Ultrastructure of the Sensilla on the Antennae and Mouthparts of Bean Weevils, Megabruchidius dorsalis (Coleoptera: Bruchinae)

Megabruchidius dorsalis (Fåhraeus, 1839) (Coleoptera: Bruchinae) is an important pest that damages the seeds of Gleditsia L. (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae). This beetle searches for host plants with its sensory system. To further explore the mechanisms of host location and to understand the ultrastructure of M. dorsalis, we examined the morphology and distribution of its sensilla on the antennae and mouthparts of male and female adults, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both male and female antennae are serrated and can be divided into scape, pedicel, and flagellum. There were seven types and eight subtypes of antennal sensilla, including Bőhm bristles (BB), two subtypes of sensilla trichoid (ST1, ST2), two subtypes of sensilla chaetica (SC1, SC2), four subtypes of sensilla basiconic (SB1, SB2, SB3, SB4), sensilla cavity (SCa), sensilla auricillica (SA), and sensilla gemmiformium (SG). Five types of maxillary and labial palp sensilla in the mouthparts were observed: sensilla chaetica (SC), sensilla trichoidea (ST), sensilla styloconica (SSt), sensilla coeloconica (SCo), and sensilla digitiform (SD). No sexual dimorphism in sensilla type was observed, but there were variations between males and females in the numbers and distribution along the antennae. There were more SA in males than in females, while the number of ST sensilla in the maxillary palps were lower in males than in females. ST1 were most abundant in both sexes. We discussed potential function related to structure via comparisons with previous investigations of bruchids and other insects. Our results provide a theoretical basis for further studies on sensory physiological function, using semiochemicals as effective biological controls of M. dorsalis.

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Between extreme simplification and ideal optimization: antennal sensilla morphology of miniaturized Megaphragma wasps (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.6005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e6005 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anna V. Diakova ◽

Anastasia A. Makarova ◽

Alexey A. Polilov

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

The Body ◽

Parasitoid Wasps ◽

Antennal Sensilla ◽

Sensilla Styloconica ◽

Sensory Reception ◽

Unicellular Organisms ◽

Males And Females ◽

High Level ◽

Insect Antenna

One of the major trends in the evolution of parasitoid wasps is miniaturization, which has produced the smallest known insects. Megaphragma spp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) are smaller than some unicellular organisms, with an adult body length of the smallest only 170 µm. Their parasitoid lifestyle depends on retention of a high level of sensory reception comparable to that in parasitoid wasps that may have antennae hundreds of times larger. Antennal sensilla of males and females of Megaphragma amalphitanum and M. caribea and females of the parthenogenetic M. mymaripenne are described, including sensillum size, external morphology, and distribution. Eight different morphological types of sensilla were discovered, two of them appearing exclusively on female antennae. Two of the types, sensilla styloconica and aporous placoid sensilla, have not been described previously. Regression analyses were performed to detect and evaluate possible miniaturization trends by comparing available data for species of larger parasitoid wasps. The number of antennal sensilla was found to decrease with the body size; M. amalphitanum males have only 39 sensilla per antenna. The number of antennal sensilla types and sizes of the sensilla, however, show little to no correlation with the body size. Our findings on the effects of miniaturization on the antennal sensilla of Megaphragma provide material for discussion on the limits to the reduction of insect antenna.

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Antennal Morphology and Sexual Dimorphism of Antennal Sensilla in Callitettix versicolor (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10020056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 56 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Qing Zhu ◽

Nan Wu ◽

Jolanta Brożek ◽

Wu Dai

Keyword(s):

Sexual Dimorphism ◽

Background Information ◽

Economic Damage ◽

Antennal Sensilla ◽

Male And Female ◽

Sensilla Basiconica ◽

Sensilla Trichodea ◽

Important Pest ◽

First Time ◽

Fine Morphology

The rice spittlebug Callitettix versicolor (Fabricius) is an important pest of rice and maize in South Asia and causes severe economic damage. To provide background information for chemical ecology studies, the fine morphology of antennae and the types and distribution of the sensilla on the male and female antennae of Callitettix versicolor (Fabricius) are investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show that the antenna is filiform and composed of three segments: a scape, a pedicel, and a flagellum. The female antennae are slightly shorter than the male antennae. In both sexes, four types and nine subtypes of sensilla were observed: sensilla basiconica (SB1, SB2), sensilla campaniformia (SCa1, SCa2 and SCa3), sensilla coeloconica (SCo1, SCo2 and SCo3) and sensilla trichodea (ST). In addition, sensilla coeloconica (SCo1) are observed on the membrane of the top of the pedicel in Cercopidae for the first time. Sexual dimorphism mainly occurs in variation in the number of sensilla coeloconica (SCo2, SCo3) on the bulb-shaped portion of the flagellum and in the shape of sensilla basiconica (SB2). There are significantly more sensilla coeloconica in males than in females. The external structure and distribution of these sensilla are compared to those of other cercopids and possible functions of the antennal sensilla are discussed.

