The study of insects and their interactions with humans, plants, and ecosystems, including entomology, pest management, pollinator biology, insect physiology, behavior, systematics, and their roles in agriculture and disease transmission
7 papersThis study compared three honeybee management systems (chemical-free, conventional, and organic) on small stationary operations over three years. Organic and conventional management were profitable due to higher colony survival, leading to increased honey production and sales of bee splits, while chemical-free operations resulted in losses due to low survival.
This study proposes that the high nitrogen isotope ratios found in Neanderthal remains might be due to consumption of maggots found in stored animal foods, rather than just meat from large mammals. Using experimentally decomposed human tissue, the researchers show that fly larvae feeding on decomposing tissue have significantly higher nitrogen isotope values than the tissue itself, suggesting that even small amounts of maggots in the diet could significantly elevate nitrogen isotope ratios.
Insect richness and biomass are strongly correlated and negatively influenced by agricultural factors like pesticides and land use. Stakeholder involvement is crucial for insect conservation, highlighting the need for more data, flexible policies, and open dialogue to balance agricultural needs with conservation goals.
This editorial provides a step-by-step guide for conducting Multigroup Analysis (MGA) using SmartPLS 3.3.2, including measurement invariance testing with the MICOM procedure. It aims to help researchers understand and apply MGA to examine heterogeneity effects in business research.
A novel bilayer wound dressing combining a polyurethane/propolis membrane and a polycaprolactone/gelatin nanofibrous scaffold showed significant antibacterial activity and promoted wound healing in rats. The dressing accelerated wound closure and collagen deposition compared to controls, suggesting its potential for biomedical applications.
Gold nanoparticles biosynthesized using Brazilian red propolis extract and its fractions exhibit significant antimicrobial activity against various bacterial and fungal strains, as well as cytotoxic activity against bladder and prostate cancer cells. The study highlights the potential of this green method for producing nanoparticles with promising therapeutic applications.
The parasitoid wasp Cotesia vestalis can sometimes lay multiple eggs in a single host (superparasitism), particularly when encountering fresh hosts. While this doesn't always harm the wasp's offspring, it can reduce survival rates if the second egg is laid too long after the first.