Defining Overlooked Structures Reveals New Associations between the Cortex and Cognition in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.

Recent work suggests that indentations of the cerebral cortex, or sulci, may be uniquely vulnerable to atrophy in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that the posteromedial cortex (PMC) is particularly vulnerable to atrophy and pathology accumulation. However, these studies did not consider small, shallow, and variable tertiary sulci that are located in association cortices and are often associated with human-specific aspects of cognition. Here, we manually defined 4,362 PMC sulci in 432 hemispheres in 216 human participants (50.5% female) and found that these smaller putative tertiary sulci showed more age- and AD-related thinning than larger, more consistent sulci, with the strongest effects for two newly uncovered sulci. A model-based approach relating sulcal morphology to cognition identified that a subset of these sulci was most associated with memory and executive function scores in older adults. These findings lend support to the retrogenesis hypothesis linking brain development and aging and provide new neuroanatomical targets for future studies of aging and AD.

Mitigating cold stress in rice: a study of genotype performance and sowing time.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an essential food for half of the global population and is vital in maintaining global food security. Climate change, increasing population and recent incident of COVID pandemic has generated financial burden and threaten the global food security. Due to theses factors rice cultivation also has to face significant challenges. frequent weather changes pose a considerable challenge to agricultural planning, which was previously relaying on consistent seasonal variations. In this context, rice cultivation is particularly sensitive to cold, where its development and productivity inhibited by low temperatures (< 18 °C). Developing rice varietes with low temprature tolerence and good yield potential is one of the major goals of current breeding efforts of plant scientists. For this purpose, short duration and early rice varieties are most favorable to avoid cold stress and yield more in less number of days. this study was designed to investigate the effect of low temperatures on different rice varieties. the study was designed to identify low temprature tolerent genotypes with early and regular cultivation. For this, thirty-four genotypes were evaluated in two gorwing seasons (2018-2019) with four different sowing times. Statistically sowing time showed significant interaction between all yield contributing parameters. The data indicate that exposure to low temperatures during the reproductive phase prolongs the maturation period of the crop, also length of the panicle and the fertility of the spikelets drops, resulting in a significant decrease in the production of sensitive varieties. Some varieties are more sensitive to cold stress compared to others. In the Egyptian context, Giza176, Sakha104, and Sakha107 are recommended for early cultivation, while the genotypes Giza 179, Sakha101, Sakha104, and GZ 9730-1-1-1-1 are indicated for the normal cultivation period. The Sakha104 variety is particularly notable, as it is recommended for both purposes. In addition, the data obtained in this study provide valuable information for selecting rice varieties suitable for double cropping in the North Delta of Egypt. This study also contributes to the existing literature, providing insights into the resilience of rice cultivation in the face of climate change.

Shaping the Microbial Landscape: Parasitoid-Driven Modifications of Bactrocera dorsalis Microbiota.

Koinobiont endoparasitoids regulate the physiology of their hosts through altering host immuno-metabolic responses, processes which function in tandem to shape the composition of the microbiota of these hosts. Here, we employed 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing to investigate whether parasitization by the parasitoid wasps, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmaed) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Psyttalia cosyrae (Wilkinson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), induces gut dysbiosis and differentially alter the gut microbial (bacteria and fungi) communities of an important horticultural pest, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). We further investigated the composition of bacterial communities of adult D. longicaudata and P. cosyrae to ascertain whether the adult parasitoids and parasitized host larvae share microbial taxa through transmission. We demonstrated that parasitism by D. longicaudata induced significant gut perturbations, resulting in the colonization and increased relative abundance of pathogenic gut bacteria. Some pathogenic bacteria like Stenotrophomonas and Morganella were detected in both the guts of D. longicaudata-parasitized B. dorsalis larvae and adult D. longicaudata wasps, suggesting a horizontal transfer of microbes from the parasitoid to the host. The bacterial community of P. cosyrae adult wasps was dominated by Arsenophonus nasoniae, whereas that of D. longicaudata adults was dominated by Paucibater spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Parasitization by either parasitoid wasp was associated with an overall reduction in fungal diversity and evenness. These findings indicate that unlike P. cosyrae which is avirulent to B. dorsalis, parasitization by D. longicaudata induces shifts in the gut bacteriome of B. dorsalis larvae to a pathobiont-dominated community. This mechanism possibly enhances its virulence against the pest, further supporting its candidacy as an effective biocontrol agent of this frugivorous tephritid fruit fly pest.

