Sample records for jacq var dura

  1. 75 FR 807 - Pesticide Tolerance Crop Grouping Program II; Revision to General Tolerance Regulations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-06

    ...) Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum Chinese Jacq., C. annuum L. var. annuum , C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L., C... muricatum Aiton 8-09B, 8-09C Pepper, bell, Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, 8-09B Capsicum spp Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum chinese Jacq., C. 8-09B, 8-08C annuum L. var. annuum, C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L...

  2. Development, identification and validation of CAPS marker for SHELL trait which governs dura, pisifera and tenera fruit forms in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

    PubMed Central

    Babu, B. Kalyana; Mathur, R. K.; Kumar, P. Naveen; Ramajayam, D.; Ravichandran, G.; Venu, M. V. B.; Babu, S. Sparjan

    2017-01-01

    The oil palm fruit forms (dura, pisifera and tenera) governed by the shell thickness gene (Sh) plays a major role in identification of fruit type and also influences palm oil yield. Identification of desired fruit type is a major asset to the breeders and oil palm workers for applications in breeding, seed certification and to reduce time, space and money spent on identification of fruit form. In the present study, we developed Sh gene specific primer pairs and bulk segregant analysis was done using 300 genomic and 8 genic SSR markers. We identified one cleaved amplified polymorphic site (CAPS) marker for differentiation of oil palm fruit type which produced two alleles (280 and 250bp) in dura genotypes, three alleles in tenera genotypes (550, 280, and 250bp) and one allele in pisifera genotypes (550bp). The shell allele sequencing results showed that two SNPs were present, of which SNP2 contributed for variation of fruit forms. The nucleotide ‘A’ was present in only dura genotypes, where as ‘T’ was present only in pisifera genotypes, which in turn led to the change of amino acid lysine to aspargine. The identified CAPS marker was validated on 300 dura, 25 pisifera and 80 tenera genotypes, 80 dura/ pisifera cross progenies and 60 lines of tenera/ tenera cross progeny. Association mapping of marker data with phenotypic data of eight oil yield related traits resulted in identification of seven significant QTLs by GLM approach, four by MLM approach at a significant threshold (P) level of 0.001. Significant QTLs were identified for fruit to bunch and oil to bunch traits, which explained R2 of 12.9% and 11.5% respectively. The CAPS marker used in the present study facilitate selection and timely distribution of desirable high yielding tenera sprouts to the farmers instead of waiting for 4–5 years. This saves a lot of land, time and money which will be a major breakthrough to the oil palm community. PMID:28192462

  3. The collagenic architecture of human dura mater.

    PubMed

    Protasoni, Marina; Sangiorgi, Simone; Cividini, Andrea; Culuvaris, Gloria Tiffany; Tomei, Giustino; Dell'Orbo, Carlo; Raspanti, Mario; Balbi, Sergio; Reguzzoni, Marcella

    2011-06-01

    Human dura mater is the most external meningeal sheet surrounding the CNS. It provides an efficient protection to intracranial structures and represents the most important site for CSF turnover. Its intrinsic architecture is made up of fibrous tissue including collagenic and elastic fibers that guarantee the maintenance of its biophysical features. The recent technical advances in the repair of dural defects have allowed for the creation of many synthetic and biological grafts. However, no detailed studies on the 3D microscopic disposition of collagenic fibers in dura mater are available. The authors report on the collagenic 3D architecture of normal dura mater highlighting the orientation, disposition in 3 dimensions, and shape of the collagen fibers with respect to the observed layer. Thirty-two dura mater specimens were collected during cranial decompressive surgical procedures, fixed in 2.5% Karnovsky solution, and digested in 1 N NaOH solution. After a routine procedure, the specimens were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The authors distinguished the following 5 layers in the fibrous dura mater of varying thicknesses, orientation, and structures: bone surface, external median, vascular, internal median, and arachnoid layers. The description of the ultrastructural 3D organization of the different layers of dura mater will give us more information for the creation of synthetic grafts that are as similar as possible to normal dura mater. This description will be also related to the study of the neoplastic invasion.

  4. 21 CFR 882.5910 - Dura substitute.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...) Identification. A dura substitute is a sheet or material that is used to repair the dura mater (the membrane surrounding the brain). (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). ... and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL...

  5. Transferability of microsatellite markers of Capsicum annuum L. to C. frutescens L. and C. chinense Jacq.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, S I C; Ragassi, C F; Oliveira, I B; Amaral, Z P S; Reifschneider, F J B; Faleiro, F G; Buso, G S C

    2015-07-17

    In order to support further genetic, diversity, and phylogeny studies of Capsicum species, the transferability of a Capsicum annuum L. simple sequence repeat (SSR) microsatellite set was analyzed for C. frutescens L. ("malagueta" and "tabasco" peppers) and C. chinense Jacq. (smell peppers, among other types). A total of 185 SSR primers were evaluated in 12 accessions from 115 C. frutescens L. and 480 C. chinense Jacq, representing different types within each species. Transferability to C. frutescens L. and C. chinense Jacq. occurred for 116 primers (62.7%). Nineteen (16.37%) were polymorphic in C. frutescens L. and 36 (31.03%) in C. chinense Jacq., 17 of which were coincident and could be used to analyze samples obtained for the 2 species. Among these primers, CA49 showed a different amplitude range of alleles between the 2 species (130-132 base pairs for C. frutescens L. and 120-128 base pairs for C. chinense Jacq.), and could differentiate the species. A total of 55 alleles were identified among the 19 polymorphic SSR loci among accessions of C. frutescens L., with the number of alleles per locus ranging from 2 to 5, a mean of 2.89, and the polymorphic information content ranging from 0.30 to 0.65. The number of alleles identified in C. chinense Jacq. was 119, ranging from 2 to 5 alleles per locus, an average of 3.30, and polymorphic information content from 0.19 to 0.68. The C. annuum L. SSR primers were most often transfer-able and polymorphic for C. frutescens L. and C. chinense Jacq., and we present a set of SSR for each species.

  6. Dura covered with fibrin glue reduces adhesions in abdominal wall defects.

    PubMed

    Schier, F; Srour, N; Waldschmidt, J

    1991-12-01

    Dura can greatly facilitate the closure of abdominal wall defects. However, a main disadvantage of its use are the adhesions which develop between omentum, bowel and dura and may lead to bowel obstructions. In this study various groups of rats had either the anterior wall replaced by untreated dura or by dura covered with fibrin glue prior to implantation. Adhesions were found in 75% of sham operated rats, 100% after untreated dura implantation and 50% after the implantation of fibrin glue treated dura.

  7. 21 CFR 882.5975 - Human dura mater.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Human dura mater. 882.5975 Section 882.5975 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5975 Human dura mater. (a...

  8. 21 CFR 882.5975 - Human dura mater.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Human dura mater. 882.5975 Section 882.5975 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5975 Human dura mater. (a...

  9. 21 CFR 882.5975 - Human dura mater.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Human dura mater. 882.5975 Section 882.5975 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5975 Human dura mater. (a...

  10. 21 CFR 882.5975 - Human dura mater.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Human dura mater. 882.5975 Section 882.5975 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5975 Human dura mater. (a...

  11. 21 CFR 882.5975 - Human dura mater.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Human dura mater. 882.5975 Section 882.5975 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES NEUROLOGICAL DEVICES Neurological Therapeutic Devices § 882.5975 Human dura mater. (a...

  12. Genetic relationships among some hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) species and genotypes.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Kadir Ugurtan; Yanar, Makbule; Ercisli, Sezai; Sahiner, Hatice; Taskin, Tuncer; Zengin, Yasar

    2010-10-01

    The genus Crataegus is well distributed in Turkey as a wild plant, with numerous, inherently variable species and genotypes. RAPD markers were used to study 17 hawthorn genotypes belonging to Crataegus monogyna ssp. monogyna Jacq (2 genotypes), C. monogyna ssp. azarella Jacq (1), Crataegus pontica K.Koch (3), Crataegus orientalis var. orientalis Pallas Ex Bieb (3), Crataegus pseudoheterophylla Pojark (1), Crataegus aronia var. dentata Browicz (1), C. aronia var. aronia Browicz (4), and Crateagus x bornmuelleri Zabel (2). The 10 RAPD primers produced 72 polymorphic bands (88% polymorphism). A dendrogram based on Jaccard's index included four major groups and one outgroup according to taxa. The lowest genetic variability was observed within C. aronia var. aronia genotypes. The study demonstrated that RAPD analysis is efficient for genotyping wild-grown hawthorns.

  13. Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. Bloodwood Legumeminosae, Legume Family, lotoideae, Pea Subfamily

    Treesearch

    Peter L. Weaver

    1997-01-01

    Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq., called palo de pollo in Puerto Rico, bloodwood in Guyana and Panama, and by numerous other names throughout its extensive range, is an evergreen tree that reaches 40m in height

  14. Control of rabbit dura mater optical properties with osmotical liquids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, Lei; Cheng, Haiying; Luo, Qingming; Zhang, Wei; Zeng, Shaoqun; Tuchin, Valery V.

    2002-04-01

    An experimental study of controlling the optical properties of in vitro and in vivo rabbit dura mater with administration of osmotical agents, 40% glucose solution and glycerol, using video camera and spectrometer was presented. The preliminary results of experimental study of influence of osmotical liquids (glucose solutions, glycerol) on transmittance (in vitro) and reflectance (in vivo) spectra of rabbit dura mater were reported. The significant decreasing of the reflectance and increasing of the transmittance of dura mater under action of osmotical solutions were demonstrated. Experiments showed that administration of osmolytes to dura mater allowed for effective and temporary control of its optical characteristics, which made dura mater more transparent, increased the ability of light penetrating the tissue, and consequently improved the optical imaging depth. It is a significant study, which can improve penetration of optical imaging of cerebral function and acquire more information of the deep brain tissue.

  15. 40 CFR 180.41 - Crop group tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, Capsicum spp 8-10B Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum chinese Jacq., C. annuum L. var. annuum, C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L., C. pubescens Ruiz & Pav., Capsicum spp 8-10B, 8-10C... muricatum) Pepper (Capsicum spp.) (includes bell pepper, chili pepper, cooking pepper, pimento, sweet pepper...

  16. 40 CFR 180.41 - Crop group tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, Capsicum spp 8-10B Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum chinese Jacq., C. annuum L. var. annuum, C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L., C. pubescens Ruiz & Pav., Capsicum spp 8-10B, 8-10C... muricatum) Pepper (Capsicum spp.) (includes bell pepper, chili pepper, cooking pepper, pimento, sweet pepper...

  17. 40 CFR 180.41 - Crop group tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum, Capsicum spp 8-10B Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum chinese Jacq., C. annuum L. var. annuum, C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L., C. pubescens Ruiz & Pav., Capsicum spp 8-10B, 8-10C... muricatum) Pepper (Capsicum spp.) (includes bell pepper, chili pepper, cooking pepper, pimento, sweet pepper...

  18. 76 FR 36993 - Medical Devices; Neurological Devices; Clarification of Classification for Human Dura Mater...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-24

    ...; Clarification of Classification for Human Dura Mater; Technical Amendment AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration... amending the device regulations to clarify the applicability of the device classification for human dura..., human dura mater is now defined under 21 CFR 1271.3(d) as a HCT/P. As such, it is regulated under...

  19. 75 FR 76284 - Pesticide Tolerance Crop Grouping Program II; Revisions to General Tolerance Regulations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-08

    ............ 8-10B, 8-10C Pepper, bell, Capsicum annuum L. var. 8-10B annuum, Capsicum spp. Pepper, nonbell, Capsicum chinese Jacq., 8-10B, 8-10C C. annuum L. var. annuum, C. frutescens L., C. baccatum L., C. pubescens Ruiz & Pav., Capsicum spp. Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa L 8-10B, 8-10C Scarlet eggplant, Solanum...

  20. ON LOVE AND MELANCHOLIA IN MARGUERITE DURAS'S AUTOFICTION.

    PubMed

    Simoglou, Vassiliki N

    2015-07-01

    In the Durassian melancholic atmosphere, past and present, fantasy and reality come together as one. This paper addresses the themes of love and destruction in Marguerite Duras's life that pervade her oeuvre, allowing us to discern a melancholic structure within her autofiction. Writing down her melancholia--the impossible mourning of a loved object--Duras captures nothingness and loss--in order not to die of love. In a constant exchange with her readers, she searches for herself and delivers herself to her readers. This renewable creative process of writing enables her to engage in an ongoing experience of identity reconstruction, in a way similar to the patient in psychoanalysis re-creating his/her life's fiction. © 2015 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

  1. Effect of quercetin on plasma extravasation in rat CNS and dura mater by ACE and NEP inhibition.

    PubMed

    Cyrino, Luiz A R; Cardoso, Ronie C F; Hackl, Luciane P N; Nicolau, Mauro

    2002-09-01

    The effects of quercetin on substance P-induced plasma protein extravasation (PE) in the rat dura mater, cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex and also its modulation by endopeptidases, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and neutral endopeptidase (NEP) were studied. PE was assessed by photometric measurement of extravasated Evans blue. Substance P (SP) and NEP or ACE inhibitors increased the PE in dura mater. Pretreatment with captopril or phosphoramidon potentiated PE induced by SP in the dura mater and cerebellum, respectively. Quercetin increased the PE in the dura mater, cerebellum and cortex. Further results suggested that the PE induced by SP in the dura mater was enhanced by pretreatment with quercetin, similar to that observed with selective peptidase inhibitors. Quercetin-stimulated extravasation in all tissues was abolished by NK-1 receptor blockade. These results suggest that quercetin increases PE in the dura mater and CNS tissues by inhibiting NEP and/or ACE, showing that the effect induced in the dura mater, cerebellum and cortex occurs through endogenous SP accumulation. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Evidence for CGRP re-uptake in rat dura mater encephali

    PubMed Central

    Gupta, Saurabh; Amrutkar, Dipak Vasantrao; Mataji, Aydin; Salmasi, Hassan; Hay-Schmidt, Anders; Sheykhzade, Majid; Messlinger, Karl; Olesen, Jes; Jansen-Olesen, Inger

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is widely distributed in the trigeminovascular system and released from sensory fibres of the cranial dura mater upon noxious stimulation. Such release may be a mechanism underlying migraine headache. Based on data from guinea pig basilar artery preparations, we have here studied CGRP release and uptake in an organ preparation of the hemisected rat skull. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH CGRP release from the cranial dura was quantified by a commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay. CGRP was depleted using repetitive challenges of capsaicin. After incubating the tissue with CGRP for 20 min and extensive washing, another capsaicin challenge was performed. Immunohistochemistry was used to visualize CGRP immunofluorescence in dural nerve fibres. KEY RESULTS Capsaicin-induced CGRP release was attenuated by the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor type I antagonist capsazepine or by Ca2+-free solutions. After the CGRP-depleted preparation had been exposed to exogenous CGRP, capsaicin-induced CGRP release was increased compared to the challenge just prior to incubation. CGRP uptake was not influenced by Ca2+-free solutions. Olcegepant and CGRP8–37 (CGRP receptor antagonists) did not affect uptake of CGRP. However, a monoclonal CGRP-binding antibody decreased CGRP uptake significantly. Release of CGRP after incubation was attenuated by Ca2+-free solutions and by capsazepine. Immunohistochemical assays indicated a weak trend towards CGRP uptake in rat dura mater. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS We have presented evidence for CGRP uptake in nerves and its re-release in rat dura mater. This may have implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of migraine. PMID:20804493

  3. Neurogenically mediated leakage of plasma protein occurs from blood vessels in dura mater but not brain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Markowitz, S.; Saito, K.; Moskowitz, M.A.

    Utilizing /sup 125/I-BSA administered intravenously, a simple, reliable, and sensitive method was established for the detection of plasma protein extravasation in the dura of rats and guinea pigs following chemical, electrical, or immunological stimulation. Extravasated /sup 125/I-BSA or Evans blue was noted in the dura and conjunctiva but not in the temporalis muscle of saline-perfused rats following intravenous capsaicin, 1 mumol/kg. Capsaicin-induced extravasation was mediated by unmyelinated and small myelinated fibers since leakage did not develop in adult animals in whom these fibers were destroyed by capsaicin pretreatment (50 mg/kg) as neonates. An ipsilateral increase in Evans blue and /supmore » 125/I-BSA was found in the dura, eyelids, lips and gingival mucosa, and snout following electrical stimulation of the rat trigeminal ganglion. This increase was also C-fiber dependent. Among those peptides contained in perivascular afferent fibers and administered intravenously, substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA), but not calcitonin gene-related peptide, caused a dose-dependent extravasation in the dura and conjunctiva of rats. Neonatal capsaicin pretreatment did not attenuate SP- nor NKA-induced effects in the dura and actually increased extravasation in the conjunctiva. Intravenous administration of 5-HT or bradykinin to normal adult rats or adult rats pretreated as neonates with capsaicin increased levels of /sup 125/I-BSA in both the dura and the conjunctiva. Histamine and prostaglandin E2, on the other hand, caused protein leakage in the conjunctiva but not in the dura of rats; however, histamine did induce extravasation in the dura of guinea pigs.« less

  4. A Defining Time for Physical Education Futures? Exploring the Legacy of Fritz Duras

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirk, David

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the legacy of Dr Fritz Duras in order to address the issue of whether the implementation of a new curriculum for health and physical education in Australia represents a defining time for the subject. Dr Duras was Director of the first physical education teacher education course at the University of Melbourne during an earlier…

  5. Fibrin Sealants in Dura Sealing: A Systematic Literature Review

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Background Fibrin sealants are widely used in neurosurgery to seal the suture line, provide watertight closure, and prevent cerebrospinal fluid leaks. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current efficacy and safety literature of fibrin sealants in dura sealing and the prevention/treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Methods A comprehensive electronic literature search was run in the following databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Resister of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrials.gov, MEDLINE/PubMed, and EMBASE. Titles and abstracts of potential articles of interest were reviewed independently by 3 of the authors. Results A total of 1006 database records and additional records were identified. After screening for duplicates and relevance, a total of 78 articles were assessed by the investigators for eligibility. Thirty-eight were excluded and the full-text of 40 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. Seven of these included only safety data and were included in the safety assessment. The remaining 33 articles included findings from 32 studies that enrolled a total of 2935 patients who were exposed to fibrin sealant. Among these 33 studies there were only 3 randomized controlled trials, with the remaining being prospective cohort analysis, case controlled studies, prospective or retrospective case series. One randomized controlled trial, with 89 patients exposed to fibrin sealant, found a greater rate of intraoperative watertight dura closure in the fibrin sealant group than the control group (92.1% versus 38.0%, p<0.001); however, post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in more fibrin sealant than control patients (6.7% versus 2.0%, p>0.05). Other clinical trials evaluated the effect of fibrin sealant in the postoperative prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leaks. These were generally lower level evidence studies (ie, not prospective, randomized, controlled trials) that were not designed or

  6. Fibrin Sealants in Dura Sealing: A Systematic Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Esposito, Felice; Angileri, Filippo Flavio; Kruse, Peter; Cavallo, Luigi Maria; Solari, Domenico; Esposito, Vincenzo; Tomasello, Francesco; Cappabianca, Paolo

    2016-01-01

    Fibrin sealants are widely used in neurosurgery to seal the suture line, provide watertight closure, and prevent cerebrospinal fluid leaks. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current efficacy and safety literature of fibrin sealants in dura sealing and the prevention/treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leaks. A comprehensive electronic literature search was run in the following databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Resister of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrials.gov, MEDLINE/PubMed, and EMBASE. Titles and abstracts of potential articles of interest were reviewed independently by 3 of the authors. A total of 1006 database records and additional records were identified. After screening for duplicates and relevance, a total of 78 articles were assessed by the investigators for eligibility. Thirty-eight were excluded and the full-text of 40 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. Seven of these included only safety data and were included in the safety assessment. The remaining 33 articles included findings from 32 studies that enrolled a total of 2935 patients who were exposed to fibrin sealant. Among these 33 studies there were only 3 randomized controlled trials, with the remaining being prospective cohort analysis, case controlled studies, prospective or retrospective case series. One randomized controlled trial, with 89 patients exposed to fibrin sealant, found a greater rate of intraoperative watertight dura closure in the fibrin sealant group than the control group (92.1% versus 38.0%, p<0.001); however, post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in more fibrin sealant than control patients (6.7% versus 2.0%, p>0.05). Other clinical trials evaluated the effect of fibrin sealant in the postoperative prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leaks. These were generally lower level evidence studies (ie, not prospective, randomized, controlled trials) that were not designed or powered to demonstrate a

  7. Detoxification of Benzoxazolinone Allelochemicals from Wheat by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, G. graminis var. graminis, G. graminis var. avenae, and Fusarium culmorum

    PubMed Central

    Friebe, A.; Vilich, V.; Hennig, L.; Kluge, M.; Sicker, D.

    1998-01-01

    The ability of phytopathogenic fungi to overcome the chemical defense barriers of their host plants is of great importance for fungal pathogenicity. We studied the role of cyclic hydroxamic acids and their related benzoxazolinones in plant interactions with pathogenic fungi. We identified species-dependent differences in the abilities of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae, and Fusarium culmorum to detoxify these allelochemicals of gramineous plants. The G. graminis var. graminis isolate degraded benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (BOA) and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA) more efficiently than did G. graminis var. tritici and G. graminis var. avenae. F. culmorum degraded BOA but not MBOA. N-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-malonamic acid and N-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-malonamic acid were the primary G. graminis var. graminis and G. graminis var. tritici metabolites of BOA and MBOA, respectively, as well as of the related cyclic hydroxamic acids. 2-Amino-3H-phenoxazin-3-one was identified as an additional G. graminis var. tritici metabolite of BOA. No metabolite accumulation was detected for G. graminis var. avenae and F. culmorum by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The mycelial growth of the pathogenic fungi was inhibited more by BOA and MBOA than by their related fungal metabolites. The tolerance of Gaeumannomyces spp. for benzoxazolinone compounds is correlated with their detoxification ability. The ability of Gaeumannomyces isolates to cause root rot symptoms in wheat (cultivars Rektor and Astron) parallels their potential to degrade wheat allelochemicals to nontoxic compounds. PMID:9647804

  8. Variability and performance evaluation of introgressed Nigerian dura x Deli dura oil palm progenies.

    PubMed

    Noh, A; Rafii, M Y; Mohd Din, A; Kushairi, A; Norziha, A; Rajanaidu, N; Latif, M A; Malek, M A

    2014-04-03

    Twelve introgressed oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) progenies of Nigerian dura x Deli dura were evaluated for bunch yield, yield attributes, bunch quality components and vegetative characters at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Research Station, in Keratong, Pahang, Malaysia. Analysis of variance revealed significant to highly significant genotypic differences, indicating sufficient genetic variability among the progenies for bunch yield and its attributes, vegetative characters and bunch quality components, except fruit to bunch ratio. Fresh fruit bunch yield ranged from 167 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1) in PK1330 to 212 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1) in PK1351, with a mean yield of 192 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1). Among the progeny, PK1313 had the highest oil to bunch ratio (19.36%), due to its high mesocarp to fruit ratio, fruit to bunch ratio and low shell to fruit ratio. Among the progenies, PK1313 produced the highest oil yield of 31.4 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1), due to a high mesocarp to fruit ratio (61.2%) and a low shell to fruit ratio (30.7%), coupled with high fruit to bunch ratio (65.6%). PK1330 was found promising for selection, as it had desirable vegetative characters, including smaller petiole cross section (27.15 cm2), short rachis length (4.83 m), short palm height (1.85 m), and the lowest leaf number (164.6), as these vegetative characters are prerequisites for selecting palms for high density planting and high yield per hectare. The genetic variability among the progenies was found to be high, indicating ample scope for further breeding, followed by selection.

  9. Importance of an intact dura in management of compound elevated fractures; a short series and literature review.

    PubMed

    Mohindra, Sandeep; Singh, Harnarayan; Savardekar, Amey

    2012-01-01

    To describe compound elevated fractures (CEFs) of the skull vault, with radiological pictures, management problems and prognosticative factors. The authors describe three cases of CEFs of the cranium, their mode of injury, clinical findings, radiological images and management problems. The authors have reviewed the existing literature regarding epidemiological data, neurological status, dural breech, methods of management and final outcome, in respect of CEFs. The first case had no dural breech, the second case had completely shattered dura, with extruding brain matter from the wound, while the third case had an elevated bone flap in consequence to large extradural haematoma. The patients with intact dura had relatively favourable outcome, when compared to patients with shattered dura. Three cases are added to the existing 10 such cases described in English literature. The major cause of unfavourable outcome remains sepsis and the presence of intact dura places these cases in the relatively safe category, regarding infective complications. The authors attempt at highlighting the importance of intact dura with such an injury. The review of literature supports favourable outcomes in patients having no dural breech.

  10. Ultrastructure of the extracellular matrix of bovine dura mater, optic nerve sheath and sclera.

    PubMed

    Raspanti, M; Marchini, M; Della Pasqua, V; Strocchi, R; Ruggeri, A

    1992-10-01

    The sclera, the outermost sheath of the optic nerve and the dura mater have been investigated histologically and ultrastructurally. Although these tissues appear very similar under the light microscope, being dense connective tissues mainly composed of collagen bundles and a limited amount of cells and elastic fibres, they exhibit subtle differences on electron microscopy. In the dura and sclera collagen appears in the form of large, nonuniform fibrils, similar to those commonly found in tendons, while in the optic nerve sheath the fibrils appear smaller and uniform, similar to those commonly observed in reticular tissues, vessel walls and skin. Freeze-fracture also reveals these fibrils to have different subfibrillar architectures, straight or helical, which correspond to 2 distinct forms of collagen fibril previously described (Raspanti et al. 1989). The other extracellular matrix components also vary with the particular collagen fibril structure. Despite their common embryological derivation, the dura mater, optic nerve sheath and sclera exhibit diversification of their extracellular matrix consistent with the mechanical loads to which these tissues are subjected. Our observations indicate that the outermost sheath of the optic nerve resembles the epineurium of peripheral nerves rather than the dura to which it is commonly likened.

  11. CO(2) Laser Fascia to Dura Soldering for Pig Dural Defect Reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Forer, Boaz; Vasileyev, Tamar; Gil, Ziv; Brosh, Tamar; Kariv, Naam; Katzir, Abraham; Fliss, Dan M

    2007-02-01

    The purposes of this study were to demonstrate that laser soldering is safe and effective for tissue bonding in dural reconstruction and to compare this new reconstruction technique to an established one. A temperature-controlled fiberoptic CO(2) laser system or fibrin glue were used for in vitro dural defect reconstruction in two groups of pigs. The CO(2) laser technique was also used for dural reconstruction in live pigs. The burst pressure of the reconstructed dura by the laser system was significantly higher than that of fibrin glue (mean pressure 258.5 +/- 117.3 cm H(2)O and 76.8 +/- 47.2 cm H(2)O, respectively). There were no postoperative complications and no signs of thermal damage to the dura, fascia, or underlying tissue on histological analysis following the in vivo CO(2) laser experiments. Temperature-controlled laser soldering is an effective technique for dural repair. It creates a strong tissue bonding with no thermal damage to the tissue. The burst pressure of the reconstructed dura done with laser soldering is significantly higher than that of fibrin glue.

  12. Genetic diversity and structure in Mamey [P. sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn] by using microsatellite markers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The tropical plant Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) is known for its edible fruits that contain unique carotenoids, as well as for the fungitoxic, anti-inflamatory and anti-oxidant activity of extracts from its bark, leaves and roots, though its genetics is unknown. We did high-throughput sequencing of micr...

  13. Ultrastructure of the extracellular matrix of bovine dura mater, optic nerve sheath and sclera.

    PubMed Central

    Raspanti, M; Marchini, M; Della Pasqua, V; Strocchi, R; Ruggeri, A

    1992-01-01

    The sclera, the outermost sheath of the optic nerve and the dura mater have been investigated histologically and ultrastructurally. Although these tissues appear very similar under the light microscope, being dense connective tissues mainly composed of collagen bundles and a limited amount of cells and elastic fibres, they exhibit subtle differences on electron microscopy. In the dura and sclera collagen appears in the form of large, nonuniform fibrils, similar to those commonly found in tendons, while in the optic nerve sheath the fibrils appear smaller and uniform, similar to those commonly observed in reticular tissues, vessel walls and skin. Freeze-fracture also reveals these fibrils to have different subfibrillar architectures, straight or helical, which correspond to 2 distinct forms of collagen fibril previously described (Raspanti et al. 1989). The other extracellular matrix components also vary with the particular collagen fibril structure. Despite their common embryological derivation, the dura mater, optic nerve sheath and sclera exhibit diversification of their extracellular matrix consistent with the mechanical loads to which these tissues are subjected. Our observations indicate that the outermost sheath of the optic nerve resembles the epineurium of peripheral nerves rather than the dura to which it is commonly likened. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 PMID:1295858

  14. Repair of pig dura in vivo using temperature controlled CO(2) laser soldering.

    PubMed

    Forer, Boaz; Vasilyev, Tamar; Brosh, Tamar; Kariv, Noam; Gil, Ziv; Fliss, Dan M; Katzir, Abraham

    2005-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that laser soldering might be successfully used for closing holes or cuts in the dura layer, which encapsulates the brain. A temperature controlled fiberoptic CO(2) laser system and albumin solder were used for spot soldering of fascia patches to holes in the dura of farm pigs, in vitro and in vivo. The mean burst pressure of the soldered patches in the in vitro experiments was 190 +/- 88 mm Hg-significantly higher than typical maximum CSF pressure of 15 mm Hg. In the in vivo experiments the pigs showed no postoperative complications. Histopathological studies exhibited an accepted level of inflammatory reaction and showed no thermal damage to the underlying brain tissue. It has been clearly demonstrated that temperature controlled laser soldering is a very useful technique for the repair of the dura. It provides significant advantages over standard closure techniques: it is easy to apply, the bond is strong and watertight and the procedure is likely to be much faster than suturing. This research work will lead to clinical trials.

  15. Full-Scale Evaluation of DuraDeck (registered trademark) and MegaDeck (trademark) Matting Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    plates studded with threaded bolts were placed ERDC/GSL TR-13-27 10 underneath two pre-drilled corners of the panel. The plates were positioned so...metal plates studded with threaded ERDC/GSL TR-13-27 4 Figure 1. DuraDeck® mat panel, top surface. Figure 2. DuraDeck® mat panel, bottom surface...ERDC/GSL TR-13-27 5 bolts , as shown in Figure 3, underneath the mat corners and then installing special connector nuts from the top surface

  16. Low complication rate of sellar reconstruction by artificial dura mater during endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery.

    PubMed

    Ye, Yuanliang; Wang, Fuyu; Zhou, Tao; Luo, Yi

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate effect of sellar reconstruction during pituitary adenoma resection surgery by the endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach using artificial cerebral dura mater patch.This was a retrospective study of 1281 patients who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal resection for the treatment of pituitary adenomas between December 2006 and May 2014 at the Neurosurgery Department of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital. The patients were classified into 4 grades according to intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage site. All patients were followed up for 3 months by telephone and outpatient visits.One thousand seventy three (83.7%) patients underwent sellar reconstruction using artificial dura matter patched outside the sellar region (method A), 106 (8.3%) using artificial dura matter patched inside the sellar region (method B), and 102 (8.0%) using artificial dura matter and a mucosal flap (method C). Method A was used for grade 0-1 leakage, method B for grade 1 to 2 leakage, and method C for grade 2 to 3 leakage. During the 3-month follow-up, postoperative CSF leakage was observed in 7 patients (0.6%): 2 among patients who underwent method B (1.9%) and 5 among those who underwent method C (4.9%). Meningitis was diagnosed in 13 patients (1.0%): 2 among patients who underwent method A (0.2%), 4 among those who underwent method B (3.8%), and 7 among those who underwent method C (6.7%).Compared with other reconstruction methods, sellar reconstruction surgery that only use artificial dura mater as repair material had a low rate of complications. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Chemical analyses and in vitro and in vivo toxicity of fruit methanol extract of Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum.

    PubMed

    Aguiñiga-Sánchez, Itzen; Cadena-Íñiguez, Jorge; Santiago-Osorio, Edelmiro; Gómez-García, Guadalupe; Mendoza-Núñez, Víctor Manuel; Rosado-Pérez, Juana; Ruíz-Ramos, Mirna; Cisneros-Solano, Víctor Manuel; Ledesma-Martínez, Edgar; Delgado-Bordonave, Angel de Jesus; Soto-Hernández, Ramón Marcos

    2017-12-01

    Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. (Cucurbitaceae) is used in ethnomedicine, but the diversity of the varietal groups of this species has not often been considered. This is important because we previously reported that different variety of species exhibit different activities across different tumor cell lines. This study investigates the chemical composition and biological activities of extracts obtained from S. edule var. nigrum spinosum. The leukemia P388 cell line and mononuclear bone marrow cells (MNCBMs) were treated with the extract at a concentration ranging from 40 to 2370 μg/mL for cytotoxicity and viability assays. CD-1 mice were treated with 8-5000 mg/kg extract and monitored every hour for the first 24 h and subsequently for seven days for signs of toxicity (LD 50 ). In addition, the chromatographic profile of the extract was determined by HPLC. The extract inhibits the proliferation of both P388 cells and MNCBMs, with IC 50 values of 927 and 1911 μg/mL, respectively, but reduced the viability and induced the apoptosis of only leukemia cells. The LD 50 was higher than 5000 mg/kg, and this concentration did not alter the blood chemistry or cell count but doubled the mitotic index in the bone marrow. The HPLC showed the presence of cucurbitacins, phloridzin, naringenin, phloretin, apigenin, and gallic, chlorogenic, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, and p-coumaric acids. Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum contains bioactive compounds that explain the antiproliferative and nutraceutical activities, and its lack of physiological side effects constitutes an added value to a widely consumed vegetable.

  18. The use of a reconstituted collagen foil dura mater substitute in paediatric neurosurgical procedures--experience in 47 patients.

    PubMed

    Pettorini, Benedetta Ludovica; Tamburrini, Gianpiero; Massimi, Luca; Paternoster, Giovanna; Caldarelli, Massimo; Di Rocco, Concezio

    2010-02-01

    CSF leakage is a common complication of neurosurgical procedures, with defective dural suture thought to be the most frequent cause. We report our experience with a new collagen foil (TissuDura, Baxter Healthcare SA, Switzerland) utilized as dural substitute in paediatric neurosurgical procedures. TissuDura was used in children consecutively operated on at the department of paediatric neurosurgery, Catholic University, Rome, from March 2004 to August 2007. Children underwent surgical procedures in supratentorial, infratentorial and spinal compartments. In supratentorial and spinal procedures, the dural graft was used according to the overlay technique. In the posterior fossa procedures, the underlay technique was used. Forty-seven patients received TissuDura during surgery. Thirty-one patients underwent surgery for the removal of posterior fossa tumours, nine for supratentorial tumours and seven for spinal dysraphisms. No CSF leakage was observed following the use of TissuDura in supratentorial procedures. Two post-operative CSF leaks occurred in patients who had undergone spinal surgery. No post-operative hydrocephalus was noted in these two surgery groups. Three cases of CSF leakage occurred in patients who had undergone posterior cranial fossa surgery. All 3 cases had an associated supratentorial ventricular dilation present prior to the removal of the tumour (one case) or occurring after the tumour excision (two cases). No clinically evident adverse reactions directly related to TissuDura were observed. The main advantages of TissuDura were its apparent ability to prevent CSF leakage when utilized in a specific subset of patients, and the absence of reactions or postoperative infections.

  19. The spinal cord dura mater reaction to nitinol and titanium alloy particles: a 1-year study in rabbits

    PubMed Central

    Rhalmi, Souad; Charette, Sylvie; Assad, Michel; Coillard, Christine

    2007-01-01

    This investigation was undertaken to simulate in an animal model the particles released from a porous nitinol interbody fusion device and to evaluate its consequences on the dura mater, spinal cord and nerve roots, lymph nodes (abdominal para-aortic), and organs (kidneys, spleen, pancreas, liver, and lungs). Our objective was to evaluate the compatibility of the nitinol particles with the dura mater in comparison with titanium alloy. In spite of the great use of metallic devices in spine surgery, the proximity of the spinal cord to the devices raised concerns about the effect of the metal debris that might be released onto the neural tissue. Forty-five New Zealand white female rabbits were divided into three groups: nitinol (treated: N = 4 per implantation period), titanium (treated: N = 4 per implantation period), and sham rabbits (control: N = 1 per observation period). The nitinol and titanium alloy particles were implanted in the spinal canal on the dura mater at the lumbar level L2–L3. The rabbits were sacrificed at 1, 4, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. Histologic sections from the regional lymph nodes, organs, from remote and implantation sites, were analyzed for any abnormalities and inflammation. Regardless of the implantation time, both nitinol and titanium particles remained at the implantation site and clung to the spinal cord lining soft tissue of the dura mater. The inflammation was limited to the epidural space around the particles and then reduced from acute to mild chronic during the follow-up. The dura mater, sub-dural space, nerve roots, and the spinal cord were free of reaction. No particles or abnormalities were found either in the lymph nodes or in the organs. In contact with the dura, the nitinol elicits an inflammatory response similar to that of titanium. The tolerance of nitinol by a sensitive tissue such as the dura mater during the span of 1 year of implantation demonstrated the safety of nitinol and its potential use as an intervertebral

  20. Mechanical suitability of glycerol-preserved human dura mater for construction of prosthetic cardiac valves.

    PubMed

    McGarvey, K A; Lee, J M; Boughner, D R

    1984-03-01

    We have examined the tensile viscoelastic properties of fresh and glycerol-preserved human dura mater, and correlated the results with structural information from the scanning electron microscope. The interwoven laminar structure of dura produces rather high flexural stiffness, while the crossed-fibrillar laminae produce planar mechanical isotropy. Glycerol storage shifts the stress-strain curve to lower strain, reduces stress relaxation and creep, and lowers the ultimate tensile strength and strain at fracture. These changes may be due to glyceraldehyde crosslinking, or to increased interfibrillar friction. The latter hypothesis suggests that glycerol storage may reduce the fatigue lifetime of the tissue.

  1. Early Stage olfactory neuroblastoma and the impact of resecting dura and olfactory bulb.

    PubMed

    Mays, Ashley C; Bell, Diana; Ferrarotto, Renata; Phan, Jack; Roberts, Dianna; Fuller, Clifton D; Frank, Steven J; Raza, Shaan M; Kupferman, Michael E; DeMonte, Franco; Hanna, Ehab Y; Su, Shirley Y

    2018-06-01

    Compare outcomes of patients with olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) without skull base involvement treated with and without resection of the dura and olfactory bulb. Retrospective review of ONB patients treated from 1992 to 2013 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (The University of Texas, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.). Primary outcomes were overall and disease-free survival. Thirty-five patients were identified. Most patients had Kadish A/B. tumors (97%), Hyams grade 2 (70%), with unilateral involvement (91%), and arising from the nasal cavity (68%). Tumor involved the mucosa abutting the skull base in 42% of patients. Twenty-five patients (71%) received surgery and radiation, whereas the remainder had surgery alone. Five patients (14%) had bony skull base resection, and eight patients (23%) had resection of bony skull base, dura, and olfactory bulb. Surgical margins were grossly positive in one patient (3%) and microscopically positive in four patients (12%). The 5- and 10-year overall survival were 93% and 81%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) were 89% and 78%, respectively. Bony cribriform plate resection was associated with better DFS (P = 0.05), but dura and olfactory bulb resection was not (P = 0.11). There was a trend toward improved DFS in patients with negative resection margins (P = 0.19). Surgical modality (open vs. endoscopic) and postoperative radiotherapy did not impact DFS. Most Kadish A/B ONB tumors have low Hyams grade, unilateral involvement, and favorable survival outcomes. Resection of the dura and olfactory bulb is not oncologically advantageous in patients without skull base involvement who are surgically treated with negative resection margins and cribriform resection. 4. Laryngoscope, 128:1274-1280, 2018. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  2. 4D-Var Developement at GMAO

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pelc, Joanna S.; Todling, Ricardo; Akkraoui, Amal El

    2014-01-01

    The Global Modeling and Assimilation Offce (GMAO) is currently using an IAU-based 3D-Var data assimilation system. GMAO has been experimenting with a 3D-Var-hybrid version of its data assimilation system (DAS) for over a year now, which will soon become operational and it will rapidly progress toward a 4D-EnVar. Concurrently, the machinery to exercise traditional 4DVar is in place and it is desirable to have a comparison of the traditional 4D approach with the other available options, and evaluate their performance in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) DAS. This work will also explore the possibility for constructing a reduced order model (ROM) to make traditional 4D-Var computationally attractive for increasing model resolutions. Part of the research on ROM will be to search for a suitably acceptable space to carry on the corresponding reduction. This poster illustrates how the IAU-based 4D-Var assimilation compares with our currently used IAU-based 3D-Var.

  3. Optical clearing of the dura mater using glycerol: a reversible process to aid the post-mortem investigation of infant head injury.

    PubMed

    Cheshire, Emma C; Malcomson, Roger D G; Joseph, Shiju; Biggs, Mike J B; Adlam, David; Rutty, Guy N

    2015-09-01

    In cases of suspected abusive head trauma, a thorough and systematic study of the cranium and its contents is essential, preferably using the best available methods for observing the brain and its coverings. Building upon recent developments in skull bone removal techniques in infant autopsies, we have assessed the use of two optical clearing agents (OCAs), glycerol and mannitol, on pediatric dura mater in an attempt to increase the transparency of this tissue and thereby enhance the post-mortem assessment of infant head injuries, particularly subdural hematomas. Extracorporeal testing revealed glycerol to be the more effective OCA. Therefore, in situ investigations were commenced using glycerol during 33 pediatric post-mortem examinations. An increase in the transparency of the dura was observed in 32 of the 33 cases, within 1 min of application of the OCA. In a 2 year old with cerebral palsy, only partial optical clearance of the dura was seen, most likely due to a significantly atrophic brain, prominent gelatinous leptomeninges, and abnormally thickened dura. This technique allowed for detection of minimal amounts of subdural bleeding over the convexities, before dissection of the dura, avoiding post-mortem blood spillage from artifactually disrupted bridging veins. Optical clearing of the dura aided in the evaluation of patterns of subdural hemorrhage in three cases of non-accidental head injury, three cases of peri-natal head injury and one case of overlaying, apparently resulting in minor crush injury to the head. We have demonstrated that glycerol is an effective and easy-to-use OCA to effect the readily reversible optical clearing of human infant calvarial dura at autopsy.

  4. Interaction of micron and nano-sized particles with cells of the dura mater.

    PubMed

    Papageorgiou, Iraklis; Marsh, Rainy; Tipper, Joanne L; Hall, Richard M; Fisher, John; Ingham, Eileen

    2014-10-01

    Intervertebral total disc replacements (TDR) are used in the treatment of degenerative spinal disc disease. There are, however, concerns that they may be subject to long-term failure due to wear. The adverse effects of TDR wear have the potential to manifest in the dura mater and surrounding tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological structure of the dura mater, isolate the resident dural epithelial and stromal cells and analyse the capacity of these cells to internalise model polymer particles. The porcine dura mater was a collagen-rich structure encompassing regularly arranged fibroblastic cells within an outermost epithelial cell layer. The isolated dural epithelial cells had endothelial cell characteristics (positive for von Willebrand factor, CD31, E-cadherin and desmoplakin) and barrier functionality whereas the fibroblastic cells were positive for collagen I and III, tenascin and actin. The capacity of the dural cells to take up model particles was dependent on particle size. Nanometer sized particles readily penetrated both types of cells. However, dural fibroblasts engulfed micron-sized particles at a much higher rate than dural epithelial cells. The study suggested that dural epithelial cells may offer some barrier to the penetration of micron-sized particles but not nanometer sized particles. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. [A case of cavernous angioma at the convexity in the dura mater: characteristics of images in the literature].

    PubMed

    Yonezawa, Ushio; Ikawa, Fusao; Hamasaki, Osamu; Hidaka, Toshikazu; Kurokawa, Yasuharu; Onuma, Hideyuki

    2014-08-01

    We describe a rare case of cavernous angioma in the dura mater and discuss published MRI findings on similar cases. The patient was a 78-year-old woman who was referred to Shimane Prefectural Central Hospital with complaints of headaches. We were subsequently able to identify a tumor at the convexity in the dura mater. The tumor showed a high intensity on T2-weighted images and was heterogeneously enhanced on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. The maximum size of the tumor was 35 mm. Moreover, preoperative angiography showed a slight vascularity in the tumor. We performed surgery with the expectation of finding a meningioma, metastatic brain tumor, or another mesenchymal tumor. The tumor was dark and red, attached to the dura mater, and adhered to the arachnoid. However, we were able to peel the tumor away from the meninges and achieved a total removal of the mass, successfully cutting a fine feeding cortical artery. The patient was discharged without neurological defects 9 days after surgery;the pathological diagnosis was cavernous angioma. In conclusion, it is difficult to discern between meningioma and cavernous angioma in the dura mater. However, the specificity of high intensity on T2-weighted images is relatively high, and preoperative diagnosis can be determined by MRI and angiography findings.

  6. PV Module Reliability Experts Gather for DuraMAT Workshop | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    DuraMAT Workshop June 20, 2017 On May 22 and 23, 2017, the Bay Area Photovoltaic Consortium (BAPVC) and with the photovoltaic and supply-chain industries to discover, develop, de-risk, and enable the commercialization of new materials and designs for photovoltaic modules-with the potential for a levelized cost of

  7. Interaction of micron and nano-sized particles with cells of the dura mater

    PubMed Central

    Papageorgiou, Iraklis; Marsh, Rainy; Tipper, Joanne L; Hall, Richard M; Fisher, John; Ingham, Eileen

    2014-01-01

    Intervertebral total disc replacements (TDR) are used in the treatment of degenerative spinal disc disease. There are, however, concerns that they may be subject to long-term failure due to wear. The adverse effects of TDR wear have the potential to manifest in the dura mater and surrounding tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological structure of the dura mater, isolate the resident dural epithelial and stromal cells and analyse the capacity of these cells to internalise model polymer particles. The porcine dura mater was a collagen-rich structure encompassing regularly arranged fibroblastic cells within an outermost epithelial cell layer. The isolated dural epithelial cells had endothelial cell characteristics (positive for von Willebrand factor, CD31, E-cadherin and desmoplakin) and barrier functionality whereas the fibroblastic cells were positive for collagen I and III, tenascin and actin. The capacity of the dural cells to take up model particles was dependent on particle size. Nanometer sized particles readily penetrated both types of cells. However, dural fibroblasts engulfed micron-sized particles at a much higher rate than dural epithelial cells. The study suggested that dural epithelial cells may offer some barrier to the penetration of micron-sized particles but not nanometer sized particles. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 102B: 1496–1505, 2014. PMID:24604838

  8. A giant intradiploic epidermoid cyst with perforation of the dura and brain parenchymal involvement.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jong-Ho; Jung, Tae-Young; Kim, In-Young; Jung, Shin; Kang, Sam-Suk; Kim, Soo-Han

    2007-05-01

    A patient with a long-standing intradiploic epidermoid cyst with perforation of the dura and brain parenchymal involvement is reported. A 69-year-old man, who had previously presented with a subcutaneous mass on the left frontoparietal scalp, developed a sudden grand mal seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-defined mass in the frontoparietal scalp with destruction of the skull. Penetration of the dura allowed for communication with the intracranial structures. Surgical resection and cranioplasty were performed. There were no well-defined margins in the deep portion and the mass was subtotally removed. Histological examination showed that the cystic structure was lined by squamous epithelium containing laminated keratin material. The pathologic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of an epidermoid cyst.

  9. Sex-, stress-, and sympathetic post-ganglionic-dependent changes in identity and proportions of immune cells in the dura.

    PubMed

    McIlvried, Lisa A; Cruz, J Agustin; Borghesi, Lisa A; Gold, Michael S

    2017-01-01

    Aim of investigation Due to compelling evidence in support of links between sex, stress, sympathetic post-ganglionic innervation, dural immune cells, and migraine, our aim was to characterize the impacts of these factors on the type and proportion of immune cells in the dura. Methods Dural immune cells were obtained from naïve or stressed adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats for flow cytometry. Rats with surgical denervation of sympathetic post-ganglionic neurons of the dura were also studied. Results Immune cells comprise ∼17% of all cells in the dura. These included: macrophages/granulocytes ("Macs"; 63.2% of immune cells), dendritic cells (0.88%), T-cells (4.51%), natural killer T-cells (0.51%), natural killer cells (3.08%), and B-cells (20.0%). There were significantly more Macs and fewer B- and natural killer T-cells in the dura of females compared with males. Macs and dendritic cells were significantly increased by stress in males, but not females. In contrast, T-cells were significantly increased in females with a 24-hour delay following stress. Lastly, Macs, dendritic cells, and T-cells were significantly higher in sympathectomized-naïve males, but not females. Conclusions It may not only be possible, but necessary to use different strategies for the most effective treatment of migraine in men and women.

  10. Vertical osteoconductivity of sputtered hydroxyapatite-coated mini titanium implants after dura mater elevation: Rabbit calvarial model.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xin; Zakaria, Osama; Madi, Marwa; Kasugai, Shohei

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated the quantity and quality of newly formed vertical bone induced by sputtered hydroxyapatite-coated titanium implants compared with sandblasted acid-etched implants after dura mater elevation. Hydroxyapatite-coated and non-coated implants (n = 20/group) were used and divided equally into two groups. All implants were randomly placed into rabbit calvarial bone (four implants for each animal) emerging from the inferior cortical layer, displacing the dura mater 3 mm below the original bone. Animals were sacrificed at 4 (n = 5) and 8 (n = 5) weeks post-surgery. Vertical bone height and area were analyzed histologically and radiographically below the original bone. Vertical bone formation was observed in both groups. At 4 and 8 weeks, vertical bone height reached a significantly higher level in the hydroxyapatite compared with the non-coated group (p < 0.05). Vertical bone area was significantly larger in the hydroxyapatite compared with the non-coated group at 4 and 8 weeks (p < 0.05). This study indicates that vertical bone formation can be induced by dura mater elevation and sputtered hydroxyapatite coating can enhance vertical bone formation.

  11. A new collagen biomatrix of equine origin versus a cadaveric dura graft for the repair of dural defects--a comparative animal experimental study.

    PubMed

    Knopp, U; Christmann, F; Reusche, E; Sepehrnia, A

    2005-08-01

    Numerous types of materials have been evaluated over the past decades in the quest for the ideal dural replacement, but no product fully meets all the applicable criteria. This paper presents the long-term results of an animal trial of a collagen biomatrix (TISSUDURA, Baxter AG, Vienna/Austria) for the repair and regeneration of dural defects. This product provides a matrix with a special layer structure and consists of pure naturally cross-linked collagen of equine origin. The comparable material is Tutoplast Dura, a human cadaveric-derived dural graft preserved in a multiple stage chemical process. Bihemispheric parietotoccipital dural defects of a defined size were induced in 25 sheep and subsequently closed with the collagen graft or Tutoplast Dura, respectively. Postoperative neurological abnormalities did not occur in any animal. There were no signs of graft rejection or formation of cerebrospinal fluid fistulae. The collagen graft site displayed histological signs as early as 2 weeks postoperatively consistent with a moderate Iymphocytic inflammatory response and infiltration with fibroblasts and macrophages. The graft subsequently developed a neodura-like connective tissue architecture. The Tutoplast Dura showed only minimal cellular infiltration, and again the surrounding structures displayed a mild inflammatory response. 24 weeks postoperatively, the dura and neomembrane were barely distinguishable at the collagen biomatrix site, but the Tutoplast Dura displayed inadequate fusion with the dural border and was encapsulated in a connective tissue layer. The outcomes demonstrate that the collagen graft can be used for dura reconstruction as a temporary dural replacement and at the same time as a biomatrix for dural regeneration.

  12. Immunohistochemical profile of neurotrophins in human cranial dura mater and meningiomas.

    PubMed

    Artico, Marco; Bronzetti, Elena; Pompili, Elena; Ionta, Brunella; Alicino, Valentina; D'Ambrosio, Anna; Santoro, Antonio; Pastore, Francesco S; Elenkov, Ilia; Fumagalli, Lorenzo

    2009-06-01

    The immunohistochemical profile of neurotrophins and their receptors in the human cranial dura mater was studied by examining certain dural zones in specimens harvested from different regions (frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital). Dural specimens were obtained during neurosurgical operations performed in ten patients for surgical treatment of intracranial lesions (meningiomas, traumas, gliomas, vascular malformations). The dural fragments were taken from the area of the craniotomy at least 8 cm from the lesion as well as from the area in which the meningioma had its dural attachment. Immunohistochemical characterization and distribution of neurotrophins, with their receptors, were analyzed. The concrete role played by these neurotrophic factors in general regulation, vascular permeability, algic responsivity and release of locally active substances in the human dura mater is still controversial. Our study revealed a general structural alteration of dural tissue due to the invasivity of meningiomatous lesions, together with an improved expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in highly proliferating neoplastic cells and an evident production of nerve growth factor (NGF) in inflammatory cells, suggesting that BDNF has a role in supporting the proliferation rate of neoplastic cells, while NGF is involved in the activation of a chronic inflammatory response in neoplastic areas.

  13. Antifungal compounds from Zanthoxylum chiloperone var. angustifolium.

    PubMed

    Thouvenel, Céline; Gantier, Jean-Charles; Duret, Philippe; Fourneau, Christophe; Hocquemiller, Reynald; Ferreira, Maria-Elena; Rojas de Arias, Antonieta; Fournet, Alain

    2003-06-01

    An alkaloidal extract of the stem barks of Zanthoxylum chiloperone var. angustifolium exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale using a TLC bioautographic method. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this extract resulted in the isolation of two active compounds identi fi ed as canthin-6-one and 5-methoxycanthin-6-one. Canthin-6-one exhibited a broad spectrum of activities against Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, A. terreus, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, Geotrichum candidum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trichosporon beigelii, Trichosporon cutaneum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale with MICs values between 5.3 and 46 micro mol/L. 5-methoxy-canthin-6-one was active against only Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale with a MIC value of 12.3 micro mol/L. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Dura-arachnoid lesions produced by 22 gauge Quincke spinal needles during a lumbar puncture.

    PubMed

    Reina, M A; López, A; Badorrey, V; De Andrés, J A; Martín, S

    2004-06-01

    The dural and arachnoid hole caused by lumbar puncture needles is a determining factor in triggering headaches. The aim of this study is to assess the dimensions and morphological features of the dura mater and arachnoids when they are punctured by a 22 gauge Quincke needle having its bevel either in the parallel or in the transverse position. Fifty punctures were made with 22 gauge Quincke needles in the dural sac of four fresh cadavers using an "in vitro" model especially designed for this purpose. The punctures were performed by needles with bevels parallel or perpendicular to the spinal axis and studied under scanning electron microscopy. Thirty five of the 50 punctures done by Quincke needles (19 in the external surface and 16 in the internal) were used for evaluation. When the needle was inserted with its bevel parallel to the axis of the dural sac (17 of 35), the size of the dura-arachnoid lesion was 0.032 mm(2) in the epidural surface and 0.037 mm(2) in the subarachnoid surface of the dural sac. When the needle's bevel was perpendicular to the axis (18 of 35) the measurement of the lesion size was 0.042 mm(2) for the external surface and 0.033 mm(2) for the internal. There were no statistical significant differences between these results. It is believed that the reported lower frequency of postdural puncture headache when the needle is inserted parallel to the cord axis should be explained by some other factors besides the size of the dura-arachnoid injury.

  15. Ultrastructural characteristics of the cranial dura mater-arachnoid interface layer.

    PubMed

    Angelov, D N

    1990-01-01

    The ultrastructural features of the encephalic dura mater-arachnoid borderline (interface) layer (zone) of rats, rabbits, cats and humans were studied. The rat's interface zone included the electron-lucent epithelium-like arranged fibroblasts of the inner dural layer, the rich in filaments cells of the dural neurothelium, a 20 nm wide intercellular cleft filled with electron-dense material and the dark mitochondria-rich cells of the outer arachnoidal layer; in rabbits and cats, this laminar distinction was less prominent, while in man, it was almost absent.

  16. Using ClinVar as a Resource to Support Variant Interpretations

    PubMed Central

    Harrison, Steven M.; Riggs, Erin R.; Maglott, Donna R.; Lee, Jennifer M.; Azzariti, Danielle R.; Niehaus, Annie; Ramos, Erin M.; Martin, Christa L.; Landrum, Melissa J.; Rehm, Heidi L.

    2016-01-01

    ClinVar is a freely accessible, public archive of reports of the relationships among genomic variants and phenotypes. To facilitate evaluation of the clinical significance of each variant, ClinVar aggregates submissions of the same variant, displays supporting data from each submission, and determines if the submitted clinical interpretations are conflicting or concordant. The unit describes how to (1) identify sequence and structural variants of interest in ClinVar with by multiple searching approaches, including Variation Viewer and (2) understand the display of submissions to ClinVar and the evidence supporting each interpretation. By following this protocol, ClinVar users will be able to learn how to incorporate the wealth of resources and knowledge in ClinVar into variant curation and interpretation. PMID:27037489

  17. Consecutive assessment of FA and ADC values of normal lumbar nerve roots from the junction of the dura mater.

    PubMed

    Miyagi, Ryo; Sakai, Toshinori; Yamabe, Eiko; Yoshioka, Hiroshi

    2015-06-27

    Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are widely used in the evaluation of the central nervous system and recently have been reported as a potential tool for diagnosis of the peripheral nerve or the lumbar nerve entrapment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate consecutive changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of normal lumbar nerve roots from the junction of the dura mater. The lumbar spinal nerves were examined in 6 male healthy volunteers (mean age, 35 years) with no experiences of sciatica, with a 3.0-T MR unit using a five-element phased-array surface coil. DTI was performed with the following imaging parameters: 11084.6/73.7 ms for TR/TE; b-value, 800 s/mm2; MPG, 33 directions; slice thickness, 1.5 mm; and total scan time, 7 min 35 s. ADC and FA values at all consecutive points along the L4, L5 and S1 nerves were quantified on every 1.5 mm slice from the junction of the dura mater using short fiber tracking. ADC values of all L4, 5, and S1 nerve roots decreased linearly up to 15 mm from the dura junction and was constant distally afterward. ADC values in the proximal portion demonstrated S1 > L5 > L4 (p < 0.05). On the other hand, FA values increased linearly up to 15 mm from the dura junction, and was constant distally afterward. FA values in the proximal portion showed L4 > L5 > S1 (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that ADC and FA values of each L4, 5, and S1 at the proximal portion from the junction of the dura matter changed linearly. It would be useful to know the normal profile of DTI values by location of each nerve root so that we can detect subtle abnormalities in each nerve root.

  18. Effect of quorum sensing signals produced by seaweed-associated bacteria on carpospore liberation from Gracilaria dura

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Ravindra Pal; Baghel, Ravi S.; Reddy, C. R. K.; Jha, Bhavanath

    2015-01-01

    Epiphytic and endophytic bacteria associated with green macroalgae Ulva (U. fasciata and U. lactuca) and red macroalgae Gracilaria (G. corticata and G. dura) have been identified from three different seasons to evaluate the effect of quorum sensing (QS) molecules on carpospores liberation from Gracilaria dura. The bacterial isolates belonging to the orders Bacillales, Pseudomonadales, Alteromonadales, and Vibrionales were present in all seasons, whereas Actinomycetales and Enterobacteriales were confined to pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. Among all the Gram-negative bacteria, seven isolates were found to produce different types of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). Interestingly, Shewanella algae produced five types of AHL: C4-HSL, HC4-HSL, C6-HSL, 3-oxo-C6-HSL, and 3-oxo-C12-HSL. Subsequently, the AHLs producing bacterial isolates were screened for carpospore liberation from G. dura and these isolates were found to positively induce carpospore liberation over the control. Also, observed that carpospore liberation increased significantly in C4- and C6-HSL treated cystocarps. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the total protein of the C4- and C6-HSL treated cystocarps showed two specific peptide bands of different molecular weights (50 kDa and 60 kDa) as compared to the control, confirming their indirect effect on carpospore liberation. PMID:25788899

  19. Dura-arachnoid lesions produced by 22 gauge Quincke spinal needles during a lumbar puncture

    PubMed Central

    Reina, M; Lopez, A; Badorrey, V; De Andres, J A; Martin, S

    2004-01-01

    Aims: The dural and arachnoid hole caused by lumbar puncture needles is a determining factor in triggering headaches. The aim of this study is to assess the dimensions and morphological features of the dura mater and arachnoids when they are punctured by a 22 gauge Quincke needle having its bevel either in the parallel or in the transverse position. Methods: Fifty punctures were made with 22 gauge Quincke needles in the dural sac of four fresh cadavers using an "in vitro" model especially designed for this purpose. The punctures were performed by needles with bevels parallel or perpendicular to the spinal axis and studied under scanning electron microscopy. Results: Thirty five of the 50 punctures done by Quincke needles (19 in the external surface and 16 in the internal) were used for evaluation. When the needle was inserted with its bevel parallel to the axis of the dural sac (17 of 35), the size of the dura-arachnoid lesion was 0.032 mm2 in the epidural surface and 0.037 mm2 in the subarachnoid surface of the dural sac. When the needle's bevel was perpendicular to the axis (18 of 35) the measurement of the lesion size was 0.042 mm2 for the external surface and 0.033 mm2 for the internal. There were no statistical significant differences between these results. Conclusions: It is believed that the reported lower frequency of postdural puncture headache when the needle is inserted parallel to the cord axis should be explained by some other factors besides the size of the dura-arachnoid injury. PMID:15146008

  20. Polyphenolic Composition of Crataegus monogyna Jacq.: From Chemistry to Medical Applications

    PubMed Central

    Nabavi, Seyed Fazel; Habtemariam, Solomon; Ahmed, Touqeer; Sureda, Antoni; Daglia, Maria; Sobarzo-Sánchez, Eduardo; Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    The abundance of scientific evidence has shown that many synthetic drugs can cause serious adverse effects in patients. Recently, the search of natural therapeutic agents with low adverse effects has attracted much attention. In particular, considerable interest has focused on edible and medicinal plants, which play an important role in human diet, and have been used for disease treatment since ancient times. Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn) is one of the most important edible plants of the Rosaceae family and is also used in traditional medicine. Growing evidence has shown that this plant has various interesting physiological and pharmacological activities due to the presence of different bioactive natural compounds. In addition, scientific evidence suggests that the toxicity of hawthorn is negligible. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide a critical review of the available scientific literature about pharmacological activities as well as botanical aspects, phytochemistry and clinical impacts of C. monogyna. PMID:26378574

  1. Polyphenolic Composition of Crataegus monogyna Jacq.: From Chemistry to Medical Applications.

    PubMed

    Nabavi, Seyed Fazel; Habtemariam, Solomon; Ahmed, Touqeer; Sureda, Antoni; Daglia, Maria; Sobarzo-Sánchez, Eduardo; Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad

    2015-09-11

    The abundance of scientific evidence has shown that many synthetic drugs can cause serious adverse effects in patients. Recently, the search of natural therapeutic agents with low adverse effects has attracted much attention. In particular, considerable interest has focused on edible and medicinal plants, which play an important role in human diet, and have been used for disease treatment since ancient times. Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn) is one of the most important edible plants of the Rosaceae family and is also used in traditional medicine. Growing evidence has shown that this plant has various interesting physiological and pharmacological activities due to the presence of different bioactive natural compounds. In addition, scientific evidence suggests that the toxicity of hawthorn is negligible. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide a critical review of the available scientific literature about pharmacological activities as well as botanical aspects, phytochemistry and clinical impacts of C. monogyna.

  2. Evaluation of methods and marker Systems in Genomic Selection of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.).

    PubMed

    Kwong, Qi Bin; Teh, Chee Keng; Ong, Ai Ling; Chew, Fook Tim; Mayes, Sean; Kulaveerasingam, Harikrishna; Tammi, Martti; Yeoh, Suat Hui; Appleton, David Ross; Harikrishna, Jennifer Ann

    2017-12-11

    Genomic selection (GS) uses genome-wide markers as an attempt to accelerate genetic gain in breeding programs of both animals and plants. This approach is particularly useful for perennial crops such as oil palm, which have long breeding cycles, and for which the optimal method for GS is still under debate. In this study, we evaluated the effect of different marker systems and modeling methods for implementing GS in an introgressed dura family derived from a Deli dura x Nigerian dura (Deli x Nigerian) with 112 individuals. This family is an important breeding source for developing new mother palms for superior oil yield and bunch characters. The traits of interest selected for this study were fruit-to-bunch (F/B), shell-to-fruit (S/F), kernel-to-fruit (K/F), mesocarp-to-fruit (M/F), oil per palm (O/P) and oil-to-dry mesocarp (O/DM). The marker systems evaluated were simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RR-BLUP, Bayesian A, B, Cπ, LASSO, Ridge Regression and two machine learning methods (SVM and Random Forest) were used to evaluate GS accuracy of the traits. The kinship coefficient between individuals in this family ranged from 0.35 to 0.62. S/F and O/DM had the highest genomic heritability, whereas F/B and O/P had the lowest. The accuracies using 135 SSRs were low, with accuracies of the traits around 0.20. The average accuracy of machine learning methods was 0.24, as compared to 0.20 achieved by other methods. The trait with the highest mean accuracy was F/B (0.28), while the lowest were both M/F and O/P (0.18). By using whole genomic SNPs, the accuracies for all traits, especially for O/DM (0.43), S/F (0.39) and M/F (0.30) were improved. The average accuracy of machine learning methods was 0.32, compared to 0.31 achieved by other methods. Due to high genomic resolution, the use of whole-genome SNPs improved the efficiency of GS dramatically for oil palm and is recommended for dura breeding programs. Machine learning slightly

  3. A comparison between EDA-EnVar and ETKF-EnVar data assimilation techniques using radar observations at convective scales through a case study of Hurricane Ike (2008)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Feifei; Xu, Dongmei; Xue, Ming; Min, Jinzhong

    2017-07-01

    This study examines the impacts of assimilating radar radial velocity (Vr) data for the simulation of hurricane Ike (2008) with two different ensemble generation techniques in the framework of the hybrid ensemble-variational (EnVar) data assimilation system of Weather Research and Forecasting model. For the generation of ensemble perturbations we apply two techniques, the ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF) and the ensemble of data assimilation (EDA). For the ETKF-EnVar, the forecast ensemble perturbations are updated by the ETKF, while for the EDA-EnVar, the hybrid is employed to update each ensemble member with perturbed observations. The ensemble mean is analyzed by the hybrid method with flow-dependent ensemble covariance for both EnVar. The sensitivity of analyses and forecasts to the two applied ensemble generation techniques is investigated in our current study. It is found that the EnVar system is rather stable with different ensemble update techniques in terms of its skill on improving the analyses and forecasts. The EDA-EnVar-based ensemble perturbations are likely to include slightly less organized spatial structures than those in ETKF-EnVar, and the perturbations of the latter are constructed more dynamically. Detailed diagnostics reveal that both of the EnVar schemes not only produce positive temperature increments around the hurricane center but also systematically adjust the hurricane location with the hurricane-specific error covariance. On average, the analysis and forecast from the ETKF-EnVar have slightly smaller errors than that from the EDA-EnVar in terms of track, intensity, and precipitation forecast. Moreover, ETKF-EnVar yields better forecasts when verified against conventional observations.

  4. Development of a large set of microsatellite markers in Zapote Maney (Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) (H.E. Moore & Stearn) and their potential use in the study of the species

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The tropical plant Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) is known for its edible fruits that contain unique carotenoids, and for the chemicals extracted from its bark, leaves and roots having fungitoxic, insecticidal, anti-inflamatory, anti-oxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Currently, there is no gen...

  5. Digital radiographic evaluation of alveolar bone loss, density and lamina dura integrity on post splinting mandibular anterior with chronic periodontitis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rafini, F.; Priaminiarti, M.; Sukardi, I.; Lessang, R.

    2017-08-01

    The healing of periodontal splinting can be detected both with clinical and radiographic examination. In this study, the alveolar bone was evaluated by radiographic digital periapical analysis. Periodontal tooth splinting is periodontal support therapy used to prevent periodontal injury during repair and regeneration of periodontal therapy. Radiographic digital periapical analysis of alveolar bone in the mandibular anterior region with chronic periodontitis and 2/3 cervical bone loss after three months of periodontal splinting. Eighty four proximal site (43 mesial and 41 distal) from 16 patients with chronic periodontitis and treated with spinting were examined by taking periapical digital radiographic at day 1 and 91. The bone loss, bone density and utility of lamina dura were evaluated. The statistical analysis after three months evaluation using T-test for bone loss, Wilcoxon sign rank test for bone density and utility lamina dura showed no significantly differences (p<0.05) (p=0.44, 0.256 and 0.059). No radiographic change in bone loss, bone density and utility of lamina dura from chronic periodontitis with 2/3 alveolar bone loss after three months splinting.

  6. Physico-chemical, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties and stability of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) procyanidins microcapsules with inulin and maltodextrin.

    PubMed

    Wyspiańska, Dorota; Kucharska, Alicja Z; Sokół-Łętowska, Anna; Kolniak-Ostek, Joanna

    2017-01-01

    Procyanidins from the bark of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) were isolated and purified. Qualitative and quantitative composition was compared with that of the extract of hawthorn fruit (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.). Stability and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of procyanidins before and after micro-encapsulation were estimated. The effects of the carrier type (inulin and maltodextrin) and procyanidins:carrier ratio (1:1, 1:3) and the influence of storage temperature (20 °C, -20 °C, -80 °C) on the content of procyanidins were evaluated. Samples before and after micro-encapsulation contained from 651 to 751 mg of procyanidins in 1 g. Among the procyanidins, (-)-epicatechin, dimer B2, and trimer C1 dominated. The use of inulin during spray drying resulted in greater efficiency of micro-encapsulation than the use of maltodextrin. During storage of the samples at 20 °C degradation of procyanidins was observed, whereas at -20 °C and -80 °C concentrations of them increased. The microcapsules with procyanidins from the bark of hawthorn, as well as the extract of procyanidins, have valuable biological activity, and strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is better to prepare microcapsules with a greater amount of carrier, with the procyanidin/carrier ratio 1:3. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. A comparison between "sandwich" and conventional methods of repairing spinal dura rupture.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hui-ren; Cao, Sheng-sheng; Jiang, Yun-qi; Li, Jun-ning; Li, Xi-lei; Fu, Yun-gen; Zhao, Ming-dong; Dong, Jian

    2012-11-01

    To study the therapeutic efficacy of the "sandwich" method (medical glue + gelatin sponge + medical glue) of spinal dural repair for preventing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during treatment of subdural tumors. Fifty-four patients with spinal subdural tumors treated between April 2007 and June 2011 were retrospectively investigated. The patients were divided into two groups: a conventional group (group A) and a "sandwich" group (group B). The group A patients included 16 males and 7 females with an average tumor course of 11 months (range, 2-34 months). Four of their 23 tumors were in the cervical spine, eight thoracic, and eleven lumbar. The group B patients included 19 males and 12 females with an average tumor course of 12 months (range, 3-36 months). Five of their 31 tumors were in the cervical spines, 10 thoracic, and 16 lumbar. In group A, the dural repairs were performed with interlocking sutures and a gelatin sponge covering the dura; whereas in group B, they were performed with interlocking sutures, painting of medical glue around the dural incision, covering this with a gelatin sponge, and finally covering of the gelatin sponge with medical glue. The total volume of drainage after operation, incidence of CSF leaks, healing of the incision, and recovery of clinical performance were recorded. Compared to group A patients, group B patients had a significantly smaller total volume of drainage (P < 0.05) on the day of surgery, and the first, second, and third postoperative days. The incidence of CSF leakage in group B was also significantly less than in group A (P < 0.05). Before discharge, three patients in group A developd hydrops, which was successfully treated by aspiration, continuous pressure from sandbags, and the prone position. During the first 3 months of follow-up, five patients developed deep hydrops under their incisions but required no treatment. There were no obvious abnormalities in group B. After removal of subdural spinal tumors by

  8. Use of Subdural Evacuating Port System Following Open Craniotomy with Excision of Native Dura and Membranes for Management of Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

    PubMed

    Cage, Tene; Bach, Ashley; McDermott, Michael W

    2017-04-26

    An 86-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit with a chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) and rapid onset of worsening neurological symptoms. She was taken to the operating room for a mini-craniotomy for evacuation of the CSDH including excision of the dura and CSDH membrane. Postoperatively, a subdural evacuation port system (SEPS) was integrated into the craniotomy site and left in place rather than a traditional subdural catheter drain to evacuate the subdural space postoperatively. The patient had a good recovery and improvement of symptoms after evacuation and remained clinically well after the SEPS was removed. We offer the technique of dura and CSDH membrane excision plus SEPS drain as an effective postoperative alternative to the standard craniotomy leaving the native dura intact with traditional subdural drain that overlies the cortical surface of the brain in treating patients with CSDH.

