

Two adenine nucleotide translocase paralogues involved in cell proliferation and spermatogenesis in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

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Ryohei Sugahara

Full Text Available Mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT specifically acts in ADP/ATP exchange through the mitochondrial inner membrane. This transporter protein thereby plays a significant role in energy metabolism in eukaryotic cells. Most mammals have four paralogous ANT genes (ANT1-4 and utilize these paralogues in different types of cells. The fourth paralogue of ANT (ANT4 is present only in mammals and reptiles and is exclusively expressed in testicular germ cells where it is required for meiotic progression in the spermatocytes. Here, we report that silkworms harbor two ANT paralogues, the homeostatic paralogue (BmANTI1 and the testis-specific paralogue (BmANTI2. The BmANTI2 protein has an N-terminal extension in which the positions of lysine residues in the amino acid sequence are distributed as in human ANT4. An expression analysis showed that BmANTI2 transcripts were restricted to the testis, suggesting the protein has a role in the progression of spermatogenesis. By contrast, BmANTI1 was expressed in all tissues tested, suggesting it has an important role in homeostasis. We also observed that cultured silkworm cells required BmANTI1 for proliferation. The ANTI1 protein of the lepidopteran Plutella xylostella (PxANTI1, but not those of other insect species (or PxANTI2, restored cell proliferation in BmANTI1-knockdown cells suggesting that ANTI1 has similar energy metabolism functions across the Lepidoptera. Our results suggest that BmANTI2 is evolutionarily divergent from BmANTI1 and has developed a specific role in spermatogenesis similar to that of mammalian ANT4.

DNA replication events during larval silk gland development in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chun-Dong; Li, Fang-Fang; Chen, Xiang-Yun; Huang, Mao-Hua; Zhang, Jun; Cui, Hongjuan; Pan, Min-Hui; Lu, Cheng

2012-07-01

The silk gland is an important organ in silkworm as it synthesizes silk proteins and is critical to spinning. The genomic DNA content of silk gland cells dramatically increases 200-400 thousand times for the larval life span through the process of endomitosis. Using in vitro culture, DNA synthesis was measured using BrdU labeling during the larval molt and intermolt periods. We found that the cell cycle of endomitosis was activated during the intermolt and was inhibited during the molt phase. The anterior silk gland, middle silk gland, and posterior silk gland cells asynchronously exit the endomitotic cycle after day 6 in 5th instar larvae, which correlated with the reduced expression of the cell cycle-related cdt1, pcna, cyclin E, cdk2 and cdk1 mRNAs in the wandering phase. Additional starvation had no effect on the initiation of silk gland DNA synthesis of the freshly ecdysed larvae. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Fossil Fauna of the Islands Region of Western Lake Erie.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowe, Lulu M., Comp.

The islands of western Lake Erie are rock-bound isles that abound in rocky outcrops and quarries. The rocks of these islands are of two distinct types, Silurian dolomites and Devonian limestones. The dolomites, exposed in the Bass Islands and Sister Islands are virtually devoid of fossils. Conversely, the limestones of Johnson Island, Marblehead,…

Water resources of the Lake Erie shore region in Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Mangan, John William; Van Tuyl, Donald W.; White, Walter F.

1952-01-01

An abundant supply of water is available to the Lake Erie Shore region in Pennsylvania. Lake i£rie furnishes an almost inexhaustible supply of water of satisfactory chemical quality. Small quantities of water are available from small streams in the area and from the ground. A satisfactory water supply is one of the factors that affect the economic growth of a region. Cities and towns must have adequate amounts of pure water for human consumption. Industries must have suitable water ih sufficient quantities for all purposes. In order to assure. success and economy, the development of water resources should be based on adequate knowledge of the quantity and quality of the water. As a nation, we can not afford to run the risk of dissipating our resources, especially in times of national emergency, by building projects that are not founded on sound engineering and adequate water-resources information. The purpose of this report is to summarize and interpret all available water-resources information for the Lake Erie Shore region in Pennsylvania. The report will be useful for initial guidance in the location or expansion of water facilities for defense and nondefense industries and the municipalities upon which they are dependent. It will also be useful in evaluating the adequacy of the Geological Survey's part of the basic research necessary to plan the orderly development of the water resources of the Lake Erie Shore region. Most of the data contained inthis report have been obtained'by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, the Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, and the Pennsylvania State Planning Board, Department of Commerce. The Pennsylv~nia Department of Health furnished information on water pollution. The report was prepared in the Water Resources Division of the U. S. Geological Survey b:y John W. Mangan (Surface Water). Donald W. VanTuyl (Ground Water). and Walter F. White, Jr. (Quality of

Age and growth of the lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill), in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Van Oosten, John; Hile, Ralph

1949-01-01

Although the whitefish has by no means ranked first from the standpoint of production, it has always been an important commercial species in Lake Erie. Trends in the output of whitefish have differed in the United States and Canadian waters of the lake. The 1893–1946 average annual yield of 1,201,000 pounds in the United States was only 38.3 percent of the 1879–1890 mean of 3,133,000 pounds, whereas in Canada the more recent (1907–1946) average annual take of 1,397,000 pounds has been 5.48 times the 1871–1906 mean of 255,000 pounds. The United States fishery was centered in the western part of Lake Erie (61.5 percent of the production in Michigan and Ohio) before 1921 and in the eastern part (62.6 percent in Pennsylvania and New York) in 1921–1946. The eastern part of Lake Erie (east of Port Burwell) dominated the Canadian production in 1900–1909 (65.4 percent) and in 1922–1946 (57.2 percent) but the western end was the more productive in 1871–1899 (79.8 percent) and 1910–1921 (69.7 percent). Ages were determined and individual growth histories calculated from the examination and measurement of the scales of 3,399 Lake Erie whitefish captured off four ports (Sandusky, Lorain, and Conneaut, Ohio, and Erie, Pennsylvania) over the period, 1927–1930. The number of specimens used for the investigation of other phases of the life history varied according to the amount of data available or required. Age-group III was typically (but not invariably) dominant in random samples from gear employed for the commercial production of whitefish (trap nets, pound nets, and large-mesh gill nets). The same age group also dominated most samples of the marketable catch (that is, whitefish that equalled or exceeded the minimum legal weight of 1 3/4 pounds) taken in late summer, autumn, and early winter. Age-group IV, however, was strongest among marketable fish from trap nets in early July although the III group was dominant in the random samples from the same nets

Measuring spatial variation in secondary production and food quality using a common consumer approach in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, James H.; Richardson, William B.; Evans, Mary Anne; Schaeffer, Jeff; Wynne, Timothy; Bartsch, Michelle; Bartsch, Lynn; Nelson, J. C.; Vallazza, Jon M.

2016-01-01

Lake Erie is a large lake straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada that has become increasingly eutrophic in recent years. Eutrophication is particularly focused in the shallow western basin. The western basin of Lake Erie is hydrodynamically similar to a large estuary, with riverine inputs from the Detroit and Maumee Rivers mixing together and creating gradients in chemical and physical conditions. This study was driven by two questions: How does secondary production and food quality for consumers vary across this large mixing zone? and Are there correlations between cyanobacterial abundance and secondary production or food quality for consumers? Measuring spatial and temporal variation in secondary production and food quality is difficult for a variety of logistical reasons, so here a common consumer approach was used. In a common consumer approach, individuals of a single species are raised under similar conditions until placed in the field across environmental gradients of interest. After some period of exposure, the response of that common consumer is measured to provide an index of spatial variation in conditions. Here, a freshwater mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) was deployed at 32 locations that spanned habitat types and a gradient in cyanobacterial abundance in the western basin of Lake Erie to measure spatial variation in growth (an index of secondary production) and fatty acid (FA) content (an index of food quality). We found secondary production was highest within the Maumee rivermouth and lowest in the open waters of the lake. Mussel tissues in the Maumee rivermouth also included more eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic fatty acids (EPA and DPA, respectively), but fewer bacterial FAs, suggesting more algae at the base of the food web in the Maumee rivermouth compared to open lake sites. The satellite-derived estimate of cyanobacterial abundance was not correlated to secondary production, but was positively related to EPA and DPA content in the

MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori)

OpenAIRE

Liu, Shiping; Zhang, Liang; Li, Qibin; Zhao, Ping; Duan, Jun; Cheng, Daojun; Xiang, Zhonghuai; Xia, Qingyou

2009-01-01

Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent s...

Diversity in copy number and structure of a silkworm morphogenetic gene as a result of domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakudoh, Takashi; Nakashima, Takeharu; Kuroki, Yoko; Fujiyama, Asao; Kohara, Yuji; Honda, Naoko; Fujimoto, Hirofumi; Shimada, Toru; Nakagaki, Masao; Banno, Yutaka; Tsuchida, Kozo

2011-03-01

The carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, a major determinant of cocoon color, is likely to have been substantially influenced by domestication of this species. We analyzed the structure of the CBP gene in multiple strains of B. mori, in multiple individuals of the wild silkworm, B. mandarina (the putative wild ancestor of B. mori), and in a number of other lepidopterans. We found the CBP gene copy number in genomic DNA to vary widely among B. mori strains, ranging from 1 to 20. The copies of CBP are of several types, based on the presence of a retrotransposon or partial deletion of the coding sequence. In contrast to B. mori, B. mandarina was found to possess a single copy of CBP without the retrotransposon insertion, regardless of habitat. Several other lepidopterans were found to contain sequences homologous to CBP, revealing that this gene is evolutionarily conserved in the lepidopteran lineage. Thus, domestication can generate significant diversity of gene copy number and structure over a relatively short evolutionary time. © 2011 by the Genetics Society of America

Diode-pumped high power 2.7 μm Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Huang, Haitao; Shen, Deyuan; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Hao; Tang, Dingyuan

2017-09-01

Investigation of room temperature laser performance of the polycrystalline Er:Y2O3 ceramic at 2.7 μm with respect to dopant concentrations was conducted. With 7 at.% Er3+ concentration Er:Y2O3 ceramic as laser gain medium, over 2.05 W of CW output power at 2.7 μm was generated with a slope efficiency of 11.1% with respect to the absorbed LD pump power. The prospects for improvement in lasing efficiency and output power are considered.

Nucleic acids synthesis of nuclear polyhedrosis virus in cultured embryonic cells of silkworm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Himeno, Michio; Kimura, Yukio; Hayashiya, Keizo.

1976-01-01

Embryos of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., were dispersed by trypsin and the dissociated cells were cultured for infection with nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) of the silkworm. The monolayer and suspension cultures were infected with NPV. RNA and DNA syntheses in the normal and NPV-infected cells were measured by incorporation of 32 P into RNA and DNA fractions. RNA and DNA syntheses in the cells after infection significantly increased over those in control cells (mock infection). The effects of actinomycin D, chloramphenicol and mitomycin C on RNA and DNA syntheses in infected cells were examined. The syntheses were inhibited by the antibiotics. It was suggested that the cellular DNA synthesis was inhibited by the viral infection, because the mitomycin C-resistant DNA synthesis was found in the normal cells but not in the infected cells treated with mitomycin C. The rate of DNA synthesis induced by NPV was immediately dropped to that of control cells by addition of chloramphenicol, while the RNA synthesis induced by NPV was not affected for 6 hr after the addition of chloramphenicol. If the antibiotic did not affected the size of precursor pools, this event suggested that the RNA polymerase concerned with viral RNA synthesis was more stable than the DNA polymerase participating in the viral DNA synthesis. The viral DNA as templates for RNA and DNA syntheses was decomposed by mitomycin C. (auth.)

Spatial and temporal genetic diversity of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill)) from Lake Huron and Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Stott, Wendylee; Ebener, Mark P.; Mohr, Lloyd; Hartman, Travis; Johnson, Jim; Roseman, Edward F.

2013-01-01

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill)) are important commercially, culturally, and ecologically in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Stocks of lake whitefish in the Great Lakes have recovered from low levels of abundance in the 1960s. Reductions in abundance, loss of habitat and environmental degradation can be accompanied by losses of genetic diversity and overall fitness that may persist even as populations recover demographically. Therefore, it is important to be able to identify stocks that have reduced levels of genetic diversity. In this study, we investigated patterns of genetic diversity at microsatellite DNA loci in lake whitefish collected between 1927 and 1929 (historical period) and between 1997 and 2005 (contemporary period) from Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Genetic analysis of lake whitefish from Lakes Huron and Erie shows that the amount of population structuring varies from lake to lake. Greater genetic divergences among collections from Lake Huron may be the result of sampling scale, migration patterns and demographic processes. Fluctuations in abundance of lake whitefish populations may have resulted in periods of increased genetic drift that have resulted in changes in allele frequencies over time, but periodic genetic drift was not severe enough to result in a significant loss of genetic diversity. Migration among stocks may have decreased levels of genetic differentiation while not completely obscuring stock boundaries. Recent changes in spatial boundaries to stocks, the number of stocks and life history characteristics of stocks further demonstrate the potential of coregonids for a swift and varied response to environmental change and emphasise the importance of incorporating both spatial and temporal considerations into management plans to ensure that diversity is preserved.

Resistance to BmNPV via overexpression of an exogenous gene controlled by an inducible promoter and enhancer in transgenic silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang Jiang

Full Text Available The hycu-ep32 gene of Hyphantria cunea NPV can inhibit Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV multiplication in co-infected cells, but it is not known whether the overexpression of the hycu-ep32 gene has an antiviral effect in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Thus, we constructed four transgenic vectors, which were under the control of the 39 K promoter of BmNPV (39 KP, Bombyx mori A4 promoter (A4P, hr3 enhancer of BmNPV combined with 39 KP, and hr3 combined with A4P. Transgenic lines were created via embryo microinjection using practical diapause silkworm. qPCR revealed that the expression level of hycu-ep32 could be induced effectively after BmNPV infection in transgenic lines where hycu-ep32 was controlled by hr3 combined with 39 KP (i.e., HEKG. After oral inoculation of BmNPV with 3 × 10(5 occlusion bodies per third instar, the mortality with HEKG-B was approximately 30% lower compared with the non-transgenic line. The economic characteristics of the transgenic lines remained unchanged. These results suggest that overexpression of an exogenous antiviral gene controlled by an inducible promoter and enhancer is a feasible method for breeding silkworms with a high antiviral capacity.

Nonlinear convective flow of Powell-Erying magneto nanofluid with Newtonian heating

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Sajid Qayyum

Full Text Available Objective of present article is to describe magnetohydrodynamic (MHD non-linear convective flow of Powell-Erying nanofluid over a stretching surface. Characteristics of Newtonian heat and mass conditions in this attempt is given attention. Heat and mass transfer analysis is examined in the frame of thermal radiation and chemical reaction. Brownian motion and thermophoresis concept is introduced due to presence of nanoparticles. Nonlinear equations of momentum, energy and concentration are transformed into dimensionless expression by invoking suitable variables. The series solutions are obtained through homotopy analysis method (HAM. Impact of embedded variables on the velocity, temperature and nanoparticles concentration is graphically presented. Numerical values of skin friction coefficient, local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are computed and analyzed. It is concluded that velocity field enhances for fluid variable while reverse situation is noticed regarding Hartman number. Temperature and heat transfer rate behave quite reverse for Prandtl number. It is also noted that the concentration and local Sherwood number have opposite behavior in the frame of Brownian motion. Keywords: Powell-Erying nanofluid, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD, Nonlinear convection, Thermal radiation, Chemical reaction, Newtonian heat and mass conditions

Lake Erie and Lake Michigan zebra mussel settlement monitoring and implications for chlorination treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demoss, D.; Mendelsberg, J.I.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on the 1991 zebra mussel veliger settlement monitoring program undertaken to record and evaluate zebra mussel veliger settlement in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Studies by Dr. Gerald Mackie of Canada in 1990 indicated veliger settlement may be occurring primarily during short time periods every season corresponding with warmer water temperatures. Veliger settlement monitoring was performed using a plexiglass sampler apparatus. The samplers were simple in design and consisted of a 20-inch-square plexiglass base panel with thirty-six 1 inch x 3 inch clear plexiglass microscope slides attached. The results of the monitoring program indicate the existence of preferential settlement periods for veligers correlating with sustained lake water temperatures above 70 degrees F. Veliger settlement concentrations in the south basin of Lake Michigan appear to be similar to those in western Lake Erie

77 FR 35860 - Safety Zone; Bay Swim V, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-15

... Yacht Club at position 42[deg]07'21.74'' N, 80[deg]07'58.30'' W (DATUM: NAD 83). Entry into, transiting... extend in a straight line 1,000 feet wide to the Erie Yacht Club at position 42[deg]07'21.74'' N, 80[deg...

78 FR 36662 - Safety Zone; Fairport Harbor Mardi Gras, Lake Erie, Fairport, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-19

... the Fairport Harbor Mardi Gras Fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with a fireworks display. DATES: This rule is effective...: Temporary final rule. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Lake Erie...

Profiles of Wind and Turbulence in the Coastal Atmospheric Boundary Layer of Lake Erie

KAUST Repository

Wang, H; Barthelmie, R J; Crippa, P; Doubrawa, P; Pryor, S C

2014-01-01

Prediction of wind resource in coastal zones is difficult due to the complexity of flow in the coastal atmospheric boundary layer (CABL). A three week campaign was conducted over Lake Erie in May 2013 to investigate wind characteristics and improve

76 FR 65717 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-24

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2713-082-New York] Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission...

A first report of egg parasitism in the Tropical Tasar Silkworm Antheraea mylitta (Drury occurring on cashew

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K. Vanitha

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The present study has documented egg parasitism in Tropical Tasar Silkworm for the first time. The parasitoid is Anastatus leithi (Walker belonging to Eupelmidae family.  It is a solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid, emerges out as adults from the tasar eggs in 17-20 days during August- September. The parasitism rate was recorded at 11.90 percentage.

Strain Rate and Anisotropic Microstructure Dependent Mechanical Behaviors of Silkworm Cocoon Shells.

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Jun Xu

Full Text Available Silkworm cocoons are multi-layered composite structures comprised of high strength silk fiber and sericin, and their mechanical properties have been naturally selected to protect pupas during metamorphosis from various types of external attacks. The present study attempts to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical properties of cocoon shell materials from wild silkworm species Antheraea pernyi under dynamic loading rates. Five dynamic strain rates from 0.00625 s-1 to 12.5 s-1 are tested to show the strain rate sensitivity of the cocoon shell material. In the meantime, the anisotropy of the cocoon shell is considered and the cocoon shell specimens are cut along 0°, 45° and 90° orientation to the short axis of cocoons. Typical mechanical properties including Young's modulus, yield strength, ultimate strength and ultimate strain are extracted and analyzed from the stress-strain curves. Furthermore, the fracture morphologies of the cocoon shell specimens are observed under scanning electron microscopy to help understand the relationship between the mechanical properties and the microstructures of the cocoon material. A discussion on the dynamic strain rate effect on the mechanical properties of cocoon shell material is followed by fitting our experimental results to two previous models, and the effect could be well explained. We also compare natural and dried cocoon materials for the dynamic strain rate effect and interestingly the dried cocoon shells show better overall mechanical properties. This study provides a different perspective on the mechanical properties of cocoon material as a composite material, and provides some insight for bio-inspired engineering materials.

Eriçó de mar: Estudi antropològic, geolingüístic i etimològic

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Antoni Corcoll Llobet

2013-01-01

Full Text Available   Els objectius bàsics d’aquest treball monogràfic sobre l’eriçó de mar és donar a conèixer els termes genèrics i aquells que fan referència a una o unes espècies en concret d’aquest animal marí, la seva distribució geogràfica, la seva vitalitat i la motivació semàntica o l’etimologia de tots aquests significants. Així mateix, faig esment de possibles castellanismes i d’algunes peculiaritats fonètiques que afecten diversos significants de l’eriçó de mar.

Internal loading of phosphorus in western Lake Erie

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Matisoff, Gerald; Kaltenberg, Eliza M.; Steely, Rebecca L.; Hummel, Stephanie K.; Seo, Jinyu; Gibbons, Kenneth J.; Bridgeman, Thomas B.; Seo, Youngwoo; Behbahani, Mohsen; James, William F.; Johnson, Laura; Doan, Phuong; Dittrich, Maria; Evans, Mary Anne; Chaffin, Justin D.

2016-01-01

This study applied eight techniques to obtain estimates of the diffusive flux of phosphorus (P) from bottom sediments throughout the western basin of Lake Erie. The flux was quantified from both aerobic and anaerobic incubations of whole cores; by monitoring the water encapsulated in bottom chambers; from pore water concentration profiles measured with a phosphate microelectrode, a diffusive equilibrium in thin films (DET) hydrogel, and expressed pore waters; and from mass balance and biogeochemical diagenetic models. Fluxes under aerobic conditions at summertime temperatures averaged 1.35 mg P/m2/day and displayed spatial variability on scales as small as a centimeter. Using two different temperature correction factors, the flux was adjusted to mean annual temperature yielding average annual fluxes of 0.43–0.91 mg P/m2/day and a western basin-wide total of 378–808 Mg P/year as the diffusive flux from sediments. This is 3–7% of the 11,000 Mg P/year International Joint Commission (IJC) target load for phosphorus delivery to Lake Erie from external sources. Using these average aerobic fluxes, the sediment contributes 3.0–6.3 μg P/L as a background internal contribution that represents 20–42% of the IJC Target Concentration of 15 μg P/L for the western basin. The implication is that this internal diffusive recycling of P is unlikely to trigger cyanobacterial blooms by itself but is sufficiently large to cause blooms when combined with external loads. This background flux may be also responsible for delayed response of the lake to any decrease in the external loading.

Effects of transient high temperature treatment on the intestinal flora of the silkworm Bombyx mori.

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Sun, Zhenli; Kumar, Dhiraj; Cao, Guangli; Zhu, Liyuan; Liu, Bo; Zhu, Min; Liang, Zi; Kuang, Sulan; Chen, Fei; Feng, Yongjie; Hu, Xiaolong; Xue, Renyu; Gong, Chengliang

2017-06-13

The silkworm Bombyx mori is a poikilotherm and is therefore sensitive to various climatic conditions. The influence of temperature on the intestinal flora and the relationship between the intestinal flora and gene expression in the silkworm remain unknown. In the present study, changes of the intestinal flora at 48, 96 and 144 h following transient high temperature treatment (THTT) of 37 °C for 8 h were investigated. According to principal component analysis, the abundances of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus showed a negative correlation with other dominant genera. After THTT, the gene expression levels of spatzle-1 and dicer-2 were increased and decreased, respectively, which suggested that the Toll and RNAi pathways were activated and suppressed, respectively. The species-gene expression matrix confirmed that the spatzle-1 and dicer-2 gene expression levels were negatively and positively correlated, respectively, with the abundance of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus in the control. The abundance of Variovorax post-THTT was positively correlated with the spatzle-1 gene expression level, whereas the community richness of Enterococcus was negatively correlated with the spatzle-1 gene expression level and positively correlated with the dicer-2. The results of the present investigation provide new evidence for understanding the relationships among THTT, intestinal flora and host gene expression.

The effect of hemoperfusion on patients with toxic encephalopathy induced by silkworm chrysalis ingestion.

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Hu, Haixia; Wang, Xu; Lv, Jiaqi; Sun, Jing; Xing, Jihong; Liu, Xiaoliang

2016-08-01

This study aims to determine therapeutic effect of hemoperfusion on patients with acute toxic encephalopathy induced by silkworm chrysalis ingestion. Three patients who developed toxic encephalopathy after chrysalis ingestion were analysed. Two patients lost their consciousness, while two patients had typical extrapyramidal tremor symptoms. Further neurological examination revealed various degrees of muscle strength impairment in these patients. All of them received treatments of omeprazole (40 mg/day), furosemide (one dose of 20 mg), vitamin C (2.0 g/day), calcium gluconate (2.0 g/day) and rehydration with glucose and sodium chloride (1500 ml/day). In addition, they received hemoperfusion treatment for 1.5 h. All patients recovered well after hemoperfusion. Two patients with loss of consciousness significantly recovered at 45 min and 65 min after hemoperfusion, respectively. All tremor symptoms were completely resolved in these patients at 30 min, 50 min, and 70 min following treatment, respectively. After the hemoperfusion treatment, encephalopathy symptoms of two patients had completely disappeared. All patients were followed up for one month and did not report any abnormalities. Our study indicates that hemoperfusion could be a useful and efficient treatment strategy for patients with acute encephalopathy after silkworm chrysalis ingestion. Larger clinical trials with longer follow-up are warranted to confirm the clinical benefit of hemoperfusion. © The Author(s) 2015.

76 FR 46287 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment

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2011-08-02

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2047-049] Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission or FERC) regulations...

GC-MS analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Vagula, Mary C.; Vartak, Marissa; Tallmadge, Weslene

2012-06-01

Lake Erie is one of the five great lakes of North America. It is the shallowest, the warmest, and the most biologically productive of the Great Lakes producing more fish than all of the other four lakes combined. It is also a source of drinking water for 11 million people and a recreational asset. On the flipside, it is also very vulnerable and troubled with environmental challenges because it has the smallest water volume, but the greatest pressures from the human settlement. One of the many issues faced by the Lake is pollution. It receives larger loads of many pollutants than any other Great Lake. Even with the best pollution controls many pesticides and organohalogens continue to enter the lake. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame-retardants that have been used in a variety of consumer products since the 1970s. They are added to many commercial and household products such as computers, foam mattresses, carpets, etc. Being largely non-polar and chemically stable, these chemicals are extremely lipophilic and resist degradation in the environment, thus giving them a high affinity for their bioaccumulation. Due to these properties PBDEs have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants. These compounds are reported to be endocrine disruptors and could cause oxidative damage. This report presents the sample preparation protocol, the GC-MS analysis of PBDEs in Lake Erie sediment samples.

Heterologous expression, purification and characterization of human β-1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II using a silkworm-based Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus bacmid expression system.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Takatsugu; Kato, Tatsuya; Park, Enoch Y

2018-02-03

β-1,2-N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase II (GnTII, EC 2.4.1.143) is a Golgi-localized type II transmembrane enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine to the 6-arm of the trimanosyl core of N-glycans, an essential step in the conversion of oligomannose-type to complex-type N-glycans. Despite its physiological importance, there have been only a few reports on the heterologous expression and structure-function relationship of this enzyme. Here, we constructed a silkworm-based Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus bacmid expression system and expressed human GnTII (hGnTII) lacking the N-terminal cytosolic tail and transmembrane region. The recombinant hGnTII was purified from silkworm larval hemolymph in two steps by using tandem affinity purification tags, with a yield of approximately 120 μg from 10 mL hemolymph, and exhibited glycosyltransferase activity and strict substrate specificity. The enzyme was found to be N-glycosylated by the enzymatic cleavage of glycans, while hGnTII expressed in insect cells had not been reported to be glycosylated. Although insects typically produce pauci-mannosidic-type glycans, the structure of N-glycans in the recombinant hGnTII was suggested to be of the complex type, and the removal of the glycans did not affect the enzymatic activity. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The silkworm (Bombyx mori microRNAs and their expressions in multiple developmental stages.

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Xiaomin Yu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs play crucial roles in various physiological processes through post-transcriptional regulation of gene expressions and are involved in development, metabolism, and many other important molecular mechanisms and cellular processes. The Bombyx mori genome sequence provides opportunities for a thorough survey for miRNAs as well as comparative analyses with other sequenced insect species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 114 non-redundant conserved miRNAs and 148 novel putative miRNAs from the B. mori genome with an elaborate computational protocol. We also sequenced 6,720 clones from 14 developmental stage-specific small RNA libraries in which we identified 35 unique miRNAs containing 21 conserved miRNAs (including 17 predicted miRNAs and 14 novel miRNAs (including 11 predicted novel miRNAs. Among the 114 conserved miRNAs, we found six pairs of clusters evolutionarily conserved cross insect lineages. Our observations on length heterogeneity at 5' and/or 3' ends of nine miRNAs between cloned and predicted sequences, and three mature forms deriving from the same arm of putative pre-miRNAs suggest a mechanism by which miRNAs gain new functions. Analyzing development-related miRNAs expression at 14 developmental stages based on clone-sampling and stem-loop RT PCR, we discovered an unusual abundance of 33 sequences representing 12 different miRNAs and sharply fluctuated expression of miRNAs at larva-molting stage. The potential functions of several stage-biased miRNAs were also analyzed in combination with predicted target genes and silkworm's phenotypic traits; our results indicated that miRNAs may play key regulatory roles in specific developmental stages in the silkworm, such as ecdysis. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Taking a combined approach, we identified 118 conserved miRNAs and 151 novel miRNA candidates from the B. mori genome sequence. Our expression analyses by sampling miRNAs and real-time PCR over

Proteome identification of the silkworm middle silk gland

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Jian-ying Li

2016-03-01

Full Text Available To investigate the functional differentiation among the anterior (A, middle (M, and posterior (P regions of silkworm middle silk gland (MSG, their proteomes were characterized by shotgun LC–MS/MS analysis with a LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. To get better proteome identification and quantification, triplicate replicates of mass spectrometry analysis were performed for each sample. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium (Vizcaíno et al., 2014 [1] via the PRIDE partner repository (Vizcaino, 2013 [2] with the dataset identifier http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD003371. The peptide identifications that were further processed by PeptideProphet program in Trans-Proteomic Pipeline (TPP after database search with Mascot software were also available in .XML format files. Data presented here are related to a research article published in Journal of Proteomics by Li et al. (2015 [3]. Keywords: Bombyx mori, Middle silk gland, Silk protein synthesis, Shotgun proteomics, Label-free

Determination of albendazole and metabolites in silkworm Bombyx mori hemolymph by ultrafast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

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Li, Li; Xing, Dong-Xu; Li, Qing-Rong; Xiao, Yang; Ye, Ming-Qiang; Yang, Qiong

2014-01-01

Albendazole is a broad-spectrum parasiticide with high effectiveness and low host toxicity. No method is currently available for measuring albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph. This study describes a rapid, selective, sensitive, synchronous and reliable detection method for albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph using ultrafast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS). The method is liquid-liquid extraction followed by UFLC separation and quantification in an MS/MS system with positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Precursor-to-product ion transitions were monitored at 266.100 to 234.100 for albendazole (ABZ), 282.200 to 208.100 for albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO), 298.200 to 159.100 for albendazole sulfone (ABZSO2) and 240.200 to 133.100 for albendazole amino sulfone (ABZSO2-NH2). Calibration curves had good linearities with R2 of 0.9905-0.9972. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) were 1.32 ng/mL for ABZ, 16.67 ng/mL for ABZSO, 0.76 ng/mL for ABZSO2 and 5.94 ng/mL for ABZSO2-NH2. Recoveries were 93.12%-103.83% for ABZ, 66.51%-108.51% for ABZSO, 96.85%-105.6% for ABZSO2 and 96.46%-106.14% for ABZSO2-NH2, (RSDs albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph in a pharmacokinetic study. The results of single-dose treatment suggested that the concentrations of ABZ, ABZSO and ABZSO2 increased and then fell, while ABZSO2-NH2 level was low without obvious change. Different trends were observed for multi-dose treatment, with concentrations of ABZSO and ABZSO2 rising over time.

The role of groundwater discharge fluxes on Si:P ratios in a major tributary to Lake Erie.

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Maavara, Taylor; Slowinski, Stephanie; Rezanezhad, Fereidoun; Van Meter, Kimberly; Van Cappellen, Philippe

2018-05-01

Groundwater discharge can be a major source of nutrients to river systems. Although quantification of groundwater nitrate loading to streams is common, the dependence of surface water silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) concentrations on groundwater sources has rarely been determined. Additionally, the ability of groundwater discharge to drive surface water Si:P ratios has not been contextualized relative to riverine inputs or in-stream transformations. In this study, we quantify the seasonal dynamics of Si and P cycles in the Grand River (GR) watershed, the largest Canadian watershed draining into Lake Erie, to test our hypothesis that regions of Si-rich groundwater discharge increase surface water Si:P ratios. Historically, both the GR and Lake Erie have been considered stoichiometrically P-limited, where the molar Si:P ratio is greater than the ~16:1 phytoplankton uptake ratio. However, recent trends suggest that eastern Lake Erie may be approaching Si-limitation. We sampled groundwater and surface water for dissolved and reactive particulate Si as well as total dissolved P for 12months within and downstream of a 50-km reach of high groundwater discharge. Our results indicate that groundwater Si:P ratios are lower than the corresponding surface water and that groundwater is a significant source of bioavailable P to surface water. Despite these observations, the watershed remains P-limited for the majority of the year, with localized periods of Si-limitation. We further find that groundwater Si:P ratios are a relatively minor driver of surface water Si:P, but that the magnitude of Si and P loads from groundwater represent a large proportion of the overall fluxes to Lake Erie. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RIP-seq of BmAgo2-associated small RNAs reveal various types of small non-coding RNAs in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

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2013-01-01

Background Small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression in eukaryotes. Previously, only microRNAs (miRNAs) and piRNAs have been identified in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Furthermore, only ncRNAs (50-500nt) of intermediate size have been systematically identified in the silkworm. Results Here, we performed a systematic identification and analysis of small RNAs (18-50nt) associated with the Bombyx mori argonaute2 (BmAgo2) protein. Using RIP-seq, we identified various types of small ncRNAs associated with BmAGO2. These ncRNAs showed a multimodal length distribution, with three peaks at ~20nt, ~27nt and ~33nt, which included tRNA-, transposable element (TE)-, rRNA-, snoRNA- and snRNA-derived small RNAs as well as miRNAs and piRNAs. The tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) were found at an extremely high abundance and accounted for 69.90% of the BmAgo2-associated small RNAs. Northern blotting confirmed that many tRFs were expressed or up-regulated only in the BmNPV-infected cells, implying that the tRFs play a prominent role by binding to BmAgo2 during BmNPV infection. Additional evidence suggested that there are potential cleavage sites on the D, anti-codon and TψC loops of the tRNAs. TE-derived small RNAs and piRNAs also accounted for a significant proportion of the BmAgo2-associated small RNAs, suggesting that BmAgo2 could be involved in the maintenance of genome stability by suppressing the activities of transposons guided by these small RNAs. Finally, Northern blotting was also used to confirm the Bombyx 5.8 s rRNA-derived small RNAs, demonstrating that various novel small RNAs exist in the silkworm. Conclusions Using an RIP-seq method in combination with Northern blotting, we identified various types of small RNAs associated with the BmAgo2 protein, including tRNA-, TE-, rRNA-, snoRNA- and snRNA-derived small RNAs as well as miRNAs and piRNAs. Our findings provide new clues for future functional studies of the role of small RNAs in insect

MicroRNA-281 regulates the expression of ecdysone receptor (EcR) isoform B in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Hundreds of Bombyx mori miRNAs had been identified in recent years, but their function in vivo remains poorly understood. The silkworm EcR gene (BmEcR) has three transcriptional isoforms, A, B1 and B2. Isoform sequences are different in the 3’UTR region of the gene, which is the case only in insects...

A new estimation of the total flavonoids in silkworm cocoon sericin layer through aglycone determination by hydrolysis-assisted extraction and HPLC-DAD analysis

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Jin-Ge Zhao

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Silk sericin and a few non-protein components isolated from the cocoon layer including two silk proteins in silkworm Bombyx mori has many bioactivities. The dietary sericin possess antinatural oxidation, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic, and antidiabetic activities. The non-protein components surrounding the sericin layer involve in wax, pigments mainly meaning flavonoids, sugars, and other impurities. However, very few investigations have reported the estimation of the total flavonoids derived from the cocoon layer. The flavonoids are commonly present in their glycosylated forms and mostly exist as quercetin glycosides in the sericin layers of silkworm cocoons. Objective: The aim of this study was to find a more accurate method to estimate the level of the total flavonoids in silkworm cocoons. Design: An efficient procedure of hydrolysis-assisted extraction (HAE was first established to estimate the level of the total flavonoids through the determination of their aglycones, quercetin, and kaempferol. Then, a comparison was made between traditional colorimetric method and our method. In addition, the antioxidant activities of hydrolysis-assisted extract sample were determined. Results: The average contents of quercetin and kaempferol were 1.98 and 0.42 mg/g in Daizo cocoon. Their recoveries were 99.56 and 99.17%. The total sum of quercetin and kaempferol was detected to be 2.40±0.07 mg/g by HAE-HPLC, while the total flavonoids (2.59±0.48 mg/g estimated by the traditional colorimetric method were only equivalent to 1.28±0.04 mg/g of quercetin. The HAE sample also exhibits that IC50 values of scavenging ability of diphenyl picryl hydrazinyl (DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical (HO· are 243.63 µg/mL and 4.89 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: These results show that the HAE-HPLC method is specificity of cocoon and far superior to the colorimetric method. Therefore, this study has profound significance for the comprehensive utilization

Transcriptomic analysis of two Beauveria bassiana strains grown on cuticle extracts of the silkworm uncovers their different metabolic response at early infection stage.

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Wang, Jing-Jie; Bai, Wen-Wen; Zhou, Wei; Liu, Jing; Chen, Jie; Liu, Xiao-Yuan; Xiang, Ting-Ting; Liu, Ren-Hua; Wang, Wen-Hui; Zhang, Bao-Ling; Wan, Yong-Ji

2017-05-01

Beauveria bassiana is an important entomopathogenic fungus which not only widely distributes in the environment but also shows phenotypic diversity. However, the mechanism of pathogenic differences among natural B. bassiana strains has not been revealed at transcriptome-wide level. In the present study, in order to explore the mechanism, two B. bassiana strains with different pathogenicity were isolated from silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) and selected to analyze the gene expression of early stage by culturing on cuticle extracts of the silkworm and using RNA-sequencing technique. A total of 2108 up-regulated and 1115 down-regulated genes were identified in B. bassiana strain GXsk1011 (hyper-virulent strain) compared with B. bassiana strain GXtr1009 (hypo-virulent strain), respectively. The function categorization of differential expressed genes (DEGs) showed that most of them involved in metabolic process, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, catalytic activity, and some involved in nutrition uptake, adhesion and host defense were also noted. Based on our data, distinct pathogenicity among different strains of B. bassiana may largely attribute to unique gene expression pattern which differed at very early infection process. Most of the genes involved in conidia adhesion, cuticle degradation and fungal growth were up-regulated in hyper-virulent B. bassiana strain GXsk1011. Furthermore, in combination with fungal growth analysis, our research provided a clue that fungal growth may also play an important role during early infection process. The results will help to explain why different B. bassiana strains show distinct pathogenicity on the same host even under same condition. Moreover, the transcriptome data were also useful for screening potential virulence factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eri prosessointien vaikutus ruusunmarjan c-vitamiinipitoisuuteen : kuumennus, paseeraus ja pakastesäilytys

OpenAIRE

Heikkilä, Raili

2007-01-01

Tämä opinnäytetyön liittyy kotimaisten ruusunmarjojen sekä tuore- ja höyrysoseiden Cvitamiinin säilymiseen eri prosessointimenetelmien ja pakkassäilytyksen aikana. Näytteinä tutkimuksessa olivat kokonaisena poimitut pakastetut ruusunmarjat, tuore pakastettu ruusunmarjasose ja kuumakäsitelty (höyrytetty) ruusunmarjasose. Tutkittavan ruusunmarjan pakastesäilytysaika oli ollut kokonaisuudessaan yksi vuosi. Tutkimus toteutettiin Haapaveden ammattiopistolla. Ruusunmarjan C- vitamiinipitoisuudet an...