The disconnect between metamemory and memory for emotional images.

Emotional information is reliably predicted to be remembered better than neutral information, and this has been found for words, images, and facial expressions. However, many studies find that these judgments of learning (JOLs) are not predictive of memory performance (e.g. [Hourihan, K. L. (2020). Misleading emotions: Judgments of learning overestimate recognition of negative and positive emotional images. Cognition and Emotion, 34(4), 771-782. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2019.1682972]). The present study investigates and rules out numerous potential causes for this discrepancy between memory predictions and performance, including (1) reactivity to making JOLs, (2) idiosyncrasies of specific images used, (3), type of memory test, and (4) effects of fluency. Three additional experiments investigate whether JOLs can become more predictive of memory performance, either by experience with the task or by manipulating prior beliefs about memory for emotional images. In all experiments, we found the same effect: Emotional images are inaccurately predicted to be remembered better than neutral images. The results suggest that emotion is used as a heuristic for learning, resulting in low metamnemonic accuracy for emotional stimuli.

Brain Cancer Drug Discovery: Clinical Trials, Drug Classes, Targets, and Combinatorial Therapies.

Brain cancer is a formidable challenge for drug development, and drugs derived from many cutting-edge technologies are being tested in clinical trials. We manually characterized 981 clinical trials on brain tumors that were registered in ClinicalTrials.gov from 2010 to 2020. We identified 582 unique therapeutic entities targeting 581 unique drug targets and 557 unique treatment combinations involving drugs. We performed the classification of both the drugs and drug targets based on pharmacological and structural classifications. Our analysis demonstrates a large diversity of agents and targets. Currently, we identified 32 different pharmacological directions for therapies that are based on 42 structural classes of agents. Our analysis shows that kinase inhibitors, chemotherapeutic agents, and cancer vaccines are the three most common classes of agents identified in trials. Agents in clinical trials demonstrated uneven distribution in combination approaches; chemotherapy agents, proteasome inhibitors, and immune modulators frequently appeared in combinations, whereas kinase inhibitors, modified immune effector cells did not as was shown by combination networks and descriptive statistics. This analysis provides an extensive overview of the drug discovery field in brain cancer, shifts that have been happening in recent years, and challenges that are likely to come. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This review provides comprehensive quantitative analysis and discussion of the brain cancer drug discovery field, including classification of drug, targets, and therapies.

Detecting valence from unidentified images: A link between familiarity and positivity in recognition without identification.

Research using the Recognition Without Identification paradigm (Cleary & Greene, 2000, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 26[4], 1063-1069; Peynircioǧlu, 1990, Journal of Memory and Language, 29, 493-500) has found that participants can discriminate between old and new stimuli even when the stimuli are obscured to a degree that they are unidentifiable. This methodology has been adapted in the past by using heavily obscured threatening and nonthreatening images and asking participants to try to identify each image followed by a familiarity rating of the image. Past results showed that threatening images that were not able to be identified were rated as more familiar than nonthreatening images that were not able to be identified (Cleary et al., 2013, Memory & Cognition, 41, 989-999). The current study used a similar methodology to explore the possibility that a sense of familiarity can serve to guide our attention toward potential threats in the environment. However, contrary to earlier results, we found that positive images were rated as more familiar than negative images. This pattern was found with both identified and unidentified images and was replicated across five experiments. The current findings are consistent with the view that feelings of positivity and familiarity are closely linked (e.g., de Vries et al., 2010, Psychological Science, 21[3], 321-328; Garcia-Marques et al., 2004, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 585-593; Monin, 2003, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85[6], 1035-1048).

Integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Throughout the Lifecycle of Artificial Intelligence for Better Health and Oral Health Care: A Workshop Summary.

Professors Elham Emami and Samira Rahimi organized and co-led an international interdisciplinary workshop in June 2023 at McGill University, built upon an intersectoral approach addressing equity, diversity and inclusion within the field of AI.

Extracellular vesicles in cancer nanomedicine.

To date, a lot of nanotechnological optitions are available for targeted drug delivery. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane structures that cells use for storage, transport, communication, and signaling. Recent research has focused on EVs as natural nanoparticles for drug delivery. This review sheds light on the application of EVs in cancer therapy, such as targeted chemotherapy, gene therapy, and vaccine development. Aspects of biogenesis, isolation, targeting, and loading of EVs are discussed in detail.

Chemical Cues From Honeydew and Cuticular Extracts of Trialeurodes Vaporariorum Serve as Kairomones for The Parasitoid Encarsia Formosa.

Kairomones are semiochemicals that are emitted by an organism and which mediate interspecific interaction that is of benefit to an organism of another species that receives these chemical substances. Parasitoids find and recognize their hosts through eavesdropping on the kairomones emitted from the by-products or the body of the host. Hemipteran insect pests feed on plant sap and excrete the digested plant materials as honeydew. Honeydew serves as a nutritional food source for parasitoids and a medium for micro-organisms whose activity induces the release of volatiles exploited by parasitoids for host location. The parasitoid Encarsia formosa preferentially parasitizes its host, the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, on tomato Solanum lycopersicum, but little is known about the chemicals that mediate these interactions. We investigated the olfactory responses of the parasitoid E. formosa to odours from honeydew and nymphs of T. vaporariorum in a Y-tube olfactometer. Arrestment behaviour of the parasitoid to honeydew and nymph extracts, as well as to synthetic hydrocarbons, was also observed in Petri-dish bioassays. We found that T. vaporariorum honeydew volatiles attracted the parasitoid E. formosa but odours from the whitefly nymphs did not. We also found that the parasitoid spent more time searching on areas treated with extracts of honeydew and nymphs than on untreated areas. Gas-chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the honeydew volatiles contained compounds such as (Z)-3-hexenol, δ-3-carene, 3-octanone, α-phellandrene, methyl salicylate, ß-ocimene, ß-myrcene, and (E)-ß-caryophyllene which are known to be attractive to E. formosa. The cuticular extracts of the nymphs predominantly contained alkanes, alkenes, and esters. Among the alkanes, synthetic nonacosane arrested the parasitoid. Our findings are discussed in relation to how the parasitoid E. formosa uses these chemicals to locate its host, T. vaporariorum.

Disentangling thermal effects using life cycle simulation modelling on the biology and demographic parameters of Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris, a parasitoid of Tuta absoluta.

Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh) (Syn. Apanteles gelechiidivoris) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a konoibiont larval endoparasitoid of the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), was imported into Kenya in 2017 for the first classical biological control of T. absoluta in Africa. We determined the thermal thresholds of D. gelechiidivoris, with T. absoluta as host, using life cycle simulation modelling. Life-table data of D. gelechiidivoris were generated at six constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C, 65 ± 5% RH, and 12L: 12D photoperiod). Multiple non-linear functions were fitted to model some aspects of the biology of the parasitoid, including its longevity, mortality, reproduction, and senescence using Insect Life Cycle Modelling (ILCYM) software. The phenology models established were used to estimate life table parameters. Except at 35 °C, D. gelechiidivoris completed its development (i.e., egg-larval-pupa-adult) at all tested temperatures. The minimum temperature threshold from egg to cocoon was 7.0 °C and 5.9 °C from cocoon to adult wasp, while the maximum temperature thresholds were 34 °C and 36 °C, respectively. The optimal temperature for immature survival was 20-25 °C, while fecundity was optimum at 22.5 °C, with 69.5 eggs per female. Simulations of the population growth parameters indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was maximum at 20 °C with 15 daughters per female per generation. Based on our findings the release of D. gelechiidivoris for inoculative augmentation in countries with temperatures ranging between 15 and 30 °C could be considered to control the pest.

