bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infants of the Productivity Agenda: Learning from Birth or Waiting to Learn?
Authors: Cheeseman Sandra , Sumsion Jennifer , Press Frances
Published: March 2019

THE AUSTRALIAN EARLY CHILDHOOD Reform Agenda, initiated in 2008 by the then Labor government, heralded a commitment to a focus on child outcomes in early childhood education and care policy in order to give Australia's children the ‘best start in life’. A number of workforce policy initiatives aimed at achieving this ambition were announced, prioritising improvements in child-to-staff ratios and the qualifications of educators working with young children. More recently, the draft report of the Australian Productivity Commission Inquiry into child care and early learning has challenged these workforce reforms by reviving historic divisions between education and care and differentiating the learning needs of children over three from those under three. Claiming evidence that infants' participation in early childhood education contributes to any long-term benefit is inconclusive, the Productivity Commission called for a substantial lowering of qualifications requirements for educators working with children under three years. A juxtaposition of the reform agenda and the Commission's recommendations reveals a disjuncture in understandings of infants and consequently the type of workforce needed to support their wellbeing and learning. While contemporary Australian early childhood policy promotes images of infants as learners from birth, the Productivity Commission draft report portrays them as waiting to learn. In examining the pendulum of shifting ideas about infants, we highlight the vulnerability of infants in early childhood policy, especially in relation to the shaping of the workforce responsible for them.
A Bird in the Hand: Understanding the Trajectories of Development of Young Children and the Need for Action to Improve Outcomes
Authors: Tayler Collette , Cloney Daniel , Niklas Frank
Published: March 2019

THE ABILITIES AND CAPABILITIES young children bring into school accrue as a result of prior family, community and early children program experience, and they assist or impede transitions and ongoing progress in the first school years. In Australia, family contexts and children's early childhood education and care (ECEC) program pathways are diverse, and processes for addressing learning and development difficulties are at the discretion of the early educators who support children within typical everyday programs.

The Australian E4Kids longitudinal study directly assessed the general cognitive ability and receptive and expressive language of a sample of 2498 three- and four-year-old children and tracked their progress into the early years of school. The abilities of these preschool1 children are reported, along with associations with family background characteristics and the abilities trajectory of different sub-groups. Children who are at risk of poor outcomes as they progress toward school are the focus of this paper. Analyses address the differences between children's abilities at baseline measurement, characteristics of the participants' home environments and the trajectories of these children over three years. The findings provoke early consideration by educators of the context of children entering programs and the provision of more direct educational supports to children who are at risk of poor progress, both at home and in centres.
Intergenerational Collaborative Drawing: A Research Method for Researching with/about Young Children
Authors: Knight Linda , McArdle Felicity , Cumming Tamara , Bone Jane , Li Liang , Peterken Corinna , Ridgway Avis
Published: March 2019

THIS PAPER FOCUSES ON the methodological effectiveness of intergenerational collaborative drawing (ICD). A group of eight researchers trialled this particular approach to drawing, most of them for the first time. Each researcher drew with young children, peers and tertiary students, with drawings created over a period of six months. The eight researchers came together in a ‘community of scholars’ approach to this project because of two shared interests: (i) issues of social justice, access and equity; and (ii) arts-based education research methods. The researchers were curious how ICD might methodically support their respective research processes.

As knowledge and theory about young children becomes more complex, researchers need responsive methodological tools to ask new questions and conduct rigorous, ethical research. This partial account describes how drawing together might perform methodologically. The data reported here draws from the detailed field notes, drawings and reflections of the researchers. Conclusions arise from the analysis of these reflections, with the authors suggesting ways in which ICD might benefit research with young children.
Mothers' Perspectives on learning through Play in the Home
Authors: Colliver Yeshe
Published: March 2019

RESEARCH IN THE FIELD of early childhood education and care (ECEC) indicates that if educators can align their perspectives and practices with families' perspectives, children's educational outcomes will improve. Yet the literature reveals educators focus on children's independent learning of various developmental domains, while mothers increasingly focus on adult-guided learning of curricula in preparation for school. To illuminate potential ways for educators to align these divergent perspectives, this paper reports on a qualitative case study of eight mothers' perspectives on their children's learning through play in the home. It revealed emphases on children's independent learning of family practices through play, contrasting starkly with previous accounts of mothers being focused on adults guiding play to cognitive learning (e.g. literacy, numeracy). Thus another perspective divergence emerged: between mothers' perspectives in the home and ECEC settings. However, the similarity between educators' perspectives to those of mothers suggests ways forward.
Children Voice their Kindergarten Experiences: A Cross-Cultural Exploratory Study in Korea and the US
Authors: Im Haesung , Swadener Elizabeth Blue
Published: March 2019