Understanding the Atmosphere of 51 Eri b: Do Photochemical Hazes Cloud the Planets Spectrum?

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Marley, Mark Scott; Zahnle, Kevin; Moses, J.; Morley, C.

2015-01-01

The first young giant planet to be discovered by the Gemini Planet Imager was the (is) approximately 2MJ planet 51 Eri b. This approximately 20 Myr old young Jupiter is the first directly imaged planet to show unmistakable methane in H band. To constrain the planet's mass, atmospheric temperature, and composition, the GPI J and H band spectra as well as some limited photometric points were compared to the predictions of substellar atmosphere models. The best fitting models reported in the discovery paper (Macintosh et al. 2015) relied upon a combination of clear and cloudy atmospheric columns to reproduce the data. However for an object as cool as 700 K, the origin of the cloud coverage is somewhat puzzling, as the global silicate and iron clouds would be expected to have sunk well below the photosphere by this effective temperature. While strong vertical mixing in these low gravity atmospheres remains a plausible explanation, we have explored whether atmospheric photochemistry, driven by the UV flux from the primary star, may yield hazes that also influence the observed spectrum of the planet. To explore this possibility we have modeled the atmospheric photochemistry of 51 Eri b using two state-of-the-art photochemical models, both capable of predicting yields of complex hydrocarbons under various atmospheric conditions. In our presentation we will summarize the modeling approach employed to characterize 51 Eri b, explaining constraints on the planet's effective temperature, gravity, and atmospheric composition and also present results of our studies of atmospheric photochemistry. We will discuss whether photochemical hazes could indeed be responsible for the particulate opacity that apparently sculpts the spectrum of the planet.

Seasonal dynamics in dissolved organic matter, hydrogen peroxide, and cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Erie

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Rose M. Cory

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 has been suggested to influence cyanobacterial community structure and toxicity. However, no study has investigated H2O2 concentrations in freshwaters relative to cyanobacterial blooms when sources and sinks of H2O2 may be highly variable. For example, photochemical production of H2O2 from chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM may vary over the course of the bloom with changing CDOM and UV light in the water column, while microbial sources and sinks of H2O2 may change with community biomass and composition. To assess relationships between H2O2 and harmful algal blooms dominated by toxic cyanobacteria in the western basin of Lake Erie, we measured H2O2 weekly at six stations from June – November, 2014 and 2015, with supporting physical, chemical, and biological water quality data. Nine additional stations across the western, eastern, and central basins of Lake Erie were sampled during August and October, 2015. CDOM sources were quantified from the fluorescence fraction of CDOM using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC. CDOM concentration and source were significantly correlated with specific conductivity, demonstrating that discharge of terrestrially-derived CDOM from rivers can be tracked in the lake. Autochthonous sources of CDOM in the lake increased over the course of the blooms. Concentrations of H2O2 in Lake Erie ranged from 47 ± 16 nM to 1570 ± 16 nM (average of 371 ± 17 nM; n = 225, and were not correlated to CDOM concentration or source, UV light, or estimates of photochemical production of H2O2 by CDOM. Temporal patterns in H2O2 were more closely aligned with bloom dynamics in the lake. In 2014 and 2015, maximum concentrations of H2O2 were observed prior to peak water column respiration and chlorophyll a, coinciding with the onset of the widespread Microcystis blooms in late July. The spatial and temporal patterns in H2O2 concentrations suggested that production and decay of H2O2 from aquatic

Determination of Albendazole and Metabolites in Silkworm Bombyx mori Hemolymph by Ultrafast Liquid Chromatography Tandem Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Xing, Dong-Xu; Li, Qing-Rong; Xiao, Yang; Ye, Ming-Qiang; Yang, Qiong

2014-01-01

Albendazole is a broad-spectrum parasiticide with high effectiveness and low host toxicity. No method is currently available for measuring albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph. This study describes a rapid, selective, sensitive, synchronous and reliable detection method for albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph using ultrafast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS). The method is liquid-liquid extraction followed by UFLC separation and quantification in an MS/MS system with positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Precursor-to-product ion transitions were monitored at 266.100 to 234.100 for albendazole (ABZ), 282.200 to 208.100 for albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO), 298.200 to 159.100 for albendazole sulfone (ABZSO2) and 240.200 to 133.100 for albendazole amino sulfone (ABZSO2-NH2). Calibration curves had good linearities with R2 of 0.9905–0.9972. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) were 1.32 ng/mL for ABZ, 16.67 ng/mL for ABZSO, 0.76 ng/mL for ABZSO2 and 5.94 ng/mL for ABZSO2-NH2. Recoveries were 93.12%–103.83% for ABZ, 66.51%–108.51% for ABZSO, 96.85%–105.6% for ABZSO2 and 96.46%–106.14% for ABZSO2-NH2, (RSDs <8%). Accuracy, precision and stability tests showed acceptable variation in quality control (QC) samples. This analytical method successfully determined albendazole and its metabolites in silkworm hemolymph in a pharmacokinetic study. The results of single-dose treatment suggested that the concentrations of ABZ, ABZSO and ABZSO2 increased and then fell, while ABZSO2-NH2 level was low without obvious change. Different trends were observed for multi-dose treatment, with concentrations of ABZSO and ABZSO2 rising over time. PMID:25255321

Inter- and intra-population genetic variability of introduced silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) strains raised in Bulgaria

OpenAIRE

Teodora Staykova

2013-01-01

The genetic variability of four populations belonging to two introduced silkworm strains (Bombyx mori L.) of various origins has been studied using isoenzymic analysis of six enzyme systems. Nonspecific esterases, phosphoglucomutase, malate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and hexokinase from different tissue of larvae 5th instar have been analysed using PAGE. Polymorphism in six from a total of nine loci has been found. Inter- and intra-population differences have been a...

77 FR 39638 - Safety Zone; Barbara Harder Wedding Fireworks, Lake Erie, Lake View, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-05

... environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may disproportionately affect children. 10. Indian Tribal... be held on Lake Erie near Lake View, NY. The Captain of the Port Buffalo has determined that fireworks launched proximate to a gathering of watercraft pose a significant risk to public safety and...

Evidence that lake trout served as a buffer against sea lamprey predation on burbot in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Stapanian, M.A.; Madenjian, C.P.

2007-01-01

The population of burbot Lota lota in Lake Erie recovered during 1986–2003, mainly because of the control of sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus, which began in 1986. Burbot populations continued to grow during 1996–1998, when sea lamprey control was substantially reduced. We calculated mortality parameters for burbot in Lake Erie by estimating age at capture for 2,793 burbot caught in annual gill-net surveys of eastern Lake Erie from 1994 to 2003. Based on catch-curve analysis, annual mortality in Lake Erie during 1994–2003 was estimated as 33%. Annual mortality of the 1992 year-class of burbot was estimated as 30%. The mortality of burbot during the years of reduced sea lamprey control was not different from that during the 3 years preceding reduced control and was significantly lower than that during the entire portion of the time series in which full sea lamprey control was conducted. These results suggest that the reduction in sea lamprey control did not lead to increased burbot mortality. The catch per gill-net lift of large burbot (total length > 600 mm), the size preferred by sea lampreys, was lower than that of adult lake trout Salvelinus namaycush (age 5 and older; total length > 700 mm) before lampricide application was reduced. Although adult lake trout populations declined, the abundance of large burbot did not change during the period of reduced lampricide application. These results support a hypothesis that a healthy population of adult lake trout can serve as a buffer species, acting to reduce predation of burbot by sea lampreys when sea lamprey populations increase. Burbot attained sexual maturity at a relatively early age (3 or 4 years) and a total length (approximately 500 mm) that was smaller than the preferred prey size for sea lampreys. These characteristics and the buffering effect of the lake trout population enabled growth of the burbot population during the brief period when lamprey control was reduced.

75 FR 30319 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Rule to remove the Lake Erie Watersnake...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

... frost level, in cracks or crevices in the bedrock, interstitial spaces of rocky substrates, tree roots... actions that will be undertaken on each island property to avoid injury and harm to the Lake Erie...

77 FR 24880 - Safety Zone; Jet Express Triathlon, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Lakeside, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-26

... the Federal Register. Background and Purpose The organization Endurance Sports Productions is... safety zone would encompass all waters of Lake Erie within a direct line from 41-33'-49'' N, 082-47-8'' W to 41-33'- 25'' N, 82-48'-8'' W and 15 yards on either side of direct line. All geographic...

BmICE-2 is a novel pro-apoptotic caspase involved in apoptosis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Hua-Shan; Pan, Cai-Xia; Pan, Chun; Song, Juan; Hu, Yan-Fen; Wang, La; Pan, Min-Hui; Lu, Cheng

2014-02-28

In this study we identified a potential pro-apoptotic caspase gene, Bombyx mori(B. mori)ICE-2 (BmICE-2) which encoded a polypeptide of 284 amino acid residues, including a (169)QACRG(173) sequence which surrounded the catalytic site and contained a p20 and a p10 domain. BmICE-2 expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) exhibited high proteolytic activity for the synthetic human initiator caspase-9 substrates Ac-LEHD-pNA, but little activity towards the effector caspase-3 substrates Ac-DEVD-pNA. When BmICE-2 was transiently expressed in BmN-SWU1 silkworm B. mori cells, we found that the high proteolytic activity for Ac-LEHD-pNA triggered caspase-3-like protease activity resulting in spontaneous cleavage and apoptosis in these cells. This effect was not replicated in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells. In addition, spontaneous cleavage of endogenous BmICE-2 in BmN-SWU1 cells could be induced by actinomycin D. These results suggest that BmICE-2 may be a novel pro-apoptotic gene with caspase-9 activity which is involved apoptotic processes in BmN-SWU1 silkworm B. mori cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of UV irradiation on the early development of silkworm embryos, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Yoshihiro

1981-01-01

The development of silkworm eggs irradiated with UV was compared with that of normal eggs. When the eggs were irradiated with UV from the lateral side immediately after oviposition, development was decelerated, but the germ band was produced. The side of the germ band that was irradiated with UV was abnormal with holes, but the opposite side was hole-free and normal. The normal half of the germ band splits longitudinally, but developed along with the abnormal half to form various malformations. When the eggs were irradiated from the ventral side, the ventral part of the germ band was abnormal at the early stage, the germ band did not concentrate to one place, and produced the half-embryos longitudinally divided by the median line. The UV irradiation at the beginning of the blastoderm stage produced similar results. In the areas irradiated by UV, cleavage nuclei invaded into the surrounding protoplasm, and mitotic figures were observed, but the cell number did not increase even with the advance of development unlike normal cells, whereas the sizes of the cells, their nuclei and nucleoli were enlarged, and intercellular space widened so that the cells were no longer in close contact. The germ band cells produced in the non-irradiated area were normal. The above results suggest that when either the protoplasm or the nucleus of a silkworm egg is damaged by UV, the effect first appears as the inhibition of cell division in the germ band, and as the enlargement of the cell, nucleus and nucleoli. It is presumed that this induces the subsequent inhibition of cell differentiation or abnormalities. (Kaihara, S.)

Preparation and characterization of high-surface-area activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste for congo red adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jia; Ng, Dickon H.L.; Song, Peng; Kong, Chao; Song, Yi; Yang, Ping

2015-01-01

Herein, we report the preparation of activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste via the combination of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 -pretreatment and KOH activation. The morphology, phase structure and surface chemistry constitute of the obtained ACFs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, Micro Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm. The effects of various factors such as the concentration of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 and the activation time of KOH were also evaluated. These results demonstrated that the synthesized ACFs retained the fibrous morphology of silkworm cocoon waste, and exhibited highly defective graphite layer structure. A large amount of surface oxygen-containing functional groups were found on the ACFs surface. The obtained samples exhibited high BET surface areas ranging from 1153 to 2797 m 2  g −1 , total pore volumes of 0.64–1.74 cm 3  g −1 with micropore volume fractions between 75.2 and 93.6%. In addition, we also evaluated the congo red (CR) adsorption performance of the obtained ACFs. The CR adsorption fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherm data indicated that the adsorption of CR onto ACFs was monolayer adsorption which followed well the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of CR was 512 g kg −1 . The mechanism of the adsorption process was also described from the intraparticle diffusion model. - Highlights: • A new biomass fibroin precursor for activated carbon fibers (ACFs) was proposed. • High specific surface area (2797 m 2  g −1 ) and total pore volume (1.74 cm 3  g −1 ) were obtained. • The original fibrous structure of raw silkworm cocoons was retained in the ACF product. • Congo red maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of our ACF product was up to 1100 g kg −1

76 FR 12103 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P; Notice of Settlement Agreement and Soliciting Comments

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-04

... Hydropower, L.P; Notice of Settlement Agreement and Soliciting Comments Take notice that the following... Boulevard Hydropower, L.P. e. Location: The existing multi-development project is located on the Oswegatchie... 791 (a)-825(r) h. Applicant Contact: Daniel Daoust, Erie Boulevard Hydropower, 33 West 1st Street...

77 FR 50923 - Safety Zone; Jet Express Triathlon, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Lakeside, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-23

... fireworks display. B. Basis and Purpose The organization Endurance Sports Productions is sponsoring a... waters of Lake Erie within a direct line from 41[deg]33'49'' N, 082[deg]47'8'' W to 41[deg]33'25'' N, 82[deg]48'8'' W and 15 yards on either side of direct line. All geographic coordinates are North American...

Chitin in the Silk Gland Ducts of the Spider Nephila edulis and the Silkworm Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Gwilym J. G.; Knight, David P.; Vollrath, Fritz

2013-01-01

Here we report the detection and localisation of chitin in the cuticle of the spinning ducts of both the spider Nephila edulis and the silkworm Bombyx mori. Our observations demonstrate that the duct walls of both animals contain chitin notwithstanding totally independent evolutionary pathways of the systems. We conclude that chitin may well be an essential component for the construction of spinning ducts; we further conclude that in both species chitin may indicate the evolutionary origin of the spinning ducts. PMID:24015298

MicroRNA of the fifth-instar posterior silk gland of silkworm identified by Solexa sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jisheng Li

2014-12-01

Full Text Available No special studies have been focused on the microRNA (miRNA in the fifth-instar posterior silk gland of Bombyx mori. Here, using next-generation sequencing, we acquired 93.2 million processed reads from 10 small RNA libraries. In this paper, we tried to thoroughly describe how our dataset generated from deep sequencing which was recently published in BMC genomics. Results showed that our findings are largely enriched silkworm miRNA depository and may benefit us to reveal the miRNA functions in the process of silk production.

The Expression, Purification, and Characterization of a Ras Oncogene (Bras2) in Silkworm (Bombyx mori)

OpenAIRE

Lv, Zhengbing; Wang, Tao; Zhuang, Wenhua; Wang, Dan; Chen, Jian; Nie, Zuoming; Liu, Lili; Zhang, Wenping; Wang, Lisha; Wang, Deming; Wu, Xiangfu; Li, Jun; Qian, Lian; Zhang, Yaozhou

2013-01-01

The Ras oncogene of silkworm pupae (Bras2) may belong to the Ras superfamily. It shares 77% of its amino acid identity with teratocarcinoma oncogene 21 (TC21) related ras viral oncogene homolog-2 (R-Ras2) and possesses an identical core effector region. The mRNA of Bombyx mori Bras2 has 1412 bp. The open reading frame contains 603 bp, which encodes 200 amino acid residues. This recombinant BmBras2 protein was subsequently used as an antigen to raise a rabbit polyclonal antibody. Western blott...

75 FR 71122 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7518-012--New York] Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Scoping Meetings and Environmental Site Review November 15, 2010. Commission staff will be conducting two public scoping meetings and an environmental site review in support...

The Inner 25 au Debris Distribution in the ϵ Eri System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Kate Y. L.; Rieke, George H.; Ballering, Nicholas P. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); De Buizer, James M.; Vacca, William D. [SOFIA-USRA, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232-12, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Krivov, Alexander V.; Löhne, Torsten [Astrophysikalisches Institut und Universitätssternwarte, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Schillergäßchen 2–3, D-07745 Jena (Germany); Marengo, Massimo [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Stapelfeldt, Karl R. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2017-05-01

Debris disk morphology is wavelength dependent due to the wide range of particle sizes and size-dependent dynamics influenced by various forces. Resolved images of nearby debris disks reveal complex disk structures that are difficult to distinguish from their spectral energy distributions. Therefore, multi-wavelength resolved images of nearby debris systems provide an essential foundation to understand the intricate interplay between collisional, gravitational, and radiative forces that govern debris disk structures. We present the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 35 μ m resolved disk image of ϵ Eri, the closest debris disk around a star similar to the early Sun. Combining with the Spitzer resolved image at 24 μ m and 15–38 μ m excess spectrum, we examine two proposed origins of the inner debris in ϵ Eri: (1) in situ planetesimal belt(s) and (2) dragged-in grains from the cold outer belt. We find that the presence of in situ dust-producing planetesmial belt(s) is the most likely source of the excess emission in the inner 25 au region. Although a small amount of dragged-in grains from the cold belt could contribute to the excess emission in the inner region, the resolution of the SOFIA data is high enough to rule out the possibility that the entire inner warm excess results from dragged-in grains, but not enough to distinguish one broad inner disk from two narrow belts.

Concentrations and trophic magnification of cyclic siloxanes in aquatic biota from the Western Basin of Lake Erie, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGoldrick, Daryl J.; Chan, Cecilia; Drouillard, Ken G.; Keir, Michael J.; Clark, Mandi G.; Backus, Sean M.

2014-01-01

We examine the concentrations and food web biomagnification of three cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS) octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) using aquatic biota collected from Lake Erie. Concentrations of cVMS in biota were within the range reported for other studies of cVMS in aquatic biota. Trophic magnification factors (TMF) were assessed in various food web configurations to investigate the effects of food web structure. TMF estimates were highly dependent on the inclusion/exclusion of the organisms occupying the highest and lowest trophic levels and were >1 for D4 and D5, indicating biomagnification, in only 1 of the 5 food web configurations investigated and were <1 in the remaining 4 food web configurations. TMF estimates for PCB180 were also dependant on food web configuration, but did not correspond with those obtained for cVMS materials. These differences may be attributed to environmental exposure and/or lipid partitioning differences between PCB180 and cVMS. -- Highlights: • We investigated trophic magnification of siloxanes in aquatic biota from Lake Erie. • Trophic magnification estimates were variable and sensitive to food web structure. • Lipid partitioning of siloxanes and PCBs differ and may contribute to variability. -- Biomagnification estimates for siloxanes in Lake Erie are sensitive to food web structure, contaminant exposure pathways, and lipid partitioning differences between PCBs and siloxanes

77 FR 40266 - Safety Zone; Conneaut 4th of July Festival, Lake Erie, Conneaut, OH

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-09

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Conneaut 4th of July Festival, Lake Erie, Conneaut, OH AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... the Conneaut 4th of July Festival Fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to... vessels during the Conneaut 4th of July Festival Fireworks. This zone will be effective and enforced from...

Using water quality to assess ecological condition in the St. Marys River and Huron-Erie Corridor

Science.gov (United States)

The St. Marys River and Huron-Erie-Corridor were assessed by EPA for the first time in 2014-2016 as part of the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA). NCCA uses a probabilistic survey design to allow unbiased assessment of ecological condition across the entire Great Lakes...

Growth, reproduction, mortality, distribution, and biomass of freshwater drum in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Bur, Michael T.

1984-01-01

Predominant age-groups in the Lake Erie freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunnienspopulation were 3, 4, and 5 as determined from gill net, trap net, bottom trawl, and midwater trawl samples. Age and growth calculations indicated that females grew faster than males. However, the length-weight relation did not differ between sexes and was described by the equation: log W = −5.4383 + 3.1987 log L. Some males became sexually mature at age 2 and all were mature by age 6. Females matured 1 year later than males. Three sizes of eggs were present in ovaries; the average total number was 127,000 per female for 20 females over a length range of 270 to 478 mm. Seasonal analysis of the ovary-body weight ratio indicated that spawning extended from June to August. A total annual mortality rate of 49% for drum aged 4 through 11 was derived from catch-curve analysis. Freshwater drum were widely distributed throughout Lake Erie in 1977–1979, the greatest concentration being in the western basin. They moved into warm, shallow water (less than 10 m deep) during summer, and returned to deeper water in late fall. Summer biomass estimates for the western basin, based on systematic surveys with bottom trawls, were 9,545 t in 1977 and 2,333 t in 1978.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization and Expression Analysis of the Solute Carrier 6 Gene Family in Silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xin; Liu, Huawei; Chen, Quanmei; Wang, Xin; Xiong, Ying; Zhao, Ping

2016-10-03

The solute carrier 6 (SLC6) gene family, initially known as the neurotransmitter transporters, plays vital roles in the regulation of neurotransmitter signaling, nutrient absorption and motor behavior. In this study, a total of 16 candidate genes were identified as SLC6 family gene homologs in the silkworm (Bombyx mori) genome. Spatio-temporal expression patterns of silkworm SLC6 gene transcripts indicated that these genes were highly and specifically expressed in midgut, brain and gonads; moreover, these genes were expressed primarily at the feeding stage or adult stage. Levels of expression for most midgut-specific and midgut-enriched gene transcripts were down-regulated after starvation but up-regulated after re-feeding. In addition, we observed that expression levels of these genes except for BmSLC6-15 and BmGT1 were markedly up-regulated by a juvenile hormone analog. Moreover, brain-enriched genes showed differential expression patterns during wandering and mating processes, suggesting that these genes may be involved in modulating wandering and mating behaviors. Our results improve our understanding of the expression patterns and potential physiological functions of the SLC6 gene family, and provide valuable information for the comprehensive functional analysis of the SLC6 gene family.

Internet, Electronic Libraries, and Information Retrieval Internet, Elektronik Kütüphaneler ve Bilgi Erişim

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaşar Tonta

1996-09-01

Full Text Available The number of information systems that are accessible through the Internet is constantly increasing. Information systems on those systems are getting varied and occupy more space, too. Up until a few years ago, only textual information sources were accessible via computer networks, whereas today multimedia information sources containing graphics, sound, pictures, and animation are also accessible over the Internet. Geographic information systems, electronic libraries, film and TV archives can he given as examples of multimedia information sources, We point out that information retrieval should he seen as an integral component of the computer networks, and technological, economic, and legal problems in this field should he solved. We end up with what should he done to improve the library and information services that arc accessible through the Internet in Turkey. Günümüzde Internet aracılığıyla erişilebilen bilgi sistemlerinin sayısı hızla artmaktadır. Bu sistemler üzerindeki bilgi kaynakları da giderek çeşitlenmekte ve daha fazla yer kaplamaktadır. Yakın zamana dek bilgisayar ağları aracılığıyla çoğunlukla metin (text türü bilgilere erişim sağlanabilirken, günümüzde grafik, ses, görüntü, canlandırma ve diğer görsel-işitsel veriler içeren çokluortam (multimedia türü bilgiler de Internet üzerinde hizmete sunulabilmektedir. Coğrafik bilgi sistemleri, elektronik kütüphaneler, film ve TV arşivleri bu tür bilgilere örnek olarak gösterilebilir. Bu makalede Internet aracılığıyla bilgi erişim ve bilgi keşfetmede karşılaşılan sorunlar incelenmekte ve sayıca giderek artan ve çeşitlenen bilgi kaynaklarına erişimi kolaylaştırmak için yapılması gerekenler kısaca özetlenmektedir. Sonuç olarak bilgi erişimin, büyük paralar ve entellektüel çabalar harcanarak kurulan bilgisayar ağlarının bir parçası olarak görülmesi gerektiğine işaret edilerek bu alandaki teknolojik

Longshore water-current velocity and the potential for transport of contaminants—A pilot study in Lake Erie from Walnut Creek to Presque Isle State Park beaches, Erie, Pennsylvania, June and August 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Hittle, Elizabeth A.

2017-04-20

Bacteria-driven restrictions and (or) advisories on swimming at beaches in Presque Isle State Park (PISP), Erie, Pennsylvania, can occur during the summer months. One of the suspected sources of bacteria is sediment. A terrestrial sediment source to the west of PISP is Walnut Creek, which discharges to Lake Erie about 8.5 kilometers southwest of PISP Beach 1. On June 24, June 25, August 18, and August 19, 2015, synoptic surveys were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Sea Grant, in Lake Erie between Walnut Creek and PISP Beach 1 to characterize the water-current velocity and direction to determine whether sediment from Walnut Creek could be affecting the PISP beaches. Water-quality data (temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity) were collected in conjunction with the synoptic surveys in June. Water-quality data (Escherichia coli [E. coli] bacteria, temperature, and turbidity) were collected about a meter from the shore (nearshore) on June 24, August 19, and after a precipitation event on August 11, 2015. Additionally, suspended sediment was collected nearshore on June 24 and August 11, 2015. Samples collected near Walnut Creek during all three bacterial sampling events contained higher counts than other samples. Counts steadily decreased from west to east, then increased about 1–2 kilometers from PISP Beach 1; however, this study was not focused on examining other potential sources of bacteria.The Velocity Mapping Toolbox (VMT) was used to process the water-current synoptic surveys, and the results were visualized within ArcMap. For the survey accomplished on June 24, 2015, potential paths a particle could take between Walnut Creek and PSIP Beach 1 if conditions remained steady over a number of hours were visualized. However, the water-current velocity and direction were variable from one day to the other, indicating this was likely an unrealistic assumption for the study area. This analysis was not accomplished

Effects of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on metal cycling in Lake Erie

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klerks, P.L.; Fraleigh, P.C.; Lawniczak, J.E.

1997-01-01

This research demonstrated the impact of high densities of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on the cycling of copper, nickel, and zinc in a lake environment. Experiments with mussels on sedimentation traps in western Lake Erie and with mussels in flow-through tanks receiving Lake Erie water showed that zebra mussels remove metals from the water column, incorporate metals in their tissues, and deposit metals on the lake bottom. Removal of metals from the water column was estimated at 10-17%·day -1 of the amounts present. This material was largely deposited on the lake bottom; zebra mussels more than doubled the rate at which metals were being added to the lake bottom. Metal biodeposition rates were extremely high (e.g., 50 mg Zn·m -2 ·day -1 ) in high-turbidity areas with elevated metal levels. Two factors contributed to metal biodeposition by zebra mussels. First, their production of feces and pseudofeces increased the rate at which suspended matter was being added to the sediment (accounting for 92% of the increased metal biodeposition). Second, the material coming out of suspension had higher metal concentrations when zebra mussels were present (constituting 8% of the increased biodeposition). (author)

Expression and Activation of Horseradish Peroxidase-Protein A/G Fusion Protein in Silkworm Larvae for Diagnostic Purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Xxxx, Patmawati; Minamihata, Kosuke; Tatsuke, Tsuneyuki; Lee, Jae Man; Kusakabe, Takahiro; Kamiya, Noriho

2018-06-01

Recombinant protein production can create artificial proteins with desired functions by introducing genetic modifications to the target proteins. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been used extensively as a reporter enzyme in biotechnological applications; however, recombinant production of HRP has not been very successful, hampering the utilization of HRP with genetic modifications. A fusion protein comprising an antibody binding protein and HRP will be an ideal bio-probe for high-quality HRP-based diagnostic systems. A HRP-protein A/G fusion protein (HRP-pAG) is designed and its production in silkworm (Bombyx mori) is evaluated for the first time. HRP-pAG is expressed in a soluble apo form, and is activated successfully by incubating with hemin. The activated HRP-pAG is used directly for ELISA experiments and retains its activity over 20 days at 4 °C. Moreover, HRP-pAG is modified with biotin by the microbial transglutaminase (MTG) reaction. The biotinylated HRP-pAG is conjugated with streptavidin to form a HRP-pAG multimer and the multimeric HRP-pAG produced higher signals in the ELISA system than monomeric HRP-pAG. The successful production of recombinant HRP in silkworm will contribute to creating novel HRP-based bioconjugates as well as further functionalization of HRP by applying enzymatic post-translational modifications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advanced technologies for genetically manipulating the silkworm Bombyx mori, a model Lepidopteran insect

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hanfu; O'Brochta, David A.

2015-01-01

Genetic technologies based on transposon-mediated transgenesis along with several recently developed genome-editing technologies have become the preferred methods of choice for genetically manipulating many organisms. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a Lepidopteran insect of great economic importance because of its use in silk production and because it is a valuable model insect that has greatly enhanced our understanding of the biology of insects, including many agricultural pests. In the past 10 years, great advances have been achieved in the development of genetic technologies in B. mori, including transposon-based technologies that rely on piggyBac-mediated transgenesis and genome-editing technologies that rely on protein- or RNA-guided modification of chromosomes. The successful development and application of these technologies has not only facilitated a better understanding of B. mori and its use as a silk production system, but also provided valuable experiences that have contributed to the development of similar technologies in non-model insects. This review summarizes the technologies currently available for use in B. mori, their application to the study of gene function and their use in genetically modifying B. mori for biotechnology applications. The challenges, solutions and future prospects associated with the development and application of genetic technologies in B. mori are also discussed. PMID:26108630

76 FR 23799 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. P-2713-082] Erie Boulevard...: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC... Environmental Conservation, New York State Council of Trout Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the...

Comparative Sensor Fusion between Hyperspectral and Multispectral Remote Sensing Data for Monitoring Microcystin Distribution in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Urban growth and agricultural production have caused an influx of nutrients into Lake Erie, leading to eutrophic zones. These conditions result in the formation of algal blooms, some of which are toxic due to the presence of Microcystis (a cyanobacteria), which produces the hepat...

Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on the reproduction of silkworm.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Min; Li, Fanchi; Wang, Binbin; Xu, Kaizun; Zhang, Hua; Hu, Jingsheng; Tian, Jianghai; Shen, Weide; Li, Bing

2015-03-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an important economic insect and the model insect of Lepidoptera. Because of its high fecundity and short reproduction cycle, it has been widely used in reproduction and development research. The high concentrations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) show reproductive toxicity, while low concentrations of TiO2 NPs have been used as feed additive and demonstrated significant biological activities. However, whether the low concentrations of TiO2 NPs affect the reproduction of B. mori has not been reported. In this study, the growth and development of gonad of B. mori fed with a low concentration of TiO2 NPs (5 mg/L) were investigated by assessing egg production and expression of reproduction-related genes. The results showed that the low concentration of TiO2 NPs resulted in faster development of the ovaries and testes and more gamete differentiation and formation, with an average increase of 51 eggs per insect and 0.34 × 10(-4) g per egg after the feeding. The expressions of several reproduction-related genes were upregulated, such as the yolk-development-related genes Ovo-781 and vitellogenin (Vg) were increased by 5.33- and 6.77-folds, respectively. This study shows that TiO2 NPs feeding at low concentration can enhance the reproduction of B. mori, and these results are useful in developing new methods to improve fecundity in B. mori and providing new clues for its broad biological applications.

Snipper, an Eri1 homologue, affects histone mRNA abundance and is crucial for normal Drosophila melanogaster development.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexiadis, Anastasios; Delidakis, Christos; Kalantidis, Kriton

2017-07-01

The conserved 3'-5' RNA exonuclease ERI1 is implicated in RNA interference inhibition, 5.8S rRNA maturation and histone mRNA maturation and turnover. The single ERI1 homologue in Drosophila melanogaster Snipper (Snp) is a 3'-5' exonuclease, but its in vivo function remains elusive. Here, we report Snp requirement for normal Drosophila development, since its perturbation leads to larval arrest and tissue-specific downregulation results in abnormal tissue development. Additionally, Snp directly interacts with histone mRNA, and its depletion results in drastic reduction in histone transcript levels. We propose that Snp protects the 3'-ends of histone mRNAs and upon its absence, histone transcripts are readily degraded. This in turn may lead to cell cycle delay or arrest, causing growth arrest and developmental perturbations. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Simultaneous X-ray, UV, and Optical Variations in lambda ERI (B2e)

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, M. A.; Murakami, T.; Anandarao, B.

1996-12-01

We have carried out a simultaneous observing campaign on the prototypical Be star lambda Eri using ground stations and ROSAT, ASCA, IUE, and Voyager spacecrafts during the week of February-March 1995; a smaller campaign was carried out the following September. In late February lambda Eri showed extraordinary disk-wind activity. ROSAT/HRI monitoring disclosed no large flares such as ROSAT observed in 1991 in lambda Eri. Possible low amplitude fluctuations in the 1995 data occurred at the same time with unusual activity in Hα , HeI lambda 6678, HeII lambda 1640, CIII, and the CIV doublet. The helium line activity suggests that mass ejection occurred at the base of the wind. The strong CIII and CIV lines implies that shock interactions originated in the wind flow. It is not clear that the X-ray fluctuations are directly related to the increases in wind line absorption. Within hours of the mild X-ray flux variations found by ROSAT on February 28, the Voyager UVS observed a ``ringing" that decayed over three 3-hr. cycles. The amplitude of these fluctuations was large (50%) at lambda lambda 950-1100, decreased rapidly with wavelength, and faded to nondetection above lambda 1300. Various considerations indicate that these continuum variations were not due to an instrument pathology in the UVS. Rather, they appear to be due to a time-dependent flux deficit in the lambda lambda 1250 during the minima of these cycles. We outline a scenario in which dense plasma over the star's surface is alternately heated and cooled quasi-periodically to produce the flux changes. Additional examples of this new phenomenon are needed. Amateur astronomers can make a significant contribution to the understanding of flickering in Be star light curves during their outburst phases. We also draw attention to an increase in the emission of the Hα line that occurred at about the same time the FUV ringing started. This increased emission hints that ~ 50,000K plasma near the star's surface can

77 FR 35619 - Safety Zone; Old Fashion 4th July Fireworks, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-14

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Old Fashion 4th July Fireworks, Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... during the Old Fashion 4th July Fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect... ensure the safety of spectators and vessels during the Old Fashion 4th July Fireworks. [[Page 35620...

Detection and Modeling of a Meteotsunami in Lake Erie During a High Wind Event on May 27, 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, E. J.; Schwab, D. J.; Lombardy, K. A.; LaPlante, R. E.

2012-12-01

On May 27, 2012, a mesoscale convective system moved southeast across the central basin of Lake Erie (the shallowest of the Great Lakes) causing an increase in surface wind speed from 3 to 15 m/s over a few minutes. Although no significant pressure change was observed during this period (+1 mbar), the storm resulted in 3 reported edge waves on the southern shore (5 minutes apart), with wave heights up to 7 feet (2.13 m). Witnesses along the coast reported that the water receded before the waves hit, the only warning of the impending danger. After impact on the southern shore, several individuals were stranded in the water near Cleveland, Ohio. Fortunately, there were no fatalities or serious injury as a result of the edge waves. The storm event yielded two separate but similar squall line events that impacted the southern shore of Lake Erie several hours apart. The first event had little impact on nearshore conditions, however, the second event (moving south-eastward at 21.1 m/s or 41 knots), resulted in 7 ft waves near Cleveland as reported above. The thunderstorms generated three closely packed outflow boundaries that intersected the southern shore of Lake Erie between 1700 and 1730 UTC. The outflow boundaries were followed by a stronger outflow at 1800 UTC. Radial velocities on the WSR-88D in Cleveland, Ohio indicated the winds were stronger in the second outflow boundary. The radar indicated winds between 20.6 and 24.7 m/s (40 and 48 knots) within 240 meters (800 feet) above ground level. In order to better understand the storm event and the cause of the waves that impacted the southern shore, a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of Lake Erie has been developed using the Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). The model is being developed as part of the Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting (GLCFS), a set of experimental real-time pre-operational hydrodynamic models run at the NOAA Great Lakes Research Laboratory that forecast currents, waves, temperature, and

Seasonal and interannual effects of hypoxia on fish habitat quality in central Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Arend, Kristin K.; Beletsky, Dmitry; DePinto, Joseph; Ludsin, Stuart A.; Roberts, James J.; Rucinski, Daniel K.; Scavia, Donald; Schwab, David J.; Höök, Tomas O.

2011-01-01

1. Hypoxia occurs seasonally in many stratified coastal marine and freshwater ecosystems when bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations are depleted below 2–3 mg O2 L-1. 2. We evaluated the effects of hypoxia on fish habitat quality in the central basin of Lake Erie from 1987 to 2005, using bioenergetic growth rate potential (GRP) as a proxy for habitat quality. We compared the effect of hypoxia on habitat quality of (i) rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax mordax Mitchill (young-of-year, YOY, and adult), a cold-water planktivore, (ii) emerald shiner, Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque (adult), a warm-water planktivore, (iii) yellow perch, Perca flavescens Mitchill (YOY and adult), a cool-water benthopelagic omnivore and (iv) round goby Neogobius melanostomus Pallas (adult) a eurythermal benthivore. Annual thermal and DO profiles were generated from 1D thermal and DO hydrodynamics models developed for Lake Erie’s central basin. 3. Hypoxia occurred annually, typically from mid-July to mid-October, which spatially and temporally overlaps with otherwise high benthic habitat quality. Hypoxia reduced the habitat quality across fish species and life stages, but the magnitude of the reduction varied both among and within species because of the differences in tolerance to low DO levels and warm-water temperatures. 4. Across years, trends in habitat quality mirrored trends in phosphorus concentration and water column oxygen demand in central Lake Erie. The per cent reduction in habitat quality owing to hypoxia was greatest for adult rainbow smelt and round goby (mean: -35%), followed by adult emerald shiner (mean: -12%), YOY rainbow smelt (mean: -10%) and YOY and adult yellow perch (mean: -8.5%). 5. Our results highlight the importance of differential spatiotemporally interactive effects of DO and temperature on relative fish habitat quality and quantity. These effects have the potential to influence the performance of individual fish species as well as population dynamics

Purification and some properties of G-factor from the silk gland of silkworm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taira, Hideharu; Ejiri, Shin-ichiro; Shimura, Kensuke

1972-01-01

Purification of G-factor from the silk gland of silkworms and some of its properties have been studied in comparison with the G-factor from E. coli and rat liver transferase II. In the experiment, GTP-γ- 32 P was prepared from GDP and 32 Pi by photophosphorylation with spinach chloroplasts, and purified by Dowex-1 chromatography. The purified G-factor was homogeneous on disc gel electrophoresis. Molecular weight of 80,000 was estimated from a calibrated Sephadex G-200 column. The purified G-factor exhibited uncoupled ribosome-dependent GTPase activity, and was inhibited by fusidic acid, SH inhibitor, and diphtheria toxin plus NAD. The G-factor from E. coli and that from the silk gland were not interchangeable in GTPase reaction. (Yamanoto, Y.)

