Abstract In insects, like in other animals, experience-based modulation of preference, a form of phenotypic plasticity, is common in heterogeneous environments. However, the role of multiple fitness-relevant experiences on insect preference remains largely unexplored. For the multivoltine polyphagous moth Spodoptera littoralis we investigated effects of larval and adult experiences on subsequent reproductive behaviours. We demonstrate, for the first time in male and female insects,that mating experience on a plant modulates plant preference in subsequent reproductive behaviours, whereas exposure to the plant alone or plant together with sex pheromone does not affect this preference. When including larval feeding experiences, we found that both larval rearing and adult mating experiences modulate host plant preference. These findings represent the first evidence that host plant preferences in polyphagous insects are determined by a combination of innate preferences modulated by sensory feedback triggered by multiple rewarding experiences throughout their lifetime.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a powerful gene silencing tool and has been considered a potential agent for the treatment of many diseases. However, development of safe and effective siRNA delivery systems still remains a great challenge. In this study, we developed a new siRNA delivery system based on the electrostatic encapsulation of siRNA/cationic vector complexes with dendrimer-like polymeric DNAs (YY-DNAs). The binary complexes of siRNA with cationic vectors such as lipofectamine (LP), polyethylenimine (PEI) and poly-L-lysine (PLL) were first constructed. Then, the encapsulation was performed by the addition of YY-DNAs to the binary complexes in order to form stable complexes of siRNA/LP/YY-DNAs, siRNA/PEI/YY-DNAs and siRNA/PLL/YY-DNAs. The encapsulated siRNA complexes showed nearly spherical morphology with about 13–37 nm average hydrodynamic size and their z-potentials were negative. The cationic complexes of siRNA/LP, siRNA/PEI and siRNA/PLL showed a high cytotoxicity towards the cells and strong aggregation with erythrocytes, while their encapsulation into YY-DNAs dramatically decreased the toxicities of complexes. Furthermore, these anionic encapsulated siRNA complexes were highly taken up by the HeLa cells and showed extremely high cellular uptake efficiencies and gene silencing effects without such cytotoxicity and aggregation. The stability of these complexes in 10% FBS and human serum was investigated and they showed high stability even after incubation for 72 h and 48 h, respectively. Therefore, we have newly identified safe and efficient anionic complexes of siRNA for clinical uses.

Our present study provides an expedient general approach for the synthesis of some novel bridged dibenzo-azocinone, -azoninone, -azecinone, -azocine, -azonine, and -azecine derivatives via Friedel–Crafts intramolecular ring-closure reactions. The methodology is realized by a four-step protocol involving first preparation of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindoline through the reduction of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindolin-2-one followed by N-alkylations with different haloesters (a-, b- or g-). The resulting indoline ester derivatives were allowed to react both by addition of Grignard reagents to afford alcohols and by hydrolysis to afford acids. Particular attention has been given to the novel structures especially in regard to the promising pharmaceutical and therapeutic values associated with their skeletons.

Our present study provides an expedient general approach for the synthesis of some novel bridged dibenzo-azocinone, -azoninone, -azecinone, -azocine, -azonine, and -azecine derivatives via Friedel–Crafts intramolecular ring-closure reactions. The methodology is realized by a four-step protocol involving first preparation of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindoline through the reduction of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindolin-2-one followed by N-alkylations with different haloesters (a-, b- or g-). The resulting indoline ester derivatives were allowed to react both by addition of Grignard reagents to afford alcohols and by hydrolysis to afford acids. Particular attention has been given to the novel structures especially in regard to the promising pharmaceutical and therapeutic values associated with their skeletons.

Our present study provides an expedient general approach for the synthesis of some novel bridged dibenzo-azocinone, -azoninone, -azecinone, -azocine, -azonine, and -azecine derivatives via Friedel–Crafts intramolecular ring-closure reactions. The methodology is realized by a four-step protocol involving first preparation of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindoline through the reduction of 7-methyl-3,3-diphenylindolin-2-one followed by N-alkylations with different haloesters (a-, b- or g-). The resulting indoline ester derivatives were allowed to react both by addition of Grignard reagents to afford alcohols and by hydrolysis to afford acids. Particular attention has been given to the novel structures especially in regard to the promising pharmaceutical and therapeutic values associated with their skeletons.

Abstract: The present study, conducted in 2011 and 2012, deals with the response of Calligonum polygonoides and Artemisia judaica to the drought conditions in Wadi El-Assiuty and its tributary Wadi Habib in the middle part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Soil and plant samples were collected from 50 stands in the wet (winter) and dry (summer) seasons. In the selected plants chlorophyll (Chl a and b) contents as well as the Chl stability index tended to increase significantly during the summer season. Calcium and magnesium were accumulated in considerable amounts in the studied plants. Amounts of calcium accumulated were higher than those of magnesium. Phosphates appeared in the plants in low amounts and correlated positively with those found in the soil. The studied plants showed an increase in soluble sugars accumulation. Soluble protein content increased significantly during the winter season with a corresponding decrease in free amino acids. It is quite clear that Calligonum polygonoides plants were better adapted to drought conditions prevailing in the area under study than Artemisia judaica. This was judged by the average metabolic potentiality as soluble metabolites (soluble sugars and soluble proteins) are much higher in Calligonum than in Artemisia.

Abstract: The present study, conducted in 2011 and 2012, deals with the response of Calligonum polygonoides and Artemisia judaica to the drought conditions in Wadi El-Assiuty and its tributary Wadi Habib in the middle part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Soil and plant samples were collected from 50 stands in the wet (winter) and dry (summer) seasons. In the selected plants chlorophyll (Chl a and b) contents as well as the Chl stability index tended to increase significantly during the summer season. Calcium and magnesium were accumulated in considerable amounts in the studied plants. Amounts of calcium accumulated were higher than those of magnesium. Phosphates appeared in the plants in low amounts and correlated positively with those found in the soil. The studied plants showed an increase in soluble sugars accumulation. Soluble protein content increased significantly during the winter season with a corresponding decrease in free amino acids. It is quite clear that Calligonum polygonoides plants were better adapted to drought conditions prevailing in the area under study than Artemisia judaica. This was judged by the average metabolic potentiality as soluble metabolites (soluble sugars and soluble proteins) are much higher in Calligonum than in Artemisia.

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Extended one-step schemes of exponential type are introduced for the numerical solution of stiff initial-value problems. These schemes are uniformly convergent of third and fourth orders of accuracy. In addition, we show that these schemes are optimal when ϵ→ 0. Numerical results and comparisons with other schemes are presented.