Bridging perspectives - A review and synthesis of 53 theoretical models of delusions.

The degree to which numerous existing models of delusion formation disagree or propose common mechanisms remains unclear. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of delusion aetiology, we summarised 53 theoretical models of delusions extracted from a systematic literature search. We identified central aspects and unique or overarching features of five core perspectives: cognitive (n = 22), associative learning (n = 4), social (n = 6), neurobiological (n = 6), and Bayesian inference (n = 15).

Adhesion of promotes a rapid change in developmental fate driven by cAMP signaling.

Trypanosomatids are single-celled parasites responsible for human and animal disease. Typically, colonization of an insect host is required for transmission. Stable attachment of parasites to insect tissues their single flagellum coincides with differentiation and morphological changes.

Are we afraid of the woods? - An investigation of the implicit and explicit fear reactions to forests.

The beneficial effects of nature exposure have been repeatedly documented and encourage frequent and regular contact with nature and especially highlight forests. However, in human history, forests have also been associated with negative emotions such as fear and were seen as dangerous environments. While existing literature could demonstrate that natural environments can evoke fear, the focus was on the explicit perception.

Differentiating paranoia and conspiracy mentality using a network approach.

Although mostly considered distinct, conspiracy mentality and paranoia share conceptual similarities (e.g., persecutory content, resistance to disconfirming evidence).

Characterisation of lepidopteran geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase as a putative pesticide target.

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (diphosphate) synthase (GGPPS) plays an important role in various physiological processes in insects, such as isoprenoid biosynthesis and protein prenylation. Here, we functionally characterised the GGPPS from the major agricultural lepidopteran pests Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera. Partial disruption of GGPPS by CRISPR in S.

Transgenic to Functionally Validate Fall Armyworm ABCC2 Mutations Conferring Bt Resistance.

The fall armyworm (FAW), (J.E. Smith; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an invasive agricultural pest with a global distribution, causing major crop losses annually.

The role of leptin in rodent and human sleep: A transdiagnostic approach with a particular focus on anorexia nervosa.

This narrative review addressed to both clinicians and researchers aims to assess the role of hypoleptinemia in disordered sleep with a particular focus on patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). After introducing circadian rhythms and the regulation of circulating leptin, we summarize the literature on disordered sleep in patients with AN and in fasting subjects in general. We highlight novel single-case reports of substantially improved sleep within days after initiation of off-label metreleptin treatment.

SEVTAR-A multicenter randomized controlled trial to investigate the impact of prophylactic endoluminal placed vacuum sponge for prevention of anastomotic leakage after low rectal resections.

Background: Low anterior resection for rectal cancer is commonly associated with a diverting stoma. In general, the stoma is closed 3 months after the initial operation. The diverting stoma reduces the rate of anastomotic leakage as well as the severeness of a potential leakage itself.

Cell penetrating peptides are versatile tools for enhancing multimodal uptake into cells from pest insects.

Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are small peptides defined by their ability to deliver molecular cargo into cells. While the subject of frequent investigation for pharmaceutical drug delivery, little consideration has been given to the possibility of CPPs for use as insecticides or insecticide enhancers. Here, we characterize the entry of four fluorescently tagged CPPs into two insect cell lines and dissected midgut tissues in terms of both total quantity and mode of penetration.

Aedes aegypti Malpighian tubules are immunologically activated following systemic Toll activation.

Background: Canine heartworm is a widespread and potentially fatal mosquito-borne disease caused by infections with the parasitic nematode, Dirofilaria immitis. We have previously shown that systemic activation of the Toll immune pathway via silencing of the negative regulator Cactus in Aedes aegypti blocks parasite development in the Malpighian tubules (MT), the mosquito renal organ. However, it was not established whether the MT were directly responding to Toll activation or were alternatively responding to upregulated proteins or other changes to the hemolymph driven by other tissues.

Functional characterization of putative ecdysone transporters in lepidopteran pests.

The insect steroid hormone ecdysone plays a critical role in insect development. Several recent studies have shown that ecdysone enters cells through Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) in insects such as flies and mosquitoes. However, the conservation of this mechanism across other arthropods and the role of this transporter in canonical ecdysone pathways are less well studied.

The role of hypoleptinemia in the psychological and behavioral adaptation to starvation: Implications for anorexia nervosa.

This narrative review aims to pinpoint mental and behavioral effects of starvation, which may be triggered by hypoleptinemia and as such may be amenable to treatment with leptin receptor agonists. The reduced leptin secretion results from the continuous loss of fat mass, thus initiating a graded triggering of diverse starvation related adaptive functions. In light of leptin receptors located in several peripheral tissues and many brain regions adaptations may extend beyond those of the hypothalamus-pituitary-end organ-axes.

Characterization of a novel pesticide transporter and P-glycoprotein orthologues in .

Pesticides remain one of the most effective ways of controlling agricultural and public health insects, but much is still unknown regarding how these compounds reach their targets. Specifically, the role of ABC transporters in pesticide absorption and excretion is poorly understood, especially compared to the detailed knowledge about mammalian systems. Here, we present a comprehensive characterization of pesticide transporters in the model insect .

Using tissue specific P450 expression in Drosophila melanogaster larvae to understand the spatial distribution of pesticide metabolism in feeding assays.