  9. Use of Subdural Evacuating Port System Following Open Craniotomy with Excision of Native Dura and Membranes for Management of Chronic Subdural Hematoma

    PubMed Central

    Bach, Ashley; McDermott, Michael W.

    2017-01-01

    An 86-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit with a chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) and rapid onset of worsening neurological symptoms. She was taken to the operating room for a mini-craniotomy for evacuation of the CSDH including excision of the dura and CSDH membrane. Postoperatively, a subdural evacuation port system (SEPS) was integrated into the craniotomy site and left in place rather than a traditional subdural catheter drain to evacuate the subdural space postoperatively. The patient had a good recovery and improvement of symptoms after evacuation and remained clinically well after the SEPS was removed. We offer the technique of dura and CSDH membrane excision plus SEPS drain as an effective postoperative alternative to the standard craniotomy leaving the native dura intact with traditional subdural drain that overlies the cortical surface of the brain in treating patients with CSDH. PMID:28560123

  10. Borrelia burgdorferi adhere to blood vessels in the dura mater and are associated with increased meningeal T cells during murine disseminated borreliosis

    PubMed Central

    Divan, Ali; Casselli, Timothy; Narayanan, S. Anand; Mukherjee, Sanjib; Zawieja, David C.; Watt, John A.

    2018-01-01

    Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is a vector-borne bacterial infection that is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. If not treated with antibiotics during the early stages of infection, disseminated infection can spread to the central nervous system (CNS). In non-human primates (NHPs) it has been demonstrated that the leptomeninges are among the tissues colonized by B. burgdorferi spirochetes. Although the NHP model parallels aspects of human borreliosis, a small rodent model would be ideal to study the trafficking of spirochetes and immune cells into the CNS. Here we show that during early and late disseminated infection, B. burgdorferi infects the meninges of intradermally infected mice, and is associated with concurrent increases in meningeal T cells. We found that the dura mater was consistently culture positive for spirochetes in transcardially perfused mice, independent of the strain of B. burgdorferi used. Within the dura mater, spirochetes were preferentially located in vascular regions, but were also present in perivascular, and extravascular regions, as late as 75 days post-infection. At the same end-point, we observed significant increases in the number of CD3+ T cells within the pia and dura mater, as compared to controls. Flow cytometric analysis of leukocytes isolated from the dura mater revealed that CD3+ cell populations were comprised of both CD4 and CD8 T cells. Overall, our data demonstrate that similarly to infection in peripheral tissues, spirochetes adhere to the dura mater during disseminated infection, and are associated with increases in the number of meningeal T cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that there are aspects of B. burgdorferi meningeal infection that can be modelled in laboratory mice, suggesting that mice may be useful for elucidating mechanisms of meningeal pathogenesis by B. burgdorferi. PMID:29723263

  11. Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii from Eucalyptus camaldulensis in India.

    PubMed Central

    Chakrabarti, A; Jatana, M; Kumar, P; Chatha, L; Kaushal, A; Padhye, A A

    1997-01-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii has an ecological association with five Eucalyptus species: E. blakelyi, E. camaldulensis, E. gomphocephala, E. rudis, and E. tereticornis. After human infections due to C. neoformans var. gattii were diagnosed in the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka, India, a study was undertaken to investigate the association of C. neoformans var. gattii with Indian eucalypts, especially in the state of Punjab. A total of 696 specimens collected from E. camaldulensis, E. citriodora and E. tereticornis (hybrid) trees were examined for the presence of C. neoformans var. gattii. Flowers from two trees of E. camaldulensis in the Chak Sarkar forest and one from the village of Periana near the Ferozepur area yielded five isolates of C. neoformans var. gattii. The origin of the trees could be traced to Australia, thus providing evidence that the distribution of E. camaldulensis correlated with the distribution of human cryptococcosis cases caused by C. neoformans var. gattii in northern India. PMID:9399553

  12. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers from the marine organisms Lendenfeldia dendyi and Sinularia dura with anti-MRSa activity

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of the marine sponge Lendenfeldia dendyi and the soft coral Sinularia dura resulted in the isolation of five polybrominated diphenyl ethers (1-5). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined using spectroscopic methods(lD and 2D NMR) and HRMS analyses. The ...

  13. 76 FR 6839 - ActiveCore Technologies, Inc., Battery Technologies, Inc., China Media1 Corp., Dura Products...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-08

    ... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [File No. 500-1] ActiveCore Technologies, Inc., Battery Technologies, Inc., China Media1 Corp., Dura Products International, Inc. (n/k/a Dexx Corp.), Global Mainframe... Battery Technologies, Inc. because it has not filed any periodic reports since the period ended December...

  14. Empirical analysis on future-cash arbitrage risk with portfolio VaR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Rongda; Li, Cong; Wang, Weijin; Wang, Ze

    2014-03-01

    This paper constructs the positive arbitrage position by alternating the spot index with Chinese Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) portfolio and estimating the arbitrage-free interval of futures with the latest trade data. Then, an improved Delta-normal method was used, which replaces the simple linear correlation coefficient with tail dependence correlation coefficient, to measure VaR (Value-at-risk) of the arbitrage position. Analysis of VaR implies that the risk of future-cash arbitrage is less than that of investing completely in either futures or spot market. Then according to the compositional VaR and the marginal VaR, we should increase the futures position and decrease the spot position appropriately to minimize the VaR, which can minimize risk subject to certain revenues.

  15. Distribution Management System Volt/VAR Evaluation | Grid Modernization |

    Science.gov Websites

    NREL Distribution Management System Volt/VAR Evaluation Distribution Management System Volt/VAR Evaluation This project involves building a prototype distribution management system testbed that links a GE Grid Solutions distribution management system to power hardware-in-the-loop testing. This setup is

  16. Methyl Jasmonate-Induced Lipidomic and Biochemical Alterations in the Intertidal Macroalga Gracilaria dura (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta)

    PubMed Central

    Kumari, Puja; Reddy, C.R.K.; Jha, Bhavanath

    2015-01-01

    The role of exogenously added methyl jasmonate (MeJA), a lipid-derived signaling compound, in inducing oxidative stress in the marine red macroalga Gracilaria dura was investigated. MeJA at a concentration of 1–100 µM was a strong stimulant of reactive oxygen species (H2O2, HO· and O2·−) (P < 0.05) causing considerable oxidative stress in G. dura. This further led to lipid peroxidation and degradation of the pigments Chl a and phycocyanin, with a concomitant increase in phycoerythrin. The MeJA-induced oxidative burst also led to the induction of a fatty acid oxidation cascade, resulting in the synthesis of hydroxy-oxylipins and the up-regulation of the 13-lipoxygenase pathway. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry-based shotgun lipidomic analysis revealed that monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (a chloroplastic glycerolipid) and phosphatidylcholine (extrachloroplastidic phopholipid) were the most affected lipid classes. The degradation of 18:3-fatty acid-containing monogalactosyldiacylglycerol inferred that it provided fatty acyl chains for the biosynthesis of 13-hydroperoxylinolenic acid, which was further directed towards either the jasmonate pathway or other alternative pathways of the fatty acid oxidation cascade, analogous to higher plants. Also, G. dura modulated the lipid acyl chains in such a way that no significant change was observed in the fatty acid profile of the treated thalli as compared with those of the control, except for C16:0, C16:1 (n-9), C20:3 (n-6) and C20:4 (n-6) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, MeJA caused the accumulation of phenolic compounds and the up-regulation of enzymes involved in secondary metabolism such as polyphenol oxidase, shikimate dehydrogenase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, indicating a shift towards secondary metabolism as a defense strategy to combat the induced oxidative stress. PMID:26276825

  17. Effect of six weeks of dura disc and mini-trampoline balance training on postural sway in athletes with functional ankle instability.

    PubMed

    Kidgell, Dawson J; Horvath, Deanna M; Jackson, Brendan M; Seymour, Philip J

    2007-05-01

    Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most common injuries incurred during sporting activities, and effective rehabilitation programs for this condition are challenging to develop. The purpose of this research was to compare the effect of 6 weeks of balance training on either a mini-trampoline or a dura disc on postural sway and to determine if the mini-trampoline or the dura disc is more effective in improving postural sway. Twenty subjects (11 men, 9 women) with a mean age of 25.4 +/- 4.2 years were randomly allocated into a control group, a dura disc training (DT) group, or a mini-trampoline (MT) group. Subjects completed 6 weeks of balance training. Postural sway was measured by subjects performing a single limb stance on a force plate. The disbursement of the center of pressure was obtained from the force plate in the medial-lateral and the anterior-posterior sway path and was subsequently used for pretest and posttest analysis. After the 6-week training intervention, there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in postural sway between pre- and posttesting for both the MT (pretest = 56.8 +/- 20.5 mm, posttest = 33.3 +/- 8.5 mm) and DT (pretest = 41.3 +/- 2.6 mm, posttest = 27.2 +/- 4.8 mm) groups. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference detected for improvements between the MT and DT groups. These results indicate that not only is the mini-trampoline an effective tool for improving balance after LAS, but it is equally as effective as the dura disc.

  18. 40 CFR 80.170 - Volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR), equipment calibration, and recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., the preceding twelve months of VAR formula records plus the preceding two months of VAR supporting... request, the preceding two months of VAR formula records and VAR supporting documentation. (3) Facilities... accurately and separately measured, either through the use of a separate storage tank, a separate meter, or...

  19. 40 CFR 80.170 - Volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR), equipment calibration, and recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., the preceding twelve months of VAR formula records plus the preceding two months of VAR supporting... request, the preceding two months of VAR formula records and VAR supporting documentation. (3) Facilities... accurately and separately measured, either through the use of a separate storage tank, a separate meter, or...

  20. 40 CFR 80.170 - Volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR), equipment calibration, and recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., the preceding twelve months of VAR formula records plus the preceding two months of VAR supporting... request, the preceding two months of VAR formula records and VAR supporting documentation. (3) Facilities... accurately and separately measured, either through the use of a separate storage tank, a separate meter, or...

  1. 40 CFR 80.170 - Volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR), equipment calibration, and recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., the preceding twelve months of VAR formula records plus the preceding two months of VAR supporting... request, the preceding two months of VAR formula records and VAR supporting documentation. (3) Facilities... accurately and separately measured, either through the use of a separate storage tank, a separate meter, or...

  2. 40 CFR 80.170 - Volumetric additive reconciliation (VAR), equipment calibration, and recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., the preceding twelve months of VAR formula records plus the preceding two months of VAR supporting... request, the preceding two months of VAR formula records and VAR supporting documentation. (3) Facilities... accurately and separately measured, either through the use of a separate storage tank, a separate meter, or...

  3. Biological Effects of Clinically Relevant CoCr Nanoparticles in the Dura Mater: An Organ Culture Study

    PubMed Central

    Papageorgiou, Iraklis; Abberton, Thomas; Fuller, Martin; Tipper, Joanne L.; Fisher, John; Ingham, Eileen

    2014-01-01

    Medical interventions for the treatment of spinal disc degeneration include total disc replacement and fusion devices. There are, however, concerns regarding the generation of wear particles by these devices, the majority of which are in the nanometre sized range with the potential to cause adverse biological effects in the surrounding tissues. The aims of this study were to develop an organ culture model of the porcine dura mater and to investigate the biological effects of CoCr nanoparticles in this model. A range of histological techniques were used to analyse the structure of the tissue in the organ culture. The biological effects of the CoCr wear particles and the subsequent structural changes were assessed using tissue viability assays, cytokine assays, histology, immunohistochemistry, and TEM imaging. The physiological structure of the dura mater remained unchanged during the seven days of in vitro culture. There was no significant loss of cell viability. After exposure of the organ culture to CoCr nanoparticles, there was significant loosening of the epithelial layer, as well as the underlying collagen matrix. TEM imaging confirmed these structural alterations. These structural alterations were attributed to the production of MMP-1, -3, -9, -13, and TIMP-1. ELISA analysis revealed that there was significant release of cytokines including IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, ECP and also the matrix protein, tenascin-C. This study suggested that CoCr nanoparticles did not cause cytotoxicity in the dura mater but they caused significant alterations to its structural integrity that could lead to significant secondary effects due to nanoparticle penetration, such as inflammation to the local neural tissue. PMID:28344233

  4. Comparative ozone responses of cutleaf coneflowers (Rudbeckia laciniata var. digitata, var. ampla) from Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, USA.

    PubMed

    Neufeld, Howard S; Johnson, Jennifer; Kohut, Robert

    2018-01-01

    Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata L. var. digitata) is native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) and an ozone bioindicator species. Variety ampla, whose ozone sensitivity is less well known, is native to Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO). In the early 2000s, researchers found putative ozone symptoms on var. ampla and rhizomes were sent to Appalachian State University to verify that the symptoms were the result of ozone exposure. In 2011, potted plants were exposed to ambient ozone from May to August. These same plants were grown in open-top chambers (OTCs) in 2012 and 2013, and exposed to charcoal-filtered (CF), non-filtered (NF), elevated ozone (EO), NF+50ppb in 2012 for 47days and NF+30/NF+50ppb ozone in 2013 for 36 and 36days, respectively. Ozone symptoms similar to those found in ROMO (blue-black adaxial stippling) were reproduced both in ambient air and in the OTCs. Both varieties exhibited foliar injury in the OTCs in an exposure-dependent manner, verifying that symptoms resulted from ozone exposure. In two of the three study years, var. digitata appeared more sensitive than var. ampla. Exposure to EO caused reductions in ambient photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g s ) for both varieties. Light response curves indicated that ozone reduced A, g s , and the apparent quantum yield while it increased the light compensation point. In CF air, var. ampla had higher light saturated A (18.2±1.04 vs 11.6±0.37μmolm -2 s -1 ), higher light saturation (1833±166.7 vs 1108±141.7μmolm -2 s -1 ), and lower Ci/Ca ratio (0.67±0.01 vs 0.77±0.01) than var. digitata. Coneflowers in both Parks are adversely affected by exposure to ambient ozone and if ozone concentrations increase in the Rocky Mountains, greater amounts of injury on var. ampla can be expected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Nutritional characterisation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm. produced using paper scraps as substrate.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Ângela; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Anabela; Herbert, Paulo; Ferreira, Isabel C F R

    2015-02-15

    Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm. is the third most produced edible mushroom worldwide, due to its ability to colonise and degrade a large variety of lignocellulosic substrates. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition of fruiting bodies of P. ostreatus grown on blank and printed paper substrates, in comparison with samples grown on oat straw (control). The nutritional properties of the control sample were similar to values reported in the literature, while the chemical composition of the samples obtained using paper scraps, either blank or printed, was highly satisfactory. The results obtained validated the nutritional characteristics of the samples, highlighting a profitable means to recycle paper. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Formulation of microspheres containing Crataegus monogyna Jacq. extract with free radical scavenging activity.

    PubMed

    Lucconi, Giulia; Chlapanidas, Theodora; Martino, Emanuela; Gaggeri, Raffaella; Perteghella, Sara; Rossi, Daniela; Faragò, Silvio; Vigo, Daniele; Faustini, Massimo; Collina, Simona; Torre, Maria Luisa

    2014-02-01

    Extracts of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn) show an interesting free radical scavenging (FRS) effect, related to their flavonoids content. Unfortunately, their oral administration is affected by their low bioavailability. The aim of this work is to obtain a multiparticulate drug delivery system for hawthorn extracts for oral administration. The extracts from flowering tops (FL) or fruits (FR) of hawthorn were obtained with maceration, using ethanol as an extraction solvent, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated. FL extract showed the highest FRS activity (EC50 3.72 ± 1.21 µg/ml), so it was selected to prepare microparticulate systems by a spray-drying technique, which were characterized by granulometric analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confocal fluorescence microscopy and hyperoside content. Antioxidant activity was evaluated before and after gastrointestinal transit in vitro simulation. Results indicate that the microparticulate systems maintained the antioxidant activity of hawthorn also after gastrointestinal transit in vitro simulation, exhibiting properties suitable for oral administration.

  7. VARS-TOOL: A Comprehensive, Efficient, and Robust Sensitivity Analysis Toolbox

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razavi, S.; Sheikholeslami, R.; Haghnegahdar, A.; Esfahbod, B.

    2016-12-01

    VARS-TOOL is an advanced sensitivity and uncertainty analysis toolbox, applicable to the full range of computer simulation models, including Earth and Environmental Systems Models (EESMs). The toolbox was developed originally around VARS (Variogram Analysis of Response Surfaces), which is a general framework for Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) that utilizes the variogram/covariogram concept to characterize the full spectrum of sensitivity-related information, thereby providing a comprehensive set of "global" sensitivity metrics with minimal computational cost. VARS-TOOL is unique in that, with a single sample set (set of simulation model runs), it generates simultaneously three philosophically different families of global sensitivity metrics, including (1) variogram-based metrics called IVARS (Integrated Variogram Across a Range of Scales - VARS approach), (2) variance-based total-order effects (Sobol approach), and (3) derivative-based elementary effects (Morris approach). VARS-TOOL is also enabled with two novel features; the first one being a sequential sampling algorithm, called Progressive Latin Hypercube Sampling (PLHS), which allows progressively increasing the sample size for GSA while maintaining the required sample distributional properties. The second feature is a "grouping strategy" that adaptively groups the model parameters based on their sensitivity or functioning to maximize the reliability of GSA results. These features in conjunction with bootstrapping enable the user to monitor the stability, robustness, and convergence of GSA with the increase in sample size for any given case study. VARS-TOOL has been shown to achieve robust and stable results within 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller sample sizes (fewer model runs) than alternative tools. VARS-TOOL, available in MATLAB and Python, is under continuous development and new capabilities and features are forthcoming.

  8. VarDetect: a nucleotide sequence variation exploratory tool

    PubMed Central

    Ngamphiw, Chumpol; Kulawonganunchai, Supasak; Assawamakin, Anunchai; Jenwitheesuk, Ekachai; Tongsima, Sissades

    2008-01-01

    Background Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most commonly studied units of genetic variation. The discovery of such variation may help to identify causative gene mutations in monogenic diseases and SNPs associated with predisposing genes in complex diseases. Accurate detection of SNPs requires software that can correctly interpret chromatogram signals to nucleotides. Results We present VarDetect, a stand-alone nucleotide variation exploratory tool that automatically detects nucleotide variation from fluorescence based chromatogram traces. Accurate SNP base-calling is achieved using pre-calculated peak content ratios, and is enhanced by rules which account for common sequence reading artifacts. The proposed software tool is benchmarked against four other well-known SNP discovery software tools (PolyPhred, novoSNP, Genalys and Mutation Surveyor) using fluorescence based chromatograms from 15 human genes. These chromatograms were obtained from sequencing 16 two-pooled DNA samples; a total of 32 individual DNA samples. In this comparison of automatic SNP detection tools, VarDetect achieved the highest detection efficiency. Availability VarDetect is compatible with most major operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. The current version of VarDetect is freely available at . PMID:19091032

  9. Laser bonding with ICG-infused chitosan patches: preliminary experiences in suine dura mater and vocal folds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rossi, Francesca; Matteini, Paolo; Ratto, Fulvio; Pini, Roberto; Iacoangeli, Maurizio; Giannoni, Luca; Fortuna, Damiano; Di Cicco, Emiliano; Corbara, Sylwia; Dallari, Stefano

    2014-05-01

    Laser bonding is a promising minimally invasive approach, emerging as a valid alternative to conventional suturing techniques. It shows widely demonstrated advantages in wound treatment: immediate closuring effect, minimal inflammatory response and scar formation, reduced healing time. This laser based technique can overcome the difficulties in working through narrow surgical corridors (e.g. the modern "key-hole" surgery as well as the endoscopy setting) or in thin tissues that are impossible to treat with staples and/or stitches. We recently proposed the use of chitosan matrices, stained with conventional chromophores, to be used in laser bonding of vascular tissue. In this work we propose the same procedure to perform laser bonding of vocal folds and dura mater repair. Laser bonding of vocal folds is proposed to avoid the development of adhesions (synechiae), after conventional or CO2 laser surgery. Laser bonding application in neurosurgery is proposed for the treatment of dural defects being the Cerebro Spinal Fluid leaks still a major issue. Vocal folds and dura mater were harvested from 9-months old porks and used in the experimental sessions within 4 hours after sacrifice. In vocal folds treatment, an IdocyanineGreen-infused chitosan patch was applied onto the anterior commissure, while the dura mater was previously incised and then bonded. A diode laser emitting at 810 nm, equipped with a 600 μm diameter optical fiber was used to weld the patch onto the tissue, by delivering single laser spots to induce local patch/tissue adhesion. The result is an immediate adhesion of the patch to the tissue. Standard histology was performed, in order to study the induced photothermal effect at the bonding sites. This preliminary experimental activity shows the advantages of the proposed technique in respect to standard surgery: simplification of the procedure; decreased foreign-body reaction; reduced inflammatory response; reduced operating times and better handling in

  10. Silencing of a Germin-Like Protein Gene (CchGLP) in Geminivirus-Resistant Pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) BG-3821 Increases Susceptibility to Single and Mixed Infections by Geminiviruses PHYVV and PepGMV

    PubMed Central

    Mejía-Teniente, Laura; Joaquin-Ramos, Ahuizolt de Jesús; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo; Rivera-Bustamante, Rafael F.; Guevara-Olvera, Lorenzo; Rico-García, Enrique; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G.

    2015-01-01

    Germin-like proteins (GLPs) are encoded by a family of genes found in all plants, and in terms of function, the GLPs are implicated in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. CchGLP is a gene encoding a GLP identified in a geminivirus-resistant Capsicum chinense Jacq accession named BG-3821, and it is important in geminivirus resistance when transferred to susceptible tobacco in transgenic experiments. To characterize the role of this GLP in geminivirus resistance in the original accession from which this gene was identified, this work aimed at demonstrating the possible role of CchGLP in resistance to geminiviruses in Capsicum chinense Jacq. BG-3821. Virus-induced gene silencing studies using a geminiviral vector based in PHYVV component A, displaying that silencing of CchGLP in accession BG-3821, increased susceptibility to geminivirus single and mixed infections. These results suggested that CchGLP is an important factor for geminivirus resistance in C. chinense BG-3821 accession. PMID:26610554

  11. Silencing of a Germin-Like Protein Gene (CchGLP) in Geminivirus-Resistant Pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) BG-3821 Increases Susceptibility to Single and Mixed Infections by Geminiviruses PHYVV and PepGMV.

    PubMed

    Mejía-Teniente, Laura; Joaquin-Ramos, Ahuizolt de Jesús; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo; Rivera-Bustamante, Rafael F; Guevara-Olvera, Lorenzo; Rico-García, Enrique; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G

    2015-11-25

    Germin-like proteins (GLPs) are encoded by a family of genes found in all plants, and in terms of function, the GLPs are implicated in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. CchGLP is a gene encoding a GLP identified in a geminivirus-resistant Capsicum chinense Jacq accession named BG-3821, and it is important in geminivirus resistance when transferred to susceptible tobacco in transgenic experiments. To characterize the role of this GLP in geminivirus resistance in the original accession from which this gene was identified, this work aimed at demonstrating the possible role of CchGLP in resistance to geminiviruses in Capsicum chinense Jacq. BG-3821. Virus-induced gene silencing studies using a geminiviral vector based in PHYVV component A, displaying that silencing of CchGLP in accession BG-3821, increased susceptibility to geminivirus single and mixed infections. These results suggested that CchGLP is an important factor for geminivirus resistance in C. chinense BG-3821 accession.

  12. Genomic resources and draft assemblies of the human and porcine varieties of scabies mites, Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis and var. suis.

    PubMed

    Mofiz, Ehtesham; Holt, Deborah C; Seemann, Torsten; Currie, Bart J; Fischer, Katja; Papenfuss, Anthony T

    2016-06-02

    The scabies mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, is a parasitic arachnid and cause of the infectious skin disease scabies in humans and mange in other animal species. Scabies infections are a major health problem, particularly in remote Indigenous communities in Australia, where secondary group A streptococcal and Staphylococcus aureus infections of scabies sores are thought to drive the high rate of rheumatic heart disease and chronic kidney disease. We sequenced the genome of two samples of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis obtained from unrelated patients with crusted scabies located in different parts of northern Australia using the Illumina HiSeq. We also sequenced samples of Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis from a pig model. Because of the small size of the scabies mite, these data are derived from pools of thousands of mites and are metagenomic, including host and microbiome DNA. We performed cleaning and de novo assembly and present Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis and var. suis draft reference genomes. We have constructed a preliminary annotation of this reference comprising 13,226 putative coding sequences based on sequence similarity to known proteins. We have developed extensive genomic resources for the scabies mite, including reference genomes and a preliminary annotation.

  13. A VaR Algorithm for Warrants Portfolio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Jun; Ni, Liyun; Wang, Xiangrong; Chen, Weizhong

    Based on Gamma Vega-Cornish Fish methodology, this paper propose the algorithm for calculating VaR via adjusting the quantile under the given confidence level using the four moments (e.g. mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis) of the warrants portfolio return and estimating the variance of portfolio by EWMA methodology. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm considers the attenuation of the effect of history return on portfolio return of future days. Empirical study shows that, comparing with Gamma-Cornish Fish method and standard normal method, the VaR calculated by Gamma Vega-Cornish Fish can improve the effectiveness of forecasting the portfolio risk by virture of considering the Gamma risk and the Vega risk of the warrants. The significance test is conducted on the calculation results by employing two-tailed test developed by Kupiec. Test results show that the calculated VaRs of the warrants portfolio all pass the significance test under the significance level of 5%.

  14. Dura mater graft-associated Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with 30-year incubation period.

    PubMed

    Shijo, Masahiro; Honda, Hiroyuki; Koyama, Sachiko; Ishitsuka, Koji; Maeda, Koichiro; Kuroda, Junya; Tanii, Mitsugu; Kitazono, Takanari; Iwaki, Toru

    2017-06-01

    Over 60% of all patients with dura mater graft-associated Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (dCJD) have been diagnosed in Japan. The incubation period has ranged from 1 to 30 years and the age at onset from 15 to 80 years. Here, we report a 77-year-old male Japanese autopsied dCJD case with the longest incubation period so far in Japan. He received a cadaveric dural graft at the right cranial convexity following a craniotomy for meningioma at the age of 46. At 30 years post-dural graft placement, disorientation was observed as an initial symptom of dCJD. He rapidly began to present with inconsistent speech, cognitive impairment and tremor of the left upper extremity. Occasional myoclonic jerks were predominantly observed on the left side. Brain MRI presented hyperintense signals on diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted images, at the right cerebral cortex. The most hyperintense lesion was located at the right parietal lobe, where the dura mater graft had been transplanted. Single-photon emission CT scan showed markedly decreased cerebral blood flow at the right parietal lobe. EEG revealed diffuse and slow activities with periodic sharp-wave complex discharges seen in the right parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. He died of pneumonia 9 months after onset. Brain pathology revealed non-plaque-type dCJD. Laterality of neuropathological changes, including spongiform change, neuronal loss, gliosis or PrP deposits, was not evident. Western blot analysis showed type 1 PrP CJD . Alzheimer-type pathology and PSP-like pathology were also observed. © 2016 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

  15. Impact of holmium fibre laser radiation (λ = 2.1 μm) on the spinal cord dura mater and adipose tissue

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Filatova, S A; Kamynin, V A; Ryabova, A V

    The impact of holmium fibre laser radiation on the samples of biologic tissues (dura mater of spinal cord and adipose tissue with interlayers of muscle) is studied. The experimental results are evaluated by the size of carbonisation and coagulation necrosis zones. The experiment shows that in the case of irradiation of the spinal cord dura mater samples the size of carbonisation and coagulation necrosis zones is insignificant. In the adipose tissue the carbonisation zone is also insignificant, but the region of cellular structure disturbance is large. In the muscle tissue the situation is opposite. The cw laser operation provides clinicallymore » acceptable degree of destruction in tissue samples with a minimal carbonisation zone. (laser applications in medicine)« less

  16. VarMod: modelling the functional effects of non-synonymous variants

    PubMed Central

    Pappalardo, Morena; Wass, Mark N.

    2014-01-01

    Unravelling the genotype–phenotype relationship in humans remains a challenging task in genomics studies. Recent advances in sequencing technologies mean there are now thousands of sequenced human genomes, revealing millions of single nucleotide variants (SNVs). For non-synonymous SNVs present in proteins the difficulties of the problem lie in first identifying those nsSNVs that result in a functional change in the protein among the many non-functional variants and in turn linking this functional change to phenotype. Here we present VarMod (Variant Modeller) a method that utilises both protein sequence and structural features to predict nsSNVs that alter protein function. VarMod develops recent observations that functional nsSNVs are enriched at protein–protein interfaces and protein–ligand binding sites and uses these characteristics to make predictions. In benchmarking on a set of nearly 3000 nsSNVs VarMod performance is comparable to an existing state of the art method. The VarMod web server provides extensive resources to investigate the sequence and structural features associated with the predictions including visualisation of protein models and complexes via an interactive JSmol molecular viewer. VarMod is available for use at http://www.wasslab.org/varmod. PMID:24906884

  17. Influence ofArtemisia princeps var.orientalis components on callus induction and growth.

    PubMed

    Kil, B S; Yun, K W; Lee, S Y

    1992-08-01

    An in vitro study was performed to determine the potential application of tissue culture in determining allelopathic potentialof Artemisia princeps var.Orientalis (wormwood). Aqueous extracts and volatile substances ofA. princeps var.Orientalis were tested to determine their effects on callus induction and growth of several tested species. Extracts of 5%A. princeps var.Orientalis caused some reduction in concentration, induction, and growth of callus, although they looked normal, whereas the expiants of most receptor plants did not develop callus at higher concentration. Lettuce andEclipta prostrata were the most sensitive species, andA. princeps var.Orientalis was affected by its own extracts. The growth of calluses in MS 121 medium treated with essential oil ofA. princeps var.Orientalis was inhibited, and the degree of inhibition was proportional to the concentration of the essential oil.

  18. [Chemical Constituents of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis Aerial Parts].

    PubMed

    Yin, Wei; Song, Zu-rong; Liu, Jin-qi; Zhang, Guo-sheng

    2015-09-01

    To study the chemical constituents of aerial parts of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis . Aerial parts of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis was extracted with 95% EtOH, and separated and purified by silica gel, RP 18 and Sephadex LH-20 col- umn chromatography. The structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis. A total of ten compounds were isolated and iden- tified as β-sitosterol (1) ergosta-7, 22-dien-3-one (2), β-ecdysone (3), kaempferol (4), daucosterol (5) luteolin (6) calonysterone (7), luteolin-7-O-glucoside (8), quercetin (9), and 3β, 5α, 9α-trihydroxyergosta-7, 22-dien-6-one (10). Compounds 2,6 and 10 are isolated from Paris polyphylla var. chinensis for the first time.

  19. Capillary electrophoretic analysis of flavonoids in single-styled hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) ethanolic extracts.

    PubMed

    Urbonaviciūte, A; Jakstas, V; Kornysova, O; Janulis, V; Maruska, A

    2006-04-21

    Flavonoids are an important group of natural compounds, which can prevent coronary heart disease and have antioxidant properties. Hawthorn is a well known and widely used medicinal plant due to its cardiotonic activity. Previous studies refer mostly to the HPLC analysis of the flavonoids: vitexin, quercetin, hyperoside, oligomeric procyanidins, which appear to be primarily responsible for the cardiac action of the plant. Aqueous ethanolic extracts of single-styled hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq., f.: Rosaceae Juss.) leaves and sprouts were analyzed by means of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Influence of vegetation period on the extract qualitative composition and flavonoids quantities was evaluated. Sample preparation by extraction using different concentration of aqueous ethanol (40-96%, v/v) and the influence of extractant composition on the recovery of flavonoids are discussed in detail. The results obtained using CZE are compared to the results of spectrophotometric and HPLC analysis of the extracts. The effect of storage conditions of extracts (solar irradiation, temperature and duration) on degradation of flavonoids was investigated.

  20. VarMod: modelling the functional effects of non-synonymous variants.

    PubMed

    Pappalardo, Morena; Wass, Mark N

    2014-07-01

    Unravelling the genotype-phenotype relationship in humans remains a challenging task in genomics studies. Recent advances in sequencing technologies mean there are now thousands of sequenced human genomes, revealing millions of single nucleotide variants (SNVs). For non-synonymous SNVs present in proteins the difficulties of the problem lie in first identifying those nsSNVs that result in a functional change in the protein among the many non-functional variants and in turn linking this functional change to phenotype. Here we present VarMod (Variant Modeller) a method that utilises both protein sequence and structural features to predict nsSNVs that alter protein function. VarMod develops recent observations that functional nsSNVs are enriched at protein-protein interfaces and protein-ligand binding sites and uses these characteristics to make predictions. In benchmarking on a set of nearly 3000 nsSNVs VarMod performance is comparable to an existing state of the art method. The VarMod web server provides extensive resources to investigate the sequence and structural features associated with the predictions including visualisation of protein models and complexes via an interactive JSmol molecular viewer. VarMod is available for use at http://www.wasslab.org/varmod. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  1. Semi-nonparametric VaR forecasts for hedge funds during the recent crisis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Del Brio, Esther B.; Mora-Valencia, Andrés; Perote, Javier

    2014-05-01

    The need to provide accurate value-at-risk (VaR) forecasting measures has triggered an important literature in econophysics. Although these accurate VaR models and methodologies are particularly demanded for hedge fund managers, there exist few articles specifically devoted to implement new techniques in hedge fund returns VaR forecasting. This article advances in these issues by comparing the performance of risk measures based on parametric distributions (the normal, Student’s t and skewed-t), semi-nonparametric (SNP) methodologies based on Gram-Charlier (GC) series and the extreme value theory (EVT) approach. Our results show that normal-, Student’s t- and Skewed t- based methodologies fail to forecast hedge fund VaR, whilst SNP and EVT approaches accurately success on it. We extend these results to the multivariate framework by providing an explicit formula for the GC copula and its density that encompasses the Gaussian copula and accounts for non-linear dependences. We show that the VaR obtained by the meta GC accurately captures portfolio risk and outperforms regulatory VaR estimates obtained through the meta Gaussian and Student’s t distributions.

  2. Resistance to Southern Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Wild Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides)

    PubMed Central

    Thies, Judy A.; Ariss, Jennifer J.; Kousik, Chandrasekar S.; Hassell, Richard L.; Levi, Amnon

    2016-01-01

    Southern root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is a serious pest of cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) in southern regions of the United States and no resistance is known to exist in commercial watermelon cultivars. Wild watermelon relatives (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) have been shown in greenhouse studies to possess varying degrees of resistance to RKN species. Experiments were conducted over 2 yr to assess resistance of southern RKN in C. lanatus var. citroides accessions from the U.S. Watermelon Plant Introduction Collection in an artificially infested field site at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC. In the first study (2006), 19 accessions of C. lanatus var. citroides were compared with reference entries of Citrullus colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. Of the wild watermelon accessions, two entries exhibited significantly less galling than all other entries. Five of the best performing C. lanatus var. citroides accessions were evaluated with and without nematicide at the same field site in 2007. Citrullus lanatus var. citroides accessions performed better than C. lanatus var. lanatus and C. colocynthis. Overall, most entries of C. lanatus var. citroides performed similarly with and without nematicide treatment in regard to root galling, visible egg masses, vine vigor, and root mass. In both years of field evaluations, most C. lanatus var. citroides accessions showed lesser degrees of nematode reproduction and higher vigor and root mass than C. colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. The results of these two field evaluations suggest that wild watermelon populations may be useful sources of resistance to southern RKN. PMID:27168648

  3. Resistance to Southern Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Wild Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides).

    PubMed

    Thies, Judy A; Ariss, Jennifer J; Kousik, Chandrasekar S; Hassell, Richard L; Levi, Amnon

    2016-03-01

    Southern root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is a serious pest of cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) in southern regions of the United States and no resistance is known to exist in commercial watermelon cultivars. Wild watermelon relatives (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) have been shown in greenhouse studies to possess varying degrees of resistance to RKN species. Experiments were conducted over 2 yr to assess resistance of southern RKN in C. lanatus var. citroides accessions from the U.S. Watermelon Plant Introduction Collection in an artificially infested field site at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC. In the first study (2006), 19 accessions of C. lanatus var. citroides were compared with reference entries of Citrullus colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. Of the wild watermelon accessions, two entries exhibited significantly less galling than all other entries. Five of the best performing C. lanatus var. citroides accessions were evaluated with and without nematicide at the same field site in 2007. Citrullus lanatus var. citroides accessions performed better than C. lanatus var. lanatus and C. colocynthis. Overall, most entries of C. lanatus var. citroides performed similarly with and without nematicide treatment in regard to root galling, visible egg masses, vine vigor, and root mass. In both years of field evaluations, most C. lanatus var. citroides accessions showed lesser degrees of nematode reproduction and higher vigor and root mass than C. colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. The results of these two field evaluations suggest that wild watermelon populations may be useful sources of resistance to southern RKN.

  4. Influence of the extraction mode on the yield of hyperoside, vitexin and vitexin-2''-O-rhamnoside from Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn).

    PubMed

    Martino, Emanuela; Collina, Simona; Rossi, Daniela; Bazzoni, Deborah; Gaggeri, Raffaella; Bracco, Francesco; Azzolina, Ornella

    2008-01-01

    The extract of Crataegus monogyna shows sedative, hypotensive, vasodilator and cardio-tonic actions. Although several papers dealing with the extraction of metabolites from Crataegus have been published, the plant productivity in terms of bioactive compounds is not easily understandable as yet. To investigate the influence of the extraction mode on the yield of bioactive compounds from Crataegus monogyna Jacq. in order to evaluate plant productivity. Samples were prepared by extraction of powdered material obtained from top branches, flowers and leaves. Soxhlet extraction, maceration and ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction at different experimental conditions were investigated for the exhaustive extraction of hyperoside, vitexin and vitexin-2''-O-rhamnoside. The phytocomponents were identified and quantified by HPLC-UV/PAD, comparing HPLC retention times and UV spectra of individual peaks with those of the standards analysed under the same conditions. An easy-to-use HPLC isocratic method suitable for the quantification of hyperoside, vitexin and vitexin-2''-O-rhamnoside in raw plant extracts was developed. The optimised HPLC methodology was applied to evaluate different extraction procedures. The ultrasound and microwave-assisted extraction protocols showed higher extraction efficiency than the others. In particular, the optimised microwave protocol gave rise to the highest extraction efficiency with high reproducibility. A microwave protocol combined with isocratic HPLC analysis is proposed for the rapid screening of plant materials collected in different environmental conditions in order to evaluate the productivity of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and to find out the best ecological conditions to cultivate hawthorn in Northern Italy.

  5. Optimizing expression of the pregnancy malaria vaccine candidate, VAR2CSA in Pichia pastoris.

    PubMed

    Avril, Marion; Hathaway, Marianne J; Cartwright, Megan M; Gose, Severin O; Narum, David L; Smith, Joseph D

    2009-06-29

    VAR2CSA is the main candidate for a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria, but vaccine development is complicated by the large size and complex disulfide bonding pattern of the protein. Recent X-ray crystallographic information suggests that domain boundaries of VAR2CSA Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains may be larger than previously predicted and include two additional cysteine residues. This study investigated whether longer constructs would improve VAR2CSA recombinant protein secretion from Pichia pastoris and if domain boundaries were applicable across different VAR2CSA alleles. VAR2CSA sequences were bioinformatically analysed to identify the predicted C11 and C12 cysteine residues at the C-termini of DBL domains and revised N- and C-termimal domain boundaries were predicted in VAR2CSA. Multiple construct boundaries were systematically evaluated for protein secretion in P. pastoris and secreted proteins were tested as immunogens. From a total of 42 different VAR2CSA constructs, 15 proteins (36%) were secreted. Longer construct boundaries, including the predicted C11 and C12 cysteine residues, generally improved expression of poorly or non-secreted domains and permitted expression of all six VAR2CSA DBL domains. However, protein secretion was still highly empiric and affected by subtle differences in domain boundaries and allelic variation between VAR2CSA sequences. Eleven of the secreted proteins were used to immunize rabbits. Antibodies reacted with CSA-binding infected erythrocytes, indicating that P. pastoris recombinant proteins possessed native protein epitopes. These findings strengthen emerging data for a revision of DBL domain boundaries in var-encoded proteins and may facilitate pregnancy malaria vaccine development.

  6. Optimizing expression of the pregnancy malaria vaccine candidate, VAR2CSA in Pichia pastoris

    PubMed Central

    Avril, Marion; Hathaway, Marianne J; Cartwright, Megan M; Gose, Severin O; Narum, David L; Smith, Joseph D

    2009-01-01

    Background VAR2CSA is the main candidate for a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria, but vaccine development is complicated by the large size and complex disulfide bonding pattern of the protein. Recent X-ray crystallographic information suggests that domain boundaries of VAR2CSA Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains may be larger than previously predicted and include two additional cysteine residues. This study investigated whether longer constructs would improve VAR2CSA recombinant protein secretion from Pichia pastoris and if domain boundaries were applicable across different VAR2CSA alleles. Methods VAR2CSA sequences were bioinformatically analysed to identify the predicted C11 and C12 cysteine residues at the C-termini of DBL domains and revised N- and C-termimal domain boundaries were predicted in VAR2CSA. Multiple construct boundaries were systematically evaluated for protein secretion in P. pastoris and secreted proteins were tested as immunogens. Results From a total of 42 different VAR2CSA constructs, 15 proteins (36%) were secreted. Longer construct boundaries, including the predicted C11 and C12 cysteine residues, generally improved expression of poorly or non-secreted domains and permitted expression of all six VAR2CSA DBL domains. However, protein secretion was still highly empiric and affected by subtle differences in domain boundaries and allelic variation between VAR2CSA sequences. Eleven of the secreted proteins were used to immunize rabbits. Antibodies reacted with CSA-binding infected erythrocytes, indicating that P. pastoris recombinant proteins possessed native protein epitopes. Conclusion These findings strengthen emerging data for a revision of DBL domain boundaries in var-encoded proteins and may facilitate pregnancy malaria vaccine development. PMID:19563628

  7. Genetic diversity analysis of Varronia curassavica Jacq. accessions using ISSR markers.

    PubMed

    Brito, F A; Nizio, D A C; Silva, A V C; Diniz, L E C; Rabbani, A R C; Arrigoni-Blank, M F; Alvares-Carvalho, S V; Figueira, G M; Montanari Júnior, I; Blank, A F

    2016-09-02

    Varronia curassavica Jacq. is a medicinal and aromatic plant from Brazil with significant economic importance. Studies on genetic diversity in active germplasm banks (AGB) are essential for conservation and breeding programs. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of V. curassavica accessions of the AGB of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), using inter-simple sequence repeat molecular markers. Twenty-four primers were tested, and 14 were polymorphic and informative, resulting in 149 bands with 97.98% polymorphism. The UPGMA dendrogram divided the accessions into Clusters I and II. Jaccard similarity coefficients for pair-wise comparisons of accessions ranged between 0.24 and 0.78. The pairs of accessions VCUR-001/VCUR-503, VCUR-001/VCUR-504, and VCUR-104/VCUR-501 showed relatively low similarity (0.24), and the pair of accessions VCUR-402/VCUR- 403 showed medium similarity (0.78). Twenty-eight accessions were divided into three distinct clusters, according to the STRUCTURE analysis. The genetic diversity of V. curassavica in the AGB of UFS is low to medium, and it requires expansion. Accession VCUR-802 is the most suitable for selection in breeding program of this species, since it clearly represents all of the diversity present in the AGB.

  8. Somatic Embryogenesis in Olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sativa and var. sylvestris).

    PubMed

    Rugini, Eddo; Silvestri, Cristian

    2016-01-01

    Protocols for olive somatic embryogenesis from zygotic embryos and mature tissues have been described for both Olea europaea sub. europaea var. sativa and var. sylvestris. Immature zygotic embryos (no more than 75 days old), used after fruit collection or stored at 12-14 °C for 2-3 months, are the best responsive explants and very slightly genotype dependent, and one single protocol can be effective for a wide range of genotypes. On the contrary, protocols for mature zygotic embryos and for mature tissue of cultivars are often genotype specific, so that they may require many adjustments according to genotypes. The use of thidiazuron and cefotaxime seems to be an important trigger for induction phase particularly for tissues derived from cultivars. Up to now, however, the application of this technique for large-scale propagation is hampered also by the low rate of embryo germination; it proves nonetheless very useful for genetic improvement.

  9. Efficient transformation and expression of gfp gene in Valsa mali var. mali.

    PubMed

    Chen, Liang; Sun, Gengwu; Wu, Shujing; Liu, Huixiang; Wang, Hongkai

    2015-01-01

    Valsa mali var. mali, the causal agent of valsa canker of apple, causes great loss of apple production in apple producing regions. The pathogenic mechanism of the pathogen has not been studied extensively, thus a suitable gene marker for pathogenic invasion analysis and a random insertion of T-DNA for mutants are desirable. In this paper, we reported the construction of a binary vector pKO1-HPH containing a positive selective gene hygromycin phosphotransferase (hph), a reporter gene gfp conferring green fluorescent protein, and an efficient protocol for V. mali var. mali transformation mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. A transformation efficiency up to about 75 transformants per 10(5) conidia was achieved when co-cultivation of V. mali var. mali and A. tumefaciens for 48 h in A. tumefaciens inductive medium agar plates. The insertions of hph gene and gfp gene into V. mali var. mali genome verified by polymerase chain reaction and southern blot analysis showed that 10 randomly-selected transformants exhibited a single, unique hybridization pattern. This is the first report of A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation of V. mali var mali carrying a 'reporter' gfp gene that stably and efficiently expressed in the transformed V. mali var. mali species.

  10. Evidence for novel age-dependent network structures as a putative primo vascular network in the dura mater of the rat brain

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Ho-Sung; Kang, Dai-In; Yoon, Seung Zhoo; Ryu, Yeon Hee; Lee, Inhyung; Kim, Hoon-Gi; Lee, Byung-Cheon; Lee, Ki Bog

    2015-01-01

    With chromium-hematoxylin staining, we found evidence for the existence of novel age-dependent network structures in the dura mater of rat brains. Under stereomicroscopy, we noticed that chromium-hematoxylin-stained threadlike structures, which were barely observable in 1-week-old rats, were networked in specific areas of the brain, for example, the lateral lobes and the cerebella, in 4-week-old rats. In 7-week-old rats, those structures were found to have become larger and better networked. With phase contrast microscopy, we found that in 1-week-old rats, chromium-hematoxylin-stained granules were scattered in the same areas of the brain in which the network structures would later be observed in the 4- and 7-week-old rats. Such age-dependent network structures were examined by using optical and transmission electron microscopy, and the following results were obtained. The scattered granules fused into networks with increasing age. Cross-sections of the age-dependent network structures demonstrated heavily-stained basophilic substructures. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the basophilic substructures to be clusters with high electron densities consisting of nanosized particles. We report these data as evidence for the existence of age-dependent network structures in the dura mater, we discuss their putative functions of age-dependent network structures beyond the general concept of the dura mater as a supporting matrix. PMID:26330833

  11. Murine Model for Preclinical Studies of Var2CSA-Mediated Pathology Associated with Malaria in Pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Dechavanne, Sebastien; Sousa, Patrícia M.; Barateiro, André; Cunha, Sónia F.; Nunes-Silva, Sofia; Lima, Flávia A.; Murillo, Oscar; Marinho, Claudio R. F.; Gangnard, Stephane; Srivastava, Anand; Braks, Joanna A.; Janse, Chris J.; Gamain, Benoit; Penha-Gonçalves, Carlos

    2016-01-01

    Plasmodium falciparum infection during pregnancy leads to abortions, stillbirth, low birth weight, and maternal mortality. Infected erythrocytes (IEs) accumulate in the placenta by adhering to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) via var2CSA protein exposed on the P. falciparum IE membrane. Plasmodium berghei IE infection in pregnant BALB/c mice is a model for severe placental malaria (PM). Here, we describe a transgenic P. berghei parasite expressing the full-length var2CSA extracellular region (domains DBL1X to DBL6ε) fused to a P. berghei exported protein (EMAP1) and characterize a var2CSA-based mouse model of PM. BALB/c mice were infected at midgestation with different doses of P. berghei-var2CSA (P. berghei-VAR) or P. berghei wild-type IEs. Infection with 104 P. berghei-VAR IEs induced a higher incidence of stillbirth and lower fetal weight than P. berghei. At doses of 105 and 106 IEs, P. berghei-VAR-infected mice showed increased maternal mortality during pregnancy and fetal loss, respectively. Parasite loads in infected placentas were similar between parasite lines despite differences in maternal outcomes. Fetal weight loss normalized for parasitemia was higher in P. berghei-VAR-infected mice than in P. berghei-infected mice. In vitro assays showed that higher numbers of P. berghei-VAR IEs than P. berghei IEs adhered to placental tissue. Immunization of mice with P. berghei-VAR elicited IgG antibodies reactive to DBL1-6 recombinant protein, indicating that the topology of immunogenic epitopes is maintained between DBL1-6–EMAP1 on P. berghei-VAR and recombinant DBL1-6 (recDBL1-6). Our data suggested that impairments in pregnancy caused by P. berghei-VAR infection were attributable to var2CSA expression. This model provides a tool for preclinical evaluation of protection against PM induced by approaches that target var2CSA. PMID:27045035

  12. Characterization of 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci of Pityopsis graminifolia var. latifolia

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pityopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Small var. latifolia (Fern.) Semple is an herbaceous perennial that grows in close proximity to the federally endangered species P. ruthii (Small) Small. Twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified from 87 samples of P. graminifolia var. latifolia and addit...

  13. Arundina graminifolia var. revoluta (Arethuseae, Orchidaceae) has fern-type rheophyte characteristics in the leaves.

    PubMed

    Yorifuji, Eri; Ishikawa, Naoko; Okada, Hiroshi; Tsukaya, Hirokazu

    2015-03-01

    Morphological and molecular variation between Arundina graminifolia var. graminifolia and the dwarf variety, A. graminifolia var. revoluta, was examined to assess the validity of their taxonomic characteristics and genetic background for identification. Morphological analysis in combination with field observations indicated that A. graminifolia var. revoluta is a rheophyte form of A. graminifolia characterized by narrow leaves, whereas the other morphological characteristics described for A. graminifolia var. revoluta, such as smaller flowers and short stems, were not always accompanied by the narrower leaf phenotype. Molecular analysis based on matK sequences indicated that only partial differentiation has occurred between A. graminifolia var. graminifolia and A. graminifolia var. revoluta. Therefore, we should consider the rheophyte form an ecotype rather than a variety. Anatomical observations of the leaves revealed that the rheophyte form of A. graminifolia possessed characteristics of the rheophytes of both ferns and angiosperms, such as narrower palisade tissue cells and thinner spongy tissue cells, as well as fewer cells in the leaf-width direction and fewer mesophyll cell layers.

  14. Extremum Seeking Control of Smart Inverters for VAR Compensation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arnold, Daniel; Negrete-Pincetic, Matias; Stewart, Emma

    2015-09-04

    Reactive power compensation is used by utilities to ensure customer voltages are within pre-defined tolerances and reduce system resistive losses. While much attention has been paid to model-based control algorithms for reactive power support and Volt Var Optimization (VVO), these strategies typically require relatively large communications capabilities and accurate models. In this work, a non-model-based control strategy for smart inverters is considered for VAR compensation. An Extremum Seeking control algorithm is applied to modulate the reactive power output of inverters based on real power information from the feeder substation, without an explicit feeder model. Simulation results using utility demand informationmore » confirm the ability of the control algorithm to inject VARs to minimize feeder head real power consumption. In addition, we show that the algorithm is capable of improving feeder voltage profiles and reducing reactive power supplied by the distribution substation.« less

  15. VarDict: a novel and versatile variant caller for next-generation sequencing in cancer research

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Zhongwu; Markovets, Aleksandra; Ahdesmaki, Miika; Chapman, Brad; Hofmann, Oliver; McEwen, Robert; Johnson, Justin; Dougherty, Brian; Barrett, J. Carl; Dry, Jonathan R.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Accurate variant calling in next generation sequencing (NGS) is critical to understand cancer genomes better. Here we present VarDict, a novel and versatile variant caller for both DNA- and RNA-sequencing data. VarDict simultaneously calls SNV, MNV, InDels, complex and structural variants, expanding the detected genetic driver landscape of tumors. It performs local realignments on the fly for more accurate allele frequency estimation. VarDict performance scales linearly to sequencing depth, enabling ultra-deep sequencing used to explore tumor evolution or detect tumor DNA circulating in blood. In addition, VarDict performs amplicon aware variant calling for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based targeted sequencing often used in diagnostic settings, and is able to detect PCR artifacts. Finally, VarDict also detects differences in somatic and loss of heterozygosity variants between paired samples. VarDict reprocessing of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Lung Adenocarcinoma dataset called known driver mutations in KRAS, EGFR, BRAF, PIK3CA and MET in 16% more patients than previously published variant calls. We believe VarDict will greatly facilitate application of NGS in clinical cancer research. PMID:27060149

  16. iVAR: a program for imputing missing data in multivariate time series using vector autoregressive models.

    PubMed

    Liu, Siwei; Molenaar, Peter C M

    2014-12-01

    This article introduces iVAR, an R program for imputing missing data in multivariate time series on the basis of vector autoregressive (VAR) models. We conducted a simulation study to compare iVAR with three methods for handling missing data: listwise deletion, imputation with sample means and variances, and multiple imputation ignoring time dependency. The results showed that iVAR produces better estimates for the cross-lagged coefficients than do the other three methods. We demonstrate the use of iVAR with an empirical example of time series electrodermal activity data and discuss the advantages and limitations of the program.

  17. Antiproliferative mechanism of the methanolic extract of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. (Fabaceae).

    PubMed

    Sowemimo, Abimbola; Venables, Luanne; Odedeji, Modeola; Koekemoer, Trevor; van de Venter, Maryna; Hongbing, Liu

    2015-01-15

    Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. is a tropical tree that has folkloric implications against many ailments and diseases including cancer. To explore the ethnopharmacological claims against cancer, the cytotoxicity of the methanolic extract of the leaves, was investigated using the brine shrimp lethality assay, MTT assay using cervical (HeLa) and breast (MCF7) cancer cell lines, cell cycle analysis and Annexin V-FITC/PI assay. In the brine shrimp lethality assay, the extract showed cytotoxic activity with LC50 value of 31.63 µg/mL. Significant growth inhibition was observed in both cell lines with IC50 values of 2.07 ± 1.30 µg/mL and 11.84 ± 1.18 µg/mL for HeLa and MCF7, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated that HeLa cells were arrested in the G2/M phase while MCF7 cells arrested in the G1/G0 phase. The Annexin V-FITC/PI assay revealed phosphatidylserine translocation in both cell lines and thus apoptosis induction upon treatment with the extract. The study demonstrated the potential antiproliferative activity of Enterolobium cyclocarpum thereby supporting the traditional claim and provides basis for further mechanistic studies and isolation of active constituents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Clinical experience with a novel bovine collagen dura mater substitute

    PubMed Central

    Costa, Bruno Silva; Cavalcanti-Mendes, George de Albuquerque; de Abreu, Marcelo Sartori; de Sousa, Atos Alves

    2010-01-01

    Background: Dural substitutes are used to achieve a watertight closure in situations where adequate closure is not possible .This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of use a new collagen matrix dural substitute ( Duradry, Tecnodry, Belo Horizonte MG) in repair or expansion of cranial and spinal dura-mater. Methods: 30 patients operated on between March and September 2008, were studied. Surgical logs were reviewed for sex, age, diagnosis, location of the graft, technique and presence of fistula or infection. The patients were followed-up for at least 3 months, and the presence of complications as cerebrospinal leakage, infection, aseptic meningitis, hydrocephalus, pseudomeningocele were analysed. Results: Only one patient presented with CSF fistula. No patients presented with wound infections, hydrocephalus, pseudomeningocele, meningitis, brain abscesses or signs of toxicity related to the material. Conclusions: The new dural substitute used in this study is effective and safe, and the initial results are similar to those of other dural substitutes reported in the literature. PMID:22028756

  19. An unusual clinical presentation of tinea faciei caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. erinacei.

    PubMed

    Lee, Deok-Woo; Yang, Ji-Hye; Choi, Seok-Joo; Won, Chong-Hyun; Chang, Sung-Eun; Lee, Mi-Woo; Choi, Jee-Ho; Moon, Kee-Chan; Kim, Mi-Na

    2011-01-01

    Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. erinacei, the natural host of which is the hedgehog, has been found to cause highly inflammatory and pruritic eruptions, including tinea manuum, tinea corporis, nail infection, kerion, scalp infection, and tinea barbae. To our knowledge, however, no reports have been made of tinea faciei caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. erinacei in the English language literature. We provide here the case of tinea faciei caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. erinacei. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Feasibility of Stochastic Voltage/VAr Optimization Considering Renewable Energy Resources for Smart Grid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Momoh, James A.; Salkuti, Surender Reddy

    2016-06-01

    This paper proposes a stochastic optimization technique for solving the Voltage/VAr control problem including the load demand and Renewable Energy Resources (RERs) variation. The RERs often take along some inputs like stochastic behavior. One of the important challenges i. e., Voltage/VAr control is a prime source for handling power system complexity and reliability, hence it is the fundamental requirement for all the utility companies. There is a need for the robust and efficient Voltage/VAr optimization technique to meet the peak demand and reduction of system losses. The voltages beyond the limit may damage costly sub-station devices and equipments at consumer end as well. Especially, the RERs introduces more disturbances and some of the RERs are not even capable enough to meet the VAr demand. Therefore, there is a strong need for the Voltage/VAr control in RERs environment. This paper aims at the development of optimal scheme for Voltage/VAr control involving RERs. In this paper, Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method is used to cover full range of variables by maximally satisfying the marginal distribution. Here, backward scenario reduction technique is used to reduce the number of scenarios effectively and maximally retain the fitting accuracy of samples. The developed optimization scheme is tested on IEEE 24 bus Reliability Test System (RTS) considering the load demand and RERs variation.

  1. Designing a VAR2CSA-based vaccine to prevent placental malaria.

    PubMed

    Fried, Michal; Duffy, Patrick E

    2015-12-22

    Placental malaria (PM) due to Plasmodium falciparum is a major cause of maternal, fetal and infant mortality, but the mechanisms of pathogenesis and protective immunity are relatively well-understood for this condition, providing a path for vaccine development. P. falciparum parasites bind to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) to sequester in the placenta, and women become resistant over 1-2 pregnancies as they acquire antibodies that block adhesion to CSA. The protein VAR2CSA, a member of the PfEMP1 variant surface antigen family, mediates parasite adhesion to CSA, and is the leading target for a vaccine to prevent PM. Obstacles to PM vaccine development include the large size (∼ 350 kD), high cysteine content, and sequence variation of VAR2CSA. A number of approaches have been taken to identify the combination of VAR2CSA domains and alleles that can induce broadly active antibodies that block adhesion of heterologous parasite isolates to CSA. This review summarizes these approaches, which have examined VAR2CSA fragments for binding activity, antigenicity with naturally acquired antibodies, and immunogenicity in animals for inducing anti-adhesion or surface-reactive antibodies. Two products are expected to enter human clinical studies in the near future based on N-terminal VAR2CSA fragments that have high binding affinity for CSA, and additional proteins preferentially expressed by placental parasites are also being examined for their potential contribution to a PM vaccine. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Complete mitochondrial genome of Xingguo red carp (Cyprinus carpio var. singuonensis) and purse red carp (Cyprinus carpio var. wuyuanensis).

    PubMed

    Hu, Guang-Fu; Liu, Xiang-Jiang; Li, Zhong; Liang, Hong-Wei; Hu, Shao-Na; Zou, Gui-Wei

    2016-01-01

    The complete mitochondrial genomes of Xingguo red carp (Cyprinus carpio var. singuonensis) and purse red carp (Cyprinus carpio var. wuyuanensis) were sequenced. Comparison of these two mitochondrial genomes revealed that the mtDNAs of these two common carp varieties were remarkably similar in genome length, gene order and content, and AT content. However, size variation between these two mitochondrial genomes presented here showed 39 site differences in overall length. About 2 site differences were located in rRNAs, 3 in tRNAs, 3 in the control region, 31 in protein-coding genes. Thirty-one variable bases in the protein-coding regions between the two varieties mitochondrial sequences led to three variable amino acids, which were mainly located in the protein ND5 and ND4.

  3. Macroscopic Innervation of the Dura Mater Covering the Middle Cranial Fossa in Humans Correlated to Neurovascular Headache

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Shin-Hyo; Hwang, Seung-Jun; Koh, Ki-Seok; Song, Wu-Chul; Han, Sang-Don

    2017-01-01

    The trigeminovascular system within the cranial dura mater is a possible cause of headaches. The aim of this study is to investigate macroscopically dural innervation around the middle meningeal artery (MMA) in the middle cranial fossa. Forty-four sides of the cranial dura overlying the skull base obtained from 24 human cadavers were stained using Sihler’s method. Overall, the nervus spinosus (NS) from either the maxillary or mandibular trigeminal divisions ran along the lateral wall of the middle meningeal vein rather than that of the MMA. Distinct bundles of the NS running along the course of the frontal branches of the MMA were present in 81.8% of cases (N = 36). Others did not form dominant nerve bundles, instead giving off free nerve endings along the course of the MMA or dural connective tissue. The distribution of these nerve endings was similar to that of the course of the frontal, parietal and petrosal branches of the MMA (11.4%). The others were not restricted to a perivascular plexus, crossing the dural connective tissues far from the MMA (6.8%). These findings indicate that the NS generally travels alongside the course of the frontal branches of the MMA and terminates in the vicinity of the pterion. PMID:29311855

  4. Macroscopic Innervation of the Dura Mater Covering the Middle Cranial Fossa in Humans Correlated to Neurovascular Headache.

    PubMed

    Lee, Shin-Hyo; Hwang, Seung-Jun; Koh, Ki-Seok; Song, Wu-Chul; Han, Sang-Don

    2017-01-01

    The trigeminovascular system within the cranial dura mater is a possible cause of headaches. The aim of this study is to investigate macroscopically dural innervation around the middle meningeal artery (MMA) in the middle cranial fossa. Forty-four sides of the cranial dura overlying the skull base obtained from 24 human cadavers were stained using Sihler's method. Overall, the nervus spinosus (NS) from either the maxillary or mandibular trigeminal divisions ran along the lateral wall of the middle meningeal vein rather than that of the MMA. Distinct bundles of the NS running along the course of the frontal branches of the MMA were present in 81.8% of cases ( N = 36). Others did not form dominant nerve bundles, instead giving off free nerve endings along the course of the MMA or dural connective tissue. The distribution of these nerve endings was similar to that of the course of the frontal, parietal and petrosal branches of the MMA (11.4%). The others were not restricted to a perivascular plexus, crossing the dural connective tissues far from the MMA (6.8%). These findings indicate that the NS generally travels alongside the course of the frontal branches of the MMA and terminates in the vicinity of the pterion.

  5. In vitro antioxidant and anticancer effects of solvent fractions from Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Yu-Jin; Lee, Eun-Ju; Kim, Haeng-Ran; Hwang, Kyung-A

    2013-11-09

    Recently, considerable attention has been focused on exploring the potential antioxidant properties of plant extracts or isolated products of plant origin. Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina is widely distributed in Korea, Japan, China, and Europe, and it continues to be used to treat inflammation, eye pain, headache, and dizziness. However, reports on the antioxidant activities of P. vulgaris var. lilacina are limited, particularly concerning the relationship between its phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anticancer activities of an ethanol extract from P. vulgaris var. lilacina and its fractions. Dried powder of P. vulgaris var. lilacina was extracted with ethanol, and the extract was fractionated to produce the hexane fraction, butanol fraction, chloroform fraction and residual water fraction. The phenolic content was assayed using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method. Subsequently, the antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract and its fractions were analyzed employing various antioxidant assay methods including DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, SOD activity and production of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, the extract and fractions were assayed for their ability to exert cytotoxic activities on various cancer cells using the MTT assay. We also investigated the expression of genes associated with apoptotic cell death by RT-PCR. The total phenolic contents of the ethanol extract and water fraction of P. vulgaris var. lilacina were 303.66 and 322.80 mg GAE/g dry weight (or fractions), respectively. The results showed that the ethanol extract and the water fraction of P. vulgaris var. lilacina had higher antioxidant content than other solvent fractions, similar to their total phenolic content. Anticancer activity was also tested using the HepG2, HT29, A549, MKN45 and HeLa cancer cell lines. The results clearly demonstrated that the P. vulgaris var. lilacina ethanol extract induced significant cytotoxic effects

  6. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii: Separate Varietal Status for Cryptococcus neoformans Serotype A Isolates

    PubMed Central

    Franzot, Sarah P.; Salkin, Ira F.; Casadevall, Arturo

    1999-01-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans presently includes isolates which have been determined by the immunologic reactivity of their capsular polysaccharides to be serotype A and those which have been determined to be serotype D. However, recent analyses of the URA5 sequences and DNA fingerprinting patterns suggest significant genetic differences between the two serotypes. Therefore, we propose to recognize these genotypic distinctions, as well as previously reported phenotypic differences, by restricting C. neoformans var. neoformans to isolates which are serotype D and describing a new variety, C. neoformans var. grubii, for serotype A isolates. PMID:9986871

  7. Silence, Metaperformance, and Communication in Pedro Almodóvar's "Hable con ella"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fellie, Maria C.

    2016-01-01

    Many scenes in Pedro Almodóvar's "Hable con ella" (2002) include shots of metaperformances such as silent films, dances, television shows, concerts, and bullfights. Spectators often observe passive characters who are in turn observing. By presenting these performances within cinematic performance, Almodóvar highlights our role as viewers…

  8. Chemopreventive and Anticancer Activities of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum Extracts

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyun-Jeong; Park, Min Jeong; Park, Hee-Juhn; Chung, Won-Yoon; Kim, Ki-Rim; Park, Kwang-Kyun

    2014-01-01

    Background: Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum is an edible perennial herb and has been used as a vegetable or as a Korean traditional medicine. Allium species have received much attention owing to their diverse pharmacological properties, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. However, A. victorialis var. platyphyllum needs more study. Methods: The chemopreventive potential of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum methanol extracts was examined by measuring 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced superoxide anion production in the differentiated HL-60 cells, TPA-induced mouse ear edema, and Ames/Salmonella mutagenicity. The apoptosis-inducing capabilities of the extracts were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and the DNA fragmentation assay in human colon cancer HT-29 cells. Antimetastatic activities of the extracts were also investigated in an experimental mouse lung metastasis model. Results: The methanol extracts of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum rhizome (AVP-R) and A. victorialis var. platyphyllum stem (AVP-S) dose-dependently inhibited the TPA-induced generation of superoxide anion in HL-60 cells and TPA-induced ear edema in mice, as well as 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) -induced bacterial mutagenesis. AVP-R and AVP-S reduced cell viability in a dose-related manner and induced apoptotic morphological changes and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in HT-29 cells. In the experimental mouse lung metastasis model, the formation of tumor nodules in lung tissue was significantly inhibited by the treatment of the extracts. Conclusions: AVP-R and AVP-S possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, proapoptotic, and antimetastatic activities. Therefore, these extracts can serve as a beneficial supplement for the prevention and treatment of cancer. PMID:25337587

  9. Taxonomic study on Japanese Salvia (Lamiaceae): Phylogenetic position of S. akiensis, and polyphyletic nature of S. lutescens var. intermedia.

    PubMed

    Takano, Atsuko

    2017-01-01

    Both Salvia akiensis and S. lutescens (Lamiaceae) are endemic to Japan. Salvia akiensis was recently described in 2014 in the Chugoku (= SW Honshu) region, and each four varieties of S. lutescens distributed allopatrically. Among varieties in S. lutescens , var. intermedia show a disjunctive distribution in the Kanto (=E Honshu) and Kinki (= W Honshu) regions. Recent field studies of S. lutescens var. intermedia revealed several morphological differences between the Kanto and Kinki populations. Here, I evaluated these differences among Salvia lutescens var. intermedia and its allies with morphological analysis and molecular phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal DNA (internal and external transcribed spacer regions) and plastid DNA ( ycf1-rps15 spacer, rbcL , and trnL-F ) sequences. Both morphological analysis and molecular phylogenetic analyses showed that S. lutescens var. intermedia from the Kinki region and var. lutescens were closely related to each other. However, var. intermedia from the Kanto region exhibited an association with S. lutescens var. crenata and var. stolonifera, which also grew in eastern Japan, rather than var. intermedia in the Kinki region. These results indicated that S. lutescens var. intermedia is not a taxon with a disjunctive distribution, but a combination of two or more allopatric taxa. Present study also suggested that S. akiensis was most closely related to S. omerocalyx .

