Fruit Juices of Etcho (Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum) and Giant Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) are Sources of Health-Promoting Ingredients with Potential Anticancer Properties.

Mexico is one of the main diversification centers of cacti in the world, with more than 500 endemic species, most of which remain nutritionally and functionally uncharacterized. The columnar cacti of the genus Pachycereus comprise five underutilized endemic Mexican species, whose nutraceutical properties have only been studied in the P. weberi species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality and bioactive properties of etcho (P. pecten-aboriginum) and giant cardon (P. pringlei) fruit. The physical, chemical, and nutritional composition of etcho and giant cardon fruits were characterized, as well as the profile and content of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity (ABTS•+ and DPPH•), and antiproliferative capacity in cervical (HeLa) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D) cell lines. Our results suggest that etcho and giant cardon fruits are rich sources of essential nutrients and bioactive phytochemicals (including K, Mg, P, dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds, vitamin C, betalains, and myo-inositol) with antioxidant and anticancer potential by inhibiting the proliferation of all evaluated cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 198 to 287 µg of gallic acid equivalents/mL. Therefore, etcho and giant cardon fruits could be used for nutraceutical purposes, and their consumption could promote health benefits.

In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy of Adnexal Tumors: Evaluation of Trichoepithelioma, Sebaceoma, and Fibrofolliculoma.

ABSTRACT: Cutaneous adnexal tumors are benign and malignant neoplasms that undergo morphological differentiation into cutaneous adnexa, comprising pilosebaceous, eccrine, or apocrine units. Reflectance confocal microscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic method that enables in vivo visualization of tissues at a similar resolution as conventional histopathology. The use of this method in skin imaging over the past several years has improved dermatological diagnoses, potentiating its wide application, especially for benign and malignant skin tumors. We describe the use of reflectance confocal microscopy in cases of trichoepithelioma, sebaceoma, and fibrofolliculoma and correlate the resulting clinical, histopathological, and confocal microscopy images.

Orofacial Granulomatosis and Crohn Disease: Coincidence or Pattern? A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: To systematically review all cases of orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) and evaluate the association between OFG and Crohn disease (CD). SUMMARY: This review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and a search of the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases, and the Cochrane Library in March 2020, using keywords and MeSH terms associated with "orofacial granulomatosis," "Crohn disease," and their variants, with no language restrictions and across all age groups. All relevant articles were accessed in full text. Single case reports and articles on sarcoidosis, allergy, ulcerative colitis, and infectious diseases were excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: We retrieved 507 reports on OFG. The mean age at onset was 23.3 years (range 2-89 years). A total of 240 (47.3%) females and 267 (52.6%) males were included. CD was present in 93 children aged <16 years (68.3%) and in 43 adults (31.9%). In most cases, the OFG appeared before the CD. The most common clinical manifestations were intraoral mucosa abnormalities (n = 251; 49.5%), lower-lip swelling (n = 249; 49.1%), upper-lip swelling (n = 227; 44.7%), and gingivae (n = 193; 38.7%). Patients with concurrent CD were more likely to experience involvement of the buccal sulcus. Key Messages: OFG presents primarily as a solo entity. The OFG that was associated with CD was present in 93 children aged under 16 years (68.3%) and in 43 adults (31.9%). Childhood onset of OFG carries with it a higher risk of developing CD.

Evaluation of sucrose-enriched diet consumption in the development of risk factors associated to type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a murine model.

Overconsumption of sucrose, the main contributor of the total added sugar intake in the world, has been associated with negative metabolic effects related to non-communicable diseases. However, this relationship continues to be a controversial topic and further studies are needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sucrose-enriched diet consumption in the development of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a murine model. Sucrose-enriched diet-fed rats showed a decrease in food, lipids and protein intake as well as in serum total cholesterol levels, an increase in carbohydrates intake, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, VLDL-c and HDL-c levels and a greater degree of insulin resistance, steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Our results show that sucrose-enriched diet consumption during 25 weeks contribute to the development of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in male Wistar rats.

