Hyperspectral imaging to measure apricot attributes during storage

The fruit industry needs rapid and non-destructive techniques to evaluate the quality of the products in the field and during the post-harvest phase. The soluble solids content (SSC), in terms of °Brix, and the flesh firmness (FF) are typical parameters used to measure fruit quality and maturity state. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a powerful technique that combines image analysis and infrared spectroscopy. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of the application of the Vis/NIR push-broom hyperspectral imaging (400 to 1000 nm) to predict the firmness and the °Brix in apricots (180 samples) during storage (11 days). Partial least squares (PLS) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were used to develop predictive models. For the PLS, R2 values (test set) up to 0.85 (RMSEP=1.64 N) and 0.72 (RMSEP=0.51 °Brix) were obtained for the FF and SSC, respectively. Concerning the ANN, the best results in the test set were achieved for the FF (R2=0.85, RMSEP=1.50 N). The study showed the potential of the HSI technique as a non-destructive tool for measuring apricot quality even along the whole supply chain

Arthropod-Borne Disease Control at a Glance: What's New on Drug Development?

Discovering and validating effective drugs to manage arthropod-borne diseases (ABD) is a timely and important research challenge with major impacts on real-world control programs at the time of quick resistance development in the targeted pathogens. This editorial highlights major research advances in the development of drugs for the control of vector-borne diseases, with a significant focus on malaria, Chagas disease, dengue, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and Zika. Broad reviews providing new insights on ABD recently published in Molecules have also been covered in "The Editors' pick" section

Lysenko and the screwworm fly—when politics interferes with science and public health

In the One Health scenario, a deep understanding of the dynamics potentially threatening the development and implementation of useful pest and vector management tools is of key importance. The New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is characterized by a wide host range. It acts as an important agent of myiasis in humans and warm-blooded animals in the Neotropics, and has been eliminated from a wide region through genetic methods. Of note, Serebrovsky had already proposed in 1940 the principles of autocidal control by the translocation of segments between two chromosomes, but his work was negated by Lysenko, based on the negation of Mendelian genetics. This entomological case study emphasizes the danger of politics interfering with science, a still contemporary hot issue. The negation of global warming or current pandemics are further examples of this noxious influence

Insights on Funeral Practices and Insects Associated with the Tombs of King Ferrante II d'Aragona and Other Renaissance Nobles

The impressive Sacristy of the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore contains 38 wooden sarcophagi with the bodies of 10 Aragonese princes and other Neapolitan nobles, who died in the 15th and 16th centuries. To improve the knowledge about the entomofauna associated with bodies in archaeological contexts, herein we provide insights on the funerary practices and the insect community associated to Ferrante II King of Naples and other Italian Renaissance mummies of the Aragonese dynasty buried in the Basilica of St. Domenico Maggiore. We identified 842 insect specimens: 88% were Diptera (Muscidae, Fanniidae, and Phoridae), followed by 9% Lepidoptera (Tineidae) and 3% Coleoptera (Dermestidae and Ptinidae). Ninety-seven percent of the specimens were collected from the coffin of Francesco Ferdinando d'Avalos, which was the best preserved. A lack of fly species characterizing the first colonization waves of exposed bodies was noted. The most common fly was the later colonizing muscid Hydrotaea capensis (Wiedemann); only a few Fanniidae (Fannia spp.) were retrieved. The lack of blowflies, coupled with recording H. capensis as the dominant fly, supports our hypothesis that corpses have been kept indoors for a long time under confined environmental conditions. Other explanations include odorous oils/balms having been used in the embalming process, causing the delay or stopping the arrival of first colonizer flies. Hermetically sealing of the coffin with bitumen may also have played a role in preventing access to the corpses. This scenario describes a historical context characterized by a well-advanced knowledge of body preparation, with specific burial techniques adopted for nobles

Ethical issues in national pandemic influenza plans

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Drying Techniques and Storage: Do They Affect the Nutritional Value of Bee-Collected Pollen?

