Diversity and dynamics of endosymbionts in a single population of sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae): a preliminary study.

Endosymbionts live symbiotically with insect hosts and play important roles in the evolution, growth, development, reproduction, and environmental fitness of hosts. Weevils are one of the most abundant insect groups that can be infected by various endosymbionts, such as Sodalis, Nardonella, and Wolbachia. The sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is a notorious pest in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.

Substrates with patterned topography reveal metastasis of human cancer cells.

In this study, we aimed at studying the effects of engineered and patterned substrates on the migration characteristics of mammalian cancer cell lines. On the shallow topographical patterns, cells from different histological origins showed different migration speed and directionality. We also observed that cells from the same origin showed distinctive behaviour, suggesting these substrate topographies could distinguish cancer subtypes.

A Unidirectional Cell Switching Gate by Engineering Grating Length and Bending Angle.

On a microgrooved substrate, cells migrate along the pattern, and at random positions, reverse their directions. Here, we demonstrate that these reversals can be controlled by introducing discontinuities to the pattern. On "V-shaped grating patterns", mouse osteogenic progenitor MC3T3-E1 cells reversed predominately at the bends and the ends.