  10. A Novel Virus-Like Particle Based Vaccine Platform Displaying the Placental Malaria Antigen VAR2CSA.

    PubMed

    Thrane, Susan; Janitzek, Christoph M; Agerbæk, Mette Ø; Ditlev, Sisse B; Resende, Mafalda; Nielsen, Morten A; Theander, Thor G; Salanti, Ali; Sander, Adam F

    2015-01-01

    Placental malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is a major cause of mortality and severe morbidity. Clinical testing of a soluble protein-based vaccine containing the parasite ligand, VAR2CSA, has been initiated. VAR2CSA binds to the human receptor chondroitin sulphate A (CSA) and is responsible for sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes in the placenta. It is imperative that a vaccine against malaria in pregnancy, if administered to women before they become pregnant, can induce a strong and long lasting immune response. While most soluble protein-based vaccines have failed during clinical testing, virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccines (e.g., the licensed human papillomavirus vaccines) have demonstrated high efficacy, suggesting that the spatial assembly of the vaccine antigen is a critical parameter for inducing an optimal long-lasting protective immune response. We have developed a VLP vaccine display platform by identifying regions of the HPV16 L1 coat protein where a biotin acceptor site (AviTagTM) can be inserted without compromising VLP-assembly. Subsequent biotinylation of Avi-L1 VLPs allow us to anchor monovalent streptavidin (mSA)-fused proteins to the biotin, thereby obtaining a dense and repetitive VLP-display of the vaccine antigen. The mSA-VAR2CSA antigen was delivered on the Avi-L1 VLP platform and tested in C57BL/6 mice in comparison to two soluble protein-based vaccines consisting of naked VAR2CSA and mSA-VAR2CSA. The mSA-VAR2CSA Avi-L1 VLP and soluble mSA-VAR2CSA vaccines induced higher antibody titers than the soluble naked VAR2CSA vaccine after three immunizations. The VAR2CSA Avi-L1 VLP vaccine induced statistically significantly higher endpoint titres compared to the soluble mSA-VAR2CSA vaccine, after 1st and 2nd immunization; however, this difference was not statistically significant after 3rd immunization. Importantly, the VLP-VAR2CSA induced antibodies were functional in inhibiting the binding of parasites to CSA

  11. Network-Cognizant Design of Decentralized Volt/VAR Controllers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baker, Kyri A; Bernstein, Andrey; Zhao, Changhong

    This paper considers the problem of designing decentralized Volt/VAR controllers for distributed energy resources (DERs). The voltage-reactive power characteristics of individual DERs are obtained by solving a convex optimization problem, where given performance objectives (e.g., minimization of the voltage deviations from a given profile) are specified and stability constraints are enforced. The resultant Volt/VAR characteristics are network-cognizant, in the sense that they embed information on the location of the DERs and, consequently, on the effect of reactive-power adjustments on the voltages throughout the feeder. Bounds on the maximum voltage deviation incurred by the controllers are analytically established. Numerical results aremore » reported to corroborate the technical findings.« less

  12. Antiparasitic Activity and Essential Oil Chemical Analysis of the Piper Tuberculatum Jacq Fruit

    PubMed Central

    dos Santos Sales, Valterlúcio; Monteiro, Álefe Brito; Delmondes, Gyllyandeson de Araújo; do Nascimento, Emmily Petícia; Sobreira Dantas Nóbrega de Figuêiredo, Francisco Rodolpho; de Souza Rodrigues, Cristina Kelly; Evangelista de Lacerda, Josefa Fernanda; Fernandes, Cícera Norma; Barbosa, Maysa de Oliveira; Brasil, Adamo Xenofonte; Tintino, Saulo Relison; Vega Gomez, Maria Celeste; Coronel, Cathia; Melo Coutinho, Henrique Douglas; Martins da Costa, José Galberto; Bezerra Felipe, Cícero Francisco; Alencar de Menezes, Irwin Rose; Kerntopf, Marta Regina

    2018-01-01

    With the increase of neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, there was a need for the search for new therapeutic alternatives that reduce the harm caused by medicine available for treatment. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the antiparasitic activity of the essential oil from the fruits of Piper tuberculatum Jacq, against lines of Leishmania braziliensis (MHOM/CO/88/UA301), Leishmania infantum (MHOM/ES/92/BCN83) and Trypanosoma cruzi (LC-B5 clone). Before running protocols, an analysis of the chemical composition of essential oil was conducted, which presented monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. As major constituents, β-pinene and α-pinene were identified. Regarding to antiparasitic activity, the essential oil had an EC50 values of 133.97 µg/mL and 143.59 µg/mL against variations promastigotes of L. infantum and L. braziliensis, respectively. As for trypanocidal activity, the oil showed EC50 value of 140.31 µg/mL against epimastigote form of T. cruzi. Moreover, it showed moderate cytotoxicity in fibroblasts with LC50 value of 204.71 µg/mL. The observed effect may be related to the presence of terpenes contained in the essential oil, since it has its antiparasitic activity proven in the literature.

  13. Proliferative capacity and osteogenic potential of novel dura mater stem cells on poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid.

    PubMed

    Petrie, Caren; Tholpady, Sunil; Ogle, Roy; Botchwey, Edward

    2008-04-01

    The rational design of biomimetic structures for the regeneration of damaged or missing tissue is a fundamental principle of tissue engineering. Multiple variables must be optimized, ranging from the scaffold type to the selection and properties of implanted cell(s). In this study, the osteogenic potential of a novel stem cell was analyzed on biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) biomaterials as a step toward creating new cell-materials constructs for bony regeneration. Dura mater stem cells (DSCs), isolated from rat dura mater, were evaluated and compared to bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) for proliferative and differentiative properties in vitro. Experiments were carried out on both tissue culture plastic (TCP) and 2D planar films of PLGA. Proliferation of DSCs on both TCP and PLGA films increased over 21 days. Positive fold inductions in all five bone marker genes were observed at days 7, 14, 21 in all experimental samples compared with day 0 controls. DSCs demonstrated greater cell coverage and enhanced matrix staining on 2D PLGA films when compared with BMSCs. These cells can be isolated and expanded in culture and can subsequently attach, proliferate, and differentiate on both TCP and PLGA films to a greater extent than BMSCs. This suggests that DSCs are promising for cell-based bone tissue engineering therapies, particularly those applications involving regeneration of cranial bones. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Utilizing nanobody technology to target non-immunodominant domains of VAR2CSA.

    PubMed

    Ditlev, Sisse B; Florea, Raluca; Nielsen, Morten A; Theander, Thor G; Magez, Stefan; Boeuf, Philippe; Salanti, Ali

    2014-01-01

    Placental malaria is a major health problem for both pregnant women and their fetuses in malaria endemic regions. It is triggered by the accumulation of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IE) in the intervillous spaces of the placenta and is associated with foetal growth restriction and maternal anemia. IE accumulation is supported by the binding of the parasite-expressed protein VAR2CSA to placental chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). Defining specific CSA-binding epitopes of VAR2CSA, against which to target the immune response, is essential for the development of a vaccine aimed at blocking IE adhesion. However, the development of a VAR2CSA adhesion-blocking vaccine remains challenging due to (i) the large size of VAR2CSA and (ii) the extensive immune selection for polymorphisms and thereby non-neutralizing B-cell epitopes. Camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies (HcAbs) are known to target epitopes that are less immunogenic to classical IgG and, due to their small size and protruding antigen-binding loop, able to reach and recognize cryptic, conformational epitopes which are inaccessible to conventional antibodies. The variable heavy chain (VHH) domain is the antigen-binding site of camelid HcAbs, the so called Nanobody, which represents the smallest known (15 kDa) intact, native antigen-binding fragment. In this study, we have used the Nanobody technology, an approach new to malaria research, to generate small and functional antibody fragments recognizing unique epitopes broadly distributed on VAR2CSA.

  15. Working alliance inventory applied to virtual and augmented reality (WAI-VAR): psychometrics and therapeutic outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Miragall, Marta; Baños, Rosa M.; Cebolla, Ausiàs; Botella, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the psychometric properties of the Working Alliance Inventory-Short (WAI-S) adaptation to Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) therapies (WAI-VAR). The relationship between the therapeutic alliance (TA) with VR and AR and clinically significant change (CSC) is also explored. Seventy-five patients took part in this study (74.7% women, Mage = 34.41). Fear of flying and adjustment disorder patients received VR therapy, and cockroach phobia patients received AR therapy. Psychometric properties, CSC, one-way ANOVA, Spearman’s Correlations and Multiple Regression were calculated. The WAI-VAR showed a unidimensional structure, high internal consistency and adequate convergent validity. “Not changed” patients scored lower on the WAI-VAR than “improved” and “recovered” patients. Correlation between the WAI-VAR and CSC was moderate. The best fitting model for predicting CSC was a linear combination of the TA with therapist (WAI-S) and the TA with VR and AR (WAI-VAR), due to the latter variable slightly increased the percentage of variability accounted for in CSC. The WAI-VAR is the first validated instrument to measure the TA with VR and AR in research and clinical practice. This study reveals the importance of the quality of the TA with technologies in achieving positive outcomes in the therapy. PMID:26500589

  16. Working alliance inventory applied to virtual and augmented reality (WAI-VAR): psychometrics and therapeutic outcomes.

    PubMed

    Miragall, Marta; Baños, Rosa M; Cebolla, Ausiàs; Botella, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the psychometric properties of the Working Alliance Inventory-Short (WAI-S) adaptation to Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) therapies (WAI-VAR). The relationship between the therapeutic alliance (TA) with VR and AR and clinically significant change (CSC) is also explored. Seventy-five patients took part in this study (74.7% women, M age = 34.41). Fear of flying and adjustment disorder patients received VR therapy, and cockroach phobia patients received AR therapy. Psychometric properties, CSC, one-way ANOVA, Spearman's Correlations and Multiple Regression were calculated. The WAI-VAR showed a unidimensional structure, high internal consistency and adequate convergent validity. "Not changed" patients scored lower on the WAI-VAR than "improved" and "recovered" patients. Correlation between the WAI-VAR and CSC was moderate. The best fitting model for predicting CSC was a linear combination of the TA with therapist (WAI-S) and the TA with VR and AR (WAI-VAR), due to the latter variable slightly increased the percentage of variability accounted for in CSC. The WAI-VAR is the first validated instrument to measure the TA with VR and AR in research and clinical practice. This study reveals the importance of the quality of the TA with technologies in achieving positive outcomes in the therapy.

  17. Volt-VAR Optimization on American Electric Power Feeders in Northeast Columbus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schneider, Kevin P.; Weaver, T. F.

    2012-05-10

    In 2007 American Electric Power launched the gridSMART® initiative with the goals of increasing efficiency of the electricity delivery system and improving service to the end-use customers. As part of the initiative, a coordinated Volt-VAR system was deployed on eleven distribution feeders at five substations in the Northeast Columbus Ohio Area. The goal of the coordinated Volt-VAR system was to decrease the amount of energy necessary to provide end-use customers with the same quality of service. The evaluation of the Volt-VAR system performance was conducted in two stages. The first stage was composed of simulation, analysis, and estimation, while themore » second stage was composed of analyzing collected field data. This panel paper will examine the analysis conducted in both stages and present the estimated improvements in system efficiency.« less

  18. Preliminary studies on Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Berg.) and Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr. aqueous extract: weight control and biochemical parameters.

    PubMed

    Biavatti, M W; Farias, C; Curtius, F; Brasil, L M; Hort, S; Schuster, L; Leite, S N; Prado, S R T

    2004-08-01

    An infusion of Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg. (Myrtaceae) leaves (Guabiroba) and the herb Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr. (Lythraceae) (Sete-sangrias) is traditionally used in the South of Brazil to treat high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. The effects of the aqueous extracts of these herbs were investigated in rats fed on a high calorie diet. Chronic treatment with the Guabiroba aqueous extract induced a significant reduction in weight gain in the rats, compared to the control group. Also, biochemical analysis showed that this treatment reduced the glycemia, while no effects on lipidic levels were observed. The biochemical analysis of the animals treated with Sete-sangrias aqueous extract showed no effect on glucose and triglyceride levels, while chronic treatment with the Sete-sangrias aqueous extract induced a significant reduction in plasma cholesterol in rats.

  19. Thermal Inactivation of Aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger Spores

    PubMed Central

    Mullican, Charles L.; Buchanan, Lee M.; Hoffman, Robert K.

    1971-01-01

    A hot-air sterilizer capable of exposing airborne microorganisms to elevated temperatures with an almost instantaneous heating time was developed and evaluated. With this apparatus, aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores were killed in about 0.02 sec when exposed to temperatures above 260 C. This is about 500 times faster than killing times reported by others. Extrapolation and comparison of data on the time and temperature required to klll B. subtilis var. niger spores on surfaces show that approximately the same killing time is required as is necessary for spores in air, if corrections are made for the heating time of the surface. PMID:5002138

  20. Ecological adaptations in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) populations. III. Central Idaho

    Treesearch

    Gerald E. Rehfeldt

    1983-01-01

    Rehfeldt, Gerald E. 1983. Ecological adaptations in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) populations. III. Central Idaho. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 13: 626-632. Growth, phenology, and cold hardiness of seedlings from 74 populations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) from central Idaho were compared in four...

  1. [Isolation and diversity analyses of endophytic fungi from Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis].

    PubMed

    Wang, Qian; Shen, Shi-Kang; Zhang, Ai-Li; Wu, Chun-Yan; Wu, Fu-Qin; Zhang, Xin-Jun; Wang, Yue-Hua

    2013-11-01

    The paper is aimed at studying the diversity of endophytic fungi community from Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, and to provide a scientific basis for the utilization value of the endophytic fungi as bioactive material resources. In the present study, endophytic fungi were isolated from roots, rhizomes and leaves of wild P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis collected from Baoshan, Heqing county and Songming city of Yunnan province, and identified and classified by morphological methods together with its ITS sequence analysis. Seven and forty-nine strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. They were identified belonging to 41 genus. In these 41 genus, 3 genus exist in root only, 12 genus only exist in rhizome and 8 genus only exist in leaf. There was difference in endophytic fungi isolated from different sample sites. Endophytic fungi diversity from rhizomes of Heqing site was the highest. Endophytic fungi similarity coefficient was low among different sites and tissues. Based on these results, it is reasonable to propose that endophytic fungi of P. polyphylla var. yannanensis from different tissue and different sample sites has a certain difference which is possibly relate to their different habitats, different structure and composition of each tissue.

  2. [Diversity and community structure of endophytic fungi from Taxus chinensis var. mairei].

    PubMed

    2014-07-01

    A total of 628 endophytic fungi were isolated from 480 tissue segments of needles and branches of Taxus chinensis var. mairei. According to morphological characteristics and ITS sequences, they represented 43 taxa in 28 genera, of which 10 Hyphomycetes, 20 Coelomycetes, 12 Ascomycetes and 1 unknown fungus. Phomopsis mali was confirmed as the dominant species. In accordance with relative frequency, Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Colletotrichum boninense, C. gloeosporioides, Epicoccum nigrum , Fungal sp., Fusarium lateritium, Glomerella cingulata, Magnaporthales sp. , Nigrospora oryzae, Pestalotiopsis maculiformans, P. microspora, Peyronellaea glomerata and Xylaria sp. 1 were more common in T. chinensis var. mairei. T. chinensis var. mairei were severely infected by endophytic fungi. Endophytic fungi were found in 81 percent of plant tissues with a high diversity. Distribution ranges of endophytic fungi were influenced by tissue properties. The colonization rate, richness, diversity of endophytic fungi in needles were obviously lower than in branches, and kinds of endophytic fungi between branches were more similar than those in needles, thus endophytic fungi had tissue preference. In addition, tissue age influenced the community structure of endophytic fungi. The elder branch tissues were, the higher colonization rate, richness, diversity of endophytic fungi were. Systematic studying the diversity and community structure of endophytic fungi in T. chinensis var. mairei and clarifying their distribution regularity in plant tissues would offer basic data and scientific basis for their development and utilization. Discussing the presence of fungal pathogens in healthy plant tissues would be of positive significance for source protection of T. chinensis var. mairei.

  3. Potential for wind extraction from 4D-Var assimilation of aerosols and moisture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaplotnik, Žiga; Žagar, Nedjeljka

    2017-04-01

    We discuss the potential of the four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) to retrieve the unobserved wind field from observations of atmospheric tracers and the mass field through internal model dynamics and the multivariate relationships in the background-error term for 4D-Var. The presence of non-linear moist dynamics makes the wind retrieval from tracers very difficult. On the other hand, it has been shown that moisture observations strongly influence both tropical and mid-latitude wind field in 4D-Var. We present an intermediate complexity model that describes nonlinear interactions between the wind, temperature, aerosols and moisture including their sinks and sources in the framework of the so-called first baroclinic mode atmosphere envisaged by A. Gill. Aerosol physical processes, which are included in the model, are the non-linear advection, diffusion and sources and sinks that exist as dry and wet deposition and diffusion. Precipitation is parametrized according to the Betts-Miller scheme. The control vector for 4D-Var includes aerosols, moisture and the three dynamical variables. The former is analysed univariately whereas wind field and mass field are analysed in a multivariate fashion taking into account quasi-geostrophic and unbalanced dynamics. The OSSE type of studies are performed for the tropical region to assess the ability of 4D-Var to extract wind-field information from the time series of observations of tracers as a function of the flow nonlinearity, the observations density and the length of the assimilation window (12 hours and 24 hours), in dry and moist environment. Results show that the 4D-Var assimilation of aerosols and temperature data is beneficial for the wind analysis with analysis errors strongly dependent on the moist processes and reliable background-error covariances.

  4. VAR2CSA domains expressed in Escherichia coli induce cross-reactive antibodies to native protein.

    PubMed

    Oleinikov, Andrew V; Francis, Susan E; Dorfman, Jeffrey R; Rossnagle, Eddie; Balcaitis, Stephanie; Getz, Tony; Avril, Marion; Gose, Severin; Smith, Joseph D; Fried, Michal; Duffy, Patrick E

    2008-04-15

    The variant surface antigen VAR2CSA is a pregnancy malaria vaccine candidate, but its size and polymorphism are obstacles to development. We expressed 3D7-type VAR2CSA domains in Escherichia coli as insoluble His-tagged proteins (Duffy binding-like [DBL] domains DBL1, DBL3, DBL4, and DBL5) that were denatured and refolded or as soluble glutathione S-transferase-tagged protein (DBL6). Anti-DBL5 antiserum cross-reacted with surface proteins of chondroitin sulfate A (CSA)-binding laboratory strains (3D7-CSA and FCR3-CSA) and a clinical pregnancy malaria isolate, whereas anti-DBL6 antiserum reacted only to 3D7 surface protein. This is the first report that E. coli-expressed VAR2CSA domains induce antibody to native VAR2CSA.

  5. Forecasting VaR and ES of stock index portfolio: A Vine copula method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Bangzheng; Wei, Yu; Yu, Jiang; Lai, Xiaodong; Peng, Zhenfeng

    2014-12-01

    Risk measurement has both theoretical and practical significance in risk management. Using daily sample of 10 international stock indices, firstly this paper models the internal structures among different stock markets with C-Vine, D-Vine and R-Vine copula models. Secondly, the Value-at-Risk (VaR) and Expected Shortfall (ES) of the international stock markets portfolio are forecasted using Monte Carlo method based on the estimated dependence of different Vine copulas. Finally, the accuracy of VaR and ES measurements obtained from different statistical models are evaluated by UC, IND, CC and Posterior analysis. The empirical results show that the VaR forecasts at the quantile levels of 0.9, 0.95, 0.975 and 0.99 with three kinds of Vine copula models are sufficiently accurate. Several traditional methods, such as historical simulation, mean-variance and DCC-GARCH models, fail to pass the CC backtesting. The Vine copula methods can accurately forecast the ES of the portfolio on the base of VaR measurement, and D-Vine copula model is superior to other Vine copulas.

  6. [Study on quality standard of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis].

    PubMed

    Wu, Shi-Hong; Jiang, Wei-Zhe; Lv, Li; Wu, Ling-Ling; Lv, Cong; Shi, Xiao-Xia; Su, Gui-Liang

    2009-03-01

    To provide scientific basis for the utilization and development of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis by establishing its quality control standard. The bioactive constituents were analyzed by TLC and HPLC. Moisture, ash and the extracts of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis were all determined. The TLC spots of levodopa had similar color with the control group at the same position. The results of HPLC quantitative analysis showed that the linear range of levodopa was 26.45 to approximately 132.25 microg/mL, r = 0.9992, and the average recovery rate was 103.8%, RSD = 1.85%. This method is convenient, accurate, reliable with good reproducibility, so it can be used to establish quality standard for the medicinal material.

  7. [Iridoid glycosides from buds of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Gui-qin; Yin, Zhi-feng; Liu, Yu-cui; Li, Hong-bo

    2011-10-01

    The study on the buds of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum was carried out to look for anti-HBV constituents. The isolation and purification were performed by HPLC and chromatography on silica gel, polyamide and Sephadex LH-20 column. The structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Six iridoid glycosides were identified as jasgranoside B (1), 6-O-methy-catalpol (2), deacetyl asperulosidic acid (3), aucubin (4), 8-dehydroxy shanzhiside (5), and loganin (6). Jasgranoside B (1) is a new compound. Compounds 2-6 were isolated from Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum for the first time.

  8. New phenylpropanoid glycosides from Juniperus communis var. depressa.

    PubMed

    Iida, Naoki; Inatomi, Yuka; Murata, Hiroko; Murata, Jin; Lang, Frank A; Tanaka, Toshiyuki; Nakanishi, Tsutomu; Inada, Akira

    2010-05-01

    Two new phenylpropanoid glycosides were isolated from the leaves and stems of Juniperus communis var. depressa (Cupressaceae) along with 14 known compounds. Their structures were determined by spectral analyses, in particular by 2D-NMR spectral evidence.

  9. [Effect of Water Extracts from Rhizosphere Soil of Cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus on It's Seed Germination and Physiological Characteristics].

    PubMed

    Lang, Duo-yong; Fu, Xue-yan; Rong, Jia-wang; Zhang, Xin-hui

    2015-01-01

    To explore the relationship between continuous cropping obstacle and autotoxicity of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. Distilled water(CK), water extracts of rhizosphere soil(50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/mL) were applied to test their effect on early growth and physiological characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. The water extracts from rhizospher soil of cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus significantly increased seedling emergence rate, root length and vigor index of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seedling when at the concentration of 100 mg/mL or below, however,there was no significant effect at 200 mg/mL or higher. The water extracts from rhizosphere soil of cultivated Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus significantly reduced the SOD activity in Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seedling at 400 mg/mL and POD activity at 200 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL,while significantly increased the MDA content. Water extracts from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus rhizosphere soil significantly affected Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus germination and seedling growth in a concentration-dependent manner, generally, low concentrations increased the SOD and POD activity which improved seed germination and seedling growth, while high concentrations caused cell membrane damage of the seedling.

  10. Comparative Analysis of VaR Estimation of Double Long-Memory GARCH Models: Empirical Analysis of China's Stock Market

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Guangxi; Guo, Jianping; Xu, Lin

    GARCH models are widely used to model the volatility of financial assets and measure VaR. Based on the characteristics of long-memory and lepkurtosis and fat tail of stock market return series, we compared the ability of double long-memory GARCH models with skewed student-t-distribution to compute VaR, through the empirical analysis of Shanghai Composite Index (SHCI) and Shenzhen Component Index (SZCI). The results show that the ARFIMA-HYGARCH model performance better than others, and at less than or equal to 2.5 percent of the level of VaR, double long-memory GARCH models have stronger ability to evaluate in-sample VaRs in long position than in short position while there is a diametrically opposite conclusion for ability of out-of-sample VaR forecast.

  11. Antidepressant-like Effect of Kaempferol and Quercitirin, Isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten

    PubMed Central

    Park, Soo-Hyun; Sim, Yun-Beom; Han, Pyung-Lim; Lee, Jin-Koo

    2010-01-01

    Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. is widely cultivated in Jeju Island (South Korea) for use in manufacture of health foods. This study described antidepressant effect of two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. The expression of the hypothalamic POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin levels were increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten or its flavoniods administered orally. In addition, antidepressant activity was studied using tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and rota-rod test in chronically restraint immobilization stress group in mice. After restraint stress (2 hrs/day for 14 days), animals were kept in cage for 14 days without any further stress, bet with drugs. Mice were fed with a diet supplemented for 14 days and during the behavioral test period with kaempferol or quercitrin (30 mg/kg/day). POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin level was increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten and its flavoniods. In addition, immobility time in TST and FST was significantly reduced by kaempferol or quercitrin. In rota-rod test, the time of permanence was maintained to the semblance of control group in turning at 15 rpm. Our results suggest that two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. show a potent antidepressant effect. PMID:22110339

  12. Antidepressant-like Effect of Kaempferol and Quercitirin, Isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten.

    PubMed

    Park, Soo-Hyun; Sim, Yun-Beom; Han, Pyung-Lim; Lee, Jin-Koo; Suh, Hong-Won

    2010-06-01

    Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. is widely cultivated in Jeju Island (South Korea) for use in manufacture of health foods. This study described antidepressant effect of two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. The expression of the hypothalamic POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin levels were increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten or its flavoniods administered orally. In addition, antidepressant activity was studied using tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and rota-rod test in chronically restraint immobilization stress group in mice. After restraint stress (2 hrs/day for 14 days), animals were kept in cage for 14 days without any further stress, bet with drugs. Mice were fed with a diet supplemented for 14 days and during the behavioral test period with kaempferol or quercitrin (30 mg/kg/day). POMC mRNA or plasma β-endorphin level was increased by extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten and its flavoniods. In addition, immobility time in TST and FST was significantly reduced by kaempferol or quercitrin. In rota-rod test, the time of permanence was maintained to the semblance of control group in turning at 15 rpm. Our results suggest that two flavonoids (kaempferol and quercitrin) isolated from the Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. show a potent antidepressant effect.

  13. Withanolides from Jaborosa caulescens var. bipinnatifida

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Huaping; Cao, Cong-Mei; Gallagher, Robert J.; Day, Victor W.; Montenegro, Gloria; Timmermann, Barbara N.

    2013-01-01

    Two new withanolides 2,3-dihydrotrechonolide A (1) and 2,3-dihydro-21-hydroxytrechonolide A (2) were isolated along with two known withanolides trechonolide A (3) and jaborosalactone 39 (4) from Jaborosa caulescens var. bipinnatifida (Solanaceae). The structures of 1-2 were elucidated through 2D NMR and other spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the structure of withanolide 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. PMID:24314746

  14. Antigenic variation in malaria: in situ switching, relaxed and mutually exclusive transcription of var genes during intra-erythrocytic development in Plasmodium falciparum.

    PubMed Central

    Scherf, A; Hernandez-Rivas, R; Buffet, P; Bottius, E; Benatar, C; Pouvelle, B; Gysin, J; Lanzer, M

    1998-01-01

    Members of the Plasmodium falciparum var gene family encode clonally variant adhesins, which play an important role in the pathogenicity of tropical malaria. Here we employ a selective panning protocol to generate isogenic P.falciparum populations with defined adhesive phenotypes for CD36, ICAM-1 and CSA, expressing single and distinct var gene variants. This technique has established the framework for examining var gene expression, its regulation and switching. It was found that var gene switching occurs in situ. Ubiquitous transcription of all var gene variants appears to occur in early ring stages. However, var gene expression is tightly regulated in trophozoites and is exerted through a silencing mechanism. Transcriptional control is mutually exclusive in parasites that express defined adhesive phenotypes. In situ var gene switching is apparently mediated at the level of transcriptional initiation, as demonstrated by nuclear run-on analyses. Our results suggest that an epigenetic mechanism(s) is involved in var gene regulation. PMID:9736619

  15. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus.

    PubMed

    Gurusamy, Raman; Lee, Do-Hyung; Park, SeonJoo

    2016-05-01

    The complete chloroplast genome (cpDNA) sequence of Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus is an economically important traditional Chinese medicine was reported and characterized. The cpDNA of Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus is 149,539 bp, with 36.3% GC content. A pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 24,803 bp is separated by a large single-copy region (LSC, 82,805 bp) and a small single-copy region (SSC, 17,128 bp). It encodes 85 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Of 129 individual genes, 13 genes encoded one intron and three genes have two introns.

  16. Rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, C. neoformans var. neoformans, and C. gattii by use of rapid biochemical tests, differential media, and DNA sequencing.

    PubMed

    McTaggart, Lisa; Richardson, Susan E; Seah, Christine; Hoang, Linda; Fothergill, Annette; Zhang, Sean X

    2011-07-01

    Rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, and Cryptococcus gattii is imperative for facilitation of prompt treatment of cryptococcosis and for understanding the epidemiology of the disease. Our purpose was to evaluate a test algorithm incorporating commercial rapid biochemical tests, differential media, and DNA sequence analysis that will allow us to differentiate these taxa rapidly and accurately. We assessed 147 type, reference, and clinical isolates, including 6 other Cryptococcus spp. (10 isolates) and 14 other yeast species (24 isolates), using a 4-hour urea broth test (Remel), a 24-hour urea broth test (Becton Dickinson), a 4-hour caffeic acid disk test (Hardy Diagnostics and Remel), 40- to 44-hour growth assessment on l-canavanine glycine bromothymol blue (CGB) agar, and intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence analysis. All 123 Cryptococcus isolates hydrolyzed urea, along with 7 isolates of Rhodotorula and Trichosporon. Eighty-five of 86 C. neoformans (99%) and 26 of 27 C. gattii (96%) isolates had positive caffeic acid results, unlike the other cryptococci (0/10) and yeast species (0/24). Together, these two tests positively identified virtually all C. neoformans/C. gattii isolates (98%) within 4 h. CGB agar or IGS sequencing further differentiated these isolates within 48 h. On CGB, 25 of 27 (93%) C. gattii strains induced a blue color change, in contrast to 0 of 86 C. neoformans isolates. Neighbor-joining cluster analysis of IGS sequences differentiated C. neoformans var. grubii, C. neoformans var. neoformans, and C. gattii. Based on these results, we describe a rapid identification algorithm for use in a microbiology laboratory to distinguish clinically relevant Cryptococcus spp.

  17. [Headache as a manifestation of SAPHO syndrome with a lesion extending to the dura mater, parietal bone, and temporal muscle].

    PubMed

    Uematsu, Miho; Tobisawa, Shinsuke; Nagao, Masahiro; Matsubara, Shiro; Mizutani, Toshio; Shibuya, Makoto

    2012-01-01

    A 50-year-old woman with a history of palmoplantar pustulosis, femur osteomyelitis, and sterno-costo-clavicular hyperostosis presented with a chronic severe left temporal headache that had progressed during the previous year. Her CRP level was elevated. Cranial images showed Gadolinium-enhancement of the left temporal muscle, left parietal bone and dura mater. (99m)Tc-HMDP scintigram showed increased uptake in the left parietal bone, left sterno-costo-clavicular joint, right femoral head and intervertebral joints. Biopsy of the lesion demonstrated 1) proliferation of connective tissue in both perimysium and endomysium of the temporal muscle with mild inflammatory cell infiltration within the interstitium, 2) marked infiltration of granulocytes to the bone marrow of the parietal bone, 3) necrosis and moderate fibrosis in the interstitium with inflammatory cell infiltration in the parietal bone, and 4) moderate fibrosis and slight infiltration of inflammatory cells in the dura mater. The patient was diagnosed with a cranial lesion of synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome. There was a moderate response to treatment with intravenous steroid pulse therapy and subsequent methotrexate. In a case of headache accompanied by inflammatory response, palmoplantar pustulosis and joint lesions such as hyperostosis, the possibility of a rare cranial manifestation of SAPHO syndrome should be considered.

  18. Study of flavonoids of Sechium edule (Jacq) Swartz (Cucurbitaceae) different edible organs by liquid chromatography photodiode array mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Siciliano, Tiziana; De Tommasi, Nunziatina; Morelli, Ivano; Braca, Alessandra

    2004-10-20

    A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method was developed for the characterization of flavonoids from Sechium edule (Jacq) Swartz (Cucurbitaceae) edible organs, a plant cultivated since pre-Colombian times in Mexico where the fruit is called chayote. Chayote is used for human consumption in many countries; in addition to the fruits, stems, leaves and the tuberous part of the roots are also eaten. Eight flavonoids, including three C-glycosyl and five O-glycosyl flavones, were detected, characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data, and quantified in roots, leaves, stems, and fruits of the plant by LC-photodiode array-MS. The aglycone moieties are represented by apigenin and luteolin, while the sugar units are glucose, apiose, and rhamnose. The results indicated that the highest total amount of flavonoids was in the leaves (35.0 mg/10 g of dried part), followed by roots (30.5 mg/10 g), and finally by stems (19.3 mg/10 g). Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

  19. Characterization of polysaccharides extracted from Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. affecting activation of chicken peritoneal macrophages.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Pimiao; Fan, Wentao; Wang, Shenghua; Hao, Pan; Wang, Yang; Wan, Huiyu; Hao, Zhihui; Liu, Jianzhu; Zhao, Xiaona

    2017-03-01

    Polysaccharides were isolated from Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. (PG) and the effects of three polysaccharides (PGPS 80 , PGPS 60 , PGPS t ) on their immunological activities were studied. The structure identification of PGPSs was assessed using physicochemical and spectral methods. Results showed that PGPS t (2.67×10 5 Da) compared to PGPS 80 (1.01×10 5 Da) and PGPS 60 (1.12×10 5 Da) has relatively higher average molecular weight(Mw) at the first peak with a narrower molecular weight distribution and all consisted of glucose, mannose, arabinose, galactose, xylose and rhamnose in different mass percentages. PGPS 80 and PGPS t linked mainly by 1,3-and 1,6-β-d-Galp residues. The immunological efficacy of PGPSs was performed on chicken peritoneal macrophages. Results showed that PGPS t significantly increased phagocytic rates, proliferation and NO production, stimulated macrophages to produce cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 as well as stimulated macrophages to express the maturation markers CD80 and CD86. These findings suggest that PGPS t exerted significant immunological activity and might be associated with special characters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Extremely high boron tolerance in Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl. related to root boron exclusion and a well-regulated antioxidant system.

    PubMed

    Hamurcu, Mehmet; Hakki, Erdogan E; Demiral Sert, Tijen; Özdemir, Canan; Minareci, Ersin; Avsaroglu, Zuhal Z; Gezgin, Sait; Ali Kayis, Seyit; Bell, Richard W

    Recent studies indicate an extremely high level of tolerance to boron (B) toxicity in Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl. but the mechanistic basis is not known. Puccinellia distans was exposed to B concentrations of up to 1000 mg B L-1 and root B uptake, growth parameters, B and N contents, H2O2 accumulation and ·OH-scavenging activity were measured. Antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase, and lipid peroxidation products were determined. B appears to be actively excluded from roots. Excess B supply caused structural deformations in roots and leaves, H2O2 accumulation and simultaneous up-regulation of the antioxidative system, which prevented lipid peroxidation even at the highest B concentrations. Thus, P. distans has an efficient root B-exclusion capability and, in addition, B tolerance in shoots is achieved by a well-regulated antioxidant defense system.

  1. Withanolides from Jaborosa caulescens var. bipinnatifida.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huaping; Cao, Cong-Mei; Gallagher, Robert J; Day, Victor W; Montenegro, Gloria; Timmermann, Barbara N

    2014-02-01

    Withanolides 2,3-dihydrotrechonolide A (1) and 2,3-dihydro-21-hydroxytrechonolide A (2) were isolated along with two known withanolides trechonolide A (3) and jaborosalactone 39 (4) from Jaborosa caulescens var. bipinnatifida (Solanaceae). The structures of 1-2 were elucidated through 2D NMR and other spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the structure of withanolide 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. LitVar: a semantic search engine for linking genomic variant data in PubMed and PMC.

    PubMed

    Allot, Alexis; Peng, Yifan; Wei, Chih-Hsuan; Lee, Kyubum; Phan, Lon; Lu, Zhiyong

    2018-05-14

    The identification and interpretation of genomic variants play a key role in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and related research. These tasks increasingly rely on accessing relevant manually curated information from domain databases (e.g. SwissProt or ClinVar). However, due to the sheer volume of medical literature and high cost of expert curation, curated variant information in existing databases are often incomplete and out-of-date. In addition, the same genetic variant can be mentioned in publications with various names (e.g. 'A146T' versus 'c.436G>A' versus 'rs121913527'). A search in PubMed using only one name usually cannot retrieve all relevant articles for the variant of interest. Hence, to help scientists, healthcare professionals, and database curators find the most up-to-date published variant research, we have developed LitVar for the search and retrieval of standardized variant information. In addition, LitVar uses advanced text mining techniques to compute and extract relationships between variants and other associated entities such as diseases and chemicals/drugs. LitVar is publicly available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Lu/Demo/LitVar.

  3. [Glycosides from flowers of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Gui-qin; Xia, Jing-jing; Dong, Jun-xing

    2007-10-01

    To study the chemical constituents of the flower of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum. The compounds were isolated and purified by re-crystallization and chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column. Their structures were elucidated on the physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Seven glycosides were identified as kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->3)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->6)]-beta-D-galactopyranoside (I), kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (II), 7-ketologanin (III), oleoside-11-methyl ester (IV), 7-glucosyl-l1-methyl oleoside (V), ligstroside (VI), oleuropein (VII). Compound I is a new compound. Compounds III and V were isolated from the family of Jasminum for the first time and compounds II, IV and VI were isolated from Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum for the first time.

  4. Removal of methylene blue by invasive marine seaweed: Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea.

    PubMed

    Cengiz, Sevilay; Cavas, Levent

    2008-05-01

    Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea is one of the well-known invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea. In the present study, dried biomass of C. racemosa var. cylindracea was shown to have adsorption capacity for methylene blue. The adsorption reached equilibrium at 90 min for all studied concentrations (5-100mg/L). The pseudo-second-order model is well in line with our experimental results. There was a sharp increase in the adsorbed dye amount per adsorbent amount from 3.3 to 16.7 g/L, then a slight increase up to 66.7 g/L was observed. Langmuir and Freundlich's models were applied to the data related to adsorption isotherm. According to Langmuir's model data, the observed maximum adsorption capacity (qm) was 5.23 mg/g at 18 degrees C. The enthalpy of adsorption was found to be 33 kJ/mol, which indicated a chemical adsorption between dye molecules and C. racemosa var. cylindracea functional groups.

  5. Further elucidation of the taxonomic relationships and geographic distribution of Escobaria sneedii var. sneedii, E. sneedii var. leei, and E. guadalupensis (Cactaceae)

    Treesearch

    Marc A. Baker

    2007-01-01

    Individuals of E. sneedii var. sneedii were found to occur in greater abundance within the Guadalupe Mountains than was previously recorded. No additional populations morphologically intermediate between E. guadalupensis and E. sneedii were found. Taxonomic affiliation and geographic...

  6. [Electron microscopy of the lesions produced in the human dura mater by Quincke beveled and Whitacre needles].

    PubMed

    Reina, M A; López-García, A; de Andrés-Ibáñez, J A; Dittmann, M; Cascales, M R; del Caño, M C; Daneri, J; Zambrano, O

    1997-02-01

    Comparisons of Quincke needles and non traumatic "pencil point" needles in recent years have reported lower rates of post dural puncture headache using the later type. Our new understanding of the morphology of the human dura mater motivated us to study dural lesions caused by the Whitacre 25 G and Quincke 26 G needles, using scanning electron microscopy with the aim of determining whether there is an anatomic basis for the different outcomes. The dura mater from three fresh cadavers of individuals aged 65, 70 and 72 years were punctured 40 times at an angle of 90 degrees each time. The Whitacre 25 G needle was used for 20 punctures and the Quincke 26 G needle was used for the other 20. Half the punctures were performed with the bevel in the parallel alignment and the other half with the bevel perpendicular to the spinal column. Fifteen min after causing the punctures, specimens were fixed in solutions of glutaraldehyde phosphate buffer and dehydrated in acetone. After critical point removal of the acetone, after the specimens were treated with carbon and metallized with gold. The lesions were examined externally and internally and expressed as the ratio of area of lesion to diameter of the needle that had caused them. Whitacre needle: each lesion consisted in the superimposition of multiple damaged layers that started to close individually. After 15 min the outermost layers were 90% closed and the innermost ones had closed entirely. Layers in the arachnoid surface of the dura mater had closed from 86 to 88%, while deeper layers in the thick part had closed 97 to 98%. Quincke needle: lesions were V-shaped or half-moon shaped, much like the opening formed by a can opener, on both the external and internal surfaces. Alignment of the bevel of the needle parallel to the spinal column did not lead to a different shape of puncture. After 15 min the lesions had closed 94 to 95% on the epidural surface and 95 to 96% on the arachnoid side, a difference attributable to the

  7. Isolation, characterization and antifungal activity of proteinase inhibitors from Capsicum chinense Jacq. Seeds.

    PubMed

    Dias, Germana Bueno; Gomes, Valdirene Moreira; Pereira, Umberto Zottich; Ribeiro, Suzanna F Ferreira; Carvalho, André O; Rodrigues, Rosana; Machado, Olga L Tavares; Fernandes, Kátia Valevski Sales; Ferreira, André Teixeira S; Perales, Jonas; Da Cunha, Maura

    2013-01-01

    Capsicum species belong to the Solanaceae family and have great social, economic and agronomical significance. The present research presents data on the isolation and characterization of Capsicum chinense Jacq. peptides which were scrutinized in relation to their toxicity towards a diverse set of yeast species. The protein extract was separated with C18 reverse-phase chromatography in high performance liquid chromatography, resulting in three different peptide enriched fractions (PEFs) termed PEF1, PEF2 and PEF3. Tricine-SDS-PAGE of the PEF2 revealed peptides with molecular masses of approximately 5.0 and 8.5 kDa. These PEFs also exhibited strong antifungal activity against different yeasts. In the presence of the PEF2, Candida tropicalis exhibited morphological changes, including cellular agglomeration and formation of pseudohyphae. Determined N-terminal sequences of PEF2 and PEF3 were proven to be highly homologous to serine proteinase inhibitors, when analysed by comparative database sequence tools. For this reason were performed protease inhibitory activity assay. The PEFs displayed high inhibitory activity against trypsin and low inhibitory activity against chymotrypsin. PEF2 and PEF3 were considerably unsusceptible to a broad interval of pH and temperatures. Due to the myriad of application of Proteinase inhibitors (PIs) in fields ranging from plant protection against pathogens and pests to medicine such as in cancer and virus replication inhibition, the discovery of new PIs with new properties are of great interest.

  8. Rapid Identification of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, C. neoformans var. neoformans, and C. gattii by Use of Rapid Biochemical Tests, Differential Media, and DNA Sequencing ▿

    PubMed Central

    McTaggart, Lisa; Richardson, Susan E.; Seah, Christine; Hoang, Linda; Fothergill, Annette; Zhang, Sean X.

    2011-01-01

    Rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, and Cryptococcus gattii is imperative for facilitation of prompt treatment of cryptococcosis and for understanding the epidemiology of the disease. Our purpose was to evaluate a test algorithm incorporating commercial rapid biochemical tests, differential media, and DNA sequence analysis that will allow us to differentiate these taxa rapidly and accurately. We assessed 147 type, reference, and clinical isolates, including 6 other Cryptococcus spp. (10 isolates) and 14 other yeast species (24 isolates), using a 4-hour urea broth test (Remel), a 24-hour urea broth test (Becton Dickinson), a 4-hour caffeic acid disk test (Hardy Diagnostics and Remel), 40- to 44-hour growth assessment on l-canavanine glycine bromothymol blue (CGB) agar, and intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence analysis. All 123 Cryptococcus isolates hydrolyzed urea, along with 7 isolates of Rhodotorula and Trichosporon. Eighty-five of 86 C. neoformans (99%) and 26 of 27 C. gattii (96%) isolates had positive caffeic acid results, unlike the other cryptococci (0/10) and yeast species (0/24). Together, these two tests positively identified virtually all C. neoformans/C. gattii isolates (98%) within 4 h. CGB agar or IGS sequencing further differentiated these isolates within 48 h. On CGB, 25 of 27 (93%) C. gattii strains induced a blue color change, in contrast to 0 of 86 C. neoformans isolates. Neighbor-joining cluster analysis of IGS sequences differentiated C. neoformans var. grubii, C. neoformans var. neoformans, and C. gattii. Based on these results, we describe a rapid identification algorithm for use in a microbiology laboratory to distinguish clinically relevant Cryptococcus spp. PMID:21593254

  9. [Leishmaniasis transmission focus in El Hobo, Carmen de Bolívar, Bolívar, Colombia].

    PubMed

    Cortés, Luis Alberto

    2006-10-01

    The epidemiological characteristics and the importance of the Lutzomyia species present in a leishmaniasis focus in the village El Hobo, Carmen de Bolívar, Department of Bolivar, Colombia, are described. To obtain a preliminary assessment of leishmaniasis transmission in the village of El Hobo, Carmen de Bolívar. Epidemiological data were analyzed and sandflies were collected with CDC traps and on protected human volunteers in the village of El Hobo. Sero prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis in dogs was evaluated using indirect inmunofluorescence (IFAT). Nine Lutzomyia species were collected: L. trinidadensis, L. evansi, L. cayennensis, L. venezuelensis, L. gomezi, L. dubitans, L. ylephiletor, L. yuilli, and L. walkeri. The species of greater importance based on their implication in the transmission of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis were L. gomezi, and L. evansi respectively. Specimens of L. venezuelensis, L. dubitans, L. ylephiletor, L. yuilli, and L. walkeri are reported for the first time for the Department of Bolivar. The sero prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs was 36%. According to the epidemiological records, in 2002 the municipality of Carmen de Bolivar presented a 40% increase in cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and an 80% increase in canine visceral leishmaniasis as compared to 2001, due to the outbreak in the village of El Hobo. The results indicate that the village of El Hobo is an area of potential risk for transmission of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis.

  10. Immunomodulatory Activity of Xanthones from Calophyllum teysmannii var. inuphylloide.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, M J; Nascimento, M S; Cidade, H M; Pinto, M M; Kijjoa, A; Anantachoke, C; Silva, A M; Herz, W

    1999-05-01

    Nine xanthones, including 3-(4-hydroxy-3-metnylbutyl)-4,8-dihydroxyxanthone, were isolated from the wood of a Thai collection of CALOPHYLLUM TEYSMANNII Miq. var. INUPHYLLOIDE (King) P. Stephen. Immunomodulatory activities of eight of these have been investigated.

  11. [Chemical constituents of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens].

    PubMed

    Zou, Ju-ying; Chen, Sheng-huang; Li, Qin-wen; Ou, Yang-wen; Chen, Han-jun; Wang, Wei

    2012-05-01

    To study the chemical constituents of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens. The compounds were isolated and purified by various techniques. Their structures were determined by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Five compounds were isolated and identified as friedelin (1), beta-sitosterol (2), umbelliferone (3), daucosterol (4) and skimmin (5). All the compounds were isolated from this genus for the first time.

  12. Assimilation of Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) Profiles using WRF-Var

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zavodsky, Brad; Jedlovec, Gary J.; Lapenta, William

    2008-01-01

    The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model contains a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) assimilation system (WRF-Var), which allows a user to join data from multiple sources into one coherent analysis. WRF-Var combines observations with a background field traditionally generated using a previous model forecast through minimization of a cost function. In data sparse regions, remotely-sensed observations may be able to improve analyses and produce improved forecasts. One such source comes from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), which together with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), represents one of the most advanced space-based atmospheric sounding systems. The combined AIRS/AMSU system provides radiance measurements used as input to a sophisticated retrieval scheme which has been shown to produce temperature profiles with an accuracy of 1 K over 1 km layers and humidity profiles with accuracy of 15% in 2 km layers in both clear and partly cloudy conditions. The retrieval algorithm also provides estimates of the accuracy of the retrieved values at each pressure level, allowing the user to select profiles based on the required error tolerances of the application. The purpose of this paper is to describe a procedure to optimally assimilate high-resolution AIRS profile data into a regional configuration of the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) version 2.2 using WRF-Var. The paper focuses on development of background error covariances for the regional domain and background field type using gen_be and an optimal methodology for ingesting AIRS temperature and moisture profiles as separate overland and overwater retrievals with different error characteristics in the WRF-Var. The AIRS thermodynamic profiles are obtained from the version 5.0 Earth Observing System (EOS) science team retrieval algorithm and contain information about the quality of each temperature layer. The quality indicators are used to select the highest quality temperature and moisture

  13. Optimal Placement of Dynamic Var Sources by Using Empirical Controllability Covariance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qi, Junjian; Huang, Weihong; Sun, Kai

    In this paper, the empirical controllability covariance (ECC), which is calculated around the considered operating condition of a power system, is applied to quantify the degree of controllability of system voltages under specific dynamic var source locations. An optimal dynamic var source placement method addressing fault-induced delayed voltage recovery (FIDVR) issues is further formulated as an optimization problem that maximizes the determinant of ECC. The optimization problem is effectively solved by the NOMAD solver, which implements the mesh adaptive direct search algorithm. The proposed method is tested on an NPCC 140-bus system and the results show that the proposed methodmore » with fault specified ECC can solve the FIDVR issue caused by the most severe contingency with fewer dynamic var sources than the voltage sensitivity index (VSI)-based method. The proposed method with fault unspecified ECC does not depend on the settings of the contingency and can address more FIDVR issues than the VSI method when placing the same number of SVCs under different fault durations. It is also shown that the proposed method can help mitigate voltage collapse.« less

  14. RBF neural network prediction on weak electrical signals in Aloe vera var. chinensis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lanzhou; Zhao, Jiayin; Wang, Miao

    2008-10-01

    A Gaussian radial base function (RBF) neural network forecast on signals in the Aloe vera var. chinensis by the wavelet soft-threshold denoised as the time series and using the delayed input window chosen at 50, is set up to forecast backward. There was the maximum amplitude at 310.45μV, minimum -75.15μV, average value -2.69μV and <1.5Hz at frequency in Aloe vera var. chinensis respectively. The electrical signal in Aloe vera var. chinensis is a sort of weak, unstable and low frequency signals. A result showed that it is feasible to forecast plant electrical signals for the timing by the RBF. The forecast data can be used as the preferences for the intelligent autocontrol system based on the adaptive characteristic of plants to achieve the energy saving on the agricultural production in the plastic lookum or greenhouse.

  15. Transcriptomic data of pre-meiotic stage of floret development in apomictic and sexual types of guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.).

    PubMed

    Radhakrishna, Auji; Dwivedi, Krishna Kumar; Srivastava, Manoj Kumar; Roy, A K; Malaviya, D R; Kaushal, P

    2018-06-01

    Guinea grass ( Panicum maximum Jacq), an important fodder crop of humid and sub-humid tropical regions, reproduces through apomixis, a method of clonal propagation through seeds. Lack of knowledge of the genetic and molecular control of this phenomena has hindered the genetic improvement of this crop. The dataset provided here represents the first RNA-Seq based assembly and analysis of florets at pre-meiotic stage from the apomictic and sexual genotypes of guinea grass. The raw sequence files in FASTQ format were deposited in the NCBI SRA database with accession number SRP115883. A total of 24.8 Gb raw sequence data, corresponding to 17,96,65,827 raw reads was obtained by paired end sequencing. We used Trinity for de-novo assembly and identified 57,647 transcripts in sexual and 49,093 transcripts in apomictic type. This transcriptome data will be useful for identification and comparative analysis of genes regulating the mode of reproduction in grasses.

  16. CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing Reveals That the Intron Is Not Essential for var2csa Gene Activation or Silencing in Plasmodium falciparum.

    PubMed

    Bryant, Jessica M; Regnault, Clément; Scheidig-Benatar, Christine; Baumgarten, Sebastian; Guizetti, Julien; Scherf, Artur

    2017-07-11

    Plasmodium falciparum relies on monoallelic expression of 1 of 60 var virulence genes for antigenic variation and host immune evasion. Each var gene contains a conserved intron which has been implicated in previous studies in both activation and repression of transcription via several epigenetic mechanisms, including interaction with the var promoter, production of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and localization to repressive perinuclear sites. However, functional studies have relied primarily on artificial expression constructs. Using the recently developed P. falciparum clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system, we directly deleted the var2csa P. falciparum 3D7_1200600 (Pf3D7_1200600) endogenous intron, resulting in an intronless var gene in a natural, marker-free chromosomal context. Deletion of the var2csa intron resulted in an upregulation of transcription of the var2csa gene in ring-stage parasites and subsequent expression of the PfEMP1 protein in late-stage parasites. Intron deletion did not affect the normal temporal regulation and subsequent transcriptional silencing of the var gene in trophozoites but did result in increased rates of var gene switching in some mutant clones. Transcriptional repression of the intronless var2csa gene could be achieved via long-term culture or panning with the CD36 receptor, after which reactivation was possible with chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) panning. These data suggest that the var2csa intron is not required for silencing or activation in ring-stage parasites but point to a subtle role in regulation of switching within the var gene family. IMPORTANCE Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent species of malaria parasite, causing high rates of morbidity and mortality in those infected. Chronic infection depends on an immune evasion mechanism termed antigenic variation, which in turn relies on monoallelic expression of 1 of ~60 var genes. Understanding antigenic variation and the

  17. Phylogenetics and evolution of Su(var)3-9 SET genes in land plants: rapid diversification in structure and function.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xinyu; Ma, Hong; Chen, Zhiduan

    2011-03-09

    Plants contain numerous Su(var)3-9 homologues (SUVH) and related (SUVR) genes, some of which await functional characterization. Although there have been studies on the evolution of plant Su(var)3-9 SET genes, a systematic evolutionary study including major land plant groups has not been reported. Large-scale phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses can help to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and contribute to improve genome annotation. Putative orthologs of plant Su(var)3-9 SET protein sequences were retrieved from major representatives of land plants. A novel clustering that included most members analyzed, henceforth referred to as core Su(var)3-9 homologues and related (cSUVHR) gene clade, was identified as well as all orthologous groups previously identified. Our analysis showed that plant Su(var)3-9 SET proteins possessed a variety of domain organizations, and can be classified into five types and ten subtypes. Plant Su(var)3-9 SET genes also exhibit a wide range of gene structures among different paralogs within a family, even in the regions encoding conserved PreSET and SET domains. We also found that the majority of SUVH members were intronless and formed three subclades within the SUVH clade. A detailed phylogenetic analysis of the plant Su(var)3-9 SET genes was performed. A novel deep phylogenetic relationship including most plant Su(var)3-9 SET genes was identified. Additional domains such as SAR, ZnF_C2H2 and WIYLD were early integrated into primordial PreSET/SET/PostSET domain organization. At least three classes of gene structures had been formed before the divergence of Physcomitrella patens (moss) from other land plants. One or multiple retroposition events might have occurred among SUVH genes with the donor genes leading to the V-2 orthologous group. The structural differences among evolutionary groups of plant Su(var)3-9 SET genes with different functions were described, contributing to the design of further experimental studies.

  18. Clinical laboratories collaborate to resolve differences in variant interpretations submitted to ClinVar.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Steven M; Dolinsky, Jill S; Knight Johnson, Amy E; Pesaran, Tina; Azzariti, Danielle R; Bale, Sherri; Chao, Elizabeth C; Das, Soma; Vincent, Lisa; Rehm, Heidi L

    2017-10-01

    Data sharing through ClinVar offers a unique opportunity to identify interpretation differences between laboratories. As part of a ClinGen initiative, four clinical laboratories (Ambry, GeneDx, Partners Healthcare Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, and University of Chicago Genetic Services Laboratory) collaborated to identify the basis of interpretation differences and to investigate if data sharing and reassessment resolve interpretation differences by analyzing a subset of variants. ClinVar variants with submissions from at least two of the four participating laboratories were compared. For a subset of identified differences, laboratories documented the basis for discordance, shared internal data, independently reassessed with the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics-Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG-AMP) guidelines, and then compared interpretations. At least two of the participating laboratories interpreted 6,169 variants in ClinVar, of which 88.3% were initially concordant. Laboratories reassessed 242/724 initially discordant variants, of which 87.2% (211) were resolved by reassessment with current criteria and/or internal data sharing; 12.8% (31) of reassessed variants remained discordant owing to differences in the application of the ACMG-AMP guidelines. Participating laboratories increased their overall concordance from 88.3 to 91.7%, indicating that sharing variant interpretations in ClinVar-thereby allowing identification of differences and motivation to resolve those differences-is critical to moving toward more consistent variant interpretations.Genet Med advance online publication 09 March 2017.

  19. Genetic diversity of the DBLalpha region in Plasmodium falciparum var genes among Asia-Pacific isolates.

    PubMed

    Fowler, Elizabeth V; Peters, Jennifer M; Gatton, Michelle L; Chen, Nanhua; Cheng, Qin

    2002-03-01

    In Plasmodium falciparum a highly polymorphic multi-copy gene family, var, encodes the variant surface antigen P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), which has an important role in cytoadherence and immune evasion. Using previously described universal PCR primers for the first Duffy binding-like domain (DBLalpha) of var we analysed the DBLalpha repertoires of Dd2 (originally from Thailand) and eight isolates from the Solomon Islands (n=4), Philippines (n=2), Papua New Guinea (n=1) and Africa (n=1). We found 15-32 unique DBLalpha sequence types among these isolates and estimated detectable DBLalpha repertoire sizes ranging from 33-38 to 52-57 copies per genome. Our data suggest that var gene repertoires generally consist of 40-50 copies per genome. Eighteen DBLalpha sequences appeared in more than one Asia-Pacific isolate with the number of sequences shared between any two isolates ranging from 0 to 6 (mean=2.0 +/-1.6). At the amino acid level DBLalpha sequence similarity within isolates ranged from 45.2 +/- 7.1 to 50.2 +/- 6.9%, and was not significantly different from the DBLalpha amino acid sequence similarity among isolates (P>0.1). Comparisons with published sequences also revealed little overlap among DBLalpha sequences from different regions. High DBLalpha sequence diversity and minimal overlap among these isolates suggest that the global var gene repertoire is immense, and may potentially be selected for by the host's protective immune response to the var gene products, PfEMP1.

  20. Diversity, virulence and 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol sensitivity of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici isolates from Washington State

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We determined whether isolates of the take-all pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici become less sensitive to 2,4-DAPG during wheat monoculture as a result of exposure to the antibiotic over multiple growing seasons. Over 177 isolates of G. graminis var. tritici were baited from roots of nat...

  1. JIL-1 and Su(var)3-7 Interact Genetically and Counteract Each Other's Effect on Position-Effect Variegation in Drosophila

    PubMed Central

    Deng, Huai; Cai, Weili; Wang, Chao; Lerach, Stephanie; Delattre, Marion; Girton, Jack; Johansen, Jørgen; Johansen, Kristen M.

    2010-01-01

    The essential JIL-1 histone H3S10 kinase is a key regulator of chromatin structure that functions to maintain euchromatic domains while counteracting heterochromatization and gene silencing. In the absence of the JIL-1 kinase, two of the major heterochromatin markers H3K9me2 and HP1a spread in tandem to ectopic locations on the chromosome arms. Here we address the role of the third major heterochromatin component, the zinc-finger protein Su(var)3-7. We show that the lethality but not the chromosome morphology defects associated with the null JIL-1 phenotype to a large degree can be rescued by reducing the dose of the Su(var)3-7 gene and that Su(var)3-7 and JIL-1 loss-of-function mutations have an antagonistic and counterbalancing effect on position-effect variegation (PEV). Furthermore, we show that in the absence of JIL-1 kinase activity, Su(var)3-7 gets redistributed and upregulated on the chromosome arms. Reducing the dose of the Su(var)3-7 gene dramatically decreases this redistribution; however, the spreading of H3K9me2 to the chromosome arms was unaffected, strongly indicating that ectopic Su(var)3-9 activity is not a direct cause of lethality. These observations suggest a model where Su(var)3-7 functions as an effector downstream of Su(var)3-9 and H3K9 dimethylation in heterochromatic spreading and gene silencing that is normally counteracted by JIL-1 kinase activity. PMID:20457875

  2. Ultrastructural Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego on Midgut Cells of the Cottonwood Leaf Beetle1

    Treesearch

    Leah S. Bauer; Stuart H. Pankratz

    1992-01-01

    Sequential observations of the ultrastructural effects of Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego were made on midgut epithelial cells of the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta F. Larvae imbibed a droplet of B. thuringiensis var. san diego containing endotoxin and live...

  3. Identification of a Major Dimorphic Region in the Functionally Critical N-Terminal ID1 Domain of VAR2CSA

    PubMed Central

    Doritchamou, Justin; Sabbagh, Audrey; Jespersen, Jakob S.; Renard, Emmanuelle; Salanti, Ali; Nielsen, Morten A.; Deloron, Philippe; Tuikue Ndam, Nicaise

    2015-01-01

    The VAR2CSA protein of Plasmodium falciparum is transported to and expressed on the infected erythrocyte surface where it plays a key role in placental malaria (PM). It is the current leading candidate for a vaccine to prevent PM. However, the antigenic polymorphism integral to VAR2CSA poses a challenge for vaccine development. Based on detailed analysis of polymorphisms in the sequence of its ligand-binding N-terminal region, currently the main focus for vaccine development, we assessed var2csa from parasite isolates infecting pregnant women. The results reveal for the first time the presence of a major dimorphic region in the functionally critical N-terminal ID1 domain. Parasite isolates expressing VAR2CSA with particular motifs present within this domain are associated with gravidity- and parasite density-related effects. These observations are of particular interest in guiding efforts with respect to optimization of the VAR2CSA-based vaccines currently under development. PMID:26393516

  4. Antioxidant properties and global metabolite screening of the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii.

    PubMed

    Datta, Suprama; Timson, David J; Annapure, Uday S

    2017-07-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii is the only yeast species with probiotic properties. It is considered to have therapeutic significance in gastrointestinal disorders. In the present study, a comparative physiological study between this yeast and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (BY4742) was performed by evaluating two prominent traits of probiotic species, responses to different stress conditions and antioxidant capacity. A global metabolite profile was also developed aiming to identify which therapeutically important secondary metabolites are produced. Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii showed no significant difference in growth patterns but greater stress tolerance compared to S. cerevisiae. It also demonstrated a six- to 10-fold greater antioxidant potential (judged by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay), with a 70-fold higher total phenolic content and a 20-fold higher total flavonoid content in the extracellular fraction. These features were clearly differentiated by principal component analysis and further indicated by metabolite profiling. The extracellular fraction of the S. cerevisiae var. boulardii cultures was found to be rich in polyphenolic metabolites: vanillic acid, cinnamic acid, phenyl ethyl alcohol (rose oil), erythromycin, amphetamine and vitamin B 6 , which results in the antioxidant capacity of this strain. The present study presents a new perspective for differentiating the two genetically related strains of yeast, S. cerevisiae and S. cerevisiae var. boulardii by assessing their metabolome fingerprints. In addition to the correlation of the phenotypic properties with the secretory metabolites of these two yeasts, the present study also emphasizes the potential to exploit S. cerevisiae var. boulardii in the industrial production of these metabolites. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  5. Engineering-Scale Demonstration of DuraLith and Ceramicrete Waste Forms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Josephson, Gary B.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Pires, Richard P.

    2011-09-23

    To support the selection of a waste form for the liquid secondary wastes from the Hanford Waste Immobilization and Treatment Plant, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has initiated secondary waste form testing on four candidate waste forms. Two of the candidate waste forms have not been developed to scale as the more mature waste forms. This work describes engineering-scale demonstrations conducted on Ceramicrete and DuraLith candidate waste forms. Both candidate waste forms were successfully demonstrated at an engineering scale. A preliminary conceptual design could be prepared for full-scale production of the candidate waste forms. However, both waste forms are stillmore » too immature to support a detailed design. Formulations for each candidate waste form need to be developed so that the material has a longer working time after mixing the liquid and solid constituents together. Formulations optimized based on previous lab studies did not have sufficient working time to support large-scale testing. The engineering-scale testing was successfully completed using modified formulations. Further lab development and parametric studies are needed to optimize formulations with adequate working time and assess the effects of changes in raw materials and process parameters on the final product performance. Studies on effects of mixing intensity on the initial set time of the waste forms are also needed.« less

  6. [Study on chemical constituents of volatile oil from rhizomes and leaves of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens by GC-MS].

    PubMed

    Zou, Ju-Ying; Chen, Sheng-Huang; Li, Qin-Wen; Chen, Han-Jun; Liu, Bei-Bei; Du, Fan

    2012-04-01

    To analyze the chemical constituents of volatile oil from the rhizomes and leaves of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens by GC-MS. The volatile oil was extracted from the rhizomes and leaves of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens by steam distillation. The constituents of volatile oil were identified by GC-MS technology. 37 compounds were identified from the oil of rhizomes. 36 compounds were identified from the oil of leaves. The rhizomes and leaves volatile oil had 18 compounds in common. This study is the first one to report the volatile components of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens. It can provide a scientific basis for rational use of the rhizomes and leaves of Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens.

  7. [A new secoiridoid from the flowers of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Gui-Qin; Yin, Zhi-Feng; Dong, Jun-Xing

    2008-05-01

    To study the chemical constituents of the flowers of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum, the compounds were isolated and purified by HPLC, recrystallization and chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Six secoiridoids were identified as jasgranoside (I), jaspolyoside (II), 8-epi-kingiside (III), 10-hydroxy-oleuropein (IV), 10-hydroxy-ligstroside (V), oleoside-7, 11-dimethyl ester (VI). Compound I is a new compound. Compounds II, III, IV, V and VI were isolated from Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum for the first time.

  8. Differential recognition of terminal extracellular Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA domains by sera from multigravid, malaria-exposed Malian women.

    PubMed

    Travassos, Mark A; Coulibaly, Drissa; Bailey, Jason A; Niangaly, Amadou; Adams, Matthew; Nyunt, Myaing M; Ouattara, Amed; Lyke, Kirsten E; Laurens, Matthew B; Pablo, Jozelyn; Jasinskas, Algis; Nakajima, Rie; Berry, Andrea A; Takala-Harrison, Shannon; Kone, Abdoulaye K; Kouriba, Bourema; Rowe, J Alexandra; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Thera, Mahamadou A; Laufer, Miriam K; Felgner, Philip L; Plowe, Christopher V

    2015-06-01

    The Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family mediates parasite sequestration in small capillaries through tissue-specific cytoadherence. The best characterized of these proteins is VAR2CSA, which is expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes that bind to chondroitin sulfate in the placental matrix. Antibodies to VAR2CSA prevent placental cytoadherence and protect against placental malaria. The size and complexity of the VAR2CSA protein pose challenges for vaccine development, but smaller constitutive domains may be suitable for subunit vaccine development. A protein microarray was printed to include five overlapping fragments of the 3D7 VAR2CSA extracellular region. Malian women with a history of at least one pregnancy had antibody recognition of four of these fragments and had stronger reactivity against the two distal fragments than did nulliparous women, children, and men from Mali, suggesting that the C-terminal extracellular VAR2CSA domains are a potential focus of protective immunity. With carefully chosen sera from longitudinal studies of pregnant women, this approach has the potential to identify seroreactive VAR2CSA domains associated with protective immunity against pregnancy-associated malaria. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  9. A var gene promoter implicated in severe malaria nucleates silencing and is regulated by 3’ untranslated region and intronic cis-elements

    PubMed Central

    Muhle, Rebecca A.; Adjalley, Sophie; Falkard, Brie; Nkrumah, Louis J.; Muhle, Michael E.; Fidock, David A.

    2009-01-01

    Questions surround the mechanism of mutually exclusive expression by which Plasmodium falciparum mediates activation and silencing of var genes. These encode PfEMP1 proteins, which function as cytoadherent and immunomodulatory molecules at the surface of parasitized erythrocytes. Current evidence suggests that promoter silencing by var introns might play a key role in var gene regulation. To evaluate the impact of cis-acting regulatory regions on var silencing, we generated P. falciparum lines in which luciferase was placed under the control of an UpsA var promoter. By utilizing the Bxb1 integrase system, these reporter cassettes were targeted to a genomic region that was not in apposition to var sub-telomeric domains. This eliminated possible effects from surrounding telomeric elements and removed the variability inherent in episomal systems. Studies with highly synchronized parasites revealed that the UpsA element possessed minimal activity in comparison with a heterologous (hrp3) promoter. This may well result from the integrated UpsA promoter being largely silenced by the neighboring cg6 promoter. Our analyses also revealed that the DownsA 3’ untranslated region further decreased the luciferase activity from both cassettes, whereas the var A intron repressed the UpsA promoter specifically. By applying multivariate analysis over the entire cell cycle, we confirmed the significance of these cis-elements and found the parasite stage to be the major factor regulating UpsA promoter activity. Additionally, we observed that the UpsA promoter was capable of nucleating reversible silencing that spread to a downstream promoter. We believe these studies are the first to analyze promoter activity of Group A var genes which have been implicated in severe malaria, and support the model that var introns can further suppress var expression. These data also suggest an important suppressive role for the DownsA terminator. Our findings imply the existence of multiple levels of

  10. Cryopreservation of chayote (Sechium edule JACQ. SW.) zygotic embryos and shoot-tips from in vitro plantlets.

    PubMed

    Abdelnour-Esquivel, Ana; Engelmann, Florent

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents the development of cryopreservation protocols for zygotic embryos and apices of chayote (Sechium edule Jacq. Sw.), a tropical plant species with recalcitrant seeds. Zygotic embryos of two cultivars, Ccocro negro (CN) and Claudio (Cl) could withstand cryopreservation, with survival percentages of 10 and 30 %, after desiccation to 23 and 19 % moisture content (fresh weight basis), respectively. Apices sampled on in vitro plantlets of cultivars Cl, 13 and JM were successfully cryopreserved using a vitrification technique. Optimal conditions included the culture of mother-plants for 22 days on medium containing 0.3 M sucrose, culture of excised apices on the same medium for 1 day, loading of apices for 20 min with 2M glycerol + 0.4M glycerol, treatment with a series of diluted PVS2 solution (60 % PVS2 followed by 80 % PVS2 solution for 15 min (cultivar Cocoro Blanco [CB]) or 30 min (cultivars CN and Cl) at each concentration), rapid freezing and thawing, washing of shoot-tips with a 1.2 M sucrose solution, followed by recovery on media with progressively decreasing sucrose concentrations until the standard concentration of 0.1 M was reached. The highest survival percentages achieved ranged between 17 and 38 %, depending on the cultivar.

  11. Biotechnological enhancement of capsaicin biosynthesis in cell suspension cultures of Naga King Chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.).

    PubMed

    Kehie, Mechuselie; Kumaria, Suman; Tandon, Pramod

    2016-01-01

    Cell suspension cultures were initiated from hypocotyl derived callus to induce capsaicin biosynthesis in suspension cultures of Naga King Chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Efficient capsaicin production with high growth index (GI) was obtained by exposing cells to salicylic acid (SA) and calcium channel modulators in suspension cultures. The time course of capsaicin formation is related to the cell growth profile in a batch culture. Cells cultivated in the standard medium (SM) initially showed low level of capsaicin yield during active growth. When the cells approached stationary phase, cell growth and cell viability decreased whereas capsaicin production increased continuously. In the fed-batch cultures, the highest capsaicin yield (567.4 ± 8.1 μgg(1) fresh weight) (f.wt) was obtained by feeding the cells with 1 mM SA. However, SA feeding during cultivation repressed the cell growth. Enhanced cell growth (3.1 ± 0.1 GI/culture) and capsaicin yield (534 ± 7.8 μgg(-1)f.wt) were obtained when the cells were fed with calcium ionophore A23187 (0.5 mM) on day 25 as compared to the control. Addition of the calcium channel blocker verapamil hydrochloride (100 mM) inhibited cell growth and capsaicin production in Naga King Chili suspension cell cultures.

  12. Evidence that the Human Pathogenic Fungus Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii May Have Evolved in Africa

    PubMed Central

    Litvintseva, Anastasia P.; Carbone, Ignazio; Rossouw, Jenny; Thakur, Rameshwari; Govender, Nelesh P.; Mitchell, Thomas G.

    2011-01-01

    Most of the species of fungi that cause disease in mammals, including Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii (serotype A), are exogenous and non-contagious. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii is associated worldwide with avian and arboreal habitats. This airborne, opportunistic pathogen is profoundly neurotropic and the leading cause of fungal meningitis. Patients with HIV/AIDS have been ravaged by cryptococcosis – an estimated one million new cases occur each year, and mortality approaches 50%. Using phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, we present evidence that C. neoformans var. grubii may have evolved from a diverse population in southern Africa. Our ecological studies support the hypothesis that a few of these strains acquired a new environmental reservoir, the excreta of feral pigeons (Columba livia), and were globally dispersed by the migration of birds and humans. This investigation also discovered a novel arboreal reservoir for highly diverse strains of C. neoformans var. grubii that are restricted to southern Africa, the mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane). This finding may have significant public health implications because these primal strains have optimal potential for evolution and because mopane trees contribute to the local economy as a source of timber, folkloric remedies and the edible mopane worm. PMID:21589919

  13. 40 CFR 180.1243 - Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24; exemption from the requirement of a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis var... EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1243 Bacillus subtilis... the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain...

