Evaluación ecotoxicológica de dos derivados del Nim en lombriz de tierra y abejas / Ecotoxicological assessment of two Neem derivatives in earthworm and honey bees

La utilización de productos con bajo o nulo impacto en organismos circundantes y el ambiente, constituye parte del nuevo concepto de protección de cultivos. Los productos NeoNim 60 y OleoNim 80, obtenidos del árbol del Nim, están propuestos para su uso como insecticida, nematicida y acaricida. Con el objetivo de realizar la evaluación ecotoxicológica de estos productos, se realizaron los ensayos de toxicidad aguda en lombriz de tierra Eisenia andrei y de toxicidad aguda por contacto en abejas Apis mellifera. Cada ensayo contó con un grupo control y dos tratados. El ensayo en lombrices se realizó durante 14 días utilizando suelo artificial, realizando observaciones clínicas, conteo de animales y estudio del comportamiento de la biomasa. La prueba en abejas se prolongó por 48 horas, realizándose observaciones clínicas y conteo de animales. Se obtuvo un 100% de supervivencia en las lombrices de los grupos tratados, obteniendo en el NeoNim 60 valores de disminución de la biomasa significativamente inferiores al grupo control, mientras que el grupo tratado con OleoNim 80 mostró aumento en la biomasa del inicio al final del ensayo. En el ensayo en abejas, la comparación estadística no mostró diferencias entre grupos en cuanto a la mortalidad. Teniendo en cuenta el conjunto de los resultados obtenidos, se pudo concluir que los derivados del Nim NeoNim 60 y OleoNim 80 no producen efecto tóxico sobre las lombrices de tierra y las abejas (AU)

The use of products with low or null impact in surroundingorganisms and the environment constitutes part of the new concept of crop protection. The products NeoNim 60 and OleoNim 80, obtained from the Neem tree, are proposed for its use as insecticide, nematicide and acaricide. With the objective of perform the ecotoxicological assessment of these products, it were carried out the earthworm acute toxicity and the honey bee acute contact toxicity tests. For each assay two Treated and one Control group were established. The assay in earthworms Eisenia andrei was carried out during 14 days using artificial soil, with daily clinical observations, count of animals and study of the changes of the biomass. The test in honey bees Apis mellifera was prolonged for 48 hours, with daily clinical observations and count of animals. A survival of 100% was obtained in the earthworms of the Treated groups, obtaining in the NeoNim 60 group significative lower values of biomass when compared to the Control, while the group treated with OleoNim 80 showed an increase in the biomass from the beginning to the end of the assay. In the assay in bees, the statistical comparison didn't show differences among groups as for the mortality. Taken into account the obtained results, it could be concluded that the Neem derivatives NeoNim 60 and OleoNim 80 don't produce toxic effect on the earthworms and the honeybees (AU)

Constitutive expression of the maize genes B1 and C1 in transgenic Hi II maize results in differential tissue pigmentation and generates resistance to Helicoverpa zea.

Anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize protects tissues from biotic and abiotic stresses. Constitutive expression of the maize B1 and C1 genes, which induces anthocyanin biosynthesis, resulted in transgenic plants with varied phenotypes. Some colored leaves were substantially resistant to thrips damage, while only leaves with the highest levels of cyanidin, the predominant anthocyanidin detected in all colored transgenic tissues, were resistant to corn earworm (CEW) larvae. Colored anthers were resistant to CEW feeding, and reductions in CEW growth were significantly correlated to levels of cyanidin in the anthers. Cyanidin chloride and cyanidin-3-glucoside chloride added to insect diet slowed the growth of CEW larvae. Attempts to produce 3'5'-hydroxylated anthocyanins in colored maize with the expression of a petunia F3'5'H hydroxylase gene were unsuccessful.

Protophormia terraenovae. A new allergenic species in amateur fishermen of Caceres, Spain

Background: Asticot maggot (Blowfly, Calliphoridae family) is the most important live bait used for angling in our country. Prevalence of allergy to live fish bait in occupationally exposed workers has been described. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of asticot allergy in amateur fishermen and the identification of marketed asticot species in Cáceres, Spain. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two randomised selected patients (Angler’s Society of Cáceres) completed a questionnaire about fishing habits and allergic symptoms related with live baithandling. Skin prick test (SPT) with local asticot and common earthworm extracts were performed. Serum IgE levels to imported species (Protophormia terraenovae, Calliphoravomitoria, Lucilia sericata, Lumbricus terrestris) were measured. Local asticot and commone arthworm samples were obtained for taxonomic identification. Data were analysed using the SPSS 12.0 software. Results: Five patients (7 %) reported allergic symptoms caused by asticot maggots. All of them were positive for SPT to asticot and specific IgE to P. terraenovae. Sensitisation to P. terraenovae was found in 40 patients (58.8 %). No associated factors for asticot allergy were observed. Larvae and adult flies of local asticot samples were identified as P. terraenovae. Conclusions: Commercially available asticot, in Cáceres, is composed by P. terraenovae larvae (Diptera. Calliphoridae). A 7 % prevalence of P. terraenovae allergy in amateur fishermen of Cáceres was obtained. The allergenic potential of P. terraenovae seems to be greater than thatof other blow flies and L. terrestris. The SPT with P. terraenovae extract is a very sensitive and specific technique in the diagnosis of live bait allergy in fi shermen (AU)

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Pore formation: an ancient yet complex form of attack.

Bacteria, as well as higher organisms such as sea anemones or earthworms, have developed sophisticated virulence factors such as the pore-forming toxins (PFTs) to mount their attack against the host. One of the most fascinating aspects of PFTs is that they can adopt a water-soluble form at the beginning of their lifetime and become an integral transmembrane protein in the membrane of the target cells. There is a growing understanding of the sequence of events and the various conformational changes undergone by these toxins in order to bind to the host cell surface, to penetrate the cell membranes and to achieve pore formation. These points will be addressed in this review.

Differences in shell shape of naturally infected Lymnaea stagnalis (L.) individuals as the effect of the activity of digenetic trematode larvae.

The shells of Lymnaea stagnalis show great morphological variability. This phenomenon has been described as the result of an environmental influence. The main object of the present study was to compare some biometric data from shells of naturally infected and uninfected snails from 25 different lakes in the central part of Poland. The height of the shell, the height of the spiral, and the width of the shell were measured. Some inter- and intrapopulation differences among individuals were found. Greater variability of shell shape was observed among snails parasitized with digenean larvae than in nonparasitized ones. Snails infected with Echinoparyphium aconiatum, Echinostoma revolutum, Diplostomum pseudospathaceum, and Opisthioglyphe ranae differed in shell shape compared with uninfected individuals. Snails infected with Plagiorchis elegans did not differ from uninfected individuals. The same was true of snails in which the commensal oligochaete, Chaetogaster limnei, was found. The results of the present study support the assumption that the deformation of shells of the snails under study was in some way influenced by the presence of certain species of digenetic trematodes.

Un caso de pseudoparasitismo o parasitismo de tránsito / A pseudoparasitism or transit parasitism

Presentamos un caso, primero en Cuba y posiblemente en el mundo, de parasitismo de tránsito por el género lumbricus en un niño de 5 años(AU)