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Olfactory activity of ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate on adult oriental fruit moths

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n10-016 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 142 (5) ◽

pp. 481-488 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Fabio Molinari ◽

Gianfranco Anfora ◽

Silvia Schmidt ◽

Michela Villa ◽

Claudio Ioriatti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Prunus Persica ◽

Response Curves ◽

Male And Female ◽

Cydia Molesta ◽

Pear Ester ◽

Males And Females ◽

Secondary Host Plants ◽

Dose Dependent ◽

Laboratory Bioassays

AbstractWe investigated whether or not pear ester (ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate) attracted adult oriental fruit moths, Cydia molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The electroantennographic responses of C. molesta to pear ester were recorded and dose–response curves calculated. In laboratory bioassays, the attractiveness of different dosages was assessed in a dual-choice olfactometric arena. The responses of virgin males and females to pear ester in the presence and absence of pear (Pyrus communis L.), peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.), and apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) (Rosaceae) shoots were evaluated. Electroantennographic recordings demonstrated that both male and female C. molesta were able to detect the pear ester. In our bioassay, however, pear ester readily attracted males but attracted very few females. The response of males was dose-dependent and they preferred pear ester over apple- and pear-shoot volatiles, whereas no apparent preference between pear ester and peach-shoot volatiles was observed. Therefore, this kairomonal compound could be more effective in attracting C. molesta when applied in orchards of secondary host plants, like apple or pear, than in peach orchards.

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Identification of Candidate Olfactory Genes in Scolytus schevyrewi Based on Transcriptomic Analysis

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.717698 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaofeng Zhu ◽

Bingqiang Xu ◽

Zhenjie Qin ◽

Abudukyoum Kader ◽

Bo Song ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Management Strategies ◽

Odorant Receptors ◽

Future Research ◽

Rna Seq ◽

Male And Female ◽

Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽

Important Pest ◽

Males And Females ◽

And Control ◽

Odorant Binding

The bark beetle, Scolytus schevyrewi (S. schevyrewi), is an economically important pest in China that causes serious damage to the fruit industry, particularly, in Xinjiang Province. Chemical signals play an important role in the behavior of most insects, accordingly, ecofriendly traps can be used to monitor and control the target pests in agriculture. In order to lay a foundation for future research on chemical communication mechanisms at the molecular level, we generate antennal transcriptome databases for male and female S. schevyrewi using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis. By assembling and analyzing the adult male and female antennal transcriptomes, we identified 47 odorant receptors (ORs), 22 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 22 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), and 11 chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Furthermore, expression levels of all the candidate OBPs and CSPs were validated in different tissues of male and female adults by semiquantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). ScosOBP2 and ScosOBP18 were highly expressed in female antennae. ScosCSP2, ScosCSP3, and ScosCSP5 were specifically expressed in the antennae of both males and females. These results provide new potential molecular targets to inform and improve future management strategies of S. schevyrewi.

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GONADOTROPHIN PATTERNS IN MALE AND FEMALE RATS:

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.0580600 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 58 (4) ◽