Serologic and molecular studies to identify neonatal alloimmune neutropenia in a cohort of 10,000 neonates.

Neonatal alloimmune neutropenia (NAIN) is caused by maternal alloimmunisation to fetal human neutrophil antigens (HNAs). This study investigated maternal HNA/HLA alloantibodies involved with NAIN and identified the frequency of NAIN in Brazilian neonates. Neonatal neutropenia (neutrophil count < 1.5 × 109 /L) was investigated in samples from 10,000 unselected neonates, resulting in 88 neutropenic newborns (NBs) and their 83 mothers. Genotyping was performed by PCR-SSP (HNA-1/-4) and PCR-RFLP (HNA-3/-5). Serologic studies were performed by GAT (granulocyte agglutination test), Flow-WIFT (white blood cells immunofluorescence test) and LABScreen-Multi-HNA-Kit (OneLambda®) (LSM). Neonatal neutropenia was identified in 88/10,000 (0·9%) NBs. Genotyping revealed 60·2% maternal-fetal HNA incompatibilities (31·8% for HNA-1; 14·8% for HNA-3; 15·9% for HNA-4; 21·6% for HNA-5). Serologic studies revealed 37·3% of mothers with positive results with at least one technique. The detected anti-HNA specificities were confirmed in eight positive cases related to HNA-1/-3 systems. In cases with maternal-fetal HNA-4/-5 incompatibility, no specific neutrophil alloantibodies were found but anti-HLA I/II were present. Anti-HNA-2 was not identified. This is a large Brazilian study which involved the investigation of antibodies against all five HNA systems in neutropenia cases and showed a frequency of NAIN in 8/10,000 neonates. Among the HNA antibodies identified, we highlight the anti-HNA-1d and anti-HNA-3b, antibodies unusual in alloimmunised women, and rarely related to NAIN cases.

The Role of Trialeurodes vaporariorum-Infested Tomato Plant Volatiles in the Attraction of Encarsia formosa (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae).

Natural enemies locate their herbivorous host and prey through kairomones emitted by host plants and herbivores. These kairomones could be exploited to attract and retain natural enemies in crop fields for insect pest control. The parasitoid Encarsia formosa preferentially parasitises its whitefly host, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, a major pest of tomato Solanum lycopersicum, thus offering an effective way to improve whitefly control. However, little is known about the chemical interactions that occur in E. formosa-T. vaporariorum-S. lycopersicum tritrophic system. Using behavioural assays and chemical analyses, we investigated the kairomones mediating attraction of the parasitoid to host-infested tomato plants. In Y-tube olfactometer bioassays, unlike volatiles of healthy tomato plants, those of T. vaporariorum-infested tomato plants attracted E. formosa, and this response varied with host infestation density. Coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometric analyses revealed that host infestation densities induced varying qualitative and quantitative differences in volatile compositions between healthy and T. vaporariorum adult-infested tomato plants. Bioassays using synthetic chemicals revealed the attractiveness of 3-carene, ß-ocimene, ß-myrcene and α-phellandrene to the parasitoid, and the blend of the four compounds elicited the greatest attraction. Our results suggest that these terpenes could be used as an attractant lure to recruit the parasitoid E. formosa for the control of whiteflies in tomato crop fields.

Synthesis and characterization of new thiazole-based Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes; therapeutic function of thiazole towards COVID-19 in comparing to current antivirals in treatment protocol.

