Performance of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae reared on organic waste diets and pupal chitin and chitosan yield.

Recently, much research has been oriented towards the influence of different food wastes and agricultural by-products on the final larval biomass and chemical composition of the insect species Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the possible relationship between the feeding substrate of H. illucens larvae and chitin. In this context, in the present study, larvae of H. illucens derived from two populations (i.e., UNIPI and UTH), were reared on different diets composed of fruits, vegetables, and meat. Based on the results, the larval survival was high for all diets tested. Larval growth in terms of weight gain, larval length, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) depended on the composition of each diet. The chitin and chitosan composition of larvae, reared on different substrates, did not reveal significant differences. Given the fact that the feeding substrate represent a significant cost in the industrial production of insects, its correlation with a high value product (i.e. chitosan) is important. On the other hand, as the prepupal stage of H. illucens is currently used as animal feed, the metabolization of chitin by farmed animals when the larvae or prepupae were offered as feed could have adverse effects. Thus, depending on the final product that is to be produced, industries could benefit from the establishment of a suitable diet.

BRAF mutations and survival with surgery for colorectal liver metastases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Mutations in the BRAF gene (BRAFmut) are associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with liver metastases and the potential benefits of liver resection in patients with BRAFmut CRC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Central Controlled Trials, and Embase databases was conducted on May 31, 2023. The inclusion criteria were as follows:1) reporting of outcomes in patients with BRAFmut CRC who underwent surgery for liver metastases and/or comparison of outcomes between those who underwent and those who did not undergo resection; 2) reporting of survival information as hazard ratios (HR); and 3) publication in English. RESULTS: 34 studies were included. Median follow up was 48 months for prognostic BRAF status meta-analysis. BRAFmut status showed a significantly increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.04-3.22; P < 0.01) and relapse (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.44-2.71; P < 0.01). Resection of liver metastases was associated with a survival benefit (median follow up 46 months). The HR for survival was 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-0.59; P < 0.01) in favor of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: and Relevance: Our analysis indeed confirms that BRAF mutation is associated with poor survival outcomes after liver resection of CRC metastases. However, upon quantitatively assessing the survival benefit of surgical intervention in patients with BRAF-mutated CRC liver metastases, we identified a significant 56% reduction in the risk of death.

De Novo Genome Assembly at Chromosome-Scale of Hermetia illucens (Diptera Stratiomyidae) via PacBio and Omni-C Proximity Ligation Technology.

Hermetia illucens is a species of great interest for numerous industrial applications. A high-quality reference genome is already available for H. illucens. However, the worldwide maintenance of numerous captive populations of H. illucens, each with its own genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, made it of interest to perform a de novo genome assembly on one population of H. illucens to define a chromosome-scale genome assembly. By combining the PacBio and the Omni-C proximity ligation technologies, a new H. illucens chromosome-scale genome of 888.59 Mb, with a scaffold N50 value of 162.19 Mb, was assembled. The final chromosome-scale assembly obtained a BUSCO completeness of 89.1%. By exploiting the Omni-C proximity ligation technology, topologically associated domains and other topological features that play a key role in the regulation of gene expression were identified. Further, 65.62% of genomic sequences were masked as repeated sequences, and 32,516 genes were annotated using the MAKER pipeline. The H. illucens Lsp-2 genes that were annotated were further characterized, and the three-dimensional organization of the encoded proteins was predicted. A new chromosome-scale genome assembly of good quality for H. illucens was assembled, and the genomic annotation phase was initiated. The availability of this new chromosome-scale genome assembly enables the further characterization, both genotypically and phenotypically, of a species of interest for several biotechnological applications.

From Food Waste to Functional Biopolymers: Characterization of Chitin and Chitosan Produced from Prepupae of Black Soldier Fly Reared with Different Food Waste-Based Diets.