Purification and some properties of G-factor from the silk gland of silkworm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taira, H; Ejiri, S I; Shimura, K [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture

1972-12-01

Purification of G-factor from the silk gland of silkworms and some of its properties have been studied in comparison with the G-factor from E. coli and rat liver transferase II. In the experiment, GTP-..gamma..-/sup 32/P was prepared from GDP and /sup 32/Pi by photophosphorylation with spinach chloroplasts, and purified by Dowex-1 chromatography. The purified G-factor was homogeneous on disc gel electrophoresis. Molecular weight of 80,000 was estimated from a calibrated Sephadex G-200 column. The purified G-factor exhibited uncoupled ribosome-dependent GTPase activity, and was inhibited by fusidic acid, SH inhibitor, and diphtheria toxin plus NAD. The G-factor from E. coli and that from the silk gland were not interchangeable in GTPase reaction.

76 FR 59682 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Dispute Resolution Panel Meeting and Technical Conference

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-27

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7518-012] Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Dispute Resolution Panel Meeting and Technical Conference On September 16, 2011, Commission staff, in response to the filing of notice of study dispute by the New York State Department of...

Effects of heavy metals on the mulberry plant and silkworm. I. Effects of cadmium and zinc on silkworm larvae, Bombyx mori L

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyoshi, T; Miyazawa, F; Shimizu, O

1971-08-01

Cadmium sulfate and zinc sulate salts in graded concentration were fed to silkworm larvae using an artificial diet. Tests were done at three periods, from hatching to pupation, from the beginning of the 3rd instar to pupation, and in the last (5th) instar period. The results obtained are as follows: when the concentration of Cd (as Cd element of CdSO/sub 4/) in diet was over 50 ppm in the 1st instar test and over 200 ppm in the 3rd and the 5th instar tests, all insects were dead before pupation. When the concentration of Cd was over 10 ppm in all tests the cocoon layer became lighter than controls. We conclude that the safety level of Cd concentration in diet is 5 ppm. When the concentration of Zn (as Zn element of ZnSO/sub 4/) in diet was over 200 ppm in the 1st and the 3rd instar tests and over 400 ppm in the last instar test, the cocoon layer become lighter. We conclude that safety level of Zn concentration in diet is 100 ppm.

Increase deposition of organic matter, polychlorinated biphenyls, and cadmium by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in western Lake Erie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dobson, E. P; Mackie, G. L. [Guelph Univ., Dept. of Zoology, ON (Canada)

1998-05-01

Biodeposition of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)and cadmium by zebra mussels in the western basin of Lake Erie was investigated using sediment traps, and compared to natural rates of sedimentation. On a per unit area of organic matter, deposition rates by zebra mussels up to eight to ten times higher than natural rates of sedimentation were found. These results suggest that zebra mussels are altering contaminant movement in western Lake Erie. At the same time, it was also suggested that the net effect of biodeposition may not be as great as shown in this study since only the effects of zebra mussels on the flux of the contaminants was examined and the re-suspension factor was not considered. It was recommended that to better understand the overall effects of zebra mussels on contaminant dynamics in aquatic environments, future studies should incorporate the re-suspension factors. 27 refs., 8 tabs., 3 figs.

Long-term ecosystem monitoring and assessment of the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartig, J H; Zarull, M A; Ciborowski, J J H; Gannon, J E; Wilke, E; Norwood, G; Vincent, A N

2009-11-01

Over 35 years of US and Canadian pollution prevention and control efforts have led to substantial improvements in environmental quality of the Detroit River and western Lake Erie. However, the available information also shows that much remains to be done. Improvements in environmental quality have resulted in significant ecological recovery, including increasing populations of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), peregrine falcons (Falco columbarius), lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), walleye (Sander vitreus), and burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia spp.). Although this recovery is remarkable, many challenges remain, including population growth, transportation expansion, and land use changes; nonpoint source pollution; toxic substances contamination; habitat loss and degradation; introduction of exotic species; and greenhouse gases and global warming. Research/monitoring must be sustained for effective management. Priority research and monitoring needs include: demonstrating and quantifying cause-effect relationships; establishing quantitative endpoints and desired future states; determining cumulative impacts and how indicators relate; improving modeling and prediction; prioritizing geographic areas for protection and restoration; and fostering long-term monitoring for adaptive management. Key management agencies, universities, and environmental and conservation organizations should pool resources and undertake comprehensive and integrative assessments of the health of the Detroit River and western Lake Erie at least every 5 years to practice adaptive management for long-term sustainability.

Effects of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on metal cycling in Lake Erie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klerks, P.L. [Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Dept. of Biology, Lafayette, Louisiana (United States)]. E-mail: klerks@usl.edu; Fraleigh, P.C.; Lawniczak, J.E. [Univ. of Toledo, Dept. of Biology, Toledo, Ohio (United States)

1997-07-15

This research demonstrated the impact of high densities of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on the cycling of copper, nickel, and zinc in a lake environment. Experiments with mussels on sedimentation traps in western Lake Erie and with mussels in flow-through tanks receiving Lake Erie water showed that zebra mussels remove metals from the water column, incorporate metals in their tissues, and deposit metals on the lake bottom. Removal of metals from the water column was estimated at 10-17%{center_dot}day{sup -1} of the amounts present. This material was largely deposited on the lake bottom; zebra mussels more than doubled the rate at which metals were being added to the lake bottom. Metal biodeposition rates were extremely high (e.g., 50 mg Zn{center_dot}m{sup -2}{center_dot}day{sup -1}) in high-turbidity areas with elevated metal levels. Two factors contributed to metal biodeposition by zebra mussels. First, their production of feces and pseudofeces increased the rate at which suspended matter was being added to the sediment (accounting for 92% of the increased metal biodeposition). Second, the material coming out of suspension had higher metal concentrations when zebra mussels were present (constituting 8% of the increased biodeposition). (author)

On the Breeding of Bivoltine Breeds of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae, Tolerant to High Temperature and High Humidity Conditions of the Tropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harjeet Singh

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The hot climatic conditions of tropics prevailing particularly in summer are contributing to the poor performance of the bivoltine breeds and the most important aspect is that many quantitative characters such as viability and cocoon traits decline sharply when temperature is high. Hence, in a tropical country like India, it is very essential to develop bivoltine breeds/hybrids which can withstand the high temperature stress conditions. This has resulted in the development of CSR18 × CSR19, compatible hybrid for rearing throughout the year by utilizing Japanese thermotolerant hybrids as breeding resource material. Though, the introduction of CSR18 × CSR19 in the field during summer months had considerable impact, the productivity level and returns realized do not match that of other productive CSR hybrids. Therefore, the acceptance level of this hybrid with the farmers was not up to the expected level. This has necessitated the development of a temperature tolerant hybrid with better productivity traits than CSR18 × CSR19. Though, it was a difficult task to break the negative correlation associated with survival and productivity traits, attempts on this line had resulted in the development of CSR46 × CSR47, a temperature tolerant bivoltine hybrid with better productivity traits than CSR18 × CSR19. However, though, these hybrids are tolerant to high temperature environments, they are not tolerant to many of the silkworm diseases. Keeping this in view, an attempt is made to develop silkworm hybrids tolerant to high temperature environments.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a short peptidoglycan recognition protein from silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, P-J; Zhan, M-Y; Ye, C; Yu, X-Q; Rao, X-J

2017-12-01

Peptidoglycan is the major bacterial component recognized by the insect immune system. Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are a family of pattern-recognition receptors that recognize peptidoglycans and modulate innate immune responses. Some PGRPs retain N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (Enzyme Commission number: 3.5.1.28) activity to hydrolyse bacterial peptidoglycans. Others have lost the enzymatic activity and work only as immune receptors. They are all important modulators for innate immunity. Here, we report the cloning and functional analysis of PGRP-S4, a short-form PGRP from the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. The PGRP-S4 gene encodes a protein of 199 amino acids with a signal peptide and a PGRP domain. PGRP-S4 was expressed in the fat body, haemocytes and midgut. Its expression level was significantly induced by bacterial challenges in the midgut. The recombinant PGRP-S4 bound bacteria and different peptidoglycans. In addition, it inhibited bacterial growth and hydrolysed an Escherichia coli peptidoglycan in the presence of Zn 2+ . Scanning electron microscopy showed that PGRP-S4 disrupted the bacterial cell surface. PGRP-S4 further increased prophenoloxidase activation caused by peptidoglycans. Taken together, our data suggest that B. mori PGRP-S4 has multiple functions in immunity. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

Stage-dependent and temperature-controlled expression of the gene encoding the precursor protein of diapause hormone and pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, W H; Sato, Y; Ikeda, M; Yamashita, O

1995-02-24

Embryonic diapause and sex pheromone biosynthesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, are, respectively, induced by diapause hormone (DH) and pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), which are produced in the subesophageal ganglion from a common polyprotein precursor (DH-PBAN precursor) encoded by a single gene (DH-PBAN gene). Using DH-PBAN cDNA as a probe, we quantitatively measured DH-PBAN mRNA content throughout embryonic and postembryonic development and observed the effects of incubation temperature, which is a key factor for determination of diapause, on DH-PBAN gene expression. The silkworm, which is programmed to lay diapause eggs by being incubated at 25 degrees C, showed peaks of DH-PBAN mRNA content at five different stages throughout the life cycle: at the late embryonic stage, at the middle of the fourth and the fifth larval instars, and at early and late stages of pupal-adult development. In the non-diapause type silkworms programmed by a 15 degrees C incubation, only the last peak of DH-PBAN mRNA in pupal-adult development was found, and the other peaks were absent. Furthermore, interruption of the incubation period at 25 degrees C by incubation at 15 degrees C decreased both DH-PBAN mRNA content in mature embryos and in subesophageal ganglia of day 3 pupae and the incidence of diapause eggs. Thus, there were two types of regulatory mechanisms for DH-PBAN gene expression. One is a temperature-controlled expression that is responsible for diapause induction, and the other is a temperature-independent, stage-dependent expression related to pheromone production.

Usûlî Kıyasın Bilgi ve Amel Değeri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yrd.Doç.Dr. Temel Kacır

2016-06-01

Full Text Available “Ortak bir illete sahip olmaları nedeniyle, aslın hükmünün fer‘e verilmesidir" şeklinde tanımlanan usûlî kıyasın bilgi ve amel değeri, ilk dönemden itibaren tartışma konusu olmuştur. Şöyle ki; hüküm verme yetkisi sadece Şar‘î’e ait olduğu halde usûlî kıyasın dinde hüküm verme anlamına geldiği ve bilgi değerinin de nasslarca yerilmiş zan olduğu gibi bazı argümanlar ileri sürerek usûlî kıyası reddedenler olsa da, çoğunluk tarafından usûlî kıyas aslî ve şer‘î delil olarak kabul edilmiş ve elde edilen bu hüküm ile amel edilmesi gerekli görülmüştür. Bu çalışma, usûlî kıyası kabul eden ve etmeyenlerin görüşlerini mukayese etmenin ötesinde, usûlî kıyasın salt aklî bir çaba olmadığını, kendisi ile ulaşılan bilginin naslarda yerilen zan olmayıp aksine delile dayalı zannın en üst derecesi olduğunu ve bunun da furû fıkıhta amel için yeterli olduğunu naklî ve aklî deliller ile ele alan bir çalışmadır. Kıyasla ilgili genel bir çerçeve çizildikten sonra, usûlî kıyas ve deliller hiyerarşisindeki yeri ve kıyasın bilgi ve amelî değeri ile sınırlandırılan bu makale ile usûlî kıyasın bilgi ve amel değeri konusundaki tartışmalara açıklık getirilmek istenmektedir.

Bombyx mori E26 transformation-specific 2 (BmEts2), an Ets family protein, represses Bombyx mori Rels (BmRels)-mediated promoter activation of antimicrobial peptide genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, H; Sagisaka, A; Suzuki, N; Yamakawa, M

2016-10-01

E26 transformation-specific (Ets) family transcription factors are known to play roles in various biological phenomena, including immunity, in vertebrates. However, the mechanisms by which Ets proteins contribute to immunity in invertebrates remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a cDNA encoding BmEts2, which is a putative orthologue of Drosophila Yan and human translocation-ets-leukemia/Ets-variant gene 6, from the silkworm Bombyx mori. Expression of the BmEts2 gene was significantly increased in the fat bodies of silkworm larvae in response to injection with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. BmEts2 overexpression dramatically repressed B. mori Rels (BmRels)-mediated promoter activation of antimicrobial peptide genes in silkworm cells. Conversely, gene knockdown of BmEts2 significantly enhanced BmRels activity. In addition, two κB sites located on the 5' upstream region of cecropin B1 were found to be involved in the repression of BmRels-mediated promoter activation. Protein-competition analysis further demonstrated that BmEts2 competitively inhibited binding of BmRels to κB sites. Overall, BmEts2 acts as a repressor of BmRels-mediated transactivation of antimicrobial protein genes by inhibiting the binding of BmRels to κB sites. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.

A description of the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Papachristos, Alexander; Edwards, Elton; Dowrick, Adam; Gosling, Cameron

2014-09-01

Despite a number of injury prevention campaigns and interventions, horse riding continues to be a dangerous activity, resulting in more accidents per hour than motorcycling, skiing and football. Injuries are often serious, with one in four patients requiring admission to hospital. This study aims to describe the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using both clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes. A retrospective study of all patients aged ≥18 years admitted to The Alfred Hospital between January 2003 and January 2008 with an ERI was performed. Specific clinical data were extracted from the medical record. In addition, a questionnaire was conducted identifying the details of the accident, the required recovery time and levels of ongoing pain and physical disability. During the study period 172 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were three deaths (2%). Eighty-two patients (48%) suffered head injuries. Forty-one patients (24%) were admitted to the ICU and 31 patients (18%) required mechanical ventilation. On discharge, 41 patients (24%) required transfer to a sub-acute rehabilitation facility. One-hundred-and-twenty-four patients (72%) completed the questionnaire. Thirty-nine respondents (31%) were not wearing a helmet. Among patients injured for more than 6 months, 38 (35%) still experienced moderate or severe pain or disability. Ninety-five patients had returned to work at the time of review, among which 47(50%) required longer than 6 months to recover, and 40 (42%) returned at a reduced capacity. The clinical and patient-reported outcomes of ERIs requiring hospital admission are poor. Persistent pain and disability are common, even up to 5 years post-injury. A large proportion of patients required longer than 6 months to return to work and many return at a reduced capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 4097 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-24

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2713-082] Erie Boulevard... Oswegatchie River and consists of: (1) A 941-foot-long dam with a 192-foot-long, 69-foot-high concrete gravity... seasonal flash boards; (2) a 168-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 3,234 acre-feet and a...

Distribution of native mussel (unionidae) assemblages in coastal areas of Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and connecting channels, twenty-five years after a dreissenid invasion

Science.gov (United States)

Zanatta, David T.; Bossenbroek, Jonathan M.; Burlakova, Lyubov E.; Crail, Todd D.; Szalay, Ferenc de; Griffith, Traci A.; Kapusinski, Douglas; Karatayev, Alexander Y.; Krebs, Robert A.; Meyer, Elizabeth S.; Paterson, Wendy L.; Prescott, Trevor J.; Rowe, Matthew T.; Schloesser, Donald W.; Walsh, Mary C.

2015-01-01

Over the past 25 years, unionid mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America have been adversely impacted by invasive dreissenid mussels, which directly (e.g., by attachment to unionid shells) and indirectly (e.g., by competing for food) cause mortality. Despite the invasion, unionids have survived in several areas in the presence of dreissenid mussels. We investigated current spatial patterns in these native mussel refuges based on surveys for unionid mussels across 48 sampling locations (141 sites) in 2011 and 2012, and documented species abundance and diversity in coastal areas of lakes St. Clair and Erie. The highest-quality assemblages of native mussels (densities, richness, and diversity) appear to be concentrated in the St. Clair delta, where abundance continues to decline, as well as in in Thompson Bay of Presque Isle in Lake Erie and in just a few coastal wetlands and drowned river-mouths in the western basin of Lake Erie. The discovery of several new refuge areas suggests that unionids have a broader distribution within the region than previously thought.

Nitrogen cycling in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie: oscillations between strong and weak export and implications for harmful algal blooms

Science.gov (United States)

Salk, Kateri R.; Bullerjahn, George S.; McKay, Robert Michael L.; Chaffin, Justin D.; Ostrom, Nathaniel E.

2018-05-01

Recent global water quality crises point to an urgent need for greater understanding of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) and their drivers. Nearshore areas of Lake Erie such as Sandusky Bay may become seasonally limited by nitrogen (N) and are characterized by distinct cHAB compositions (i.e., Planktothrix over Microcystis). This study investigated phytoplankton N uptake pathways, determined drivers of N depletion, and characterized the N budget in Sandusky Bay. Nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) uptake, N fixation, and N removal processes were quantified by stable isotopic approaches. Dissimilatory N reduction was a relatively modest N sink, with denitrification, anammox, and N2O production accounting for 84, 14, and 2 % of sediment N removal, respectively. Phytoplankton assimilation was the dominant N uptake mechanism, and NO3- uptake rates were higher than NH4+ uptake rates. Riverine N loading was sometimes insufficient to meet assimilatory and dissimilatory demands, but N fixation alleviated this deficit. N fixation made up 23.7-85.4 % of total phytoplankton N acquisition and indirectly supports Planktothrix blooms. However, N fixation rates were surprisingly uncorrelated with NO3- or NH4+ concentrations. Owing to temporal separation in sources and sinks of N to Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay oscillates between a conduit and a filter of downstream N loading to Lake Erie, delivering extensively recycled forms of N during periods of low export. Drowned river mouths such as Sandusky Bay are mediators of downstream N loading, but climate-change-induced increases in precipitation and N loading will likely intensify N export from these systems.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships among microsporidian isolates infecting silkworm, Bombyx mori using small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene sequence analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, B Surendra; Gupta, S K; Bajpai, A K

2012-12-01

The life cycle, spore morphology, pathogenicity, tissue specificity, mode of transmission and small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene sequence analysis of the five new microsporidian isolates viz., NIWB-11bp, NIWB-12n, NIWB-13md, NIWB-14b and NIWB-15mb identified from the silkworm, Bombyx mori have been studied along with type species, NIK-1s_mys. The life cycle of the microsporidians identified exhibited the sequential developmental cycles that are similar to the general developmental cycle of the genus, Nosema. The spores showed considerable variations in their shape, length and width. The pathogenicity observed was dose-dependent and differed from each of the microsporidian isolates; the NIWB-15mb was found to be more virulent than other isolates. All of the microsporidians were found to infect most of the tissues examined and showed gonadal infection and transovarial transmission in the infected silkworms. SSU-rRNA sequence based phylogenetic tree placed NIWB-14b, NIWB-12n and NIWB-11bp in a separate branch along with other Nosema species and Nosema bombycis; while NIWB-15mb and NIWB-13md together formed another cluster along with other Nosema species. NIK-1s_mys revealed a signature sequence similar to standard type species, N. bombycis, indicating that NIK-1s_mys is similar to N. bombycis. Based on phylogenetic relationships, branch length information based on genetic distance and nucleotide differences, we conclude that the microsporidian isolates identified are distinctly different from the other known species and belonging to the genus, Nosema. This SSU-rRNA gene sequence analysis method is found to be more useful approach in detecting different and closely related microsporidians of this economically important domestic insect.

Effect of UV irradiation on the early development of silkworm embryos, (2). Development of irradiated eggs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobayashi, Y. (Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture)

1981-02-01

The development of silkworm eggs irradiated with UV was compared with that of normal eggs. When the eggs were irradiated with UV from the lateral side immediately after oviposition, development was decelerated, but the germ band was produced. The side of the germ band that was irradiated with UV was abnormal with holes, but the opposite side was hole-free and normal. The normal half of the germ band splits longitudinally, but developed along with the abnormal half to form various malformations. When the eggs were irradiated from the ventral side, the ventral part of the germ band was abnormal at the early stage, the germ band did not concentrate to one place, and produced the half-embryos longitudinally divided by the median line. The UV irradiation at the beginning of the blastoderm stage produced similar results. In the areas irradiated by UV, cleavage nuclei invaded into the surrounding protoplasm, and mitotic figures were observed, but the cell number did not increase even with the advance of development unlike normal cells, whereas the sizes of the cells, their nuclei and nucleoli were enlarged, and intercellular space widened so that the cells were no longer in close contact. The germ band cells produced in the non-irradiated area were normal. The above results suggest that when either the protoplasm or the nucleus of a silkworm egg is damaged by UV, the effect first appears as the inhibition of cell division in the germ band, and as the enlargement of the cell, nucleus and nucleoli. It is presumed that this induces the subsequent inhibition of cell differentiation or abnormalities.

Molecular cloning and characterization of novel Morus alba germin-like protein gene which encodes for a silkworm gut digestion-resistant antimicrobial protein.

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Bharat Bhusan Patnaik

Full Text Available Silkworm fecal matter is considered one of the richest sources of antimicrobial and antiviral protein (substances and such economically feasible and eco-friendly proteins acting as secondary metabolites from the insect system can be explored for their practical utility in conferring broad spectrum disease resistance against pathogenic microbial specimens.Silkworm fecal matter extracts prepared in 0.02 M phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4, at a temperature of 60°C was subjected to 40% saturated ammonium sulphate precipitation and purified by gel-filtration chromatography (GFC. SDS-PAGE under denaturing conditions showed a single band at about 21.5 kDa. The peak fraction, thus obtained by GFC wastested for homogeneityusing C18reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. The activity of the purified protein was tested against selected Gram +/- bacteria and phytopathogenic Fusarium species with concentration-dependent inhibitionrelationship. The purified bioactive protein was subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS and N-terminal sequencing by Edman degradation towards its identification. The N-terminal first 18 amino acid sequence following the predicted signal peptide showed homology to plant germin-like proteins (Glp. In order to characterize the full-length gene sequence in detail, the partial cDNA was cloned and sequenced using degenerate primers, followed by 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE-PCR. The full-length cDNA sequence composed of 630 bp encoding 209 amino acids and corresponded to germin-like proteins (Glps involved in plant development and defense.The study reports, characterization of novel Glpbelonging to subfamily 3 from M. alba by the purification of mature active protein from silkworm fecal matter. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein was found similar to the deduced amino acid sequence (without the transit

High-titer preparation of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV displaying recombinant protein in silkworm larvae by size exclusion chromatography and its characterization

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Tanaka Shigeyasu

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Budded baculoviruses are utilized for vaccine, the production of antibody and functional analysis of transmembrane proteins. In this study, we tried to produce and purify the recombinant Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (rBmNPV-hPRR that displayed human (prorenin receptor (hPRR connected with FLAG peptide sequence on its own surface. These particles were used for further binding analysis of hPRR to human prorenin. The rBmNPV-hPRR was produced in silkworm larvae and purified from its hemolymph using size exclusion chromatography (SEC. Results A rapid method of BmNPV titer determination in hemolymph was performed using quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR. A correlation coefficient of BmNPV determination between end-point dilution and Q-PCR methods was found to be 0.99. rBmNPV-hPRR bacmid-injected silkworm larvae produced recombinant baculovirus of 1.31 × 108 plaque forming unit (pfu in hemolymph, which was 2.8 × 104 times higher than transfection solution in Bm5 cells. Its purification yield by Sephacryl S-1000 SF column chromatography was 264 fold from larval hemolymph at 4 days post-injection (p.i., but 35 or 39 fold at 4.5 or 5 days p.i., respectively. Protein patterns of rBmNPV-hPRR purified at 4 and 5 days were the same and ratio of envelope proteins (76, 45 and 35 kDa to VP39, one of nucleocapsid proteins, increased at 5 days p.i. hPRR was detected in only purified rBmNPV-hPRR at 5 days p.i.. Conclusion The successful purification of rBmNPV-hPRR indicates that baculovirus production using silkworm larvae and its purification from hemolymph by Sephacryl S-1000 SF column chromatography can provide an economical approach in obtaining the purified BmNPV stocks with high titer for large-scale production of hPRR. Also, it can be utilized for further binding analysis and screening of inhibitors of hPRR.

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Novel Morus alba Germin-Like Protein Gene Which Encodes for a Silkworm Gut Digestion-Resistant Antimicrobial Protein

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Patnaik, Bharat Bhusan; Kim, Dong Hyun; Oh, Seung Han; Song, Yong-Su; Chanh, Nguyen Dang Minh; Kim, Jong Sun; Jung, Woo-jin; Saha, Atul Kumar; Bindroo, Bharat Bhushan; Han, Yeon Soo

2012-01-01

Background Silkworm fecal matter is considered one of the richest sources of antimicrobial and antiviral protein (substances) and such economically feasible and eco-friendly proteins acting as secondary metabolites from the insect system can be explored for their practical utility in conferring broad spectrum disease resistance against pathogenic microbial specimens. Methodology/Principal Findings Silkworm fecal matter extracts prepared in 0.02 M phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4), at a temperature of 60°C was subjected to 40% saturated ammonium sulphate precipitation and purified by gel-filtration chromatography (GFC). SDS-PAGE under denaturing conditions showed a single band at about 21.5 kDa. The peak fraction, thus obtained by GFC wastested for homogeneityusing C18reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The activity of the purified protein was tested against selected Gram +/− bacteria and phytopathogenic Fusarium species with concentration-dependent inhibitionrelationship. The purified bioactive protein was subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and N-terminal sequencing by Edman degradation towards its identification. The N-terminal first 18 amino acid sequence following the predicted signal peptide showed homology to plant germin-like proteins (Glp). In order to characterize the full-length gene sequence in detail, the partial cDNA was cloned and sequenced using degenerate primers, followed by 5′- and 3′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE-PCR). The full-length cDNA sequence composed of 630 bp encoding 209 amino acids and corresponded to germin-like proteins (Glps) involved in plant development and defense. Conclusions/Significance The study reports, characterization of novel Glpbelonging to subfamily 3 from M. alba by the purification of mature active protein from silkworm fecal matter. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein was found

Inter- and intra-population genetic variability of introduced silkworm (Bombyx mori L. strains raised in Bulgaria

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Teodora Staykova

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The genetic variability of four populations belonging to two introduced silkworm strains (Bombyx mori L. of various origins has been studied using isoenzymic analysis of six enzyme systems. Nonspecific esterases, phosphoglucomutase, malate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and hexokinase from different tissue of larvae 5th instar have been analysed using PAGE. Polymorphism in six from a total of nine loci has been found. Inter- and intra-population differences have been ascertained expressed in different allele composition of the gene pool and different frequencies of alleles. A higher degree of inter-population variability has been reported on the acid phosphatase and a lower one – on the phosphoglucomutase.

78 FR 62348 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.; Notice of Application Tendered for Filing With the Commission and...

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2013-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7518-015] Erie Boulevard... and a maximum storage capacity of approximately 112 acre-feet; (2) a 247- foot-long, 11.5-foot-high concrete gravity dam with a spillway crest elevation of 165.2 feet above mean sea level; (3) a 34-foot-long...

76 FR 63991 - Midwest Rail d/b/a Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway-Lease and Operation Exemption-Toledo...

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2011-10-14

... provide common carrier rail service over the Line, connecting with and interchanging traffic with NSR, and... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [Docket No. FD 35555] Midwest Rail d/b/a... Railway and Museum, Inc. Midwest Rail d/b/a Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway (Toledo), a noncarrier...

Two hemocyte lineages exist in silkworm larval hematopoietic organ.

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Nakahara, Yuichi; Kanamori, Yasushi; Kiuchi, Makoto; Kamimura, Manabu

2010-07-28

Insects have multiple hemocyte morphotypes with different functions as do vertebrates, however, their hematopoietic lineages are largely unexplored with the exception of Drosophila melanogaster. To study the hematopoietic lineage of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we investigated in vivo and in vitro differentiation of hemocyte precursors in the hematopoietic organ (HPO) into the four mature hemocyte subsets, namely, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, oenocytoids, and spherulocytes. Five days after implantation of enzymatically-dispersed HPO cells from a GFP-expressing transgenic line into the hemocoel of normal larvae, differentiation into plasmatocytes, granulocytes and oenocytoids, but not spherulocytes, was observed. When the HPO cells were cultured in vitro, plasmatocytes appeared rapidly, and oenocytoids possessing prophenol oxidase activity appeared several days later. HPO cells were also able to differentiate into a small number of granulocytes, but not into spherulocytes. When functionally mature plasmatocytes were cultured in vitro, oenocytoids were observed 10 days later. These results suggest that the hemocyte precursors in HPO first differentiate into plasmatocytes, which further change into oenocytoids. From these results, we propose that B. mori hemocytes can be divided into two major lineages, a granulocyte lineage and a plasmatocyte-oenocytoid lineage. The origins of the spherulocytes could not be determined in this study. We construct a model for the hematopoietic lineages at the larval stage of B. mori.

Spawning site fidelity and apparent annual survival of walleye (Sander vitreus) differ between a Lake Huron and Lake Erie tributary

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Hayden, Todd A.; Binder, Thomas; Holbrook, Christopher; Vandergoot, Christopher; Fielder, David G.; Cooke, Steven J.; Dettmers, John M.; Krueger, Charles C.

2018-01-01

Fidelity to spawning habitats can maximise reproductive success of fish by synchronising movements to sites of previous recruitment. To determine the role of reproductive fidelity in structuring walleye Sander vitreus populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes, we used acoustic telemetry combined with Cormack–Jolly–Seber capture–recapture models to estimate spawning site fidelity and apparent annual survival for the Tittabawassee River in Lake Huron and Maumee River in Lake Erie. Walleye in spawning condition were tagged from the Tittabawassee River in Lake Huron and Maumee River in Lake Erie in 2011–2012. Site fidelity and apparent annual survival were estimated from return of individuals to the stream where tagged. Site fidelity estimates were higher in the Tittabawassee River (95%) than the Maumee River (70%) and were not related to sex or fish length at tagging. Apparent annual survival of walleye tagged in the Tittabawassee did not differ among spawning seasons but was higher for female than male walleye and decreased linearly as fish length increased. Apparent annual survival of walleye tagged in the Maumee River did not differ among spawning seasons but was higher for female walleye than male walleye and increased linearly as fish length increased. Greater fidelity of walleye tagged in the Tittabawassee River than walleye tagged in the Maumee River may be related to the close proximity to the Maumee River of other spawning aggregations and multiple spawning sites in Lake Erie. As spawning site fidelity increases, management actions to conserve population structure require an increasing focus on individual stocks.

The study of importance of the storage method of the space foods

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Katayama, Naomi; Yamashita, Masamichi; Space Agriculture Task Force, J.

Providing foods to space crew is the important requirements to support long term manned space exploration. Foods fill not only physiological requirements to sustain life, but psychological needs for refreshment and joy during the long and hard mission to extraterrestrial planets. In the space stay of the long term, the storage technology of the food is important. Surplus food and the establishment of a safe save method of the food are essential. However, in Moon and Mars base or spaceship, there are limited spaces. We need to think about how to use the storage food when we have the time of emergency. The fundamental composition of our recipe is unpolished rice, barley, soybean, sweat potato and green-yellow vegetables. Supplement food materials to fulfill the nutritional requirements we chose are loach, silkworm pupa, termite, snail, mud snail, bee, cassava and quinoa. The pupa of the silkworm becomes the important nourishment source as protein and lipid. The silk thread uses it as clothing and cosmetics and medical supplies. However, we can use the silk thread as food as protein. The silk thread is mad of sericin and fibroin. The sericin is used for cosmetics mainly, but can make sheet food by mixing it with rice flour. We can make Japanese rolled sushi with this product. In addition, we can make spring roll and gyoza and shao-mai. As for the fibroin which is the subject of the silk thread, is to extract it high pressure heat; of the protein can powder it, and can use it as food. Even if there is the silk thread in this way after having made it clothes once, we can do it to food again. We can reuse the cotton thread as carbohydrates equally, too. We can use the wood as carbohydrates, also. Based upon the foregoing, we use the pupa of the silkworm as protein and lipid, and the silk thread as protein, and the cotton thread and wood as carbohydrates. It is recommended as healthy meal balance; Protein: Lipid: Carbohydrate ratio equal 15We succeeded to develop joyful

Knockout silkworms reveal a dispensable role for juvenile hormones in holometabolous life cycle.

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Daimon, Takaaki; Uchibori, Miwa; Nakao, Hajime; Sezutsu, Hideki; Shinoda, Tetsuro

2015-08-04

Insect juvenile hormones (JHs) prevent precocious metamorphosis and allow larvae to undergo multiple rounds of status quo molts. However, the roles of JHs during the embryonic and very early larval stages have not been fully understood. We generated and characterized knockout silkworms (Bombyx mori) with null mutations in JH biosynthesis or JH receptor genes using genome-editing tools. We found that embryonic growth and morphogenesis are largely independent of JHs in Bombyx and that, even in the absence of JHs or JH signaling, pupal characters are not formed in first- or second-instar larvae, and precocious metamorphosis is induced after the second instar at the earliest. We also show by mosaic analysis that a pupal specifier gene broad, which is dramatically up-regulated in the late stage of the last larval instar, is essential for pupal commitment in the epidermis. Importantly, the mRNA expression level of broad, which is thought to be repressed by JHs, remained at very low basal levels during the early larval instars of JH-deficient or JH signaling-deficient knockouts. Therefore, our study suggests that the long-accepted paradigm that JHs maintain the juvenile status throughout larval life should be revised because the larval status can be maintained by a JH-independent mechanism in very early larval instars. We propose that the lack of competence for metamorphosis during the early larval stages may result from the absence of an unidentified broad-inducing factor, i.e., a competence factor.

APA-style human milk fat analogue from silkworm pupae oil: Enzymatic production and improving storage stability using alkyl caffeates.

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Liu, Xi; Wang, Xudong; Pang, Na; Zhu, Weijie; Zhao, Xingyu; Wang, Fangqin; Wu, Fuan; Wang, Jun

2015-12-08

Silkworm pupae oil derived from reeling waste is a rich source of α-linolenic acid (ALA), which has multipal applications. ALAs were added in sn-1, 3 positions in a triacylglycerol (TAG) to produce an APA-human milk fat analogues (APA-HMFAs, A: α-linolenic acid, P: palmitic acid). The optimum condition is that tripalmitin to free fatty acids of 1:12 (mole ratio) at 65 °C for 48 h using lipase Lipozyme RM IM. Results show that, the major TAG species that comprised APA-HMFAs were rich in ALA and palmitic acid, which contained 64.52% total unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) and 97.05% PA at the sn-2 position. The melting point of APA was -27.5 °C which is much lower than tripalmitin (40.5 °C) indicating more plastic character. In addition, the practical application of alkyl caffeates as liposoluble antioxidants in APA was developed. Alkyl caffeate showed a superior IC50 (1.25-1.66 μg/mL) compared to butyl hydroxy anisd (1.67 μg/mL) and L-ascorbic acid-6-palmitate (L-AP) (1.87 μg/mL) in DPPH analysis. The addition of ethyl caffeate to oil achieved a higher UFAs content (73.58%) at high temperatures. Overall, APA was obtained from silkworm pupae oil successfully, and the addition of caffeates extended storage ranges for APA-HMFAs.

Cloning, expression and characterization of alcohol dehydrogenases in the silkworm Bombyx mori

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Nan Wang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH are a class of enzymes that catalyze the reversible oxidation of alcohols to corresponding aldehydes or ketones, by using either nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP, as coenzymes. In this study, a short-chain ADH gene was identified in Bombyx mori by 5'-RACE PCR. This is the first time the coding region of BmADH has been cloned, expressed, purified and then characterized. The cDNA fragment encoding the BmADH protein was amplified from a pool of silkworm cDNAs by PCR, and then cloned into E. coli expression vector pET-30a(+. The recombinant His-tagged BmADH protein was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3, and then purified by metal chelating affinity chromatography. The soluble recombinant BmADH, produced at low-growth temperature, was instrumental in catalyzing the ethanol-dependent reduction of NAD+, thereby indicating ethanol as one of the substrates of BmADH.

Functional characterization of the vitellogenin promoter in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Xu, J; Wang, Y Q; Li, Z Q; Ling, L; Zeng, B S; You, L; Chen, Y Z; Aslam, A F M; Huang, Y P; Tan, A J

2014-10-01

Genetic transformation and genome editing technologies have been successfully established in the lepidopteran insect model, the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, providing great potential for functional genomics and practical applications. However, the current lack of cis-regulatory elements in B. mori gene manipulation research limits further exploitation in functional gene analysis. In the present study, we characterized a B. mori endogenous promoter, Bmvgp, which is a 798-bp DNA sequence adjacent to the 5'-end of the vitellogenin gene (Bmvg). PiggyBac-based transgenic analysis shows that Bmvgp precisely directs expression of a reporter gene, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), in a sex-, tissue- and stage-specific manner. In transgenic animals, EGFP expression can be detected in the female fat body from larval-pupal ecdysis to the following pupal and adult stage. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that EGFP expression can be activated by 20-hydroxyecdysone, which is consistent with endogenous Bmvg expression. These data indicate that Bmvgp is an effective endogenous cis-regulatory element in B. mori. © 2014 The Royal Entomological Society.

Review of Reports on Lake Erie - Lake Ontario Waterway, New York. Appendix D. Economics.

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1973-10-01

Venezuela (29 percent). Canada produced 48.3 million tons of iron ore in 1970 ,of which 23.9 million tons were exported to the United States (14.4 million...grain traffic, 1971 D-14 D-6 U.S. - Great Lakes grain exports 1960 - 1971 and projected D-15 D-7 U.S. doal traffic, Lake Erie - Lake Ontario, 1958-1970...Soybeans Wheat Barley Oats Rice Sorghum Grains Flaxseed Oilseeds, n.e.c. Tobacco, leaf Hay and Fodder Field crops, n.e.c. Fresh fruits Co ffee Cocoa beans

Reconnaissance survey for lightweight and carbon tetrachloride extractable hydrocarbons in the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie: September 1978

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Zapotosky, J.E.; White, W.S.

1980-10-01

A reconnaissance survey of the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie (22,240 km/sup 2/) was conducted from September 17 to 27, 1978. The survey provided baseline information on natural gas and oil losses from geologic formations, prior to any potential development of natural gas resources beneath the United States portion of the Lake. Lightweight hydrocarbons indicative of natural gas (methane, ethane, propane, isobutane, and n-butane) are introduced into the waters of Lake Erie by escape from geologic formations and by biological/photochemical processes. The geochemical exploration technique of hydrocarbon sniffing provided enough data to reveal significant distribution patterns, approximate concentrations, and potential sources. Twelve sites with elevated lightweight hydrocarbon concentrations had a composition similar to natural gas. In one area of natural gas input, data analysis suggested a potential negative effect of natural gas on phytoplanktonic metabolism (i.e., ethylene concentration). Samples taken for liquid hydrocarbon analysis (carbon tetrachloride extractable hydrocarbons) correlated best with biologically derived lightweight hydrocarbons.

Culture-based Identification Of Microcystin-Degrading Bacteria In the Sandusky Bay and Maumee Bay of Lake Erie

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Ormiston, A.; Mou, X.

