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PubMed2002

[Creation of functional organic compounds and their applications].

Our studies on creation of functional organic compounds and their applications, have focused on three areas, namely, (A) organic chemical studies on VD (vitamin D) analogues, (B) studies on solitary wasp venoms, and (C) studies on functional building blocks for organic synthesis. In the first area, several novel and important vitamin D analogues were synthesized and biologically evaluated, and their high VDR (vitamin D receptor) binding affinities were discussed on the basis of conformational analysis and docking study by Molecular Mechanics Calculation to the LBD (ligand binding domain) of VDR: These compounds include 24,24-difluoro-1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-VD3 (2) (an antimetabolism agent, the first VD analogue having higher potency than the natural hormone (1)), 2 alpha-methyl-1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-VD3 (42b) (the first A-ring-modified VD analogue exhibiting stronger VDR affinity than 1) and its 20-epimer (43b) (a VD analogue having a highest HL-60 cell differentiation inducing activity with a relatively low calcemic effect), and 2 alpha-(omega-hydroxypropyl)-1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-VD3 (exceptionally high calcemic effect). In the second area, we isolated and determined the structure of pompilidotoxins (76, 77), novel peptide neurotoxins in solitary wasp venoms. In the third area, we created furan-fused 3-sulfolene, 4H, 6H-thieno [3,4-c]-furan 5,5-dioxide and pyrrole-fused 3-sulfolene (96), 3,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[3,4-c] pyrrole 2,2-dioxide (125), and studied their inter- and intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Systematic profiling of nudivirus-like genes reveals conserved and differentiated roles in a domesticated endogenous virus.

Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV) is a type of domesticated endogenous virus (DEV) derived from ancestral nudiviruses that is integrated into the genome of the parasitoid wasp Cotesia vestalis. The CvBV proviral genome is composed of two distinct components: one encoding genes associated with virion morphogenesis and assembly, and the other harboring virulence genes that are excised, circularized, and packaged into virions. CvBV replication and particle assembly occur exclusively in the ovaries of female wasps. While prior studies have largely focused on the function of virulence genes during parasitization, the molecular mechanisms underlying CvBV replication and assembly remain poorly understood. Here, we identified 71 nudivirus-like genes in the C. vestalis genome through integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Using gene silencing and microscopy-based imaging approaches, we functionally characterized 24 key genes involved in DNA replication (helicase, integrase-1, and integrase-2), transcriptional regulation (p47, lef-5, and lef-9), capsid formation (vp39, PmV, HzNVorf9-1, HzNVorf9-2, HzNVorf106, 38k, 27b, and K425_459), envelope formation (11k, 17a-1, 35a-1, 35a-2, and K425_461), virion assembly (vlf-1, HzNVorf140-1, and HzNVorf140-2), and viral infectivity (pif-0 and vp91). Although the functions of most nudivirus-like genes are generally conserved among baculoviruses, nudiviruses, and bracoviruses, lef-5, K425_459, 11k, and vp91 appear to have undergone functional divergence relative to their homologs in baculoviruses, nudiviruses, and Microplitis demolitor bracovirus, highlighting lineage-specific adaptations in CvBV. Collectively, our work provides a molecular framework for understanding CvBV assembly and serves as a valuable resource for investigating bracovirus evolution.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Potential for areawide integrated management of Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) with a braconid parasitoid and a novel bait spray.

The braconid wasp, Fopius arisanus (Sonan), a biological control agent for Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was studied in coffee, Coffea arabica L. Fopius arisanus, comprised 79.3% of the total parasitoids (7,014) recovered from fruits collected at three small coffee farms. Data from seasonal host/parasitoid studies at a large coffee plantation also suggested that the most effective natural enemy of C. capitata in coffee may now reside in Hawaii. The original parasitoids introduced into Hawaii for C. capitata control (Diachasmimorpha tryoni (Cameron), Tetrastichus giffardianus Silvestri, and Dirhinus giffardii Silvestri) are now rare. Abundance of F. arisanus with respect to other parasitoids collected was influenced by elevation (274, 457, 610 m). Fopius arisanus was the dominant parasitoid at all three elevations, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) occurred consistently, and T. giffardianus was abundant only at low elevation. The impacts on C. capitata and F. arisanus populations of bait sprays containing malathion, spinosad, or phloxine B applied to coffee were also evaluated. All three bait sprays suppressed C. capitata populations. Spinosad and phloxine B bait sprays appeared less harmful to the wasp than malathion. Fopius arisanus offers the potential for areawide management of C. capitata that includes biological control and integration with more environmentally safe chemical controls such as spinosad and phloxine B bait sprays.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Effects of various insecticides on the development of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae).

