bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial Polyphenol from Erodium glaucophyllum
Authors: Gohar Ahmed A. , Lahloub Mohammed F. , Niwa Masatake 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Geraniin and gallic acid were isolated from the alcohol extract of the aerial parts of Erodium glaucophyllum (Geraniaceae). The identity of the compounds was verified through different physical and spectrometric methods. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of geraniin is presented.
Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Nepeta parnassica Oils and Isolated Nepetalactones
Authors: Gkinis Giorgos , Tzakou Olga , Iliopoulou Dimitra , Roussis Vassilios 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Essential oils of Nepeta parnassica, collected at different developmental stages, were analyzed by means of GC/MS. From the fifty-five identified constituents in samples A and B, representing 94.8% and 98.7% of the oils respectively, 4aα,7α,7aβ-nepetalactone (22.0%), 1,8-cineole (21.1%), α-pinene (9.5%) and 4aα,7β,7aβ-nepetalactone (7.9%) were the major components of sample A (vegetative stage), whereas in sample B (flowering stage) the main contributors were 1,8-cineole (34.6%), 4aα,7α,7aα-nepetalactone (17.3%), α-pinene (11.4%) and 4aα,7α,7aβ-nepetalactone (8.9%). The oils were tested on human health important insects such as the Pogonomyrmex sp. ants and the Culex pipiens molestus mosquitoes with promising results on insect repellency/toxicity.
GC/MS Analysis of Some Bioactive Constituents from Carthamus lanatus L.
Authors: Mitova Maya , Taskova Rilka , Popov Simeon , Berger Ralf Günter , Krings Ulrich , Handjieva Nedjalka 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Sterols, triterpenes, volatiles, polar and other constituents in aerial parts of Carthamus lanatus were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Over 90 compounds were identified most of them new for the species. Sitosterol and stigmasterol were the most abundant of 10 sterols identified in the sterol fraction. Taraxasterol, α- and β-amyrine prevailed in the triterpene fraction. Volatiles, sterols and a fraction of the dichloromethane extract showed strong cytotoxicity (Artemia salina assay).
Influence of Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorous Sources on Glucoamylase Production by Aspergillus awamori in Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Bertolin Telma Elita , Schmidell Willibaldo , Maiorano Alfredo E. , Casara Janice , Costa Jorge A. V. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
It was the objective of the present study to increase the production of glucoamylase by Aspergillus awamori through solid state fermentation, using wheat bran as the main carbon source and (NH4)2SO4, urea, KH2PO4, glucose, maltose and starch as additional nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon sources. The production of glucoamylase is strongly influenced by N and C sources. A 100% increase was observed when the (NH4)2SO4 was replaced by urea, with C/N = 4.8, using maltose as the additional carbon source. C/P ratios in a range of 5.1 to 28.7 did not induce glucoamylase production under the studied conditions.
Stress Causes Tissue-Specific Changes in the Sialyltransferase Activity
Authors: Dabelić Sanja , Flögel Mirna , Maravić Gordana , Lauc Gordan 
Published: February 2015

Numerous pathological conditions are associated with specific changes in glycosylation. Recent studies clearly demonstrated a link between stress and the development and course of many diseases. Biochemical mechanisms that link stress and diseases are still not fully understood, but there are some indications that changes in glycosylation are involved in this process.
Influence of acute and chronic psychological stress on protein sialylation as well as the activity of sialyltransferases, enzymes that synthesize sialoglycoproteins, has been studied on Fischer rats. Liver, spleen, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart, adrenal gland, serum, cerebellum, hippocampus, medulla oblongata and cortex have been analyzed. Statistically significant tissue- and type of stress-specific changes in total sialyltransferase (ST) activity were observed. Acute stress resulted in 39% increase of ST activity in liver and spleen, while at the same time there was 43% decrease in ST activity in cerebellum. In chronic stress, ST activity increased in spleen (93%) and decreased in liver (17%), cerebellum (38%) and hippocampus (64%). Western-blot analysis using Maackia amurensis and Sambucus nigra lectins did not reveal any difference in protein sialylation. The results of serum corticosterone analysis indicate that showed increase in acute stress and decrease in chronic stress are in good accordance with the hypothesis that corticosterone has a role in the regulation of liver ST activity.