2012-12-01

Harmful cyanobacteria blooms (cyanoHABs) are a serious issue that affects wildlife, human health, recreation and local economics worldwide. CyanoHABs produce cyanotoxins, such as microcystins (MCs) that lead to skin irritation, illness and liver tumors. Bacterially mediated degradation of MCs plays a key role to transform these toxic substrates to less harmful metabolites in natural environments. However, only a few Sphingomonos species have been isolated for degradation of MCs and many of which are from other habitats such as water plants. This project aims to isolate and identify bacteria that can degrade MC-LR and MC-RR, two major forms of MCs found during cyanoHABs in Lake Erie. Water samples were collected from the surface of Sandusky Bay and Maumee Bay of Lake Erie and immediately filtered through 3.0 -μm-pore-size membrane filters to obtain bacterioplankton fraction. The filtrates were amended with excessive inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus compounds and incubated in the dark for a week to purposely establish a carbon-limited condition. Afterwards, enrichment microcosms were established in flasks filled with pre-incubated bacterioplankton and single MC compounds (final concentration 10 μM). Once cell growth was confirmed by flow cytometry-based cell counting, bacterial cells in enriched microcosms were transferred onto solid surfaces, i.e., GFF filter and noble agar for colony isolation. Obtained single colonies were inoculated in defined liquid media with MCs as single carbon source. DNA was extracted from each purified isolate and analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP). A total of 18 different RFLP banding patterns were found, indicating MC-degrading bacteria may be heterogeneous in studied water samples. 16S rRNA genes of selected bacterial isolates were PCR amplified and sequenced for taxonomic identification. Our results demonstrated that MCs can be degraded by multiple bacterial species in Lake Erie. Future directions

Effects of complex effluents on photosynthesis in Lake Erie and Lake Huron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridgham, S.D.; McNaught, D.C.; Meadows, C.

1988-01-01

Phytoplankton are the base of the food chain in most large lake ecosystems; if affected by environmental pollutants, significant ecosystem changes can result with potential impact on higher trophic levels. The research determined the effects of a complex effluent discharge from the River Raisin in Monroe County, Michigan, on the Lake Erie ecosystem. The river flows through southern Michigan and has large nutrient and industrial inputs, especially in the Monroe Harbor area. The functional parameters measured were bacterial uptake rate of acetate, zooplankton feeding and reproduction rates, and primary production. The results of the effects of complex effluents on gross photosynthesis, measured as carbon-14 ((14)C) uptake, are presented in the paper

Hydrology and environmental aspects of Erie Canal (1817-99)

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Langbein, Walter Basil

1976-01-01

As the first major water project in the United States, the old Erie Canal provides an example of the hydrological and environmental consequences of water development. The available record shows that the project aroused environmental fears that the canal might be impaired by the adverse hydrologic effects of land development induced by the canal. Water requirements proved greater than anticipated, and problems of floods and hydraulic inefficiencies beset navigation throughout its history. The Erie Canal proved the practicality of major hydraulic works to the extent that operations and maintenance could cope with the burdens of deficiencies in design. The weight of prior experience that upland streams, such as the Potomac and Mohawk Rivers, had proved unsatisfactory for dependable navigation, led to a decision to build an independent canal which freed the location from the constraints of river channels and made possible a cross-country water route directly to Lake Erie. The decision on dimensioning the canal prism--chiefly width and depth-involved balance between a fear of building too small and thus not achieving the economic potentials, and a fear of building too expensively. The constraints proved effective, and for the first part of its history the revenues collected were sufficient to repay all costs. So great was the economic advantage of the canal that the rising trend in traffic soon induced an enlargement of the canal cross section, based upon a new but riskier objective-build as large as the projected trend in toll revenues would finance. The increased revenues did not materialize. Water supplies were a primary concern for both the planners and the operators of the canal. Water required for lockage, although the most obvious to the planners, proved to be a relatively minor item compared with the amounts of water that were required to compensate for leakage through the bed and banks of the canal. Leakage amounted to about 8 inches of depth per day. The total

Partial deletions of the W chromosome due to reciprocal translocation in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

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Abe, H; Seki, M; Ohbayashi, F; Tanaka, N; Yamashita, J; Fujii, T; Yokoyama, T; Takahashi, M; Banno, Y; Sahara, K; Yoshido, A; Ihara, J; Yasukochi, Y; Mita, K; Ajimura, M; Suzuki, M G; Oshiki, T; Shimada, T

2005-08-01

In the silkworm, Bombyx mori (female, ZW; male, ZZ), femaleness is determined by the presence of a single W chromosome, irrespective of the number of autosomes or Z chromosomes. The W chromosome is devoid of functional genes, except the putative female-determining gene (Fem). However, there are strains in which chromosomal fragments containing autosomal markers have been translocated on to W. In this study, we analysed the W chromosomal regions of the Zebra-W strain (T(W;3)Ze chromosome) and the Black-egg-W strain (T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosome) at the molecular level. Initially, we undertook a project to identify W-specific RAPD markers, in addition to the three already established W-specific RAPD markers (W-Kabuki, W-Samurai and W-Kamikaze). Following the screening of 3648 arbitrary 10-mer primers, we obtained nine W-specific RAPD marker sequences (W-Bonsai, W-Mikan, W-Musashi, W-Rikishi, W-Sakura, W-Sasuke, W-Yukemuri-L, W-Yukemuri-S and BMC1-Kabuki), almost all of which contained the border regions of retrotransposons, namely portions of nested retrotransposons. We confirmed the presence of eleven out of twelve W-specific RAPD markers in the normal W chromosomes of twenty-five silkworm strains maintained in Japan. These results indicate that the W chromosomes of the strains in Japan are almost identical in type. The Zebra-W strain (T(W;3)Ze chromosome) lacked the W-Samurai and W-Mikan RAPD markers and the Black-egg-W strain (T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosome) lacked the W-Mikan RAPD marker. These results strongly indicate that the regions containing the W-Samurai and W-Mikan RAPD markers or the W-Mikan RAPD marker were deleted in the T(W;3)Ze and T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosomes, respectively, due to reciprocal translocation between the W chromosome and the autosome. This deletion apparently does not affect the expression of Fem; therefore, this deleted region of the W chromosome does not contain the putative Fem gene.

Two hemocyte lineages exist in silkworm larval hematopoietic organ.

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Yuichi Nakahara

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Insects have multiple hemocyte morphotypes with different functions as do vertebrates, however, their hematopoietic lineages are largely unexplored with the exception of Drosophila melanogaster. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To study the hematopoietic lineage of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we investigated in vivo and in vitro differentiation of hemocyte precursors in the hematopoietic organ (HPO into the four mature hemocyte subsets, namely, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, oenocytoids, and spherulocytes. Five days after implantation of enzymatically-dispersed HPO cells from a GFP-expressing transgenic line into the hemocoel of normal larvae, differentiation into plasmatocytes, granulocytes and oenocytoids, but not spherulocytes, was observed. When the HPO cells were cultured in vitro, plasmatocytes appeared rapidly, and oenocytoids possessing prophenol oxidase activity appeared several days later. HPO cells were also able to differentiate into a small number of granulocytes, but not into spherulocytes. When functionally mature plasmatocytes were cultured in vitro, oenocytoids were observed 10 days later. These results suggest that the hemocyte precursors in HPO first differentiate into plasmatocytes, which further change into oenocytoids. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: From these results, we propose that B. mori hemocytes can be divided into two major lineages, a granulocyte lineage and a plasmatocyte-oenocytoid lineage. The origins of the spherulocytes could not be determined in this study. We construct a model for the hematopoietic lineages at the larval stage of B. mori.

Binary Star Orbits. V. The Nearby White Dwarf/Red Dwarf Pair 40 Eri BC

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Mason, Brian D.; Hartkopf, William I.; Miles, Korie N.

2017-11-01

A new relative orbit solution with new dynamical masses is determined for the nearby white dwarf-red dwarf pair 40 Eri BC. The period is 230.09 ± 0.68 years. It is predicted to close slowly over the next half-century, getting as close as 1.″32 in early 2066. We determine masses of 0.575 ± 0.018 {{ M }}⊙ for the white dwarf and 0.2041 ± 0.0064 {{ M }}⊙ for the red dwarf companion. The inconsistency of the masses determined by gravitational redshift and dynamical techniques, due to a premature orbit calculation, no longer exists.

UHT Yöntemiyle İşlenmiş Sterilize Sütün Besin Değeri

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Emel Sezgin

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Sütün bir gıda olarak değeri günümüzde artık çok iyi bilinmektedir. Özellikle ülkemiz gibi hayvansal proteinin az tüketildiği yerlerde, içinde ihtiyacımız olan besin elementlerinin hemen hemen hepsini yeterli ve dengeli bir şekilde bulunduran sütün önemi daha da artmaktadır. Bilindiği gibi sütün besin değeri tamamen sütün bileşimiyle ilgili bulunmakta ve bu da hayvanın, türü, ırkı, yem, laktasyon mevsim ve benzeri faktörlerle geniş ölçüde değişmektedir. Süt esas olarak protein, kalsiyum ve bazı suda eriyen vitaminler yönünden önem taşımaktadır. Örneğin, 0.5 L süt 5 yaşındaki bir çocuğun protein ihtiyacının %40’ını kalsiyum ve riboflavin ihtiyacının %70’ni, tiamin, folik asit, A vitamini ihtiyacının 1/3’ni, B12 vitamini ihtiyacının ise tamamını karşılayabilmektedir.

Targeted heavy-ion microbeam irradiation of the embryo but not yolk in the diapause-terminated egg of the silkworm, bombyx mori, induces the somatic mutation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furusawa, Toshiharu; Fukamoto, Kana; Sakashita, Tetsuya; Funayama, Tomoo; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Kakizaki, Takehiko; Wada, Seiichi; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Suzuki, Hiromi; Ishioka, Noriaki; Nagaoka, Shunji

2009-01-01

Using heavy-ion microbeam, we report target irradiation of selected compartments within the diapause-terminated egg and its mutational consequences in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. On one hand, carbon-ion exposure of embryo to 0.5-6 Gy increased the somatic mutation frequency, suggesting targeted radiation effects. On the other, such increases were not observed when yolk was targeted, suggesting a lack of nontargeted bystander effect. (author)

The Study of Importance of the Balance Space Food with Insects

Science.gov (United States)

Katayama, Naomi; Yoshimura, Tuyoshi; Baba, Keiichi; Space Agriculture Task Force, J.

Providing foods to space crew is the important requirements to support long term manned space exploration. We designed joyful and healthy recipe with materials (plants, insects, fish and et.cet.), which can be produced by the bio-regenerative agricultural system operated at limited resources available in spaceship or on Moon and Mars. The fundamental composition of our recipe is unpolished rice, barley, soybean, sweat potato and green-yellow vegetables. Supplement food materials to fulfill the nutritional requirements we chose are loach, silkworm pupa, termite, snail, mud snail, bee, locust, cassava, quinoa and et. cet. And the space foods were made by using IH cooking heater and vacuum cooking machine. Nutritional analysis on the basic vegetable menu consisting of rice, barley, soybean, sweet potato cassava, quinoa and green reveals a shortage of vitamins D and B12, cholesterol and sodium salt. Since vitamin D deficiency results in demineralization of bone. Vitamin B12 is essential to prevent pernicious anemia.Fish contains both vitamins D and B12. The pupa of the silkworm becomes the impor-tant nourishment source as protein and lipid. The silk thread uses it as clothing and cosmetics and medical supplies. However, we can use the silk thread as food as protein after finish to use. A law of nature shakes high quality oils and fats included in termite for cooking. I use the bee as food after having used it for the pollination of the plant. Of course the honey becomes the important food, too. The snail and mud snail become the food as protein. We decided to use the menu consisting of the basic vegetarian menu plus insect and loach for further conceptual design of space agriculture. We succeeded to develop joyful and nutritious space recipe at the end. Because of less need of agricultural resources at choosing ecological members from the lower ladder of the food chain, our space recipe could be a proposal to solve the food problem on Earth.In addition, as for these

Expression of foot-and-mouth disease virus capsid proteins in silkworm-baculovirus expression system and its utilization as a subunit vaccine.

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Zhiyong Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD is a highly contagious disease of livestock that causes severe economic loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals. Although the traditional inactivated vaccine has been proved effective, it may lead to a new outbreak of FMD because of either incomplete inactivation of FMDV or the escape of live virus from vaccine production workshop. Thus, it is urgent to develop a novel FMDV vaccine that is safer, more effective and more economical than traditional vaccines. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A recombinant silkworm baculovirus Bm-P12A3C which contained the intact P1-2A and 3C protease coding regions of FMDV Asia 1/HNK/CHA/05 was developed. Indirect immunofluorescence test and sandwich-ELISA were used to verify that Bm-P12A3C could express the target cassette. Expression products from silkworm were diluted to 30 folds and used as antigen to immunize cattle. Specific antibody was induced in all vaccinated animals. After challenge with virulent homologous virus, four of the five animals were completely protected, and clinical symptoms were alleviated and delayed in the remaining one. Furthermore, a PD(50 (50% bovine protective dose test was performed to assess the bovine potency of the subunit vaccine. The result showed the subunit vaccine could achieve 6.34 PD(50 per dose. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that this strategy might be used to develop the new subunit FMDV vaccine.

Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing of Phytoplankton Pigment Absorption Properties in Cyanobacteria Bloom Waters: A Regional Example in the Western Basin of Lake Erie

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Guoqing Wang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton pigments absorb sunlight for photosynthesis, protect the chloroplast from damage caused by excess light energy, and influence the color of the water. Some pigments act as bio-markers and are important for separation of phytoplankton functional types. Among many efforts that have been made to obtain information on phytoplankton pigments from bio-optical properties, Gaussian curves decomposed from phytoplankton absorption spectrum have been used to represent the light absorption of different pigments. We incorporated the Gaussian scheme into a semi-analytical model and obtained the Gaussian curves from remote sensing reflectance. In this study, a series of sensitivity tests were conducted to explore the potential of obtaining the Gaussian curves from multi-spectral satellite remote sensing. Results showed that the Gaussian curves can be retrieved with 35% or less mean unbiased absolute percentage differences from MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS-like sensors. Further, using Lake Erie as an example, the spatial distribution of chlorophyll a and phycocyanin concentrations were obtained from the Gaussian curves and used as metrics for the spatial extent of an intense cyanobacterial bloom occurred in Lake Erie in 2014. The seasonal variations of Gaussian absorption properties in 2011 were further obtained from MERIS imagery. This study shows that it is feasible to obtain Gaussian curves from multi-spectral satellite remote sensing data, and the obtained chlorophyll a and phycocyanin concentrations from these Gaussian peak heights demonstrated potential application to monitor harmful algal blooms (HABs and identification of phytoplankton groups from satellite ocean color remote sensing semi-analytically.

Food of forage fishes in western Lake Erie, 1975-76

Science.gov (United States)

Muth, Kenneth M.; Busch, Wolf-Dieter N.

1989-01-01

In western Lake Erie in the summer and fall of 1975–1976, food eaten by seven forage fishes—emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus), andyoung-of-the-year (YOY) of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), white bass (Morone chrysops), and freshwater drum (Aplodi-notus grunniens)—was divided among six major taxa: Cladocera, Copepoda, Diptera, Ostracoda, Amphipoda, and Algae. In addition, fish were eaten by YOY white bass, and Rotifera were consumed by YOY gizzard shad. Interspecies diet overlap indices, calculated to compare the food of the different species and to evaluate diet similarities, were usually highest for YOY white bass and YOY freshwater drum when compared with the other species and usually lowest between emerald shiners and all other forage fishes. Understanding the feeding interactions among fishes that could influence production at the forage-food level of the food web could provide insight into how cascading trophic interactions influence the production of piscivorous predators.

The FOXO transcription factor controls insect growth and development by regulating juvenile hormone degradation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Baosheng; Huang, Yuping; Xu, Jun; Shiotsuki, Takahiro; Bai, Hua; Palli, Subba Reddy; Huang, Yongping; Tan, Anjiang

2017-07-14

Forkhead box O (FOXO) functions as the terminal transcription factor of the insulin signaling pathway and regulates multiple physiological processes in many organisms, including lifespan in insects. However, how FOXO interacts with hormone signaling to modulate insect growth and development is largely unknown. Here, using the transgene-based CRISPR/Cas9 system, we generated and characterized mutants of the silkworm Bombyx mori FOXO ( BmFOXO ) to elucidate its physiological functions during development of this lepidopteran insect. The BmFOXO mutant (FOXO-M) exhibited growth delays from the first larval stage and showed precocious metamorphosis, pupating at the end of the fourth instar (trimolter) rather than at the end of the fifth instar as in the wild-type (WT) animals. However, different from previous reports on precocious metamorphosis caused by juvenile hormone (JH) deficiency in silkworm mutants, the total developmental time of the larval period in the FOXO-M was comparable with that of the WT. Exogenous application of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) or of the JH analog rescued the trimolter phenotype. RNA-seq and gene expression analyses indicated that genes involved in JH degradation but not in JH biosynthesis were up-regulated in the FOXO-M compared with the WT animals. Moreover, we identified several FOXO-binding sites in the promoter of genes coding for JH-degradation enzymes. These results suggest that FOXO regulates JH degradation rather than its biosynthesis, which further modulates hormone homeostasis to control growth and development in B. mori In conclusion, we have uncovered a pivotal role for FOXO in regulating JH signaling to control insect development. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A geophysical analysis of hydro-geomorphic controls within a headwater wetland in a granitic landscape, through ERI and IP

OpenAIRE

E. S. Riddell; S. A. Lorentz; D. C. Kotze

2010-01-01

Wetlands are undergoing considerable degradation in South Africa. As interventions are often technical and costly, there is a requirement to develop conceptual process models for these wetland systems so that rehabilitation attempts will be successful. This paper presents an approach using the geophysical methods of Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) and Induced Polarization (IP) to delineate sub-surface hydro-geomorphic controls that maintain equilibrium disconnectivity of wetland-catchmen...

Detection of the spatiotemporal trends of mercury in Lake Erie fish communities: a Bayesian approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Azim, M Ekram; Kumarappah, Ananthavalli; Bhavsar, Satyendra P; Backus, Sean M; Arhonditsis, George

2011-03-15

The temporal trends of total mercury (THg) in four fish species in Lake Erie were evaluated based on 35 years of fish contaminant data. Our Bayesian statistical approach consists of three steps aiming to address different questions. First, we used the exponential and mixed-order decay models to assess the declining rates in four intensively sampled fish species, i.e., walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), and white bass (Morone chrysops). Because the two models postulate monotonic decrease of the THg levels, we included first- and second-order random walk terms in our statistical formulations to accommodate nonmonotonic patterns in the data time series. Our analysis identified a recent increase in the THg concentrations, particularly after the mid-1990s. In the second step, we used double exponential models to quantify the relative magnitude of the THg trends depending on the type of data used (skinless-boneless fillet versus whole fish data) and the fish species examined. The observed THg concentrations were significantly higher in skinless boneless fillet than in whole fish portions, while the whole fish portions of walleye exhibited faster decline rates and slower rates of increase relative to the skinless boneless fillet data. Our analysis also shows lower decline rates and higher rates of increase in walleye relative to the other three fish species examined. The food web structural shifts induced by the invasive species (dreissenid mussels and round goby) may be associated with the recent THg trends in Lake Erie fish.

Fusion of hyperspectral remote sensing data for near real-time monitoring of microcystin distribution in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Vannah, Benjamin; Chang, Ni-Bin

2013-09-01

Urban growth and agricultural production have caused an influx of nutrients into Lake Erie, leading to eutrophic zones. These conditions result in the formation of algal blooms, some of which are toxic due to the presence of Microcystis (a cyanobacteria), which produces the hepatotoxin microcystin. Microcystis has a unique advantage over its competition as a result of the invasive zebra mussel population that filters algae out of the water column except for the toxic Microcystis. The toxin threatens human health and the ecosystem, and it is a concern for water treatment plants using the lake water as a tap water source. This presentation demonstrates the prototype of a near real-time early warning system using Integrated Data Fusion techniques with the aid of both hyperspectral remote sensing data to determine spatiotemporal microcystin concentrations. The temporal resolution of MODIS is fused with the higher spatial and spectral resolution of MERIS to create synthetic images on a daily basis. As a demonstration, the spatiotemporal distributions of microcystin within western Lake Erie are reconstructed using the band data from the fused products and applied machine-learning techniques. Analysis of the results through statistical indices confirmed that the this type of algorithm has better potential to accurately estimating microcystin concentrations in the lake, which is better than current two band models and other computational intelligence models.

Comparative Study of Biological Characteristics of Larvae, Crude and Dried Cocoon in 7 Races of Silkworm Bombyx mori L., Raised in Transylvania Area

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Emilia Maria Furdui

2010-05-01

Full Text Available 7 monovoltine races of Romanian silkworm Bombyx mori L. were breeded in specific Transylvania conditions, assuring the same microclimate conditions, being fed with the same mulberry leaves (Ukraina 107. The results obtained showed a high homogeneity, the differences were due to the variability and genotype characteristic for each individual of every race. Results and standard deviations are within the race standard. The study permitted a ierarchy of the races, following the biological characteristics, microclimate conditions, quantity, quality and breeding technology.

Selection of reference genes for tissue/organ samples on day 3 fifth-instar larvae in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Wang, Genhong; Chen, Yanfei; Zhang, Xiaoying; Bai, Bingchuan; Yan, Hao; Qin, Daoyuan; Xia, Qingyou

2018-06-01

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is one of the world's most economically important insect. Surveying variations in gene expression among multiple tissue/organ samples will provide clues for gene function assignments and will be helpful for identifying genes related to economic traits or specific cellular processes. To ensure their accuracy, commonly used gene expression quantification methods require a set of stable reference genes for data normalization. In this study, 24 candidate reference genes were assessed in 10 tissue/organ samples of day 3 fifth-instar B. mori larvae using geNorm and NormFinder. The results revealed that, using the combination of the expression of BGIBMGA003186 and BGIBMGA008209 was the optimum choice for normalizing the expression data of the B. mori tissue/organ samples. The most stable gene, BGIBMGA003186, is recommended if just one reference gene is used. Moreover, the commonly used reference gene encoding cytoplasmic actin was the least appropriate reference gene of the samples investigated. The reliability of the selected reference genes was further confirmed by evaluating the expression profiles of two cathepsin genes. Our results may be useful for future studies involving the quantification of relative gene expression levels of different tissue/organ samples in B. mori. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fecundity of walleyes in western Lake Erie, 1966 and 1990-91

Science.gov (United States)

Muth, Kenneth M.; Ickes, Brian S.

1993-01-01

Ovaries were collected from walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) in western Lake Erie just prior to spawning in 1990 and 1991 to determine current fecundity. Results were compared with fecundity determined in 1966 prior to stock rehabilitation when walleye abundance was lower and fish size at age was greater. Fecundity estimates determined from 121 fish aged 3-10 ranged from 53,000 to 426,000 eggs per female. Increases in egg production correlated with increases in length and weight, and weight accounting for most of the variability. In 1990-91 the mean egg production of the dominant age groups of spawners (ages 4 to 8) was approximately 25% lower than fishes of similar age in 1966. The mean egg diameter in 1990-91 (1.63 mm) was not related to the size or age of the fish and was not significantly smaller than the egg diameter in 1966 (1.72 mm).

Influencia de Gregorio de Nisa sobre Juan Escoto Eriúgena: Aproximación a partir del Periphyseon

OpenAIRE

Pachas, José Antonio

2004-01-01

A partir de los cinco libros del Periphyseon el autor intenta un acercamiento entre el pensamiento de Juan Escoto Eriúgena y Gregorio de Nisa, buscando sobre todo las principales influencias del segundo sobre el primero. Encuentra una plataforma de amplia base común entre ambos pensadores, marcada principalmente por un tipo de pensamiento circular según el esquema: procesión y retorno. Sin embargo, es notoria la influencia del Niseno sobre el Carolingio, principalmente cuando se trata de plan...

Silkworm Gut Fiber of Bombyx mori as an Implantable and Biocompatible Light-Diffusing Fiber

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Jose Luis Cenis

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This work describes a new approach to the delivery of light in deeper tissues, through a silk filament that is implantable, biocompatible, and biodegradable. In the present work, silkworm gut fibers (SGFs of Bombyx mori L., are made by stretching the silk glands. Morphological, structural, and optical properties of the fibers have been characterized and the stimulatory effect of red laser light diffused from the fiber was assayed in fibroblast cultures. SGFs are formed by silk fibroin (SF mainly in a β-sheet conformation, a stable and non-soluble state in water or biological fluids. The fibers showed a high degree of transparency to visible and infrared radiation. Using a red laser (λ = 650 nm as source, the light was efficiently diffused along the fiber wall, promoting a significant increment in the cell metabolism 5 h after the irradiation. SGFs have shown their excellent properties as light-diffusing optical fibers with a stimulatory effect on cells.

Muusika. Cannes Classical Award Eri Klasile. EFK USAsse ja Kanadasse. "opeNBaroque" ئ 11 kontserti. Chopini konkurss Narvas. Tubina ühingu aastakoosolek

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2002-01-01

Eri Klasi ja Tampere Linnaorkestri CD helilooja Einar Englundi loominguga pälvis mainekaplaadiauhinna, Cannes Classical Award'i. 7.-24. veebruarini on Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoorringreisil USAs ja Kanadas. Festivali "opeNBaroque" kontsertidest. Chopini loomingule pühendatud Läänemeremaade noorte pianistide konkursist Narvas. Tubina ühingu aastakoosolekust 5. veebruaril

The heat shock proteins at the increasing of the radioresistance of silkworm embryo Bombyx Moril

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agaev, F.A.; Garibov, A.A.; Aliev, D.I.; Alieva, I.N.

2002-01-01

The aim of this study is revealing the role of Heat Shock Proteins (HSP) at the radio-modification effect of Heat Shock (HS) on the silkworm embryo. Our preliminary study was indicated that 3-daily silkworm embryo is more than 10-12 times sensitive to gamma-radiation in comparative to 7-daily embryo. Investigation of the HS effect on the radiosensitivity of the embryo indicates that thermal treatment (40 deg. C) of 3 daily embryo during 60 min before irradiation leads the increasing of its radioresistance. At the same time, the HS treatment immediately after irradiation capable increases strike affect of irradiation. LD 50 for heat treated embryo before and after irradiation consists of 46.7 and 19.0 Gy, correspondingly. For embryo irradiated without heat treatment LD 50 is 29.5 Gy. Identical effects are observed for 7-daily embryo. Increasing of the radioresistance by HS before irradiation, obviously, may be explained by the embryo cell reply to the stress factor and capable initiated by different biochemical shifts, for example, by induction of HPS synthesis. According to the results of carried out experiments HS treatment leads to the induction or increasing of the HSP synthesis into this embryo. Protein with molecular mass 70 kDa (HSP-70 kDa) has been synthesised de novo. The synthesis of the other two proteins (HSP-83 kDa and HSP-68 kDa) significantly increases at the high temperature. It is noted, that HSP-70 kDa consists of 55-60 % of whole included radioactive mark. Identical induction was observed in the experiments at the combined effect both HS and gamma-radiation on the embryo. At the post-radiation heat treatment the induction of HSP synthesis is observed, too. It was concluded that damages induced by irradiation can not prevent HSP induction into embryo. The result of comparative analysis was shown that in 3-daily embryo in spite of 7-daily embryo the synthesis of HSP is more intensive and correlated with the radio- modification effect of HS. The

Excision of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Form Transgenic Silkworm Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System

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Zhanqi Dong

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering has been shown to efficiently suppress infection by disrupting genes of the pathogen. We recently constructed transgenic lines expressing CRISPR/Cas9 and the double sgRNA target Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV immediate early-1 (ie-1 gene in the silkworm, respectively, and obtained four transgenic hybrid lines by G1 generation hybridization: Cas9(-/sgRNA(-, Cas9(+/sgRNA(-, Cas9(-/sgRNA(+, and Cas9(+/sgRNA(+. We demonstrated that the Cas9(+/sgRNA(+ transgenic lines effectively edited the target site of the BmNPV genome, and large fragment deletion was observed after BmNPV infection. Further antiviral analysis of the Cas9(+/sgRNA(+ transgenic lines shows that the median lethal dose (LD50 is 1,000-fold higher than the normal lines after inoculation with occlusion bodies. The analysis of economic characters and off-target efficiency of Cas9(+/sgRNA(+ transgenic hybrid line showed no significant difference compared with the normal lines. Our findings indicate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering more effectively targets the BmNPV genomes and could be utilized as an insect antiviral treatment.

Excision of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Form Transgenic Silkworm Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zhanqi; Dong, Feifan; Yu, Xinbo; Huang, Liang; Jiang, Yaming; Hu, Zhigang; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Minhui

2018-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering has been shown to efficiently suppress infection by disrupting genes of the pathogen. We recently constructed transgenic lines expressing CRISPR/Cas9 and the double sgRNA target Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) immediate early-1 ( ie-1 ) gene in the silkworm, respectively, and obtained four transgenic hybrid lines by G1 generation hybridization: Cas9(-)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(+)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(-)/sgRNA(+), and Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+). We demonstrated that the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines effectively edited the target site of the BmNPV genome, and large fragment deletion was observed after BmNPV infection. Further antiviral analysis of the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines shows that the median lethal dose (LD50) is 1,000-fold higher than the normal lines after inoculation with occlusion bodies. The analysis of economic characters and off-target efficiency of Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic hybrid line showed no significant difference compared with the normal lines. Our findings indicate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering more effectively targets the BmNPV genomes and could be utilized as an insect antiviral treatment.

Biosynthesis and characterization of typical fibroin crystalline polypeptides of silkworm Bombyx mori

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Jiannan, E-mail: wangjn@suda.edu.cn [College of Material Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021 (China); Yan Shuqin [College of Material Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021 (China); Lu Changde [Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031 (China); Bai Lun [College of Material Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021 (China)

2009-05-05

We aimed to investigate the self-organization/self-assembly mechanisms of silkworm fibroin-based material. In the present study, for the first time, we designed and multimerized four DNA 'monomer' sequences from structurally simple fibroin crystalline peptides or analog, [GAGAGX] (X = A, S, Y and V) to encode polypeptides [GAGAGX]{sub 16} (eGA, eGS, eGY and eGV) using a 'head-to-tail' construction strategy. Multimers were cloned into pGEX-KG and fusion proteins GST-[GAGAGX]{sub 16} (KGA, KGS, KGY and KGV) were efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli. These fusion proteins were isolated and purified by GST affinity chromatography and confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using antibody reactive to GST. The polypeptides were cleavaged from GST fusion proteins by digesting with thrombin enzyme. The composition of the four polypeptides was confirmed by composition analysis of amino acids, and their abilities to form {beta}-sheet structure were determined by ThT fluorescence spectral analysis. The content of {beta}-sheet among the four polypeptides followed the order: eGS > eGV > eGY > eGA.

Water Quality, Cyanobacteria, and Environmental Factors and Their Relations to Microcystin Concentrations for Use in Predictive Models at Ohio Lake Erie and Inland Lake Recreational Sites, 2013-14

Science.gov (United States)

Francy, Donna S.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Stelzer, Erin A.; Ecker, Christopher D.; Brady, Amie M. G.; Pam Struffolino,; Loftin, Keith A.

2015-11-06

Harmful cyanobacterial “algal” blooms (cyanoHABs) and associated toxins, such as microcystin, are a major water-quality issue for Lake Erie and inland lakes in Ohio. Predicting when and where a bloom may occur is important to protect the public that uses and consumes a water resource; however, predictions are complicated and likely site specific because of the many factors affecting toxin production. Monitoring for a variety of environmental and water-quality factors, for concentrations of cyanobacteria by molecular methods, and for algal pigments such as chlorophyll and phycocyanin by using optical sensors may provide data that can be used to predict the occurrence of cyanoHABs.

Nutrient Application and Algal Blooms: Farmer Decisions Regarding the Use of Best Management Practices in Lake Erie's Maumee River Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Heeren, A.; Toman, E.; Wilson, R. S.; Martin, J.

2016-12-01

Lake Erie is the most productive of the Great Lakes. However, harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by nutrient run-off threaten the lake. Experts have proposed numerous best management practices (BMPs) designed to reduce nutrient and sediment run-off. However, for these practices to be effective at reducing HABs, a significant portion of farmers and landowners within Lake Erie's watersheds have to first adopt and implement these practices. In order to better understand how farmers and landowners make decisions about whether or not to adopt and implement BMPs we conducted a series of focus groups and a mail survey of Lake Erie's largest watershed. We found that many farmers were supportive of adopting BMPs. For example, 60% of farmers in the watershed have already adopted using grid soil sampling while another 30% are willing to adopt the practice in the future. However, other practices were less popular, for example, only 18% of farmers had already adopted cover crops. Farmers also expressed several reservations about adopting some BMPs. For example, farmers were concerned about the costs of some BMPs, such as cover crops and drainage management systems, and how such practices might interfere with the planting of subsequent crops. Our research has several implications for reducing nutrient production by promoting BMPs. First, we identified potential concerns and limitations farmers faced in implementing specific BMPs. For example, conservationists can design future programs and communication efforts to target these specific concerns. Second, through examining the socio-psychological and cognitive characteristics that influence farmer decision-making, we identified that willingness to adopt nutrient BMPs is association with how strongly a farmer identifies with conservation and how effective they believed the BMP was at reducing run-off. Messages and information about BMPs may be more effective if they are framed in a way that aligns with identities and beliefs about

Fall diets of red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) and walleye (Sander vitreus) in Sandusky Bay and adjacent waters of western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Bur, M.T.; Stapanian, M.A.; Bernhardt, G.; Turner, M.W.

2008-01-01

Although published studies indicate the contrary, there is concern among many sport anglers that migrating red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) and other waterbirds pose a competitive threat to sport fish species such as walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Erie. We quantified the diet of autumn-migrant mergansers and walleye during 1998-2000 in Sandusky Bay and adjacent waters of western Lake Erie. We hypothesized that the diets of both predators would be similar in species composition, but because of different foraging ecologies their diets would differ markedly in size of prey consumed. In addition to predator samples, we used trawl data from the same general area as an index of prey availability. We found that mergansers fed almost exclusively on fish (nine species). Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides) and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) were consumed in the greatest numbers, most frequently and comprised the greatest biomass. Walleye fed exclusively on fish: gizzard shad, alewife (Alosa psuedoharengus) and emerald shiner were consumed in the greatest numbers, most frequently and comprised the greatest biomass. Diet overlap between mergansers and walleye was 67% by weight and 66% by species frequency. Mean total lengths of gizzard shad, emerald shiner and round goby found in walleye stomachs exceeded those captured in trawls by 47%, on average. Mean total lengths of gizzard shad, emerald shiner and round goby were greater in walleye stomachs than in merganser stomachs. Mean total lengths of emerald shiner and round goby were less in merganser stomachs than in trawls. Our results suggest that although the diets of walleye and mergansers overlapped considerably, mergansers generally consumed smaller fish than walleye. Given the abundance and diversity of prey species available, and the transient nature of mergansers on Lake Erie during migration, we conclude that competition for food between these species is minimal.

Hearing in the matter of an application by Erie Shores Wind Farm Limited Partnership for an Order granting leave to construct transmission facilities to connect a wind farm to the transmission facilities of Hydro One Network Inc.[In the matter of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 15, Schedule B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, G.; Vlahos, P.; Betts, B.

2005-06-20

This document presents the transcripts of an Ontario Energy Board hearing regarding an application filed by Erie Shores Wind Farm Limited to construct transmission facilities that will connect Erie Shores' wind farm on the north shore of Lake Erie to the transmission facilities of Hydro One Network. This document presents the examinations by representatives of the Board Counsel, Erie Shores Wind Farm Limited Partnership, Hydro One Networks Inc., Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator and intervenors. Erie Shores is a limited partnership between AIM PowerGen Corporation and Clean Power Income Fund. The proposed wind farm is to be located along the north shore of Lake Erie, covering about 14,000 acres of farmland in the townships of Bayham, Malahide and Norfolk County. It consists of 66 wind turbines with a net output of 99 MW. The construction of transmission facilities would involve the construction of a new transformer station with a 34.5/115 kV transformer, a capacitor bank, switch gear, and space for a future transformer. It would also include a transmission line from the Port Burwell transmission station to Hydro One's circuits at Cranberry Junction near Tillsonburg. Erie Shores also proposes to construct 27 km of the transmission line within the existing Otter Valley utility corridor, 3 km along the active Canadian Pacific Rail corridor, and over certain private lands located south of Tillsonburg Junction. Erie Shores was one of the successful bidders that has entered into a 20-year renewable energy supply contract with the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation. The Board considers that the project is in the public interest and granted approval for the project, subject to certain conditions regarding communications, monitoring and reporting requirements. 2 refs., 1 appendix.

Juvenile Hormone Analogues, Methoprene and Fenoxycarb Dose-Dependently Enhance Certain Enzyme Activities in the Silkworm Bombyx Mori (L

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Rajeswara Rao

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Use of Juvenile Hormone Analogues (JHA in sericulture practices has been shown to boost good cocoon yield; their effect has been determined to be dose-dependent. We studied the impact of low doses of JHA compounds such as methoprene and fenoxycarb on selected key enzymatic activities of the silkworm Bombyx mori. Methoprene and fenoxycarb at doses of 1.0 μg and 3.0fg/larvae/48 hours showed enhancement of the 5th instar B. mori larval muscle and silkgland protease, aspartate aminotransaminase (AAT and alanine aminotransaminase (ALAT, adenosine triphosphate synthase (ATPase and cytochrome-c-oxidase (CCO activity levels, indicating an upsurge in the overall oxidative metabolism of the B.mori larval tissues.

