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The zoophytophagous stink bug, Nesidiocoris tenuis , is a promising natural enemy of micro-pests such as whiteflies and thrips. This bug possesses both phytophagous and entomophagous food habits, enabling it to obtain nutrition from both plants and insects. This trait allows us to maintain its population density in agricultural fields by introducing insectary plants, even when the pest prey density is extremely low. However, if the bugs' population becomes too dense, they can sometimes damage crop plants. This dual character seems to arise from the food preferences and chemosensation of this predator. To understand the genomic landscape of N. tenuis , we examined the whole genome sequence of a commercially available Japanese strain. We used long-read sequencing and Hi-C analysis to assemble the genome at the chromosomal level. We then conducted a comparative analysis of the genome with previously reported genomes of phytophagous and hematophagous stink bugs to focus on the genetic factors contributing to this species' herbivorous and carnivorous tendencies. Our findings suggest that the gustatory gene set plays a pivotal role in adapting to food habits, making it a promising target for selective breeding. Furthermore, we identified the whole genomes of microorganisms symbiotic with this species through genomic analysis. We believe that our results shed light on the food habit adaptations of N. tenuis and will accelerate breeding efforts based on new breeding techniques for natural enemy insects, including genomics and genome editing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Tatsumori Sekine (Division of Insect Sciences, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ohwashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan); Terumi Yamaguchi [...]

Objective: To assess the utility of a newly developed squash cytology (SC)‐based scoring system for accurate intraoperative diagnosis of schwannoma. Methods: We first compared SC‐based and frozen section (FS) diagnoses with final pathological diagnoses of schwannoma (16 cases), meningioma (39 cases) and low‐grade astrocytoma (16 cases). Then, by logistic regression modeling, we identified features of SC preparations that were independently predictive of schwannoma. To develop a diagnostic scoring system, we assigned one point to each feature, and performed receiver operating characteristic analysis to determine the score cut‐off value that was most discriminatory for differentiating schwannoma from the other tumour types. We then compared accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of diagnosis before and after the application of the scoring system. Results: Overall diagnostic concordance rates for SC and FS were almost the same, at 73.2% (52/71) and 77.5% (55/71 cases), respectively. Of the 16 SC features entered into the analysis, the following nine were found to independently predict schwannoma, and were thus incorporated into the scoring system: smooth cluster margins, few or no isolated tumour cells, fibrillary stroma, spindle‐shaped nuclei, parallel arrangement of stroma, parallel arrangement of nuclei, presence of anisonucleosis, absence of nucleoli, and hemosiderin deposition. A cut‐off score of four items yielded the best sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for prediction of schwannoma. Use of the scoring system improved accuracy of intraoperative diagnosis from 80.3% to 94.4%, sensitivity from 56.2% to 93.8%, and specificity from 87.3% to 94.5%. Conclusion: Our proposed SC‐based scoring system will increase accuracy of intraoperative diagnosis of schwannoma vs non‐schwannoma tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background It is reported that the circadian rhythms of female mating activity differ among Drosophila species and are controlled by an endogenous circadian clock. Here, we found that the mating rhythm of D. ananassae differed from that of D. melanogaster. Moreover, to evaluate the effect of clock gene products on mating activities, we examined the mating activity of D. melanogaster timeless (tim01) transgenic fly harboring heat-shock promotor driven-D. ananassae timeless (tim) gene (hs-AT tim01). Methods Flies were maintained under light/dark (LD) cycles for several days and then they were transferred to constant dark (DD) conditions at 25°C. Transformant flies were heat-shocked for 30 min (PZT 10.5–11.0 or PZT 22.5–23.0; PZT means Projected Zeitgeber Time) at 37°C every day. Daily expressions of D. ananassae TIMELESS (TIM) protein in transgenic flies were measured by western blotting. To examine whether the timing of D. ananassae TIM protein induction by heat shock can change the patterns of the behavior activities of D. melanogaster tim01 flies, we measured locomotor and mating activity rhythms under DD at 25°C ± 0.5°C except when heat shock was applied. Results Heat shock applied at PZT 10.5–11.0 and at PZT 22.5–23.0 induced high TIM levels during subjective night and day, respectively, in hs-AT tim01 flies. The locomotor rhythm of these flies was changed from diurnal to nocturnal by the timing of D. ananassae TIM induction. However, the mating rhythm of these flies could not be entrained by the timing of D. ananassae TIM induction. Conclusion The pattern of mating activity rhythms of D. ananassae and of D. melanogaster differed. The mating activity rhythms of D. melanogaster tim01 flies harboring hs-AT tim appeared after heat-shock but the pattern and phase differed from those of wild-type D. ananassae and D. melanogaster. Moreover, the mating rhythm of these flies could not be entrained by the timing of D. ananassae TIM induction although the locomotor rhythm of hs-AT tim01 was changed from diurnal to nocturnal according to the timing of D. ananassae TIM induction. These data suggest that species-specific mating activities require output pathways different from those responsible for locomotor rhythms.