  14. Exogenous nitrate induces root branching and inhibits primary root growth in Capsicum chinense Jacq.

    PubMed

    Celis-Arámburo, Teresita de Jesús; Carrillo-Pech, Mildred; Castro-Concha, Lizbeth A; Miranda-Ham, María de Lourdes; Martínez-Estévez, Manuel; Echevarría-Machado, Ileana

    2011-12-01

    The effects of nitrate (NO₃⁻) on the root system are complex and depend on several factors, such as the concentration available to the plant, endogenous nitrogen status and the sensitivity of the species. Though these effects have been widely documented on Arabidopsis and cereals, no reports are available in the Capsicum genus. In this paper, we have determined the effect of an exogenous in vitro application of this nutrient on root growth in habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Exposure to NO₃⁻ inhibited primary root growth in both, dose- and time-dependent manners. The highest inhibition was attained with 0.1 mM NO₃⁻ between the fourth and fifth days of treatment. Inhibition of primary root growth was observed by exposing the root to both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions of the nutrient; in contrast, ammonium was not able to induce similar changes. NO₃⁻-induced inhibition of primary root growth was reversed by treating the roots with IAA or NPA, a polar auxin transport inhibitor. Heterogeneous NO₃⁻ application stimulated the formation and elongation of lateral roots in the segment where the nutrient was present, and this response was influenced by exogenous phytohormones. These results demonstrate that habanero pepper responds to NO₃⁻ in a similar fashion to other species with certain particular differences. Therefore, studies in this model could help to elucidate the mechanisms by which roots respond to NO₃⁻ in fluctuating soil environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. De novo transcriptome analyses of host-fungal interactions in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.).

    PubMed

    Ho, Chai-Ling; Tan, Yung-Chie; Yeoh, Keat-Ai; Ghazali, Ahmad-Kamal; Yee, Wai-Yan; Hoh, Chee-Choong

    2016-01-19

    Basal stem rot (BSR) is a fungal disease in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) which is caused by hemibiotrophic white rot fungi belonging to the Ganoderma genus. Molecular responses of oil palm to these pathogens are not well known although this information is crucial to strategize effective measures to eradicate BSR. In order to elucidate the molecular interactions between oil palm and G. boninense and its biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum, we compared the root transcriptomes of untreated oil palm seedlings with those inoculated with G. boninense and T. harzianum, respectively. Differential gene expression analyses revealed that jasmonate (JA) and salicylate (SA) may act in an antagonistic manner in affecting the hormone biosynthesis, signaling, and downstream defense responses in G. boninense-treated oil palm roots. In addition, G. boninense may compete with the host to control disease symptom through the transcriptional regulation of ethylene (ET) biosynthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and scavenging. The strengthening of host cell walls and production of pathogenesis-related proteins as well as antifungal secondary metabolites in host plants, are among the important defense mechanisms deployed by oil palm against G. boninense. Meanwhile, endophytic T. harzianum was shown to improve the of nutrition status and nutrient transportation in host plants. The findings of this analysis have enhanced our understanding on the molecular interactions of G. boninense and oil palm, and also the biocontrol mechanisms involving T. harzianum, thus contributing to future formulations of better strategies for prevention and treatment of BSR.

  16. Molecular dissection of placental malaria protein VAR2CSA interaction with a chemo-enzymatically synthesized chondroitin sulfate library.

    PubMed

    Sugiura, Nobuo; Clausen, Thomas Mandel; Shioiri, Tatsumasa; Gustavsson, Tobias; Watanabe, Hideto; Salanti, Ali

    2016-12-01

    Placental malaria, a serious infection caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is characterized by the selective accumulation of infected erythrocytes (IEs) in the placentas of the pregnant women. Placental adherence is mediated by the malarial VAR2CSA protein, which interacts with chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycans present in the placental tissue. CS is a linear acidic polysaccharide composed of repeating disaccharide units of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine that are modified by sulfate groups at different positions. Previous reports have shown that placental-adhering IEs were associated with an unusually low sulfated form of chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) and that a partially sulfated dodecasaccharide is the minimal motif for the interaction. However, the fine molecular structure of this CS chain remains unclear. In this study, we have characterized the CS chain that interacts with a recombinant minimal CS-binding region of VAR2CSA (rVAR2) using a CS library of various defined lengths and sulfate compositions. The CS library was chemo-enzymatically synthesized with bacterial chondroitin polymerase and recombinant CS sulfotransferases. We found that C-4 sulfation of the N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residue is critical for supporting rVAR2 binding, whereas no other sulfate modifications showed effects. Interaction of rVAR2 with CS is highly correlated with the degree of C-4 sulfation and CS chain length. We confirmed that the minimum structure binding to rVAR2 is a tri-sulfated CSA dodecasaccharide, and found that a highly sulfated CSA eicosasaccharide is a more potent inhibitor of rVAR2 binding than the dodecasaccharides. These results suggest that CSA derivatives may potentially serve as targets in therapeutic strategies against placental malaria.

  17. Antibody levels to recombinant VAR2CSA domains vary with Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia, gestational age, and gravidity, but do not predict pregnancy outcomes.

    PubMed

    Fried, Michal; Kurtis, Jonathan D; Swihart, Bruce; Morrison, Robert; Pond-Tor, Sunthorn; Barry, Amadou; Sidibe, Youssoufa; Keita, Sekouba; Mahamar, Almahamoudou; Andemel, Naissem; Attaher, Oumar; Dembele, Adama B; Cisse, Kadidia B; Diarra, Bacary S; Kanoute, Moussa B; Narum, David L; Dicko, Alassane; Duffy, Patrick E

    2018-03-09

    Maternal malaria is a tropical scourge associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Women become resistant to Plasmodium falciparum pregnancy malaria as they acquire antibodies to the variant surface antigen VAR2CSA, a leading vaccine candidate. Because malaria infection may increase VAR2CSA antibody levels and thereby confound analyses of immune protection, gravidity-dependent changes in antibody levels during and after infection, and the effect of VAR2CSA antibodies on pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Pregnant women enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of mother-infant pairs in Ouelessebougou, Mali provided plasma samples at enrollment, gestational week 30-32, and delivery. Antibody levels to VAR2CSA domains were measured using a multiplex bead-based assay. Antibody levels to VAR2CSA were higher in multigravidae than primigravidae. Malaria infection was associated with increased antibody levels to VAR2CSA domains. In primigravidae but not in secundigravidae or multigravidae, antibodies levels sharply declined after an infection. A relationship between any VAR2CSA antibody specificity and protection from adverse pregnancy outcomes was not detected. During malaria infection, primigravidae acquire short-lived antibodies. The lack of an association between VAR2CSA domain antibody reactivity and improved pregnancy outcomes suggests that the recombinant proteins may not present native epitopes targeted by protective antibodies.

  18. Evidence for Globally Shared, Cross-Reacting Polymorphic Epitopes in the Pregnancy-Associated Malaria Vaccine Candidate VAR2CSA▿

    PubMed Central

    Avril, Marion; Kulasekara, Bridget R.; Gose, Severin O.; Rowe, Chris; Dahlbäck, Madeleine; Duffy, Patrick E.; Fried, Michal; Salanti, Ali; Misher, Lynda; Narum, David L.; Smith, Joseph D.

    2008-01-01

    Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is characterized by the placental sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) with the ability to bind to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). VAR2CSA is a leading candidate for a pregnancy malaria vaccine, but its large size (∼350 kDa) and extensive polymorphism may pose a challenge to vaccine development. In this study, rabbits were immunized with individual VAR2CSA Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains expressed in Pichia pastoris or var2csa plasmid DNA and sera were screened on different CSA-binding parasite lines. Rabbit antibodies to three recombinant proteins (DBL1, DBL3, and DBL6) and four plasmid DNAs (DBL1, DBL3, DBL5, and DBL6) reacted with homologous FCR3-CSA IEs. By comparison, antibodies to the DBL4 domain were unable to react with native VAR2CSA protein unless it was first partially proteolyzed with trypsin or chymotrypsin. To investigate the antigenic relationship of geographically diverse CSA-binding isolates, rabbit immune sera were screened on four heterologous CSA-binding lines from different continental origins. Antibodies did not target conserved epitopes exposed in all VAR2CSA alleles; however, antisera to several DBL domains cross-reacted on parasite isolates that had polymorphic loops in common with the homologous immunogen. This study demonstrates that VAR2CSA contains common polymorphic epitopes that are shared between geographically diverse CSA-binding lines. PMID:18250177

  19. Evidence for globally shared, cross-reacting polymorphic epitopes in the pregnancy-associated malaria vaccine candidate VAR2CSA.

    PubMed

    Avril, Marion; Kulasekara, Bridget R; Gose, Severin O; Rowe, Chris; Dahlbäck, Madeleine; Duffy, Patrick E; Fried, Michal; Salanti, Ali; Misher, Lynda; Narum, David L; Smith, Joseph D

    2008-04-01

    Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is characterized by the placental sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) with the ability to bind to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). VAR2CSA is a leading candidate for a pregnancy malaria vaccine, but its large size ( approximately 350 kDa) and extensive polymorphism may pose a challenge to vaccine development. In this study, rabbits were immunized with individual VAR2CSA Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains expressed in Pichia pastoris or var2csa plasmid DNA and sera were screened on different CSA-binding parasite lines. Rabbit antibodies to three recombinant proteins (DBL1, DBL3, and DBL6) and four plasmid DNAs (DBL1, DBL3, DBL5, and DBL6) reacted with homologous FCR3-CSA IEs. By comparison, antibodies to the DBL4 domain were unable to react with native VAR2CSA protein unless it was first partially proteolyzed with trypsin or chymotrypsin. To investigate the antigenic relationship of geographically diverse CSA-binding isolates, rabbit immune sera were screened on four heterologous CSA-binding lines from different continental origins. Antibodies did not target conserved epitopes exposed in all VAR2CSA alleles; however, antisera to several DBL domains cross-reacted on parasite isolates that had polymorphic loops in common with the homologous immunogen. This study demonstrates that VAR2CSA contains common polymorphic epitopes that are shared between geographically diverse CSA-binding lines.

  20. Development of the WRF-CO2 4D-Var assimilation system v1.0

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Tao; French, Nancy H. F.; Baxter, Martin

    2018-05-01

    Regional atmospheric CO2 inversions commonly use Lagrangian particle trajectory model simulations to calculate the required influence function, which quantifies the sensitivity of a receptor to flux sources. In this paper, an adjoint-based four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) assimilation system, WRF-CO2 4D-Var, is developed to provide an alternative approach. This system is developed based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system, including the system coupled to chemistry (WRF-Chem), with tangent linear and adjoint codes (WRFPLUS), and with data assimilation (WRFDA), all in version 3.6. In WRF-CO2 4D-Var, CO2 is modeled as a tracer and its feedback to meteorology is ignored. This configuration allows most WRF physical parameterizations to be used in the assimilation system without incurring a large amount of code development. WRF-CO2 4D-Var solves for the optimized CO2 flux scaling factors in a Bayesian framework. Two variational optimization schemes are implemented for the system: the first uses the limited memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) minimization algorithm (L-BFGS-B) and the second uses the Lanczos conjugate gradient (CG) in an incremental approach. WRFPLUS forward, tangent linear, and adjoint models are modified to include the physical and dynamical processes involved in the atmospheric transport of CO2. The system is tested by simulations over a domain covering the continental United States at 48 km × 48 km grid spacing. The accuracy of the tangent linear and adjoint models is assessed by comparing against finite difference sensitivity. The system's effectiveness for CO2 inverse modeling is tested using pseudo-observation data. The results of the sensitivity and inverse modeling tests demonstrate the potential usefulness of WRF-CO2 4D-Var for regional CO2 inversions.

  1. Positive Selection of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites With Multiple var2csa-Type PfEMP1 Genes During the Course of Infection in Pregnant Women

    PubMed Central

    Salanti, Ali; Lavstsen, Thomas; Nielsen, Morten A.; Theander, Thor G.; Leke, Rose G. F.; Lo, Yeung Y.; Bobbili, Naveen; Arnot, David E.; Taylor, Diane W.

    2011-01-01

    Placental malaria infections are caused by Plasmodium falciparum–infected red blood cells sequestering in the placenta by binding to chondroitin sulfate A, mediated by VAR2CSA, a variant of the PfEMP1 family of adhesion antigens. Recent studies have shown that many P. falciparum genomes have multiple genes coding for different VAR2CSA proteins, and parasites with >1 var2csa gene appear to be more common in pregnant women with placental malaria than in nonpregnant individuals. We present evidence that, in pregnant women, parasites containing multiple var2csa-type genes possess a selective advantage over parasites with a single var2csa gene. Accumulation of parasites with multiple copies of the var2csa gene during the course of pregnancy was also correlated with the development of antibodies involved in blocking VAR2CSA adhesion. The data suggest that multiplicity of var2csa-type genes enables P. falciparum parasites to persist for a longer period of time during placental infections, probably because of their greater capacity for antigenic variation and evasion of variant-specific immune responses. PMID:21592998

  2. [Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti (L.) strains from Havana to a Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis].

    PubMed

    Menéndez Díaz, Zulema; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Jinnay; Gato Armas, René; Companioni Ibañez, Ariamys; Díaz Pérez, Manuel; Bruzón Aguila, Rosa Yirian

    2012-01-01

    the integration of chemical and biological methods is one of the strategies for the vector control, due to the existing environmental problems and the concerns of the community as a result of the synthetic organic insecticide actions. The bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis in liquid formulation has been widely used in the vector control programs in several countries and has shown high efficacy at lab in Cuba. to determine the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti collected in the municipalities of La Habana province to Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. fifteen Aedes aegypti strains, one from each municipality, were used including larvae and pupas collected in 2010 and one reference strain known as Rockefeller. The aqueous formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bactivec, Labiofam, Cuba) was used. The bioassays complied with the World Health Organization guidelines for use of bacterial larvicides in the public health sector. The larval mortality was read after 24 hours and the results were processed by the statistical system SPSS (11.0) through Probit analysis. the evaluated mosquito strains showed high susceptibility to biolarvicide, there were no significant differences in LC50 values of Ae. aegypti strains, neither in the comparison of these values with those of the reference strain. the presented results indicate that the use of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis continues to be a choice for the control of Aedes aegypti larval populations in La Habana province.

  3. PURIFICATION AND ACTIVITY OF PROTEINASE OF STREPTOCOCCUS FAECALIS VAR. LIQUEFACIENS

    PubMed Central

    Shugart, Lee R.; Beck, Raymond W.

    1964-01-01

    Shugart, Lee R. (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) and Raymond W. Beck. Purification and activity of proteinase of Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens. J. Bacteriol. 88:586–590. 1964.—A proteolytic enzyme from Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens was purified 480-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation and treatment with calcium phosphate gel. Approximately 20% of the original enzyme activity was recovered in the purified fraction. Optimal enzyme activity was found to be at pH 7.6 and 35 C. The enzyme is apparently more susceptible to heat denaturation when complexed with substrate than when heated in the absence of substrate. Michaelis-Menten constants were found to be 0.655% for hemoglobin and 0.133% for casein. Apparent energies of activation on these substrates were calculated to be 9,060 and 12,020 cal, respectively. PMID:14208492

  4. Essential oil compositions and anticholinesterase activities of two edible plants Tragopogon latifolius var. angustifolius and Lycopsis orientalis.

    PubMed

    Ertaş, Abdulselam; Gören, Ahmet C; Boğa, Mehmet; Yeşil, Yeter; Kolak, Ufuk

    2014-01-01

    This is the first report in the literature on essential oil compositions of Tragopogon latifolius var. angustifolius and Lycopsis orientalis which were analysed by using GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. The main constituents of T. latifolius var. angustifolius were identified as α-selinene (10.5%), 2,5-di-tert octyl-p-benzoquinone (9.5%) and valencene (7.0%); however, the main components of L. orientalis were identified as heptacosane (10.5%), τ-muurolene (9.6%) and tetratetracontane (9.4%). The essential oils of T. latifolius var. angustifolius and L. orientalis species exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase enzymes at 200 μg/mL.

  5. Genetic and phenological variation of tocochromanol (vitamin E) content in wild (Daucus carota L. var. carota) and domesticated carrot (D. carota L. var. sativa)

    PubMed Central

    Luby, Claire H; Maeda, Hiroshi A; Goldman, Irwin L

    2014-01-01

    Carrot roots (Daucus carota L. var. sativa) produce tocochromanol compounds, collectively known as vitamin E. However, little is known about their types and amounts. Here we determined the range and variation in types and amounts of tocochromanols in a variety of cultivated carrot accessions throughout carrot postharvest storage and reproductive stages and in wild-type roots (Daucus carota L. var. carota). Of eight possible tocochromanol compounds, we detected and quantified α-, and the combined peak for β- and γ- forms of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Significant variation in amounts of tocochromanol compounds was observed across accessions and over time. Large increases in α-tocopherol were noted during both reproductive growth and the postharvest stages. The variation of tocochromanols in carrot root tissue provides useful information for future research seeking to understand the role of these compounds in carrot root tissue or to breed varieties with increased levels of these compounds. PMID:26504534

  6. Search for methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphisms associated with the mantled variant phenotype in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq).

    PubMed

    Jaligot, E; Beulé, T; Baurens, F-C; Billotte, N; Rival, A

    2004-02-01

    The methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique has been employed on somatic embryo-derived oil palms (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) to identify methylation polymorphisms correlated with the "mantled" somaclonal variation. The variant phenotype displays an unstable feminization of male organs in both male and female flowers. Using MSAP, the methylation status of CCGG sites was compared in three normal versus three mantled regenerants sampled in clonal populations obtained through somatic embryogenesis from four genotypically distinct mother palms. Overall, 64 selective primer combinations were used and they have amplified 23 markers exhibiting a differential methylation pattern between the two phenotypes. Our results indicate that CCGG sites are poorly affected by the considerable decrease in global DNA methylation that has been previously associated with the mantled phenotype. Each of the 23 markers isolated in the present study could discriminate between the two phenotypes only when they were from the same genetic origin. This result hampers at the moment the direct use of MSAP markers for the early detection of variants, even though valuable information on putative target sequences will be obtained from a further characterization of these polymorphic markers.

  7. In vitro plantlet regeneration from nodal segments and shoot tips of Capsicum chinense Jacq. cv. Naga King Chili.

    PubMed

    Kehie, Mechuselie; Kumaria, Suman; Tandon, Pramod

    2012-03-01

    An in vitro regeneration protocol was developed for Capsicum chinense Jacq. cv. Naga King Chili, a very pungent chili cultivar and an important horticultural crop of Nagaland (Northeast India). Maximum number of shoot (13 ± 0.70) was induced with bud-forming capacity (BFC) index of 10.8, by culturing nodal segments in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 18.16 μM Thidiazuron (TDZ) followed by 35.52 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Using shoot tips as explants, multiple shoot (10 ± 0.37) (BFC 8.3) was also induced in MS medium fortified with either 18.16 μM TDZ or 35.52 μM BAP. Elongated shoots were best rooted in MS medium containing 5.70 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Rooted plantlets thus developed were hardened in 2-3 weeks time in plastic cups containing potting mixture of a 1:1 mix of soil and cow dung manure and then subsequently transferred to earthen pots. The regenerated plants did not show any variation in the morphology and growth as compared to the parent plant.

  8. Variogram Analysis of Response surfaces (VARS): A New Framework for Global Sensitivity Analysis of Earth and Environmental Systems Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razavi, S.; Gupta, H. V.

    2015-12-01

    Earth and environmental systems models (EESMs) are continually growing in complexity and dimensionality with continuous advances in understanding and computing power. Complexity and dimensionality are manifested by introducing many different factors in EESMs (i.e., model parameters, forcings, boundary conditions, etc.) to be identified. Sensitivity Analysis (SA) provides an essential means for characterizing the role and importance of such factors in producing the model responses. However, conventional approaches to SA suffer from (1) an ambiguous characterization of sensitivity, and (2) poor computational efficiency, particularly as the problem dimension grows. Here, we present a new and general sensitivity analysis framework (called VARS), based on an analogy to 'variogram analysis', that provides an intuitive and comprehensive characterization of sensitivity across the full spectrum of scales in the factor space. We prove, theoretically, that Morris (derivative-based) and Sobol (variance-based) methods and their extensions are limiting cases of VARS, and that their SA indices can be computed as by-products of the VARS framework. We also present a practical strategy for the application of VARS to real-world problems, called STAR-VARS, including a new sampling strategy, called "star-based sampling". Our results across several case studies show the STAR-VARS approach to provide reliable and stable assessments of "global" sensitivity across the full range of scales in the factor space, while being at least 1-2 orders of magnitude more efficient than the benchmark Morris and Sobol approaches.

  9. The role of the mussel Mytilus spp. in the transmission of ostreid herpesvirus-1 microVar.

    PubMed

    O' Reilly, A J; Laide, C; Maloy, A; Hutton, S; Bookelaar, B; O' Sullivan, K; Lynch, S A; Culloty, S C

    2017-12-21

    The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas contributes significantly to global aquaculture; however, C. gigas culture has been affected by ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) and variants. The dynamics of how the virus maintains itself at culture sites is unclear and the role of carriers, reservoirs or hosts is unknown. Both wild and cultured mussels Mytilus spp. (Mytilus edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis and hybrids) are commonly found at C. gigas culture sites. The objective of this study was to investigate if Mytilus spp. can harbour the virus and if viral transmission can occur between mussels and oysters. Mytilus spp. living at oyster trestles, 400-500 m higher up the shore from the trestles and up to 26 km at non-culture sites were screened for OsHV-1 and variants by all the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recommended diagnostic methods including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), histology, in situ hybridization and confirmation using direct sequencing. The particular primers that target OsHV-1 and variants, including OsHV-1 microVarVar), were used in the PCR and qPCR. OsHV-1 μVar was detected in wild Mytilus spp. at C. gigas culture sites and more significantly the virus was detected in mussels at non-culture sites. Cohabitation of exposed wild mussels and naïve C. gigas resulted in viral transmission after 14 days, under an elevated temperature regime. These results indicate that mussels can harbour OsHV-1 μVar; however, the impact of OsHV-1 μVar on Mytilus spp. requires further investigation.

  10. Characterization of Mesocarp and Kernel Lipids from Elaeis guineensis Jacq., Elaeis oleifera [Kunth] Cortés, and Their Interspecific Hybrids.

    PubMed

    Lieb, Veronika M; Kerfers, Margarete R; Kronmüller, Amrei; Esquivel, Patricia; Alvarado, Amancio; Jiménez, Víctor M; Schmarr, Hans-Georg; Carle, Reinhold; Schweiggert, Ralf M; Steingass, Christof B

    2017-05-10

    Morphological traits, total lipid contents, and fatty acid profiles were assessed in fruits of several accessions of Elaeis oleifera [Kunth] Cortés, Elaeis guineensis Jacq., and their interspecific hybrids. The latter featured the highest mesocarp-to-fruit ratios (77.9-78.2%). The total lipid contents of both E. guineensis mesocarp and kernel were significantly higher than for E. oleifera accessions. Main fatty acids comprised C16:0, C18:1n9, and C18:2n6 in mesocarp and C12:0, C14:0, and C18:1n9 in kernels. E. oleifera samples were characterized by higher proportions of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids. Saturated medium-chain fatty acids supported the clustering of E. guineensis kernels in multivariate statistics. Hybrid mesocarp lipids had an intermediate fatty acid composition, whereas their kernel lipids resembled those of E. oleifera genotypes. Principal component analysis based on lipid contents and proportions of individual fatty acids permitted clear-cut distinction of E. oleifera, E. guineensis, and their hybrids.

  11. Transcriptome sequence analysis of an ornamental plant, Ananas comosus var. bracteatus, revealed the potential unigenes involved in terpenoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jun; Kanakala, S; He, Yehua; Zhang, Junli; Zhong, Xiaolan

    2015-01-01

    Ananas comosus var. bracteatus (Red Pineapple) is an important ornamental plant for its colorful leaves and decorative red fruits. Because of its complex genome, it is difficult to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the growth and development. Thus high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus is necessary to generate large quantities of transcript sequences for the purpose of gene discovery and functional genomic studies. The Ananas comosus var. bracteatus transcriptome was sequenced by the Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. We obtained a total of 23.5 million high quality sequencing reads, 1,555,808 contigs and 41,052 unigenes. In total 41,052 unigenes of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus, 23,275 unigenes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant protein database and 23,134 unigenes were annotated in the Swiss-Port database. Out of these, 17,748 and 8,505 unigenes were assigned to gene ontology categories and clusters of orthologous groups, respectively. Functional annotation against Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database identified 5,825 unigenes which were mapped to 117 pathways. The assembly predicted many unigenes that were previously unknown. The annotated unigenes were compared against pineapple, rice, maize, Arabidopsis, and sorghum. Unigenes that did not match any of those five sequence datasets are considered to be Ananas comosus var. bracteatus unique. We predicted unigenes encoding enzymes involved in terpenoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The sequence data provide the most comprehensive transcriptomic resource currently available for Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. To our knowledge; this is the first report on the de novo transcriptome sequencing of the Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. Unigenes obtained in this study, may help improve future gene expression, genetic and genomics studies in Ananas comosus var. bracteatus.

  12. Transcriptome Sequence Analysis of an Ornamental Plant, Ananas comosus var. bracteatus, Revealed the Potential Unigenes Involved in Terpenoid and Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Jun; Kanakala, S.; He, Yehua; Zhang, Junli; Zhong, Xiaolan

    2015-01-01

    Background Ananas comosus var. bracteatus (Red Pineapple) is an important ornamental plant for its colorful leaves and decorative red fruits. Because of its complex genome, it is difficult to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the growth and development. Thus high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus is necessary to generate large quantities of transcript sequences for the purpose of gene discovery and functional genomic studies. Results The Ananas comosus var. bracteatus transcriptome was sequenced by the Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. We obtained a total of 23.5 million high quality sequencing reads, 1,555,808 contigs and 41,052 unigenes. In total 41,052 unigenes of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus, 23,275 unigenes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant protein database and 23,134 unigenes were annotated in the Swiss-Port database. Out of these, 17,748 and 8,505 unigenes were assigned to gene ontology categories and clusters of orthologous groups, respectively. Functional annotation against Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database identified 5,825 unigenes which were mapped to 117 pathways. The assembly predicted many unigenes that were previously unknown. The annotated unigenes were compared against pineapple, rice, maize, Arabidopsis, and sorghum. Unigenes that did not match any of those five sequence datasets are considered to be Ananas comosus var. bracteatus unique. We predicted unigenes encoding enzymes involved in terpenoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Conclusion The sequence data provide the most comprehensive transcriptomic resource currently available for Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. To our knowledge; this is the first report on the de novo transcriptome sequencing of the Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. Unigenes obtained in this study, may help improve future gene expression, genetic and genomics studies in Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. PMID:25769053

  13. Complete Genome Sequences of Salmonella enterica Serovars Anatum and Anatum var. 15+, Isolated from Retail Ground Turkey

    PubMed Central

    Marasini, Daya; Abo-Shama, Usama H.

    2016-01-01

    The complete genome sequences of two isolates of Salmonella enterica serovars Anatum and Anatum var. 15+ revealed the presence of two plasmids of 112 kb and 3 kb in size in each. The chromosome of Salmonella Anatum (4.83 Mb) was slightly smaller than that of Salmonella Anatum var. 15+ (4.88 Mb). PMID:26798111

  14. Water-soluble polysaccharides from Pleurotus ostreatus var. florida mycelial biomass.

    PubMed

    Komura, Dirce L; Ruthes, Andrea C; Carbonero, Elaine R; Gorin, Philip A J; Iacomini, Marcello

    2014-09-01

    Pleurotus ostreatus var. florida known as Hiratake has a high nutritional value, presents medicinal and nutraceutical properties and it is one of the consumed mushrooms in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the chemical structure of polysaccharides found in mycelial biomass produced by submerged culture of P. ostreatus var. florida in order to compare with those found in P. ostreatus var. florida fruit bodies. Aqueous and alkali extracts obtained from mycelial biomass were purified, 13C NMR, GC-MS and chemical techniques were used to characterize three polysaccharide structures: a mannogalactan (MG-PfM) with α-D-Galp and 3-O-Me-α-D-Galp units, both (1→6)-linked, highly substituted at O-2 by D-Manp, a glycogen-like polymer (GLY-PfM) with α-D-Glp (1→4)-linked main chain, partially substituted at O-6 by α-D-Glcp side chains and a (1→3), (1→6) β-D-glucan (βGLC-PfM) with a main chain of β-D-Glcp (1→3)-linked units, partially substituted at O-6 by side chains of 6-O-substituted β-D-glucopyranosyl units, on an average of one to every two residues of the backbone. These results show the possibility to obtain similar and also different molecules from those found in the fruiting body of the same mushroom species, therefore the submerged culture of mushroom is a promising way to give raise molecules of interest. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. ClinVar miner: Demonstrating utility of a web-based tool for viewing and filtering clinvar data.

    PubMed

    Henrie, Alex; Hemphill, Sarah E; Ruiz-Schultz, Nicole; Cushman, Brandon; DiStefano, Marina T; Azzariti, Danielle; Harrison, Steven M; Rehm, Heidi L; Eilbeck, Karen

    2018-05-23

    ClinVar Miner is a web-based suite that utilizes the data held in the National Center for Biotechnology Information's ClinVar archive. The goal is to render the data more accessible to processes pertaining to conflict resolution of variant interpretation as well as tracking details of data submission and data management for detailed variant curation. Here we establish the use of these tools to address three separate use-cases and to perform analyses across submissions. We demonstrate that the ClinVar Miner tools are an effective means to browse and consolidate data for variant submitters, curation groups, and general oversight. These tools are also relevant to the variant interpretation community in general. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  16. Molecular and morphological evidence for Penstemon luculentus (Plantaginaceae): a replacement name for Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Robert L.; Stevens, Mikel R.; Johnson, Leigh A.; Robbins, Matthew D.; Anderson, Chris D.; Ricks, Nathan J.; Farley, Kevin M.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Penstemon luculentus R.L.Johnson & M.R.Stevens, nom. nov. replaces Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens Dorn & Lichvar. The varietal name glabrescens was not elevated because it was already occupied by Penstemon glabrescens Pennell, a different species. This new arrangement is supported by molecular and morphological evidence. An analysis of genetic diversity in populations of both varieties of Penstemon fremontii Torr. & A. Gray (glabrescens and fremontii) from the Piceance Basin, Colorado, using SSR (simple sequences repeats) or microsatellites markers, revealed significant genetic differentiation between the two. Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens was also genetically different from Penstemon gibbensii Dorn and Penstemon scariosus var. garrettii (Pennell) N.H. Holmgren. The combination of hirtellous stems, glabrous leaves, non-glandular inflorescence, and long anther hairs distinguish Penstemon luculentus from other morphologically similar species. PMID:27489478

  17. A Unique Chromosomal Rearrangement in the Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii Type Strain Enhances Key Phenotypes Associated with Virulence

    PubMed Central

    Morrow, Carl A.; Lee, I. Russel; Chow, Eve W. L.; Ormerod, Kate L.; Goldinger, Anita; Byrnes, Edmond J.; Nielsen, Kirsten; Heitman, Joseph; Schirra, Horst Joachim; Fraser, James A.

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT The accumulation of genomic structural variation between closely related populations over time can lead to reproductive isolation and speciation. The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus is thought to have recently diversified, forming a species complex containing members with distinct morphologies, distributions, and pathologies of infection. We have investigated structural changes in genomic architecture such as inversions and translocations that distinguish the most pathogenic variety, Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, from the less clinically prevalent Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Synteny analysis between the genomes of the three Cryptococcus species/varieties (strains H99, JEC21, and R265) reveals that C. neoformans var. grubii possesses surprisingly few unique genomic rearrangements. All but one are relatively small and are shared by all molecular subtypes of C. neoformans var. grubii. In contrast, the large translocation peculiar to the C. neoformans var. grubii type strain is found in all tested subcultures from multiple laboratories, suggesting that it has possessed this rearrangement since its isolation from a human clinical sample. Furthermore, we find that the translocation directly disrupts two genes. The first of these encodes a novel protein involved in metabolism of glucose at human body temperature and affects intracellular levels of trehalose. The second encodes a homeodomain-containing transcription factor that modulates melanin production. Both mutations would be predicted to increase pathogenicity; however, when recreated in an alternate genetic background, these mutations do not affect virulence in animal models. The type strain of C. neoformans var. grubii in which the majority of molecular studies have been performed is therefore atypical for carbon metabolism and key virulence attributes. PMID:22375073

  18. Intravital Imaging of a Massive Lymphocyte Response in the Cortical Dura of Mice after Peripheral Infection by Trypanosomes

    PubMed Central

    Coles, Jonathan A.; Myburgh, Elmarie; Ritchie, Ryan; Hamilton, Alana; Rodgers, Jean; Mottram, Jeremy C.; Barrett, Michael P.; Brewer, James M.

    2015-01-01

    Peripheral infection by Trypanosoma brucei, the protozoan responsible for sleeping sickness, activates lymphocytes, and, at later stages, causes meningoencephalitis. We have videoed the cortical meninges and superficial parenchyma of C56BL/6 reporter mice infected with T.b.brucei. By use of a two-photon microscope to image through the thinned skull, the integrity of the tissues was maintained. We observed a 47-fold increase in CD2+ T cells in the meninges by 12 days post infection (dpi). CD11c+ dendritic cells also increased, and extravascular trypanosomes, made visible either by expression of a fluorescent protein, or by intravenous injection of furamidine, appeared. The likelihood that invasion will spread from the meninges to the parenchyma will depend strongly on whether the trypanosomes are below the arachnoid membrane, or above it, in the dura. Making use of optical signals from the skull bone, blood vessels and dural cells, we conclude that up to 40 dpi, the extravascular trypanosomes were essentially confined to the dura, as were the great majority of the T cells. Inhibition of T cell activation by intraperitoneal injection of abatacept reduced the numbers of meningeal T cells at 12 dpi and their mean speed fell from 11.64 ± 0.34 μm/min (mean ± SEM) to 5.2 ± 1.2 μm/min (p = 0.007). The T cells occasionally made contact lasting tens of minutes with dendritic cells, indicative of antigen presentation. The population and motility of the trypanosomes tended to decline after about 30 dpi. We suggest that the lymphocyte infiltration of the meninges may later contribute to encephalitis, but have no evidence that the dural trypanosomes invade the parenchyma. PMID:25881126

  19. Update: Dura Mater Graft-Associated Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Japan, 1975-2017.

    PubMed

    Ae, Ryusuke; Hamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Nakamura, Yosikazu; Yamada, Masahito; Tsukamoto, Tadashi; Mizusawa, Hidehiro; Belay, Ermias D; Schonberger, Lawrence B

    2018-03-09

    Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that, according to the most well accepted hypothesis (1), is caused by replicating, transmissible, abnormal forms of a host-encoded prion protein (prions). Most CJD cases occur spontaneously (sporadic CJD) or are inherited (genetic CJD). Iatrogenic CJD can occur after exposure to prion-contaminated instruments or products in medical/surgical settings. Cadaveric dura mater graft-associated CJD (dCJD) accounts for a common form of iatrogenic CJD. This report summarizes the epidemiologic features of 154 cases of dCJD identified in Japan during 1975-2017; these cases account for >60% of dCJD cases reported worldwide (1,2). The unusually high prevalence of dCJD in Japan was first reported in 1997 (3). In 2008, a single brand of graft (Lyodura [B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany]), frequently used as a patch in neurosurgical procedures, was identified as the probable vehicle of transmission (4). No international recall of the implicated Lyodura occurred, the product had a relatively long shelf life, and the grafts were used frequently in Japanese patients with non-life-threatening conditions (4,5). Since 2008, additional cases have been ascertained, reflecting the identification of previously missed cases and the occurrence of new cases with longer latency periods (interval from exposure to symptom onset) for dCJD (up to 30 years), underscoring the importance of maintaining surveillance for dCJD.

  20. Functional Antibodies against VAR2CSA in Nonpregnant Populations from Colombia Exposed to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax

    PubMed Central

    Doritchamou, Justin; Arango, Eliana M.; Cabrera, Ana; Arroyo, Maria Isabel; Kain, Kevin C.; Ndam, Nicaise Tuikue; Maestre, Amanda

    2014-01-01

    In pregnancy, parity-dependent immunity is observed in response to placental infection with Plasmodium falciparum. Antibodies recognize the surface antigen, VAR2CSA, expressed on infected red blood cells and inhibit cytoadherence to the placental tissue. In most settings of malaria endemicity, antibodies against VAR2CSA are predominantly observed in multigravid women and infrequently in men, children, and nulligravid women. However, in Colombia, we detected antibodies against multiple constructs of VAR2CSA among men and children with acute P. falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infection. The majority of men and children (>60%) had high levels of IgGs against three recombinant domains of VAR2CSA: DBL5ε, DBL3X, and ID1-ID2. Surprisingly, these antibodies were observed only in pregnant women, men, and children exposed either to P. falciparum or to P. vivax. Moreover, the anti-VAR2CSA antibodies are of high avidity and efficiently inhibit adherence of infected red blood cells to chondroitin sulfate A in vitro, suggesting that they are specific and functional. These unexpected results suggest that there may be genotypic or phenotypic differences in the parasites of this region or in the host response to either P. falciparum or P. vivax infection outside pregnancy. These findings may hold significant clinical relevance to the pathophysiology and outcome of malaria infections in this region. PMID:24686068

  1. Understanding mechanisms of rarity in pteridophytes: competition and climate change threaten the rare fern Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum (Aspleniaceae).

    PubMed

    Testo, Weston L; Watkins, James E

    2013-11-01

    Understanding the ecology of rare species can inform aspects of conservation strategies; however, the mechanisms of rarity remain elusive for most pteridophytes, which possess independent and ecologically distinct gametophyte and sporophyte generations. To elucidate factors contributing to recent declines of the rare fern Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum, we studied the ecology and ecophysiology of its gametophyte generation, focusing on responses to competition, temperature, and water stress. Gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum, its widespread European relative A. scolopendrium var. scolopendrium, and five co-occurring fern species were grown from spores. Gametophytes were grown at 20°C and 25°C, and germination rates, intra- and interspecific competition, desiccation tolerance, and sporophyte production were determined for all species. Gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum had the lowest rates of germination and sporophyte production among all species studied and exhibited the greatest sensitivity to interspecific competition, temperature increases, and desiccation. Mature gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum grown at 25°C were 84.6% smaller than those grown at 20°C, and only 1.5% produced sporophytes after 200 d in culture. Similar responses were not observed in other species studied. The recent declines and current status of populations of A. scolopendrium var. americanum are linked to its gametophyte's limited capacity to tolerate competition and physiological stress linked to climate change. This is the first study to develop a mechanistic understanding of rarity and decline in a fern and demonstrates the importance of considering the ecology of the gametophyte in plants with independent sporophyte and gametophyte generations.

  2. Analysis of the relationship between Chalcone Isomerase gene expression level and rutin production in Ficus deltoidea var. deltoidea and F. deltoidea var. angustifolia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Najid, Najihah Mohd; Zain, Che Radziah Che Mohd; Zainal, Zamri

    2016-11-01

    Ficus deltoidea (moraceae) is a herbal plant with medicinal values. Previous studies reported that the F. deltoidea contains a high level of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids. A cDNA encodes for chalcone isomerase was identified from F. deltoidea, designated as FdCHI, which involved in the isomerization of naringenin chalcone to naringenin. Naringenin is a key branch point for the synthesis of rutin, which is believed involved in defense mechanism in the plant. Therefore, we hypothesized that there might be a direct relationship between FdCHI expression level and rutin production in leaves of F. deltoidea var. deltoidea (FDD) and F. deltoidea var. angustifolia (FDA). Our result showed that expression level of FdCHI in leaves FDD was greater than FDA. Analysis of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) revealed that rutin was only detected in FDA leaves. Based on the results between FdCHI expression and rutin production, this study concluded that there is no relationship between FdCHI expression and rutin production in leaves of FDA and FDD.

  3. Phytoremediation potential of Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana and Pteris vittata L. grown at a highly variable arsenic contaminated site.

    PubMed

    Niazi, Nabeel Khan; Singh, Balwant; Van Zwieten, Lukas; Kachenko, Anthony George

    2011-10-01

    This study examined the phytoextraction potential of two arsenic (As) hyperaccumulators, Pteris vittata L. and Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana at a historical As-contaminated cattle dip site in northern New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Total As concentration in the surface soil (0-20 cm) showed a better spatial structure than phosphate-extractable As in the surface and sub-surface soil at this site. P. calomelanos var. austroamericana produced greater frond dry biomass (mean = 130 g plant(-1)) than P. vittata (mean = 81 g plant(-1)) after 10 months of growth. Arsenic concentration and uptake in fronds were also significantly higher in P. calomelanos var. austroamericana (means = 887 mg kg(-1) and 124 mg plant(-1)) than in P. vittata (means = 674 mg kg(-1) and 57 mg plant(-1)). Our results showed that under the field conditions and highly variable soil As at the site, P. calomelanos var. austroamericana performed better than P. vittata. We predict that P. calomelanos var. austroamericana would take approximately 100 years to reduce the total As to below 20 mg kg(-1) at the site compared to > or =200 years estimated for P. vittata. However, long-term data are required to confirm these observations under field conditions.

  4. AFLP analysis of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon genetic variation.

    PubMed

    Wu, Y Q; Taliaferro, C M; Bai, G H; Anderson, M P

    2004-08-01

    Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon (common bermudagrass) is geographically widely distributed between about lat 45 degrees N and lat 45 degrees S, penetrating to about lat 53 degrees N in Europe. The extensive variation of morphological and adaptive characteristics of the taxon is substantially documented, but information is lacking on DNA molecular variation in geographically disparate forms. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess molecular genetic variation and genetic relatedness among 28 C. dactylon var. dactylon accessions originating from 11 countries on 4 continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe). A fluorescence-labeled amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) DNA profiling method was used to detect the genetic diversity and relatedness. On the basis of 443 polymorphic AFLP fragments from 8 primer combinations, the accessions were grouped into clusters and subclusters associating with their geographic origins. Genetic similarity coefficients (SC) for the 28 accessions ranged from 0.53 to 0.98. Accessions originating from Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe formed major groupings as indicated by cluster and principal coordinate analysis. Accessions from Australia and Asia, though separately clustered, were relatively closely related and most distantly related to accessions of European origin. African accessions formed two distant clusters and had the greatest variation in genetic relatedness relative to accessions from other geographic regions. Sampling the full extent of genetic variation in C. dactylon var. dactylon would require extensive germplasm collection in the major geographic regions of its distributional range.

  5. Occurrence and Distribution of Proteinase of Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens1

    PubMed Central

    Shugart, Lee R.; Beck, Raymond W.

    1966-01-01

    Shugart, Lee R. (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), and Raymond W. Beck. Occurrence and distribution of proteinase of Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens. J. Bacteriol. 92:338–341. 1966.—The proteolytic enzyme produced by Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens (ATCC 13398) was shown to be an exoenzyme. The production of the proteinase was followed in growing cultures, and its distribution was compared with that of the intracellular enzymes reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH2) peroxidase and lactate dehydrogenase. The proteinase appeared in the culture medium prior to the stationary phase of growth, whereas the other enzymes could be found only in whole cells. Fractionation of whole cells by sonic treatment and by treatment with lysozyme showed the proteinase to be associated primarily with the cell wall and cell membrane, and NADH2 peroxidase to be associated only with the cytoplasmic fractions. PMID:16562116

  6. Reclassification of the Candida haemulonii complex as Candida haemulonii (C. haemulonii group I), C. duobushaemulonii sp. nov. (C. haemulonii group II), and C. haemulonii var. vulnera var. nov.: three multiresistant human pathogenic yeasts.

    PubMed

    Cendejas-Bueno, E; Kolecka, A; Alastruey-Izquierdo, A; Theelen, B; Groenewald, M; Kostrzewa, M; Cuenca-Estrella, M; Gómez-López, A; Boekhout, T

    2012-11-01

    The Candida haemulonii species complex is currently known as C. haemulonii groups I and II. Here we describe C. haemulonii group II as a new species, Candida duobushaemulonii sp. nov., and C. haemulonii var. vulnera as new a variety of C. haemulonii group I using phenotypic and molecular methods. These taxa and other relatives of C. haemulonii (i.e., Candida auris and Candida pseudohaemulonii) cannot be differentiated by the commercial methods now used for yeast identification. Four isolates (C. haemulonii var. vulnera) differed from the other isolates of C. haemulonii in the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the nuclear rRNA gene operon. The new species and the new variety have a multiresistant antifungal profile, which includes high MICs of amphotericin B (geometric mean MIC, 1.18 mg/liter for C. haemulonii var. vulnera and 2 mg/liter for C. duobushaemulonii sp. nov) and cross-resistance to azole compounds. Identification of these species should be based on molecular methods, such as sequence analysis of ITS regions and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

  7. Interspecific hybridization, polyploidization, and backcross of Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra with B. rapa var. purpurea morphologically recapitulate the evolution of Brassica vegetables

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xiaohui; Liu, Tongjin; Li, Xixiang; Duan, Mengmeng; Wang, Jinglei; Qiu, Yang; Wang, Haiping; Song, Jiangping; Shen, Di

    2016-01-01

    Brassica oleracea and B. rapa are two important vegetable crops. Both are composed of dozens of subspecies encompassing hundreds of varieties and cultivars. Synthetic B. napus with these two plants has been used extensively as a research model for the investigation of allopolyploid evolution. However, the mechanism underlying the explosive evolution of hundreds of varieties of B. oleracea and B. rapa within a short period is poorly understood. In the present study, interspecific hybridization between B. oleracea var. alboglabra and B. rapa var. purpurea was performed. The backcross progeny displayed extensive morphological variation, including some individuals that phenocopied subspecies other than their progenitors. Numerous interesting novel phenotypes and mutants were identified among the backcross progeny. The chromosomal recombination between the A and C genomes and the chromosomal asymmetric segregation were revealed using Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers. These findings provide direct evidence in support of the hypothesis that interspecific hybridization and backcrossing have played roles in the evolution of the vast variety of vegetables among these species and suggest that combination of interspecific hybridization and backcrossing may facilitate the development of new mutants and novel phenotypes for both basic research and the breeding of new vegetable crops. PMID:26727246

  8. Interspecific hybridization, polyploidization, and backcross of Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra with B. rapa var. purpurea morphologically recapitulate the evolution of Brassica vegetables.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaohui; Liu, Tongjin; Li, Xixiang; Duan, Mengmeng; Wang, Jinglei; Qiu, Yang; Wang, Haiping; Song, Jiangping; Shen, Di

    2016-01-04

    Brassica oleracea and B. rapa are two important vegetable crops. Both are composed of dozens of subspecies encompassing hundreds of varieties and cultivars. Synthetic B. napus with these two plants has been used extensively as a research model for the investigation of allopolyploid evolution. However, the mechanism underlying the explosive evolution of hundreds of varieties of B. oleracea and B. rapa within a short period is poorly understood. In the present study, interspecific hybridization between B. oleracea var. alboglabra and B. rapa var. purpurea was performed. The backcross progeny displayed extensive morphological variation, including some individuals that phenocopied subspecies other than their progenitors. Numerous interesting novel phenotypes and mutants were identified among the backcross progeny. The chromosomal recombination between the A and C genomes and the chromosomal asymmetric segregation were revealed using Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers. These findings provide direct evidence in support of the hypothesis that interspecific hybridization and backcrossing have played roles in the evolution of the vast variety of vegetables among these species and suggest that combination of interspecific hybridization and backcrossing may facilitate the development of new mutants and novel phenotypes for both basic research and the breeding of new vegetable crops.

  9. The Advantages of Hybrid 4DEnVar in the Context of the Forecast Sensitivity to Initial Conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Hyo-Jong; Shin, Seoleun; Ha, Ji-Hyun; Lim, Sujeong

    2017-11-01

    Hybrid four-dimensional ensemble variational data assimilation (hybrid 4DEnVar) is a prospective successor to three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVar) in operational weather prediction centers currently developing a new weather prediction model and those that do not operate adjoint models. In experiments using real observations, hybrid 4DEnVar improved Northern Hemisphere (NH; 20°N-90°N) 500 hPa geopotential height forecasts up to 5 days in a NH summer month compared to 3DVar, with statistical significance. This result is verified against ERA-Interim through a Monte Carlo test. By a regression analysis, the sensitivity of 5 day forecast is associated with the quality of the initial condition. The increased analysis skill for midtropospheric midlatitude temperature and subtropical moisture has the most apparent effect on forecast skill in the NH including a typhoon prediction case. Through attributing the analysis improvements by hybrid 4DEnVar separately to the ensemble background error covariance (BEC), its four-dimensional (4-D) extension, and climatological BEC, it is revealed that the ensemble BEC contributes to the subtropical moisture analysis, whereas the 4-D extension does to the midtropospheric midlatitude temperature. This result implies that hourly wind-mass correlation in 6 h analysis window is required to extract the potential of hybrid 4DEnVar for the midlatitude temperature analysis to the maximum. However, the temporal ensemble correlation, in hourly time scale, between moisture and another variable is invalid so that it could not work for improving the hybrid 4DEnVar analysis.

  10. The Drosophila Su(var)3-7 gene is required for oogenesis and female fertility, genetically interacts with piwi and aubergine, but impacts only weakly transposon silencing.

    PubMed

    Basquin, Denis; Spierer, Anne; Begeot, Flora; Koryakov, Dmitry E; Todeschini, Anne-Laure; Ronsseray, Stéphane; Vieira, Cristina; Spierer, Pierre; Delattre, Marion

    2014-01-01

    Heterochromatin is made of repetitive sequences, mainly transposable elements (TEs), the regulation of which is critical for genome stability. We have analyzed the role of the heterochromatin-associated Su(var)3-7 protein in Drosophila ovaries. We present evidences that Su(var)3-7 is required for correct oogenesis and female fertility. It accumulates in heterochromatic domains of ovarian germline and somatic cells nuclei, where it co-localizes with HP1. Homozygous mutant females display ovaries with frequent degenerating egg-chambers. Absence of Su(var)3-7 in embryos leads to defects in meiosis and first mitotic divisions due to chromatin fragmentation or chromosome loss, showing that Su(var)3-7 is required for genome integrity. Females homozygous for Su(var)3-7 mutations strongly impair repression of P-transposable element induced gonadal dysgenesis but have minor effects on other TEs. Su(var)3-7 mutations reduce piRNA cluster transcription and slightly impact ovarian piRNA production. However, this modest piRNA reduction does not correlate with transposon de-silencing, suggesting that the moderate effect of Su(var)3-7 on some TE repression is not linked to piRNA production. Strikingly, Su(var)3-7 genetically interacts with the piwi and aubergine genes, key components of the piRNA pathway, by strongly impacting female fertility without impairing transposon silencing. These results lead us to propose that the interaction between Su(var)3-7 and piwi or aubergine controls important developmental processes independently of transposon silencing.

  11. Phenyl ethers from cultured lichen mycobionts of Graphis scripta var. serpentina and G. rikuzensis.

    PubMed

    Takenaka, Yukiko; Tanahashi, Takao; Nagakura, Naotaka; Hamada, Nobuo

    2003-07-01

    Spore-derived mycobionts of the lichen Graphis scripta var. serpentina and G. rikuzensis were cultivated on a malt-yeast extract medium supplemented with 10% sucrose and their metabolites were investigated. 3,3'-Dihydroxy-5,5'-dimethyldiphenyl ether was isolated from the cultures of the mycobionts of G. scripta var. serpentina, while a new phenyl ether, rikuzenol, along with two known diphenyl ethers, violaceol-I and violaceol-II, were isolated from those of G. rikuzensis. The structure of the new compound was determined by spectroscopic methods. Violaceol-I was chemically synthesized and interconversion between violaceol-I and violaceol-II was proven.

  12. Anti-U-like as an alloantibody in S-s-U- and S-s-U+(var) black people.

    PubMed

    Peyrard, Thierry; Lam, Yin; Saison, Carole; Arnaud, Lionel; Babinet, Jérôme; Rouger, Philippe; Bierling, Philippe; Janvier, Daniel

    2012-03-01

    S, s, and U antigens belong to the MNS system. They are carried by glycophorin B (GPB), encoded by GYPB. Black people with the low-prevalence S-s- phenotype, either U- or U+(var), can make a clinically significant anti-U. Anti-U-like, a cold immunoglobulin G autoantibody quite commonly observed in S-s+U+ black persons, was previously described to be nonreactive with ficin-, α-chymotrypsin-, and pronase-treated red blood cells (RBCs); nonreactive or weakly reactive with papain-treated RBCs; and reactive with trypsin-treated RBCs. Here we describe, in S-s- people from different molecular backgrounds, an alloantibody to a high-prevalence GPB antigen, which presents the same pattern of reactivity with proteases as autoanti-U-like. Four S-s- patients with an alloantibody to a high-prevalence GPB antigen were investigated by serologic and molecular methods. An alloantibody was observed in two S-s-U-/Del GYPB, one S-s-U+(var)/GYPB(P2), and one S-s-U+(var)/GYPB(NY) patients. As this alloantibody showed the same pattern of reactivity with proteases as autoanti-U-like, we decided to name it "anti-U-like." Anti-U-like made by the two S-s-U- patients was reactive with the S-s-U+(var) RBCs of the two other patients. S-s-U-/Del GYPB, S-s-U+(var)/GYPB(P2), and S-s-U+(var)/GYPB(NY) patients can make an alloanti-U-like. Anti-U-like made by S-s-U- people appears reactive with GYPB(P2) and GYPB(NY) RBCs, which both express a weak and partial U-like reactivity. We recommend transfusing S-s-U- RBCs in S-s-U- patients showing alloanti-U-like. Our study contributes to a better understanding of alloimmunization to GPB in black people and confirms importance of genotyping in S-s- patients, especially those with sickle cell disease to be frequently transfused. © 2011 American Association of Blood Banks.

  13. Preliminary study on biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Auliana; Kaonongbua, W.

    2018-04-01

    Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is one of the promising crop plants which has been used as raw material for producing daily products. In agricultural ecosystems, crop plants could develop a plant-fungal association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The objectives of this study were to determine the AMF biodiversity and mycorrhizal infection percentage (MIP) from field-collected soil samples of three oil palm plantations from Nong Khai, Surat Thani, and Chiang Rai provinces of Thailand. Soil characteristics (moisture content, pH, and available phosphorus) were also measured. Thirteen AMF species belonging to seven genera were identified from all soil samples, whereas Glomus spp. and Acaulospora spp. were most commonly found species. AMF biodiversity value from Chiang Rai was statistically different from other two provinces (p < 0.05). MIP value of soil samples from Surat Thani was statistically different as well. Furthermore, soil pH showed a positive correlation with AMF biodiversity. These results confirmed that AMF normally occurs in oil palm plantations, but at different levels of biodiversity possibly due to different environmental factors in each plantation. Nevertheless, this information could be useful for using AMF in plant growth promoter and pathogen resistance programs in order to achieve the agricultural sustainability, especially in oil palm plantations.

  14. Neolignan and flavonoid glycosides in Juniperus communis var. depressa.

    PubMed

    Nakanishi, Tsutomu; Iida, Naoki; Inatomi, Yuka; Murata, Hiroko; Inada, Akira; Murata, Jin; Lang, Frank A; Iinuma, Munekazu; Tanaka, Toshiyuki

    2004-01-01

    Two neolignan glycosides (junipercomnosides A and B) were isolated from aerial parts of Juniperus communis var. depressa along with two known neolignan glycosides and seven flavonoid glycosides. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by spectral analysis, in particular by 2D-NMR analysis. The significance of distribution of flavonoids in the chemotaxonomy of genus Juniperus was also discussed.

  15. VarWalker: Personalized Mutation Network Analysis of Putative Cancer Genes from Next-Generation Sequencing Data

    PubMed Central

    Jia, Peilin; Zhao, Zhongming

    2014-01-01

    A major challenge in interpreting the large volume of mutation data identified by next-generation sequencing (NGS) is to distinguish driver mutations from neutral passenger mutations to facilitate the identification of targetable genes and new drugs. Current approaches are primarily based on mutation frequencies of single-genes, which lack the power to detect infrequently mutated driver genes and ignore functional interconnection and regulation among cancer genes. We propose a novel mutation network method, VarWalker, to prioritize driver genes in large scale cancer mutation data. VarWalker fits generalized additive models for each sample based on sample-specific mutation profiles and builds on the joint frequency of both mutation genes and their close interactors. These interactors are selected and optimized using the Random Walk with Restart algorithm in a protein-protein interaction network. We applied the method in >300 tumor genomes in two large-scale NGS benchmark datasets: 183 lung adenocarcinoma samples and 121 melanoma samples. In each cancer, we derived a consensus mutation subnetwork containing significantly enriched consensus cancer genes and cancer-related functional pathways. These cancer-specific mutation networks were then validated using independent datasets for each cancer. Importantly, VarWalker prioritizes well-known, infrequently mutated genes, which are shown to interact with highly recurrently mutated genes yet have been ignored by conventional single-gene-based approaches. Utilizing VarWalker, we demonstrated that network-assisted approaches can be effectively adapted to facilitate the detection of cancer driver genes in NGS data. PMID:24516372

  16. VarWalker: personalized mutation network analysis of putative cancer genes from next-generation sequencing data.

    PubMed

    Jia, Peilin; Zhao, Zhongming

    2014-02-01

    A major challenge in interpreting the large volume of mutation data identified by next-generation sequencing (NGS) is to distinguish driver mutations from neutral passenger mutations to facilitate the identification of targetable genes and new drugs. Current approaches are primarily based on mutation frequencies of single-genes, which lack the power to detect infrequently mutated driver genes and ignore functional interconnection and regulation among cancer genes. We propose a novel mutation network method, VarWalker, to prioritize driver genes in large scale cancer mutation data. VarWalker fits generalized additive models for each sample based on sample-specific mutation profiles and builds on the joint frequency of both mutation genes and their close interactors. These interactors are selected and optimized using the Random Walk with Restart algorithm in a protein-protein interaction network. We applied the method in >300 tumor genomes in two large-scale NGS benchmark datasets: 183 lung adenocarcinoma samples and 121 melanoma samples. In each cancer, we derived a consensus mutation subnetwork containing significantly enriched consensus cancer genes and cancer-related functional pathways. These cancer-specific mutation networks were then validated using independent datasets for each cancer. Importantly, VarWalker prioritizes well-known, infrequently mutated genes, which are shown to interact with highly recurrently mutated genes yet have been ignored by conventional single-gene-based approaches. Utilizing VarWalker, we demonstrated that network-assisted approaches can be effectively adapted to facilitate the detection of cancer driver genes in NGS data.

  17. New family of pectinase genes PGU1b-PGU3b of the pectinolytic yeast Saccharomyces bayanus var. uvarum.

    PubMed

    Naumov, G I; Shalamitskiy, M Yu; Naumova, E S

    2016-03-01

    Using yeast genome databases and literature data, we have conducted a phylogenetic analysis of pectinase PGU genes from Saccharomyces strains assigned to the biological species S. arboricola, S. bayanus (var. uvarum), S. cariocanus, S. cerevisiae, S. kudriavzevii, S. mikatae, S. paradoxus, and hybrid taxon S. pastorianus (syn. S. carlsbergensis). Single PGU genes were observed in all Saccharomyces species, except S. bayanus. The superfamily of divergent PGU genes has been documented in S. bayanus var. uvarum for the first time. Chromosomal localization of new PGU1b, PGU2b, and PGU3b genes in the yeast S. bayanus var. uvarum has been determined by molecular karyotyping and Southern hybridization.

  18. Variability of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils between Myrtus communis var. Leucocarpa DC and var. Melanocarpa DC.

    PubMed

    Petretto, Giacomo Luigi; Maldini, Mariateresa; Addis, Roberta; Chessa, Mario; Foddai, Marzia; Rourke, Jonathan P; Pintore, Giorgio

    2016-04-15

    Essential oils (EOs) from several individuals of Myrtus communis L. (M. communis) growing in different habitats in Sardinia have been studied. The analyses were focused on four groups of samples, namely cultivated and wild M. communis var. melanocarpa DC, characterized by red/purple berries, and cultivated and wild M. communis var. leucocarpa DC, characterized by white berries. Qualitative and quantitative analyses demonstrated different EO fingerprints among the studied samples: cultivated and wild leucocarpa variety differs mainly from the melanocarpa variety by a high amount of myrtenyl acetate (>200 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL in leucocarpa and melanocarpa varieties respectively). Conversely, the wild group is characterized by a higher amount, compared with the cultivated species, of linalool (about 110 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL respectively), linalyl acetate (about 24 mg/mL and about 6 mg/mL respectively) whereas EOs of the cultivated plants were rich in pinocarveol-cis compared with wild plants (about 2 mg/mL and about 0.5 mg/mL respectively). Principal component analysis applied to the chromatographic data confirm a differentiation and classification of EOs from the four groups of M. communis plants. Finally, antioxidant activity of the studied EOs shows differences between the various categories of samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Supraorbital keyhole surgery for optic nerve decompression and dura repair.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yuan-Hao; Lin, Shinn-Zong; Chiang, Yung-Hsiao; Ju, Da-Tong; Liu, Ming-Ying; Chen, Guann-Juh

    2004-07-01

    Supraorbital keyhole surgery is a limited surgical procedure with reduced traumatic manipulation of tissue and entailing little time in the opening and closing of wounds. We utilized the approach to treat head injury patients complicated with optic nerve compression and cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSF). Eleven cases of basal skull fracture complicated with either optic nerve compression and/or CSF leakage were surgically treated at our department from February 1995 to June 1999. Six cases had primary optic nerve compression, four had CSF leakage and one case involved both injuries. Supraorbital craniotomy was carried out using a keyhole-sized burr hole plus a small craniotomy. The size of craniotomy approximated 2 x 3 cm2. The optic nerve was decompressed via removal of the optic canal roof and anterior clinoid process with high-speed drills. The defect of dura was repaired with two pieces of tensa fascia lata that were attached on both sides of the torn dural defect with tissue glue. Seven cases with optic nerve injury included five cases of total blindness and two cases of light perception before operation. Vision improved in four cases. The CSF leakage was stopped successfully in all four cases without complication. As optic nerve compression and CSF leakage are skull base lesions, the supraorbital keyhole surgery constitutes a suitable approach. The supraorbital keyhole surgery allows for an anterior approach to the skull base. This approach also allows the treatment of both CSF leakage and optic nerve compression. Our results indicate that supraorbital keyhole operation is a safe and effective method for preserving or improving vision and attenuating CSF leakage following injury.

  20. Three new germacrane-type sesquiterpenes with NGF-potentiating activity from Valeriana officinalis var. latiofolia.

    PubMed

    Chen, Heng-Wen; Chen, Li; Li, Bin; Yin, Hai-Long; Tian, Ying; Wang, Qiong; Xiao, Yan-Hua; Dong, Jun-Xing

    2013-11-14

    Three new germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids, volvalerenal F (1), volvalerenal G (2) and volvalerenic acid D (3), along with five known compounds 4-8, were isolated from the CHCl₃ soluble partition of the ethanol extract of Valeriana officinalis var. latiofolia. The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence, including their 1D- and 2D-NMR spectra, as well as mass spectrometry. The eight germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids showed nerve growth factor (NGF) potentiating activity, which mediates the neurite outgrowth in PC 12D cells. This study intends to reveal the chemical basis of the use of V. officinalis var. latiofolia as a dietary supplement.

  1. Trypsin inhibitors from Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum leaves involved in Pepper yellow mosaic virus resistance.

    PubMed

    Moulin, M M; Rodrigues, R; Ribeiro, S F F; Gonçalves, L S A; Bento, C S; Sudré, C P; Vasconcelos, I M; Gomes, V M

    2014-11-07

    Several plant organs contain proteinase inhibitors, which are produced during normal plant development or are induced upon pathogen attack to suppress the enzymatic activity of phytopathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we examined the presence of proteinase inhibitors, specifically trypsin inhibitors, in the leaf extract of Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum inoculated with PepYMV (Pepper yellow mosaic virus). Leaf extract from plants with the accession number UENF 1624, which is resistant to PepYMV, was collected at 7 different times (0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h). Seedlings inoculated with PepYMV and control seedlings were grown in a growth chamber. Protein extract from leaf samples was partially purified by reversed-phase chromatography using a C2/C18 column. Residual trypsin activity was assayed to detect inhibitors followed by Tricine-SDS-PAGE analysis to determine the N-terminal peptide sequence. Based on trypsin inhibitor assays, trypsin inhibitors are likely constitutively synthesized in C. baccatum var. pendulum leaf tissue. These inhibitors are likely a defense mechanism for the C. baccatum var. pendulum- PepYMV pathosystem.

  2. Identification and Characterization of the Spodoptera Su(var) 3-9 Histone H3K9 trimethyltransferase and Its Effect in AcMNPV Infection

    PubMed Central

    Li, Binbin; Li, Sisi; Yin, Juan; Zhong, Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Histone H3-lysine9 (H3K9) trimethyltransferase gene Su(var) 3-9 was cloned and identified in three Spodoptera insects, Spodoptera frugiperda ( S . frugiperda ), S . exigua and S . litura . Sequence analysis showed that Spodoptera Su(var) 3-9 is highly conserved evolutionarily. Su(var) 3-9 protein was found to be localized in the nucleus in Sf9 cells, and interact with histone H3, and the heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a) and HP1b. A dose-dependent enzymatic activity was found at both 27 °C and 37 °C in vitro, with higher activity at 27 °C. Addition of specific inhibitor chaetocin resulted in decreased histone methylation level and host chromatin relaxation. In contrast, overexpression of Su(var) 3-9 caused increased histone methylation level and cellular genome compaction. In AcMNV-infected Sf9 cells, the transcription of Su(var) 3-9 increased at late time of infection, although the mRNA levels of most cellular genes decreased. Pre-treatment of Sf9 cells with chaetocin speeded up viral DNA replication, and increased the transcription level of a variety of virus genes, whereas in Sf9 cells pre-transformed with Su(var) 3-9 expression vector, viral DNA replication slow down slightly. These findings suggest that Su(var) 3-9 might participate in the viral genes expression an genome replication repression during AcMNPV infection. It provided a new insight for the understanding virus–host interaction mechanism. PMID:23894480

  3. Tracing Genetic Exchange and Biogeography of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii at the Global Population Level.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Johanna; Desjardins, Christopher A; Sykes, Sean M; Beale, Mathew A; Vanhove, Mathieu; Sakthikumar, Sharadha; Chen, Yuan; Gujja, Sharvari; Saif, Sakina; Chowdhary, Anuradha; Lawson, Daniel John; Ponzio, Vinicius; Colombo, Arnaldo Lopes; Meyer, Wieland; Engelthaler, David M; Hagen, Ferry; Illnait-Zaragozi, Maria Teresa; Alanio, Alexandre; Vreulink, Jo-Marie; Heitman, Joseph; Perfect, John R; Litvintseva, Anastasia P; Bicanic, Tihana; Harrison, Thomas S; Fisher, Matthew C; Cuomo, Christina A

    2017-09-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii is the causative agent of cryptococcal meningitis, a significant source of mortality in immunocompromised individuals, typically human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS patients from developing countries. Despite the worldwide emergence of this ubiquitous infection, little is known about the global molecular epidemiology of this fungal pathogen. Here we sequence the genomes of 188 diverse isolates and characterize the major subdivisions, their relative diversity, and the level of genetic exchange between them. While most isolates of C. neoformans var. grubii belong to one of three major lineages (VNI, VNII, and VNB), some haploid isolates show hybrid ancestry including some that appear to have recently interbred, based on the detection of large blocks of each ancestry across each chromosome. Many isolates display evidence of aneuploidy, which was detected for all chromosomes. In diploid isolates of C. neoformans var. grubii ( serotype AA) and of hybrids with C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotype AD) such aneuploidies have resulted in loss of heterozygosity, where a chromosomal region is represented by the genotype of only one parental isolate. Phylogenetic and population genomic analyses of isolates from Brazil reveal that the previously "African" VNB lineage occurs naturally in the South American environment. This suggests migration of the VNB lineage between Africa and South America prior to its diversification, supported by finding ancestral recombination events between isolates from different lineages and regions. The results provide evidence of substantial population structure, with all lineages showing multi-continental distributions; demonstrating the highly dispersive nature of this pathogen. Copyright © 2017 Rhodes et al.

  4. Medicinal activities of the leaves of Musa sapientum var. sylvesteris in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Sahaa, Repon Kumer; Acharyaa, Srijan; Shovon, Syed Sohidul Haque; Royb, Priyanka

    2013-01-01

    Objective This study is to investigate the medicinal value of methanolic extract of the leaves of Musa sapientum var. sylvesteris in Bangladesh. Methods Several biochemical assays, thin layer chormatogarphy and ultra-violet spectroscopy were used to detect the presence of various types of compounds in this extract. Antioxidant effects were measured by DPPH scavenging assay, total reducing assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. Receptor binding activities and hydrogen peroxide induced hemolysis assay were performed by hemagglutination assay and hemolysis assay using erythrocytes. Disk diffusion assay was performed to show the antibacterial effect of the extract. Results Methanolic extract of the leaves showed antioxidant and antibacterial activity in vitro. The extract showed hemaglutination inhibition activities and hydrogen peroxide induced hemolysis inhibition activity of human red blood cells. Conclusion Musa sapientum var. sylvesteris can be an useful medicinal plant. PMID:23730561

  5. An efficient assisted history matching and uncertainty quantification workflow using Gaussian processes proxy models and variogram based sensitivity analysis: GP-VARS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rana, Sachin; Ertekin, Turgay; King, Gregory R.

    2018-05-01

    Reservoir history matching is frequently viewed as an optimization problem which involves minimizing misfit between simulated and observed data. Many gradient and evolutionary strategy based optimization algorithms have been proposed to solve this problem which typically require a large number of numerical simulations to find feasible solutions. Therefore, a new methodology referred to as GP-VARS is proposed in this study which uses forward and inverse Gaussian processes (GP) based proxy models combined with a novel application of variogram analysis of response surface (VARS) based sensitivity analysis to efficiently solve high dimensional history matching problems. Empirical Bayes approach is proposed to optimally train GP proxy models for any given data. The history matching solutions are found via Bayesian optimization (BO) on forward GP models and via predictions of inverse GP model in an iterative manner. An uncertainty quantification method using MCMC sampling in conjunction with GP model is also presented to obtain a probabilistic estimate of reservoir properties and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR). An application of the proposed GP-VARS methodology on PUNQ-S3 reservoir is presented in which it is shown that GP-VARS provides history match solutions in approximately four times less numerical simulations as compared to the differential evolution (DE) algorithm. Furthermore, a comparison of uncertainty quantification results obtained by GP-VARS, EnKF and other previously published methods shows that the P50 estimate of oil EUR obtained by GP-VARS is in close agreement to the true values for the PUNQ-S3 reservoir.

  6. Selection and characterization of Euglena anabaena var. minor as a new candidate Euglena species for industrial application.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Kengo; Mitra, Sharbanee; Iwata, Osamu; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Kato, Sueo; Yamada, Koji

    2015-01-01

    Euglena gracilis is a microalgae used as a model organism. Recently, mass cultivation of this species has been achieved for industrial applications. The genus Euglena includes more than 200 species that share common useful features, but the potential industrial applications of other Euglena species have not been evaluated. Thus, we conducted a pilot screening study to identify other species that proliferate at a sufficiently rapid rate to be used for mass cultivation; we found that Euglena anabaena var. minor had a rapid growth rate. In addition, its cells accumulated more than 40% weight of carbohydrate, most of which is considered to be a euglenoid specific type of beta-1-3-glucan, paramylon. Carbohydrate is stored in E. anabaena var. minor cells during normal culture, whereas E. gracilis requires nitrogen limitation to facilitate paramylon accumulation. These results suggest the potential industrial application of E. anabaena var. minor.

  7. Phenolics, sugars, antimicrobial and free-radical-scavenging activities of Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. fruits from the Dominican Republic and Florida.