Two thiazole-based complexes were prepared from Co(II) and Cu(II) ions. The new ligand and its complexes were fully characterized by analytical and spectral techniques. The ligand behaved as a neutral tridentate in its keto-form towards the metals via O(8), O(10) and O(18) atoms. This was suggested based on the lower shift of υ(CH[bond, double bond]O), υ(C[bond, double bond]O)amide and υ(C-O) vibrations. The electronic transitions in Co(II)-HL and Cu(II)-HL complexes displayed d-d- transitions which belong to 4T1g→4A2g(F) & 4T1g(F)→4T1g (P) and 2Eg →2T2g, in the two complexes, respectively. ESR spectrum of Cu(II)-HL complex displayed g-factor by the following order; g//(2.1740)>g⊥(2.0935)>2.0023, which agrees with octahedral geometry. The geometry optimization was executed by DFT/B3LYP method under valence double zeta polarized basis set (6-31G*), to confirm the structural forms and the mode of bonding. The orientation and the charges of O(8), O(10) and O(18) atoms, support the coordination of the ligand in its keto-form with the metal ions. Pharmacophore profiles were obtained regarding thiazole ligand and other recommended drugs (arbidol, avigan and idoxuridine) that used in treatment protocol of COVID-19 pandemic. Also, query was run in MolPort-library to obtain antiviral analogues, to broaden the search for an effective treatment. Three analogues were obtained for arbidol, avigan and idoxuridine drugs, which have the following numbers; MolPort-047-605-644, MolPort-004-768-508 and MolPort-028-750-709, respectively. Moreover, molecular docking was carried out to obtain all interaction details and rank the efficiency of thiazole compound versus the three antivirals in their interaction with the two COVID-19 proteins. The outcomes suggested the significant antiviral activity of idoxuridine and thiazole (enol-form), which not reach to eliminate the pandemic exactly. While, arbidol and avigan did not have an effective antiviral role, although they still used in COVID-19 treatment protocol.

Umbilical vein injection of 400 versus 800 µg misoprostol for the treatment of retained placenta: A multicenter, randomized double-blind controlled trial.

AIMS: This trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of umbilical vein injection of 400 versus 800 µg misoprostol to deliver retained placenta and to compare both regimens regarding the time of placental delivery and amount of vaginal blood loss. METHODS: A double-blind, multicenter randomized clinical trial was undertaken in four teaching hospitals in the North of Iraq and Al-Azhar University Hospital in Egypt, from March 2016 to May 2019. Group I (274 women) received 400 µg misoprostol and group II (249 women) received 800 µg misoprostol. Data regarding the time of placental separation and amount of vaginal blood loss were analyzed and proportions were compared between groups using Chi-squared test. Mean values were compared using the Student's t-test. The Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the median of vaginal blood loss. RESULTS: The proportion of placental separation was 84.3% among women in group I and 86.7% of women in group II. The mean time of placental separation was 18.86 ± 234.2 and 17.86 ± 213.09 min in groups I and II, respectively (P < 0.05).The mean hemoglobin levels on admission and 24 h after placental deliveries were significantly higher in group I than group II. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-umbilical injection of 400 and 800 µg misoprostol were both safe and effective methods for delivery of retained placenta.

Sexual Satisfaction Among Infertile Couples: Demographics and Psychosocial Health Factors.

The purpose of the current study was to explore sexual satisfaction among infertile couples in Jordan and its associations with psychosocial and sociodemographic factors. Using a descriptive correlational design, 248 infertile couples from outpatient clinics were recruited and filled out a questionnaire on sexual satisfaction, in addition to perceived social support, depressive symptoms, psychological stress, coping skills, optimism, life satisfaction, and sociodemographics. Sexual satisfaction was significantly and positively correlated with perceived social support, optimism, life satisfaction, and coping. Stronger association was observed between sexual satisfaction and optimism. No difference was found in sexual satisfaction in relation to participants' gender, age, working status, or education. This study highlights the importance of building mental health nurses' competence to provide education and counseling on sexuality to improve the quality of life of infertile couples and optimize their sexual wellness. The most recent guidelines for psychosocial care for infertile couples are discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(9), 40-47.].

