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Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Varroa mites, scientifically identified as , pose a significant threat to beekeeping and cause one of the most destructive diseases affecting honey bee populations....
Varroa mites, scientifically identified as , pose a significant threat to beekeeping and cause one of the most destructive diseases affecting honey bee populations. These parasites attach to bees, feeding on their fat tissue, weakening their immune systems, reducing their lifespans, and even causing colony collapse. They also feed during the pre-imaginal stages of the honey bee in brood cells. Given the critical role of honey bees in pollination and the global food supply, controlling Varroa mites is imperative. One of the most common methods used to evaluate the level of Varroa mite infestation in a bee colony is to count all the mites that fall onto sticky boards placed at the bottom of a colony. However, this is usually a manual process that takes a considerable amount of time. This work proposes a deep learning approach for locating and counting Varroa mites using images of the sticky boards taken by smartphone cameras. To this end, a new realistic dataset has been built: it includes images containing numerous artifacts and blurred parts, which makes the task challenging. After testing various architectures (mainly based on two-stage detectors with feature pyramid networks), combination of hyperparameters and some image enhancement techniques, we have obtained a system that achieves a mean average precision (mAP) metric of 0.9073 on the validation set.
Topics: Animals; Varroidae; Bees; Deep Learning; Software; Mite Infestations; Beekeeping; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 38931612
DOI: 10.3390/s24123828 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Stroke is the world's second-leading cause of death. Current treatments for cerebral edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) mainly involve hyperosmolar fluids,...
Stroke is the world's second-leading cause of death. Current treatments for cerebral edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) mainly involve hyperosmolar fluids, but this approach is often inadequate. Propolis, known for its various beneficial properties, especially antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could potentially act as an adjunctive therapy and help alleviate stroke-associated injuries. The chemical composition of propolis extract was analyzed by GC-MS after derivatization for its total phenolic and total flavonoid content. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of the propolis extract were 1037.31 ± 24.10 μg GAE/mL and 374.02 ± 3.36 μg QE/mL, respectively. By GC-MS analysis, its major constituents were found to be triterpenoids (22.4% of TIC). Minor compounds, such as phenolic lipids (6.7% of TIC, GC-MS) and diterpenic acids (2.3% of TIC, GC-MS), were also found. Ninety-six Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups; namely, the control group, the ICH group, and four ICH groups that received the following therapies: mannitol, propolis extract (daily oral propolis administration after the ICH induction), propolis-M (propolis and mannitol), and propolis-B+A (daily oral propolis administration 7 days prior to and 72 h after the ICH induction). Neurocognitive functions of the rats were analyzed using the rotarod challenge and Morris water maze. In addition, the expression of NF-κB, SUR1-TRPM4, MMP-9, and Aquaporin-4 was analyzed using immunohistochemical methods. A TUNEL assay was used to assess the percentage of apoptotic cells. Mannitol significantly improved cognitive-motor functions in the ICH group, evidenced by improved rotarod and Morris water maze completion times, and lowered SUR-1 and Aquaporin-4 levels. It also significantly decreased cerebral edema by day 3. Similarly, propolis treatments (propolis-A and propolis-B+A) showed comparable improvements in these tests and reduced edema. Moreover, combining propolis with mannitol (propolis-M) further enhanced these effects, particularly in reducing edema and the Virchow-Robin space. These findings highlight the potential of propolis from the Indonesian stingless bee, , from the Central Tapanuli region as a neuroprotective, adjunctive therapy.
Topics: Animals; Propolis; Neuroprotective Agents; Cerebral Hemorrhage; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Bees; Disease Models, Animal; Rats; Male; Flavonoids; Antioxidants; Brain Edema; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Phenols
PubMed: 38931235
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121880 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The Lichen moth, (, ), plays a significant role in forest ecosystem dynamics. A concise and novel method to synthesize the active sex pheromone components,...
The Lichen moth, (, ), plays a significant role in forest ecosystem dynamics. A concise and novel method to synthesize the active sex pheromone components, ()-14-methyloctadecan-2-one (()-), ()-6-methyloctadecan-2-one (()-), and their enantiomers has been developed. Key steps in the synthesis include the use of Evans' chiral auxiliaries, Grignard cross-coupling reactions, hydroboration-oxidation, and Wacker oxidation. The synthesized sex pheromone components hold potential value for studies on communication mechanisms, species identification, and ecological management.
Topics: Sex Attractants; Moths; Animals; Stereoisomerism; Female; Molecular Structure
PubMed: 38930983
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122918 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Naturally occurring substances and their derivatives function as vital resources for pesticides that can be used in fields, such as insecticide production and fungicide...
