Activity of Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

One of the most studied plant species with insecticidal properties is the castor bean Ricinus communis. However, its activity against Spodoptera frugiperda is unclear. Therefore, to determinate the insecticidal and insectistatic activities of methanol, hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of the seeds and leaves of R. communis, castor oil and ricinine were tested at different concentrations against S. frugiperda. This study demonstrated for the first time, that the castor oil and ricinine are active ingredients of R. communis that acts against S. frugiperda and that each of the seed extracts exhibited better insecticidal and insectistatic activity than the leaf extracts. The half maximum larvae viability concentration (LVC50) were 0.38 × 103 ppm for the ricinine, 0.75 × 103 ppm for a methanol extract ofseeds, 1.97 × 103 ppm for an ethyl acetate seed extract, 2.69×103 ppm for the castor oil, 4.83 × 103 ppm for a methanol extract of leaves, 5.07 × 103 ppm for an ethyl acetate extract of leaves, 9.95 × 103 ppm fora hexane extract of seeds and 10.01 × 103 ppm for a hexane extract of leaves

Molecular and biochemical characterization of extracellular tannin acyl hydrolase activity from a Mexican isolate of Aspergillus niger

"Microbial tannase, a hydrolysable tannin-degrading enzyme, is extensively used in manufacture of instant tea, beer, wine, and gallic acid. Aspergillus niger strain, obtained from a Mexican tannery wastewaters rich in gallic acid [Quebracho Phenolics-rich Tannery Wastewaters, (QPTW)], displayed a good growth and tannase activity in a minimal medium added with 1% (w/v) QPTW (Kr= 0.451 mm.h-1). Using PCR and RACE 3´ and 5´methodologies, a complete cDNA of a tannase was cloned from this isolate.Nucleotide sequence of complete cDNA was of 4690 bp with a complete ORF of 1833 bp encoding 611 amino acids. Transcriptionalinduction was observed in mineral medium added with carbon sources as tannic acid alone (1 and 10 g/l), as well as mix of glucose(1 and 10 g/l) and tannic acid (1 g/l) in the media. However, neither glucose (1 and 10 g/l) and sucrose (1 and 10 g/l) nor (+)-catechin(1 and 10 g/l) as sole carbon sources displayed gene induction in in vitro assays. A. niger-GTO is a new strain with interesting characteristics for industrial tannase production purposes.

Impact of Demographic and Clinical Factors on Remote Patient Monitoring Acceptance

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp23/1128/thumbnail.jp

Potential of mathematical modeling in fruit quality

A review of mathematical modeling applied to fruit quality showed that these models ranged inresolution from simple yield equations to complex  representations of processes as respiration, photosynthesis and assimilation of nutrients. The latter models take into account complex  genotype environment interactions to estimate their effects on growth and yield. Recently, models are used to estimate seasonal changes in quality traits as fruit size, dry matter, water content and the concentration of sugars and acids, which are very important for flavor and aroma. These models have demonstrated their ability to generate relationships between physiological variables and quality attributes (allometric relations). This new kind of hybrid models has sufficient complexity to predict quality traits behavior

Genome-Wide Analysis of Grain Yield Stability and Environmental Interactions in a Multiparental Soybean Population

Genetic improvement toward optimized and stable agronomic performance of soybean genotypes is desirable for food security. Understanding how genotypes perform in different environmental conditions helps breeders develop sustainable cultivars adapted to target regions. Complex traits of importance are known to be controlled by a large number of genomic regions with small effects whose magnitude and direction are modulated by environmental factors. Knowledge of the constraints and undesirable effects resulting from genotype by environmental interactions is a key objective in improving selection procedures in soybean breeding programs. In this study, the genetic basis of soybean grain yield responsiveness to environmental factors was examined in a large soybean nested association population. For this, a genome-wide association to performance stability estimates generated from a Finlay-Wilkinson analysis and the inclusion of the interaction between marker genotypes and environmental factors was implemented. Genomic footprints were investigated by analysis and meta-analysis using a recently published multiparent model. Results indicated that specific soybean genomic regions were associated with stability, and that multiplicative interactions were present between environments and genetic background. Seven genomic regions in six chromosomes were identified as being associated with genotype-by-environment interactions. This study provides insight into genomic assisted breeding aimed at achieving a more stable agronomic performance of soybean, and documented opportunities to exploit genomic regions that were specifically associated with interactions involving environments and subpopulations

Modelling choice when price is a cue for quality: a case study with Chinese consumers