Antioxidant Activities of Three Dihydrochalcone Glucosides from Leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
Authors: Yang Wei-Min , Liu Ji-Kai , Qin Xiang-Dong , Wu Wan-Lin , Chen Zhi-He 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
In vitro antioxidant activities of three sweet dihydrochalcone glucosides from the leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus (Kurz) Rehd. (Fagaceae), trilobatin 2″-acetate (1), phloridzin (2) and trilobatin (3), were investigated. The IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) values for compounds 1-3 of lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate were 261, 28, 88 μm, respectively. Compounds 1-3 increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity with EC50 (50% effective concentration) values of 575, 167, 128 μm, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity with EC50 values of 717, 347, 129 μm, respectively, and showed only weak DPPH (1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity
Antiproliferative Effect of Angelica archangelica Fruits
Authors: Sigurdsson Steinthor , Ögmundsdottir Helga M. , Gudbjarnason Sigmundur 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The aim of this work was to study the antiproliferative effect of a tincture from fruits of Angelica archangelica and the active components using the human pancreas cancer cell line PANC-1 as a model. Significant dose-dependent antiproliferative activity was observed in the tincture with an EC50 value of 28.6 μg/ml. Strong antiproliferative activity resulted from the two most abundant furanocoumarins in the tincture, imperatorin and xanthotoxin. The contribution of terpenes to this activity was insignificant. Imperatorin and xanthotoxin proved to be highly antiproliferative, with EC50 values of 2.7 μg/ml and 3.7 μg/ml, respectively, equivalent to 10 and 17 μm. The results indicate that furanocoumarins account for most of the antiproliferative activity of the tincture.
Proteins with Spectrin Motifs Which Do Not Belong to the Spectrin-α-Actinin- Dystrophin Family
Authors: Kukuła Maciej , Hanus-Lorenz Beata , Bok Ewa , Leluk Jacek , Sikorski Aleksander F. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Using several consensus sequences for the 106 amino acid residue α-spectrin repeat segment as probes we searched animal sequence databases using the BLAST program in order to find proteins revealing limited, but significant similarity to spectrin. Among many spectrins and proteins from the spectrin-α-actinin-dystrophin family as well as sequences showing a rather high degree of similarity in very short stretches, we found seven homologous animal sequences of low overall similarity to spectrin but showing the presence of one or more spectrin-repeat motifs. The homology relationship of these sequences to α-spectrin was further analysed using the SEMIHOM program. Depending on the probe, these segments showed the presence of 6 to 26 identical amino acid residues and a variable number of semihomologous residues. Moreover, we found six protein sequences, which contained a sequence fragment sharing the SH3 (sarc homology region 3) domain homology of 42-59% similarity. Our data indicate the occurrence of motifs of significant homology to α-spectrin repeat segments among animal proteins, which are not classical members of the spectrin-α- actinin-dystrophin family. This might indicate that these segments together with the SH3 domain motif are conserved in proteins which possibly at the early stage of evolution were close cognates of spectrin-α-actinin-dystrophin progenitors but then evolved separately.
Exocrine Gland Secretions of Virgin Queens of Five Bumblebee Species (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini)
Authors: Cahlíková Lucie , Hovorka Oldřich , Ptáček Vladimír , Valterová Irena 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Secretions of three different glands (mandibular gland, labial gland, and Dufour’s gland) of virgin queens of five bumblebee species (Bombus lucorum, B. lapidarius, B. hypnorum, B. pascuorum, and B. terrestris) were analysed. Around 200 compounds were identified in the secretions. The compositions of the secretions of labial and mandibular glands were speciesspecific. Dufour’s gland of all species produced mainly hydrocarbons, both saturated and unsaturated, the proportions of which differed quantitatively between the species studied
The Pyoverdins of Pseudomonas syringae and Pseudomonas cichorii
Authors: Bultreys Alain , Gheysen Isabelle , Schäfer Mathias , Budzikiewicz Herbert , Wathelet Bernard 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The structure elucidation of the cyclic (lactonic) forms of the pyoverdins with a succinamide side chain originally produced by the closely related species Pseudomonas syringae and P. cichorii is reported. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses as well as the determination of the configuration of the amino acids after degradation indicate that these two pyoverdins differ only by the replacement of the first in-chain serine by glycine. The pyoverdins of P. syringae and P. cichorii and the dihydropyoverdin of P. syringae can be used by both species as siderophores.
