Essential (Mg,Fe, Zn and Cu) and Non-Essential (Cd and Pb) Elements in Predatory Insects (Vespa crabro and Vespa velutina): A Molecular Perspective

The recent introduction of the Asian yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, into Europe has raised concern regarding the threat to honeybees and the competition with the European hornet, Vespa crabro. The aim of this study was to investigated essential (Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu) and non-essential (Cd and Pb) elements in these two species. Element concentrations were determined in the whole body and separately in the head, thorax and abdomen using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The changes in essential element concentration and speciation during metamorphosis were also studied using size exclusion chromatography followed by AAS and proteomic analysis. In both species, the essential elements were more concentrated in the abdomen due to the presence of fat bodies. Magnesium, Fe and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in V. crabro than in V. velutina and could have been related to the higher aerobic energy demand of the former species required to sustain foraging flight. Low concentrations of Cd and Pb were indicative of low environmental exposure. The concentration and speciation of essential elements, particularly Fe, varied among the developmental stages, indicating a modification of ligand preferences during metamorphosis. Overall, the results in the present study provide a better understanding of the hornet metal metabolism and a foundation for additional studies.     

Milk from cows fed a diet with a high forage:concentrate ratio improves inflammatory state,oxidative stress,and mitochondrial function in rats

Excessive energy intake may evoke complex biochemical processes characterized by inflammation, oxidative stress, and impairment of mitochondrial function that represent the main factors underlying noncommunicable diseases. Because cow milk is widely used for human nutrition and in food industry processing, the nutritional quality of milk is of special interest with respect to human health. In our study, we analyzed milk produced by dairy cows fed a diet characterized by a high forage:concentrate ratio (high forage milk, HFM). In view of the low n-6:n-3 ratio and high content of conjugated linoleic acid of HFM, we studied the effects of this milk on lipid metabolism, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress in a rat model. To this end, we supplemented for 4 wk the diet of male Wistar rats with HFM and with an isocaloric amount (82 kJ, 22 mL/d) of milk obtained from cows fed a diet with low forage:concentrate ratio, and analyzed the metabolic parameters of the animals. Our results indicate that HFM may positively affect lipid metabolism, leptin:adiponectin ratio, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and oxidative stress, providing the first evidence of the beneficial effects of HFM on rat metabolism.     

Precooked sorghum flour as proper vehicle of ACE-I and DPP-IV inhibitory sorghum peptides

Sorghum flour was heat treated for producing an instant dispersion ingredient. The precooked sorghum flour was added with ACE-I and DPP-IV inhibitory sorghum peptides (3.0 g peptide 100 g⁻¹). The product was reconstituted in water, and peptide bioaccessibility was evaluated by equilibrium dialysis method after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Total peptide dialysability of precooked sorghum flour added with sorghum peptides was higher than those obtained for precooked sorghum flour (315.9 ± 14.8 vs. 45.2 ± 5.6 µmol, respectively) (P < 0.05). The ACE-I and DPP-IV-IC₅₀ values of the bioaccessible peptides from the bioactive product were lower than those obtained for precooked sorghum flour ingredient (1.04 ± 0.12 vs. 1.82 ± 0.09 and 0.86 ± 0.02 vs. 2.12 ± 0.08 mg protein mL⁻¹, for ACE-I and DPP-IV, respectively) indicating a higher activity. Precooked sorghum flour was a good vehicle since it did not affect the bioaccessibility of ACE-I and DPP-IV inhibitory peptides provided by sorghum protein hydrolysate.     

Preparation of scratch resistant superhydrophobic hybrid coatings by sol–gel process

Organic–inorganic hybrid coatings on glass substrates with superhydrophobic properties and with improved scratch resistance were obtained by means of applying a multilayer approach including multiple sol–gel processes. The coatings exhibited a water contact angle (WCA) higher than 150°. Ultraviolet (UV)-curable vinyl ester resins and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) as coupling agent were employed to increase the adhesion between substrate and the inorganic layers. The surfaces were characterized by means of dynamic contact angle and roughness measurements. Indeed, the occurrence of superhydrophobic behavior was observed. The scratch resistance of the hybrid coatings was tested to evaluate the adhesion of the coatings to the glass substrate. The proposed preparation method for scratch resistant, mechanically stable, superhydrophobic coatings is simple and can be applied on large areas of different kinds of substrates.     

Canonical analysis of the Kawabata and sliding fabric friction measurement methods

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the latent structure and potential relationships between two sets of frictions measurements of warp-and-weft fabrics made with the sliding method and the Kawabata system (KES FB-4 method). First, linear relationships between all pairs of friction-related variables for the two methods were assessed and found to be weak and statistically not significant in most cases. Second, linear regression was applied to the variables previously exhibiting significant correlation only but the variables were found not to be useful for developing accurate predictive models. Third, multiple linear regression between a Kawabata variable and various parameters of the sliding method was used to construct a model that proved inaccurate owing to multicollinearity in the regressors; also, the method only allowed a single-dependent variable to be related. This was not the case with canonical correlation, which allowed two sets of variables to be correlated through multivariate analysis. This technique revealed a significant relationship between the two sets of friction-related variables.     

Circulating Tumor Cells in the Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are elements of indisputable significance as they seem to be responsible for the onset of metastasis. Despite this, research into CTCs and their clinical application have been hindered by their rarity and heterogeneity at the molecular and cellular level, and also by a lack of technical standardization. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a highly aggressive cancer that is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Its incidence has increased so much in recent years that new diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed. Preliminary findings suggest that CTCs could represent an effective, non-invasive, real-time assessable biomarker in all stages of EAC. This review provides an overview of EAC and CTC characteristics and reports the main research results obtained on CTCs in this setting. The need to carry out further basic and translational research in this area to confirm the clinical usefulness of CTCs and to provide oncologists with a tool to improve therapeutic strategies for EAC patients was herein highlighted.     

Comparative toxicity of nanostructured alumina and a commercial inert dust for Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) at varying ambient humidity levels

The widespread concern for environmental and human health has raised the need for new reduced-risk control strategies and the search for new chemical classes of pesticides. Recently, a novel type of particulate material, nanostructured alumina (NSA) has been found to induce mortality in insects exposed to wheat treated with NSA dust. Preliminary studies have shown insecticidal activity of NSA particles on two insect species, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), and Rhyzopertha dominica, (F.), major pests of stored grain. We investigated the toxicity of NSA and Protect-It^® diatomaceous earth (DE) using dry dust applications at three different relative ambient humidity levels. Results showed that NSA was more effective in killing S. oryzae than Protect-It^® and was equally toxic to R. dominica. Treatment with both products also reduced progeny production. In addition, R. dominica was less susceptible to inert dusts than S. oryzae. Our results suggest that NSA might prove a good alternative or complement to DE based products, and encourage further testing with other insect pests and systems, plus experiments on delivery options to further enhance NSA products.