Insecticidal and Repellent Activities of Four Essential Oils Against Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Corymbia citriodora, Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae), Mentha × piperita (Lamiaceae), and Schinus terebinthifolius (Anacardiaceae) essential oils as an alternative to manage Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults. Methods: Acute contact toxicity, acute toxicity on treated maize grain, fumigation toxicity, repellency bioassays, and GC-MS analysis of the essential oils were carried out. Results: Corymbia citriodora, M. alternifolia, M. × piperita, and S. terebinthifolius oils were toxic at different levels to S. zeamais through residual contact, ingestion and via fumigation, and were also repellent to adults of this pest. Melaleuca alternifolia oil was the most active in contact (LC50 = 18.98 µL.mL-1), ingestion (LC50 = 1.03 µL.g-1), and fumigant (LC50 = 20.05 µL.L-1 air) bioassays. Citronelal (53.6% in C. citriodora), terpinen-4-ol (46.9% in M. alternifolia), menthol (44.8% in M. × piperita), and ß-caryophyllene (16.2% in S terebinthifolius) are the major constituents of these oils. Conclusions: Melaleuca alternifolia and M. × piperita essential oils can be used by residual contact, while those of C. citriodora, M. alternifolia, and M. × piperita by mixing with maize grains. Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil can be used as a fumigant, while those of C. citriodora and S. terebinthifolius as repellents for S. zeamais adults.

Toxicity and repellent activity of monoterpene enantiomers to rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae).

BACKGROUND: The rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L., 1763) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a stored grain/seed pest of several crops. Botanicals represent an option to manage this pest, especially those with high toxicity determined by its structure and physicochemical properties and low residue left behind on treated grains/seeds. Enantiomers are bioactive molecules in organic processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal activity of two enantiomeric forms of the monoterpenes citronellal, limonene, linalool, menthone and α-pinene against S. oryzae adults through contact, fumigant and repellent assays. RESULTS: All results were compared with absolute acetone as the negative control and those from contact assays also with malathion as the positive control. (S)-(-)-linalool was the most toxic by contact to S. oryzae and (S)-(-)-menthone through fumigation, while the two enantiomeric forms of menthone and α-pinene were the best repellents. CONCLUSIONS: The high toxicity of only one of the two monoterpene enantiomers showed the importance of form and percentage of enantiomer in the commercial product, which affect the success of the product to controlling S. oryzae. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Brassica nigra and Curcuma longa Compounds Affecting Interactions Between Spodoptera exigua and Its Natural Enemies Cotesia flavipes and Podisus maculiventris.

The interaction Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) × its natural enemies Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Podisus maculiventris Say (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) × botanical compounds with and without synergist is unknown; therefore, it was studied under controlled conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the direct mortality of P. maculiventris nymphs and adults and indirect by this predator feeding on S. exigua larvae treated after being exposed to parasitism by C. flavipes. Brassica nigra L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) and Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberales: Zingiberaceae) compounds, with and without lead (II) oxide (PbO), were tested as insecticides. The mortality of first and second instars P. maculiventris was high with turmeric essential oil by topical application. The PbO increased the predator mortality in combination with turmeric powder, crude essential oil, and ar-turmerone. This last derivative caused also the highest mortality of P. maculiventris nymphs when ingested through treated S. exigua larvae that were previously subjected to parasitism. Turmeric powder and its derivatives, with and without PbO, should not be used in areas with P. maculiventris due to the high mortality caused to this predator.