Vertical Stratification of Soil Phosphorus as a Concern for Dissolved Phosphorus Runoff in the Lake Erie Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, David B; Johnson, Laura T; Confesor, Remegio B; Crumrine, John P

2017-11-01

During the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loading and concentrations to the lake have nearly doubled, while particulate phosphorus (PP) has remained relatively constant. One potential cause of increased DRP concentrations is P stratification, or the buildup of soil-test P (STP) in the upper soil layer (soil samples (0-5 or 0-2.5 cm) alongside their normal agronomic samples (0-20 cm) ( = 1758 fields). The mean STP level in the upper 2.5 cm was 55% higher than the mean of agronomic samples used for fertilizer recommendations. The amounts of stratification were highly variable and did not correlate with agronomic STPs (Spearman's = 0.039, = 0.178). Agronomic STP in 70% of the fields was within the buildup or maintenance ranges for corn ( L.) and soybeans [ (L.) Merr.] (0-46 mg kg Mehlich-3 P). The cumulative risks for DRP runoff from the large number of fields in the buildup and maintenance ranges exceeded the risks from fields above those ranges. Reducing stratification by a one-time soil inversion has the potential for larger and quicker reductions in DRP runoff risk than practices related to drawing down agronomic STP levels. Periodic soil inversion and mixing, targeted by stratified STP data, should be considered a viable practice to reduce DRP loading to Lake Erie. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Cloning and characterization of carboxyl terminus of heat shock cognate 70-interacting protein gene from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohsawa, Takeshi; Fujimoto, Shota; Tsunakawa, Akane; Shibano, Yuka; Kawasaki, Hideki; Iwanaga, Masashi

2016-11-01

Carboxyl terminus of heat shock cognate 70-interacting protein (CHIP) is an evolutionarily conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase across different eukaryotic species and is known to play a key role in protein quality control. CHIP has two distinct functional domains, an N-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) and a C-terminal U-box domain, which are required for the ubiquitination of numerous labile client proteins that are chaperoned by heat shock proteins (HSPs) and heat shock cognate proteins (HSCs). During our screen for CHIP-like proteins in the Bombyx mori databases, we found a novel silkworm gene, Bombyx mori CHIP. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BmCHIP belongs to Lepidopteran lineages. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicated that BmCHIP was relatively highly expressed in the gonad and fat body. A pull-down experiment and auto-ubiquitination assay showed that BmCHIP interacted with BmHSC70 and had E3 ligase activity. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BmCHIP was partially co-localized with ubiquitin in BmN4 cells. These data support that BmCHIP plays an important role in the ubiquitin proteasome system as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in B. mori. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enriquecimento da dieta do bicho-da-seda com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja Enrichment of the silkworms diet with soybean water soluble extract

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Gustavo do Valle Polycarpo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se a suplementação da dieta do bicho-da-seda com extrato hidrossolúvel de soja (EHS interfere na produção de casulos e no consumo de folhas de amoreira (Morus alba L. de diferentes cultivares pelas lagartas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4x5, com quatro cultivares de amoreira ('IZ64', 'IZ56/4', 'FM86' e 'FMSM' e cinco dietas (folhas não tratadas, folhas umedecidas com água, folhas enriquecidas com EHS, em três níveis: suplementação da dieta com 5, 10 e 20% de PB. O EHS foi aspergido sobre as folhas, tendo a água como agente dispersante. O consumo foi verificado pela diferença entre a quantidade de folhas fornecidas e a quantidade não consumida pelas lagartas. A ingestão de alimento apresentou-se de forma quadrática, diminuindo à medida que o EHS foi adicionado à dieta. Houve interação dos fatores cultivar e dieta. O fornecimento de folhas de amoreira com acréscimo proteico de 10% por meio do EHS melhorou a qualidade dos casulos do bicho-da-seda com a utilização das cultivares 'IZ56/4' e 'FMSM'. A pulverização de EHS nas folhas da cultivar 'IZ64' prejudicou a produção de casulos. Lagartas do bicho-da-seda, alimentadas com folhas de amoreira sem suplementação, produziram cascas séricas mais pesadas com folhas das cultivares 'IZ64' e 'FMSM'. A aspersão de água nas folhas incrementou o peso de cascas séricas produzidas a partir da cultivar 'FM86'. A suplementação da dieta com EHS diminui o consumo da lagarta do bicho-da-seda. A aplicação de EHS influencia a produção de casulos em função da cultivar utilizada.The aim of this research was to assess if the supplementation of the silkworm diet with soybean water soluble extract (WSE interferes on the consumption of mulberry leaves (Morus alba L. by the caterpillars and on cocoon production. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial arrangement 4x5

Synthesis of sialoglycopolypeptide for potentially blocking influenza virus infection using a rat α2,6-sialyltransferase expressed in BmNPV bacmid-injected silkworm larvae

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Ogata Makoto

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sialic acid is a deoxy uronic acid with a skeleton of nine carbons which is mostly found on cell surface in animals. This sialic acid on cell surface performs various biological functions by acting as a receptor for microorganisms, viruses, toxins, and hormones; by masking receptors; and by regulating the immune system. In order to synthesize an artificial sialoglycoprotein, we developed a large-scale production of rat α2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6Gal1. The ST6Gal1 was expressed in fifth instar silkworm larval hemolymph using recombinant both cysteine protease- and chitinase-deficient Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV-CP--Chi- bacmid. The expressed ST6Gal1 was purified, characterized and used for sialylation of asialoglycopolypeptide. We tested the inhibitory effect of the synthesized α2,6-sialoglycopolypeptide on hemagglutination by Sambucus nigra (SNA lectin. Results FLAG-tagged recombinant ST6Gal1 was expressed efficiently and purified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate followed by affinity chromatography on an anti-FLAG M2 column, generating 2.2 mg purified fusion protein from only 11 silkworm larvae, with a recovery yield of 64%. The purified ST6Gal1 was characterized and its N-glycan patterns were found to be approximately paucimannosidic type by HPLC mapping method. Fluorescently-labelled N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc glycoside containing dansyl group was synthesized chemo-enzymatically as high-sensitivity acceptor substrate for ST6Gal1. The acceptor substrate specificity of the enzyme was similar to that of rat liver ST6Gal1. The fluorescent glycoside is useful as a substrate for a highly sensitive picomole assay of ST6Gal1. Asialoglycopolypeptide was regioselectively and quantitatively sialylated by catalytic reaction at the terminal Gal residue to obtain α2,6-sialoglycopolypeptide using ST6Gal1. The α2,6-sialoglycopolypeptide selectively inhibited hemagglutination induced by Sambucus nigra (SNA lectin

Draft environmental statement related to construction of Erie Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2: (Docket Nos. STN 50-580 and STN 50-581)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-11-01

The proposed action is the issuance of construction permits to the Ohio Edison Company, acting on behalf of itself, the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Duquesne Light Company, Pennsylvania Power Company, and the Toledo Edison Company, for the construction of the Erie Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2, located in Erie County, Ohio. A total of 704 hectares (ha) (1740 acres) will be used for the Erie plant site. Construction-related activities on the primary site will disturb about 223 ha (551 acres). Approximately 641 ha (1584 acres) will be required for transmission line rights-of-way. The 3.86-km (2.4-mile) intake and discharge pipeline land corridor will involve alteration of approximately 13 ha (32 acres) of corridor and 1 ha (2.5 acres) for shore facilities. Also, 3.9 ha (9.6 acres) of lake bottom will be disturbed to provide 15-m-wide (50-ft-wide) trenches and an additional 15-m-wide (50-ft-wide) area for storage of excavated material for subsequent backfill for the 701-m (2300-ft) intake and 579-m (1900-ft) discharge lines. Plant construction will involve some community impacts. No residents will be displaced from the site property. Traffic on local roads will increase due to construction and commuting activities. The influx of construction workers' families (a peak work force of about 2700) is expected to cause no major housing or school problems. It is assumed that aquatic organisms entrained in the circulating water system will be killed due to thermal and mechanical shock. The maximum impact based on the population densities of phytoplankton and zooplankton organisms in the adjacent lake area will be the destruction of 0.1% of the entrainable organisms from the lake water. The entrainment of fish larvae will not constitute a significant impact on the lake fishery. 62 figs., 32 tabs

Genetic analysis of the electrophysiological response to salicin, a bitter substance, in a polyphagous strain of the silkworm Bombyx mori.

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Tetsuya Iizuka

Full Text Available Sawa-J is a polyphagous silkworm (Bombyx mori L. strain that eats various plant leaves that normal silkworms do not. The feeding preference behavior of Sawa-J is controlled by one major recessive gene(s on the polyphagous (pph locus, and several minor genes; moreover, its deterrent cells possess low sensitivity to some bitter substances including salicin. To clarify whether taste sensitivity is controlled by the pph locus, we conducted a genetic analysis of the electrophysiological characteristics of the taste response using the polyphagous strain Sawa-J·lem, in which pph is linked to the visible larval marker lemon (lem on the third chromosome, and the normal strain Daiankyo, in which the wild-type gene of pph (+(pph is marked with Zebra (Ze. Maxillary taste neurons of the two strains had similar dose-response relationships for sucrose, inositol, and strychnine nitrate, but the deterrent cell of Sawa-J·lem showed a remarkably low sensitivity to salicin. The F(1 generation of the two strains had characteristics similar to the Daiankyo strain, consistent with the idea that pph is recessive. In the BF(1 progeny between F(1 females and Sawa-J·lem males where no crossing-over occurs, the lem and Ze phenotypes corresponded to different electrophysiological reactions to 25 mM salicin, indicating that the gene responsible for taste sensitivity to salicin is located on the same chromosome as the lem and Ze genes. The normal and weak reactions to 25 mM salicin were segregated in crossover-type larvae of the BF(1 progeny produced by a reciprocal cross, and the recombination frequency agreed well with the theoretical ratio for the loci of lem, pph, and Ze on the standard linkage map. These results indicate that taste sensitivity to salicin is controlled by the gene(s on the pph locus.

Sericins of mulberry and non-mulberry silkworms for eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaisabai, Wanna; Khamhaengpol, Arunrat; Siri, Sineenat

2018-05-01

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has received many interests as a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method. This study reported the use of sericins extracted from non-mulberry (Samia cynthia ricini) and mulberry (Bombyx mori) silkworms for green syntheses of AgNPs. Both sericins possessed the reducing activity, which the reducing activity of S. c. ricini sericin was significantly higher than that of B. mori sericin. The formation of AgNPs facilitated by S. c. ricini sericin was greater than B. mori sericin as determined by the intensity of the surfacing plasmon resonance peak of silver at 412 nm. The synthesized AgNPs using both sericins were spherical and uniform in size with the average diameter of ∼13 nm. The silver component and the crystalline structure was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction analyses. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited the antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, suggesting their potential application as an effective antibacterial agent.

Identification of 2nd chromosome region translocated onto the W chromosome by RFLP with EST-cDNA clones in the Gensei-kouken strains of the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L

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Sivaramakurup Sreekumar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In silkworms, sex-limited strains are either obtained spontaneously or induced by X-rays or gamma rays. When a fragment of an autosome carrying a dominant allele of those genes responsible for certain characters is translocated onto a W chromosome, the female of the successive generations will express these phenotypic characters and sex discrimination can be facilitated. Gensei-kouken strains are sex-limited strains of silkworms developed by irradiating the pupae with gamma rays, by which a portion of the second chromosome is translocated onto the W chromosome. In these improved strains, the females are yellow-blooded and spin yellow cocoons. By using the EST-cDNA clones mapped on the Z chromosome, we identified the sex according to the polymorphic banding pattern or intensity of the signals. Furthermore, by using the clones on the second chromosome, the region of the second chromosome translocated onto the W chromosome was also defined. In both the A95 and A 96 strains selected for the present study, only the mid-portion of the second chromosome was translocated. The differences in length of the fragments translocated in these strains are discussed.

Molecular Cloning, Bioinformatic Analysis, and Expression of Bombyx mori Lebocin 5 Gene Related to Beauveria bassiana Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Dingding; Hou, Chengxiang; Qin, Guangxing; Gao, Kun; Chen, Tian; Guo, Xijie

2017-01-01

A full-length cDNA of lebocin 5 (BmLeb5) was first cloned from silkworm, Bombyx mori , by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The BmLeb5 gene is 808 bp in length and the open reading frame encodes a 179-amino acid hydroxyproline-rich peptide. Bioinformatic analysis results showed that BmLeb5 owns an O-glycosylation site and four RXXR motifs as other lebocins. Sequence similarity and phylogenic analysis results indicated that lebocins form a multiple gene family in silkworm as cecropins. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that BmLeb5 was highest expressed in the fat body. In the silkworm larvae infected by Beauveria bassiana , the expression level of BmLeb5 was upregulated in the fat body and hemolymph which are the most important immune tissues in silkworm. The recombinant protein of BmLeb5 was for the first time successfully expressed with prokaryotic expression system and purified. There are no reports so far that the expression of lebocins could be induced by entomopathogenic fungus. Our study suggested that BmLeb5 might play an important role in the immune response of silkworm to defend B. bassiana infection. The results also provided helpful information for further studying the lebocin family functioned in antifungal immune response in the silkworm.

Meteotsunamis in the Great Lakes and Investigation into the May 27, 2012 Event on Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, E. J.; Bechle, A.; Wu, C. H.; Schwab, D. J.; Mann, G.

2016-02-01

Meteotsunami events have been documented in several countries around the world in the coastal ocean, semi-enclosed basins, and in the Great Lakes. In particular, investigations in the Great Lakes have raised the issue of dangers posed by enclosed basins due to the reflection and interaction of meteotsunami waves, in which the destructive waves can arrive several hours after the atmospheric disturbance has passed. This disassociation in time and space between the atmospheric disturbance and resultant meteotsunami wave can pose a significant threat to the public. In a recent event on May 27, 2012, atmospheric conditions gave rise to two convective systems that generated a series of waves in the meteotsunami band on Lake Erie. The resulting waves swept three swimmers a half-mile offshore, inundated a marina, and may have led to a capsized boat along the southern shoreline. Examination of the observed conditions shows that these events occurred at a time between the arrivals of these two storm systems when atmospheric conditions were relatively calm but water level displacements were at their greatest. In this work, we attempt to explain the processes that led to these conditions through a combination of atmospheric and hydrodynamic modeling and an analysis of the observed radial velocities associated with the meteotsunami-inducing front. Results from a high-resolution atmospheric model and hydrodynamic model reveal that the formation of these destructive waves resulted from a combination of wave reflection, focusing, and edge waves that impacted the southern shore of Lake Erie. This event illustrates the unique danger posed by temporal lags between the inducing atmospheric conditions and resulting dangerous nearshore wave conditions.

Proteins in the Cocoon of Silkworm Inhibit the Growth of Beauveria bassiana

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Li, Youshan; Liu, Huawei; Xia, Qingyou; Zhao, Ping

2016-01-01

Silk cocoons are composed of fiber proteins (fibroins) and adhesive glue proteins (sericins), which provide a physical barrier to protect the inside pupa. Moreover, other proteins were identified in the cocoon silk, many of which are immune related proteins. In this study, we extracted proteins from the silkworm cocoon by Tris-HCl buffer (pH7.5), and found that they had a strong inhibitory activity against fungal proteases and they had higher abundance in the outer cocoon layers than in the inner cocoon layers. Moreover, we found that extracted cocoon proteins can inhibit the germination of Beauveria bassiana spores. Consistent with the distribution of protease inhibitors, we found that proteins from the outer cocoon layers showed better inhibitory effects against B. bassiana spores than proteins from the inner layers. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to reveal the extracted components in the scaffold silk, the outermost cocoon layer. A total of 129 proteins were identified, 30 of which were annotated as protease inhibitors. Protease inhibitors accounted for 89.1% in abundance among extracted proteins. These protease inhibitors have many intramolecular disulfide bonds to maintain their stable structure, and remained active after being boiled. This study added a new understanding to the antimicrobial function of the cocoon. PMID:27032085

Intensification of Wild Silkworm Attacus atlas Rearing (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae

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B. K. Desmawita

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Study on intensification program through reproduction and feeding management was conducted for six months to evaluate the growth and reproductive performance of wild silkworm, Attacus atlas. The experiment was divided into two phases: 1 the first phase was conducted on mating management, by applying different times of mating duration of 3, 6, 12, and 24 h as treatments to assess eggs production. In this phase, a completely randomized design was used, with 4 treatments and 5 replications; 2 the second phase was on feeding management, a completely randomized design method (2 x 2 was used, including feed (guava and walnut leaves as first factor, and the second factor was feeding times (3 and 4 times/day with 5 replications. The results obtained from the first experiment showed that different duration of mating significantly (P<0.05 affected the number of eggs produced. Based on time efficiency 6 hours mating duration produced higher egg production (226 egg/cycle, as well as hatchability (95% than those of other mating duration. In the second experiment, it was found that there was interaction between feed types and feeding frequencies which significantly (P<0.05 affected feed consumption, feed digestibility, body weight gain, diameter of larvae and mortality rate. In conclusion, the optimum and efficient duration sugested for mating is six hours resulting high egg production. The walnut leaves feed has better effect on the first and second instar of larvae, while the guava leaves affect the following instars. In terms of production, four times of feeding frequency per day has higher productivity and is recommended in the cultivation management of A. atlas.

Does behavioural thermoregulation underlie seasonal movements in Lake Erie walleye?

Science.gov (United States)

Raby, Graham D.; Vandergoot, Christopher; Hayden, Todd A.; Faust, Matthew D.; Kraus, Richard T.; Dettmers, John M.; Cooke, Steven J.; Zhao, Yingming; Fisk, Aaron T.; Krueger, Charles C.

2018-01-01

Thermoregulation is presumed to be a widespread determinant of behaviour in fishes, but has not often been investigated as a mechanism shaping long-distance migrations. We used acoustic telemetry and animal-borne thermal loggers to test the hypothesis that seasonal migration in adult walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Erie is size- and (or) sex-specific and related to behavioural thermoregulation. Female walleye migrated out of the warm, shallow western basin earlier than did males and were 1.8 times more likely to be detected on acoustic receivers in the deeper and cooler eastern basin. The few fish that remained in the western basin were restricted to a smaller range of higher temperatures (≥20 °C) than those that migrated to the central and eastern basins (∼16–21 °C). However, temperature records from walleye in the central basin were nearly indistinguishable from those in the eastern basin, suggesting thermal preferences alone could not explain migration to the eastern basin. As such, our effort to understand the mechanisms that cause migratory behaviours has generated mixed evidence on the role of temperature and that factors like foraging opportunities may have synergistic roles in the migration.

Short-Pulse-Width Repetitively Q-Switched ~2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser

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Xiaojing Ren

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A short-pulse-width repetitively Q-switched 2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser is demonstrated using a specially designed mechanical switch, a metal plate carved with slits of both slit-width and duty-cycle optimized. With a 20% transmission output coupler, stable pulse trains with durations (full-width at half-maximum, FWHM of 27–38 ns were generated with a repetition rate within the range of 0.26–4 kHz. The peak power at a 0.26 kHz repetition rate was ~3 kW.

Focused risk assessment: Mound Plant, Miami-Erie Canal Operable Unit 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, D.R.; Dunning, D.F.

1994-01-01

In 1969, an underground waste line at Mound Plant ruptured and released plutonium-238 in a dilute nitric acid solution to the surrounding soils. Most of the acid was neutralized by the native soils. The plutonium, which in a neutral solution is tightly sorbed onto clay particles, remained within the spill area. During remediation, a severe storm eroded some of the contaminated soil. Fine grained plutonium-contaminated clay particles were carried away through the natural drainage courses to the remnants of the Miami-Erie Canal adjacent to Mound Plant, and then into the Great Miami River. This focused risk assessment considers exposure pathways relevant to site conditions, including incidental ingestion of contaminated soils, ingestion of drinking water and fish, and inhalation of resuspended soils and sediments. For each potential exposure pathway, a simplified conceptual model and exposure scenarios have been used to develop conservative estimates of potential radiation dose equivalents and health risks. The conservatism of the dose and risk estimates provides a substantive margin of safety in assuring that the public health is protected

The POU homeodomain transcription factor POUM2 and broad complex isoform 2 transcription factor induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone collaboratively regulate vitellogenin gene expression and egg formation in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Y; Liu, H; Yang, C; Gu, J; Shen, G; Zhang, H; Chen, E; Han, C; Zhang, Y; Xu, Y; Wu, J; Xia, Q

2017-10-01

Vitellogenin (Vg) is a source of nutrition for embryo development. Our previous study showed that the silkworm (Bombyx mori) transcription factor broad complex isoform 2 (BmBrC-Z2) regulates gene expression of the Vg gene (BmVg) by induction with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). However, the mechanism by which 20E regulates BmVg expression was not clarified. In this study, cell transfection experiments showed that the BmVg promoter containing the POU homeodomain transcription factor POUM2 (POUM2) and BrC-Z2 cis-response elements (CREs) showed a more significant response to 20E than that harbouring only the BrC-Z2 or POUM2 CRE. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that BmPOUM2 could bind to the POUM2 CRE of the BmVg promoter. Over-expression of BmPOUM2 and BmBrC-Z2 in B. mori embryo-derived cell line (BmE) could enhance the activity of the BmVg promoter carrying both the POUM2 and BrC-Z2 CREs following 20E induction. Quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence histochemistry showed that the expression pattern and tissue localization of BmPOUM2 correspond to those of BmVg. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that BmPOUM2 interacts only with BmBrC-Z2 to regulate BmVg expression. Down-regulation of BmPOUM2 in female silkworm by RNA interference significantly reduced BmVg expression, leading to abnormal egg formation. In summary, these results indicate that BmPOUM2 binds only to BmBrC-Z2 to collaboratively regulate BmVg expression by 20E induction to control vitellogenesis and egg formation in the silkworm. Moreover, these findings suggest that homeodomain protein POUM2 plays a novel role in regulating insect vitellogenesis. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

Radiosurgery using heavy ion microbeams for biological study: Fate mapping of the cellular blastoderm-stage egg of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiguchi, Kenji; Shirai, Koji; Kanekatsu, Rensuke; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Tu, Z.-L.; Funayama, Tomoo; Watanabe, Hiroshi

2003-01-01

We investigated the effects of heavy ions on embryogenesis of the silkworm, Bombyx mori using a collimated heavy ion microbeam from the vertical beam line of an AVF-cyclotron. Eggs were exposed to carbon ions at the cellular blastoderm stage. Microbeams were found to be extremely useful for radio-microsurgical inactivation of nuclei or cells in the target site. Spot irradiation caused abnormal embryos, which showed localized defects such as deletion, duplication and fusion, depending on dose, beam size and site of irradiation. The location and frequency of defects on the resultant embryos were closely correlated to the irradiation site. Based on this correlation, a fate map was established for the Bombyx egg at the cellular blastoderm stage

Radiosurgery using heavy ion microbeams for biological study: Fate mapping of the cellular blastoderm-stage egg of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiguchi, Kenji E-mail: kkiguch@giptc.shinshu-u.ac.jp; Shirai, Koji; Kanekatsu, Rensuke; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Tu, Z.-L.; Funayama, Tomoo; Watanabe, Hiroshi

2003-09-01

We investigated the effects of heavy ions on embryogenesis of the silkworm, Bombyx mori using a collimated heavy ion microbeam from the vertical beam line of an AVF-cyclotron. Eggs were exposed to carbon ions at the cellular blastoderm stage. Microbeams were found to be extremely useful for radio-microsurgical inactivation of nuclei or cells in the target site. Spot irradiation caused abnormal embryos, which showed localized defects such as deletion, duplication and fusion, depending on dose, beam size and site of irradiation. The location and frequency of defects on the resultant embryos were closely correlated to the irradiation site. Based on this correlation, a fate map was established for the Bombyx egg at the cellular blastoderm stage.

Using Watershed Models and Human Behavioral Analyses to identify Management Options to Reduce Lake Erie's Harmful Algal Blooms

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J.; Wilson, R. S.; Aloysius, N.; Kalcic, M. M.; Roe, B.; Howard, G.; Irwin, E.; Zhang, W.; Liu, H.

2017-12-01

In early 2016, the United States and Canada formally agreed to reduce phosphorus inputs to Lake Erie by 40% to reduce the severity of annual Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). These blooms have become more severe, with record events occurring in 2011 and 2015, and have compromised public safety, shut down drinking water supplies, and negatively impacted the economy of the western Lake Erie basin. Now, a key question is what management options should be pursued to reach the 40% reduction. This presentation will highlight interdisciplinary research to compare the amount and types of practices needed for this reduction to the current and projected levels of adoption. Multiple models of the Maumee watershed identified management plans and adoption rates needed to reach the reduction targets. For example, one successful scenario estimated necessary adoption rates of 50% for subsurface application of fertilizer on row crops, 58% for cover crops, and 78% for buffer strips. Current adoption is below these levels, but future projections based on farmer surveys shows these levels are possible. This information was then used to guide another round of watershed modeling analysis to evaluate scenarios that represented more realistic scenarios based on potential levels of management adoption. In general, these results show that accelerated adoption of management plans is needed compared to past adoption rates, and that some of these greater adoption levels are possible based on likely adoption rates. Increasing the perceived efficacy of the practices is one method that will support greater voluntary rates of adoption.

Double-Crested Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus) Nesting Effects on Understory Composition and Diversity on Island Ecosystems in Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

McGrath, Darby M.; Murphy, Stephen D.

2012-08-01

The context for this study is the management concerns over the severity and extent of the impact of cormorants on island flora in the recent past on Lake Erie islands. Accordingly, this study sought to quantify the nesting colonies' influence on coarse woody litter and how nest densities and litter depth may influence the herbaceous layer, the seed bank composition and viability across the extent of three Lake Erie islands. The data for this study were collected from 2004 to 2008 on East Sister Island and Middle Island using two main strategies. First, herbaceous layer surveys, cormorant nest counts, soil seed bank cores, and litter depth measurements were executed using a plotless-point quarter method to test island-wide impacts from nesting activities (data were also collected on a third island, West Sister Island as a reference for the other two islands). Secondly, a sub-sample of the entire plot set was examined in particularly high nesting density areas for two islands (Middle Island and East Sister Island). Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated that there are subtle changes in the herbaceous diversity (total, native and exotic) and seed bank composition across the islands. The sub sample set of the plots demonstrated that Phalacrocorax auritus nest density does influence litter depth, herbaceous species abundance and diversity. Cormorant nesting pressures are restricted to areas of high nesting pressures and competition. However, there remains a risk to the interior herbaceous layer of the island if the effects of nesting pressures at the edges advance inward from this perimeter.

Energy research information system (eris) projects report. volume 4, number 1. Report for December 1978-June 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, C.A.; Jelinek, J.

1979-06-01

The goal of the Energy Research Information System (ERIS) is to provide an inventory of the energy related programs and research activities from 1974 to the present in the States of Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Areas of research covered include: coal, petroleum, oil shales, fission fuels, synthetic fuels, hydro-energy, renewable energy, resources, energy policy, reclamation, socioeconomic impacts, environmental impacts and land use. Each project description lists title, investigator(s), research institution, sponsor, funding, time frame, location, a descriptive abstract of the research and the titles of reports and/or publications generated by the research. All projects are indexed by location, personal names, organizations and subject keywords

Effects of ultraviolet radiation on rates and size distribution of primary production by Lake Erie phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiriart, V.P.; Greenberg, B.M.; Guildford, S.J.; Smith, R.E.H.

2002-01-01

The impact of natural solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), particularly UVB (297-320 nm), on phytoplankton primary production in Lake Erie was investigated during the spring and summer of 1997. Radiocarbon incorporation and size-selective filtration was used to trace total production and its distribution among particulate and dissolved pools. On average, 1-h exposures produced half the UVB-dependent inhibition of total production realized in 8-h exposures, indicating rapid kinetics of photoinhibition. Cumulative UVB-dependent photoinhibition averaged 36% in 8-h simulated surface exposures. The efficiency of photoinhibition was greater for N-deficient than N-replete communities, but was not related to phytoplankton light history, P limitation, or the dominant genera. The proportion of recently fixed carbon occurring in the dissolved pool after 8-h exposures was significantly greater in higher-UVB treatments, whereas the share in picoplankton (<2 μm) was significantly lower. Significant UVB-dependent inhibition of total production was limited on average to relatively severe exposures, but the rapid kinetics of inhibition and the apparent effects on the allocation of carbon suggest it may be important to the lake's food web. Differences in optical properties and thermal stratification patterns suggested that the relatively turbid west basin was potentially more susceptible to UVR photoinhibition than the more transparent east or central basins. (author)

Molecular cloning of a functional allatostatin gut/brain receptor and an allatostatin preprohormone from the silkworm Bombyx mori

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Secher, Thomas; Lenz, C; Cazzamali, G

2001-01-01

in the DAR-1 and DAR-2 genes, showing that the three receptors are not only structurally but also evolutionarily related. Furthermore, we have cloned a Bombyx allatostatin preprohormone that contains eight different A-type allatostatins. Chinese hamster ovary cells permanently transfected with BAR DNA react......The cockroach-type or A-type allatostatins are inhibitory insect neuropeptides with the C-terminal sequence Tyr/Phe-X-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH(2). Here, we have cloned an A-type allatostatin receptor from the silkworm Bombyx mori (BAR). BAR is 361 amino acid residues long, has seven transmembrane domains....... Northern blots and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of different larval tissues show that BAR mRNA is mainly expressed in the gut and to a much lesser extent in the brain. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular cloning and functional expression of an insect...

The dipteran parasitoid Exorista bombycis induces pro- and anti-oxidative reactions in the silkworm Bombyx mori: Enzymatic and genetic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Makwana, Pooja; Pradeep, Appukuttan Nair R; Hungund, Shambhavi P; Ponnuvel, Kangayam M; Trivedy, Kanika

2017-02-01

Hymenopteran parasitoids inject various factors including polydnaviruses along with their eggs into their host insects that suppress host immunity reactions to the eggs and larvae. Less is known about the mechanisms evolved in dipteran parasitoids that suppress host immunity. Here we report that the dipteran, Exorista bombycis, parasitization leads to pro-oxidative reactions and activation of anti-oxidative enzymes in the silkworm Bombyx mori larva. We recorded increased activity of oxidase, superoxide dismutase, thioredoxin peroxidase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and peroxidases in the hemolymph plasma, hemocytes, and fat body collected from B. mori after E. bombycis parasitization. Microarray and qPCR showed differential expression of genes encoding pro- and anti-oxidant enzymes in the hemocytes. The significance of this work lies in increased understanding of dipteran parasitoid biology. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fish community responses to submerged aquatic vegetation in Maumee Bay, Western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Jacob; Kocovsky, Patrick; Wiegmann, Daniel; Miner, Jeffery G.

2018-01-01

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in clearwater systems simultaneously provides habitat for invertebrate prey and acts as refugia for small fishes. Many fishes in Lake Erie rely on shallow, heavily vegetated bays as spawning grounds and the loss or absence of which is known to reduce recruitment in other systems. The Maumee River and Maumee Bay, which once had abundant macrophyte beds, have experienced a decline of SAV and an increase in suspended solids (turbidity) over the last century due to numerous causes. To compare fish communities in open‐water (turbid) and in SAV (clearer water) habitats in this region, which is designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Area of Concern, and to indicate community changes that could occur with expansion of SAV habitat, we sampled a 300‐ha sector of northern Maumee Bay that contained both habitats. Using towed neuston nets through patches of each habitat, we determined that areas of SAV contained more species and a different species complex (based on the Jaccard index and the wetland fish index), than did the open‐water habitat (averaging 8.6 versus 5 species per net trawl). The SAV habitat was dominated by centrarchids, namely Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, and Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus. Open‐water habitat was dominated by Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius, Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and White Perch Morone americana, an invasive species. These results indicate that restoration efforts aimed at decreasing turbidity and increasing the distribution of SAV could cause substantive shifts in the fish community and address important metrics for assessing the beneficial use impairments in this Area of Concern.

Molecular and enzymatic characterization of two enzymes BmPCD and BmDHPR involving in the regeneration pathway of tetrahydrobiopterin from the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wentian; Gong, Meixia; Shu, Rui; Li, Xin; Gao, Junshan; Meng, Yan

2015-08-01

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential cofactor of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and nitric oxide synthase so that BH4 plays a key role in many biological processes. BH4 deficiency is associated with numerous metabolic syndromes and neuropsychological disorders. BH4 concentration in mammals is maintained through a de novo synthesis pathway and a regeneration pathway. Previous studies showed that the de novo pathway of BH4 is similar between insects and mammals. However, knowledge about the regeneration pathway of BH4 (RPB) is very limited in insects. Several mutants in the silkworm Bombyx mori have been approved to be associated with BH4 deficiency, which are good models to research on the RPB in insects. In this study, homologous genes encoding two enzymes, pterin-4a-carbinolamine dehydratase (PCD) and dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) involving in RPB have been cloned and identified from B. mori. Enzymatic activity of DHPR was found in the fat body of wild type silkworm larvae. Together with the transcription profiles, it was indicated that BmPcd and BmDhpr might normally act in the RPB of B. mori and the expression of BmDhpr was activated in the brain and sexual glands while BmPcd was expressed in a wider special pattern when the de novo pathway of BH4 was lacked in lemon. Biochemical analyses showed that the recombinant BmDHPR exhibited high enzymatic activity and more suitable parameters to the coenzyme of NADH in vitro. The results in this report give new information about the RPB in B. mori and help in better understanding insect BH4 biosynthetic networks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater via adsorption with high-specific-surface-area nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon derived from silkworm cocoon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Junting; Zhang, Zhengping; Ji, Jing; Dou, Meiling, E-mail: douml@mail.buct.edu.cn; Wang, Feng, E-mail: wangf@mail.buct.edu.cn

2017-05-31

Highlights: • The nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon was prepared from silkworm cocoon. • The NHPC possesses a unique porous structure and a high specific surface area. • The NHPC presents superior adsorption performance for Cr (VI). • The NHPC exhibits an excellent recyclability for the removal of Cr (VI). - Abstract: The development of highly efficient adsorbents is an effective way to remove Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater for environment protection. Herein, a high-specific-surface-area nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC) derived from silkworm cocoon was synthesized and applied as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater. The resultant NHPC possesses a specific surface area as high as 3134 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and a unique hierarchical porous structure with a large number of small mesopores (2–4 nm) and micropores (0.8–2 nm) embedded in the sidewall of bowl-like macropores (200–300 nm), in which sufficient exposure of adsorption sites and high-flow transfer of Cr{sup 6+} ions can be achieved. As a result, the NHPC exhibits a remarkable adsorption performance with a larger adsorption capacity (366.3 mg g{sup −1}), a higher adsorption rate (4 × 10{sup −2} g mg{sup −1} min{sup −1}) and a superior recyclability in comparison with the commercial adsorbent (Norit CGP). Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic, which fits well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. This biomass-based porous carbon with well-defined hierarchical porous structure can be applied as a promising adsorbent for the removal of Cr{sup 6+} from wastewater.

Phylogenetic relationships of three new microsporidian isolates from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Nageswara Rao, S; Muthulakshmi, M; Kanginakudru, S; Nagaraju, J

2004-07-01

The pathogenicity, mode of transmission, tissue specificity of infection and the small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene sequences of the three new microsporidian isolates from the silkworm Bombyx mori were studied. Out of the three, NIK-2r revealed life cycle features and SSU-rRNA gene sequence similar to Nosema bombycis, suggesting that it is N. bombycis. The other two, NIK-4m and NIK-3h, differed from each other as well as from N. bombycis. NIK-4m was highly pathogenic and did not show any vertical transmission, in accordance with the apparent lack of gonadal infection, whereas NIK-3h was less pathogenic and vertical transmission was not detected but could not be excluded. Phylogenetic analysis based on SSU-rRNA gene sequence placed NIK-3h and NIK-4m in a distinct clade that included almost all the Vairimorpha species and Nosema species that infect lepidopteran and non-lepidopteran hosts, while NIK-2r was included in a clade containing almost all the Nosema isolates that infect only lepidopteran hosts. Thus, we have presented molecular evidence that one of the three isolates is in fact the type species N. bombycis, while the other two isolates are Vairimorpha spp. There was distinct separation of microsporidian isolates infecting only lepidopteran hosts and those infecting lepidopteran and non-lepidopteran hosts, reflecting possible co-evolution of hosts and microsporidian isolates.

Vibration receptive sensilla on the wing margins of the silkworm moth Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Akihiro; Yokohari, Fumio

2010-03-01

Bristles along the wing margins (wm-bristles) of the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori, were studied morphologically and electrophysiologically. The male moth has ca. 50 wm-bristles on each forewing and hindwing. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that these wm-bristles are typical mechanosensilla. Leuco-methylene blue staining demonstrated that each wm-bristle has a single receptor neuron, which is also characteristic of the mechanosensillum. The receptor neuron responded to vibrating air currents but did not respond to a constant air current. The wm-bristles showed clear directional sensitivity to vibrating air currents. The wm-bristles were classified into two types, type I and type II, by their response patterns to sinusoidal movements of the bristle. The neuron in type I discharged bursting spikes immediately following stimulation onset and also discharged a single spike for each sinusoidal cycle for frequencies less than ca. 60 Hz. The neuron in type II only responded to vibrations over 40 Hz and, specifically at 75 Hz, discharged a single spike for each sinusoidal cycle throughout the stimulation period. These results suggest that the two types of wm-bristles are highly tuned in different ways to detect vibrations due to the wing beat. The roles of the wm-bristles in the wing beat are discussed. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A DFT study of hydrogen adsorption on Be, Mg and Ca frameworks in erionite zeolite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fellah, Mehmet Ferdi, E-mail: mferdi.fellah@btu.edu.tr

2017-02-01

Highlights: • Mg-ERI and Ca-ERI clusters have much lower chemical potential and hardness. • Adsorption enthalpies for Mg- and Ca-ERI are importantly greater than the liquefaction enthalpy of hydrogen. • Mg-ERI and Ca-ERI clusters have much HOMO-LUMO gap indicating higher reactivity. • Ca- and Mg-ERI are potential cryoadsorbent materials for hydrogen storage. - Abstract: The molecular hydrogen adsorption was investigated on additional frameworks with earth alkaline metal atoms (Be, Mg and Ca) in 24T ERI zeolite cluster model by means of Density Functional Theory study. HOMO and LUMO energy values, chemical potential, chemical hardness, electronegativity, adsorption energy and adsorption enthalpy values have been calculated in this study. Mg-ERI and Ca-ERI clusters have much lower chemical potentials with much lower adsorption energy values when compared to the value of Be-ERI cluster. Additionally, they are softer than Be-ERI cluster with respect to their lower chemical hardness values. Hydrogen adsorption enthalpy values were computed as −3.6 and −3.9 kJ/mol on Mg-ERI and Ca-ERI clusters, respectively. These adsorption enthalpy values are significantly larger than the enthalpy value of liquefaction for hydrogen molecule. This consequently specifies that Mg-ERI and Ca-ERI zeolite structures which have higher chemical reactivity appear to be a promising candidate cryoadsorbent for hydrogen storage.

Effect of gamma irradiation on the total nitrogen and protein content in body during different stages of silkworm development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkov, N.; Malinova, K.; Binkh, N.T.

1996-01-01

The aim was to determine the effect of gamma irradiation of eggs of silk moth in B 2 stage in doses of 1.00, 2.00 and 3.00 Gy on the changes of total nitrogen and protein content during different stages of Bombyx mori L. development. Highest levels of total nitrogen and protein were found in silk gland 14.032-14.355 mg%, followed by pupae - 7.448-8.092 and 46.550-48.906 mg%, moths after egg laying - 6.650-7.825 and 41.563-48.906 mg% and silkworm hemolymph - 6.920-6.980 and 43.250-43.625 mg%, respectively. The irradiation of eggs with 2.00 and 3,00 Gy gamma rays stimulated the increase of total nitrogen and protein content in silk gland by 6.66-7.3% compared to non-irradiated eggs of the same breed. 14 refs., 3 tabs. (author)

Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey at the Giribaile site (upper Guadalquivir valley; southern Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, J.; Rey, J.; Gutiérrez, L. M.; Novo, A.; Ortiz, A. J.; Alejo, M.; Galdón, J. M.

