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The present investigation "Effect of essential oils and chia seed ( Salvia hispanica ) in fortification of pineapple jam." was conducted during the year 2022-2023 at the Post harvest laboratory of Horticulture Department, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. The study investigated the effects of essential oil and chia seeds on the quality of pineapple jam. In this research, pineapple jam samples were prepared with varying essential oil such as Cinnamon essential oil and Lemongrass essential oil at range of 1000 ppm. The addition of essential oil significantly impacted the flavour profile of the jam, enhancing the fruity notes and providing a pleasant aroma in sustainable and eco-friendly way. Moreover, it exhibited antimicrobial properties, extending the shelf life of the jam. Chia seeds were incorporated into the jam at different levels (6.25 %, 12.5 %, 25 % and 50 %) to assess their influence on texture and nutritional content. The results indicated that chia seeds contributed to a thicker consistency and increased protein content, making the jam a potential source of dietary protein. The maximum pH was found to be 4.90 from treatment ( C 4 E 0  = 50 % chia and no Essential oil). The lowest pH was recorded at 3.63 for C o E 2  = No chia seed and 1000 ppm Lemongrass Essential oil). The investigation shows that lemongrass essential oil (E 2 ) showed the best result in vitamin C retention. In case of chia seed 50 % (C 4 ) treatment showed the best protein content. Additionally, the seeds added a subtle crunch and nutty undertone to the product. From the research it can be concluded that the treatment ( C 4 E 2  = 50 % chia seed and 1000 ppm Lemongrass Essential oil) showed the best result in case of vitamin C retention and protein incorporation. But considering spread ability and appearance ( C 3 E 2  = 25 % chia seed and 1000 ppm Lemongrass Essential oil) can be considered as best treatment for consumers. This research is motivated by the need to develop healthier, nutrient-dense pineapple jam using natural preservatives and fortifying agents. By exploring the combined effects of essential oils and chia seeds in preserving vitamin C and improving the jam's overall nutritional value, this study aims to meet the increasing demand for functional foods that prioritize both health and taste. The outcomes could offer valuable insights into natural preservation techniques and fortification strategies, potentially contributing to more sustainable and consumer-friendly food products in the market., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The excessive activation of the monkeypox virus (MPXV-Congo_8-156) is linked to various skin and respiratory disorders such as rashes, fluid-filled blisters, swollen lymph nodes and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), highlighting MPXV-Congo_8-156 as a promising target for drug intervention. Despite the effectiveness of Cidofovir, in inhibiting MPXV activity, its limited ability to penetrate the skin and its strong side effects restrict its application. To address this challenge, we screened 500 compounds capable of penetrating the skin and gastrointestinal tract to identify potent MPXV inhibitors. Various characterization schemes and structural models of MPXV-Congo_8-156 were explored with bioinformatics tools like PROTPARAM, SOPMA, SWISS-MODEL and PROCHECK. Using molecular docking in PyRx, we evaluated the binding affinities of these compounds with MPXV-Congo_8-156 and identified the top five candidates ranging from - 9.2 to - 8.8 kcal/mol. ADMET analysis indicated that all five compounds were safer alternatives, showing no AMES toxicity or carcinogenicity in toxicological assessments. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, conducted for 100 ns each, confirmed the docking interactions of the top five compounds alongside the control (Cidofovir), validating their potential as MPXV inhibitors. The compounds with PubChem CID numbers 4061636, 4422538, 3583576, 4856107 and 4800629 demonstrated strong support in terms of root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) value, hydrogen bond analysis, and Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) analysis. Thus, our investigation identified these five compounds as promising inhibitors of MPXV, offering potential therapeutic avenues. However, further in vivo studies are necessary to validate our findings., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin (Dox) is a major complication in cancer patients. Exosomes (Ex) derived from mesenchymal cells could be a promising therapeutic for various heart diseases. This study investigated the role of Ex in Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and its mechanistic insights, using Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) as a reference drug widely recommended in heart failure management. The study involved 24 Wistar rats, divided into a control, Dox, Dox + S/V, and Dox + Ex groups. The rats were assessed for cardiac enzymes, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Immunohistochemical expression of caspase-1, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NrF2), E-Cadherin, CD117/c-kit, and Platelet-derived growth factor-α (PDGFα) was evaluated. P53 and Annexin V were assessed by PCR. Histological examination was performed using hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red stains. Ex ameliorated the adverse cardiac pathological changes and significantly decreased the cardiac enzymes and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Ex also exerted antifibrotic and antiapoptotic effect in heart tissue. Ex treatment also improved NrF2 immunohistochemistry, up-regulated E-Cadherin immune expression, and restored the telocyte markers CD117/c-kit and PDGFα. Ex can mitigate Dox-induced cardiotoxicity by acting as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antifibrotic agents, restoring telocytes and modulating epithelial mesenchymal transition. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Exosomes exhibit positive expression for CD90 and CD105 whereas showing -ve expression for CD 34 by flow cytometry. Exosomes restore the immunohistochemical expression of the telocytes markers CD117/c-kit and PDGFα. Exosomes alleviate myocardial apoptosis, oxidative stress and fibrosis., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is the major pest of tomato crops in Pakistan. Insecticides are commonly used for the management of this insect-pest. To develop a better insecticide resistance management strategy and evaluate the risk of resistance evolution, a field collected population of the tomato pinworm was selected with flubendiamide in the laboratory. We investigated the genetics of flubendiamide resistance and concentration-mortality response to other insecticides by selecting a field strain of tomato pinworm with commercial flubendiamide formulation. Tuta absoluta was reciprocally crossed with resistant strain (Fluben-R) and was selected up to 13 generations, while F 1 progeny was back-crossed with resistant parent (Fluben-R). The results of LC 50 and Resistance Ratio (RR) demonstrated a higher resistance developed in field and laboratory-selected strains (G 2 and G 13 , respectively). Field-collected and laboratory-selected (Fluben-R) strains demonstrated higher intensity of concentration-mortality response against chlorantraniliprole, thiamethoxam, permethrin, abamectin and tebufenozide compared to susceptible ones. Based on the overlapping of 95% FL, it demonstrated significant differences, revealing that it was not sex linked (autosomal) with no maternal effects. The backcross analysis of the F 1 ´ resistant parent resulting in significant differences at all concentrations suggests that resistance is controlled by more than one factor; the null hypothesis was rejected and inheritance was under polygenic control. Resistance progression from 38 to 550 folds demonstrated that T. absoluta can develop a higher level of resistance to flubendiamide. Concentration-mortality response experiments demonstrated that the LC 50 of some tested insecticides was higher for field-collected and laboratory-selected strains, suggesting that resistance mechanisms should be studied at a molecular level for better understanding. These results could be helpful to design resistance management strategies against the tomato pinworm.

Fall armyworm [ Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797)] was first reported in the Americas, then spread to all the continents of the world. Chemical insecticides are frequently employed in managing fall armyworms. These insecticides have various modes of actions and target sites to kill the insects. Chlorantraniliprole is a selective insecticide with a novel mode of action and is used against Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Isopteran, and Dipteran pests. This study determined chlorantraniliprole's lethal, sub-lethal, and trans-generational effects on two consecutive generations (F 0 , F 1 , and F 2 ) of the fall armyworm. Bioassays revealed that chlorantraniliprole exhibited higher toxicity against fall armyworms with a LC 50 of 2.781 mg/L after 48 h of exposure. Significant differences were noted in the biological parameters of fall armyworms in all generations. Sub-lethal concentrations of chlorantraniliprole showed prolonged larval and adult durations. The parameters related to the fitness cost in F 0 and F 1 generations showed non-significant differences. In contrast, the F 2 generation showed lower fecundity at lethal (71 eggs/female) and sub-lethal (94 eggs/female) doses of chlorantraniliprole compared to the control (127.5-129.3 eggs/female). Age-stage specific survival rate ( S xj ), life expectancy ( E xj ) and reproductive rate ( V xj ) significantly differed among insecticide-treated groups in all generations compared to the control. A comparison of treated and untreated insects over generations indicated substantial differences in demographic parameters such as net reproduction rate (R 0 ), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and mean generation time (T). Several biological and demographic parameters were shown to be negatively impacted by chlorantraniliprole. We conclude that chlorantraniliprole may be utilized to manage fall armyworms with lesser risks., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Aims: Most tuberculosis (TB) cases in Norway occur among immigrants from high-incidence countries. Although there is an extensive screening program for vulnerable groups, many do not appear for their screening appointment and do not understand why they require screening. This study aimed to further understand these vulnerable groups' knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding TB to inform the screening program and health care personnel dealing with TB., Methods: A KAP questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and adjusted to Norwegian conditions was used. The study has a cross-sectional design. One study group was immigrant students receiving primary screening in the municipality (MVIC) who completed an English questionnaire; the other was immigrants who were referred to hospital (POPD) for follow-up of screening results. They were interviewed with a translator when necessary. Statistical analyses to describe and compare groups of participants were done., Results: Altogether, 275 persons were eligible, and 219 (85%) participated. In the MVIC group 184 persons (86%) participated and in the POPD group 35 persons (80%). The mean knowledge score was 5.53 (maximum score: 11) with no significant differences between study groups or associations with demographics or length of education. There were serious knowledge gaps related to TB symptoms and transmission. Approximately half would have reacted with fear or surprise if they had TB, and 60% were afraid of being infected. Only 14% would avoid a person with