53 research outputs found
Olfactory Preferences of Sitophilus zeamais to Cereal- and Legume-Based Pasta
No full textWe compared the attractiveness of five commercially available Italian macaroni pastas of different shapes (penne, casarecce, and fusilli) made from cereals and/or legumes [100% Triticum durum; 100% Cicer arietinum; 100% Lens esculenta; 50% Triticum durum + 50% Cicer arietinum; 60% Triticum durum + 40% Lens esculenta] to adults of Sitophilus zeamais (L.). A multiple-choice walking bioassay showed that S. zeamais adults were more attracted to cereal than legume pastas. The modified Flit-Track M-2 trap devices baited with pasta made with 100% T. durum captured an average of 61.4% of the adults released into the olfactometric arena after 7 days. Of the insects tested, pasta made with 100% C. arietinum trapped 3.8%, pasta made with 100% L. esculenta trapped 2.7%, pasta made with 50% T. durum + 50% C. arietinum trapped 4.3%, and pasta made with 60% T. durum + 40% L. esculenta trapped 4.2%. When individually compared, 79.6% of S. zeamais adults chose the Triticum durum pasta. Orientation to 100% Cicer pasta or 100% Lens pasta was not observed. In the choice test, only 37% and 25% were attracted to Triticum and Cicer pastas or Triticum and Lens pasta, respectively. Our results confirm that the low attractiveness of legume pasta is mainly due to the lack of attractant stimuli rather than the emission of repellent compounds. From a practical perspective, it is also interesting to note how mixed pasta decreases the risk of S. zeamais infestation
A cellular automata model for the simulation of in vitro carcinogenesis tests
No full textIn vitro tests are very powerful methods to assess the carcinogenic effects of different substances and to study the initial phases of tumor development. A CA model of the formation of transformation foci in cell cultures which are exposed to a carcinogen is presented here, based on known facts about carcinogenesis and about reasonable assumptions, which gives rise to a cell growth dynamics similar to the one experimentally observed. The model can be used to test formal hypotheses about different interfering phenomena and about their relative strengt
Bioactivity of cereal-and legume-based macaroni pasta volatiles to adult sitophilus granarius (l.)
No full textThe attractiveness of ten commercially available Italian macaroni pastas made from different cereals [Triticum durum; Triticum durum (whole wheat); Triticum dicoccum; mixture of five cereals; Triticum turgidum; Triticum turanicum] or legumes (Cicer arietinum; Lens culinaris; Pisum sativum; Vicia faba) to Sitophilus granarius, was compared. S. granarius adults were more attracted to cereal pastas than legume pastas, but the differences in attractiveness were not always significant. Consistent with the results of behavioural bioassays, the mortality of adults over 20 days exposed to pasta samples was 100% with the legume pasta samples and only 8% with the T. turanicum pasta. GC-MS analysis of HS-SPME extracts from the different pasta samples highlighted marked qualitative and quantitative differences, with aliphatic aldehydes and aliphatic alcohols being the most abundant volatile components of cereal-and legume-pastas, respectively. In two-choice behavioural bioassays, insect attraction to a 1:1 combination of T. turanicum and C. arietinum pastas (80%) was even higher than that observed in T. turanicum pasta alone (64%) and in C. arietinum pasta alone (20%). This strongly suggested that the low attractiveness of legume pasta is mainly due to the lack of attractant stimuli rather than emission of repellent compounds
The covalent binding of 1, 1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane to macromolecules of rat and mouse organs
No full textThe in vivo interaction of the hepatocarcinogen 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane (1,1,2,2‐TTCE) with DNA, RNA, and proteins of male Wistar rats and BALB/c mice was measured 22 hr after i.p. injection. Covalent binding index (CBI) to liver DNA was about 500 and was comparable to those of carcinogens classified as moderate initiators. It was higher than those of other chloroethanes, even than that of 1,2‐ dichloroethane (1,2‐DCE), a symmetrically substituted haloethane whose genotoxicity has been widely demonstrated. In in vitro cell‐free systems, 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane was bioactivated by mixed‐function oxidase(s) and glutathione‐S‐transferase(s) (GSH‐T) from microsomal and cytosolic fractions of rat and mouse liver and, to a lesser extent, of mouse lung. The in vitro activation led to formation of reactive species capable of binding to exogenous DNA and to the subcellular constituents of enzymatic fractions. These data, along with previous literature reports, provide sufficient evidence of 1,1,2,2‐TTCE genotoxicity. Copyright © 1987 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Compan
BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay for the prediction of carcinogenic potential
No full textThe prediction of the carcinogenic risk for humans is mostly based on animal experiments. For the last 20 years, however, the scientific community has paid great attention to alternative strategies in compliance with common moral and ethical values. The new European chemical regulation REACH (Reg. EC 1907/2006) requires the performance of new studies in vertebrates only as a last resort. REACH asks for the development of validated in vitro protocols that can replace, in the medium to the long term, animal bioassays. An in vitro cell transformation assay (CTA) is proposed as an alternative to in vivo carcinogenicity testing. This assay is reported in the list of accepted methods for REACH (Reg. EC 440/2008). The BALB/c 3T3 model represents one of the most well-known CTAs and is regarded as a useful tool to screen single chemicals or complex mixtures for carcinogenicity prediction. In this study we used a modified protocol to highlight the transforming potential of three single compounds, ethinylestradiol (EE), azathioprine (AZA-T), melphalan, and two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) mixtures, which are known or suspected to be human carcinogens. We also evaluated the activity of the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid, a promising tumor chemopreventive. This supports the use of BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation assay as a possible alternative to predict carcinogenic risk to humans