2015-12-01

The Giribaile archaeological site is one of the most important Iberian enclaves of the Alto Guadalquivir (Southern Spain). However, to date, only minimal excavation work has been performed at the site. Evaluation requires a preliminary, non-destructive general analysis to determine high-interest areas. This stage required a geophysical survey. Specifically, a 100 m2 grid was selected, where an initial campaign of nine electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) profiles was performed, where each profile was 111 m in length; these profiles were previously located using a detailed topographical survey. A total of 112 electrodes were used for each profile, spaced at 1 m apart with a Wenner-Schlumberger configuration. Secondly, 201 GPR profiles were created using a 500 MHz antenna. The 100 m long profiles were spaced 0.5 m apart and parallel to one another. The present research analyses the efficiency of each of these geophysical tools in supporting archaeological research. Using these methodologies, the position, morphology, and depth of different buried structures can be determined. 3D interpretation of the geophysical survey in 100 × 100 m grid allowed to differentiate structures square and rectangular, interesting buildings in a semicircle (interpreted as ovens) plus delineate different streets. From the geophysical survey follows the Carthaginian presence inside this ancient Iberian enclave.

Flow of an Erying-Powell fluid over a stretching sheet in presence of chemical reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khan Ilyas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we study the flow of an incompressible Erying-Powell fluid bounded by a linear stretching surface. The mass transfer analysis in the presence of destructive /generative chemical reactions is also analyzed. A similarity transformation is used to transform the governing partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations. Computations for dimensionless velocity and concentration fields are performed by an efficient approach namely the homotopy analysis method (HAM and numerical solution is obtained by shooting technique along with Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg integration scheme. Graphical results are prepared to illustrate the details of flow and mass transfer characteristics and their dependence upon the physical parameters. The values for gradient of mass transfer are also evaluated and analyzed. A comparison of the present solutions with published results in the literature is performed and the results are found to be in excellent agreement.

Stability of plutonium contaminated sediments in the Miami--Erie Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, B.M.; Carfagno, D.G.

1978-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the stability of plutonium-contaminated sediment in the Miami-Erie Canal. Correlations were sought to relate concentrations at air sampling stations to plutonium-238 concentrations in air and stack emissions, wind direction, particulate loading, rainfall, and construction activities. There appears to be some impact on airborne concentrations at air sampling stations 122 and 123 from the contaminated sediment in the canal and ponds area. For purposes of this evaluation, it was assumed that the plutonium-238 found in the air samples came from the contaminated sediment in the canal/ponds area. To complete the evaluation of the inhalation pathway, dose calculations were performed using actual airborne concentrations of plutonium-238 measured at sampler 123. The dose equivalent to an individual in that area was calculated for 1 yr and 70 yr. Dose calculations were also performed on potential uptake of contaminated vegetation from that area for 1 yr and 70 yr. This study indicates that, although the contaminated sediments in the canal and pond area appear to contribute to airborne plutonium-238, the observed maximum monthly concentration of plutonium-238 in air is a small fraction of the DOE Radioactivity Concentration Guide (RCG) and the nine-month average concentration of plutonium-238 in air observed thus far during 1977 is less than 1% of the RCG. Dose equivalents, conservatively calculated from these actual data, are well within existing DOE standards and proposed EPA guidance

Development of a method for long-term preservation of Bombyx mori silkworm strains using frozen ovaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Banno, Yutaka; Nagasaki, Kiyomi; Tsukada, Marino; Minohara, Yuko; Banno, Junko; Nishikawa, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Kazunori; Tamura, Kei; Fujii, Tsuguru

2013-06-01

Development of long-term preservation is essential for conservation of stocks of silkworm genetic resources. Thus far, a few methods have been reported, but more improvement is required for practical use. We have developed two effective modifications of a method for long-term preservation using frozen ovaries. One was slow cooling (1 °C per min) until -80 °C of the donor ovaries made possible by use of a BICELL freezing vessel. Using donor ovaries of 4th instar larvae, the average number of eggs laid per moth increased significantly from 110.7 ± 53.4 eggs per moth by slow cooling with the BICELL vessel vs 12.3 ± 10.3 eggs per moth by direct cooling in liquid nitrogen. A second improvement was connecting the thread bodies of the donor ovaries with those of the host in the transplantation step. Females operated on with the new method yielded a significantly higher percentage of moths that laid fertilized eggs than those transplanted with the standard procedure (70.4 ± 21.6% vs 22.9 ± 9.3%). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

COCOON PRODUCTION OF THE SILKWORM, Bombyx mori L. (LEPIDOPTERA: BOMBYCIDAE, FED ON LEAVES OF MULBERRY HYBRIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GERBSON AZEVEDO DE MENDONÇA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Brazil is the fourth cocoon producer in the world. In São Paulo State there are mulberry some hybrids whose productivity are higher than the commonly cultivated varieties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mulberry hybrids (Morus spp. on the cocoon production of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.. The experiment was conducted at the Unidade Regional de Pesquisa de Gália do Instituto de Zootecnia, SP. The caterpillars were fed on leaves of the hybrids IZ-3/2, IZ-13/6, IZ-15/7, IZ-19/13, IZ-56/4, IZ-57/2, IZ- 40, IZ-64, in a rearing hut at 25 oC ± 3 oC and 75% ± 5% relative humidity. 'Korin' was used as standard. The hybrids affected the duration of the larval period and the weight of the caterpillars, prepupaes and the silk glands as well. There was a reduction in the duration of larval development when the caterpillars had been fed with hybrid IZ-56/4 and the 'Korin' variety. Hybrids IZ-57/2, IZ-56/4 and IZ-15/7 presented the highest cocoon production.

Proximate composition, nutritionally valuable minerals and the effects of some salts on the functional properties of silkworm (anaphe infracta) larvae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adeyeye, E.L.

2008-01-01

The investigations of the silkworm (Anaphe ilifracta) larvae on dry weight basis showed that total ash, crude fat and fibre values were low while crude protein and carbohydrate values were high. Fe, In, Mg and P were high while Na, Cu, Ni, K, Ca, Mn, Co, Cr were low. The lowest gelation concentration varied between 6.0 in 1.0% Na/sub 2/ SO/sub 3/ and 140 in 20.0% NaCI, NaNO/sub 3/ and Na/sub 2/ CO/sub 3/ With low CV%. All the water absorption capacity values were generally high, the highest being in NaNO/sub 3/. The oil emulsion capacities were generally low whereas the oil emulsion stability was good in all the salts. The isoelectric point under pH solubility depended on the type of salt solution under consideration. These results make A infracta larvae useful in some food formulations. (author)

Fine Mapping of a Degenerated Abdominal Legs Mutant (Edl in Silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Honglei Wang

Full Text Available In insects, abdominal appendages, also called prolegs, vary due to adaptive evolution. Mutations on prolegs within species provide insights to better understand the mechanisms underlying appendage development and diversity. In silkworm Bombyx mori, extra-crescents and degenerated abdominal legs (Edl mutant, belonging to the E pseudoallele group, is a spontaneous mutation that adds crescents and degenerates prolegs on the third abdominal segment (A3. This mutation may be a homeotic transformation of A3 to A2. In this study, the Edl locus was mapped within approximately a 211 Kb region that is 10 Kb upstream of Bmabdominal-A (Bmabd-A. RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis of Bmabd-A expression showed a slight but significant decrease, while the expression of BmUltrabithorax (BmUbx was up-regulated in the Edl mutant compared to wildtype (Dazao. Moreover, we also found that BmDistal-less (BmDll, which regulated the development of distal proleg structures, was missing at the tips of the A3 prolegs in the Edl mutant compared to BmDll expression in normally developed prolegs in both the wildtype and mutant. Collectively, we identified approximately a 211 Kb region in the Edl locus that regulates BmUbx and Bmabd-A expression and found that changes in BmUbx and Bmabd-A expression may lead to the loss of distal proleg structures in B. mori.

Tetra-heteroatom self-doped carbon nanosheets derived from silkworm excrement for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Shuijin; Chen, Lianfu; Zhou, Wei; Deng, Peiqin; Liu, Yan; Fei, Linfeng; Lu, Wei; Xiao, Yanhe; Cheng, Baochang

2018-03-01

Carbon materials are deemed to be competitive candidate electrode materials for energy storage systems. It is still a great challenge to explore advanced carbon-based electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors by a facile, economical and efficient method. In this work, N-, P-, S-, O-self-doped carbon nanosheets with high surface area and well-developed porosity are successfully prepared by pyrolysis carbonization and post KOH activation from silkworm excrement, a novel abundant, low-cost and eco-friendly agricultural waste. Thanks to their unique multi-heteroatom doping and porous structure, the obtained carbon materials exhibit high charge storage capacity with a specific capacitance of 401 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 in 6 M KOH and good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 93.8% over 10000 cycles. A symmetric supercapacitor device using 1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution as the electrolyte can deliver a specific capacitance of 41.7 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1, and a high energy density of 23.17 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 500 W kg-1 with a wide voltage window of 2.0 V. This work develops a new strategy to produce favorable carbon-based electrode materials for supercapacitors with high electrochemical performances.

Transgenic Expression of the piRNA-Resistant Masculinizer Gene Induces Female-Specific Lethality and Partial Female-to-Male Sex Reversal in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Hiroki; Sumitani, Megumi; Chikami, Yasuhiko; Yahata, Kensuke; Uchino, Keiro; Kiuchi, Takashi; Katsuma, Susumu; Aoki, Fugaku; Sezutsu, Hideki; Suzuki, Masataka G

2016-08-01

In Bombyx mori (B. mori), Fem piRNA originates from the W chromosome and is responsible for femaleness. The Fem piRNA-PIWI complex targets and cleaves mRNAs transcribed from the Masc gene. Masc encodes a novel CCCH type zinc-finger protein and is required for male-specific splicing of B. mori doublesex (Bmdsx) transcripts. In the present study, several silkworm strains carrying a transgene, which encodes a Fem piRNA-resistant Masc mRNA (Masc-R), were generated. Forced expression of the Masc-R transgene caused female-specific lethality during the larval stages. One of the Masc-R strains weakly expressed Masc-R in various tissues. Females heterozygous for the transgene expressed male-specific isoform of the Bombyx homolog of insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein (ImpM) and Bmdsx. All examined females showed a lower inducibility of vitellogenin synthesis and exhibited abnormalities in the ovaries. Testis-like tissues were observed in abnormal ovaries and, notably, the tissues contained considerable numbers of sperm bundles. Homozygous expression of the transgene resulted in formation of the male-specific abdominal segment in adult females and caused partial male differentiation in female genitalia. These results strongly suggest that Masc is an important regulatory gene of maleness in B. mori.

Hierarchical multi-scale classification of nearshore aquatic habitats of the Great Lakes: Western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, J.E.; Castiglione, C.

2010-01-01

Classification is a valuable conservation tool for examining natural resource status and problems and is being developed for coastal aquatic habitats. We present an objective, multi-scale hydrospatial framework for nearshore areas of the Great Lakes. The hydrospatial framework consists of spatial units at eight hierarchical scales from the North American Continent to the individual 270-m spatial cell. Characterization of spatial units based on fish abundance and diversity provides a fish-guided classification of aquatic areas at each spatial scale and demonstrates how classifications may be generated from that framework. Those classification units then provide information about habitat, as well as biotic conditions, which can be compared, contrasted, and hierarchically related spatially. Examples within several representative coastal or open water zones of the Western Lake Erie pilot area highlight potential application of this classification system to management problems. This classification system can assist natural resource managers with planning and establishing priorities for aquatic habitat protection, developing rehabilitation strategies, or identifying special management actions.

Molecular and biochemical responses in the midgut of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, infected with Nosema bombycis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhi; Wang, Yu; Wang, Linling; Zhou, Zeyang

2018-03-06

Microsporidia are a group of eukaryotic intracellular parasites that infect almost all vertebrates and invertebrates. However, there is little information available of how microsporidia obtain nutrients and energy from host cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the energy and material requirements of Nosema bombycis for the invasion procedure through analyzing the global variation of the gene expression, protein abundance, fatty acids level and ATP flux induced by the microsporidia N. bombycis infection in the midgut of the silkworm Bombyx mori. A suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis were performed to identify the genes upregulated in the midgut of B. mori 48 h following N. bombycis infection. Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to annotate and summarize the differentially expressed genes, according to the categories 'molecular function', 'cellular component' and 'biological process'. To evaluate the nutrition material and energy costs in B.mori infected by N. bombycis, biochemical analysis was performed to determine the variation of protein abundance, fatty acid levels and ATP flux with or without the microsporidia N. bombycis infection in the midgut of the silkworm B. mori. A total of 744 clones were obtained, 288 clones were randomly selected for sequencing, and 110 unigenes were generated. Amongst these, 49.21%, 30.16% and 14.29% genes were involved in 19 molecular functions, 19 biological processes and nine cellular components, respectively. A total of 11 oxidative phosphorylation- and eight proton-coupled ATP synthesis-related genes were upregulated. Seven protein degradation-, three fat degradation-related genes were upregulated, and no genes related to the de novo synthesis of amino acids and fatty acids were significantly upregulated. The data from the biochemical analysis showed the contents of total protein and ATP of B. mori

Combined Effect of Cameo2 and CBP on the Cellular Uptake of Lutein in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xiao-Long; Chai, Chun-Li; Pan, Cai-Xia; Tang, Hui; Chen, Yan-Hong; Dai, Fang-Yin; Pan, Min-Hui; Lu, Cheng

2014-01-01

Formation of yellow-red color cocoons in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, occurs as the result of the selective delivery of carotenoids from the midgut to the silk gland via the hemolymph. This process of pigment transport is thought to be mediated by specific cellular carotenoids carrier proteins. Previous studies indicated that two proteins, Cameo2 and CBP, are associated with the selective transport of lutein from the midgut into the silk gland in Bombyx mori. However, the exact roles of Cameo2 and CBP during the uptake and transport of carotenoids are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the respective contributions of these two proteins to lutein and β-carotene transport in Bombyx mori as well as commercial cell-line. We found that tissues, expressed both Cameo2 and CBP, accumulate lutein. Cells, co-expressed Cameo2 and CBP, absorb 2 fold more lutein (PBombyx mori. Cameo2 and CBP, as the membrane protein and the cytosol protein, respectively, have the combined effect to facilitate the cellular uptake of lutein. PMID:24475153

Expression profiling of Bombyx mori gloverin2 gene and its synergistic antifungal effect with cecropin A against Beauveria bassiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Dingding; Geng, Tao; Hou, Chengxiang; Qin, Guangxing; Gao, Kun; Guo, Xijie

2017-02-05

Gloverin2 is a cationic and glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide whose expression can be induced in fat body of silkworm (Bombyx mori) larvae exposed to bacteria. The purpose of this study is to identify the roles of Bombyx mori gloverin2 (Bmgloverin2) during entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana infection. Fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that the relative expression level of Bmgloverin2 gene was up-regulated in the silkworm larvae infected by B. bassiana. The cDNA of Bmgloverin2 was cloned from the silkworm by RT-PCR and the DNA segment of the Bmgloverin2 peptide (without signal peptide sequence) was inserted into pCzn1 expression plasmid and expressed in E. coli ArcticExpress (DE3). SDS-PAGE results revealed that soluble recombinant Bmgloverin2 was successfully expressed and purified. Polyclonal antibody against the Bmgloverin2 was successfully produced with the expressed recombinant protein. Western blot analysis indicated that Bmgloverin2 could be detected in the fat body of silkworm larvae infected with B. bassiana, suggesting that the expression of Bmgloverin2 could be induced by B. bassiana infection in silkworm. Antifungal assays indicated that the Bmgloverin2 had a synergistic antifungal activity with B. mori cecropin A (BmCecA) to entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana both in vitro and in vivo in the silkworm larvae. This is the first report that Bmgloverin2 exhibits synergistic effect with BmCecA in antifungal activity against B. bassiana. The study demonstrates that Bmgloverin2 is an antifungal protein which plays an important role in synergistic antifungal activity with other antimicrobial peptide in silkworm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using wind setdown and storm surge on Lake Erie to calibrate the air-sea drag coefficient.

Science.gov (United States)

Drews, Carl

2013-01-01

The air-sea drag coefficient controls the transfer of momentum from wind to water. In modeling storm surge, this coefficient is a crucial parameter for estimating the surge height. This study uses two strong wind events on Lake Erie to calibrate the drag coefficient using the Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Wave Sediment Transport (COAWST) modeling system and the the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Simulated waves are generated on the lake with Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN). Wind setdown provides the opportunity to eliminate wave setup as a contributing factor, since waves are minimal at the upwind shore. The study finds that model results significantly underestimate wind setdown and storm surge when a typical open-ocean formulation without waves is used for the drag coefficient. The contribution of waves to wind setdown and storm surge is 34.7%. Scattered lake ice also increases the effective drag coefficient by a factor of 1.1.

Somatic mutation in larvae of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, induced by heavy ion irradiation to diapause eggs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotani, Eiji; Furusawa, Toshiharu [Kyoto Inst. of Tech. (Japan). Faculty of Textile Science; Nagaoka, Shunji [Fujita Health Univ., Toyoake, Aichi (Japan). School of Health Sciences] [and others

2002-12-01

In order to investigate whether eggs of the black-striped strain (P{sup S}) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, represent an appropriate model for estimating the biological effect of cosmic radiation, radiosensitivity of the eggs against X-rays and heavy ion particles was examined as ground-based experiments. The exposure of diapause eggs to X-rays or heavy ion particles resulted in somatic mutations appearing as a white spot on the black integument during larval stage. Irradiation of non-diapause eggs with X-rays demonstrated a significant difference in frequency of the mutation between fractionated and single administration doses, but no difference was observed in diapause eggs. Incidence of the mutation as induced by carbon ion beams for 15-day old eggs was higher for eggs that had been kept at 15 deg C than those kept at 25 deg C. Neon beam irradiation of diapause eggs displayed dose- and linear energy transfer (LET)-dependent effects, causing a maximal rate of the mutation at 150 keV/{mu}m. These results confirm that B. mori eggs represent valid models for estimating the biological effects of cosmic radiation. (author)

BmRobo1a and BmRobo1b control axon repulsion in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiao-Tong; Yu, Qi; Zhou, Qi-Sheng; Zhao, Xiao; Liu, Zhao-Yang; Cui, Wei-Zheng; Liu, Qing-Xin

2016-02-15

The development of the nervous system is based on the growth and connection of axons, and axon guidance molecules are the dominant regulators during this course. Robo, as the receptor of axon guidance molecule Slit, plays a key role as a conserved repellent cue for axon guidance during the development of the central nervous system. However, the function of Robo in the silkworm Bombyx mori is unknown. In this study, we cloned two novel robo genes in B. mori (Bmrobo1a and Bmrobo1b). BmRobo1a and BmRobo1b lack an Ig and a FNIII domain in the extracellular region and the CC0 and CC2 motifs in the intracellular region. BmRobo1a and BmRobo1b were colocalized with BmSlit in the neuropil. Knock-down of Bmrobo1a and Bmrobo1b by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in abnormal development of axons. Our results suggest that BmRobo1a and BmRobo1b have repulsive function in axon guidance, even though their structures are different from Robo1 of other species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

La vinculación de Juan Escoto Eriúgena con la tradición en las obras de Brucker, Tennemann y Rixner

OpenAIRE

Natalia Strok

2014-01-01

Se busca dar cuenta de la filiación filosófica que tres historiadores de la filosofía (de los siglos XVIII y XIX) otorgan a Juan Escoto Eriúgena (siglo IX). El iluminista J. Brucker, el kantiano W. Tennemann y el romántico T. Rixner son representan- tes del periodo de gestación de la historia de la filosofía como disciplina, y sus obras son fuentes para destacados filósofos, como por ejemplo Hegel. Se muestra hasta qué punto las líneas interpretativas que iniciaron estos autores se conti- núa...

Consumption of Bt Rice Pollen Containing Cry1C or Cry2A Protein Poses a Low to Negligible Risk to the Silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombyxidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yan; Liu, Yue; Cao, Fengqin; Chen, Xiuping; Cheng, Lisheng; Romeis, Jörg; Li, Yunhe; Peng, Yufa

2014-01-01

By consuming mulberry leaves covered with pollen from nearby genetically engineered, insect-resistant rice lines producing Cry proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), larvae of the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Bombyxidae), could be exposed to insecticidal proteins. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the potential effects of Cry1C- or Cry2A-producing transgenic rice (T1C-19, T2A-1) pollen on B. mori fitness. In a short-term assay, B. mori larvae were fed mulberry leaves covered with different densities of pollen from Bt rice lines or their corresponding near isoline (control) for the first 3 d and then were fed mulberry leaves without pollen. No effect was detected on any life table parameter, even at 1800 pollen grains/cm2 leaf, which is much higher than the mean natural density of rice pollen on leaves of mulberry trees near paddy fields. In a long-term assay, the larvae were fed Bt and control pollen in the same way but for their entire larval stage (approximately 27 d). Bt pollen densities ≥150 grains/cm2 leaf reduced 14-d larval weight, increased larval development time, and reduced adult eclosion rate. ELISA analyses showed that 72.6% of the Cry protein was still detected in the pollen grains excreted with the feces. The low exposure of silkworm larvae to Cry proteins when feeding Bt rice pollen may be the explanation for the relatively low toxicity detected in the current study. Although the results demonstrate that B. mori larvae are sensitive to Cry1C and Cry2A proteins, the exposure levels that harmed the larvae in the current study are far greater than natural exposure levels. We therefore conclude that consumption of Bt rice pollen will pose a low to negligible risk to B. mori. PMID:25014054

The Expression, Purification, and Characterization of a Ras Oncogene (Bras2 in Silkworm (Bombyx mori

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengbing Lv

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Ras oncogene of silkworm pupae (Bras2 may belong to the Ras superfamily. It shares 77% of its amino acid identity with teratocarcinoma oncogene 21 (TC21 related ras viral oncogene homolog-2 (R-Ras2 and possesses an identical core effector region. The mRNA of Bombyx mori Bras2 has 1412 bp. The open reading frame contains 603 bp, which encodes 200 amino acid residues. This recombinant BmBras2 protein was subsequently used as an antigen to raise a rabbit polyclonal antibody. Western blotting and real-time PCR analyses showed that BmBras2 was expressed during four developmental stages. The BmBras2 expression level was the highest in the pupae and was low in other life cycle stages. BmBras2 was expressed in all eight tested tissues, and it was highly expressed in the head, intestine, and epidermis. Subcellular localization studies indicated that BmBras2 was predominantly localized in the nuclei of Bm5 cells, although cytoplasmic staining was also observed to a lesser extent. A cell proliferation assay showed that rBmBras2 could stimulate the proliferation of hepatoma cells. The higher BmBras2 expression levels in the pupal stage, tissue expression patterns, and a cell proliferation assay indicated that BmBras2 promotes cell division and proliferation, most likely by influencing cell signal transduction.

The Expression, Purification, and Characterization of a Ras Oncogene (Bras2) in Silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Zhengbing; Wang, Tao; Zhuang, Wenhua; Wang, Dan; Chen, Jian; Nie, Zuoming; Liu, Lili; Zhang, Wenping; Wang, Lisha; Wang, Deming; Wu, Xiangfu; Li, Jun; Qian, Lian; Zhang, Yaozhou

2013-01-01

The Ras oncogene of silkworm pupae (Bras2) may belong to the Ras superfamily. It shares 77% of its amino acid identity with teratocarcinoma oncogene 21 (TC21) related ras viral oncogene homolog-2 (R-Ras2) and possesses an identical core effector region. The mRNA of Bombyx mori Bras2 has 1412 bp. The open reading frame contains 603 bp, which encodes 200 amino acid residues. This recombinant BmBras2 protein was subsequently used as an antigen to raise a rabbit polyclonal antibody. Western blotting and real-time PCR analyses showed that BmBras2 was expressed during four developmental stages. The BmBras2 expression level was the highest in the pupae and was low in other life cycle stages. BmBras2 was expressed in all eight tested tissues, and it was highly expressed in the head, intestine, and epidermis. Subcellular localization studies indicated that BmBras2 was predominantly localized in the nuclei of Bm5 cells, although cytoplasmic staining was also observed to a lesser extent. A cell proliferation assay showed that rBmBras2 could stimulate the proliferation of hepatoma cells. The higher BmBras2 expression levels in the pupal stage, tissue expression patterns, and a cell proliferation assay indicated that BmBras2 promotes cell division and proliferation, most likely by influencing cell signal transduction.

Vom Klangrausch des Nordwinds und der leeren Tafel der Seele. Lepo Sumeras vierte Symphonie "Serena Borealis" in Karlsruhe uraufgeführt: Eri Klas dirigierte im Konzert der Badischen Staatskapelle zu den Kulturtagen auch Musik von Arvo Pärt und Edua

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Hartmann, Ulrich

1992-01-01

Lepo Sumera neljanda sümfoonia "Serena Borealis" esiettekanne Karlsruhes: Eri Klas dirigeeris kontserdil kultuuripäevade raames ka Arvo Pärdi ja Eduard Tubina muusikat. Eesti muusikute esinemisest Karlsruhe kultuuripäevadel

Petrology of the Devonian gas-bearing shale along Lake Erie helps explain gas shows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broadhead, R.F.; Potter, P.E.

1980-11-01

Comprehensive petrologic study of 136 thin sections of the Ohio Shale along Lake Erie, when combined with detailed stratigraphic study, helps explain the occurrence of its gas shows, most of which occur in the silty, greenish-gray, organic poor Chagrin Shale and Three Lick Bed. Both have thicker siltstone laminae and more siltstone beds than other members of the Ohio Shale and both units also contain more clayshales. The source of the gas in the Chagrin Shale and Three Lick Bed of the Ohio Shale is believed to be the bituminous-rich shales of the middle and lower parts of the underlying Huron Member of the Ohio Shale. Eleven petrographic types were recognized and extended descriptions are provided of the major ones - claystones, clayshales, mudshales, and bituminous shales plus laminated and unlaminated siltstones and very minor marlstones and sandstones. In addition three major types of lamination were identified and studied. Thirty-two shale samples were analyzed for organic carbon, whole rock hydrogen and whole rock nitrogen with a Perkin-Elmer 240 Elemental Analyzer and provided the data base for source rock evaluation of the Ohio Shale.

Study of thirty-one economically important traits in twenty silkworm ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rice straw was used as cocoon frames for spinning in each replication separately. Seven days after the starting of cocoon spinning, obtained cocoons were gathered and sorted on the basis of form, thickness, clarity, etc., into four classes including good, middle, double and low cocoons. The ratio of each cocoon class was ...

Molecular tracing of white muscardine in the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Linn.) II. Silkworm white muscardine is not caused by artificial release or natural epizootic of Beauveria bassiana in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xue; Huang, Cui; He, Lingmin; Zhang, Shengli; Li, Zengzhi

2015-02-01

The fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana causes serious economic losses in sericulture. Its origin is usually attributed to the release of B. bassiana insecticides against pine caterpillars (Dendrolimus punctuatus). In the present study, 488 B. bassiana isolates obtained from silkworm (Bombyx mori) collected from 13 Chinese provinces, and 327 B. bassiana isolates obtained from D. punctatus collected from 9 provinces, were analyzed for population genetic structure using the ISSR technique based on genetic distance. A UPGMA dendrogram clustered them into three independent clades: two B. mori clades and one D. punctatus clade. A 3-D principal component analysis further divided them into two completely independent host groups, revealing high host-specificity. This suggested that white muscardine occurring in B. mori populations throughout southern China was not caused by any B. bassiana strain either naturally prevailing in D. punctatus populations or by any strain artificially released as a fungal insecticide against D. punctatus. We further investigated the genetic differentiation coefficient Gst and gene flow between B. mori-pathogenic and D. punctatus-pathogenic B. bassiana isolates from across China and from five provinces inhabited by both B. mori and D. punctatus. The Gst value across China was computed as 0.410, while the values of the five provinces ranged from 0.508 to 0.689; all above 0.25, which is the threshold for significant genetic differentiation. This suggests that B. bassiana strains isolated from the two different hosts maintained their respective heredity without a convergent homogenization trend, and reduces the possibility that the host range of the caterpillar isolates could expand and enhance their virulence in B. mori. These findings indicate that the use of B. bassiana does not threaten the safety of sericulture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome analysis of the brain of the silkworm Bombyx mori infected with Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus: A new insight into the molecular mechanism of enhanced locomotor activity induced by viral infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guobao; Zhang, Jianjia; Shen, Yunwang; Zheng, Qin; Feng, Min; Xiang, Xingwei; Wu, Xiaofeng

2015-06-01

Baculoviruses have been known to induce hyperactive behavior in their lepidopteran hosts for over a century. As a typical lepidopteran insect, the silkworm Bombyx mori displays enhanced locomotor activity (ELA) following infection with B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). Some investigations have focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying this abnormal hyperactive wandering behavior due to the virus; however, there are currently no reports about B. mori. Based on previous studies that have revealed that behavior is controlled by the central nervous system, the transcriptome profiles of the brains of BmNPV-infected and non-infected silkworm larvae were analyzed with the RNA-Seq technique to reveal the changes in the BmNPV-infected brain on the transcriptional level and to provide new clues regarding the molecular mechanisms that underlies BmNPV-induced ELA. Compared with the controls, a total of 742 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 218 up-regulated and 524 down-regulated candidates, were identified, of which 499, 117 and 144 DEGs could be classified into GO categories, KEGG pathways and COG annotations by GO, KEGG and COG analyses, respectively. We focused our attention on the DEGs that are involved in circadian rhythms, synaptic transmission and the serotonin receptor signaling pathway of B. mori. Our analyses suggested that these genes were related to the locomotor activity of B. mori via their essential roles in the regulations of a variety of behaviors and the down-regulation of their expressions following BmNPV infection. These results provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of BmNPV-induced ELA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of oligomeric transition of silkworm small heat shock protein sHSP20.8 using high hydrostatic pressure native PAGE

Science.gov (United States)

Fujisawa, Tetsuro; Ueda, Toshifumi; Kameyama, Keiichi; Aso, Yoichi; Ishiguro, Ryo

2013-06-01

The small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) solubilize thermo-denatured proteins without adenosine triphosphate energy consumption to facilitate protein refolding. sHSP20.8 is one of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) sHSPs having only one cystein in the N-terminal domain: Cys43. We report a simple measurement of oligomeric transition of sHSP20.8 using high hydrostatic pressure native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (high hydrostatic pressure (HP) native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)). At ambient pressure under oxydative condition, the native PAGE of thermal transition of sHSP20.8 oligomer displayed a cooperative association. In contrast, HP native PAGE clearly demonstrated that sHSP20.8 dissociated at 80 MPa and 25°C, and the resultant molecular species gradually reassociated with time under that condition. In addition, the reassociation process was suppressed in the presence of the reductant. These results are consistent with the idea that sHSP20.8 oligomer temporally dissociates at the first thermo-sensing step and reassociates with the oxidation of Cys43.

Chromospherically active stars. III - HD 26337 = EI Eri: An RS CVn candidate for the Doppler-imaging technique

Science.gov (United States)

Fekel, Francis C.; Quigley, Robert; Gillies, Kim; Africano, John L.

1987-01-01

Spectroscopic observations of the chromospherically active G5 IV single-lined binary HD 26337 = EI Eri are presented. An orbital period of 1.94722 days is found for the star. It has moderately strong Ca II H and K emission and strong ultraviolet emission features, while H-alpha is a weak absorption feature that is variable in strength. The inclination of the system is 46 + or - 12 deg, and the unseen secondary is probably a late K or early M dwarf. The v sin i of the primary is 50 + or - 3 km/s, resulting in a minimum radius of 1.9 + or - 0.1 solar radius. The star is within the required limits for Doppler imaging. The primary is close to filling its Roche lobe, resulting in a strong constraint that the mass ratio is 2.6 or greater, with a primary mass of at least 1.4 solar mass. The distance to the system is estimated at 75 pc.

Barriers and benefits to desired behaviors for single use plastic items in northeast Ohio's Lake Erie basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolotta, Jill F; Hardy, Scott D

2018-02-01

Given the growing saliency of plastic marine debris, and the impact of plastics on beaches and aquatic environments in the Laurentian Great Lakes, applied research is needed to support municipal and nongovernmental campaigns to prevent debris from reaching the water's edge. This study addresses this need by examining the barriers and benefits to positive behavior for two plastic debris items in northeast Ohio's Lake Erie basin: plastic bags and plastic water bottles. An online survey is employed to gather data on the use and disposal of these plastic items and to solicit recommendations on how to positively change behavior to reduce improper disposal. Results support a ban on plastic bags and plastic water bottles, with more enthusiasm for a bag ban. Financial incentives are also seen as an effective way to influence behavior change, as are location-specific solutions focused on education and outreach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

El control del cuerpo y el alma en la sexta parte de la insoportable levedad del ser: Kundera, Eriúgena y Agustín

OpenAIRE

Cuenca Almenar, Salvador

2012-01-01

Se analiza la relación entre un fragmento de la sexta parte de La insoportable levedad del ser de Milan Kundera y los dos textos que le sirven de fuente: el Peri physeon de Escoto Eriúgena y el De civitate Dei de Agustín de Hipona. Los tres fragmentos analizados en este artículo mantienen una relación de copresencia llamada “alusión” por Genette. Se defiende que el paso de Kundera no es plenamente comprensible sin la intelección de sus fuentes. El problema conceptual desarrollado por los tres...

Western Lake Erie Basin: Soft-data-constrained, NHDPlus resolution watershed modeling and exploration of applicable conservation scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Haw; White, Michael J.; Arnold, Jeffrey G.; Keitzer, S. Conor; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Atwood, Jay D.; Daggupati, Prasad; Herbert, Matthew E.; Sowa, Scott P.; Ludsin, Stuart A.; Robertson, Dale M.; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Rewa, Charles A.

2016-01-01

Complex watershed simulation models are powerful tools that can help scientists and policy-makers address challenging topics, such as land use management and water security. In the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), complex hydrological models have been applied at various scales to help describe relationships between land use and water, nutrient, and sediment dynamics. This manuscript evaluated the capacity of the current Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT2012) to predict hydrological and water quality processes within WLEB at the finest resolution watershed boundary unit (NHDPlus) along with the current conditions and conservation scenarios. The process based SWAT model was capable of the fine-scale computation and complex routing used in this project, as indicated by measured data at five gaging stations. The level of detail required for fine-scale spatial simulation made the use of both hard and soft data necessary in model calibration, alongside other model adaptations. Limitations to the model's predictive capacity were due to a paucity of data in the region at the NHDPlus scale rather than due to SWAT functionality. Results of treatment scenarios demonstrate variable effects of structural practices and nutrient management on sediment and nutrient loss dynamics. Targeting treatment to acres with critical outstanding conservation needs provides the largest return on investment in terms of nutrient loss reduction per dollar spent, relative to treating acres with lower inherent nutrient loss vulnerabilities. Importantly, this research raises considerations about use of models to guide land management decisions at very fine spatial scales. Decision makers using these results should be aware of data limitations that hinder fine-scale model interpretation.

Western Lake Erie Basin: Soft-data-constrained, NHDPlus resolution watershed modeling and exploration of applicable conservation scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Haw; White, Michael J; Arnold, Jeffrey G; Keitzer, S Conor; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Atwood, Jay D; Daggupati, Prasad; Herbert, Matthew E; Sowa, Scott P; Ludsin, Stuart A; Robertson, Dale M; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Rewa, Charles A

2016-11-01

Complex watershed simulation models are powerful tools that can help scientists and policy-makers address challenging topics, such as land use management and water security. In the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), complex hydrological models have been applied at various scales to help describe relationships between land use and water, nutrient, and sediment dynamics. This manuscript evaluated the capacity of the current Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to predict hydrological and water quality processes within WLEB at the finest resolution watershed boundary unit (NHDPlus) along with the current conditions and conservation scenarios. The process based SWAT model was capable of the fine-scale computation and complex routing used in this project, as indicated by measured data at five gaging stations. The level of detail required for fine-scale spatial simulation made the use of both hard and soft data necessary in model calibration, alongside other model adaptations. Limitations to the model's predictive capacity were due to a paucity of data in the region at the NHDPlus scale rather than due to SWAT functionality. Results of treatment scenarios demonstrate variable effects of structural practices and nutrient management on sediment and nutrient loss dynamics. Targeting treatment to acres with critical outstanding conservation needs provides the largest return on investment in terms of nutrient loss reduction per dollar spent, relative to treating acres with lower inherent nutrient loss vulnerabilities. Importantly, this research raises considerations about use of models to guide land management decisions at very fine spatial scales. Decision makers using these results should be aware of data limitations that hinder fine-scale model interpretation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flatiron-Erie 115kV transmission line project, Larimer, Weld and Boulder Counties, Colorado

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-05-01

Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to uprate its existing 115-kV Flatiron-Erie transmission line. The line is located in Larimer, Weld and Boulder Counties, Colorado, and passes through the City of Longmont. The line connects Flatiron Substation and several of the substations supplying Longmont. It is a single circuit 115-kV line, 31.5 miles long, and was built in 1950-51 on a 75-foot wide right-of-way (ROW) using wood H-frame structures. Western proposes to build 27 new structures along the line, to replace or modify 45 of the existing structures and to remote 11 of them. Many of these additions and changes would involve structures that are approximately 5 to 15 feet taller than the existing ones. The existing conductors and ground wires would remain in place. The purpose of these actions would be to allow the power carrying capability of the line to be increased and to replace deteriorating/structural members. Western would be the sole participant in the proposed project. This report gives an analysis of the study area environment and the development of alternative routes. An assessment is presented of the impacts of the primary alternative routes. The environmental consequences of this project are addressed

Precocious metamorphosis in the juvenile hormone-deficient mutant of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takaaki Daimon

Full Text Available Insect molting and metamorphosis are intricately governed by two hormones, ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JHs. JHs prevent precocious metamorphosis and allow the larva to undergo multiple rounds of molting until it attains the proper size for metamorphosis. In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, several "moltinism" mutations have been identified that exhibit variations in the number of larval molts; however, none of them have been characterized molecularly. Here we report the identification and characterization of the gene responsible for the dimolting (mod mutant that undergoes precocious metamorphosis with fewer larval-larval molts. We show that the mod mutation results in complete loss of JHs in the larval hemolymph and that the mutant phenotype can be rescued by topical application of a JH analog. We performed positional cloning of mod and found a null mutation in the cytochrome P450 gene CYP15C1 in the mod allele. We also demonstrated that CYP15C1 is specifically expressed in the corpus allatum, an endocrine organ that synthesizes and secretes JHs. Furthermore, a biochemical experiment showed that CYP15C1 epoxidizes farnesoic acid to JH acid in a highly stereospecific manner. Precocious metamorphosis of mod larvae was rescued when the wild-type allele of CYP15C1 was expressed in transgenic mod larvae using the GAL4/UAS system. Our data therefore reveal that CYP15C1 is the gene responsible for the mod mutation and is essential for JH biosynthesis. Remarkably, precocious larval-pupal transition in mod larvae does not occur in the first or second instar, suggesting that authentic epoxidized JHs are not essential in very young larvae of B. mori. Our identification of a JH-deficient mutant in this model insect will lead to a greater understanding of the molecular basis of the hormonal control of development and metamorphosis.

