Trophic Transfer and Toxicity of (Mixtures of) Ag and TiO2 Nanoparticles in the Lettuce-Terrestrial Snail Food Chain

The increasing application of biosolids and agrochemicals containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) results in their inevitable accumulation in soil, with unknown implications along terrestrial food chains. Here, the trophic transfer of single NPs and a mixture of AgNPs and TiO2NPs from lettuce to snails and their associated impacts on snails were investigated. Both AgNPs and TiO2NPs were transferred from lettuce to snails with trophic transfer factors (defined as the ratio of the Ag/Ti concentration in snail tissues to the Ag/Ti concentration in lettuce leaves) of 0.2-1.1 for Ag and 3.8-47 for Ti. Moreover, the majority of Ag captured by snails in the AgNP-containing treatments was excreted via feces, whereas more than 70% of Ti was distributed in the digestive gland of snails in the TiO2NP-containing treatments. Additionally, AgNP-containing treatments significantly inhibited the activity of snails, while TiO2NP-containing treatments significantly reduced feces excretion of snails. Furthermore, the concurrent application of AgNPs and TiO2NPs did not affect the biomagnification and distribution patterns of Ag and Ti in snails, whereas their co-existence exhibited more severe inhibition of the growth and activity of snails than in the case of applying AgNPs or TiO2NPs alone. This highlights the possibility of nanoparticle transfer to organisms of higher trophic levels via food chains and the associated risks to ecosystem health.

[The becoming of reactions of lipolysis in phylogenesis. The palmitic and oleic triglycerides as substrates. Insulin, condition of normolipemia and formation of hyper lipoproteinemia type IIb, IV and V]

According to phylogenetic theory of general pathology, when living in ocean all were carnivorous (piscivorous) fatty acids transferring to cells in form of non-polar triglycerides nitially began apoB-48 chylomicrons, continued lipoproteins of very low and low density and fnalized its apoB-100 endocytosis. The fatty acids are transferred by chylomicrons + lipoproteins of very low density + lipoproteins of low density and non-polar triglycerides are hydrolyzed by hepatic glycerolhydrogenase and co-enzyme apoC-III; according WHO classifcation, hyperlipoproteinemia corresponds to type V. On land, in herbivorous who are not yet synthesized insulin, apoB-48 and chylomicrons left process of non-polar triglycerides transferring. In lipoproteins of very low density and lipoproteins of low density, the carnivorous transfer exogenous palmitic non-polar triglycerides. The herbivorous also transfer palmitic non-polar triglycerides though synthesized by hepatocytes from glucose endogenically. In herbivorous, transferring of palmitic non-polar triglycerides prior to synthesis of insulin is forming apoB-100 in composition of lipoproteins of very low density and lipoproteins of low density. The hydrolysis of palmitic non-polar triglycerides in lipoproteins of very low density is activated by hepatic glycerol hydrogenase and apoC-III; cells absorb lipoproteins of low density by means of apoB-100 endocytosis. The content on lipoproteins in blood plasma under electrophoresis of lipoproteins corresponds to hepatic glycerol hydrogenase type IIb. In frst and second types of fatty acids transferring in form of triglycerides to lipoproteins of very low density + lipoproteins of low density predominate palmitic fatty acid, triglycerides of the same name and palmitic metabolism of fatty acids in vivo. The insulin initiated the third type of transferring of oleic fatty acid by now to insulin-depended cells only in oleic lipoproteins of very low density; hydrolysis of oleic triglycerides is activated by late in phylogenesis post-heparin hepatic glycerol hydrogenase and apoC-II cofactor. The dynamic apoE is actively bound by apoB-100 forming apoE/B-100 ligand. At later stages of phylogenesis insulin formed fatty acids transferring in form of oleic triglycerides in lipoproteins of very low density of the same name without forming of oleic lipoproteins of low density; the electrophoregram of lipoproteins reflects absence of hepatic glycerol hydrogenase. In phylogenesis three types of fatty acids transferring to triglycerides in composition of lipoproteins formed sequentially: 1) chylomicrons + lipoproteins of very low and density + lipoproteins of low density; 2) lipoproteins of very low density + lipoproteins of low density; 3) only in lipoproteins of very low density. The frst one is specifc to piscivorous (carnivorous) while living in ocean. The second one is implemented by herbivorous while they didn't begin to synthesize insulin and hepatocytes not yet transform all endogenous palmitic fatty acid into oleic fatty acid. Insulin initiated: a) transferring of oleic fatty acids to lipoproteins of very low density without forming oleic lipoproteins of low density; b) highly effective oleic metabolism of fatty acids in vivo: c) becoming of biological function of locomotion. The aphysiological induction by substrate, surplus of palmitic fatty acids in food initiate negative alterations in composition of lipoproteins in opposite direction than in case of phylogenesis. When homo sapiens, herbivorous in phylogenesis, begins to misuse carnivorous (meat) food then instead of normolipoproteinemia in blood plasma under electrophoresis of lipoproteins one can initially detect transitory hyperlipoproteinemia type IV and then prolonged hyperlipoproteinemia type IIb. If patient factually passes on to carnivorous diet then hyperlipoproteinemia type V is developing. If content of exogenous palmitic fatty acid in food surpasses physiological capacities of its transferring in oleic triglycerides as palmitoyl-oleyl-palmitate glycerol, palmitic triglycerides as oleyl-palmitoyl-palmitate glycerol begin to form and epigenetically aphysiological non-ligand palmitic lipoproteins of very low density → lipoproteins of low density are formed. Their circulation in blood is a cause of hypertriglyceridemia, higher level of cholesterol-lipoproteins of low density, compensatory increasing of apoC-III. Then occurs induced by substrate formation of hyperlipoproteinemia initially of type IV, then of type IIb and fnally of type V. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and atheromotosis is activated when homo sapiens, herbivorous in phylogenesis, begin to misuse carnivorous food affecting biological functions of trophology, reaction of exotrophy (external nutrition), function of homeostasis, endoecology and function of adaptation. The formation of palmitic metabolism if fatty acids instead of oleic one is a cause of chronic defciency of energy and ATP synthesis in vivo. Insulin activates absorption of glucose by cells with purpose to use it for synthesis of oleic fatty acids. In the frst place, insulin regulates in vivo metabolism of fatty acids and only in second place metabolism of glucose.