Cuticular Wax Profiles of Leaves of Some Traditionally Used African Bignoniaceae
Authors: Gormann Rainer , Schreiber Lukas , Kolodziej Herbert 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The cuticular waxes, obtained by chloroform extraction from the leaves of four African Bignoniaceae, Newbouldia laevis, Markhamia acuminata, Spathodea campanulata and Kigelia africana were analysed by GC-MS. The principal constituents were represented by a homologous series of n-alkanes (C23-C33), n-alcohols (C18-C30) and related carboxylic acids (C16-C36). For N. laevis and M. acuminata, ursolic and oleanolic acid were the most abundant wax components (52 and 60%, respectively), followed by the C29, the C31 and the C33 n-alkanes. The predominant components of S. campanulata were n-alcohols (35%), with octacosanol and triacontanol as the most abundant ones, while K. africana is distinguished from these three members by the conspicuous absence of triterpenoic acids and the predominance of n-alkanes (70%) with hentriacontane and tritriacontane as the main representatives. Other notable constituents were sterols, albeit present in trace amounts. The wax profiles are discussed in terms of taxonomic characters.
Rapid Determination of Volatile Compounds Emitted from Chimonanthus praecox Flowers by HS-SPME-GC-MS
Authors: Deng Chunhui , Song Guoxin , Hu Yaoming 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
A novel rapid, simple and solvent-free method was developed for determination of the volatile compounds from the flowers of Chimonanthus praecox Link using headspace solidphase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The SPME conditions were firstly optimized and applied to sampling of the volatile compounds emitted from living Chimonanthus praecox L. flowers and excised Chimonanthus praecox L. flowers. Thirty-one compounds emitted from living flowers were identified for the first time, which mainly included 4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene (2.0%), α-phellandrene (4.7%), benzyl methanol (11.1%), trans-linalool oxide (furanyl ring) (5.3%), α-linalool (36.0%), methyl salicylate (24.5%) and acetic acid benzyl ester (5.9%). Comparing the emission from living flowers and excised flowers, twenty-eight compounds were found to be detected in the two emissions, and three compounds, n-pentadecane, n-cetane and n-heptadecane, were only found in the emission from the living flowers, which shows that they might be biomarker compounds.
Antimicrobial Activity of Fractions and Compounds from Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae/Guttiferae)
Authors: Pretto Juliana B. , Cechinel-Filho Valdir , Noldin Vânia F. , Sartori Mara R. K. , Isaias Daniela E. B , Bella Cruz Alexandre 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae/Guttiferae) is a native Brazilian medicinal plant traditionally used against several diseases, including infectious pathologies. Crude methanolic extracts (CME) and two fractions, denoted non-polar (soluble in chloroform) and polar (nonsoluble in chloroform), were prepared from different parts of the plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits) and studied. The following compounds were isolated and tested against pathogenic bacteria and yeasts by determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): brasiliensic acid (1), gallic acid (2), epicatechin (3), protocatechuic acid (4), friedelin (5) and 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone (6). The results indicated that all the parts of the plant exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, which are selectively inhibited by components of C. brasiliense. No activity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts tested. Regarding the isolated compounds, substance 4 showed antimicrobial activity against all the tested microorganisms, whereas compound 6 exhibited antimicrobial activity only against Gram-positive bacteria. The results from the current study confirm and justify the popular use of this plant to treat infectious processes.