Ölçüm Öncesi Dinlenme Süresinin ve Dinlenme Esnasında Konuşmanın İndirekt Kan Basıncı Ölçüm Değeri Üzerine Etkisi

OpenAIRE

BAYRAKTAR, DUYGU; KHORSHTD, LEYLA

2018-01-01

Başlık:Ölçüm Öncesi Dinlenme Süresinin ve DinlenmeEsnasında Konuşmanın İndirekt Kan Basıncı Ölçüm Değeri Üzerine EtkisiTitle:Özet:            Amaç: Buaraştırma, indirekt arteriyel kan basıncı ölçerken bireyin dinlenme süresininve dinlenme esnasında konuşmanın ölçüm değeri üzerine etkisini incelemekamacıyla yapılmıştır.Gereç-Yöntem:Örneklemini, bir üniversite hastanesinin İç Hastalıkları Polikliniği’nebaşvuran 18 yaşın üzerinde olan, 60 normotansif ve 60 hipertansif bireyleroluşturmuştur. Veri...

Silkworm exuviae-A new non-conventional and low-cost adsorbent for removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hao; Zhao Jie; Dai Guoliang

2011-01-01

In this paper, silkworm exuviae (SE) waste, an agricultural waste available in large quantity in China, was utilized as low-cost adsorbent to remove basic dye (methylene blue, MB) from aqueous solution by adsorption. Kinetic data and sorption equilibrium isotherms were carried out in batch process. The adsorption kinetic experiments revealed that MB adsorption onto SE for different initial dye concentrations all followed pseudo-second order kinetics and were mainly controlled by the film diffusion mechanism. Batch equilibrium results at different temperatures suggest that MB adsorption onto SE can be described perfectly with Freundlich isotherm model compared with Langmuir and D-R isotherm models, and the characteristic parameters for each adsorption isotherm were also determined. Thermodynamic parameters calculated show the adsorption process has been found to be endothermic in nature. The analysis for the values of the mean free energies of adsorption (E a ), the Gibbs free energy (ΔG 0 ) and the effect of ionic strength all demonstrate that the whole adsorption process is mainly dominated by ion-exchange mechanism, which has also been verified by variations in FT-IR spectra and pH value before and after adsorption and desorption studies. The results reveal that SE can be employed as a low-cost alternative to other adsorbents for MB adsorption.

Silk-Silk Interactions between Silkworm Fibroin and Recombinant Spider Silk Fusion Proteins Enable the Construction of Bioactive Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilebäck, Linnea; Chouhan, Dimple; Jansson, Ronnie; Widhe, Mona; Mandal, Biman B; Hedhammar, My

2017-09-20

Natural silk is easily accessible from silkworms and can be processed into different formats suitable as biomaterials and cell culture matrixes. Recombinant DNA technology enables chemical-free functionalization of partial silk proteins through fusion with peptide motifs and protein domains, but this constitutes a less cost-effective production process. Herein, we show that natural silk fibroin (SF) can be used as a bulk material that can be top-coated with a thin layer of the recombinant spider silk protein 4RepCT in fusion with various bioactive motifs and domains. The coating process is based on a silk assembly to achieve stable interactions between the silk types under mild buffer conditions. The assembly process was studied in real time by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. Coatings, electrospun mats, and microporous scaffolds were constructed from Antheraea assama and Bombyx mori SFs. The morphology of the fibroin materials before and after coating with recombinant silk proteins was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. SF materials coated with various bioactive 4RepCT fusion proteins resulted in directed antibody capture, enzymatic activity, and improved cell attachment and spreading, respectively, compared to pristine SF materials. The herein-described procedure allows a fast and easy route for the construction of bioactive materials.

Characterisation of a desmosterol reductase involved in phytosterol dealkylation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Leonora F Ciufo

Full Text Available Most species of invertebrate animals cannot synthesise sterols de novo and many that feed on plants dealkylate phytosterols (mostly C(29 and C(28 yielding cholesterol (C(27. The final step of this dealkylation pathway involves desmosterol reductase (DHCR24-catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol. We now report the molecular characterisation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, of such a desmosterol reductase involved in production of cholesterol from phytosterol, rather than in de novo synthesis of cholesterol. Phylogenomic analysis of putative desmosterol reductases revealed the occurrence of various clades that allowed for the identification of a strong reductase candidate gene in Bombyx mori (BGIBMGA 005735. Following PCR-based cloning of the cDNA (1.6 kb and its heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisae, the recombinant protein catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol in an NADH- and FAD-dependent reaction.Conceptual translation of the cDNA, that encodes a 58.9 kDa protein, and database searching, revealed that the enzyme belongs to an FAD-dependent oxidoreductase family. Western blotting revealed reductase protein expression exclusively in the microsomal subcellular fraction and primarily in the gut. The protein is peripherally associated with microsomal membranes. 2D-native gel and PAGE analysis revealed that the reductase is part of a large complex with molecular weight approximately 250 kDa. The protein occurs in midgut microsomes at a fairly constant level throughout development in the last two instars, but is drastically reduced during the wandering stage in preparation for metamorphosis. Putative Broad Complex transcription factor-binding sites detectable upstream of the DHCR24 gene may play a role in this down-regulation.

Characterisation of a Desmosterol Reductase Involved in Phytosterol Dealkylation in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Ciufo, Leonora F.; Murray, Patricia A.; Thompson, Anu; Rigden, Daniel J.; Rees, Huw H.

2011-01-01

Most species of invertebrate animals cannot synthesise sterols de novo and many that feed on plants dealkylate phytosterols (mostly C29 and C28) yielding cholesterol (C27). The final step of this dealkylation pathway involves desmosterol reductase (DHCR24)-catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol. We now report the molecular characterisation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, of such a desmosterol reductase involved in production of cholesterol from phytosterol, rather than in de novo synthesis of cholesterol. Phylogenomic analysis of putative desmosterol reductases revealed the occurrence of various clades that allowed for the identification of a strong reductase candidate gene in Bombyx mori (BGIBMGA 005735). Following PCR-based cloning of the cDNA (1.6 kb) and its heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisae, the recombinant protein catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol in an NADH- and FAD- dependent reaction. Conceptual translation of the cDNA, that encodes a 58.9 kDa protein, and database searching, revealed that the enzyme belongs to an FAD-dependent oxidoreductase family. Western blotting revealed reductase protein expression exclusively in the microsomal subcellular fraction and primarily in the gut. The protein is peripherally associated with microsomal membranes. 2D-native gel and PAGE analysis revealed that the reductase is part of a large complex with molecular weight approximately 250kDa. The protein occurs in midgut microsomes at a fairly constant level throughout development in the last two instars, but is drastically reduced during the wandering stage in preparation for metamorphosis. Putative Broad Complex transcription factor-binding sites detectable upstream of the DHCR24 gene may play a role in this down-regulation. PMID:21738635

BmDredd is an initiator caspase and participates in Emodin-induced apoptosis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Wang, La; Song, Juan; Bao, Xi-Yan; Chen, Peng; Yi, Hua-Shan; Pan, Min-Hui; Lu, Cheng

2016-10-15

The identification and analysis of the caspases is essential to research into apoptosis in lepidoptera insects. The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is the model system for lepidopterans. In this study, we cloned and characterized a B. mori Dredd gene, BmDredd, the proposed insect homologue of human caspase-8, which encoded a polypeptide of 543 amino acids. BmDredd possesses a long N-terminal prodomain, a p20 domain, and a p10 domain. When transiently expressed in Escherichia coli cells, BmDredd underwent spontaneous cleavage and exhibited high proteolytic activity for caspase-8 substrate but relatively low for caspase-3 or -9 substrate. In addition, BmDredd induced apoptosis when transiently expressed in BmN-SWU1 cells, an ovarian cell line of B. mori. Moreover, after the treatment of Emodin, a novel apoptosis inducer, endogenous BmDredd expression level, the caspase-8 activity and the apoptotic rate increased notably in BmN-SWU1 cells. When BmDredd was subjected to interference in BmN-SWU1 cells and Emodin treatment, BmDredd expression levels decreased and the apoptotic rate also decreased significantly. These results suggest BmDredd is the homologue of human caspase-8 and plays a role in Emodin-induced apoptosis in BmN-SWU1 cells of B. mori. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Further Conceptualizing Ethnic and Racial Identity Research : The Social Identity Approach and Its Dynamic Model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verkuyten, Maykel

2016-01-01

This article proposes a further conceptualization of ethnic and racial identity (ERI) as a fundamental topic in developmental research. Adding to important recent efforts to conceptually integrate and synthesize this field, it is argued that ERI research will be enhanced by more fully considering

Interpretation of Landscape Scale SWAT Model Outputs in the Western Lake Erie Basin: Potential Implications for Conservation Decision-Making

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, M. V. V.; Behrman, K. D.; Atwood, J. D.; White, M. J.; Norfleet, M. L.

2017-12-01

There is substantial interest in understanding how conservation practices and agricultural management impact water quality, particularly phosphorus dynamics, in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB). In 2016, the US and Canada accepted total phosphorus (TP) load targets recommended by the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex 4 Objectives and Targets Task Team; these were 6,000 MTA delivered to Lake Erie and 3,660 MTA delivered to WLEB. Outstanding challenges include development of metrics to determine achievement of these goals, establishment of sufficient monitoring capacity to assess progress, and identification of appropriate conservation practices to achieve the most cost-effective results. Process-based modeling can help inform decisions to address these challenges more quickly than can system observation. As part of the NRCS-led Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to predict impacts of conservation practice adoption reported by farmers on TP loss and load delivery dynamics in WLEB. SWAT results suggest that once the conservation practices in place in 2003-06 and 2012 are fully functional, TP loads delivered to WLEB will average 3,175 MTA and 3,084 MTA, respectively. In other words, SWAT predicts that currently adopted practices are sufficient to meet Annex 4 TP load targets. Yet, WLEB gauging stations show Annex 4 goals are unmet. There are several reasons the model predictions and current monitoring efforts are not in agreement: 1. SWAT assumes full functionality of simulated conservation practices; 2. SWAT does not simulate changing management over time, nor impacts of past management on legacy loads; 3. SWAT assumes WLEB hydrological system equilibrium under simulated management. The SWAT model runs used to construct the scenarios that informed the Annex 4 targets were similarly constrained by model assumptions. It takes time for a system to achieve equilibrium when management changes and it

STUDY ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE DIFFERENT ORIGIN SILKWORM HYBRIDS UNDER THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF BULGARIA

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ALEXANDRA MATEI

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Romania, Ukraine, Turkey and Uzbekistan as countries placed in the Black, Caspian Seasand Central Asia (BACSA region, in comparison with hybrids from China, Japan, Italy andKorea has been carried out in Sericulture Station Vratza – Bulgaria.The study pointed out the superiority of the Japanese hybrid Shunrei + Shogetsu which hadthe highest cocoon yield by one box of eggs (41,10 kg and the highest raw silk productivity(7,05 kg/box of eggs.The silkworm hybrids produced in BACSA members countries had ahatching percentage ranged from 77,50% to 98,50%, a high pupation percentage (72,86 –96,91%, cocoon weight (1,892 – 2,319 g and fresh cocoon yield by one box of silkwormvaried from 29,894 kg to 40,982 kg.The Romanian hybrids had high values of the rawcocoon weight (2,307 g Record and 2,194 g Baneasa Super, the appreciable values of thecocoon yield/box of eggs (36,135 kg Record and 39,168 kg Baneasa Super, but low valuesof the silk content (20,38% Record and 20,51% Baneasa Super and of the raw silkproductivity/box of eggs (4,33 kg Record and 4,80 kg Baneasa Super.The breeding works inthe BACSA member countries, should be directed towards improvement of the silkproductivity of the hybrids and the qualities of the silk fibre, by the same time preservingtheir comparatively high pupation rate and cocoon yield.

A geophysical analysis of hydro-geomorphic controls within a headwater wetland in a granitic landscape, through ERI and IP

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E. S. Riddell

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Wetlands are undergoing considerable degradation in South Africa. As interventions are often technical and costly, there is a requirement to develop conceptual process models for these wetland systems so that rehabilitation attempts will be successful. This paper presents an approach using the geophysical methods of Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI and Induced Polarization (IP to delineate sub-surface hydro-geomorphic controls that maintain equilibrium disconnectivity of wetland-catchment processes, which through gully erosion are increasing the catchments connectivity through loss of water and sediment. The findings presented here give insight into the geomorphic processes that maintain the wetland in an un-degraded state, this allows for the development of a conceptual model outlining the wetland forming processes. The analysis suggests that sub-surface clay-plugs, within an otherwise sandy substrate are created by illuviation of clays from the surrounding hillslopes particularly at zones of valley confinement.

Ichthyoplankton assemblages of coastal west-central Lake Erie and associated habitat characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, J.E.; Hunter, R. Douglas; Fabrizio, M.C.; Savino, J.F.; Todd, T.N.; Bur, M.

2008-01-01

Early life stage survival often determines fish cohort strength and that survival is affected by habitat conditions. The structure and dynamics of ichthyoplankton assemblages can tell us much about biodiversity and fish population dynamics, but are poorly understood in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes, where most spawning and nursery habitats exist. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected with a neuston net in waters 2-13 m deep weekly or biweekly from mid-April through August, during 3 years (2000-2002) as part of a study of fish assemblages in west-central Lake Erie. A suite of abiotic variables was simultaneously measured to characterize habitat. Cluster and ordination analyses revealed several distinct ichthyoplankton assemblages that changed seasonally. A lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) dominated assemblage appeared first in April. In May, assemblages were dominated by several percid species. Summer assemblages were overwhelmingly dominated by emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), with large gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) components. This seasonal trend in species assemblages was also associated with increasing temperature and water clarity. Water depth and drift processes may also play a role in structuring these assemblages. The most common and widely distributed assemblages were not associated with substratum type, which we characterized as either hard or soft. The timing of hatch and larval growth separated the major groups in time and may have adaptive significance for the members of each major assemblage. The quality and locations (with reference to lake circulation) of spawning and nursery grounds may determine larval success and affect year class strength.

The Delta Scuti star 38 Eri from the ground and from space

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Paparó, M.; Kolláth, Z.; Shobbrook, R. R.; Matthews, J. M.; Antoci, V.; Benkő, J. M.; Park, N.-K.; Mirtorabi, M. T.; Luedeke, K.; Kusakin, A.; Bognár, Zs; Sódor, Á.; García-Hernández, A.; Pe na, J. H.; Kuschnig, R.; Moffat, A. F. J.; Rowe, J.; Rucinski, S. M.; Sasselov, D.; Weiss, W. W.

2018-04-01

We present and discuss the pulsational characteristics of the Delta Scuti star 38 Eri from photometric data obtained at two widely spaced epochs, partly from the ground (1998) and partly from space (MOST, 2011). We found 18 frequencies resolving the discrepancy among the previously published frequencies. Some of the frequencies appeared with different relative amplitudes at two epochs, however, we carried out investigation for amplitude variability for only the MOST data. Amplitude variability was found for one of three frequencies that satisfy the necessary frequency criteria for linear-combination or resonant-mode coupling. Checking the criteria of beating and resonant-mode coupling we excluded them as possible reason for amplitude variability. The two recently developed methods of rotational-splitting and sequence-search were applied to find regular spacings based only on frequencies. Doublets or incomplete multiplets with l = 1, 2 and 3 were found in the rotational splitting search. In the sequence search method we identified four sequences. The averaged spacing, probably a combination of the large separation and the rotational frequency, is 1.724 ± 0.092 d-1. Using the spacing and the scaling relation \\bar{ρ }= [0.0394, 0.0554] gcm-3 was derived. The shift of the sequences proved to be the integer multiple of the rotational splitting spacing. Using the precise MOST frequencies and multi-colour photometry in a hybrid way, we identified four modes with l = 1, two modes with l = 2, two modes with l = 3, and two modes as l = 0 radial modes.

A hypothetical model of crossing Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus through its host midgut physical barrier.

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Yang Cheng

Full Text Available Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV is a primary pathogen of silkworm (B. mori that causes severe economic losses each year. However, the molecular mechanisms of silkworm-BmNPV interactions, especially the silkworm proteins that can interact with the virus, are still largely unknown. In this study, the total and membrane proteins of silkworm midguts were displayed using one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis. A virus overlay assay was used to detect B. mori proteins that specifically bind to BmNPV particles. Twelve proteins were located and identified using mass spectrometry, and the different expression of the corresponding genes in BmNPV susceptible and resistant silkworm strains also indicated their involvement in BmNPV infection. The 12 proteins are grouped based on their potential roles in viral infection, for example, endocytosis, intracellular transportation, and host responses. Based on these results, we hypothesize the following: I vacuolar ATP synthase catalytic subunit A and subunit B may be implicated in the process of the membrane fusion of virus and the release of the nucleocapsid into cytoplasm; II actin, enolase and phosphoglycerate kinase are cytoskeleton associated proteins and may play an important role in BmNPV intracellular transportation; III mitochondrial prohibitin complex protein 2, ganglioside-induced differentiation-associated protein, calreticulin, regucalcin-like isoform X1 and 60 kDa heat shock protein are involved in cell apoptosis regulation during BmNPV infection in larvae midguts; IV ribosomal P0 may be associated with BmNPV infection by regulating gene expression of BmNPV; V arginine kinase has a role in the antiviral activities against BmNPV. Our work should prove informative by providing multiple protein targets and a novel direction to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the interactions between silkworms and BmNPV.

A Hypothetical Model of Crossing Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus through Its Host Midgut Physical Barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yang; Wang, Xue-Yang; Hu, Hao; Killiny, Nabil; Xu, Jia-Ping

2014-01-01

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a primary pathogen of silkworm (B. mori) that causes severe economic losses each year. However, the molecular mechanisms of silkworm-BmNPV interactions, especially the silkworm proteins that can interact with the virus, are still largely unknown. In this study, the total and membrane proteins of silkworm midguts were displayed using one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis. A virus overlay assay was used to detect B. mori proteins that specifically bind to BmNPV particles. Twelve proteins were located and identified using mass spectrometry, and the different expression of the corresponding genes in BmNPV susceptible and resistant silkworm strains also indicated their involvement in BmNPV infection. The 12 proteins are grouped based on their potential roles in viral infection, for example, endocytosis, intracellular transportation, and host responses. Based on these results, we hypothesize the following: I) vacuolar ATP synthase catalytic subunit A and subunit B may be implicated in the process of the membrane fusion of virus and the release of the nucleocapsid into cytoplasm; II) actin, enolase and phosphoglycerate kinase are cytoskeleton associated proteins and may play an important role in BmNPV intracellular transportation; III) mitochondrial prohibitin complex protein 2, ganglioside-induced differentiation-associated protein, calreticulin, regucalcin-like isoform X1 and 60 kDa heat shock protein are involved in cell apoptosis regulation during BmNPV infection in larvae midguts; IV) ribosomal P0 may be associated with BmNPV infection by regulating gene expression of BmNPV; V) arginine kinase has a role in the antiviral activities against BmNPV. Our work should prove informative by providing multiple protein targets and a novel direction to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the interactions between silkworms and BmNPV. PMID:25502928

Regulation of Silk Genes by Hox and Homeodomain Proteins in the Terminal Differentiated Silk Gland of the Silkworm Bombyx mori

Science.gov (United States)

Takiya, Shigeharu; Tsubota, Takuya; Kimoto, Mai

2016-01-01

The silk gland of the silkworm Bombyx mori is a long tubular organ that is divided into several subparts along its anteroposterior (AP) axis. As a trait of terminal differentiation of the silk gland, several silk protein genes are expressed with unique regional specificities. Most of the Hox and some of the homeobox genes are also expressed in the differentiated silk gland with regional specificities. The expression patterns of Hox genes in the silk gland roughly correspond to those in embryogenesis showing “colinearity”. The central Hox class protein Antennapedia (Antp) directly regulates the expression of several middle silk gland–specific silk genes, whereas the Lin-1/Isl-1/Mec3 (LIM)-homeodomain transcriptional factor Arrowhead (Awh) regulates the expression of posterior silk gland–specific genes for silk fiber proteins. We summarize our results and discuss the usefulness of the silk gland of Bombyx mori for analyzing the function of Hox genes. Further analyses of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the region-specific expression of silk genes will provide novel insights into the molecular bases for target-gene selection and regulation by Hox and homeodomain proteins. PMID:29615585

Assessment of electron beam irradiation induced proteomic changes and its effect on the development of silkworm, Bombyx mori (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera

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Mani Kannan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The present study has been designed to determine the hemolymph protein changes induced by EBI using Microtron (ranges from 20 to 100 Gy on the 5th instar larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori using SDS–PAGE. The EBI did not caused any impact on 5th instar larval hemolymph proteins, however a significant reduction of pupal hemolymph proteins such as lipophorin (250 kDa, vitellogenin (180 kDa, storage protein (76–80 kDa and a 30 kDa protein was observed through SDS–PAGE and densitometry analysis. These proteins are known to play a crucial role in various developmental processes including transport of lipids, as amino acid reservoir for providing precursors for egg and cuticle formation and immunity of B. mori. Further, a decrease of antioxidant enzymes such as Superoxide Dismutase (SOD and Catalase (CAT in the EBI treated larval and pupal hemolymph was observed. In addition, a negative influence on growth characteristics and appearance of pupal deformity was noted. This may be due to damage in hemolymph proteins, when the larvae were exposed to EBI at >80 Gy.

Regulation of Silk Genes by Hox and Homeodomain Proteins in the Terminal Differentiated Silk Gland of the Silkworm Bombyx mori

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Shigeharu Takiya

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The silk gland of the silkworm Bombyx mori is a long tubular organ that is divided into several subparts along its anteroposterior (AP axis. As a trait of terminal differentiation of the silk gland, several silk protein genes are expressed with unique regional specificities. Most of the Hox and some of the homeobox genes are also expressed in the differentiated silk gland with regional specificities. The expression patterns of Hox genes in the silk gland roughly correspond to those in embryogenesis showing “colinearity”. The central Hox class protein Antennapedia (Antp directly regulates the expression of several middle silk gland–specific silk genes, whereas the Lin-1/Isl-1/Mec3 (LIM-homeodomain transcriptional factor Arrowhead (Awh regulates the expression of posterior silk gland–specific genes for silk fiber proteins. We summarize our results and discuss the usefulness of the silk gland of Bombyx mori for analyzing the function of Hox genes. Further analyses of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the region-specific expression of silk genes will provide novel insights into the molecular bases for target-gene selection and regulation by Hox and homeodomain proteins.

Further Conceptualizing Ethnic and Racial Identity Research: The Social Identity Approach and Its Dynamic Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Verkuyten, Maykel

2016-11-01

This article proposes a further conceptualization of ethnic and racial identity (ERI) as a fundamental topic in developmental research. Adding to important recent efforts to conceptually integrate and synthesize this field, it is argued that ERI research will be enhanced by more fully considering the implications of the social identity approach. These implications include (a) the conceptualization of social identity, (b) the importance of identity motives, (c) systematic ways for theorizing and examining the critical role of situational and societal contexts, and (d) a dynamic model of the relation between ERI and context. These implications have not been fully considered in the developmental literature but offer important possibilities for moving the field forward in new directions. © 2016 The Author. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Selective food preferences of walleyes of the 1959 year class in Lake Erie

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Parsons, John W.

1971-01-01

Stomachs were examined from 1,473 walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) of the 1959 year class collected in western Lake Erie from June 1959 to October 1960. In the same period, the relative abundance and lengths of potential forage species were determined from trawl catches. The walleye fed almost entirely on fish. In 1959 the food was dominated first (in June and July) by yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and then, in sequence, by spottail shiners (Notropis hudsonius) and emerald shiners (Notropis atherinoides). In 1960, the walleyes fed mostly on yearling spottail shiners and emerald shiners in the spring and summer but young alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) became the dominant food in the fall. The length of forage fish increased with the length of walleyes and walleyes of a given length usually ate forage fish within a restricted range of lengths. This size preference was shown by walleyes of the same length in the same and different months. The increased in length of forage fish with length of walleye was not proportionate. Walleyes 2.5 inches long ate forage fish 0.44 times their length whereas walleyes 15.5 inches long ate forage fish only 0.28 times their length. The diet of the walleyes changed according to species and lengths of forage fish available. Since young of several species hatched in different months and grew at different rates, abundance and suitability as forage sometimes changed rapidly.

Book Review: Bakich,O. M. (2015. Valerii Pereleshin: Life of a Silkworm Toronto: University of Toronto Press

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Kyoko I. Davis

2016-07-01

growth as a poet. As a polyglot, he engaged in translations of poetry to and from Russian, Chinese and Portuguese languages. He also wrote some pieces in an avant-garde style, the so-called futurism, as well as preserving his lyrical poetic style. There were some bright moments: émigré scholars and critics in the US, such as Alexis Rannitand Simon Karlinsky recognized Pereleshin as an authentic Russian poet, and offered praise and support. It is an important gesture by Bakich to highlight this aspect of Pereleshin’s life. Otherwise, his portrayal as a “tasteless” émigré poet from the east who lacked “Parisian culture” (171, according to one US literary professor, G. Struve, might be accorded more weight than it should. Pereleshin’s animosity toward I. Brodsky is also interesting from the perspective of literary history. Whether the result of his jealousy toward this Nobel Prize winner or his anti-Semitic sentiment is unclear; yet in any case, a careful reading of the text reveals that the core issue originated in the poetic language itself, not ethno-religious identity. Even the last country he could have called home offered no respite. Pereleshin faced many financial difficulties and the pain of unrequited love. In the end,he had three homelands, and experienced three exiles. Yet, before his departure for Brazil, he had already sensed that for him, Kitai (China in Russian should be his place to die, because of his fascination with the vivacious and affectionate people who “understood [him] and reciprocated [his] love.” (139 The title of this work is drawn from Pereleshin’s own words: “A tender, sticky web, /a fine material, /is produced by a silkworm/ twisting like an invisible snake/from its own self/ (There is nothing else.” (Silkworm, 29.12.1967, xiii Pereleshin spun more than two thousand poems in his life. Bakich has re-entered his world and has woven a veritable tapestry of his life and art, using the poet’s creative work as the warp

Technological Learning in Energy Models: Experience and Scenario Analysis with MARKAL and the ERIS Model Prototype

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreto, L.; Kypreos, S.

1999-09-01

Understanding technology dynamics, a fundamental driving factor of the evolution of energy systems, is essential for sound policy formulation and decision making. Technological change is not an autonomous process, but evolves from a number of endogenous interactions within the social system. Technologies evolve and improve only if experience with them is possible. Efforts must be devoted to improve our analytical tools concerning the treatment given to the technological variable, recognising the cumulative and gradual nature of technological change and the important role played by learning processes. This report presents a collection of works developed by the authors concerning the endogenisation of technological change in energy optimisation models, as a contribution to the Energy Technology Dynamics andAdvanced Energy System Modelling Project (TEEM), developed in the framework of the Non Nuclear Energy Programme JOULE III of the European Union (DGXII). Here, learning curves, an empirically observed manifestation of the cumulative technological learning processes, are endogenised in two energy optimisation models. MARKAL, a widely used bottom-up model developed by the ETSAP programme of the IEA and ERIS, a model prototype, developed within the TEEM project for assessing different concepts and approaches. The methodological approach is described and some results and insights derived from the model analyses are presented. The incorporation of learning curves results in significantly different model outcomes than those obtained with traditional approaches. New, innovative technologies, hardly considered by the standard models, are introduced to the solution when endogenous learning is present. Up-front investments in initially expensive, but promising, technologies allow the necessary accumulation of experience to render them cost-effective. When uncertainty in emission reduction commitments is considered, the results point also in the direction of undertaking early

Technological Learning in Energy Models: Experience and Scenario Analysis with MARKAL and the ERIS Model Prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreto, L.; Kypreos, S.

1999-09-01

Understanding technology dynamics, a fundamental driving factor of the evolution of energy systems, is essential for sound policy formulation and decision making. Technological change is not an autonomous process, but evolves from a number of endogenous interactions within the social system. Technologies evolve and improve only if experience with them is possible. Efforts must be devoted to improve our analytical tools concerning the treatment given to the technological variable, recognising the cumulative and gradual nature of technological change and the important role played by learning processes. This report presents a collection of works developed by the authors concerning the endogenisation of technological change in energy optimisation models, as a contribution to the Energy Technology Dynamics and Advanced Energy System Modelling Project (TEEM), developed in the framework of the Non Nuclear Energy Programme JOULE III of the European Union (DGXII). Here, learning curves, an empirically observed manifestation of the cumulative technological learning processes, are endogenised in two energy optimisation models. MARKAL, a widely used bottom-up model developed by the ETSAP programme of the IEA and ERIS, a model prototype, developed within the TEEM project for assessing different concepts and approaches. The methodological approach is described and some results and insights derived from the model analyses are presented. The incorporation of learning curves results in significantly different model outcomes than those obtained with traditional approaches. New, innovative technologies, hardly considered by the standard models, are introduced to the solution when endogenous learning is present. Up-front investments in initially expensive, but promising, technologies allow the necessary accumulation of experience to render them cost-effective. When uncertainty in emission reduction commitments is considered, the results point also in the direction of undertaking early

Identification and Characterization of a Novel Microvitellogenin from the Chinese Oak Silkworm Antheraea pernyi.

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Yanqun Liu

Full Text Available Microvitellogenin (mVg is a relatively small vitellogenic protein only characterized in the eggs of the lepidopteran insects Manduca sexta and Bombyx mori. In the present study, we report a novel mVg (ApmVg isolated from the Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi. The obtained ApmVg cDNA sequence contains an open reading frame of 783 bp encoding a protein of 260 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 29.96 kDa. This gene does not contain introns. Structural analysis revealed that this protein shares putative conserved domains with the lepidopteran low-molecular weight lipoprotein, which belongs to the lipoprotein_11 superfamily. The protein sequence of ApmVg exhibits 48% sequence identity with mVg from M. sexta and 40-47% sequence identity with the 30K lipoproteins from B. mori. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ApmVg is a novel member of the lepidopteran low-molecular weight lipoproteins. Transcriptional analysis indicated that ApmVg mRNA is mainly expressed in the fat body (both female and male during post-diapause development of the pupal stage, and it was also detected in ovaries and spermaries in smaller amounts. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed that ApmVg is synthesized by the fat body and secreted into hemolymph and ultimately accumulates in eggs. The ApmVg transcript can be detected in the fat bodies of female pupae four days after treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone and shows an expression pattern distinct from that of vitellogenin (Vg, which is detectable throughout diapausing and in post-diapause development. ApmVg decreased dramatically during embryonic development. These results represent the first study of mVg outside M. sexta and B. mori and provide insight into the physiological role and evolution of mVgs.

Stock-specific advection of larval walleye (Sander vitreus) in western Lake Erie: Implications for larval growth, mixing, and stock discrimination

Science.gov (United States)

Fraker, Michael E.; Anderson, Eric J.; May, Cassandra J.; Chen, Kuan-Yu; Davis, Jeremiah J.; DeVanna, Kristen M.; DuFour, Mark R.; Marschall, Elizabeth A.; Mayer, Christine M.; Miner, Jeffery G.; Pangle, Kevin L.; Pritt, Jeremy J.; Roseman, Edward F.; Tyson, Jeffrey T.; Zhao, Yingming; Ludsin, Stuart A

2015-01-01

Physical processes can generate spatiotemporal heterogeneity in habitat quality for fish and also influence the overlap of pre-recruit individuals (e.g., larvae) with high-quality habitat through hydrodynamic advection. In turn, individuals from different stocks that are produced in different spawning locations or at different times may experience dissimilar habitat conditions, which can underlie within- and among-stock variability in larval growth and survival. While such physically-mediated variation has been shown to be important in driving intra- and inter-annual patterns in recruitment in marine ecosystems, its role in governing larval advection, growth, survival, and recruitment has received less attention in large lake ecosystems such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. Herein, we used a hydrodynamic model linked to a larval walleye (Sander vitreus) individual-based model to explore how the timing and location of larval walleye emergence from several spawning sites in western Lake Erie (Maumee, Sandusky, and Detroit rivers; Ohio reef complex) can influence advection pathways and mixing among these local spawning populations (stocks), and how spatiotemporal variation in thermal habitat can influence stock-specific larval growth. While basin-wide advection patterns were fairly similar during 2011 and 2012, smaller scale advection patterns and the degree of stock mixing varied both within and between years. Additionally, differences in larval growth were evident among stocks and among cohorts within stocks which were attributed to spatiotemporal differences in water temperature. Using these findings, we discuss the value of linked physical–biological models for understanding the recruitment process and addressing fisheries management problems in the world's Great Lakes.

Serratia marcescens Suppresses Host Cellular Immunity via the Production of an Adhesion-inhibitory Factor against Immunosurveillance Cells*

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Kenichi; Adachi, Tatsuo; Hamamoto, Hiroshi; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2014-01-01

Injection of a culture supernatant of Serratia marcescens into the bloodstream of the silkworm Bombyx mori increased the number of freely circulating immunosurveillance cells (hemocytes). Using a bioassay with live silkworms, serralysin metalloprotease was purified from the culture supernatant and identified as the factor responsible for this activity. Serralysin inhibited the in vitro attachment of both silkworm hemocytes and murine peritoneal macrophages. Incubation of silkworm hemocytes or murine macrophages with serralysin resulted in degradation of the cellular immune factor BmSPH-1 or calreticulin, respectively. Furthermore, serralysin suppressed in vitro phagocytosis of bacteria by hemocytes and in vivo bacterial clearance in silkworms. Disruption of the ser gene in S. marcescens attenuated its host killing ability in silkworms and mice. These findings suggest that serralysin metalloprotease secreted by S. marcescens suppresses cellular immunity by decreasing the adhesive properties of immunosurveillance cells, thereby contributing to bacterial pathogenesis. PMID:24398686

Serratia marcescens suppresses host cellular immunity via the production of an adhesion-inhibitory factor against immunosurveillance cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Kenichi; Adachi, Tatsuo; Hamamoto, Hiroshi; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2014-02-28

Injection of a culture supernatant of Serratia marcescens into the bloodstream of the silkworm Bombyx mori increased the number of freely circulating immunosurveillance cells (hemocytes). Using a bioassay with live silkworms, serralysin metalloprotease was purified from the culture supernatant and identified as the factor responsible for this activity. Serralysin inhibited the in vitro attachment of both silkworm hemocytes and murine peritoneal macrophages. Incubation of silkworm hemocytes or murine macrophages with serralysin resulted in degradation of the cellular immune factor BmSPH-1 or calreticulin, respectively. Furthermore, serralysin suppressed in vitro phagocytosis of bacteria by hemocytes and in vivo bacterial clearance in silkworms. Disruption of the ser gene in S. marcescens attenuated its host killing ability in silkworms and mice. These findings suggest that serralysin metalloprotease secreted by S. marcescens suppresses cellular immunity by decreasing the adhesive properties of immunosurveillance cells, thereby contributing to bacterial pathogenesis.

Morphological and histomorphological structures of testes and ovaries in early developmental stages of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Hiroki; Kirino, Yohei; Katsuma, Susumu; Aoki, Fugaku; Suzuki, Masataka G

2016-01-01

The gonad develops as a testis in male or an ovary in female. In the silkworm, B. mori , little is known about testis and ovary in the embryonic stages and early larval stages. In this study, we performed morphological and histomorphological observations of ovaries and testes from the late embryonic stage to the 1st instar larval stage. Results obtained with lack of accurate information on sex of examined individuals may be misleading, thus we performed phenotypic observations of gonads by utilizing sex-limited strain that enables us to easily discriminate female embryos from male ones based on those egg colors. In testis, four testicular follicles were clearly observed in the testis at the first instar larval stage, and boundary layers were formed between the testicular follicles. At the late embryonic stage, the testis consisted of four testicular follicles, while the boundary layers were still obscure. In ovary, four ovarioles were easily recognizable in the ovary at the first instar larval stage, and boundary layers were formed between the ovarioles. However, in the late embryonic stage, it was quite difficult to identify four ovarioles. Morphological characteristics were almost similar between testis and ovary in early developmental stages. Our present study demonstrates that the most reliable difference between testis and ovary in early developmental stages is the attaching point of the duct. Formation and development of the duct may be sensitive to the sex-determining signal and display sexual dimorphism in early embryonic stages.

The Visibility of Scholarly Knowledge: Awareness for Open Access in Hacettepe University Bilimsel Bilginin Görünürlüğü: Hacettepe Üniversitesi’nde Açık Erişim Farkındalığı

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korhan Levent Ertürk

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The scholars begin to place their works into the open repositories or open access journals as well as their personal web sites. In the international arena, the open repositories contain a total of 14,000 Turkey-based scholarly contents. The focus of this study is to determine the level of awareness for open access concept of scholars in Hacettepe University. An electronic questionnaire was conducted to scholars. The data were collected through questionnaire from full time academic staff member in Hacettepe University. It was found that 50% of scholars are aware of the open access concept and 92% of the scholars are willing to place their works into the institutional repository of their university. According to questionnaire study result, different types of works such as articles and assertions can be placed in the institutional open repositories in Turkey and their functionality can be increased in a short time. Bilimsel iletişimin en önemli paydaşı olan bilim insanları, bilimsel bilgilerinin görünürlüğünü artırabilmek için bilimsel eserlerini Web sayfalarında ve/veya açık erişim arşivlerinde depolamaya ya da açık erişim dergilerinde yayınlamaya başlamışlardır. Uluslararası açık erişim arşivlerinde yaklaşık 14 bin Türkiye kaynaklı bilimsel içerik bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışma Hacettepe Üniversitesi’ndeki bilim insanlarının açık erişim farkındalığını belirlemek, kurumsal açık arşivlerin etkin kullanımını konusundaki görüşlerini ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Veriler, Hacettepe Üniversitesi’nde tam zamanlı çalışan öğretim üyelerinden elektronik anket yoluyla elde edilmiştir. Bulgulara göre öğretim üyelerinin en azından yarısının (%50 açık erişim farkındalığına sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Farkındalığı olan öğretim üyeleri yüksek bir çoğunlukla (%92 yayınlarının kendi üniversitelerinde yapılandırılabilecek kurumsal açık ar

Sex difference in polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations of burbot Lota lota from Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Madenjian, C.P.; Stapanian, M.A.; Rediske, R.R.; O’Keefe, J. P.