DRAWN FROM HOFSTEDE'S (2001) cultural dimension, this study aims to understand how culture plays a role in young children's views of their kindergarten experiences and communication styles in South Korea and the United States. Due to the large power distance between adults and children, children in Korea were hesitant to express critical views about kindergarten. They neutralised their dislikes and verbalised the expected group norms in order to be a ‘good’ child. Critiquing universal approaches to addressing child participation rights, we argue that being responsive to cultural differences in social relationships may enable children to more freely share their perspectives. It also discusses ways to improve the quality of children's lived experiences in kindergarten by listening to children's challenges and desires in each country.
Analysing Early Childhood Educators' Science Pedagogy through the lens of a Pedagogical Content Knowing Framework
Authors: Zhang Weidong , Birdsall Sally
Published: March 2019

CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED about science education in early childhood settings. A revised model of pedagogical content knowledge consisting of four components of content and pedagogical knowledge, along with knowledge of learners and context, was used to analyse educators' science education pedagogy. Using an interpretive mode of inquiry with a case study approach, this study investigated the ways in which 20 New Zealand early childhood (EC) educators provided affordances for science learning in their centres. The findings revealed the educators used all four components, but asymmetrical use, together with little integration and synthesising of components, resulted in the potential of affordances for science learning offered not being realised. The pedagogical content knowing (PCKg) model proved valuable for identifying these educators' strengths and also areas for development. It was also argued that its use could provide a way for educators to reflect on their pedagogy, leading to the provision of transformed and more powerful knowledge.
‘Well it depends on what you'd call play’: Parent Perspectives on Play in Queensland's Preparatory Year
Authors: Breathnach Helen , O'Gorman Lyndal , Danby Susan
Published: March 2019

IN THE CONTEXT OF RECENT education reform, Queensland's Preparatory Year (Prep) is undergoing a period of significant change. The framing of Prep under a new national curriculum reflects a shift from its play-based roots to a formalised, subject-based approach. This shift coincides with suggestions that parents may favour more formalised approaches to teaching and learning in the early years. This paper reports on two studies in which parents were interviewed about their views of play in Prep. Data were analysed thematically, with a focus on themes that parents used to talk about play. While parents broadly valued play, the findings suggest that parent participation greatly influenced their acceptance of play-based learning in the formal learning context of Prep. The findings raise implications for educators in fostering strong parent–teacher partnerships in order to facilitate improved parental understanding and support of play in early childhood programs.
Focusing on Strengths as Children Start School: What does it mean in practice?
Authors: Hopps-Wallis Kathryn , Fenton Angela , Dockett Sue
Published: March 2019

RECENT AUSTRALIAN REFORMS IN early childhood education have incorporated a focus on strengths-based practices. These practices have been supported in a range of professional resources and professional development. Despite this, there has been limited interrogation of the ways in which strengths-based practice is interpreted and employed by educators. This paper reports an investigation of prior-to-school and school educators' references to strengths-based practices in their communication with each other as children made the transition to school. To assist in the analysis of this communication, we draw on a categorisation of strengths-based practices developed from analysis of cross-disciplinary research literature. Three categories of strengths-based practices—derived from the fields of positive psychology, social work and organisational practice—provide the theoretical framework for analysis of this communication data.

Data reported in this paper were contributed by 22 educators as part of a broader investigation of preschool–school communication around children's transition to school. Secondary analysis of a subset of data, including questionnaire responses, interviews and documents that referred to strengths-based practices, were analysed. Results indicate that educators interpreted strengths-based practice as the sharing of positive information about children. We argue that this positive psychology approach presents a limited view of strengths-based practice and suggest that the organisational practice category offers the potential to communicate about children's strengths, as well as the challenges they may face, as they start school.
The Self-reported Academic Self-concept of Four-year-old Children: Global and Fixed, or Nuanced and Changing in the Year before School?
Authors: Cohrssen Caroline , Niklas Frank , Logan Danielle , Tayler Collette
Published: March 2019

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT academic self-concept and academic achievement are closely related and that academic self-concept is multidimensional. Most studies on academic self-concept have been conducted with school age children and little is known about developing academic self-concept in younger children. In this study, we investigated the evolving academic self-concept of a sample of 97 four-year-old children attending four different early childhood settings across Melbourne, Australia, during the year prior to school commencement. Analysis indicated that at this age, academic self-concept remains a global construct rather than distinguishable into literacy and numeracy self-concepts, and has little connection with children's actual performance on a range of assessment measures. In addition, children overestimated their academic self-concept to a lesser degree at the end of the year than at the start of the year. Implications for early childhood education pedagogy are discussed.
Early Childhood Teachers' Work in a Time of Change
Authors: Grant Sandra , Danby Susan , Thorpe Karen , Theobald Maryanne
Published: March 2019

THIS ARTICLE INVESTIGATES TEACHER decision making in a time of rapid educational reforms. Institutional ethnography is used to discover how teachers' work is coordinated by the texts of a new national curriculum, and a system for the assessment and ratings of kindergarten, preschool and long day care services in individual settings and across sites.

