Epigenetic modifications and alterations in chromatin structure and function contribute to the cumulative changes observed as normal cells undergo malignant transformation. These modifications and enzymes (DNA methyltransferases, histone deacetylases, histone methyltransferases, and demethylases) related to them have been deeply studied to develop new drugs, epigenome-targeted therapies and new diagnostic tools. Epigenetic modifiers aim to restore normal epigenetic modification patterns through the inhibition of epigenetic modifier enzymes. Four of them (azacitidine, decitabine, vorinostat and romidepsin) are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This article provides an overview about the known functional roles of epigenetic enzymes in cancer development.

La polilla mayor de la cera, Galleria mellonella, es una plaga importante en la apicultura. Se evaluaron los efectos de cinco materiales naturales encontrados en su dieta bajo condiciones de laboratorio. Todas las dietas afectaron la biología del desarrollo así como la mortalidad, la cual varió significativamente. El panal nuevo de cera (PN) representó la dieta más pobre para las larvas al inducir una prolongada duración de la etapa inmadura, acortar la longevidad de adultos, disminuir la productividad de huevos, retardar la oviposición, alargar la duración total del ciclo de vida y, en general, inducir una mortalidad significativamente mayor. Por el contrario, la alimentación de las larvas con las otras dietas (i.e. panal viejo (PV), panal viejo con polen 10% w/w (PV + P), panal nuevo con polen 10% w / w (PN + P) y polen de abeja recogido (PA), favorecieron el desarrollo y la vitalidad de todas las etapas de desarrollo. Se discute la importancia de estos resultados a la luz de medidas de control.

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is an important pest of beekeeping industry. The effects of five natural diet materials on the developmental biology and mortality of all life stages of the greater wax moth were investigated in a laboratory trial. Effect of all five natural diets on the developmental biology and mortality varied significantly. New wax comb (NW) was found to be the poorest larval diet inducing prolonged immature stage duration, shortening adult moth longevity, decreasing egg productivity, retarding oviposition, prolonging the entire life-cycle duration and causing significantly higher overall life stage mortality. In contrast, feeding larvae on diets of old wax comb (OW), old wax comb containing 10% w/w added pollen (OWP), new wax comb containing 10% w/w added pollen (NWP), and bee-collected pollen (BP), positively affected the development and vitality of all life stages. The significance of these results with respect to the control measures are proposed and discussed.

Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um procedimento espectrofotométrico derivativo para a determinação de etilenobisditiocarbamato de zinco(II), Zineb, com base na formação do complexo azul de molibdato de sódio em meio ácido. A lei de Beer é obedecida até 40 µg mL-1 de Zineb no comprimento de onda de 956 nm. O limite de detecção foi de 0,006 µg mL-1 de Zineb para a razão S/N = 3 considerando diversos parâmetros como o efeito da concentração de ácido. A interferência de diversos íons na determinação de Zineb foi avaliada. A maioria dos metais alcalinos e sais metálicos não causou interferências. O procedimento tem boa sensibilidade e foi empregado para a determinação de Zineb em amostras comerciais de alimentos contendo Dithane Z 78 e Hexathane 75% W.P.. Os resultados foram comparados com procedimentos previamente propostos. Zineb foi determinado com sucesso sem a ocorrência de interferências na presença de outros ditiocarbamatos, tais como Ziram, Thiram, Ferbam etc.

A derivative spectrophotometric procedure was developed for the determination of zinc(II) ethylenebisdithiocarbamate, Zineb, after formation of its blue colored complex with sodium molybdate in acidic medium. The Beer's law is obeyed up to 40 µg mL-1of Zineb at 956 nm. The detection limit was 0.006 µg mL-1 for Zineb when S/N ratio is 3 taking into account various parameters, such as the effect of acid concentration. The interference of a large number of ions on the determination of Zineb was evaluated. Most of the alkaline metals and metal salts did not interfere. The procedure presented proper sensitivity and it was applied for determining Zineb in food stuffs and commercial samples of Dithane Z 78 and Hexathane 75% W.P.. Results were compared with earlier reported methods. Zineb was successfully determined without any interferences in the presence of other dithiocarbamates like ziram, thiram, ferbam etc.