Evaluation of free and total fluoride concentration in mouthwashes via measurement with ion-selective electrode.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare free fluoride concentration and total fluoride concentration in mouthwashes. METHODS: Fluorine-containing mouthwashes from various companies and manufacturers (Colgate Total Plax Classic Mint®, Colgate-Palmolive, New York, USA; Colgate Total Plax Gentle Mint®, Colgate-Palmolive, New York, USA; Colgate Total Plax Fresh Mint®, Colgate-Palmolive, New York, USA; Oral B Advantage®, Procter&Gamble, Cincinnati, USA; Reach Fresh Mint®, Johnson&Johnson, New Brunswick, USA; Foramen®, Laboratorios Foramen, Guarnizo, Spain; Lacalut Sensitive®, Dr. THEISS, Homburg, Germany; Sensodyne®, GlaxoSmithKline, London, UK; Vesna F®, Vita, Saint Petersburg, Russia; Lacalut Fresh®, Dr. THEISS, Homburg, Germany) were selected as study objects. Fluoride measurements were carried out using the fluoride selective electrode. RESULTS: Free fluoride:total fluoride ratio was more than 80% for six samples (Colgate Total Plax Gentle Mint® - 88%, Colgate Total Plax Fresh Mint® - 99%, Oral B Advantage® - 92%, Reach Fresh Mint® - 92 and 89% for the mouthwash of another batch, Lacalut Sensitive® - 94%) and less than 63% for three samples (Colgate Total Plax Classic Mint® - 56%, Foramen® - 62%, Vesna F® - 61%). Two samples had more than 70% and less than 80% of unbound fluoride, respectively (Sensodyne® - 77%, another batch of Oral B Advantage® mouthwash - 74%). Rinse containing sodium monofluorophosphate (Na2PO3F) (Vesna F®) had more than 50% of free fluoride, while the rinse containing amine fluoride (AmF) (Lacalut Sensitive®) had 94%. The difference in the free fluoride:total fluoride ratio can be explained by binding of fluoride ions by components contained in mouthwashes, such as coloring agents and polymeric compounds. The lowest concentration of free fluoride ions (0.000093 mol/L) was observed for aluminum fluoride (AlF3) rinse (Lacalut Fresh®), while the total fluoride amount was not determined due to possible generation of strong fluoride complexes. This implies that fluoride ions will not be uptaken by tooth tissue and may even be washed away from it, compromising the efficacy of mouthwashes. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in free fluoride: total fluoride ratio between analyzed mouthwashes reveal a need to develop a method for evaluation of free fluorides in mouthwashes for proper updating of national and international guidelines.

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Gene Promotor Polymorphism Is Associated with Increased Fibrosis in Biliary Atresia Patients, but Not with Disease Susceptibility.

Two polymorphisms, rs755622 and rs5844572, in the promoter region of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene influence the basal and/or induced transcriptional activity and have been linked to several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between these two polymorphisms and disease susceptibility in patients with biliary atresia (BA). Allele frequencies of rs755622 and rs5844572 were assessed in 60 Egyptian infants with a confirmed diagnosis of BA. DNA was extracted from archival material. For the rs755622, samples were tested using Taqman real-time PCR, and for the rs5844572, samples were tested using fluorescence-based genotyping. The allele frequency in the general population was assessed in 141 healthy adults from the same geographical location. No statistical differences were observed in the allele frequencies of either rs755622 or rs5844572 between BA patients and controls. The homozygous and heterozygous short repeats (5/5, or 5/X) of rs5844572 were observed more frequently (16/28, 57.1%) in BA patients with mild to moderate fibrosis compared with those with marked fibrosis (10/32, 31.3%). The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.032). In conclusion, we observed no association between MIF rs755622 and rs5844572 polymorphisms and susceptibility to BA; however, the rs5844572 could be linked to the rate of progression of the disease and extent of fibrosis.

Taxonomy, Ecology, and Management of Native and Exotic Fruit Fly Species in Africa.