    PubMed

    Bystrom, Laura M; Lewis, Betty A; Brown, Dan L; Rodriguez, Eloy; Obendorf, Ralph L

    2009-06-01

    Edible fruits of the native South American tree Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. are consumed fresh or in traditional food, drink and medicinal preparations. Some therapeutic effects of these fruits may be due to phenolics and sugars. Aqueous acetone, methanol or ethanol tissue extracts of different cultivars or collections of M. bijugatus fruits from the Dominican Republic and Florida were analyzed for total phenolics and free radical scavenging activity by UV-vis spectroscopy, sugars by gas chromatography, and antimicrobial activity by the disc diffusion assay. Total phenolics and free radical scavenging activities ranked: seed coat > embryo > pulp extracts. Montgomery cultivar fruits had the highest total phenolics. For sugars: pulp > embryo and highest in Punta Cana fruit pulp. In all extracts: sucrose > glucose and fructose. Glucose:fructose ratios were 1:1 (pulp) and 0.2:1 (embryo). Pulp extracts had dose-response antibacterial activity and pulp and embryo extracts had antifungal activity against one yeast species. Phenolics and sugars were confirmed with thin-layer chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance. Sugar-free pulp fractions containing phenolics had slightly more antimicrobial activity than H2O-soluble pulp fractions with sugars. Results indicate M. bijugatus fruits contain phenolics, sugars and other H2O-soluble compounds consistent with therapeutic uses.

  8. 21 CFR 173.145 - Alpha-Galactosidase derived from Mortierella vinaceae var. raffinoseutilizer.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... HUMAN CONSUMPTION Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.145 Alpha-Galactosidase derived from... following conditions: (a) The food additive is the enzyme alpha-galactosidase and the mycelia of the microorganism Mortierella vinaceae var. raffinoseutilizer which produces the enzyme. (b) The nonpathogenic...

  9. AmeriFlux US-Var Vaira Ranch- Ione

    DOE Data Explorer

    Baldocchi, Dennis [University of California, Berkeley

    2016-01-01

    This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Var Vaira Ranch- Ione. Site Description - Located in the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on privately owned land, the Vaira Ranch site is classified as a grassland dominated by C3 annual grasses. Managed by local rancher, Fran Vaira, brush has been periodically removed for cattle grazing. Species include a variety of grasses and herbs, including purple false brome, smooth cat's ear, and rose clover. Growing season is confined to the wet season only, typically from October to early May.

  10. Data assimilation and prognostic whole ice sheet modelling with the variationally derived, higher order, open source, and fully parallel ice sheet model VarGlaS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brinkerhoff, D. J.; Johnson, J. V.

    2013-07-01

    We introduce a novel, higher order, finite element ice sheet model called VarGlaS (Variational Glacier Simulator), which is built on the finite element framework FEniCS. Contrary to standard procedure in ice sheet modelling, VarGlaS formulates ice sheet motion as the minimization of an energy functional, conferring advantages such as a consistent platform for making numerical approximations, a coherent relationship between motion and heat generation, and implicit boundary treatment. VarGlaS also solves the equations of enthalpy rather than temperature, avoiding the solution of a contact problem. Rather than include a lengthy model spin-up procedure, VarGlaS possesses an automated framework for model inversion. These capabilities are brought to bear on several benchmark problems in ice sheet modelling, as well as a 500 yr simulation of the Greenland ice sheet at high resolution. VarGlaS performs well in benchmarking experiments and, given a constant climate and a 100 yr relaxation period, predicts a mass evolution of the Greenland ice sheet that matches present-day observations of mass loss. VarGlaS predicts a thinning in the interior and thickening of the margins of the ice sheet.

  11. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Differential Responses of Pinus massoniana and Taxus wallichiana var. mairei to Simulated Acid Rain

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Wen-Jun; Chen, Juan; Liu, Ting-Wu; Simon, Martin; Wang, Wen-Hua; Chen, Juan; Wu, Fei-Hua; Liu, Xiang; Shen, Zhi-Jun; Zheng, Hai-Lei

    2014-01-01

    Acid rain (AR), a serious environmental issue, severely affects plant growth and development. As the gymnosperms of conifer woody plants, Pinus massoniana (AR-sensitive) and Taxus wallichiana var. mairei (AR-resistant) are widely distributed in southern China. Under AR stress, significant necrosis and collapsed lesions were found in P. massoniana needles with remarkable yellowing and wilting tips, whereas T. wallichiana var. mairei did not exhibit chlorosis and visible damage. Due to the activation of a large number of stress-related genes and the synthesis of various functional proteins to counteract AR stress, it is important to study the differences in AR-tolerance mechanisms by comparative proteomic analysis of tolerant and sensitive species. This study revealed a total of 65 and 26 differentially expressed proteins that were identified in P. massoniana and T. wallichiana var. mairei, respectively. Among them, proteins involved in metabolism, photosynthesis, signal transduction and transcription were drastically down-regulated in P. massoniana, whereas most of the proteins participating in metabolism, cell structure, photosynthesis and transcription were increased in T. wallichiana var. mairei. These results suggest the distinct patterns of protein expression in the two woody species in response to AR, allowing a deeper understanding of diversity on AR tolerance in forest tree species. PMID:24625662

  12. Development and characterization of EST-SSR markers for Ottelia acuminata var. jingxiensis (Hydrocharitaceae).

    PubMed

    Li, Zhi-Zhong; Lu, Meng-Xue; Saina, Josphat K; Gichira, Andrew W; Wang, Qing-Feng; Chen, Jin-Ming

    2017-11-01

    Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were derived from transcriptomic data for Ottelia acuminata (Hydrocharitaceae), a species comprising five endemic and highly endangered varieties in China. Sixteen novel SSR markers were developed for O. acuminata var. jingxiensis . One to eight alleles per locus were found, with a mean of 2.896. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 1.000 and 0.000 to 0.793, respectively. Interestingly, in cross-varietal amplification, 13 out of the 16 loci were successfully amplified in O. acuminata var. acuminata , and 12 amplified in each of the other three varieties of O. acuminata . These newly developed SSR markers will facilitate further study of genetic variation and provide important genetic data needed for appropriate conservation of natural populations of all varieties of O. acuminata .

  13. VarBin, a novel method for classifying true and false positive variants in NGS data

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Variant discovery for rare genetic diseases using Illumina genome or exome sequencing involves screening of up to millions of variants to find only the one or few causative variant(s). Sequencing or alignment errors create "false positive" variants, which are often retained in the variant screening process. Methods to remove false positive variants often retain many false positive variants. This report presents VarBin, a method to prioritize variants based on a false positive variant likelihood prediction. Methods VarBin uses the Genome Analysis Toolkit variant calling software to calculate the variant-to-wild type genotype likelihood ratio at each variant change and position divided by read depth. The resulting Phred-scaled, likelihood-ratio by depth (PLRD) was used to segregate variants into 4 Bins with Bin 1 variants most likely true and Bin 4 most likely false positive. PLRD values were calculated for a proband of interest and 41 additional Illumina HiSeq, exome and whole genome samples (proband's family or unrelated samples). At variant sites without apparent sequencing or alignment error, wild type/non-variant calls cluster near -3 PLRD and variant calls typically cluster above 10 PLRD. Sites with systematic variant calling problems (evident by variant quality scores and biases as well as displayed on the iGV viewer) tend to have higher and more variable wild type/non-variant PLRD values. Depending on the separation of a proband's variant PLRD value from the cluster of wild type/non-variant PLRD values for background samples at the same variant change and position, the VarBin method's classification is assigned to each proband variant (Bin 1 to Bin 4). Results To assess VarBin performance, Sanger sequencing was performed on 98 variants in the proband and background samples. True variants were confirmed in 97% of Bin 1 variants, 30% of Bin 2, and 0% of Bin 3/Bin 4. Conclusions These data indicate that VarBin correctly classifies the majority of true

  14. PhenoVar: a phenotype-driven approach in clinical genomics for the diagnosis of polymalformative syndromes

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background We propose a phenotype-driven analysis of encrypted exome data to facilitate the widespread implementation of exome sequencing as a clinical genetic screening test. Twenty test-patients with varied syndromes were selected from the literature. For each patient, the mutation, phenotypic data, and genetic diagnosis were available. Next, control exome-files, each modified to include one of these twenty mutations, were assigned to the corresponding test-patients. These data were used by a geneticist blinded to the diagnoses to test the efficiency of our software, PhenoVar. The score assigned by PhenoVar to any genetic diagnosis listed in OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) took into consideration both the patient’s phenotype and all variations present in the corresponding exome. The physician did not have access to the individual mutations. PhenoVar filtered the search using a cut-off phenotypic match threshold to prevent undesired discovery of incidental findings and ranked the OMIM entries according to diagnostic score. Results When assigning the same weight to all variants in the exome, PhenoVar predicted the correct diagnosis in 10/20 patients, while in 15/20 the correct diagnosis was among the 4 highest ranked diagnoses. When assigning a higher weight to variants known, or bioinformatically predicted, to cause disease, PhenoVar’s yield increased to 14/20 (18/20 in top 4). No incidental findings were identified using our cut-off phenotypic threshold. Conclusion The phenotype-driven approach described could render widespread use of ES more practical, ethical and clinically useful. The implications about novel disease identification, advancement of complex diseases and personalized medicine are discussed. PMID:24884844

  15. [Effect of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seed extracts on seed germination and seedling growth of different Codonopsis pilosula caltiver].

    PubMed

    Guo, Feng-Xia; Wu, Zhi-Jiang; Chen, Yuan; Xi, Zhuo-Xia; Zhang, Xiao-Hu; Yao, Li-Rong; Chen, Xiang

    2012-11-01

    To reveal the allelopathy effect of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds and provide information for the intercrop production. The A. membranaceus. var. mongholicus seeds were soaked in distilled water for different time (12, 24, 36, 48, 60 h) , and then the seed extracts were used to study their effects on the seed germination, seedling growth and development of two Codonopsis pilosula. The A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds contained some allelopathy compounds. Their soaked liquid had significantly influence on the seed germination and seedling growth of C. pilosula. The seed germination rate, germination power, germination index and vigor index of two C. pilosula calrivar were improved and then inhabited with soaking time elongation. The extract soaking for 24 h significantly improved the germination traits but the extract for 60 h appeared different degrees of inhibiting vigor. The seed extracts soaking ranging between 12 and 60 h all significantly improved the above plant growth of C. pilosula but significant inhibited their radicle growth in length. And with the soaking time elongation the facilitation effect weakened and the inhibiting effect enhanced, especially more significant in the C. pilosula caltivar (Baitiaodangshen). The A. membranaceus var. mongholicus seeds have allelopathic compounds and the endogenous inhibitor can be extracted when soaked for more than 24 h in water with intact seeds, resulting in improvement of seed germination rate. The C. pilosula could be intercropped in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus field, however, when intercroped it should notice that the intercrop proportion should vary with the caltivar.

  16. Dynamic simulation of Static Var Compensators in distribution systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Koessler, R.J.

    1992-08-01

    This paper is a system study guide for the correction of voltage dips due to large motor startups with Static Var Compensators (SVCs). The method utilizes time simulations, which are an important aid in the equipment design and specification. The paper illustrates the process of setting-up a computer model and performing time simulations. The study process is demonstrated through an example, the Shawnee feeder in the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation service area.

  17. Data Assimilation of Lightning using 1D+3D/4D WRF Var Assimilation Schemes with Non-Linear Observation Operators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Navon, M. I.; Stefanescu, R.; Fuelberg, H. E.; Marchand, M.

    2012-12-01

    NASA's launch of the GOES-R Lightning Mapper (GLM) in 2015 will provide continuous, full disc, high resolution total lightning (IC + CG) data. The data will be available at a horizontal resolution of approximately 9 km. Compared to other types of data, the assimilation of lightning data into operational numerical models has received relatively little attention. Previous efforts of lightning assimilation mostly have employed nudging. This paper will describe the implementation of 1D+3D/4D Var assimilation schemes of existing ground-based WTLN (Worldwide Total Lightning Network) lightning observations using non-linear observation operators in the incremental WRFDA system. To mimic the expected output of GLM, the WTLN data were used to generate lightning super-observations characterized by flash rates/81 km2/20 min. A major difficulty associated with variational approaches is the complexity of the observation operator that defines the model equivalent of lightning. We use Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) as a proxy between lightning data and model variables. This operator is highly nonlinear. Marecal and Mahfouf (2003) have shown that nonlinearities can prevent direct assimilation of rainfall rates in the ECMWF 4D-VAR (using the incremental formulation proposed by Courtier et al. (1994)) from being successful. Using data from the 2011 Tuscaloosa, AL tornado outbreak, we have proved that the direct assimilation of lightning data into the WRF 3D/4D - Var systems is limited due to this incremental approach. Severe threshold limits must be imposed on the innovation vectors to obtain an improved analysis. We have implemented 1D+3D/4D Var schemes to assimilate lightning observations into the WRF model. Their use avoids innovation vector constrains from preventing the inclusion of a greater number of lightning observations Their use also minimizes the problem that nonlinearities in the moist convective scheme can introduce discontinuities in the cost function

  18. Baccharis megapotamica var. weirii poisoning in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

    PubMed

    Oliveira-Filho, José C; Carmo, Priscila M S; Lucena, Ricardo B; Pierezan, Felipe; Barros, Claudio S L

    2011-05-01

    An outbreak of an acute disease in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) caused by the ingestion of Baccharis megapotamica var. weirii occurred in the southern region of Brazil. Ten out of 50 buffalo died 24-48 hr after being introduced into a pasture containing abundant amounts of the plant. Factors influencing the ingestion of the plant and consequent toxicosis included hunger, stress caused by shipment, and unfamiliarity with the plant. Clinical signs included serous ocular discharge, incoordination, mild bloat, and muscle trembling. One buffalo was necropsied. Gross findings included dehydration, abundant liquid in the rumen, reddening of the mucosa of forestomachs, abomasum, and intestine, and edema of the wall of the rumen. The main histologic lesions were superficial to full thickness degeneration and necrosis of the stratified epithelium lining the forestomachs, necrosis of the intestinal mucosa, and widespread lymphoid necrosis. A calf (Bos taurus) was fed a single dose of 5 g/kg/body weight of B. megapotamica var. weirii harvested from the same site where the buffalo died. Twenty hours after the administration of the plant this calf died with clinical signs and lesions similar to those observed in the naturally poisoned buffalo. © 2011 The Author(s)

  19. Development and characterization of 16 polymorphic microsatellite markers from Taiwan cow-tail fir, Keteleeria davidiana var. formosana (Pinaceae) and cross-species amplification in other Keteleeria taxa

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Keteleeria davidiana var. formosana (Pinaceae), Taiwan cow-tail fir, is an endangered species listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and only two populations remain, both on the Taiwan Island. Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed in an endangered and endemic gymnosperm species, Keteleeria davidiana var. formosana, and were tested in an additional 6 taxa, K. davidiana var. calcarea, K. davidiana var. chienpeii, K. evelyniana, K. fortunei, K. fortunei var. cyclolepis, and K. pubescens, to evaluate the genetic variation available for conservation management and to reconstruct the phylogeographic patterns of this ancient lineage. Findings Polymorphic primer sets were developed from K. davidiana var. formosana using the modified AFLP and magnetic bead enrichment method. The number of alleles ranged from 3 to 16, with the observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.28 to 1.00. All of the loci were found to be interspecifically amplifiable. Conclusions These polymorphic and transferable loci will be potentially useful for future studies that will focus on identifying distinct evolutionary units within species and establishing the phylogeographic patterns and the process of speciation among closely related species. PMID:24755442

  20. Report - Screening of the Anti-hyperglycemic activity of some medicinal plants of Jordan.

    PubMed

    Alkofahi, Ahmad S; Abdul-Razzak, Khalid K; Alzoubi, Karem H; Khabour, Omar F

    2017-05-01

    Diabetes represents a group of common diseases that are characterized by dysregulation of blood glucose levels. Plants are traditionally used for management of diseases including diabetes. In this study, we screened the anti-diabetic effect of extracts of 21 plants grown in Jordan. Extracts of plants were screened for their antihyperglycemic activity. Diabetes was induced in Sprague Dawley rats using Alloxan. Plant extracts were dosed at 1gm/kg. Blood glucose was measured at baseline and at every hour for 3 hours. Results showed that five plants out of the 21 screened showed antihyperglycemic activity. These plants are Phoenix dactylifera L., Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth, Cichorium pumilum Jacq., Phaseolus vulgaris L., and Teucrium polium L. On the other hand, Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach. and Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata significantly increased blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The following plant extracts showed neutral effect on blood glucose levels: Plantago major L., Taraxacum cyprium H. Lindb, Artemisia inculta Delile, Marrubium vulgare L., Inula viscosa (L.) Ai, Rubus sanguineus Friv, Coriandrum sativum L., Cucurbita pepo var ovefera, Cucumis sativus L., Hordeum vulgare L., Apium graveolens L., Avena sativa L., Helianthus annus L., and Anethum graveolens L. In conclusion, Jordanian medicinal plants might be useful for managements of blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes.

  1. [Chemical constituents of Cocculus orbiculatus var. mollis root].

    PubMed

    Liao, Jing; Lei, Yu; Wang, Jian-Zhong

    2014-02-01

    To study the chemical constituents in the root of Cocculus orbiculatus var. mollis. The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography, their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as wattisine A (I), O-methylcocsoline (II), (+) cocsoline (III), (+) cocsuline (IV), magnoflorine (V), sino-coculine (VI), isosinococuline (VII), (-) coclaurine (VIII), daucosterol (IX), beta-sitosterol (X) and 1-oleioyl-3-(9Z, 12Z-arachoyl) glycerol (XI). Compound I is isolated from this genus for the first time,and compound II - XI are isolated from this plant for the first time.

  2. An unusual variant of Trichophyton tonsurans var. sulfureum.

    PubMed

    Padhye, A A; Weitzman, I; Domenech, E

    1994-01-01

    A fungus, recovered from a skin lesion of a patient, produced velvety to powdery, white to deep yellow colonies on Sabouraud glucose agar. Microscopically, it produced a large number of cylindric, smooth-walled, three- to eight-celled macroconidia but failed to produce microconidia on a variety of nutritional media such as rice grains, cornmeal dextrose, potato dextrose, Sabouraud glucose, oatmeal and lactrimel agars. It hydrolysed urea in 7 days, perforated hair in vitro and required thiamine for growth. This isolate represents an atypical variant of Trichophyton tonsurans var. sufureum subvar. perforans.

  3. Pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. var. hainanensis Tsiang increase LκB-α expression and ameliorate ulcerative colitis.

    PubMed

    Miao, X P; Sun, X N; Wei, H; Liu, Z J; Cui, L J; Deng, T Z

    2015-02-01

    The therapeutic potential of pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. var. hainanensis Tsiang in ulcerative colitis were investigated. This study showed that pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. var. hainanensis Tsiang ameliorated ulcerative colitis and were proposed to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects via increased expression of IκB-α proteins and suppressing NF-αB translocation.

  4. A three-level advanced static VAr compensator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ekanayake, J.B.; Jenkins, N.

    1996-01-01

    An Advanced Static VAr Compensator (ASVC) employing a three level inverter has been investigated for three phase applications. The paper describes the operating principles of the ASVC using an elementary single phase ASVC circuit. The construction of a hardware model of the three phase, three level ASVC is then presented. The performance of the ASVC is obtained from an experimental study carried out on this laboratory model. The use of the selective harmonic elimination modulation (SHEM) technique to minimize harmonics is explored. Experimental studies have been carried out to determine the speed of response of the scheme by controlling itmore » in a closed loop.« less

  5. Cardenolide glycosides from Elaeodendron australe var. integrifolium.

    PubMed

    Butler, Mark S; Towerzey, Leanne; Pham, Ngoc B; Hyde, Edward; Wadi, Sao Khemar; Guymer, Gordon P; Quinn, Ronald J

    2014-02-01

    Extracts from dried leaf and stems of Elaeodendron australe var. integrifolium (Celastraceae) collected in South East Queensland, Australia, were active in an assay that measured Ca(2+) driven expression of IL-2/luciferase designed to identify inhibitors of the ICRAC channel. Bioassay-guided isolation using C18 and polyamide column chromatography, HPLC (Phenyl and C18) and centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) led to the isolation of digitoxigenin (1) and three cardenolide glycosides, glucoside 2, quinovoside 3 and the new natural product xyloside 4, as the active components with low nM activity in the reporter assay. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The phenolic extractives in southern red oak (Quercus falcata Michx. var. falcata)

    Treesearch

    Seiji Ohara; Richard W. Hemingway

    1989-01-01

    The bark of southern red oak (Quercus falcala Michx. var. falcala) is a rich source of quercitrin (quercetin-3-rhamnoside). It contains only low concentrations of (+)-catechin and no significant amounts of epicatechin or gallocatechin. The three major dimeric proanthocyanidins present are epicatechin-(4β→8)-...

  7. Differential recognition of P. falciparum VAR2CSA domains by naturally acquired antibodies in pregnant women from a malaria endemic area.

    PubMed

    Brolin, Kim J M; Persson, Kristina E M; Wahlgren, Mats; Rogerson, Stephen J; Chen, Qijun

    2010-02-16

    Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells (iRBC) express variant surface antigens (VSA) of which VAR2CSA is involved in placental sequestration and causes pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM). Primigravidae are most susceptible to PAM whereas antibodies associated with protection are often present at higher levels in multigravid women. However, HIV co-infection with malaria has been shown to alter this parity-dependent acquisition of immunity, with more severe symptoms as well as more malaria episodes in HIV positive women versus HIV negative women of a similar parity. Using VAR2CSA DBL-domains expressed on the surface of CHO-745 cells we quantified levels of DBL-domain specific IgG in sera from pregnant Malawian women by flow cytometry. Dissociations constants of DBL5epsilon specific antibodies were determined using a surface plasmon resonance technique, as an indication of antibody affinities. VAR2CSA DBL5epsilon was recognized in a gender and parity-dependent manner with anti-DBL5epsilon IgG correlating significantly with IgG levels to VSA-PAM on the iRBC surface. HIV positive women had lower levels of anti-DBL5epsilon IgG than HIV negative women of similar parity. In primigravidae, antibodies in HIV positive women also showed significantly lower affinity to VAR2CSA DBL5epsilon. Pregnant women from a malaria-endemic area had increased levels of anti-DBL5epsilon IgG by parity, indicating this domain of VAR2CSA to be a promising vaccine candidate against PAM. However, it is important to consider co-infection with HIV, as this seems to change the properties of antibody response against malaria. Understanding the characteristics of antibody response against VAR2CSA is undoubtedly imperative in order to design a functional and efficient vaccine against PAM.

  8. Loss of function mutations in VARS encoding cytoplasmic valyl-tRNA synthetase cause microcephaly, seizures, and progressive cerebral atrophy.

    PubMed

    Stephen, Joshi; Nampoothiri, Sheela; Banerjee, Aditi; Tolman, Nathanial J; Penninger, Josef Martin; Elling, Ullrich; Agu, Chukwuma A; Burke, John D; Devadathan, Kalpana; Kannan, Rajesh; Huang, Yan; Steinbach, Peter J; Martinis, Susan A; Gahl, William A; Malicdan, May Christine V

    2018-04-01

    Progressive microcephaly and neurodegeneration are genetically heterogenous conditions, largely associated with genes that are essential for the survival of neurons. In this study, we interrogate the genetic etiology of two siblings from a non-consanguineous family with severe early onset of neurological manifestations. Whole exome sequencing identified novel compound heterozygous mutations in VARS that segregated with the proband: a missense (c.3192G>A; p.Met1064Ile) and a splice site mutation (c.1577-2A>G). The VARS gene encodes cytoplasmic valyl-tRNA synthetase (ValRS), an enzyme that is essential during eukaryotic translation. cDNA analysis on patient derived fibroblasts revealed that the splice site acceptor variant allele led to nonsense mediated decay, thus resulting in a null allele. Three-dimensional modeling of ValRS predicts that the missense mutation lies in a highly conserved region and could alter side chain packing, thus affecting tRNA binding or destabilizing the interface between the catalytic and tRNA binding domains. Further quantitation of the expression of VARS showed remarkably reduced levels of mRNA and protein in skin derived fibroblasts. Aminoacylation experiments on patient derived cells showed markedly reduced enzyme activity of ValRS suggesting the mutations to be loss of function. Bi-allelic mutations in cytoplasmic amino acyl tRNA synthetases are well-known for their role in neurodegenerative disorders, yet human disorders associated with VARS mutations have not yet been clinically well characterized. Our study describes the phenotype associated with recessive VARS mutations and further functional delineation of the pathogenicity of novel variants identified, which widens the clinical and genetic spectrum of patients with progressive microcephaly.

  9. Argania spinosa var. mutica and var. apiculata: variation of fatty-acid composition, phenolic content, and antioxidant and α-amylase-inhibitory activities among varieties, organs, and development stages.

    PubMed

    El Adib, Saifeddine; Aissi, Oumayma; Charrouf, Zoubida; Ben Jeddi, Fayçal; Messaoud, Chokri

    2015-09-01

    Argania spinosa includes two varieties, var. apiculata and var. mutica. These argan varieties were introduced into Tunisia in ancient times and are actually cultivated in some botanic gardens. Little is known about the chemical differentiation among these argan varieties. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the fatty-acid composition, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and the antioxidant and α-amylase-inhibitory activities of leaf, seed, and pulp extracts of both argan varieties harvested during the months of January to April. The fatty-acid distribution was found to depend on the argan variety, the plant organ, and the harvest time. Significant variations in the phenolic contents were observed between the investigated varieties as well as between leaves, pulps, and seeds of each variety. As expected, phenolic compounds were found to be contributors to the antioxidant and α-amylase-inhibitory activities of both argan varieties. The chemical differentiation observed among the two argan varieties, based mainly on the fatty-acid composition, might have some chemotaxonomic value. Copyright © 2015 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  10. Detecting the influence of ornamental Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea in invasive populations of Berberis thunbergii (Berberidaceae) using AFLP1.

    PubMed

    Lubell, Jessica D; Brand, Mark H; Lehrer, Jonathan M; Holsinger, Kent E

    2008-06-01

    Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii DC.) is a widespread invasive plant that remains an important landscape shrub represented by ornamental, purple-leaved forms of the botanical variety atropurpurea. These forms differ greatly in appearance from feral plants, bringing into question whether they contribute to invasive populations or whether the invasions represent self-sustaining populations derived from the initial introduction of the species in the late 19th century. In this study we used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to determine whether genetic contributions from B. t. var. atropurpurea are found within naturalized Japanese barberry populations in southern New England. Bayesian clustering of AFLP genotypes and principal coordinate analysis distinguished B. t. var. atropurpurea genotypes from 85 plants representing five invasive populations. While a single feral plant resembled B. t. var. atropurpurea phenotypically and fell within the same genetic cluster, all other naturalized plants sampled were genetically distinct from the purple-leaved genotypes. Seven plants from two different sites possessed morphology consistent with Berberis vulgaris (common barberry) or B. ×ottawensis (B. thunbergii × B. vulgaris). Genetic analysis placed these plants in two clusters separate from B. thunbergii. Although the Bayesian analysis indicated some introgression of B. t. var. atropurpurea and B. vulgaris, these genotypes have had limited influence on extant feral populations of B. thunbergii.

  11. Construction of a reference molecular linkage map of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus).

    PubMed

    Portis, E; Mauromicale, G; Mauro, R; Acquadro, A; Scaglione, D; Lanteri, S

    2009-12-01

    The genome organization of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), unlike other species belonging to Asteraceae (=Compositae) family (i.e. sunflower, lettuce and chicory), remains largely unexplored. The species is highly heterozygous and suffers marked inbreeding depression when forced to self-fertilize. Thus a two-way pseudo-testcross represents the optimal strategy for linkage analysis. Here, we report linkage maps based on the progeny of a cross between globe artichoke (C. cardunculus var. scolymus) and cultivated cardoon (C. cardunculus var. altilis). The population was genotyped using a variety of PCR-based marker platforms, resulting in the identification of 708 testcross markers suitable for map construction. The male map consisted of 177 loci arranged in 17 major linkage groups, spanning 1,015.5 cM, while female map was built with 326 loci arranged into 20 major linkage groups, spanning 1,486.8 cM. The presence of 84 loci shared between these maps and those previously developed from a cross within globe artichoke allowed for map alignment and the definition of 17 homologous linkage groups, corresponding to the haploid number of the species. This will provide a favourable property for QTL scanning; furthermore, as 25 mapped markers (8%) correspond to coding regions, it has an additional value as functional map and might represent an important genetic tool for candidate gene studies in globe artichoke.

  12. Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans from bird droppings, fruits and vegetables in Mexico City.

    PubMed

    López-Martínez, R; Castañón-Olivares, L R

    1995-01-01

    The presence of Cryptococcus neoformans in various natural sources, such as bird droppings, fruits and vegetables, was investigated. A total of 711 samples were analyzed; C. neoformans var. neoformans was isolated from seven out of 74 bird droppings (9.5%), with parrots as one of the most significant sources. Fruits were positive in 9.5% of the 169 samples studied, specially citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, in which the highest frequency was found. From the 468 vegetable samples, only 20 were positive (4.2%). It is emphasized that five of the positive vegetables species are autochthonous to Mexico: avocado (Nectandra salicifolia), beet (Beta vulgaris var. quinopodiace), chayote (Sechium edule), stringbean (Cassia sp), and nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica).

  13. Toxicity of "Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki" to the Painted Lady Butterfly, Vanessa cardui.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stalter, Richard; Nadal, Gerard; Kincaid, Dwight

    2000-01-01

    Reports the effects of Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (BT), which is highly toxic, to a non-target lepidopteran, the Painted Lady butterfly. Indicates that BT kills some Painted Lady butterfly larvae at the lowest dilution tested after 48 hours. (ASK)

  14. VAR2CSA signatures of high Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia in the placenta.

    PubMed

    Rovira-Vallbona, Eduard; Monteiro, Isadora; Bardají, Azucena; Serra-Casas, Elisa; Neafsey, Daniel E; Quelhas, Diana; Valim, Clarissa; Alonso, Pedro; Dobaño, Carlota; Ordi, Jaume; Menéndez, Clara; Mayor, Alfredo

    2013-01-01

    Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes (IE) accumulate in the placenta through the interaction between Duffy-binding like (DBL) domains of parasite-encoded ligand VAR2CSA and chondroitin sulphate-A (CSA) receptor. Polymorphisms in these domains, including DBL2X and DBL3X, may affect their antigenicity or CSA-binding affinity, eventually increasing parasitemia and its adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. A total of 373 DBL2X and 328 DBL3X sequences were obtained from transcripts of 20 placental isolates infecting Mozambican women, resulting in 176 DBL2X and 191 DBL3X unique sequences at the protein level. Sequence alignments were divided in segments containing combinations of correlated polymorphisms and the association of segment sequences with placental parasite density was tested using Bonferroni corrected regression models, taking into consideration the weight of each sequence in the infection. Three DBL2X and three DBL3X segments contained signatures of high parasite density (P<0.003) that were highly prevalent in the parasite population (49-91%). Identified regions included a flexible loop that contributes to DBL3X-CSA interaction and two DBL3X motifs with evidence of positive natural selection. Limited antibody responses against signatures of high parasite density among malaria-exposed pregnant women could not explain the increased placental parasitemia. These results suggest that a higher binding efficiency to CSA rather than reduced antigenicity might provide a biological advantage to parasites with high parasite density signatures in VAR2CSA. Sequences contributing to high parasitemia may be critical for the functional characterization of VAR2CSA and the development of tools against placental malaria.

  15. Nectary structure and nectar secretion in Maxillaria coccinea (Jacq.) L.O. Williams ex Hodge (Orchidaceae).

    PubMed

    Stpiczynska, M; Davies, K L; Gregg, A

    2004-01-01

    It had previously been assumed that Maxillaria spp. produce no nectar. However, nectar has recently been observed in Maxillaria coccinea (Jacq.) L.O. Williams ex Hodge amongst other species. Furthermore, it is speculated that M. coccinea may be pollinated by hummingbirds. The aim of this paper is to investigate these claims further. Light microscopy, histochemistry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This is the first detailed account of nectar secretion in Maxillaria Ruiz & Pav. A 'faucet and sink' arrangement occurs in M. coccinea. Here, the nectary is represented by a small protuberance upon the ventral surface of the column and nectar collects in a semi-saccate reservoir formed by the fusion of the labellum and the base of the column-foot. The nectary comprises a single-layered epidermis and three or four layers of small subepidermal cells. Beneath these occur several layers of larger parenchyma cells. Epidermal cells lack ectodesmata and have a thin, permeable, reticulate cuticle with associated swellings that coincide with the middle lamella between adjoining epidermal cells. Nectar is thought to pass both along the apoplast and symplast and eventually through the stretched and distended cuticle. The secretory cells are collenchymatous, nucleated and have numerous pits with plasmodesmata, mitochondria, rough ER and plastids with many plastoglobuli but few lamellae. Subsecretory cells have fewer plastids than secretory cells. Nectary cells also contain large intravacuolar protein bodies. The floral morphology of M. coccinea is considered in relation to ornithophily and its nectary compared with a similar protuberance found in the entomophilous species M. parviflora (Poepp. & Endl.) Garay. Flowers of M. coccinea produce copious amounts of nectar and, despite the absence of field data, their morphology and the exact configuration of their parts argue strongly in favour of ornithophily.

  16. Nectary Structure and Nectar Secretion in Maxillaria coccinea (Jacq.) L.O. Williams ex Hodge (Orchidaceae)

    PubMed Central

    STPICZYŃSKA, M.; DAVIES, K. L.; GREGG, A.

    2004-01-01

    • Background and Aims It had previously been assumed that Maxillaria spp. produce no nectar. However, nectar has recently been observed in Maxillaria coccinea (Jacq.) L.O. Williams ex Hodge amongst other species. Furthermore, it is speculated that M. coccinea may be pollinated by hummingbirds. The aim of this paper is to investigate these claims further. • Methods Light microscopy, histochemistry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. • Key Results This is the first detailed account of nectar secretion in Maxillaria Ruiz & Pav. A ‘faucet and sink’ arrangement occurs in M. coccinea. Here, the nectary is represented by a small protuberance upon the ventral surface of the column and nectar collects in a semi‐saccate reservoir formed by the fusion of the labellum and the base of the column‐foot. The nectary comprises a single‐layered epidermis and three or four layers of small subepidermal cells. Beneath these occur several layers of larger parenchyma cells. Epidermal cells lack ectodesmata and have a thin, permeable, reticulate cuticle with associated swellings that coincide with the middle lamella between adjoining epidermal cells. Nectar is thought to pass both along the apoplast and symplast and eventually through the stretched and distended cuticle. The secretory cells are collenchymatous, nucleated and have numerous pits with plasmodesmata, mitochondria, rough ER and plastids with many plastoglobuli but few lamellae. Subsecretory cells have fewer plastids than secretory cells. Nectary cells also contain large intravacuolar protein bodies. The floral morphology of M. coccinea is considered in relation to ornithophily and its nectary compared with a similar protuberance found in the entomophilous species M. parviflora (Poepp. & Endl.) Garay. • Conclusions Flowers of M. coccinea produce copious amounts of nectar and, despite the absence of field data, their morphology and the exact configuration of their parts argue strongly in favour of

  17. Germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids from the roots of Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peng-Cheng; Ran, Xin-Hui; Chen, Rui; Luo, Huai-Rong; Liu, Yu-Qing; Zhou, Jun; Zhao, You-Xing

    2010-09-24

    Eight new germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids, volvalerenals A-E (2-6) and volvalerenic acids A-C (7-9), along with four known compounds, were isolated from a chloroform extract of the roots of Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia. The structures and relative configurations of 2-9 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation. The effects of all compounds isolated on acetylcholinesterase were evaluated.

  18. Adaptive Genetic Divergence Despite Significant Isolation-by-Distance in Populations of Taiwan Cow-Tail Fir (Keteleeria davidiana var. formosana)

    PubMed Central

    Shih, Kai-Ming; Chang, Chung-Te; Chung, Jeng-Der; Chiang, Yu-Chung; Hwang, Shih-Ying

    2018-01-01

    Double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) is a tool for delivering genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for non-model organisms useful in resolving fine-scale population structure and detecting signatures of selection. This study performs population genetic analysis, based on ddRADseq data, of a coniferous species, Keteleeria davidiana var. formosana, disjunctly distributed in northern and southern Taiwan, for investigation of population adaptive divergence in response to environmental heterogeneity. A total of 13,914 SNPs were detected and used to assess genetic diversity, FST outlier detection, population genetic structure, and individual assignments of five populations (62 individuals) of K. davidiana var. formosana. Principal component analysis (PCA), individual assignments, and the neighbor-joining tree were successful in differentiating individuals between northern and southern populations of K. davidiana var. formosana, but apparent gene flow between the southern DW30 population and northern populations was also revealed. Fifteen of 23 highly differentiated SNPs identified were found to be strongly associated with environmental variables, suggesting isolation-by-environment (IBE). However, multiple matrix regression with randomization analysis revealed strong IBE as well as significant isolation-by-distance. Environmental impacts on divergence were found between populations of the North and South regions and also between the two southern neighboring populations. BLASTN annotation of the sequences flanking outlier SNPs gave significant hits for three of 23 markers that might have biological relevance to mitochondrial homeostasis involved in the survival of locally adapted lineages. Species delimitation between K. davidiana var. formosana and its ancestor, K. davidiana, was also examined (72 individuals). This study has produced highly informative population genomic data for the understanding of population

  19. Disseminated Nosocomial Fungal Infection by Aureobasidium pullulans var. melanigenum: a Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Bolignano, Giuseppe; Criseo, Giuseppe

    2003-01-01

    We report on a rare case of disseminated nosocomial fungal infection due to Aureobasidium pullulans var. melanigenum in a severely traumatized patient. Repeated blood and urine cultures yielded multicellular filamentous hyphal structures of varying size accompanied by budding yeast-like-cells of ellipsoidal morphology. The patient became asymptomatic after fluconazole therapy. PMID:12958301

  20. Differences in volatile profiles between populations of Ceratoides lanata var. subspinosa (Rydb.)

    Treesearch

    J.T. Howell; Mary Lucero; Rick Estell; Dean Anderson; Ed Fredrickson; Marta Remmenga

    2007-01-01

    Ceratoides lanata (Rydb.) J.T. Howell, common winterfat, is valued for its nutrient content and palatability to livestock; however, the subspecies Ceratoides lanata var. subspinosa (Rydb.) J.T. Howell, (‘subspinosa’) is considered unpalatable. Curiously, observations of ‘subspinosa’ revealed several populations...

  1. Soil type affects Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum (Pinaceae) seedling growth in simulated drought experiments.

    PubMed

    Lindsey, Alexander J; Kilgore, Jason S

    2013-08-01

    Effects of drought stress and media type interactions on growth of Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum germinants were investigated. • Soil properties and growth responses under drought were compared across four growth media types: two native soils (dolomitic limestone and granite), a soil-less industry standard conifer medium, and a custom-mixed conifer medium. After 35 d of growth, the seedlings under drought stress (reduced watering) produced less shoot and root biomass than watered control seedlings. Organic media led to decreased root biomass, but increased root length and shoot biomass relative to the mineral soils. • Media type affected root-to-shoot biomass partitioning of P. ponderosa var. scopulorum, which may influence net photosynthetic rates, growth, and long-term seedling survival. Further work should examine how specific soil properties like bulk density and organic matter influence biomass allocation in greenhouse studies.

  2. Genome Sequence of the Thermotolerant Yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus KCTC 17555

    PubMed Central

    Jeong, Haeyoung; Lee, Dae-Hee; Kim, Sun Hong; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Lee, Kyusang; Song, Ju Yeon; Kim, Byung Kwon; Sung, Bong Hyun; Sohn, Jung Hoon; Koo, Hyun Min

    2012-01-01

    Kluyveromyces marxianus is a thermotolerant yeast that has been explored for potential use in biotechnological applications, such as production of biofuels, single-cell proteins, enzymes, and other heterologous proteins. Here, we present the high-quality draft of the 10.9-Mb genome of K. marxianus var. marxianus KCTC 17555 (= CBS 6556 = ATCC 26548). PMID:23193140

  3. Development and characterization of 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci for pityopsis graminifolia var. latifolia

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pityopsis graminifolia var. latifolia (narrowleaf silkplant), is an herbaceous perennial indigenous to northern Alabama and east Tennessee. Pityopsis graminifolia is a tetraploid (2n=4x=36) and is a sympatric species of the federally endangered plant P. ruthii, which grows along the Hiwassee and Oco...

  4. Physicochemical traits of Dekoko (Pisum sativum var. abyssinicum) seeds.

    PubMed

    Yemane, Asgedom; Skjelvåg, Arne O

    2003-01-01

    Dekoko (Pisum sativum var. abyssinicum) has high appreciation for its taste and obtains a premium price in local markets compared to Ater (Pisum sativum var. sativum). However, data on the physicochemical traits of Dekoko seeds were lacking. This paper reports on the physicochemical features of Dekoko and compares the results with that of Ater. Seed weight and seed volume were 36 and 30%, respectively, higher in Ater, while water absorption, percent seed swelling, and percent husk were higher in Dekoko. Cooking time was shorter for Dekoko than Ater seeds. Decortication reduced cooking time on average by 39 and 45 min in Dekoko and Ater, respectively. Cotyledon flour of Dekoko contained 251 g crude protein, 19 g fat, 31.7 g total sugars, 370 g starch, and 130 g neutral detergent fiber per kilogram DM. These traits were significantly higher in Dekoko than in Ater, except for starch, which was higher in the latter. Arginine, asparagine, and glutamine occurred in larger proportions, and collectively contributed about 39% to the total amino acids in both varieties. Lysine contributed about 7%, while sulfur containing amino acids constituted about 3.0 and 2.3% of the total amino acids in Dekoko and Ater, respectively. Ca and Mg were higher in Ater, while P was higher in Dekoko. Based on the observations it was concluded that Dekoko is a suitable supplementary protein source for a cereal-based diet.

  5. Part I. Metabolites of Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium; Part II. Regioselective deuteriations of deoxyribose and incorporation into deoxynucleosides

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hodge, R.P.

    1988-01-01

    Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium is the fungus responsible for several outbreaks of neurotoxicoses among cattle in Tennessee beginning in 1979. Verrucosidin isolated from samples of P. verrucosum var. cyclopium was later shown to be a powerful neurotoxin capable of paralyzing its victims and was also said to cause tremoring in some cases. Part I of this dissertation describes the re-investigation of metabolites of P. verrucosum var. cyclopium and tremorgenicity of verrucosidin. Verrucosidin has been shown in this study to be non-tremorgenic. This research also describes development of efficient synthetic methods for incorporation of deuterium into the deoxyribose moiety of deoxyribonucleosides.more » Deuteriated deoxynucleosides are presently being considered for synthesis of deuteriated sequences of DNA to be utilized in {sup 1}H NMR studies of solution conformation and dynamics, as well as interactions with proteins, drugs, metals and carcinogens. A route for synthesizing 2-deoxy-D-ribose from D-ribonic-acid-{gamma}-lactone incorporating deuterium at the C-1, C-2 or C-5 positions is presented.« less

  6. [Simultaneous determination of 4 diterpenoids in Rabdosia japonica var.glaucocalyx by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and cluster analysis].

    PubMed

    Tian, Ting-Ting; Ma, Ying-Hua; Xie, Wei-Wei; Jin, Yi-Ran; Xu, Hui-Jun; Zhang, Lan-Tong; Du, Ying-Feng

    2016-01-01

    A quick HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was established for simultaneous determination of four major diterpenoids in Rabdosia japonica var.glaucocalyx, including glaucocalyxin A, oridonin, hebeirubesensin and enmenol. Analysis was performed on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm ) column eluted in a gradient program with methanol and water. The flow rate was 0.8 mL•min⁻¹. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scanning mode was performed in negative ion switching mode to apply for the quantitative determination. The calibration curves for the above four compounds were linear in corresponding injection amount. The average recoveries of the compounds ranged from 92.40% to 105.9%, with RSDs of 1.7%-6.5%. The method is simple, rapid, accurate with good repeatability, which can provide a reference for overcalling evaluation the quality of R. japonica var.glaucocalyx. The result of cluster analysis- showed that the quality of R. japonica glaucocalyx var. greatly varied between areas and parts. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  7. Composition of Pteryxia terebinthina var. californica (Coult. and Rose) Mathias essential oils

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Beauchamp, Philip E.; Dev, Vasu; Munevar-Mendoza, Elsa; Moore, Peggy E.

    2000-01-01

    β-Pinene (35.0%, 53.8%) was the major component of both the aerial parts and the root oils of Pteryxia terebinthina var. californica, respectively. β-Phellandrene (12.2%) was the other most abundant component of the oil from aeial parts while δ-3-carene (14.2%) was the second abundant component of the root oil.

  8. β-Galactomannan and Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii modulate the immune response against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in porcine intestinal epithelial and dendritic cells.

    PubMed

    Badia, Roger; Brufau, M Teresa; Guerrero-Zamora, Ana Maria; Lizardo, Rosil; Dobrescu, Irina; Martin-Venegas, Raquel; Ferrer, Ruth; Salmon, Henri; Martínez, Paz; Brufau, Joaquim

    2012-03-01

    Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes inflammation, necrosis, and diarrhea in pigs, as well as being an important source of food-borne diseases in humans. Probiotics and prebiotics are promising alternatives to antibiotics to control and prevent intestinal infections. The present work investigated a recently developed β-galactomannan (βGM) prebiotic compared to the proven probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii on porcine ileum intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of the IPI-2I line and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) cocultured in vitro with Salmonella. We observed that both S. cerevisiae var. boulardii and βGM inhibited the association of Salmonella with IECs in vitro. Our data indicated that βGM has a higher ability than S. cerevisiae var. boulardii to inhibit Salmonella-induced proinflammatory mRNA (cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-1α [IL-1α], IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF] and chemokines CCL2, CCL20, and CXCL8) and at protein levels (IL-6 and CXCL8). Additionally, βGM and S. cerevisiae var. boulardii induced some effects on DCs that were not observed on IECs: βGM and S. cerevisiae var. boulardii showed slight upregulation of mRNA for TNF-α, GM-CSF, and CCR7 receptor on porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs). Indeed, the addition of βGM or S. cerevisiae var. boulardii on DCs cocultured with Salmonella showed higher gene expression (mRNA) for TNF-α, GM-CSF, and CXCL8 compared to that of the control with Salmonella. In conclusion, the addition of βGM inhibits Salmonella-induced proinflammatory profiles in IECs but may promote DC activation, although associated molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

  9. β-Galactomannan and Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii Modulate the Immune Response against Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Porcine Intestinal Epithelial and Dendritic Cells

    PubMed Central

    Brufau, M. Teresa; Guerrero-Zamora, Ana Maria; Lizardo, Rosil; Dobrescu, Irina; Martin-Venegas, Raquel; Ferrer, Ruth; Salmon, Henri; Martínez, Paz

    2012-01-01

    Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes inflammation, necrosis, and diarrhea in pigs, as well as being an important source of food-borne diseases in humans. Probiotics and prebiotics are promising alternatives to antibiotics to control and prevent intestinal infections. The present work investigated a recently developed β-galactomannan (βGM) prebiotic compared to the proven probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii on porcine ileum intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of the IPI-2I line and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) cocultured in vitro with Salmonella. We observed that both S. cerevisiae var. boulardii and βGM inhibited the association of Salmonella with IECs in vitro. Our data indicated that βGM has a higher ability than S. cerevisiae var. boulardii to inhibit Salmonella-induced proinflammatory mRNA (cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-1α [IL-1α], IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF] and chemokines CCL2, CCL20, and CXCL8) and at protein levels (IL-6 and CXCL8). Additionally, βGM and S. cerevisiae var. boulardii induced some effects on DCs that were not observed on IECs: βGM and S. cerevisiae var. boulardii showed slight upregulation of mRNA for TNF-α, GM-CSF, and CCR7 receptor on porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs). Indeed, the addition of βGM or S. cerevisiae var. boulardii on DCs cocultured with Salmonella showed higher gene expression (mRNA) for TNF-α, GM-CSF, and CXCL8 compared to that of the control with Salmonella. In conclusion, the addition of βGM inhibits Salmonella-induced proinflammatory profiles in IECs but may promote DC activation, although associated molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. PMID:22301691

  10. Control mechanisms operating for lipid biosynthesis differ in oil-palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) and olive (Olea europaea L.) callus cultures.

    PubMed Central

    Ramli, Umi S; Baker, Darren S; Quant, Patti A; Harwood, John L

    2002-01-01

    As a prelude to detailed flux control analysis of lipid synthesis in plants, we have examined the latter in tissue cultures from two important oil crops, olive (Olea europaea L.) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Temperature was used to manipulate the overall rate of lipid formation in order to characterize and validate the system to be used for analysis. With [1-14C]acetate as a precursor, an increase in temperature from 20 to 30 degrees C produced nearly a doubling of total lipid labelling. This increase in total lipids did not change the radioactivity in the intermediate acyl-(acyl carrier protein) or acyl-CoA pools, indicating that metabolism of these pools did not exert any significant constraint for overall synthesis. In contrast, there were some differences in the proportional labelling of fatty acids and of lipid classes at the two temperatures. The higher temperature caused a decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acid labelling and an increase in the proportion of triacylglycerol labelling in both calli. The intermediate diacylglycerol was increased in olive, but not in oil palm. Overall the data indicate the suitability of olive and oil-palm cultures for the study of lipid synthesis and indicate that de novo fatty acid synthesis may exert more flux control than complex lipid assembly. In olive, diacylglycerol acyltransferase may exert significant flux control when lipid synthesis is rapid. PMID:12023881

  11. Chromosome Doubling of Microspore-Derived Plants from Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.)

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Suxia; Su, Yanbin; Liu, Yumei; Li, Zhansheng; Fang, Zhiyuan; Yang, Limei; Zhuang, Mu; Zhang, Yangyong; Lv, Honghao; Sun, Peitian

    2015-01-01

    Chromosome doubling of microspore-derived plants is an important factor in the practical application of microspore culture technology because breeding programs require a large number of genetically stable, homozygous doubled haploid plants with a high level of fertility. In the present paper, 29 populations of microspore-derived plantlets from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) were used to study the ploidy level and spontaneous chromosome doubling of these populations, the artificial chromosome doubling induced by colchicine, and the influence of tissue culture duration on the chromosomal ploidy of the microspore-derived regenerants. Spontaneous chromosome doubling occurred randomly and was genotype dependent. In the plant populations derived from microspores, there were haploids, diploids, and even a low frequency of polyploids and mixed-ploidy plantlets. The total spontaneous doubling in the 14 cabbage populations ranged from 0 to 76.9%, compared with 52.2 to 100% in the 15 broccoli populations. To improve the rate of chromosome doubling, an efficient and reliable artificial chromosome doubling protocol (i.e., the immersion of haploid plantlet roots in a colchicine solution) was developed for cabbage and broccoli microspore-derived haploids. The optimal chromosome doubling of the haploids was obtained with a solution of 0.2% colchicine for 9–12 h or 0.4% colchicine for 3–9 h for cabbage and 0.05% colchicine for 6–12 h for broccoli. This protocol produced chromosome doubling in over 50% of the haploid genotypes for most of the populations derived from cabbage and broccoli. Notably, after 1 or more years in tissue culture, the chromosomes of the haploids were doubled, and most of the haploids turned into doubled haploid or mixed-ploidy plants. This is the first report indicating that tissue culture duration can change the chromosomal ploidy of microspore-derived regenerants. PMID:26734028

  12. Chromosome Doubling of Microspore-Derived Plants from Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.).

    PubMed

    Yuan, Suxia; Su, Yanbin; Liu, Yumei; Li, Zhansheng; Fang, Zhiyuan; Yang, Limei; Zhuang, Mu; Zhang, Yangyong; Lv, Honghao; Sun, Peitian

    2015-01-01

    Chromosome doubling of microspore-derived plants is an important factor in the practical application of microspore culture technology because breeding programs require a large number of genetically stable, homozygous doubled haploid plants with a high level of fertility. In the present paper, 29 populations of microspore-derived plantlets from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) were used to study the ploidy level and spontaneous chromosome doubling of these populations, the artificial chromosome doubling induced by colchicine, and the influence of tissue culture duration on the chromosomal ploidy of the microspore-derived regenerants. Spontaneous chromosome doubling occurred randomly and was genotype dependent. In the plant populations derived from microspores, there were haploids, diploids, and even a low frequency of polyploids and mixed-ploidy plantlets. The total spontaneous doubling in the 14 cabbage populations ranged from 0 to 76.9%, compared with 52.2 to 100% in the 15 broccoli populations. To improve the rate of chromosome doubling, an efficient and reliable artificial chromosome doubling protocol (i.e., the immersion of haploid plantlet roots in a colchicine solution) was developed for cabbage and broccoli microspore-derived haploids. The optimal chromosome doubling of the haploids was obtained with a solution of 0.2% colchicine for 9-12 h or 0.4% colchicine for 3-9 h for cabbage and 0.05% colchicine for 6-12 h for broccoli. This protocol produced chromosome doubling in over 50% of the haploid genotypes for most of the populations derived from cabbage and broccoli. Notably, after 1 or more years in tissue culture, the chromosomes of the haploids were doubled, and most of the haploids turned into doubled haploid or mixed-ploidy plants. This is the first report indicating that tissue culture duration can change the chromosomal ploidy of microspore-derived regenerants.

  13. Mycorrhizal colonization and plant growth affected by aqueous extract of Artemisia princeps var. orientalis and two phenolic compounds.

    PubMed

    Yun, K W; Choi, S K

    2002-02-01

    The effects of an aqueous extract of Artemisia princeps var. orientalis and two phenolic compounds on mycorrhizal colonization and plant growth have been investigated. Greenhouse studies showed that the inhibitory effect of the extract on mycorrhizal colonization and plant growth increased in proportion to the concentration of the extract. When the mycorrhizal test plants were treated with an increasing concentration of phenolic compounds, the mycorrhizal colonization in roots of the test plant and the plant growth were decreased. There were strong indications that mycorrhizal fungi mitigated the inhibitory influence of shoot extract of A. princeps var. orientalis and phenolic compounds.

  14. [Responses of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica radial growth to climate warming in Great Xing' an Mountins: a case study in Mangui].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xing-Liang; He, Xing-Yuan; Chen, Zhen-Ju; Cui, Ming-Xing; Li, Na

    2011-12-01

    Based on the theory and methodology of dendrochronology, the tree ring width chronology of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in Mangui of Great Xing' an Mountains was developed, and the relationships between the standardized tree ring width chronology and local climate factors (temperature and precipitation) as well as the effects of climate factors on the P. sylvestris var. mongolica radial growth were analyzed. In this region, the mean monthly temperature in April-August of current year was the main factor limiting the radial growth, and the increasing mean monthly temperature from April to August had negative effects to the radial growth. The simulation of the variations of the radial growth by the mean monthly temperature change in April-August showed that the radial growth of P. sylvestris var. mongolica would present a declining trend accompanied with the warmer and drier regional climate condition.

  15. Structure of the DBL3X-DBL4ε region of the VAR2CSA placental malaria vaccine candidate: insight into DBL domain interactions

    PubMed Central

    Gangnard, Stéphane; Lewit-Bentley, Anita; Dechavanne, Sébastien; Srivastava, Anand; Amirat, Faroudja; Bentley, Graham A.; Gamain, Benoît

    2015-01-01

    The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is able to evade spleen-mediated clearing from blood stream by sequestering in peripheral organs. This is due to the adhesive properties conferred by the P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (PfEMP1) family exported by the parasite to the surface of infected erythrocytes. Expression of the VAR2CSA variant of PfEMP1 leads to pregnancy-associated malaria, which occurs when infected erythrocytes massively sequester in the placenta by binding to low-sulfated Chondroitin Sulfate A (CSA) present in the intervillous spaces. VAR2CSA is a 350 kDa protein that carries six Duffy-Binding Like (DBL) domains, one Cysteine-rich Inter-Domain Regions (CIDR) and several inter-domain regions. In the present paper, we report for the first time the crystal structure at 2.9 Å of a VAR2CSA double domain, DBL3X-DBL4ε, from the FCR3 strain. DBL3X and DBL4ε share a large contact interface formed by residues that are invariant or highly conserved in VAR2CSA variants, which suggests that these two central DBL domains (DBL3X-DBL4ε) contribute significantly to the structuring of the functional VAR2CSA extracellular region. We have also examined the antigenicity of peptides corresponding to exposed loop regions of the DBL4ε structure. PMID:26450557

  16. Placental Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Parasites Is Mediated by the Interaction Between VAR2CSA and Chondroitin Sulfate A on Syndecan-1

    PubMed Central

    Mao, Yang; Resende, Mafalda; Daugaard, Mads; Riis Kristensen, Anders; Damm, Peter; G. Theander, Thor; R. Hansson, Stefan; Salanti, Ali

    2016-01-01

    During placental malaria, Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes sequester in the placenta, causing health problems for both the mother and fetus. The specific adherence is mediated by the VAR2CSA protein, which binds to placental chondroitin sulfate (CS) on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) in the placental syncytium. However, the identity of the CSPG core protein and the cellular impact of the interaction have remain elusive. In this study we identified the specific CSPG core protein to which the CS is attached, and characterized its exact placental location. VAR2CSA pull-down experiments using placental extracts from whole placenta or syncytiotrophoblast microvillous cell membranes showed three distinct CSPGs available for VAR2CSA adherence. Further examination of these three CSPGs by immunofluorescence and proximity ligation assays showed that syndecan-1 is the main receptor for VAR2CSA mediated placental adherence. We further show that the commonly used placental choriocarcinoma cell line, BeWo, express a different set of proteoglycans than those present on placental syncytiotrophoblast and may not be the most biologically relevant model to study placental malaria. Syncytial fusion of the BeWo cells, triggered by forskolin treatment, caused an increased expression of placental CS-modified syndecan-1. In line with this, we show that rVAR2 binding to placental CS impairs syndecan-1-related Src signaling in forskolin treated BeWo cells, but not in untreated cells. PMID:27556547

  17. Solitary juvenile xanthogranuloma of the temporal muscle and bone penetrating the dura mater in a 2-month-old boy.

    PubMed

    Cornips, Erwin M J; Cox, Kimberly E M; Creytens, David H K V; Granzen, Bernd; Weber, Jacobiene W; Ter Laak-Poort, Mariel P

    2009-12-01

    Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is a rare histiocytic disorder primarily observed during the first 2 years of life. Most patients present with a solitary cutaneous lesion; however, others present with extracutaneous manifestations or even with systemic involvement. The authors describe a 2-month-old boy in whom was diagnosed a unifocal extracutaneous JXG involving the temporal bone. Unlike 3 other cases of solitary JXGs of the temporal bone in the literature, the present case involved destruction of the dura mater and leptomeningeal enhancement surrounding the entire temporal lobe. The lesion did not regress after an initial biopsy procedure and had to be removed more radically because of progressive mass effect on the brain. The child recently underwent a reconstructive skull procedure and is doing well almost 2 years postoperatively without evidence of disease. This case demonstrates that even in instances of extensive disease a favorable outcome is possible without chemotherapy.

  18. Simulating Macrosegregation in Var Ingots of Titanium Alloy During Solidification

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    spacings in Ti- 6Al - 4V were estimated. A summary-status of the use of software by VAR titanium -ingot producers in the USA is also given. In its...Ti- 6Al - 4V with a melting condition provided by RMI Titanium Company (Proposed Case 11). Two ingots are simulated; one is simulated assuming a...revealed a more intense band. Since primary arm spacings in titanium alloys are not available, primary dendrite arm spacings in Ti-6A1- 4V were

  19. 1D-VAR Retrieval Using Superchannels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Xu; Zhou, Daniel; Larar, Allen; Smith, William L.; Schluessel, Peter; Mango, Stephen; SaintGermain, Karen

    2008-01-01

    Since modern ultra-spectral remote sensors have thousands of channels, it is difficult to include all of them in a 1D-var retrieval system. We will describe a physical inversion algorithm, which includes all available channels for the atmospheric temperature, moisture, cloud, and surface parameter retrievals. Both the forward model and the inversion algorithm compress the channel radiances into super channels. These super channels are obtained by projecting the radiance spectra onto a set of pre-calculated eigenvectors. The forward model provides both super channel properties and jacobian in EOF space directly. For ultra-spectral sensors such as Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed Interferometer (NAST), a compression ratio of more than 80 can be achieved, leading to a significant reduction in computations involved in an inversion process. Results will be shown applying the algorithm to real IASI and NAST data.

  20. Response of the Cottonwood Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego

    Treesearch

    Leah S. Bauer

    1990-01-01

    A standardized laboratory bioassay was used to quantify the lethal and sub-lethal responses of larval and adult cottonwood leaf beetles, Chrysomela scripta F., to Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego, formulated as M-One standard powder (Mycogen Corporation, San Diego). The median lethal concentration (LC

  1. Oil biosynthesis and transcriptome profiles in developing endosperm and oil characteristic analyses in Paeonia ostii var. lishizhenii.

    PubMed

    Xiu, Yu; Wu, Guodong; Tang, Wensi; Peng, Zhengfeng; Bu, Xiangpan; Chao, Longjun; Yin, Xue; Xiong, Jiannan; Zhang, Haiwu; Zhao, Xiaoqing; Ding, Jing; Ma, Lvyi; Wang, Huafang; van Staden, Johannes

    2018-06-04

    Paeonia ostii var. lishizhenii, a well-known medicinal and horticultural plant, is indigenous to China. Recent studies have shown that its seed has a high oil content, and it was approved as a novel resource of edible oil with a high level of α-linolenic acid by the Chinese Government. This study measured the seed oil contents and fatty acid components of P. ostii var. lishizhenii and six other peonies, P. suffruticosa, P. ludlowii, P. decomposita, P. rockii, and P. lactiflora Pall. 'Heze' and 'Gansu'. The results show that P. ostii var. lishizhenii exhibits the average oil characteristics of tested peonies, with an oil content of 21.3%, α-linolenic acid 43.8%, and unsaturated fatty acids around 92.1%. Hygiene indicators for the seven peony seed oils met the Chinese national food standards. P. ostii var. lishizhenii seeds were used to analyze transcriptome gene regulation networks on endosperm development and oil biosynthesis. In total, 124,117 transcripts were obtained from six endosperm developing stages (S0-S5). The significant changes in differential expression genes (DEGs) clarify three peony endosperm developmental phases: the endosperm cell mitotic phase (S0-S1), the TAG biosynthesis phase (S1-S4), and the mature phase (S5). The DEGs in plant hormone signal transduction, DNA replication, cell division, differentiation, transcription factors, and seed dormancy pathways regulate the endosperm development process. Another 199 functional DEGs participate in glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, citrate cycle, FA biosynthesis, TAG assembly, and other pathways. A key transcription factor (WRI1) and some important target genes (ACCase, FATA, LPCAT, FADs, and DGAT etc.) were found in the comprehensive genetic networks of oil biosynthesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. [1st environmental isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii in Argentina].

    PubMed

    Davel, G; Abrantes, R; Brudny, M; Córdoba, S; Rodero, L; Canteros, C E; Perrotta, D

    2003-01-01

    Two strains of C. neoformans var. gattii serotype B were isolated from a park in Buenos Aires city, Argentina. Samples were collected in spring, rubbing with swabs on the inner hollow of Eucalyptus spp. and other trees, which were not identified at the collection moment. Samples were swabbed directly onto cafeic acid with antibiotic agar, then incubated at 28 degrees C and observed daily for a week. Isolates were recovered from cafeic acid medium showing characteristic colonies of the species that allowed differentiation from other microorganisms of the sample. Identification was performed using carbohydrate fermentation, assimilation of nitrogen and carbon sources, and urease and phenoloxidase detection. Strain variety was determined with canavanine-glicine-bromotimol blue agar medium (CGB). Genotypic characterization using AP-PCR with (GACA)4 aleatory primer showed that both band profiles could be differentiated by only one band. These two strains were isolated from tree species different from Eucalyptus spp. These isolates from natural sources demonstrate that C. neoformans var. gattii efosts in Buenos Aires city environment and that it is not necessarily associated with Eucalyptus spp. The presence of C. neoformansvar. gattii in the environment, detected for the first time in Argentina, may explain its sporadic association with human infections in the local population.

  3. Aberrant meiotic behavior in Agave tequilana Weber var. azul

    PubMed Central

    Ruvalcaba-Ruiz, Domingo; Rodríguez-Garay, Benjamin

    2002-01-01

    Background Agave tequilana Weber var. azul, is the only one variety permitted by federal law in México to be used for tequila production which is the most popular contemporary alcoholic beverage made from agave and recognized worldwide. Despite the economic, genetic, and ornamental value of the plant, it has not been subjected to detailed cytogenetic research, which could lead to a better understanding of its reproduction for future genetic improvement. The objective of this work was to study the meiotic behavior in pollen mother cells and its implications on the pollen viability in Agave tequilana Weber var. azul. Results The analysis of Pollen Mother Cells in anaphase I (A-I) showed 82.56% of cells with a normal anaphase and, 17.44% with an irregular anaphase. In which 5.28% corresponded to cells with side arm bridges (SAB); 3.68% cells with one bridge and one fragment; 2.58% of irregular anaphase showed cells with one or two lagging chromosomes and 2.95% showed one acentric fragment; cells with two bridges and cells with two bridges and one acentric fragment were observed in frequencies of 1.60% and 1.35% respectively. In anaphase II some cells showed bridges and fragments too. Aberrant A-I cells had many shrunken or empty pollen grains (42.00%) and 58.00 % viable pollen. Conclusion The observed meiotic irregularities suggest that structural chromosome aberrations have occurred, such as heterozygous inversions, sister chromatid exchanges, deletions and duplications which in turn are reflected in a low pollen viability. PMID:12396234

  4. Aberrant meiotic behavior in Agave tequilana Weber var. azul.

    PubMed

    Ruvalcaba-Ruiz, Domingo; Rodríguez-Garay, Benjamin

    2002-10-23

    Agave tequilana Weber var. azul, is the only one variety permitted by federal law in México to be used for tequila production which is the most popular contemporary alcoholic beverage made from agave and recognized worldwide. Despite the economic, genetic, and ornamental value of the plant, it has not been subjected to detailed cytogenetic research, which could lead to a better understanding of its reproduction for future genetic improvement. The objective of this work was to study the meiotic behavior in pollen mother cells and its implications on the pollen viability in Agave tequilana Weber var. azul. The analysis of Pollen Mother Cells in anaphase I (A-I) showed 82.56% of cells with a normal anaphase and, 17.44% with an irregular anaphase. In which 5.28% corresponded to cells with side arm bridges (SAB); 3.68% cells with one bridge and one fragment; 2.58% of irregular anaphase showed cells with one or two lagging chromosomes and 2.95% showed one acentric fragment; cells with two bridges and cells with two bridges and one acentric fragment were observed in frequencies of 1.60% and 1.35% respectively. In anaphase II some cells showed bridges and fragments too. Aberrant A-I cells had many shrunken or empty pollen grains (42.00%) and 58.00 % viable pollen. The observed meiotic irregularities suggest that structural chromosome aberrations have occurred, such as heterozygous inversions, sister chromatid exchanges, deletions and duplications which in turn are reflected in a low pollen viability.

  5. Comparative assessment of the Euglena gracilis var. saccharophila variant strain as a producer of the β-1,3-glucan paramylon under varying light conditions.

    PubMed

    Sun, Angela; Hasan, Mafruha Tasnin; Hobba, Graham; Nevalainen, Helena; Te'o, Junior

    2018-06-11

    Euglena gracilis Z and a 'sugar loving' variant strain Euglena gracilis var. saccharophila, were investigated as producers of paramylon, a β-1,3-glucan polysaccharide with potential medicinal and industrial applications. The strains were grown under diurnal or dark growth conditions on a glucose-yeast extract medium supporting high-level paramylon production. Both strains produced the highest paramylon yields (7.4 to 8 g · L -1 , respectively) while grown in the dark, but the maximum yield was achieved faster by E. gracilis var. saccharophila (48 h vs 72 h). The glucose-to-paramylon yield coefficient Y par/glu = 0.46±0.03 in the Euglena gracilis var. saccharophila cultivation, obtained in this study, is the highest reported to date. Proteomic analysis of the metabolic pathways provided molecular clues for the strain behavior observed during cultivation. For example, overexpression of enzymes in the gluconeogenesis/glycolysis pathways including fructokinase-1 and chloroplastic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase may have contributed to the faster rate of paramylon accumulation in E. gracilis var. saccharophila. Differentially expressed proteins in the early steps of chloroplastogenesis pathway including plastid uroporphyrinogen decarboxylases, photoreceptors, and a highly abundant (68 fold increase) plastid transketolase may have provided the E. gracilis var. saccharophila strain an advantage in paramylon production during diurnal cultivations. In conclusion, the variant strain E. gracilis var. saccharophila seems to be well suited for producing large amounts of paramylon. This work has also resulted in the identification of molecular targets for future improvement of paramylon production in E. gracilis, including the chloroplastic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP) and phosophofructokinase 1 (PFK-1), the latter being a key regulator of glycolysis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  6. [Comparison of Chemical Components of Essential Oil from Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum Extracted by Supercritical CO2 Fluid and Steam Distillation].

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhao-yu; Zheng, Jia-huan; Shi, Sheng-ying; Luo, Zhi-xiong; Ni, Shun-yu; Lin, Jing-ming

    2015-11-01

    To compare the chemical components of essential oil prepared by steam distillation extraction (SD) and supercritical CO2 fluid extraction (SFE-CO2) from Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum whole plant. The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum were extracted by SD and SFE-CO2. The chemical components of essential oil were separated and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry( GC-MS). Their relative contents were determined by normalization of peak area. 40 and 42 compounds were detected in the essential oil prepared by SD and SFE-CO2 respectively. 25 compounds were common. Thereare significant differences of the chemical components between the Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum essential oil prepared by SD and thatby SFE-CO2. Different methods showed different extraction efficiency with a special compound. It might be a good idea to unite several methods in the modern traditional Chinese medicine industry.

  7. The complete chloroplast genome of Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum using Illumina sequencing.

    PubMed

    Raveendar, Sebastin; Na, Young-Wang; Lee, Jung-Ro; Shim, Donghwan; Ma, Kyung-Ho; Lee, Sok-Young; Chung, Jong-Wook

    2015-07-20

    Chloroplast (cp) genome sequences provide a valuable source for DNA barcoding. Molecular phylogenetic studies have concentrated on DNA sequencing of conserved gene loci. However, this approach is time consuming and more difficult to implement when gene organization differs among species. Here we report the complete re-sequencing of the cp genome of Capsicum pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) using the Illumina platform. The total length of the cp genome is 156,817 bp with a 37.7% overall GC content. A pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 50,284 bp were separated by a small single copy (SSC; 18,948 bp) and a large single copy (LSC; 87,446 bp). The number of cp genes in C. annuum var. glabriusculum is the same as that in other Capsicum species. Variations in the lengths of LSC; SSC and IR regions were the main contributors to the size variation in the cp genome of this species. A total of 125 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 48 insertions or deletions variants were found by sequence alignment of Capsicum cp genome. These findings provide a foundation for further investigation of cp genome evolution in Capsicum and other higher plants.

  8. Inheritance of the complete mitochondrial genomes Cyprinus capio furong(♀) × Cyprinus carpio var.singguonensis(♂).

    PubMed

    Peng, Huizhen; Liu, Qiaolin; Xiao, Tiaoyi

    2016-09-01

    In this study, 15 sets of primers were used to amplify contiguous, overlapping segments of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of C. capio furong(♀) × C. carpio var.singguonensis(♂) in order to characterize and compare their mitochondrial genomes. The total length of the mitochondrial genome was 16,581 bp and deposited in the GenBank with the accession number KP210473. The organization of the mitochondrial genomes contained 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA and 22 transfer RNAs) and a major non-coding control region which was similar to those reported mitochondrial genomes. Most genes were encoded on the H-strand, except for the ND6 and 8 tRNA genes, encoding on the L-strand. The nucleotide skewness for the coding strands of C. capio furong(♀) × C. carpio var.singguonensis(♂) (AT-skew = 0.12, GC-skew = -0.27) were biased toward T and G. The complete mitogenome may provide important date for the study of genetic mechanism of C. capio furong(♀) × C. carpio var.singguonensis(♂).

