Mortality of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Exposed to Spinetoram Toxic Bait in the Laboratory

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause significant losses during the production and marketing of horticultural products. Brazilian growers usually adopt full-coverage insecticide spraying to control fruit flies, but toxic bait is a more strategic technique, because reach efficacy and the target surface is the foliage and branches. We provide information regarding the toxicity of spinetoram bait to two fruit fly species in the laboratory as an alternative to organophosphates and the specific spinosad formulation. We tested toxic baits in the laboratory, using commercial hydrolysed corn protein (10% v/v) plus 90 g, 120 g, 150 g and 180 g dilutions of spinetoram 250 WG (commercial product/1,000 litres of water). All toxic baits were compared with an untreated control (only protein) for the adults of females and males of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart, 1835) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) up to 30 hours of exposure. Dry food for adults was included in all dilutions (5% w/v). In addition, we tested the residual effect of toxic baits applied to the leaves of mandarin seedlings. We used the same treatments of the earlier bioassay without dry food, collecting treated leaves and exposing them to C. capitata (medfly) females for 24 hours in the laboratory. Leaves were collected 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after application. Overall, medfly adults were more susceptible to spinetoram baits than A. obliqua. All toxic baits resulted in 100% C. capitata mortality 24 hours after initial exposure, and the toxic bait at 150 g/1,000 L of water resulted in the maximum mortality (96%) in A. obliqua. Except for 90 g of spinetoram bait at 30 days after application, all spinetoram bait concentrations resulted in significantly, more dead C. capitata females than the control over all tested periods in the residual bioassay. At 30 days after application, spinetoram baits at 120 g, 150 g and 180 g resulted in 85%, 87% and 86% mortality in C. capitata, respectively. Spinetoram toxic baits have proven promising for long-term fruit fly management.

Corn protein has greater concentrations of digestible amino acids and energy than low-oil corn distillers dried grains with solubles when fed to pigs, but does not affect growth performance of weanling pigs

Three experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) and digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in a new source of corn protein are greater than in corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and that corn protein may be included in diets for weanling pigs. In experiment 1, the SID of AA was determined in 2 sources of DDGS (DDGS-1 and DDGS-2) and in corn protein. Results indicated that SID of most AA was greater (P < 0.05) in DDGS-2 and corn protein than in DDGS-1, but corn protein contained more digestible AA than both sources of DDGS. In experiment 2, the DE and ME in corn, the 2 sources of DDGS, and corn protein were determined. Results demonstrated that DE (dry matter basis) in corn protein was greater (P < 0.05) than in corn, but ME (dry matter basis) was not different between corn and corn protein. However, DE and ME in corn (dry matter basis) were greater (P < 0.05) than in DDGS-1 and DDGS-2. In experiment 3, 160 weanling pigs were allotted to 4 treatments in phases 1 and 2, and a common diet in phase 3. Corn protein was included at 5 to 10% in phases 1 and 2 at the expense of plasma protein and enzyme treated soybean meal. Results indicated that although differences in average daily gain and gain to feed ratio were observed in phase 1, no differences among treatments were observed for the overall experimental period. In conclusion, the concentration of digestible AA is greater in corn protein than in DDGS, DE and ME in corn protein are also greater than in DDGS, and up to 10% corn protein may be included in phase 1 and phase 2 diets for weanling pigs.

172 Effects of Dietary Valine, Isoleucine, and Tryptophan Supplementations to Diets Containing Excess Leucine from Corn Protein on Growth Performance of Growing Pigs

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that addition of Val, Ile, or Trp alone or in combination will reduce the negative effects of excess Leu in diets for growing pigs. A total of 288 growing pigs (28.6 ± 2.5 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 9 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were 2 barrows and 2 gilts in each pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment. A control diet based on corn and soybean meal and 8 diets based on corn and a high-protein corn product (48% crude protein) with 2 levels of crystalline L-Val (0 or 0.10%), L-Ile (0 or 0.10%), and L-Trp (0 or 0.05%) were formulated. The crystalline L-Val, L-Ile, and L-Trp increased standardized ileal digestible (SID) Val:Lys from 70 to 80%, SID Ile:Lys from 53 to 63%, and SID Trp:Lys from 18 to 23%, respectively. All diets were formulated to contain 1.00% SID Lys and the 8 diets containing corn protein contained 171% SID Leu:Lys. Individual pig weights were recorded at the beginning and at the conclusion of the 28-d experiment. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS with a pen as the experimental unit. Diet was the fixed effect and block and replicate within block were random effects. Results indicated that final body weight and average daily gain were not different between pigs fed the control diet and pigs fed the diet with Val and Trp addition, but greater (P < 0.001) than for pigs fed the diet with Val addition, Ile addition, Trp addition, Val and Ile addition, Ile and Trp addition, or Val, Ile, and Trp addition (Table 1). In conclusion, addition of Val and Trp to diets with excess Leu may prevent negative effects of excess Leu in diets for growing pigs.