The toxicity of six insecticides, acephate, methomyl, ethofenprox, cartap, chlorfluazuron, and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was tested on different developmental stages of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma dendrolimi (Matsumura). Each of the insecticides tested showed different degrees of toxicity to the parasitoid, Ethofenprox showed the highest toxicity and cartap showed relatively higher toxicity compared with the other insecticides. The development of the parasitoids treated with these two insecticides was normal, similar to that of the control group. Only the emergence of adult wasps from host eggs was disturbed. Emergence of the host, Mamestra brassicae larva was reduced following treatment with ethofenprox, cartap and methomyl. However, adult female wasps, which emerged from host eggs treated with the insecticides had the ability to oviposit normally.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of a commercially available beneficial insect habitat for management of lepidoptera pests.

A field study was conducted in 2003 and 2004 at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, NC, to evaluate the effectiveness of a commercially available beneficial insect habitat in decreasing pest caterpillar populations in organically managed tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., plots. Six pairs of tomato plots were established and a commercial beneficial insect habitat seed mix (Peaceful Valley's Good Bug Blend) transplanted around the perimeter of treatment plots, whereas a brown-top millet, Brachiaria ramose (L.) Stapf., border was planted around control plots. Egg predation, egg parasitism by trichogrammatid wasps, and larval parasitism by braconid wasps was monitored throughout the growing season to determine whether habitat increased their activity. In both years of this study, the density of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Manduca spp. eggs was not significantly different between treatment and control plots. Although parasitism was the most important component of egg mortality (19-49%), parasitism was not significantly different between habitat types. Identifiable predation was a minor component (3-9%) of egg fate; it is possible that unidentified predation may be part of the approximately 35-52% of eggs that met unknown fates. Larval parasitism levels ranged from approximately 10 to 90% but was not significantly influenced by the presence of beneficial insect habitat in either year of the study. These results demonstrate that natural enemy activity in organic tomatoes was not amplified, and pest populations were not reduced by the presence of a commercially available beneficial insect habitat.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Urine protein excretion after Hymenoptera sting.

The urinary excretion of albumin was measured on 7 consecutive days after a bee or wasp sting in 20 healthy persons, using a semiquantitative immunochemical chromatographic procedure (Micral stick). The mean albumin excretion was 11.1 +/- 15.0 (SD) mg/l. This was not significantly different from the findings in a control group of 17 volunteers with no history of bee or wasp sting (mean 8.7 +/- 17.4 mg/l). Pathologic albumin excretion (50-100 mg/l) was found in three of the sting group, with mean 37.2 +/- 23.7 mg/l. After 2 more months the urinary albumin excretion had normalized in two of the three, with mean 19.3 +/- 16.0 mg/l. Nephrotic syndrome did not occur. Reactions to the sting corresponded to 1-4 on the Müller scale, but were not correlated to albumin excretion.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

[Toxic reaction induced by Hymenoptera stings].

Clinical symptoms of toxic reactions occurred in two patients following multiple stinging by bees and wasps respectively. The first cause is that of 76-year old woman attacked by a swarm of bees (about 200 stings), the other case presents a 69-year old man who was stung by several dozen of wasps. In the first case the toxic reaction was manifested by shock, acute renal failure, tissue damage of the skin, muscles and liver and haemolysis which resulted in the patients death. These symptoms occur as a results of the cytotoxic effects of bee venom components such as melittin, phospholipase and kinins. In the course of the disease, noteworthy are: the initial phase mimicking an anaphylactic shock, haemolysis and rhabdomyolysis which lead to acute renal failure with tubular necrosis. In the second case skin symptoms prevailed. Additionally, laboratory tests showed increased CPK as a results of myolysis caused by components of insect venom. The progress of toxic reactions following multiple stinging especially by bees, calls for hospital observation of stung patients with careful monitoring of renal function.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed2000

[Ant venoms: a rare cause of allergic reactions in Switzerland].

In Switzerland, unlike other countries, allergic reactions to ants are a rare phenomenon when compared to the well known allergies to bee and wasp venom. In this report we present a series of case reports and a review of the different types of allergy to ants. Due to increased travel and heterogeneity of the population, we have observed several patients with sensitisation or allergy to the venom of imported fire ants (Solenopsis), a species of ant found in the Americas. Furthermore, allergic reactions to bites of the mound-building wood ant (Formica rufa), whose habitat is Central and Northern Europe, have been documented. Whereas reactions to fire ants can be life-threatening, reactions to mound-building wood ants have led to marked local reactions and in 2 cases to dyspnoea and wheezing. These reactions could be due either to primary sensitisation to ant venom or cross-reactivity in the presence of an allergy to wasp venom. Evaluation of patients presenting with a potential ant venom allergy includes a detailed personal history, skin testing and determination of specific IgE. However, to date only extracts from fire ants are commercially available for diagnostic tests. In the light of our observations we assume cross-reactivity between the venoms of fire ants and mound-building wood ants, and it therefore seems appropriate to use fire ant diagnostics in determining sensitisation to mound-building wood ants. In patients with severe fire ant-venom allergy we recommend desensitisation by immunotherapy, whereas in patients presenting with minor allergic reactions, e.g. after bites by mound-building wood ants, we provide the patients with emergency medication. Since current knowledge of ant allergies in Europe is limited, further studies are warranted.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Are ciliary hair cells and photoreceptors components of a gravitic system of the hornet Vespa orientalis?