pp. 600-612 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert Boyd ◽

Donald C. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Ascorbic Acid ◽

Testosterone Propionate ◽

Female Rats ◽

Female Rat ◽

Feedback Effects ◽

Male And Female ◽

Prostate Weight ◽

Male And Female Rats ◽

Males And Females ◽

Normal Males

ABSTRACT The effects of various doses of testosterone propionate (TP) upon the release of luteinizing hormone (LH or ICSH) from the hypophysis of a gonadectomized male or female rat were compared. Prostate weight in hypophysectomized male parabiotic partners was used to evaluate the quantity of circulating LH. Hypophyseal LH was measured by the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion method. Males castrated when 45 days old secreted significantly more LH and had three times the amount of pituitary LH as ovariectomized females. Administration of 25 μg TP daily reduced the amount of LH in the plasma, and increased the amount in the pituitary gland, in both sexes. Treatment with 50 μg caused a further reduction in plasma LH in males, but not in females, while pituitary levels in both were equal to that of their respective controls. LH fell to the same low level in partners of males or females receiving 100 μg TP. When gonadectomized at 39 days, males and females had the same amount of plasma LH, but males had more stored hormone. Pituitary levels were unchanged from controls following treatment with 12.5, 25 or 50 μg TP daily, but plasma values dropped an equal amount in both sexes with the latter two doses. Androgenized males or females, gonadectomized when 39 days old, were very sensitive to the effects of TP and plasma LH was significantly reduced with 12.5 μg daily. Pituitary LH in androgenized males was higher than that of normal males but was reduced to normal by small amounts of TP. The amount of stored LH in androgenized females was not different from that of normal females and it was unchanged by any dose of TP tested. Results are consistent with the conclusion that the male hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis is at least as sensitive as the female axis to the negative feedback effects of TP. Androgenization increases the sensitivity to TP in both males and females.

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Gender Differences in Clothing Worn in Current Popular Comic Books

MacEwan University Student eJournal ◽

10.31542/j.muse.186 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kyle Landon Jossy

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Comic Books ◽

Book Industry ◽

Comic Book ◽

Lower Body ◽

Female Characters ◽

Male And Female ◽

Males And Females

This study looked at how males and females were portrayed, based on the amount of skin shown in the clothing worn. A Content analysis was performed on a sample of 20 randomly selected popular comics from the last 3 years. Both male and female characters were rated on how much skin they showed in three clothing categories; neck line, sleeve length, and lower body. Results showed that in all 3 categories, women consistently wore more revealing clothing. The findings demonstraetd that the comic book industry is comparable to other forms of media, in the sexualization of female characters, by having them wear more revealing clothing.

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Spinal Muscular Atrophy after Nusinersen Therapy: Improved Physiology in Pediatric Patients with No Significant Change in Urine, Serum, and Liquor 1H-NMR Metabolomes in Comparison to an Age-Matched, Healthy Cohort

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo11040206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 206

Author(s):

Leon Deutsch ◽

Damjan Osredkar ◽

Janez Plavec ◽

Blaž Stres

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽

1H Nmr ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Muscular Atrophy ◽

Male And Female ◽

Before And After ◽

Healthy Cohort ◽

Males And Females ◽

Urine Serum

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases and was until recently the most common genetic cause of death in children. The effects of 2-month nusinersen therapy on urine, serum, and liquor 1H-NMR metabolomes in SMA males and females were not explored yet, especially not in comparison to the urine 1H-NMR metabolomes of matching male and female cohorts. In this prospective, single-centered study, urine, serum, and liquor samples were collected from 25 male and female pediatric patients with SMA before and after 2 months of nusinersen therapy and urine samples from a matching healthy cohort (n = 125). Nusinersen intrathecal application was the first therapy for the treatment of SMA by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Metabolomes were analyzed using targeted metabolomics utilizing 600 MHz 1H-NMR, parametric and nonparametric multivariate statistical analyses, machine learning, and modeling. Medical assessment before and after nusinersen therapy showed significant improvements of movement, posture, and strength according to various medical tests. No significant differences were found in metabolomes before and after nusinersen therapy in urine, serum, and liquor samples using an ensemble of statistical and machine learning approaches. In comparison to a healthy cohort, 1H-NMR metabolomes of SMA patients contained a reduced number and concentration of urine metabolites and differed significantly between males and females as well. Significantly larger data scatter was observed for SMA patients in comparison to matched healthy controls. Machine learning confirmed urinary creatinine as the most significant, distinguishing SMA patients from the healthy cohort. The positive effects of nusinersen therapy clearly preceded or took place devoid of significant rearrangements in the 1H-NMR metabolomic makeup of serum, urine, and liquor. Urine creatinine was successful at distinguishing SMA patients from the matched healthy cohort, which is a simple systemic novelty linking creatinine and SMA to the physiology of inactivity and diabetes, and it facilitates the monitoring of SMA disease in pediatric patients through non-invasive urine collection.