Drug metabolizing enzymes such as cytochrome P450s have often been implicated in influencing levels of pesticide toxicology and resistance. Consequently, a variety of different P450 genes and variants have been linked to pesticide metabolism. Substantially less is known in regards to which tissues these P450s contribute to pesticide metabolism.

Identification of Helicoverpa armigera promoters for biotechnological applications.

Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea are highly polyphagous major agricultural pests with a global distribution. Their control is based on insecticides, however, new, effective, and environmentally friendly control tools are required to be developed and validated. In an effort to facilitate the development of advanced biotechnological tools in these species that will take advantage of new powerful molecular biology techniques like CRISPR/Cas9, we used available transcriptomic data and literature resources, in order to identify RNA polymerase II and III promoters active in RP-HzGUT-AW1(MG), a midgut derived cell line from Helicoverpa zea.

A spatiotemporal atlas of the lepidopteran pest Helicoverpa armigera midgut provides insights into nutrient processing and pH regulation.

Background: Caterpillars from the insect order Lepidoptera are some of the most widespread and destructive agricultural pests. Most of their impact is at the larval stage, where the midgut epithelium mediates the digestion and absorption of an astonishing amount of food. Although this tissue has been the subject of frequent investigation in Lepidoptera, a comprehensive expression atlas has yet to be generated.

Comparative and functional genomics of the ABC transporter superfamily across arthropods.

Background: The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is comprised predominantly of proteins which directly utilize energy from ATP to move molecules across the plasma membrane. Although they have been the subject of frequent investigation across many taxa, arthropod ABCs have been less well studied. While the manual annotation of ABC transporters has been performed in many arthropods, there has so far been no systematic comparison of the superfamily within this order using the increasing number of sequenced genomes.

Functional characterization and transcriptomic profiling of a spheroid-forming midgut cell line from Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Insect cell lines have been frequently used in insect science research in recent years. Establishment of cell lines from specialized tissues like the lepidopteran midgut is expected to facilitate research efforts towards the understanding of uptake and metabolic properties, as well as the design of assays for use in pesticide discovery. However, the number of available lines from specialized tissues of insects and the level of understanding of the biological processes taking place in insect cells is far behind mammalian systems.

Can the mammalian organoid technology be applied to the insect gut?

Mammalian intestinal organoids are multicellular structures that closely resemble the structure of the intestinal epithelium and can be generated in vitro from intestinal stem cells under appropriate culture conditions. This technology has transformed pharmaceutical research and drug development in human medicine. For the insect gut, no biotechnological platform equivalent to organoid cultures has been described yet.

The Identification and Evolutionary Trends of the Solute Carrier Superfamily in Arthropods.

The solute carrier (SLC) transporter superfamily comprises an ancient and ubiquitous group of proteins capable of translocating a range of nutrients, endogenous molecules, and xenobiotics. Although the group has been the subject of intense investigation in both bacteria and mammals, its systematic identification in arthropods has not yet been undertaken. Here, we present a genome-wide identification of all 66 human SLC families in 174 arthropod species.

Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome modification to understand the genetic basis of insecticide resistance: Drosophila and beyond.

Chemical insecticides are a major tool for the control of many of the world's most damaging arthropod pests. However, their intensive application is often associated with the emergence of resistance, sometimes with serious implications for sustainable pest control. To mitigate failure of insecticide-based control tools, the mechanisms by which insects have evolved resistance must be elucidated.

'What I cannot create, I do not understand': functionally validated synergism of metabolic and target site insecticide resistance.

The putative synergistic action of target-site mutations and enhanced detoxification in pyrethroid resistance in insects has been hypothesized as a major evolutionary mechanism responsible for dramatic consequences in malaria incidence and crop production. Combining genetic transformation and CRISPR/Cas9 genome modification, we generated transgenic lines expressing pyrethroid metabolizing P450 enzymes in a genetic background along with engineered mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel () known to confer target-site resistance. Genotypes expressing the yellow fever mosquito while also bearing the mutation displayed substantially greater resistance ratio (RR) against deltamethrin than the product of each individual mechanism (RR: 19.

Efficient genome editing in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae.

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, causes great damage to the quality and quantity of olive production worldwide. Pest management approaches have proved difficult for a variety of reasons, a fact that has brought about a need for alternative tools and approaches. Here we report for the first time in B.

A transcriptomic and proteomic atlas of expression in the Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) midgut suggests the compartmentalization of xenobiotic metabolism and nutrient digestion.

Background: Stink bugs are an emerging threat to crop security in many parts of the globe, but there are few genetic resources available to study their physiology at a molecular level. This is especially true for tissues such as the midgut, which forms the barrier between ingested material and the inside of the body.

Results: Here, we focus on the midgut of the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula and use both transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to create an atlas of expression along the four compartments of the anterior-posterior axis.

Development of efficient RNAi in Nezara viridula for use in insecticide target discovery.

Stink bugs are an emerging pest in many regions of the world but their molecular biology is still poorly understood. While several transcriptomes are available, the lack of validated gene manipulation tools like RNA interference (RNAi) in species such as the southern green stinkbug Nezara viridula precludes the characterization of individual genes in vivo. Such tools are particularly useful in performing high-throughput screens to search for essential genes that can be prioritized as potential insecticide targets.