Gene Cloning, Heterologous Expression, and In Silico Analysis of Chitinase B from for Biocontrol of Larvae Infesting Maize Crops.

, the fall armyworm (FAW), is a highly invasive polyphagous insect pest that is considered a source of severe economic losses to agricultural production. Currently, the majority of chemical insecticides pose tremendous threats to humans and animals besides insect resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new pest management strategies with more specificity, efficiency, and sustainability.

Chemistry and the Potential Antiviral, Anticancer, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Cardiotonic Steroids Derived from Toads.

Cardiotonic steroids (CTS) were first documented by ancient Egyptians more than 3000 years ago. Cardiotonic steroids are a group of steroid hormones that circulate in the blood of amphibians and toads and can also be extracted from natural products such as plants, herbs, and marines. It is well known that cardiotonic steroids reveal effects against congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation; therefore, the term "cardiotonic" has been coined.

Curcumin-Injected Larval Hemolymph: Cecropin Upregulation and Potential Anticancer Effect.

Over recent decades, much attention has been given to imply the natural products in cancer therapy alone or in combination with other established procedures. Insects have a rich history in traditional medicine across the globe, which holds promise for the future of natural product drug discovery. Cecropins, peptides produced by insects, are components of a defense system against infections and are well known to exert antimicrobial and antitumor capabilities.

Enhanced Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potentials of Lipopolysaccharides-Injected Larvae.

The usage of insects as a sustainable and functional natural products resource is a new promise in complementary and alternative medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of (housefly) larval hemolymph (insect blood) to display the enhanced in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. The oxidative stress (OS) was elicited by inducing lipopolysaccharides (LPS) treatment as an exogenous stressor.

Developmental Plasticity of the Flesh Fly Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) on Different Substrates.

Forensic entomologists rely on laboratory growth data to estimate the time of colonization on human remains thus extrapolating a minimum postmortem interval (PMI) if assumptions are satisfied. The flesh fly Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Wiedemann) is one species that occurs in casework in Idaho, Texas, and central California. Because of the few laboratory studies on the development of this fly, the following study was conducted to determine if different substrates impact immature development of the species.

A study of the hepatoprotective effect of Plantago psyllium L. seed extract against Carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic injury in rats.

Background: The liver is the main metabolic organ involved in disposal and detoxification of various molecules. Plantago psyllium L. seed has been reported to exert positive effects in some pathological conditions.

Prevalence and factors associated with the use of illicit substances among male university students in Kuwait.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of illicit use of substances and identify the factors associated with illicit drug use among male students in the state-run Kuwait University and private universities in Kuwait.

Subjects And Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 1,587 male students from both private universities (n = 869) and the public (n = 718) Kuwait University in Kuwait. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.