Valutazione degli effetti citotossici e trasformanti indotti da fibre ceramiche refrattarie e fibre policristalline nel modello in vitro BALB/c 3T3
No full textLe fibre policristalline sono capaci di trasformare le cellule BALB/c 3T3 con potenza inferiore a quella delle fibre ceramiche refrattarie. a loro volta a potenza inferiore alla crocidolite (amianto). Il test in vitro e' un buon predittore di effetti simil cancerogeni per i materiali per i quali non esistono dati sull'animale
Reliability of toxicokinetic modelling for PFAS exposure assessment in contaminated water in northern Italy
No full textIntroduction: Long-term contamination of tap water and groundwater by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has been documented in the Veneto region of northern Italy. This study aimed to assess the exposure of individuals residing in the contaminated area and to test several toxicokinetic (TK) models of varying complexities to identify an efficient method for predicting perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) concentrations in human serum using observed data. The ultimate goal is to provide public health officials with guidance on selecting the appropriate TK model for specific contexts, a reliable and rapid tool to support human bio-monitoring (HBM) studies. Methods: Two simpler empirical TK models and a more complex multi-compartment physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model were compared with individual and aggregate data from an HBM study. In addition, the PBPK model was modified by adjusting input parameters and introducing new terms into the equations within the original model code. These modifications aimed to optimize the results compared to the original model, with some versions incorporating adjustments to account for the influence of menstruation in women. All models were evaluated to understand their strengths and weaknesses, providing guidance on the appropriate model to use according to specific scenarios. Results: The results obtained from the tested models were quite similar, with significant improvements observed only in the modified models. Simpler models also provided satisfactory results in scenarios involving low PFOS serum concentrations and recent exposure cessation. In many cases, predictions demonstrated high accuracy, particularly at the aggregate level and for women. Conclusions: These findings suggest that environmental protection agencies and health authorities may benefit from employing the tested models at the aggregate level as an initial step in HBM studies, rather than conducting more invasive and expensive screening campaigns
MORPHOLOGY AND ETHOLOGY OF THAUMETOPOEA HELLENICAAND THAUMETOPOEA MEDITERRANEA(LEPIDOPTERA NOTODONTIDAE THAUMETOPOEINAE)
No full textThaumetopoea hellenicaand Thaumetopoea mediterraneawere recently described from Central Greece andPantelleria Island (Italy), respectively. In this paper, we reported some information on their morphology, biological cycleand ecology. T. hellenicaand T. mediterraneaare closely related to T. pityocampa differing mainly ingenetic characters.Morphologically, the three species resemble each other, and can be mainly differentiated by observing wing patterns, can-thus, and the male and female genitalia. Some data on egg batches, mature larvae, pupae, flight period, host plants andcolonized environments were reported
IN VITRO EVALUATION OF TOXICITY AND TRANSFORMING ACTIVITY OF MAN MADE FIBERS
No full textFibre ceramiche e policristalline, sostituti dell'amianto, sono state saggiate per tossicità e potenziale trasformante in vitro su cellule BALB/c 3T3. Le fibre artificali sono risultate meno tossiche di due ordini di grandezza rispetto alla crocidolite, una delle forme di amianto, ed egualmente trasformanti le cellule sopra citate, ma con potenza molto inferiore alla crocidolite. Gli effetti sono correlati alle dimensioni delle fibre
Recent Advances in Management by Pheromones of Thaumetopoea Moths in Urban Parks and Woodland Recreational Areas
No full textCaterpillars of the pine processionary moths, Thaumetopoea complex, cause serious defoliation to Cedrus, Pinus, and Pseudotsuga trees. Thaumetopoea caterpillars also have fine hairs on their abdominal tergites that contain a protein that can severely irritate and cause dermatitis in humans and domestic animals. The control of the T. pityocampa pine processionary moth has become necessary in many European countries because of the sanitary risks that are related to larval urtication and the defoliation threat to pine forests and plantations. New research activities have been aimed at the development of eco-friendly, innovative technologies for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of these moths, particularly in urban parks and woodland recreational areas. This paper describes the recent advances in the use of pheromones in monitoring, mass trapping, and mating disruption related to management of processionary moths T. hellenica and T. pityocampa. According to the results, the use of pheromones may provide a practical alternative to insecticide sprays, as they can be safe and simple as compared to other control methods
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