Prevalence of Adverse Reactions to Gluten and People Going on a Gluten-Free Diet: A Survey Study Conducted in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of gluten-related disorders (GRD) and adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) remains unknown in Brazilian population and there is no published information on the scientific literature about the proportion of Brazilians that were diagnosed with a gluten-related disorder. Thus, the aim of this work was to estimate the prevalence of GRDs and adherence to a GFD by self-report in adult Brazilian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in two Brazilian cities. RESULTS: The response rate was 93.2% (1630/1749). The self-reported prevalence rates were (95% CI): adverse reactions to gluten 10.06% (8.64-11.62); gluten sensitivity 2.33% (1.65-3.18); physician-diagnosed celiac disease 0.3% (0.09-0.71); non-celiac gluten sensitivity 1.71% (1.14-2.47); wheat allergy 0.79% (0.42-1.36); adherence to gluten-free diet 7.48% (6.25-8.87); gluten avoiders 15.21% (13.5-17.05). Among those who were following a GFD (n = 122), 65.6% (n = 80) of them reported that they did not develop symptoms after wheat/gluten ingestion and 50% (n = 61) were following the diet without medical/dietitian advice. The main motivation for following a GFD in the self-reported and non-self-reported gluten sensitivity groups were the symptoms triggered after wheat/gluten ingestion (86.8%) and weight control (57.1%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of programs to increase awareness about GRDs among healthcare professionals and giving scientifically sound information to the general population about the risks and benefits for following a GFD are desirable actions in Brazil. The results also add to the growing body of evidence for highlighting the under-diagnosis of GRD and the trend for following a GFD in Latin America.

Assessing the Sensitizing and Allergenic Potential of the Albumin and Globulin Fractions from Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) Grains before and after an Extrusion Process.

Background: The first cases of food allergy to amaranth grain have recently been published. This pseudocereal is considered hypoallergenic, and there is scarce information about the allergenic potential of amaranth proteins, either before or after food processing. Objective: To evaluate, in a mouse model of food allergy, the sensitizing and allergenic potential of extruded and non-extruded albumin and globulin fractions from amaranth grains. Materials and Methods: Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) flour was obtained and the albumin and globulin fractions isolated. These protein fractions were also obtained after flour extrusion. An intraperitoneal 28-day protocol was carried out to evaluate the sensitizing and allergenic potential of the proteins. The common and rarely allergenic proteins ovalbumin and potato acidic phosphatase were utilized as reference. Specific IgE and IgG antibodies were evaluated for all the proteins tested. Mast cell protease-1 (mMCP-1) responses were evaluated in serum samples collected after intragastric challenges with the proteins of interest. All serological evaluations were carried out using ELISA. Results: Mice were sensitized to the non-extruded albumin fraction from amaranth grains and to ovalbumin (p = 0.0045). The extrusion process of amaranth proteins abrogated the IgE responses triggered under non-extruded conditions (p = 0.0147). mMCP-1 responses were significantly detected in the group of mice sensitized to ovalbumin (p = 0.0138), but not in others. Conclusions: The non-extruded albumin fraction from amaranth has the potential to sensitize BALB/c mice, but this sensitizing potential fails to induce detectable serum levels of the mast cell degranulation marker mMCP-1 after intragastric challenges. Furthermore, the extrusion process abolished the sensitization potential of the amaranth albumins.

Compared to an Oatmeal Breakfast, Two Eggs/Day Increased Plasma Carotenoids and Choline without Increasing Trimethyl Amine N-Oxide Concentrations.

BACKGROUND: Habitual consumption of eggs has been hypothesized to positively modify biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk through proposed antioxidant properties. OBJECTIVES: To examine this relationship, 50 young, healthy men and women were enrolled into a randomized crossover clinical intervention. METHODS: Participants consumed either 2 eggs per day or one packet of oatmeal a day for 4 weeks, followed by a 3-week wash-out and crossed over to the alternate breakfast. Fasting blood samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected at the end of each intervention period. RESULTS: Increases in plasma large high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and large low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle concentrations as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance were found following egg consumption (p < 0.001, p < 0.05), respectively, with increases in apolipoprotein concentration as well (p < 0.05). Though there was no difference in the intake of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, a significant increase in plasma concentrations of these carotenoids was observed (p < 0.001) after egg consumption. There was no change in lecithin-cholesterol acyl transferase, cholesteryl ester transfer protein, or paroxanase-1 arylesterase activities between breakfast interventions. Dietary and plasma choline were both higher following egg consumption compared to oatmeal consumption (p < 0.001); however, there was no change in plasma trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) concentrations. Two eggs per day had no impact on PBMC gene expression related to cholesterol metabolism, oxidation, or TMAO production. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that compared to oatmeal, consumption of 2 eggs for breakfast provided increased plasma carotenoids and improved biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk while not affecting TMAO levels in this population.