Horticulture is one of the most important agricultural subsectors in Africa, providing income, creating employment opportunities, and enhancing food and nutritional security. However, tephritid fruit flies are responsible for both direct and indirect losses, with alien invasive species often having the most severe ecological and economic impact. In the past 20 years, systematic analysis of tephritids has provided comparative information on taxonomy, synonymy, and character-state differentiation. New molecular techniques are now available for identifying species, reconstructing phylogenies, and studying population genetic structures. Research on biology, host range and shifts, thermotolerance, and demography has provided useful information for developing predictive and ecological niche models to guide management methods. In recent years, the responses of various species to attractants have been documented. Several suppression methods, including the release of coevolved parasitoid species targeting invasives, have been promoted within the context of integrated pest management, leading to improvement in the quality and quantity of fruits and vegetables produced. However, there is still the need for wide-scale availability of these technologies to smallholder growers across Africa.

The effects of Brazilian propolis on etiological agents of mastitis and the viability of bovine mammary gland explants.

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the antimicrobial activity of Brazilian propolis from Urupema, São Joaquim, and Agua Doce (Santa Catarina State) and green propolis from Minas Gerais State, and the effects of propolis on bovine mammary gland explant viability. The propolis samples differed in flavonoid content and antioxidant activity. Green propolis showed the highest content of flavonoids, followed by the sample from São Joaquim. The propolis from Urupema showed the lowest flavonoid content along with the lowest antioxidant activity. The total phenolics were similar across all studied samples. Despite phytochemical differences, the propolis samples from Minas Gerais, São Joaquim, and Urupema presented the same level of antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus strains. The reduction in S. aureus growth was, on average, 1.5 and 4 log10 times at 200 and 500 µg/mL, respectively. At concentrations of 1,000 µg/mL, all propolis reduced bacterial growth to zero. On the other hand, when the propolis were tested against strains of Escherichia coli, the samples presented weak antimicrobial activity. Mammary explants were maintained in culture for 96h without a loss in viability, demonstrating the applicability of the model in evaluating the toxicity of propolis. The origin and chemical composition of the propolis had an effect on mammary explant viability. We encountered inhibitory concentrations of 272.4, 171.8, 63.85, and 13.26 µg/mL for the propolis from Água Doce, Urupema, São Joaquim, and Mina Gerais, respectively. A clear association between greater antimicrobial activity and toxicity for mammary explants was observed. Of all propolis tested, the Urupema sample was noteworthy, as it showed antimicrobial activity at less toxic concentrations than the other samples, reducing bacterial growth to an average of 9.3 × 10(2) cfu/mL after 6h of contact using 200 µg/mL of extract. The results demonstrate the potential for Brazilian propolis in the treatment of mastitis, although effectiveness is dependent on geographical origin and concentration. The results from the mammary gland explant assays are promising for the investigation of other natural products with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that can be used in the intramammary treatment of subclinical mastitis and during dry cow therapy.

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: focus on the cancer hallmark of tumor angiogenesis.

One of the important 'hallmarks' of cancer is angiogenesis, which is the process of formation of new blood vessels that are necessary for tumor expansion, invasion and metastasis. Under normal physiological conditions, angiogenesis is well balanced and controlled by endogenous proangiogenic factors and antiangiogenic factors. However, factors produced by cancer cells, cancer stem cells and other cell types in the tumor stroma can disrupt the balance so that the tumor microenvironment favors tumor angiogenesis. These factors include vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelial tissue factor and other membrane bound receptors that mediate multiple intracellular signaling pathways that contribute to tumor angiogenesis. Though environmental exposures to certain chemicals have been found to initiate and promote tumor development, the role of these exposures (particularly to low doses of multiple substances), is largely unknown in relation to tumor angiogenesis. This review summarizes the evidence of the role of environmental chemical bioactivity and exposure in tumor angiogenesis and carcinogenesis. We identify a number of ubiquitous (prototypical) chemicals with disruptive potential that may warrant further investigation given their selectivity for high-throughput screening assay targets associated with proangiogenic pathways. We also consider the cross-hallmark relationships of a number of important angiogenic pathway targets with other cancer hallmarks and we make recommendations for future research. Understanding of the role of low-dose exposure of chemicals with disruptive potential could help us refine our approach to cancer risk assessment, and may ultimately aid in preventing cancer by reducing or eliminating exposures to synergistic mixtures of chemicals with carcinogenic potential.