In this study, the effect of different drying processes (freeze-drying (FD), microwave-assisted drying (MWD) and classic hot air drying (HAD)) on the polyphenols, flavonoids, and amino acids content was investigated on bee-collected chestnut, willow and ivy pollen for human consumption. Furthermore, the pollen chemical properties were monitored after three and six months of storage, and then analyzed using a multivariate approach. Chestnut pollen was the richest source of polyphenols, flavonoids, and rutin, while ivy pollen contained the highest amount of total and free amino acids, and total and free proline. Drying and storage affected pollen chemical composition with species-dependent effects. MWD allowed the best retention of flavonoids in chestnut pollen for up to six months of storage. All drying techniques led to a depletion of flavonoids in willow pollen; however, MWD ensured the highest flavonoids content after six months. FD and MWD did not lead to flavonoids depletion in ivy pollen during storage. Additionally, storage did not affect the rutin content, which was highest in FD willow samples after six months. Notably, both FD and MWD techniques are efficient in preserving amino acids-related quality of bee pollen up to six months of storage

A New Wood Surface Flame-Retardant Based on Poly-m-Aramid Electrospun Nanofibers

Poly(meta-phenylene isophtalamide) (PMIA) was processed via electrospinning to provide nanofibrous membranes with randomly and aligned fibers. Mechanical performance of such membranes was evaluated, applying a normalization procedure that takes into account the peculiar morphology of such complex substrate where voids can sum up to almost 80% of the sample volume. Random and aligned fibers membranes are applied onto wood panels to test their fire resistance in cone calorimetry when coated in polyaramidic thin nanofiber mats. Tests highlighted that random fibers provide a better fire protection, increasing Time to Ignition and decreasing the Fire Performance Index. Another important parameter affecting the performance is the adhesive system used to apply the nanofibers onto wood that is able to significantly modify the fire performance of the polyaramidic-coated wood panels. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2019. (c) 2019 Society of Plastics Engineer

In vivo pretreatment of Eudrilus eugeniae powder attenuates β-adrenoceptor toxicity mediated by isoproterenol in rat model

Abstract The present study was designed to discover the potential cardioprotective function of earthworm powder (EWP) extracted from Eudrilus eugeniae on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction in male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into four groups, with six rats in each group. Certain rats were pretreated with EWP (200 mg/kg bwt) (Group III), and a myocardial infarction was then induced by subcutaneous injection of ISO (85 mg/kg bwt) (Group II). Oral pretreatment of 200 mg/kg bwt of EWP for 28 days significantly (p > 0.05) improved the blood profile levels, including (a) the lipid profile of total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acids (FFA), and triglycerides (TG); (b) low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and protein; and (c) A/G ratio, glucose and uric acid levels. The electrophoretic pattern of elevated lactose dehydrogenase (LDH) levels was recovered by EWP treatment as evidenced by comparison with ISO-induced rats with cardiac damage. The above results indicate that EWP (200 mg/kg bwt) provides a cardioprotective effect by attenuating the blood profile, lipid profile, biochemical levels, and LDH patterns in rats that experienced an ISO-induced myocardial infarction

Comparison between Two Different Two-Stage Transperineal Approaches to Treat Urethral Strictures or Bladder Neck Contracture Associated with Severe Urinary Incontinence that Occurred after Pelvic Surgery: Report of Our Experience

Introduction. The recurrence of urethral/bladder neck stricture after multiple endoscopic procedures is a rare complication that can follow prostatic surgery and its treatment is still controversial. Material and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed our data on 17 patients, operated between September 2001 and January 2010, who presented severe urinary incontinence and urethral/bladder neck stricture after prostatic surgery and failure of at least four conservative endoscopic treatments. Six patients underwent a transperineal urethrovesical anastomosis and 11 patients a combined transperineal suprapubical (endoscopic) urethrovesical anastomosis. After six months the patients that presented complete incontinence and no urethral stricture underwent the implantation of an artificial urethral sphincter (AUS). Results. After six months 16 patients were completely incontinent and presented a patent, stable lumen, so that they underwent an AUS implantation. With a mean followup of 50.5 months, 14 patients are perfectly continent with no postvoid residual urine. Conclusions. Two-stage procedures are safe techniques to treat these challenging cases. In our opinion, these cases could be managed with a transperineal approach in patients who present a perfect operative field; on the contrary, in more difficult cases, it would be preferable to use the other technique, with a combined transperineal suprapubical access, to perform a pull-through procedure

Identification and synthesis of new sex-specific components of olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) female rectal gland, through original Negishi reactions on supported catalysts

In the present study, eleven new sex-specific components extracted from female rectal gland of olive fruit flies were synthesized and identified. The quantitative determination of those components by GC and GC/EI-MS, at different moments of the insect life span, highlighted the growing trend of their secretion. While for the synthesis of saturated esters, conventional transesterification methods could be adopted, for the synthesis of unsaturated components, a Negishi cross-coupling between organozinc halides and (Z)-1-bromo-1-alkenes was developed. To the extent of our knowledge, this reaction represents the first example of supported-catalyst promoted Negishi coupling, between an alkylzinc reagent and an alkenyl halide