A new infinite family of star normal quotient graphs of twisted wreath type.

We construct the first infinite families of locally 2-arc transitive graphs with the property that the automorphism group has two orbits on vertices and is quasiprimitive on exactly one orbit, of twisted wreath type. This work contributes to Giudici, Li and Praeger's program for the classification of locally 2-arc transitive graphs by showing that the star normal quotient twisted wreath category also contains infinitely many graphs.

Measurement of Fumonisins in Maize Using a Portable Mass Spectrometer.

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that routinely contaminate maize. Their presence is monitored at multiple stages from harvest to final product. Immunoassays are routinely used to screen commodities in the field while laboratory-based methods, such as mass spectrometry (MS), are used for confirmation. The use of a portable mass spectrometer unlocks the potential to conduct confirmatory analyses outside of traditional laboratories. Herein, a portable mass spectrometer was used to measure fumonisins in maize. Samples were extracted with aqueous methanol, cleaned up on an immunoaffinity column, and tested with the portable MS. The limits of detection were 0.15, 0.19, and 0.28 mg/kg maize for fumonisins B1 (FB1), FB2/FB3, and total fumonisins, respectively. The corresponding limits of quantitation in maize were 0.33, 0.59, and 0.74 mg/kg. Recoveries ranged from 93.6% to 108.6%. However, RSDs ranged from 12.0 to 29.8%. The method was applied to the detection of fumonisins in 64 samples of maize collected as part of the Illinois Department of Agriculture's monitoring program. Good correlations were observed between the portable MS and a laboratory-based LC-MS method (r2 from 0.9132 to 0.9481). Results suggest the portable MS can be applied to the measurement of fumonisins in maize at levels relevant to international regulations.

Preclinical and Potential Applications of Common Western Herbal Supplements as Complementary Treatment in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder with a complex pathological etiology, which is not fully understood. Progression of PD may be the result of a buildup of iron in the substantia nigra, microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, dysfunctional mitochondria, or abnormal protein handling. Dopamine is the main neurotransmitter affected, but as the disease progresses, a decrease in all the brain's biogenic amines occurs. Current medication used in the treatment of PD aims to prevent the breakdown of dopamine or increase dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system. The complementary use of green tea (Camellia sinensis), red wine (Vitis vinifera), arctic root (Rhodiola rosea), and dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor) may have a greater therapeutic effect than current pharmaceutical drugs, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors or dopamine agonists alone. The bioactive components of these plants have been shown to have neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-proteinopathies, neural-vasodilation, anti-inflammatory, and iron chelating potential. They may treat the disease at the cellular level by decreasing microglia activation, attenuating damage from radical oxygen species, supporting correct protein folding, chelating iron, increasing the substantia nigra blood flow, and promoting dopaminergic cell growth. Although these alternative medicines appear to have potential, further human clinical trials need to be conducted to determine whether they could have a greater therapeutic effect than conventional medicines alone.