TB., Conclusion: The mean knowledge score was reasonably good but with some serious knowledge gaps. We detected fear of being infected or having TB disease but no serious stigma. More information and teaching about TB catered towards different immigrant groups are necessary., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic habitats can be detrimental to both prey and predators in a food web. To investigate the potential for bio-transfer and bioaccumulation of heavy metals between specific trophic levels, 3rd instar larvae of Aedes aegypti were exposed to mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) for three consecutive generations and fed to dragonfly (Tramea cophysa) nymphs. Exposure to Hg caused the highest mortality in A. aegypti larvae and T. cophysa nymphs. Bioaccumulation and life-history parameters of A. aegypti, including egg hatching time, larval and pupal duration, male and female life span, and fecundity, were also evaluated after metals exposure. All life-history parameters except larval duration were significantly affected by heavy metal treatments. Bioaccumulation of metals in A. aegypti larvae and adults gradually and significantly increased from 1st to 3rd generation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the acute toxicity of heavy metals to mosquitoes. Our study shows that heavy metals cause dietary toxicity to an aquatic predator, dragonfly, via trophic transfer, which could have considerable consequences on aquatic ecosystems., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cotesia flavipes Cameron is an important larval parasitoid exploited for the control of the spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). Several studies have evaluated the toxic effects of insecticides on C. partellus, however, little is known about non-target effects of insecticides on this parasitoid, when used to control C. partellus. This laboratory study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of twelve insecticides on C. flavipes. Residual toxicity tests showed that organophosphates (chlorpyrifos, triazophos and profenofos) exhibited highest contact toxicity to C. flavipes adults with a LC 50 range from 0.63 to 1.05 mg a.i/l, while neonicotinoids (nitenpyram, acetamiprid and imidacloprid) were less toxic to C. flavipes with a LC 50 range from 1.27 to 139.48 mg a.i/l. Sugar-insecticide feeding bioassays showed that organophosphates, pyrethroids (cypermethrin, bifenthrin and lambda-cyhalothrin) and carbamates (thiodicarb, carbaryl and methomyl) were highly toxic to C. flavipes adults and caused 100% mortality at 48 h of exposure, while imidacloprid caused 66% mortality at 48 h of exposure. Risk quotient analysis showed that among all tested insecticides, imidacloprid and acetamiprid were less toxic to C. flavipes adults with a risk quotient value of 0.88 and 1.6, respectively. Furthermore, exposure of immature C. flavipes through their host bodies significantly decreased the parasitism rate at their F 1 and F 2 generations. Risk quotient analysis of insecticides indicated that imidacloprid and acetamiprid were the least toxic to C. flavipes. This study provides important information that will be used in incorporating the most suitable insecticides in integrated pest management programs with reduced negative impacts on non-target beneficial arthropods.

Objective: To estimate normative values and repeatability of thresholds for the TEN(HL) test for diagnosing dead regions in the cochlea, as a function of signal frequency, TEN(HL) level, age and gender., Design: The TEN(HL) test was administered twice for each ear of each participant using signal frequencies from 0.5 to 4 kHz and TEN(HL) levels of 30, 50 and 70 dB HL/ERB N ., Study Sample: In all, 29 young participants and 8 older participants were tested. All had normal audiograms with no history of hearing problems., Results: There was good repeatability across sessions. There was no significant effect of ear, gender or age group. The average signal-to-TEN ratio (STR) at threshold was close to 0 dB. For low signal frequencies, the STR at threshold varied only slightly with TEN(HL) level, but for the signal frequencies of 3 and 4 kHz the STR at threshold increased to about +2.7 dB for the TEN(HL) level of 70 dB/ERB N ., Conclusions: For a high TEN(HL) level, the "normal" STR at threshold at 3 and 4 kHz is closer to +2 dB than to 0 dB. Further research is needed to assess whether the TEN(HL)-test criteria need to be modified when testing at high frequencies and high levels.

In this study, the non-target effects of Bt rice "KMD2" expressing a Cry1Ab protein on the performance of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, over multiple generations were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. In the laboratory, BPH was reared to observe the impact of the Bt rice as compared to its parental non-Bt cultivar Xiushui 11, while the population dynamics and oviposition performance of BPH were investigated in the field. The survival of BPH nymphs fed Bt and non-Bt rice did not differ significantly. The nymph developmental duration of BPH was significantly delayed by the Bt rice by comparison with the non-Bt rice for the 1st and 2nd but not the 4th generation. Most importantly, the fecundity of BPH on the Bt rice was significantly decreased in every generation when compared with the non-Bt rice. In the field investigations, the population density of BPH nymphs was significantly lower in the Bt rice field. However, the temporal pattern of population dynamics of BPH adults was similar between the Bt and non-Bt rice, presumably due to migratory interference of the adults. In the Bt rice field, the percentage of tillers with eggs and the number of eggs per tiller were also significantly lower from tillering to mature stage. Additionally, Cry1Ab protein could not be detected in guts from single BPH adults. In general, our results suggest that the Bt rice "KMD2" could not stimulate an outbreak of BPH.