The research draws on video-recorded interview data gathered from five teachers working with three- to five-year-old children in kindergarten classrooms throughout South-East Queensland. Analysis shows the reported effects of policy regimes, designed to improve the quality of learning young children experience, on classroom teachers' work. Findings suggest that increasing levels of governance enacted through policy texts are creating an audit culture where teachers' educational work with children is changing. This article argues that the reported workload associated with the production of evidence, and the focus on providing ‘proof’ of quality, is taking teachers away from time spent building educative relationships with children.
Thinking, Feeling and Relating: Young Children Learning through Dance
Authors: Deans Jan
Published: March 2019

DANCE IS CONSIDERED TO be central to the development of the young child (Deans, Meiners & Young, 2012; Meiners, 2014; Sansom, 2011; Schiller & Meiners, 2003; Stinson, 1993; Wright, 2003), yet playful body-based learning is often under represented as a learning area by early childhood educators. Framed within socio-constructivist and rights-based theory, the research reported in this paper investigated young children's learning through dance and the role of the teacher in enabling this learning. The in-depth study adopted a qualitative mixed-methods case study methodology (Stake, 2005; Yin, 2003). The findings revealed that dance enabled the participating children to engage in embodied thinking, playful, imaginative problem solving and aesthetic decision making, while developing, through multi-modal semiotic meaning making, a strong sense of self and collective agency. The findings also highlighted a particular pedagogical platform and a range of teaching strategies that supported the establishment of an interest-based socio-constructivist dance curriculum where the voices of children were given an opportunity to be expressed in multiple ways.
‘You Want to Get it Right’: A Regional Queensland School's Experience in Strengthening Parent–school Partnerships
Authors: Campbell Claire , Dalley-Trim Leanne , Cordukes Lorraine
Published: March 2019

THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE key findings from a qualitative case study that was conducted in response to one regional Queensland state school's identified need for a customised approach to parent engagement in the early years. Data was collected via six semi-structured focus group interviews with parents ( n = 18) of children in the Preparatory year level at the school. A priori analysis of the data revealed three key barriers to parents' engagement with the school: communication, consistency and family commitments.

The intention of this study was to capture parents' perspectives and experiences in order to customise and strengthen the school's approach to parent engagement. The key findings and implications presented herein contribute to the body of knowledge on parent engagement practices in early childhood education settings. Moreover, this article emphasises the importance of the development of an individualised approach to parent engagement that is informed by parents.
Effects of an Evidence-based Intervention on the Australian English Language Development of a Vulnerable Group of young Aboriginal Children
Authors: Brookes Isabel , Tayler Collette
Published: March 2019

LEARNING IN BOTH INFORMAL and formal settings is vital to each child's sense of wellbeing and achievement, particularly for children identified as experiencing high levels of disadvantage and having markedly increased risk of poor educational attainment, health and development. National data indicates that Aboriginal children are especially vulnerable to low levels of engagement with education systems, including preschool. Recent reforms in early childhood education and care provision draw attention to focused educational strategies to promote early learning, since high-quality early learning experiences help to ameliorate early disadvantage.

This paper describes an experimental study designed to assess the effect of an evidence-based early learning intervention that targets both toddler language development and their capacity to attend to tasks with an adult (in this study, an early childhood educator and/or allied health professional). Aboriginal children aged 23 to 36 months participated in this intervention that was implemented by the educators at an Aboriginal long day care service over four months. The children were assessed pre-, post- and three-months following the intervention. The significant increase in their expressive and receptive language, and their initiation of joint attention behaviours, illustrates the potential of this intervention to change the language growth trajectories of very young children who live in similar circumstances. The study findings provide direction for program improvement across the centre, and set the scene for achieving practice change that may close gaps in development and achievement for children experiencing high levels of disadvantage early—long before school. Further research on the effectiveness of a larger-scale program improvement strategy is underway.
Tablet Technology and Cloud Storage as Evidence of Pedagogic Development in Pre-service Teacher Education
Authors: Highfield Kate , De Gioia Katey , Lane Rod
Published: March 2019

INCREASINGLY, EDUCATORS AND PRE-SERVICE teachers studying to become educators are called to present evidence of their teaching practice and the development of their pedagogic skills. Traditionally this evidence was likely to be printed, with pen and paper notes or typed examples. However, technology such as mobile and tablet devices and cloud storage is enabling new forms of evidence. This study was designed to examine how pre-service teachers develop a digital teaching portfolio incorporating multi-modal evidence linked to accreditation standards. This paper examines survey data, focus group responses and work samples to explore how 213 pre-service teachers use technology to document their work and pedagogic engagement. In examining the nature of ‘evidence’ we have adapted Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework (1979, 1993) to investigate pre-service teachers' perceptions of evidence of learning and explore their concerns with using technology to document learning and facilitate teacher accreditation.
The View from the Helicopter: Examining the Australian Early Childhood Workforce Using the National Census of Population and Housing
Authors: Jackson Jen
Published: March 2019