  9. Effects of Fermentation Temperature and Aeration on Production of Natural Isoamyl Acetate by Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus

    PubMed Central

    Yilmaztekin, Murat; Cabaroglu, Turgut; Erten, Huseyin

    2013-01-01

    Isoamyl acetate is a natural flavour ester, widely used as a source of banana flavour by the food industry. Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus is a yeast which can produce isoamyl acetate by esterification of amyl alcohols with acetyl coenzyme A via fermentation. The evaluation of this kind of production as an alternative way to obtain natural banana flavour could be possible, if the levels produced were high enough to make a commercial product. In this study, the effects of temperature (15°C and 25°C) and aeration (aerobic, semiaerobic, and anaerobic) on the production of isoamyl acetate by Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus from sugar beet molasses were examined. According to the results obtained, isoamyl acetate production rate and specific productivity were higher at 25°C than at 15°C and at semiaerobic condition than aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus showed a production rate of 0.703 mg L−1 h−1 and a specific productivity of 0.0297 mg L−1 cell−1 h−1 isoamyl acetate with semiaerobic condition at 25°C. The maximum amount of isoamyl acetate reached with these conditions was 118 mg/L. PMID:23862159

  10. Variation in phenology and monoterpene patterns of defoliated and nondefoliated Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca).

    Treesearch

    Rose-Marie Muzika; Judith Engle; Catherine Parks; Boyd Wickman

    1993-01-01

    Foliage was collected from paired Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) trees characterized as either "resistant" or "susceptible" western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) attack. Resistant trees produced more...

  11. Bioinformatics analysis of the ς-carotene desaturase gene in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Bo; Zheng, Aihong; Jiang, Min; Xue, Shengling; Zhang, Fen; Tang, Haoru

    2018-04-01

    ς-carotene desaturase (ZDS) is an important enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis. Here, the Brassica oleracea var. capitata ZDS (BocZDS) gene sequences were obtained from Brassica database (BRAD), and preformed for bioinformatics analysis. The BocZDS gene mapped to Scaffold000363, and contains an open reading frame of 1,686 bp that encodes a 561-amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 62.00 kD and an isoelectric point (pI) of 8.2. Subcellular localization predicted the BocZDS gene was in the chloroplast. The conserved domain of the BocZDS protein is PLN02487, indicating that it belongs the member of zeta-carotene desaturase. Homology analysis indicates that the ZDS protein is apparently conserved during plant evolution and is most closely related to B. oleracea var. oleracea, B. napus, and B. rapa. The findings of the present study provide a molecular basis for the elucidation of ZDS gene function in cabbage.

  12. Phenolic acids in the flowers of Althaea rosea var. nigra.

    PubMed

    Dudek, Marlena; Matławska, Irena; Szkudlarek, Maurycy

    2006-01-01

    Distribution of phenolic acids in the flowers of Althaea rosea var. nigra has been studied by 2D-TLC and HPLC methods. The phenolic acids occurring in these fractions have been identified as ferulic, vanillic, syringic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-hydroxyphenylacetic and caffeic acids. By means of the HPLC methods the contents of major phenolic acids were estimated. From among the phenolic acids analyzed the syringic, p-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acids are dominant. Total content of phenolic acids was determined by the Arnov's method.

  13. Antibacterial effects of ellagitannins from Acalypha wilkesiana var. macafeana hort.: surface morphology analysis with environmental scanning electron microscopy and synergy with antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Din, Wardah Mustafa; Jin, Khoo Teng; Ramli, Ramliza; Khaithir, Tzar Mohd Nizam; Wiart, Christophe

    2013-09-01

    The present study served to gain further insight into the bactericidal effects of ellagitannins from Acalypha wilkesiana var. macafeana hort. against pathogenic bacteria. Ellagitannins from the aerial parts of A. wilkesiana var. macafeana hort. (EAW) inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 11632) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical strain with inhibition zones equal to 11.01 ± 1.53 mm, 16.63 ± 0.11 mm, 11.40 ± 1.10 mm and 8.22 ± 0.19 mm, respectively. The minimal inhibition concentration and the minimal bactericidal concentration of ellagitannins from A. wilkesiana var. macafeana hort. (EAW) against MRSA were 750 µg/mL and 3000 µg/mL, respectively. We then examined the synergistic effect of EAW with three antibiotics, i.e. ampicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline, via the checkerboard assay and time-kill assay and observed that EAW is synergistic with ampicillin against S. aureus (ATCC 11632). Environmental electron scanning microscopy analysis showed cell lysis against S. aureus (ATCC 11632) upon treatment with the ellagitannin fraction. The ellagitannin fraction from A. wilkesiana var. macafeana hort. is bactericidal against gram-positive bacteria tested and works synergistically with ampicillin against S. aureus. Morphology analysis of the cell suggests that the bactericidal property of the ellagitannin fraction mechanism involves lysis of the cell wall. In summary, our studies demonstrate that A. wilkesiana var. macafeana hort. produces bactericidal ellagitannins of clinical and/or cosmetological value. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Var C: Long-term photometric and spectral variability of a luminous blue variable in M 33

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burggraf, B.; Weis, K.; Bomans, D. J.; Henze, M.; Meusinger, H.; Sholukhova, O.; Zharova, A.; Pellerin, A.; Becker, A.

    2015-09-01

    Aims: So far the highly unstable phase of luminous blue variables (LBVs) has not been understood well. It is still uncertain why and which massive stars enter this phase. Investigating the variabilities by looking for a possible regular or even (semi-)periodic behaviour could give a hint at the underlying mechanism for these variations and might answer the question of where these variabilities originate. Finding out more about the LBV phase also means understanding massive stars better in general, which have (e.g. by enriching the ISM with heavy elements, providing ionising radiation and kinetic energy) a strong and significant influence on the ISM, hence also on their host galaxy. Methods: Photometric and spectroscopic data were taken for the LBV Var C in M 33 to investigate its recent status. In addition, scanned historic plates, archival data, and data from the literature were gathered to trace Var C's behaviour in the past. Its long-term variability and periodicity was investigated. Results: Our investigation of the variability indicates possible (semi-)periodic behaviour with a period of 42.3 years for Var C. That Var C's light curve covers a time span of more than 100 years means that more than two full periods of the cycle are visible. The critical historic maximum around 1905 is less strong but discernible even with the currently rare historic data. The semi-periodic and secular structure of the light curve is similar to the one of LMC R71. Both light curves hint at a new aspect in the evolution of LBVs. Based on observations collected at the Thüringer Landessternwarte (TLS) Tautenburg.Based on observations collected at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).Tables 2-4, and 6 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

  15. Effect of wheat roots infected with the pathogenic fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici on gene expression of the biocontrol bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf29Arp.

    PubMed

    Barret, Matthieu; Frey-Klett, Pascale; Guillerm-Erckelboudt, Anne-Yvonne; Boutin, Morgane; Guernec, Gregory; Sarniguet, Alain

    2009-12-01

    Traits contributing to the competence of biocontrol bacteria to colonize plant roots are often induced in the rhizosphere in response to plant components. These interactions have been studied using the two partners in gnotobiotic systems. However, in nature, beneficial or pathogenic fungi often colonize roots. Influence of these plant-fungus interactions on bacterial behavior remains to be investigated. Here, we have examined the influence of colonization of wheat roots by the take-all fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici on gene expression of the biocontrol bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf29Arp. Bacteria were inoculated onto healthy, early G. graminis var. tritici-colonized and necrotic roots and transcriptomes were compared by shotgun DNA microarray. Pf29Arp decreased disease severity when inoculated before the onset of necrosis. Necrotic roots exerted a broader effect on gene expression compared with early G. graminis var. tritici-colonized and healthy roots. A gene encoding a putative type VI secretion system effector was only induced in necrotic conditions. A common pool of Pf29Arp genes differentially expressed on G. graminis var. tritici-colonized roots was related to carbon metabolism and oxidative stress, with a highest fold-change with necrosis. Overall, the data showed that the association of the pathogenic fungus with the roots strongly altered Pf29Arp adaptation with differences between early and late G. graminis var. tritici infection steps.

  16. Polyphenolic-polysaccharide conjugates from flowers and fruits of single-seeded hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.): Chemical profiles and mechanisms of anticoagulant activity.

    PubMed

    Pawlaczyk-Graja, Izabela

    2018-05-17

    The polyphenolic-polysaccharide conjugates were isolated from flowers and fruits of medicinal plant Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (Lindm.) by the alkaline extraction, followed by neutralization, partitioning with organic solvents and dialysis against water. The isolates from flowers as well as from fruits were homogenous macromolecular compounds, with a molecular weight over 760 × 10 3  g/mol and 970 × 10 3  g/mol, respectively, what was assessed in HPGPC analysis. Both products were characterized spectrophotometrically, and by GLC-MS, FT-IR and NMR techniques. They were composed of polyphenolic matrices containing some flavonoid units and of polysaccharide structures rich in galacturonic acid with low esterification degree. Moreover, galactose, glucose, rhamnose and arabinose residues, with different proportions of monosaccharides were present, depending on the type of the starting plant material. Both plant preparations were able to prolong the plasma coagulation process in vitro tests, even at the concentration of 31.25 μg/mL. However, they differed in the mechanisms of the activity, where only the product isolated from flowers of C. monogyna was highly selective in its action. It was mainly the non-direct inhibitor of factor Xa, mediated by antithrombin, where such mechanism of activity is typical for highly sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A monoterpene glucoside and three megastigmane glycosides from Juniperus communis var. depressa.

    PubMed

    Nakanishi, Tsutomu; Iida, Naoki; Inatomi, Yuka; Murata, Hiroko; Inada, Akira; Murata, Jin; Lang, Frank A; Iinuma, Munekazu; Tanaka, Toshiyuki; Sakagami, Yoshikazu

    2005-07-01

    A new monoterpene glucoside (1) and three new natural megastigmane glycosides (2-4) were isolated along with a known megastigmane glucoside (5) from twigs with leaves of Juniperus communis var. depressa (Cupressaceae) collected in Oregon, U.S.A., and their structures were determined on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence. In addition, the antibacterial activities of the isolated components against Helicobacter pylori were also investigated.

  18. Isoprene derivatives from the leaves and callus cultures of Vaccinium corymbosum var. bluecrop.

    PubMed

    Migas, Piotr; Cisowski, Wojciech; Dembińska-Migas, Wanda

    2005-01-01

    The phytochemical analysis of Vaccinium corymbosum var bluecrop leaves and callus biomass revealed ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin in both plant materials. Beta-sitosterol was determined only in callus biomass. The structure of isolated compounds was elucidated by TLC co-chromatography with standards and with spectroscopic methods (1H NMR, 13C NMR, EI-MS).

  19. Molecular structures of fructans from Agave tequilana Weber var. azul.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Mercedes G; Mancilla-Margalli, Norma A; Mendoza-Diaz, Guillermo

    2003-12-31

    Agave plants utilize crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) for CO(2) fixation. Fructans are the principal photosynthetic products generated by agave plants. These carbohydrates are fructose-bound polymers frequently with a single glucose moiety. Agave tequilana Weber var. azul is an economically important CAM species not only because it is the sole plant allowed for tequila production but because it is a potential source of prebiotics. Because of the large amounts of carbohydrates in A. tequilana, in this study the molecular structures of its fructans were determined by fructan derivatization for linkage analysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Fructans were extracted from 8-year-old A. tequilana plants. The linkage types present in fructans from A. tequilana were determined by permethylation followed by reductive cleavage, acetylation, and finally GC-MS analysis. Analysis of the degree of polymerization (DP) estimated by (1)H NMR integration and (13)C NMR and confirmed by MALDI-TOF-MS showed a wide DP ranging from 3 to 29 units. All of the analyses performed demonstrated that fructans from A. tequilana consist of a complex mixture of fructooligosaccharides containing principally beta(2 --> 1) linkages, but also beta(2 --> 6) and branch moieties were observed. Finally, it can be stated that fructans from A. tequilana Weber var. azul are not an inulin type as previously thought.

  20. SEVIRI 4D-var assimilation analysing the April 2010 Eyjafjallajökull ash dispersion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lange, Anne Caroline; Elbern, Hendrik

    2016-04-01

    We present first results of four dimensional variational (4D-var) data assimilation analysis applying SEVIRI observations to the Eulerian regional chemistry and aerosol transport model EURAD-IM (European Air Pollution Dispersion - Inverse Model). Optimising atmospheric dispersion models in terms of volcanic ash transport predictions by observations is especially essential for the aviation industry and associated interests. Remote sensing satellite observations are instrumental for ash detection and monitoring. We choose volcanic ash column retrievals of the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) because as infrared instrument on the geostationary satellite Meteosat Second Generation it delivers measurements with high temporal resolution during day and night. The retrieval method relies on the reverse absorption effect. In the framework of the national initiative ESKP (Earth System Knowledge Platform) and the European ACTRIS-2 (Aerosol, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure) project, we developed new modules (forward and adjoint) within the EURAD-IM, which are able to process SEVIRI ash column data as observational input to the 4D-var system. The focus of the 4D-var analysis is on initial value optimisation of the volcanic ash clouds that were emitted during the explosive Eyjafjallajökull eruption in April 2010. This eruption caused high public interest because of air traffic closures and it was particularly well observed from many different observation systems all over Europe. Considering multiple observation periods simultaneously in one assimilation window generates a continuous trajectory in the phase space and ensures that past observations are considered within their uncertainties. Results are validated mainly by lidar (LIght Detection And Ranging) observations, both ground and satellite based.

  1. Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz, a New Cultivar with Antiproliferative Potential in a Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cell Line.

    PubMed

    Salazar-Aguilar, Sandra; Ruiz-Posadas, Lucero Del Mar; Cadena-Iñiguez, Jorge; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Santiago-Osorio, Edelmiro; Aguiñiga-Sánchez, Itzen; Rivera-Martínez, Ana Rocío; Aguirre-Medina, Juan Francisco

    2017-07-25

    The Sechium edule Perla Negra cultivar is a recently-obtained biological material whose progenitors are S. edule var. nigrum minor and S. edule var. amarus silvestrys, the latter of which has been reported to have antiproliferative activity against the HeLa P-388 and L-929 cancer cell lines. The present study aimed to determine if the methanolic extract of the fruit of the Perla Negra cultivar had the same biological activity. The methanolic extract was phytochemically characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC), identifying the terpenes and flavonoids. The compounds identified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were Cucurbitacins B, D, E, and I for the terpene fractions, and Rutin, Phlorizidin, Myricetin, Quercetin, Naringenin, Phloretin, Apigenin, and Galangin for the flavonoid fractions). Biological activity was evaluated with different concentrations of the methanolic extract in the HeLa cell line and normal lymphocytes. The methanolic extract inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells (IC 50 1.85 µg·mL -1 ), but the lymphocytes were affected by the extract (IC 50 30.04 µg·mL -1 ). Some fractions, and the pool of all of them, showed inhibition higher than 80% at a concentration of 2.11 µg·mL -1 . Therefore, the biological effect shown by the methanolic extract of the Perla Negra has some specificity in inhibiting tumor cells and not normal cells; an unusual feature among molecules investigated as potential biomedical agents.

  2. Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz, a New Cultivar with Antiproliferative Potential in a Human Cervical Cancer HeLa Cell Line

    PubMed Central

    Salazar-Aguilar, Sandra; Ruiz-Posadas, Lucero del Mar; Cadena-Iñiguez, Jorge; Santiago-Osorio, Edelmiro; Aguiñiga-Sánchez, Itzen; Rivera-Martínez, Ana Rocío; Aguirre-Medina, Juan Francisco

    2017-01-01

    The Sechium edule Perla Negra cultivar is a recently-obtained biological material whose progenitors are S. edule var. nigrum minor and S. edule var. amarus silvestrys, the latter of which has been reported to have antiproliferative activity against the HeLa P-388 and L-929 cancer cell lines. The present study aimed to determine if the methanolic extract of the fruit of the Perla Negra cultivar had the same biological activity. The methanolic extract was phytochemically characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC), identifying the terpenes and flavonoids. The compounds identified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were Cucurbitacins B, D, E, and I for the terpene fractions, and Rutin, Phlorizidin, Myricetin, Quercetin, Naringenin, Phloretin, Apigenin, and Galangin for the flavonoid fractions). Biological activity was evaluated with different concentrations of the methanolic extract in the HeLa cell line and normal lymphocytes. The methanolic extract inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells (IC50 1.85 µg·mL−1), but the lymphocytes were affected by the extract (IC50 30.04 µg·mL−1). Some fractions, and the pool of all of them, showed inhibition higher than 80% at a concentration of 2.11 µg·mL−1. Therefore, the biological effect shown by the methanolic extract of the Perla Negra has some specificity in inhibiting tumor cells and not normal cells; an unusual feature among molecules investigated as potential biomedical agents. PMID:28757593

  3. Soil type affects Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum (Pinaceae) seedling growth in simulated drought experiments1

    PubMed Central

    Lindsey, Alexander J.; Kilgore, Jason S.

    2013-01-01

    • Premise of the study: Effects of drought stress and media type interactions on growth of Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum germinants were investigated. • Methods and Results: Soil properties and growth responses under drought were compared across four growth media types: two native soils (dolomitic limestone and granite), a soil-less industry standard conifer medium, and a custom-mixed conifer medium. After 35 d of growth, the seedlings under drought stress (reduced watering) produced less shoot and root biomass than watered control seedlings. Organic media led to decreased root biomass, but increased root length and shoot biomass relative to the mineral soils. • Conclusions: Media type affected root-to-shoot biomass partitioning of P. ponderosa var. scopulorum, which may influence net photosynthetic rates, growth, and long-term seedling survival. Further work should examine how specific soil properties like bulk density and organic matter influence biomass allocation in greenhouse studies. PMID:25202578

  4. Genetic and morphological contrasts between wild and anthropogenic populations of Agave parryi var. huachucensis in south-eastern Arizona.

    PubMed

    Parker, Kathleen C; Trapnell, Dorset W; Hamrick, J L; Hodgson, Wendy C

    2014-05-01

    At least seven species of Agave, including A. parryi, were cultivated prehistorically in Arizona, serving as important sources of food and fibre. Many relict populations from ancient cultivation remain in the modern landscape, offering a unique opportunity to study pre-Columbian plant manipulation practices. This study examined genetic and morphological variation in six A. p. var. huachucensis populations of unknown origin to compare them with previous work on A. parryi populations of known origin, to infer their cultivation history and to determine whether artificial selection is evident in populations potentially managed by early agriculturalists. Six A. p. var. huachucensis and 17 A. parryi populations were sampled, and morphometric, allozyme and microsatellite data were used to compare morphology and genetic structure in purportedly anthropogenic and wild populations, as well as in the two taxa. Analysis of molecular variance and Bayesian clustering were performed to partition variation associated with taxonomic identity and hypothesized evolutionary history, to highlight patterns of similarity among populations and to identify potential wild sources for the planting stock. A p. var. huachucensis and A. parryi populations differed significantly both morphologically and genetically. Like A. parryi, wild A. p. var. huachucensis populations were more genetically diverse than the inferred anthropogenic populations, with greater expected heterozygosity, percentage of polymorphic loci and number of alleles. Inferred anthropogenic populations exhibited many traits indicative of past active cultivation: greater morphological uniformity, fixed heterozygosity for several loci (non-existent in wild populations), fewer multilocus genotypes and strong differentiation among populations. Where archaeological information is lacking, the genetic signature of many Agave populations in Arizona can be used to infer their evolutionary history and to identify potentially fruitful

  5. Genetic and morphological contrasts between wild and anthropogenic populations of Agave parryi var. huachucensis in south-eastern Arizona

    PubMed Central

    Parker, Kathleen C.; Trapnell, Dorset W.; Hamrick, J. L.; Hodgson, Wendy C.

    2014-01-01

    Background and Aims At least seven species of Agave, including A. parryi, were cultivated prehistorically in Arizona, serving as important sources of food and fibre. Many relict populations from ancient cultivation remain in the modern landscape, offering a unique opportunity to study pre-Columbian plant manipulation practices. This study examined genetic and morphological variation in six A. p. var. huachucensis populations of unknown origin to compare them with previous work on A. parryi populations of known origin, to infer their cultivation history and to determine whether artificial selection is evident in populations potentially managed by early agriculturalists. Methods Six A. p. var. huachucensis and 17 A. parryi populations were sampled, and morphometric, allozyme and microsatellite data were used to compare morphology and genetic structure in purportedly anthropogenic and wild populations, as well as in the two taxa. Analysis of molecular variance and Bayesian clustering were performed to partition variation associated with taxonomic identity and hypothesized evolutionary history, to highlight patterns of similarity among populations and to identify potential wild sources for the planting stock. Key Results A p. var. huachucensis and A. parryi populations differed significantly both morphologically and genetically. Like A. parryi, wild A. p. var. huachucensis populations were more genetically diverse than the inferred anthropogenic populations, with greater expected heterozygosity, percentage of polymorphic loci and number of alleles. Inferred anthropogenic populations exhibited many traits indicative of past active cultivation: greater morphological uniformity, fixed heterozygosity for several loci (non-existent in wild populations), fewer multilocus genotypes and strong differentiation among populations. Conclusions Where archaeological information is lacking, the genetic signature of many Agave populations in Arizona can be used to infer their

  6. LenVarDB: database of length-variant protein domains.

    PubMed

    Mutt, Eshita; Mathew, Oommen K; Sowdhamini, Ramanathan

    2014-01-01

    Protein domains are functionally and structurally independent modules, which add to the functional variety of proteins. This array of functional diversity has been enabled by evolutionary changes, such as amino acid substitutions or insertions or deletions, occurring in these protein domains. Length variations (indels) can introduce changes at structural, functional and interaction levels. LenVarDB (freely available at http://caps.ncbs.res.in/lenvardb/) traces these length variations, starting from structure-based sequence alignments in our Protein Alignments organized as Structural Superfamilies (PASS2) database, across 731 structural classification of proteins (SCOP)-based protein domain superfamilies connected to 2 730 625 sequence homologues. Alignment of sequence homologues corresponding to a structural domain is available, starting from a structure-based sequence alignment of the superfamily. Orientation of the length-variant (indel) regions in protein domains can be visualized by mapping them on the structure and on the alignment. Knowledge about location of length variations within protein domains and their visual representation will be useful in predicting changes within structurally or functionally relevant sites, which may ultimately regulate protein function. Non-technical summary: Evolutionary changes bring about natural changes to proteins that may be found in many organisms. Such changes could be reflected as amino acid substitutions or insertions-deletions (indels) in protein sequences. LenVarDB is a database that provides an early overview of observed length variations that were set among 731 protein families and after examining >2 million sequences. Indels are followed up to observe if they are close to the active site such that they can affect the activity of proteins. Inclusion of such information can aid the design of bioengineering experiments.

  7. The influence of auxins on the biosynthesis of isoprene derivatives in callus cultures of Vaccinium corymbosum var. bluecrop.

    PubMed

    Migas, Piotr; Luczkiewicz, Maria; Cisowski, Wojciech

    2006-01-01

    Callus cultures of Vaccinium corymbosum var. bluecrop were optimized for their isoprene derivatives production by supplementing Schenk-Hildebrandt (SH) medium with constant concentration of kinetin (2.32 microM) and two different amounts of selected auxins. Every auxin, except for IBA, used in 10-time higher concentration (2,4D, NAA, IAA, NOA) stimulated biosynthesis of beta-sitosterol and inhibited triterpene synthesis. Quantitative analysis of isoprene derivatives in callus biomass collected on the 25th day of the experiment proved that the analyzed callus of Vaccinium corymbosum var. bluecrop synthesized the highest amount of isoprene derivatives after subculturing on SH medium modified with 22.6 microM of 2,4D and 2.32 microM of kinetin.

  8. Physiological Characterization and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of White and Green Leaves of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xia; Kanakala, Surapathrudu; He, Yehua; Zhong, Xiaolan; Yu, Sanmiao; Li, Ruixue; Sun, Lingxia; Ma, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Leaf coloration is one of the most important and attractive characteristics of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. The chimeric character is not stable during the in vitro tissue culturing. Many regenerated plants lost economic values for the loss of the chimeric character of leaves. In order to reveal the molecular mechanisms involved in the albino phenotype of the leaf cells, the physiological and transcriptional differences between complete white (CWh) and green (CGr) leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus were analyzed. A total of 1,431 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) in CGr and CWh leaves were identified using RNA-seq. A comparison to the COG, GO and KEGG annotations revealed DEGs involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis, chloroplast development and photosynthesis. Furthermore, the measurement of main precursors of chlorophyll in the CWh leaves confirmed that the rate-limiting step in chlorophyll biosynthesis, and thus the cause of the albino phenotype of the white cells, was the conversion of pyrrole porphobilinogen (PBG) to uroporphyrinogen III (Uro III). The enzyme activity of porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) and uroporporphyrinogn III synthase (UROS), which catalyze the transition of PBG to Uro III, was significantly decreased in the CWh leaves. Our data showed the transcriptional differences between the CWh and CGr plants and characterized key steps in chlorophyll biosynthesis of the CWh leaves. These results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of pigment biosynthesis in the CWh leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus. PMID:28095462

  9. Physiological Characterization and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of White and Green Leaves of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus.

    PubMed

    Li, Xia; Kanakala, Surapathrudu; He, Yehua; Zhong, Xiaolan; Yu, Sanmiao; Li, Ruixue; Sun, Lingxia; Ma, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Leaf coloration is one of the most important and attractive characteristics of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. The chimeric character is not stable during the in vitro tissue culturing. Many regenerated plants lost economic values for the loss of the chimeric character of leaves. In order to reveal the molecular mechanisms involved in the albino phenotype of the leaf cells, the physiological and transcriptional differences between complete white (CWh) and green (CGr) leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus were analyzed. A total of 1,431 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) in CGr and CWh leaves were identified using RNA-seq. A comparison to the COG, GO and KEGG annotations revealed DEGs involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis, chloroplast development and photosynthesis. Furthermore, the measurement of main precursors of chlorophyll in the CWh leaves confirmed that the rate-limiting step in chlorophyll biosynthesis, and thus the cause of the albino phenotype of the white cells, was the conversion of pyrrole porphobilinogen (PBG) to uroporphyrinogen III (Uro III). The enzyme activity of porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) and uroporporphyrinogn III synthase (UROS), which catalyze the transition of PBG to Uro III, was significantly decreased in the CWh leaves. Our data showed the transcriptional differences between the CWh and CGr plants and characterized key steps in chlorophyll biosynthesis of the CWh leaves. These results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of pigment biosynthesis in the CWh leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus.

  10. Complete plastid genome of Astragalus mongholicus var. nakaianus (Fabaceae).

    PubMed

    Choi, In-Su; Kim, Joo-Hwan; Choi, Byoung-Hee

    2016-07-01

    The first complete plastid genome (plastome) of the largest angiosperm genus, Astragalus, was sequenced for the Korean endangered endemic species A. mongholicus var. nakaianus. Its genome is relatively short (123,633 bp) because it lacks an Inverted Repeat (IR) region. It comprises 110 genes, including four unique rRNAs, 30 tRNAs, and 76 protein-coding genes. Similar to other closely related plastomes, rpl22 and rps16 are absent. The putative pseudogene with abnormal stop codons is atpE. This plastome has no additional inversions when compared with highly variable plastomes from IRLC tribes Fabeae and Trifolieae. Our phylogenetic analysis confirms the non-monophyly of Galegeae.

  11. Evaluation of volatiles from Ampelopsis brevipedunculata var. heterophylla using GC-olfactometry, GC-MS and GC-pulsed flame photometric detector.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Atsuhiko; Miyazawa, Mitsuo

    2013-01-01

    Ampelopsis brevipedunculata var. heterophylla is extensively cultivated in Asia, and the dried leaves and branches have a characteristic odor and have been used as a tea. To investigate the odorants contributing to the characteristic odor of A. brevipedunculata var. heterophylla, the aroma extraction dilution analysis method was performed through gas chromatography olfactometry. In addition, volatile sulfur compounds were evaluated using pulsed flame photometric detector. As a result, 86 compounds were identified in the oils of leaves and 78 in branches, accounting for 80.0% and 68.3%, respectively, of the compounds identified. The main compounds in the essential oil of leaves were palmitic acid (12.5%), phenylacetaldehyde (4.1%) and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (3.9%). On the other hand, the essential oil of branches contained palmitic acid (12.7%), terpinen-4-ol (4.4%) and α-cadinol (3.7%). The total number of odor-active compounds identified in the leaf and branch oils was 39. The most odorous compounds of leaves and branches of A. brevipedunculata var. heterophylla were (E, Z)-2,6-nonadienal (melon, green odor), (E)-2-nonenal (grassy odor), phenylacetaldehyde (honey-like) and (E)-linalool oxide (woody odor).

  12. Recurrent prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Aspergillus delacroxii (formerly Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus)

    PubMed Central

    Uhrin, Gábor Balázs; Jensen, Rasmus Hare; Korup, Eva; Grønlund, Jens; Hjort, Ulla; Moser, Claus; Arendrup, Maiken Cavling; Schønheyder, Henrik Carl

    2015-01-01

    We report Aspergillus delacroxii (formerly Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus) causing recurrent prosthetic valve endocarditis. The fungus was the sole agent detected during replacement of a mechanical aortic valve conduit due to abscess formation. Despite extensive surgery and anti-fungal treatment, the patient had a cerebral hemorrhage 4 months post-surgery prompting a diagnosis of recurrent prosthetic valve endocarditis and fungemia. PMID:26909244

  13. In vitro screening of probiotic properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii and food-borne Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

    PubMed

    van der Aa Kühle, Alis; Skovgaard, Kerstin; Jespersen, Lene

    2005-05-01

    The probiotic potential of 18 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains used for production of foods or beverages or isolated from such, and eight strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, was investigated. All strains included were able to withstand pH 2.5 and 0.3% Oxgall. Adhesion to the nontumorigenic porcine jejunal epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) was investigated by incorporation of 3H-methionine into the yeast cells and use of liquid scintillation counting. Only few of the food-borne S. cerevisiae strains exhibited noteworthy adhesiveness with the strongest levels of adhesion (13.6-16.8%) recorded for two isolates from blue veined cheeses. Merely 25% of the S. cerevisiae var. boulardii strains displayed good adhesive properties (16.2-28.0%). The expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1alpha decreased strikingly in IPEC-J2 cells exposed to a Shiga-like toxin 2e producing Escherichia coli strain when the cells were pre- and coincubated with S. cerevisiae var. boulardii even though this yeast strain was low adhesive (5.4%), suggesting that adhesion is not a mandatory prerequisite for such a probiotic effect. A strain of S. cerevisiae isolated from West African sorghum beer exerted similar effects hence indicating that food-borne strains of S. cerevisiae may possess probiotic properties in spite of low adhesiveness.

  14. Production and Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody Raised Against Surface Antigens from Mycelium of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici: Evidence for an Extracellular Polyphenol Oxidase.

    PubMed

    Thornton, C R; Dewey, F M; Gilligan, C A

    1997-01-01

    ABSTRACT A murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) of immunoglobulin class M (IgM) was raised against surface antigens from Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici and, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, recognized isolates of G. graminis var. tritici, G. graminis var. avenae and G. graminis var. graminis. Characterization of the antigen by heat and protease treatments showed that the epitope recognized by the MAb was a protein. Antigen production was detected only in live mycelia. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the antigen was associated with both the broad melanized macrohyphae and hyaline mycelia of G. graminis var. tritici. Secretion of antigen into an aqueous minimal medium was promoted only by exposure of live mycelia to certain phenolic substrates, including monophenols ortho-, para-, and meta-cresol; 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (gallic acid); and phenolic amino acid L-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) alanine (L-DOPA). Antigen secretion was not promoted by 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) alanine (L-tyrosine). The MAb reacted strongly with purified enzyme laccase (polyphenol oxidase, EC 1.10.3.2) but did not recognize purified tyrosinase (monophenol oxidase, EC 1.14.18.1). Moreover, chemicals that bind to copper and inhibit copper-containing enzymes such as laccase completely inhibited antigen secretion in response to L-DOPA. The MAb was tested for specificity against a wide range of fungi, common yeast species, and gram positive and negative bacteria. It did not recognize antigens from a broad range of unrelated fungi, including Gliocladium roseum, Fusarium sp., Phoma exigua, Phialophora fastigiata, Penicillium crustosum, Pythium ultimum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Rhizoctonia carotae, R. oryzae, R. tuliparum, and Trichoderma viride, nor did it recognize surface antigens from yeasts or bacteria. The MAb cross-reacted with antigens from Botrytis spp., Chaetomium globosum, R. cerealis, and R. solani. However, secretion of antigen by R. solani and R. cerealis was not promoted by L

  15. DuraLith geopolymer waste form for Hanford secondary waste: correlating setting behavior to hydration heat evolution.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hui; Gong, Weiliang; Syltebo, Larry; Lutze, Werner; Pegg, Ian L

    2014-08-15

    The binary furnace slag-metakaolin DuraLith geopolymer waste form, which has been considered as one of the candidate waste forms for immobilization of certain Hanford secondary wastes (HSW) from the vitrification of nuclear wastes at the Hanford Site, Washington, was extended to a ternary fly ash-furnace slag-metakaolin system to improve workability, reduce hydration heat, and evaluate high HSW waste loading. A concentrated HSW simulant, consisting of more than 20 chemicals with a sodium concentration of 5 mol/L, was employed to prepare the alkaline activating solution. Fly ash was incorporated at up to 60 wt% into the binder materials, whereas metakaolin was kept constant at 26 wt%. The fresh waste form pastes were subjected to isothermal calorimetry and setting time measurement, and the cured samples were further characterized by compressive strength and TCLP leach tests. This study has firstly established quantitative linear relationships between both initial and final setting times and hydration heat, which were never discovered in scientific literature for any cementitious waste form or geopolymeric material. The successful establishment of the correlations between setting times and hydration heat may make it possible to efficiently design and optimize cementitious waste forms and industrial wastes based geopolymers using limited testing results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. [Fitness of sexual reproduction of Toona ciliata var. pubescens natural populations and their sexual reproduction and regeneration].

    PubMed

    Huang, Hong Lan; Zhang, Lu; Jia, Li Ming; Liang, Yue-Long; Cai, Jun Huo

    2018-04-01

    To examine the reproduction fitness coefficients and individual-level fitness of Toona ciliata var. pubescens, their sexual reproduction and natural regeneration were investigated during 2006-2016, with four natural populations in Jiulianshan National Reserve as test objects. The results showed that there were only 2-10 trees for the natural populations of T. ciliata var. pubescens with a small initial number of fruiting plants (3-9 trees), which were from the initial fruiting plants or their first/second generation. The sexual reproduction of these isolated populations were significantly different, and their seed production capacities tended to decline over time. With the maturing of communities, soil seed banks and seed germinations were extremely poor, and the number of trees that could be growing to mature stage was nearly zero. The optimum maturity age of T. ciliata var. pubescens was about 40 a, and the fitness coefficients (2.0-2.8) rapidly increased in early development stage, but then was sharply reduced (0.3-0.5), and then gradually dropped to almost 0. There were significant differences in the fitness at individual level (0-14 tree·cm -2 ) among different populations, but their values were low (close to zero). Based on the existing reproduction rate, the actual values of sexual reproduction and regeneration fitness were much lower than the predicted ones. Due to the low level of genetic fitness, the sexual reproductive ability of different populations all showed decreasing trends. The natural sexual regeneration ability tended to decline, while the fitness of T. ciliata var. pubescens further decreased. All those factors suggested higher investment risks. Therefore, the systems of sexual reproduction became unbalanced and deteriorating. We proposed that more studies, including breeding mating, pollination, seed setting, and genetic diversity evaluation, are needed. Moreover, we should provide suitable forest environment through cleaning up litter in the

  17. Intravenous dextromethorphan/quinidine inhibits activity of dura-sensitive spinal trigeminal neurons in rats.

    PubMed

    Sokolov, A Y; Lyubashina, O A; Berkovich, R R; Panteleev, S S

    2015-09-01

    Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by episodes of throbbing headaches. Practically all medications currently used in migraine prophylaxis have a number of substantial disadvantages and use limitations. Therefore, the further search for principally new prophylactic antimigraine agents remains an important task. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of a fixed combination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulphate (DM/Q) on activity of the spinal trigeminal neurons in an electrophysiological model of trigemino-durovascular nociception. The study was performed in 15 male Wistar rats, which were anaesthetized with urethane/α-chloralose and paralysed using pipecuronium bromide. The effects of cumulative intravenous infusions of DM/Q (three steps performed 30 min apart, 15/7.5 mg/kg of DM/Q in 0.5 mL of isotonic saline per step) on ongoing and dural electrical stimulation-induced neuronal activities were tested in a group of eight rats over 90 min. Other seven animals received cumulative infusion of equal volumes of saline and served as control. Cumulative administration of DM/Q produced steady suppression of both the ongoing activity of the spinal trigeminal neurons and their responses to electrical stimulation of the dura mater. It is evident that the observed DM/Q-induced suppression of trigeminal neuron excitability can lead to a reduction in nociceptive transmission from meninges to higher centres of the brain. Since the same mechanism is believed to underlie the pharmacodynamics of many well-known antimigraine drugs, results of the present study enable us to anticipate the potential efficacy of DM/Q in migraine. © 2014 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

  18. Expression profiles of defence related cDNAs in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) inoculated with mycorrhizae and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai T32.

    PubMed

    Tan, Yung-Chie; Wong, Mui-Yun; Ho, Chai-Ling

    2015-11-01

    Basal stem rot is one of the major diseases of oil palm (Elaies guineensis Jacq.) caused by pathogenic Ganoderma species. Trichoderma and mycorrhizae were proposed to be able to reduce the disease severity. However, their roles in improving oil palm defence system by possibly inducing defence-related genes in the host are not well characterized. To better understand that, transcript profiles of eleven putative defence-related cDNAs in the roots of oil palm inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum T32 and mycorrhizae at different time points were studied. Transcripts encoding putative Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (EgBBI2) and defensin (EgDFS) increased more than 2 fold in mycorrhizae-treated roots at 6 weeks post inoculation (wpi) compared to those in controls. Transcripts encoding putative dehydrin (EgDHN), glycine-rich RNA binding protein (EgGRRBP), isoflavone reductase (EgIFR), type 2 ribosome inactivating protein (EgT2RIP), and EgDFS increased in the oil palm roots treated with T. harzianum at 6 and/or 12 wpi compared to those in the controls. Some of these genes were also expressed in oil palm roots treated with Ganoderma boninense. This study provides an insight of some defence-related genes induced by Trichoderma and mycorrhizae, and their roles as potential agents to boost the plant defence system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Phytoremediation of an arsenic-contaminated site using Pteris vittata L. and Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana: a long-term study.

    PubMed

    Niazi, Nabeel Khan; Singh, Balwant; Van Zwieten, Lukas; Kachenko, Anthony George

    2012-09-01

    This field study investigated the phytoremediation potential of two arsenic (As) hyperaccumulating fern species, Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana and Pteris vittata over 27-month duration at a disused As-contaminated cattle-dip site located at Wollongbar, NSW, Australia. Ferns planted in January 2009 were harvested following 10, 22 and 27 months of growth. A detailed soil sampling was undertaken in June 2009 (initial, n = 42 per plot) and limited sampling in April 2011 (after 27 months, n = 15 per plot) to measure total and phosphate-extractable As concentrations in soil at 0 - 20-, 20 - 40- and 40 - 60-cm depths. The choice of the limited number of samples was considered sufficient to estimate the changes in soil As concentration following phytoremediation based on a geostatistical model. The average frond dry biomass, As concentration and As uptake were significantly (P < 0.001 - 0.05) greater in P. calomelanos var. austroamericana than P. vittata, at all three harvests (1.6 - 4.3, 1.3 - 1.5 and 2.2 - 5.7 times, respectively). After 27-months of growth, P. calomelanos var. austroamericana removed 8,053 mg As (i.e. cumulative over three harvests) in plot B (25.4 kg As ha(-1)) that was 2.65 times higher than that depleted by P. vittata (3,042 mg As in plot A (9.7 kg As ha(-1))). The cumulative frond As uptake data of the two fern species revealed that P. calomelanos var. austroamericana extracted 1.7 - 3.9 % and P. vittata removed 0.53 - 1.5 % of total As from soil at three depths. However, for the surface (0 - 20 cm) and subsurface (40 - 60 cm) layers, the (post-experiment) soil As data indicated that total As concentration in soil was reduced by 49 and 63 % (P < 0.05), respectively, using P. calomelanos var. austroamericana; and 17 and 15 % (P > 0.05), respectively, by P. vittata. Our results show that phytoremediation time based on observed changes in soil As based on limited sampling

  20. Data assimilation of non-conventional observations using GEOS-R flash lightning: 1D+4D-VAR approach vs. assimilation of images (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Navon, M. I.; Stefanescu, R.

    2013-12-01

    Previous assimilation of lightning used nudging approaches. We develop three approaches namely, 3D-VAR WRFDA and1D+nD-VAR (n=3,4) WRFDA . The present research uses Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) as a proxy between lightning data and model variables. To test performance of aforementioned schemes, we assess quality of resulting analysis and forecasts of precipitation compared to those from a control experiment and verify them against NCEP stage IV precipitation. Results demonstrate that assimilating lightning observations improves precipitation statistics during the assimilation window and for 3-7 h thereafter. The 1D+4D-VAR approach yielded the best performance significantly improving precipitation rmse errors by 25% and 27.5%,compared to control during the assimilation window for two tornadic test cases. Finally we propose a new approach to assimilate 2-D images of lightning flashes based on pixel intensity, mitigating dimensionality by a reduced order method.

  1. Advanced Micro Grid Energy Management Coupled with Integrated Volt/VAR Control for Improved Energy Efficiency, Energy Security, and Power Quality at DoD Installations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-28

    assumptions. List of Assumptions: Price of electrical energy : $0.07/kWh flat rate for energy at the base Price of peak power: $15/MW peak power...EW-201147) Advanced Micro-Grid Energy Management Coupled with Integrated Volt/VAR Control for Improved Energy Efficiency, Energy Security, and...12-C-0002 5b. GRANT NUMBER Advanced Micro-Grid Energy Management Coupled with Integrated Volt/VAR Control for Improved Energy Efficiency, Energy

  2. Chromosome behaviour in Rhoeo spathacea var. variegata.

    PubMed

    Lin, Y J

    1980-01-01

    Rhoeo spathacea var. variegata is unusual in that its twelve chromosomes are arranged in a ring at meiosis. The order of the chromosomes has been established, and each chromosome arm has been designated a letter in accordance with the segmental interchange theory. Chromosomes are often irregularly orientated at metaphase I. Chromosomes at anaphase I are generally distributed equally (6-6, 58.75%) although not necessarily balanced. Due to adjacent distribution, 7-5 distribution at anaphase I was frequently observed (24.17%), and due to lagging, 6-1-5 and 5-2-5 distributions were also observed (10.83% and 3.33% respectively). Three types of abnormal distribution, 8-4, 7-1-4 and 6-2-4 were observed very infrequently (2.92% total), and their possible origins are discussed. Irregularities, such as adjacent distribution and lagging, undoubtedly reduce the fertility of the plant because of the resulting unbalanced gametes.

  3. GC-MS analysis and antimicrobial activity determination of Citrus medica L. var proper leaf essential oil from South Sulawesi against skin pathogen microorganism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliyah; Himawan, A.; Rante, H.; Mufidah; Ningsih, D. R.

    2017-11-01

    A research about Citrus medica L. var sarcodactylis had been conducted and it showed a significant antimicrobial activity, thus drive our curiosity to investigate the other variety from the same species, Citrus medica L. var proper. This research focuses in chemical compound study and antimicrobial activity screening against Staphylococcus aureus, Propionibacterium acne, and Candida albicans of Citrus medica L. var Proper leaves’ essential oil. The essential oil is distillated from fresh leaves by hydrodestillation. The chemical compound was analysed using GC-MS instrument while the antimicrobial activity was tested using disk diffusion method. The results showed that the major component of the essential oil was Z-citral, citral and limonene compounds. The antimicrobial activity test results against the test microorganism are 9.15±0.15 mm, 11.15±1.3 mm and 8.02±0.48 mm, consecutively, for Staphylococcus aureus, Propionibacterium acne and Candida albicans.

  4. Larvicidal activity of extracts from Quercus lusitania var. infectoria galls (Oliv.).

    PubMed

    Redwane, A; Lazrek, H B; Bouallam, S; Markouk, M; Amarouch, H; Jana, M

    2002-02-01

    The present study indicates the efficacy of extracts and fractions of Quercus lusitania var. infectoria galls (Oliv.) as larvicidal agents and their possible use in biological control of Culex pipiens, the urban nuisance mosquito. Extracts and fractions were tested against second and fourth instar larvae. The LC(50) values of gallotannins were 335 and 373 ppm, respectively for the 2nd and 4th instar period. The most interesting value of LC(50) (24 h) is obtained with the fraction F(2) (60 ppm).

  5. Diversity, virulence and 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol sensitivity of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici isolates from Washington State.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Populations of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG)-producing Pseudomonas fluorescens buildup in soils that have undergone continuous wheat or barley monoculture, resulting in take-all decline (TAD). We tested whether Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) isolates (causal agent of take-all) in mon...

  6. Waste Acceptance Testing of Secondary Waste Forms: Cast Stone, Ceramicrete and DuraLith

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mattigod, Shas V.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Chung, Chul-Woo

    2011-08-12

    indicated that all the waste forms had leachability indices better than the target LI > 9 for technetium; (2) Rhenium diffusivity: Cast Stone 2M specimens, when tested using EPA 1315 protocol, had leachability indices better than the target LI > 9 for technetium based on rhenium as a surrogate for technetium. All other waste forms tested by ANSI/ANS 16.1, ASTM C1308, and EPA 1315 test methods had leachability indices that were below the target LI > 9 for Tc based on rhenium release. These studies indicated that use of Re(VII) as a surrogate for 99Tc(VII) in low temperature secondary waste forms containing reductants will provide overestimated diffusivity values for 99Tc. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use Re as a surrogate 99Tc in future low temperature waste form studies. (3) Iodine diffusivity: ANSI/ANS 16.1, ASTM C1308, and EPA 1315 tests indicated that the three waste forms had leachability indices that were below the target LI > 11 for iodine. Therefore, it may be necessary to use a more effective sequestering material than silver zeolite used in two of the waste forms (Ceramicrete and DuraLith); (4) Sodium diffusivity: All the waste form specimens tested by the three leach methods (ANSI/ANS 16.1, ASTM C1308, and EPA 1315) exceeded the target LI value of 6; (5) All three leach methods (ANS 16.1, ASTM C1308 and EPA 1315) provided similar 99Tc diffusivity values for both short-time transient diffusivity effects as well as long-term ({approx}90 days) steady diffusivity from each of the three tested waste forms (Cast Stone 2M, Ceramicrete and DuraLith). Therefore, any one of the three methods can be used to determine the contaminant diffusivities from a selected waste form.« less

  7. Experimental infection of European flat oyster Ostrea edulis with ostreid herpesvirus 1 microvar (OsHV-1μvar): Mortality, viral load and detection of viral transcripts by in situ hybridization.

    PubMed

    López Sanmartín, Monserrat; Power, Deborah M; de la Herrán, Roberto; Navas, José I; Batista, Frederico M

    2016-06-02

    Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) infections have been reported in several bivalve species. Mortality of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas spat has increased considerably in Europe since 2008 linked to the spread of a variant of OsHV-1 called μvar. In the present study we demonstrated that O. edulis juveniles can be infected by OsHV-1μvar when administered as an intramuscular injection. Mortality in the oysters injected with OsHV-1μvar was first detected 4 days after injection and reached 25% mortality at day 10. Moreover, the high viral load observed and the detection of viral transcripts by in situ hybridization in several tissues of dying oysters suggested that OsHV-1μvar was the cause of mortality in the O. edulis juveniles. This is therefore the first study to provide evidence about the pathogenicity of OsHV-1μvar in a species that does not belong to the Crassostrea genus. Additionally, we present a novel method to detect OsHV-1 transcripts in infected individuals' using in situ hybridization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Thalli Growth, Propagule Survival, and Integrated Physiological Response to Nitrogen Stress of Ramalina calicaris var. japonica in Shennongjia Mountain (China).

    PubMed

    Wang, Chuan-Hua; Wang, Ming; Jia, Rao-Zhen; Guo, Hua

    2018-01-01

    In this study, effects of nitrogen (N) availability on growth, survival of Ramalina calicaris var. japonica , and whether it respond nitrogen stress in an integrated physiological way was evaluated. Thalli growth and propagule survival, thalli N and phosphorus (P) content, and activity of phosphomonoesterase (PME) of R. calicaris var. japonica were determined in a field experiment. Its differentiate adsorption in ammonia and nitrate, the activity of glutamine synthetase (GSA) and nitrate reductase (NRA) also were investigated in a series of indoor experiments. The results showed that N deposition significantly decreased the growth and survival of this lichen, and the N sensitivity threshold was suggested at 6.0 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 . When the N deposition increased from 8.59 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 to 14.24, 20.49, 32.99 and 57.99 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 , the growth rates of lichen thalli decreased by 26.47, 39.01, 52.18 and 60.3%, respectively; Whereas the survival rate of the lichen propagules decreased from 92.8% of control (0.0 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 ) to 10.7% of 50.0 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 , when they were treated with 0.00, 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 kg N⋅ha -1 ⋅y -1 deposition. Compared with an adequate adsorption of ammonium N, no nitrate adsorption occurred when thalli was submerged in solution lower than 0.4 mM. Our results also suggested that thalli total nitrogen, N:P ratio increased with N availability, and the activity of PME was significantly correlated with thalli total nitrogen. These all indicated that phosphorus limitation occurred when R. calicaris var. japonica treated with higher nitrogen deposition. Compared with slightly effects of NRA, GSA of R. calicaris var. japonica responded nitrogen availability significantly; In addition, GSA and NRA negatively correlated with thalli growth rate and propagule survival significantly. These results indicated that nitrogen stress do decrease growth and survival of R. calicaris var. japonica , and lichen

  9. An Interaction between RRP6 and SU(VAR)3-9 Targets RRP6 to Heterochromatin and Contributes to Heterochromatin Maintenance in Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Eberle, Andrea B; Jordán-Pla, Antonio; Gañez-Zapater, Antoni; Hessle, Viktoria; Silberberg, Gilad; von Euler, Anne; Silverstein, Rebecca A; Visa, Neus

    2015-09-01

    RNA surveillance factors are involved in heterochromatin regulation in yeast and plants, but less is known about the possible roles of ribonucleases in the heterochromatin of animal cells. Here we show that RRP6, one of the catalytic subunits of the exosome, is necessary for silencing heterochromatic repeats in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. We show that a fraction of RRP6 is associated with heterochromatin, and the analysis of the RRP6 interaction network revealed physical links between RRP6 and the heterochromatin factors HP1a, SU(VAR)3-9 and RPD3. Moreover, genome-wide studies of RRP6 occupancy in cells depleted of SU(VAR)3-9 demonstrated that SU(VAR)3-9 contributes to the tethering of RRP6 to a subset of heterochromatic loci. Depletion of the exosome ribonucleases RRP6 and DIS3 stabilizes heterochromatic transcripts derived from transposons and repetitive sequences, and renders the heterochromatin less compact, as shown by micrococcal nuclease and proximity-ligation assays. Such depletion also increases the amount of HP1a bound to heterochromatic transcripts. Taken together, our results suggest that SU(VAR)3-9 targets RRP6 to a subset of heterochromatic loci where RRP6 degrades chromatin-associated non-coding RNAs in a process that is necessary to maintain the packaging of the heterochromatin.

  10. An Interaction between RRP6 and SU(VAR)3-9 Targets RRP6 to Heterochromatin and Contributes to Heterochromatin Maintenance in Drosophila melanogaster

    PubMed Central

    Eberle, Andrea B.; Jordán-Pla, Antonio; Gañez-Zapater, Antoni; Hessle, Viktoria; Silberberg, Gilad; von Euler, Anne; Silverstein, Rebecca A.; Visa, Neus

    2015-01-01

    RNA surveillance factors are involved in heterochromatin regulation in yeast and plants, but less is known about the possible roles of ribonucleases in the heterochromatin of animal cells. Here we show that RRP6, one of the catalytic subunits of the exosome, is necessary for silencing heterochromatic repeats in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. We show that a fraction of RRP6 is associated with heterochromatin, and the analysis of the RRP6 interaction network revealed physical links between RRP6 and the heterochromatin factors HP1a, SU(VAR)3-9 and RPD3. Moreover, genome-wide studies of RRP6 occupancy in cells depleted of SU(VAR)3-9 demonstrated that SU(VAR)3-9 contributes to the tethering of RRP6 to a subset of heterochromatic loci. Depletion of the exosome ribonucleases RRP6 and DIS3 stabilizes heterochromatic transcripts derived from transposons and repetitive sequences, and renders the heterochromatin less compact, as shown by micrococcal nuclease and proximity-ligation assays. Such depletion also increases the amount of HP1a bound to heterochromatic transcripts. Taken together, our results suggest that SU(VAR)3-9 targets RRP6 to a subset of heterochromatic loci where RRP6 degrades chromatin-associated non-coding RNAs in a process that is necessary to maintain the packaging of the heterochromatin. PMID:26389589

  11. Morphology and accumulation of epicuticular wax on needles of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii)

    Treesearch

    Constance A. Harrington; William C. Carlson

    2015-01-01

    Past studies have documented differences in epicuticular wax among several tree species but little attention has been paid to changes in accumulation of foliar wax that can occur during the year. We sampled current-year needles from the terminal shoots of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) in late June/early...

  12. An arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and Epichloë festucae var. lolii reduce Bipolaris sorokiniana disease incidence and improve perennial ryegrass growth.

    PubMed

    Li, Fang; Guo, Yan'e; Christensen, Michael J; Gao, Ping; Li, Yanzhong; Duan, Tingyu

    2018-02-01

    Leaf spot of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is an important disease in temperate regions of the world. We designed this experiment to test for the combined effects of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Claroideoglomus etunicatum and the grass endophyte fungus Epichloë festucae var. lolii on growth and disease occurrence in perennial ryegrass. The results show that C. etunicatum increased plant P uptake and total dry weight and that this beneficial effect was slightly enhanced when in association with the grass endophyte. The presence in plants of both the endophyte and B. sorokiniana decreased AM fungal colonization. Plants inoculated with B. sorokiniana showed the typical leaf spot symptoms 2 weeks after inoculation and the lowest disease incidence was with plants that were host to both C. etunicatum and E. festucae var. lolii. Plants with these two fungi had much higher activity of peroxidases (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and lower values of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The AM fungus C. etunicatum and the grass endophyte fungus E. festucae var. lolii have the potential to promote perennial ryegrass growth and resistance to B. sorokiniana leaf spot.

  13. Chemical Characterization, Antileishmanial Activity, and Cytotoxicity Effects of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don. (Asteraceae).

    PubMed

    García, Marley; Scull, Ramón; Satyal, Prabodh; Setzer, William N; Monzote, Lianet

    2017-09-01

    Current strategies to control leishmaniasis are mainly based on chemotherapy. However, none of the available drugs can be considered to be ideal to treat this disease. Because of the hydrophobic nature and bioactivities of their components, essential oils (EOs) can be considered as important sources for developing agents against intracellular pathogens, such as Leishmania parasites. In this study, we report the chemical characterization, antileishmanial activities, and cytotoxicity effect of the EO from Pluchea carolinensis (Jacq.) G. Don. (Asteraceae). Chemical analysis revealed that EO from aerial part from P. carolinensis is composed of 44 compounds. The main component was selin-11-en-4α-ol, which made up 51.0%. In vitro antileishmanial studies showed that P. carolinensis EO inhibited the growth of promastigotes (IC 50  = 24.7 ± 7.1 μg/mL) and amastigotes (IC 50  = 6.2 ± 0.1 μg/mL) of Leishmania amazonensis, while cytotoxicity evaluation revealed fivefold higher values than those for the parasites. In a model of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice, five doses of EO at 30 mg/kg by intralesional route demonstrated smaller lesion size and parasite burden (p < 0.05) compared with animals treated with Glucantime® and untreated mice. In conclusion, in vitro and in vivo results showed the potentialities of EO from P. carolinensis with the future possibility of a new alternative in the treatment for leishmaniasis. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. An antifungal protein from the pea Pisum sativum var. arvense Poir.

    PubMed

    Wang, H X; Ng, T B

    2006-07-01

    An antifungal protein with a molecular mass of 11 kDa and a lysine-rich N-terminal sequence was isolated from the seeds of the pea Pisum sativum var. arvense Poir. The antifungal protein was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose but adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and CM-cellulose. It exerted antifungal activity against Physalospora piricola with an IC50 of 0.62 microM, and also antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Mycosphaerella arachidicola. It inhibited human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase with an IC50 of 4.7 microM.

  15. A new C20-diterpenoid alkaloid from Aconitum soongaricum var. pubescens.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lin; Shan, Lianhai; Xu, Wenliang; Zhang, Jifa; Huang, Shuai; Zhou, Xianli

    2017-03-01

    A new denudatine-type C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloid, pubesine (1), along with seven known diterpenoid alkaloids, altaconitine (2), 14-benzoylaconine (3), spicatine A (4), 14-benzoylaconine-8-palmitate (5), 14-O-acetylsenbusine A (6), senbusine A (7) and 14-acetylneoline (8) were isolated from the whole plant of Aconitum soongaricum var. pubescens. Their structures were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic analyses (NMR and HR-ESI-MS) and comparison with data reported in the literature. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against H460, MCF-7 and Hep G2 human cancer cell lines.

  16. Dry Heat Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis var. niger Spores as a Function of Relative Humidity

    PubMed Central

    Brannen, J. P.; Garst, D. M.

    1972-01-01

    Dry heat sterilization of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores at 105 C is enhanced in the relative humidity range 0.03 to 0.2%. D-values of 115 and 125 C are predicted by a kinetic model with parameters set from 105 C data. These predictions are compared to observations. Images PMID:4625341

  17. Effects of fire and restoration seeding on establishment of squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata var. squarrosa)

    Treesearch

    Alison Whittaker; Scott L. Jensen

    2008-01-01

    Squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata var. squarrosa), herein referred to simply as knapweed, is a noxious weed that invades both disturbed and healthy sagebrush communities. Fire, grazing, mining, recreation, and farming have all played a large part in the establishment of knapweed in Tintic Valley, Utah. This study was designed to look at the...

  18. The COOH-terminal peptide of platelet factor-4 variant (CXCL4L1/PF-4var47-70) strongly inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses B16 melanoma growth in vivo.

    PubMed

    Vandercappellen, Jo; Liekens, Sandra; Bronckaers, Annelies; Noppen, Samuel; Ronsse, Isabelle; Dillen, Chris; Belleri, Mirella; Mitola, Stefania; Proost, Paul; Presta, Marco; Struyf, Sofie; Van Damme, Jo

    2010-03-01

    Chemokines influence tumor growth directly or indirectly via both angiogenesis and tumor-leukocyte interactions. Platelet factor-4 (CXCL4/PF-4), which is released from alpha-granules of activated platelets, is the first described angiostatic chemokine. Recently, it was found that the variant of CXCL4/PF-4 (CXCL4L1/PF-4var) could exert a more pronounced angiostatic and antitumoral effect than CXCL4/PF-4. However, the molecular mechanisms of the angiostatic activities of the PF-4 forms remain partially elusive. Here, we studied the biological properties of the chemically synthesized COOH-terminal peptides of CXCL4/PF-4 (CXCL4/PF-4(47-70)) and CXCL4L1/PF-4var (CXCL4L1/PF-4var(47-70)). Both PF-4 peptides lacked monocyte and lymphocyte chemotactic activity but equally well inhibited (25 nmol/L) endothelial cell motility and proliferation in the presence of a single stimulus (i.e., exogenous recombinant fibroblast growth factor-2). In contrast, when assayed in more complex angiogenesis test systems characterized by the presence of multiple mediators, including in vitro wound-healing (2.5 nmol/L versus 12.5 nmol/L), Matrigel (60 nmol/L versus 300 nmol/L), and chorioallantoic membrane assays, CXCL4L1/PF-4var(47-70) was found to be significantly (5-fold) more angiostatic than CXCL4/PF-4(47-70). In addition, low (7 microg total) doses of intratumoral CXCL4L1/PF-4var(47-70) inhibited B16 melanoma growth in mice more extensively than CXCL4/PF-4(47-70). This antitumoral activity was predominantly mediated through inhibition of angiogenesis (without affecting blood vessel stability) and induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by immunohistochemical and fluorescent staining of B16 tumor tissue. In conclusion, CXCL4L1/PF-4var(47-70) is a potent antitumoral and antiangiogenic peptide. These results may represent the basis for the design of CXCL4L1/PF-4var COOH-terminal-derived peptidomimetic anticancer drugs.

  19. The Role of Leaf Volatiles of Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven in the Attraction of Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

    PubMed

    Mitra, Saubhik; Karmakar, Amarnath; Mukherjee, Abhishek; Barik, Anandamay

    2017-07-01

    Larvae and adults of Altica cyanea (Weber) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feed on the rice-field weed Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) Raven (Onagraceae), commonly known as willow primrose, which is considered a biocontrol agent of the weed. Volatile organic compounds from undamaged plants, plants after 4, 12, and 36 h of continuous feeding by A. cyanea larvae or adult females and after mechanical damaging were identified by GC-MS and GC-FID analyses. Twenty nine compounds were identified from undamaged plants. 2Z-Penten-1-ol, geraniol, and 1-tridecanol were present in all plants damaged by larvae. In contrast, feeding by adults caused the release of 2Z-penten-1-ol only after 12 and 36 h; whereas geraniol and 1-tridecanol appeared only after 36 h. Farnesyl acetone was detected after 12 and 36 h of feeding by larvae and after 36 h of feeding by adults. Farnesene was detected after 36 h of feeding by larvae and adults. Linalool was unique after 36 h of feeding by larvae. In Y-shaped glass tube olfactometer bioassays, A. cyanea females were attracted to volatiles after 36 h of feeding by larvae or adults compared to volatiles released by undamaged plants. The insects were attracted to five synthetic compounds: 3-hexanol, α-pinene, linalool oxide, geraniol, and phytol. Synthetic blends were more attractive than individual compounds. Compared to undamaged plants, volatiles released by plants, damaged by conspecific individuals, were more attractive to A. cyanea females, due to elevated emissions of 3-hexanol, α-pinene, linalool oxide, geraniol, and phytol.

  20. Biochemical characterization and immunolocalization studies of a Capsicum chinense Jacq. protein fraction containing DING proteins and anti-microbial activity.

    PubMed

    Brito-Argáez, Ligia; Tamayo-Sansores, José A; Madera-Piña, Dianeli; García-Villalobos, Francisco J; Moo-Puc, Rosa E; Kú-González, Ángela; Villanueva, Marco A; Islas-Flores, Ignacio

    2016-12-01

    The DING protein family consists of proteins of great biological importance due to their ability to inhibit carcinogenic cell growth. A DING peptide with Mr ∼7.57 kDa and pI ∼5.06 was detected in G10P1.7.57, a protein fraction from Capsicum chinense Jacq. seeds. Amino acid sequencing of the peptide produced three smaller peptides showing identity to the DING protein family. G10P1.7.57 displayed a phosphatase activity capable of dephosphorylating different phosphorylated substrates and inhibited the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Western immunoblotting with a custom-made polyclonal antibody raised against a sequence (ITYMSPDYAAPTLAGLDDATK), derived from the ∼7.57 kDa polypeptide, immunodetected an ∼ 39 kDa polypeptide in G10P1.7.57. Purification by electroelution followed by amino acid sequencing of the ∼39 kDa polypeptide yielded seven new peptide sequences and an additional one identical to that of the initially identified peptide. Western immunoblotting of soluble proteins from C. chinense seeds and leaves revealed the presence of the ∼39 kDa polypeptide at all developmental stages, with increased accumulation when the organs reached maturity. Immunolocalization using Dabsyl chloride- or Alexa fluor 488-conjugated antibodies revealed a specific fluorescent signal in the cell cytoplasm at all developmental stages, giving support to the idea that the ∼39 kDa polypeptide is a soluble DING protein. Thus, we have identified and characterized a protein fraction with a DING protein from C. chinense. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Detection of Papaya ringspot virus type W infecting the cucurbit weed Cucumis melo var. dudaim in Florida

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This is the first report of Papaya ringspot virus type W infecting Cucumis melo var. dudaim, a cucurbit weed, in Florida. It provides an overview of this virus reservoir for growers, extension workers, crop consultants and research and regulatory scientists....

  2. Allelopathy of the invasive plant Bidens frondosa on the seed germination of Geum japonicum var. chinense.

    PubMed

    Wang, X F; Hassani, D; Cheng, Z W; Wang, C Y; Wu, J

    2014-12-12

    Five gradient concentrations (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.10 g/mL) of leaching liquors from the roots, stems, and leaves of the invasive plant Bidens frondosa were used as conditioning fluid to examine its influence on seed germination conditions of the native plant Geum japonicum var. chinense in Huangshan. All leaching liquors of organs suppressed the seed germination of Geum japonicum var. chinense and reduced the final germination percentage and rate, and increased the germination inhibition rate, with a bimodal dependence on concentration. The leaching liquor inhibited the seed germination significantly at the concentration of 0.02 g/mL respectively. The seed germination was also inhibited as the concentration reached to 0.04 g/mL and beyond. Hence the allelopathic effects of the organs were significantly enhanced respectively. This phenomenon represented the presence of allelopathy substances in the root, stem and leaf of Bidens frondosa.

  3. Micropropagation of Araucaria excelsa R. Br. var. glauca Carrière from orthotropic stem explants.

    PubMed

    Sarmast, Mostafa Khoshhal; Salehi, Hassan; Khosh-Khui, Morteza

    2012-07-01

    The objectives of the present work were in vitro propagation of Araucaria excelsa R. Br. var. glauca Carrière (Norfolk Island pine) with focus on the evaluation of the mean number of shoots per explant (MNS/E) and mean length of shoots per explants (MLS/E) produced by different parts of the orthotropic stem of A. excelsa R. Br. var. glauca in response to plant growth regulators. Norfolk Island pine axillary meristems responded very well to the 2-iso-pentenyl adenine (2iP) and thidiazuron (TDZ) levels. Explants taken from stem upper segments in the media containing 2iP had a higher MNS/E (3.47) and MLS/E (6.27 mm) in comparison to those taken from stem lower segments, which were 0.71 and 0.51 mm, respectively. Using 0.045 μM TDZ in the MS medium not only resulted in 4.60 MNS/E with 7.08 mm MLS/E but proliferated shoots showed a good performance as well. Investigating the best position of stem explant on mother plant as well as the best concentrations of growth regulators were performed which were useful for efficient micropropagation of this plant. Thirty three percent of explants were rooted in the MS medium containing 3 % sucrose, supplemented with 7.5 μM of both NAA and IBA for 2 weeks before transferring to a half strength MS medium without any growth regulator. Plantlets obtained were acclimatized and transferred to the greenhouse with less than 20 % mortality. This procedure considered the first successful report for regeneration and acclimatization of A. excelsa R. Br. var. glauca plantlet through main stem explants.

  4. Nutritional and anti-nutritional potential of three accessions of itching bean (Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC var. pruriens): an under-utilized tribal pulse.

    PubMed

    Kala, Balasubiramanian Kamatchi; Mohan, Veerabahu Ramasamy

    2010-08-01

    Three accessions of the under-utilized legume itching bean (Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens) were analysed for proximate composition, mineral profiles, vitamins (niacin and ascorbic acid), fatty acid profiles, amino acid profiles of total seed protein, in vitro protein digestibility and certain anti-nutritional factors. All three accessions of M. pruriens var. pruriens contained higher amounts of crude protein and crude lipid when compared with most of the commonly consumed pulses. The fatty acid profiles revealed that the seed lipids contained a higher concentration of palmitic acid and linoleic acids. Amino acid profiles of M. pruriens var. pruriens revealed that the seed protein contained relatively higher levels of certain essential amino acids compared with the FAO/WHO requirement pattern. The investigated seeds are rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and manganese. Anti nutritional substances such as total free phenolics, tannins, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide, trypsin inhibitor activity, oligosaccharides and phytohaemagglutinating activity were investigated. The anti-nutritional fatty acid, behenic acid, also was detected in the present study.

  5. High-level pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans var. melanogenium P16 isolated from mangrove system.

    PubMed

    Ma, Zai-Chao; Fu, Wen-Juan; Liu, Guang-Lei; Wang, Zhi-Peng; Chi, Zhen-Ming

    2014-06-01

    After over 100 strains of Aureobasidium spp. isolated from mangrove system were screened for their ability to produce exopolysaccharide (EPS), it was found that Aureobasidium pullulans var. melanogenium P16 strain among them could produce high level of EPS. Under the optimal conditions, 65.3 g/L EPS was produced by the P16 strain within 120 h at flask level. During 10-L batch fermentation, when the medium contained 120.0 g/L sucrose, 67.4 g/L of EPS and 23.1 g/L of cell dry weight in the culture were obtained within 120 h, leaving 0.78 g/L of reducing sugar and 11.4 g/L of total sugar in the fermented medium. It should be stressed that during the fermentation, no melanin was observed. After purification, the purified EPS was confirmed to be pullulan. This is the first time to report that A. pullulans var. melanogenium P16 strain isolated from the mangrove system can produce high level of pullulan.

  6. [Studies on the phenolic acids from Sarcopyramis bodinieri var. delicata].

    PubMed

    Yang, Jia-Yong; Wan, Chun-Peng; Qiu, Yan

    2010-04-01

    To study the chemical constituents from Sarcopyramis bodinieri var. delicata. These compounds were isolated and purified by chromatography with silica gel column combined with Sephadex LH-20 column from high polar extracts. The structures were identified on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis, and by comparison of their spectral data with those reported. Seven compounds were isolated as 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (I), ellagic acid (II), ferulic acid (III), isoferulic acid (IV), caffeic acid (V), 3, 4-di-hydroxybenzoic acid (VI), p-hydroxycinnamic acid (VII). Compound I, III, VI, VII are isolated from the genus for the first time.

  7. Dominance of an alien shrub Rhus typhina over a native shrub Vitex negundo var. heterophylla under variable water supply patterns

    PubMed Central

    Du, Ning; Tan, Xiangfeng; Li, Qiang; Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Wenxin; Wang, Renqing; Liu, Jian; Guo, Weihua

    2017-01-01

    Temporal heterogeneity of a resource supply can have a profound effect on the interactions between alien and native plant species and their potential invasiveness. Precipitation patterns may be variable and result in a higher heterogeneity of water supply with global climate change. In this study, an alien shrub species, Rhus typhina, introduced to China from North America and a native shrub species, Vitex negundo var. heterophylla, were grown in monoculture and mixed culture under different water supply regimes, with four levels of water supply frequencies but with a constant level of total supplied water. After 60 days of treatments, the alien species was found to be the superior competitor in the mixed culture and was unaffected by changes in the water supply pattern. The dominance of R. typhina was mainly owing to its greater biomass and effective modulation of leaf physiology. However, in the mixed culture, V. negundo var. heterophylla exhibited both leaf- and whole-plant-level acclimations, including higher leaf length to petiole length and root to shoot biomass ratios, and lower specific leaf weight and leaf length to leaf width ratio. Plant height of V. negundo var. heterophylla was comparable to that of R. typhina in the mixed culture, which is a strategy to escape shading. Although water treatments had little effect on most traits in both species, the possible influence of water regimes should not be neglected. Compared with high-frequency water supply treatments, more individuals of V. negundo var. heterophylla died in low-water-frequency treatments when in competition with R. typhina, which may lead to species turnover in the field. The authors recommended that caution should be exercised when introducing R. typhina to non-native areas in the context of global climate change. PMID:28445505

  8. Dominance of an alien shrub Rhus typhina over a native shrub Vitex negundo var. heterophylla under variable water supply patterns.