Naturally occurring substances and their derivatives function as vital resources for pesticides that can be used in fields, such as insecticide production and fungicide development. As a botanical entity displaying multifaceted biological functions, wormwood has received thorough scrutiny across multiple sectors. The insect repellency potency combined with antibacterial and antifungal activities of wormwood position it as a potential candidate for prospective development into eco-friendly chemical pesticides. In this research, Wormwood essential oil was procured via ethanol water under ultrasonic scenarios and subsequently diluted with PEG 400 to formulate green chemical pesticides. The defensive efficacy of this green pesticide on plants was validated through 2 weeks of clustered plant growth experiments. Active constituents that exerted their effects were scrutinized by GC-MS. Furthermore, this green pesticide also displays efficacious effects on the prevention and management of aphids, exhibiting a dose-dependent relationship. 4-terpenol, eucalyptol, carvacrol, and L-borneol were identified by GC-MS as the predominant active constituents in this green chemical pesticide. Wormwood can be leveraged to develop green chemical pesticides, which can protect plants without contaminating the environment.
Topics: Insecticides; Animals; Oils, Volatile; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Cymenes; Green Chemistry Technology; Aphids; Eucalyptol; Camphanes
PubMed: 38930942
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122877 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024In this research, with an aim to develop novel pyrazole oxime ether derivatives possessing potential biological activity, thirty-two pyrazole oxime ethers, including a...
In this research, with an aim to develop novel pyrazole oxime ether derivatives possessing potential biological activity, thirty-two pyrazole oxime ethers, including a substituted pyridine ring, have been synthesized and structurally identified through H NMR, C NMR, and HRMS. Bioassay data indicated that most of these compounds owned strong insecticidal properties against , , , and at a dosage of 500 μg/mL, and some title compounds were active towards at 500 μg/mL. Furthermore, some of the designed compounds had potent insecticidal effects against , , or at 100 μg/mL, with the mortalities of compounds , , , , , , , , , , and against , in particular, all reaching 100%. Even when the dosage was lowered to 20 μg/mL, compound also expressed 50% insecticidal activity against , and compounds , , , , , and displayed more than 60% inhibition rates against . The current results provided a significant basis for the rational design of biologically active pyrazole oxime ethers in future.
Topics: Pyrazoles; Oximes; Insecticides; Animals; Drug Design; Structure-Activity Relationship; Ethers; Molecular Structure; Pyridines; Moths
PubMed: 38930832
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122767 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Propolis is a resinous bee product with a very complex composition, which is dependent upon the plant sources that bees visit. Due to the promising antimicrobial...
Propolis is a resinous bee product with a very complex composition, which is dependent upon the plant sources that bees visit. Due to the promising antimicrobial activities of red Brazilian propolis, it is paramount to identify the compounds responsible for it, which, in most of the cases, are not commercially available. The aim of this study was to develop a quick and clean preparative-scale methodology for preparing fractions of red propolis directly from a complex crude ethanol extract by combining the extractive capacity of counter-current chromatography (CCC) with preparative HPLC. The CCC method development included step gradient elution for the removal of waxes (which can bind to and block HPLC columns), sample injection in a single solvent to improve stationary phase stability, and a change in the mobile phase flow pattern, resulting in the loading of 2.5 g of the Brazilian red propolis crude extract on a 912.5 mL Midi CCC column. Three compounds were subsequently isolated from the concentrated fractions by preparative HPLC and identified by NMR and high-resolution MS: red pigment, retusapurpurin A; the isoflavan 3()-7-O-methylvestitol; and the prenylated benzophenone isomers xanthochymol/isoxanthochymol. These compounds are markers of red propolis that contribute to its therapeutic properties, and the amount isolated allows for further biological activities testing and for their use as chromatographic standards.
Topics: Propolis; Countercurrent Distribution; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Brazil; Animals; Chemical Fractionation; Bees
PubMed: 38930823
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122757 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024With the aim to obtain controlled-release systems and to preserve the antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and prebiotic activity of the bioactive compounds,...
With the aim to obtain controlled-release systems and to preserve the antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and prebiotic activity of the bioactive compounds, microencapsulation of both honeydew honey and royal jelly into biopolymeric microparticles based on rye bran heteropolysaccharides (HPS) was successfully performed. Honeydew honey and royal jelly microcapsules were prepared by spray-drying method and were characterized in terms of morphology and biological properties. Due to the resistance of the obtained encapsulates to the acidic pH in the stomach and digestive enzymes, the microcapsules showed prebiotic properties positively influencing both the growth, retardation of the dying phase, and the pro-adhesive properties of probiotic bacteria, i.e., spp. and lactic acid bacteria. Moreover, as a result of fermentation of the microcapsules of bee products in the lumen of the large intestine, an increased synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, i.e., butyric acid, was found on average by 39.2% in relation to the SCFA concentrations obtained as a result of fermentation of native bee products, thus opening new perspectives for the exploitation of honeydew honey and royal jelly loaded microcapsules for nutraceutical applications.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Honey; Bees; Prebiotics; Capsules; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Bifidobacterium; Fermentation; Probiotics; Fatty Acids
PubMed: 38930817
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122751 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2024Besides being vectors of the onchocerciasis parasite, blackflies are a source of nuisance in onchocerciasis-endemic communities. We investigated the experience of...
