Antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms of resistance to Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood‐Mason) in rice land races

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Antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms of resistance to Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason) in rice land races

Rice gall midge resistance was governed by antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms working in tandem. Antixenosis tests showed susceptible genotypes were preferred for egg laying and had faster adult emergence with a higher sex ratio. Resistant genotypes had higher levels of phenols, wax, flavonoids, and free amino acids, while susceptible ones had more sugars and protein. This study informs breeding for gall midge-resistant rice varieties.


Abstract

Asian rice gall midge is one of the important pests of rice, which attacks the crop from nursery to the end of the tillering stage. Managing this pest through plant resistance is the most viable and economical. Two hundred-two rice genotypes were phenotyped against Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason) and the mechanism of resistance in terms of antixenosis and antibiosis was studied. Antixenosis mechanism for adult settlement and egg laying indicated that the susceptible genotypes were preferred more than the resistant genotypes in a free choice test. First instar maggots were found and did not continue their growth on resistant genotypes further. However, in susceptible genotypes, they molted successfully and emerged as adults. No choice tests revealed that the emergence of adults in susceptible genotypes took less time than in resistant genotypes. Higher adult sex ratio was found in susceptible genotypes. Estimation of biochemical components in rice shoot apices of selected genotypes revealed that higher levels of total phenols, wax content, total flavonoids and total free amino acids were present in the resistant genotypes. Still, the number of total sugars, reducing sugars and total protein contents were significantly higher in the susceptible genotypes. Hence, the resistance mechanism in rice gall midge was displayed as a combination of antixenosis and antibiosis mechanism. The output of the study would be helpful in breeding for rice varieties resistant to Asian rice gall midge.

Membranes that make fat: roles of membrane lipids as acyl donors for triglyceride synthesis and organelle function

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Membranes that make fat: roles of membrane lipids as acyl donors for triglyceride synthesis and organelle function

Certain eukaryotes can synthesize triacylglycerol using an acyl-CoA-independent pathway. This activity is mediated by phospholipid diacylglycerol acyl transferases that use fatty acids from phospholipids as acyl donors. In this perspective, we review the current knowledge on these enzymes and propose that local modulation of phospholipids mediated by this pathway impacts the function and morphology of the targeted organelle.


Triglycerides constitute an inert storage form for fatty acids deposited in lipid droplets and are mobilized to provide metabolic energy or membrane building blocks. The biosynthesis of triglycerides is highly conserved within eukaryotes and normally involves the sequential esterification of activated fatty acids with a glycerol backbone. Some eukaryotes, however, can also use cellular membrane lipids as direct fatty acid donors for triglyceride synthesis. The biological significance of a pathway that generates triglycerides at the expense of organelle membranes has remained elusive. Here we review current knowledge on how cells use membrane lipids as fatty acid donors for triglyceride synthesis and discuss the hypothesis that a primary function of this pathway is to regulate membrane lipid remodeling and organelle function.

Randomized phase I/II study of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor peptide vaccines for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

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Abstract

Aim

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-targeted peptide vaccines for the immunization of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had responded to transarterial chemoembolization.

Methods

Twenty-two patients were randomized 1:1 to receive VEGFR-targeted peptides or placebo. The primary end-point was the safety assessment of the immunization. The secondary end-points were evaluation of immunological responses and clinical outcomes.

Results

No severe adverse events were induced by the study agents. Among the 12 patients in the vaccine group, a VEGFR1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was induced in eight (66.7%) patients and a VEGFR2-specific CTL response was induced in 10 (83.3%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 4.8 and 52.0 months, respectively, in the vaccine group, and 2.7 and 21.8 months, respectively, in the placebo group. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups (PFS p = 0.925, OS p = 0.190). When divided into two groups according to immunoreactivity, the median PFS of patients with and without a strong immune response to VEGFR1 were 7.4 and 2.7 months, and that to VEGFR2 were 10.6 and 2.7 months, respectively; there were significant differences according to the immune response.

Conclusions

Immunotherapy with peptide vaccines targeting VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 was well tolerated with no serious adverse events. It also effectively induced peptide-specific CTLs in patients with unresectable HCC.

The role of lipid droplet associated proteins in inherited human disorders

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The role of lipid droplet associated proteins in inherited human disorders

Proteins which associate with the surface of lipid droplets are intimately involved in the regulation of the droplets. Several human inherited disorders have now been linked to loss- and, in some cases, likely gain-of-function mutations in the genes encoding these proteins. These are summarised in this Graphical Review.


Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease criteria may underestimate the number of lean female nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients with significant liver fibrosis

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Abstract

Aim

It remains unclear whether the newly defined concept of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) appropriately includes patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with significant liver fibrosis.