    PubMed

    Du, Ning; Tan, Xiangfeng; Li, Qiang; Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Wenxin; Wang, Renqing; Liu, Jian; Guo, Weihua

    2017-01-01

    Temporal heterogeneity of a resource supply can have a profound effect on the interactions between alien and native plant species and their potential invasiveness. Precipitation patterns may be variable and result in a higher heterogeneity of water supply with global climate change. In this study, an alien shrub species, Rhus typhina, introduced to China from North America and a native shrub species, Vitex negundo var. heterophylla, were grown in monoculture and mixed culture under different water supply regimes, with four levels of water supply frequencies but with a constant level of total supplied water. After 60 days of treatments, the alien species was found to be the superior competitor in the mixed culture and was unaffected by changes in the water supply pattern. The dominance of R. typhina was mainly owing to its greater biomass and effective modulation of leaf physiology. However, in the mixed culture, V. negundo var. heterophylla exhibited both leaf- and whole-plant-level acclimations, including higher leaf length to petiole length and root to shoot biomass ratios, and lower specific leaf weight and leaf length to leaf width ratio. Plant height of V. negundo var. heterophylla was comparable to that of R. typhina in the mixed culture, which is a strategy to escape shading. Although water treatments had little effect on most traits in both species, the possible influence of water regimes should not be neglected. Compared with high-frequency water supply treatments, more individuals of V. negundo var. heterophylla died in low-water-frequency treatments when in competition with R. typhina, which may lead to species turnover in the field. The authors recommended that caution should be exercised when introducing R. typhina to non-native areas in the context of global climate change.

  9. Comparison of vector autoregressive (VAR) and vector error correction models (VECM) for index of ASEAN stock price

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suharsono, Agus; Aziza, Auliya; Pramesti, Wara

    2017-12-01

    Capital markets can be an indicator of the development of a country's economy. The presence of capital markets also encourages investors to trade; therefore investors need information and knowledge of which shares are better. One way of making decisions for short-term investments is the need for modeling to forecast stock prices in the period to come. Issue of stock market-stock integration ASEAN is very important. The problem is that ASEAN does not have much time to implement one market in the economy, so it would be very interesting if there is evidence whether the capital market in the ASEAN region, especially the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand deserve to be integrated or still segmented. Furthermore, it should also be known and proven What kind of integration is happening: what A capital market affects only the market Other capital, or a capital market only Influenced by other capital markets, or a Capital market as well as affecting as well Influenced by other capital markets in one ASEAN region. In this study, it will compare forecasting of Indonesian share price (IHSG) with neighboring countries (ASEAN) including developed and developing countries such as Malaysia (KLSE), Singapore (SGE), Thailand (SETI), Philippines (PSE) to find out which stock country the most superior and influential. These countries are the founders of ASEAN and share price index owners who have close relations with Indonesia in terms of trade, especially exports and imports. Stock price modeling in this research is using multivariate time series analysis that is VAR (Vector Autoregressive) and VECM (Vector Error Correction Modeling). VAR and VECM models not only predict more than one variable but also can see the interrelations between variables with each other. If the assumption of white noise is not met in the VAR modeling, then the cause can be assumed that there is an outlier. With this modeling will be able to know the pattern of relationship

  10. Antiparasitic and antimicrobial indolizidines from the leaves of Prosopis glandulosa var glandulosa from Nevada and Texas USA

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A new indolizidine alkaloid, named (Delta) 1,6-juliprosopine (1), together with previously known indolizidine analogs (2-6), was isolated from the leaves of Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa, collected from Nevada, USA; while two other known indolizidines juliprosopine (6) and juliprosine (7) were...

  11. Lack of gender-specific antibody recognition of products from domains of a var gene implicated in pregnancy-associated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Anja T R; Zornig, Hanne D; Buhmann, Caecilie; Salanti, Ali; Koram, Kwadwo A; Riley, Eleanor M; Theander, Thor G; Hviid, Lars; Staalsoe, Trine

    2003-07-01

    Gender-specific and parity-dependent acquired antibody recognition is characteristic of variant surface antigens (VSA) expressed by chondroitin sulfate A (CSA)-adherent Plasmodium falciparum involved in pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM). However, antibody recognition of recombinant products of a specific VSA gene (2O2var1) implicated in PAM and transcribed by a CSA-adhering parasite line did not have these characteristics. Furthermore, we could not demonstrate preferential transcription of 2O2var1 in the CSA-adhering line versus the unselected, parental isolate. Our data call for circumspection regarding the molecular identity of the parasite ligand mediating adhesion to CSA in PAM.

  12. Application of Autonomous Smart Inverter Volt-VAR Function for Voltage Reduction Energy Savings and Power Quality in Electric Distribution Systems: Preprint

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ding, Fei; Nagarajan, Adarsh; Baggu, Murali

    This paper evaluated the impact of smart inverter Volt-VAR function on voltage reduction energy saving and power quality in electric power distribution systems. A methodology to implement the voltage reduction optimization was developed by controlling the substation LTC and capacitor banks, and having smart inverters participate through their autonomous Volt-VAR control. In addition, a power quality scoring methodology was proposed and utilized to quantify the effect on power distribution system power quality. All of these methodologies were applied to a utility distribution system model to evaluate the voltage reduction energy saving and power quality under various PV penetrations and smartmore » inverter densities.« less

  13. Rational confederation of genes and diseases: NGS interpretation via GeneCards, MalaCards and VarElect.

    PubMed

    Rappaport, Noa; Fishilevich, Simon; Nudel, Ron; Twik, Michal; Belinky, Frida; Plaschkes, Inbar; Stein, Tsippi Iny; Cohen, Dana; Oz-Levi, Danit; Safran, Marilyn; Lancet, Doron

    2017-08-18

    A key challenge in the realm of human disease research is next generation sequencing (NGS) interpretation, whereby identified filtered variant-harboring genes are associated with a patient's disease phenotypes. This necessitates bioinformatics tools linked to comprehensive knowledgebases. The GeneCards suite databases, which include GeneCards (human genes), MalaCards (human diseases) and PathCards (human pathways) together with additional tools, are presented with the focus on MalaCards utility for NGS interpretation as well as for large scale bioinformatic analyses. VarElect, our NGS interpretation tool, leverages the broad information in the GeneCards suite databases. MalaCards algorithms unify disease-related terms and annotations from 69 sources. Further, MalaCards defines hierarchical relatedness-aliases, disease families, a related diseases network, categories and ontological classifications. GeneCards and MalaCards delineate and share a multi-tiered, scored gene-disease network, with stringency levels, including the definition of elite status-high quality gene-disease pairs, coming from manually curated trustworthy sources, that includes 4500 genes for 8000 diseases. This unique resource is key to NGS interpretation by VarElect. VarElect, a comprehensive search tool that helps infer both direct and indirect links between genes and user-supplied disease/phenotype terms, is robustly strengthened by the information found in MalaCards. The indirect mode benefits from GeneCards' diverse gene-to-gene relationships, including SuperPaths-integrated biological pathways from 12 information sources. We are currently adding an important information layer in the form of "disease SuperPaths", generated from the gene-disease matrix by an algorithm similar to that previously employed for biological pathway unification. This allows the discovery of novel gene-disease and disease-disease relationships. The advent of whole genome sequencing necessitates capacities to go beyond

  14. Chemical composition, leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils from Mangifera indica L. var. Rosa and Espada.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Eduardo H S; Moraes, Marcílio M; Nerys, Laís L de A; Nascimento, Silene C; Militão, Gardênia C G; de Figueiredo, Regina C B Q; da Câmara, Cláudio A G; Silva, Teresinha Gonçalves

    2014-01-01

    The essential oils from Mangifera indica var. Rosa and Espada latex were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-seven components were identified. The main compound in the essential oil from M. indica var. Espada (EOMiE) was terpinolene (73.6%). The essential oil of M. indica var. Rosa (EOMiR) was characterized by high amounts of β-pinene (40.7%) and terpinolene (28.3%). In the test for leishmanicidal activity against promastigotes forms of L. amazonensis, EOMiR and EOMiE showed IC50 (72 h) of 39.1 and 23.0 μg/mL, respectively. In macrophages, EOMiR and EOMiE showed CC50 of 142.84 and 158.65 μg/mL, respectively. However, both were more specific to the parasite than macrophages, with values of selectivity index of 6.91 for EOMiE and 3.66 for EOMiR. The essential oils were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against the human tumor cells HEp-2, HT-29, NCI-H292, and HL-60. The EOMiR and EOMiE were most effective against the HL-60, with IC50 values of 12.3 and 3.6 μg/mL, respectively. The results demonstrated that the essential oils of M. indica can destroy L. amazonensis and inhibit tumor cell growth. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the Brazilian biodiversity as a source of potential therapeutic agents.

  15. Chemical Composition, Leishmanicidal and Cytotoxic Activities of the Essential Oils from Mangifera indica L. var. Rosa and Espada

    PubMed Central

    Ramos, Eduardo H. S.; Moraes, Marcílio M.; Nerys, Laís L. de A.; Nascimento, Silene C.; Militão, Gardênia C. G.; de Figueiredo, Regina C. B. Q.; da Câmara, Cláudio A. G.; Silva, Teresinha Gonçalves

    2014-01-01

    The essential oils from Mangifera indica var. Rosa and Espada latex were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-seven components were identified. The main compound in the essential oil from M. indica var. Espada (EOMiE) was terpinolene (73.6%). The essential oil of M. indica var. Rosa (EOMiR) was characterized by high amounts of β-pinene (40.7%) and terpinolene (28.3%). In the test for leishmanicidal activity against promastigotes forms of L. amazonensis, EOMiR and EOMiE showed IC50 (72 h) of 39.1 and 23.0 μg/mL, respectively. In macrophages, EOMiR and EOMiE showed CC50 of 142.84 and 158.65 μg/mL, respectively. However, both were more specific to the parasite than macrophages, with values of selectivity index of 6.91 for EOMiE and 3.66 for EOMiR. The essential oils were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against the human tumor cells HEp-2, HT-29, NCI-H292, and HL-60. The EOMiR and EOMiE were most effective against the HL-60, with IC50 values of 12.3 and 3.6 μg/mL, respectively. The results demonstrated that the essential oils of M. indica can destroy L. amazonensis and inhibit tumor cell growth. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the Brazilian biodiversity as a source of potential therapeutic agents. PMID:25136617

  16. Consequences of subchronic exposure to ethanolic extract from fruits and leaves of Schinus molle var. areira L. in mice.

    PubMed

    Bras, Cristina; Domínguez, Sergio; Codón, Stella; Minetti, Alejandra; Ferrero, Adriana

    2010-10-28

    Several extracts of Schinus molle var. areira L. plant proved to be useful for the treatment of different pathologies and for the control of insect pest. Due to these potential uses, it is necessary to study their safety. In this work, we evaluated the effects of subchronic exposure to ethanolic extracts from leaves and fruits of Schinus molle var. areira in mice. The plant extract was added to the diet at 1 g/kg body weight/day for 90 days. At the end of the exposure, behavioral and functional parameters in a functional observational battery and motor activity in an open field were assessed. Finally, several biochemical and histopathological studies were realized. The exposure to extract from leaves produced an increase in the number of rearings in the open field and of urine pools in the functional observational battery. On the other hand, the exposure to extract from fruits produced an increase in the neutrophil count and a decrease in the lymphocyte count and in the total cholesterol levels. None of the exposures affected the different organs evaluated. Our results suggest that subchronic exposure to ethanolic extracts from leaves and fruits of Schinus molle var. areira should be potentially useful in the treatment of lipid pathologies and safe to use. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Development and Evaluation of a Molecular Diagnostic Method for Rapid Detection of Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the Causative Agent of Epizootic Lymphangitis, in Equine Clinical Samples

    PubMed Central

    Pinchbeck, G. L.; Loughnane, P.; Aklilu, N.; Ashine, T.; Stringer, A. P.; Gordon, L.; Marshall, M.; Christley, R. M.

    2016-01-01

    Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the causative agent of epizootic lymphangitis (EZL), is endemic in parts of Africa. Diagnosis based on clinical signs and microscopy lacks specificity and is a barrier to further understanding this neglected disease. Here, a nested PCR method targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA operon was validated for application to equine clinical samples. Twenty-nine horses with signs of EZL from different climatic regions of Ethiopia were clinically examined. Blood samples and aspirates of pus from cutaneous nodules were taken, along with blood from a further 20 horses with no cutaneous EZL lesions. Among the 29 horses with suspected cases of EZL, H. capsulatum var. farciminosum was confirmed by extraction of DNA from pus and blood samples from 25 and 17 horses, respectively. Positive PCR results were also obtained with heat-inactivated pus (24 horses) and blood (23 horses) spotted onto Whatman FTA cards. Two positive results were obtained among blood samples from 20 horses that did not exhibit clinical signs of EZL. These are the first reports of the direct detection of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum in equine blood and at high frequency among horses exhibiting cutaneous lesions. The nested PCR outperformed conventional microscopic diagnosis, as characteristic yeast cells could be observed only in 14 pus samples. The presence of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum DNA was confirmed by sequencing the cloned PCR products, and while alignment of the ITS amplicons showed very little sequence variation, there was preliminary single nucleotide polymorphism-based evidence for the existence of two subgroups of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum. This molecular diagnostic method now permits investigation of the epidemiology of EZL. PMID:27707938

  18. 7a-hydroxfriedelan-3one-26-OL-29-OIC acid and other constituents from Pileostegia Viburnoids VAR. Glabrescens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The preliminary phytotoxic evaluations of a n-BuOH extract from traditional Chinese medicinal plant Pileostegia viburnoides var. glabrescens showed herbicidal activity against dicot Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and monocot Agrostis stolonifera (bentgrass). In order to identify the phytotoxic constituent...

  19. Modified extradural temporopolar approach with mini-peeling of dura propria for paraclinoid and/or parasellar tumors: Operative technique and nuances

    PubMed Central

    Otani, Naoki; Toyooka, Terushige; Takeuchi, Satoru; Tomiyama, Arata; Wada, Kojiro; Mori, Kentaro

    2017-01-01

    Background: Modified extradural temporopolar approach (EDTPA) with mini-peeling of the dura propria can provide extensive exposure of the anterior clinoid process and early exposure, as well as complete mobilization and decompression of the optic nerve and internal carotid artery, which can prevent intraoperative neurovascular injury for paraclinoid and/or parasellar lesions. The present study investigated the usefulness of this modified technique and discusses the operative nuances. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical charts of 27 consecutive patients with neoplastic paraclinoid and/or parasellar lesions who underwent this modified approach between September 2009 and August 2016. Results: Preoperative visual acuity worsened in 2 patients (7.4%), and worsening of visual field function occurred in 2 patients (7.4%). Postoperative outcome was good recovery in 25 patients (92.6%) and moderate disability in 2 (7.4%). No operation-related mortality occurred in the series. Conclusions: The modified EDTPA is safe and recommended for surgical treatment of paraclinoid and/or parasellar tumors to reduce the risk of intraoperative optic neurovascular injury. PMID:28904826

  20. Assessing the Effect of Composting Cassava Peel Based Substrates on the Yield, Nutritional Quality, and Physical Characteristics of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) Kummer

    PubMed Central

    Kortei, N. K.; Dzogbefia, V. P.; Obodai, M.

    2014-01-01

    Cassava peel based substrate formulations as an alternative substrate were used to grow mushrooms. The effect of two compost heights, three composting periods on the mycelia growth, physical characteristics, yield, and nutritional qualities of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) Kummer was studied. Mean mycelia growth of 16.2 cm after a period of seven (7) weeks was the best for 1.5 m compost height. Cap diameter and stipe length differed significantly (P < 0.05) with the compost heights (0.8 m and 1.5 m). The yield on compost height of 1.5 m, composted for 5 days, differed significantly (P < 0.05) from that of 0.8 m and gave increasing yields as follows: cassava peels and manure, cassava peels only, cassava peels and corn cobs (1 : 1 ratio), and cassava peels and corn cobs (1 : 1 ratio) with chicken manure. Composting periods (3 and 7 days) gave varying yields depending on the compost height. Based on the findings an interaction of 1.5 m compost height and 5 days composting period on cassava peels and corncobs (1 : 1 ratio) with chicken manure produced the best results. The nutritional quality of the mushrooms also differed significantly (P < 0.05), indicating that cassava peels could be used as a possible substrate in cultivation of mushroom. PMID:25580299

  1. Quantitative trait loci mapping of heat tolerance in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) using genotyping-by-sequencing

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Predicted rising global temperatures due to climate change have generated a demand for crops that are resistant to yield and quality losses from heat stress. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a cool weather crop with high temperatures during production decreasing both head quality and yie...

  2. Volvalerine A, an unprecedented N-containing sesquiterpenoid dimer derivative from Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peng-Cheng; Ran, Xin-Hui; Luo, Huai-Rong; Ma, Qing-Yun; Zhou, Jun; Hu, Jiang-Miao; Zhao, You-Xing

    2016-03-01

    Volvalerine A (1), a novel N-containing bisesquiterpenoid derivative with a dihydroisoxazole ring, and its possible biosynthetic precursor, 1-hydroxy-1,11,11-trimethyldecahydrocyclopropane azulene-10-one (2), were isolated from the roots of Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia. Their structures and relative configurations were identified using spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallography. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 is also presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Antibodies among men and children to placental-binding Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes that express var2csa.

    PubMed

    Beeson, James G; Ndungu, Francis; Persson, Kristina E M; Chesson, Joanne M; Kelly, Greg L; Uyoga, Sophie; Hallamore, Sandra L; Williams, Thomas N; Reeder, John C; Brown, Graham V; Marsh, Kevin

    2007-07-01

    During pregnancy, specific variants of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) can accumulate in the placenta through adhesion to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) mediated by expression of PfEMP1 encoded by var2csa-type genes. Antibodies against these variants are associated with protection from maternal malaria. We evaluated antibodies among Kenyan, Papua New Guinean, and Malawian men and Kenyan children against two different CSA-binding P. falciparum isolates expressing var2csa variants. Specific IgG was present at significant levels among some men and children from each population, suggesting exposure to these variants is not exclusive to pregnancy. However, the level and prevalence of antibodies was substantially lower overall than exposed multigravidas. IgG-binding was specific and did not represent antibodies to subpopulations of non-CSA-binding IEs, and some sera inhibited IE adhesion to CSA. These findings have significant implications for understanding malaria pathogenesis and immunity and may be significant for understanding the acquisition of immunity to maternal malaria.

  4. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Malus hupehensis var. pinyiensis.

    PubMed

    Duan, Naibin; Sun, Honghe; Wang, Nan; Fei, Zhangjun; Chen, Xuesen

    2016-07-01

    The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Malus hupehensis var. pinyiensis, a widely used apple rootstock, was determined using the Illumina high-throughput sequencing approach. The genome is 422,555 bp in length and has a GC content of 45.21%. It is separated by a pair of inverted repeats of 32,504 bp, to form a large single copy region of 213,055 bp and a small single copy region of 144,492 bp. The genome contains 38 protein-coding genes, four pseudogenes, 25 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. The genome is 25,608 bp longer than that of M. domestica, and several structural variations between these two mitogenomes were detected.

  5. Dry-heat Resistance of Bacillus Subtilis Var. Niger Spores on Mated Surfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Simko, G. J.; Devlin, J. D.; Wardle, M. D.

    1971-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores were placed on the surfaces of test coupons manufactured from typical spacecraft materials including stainless steel, magnesium, titanium, and aluminum. These coupons were then juxtaposed at the inoculated surfaces and subjected to test pressures of 0, 1000, 5000, and 10,000 psi. Tests were conducted in ambient, nitrogen, and helium atmospheres. While under the test pressure condition, the spores were exposed to 125 C for intervals of 5, 10, 20, 50, or 80 min. Survivor data were subjected to a linear regression analysis that calculated decimal reduction times.

  6. A NEW SPECIES OF Bolivar Zaldívar-Riverón et Rodríguez-Jiménez (BRACONIDAE, DORYCTINAE) FROM BRAZIL, WITH NEW RECORDS OF THE AMAZONIAN B. ecuadorensis Zaldívar-Riverón et López-Estrada.

    PubMed

    Nunes, Juliano Fiorelini; Penteado-Dias, Angelica Maria; Souza-Gadelha, Sian De; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro

    2016-05-06

    A new species of the doryctine genus Bolivar (Braconidae), B. brasiliensis sp. nov., is described from the Atlantic coastal region in Brazil. New records and taxonomic notes of the Amazonian B. ecuadorensis Zaldívar-Riverón et López-Estrada are also provided.

  7. HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATIC RESPONSES OF OLD-GROWTH PINUS ELLIOTTII VAR. DENSA IN MESIC PINE FLATWOODS FLORIDA, USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Pinus elliottii Englem. var. densa Little & Dorman (Southern Slash Pine) is unique in that it is the only native sub-tropical pine in the USA. Once occupying much of the south Florida landscape, it is now restricted to an estimated 3% of its pre human settlement area. Land manag...

  8. Family differences in equations for predicting biomass and leaf area in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii).

    Treesearch

    J.B. St. Clair

    1993-01-01

    Logarithmic regression equations were developed to predict component biomass and leaf area for an 18-yr-old genetic test of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii) based on stem diameter or cross-sectional sapwood area. Equations did not differ among open-pollinated families in slope, but intercepts...

  9. First Report of Soybean Rust, Caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, on Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) in Illinois

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, was first observed on soybean (Glycine max) in the continental United States in Louisiana in 2004, and on kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) in the United States in 2005. Kudzu is a leguminous weed that is prevalent in the southern United States with ...

  10. Characterization of the pH-Mediated solubility of Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego native δ-endotoxin crystals

    Treesearch

    C. N. Koller; L. S. Bauer; R. M. Hollingworth

    1992-01-01

    Native crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis var. san diego, a coleopteran-specific δ-endotoxin, were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine. Specific activity was 82,000 CPM/μg (2.44 Ci/mmol). Using a universal buffer formulated with the same ionic strength at every pH, we determined that...

  11. The memory-ameliorating effects of Artemisia princeps var. orientalis against cholinergic dysfunction in mice.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiaotong; Kim, Dong Hyun; Kim, Jong Min; Park, Se Jin; Cai, Mudan; Jang, Dae Sik; Ryu, Jong Hoon

    2012-01-01

    Artemisia princeps var. orientalis (Compositae) is widely distributed in China, Japan and Korea and is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. The ethyl acetate fraction of ethanolic extract of A. princeps var. orientalis (AEA) was found to inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity in a dose-dependent manner in vitro (IC(50) value: 541.4 ± 67.5 μg/ml). Therefore, we investigated the effects of AEA on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment using the passive avoidance, the Y-maze, and the Morris water maze tasks in mice. AEA (100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in the passive avoidance and Y-maze tasks (p < 0.05). In the Morris water maze task, AEA (200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly shortened escape latencies in training trials and increased both swimming time spent in the target zone and probe crossing numbers during the probe trial as compared with scopolamine-treated mice (p < 0.05). Additionally, the ameliorating effect of AEA on scopolamine-induced memory impairment was antagonized by a subeffective dose of MK-801. These results suggest that AEA could be an effective treatment against cholinergic dysfunction and its effect is mediated by the enhancement of the cholinergic neurotransmitter system via NMDA receptor signaling or acetylcholinesterase inhibition.

  12. Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor β1 on the healing of reconstructed dura by carbon dioxide laser soldering in minipigs.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Hong-liang; Wang, Zhen-min; Yang, Zhi-jun; Zhao, Fu; Wang, Bo; Wang, Zhong-cheng; Liu, Pi-nan

    2012-02-01

    Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser soldering is an alternative technique for tissue bonding. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor β(1) (TGFβ(1)) are two key factors for wound healing. This study was performed to demonstrate the efficacy of CO2 laser soldering for dural reconstruction and the effect of bFGF and TGFβ(1) on healing. In Part I, 10 minipigs were randomized into two equal groups. Dural defects were reconstructed by conventional fibrin glue bonding (group I(a)) or CO2 laser soldering (group I(b)). The reconstructed dura was subjected to burst pressure (BP) measurement and immunohistochemical staining after 1 week. In Part II, 36 minipigs were randomized into three equal groups. Dural reconstruction was achieved by CO2 laser soldering. Exogenous bFGF (group II(b)) or TGFβ(1) (group II(c)) was administered while group II(a) served as a control group. The specimens were subjected to BP measurement after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks, respectively. In Part I, the dura specimens displayed positive staining of only bFGF in group I(a) and of both bFGF and TGFβ(1) in group I(b). Group I(b) showed higher BP than group I(a) ((98.00 ± 21.41) mmHg vs. (70.80 ± 15.09) mmHg, respectively; P < 0.05). In Part II, BP of group II(c) was significantly higher than that of group II(a) (P < 0.01). The BP of group II(a) trended toward stabilization after 3 weeks of growth, while that of groups II(b) and II(c) trended toward stabilization after 2 weeks of growth. CO2 laser soldering is a reliable technique for dural reconstruction. The superior healing of dural reconstruction by CO2 laser soldering may be related to higher expression of bFGF and TGFβ(1), and CO2 lasers may stimulate their secretion. Exogenous bFGF or TGFβ(1) may improve healing by shortening the wound healing time, and exogenous TGFβ(1) may improve the tensile strength.

  13. Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing of Multiple Photovoltaic Inverters' Volt-Var Control with Real-Time Grid Model

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chakraborty, Sudipta; Nelson, Austin; Hoke, Anderson

    2016-12-12

    Traditional testing methods fall short in evaluating interactions between multiple smart inverters providing advanced grid support functions due to the fact that such interactions largely depend on their placements on the electric distribution systems with impedances between them. Even though significant concerns have been raised by the utilities on the effects of such interactions, little effort has been made to evaluate them. In this paper, power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) based testing was utilized to evaluate autonomous volt-var operations of multiple smart photovoltaic (PV) inverters connected to a simple distribution feeder model. The results provided in this paper show that depending onmore » volt-var control (VVC) parameters and grid parameters, interaction between inverters and between the inverter and the grid is possible in some extreme cases with very high VVC slopes, fast response times and large VVC response delays.« less

  14. Biogeographic variation of foliar n-alkanes of Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Pallas from the Balkans.

    PubMed

    Rajčević, Nemanja; Janaćković, Pedja; Dodoš, Tanja; Tešević, Vele; Marin, Petar D

    2014-12-01

    The composition of the epicuticular n-alkanes isolated from the leaves of ten populations of Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis Pallas from central (continental) and western (coastal) areas of the Balkan Peninsula was characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. In the leaf waxes, 14 n-alkane homologues with chain-lengths ranging from C22 to C35 were identified. All samples were dominated by n-tritriacontane (C33 ), but differences in two other dominant n-alkanes allowed separating the coastal from the continental populations. Several statistical methods (ANOVA, principal component, discriminant, and cluster analyses as well as the Mantel test) were deployed to analyze the diversity and variability of the epicuticular-leaf-n-alkane patterns of the ten natural populations of J. communis var. saxatilis and their relation to different geographic and bioclimatic parameters. Cluster analysis showed a high correlation of the leaf-n-alkane patterns with the geographical distribution of the investigated samples, differentiating the coastal from the continental populations of this taxon. Several bioclimatic parameters related to aridity were highly correlated with this differentiation. Copyright © 2014 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  15. Development and Evaluation of a Molecular Diagnostic Method for Rapid Detection of Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the Causative Agent of Epizootic Lymphangitis, in Equine Clinical Samples.

    PubMed

    Scantlebury, C E; Pinchbeck, G L; Loughnane, P; Aklilu, N; Ashine, T; Stringer, A P; Gordon, L; Marshall, M; Christley, R M; McCarthy, A J

    2016-12-01

    Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the causative agent of epizootic lymphangitis (EZL), is endemic in parts of Africa. Diagnosis based on clinical signs and microscopy lacks specificity and is a barrier to further understanding this neglected disease. Here, a nested PCR method targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA operon was validated for application to equine clinical samples. Twenty-nine horses with signs of EZL from different climatic regions of Ethiopia were clinically examined. Blood samples and aspirates of pus from cutaneous nodules were taken, along with blood from a further 20 horses with no cutaneous EZL lesions. Among the 29 horses with suspected cases of EZL, H. capsulatum var. farciminosum was confirmed by extraction of DNA from pus and blood samples from 25 and 17 horses, respectively. Positive PCR results were also obtained with heat-inactivated pus (24 horses) and blood (23 horses) spotted onto Whatman FTA cards. Two positive results were obtained among blood samples from 20 horses that did not exhibit clinical signs of EZL. These are the first reports of the direct detection of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum in equine blood and at high frequency among horses exhibiting cutaneous lesions. The nested PCR outperformed conventional microscopic diagnosis, as characteristic yeast cells could be observed only in 14 pus samples. The presence of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum DNA was confirmed by sequencing the cloned PCR products, and while alignment of the ITS amplicons showed very little sequence variation, there was preliminary single nucleotide polymorphism-based evidence for the existence of two subgroups of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum This molecular diagnostic method now permits investigation of the epidemiology of EZL. Copyright © 2016 Scantlebury et al.

  16. Airborne-pollen pool and mating pattern in a hybrid zone between Pinus pumila and P. parviflora var. pentaphylla.

    PubMed

    Ito, Megumi; Suyama, Yoshihisa; Ohsawa, Takeshi A; Watano, Yasuyuki

    2008-12-01

    The reproductive isolation barriers and the mating patterns among Pinus pumila, P. parviflora var. pentaphylla and their hybrids were examined by flowering phenology and genetic assays of three life stages: airborne-pollen grains, adults and seeds, in a hybrid zone on Mount Apoi, Hokkaido, Japan. Chloroplast DNA composition of the airborne-pollen was determined by single-pollen polymerase chain reaction. Mating patterns were analysed by estimating the molecular hybrid index of the seed parent, their seed embryos and pollen parents. The observation of flowering phenology showed that the flowering of P. pumila precedes that of P. parviflora var. pentaphylla by about 6 to 10 days within the same altitudinal ranges. Although this prezygotic isolation barrier is effective, the genetic assay of airborne-pollen showed that the two pine species, particularly P. pumila, still have chances to form F(1) hybrid seeds. Both parental species showed a strong assortative mating pattern; F(1) seeds were found in only 1.4% of seeds from P. pumila mother trees and not at all in P. parviflora var. pentaphylla. The assortative mating was concluded as the combined result of flowering time differentiation and cross-incompatibility. In contrast to the parental species, hybrids were fertilized evenly by the two parental species and themselves. The breakdown of prezygotic barriers (intermediate flowering phenology) and cross-incompatibility may account for the unselective mating. It is suggested that introgression is ongoing on Mount Apoi through backcrossing between hybrids and parental species, despite strong isolation barriers between the parental species.

  17. Modified three-dimensional skull base model with artificial dura mater, cranial nerves, and venous sinuses for training in skull base surgery: technical note.

    PubMed

    Mori, Kentaro; Yamamoto, Takuji; Oyama, Kazutaka; Ueno, Hideaki; Nakao, Yasuaki; Honma, Keiichirou

    2008-12-01

    Experience with dissection of the cavernous sinus and the temporal bone is essential for training in skull base surgery, but the opportunities for cadaver dissection are very limited. A modification of a commercially available prototype three-dimensional (3D) skull base model, made by a selective laser sintering method and incorporating surface details and inner bony structures such as the inner ear structures and air cells, is proposed to include artificial dura mater, cranial nerves, venous sinuses, and the internal carotid artery for such surgical training. The transpetrosal approach and epidural cavernous sinus surgery (Dolenc's technique) were performed on this modified model using a high speed drill or ultrasonic bone curette under an operating microscope. The model could be dissected in almost the same way as a real cadaver. The modified 3D skull base model provides a good educational tool for training in skull base surgery.

  18. [Comparative study on specific chromatograms and main active components of wild and cultivated rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis].

    PubMed

    Zan, Ke; Gao, Yu-Ming; Cui, Gan; Liu, Jie; Guo, Li-Nong; Zheng, Jian; Ma, Shuang-Cheng

    2017-08-01

    The present study is to compare specific chromatograms and main acitive components between wild and cultivated rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis by HPLC. HPLC analysis was performed on a Waters XSelect HSS T3 C₁₈ clumn (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (A)-water (B) at a flow rate of 1 mL•min⁻¹ (0-50 min,30%-50%A;50-80 min,50% A,80-85 min,50%-30%A;85-100 min,30% A). The detection wavelength was 203 nm and the column temperature was controlled at 30 ℃, and the injection volume was 10 μL. HPLC specific chromatograms of wild and cultivated rhizomes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were established and nine steroidal saponins were simultaneously determined by the above method. The mean contents of paris saponin Ⅶ, paris saponin H and total average contents of four pennogenyl saponins in Rhizomes of wild samples were significantly higher than those of cultivated ones. However, this result is opposite from the average content of paris saponin Ⅰ and total average contents of five dioscins in the wild and cultivated samples. Because the significant differences occurred for the specific chromatograms and main active components between the wild and cultivated P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, much more pharmacological and clinical researches are therefore necessary. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  19. Ecological adaptations in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca). IV. Montana and Idaho near the Continental Divide

    Treesearch

    Gerald Rehfeldt

    1988-01-01

    Seventy-seven seedling populations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) sampled from near the Continental Divide in Idaho and Montana exhibited pronounced genetic differences when compared in three common environments. Differentiation involved several traits that are components of an annual developmental cycle that must be completed within a growing...

  20. Stomatal behavior of ozone-sensitive and -insensitive coneflowers ( Rudbeckia laciniata var. digitata ) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Treesearch

    Nancy Grulke; H. S. Neufeld; A. W. Davison; M. Roberts; A. H. Chappelka

    2006-01-01

    • Morphological and physiological attributes were assessed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ozone (O3) sensitivity in a highly sensitive species, cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. digitata). • Foliage at the same height in the canopy on paired O3-...

  1. Pollination of pima pineapple cactus (Coryphantha sheeri var. robustispina): does pollen flow limit abundance of this endangered species?

    Treesearch

    Christopher J. McDonald; Guy R. McPherson

    2005-01-01

    Pima pineapple cactus (PPC) (Coryphantha sheeri var. robustispina), a federally listed endangered species, occurs throughout southeastern Arizona and has relatively low population densities. To determine whether pollination limits reproduction of PPC we used florescent dye to quantify pollen flow between individuals in a PPC...

  2. The histological lesions of Trichophyton mentagrophytes var erinacei infection in dogs.

    PubMed

    Fairley, R A

    2001-04-01

    A retrospective study of the histological features of four cases of canine Trichophyton mentagrophytes var erinacei infection is reported. In all four dogs the initial lesions affected the dorsal muzzle and in two dogs the lesions spread to more distant sites on the body. Clinically, the lesions were characterized by scaling, crusting and hair loss. Histologically, the main lesions were characterized by acanthosis, epidermal, ostial and infundibular hyperkeratosis, serocellular crusting, mural folliculitis and furunculosis. Fungal hyphae were usually sparse and often difficult to see in haematoxylin and eosin stained sections. When visible they were seen in the epidermal, ostial and infundibular scale and, less frequently, within hair shafts.

  3. Flavonoids from the stems of Croton caudatus Geisel. var. tomentosus Hook.

    PubMed

    Zou, Guo-An; Su, Zhi-Heng; Zhang, Hong-Wu; Wang, Yuan; Yang, Jun-Shan; Zou, Zhong-Mei

    2010-02-26

    A new flavone, named crotoncaudatin (1), was isolated from the stems of Croton caudatus Geisel. var. tomentosus Hook., together with nine known analogues: 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone (2), tangeretin (3), nobiletin (4), 5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxy-flavone (5), sinensetin (6), kaempferol (7), tiliroside (8), kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (9) and rutin (10). The structures of the above compounds were established by a combination of spectroscopic methods, including HR-ESI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HMQC and HMBC spectra. All compounds were isolated from and identified in this species for the first time and compounds 1-6 are new for the genus Croton.

  4. Comparative analysis of flavonoid profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the berries of Juniperus communis L. var. communis and Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis Pall. from Turkey.

    PubMed

    Miceli, Natalizia; Trovato, Ada; Dugo, Paola; Cacciola, Francesco; Donato, Paola; Marino, Andreana; Bellinghieri, Valentina; La Barbera, Tommaso M; Güvenç, Ayşegül; Taviano, Maria F

    2009-08-12

    The present study was designed to define and compare the flavonoid composition and the biological potential of berries methanol extracts of Juniperus communis L. var. communis (Jcc) and Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis. Pall. (Jcs) from Turkey. Total polyphenols (Folin-Ciocalteau method) were 3-fold higher in Jcc (59.17 +/- 1.65 mg GAE/g extract) than in Jcs (17.64 +/- 0.09 mg GAE/g extract). Flavonoid and biflavonoid content, evaluated by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis, was higher in Jcc (25947 +/- 0.86 and 4346 +/- 3.95 microg/g extract) than in Jcs (5387 +/- 34.88 and 1944 +/- 26.88 microg/g extract). The HPLC analysis of Jcc allowed the separation of 16 flavonoids; hypolaetin-7-pentoside and quercetin-hexoside are the main compounds. Moreover, gossypetin-hexoside-pentoside and gossypetin-hexoside were identified for the first time in Jcc berries. In Jcs eight flavonoids were identified: quercetin-hexoside and isoscutellarein-8-O-hexoside are the most abundant compounds. The in vitro antioxidant activity was determined using different methods; Jcc was found to be more active than Jcs in the DPPH test (IC(50) of 0.63 +/- 0.09 mg/mL and 1.84 +/- 0.10 mg/mL) in reducing power assay (12.82 +/- 0.10 ASE/mL and 64.14 +/- 1.20 ASE/mL), and in TBA assay (IC(50) of 4.44 +/- 0.70 microg/mL and 120.07 +/- 3.60 microg/mL). By contrast, Jcs exhibited more elevated Fe(2+) chelating ability than Jcc. The extracts were also studied for their antimicrobial potential, displaying antimicrobial capacity only against Gram-positive bacteria.

  5. Morpho-anatomy, imbibition, viability and germination of the seed of Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (Fabaceae).

    PubMed

    Varela, Rodolfo Omar; Albornoz, Patricia Liliana

    2013-09-01

    Seed biology is a relevant aspect of tropical forests because it is central to the understanding of processes of plant establishment, succession and natural regeneration. Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil is a timber tree from South America that produces large seeds with thin weak teguments, which is uncommon among legumes. This study describes the morphology and anatomy of the seed coat, the viability, imbibition, and germination in this species. Seeds used during the essays came from 10 trees that grow naturally in Horco Molle, province of Tucumán, Argentina. Seed morphology was described from a sample of 20 units. The seed coat surface was examined with a scanning electron microscope. Transverse sections of hydrated and non-hydrated seeds were employed to describe the histological structure of the seed coat. Hydration, viability and germination experiments were performed under laboratory controlled conditions; and the experimental design consisted of 10 replicas of 10 seeds each. Viability and germination tests were conducted using freshly fallen seeds and seeds stored for five months. Morphologically the seeds of A. colubrina var. cebil are circular to subcircular, laterally compressed, smooth, bright brown and have a horseshoe fissure line (= pleurogram) on both sides. The seed coat comprises five tissue layers and a double (external and internal) cuticle. The outer cuticle (on the epidermis) is smooth and interrupted by microcracks and pores of variable depth. The epidermis consists of macroesclereids with non-lignified secondary walls. This layer is separated from the underlying ones during seed hydration. The other layers of internal tissues are comprised of osteosclereids, parenchyma, osteosclereids, and macrosclereids. The percentage of viable seeds was 93%, decreasing to 75% in seeds with five months old. Seed mass increased 76% after the first eight hours of hydration. Germination percentage was 75% after 76 hours. Germination of seeds stored for five

  6. Characterization and Functional Analysis of a Type 2 Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase (DGAT2) Gene from Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Mesocarp in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Jin, Yuanhang; Yuan, Yijun; Gao, Lingchao; Sun, Ruhao; Chen, Lizhi; Li, Dongdong; Zheng, Yusheng

    2017-01-01

    Oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is the highest oil-yielding plant in the world, storing 90 and 60% (dry weight) oil in its mesocarp and kernel, respectively. To gain insights into the oil accumulation mechanism, one of the key enzymes involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis, a Type 2 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2) from oil palm, was characterized for its in vivo activity. EgDGAT2 is highly expressed in mesocarp during the last two developmental stages while large amounts of oil are accumulated at the highest rate during ripening. Heterologous expression of EgDGAT2 in mutant yeast H1246 restored TAG biosynthesis with substrate preference toward unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) (16:1 and 18:1). Furthermore, seed-specific overexpression of EgDGAT2 in Arabidopsis thaliana enhanced the content of polyunsaturated FAs 18:2 and 18:3 (each by 6 mol%) in seed TAGs, when compared to that from wild-type Arabidopsis. In turn, the proportion of 18:0 and 20:0 FAs in seed TAGs from EgDGAT2 transgenic lines decreased accordingly. These results provide new insights into understanding the in vivo activity of EgDGAT2 from oil palm mesocarp, which will be of importance for metabolic enhancement of unsaturated FAs production.

  7. Callus induction of leaf explant Piper betle L. Var Nigra with combination of plant growth regulators indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), benzyl amino purin (BAP) and kinetin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Junairiah, Zuraidassanaaz, Nabilah Istighfari; Izdihar, Fairuz Nabil; Manuhara, Yosephine Sri Wulan

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this research was to determine the combination of plant growth regulators IAA, BAP and kinetin towards callus induction and growth of leaf explants Piper betle L. VarNigra. Explants from leaf of Piper betle L. VarNigra was cultured on MS medium with 24 treatment combinations of plant growth regulators IAA and BAP and 24 treatment combinations of plant growth regulators IAA and kinetin with 0.0;0.5;1.0;1.5;2.0 mg/L concentration respectively, the observed variable were the length of time the formation of callus, callus morphology, fresh and dry weight of callus. The results of this research showed that the combination of growth regulators IAA with BAP and kinetin had effects on leaf growth of Piper betle L. VarNigra. During 8 weeks observation, it indicated that the combination of concentration IAA 0.5 mg/L and BAP 2.0 mg/L showed fastest callus formation at 8.5 days. Combination of concentration IAA 1.0 mg/L and BAP 1.5 mg/L showed the highest of fresh weight at 0.6596 grams, and the highest dry weight was obtained from the combination of concentration IAA 0.5 mg/L and BAP 0.5 mg/L at 0.0727 grams. Combination of concentration IAA 1.0 mg/L and kinetin 1.5 mg/L had the highest of fresh weight at 0.2972 grams and the highest dry weight at 0.1660 grams. Callus of Piper betle L. VarNigra had two textures, that were compact and friable, and also showed various kind of colors, like white, greenish white, yellowish white, tanned white, brown and black. Based on this research, that concentration IAA 1.0 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L kinetin was the best combination for induction of callus from leaf of Piper betle L. Var Nigra.

  8. Improvement of foreign-protein production in Aspergillus niger var. awamori by constitutive induction of the unfolded-protein response.

    PubMed

    Valkonen, Mari; Ward, Michael; Wang, Huaming; Penttilä, Merja; Saloheimo, Markku

    2003-12-01

    Unfolded-protein response (UPR) denotes the upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperone and foldase genes and numerous other genes involved in secretory functions during the accumulation of unfolded proteins into the ER. Overexpression of individual foldases and chaperones has been used in attempts to improve protein production in different production systems. We describe here a novel strategy to improve foreign-protein production. We show that the constitutive induction of the UPR pathway in Aspergillus niger var. awamori can be achieved by expressing the activated form of the transcription factor hacA. This induction enhances the production of Trametes versicolor laccase by up to sevenfold and of bovine preprochymosin by up to 2.8-fold in this biotechnically important fungus. The regulatory range of UPR was studied by analyzing the mRNA levels of novel A. niger var. awamori genes involved in different secretory functions. This revealed both similarities and differences to corresponding studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

  9. Acetone fraction from Sechium edule (Jacq.) S.w. edible roots exhibits anti-endothelial dysfunction activity.

    PubMed

    Trejo-Moreno, Celeste; Castro-Martínez, Gabriela; Méndez-Martínez, Marisol; Jiménez-Ferrer, Jesús Enrique; Pedraza-Chaverri, José; Arrellín, Gerardo; Zamilpa, Alejandro; Medina-Campos, Omar Noel; Lombardo-Earl, Galia; Barrita-Cruz, Gerardo Joel; Hernández, Beatriz; Ramírez, Christian Carlos; Santana, María Angélica; Fragoso, Gladis; Rosas, Gabriela

    2018-06-28

    A recent ethnomedical survey on medicinal plants grown in Mexico revealed that Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. (Cucurbitaceae) is one of the most valued plant species to treat cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Fruits, young leaves, buds, stems, and tuberous roots of the plant are edible. Considering that endothelial dysfunction induced by Angiotensin II plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and is accompanied by a prooxidative condition, which in turn induces an inflammatory state, vascular remodeling, and tissue damage, and that S. edule has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive activity, its capability to control endothelial dysfunction was also assessed. To assess in vivo the anti-endothelial dysfunction activity of the acetone fraction (rSe-ACE) of the hydroalcoholic extract from S. edule roots. Endothelial dysfunction was induced in female C57BL/6 J mice by a daily intraperitoneal injection of angiotensin II for 10 weeks. Either rSe-ACE or losartan (as a control) were co-administered with angiotensin II for the same period. Blood pressure was measured at weeks 0, 5, and 10. Kidney extracts were prepared to determine IL1β, IL4, IL6, IL10, IL17, IFNγ, TNFα, and TGFβ levels by ELISA, along with the prooxidative status as assessed by the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The expression of ICAM-1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in kidney histological sections. Kidney and hepatic damage, as well as vascular tissue remodeling, were studied. The rSe-ACE fraction administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg was able to control hypertension, as well as the prooxidative and proinflammatory status in kidney as efficiently as losartan, returning mice to normotensive levels. Additionally, the fraction was more efficient than losartan to prevent liver and kidney damage. Phytochemical characterization identified cinnamic acid as a major compound, and linoleic, palmitic, and myristic acids as the most

  10. Chemodiversity Associated with Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Activity of Piper aduncum var. ossanum.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez, Yamilet; Montes, Rodny; Scull, Ramón; Sánchez, Arturo; Cos, Paul; Monzote, Lianet; Setzer, William N

    2016-12-01

    Chemical analysis, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects of essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Piper aduncum var. ossanum from two localities Bauta (EO-B) and Ceiba (EO-C), Artemisa Province, Cuba, were determined. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. EO-B demonstrated higher activity against S. aureus and L. amazonensis; while a lower cytotoxicity on mammalian cells was observed. Both EOs displayed the same activity against Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania infantum. Both EOs were inactive against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  11. [Exploration of influencing factors of price of herbal based on VAR model].

    PubMed

    Wang, Nuo; Liu, Shu-Zhen; Yang, Guang

    2014-10-01

    Based on vector auto-regression (VAR) model, this paper takes advantage of Granger causality test, variance decomposition and impulse response analysis techniques to carry out a comprehensive study of the factors influencing the price of Chinese herbal, including herbal cultivation costs, acreage, natural disasters, the residents' needs and inflation. The study found that there is Granger causality relationship between inflation and herbal prices, cultivation costs and herbal prices. And in the total variance analysis of Chinese herbal and medicine price index, the largest contribution to it is from its own fluctuations, followed by the cultivation costs and inflation.

  12. Mediational influence of spent mushroom compost on phytoremediation of black-oil hydrocarbon polluted soil and response of Megathyrsus maximus Jacq.

    PubMed

    Asemoloye, Michael Dare; Jonathan, Segun Gbolagade; Jayeola, Adeniyi A; Ahmad, Rafiq

    2017-09-15

    Ability of a plant to develop different adaptive strategies can also determine its capability for effective soil remediation. In this study, influence of spent mushroom compost (SMC) was tested on the phytoremediation of black oil hydrocarbon polluted soil and the response of Megathyrsus maximus (guinea grass). Studies were carried out in microcosm conditions by mixing different concentration of SMC viz., 10, 20, 30 and 40% in a 5 kg of contaminated soil along with control. Seeds of M. maximus was sown in tray for two weeks and allowed to grow for height of 10 cm and transplanted in to the different experimental pots. Soil nutrient, heavy metal and PAH contents were analyzed before and after the experiment. Ecophysiological and anatomical responses due to the contaminants in the soil by M. Maximus were analyzed after 120 days. Phytomass efficiency, potential photosynthesis (Amax) and contents of chlorophylls (a and b) as well as the total chlorophyll along with anatomical evaluations were recorded. Plant alone (control) reduced the soil heavy metal and PAH contents but further improvements were observed in SMC treatments, similar results were also observed as regards to the plant's phytoremediation efficiency (PE), phytomass and potential photosynthetic rates (m mol O 2  M -2 S -1 ). The plant's root and shoot anatomical responses were enhanced in treatments compared to control, study infers that the treatment enhances the biostimulation and development of adaptive characteristics for M. maximus survival in contaminated soils and promotes its co-degradation of hydrocarbon. SMC supports remediation and as well enhances the anatomical evaluations, we therefore recommend the use of SMC on response of Megathyrsus maximus Jacq for remediation of petrochemical based phytoremediation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Hepatoprotective effects of Auricularia cornea var. Li. polysaccharides against the alcoholic liver diseases through different metabolic pathways.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiuxiu; Lan, Yufei; Zhu, Yongfa; Li, Shangshang; Liu, Min; Song, Xinling; Zhao, Huajie; Liu, Weiru; Zhang, Jianjun; Wang, Shouxian; Jia, Le

    2018-05-15

    The present work was designed to evaluate the antioxidation and hepatoprotective effects of Auricularia cornea var. Li. polysaccharides (APS) and enzymatic-extractable APS (EAPS) on the acute alcohol-induced alcoholic liver diseases (ALD). The in vitro antioxidant activities demonstrated that both APS and EAPS had strong reducing power and potential effects on scavenging reactive oxygen species. The in vivo mice experiments showed that the pretreatment with APS or EAPS showed potential hepatoprotective effects on the ALD possibly by increasing the antioxidant activities, reducing the lipid peroxidation, improving the alcohol metabolism, inhibiting the expression levels of inflammatory mediators and preventing the alcohol-induced histopathological alterations. In addition, the fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gas chromatography (GC) had been analyzed to obtained the primarily characteristics. The results indicated that abundant xylose and glucose contents probably had potential effects on possessing the bioactivities. The findings suggested that the A. cornea var. Li. might be considered as promising natural resource on exploring clinical drugs for the prevention and treatment with ALD and its complications.

  14. Approaches for monitoring the release of Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata, a biocontrol agent of root-knot nematodes.

    PubMed

    Atkins, Simon D; Hidalgo-Diaz, Leopoldo; Clark, Ian M; Morton, C Oliver; de Oca, Nivian Montes; Gray, Paul A; Kerry, Brian R

    2003-02-01

    Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata is a potential biocontrol agent against root-knot nematodes. Diagnosis of isolates has relied on morphological identification, and is both time-consuming and difficult. beta-tubulin primers have been developed for the identification of this fungus that were specific enough to distinguish between varieties of the fungus within the same species. Separate primers have been developed for the specific detection of P. chlamydosporia var. catenulata based on ITS sequences, which were able to detect the fungus in soil from various sites in Cuba where the biocontrol agent had been added. When the PCR diagnosis was combined with serial dilution of soil samples on selective medium, colonies were rapidly identified. The fungus was still present, albeit at low densities, in soils inoculated five years previously. The development of a baiting method allowed quick in situ screening of the isolates' ability to infect nematode eggs, and when combined with PCR diagnosis both varieties of the fungus could be detected in infected eggs. RFLP analysis of ITS sequences from P. chlamydosporia provided an extra level of discrimination between isolates.

  15. [Research of the essential oil of Plumeria rubra var. actifolia from Laos by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction].

    PubMed

    Xiao, Xin-Yu; Cui, Long-Hai; Zhou, Xin-Xin; Wu, Yan; Ge, Fa-Huan

    2011-05-01

    The orthogonal test and the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction were used for optimizing the extraction of the essential oil from Plumeria rubra var. actifolia for the first time. Compared with the steam distillation, the optimal operation parameter of extraction was as follows: extraction pressure 25 MPa, extraction temperature 45 degrees C; separator I pressure 12 MPa, separator I temperature 55 degrees C; separator II pressure 6 MPa, separator II temperature 30 degrees C. Under this condition the yield of the essential oil was 5.8927%. The components were separated and identified by GC-MS. 53 components of Plumeria rubra var. actifolia measured by SFE method were identified and determined by normalization method. The main components were 1, 6, 10-dodecatrien-3-ol, 3, 7, 11-trimethyl, benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, phenylmethyl ester, 1, 2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester,etc.. 1, 2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-methylpropyl) este. took up 66.11% of the total amount, and there was much difference of the results from SD method.

  16. Assessment of the cytokine profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of naturally Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis infested dogs.

    PubMed

    Singh, Shanker K; Dimri, Umesh; Sharma, Bhaskar; Saxena, Meeta; Kumari, Priyambada

    2014-12-15

    The mechanism of cytokine secretion from T lymphocytes plays an important role in the immune response of dogs and parasitic skin infestations. Assessment of the cytokine profile of naturally S. scabiei var. canis infested dogs could augment understanding of the pathobiology of canine sarcoptic mange. Therefore, the present study examined the cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dogs suffering from sarcoptic mange. Thirteen dogs naturally infected with sarcoptic mange participated in the study. The dogs were found positive for S. scabiei var. canis mites in skin scraping examinations and revealed at least three clinical inclusion criteria. Another five clinically healthy dogs were kept as healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from heparinized blood samples and used for extraction of mRNA. Further, cDNA was synthesized by using 1 mg of mRNA by reverse transcription using oligonucleotide primers. Relative levels of cytokine expression were compared with normalized glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) transcripts. The levels of interleukin-4, interleukin-5 and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) mRNA expression in dogs with sarcoptic mange were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01), whereas the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.01) in comparison with the healthy dogs. No remarkable difference was seen for interleukin-2 mRNA expression between these animals. An overproduction IL-4 and IL-5 might be involved in immuno-pathogenesis of canine sarcoptic mange. S. scabiei var. canis mites possibly induce an overproduction of TGF-β and reduced expression of TNF-α and thus could be conferring the immune suppression of infested dogs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Developmental transcriptome analysis of floral transition in Rosa odorata var. gigantea.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xuelian; Yu, Chao; Luo, Le; Wan, Huihua; Zhen, Ni; Li, Yushu; Cheng, Tangren; Wang, Jia; Pan, Huitang; Zhang, Qixiang

    2018-05-07

    Expression analyses revealed that floral transition of Rosa odorata var. gigantea is mainly regulated by VRN1, COLs, DELLA and KSN, with contributions by the effects of phytohormone and starch metabolism. Seasonal plants utilize changing environmental and developmental cues to control the transition from vegetative growth to flowering at the correct time of year. This study investigated global gene expression profiles at different developmental stages of Rosa odorata var. gigantea by RNA-sequencing, combined with phenotypic characterization and physiological changes. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between four different developmental stages (vegetative meristem, pre-floral meristem, floral meristem and secondary axillary buds) indicated that DNA methylation and the light reaction played a large role in inducing the rose floral transition. The expression of SUF and FLC, which are known to play a role in delaying flowering until vernalization, was down-regulated from the vegetative to the pre-floral meristem stage. In contrast, the expression of VRN1, which promotes flowering by repressing FLC expression, increased. The expression of DELLA proteins, which function as central nodes in hormone signaling pathways, and probably involve interactions between GA, auxin, and ABA to promote the floral transition, was well correlated with the expression of floral integrators, such as AGL24, COL4. We also identified DEGs associated with starch metabolism correlated with SOC1, AGL15, SPL3, AGL24, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that vernalization and photoperiod are prominent cues to induce the rose floral transition, and that DELLA proteins also act as key regulators. The results summarized in the study on the floral transition of the seasonal rose lay a foundation for further functional demonstration, and have profound economic and ornamental values.

  18. Limited prevalence of gaffkaemia (Aerococcus viridans var. homari) isolated from wild-caught European lobsters Homarus gammarus in England and Wales.

    PubMed

    Stebbing, P D; Pond, M J; Peeler, E; Small, H J; Greenwood, S J; Verner-Jeffreys, D

    2012-08-27

    Gaffkaemia, caused by Aerococcus viridans var. homari, causes fatal infections in Homarus spp. (clawed lobsters). Despite its high economic significance to the lobster fisheries in the USA and northern Europe, data on its prevalence in captured and wild populations, particularly in Europe, is scarce. Following an outbreak of gaffkaemia in a European lobster holding facility in South Wales (UK), a base-line survey was conducted for gaffkaemia in wild populations of European lobster Homarus gammarus around the coast of England and Wales. In addition, isolates recovered from the original outbreak and the survey were typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and compared with previously characterised isolates from the USA, UK and Canada. Locally caught H. gammarus were sampled at 30 sites from around the coast of England and Wales between March 2006 and October 2008. Results confirmed that the prevalence of gaffkaemia in populations of H. gammarus was low, with only 9 positive isolates recovered from 952 samples examined. PFGE analysis showed that the isolates from the outbreak investigation shared the same pulsotype as A. viridans var. homari isolates from the USA, Norway and Canada, as well as an isolate (NCIMB 1119) reportedly recovered from an outbreak of European lobsters in England in the 1960s. This confirms earlier studies that suggest virulent strains of A. viridans var. homari show very limited geographical or temporal genetic variation and were introduced into the UK with American lobsters H. americanus.

  19. Origin Discrimination of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii Flowers using GC-MS and UPLC-PDA Combined with Multivariable Analysis Methods.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Fei; Zhao, Yajing; Peng, Jiyu; Jiang, Yirong; Li, Maiquan; Jiang, Yuan; Lu, Baiyi

    2017-07-01

    Osmanthus fragrans flowers are used as folk medicine and additives for teas, beverages and foods. The metabolites of O. fragrans flowers from different geographical origins were inconsistent in some extent. Chromatography and mass spectrometry combined with multivariable analysis methods provides an approach for discriminating the origin of O. fragrans flowers. To discriminate the Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flowers from different origins with the identified metabolites. GC-MS and UPLC-PDA were conducted to analyse the metabolites in O. fragrans var. thunbergii flowers (in total 150 samples). Principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modelling of class analogy analysis (SIMCA) and random forest (RF) analysis were applied to group the GC-MS and UPLC-PDA data. GC-MS identified 32 compounds common to all samples while UPLC-PDA/QTOF-MS identified 16 common compounds. PCA of the UPLC-PDA data generated a better clustering than PCA of the GC-MS data. Ten metabolites (six from GC-MS and four from UPLC-PDA) were selected as effective compounds for discrimination by PCA loadings. SIMCA and RF analysis were used to build classification models, and the RF model, based on the four effective compounds (caffeic acid derivative, acteoside, ligustroside and compound 15), yielded better results with the classification rate of 100% in the calibration set and 97.8% in the prediction set. GC-MS and UPLC-PDA combined with multivariable analysis methods can discriminate the origin of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii flowers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Analysis of the main active ingredients and bioactivities of essential oil from Osmanthus fragrans Var. thunbergii using a complex network approach.

    PubMed

    Wang, Le; Tan, Nana; Hu, Jiayao; Wang, Huan; Duan, Dongzhu; Ma, Lin; Xiao, Jian; Wang, Xiaoling

    2017-12-28

    Osmanthus fragrans has been used as folk medicine for thousands of years. The extracts of Osmanthus fragrans flowers were reported to have various bioactivities including free radical scavenging, anti-inflammation, neuroprotection and antitumor effects. However, there is still lack of knowledge about its essential oil. In this work, we analyzed the chemical composition of the essential oil from Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii by GC-MS. A complex network approach was applied to investigate the interrelationships between the ingredients, target proteins, and related pathways for the essential oil. Statistical characteristics of the networks were further studied to explore the main active ingredients and potential bioactivities of O. fragrans var. thunbergii essential oil. A total of 44 ingredients were selected from the chemical composition of O. fragrans var. thunbergii essential oil, and that 191 potential target proteins together with 70 pathways were collected for these compounds. An ingredient-target-pathway network was constructed based on these data and showed scale-free property as well as power-law degree distribution. Eugenol and geraniol were screened as main active ingredients with much higher degree values. Potential neuroprotective and anti-tumor effect of the essential oil were also found. A core subnetwork was extracted from the ingredient-target-pathway network, and indicated that eugenol and geraniol contributed most to the neuroprotection of this essential oil. Furthermore, a pathway-based protein association network was built and exhibited small-world property. MAPK1 and MAPK3 were considered as key proteins with highest scores of centrality indices, which might play an important role in the anti-tumor effect of the essential oil. This work predicted the main active ingredients and bioactivities of O. fragrans var. thunbergii essential oil, which would benefit the development and utilization of Osmanthus fragrans flowers. The application of

  1. Efficacy of fluralaner administered either orally or topically for the treatment of naturally acquired Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis infestation in dogs.

    PubMed

    Taenzler, Janina; Liebenberg, Julian; Roepke, Rainer K A; Frénais, Régis; Heckeroth, Anja R

    2016-07-07

    The efficacy of fluralaner, formulated as a chewable tablet (Bravecto™) or topical solution (Bravecto™ Spot-on Solution), was evaluated against naturally acquired Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis infestation in dogs. The study was performed in privately-owned dogs naturally infested with S. scabiei var. canis. All dogs living in the same household as the infested dog were enrolled into one of 3 groups (2 fluralaner treated and 1 negative control). All dogs within one household were administered the same treatment, with one dog per household included in further observations and assessments. In total, 29 dogs confirmed positive for sarcoptic mange were included. On Day 0, all dogs in group 1 (n = 9) were treated once orally with fluralaner at a minimum dose of 25 mg/kg body weight; all dogs in group 2 (n = 11) were treated once topically with fluralaner at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight; and dogs in group 3 (n = 9) were treated once topically with saline solution. Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis mites on each dog were counted before treatment and at 4 weeks after treatment in deep skin scrapings (~4 cm(2)) from 5 different body areas. Clinical signs of infestation (i.e. erythematous papules; casts, scales and crusts; body areas with hair loss) and pruritus were recorded at the same time points. Single oral or topical treatment with fluralaner resulted in a 100 % reduction in mite counts post-treatment (group 1: P = 0.0009 and group 2: P = 0.0011). Resolution of clinical signs at four weeks post-treatment was variable, with improvement observed for erythematous papules, casts and crusts, and pruritus. All fluralaner treated dogs showed an improvement in overall hair re-growth compared with pre-treatment observations. Fluralaner administered either orally or topically to naturally infested dogs eliminates Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis mites and improves clinical signs over a 4-week observation period.

  2. A novel indole-diterpenoid, JBIR-03 with anti-MRSA activity from Dichotomomyces cejpii var. cejpii NBRC 103559.

    PubMed

    Ogata, Masahiro; Ueda, Jun-ya; Hoshi, Midori; Hashimoto, Junko; Nakashima, Takuji; Anzai, Kozue; Takagi, Motoki; Shin-ya, Kazuo

    2007-10-01

    A new indole-diterpene, JBIR-03 (1), was isolated from the fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii var. cejpii NBRC 103559 and its structure was determined based on the spectroscopic data. 1 exhibited anti-MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) activity and antifungal activity against apple Valsa canker-causing fungus, Valsa ceratosperma, while it exhibited no toxicity towards human cancer cells.

  3. Ecological adaptations in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) populations: I. North Idaho and North-East Washington

    Treesearch

    Gerald E. Rehfeldt

    1979-01-01

    Growth, phenology and frost tolerance of seedlings from 50 populations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) were compared in 12 environments. Statistical analyses of six variables (bud burst, bud set, 3-year height, spring and fall frost injuries, and deviation from regression of 3-year height on 2-year height) showed that populations not only differed in...

  4. Organic acids on the growth, anatomical structure, biochemical parameters and heavy metal accumulation of Iris lactea var. chinensis seedling growing in Pb mine tailings.

    PubMed

    Han, Yu-Lin; Huang, Su-Zhen; Yuan, Hai-Yan; Zhao, Jiu-Zhou; Gu, Ji-Guang

    2013-08-01

    The effect of citric acid (CA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the growth, anatomical structure, physiological responses and lead (Pb) accumulation of Iris lactea var. chinensis seedling growing in Pb mine tailings for 30 days were studied. Results showed that the dry weights (DW) of roots decreased significantly under both levels of CA. The DWs of leaves and roots treated with 2 mmol/kg EDTA decreased significantly and were 23 and 54 %, respectively, lower than those of the control. The tolerant indexes of I. lactea var. chinensis under all treatments of organic acids were lower than control. The root tip anatomical structure was little affected under the treatments of 2 mmol/kg CA and 2 mmol/kg EDTA compared with control. However, the formation of photosynthesizing cells was inhibited by the treatment of 2 mmol/kg EDTA. The concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total carotenoids in the leaves treated with 2 mmol/kg EDTA significantly decreased. Higher CA level and lower EDTA level could trigger the synthesis of ascorbic acid and higher level of EDTA could trigger the synthesis of glutathione. CA and EDTA could promote Pb accumulation of I. lactea var. chinensis and Pb concentration in the leaves and roots at 2 mmol/kg EDTA treatment increased significantly and reached to 160.44 and 936.08 μg/g DW, respectively, and 1.8 and 1.6 times higher than those of the control. The results indicated that I. lactea var. chinensis could be used to remediate Pb tailing and the role of EDTA in promoting Pb accumulation was better than CA did.

  5. Production and Multiplication of Native Compost Fungal Activator by Using Different Substrates and Its Influence on Growth and Development of Capsicum chinensis Jacq. “Bhut Jolokia”

    PubMed Central

    Parkash, Vipin; Saikia, Ankur Jyoti

    2015-01-01

    In vitro experiment was carried out to see the effect of saw dusts of Pinus kesiya, Shorea robusta, and Callicarpa arborea on Trichoderma harzianum, isolate TH-13 mass production, along with its biotization effect on Capsicum chinensis Jacq. “Bhut Jolokia.” Early mycelium initiation (2 days) occurred in S. robusta followed by P. kesiya and C. arborea (3.5 days). The sporulation was observed earlier in S. robusta (100% after 6 days) than P. kesiya (33.4% after 8 days) and C. arborea (16.7% after 9 days) but no sporulation was observed in control. The complete sporulation was also earlier in S. robusta (100% after 10 days) than P. kesiya (33.4% after 15 days) and C. arborea (16.4% after 18 days). Higher conidial yield (86 × 106) was also in S. robusta than P. kesiya (70 × 106) and C. arborea (45 × 106), respectively. The increase in height (60–70 cm), number of leaves (600–650), and yield of chili (120–150 fruits) were also more in inoculated C. chinensis seedlings than control. It is concluded that S. robusta saw dust is the best substrate for mass production of compost fungal activator and can be used in nursery practices for quality stock production of various crops/plantations. PMID:25632354

  6. Faster methods for estimating arc centre position during VAR and results from Ti-6Al-4V and INCONEL 718 alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nair, B. G.; Winter, N.; Daniel, B.; Ward, R. M.

    2016-07-01

    Direct measurement of the flow of electric current during VAR is extremely difficult due to the aggressive environment as the arc process itself controls the distribution of current. In previous studies the technique of “magnetic source tomography” was presented; this was shown to be effective but it used a computationally intensive iterative method to analyse the distribution of arc centre position. In this paper we present faster computational methods requiring less numerical optimisation to determine the centre position of a single distributed arc both numerically and experimentally. Numerical validation of the algorithms were done on models and experimental validation on measurements based on titanium and nickel alloys (Ti6Al4V and INCONEL 718). The results are used to comment on the effects of process parameters on arc behaviour during VAR.

  7. Genetic Performance and General Combining Ability of Oil Palm Deli dura x AVROS pisifera Tested on Inland Soils

    PubMed Central

    Noh, A.; Rafii, M. Y.; Saleh, G.; Kushairi, A.; Latif, M. A.

    2012-01-01

    The performance of 11 oil palm AVROS (Algemene Vereniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra) pisiferas was evaluated based on their 40 dura x pisifera (DxP) progenies tested on inland soils, predominantly of Serdang Series. Fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield of each pisiferas ranged from 121.93 to 143.9 kg palm−1 yr−1 with trial mean of 131.62 kg palm−1 yr−1. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed low genetic variability among pisifera parents for most of the characters indicating uniformity of the pisifera population. This was anticipated as the AVROS pisiferas were derived from small population and were inbred materials. However, some of the pisiferas have shown good general combining ability (GCA) for certain important economic traits. Three pisiferas (P1 (0.174/247), P3 (0.174/498), P11 (0.182/308)) were identified of having good GCA for FFB yield while pisiferas P1 (0.174/247), P10 (0.182/348), and P11 (0.182/308) were good combiners for oil-to-bunch ratio (O/B). The narrow genetic base of these materials was the main obstacle in breeding and population improvement. However, efforts have been made to introgress this material with the vast oil palm germplasm collections of MPOB for rectifying the problem. PMID:22701095

  8. First report of downy mildew disease caused by Plasmopara halstedii on the native Rudbeckia fulgida Aiton var. speciosa (Wender.)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The showy black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida Aiton var. speciosa (Wender.) is an important perennial wildflower native to the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. Besides its aesthetic value in the landscape, this native plant attracts pollinators and provides seeds for birds during t...

  9. Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes associated with omega-3 fatty acid biosynthesis in Perilla frutescens (L.) var. frutescens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Background: Perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) var frutescens) produces high levels of a-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid important to health and development. To uncover key genes involved in fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis in perilla, we conducted deep sequencing of cD...

  10. Assessing the anticancer compounds Se-methylselenocysteine and glucosinolates in Se-biofortified broccoli (brassica oleracea L. var. italica) sprouts and florets

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) is a rich source of chemopreventive compounds. Here, we evaluated and compared the effect of selenium (Se) treatment on the accumulation of anticancer compound Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSCys) and glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts and florets. Total Se ...

  11. Ecophysiological Competence of Populus alba L., Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl., and Crataegus monogyna Jacq. Used in Plantations for the Recovery of Riparian Vegetation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manzanera, Jose A.; Martínez-Chacón, Maria F.

    2007-12-01

    In many semi-arid environments of Mediterranean ecosystems, white poplar ( Populus alba L.) is the dominant riparian tree and has been used to recover degraded areas, together with other native species, such as ash ( Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) and hawthorn ( Crataegus monogyna Jacq.). We addressed three main objectives: (1) to gain an improved understanding of some specific relationships between environmental parameters and leaf-level physiological factors in these riparian forest species, (2) to compare the leaf-level physiology of these riparian species to each other, and (3) to compare leaf-level responses within native riparian plots to adjacent restoration plots, in order to evaluate the competence of the plants used for the recovery of those degraded areas. We found significant differences in physiological performance between mature and young white poplars in the natural stand and among planted species. The net assimilation and transpiration rates, diameter, and height of white poplar plants were superior to those of ash and hawthorn. Ash and hawthorn showed higher water use efficiency than white poplar. White poplar also showed higher levels of stomatal conductance, behaving as a fast-growing, water-consuming species with a more active gas exchange and ecophysiological competence than the other species used for restoration purposes. In the restoration zones, the planted white poplars had higher rates of net assimilation and water use efficiency than the mature trees in the natural stand. We propose the use of white poplar for the rapid restoration of riparian vegetation in semi-arid Mediterranean environments. Ash and hawthorn can also play a role as accompanying species for the purpose of biodiversity.