Social wasps, including the sub-family Vespinae, are social insects that build combs beneath the ground which are directed towards the gravitic pull of the earth, and this in dim light or complete darkness. On the inner side of the frons plate in social wasps there is a gravity sensing apparatus composed of static and dynamic nerve fibers, some of which connect between the frons plate and the brain. It is highly probable that the interaction between the fibers and the various structures in the head is responsible for the proprioceptive ability of hornets, including gravity detection. Ishay et al called the apparatus involved, the "Ishay Organ", and also reported the presence of (stereo) cilia on the inner side of the frons plate. The frons plate which bears the gravity organs functions as a photovoltaic system. Additionally there are throughout the cuticle, at intervals of several micrometers apart, distinct pores which are the outlets of peripheral photoreceptors. In the past various investigators have studied the ciliar structures of different insects mainly by TEM, but we have now studied the hair cells in hornets by FE-SEM, to obtain a complete 3-dimensional image of the various hair cell structures involved.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

The biology of Diadromus collaris (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a pupal parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), and its interactions with Oomyzus sokolowskii (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

The ichneumonid Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst) has been recorded in many parts of the world as an important parasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), a serious pest of brassica vegetable crops worldwide. Some aspects of its biology and its interactions with Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov), another major parasitoid of the same pest, were studied in the laboratory. At 25 degrees C, female wasps did not have mature eggs in their ovaries until about 12 h after emergence. Both males and females mated successfully 24-48 h after emergence, and females started to oviposit one to two days after emergence. Unmated females produced male progeny only; mated females produced progeny of both sexes. The development rate of the parasitoid increased linearly with temperature from 15 to 30 degrees C, with an estimated low temperature threshold of 7.4 degrees C and a thermal constant of 225.1 day-degrees for development from egg to adulthood. Rates of survival from larva to adulthood were about 90% between 20 and 28 degrees C and decreased as temperature decreased or increased. No immatures survived to adulthood at 35 degrees C. When provided with honey solution, the females lived on average 8.3, 11.5 and 7.0 days, and parasitized 26, 44 and 46 host pupae at 20, 25 and 30 degrees C, respectively. Female wasps could be stored at 15 degrees C for up to four weeks without detrimental effects on reproduction. Females of D. collaris attacked host pupae already parasitized by O. sokolowskii, inserting their ovipositor into the hosts at a similar frequency as into unparasitized host pupae, but they did not lay eggs inside the hosts.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Comparative study of the enzymatic, hemorrhagic, procoagulant and anticoagulant activities of some animal venoms.

1. The enzymatic, hemorrhagic, procoagulant and anticoagulant activities of venoms of some animals including snakes, lizards, toads, scorpions, spider, wasps, bees and ants were compared. 2. Snake venom was the richest source of enzymes among the animal venoms. Most other animal venoms were devoid of phosphodiesterase, L-amino acid oxidase, alkaline phosphomonoesterase and acetylcholinesterase activities and only a few exhibited arginine ester hydrolase activity. These venoms, however, exhibited wide ranges of protease, 5'-nucleotidase and hyaluronidase activities. Most of the animal venoms examined exhibited some phospholipase A activity. 3. Other than snake venoms, only venoms of the toad Bufo calamita and the lizards were hemorrhagic, and only venoms of the social wasps, social bees and harvester ant exhibited strong anticoagulant activity. Procoagulant activity occurs only in snake venoms.

Amphibian Venoms↗

PubMed1987

[Hyper-accelerated immunotherapy with Hymenoptera venoms].

Hyper-accelerated immunotherapy with hymenoptera venoms. Immunotherapy with hymenoptera venoms can be done in 3.5 to 6 hours, in a hospital environment with the precaution of having made a threshold of cutaneous sensitivity. The 3.5 h technique should only be used for subjects who are weakly sensitive to wasp venom. The 6 h technique should be used for: Subjects with weak sensitisation to been and hornet venom. Those who are strongly sensitive to wasp venom. The 3 day technique should be used for those who are strongly sensitive to been and hornet venom. This division of the indications is essentially based on skin tests. By its use, systemic reactions or indeed anaphylaxis that may occur during desensitisation may be avoided.

Anaphylaxis↗

PubMed1981

[Significance of skin test and RAST in the diagnosis of insect sting allergy (author's transl)].

