Parasitoid Serpins Evolve Novel Functions to Manipulate Host Homeostasis.

Parasitoids introduce various virulence factors when parasitism occurs, and some taxa generate teratocytes to manipulate the host immune system and metabolic homeostasis for the survival and development of their progeny. Host-parasitoid interactions are extremely diverse and complex, yet the evolutionary dynamics are still poorly understood. A category of serpin genes, named CvT-serpins, was discovered to be specifically expressed and secreted by the teratocytes of Cotesia vestalis, an endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella.

Characterization of Molting Process during the Different Developmental Stages of the Diamondback Moth .

The molting process of the lepidopteran insects is observed for many species. However, the detailed description of the morphological transformation and behavioral sequence during molting are rarely provided and visualized. Here, we described the molting process of the diamondback moth by providing the duration and photographic details of staging criteria of each stage using stereo microscopy and a digital video camera.

[Clinical manifestation and influential factors in patients with acute arsenic poisoning].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of acute arsenic poisoning and its influential factors.

Methods: Clinical data of 47 cases of arsenic poisoning were collected and analyzed. Two cases of observation, 40 cases of mild acute poisoning, and 5 severe acute poisoning were investigated in this group.