Evaluation of Syringomas by In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy: A Report of Two Cases.

Syringomas are benign adnexal tumors that are characterized histologically by the presence of small solid and cystic epithelial structures in the upper half of the reticular dermis. Reflectance confocal microscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic method that enables in vivo visualization of tissues with a resolution that approximates that of conventional histopathology. The use of this method in skin imaging over the past several years has improved dermatological diagnoses, creating the potential for its wide application in such diagnoses, especially for benign and malignant skin tumors. We describe its use in the diagnosis of syringoma in 2 patients and correlate the resulting clinical, histopathological, and digital reflectance confocal microscopy images.

Moringa Leaves Prevent Hepatic Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation in Guinea Pigs by Reducing the Expression of Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism.

To investigate the mechanisms by which Moringa oleifera leaves (ML) modulate hepatic lipids, guinea pigs were allocated to either control (0% ML), 10% Low Moringa (LM) or 15% High Moringa (HM) diets with 0.25% dietary cholesterol to induce hepatic steatosis. After 6 weeks, guinea pigs were sacrificed and liver and plasma were collected to determine plasma lipids, hepatic lipids, cytokines and the expression of genes involved in hepatic cholesterol (CH) and triglyceride (TG) metabolism. There were no differences in plasma lipids among groups. A dose-response effect of ML was observed in hepatic lipids (CH and TG) with the lowest concentrations in the HM group (p < 0.001), consistent with histological evaluation of lipid droplets. Hepatic gene expression of diglyceride acyltransferase-2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ, as well as protein concentrations interleukin (IL)-1ß and interferon-γ, were lowest in the HM group (p < 0.005). Hepatic gene expression of cluster of differentiation-68 and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c were 60% lower in both the LM and HM groups compared to controls (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that ML may prevent hepatic steatosis by affecting gene expression related to hepatic lipids synthesis resulting in lower concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides and reduced inflammation in the liver.

Genomic and biological characterization of bacteriophages against Enterobacter cloacae, a high-priority pathogen.

Enterobacter cloacae is a clinically significant pathogen due to its multi-resistance to antibiotics, presenting a challenge in the treatment of infections. As concerns over antibiotic resistance escalate, novel therapeutic approaches have been explored. Bacteriophages, characterized by their remarkable specificity and ability to self-replicate within target bacteria, are emerging as a promising alternative therapy. In this study, we isolated and partially characterized nine lytic bacteriophages targeting E. cloacae, with two selected for comprehensive genomic analysis based on their host range and bacteriolytic activity. All identified phages exhibited a narrow host range, demonstrated stability within a temperature range of 30-60 °C, displayed pH tolerance from 3 to 10, and showed an excellent bacteriolytic capacity for up to 18 h. Notably, the fully characterized phage genomes revealed an absence of lysogenic, virulence, or antibiotic-resistance genes, positioning them as promising candidates for therapeutic intervention against E. cloacae-related diseases. Nonetheless, translating this knowledge into practical therapeutic applications mandates a deeper understanding of bacteriophage interactions within complex biological environments.

The Role of Diet and Physical Activity in Shaping COVID-19 Severity: Design, Validation, and Application of a Retrospective Questionnaire.