Synthesis and Field Tests of Sex Pheromone Components of the Leafroller Argyrotaenia sphaleropa
Authors: Legrand Sacha , Botton Marco , Witzgall Peter , Unelius Rikard 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Female pheromone glands of the leafroller Argyrotaenia sphaleropa were analyzed. Two acetates were identified as (11Z,13)-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate and (11Z)-tetradecen-1-yl acetate by comparison with synthesized references. The (11Z,13)-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate and the aldehyde (11Z,13)-tetradecadienal were synthesized via a Wittig reaction. A field-trapping test showed that a lure consisting of a mixture of (11Z,13)-tetradecadienal and (11Z,13)- tetradecadien-1-yl acetate in a 10:1-ratio produced the highest trap catches.
A Biochemical Approach for Detecting Interactions between Peptides from the HIV gp120 Glycoprotein and a CD4 Sequence
Authors: Chersi Alberto , Falasca Giuliana , Malorni Walter 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Peptides selected from the HIV viral protein gp120 bind to a synthetic peptide mimicking sequence 78-89 of the human lymphocyte CD4 molecule, linked to activated Sepharose. The binding of viral fragments to the CD4 peptide-Sepharose beads was ascertained either by aid of a ninhydrin reagent or by fluorescence microscopy. A suitable alignment of these HIV peptides with the CD4 fragment showed that multiple interactions might occur between hydrophobic or charged groups of the two molecules. Although this experiment does not demonstrate that these two amino acid stretches are involved in the primary binding of gp120 to CD4 receptors, the present data suggest that the two sequences might have some kind of interaction during subsequent steps of viral infection.
The Ecdysteroid UDP-Glucosyltransferase Gene Promoter from Autographa californica Multicapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus
Authors: Shen Xing-Jia , Yi Yong-Zhu , Tang Shun-Ming , Zhang Zhi-Fang , Li Yi-Ren , He Jia-Lu 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (egt) gene promoter fragments of different lengths were generated from the genomic DNA of the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) by PCR. After being purified and enzymatic digestion, they were cloned into the pGEM-3Z vector for construction of reporter plasmids pAcegt542- luc, pAcegt309-luc and pAcegt159-luc with the luciferase gene driven by the AcMNPV egt promoter. The results of transient expression in the Spodoptera frugiperda cell line-21 (Sf21) showed that the transcriptional activity of the AcMNPV egt promoter required the transactivation of viral factor(s). The expression of luciferase gene driven by the AcMNPV egt promoter was first detected at 24 h post infection. The egt promoter from the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), closely related to AcMNPV, revealed similar properties to that of the AcMNPV egt promoter. When BmNPV homologous region 3 was subcloned downstream the luciferase gene, the luciferase activity of the reporter plasmid was enhanced by over 1000-fold, but the property of the promoter was not changed. As a substrate of ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (EGT), foreign insect ecdysone showed negative effects on egt promoter transcriptional activity. Ecdysone of 1.0-2.0 μg/ml significantly down-regulated the promoter activity. Promoter activities of different lengths showed that an AcMNPV egt promoter fragment of 159 bp has the basal transcriptional activity but it was almost abolished only about 0.2% of that of 309 bp and 542 bp, respectively, and the nucleotide sequence from - 159 to - 309 nt upstream the translation initiation site includes the main cis-acting elements interacting with viral factors.
Adaptation of the Phosphotungstate Method to Determine Reduced and Oxidized Vitamin C in Blood Plasma
Authors: Rutkowski Maciej , Grzegorczyk Krzysztof , Greger Janusz 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The phosphotungstate reagent (PTR) was used for quantitative spectrophotometric determination of physiological forms of vitamin C in blood plasma. An immediate action of PTR on the first half of the tested samples allowed to determine reduced vitamin C concentrations (I) at 700 nm. 10 mм dithiothreitol added to the second half of the samples reduced oxidized vitamin C in it - hence the total amount of this vitamin was reduced with a concentration (II) determined as above (remains of dithiothreitol were removed with N-ethylmaleimide). The difference of results (II) and (I) gave the concentration of oxidized vitamin C. The method is characterised by fault-less analytical parameters: correlation coefficients of analytical curves > 0.99, recovery factor 100.5%, variation coefficients intra- and inter-serial < 3% and < 5%, respectively, detection limit 0.05 μm. The simplicity of the method enables an easy control of the ratio of oxidized and reduced vitamin C concentrations in blood plasma - the biomarker of the level of oxidative damage to cells.
