Quantity Of Silk Research Articles

Immune strategies of silkworm, Bombyx mori against microbial infections

The silkworm, Bombyx mori has great economic and scientific value, as it has long been exploited as a primary silk producer and as a model system for lepidopterans and arthropod studies. This species is highly susceptible to microbial diseases that affect quality and quantity of silk, thereby causing huge economical losses. Insects have developed efficient innate immune system to fight against microbial pathogens. The innate immune system plays a crucial biological role in the limitation of microbial infections by using different immune strategies such as antimicrobial peptides production (AMPs), reactive oxygen species generation and melanin formation. So far, many studies identified different biological factors, which are considered to be involve in the regulation of these biochemical processes in B. mori. Here, we describe, current knowledge on the molecular patterns of various immune factors and also highlight their molecular mechanism of action in the limitation of viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens in B. mori. Furthermore, we discussed different strategies to improve the immune responses of silkworm species. This review will be helpful to understand the molecular aspects of immune factors, and their regulatory mechanism to control microbial diseases in the economically important insect species, B. mori.

Supplementary effect of yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) on rearing performance of Eri Silkworm (Philosamia Ricini) in respect of some larval parameter

Silkworm need higher protein & probiotic in their diet to help its body repair cell & to make fiber exclusively at V instar. Nutrition of silkworm is sole factor which at most individually quality and quantity of silk (Laskar and Datta, 2000). Hence in the present investigation an attempt is made to study the impact fortification of castor leaf with certain food probiotic microorganism Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on some larval weight & larval length of Eri silkworm Philosamia ricini. Data is collected and subjected to the statical analysis. The results indicate that there is a better larval weight and larval length when yeast (probiotic) were used. Silkworm were fed 3 different doses of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) along with castor leaf (100ppm, 200ppm, 300ppm foliar spray) and one control at Once a day , Twice a day and Trice a day.

L’attraction pour la soie : base de la cohésion du groupe et des comportements collectifs chez les araignées sociales

Social spiders differ from social insects by the production and the use of silk to build irregular webs. This silk prevents dispersion of the individuals and ensures the group cohesion during swarming and collective displacements, playing a part similar to tracks of pheromones in ants. A social spider Anelosimus eximius is attracted by conspecific silk and does not show any discrimination relative to its origin, excluding any group closure. The quantity of silk and the state of satiety of the individual modulate this attraction, and might explain how the spider society adapts the size of the web to its nutritional needs.

Reduced aggressive behavior: A benefit of silk-spinning in the parsnip webworm, Depressaria pastinacella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)

The parsnip webworm, Depressaria pastinacella, spins a silken web within the umbels of its host plant, the wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa, and aggressively defends this web against conspecifics. We first established experimentally that the number of aggressive interactions between caterpillars with their webs removed was significantly higher than for webworms with intact webs. In order to determine whether web-spinning acts to divide food resources and reduce aggressive interactions, we measured relative weight gain and total silk production of parsnip webworms isolated from one another, grouped together with webbing undisturbed, and grouped together with webbing removed daily. Parsnip webworms isolated from one another and therefore unable to engage in aggressive interactions attained the highest pupal weights and spun the smallest amount of silk; caterpillars with webs removed daily and therefore with frequent aggressive interactions until territories were reestablished had the lowest pupal weights and spun the greatest quantity of silk. Our findings indicate that, for the parsnip webworm, constructing a silken web reduces aggressive encounters among conspecifics.

Star Chamber and Juries: Some Observations

The Tudor Star Chamber, at least by the reign of Elizabeth, spent much of its time trying to keep men honest: or more precisely, punishing them when they were not. Cases involving conspiracy, deceit, fraud, extortion, forgery, counterfeiting and perjury could all come before the Court.' So could misconduct by juries. Star Chamber was obviously concerned with preventing intimidation and corrupation of juries, but it also tried juries accused of giving false verdicts, even when the issue of corruption was not involved.2 A document in the Ellesmere collection, drawn up sometime after 1581 and entitled Precedents in Star Chamber Against Juries for Giving False Verdicts, summarizes the findings in nine cases certified to Star Chamber between 1540 and 1581 by justices of assize.3 Four of the entries do no more than indicate that the jury was convicted of falsely acquiting someone, but the others offer some information on the original trial. In the first case cited, an individual named Dewberry had seized a quantity of silk from two men, Skidmore and Luddington, who sued Dewberry in detinue. The jury found for the plaintiffs, but Star Chamber committed the jurymen to the Fleet for giving a false verdict against Dewberry who, it developed, had seized the silk because the owners had failed

Relation between habitat structure and development of the glandulae ampullaceae in eight wolf spider species (Pardosa, Araneae, Lycosidae).

In eight Pardosa species studied there is a correlation between the structure of the habitat in which the species live, the quantity of silk (drag-lines) produced, the plane in which the silk is spun and the degree of development of the silk glands (the gl. ampullaceae). In general, species living in field-type vegetation have large gl. ampullaceae, produce large quantities of silk and spin proportionally more silk in the vertical plane, while the converse is true for species from open-ground type vegetation.