After the global challenges posed by COVID-19, researchers strived to identify risk factors for severe cases, which lead to various complications-including death. Lifestyle modifications, such as implementing a healthy diet and recommended physical activity, have been shown to be protective against severe COVID-19 cases. Despite an association of a plant-based diet with reduced COVID-19 severity, specific dietary characteristics have not been identified. Also, the methodology for measuring physical activity is variable, with studies overlooking the intensity or the habit components of physical activity. To bridge this gap, our study designed, validated, and applied a retrospective questionnaire with aims of exploring the relationship between lifestyle factors, specifically diet and physical activity, and severe COVID-19. We considered the intensity and years of physical activity habit, which is a limitation of other questionnaires. Results reveal associations of age and BMI with severe COVID-19. An excessive sugar diet was found to be associated with severe COVID-19 and increased symptom duration. We also observed an inverse relationship pattern of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity across case severity, which is absent in walking physical activity. This study lays a foundation for research aiming to identify lifestyle factors that prevent severe COVID-19 cases.

Clinical and histopathological features of follicular thyroid cancer in Chile.

Objective: Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is less frequent but has a worse prognosis than papillary carcinoma. The available evidence on pre-operative characteristics of FTC is controversial. Our objective was to characterize the clinical, ultrasound and histopathological presentation of FTC patients treated Chile. Subjects and methods: Retrospective analysis of 97 patients treated for FTC in 6 large centers in Chile. We analyzed their ultrasonographic features and classified the nodules according to ATA risk of malignancy and TI-RADS score, as well as the cytological findings according to the Bethesda system. We described their clinical and histopathological findings at diagnosis and classified their risk of recurrence and mortality according to ATA 2015 recurrence risk category and the eighth edition of the AJCC/UICC staging system, respectively. Results: Median age was 48 years and 73.2% were females. The median diameter was 38.8 mm; only 9.5% of them were microtumors. According to ATA risk of malignancy, 86% of the nodules were low or intermediate suspicious, while 78% were category 3 or 4A nodules according to the TI-RADS. Regarding the Bethesda system, 65.9% had indeterminate cytology (20.6% category III and 45.3% category IV). At histological examination, most were minimally-invasive and angio-invasive tumors with less than 4 foci (54.7% and 28.4% respectively). More than 90% of FTC were unifocal and there was no lymphovascular or extrathyroidal invasion or lymph node involvement. Four patients (4.1%) had distant metastases at diagnosis. Most patients (95%) had stage I or II disease according to the AJCC/UICC staging system, while the risk of recurrence was low at 51.5% when using the ATA risk of recurrence scale. Conclusion: At diagnosis, most FTCs were nodules of low or intermediate suspicion at ultrasound, nearly two thirds had indeterminate cytology according to the Bethesda system, and nearly 50% of them were of low risk of recurrence.

From Being Caregiver to Being Cared for: The Experience of Adapting to Spinal Cord Injury, a Case Study.

This narrative case study portrays a young woman's life experience and adjustment process after suffering a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) 5 years ago. It is analyzed retrospectively from the perspective of the middle-range theory (MRT) of adapting to chronic health conditions by Buckner and Hayden (2014), and Ricoeur's narrative philosophy is expanded. Understanding Alice's narrative from this perspective allows us to understand the process of adaptation to a condition of disability due to a spinal cord injury, from the perspective of a nurse who was forced to change her role as a caregiver to a role of being cared for, due to the changes in her body and her corporality due to the consequences of the injury. In this narrative, the focal and contextual stimuli, the coping processes with special emphasis on the intrinsic and extrinsic adaptive processes, and the results of the process are identified.

Cactaceae plants as sources of active bioavailable phytochemicals.

Arid-land plants from the Cactaceae family are endemic to the Americas and cultivated worldwide. Cactaceous plants and their fruits contain phenolic compounds, betalains, vitamins, carotenoids, minerals, and soluble fiber. Edible cactaceous matrices can be considered functional foods since their consumption may confer health benefits. These plants could be a source of novel bioactive compounds relevant to the area of phytomedicine. However, consumption of high concentrations of active molecules is not necessarily correlated to beneficial physiological effects because phytochemicals must be released from the food matrices under physiological conditions, resist digestion-associated chemical transformations, and remain in their active state in systemic circulation until the target tissues are reached. Notably, although digestion may either increase or decrease the bioactive phytochemicals' activity and stability, non-absorbed compounds may also be relevant for human health. Additionally, food matrices' type and composition and their technological processing operations may influence the compounds' release, stability, and accessibility. Thus, this review provides insights on the feasibility of using Cactaceae plants as sources of functional compounds. It is focused on compounds' bioactivity, bioaccessibility, and overall bioavailability after their metabolic transformation. Also, it addresses the influence of food processing on bioactive compounds. Many Cactaceae species are unexplored, and our understanding of how they confer health benefits is limited. To better understand the physiological relevance, nutraceutical potential, and therapeutic feasibility of cactaceous bioactive phytochemicals, future research should focus on the metabolic stability and safety of these compounds, as well as their assimilation mechanisms (absorption, distribution, and metabolic fate).