Methods

A total of 4112 patients in whom nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed by ultrasonography during medical checkups were enrolled. We defined a fibrosis-4 index ≥1.3 in patients aged <65 years and ≥2.0 in patients aged ≥65 years as significant liver fibrosis.

Results

The numbers of patients with a low, intermediate, and high probability of advanced fibrosis based on the fibrosis-4 index were 3360 (81.7%), 668 (16.2%), and 84 (2.0%). There were 3828 (93.1%) and 284 (6.9%) patients diagnosed with MASLD and non-MASLD. The non-MASLD group, compared with the MASLD group, was significantly younger (44 vs. 55 years) and had a higher percentage of women (62.3% vs. 27.7%). Significant fibrosis, defined based on the fibrosis-4 index, was present in 18.5% of the MASLD group and 15.5% of the non-MASLD group. In a multivariable analysis, female sex (OR 6.170, 95% CI 3.180–12.000; p < 0.001) was independently associated with non-MASLD in patients with a significant fibrosis. Among non-MASLD patients with a significant fibrosis (n = 44), body mass index was significantly lower in females than in males (p < 0.001). In a multivariable analysis of patients aged <65 years, female sex (OR, 7.700; 95% CI, 3.750–15.800; p < 0.001) remained independently associated with non-MASLD in patients with a significant fibrosis.

Conclusions

MASLD may inappropriately exclude patients with significant fibrosis, especially lean females with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Lethality of pesticides on immature and adult stages of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

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Lethality of pesticides on immature and adult stages of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

This manuscript provides information Using sub-doses of the insecticides to simulate the degradation of the active ingredients at levels below the 100% concentration. We showed that Deltamethrin (pyrethroid) showed little efficiency for the control of C. capitata when compared to Malathion (organophosphate) and Spinetoram (spinosyn). The article also provides information on the effect of these pesticides on different life stages of the insect (egg, larva, pupa, and adults).


Abstract

The species Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann, 1824), known as Mediterranean fruit fly, is an important pest for fruit trees worldwide. The control of this pest is carried out mainly by the chemical method, using organophosphorus, pyrethroid, and spinosyn pesticides. The lethality of doses of malathion, deltamethrin, and spinetoram on immature and adult stages of C. capitata was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages were exposed to doses of pesticides through contact and ingestion. The doses were obtained by decreasing the recommended doses (malathion: 200 mL L−1, deltamethrin: 50 mL L−1, and spinetoram: 120 g ha−1) with intervals of 20%, this being the minimum dose used. The variables evaluated were: viability of eggs and pupae and mortality of larvae and adults. Application of spinetoram and malathion through contact caused high mortality of adults, with LD90 at the sub-doses of 43.74% (52.48 g c.p. ha−1) and 68.81% (137.62 mL c.p. 100 L−1), respectively. The mortality of adults by ingestion of deltamethrin and malathion allowed us to estimate only the LD50. Only the pesticide deltamethrin presented LD50 for the egg stage. The larval and pupal stages the effect of the pesticides on larvae treated through contact resulted in 52% mortality with spinetoram and 62% with malathion. The mortality of larvae and pupae treated through ingestion was below 20% for the three pesticides. Sub-doses of spinetoram (43.74%; 52.48 g c.p. ha−1) and malathion (68.81%; 137.62 mL c.p. 100 L−1) can be used since they present a 90% efficiency on C. capitata adult when applied by contact under laboratory conditions.

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and treatment in Japan: A multicenter collaborative observational study

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and treatment in Japan: A multicenter collaborative observational study

The number of hepatocellular carcinoma-related general medical practices decreased during the first state of emergency. However, there were no major significant delays leading to hepatocellular carcinoma stage progression for patients newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.


Abstract

Aim

Coronavirus disease 2019 emerged in December 2019 and spread worldwide. This study aimed to clarify the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan.

Methods

First, we collected the monthly numbers of HCC-related general medical practices from January 2019 to December 2021 at liver disease-specific medical institutions in Japan. Next, we collected individual clinical information from patients with newly diagnosed HCC during this period.

Results

There was a decrease in the number of HCC-related medical practices, including referrals, enhanced abdominal ultrasonography and radiofrequency ablation, in Japan's first state of emergency (SOE; April–May 2020) compared with 2019. Fewer patients were diagnosed with new HCC during the first SOE than before or after it. There was no difference in tumor diameter, number of tumors or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage between patients diagnosed before the first SOE and those diagnosed during or after the first SOE. The median waiting times for treatment of patients diagnosed during and after the first SOE were 31 and 37 days, which were significantly shorter and not longer than that of patients diagnosed before the first SOE (36 days), respectively.

Conclusion

The number of HCC-related general medical practices decreased during the first SOE. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic did not lead to HCC progression by diagnostic delays or cause HCC treatment delays in Japan.