The use of food waste as a rearing substrate to grow insects is an ecofriendly and sustainable alternative to food waste disposal. In the present research, Hermetia illucens prepupae were reared with a standard diet, different food waste-based diets based on vegetables, fruits, and meat, and a mixed one, where the previous three components were present equally. The demineralization and deproteination of the prepupae allowed for the obtainment of chitin that was then deacetylated to produce chitosan. Also, the bleaching of chitosan was attempted for further purification. The yield of the different reactions was investigated, and the infrared spectra of the obtained materials were analyzed to obtain information on the quantity and acetylation degree trend of the chitin and chitosan as a function of the diet. The possibility to slightly modulate the yield and acetylation degree of both biopolymers thanks to the specific diet was enlightened. Interestingly, the standard diet resulted in the highest fraction of chitin having the highest acetylation degree, and in the highest fraction of chitosan having the lowest acetylation degree.

Chitosan as a Control Tool for Insect Pest Management: A Review.

Chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from the deacetylation of chitin, is a versatile and eco-friendly biopolymer with several applications. Chitosan is recognized for its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, beyond its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antitumoral activities. Thanks to its properties, chitosan is used in many fields including medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics, textile, nutrition, and agriculture. This review focuses on chitosan's role as a tool in insect pest control, particularly for agriculture, foodstuff, and public health pests. Different formulations, including plain chitosan, chitosan coating, chitosan with nematodes, chitosan's modifications, and chitosan nanoparticles, are explored. Biological assays using these formulations highlighted the use of chitosan-essential oil nanoparticles as an effective tool for pest control, due to their enhanced mobility and essential oils' prolonged release over time. Chitosan's derivatives with alkyl, benzyl, and acyl groups showed good activity against insect pests due to improved solubility and enhanced activity compared to plain chitosan. Thus, the purpose of this review is to provide the reader with updated information concerning the use and potential applications of chitosan formulations as pest control tools.

Optimization of the pharmacological therapy in patients with poly-vascular disease: A multidisciplinary approach.

The recent shift of the concept of cardiovascular disease as a chronic progressive condition, potentially involving multiple districts, has driven attention to the optimal management of patients with concomitant coronary and peripheral artery disease, representing a subset of patients with an increased risk of events and impaired survival. Recent pharmacological achievements in terms of antithrombotic therapy and lipid-lowering drugs allow multiple therapeutical combinations, thus requiring optimizing the treatment in a tailored fashion according to patients' risk profiles. Nevertheless, data dedicated to this specific subset of patients are still modest. We summarize currently available strategies and indications for the management of antithrombotic and lipid-lowering drugs in patients with the poly-vascular disease.

Biological Insights on the Invasive Fig Pest Aclees taiwanensis Kȏno, 1933 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The fig weevil Aclees taiwanensis Kȏno, 1933 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an invasive fig tree pest recently introduced in southern Europe. Reported for the first time in France in 1997 as A. cribratus, and then in Italy in 2005 as A. sp. cf. foveatus, A. taiwanensis is currently threatening fig nurseries, orchards, and wild plants. To date, no control methods have proven to be effective against A. taiwanensis. Although some attempts have been made to describe the insect's biology and behavior, such information is limited to that obtained from adult samples collected in the field. In particular, because of their xylophagous behavior, scarce information is available on the larval stages of the species. The aim of this study, therefore, was to fill these information gaps on the insect biology and behavior by setting up a laboratory protocol suitable for the rearing of A. taiwanensis. Using the developed rearing protocol, we assessed the main fitness parameters of the species including oviposition rate, egg hatchability, embryonic, larval and pupal duration and development, immature survival, pupation behavior, pupal weight, emergence, sex ratio and adult morphological parameters. The proposed rearing procedure allowed us to obtain new information on the main features of the insect's biology that may be useful for setting up strategies for its control.

Chitosan and Essential Oils Combined for Beef Meat Protection against the Oviposition of Calliphora vomitoria, Water Loss, Lipid Peroxidation, and Colour Changes.

Meat production has a higher economic and ecological impact than other commodities. The reduction in meat loss and waste throughout the whole supply chain is a demanding challenge. In recent years, the interest in the food-grade polysaccharide chitosan (CH) and essential oils (EOs) employed as allies in meat protection has increased. In this work, we selected five EOs obtained from plants traditionally used as spices, and after their chemical characterisation, a trained panel of expert sensorial analysts determined that, among them, Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae) and Piper nigrum (Piperaceae) EOs were the most suitable to season meat. Therefore, the effect of CH, the L. nobilis and P. nigrum EOs, and EOs-enriched CH solutions on meat was tested to assess how they deter the oviposition behaviour of the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and against water loss, lipid peroxidation, and colour changes. All the applied treatments, compared to the control, did not accelerate meat dehydration but increased colour lightness, an attractive feature for consumers, and discouraged the blowfly's oviposition. In particular, the P. nigrum EO-enriched CH was the most active in repelling C. vomitoria without negatively affecting the organoleptic qualities and shelf-life of meat.