THIS STUDY USED DATA from the 2011 Australian Census of Population and Housing to examine differences between Australian early childhood educators at different qualification levels: certificate/unqualified, diploma-qualified and degree-qualified. The study's theoretical framework is informed by the work of Pierre Bourdieu and views qualifications as markers of broader differences in social and cultural capital. This paper describes how early childhood educators were identified in the Census data, and presents some preliminary findings, showing differences in educators' schooling, engagement in further study, income, employment arrangements and family responsibilities. These findings suggest that educators' qualifications are related to broader social differences, which have implications for how different groups of educators might experience current policy efforts to improve workforce qualifications and professionalism. Of particular concern is a group of educators whose educational background and employment circumstances place them at risk of marginalisation in the labour market and in the early childhood education and care professionalisation agenda.
Parent Perspectives on the Implementation of a Digital Documentation Portal in an Early Learning Centre
Authors: McFadden Amanda , Thomas Kerrin
Published: March 2019

THE TRANSFER FROM PAPER-BASED systems to digital documentation portals is revolutionising how information is delivered to parents in early childhood education and care settings. This study used a mixed-method approach to document the implementation and use of a digital portal in a large early learning centre from the perspectives of parents. Findings revealed a number of concerns for parents such as privacy, ethical use of images, storage of data and documentation content. However, the significant uptake of the portal by parents, attributed to a desire for greater connections with their child and with other parents, and the facilitation of these connections via the digital portal, was a key finding of this study.
Work ‘with’ me: Learning Prosocial Behaviours
Authors: Carter Margaret Anne , Ellis Carmel
Published: March 2019

THIS ARTICLE REPORTS RESEARCH findings from a descriptive study, identifying the perceptions of 33 staff in one early childhood Montessori centre in south-east Queensland, Australia. The authors report on the instructional practices associated with young children learning prosocial behaviours in this centre. Social understanding and skill acquisition communicated with authoritative practices were ranked favourably, compared with punitive practices of ordering and bribing children to behave. Engaging in respectful limit setting involving teaching children baseline social rules was preferred over telling, blaming and punishing children to behave. Our findings provide preliminary support for the importance of educators purposefully teaching young children the minimal level prosocial behaviours expected within early childhood education contexts.
Control of Allantoin Accumulation in Comfrey
Authors: Mazzafera Paulo , Gonçalves Kátia Viviane , Shimizu Milton Massao
Published: March 2019

Comfrey, a medicinal herb with healing properties that are attributed to allantoin, was studied in this work. The accumulation and metabolism of allantoin (ALN) and its degradation product, allantoic acid (ALA), were examined. ALN was the main ureide in leaves and roots, with young leaves showing the highest content. ALA was the predominant ureide in the xylem sap, and together with ALN represented 27% of the nitrogen (N) transported in the xylem. Amino acids were the most abundant N-compound in the xylem sap with a high proportion of glutamine. [14C]Xanthine feeding experiments showed that ALN and ALA were actively formed in leaves and roots by degradation of xanthine. Both xanthine and uric acid were rapidly degraded to form ALN and ALA. Enzyme studies showed that calculated V max /K m are low for allantoinase and alantoicase, supporting the results from the feeding experiments, and indicating that accumulation of ALN in comfrey is due to a low capacity for the enzymatic degradation of ureides.
Cembranoid Diterpenes from the Soft Corals Sarcophyton sp. and Sarcophyton Glaucum
Authors: Grote Daniela , Shaker Kamel H. , Soliman Hesham S. M. , Hegazi Muhammmad M. , Seifert Karlheinz
Published: March 2019

Two new cembrane diterpenes, 17-hydroxysarcophytoxide (1) and 7β-acetoxy-8α-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (2), together with 7β,8α-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3), sarcophytonin A (4) and (-)-β-elemene (5) have been isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyton sp. 7β-Hydroxy-8α-methoxydeepoxysarcophytoxide (6) and 7α,8β-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophytoxide (7) have been obtained from the soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. The structures were determined primarily by NMR spectroscopy.
A New Biflavanone from Ochna Lanceolata
Authors: Khalivulla Shaik I. , Reddy Nimmanapalli P. , Reddy Bandi A.K. , Reddy Ramireddy V.N. , Gunasekar Duvvuru , Blond Alain , Bodo Bernard
Published: March 2019

A new biflavonoid, ent-ruixianglangdusu B (1), together with three known compounds, namely ochnaflavone (2), (-)-epicatechin (3) and kaempferol-3- O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4) were isolated from the leaves of Ochna lanceolata. The structures of these compounds were determined by means of spectral and chemical studies.
Extraction Methods Play a Critical Role in Chemical Profile and Biological Activities of Black Cohosh
Authors: Jiang Bei , Reynertson Kurt A. , Keller Amy C. , Einbond Linda S. , Bemis Debra L. , Weinstein I. Bernard , Kronenberg Fredi , Kennelly Edward J.
Published: March 2019