Background: The relationships between parasitoids and their insect hosts have attracted attention at two levels. First, the basic biology of host-parasitoid interactions is of fundamental interest. Second, parasitoids are widely used as biological control agents in sustainable agricultural programs. Females of the gregarious endoparasitoid Pteromalus puparum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) inject venom along with eggs into their hosts. P. puparum does not inject polydnaviruses during oviposition. For this reason, P. puparum and its pupal host, the small white butterfly Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), comprise an excellent model system for studying the influence of an endoparasitoid venom on the biology of the pupal host. P. puparum venom suppresses the immunity of its host, although the suppressive mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that P. puparum venom influences host gene expression in the two main immunity-conferring tissues, hemocytes and fat body., Results: At 1 h post-venom injection, we recorded significant decreases in transcript levels of 217 EST clones (revealing 113 genes identified in silico, including 62 unknown contigs) derived from forward subtractive libraries of host hemocytes and in transcript levels of 288 EST clones (221 genes identified in silico, including 123 unknown contigs) from libraries of host fat body. These genes are related to insect immune response, cytoskeleton, cell cycle and apoptosis, metabolism, transport, stress response and transcriptional and translational regulation. We verified the reliability of the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) data with semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of a set of randomly selected genes. This analysis showed that most of the selected genes were down-regulated after venom injection., Conclusions: Our findings support our hypothesis that P. puparum venom influences gene expression in host hemocytes and fat body. Specifically, the venom treatments led to reductions in expression of a large number of genes. Many of the down-regulated genes act in immunity, although others act in non-immune areas of host biology. We conclude that the actions of venom on host gene expression influence immunity as well as other aspects of host biology in ways that benefit the development and emergence of the next generation of parasitoids.

The susceptibilities of larvae of two rice stem borers, namely, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Sesamia inferens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Nocutidae) to fipronil and its metabolites were investigated, and then the activities of microsomal O-demethylase, and glutathione transferase (GST) in two species were measured. The metabolism of fipronil in both stem borers was determined in vivo and in vitro. The LD50 value of fipronil to S. inferens was 118.5-fold higher than that of C. suppressalis. The bioassay results offipronil metabolites showed that the toxicities of sulfone and sulfide were higher than fipronil for both species, and the differential toxicity between sulfone and fipronil was remarkable. Alternatively, the activities of microsomal O-demethylase and GST of C. suppressalis were 1.35- and 2.06-fold higher than S. inferens, respectively. The in vivo and in vitro studies on metabolism of fipronil showed that all of fipronil, sulfone, and sulfide were detected and the content of sulfone was higher than sulfide in both stem borers. The residue of sulfone in C. suppressalis was significantly higher than that in S. inferens. These results suggest that the higher activity of mixed function oxidases may cause the higher capacity of C. suppressalis to produce fipronil-sulfone, which is more toxic than fipronil leading to the higher susceptibility of this species.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) comprises an aggregate of mesenchymal cells. However, the cellular origin of these mesenchymal phenotypes remains unclear. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) has been known as the main cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of IPF. We examined whether the potent fibrogenic cytokine TGF-beta1 could induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the human alveolar epithelial cell line, A549, and determined whether snail expression is associated with the phenotypic changes observed in the A549 cells. EMT was investigated with cells morphology changes under phase-contrast microscopy, western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence stains. E-cadherin and transcription factor, snail, were also evaluated by measuring mRNA levels using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. The data showed that TGF-beta1 induced A549 cells with epithelial cell characteristics to undergo EMT in a concentration-dependent manner. Following TGF-beta1 treatment, A549 cells induced EMT characterized by cells morphological changes, loss of epithelial markers Ecaherin and cytokeratin, increased stress fiber reorganization by F-actin, and cytokeratin replacement by vimentin. Although IL-1beta failed to induce A549 cells to undergo EMT, the combination of TGF-beta1 and IL-1beta showed synergy effects in cells morphology changes and the expression of mesenchymal markers. The snail expression study using RT-PCR analysis provided that loss of E-cadherin expression was associated with snail expression. Stimulation of A54 cells with TGF-beta1 plus IL-1beta revealed a higher level of snail expression. Our data showed that EMT of A549 cells might be closely associated with snail expression.