Impact of shisha smoking on the extent of coronary artery disease in patients referred for coronary angiography.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of shisha smoking on the extent of coronary artery disease. METHODS: Patients who underwent coronary angiography were included in this observational cohort study and were divided to four groups according to the smoking pattern: shisha smokers, cigarettes smokers, mixed smokers (shisha and cigarettes) and non-smokers. Coronary angiography was done and the severity of coronary artery disease was defined according to Duke Jeopardy Score (DJ). RESULTS: The study comprised of 287 consecutive patients; 22% were shisha smokers, 35% cigarette smokers, 5% mixed smokers and 38% non-smokers. Significant elevation of systolic blood pressure (p=0.009) and heart rate (p<0.001) were observed among mixed smokers followed by shisha smokers, cigarettes smokers and non-smokers respectively. The mean value of DJ score was highest among shisha smokers than mixed smokers, cigarettes smokers and non-smokers respectively (p=0.012). We also compared DJ score in shisha smokers with CAD vs non-shisha smokers with CAD and we found that 71.43% of shisha smokers had an advanced DJ score (>6) which was statistically significant (p=0.008) where shisha smokers showed significantly higher resting pulse (p<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (p=0.001) compared to non-shisha smokers and mean DJ score was significantly higher among shisha smokers (6.961±3.238) vs non-shisha smokers (5.762±3.062) (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: Shisha smoking is associated with severe coronary artery disease that calls for the need to enroll them in tobacco cessation courses.

Short-term evaluation of autologous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in patients with cirrhosis: Egyptian study.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell-based therapy has received attention as a possible alternative to organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous transplantation of bone marrow (BM)-derived stromal cells in post-HCV liver cirrhosis patients. METHODOLOGY: 10 × 10(6) of isolated human bone marrow (HBM)-stromal cells in 10 mL normal saline were injected in the spleen of 20 patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis guided by the ultrasonography, and then patients were followed up on monthly basis for six months. RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease was detected in the total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p-value<0.01), prothrombin time (PT), and international normalized ratio (INR) levels (p-value<0.05), while a statistically significant increase in the albumin and PC (p-value<0.05) after follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study suggested the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the intrasplenic injection of autologous BM stromal cells in improving liver function in Egyptian patients with cirrhosis.

Assessment of cardiac involvement of hepatitis C virus; tissue Doppler imaging and NTproBNP study.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C disease burden is substantially increasing in Egyptian community, it is estimated that prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Egyptian community reach 22% of total population. Recently there is a global alert of HCV cardiovascular complications. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate LV diastolic functions of HCV patients using tissue Doppler Imaging and NTPBNP. METHODS: 30 HCV patients of 30 years, sex & BMI matched controls were evaluated by PCR, ECG, Echocardiography "conventional Doppler, pulsed wave tissue Doppler (PW-TD), strain rate imaging" & NTPBNP to assess LV diastolic functions. Mean age was 32.8 years ± 5.1 in HCV group, 29.8 years ± 6.6 in control group. Cardiovascular anomalies and predisposing factors were excluded. RESULTS: HCV group has shown significant increase in QTc interval, significant statistical increase in A wave, deceleration time; (p < 0.05), highly significant decrease in tissue Doppler E a (p < 0.001), highly significant decrease in A a (p < 0.001), highly significant increased E/E a ratio (p value < 0.001), significant decrease in E a/A a ratio and significant increase in SRa (p < 0.05). NTPBNP levels showed highly significant increase with mean value 222 pg/ml ± 283 in HCV group and 32.7 pg/ml ± 21.2 in control group (p value < 0.001). The best cut-off value of NTPBNP to detect diastolic dysfunction in HCV group was 213 pg/ml. No statistical differences in SRe/SRa and E/SRe ratios were observed, however they had significant correlation with NTPBNP level and tissue Doppler parameters. The best cut-off value of E/SRe ratio to detect diastolic dysfunction in HCV group was 0.91, with 75% sensitivity and 100% specificity. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This data show the first direct evidence that HCV infection causes diastolic dysfunction without any other predisposing factors, probably due to chronic inflammatory reaction with mild fibrosis in the heart. Previous studies did not follow strict inclusion and exclusion criteria that confirm the independent role of HCV to cause diastolic dysfunction. Tissue Doppler was more sensitive to diagnose diastolic dysfunction than conventional Doppler.

Letrozole induction of ovulation in women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome may not depend on the period of infertility, the body mass index, or the luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio.

Letrozole induction of ovulation in clomiphene citrate-resistant women with polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with an ovulation rate of 54.6% and pregnancy rate of 25%. There was no significant difference between letrozole responders and nonresponders in age, period of infertility, body mass index, waist circumference, LH, FSH, or LH/FSH ratio.