Previous studies have indicated that black cohosh extracts obtained using different extraction methods can show different chemical profiles and biological activities. In this study, black cohosh plant material was extracted with 18 different solvents. Extraction under different temperatures was compared. Fifteen fractions were also prepared by either stepwise extraction or partition for comparison of chemical profiles and biological activities. All extracts/fractions were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed for triterpene glycosides and polyphenols by a combined HPLC-PDA and LC-MS method. Most extracts/fractions showed similar chemical profiles for triterpene glycosides, but the amount of the triterpene glycosides varied greatly. The chemical profiles of the polyphenols in the extracts/fractions varied depending upon the type and the composition of the solvent used for the extraction; a certain amount of water in the solvent was necessary for the extraction of polyphenols. Extracts/fractions were selected for anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity assays, and the results showed that activities varied with different extracts/fractions. Extraction method is the key to chemical profile and biological activity of black cohosh samples. Researchers should take this into consideration when either designing studies or comparing results among studies, as this may explain some of the results seen in the literature.
Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Callistemon Pinifolius and C. Salignus Leaf Essential Oils from the Northern Plains of India
Authors: Saxena Mohit , Shrivastava Kunal , Srivastava Santosh K. , Luqman Suaib , Kumar Ajai , Darokar Mahendra P. , Syamsundar Kodakandla V. , Ram Tota , Khanuja Suman P. S.
Published: March 2019

Biological and chemical investigations were carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Callistemon pinifolius and C. salignus leaf oils for herbal medicines. Disk diffusion and micro broth dilution methods were used for the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against selected strains of bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes and Escherichia coli) and fungi ( Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, and Sporothrix schenckii). Analysis of the leaf essential oil of C. pinifolius and C. salignus using GC and GC-MS resulted in the identification of fifty five and fifty one compounds, respectively. 1,8-Cineole (39.1% and 40.8%), α-pinene (26.7% and 24.2%), and ( E)-β-terpineol (9.6% and 13.5%), were the major constituents. The isolated essential oils could be of use for the future development of antimicrobial agents.
In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Polysulfides-Rich Essential Oil of Ferula Latisecta Fruits against Human Pathogenic Dermatophytes
Authors: Iranshahi Mehrdad , Fata Abdolmajid , Emami Bahareh , Shahri Bibi Mohadeseh Jalalzadeh , Bazzaz Bibi Sedigheh Fazly
Published: March 2019

The increase in dermatophytoses and the fact that some patients do not respond well to therapy make it necessary to find new antifungal agents. As part of our ongoing studies on medicinal plants from Iran, we studied antidermatophytic activities of Ferula latisecta essential oil, which had shown considerable antifungal activity in preliminary antimicrobial screening. Antifungal activity was evaluated by determination of MIC values using the agar dilution method on type strains of Candida albicans and dermatophytes. The composition of the oil was characterized by GC and GC/MS analyses. The essential oil was rich in polysulfides (75.2%) and exhibited good activity against Trichophyton rubrum and T. verrucosom for about three weeks, with a MIC value 96 μg/mL. The oil showed antifungal activity, especially against dermatophytes, and the activity is probably related to the sulfur-containing components of the oil. This study has identified that the polysulfides-rich essential oil of Ferula latisecta fruits has activity against a range of human pathogenic dermatophytes, justifying future clinical trials to validate its use as a therapeutic alternative for dermatophytosis.
Biological Activity and Composition of the Essential Oil of Dracocephalum Moldavica L. Grown in Iran
Authors: Sonboli Ali , Mojarrad Mehran , Gholipour Abbas , Ebrahimi Samad Nejad , Arman Mitra
Published: March 2019

The biological activity and composition of the essential oil of the aerial flowering parts of D. moldavica have been investigated. The oil analysis was performed by GC and GC-MS. Thirteen compounds were identified, representing 99.8% of the oil. Oxygenated monoterpenes (96.3%) were found to be the principal group of compounds, of which neral, geranial, geranyl acetate and geraniol with 32.1, 21.6, 19.9 and 17.6% of the total oil were the main constituents, respectively. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and its main components, citral, geraniol and geranyl acetate, showed that all of the tested microorganisms were highly inhibited by the essential oil with inhibition zones ranged from 15 – 41 mm for bacteria and 29 – 30 mm for fungi. The most sensitive microorganisms were Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis with the lowest MIC values of 0.9 mg/mL. Considering sensitivity screening, it is conceivable that the activity of the oil from D. moldavica could be attributed mainly to the presence of citral.
Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Antiproliferative Compounds from Grape (Vitis vinifera) Stems
Authors: Amico Vincenzo , Barresi Vincenza , Chillemi Rosa , Condorelli Daniele Filippo , Sciuto Sebastiano , Spatafora Carmela , Tringali Corrado
Published: March 2019

The fractionation, guided by cell-growth inhibition assay, of the EtOAc crude extract from grape stems of the Sicilian Vitis vinifera variety ‘Nerello Mascalese’ allowed identification of ten constituents, isolated either as pure compounds (1, 3–5, 7–10) or inseparable mixtures (2a-d and 6a-e). The pure constituents were: two triterpenoid acids, oleanolic (1) and betulinic acids (5); daucosterol (7); a stilbenoid, E-resveratrol (3) and its dimer E-ε-viniferin (4); the simple phenol gallic acid (8); and the flavanols catechin (9) and gallocatechin (10). Four 6′- O-acyldaucosterols (2a-d) and five 1,2-di- O-acyl-3- O-β-D-galactopyranosyl glycerols (6a-e) were also identified as inseparable mixtures. All the isolated compounds were subjected to spectroscopic analysis and MTT bioassay on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The majority showed growth-inhibitory activity, 5 being the most active (GI50 = 0.57 μM). Compounds 3–5 were also tested on HT-29, U-87-MG and U-373-MG cell lines.
Flavone and Flavonol Glycosides from Astragalus eremophilus and Astragalus Vogelii
Authors: Perrone Angela , Masullo Milena , Plaza Alberto , Hamed Arafa , Piacente Sonia
Published: March 2019