46 patients who had an unusually severe reaction after bee or wasp sting were examined by skin testing and determination of specific IgE antibodies. In this way 10 cases of bee venom hypersensitivity and 13 cases of wasp venom hypersensitivity were diagnosed. Thus it may be claimed to prove the existence of specific IgE antibodies in each patient who showed a systemic or intense local reaction after an insect sting.

Anaphylaxis↗

PubMed1994

Cellular immunosuppressive protein in the plasma of parasitized insect larvae.

Evidence that endoparsitoid wasps may suppress the host cellular defense reaction in order to survive within the hemocoel of their host insects was obtained by isolating a cellular immunosuppressive factor from the larval plasma (hemolymph without cells) of the armyworm Pseudaletia separata parasitized with the wasp Cotesia kariyai. The purified proteinaceous factor suppresses hemocyte degranulation and subsequent immune reactions such as nodule formation and encapsulation in the armyworm larvae. The immunosuppressive protein exists not only in the plasma of parasitized larvae but also in the plasma of unparasitized larvae. However, its concentration is much less in unparasitized than in parasitized larvae. Purification procedures involved gel exclusion, ion exchange, and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Gel exclusion HPLC and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggest an approximately 470-kDa hexamer composed of identical subunits of 82 kDa. Aryl amino acids such as tyrosine and phenylalanine comprise about 20% of the total protein amino acid. The sequence of 28 amino acid residues at the amino terminus of the factor was determined to be as follows: Ser-Val-Val-Pro-Thr-Lys-His-Glu-Ile-Lys-Val-Lys-Ala-Val-Glu- Pro-Gln-Tyr-Ile-Xaa-Tyr-Gln-Arg-Lys-Ile-Leu-Ala-Leu-Phe.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

[Study of the cell cycle using flow cytometry in drug allergy].

Drug allergy has been studied by flow cytometry with the technique of cellular cycle, of which the principle is based on cellular activity. There were four groups of patients in the study: The first reference groups (A:20 patients) gave evaluation of phase S + G2-M without antigenic stimulation of monodisperse lymphocyte cultures. This was 4%. The second group (B:15 patients) presented a phase S + G2-M of 14.1% with PHA compared with the reference response significant at 2.5%. The third group (C) was composed of 5 wasp venom allergic subjects with cellular activity phase of 17.3% and 5 nonallergic subjects with an almost identical response of around 15%. The fourth group was 5 subjects who were allergic to drugs with clinical history that strongly indicated an allergy. The response to stimulation in these subjects was much greater for each of the drugs than that of a reference subject who was taking the same drug without problem. Wasp venom seems to behave like PHA, as a mitogen. In contrast, the subjects who were objectively and clinically sensitive to drugs, had an overall greater response to them than those shown by references. It is important to have a control for each drug used.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

[Insect stings. A prospective study of complications and injury mechanisms].

The aim of the study was to evaluate complications to insect stings, and to describe the circumstances in which the patients were stung. During a one year period (1.1.-31.12.1991) a total of 178 hospital and emergency room contacts due to insect stings were registered. All patients afterwards received a mailed questionnaire concerning insect stings. Nearly 3/4 of the patients were able to identify the stinging insect by use of an identification chart. One hundred and forty-five patients had mild symptoms, 33 patients had moderate symptoms and three presented severe symptoms with anaphylactic shock. Eleven percent of the patients required admission and another 21% were seen in out-patient clinics. More children than adults could after a physical examination be discharged from the hospital without treatment. More than 3/4 of the stings occurred in July, August and September and more than 3/4 were during the day and evening. We found that most of the insect stings were due to either wasps or bees and that no one stung by insects other than wasps or bees needed admission to hospital. We conclude that a major part of insect stings could be avoided by following ordinary precautions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Fifteen cases of atropine poisoning after honey ingestion.

Fifteen persons developed atropine poisoning following consumption of wasp honey. Clinical signs, antidotal response and the presence of Datura plants near the wasp nests supported that the intoxications were caused by ingestion of atropine-contaminated honey. Two deaths occurred from heatstroke because of the poisoning and high environment temperatures and intensive physical activity.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: a disorder of haematopoietic cytoskeletal regulation.

The Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) is a rare inherited X-linked recessive disease characterised by immune dysregulation and microthrombocytopenia. Recently, the biological mechanisms that are responsible for the pathophysiology of WAS have been shown to be linked to the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in haematopoietic cells. The WAS protein (WASp) is now known to be a member of a unique family that share similar domain structures, and that are responsible for transduction of signals from the cell membrane to the actin cytoskeleton. The interactions between WASp, the Rho family GTPase Cdc42, and the cytoskeletal organising complex Arp2/3 are probably critical to many of these functions, which, when disturbed, translate into measurable defects of cell polarisation and motility.

Actin-Related Protein 2↗