First evidence for an aposematic function of a very common color pattern in small insects.

Many small parasitoid wasps have a black head, an orange mesosoma and a black metasoma (BOB color pattern), which is usually present in both sexes. A likely function of this widespread pattern is aposematic (warning) coloration, but this has never been investigated. To test this hypothesis, we presented spider predators (Lyssomanes jemineus), both field-captured and bred in captivity from eggs, to four wasp genera (Baryconus, Chromoteleia, Macroteleia and Scelio), each genus being represented by a BOB morphospecies and black morphospecies. We also used false prey, consisting of lures made of painted rice grains. Behavioral responses were analyzed with respect to presence or absence of the BOB pattern. In order to better understand the results obtained, two additional studies were performed. First, the reflection spectrum of the cuticle of the wasp and a theoretical visual sensibility of the spider were used to calculate a parameter we called "absorption contrast" that allows comparing the perception contrast between black and orange in each wasp genus as viewed by the spider. Second, acute toxicity trials with the water flea, Daphnia magna, were performed to determine toxicity differences between BOB and non-BOB wasps. At least some of the results suggest that the BOB color pattern may possibly play an aposematic role.

Prevalence of Wheat/Gluten-Related Disorders and Gluten-Free Diet in Paraguay: An Online Survey-Based Study.

Gluten-related disorders (GRDs) are increasing around the world, but their magnitude and relevance remain unknown in most Latin American countries. Thus, an online survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of GRDs as well as adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) in Paraguayan adult population. There were 1058 individuals surveyed using a validated questionnaire (response rate of 93.9%). The self-reported prevalence rates were as follows (95% CI): gluten sensitivity (GS), 10.30% (8.53-12.29); non-celiac GS (NCGS), 5.19% (3.94-6.71); physician-diagnosed celiac disease (PD-CD), 3.11% (2.15-4.35); wheat allergy (WA), 2.07% (1.30-3.13); and adherence to GFD, 15.69% (13.55-18.02). Excluding CD, more women than men met the criteria for GRDs, adverse food reactions, and GFD (p < 0.05). Eight respondents reported the coexistence of NCGS with PD-CD and/or WA. Most cases on a GFD indicated medical/dietitian advice for following the diet (68.07%). Non-self-reported GS individuals indicated weight control (46.4%) and the notion that the GFD is healthier (20.2%) as the main motivations for following the diet. GRDs are not uncommon in Paraguayan adult population. It seems that there is awareness about GRDs and the GFD, but training about the diagnosis of GRDs is desirable because of the informed overlapping diagnoses of CD or WA with NCGS. Future studies involving face-to-face interviews are necessary.

How Educational Inequalities in Cardiovascular Mortality Evolve While Healthcare Insurance Coverage Grows: Colombia, 1998 to 2015.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to explore how the current increase in Healthcare Insurance Coverage in Colombia potentially affected educational inequalities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality from 1998 to 2015. METHODS: The official death database for the period 1998 to 2015, codified by cause of death for CVD (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision: I00-I99) was analyzed (men = 279 537, women = 292 122). We compared Healthcare Insurance Coverage (HIC) fluctuations with the trends and annual percentage changes (APCs) in CVD age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), the rate ratios of the ASMR to educational level, and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII), which was used to measure the educational inequalities. RESULTS: Mortality from CVD is higher in men than in women (ASMR/men = 148.2; 95% CI: 147.6-148.7 vs ASMR/women = 139.4; 95% CI: 138.9-139.9). People with a lower educational level have an increased risk of dying prematurely owing to CVD, the higher inequalities being those for young women (RII = 2.62; 95% CI: 2.60-2.64). Inequalities by educational level (APC of the RII) grew at a rate of 2.5% per year in men and 1.7% in women, despite the steady increase of HIC throughout the period. From 1998 to 2011, there was a significant decrease in mortality rates owing to CVD (APC = -2.4% and APC = -2.1% for men and women, respectively). As of 2011, there was an increase only for men (APC = +3.9%). CONCLUSIONS: In Colombia, educational inequalities could be a cause of the worrying increase in mortality caused by CVD, which affects women more than men, whereas the HIC seem to be ineffective at reducing educational inequalities, and therefore mortality by CVD.