Assessing and Managing Biological Risks of Plants Used for Bioremediation, Including Risks of Transgene Flow
Authors: Gressel Jonathan , Al-Ahmad Hani 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The plants used for phytoremediation pose special biological risks, whether transgenic or not, as most of the species: (a) are semi-domesticated; (b) are introduced from other habitats; (c) can become established in the contaminated site; (d) can spread and displace native species, and/or; (e) may introgress transgenes into related species. The addition of transgenes can reduce the risks, e.g. to sterilize or render the species and hybrid offspring hypersensitive to environmental effects (heat, cold), or to a chemical that will cull the species. Various measures can contain transgenes used in phytoremediation species to prevent gene flow, but most containment technologies are both uni-directional (prevent either outflow or influx), and are inherently leaky, even a concept specifically utilizable for phytoremediation Ð grafting non-transgenic scions on bioremediating transgenic rootstocks. Containment mechanisms should be either stacked with each other or with “mitigator” genes. Transgenic mitigation (TM) has mitigator genes added in tandem to the desired primary transgene (genetically linked) and the mitigator genes confer traits that are positive or neutral to the desired species but are deleterious to hybrids, keeping them at very low frequencies. The concept was demonstrated in tobacco and oilseed rape with a dwarfing mitigator gene that enhanced the reproductive productivity (harvest index) when cultured alone, but eliminated it from mixed populations. Besides the mitigator genes previously proposed for crop species (sterility, no seed shattering, dwarfing, no secondary dormancy) there are genes especially appropriate for phytoremediation, e.g. overexpression of cytokinin oxidase (reduces cytokinin levels) conferring reduced shoot systems (unfitness to compete) with a more extensive root system that is better for extracting toxic wastes as well as no-flowering for vegetatively propagated species. Thus, biotechnology can be harnessed to reduce risks from both non-transgenic and transgenic phytoremediation species.
Short Transcript-derived Fragments from the Metal Hyperaccumulator Model Species Arabidopsis halleri
Authors: Dräger Dörthe B. , Voigt Katrin , Krämer Ute 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils requires high-biomass plants exhibiting tolerance to and accumulation of metal contaminants. However, very little is known about the genes controlling these traits. In order to better understand this, Arabidopsis halleri ssp. halleri (L.) O’Kane and Al-Shehbaz, a naturally selected zinc and cadmium tolerant plant species capable of hyperaccumulating both metals, is a suitable model plant. To date, the scarcity of sequence information from A. halleri is still limiting its use as a model organism. Here we report 128 transcript-derived sequence fragments (TDFs) identified in a cDNAAFLP approach aimed at identifying metal-regulated transcripts in roots. In addition we show that in roots of A. halleri, transcript levels of AhPDR11, encoding an ATP-bindingcassette (ABC) transport protein, are slightly induced in response to metal exposure.
Transcription Profiling of the Metal-hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens (J. & C. PRESL)
Authors: Plessl Markus , Rigola Diana , Hassinen Viivi , Aarts Mark G. M. , Schat Henk , Ernst Dieter 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Thlaspi caerulescens is a well-studied metal-hyperaccumulator of zinc, cadmium and nickel, belonging to the Brassicaceae family. Moreover it is one of the few hyperaccumulators that occur on different metalliferous soil types, as well as on nonmetalliferous soils. We are interested in the development of systems to improve phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils through improved metal-accumulation. About 1900 cDNAs isolated from T. caerulescens roots were hybridized with reverse transcribed RNA from zinc-treated T. caerulescens plants of two accessions originating from two different soil types. This comparative transcript profiling of T. caerulescens plants resulted in the identification of genes that are affected by heavy metals. The developed microarray proved to be an appropriate tool for a large scale analysis of gene expression in this metal-accumulator species.