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Rosuvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug that also attenuates the inflammatory process and oxidative stress via the reduction of superoxide anion production. Superoxide anions are metabolized by manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD or SOD2) in the mitochondria. In humans, there is a gene polymorphism where a change of alanine (Ala) to valine (Val) occurs at the 16th amino acid (Ala16Val-SOD2). The VV genotype has been associated with the risk of developing several metabolic diseases, such as hypercholesterolemia. Thus, to further explore this phenomenon, this study investigated the influence of the Val16Ala-SOD2 polymorphism on the lipid profile and inflammatory and fibrinolytic biomarkers of 122 hypercholesterolemic patients undergoing the first pharmacological cholesterol-lowering therapy who were treated with 20?mg rosuvastatin for 120 days. The findings indicate that the VV patients who present a low-efficiency SOD2 enzyme exhibit an attenuated response to rosuvastatin compared with the A-allele patients. The effect of rosuvastatin on inflammatory and fibrinolytic biomarkers was also less intense in the VV patients. These results suggest some pharmacogenetic effects of Val16Ala-SOD2 in hypercholesterolemia treatment.

The oviposition rate, the spatial oviposition pattern, and common morphological and temporal embryonic characteristics of each stage, and the caterpillar eclosion patterns of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hueb.), Rachiplusia nu (Guen.), Spodoptera latifascia (Walk.), and Chrysodeixis (=Pseudoplusia) includens (Walk.) were observed under laboratory conditions. The average daily oviposition rate differed among species. The egg-larva developmental time lag did not show a normal distribution. Development was fastest in A. gemmatalis, followed by R. nu and S. latifascia, C. includens being the slowest. The species showed an overlap in different embryonic time stages. The mean overlap time was lower and the same in A. gemmatalis and R. nu than in S. latifascia and C. includens. Egg viability was the same in all species. The morphological characterization of the embryos of the 4 species allowed the description of 8 stages. Independently of species, 46% of the caterpillars ate the whole chorionic layer and the other 54% ate it partially.

The distribution of eggs of Noctuidae on the leaflets of soybean plants was analyzed during 2 seasons. Four species were found in the 1st yr; Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner was the most frequent, followed by Rachiplusia nu Gueneé, Spodoptera latifascia Walker, and Chrysodeixis (=Pseudoplusia) includens Walker. However, in the 2nd yr, R. nu, instead of C. includens, was the least frequent species. A. gemmatalis and S. latifascia oviposited mainly on medium-height plant regions but also on leaflets with different average sizes. R. nu and C. includens laid their eggs in the upper and lower plant regions, respectively. All species oviposited preferentially on the ventral surface. These results suggest that spatial parameters of the plant are important for Noctuidae in choosing where to oviposit on soybean.