  12. Photovoltaic Impact Assessment of Smart Inverter Volt-VAR Control on Distribution System Conservation Voltage Reduction and Power Quality

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ding, Fei; Nagarajan, Adarsh; Chakraborty, Sudipta

    This report presents an impact assessment study of distributed photovoltaic (PV) with smart inverter Volt-VAR control on conservation voltage reduction (CVR) energy savings and distribution system power quality. CVR is a methodology of flattening and lowering a distribution system voltage profile in order to conserve energy. Traditional CVR relies on operating utility voltage regulators and switched capacitors. However, with the increased penetration of distributed PV systems, smart inverters provide the new opportunity to control local voltage and power factor by regulating the reactive power output, leading to a potential increase in CVR energy savings. This report proposes a methodology tomore » implement CVR scheme by operating voltage regulators, capacitors, and autonomous smart inverter Volt-VAR control in order to achieve increased CVR benefit. Power quality is an important consideration when operating a distribution system, especially when implementing CVR. It is easy to measure the individual components that make up power quality, but a comprehensive method to incorporate all of these values into a single score has yet to be undertaken. As a result, this report proposes a power quality scoring mechanism to measure the relative power quality of distribution systems using a single number, which is aptly named the 'power quality score' (PQS). Both the CVR and PQS methodologies were applied to two distribution system models, one obtained from the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and another obtained from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). These two models were converted to the OpenDSS platform using previous model conversion tools that were developed by NREL. Multiple scenarios including various PV penetration levels and smart inverter densities were simulated to analyze the impact of smart inverter Volt-VAR support on CVR energy savings and feeder power quality. In order to analyze the CVR benefit and PQS, an annual simulation was conducted for each scenario.« less

  13. A Computational Framework for Quantifying and Optimizing the Performance of Observational Networks in 4D-Var Data Assimilation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cioaca, Alexandru

    A deep scientific understanding of complex physical systems, such as the atmosphere, can be achieved neither by direct measurements nor by numerical simulations alone. Data assimila- tion is a rigorous procedure to fuse information from a priori knowledge of the system state, the physical laws governing the evolution of the system, and real measurements, all with associated error statistics. Data assimilation produces best (a posteriori) estimates of model states and parameter values, and results in considerably improved computer simulations. The acquisition and use of observations in data assimilation raises several important scientific questions related to optimal sensor network design, quantification of data impact, pruning redundant data, and identifying the most beneficial additional observations. These questions originate in operational data assimilation practice, and have started to attract considerable interest in the recent past. This dissertation advances the state of knowledge in four dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation by developing, implementing, and validating a novel computational framework for estimating observation impact and for optimizing sensor networks. The framework builds on the powerful methodologies of second-order adjoint modeling and the 4D-Var sensitivity equations. Efficient computational approaches for quantifying the observation impact include matrix free linear algebra algorithms and low-rank approximations of the sensitivities to observations. The sensor network configuration problem is formulated as a meta-optimization problem. Best values for parameters such as sensor location are obtained by optimizing a performance criterion, subject to the constraint posed by the 4D-Var optimization. Tractable computational solutions to this "optimization-constrained" optimization problem are provided. The results of this work can be directly applied to the deployment of intelligent sensors and adaptive observations, as well as

  14. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  15. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  16. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  17. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  18. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  19. Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood. An unusual case of infection with Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus.

    PubMed

    White, C J; Kwon-Chung, K J; Gallin, J I

    1988-09-01

    Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus was the sole agent cultured from the left lung, a paraspinal abscess, left ribs, and thoracic vertebral bodies from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease. Hyphal elements were present in histologic sections of lung, vertebral bodies, and infected ribs along with granuloma formation. The patient was treated with two debridement procedures and insertion of a Harrington rod followed by a long course of amphotericin B, flucytosine, and daily white blood cell transfusions.

  20. Safety of Pochonia chlamydosporia var catenulata in acute oral and dermal toxicity/pathogenicity evaluations in rats and rabbits.

    PubMed

    García, Liseth; Bulnes, Carlos; Melchor, Gleiby; Vega, Ernesto; Ileana, Miranda; de Oca, Nivian Montes; Hidalgo, Leopoldo; Marrero, Eva

    2004-10-01

    The nematophagous fungus, Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata (Kamyschlco ex Barron & Onions) Zare & W-Gams, was investigated as a potential biocontrol agent in integrated pest management strategy for Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in vegetable crops in Cuba. An acute oral and dermal toxicity/patogenicity study was performed to determine the safety of this fungus in non-target organisms. In the first study, a 1-dose level of 5 x 10(8) units of the microbial pest control agent/treated rat was used. Mortality or clinical signs were not evident and no adverse effects on body weight, hematology, microbiology and gross or microscopic pathology were observed. Food and water consumption was not significantly different between control and treated groups. In the acute dermal toxicity study, there was neither mortality nor clinical signs of toxicity, and no toxic effects in gross and microscopic pathology were detected. Thus, Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulate (Vcc-108, IMI SD 187), administered oral and dermally to rats and rabbits respectively, was safe in toxicity/pathogenicity studies.

  1. The Antibody Response of Pregnant Cameroonian Women to VAR2CSA ID1-ID2a, a Small Recombinant Protein Containing the CSA-Binding Site

    PubMed Central

    Babakhanyan, Anna; Leke, Rose G. F.; Salanti, Ali; Bobbili, Naveen; Gwanmesia, Philomina; Leke, Robert J. I.; Quakyi, Isabella A.; Chen, John J.; Taylor, Diane Wallace

    2014-01-01

    In pregnant women, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes expressing the VAR2CSA antigen bind to chondroitin sulfate A in the placenta causing placental malaria. The binding site of VAR2CSA is present in the ID1-ID2a region. This study sought to determine if pregnant Cameroonian women naturally acquire antibodies to ID1-ID2a and if antibodies to ID1-ID2a correlate with absence of placental malaria at delivery. Antibody levels to full-length VAR2CSA and ID1-ID2a were measured in plasma samples from 745 pregnant Cameroonian women, 144 Cameroonian men, and 66 US subjects. IgM levels and IgG avidity to ID1-ID2a were also determined. As expected, antibodies to ID1-ID2a were absent in US controls. Although pregnant Cameroonian women developed increasing levels of antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA during pregnancy, no increase in either IgM or IgG to ID1-ID2a was observed. Surprisingly, no differences in antibody levels to ID1-ID2a were detected between Cameroonian men and pregnant women. For example, in rural settings only 8–9% of males had antibodies to full-length VAR2CSA, but 90–96% had antibodies to ID1-ID2a. In addition, no significant difference in the avidity of IgG to ID1-ID2a was found between pregnant women and Cameroonian men, and no correlation between antibody levels at delivery and absence of placental malaria was found. Thus, the response to ID1-ID2a was not pregnancy specific, but predominantly against cross-reactivity epitopes, which may have been induced by other PfEMP1 antigens, malarial antigens, or microbes. Currently, ID1-ID2a is a leading vaccine candidate, since it binds to the CSA with the same affinity as the full-length molecule and elicits binding-inhibitory antibodies in animals. Further studies are needed to determine if the presence of naturally acquired cross-reactive antibodies in women living in malaria endemic countries will alter the response to ID1-ID2a following vaccination with ID1-ID2a. PMID:24505415

  2. Chemical characteristics of saponins from Paris fargesii var. brevipetala and cytotoxic activity of its main ingredient, paris saponin H.

    PubMed

    Wen, Feiyan; Yin, Hongxiang; Chen, Chu; Liu, Xianbo; Xue, Dan; Chen, Tiezhu; He, Jun; Zhang, Hao

    2012-06-01

    More attention was paid to the anti-tumor activity of Rhizoma Paridis (RP) recently, of which the wild resource was decreased significantly. This study was aimed to elucidate the chemical characteristics of Paris fargesii var. brevipetala (PFB) that may be administrated as alternate resource of legal RP. A HPLC-ELSD method was established to characterize the steroid saponins in rhizomes of PFB and two legal Paris species [Paris polyphylla var. chinensis (PPC) and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis (PPY)] in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP). Ten saponins (paris saponins I, II, V, VI, VII, H, gracillin and other three paris saponins) were involved as standards. The results indicated that PFB contained pennogenyl saponins as the main components with small amounts of diosgenin saponins. The total contents of the detected saponins in PFB ranged from 9.12mg/g to 85.33mg/g. Nine of the twelve PFB samples own a total content of paris saponins I, II, VI, and VII more than 6.0mg/g (meeting the standard of CP 2010 edition). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminate Analysis (PLS-DA) both confirmed the fact that saponin profiles of PFB, PPC and PPY were different from each other. In addition, paris saponin H (Ps H), the predominant saponin of PFB (>50%), was tested in vitro to evaluate its cytotoxic activities on HepG2, A549, RPE and L929 cells with a positive control of Cisplatin. Ps H showed a remarkable cytotoxic activity on A549 cells with an IC(50) value of 1.53±0.08μg/mL. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A biologically active fructan from the roots of Arctium lappa L., var. Herkules.

    PubMed

    Kardosová, A; Ebringerová, A; Alföldi, J; Nosál'ová, G; Franová, S; Hríbalová, V

    2003-11-01

    From the roots of Arctium lappa L., var. Herkules a low-molecular-weight fructofuranan of the inulin-type has been isolated by water extraction and ethanol precipitation, followed by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration of the crude precipitate. The methods employed in structural determination were methylation analysis and 1H and 13C NMR spectral measurements. In tests for antitussive activity in cats the fructan was found to be equally active as some non-narcotic, synthetic preparations used in clinical practice to treat coughing, and in mitogenic and comitogenic tests its biological response was comparable to that of the commercial Zymosan immunomodulator.

  4. [Onychomycosis for Curvularia lunata var. aeria: presentation of a clinical case].

    PubMed

    Fraenza, Laura B; Druetta, Silvina Del V; Raga, Ariel J; Luque Aguada, Lizet; Zalazar, Viviana; Farfalli, Luciana

    2015-01-01

    We here report a clinical case of a female patient presenting with a three-month history of a white onychodystrophic lesion of both hallux. The infection was due to a mold, identified as Curvularia lunata var aeria. The Curvularia gender is related to the production of phaeohyphomycosis, Curvularia lunata cause onychomycosis occasionally. The patient was treated with itraconazole 200mg/day, during six month with complete remission of the lesions. In conclusion, it is important to consider these fungi as causative agent of nail mycosis since the initial site of infection may be a pathway for systemic dissemination in inmunocompromised patients. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Diet-Induced Obesity Enhances TRPV1-Mediated Neurovascular Reactions in the Dura Mater.

    PubMed

    Marics, Balázs; Peitl, Barna; Pázmándi, Kitti; Bácsi, Attila; Németh, József; Oszlács, Orsolya; Jancsó, Gábor; Dux, Mária

    2017-03-01

    Exploring the pathophysiological changes in transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor of the trigeminovascular system in high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet-induced obesity of experimental animals. Clinical and experimental observations suggest a link between obesity and migraine. Accumulating evidence indicates that metabolic and immunological alterations associated with obesity may potentially modulate trigeminovascular functions. A possible target for obesity-induced pathophysiological changes is the TRPV1/capsaicin receptor which is implicated in the pathomechanism of headaches in a complex way. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a regular (n = 25) or HFHS diet (n = 26) for 20 weeks. At the end of the dietary period, body weight of the animals was normally distributed in both groups and it was significantly higher in animals on HFHS diet. Therefore, experimental groups were regarded as control and HFHS diet-induced obese groups. Capsaicin-induced changes in meningeal blood flow and release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from dural trigeminal afferents were measured in control and obese rats. The distribution of TRPV1- and CGRP-immunoreactive meningeal sensory nerves was also compared in whole mount preparations of the dura mater. Metabolic parameters of the animals were assessed by examining glucose and insulin homeostasis as well as plasma cytokine concentrations. HFHS diet was accompanied by reduced food consumption and greater fluid and energy intakes in addition to increased body weight of the animals. HFHS diet increased fasting blood glucose and insulin concentrations as well as levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β and interleukin-6. In obese animals, dural application of the archetypal TRPV1 agonist capsaicin resulted in significantly augmented vasodilatory and vasoconstrictor responses as compared to controls. Diet-induced obesity was also associated with enhanced basal and capsaicin

  6. Susceptibility of the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki used for gypsy moth suppression in Michigan

    Treesearch

    Catherine Papp Herms; Deborah G. McCullough; Leah S. Bauer; Robert A. Haack; Norman R. Dubois

    1997-01-01

    We investigated the phenological and physiological susceptibility of the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt), a product widely used for gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) suppression in Michigan and other infested states. We...

  7. Intraspecific Variation in Carotenoids of Brassica oleracea var. sabellica.

    PubMed

    Mageney, Vera; Baldermann, Susanne; Albach, Dirk C

    2016-04-27

    Carotenoids are best known as a source of natural antioxidants. Physiologically, carotenoids are part of the photoprotection in plants as they act as scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). An important source of carotenoids in European food is Brassica oleracea. Focusing on the most abundant carotenoids, we estimated the contents of ß-carotene, (9Z)-neoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein as well as those of chlorophylls a and b to assess their variability in Brassica oleracea var. sabellica. Our analyses included more than 30 cultivars categorized in five distinct sets grouped according to morphological characteristics or geographical origin. Our results demonstrated specific carotenoid patterns characteristic for American, Italian, and red-colored kale cultivars. Moreover, we demonstrated a tendency of high zeaxanthin proportions under traditional harvest conditions, which accord to low-temperature regimes. We also compared the carotenoid patterns of self-generated hybrid lines. Corresponding findings indicated that crossbreeding has a high potential for carotenoid content optimization in kale.

  8. Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) Protects Against Stress-Induced Acute Gastric Lesions in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Seung Hyun; Jeon, Byung Ju; Kim, Dae Hyun; Kim, Tae Il; Lee, Hee Kyoung; Han, Dae Seob; Lee, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Tae Bum; Kim, Jung Wha

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The protective activity of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) fruit juice and its main constituent, betanin, were evaluated against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats. After 6 h of water immersion restraint stress (WIRS), gastric mucosal lesions with bleeding were induced in Sprague–Dawley rats. Pretreatment of a lyophilized powder containing O. ficus indica var. saboten fruit juice and maltodextrin (OFSM) and betanin significantly reduced stress lesions (800–1600 mg/kg). Both OFSM and betanin effectively prevented the decrease in gastric mucus content as detected by alcian blue staining. In addition, OFSM significantly suppressed WIRS-induced increases in the level of gastric mucosal tumor necrosis factor-α and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Betanin alone was only effective in decreasing MPO. These results revealed the protective activity of OFSM against stress-induced acute gastric lesions and that betanin may contribute to OFSM's gastric protective activity, at least in part. When OFSM and betanin were taken together, OFSM exerted gastroprotective activity against stress-induced gastric lesions by maintaining gastric mucus, which might be related to the attenuation of MPO-mediated damage and proinflammatory cytokine production. PMID:23062184

  9. Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) protects against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seung Hyun; Jeon, Byung Ju; Kim, Dae Hyun; Kim, Tae Il; Lee, Hee Kyoung; Han, Dae Seob; Lee, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Tae Bum; Kim, Jung Wha; Sung, Sang Hyun

    2012-11-01

    The protective activity of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten) fruit juice and its main constituent, betanin, were evaluated against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats. After 6 h of water immersion restraint stress (WIRS), gastric mucosal lesions with bleeding were induced in Sprague-Dawley rats. Pretreatment of a lyophilized powder containing O. ficus indica var. saboten fruit juice and maltodextrin (OFSM) and betanin significantly reduced stress lesions (800-1600 mg/kg). Both OFSM and betanin effectively prevented the decrease in gastric mucus content as detected by alcian blue staining. In addition, OFSM significantly suppressed WIRS-induced increases in the level of gastric mucosal tumor necrosis factor-α and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Betanin alone was only effective in decreasing MPO. These results revealed the protective activity of OFSM against stress-induced acute gastric lesions and that betanin may contribute to OFSM's gastric protective activity, at least in part. When OFSM and betanin were taken together, OFSM exerted gastroprotective activity against stress-induced gastric lesions by maintaining gastric mucus, which might be related to the attenuation of MPO-mediated damage and proinflammatory cytokine production.

  10. Rhizomucor variabilis var. regularior and Hormographiella aspergillata infections in a leukemic bone marrow transplant recipient with refractory neutropenia.

    PubMed

    Abuali, Mayssa M; Posada, Roberto; Del Toro, Gustavo; Roman, Elizabeth; Ramani, Rama; Chaturvedi, Sudha; Chaturvedi, Vishnu; LaBombardi, Vincent J

    2009-12-01

    Rhizomucor variabilis and Hormographiella aspergillata rarely cause human infections. This report details a fatal case of a 14-year-old female with leukemia posthematopoietic cell transplant and relapse with refractory pancytopenia. The patient first developed an R. variabilis var. regularior palate infection and later developed a cutaneous H. aspergillata infection while on posaconazole and caspofungin therapy.

  11. Generation of Maillard compounds from inulin during the thermal processing of Agave tequilana Weber Var. azul.

    PubMed

    Mancilla-Margalli, Norma A; López, Mercedes G

    2002-02-13

    During the cooking process of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul to produce tequila, besides the hydrolysis of inulin to generate fermentable sugars, many volatiles, mainly Maillard compounds, are produced, most of which may have a significant impact on the overall flavor of tequila. Exudates (agave juice) from a tequila company were collected periodically, and color, Brix, fructose concentration, and reducing sugars were determined as inulin breakdown took place. Maillard compounds were obtained by extraction with CH(2)Cl(2), and the extracts were analyzed by GC-MS. Increments in color, Brix, and reducing sugars were observed as a function of time, but a decrease in fructose concentration was found. Many Maillard compounds were identified in the exudates, including furans, pyrans, aldehydes, and nitrogen and sulfur compounds. The most abundant Maillard compounds were methyl-2-furoate, 2,3-dihydroxy-3,5-dihydro-6-methyl-4(H)-pyran-4-one, and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural. In addition, a series of short- and long-chain fatty acids was also found. A large number of the volatiles in A. tequilana Weber var. azul were also detected in tequila extracts, and most of these have been reported as a powerful odorants, responsible for the unique tequila flavor.

  12. Identification of Insecticidal Constituents from the Essential Oil from the Aerial Parts Stachys riederi var. japonica.

    PubMed

    Quan, Meirong; Liu, Qi Zhi; Liu, Zhi Long

    2018-05-17

    The essential oil of Stachys riederi var. japonica (Family: Lamiaceae) was extracted by hydrodistillation and determined by GC and GC-MS. A total of 40 components were identified, representing 96.01% of the total oil composition. The major compounds in the essential oil were acetanisole (15.43%), anisole (9.43%), 1,8-cineole (8.07%), geraniol (7.89%), eugenol (4.54%), caryophyllene oxide (4.47%), caryophyllene (4.21%) and linalool (4.07%). Five active constituents (acetanisole, anisole, 1,8-cineole, eugenol and geraniol) were identified by bioactivity-directed fractionation. The essential oil possessed fumigant toxicity against maize weevils ( Sitophilus zeamais ) and booklice ( Liposcelis bostrychophila ), with LC 50 values of 15.0 mg/L and 0.7 mg/L, respectively. Eugenol and anisole exhibited stronger fumigant toxicity than the oil against booklice. 1,8-Cineole showed stronger toxicity, and anisole as well as eugenol exhibited the same level of fumigant toxicity as the essential oil against maize weevils. The essential oil also exhibited contact toxicity against S. zeamais adults and L. bostrychophila , with LC 50 values of 21.8 µg/adult and 287.0 µg/cm², respectively. The results indicated that the essential oil of S. riederi var. japonica and its isolates show potential as fumigants, and for their contact toxicity against grain storage insects.

  13. Evaluation of microbiological accumulation capability of the commercial sponge Spongia officinalis var. adriatica (Schmidt) (Porifera, Demospongiae).

    PubMed

    Stabili, Loredana; Licciano, Margherita; Longo, Caterina; Corriero, Giuseppe; Mercurio, Maria

    2008-05-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological accumulation capability of the demosponge Spongia officinalis var. adriatica. Six microbiological parameters were researched in two sampling periods in the water and in reared sponge samples coming from sites with different degrees of microbial contamination: an off-shore fish farm displaced off the Apulian coast (Southern Adriatic Sea) and a no-impacted area displaced into the Marine Protected Area of Porto Cesareo (Apulian coast-Ionian Sea). We detected the density of culturable heterotrophic bacteria by spread plate on marine agar, total culturable bacteria at 37 degrees C on Plate Count Agar and vibrios on thiosulphate-citrate-bile-sucrose-salt (TCBS) agar. Total and fecal coliforms as well as fecal streptococci concentrations were detected by the MPN method. Bacterial densities were always higher in the sponge homogenates compared with the corresponding seawater in the sampling points and in both sampling periods. As regard vibrios, total culturable bacteria at 37 degrees C and fecal streptococci concentrations, the highest values were observed in the sponge samples coming from the off-shore fish farm during the summer period. The ability of Spongia officinalis var. adriatica to accumulate the microbial pollution indicators suggests that this species can be employed as a bioindicator for monitoring water quality.

  14. Aliphatic Chains of Esterified Lipids in Isolated Eyespots of Euglena gracilis var. bacillaris1

    PubMed Central

    Hilenski, Lula L.; Walne, Patricia L.; Snyder, Fred

    1976-01-01

    Isolated eyespot granules of Euglena gracilis Klebs var. bacillaris Pringsheim contained approximately 6% lipids (based on protein). Separation of the lipid extracts by thin layer chromatography revealed four major fractions: wax esters, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, and phospholipids. Methanolysis of each fraction yielded between 27 and 29 different fatty acids ranging from 12:0 to 22:6. Acetates of the fatty alcohols of the wax fraction consisted of 11:0 to 18:0 carbon chains, with 14:0 being the major component; unsaturated alcohols were not detected. PMID:16659543

  15. Longicalycinin A, a new cytotoxic cyclic peptide from Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus (MAXIM.) WILL.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Pei-Wen; Chang, Fang-Rong; Wu, Ching-Chung; Li, Chien-Ming; Wu, Kuen-Yuh; Chen, Su-Li; Yen, Hsin-Fu; Wu, Yang-Chang

    2005-03-01

    A new cyclic peptide, longicalycinin A (1), and six known compounds, vaccaroside A, dianoside A, dianoside G, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)propionic acid methyl ester, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde were isolated from the MeOH extract of Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus. The amino acid sequences of 1 was elucidated as cyclo(Gly(1)-Phe(2)-Tyr(3)-Pro(4)-Phe(5)-) on the basis of ESI tandem mass fragmentation analysis, chemical evidence, and extensive 2D NMR methods. Furthermore, compound 1 showed cytotoxicity to Hep G2 cancer cell line.

  16. Morphology and protein molecular weight analysis from three variant of oil palm pollen; Dura, Pisifera, and Tenera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Priambodo, R.; Witarto, A. B.; Salamah, A.; Setiorini, Triyono, D.; Bowolaksono, A.

    2017-07-01

    Oil palm is a plant that widely cultivated in Indonesia, with an area of about 11 million hectares in 2014. There are three main variants that most cultivated; Dura, Pisifera, and Tenera. Oil palm pollen was spread through the wind. The very wide area of oil palm plantation and those characteristics of oil palm pollen dispersion makes oil palm pollen may give negative effect to the people around plantation, such as an allergy. The research on the morphology and protein characters of the oil palm pollen from three variants has not done yet. This research aims to observe the morphology and protein character from three variants of oil palm pollen. The study begins with the pollen collection from three variants of oil palm. Oil palm pollen was observed using the light and scanning electron microscope. Oil palm pollen protein was extracted and the molecular weight of these proteins was analyzed. The result of this research was the morphology character from three variants of oil palm pollen have successfully been observed. Those three variant of oil palm have no differences structures; triangular shaped with round edge, tricolpate with connected colpus aperture, psilate exine ornamentation at the front side and peripheral side, while at the back side has microreticulate exine ornamentation. Three variants of oil palm pollen protein show the same characteristics. The molecular weight of the protein was ranged from 10-00 KDa. The information can be useful for the next research to figure out component of proteins inside the oil palm pollen.

  17. Trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activities of flavonoids isolated from Stevia satureiifolia var. satureiifolia.

    PubMed

    Beer, María Florencia; Frank, Fernanda Maria; Germán Elso, Orlando; Ernesto Bivona, Augusto; Cerny, Natacha; Giberti, Gustavo; Luis Malchiodi, Emilio; Susana Martino, Virginia; Alonso, María Rosario; Patricia Sülsen, Valeria; Cazorla, Silvia Ines

    2016-10-01

    Context Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis produce significant disability and mortality with great social and economic impact. The genus Stevia (Asteraceae) is a potential source of antiprotozoal compounds. Objective Aerial parts of four Stevia species were screened on Trypanosoma cruzi. Stevia satureiifolia (Lam.) Sch. Bip. var. satureiifolia (Asteraceae) dichloromethane extract was selected for a bioassay-guided fractionation in order to isolate its active compounds. Additionally, the antileishmanial activity and the cytotoxicity of these compounds on mammalian cells were assessed. Materials and methods The dichloromethane extract was fractionated by column chromatography. The isolated compounds were evaluated using concentrations of 0-100 μg/mL on T. cruzi epimastigotes and on Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes for 72 h, on trypomastigotes and amastigotes of T. cruzi for 24 h and 120 h, respectively. The compounds' cytotoxicity (12.5-500 μg/mL) was assessed on Vero cells by the MTT assay. The structure elucidation of each compound was performed by spectroscopic methods and HPLC analysis. Results The dichloromethane extracts of Stevia species showed significant activity on T. cruzi epimastigotes. The flavonoids eupatorin (1.3%), cirsimaritin (1.9%) and 5-desmethylsinensetin (1.5%) were isolated from S. satureiifolia var. satureiifolia extract. Eupatorin and 5-desmethylsinensetin showed IC50 values of 0.2 and 0.4 μg/mL on T. cruzi epimastigotes and 61.8 and 75.1 μg/mL on trypomastigotes, respectively. The flavonoid 5-desmethylsinensetin showed moderate activity against T. cruzi amastigotes (IC50  value = 78.7 μg/mL) and was the most active compound on L. braziliensis promastigotes (IC50  value = 37.0 μg/mL). Neither of the flavonoids showed cytotoxicity on Vero cells, up to a concentration of 500 μg/mL.

  18. Triterpene glycosides from the whole plant of Anemone hupehensis var. japonica and their cytotoxic activity.

    PubMed

    Yokosuka, Akihito; Sano, Tomoe; Hashimoto, Ken; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Mimaki, Yoshihiro

    2009-12-01

    Three new triterpene glycosides (1-3), together with eight known triterpene glycosides (4-11), were isolated from the whole plant of Anemone hupehensis var. japonica (Ranunculaceae). The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and the results of hydrolytic cleavage experiments. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against HL-60 human leukemia cells, HSC-2 human oral squamous carcinoma cells, HSC-4 human oral squamous carcinoma cells, and A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells.

  19. In vitro Antioxidant of a Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Dendrobium fimhriatum Hook.var.oculatum Hook

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Aoxue; Fan, Yijun

    2011-01-01

    A water-soluble crude polysaccharide (DFHP) obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stem of Dendrobium fimhriatum Hook.var.oculatum Hook through hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation, was found to have an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 209.3 kDa. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that DFHP was composed of mannose, glucose and galactose in a content ratio of 37.52%; 43.16%; 19.32%. The investigation of antioxidant activity in vitro showed that DFHP is a potential antioxidant. PMID:21747725

  20. Effects of exogenous glutathione and cysteine on growth, lead accumulation, and tolerance of Iris lactea var. chinensis.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Haiyan; Zhang, Yongxia; Huang, Suzhen; Yang, Yongheng; Gu, Chunsun

    2015-02-01

    Effects of exogenous reduced glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys) on growth, lead (Pb) accumulation, and nonprotein thiol (NPT) contents of Iris lactea var. chinensis under 100 and 500 mg L(-1) Pb stress were studied. Our results showed that 500 mg L(-1) Pb stress caused a dramatical decline in fresh weights, while the reduction of aboveground biomass was alleviated by exogenous GSH and Cys even though keeping higher Pb contents in roots and shoots. Exogenous GSH and Cys could enhance Pb accumulation in the shoots and roots compared with single Pb treatment. The promoting effect of GSH to Pb accumulation was larger than the effect of Cys, and the Pb contents in the shoots and roots treated with 500 mg L(-1) Pb + GSH reached 1,712 and 14,603 mg kg(-1), about 4.19 and 2.78 times of single 500 mg L(-1) Pb treatment, respectively. Microscopic imaging of Pb in roots and leaves showed that higher intensive fluorescence was observed in cell wall of root epidermis, stele, vascular tissues of the roots, and sclerenchyma cells of leaves treated with 500 mg L(-1) Pb + GSH and treated with 500 mg L(-1) Pb + Cys. Exogenous GSH had an apparent promoting effect on root and shoot GSH synthesis, while exogenous Cys reduced the synthesis of cellular GSH in shoot and increased Cys contents. Pb only induced the synthesis of phytochelatin (PC)2 in roots, and the PC2 content declined in GSH- and Cys-treated plant roots. These results suggested that GSH synthesis was a more effective approach to improve Pb accumulation and translocation of I. lactea var. chinensis. Further analysis of protein expression in plants by exogenous GSH and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) application showed that the proteins regulated by GSH and BSO may constitute various enzymes involved in GSH biosynthesis and play certain roles in Pb accumulation and tolerance of I. lactea var. chinensis.

  1. Antidiabetic Potentiality of the Aqueous-Methanolic Extract of Seed of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Male Albino Rat: A Correlative and Evidence-Based Approach with Antioxidative and Antihyperlipidemic Activities.

    PubMed

    De, Debasis; Chatterjee, Kausik; Ali, Kazi Monjur; Bera, Tushar Kanti; Ghosh, Debidas

    2011-01-01

    Antidiabetic, antioxidative, and antihyperlipidemic activities of aqueous-methanolic (2 : 3) extract of Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq. (family Meliaceae) seed studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Feeding with seed extract (25 mg 0.25 mL distilled water(-1)100 gm b.w.(-1)rat(-1) day(-1)) for 21 days to diabetic rat lowered the blood glucose level as well as the glycogen level in liver. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidase, and levels of the products of free radicals like conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in liver, kidney, and skeletal muscles were corrected towards the control after this extract treatment in this model. Furthermore, the seed extract corrected the levels of serum urea, uric acid, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoproteins towards the control level in this experimental diabetic model. The results indicated the potentiality of the extract of S. mahagoni seed for the correction of diabetes and its related complications like oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia. The extract may be a good candidate for developing a safety, tolerable, and promising neutraceutical treatment for the management of diabetes.

  2. Structure of the DBL3x domain of pregnancy-associated malaria protein VAR2CSA complexed with chondroitin sulfate A

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singh, K.; Gittis, A.G.; Nguyen, P.

    Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes bind to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) in the placenta via the VAR2CSA protein, a member of the P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 family, leading to life-threatening malaria in pregnant women with severe effects on their fetuses and newborns. Here we describe the structure of the CSA binding DBL3x domain, a Duffy binding-like (DBL) domain of VAR2CSA. By forming a complex of DBL3x with CSA oligosaccharides and determining its structure, we have identified the CSA binding site to be a cluster of conserved positively charged residues on subdomain 2 and subdomain 3. Mutation or chemical modification of lysinemore » residues at the site markedly diminished CSA binding to DBL3x. The location of the CSA binding site is an important step forward in the molecular understanding of pregnancy-associated malaria and offers a new target for vaccine development.« less

  3. Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV-1 μVar in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO world heritage site.

    PubMed

    Gittenberger, A; Voorbergen-Laarman, M A; Engelsma, M Y

    2016-01-01

    The Wadden Sea is an extensive wetland area, recognized as UNESCO world heritage site of international importance. Since the mid-1990s, the invasive Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) population in the area has grown exponentially, having a distinct impact on the ecosystem. The recent spread of the emerging oyster pathogen Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV-1 μVar worldwide and specifically in the oyster culture areas in the south of the Netherlands raised the question whether the virus may also be present in the Wadden Sea. In the summer of 2012 juvenile Pacific oysters were collected from five locations in the Dutch Wadden Sea. The virus was shown to be present in three of the five locations by real-time PCR and sequencing. It was concluded that OsHV-1 μVar has settled itself in Pacific oyster reefs in the Wadden Sea. These results and the recent discoveries of OsHV-1 microvariants in Australia and Korea indicate that OsHV-1 μVar and related variants might be more widespread than can be deduced from current literature. In particular in regions with no commercial oyster culture, similar to the Wadden Sea, the virus may go undetected as wild beds with mixed age classes hamper the detection of mortality among juvenile oysters. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Models and Granger Causality in Time Series Analysis in Nursing Research: Dynamic Changes Among Vital Signs Prior to Cardiorespiratory Instability Events as an Example

    PubMed Central

    Bose, Eliezer; Hravnak, Marilyn; Sereika, Susan M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Patients undergoing continuous vital sign monitoring (heart rate [HR], respiratory rate [RR], pulse oximetry [SpO2]) in real time display inter-related vital sign changes during situations of physiologic stress. Patterns in this physiological cross-talk could portend impending cardiorespiratory instability (CRI). Vector autoregressive (VAR) modeling with Granger causality tests is one of the most flexible ways to elucidate underlying causal mechanisms in time series data. Purpose The purpose of this article is to illustrate development of patient-specific VAR models using vital sign time series (VSTS) data in a sample of acutely ill, monitored, step-down unit (SDU) patients, and determine their Granger causal dynamics prior to onset of an incident CRI. Approach CRI was defined as vital signs beyond stipulated normality thresholds (HR = 40–140/minute, RR = 8–36/minute, SpO2 < 85%) and persisting for 3 minutes within a 5-minute moving window (60% of the duration of the window). A 6-hour time segment prior to onset of first CRI was chosen for time series modeling in 20 patients using a six-step procedure: (a) the uniform time series for each vital sign was assessed for stationarity; (b) appropriate lag was determined using a lag-length selection criteria; (c) the VAR model was constructed; (d) residual autocorrelation was assessed with the Lagrange Multiplier test; (e) stability of the VAR system was checked; and (f) Granger causality was evaluated in the final stable model. Results The primary cause of incident CRI was low SpO2 (60% of cases), followed by out-of-range RR (30%) and HR (10%). Granger causality testing revealed that change in RR caused change in HR (21%) (i.e., RR changed before HR changed) more often than change in HR causing change in RR (15%). Similarly, changes in RR caused changes in SpO2 (15%) more often than changes in SpO2 caused changes in RR (9%). For HR and SpO2, changes in HR causing changes in SpO2 and changes in SpO2 causing

  5. [Development of cysticercoid larva of Hymenolepis nana var. fraterna in Tenebrio molitor and Leucophaea maderae haemoceles (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Pesson, B; Leger, N; Bouchet, P

    1978-01-01

    When embryos of Hymenolepis nana var. fraterna are injected abdominally, they are able to reach the cysticercoid stage in the haemocele of Leucophaea maderae which naturally resist to infection by ingestion of the eggs. The haemocytic defence reaction of the cockroach and the structure of the surface of larvae are examined and compared with development in a natural host Tenebrio molitor.

  6. Transcriptome analysis of Brassica juncea var. tumida Tsen responses to Plasmodiophora brassicae primed by the biocontrol strain Zhihengliuella aestuarii.

    PubMed

    Luo, Yuanli; Dong, Daiwen; Su, Yu; Wang, Xuyi; Peng, Yumei; Peng, Jiang; Zhou, Changyong

    2018-05-01

    Mustard clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is a serious disease that affects Brassica juncea var. tumida Tsen, a mustard plant that is the raw material for a traditional fermented food manufactured in Chongqing, China. In our laboratory, we screened the antagonistic bacteria Zhihengliuella aestuarii against P. brassicae. To better understand the biocontrol mechanism, three transcriptome analyses of B. juncea var. tumida Tsen were conducted using Illumina HiSeq 4000, one from B. juncea only inoculated with P. brassicae (P), one inoculated with P. brassica and the biocontrol agent Z. aestuarii at the same time (P + B), and the other was the control (H), in which P. brassicae was replaced by sterile water. A total of 19.94 Gb was generated by Illumina HiSeq sequencing. The sequence data were de novo assembled, and 107,617 unigenes were obtained. In total, 5629 differentially expressed genes between biocontrol-treated (P + B) and infected (P) samples were assigned to 126 KEGG pathways. Using multiple testing corrections, 20 pathways were significantly enriched with Qvalue ≤ 0.05. The resistance-related genes, involved in the production of pathogenesis-related proteins, pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity, and effector-triggered immunity signaling pathways, calcium influx, salicylic acid pathway, reactive oxygen intermediates, and mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, and cell wall modification, were obtained. The various defense responses induced by the biocontrol strain combatted the P. brassicae infection. The genes and pathways involved in plant resistance were induced by a biocontrol strain. The transcriptome data explained the molecular mechanism of the potential biocontrol strain against P. brassicae. The data will also serve as an important public information platform to study B. juncea var. tumida Tsen and will be useful for breeding mustard plants resistant to P. brassicae.

  7. Molecular and agronomic analysis of intraspecific variability in Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum accessions.

    PubMed

    Leite, P S S; Rodrigues, R; Silva, R N O; Pimenta, S; Medeiros, A M; Bento, C S; Gonçalves, L S A

    2016-10-05

    Capsicum baccatum is one of the most important chili peppers in South America, since this region is considered to be the center of origin and diversity of this species. In Brazil, C. baccatum has been widely explored by family farmers and there are different local names for each fruit phenotype, such as cambuci and dedo-de-moça (lady's finger). Although very popular among farmers and consumers, C. baccatum has been less extensively studied than other Capsicum species. This study describes the phenotypic and genotypic variability in C. baccatum var. pendulum accessions. Twenty-nine accessions from the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro gene bank, and one commercial genotype ('BRS-Mari') were evaluated for 53 morphoagronomic descriptors (31 qualitative and 22 quantitative traits). In addition, accessions were genotyped using 30 microsatellite primers. Three accessions from the C. annuum complex were included in the molecular characterization. Nine of 31 qualitative descriptors were monomorphic, while all quantitative descriptors were highly significant different between accessions (P < 0.01). Using the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages, four groups were obtained based on multicategoric variables and five groups were obtained based on quantitative variables. In the genotyping analysis, 12 polymorphic simple sequence repeat primers amplified in C. baccatum with dissimilarity between accessions ranging from 0.13 to 0.91, permitting the formation of two distinct groups for Bayesian analysis. These results indicate wide variability among the accessions comparing phenotypic and genotypic data and revealed distinct patterns of dissimilarity between matrices, indicating that both steps are valuable for the characterization of C. baccatum var. pendulum accessions.

  8. Antidepressant-like effect of essential oil isolated from Toona ciliata Roem. var. yunnanensis.

    PubMed

    Duan, Dongmei; Chen, Liping; Yang, Xiuyan; Tu, Ya; Jiao, Shuang

    2015-04-01

    Depressive order is one of the most common psychiatric diseases, and Toona ciliata Roem. var. yunnanensis has shown many bioactivities in folk medicine. This study was designed to investigate the antidepressant-like effect of essential oil isolated from T. ciliata Roem. var. yunnanensis. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the compositions of essential oil. The immobility time in the forced swimming test (FST), tail suspending test (TST), and open field test (OFT) were used to evaluate the antidepressive effects of essential oil. Furthermore, chronic mild stress (CMS) rats were established, and contents of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the brain were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-electron capture detector (HPLC-ECD). Western blotting was performed to investigate the effects of essential oil on the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein in rats' brain. The GC-MS analysis showed that the main components of essential oil were estragole (6.16 %), β-elemene (24.91 %), β-cubebene (14.29 %), and γ-elemene (8.05 %). The results from the FST and TST demonstrated that the immobility time could be significantly reduced by essential oil (10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg), without accompanying changes in ambulation when assessed in the OFT. Additionally, the contents of DA, NE, 5-HT, and BDNF in the hippocampus of CMS rats could be increased by treatment with essential oil at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg. All these results suggested that essential oil could be considered as a new candidate for curing depressive disorders.

  9. A new ferulic acid ester from Rhodiola wallichiana var. cholaensis (Crassulaceae).

    PubMed

    Song, Yaling; Zhou, Jianming; Wang, Xuejing; Xie, Xue; Zhao, Yiwu; Ni, Fuyong; Huang, Wenzhe; Wang, Zhenzhong; Xiao, Wei

    2018-01-01

    A new ferulic acid ester, 6-feruloyloxyhexanoic acid (1), was isolated along with 10 known ones (2-11), from the concentrated water extract of Rhodiola wallichiana var. cholaensis. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods including Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) experiments. Compound 3 was isolated from this plant for the first time. The protective effects against H 2 O 2 -induced myocardial cell injury in cultured H9c2 cells were also evaluated. Compounds 1, 5 and 7-11 provided significant protective effects on H 2 O 2 -induced H9c2 cells injury at the concentration of 25 μg/mL. And the protective effects of compound 1 was also investigated by the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) tests.

  10. Atheroprotective effects of Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J. F. Macbr. in New Zealand rabbits fed with cholesterol-rich diet.

    PubMed

    Barboza, Lorena Neris; Lívero, Francislaine Aparecida Dos Reis; Prando, Thiago Bruno Lima; Ribeiro, Rita de Cassia Lima; Lourenço, Emerson Luiz Botelho; Budel, Jane Manfron; de Souza, Lauro Mera; Acco, Alexandra; Dalsenter, Paulo Roberto; Gasparotto, Arquimedes

    2016-07-01

    Although Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J. F. Macbr. is used in Brazilian folk medicine in the treatment of atherosclerosis and circulatory disorders, no study evaluating these effects has been conducted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible hypolipemiant and antiatherogenic activity of the ethanol soluble fraction obtained from C. carthagenensis (ES-CC) in an experimental atherosclerosis model using New Zealand (NZ) rabbits undergoing cholesterol-rich diet (CRD). Dyslipidemia and atherogenesis were induced by administration of standard commercial diet increased of 1% cholesterol (CRD) for 8 weeks. ES-CC was orally administered at doses of 10, 30 and 100mg/kg, once daily for four weeks, starting from the 4th week of CRD diet. Body weight measurements were weekly carried out from the beginning of experiments for 8 weeks. Serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and their fractions (LDL-C, VLDL-C and HDL-C) were measured at the beginning of experiments and at weeks four and eight. After euthanasia of rabbits, aorta segments (aortic arc, thoracic, abdominal and iliac segments) were macroscopically and microscopically evaluated and the intima and media layers of the arteries were measured. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of ES-CC and its influence on the functioning of hepatic antioxidant enzymes were also determined. CRD induced dyslipidemia and major structural changes in the aortic wall. In addition, an increase in lipid peroxidation and a reduction of hepatic glutathione and serum nitrite levels were observed. Treatment with ES-CC was able to prevent the increase in TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C levels and triglycerides and promoted an increase in HDL-C levels in NZ rabbits. These effects were accompanied by a significant reduction in oxidative stress and modulation of the catalase and superoxide dismutase function. Moreover, the intima and media layers of the arterial segments were significantly reduced by ES-CC treatment. This study

  11. [Demography of Caulerpa paspaloides var. wudermanni (Bryopsidales: Caulerpaceae) in the coastal zone of Campeche, México].

    PubMed

    Fuentes, Sergio Armando; Gallegos, Margarita E; Mandujano, María C

    2014-06-01

    Demography of Caulerpa paspaloides var. wudermanni (Bryopsidales: Caulerpaceae) in the coastal zone of Campeche, México. The subaquatic vegetation of Los Petenes, Campeche, Mexico, stands out due to its considerable floristic diversity, composed of a great variety of sea grasses and several species of the genus Caulerpa sp. This is a genus of ecological relevance, with the invasive species in the Mediterranean, with negative impact on several native sub-aquatic plants; nevertheless, little is known about the demography and population dynamics of Caulerpa species and their contribution to food webs. Thus the main objective of this study was to describe the demographics of Caulerpa paspaloides var. wudermanni, using the number of stolons, complete and incomplete fronds, the diameter of the stolons and the biomass. The information was used to determine the growth rate (lambda) of this species. The study was conducted in the Biosphere Reserve of Los Petenes, which is located in the Northwest of the state of Campeche. The submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the Petenes Biosphere consists of monospecific and mixed populations of seagrass species (Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii and Syringodium filiforme). Although chlorophytes, brown algae and red algae, are fundamental elements in the specific composition of the SAV in Petenes, several species of Caulerpa are prominent because of their coverage and abundance. In May and June of 2010, significant differences in the quantity of stolons, their diameter, incomplete and complete fronds, and the size of the stolons and rhizomes, were observed. In 2010, the finite population growth rate (lambda) was 2.38 +/- 0.1571 for individuals and 1.20 +/- 0.1356 for the population, and in 2011 the values of lambda were 1.80 +/- 0.3608 and 1.35 +/- 0.1571, respectively. From these results it can be concluded that the population is growing; however, growth is controlled by biotic and abiotic factors. Despite there was no apparent

  12. [The benthic red alga Ceramium ciliatum var. robustum (J.Ag.) G. Mazoyer is a remarkable biological indicator of littoral mercury pollution].

    PubMed

    Augier, H; Gilles, G; Ramonda, G

    1977-02-07

    The study of mercury composition of red Algae Ceranium ciliatum var. robustum, comparatively with other marine organisms and considering its growth and the extent of pollution at various harvesting points: reveals that this seaweed constitutes a conspicuous biological indicator for the littoral mercury pollution.

  13. Tolerance of subzero winter cold in kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) and its implications for northward migration in a warming climate

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) is an important invasive species that was planted throughout southeastern North America until the mid-20th century. Winter survival is commonly assumed to control its distribution; however, its cold tolerance thresholds have not been determined. Here, we used bio...

  14. Four New Flavonoids with α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities from Morus alba var. tatarica.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ya-Long; Luo, Jian-Guang; Wan, Chuan-Xing; Zhou, Zhong-Bo; Kong, Ling-Yi

    2015-11-01

    Four new flavonoids, mortatarins A-D (1-4, resp.), along with eight known flavonoids (5-12) were isolated from the root bark of Morus alba var. tatarica. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis, and the absolute configuration of 4 was determined by analysis of its CD spectrum. All isolates were tested for inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase. Compounds 4, 7, and 8 exhibited a significant degree of inhibition with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 0.3, 7.5 ± 0.5, and 5.9 ± 0.2 μM, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  15. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of American bird pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum).

    PubMed

    Zeng, Fan-chun; Gao, Cheng-wen; Gao, Li-zhi

    2016-01-01

    The complete chloroplast genome sequence of American bird pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) is reported and characterized in this study. The genome size is 156,612 bp, containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,776 bp separated by a large single-copy region of 87,213 bp and a small single-copy region of 17,851 bp. The chloroplast genome harbors 130 known genes, including 89 protein-coding genes, 8 ribosomal RNA genes, and 37 tRNA genes. A total of 18 of these genes are duplicated in the inverted repeat regions, 16 genes contain 1 intron, and 2 genes and one ycf have 2 introns.

  16. Rhizomucor variabilis var. regularior and Hormographiella aspergillata Infections in a Leukemic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient with Refractory Neutropenia ▿

    PubMed Central

    Abuali, Mayssa M.; Posada, Roberto; Del Toro, Gustavo; Roman, Elizabeth; Ramani, Rama; Chaturvedi, Sudha; Chaturvedi, Vishnu; LaBombardi, Vincent J.

    2009-01-01

    Rhizomucor variabilis and Hormographiella aspergillata rarely cause human infections. This report details a fatal case of a 14-year-old female with leukemia posthematopoietic cell transplant and relapse with refractory pancytopenia. The patient first developed an R. variabilis var. regularior palate infection and later developed a cutaneous H. aspergillata infection while on posaconazole and caspofungin therapy. PMID:19846651

  17. Genetic variation of the endangered Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca (Gentianaceae) in populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula.

    PubMed

    González-López, Oscar; Polanco, Carlos; György, Zsuzsanna; Pedryc, Andrzej; Casquero, Pedro A

    2014-06-05

    Gentiana lutea L. (G. lutea L.) is an endangered plant, patchily distributed along the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. In this study, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to investigate the genetic variation in this species within and among populations of G. lutea L. var. aurantiaca of the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwest Iberian Peninsula). Samples of G. lutea L. collected at different locations of the Pyrenees and samples of G. lutea L. subsp. vardjanii of the Dolomites Alps were also analyzed for comparison. Using nine ISSR primers, 106 bands were generated, and 89.6% of those were polymorphic. The populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula were clustered in three different groups, with a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca showed 19.8% private loci and demonstrated a remarkable level of genetic variation, both among populations and within populations; those populations with the highest level of isolation show the lowest genetic variation within populations. The low number of individuals, as well as the observed genetic structure of the analyzed populations makes it necessary to protect them to ensure their survival before they are too small to persist naturally.

  18. Genetic Variation of the Endangered Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca (Gentianaceae) in Populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula

    PubMed Central

    González-López, Oscar; Polanco, Carlos; György, Zsuzsanna; Pedryc, Andrzej; Casquero, Pedro A.

    2014-01-01

    Gentiana lutea L. (G. lutea L.) is an endangered plant, patchily distributed along the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. In this study, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to investigate the genetic variation in this species within and among populations of G. lutea L. var. aurantiaca of the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwest Iberian Peninsula). Samples of G. lutea L. collected at different locations of the Pyrenees and samples of G. lutea L. subsp. vardjanii of the Dolomites Alps were also analyzed for comparison. Using nine ISSR primers, 106 bands were generated, and 89.6% of those were polymorphic. The populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula were clustered in three different groups, with a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca showed 19.8% private loci and demonstrated a remarkable level of genetic variation, both among populations and within populations; those populations with the highest level of isolation show the lowest genetic variation within populations. The low number of individuals, as well as the observed genetic structure of the analyzed populations makes it necessary to protect them to ensure their survival before they are too small to persist naturally. PMID:24905405

  19. Assessment of surface runoff depth changes in S\\varǎţel River basin, Romania using GIS techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romulus, Costache; Iulia, Fontanine; Ema, Corodescu

    2014-09-01

    S\\varǎţel River basin, which is located in Curvature Subcarpahian area, has been facing an obvious increase in frequency of hydrological risk phenomena, associated with torrential events, during the last years. This trend is highly related to the increase in frequency of the extreme climatic phenomena and to the land use changes. The present study is aimed to highlight the spatial and quantitative changes occurred in surface runoff depth in S\\varǎţel catchment, between 1990-2006. This purpose was reached by estimating the surface runoff depth assignable to the average annual rainfall, by means of SCS-CN method, which was integrated into the GIS environment through the ArcCN-Runoff extension, for ArcGIS 10.1. In order to compute the surface runoff depth, by CN method, the land cover and the hydrological soil classes were introduced as vector (polygon data), while the curve number and the average annual rainfall were introduced as tables. After spatially modeling the surface runoff depth for the two years, the 1990 raster dataset was subtracted from the 2006 raster dataset, in order to highlight the changes in surface runoff depth.

  20. Two Lactarius species associated with a relict Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana population in a Mexican montane cloud forest.

    PubMed

    Montoya, L; Haug, I; Bandala, V M

    2010-01-01

    Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fleshy fungi are being monitored in a population of Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana persisting in a montane cloud forest refuge on a volcano in a subtropical region of central Veracruz (eastern Mexico). The population of Fagus studied represents one of the 10 recognized forest fragments still housing this tree genus in Mexico. This is the first attempt to document EM fungi associated with this tree species in Mexico. We present evidence of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis for Lactarius badiopallescens and L. cinereus with this endemic tree. Species identification of Lactarius on Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana was based on the comparison of DNAsequences (ITS rDNA) of spatiotemporally co-occurring basidiomes and EM root tips. The host of the EM tips was identified by comparison of the large subunit of the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase gene (rbcL). The occurrence of Lactarius badiopallescens and L. cinereus populations in the area of study represent the southernmost record known to date of these two species in North America and are new for the Neotropical Lactarius mycota. Descriptions coupled with illustrations of macro- and micromorphological features of basidiomes as well as photographs of ectomycorrhizas are presented.

  1. Dura Mater Stimulates Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells to Undergo Bone Formation in Mouse Calvarial Defects

    PubMed Central

    Levi, Benjamin; Nelson, Emily R.; Li, Shuli; James, Aaron W.; Hyun, Jeong S.; Montoro, Daniel T.; Lee, Min; Glotzbach, Jason P.; Commons, George W.; Longaker, Michael T.

    2015-01-01

    Human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) have a proven capacity to aid in osseous repair of calvarial defects. However, the bone defect microenvironment necessary for osseous healing is not fully understood. In this study, we postulated that the cell-cell interaction between engrafted ASCs and host dura mater (DM) cells is critical for the healing of calvarial defects. hASCs were engrafted into critical sized calvarial mouse defects. The DM-hASC interaction was manipulated surgically by DM removal or by insertion of a semipermeable or nonpermeable membrane between DM and hASCs. Radiographic, histologic, and gene expression analyses were performed. Next, the hASC-DM interaction is assessed by conditioned media (CM) and coculture assays. Finally, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling from DM was investigated in vivo using novel BMP-2 and anti-BMP-2/4 slow releasing scaffolds. With intact DM, osseous healing occurs both from host DM and engrafted hASCs. Interference with the DM-hASC interaction dramatically reduced calvarial healing with abrogated BMP-2–Smad-1/5 signaling. Using CM and coculture assays, mouse DM cells stimulated hASC osteogenesis via BMP signaling. Through in vivo manipulation of the BMP-2 pathway, we found that BMP-2 plays an important role in DM stimulation of hASC osteogenesis in the context of calvarial bone healing. BMP-2 supplementation to a defect with disrupted DM allowed for bone formation in a nonhealing defect. DM is an osteogenic cell type that both participates in and stimulates osseous healing in a hASC-engrafted calvarial defect. Furthermore, DM-derived BMP-2 paracrine stimulation appears to play a key role for hASC mediated repair. PMID:21656608

  2. Combined effect of seaweed (Sargassum wightii) and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on the coastal mosquito,Anopheles sundaicus, in Tamil Nadu, India

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Studies were made of the extract of Sargassum wightii combined with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) for control of the malaria vector Anopheles sundaicus. Treatment of mosquito larvae with 0.001% S. wightii extract indicated median lethal concentrations (LC50) of 88, 73, 134, 156, and...

  3. Immobilization of alginate-encapsulated Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis containing different multivalent counterions for mosquito control.

    PubMed

    Prabakaran, G; Hoti, S L

    2008-08-01

    Immobilized techniques have been used widely for the controlled release formulation of mosquitoes. Among the microbial formulations, polymeric matrices play an important role in the controlled release of microbial pesticide at rates sufficiently effective to kill mosquitoes in the field. The advantage of these matrices is that they enhance the stability of both spores and toxin against pH, temperature variations, and UV irradiation. The disadvantage of using calcium alginate beads is that they are unstable upon contact with phosphate of potassium or sodium ions rich in the mosquito habitats. To overcome these problems, attempts were made to encapsulate Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis within alginate by using different multivalent counterions, namely, calcium chloride, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt chloride, and ferric chloride, and the beads formed were tested for its mosquito larvicidal activity. Among all the beads tested, zinc alginate beads resulted in maximum larvicidal activity of 98% (+/-1.40 SE) against Culex quinquefasciatus IIIrd instar larvae and maximum spore count of 3.36 x 10(5) (+/-5291.50 SE) CFU/ml. Zinc alginate beads maintained their structure for up to 48 h when shaken vigorously on a rotary shaker at 180 rpm in the presence of 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.8 +/- 0.1). In conclusion, our results suggest that the use of zinc sulfate as counterions to encapsulate B. thuringiensis var. israelensis within alginate may be a potent mosquito control program in the habitats where more phosphate ions are present.

  4. Complex circular subsidence structures in tephra deposited on large blocks of ice: Varða tuff cone, Öræfajökull, Iceland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smellie, J. L.; Walker, A. J.; McGarvie, D. W.; Burgess, R.

    2016-08-01

    Several broadly circular structures up to 16 m in diameter, into which higher strata have sagged and locally collapsed, are present in a tephra outcrop on southwest Öræfajökull, southern Iceland. The tephra was sourced in a nearby basaltic tuff cone at Varða. The structures have not previously been described in tuff cones, and they probably formed by the melting out of large buried blocks of ice emplaced during a preceding jökulhlaup that may have been triggered by a subglacial eruption within the Öræfajökull ice cap. They are named ice-melt subsidence structures, and they are analogous to kettle holes that are commonly found in proglacial sandurs and some lahars sourced in ice-clad volcanoes. The internal structure is better exposed in the Varða examples because of an absence of fluvial infilling and reworking, and erosion of the outcrop to reveal the deeper geometry. The ice-melt subsidence structures at Varða are a proxy for buried ice. They are the only known evidence for a subglacial eruption and associated jökulhlaup that created the ice blocks. The recognition of such structures elsewhere will be useful in reconstructing more complete regional volcanic histories as well as for identifying ice-proximal settings during palaeoenvironmental investigations.

  5. Identification and characterization of B-cell epitopes in the DBL4ε domain of VAR2CSA.

    PubMed

    Ditlev, Sisse B; Nielsen, Morten A; Resende, Mafalda; Agerbæk, Mette Ø; Pinto, Vera V; Andersen, Pernille H; Magistrado, Pamela; Lusingu, John; Dahlbäck, Madeleine; Theander, Thor G; Salanti, Ali

    2012-01-01

    Malaria during pregnancy in Plasmodium falciparum endemic regions is a major cause of mortality and severe morbidity. VAR2CSA is the parasite ligand responsible for sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes to the receptor chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) in the placenta and is the leading candidate for a placental malaria vaccine. Antibodies induced in rats against the recombinant DBL4ε domain of VAR2CSA inhibit the binding of a number of laboratory and field parasite isolates to CSA. In this study, we used a DBL4ε peptide-array to identify epitopes targeted by DBL4ε-specific antibodies that inhibit CSA-binding of infected erythrocytes. We identified three regions of overlapping peptides which were highly antigenic. One peptide region distinguished itself particularly by showing a clear difference in the binding profile of highly parasite blocking IgG compared to the IgG with low capacity to inhibit parasite adhesion to CSA. This region was further characterized and together these results suggest that even though antibodies against the synthetic peptides which cover this region did not recognize native protein, the results using the mutant domain suggest that this linear epitope might be involved in the induction of inhibitory antibodies induced by the recombinant DBL4ε domain.

  6. Reinstatement of the Loyalty Islands Sandalwood, Santalum austrocaledonicum var. glabrum (Santalaceae), in New Caledonia.

    PubMed

    Butaud, Jean-François

    2015-01-01

    Sandalwoods encompass 19 species restricted to southeast Asia and the Pacific. The species Santalum austrocaledonicum Vieill. (Santalaceae) is endemic to New Caledonia (Grande-Terre, Isle of Pines, Loyalty Islands) and Vanuatu, where several varieties are recognized. The Loyalty Islands sandalwood variety is here reinstated as Santalum austrocaledonicum var. glabrum Hürl. emend. Butaud & P.Firmenich, mut. char. It was previously considered a synonym of the type variety; however, new morphological and genetic studies confirmed its distinctiveness. The key for New Caledonian varieties of Santalum austrocaledonicum has been updated and a short description of its essential oil composition and organoleptic quality is given.

  7. Preparative separation and purification of steroidal saponins in Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis by macroporous adsorption resins.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhen; Wang, Jieyin; Gao, Wenyuan; Man, Shuli; Wang, Ying; Liu, Changxiao

    2013-07-01

    Saponins are active compounds in natural products. Many researchers have tried to find the method for knowing their concentration in herbs. Some methods, such as solid-liquid extraction and solvent extraction, have been developed. However, the extraction methods of the steroidal saponins from Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Liliaceae) are not fully researched. To establish a simple extraction method for the separation of steroidal saponins from the rhizomes of P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis. Macroporous adsorption resins were used for the separation of steroidal saponins. To select the most suitable resins, seven kinds of macroporous resins were selected in this study. The static adsorption and desorption tests on macroporous resins were determined. Also, we optimized the temperature and the ethanol concentration in the extraction method by the contents of five kinds of saponins. Then, we compared the extraction method with two other methods. D101 resin demonstrated the best adsorption and desorption properties for steroidal saponins. Its adsorption data fits best to the Freundlich adsorption model. The contents of steroidal saponins in the product were 4.83-fold increased with recovery yields of 85.47%. The process achieved simple and effective enrichment and separation for steroidal saponins. The method provides a scientific basis for large-scale preparation of steroidal saponins from the Rhizoma Paridis and other plants.

  8. Helikaurolides A-D with a Diterpene-Sesquiterpene Skeleton from Supercritical Fluid Extracts of Helianthus annuus L. var. Arianna.

    PubMed

    Torres, Ascensión; Molinillo, José M G; Varela, Rosa M; Casas, Lourdes; Mantell, Casimiro; Martínez de la Ossa, Enrique J; Macías, Francisco A

    2015-10-02

    Four novel compounds (1-4) with an unprecedented skeleton that combines a sesquiterpene lactone and a kaurane diterpene acid were isolated from Helianthus annuus L. var. Arianna extract, which was obtained under supercritical conditions. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by NMR and MS analyses. The biosynthetic routes involve sesquiterpene lactones and kauranic acid, both of which were previously isolated from this species.

  9. Genetic differentiation of two California red oak species, Quercus parvula var. shreveii and Q. wislizeni, based on AFLP genetic markers

    Treesearch

    Nasser Kashani; Richard S. Dodd

    2002-01-01

    Oaks are renowned for posing problems in defining species boundaries. One example is the case of the interior live oak complex that is usually taken to include two varieties of Quercus wislizeni from the Coast Ranges of California and the Sierra Nevada, and Q. parvula var. shreveii from the central coast of...

  10. Composition, mosquito larvicidal, biting deterrent and antifungal activity of essential oils of different plant parts of Cupressus arizonica var. glabra (Carolina Sapphire)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Essential oils obtained from the hydrodistillation of female cones (FC), male cones (MC), needles-twigs (NT) and wood barks (WB) of ‘Carolina Sapphire’ [Cupressus arizonica var glabra (Sudw.) Little] were analyzed simultaneously by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC...

  11. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: From isolation to potential medicinal applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Wong, Jack Ho; Bah, Clara Shui Fern

    Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K{sub i}, 0.1 x 10{sup -9} M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies.more » These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI.« less

  12. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: from isolation to potential medicinal applications.

    PubMed

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Wong, Jack Ho; Bah, Clara Shui Fern; Lin, Peng; Tsao, Sai Wah; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2010-06-11

    Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K(i), 0.1 x 10(-9)M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies. These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata lectin: isolation, characterization, and comparison.

    PubMed

    Chan, Yau Sang; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2015-01-01

    Bauhinia variegata var. variegata seeds are rich in proteins. Previously, one of the major storage proteins of the seeds was found to be a trypsin inhibitor that possessed various biological activities. By using another purification protocol, a glucoside- and galactoside-binding lectin that demonstrated some differences from the previously reported B. variegata lectin could be isolated from the seeds. It involved affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose and Mono Q, and also size exclusion chromatography on Superdex 75. The lectin was not retained on Affi-gel blue gel but interacted with Q-Sepharose. The lectin was a 64-kDa protein with two 32-kDa subunits. It had low thermostability (stable up to 50 °C) and moderate pH stability (stable in pH 3-10). It exhibited anti-proliferative activity on nasopharyngeal carcinoma HONE1 cells with an IC50 of 12.8 μM after treatment for 48 h. It also slightly inhibited the growth of hepatoma HepG2 cells. The lectin may have potential in aiding cancer treatments.

  14. Volvalerelactones A and B, two new sesquiterpenoid lactones with an unprecedented skeleton from Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peng-Cheng; Ran, Xin-Hui; Luo, Huai-Rong; Hu, Jiang-Miao; Chen, Rui; Ma, Qing-Yun; Dai, Hao-Fu; Liu, Yu-Qing; Xie, Ming-Jin; Zhou, Jun; Zhao, You-Xing

    2011-06-17

    Volvalerelactones A and B (1 and 2), two new sesquiterpenoid lactones with an unprecedented 3/7/6 tricyclic ring system, were isolated from the roots of Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia. Their structures and relative configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic data and single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography, and the absolute configuration was assigned by computational methods. The possible biosynthetic pathways of 1 and 2 were also proposed. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  15. mRNA expression of EgCHI1, EgCHI2, and EgCHI3 in oil palm leaves (Elaeis guineesis Jacq.) after treatment with Ganoderma boninense pat. and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai.

    PubMed

    Naher, Laila; Tan, Soon Guan; Ho, Chai Ling; Yusuf, Umi Kalsom; Ahmad, Siti Hazar; Abdullah, Faridah

    2012-01-01

    Basal stem rot (BSR) disease caused by the fungus Ganoderma boninense is the most serious disease affecting the oil palm; this is because the disease escapes the early disease detection. The biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum can protect the disease only at the early stage of the disease. In the present study, the expression levels of three oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) chitinases encoding EgCHI1, EgCHI2, and EgCHI3 at 2, 5, and 8 weeks inoculation were measured in oil palm leaves from plants treated with G. boninense or T. harzianum alone or both. The five-month-old oil palm seedlings were treated with Gano-wood blocks inoculum and trichomulch. Expression of EgCHI1, EgCHI2, and EgCHI3 in treated leaves tissue was determined by real-time PCR. Oil palm chitinases were not strongly expressed in oil palm leaves of plants treated with G. boninense alone compared to other treatments. Throughout the 8-week experiment, expression of EgCHI1 increased more than 3-fold in leaves of plants treated with T. harzianum and G. boninense when compared to those of control and other treated plants. The data illustrated that chitinase cDNA expression varied depending on tissue and the type of treatment.

  16. Perilla frutescens var. frutescens in northern Laos.

    PubMed

    Ito, Michiho; Honda, Gisho; Sydara, Kongmany

    2008-04-01

    Twenty-eight samples of mericarps of Perilla frutescens var. frutescens were collected through fieldwork performed in Phongsali and Xieng Khouang provinces in northern Laos. No perilla samples were collected from Savannakhet province in the south although more than 20 sites were investigated. Perilla plants are mostly grown mixed with dry-paddy rice by slash-and-burn cultivation in Laos. The most popular local name for perilla mericarps in the area was "Ma Nga Chan". Weight of 1,000 grains and hardness of the mericarps were measured, and all mericarps were found to be large (weight of 1,000 grains around 2 g) and soft (limit load weight under 300 g), which were preferred for culinary use in Laos. The composition of the essential oils obtained from the herbaceous plants raised from the mericarps was divided into five types, perillaketone, elemicine plus myristicine, shisofuran, piperitenon, and myristicine, and GC-MS analysis of these Laotian perilla samples showed that they were similar to those of corresponding types of known Japanese perilla strains. One of the shisofuran-type perilla contained large amounts of putative alpha-naginatene, which is likely to be an intermediate of the biosynthesis of naginataketone. The farmers' indifference to the oil type of the leaf seems to leave Laotian perilla as a good genetic resource for studies of the biosynthesis of oil compounds.

  17. A new species and a new record of Laccaria (Fungi, Basidiomycota) found in a relict forest of the endangered Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana

    PubMed Central

    Ramos, Antero; Bandala, Victor M.; Montoya, Leticia

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Two species of Laccaria discovered in relicts of Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana forests in eastern Mexico are described based on the macro- and micromorphological features, and their identity supported by molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) of the ribosomal RNA gene. The phylogeny obtained here showed that one of the Mexican species is nested in an exclusive clade which in combination with its striking morphological features, infers that it represents a new species, while the other species is placed as a member in the Laccaria trichodermophora clade. This is the first report in Mexico of Laccaria with Fagus grandifolia var. mexicana trees, with which the reported species may form ectomycorrhizal association. Descriptions are accompanied with illustrations of macro- and micromorphological characters and a discussion of related taxa are presented. PMID:29559819

  18. [Effects of forest gap size on the growth and form quality of Taxus wallichina var. mairei in Cunninghamia lanceolata forests].

    PubMed

    Ou, Jian de; Wu, Zhi Zhuang; Luo, Ning

    2016-10-01

    In order to clarify the effects of forest gap size on the growth and stem form quality of Taxus wallichina var. mairei and effectiveness of the precious timbers cultivation, 25 sample plots in Cunninghamia lanceolata forest gaps were established in Mingxi County, Fujian Province, China to determine the indices of the growth, stem form and branching indices of T. wallichina var. mairei seedlings. The relationships between the gap size and growth, stem form and branching were investigated. The 25 sample plots were located at five microhabitats which were classified based on gap size as follows: Class1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, which had a gap size of 25-50 m 2 , 50-75 m 2 , 75-100 m 2 , 100-125 m 2 and 125-150 m 2 , respectively. The evaluation index system of precious timbers was built by using hierarchical analysis. The 5 classes of forest gaps were evaluated comprehensively by using the multiobjective decision making method. The results showed that gap size significantly affected 11 indices, i.e., height, DBH, crown width, forking rate, stem straightness, stem fullness, taperingness, diameter height ratio, height under living branch, interval between branches, and max-branch base diameter. Class1and 2 both significantly promoted the growth of height, DBH and crown width, and both significantly inhibited forking rate and taperingness, and improved stem straightness. Class2 significantly improved stem fullness and diameter height ratio. Class1and 2 significantly improved height under living branch and reduced max-branch base diameter. Class 1 significantly increased interval between branches. Class1and2 significantly improved the comprehensive evaluation score of precious timbers. This study suggested that controlled cutting intensity could be used to create forest gaps of 25-75 m 2 , which improved the precious timber cultivating process of T. wallichina var. mairei in C. lanceolata forests.

  19. Fungal endophytes of South China blueberry (Vaccinium dunalianum var. urophyllum).

    PubMed

    Li, Z-J; Shen, X-Y; Hou, C-L

    2016-12-01

    A total of 374 fungal endophyte strains were isolated from of Vaccinium dunalianum var. urophyllum (Ericaceae), a well-known cultivated blueberry in southern China. These fungal endophytes could be categorized into 25 morphotypes according to culture characteristics and molecular identification based on the internal transcribed spacer region. All of these isolates belonged to Ascomycota. Jaccard's (Jc) and Sorenson's similarity indices indicated that the species communities from the fruits and branches were closer to each other than to those from leaves. The leaves appeared to host the highest fungal biodiversity, and the fruits displayed the lowest diversity. This study is the first on endophytic fungi isolated from fruits, branches and leaves of blueberry plants. The results contribute to the body of knowledge on the biocontrol of pathogens associated with blueberry and develop the improvement of plant growth. By comparing with the different fungal communities, the leaves appeared to host the highest biodiversity. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Deterioration of expanded polystyrene caused by Aureobasidium pullulans var. melanogenum.

    PubMed

    Castiglia, Valeria C; Kuhar, Francisco

    2015-01-01

    An expanded-polystyrene factory located in northern Buenos Aires reported unusual dark spots causing esthetic damage in their production. A fungal strain forming black-olive colonies on extract malt agar medium was isolated from the damaged material and identified as Aureobasidium pullullans var. melanogenum. This fungus is particularly known for its capacity to produce hydrolytic enzymes and a biodegradable extracellular polysaccharide known as pullulan, which is used in the manufacture of packaging material for food and medicine. Laboratory tests were conducted to characterize its growth parameters. It was found that the organism was resistant to a wide range of pHs but did not survive at temperatures over 65°C. The proposed action plan includes drying of the material prior to packaging and disinfection of the machinery used in the manufacturing process and of the silos used for raw material storage. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.