Multiple Functions of Malpighian Tubules in Insects: A Review.

The Malpighian Tubules (MTs) are the main excretory organs in most insects. They play a key role in the production of primary urine and osmoregulation, selectively reabsorbing water, ions, and solutes. Besides these functions conserved in most insects, MTs can serve some specialized tasks at different stages of some species' development. The specialized functions include the synthesis of mucopolysaccharides and proteins for the building of foam nests, mucofibrils for the construction of dwelling tubes, adhesive secretions to help the locomotion, and brochosomes for protection as well as the usage of inorganic salts to harden the puparia, eggs chorion, and pupal cells' closing lids. MTs are also the organs responsible for the astonishing bioluminescence of some Diptera glowworms and can go through some drastic histological changes to produce a silk-like fiber utilized to spin cocoons. The specialized functions are associated with modifications of cells within the entire tubules, in specific segments, or, more rarely, modified secretory cells scattered along the MTs. In this review, we attempted to summarize the observations and experiments made over more than a century concerning the non-excretive functions of insects' MTs, underlying the need for new investigations supported by the current, advanced technologies available to validate outdated theories and clarify some dubious aspects.

Predation Capacity of the Banded Thrips Aeolothrips intermedius for the Biological Control of the Onion Thrips Thrips tabaci.

The onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, is a main insect pest for many field crops worldwide, with a particular preference for the species of the genus Allium. Aeolothrips intermedius is a banded thrips, whose larvae are considered the primary native predator of T. tabaci. Due of their predatory behaviour, A. intermedius larvae are considered a good candidate for biological control against thrips pests. However, limited information is available on the specific predation rate of A. intermedius against T. tabaci. The aim of our study was to evaluate the predatory efficiency of A. intermedius larvae against T. tabaci adults. Predation assays, performed under laboratory conditions, indicated that A. intermedius larvae begin to prey after an average of about 23 min, and the time taken by an A. intermedius larva to capture and subdue the prey until its death is about 26 min. Furthermore, the maximum number of prey that the A. intermedius larvae are able to kill in 12 h is up to eight adults of T. tabaci/A. intermedius larva.

Chemical vs. Enzymatic Refining to Produce Peanut Oil for Edible Use or to Obtain a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Protector for Stored Grains against Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Among the various existing techniques, enzymatic degumming represents a process that is establishing itself as a valid alternative to the more classic chemical processes. Moreover, vegetable oils of various origins have been gaining more consideration as sustainable and affordable protectants for cereals and pulses against the attack of several insect pests. Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the key pests of cereal crops in the field and in stored and processed cereal products. Based on these highlighted issues, the overall aim of this research was twofold: (i) firstly, the effectiveness of the enzymatic degumming process was evaluated through the use of three different enzymes in order to verify the possible industrial application within the SALOV company as an alternative to the conventional chemical process; (ii) in a second phase, the possible use of the innovative refined oils was explored for sustainable stored grain protection towards S. zeamais. The results obtained confirm the strong possibility of applying the enzymatic process, which is innovative and, in a chemical way, more sustainable than the classical one. Regarding the toxicity towards S. zeamais, the crude peanut oil and the chemically refined peanut oil had lower LC50 values (1.836 and 1.372 g kg-1, respectively) than the oils rectified through enzymatic degumming (LC50 from 2.453 to 4.076 g kg-1), and, therefore, they can be suggested as sustainable stored grain protectants.

