Performance of Arma chinensis reared on an artificial diet formulated using transcriptomic methods

An artificial diet formulated for continuous rearing of the predator Arma chinensis was inferior to natural prey when evaluated using life history parameters. A transcriptome analysis identified differentially expressed genes in diet-fed and prey-fed A. chinensis that were suggestive of molecular mechanisms underlying the nutritive impact of the artificial diet. Changes in the diet formulation were made based on the transcriptome analysis and tested using life history parameters. The quantity of pig liver, chicken egg, tuna fish, biotin, nicotinamide, vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin C, L-glutamine, and sucrose was reduced, and wheat germ oil, calcium pantothenate and folic acid were increased. Ecuadorian shrimp was added as a partial substitute for tuna fish. Several parameters improved over six generations, including increased egg viability, and decreased egg and adult cannibalism. Additionally, several parameters declined, including longer developmental times for 2nd-5th instars, and decreased nymphal weights. The improvements in life history parameters support the use of transcriptome analyses to help direct formulation improvements. However, the decline in some parameters suggests that additional information, e.g., proteomic data, may be useful as well to maximize diet formulations.

[Expression and regulation of CD36 mRNA in granulosa cells and its relation with clinical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of CD36 mRNA in granulosa cells (GCs) of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the impact of testosterone, insulin and PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone on GCs.

METHODS

The expression of CD36 mRNA inGCs of patients with PCOS and normal controls were assayed byreal-time PCR.The level of CD36 mRNA after treatment with testosterone, insulin, and rosiglitazone in GCs ofnormal controls were also tested by real-time PCR.

RESULTS

(1) The expression of CD36mRNA in the GCs of PCOS was significantly higher than that of the controls (P<0.05). (2) When testosterone concentration was 1 nmol/L, CD36 mRNA increased in the GCs, but there was no significantdifference compared to the blank control, (P>0.05). When testosterone concentration was 10 nmol/L, the expression of CD36 mRNA in the GCs was higher than that in the blank control with significant difference (P<0.05). When insulin concentration was 10 nmol/L, the expression of CD36 mRNA increased but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). When insulin concentration was 100 nmol/L, the expression of CD36mRNA in the GCswas higher than that in the blank control (P=0.05). When rosiglitazone concentration was 1nmol/L, the expression of PPARγ mRNA in GCs were significantly increased compared with the blank control (P<0.05). The expression of CD36 mRNA atrosiglitazone concentrationof 10 nmol/Lwere significantly increased compared to the concentration of 1 nmol/L (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

High testosterone and insulin induced the expression of CD36 mRNA.Rosiglitazone increased CD36 mRNA in a dose-related manner in GCs.Increased CD36 mRNA in the GCs of PCOS may be related to the clinical characteristics of PCOS.

Performance and Cost Comparisons for Continuous Rearing of Arma chinensis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) on a Zoophytogenous Artificial Diet and a Secondary Prey

The impact of a zoophytogenous, insect-free artificial diet and a secondary prey, pupae of Chinese oak silk moth Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), on the developmental rate, life history parameters, and fertility was examined for F6, F9, and F12 consecutive generations for domesticated Arma chinensis (Fallou) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This study showed that when fed an insect-free artificial diet during both the nymphal and adult stages, developmental times were prolonged, and fecundity, egg viability, net reproductive rates (R0), and intrinsic rates of increase (rm) declined. As a result, the cost to rear A. chinensis on the artificial diet approached 1.7 times the cost of rearing A. chinensis on pupae of A. pernyi. Future diet improvements should attempt to reduce developmental time, increase fecundity, and egg viability and use less costly nutrient sources.

A histological study of the promotive effect of diethylstilbestrol on diethylnitrosamine initiated carcinogenesis of liver in rat

A single dose (80 mg/kg) of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was given orally to castrated female Wistar rats. One week after that one half of the animals were treated with diethylstilbestrol (DES) 3 mg/kg/once a week subcutaneously. The other half of the animals received no any hormone or hormone derivatives. The change of the liver cells in animals treated with DEN alone failed to progress beyond the stage of hepatocellular alterations in foci or neoplastic nodules within 8 months, while most of those animals which received DES treatment after DEN initiation developed hepatocellular carcinomas after 6 months. This result denotes that the DES exerts a definite promotive effect on DEN initiated liver cell carcinogenesis.