No Indication of High Host-Plant Specificity in Afrotropical Geometrid Moths

Specificity is one of the fundamental concepts in ecology. Host specificity of phytophagous insects has been of particular interest because of its crucial role in diversification and life-history evolution. However, the majority of tropical insects remain insufficiently explored with respect to their host-plant relations. A lack of respective data is also hindering the debate over whether higher levels of host-plant specificity prevail in tropical insects compared to temperate ones. We investigated host-plant specificity of forest geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in equatorial Africa using host-plant acceptability trials with neonate larvae, with the addition of field observations. We compare our experimental data to the (well-known) host-specificity patterns of closely related temperate (hemiboreal) species. Similarly to the temperate region, there were broadly polyphagous tropical species in several clades of Geometridae utilizing hosts belonging to different plant families. Phylogenetic comparative analysis returned no significant differences in host specificity between the two regions. Our study contributes to the evidence that host-plant specificity of herbivores is not necessarily substantially higher in tropical than temperate regions.

Precise Fecal Microbiome of the Herbivorous Tibetan Antelope Inhabiting High-Altitude Alpine Plateau

The metataxonomic approach combining 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing using the PacBio Technology with the application of the operational phylogenetic unit (OPU) approach, has been used to analyze the fecal microbial composition of the high-altitude and herbivorous Tibetan antelopes. The fecal samples of the antelope were collected in Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, at an altitude over 4500 m, the largest depopulated zone in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, where non-native animals or humans may experience life-threatening acute mountain sickness. In total, 104 antelope fecal samples were enrolled in this study, and were clustered into 61,258 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at an identity of 98.7% and affiliated with 757 OPUs, including 144 known species, 256 potentially new species, 103 potentially higher taxa within known lineages. In addition, 254 comprised sequences not affiliating with any known family, and the closest relatives were unclassified lineages of existing orders or classes. A total of 42 out of 757 OPUs conformed to the core fecal microbiome, of which four major lineages, namely, un-cultured Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Akkermansia, and Christensenellaceae were associated with human health or longevity. The current study reveals that the fecal core microbiome of antelope is mainly composited of uncultured bacteria. The most abundant core taxa, namely, uncultured Ruminococcaceae, uncultured Akkermansia, uncultured Bacteroides, uncultured Christensenellaceae, uncultured Mollicutes, and uncultured Lachnospiraceae, may represent new bacterial candidates at high taxa levels, and several may have beneficial roles in health promotion or anti-intestinal dysbiosis. These organisms should be further isolated and evaluated for potential effect on human health and longevity.