The toxicity of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to larvae of the disease vectors Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae

The control of mosquitoes is threatened by the appearance of insecticide resistance and therefore new control chemicals are urgently required. Here we show that inhibitors of mosquito peptidyl dipeptidase, a peptidase related to mammalian angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), are insecticidal to larvae of the mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. ACE inhibitors (captopril, fosinopril and fosinoprilat) and two peptides (trypsin-modulating oostatic factor/TMOF and a bradykinin-potentiating peptide, BPP-12b) were all inhibitors of the larval ACE activity of both mosquitoes. Two inhibitors, captopril and fosinopril (a pro-drug ester of fosinoprilat), were tested for larvicidal activity. Within 24 h captopril had killed >90% of the early instars of both species with 3rd instars showing greater resistance. Mortality was also high within 24 h of exposure of 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars of An. gambiae to fosinopril. Fosinopril was also toxic to Ae. aegypti larvae, although the 1st instars appeared to be less susceptible to this pro-drug even after 72 h exposure. Homology models of the larval An. gambiae ACE proteins (AnoACE2 and AnoACE3) reveal structural differences compared to human ACE, suggesting that structure-based drug design offers a fruitful approach to the development of selective inhibitors of mosquito ACE enzymes as novel larvicides

Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries

The global burden of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes (T2D) is not well established. This risk assessment model estimated T2D incidence among adults attributable to direct and body weight-mediated effects of 11 dietary factors in 184 countries in 1990 and 2018. In 2018, suboptimal intake of these dietary factors was estimated to be attributable to 14.1 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 13.814.4 million) incident T2D cases, representing 70.3% (68.871.8%) of new cases globally. Largest T2D burdens were attributable to insufficient whole-grain intake (26.1% (25.027.1%)), excess refined rice and wheat intake (24.6% (22.327.2%)) and excess processed meat intake (20.3% (18.323.5%)). Across regions, highest proportional burdens were in central and eastern Europe and central Asia (85.6% (83.487.7%)) and Latin America and the Caribbean (81.8% (80.183.4%)); and lowest proportional burdens were in South Asia (55.4% (52.160.7%)). Proportions of diet-attributable T2D were generally larger in men than in women and were inversely correlated with age. Diet-attributable T2D was generally larger among urban versus rural residents and higher versus lower educated individuals, except in high-income countries, central and eastern Europe and central Asia, where burdens were larger in rural residents and in lower educated individuals. Compared with 1990, global diet-attributable T2D increased by 2.6 absolute percentage points (8.6 million more cases) in 2018, with variation in these trends by world region and dietary factor. These findings inform nutritional priorities and clinical and public health planning to improve dietary quality and reduce T2D globally. (c) 2023, The Author(s)

Children's and adolescents' rising animal-source food intakes in 1990-2018 were impacted by age, region, parental education and urbanicity

Animal-source foods (ASF) provide nutrition for children and adolescents physical and cognitive development. Here, we use data from the Global Dietary Database and Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify global, regional and national ASF intakes between 1990 and 2018 by age group across 185 countries, representing 93% of the worlds child population. Mean ASF intake was 1.9 servings per day, representing 16% of children consuming at least three daily servings. Intake was similar between boys and girls, but higher among urban children with educated parents. Consumption varied by age from 0.6 at <1 year to 2.5 servings per day at 1519 years. Between 1990 and 2018, mean ASF intake increased by 0.5 servings per week, with increases in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, total ASF consumption was highest in Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, and lowest in Uganda, India, Kenya and Bangladesh. These findings can inform policy to address malnutrition through targeted ASF consumption programmes. (c) 2023, The Author(s)

Anomalous hysteresis studies in Bi-2223/Bi-2212 superconductors by non-resonant microwave absorption (NRMA) with special reference to energy stabilized Josephson (ESJ) fluxons

Magnetic hysteresis of granular high temperature superconducting Bi-2223/Bi-2212 pellets has been studied by non-resonant microwave absorption (NRMA) method. It has been found that the nature of hysteresis is anomalous at all temperatures below Tc. This nature has been analyzed by considering the role of energy stabilized Josephson (ESJ) fluxons, which was not attempted in its totality previously. A comparative study has also been done which is based on data acquired from literature of both NRMA and DC magnetization measurements on granular superconductors. This comparison distinctly shows the difference, i.e. normal hysteresis in DC magnetization studies, whereas, anomalous hysteresis in NRMA studies under similar conditions of low temperatures and low magnetic fields. The discussion brings out the suggestion that, the anomalous hysteresis observed by NRMA method is a manifestation of inevitable generation and detection of ESJ fluxons

Superconductivity of binary and ternary compounds of Bi

Binary and ternary compounds of Bi formed with 3d transition elements Ni, Co, Fe, and Cr have been studied. Resistance behavior at low temperatures shows two superconducting transitions, one between 4 and 5 K and the other at 10.3 K. Resistance data above Tc up to about 25 K reveal a temperature exponent of 2 for higher Tc samples and 3 when Tc is lower. ESR studies seem to indicate an increase in the density of states at EF. Results are discussed in terms of various models based on the Landau Fermi-liquid theory and the observed data are interpreted in terms of spin-density-fluctuation model

A recycling process for degraded aged bare bulk (Bi,Pb)-2223 tubes – Revival of (Bi,Pb)-2223 phase and superconducting properties

Bare bulk tube superconducting current leads (CLs) of (Bi,Pb)(2) Sr-2 Ca-2 Cu-3 O10+x: 1 0 wt% Ag (Length = 410 mm, outer diameter = 45 mm, and inner diameter = 42 mm) have been found to show a degradation in the normal state affecting the superconducting properties due to ageing of the material. These reference samples (named as RF) have been studied over a period of five and ten years. A decomposition of the Bi-2223 phase has been observed after testing several times during the period affecting normal state and superconducting properties considerably. An attempt has been made in order to obtain reusable product using two recycling methods. In one of the methods, these degraded samples were re-sintered (named as RS) and in the second one, they were reprocessed (named as RP). Those is, in the second method, the steps of crushing, mixing, calcining, cold isostatically pressing into tubes, making silver current contacts at both end portions of this tube and finally of sintering were followed to make reprocessed bare bulk tube current leads. Both these RS and RP samples were sintered under identical conditions as those of the conditions used for the RF samples. Comparative analyses of the two recycling (RS and RP) methods with respect to normal state and superconducting state properties are also presented

Enhanced critical current density (J(c)) and fractural strength of low and high Eu level doped bare bulk (Bi, Pb)-2223 rods for cryogenic applications

The effect of Eu doping (0 to 0.12 M%) on magnetic field dependence of transport critical current density (J(c)) and diametral fracture strength (sigma) of the bare bulk 100mm long (Bi, Pb)-2223 rods is reported. An enhancement in Jc on Eu doping has been observed for low Eu levels/low-magnetic fields and for high Eu levels in relatively high magnetic fields. The diametral fracture strength (sigma) has also increased for both low and high Eu levels. In addition these studies, contact resistivity and magneto are also explored. Thermal cycling tests were performed 50 times to check the long term reliability of these rods by observing any degradation in Jc and contact resistivity which exhibits nearly no change in their values. The nature of flux pinning centers responsible for the low Eu level/low field and high Eu level/high field has been discussed. The improvement in both the transport Jc as well as of s by low/high Eu doping evidences long-term reliability and high importance for potential applications of these bare bulk (Bi, Pb)-2223 rods in low as well as high fields