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Serum copper concentration increases significantly (p<0.01) in rats with experimental atherosclerosis compared to a control group. The serum zinc, the zinc, and copper concentration in abdominal aorta and in liver decreases significantly (p<0.05) compared to the control group. Administration of copper sulfate for 100 d in these animals induces a significant increase of serum copper (p<0.01), decrease of serum cholesterol (p<0.05) and increase of liver copper concentration as compared with the group fed only a high cholesterol diet. In the aorta of these animals the copper concentration increases and edema and lipid infiltration are considerably less than in the group of animals fed only a high lipid diet.

The effect of Cuprofilin, a newly synthesized C.(II)-chlorophyll complex, was assessed in rats with experimental atherosclerosis. The study was focused on changes in serum cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides concentration as well as on serum and abdominal aorta Cu and Zn values. It has been ascertained that after 90 d in animals fed a rich lipid diet there was a statistically significant increase in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipid concentration (p< 0.01). A significant augmentation of serum Cu values (p< 0.01) accompanied by a marked lowering of the same element in abdominal aorta (p< 0.01) was also found, as compared to the results registered in the control group. However, Cuprofilin, administered for 90 d in the group of animals with experimental atherosclerosis, significantly decreased the serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum lipid values (p< 0.01), increased copper content in aortic tissue (p< 0.01) and lowered serum copper concentration (p< 0.01) as compared to the untreated group. Moreover, in the aorta of administered animals the lipid infiltration has been demonstrated to be significantly diminished vs the untreated group.

Abstract: The mirid bugDicyphus tamaninii Wagner, is common in Catalonia in vegetable crops which have not been sprayed with insecticide. To study the feeding habits of this bug in tomato crops, several treated and untreated tomato plots were set up at Cabrils Experimental Station (North of Barcelona) during 1983, 1984 and 1985. The results indicate thatTrialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood populations are greatly affected by the mirid bug when no, or only a few, insecticide sprays are applied. However, the bug heavily damaged tomato fruits in unsprayed plots, where bug numbers were high and whitefly numbers low. It seems that tomato fruit is only preferred when whitefly numbers are extremely low. Similar results were obtained in 1984 in a preliminary experiment using cages to exclude the bug.