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AIM: To elucidate whether differences exist in the impact on retarding the elongation of axial length (AL) among children with myopia when utilizing orthokeratology (ortho-k) lenses employing the corneal refractive therapy (CRT) design versus those employing the vision shaping treatment (VST) design. METHODS: This retrospective clinical trial aimed to collect and analyze AL data from individuals who wore ortho-k lenses for three years. A total of 654 subjects were enrolled and prescribed one of the three specific brands of ortho-k lenses: CRT, Euclid, and Mouldway. The study's primary focus was to compare the rates of AL elongation and myopic progression across these three brands of ortho-k lenses. RESULTS: In the 3-year follow-up, the AL elongation exhibited variations of 0.73±0.36 mm in the CRT lens group, 0.59±0.37 mm in the Euclid lens group, and 0.63±0.38 mm in the Mouldway lens group. A noteworthy disparity emerged between the CRT and Mouldway groups (P

Abstract Background Hemiptera is the fifth species-rich order of insects and the most species-rich order of hemimetabolous insects, including numerous insect species that are of agricultural or medical significance. Despite much effort and recent advance in inferring the Hemiptera phylogeny, some high-level relationships among superfamilies remain controversial. Results We sequenced the genomes of 64 hemipteran species from 15 superfamilies and the transcriptomes of two additional scale insect species, integrating them with existing genomic and transcriptomic data to conduct a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Hemiptera. Our datasets comprise an average of 1625 nuclear loci of 315 species across 27 superfamilies of Hemiptera. Our analyses supported Cicadoidea and Cercopoidea as sister groups, with Membracoidea typically positioned as the sister to Cicadoidea + Cercopoidea. In most analyses, Aleyrodoidea was recovered as the sister group of all other Sternorrhyncha. A sister-group relationship was supported between Coccoidea and Aphidoidea + Phylloxeroidea. These relationships were further supported by four-cluster likelihood mapping analyses across diverse datasets. Our ancestral state reconstruction indicates phytophagy as the primary feeding strategy for Hemiptera as a whole. However, predation likely represents an ancestral state for Heteroptera, with several phytophagous lineages having evolved from predatory ancestors. Certain lineages, like Lygaeoidea, have undergone a reversal transition from phytophagy to predation. Our divergence time estimation placed the diversification of hemipterans to be between 60 and 150 million years ago. Conclusions By expanding phylogenomic taxon sampling, we clarified the superfamily relationships within the infraorder Cicadomorpha. Our phylogenetic analyses supported the sister-group relationship between the superfamilies Cicadoidea and Cercopoidea, and the superfamily Membracoidea as the sister to Cicadoidea + Cercopoidea. Our divergence time estimation supported the close association of hemipteran diversification with the evolutionary success and adaptive radiation of angiosperms during the Cretaceous period.

The cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) is a major pest of stored products worldwide, especially tobacco and foods, causing huge economic losses. This study aimed to experimentally investigate the population dynamics of this pest at different temperatures and provide theoretical input for its control. Populations of L. serricorne were established under laboratory conditions at five temperatures (21 °C, 24 °C, 27 °C, 30 °C, and 33 °C). Results showed that an increasing temperature significantly affected the developmental time, longevity, oviposition period, and fecundity of L. serricorne. Both the longevity and fecundity of adult beetles were significantly reduced as the temperature increased. High temperatures significantly reduced the total duration of the preoviposition period but prolonged the oviposition period of L. serricorne. Increasing the temperatures from 21 °C to 33 °C significantly influenced the life table parameters of L. serricorne. The intrinsic increase rate (r), finite increase rate (λ), and gross reproductive rate (GRR) all increased with a greater rearing temperature, but mean generation time (T) was significantly shortened. To our best knowledge, this is the first report to detail the entire life history of the cigarette beetle in response to different temperatures when reared on tobacco dry leaves. This finding may provide basic information on the occurrence of L. serricorne in a warehouse setting and its mass rearing.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Lymantria sugii (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome is 15,614 bp (GenBank No. MT265380), containing 80.4% A + T (A 39.1%, C 7.3%, G 12.2%, and T 41.3%), that is heavily biased toward A and T nucleotides. All PCGs were started with ATN (ATA/ATG/ATT/ATC) and were terminated with TAR (TAA/TAG) excepting ND4, which ended with single T. Additionally, the phylogenetic tree confirmed that L. sugii clustered with L. umbrosa, L. dispar and Lymantria sp. The current study would be enrich the mitogenomes of the Lymantriinae.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Bactrocera proprediaphora (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome is 15,829 bp (GenBank No. MN688227) long, containing 73.9% A + T (A 39.5%, C 16.3%, G 9.8%, and T 34.3%), which is the classical structure for insect mitogenome. All PCGs were started with ATN, except ND1 which started with TTG, and 13 PCGs were stopped using TAR (TAA/TAG) as the stop codon. Additionally, the phylogenetic tree confirmed that B. proprediaphora was closely related to B. diaphorus. The current study will enrich the mitogenomes of the fruit flies.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Bactrocera caudata (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome is 15,311 bp (GenBank No. MT180970), containing 72.7% A + T (A 39.1%, C 17.0%, G 10.3%, and T 33.6%), which is the classical structure for insect mitogenome. All PCGs were started with ATN (ATA/ATG/ATT/ATC) and terminated with TAA except ND3, which ends with TAG. Additionally, the phylogenetic tree confirmed that Bactrocera caudata was closely related to Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera correcta. The current study would enrich the mitogenomes of the fruit flies.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the fruit fly species Dacus trimacula (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) are sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome is 15,851 bp (GenBank No. MK940811) has an A + T content of 72.8% (A 39.2%; C 17.0%; G 10.2%, and T 33.6%), which is the classical structure for insect mitogenome. All PCGs started with ATN and stopped with TAN. The phylogenetic tree confirms that D. trimacula clustered with D. longicornis as the sister group to Zeugodacus. This study enriches the mitogenomes of the fruit flies.