Quantitative texture-based analysis of pulmonary parenchymal features on chest CT: comparison with densitometric indices and short-term effect of changes in smoking habit.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlations between densitometric and Computer Aided Lung Informatics for Pathology Evaluation and Rating (CALIPER)-derived indices of pulmonary emphysema and their change in the short-term period for groups of patients with different smoking habits. METHOD: This retrospective study included 284 subjects from the ITALUNG trial (198 men and 86 women; mean±sd age 60±4 years) who underwent low-dose chest computed tomography at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Subjects were divided into four groups (persistent smokers, restarters, quitters and former smokers) according to their smoking habit at baseline and follow-up. Densitometric and texture analyses were performed, using CALIPER software. A correlation analysis was conducted between CALIPER-derived low-attenuation areas (LAAs) and densitometric indices, including the 15th percentile of the whole-lung attenuation histogram (Perc15) and the relative areas with density ≤-950 HU (RA950). Densitometric indices and LAAs were evaluated at baseline and variation assessed longitudinally with comparisons between groups with different smoking habit. Further analysis of parenchymal changes per pulmonary zone was performed. RESULTS: LAAs were strongly correlated with Perc15 (rs=0.81; p<0.001) and RA950 (rs=0.905; p<0.001). At baseline, the group of smokers showed higher Perc15, lower RA950, lower LAAs (particularly mild sub-class of LAAs) than the group of ex-smokers (p<0.001). At 2-year follow-up, densitometric indices and LAAs increased in persistent smokers, former smokers and quitters (p<0.05). The progression was larger and statistically more significant in quitters (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: CALIPER texture analysis provides an objective measure comparable to traditional density/histogram features to assess the lung parenchymal changes in relation to different smoking habits.

Evaluation of a quasi-dimeric eugenol derivative as repellent against the stored grain insect pest Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera Curculionidae).

BACKGROUND: Essential oils (EOs) and their chemical components are often proposed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides for pest control of foodstuff insect pests. However, their low persistence and strong, spicy odour, make them poorly suitable for use to protect food. Modification of the EOs components molecules increases their molecular weight and reduce their volatility. However, the effectiveness of such modified molecules has, so far, not been tested against stored food insect pests. In this study, the intensity and the duration of the repellence against the insect pest Sitophilus oryzae of a recently synthesized quasi-dimeric eugenol derivative (ED) (C18 H20 O4 ) were compared to those of eugenol and three eugenol related compounds. The hypothesis tested was that by its higher molecular weight and two functional groups the ED would overcome the low persistence and strong and spicy odour drawback of eugenol without compromising the repellence against insects. RESULTS: The insect behavioural tests showed a greater repellence and persistence of ED than eugenol and the three eugenol related compounds against S. oryzae. The sensory analysis of ED by panel test indicated that ED is significantly less odorous than eugenol without any spicy nor balsamic nuances in its smell profile. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its high repellence against insects and its low smell intensity for humans, ED could represent a valid repellent for the control of foodstuffs insect pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of flaxseed cake fortification on bread shelf life, and its possible use as feed for Tenebrio molitor larvae in a circular economy: preliminary results.

BACKGROUND: Bread represents a significant share of food waste worldwide. The extension of the bread shelf life together with innovative systems of food waste treatment might decrease waste biomass decay, the need for transportation, and the need for storage. In recent years, insects have been selected as a valuable tool for food waste treatment owing to their capability to transform low-value food waste into biomass with high nutritional value. Bakery wastes can be used profitably for this purpose. This work had two objectives: (i) to measure the impact of flaxseed cake fortification on bread shelf life depending on the leavening agent (baker's yeast vs sourdough); (ii) to evaluate the possible reuse of the stale bread fortified with flaxseed cake for Tenebrio molitor rearing. RESULTS: Our results showed that fortification seemed to slow the hardening rate of bread, particularly if baker's yeast was used. The time necessary for mold to appear in sourdough bread doubled (from 2 to 4 days). The addition of flaxseed cake to the recipe determined an increase of its scrap consumption by T. molitor larvae. We also observed a significant increase in the body mass of the T. molitor larvae fed with bread obtained with the brewer's yeast with respect to larvae fed with the sourdough. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these preliminary data can indicate that sourdough bread fortified with 5% of flaxseed cake can represent a promising tool to reduce food waste and to recycle bread scraps by a novel zero-waste approach. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Andean Plants Essential Oils: A Scented Alternative to Synthetic Insecticides for the Control of Blowflies.