Two new rhamnocitrin glycosides (1 and 2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus vogelii, along with one known rhamnocitrin glycoside (3). Two known flavonol glycosides (4 and 5) and four known flavone derivatives (6-9) were isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus eremophilus. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D- (1H, 13C and TOCSY) and 2D-NMR (DQF-COSY, HSQC, HMBC) experiments, as well as ESIMS analysis.
Radical Scavenging Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Extracts of the Root Bark of Osyris Lanceolata
Authors: Yeboah Elizabeth M. O. , Majinda Runner R. T.
Published: March 2019

The root bark of Osyris lanceolata was screened for its antioxidant potential using three variations of the DPPH radical scavenging method viz a TLC-autographic assay, a semi-quantitative TLC assay, and a spectrophotometric assay. The total phenolic content was evaluated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The powdered root bark was extracted sequentially with n-hexane, chloroform, methanol and 90% methanol/water. A separate supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of the root bark was also carried out. The radical scavenging ability, as measured by IC50 values, was found to be 48.4 ± 0.4 and 49.5 ± 1.9 μg/mL for the 90% methanol/water and methanol extracts respectively, while those of the chloroform, n-hexane, and SFE extracts were found to be < 250 μg/mL. Under the same conditions, the values for the standards, ascorbic acid and gallic acid, were found to be 38.70 ± 0.08 and 2.86 ± 0.01 μg/mL respectively. The radical scavenging power of the five extracts correlated positively with the total phenolic content and was ranked in the following decreasing order: 90% methanol/water > methanol > chloroform > SFE > n-hexane with total phenolic contents of 290.2 ± 3.3, 271.0 ± 3.7, 74.4 ± 0.8, 62.5 ± 0.4 and 49.5 ± 1.9 mg GAE/g of dry extract, respectively. The 90% methanol/water and methanol extracts showed several components with high antioxidant activity displaying fast kinetics in both TLC assays, while the chloroform, SFE, and n-hexane extracts exhibited slow kinetics antioxidant activity.
Betaines in Four Additional Phyla of Green Plants
Authors: Blunden Gerald , Patel Asmita , Romero Maricela Adrian , Guiry Michael D.
Published: March 2019

Fourteen fern, two horsetail (Pteridophyta), three clubmoss (Lycopodiophyta), nine moss and two liverwort (Bryophyta, Marchantiophyta) species were examined for the presence of betaines. Glycinebetaine was detected in some of the fern, clubmoss, moss and liverwort species, but not in either of the two horsetail species examined. However, trigonelline was detected in one ( Equisetum telmateia). Thus, betaines have now been found in at least some species in all the major phyla of green plants.
GC-MS Analysis and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil of Stachys Cretica Subsp. Smyrnaea
Authors: Öztürk Mehmet , Duru Mehmet Emin , Aydoğrmuş-Öztürk Fatma , Harmandar Mansur , Mahlıçlı Melda , Kolak Ufuk , Ulubelen Ayhan
Published: March 2019

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Stachys cretica L. subsp. smyrnaea Rech. fil. (Lamiaceae), endemic to Turkey, was investigated by using GC and GC-MS. Thirty-four of 37 components, represented 99.7% of the total oil, were identified. The major components of the essential oil were trans-β-caryophyllene (51.0%), germacrene-D (32.8%), α-humulene (3.1%), δ-cadinene (2.1%) and δ-elemene (2.1%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil, trans-β-caryophyllene and five different extracts of the aerial parts of S. cretica L. subsp. smyrnaea were investigated by the standard disc diffusion method. The essential oil and trans-β-caryophyllene exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities. The activity increased with increasing concentrations of the essential oil and the extracts. The essential oil showed antimicrobial activity, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. The extracts exhibited either moderate or no activity.
Bioactive Complex Triterpenoid Saponins from the Leguminosae Family
Authors: Parente José P. , da Silva Bernadete P.
Published: March 2019

Many classes of phytochemical products are finding therapeutic use, for example, complex triterpenoid saponins containing in their structures monoterpene moieties. Some of these compounds possess cytotoxic, anti-HIV and adjuvant activities. This review aims to give an overview of these complex triterpenoid saponins with biological activity from the Leguminosae.
Evaluation of Cryptolepine and Huperzine Derivatives as Lead Compounds towards New Agents for the Treatment of Human African Trypanosomiasis
Authors: Oluwafemi Awotunde J. , Okanla Emmanuel O. , Camps Pelayo , Muñoz-Torrero Diego , Mackey Zachary B. , Chiang Peter K. , Seville Scott , Wright Colin W.
Published: March 2019