Community Perceptions of Blackfly Nuisance and Acceptability of the "Slash and Clear" Vector Control Approach in the Ntui Health District of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study.
Besides being vectors of the onchocerciasis parasite, blackflies are a source of nuisance in onchocerciasis-endemic communities. We investigated the experience of residents in the Ntui Health District (Cameroon) regarding blackfly nuisance and assessed their perceptions of a novel "Slash and Clear" (S&C) intervention for blackfly control. Focus group discussions were conducted before and after S&C implementation (respectively, in February 2022 and December 2023). Blackflies were known to emerge from the river areas and cause disease. To prevent blackfly bites, the population often covered their body with protective clothing and applied various substances (kerosene, oil, or lemon) to their skin. Post-intervention data showed reduced blackfly nuisance, and the willingness to sustain blackfly control in the long-term was unanimous among community leaders and members, including the village volunteers who implemented the S&C intervention. In conclusion, blackfly nuisance is evident in the Ntui onchocerciasis focus of Cameroon and led to a panoply of coping practices, some of which could be detrimental to their health. Implementing S&C for blackfly control is well accepted and could sustainably alleviate the nuisance caused by blackflies while simultaneously breaking the onchocerciasis transmission cycle.
Topics: Cameroon; Animals; Simuliidae; Humans; Onchocerciasis; Insect Control; Female; Male; Adult; Insect Vectors; Middle Aged; Focus Groups; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Young Adult; Insect Bites and Stings
PubMed: 38928904
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060658 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024is an essential species for freshwater economic aquaculture in China, but in the larval process, their salinity requirement is high, which leads to salinity stress in...
is an essential species for freshwater economic aquaculture in China, but in the larval process, their salinity requirement is high, which leads to salinity stress in the water. In order to elucidate the mechanisms regulating the response of to acute low-salinity exposure, we conducted a comprehensive study of the response of exposed to different salinities' (0‱, 6‱, and 12‱) data for 120 h. The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase were found to be significantly inhibited in the hepatopancreas and muscle following low-salinity exposure, resulting in oxidative damage and immune deficits in . Differential gene enrichment in transcriptomics indicated that low-salinity stress induced metabolic differences and immune and inflammatory dysfunction in . The differential expressions of , , and genes indicated the inhibition of growth, development, and molting ability of . At the proteomic level, low salinity induced metabolic differences and affected biological and cellular regulation, as well as the immune response. Tyramine, trans-1,2-Cyclohexanediol, sorbitol, acetylcholine chloride, and chloroquine were screened by metabolomics as differential metabolic markers. In addition, combined multi-omics analysis revealed that metabolite chloroquine was highly correlated with low-salt stress.
Topics: Animals; Palaemonidae; Larva; Salt Stress; Transcriptome; Proteomics; Salinity; Gene Expression Profiling; Metabolomics; Oxidative Stress; Multiomics
PubMed: 38928514
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126809 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024(, ; CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne global health threat. The main urban vector of CHIKV is the mosquito, which is found throughout Brazil. Therefore, it is important to...
(, ; CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne global health threat. The main urban vector of CHIKV is the mosquito, which is found throughout Brazil. Therefore, it is important to carry out laboratory tests to assist in the virus's diagnosis and surveillance. Most molecular biology methodologies use nucleic acid extraction as the first step and require quality RNA for their execution. In this context, four RNA extraction protocols were evaluated in experimentally infected with CHIKV. Six pools were tested in triplicates (n = 18), each containing 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, or 40 mosquitoes per pool (72 tests). Four commercial kits were compared: QIAamp, Maxwell, PureLink, and PureLink with TRIzol. The QIAamp and PureLink with TRIzol kits had greater sensitivity. Two negative correlations were observed: as the number of mosquitoes per pool increases, the Ct value decreases, with a higher viral load. Significant differences were found when comparing the purity and concentration of RNA. The QIAamp protocol performed better when it came to lower Ct values and higher RNA purity and concentration. These results may provide help in CHIKV entomovirological surveillance planning.
Topics: Chikungunya virus; Aedes; Animals; RNA, Viral; Mosquito Vectors; Chikungunya Fever; Viral Load
PubMed: 38928410
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126700