Blowflies are vectors of microorganisms and human pathogens, and their maggots cause myiasis in vertebrates and infest and spoil meat and fish products. Essential oils (EOs) from spices were proven to be a safer and more sustainable alternative to synthetic insecticides for the control of blowflies and are suitable for protecting food from such pests. However, some EOs are not acceptable for environmental or topical applications due to their strong, unpleasant odour. In this study, we measured the acute toxicity and the repellence of two EOs extracted from the Andean plants Aloysia citrodora Palau and Bursera graveolens (Kunth) Triana and Planch., both known for their pleasant odour, against the blue blowfly Calliphora vomitoria (L.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). We also compared their bioactivity with that of the Allium sativum L. EO, which is very effective but bad-smelling. The A. citrodora EO was mainly rich in oxygenated monoterpenes, the most abundant of which were geranial (26.8%) and neral (21.0%). The B. graveolens EO was chiefly composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons, mostly represented by limonene (46.2%). According to the sensory description, the best odour profile was associated with the A. citrodora EO, while the olfactory expression of the EO from B. graveolens was negatively affected by a strong odour of "mouldy lemon". The behavioural test showed that the A. citrodora EO was more repellent than that of A. sativum and, on the contrary, that the B. graveolens EO was attractive. The toxicity tests showed that the EOs of both Andean plants have a clear toxic effect on the C. vomitoria eggs and adults. In terms of ovicidal activity, there were no significant differences among the effects of the three tested EOs. On the adult flies, the toxicity of the two EOs of the Andean plants was much lower than that of A. sativum (LC50 fumigation = 1.86 µL EO L-1 air; LC50 ingestion = 8.10 µL EO mL-1 gel) both by fumigation (LC50 = 23.66 and 25.30 µL EO L-1 air for A. citrodora and B. graveolens, respectively) and ingestion (LC50 = 36.65 and 44.97 µL EO mL-1 gel for A. citrodora and B. graveolens, respectively), while, by contact, the A. citrodora EO (LD50 = 0.27 µL EO insect-1) was more toxic than the A. sativum EO (LD50 = 0.46 µL EO insect-1).

Lethal and sub-lethal activity of Brevibacillus laterosporus on the mosquito Aedes albopictus and side effects on non-target water-dwelling invertebrates.

The biocidal potential of Brevibacillus laterosporus against mosquitoes of major medical importance has been widely documented, but its effects on non-target invertebrates are still poorly known. In this study, we determined the lethal and sub-lethal effects of B. laterosporus strain UNISS 18, an entomopathogenic bacterium known for its effectiveness against synanthropic Diptera, on the larvae of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, a vector of several pathogens to humans. Moreover, we compared the larvicidal activity with the lethal action on the invasive snail Physella acuta and on two non-target water-dwelling species: the mayfly Cloeon dipterum, and the harlequin fly Chironomus riparius. B. laterosporus exhibited significant lethal effects on all the tested species with a concentration-dependent activity. However, the susceptibility varied among species, with a higher susceptibility of Ae. albopictus (LC50 = 0.16 × 107 spores mL-1) than the other species (LC50 = 0.31, 0.33, and 0.30 × 107 spores mL-1 for C. dipterum, C. riparius, and P. acuta, respectively). While 1st instar mosquito larvae were very susceptible to the bacterial infection, no effects on preimaginal development stages and adult emergence were observed at sub-lethal spores' concentrations. Even if the efficacy of B. laterosporus against Ae. albopictus and the invasive freshwater snail P. acuta is promising for their control, the susceptibility of non-target beneficial aquatic insects, highlights the need of accurate evaluations before applying B. laterosporus for pest management in water environments.

In the tripartite combination ozone-poplar-Chrysomela populi, the pollutant alters the plant-insect interaction via primary metabolites of foliage.