Experience products are those the quality of which cannot be ascertained until after consumption, forcing consumers to base their purchase decision on an expectation of the product's quality. This expected quality is based on cues available before purchase, among which price is noteworthy, as consumers tend to believe that higher prices imply higher quality. But price also stresses the consumers' budget restriction, inducing a double -and conflicting- global effect on purchase probability. Using the traditional formulation of Random Utility Models for experience goods (i.e. introducing all attributes directly in the utility function) can lead to an endogeneity problem due to the omission of expected quality, introducing bias on the results. Using a stated wine choice experiment conducted in China as a case study, we correct for endogeneity by modelling each alternative's expected quality as a latent variable, explained by all available quality cues, including price. Then we explain choice as a trade-off between price and expected quality. This allows us to separate both effects of price and correct for at least one source of endogeneity while being consistent with behavioural theory; this has either been ignored or not treated correctly in previous literature. Moreover, as the model requires only a single quality indicator for each alternative to achieve identification, the respondents’ burden increases marginally. Our results show that the use of latent variables reduces endogeneity and effectively allows to measure both effects of price separately, obtaining higher significance and correct signs for its parameters

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Assessment of Tropical Infectious Diseases—A Review of Applications and Perspectives

The development of good quality and affordable ultrasound machines has led to the establishment and implementation of numerous point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) protocols in various medical disciplines. POCUS for major infectious diseases endemic in tropical regions has received less attention, despite its likely even more pronounced benefit for populations with limited access to imaging infrastructure. Focused assessment with sonography for HIV-associated TB (FASH) and echinococcosis (FASE) are the only two POCUS protocols for tropical infectious diseases, which have been formally investigated and which have been implemented in routine patient care today. This review collates the available evidence for FASH and FASE, and discusses sonographic experiences reported for urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, viral hemorrhagic fevers, amebic liver abscess, and visceral leishmaniasis. Potential POCUS protocols are suggested and technical as well as training aspects in the context of resource-limited settings are reviewed. Using the focused approach for tropical infectious diseases will make ultrasound diagnosis available to patients who would otherwise have very limited or no access to medical imaging

Impacto de un programa de ejercicio sobre la Autoeficacia en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad

Introducción: En México la prevalencia combinada de sobrepeso y obesidad en muje- res es de 73%, problema de salud pública que se relaciona con las principales causas de muerte. Las principales estrategias se realizan a través de la práctica de ejercicio y alimentación saludable; sin embargo, no se ha tenido el impacto deseado; es necesario obtener indicadores cognitivos para fortalecer las estrategias de salud.Objetivo: Analizar el impacto de un programa de entrenamiento físico aeróbico gradual sobre el nivel de Autoeficacia (AE) para practicar ejercicio y dieta saludable en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad.Material y métodos: Se trató de un experimento en el que se incluyeron mujeres de 18 a 24 años con un IMC≥27. La muestra se conformó por 34 mujeres divididas en los grupos control y experimental (17 mujeres respectivamente), seleccionadas y asignadas median- te muestreo aleatorio. Las mediciones se realizaron mediante un inventario valido y con- fiable que mide la AE en dieta y ejercicio. La dosis de ejercicio fue calculada por la fórmula de Karvonen durante diez semanas de manera gradual y controlada. El estadístico utiliza- do fue un MANOVA de mediciones repetidas, se consideró un nivel de significancia <.05. Resultados: Posterior a la intervención se apreciaron cambios estadísticamente signi- ficativos, AE en ejercicio 40.3±4.0 vs. 35.8±5.4; y AE en dieta 85.8±10.5 vs. 78.8±10.7 (p<.05).Conclusiones: El ejercicio a la dosis establecida mejoró la condición de AE que favoreció la práctica de ejercicio y la dieta saludable en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad

Impacto de un programa de ejercicio sobre la Autoeficacia en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad

Introducción: En México la prevalencia combinada de sobrepeso y obesidad en muje- res es de 73%, problema de salud pública que se relaciona con las principales causas de muerte. Las principales estrategias se realizan a través de la práctica de ejercicio y alimentación saludable; sin embargo, no se ha tenido el impacto deseado; es necesario obtener indicadores cognitivos para fortalecer las estrategias de salud.Objetivo: Analizar el impacto de un programa de entrenamiento físico aeróbico gradual sobre el nivel de Autoeficacia (AE) para practicar ejercicio y dieta saludable en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad.Material y métodos: Se trató de un experimento en el que se incluyeron mujeres de 18 a 24 años con un IMC≥27. La muestra se conformó por 34 mujeres divididas en los grupos control y experimental (17 mujeres respectivamente), seleccionadas y asignadas median- te muestreo aleatorio. Las mediciones se realizaron mediante un inventario valido y con- fiable que mide la AE en dieta y ejercicio. La dosis de ejercicio fue calculada por la fórmula de Karvonen durante diez semanas de manera gradual y controlada. El estadístico utiliza- do fue un MANOVA de mediciones repetidas, se consideró un nivel de significancia <.05. Resultados: Posterior a la intervención se apreciaron cambios estadísticamente signi- ficativos, AE en ejercicio 40.3±4.0 vs. 35.8±5.4; y AE en dieta 85.8±10.5 vs. 78.8±10.7 (p<.05).Conclusiones: El ejercicio a la dosis establecida mejoró la condición de AE que favoreció la práctica de ejercicio y la dieta saludable en mujeres con sobrepeso y obesidad