Harpalus rufipes (De Geer, 1774) is a trans-palearctic, polyzonal, habitat generalist species, which is usually the most numerous ground beetle species in agricultural ecosystems and forest plantations. In laboratory conditions, 50 H. rufipes imagoes were placed in separate containers, each individual being fed over several days with seeds of a single species of plant, the total number of plant species being ten. Then the content of the beetles’ intestine were analyzed using Lugol’s iodine stain for visualizing starch granules. Native agents of ground seeds of plants and also of seeds treated by a fermentative agent from a mammalian pancreas were used for control. Granules of starch from seeds of Triticum aestivum L., Hordeum vulgare L. and Secale cereale L. were only insignificantly broken down by enzymes in the intestines of H. rufipes. The starch granules of Avena sativa L., Panicum miliaceum L., Sorghum drummondii (Steud.) Millsp. and Chase, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench and Sinapis arvensis L. were also insignificantly affected in the beetles’ intestine compared to the agent affected by enzymes of vertebrate animals. Starch granules of Beta vulgaris L. seeds affected by the enzymes became deformed and fragmented. Sometimes only their fragments remained. Seeds with a high content of fats such as seeds of Juglans regia L. were digested poorly in the intestine of H. rufipes (drops of fat could be seen surrounding certain food particles, which obstructed their digestion). The results of microscopic study of the intestinal content of mixed phytophage ground beetles of agricultural environments will help in identifying mechanisms of regulation of trophic chains by polyphage species, and will help advance the study of gregarine infection rates among ground beetles.
The creation of new types of dairy products for functional purposes with the addition of unconventional oils as sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is a promising and relevant research sphere. The study aimed to investigate the fatty acid composition of experimental samples of curd spread with different content of flax oil. The fatty acid composition was determined on a Hewlett Packard HP-6890 chromatograph with a flame ionization detector equipped with a 100 m long SP-2560 capillary column. It is established, that the total content of saturated fatty acids in curd spread containing 8 %, 10 %, and 12 % of flax oil was reduced, and the general total content of unsaturated fatty acids increased accordingly by 5.73 %, 6.94 % and 7.31 %, compared to the control sample without flax oil. The gas-chromatographic analysis showed that flax oil is rich in omega-3 PUFA due to its high content of α-linoleic acid, so adding flax oil to the spread led to an increase in its content of α-linolenic acid and, accordingly, increased the content of PUFA of the omega-3 family. Thus, adding 8 %, 10 % and 12 % of flax oil to the curd spread, the content of α-linolenic acid in it increased accordingly by 3.91 %, 4.52 %, and 4.69 %, compared to the control sample. Curd spread with 10 % content of flaxseed oil is characterized by the most optimal fatty acid composition. The ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated in this curd spread is 1.9 : 1, and the ratio between PUFAs of the omega-3,-6, and -9 families are 1.3 : 1: 5.3.
There is evidence that behavioral risk factors such as western type diet, and life style can predispose to oxidative stress, deficiency in antioxidant status, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and increase in inflammation in tissues of various organs: beta cells of the pancreas, LDL receptors in the hepatocytes, endothelium, neurons, osteocytes and gut. Further studies indicate that diets rich in antioxidant flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber in foods were inversely associated whereas western-type foods were positively associated with risk of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). One important cause for beneficial effects of diet may be certain foods and nutrients such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains that are rich in fiber and flavonoids, known to produce liters og molecular hydrogen in the gut. It seems that, high-fiber diets, prebiotic and probiotics can produce greater hydrogen, which acts as an antioxidant and may inhibit free radical generation. Recent studies indicate that molecular hydrogen can inhibit hydroxyl and nitrosyl radicals and can directly act as antioxidant in the cells and tissues, which can cause marked decline in oxidative stress and inflammation leading to significant decline in CVDs and metabolic diseases. Clinical and experimental studies indicate that hydrogen therapy such as hydrogen rich water can provide benefits in the management of CVDs and metabolic diseases. Larger studies are necessary to verify the role of hydrogen administration in CVDs.