Sublethal pesticide exposure in non-target terrestrial ecosystems: From known effects on individuals to potential consequences on trophic interactions and network functioning.

Over the last decades, the intensification of agriculture has resulted in an increasing use of pesticides, which has led to widespread contamination of non-target ecosystems in agricultural landscapes. Plants and arthropods inhabiting these systems are therefore chronically exposed to, at least, low levels of pesticides through direct pesticide drift, but also through the contamination of their nutrient sources (e.g.

Evernia prunastri lichen as a source of bioactive glucans with potential for topical applications.

Microwave hydrothermal treatment was selected to extract valuable fractions with bioactive and gelling properties from Evernia prunastri lichen with potential for topical applications. The impact of the extraction processing conditions on the soluble extracts, mucilage fraction and residual solid phase was analyzed within a lichen global valorization approach. A particular stress was made on the thermo-rheological and structural characteristics of the extracted glucan and galactomannan polymers, the corresponding gelled matrices, and their cosmetic feasibility.

Biocosmetics Made with Fractions from Sustainable Treatment: Physicochemical and Thermorheological Features.

This work deals with the formulation of natural cosmetics enriched with antioxidant fractions from the ultrasound treatment (US) of the brown seaweed . The challenge was the development of a cosmetic matrix without jeopardizing the thermorheological features of the creams, adding microparticles containing the antioxidant fractions using two different carriers, mannitol and alginate. The fundamental chemical characteristics of seaweed and the extracts obtained sonication, as well as the antioxidant properties of the latter, were analyzed.

Enantiospecific response of Ips avulsus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) to ipsdienol depends on semiochemical context.

Colonization of hosts by bark beetles is generally mediated by aggregation pheromones. Species competing for the same resource can limit interspecific interactions and maintain reproductive isolation by using different pheromones. In the southern United States, 3 sympatric species of Ips breed in pine hosts, each with a different pheromone blend.

Combined Effect of Shaking Orbit and Vial Orientation on the Agitation-Induced Aggregation of Proteins.

Orbital shaking in a glass vial is a commonly used forced degradation test to evaluate protein propensity for agitation-induced aggregation. Vial shaking in horizontal orientation has been widely recommended to maximize the air-liquid interface area while ensuring solution contact with the stopper. We evaluated the impact of shaking orbit diameter and frequency, and glass vial orientation (horizontal versus vertical) on the aggregation of three proteins prepared in surfactant-free formulation buffers.

Remnants of horizontal transfers of Wolbachia genes in a Wolbachia-free woodwasp.

Background: Wolbachia is a bacterial endosymbiont of many arthropod and nematode species. Due to its capacity to alter host biology, Wolbachia plays an important role in arthropod and nematode ecology and evolution. Sirex noctilio is a woodwasp causing economic loss in pine plantations of the Southern Hemisphere.

Microwave hydrothermal processing of Undaria pinnatifida for bioactive peptides.

Microwave hydrothermal processing was employed to obtain valuable gelling or bioactive fractions from U. pinnatifida, assessing the processing conditions following a biorefinery concept. It was identified a relevant impact on the antioxidant properties, sulfate, protein and oligosaccharides content, with the highest values above 200 °C, although the maximum in fucose was obtained at 160 °C.

Mechanisms that influence sex ratio variation in the invasive hymenopteran in South Africa.

is an economically important invasive pest of commercial pine forestry in the Southern Hemisphere. Newly established invasive populations of this woodwasp are characterized by highly male-biased sex ratios that subsequently revert to those seen in the native range. This trend was not observed in the population of from the summer rainfall regions in South Africa, which remained highly male-biased for almost a decade.

Stereoselective synthesis of trans beta-lactams through iridium-catalyzed reductive coupling of imines and acrylates.

[reaction: see text] Iridium-catalyzed reductive coupling of acrylates and imines provides trans beta-lactams with high diastereoselection. The optimal catalyst allows for the synthesis of trans beta-lactams bearing aromatic, alkenyl, and alkynyl side chains. This reaction appears to proceed through a reductive Mannich addition-cyclization mechanism.

Discovery of a novel synthetic phosphatase from a bead-bound combinatorial library.

Using split/pool encoded synthesis and a colorimetric catalysis assay, a number of synthetic phosphatase catalysts were developed.