Connecting biology, optics and nanomechanical properties in micro-wasps.

Coloration in insects provides a fruitful opportunity for interdisciplinary research involving both physics and biology, and for a better understanding of the design principles of biological structures. In this research we used nanometric and micrometric analyses to investigate the morphological and mechanical properties of the black-orange-black (BOB) color pattern in scelionid wasps, which has never been studied. The primary objective of the present investigation was to explore the structural and mechanical differences in the mesoscutum of four species: Baryconus with an orange mesosoma (i.e. BOB pattern), all black Baryconus, Scelio with an orange mesosoma (i.e. BOB pattern), and all black Scelio. The most outstanding findings include the absence of multilayer structures that generate structural color, a pigment concentrated in the upper surface of the epicuticle, and surprising differences between the four species. Three of the four species showed an accordion-like structure in the furrow (notaulus), whereas the adjacent mesoscutum was different in each species. Moreover, the normalized color component spectra for blue, green and red colors of the black mesoscutum of each genus showed the same spectral dependence while the orange color manifested small changes in the dominant wavelength, resulting in slightly different orange tones.

Characteristics of Allergen Labelling and Precautionary Allergen Labelling in Packaged Food Products Available in Latin America.

The characteristics of food allergen labelling are relevant for avoiding accidental exposure to the allergens of interest but no Latin American country has evaluated these characteristics. Our aim was to evaluate the characteristics of food allergen labelling and precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) in six Latin American countries. All data were collected directly from the supermarkets surveyed. A total of 10,254 packaged food products were analyzed, of which 63.3% (n = 6494) and 33.2% (n = 3405) featured allergen labelling and/or PAL, respectively. Most products complied with local regulations (≥87.4% for both locally produced and imported). Thirty-three types of PAL statements were detected; the most frequent was "may contain traces of…" (35.1%). Countries without regulations on the characteristics of allergen labelling had two-fold more products that contained allergens in their ingredients lists but no food allergen labelling. The use of PAL in countries that regulate it (38.2%) was as high as that in countries without PAL regulations (19.2%-44.7%). The findings suggest that the lack of regulations for the characteristics of allergen labeling increases the risk of accidental exposure to allergens of interest. Our findings also suggest that beyond regulations, a scientific approach is required for minimizing and standardizing the use of PAL.

Spectral measure of color variation of black-orange-black (BOB) pattern in small parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a statistical approach.

Small parasitoid wasps are abundant and extremely diverse, yet their colors have not been analyzed. One of the more common color patterns observed in these wasps is a black-orange-black pattern, which is especially common among neotropical species of Scelionidae ranging in size from 2 to 10 mm. Due to the methodological challenges involved in extracting and analyzing pigments from small-sized insects, other methods for examining colors need to be explored. In this work, we propose the use of microspectrophotometry in combination with statistical analysis methods in order to 8 study the spectral properties in such cases. We examined 8 scelionid genera and 1 genus from a distantly related family (Evaniidae), all showing the black-orange-black pattern. Functional Data Analysis and statistical analysis of Euclidean distances for color components were applied to study color differences both between and within genera. The Functional Data Analysis proved to be a better method for treating the reflectance data because it gave a better representation of the physical information. Also, the reflectance spectra were separated into spectral color component contributions and each component was labeled according to its own dominant wavelength at the maximum of the spectrum: Red, Green and Blue. When comparing spectral components curves, the spectral blue components of the orange and black colors, independent of the genera being compared, result almost identical, suggesting that there is a common compound for the pigments. The results also suggest that cuticle from different genera, but with the same color might have a similar chemical composition. This is the first time that the black and orange colors in small parasitoid wasps has been analyzed and our results provide a basis for future research on the color patterns of an abundant but neglected group of insects.