Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the association between a Parkinson’s disease (PD)-specific polygenic score (PGS) and protective lifestyle factors on age at onset (AAO) in PD. ...We included data from 4367 patients with idiopathic PD, 159 patients with GBA1 -PD, and 3090 healthy controls of European ancestry from AMP-PD, PPMI, and Fox Insight cohorts. The association between PGS and lifestyle factors on AAO was assessed with linear and Cox proportional hazards models. The PGS showed a negative association with AAO ( β = − 1.07, p = 6 × 10 –7 ) in patients with idiopathic PD. The use of one, two, or three of the protective lifestyle factors showed a reduction in the hazard ratio by 21% ( p = 0.0001), 44% ( p < 2 × 10 –16 ), and 55% ( p < 2 × 10 –16 ), compared to no use. An additive effect of aspirin ( β = 7.62, p = 9 × 10 –7 ) and PGS ( β = − 1.58, p = 0.0149) was found for AAO without an interaction ( p = 0.9993) in the linear regressions, and similar effects were seen for tobacco. In contrast, no association between aspirin intake and AAO was found in GBA1 -PD ( p > 0.05). In our cohort, coffee, tobacco, aspirin, and PGS are independent predictors of PD AAO. Additionally, lifestyle factors seem to have a greater influence on AAO than common genetic risk variants with aspirin presenting the largest effect.
Rare carnivorous plants representing the genus
are perceived as very interesting to scientists involved in various fields of botany, ethnobotany, entomology, phytochemistry and others. Such high ...interest is caused mainly by the unique capacity of
spp. to attract insects. Therefore, an attempt to develop a protocol for micropropagation of the
(Alph.Wood) Alph.Wood, commonly named yellow trumpets, and to identify the specific chemical composition of volatile compounds of this plant in vitro and ex vivo was undertaken. Thus, the chemical volatile compounds excreted by the studied plant to attract insects were recognized with the application of the headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with the GC-MS technique. As the major volatile compounds (
)-3-hexen-1-ol (16.48% ± 0.31), (
)-3-hexen-1-ol acetate (19.99% ± 0.01) and β-caryophyllene (11.30% ± 0.27) were identified. Further, both the chemical assumed to be responsible for attracting insects, i.e., pyridine (3.10% ± 0.07), and whole plants were used in in vivo bioassays with two insect species, namely
and
. The obtained results bring a new perspective on the possibilities of cultivating rare carnivorous plants in vitro since they are regarded as a valuable source of bioactive volatile compounds, as including ones with repellent or attractant activity.
The invasive weed Rumex confertus Willd. (mossy sorrel) is eaten and severely defoliated by oligophagous Gastrophysa viridula Deg. (dock leaf beetle) and Gastrophysa polygoni L. (knotweed leaf ...beetle). The most popular methods of plant protection involve the application of chemicals, but such methods often require repeated chemical treatments. Aromatic plants may constitute an eco-friendly alternative strategy owing to their repellent properties. To date, single compounds have been tested rather than blends; however, there is a need to investigate mixtures of compounds, because insects are subjected to blends of odors derived from their surrounding environments. The aim of the current study was to investigate behavioral responses of the dock leaf beetle and knotweed leaf beetle to a blend of synthetic plant volatile organic compounds. Plants were treated with standard repellents (a blend of volatile organic compounds) at two different concentrations (10 ng min–1 and 1,000 ng min–1). For further experiments, four rates (1 ng min–1, 10 ng min–1, 100 ng min–1, and 1,000 ng min–1 in 50 µl) were evaluated using a 4-way olfactometer. Leaf beetles of both sexes were repelled by the highest three concentrations tested. Female dock leaf beetles were also repelled by the lowest concentration tested, where individual components could have occasionally attracted insects. These results indicate a difference in responses to individual compounds and mixtures of compounds.
The most popular plant protection method is chemical; however, this is often connected with repeated treatments. Therefore, eco‐friendly strategies need to be investigated. A good alternative is to ...use the natural repellent properties of plants. The aims of this study were to determine how adult striped shieldbugs (Aelia acuminata L.) feeding on spring wheat plants affect the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to determine the reaction of these insects to synthetic blends of VOCs. Using GC/MS for VOC analysis, we find that Aelia acuminata L. (1 or 2 adult pairs) significantly induced VOC emissions from wheat plants. In comparison with controls, larger amounts of (Z)‐3‐hexenal, (E)‐2‐hexenal, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol, (E)‐2‐hexen‐1‐ol, β‐pinene, β‐myrcene, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐yl acetate, 1‐hexyl acetate, 4‐heptanone, (Z)‐ocimene, linalool, linalool oxide, benzyl acetate, methyl salicylate, indole, β‐caryophyllene and (E)‐β‐farnesene were released as a result of the biotic stress, with two pairs of insects causing a significantly stronger plant reaction. On the basis of the VOCs identified and their emitted concentrations for two pairs of feeding adult striped shieldbugs, two blends of VOCs were prepared in three concentrations: blend I—(Z)‐3‐hexenal, (E)‐2‐hexenal, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol, (E)‐2‐hexen‐1‐ol, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐yl acetate and 1‐hexyl acetate, and blend II—(Z)‐ocimene, linalool, benzyl acetate, methyl salicylate, β‐caryophyllene and (E)‐β‐farnesene. Using an olfactometer (Y‐tube) to study insect behaviour, it was found that the male striped shieldbugs were not attracted to any of the blends at any concentration. Female shieldbugs were attracted to blend I at concentration 1. As for the remaining concentrations of both blends, females and males were repelled, with the higher the concentration the stronger the insect reaction.
Insect pollination and pollen feeding can reduce plant volatile emissions and future insect floral attraction, with oviposition having different effects.
Meligethes aeneus
F. (Coleoptera: ...Nitidulidae), is a pollen-feeding pest beetle of oilseed rape,
Brassica napus
L. (Brassicaceae). We measured plant VOC emission over 72 h from two types of 24 h
M. aeneus
exposure to
B. napus
: pollen feeding vs. flower bud injury and oviposition. The most abundant constitutive volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lilac aldehydes A (LA A) & B (LA B) and veratrole (VER), had 30–40 % reductions from
M. aeneus
pollen-feeding exposure at 24 h and 50–90 % reductions by 72 h, with greater reductions after bud injury and oviposition. Linalool (LIN), a common herbivore-induced plant volatile (HIPV), emission did not change at 24 h, but was induced six- to sevenfold 48 h after both exposure treatments. By 72 h, LIN had even greater (tenfold) induction after bud injury and oviposition, but no induction from pollen feeding. Three common HIPVs (β-caryophyllene, = βCAR (
E
)-β-farnesene = EβFAR, and (
Z
)-β-ocimene = ZβOCI) were progressively induced up to 2.5-fold 72 h after floral bud injury and oviposition. We assayed
M. aeneus
adult behavioral responses to LA A and B, and VER. Both
M. aeneus
sexes were attracted to higher concentrations than single plant constitutive emission for these VOCs, but avoided much higher doses. Progressive LA A and B, and VER, emission reductions might help plants (e.g.,
B. napus
) to avoid future interactions with pollen-feeding pest herbivores (e.g.,
M. aeneus
). After bud injury and oviposition, HIPV induction could help plants deter future oviposition and/or attract natural enemies to deposited eggs.