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Stem cell treatment improves post stroke neurological outcomes: a comparative study in male and female rats

Stroke and Vascular Neurology ◽

10.1136/svn-2020-000834 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. svn-2020-000834

Author(s):

Koteswara Rao Nalamolu ◽

Bharath Chelluboina ◽

Casimir A Fornal ◽

Siva Reddy Challa ◽

David M Pinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Motor Function ◽

Infarct Volume ◽

Female Rats ◽

Human Umbilical Cord ◽

Male And Female ◽

Post Stroke ◽

Male And Female Rats ◽

Males And Females

Background and purposeThe therapeutic potential of different stem cells for ischaemic stroke treatment is intriguing and somewhat controversial. Recent results from our laboratory have demonstrated the potential benefits of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in a rodent stroke model. We hypothesised that MSC treatment would effectively promote the recovery of sensory and motor function in both males and females, despite any apparent sex differences in post stroke brain injury.MethodsTransient focal cerebral ischaemia was induced in adult Sprague-Dawley rats by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Following the procedure, male and female rats of the untreated group were euthanised 1 day after reperfusion and their brains were used to estimate the resulting infarct volume and tissue swelling. Additional groups of stroke-induced male and female rats were treated with MSC or vehicle and were subsequently subjected to a battery of standard neurological/neurobehavioral tests (Modified Neurological Severity Score assessment, adhesive tape removal, beam walk and rotarod). The tests were administered at regular intervals (at days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14) after reperfusion to determine the time course of neurological and functional recovery after stroke.ResultsThe infarct volume and extent of swelling of the ischaemic brain were similar in males and females. Despite similar pathological stroke lesions, the clinical manifestations of stroke were more pronounced in males than females, as indicated by the neurological scores and other tests. MSC treatment significantly improved the recovery of sensory and motor function in both sexes, and it demonstrated efficacy in both moderate stroke (females) and severe stroke (males).ConclusionsDespite sex differences in the severity of post stroke outcomes, MSC treatment promoted the recovery of sensory and motor function in male and female rats, suggesting that it may be a promising treatment for stroke.

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Mammalian exocrine secretions XIX. Chemical characterization of the interdigital secretion of the Black Wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C ◽

10.1515/znc-2019-0159 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 75 (9-10) ◽

pp. 339-351

Author(s):

Barend V. Burger ◽

Desmond Slade ◽

Marlize Z. Bekker ◽

Aron H. Goitom

Keyword(s):

Chemical Characterization ◽

Male And Female ◽

Black Wildebeest ◽

Connochaetes Gnou ◽

Electron Impact Mass ◽

Males And Females ◽

Strong Attachment ◽

Impact Mass ◽

Acid Esters

AbstractUsing gas chromatography (GC) in conjunction with electron impact mass spectrometry and retention-time comparison, 94 compounds, ranging from 2-methyl-2-propenal to octadecanoic acid, were identified in the interdigital secretions of male and female black wildebeests, Connochaetes gnou (also known as the white-tailed gnu). The constituents of these secretions belong to many different compound classes, including hydrocarbons, alcohols, aromatics and aliphatic carbonyl compounds including carboxylic acids as well as carboxylic acid esters. Relatively small quantitative differences were found between the male and female interdigital secretions. It was concluded that these compounds probably do not play a significant role in territorial marking or in chemical communication between males and females of the species, but they could be involved in preserving the remarkably strong attachment between members of social subgroups in black wildebeest populations.

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Inter-Limb Jump Asymmetries and Their Association with Sport-Specific Performance in Young Male and Female Swimmers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147324 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7324

Author(s):

Max I. Phukan ◽

Rohit K. Thapa ◽

Gopal Kumar ◽

Chris Bishop ◽

Helmi Chaabene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Young Male ◽

Front Crawl ◽

Male And Female ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Specific Performance ◽

Long Jump ◽

Males And Females ◽

Level Of Agreement

This study aimed to examine inter-limb jump asymmetries and their association with sport-specific performance in young swimmers. Thirty-eight (male, n = 19; female, n = 19) regional/national level young swimmers (age: 12.3 ± 1.2 years; height: 159.6 ± 8.2 cm; body mass: 52.5 ± 9.2 kg) participated in this study. Inter-limb asymmetries were assessed for single-leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) and single-leg standing long jump (SLSLJ). Sport-specific performance was evaluated using front crawl (i.e., 50 m and 25 m) and front crawl kick (i.e., 50 m and 25 m). The kappa coefficient revealed a “slight” level of agreement (Κ = 0.156, 0.184, and 0.197 for female, male, and all, respectively) between the direction of asymmetry for SLCMJ and SLSLJ, indicating that asymmetries rarely favored the same limb during both tests. A paired sample t-test showed a significant difference (p = 0.025) between asymmetry scores obtained in SLCMJ and SLSLJ. No significant difference was found in asymmetry scores between males and females (p = 0.099 to 0.977). Additionally, no association between asymmetry scores and sport-specific performance was observed (p > 0.05). Our findings highlight the independent nature of inter-limb asymmetries derived from SLCMJ and SLSLJ among young male and female swimmers. Further, our results suggest no association between jumping asymmetries and sport-specific performance.

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