211 A Corn Protein Product Has Greater Concentration of Digestible Amino Acids and Energy Than Low-oil Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles When Fed to Pigs and May Be Used in Diets for Weanling Pigs

The hypothesis that the nutritional value of corn protein (approximately 50% protein) is greater than in two sources of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS1 and DDGS2) was tested. In Exp. 1, eight ileal-cannulated barrows (37.1 ± 2.4 kg) were allotted to a Latin square and fed a N-free diet or diets based on corn protein, DDGS1, or DDGS2. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using SAS with treatment and replicate being fixed and random effects, respectively. Concentrations of standardized ileal digestible (SID) AA were greater (P < 0.05) in corn protein than in DDGS (Table 1). In Exp. 2, 32 barrows (16.5 ± 0.9 kg) in metabolism crates received diets based on, corn, corn protein, DDGS1, or DDGS2. Data were analyzed as in Exp. 1. Corn protein had greater (P < 0.01) ME compared with DDGS1 and DDGS2 (Table 1). In Exp. 3, 160 pigs (6.02 ± 0.84 kg) were allotted to 4 treatments with 8 pens per treatment. Phase 1 and 2 diets contained 0, 5, 5, or 10% and 0, 2.5, 7.5, or 10% corn protein, respectively, which replaced enzyme-treated soybean meal (HP300) or plasma in phase 1 or HP300 in phase 2. Diets were formulated using ME and SID AA values from Exp. 1 and 2. A common phase 3 diet was used. Data were analyzed as in Exp. 1. At the end of phase 1, BW was reduced (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the diet with the greatest inclusion of corn protein, but there was no difference at the end of the experiment (Table 2). Fecal score tended (P = 0.066) to be reduced in phase 2 for pigs fed the greatest inclusion of corn protein. In conclusion, corn protein has greater ME and digestible AA than DDGS and may reduce fecal scores of pigs

Advanced image analysis of thermoplastic filaments’ viscous sintering kinetics: Contour fitting with a Lemniscate of Booth

Viscous sintering kinetics of thermoplastic polymers has been studied for powders using models refining the Frenkel-Eshelby approach. It is usually based on the measurement of the bonding neck between two molten particles submitted to thermo-microscopy trials. Recently, specific experimental setups have been described for studying the viscous sintering of filaments used in additive manufacturing by FDM. The description of their coalescence by models developed for particles is a rough approximation. However, the evolution of the shape of their section can be modelled by lemniscate curves. In the present work, we present an advanced image analysis approach allowing the fitting of the contour of the filaments by a Lemniscate of Booth. It is based on the automatic assessment of the coordinates of their edge pixels and the adjustment of lemniscates to match their evolving shape as a succession of inverse ellipses. We apply this procedure to a model-biopolymer recently shown as 3D-printable, the plasticized zein, a corn protein extruded as cylindrical filaments. Their sintering is recorded at 120°C as 8-bits coded raw images. After segmentation, a numerical mask is applied to follow the filaments outline. Using Matlab® as computer algebra system, the adjustment and the identification of lemniscates parameters leads to determine the viscous sintering characteristic time, similar to those of standard polymers. Then, the full monitoring of sintering kinetics is achievable and makes possible a better modelling of such experimental trials and their application to enhance the control of the welding between layers in additive manufacturing.

Synthesis of nano-fibers containing nano-curcumin in zein corn protein and its physicochemical and biological characteristics

Curcumin contains many biological activities as a natural bioactive substance, however, its low solubility stands as a huge bioavailability disadvantage. Recently, different methods have been developed for utilizing the tremendous medicinal properties of this material. In this study, an Oil/Water nano-emulsion of curcumin (Nano-CUR) has been woven in zein polymer at three percentages of 5%, 10%, and 15% (v/v). We have investigated the physicochemical properties of nanofibers (NFs) including FESEM, FTIR, tensile strength, encapsulation efficiency, and release profile, as well as biological properties. According to the data, the NFs have been observed to become significantly thinner and more uniformed as the involved percentage of Nano-CUR had been increased from 5 to 15%. It is considerable that the tensile strength can be increased by heightening the existing Nano-CUR from 5% towards 15%. The resultant NFs of zein/Nano-CUR 15% have exhibited higher in vitro release and lower encapsulation efficiency than the other evaluated zein/Nano-CUR NFs. It has been confirmed through the performed viability and antioxidant studies that zein/Nano-CUR 10% NFs are capable of providing the best conditions for cell proliferation. Considering the mentioned facts, this work has suggested that Nano-CUR can be successfully woven in zein NFs and maintain their biological properties.