Parasitoids can utilize the nutrition of host eggs to culture their own offsprings. Host qualities, including size, age, and species, influence parasitism preference and fitness of the parasitoid offsprings. However, an interesting question here is whether the parasitoids have the ability of recognizing fertilized and nonfertilized host eggs. In this study, we investigated the performance of three indigenous Trichogramma species (Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead, Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura, and Trichogramma chilonis Ishii) on fertilized and nonfertilized eggs of their native host, Chilo suppressalis (Walker). The results showed that the three Trichogramma species tested could recognize fertilized and nonfertilized eggs of C. suppressalis. The different fertilization status eggs of C. suppressalis were all accepted by T. japonicum, T. chilonis, and T. dendrolimi with a clear tendency that they preferred to parasitize fertilized eggs whether under no-choice or choice conditions. All Trichogramma species successfully completed development in parasitized eggs of C. suppressalis regardless if the host eggs were fertilized or not. There was similar adult emergence rate, development time, and female progeny between fertilized and nonfertilized eggs for all Trichogramma species with an exception of development for T. chilonis. Trichogramma chilonis had shorter developmental time in fertilized eggs than in nonfertilized ones. Whether in fertilized or nonfertilized eggs, T. dendrolimi had longer development time than other two Trichogramma species. However, T. dendrolimi had the largest percentage of female progeny on fertilized eggs, followed by T. japonicum, and T. chilonis had the least percentage of female progeny. The present study indicates that Trichogramma can recognize fertilized and nonfertilized host eggs and use the nonfertilized eggs to finish offspring development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In phytophagous insects, experience can increase positive responses towards non-host plant extracts or induce oviposition on non-host plants, but the underlying chemical and behavioral mechanisms are poorly understood. By using the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, its host plant Chinese cabbage, and a non-host plant Chrysanthemum morifolium, as a model system, we observed the experience-altered olfactory responses of ovipositing females towards volatiles of the non-host plant, volatiles of pure chemicals (p-cymene and α-terpinene) found in the non-host plant, and volatiles of host plants treated with these chemicals. We assessed the experience-altered oviposition preference towards host plants treated with p-cymene. Naive females showed aversion to the odors of the non-host plant, the pure chemicals, and the pure chemical-treated host plants. In contrast, experienced females either became attracted by these non-host odors or were no longer repelled by these odors. Similarly, naive females laid a significantly lower proportion of eggs on pure chemical-treated host plants than on untreated host plants, but experienced females laid a similar or higher proportion of eggs on pure chemical-treated host plants compared to untreated host plants. Chemical analysis indicated that application of the non-host pure chemicals on Chinese cabbage induced emissions of volatiles by this host plant. We conclude that induced preference for previously repellent compounds is a major mechanism that leads to behavioral changes of this moth towards non-host plants or their extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]