The alkaloid cryptolepine (1) and eight synthetic analogues (2-8) were assessed for in vitro activities against Trypanosoma brucei. Four of the analogues were found to be highly potent with IC50 values of less than 3 nM and three of these were assessed against T. brucei brucei infection in rats. The most effective compound was 2, 7-dibromocryptolepine (7); a single oral dose of 20 mg/kg suppressed parasitaemia and increased the mean survival time to 13.6 days compared with 8.4 days for untreated controls. In addition, four huperzine derivatives (9-12) were shown to have in vitro antitrypanosomal activities with IC50 values ranging from 303-377 nM.
Allelochemicals in Rye (Secale Cereale L.): Cultivar and Tissue Differences in the Production of Benzoxazinoids and Phenolic Acids
Authors: Carlsen Sandra C.K. , Kudsk Per , Laursen Bente , Mathiassen Solvejg K. , Mortensen Anne G. , Fomsgaard Inge S.
Published: March 2019

In the present study, a range of benzoxazinoid compounds and phenolic acids, all known to be allelochemicals of rye, were identified and quantified in 13 rye cultivars grown at three different localities. Plant samples were collected in the spring at the time when an autumn-sown rye cover crop would be incorporated into the soil. Significant variations in content among shoots and roots were seen for all of the secondary metabolites, with non-methoxy-substituted benzoxazinoids (BX) dominating the shoots, whereas comparable levels were found in the concentrations of BX and methoxy-substituted benzoxazinoids (MBX) in the roots. This distribution of compounds may indicate different biosynthetic pathways and/or different mechanisms of action of these compounds. Concentrations not only depended on plant part, but also on the geographical location – with differences in contents of up to a factor of 5. These differences can probably be attributed to differences in growing conditions. The variation among cultivars was similar to that among geographical localities, with differences within localities of up to a factor of 7 in the shoots and a factor of 14 in the roots. In roots, the contents of the four phenolic acids and the benzoxazinoid 6-methoxybenzoxazolin-2-one (MBOA) were correlated. In shoots, the contents of the two benzoic acids were correlated with each other, whereas the two cinnamic acids were correlated with MBOA and several other benzoxazinoids. The lack of correlation between MBOA and all other benzoxazinoids in the roots of rye might indicate that a hitherto unknown synthetic pathway exists for MBOA. The genes responsible for the synthesis of some of the benzoxazinoids have never been identified, and further gene expression studies are required to assess the observed correlation between the concentration of these compounds and other benzoxazinoids for which the responsible genes are known. The present study revealed a potential for breeding rye cultivars with a high content of biologically active secondary metabolites. However, growing conditions significantly influenced the level of these compounds.
Semisynthesis of Justicidone and a 1,2-Quinone Lignan. Cytotoxic Activity of Some Natural and Synthetic Lignans
Authors: Boluda Carlos J. , Trujillo Juan M. , Pérez José A. , López Hermelo , Aragón Zulma , Díaz Raquel G.
Published: March 2019

The dioxo-lignans of the arylnaphthalene-type named justicidone (2) and elenodione (3) were obtained from elenoside (1) through a short and efficient semisynthetic process. Justicidone (2), one of its synthetic precursors, 4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-5,6,8-trimethoxy-3a,4-dihydronaphtho[2,3-c]furan-1(3H)-one (9), and the aglycone of elenoside (5) showed cytotoxic activity towards the HL-60 cell line (IC50 = 7.25 μM, 5.41 μM and 2.06 μM, respectively).
Antiangiogenic Resveratrol Analogues by Mild m-CPBA Aromatic Hydroxylation of 3,5-Dimethoxystilbenes
Authors: Spatafora Carmela , Basini Giuseppina , Baioni Laura , Grasselli Francesca , Sofia Alfio , Tringali Corrado
Published: March 2019

A mild treatment of the resveratrol analogue 3,5,4′-trimethoxystilbene 2 with m-CPBA afforded two hydroxylated methoxystilbenes 5 and 6 by direct aromatic hydroxylation. A similar protocol was applied to other stilbenes bearing a 3,5-dimethoxy moiety, namely tetramethoxystilbenes 7 and 10 to obtain respectively the hydroxylated analogues 8, 9 and 11, 12. The substrate 2 and the new compounds 5, 8 and 11 were evaluated as anti-angiogenic agents and proved significantly active in the range 1 – 100 μM.
CoulArray® Electrochemical Evaluation of Tocopherol and Tocotrienol Isomers in Barley, Oat and Spelt Grains
Authors: Colombo Maria L. , Marangon Katia , Bugatti Carlo
Published: March 2019