Objective: We assessed whether intraoperative squash cytology could provide surgeons with a qualitative diagnosis of brain lesions when frozen section diagnosis is equivocal. Methods: The study included 51 lesions that were diagnosed intraoperatively as equivocal brain tumour on the basis of frozen section. We retrospectively classified the lesions into five groups according to the final histopathological diagnoses (I: malignant lymphomas; II: diffuse astrocytic and oligodendroglia tumours; III: pituitary adenomas, IV: metastatic carcinomas; V: others). We assessed the squash cytology features of Groups I–IV and of the specific lesion types, and compared features among the groups. Results: The four groups differed in a range of salient cytomorphological features: lymphoglandular bodies in Group I (eight of nine cases), cytoplasmic fibrillary processes in Group II (six of eight cases), low‐grade nuclear atypia in Group III (seven of seven cases), and large nuclei (approximately 80 μm2) and nuclear crush artefacts in Group IV (seven of nine cases). Conclusion: Findings of lymphoglandular bodies on intraoperative squash cytology can be considered characteristic of malignant lymphomas, while cytoplasmic fibrillary processes indicate diffuse astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumours. We conclude that squash cytology could yield a qualitative intraoperative diagnosis in over 25% of cases for which frozen section yields a diagnosis of equivocal brain tumour. This study retrospectively assessed the value of intraoperative cytology of squash preparations in cases for which frozen section yielded an intraoperative diagnosis of "equivocal brain tumor". Based on the squash preparations, the authors were able to provide a qualitative intraoperative diagnosis in 27% of equivocal cases and in the majority of these finally diagnosed as malignant lymphoma or glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minute pirate bugs of genus Orius (Wolff) are known important generalist predators of microinvertebrate pests and are therefore useful in many agricultural contexts. Effective sampling methods are thus of great importance to monitor Orius spp. populations. Sticky traps are one such sampling method; however, trap color must be carefully selected for the target insect species. In this study, we examined the most suitable sticky trap color (i.e. white, blue, or yellow) to capture Orius spp. individuals in eggplant Solanum melongena (Linnaeus) (Solanales: Solanaceae), Italian ryegrass Lolium multiflorum (Lamarck) (Poales: Poaceae), soybean Glycine max (Linnaeus) (Fabales: Fabaceae), and white clover Trifolium repens (Linnaeus) (Fabales: Fabaceae) fields. More Orius spp. adults were caught on blue and white traps than on yellow traps. The white traps also caught other insects, which hampered the counting of Orius spp. individuals and, therefore, reduced trapping efficiency. In addition, seasonal prevalence investigations showed that blue sticky traps had similar patterns to those of field observations. Thus, as the blue sticky trap can avoid capturing nontarget insects, we concluded that blue was the most suitable trap color for monitoring Orius spp. In addition, because blue sticky traps are more efficient and less-labor intensive, they can be useful as an alternative to field observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]