2013-01-01

Whole-fish polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were determined for 25 female and 25 male burbot Lota lota from Lake Erie. Bioenergetics modeling was used to investigate whether the sex difference in growth rate resulted in a difference in gross growth efficiency (GGE) between the sexes. For ages 6–13 years, male burbot averaged 28 % greater PCB concentrations than female burbot. The sex difference in PCB concentrations widened for ages 14–17 years, with male burbot having, on average, 71 % greater PCB concentrations than female burbot. Bioenergetics modeling results showed that the faster growth rate exhibited by female burbot did not lead to greater GGE in female individuals of the younger burbot and that the faster growth by female fish led to female GGE being only 2 % greater than male GGE in older burbot. Although our bioenergetics modeling could not explain the observed sex difference in PCB concentrations, we concluded that a sex difference in GGE was the most plausible explanation for the sex difference in PCB concentrations of burbot ages 6–13 years. Not only are male fish likely to be more active than female fish, but the resting metabolic rate of male fish may be greater than that of female fish. We also concluded that the widening of the sex difference in PCB concentrations for the older burbot may be due to many of the older male burbot spending a substantial amount of time in the vicinity of mouths of rivers contaminated with PCBs.

Genetic Analysis of Izoenzymes Polymorphisms in Silkworm (Bombyx mori L. Strains - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i2.13102

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Aparecida Fernandez

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This work carried out to evaluates the polymorhism in the silkworm of different lineages using the isoenzymes electrophoresis to detect biochemical markers and to investigate the genetics of populations for those lineages. They were used as samples individual extracts of silk glands of second day old larvas of the fifth instar, originating from seven Japanese lineages and eight pure Chinese lineages maintained by the Cocamar-Cooperativa Agroindustrial de Maringá. The isozymes acid phosphatase (ACP, alkaline phosphatase (AKP and carbonic anhydrase (CA they were submitted to the electrophoresis in starch gels 14%. The esterases (EST were analyzed in polyacrylamide gels to 10% and stained with α and b-naphtyl acetate. The total of 21 loci was detected, and 04 (19.05% they are polymorphic, Est-11, Acp, Akp, Ca. The fixation index (Fis for the analyzed isozymes it was 0.0751, indicating excess of homozygotes. The value of Fst (0.6128 it shows that the lineages are well differentiated. The dendrogram obtained with the values of genetic distance didn't separate the Chinese and Japanese lineages analyzed totally. That preliminary evaluation of the lineages of B. mori shows that they present genetic material that it can be used in breeding programs that have the purpose of producing hybrid for silk production.

Historiografía filosófica: la vinculación de juan escoto eriúgena con la tradición en las obras de brucker, tennemann y rixner

OpenAIRE

Strok, Natalia Soledad

2013-01-01

Se busca dar cuenta de la filiación filosófica que tres historiadores de la filosofía (de los siglos XVIII y XIX) otorgan a Juan Escoto Eriúgena (siglo IX). El iluminista J. Brucker, el kantiano W. Tennemann y el romántico T. Rixner son representantes del periodo de gestación de la historia de la filosofía como disciplina, y sus obras son fuentes para destacados filósofos, como por ejemplo Hegel. Se muestra hasta qué punto las líneas interpretativas que iniciaron estos autores se continúan ha...

Stimulation of JNK Phosphorylation by the PTTH in Prothoracic Glands of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

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Shi-Hong Gu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK by the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH was investigated in prothoracic glands (PGs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Results showed that JNK phosphorylation was stimulated by the PTTH in time- and dose-dependent manners. In vitro activation of JNK phosphorylation in PGs by the PTTH was also confirmed in an in vivo experiment, in which a PTTH injection greatly increased JNK phosphorylation in PGs of day-6 last instar larvae. JNK phosphorylation caused by PTTH stimulation was greatly inhibited by U73122, a potent and specific inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC and an increase in JNK phosphorylation was also detected when PGs were treated with agents (either A23187 or thapsigargin that directly elevated the intracellular Ca2+ concentration, thereby indicating involvement of PLC and Ca2+. Pretreatment with an inhibitor (U0126 of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK kinase (MEK and an inhibitor (LY294002 of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K failed to significantly inhibit PTTH-stimulated JNK phosphorylation, indicating that ERK and PI3K were not related to JNK. We further investigated the effect of modulation of the redox state on JNK phosphorylation. In the presence of either an antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine, NAC or diphenylene iodonium (DPI, PTTH-stimulated JNK phosphorylation was blocked. The JNK kinase inhibitor, SP600125, markedly inhibited PTTH-stimulated JNK phosphorylation and ecdysteroid synthesis. The kinase assay of JNK in PGs confirmed its stimulation by PTTH and inhibition by SP600125. Moreover, PTTH treatment did not affect JNK or Jun mRNA expressions. Based on these findings, we concluded that PTTH stimulates JNK phosphorylation in Ca2+- and PLC-dependent manners and that the redox-regulated JNK signaling pathway is involved in PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroid synthesis in B. mori PGs.

Evaluation of the Use of Periodicals Collection of the Higher Education Council Documentation and Online Search Center: Arts and Humanities Periodicals YÖK Dokümantasyon ve Uluslararası Bilgi Tarama Merkezi Koleksiyonundaki Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler Konulu Süreli Yayınların Kullanım Değerlendirmesi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elçin Özbudak

1995-06-01

Full Text Available Evaluation of the use perodicals collections in libraries is important as perodicals report the results of the latest scientific research and they are usually more expensive than other types of library materials. In this study we evaluate the use of Arts and Humanities periodicals in the collection of the Higher Education Council Documentation Center. Although the use of Arts and Humanities periodicals was found to be lower than, say, Biomedical periodicals collection, the number of journal titles in Arts and Humanities appears to be quite satisfactory. Some suggestions are made so as to increase the use of Arts and Humanities periodicals collection. Bilimsel araştırmalar için en güncel bilgileri veren ve maliyeti diğer materyallere göre daha fazla olan süreli yayınların ne oranda kullanıldığının araştırılması, koleksiyon değerlendirmesi açısından önemlidir. Bu amaçla, Yükseköğretim Kurulu Dokümantasyon ve Uluslararası Bilgi Tarama Merkezi süreli yayınlar koleksiyonunun genel bir değerlendirmesi yapılarak "Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler" konulu süreli yayınların kullanımları incelenmiş, Yükseköğretim Kurulu Dokümantasyon ve Uluslararası Bilgi Tarama Merkezi 'nde önemli ve büyük bir süreli yayınlar koleksiyonu bulunduğu, "Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler" konulu süreli yayınların da yeterli olduğu sonuçları çıkartılmıştır. "Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler" konulu süreli yayınların kullanımlarının nispeten düşük oluşu, bu alanda çalışan araştırmacıların süreli yayınlara yeterince ilgi göstermemelerine bağlanarak, kullanımı artırmak için öneriler getirilmiştir.

Mutation of a cuticular protein, BmorCPR2, alters larval body shape and adaptability in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Liang; Xiong, Gao; Wang, Ri-xin; He, Song-zhen; Chen, Jie; Tong, Xiao-ling; Hu, Hai; Li, Chun-lin; Gai, Ting-ting; Xin, Ya-qun; Liu, Xiao-fan; Chen, Bin; Xiang, Zhong-huai; Lu, Cheng; Dai, Fang-yin

2014-04-01

Cuticular proteins (CPs) are crucial components of the insect cuticle. Although numerous genes encoding cuticular proteins have been identified in known insect genomes to date, their functions in maintaining insect body shape and adaptability remain largely unknown. In the current study, positional cloning led to the identification of a gene encoding an RR1-type cuticular protein, BmorCPR2, highly expressed in larval chitin-rich tissues and at the mulberry leaf-eating stages, which is responsible for the silkworm stony mutant. In the Dazao-stony strain, the BmorCPR2 allele is a deletion mutation with significantly lower expression, compared to the wild-type Dazao strain. Dysfunctional BmorCPR2 in the stony mutant lost chitin binding ability, leading to reduced chitin content in larval cuticle, limitation of cuticle extension, abatement of cuticle tensile properties, and aberrant ratio between internodes and intersegmental folds. These variations induce a significant decrease in cuticle capacity to hold the growing internal organs in the larval development process, resulting in whole-body stiffness, tightness, and hardness, bulging intersegmental folds, and serious defects in larval adaptability. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the corresponding phenotype of stony in insects caused by mutation of RR1-type cuticular protein. Our findings collectively shed light on the specific role of cuticular proteins in maintaining normal larval body shape and will aid in the development of pest control strategies for the management of Lepidoptera.

Biogas production potential of sericulture waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajasekaran, P

1986-12-01

A feasibility study was carried out in the laboratory to investigate the potentiality of silkworm larval litter alone or in combination with cattle manure as a feedstock material for biogas production. The maximum total gas output of 9556 ml over a six week batch digestion was observed in the silkworm larval litter alone treatment. However, maximum gas output of 2450 ml/g of total solids (TS) destroyed was obtained in the Cowdung biodigested along with silkworm larval litter. The percentage destruction (57.76 TS) and volatile solids (VS 79.5) were observed maximum in the silkworm larval litter alone treatment. The distribution of various physiological groups of organisms involved in this process were discussed. Experimental evidence suggests the possible utilization of silkworm larval litter for biogas production along with cattle manure. 16 references, 2 tables.

Silk-based biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Altman, Gregory H; Diaz, Frank; Jakuba, Caroline; Calabro, Tara; Horan, Rebecca L; Chen, Jingsong; Lu, Helen; Richmond, John; Kaplan, David L

2003-02-01

Silk from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been used as biomedical suture material for centuries. The unique mechanical properties of these fibers provided important clinical repair options for many applications. During the past 20 years, some biocompatibility problems have been reported for silkworm silk; however, contamination from residual sericin (glue-like proteins) was the likely cause. More recent studies with well-defined silkworm silk fibers and films suggest that the core silk fibroin fibers exhibit comparable biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo with other commonly used biomaterials such as polylactic acid and collagen. Furthermore, the unique mechanical properties of the silk fibers, the diversity of side chain chemistries for 'decoration' with growth and adhesion factors, and the ability to genetically tailor the protein provide additional rationale for the exploration of this family of fibrous proteins for biomaterial applications. For example, in designing scaffolds for tissue engineering these properties are particularly relevant and recent results with bone and ligament formation in vitro support the potential role for this biomaterial in future applications. To date, studies with silks to address biomaterial and matrix scaffold needs have focused on silkworm silk. With the diversity of silk-like fibrous proteins from spiders and insects, a range of native or bioengineered variants can be expected for application to a diverse set of clinical needs.

Two Novel 30K Proteins Overexpressed in Baculovirus System and Their Antiapoptotic Effect in Insect and Mammalian Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Yu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The 30K family of proteins is important in energy metabolism and may play a role in inhibiting cellular apoptosis in silkworms (Bombyx mori. Several 30K-family proteins have been identified. In this study, two new silkworm genes, referred to as Slp (NM 001126256 and Lsp-t (NM 001043443, were analyzed by a bioinformatics approach according to the sequences of 30K proteins previously reported in the silkworm. Both Slp and Lsp-t shared more than 41% amino acid sequence homology with the reported 30K proteins and displayed a conserved domain consistent with that of lipoprotein-11. Additionally, the cDNA sequences of both Slp and Lsp-t were obtained from the fat bodies of silkworm larvae by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Both genes were expressed in BmN cells using the Bac-to-Bac system. Purified Slp and Lsp-t were added to cultured BmN and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC that were treated with H2O2. Both Slp and Lsp-t significantly enhanced the viability and suppressed DNA fragmentation in H2O2 treated BmN and HUVEC cells. This study suggested that Slp and Lsp-t exhibit similar biological activities as their known 30K-protein counterparts and mediate an inhibitory effect against H2O2-induced apoptosis.

Azadirachtin induced apoptosis in the prothoracic gland in Bombyx mori and a pronounced Ca2+ release effect in Sf9 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Liu, Hongmei; Sun, Zhipeng; Xie, Jianjun; Zhong, Guohua; Yi, Xin

2017-01-01

Azadirachtin is a bio-rational insecticide used as an antifeedant and growth disruption agent against many insect species. However, recent studies have shown that there is a potential risk of this compound harming some beneficial insects. In such cases its application does not normally lead to death, but it may result in altered developmental regulation. Therefore, it is essential to obtain toxicological data to understand the mechanism of such sub-lethal effects, especially where they relate to important beneficial insects. Here, we found that azadirachtin could regulate growth and cocooning in silkworms, which may be associated with induced apoptotic effect on the prothoracic gland. However, azadirachtin treatment could not induce apoptosis in the prothoracic gland in vitro , in contrast to the effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone in vitro, which suggesting that the apoptosis might not be direct effect of azadirachtin. Then we examined the activity of Ca 2+ -Mg 2+ -ATPase and found that azadirachtin could trigger a significant increase in intracellular Ca 2+ release in the Sf9 cell line, which suggested that the calcium signaling pathway might be involved in the process of apoptosis in prothoracic gland and growth regulation in vivo silkworms. Although more evidence is needed to fully understand the mechanism of azadirachtin in perturbing the growth of silkworms, this study provides some toxicological information and highlights the potential risks of azadirachtin in relation to silkworms.

The impact of social and family-related factors on women's stress experience in household and family work.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperlich, Stefanie; Geyer, Siegfried

2015-03-01

This study explores the contribution of social and family-related factors to women's experience of an effort-reward imbalance (ERI) in household and family work. Using a population-based sample of German mothers (n = 3,129), we performed stepwise logistic regression analysis in order to determine the relative impact of social and family-related factors on ERI. All factors investigated showed a significant association with at least one ERI component. Considering all predictors simultaneously in the multivariate analysis resulted in a decrease in significance of socioeconomic status in explaining the effort-reward ratio while the impact on low reward partly remained significant. In addition, age of youngest child, number of children, lower levels of perceived social support, domestic work inequity and negative work-to-family spillover, irrespective of being half- or full-time employed, revealed to be important in predicting ERI. The experience of ERI in domestic work is influenced by the social and family environment. Particularly among socially disadvantaged mothers, lack of social recognition for household and family work proved to be a relevant source of psychosocial stress.

Biotransformation effect of Bombyx Mori L. may play an important role in treating diabetic nephropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Zhang, La; Li, Yin; Guo, Xin-Feng; Liu, Xu-Sheng

2016-11-01

Compared with herbal drugs, medicine processed from animals (animal medicine) was thought to have more bioactive substances and higher activities. Biotransformation effect often plays an important role in their effect. However, researches about effect of animal medicine on diabetic nephropathy and applying animal medicine as natural bio-transformer were seldom reported. The purpose of this paper was to reveal the use of Bombyx Mori L. on diabetic nephropathy from ancient to modern times. The classical literature indicated that Saosi Decoction (), which contains Bombyx Mori L. or silkworm cocoon, was applied to treat disorders congruent with modern disease diabetic nephropathy from the Ming to Qing Dynasty in ancient China. Modern studies showed that Bombyx Mori L. contains four main active constituents. Among these, 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and quercetin showed promising potential to be new agents in diabetic nephropathy treatment. The concentrations of 1-DNJ and the activities of quercetin in Bombyx Mori L. are higher than in mulberry leaves, because of the biotransformation in the Bombyx Mori L. body. However, these specifific components need further human and mechanistic studies to determine their therapeutic potential for this challenging condition.

Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on the Synthesis of Fibroin in Silkworm (Bombyx mori).

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Min; Li, FanChi; Tian, JiangHai; Hu, JingSheng; Zhang, Hua; Xu, KaiZun; Wang, BinBin; Li, YangYang; Shen, WeiDe; Li, Bing

2015-08-01

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect, and its silk production capacity largely depends on its ability to synthesize fibroin. While breeding of B. mori varieties has been a key strategy to improve silk production, little improvement of B. mori silk production has been achieved to date. As a result, the development of sericulture economy has not progressed well, pointing to the need of new ways for improvement of B. mori silk production. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs), a food additive widely used for livestock, have been shown to promote animal growth and increase the protein synthesis in animals. However, no studies on effect of TiO2 NPs on fibroin synthesis in B. mori have been available. In this study, the differential expression profiles of genes and proteins in the silk gland of B. mori fed without or with TiO2 NPs (5 μg ml(-1)) were analyzed and compared using digital gene expression (DGE), reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), semi-qPCR, and Western blot analysis. The effects of TiO2 NPs feeding on the activity of proteases in the midgut and the synthesis and transportation of amino acids in hemolymph were also investigated. DGE analyses showed that among a total of 4,741 genes detected, 306 genes were differentially expressed after the TiO2 NPs feeding, of which 137 genes were upregulated whereas 169 genes were downregulated. 106 genes were shown to be involved in fibroin synthesis, of which 97 genes, including those encoding cuticular protein glycine-rich 10, serine protease inhibitor 28, aspartate aminotransferase, lysyl-tRNA synthetase, and splicing factor arginine/serine-rich 6, and silk gland factor-1 (SGF-1), were upregulated with the maximum induction of 8.52-folds, whereas nine genes, including those encoding aspartylglucosaminidase, the cathepsin L in Tribolium castaneum, and similar to SPRY domain-containing SOCS box protein 3, were downregulated with the maximum reduction of 8

The Optimization of Molecular Detection of Clinical Isolates of Brucella in Blood Cultures by eryD Transcriptase Gene for Confirmation of Culture-Negative Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabibnejad, Mahsa; Alikhani, Mohammad Yousef; Arjomandzadegan, Mohammad; Hashemi, Seyed Hamid; Naseri, Zahra

2016-04-01

Brucellosis is a zoonosis disease which is widespread across the world. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of culture-negative blood samples. A total of 100 patients with suspected brucellosis were included in this experimental study and given positive serological tests. Diagnosis was performed on patients with clinical symptoms of the disease, followed by the detection of a titer that was equal to or more than 1:160 (in endemic areas) by the standard tube agglutination method. Blood samples were cultured by a BACTEC 9050 system, and subsequently by Brucella agar. At the same time, DNA from all blood samples was extracted by Qiagen Kit Company (Qia Amp Mini Kit). A molecular assay of blood samples was carried out by detection of eryD transcriptase and bcsp 31 genes in specific double PCR reactions. The specificity of the primers was evaluated by DNA from pure and approved Brucella colonies found in the blood samples, by DNA from other bacteria, and by ordinary PCR. DNA extraction from the pure colonies was carried out by both Qiagen Kit and Chelex 100 methods; the two were compared. 39 cases (39%) had positive results when tested by the BACTEC system, and 61 cases (61%) became negative. 23 culture-positive blood samples were randomly selected for PCR reactions; all showed 491 bp for the eryD gene and 223 bp for the bcsp 31 gene. Interestingly, out of 14 culture-negative blood samples, 13 cases showed positive bonds in PCR. The specificity of the PCR method was equal to 100%. DNA extraction from pure cultures was done by both Chelex 100 and Qiagen Kit; these showed the same results for all samples. The results prove that the presented double PCR method could be used to detect positive cases from culture-negative blood samples. The Chelex 100 method is simpler and safer than the use of Qiagen Kit for DNA extraction.

The effect of gamma irradiation on some morphological and quantitative changes of Bombyx mori L. silk gland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkov, N.; Malinova, K.; Binkh, N.

1996-01-01

A study to determine the effect of gamma irradiation of silkworm eggs at doses of 1.00; 2.00 and 3.00 on silk gland weight, length and width is performed. It was found that gamma irradiation of eggs in the stage of embryo most intensive growth in length (B 2 ) at doses 2.00 and 3.00 Gy stimulates increasing of silk glands weight in silkworms on the fifth day instar by 12-25 mg, as well as the silk worm width - by 7-33 μm, which is of significant importance for the synthesis and secretion of silk proteins (fibroin and sericin). A breed specificity was also observed

Glutathione-binding site of a bombyx mori theta-class glutathione transferase.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M D Tofazzal Hossain

Full Text Available The glutathione transferase (GST superfamily plays key roles in the detoxification of various xenobiotics. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a silkworm protein belonging to a previously reported theta-class GST family. The enzyme (bmGSTT catalyzes the reaction of glutathione with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 1,2-epoxy-3-(4-nitrophenoxy-propane, and 4-nitrophenethyl bromide. Mutagenesis of highly conserved residues in the catalytic site revealed that Glu66 and Ser67 are important for enzymatic function. These results provide insights into the catalysis of glutathione conjugation in silkworm by bmGSTT and into the metabolism of exogenous chemical agents.

Profiles of Wind and Turbulence in the Coastal Atmospheric Boundary Layer of Lake Erie

KAUST Repository

Wang, H

2014-06-16

Prediction of wind resource in coastal zones is difficult due to the complexity of flow in the coastal atmospheric boundary layer (CABL). A three week campaign was conducted over Lake Erie in May 2013 to investigate wind characteristics and improve model parameterizations in the CABL. Vertical profiles of wind speed up to 200 m were measured onshore and offshore by lidar wind profilers, and horizontal gradients of wind speed by a 3-D scanning lidar. Turbulence data were collected from sonic anemometers deployed onshore and offshore. Numerical simulations were conducted with the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) model with 2 nested domains down to a resolution of 1-km over the lake. Initial data analyses presented in this paper investigate complex flow patterns across the coast. Acceleration was observed up to 200 m above the surface for flow coming from the land to the water. However, by 7 km off the coast the wind field had not yet reached equilibrium with the new surface (water) conditions. The surface turbulence parameters over the water derived from the sonic data could not predict wind profiles observed by the ZephlR lidar located offshore. Horizontal wind speed gradients near the coast show the influence of atmospheric stability on flow dynamics. Wind profiles retrieved from the 3-D scanning lidar show evidence of nocturnal low level jets (LLJs). The WRF model was able to capture the occurrence of LLJ events, but its performance varied in predicting their intensity, duration, and the location of the jet core.

Differentially expressed genes in the head of the 2nd instar pre-molting larvae of the nm2 mutant of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Pingyang Wang

Full Text Available Molting is an important physiological process in the larval stage of Bombyx mori and is controlled by various hormones and peptides. The silkworm mutant that exhibits the phenotype of non-molting in the 2nd instar (nm2 is incapable of molting in the 2nd instar and dies after seven or more days. The ecdysone titer in the nm2 mutant is lower than that in the wildtype, and the mutant can be rescued by feeding with 20E and cholesterol. The results of positional cloning indicated that structural alteration of BmCPG10 is responsible for the phenotype of the nm2 mutant. To explore the possible relationship between BmCPG10 and the ecdysone titer as well as the genes affected by BmCPG10, digital gene expression (DGE profile analysis was conducted in the nm2 mutant, with the wildtype strain C603 serving as the control. The results revealed 1727 differentially expressed genes, among which 651 genes were upregulated and 1076 were downregulated in nm2. BLASTGO analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes were involved in various biological processes, cellular components and molecular functions. KEGG analysis indicated an enrichment of these differentially expressed genes in 240 pathways, including metabolic pathways, pancreatic secretion, protein digestion and absorption, fat digestion and absorption and glycerolipid metabolism. To verify the accuracy of the DGE results, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR was performed, focusing on key genes in several related pathways, and the results were highly consistent with the DGE results. Our findings indicated significant differences in cuticular protein genes, ecdysone biosynthesis genes and ecdysone-related nuclear receptors genes, but no significant difference in juvenile hormone and chitin biosynthesis genes was detected. Our research findings lay the foundation for further research on the formation mechanism of the nm2 mutant.

20-Hydroxyecdysone stimulates nuclear accumulation of BmNep1, a nuclear ribosome biogenesis-related protein in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Ji, M-M; Liu, A-Q; Sima, Y-H; Xu, S-Q

2016-10-01

The pathway of communication between endocrine hormones and ribosome biogenesis critical for physiological adaptation is largely unknown. Nucleolar essential protein 1 (Nep1) is an essential gene for ribosome biogenesis and is functionally conserved in many in vertebrate and invertebrate species. In this study, we cloned Bombyx mori Nep1 (BmNep1) due to its high expression in silk glands of silkworms on day 3 of the fifth instar. We found that BmNep1 mRNA and protein levels were upregulated in silk glands during fourth-instar ecdysis and larval-pupal metamorphosis. By immunoprecipitation with the anti-BmNep1 antibody and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analyses, it was shown that BmNep1 probably interacts with proteins related to ribosome structure formation. Immunohistochemistry, biochemical fractionation and immunocytochemistry revealed that BmNep1 is localized to the nuclei in Bombyx cells. Using BmN cells originally derived from ovaries, we demonstrated that 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) induced BmNep1 expression and stimulated nuclear accumulation of BmNep1. Under physiological conditions, BmNep1 was also upregulated in ovaries during larval-pupal metamorphosis. Overall, our results indicate that the endocrine hormone 20E facilitates nuclear accumulation of BmNep1, which is involved in nuclear ribosome biogenesis in Bombyx. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.

Transcriptome sequencing and positive selected genes analysis of Bombyx mandarina.

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Tingcai Cheng

Full Text Available The wild silkworm Bombyx mandarina is widely believed to be an ancestor of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. Silkworms are often used as a model for studying the mechanism of species domestication. Here, we performed transcriptome sequencing of the wild silkworm using an Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. We produced 100,004,078 high-quality reads and assembled them into 50,773 contigs with an N50 length of 1764 bp and a mean length of 941.62 bp. A total of 33,759 unigenes were identified, with 12,805 annotated in the Nr database, 8273 in the Pfam database, and 9093 in the Swiss-Prot database. Expression profile analysis found significant differential expression of 1308 unigenes between the middle silk gland (MSG and posterior silk gland (PSG. Three sericin genes (sericin 1, sericin 2, and sericin 3 were expressed specifically in the MSG and three fibroin genes (fibroin-H, fibroin-L, and fibroin/P25 were expressed specifically in the PSG. In addition, 32,297 Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and 361 insertion-deletions (INDELs were detected. Comparison with the domesticated silkworm p50/Dazao identified 5,295 orthologous genes, among which 400 might have experienced or to be experiencing positive selection by Ka/Ks analysis. These data and analyses presented here provide insights into silkworm domestication and an invaluable resource for wild silkworm genomics research.

Bazı Meşe ve Gül Türlerinde Galli ve Galsiz Bireylerdeki, Total Protein İçeriğinin Farklı Yöntemler Kullanılarak Araştırılması

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Sevgi Daştan

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Özet. Parazit veya simbiyoz olarak bitki üzerinde yaşayan böcek, nematod, akar, bakteri ya da mantarların neden olduğu tahriş ve beslenme fizyolojisinden doğan olumsuzluklara karşı bitkilerin savunma tepkimesi olarak oluşturdukları anormal büyüme şekli gal olarak tanımlanmaktadır. En kompleks, en iyi organize olmuş gallerin birçoğu, gal arıları (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae tarafından meydana getirilirler. En çok tanınan cynipid galleri gül ve meşelerde yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada; Sivas çevresinde yetişen, bazı meşe ve gül türlerinin, gal oluşturmayan ve yoğun olarak sürgün ve meyva gali oluşturan bireylerinden yaprak, meyva ve sürgün gal örnekleri toplanmıştır. Yaprak, meyva ve gallerdeki total protein miktarları, Bradford Mikro Assay, Biüret, Lowry yöntemleri ve ayrıca Ultraviyole (UV spektrofotometresi kullanılarak 280 nm de ölçümleri yapılmak suretiyle hesaplanmıştır. Bu şekilde elde edilen veriler üzerinden hem galli ve galsiz bireyler arasındaki protein miktarları açısından farklılıklar hem de kullanılan dört farklı yöntem arasındaki farklılıklar karşılaştırılmıştır. Yapılan deneyler sonucunda; galli bireylerdeki total protein miktarının galsiz bireylere göre anlamlı şekilde fazla olduğu saptanmıştır. Yine meşelerdeki protein içeriğinin güllerdeki protein içeriğine göre yaklaşık 2 katı değerlerde olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Aylara göre protein içeriğindeki farklılıklara baktığımızda ise, meşeler için eylül ayında, kuşburnu bitkisi için ise ağustos ayında daha fazla protein içeriği tespit edilmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Gal, Rosa sp., Quercus sp., Cynipidae, Total protein içeriği Abstract. Plant galls are an abnormal growth pattern that plants develop as a defense reaction to irritations and negative nutritional physiology caused by insects, nematodes, mites, bacteria and fungi living in a parasitic or symbiotic

Bombyx mori Serpin6 regulates prophenoloxidase activity and the expression of antimicrobial proteins.

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Li, Bing; Yu, Hai-Zhong; Ye, Chong-Jun; Ma, Yan; Li, Xing; Fan, Tao; Chen, Fu-Sheng; Xu, Jia-Ping

2017-04-30

Serpins are a family of serine protease inhibitors that are found widely in insects. They play an important role in insect physiological responses, such as innate immunity and development. In this study, we obtained the Bombyx mori serpin6 (BmSerpin6) sequence from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the silkworm genome database (SilkDB). Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) results showed that BmSerpin6 was expressed highly in hemocytes, the midgut, and the fat body. After challenging with Micrococcus luteus (Mi) and Serratia marcescens (Sm), the BmSerpin6 expression level was induced significantly. Transcript levels of gloverin2 and prophenoloxidase (PPO) activity were reduced significantly in the fat body and hemocytes after injecting the recombinant BmSerpin6 protein into silkworm larvae. A BmSerpin6 recombinant plasmid (BmSerpin6-pAC 5.1) was constructed successfully and transfected into Drosophila S2 cells, which resulted in significantly reduced expression of the drosomycin protein. These results indicated that BmSerpin6 might regulate silkworm immune responses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Why Thailand’s Military Stepped In

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2011-03-01

8 Craig J. Reynolds (ed.), National Identity and its Defenders: Thailand Today ( Chiang Mai : Silkworm Books, 2002). 9...and Authority in Thailand,” in National Identity and its Defenders: Thailand Today (rev. ed.), ed. Craig J. Reynolds ( Chiang Mai : Silkworm Books, 2002...Business of Politics in Thailand ( Chiang Mai : Silkworm Books, 2004), 230. 128 Ockey, “Thailand,” 199. 52 days of the military directly administering

Thermal and Hydraulic Conditions Supporting the Recruitment of Asian Carp in Seiche Affected Rivers of Lake Erie Basin - A Case Study of the Lower Sandusky River in Ohio

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Soong, D. T.; Santacruz, S.; Jones, L.; Garcia, T.; Kočovský, P. M.; Embke, H.

2017-12-01

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (Cyprinidae) is an invasive fish species that spawns in rivers during high-flow events. In their native range, it is believed eggs must hatch within the riverine environment in order to eventually result in production of adult fish. The lower Sandusky River is approximately 26 km long extending from its confluence with Sandusky Bay upstream to the Ballville Dam, which is impassible for Grass Carp. Grass Carp are known to have spawned in the Sandusky River, a tributary to Lake Erie, in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. This study characterizes the thermal and hydraulic conditions under which these eggs could hatch in the lower Sandusky River, a relatively short river reach for egg hatching. Grass Carp eggs collected in 2015 were previously analyzed for hatching locations using a one-dimensional steady-state HEC-RAS hydraulic model. In this study we refine estimates of hatching locations by incorporating the influence of fluctuating water levels downstream due to seiches in Lake Erie and overland and tributary inflows using an unsteady 1D/2D HEC-RAS hydraulic model. Additionally, conditions conducive to successful hatching, which occurs when eggs reach the hatching stage within the river, were analyzed from nine high-flow events between 2011 and 2015. Simulated hydraulic and water temperature data were used as inputs to the Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator (FluEgg) model, which was used to analyze the transport and dispersal of Grass carp eggs until hatching. We will describe the differences in steady- and unsteady-state hydraulic modeling in predicting hatching locations of Grass Carp eggs for the 2015 spawning events. Results will also include hydraulic and temperature variables that contribute to the successful/unsuccessful in-river hatching for the nine flow events simulated.

Evidence for predatory control of the invasive round goby

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Madenjian, C.P.; Stapanian, M.A.; Witzel, L.D.; Einhouse, D.W.; Pothoven, S.A.; Whitford, H.L.

2011-01-01

We coupled bioenergetics modeling with bottom trawl survey results to evaluate the capacity of piscivorous fish in eastern Lake Erie to exert predatory control of the invading population of round goby Neogobius melanostomus. In the offshore (>20 m deep) waters of eastern Lake Erie, burbot Lota lota is a native top predator, feeding on a suite of prey fishes. The round goby invaded eastern Lake Erie during the late 1990s, and round goby population size increased dramatically during 1999–2004. According to annual bottom trawl survey results, round goby abundance in offshore waters peaked in 2004, but then declined during 2004–2008. Coincidentally, round goby became an important component of burbot diet beginning in 2003. Using bottom trawling and gill netting, we estimated adult burbot abundance and age structure in eastern Lake Erie during 2007. Diet composition and energy density of eastern Lake Erie burbot were also determined during 2007. This information, along with estimates of burbot growth, burbot mortality, burbot water temperature regime, and energy densities of prey fish from the literature, were incorporated into a bioenergetics model application to estimate annual consumption of round goby by the adult burbot population. Results indicated that the adult burbot population in eastern Lake Erie annually consumed 1,361 metric tons of round goby. Based on the results of bottom trawling, we estimated the biomass of yearling and older round goby in offshore waters eastern Lake Erie during 2007–2008 to be 2,232 metric tons. Thus, the adult burbot population was feeding on round goby at an annual rate equal to 61% of the estimated round goby standing stock. We concluded that the burbot population had high potential to exert predatory control on round goby in offshore waters of eastern Lake Erie.

The effect of gamma irradiation on some morphological and quantitative changes of Bombyx mori L. silk gland; Vliyanie na gama lychite vyrhu nykoi morfologichni i kolichestveni izmeneniya na koprinenootdelitelnata zhleza na Bombyx mori L

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Petkov, N; Malinova, K [Institute of Animal Breeding, Kostinbrod (Bulgaria); Binkh, N [National Centre of Sericulture, Hanoj (Viet Nam)

1997-12-31

A study to determine the effect of gamma irradiation of silkworm eggs at doses of 1.00; 2.00 and 3.00 on silk gland weight, length and width is performed. It was found that gamma irradiation of eggs in the stage of embryo most intensive growth in length (B{sub 2}) at doses 2.00 and 3.00 Gy stimulates increasing of silk glands weight in silkworms on the fifth day instar by 12-25 mg, as well as the silk worm width - by 7-33 {mu}m, which is of significant importance for the synthesis and secretion of silk proteins (fibroin and sericin). A breed specificity was also observed. 4 refs.

The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril disrupts the motility activation of sperm from the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

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Nagaoka, Sumiharu; Kawasaki, Saori; Kawasaki, Hideki; Kamei, Kaeko

2017-11-01

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (also known as peptidyl dicarboxypeptidase A, ACE, and EC 3.4.15.1), which is found in a wide range of organisms, cleaves C-terminal dipeptides from relatively short oligopeptides. Mammalian ACE plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. However, the precise physiological functions of insect ACE homologs have not been understood. As part of our effort to elucidate new physiological roles of insect ACE, we herein report a soluble ACE protein in male reproductive secretions from the silkmoth, Bombyx mori. Seminal vesicle sperm are quiescent in vitro, but vigorous motility is activated by treatment with either a glandula (g.) prostatica homogenate or trypsin in vitro. When seminal vesicle sperm were pre-incubated with captopril, a strong and specific inhibitor of mammalian ACE, and then stimulated to initiate motility by the addition of the g. prostatica homogenate or trypsin, the overall level of acquired motility was reduced in an inhibitor-concentration-dependent manner. In the course of this project, we detected ACE-related carboxypeptidase activity that was inhibited by captopril in both the vesicular (v.) seminalis of the noncopulative male reproductive tract and in the spermatophore that forms in the female bursa copulatrix at the time of mating, just as in an earlier report on the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea, which belongs to a different lepidopteran species (Ekbote et al., 2003a). Two distinct genes encoding ACE-like proteins were identified by analysis of B. mori cDNA, and were named BmAcer and BmAcer2, respectively [the former was previously reported by Quan et al. (2001) and the latter was first isolated in this paper]. RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses indicated that the BmAcer2 was predominantly produced in v. seminalis and transferred to the spermatophore during copulation, while the BmAcer was not detected in the adult male reproductive organs. A recombinant protein of BmAcer2 (devoid of a signal

The Preah Vihear Temple: What’s in a Claim?

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

Chiang Mai : Silkworm Books, 2010), 113. 4 John Vasquez and Marie T. Henehan, "Territorial Disputes and the Probability of War, 1816–1992...Soldier’s Boot: Assessing Civil Military Relations in Thailand,” in Legitimacy Crisis in Thailand, ed. Mark Askew ( Chiang Mai : Silkworm books, 2010), 197...Confrontation and Crisis in Thailand, 2008–2010,” in Legitimacy Crisis in Thailand, ( Chiang Mai : Silkworm books, 2010), 35. 57 constitutional

Stable isotopes and heavy metal distribution in Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussels) from western basin of Lake Erie, Canada

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Al-Aasm, I.S.; Clarke, J.D.; Fryer, B.J. [Windsor Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Earth Sciences

1998-02-01

Dreissena polymorpha is an exotic freshwater bivalve species which was introduced into the Great Lakes system in the fall of 1985 through the release of ballast water from European freighters. Utilizing individual growth rings of the shells, the stable isotope distribution ({delta}{sup 18}O and {delta}{sup 13}C) was determined for the life history of selected samples which were collected from the western basin of Lake Erie. These bivalves deposit their shell in near equilibrium with the ambient water and thus reflect any annual variation of the system in the isotopic records held within their shells. Observed values for {delta}{sup 18}O range from -6.64 to -9.46 permille with an average value of -7.69 permille PDB, while carbon values ranged from -0.80 to -4.67 permille with an average value of -1.76 permille PDB. Dreissena polymorpha shells incorporate metals into their shells during growth. Individual shell growth increments were analyzed for Pb, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cd, Cu, and V concentrations. The shells show increased uptake of certain metals during periods of isotopic enrichment which correspond with warmer water temperatures. Since metals are incorporated into the shells, the organism may be useful as a biomonitor of metal pollution within aquatic environments. (orig.)

STUDI PENAMPILAN PRODUKSI ULAT SUTERA F1 HIBRID HASIL PERSILANGAN RAS JEPANG DAN RAS CINA YANG BERASAL DARI PUSAT PEMBIBITAN SOPPENG DAN TEMANGGUNG

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Nur Cholis

2014-10-01

Full Text Available There are two centres of silkworm breeding sites in Indonesia, Soppeng- South Sulawesi and Temanggung-Central Java.  Both, using the crossing of Japan and China strains, supplies almost all the needs of silkworm eggs in Indonesia. There were diffference performances between them in warm environment of low land, but in up land is still not know yet.  The purposes of this experiment were to know the performance of the silkworm originated from two different breeding sites. The experiment used one box silkworm egg (20000 eggs each from Soppeng and Temanggung Breeding sites.  The variables observed were wet coccon weight (WCW and  coccon shell weight (CSW. Data were analyzed by t- Test. Statistical analysis result showed that WCW and CSW of the silkkworm originated from Soppeng were better (P<0,005 than of Temanggung.  The causes may be the activity of silkgland was more productive, the adaptation ability to the environment was better included the efficiency of the using of feed nutrition and the growth or caused by polimorphism. The conclusion was that silkworm crossing of Japan and China strain originated from Soppeng had better performance than of Temanggung. It was needed following research on genetic site.   Keywords: Silkworm, performance, Soppeng and Temanggung