Hexane extracts obtained from Hordeum vulgare L. (barley), Avena sativa L. (oat), Triticum spelta Schrank and Triticum dicoccum Schrank ex Schübler (spelt or emmer) whole grains, were examined for their tocochromanol (tocopherol and tocotrienol) content. The analyses were carried out on fatty extracts by means of HPLC coupled with a coulometric array electrochemical detector (ECD). Due to the specific high selectivity of the detector, the sample can be directly injected without any preliminary treatment (e.g. saponification). Eight tocochromanol isomers have been detected in barley grains. Different barley cultivars examined showed a tocochromanol content ranging from 1620 to 1852 ng/g caryopses. Oat grains contained ca. 45 ng/g caryopses and Triticum species ca. 1070 ng/g caryopses. The results are considered in view of a potential use of vitamin E derivatives as human health enhancer and as sources of antioxidants for food lipid preservation.
Three New Spongian Diterpenes from the Fijian Marine Sponge Spongia sp
Authors: Gross Harald , Wright Anthony D. , Reinscheid Uwe , König Gabriele M.
Published: March 2019

Chemical investigation of the marine sponge Spongia sp., collected from the Fiji Islands resulted in the isolation of three new furanoditerpenoids 1-3, along with the known compounds epispongiatriol (4) and 17,19-dihydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien-2,3-dione (5) While 1 is a new spongian diterpene with a modified oxidation pattern, compounds 2 and 3 represent two new ring A-contracted spongians, displaying a novel and unprecedented nor-spongian carbon skeleton. Despite their labile nature the structures could be established through a combined strategy including complete analysis of spectroscopic data (NMR, MS), molecular modeling and quantum-mechanical calculations.
Antifouling Sesterterpenes from the New Zealand Marine Sponge Semitaspongia Bactriana
Authors: Stewart Michael , Depree Craig , Thompson Karen J
Published: March 2019

Three antifouling (AF) sesterterpenes have been isolated from the New Zealand marine sponge Semitaspongia bactriana with toxicity against the diatom Nitzschia closterium and bryozoan Bugula neritina. The three metabolites have been characterised by spectroscopic techniques as 7 E, 12 E, 20 Z-variabilin (1), cavernosolide (2) and lintenolide A (3) (also called spongianolide C) and have low micromolar activity against our two test species. The γ-hydroxybutenolide containing sesterterpenes (2 and 3) show the most promise, with relative stability and suitable lipophilicity for incorporation of either these metabolites, or synthetic analogues, as biocides to produce paints or plastics with AF properties.
Murrayakoeninol- A New Carbazole Alkaloid from Murraya Koenigii (Linn) Spreng
Authors: Chakraborty Mumu , Saha Sudipta , Mukhapadhyay Sibabrata
Published: March 2019

A new carbazole alkaloid, designated as murrayakoeninol, was isolated from the leaves of Murraya koenigii (Linn) Spreng, along with four known carbazole alkaloids, viz. mahanimbine, koenimbine, O-methylmurrayamine-A and murrayazolinine and one from the bark viz. girinimbine. The structure of the new alkaloid 1 was elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR spectral analysis and chemical reactions.
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Effects of the Mangrove Tree Heritiera fomes
Authors: Wangensteen Helle , Dang Huong Cam Thi , Uddin Shaikh Jamal , Alamgir Mahiuddin , Malterud Karl Egil
Published: March 2019

Heritiera fomes is a mangrove tree which is widely distributed in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh. In this study, the EtOH extract of stem bark from H. fomes was shown to be rich in procyanidins. Trimeric, pentameric and hexameric procyanidins were identified in addition to highly polymeric material (average degree of polymerization 18-24). Bioactivity studies showed high DPPH radical scavenging and 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) inhibiting activities of the bark extracts (EC50 = 19.4 ± 1.7 and IC50 = 22 ± 1 μg/mL, respectively) which could be ascribed to its high content of procyanidins. The procyanidins were also assayed as DPPH scavengers and 15-LO inhibitors, with EC50 and IC50 values in the range of 8-15 and 10-15 μg/mL, respectively. The bark extracts showed antibacterial activities against K. rhizophilia, S. aureus, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa, as well. No toxicity was observed in the brine shrimp assay.
Antimicrobial Phenolic Compounds from Anabasis Aphylla L
Authors: Du Hua , Wang Ye , Hao Xiaojiang , Li Chun , Peng Youliang , Wang Jihua , Liu Hao , Zhou Ligang
Published: March 2019

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethyl acetate extract from the aerial parts of Anabasis aphylla, a Chenopodiaceous species widely distributed in the northwest of China, led to the isolation of six phenolic compounds, which were identified by means of spectrometric analysis as 1-(2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethanone (1), 3,4-dihydroxy cinnamic acid tetracosyl ester (2), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid (3), 2-hydroxy benzoic acid (4), 3,4-dihydroxy cinnamic acid methyl ester (5) and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid pentadecane ester (6). These compounds were further screened for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and median inhibitory concentration (IC50) by use of the microdilution-MTT assay for antimicrobial activity against one Gram-positive bacterium ( Bacillus subtilis), three Gram-negative bacteria ( Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pseudomonas lachrymans, and Xanthomonas vesicatoria), and one yeast ( Candida albicans). Apart from compound 6, which had no activity against any of the tested microorganisms, the other compounds showed selective inhibitory activity. This is the first report on the antimicrobial activity of the phenolic compounds isolated from A. aphylla. The obtained results provide promising baseline information for the potential use of the extract and some isolated compounds from this plant as antimicrobial agents to control plant and animal diseases.