Ozone (O3)-induced metabolic changes in leaves are relevant and may have several ecological significances. Here, variations in foliar chemistry of two poplar clones (Populus deltoides × maximowiczii, Eridano, and P. × euramericana, I-214) under a chronic O3 treatment (80 ppb, 5 h d-1 for 10 consecutive days) were investigated. The aim was to elucidate if leaf age and/or O3-sensitivity (considering Eridano and I-214 as O3-sensitive and O3-resistant, respectively) can affect suitability of poplar foliage for Chrysomela populi L. (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae), in terms of palatability. Comparing controls, only low amino acid (AA) contents were reported in Eridano [about 3- and 4-fold in mature and young leaves (ML and YL, respectively)], and all the investigated primary metabolites [i.e. water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), proteins (Prot) and AA] were higher in YL than in ML of I-214 (+23, +54 and + 20%, respectively). Ozone increased WSC only in YL of Eridano (+24%, i.e. highest values among samples; O3 effects are always reported comparing O3-treated plants with the related controls). A concomitant decrease of Prot was observed in both ML and YL of Eridano, while only in YL of I-214 (-41, -45 and -51%, respectively). In addition, O3 decreased AA in YL of Eridano and in ML of I-214 (-40 and -14%, respectively). Comparing plants maintained under charcoal-filtered air, total ascorbate (Asc) was lower in Eridano in both ML and YL (around -22%), and abscisic acid (ABA) was similar between clones; furthermore, higher levels of Asc were reported in YL than in ML of Eridano (+19%). Ozone increased Asc and ABA (about 2- and 3-fold, respectively) in both ML and YL of Eridano, as well as ABA in YL of I-214 (about 2-fold). Comparing leaves maintained under charcoal-filtered air, the choice feeding test showed that the 2nd instar larvae preferred YL, and the quantity of YL consumed was 9 and 4-fold higher than ML in Eridano and I-214, respectively. Comparing leaves exposed to O3-treatment, a significant feeding preference for YL disks was also observed, regardless of the clone. The no-choice feeding test showed that larval growth was slightly higher on untreated YL than on untreated ML (+19 and + 10% in Eridano and I-214, respectively). The body mass of larvae fed with O3-treated YL was also significantly higher than that of larvae fed with untreated YL (3- and 2-fold in Eridano and I-214). This study highlights that realistic O3 concentrations can significantly impact the host/insect interactions, a phenomenon dependent on leaf age and O3-sensitivity of the host.

Special Issue: Natural Substances against Insect Pests: Assets and Liabilities.

Many insect pests directly compete with humans for food, damaging several crops in the field and during the processing and storage [...].

First application of an Integrated Biological Response index to assess the ecotoxicological status of honeybees from rural and urban areas.

Understanding the effects of environmental contaminants on honeybees is essential to minimize their impacts on these important pollinating insects. The aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological status of honeybees in environments undergoing different anthropic pressure: a wood (reference site), an orchard, an agricultural area, and an urban site, using a multi-biomarker approach. To synthetically represent the ecotoxicological status of the honeybees, the responses of the single biomarkers were integrated by the Integrated Biological Response (IBRv2) index. Overall, the strongest alteration of the ecotoxicological status (IBRv2 = 7.52) was detected in the bees from the orchard due to the alteration of metabolic and genotoxicity biomarkers indicating the presence of pesticides, metals, and lipophilic compounds. Honeybees from the cultivated area (IBRv2 = 7.18) revealed an alteration especially in neurotoxicity, metabolic, and genotoxicity biomarkers probably related to the presence of pesticides, especially fungicides. Finally, in the urban area (IBRv2 = 6.60), the biomarker results (GST, lysozyme, and hemocytes) indicated immunosuppression in the honeybees and the effects of the presence of lipophilic compounds and metals in the environment.

Systematic Phytochemical Screening of Different Organs of Calotropis procera and the Ovicidal Effect of Their Extracts to the Foodstuff Pest Cadra cautella.

In developing countries, crop deterioration is mainly caused by inappropriate storage conditions that promote insect infestation. Synthetic pesticides are associated with serious adverse effects on humans and the environment. Thus, finding alternative "green" insecticides is a very pressing need. Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand (Apocynaceae) growing in Saudi Arabia was selected for this purpose. LC-MS/MS analysis was applied to investigate the metabolic composition of different C. procera extracts. Particularly, C. procera latex and leaves showed a high presence of cardenolides including calactin, uscharidin, 15ß-hydroxy-calactin, 16ß-hydroxy-calactin, and 12ß-hydroxy-calactin. The ovicidal activity of the extracts from different plant organs (flowers, leaves, branches, roots), and of the latex, against Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) was assessed. Extracts of C. procera roots displayed the most potent activity with 50% of C. cautella eggs not hatching at 10.000 ppm (1%).