Activities of two Major Lichen Compounds, Diffractaic Acid and Usnic Acid against Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, 1824 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Two major lichen compounds (diffractaic and usnic acids), isolated from Usnea longissima Ach. were tested against 4th instar larvae and adults of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h under laboratory conditions. Durations and mortalities were recorded at various concentrations (1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg. ml-1). Results showed that secondary metabolites of U. longissima had a significant insecticidal potential against larvae and adults of L. decemlineata. Mortality rates after 96 h of treatment, with the highest concentration (10 mg. ml-1) of diffractaic and usnic acids, were 100 and 70% for adults and 100 and 80% for larvae, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control treatment. Bioassay tests with diffractaic and usnic acids revealed that the 96 h median lethal concentration (LC50) values were 1.783 and 4.048 mg. ml-1 for adults and 1.509 and 2.759 mg. ml-1, for larvae of L. decemlineata, respectively. The present results suggest that the lichen secondary metabolites may have a potential action for control of L. decemlineata 4th instar larvae and adults

Insecticidal Activity of Lichens against the Maize Weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae

Extracts of Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue and Peltigera rufescens (Weiss) Humb. lichen species and two major lichen compounds (diffractaic and usnic acids), isolated from Usnea longissima Ach., were tested against adults of the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky under laboratory conditions at various concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg.ml-1 for extracts and 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mg.ml-1 for major compounds) and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h period. Results showed that both the extracts and the secondary metabolites of U. longissima had significant insecticidal effects on adults of S. zeamais. Mortality rate was the highest at 96 h period at the treatment of maximum concentration of extracts (20 mg.ml -1) and compounds (10 mg.ml-1). The mortality rates attained 96.97, 95.96, 96.97 and 76.77% for L. vulpine, P. rufescens, diffractaic and usnic acids, respectively. No mortality was found in the control. The present results suggest that the lichen extracts and the secondary metabolites can provide a good potential for the control of S. zeamais adults

Guidelines for Genome-Scale Analysis of Biological Rhythms

Genome biology approaches have made enormous contributions to our understanding of biological rhythms, particularly in identifying outputs of the clock, including RNAs, proteins, and metabolites, whose abundance oscillates throughout the day. These methods hold significant promise for future discovery, particularly when combined with computational modeling. However, genome-scale experiments are costly and laborious, yielding ‘big data’ that is conceptually and statistically difficult to analyze. There is no obvious consensus regarding design or analysis. Here we discuss the relevant technical considerations to generate reproducible, statistically sound, and broadly useful genome scale data. Rather than suggest a set of rigid rules, we aim to codify principles by which investigators, reviewers, and readers of the primary literature can evaluate the suitability of different experimental designs for measuring different aspects of biological rhythms. We introduce CircaInSilico, a web-based application for generating synthetic genome biology data to benchmark statistical methods for studying biological rhythms. Finally, we discuss several unmet analytical needs, including applications to clinical medicine, and suggest productive avenues to address them

A contribution to the knowledge of the Malachiidae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) fauna of Turkey

Material of family Malachiidae was collected from different localities in Turkey between 1965 and 2010. As a result, 19 species belonging to 6 genera were recorded. Among them, Clanoptilus (Clanoptilus) falcifer (Abeille de Perrin, 1882), Clanoptilus (Clanoptilus) rufus (Olivier, 1790), Clanoptilus (Hypoptilus) dissimilis (Baudi di Selve, 1873), Cyrtosus (Oogynes) reitteri (Abeille de Perrin, 1890), Malachius labiatus Brullé, 1832 and Protapalochrus fedtschenkoi (Solsky, 1882) are new records for the Turkish fauna. Separately, new localities were found for some species which have already been reported in Turkey

Transforming Challenges into Opportunities for Qatar’s Food Industry: Self-Sufficiency, Sustainability, and Global Food Trade Diversification

Food trade restrictions pose a serious risk for countries that are heavily reliant on food imports, potentially leading to food crises, inequality, and geopolitical conflicts on a global scale. However, such restrictions may also have transformative effects in promoting food supply chain resilience, security, and self-sufficiency. In this study, a novel econometric analysis is presented, utilizing a data-driven analytical model to investigate the impact of a food embargo on the industry, using Qatar as a case study. A structured and automated food trade database is created using Microsoft Management Server Studio and data visualization software is integrated for automated data discovery. By using a global, trade-based sustainability assessment model, which combines the multi-region input-output (MRIO) analysis with transportation mode-based (sea, road, and air) emissions, the carbon footprint of the dairy food production sector could be estimated. The study shows that the trade embargo on Qatar’s food industry can lead to significant reductions in the annual import of food products, promoting self-sufficiency, and reducing the net carbon emissions of the dairy food sector by nearly 40%. This reduction is not only achieved through food supply chain changes, such as transportation modes, but also by restrictions pushing the country to increase domestic production. Overall, the study demonstrates that a trade embargo, with the support of a well-designed national food security strategy, trade/import diversification, and the use of different modes of transportation for food products, can improve the resilience of global supply chains, self-sufficiency, and environmental sustainability